The Creative Process: It Begins Anew

I'm not sure if any of you would actually care about this or not but I thought it might be a fun thing to have down on "paper" to look back at after the fact. A few days ago, I did a post mentioning that I need to start writing a second screenplay here shortly. What I thought would be kinda cool is to take y'all through the step-by-step process of that - or as step-by-steppy as I can get without enlisting Patrick Duffy's aid.

"It all began with a mouse..."

That's a quote that a lot of Disney fans like to use over and over. It's a quote attributed to Walt as something he used to say to keep his employees humbled and centered - something to show them that despite the growing empire they were developing, it all started with a simple idea. One character that carried them to a level none of them ever could imagine.

In this case, it all begins with an idea.

It doesn't have to be something terribly complicated and quite frankly, it can come from pretty much anywhere. The first screenplay I wrote can credit it's "creative spark" from a song I heard, listened to the lyrics, and decided it'd make a hell of a story on the big screen. The first sitcom I ever tried to pen was based on an experience that my brother-in-law had at work.

It all begins with an idea.

So, that's the stage I find myself in right now. Over the years, I've start-stopped a lot of novels, teleplays, screenplay, comic book ideas in some sort of scribbled shorthand. I dug through an old notebook the other night and uncovered a lot of them. Some of them I just had filed away mentally, adding a few "notes" to the file from time to time. But all of them had some kind of development done to them - however minor.

From there, I took 16 ideas and put them down on paper - a working title if I had one along with a short description of the plot/theme. If I had originally conceived it as something other than a screenplay, I noted that as well. 16 ideas - all incredibly solid in my oh-so-humble opinion and all completely worthy of making print/press/publish/etc.

At this point, I turn to my partner-in-crime, Mrs. Blue. She was my sole editor for the first script so this time, I involved her a little earlier. She got all 16 ideas in their written form and I told her to narrow it down to eight that deserve stronger consideration.

We're down to the Elite Eight. It's a diverse list - ranging from sci-fi to fantasy to western to an almost 80's style action flick. All of them have some serious potential. Now comes the time to narrow the list down a little bit more.

We're making progress, people - one step at a time.

I recently helped a customer at the store a couple weeks ago who, in the course of smalltalk, revealed that he was a screenwriter. After probing a bit to try and find out more details (he clammed up,) I mentioned I had just finished my first screenplay. His words of wisdom?

"Congratulations. That's the tough part. Everyone in the world can start one."

Amen, brother. Amen.

And this "everyone" is one step closer to starting his second.

Stay tuned, folks, it only gets more interesting from here.

Summerslam

This one is by "popular" demand.

Tomorrow is the 20th anniversary of Summerslam, the WWE's end-of-summer extravaganza. It is arguably their 2nd biggest PPV of the year and almost always has moments and matches that fans will remember for quite some time to come.

With that in mind, a hastily put together barrage of matches and moments I recall...

Top Five Friday: There's Something Wrong With The Kids In My Neighborhood

I was working on something else for Top Five Friday when this popped to mind. So, the other thing may have to wait for a Top Five Sunday or some suchness. I suppose I could have held this one back until next week but some stuff just needs to be said.

First off, much props to NOFX for the title of this post - I think they'd be pleased with the words I'm about to spew forth.

A few months ago when the Missus and I were at the Kate Nash concert, we saw some things that... well, really just kinda annoyed us. But the more we discussed it in the days to follow, I noticed a trend following fans of the music industry that seemed a little more than annoying - I think it seriously threatens the musical world as we know it! [how's that for melodrama?]

With that in mind...

The Top Five Things Music Fans Do That Concern Me

5. "NO TICKET!"
One of the first things we noticed at the Kate Nash show was the amount of kids [yes, I suppose they're kids to me now - I feel old] clutching sheets of paper in their hands instead of actual tickets. What the fuck's up with that? Ticketmaster has been offering this TicketFast shit for a while now, I guess, but I've never used it. I want a god damn ticket. And if that makes me cruel to the environment, well, fuck that noise. Do you know how depressed those kids are going to be in ten years when they're going through shit while cleaning the house and not finding ticket stubs to remind them of the shows they went to in the past? I LOVE my ticket stubs! How else would I remember that I saw Reel Big Fish at the Hollywood Palladium in 1998 and then recall that we left before RBF actually took the stage? Those old faded ticket stubs are like boosts of ginkogaloba to make me remember shit. These kids with their sheets of paper will never remember anything. Fuck them.

4. Cellphones - Fucking Cellphones
Don't get me wrong. If you've got an iPhone, you rock. You may not deserve it and I may ponder what would happen if I kicked your ass behind the dumpster and stole it from you - but you rock for owning it. But when you don't rock is when you clutch your iPhone in your sweaty hand and snap pictures the entire night long with the 2 Megapixel camera. Do you really think that shot is going to turn out? And even if it does, are your friends going to swoon when you show them your blurry, pixelated shot of the flavor of the week? And what about you fuckers who decide it's a good idea to text ALL NIGHT LONG?! Hey, it's cool if you want to do it during intermission. Occasionally, I find it okay to do it too. And while it's completely disrespectful to do it during a band, if it's a shitty band [fuck you Modest Mouse!], you have my permission too. But during the band you came to see? Seriously? What could you possibly have to say that's so important at that point? "omg! they r so TOTALLY playing that that's me in the corner song!! its so 80s! lawl!" Do us all a favor and wait. And yes, I could write an entire post on those fuckers who do this in the movie theater too.

3. Mid-Show Conversations
If it's superloud and no one can hear you, go for it. But if it's during a slow song or it's a small venue, I really couldn't give a shit if Billy give you the crabs or not so don't bother to tell your friend next to you - since EVERYONE ELSE CAN HEAR IT TOO! You paid good money [maybe your parents but... well, that's another story] to see the band perform so fucking watch them perform. Apparently you like this band for some reason so show them a little respect.

2. God, I Feel Old
Kids go to shows. I get that. The music industry, for the most part, is aimed at the kids who have lots of [their parents'] disposable income to pour down a rathole on shitty music they'll be embarrassed to own at some point - New Kids Christmas album, I'm lookin' right at you. But that's okay. Your youth is the time period when you're allowed to like music you shouldn't like. It's when it's okay to have a drawerful of cassette singles like Snap, Dino, and Pebbles. But keep that shit in a drawer. Kids are going to shows at far too young of an age these days. That means that someday you'll have to openly admit that your first show was at age 9 seeing the Jonas Brothers. You want to know how that feels? Go ask the people whose first show was Hanson. See, my first show wasn't until I was 16 or 17 which means I get to tell people my first show was Stone Temple Pilots. My second show was Metallica. My third show was Live and Weezer. Fourth was Aerosmith. Sensing a trend? I've got nothing to hide in shame over. But all these kids going to shows will someday live to regret it when they have to recite a list of one hit wonders for their first shows.

And the #1 problem facing music fans today...

1. What's An Album?
The death of the album in modern music is a tragic thing. I'm as guilty of this as anyone but can anyone really recall the last full album they knew from front to back and everywhere in between? Remember the good ol' days with Ten and Nevermind where you knew every nook and cranny of that album? Remember when you even knew the really bad gimmick songs like "Bugs" that PJ would slip onto an album? Now everyone only knows songs - and worse, a lot of people don't even call them "songs" anymore. Now they're "tracks." And they probably have been tracks for a long time but dammit, that needs to change. I'm going to bite my lip until it bleeds the next time I catch myself call it a track. But back on point, the death of the album is a horrible thing. While it's great to have the option to buy songs individually, it's led to a world where no one knows an album anymore. It was bad enough when CDs came out and people would say shit like, "Oh, I really like Track 5" but it just gets worse with time. That's why I've been on this crazy kick for a while now to buy a record player, fill our shelves with vinyl, and re-live the glory days of music. So many bands are putting stuff out on vinyl again, I think it could be a renaissance of music for me personally. Just sitting with headphones on listening to an entire album - yeah, I can dig it. I wonder if they still do that radio show "The Seventh Day" where they would play a bunch of albums all the way through. God, that shit was great. We've gone from a world of b-sides and "deep cuts" to whatever is in the Top 10 on iTunes. Things need to change.

Anyways... my soapbox is worn out. Until next time...

Bridge School Benefit

Ahhh, the time of year is drawing near for the wild Bridge School Benefit rumors to start flowing.

For those of you not familiar with it, the Bridge School Benefit is an annual benefit show that Neil Young and his wife Pegi put on at the Shoreline Ampitheatre. The Bridge School is a special needs school that assists children with severe physical impairments and complex communication needs [thanks Wiki!] The shows have been going on for about 20 years now with one year being skipped for a reason I didn't bother to track down.


