Ponderings

While I was pondering things the other day, I felt that we may be on the edge of a new vanguard in technology. Once we pass the edge and begin the transformation, jobs will be generated in the hubbub and this transition we are in economically speaking will end. I'd no idea what that next step would be but thought that might be what's going on.

A more disturbing thought occurred today. What if the technology is already here? What if this economic situation is due to the fact that we have the tools to transform our society but we were too slow to do so and are suffering because of it?

That does sound like something we would do.

Colin Solves the Case

We were standing in front of the Chinese House exhibit on the 3rd floor of the Milwaukee Public Museum today. Eric and I were discussing something, what exactly eludes me now. Perhaps how kung fu movies from the 1970s made this type of structure look familiar to us. If not that, no doubt it was something as intellectually stimulating. Eric's young son Colin was busily investigating the Chinese Dog Statues that guard the house; there's one on each side of the doorway.

My conversation died off suddenly as I heard a rattle. Or maybe a rumble. The noise of movement certainly. I looked down at Colin and the Chinese Dog and quickly knelt to investigate.

Some months ago while looking through my archive of saved newspaper articles, I found a few regarding the Museum. One mentioned the Chinese Dogs and that there was a ball in their mouths. The Chinese would rotate them for good luck. After reading the article, I tried to find this but was unable to do so. The mouth was cemented closed. Figuring something had changed between the article's creation and my re-reading of it, I stopped worrying about it.

I was wrong. Now that I was closer to Colin's level I could see how the mouth was structured. It was open, not sealed closed, and the sculpted tongue acted as part of the overall design. There was a gap if I reached back a little, a gap that I could poke my finger into and, lo!, there was a ball that could be pushed around, back and forth. I pushed it, Colin pushed it back to me, and I rattled it back and forth with glee.

The lad is not quite two. I don't think he could grasp how sincere and heartfelt I meant my 'thank you' to him. He had unlocked a mystery for me.

Before you start giving me a hard time about an almost two year old outsmarting me, I'd helped him with the snake button associated with the Bison Hunt diorama on the 2nd Floor about a half-hour before. Clearly he was just thanking me by trading information.

This is a good kid.

And Finally, Dinner

Once in the Chinese restaurant, Harold tries to reclaim his cool, even after Albert declares his lack of trust in the Chinese, feeling they are trying to steal his new gloves. Harold declares they're good people and briefly shuts Albert up by reminding his dad how he enjoys Charlie Chan movies. The menu gives Albert a new reason to complain. The names of the dishes all sound nasty to him and he's upset when he can't get his normal greasy spoon English food. Harold takes care of the food order, noting he'll like it once he sees it and realizes what's in it. Harold also takes care of ordering the drinks. Seeing another customer checking his bill, Albert goes to help him, loudly noting that the Chinese would likely cheat him given the chance. The gentleman tries to listen patiently to Albert as he natters on but almost loses his cool as he leaves with his party. Albert doesn't notice that he's been obnoxious, thinking he's made a new friend. Harold, now steaming, begins to disabuse him of this notion but the food arrives before he can get too far. Harold makes a big deal of sniffing the wine and sampling it before he approves of it but, once Albert gets a glassful, he quickly drains it. To make things that much more exotic, Albert ordered chopsticks as utensils. He tries to show his father how to use them but he needs some fingers to get the food to his mouth. Albert can't get them to work properly. Once he does manage to get food to his mouth, he immediately spits it out, claiming it's horrible. This is the final straw for Harold. He quietly explodes at his father, trying not to make a further scene, pays for the food and leaves.

In order to show his respect for his new hat, Fred gets an extra chair at the table to set it on and a napkin to protect it. Fred's concern for the restaurant isn't a shifty, can't trust Fu Manchu sort of thing like Albert, but he repeats the urban legend that you can't trust the origins of the meat in a Chinese restaurant. Lamont tells him not to worry and, like Harold, orders the food, noting his father will like it when he sees it. Fred's attempt to order soul food gets nowhere. Like Albert, Fred annoys a nearby customer, not grasping his conversation is unwelcome. Lamont's expressions of annoyance are cut off by the arrival of the food. Fred thinks the food smells like bug spray, accusing the cooks of spraying the food so it won't move after leaving the kitchen. That's the last straw for Lamont. He explodes, pays for the food and leaves.

Most of the reduction in the scene from Steptoe to Sanford is in the son's actions. Harold is continuing to try and act above his class, which Lamont has not been bothering to attempt. Lamont is just at these places because he enjoys them and is either accepted or doesn't care what other people think about him being there. Harold is looking for acceptance. He worked to fit in at the cocktail lounge and at the theatre. Here it's primarily with the selection of the wine. He puts on airs, working to sound like he knows what he's talking about, and showing off once it arrives. These are all believable actions for the character based on his previous activities. He's either working to elevate his class status or destroy the class structure.

