Paolo Rivera Is Brilliant

The new Daredevil series is amazing. Mark Waid has drafted a genius turn for The Man Without Fear and the art has been amazing, with a particular nod to Paolo Rivera's cover work.

Each issue popped off the shelves.  Good covers are a lost art, imo.  When people are scooping up mailed in stuff like this:

That's not good cover work, imo.  Bendis and Romita have mailed in the entire Avengers title, and Bendis has utterly and completely destroyed every Avengers title he's touched since the renumbering.

This, however, brilliant:

I'm not one very easily given over to hyperbole, but I believe this is not only the best cover of 2012, but the best cover in 15 years.  Perhaps one of the most beautiful covers of all time.

I challenge you to find a cover that is not only gorgeous, but reflects the actual story inside.

You'll be hard-pressed.

But let's see your submissions.

Peculiar Tweetdeck Memory Usage

I use Tweetdeck, not sure if I'm a heavy user or not, but it sure seems like this application has a memory issue, no?

Now, maybe my settings are wonky?

Max. number of updates per API call = 170
Max. number of updates in a column = 500

Any recommendations?

Win 7 x64, 8GB RAM...

My Pull List for March 28, 2012

Grade: A


Grade: C- Big drop from first issue. Listless, hard to follow, nudity for nudity's sake. Will give it another issue.


Grade C- OMG A MARVEL/BENDIS EVENT! I HAVEN'T SEEN ONE OF THESE IN YEARS!! I'm sure they'll keep it self contained...pfft.


Haven't read this finale yet. But the entire series has been an A+, I doubt the ending will be any different.


Grade: B+


Grade: A+ What a cover!


Grade: A Marvel: If you kill this title you lose me.


Grade: A++ One of the best titles on the stands. Image is on top right now.


Grade: B


Grade: B Well, Robert "I Pad For Trade, Fuck Tony Moore, It's All Mine!" Kirkman finally did something...what's it been? 15 issues since he shot Carl's eye off? But still, notice you always have to wait until the last page for that thing to actually happen?

Scary People On Twitter

As a Conservative, I tend to run with a conservative crowd.  Be it on real life, blogs, IRC, Twitter etc.

However, with social media being what it is, and how close we all can be now - just a reminder that people are still scary.

I logged into Twitter on my phone and noticed someone had re-tweeted something I post a few times a month.  Note the date.

The other day, I see this:

 

NoMoreBo must have liked that tweet because he retweeted it...but removed my name from it so that it appeared to be his own.

I told him to knock it off. I drove to work and decided to look through his tweets, he had already deleted the stolen tweet, but hadn't said a word.

Once I was actually wading through his tweet history, scary stuff.

So, the next time you find yourself asking why Liberals think we're all racists, hate-filled morons, read his tweets.  It's because they concentrate on guys like him.

And, should I be scared that he thought so highly of my "coexist" point that he felt the need to plagiarize it?  I'm nothing like this nutjob.

Here Come The Obama Harvard Videos!

The Andrew Breitbart "Obama Harvard Videos" are sure to be awesome, amazing, incredible, spectacular, enlightening and all that other good stuff (yet will be completely ignored ignored by the media (therefor leaving the ABC, NBC, CBS, PMSNBC, CNN viewers further uninformed - just the way liberals like them).

Not only did Obama sit for 20 years in a church vitriolic, racist hate-group whining about Whitey and oppressed he was, he was a radical (SHOCKING!) while attending the elitist Harvard.  In my world, "Harvard" and "Oppressed" don't go together.  But hey, if ya got the cards, play 'em.

One of his radical professor mentors, Derrick Bell, has acknowledged covering up the tapes during the 2008 election (lots of coverups in this administration, no?).  I'm sure he was doing so for the betterment of the country...certainly not just so he could get to see a brother in the White House.

Most radical leftists always put their own agendas aside and do what's moral and right, regardless of the color of one's skin or political views.  After all, they are the party of equality and tolerance.  Right?

