Chicken Scratch

The Middle Ages

2012-01-26T00:20:00.002-05:00

“Hey, what do you say wespend a whole bunch of money on two Bruce Springsteen tickets?” I asked my wifeas she was brushing her teeth. “He’scoming to Philly and tickets go on sale this weekend.

“Springsteen? – Ididn’t think you were a such a big fan.” She said as she rinsed off hertoothbrush.

“Look at all the thingsyou’re learning about me!” I said.

“What’s going on withyou?” Sardonic.

“What do you mean?” Ireplied

“Are you going throughthat whole middle aged, second childhood thing?” my wife asked. “You shouldstop.”

Stop? ...Well, it’s notthat easy. Further, “second childhood”implies (generously) that I made it out of my first. She has noticed other subtle changes in my behavior as well. She's concerned. She should be ~ I know I am. Oh sure, I’ll get around it and it reallyhasn’t been bothering me too much but, let’s face it, I am a middle agedman. The renowned psychologist, ErikErikson, spelled it out in his 8 (+1) Stages of Psychosocial Development. I would be at Stage Seven, or the,“Generativity verses Stagnation” stage that begins in the early forties andlasts to the mid-sixties. This ishistorically the start of the “Mid-Life Crisis” where, to paraphrase Erikson, aman measures his accomplishments when compared to his failures. He asks if he is satisfied or not with hislot in life. Successful completion ofthis stage provides caring for the next generation and a willingness to assistthem in transitioning to the future. Unsuccessful navigation of this stage can lead to feelings of stagnationand spiral into self-loathing and feelings of being a complete and utterfailure.

My wife first becameconcerned when I started considering (lusting after) certain vehicles ~ classicmuscle cars, to be more precise; topless convertible cars, cars with largeengines that were born in the late sixties; just like me. I put such desires away years ago to focuson the pressing issues of family, school, and career but recently the objectsof my desire have drifted back to a big ole’, thirsty, V8 vehicles with avintages similar to mine, circa (give or take) 1968ish. I wouldn’t trade my life for anything and Iam thankful and count my blessings on a daily basis but that displaced passionhas seeped back into my conscience mind.

“You don’t likecars.” She said.

“Look at all the thingsyou’re learning about me.” I said. Ido. I always have. I am not a ‘race car’ fan, street racing orotherwise and NASCAR has never held any allure for me. What I like about some of the classic carsthat I’ve been looking up on the net is the fact that they are escapevehicles. These days ‘escape’ has aseductive edge to it. Some would takesuch a vehicle to shows or to display in competitions. Not me; I would drive it. I need an escape vehicle. In such a vehicle one is not so muchconcerned about what is in the rear view mirror – the roads chosen or the roadsnot taken; no, one is more concerned with where it will go NOW and discoveringjust what is down the highway. Perhaps DocBrown from “Back to the Future” was right and a sports car really isa time machine that can erase the past, set things as they should be, andrewrite the future?

Perhaps in a sense this istrue and I believe that this is the major reason why people of a certain ageseek out such chariots. We know thatthe road ahead is uncertain, sections of it are missing & it is purely,“Travel at Your Own Risk”, but that’s really nothing new. It has always been that way; however, it isonly now – at this age that we can truly appreciate that Sweet Ride that isonly made sweeter by the unknown length of the highway.

“You’ve had yourJeep. You’ve had your Fiero.” My wifesaid.

Both true and, I mightadd, I miss the Jeep horribly. The Fiero was a LOT of problems but when it was running it wasfun to drive for a pseudo-sports car but it pales in any & every type ofcomparison to a big block 442 or 455. In this vein, Gentle Reader, please allow me to share my short list ofSweet Rides & Time Machines with you.

1968 Pontiac GTO

1966 Ford Galaxie

1968 HEMI GTX

1968 Pontiac Firebird

1968 Chevy Impala

1968 Chevy Camaro RS/SS

1968 Oldsmobile 442

1968 Chevy Chevelle SS

Each of these vehicles has at least 350 horsepower and is aconvertible. Now I ask you, how elsewould you want to explore the lost highways, canyons, and wide-open spaces ofAmerica? Riding in a convertible fromsea to shining sea has a nice ring to it. Route 66, the PCH, and Highway A1A practically BEG for topless,horsepower laden exploration. Who am Ito deny such a request? Each of theseare, for the most part, larger vehicles for the simple fact that I have afamily of five and it’s nice to have room to spread out and enjoy the ride.

I could look at thisthrough the “Stagnation” side of things and quote the English poet, EdwardYoung, when he said, “Like our shadows, our wishes lengthen as our sundeclines” – quite the well-adjusted and happy guy. Or I could “Generativity” side of Erikson and quote theanthropologist, Ashley Montagu when he said, “The idea is to die young as lateas possible.” Or perhaps the authorJohn Mortimer when he said, “There is no pleasure worth forgoing just for anextra three years in the geriatric ward.”

Mr. Mortimer, you’ve gotshotgun, Doc Montagu - is it OK to call you, "Monty"? You too, Young. Hop in the back; the Pacific Coast Highway is calling andwe have miles to go before we sleep.

Son of the Blu-ray Dossier

2012-01-19T23:59:00.005-05:00

There has been a lot of talk about piracy as of late withSOPA & PIPA. I don’t stream moviesor check into the pirated versions of films still in the theater for the simplereason that I absolutely love the clear, crisp picture and sound reproductionthat Blu-Ray provides. When deliveredin a proper 1080p format with surround sound a lover of film is in for atreat. The format, while stunning andwonderful is woefully underutilized in that motion picture companies and film studioscould pack some great things into their releases but most of the time theydon’t so that they can reap the most return on their dollar from the publicwhich starts with the theatrical release and moves to the DVD / Blu-Rayrelease, the steaming release (cable & Netflix), the cable televisionrelease and the hotel & airplane versions of the film. Hey, that’s showbiz. Still it is a pet peeve of mine that somemovies hardly get a Blu-Ray release worthy of the format.

Speaking of pet peeves I’ve got two more things that I findhighly annoying. First, when companiesdisable the ‘fast forward’ through the trailers. Look, I love a good trailer as much as the next movie-geek butone of the advantages to seeing a movie at home is to be able to plow throughany unwanted commercials. Manycompanies these days are opting to take that ability away from the consumer –the person who rented or bought their product. Annoying? Yes, very muchso. Secondly, and I sincerely hope thisis not a new trend, the disabling special features on Blu-Ray rentals. I recently rented, “Cowboys and Aliens”(reviewed below) and after watching the movie I scrolled to the ‘SpecialFeatures’ section of the menu where I got a message that told me that if Iwanted to see the special features then I should go and buy the special editionBlu-ray package and not be a shmuck and just rent this movie. All right, I made up the part about the“shmuck” thing but still the intent is apparent. Really? You wantto restrict this content because I rented your movie instead of buying it? There is precious little that would make medesire to purchase ANY Blu-ray set if the very company who produced it pullsthe rug out from under the viewer. Yousee you’ve restricted me thus far why on earth would I enable you to continueto do so? This should be filed inthe “Dumb Idea” drawer and the motion picture industry would be wise to steerfar and away from such practice in the future. Just how long do you think you can treat the public like pirates beforethey take you at your accusing word and start acting like them?

I don’t know. I’mnot a pirate. I am; however, a lover ofthe Blu-ray format and of film so, without further ado here is the latestedition of The Blu-ray Dossier! I rate film on a two tier scale; first for story and secondly for theJaw-Dropping Blu-ray effect. 5 is good,1 not so much. Here’s what I’ve beenwatching…

THOR – 3.8 / 4. Thispast summer THOR and Captain America paved the way for thissummer’s Avengers movie. I am aMarvel Zombie so it was a pretty good summer for yours truly. THOR delivered. I don’t exactly remember where I read it but I heard it said thatthe wonderful thing about THOR is that none of the actors were told that theywere in a “comic book movie”. The performances are wonderful. Epic Norsegod, superhero stuff aplenty. TheBlu-ray is nice with the Destroyer and with the World Tree at the end. If you are not familiar with the Destroyeror the World Tree then you should probably rent THOR before the Avengershits.

Evil Dead 2 – 25^th Anniversary Edition – 4 /3.5. I am a HUGE fan of Sam Rami’s EvilDead series. Evil Dead 2 is unique inthat it is a remake and a sequel all in one movie. There are some horror staples here but there is also somethingalmost unheard of – the horror movie hero. Bruce Campbell makes this horror / comedy movie his own. I just can’t believe it’s been 25 yearssince I first was introduced to Ash and the rest of the Deadites in a darkenedmovie theater in Pleasantville, New Jersey. I’m really looking forward to the special edition Blu-ray release of“Army of Darkness” the sequel to Evil Dead 2. If you are a fan than you know the simple joys of a good ‘Boomstick’.

Hangover – 3.5 / 4. Not for those who are easily offended. This is a ‘men behaving badly’ movie that fires on all cylinders. You will laugh and when you begin to realizehow WRONG this movie is you will laugh harder. There are some wonderful, crisp, Blu-ray moments surrounding the citythat is Las Vegas. The disc is full ofextras; which is a refreshing change of pace. It made bank at the box office so I suppose it was a good idea for thestudio to stack the deck. You willlaugh – you’ll cringe too, but you will laugh.

Bridesmaids – 4 / 3. Not for those who are easily offended. This is a ‘women behaving badly’ movie that fires on all cylinders. Ready for more déjà vu? You willlaugh and when you begin to realize how WRONG this movie is you will laughharder. Bridesmaids is a moviethat is for both women and men. Donot be bamboozled into thinking otherwise. The wonderful surprise about this film is the amount of heart that itbrings to the table. You really feelfor the woman that Kristen Wiig portrays. It is tragic to watch her character do the things she does. You know what they say about tragedy? Yeah, ‘they’ are right.

Serenity – 4 / 4. Icame to the whole “Firefly” party late. Joss Whedon and company had lightning in a bottle and were just gettingtheir running shoes tightened when FOX pulled the curtain on the show. Enter, “Serenity”, the movie. Not to give anything away but Whedon tookthat old writing quote, “Kill your darlings” to heart on this one. The Verse is a dangerous place and CaptainReynolds and his more than motley crew are wonderful to watch. I can only hope that the future smiles onthis property once again. Very shiny.

The Frighteners – 4 / 4. This is a fun movie from the man who would go on to sweep the Oscars afew years later. “The Frighteners” wasthe film that Peter Jackson made just before, “The Lord of the Rings – theFellowship of the Ring”. Thestorytelling is taught and Michael J. Fox really delivers as a man who cancommunicate with the dead. I do notknow why this film didn’t launch as it should have. Do yourself a favor and check it out. You’ll have a good time at the movies. Some of the shots of New Zealand are worth the Blu-ray look-see.

The Walking Dead: Season One – 5 / 4. Hands down, Frank Darabont’s, “The WalkingDead” is the best thing on television. It is based on the graphic novel series of the same name. The story is riveting. It puts a human face onto the zombieapocalypse. You will care for thesecharacters. The storytelling is fierceand the acting is second to none. Thereare only six episodes in the first season. After the first 5 minutes the hook is set and you will have to know whathappens next. Simply amazing.

Cowboys and Aliens – 3.5 / 4. John Favreau took a lot of grief for this film but I gotta tellya, I enjoyed it for what it was. Hegot James Bond and Indiana Jones to work for him in a western that happens toinvolve aliens. Daniel Craig andHarrison Ford chew up the screen together. It’s a shame that this didn’t perform at the box office because itworks. I like movies to throw me acurve or to mix things up ~ this does so in spades. Rent it. You’ll likeit. You won’t be able to see any of thespecial features that would endure the film to an audience that it has nottruly discovered yet but you’ll see the movie. I hope such decisions don’t alienate potential cult-movie statusfans. That would be a shame. Oh well, rent it. It was fun storytelling and I had a good time. Perhaps you will too.

Keep on, keepin’ on my fellow internet users and Blu-rayfans. These are interesting times,Gentle Reader. I’ll see you in line atthe Redbox machine.

George Lucas is Retiring

2012-01-18T23:04:00.002-05:00

Mr. George Lucas, one of the architects of my imagination,announced that he is retiring from blockbuster filmmaking. Here is the article by Bryan Curtis from NewYork Times Magazine, entitled, “George Lucas is Ready to Roll the Credits": http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/magazine/george-lucas-red-tails.html?_r=2&smid=tw-nytmag&seid=auto.

It looks like he has created a loophole for Indiana Jones 5but from this point forward he is going to be making art-house movies that aredesigned to fire his imagination. He’sgoing to do what he wants to do and that happens to be a wonderful possition to be in.

I wonder how much of this decision was due to the fanboybacklash that happened with the release of the “Special Editions” of his opus,“Star Wars” and the release of “Episode I, II, & III” of the Star Warsseries. As a child of the seventies andas someone who was deeply influenced by “Star Wars” my generation has not beenkind concerning “the prequels”. We grewup and were given new tools to discuss & digest our passions (an internetconnection) and the rest was history. We are, as consumers, a selfish lot ~ but, I ask you, can you blameus? “Star Wars” changed people’s lives– mine included. Such devotion is noteasily manifested. In a strange senseMr. Lucas is the father to a generation of geeks who grew up to be writers,artists, directors, filmmakers, model builders, animators, and innovators. “Star Wars” made people from my generationof geekdom think differently and for that, Mr. Lucas, we thank you.

…I thank you.

I am looking forward to seeing; “Red Tails” and am eager tosee how you express yourself via film in the future. I wish all the best to you; Sir on this chosen path but part ofme is still wishing that Episodes VII, VIII, and IX were a go. ...As I may have mentioned we are a selfish lot.

Please forgive my fanboy wishes, Mr. Lucas, all the best.

Senator Wyden

2012-01-18T18:39:00.000-05:00

Senator Wyden

I few minutes ago I saw this on Twitter: http://wyden.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/letter-to-internet.pdf. I had to post it here on the electronicpages of Chicken Scratch.

Thank you, Sir. I sincerely hope that yours is the dominant opinion in this matter. All the best.

End Piracy - Not Liberty

2012-01-18T07:56:00.000-05:00

Gentle Readers, both old and new. Please consider the implications of an internet where SOPA & PIPA are law and sign the Googlepetition, which can be found right here: https://www.google.com/landing/takeaction/. These bills must be stopped.

End Piracy – Not Liberty.

STOP SOPA & PIPA

2012-01-14T14:11:00.001-05:00

All morning I have been stewing. I read a Tweet from Adam Savage of Mythbusters fameconcerning stopping SOPA. He included alink that sums up some of the most important points of the whole issue: http://www.craigslist.org/about/SOPA. Much of this particular entry is derivedfrom this Craigslist Online Community page. This blog is a bit of a departure for me. I do not get involved with politics knowing in my heart that,“life goes on no matter who is wrong or right.”

NUTS! Did you see that? I just quotedfrom a Billy Joel song; no, more than that, it was a quote from a copyrightedBilly Joel song. That’s the type ofthing that will shut Chicken Scratch down but more of that in my letterto Congressman LoBiondo. Sorry. I’ll try to do better.

After doing some research, reading some articles, and afteryears of writing here on the electronic pages of my blog, I thought itimportant to say that I oppose H.R. 3621 "Stop Online Piracy Act"(SOPA) and S. 968 "Protect IP Act" (PIPA). I like the concept of a free internet. I like being able to say what I want without the fear of corporateor governmental censorship. I know that‘piracy is a problem’ but accepting these two bills and turning them into thelaw of the land in Cyber-America you change fundamental liberties on amolecular level. It’s akin to beingadrift and thirsty in the middle of the ocean – sure you can drink the saltwaterto quench your thirst but that comes at a high price: your cells will implodeand you will die. That is what happensto civil liberties on the internet if this passes.

Techdirt has a wonderful article by, Mike Masnickentitled, “Definitive Post Why SOPA and Protect IP Are Bad, Bad, Ideas”. Please give it a read and let itdigest. Mr. Masnick’s article explainswhat is at stake much more succinctly than the scope of this humble blogger(yours truly): http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20111122/04254316872/definitive-post-why-sopa-protect-ip-are-bad-bad-ideas.shtml.

The quotes at the end of the article are priceless;frightening, but priceless…

"It's theft...Any time you skip a commercial or watch the button you'reactually stealing the programming." Turner Broadcasting CEO Jaime Kellnerin 2002

‘So take THAT you thieves (formally known assubscribers)! How DAREyou use that DVR!? Philistines! Heathens! PIRATES!’ Yep, these are the people that want tocontrol you and dictate public policy that will usher in the future of a placethat used to be deemed ‘free’. “Welcometo the machine.” – Pink Floyd

GACK! I just quoted a song that is copyrighted. I’m really going to have to get the hang of this new worldorder thing.

Here is a great little tool: https://action.eff.org/o/9042/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=8173. I used it this morning to sign thepetition. Not for nuthin’ but Iencourage you to do the same.

Here are some other concerned folks brought to you be the Centerfor Democracy & Technology: http://cdt.org/report/growing-chorus-opposition-stop-online-piracy-act.

Here is a site to identify you congressman: https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml. I used it to send the following ‘letter’ tomy Congressman, Frank LoBiondo from New Jersey…

Congressman LoBiondo

I am a blogger in the SouthJersey area. I write aboutdistractions, humor, and trivial entertainments; simple stuff, in allactuality. One of the things that Iroutinely write about is film and I am, therefore, deeply concerned about thescope and reach of SOPA & PIPA. Itis not hard to envision a time in the future where my blog is deemed and considered“Censured Material.” Seriously. What happens to my blog / me if I postsomething that that the corporations or government does not like? SOPA & PIPA are steep, well lubricatedslopes. Once we as a county startsliding down it is our very liberty that will die in the sudden stop.

Freedom of speech should not bedictated to the American people by corporate entities, lobbyists or PACs. I do not know where you stand on H.R. 3621"Stop Online Piracy Act" (SOPA) and S. 968 "Protect IP Act"(PIPA) but I hope you oppose them as much as I do. If you support SOPA & PIPA I hope you reconsider and make astand to not legislate the citizenry’s liberty away to corporations.

I thank you for your time, Sir.

So there you have it, Gentle Reader. It’s funny how the simple stuff seems toreflect so much more of the heart of man. Perhaps the simple is not really all that simple after all. There may come a day when the simple act ofsurfing the net is a blocked & censored crime – an offence that thecorporations or government can shut you down. Not for knocking over a liquor store, cow tipping, or for plotting tobecome a James Bond villain bent on world domination but for writing about orposting about copyrighted material.

REALLY?! “James Bond” in a sentence! I hope that MGM in the future can find it in their heart to forgive sucha lowly blogger as I, your humble servant, Evil Chicken.

Only time will tell.

[NOTE: If you feel the call to action proofread youletter before you send it. I just founda stupid, hack mistake that I changed for this blog and that I hope does notundermine the overall message. What canI say, I’m a shmoe. I do, however,believe the intent is intact.]

Ever After Review First Issue

2012-01-10T07:54:00.002-05:00

The very first electronic issue of the Ever After Review is up and running. I haven't had a chance to sit down and check it out yet but when I do this: http://www.everafterreview.com/Issues.html is where I'll look.

The Ever After Review is a great concept for short stories, flash fiction and photography. Short fiction has taken a hit over the years with what has happened to print and the craft has suffered. The Ever After Review is the marriage of the medium with the ever emerging world of technology. I don't know if there is an iPhone or Android App yet but it there's not then that development is only a matter of time.

The story will find a way to be told. Stories have a way of doing that. The Ever After Review is a new 'story delivery vehicle' and that's a good thing. It is a wonderful concept and I hope this is the first of a million and two issues.

Out With the Old, In With the New

2012-01-01T23:52:00.000-05:00

“According to my watch the time is now, the past is deadand gone. Don’t try to shake it justnod your head, breathe in breathe out, move on.” – Jimmy Buffett

First and foremost, Happy New Year! 2011 left us last night at 11:59 PM. 2012 is a GO. The time is NOW. Congratulations, Gentle Reader, we are now living in the last yearaccording to the Mayan calendar. Not toworry, though, there’s just under a year left before it all comes to anend. That being said there is much tolook forward to before it all comes crashing down. But before we explore the future let’s dig up a bit of the pastand consider some lists!

2011 – here are some of the most bizarre stories of the pastyear. Tread lightly,Gentle Reader, there are some things you simply cannot un-see. You have been warned: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/30/weird-news-2011-oddest-news-stories_n_1152035.html?ncid=txtlnkushpmg00000023#s547986&title=Air_Force_Nixes.