Fred gets to do a piece of shtick getting a chair for his new hat. This connects nicely with his attempt to go home and let Lamont enjoy himself on his own. Not only is it silly, but it acts as an apology, saying that he's still pleased about this present and seeking to treat it with the respect it deserves.

The end of the night is very different for both. By the time Fred gets outside, Lamont is gone. It starts to rain, he gets flustered, removes the hat and protects it under his suitcoat. Despite their argument and harsh words, there's still a respect there, and we can see it reestablished the next morning during the coda sequence that I mentioned earlier. Fred and Lamont fight but during the fights we've seen enough evidence that they care for each other so that it blowing over by morning makes sense.

Once Albert gets outside, he bumps into Harold. Albert watches sadly as Harold stomps away. Before turning the corner and disappearing, he pauses to loudly remind his father to look after his new gloves. Albert wanders alone to the tube station. He takes his gloves off in order to retrieve money from his pants pockets, tucks his gloves under his arm, and promptly drops them without noticing.

No happy ending here. Despite the way this looks, has Albert subconsciously intentionally dropped the gloves? Possibly. The way the scene plays out, it seems odd that he wouldn't notice them being gone. He may even go back and collect them once the show we see ends. Here it acts as a symbol for the down note in their relationship. While we see Lamont and Fred happy the next day, losing the gloves will just give Harold and Albert more reasons to yell at each other.

The failure is with the sons. Instead of taking their fathers out for a good time that the fathers will like, they try to use the evening to educate their fathers. When these plans fail, they blame the attitude of the father moreso than themselves.


This became longer than expected. More than normal I'd appreciate some feedback on this to see if it was interesting or if I just rabbited on at length about TV. If this was interesting, or was close to it if I'd done this or that differently, I do have further episodes I can compare and contrast. Thanks.

To the Show

Next in the evening's proceedings is the show. There are some interesting if more subtle variations here.

The Steptoes attend a performance of 'Richard III' at the Old Vic. As in the lounge, Harold tries to elevate his social status by loudly asking questions of his father, trying to sound literate to the other people in attendance. Albert doesn't understand the Shakespearian era language and doesn't believe a king would act the way the actor is portraying him. Harold energetically explains this is an historical piece. He accuses Albert of knowing nothing of his own country's history, being more familiar with the American Old West from movies and TV. A bell sounds to announce the start of the second act. Once Albert finds out there's another two hours of play to go, he refuses to return to the theatre. Harold doesn't argue with him because he's seen it already. They'll just head for dinner.

Lamont has taken his father to see the film version of 'Fiddler on the Roof'. Fred's not enjoying himself because he doesn't understand it, although he might if he were Jewish. Lamont accuses him of not having it in him to understand, that he doesn't try to like anything deeper than a TV show. When the buzzer announces the second half of the film, Fred announces he's not going back in, Lamont can finish up the movie, Fred's happy with the nice evening they've had so far, but Fred will catch the bus and meet him at home. Lamont declares he promised him dinner and to dinner they will go.

Both sons take their father to something they hope will elevate the mind a bit, show them the finer things that art can offer. Neither father is interested. While Harold attempts to do some social climbing, Lamont is only concerned with his father's reaction. Lamont's not interesting in getting on the good side of other people here, just his father. Both sons feel that TV westerns are their father's main entertainment. Interestingly, they don't reference the same one: Harold declares Albert a fan of 'Bonanza' whereas Fred watches 'Gunsmoke'.

The most important variation comes with the exit. Harold is tired of arguing. He's seen the play before so he can live with missing the rest. Annoyed he drags his father off to dinner.

Unlike Albert, Fred offers to go home at this point. He doesn't want to spoil Lamont's night out. While both fathers expressed that they wouldn't enjoy the evening if it was too posh, Fred is the only one of the two to try and gracefully leave, thanking his son and wanting the son to enjoy himself. Lamont doesn't indicate he's already seen the film, it's implied he hasn't already, but by this point he's so upset with his father that he's taking his father to dinner because that's what he's promised to do.

While both are funny, I think the Sanford scene accomplishes more. Fred offering to go home is an interesting 'I want my son to be happy' piece that the Steptoe episode doesn't offer. Due to the variation in length for the restaurant scene between the episodes, it's important for Lamont to be angry now. He doesn't have time to slowly boil over in the next scene like Harold does.

