This was maybe not the best idea I've ever had. Think of me on Sunday. I'm scared.
This is probably a pretty fair prediction of what I can expect:
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Birdman!
Behold:
This guy would've been a bad-guy jock in any 80's movie. But now he's just awesome. I highly recommend watching Denver Nuggets games to see the Birdman do his thing.
Edit: I think this establishes both his awesomeness and 80's villain-ness.
WTF on Hanson
Sometimes conservatives ask "What happened to Andrew Sullivan?" which is a fair question, but I also think it's fair to ask what the heck happened to Victor Hanson? The interesting classicist was somewhere replaced with a bland nose-picking partisan. I submit this column with its sophomoric Jekyll-Hyde conceit as evidence; it attempts to cast even the decisions that Hanson himself agrees with (such as keeping Gate as SecDef) as an indication of drastically divided Obama, a "scary" prospect.
I'd be willing to debate this, but I think there is plenty is evidence NR has become a ridiculous joke.
I'd be willing to debate this, but I think there is plenty is evidence NR has become a ridiculous joke.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
JB and Pike
I am guessing this to be a more accurate visualization (assuming JB would actually be able to get that close to a fish). I admire the gusto though, JB.
JB and Pike
JB, you'd wet yourself like an excited puppy if you hooked a half-pound bluegill (and then it would get away). Lets set some reasonable goals like not dropping pieces of another guy's reel over the side of the boat. Or not uncannily resembling a little girl on her first fishing trip.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Rollin' downhill like a snowball headed for hell
Nationalization is coming...er...i mean more nationalization is coming. Stupid car companies and stupid government. It's sad when the right choice is bankruptcy, but that's how this should be handled.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
Sciency Science
I'm pretty sure that on the scale of belief I'm closer to Mac... Donald than Douthat, but damn she's riding her science high-horse pretty hard in this discussion. In fact, she refuses to seriously engage the relationship between religion and politics by using science as a retreat. As someone who's tied his (future) livelihood to the humanities, her attitude is really distressing. Invoking "scientific proof!" shuts down the discussion.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Best Shot EVER!
Bert we are doing these next time you are up (or I am down).* They sound disgustingly fabulous!
*Visiting or gay sexing....whichever.
*Visiting or gay sexing....whichever.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Nerdrage! cont'd
A little more on Martin. It's easy to forget after a while, but it's obvious that he put in a ton of effort at establishing a specific historical milieu. All those little details, I imagine, took countless hours of careful research.
Second, I think he's just a better writer than most people who write in SF/F. He's not as lyrical as, say, Mark Helprin in Winter's Tale, but he's also much better Robert Jordan or even David Gemmell from sentence to sentence. Small example: I picked up Wheel of Time Book 8 (just to temporarily escape some reading for class) and right there in chapter 1 Jordan describes a character as walking around "unconcernedly." It's a small thing, but really noticeable after coming from Martin, who doesn't share Jordan's lazy over-reliance on adjectives and adverbs.
Some speculation: Pretty sure Sandor Clegane is dead. Some other mercenaries may steal his dog-helm and call themselves the Hound, but it seems pretty definitive in Book 4. And, to his credit, Martin's dead characters tend to stay dead (with one or two notable exceptions). I'm not convinced that Daenarys is going to be the unifying force once she gets to the main continent (if she ever does) ... I thought the army of the Unsullied was the most ridiculous fantasy thing I've read in a while, and I can only assume that Martin was mocking Plato's Republic (or maybe other fantasy writers). Honestly, they carry cute puppies around that they later have to kill to enter into the brotherhood of warriors? Way over the top. After the Dothraki, the Daenarys sections have been pretty weak, because the locales, like Dorne, just don't resonate very well.
One thing I really liked about Book 4 was how the absence of Tywin Lannister felt very palpable. The guy was such a dick, but in many ways he was the one holding the kingdom, such as it is, together, doing the dickish things that needed to be done to keep his family in power. While there's an immediate sense of relief in Book 4 that this malevolent force is gone, the vaccuum that he leaves (and the inability of his two children to fill it properly) gives way to an uncertainty and dread that's all over Book 4.