2011 – There was a lot going on and there just may have beensome coolness that you may have missed. I, therefore, gladly pass this blog from the right, honorable, CyberTrout; friend, fellow traveler, and proud Über–Geek (NOTE Über has onlyone umlaut): http://cybertrout.wordpress.com/2012/01/01/11-things-you-may-have-missed-in-2011/. Thanks to this list I am going to bedownloading a copy of, “The Buntline Special” via my Android Kindle App. I already downloaded a copy of Paul Cicchini’s,“Godsmacked” – which was a blast and a half, I might add. Now I’m beginning to lust after a WampaRug.

2011 – It was not a good year for dictators. Some heavy hitters made took their finalbows this year. Here is a list of“Famous People Who Died in 2011” – missing from the list are Osama Bin Ladenand Cheetah from the Tarzan movies. Even with these glaring omissions I thought I’d pass this along: http://www.biography.com/people/groups/died-2011/all.

“But that was THEN. What about 2012?”

I thought you’d never ask. Let’s talk movies. Here is alist of what to expect in the coming year: http://www.movieinsider.com/movies/-/2012/. Feel free to click around at what you mayfind interesting; there is bound to be a sleeper or two in theresomewhere. That being said, here is thelist of what yours truly, Evil Chicken, is looking forward to. Will I see all of these in the theater? No. Will I rent ‘em on Blu-ray? Yes. That being said, here iswhat I’m looking forward to looking at in 2012:

1/20, “Red Tails”. The Tuskegee Pilots meet George Lucas. I hope they fare better than Han Solo did against Greedo.

2/17, “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance”. I’m crossing my fingers on this one; butstill, it’s Ghost Rider on the big screen. I remember buying the first issue back in the seventies. That makes me an Old Skool Geek, yo; and onewho is interested in what’s new in the life of one Johnny Blaze.

3/9, “John Carter”. There is a doctoral thesis that could be written concerning Edgar RiceBurroughs’ Mars Books. The story ismonumental and was the basis for SO MANY science fiction books that cameafter. My main concern here is JamesCameron. You see he made this littlemovie called, “Avatar” and it was EVERYTHING that Barsoom, Mars, and JohnCarter should be. John Carter has a LOTto live up to. I sincerely hope thatDisney has brought their A-Game. Ifthey didn’t then they have squandered a golden opportunity to rewrite modernfilmmaking and storytelling and THAT… that’s just sad.

3/9, “The Raven”. Edgar Allen Poe trying to solve a mystery before his death inBaltimore? John Cusack is Poe? Yeah? Sign me up.

4/13, “The Three Stooges”. Three reasons why I will see this movie: Larry, Moe, & CurlyJoe. Further, Will Sasso is the LIVINGENBODIMENT of Curly. I hope the Farleybrothers don’t try to paint a mustache on the Mona Lisa with this. The Three Stooges are hallowed ground anddeserve all the respect they get; nyuck, nyuck, nyuck, indeed.

4/13, “The Cabin in the Woods”. This is a ‘new twist’ on a tried and true formula. Some guy named Joss Weadon isproducing. I’m in.

5/4, “The Avengers”. For me this is not just ‘opening night’, no, this is OPENING NIGHT inIMAX. Final answer. Marvel has had a wonderful slow build tothis and with Joss Weadon at the helm I’m expecting my jaw to D R O P.

5/11, “Dark Shadows”. A spooky soap opera from the sixties and the vampire, Barnabus Collinsis being played by Johnny Depp? Ok, I’min.

6/8, “Prometheus”. This is Sir Ridley Scott’s prequel to his film, “Alien”. Can you understand the GEEK magnitude ofthat sentence that I just typed? If youdo then I will see you at the theater opening night too.

6/15, “Jack the Giant Killer”. Jack and the Beanstalk on the big screen will it be the GoldenGoose or will it be a Fe, Fi, Fo, Flop – only time will tell. BTW, remember you heard that last sentencehere at Chicken Scratch first! ; )

6/22, “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”. At long last a historically accurate versionof one of our greatest presidents. Itis a film whose time has come. Soundslike a fun time at the movies.

6/22, “Brave”. Simply put, I love Pixar. Thisone is about a conquering redhead. Iplan to take my redheads and to conquer at the very least a large bucket ofbuttered popcorn.

7/3, “The Amazing Spider-Man”. The more time goes on the more excited about this film Ibecome. It’s being shot in 3D and itwill mark the first time that SONY makes you buy the 3D glasses for a 3D moviethat they are already overcharging you for. Word to the wise, Gentle Reader; save those 3D glasses now and smugglethem into Spidey or any other 3D movie that comes down the pike. You have already paid for them and you willhave already purchased a ticket. Enoughpolitics. It’s Spider-Man! I’m there.

7/20, “The Dark Knight Rises”. I could gush about my theories but it would only be the sound andthe fury ultimately signifying nothing. I should say that this will be another OPENING NIGHT IMAX for yourstruly. I will say that I desperatelywant the cast to reunite in 10 years time to make, “The Dark KnightReturns”. I’ve said it before aboutother times but 2012? – Oh yes, it is a GOOD time to be a GEEK.

9/21, “Dredd”. JudgeDredd, that is. He is Judge, jury, andexecutioner in Megacity One and this time out I’m hoping they got himright.

11/9, “Skyfall”. This will be Daniel Craig’s third effort as James Bond, the 00 agentwith a license to kill. Craig is thebest Bond since Sean Connery. Finalanswer.

11/21, “47 Ronin”. Based on a true story from feudal Japan. Keanu Reeves is one of the swordsmen, “Whoa, that’s sharp.” May be something to see.

12/7, “Les Miserables”. I never saw it on Broadway or in the traveling company version. Plus this has Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) andCatwoman (Anne Hathaway) in the leads. They’ve got the chops and the singing range to pull it off. I’m gonna have to coax the girls to thetheater but they will be glad that I did.

12/12, “World War Z”. Based on the wonderful Max Brooks book of the same name, WWZ will be intheaters before the end of the Mayan calendar (12/21/12). I have been reading that Brad Pitt’scompany, “Plan B”, has been making some changes to the plot. I hope that doesn’t blow up in ourfaces. The simple fact is that thestory was not broken so I don’t know if it needed to be fixed. We shall see. I live with Zombie Freaks so chances are I’m gonna see it on thebig screen.

12/14, “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey”. Talk about gushing; the moment I heard themusic in the trailer for, “The Hobbit” the goosebumps started. Then the Dwarves started singing at Bagendin the Shire. Then the Golem utteredthe words, “My precious…”. PeterJackson, Sir, I love you. I amso there and I hope to be seeing it with a group of like-minded Hobbits from myown neck of the Shire. The onlydownside is that we have to wait until 2013 for Part II. It is my hope that the Mayans are wrong ONLYfor this reason. …Well, maybe not onlyTHAT reason, but you get the idea.

12/25, “Django Unchained”. Quentin Tarantino has a Christmas present for fans of spaghetti westernsand it is Django Unchained. Jamie Foxxis Django a former slave who has become a trained bounty hunter who goes tofree his wife from the clutches of an evil plantation owner, Calvin Candie,played by Leonardo DiCaprio. I am a fanof Mr. Tarantino and, in lieu of fireworks for next years New Years Eve; I justmight stop at the multiplex instead.

So there are my picks for 2012 at the movies. I am not a huge TV guy but even I will bewatching for the next half of season II of, “The Walking Dead”, as well as avisit from my favorite doctor, courtesy of BBC America, “Doctor Who”.

Trivial stuff, really – yet, on the other hand, not sotrivial after all. Some say it is theorbit of molecules that holds the universe together. Some say it is gravity. The truth of the matter is the Word holds everything together. Stories are the glue that the universe clingsto. Trivial? Perhaps. Anyway, wherewas I? Oh yes…

2012 – What of the shiny, new, and undiscovered future? What is next for us both globally andlocally? Well, I can tell you this inno uncertain terms, I just don’t know. My Magic Eight Ball’s little window has been scratched and fuzzyfor years. All I can say it that myprayer and hope for the future is that we are a blessing to others more than acurse, that laughter outweighs our tears ten fold, and that the Good Lord aboveholds you in the palm of His hand. Yes,that sounds vaguely Irish in nature. Come to think of it, “Vaguely Irish” would make a good name for aband. Although I have made no New Yearsresolutions I just may see someone concerning Attention Deficit Disorder…unless I get distracted.

Happy New Year, Gentle Reader! Let’s see what kind of trouble we can getinto together!

Indiana Jones and the City of the Gods

2011-12-29T23:10:00.000-05:00

Steven Spielberg and George Lucas are true architects of theimagination. To say that they helpedshape a generation does not really scratch the surface as to the sphere oftheir influence on culture; both ‘pop’ and otherwise. People’s lives changed after viewing their work and it struck achord. These people now wanted to be a partof the magic of film, of mythmaking, of storytelling. I was one of those people.

But this is not about me; NO. It’s about Mr. Frank Darabont and how his script was almost thefourth Indiana Jones movie. Now if youare a movie-geek then you know the name. He is the man responsible for films such as “the Shawshank Redemption”,“The Mist”, and TV shows like, “The Walking Dead”. He is a writer, he knows what he is doing, and back when thescript was being circulated it caused a lot of excitement in certain circles(geekdom). For whatever reason in 2008,Lucas and Spielberg passed on Darabont’s script and instead went with DavidKoepp, who is a fine writer as well. Now the way that Indy movieswork is that George Lucas (and please stop me if I’m wrong here, Mr. Lucas)comes up with a story and then farms it out to writers to connect thedots. It has been a brilliant strategyand has been more than a successful formula since, “Raiders of the Lost Ark” in1981.

Now a lot of people snipe at the fourth movie. I’m not going to do that here. I had a good time at the movies when I sawIndy 4 and, at the end of the day or when the credits roll, that’s theexperience I want to have. There willnever be another “Raiders” and that’s ok. “Raiders” is pure, transcendent magic – lightning in a bottle. The sequels are icing on the cake and if you approach them expecting to have a good time at the movies - that is exactly what you will have.

Well, this morning I’m horsing around on Twitter (at OMG Facts to be precise) and what tomy wondering eyes should appear but a link to the Frank Darabont script! I threw on my trusty John Williams score,sat back with a few cups of coffee and read it. I encourage you to do the same, Gentle Reader, if you are a fanof the craft that is. Some of it willseem familiar and some of it will not. It is the Indiana Jones movie that didn’t happen. Here it is in its entirety: http://www.slideshare.net/Zeitgeist/indiana-jones-and-the-city-of-the-gods-frank-darabont-script. It is interesting to see how Darabontapproached Lucas's story verses how Koepp did. The big plot points are there but there is no Mutt and Marion is married to some other archeologist who is not Indiana Jones. I loved the explanation as to what happened to Willie Scott. Read it. It's the script that never was now available for consumption.

THAT being said, Mr. Spielberg, Mr. Lucas, and Mr.Ford, adventure still has a name; that name is Indiana Jones and I wouldLOVE to see him on the big screen one more time. From one member of the generation that you helped to shape to youthree gentlemen, I’m ready for Indy 5! I don’t think I’m alone.

Merry Christmas, Gentle Reader!

2011-12-24T21:16:00.001-05:00

I don't believe it is Christmas time once again. I have reached that age where one's brain perceives the passage as time much differently than one may have in days of yore. Translation: I'm old.

Time.

Moves.

Fast.

Very fast.

I appreciate that better now than I ever have. I'll probably appreciated it better in the next ten years, Lord willing. But that is a blog of another day; that is then and THIS is now.

These are the good old days, Gentle Reader. May your holiday be blessed and joyous this season and may those blessings and joyfulness last the whole year through.

Merry Christmas!

Level Up Entertainment & Farpoint Toys

2011-12-20T22:55:00.003-05:00

In the very beginning of the film, “A Christmas Story”Ralphie and his family are looking into the intricate holiday display at thelocal department store in rapt wonder at the trains, the toys and, of course,that Red Rider BB Gun. The film is setin the fifties and is really a love letter to that period in time.

Retailers these days could take a page from that old ‘fiveand dime’ store window. It seems thatthe farther our drive and desire for material things comes the less imaginationretailers use in their window fronts. Their corporate entities must just channel all that creativity from thestores to their ad campaigns.

I am happy to report that my cynicism towards storefrontswas put completely and utterly on hold this past week. Yes, it’s true; I had a Ralphie moment andit all happened at the Hamilton Mall at the shop window of Level UpEntertainment and Far Point Toys & Collectables. If you are a card-carrying geek such asmyself you owe it to yourself to make the pilgrimage.

This is not merely a storefront; NO, it is an assemblage ofart. The skill and forethought thatwent into the execution of this piece shows the depth of love for the subjectmatter. I love the care that went intothis piece – it all interconnects and tells this epic tale of comic bookglory. It is simply brilliant. The pictures I took have the glare of thestorefront window so it really is best seeing it up close and personal. Of course you could also check them out onFacebook by clicking right here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Level-Up-Entertainment/65595896816and here: http://www.facebook.com/farpointtoys.

Level Up Entertainment and Farpoint Toys & Collectables,as you may have surmised, specializes in video games, comics, toys andcollectables. So if there is a piecemissing from your collection, if you’re seeking a particular videogame or ifyou are looking for that last Avenger figure to complete the securityfor around your computer – then these are the people you need to see. I went in to compliment the man who put thewhole diorama together and, while in the process of geeking out, I let slipthat I needed three stands for the Avengers figures that protect mylaptop. He was kind enough to give mesome spares that he had lying around. That was a kindness that I truly appreciated, Gentle Reader. These guys get it. They love what they do and they love sharing that love with theworld. That being said I wanted toshare them with YOU.

Level Up Entertainment / Farpoint Toys & Collectables islocated in the Hamilton Mall, 4403 Black Horse Pike, Mays Landing, NJ 08330,Suite 1129. Their number is609-569-9200. They are located on thefirst level via the main entrance – make a right before the escalators andprepare to have your jaw drop. Show ‘emsome love.

When you visit just ask me to move over so we can both sharea Ralphie moment at the storefront window together.

Thin the Herd

2011-12-17T11:54:00.003-05:00

"Honesty is such a lonely word, everyone is so untrue..." - Billy Joel

I like social media. Facebook & Twitter are convenient ways for me to communicate the wayI prefer to (i.e. without using a phone). That being said every once in a while I run into moments where it isobvious that I must thin the herd, so to speak. If you have been involved with social media for a while then youknow what I mean. The “friend” fromanother country who contacts you, tells you nothing but lies and then asks formoney or the cell phone updates that keep chirping and chirping and chirpingbut only for ONE single person that you happen to be following. There are times when you must separate thewheat from the chaff.

The thinning of the herd became much easier for me after Isaw an article by WIRED Magazine’s Erin Biba, entitled, “Twitter’s FameMachine: Confessions of a Celebrity Ghost Tweeter”. You can read it for yourself here: http://www.wired.com/magazine/2011/11/mf_samsung_qa_anniecolbert/all/1. Ms. Annie Colbert is a Ghost Tweeter and herjob is to find technology addled celebrities who cannot figure out how to useTwitter and make them look less stupid by tweeting for them. She is good at what she does - brilliant,really. She provides these celebritieseasy access to self-promotion and twenty-first century communication withoutthe celebrities actually having to dirty their hands in trying to figure outhow to text.

That got me thinking about whom I follow on Twitter. Who was real, who was phony, and who just showedup on Twitter one day at the request of a PR person, conglomerate, studio, orpublishing house who told them that they “Need a Twitter account”? So that’s what I did. If their feed was sterile or generic –GONE. If they didn’t care about theirfeed – GONE. Oh, I still follow a bunchof people but now I am slightly more confidant that that is exactly what theyare: people. Social mediaprovides new avenues for lying, falseness, and fakery, I see enough of that inmy real life; I don’t need it when I’m kicking back trying to read my Twitterfeed. No, I crave the actual, genuinearticle. I respect the truth;especially since these days I find myself relying on Twitter more and more forup to the moment news (not to mention keeping my finger on the pulse of allthings GEEK).

I’m not going to lie to you; some of the cuts hurt me. Case in point, America’s weatherman, Mr. AlRoker. For whatever reason he was theONLY person on Twitter that my phone recognized; further he or whomever elseTweets for him really, really likes that Twitter account. This really wasn’t Al’s fault. I’m sure that it has something to do with mysettings but we have come to far to turn back now. My cell phone would alert me to one message, then another and another and one more and people wouldask, “Who keeps texting you?”

“Al Roker,” I would tell them, “America’s weatherman.”

“No. Really. Who keeps texting you?”

Forgive me Al. Knowthat it’s not you; it’s me.

Wear Star Wars Share Star Wars

2011-12-15T23:38:00.001-05:00

A long time ago (well, last year, really) in a galaxy far,far away (actually somewhere close to Chicago) a first grade girl was bulliedfor wearing a Star Wars shirt. Here isthe harrowing tale of her adventures: http://www.chicagonow.com/portrait-of-an-adoption/2011/12/wear-star-wars-share-star-wars-day/.

That was last year. THIS year geeks are uniting to proudly display their Star Wars (andsci-fi) finest. The saga continues… theyoung Jedi found that she was not alone and that thousands of others wanted tohelp her make a stand not simply for the love of Star Wars but also to put anend to tyranny (and bullying) from one side of this galaxy to the other. Wear Star Wars Share Star Wars was born: http://starwarsblog.starwars.com/index.php/2011/12/15/wear-star-wars-share-star-wars/.

Tomorrow don’t grab your polo or button down shirt, no; grabyour Star Wars (or other sci-fi) tee and wear it proudly. Let your geek flag fly and let Katie knowthat she is not alone.

“The Force will be with you… always.”

54,726

2011-11-30T17:56:00.001-05:00

NaNoWriMo 2011 is about to come to aclose at 12:00 AM tonight. To my fellowwriters out there, whether you won or lost you still played the game and I,your humble peer, SALUTE YOU!

ROCK on wid jer bad self, writers. Straight up.

Thanks to Chris Baty, Lindsey Grantand all the rest of the fine people from the Office of Letters and Light.

I hope to see you again in April forScriptfrenzy!

For Vick

2011-11-22T22:58:00.001-05:00

If you have ever clicked onto this blog then you know that Iam pretty good at the trivial. Uselessinformation is usually what I pedal here on the electronic pages of ChickenScratch. It’s what I do.

However, this blog, My 828: http://www.my828.org/fifty-year-travel-plans/#comment-150,is not trivial in the least. It iswritten by a man I met a few times (once at their wedding), his family, and hiswife Victoria whom I graduated with in 1987. Vick and I were friends in high school and for those of you playing athome that was 24 years ago. (...Ouch.)

A year ago Vick suffered a traumatic brain injury and theworld changed. It has been a hard roadthat she, her husband, Stephen and their children have walked and the entiresituation evokes that gossamer thin line that separates the world, as it shouldbe verses how it is. Vick is a woman offaith, she always has been; Stephen is a man of faith too and now, more than ever,their family has been leaning on it.

“Why does suffering like this occur?” The simple answer is I don’t know. I can show you what I wrote after readingStephen’s blog.

I can only imagine the path that Vick, you, and yourfamily have been on. I know that I ampreaching to the choir, so to speak, but Romans 8:28 covers a lot ofground. “All things for good” means allthings for good. I cannot begin tounderstand the ‘whys’; I am only a limited, broken, and mortal man who cannotgrasp what the infinite sees. His waysare not our ways. The only thing I cansay is that in good times and in bad times He is still on the throne. Going right along with 828, I’m a fan of P16(Philippians 1:6), “…being confident of this very thing, that He who has beguna good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ…” That’s notjust a verse; that’s a promise and one you can stand on. I know you have, that you are, and that youwill continue to do so.

Ya know, St. Francis of Assisi said, “Preach the gospelat all times. If you have to open yourmouth.” It is impossible to hide thelit city on the hill… Thank you foryour testimony.

Please give Vick, my/our love,

George Scully, class of ‘87

This Thanksgiving make plans to tell those you love that youlove them; we are, after all, only on loan to each other. In that spirit, for the Moons – theirchildren, for Stephen and for, of course, for Vick – I love you guys. God bless you and may you keep movingforward on whatever path you may find yourselves.

SKYRIM

2011-11-13T23:41:00.001-05:00

My oldest daughter and I were in line at Game Stop topick up our copy of, “SKYRIM Elder Scrolls V” at 12:01 on 11-11-11. Bethesda, the same company that made“Fallout 3” the jaw dropping experience that it is has developed this latestoffering. It is a massive – open experiencegame; in other words, within the world of SKYRIM you can go anywhere and dopretty much anything that you wish to do. The mountains in the background of all the towns and villages are allclimbable – all waiting to be explored. As a matter of fact there are over 17 fully detailed miles of the worldto discover. That’s a lot of dragonsand giants to slay or befriend. Thedetails are startling; from the veins in the individual leaves to the thatch onthe roofs of the more cozy villages, if you are a gamer, a role-playing orDungeons & Dragons fan then prepare to have your world rocked. Chick 1.0, or Mal Loup, as she is known inthe world of SKYRIM has been doing a lot of exploring and she has barely scratchedthe surface. I’m looking forward tospending some quality time in SKYRIM myself in the near future.

