« April 2008 | Main | June 2008 »

May 29, 2008

25 Years Ago The Force Disappeared

I try telling myself that my age has a lot to do with my disdain for anything created by George Lucas. I imagine that if Star Wars was released now instead of in 1979 I would hold it in the same regard I do Independence Day; Hollywood bubble gum. But I know I am lying to myself. I know the never-ending joy I have watching Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back is not just some nostalgic trip to my youth but the result of being immersed in a fantastic movie.

Twenty five years ago this May 25, Return of the Jedi opened in theatres and it was the beginning of the end. Michele Catalano writes about the Star Wars transformation from brilliant cinematic story to marketing ploy.

As Ewoks danced merrily on the screen before me and the whole space world seemed to celebrate in unison, I cringed at what I was seeing. Ewoks? Cute, furry little animals? I watched in horror as it dawned on me that George Lucas had completed his saga with the intent of making a killing in merchandising. To think that this movie was nothing more than a marketing ploy to sell the Star Wars name to kids was to admit to myself that Lucas was no more than another Hollywood shill out to make a buck, and not the storytelling, brilliant hero I had made him out to be in my mind. I had been so enamored with Lucas and his vision and now I just felt betrayed and hurt.

It is true, and evident in my ability to watch the first two whenever they're on, no matter what station, no matter how many commercials, sometimes for a few minutes, in Spanish.  But Jedi? By the end I'm looking for something else to watch.  And as far as the more recent trilogy goes, their titles on my digital cable menu carry as much weight as League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

The marketing of movies will only increase going forward as we see more and more movies attaching themselves with products that hardly seem related.  Indiana Jones instant ticket lotto game?  Ugh.

I remember talking to a friend when Revenge of the Sith advertising was in full...um..force, and I mentioned the real crime now in how they handle the marketing is that no character is safe from shilling for some product.  I seemed to remember that some characters held on their context even if they appeared in a commercial.  But when you see Darth Vader dueling Yoda over a Pepsi you know it is all over.

Posted by Ed Z at 01:17 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

May 26, 2008

F-22 Raptor in Wow-O-Vision

My friend Boogs took his family to the Jones Beach Airshow yesterday and he got to see an F-22 Raptor in action.  I am officially jealous.

The F-22 was truly majestic, I wish that I had used an actual video camera to take that rather then the video mode of my Olympus, and much like a Korn concert, recordings do not do the engine of the F-22 justice!

Check out his blog for some video.

 

Posted by Ed Z at 12:53 PM | | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Memorial Day, 2008

"Let no vandalism of avarice or neglect, no ravages of time testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic." -- General Logan - May 5, 1868

Posted by Ed Z at 10:22 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

May 13, 2008

Win World of Warcraft Tournament Splurge on Hookers & Fritos

Dude?  Dude!

A 13 year old from Texas who stole his Dad's credit card and ordered two hookers from an escort agency, has today been convicted of fraud and given a three year community order.

Ralph Hardy, a 13 year old from Newark, Texas confessed to ordering an extra credit card from his father's existing credit card company, and took his friends on a $30,000 spending spree, culminating in playing "Halo" on an Xbox with a couple of hookers in a Texas motel.

The credit card company involved said it was regular practice to send extra credit cards out as long as all security questions are answered.

The escort girls who were released without charge, told the arresting officers something was up when the kids said they would rather play Xbox than get down to business.

As if that isn't good enough, "They told the suspicious working girls they were people of restricted growth working with a traveling circus, and as State law does not allow those with disabilities to be discriminated against they had no right to refuse them."

Posted by Ed Z at 03:18 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Dialing for Obama in Gaza

Via Alarming News

Palestinians in Gaza phonebanking for Obama

Also, here is one of the best descriptions of Obama I have have read to date.