You're right about the skpping ahead--there's so many really young characters (like, under 10 years old) that need to come into their own to bring this story to a good end: Bran, Arya, maybe the youngest Lannisters Myrcella and Tommen (if he can survive his mother's regency), the King-Beyond-the-Wall's infant son, and Robert's various bastard children (there's like 20 of these, right? But only 2 seem important).
Second, I think he's just a better writer than most people who write in SF/F. He's not as lyrical as, say, Mark Helprin in Winter's Tale, but he's also much better Robert Jordan or even David Gemmell from sentence to sentence. Small example: I picked up Wheel of Time Book 8 (just to temporarily escape some reading for class) and right there in chapter 1 Jordan describes a character as walking around "unconcernedly." It's a small thing, but really noticeable after coming from Martin, who doesn't share Jordan's lazy over-reliance on adjectives and adverbs.
Some speculation: Pretty sure Sandor Clegane is dead. Some other mercenaries may steal his dog-helm and call themselves the Hound, but it seems pretty definitive in Book 4. And, to his credit, Martin's dead characters tend to stay dead (with one or two notable exceptions). I'm not convinced that Daenarys is going to be the unifying force once she gets to the main continent (if she ever does) ... I thought the army of the Unsullied was the most ridiculous fantasy thing I've read in a while, and I can only assume that Martin was mocking Plato's Republic (or maybe other fantasy writers). Honestly, they carry cute puppies around that they later have to kill to enter into the brotherhood of warriors? Way over the top. After the Dothraki, the Daenarys sections have been pretty weak, because the locales, like Dorne, just don't resonate very well.
One thing I really liked about Book 4 was how the absence of Tywin Lannister felt very palpable. The guy was such a dick, but in many ways he was the one holding the kingdom, such as it is, together, doing the dickish things that needed to be done to keep his family in power. While there's an immediate sense of relief in Book 4 that this malevolent force is gone, the vaccuum that he leaves (and the inability of his two children to fill it properly) gives way to an uncertainty and dread that's all over Book 4.
You're right about the skpping ahead--there's so many really young characters (like, under 10 years old) that need to come into their own to bring this story to a good end: Bran, Arya, maybe the youngest Lannisters Myrcella and Tommen (if he can survive his mother's regency), the King-Beyond-the-Wall's infant son, and Robert's various bastard children (there's like 20 of these, right? But only 2 seem important).
Monday, April 13, 2009
More nerd talk from the nerdery
First, regarding Jordan and Sanderson: I in no way blame Sanderson for this. I am not a Sanderson fan, nor have I even read a single one of his books. In fact, he's said some pretty stupid things on his blog about WoT (really, 11 is you favorite? That's flat-out retarded). John and I more or less agreed, way back in the day when Jordan was still writing the series, that there was no way he could conclude with a single book. John said he would write a 2000 page finale; I said he'd just wrap up what he wanted to and ignore the rest in a fit of cynicism. The point is, this entire debacle is Jordan's making. Sanderson wants to do the story (such as it is) justice and please fans by wrapping things up as well he can. He's stuck mopping up Jordan's masturbatory mess.
As for Martin....I started them last summer and devoured them. I even tried other Martin works (not really worth it IMO). Anyway, your (Nick's) points:
1. If you keep in mind this is really just half of Dance with Dragons, it makes more sense that the story arc is....less than good. I'm not going to try to defend it, I'll just say I enjoyed it.
2. I agree about Dorne. Isn't it supposed to be his version of Wales, like north of the wall is some crazy mix of Ireland/Scotland? That was my general feeling. But the fact is that these characters feel kind of thrown in at random. Why are they here? And why the rotating POV rather than just one person? I suspect the Dorne plot will help catalyze Daenerys' return...but more on that later.
3. I agree entirely. Similar to the Dorne problem.
4. Arya is my favorite character, after Sandor Clegane (don't count him out just yet). It seems pretty clear to me that she is in training to become someone very powerful with an important role in fighting the Others. As for the Sansa chapters, I agree that they add to the political intrigues, etc. I just hate reading them. Sansa is an unreliable POV and annoying.
