Web amusements

This is simply adorable. A Peep-meets-snowman robot dances to a very catchy tune. I've watched it four times today and it still amuses me.

The 10 Most Unfortunate Movie Titles Ever
There are many movies I shallowly refuse to see simply based on their titles. For example, "Love in a Time of Cholera," "The English Patient," and "The Constant Gardener." Ten others are listed if you click the link.

New articles by Joshua

Baltimore takes informal survey of gay residents

Conservative groups challenge Mont. Co. trans bill
Opponents say measure allows men to enter women's bathrooms

Thanksgiving dinner at the mighty pink castle o' food

We just got back from visiting my parents at their timeshare in Florida. It was a lot of fun; we spent lots of quality time in the pool, the hot tub, and wandering the beach, looking for shells. Oh, and eating. LOTS of eating. My friends know me as a good cook; trust me, I learned everything I know from my mom, and when she's paired with her sisters, there is MUCH good food and beverage to be had. I think Josh and I will be fasting for the next week.

And speaking of eating, we had the pleasure of enjoying Thanksgiving dinner at the Don Ce Sar Beach Resort. To call their buffet "impressive" just doesn't adequately sum it up. I'd say instead that it's a little piece of what I think heaven will be like -- rooms and rooms of food, excellent service, and free mimosas. Heck, there was one room just dedicated to PLATES. Basically, when you walk in, the first thing you see is a GIANT dessert bar, spanning multiple tables in a big lobby-type room. The dessert bar comes complete with an ice cream sundae bar, where (I'm pretty sure) they make their own cones, fresh on demand. There are also multiple pumpkin-based desserts, from pumpkin cream puffs that look like turkeys to pumpkin pudding to pumpkin cheesecake.

The main course room, however, is the real treat. I've never seen a Thanksgiving buffet -- or any buffet -- like it. Off to your right, you can enjoy kids' fare, like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and chicken fingers. Straight ahead, a huge table of a wide variety of salads -- from pasta to lettuce to seafood to potato. Then you go on to see two giant areas with seafood -- smoked salmon, seared ahi tuna, shrimp, and lots more. Behind that, several tables with more of the traditional Thanksgiving fare, including candied sweet potatoes with pecans, rosemary roasted cornish game hens, many vegetable options, mashed potatoes, etc. They also had some brunch items, like scrambled eggs and bananas foster French toast. Then you proceed to the carving station, offering turkey, ham, and prime rib, plus the most amazing stuffing Josh and I have ever tasted. Beyond that, an omelet station, where you can get almost any kind of omelet you can dream of. And finally, much to my delight, a pasta station, where the chefs will cook up just about any kind of pasta you could conceive of. I opted for farafelle with a boursin cheese alfredo sauce, pine nuts, kalamata olives, and fresh Parmesan. I called it Pasta Alla Annie and got several other people at our table to try it. They loved it so much they all went and got some of their own! It was simply divine.

Suffice to say, it was an unforgettable culinary experience, and a very memorable Thanksgiving.

One step forward, two steps back

Like newspapers, comic book companies have long pondered how to make money from their online offerings. I can sympathize with this uphill battle, but the two-step course that Marvel Comics is taking is not the answer.

Last week, to great fanfare, Marvel announced it would place a host of it older comics online for subscribers to view. Access to the content, which includes about 2,500 issues, costs anywhere from $5 to $10 per month, depending on the contract you sign. It was a good step forward, and one that may help curb the download of illegal copies.

But if that move was Marvel's One Step Forward, consider the following to be its Two Steps Back.

In a far less publicized move made this week, Marvel revealed it would soon halt production of DVD-ROMs that compiled hundreds of issues onto one computer disc. These discs, produced by GIT Corp, are an ideal way to collect older comics without sacrificing a closet.

I understand why Marvel is pulling the reproduction license from GIT Corp, but that doesn't change the fact that I consider this a poor move. While both delivery methods are PC-based, I'd argue the two offerings appeal to different audiences. The thematic DVD-ROMs work best for casual viewers who sought to review the archived adventures of one character (Spider-Man) or team (Fantastic Four). The online service works better for people who seek a greater variety of material, and don't mind losing access to the material once they stop paying the subscription fee.

I implore Marvel to reconsider its decision to let expire its partnership with GIT Corp. I will not use the new subscription service, but the DVD-ROMs are an essential part of my collection. Should their production be halted at year's end, they will be missed.

G.I. Joe cast tracker: Baroness

"G.I. Joe" took one step closer to becoming cinematic reality this week with its first casting anouncement.

