My father's birthday included Robot Gorillas

Today The Admiral is 65.  Sixty Five.

The Old Man has been around the sun now a few times, and so we pay him his dues.

This weekend we headed into Galveston where we stayed in a condo on the beach and generally took it easy.  The days of running all over, Griswold-like, during any vacation seem to be receding in the rear-view mirror, and I'm quite pleased with this turn of events.  I am content to bob in the ocean and worry only about my next meal.

The Admiral then ran off, arms out at his sides shouting "vrroooooom!  VROOOOOOMMM!!!!".  This is a B17.

Unfortunately, we hit Houston at about 3:30 on a Friday in August, right before school started, so we were one of several million people on I-45 heading down past Hobby when I noticed, first, that our tire pressure alert had gone off.  I said nothing to Jamie so as to not cause undue panic, but was feeling the car handling poorly soon afterward, but funny thing about that stretch of Houston...  its almost impossible to pull off for a couple of miles.

Now, I will say this for the drivers of Houston:  their roads may have been designed by crazy people, but I had more people letting me know I had a flat tire than you can imagine, and people BLOCKING for me as I eventually managed to get off around Scarsdale.  And THEN we basically rolled into this surprisingly garage, and the guy patched my tire basically for free since he felt sad he didn't have the exact tire or fix-it kit he'd want to do a good job.  So, Houstonians,  I ask you to patronize Premier Foreign Domestic Cars when you have a chance.

We made it to Galveston only about an hour late, went to The Spot for dinner on the seawall.  Then back.

The next day we swam in the sea, then The Admiral and I went and got a new tire for the CRV while Jason, Amy and KareBear went to The Bishop's Palace on Broadway (which I pledge now to visit on my next voyage to Galveston), while the Admiral and I detoured over to The Lone Star Flight Museum.  For a small (inexpensive, too!) museum, they had an impressive batch of planes.  What was mostly impressive was that almost 3/4's of what they had was still airworthy.  So, in the morning we'd been bobbing in the ocean and watched a P-51 Mustang, a B-17 Flying Fortress, a T6 and a Stearman bi-lane go over, and all four were at the Museum while we were there, so we could walk right up to them.  I'm no plane aficionado, but for some reason I find the P-51, P-47 and F-4U interesting birds, and they had all three (no B-26, P-38 or P-40, but who is quibbling?)!  They also had B-17 which I stuck my head in (I wasn't supposed to, I think), and this thing, which is one of the models The Admiral worked on back in his Air Force days in Vietnam.

The Admiral asks too many questions about how he should pose.  I am not patient for this litany of questions.

He told me 10 times what this thing is, and I think its an A-8.  But that isn't actually correct.

edit:  I am told this is an A1-H, but The Admiral worked on the A1-E.  Both called the "Skyraider".

Last night we went to the Olympia Grill for dinner.  Had a lovely time.

This morning, Jamie woke me up once and said "You don't want to see the sunrise, do you?"  And I said "Hrrruughh?  Murrgghhh." and went back to sleep.

The condo we were in was pretty snazzy, up on the top floor of the Galvestonian with view both south and east, and so I could see her compelling argument, but at 6:45, all I could think was "pillow.  face.   Gnnrraaghhh."

10 minutes later she tried again, and so I got up and watch the sun just post-rising today.  And then I hit the beach for an hour.  The fishies were swimming exactly on the surface all around us, and pelicans were dive-bombing all over the place getting their morning meals.

We then packed up, and had to leave, enjoying a final meal at the themed "Rainforest Cafe" (where, if you have kids, you may have been.  Its really goofy.).

The League makes a pal.

The Admiral is one for stoicism in the face of nonsense, and perhaps I should not have pointedly asked the "safari guide" for their "most adventurous table", but we had a pretty good view of both the animatronic apes and elephants.  And, somehow, it seemed fitting on The Admiral's 65th, which is actually today, that we ring it in with the freaking out of robot gorillas and the faux-thunderstorm and other such, uh, whatever that is.

But I can recommend the Rainforest Ricky.  Its a tasty treat.

Heading for the Beach

Hey, Signal Corps!