My major problem is that at some point, Martin is going to have skip ahead several years (5?) Daenerys needs to learn to be a good ruler so she can unite Westeros against the Others. The dragons need to grow (large enough so She and others can ride them into battle). Bran needs to learn the magic of the Forest People ( he will be another dragon rider as well). Arya needs to finish her training (will she be one of the generals in the battle against the Others?).
I think Bakker is doing a slightly better job with a similar overall story: The first trilogy covers training and identification of the threat, the second Kelhus will use his training to lead Men against the Consulate something like 20 years later. I haven't read the new book yet but I am immensely excited.
As for Martin....I started them last summer and devoured them. I even tried other Martin works (not really worth it IMO). Anyway, your (Nick's) points:
1. If you keep in mind this is really just half of Dance with Dragons, it makes more sense that the story arc is....less than good. I'm not going to try to defend it, I'll just say I enjoyed it.
2. I agree about Dorne. Isn't it supposed to be his version of Wales, like north of the wall is some crazy mix of Ireland/Scotland? That was my general feeling. But the fact is that these characters feel kind of thrown in at random. Why are they here? And why the rotating POV rather than just one person? I suspect the Dorne plot will help catalyze Daenerys' return...but more on that later.
3. I agree entirely. Similar to the Dorne problem.
4. Arya is my favorite character, after Sandor Clegane (don't count him out just yet). It seems pretty clear to me that she is in training to become someone very powerful with an important role in fighting the Others. As for the Sansa chapters, I agree that they add to the political intrigues, etc. I just hate reading them. Sansa is an unreliable POV and annoying.
My major problem is that at some point, Martin is going to have skip ahead several years (5?) Daenerys needs to learn to be a good ruler so she can unite Westeros against the Others. The dragons need to grow (large enough so She and others can ride them into battle). Bran needs to learn the magic of the Forest People ( he will be another dragon rider as well). Arya needs to finish her training (will she be one of the generals in the battle against the Others?).
I think Bakker is doing a slightly better job with a similar overall story: The first trilogy covers training and identification of the threat, the second Kelhus will use his training to lead Men against the Consulate something like 20 years later. I haven't read the new book yet but I am immensely excited.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Song of Ice and Fire
I don't want to play the hater, because it might seem like I do too much of that, and I really do like these books, but I have to be honest: Book 4 was disappointing. Specifically, here are the things I didn't like [SOME SPOILERS]:
1. It has no real ending. It just sort of... stops. The natural endpoint, it seems to me, would have been Cersei's death (this isn't a spoiler, because she doesn't die) or trial, but we don't even get that far. And the fact that Martin dribbled crumbs about a giant unstoppable undead Gregor Clegane in the castle basement and then NEVER BROUGHT HIM OUT TO PLAY (which he easily could have in the context of serving as Cersei's champion) made me really upset. It reminded me the Poochie episode where Milhouse just wants them to get to the fireworks factory. I kept asking "When?", and then we never got there.
2. The Dorne stuff doesn't fit. I mean, it's not poorly written, and if it had been introduced in Book 1 or 2 I suppose I would care more, but there's already too much on the plate for me to give a hoot what's going on in Dorne. Not to mention, Westeros was introduced to us as an analogue for 14th century England, and somehow there's this vast desert kingdom in the south? The one character who was interesting enough to bring the Dorne stuff to life didn't make it out of Book 3, and then he was only around for 3 or 4 chapters.
3. Too many PoVs of people I don't really care about. One chapter of Arys Oakheart. Why? And, I like Aeron Damphair because he's a badass sea priest, but do we really need PoV chapters from Asha and Victarion in addition to Damphair to get a sense of what's going on with the ironborn?
4. We've been following Arya a long time now--does anyone have any idea how her story might fit back into the main narrative? If it will at all? In the earlier books it was interesting to see how she criss-crossed a bunch of other plot lines and gave us a different vantage point, but I suppose I'm beginning to lose confidence that Martin can make all that we've been through with Arya meaningful. (You could argue the same for Sansa, but her storyline still seems attached to the main political machinations of the kingdom.)