Just a Nice Drink

Both sets of fathers and sons next head to the cocktail lounge. Both fathers are keen for beer and are dismayed when they find out there's no beer on tap. Bottled beer is available but they can't drink that as it gives them gas. Both fathers find the prices way too expensive and suggest alternatives. Both are dismayed that there are no games to play. Nothing the son can do will calm the father and they quickly leave to go to the show.

Both of these sequences start the process of the father getting on the son's nerves. In both cases, the son wants to do something nice, to do something fancy for a change but the father is uncomfortable is such a nice place and would just as soon be somewhere more relaxed. Both of these sequences amuse me for different reasons.

Albert grouses about the lack of draft beer. Their local pub, the Skinners Arms, has draft beer so why doesn't this place? The bartender suggests a drink for Albert and Harold agrees to it. From the 'deer in the headlights' look Harold gives the bartender, it appears that he doesn't know what is in the drink. For himself, Harold orders a specifically made vodka martini. Albert knows why. He's trying to look cool as it's the drink 'James Bond orders in that Doctor No film'. Harold insists it's his normal drink, but Albert disagrees, knowing what he orders at the Skinners Arms. There's no dart board here, the drinks are too expensive, and Albert's drink looks like a fruit salad. When Harold sees a young lady at the end of the bar needing a light for her cigarette, he hurries to help her. Upon noticing he's gone, Albert yells for his son to return. Uncomfortable, they leave. Harold pauses to look back on the young lady, but she's already happily talking to someone else.

The comedy here is on the shoulders of both characters. Harold is desperately trying to look cool and being let down by his father. Albert is uncomfortable and willing to share that with others. Nothing goes like it should.

In the American version, Lamont is just trying to have a good time which his father spoils. While Lamont has things to do, Fred leads the comedy here.

First Fred doesn't want to take his hat off, not quite grasping it's impolite. Finding a drinks menu on the bar, he first tries to order a Shirley Temple. Lamont stops him from doing so and the conversation about beer begins, Fred adding a request for canned beer as that doesn't make him burp and he doesn't want to burp. The bartender steps away, allowing Lamont to express his annoyance. Fred tried to order the Shirley Temple because it was the cheapest thing on the menu. Lamont's reassurance that he's got the money does nothing to slow Fred who suggests they head to a supermarket, get a six pack, and drink it in the parking lot. He's also annoyed that there's no pinball machine. The bartender returns with the suggestion of an old-fashioned but, not realizing it's a drink, Fred takes it as an insult. Lamont orders it for him and a vodka martini for himself. Fred is shocked by the price of the drinks. He sips his drink and reacts poorly, comparing it to drinking maple syrup. As Fred won't settle down, they leave, but on their way out, Fred yells for them to get a pinball machine.

I'm not sure why Fred and Lamont don't have a local bar of their own to reference. Later in the series, they will have specific establishments they frequent. Perhaps I consider the idea of a 'local' more natural as I'm from Wisconsin where such things are more commonplace? The idea of drinking a six pack in a supermarket parking lot seems so much sillier to me that it works for me. It just seems so wrong.

Fred is also much louder than Albert. Albert raises his voice but not to the degree Fred does. Fred clearly does not care who hears him. The most notable difference being in the search for games. Albert asks Harold where the dartboard is and grumbles when there isn't one. Fred loudly asks for the location of the pinball machine and his declaration to get one as they leave is not subtle. Fred's negative reaction to his drink is also meant for sharing. He keeps nothing to himself while they are in the lounge, slowly embarrassing Lamont more and more until they leave. This is Redd Foxx's moment to take charge and he does.

The Importance of Looking

I hesitate to generalize American TV as 'simple' or 'dumbed down' compared to British offerings, especially as both cultures have generated items that can be classified as 'simple' and 'clever'. For every game show masquerading as a reality programme, there's a witty comedy that survives the test of time. With that said, there's a subtle sequence in the British version that plays out on a more basic level in the American version. Due to the timing of the appearance of the American version, being only the second episode in the series, it has to play out on a more basic level because the characters have yet to be defined in the audience's mind. As this has been accomplished in 'Steptoe', they can proceed in a different manner. Both mean to achieve the same goal at the end.

In the American version, Fred announces he's going to bed. Lamont stops him in order to give him his present; the teasing that the birthday has been forgotten is over. In a good-natured way Fred chides him for messing with him and together they relish the gag. Lamont watches as Fred opens the present, a stylish gray hat. Fred is happy to get it and Lamont is clearly pleased he's chosen correctly, enthusiastically dragging his father to a nearby mirror to try it on. It's a boy seeking to please his father and succeeding. Any conflict here is due to Fred's smart mouth but he's clearly joking and Lamont can take it as such.