That being said when one looks at where the industry camefrom to where it is now it boggles the mind. I remember playing on our Telstar system in 1976 and it wasrevolutionary. I believe it was a giftfrom my Aunt. It had not one, not two,but THREE versions of Pong on it! Remarkable. Our next game systemwas the Atari 2600 circa 1980. It camepackaged with two joysticks with a single red button in the upper left cornerand two paddle controllers to play games like, “Breakout” or “Pong”. The big advantage to the Atari 2600 wasvariety. No longer were gamers stuckwith whatever was hardwired onto the motherboard of the game console –cartridges were the big innovation here. If you got tired or frustrated with one game you pulled it out and putanother one in. Back in the earlyeighties games were about $20.00 a piece and therefore, out of my pricerange. I had to scrimp and save or seewhat was on sale in clearance (Some things never change). The advent of Jobs & Woz and all thatcame in their wake had me playing on PCs instead of consoles for several yearsand it wasn’t until the SEGA Genesis (1991) that I started playing consoles again. I remember my father-in-law after watchingmy mother-in-law playing, “Sonic the Hedgehog” on that SEGA Genesis saying that graphicsprobably could not get much better than that. I wish he were here to see his granddaughter play SKYRIM. From the Genesis we migrated to the SONYPlaystation (1995); which was fast becoming a hit with my daughter (Chick 1.0). She was only about 4 but it bit her and theinfection spread. From the Playstationwe were given a Nintendo 64 by my mother-in-law who was tired of hers. We then acquired a Playstation 2, a NintendoGame Cube (2001), a Nintendo Wii (2006) and then an Xbox 360 (2008). Each system strode forward by leaps and bounds. Who knew that Ones and Zeros could do suchAWESOME things? I mention my family’shistory with videogames so that I can show you where the state of the art wasand then I can show you where it is at.

This is a screenshot of the Telstar, my first experiencewith videogames…

Here is a screenshot from Bethesda’s, Elder Scrolls V:SKYRIM, our latest experience with videogames…

Mind you this is not just an artist’s rendering – this is anactual screenshot. I can tell you whenyou are in there the entire world is textured and simply beautiful. I find myself just walking around staring atthe scenery. I am a tourist inSKYRIM. I’m going to have to do morethan that but for a gamer of a certain age it is hard not to stop and smell thefinely pixilated & detailed flowers. It is a feast for the eyes. Seriously. Another factor herewith SKYRIM is the fact that the entire world is open. I can tell you thatit is certainly worth the trip. Thefine people at Bethesda truly know what they are doing. Their last BIG game was Fallout 3, which isamazing. From what this humble travelerhas seen thus far, SKYRIM has already surpassed it. I do not say that lightly.

Long days and pleasant nights, fellow adventurer. Be mindful; though, here there bedragons.

[Screenshot of the Telstar from thegameconsole.com]

The Ever After Literary Review

2011-11-07T22:09:00.003-05:00

I ran into something accidentallythis morning on Twitter. Someone that I follow, Mr. Dule Hill, retweeteda little blurb from something called the Ever After Review. It turns outthat they are a non-profit bi-monthly literary publication that is now askingfor short and very short story submissions. Here’s their site: http://www.everafterreview.com/Home_Page.php. You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter.

As their homepage says, “Ever AfterReview is a literary journal that focuses on Fiction short stories and FlashFiction. We accept stories from published and unpublished authors.” Thatbeing said, Gentle Reader, I know for a fact that more than a few of you areGentle Writers too. I gently lifted the following from their About Ussection; “Ever After Review is a new literary journal that focuses onworks of short fiction (up to 5,000 words) and flash fiction (up to 1,000words). Any genre will be considered for publication. We will accept publishedand unpublished authors, but we will NOT accept previously published works.

This is a non-profit journal thatwill be published bi-monthly. The first issue is set to release in January 2012.Each issue will vary in the quantity of stories.

The journal is free; therefore, wedo not pay for stories. This is a chance to get your work known by manyreaders. Please use the submissions link to submit a story.”

The deadline for the January 2012issue is December 31, 2011. Now I ask you, how cool is that? Verycool, indeed, says I

Happy Writing!

Another Reason to Remember the Fifth of November

2011-11-07T21:28:00.002-05:00

Remember, remember the fifth of November; of gunpowdertreason and plot. I see on reason thatgunpowder treason should ever be forgot...

The Fifth of November recently passed. Guy Fawkes aside, in our household the Fifthof November will also mark the day that our oldest daughter got her drivingpermit. Mother Hen took Chick 1.0(henceforth known as, “Bad Wolf”) to the New Jersey Division of Motor Vehiclesand the Big Bad Wolf passed! It’s sortof a bittersweet situation; while it is great that she is moving forward it isstill another punch in the whole “ADULT” card and another reminder that mylittle girl is really a woman. She goesto college and has a part-time job. Lordknows, Chicks 2.0 & 3.0 will be happy when she does get that license. Chick 2.0 has plans and designs on havingher sister drive her and Chick 3.0 all over the place. Further, I believe that Chick 2.0 will wantto be at DMV on the eve of her 16^th birthday just to wait in line sowhen the doors open she can rush to the counter shouting, “I’m HERE! – I’MHERE!” For now, however, one extradriver in the family is enough.

We took her out driving and she did great.

God bless you and keep you Amanda. You ROCK out loud.

Project Thanksgiving

2011-10-28T00:21:00.000-04:00

I am a blessed man, Gentle Reader. I’m no Warren Buffet or Donald Trump but in the battle between“wants” and “needs”, the Lord has provided. I am not rolling in money and I have no gold ingots stashed away yet thelights are still on and my children are fed. With the molehills in my life that I can turn into mountains I can stillrecognize – just by keeping my eyes open and looking around me that my“problems”, when seen in comparison to others are not as mountainous as theyappear to be.

“May you live in interesting times…” is often quoted asbeing a curse more often than being a blessing. It’s a double-edged statement; it cuts both ways. These are most certainly, “interestingtimes.” There is a lot of need outthere and Thanksgiving, Christmas and the rest of the Holidays are on deck andwaiting to pounce.

Enter Project Thanksgiving. This is the brainchild of a friend of mine,Mr. Alex Kaganzev and it is sponsored by the Salvation Army. Project Thanksgiving is a local turkey drivethat provides turkeys to families in the Cumberland County area. This is a grassroots sort of movement and itis currently for people in the Cumberland County area (Millville, Bridgeton,& Vineland). Just like an avalanchebegins with one too many snowflakes Project Thanksgiving has been gainingmomentum and growing too. As you mayhave guessed, yes, they could use your help.

“What can I do?”

On Saturday, November 19^th, bring a frozen turkeyor a donation to ANY of the four local ShopRite supermarkets in Vineland,Millville, or Bridgeton between 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM. That’s it. That’s prettypainless and it has the direct effect of helping someone out. Not too shabby, I’d say.

But wait – there’s more! The Cosmopolitan Restaurant in Vineland has thrown their hat into thering too. If you bring a turkey or a$20.00 (or greater) donation between November 10^th and the 19^thyou will be given a coupon for 15% off of your next meal at the Cosmo; again,not too shabby.

Chances are you’ve earned a frozen bird or two with your‘super-saver’ card. If you happen tohave a spare turkey, please consider making room in your freezer and donatingit to Project Thanksgiving this year. These are interesting times – perhaps we can help making these times alittle less complicated.

Sincerely,

Evil Chicken

All Hallow's Read

2011-10-25T23:24:00.002-04:00

Neil Gaiman, a yarn spinner of great renown (and one of myfavorites, I might add), has devised a magnificent new tradition ~ AllHallow’s Read! He describes itas, “It’s All Hallows Read, a tradition we just made up. You can fancy it up asmuch as you like. Just make sure you give someone a scary book thisHallowe’en…” That about sums it up. Here are the gory details: http://www.allhallowsread.com/. You can also follow all the twists and turns at #AllHallowsRead on Twitter.

I love it. What abrilliant way to foster a love of reading! What will you give and to whom? Poe, Bradbury, Lovecraft, Gaiman? Thepossibilities are endless and I am grateful for that.

I encourage you, Gentle Reader, to enjoy All Hallow’sRead! I know we will be here at Ranchodel Evil Chicken.

National Novel Writing Month 2011

2011-10-17T21:35:00.003-04:00

Here is one for the writers out there or for those who outthere who want to be. National NovelWriting Month (i.e. NaNoWriMo) is almost upon us. That means it just may be your time to shine. I am seriously thinking of throwing my hatinto the National Novel Writing Month ring once again (knowing that if I cando it anyone can) and possibly nudge YOU,Gentle Reader, into joining me on the quest.

“The quest?” Yes,the quest. The quest is to writea novel in the month of November – 30 days, 50,000 words.

“That’s not a novel.”

Says who? Probably all the people who have never written one says I. Do yourself a favor and push out all thatnegative energy – you have a novel to write! To date I have participated in about 4 of them, NaNoWriMos that is. Twice I crossed the finish line so I knowfor a fact it can be done. In days ofyore a geocaching friend of mine introduced me to NaNoWriMo and I have spreadthe love ever since, even in the years that I took off. I talk to a lot of people; some of them havesomething to say or a story to tell. Well, if you believe YOU are one of those people that I am talkingabout, November may just be the excuse you’ve been looking for.

Tell your story.

November is coming. NaNoWriMo draws near. Make yourplans & your provisions; let us Quest together!

Steve Jobs

2011-10-05T23:10:00.002-04:00

A man who shaped the world has now left it behind. Steve Jobs has passed. He was a wizard who took technology and putit in the hands of the common man. In1976, he and Steve Wozniak built something called a personal computer in agarage in southern California and in doing so changed everything. Here is an excellent piece on his life: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/44794276/ns/us_news/#.To0HenJENNs.

Wikipedia mentions towards the end of Job’s article – justbefore the reference section that, “After his resignation as Apple's CEO, Jobswas characterized as the Thomas Edison and Henry Ford of his time.” Yeah, that’s not a bad description. Full article here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Jobs.

The 1999 TV film, “The Pirates of Silicon Valley” (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0168122/)is in serious need of a sequel. There is so much more to the story then the pre-iPod time period whereit ends. I would humbly implore whoevermakes it to please use the same cast and put it onto BIG screens thistime. Hey, it worked for, “The SocialNetwork” and it would work here too. Really, it is owed to history to do it right.

I will leave the poetry and the ponderings to better writersthan I; however I will leave you with this quote from Mr. Jobs. "Remembering that I'll be dead soon isthe most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choicesin life," he said. "Because almost everything — all externalexpectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure — these thingsjust fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is trulyimportant."

I never owned an Apple but I wouldn’t be typing this blog onmy beat-up old laptop if it weren’t for the visionary that we have just nowlost; a man who changed the world and shaped the future. Some souls make their mark on history and hewas a man who helped define our time.

Godspeed, Mr. Jobs

The Call to Dream Bigger

2011-09-26T23:45:00.002-04:00

“Why would you read that?” a girl I went to school said tome when I was little more than youngling. Even after all these years later I can still see the sneer on herface. I had been reading a Star Trekbook and for whatever reason she felt the compunction to belittle me for it.“It’s not real. There is no benefit inthe REAL world.” I didn’t get thechance to ask her the circumstances for her lack of enthusiasm. She simply saw no value in the storywhatsoever. This Fun Police footsoldier gave me the message and walked away. About a month after she dispensed this sage-like advice to me shedropped out of school never to be seen or heard from again.

However, in a startling change of pace, Gentle Reader, thisblog isn’t about me – it’s about a genre that was once called “ScienceFiction”. Revelries have morphed intorealities in recent days. Long heldscientific views are being questioned about the very fabric of theuniverse. Basic tenants of the ScienceFiction genre are falling into place in “the real world”. This sort of surge has happened before. Consider if you will, Mr. Jules Verne. He was popular in his day (and to this day)for writing some pretty astonishing fiction. I can almost here some of his readers – fans and otherwise, confrontinghim…

“Pure fantasy! Thinkabout what you’re producing here; space travel, men on the moon, atomicenergy an underwater ship that terrorizes shipping fleets, giant animals onsome Mysterious Island? Jules, you’vegot a great imagination but there is no benefit in the REAL world.”

Verne was a visionary and he championed the cause of sciencefiction until it all became science fact. Space travel, humans on the moon, atomic energy, submarine warfare, andgenetics augmentations were all in the pages of Verne’s books before they wererealities. One could also point to H.G.Wells, or George Orwell, or a host of other writers for similar effect. For whatever reason, we find ourselves in asimilar state RIGHT NOW. I don’t knowif you’ve noticed but this past week or so there have been some prettymonumental stories that underline the fact that we are going to have to startdreaming bigger.

Tattooine was discovered - http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/09/new-binary-star-exoplanet/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wired%2Findex+%28Wired%3A+Index+3+%28Top+Stories+2%29%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher.

Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic Spaceport is a GO. That means the VSS Enterprise (VirginSpace Ship) will be in orbit in the near future - http://sciencefiction.com/2011/09/24/spaceship-factory-now-open-for-business/.

Now I just need an extra $200,000 for a ticket!

The good people from CERN (who run the Large HadronCollider) from Geneva announced that they believe that they have foundneutrinos that exceed the speed of light. Yeah, there is the possibility that the laws of physics are about tochange. That’s the news in layman’sterms now to read what the authors of the paper (who are definitely NOT laymen)have to say here is a copy of their paper - http://arxiv.org/abs/1109.4897.

USS Enterprise at Warp Speed.

Scientists at The Gallant Lab at UC Berkley are usingbrain scans to reconstitute video images by using an fMRI machine. Possible translation: You will no longerhave to tell us what is on your mind, we’ll just look for ourselves. Creepy mind-video reconstruction movie here- https://sites.google.com/site/gallantlabucb/publications/nishimoto-et-al-2011.

And then there’s the man who wants to reconstruct a dinosaurby “de-evolving” a modern chicken. It’sthe cover story on this month’s WIRED Magazine but Michael Crichton was doingthe same thing in his books since 1990. Click on this link for the full story… as WIRED says, “What couldpossibly go wrong?” - http://www.wired.com/magazine/2011/09/ff_chickensaurus/all/1

I wonder what a Chickensaurus tastes like?

Now that there is no such thing as Science Fiction perhapsthe moniker “Speculative Fiction” will make a comeback? Who’s to say? What I really want to know; however, is with all of thesepotential advances in science and technology WHERE is my FLYING CAR!?

Etiquette and Protocol in the Realm of Social Media

2011-09-24T14:00:00.004-04:00

“Words mean things.” A wise person once said. As the world shrinks (please see blogdirectly below this) it is important to realize this fact. Words mean things. When a verb rubs against a noun something happens. This is why Bambi’s friend Thumper was toldby his mother, “If you don’t have something nice to say then don’t say anythingat all.” Thumper’s mom subscribed to theconcepts of etiquette and protocol. Besides being programmed in over 6 million forms of communication, C-3POwas hard-wired for it, etiquette and protocol.

Yet again we are tasked with taking something from thestories that we hold dear; stories which are told and retold time and timeagain. Some of the seeds are planted ingood soil and some are not. This lessonis not an easy one. Words, oncespilled, are very hard to put back into the bottle, so to speak. It does not matter if it is spoken, writtenin long hand or posted on Facebook or Twitter. If you don’t believe me the next time you are on South Street inPhiladelphia and have a hankering for a cheese-steak casually mention how muchbetter a football team the Dallas Cowboys are when compared to the Eagles whileyou are placing your order. You willquickly discover that words mean things. You will also see that while you have the right to freedom of speechhere that you will also be held accountable for what you say. There is a certain responsibility thatinherently comes from opening ones mouth – it’s basic cause and effect.

We are blessed to live in a country where freedom of speechis a right. There are places wherepeople disappear for their words. Places not all that far from here. Last week there were a couple of Twitter users found suspended from abridge, disemboweled in Mexico because a certain group of people did not likewhat they were saying. This is only arecent example. Tyranny, governmentalor otherwise, will always try to silence a populous because revolutions begin withwords such as; “justice”, “liberty”, and “freedom”. Those in power, or those who wish to be, want to keep that powerby maintaining a silent population. Itis easier to control a group of people who have no voice. This is the importance of a free press andthe importance of the freedom of speech. I may not agree with you but you have the right to say what youfeel. This is one of the major reasonswhy people still want to come here; the freedoms that we so easily take forgranted.

But I digress. Concerning social media. I can’tspeak for the whole of the internet but I can tell you how I operate or atleast what I aspire to, “Do unto others as you would have them do untoyou.” It’s simple, it’s elegant, and itworks most of the time. Now, with theanonymous nature of social media and the internet slipping into extinction,more than ever it is important to realize that we need to take ownership of thewords we say or type or post. Socialmedia is a tool for communication. That’s it. It is not your diarynor should it be. Don’t post somethingthat you don’t want the world to see or know. Just what part of “world wide web” do you not understand? When you send something; pictures, texts,emails… that data is routed on servers across the globe. It’s more akin to sending a postcard thatcan be read by whoever wants to pick it up than it is a wax-sealeddocument. Those pictures that you sent? Yeah, THOSE pictures, they are out there…somewhere. The main point that I’munderlining here is words mean things but that should immediately befollowed with don’t be stupid. Remember what you put out there is out there; the good, the bad, and theugly. Just like being at thesupermarket or on an elevator, or in a library etiquette and protocol go a longway.

The internet is akin to a living organism. Here is a “map of the internet”:

It looks like neural pathways, doesn’t it; informationelectrically traveling via the axons of neurons firing within their ownmyelin-coated superhighways? Yes, itresembles a working brain. Or, perhapsit resembles a universe full of galaxies and solar systems? You are right with whichever poeticdescription suits your appetite. Eitherway, the graphic representation of internet appears to be… alive. That’s a mite creepy when thought of in thatcontext but accurate. What we choose toput “out there” whether it is the electronic or the physical world, defines andidentifies us for who we are – not so much the people we package ourselves tobe. Form follows function.

“Don’t be evil” – Google’s motto

“Don’t feed the trolls” – Evil Chicken

The Incredible Shrinking World

2011-09-22T21:57:00.000-04:00

Gentle reader, I am a hack. I am a guy with a keyboard, word processor and a blog and I’m not afraidto use them. That being said, here is a revelation that has been on mymind for a while now; not to alarm you but the world is shrinking. That’s right, you heard me; the world isshrinking.

Case in point, a couple of years ago I published a blogabout some atrocities that were being committed in certain country inAfrica. I mentioned some of the tortureand genocide that is endured by the people there on a daily basis as one regimepainfully transitions into another. Well, it turns out I actually had some readers from Africa (yes, fromthat certain country) check out my blog.

Pause for a moment and consider that. I am no one special. I’m just a blogger from South Jersey whowrote a blog about an injustice all the way on the other side of the earth.

“So yeah, but did it change anything?”

No, probably not; but the meat of the matter is that THEYnow know that I know and, further, if I know than other people must aswell.

That is the power of a shrinking world.

We see it everywhere, really. There have always been technological leaps forward that changedsociety and culture that make us more global in mind, body and spirit. The telephone, the car, the television, thecomputer, the internet, our 3G & 4G connections, and now our socialmedia. I literally have “friends” allover the world. I have connected withfamily and school mates from days of yore and I have only used my mouse,keyboard and trusty internet connection to do so. In a few pressed keys and clicks of my mouse I can notify theworld of just about anything I put my mind to – good, bad or ugly. I try to keep things light here at ChickenScratch but I can’t vouch for the next blog over. Just like in the physical world.

Blogging, Facebook, and Twitter are on the front lines ofwhere things happen these days and, by the looks of things, will be on thosefront lines (in one incarnation or another) far into the future. The basic premise, however, remains the same– someone expresses an idea and shares it. It is therefore not truly a revolutionary problem but an evolutionary one. People have been getting into trouble forideas since Eve took that bite from the fruit from that tree. They are dangerous things. People begin to think with ideas. Then people make plans on how to make thingsbetter or how to make things worse. They begin to question. Theybegin to seek answers. People in powerand authority often do not like what ideas can inspire – things such as hope,independence, freedom – when you get right down to it an educated and activelythinking populous can be a very dangerous thing. People will go to war for ideas. They will be tortured, subjugated, oppressed, endure hardships, andpersevere for an idea. During the mostrecent revolutions in Egypt and Libya social media and internet access were thefirst things to go. Google continues tohave problems in places where facts or information or ideas are subject toofficial state sanction. Even here, inthe land of the free and the home of the brave, we have those who want to purgeideas and crush them so they never have a chance to blossom and grow. I am pleased to say that currently, to the bestof my limited knowledge, the United States is still a place where one can reapthe benefits of having a free press and the freedom of speech.