For a while towards the end I thought my misgivings about Book 4 would be put to rest--Book 4 was shaping up to be the story of Cersei and Jaime, and how Cersei had finally gotten to rule and things were falling apart and going to hell all over the place. The book gestured towards an ending but never gave us one. Martin's little apology letter in my paperback version (promising Book 5 within a year, i.e. 2006) is emblematic of all the problems in modern fantasy that I've already ranted against at length.
"A Feast for Crows" implies that Book 4 was basically the leftovers, or crumbs, of the main story... and that's pretty much what we got. Is it a one-off in that sense, or will the next few books be full of leftovers and crumbs as well?
1. It has no real ending. It just sort of... stops. The natural endpoint, it seems to me, would have been Cersei's death (this isn't a spoiler, because she doesn't die) or trial, but we don't even get that far. And the fact that Martin dribbled crumbs about a giant unstoppable undead Gregor Clegane in the castle basement and then NEVER BROUGHT HIM OUT TO PLAY (which he easily could have in the context of serving as Cersei's champion) made me really upset. It reminded me the Poochie episode where Milhouse just wants them to get to the fireworks factory. I kept asking "When?", and then we never got there.
2. The Dorne stuff doesn't fit. I mean, it's not poorly written, and if it had been introduced in Book 1 or 2 I suppose I would care more, but there's already too much on the plate for me to give a hoot what's going on in Dorne. Not to mention, Westeros was introduced to us as an analogue for 14th century England, and somehow there's this vast desert kingdom in the south? The one character who was interesting enough to bring the Dorne stuff to life didn't make it out of Book 3, and then he was only around for 3 or 4 chapters.
3. Too many PoVs of people I don't really care about. One chapter of Arys Oakheart. Why? And, I like Aeron Damphair because he's a badass sea priest, but do we really need PoV chapters from Asha and Victarion in addition to Damphair to get a sense of what's going on with the ironborn?
4. We've been following Arya a long time now--does anyone have any idea how her story might fit back into the main narrative? If it will at all? In the earlier books it was interesting to see how she criss-crossed a bunch of other plot lines and gave us a different vantage point, but I suppose I'm beginning to lose confidence that Martin can make all that we've been through with Arya meaningful. (You could argue the same for Sansa, but her storyline still seems attached to the main political machinations of the kingdom.)
For a while towards the end I thought my misgivings about Book 4 would be put to rest--Book 4 was shaping up to be the story of Cersei and Jaime, and how Cersei had finally gotten to rule and things were falling apart and going to hell all over the place. The book gestured towards an ending but never gave us one. Martin's little apology letter in my paperback version (promising Book 5 within a year, i.e. 2006) is emblematic of all the problems in modern fantasy that I've already ranted against at length.
"A Feast for Crows" implies that Book 4 was basically the leftovers, or crumbs, of the main story... and that's pretty much what we got. Is it a one-off in that sense, or will the next few books be full of leftovers and crumbs as well?
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Even from the grave, Robert Jordan manages to spit in your eye
This. And then, if you're up for it, this.
Essentially, after all the editor back and forth and publishing BS, Sanderson settles on making the last book of Wheel of Time a series of its own.
It's almost too perfect. Beyond parody. Really, what the eff is the point of a "book" anymore, when it can be endlessly fractured, sundered, split and expanded ad naseum.
Somewhere along the line these guys got way too interested producing "books" and forgot that they were supposed to be storytellers. I say eff them. In the nicest, most respectful way possible.
Essentially, after all the editor back and forth and publishing BS, Sanderson settles on making the last book of Wheel of Time a series of its own.
It's almost too perfect. Beyond parody. Really, what the eff is the point of a "book" anymore, when it can be endlessly fractured, sundered, split and expanded ad naseum.
Somewhere along the line these guys got way too interested producing "books" and forgot that they were supposed to be storytellers. I say eff them. In the nicest, most respectful way possible.
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