It's a very special show as Neil Young pulls out all the stops in bringing the best lineup to town that he can and traditionally - but not always - the bands all perform acoustic which can create some very interesting scenarios. Over the years, the show has seen bands like R.E.M., Springsteen, the Pumpkins, the Chilis, and many, many others perform.

Mrs. Blue and I went to the 2006 edition which had a lineup of Devendra Banhart, Gillian Welch, Death Cab For Cutie, Trent Reznor (yep, acoustic), Foo Fighters, Brian Wilson, Pearl Jam, the Dave Matthews Band, and of course, Neil Young himself. It was an amazingly diverse show with such memorable moments as Reznor stealing the show with acoustic versions of many NIN songs, the Foo Fighters absolutely rocking the crowd (especially on their "cover" of Nirvana's "Marigold,") Brian Wilson tearing the house down by sailing through all the Beach Boys songs no one expected him to do, and well, of course there's Pearl Jam who never disappoints. Tradition has Neil invite everyone back onstage at the end of the show for a group singalong that had Eddie and the boys join him for "Rockin' In The Free World." Even the shitty performance of DMB couldn't drag that show down.

We decided that we wanted to attend this year so I've been keeping an eye out for rumors of who would be performing this year - or if there would even be a show at all (no dates have been announced yet but I can't imagine the show not going on.)

Here's the "word on the street" so far:

Neil Young - of course. And honestly, I enjoyed his set a lot more in '06 than I thought I was. Despite the fact that it was late and freezing, the man knows how to put on a show still.

Pearl Jam - seems to be some debate on this. A band member told some people earlier in the year that they were definitely playing Bridge School this year but told some other fans a couple weeks ago that they definitely weren't. The plot thickens!

Wilco - just a rumor right now but that'd be a lot of fun as I was telling the Missus last weekend that I would like to see Wilco in concert

ZZ Top - this is one of those bands that you wouldn't expect on the bill but would make perfect sense. Apparently they're opening for the Foos on Oct 26th in SoCal so it would be possible... and I wonder if that makes the Foos rumored as well.

Other bands in California in the last couple weeks of October that might make sense:
Santana - playing Shoreline on 10/11
Randy Newman - in SF the weekend of the 10/17, has a new album
Conor Oberest - in SF the weekend of 10/24, has a new album
The Kooks - in SF on 10/25
Tina Turner - has both poss. weekends open and in California/Arizona area

So, there's a start of some more rumors for ya!

Anyways, assuming the show happens, anyone within range of car/bus/train/plane should make an effort to see it at least once because it's a fun time and a lot different than most festival-type shows you could attend.

Screenplay: Take Two

Curse those little details.

As the submission deadline grew near last week for my screenplay, Mrs. Blue was assisting in getting the submission materials together and pointed out one tiny little detail that I had happened to miss in the several months leading up to this.

Apparently if I'm declared a finalist in the competition, I have to submit a second "sample of work" - also known as a second screenplay.

Say it with me now.

"Oh fuck."

Now, sure the odds are slim that I'll be declared a finalist and thus are slim that I will need a second screenplay completed by December. But... well, as I always seem to say on here...

You've gotta believe.

I have a handful of ideas on what to do next so I expect to narrow that down over the next couple weeks and get down to it.

Stay tuned for more details as this story develops - no pun intended!

Superman Returns... Again

Earlier today, I posted an article on the sidebar with three major comic book writers talking about how they would "reboot" the Superman movie franchise. It's been a topic under a lot of discussion lately as it was comic writer Mark Millar who implied that he had been asked for his pitch by the studios. Until then, it was all but assumed that JJ Abrams would helm any possible next Superman movie with Brandon Routh resuming the role.

Now? All bets seem to be off.

It's interesting because something about Superman Returns always bugged me a bit. There were elements of it that I liked a lot and some that I didn't care for too much but all in all, I thought it was a decent attempt. Superman is a tough character to write for in any medium so it's tough to have high expectations for it, I think - somewhat similar to Hulk in that respect.

I can still remember the debut of footage from the movie at Comic-Con in 2005. The footage was cut together so beautifully. When the John Williams score started up and the Brando voice was heard, the place went nuts. So nuts in fact that they had to show the footage a couple of more times before all was said and done. It was the perfect example of a director showing up at Comic-Con and saying the right things and showing the right cut of footage to whip people into a frenzy.

Unfortunately, the end product fell a little flat. And as I was reading the article, Mark Waid hit the nail on the head finally as to what bothered me the most about it.

If you’re making the movie in a vacuum, and there will be no other Superman movies ever again, go ahead and give him a son. But otherwise, that’s a staggeringly awful idea. What are you going to do next? Either the kid has to be a part of his life, or get superpowers, which no one wants to see

Exactly! And it's not just the kid that missed the mark. As I thought about it more and more throughout the day, more and more things about the movie bothered me.

-- One sequence with Ma Kent. Her son was gone for years and that's all we get?

-- Lois is married with a kid? Yeah, everyone REALLY wants Superman to be a homewrecker. The kid thing is just wrong. It was the number one thing that bugged me about it when I left the theater.

-- The "death" of Superman. This essentially killed off any chance of doing the Doomsday story which has the potential to be an awesome piece of work if the franchise can get back on its feet.

So, there's those among others.

In the end, I think Waid nailed it. If it's made in a vacuum, it becomes a better movie. But as the relaunch point for a new franchise, it falls flat.

Now the question becomes will Warner Bros have the cajones to admit it and let someone pull a Batman Begins/Incredible Hulk "reboot" on it.

We shall see.

Quick Baseball Notes

Just a few quick thoughts before I head off to sleep...

-- D-Backs Land Dunn
Obviously this is Arizona's response to the Manny deal - looking for a power boost to carry them through August/September.  I don't know if it'll work or not.  Dunn is very much a feast or famine hitter.  He'll hit a lot of home runs but he'll have a lot of rally-killing Ks as well.  It's interesting though because a lot of experts were projecting Dunn as the hot free agent next winter - the guy that all the teams might target instead of big money deals for Tex or Manny.  This'll give the D-Backs a bit of an inside track if they're aiming to keep him.

-- Manny To Yanks?
In typical East Coast biased reporting fashion, almost none of the news outlets picked up on Manny's (possibly temporary) desire to retire as a Dodger.  Instead, all we've seen is rabid speculation about the Yankees signing him to spite the Sox.  With Manny being Manny, who knows if he'll really feel the same way about the Dodgers in three days, let alone three months - but it'd be nice to see the "journalists" at the big sports sites at least acknowledge the possibility.

-- Lucchino to Dodgers?
I found this one interesting.  Reports of Larry Lucchino butting heads with Theo Epstein are in the air again and this time, instead of Theo's resignation/re-hiring, it looks like it might be Larry leaving town.  Speculation says he might end up in LA to serve as the team president.  Personally, despite McCourt's obsession with all things Sox, I don't really see it.  The Dodgers have enough trouble keeping the front office in order - why add another layer of red tape to it?

-- No Sale
Apparently Nolan Ryan wants to buy the Rangers from Tom Hicks but has been shut out so far - isn't it ironic, don'tchathink?  I'd like to see this happen.  Hicks has forever earned the ire of baseball fans for giving out the original A-Rod contract that threw the sport's finances for a loop.  Not to mention the deal he gave Chan Ho Park. 

-- Another Win, Another Day Of Mediocrity
The Dodgers knocked off the Phillies tonight - after nearly suffering another bullpen collapse.  I'm not sure what's up with the Dodgers' pen but it's a weakness they can't afford going into the home stretch.  They should have taken first place over the weekend and instead find themselves still a game out.  The end of the schedule is growing near so the time to "flip the switch" is now.

In Memory...

This post should have gone up yesterday but I just never found the time to do it right so I waited.

Yesterday, August 9th, marked the two year anniversary of the day my friend Danny died. I tried to read the post I wrote that day a few days ago, knowing the anniversary was approaching, and I still couldn't do it. I'm not sure I've actually ever re-read it, to be honest, because it's just too painful for me.

I use the word "died" as opposed to "passed away." I'm not a fan of that term. It's too gentle, too easy. Death is not a gentle and easy thing. Even for those who died peacefully or even those deaths you've "been expecting" for a long time, the actual end is not gentle and easy for those left behind. It's a jarring and brutal experience to have someone you care about torn from your life. It's probably a selfish way to look at it - but there it is.

I still have difficulty believing that he's gone. It still just doesn't seem real sometimes. As a non-religious person, you often hear people preaching that everything is part of "His plan." That's fine to believe that but I've still had no one explain to me what this divine plan is that involved taking my friend. If there's a reason for it, I'd love for someone to clue me in.