“May the wings of liberty never lose a feather.” – KurtRussell’s, ‘Jack Burton’ said from Big Trouble in Little China.

These days a free press also means a free internet. People will say, “Print is dead”. I just don’t buy that. Yes, the vehicle of delivery of the writtenword may change but there has never been a better time for a self-publishingblogger to take up their keyboard and put one word in front of the next. The big boys – the newspapers and magazinecompanies are still in the process of adapting to the new world order. They will; it’s only a matter of time.

“What is that supposed to mean, Evil Chicken?”

It means that when I want up to the moment scoops on news,weather, or anything that may catch my fancy, I’ll do a quick Twitter search tosee what the people on the ground have to say during an event – as it happensinstead of waiting until the next morning to read all about it in thenewspaper. Social media isinstantaneous electronic journalism from primary sources right there – on theground.

The instantaneous nature of the new media, blogging and/orelectronic journalism scares a lot of people but at the end of the day it’sjust another tool in your toolbox for filtering and disseminatinginformation. As with any tool there arethose who know how to use them, those who don’t and those who have some sort ofvague nebulous idea of what it could do but instead of reading the instructionmanual immediately brand the tool as dangerous. These are the same people who attend book burnings and complainabout how everything that does not unfold as they know it should. Xenophobes that pine for an idealistic pastthat they themselves never really lived in but want to make the rest of theknown world adhere too.

“You know… morons.” Gene Wilder’s, ‘Jim’ said in BlazingSaddles.

And this is the breakdown; those who use the tools, thosewho don’t and those who are too scared to use them. Whether you like it or not social media is here to stay. You can try to take a communication toolaway but putting that genie back in the bottle is proving to be more trickythan many governments would like it to be (i.e. the former regimes of Egypt& Libya). Social media helps givepeople a voice. What people do withthat voice has always proven to be user driven. Here’s to vocal harmony. The world has changed; it has shrunk, incredibly so. There really is no going back and, as forthis hack with a keyboard, a word processor and a blog, I wouldn’t want to.

I don’t believe I’m alone.

ADDITIONAL NOTE: This morning (the morning after the above monstrosity) I woke up and read a great blog from "Alt Text" at WIRED. This is a brilliant little blog about Facebook, Google and Twitter called, "Facebook, Google Battle for Hearts and Minds of Jerks" by Lore Sjöberg. Check it out for yourself here: http://www.wired.com/underwire/2011/09/alt-text-facebook-google/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wired%2Findex+%28Wired%3A+Index+3+%28Top+Stories+2%29%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher

The Media Delivery Wars

2011-09-16T07:55:00.001-04:00

Good morning, Gentle Reader. I hope this communiqué finds you well. If you have poked around here at Chicken Scratch for a few clicksof your mouse then you know that I am a bit of a movie fan – in fact, you couldsay cinema is one of my favorite varieties of a story delivery vehicle. I am a BIG fan of Blu-ray but the future ofmedia delivery is going to be streaming in HD. Different companies have experimented with this to varying degrees ofsuccess including Comcast, Verizon, Blockbuster, and Netflix.

Here is an excellent blog from cnet’s, Media Maverick, Mr.Greg Sandoval that addresses the multiple reasons that Neflix is feeling thesting of an ostracized public who would prefer to use Redbox than pay more fora “skimpy selection” of films.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-31001_3-20106678-261/netflix-feels-wrath-of-consumers-investors/?ttag=fbw.

I found it interesting that STARZ holds the rights to Sony’sand Disney’s content for internet streaming. I also thought this was worth noting, “Starz is reportedly asking for a$300 million deal, or 10 times the $30 million agreement it penned in 2008 andNetflix doesn't want to pay.” Is that acrazy amount of money? Well, I suppose,by my standards but to have Netflix walk away means that content will suffer. Now that Netflix, in a move of sage-likewisdom, has doubled their price (DVD delivery is $8.00 and streaming is $8.00as well – 16 Bucks a month) for even less product customers have been revoltingand canceling their subscriptions. Iwas going to make the jump but have decided against it; choosing instead towait until all the corporate greed gives way to a decent product in glorious1080p. I may have a long wait sincemost companies stream movies in 720p.

What’s a boy to do?

See you at the Redbox.

Marking a Moment

2011-09-10T23:58:00.000-04:00

Ten years ago the world changed. Almost three thousand people lost their lives in a war that we didn’t even know we were fighting. They were people just going about their business who became casualties in a conflict that sprung from the mind of a mad man. That mad man is gone (thanks to Seal Team Six) but this will never bring back those close to three thousand souls who were lost that horrible day, September 11, 2001. The people at Pop Photo have an excellent four-page article of that day ten years ago. Parts of it are hard to see and to read; however, this is important to keep in mind – September 11th, 2001 can never really be marginalized to a footnote, at least in our time; too much has happened and continues to happen. The world has changed. That being said here is their article: http://www.popphoto.com/american-photo/2011/09/911-photographers-stories-part-1.

Ten years have passed since the world changed. Is the world safer now? There is no way I can answer that; however, I would say that we are much more wary these days. There have been the attempts of terror that we are aware of and, no doubt, there are those that we are not aware of. I am thankful that those who are on the wall, both seen and unseen, who are protecting us are good at what they do. We owe them a lot of respect and a debt of gratitude that I really do not know how to repay. As a nation we have given up some of our rights for increased security and, I have no doubt, this concept will continue to be debated by people far more informed than yours truly here in the electronic pages of this blog.

“Is that good – giving up personal rights and freedoms for safety?” I can’t answer that either but I can say that the world has changed and I do not believe things will ever be as they were again. Perhaps they shouldn’t be. One could argue that we should return to simpler times but the fact of the matter is the world is not what it used to be. I heard someone say recently that, “On September 12th, we were Americans, not black, not white, not Latinos but Americans.” There is something important to be taken from these words. 9/11 polarized us as a people and as a nation. Back in 2007, I wrote this about our shared experience: http://evilchickenscratch.blogspot.com/2007/09/911-six-years-hence.html and asked the question, "Where were you when the Towers fell?"

My sincere wish is that we could return to simpler times but we know that this will never be the case. The world remains changed. Please join me in remembrance of those lost and of all those who came to their aid on that unforgettable and terrible day 10 years hence.

Photo by Stephen Nessen

Virginia is for Tourists

2011-09-07T18:17:00.002-04:00

We have just recently returned from a great little trip to Virginia. We were going to go to Newport, Rhoad Island to check out the mansions but hurricane Irene had other plans. Virginia was our Plan-B and it was simply wonderful. It was the whole family including our dog, Kenji. We stayed for two nights in Winchester, VA.

Before we checked in we hit Luray Caverns; which are, by the way, some of the largest known caverns in the world. It was simply spectacular. This was my third time there but it ranked right up at number one for the simple fact that my family had the chance to discover it together. The formations are breathtaking and the “Dream Lake” section I could stare at for hours.

After Luray we took the ride to Natural Bridge, which turned out to be a tourist trap. There are 5 members in my family and $28.00 for the caverns and to walk down to see the bridge was just too steep. Fortunately, a local artist has a creation that must be seen to truly appreciate – Foamhenge! Foamhenge is an exact replica of Stonehenge except it’s made out of foam and there’s a cool statue of Merlin the wizard amongst the stones that is a load of fun to pose with. Foamhenge is free but with the family it’s priceless.

The next day we toured the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley; which consists of “the house, the gardens, [and] the museum”. The grounds were beautiful. The Chinese and water sections of the gardens were my personal favorite. The house was nice enough and the museum was ok. Perhaps I am jaded after being to the Princeton Art Museum, which has an marvelous collection of works from around the globe. In comparison, the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley was nice but it didn’t have all that many pieces. Still it is worth the visit for the gardens alone.

After the trip to the museum we paid a visit to the theater – not just any theater, mind you; we went to the Alamo Drafthouse. The good folks at the Alamo get it. They understand what it means to be a movie fan. We saw, “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” (which was GREAT, by the way), and instead of the commercials that are shown at movie theaters these days before the preview trailers start they have a series of shorts that have some pertinence to the film that you are going to be seeing. We walked in and placed our order for dinner to a Kinks video from the early 70’s “Apeman”, after that they showed some other footage of monkeys, chimps and apes in various scientific shorts edited together interspersed with snippets from the old “Planet of the Apes” cartoon from the 70s. For dinner I had a “Royale with Cheese”. This made me smile. If you get the reference then you’ll be happy to order one for yourself one of these days. When you do I highly recommend an order of ‘Fried Pickles’ too.

The next day we hit “Dinosaur Land”. If you have an affinity for anythinhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifg that pertains to ‘roadside America’ then Dinosaur Land NEEDS to be on your radar. As their sign says, “An Educational Prehistoric Forrest Featuring Over 40 Replicas from the Past”! Our family had a blast here. We took all sorts of crazy pictures and had two tons of crazy fun. Some of my favorite poses had to be my youngest child lamenting the death of a huge dinosaur at the teeth of a Tyrannosaurus Rex, my middle daughter hugging a vicious creature around the middle, my oldest sticking her head into a Velociraptor’s jaws and the three of them attacking a giant-mutant praying mantis. Oh yeah, we had a good time. If you start to feel guilty thinking that you may be enjoying the experience too much remember it’s “educational”. The whole experience got me looking for other people’s crazy vacation pictures and that is when I found Tacky Tourist Photos http://tackytouristphotos.com/. I loved what I saw and knew that I had to share it with you, Gentle Reader. I think you’ll like their site too.

All told we traveled about 714 miles from the flatlands of New Jersey to the mountains of Virginia. I picked up a ticket in Maryland for not wearing a seatbelt. It’s true, I wasn’t. I am thankful to the Good Lord that we made it there and back again. Although, I must admit the more of these trips we take exploring what’s out there and just around the bend, the harder it is for me to come back.

An Open Letter…

2011-08-11T07:52:00.001-04:00

Dearest, Gentle Reader

I have missed you. I have not been around recently. I have been an “absente blogger” and that does not resonate well in my ear. With the masters program I have only had briefest of moments to touch base here at my electronic Fortress of Solitude. I look at my last post (just scroll down) and I notice two things: 1. it’s short and too the point. 2. The point is pretty negative. I blame time – a commodity I simply do not have these days. I did not mean to imply that the current slump which we find ourselves is insurmountable – no, quite the contrary. We are the country that built and used the space shuttle. Are our priorities out of whack? Yes, but that’s cyclical too. This is the United States of America and we will get our collective act together. The debt ceiling and the S & P credit downgrade notwithstanding it all really is a season. There are good times and bad times no matter what area of the globe one inhabits. It’s part of being human.

My first class in my masters program has ended. I really loved it. It got me excited and motivated to move forward which is exactly what the plan is. I am also about half way through my second course. In my second class there have been several miscommunications and snags. That, however, is immaterial and transient. I know that it is cyclical, that everything will come together, and that it is only a season. Conflicts arise, but that’s life. How we face those conflicts defines us.

Well it has been wonderful catching up with you! I really do miss you and I look forward to a time in the future when I am back here on the virtual pages of Chicken Scratch discussing adventures and visits to the multiplex. [“Captain America – the First Avenger” was GREAT, by the way! Bring on “The Avengers.”] I hope to see you soon.

Until next time, Gentle Reader, adieu,

Sincerely,

Evil Chicken

That's All Folks!

2011-07-19T00:25:00.003-04:00

Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” With the mothballing of the space shuttle it occurs to me that the future now belongs to someone else.

Our “can-do spirit” has eroded into, “can’t-do”.

I hope that Sir Richard Branson from Virgin Galactic is hiring.

What else is there to say?

Thank you to NASA and the final team aboard the Atlantis. Please return safely and take your place in history; after all, you are living proof that we once dreamed.

Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?

2011-06-05T22:37:00.004-04:00

In 1986, the great, Alan Moore wrote a “final” Superman story, entitled, “Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow.” In the story Clark Kent’s identity is discovered, the Fortress of Solitude is destroyed, arch-villains make their exits and Superman… well, Superman is no more. {NOTE: That’s as far as I’m going with the spoilers; if you are so inclined hunt down the reprint.} Superman does not walk away from this final fight. As it turns out an attorney, Marc Toberoff, just may succeed where Doomsday, Brainiac and Lex Luther have failed. Marc Toberoff may be the man who really kills Superman as we know him. Eriq Gardner’s article from the Hollywood Reporter explains what’s going on in more depth here; http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/hollywood-heist-how-a-burglary-192768. On behalf of the Siegels and Shusters, the descendants of the two men who created the Man of Steel, Marc Toberoff may succeed.

Remember that “Bombshell” from DC Comics? I blogged; NAY, hemorrhaged GEEK protoplasm as to what that might mean for Kal-El, the Last Son of Krypton here: [NOTE BEFORE YOU CLICK THE LINK – you really don’t have to read it. It turns out my ramblings were completely wrong.] http://evilchickenscratch.blogspot.com/2011/05/bombshell-from-dc-comics-coming-soon.html. I suspected that Superman was going to be turned into the biggest, baddest, super-villain in the entire DC universe. Hey, it’s what I would have done if I was writing for DC Comics – heck I would have had citizens worshiping him; both sincere and forced! Well all of that speculation doesn’t matter. Actually it REALLY doesn’t matter.

“How so?”

The “Bombshell” is that DC Comics will be revamping their entire pantheon of characters. That’s about 52 different comics ALL being reset to issue # 1. Here’s a good little article on the subject: http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=32607.

“Why?” one might ask, “Isn’t this just a trick to sell more funny-books?” Yeah, that’s a good assumption on the surface and, in fact ultimately, this probably will sell a lot of funny-books; but Warner Bros. and therefore DC Comics is launching what appears to be a preemptive move that is designed to protect their assets just in case Toberoff wins the case for the descendants of Siegels and Shusters. Let’s face facts; Superman is the basis for everything that the juggernaut of DC Comics has become. It is not possible to separate the last 60 years of comic book history from that publishing house from Superman. In other words you can take the Kryptonian out of DC but you can’t take the DC out of the Kryptonian.

DC knows this. If Toberoff wins his lawsuit will they be able to move on towards the next phase in the saga that Superman has become? They have a talented creative team at DC and I believe that they will make it work. The only losers in this scenario are anyone and everyone who has some loose sense, idea or affiliation as to whomever the character of Superman was. I’m not talking your garden variety geek here – I’m talking about the every-person, the common denominator, the person on the street. Pop-culture consumers who are not necessarily comic book fans but STILL have memories of “playing Superman” as a kid. Toberoff and whatever’s left of the Siegels & Shusters are about to rob all future generations of that simple joy. Honestly, it is this that saddens me the most.

Now if Toberoff loses then DC will stir the pot for about 12 issues and make sure everything goes back to exactly the way it was before all this silliness transpired. It is the way of the funny-book. The path of the comic book universes no matter from what publishing company they hail. Whoever ‘wins’ this lawsuit DC Comics is at an interesting crossroads.

If you click on the cover of Justice League # 1 by Jim Lee (the picture for this blog) you will see the new Justice League. At first glance you might say not all that much has changed. The “S” on Superman’s chest is different (it has to be since the rights to the “S” have gone back to Toberoff, the Siegels & Shusters), the collar & cape have differences too and he is no longer wearing his underwear on the outside of his pants. What you don’t see is that he is not really flying anymore – he’s “jumping” or rather leaping tall buildings in a single bound. You won’t see Lois Lane anymore either. She will be the property of Toberoff, the Siegels & Shusters. I’m not sure whomever or whatever else is going to be missing. There are rumors that Superman (I think he can still be called that) and Wonder Woman are now romantically involved. We will have to wait and see what other changes are in store, Gentle Reader.

So a lawyer and the distant descendants of the creators of the Man of Steel just may deal the deathblow that even Doomsday couldn’t deliver. The second death of Superman.

Lex Luthor would be proud.

Memorial Day

2011-05-30T13:20:00.007-04:00

"All gave some, some gave all." - Winston Churchill

As per my favorite second brain, Wikipedia, "Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. Service Members who died while in the military service. First enacted by an organization of Union veterans — the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) — to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War. It was extended after World War I to honor Americans who have died in all wars."

Here is the article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memorial_Day.

Slogans have a way of becoming cliché and wrote when repeated too often. That does not negate the truth behind their meaning or their message merely because they are well known. That being said, "Freedom is never free, it comes at a high price." Please join me in remembering those who paid that price for us to enjoy all the benefits and freedoms that are so easily taken for granted.

Have a peaceful Memorial Day.

Covert Ops Vacationing

2011-05-29T14:32:00.006-04:00

Here at Rancho del Evil Chicken things are getting crazy busy.

No, that’s not the right phrasing; please allow me to begin again…

Here at Rancho del Evil Chicken things are getting CRAZY BUSY!!!

Yeah, that’s a little better.

We are busy. Mother Hen is taking classes for her Bachelors. I’m about to start my Masters and Bad Wolf, the oldest of the Three Chicks is going to be starting to work for her Associates. Throw on top of that all of our jobs and all of our other commitments and it does not take a great leap in logic to realize that, as Kahn said in Star Trek II, “Time is a luxury you [Kirk – or WE in this case] do not have.”

Look, I/we love all of the craziness that I/we are involved in but there has got to be a release valve somewhere. A time when we can get away as a family, let our hair down; so to speak. Get some R & R. The trick is that with our schedules the big “Family Vacation” is just not in the cards for the foreseeable future.

What to do?

WHAT TO DO?

I’ll tell you what you do. You get smarter about how you use your time. Weekends with an extra day, Monday or Friday make for an excellent escape plan. You get away from the keyboards & LCDs for a little while. You explore what is around you and then some. I figure anything within 6 hours driving distance from South Jersey is fair game. Now then, let’s see here; let’s explore some possible options, shall we?

The Newport Mansions of Road Island: http://www.newportmansions.org/page7016.cfm.

Boston: http://www.cityofboston.gov/visitors/.

Sleepy Hollow, New York: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g48622-Sleepy_Hollow_New_York-Vacations.html.

New York, NY: http://www.nycgo.com/.

Chincoteague Island, VA: http:http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif//www.chincoteague.com/.

Gettysburg, PA: http://www.gettysburg.travel/.

Baltimore, MD: http://baltimore.org/attractions/.

Point Lookout State Park, MD: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/southern/pointlookout.asp.

New York, Finger Lakes Region: http://www.fingerlakes.org/.

Thousand Islands: http://www.visit1000islands.com/visitorinfo/.

So there we have it; ten possibilities for long weekends, an exercise in covert ops vacationing. Do YOU have any suggestions for a relatively nearby getaway? I’m open to suggestions.

Thanks in advance, Gentle Reader and fellow Traveler.

Sincerely, Evil Chicken

Gil Scott-Heron has Passed

2011-05-28T21:29:00.008-04:00

A voice that had something to say went silent yesterday. Gil Scott-Heron voiced emotions & ideas that went above and beyond the times that he spoke them. Listen to his work and it is evident that it remains on point & relevant even though the names (Nixon, Agnew & Regan) have slipped into history. There is timelessness found in his work. Did his work make people comfortable? No. Did it make people think? Always. Mark Twain / Samuel Clemons once said about writing, “A writer’s job is to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable.” Gil Scott-Heron did just that. You may not have agreed with what he had to say but words he spoke had an edge and an honesty that refused to be ignored.

Here is what Gil Scott-Heron’s website tells you about him: http://gilscottheron.net/about/ - “Gil Scott-Heron (born April 1, 1949) is an American poet, musician, and author known primarily for his late 1960s and early 1970s work as a spoken word soul performer and his collaborative work with musician Brian Jackson. His collaborative efforts with Jackson featured a musical fusion of jazz, blues and soul music, as well as lyrical content concerning social and political issues of the time, delivered in both rapping and melismatic vocal styles by Scott-Heron. The music of these albums, most notably Pieces of a Man and Winter in America in the early 1970s, influenced and helped engender later African-American music genres such as hip hop and neo soul. Scott-Heron’s recording work is often associated with black militant activism and has received much critical acclaim for one of his most well-known compositions “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised”. On his influence, Allmusic wrote “Scott-Heron’s unique proto-rap style influenced a generation of hip-hop artists”.”

Here are some examples of his work from Boing Boing, “In Memoriam: Gil Scott-Heron, ‘The People’s Poet’”: http://www.boingboing.net/2011/05/27/gil-scott-heron-rip.html?dlvrit=36761.

Once I read the Twitter feed this AM that Scott-Heron had passed I, admittedly, had to tap into the deep recesses of my memory banks. I first became aware of his work with, “Whitey on the Moon.” I was a little too young for, “The Revolution will Not be Televised”, and I was just a kid with the poignant, “B-Movie” was birthed. Gil Scott-Heron most recent album, “I’m New Here,” was his first album in 16 years and was released in February of 2010.