Anyways.  The first Breitbart videos are starting to surface.  It's my belief that any damage the GOP is currently doing to itself with this ridiculous primary will be undone when America gets a glimpse of exactly who it is they promoted to the highest office in the land.  A rich, protesting moron elitist. In what the media are calling a "rally in support of racial equality", Obama is really at a "protest about black oppression and how evil white people are"...at least conservative white people. Twist those words Liberals...twist 'em up good!

Obama: “And I remember that the black law students had organized an orientation for the first-year students. And one of the — persons who spoke at that orientation was Professor Bell. And I remember him sauntering up to the front and not giving us a lecture, but engaging us in a conversation and speaking the truth and telling us that he [inaudible] to learn at this place that I’ve carried with me ever since. Now how did this one man do all this? How has he accomplished all this? He hasn’t done it simply by his good looks and easy charm — although he has both in ample measure. He hasn’t done it simply because of the excellence of his scholarship, although his scholarship has opened up new vistas and new horizons and changed the standards of what legal writing is about. Open up your hearts and your minds to the words of Professor Derrick Bell.”

Fairly innocuous video, nothing too radical, right?  Speaking from beyond the grave, the genius that is Andrew Breitbart had a plan, and so do the men that have taken up his reigns.  Little by little, these videos are going to get more and more damaging to President Downgrade.  Let him piss his pants wondering which one is going to appear next.  Which terrorist will he be seen screaming into a megaphone with?  With which murderer will we see him painting protest signs?

But look at the LiberalStream Media go nutty already:






They know what's coming. Their cozy little relationship with Barry is coming to an end and they're panic stricken.  It's fantastic.

Here's a grainy version of Barry and Derrick hugging each other:




I cannot wait for the release of all these videos.  This is just the beginning folks, it's only going to get better!

Values, And The Man That Raised Me

Yesterday, in emailing with my father, I asked him how the voting went in my old home town.

This was his he told me:

I told the first lady I needed a Republican ballot to do my part to save the country.

She applauded me.

The second lady, when I was checking out, said that I couldn't vote because I was an undeclared voter and did not declare. I told her that I declare and took a Republican ballot.

Some guy in charge came over to inquire what the problem was. She said that I couldn't vote because I didn't declare.

I asked if she was a Democrat and trying to keep her man in office. She doesn't want me to vote to get the country back on its feet.

He agreed with me and on my way out the first lady gave me the thumbs up.

That's why I vote.

That is why I love my father. I hope I can be a tenth of the man and father he is.

If I Had $336 Million, I Would

The title of this post is best sung to the tune of that Barenaked Ladies song.

Anyway.  This is on my mind because Someone in Rhode Island, who has not yet come forward, won that amount of money in the Powerball lottery over the weekend.  They're expected to come forward today to claim their winnings.

Good for them, I say.

However.  You know how you're given the opportunity to take a one lump payment or take monthly/yearly payments?  The lump sum is nice because you get your instant millions and you don't have to wait around for a "paycheck".

For example, Holly Lahti from Idaho won a $380 million dollar lottery.  She opted to take the lump sum. That lump sum instantly turned into $120 million dollars. Right off the top $260 million disappeared.  Why?

After that, the fed withheld $30 million in taxes.  Then, the Idaho State Tax Commission took $9.3 million leaving the "winner" with $80.7 million in winnings.  I'm not saying I would scoff at 80 million bucks...but where did all that money go?  Where did that initial 260 million dollars go?  Basically, she won nearly four hundred million dollars, but went home with 80.

Doesn't that seem odd?

I'm no lawyer, so I don't know if that's the best strategy.  I assume these winners talk to lawyers and are advised to take the lump sum.  Perhaps the thinking is that one could die tomorrow and never see another payment again.  Or they're talked into the thinking that...well, "You didn't have $80 million twenty four hours ago...why would you turn down $80 million?"

Or perhaps the payments, after each check getting taxed, doesn't turn out to be that much closer to the initial winnings anyway.  I don't really know

I honestly think I would take the payments.  I wouldn't go skydiving or basejumping or cave spelunking or try to fly off a cliff or something...basically I'd be pretty damn careful to make sure I got every damn dime.