Yes, he’s an arrogant, cocksure, elitist, affirmative-action baby, the product of a lifetime of leftist indoctrination, seething with resentment at a racially segregated society he’s only ever heard about in the one or two times in 20 years he actually attended Rev. Wright’s church. He’s Gramsci’s long march through the institutions come to life: the new Soviet Man, American-style: the change we have been waiting for.

 

Posted by Ed Z at 02:50 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

May 12, 2008

Service Dog Threatened by Muslim Student

This story via Hot Air:

A St. Cloud State University student teacher decided to leave school because a Muslim student threatened to kill his service dog because he considers it unclean.  What side does the school defend?  Ed Morrissey sums it up:

That’s easy. They upheld the rights of the side that threatened capitulation or violence. Instead of expelling the student for his threat and making an example of him, they chose to coddle the student and chase the teacher out of his job. Afterwards, they issued the normal multi-culti mewlings of “misunderstanding”, “growth process”, and emphasizing respect for different cultures.

And there you have the formula folks.  Placate the ones who threaten with violence and sacrifice the innocent at the altar of misunderstanding.

 

Posted by Ed Z at 01:06 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

May 02, 2008

Kirk Gibson's HR

If you like baseball, this is a must watch.  It is Kirk Gibson's HR as told by baseball cards with Vin Scully's play by play audio.  Awesome!

 

 

Thanks to Morpheus for sending it in via Big League Stew.

 

Posted by Ed Z at 02:57 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Freed from Gitmo, Man Promptly Blows Self Up

Via Jihad Watch

A Kuwaiti man released from the U.S. prison in Guantanamo Bay in 2005 has carried out a suicide bombing in Iraq, his cousin told Al Arabiya television on Thursday.

You have to wonder if this man was one of the "innocents" who've been held unjustly at Gitmo.  When you hear/ read MSM stories about the poor souls locked away for no reason, think of this guy who couldn't wait to blow people up.

In his intro to the story Robert Spencer mentions that American soldiers use gloves to handle the Koran, and that  may just confirms that the prisoners are the ones in charge.  Commenter Mentat provided the language in the DOD memorandum on the handling of the Koran:

4. Handling.

a. Clean gloves will be put on in full view of the detainees prior to handling.

b. Two hands will be used at all times when handling the Koran in manner signaling respect and reverence. Care should be used so that the right hand is the primary one used to manipulate any part of the Koran due to the cultural association with the left hand. Handle the Koran as if it were a fragile piece of delicate art.

I'd like to see the reaction if this kind of treatment was afforded to the Bible.

Posted by Ed Z at 02:47 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

May 01, 2008

He's No Chuck Norris

My co-worker sent me this little story on Roger Clemens, it explains how he took advantage of the local Hard Rock while pitching for the Red Sox but what stood out for me was this:

“Whenever he came into the Hard Rock, they had to play ‘Rocket Man,’ ” recalled another ex-employee. “He really liked that.”

Oh man, what a dork.  So, my coworker and I have decided that Roger Clemens is the anti Chuck Norris.  And like good employees we immediately came up with our Roger Clemens list.  He are the fruits of that non-labor.

Roger Clemens hates kittens.

Roger Clemens doesn't wipe.

Roger Clemens chews with his mouth open.

Roger Clemens passes on the right.

Roger Clemens has complex chronic halitosis.

Roger Clemens uses the middle urinal.

After a workout Roger Clemens doesn't wipe down the equipment .

Roger Clemens doesn't flush.

Roger Clemens doesn't cover his mouth when he sneezes.

When Roger Clemens farts he blames the dog and if the dog isn't around he blames his wife.

Exiting a plane Roger Clemens doesn't say "buh bye" to the stewardess.

Roger Clemens leaves his seat back and tray down when landing.

When Roger Clemens is on fire he goes, jumps, and slides.

If there is a threat it is women and children last for Roger Clemens.

Roger Clemens wears white before Memorial Day.

Roger Clemens brushes back kids at Family Day softball game.

Roger Clemens signs autographs in invisible ink.

 

Please, feel free to add your own.

 

Posted by Ed Z at 03:07 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)