Sienna Miller, who I know as Victoria from this summer's spectacular fantasy film "Stardust," has been cast to play the Baroness. This femme fatale serves as intelligence director for the evil Cobra organization, and apparently will conduct espionage operations in the film.

Back in August, I had suggested Tricia Helfer of "Battlestar Galactica" fame for this role, but I have no qualms with Miller's casting. She played an emotionally manipulative character well in "Stardust," and those skills will serve her well in this role.

"G.I. Joe" is reportedly slated to begin production in February, so more cast announcements are expected in the weeks ahead. Because I'm a good little fanboy, I'll post any future revelations here.

Save "The Big Bang Theory"!

As Josh alluded to in an earlier post, we've really been enjoying the sitcom "The Big Bang Theory." Alas, it is greatly at risk of dying because of the ill-timed writer's strike. Tonight is the first night reruns begin to air - at the moment I'm writing this, the pilot is airing again.

Here are a few reasons why I think "Big Bang Theory" deserves to live on:

1. Nerdy humor that's actually funny to nerds. Too often, when geeks, dorks, nerds, and their ilk are portrayed on the big or small screen, the jokes are at their expense and are clearly coming from the point of view of an outsider. However, this is a series where the nerdy humor is actually funny and clearly written by people who know what they're talking about (e.g. Sheldon dressing up as The Doppler Effect for Halloween).
2. A strong and funny cast. The acting in this show is amazing. They say comedy is tougher than drama, and no doubt nerdy comedy is much harder than your standard Ray Romano fare. You have to be funny and sound like you know what you're talking about when talking about something obscure at the same time (e.g. jokes about string theory). These guys make it look easy - resulting in many laugh-out-loud moments. And what's more, you can tell they're in touch with their characters. Each one is portrayed so much heart and soul.
3. Situations we all can identify with. Despite the nerdy humor, the overall situation of unrequited love - which, admittedly, creates a risk that the series will become a one-noter - is a universal experience that can draw in a variety of viewers, provided CBS gives it a chance and starts promoting it more.
4. Quotes like these:

   Leonard: A Homo habilis discovering his opposable thumbs says what?
   Kurt: What?
   +++
   Sheldon: I'll watch the last 24 mintues of "Doctor Who," although at this point it's more like "Doctor Why Bother."
   +++
   Penny: I'm a Sagittarius, which probably tells you way more than you need to know.
   Sheldon: Yes, it tells us that you participate in the mass cultural delusion that the sun's apparent position relative to arbitrarily defined constellations at the time of your birth somehow affects your personality.
   Penny: (puzzled) Participate in the what?

So there you have it. If anyone out there in the series of tubes is listening (and has influence over this situation), please give "The Big Bang Theory" a chance to prove itself.

Some of Josh's newest articles

Sorry we've been so bad about this of late. We're not used to having a social life! Apologies that this isn't comprehensive. The Blade's search function, well, doesn't at present.

November 16
Clinton announces more gay supporters
Campaign wins backing of black, trans activists and Rep. Frank

Gays find new Republican allies in Congress
GOP support noted in ENDA, hate crimes votes

Baltimore archbishop's homily offends gays

Montgomery County approves trans bias bill
Bars discrimination in housing, employment, accommodations

November 9
2 GOP frontrunners talk gay marriage
Thompson, Giuliani back amendments under certain circumstances

October 29
Baltimore mayor to create gay issues office
Plans announced at Equality Maryland Jazz Brunch

October 26
Obama stands by ‘ex-gay’ minister despite protests
McClurkin remains part of campaign event over HRC and donor objections

Of 45 long-serving senators, most backed ENDA in 1996
But filibuster-proof majority could prove elusive this year

Baltimore mayor’s pastor has anti-gay ties, theology
But local activists assert Dixon has ‘a mind of her own’

October 24
Obama stands by anti-gay minister
Despite HRC protest, McClurkin to stay on tour

October 19
Majority of Democratic freshmen in House back trans-inclusive bill
State groups holding steady against gay-only ENDA

October 17
Baldwin seeks to amend gay-only ENDA
Move would restore ‘gender identity’ provision

So, yeah...Beowulf.

We went to see Beowulf today, and my review can be summed up as follows:

"Neil Gaiman, what the HELL happened to you?"