I'd like to hear from anyone with some knowledge of this matter to tell me why the majority of winner always seem to take the lump sum.  Other than the obvious instant check for a bunch of millions...why give away so much?  I have no doubt that states put that $260 million to great use, like filling potholes, fixing bridges, improving mass transit, trimming branches, cleaning the town parks, maybe hiring a cop or...oh who the hell am I kidding?  They hide that money in "other funds" slice and cook it away, bet on it.

Progressive Metal And The Emptiness That Was Dream Theater Left

Ever since Dream Theater disbanded, yes disbanded, because the band no longer exists, I've been looking for some new, fresh, innovative progressive metal.

I've been listening to the regulars:

Animals as Leaders
Citriniti
Andromeda
Counter - World Experience
Scale The Summit
Kong

And the oldies but goodies from Buckethead to Transatlantic from  Behold...The Arctopus to Redemption (currently the best metal band playing right now imo).

But I'm longing for more.  Dream Theater leaves a big, gaping hole.  They had such an ennormous sound that any one or three bands can't fill it back up again.

Do you have any suggestions?

Maybe This Will Help You Understand Massachusetts

This is Massachusetts General Law Section 32L:

Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, possession of one ounce or less of marihuana shall only be a civil offense, subjecting an offender who is eighteen years of age or older to a civil penalty of one hundred dollars and forfeiture of the marihuana, but not to any other form of criminal or civil punishment or disqualification. An offender under the age of eighteen shall be subject to the same forfeiture and civil penalty provisions, provided he or she completes a drug awareness program which meets the criteria set forth in Section 32M of this Chapter. The parents or legal guardian of any offender under the age of eighteen shall be notified in accordance with Section 32N of this Chapter of the offense and the availability of a drug awareness program and community service option. If an offender under the age of eighteen fails within one year of the offense to complete both a drug awareness program and the required community service, the civil penalty may be increased pursuant to Section 32N of this Chapter to one thousand dollars and the offender and his or her parents shall be jointly and severally liable to pay that amount. 

That basically means you can walk around with an ounce of weed:

in your possession and an officer of the law will simply write you a ticket for a civil infraction.  Basically,  a parking ticket that has zero effect on your life.

Recently, I was pulled over by an officer of the law for "failure to yield".  When he looked at my license he told me it had expired.  "Damn," I thought, "You're right.  My birthday was 4 days ago and I just had a newborn.  It must have slipped my mind".  I told him I will renew it online as soon as I get to work.

Expecting him to tell me to "get it done".  He, instead, told me to get out of the car.  I was 0.5 miles from my job, it was 4:50am (I wake up at 4am to drive an hour to work every day), I wasn't speeding and I have a perfect driving record. 

Wondering what I did, I saw another cruiser arrive.  From what I've seen on COPS, that usually means trouble.  He told me he couldn't let me drive the vehicle away...because I "technically don't have a license".  He asked, "What happens if I let you drive away and you get into an accident?".  I guess if that big bag of dope was in my passenger seat he would have felt more comfortable letting me drive away.  I was very friendly and respectful but asked him if he was serious...and what was I to do with the car.  Apparently, officers of the law are always serious every moment of their waking lives because that seemed to have angered him - severely.

He told me a tow truck was on its way and I can pick it up, unless I can get someone to come drive it, he suggested my wife. I reminded him my wife just had a baby...and is (50 minutes away) at home sleeping with said 2 week old.  He said that wasn't his problem either, and was there someone at work I could call.  I told him there wasn't, I basically open the doors to the place, it's a big engineering company and I'm one of the first of 400 people to arrive.  He told me, again, that it wasn't his problem and I had "5 minutes to find someone or the car's gone".

Out of desperation, I called the front desk, because we have a security guard.  I introduced myself  and asked him if he would come get me 0.5 miles down the road.  He did and he was able to drive the car to my job, where I renewed my license online.

I was given a ticket to appear in court for "Driving without a license".  I was placed on one year's probation.

Is it my fault? Yes.

Is this backwards? Absofuckinglutely.