I try not to feel guilty anymore about our friendship. I wasn't always the best friend. He wasn't either. We both had our issues with one another that often had us go weeks or months without exchanging so much as an e-mail - nothing serious, just differences in personalities. But when we did get together, it always felt like just another day. At any given moment, you could expect a phone call with "an extra ticket" to some show - it seemed like Danny always had an extra ticket for something. In fact, the last conversation we had before he got sick involved him trying to get me to go see Pearl Jam with him and ditch out on the tickets I already had with someone else - that sounds mean, I know, but to his friends, it would almost be expected. It's just the way he was - one of those little personality quirks that put us on opposite pages at times.

I often wonder how people who have lost several friends early in their lives manage to wrap their heads around it. I find one to be overwhelming and can't imagine it when people tell me how they've lost several.

I said it once before on this blog that it's the little things that make me think of him and get angry "for him." I can still remember our friend Phil's bachelor party and Danny and I being geeky sitting outside a strip club discussing the Harry Potter book that had just come out. When the final book came out, I felt resentful that Danny would never get the chance to know how the story ended. It's the little things like when I saw Pearl Jam in '06 - just a few months after he died and I got teary-eyed during their set knowing how much he would have loved to be there. Danny was my fellow geek in comicdom - so I sit here loving this summer of comic book movies with a tinge of sadness because I can imagine just how much he would have loved Iron Man and the Dark Knight - not to mention how excited he would have been about the Star Wars movie coming out this week.

I guess over time that kind of thing fades but for now, I treasure it. I love getting e-mails about all the latest Star Wars collectibles coming out and smiling, thinking about how Danny would have immediately ordered it. I can still remember so vividly getting the text message from him that he was in the hospital sick with leukemia. Our first conversation after that had him obsessing about how he was going to miss Comic-Con and he needed someone to pick up his pre-ordered crap there. I was in shock that he was sick and stunned that that was the first thing on his mind. But again, that was just the way he was.

I still have trouble processing how it happened. He was in such good spirits when I last saw him in the hospital. He seemed like he was getting out of the hospital soon - his family certainly seemed to think so. He was so excited about the Star Wars convention coming to Los Angeles in '07. He was wanting to plan a poker night right away. And he kept laughing at me because with the "germ mask" (what the hell is that thing called?) on my face, he said I was breathing like Darth Vader and I kept fogging up my glasses. I was so surprised to hear he had taken a turn for the worse and words can't do justice the way I felt days later - although I imagine my blog posts over that period might shine a little light on it.

So many things have happened that he had to miss. Brian's wedding. My wedding. So many little get-togethers that he would have loved. I guess our circle of friends is somehow closer now - maybe it takes something like that to make that happen. It shouldn't - but sometimes I guess it does.

I'm rambling, I know. But this time, I think you'll excuse me for it.

One last thing...

I'm fairly sure I said this before on this blog but it's worth saying again. That last visit in the hospital had one moment that I doubt will ever leave my mind. Memories fade and all that jazz but I think this one'll stick. It was during a bit of a lull in the conversation when he said out of nowhere - "I hope if nothing else what I'm going through really makes you guys live your lives." I didn't think much of it at the time but I've thought a lot about it since then. I've often wondered if he knew he was in worse shape than he was letting on - it seems like such an odd thing for him to say. Danny was never one for that kind of talk but in this case, he was right. It's far too easy in this world to let life pass you by because you always think you'll have tomorrow.

But for some of us, tomorrow never comes.

Kind of a downer way to end this, I know, so let's pick a different finish.

Wherever you are, buddy, I hope you somehow know that we're trying - we're all trying to live up to what you hoped we'd learn.

And we still miss you, old friend.

More from the movies

When did JC Penny's start selling Nirvana shirts? Courtney Love should be dragged through the streets by rabid wolves before being beaten by Kurt's graveside.
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Jurassic Fight Club

Waiting to see Mamma Mia and they're showing a preview for a History Channel show called Jurassic Fight Club where they hypothecize and re-enact what would happen with two dinos throwing down.

Money, baby. Pure money
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Top Five Friday: An Olympic Edition

Damn. I have no way of cuing up the Olympic March for this post.

I LOVE the Olympics - absolutely love them. Winter, summer, whatever. It's the most amazing two weeks of sporting spectacle imaginable. So, you can imagine I'm superstoked for my first time watching them in HD. I can't wait!

So, with that in mind, I proudly present...

My Top Five Favorite Olympic Sports!

NOTE: I have disqualified basketball from these rankings because it's basically a continuation of the NBA season at this point.

5. Volleyball
Not beach - the madness that is on-court volleyball. I'm always amazed by the crazy rallies they get going, the speed of the serves, the insanity of the spikes. It's so much fun to watch.

4. Track And Field
I'm not really sure why I enjoy this one. There's not a lot of excitement in seeing people run in a circle - still better than NASCAR though... maybe not quite as cool as horse racing. I do enjoy watching a World Record get busted though.

3. Diving
Seriously. All those crazy twists and flips and spins and shit. Amazing. Plus, I like being able to figure out by the end of the competition what is and isn't "too much splash on entry." Hrrm. That sounds a bit dirty actually. Mental note to use that in a screenplay.

2. Swimming
I'm not really sure how or why swimming ends up a more exciting race than on foot but it so, so is. Especially when you get these nutcases that are going for like... ten medals in the same competition.

And my #1 favorite Olympic event...

1. Gymnastics
This is a tough one to admit. If you claim you're a fan of men's gymnastics, you highly imply that you have same-sex tendencies. If you claim you're a fan of women's gymnastics, most people look at you like you're a pedophile. If you claim you're a fan of both...

...you might be a Boy Scout leader! Wocka wocka wocka!

Game on... America!

And So It Is

The eagle is in flight.

Elvis has left the building.

The fat cat chews tabaccy at midnight.
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Love Songs On The KOST

Southern California readers of this blog know all too well that the LA easy listening station, KOST FM, used to do (still does?) "Love Songs On The KOST" where people would call in and make really cheesy dedications to be read over the air in a soft, soothing voice.

"Kevin wants to dedicate Billy Joel's 'Just The Way You Are' to Carol - he's missing you and wants you to know that no matter what, he loves you just the way you are."

This is the YMBB version of Love Songs On The KOST as I give a little shoutout to someone who needs some friendly advice. I heard this song on random on my iPod driving in to work this morning and it made me think of someone who should be listening to it (and hearing it to quote Wesley Snipes in White Men Can't Jump) in my stead.

So, to whom this one concerns... let the lovely Ms. Kate Nash provide you with a little bit of enlightenment on this late August evening.

An Autobiographical Summary

So, as readers of this blog are aware, I'm under the gun to complete my application for a writing contest. The entry needs to be postmarked by Friday so time is ticking. Of course, the script is done - so that puts the hard part on the shelf.

But there's a string of things that need to be done with it that are proving more difficult than I expected.

Notarized? Check.

Application? Check.

Registration? Check.

Summary of interest? Ch- wait, huh? What the fuck is that? Alright, let's skip it.

Autobiographical summary? Fuck me. Are you serious? I have no desire to write about my life. If I thought my life was interesting enough to entertain someone, I would have written a script based on my life and not danced in the creative world. I am not a biographer - and by no means am I an autobiographer.

I wonder if these judges have a sense of humor. Could I get by with the Copperfield quote used in Interview With The Vampire, "I was born, I grew up...?"

I can't imagine these poor souls dredging through entry after entry of "During my undergrad years at..." while people try to tie in any and all writing efforts they made over the years into their summary. I pity the fool.

I was born... I grew up...

I like the sound of that.

Writers Block

It's an odd thing but I find myself struggling a bit lately to find the words to fill these posts - a fact I'm sure many of you have noticed from the plethora of Youtube posts or random mutterings about Manny.

I'm not sure if it's a problem that I dumped so much creativity into the screenplay [which will be mailed in the next couple days, btw - yay me!] that I can't think of anything to write here. I find myself "stuck" in other creative endeavors as well.

I've been playing with iPhoto and iMovie a lot lately - soaking up some visual creativity so maybe that has drained me a bit as well.

Maybe I'm not reading enough.

Maybe I'm watching too much soap opera with recycled plots and sometimes shaky acting.

Maybe I need to find some of those "creative exercises."

Maybe I need to find some movies that make my mind tick.

It's a frustrating thing, you know? I've been on a roll for months with daily postings but with a lack of quality posts lately, I almost feel like I'm cheating a bit. Ehhh. Maybe I'm just whining.

Suggested topics for discussion are welcome!

F5! F5! F5!

In honor of Brock Lesnar's third MMA match taking place this weekend, I thought some of you might be curious to see what his first MMA fight was like...