One of the best authors ever, who personally restored my faith in modern literature thanks to such amazing books as Stardust, Neverwhere, and American Gods, co-wrote this piece of goofy trash. Allow me to elaborate on the many ways in which this film misfires:

1. On a technical level, many parts of this entirely-CGI-based film are actually believable and well done. But the problem is that half the time, you feel like you're watching Shrek. While some characters, like King Hrothgar and Beowulf himself, are very believable-looking human beings, many (mainly the female characters of the queen and Grendel's mother) look very plastic, hardly an improvement on how Princess Fiona looks in the first Shrek film. Their skin and expressions are too perfect, too limited, and the result is jarring - especially when the film shows you a really well-created character model next to one that could have used more work in the same frame.

2. Many, many moments in the film that are supposed to be dramatic end up being unintentionally hilarious. As in the epic poem, Beowulf fights Grendel in the nude, which is pretty hardcore for a warrior. But instead of coming off as tough, it ends up playing out like a sequence from Austin Powers, with object after object covering up Beowulf's R-rated bits during the fight sequence. And the final battle, which I won't spoil here, is just so completely over-the-top and unbelievable that you can't take it seriously at all.

3. The acting. Oh lord, the acting. And some of the scripting. These actors/CGI-characters end up chewing the scenery with such aplomb you'd think you were watching a Lifetime movie. As an example, I quote (loosely) from a moment toward the end:

Beowulf: If I die, do not remember me as a king. Do not remember me as a warrior. Remember me as a fallible man...

Yeah.

4. Don't even get me started on the ham-fisted use of symbolism and foreshadowing that indicate a much less masterful writer than Neil Gaiman was behind this film.

5. And finally, the completely arbitrary and pointless use of Christianity and Christian symbols - up to and including a man literally dying on a cross to symbolize his martyrdom (see point #4) - make for a movie that comes off as much more amateurish than it should have been.

So that pretty much sums it up. If you're looking for a popcorn movie with lots of pretty special effects, go check it out. But if you're looking for an epic akin to the Lord of the Rings trilogy, just go and buy the new boxed set of Peter Jackson's masterpiece instead.

"What newspaper is that?"

I know it's been a while, but today I had my D.C. Moment of the Week.

On my journey home from work this evening, I had in tow a copy of today's Washington Blade. I enjoy flipping through the finished product, and my time aboard Metro is a good opportunity to read some pieces I might not otherwise catch.

At one point, as I sat next to a woman, I read this week's main editorial. It's a piece by Ryan Lee called "Three ways to lose the fight." I found it to be a fascinating read. So did the woman next to me.

As we approached her stop, the woman asked me, "What newspaper is that?" I flipped to the front cover, showed her the logo, and told her the name. She told me that she was reading the editorial over my shoulder and found it genuinely interesting. I closed the newspaper and passed it to her, telling her she was welcome to have it. She protested, saying she didn't want to take it from me. I told her that wasn't a problem, since I work there and could easily get another copy. The woman thanked me, took the paper, and promptly exited the train.

Even as I write about it now, I'm still reveling in the moment. It renewed my hope that newspapers -- often called an endangered species -- still can win new readers.

"Every Guest, Every Time" gets screwed?

I knew that one day my vigilant tracking of charged expenses would be worthwhile. That day has arrived.

Over the weekend, I went with several friends to Gordon Biersch, a sports bar and restaurant in downtown D.C. It was my first time there, and the establishment honestly didn't leave much of an impression on me. The food was fine, the atmosphere palatable, and the service lackluster.

The cost for my hamburger and Annie's house salad came to $16.39. I paid with a credit card, included what I felt was a fair tip, all things considered, and wrote $20.00 as the total. And that was that.

Until yesterday.

I checked my bank account to see if the charge had cleared. It had, but the tab had somehow grown another $5.39. Thinking the waiter had simply mixed receipts among the many party members, I called Gordon Biersch to speak with a manager and resolve the situation. I also wrote an e-mail to my friends, alerting them of the situation and encouraging them to review their charges.

The manager I spoke with noted early in the conversation that he was on my side, but also inferred that I might have consumed one drink too many and I might not be recalling the final tab correctly. I replied that was unlikely since there was no alcohol on my tab. He also noted any attempt to swindle me would be "not like" the waiter in question, who had been with Gordon Biersch "for a while."

Despite these misgivings, the manager pulled the receipt and reviewed it with me by phone. He told me that it appeared the receipt might have been modified and asked me to come down and review it, which I agreed to do.

In preparing to leave, I checked my e-mail and found I had received two replies from friends. Both said they also had been overcharged. One was hit for an additional $8, while another inexplicably got hit for $10 extra.

I traveled to Gordon Biersch and spoke again with the manager. He showed me the receipt, and I was immediately able to verify for him that it had been altered. The ink used to write a $9.00 tip and revised $25.39 total was different than the ink I used to sign the receipt. Also, the writing did not match my own.

