My Mini City – Texasville

Yep – another time waster!

http://texasville.myminicity.com/

 My Mini City – as far as I can tell, the population of your little city grows by one with each person who clicks on it.  I have no idea what happens beyond that.  My city, Texasville, currently has a population of 2.  I guess that I will just have to click back every once in a while to see how it’s doing.

Tin Foil Hats Book Club: John Adams

Yes, believe it or not, but I read books without pictures, too!

I tend to favor non-fiction over fiction, the time period depending on where my mind is at the moment.  Today I began a book which I’ve had for a while, but am just now getting around to starting: John Adams, by David McCullough. Published in 2001. ISBN – 0-684-81363-7

I have had this book recommened to me by a wide variety of individuals who know me. Even tho I consider myself quite the history buff, I will be the first to admit that I know very little about our second President; and judging by the first 50 or so pages I have read, there is a lot to know about him.

McCullough has a wonderful, narrative writing style which makes the reading seem like a tale, or a discussion, and not cold and lifeless like textbook material. Immediately you are drawn into John Adams’ world at the time of the Revolution. You understand the dire straits our young country found itself in; and you understand the urgency of the actions of our Founding Fathers.

I will offer occassional commentary on this reading as I feel the situation warrants. Most of my thoughts will take place once I complete this book. I just posted this so that I could feel like Oprah.

An athlete killed and the fate of General Butt Naked

Funny nickname.

Nothing funny about this guy. 

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/world/5473005.html

Liberia is just one of the many war-torn regions of modern Africa.  Their decades-long Civil War saw the deaths of approximately 250,000 people…and considering that this was a nation of only around 3 million people that number becomes more staggering.

Liberia, of course, started off as a colony founded by freed American slaves who wished to return to the land of their birth.   Most of those people never were able to go back to their original homes as many of them did not exist as before, and thus the colony was born.  Founded in 1847, the country has had anything but a tranquil existence.

One of the many characters found in this country’s sorrows is named Joshua Milton Blahyi.  He was a rebel leader – one of many – but what made him stand out from others was his penchant to lead his troops into battle wearing only his boots, earning him the nickname of “Gen. Butt Naked.”

Laugh at the nickname if you must, but it is a name associated with horror for many.  He has recently surrendered himself to the Liberian “Truth and Reconciliation Commission” which encourages those on all sides of this war to admit to what they’ve done so that the country can move forth.  Blahyi has admitted to him and his followers being responsible for 20,000 deaths.  His crimes do not end there, but you can read the rest in the link above.  After reading that it becomes hard to laugh at that name, doesn’t it?

I did mention the multiple areas of conflict in Africa.  A trendy source of “outrage” amongst people in this country is the situation in the Sudan.  I am not trying to trivialize that travesty, but it needs to be pointed out that violence in Africa exists outside of that region.  One of those regions produced a story which hit close to home for me today.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/sports/5472795.html

I remember Wesley Ngetich.  He was the talk of the 2006 Houston Marathon, which I participated in.  His finish was incredible – taking second place by just a few feet.  Originally he had been the #1 seeded runner in the Half-Marathon that day, but at the last minute he switched to the full race.  The fact that he finished so highly after not preparing for that race was nothing short of amazing.

He was no stranger to Marathons all across this country, and a week ago he was supposed to run in Phoenix, but he missed it due to the troubles in his home country of Kenya.  He couldn’t get a flight out, and during the time in which he was supposed to be gone, Wesley Ngetich was killed.  Shot in the chest with an arrow in what some are calling fallout from election chaos, and others are calling a revenge killing in which he may have been an innocent bystander.

David Cheruiyot, the winner of this year’s Houston Marathon as well as last years in which he staved off the furious rally from the now-deceased Wesley Ngetich had commented on the tribal violence sweeping his country not even two weeks ago, prior to his Houston Marathon win.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/sports/5448560.html

I remember reading this story when it came out and it didn’t resonate that much with me.  Now it’s words are haunting in their prescience.