More On Manny

Man, you non-Dodger fans must be pulling your hair out reading this blog this week but... well, I can't quite help it. Like I said, there's a buzz in the air... a kind of magic surrounding the team that hasn't been felt in a long, long while.

I just can't seem to find anything else that I want to write about - not yet anyways. I'm sure it'll come and come soon but for now, it's all about Number 99.

There has been a lot written about Manny over the past few days - some of it right here on this page - but this is one of my favorite pieces.

Some highlights...

Maaannnyyy, Maaannnyyy," came the chorus, ringing through the left-field bleachers. "Maaannnyyy! Maaannnyyy!"

Manny Ramirez, No. 99 in his baggy Dodgers uniform, stood at the plate.
A pitch came.

He swung.

Thwap!

The ball lofted from his bat and traced a smooth arc in the sky, heading directly for the patch of seats where I happened to be sitting with a group of the Dodgers' most rambunctious fans. When it landed just feet from us -- Ramirez's first Dodgers homer -- the bleachers shook with euphoria.

"Maaannnyyy! Maaannnyyy! Maaannnyyy!"

Helping lead the chorus was Gabriel Ruiz, a 25-year-old from South L.A. who is also a left-field, cheap-seats lifer, on hand for every game he can possibly make.

...

Sitting on splintered seats, Ruiz and his fellow Dodgers loyalist Renato Casas told me Saturday night they feel like they've died and gone to heaven.

"Surprised isn't the right word, really," said Casas, leaning in to speak to me just after the beginning of the game, which turned out to be a 4-2 Dodgers win. "More like, I just couldn't believe it. I thought I was dreaming."

"I mean, we're talking Manny Ramirez," Ruiz added, tugging his Dodgers cap. "Manny Ramirez? He's the best hitter in baseball. It's that simple. . . . Trust me, one man can make a difference."

...

I hated to be a killjoy but amid all of this positivity, all this belief, I spoke of my skepticism. It's hard for me to imagine this team getting much better just because it now has a left fielder who trudged to Hollywood with a shaky glove, a .299 batting average and 20 home runs this year, even if he is a lock for the Hall of Fame. Ramirez, 36, isn't exactly in his prime, I reminded.

No way, you gotta keep the faith, Ruiz told me. I noticed that he was also the only person in the stands wearing an Andruw Jones jersey.

"One man can make a difference," said Ruiz, who often sits in the stands with a blue Mohawk skullcap perched on his head. "You gotta believe."

...

Look, I said, this is the ultimate .500 team, a group of underachievers whose slogan should be "wait till next year."

They eyed me like I was either nuts, or simply a Giants fan about to get mauled.

This is the year, they vowed. This is the year.

We laughed together. We turned to the green field and the large crowd. Ramirez was up. He walked to the plate, swung, and the ball he struck popped off his bat as if shot from a bazooka, landing just a few rows from us.

When the chorus of cheers and the high-fives died down, Ruiz spoke up.

"You see?" he said. "One man can make a difference!"

Caught up in a great moment, I found myself agreeing. Sometimes it's good to be among the true fans, and to believe like they do.

At one point this year, a very wise man repeatedly said about his favorite basketball team - "You've gotta believe."

Well, that one didn't turn out so well in the end, I suppose...

But the believing never ends.

One man can make a difference. If you don't believe it, give Kirk Gibson a call.

Manny Is Very, Very Happy To Be Here - Just Hopes He Can Help The Ballclub

It is Day Two of the Manny Era in Los Angeles and things are developing nicely.

He had his first homerun as a Dodger tonight, something that contributed to a big win over the first place Diamondbacks and earned him a curtain call from the fans.

Tickets are selling like crazy. They sold something like 11,000 tix for Friday's game between 1 PM Thursday when the trade was announced and 4 PM Friday. They also sold a few hundred season tickets - all for a player the Dodgers aren't even paying this season.

There's a definite buzz in the air that hasn't surrounded the Dodgers in a long, long while. When I went to lunch on Friday afternoon, ESPN was discussing the deal at length - for basically an entire show. I can't remember the last time that happened.

To drop the cherry on top, Manny apparently announced to the world that he's so happy in LA that he hopes to retire as a Dodger. Now, one can never tell if that's just "Manny being Manny" but on Day Two of the Manny Era, the fans seem like they would agree with him.

Of course, there's an odd man out at the moment named Andre Ethier who has spent two days on the bench despite playing so well this season. Here's hoping they can get Andruw Jones or Juan Pierre out of town on a waiver deal to clear the logjam a bit because Andre definitely deserves to be playing right now.

But for now, the Manny Era is in full effect and everything is sunshine and roses.

Check back later to see if it stays that way.

There's Magic In The Stars

Somehow the sun seems to be shining just a little brighter on this early August morning.

Oh, by the way, Dodger fans? Clear your calendars for October.

Deadline Watch: The Final Day

Just got my Internet connection back up this morning so I thought I'd dig through the MLB Trade Rumors and spit out some random commentary on what I see:

Couple Of Teams In On Dunn
I'm surprised it's taken this long. With Dunn, you get a powerful corner outfielder that are always in high demand. The problem is - he either strikes out, walks, or homers. But the power upside is so large, you would think people would be lining up to discuss him.

Giants Like Beltre
That's an interesting one. Apparently the Giants believe he'd thrive back in the NL West. It's hard to say as he bailed out after his one excellent season in the NL West. There were some rumors before the Blake deal that the Dodgers were looking at him. I never really expected that go anywhere though - apparently Beltre has the Dodgers on his "no trade" list. How's that for gratitude?

Rhodes To Marlins?
It amazes me how valuable aging relievers become this time of year. A team with a bushel of them that's not a contender could make out like a banshee right now.

Brian Roberts Not Available
Interesting. Perhaps my favorite rumor of this mid-season hot stove was the Dodgers looking at Roberts with the intent of making Kent a pinch hitter and occasional first baseman for the rest of the season before he either retires or moves on. I'm personally of the opinion that Kent is a big reason for the uncomfortable chemistry on our team and the Dodgers will take a big step up when he's gone.

Dunn Rumors
So, the D-Backs offered up Chad Tracy for Dunn. That had to be a tough one for the Reds to turn down. The Rays are apparently in as well.

Sox In On Street
The White Sox have thrown their name in the mix for Huston Street. It seems like almost every team in the league has been in on Street at some point over the past few weeks.

Maddux Watch
Talks have stalled between the Pads and the Dodgers over Maddux. Apparently, the Dodgers (thankfully) realized they have all the leverage in these negotiations and aren't giving in. There's speculation this may spill over into August for a waiver deal.

JUNIOR!
Ken Griffey Jr. dealt to the White Sox. Well, that makes the Dunn rumors make a lot of sense now as the Reds have moved into a rebuild mode. It's a shame that Junior didn't end up back in Seattle like he wanted though. He's always seemed like a real good guy so best of luck to him.

Manny To Florida?
Rumors persist on this three-way deal between the Marlins/Red Sox/Pirates. Does anyone actually believe that the Marlins would keep Manny? This is just like the Piazza deal all over again.

Deadline Watch

My mobile Google Reader showed a bit about the Dodgers having interest in Greg Maddux.

I support this deal if the price is right - and it should be considering how badly the Pads want to move him and LA is one of the only places he'll go.

At worst, you get an extra pitching coach for two months and I can think of far worse things than Clayton Kershaw and Chad Billingsley hanging around a future HOFer for 60 days. At best, you add a solid starter to a rotation that has looked shaky as of late.
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Uh Oh

With Ned Coletti's job in jeopardy, many Dodgers fans have been holding their breath over the past few weeks as trade rumors swirled. There was a narrow aversion of disaster when Frank McCourt put the kibosh on a rumored CC Sabathia deal that would have lost Matt Kemp for the team - a deal I wouldn't find worth the cost.

But when Casey Blake was acquired this week for a relatively low cost, many Dodger fans breathed a sigh of relief, thinking this trade deadline would pass without any more frightening moments.

Hold on tight, Dodger fans.

From Jon Heyman at SI:

The Dodgers are one of a few teams showing interest in embattled superstar Manny Ramirez and are currently in discussions with the Red Sox, SI.com has learned.

However the talks are said to be in the very early stages, and there are numerous complications and hurdles to clear for a Dodgers deal to get done. People familiar with the talks say it is too early to gauge the chances for a trade.

Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, a Bostonian, is believed to love the idea of adding Ramirez to bolster the Dodgers' mediocre offense. However, McCourt, whose team has previously acquired or signed ex-Red Sox Nomar Garciaparra, Derek Lowe, Bill Mueller and manager Grady Little under his stewardship, has been telling Dodgers people he doesn't want to add payroll during this trading season, and has been openly complaining about disappointing attendance and revenues. Ramirez is making $20 million this year.