Here is a great article by Alan Wilkinson from the New Yorker entitled, “New York is Killing Me”: http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/08/09/100809fa_fact_wilkinson?currentPage=all

Dependency can blind. Classically someone who is addicted does not see it. They believe, whole heartedly, that the next high will achieve some new level of consciousness (for artistic or spiritual awareness), relieve the pain that they feel (real or conjured) or they simply have the taste for oblivion. The worst part is that while they perceive it to be a victimless crime the people who pay the cost are those closest to them; their closest family members, their children, their significant other. The individual can not see this price paid in full by their loved ones. It just does not register. Monique de Latour (his ex-girlfriend at the time from the New Yorker piece); when she says, “There is a very gentle person inside Gil,” she said, “but very remote. It’s the little boy who lived with his grandmother in Jackson. He used to say to me, ‘I wish you knew me before I was like this.’ ” By “this” he meant before his addiction to crack cocaine.

In the Wikipedia, my favorite second brain has a great quote from Fairfax New Zealand (February 2010) that reads, “Gil Scott-Heron released poems as songs, recorded songs that were based on his earliest poems and writings, wrote novels and became a hero to many for his music, activism and his anger. There is always the anger - an often beautiful, passionate anger. An often awkward anger. A very soulful anger. And often it is a very sad anger. But it is the pervasive mood, theme and feeling within his work - and around his work, hovering, piercing, occasionally weighing down; often lifting the work up, helping to place it in your face. And for all the preaching and warning signs in his work, the last two decades of Gil Scott-Heron's life to date have seen him succumb to the pressures and demons he has so often warned others about.”

My prayers go out to his family & loved ones at this time.

…Picture of Ms. Scott-Heron from Wikipedia

“Bombshell” from DC Comics Coming Soon

2011-05-23T21:24:00.005-04:00

[NOTE: I am diving into the GEEK deep end here so if that is not your thing – move along; there’s nothing for you to see here. You don’t have to go home but you can’t stay here.]

Gentle Reader, are you still here? GOOD!

So, remember that weekend when that prince and princess got married, Superman renounced his American Citizenship and Osama bin Laden was put down? Yeah? Good times… good times. I didn’t write about the royal wedding. It’s just not my bag, Baby. I didn’t write about OBL’s demise; after all, what more needs to be said? I did, however, write about Superman (which happened a day before SEAL Team 6’s raid). Let’s review, shall we?

Here’s the link: http://evilchickenscratch.blogspot.com/2011/04/american-way.html.

So there’s that. Well, this morning while catching up on some Twitter activity I saw that Jim Lee (DC Comics Guru and Comic Book LEGEND) had retweeted something about a “Bombshell” that he, Geoff Johns and the rest of DC Comics is about to unveil. Here’s the link: http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2011/05/23/geoff-johns-and-jim-lee-plan-to-drop-dc-bombshells-at-hero-festival/?dlvrit=63378. The bombshell is set to go off on 6/11/11, at the Chinese 6 Theater at the Los Angeles Times HERO COMPLEX Film Festival. I think my faith in Geoff Johns, Jim Lee and DC Comics is about to pay off in spades; they’re going to show their hand concerning Kal-El and his future and what a BIG HAND it will be. Now then, with that being said, you should know that I have absolutely no insider information but I just wanted to voice my prediction for what I believe is in store for The Man of Tomorrow before the big day happens.

The Last Son of Krypton has been far too good for far too long. I bet Superman is about to ultimately become what he hates the most – the complete opposite of everything he once stood for. The Boy Scout is about to become the absolute ruler of Earth. He will claim the power grab is for all the right reasons but soon, very soon, Earth will become a complete totalitarian state. There will be those who compare him to the dreaded, Darkseid and not without cause. Sure, it’ll start small with renouncing his American citizenship; soon he’ll be toppling governments that do not fit into his ‘new world order’ and when the UN and the United States finally realize what his endgame is it will be far too late. He’ll take care of Bruce (since Bruce has already planed for such a contingency). Supes will probably set him adrift in the Phantom Zone out of some twisted sense of guilt or for some further use he might have for the Batman. Come to think of it he’ll have to do the same thing with Diana. Wonder Woman has to go as well. Heroes will fight and heroes will lose. My guess is that “Parallax” will ultimately be the cause of Kal-El’s corruption. In the end Hal Jordan and the rest of the Green Lantern Corps free Batman & Wonder Woman from the Phantom Zone and the battle royal commences. Hal was corrupted by Parallax before so he’s carrying that baggage with him into battle but it doesn’t matter; Hal and company win the day. Kal-El assists with getting Parallax into the Phantom Zone and everything goes back to the way it was before Superman renounced his American citizenship – except, now that the world has seen what Superman is truly capable of and now wonders should he ever be trusted again?

Fini.

So there’s that. I sincerely thank you for making it this far, Gentle Reader. I anticipate one of three responses to this blog; especially that last paragraph.

1. “I really should have skipped this particular Blog entry here at Chicken Scratch.
2. “That would be so cool!”
3. “You know, we ought to hire this, Evil Chicken guy.

If your answer was:

1. Sorry. I will try to do better next time. I’ve gotta ask; didn’t you read the note at the beginning?
2. I know, RIGHT!
3. You can contact me right here on Chicken Scratch or via my Twitter account at the right. I look forward to working with you in the future.

The writers & artists at DC Comics are about to have a very good time unleashing the Armageddon that Superman is about to become onto an unsuspecting comic book world. Mr. Johns, Mr. Lee and the rest of the creative team at DC Comics, I can’t wait to see it happen.

On the other hand perhaps it is only my ravings. We shall see... we shall see.

(Picture from, Game Banana)

That’s the Way the Cookie Crumbles

2011-05-20T07:37:00.006-04:00

Perhaps it has something to do with undiagnosed OCD or perhaps I have a touch of “hoarding behavior” but I collect Fortune Cookie Fortunes; not other peoples but my own. Over the years I have amassed a pretty decent collection. Some I like and some, I believe, were a little off center with the whole ‘forecasting’ thing. I find that the Cookie chooses the owner. A cookie passed to you by someone else at the table may have tarnished the message originally meant for YOU! After all, they touched it first - perhaps it's THEIR fortune? Then there is the consumption question, “Does the Fortune count if you don’t eat the cookie?” Who’s to say? I won’t even go into the additional; “In Bed” alternate Fortune Cookie ending. Clearly, the Fortune Cookie holds more mysteries than a slip of paper predicting the future.

You may ask, “So where did the Fortune Cookie come from?” and, I might add, Gentle Reader, that would be an excellent question. Wikipedia, my favorite second brain, says this, “A fortune cookie is a crisp cookie usually made from flour, sugar, vanilla, and oil with a "fortune" wrapped inside. A "fortune" is a piece of paper with words of faux wisdom or a vague prophesy. The message inside may also include a Chinese phrase with translation or a list of lucky numbers used by some as lottery numbers, some of which have become actual winner numbers. Fortune cookies are often served as a dessert in Chinese restaurants in the United States and some other countries, but are absent in China. The exact provenance of fortune cookies is unclear, though various immigrant groups in California claim to have popularized them in the early 20th century, basing their recipe on a traditional Japanese cracker. Fortune cookies have been summarized as being "introduced by the Japanese, popularized by the Chinese, but ultimately they are consumed by Americans.”

So what we have here is a distinctly American phenomenon that dates back to the early 1900s. Still there is evidence to suggest that not all of the Fortunes are “faux wisdom or vague prophesy.” There are those moments when the Fortune Cookie transcends its original intent and, in the twinkling of an eye, a forecast is given – a Fortune revealed! I suppose, statistically speaking with, “approximately 3 billion fortune cookies made each year around the world, the vast majority of them used for consumption in the United States”; that a few of them would hit pretty close to the mark. It is in that vein that I share a few of my favorite Fortune Cookies. Perhaps you too save Fortunes for a rainy day?

- “A man can fail many times, but he isn’t a failure until he gives up.”
- “A real patriot is the fellow who gets a parking ticket and rejoices that the system works.”
- “Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings while the dawn is still dark.”
- “Nature, time and patience are the three great physicians.”
- “You will soon be receiving sound spoken advice. Listen!”
- “It is better to have a hen tomorrow than an egg today.”
- “Sometimes the wisest person is dressed in the rudest clothing.”
- “The only thing we know for sure about future developments is that they will develop.”
- “Discontent is the first step in the progress of a man or a nation.”
- “Be prepared to modify you plan. It’ll be good for you!”

Now I ask you, Gentle Reader; are these vacant Fortunes chocked full of empty wisdom? I think not. Although these days I order the steamed vegetables & rice instead of the egg foo young & pork fried rice – I still save room for the Fortune Cookie.

“One can never be too sure.”

...Picture from 'Tumbler'.

House Cleaning

2011-05-15T22:57:00.003-04:00

I'm messing with the status quo - messing with the order of things here at Chicken Scratch. You may notice some of the changes. What can I say, it's house cleanin' time again.

Thanks for your continued patronage, Gentle Reader. Hold Fast, we'll get through this together. Confidence is high.

...Sort of.

Twitter Test

2011-05-15T22:54:00.002-04:00

This is a TEST Twitter... Had this been an actual emergency I would have required more than 140 characters.

New Orleans Seafood Kitchen

2011-05-15T00:30:00.003-04:00

You know, one usually writes about a restaurant after one eats there. I’m making an exception in this case. I live close to the city of Vineland, NJ; which is in the pangs of resurgence, so to speak. The Landis Theater is up and running in all of its art deco glory, there has been a distinct effort to “clean up” the downtown area to get people interested in going back to Landis Avenue again, and then there’s the Landis Marketplace with the Amish Market at the old Newberry’s building. Good things are happening.

One of those good things that is about to happen is the advent of the New Orleans Seafood Kitchen. On our way out of the Amish Market today I noticed a chalkboard menu that caught my eye. There was an alligator perched on one of the corners of the board where colorful chalk announced a menu of Creole Gumbo, catfish and Andouille sausage. They had me at Gumbo. My youngest daughter, Chicken Little, and I made our way to the table where we met a woman in chef’s togs. She is a chef who is originally from Vineland and she has spent the last 10 years in New Orleans. She said that her restaurant is going to be opening after the final inspections are completed and estimates that will be in about a weeks time. She gave us a couple of packages of Creole seasoning. Now, Gentle Reader let me just say to you that which you may have already surmised… I love Creole cooking. I love the flavor and the spice. There is something real – something alive (well, formally) in the preparation and the fare.

“God bless you.” I said.

“Wow, this is the first time someone has had a religious experience concerning my food.” She said.

“Good Creole cooking should be a religious experience.” I said as she smiled and gave me some coupons. I glanced at the print and saw displayed there in black ink Chicory Coffee.

“Are you going to serve Café Au Lait like they do at Café Du Monde?” I asked, wiping the drool from the corner of my mouth.

“Why yes we are.” She said, “In fact, we will be giving out free cups of Chicory coffee in the mornings.”

“There is NOTHING like this in the area.” I said.

She smiled and said, “I know.”

“Brilliant.” I said. She was kind enough to give me a 4 cup sample of some Chicory coffee, “Since you’re in the know.” She said.

I liked her and the promise of great Creole food and Café Au Lait coffee served in Vineland – of all places. I will be there when the doors open. I wanted to pass along this little tidbit to you too. Great food lends itself to company and Creole is great food. With Father’s Day rearing its head once again; lest there be no doubt, you now know where I’m campaigning to go.

Here is the New Orleans Seafood Kitchen and Luciano’s Fresh Market’s website: http://www.lucianosfreshmarket.com/default.html. They will be open soon. Stop in and check ‘em out – when they open within the next week or so. I have a very good feeling that it will be worth the visit.

Laissez le bon temps rouler, Vineland!

Weapon of Choice

2011-05-09T20:07:00.004-04:00

THOR had his hammer, Mjolnir.

007 had his Walther PPK.

Indiana Jones had his bullwhip.

Bilbo Baggins had Sting.

Lorena Bobbitt had her Ginsu.

Me? I’ve got my trusty Pilot G-2 07.

“What?” you may ask.

Oh yeah, make no mistake, that pen is my weapon of choice. Other writing instruments have come and gone but it is the G-2 that keeps finding its way into my pocket. In fact, at any given time I carry at least 3 (one for each of my kids) and one on my lanyard (for those quick draw – must have a pen NOW moments).

“You’re nuts.”

Perhaps, Gentle Reader; however, I have found no other vessel (save for my trusty computer and internet connection) as a means of idea delivery that comes close to my trusty G-2. When the Evil Chicken action figure is mass-produced (check in the toy section of your favorite department store this Christmas) it/I will come packaged with a scaled down plastic 16 or 20 oz. cup of coffee, my black messenger bag (which holds notebooks, my e-reader, the latest issue of “WIRED Magazine” & possibly a laptop) and a PILOT G-2 07 PEN! Some don’t like the boldness of the ink but the simple fact is your ink should be as bold as your thoughts are. Once you accept this fact then you can never go back. I have dabbled with the .38, the 05 and even the 10 but it is the 07 that I return to again and again. It is that good. So, you see, it was with a heavy heart that I read an article written by Mr. Mark McClusky entitled, “Mightier Than the Sword: 5 Perfect Pens” in the most recent issue of WIRED where my beloved G-2 was not counted among the pantheon of “perfect” writing instruments. Don’t believe me? Check it for yourself here: http://www.wired.com/magazine/2011/04/pl_filter_pens/.

I can see the BIC, I can see the LAMY Safari (the gateway fountain pen) but I just can’t get my head around the Uni-ball 207. Really – the Uni-ball? Others may moan about Fisher (the Space Pen people) not getting a shout out; I’m not one of them (it’s just too kitschy). I grieve for the omission of my weapon of choice the Pilot G-2 07; especially if the Uni-ball was its replacement for the article.

Mr. McClusky, say it ain’t so.

Well, at least you now know where I stand on the issue. Now if you will excuse me I am going to console myself by doodling with the finest writing instrument known to man, the Pilot G-2 07.

Until next time, keep on writing!

Strange Days Indeed

2011-05-09T13:34:00.002-04:00

“Half my life’s is books, written pages. Live and learn from fools and from sages.” – S. Tyler

Strange things are afoot, wouldn’t you say? Floods, earthquakes, lost & found terrorists; it’s hard not to say that we live in interesting times. That being said, the times here at Rancho del Evil Chicken are getting stranger too. 3 out of 5 of us will be in college this year; Mother Hen, one of the Three Chicks and, yours truly. We will be working on Bachelors, an Associates and a Masters, respectively. Translation: all of the “free time” (which is really non-existent round these parts) that we have enjoyed is about to… well, let’s just say, get more complicated. That whole “can’t have an omelet without cracking some eggs” thing comes to mind.

I mention this for the simple reason that I may not be touching base here at Chicken Scratch as much as I have in the past – as much as I would like. Of course, the opposite may be true as well. We’ll have to wait and see on that one. So, as much as I would like to discuss “THOR”, the newest episode of “Doctor Who” or mention the idea that Meredith Vieira is leaving the TODAY Show; chances are I will have to pick and choose what is blog worthy and what is not. I already dance that dance; however, the absence of time may place more constraints on the issue than I hope.

So, there’s that.

We shall see…

We shall soon talk once more, Gentle Reader, until then, Adieu.

…The American Way

2011-04-30T22:28:00.005-04:00

I heard about Superman’s decision to ‘renounce his American citizenship’ last week and I have been waiting to actually read Action Comics issue 900 before passing judgment.

“…I’m sorry, what was that?” you may ask, “something about Superman?”

If you have not heard by now here are the details: http://www.wired.com/underwire/2011/04/action-comics-900/. Here are more details: http://www.comicsalliance.com/2011/04/27/superman-renounces-us-citizenship/. Here are even more details: http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/superman-comics-uscitizen-iran/2011/04/28/id/394467.

“WHAT!? The writers and publishers have turned Superman into a traitor!”

Nope, I’m not jumping on that bandwagon; unlike these quotable souls here: http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2011/04/29/still-more-anti-superman-comments-from-teabaggers. [NOTE: Not my blog - not my choice of language. However; it's still an interesting set of quotes.]

The one word that comes to mind describing the situation that the publishers have placed the Man of Steel and that word is BRILLIANT.

"Huh?"

Let’s look at this through the eyes of a writer and publishing house. Issue 900 of Action Comics is a collection of stories from several writers and artists giving their take on the iconic character. DC did not just hand the keys to anyone to tell the stories in issue 900. No, they brought out some members from the A-Squad. Richard Donner, Paul Dini, Geoff Johns and David S. Goyer are all amazing writers who have large volumes of high quality writing to their names. Mr. Goyer wrote the story that is causing all of the controversy; I also happen to be a BIG fan of his work. It must be very exciting as a writer flipping a static character into a dynamic one making what is old new again. He is not a minor player in this field. In fact a smart publishing house that had access to some of the finest talent in the industry may be very pleased with having a comic book from the nineteen thirties relevant once more; controversial to the point that it is making worldwide press. John Q. Public is once more buying a Superman comic book! Chances are it will be a third or a fourth printing of said publication by this point. People are going to want to read it for themselves.

Simply Brilliant.

I haven’t read any Superman title since the “Death of Superman” & “Rise of the Supermen” story arcs back in 1993. I will pick up issue 900 because I stand with John Q. Public – I want to read it for myself. As a fan and a guy who likes to write all sorts of different stuff I can see the story arc that could sprout from the seeds planted in issue 900. To quote the Joker from The Dark Knight, “It’s all part of the plan.”

Everyone knows the history, really. Kal-El, the Last Son of Krypton is the BIG ONE when it comes to American immigration stories in the world of Comics. Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster designed him that way in 1932. “The pair sold the rights to Detective Comics, Inc. in 1938” and in June 1938, Action Comics # 1 went on sale. Superman was born. The truth be told Superman is the prototype for all the other comic heroes that followed. The Man of Tomorrow has been around now for 900 issues – that’s 73 years. His popularity has ebbed and flowed over those years but to the masses the first image that creeps into the collective unconscious when someone mentions the words; comic book, is Superman. Superman is American pop-culture and people identify with that whether they read comics or not. That disenfranchised Kryptonian is a shared cultural touchstone, so to speak.

As a fan, a writer and a Geek for all seasons I can’t wait to see what’s next for Kal-El. I just may have to add Action Comics to my subscription again. These notions would not have crossed my mind if it weren’t for the story arc that is about to launch from a company with several tricks still up their sleeve.

…Brilliant DC, simply Brilliant.

[NOTE: Evil Chicken would like to thank his favorite second brain, Wikipedia and his friend the Internet for the information disseminated for this blog you’re just read, Gentle Reader. That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it. Until next time, I’ll see you at the Comic Book Shop – I’ll be the one picking up the 4th or 5th printing of Action Comics issue 900.]

So Dad, What was a Movie Theater Like?

2011-04-22T00:33:00.001-04:00

I read a very good article on Ain’t It Cool News by Nordling called, “Nordling Advocates For The Theatrical Experience!” It can be found here: http://www.aintitcool.com/node/49351. If you are a movie geek you will grok it mightily. I would have simply posted on AICN, however, gremlins appear to be attacking Harry’s site right now so I thought that I would post my reply right here on Chicken Scratch. Here it is in its entirety…

Here, Here!

Firstly, Nordling, that was a brilliant article.

The motion picture industry is just that, an industry. They are built to make money and technology and our ever increasing short attention spans make turnover of product faster and faster. The trick for the average person buying a ticket is separating the ‘Must See Opening Days’ from the Red Box rentals – the wheat from the chaff. The ART is still there (thank God), it must be or it will simply not sell. Not for nuthin’ but that’s one of the main reasons why AICN is what it is ~ as a consumer of what the movie industry is selling it is just bad business sense to simply buy a ticket to a movie without doing the market research first. You learn to listen to good advice. I have a family of 5 and unless I have a vested interest in a film (i.e. an event picture) I am not taking the troops; it’s just too pricy. Since we are in a confessional frame of mind I am more likely to purchase a single ticket for a matinee showing on opening day. I love the communal experience of a theater but these days I really have to pick and choose such communal experiences.

I stand by my opening statement; Nordling, that was a Brilliant Article. Thanks.

Both Shakespeare and Captain Kirk called the future, “The Undiscovered Country”. What the future holds for the multiplex is up for grabs. How do you think the future will unfold, Gentle Reader?

I’ll see you at the multiplex… for as long as I can.