As of tomorrow I am packing my swimtrunks, my suntan lotion and my REO Speedwagon 8-tracks and Jamie and I are headed for Galveston for a few days with my folks and my brother and his lady-friend.

we shall all look splendid in our bathing costumes

Galveston is a town of unfortunate history and frequent calamity, but its also a fascinating little burg sitting out there on a spit, bravely casting its face against the many dangers the sea and sun can deliver. But its a fun place to go, and relatively shark free.

The island is home to some fascinating Queen Anne homes, both restored and decaying, three universities (including a medical school), an aquarium, a sort of zoo thing, an airplane museum and was one of the ports pirate Jean Lafitte used as a headquarters.

Every fall they have an event called "Dickens on the Strand" where locals dress up like Victorian-era folk and make a sort of living Christmas display in their touristy/ shopping area off the beach. I've never been, but it sounds... well, I don't know how they don't pass out in those get-ups. Its still warm here in November.

Its The Admiral's* B-Day, and as his B-Day usually comes and goes with a minimum of fuss, the KareBear decided this year we'd do it up a bit more. So off we're headed to sunny Galveston where we'll... I have no idea. I suspect it will be fun, though.

But that's it for me. I'm all tuckered out. You kids have a good weekend and we'll see you next week.

our birthday boy in his finest regalia

*for those new to the Signal Corps, "The Admiral" is not actually an Admiral and his service was limited to four years in the Air Force. Its an affectionate honorific.

DC's New 52 commercial has me concerned/ is pretty lame

1. This is basically a collection of still images from promo art. It doesn't tell a story, it gives an impression of "look - stuff with superheroes" that doesn't say anything outright about what DC is selling other than characters.

The League's Guide for Incoming Freshmen

This week students are arriving on campus at the university where I work.  I work in a building (a library) where I studied as an undergraduate.  This building is across the street from the building I lived in with 2,999 of my fellow students, and where I now eat lunch about 2-3 times per week.  

When I left high school and entered the wide-world of higher education, it was quite a change for your humble blogger.  I was leaving a world in which I'd achieved academic success mostly by following the rules and bullshitting when I did not, but doing it with humility and a pleasing smile that seemed to keep me from getting my head lopped off on the many, many occasions that should have done me in.

College provided me with a new set of circumstances, new people with new perspectives, teachers no longer working from a regionally approved curricula nor with fear that saying things displeasing to the local moral majority would cost them their job.  But, I also left the comfy nest of a home provided me by KareBear and The Admiral, a place where meals were provided, laundry magically happened, and as long as I did my homework, promised to go to college, occasionally did the lawn and didn't get anybody pregnant, I was able to enjoy the benevolence of those who might smite me.  But it wasn't exactly training for college.

I attended the University of Texas, my incoming class becoming part of what was a roughly 48,000 person student body, which would jump to 51,000 before I'd departed with 5 years and 2 degrees under my belt and the perspective and philosophy that comes with time spent in a city-state dedicated to creating the educated individuals of tomorrow.  I never didn't love the institution.  Instead, despite the rough first two years I spent at the bottom of the GPA pool, I figured out how, at last, to get out of the school what it was offering.

And so, I offer up some helpful tips I wish somebody had told me when arriving upon the steps of the Ivory Tower of Education, some things that may help out the young The Leagues showing up at their own colleges and universities, all across the world this Fall.

Signal Watch Reads: Terry Moore's "Echo"

This week the single volume edition of Terry Moore's Echo hit the shelves at your favorite comic shop (if it didn't, change comic shops.  They should carry this kind of stuff, too.).

I followed Moore's Strangers in Paradise off and on, and it was one of the books that got Jamie into reading comics back in the day.   Moore's artwork is easy to spot, and while he could go off and become a penciler for DC or Marvel, I'm glad he's always stuck to his guns and indulged his writing as well as his pen and ink.

If I kept leaving and coming back to SiP, it was because I couldn't tell what Moore was doing with the series.  It went from a sort of suburban melodrama/comedy to having secret organizations and martial artists and god knows-what-else.  It was his series, and he could develop it however he pleased, but coming out in single issues, it was a bit hard to swallow over the span of years.

Of course, Moore DID wrap up SiP with what I considered a satisfying conclusion.  With a few years between the end of the series and now, I've been thinking of filling in the gaps I have in the series (I read it as a mix of trades and floppies and stopped and started during the duration).  Moore has since released an affordable 6 volume set, and its tempting to try re-reading it from beginning to end, because I think Moore knows what he's doing more than I gave him credit for.