...

Dodgers players likely to interest the Red Sox would include young outfielders Matt Kemp and perhaps Andre Ethier. The Dodgers have a deep reservoir of young talent.

...

While Ramirez has announced that he badly wants out of Boston, it is believed he'd want an acquiring team to waive the $20-million team option for 2009 so he can become a free agent.

Lots of red flags there. First off, there is no chance I trade Matt Kemp or Andre Ethier in this deal - especially if Manny insists on that team option being waived. Even if he doesn't, Kemp's off-limits and Ethier is right there with him. If the Sox were willing to take one of the Dodgers' bad contracts back [either Jones, Schmidt, or Pierre] I'd consider putting Ethier in the deal very reluctantly.

This one really concerns me because we all know McCourt's weakness for BoSox players. I'd love to see Manny in Dodger Blue but only at the right price. If you can't keep him or get him on the cheap, let him become a free agent and revisit it then.

Life Imitates Art

Well, that was bizarre.

I was watching Ocean's 13 a little while ago and it had gotten to the part where they simulate the earthquake in the hotel to get everyone to leave. I got up from the couch to grab my lunch...

...and the room starts shaking. How fucking weird is that?

Looks like a 5.6 earthquake centered about 20 miles north of here.

It was a good-sized one. Shook for quite a while, made the apartment sway a bit, knocked over a few things. There was a tiny aftershock a short while after that as well - apparently a 3.8. The guy on the news just said there's a "one in twenty percent" chance that it's a foreshock. I don't understand that math. Must be some of that "new math" stuff.

And I Can't Even Get An Interview

I'm enjoying a day off today so you may see a scattering of really random posts from me today as things pop into my mind.

Kicking it off is one of the weirder pieces of news I've seen in some time as the WWE has hired a new member to their creative team...



That's right. The former king of teen comedies has "earned" a slot in the madness of the WWE writers room. Early estimates put his over/under at one month before he caves under the demands of travel, politics, and a psychotic but brilliant boss.

Yep. Freddie Prinze Jr. will help shape the future of the WWE...

...and I can't even get an interview.

The world trickles one step closer to collapsing upon itself.

Manny Watch

As the favorite MLB player that I met on my wedding day, Manny Ramirez holds a special place of interest to me. So, hearing that he was back on the trading block piqued my GM instincts.

As I thought about it, there seemed to be only one fair trade scenario.

The Red Sox send Manny Ramirez to the Dodgers in exchange for...

Andruw Jones.

That's obvious, right? The Sox need an OF in return - one with the potential to be awesome. Obviously, Andruw hasn't been that great this year but... well, yeah. You want to get rid of a problem, you probably have to take one back.

But I'll sweeten the pot for you.

I'll toss in longtime Boston fan favorite, Nomar Garciaparra.

Deal?

Screenplay Update

For those of you who care, you'll be pleased to know that the final draft of my first screenplay was completed yesterday. As of last night, I now officially have my first screenplay registered with the Writers Guild of America - which is a far cry from being a WGA member but hey, it's a step, right?

So, in the coming days, I'll be submitting the screenplay to a competition that could prove quite profitable.

Updates to come as I have them.

And now?

Time to start a second one!

"Dick, to the Batpole!"

Fans of this blog know that I have absolutely no qualms with kicking our President when he's down - although I do have a little concern that publishing something calling Bush a coke addict might get me on some kind of FBI watchlist.



If we lose the ability to see in our mind's eye a giant "KAPOW!" when Bush speaks, the terrorists win.

How'd That Turn Out For You?

Top Five Friday: The Rogues Gallery

If you haven't seen The Dark Knight yet, go away.

Not because I don't want to spoil anything for you [but I'll be doing that too] but honestly, if you haven't seen TDK yet, I may just not want to know you anymore! It is, without a doubt, the best film I've seen this year. Period. Not superhero flick. Not summer flick. Not action flick.

The best movie I've seen this year.

With that in mind, with the death of Heath Ledger and the... well, with Two-Face apparently out of the picture, the talk of all Bat-flick fans over the past week has been just who could step in for a third film and not embarrass themselves after the amazing double performance we just saw.

THE TOP FIVE VILLAINS WHO SHOULD STEP FRONT AND CENTER IN BAT 3!

Some groundrules.
1. We will not use any villain who was already in Begins or TDK. No Scarecrow, No Ra's, No Joker, No Two-Face. Unfortunately, this also takes Mr. Zsasz out of the equation.
2. We will attempt to keep the villains grounded in the very real world that Christopher Nolan has created for our Batman. This prevents "quirky" characters like Clayface or Killer Croc. I'm of the opinion this also removes Mr. Freeze as an option.

The candidates:
5. Talia al Ghul

The daughter of Ra's. If we operate under the theory that Ra's actually died in Begins, Talia would have plenty of reasons for coming after Bruce and Batman. She can bring the League of Shadows with her or she could bring her own group of evil henchmen - maybe using some of the Bat second tier villains like Firefly. Of course, you could also play off the story used in the comics where Talia and Bruce fall in love. And if Ra's is actually alive? Batten down the hatches!

4. Catwoman

The big strike against this one is that the Halle Berry flick is probably too fresh in people's minds. Also, there seems to be a reluctance to make Catwoman a true villain - in both the comics and the movies these days. Both could cause a problem. But I think a story where Bats falls for her but she's still evil as fuck would be fun to see. Oh, and the rumors that the studio thinks Jolie as Catwoman is the answer better be false. Despite how scorching hot she'd be in costume, I don't think she has the acting chops to hang with that cast.

3. The Riddler

The Riddler is a tough one because no one wants to see a "funny" villain in this Bat universe and I'm just not sure how dark you can make the Riddler. Even in the comics, he's always kinda treated as a joke. But he is a "big name" recognizable Bat villain which is something that always is useful. It would be a very fine line to walk though to make him not just appear as a Joker ripoff. I'd suggest giving him the goal of figuring out who Batman is and then holding that information over his head - yep, kinda like Forever but not as cartoon-like. Trying to make him a homicidal maniac just won't work.

2. Bane

The first two Bat flicks have been very clear about the problem of organized crime and drugs in Gotham City. So, why not bring in a Latin America crime boss who is a bit too hooked on his own product - a super-steroid called Venom? We've seen Batman battle people who were on his level psychologically but we haven't seen someone dominate him physically yet. While I'd love to see the Knightfall story play out on the big screen, I don't think it'll ever happen so I'd settle for Bane kicking the crap out of Bats early and Batman having to struggle his way back to full strength. Maybe a Talia/Bane combo movie where Bats goes to Talia for help in getting back in shape to fight Bane? Maybe have Bruce indulge in a little Venom of his own to get to even footing and have to fight the addiction? Lots of options here.

1. The Penguin

The Penguin is generally written as a major crime boss so he could be the guy to come in and fill the power vacuum after the Joker has ruined all the crime families in Gotham. No nefarious motives here. He doesn't want to rule the world. He doesn't want to own Batman's mind. He just wants money and lots of it. Hrrm. I really can't think of a captivating story for Penguin right now. He just seemed like the obvious #1 to slot in here.

I Don't Know If I Should Laugh Or Cry

I've always had a fondness for amusement parks. In recent years, it has pretty much been limited to the Disney parks but from my youth, I have many fond memories of Universal, Sea World, Knotts, and Magic Mountain. I always find to be sad news when a park struggles or even worse, actually shuts down.

So, I found this site to be especially disappointing. Take a look.

Here's a sneak peek...

Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap

This may be well-known news to everyone else but I just discovered it and it made me feel pretty sick.

Apparently, AC/DC is releasing a new studio album in the fall. Hoo rah, right?

Wrong.

Said album is going to be released exclusively through Wal-Mart stores.

Wal-Mart.

The evil Satan of corporate retail itself. The store that makes me feel dirty when I walk into it. The store that ran out countless mom and pop stores nationwide to homogenize retail in every suburban shopping center. You know all that jazz that people say when they demonize Wal-Mart - insert that shit right here.

But seriously, Wal-Mart?

How does a band widely considered a pioneer in hard rock and heavy metal end up being owned like that?

How does a band who had their first lead singer drop dead after a night of heavy alcohol drinking end up in the stores that censor every album that comes onto their shelves?

Now THIS is the definitive example of a band selling out - and I absolutely abhor that term but I can't think of any better description of this story.

Shed a tear today, loyal readers, because rock and roll just died a little bit.

The Sun'll Come Out Tomorrow

Even on a far too early morning when I'm getting ready to go open the store after a far too late night when I closed [and went in on my day off no less which prompted endless Clerks "I'm not even supposed to be here today!" moments]... there are things that can brighten my spirits.