All Terrain Armored Transport for America

2011-04-12T20:27:00.003-04:00

I’m not going to lie to you, Gentle Reader; we are in a slump. We consistently are confronted by bad news Stateside; the economy, the jobless rates, we are mortgaged to other countries three times over, we don’t produce too much these days in science or technology and there are wars on three fronts… some might be tempted into saying something like, “Our best days are behind us.” In a world where corporations are now considered individuals (thanks Supreme Court!) it is hard not to envision the future looming like Darth Vader in a room full of Padawans representative of the evil Empire in the much beloved Star Wars saga.

Hey, if you can’t beat ‘em, JOIN ‘em!

I was poking around Twitter (WIRED’s Underwire, specifically) and found this: http://ht.ly/4ySy4. Yes, that’s right; there is an effort underway to build a full sized – fully functional AT-AT right here in the good ole, U S of A. Let’s face it we are excellent consumers and, as is alluded to in this particular blog posting, one of our favorite consumer items is Popular Culture. As a red blooded, American Geek this pleases me. To think that Adam Savage from Mythbusters has been made privy to these plans shoots my patriotic, Midi-chlorian count off the scale.

They are calling for people to spread the word – which is, as it happens, exactly what I have now done. To quote from this blog, “…Now the rest is up to you. Spread the word. Get organized. We can get this done. If America can put a man on the Moon, we can bring a little bit of Hoth to the Earth. To volunteer to help, email ATATforAmerica@hotmail.com”.

Remember you real-life nephew of your Uncle Sam, the Force will be with you… Always.

Life, the Universe and Everything

2011-04-11T00:24:00.004-04:00

Douglas Adams came up with the title that I have borrowed for this quick little ‘catch-up’ blog. Much is afoot and I thought that I’d drop some crumbs as to why I have not been the best of consistent bloggers most recently; of which I a deeply sorry, Gentle Reader.

1. Oscar beat me this year. “The King’s Speech” was a massive sleeping giant that I did not take into account as I put my Academy Awards blog together this year. I had second thoughts but I stood by my choices. Oops. This year goes to that little golden, bald guy. I’ll try to think more like the Academy next time. By the By, Ann Hathaway and James Franco did a great job of hosting.

2. A project is materializing that I really can’t talk too much about yet. Suffice to say, when the time is right I will not be shutting up about it. I will give you a hint, it will be cool and you will want to be there.

3. I’m seriously considering going back to school for a Masters degree in my chosen field. That’s all I can really say about that.

4. Charlie Sheen. That’s all I’ve got.

5. “Firefly” is being re-played on the Science Channel and I LOVE it. I missed it the first time around when it was on Fox before it was cancelled. I missed it the second time when it was rebroadcast on Sci-Fi. I’m not missing it now. Just what was Fox thinking canceling this show? Really. Whedon is an amazing writer/director who really has a knack for creating worlds that I want to visit. I can’t wait to see what he does with ‘The Avengers’.

6. I’ve been losing weight. No diet this time at bat; I’m just watching my calories. We are trying to get in more Geocaching too which is a great way to get out there to see what’s around the corner.

7. I think we; my family the Evil Chicken 5, are going to be getting a new “Mother Ship” (central computer). This means that I will be inheriting the old “Mother Ship”. This is a good thing. My laptop (that I am writing this little blog on, BTW) is getting long in the tooth. I started booting up yesterday afternoon just so I could type this now. Hey, who knows; maybe I’ll blog more if I can turn on my computer? It could happen.

So there you have it; a bird’s eye view of the craziness that I have been part and parcel to as of late. Apart from recent tardiness the fact remains, Gentle Reader… I’m still here.

See you soon,

~ Evil Chicken

Coffee Confessions

2011-03-20T22:32:00.003-04:00

My wife and I were out and about today, adventuring hither and yon when it occurred to us that we needed a cup of coffee. To the coffee bar we went; or rather, to the nearest Wawa which happened to be in Tuckerton. My wife had business to conduct in other parts of the store, which left me on my own to procure two cups of coffee by my lonesome. I poured in the Half & Half and the fake sweetener and noticed that a State Police Trooper had joined me to do the same. The barista was behind a bank of coffee urns toiling away with washing pots. I took my two cups over to the “Mexican Blend” and started pouring from that specific urn. I filled one and started filling the other when half way through the pour it sputtered and died. It was empty.

“I killed the Mexican.” I said to the barista behind the counter. I tapped the urn to identify the empty container. He slowly turned towards my direction and glanced at the Trooper.

“Huh?” he asked.

“…Perhaps I should have put that another way.” I said looking at the Trooper and back to the barista.

“BWA HA HA HA HA!”

“I really don’t know if I want too ask this but could you repeat that, Sir?” the trooper said looking squarely at me.

“…I said, ‘I killed the Mexican’ but I hear that confession is good for the soul.”

The three of us burst into laughter. Tears were running down my cheeks.

My wife joined me after the three players all went our separate ways. I explained the situation and she rightfully warned me about the dangers of being left to my own devices.

Wise woman that Lady of mine.

Video From Japan

2011-03-13T18:53:00.005-04:00

While trolling around Twitter I found this posted on a Tweet. First person horror from Japan. This is not a movie. This is the real deal.

First Person Video.

It does not take all that long for the world to completely change. Here is CNN's "Live Blog" on the crisis: http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/13/japan-quake-live-blog-nine-people-test-positive-for-high-radiation-levels/

Please keep all those who have been affected by this tragedy in your prayers and your thoughts.

Dwayne McDuffie

2011-02-22T18:44:00.005-05:00

Skilled writer of the “Justice League” TV series, “Justice League - Crisis on Two Earths” DVD film; creator of “Static Shock” & “ICON” and the co-creator of Milestone Comics has passed unexpectedly after surgery. He was 49.

Here are some sites that do his legacy better justice than I…

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=30969

http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/127049-comic-creator-dwayne-mcduffie-passes-away

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0568336/

The man was a rock solid writer. I loved his treatment of Batman in "Justice League - Crisis of the Two Earths". Spot on the money characterization. He was an inspiration & an innovator. He had stories left to tell.

Godspeed, Mr. McDuffie; Godspeed.

Artwork from CBR.

Happy Birthday to Mr. John Williams

2011-02-08T19:16:00.001-05:00

“America’s Composer”, Mr. John Williams turns 79 today and here is a wonderful article about his life and his music from the people over at Pop Dose: http://popdose.com/the-composers-john-williams/?_r=true.

Simply an amazing body of work can be seen here: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002354/ and the wonderful news is that the man is still working at his craft.

Thank you for the music Mr. Williams. I can’t wait to hear what’s next.

83rd Annual Academy Awards

2011-02-07T00:20:00.003-05:00

Yes, it’s that time of year once more… Oscar has been spotted. It's time for the battle to be joined anew - Oscar Vs. Chicken!

But first...

Harry Knowles is one of my all-time favorite bloggers. He has been writing about movies even before there were things called, “bloggers”. On his site (aintitcoolnews.com) he is known as, “Head Geek” and that about sums it up. His site is one of the must stop places where both the unwashed and the true believers go to get their finger on the pulse of All Things Geek. Anyway, I tell you this, Gentle Reader, to give you somewhere to go if you desire a full and thorough rundown of all the films that have been nominated this year. You can find that here: http://www.aintitcool.com/node/48221.

Here at Chicken Scratch I’m gonna give you my spin on the down and dirty of the Academy Awards. Now some years are better than others, when speaking of the Academy voters. What should win and what does win are two entirely different animals. When picking winners in the Academy Awards one must think like the Academy thinks… It is in that vein that I humbly submit the following picks.

Best Actor: Jeff Bridges. The Dude will walk away with Oscar for a second consecutive time. Colin Firth or James Franco would be sweet too but with Bridges walks in two worlds; old Hollywood and modern American cinema.

Best Supporting Actor: Geoffrey Rush. He’s simply an amazing actor. Christian Bale is up there on the possibility scale too but 2010 remembers him better for blowing up at lighting guys than acting. I hear “The Fighter” is an amazing film but what’s going to stick out in the Academy’s mind are his tirades and not his talents.

Best Actress: Natalie Portman. Yup, the Academy will recognize her name from other outings although I hear her performance in “Black Swan” is pretty good – Oscar worthy good.

Best Supporting Actress: Helena Bonham Carter. Hailee Steinfeld did a pretty amazing job in “True Grit” but this year is Ms. Carter’s year.

Animated Film: “Toy Story 3”. I loved this film. It’s one of my favorite films released this past year. It pulls you in and just when you think you’ve got away unscathed it will undo your heartstrings all together. Pixar has yet to make a bad film and this is brilliant.

Best Visual Effects: “Iron Man 2”. “Inception” was amazing but watching Tony Stark in action on the big screen as Iron Man is pure, unadulterated eye candy.

Best Adapted Screenplay: Those Coen brothers again. “True Grit” is going to take it.

Best Original Screenplay: “The King’s Speech” will take this.

Art Direction: “Inception”. Christopher Nolan took a break from Gotham City to play in our dreams. Unbelievable that he didn’t get an Oscar nod for Best Director. “Inception” will take the Sound Editing too.

Documentary Feature: “Exit Through the Gift Shop”. The Academy wants to be ‘edgy’ and the act of embracing the artist Banky will let them believe they are.

Best Editing: “127 Hours” will walk away with the Oscar. “Inception”, a film that was not nominated for this category, should have at least been in the running. Oh well.

Best Makeup: Rick Baker will take this posthumously for “The Wolfman”. I really did not like this film for reasons that I have already expressed here at Chicken Scratch in the “Blu-Ray Dossier”; that being said the makeup effects are worth the nomination. Baker was a genius. Bottom line.

Best Original Musical Score: “The Social Network”. Trent Reznor will take it but what is practically highway robbery is the fact that Daft Punk’s soundtrack for “TRON Legacy” was not nominated. This is some of the most original music from the movies that has been heard in a long time. It’s a real shame the Academy was not given their score as a choice. This would have won. It should have won.

Best Cinematography: “True Grit”.

Best Director: The Coen brothers, Joel & Ethan for “True Grit”.

Best Picture: “True Grit”. The Academy has TEN nominations this year for the ‘Best Picture’ category. It’s gonna be “True Grit” although “Inception” (which has been ignored in most other categories) and “Toy Story 3” (which is animated and has no hope of EVER garnishing a ‘Best Picture’ win) is one of the best stories of the year. I’ve heard great things about “The King’s Speech” as well. “True Grit” is going home with the statue.

So there they are, my picks for the 83rd Academy Awards.

So who do you think will win?

We’ll find out together on 2/27/11.

See you then.

Blockbuster, Ramblings and the Blu-Ray Dossier

2011-01-11T22:10:00.003-05:00

This particular Blu-Ray Dossier marks a milestone for this ole article here at Chicken Scratch. You see, Gentle Reader, in order to write about movies on Blu-ray one must either purchase them or rent them. The lion’s share of the movies on Blu-ray here that I’ve reviewed I have rented from Blockbuster; the corporate Juggernaut that rolled over all of the “ma & pa” video rental places during the last decade and made them vanish into the sepia images of memory. The corporation grew and grew and blotted out the sun from the other small businesses that peddled the film industries wares. They’re all extinct now. They fell victim to the future; they could not compete with the idea that one store could have so many copies of the movies that people wanted to see. Our hunger for instant gratification only fueled “ma & pa’s” demise. Why should we wait to see the movie we want to see when we can just go to Blockbuster and they’ll have a copy? Hey, I want to “go home happy”.

Where was I? …Oh yes, this blog marks the end of my / our Blockbuster exclusivity. Tonight we canceled our Blockbuster plan.

During the last three years we have rented 225 movies on DVD & Blu-ray; that’s on average 75 movies a year. We had the deal where you could receive up to three movies in the mail, swap ‘em at the local Blockbuster and get two coupons for ‘free’ movies a month. All this brought our total to $21.19 a month. Now let’s see here… that comes out to a total of $762.84 that we have spent to date – that’s about $3.39 per movie. Not too shabby in the long run and we have been running with them a long while. We stayed with Blockbuster not only because they were the only game in town (‘in town’ not via Netflix or cable) but because of a handful of true & dedicated movie fans who used to work there. These guys were Great – with a capitol G. They were not just ‘managers’ they were Movie Geeks and something that Blockbuster truly needed; a human face that actually gave two shakes of a Raisinets Box about film. They cared about movies and story and they bent over backwards for their customers and for their staff. These gentlemen are no longer there and now that the human factor is gone, so am I.

Not to sound too melodramatic but now it is Blockbuster’s turn on the endangered list. You see our hunger for instant gratification is fueling Blockbuster’s demise; and make no mistake; ‘demise’ is the right word. Why should we waste all that time to go to a brick and mortar Blockbuster when we can ‘rent’ a movie cheaper from Comcast or Netflix (which is MUCH cheaper than Comcast) and not even have to be concerned about returning it in the next day or two? Come to think of it with Netflix you can watch the movies / TV shows you want to watch wherever you wish be it in your living room you’re your laptop or on your smart phone. Some TV’s come with wireless connections just for downloading movies from Netflix these days. Do you have a Nintendo Wii or a Xbox 360? Yeah, you can download Netflix movies from these game systems too. Then there is Red Box. Red Box machines have popped up everywhere. You can rent a DVD for $1.00. “What about Blu-ray?” you may ask. Well, for $1.50 you can rent a Blu-ray from a Red Box. You can also return it to ANY Red Box kiosk. Blockbuster can not compete with that; nor can they compete with the future – downloadable content. Blockbuster has been trying to rearrange the furniture on the first class deck of the Titanic but no matter how neat & orderly the deck looks the ship is still sinking. It is hard to fight an idea whose time has come.

Let’s gaze into my crystal ball… into the future. What will it look like? DLC is the future. Downloadable Content for the distribution of media (movies, music, video games, information) will be the business standard in the coming years. And no matter how much I love my Blu-ray movies they too will give way to DLC in 1080p. No matter how much I may love my Xbox 360, my Sony PSIII, or even my Nintendo Wii video games there will simply be no reason why I will have to own a physical disk anymore. Blockbuster is hemorrhaging now, when the next – next generation game consoles hit Gamestop (a store that specializes in used video games) will fall as well. It’s the way of things and it is hard to fight against the future. I’m sure that there will be some sort of occasional effort from companies to have “Special Editions” of movies and games that are packaged with cool doodads, souvenirs, toys and statues but when you sit down to watch that movie or play that game you’ll enter a code from a card or you’ll simply click a button on a remote. It will be a world without discs. Theoretically, this should drive prices down since you will no longer have a physical Blu-ray or video game to take up space on your shelf but the price of this future is something that is still cloudy from the vision from my crystal ball.

Here’s to the hunger of instant gratification; the engine of society’s progress!

Now that I’ve said that and in that vein… I can move forward to actually reviewing some Blu-rays. At the Blu-Ray Dossier I review Blu-ray movies on a 5 star (5 is the best), two tiered system; the first rating is for the story and the second is for the jaw dropping Blu-ray quality. Here’s what I’ve been watching…

Despicable Me, 3 Stars / 4 Stars. I did not go into this one with high expectations but I was pleasantly surprised. The animation glistens and gleams in 1080p. The story is about a man who happens to be an evil genius who, through a series of misadventures becomes a dad. Good for the family. Go rent if for ‘em.

Knight & Day, 2.5 Stars / 3 Stars. A romantic comedy with explosions. I liked it and it is worth the rental. Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz are the couple and they are fun to watch. Pop some popcorn; you’ll have a good time and YES this can be considered a “Date Movie”.

The A-Team, 3 Stars / 3 Stars. This is another one I was pleasantly surprised by. I LOVED watching original A-Team back in the day. This oozes nostalgia and seeing these characters in action again just had me grinning the whole picture through. There’s a bit of a breakdown in act III but it still delivers. If memory serves the movie didn’t break bank at the box office; still this is one franchise that I would love to see continue. Rent it, you’ll have a good time.

Resident Evil: Afterlife, 2.5 Stars / 3 Stars. The Resident Evil movies have always been loosely based on Sony’s Resident Evil video game franchise and this one is no different. It was originally released in 3D and shot with real 3D cameras instead of that horrid 2D to 3D process that some companies strain their new releases through. One thing I’ve noticed after 4 movies thus far, Paul W. S. Anderson is having a good time playing in the playground that he has created and I’ve got to give him kudos for that. He has written and directed each of the movies and they have been successful enough for Sony to keep asking him back. What can I say, I was entertained. Lots of ‘splosions and Anderson sets it up for part 5 which I will probably rent as well.

Grown Ups, 3 Stars / 3 Stars. A lot of reviewers have given this film a lot of flack and not all of it is deserved. I’ve heard, “It’s too crude” or “It’s not good for children!” Well that may be the case and it may not be for everyone but I’ll say this, it’s one of the most accurate portrayals of a group of men of a certain age that I’ve seen in a long time. Men are boys whose toys are more expensive; you may deny it but you know deep down that it rings true. Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Kevin James, Rob Schneider and David Spade play the adult versions of their younger selves and I, for one, enjoyed the heck out of it. Rent it but beware you may see yourself in this film; if you don’t or worse, you can’t; then you have my pity.

So there it is.

I wonder what I should call this article once Blu-ray discs become obsolete? I’ll have to ponder that one.

Until next time, Gentle Reader, I’ll see you at the Red Box.

2011 Non – Resolutions

2010-12-29T21:35:00.006-05:00

There is a lot of craziness that happens here at Rancho del Evil Chicken. We’ve had an interesting year. I’m not going to rehash such events… if they were blog-worthy then you probably know about them already. If they were not fit for blog-consumption then they never made the electronic pages of Chicken Scratch.

Oh well.

After getting into a lot of trouble this past year (most of it legal, I might add) I find that it’s good to have a plan of attack. This being said some of the best adventures are spur of the moment jaunts that only require my cache bag or a change of clothes for yours truly and the family. Still it’s good to have some sort of idea of where you’re hoping to head. It should be noted that this is in NO WAY related to any type of ‘resolution’. In the words of Jimmy Buffett, “I’ll make a resolution that I’ll never make another one.” Bubba’s right. I’m not talking resolutions, I’m talking possible outcomes. That being said here are some of the things that I would like to see transpire in the new year…

1. I want to do some camping. We missed out on Assateague Island camping this past father’s day and I’d love to go back. I also wouldn’t mind camping at Point Lookout State Park in Maryland or several other destinations. That being said I am lusting after an RV. Confession is good for the soul.
2. Geo-Woodstock IX. This is on the list of possibilities.
3. Read more comic books.
4. I want to figure out the best way to wear my watch – top of the wrist or slung on the bottom. Hard to say. Now that I’m packin’ a solar atomic perhaps topside is the way to go …still I’m used to the underside. In the coming year I want to decide on what is best for my chronometer.
5. Read more eBooks.
6. Geocache more. There was a time when we did a lot of caching. That time is not now. These days we attend more events then we actually cache. I’d like to turn that around.
7. Eat more Sushi.
8. I want my oldest daughter to get her license. For far too long I have had to drive to Wawa for coffee. NAY! Says I. During this New Year SHE’S gonna get a license so I can send her on coffee runs.
9. Be a part of at least one book signing.
10. I need to be at the opening night showings for the following movies: “Green Lantern”, “THOR”, “Captain America – the First Avenger”, “Sucker Punch”, “Rise of the Apes”, “Pirates of the Caribbean – On Stranger Tides”, “X-Men – First Class”, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II” AND “Cowboys & Aliens”. Why the Need? Well, I detest the idea of people spoiling movies / deflating stories for me. It’s not their job but so many are so good at it that it is best if I just go to the theater. It’s part of my geekdom and it’s a ‘win – win’.
11. Figure out what a good birthday present and anniversary present would be for Mother Hen. This is not as easy as it sounds. I’m open for suggestions.
12. Figure out online storage.
13. Be a better coupon shopper.
14. I want to do New York City with the family. I figure that it’ll be a nice long weekend – hopefully during the Cherry Blossom Festival in Brooklyn. “Brennan & Carr’s” roast beef is calling… so is “Forbidden Planet” and Times Square. Yup, I want to be a tourist.
15. I want to take the family to Sleepy Hollow, New York. I have only wanted to do this for the last 5 years or so. In 2011 I’d like to see it come to pass.
16. Listen to more MP3s.
17. Get passports for the family. They’ll come in handy if we decide to push north, to hop on a cruise ship or to Europe or China.
18. Continue to maintain a flushing toilet.
19. To make Kenji the happiest dog known to man.
20. Get into more trouble with my family. Not to pat ourselves on the back but we’re good at it. Such shenanigans should continue.

There is nothing too serious on this list. For a hopefully refreshing change I’m pulling back on the whole ‘drama’ reigns. I have a more serious list (still sans resolutions) but that’s not what this particular list is all about. While there’s nothing too out of step on the above list I’d like to think that it’ll be worth our time. And time, I don’t have to tell you by now… what a fleeting commodity it is.