I didn't know Echo would be a limited run story when I first picked up an issue, but I found the first two issues interesting enough that I decided I'd pick up the trades.

Looking with squinty, skeptical eyes at the November solicits for DC's New 52 (Month 3)

In truth, a while back I quit reading "Previews" or looking at anything more than titles of books coming out.  (A) The solicitation information was always one of four or five boiler-plate bits (B) The information was usually hyperbolic and misleading, anyway. And (C) I quite like looking at comics on the rack at my local comic shop and pondering those crazy covers to make a buying decision.*

As exciting as talking about "The New 52" from DC was in the first weeks of the announcement, in the back of my head I was always aware that we'd have a couple of months' worth of solicitations available before the first issue of the New 52 hit the stands (and we'd be spinning our wheels all summer as DC geared up for the effort).  With the New 52, I've felt obligated to get an idea of what I might (and might NOT) spend my money on.

Monday afternoon, the solicitations hit for November's releases, the third month of DC's New 52. DCNu effort.  And maybe I'm tired or in a bad mood, but...  If there was any doubt that New DC is the Old DC, somehow rebooting the line with the same heads and talent in place, curiously, did not seem to shake things up a whole lot, and we're already back to simple tricks and nonsense.

That said, a few things still have me absolutely excited.  And this is where my personal taste comes into play.

Here's my favorite copy of the November solicits:

FRANKENSTEIN, AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E. #3

Frankenstein and The Creature Commandos crash-land on the invading alien planetoid and all-out mayhem ensues, but nothing can prepare them for the coming of The Titans of Monster Planet! And just when they thought things couldn't get worse, Father Time receives a troubling message from his past.

I don't know what any of that means, but its exciting!

Its also telling that I actually like this cover:

I am not sure this is what Mary Shelley had in mind, but I'm gonna run with it

But I was less excited by what I saw elsewhere.

No Post Monday

I have to go to Waco in the morning, and I didn't have time to finish the post I was working on.  I am sure you all understand.

Had a lovely weekend, and am sure this week will be swell.

Here's the cover of Captain America #1, featuring work by Jack Kirby and story by Joe Simon.  We (The US, that is) weren't actually yet at war with Germany when this comic hit the stands.  But Cap was already in action.  He's just that cool.

Go, get 'em, Cap!

Signal Watch Reads: Brubaker and Phillip's "Last of the Innocent" - pure noir on the rocks

Holy smokes.  This week saw the release of another issue of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phllips' creator-owned but published by Marvel title Criminal.  Criminal is an ongoing series, but Brubaker tells different stories every few issues with new characters, etc...  in short, its not an ongoing series following a single character.

I picked up the first issue or two and about that time i was changing comic shops, etc... and lost track of the title.  With issue 1 of the recent story, Last of the Innocent, I decided to pick up the comic again.  And I'm absolutely pleased I did so.

As someone who enjoys his crime fiction as much as his heroic fiction, Last of the Innocent hits all of the noir criteria, following stand-ins for the Riverdale High gang of Archie comics in familiar faces such as Archie, Jughead, Veronica, Betty, Moose, Reggie and others.  But to see Jughead's gluttony explained as part of an addictive personality, Veronica's rich-girl self-centeredness taken to the logical extreme, etc... by the character's 30's sets up the perfect noir scenario.

I'm making this sound like something it isn't, which is an unoriginal, cutesy exploitation of the original Archie material.  Instead, the story reads much more like straight noir with flashbacks and reflections of Riley Richard's past remembered through rose colored glasses.

The series has a few more issues to go (this week saw issue 3 hit the stands), but each chapter does what a good noir does with each twist, and ratchets up the tension around Riley and the supporting characters.

The artwork, flipping between Phillips' now trademark rough-and-tumble style and a cartoony, kids'-book feel for flashbacks, is a huge pleasure.

Highly recommended.

My Chat Transcript with Pearl at Time Warner re: The Longhorn Network

Today I learned that Time Warner Cable has not yet reached a deal in which I will receive the Longhorn Network, ESPN's first regional-specific network dedicated to satisfying the sports needs of Longhorn fans.  I am not kidding.