This would be one of them.



Seth Green is making a sequel to his Emmy-nominated “Robot Chicken: Star Wars,” and it hits the Cartoon Network Nov. 16.

As for the creative direction in the sequel, "we decided to focus on the bounty hunters a bit and explore their stories," "Robot Chicken" co-creator Matt Senreich said.

As the far superior winner of last year's Family Guy/Robot Chicken Star Wars parody shows, I'm looking forward to Seth Green and company beating the everloving fuck out of those Family Guy people again.

And on a side note, as a non-Family Guy watcher, don't you hate all those people who run around quoting Family Guy and praising it as the greatest thing since the invention of the iPod.

Yeah, me too.

Oh, Comic-Con Preview Night is tonight - and I won't be there.

just rub it in, world! Rub it in!

Oh well. At least I didn't hit my head on a glass wall, right?

I'd Buy That For A Dollar

This little tidbit snuck by the radar a few days ago.

Here are the highlights for those who don't care to click the link:

-- The hotly-rumored Robocop "relaunch" is actually a sequel set twenty years following the termination of the original Robocop program.

-- Darren Aronofsky is set to direct

-- The series would move in setting from Detroit to Los Angeles.

I don't know about all y'all but I'm pretty excited about this idea. I think it's got loads of potential and is much better than the rumored relaunch. Everyone's got too fond of memories of the original Robocop for someone to fuck with it so a "relaunch" is the best option for everyone.

In other words, this went from a "Ugh, fuck me in the ear" to a "Hey, that might be fun" on my list of upcoming motion pictures.

Think it over, creep.

Holy Bat Artwork!

I love finding stuff like this on days when I'm exhausted and can't think straight to post. Beautiful artwork is here!

These Words Are My Own

I saw The Dark Knight last night. I plan on doing a full review in a few days but until then, there's only three words needed to describe it.

HO. LEE. SHIT!

Easily my favorite movie of the year and I can't wait to see it in IMAX.

I saw the Anderson Silva fight last night.

HO. LEE. SHIT!

The man is so much fun to watch. Now I know what Tyson fans during his streak of quick KOs felt like. Easily my favorite MMA fighter to watch right now.

The Dodgers are back in a tie for first place after scoring five runs in the ninth to win today. Wait. The Dodgers scored 5 in the ninth? My Dodgers? The ones who've been 0 for infinity with RISP most of the year?

HO. LEE. SHIT!

Taking 2 of 3 from the first place team is an awesome way to start the second half. Let's hope they can keep things going.

Fedor puts his name back in the debate of the best fighter in the world with a 36 second demolition of former two-time UFC champ Tim Sylvia.

HO. LEE. SHIT!

The man is no mere mortal. He was sent back in time by John Conner to dominate the world of MMA with his cybernetic strength and Skynet-influenced mind and skillz.

Shannon Doherty's back for the new 90210!

HO. LEE. SHIT!

Well, okay, that's not as exciting as the rest but I wanted a nice even five. And it IS pretty exciting, right? Oh, come on. You know you're gonna watch it. Even if it's because it has the chance to be so bad it's good.

The OC

You know you're living in Orange County when...

You see someone in public wearing a Rush Limbaugh t-shirt that reads, "Ordinary people doing extraordinary things every day!"
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Top Five Friday: The Second Half

The second half of the season [officially if not technically] begins tonight for the Dodgers as they find themselves in decent position. Because of the pathetic state of the NL West where they've become the Eastern Conference of Major League Baseball, they start the second half in second place and within reach of the playoffs - which of course is all you have to do before anything can happen.

With this burst of optimism and the score tied at 7 in the Top of the 7th, let's take a look at the Top Five Reasons The Dodgers Had A Bad First Half...

5. No power
The Dodgers have no power. Period. When your team leader in HRs has 11 at the break, you know there's a problem. But the real issue is not just the lack of home runs - as Larry Bowa said recently, they're not hitting for extra bases period. Dodger Stadium is notorious for being a doubles park and they're not taking advantage of that. It's hard to put runs on the board when you're going station to station. This is when the coaching staff needs to put more plays on - hit and runs, double steals, squeezes, etc.

4. No timely hitting
I'm far too lazy to look it up but I have to imagine the Dodgers are near the bottom of the heap in average with Runners In Scoring Position [RISP.] So, not only are they only hitting singles but when they do manage to get someone in position to score, they even stop hitting singles.

3. Big money = no reward
Not that this is necessarily anyone's fault but the last two big money free agent signings have been total busts so far. Everyone wants to blame Ned Coletti for it and that's an easy thing to do however I don't think there's a single soul who could have predicted that either Schmidt or Jones would struggle this much so far. Hindsight in this case is serving people far too well, IMO.

2. Patience At The Plate
Joe Torre has been preaching patience at the plate all season - trying to get his players to wait for their pitch, drawing out counts, and wearing down starting pitching to get to the weak part of almost every MLB staff - the bullpen. Torre seems to be very frustrated - and rightfully so - at his inability to get his message sunk into the heads of his players especially the kids. Here's hoping Don Mattingly stepping in as pitching coach will change that. If not, YOU HAVE HALL OF FAMERS AS COACHES - FUCKING LISTEN TO THEM, DICKHOLES! Ahem. Pardon me.

1. Injuries, Injuries, Injuries
In most seasons, losing three starting pitchers, the starting shortstop, the starting third baseman, two starting outfielders, and your closer to injuries for some part of the first half of the season would have you saying "Wait til next year." But in this bizarre season, the Dodgers are still in it - not bad, huh?

So, with all that in mind, the Dodgers are still in reach and there's reason to feel optimistic about the second half of the season. The season is a marathon, not a sprint, right? Considering all the adversity the team has faced so far, there's really just one thing left to do.

Win the whole fucking thing.

No Mo' Nomo

In a bit of sad news to Dodger fans, former National League Rookie Of The Year Hideo Nomo officially retired today. The day's been coming for quite a while now but it's still a shame nonetheless.

I can still remember the buzz surrounding the team with the first MLB import from Japan came to town. Everyone was rooting for a return of Fernandomania and while it never reached that level, it was a very special time to be a Dodger fan. From the crazy controversy surrounding the hesitation delivery to the league having to decide if someone who played professionally in another country was eligible for the ROTY trophy, Nomo seemed to always have a buzz around him.

Nomo's greatest moment as a Dodger came when he threw a no-hitter in Coors Field - a feat that I still find amazing even in the age of the humidor balls. Anyone who can throw a no-no in Denver has some serious shit in their arsenal.

Even after he was gone from the Dodgers, I still rooted for him to keep his career going but it looks like it finally reached the end. Earlier in the season when there was a lot of speculation that he was going to be hanging them up soon, many Dodger fans were hoping the team would re-sign Nomo for a "tribute" start or two. With the team in the middle of a divisional race, I don't expect that to happen but bopefully there will be a tribute night for him so the Dodger fans can let him know what he meant to the team and the community.

Thanks for the memories, Hideo.

Jack Bauer's Tears Cure Cancer

He's back, bitches.

Rough cut of the prequel movie trailer is HERE

Far Too Easy But... RAMPAGE ON A RAMPAGE!

I saw a headline about it pop up in the TMZ section of my Google Reader earlier but I wanted to wait til there was more detail to "report" on. Well, we've got 'em now thanks to Dave Meltzer at the new Wrestling Observer/Figure Four Daily combo site.

Here's the gist of it...

Now-former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson was pulled over and taken in by police in Newport Beach [actually Costa Mesa from the photos, I believe] after a car accident. He was charged with felony hit and run, reckless driving, and felony evading arrest.

From the police statement, he was observed driving with a flat tire and talking on his cell phone [dammit Quinton! BLUETOOTH, BABY!] The cop tried to pull him over to no avail as Quinton just kept on going, ignoring the officer in pursuit. They had gotten another report of his vehicle busting out a hit and run on other VEHICLES [yes, plural] on the 55 Freeway earlier.

Oh, how do they know it was his vehicle?



Yep, his picture was on the side of it. Subtle.

So, a little chase ensued with Quinton weaving in and out of traffic and apparently driving on the wrong side of the road and the sidewalk at one point. While in pursuit, the office saw him hit yet another car. Thankfully, no one appears to have been injured in any of these collisions.

Eventually, the tire blew out and came off the rim. He finally stopped, got out of the car AT GUNPOINT and was taken directly to jail without passing go and without collecting $200.



He's currently being held on $25,000 bail and apparently Dana White is en route to post bond.

Whew. Not the kind of press Dana was hoping for one of his top stars, I'd imagine. And he thought someone kicking out a limo window was bad.

Legends Of Wrestlemania Trailer

With E3 starting today, some cool video game stuff is starting to be announced. This was announced a while ago but check out the awesome trailer they dropped today...