What’s in YOUR plans for the New Year, Gentle Reader? Who knows, perhaps we can share an adventure or two together in 2011? I hope that will be the case.

Happy New Year!

TRON Legacy

2010-12-27T00:39:00.002-05:00

I am of the geek generation that remembers and keeps the original “TRON” close to their heart. Yes it was the eighties. Yes the original is not an “A list” film. But who cares?

“Huh?”

I said, “WHO CARES?” It is TRON and it did far more to explain those new contraptions called “personal computers” than IBM ever did. You see with TRON there existed a world within a world. It was a world where programs were forced to fight for their lives on the games grid in hopes of surviving for the next battle and the chance of connecting with their User – you and I, Gentle Reader, here in the “real world”. I will be the first to say that YES the original was flawed. That being said I will also tell you that I LOVED the first film. I wanted to believe that those Basic programs that we were playing with had a life of their own. I wanted to believe that there was some connection, nay, some network out there where thought and idea and passion and creativity could live in harmony. I wanted to believe that communication could be free and powerful and available to the masses. TRON wanted to believe it too.

Fast forward about 28 years... It still wants to believe and so do I.

SPOILERS: If you wish to remain pure STOP READING NOW!

Still here?

Good.

Here is what I LOVED. TRON is back. It is not a reimagining – it’s a sequel! And, dare I say, to a film that deserved one. This film owes its existence to Comic Con. Two years ago a trailer was made and it shook the pillars of geek heaven. Disney took notice and BAM “TRON Legacy” became a reality. I loved seeing the Recognizers, the Light Cycles, the Tanks, the Grid and the Jeff Bridges as Flynn once more. Technically this is a beautiful and eye candy laden film. The battles on the Grid, the nostalgic scenes in “Flynn’s Arcade” and the Light Cycle stuff are banging enough to warrant the price of a ticket. If you are a child of the late seventies and early eighties you have a place at TRON.

That being said, here is what I would have liked to have seen. TRON. He’s there. You know that he is. It’s obvious. But this is (as with the first film) less about TRON and more about Flynn. TRON is delegated to a lackey in a faceless helmet. This time around I’d expect a little more. TRON is Darth Vader in this one. He is the program that NO ONE wants to face on the Grid. Clu, Jeff Bridges / Flynn’s ageless digital doppelganger and all around bad guy has enslaved TRON into being an unbeatable bad ass / enforcer figure that only a User (Sam – Flynn’s son) can almost challenge. There is a brief moment of faceless recognition and redemption but it is BRIEF! I want TRON!

Come to think of it I’d also like to see Yori. There are female programs out there too. Also there was a cameo that I was REALLY pulling for – I wanted to see the “Tron Guy” someplace – anyplace in this film! He would have been a VERY welcome little aside. Producers: if there is to be a third (and I am pulling for one) Do Not Overlook the Tron Guy. Hey Daft Punk got their cameo (Brilliant soundtrack BTW) why not Tron guy?

What else do I want? I want TRON’s world to be hooked into the our current understanding of the world of computing. I don’t want TRON on Flynn’s personal server; no I want him on the World Wide Web, Baby! I want TRON global. When you go to Facebook I want to know that programs lives are at stake! I want to know that there are programs fighting for every transaction you make in Farmville or in Mafia Wars. I want to see it. I want to see libraries of programs working for Wikipedia or Google or Bing. I want to see epic battles of Networks VS Viruses. I want to understand their world by understanding ours. I want to see some correlation between the world of TRON and our everyday – fact searching, internet using, Facebook & Twitter incorporating world. Bring it on.

NOTE: Remember when I said “SPOILERS”? Also, I want to understand the ending. Quara is here in our world. I can see Users being digitized into the world of TRON but having programs re-digitized into our world – the real world, needs a little explanation. Something. Anything.

Come to think of it why doesn’t Sam show her a sunrise?

I do not wish to leave you with the idea that I was completely disappointed. No, that is simply not the case. I dug “TRON Legacy” and the only issues I had were that ones that I have already discussed. To the creative talent and purse holders at Disney – Please, PLEASE, PLEASE! consider TRON 3.0. All of the questions could have answers and YOU guys are off to a wonderful Act III!

“So Evil Chicken, should I buy a ticket?”

Yes, Gentle Reader, do so. You will not be disappointed with the performances of Mr. Jeff Bridges as both Flynn and Clu or with the absolutely wonderful eye candy that the Grid will provide. Support this movie. I REALLY want a part III!

So will you, Gentle Reader, so will you.

End of line…

LOST

2010-12-15T17:53:00.004-05:00

This past Sunday the family piled into the car to go to see “A Christmas Carol” at the McCarter Theater in Princeton. It was an unbelievable production that I could not recommend higher. I could go on but that is not really what this tale is about. You see when we returned from North Jersey back to our home in South Jersey a certain something was missing – that something was our dog, “Kenji”. Kenji is a Japanese Chin (think hairy pug) with the gentlest of dispositions and temperaments. In our haste to get into the car and onto the road we must not have seen him slip out the door.

“Kenji is missing.” My wife said to me. It was an instant after we got home.

“What – how is that possible?” I knew it was unanswerable as soon as I asked.

We grabbed flashlights and took to the woods.

“KENJI!” we repeated again and again into the cold, cold darkness.

Nothing.

He was gone.

We ushered the kids inside while my wife and I took an extensive driving tour of our immediate neighborhood. He is a small dog and he really couldn’t get too far if he tried. We scoured the roads looking for something we didn’t want to see but had to rule out.

Nothing.

We rejoined the kids at home agreeing that not finding his body was a good sign and we concluded that he must have been picked up. We explained the situation to the family and formulated a plan to call the local shelters in the morning & the municipal building for animal control & to make and distribute “LOST DOG” signs for the local Wawa.

We cried.

We prayed.

The next day I started calling. I spoke with a wonderful lady named Cathleen who works at the Buena Vista municipal building concerning our situation. She took my information, description and cell number. She said that she would follow up with the animal control officer to see if he had picked up any small, white dogs with tan spots. I thanked her and called the Cumberland County SPCA. They weren’t open, apparently on Mondays they open at 1:00 PM. I called the Atlantic County Animal Shelter. They had no dogs that fit Kenji’s description. After 1:00 PM I paid a visit to the Cumberland County SPCA. They were crazy busy. I gave a woman Kenji’s description and my cell number. She told me to take a seat while she checked to see if there were any dogs that matched Kenji’s description in the back.

They did not.

We drove out to “Ron’s Animal Shelter”. Ron told us that he only served Salem County.

We went home.

“We don’t know where Kenji is but we hope he is happy and safe. We don’t know if we will see him again.” We explained to the kids. Our youngest child’s face fell and she began to tear up.

So did I.

Sometimes you simply don’t realize how much you care about something until it’s gone. It is easy to take things for granted – as given. I mean Kenji is the sweetest dog that anyone could ask for and we let him slip out of our fingers. This gentle and trusting creature that we had taken care of for the last six years and who was a part of our family, our pack, was gone; just gone. Night time closed down upon once us again; a second night without our Kenji. Unanswerable questions lingered; was he safe? Was he happy? Was he even alive?

The next day I receive a call on my cell phone. It was Cathleen. “Someone has found your dog!”

“REALLY?!”

“Yes, but he’s been hit by a car.” She gave me a name and a number of a woman who had called to report that she had an injured little white dog with tan spots. “I knew it was your dog!” she said. I thanked her for everything she had done for my family. “Merry Christmas!” she said.

“MERRY CHRISTMAS!” I said.

I called my wife. She called the woman. My wife picked me up and explained to me that Kenji had been hit by a car, that one of his eyes was damaged, he had some teeth missing and he was not able to stand for long periods of time. We knew what that might mean. We wanted Kenji back but we certainly did not want to prolong any suffering that he may be enduring. We simply did not know so we drove on in silence neither of us voicing our concerns for whatever may come. Then we were there.

We met Emily and her husband Tim, the people who had saved our dog’s life. And then, there he was. He stumbled to his feet and his tail started to wag before he collapsed. Tim picked him up and put him onto a table in their kitchen. Kenji rolled over to have his belly scratched. I began to cry as I scratched away at this tiny 11 lbs bundle that had been the source of such concern and loss.

“He’s your dog.” Emily said. “I can tell. You never know these days. But he’s your dog.”

“We have a friend of ours who is a retired veterinarian and he came over with his kit. He’s had a cortisone shot and he has a concussion. I don’t know if he can see out of that eye.” Tim said.

“We don’t know how to thank you.” Linda said. “There is a reward…”

“As a reward for taking care of your dog we wanted to see if you had a church family and if you didn’t then we would like you to come to our church.” Emily said.

“We have a church family.” I said. “We go to Calvary Chapel in Vineland. In fact we’re doing a play…”

“That’s what we were doing Sunday night at our church in Milmay, the Milmay Christian Church, when I got the call from Billy saying that he had found a dog that had been hit by a car. He found him on the white line of the road and thought he was dead. That is until he got close enough and that little head looked up towards him.” Tim said. He brought him to our church. Everyone there helped. He wasn’t bleeding and it looked as if he didn’t have any broken bones but his core temperature was low. He was cold and wet and dying. He was just there in the road waiting to be hit again and that would have been it.”

“Unbelievable.” I said still scratching Kenji’s belly.

“We love animals and I’ve really taken to this little guy.” Tim said. “Anyway, he is having a hard time standing and is going to need some help going outside to the bathroom. When we first got him he couldn’t walk at all. He started trying to stand yesterday and now he is starting to walk again. All over the place but he’s improving. It’s neurological; probably from the concussion. He’ll be alright especially when he gets home to his own grounds.”

“He has his own Facebook page.” Emily said. “We had this dog and knew that he belonged to someone. While he was frozen and soaked we could smell the shampoo. We knew that there was a family out there somewhere who was searching for this little guy.”

“I don’t know how to thank you.” I said.

“Are you sure we can’t give you anything?” Linda asked.

“All we wanted was to use this situation as a chance to bring someone closer to the Lord.” Emily said. “But you are already part of a church family.”

We took Kenji outside and watched him stumble, wobble, fall and get back up again. “See! He couldn’t do that a few days ago.” Tim said. “He’s gonna be all right. It will just take some time.”

We thanked them again and took Kenji back home for a reunion which included tears and hugs and many, many belly scratches. Kenji is home again with his family. He’s mending and sore but he is back home with us for Christmas. We owe a debt to Billy, the man who stopped to scoop our dog off of the road, to Cathleen, the lady who put the pieces of the puzzle together and, of course, to Tim & Emily. We are so thankful and humbled for the kindness that they showed to a strange, helpless, injured creature on a dark, cold night. Their gesture reminds me of the reward that was refused but in a certain sense, received. They refused any monetary remuneration and instead gave all the glory to God. They never thought of themselves but thought of others knowing that by serving a helpless and wounded animal that they were really serving the Lord - for His glory. While we attend different churches we are a part of the same body – the same family. This Christmas season, Gentle Reader, know that you too can come home.

We are thankful.

What once was lost has now been found and just as Tiny Tim said in the play that we saw that fateful night that we first missed Kenji, “God bless us every one.”

Merry Christmas, Gentle Reader; God bless us, every one.

…Now if you’ll excuse me I have a belly to scratch.

Charlie Brown Christmas

2010-12-08T18:11:00.000-05:00

Leslie Nielson

2010-11-28T23:56:00.002-05:00

Leslie Nielson passed away this evening due to complications of pneumonia. He was 84. The man was in over 100 movies but for people in their 40s, my generation, probably knew him best as Dr. Rumack from “Airplane!” and as Lt. Frank Drebin from “The Naked Gun” trilogy. He was wonderful in “Creepshow” and as the Captain in “Forbidden Planet”.

Here are some articles that are more eloquent than this particular blog entry. I just wanted to mark his passing and, in some way, to say 'Thanks' for all the laughter.

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/47592

http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/Movies/11/28/obit.leslie.nielsen/index.html

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=71940

The man made me laugh at times when I did not feel like doing so. Well done, Sir. Well done.

Godspeed.

The Comic Book Store

2010-11-27T00:24:00.002-05:00

Here’s one for the True Believers out there…

I enjoy comics. I got into ‘em back in the late eighties. Found out that I couldn’t afford the luxury and took a long break. I have three daughters and as a cool way to get them into reading a few years ago I picked up another comic subscription. My youngest is a big fan of “Sonic the Hedgehog”, while my middle child is a HUGE Anime fan. My oldest likes “The Runaways” and as for yours truly I’m a sucker for “Ultimate Avengers”, “The Unwritten” and “The Invincible Iron Man”.

These days and for the last two years or so I have had the distinct pleasure of getting my comics from The Comic Book Store in Glassboro, New Jersey. Mr. Alex Willingly is the master of ceremonies and his Kung-Fu is strong. I am a comic book fan and his subscription service is second to none. I am not into gaming but I know people who are and The Comic Book Store has quite a following. Worlds of Warcraft (card game), Magic the Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons and Warhammer 40 K are played in tournament fashion all the time (check the calendar for exact times).

So, True Believers, the next time that you are in the Glassboro area check out The Comic Book Store. Alex is located at 30 North Main Street. 856-442-0402 is his number and http://thecomicbookstore.net/The_Comic_Book_Store/Welcome.html is his website.

Excelsior!

Black Friday

2010-11-26T12:01:00.010-05:00

"When Black Friday comes, I’m gonna dig myself a hole. Gonna lay down in it ‘til I satisfy my soul". – Steely Dan

Yesterday was Thanksgiving. The family and I were heading home from my wife’s aunt’s house. It was 10:00 PM. On our way back home we decided to see if there was anyone in line yet for Black Friday, the official ‘first shopping day of the holiday season’ when stores are supposed to go from being ‘in the red’ to being ‘in the black’. This is the BIG day for merchants & holiday shoppers, advertising agencies & stockholders. This is the day that the general public has been programmed to respond to the endless barrage of sales pitches & ‘door buster sales’. It’s like we have been personally invited to SHOP and come skipped heating bills or bankruptcy THAT’S just what we’re gonna do!

Folks have been know to erect single file tent cities with sleeping bags & cots or to sit on foldable stadium chairs sipping on thermoses full of coffee just waiting for that magic moment for the doors to open at 4, 5, or 6 AM and for the carnage, that the holiday season has become, to begin. Now don’t get me wrong here, Gentle Reader; I’m not throwing stones. I can remember being in such lines waiting to get a ticket that guarantees my purchase for one of the limited number of ________ (insert item here) that the store had. I stood in line for a Nintendo Wii when they first came out and I remember one year when my wife and I were in line for an unbelievable deal on laptop computers that we actually did camp out for. This year – not so much; this is due to two clear and present factors. Factor 1, there is nothing this year that we deemed worth camping out for. Factor 2, even if Factor 1 was valid we don’t have the extra cash sitting aside to blow.

Where was I?

Oh right! It’s 10:00, we are heading home and we wanted to see if the lines were forming. Were the shoppers there? Yes they were. At Target – yes (to the corner of the sidewalk), at Wal-Mart – yes (with a police presence & barricades), at Best Buy – yes (to the corner of their sidewalk as well) but what really knocked my socks off was the magnitude and scope of the line at Toys-R-Us.

Wow.

In the generic shopping-scape of America there was a time when the ‘mall’ was the biggest fish in the ocean. Online shopping and the clustering of ‘shopping districts’ have taken a lot of the wind out of the sails of the malls across the country; still, however, they are large players. That being said, the Toys-R-Us that we past by is located in a mall and it happens to be, from the left of the hulk of the mall-complex, the second store in. From its position the line stretched to the left passed one, two department stores, the shopping mall entrance, around a corner and passed the J.C. Penny.

It was 10:30 PM.

By the time that I am posting this blog many of the ‘door buster’ sales will have come and gone leaving behind them a wake of chaos and destruction (you’ll have to trust me on this if you have never seen a crowd of angry holiday shoppers all competing for a ‘Tickle me Elmo’ or a laptop computer). It is scary out there. Our quest for material goods can compel little old ladies to become axe murderers. …Hey, if you play your cards right you could easily push down that group of orphans who have been pooling their money to buy that last X-box Kinect or trip that guy with the cane who wants a chance at buying his grand-daughter a netbook. They are not the uber-shopper that you are, stud.

Don’t be that guy. It’s just stuff. Really.

Please be careful out there, Gentle Reader – a holiday shopper is dangerous creature that, once provoked, can be treacherous. There are precious few souls I know who love a stampeding crowd.

So Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays. Grab your wallet & helmet and good luck soldier.

Danny MacAskill - "Way Back Home" - NEW street trials riding short film

2010-11-22T19:44:00.000-05:00

This must be seen. Mr. Danny MacAskill is hypnotic in his movements and balance. Sit back, relax and prepare to be amazed.

Oh The Things I Could be Writing About

2010-11-11T01:23:00.009-05:00

Please let it be known, Gentle Reader, I have never meant to abuse this blog. Hey, I love Chicken Scratch! That being said there have been some pretty cool things that have come and gone without me even typing a peep of it. That's too bad really. What can I say? Life has a way of encroaching on the things that we would really like to be doing verses the things that must take priority as a means of getting things done.

Here is a brief list of stuff that I really should be writing about but, for one reason or another, have not...

1. The Christmas play, "Glorious Impossibilities" by Kathryn Ross is coming up at my church and I'm still trying to learn my lines. It is gonna be a blast this year - seriously. I get to unleash my inner Stooge. I am really excited about this one. If you can make it come on out!

2. Work. I make a clear effort to never discuss work here on Chicken Scratch. Let's just say there's been some interesting things afoot.

3. We, the EC-5 went to Washington DC for the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear on 10/30/10. I have a thing for John Stewart and Steven Colbert. They did not disappoint. I will be blogging about this at some point but until such time know that we had a blast, had some interesting adventures in Social Studies and would do it all over again.

4. Netflix. Brick and mortar is quickly becoming obsolete. That being said, some of the people who work at MY local Blockbuster are simply wonderful individuals who love film and are doing their best to keep things together and going. I will continue to rent my Blu-ray discs and video games from my local Blockbuster BUT Netflix is just the shape of things to come. In an instant gratification world they deliver - instantly. No longer does one have to wait until their Blockbuster queue is depleted to see that samurai, gangster, ninja, zombie flick that they have had a hankering to see - no, that sometimes month long wait has been replaced by the press of the button on my remote, X-box, laptop, Nintendo Wii, smart TV, or even Blu-ray player. Bickety-Bam; instant gratification. I don't have time to wait on movies. Now I don't have to. My middle aged attention span is longer than some others but is not designed to handle the onslaught of all the other things screaming for my attention. This being said, I am not giving up on Blockbuster; there are some great people there and that is the only source of Blu-ray and video games in South Jersey. Netflix, however, cuts the price more than HALF ($8.99 a month VS. $20.00). That's a lot of cabbage.

5. The progress of our Turtles. We have two turtles; Van Goff and Sheldon/Bertha. I could be writing about their progress and how they came into our home but NO! I have not done so.

6. NANOWRIMO? I have no time for National Novel Writing Month this year. I'd write and tell you about it but I simply don't have the time.

7. Downed Trees. A cherry tree limb snapped off and hit a maple tree limb in my yard - both of which collapsed in my driveway. Thanks to my Ford I was able to pull them onto my front lawn. Thanks to a friend (Thanks Rich!) and his chainsaw the gravity challenged limbs are no longer an issue. I could have written about this but the time just did not materialize.

8. Weight loss. I don't want to but I must. I'm too fat but I have a taste for butter, egg yolks, red meat and salt. I would write about it but I'm just too busy. Let's just say that I'm gonna be eating a LOT of salad and veg in the future; I may even write about it.

9. The Christmas movie season. There are some decent offerings this holiday season. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I", "True Grit" and the one I'm really waiting for, "Tron Legacy" will all be hitting theaters in the next month and a half. Yeah, if I had time I'd be writing about those too.

10. Injustice and false representation. I don't like to wallow in this for too long since the stench sort of follows you around. Just like... Well ya know, Thumper's mother was right, if you don't have anything nice to say about someone it's best to not say anything at all.

Gentle Reader, please forgive me. Also let me just say that these days my life is NOT my own and I am actively looking forward the END of the holiday season when I can relax with my family, play some video games with the girls and do some geocaching with Mother Hen - oh yes, and spend some quality time right here at Chicken Scratch. I am happy to be busy and a part of things greater than myself this time of year but I'm looking forward to a time when the wheels are not spinning as fast as they are right now.

Stay tuned, Gentle Reader, the best is yet to come.

