tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62416002024-03-13T22:38:55.641-04:00False Prophecy"The religion of one age is the literary entertainment of the next."
--Ralph Waldo EmersonJoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12205684816801345851noreply@blogger.comBlogger169125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241600.post-85151874412208552202009-05-19T11:04:00.002-04:002009-05-19T11:58:59.453-04:00A very long weekend...So this was a very busy Victoria Day long weekend for me, and it didn't even involve fireworks.Friday evening some friends and I attempted to see the new Star Trek film again, this time in IMAX!!!--but the show was already sold out. So we opted for X-Men Origins: Wolverine instead. I'd heard bad and mediocre reviews, and wasn't expecting much, but it wasn't horrible. Not Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12205684816801345851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241600.post-7532571713823377202009-05-13T10:03:00.004-04:002009-05-13T12:02:54.895-04:00They Fight Crime!A common TV series pitch--or parody of one--is taking an "odd couple" and placing in them in situations where they solve mysteries and defeat criminals. This trope is called They Fight Crime, and examples include Numb3rs ("He's an FBI agent; he's a math professor. They Fight Crime!") and Blood Ties ("She's a Canadian police detective who is slowly losing her sight. He's a Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12205684816801345851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241600.post-62610794362300365232009-04-21T14:32:00.004-04:002009-04-21T15:34:15.821-04:00Finally stopped Browning aroundSo, Random House has finally announced that Dan Brown's next novel, The Lost Symbol (formerly known under the working title The Solomon Key), will be released in the US and Canada on September 15th, with a precedent-setting first run of five million copies.Based on the plots of Digital Fortress, Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code, let me try to divine the plot Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12205684816801345851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241600.post-11626063273973248602009-04-16T08:31:00.003-04:002009-04-16T10:32:03.475-04:00The Gernsback ContinuumMindful of the fact I don't seem to read enough these days, I've set myself a challenge: to read all of the 2009 nominees for the Hugo Award for Best Novel. The Hugo is one of the top prizes a science fiction author can receive, and they awarded annually at Worldcon, the annual convention of the World Science Fiction Society. As an added bonus, this year's Worldcon, Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12205684816801345851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241600.post-81532085005486850842009-03-03T14:16:00.004-05:002009-03-03T15:14:42.082-05:00Flats and SharpsA survey of some recent music news that has interested me. I also have a home improvement update that I'll post later.After Forever, one of my favourite bands, has broken up:Dearest Fans,After nearly 15 years and with heavy hearts, we have decided to call an end to a great and exciting time as After Forever. We are extremely proud of what we have accomplished, and especially of Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12205684816801345851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241600.post-16083280059946173832008-12-22T13:57:00.003-05:002008-12-22T14:12:38.553-05:00The Greatest Gift of All...So, in defiance of his own election platform, Prime Minister Harper is giving eighteen of his BFFs an early Christmas present:Career broadcaster Mike Duffy is headed to the Senate as Prime Minister Stephen Harper confirmed Monday that he is filling all 18 current vacancies, triggering a debate over patronage as the fate of his government hangs in the balance.It's good Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12205684816801345851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241600.post-77132052146492781922008-12-05T11:32:00.003-05:002008-12-05T11:58:52.291-05:00Parliament in the Penalty BoxYou would think that the current clusterf*** in the House of Commons might break my blogging hiatus. It's been a busy week for me, though, so I've been limited to brief paragraphs on Facebook and trying to stay on top of the whole charade.I could summarize what's been going on but I think I'll just link to others who've already done a good job with that, including Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12205684816801345851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241600.post-70754469229070166712008-09-24T15:42:00.002-04:002008-09-24T15:46:22.984-04:00Free Sarah Palin!At Red Tory I came across this great take on the McCain campaign's double-standard:I'm sure Ms. Brown is as motivated (if not more) to defend her profession as her gender, but still a great point, nonetheless.Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12205684816801345851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241600.post-12103560697146800732008-09-19T10:23:00.003-04:002008-09-19T10:31:34.439-04:00The funny things authors sayShorter G.P. Taylor, English vicar and author of the Shadowmancer Quartet of fantasy novels:"It worries me that children are becoming interested in Wiccan and neo-pagan ridiculousness. I hope that my books bring them back to proper Christian ridiculousness. My Muslim and Jewish readers agree with me."Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12205684816801345851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241600.post-79931811171141815472008-08-01T09:40:00.004-04:002008-08-01T09:45:53.475-04:00She really is a Strange Little Girl...Slayer's "Raining Blood"Tori Amos' cover versionJoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12205684816801345851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241600.post-55510988452730641952008-07-31T16:03:00.003-04:002008-08-01T10:10:00.492-04:00Rating the VillainsI stumbled across this blog post that asks how well Voldemort of the Harry Potter books stacks up against the Evil Overlord List. Some highlights:4. Shooting is not too good for my enemies.Lord Voldemort has, since the end of "Goblet of Fire" insisted that only HE may kill Harry Potter, and that he needs to be captured alive. This is, of course, an idiotic and self destructiveJoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12205684816801345851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241600.post-38921558293747648112008-07-24T11:09:00.004-04:002008-08-01T10:05:06.276-04:00Book review: Nemesis: The Last Days of the American Republic, by Chalmers JohnsonThis is the third and final book of Chalmers Johnson's Blowback trilogy. I previously reviewed the first book, Blowback, which focused on the harmful consequences of American military intervention and covert operations around the world. The title is a word used by the Central Intelligence Agency to refer to such Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12205684816801345851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241600.post-17518945473307188792008-07-22T12:14:00.005-04:002008-12-10T18:40:30.526-05:00Who am I supposed to root for?Christian Bale's lame