Game Over

While the world waits with baited breath to see if the movie version of Halo gets off the ground...

While yours truly waits to see if Splinter Cell or Metal Gear Solid ever gets made into a movie...

While you sit and ponder what chaos would ensue if someone took a The Shield-like visual approach to a GTA movie or TV show...

While most of us sit and cringe at the memories of the Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter movies...

Some video game movies are closer than you think!

A review of Paul W.S. Anderson's Castlevania script hit the 'net today.


One of the highlights of the review?

Does Anderson have any idea how fucking cool it would be to bring in some of these experts to choreograph all of the stunts and fight scenes with a similar chain whip? Obviously not because he chose to arm Castlevania’s hero with a fucking sword. Idiot.

That oughta give you a clue how the rest of the review goes. Such a shame because that's one of those games that could have some potential in a movie form.

From my front row seat...

Now, maybe I'm just an elitist fuck - it's possible, I'll grant that...

But!

I hate the fucking wave.

Why people insist in jumping up like trained fucking seals in some kind of 25 year old ritual resembling a Nazi propaganda film instead of watching the game they spent good money to see is far beyond my considerable levels of comprehension.

On the other hand, maybe I'm just an elitist fuck.
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Thunk

In life, no matter how down you get about yourself...

No matter how bad things seem to be going...

In times when you think it couldn't possibly get worse...

Remember this story...

Today at work, in front of a store filled with people and a bunch of people outside, a customer walked swiftly at top speed into a glass wall.

Yep, you read that correctly. Glass wall. Top speed. Girl's head went "THUNK!" The entire store froze to watch and try not to break out laughing. People outside the store were heard yelling, "It's okay. We won't laugh."

Simply awesome.

Whatcha gonna do with all that thunk... all that thunk inside your trunk...

So, on those days when you feel not so fresh, just remember, "Hey, at least I didn't walk into a glass wall in public today!"

And that's one to grow on.

Top Five Friday: Grrrrarrrgh

Really tired. Don't want to write. Can't form complete thoughts.

Top Five Reasons I'm Not Doing Top Five Friday

5. Very tired
4. Feet hurt
3. Eyes are tired
2. Brain is tired
1. Tomorrow will repeat the same

Random Comments About Random News

It's one of those days where I haven't a clue what to write about so I'm going with the cheap route and picking some news stories from the Google Reader thing to the right and sharing my views on them.

LATEST HULK MAY NOT SPAWN SEQUEL
That's disappointing to hear. I figured that it would get lost in the waves between Iron Man and The Dark Knight but it was a solid flick and I'll hold out hope that a Director's Cut DVD with all the extra footage will be such an amazing seller that they have no choice but to greenlight a sequel.

FAVREAU NOW ON BOARD IRON MAN 2
Awesome news. I would have been supremely disappointed in Marvel if they had gone with another director after Favreau absolutely tattooed Iron Man out of the park for them and launched what could be an awesome franchise [or two if you count the Avengers lead-in.] Now all they have to do is figure out if they can really get the movie done by Marvel's already announced 2010 release date. The plot thickens.

ROBERT DOWNEY JR. IS SHERLOCK HOLMES
Speaking of Iron Man, it's amazing how many high profile roles become available to an actor that just rocked the cinematic world in a big picture. It's like Entourage come to life. I bet Robert Downey Jr. could even make Matterhorn watchable.

THE ROBIN DEBATE
So, basically - Christian Bale dropped a comment in a recent bit of press for TDK that he never wants to see Robin appear in a Batman movie again. An easy-to-understand statement after the atrocity that was Robin in Batman Forever and Batman & Robin. When I first read his comment, I agreed wholeheartedly and wondered why anyone would even consider it. And then...

Amazing Batman comic write Jeph Loeb had this to say in response to MTV News:
"Take the time to tell the story properly. There is a story of Dick Grayson and how he becomes Robin that is extremely moving and very helpful.”

In the events of Loeb’s “The Long Halloween,” which preceded “Dark Victory” and served as a partial inspiration for “The Dark Knight,” the main characters are all left alienated and alone, bereft of even a little hope. It’s Robin’s presence that can change that for Bruce, Loeb argues, creating a father/son dynamic that can mirror Wayne’s relationship with his own dad. In short, Robin can teach Bruce how to be more human, Loeb insisted.

“It’s all about building the relationship between Bruce and Dick. Dick hates Bruce. He doesn’t understand why it is that he needs to do this and Bruce doesn’t understand why he’s doing it either because he’s not a parent. He doesn’t know how to be a parent,” Loeb said. “And together, they make each other better people. So that for me would be the next step.”

But for all the fans already crying out in horror just at the thought of it, Loeb isn’t actually talking so much about Robin as he is about Dick Grayson. In fact, the best Robin story might not actually have “Robin” at all.

“I wouldn’t let him become Robin until the third act, if that. I think that’s the other problem when you tell that story is that there’s this rush to put him in a costume by the end of the first 20 minutes and in that case I think it’s a disaster,” Loeb said. “So if you look at ‘Dark Victory’ Tim and I went nine out of twelve chapters before you even started to talk about putting him in a costume and he doesn’t put the costume on until the last chapter of that book.”

Alright, I think I'm sold. You?

ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!

I've made no secret out of the fact that I believe the new American Gladiators sucks much ass. It's a great disappointment to me as I loved the old school series growing up and was greatly anticipating what could have been. But the over-the-topness of it - the music, the lighting, the pyro, the water, the announcing - all have made it "Must Skip TV" for me.

However...

Every once in a while something happens to change my mind.

God bless Gina Carano because this clip is pure television gold from the horrific "pre-event" promo to the awesome locker room shot at the end. Make sure you watch this all the way through to see why I HEART me some Gina.

The Dark Knight

BREAKING NEWS!

A clip from the Batman movie just leaked out that might just prove that this franchise has, once and for all, jumped the shark.

Comments are welcome.

Where Do We Go From Here?

Forrest Griffin is the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion.

Everybody got that?

Now, with a very close fight just barely in the books, a lot of people will immediately call for a rematch with Rampage for Forrest's first title defense. It makes sense and probably will draw very well. Rampage obviously was not quite the same after those early leg kicks and quite possibly was injured going into the fight. I would have no problem with an immediate rematch for Rampage.

But it's not what I would book.

There's a lot of groundswell building for a Machida title shot. It's getting hard to deny him a shot even though he's boring as hell in the cage. But he keeps beating everyone in his path so at what point do you give in and let him have a shot? Not yet. Forrest doesn't strike me as a good matchup for Machida in an attempt to make an entertaining fight.

So, that's not it either.

A lot of people will say the winner of Rashad Evans and Chuck Liddell should get the next shot. I have absolutely no desire to ever see Rashad Evans fight for a title - but I don't think that'll be a problem. Not that I think it would stop Dana but doesn't it seem odd to give Chuck a title match against someone that Chuck lost to?

That would also seemingly take Wanderlei Silva out of the equation since he lost to Chuck who lost to Rampage.

So... who gets the shot?

Here's my vote...

Winner of Rashad/Chuck gets a match with Rampage. I hate to put poor Wanderlei in a match that might suck but face him off with Machida. Whoever puts on the best showing out of those five gets the New Year's title shot.

So, who does Forrest get?

How about Michael Bisping? Should be a fun, exciting, marketable fight that Forrest would probably win to keep all the possible big matches alive.

Thoughts?

Almost There

Don't look now but the Dodgers are suddenly just barely out of the top spot in their division despite one of the worst starts I can remember. They're still under .500 but they seem to be coming around a bit lately. They could be on the verge of breaking through.

There still is a lot of health issues to work through. Penny's out til at least the break. Furcal's getting back surgery that could potentially end his season. Nomar and Andruw are fresh off injury rehabs which means we don't know what we can expect out of him. Kuroda's coming off an injury. Lots of questions that need to be worked through and soon.

I'm glad to see they dropped out of the Sabathia race. As much as people think the Dodgers need that losing streak-snapping ace, I don't want to see names like Billingsley and Kemp shipped out for him. I'm okay with a starting rotation of a couple #2 starters and change. Very few teams in baseball have that legitimate ace so that should be the least of their concerns - especially with such an amazing first half performance from the staff.

Right now, it's all offense - clutch offense especially. I think the tools are in place for the most part. It's just a matter of luck and maturation to get over that next hurdle. Personally, I hope Coletti stands pat unless he can make minor upgrades at low costs. I have faith in the core of players they put together to work their shit out and come together.

It looks like it won't take a world-beater to get into the playoffs from the NL West - and once you're in, anything can happen. Just ask the Rockies. Now's the time to make the move though. Keep pushing hard and get over the top.