Kickoff for the first game of the 2011 season for UT is the traditional UT/ Rice game is 6:00 PM on September 3rd. As of today, TWC, which has a stranglehold on cable subscribers in Austin, has not yet negotiated a contract with ESPN, the mother-ship network for the LN.  And, as you guess, only the Longhorn Network is carrying the game.  This, people, is utter bull-hockey.

Because the market solves all, I turned to my benefactors at Time Warner, knowing my pleas would not fall on deaf ears.

I suspect "Pearl" may not be the actual identity of my liaison.


Pearl Smith:    Thank you for contacting Time Warner Cable. At the end of our chat you will be given the option of taking a brief survey. My name is Pearl. Please give me a moment while I access your account.

Ryan_:    hello.
Pearl Smith:    I understand you need information on Longhorn Network, am I correct?
Ryan_:    yes!
Ryan_:    I am hoping that TW will find an agreement with the Longhorn Network prior to August 26th.
Pearl Smith:    Although we do not currently have an agreement to carry Longhorn Network, we do want to make the Longhorn Network available as soon as possible. Unfortunately, the Longhorn Network refused our offer to bring the Longhorn Network to TWC customers.
Ryan_:    why?
Pearl Smith:    There is some issue with the broadcasting rates.
Pearl Smith:    The deal does not get finalized.
Ryan_:    I am sure TWC cares more about me seeing UT football than something as silly as money.
Pearl Smith:    I apologize for any inconvenience this has caused you.

Ryan_:    Pearl, nobody is blaming you.
Pearl Smith:    Time Warner Cable regularly examines its programming line up with an eye towards providing the highest quality and widest choices available at reasonable and competitive prices. Although we do not currently provide the programming that you requested, we do keep track of the number of requests received and utilize this information to influence programming changes. Time Warner Cable is always concerned with the programming interests of our subscribers. This programming request will be shared with our Programming Department. It is this type of feedback that is vital as we strive to deliver the best variety of programming available to our customers.
Ryan_:    But this is a nuisance.  Please tell Mr. Warner and Mr. Time that I will take a network showing Longhorn football over 1000 channels showing me shows about baking cakes and/ or cupcakes.
Ryan_:    I expect for the outrageous sums outlayed to the Time Warner Corporation, they can scrape together a few shekels and see to it that I get my football programming.
Ryan_:    Even if it does mean that's one less private island for the super fortress they're obviously building for their secret private army.
Pearl Smith:    I can transfer you to our sales team for more information on this.
Pearl Smith:    They would be able to inform you the time of its launch.
Ryan_:    That won't be necessary.  I appreciate your patience and I look forward to having the Longhorn Network on my cable dial by August 25th.
Pearl Smith:    Thank you.

Pearl Smith:    Is there anything else I can assist you with today?
Ryan_:    You can explain to me what vertical integration means.
Pearl Smith:    I am sorry, I am unaware of this word.
Ryan_:    that's okay, Pearl.  I appreciate your time.  Have a great night!

Signal Watch Watches: The never-aired Wonder Woman Pilot

The thing that struck me over the head by far the most about the ill-fated Wonder Woman pilot is that it looked exactly like something that should have aired on Fox in the late 1990's.  Yes, it was from the production shop of David E. Kelley, he of Ally McBeal fame, who also gave us many more shows that were quirky or something, none of which I've watched.  And its hard to put a finger on exactly what's so 1990's about the show except that in design, scripting and pacing its maybe a hair in storytelling more mature than soaps from the 1980's, and the 1990's shows carried many of the same themes over from the prior decade.

the show is less decisive about pants vs. shorts than Didio himself

I won't say I don't watch a lot of TV shows, but when I think sudsy shows with classy, glammy looking women in absolutely enormous and over-stylized corporate offices having middle-school arguments and smirking at one another depending on who thinks they have the upper-hand, my mind is thrown back to shows like Melrose Place and latter-era 90210, LA Law, McBeal, etc...  And Wonder Woman full on has exactly one of these scenes.

So, yes, if you thought "well, it sounds like David E. Kelley", that's exactly what you get.  An hour-long sudser that, sigh, breaks for action when it isn't letting gorgeous, beautifully tressed women  in kind-of-bad outfits go all Dynasty on each other.