BatmanHeath Ledger's totally awesome JokerI have a few confessions to make:First of all, although I am a huge fan of comics, graphic novels, manga, or whatever pretty marketing terms are used to sell sequential art, I am largely ambiguous about superhero stories. I didn't like them as a child, when I preferred the exciting adventures of Donald Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12205684816801345851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241600.post-42099141822108958922008-07-15T23:11:00.002-04:002008-07-15T23:23:01.024-04:00Are You Ready to Rock?They've finally released the setlist for Rock Band 2!And it includes Dream Theater's "Panic Attack". ERs across the continent should be warned they're about to see an increase in repetitive stress injuries starting in September:Rock Band 2 will also include a new drumkit manufactured by Alesis, a company that actually makes electronic drumkits. Here's a video of the ION Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12205684816801345851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241600.post-14693449849921764222008-07-01T10:15:00.003-04:002008-07-15T23:11:24.252-04:00Happy Confederation Day!On this day, let's remember the Fathers of Confederation by going to the awesome interactive picture in the Canadian Encyclopedia!Happy 141st Birthday, Canada!Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12205684816801345851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241600.post-44670642662163160662008-06-30T09:26:00.004-04:002008-12-10T18:40:30.689-05:00WANTED...a plot that makes senseI don't really review movies here at False Prophecy, but I saw one this weekend that compels me to discuss it. Wanted, starring Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy and Morgan Freeman, opened this Friday. And let me get it out of the way now: THIS POST CONTAINS SPOILERS!!!Wanted is based on the comic series by noted British comics scribe, Mark Millar. Like much of his Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12205684816801345851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241600.post-35449784784130483512008-06-26T13:18:00.003-04:002008-06-26T13:25:11.843-04:00Father knows bestIn his Father's Day entry, Neil Gaiman passes along Heinlein's Five Rules (with Sawyer's sixth addendum) to an aspiring writer:Dear Neil, I am sure you have probably answered this question before and are probably, therefore, very sick of it. But, I still must ask. I am an aspiring writer and am wondering how you stayed motivated during times of great failure. I understand what Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12205684816801345851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241600.post-8025268806787982502008-06-18T11:43:00.004-04:002008-06-19T00:39:10.955-04:00Metal makes the world go 'roundThere will be a further delay in bringing the world up to speed on my life as I found a story that set my heart aflutter:Metal goes global, with some surprising riffsGUY DIXON Globe and Mail - June 18, 2008This is a story dripping with irony - ghoulish, blood-red irony.It turns out that heavy metal, anathema to the moral majority, has spread Western ideals of Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12205684816801345851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241600.post-5861601776329969712008-06-18T00:17:00.002-04:002008-06-18T00:23:14.203-04:00Deja vuMadJenny has tagged me in one of those internet memes. I'm pretty sure I've done something like this before. So, rather than rack my brain trying to think up five new items at a time when I'm otherwise up to my eyeballs, I'll just direct people there.A lot has happened to me in the past couple of months, most of it good, all of it busy. Hopefully in another week or two I will be settledJoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12205684816801345851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241600.post-5865190605627492562008-04-20T11:35:00.003-04:002008-04-20T12:06:36.743-04:00My returnIt's been a long time, almost two months since my last post. While I've had longer hiatuses in the past, few have been as tumultuous.Since my birthday, I've dealt with coming to terms with the death of my grandmother, my last grandparent. She was in her 90s, had a host of medical issues, and passed away peacefully, but she was always a looming figure in my life, especially during my Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12205684816801345851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241600.post-19128338772791090242008-02-25T14:53:00.002-05:002008-12-10T18:40:31.167-05:00Born at the wrong timeWell, today is my 31st birthday. I know of no better way to celebrate it than to recollect the tyrannical fashion dictatorship into which I was born. In honour of the year of my birth, I present the horrors that passed for fashion back then: the 1977 JC Penny catalogue!Also, judging by the sheer amount of matching his/hers outfits, in 1977 it was apparently considered Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12205684816801345851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241600.post-38470162420635811102008-02-20T07:00:00.003-05:002008-02-20T07:52:52.041-05:00Star WarsThe US military is planning to shoot down a spy satellite:WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon plans to shoot down a disabled U.S. spy satellite before it enters the atmosphere to prevent a potentially deadly leak of toxic gas from the vehicle's fuel tank, officials said on Thursday.President George W. Bush decided to have the Navy shoot the 5,000-pound (2,270 kg) minivan-sized satelliteJoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12205684816801345851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241600.post-71295947003011628722008-02-18T11:46:00.002-05:002008-02-20T07:53:44.232-05:00Eine Kleine FenstermusikThis is interesting: music made only with Windows 98 and XP sounds:Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12205684816801345851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241600.post-50478244900221208722008-02-15T01:02:00.002-05:002008-02-15T01:16:18.673-05:00For He So Loved the Stage, He Sent His Only Begotten Singer...Just got back from seeing a production of Jesus Christ Superstar with Ted Neeley, who played Jesus in the Norman Jewison film and the original Broadway production--almost 35 years ago! I linked to some clips from the 1973 movie in a previous post.This is Neeley today:Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious!-Psalm 66Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12205684816801345851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241600.post-36179126803145285792008-02-13T16:51:00.005-05:002008-12-10T18:40:31.452-05:00Heartless WarToday is the 63rd anniversary of the firebombing of Dresden, Germany during World War II:The bombing of Dresden by the British Royal Air Force (RAF) and United States Army Air Force (USAAF) between February 13 and February 15, 1945, 12 weeks before the surrender of the German Wehrmacht, remains one of the most controversial Allied actions of the Second World War. The raids saw 1,300 Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12205684816801345851noreply@blogger.com