GO DODGERS!

Forrest wins! Forrest wins! Forrest wins!

Placeholder beat the clock post
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Top Five Friday: A Patriotic Edition

Ahhh... the 4th of July. The day where Americans gather together with families and friends to celebrate the birth of our nation and the freedoms we enjoy living in the greatest country in the world - as flawed as it may be.

Freedoms, you know?

Like... the freedom to use fireworks in areas where you're not supposed to use fireworks, threatening to start a massive fire because pretty lights make you happy.

Or perhaps the freedom to gorge ourselves on either badly under or overcooked hamburgers and hot dogs to the point of having our stomachs rupture, flooding the world with a sea of partially digested scorched animal flesh.

Here's a good one. The freedom to cheer on our favorite baseball team to victory despite their horrific record while playing in the worst [and most embarrassing] division in the league.

You've gotta love freedom. And you've gotta love America!

No, seriously, you do.

If you don't love America, the terrorists win, dammmit!

In honor of America, I proudly present...

The Top Five Songs Featuring The Word "America" Or "USA" In The Title In My ITunes Library

Honorable Mention: Neil Diamond's "America" - the sole reason it makes this list and probably the sole reason it doesn't make the Top 5 as well is some very vivid memories of a teacher in 4th or 5th grade trying to get us to perform this song at a school program with some fucked up arm gestures to "act out" the song. It was so bad, there was basically a class-wide mutiny which resulted in us getting to play our parents in a softball game instead. Good times.

5. American Girl - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
This is actually one of my favorite songs but it takes the bottom spot because it's more about the girl than America which was really the point of this whole exercise. It was also featured in Silence Of The Lambs when the Senator's daughter is singing along just before she gets grabbed. I'm not sure if that makes the song cooler or just creepy - you make the call!

4. Living In America - James Brown
The Godfather of Soul outdid himself in his comeback hit that was used as Apollo Creed's entrance music in Rocky IV. Of course - SPOILER ALERT! - Apollo got his melon smashed by Drago just moments later and died in Rocky's arms. But it was still a cool scene and an amazing song. Just all the crazy pomp and circumstance surrounding Apollo's entrance with James Brown himself made that death worthwhile. Besides, Drago got his in the end - JUST LIKE ALL EVIL COMMIE RUSSIANS DO! "And if I can change... and you can change... everybody can change!" Rocky Balboa making the world safer... one evil nation at a time.

3. America - Simon & Garfunkel
I'm not really sure what this song is about actually. Either I'm not deep enough or I've never been stoned enough, not sure. But I do know that the girly from She & Him in Almost Famous used it to explain why she was running away from home. Made sense to me. The song really soothes me actually. I like listening to it in the mornings usually - weekend mornings are even better. It's one of those, "Yeah, this world is cool" songs. Okay, now I sound like I've been stoned enough.

2. Real American - Rick Derringer
Hey! Fuck you! I know you're laughing at me for picking Hulk Hogan's theme song as one of my favorite songs with "America" in the title but come on... seriously... for someone who grew up in the midst of Hulkamania running wild, there was no song that made you feel more patriotic than "Real American." When the Hulkster was squaring off against some big, nasty foe from Russian or Iran or... France... and that music starting pumping and that big, vitamin-takin' genetic beast stormed out in the red and yellow with the American flag waving behind him, you knew America was about to get some payback, daddy!


1. Born In The USA - Bruce Springsteen
I really hate using this as #1 since it's not really a positive song about the United States but... well, I love it. It's funny because the song gets used by so many people trying to sell it as being patriotic [including the aforementioned Hogan before using "Real American"] but it's really a song about a young kid who gets drafted and sent off to fight in Vietnam and the shoddy way he's treated when he comes back home. All flowers, sunshine, and rainbows, huh?

And that's that. Enjoy your holiday, folks!

Holy Frakkin' Shit

Just finished Season 3 of Galactica.

Oh. My. God.

Man, that show knows how to do a cliffhanger right. Good grief. I can't believe I have to wait until... man, I don't even know what I have to wait until to see the next part of it. It just finished on TV so DVDs won't be out for... gah, I can't even think about it.

I have Entourage Season 4 sitting on my computer now but I'm having some DVD burner issues and really hate to watch stuff on the computer if I can avoid it.

Next up? Looks like it's going to be Prison Break.

RAMPAGE

I don't feel like writing so... in honor of this weekend's UFC show, one of my favorite MMA KOs from one of Saturday's PPV main eventers.

Times They Are A-Changin'

Four years ago, I went with some friends to Pro Wrestling Guerrilla's One Year Anniversary show called The Reason For The Season. One of the big draws on the show was local superstar Super Dragon's first one on one matchup with a rapidly rising East Coast indy superstar. Everyone was quite excited to see the match between these two and the feeling in the building was quite electric. Myself, a huge Super Dragon fan, decided to give the East Coast invader a little grief during the match by shouting out, "DRAGON'S GONNA FUCK YOU UP!" loud enough that it could be heard in the ring. A few moments later, the East Coaster had Dragon cornered, slapping him around and screaming, "FUCK ME UP, DRAGON! FUCK ME UP!" while glaring in my direction. Awesome. Fan interaction at its finest and one of the reasons I love indy wrestling shows.



Just short of four years later, that East Coast invader walked into Monday Night Raw in Baltimore last night with a briefcase in hand...



...and walked out as the World Heavyweight Champion.

It's always fun to see someone become the top of their profession, especially someone you've been watching and rooting for for a long, long time. So, when I look at the two top promotions in the wrestling industry and see two wrestlers who I've followed for years from the very bottom of the foodchain when they were wrestling in front of a hundred people in a little gym carrying the respective World Titles for their companies, it puts a smile on my face.

Congrats, CM Punk.

Shaken Not Stirred

Last week during training for my new job, one of the trainers and I were discussing 24 and the subject came up that he and his colleagues often debate the question - James Bond or Jack Bauer.

He went with the argument that Bauer was better because Bond is actually ordering a weak martini when he orders the "shaken not stirred" drink. I, of course, pointed out that President Bartlett made the same statement during an episode of West Wing back in the day which made the trainer scurry about to try to figure out what episode it was in.

I also said Bauer - but my argument was far simpler. He cut off a criminal's head and carried it around in a duffel bag for christ's sake. Not to mention that he bit out a terrorist's jugular.

Annnnyways... he may not be as cool as Jack Bauer but Bond is making a comeback. Check out the new trailer for his next flick, The Quantum Of Solace . Watch it while you can because I'm guessing it'll be gone soon.

What A Wonderful World

I work with interesting people.

Most people can't say that, I don't think. Most places I've worked, the people were quite drab... or at least, they played that role very well so that people thought they were "normal."

Here? There's very few that are "normal" - and they're quite proud of that fact. And why shouldn't they be? All corporations these days like to hold up "diversity" as a badge of honor while showing photos of carefully selected employees to represent all the ethnic colors of the rainbow. Odds are, they're probably not even real employees.

Side note - one of my former places of employ once decided that they wanted to put a photo up on the company website to put a human face on the voices that people got when they phoned into our call center. They ended up selecting a rep who was absolutely terrible at her job, had horrific attendance, and was generally someone to be held up as a "what not to do" example. Instead, they plastered her smiling face on the website because they though it would soften our image to have a smiling young lady's photo up. What a wonderfully fucked up world we live in.

Back to the matter at hand...

The next time your company tells you how diverse they are, take a look around you and see if they're full of shit. It's fairly easy to tell - but it'll give you a chuckle nonetheless.

Now the place I work? They can claim diversity with a straight face.

Got tattoos running up and down your arms and neck where everyone can see them? We want you.

Metal appendages hanging from lips, nose, eyebrows, ears, chin, etc? You're right up our alley.

Not white? You'll fit right in.

Not straight? Yep, you too.

Those are just skin-deep examples of diversity though.

Let's keep it real, yo. I work with a Ninja.

I'll give you a sec to let that sink in.

Yep, I work with a Ninja. A legitimate, actual Ninja. Someone who went to China, slept on floors in a dojo, and went through the full training requirements to be declared a legit Ninja.

One more time...

I work with someone who could theoretically put on their resume - Professional Ninja.

You want more?

I work with someone who ate a hissing cockroach to get to the front of the line at an amusement park.

More?

I work with someone whose life goal is to move to China and teach English to kids.

More?

Creativity is in the air - writers, film makers, artists, photographers, musicians. Everyone's got a dream they're chasing.

More?

They like to call me Optimus. Don't ask.

More?

Midgets. 'nuff said.

Ahhhh... midgets, freaks, and ninja, oh my.

I really do hate people - I do... but sometimes, just sometimes... I love the world we live in.