Short Shorts – Comic Book Briefs for the week of 1/16/2008

No….NO!!!!  Don’t do it!  Don’t do it!!!!!

 

AAAAAHHH!!!!  IT’S BACK!  RUN!  RUNNN!!!!!!!!!!

Well, that horrifying image can only mean one thing: it is time for the Short Shorts, a few thoughts that I have on the comics I read.  These are reviews, just short comments: Briefs if you will.

God, I suck for using that image over and over again.  You all have my word that I won’t use it again for at least a few days.

 

Checkmate #22

I will forego the usual gushing I do about just how damned good this comic is…meh, no I won’t.  My god, this comic is just firing on all cylinders.  Rucka and Trautmann have completed a two-part storyline which solidifies Josephine Tautin’s standing as the baddest Frenchman (woman…whatever) to hit the planet since Jean Reno, and more importantly, they have established that the legacy of Mademoiselle Marie is as storied and rich as any in the DCU.  They have taken a rather unused concept and have given it new life.  These past couple issues have been a wonderful way to spotlight one of the characters while establishing the new Royals following the Wall’s departure from the organization. We’re about to go into the the third year of one of DC’s best comics, and I can’t wait for more.

 Booster Gold #6

Wow.  What an issue.  This one was for the fans, that’s for sure.  Johns and Katz are doing a wonderful job establishing Booster Gold in his new niche of the DCU.  The issue title: Meet the Beetles….awesome.  They even got the font down just right!  While I am excited about the returning character in this arc, I cannot help but feel that this isn’t permanant.  That doesn’t matter to me, tho, as I’m sure that they’ll do whatever they have planned just as well as every issue has been up to this point.  Looking forward to what looks to be a possible new Booster and Supernova team (could we be seeing a new Goldstar at some point in the near future?)  Looking forward to what’s next for Booster, Rip, Daniel, Ted and everyone else.

 Catwoman #75

How is it that this title just gets better?  I honestly think that Phieffer does a better job with the Salvation Run plot than that title is doing itself.  This is just a damned good comic.  I don’t know how else to describe it.  It has upset me and it has made me happy…the only thing that it hasn’t done is fail to deliver in quality.  This has been one of DC’s strongest titles since One Year Later, and even tho I still miss Helena I am committed to this for the long haul.  This truly feels like Selena versus the world…and indeed it is.  Boy, she sure has pissed a lot of people off in the past couple years!

Countdown to Final Crisis #15

Still not my favorite comic, but it has been steadily improving over the past few weeks.  Ray Palmer is still a whiny-ass, which is annoying, but he looks as if he’ll break out of his doldrums.  Donna Troy asserts herself, proving that the Rick James joke will never get old…except it is.  Still, nice moment – a kind of “yeah, I’m convoluted…so what?” which closes the door on her “continuity” as far as I’m concerned.  I can’t figure out exactly what Brother Eye is up to, and for the life of me I can’t remember why or when it’s current actions began.  Hopefully this will be a focus in more upcoming issues.

Birds of Prey #114

Sean McKeever continues to make this title his own.  Excellent focus on the various members of the team, as well as some screen time for other operatives and it looks as if we have a new one.  I think that she is new – have we seen Infinity before?  I must admit that I was enjoying this issue up until the last page when one of the single most annoying characters in comics shows up.  Boy, I would love it if it were her final appearance!  Aside from that it was a great read.  Totally feels like set-up, but I don’t mind as it is being done well.

Justice League of America #17

Two good stories in one comic.  Burnett sets up what is a natural storyline with the current events of the DCU, and he uses a lot of snazzy villains in the process (a new version of one, and one whom I thought was dead, but what the hell, right?); meanwhile, McDuffie explores a few things wrong with Vixen, and for us long-time fans (dorks) it obviously doesn’t look good.  Another set-up issue this week, but with Final Crisis approaching I guess that a lot of comics are getting their big storylines set up.   Enjoying this comic, but it needs to step up.