Understandably, this befuddled and frustrated the manager, who was now in a position of having to issue multiple refunds and reprimand, if not fire, an employee. He apologized repeatedly and refunded the $5.39 overcharge to my credit card. I did not seek and he did not offer any additional refund or compensation.

In reviewing the bill, we jointly decided it had been unwise of me to leave the tip line blank and instead only write a total. I chalked that up to him as "a learning experience," and he asked that I share that lesson with my friends who had done the same. He also said that since I had verified for him in person that my tab was altered, he felt safe going ahead and issuing refunds to anyone else who was affected and called him.

Upon returning home, I sent out another e-mail, telling my friends what they needed to do and who they needed to speak with to resolve any discrepancies. As requested, I also encouraged people to never leave the tip line blank.

Which brings us to an interesting postscript. This morning I heard from yet another friend who was affected. But unlike the many of us who left the tip line blank and automatically incorporated the tip into the total, he drew a line across the tip section. Nonetheless, he was overcharged $10.00.

All this has caused me to wonder what was omitted from the Gordon Biersch slogan, "Every Guest, Every Time." After this experience, I think it's obvious.

The thing about Kung Fu...

...is it makes your body hurt.

Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow.

Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down

Random observations of late.

Thumbs Up to NPD Group: The data collector announced today that it would continue to provide console and handheld system sales figures "indefinitely." The announcement comes one week after the company moved to make that information privileged. Thumbs Up to NPD Group for heeding the outcry from fanboys like myself.

Thumbs Down to Big Bang Theory: My favorite new television series aired an amazingly lackluster episode tonight. Since this looks to be the series' final installment until the Writers Guild of America strike ends, Thumbs Down to "Big Bang Theory" for exiting on such a weak note.

Thumbs Up to Trying New Things: Tomorrow, I shall attend a Kung Fu class with three friends who've convinced me that it will do me good. Should I survive the two free trial sessions, I may even pay to attend the remainder of the two-month, YMCA class. Assuming I survive, I'll let you know how it goes.

Thumbs Down to Annie Being Out of Town: The love of my life is in Chicago until Wednesday. Insert sad, lonely face here.

More free Nintendo goodness

I have to hand it to Nintendo: They know how to make me keep coming back for more.

Their newest customer offer is tied to "The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass." If you buy the game and fill out a short survey at Nintendo.com, the company sends you a special stylus to use with the Nintendo DS. (You can see it pictured at right.) I bought the game yesterday, filled out the survey today, and now await my new stylus in "four to six weeks."

Little offers like this don't cost the company much, but they make customers feel valued. Koodos to Nintendo. It's for reasons like this that the company is currently dominating the market.

C'est magnifique!

Josh usually loves my cooking, but tonight's recipe earned me the rare superlative "Magnificent" from him. Wow! So I just had to share it. It's from a recent issue of the Betty Crocker cooking magazine.

Pesto-Chicken Manicotti

Prep: 20 minutes
Start to finish: 1 hour 15 minutes
7 servings (2 manicotti each)

Ingredients:

• 1 jar (16 oz.) Alfredo pasta sauce
• 1 ½ cups water
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 package (1 ¼ lb.) uncooked chicken breast tenders (not breaded) (14 tenders) - OR 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 14 uncooked manicotti pasta shells (8 oz.)
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz.)
• 1 large tomato, chopped (1 cup)
• 1/3 cup basil pesto

Procedure:

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. In medium bowl, mix pasta sauce, water and garlic powder. In ungreased 13x9-inch (3 quart) glass baking dish, spread about one-third (1 cup) of the pasta sauce mixture.
2. In a medium bowl, sprinkle chicken tenders with Italian seasoning. Stuff chicken into uncooked manicotti shells. Place shells on pasta sauce baking dish. Pour remaining pasta sauce mixture evenly over shells, covering completely.
3. Cover with foil. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until shells are tender. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered 2 to 4 minutes or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with tomato. Serve with pesto.

Pondering the insanity that is Black Friday

Some people jive for Halloween. Others love Christmas Eve. But in some ways, Black Friday is my favorite day of the year.

Admittedly, I have a love-hate relationship with the big sales day that follows Thanksgiving. I love the prices, but hate the traffic. So it's sometimes a tough call as to whether I should join the crowds. But some of the deals being offered this year are particularly enticing. Among the highlights..

* Labyrinth on DVD for $4.99 at Best Buy ($15 off)
* West Wing on DVD for $14.99 per season at Circuit City ($25 off)
* Super Mario Galaxy for $34.99 at Circuit City ($15 off)
* Atari Flashback 2.0 for $17.00 at Target ($13 off)

Would you dare journey out for such deals?