Cinema Reborn at the Landis Theater

2010-10-25T17:53:00.007-04:00

I live relatively close to the city of Vineland which is right in the heart of Cumberland County and one of the nicest things for the city, in recent memory, is the return of the Landis Theater. It has been restored, retooled and rebooted and has been hosting a variety of musical acts, assorted plays and film festivals. Well the theater will be presenting classic cinematic films once again. Here’s the Daily Journal article by Kristi Funderburk: http://www.thedailyjournal.com/article/20101025/NEWS01/10250315/Movies-return-to-Landis-Theater. The first film that they are presenting will be “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” – Hepburn and Peppard; I’m humming ‘Moon River’ already.

As a movie geek this is simply GREAT news. My sincere hope is that more cinema is explored at the Landis. There are so many great films to choose from. That being said, let’s discuss a movie that I truly and selfishly want to see specifically at the Landis Theater. That film is “Blade Runner” by Ridley Scott staring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, Edward James Olmos and Daryl Hannah.

“Why Blade Runner?”

Well, apart from the fact that it is a cinematic masterpiece and one of the most influential films ever made there is the fact that my dad and I were supposed to see it together back in 1982 right there at the Landis Theater. We bought our tickets, we were sitting in the theater and we were ready to have our minds blown when an usher comes down the aisle and announces to the handful of people present that the projector was broken and that we would receive passes to come back after the projector was fixed.

“WHAT!” I remember thinking to myself, “That’s just not right!” By the time dad and I were in our seats under the lip of the balcony my mind was filled with flying cars called “spinners”, a futuristic noir city of Los Angeles with buildings that looked like pyramids and genetic androids – replicants who were in a bad mood and had a serious beef with the Tyrell Corporation – the company who created them. Oh I was so ready to see it on the big screen at the Landis Theater. I had read up on the film in Starlog magazine(pre-internet) and I was primed and ready to behold the film in all its rated “R” wonder. But the bubble burst. Dad and I never made it back for Blade Runner but the hope of seeing it on the big screen at the Landis Theater still burns.

Therefore, I would like to lend my voice to the cause. If Blade Runner should become a consideration in the future I will do my part to fill the house. I do not say this lightly. I will full court press this to highlight the Landis Theater, one of the greatest films ever made and to selfishly giggle with geekish delight at seeing Blade Runner at the Landis Theater just like I was supposed to back in 1982. I wish my dad was here to share the experience (should such an occurrence occur). Blade Runner is a classic film and I do not doubt that geeks would travel from far and wide to behold it once again, for the first time, on the big screen at the Landis Theater. I do not doubt that it would be a home run.

Details for the “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” showing as per the Daily Journal website story:

- Tickets are on sale to see the film "Breakfast at Tiffany's" at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 18 at Landis Theater Performing Arts Center.
- To purchase tickets, visit the box office at 830 E. Landis Ave., call (856) 691-1121 or go online to http://www.landistheater.com/.
- General admission is $5, plus an extra $2 fee. Online purchases include an additional $3 processing fee.

Go on out and support CINEMA at the Landis Theater on November 18th. I’m looking forward to seeing you there!

Desks of Legend and Yore

2010-10-24T18:58:00.002-04:00

My laptop was downstairs for the summer. It was just too hot up in my computer room. I tucked it away next to my bed so that I could use it in the air conditioning of my bedroom. I will be migrating upstairs in the near future to place my laptop back onto its appointed position on my impromptu desk. I use a door laid flat on top of two old metal filing cabinets. It works just fine for what I need it to do but recently I asked myself, “Self,” I said, “what sort of desks are out there for geeks and/or eccentrics to use?”

Gentle Reader, before I knew it I was hitting Google and searching which is where I found this blog: http://www.casemodblog.com/?p=4536. Oh yeah, that’s pretty cool. “Expensive and perhaps a tad extravagant?” you might ask. No doubt about it. Still the steampunk gear desk and the Han Solo are just plain cool.

Hey, Batman has the desk in the Batcave, Tony Stark is surrounded by cool desks – apart from being priced WAY out of our league why not us? Yes, I know that they are both imaginary billionaires but that’s not the point. The point is they have cool desks I thought I’d pass these your way for consideration.

Until next time, Gentle Reader; I’ll be in line at Ikea!

Of Inaugurations and Balls

2010-10-16T01:07:00.003-04:00

I had the pleasure of witnessing the inauguration of President Thomas A. Isekenegbe as the sixth President of Cumberland County College this afternoon. (For those of you playing at home that was October 15, 2010 at 2:00 PM.) He is only the sixth President in 40 years. The ambassador of Nigeria and the Grand Chief of Nigeria were in attendance and spoke on the new President’s behalf. All and all it was something to see. Presidents and delegates from dozens of colleges and universities – all in their dress robes were there to witness the inauguration. The Faculty was in the precession too. Family, friends and, yes, even politicians were recognized. It was a beautiful ceremony.

What struck me most about the proceedings was the sense that the community’s best days are still ahead of it – which is one of the primary themes of Isekenegbe’s platform. I truly like that concept. “Engage, Inspire, Transform” are the words that are being put forward. I’ve met the man on different occasions and the truth of the matter is they are not just words for a ‘catchy slogan’; no, he means them. By all accounts he is the real deal.

Tomorrow night is the “Ball”. I’ve never been to one but the tux is hanging on my bedroom door, Mother Hen’s gown is a go and pretty soon we can say that we have been to a real – honest to goodness – Ball. We can’t wait to celebrate the occasion.

All the best President Isekenegbe; this is one blogger and alumni of Cumberland County College who wishes you a bountiful tenure.

I’ll see you there. ...Although I'm still concerned about that whole 'pumpkin after midnight' thing.

Three More for the Blu-Ray Dossier

2010-09-29T01:10:00.003-04:00

Gentle Reader, you know the drill by now. I likes the Blu-ray movies. I rate ‘em on a two tier system; story first and Jaw Dropping Blu-ray quality second. That’s the nuts and bolts of things so, that being said, here’s what I’ve been watching…

The Untouchables – Special Collector’s Edition, 3.8 Stars / 4 Stars. Brian De Palma captured a lightning in a bottle with a great cast and a taught story back in 1987. You’ve got Costner, Connery, Garcia and De Niro in roles that they were born to play. Blu-ray moments? Oh yeah, the whole Canadian set up is quite beautiful. Rent it. You’ll remember why you loved it the first time and you’ll see the joy of Blu-ray unfold before your eyes.

Robin Hood (2010), 4 Stars / 4 Stars. I went into this one with preconceived notions. I had read some pretty bad things and I brought that baggage alone with me for the ride. What can I say… I was wrong. I loved this version of Robin Hood. I think that the reason it didn’t really take off here Stateside is because the studio did not know how to market it correctly. This is ROBIN HOOD; it should not be plagued by poor advertising. Ridley Scott delivers and not just with putting Russell Crowe through his paces as the titular title character. This is a Robin Hood that I really want to see a ‘Part II’ for. Then there is the cast… Crowe does a wonderful job as Robin of the Hood but it’s the unexpected performances that really grab you. Max Von Sydow? Check. William Hurt? Check. Cate Blanchett? Check. Mark Strong? Check. This is a film that lays down the epic and I’m glad I was there to pick it up. As for Blu-ray quality, the White Cliffs of Dover look as menacing as they should and I liked the water scenes too. This is just a great version of a classic. Check it out for yourself.

Superman / Batman – Apocalypse, 3.5 Stars / 3 Stars. DC Showcase has produced a number of GREAT animated movies for some pretty ICONIC characters. They consistently deliver the goods. Superman / Batman – Apocalypse is no different. Expect to see Darkseid, Wonder Woman, Bats, Superman, Big Bartha and Super Girl at the tops of their games and if any of those names don’t ring a bell then you should rent this disc. You’ve got about 30 years of comic history dancing in front of you with crystal clear Blu-ray reproduction. It is a GOOD time to be a geek.

The Blu-Ray Dossier Review Retrofit

2010-09-19T21:31:00.002-04:00

NOTE: Please forgive all of the “I” and “Me” that you are about to read here. It all sounds so egocentric. I suppose that’s the nature of a blog or social media. Someone feels that they have an idea that they want to share and they just start typing. Well, this is my blog and I like to share my passion for story delivered via the Blu-ray format.

Now let's get down to business...

I review movies on Blu-ray. I try to separate the wheat from the chaff. I do this because I love fun cinema and I don’t wish there to be viewer remorse after plunking down whatever you paid to buy or rent said movin’ pictures Blu-ray disc. I rate on two factors: story and jaw dropping Blu-ray picture quality. Recently I’ve been doing some house cleaning here at Chicken Scratch, which included removing “My Favorite Coffee Houses” and putting up “Blu-Ray Dossier at a Glance”. While I stand by my ratings I gotta say that if I could turn back time there are a few films that I may have rated a bit differently – just a bit mind you. Here are some of the changes that would have been…

“Kick Ass” might get a 0.5 increase for story.

“9” would be reassigned a 2 Star / 3 Star rating.

“G.I. Joe” should be a 1.5 star movie for story.

“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” could be a 3.5 Star / 3.5 Star.

“Land of the lost” could easily be a 1.5 – 2 Star for story.

“Quantum of Solace” 3.5 Story / 4 Stars for Blu-ray quality.

“The Road” could easily be a 3 Star / 3 Star.

“Transformers – Rise of the Fallen” should really be a 1.5 for story.

"Zombieland" is about a 4 Star for story.

So there we have the delicate business of Monday morning quarterbacking my own reviews. As previously stated, I stand by my ratings but… if I was writing the above reviews right now, in the fullness of time, the ratings for the above films could have easily looked like these.

Please forgive me Gentle Reader. I will continue to strive for consistency but until then I just may have to hold my own feet in the fire from time to time.

‘Nuff said.

Five More for the Blu-Ray Dossier

2010-09-13T21:01:00.003-04:00

Blu-rays - I watch ‘em, I rate ‘em. The first rating is on a 5 Star scale with 5 being best. The second is for the Jaw-Dropping Blu-ray quality and if the filmmakers used it to their ability or not. Some do, some don’t. It should also be noted that I’ve done a little housecleaning here at Chicken Scratch. I got rid of the “Favorite Coffee Houses” section (Too many of my favorites have been disappearing) and now there’s the Blu-Ray Dossier at a Glance section. The same rules apply. Now that this is out of the way, let’s get down to business…

Kick Ass: 3 Stars / 3 Stars. “Kick Ass” is a film that caters to the modern comic book geek audience. I happen to be one of those so I enjoyed the movie. I have never read the comics that inspired the film but it is written by a man by the name of Mark Millar. His “Ultimates” will be the blueprint for “The Avengers” movie coming out in 2010. The man knows how to tell a story and I am a fan of his work. It did not perform well at the box office. Perhaps this is an expectation issue with the audience. The general public has a preconceived notion as to what a “comic book movie” should be. When John Q Public saw “Kick Ass” I believe that they saw the comics industry for what it is and not so much what it was. In other words this was probably the first time they looked at a “sidekick” and considered the very real and present danger within that world of child endangerment. (That being said, Hit Girl is awesome.) This film will find its audience eventually.

Bounty Hunter: 1.5 Stars / 2 Stars. “Bounty Hunter” is a movie that you have seen dozens of times… chances are against your will. This is a chick flick – pure and simple… emphasis on the ‘simple’.

The Good, the Bad and the Weird: 4 Stars / 4 Stars. This is a gem of a picture. It is a subtitled, South Korean, Western that I fell in love with. The story takes place in 1940s era Manchuria and revolves around a hunt for a treasure map and the adventures and misadventures of the three main characters in search of said treasure; the good – a bounty hunter, the bad – a ruthless bandit and the weird – a thief. I found the images and cinematography stunning, which truly aid in the telling of this tale. Expect gun and knife fighting a-plenty; chases too. Hey, it’s a western after all. Ji-woon Kim (director / screenwriter) has a knack for inventing worlds that I would like to visit. Gentle Reader, if you are seeking an over the top entertainment western set in Manchuria experience I advise you to do the same.

Clash of the Titans: 2 Stars / 3 Stars. Before the movie started the trailer for the original “Clash of the Titans” graced our HDTV screen. I was expecting my girls to be into it. It was great back in the day and I had no doubt that they would dig it. These expectations were mugged when the girls started to giggle at the effects and the acting in the trailer. They are fans of “The Annoying Orange” (look it up on You Tube) and when the statue of Dianna’s head falls to the floor of the temple and the obvious projected image danced across it’s features I heard my youngest exclaim, “Hey Apple!” (Like I said, do a search on You Tube) All hope was lost. This newest version of “Clash of the Titans” has wonderful special effects but it just has no heart. It tries but it made me pine for Ray Harryhausen and his stop motion creatures. It made bank at the box office and I understand that there are plans for a “part II”. Here’s hopin’ that they can shoehorn Perseus into a better story this time around.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: 3.5 Stars / 2 Stars. It was cute. It was funny. It made us laugh as a family. If your intention is to find a family film that will please everyone you really should give this one a try. The message of finding ones place in the world and being a better friend than you think you are get explored here – right on the first day of middle school. Beware the “Cheese Touch”!

See you at Blockbuster.

Ashes to Ashes, Vinyl to Vinyl

2010-09-02T00:58:00.002-04:00

In my regular surfing duties I found an interesting new way to deal with the problem of what to do with ones remains after being cremated that caught my eye. I thought that this was unique and actually kind of cool. I don’t know abut you Gentle Reader but after I shuffle off this mortal coil I would like to think that any organ that I have not destroyed (admittedly this is a short list by now) could be harvested and given to someone who needs it on this side of Glory. After that I am seriously pulling for a Viking Funeral. I am not joking. Come on, a Viking Funeral is the BEST! Put my harvested carcass in the canoe that my Dad and I built, cover my corpse with plenty of fireworks and gasoline and shove me off – preferably into the ocean; Cape May would be perfect! Now instead of putting roses onto my coffin everyone in attendance would be given an arrow. After the Gospel is shared and I (or what’s left of me) get past the breakers the arrows are to be lit and fired at the boat. BOOM! After that I highly recommend a decent BBQ.

Trust me; it’s what I would have wanted. Look, I can’t speak for YOU, Gentle Reader; I’m just giving you a glimpse at my wishes.

Across the ages people have found interesting ways of interring their bodies and/or dispose of their earthly remains. Heck the Pharaohs had pyramids built to usher them into the afterlife, Gene Roddenberry (the father of my beloved Star Trek) launched his ashes into space to orbit the earth. There are people who go into cryogenic freezes and those whose ashes are pressed into diamonds. I’ve heard of people being interred inside their cars or with their pets but, quite frankly, most of that is boring. They still don’t make hearses with luggage racks; even in the 21st century. You just can’t take it with you and that’s ok, I’m one of those ‘Treasure in Heaven” types anyway.

But I digress… I tell you that to tell you this and I thought this was cool: http://www.wired.com/underwire/2010/08/vinyl-ashes/. Yup, that’s right; your earthly remains can now be pressed into vinyl. Now I ask you, Gentle Reader, how cool is that? As per the article: “The basic package costs £2,000 and comprises of the standard artwork along with up to 30 ash-flecked discs with whatever sounds you choose, lasting a maximum of 24 minutes.” 24 minutes! Hey depending on how much ash you make you could have up to 30 discs. Granted this service is only in England right now but, come on, with a service like this can we (citizens here Stateside) be all that far behind? I think not. Oh man, so what would you want to say or share?

I’ll have to give it some thought. Perhaps you will as well. Don’t worry our answers will not be graded. Right now I’m pulling for “Don’t Fear the Reaper”, “It’s the End of the World as We Know It”, “The Passenger”, “That’s Life” and “It is Well with My Soul”.

What’s on your permanent record?

[BTW the picture is from the And Vinyl site (http://www.andvinyly.com/) and Wired brought the original article to my attention. All the other insanity is mine all mine.]

Wiki-hunt the Search Continues

2010-08-27T00:38:00.000-04:00

Paperclip – Cream Cheese I got in 7 steps.

Mongoose – Jack Kerouac I got, again, in 7 steps.

Star Wars – Tesla I got in 5.

I’ll post my progressions in the next few days. Someone already beat me soundly – in 4 steps! Your Kung-Fu is good RDOwens! : )

Ivory discovered a fun little exercise with the Wiki-hunt. I hope you dig ‘em as much as I do Gentle Reader.

Good Luck!

Wiki-hunt

2010-08-16T20:34:00.002-04:00

I was recently horsing around on Facebook and a friend of mine (let’s call him, Ivory) posted that he was able to connect “Mario Tennis” and “Chiropractor” in 9 steps in a “Wiki-hunt”. He went on to challenge the rest of his sphere of FB friends to take up that challenge and to try to beat his score. Hey, Wikipedia is my favorite second brain so I had to give this a try. I got it down to 5 linkable steps – so did my wife, Mother Hen. I tell you this, Gentle Reader, not to gloat or to say “HA!” in any way, shape or form but to let you know that I had a blast and a half doing this search!

“Really, Evil Chicken; Really?”

Yes really. …Don’t be snarky.

The Wiki-hunt is like a puzzle that unravels as you find the connections – sort of like “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” without having to go to the movies. Well Ivory’s Wiki-hunt is just such an animal to a Wiki-head. Here is the progression that I found… Mother Hen and then Ivory found it too...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mario_Tennis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camelot_Software_Planning
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acupuncture
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiropractic_treatment_techniques

Now there is the very real and present possibility that you could find a connection between “Mario Tennis” and “Chiropractor” in fewer steps than we did; if so please let us know – we would love to see the progression!

Now that you’ve seen how it’s done give it a try. Test your Mad Wiki Skillz, Gentle Reader but be warned… once you start connecting Point A to Point B with the fewest Wiki links you may find the puzzle can become quite the quest. That being said…

Paperclip / Cream Cheese

Mongoose / Jack Kerouac

Star Wars / Tesla

Happy hunting, Gentle Reader, and Good Luck!

Wikipedia, Wik-ihunt, Wikihunt, Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, Facebook, Ebony and Ivory, Ivory,

Starlog Magazine

2010-08-03T18:55:00.003-04:00

Not to brag but I knew who Kevin Flynn, Snake Plissken, Ellen Ripley, Mad Max and Rick Deckard were long before they made their first appearances onto movie screens the world over and into the collective unconscious of popular culture. I listened to what people like John Carpenter, Ray Bradbury, Gene Rodenberry, Ann C. Crispin, Terry Gilliam and Stephen Spielberg had to say about their latest projects while I plotted and planned at just how I was going to get to a movie theater or a bookstore in South Jersey that would actually peddle the wares they were creating.

“Evil Chicken, just how did you find out about this stuff before it came out?”

Gentle Reader, I was a fan of Starlog Magazine, that’s how. Sure Forrest J. Ackerman’s Famous Monsters of Filmland was a primary influence on the publication but I grew up reading Starlog. Starlog published glossy wonder and I ate up each and every page. I remember bugging the magazine guy on the first Tuesday of every month to see if the new issue of Starlog had arrived. Starlog was, for this Geek and a great many others, the bee’s knees. The magazine was around for almost 33 years, which is some feat when one considers that nature of the publishing industry these days. After all, Newsweek Magazine was bought yesterday for the grand total of $1.00. Starlog, however, was always near and dear to my heart. You see, back when a world wide computer network was nothing but science fiction Starlog was one of the only fountains for a Geek to drink from – it was a literal oasis in the publishing world. This magazine fed an entire generation of fanboys, including yours truly. Starlog fanned the flames of wonder.

And now, it’s gone.

I believe that it was the internet that killed Starlog. I remember heading to their site and hoping beyond hope that they would embrace this new technology to work in tandem with their print version. Alas, this was never the case. Their web site never took into account the vast changes in media that were taking place. On the internet readers could now comment and become a part of the conversation about all things geek. If there was an interview with a leading science fiction author or a report from a movie set or hints being dropped about what the next ‘Star Trek’ film was going to be about all fans had to do was drop a name onto a search engine and press ‘Enter’. This eliminated the wait for next month’s issue. Now information was instantaneous, plentiful and, depending on where one found it, accurate. The Starlog website never adapted which is ironic for a magazine that so prominently promoted the future to remain fixed in the past. Some magazines made the jump such as Wired (http://www.wired.com/) and others did not such as OMNI (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omni_(magazine)) and, sadly, Starlog (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starlog).

The first issue was published in August of 1976 and the final issue, #375, was published in April of 2009. I want to believe that Starlog is only in hibernation. I would love to see a multimedia version of a resurrected Starlog come to pass which would be launched electronically and in print; with a web presence and a go-to show on G4 or the SyFy Channel – all the Geek news that’s fit to print, blog or broadcast. The rights to Starlog are currently held by “The Brooklyn Company INC”, the same people who publish Fangoria (which was a sister publication to Starlog). I mention this tidbit as a means of introduction to the good people at The Brooklyn Company INC…

Please consider this blog the preamble to my resume. I am Evil Chicken and if you ever want to reboot Starlog... I am your man.