More random thoughts

This time, from Annie!

1. What's wrong with the kids in our apartment building?
We were home. We hung out the official "trick-or-treaters welcome" sign. We sprang for regulation-sized candy bars. But not a single trick-or-treater knocked on our door Halloween night. Bah.

2. People I'm admiring right now
Kathy and Janet, who have both purchased their first homes well before the age of 30. Kari, who has started her own business. And Matt, who is taking a giant leap from building security to selling insurance.

3. Things I'm nostaligic for right now
My SuperDoh Snack Shoppe. My Barbie McDonald's. My Fisher Price Castle. And a time before I knew what the Farm Bill was.

4. Entertainment I'm jiving on right now
Big Bang Theory. Season 1 of Ugly Betty. The British version of Whose Line Is It, Anyway? The Play Value podcast. NPR's "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" podcast. The Escape Pod podcast. The Donnas' new album. John Oszajca.

5. Things I'm less enthusiastic about than I used to be
Battlestar Galactica. Metro. Ask a Ninja. Galacticast.

6. The movie you really don't need to see
We Own the Night. Trust me on this one. Unless you really enjoy watching Joaquin Phoenix look hung over and cry a lot, then chase a guy through a field of reeds.

My stream of consciousness doth runneth over

The thoughts going through my head tonight do not comprise a coherent picture, but I feel compelled to blog regardless. I apologize in advance...

I'm sad to learn the one new show worth watching this season, "Big Bang Theory," has been hit hard by the ongoing Writer's Guild of America strike. Nonetheless, I stand by my fellow wordsmiths.

That longshot presidential candidate Ron Paul can raise $4.2 million in one day gives this jaded Beltway insider renewed hope for the state of American politics. Go, grassroots!

I'm among the many gamers who cried foul today when the NPD Group announced it would no longer publicly release monthly sales data for console and handheld machines. And if you know what that last sentence means, you're likely peeved, too.

Technological advancement is good and all, but Yahoo isn't doing itself any favors with the new version of Yahoo Mail they're pushing. If my option to abort this new interface is ever removed, so too will be my membership to Yahoo Mail.

Who the heck turned down the Maryland thermostat? It was frickin freezing when I left for work this morning, and wasn't any better when I returned home after sundown.

And speaking of moderate annoyances, why is Metro on the fritz so much lately? It left me stranded in Silver Spring on Friday (see the 8:05 a.m. log entry) and made my commute home this evening take twice as long as usual.

On the bright side, I'm getting some free Nintendo Wii accessories directly from the manufacturer, and you can, too. Free is good.

Some final thoughts before I go: Think twice before you tip after your next D.C. cab ride, don't bother playing the snore that is Arkham Horror, and mad props to my sister for deftly leading her first marriage ceremony last weekend.

That concludes tonight's brain drain. Good night.

Mightier than the sword?

I don't expect the Writer's Guild of America strike that began today will win much public support. The last time the guild struck, it set the stage for the plague of reality TV that still banes our airwaves today.

But pause a moment to review the facts and you'll see there are legitimate reasons for this strike. Despite what the studios would have you believe, this isn't a situation where film and TV writers have turned greedy. This is about profit sharing. It's about equity. It's about the writers getting their due.

Here's a summary of the guild's complaints, as excerpted from Entertainment Weekly:

"As dense as some of the negotiation-speak may seem (what's all this talk about credit and separate rights, anyway?) the writers' complaints are pretty simple: every time you catch an episode of Desperate Housewives on ABC.com, creator/writer Marc Cherry (or his fellow DH scribe, who may have written that particular episode) doesn't get paid for it. Every time a series writer generates new content for his show's official Web page, he doesn't get paid for it. The writers also want a bigger piece of DVD profits (0.6 percent, up from 0.3 percent), so if you decide to, say, buy season one of Heroes on DVD, the scribes would get more money in their residual checks. That's what this dispute is about, give or take a few disagreements over credit and pensions and such."

Indeed, the complaints are simple. And fair. It's wrong that the studios have disproportionately profited from the broadcasting of TV and film via "new media" channels. I had no idea that my watching "Ugly Betty" on ABC.com was a snub to the show's excellent writers. I also had no idea that guild writers were receiving such a small share of the profits from DVD sales, which are a gravy train for studios.

It's time for these inequities to be resolved. I stand with the writers in this dispute -- "Go, pens!" -- and strongly encourage the studios to yield.