In the British version, Albert announces he's going to bed. Harold stops him, holds out the present, and says 'Happy Birthday.' Albert snatches it, snapping verbally with frustration. Harold laughs, enjoying every moment, noting how he couldn't wait to see his face. Albert does not join in with the merriment. This is big change number one: since Lamont didn't give his father a hard time for a long time, Fred could bounce back quickly to appreciate the humor in the situation. Harold wound his father up too far and it's not funny to Albert. Since the British audience expects this sort of thing from the pair, it's still funny to them.

Harold is keen for his father to open the present, encouraging him to do so, but then turns away. He was keen to see his father's expression after his joke was revealed but then doesn't watch his expression upon opening the present. This would appear to be a 'guy thing' moment. It's one thing to watch your buddy as a joke is played on him, but a moment of real emotion is awkward and not for sharing. The opening of the card that occurs after the present is dealt with also supports this theory.

Harold's turning away allows for a subtle moment. Upon opening the present and finding a pair of nice gloves inside, Albert is clearly pleased, for all of a second. He quickly puts the mask on and expresses indifference to the gloves. Why? This is his chance to get Harold back. Had Harold been watching him, this wouldn't have been possible as he would have seen the glee. Harold becomes defensive of his present, pointing out the quality and helping his father try them on. Albert doesn't give his son the hard time he received. He soon agrees that the gloves are nice and need to be kept for best, just as Fred and Lamont agree that the hat should be treated.

Both sons have also gotten their father a card with a 'mushy' poem inside. Both fathers are keen to receive the card, happier about the card than the present, not that they don't like the present but the card would have been enough. Both decide to read the card aloud.

This is where Albert does the 'glasses' gag that Fred does during the phone call to Social Security. Interestingly enough, the glasses seem to help Fred whereas Albert reads the card more clearly once he's taken the glasses back off. As Albert reads the card, Harold turns away embarrassed. Albert is touched by the sentiment expressed, and Harold tries to play it off as a bit corny but true. Albert goes to put it with all the other cards Harold's given him over the years, and the cards he and his late wife exchanged, and Harold's school reports as well as his letters to Father Christmas. While this goes to support Albert's character as a pack rat, he often wants to keep the junk they bring in rather than sell it, it's also a moment that supports the relationship he has with his son. They may argue, they may give each other a difficult time, but, at the centre of it is love. By the end of his sequence, seeing Harold wanting his father to enjoy his gift and Albert near tears at the card, the audience is reassured that they care for each other.

On the other hand, Fred doesn't repeat the 'glasses' gag, but calls back to it by retrieving a pair from his sweater in order to read the card aloud. Lamont is uncomfortable and continues to interrupt his father's attempts to read it. While the emotion is still manifest, it occurs like shtick, like a Abbott and Costello or Hope and Crosby routine. Lamont also doesn't watch his father read the card, only looking at him when Fred turns halfway through to smile at him. Lamont also tries to play off Fred's positive reaction to the card by noting it was 'corny' but this offends Fred. This is where they do most of their arguing, not over the pretend forgetting, not over the pretending to not like the present, but over the emotion in the card. To Fred, Lamont calling it 'corny' and 'mushy' means he doesn't agree with all those nice words. Once Lamont has become defensive enough about it, Fred defuses the situation by noting his new hat is the best he's ever owned. Lamont can then relax and move on. As in the British version, it's clear they care about each other. Lamont wants his father to enjoy the present, Fred enjoys the present. Even though they argue, there are signs that they want each other to be happy.

In both versions, the son now announces to the father that this is only part of the present, that there is also a night on the town planned. It is important that both versions have established that Father and Son can get along and do love one another because it's all down hill from here.

'Happy Birthday Pop' based on 'Sixty-Five Today'

Shared Plot

It is Father's sixty-fifth birthday. Son returns home from work with packages and pretends to have forgotten Father's birthday. After Father turns sadly to go to bed, Son hands over his present, a stylish clothing accessory that both Father and Son agrees should be worn for best. The present is not complete as Son has an evening on the town planned as well: drinks, a show, and dinner. Father doesn't enjoy the fancy drinks and finds them too expensive. The show is too upscale and long for Father's taste. Dinner at the Chinese restaurant doesn't go well either, with Father not liking the food. Son becomes upset that all his hard work is unappreciated and leaves.

Variations

From a pacing perspective, the episodes are very similar. Not requiring a commercial break, the Steptoe episode runs to about 31 minutes with the credits as they are part of the story, not repeating the same sequence every week. The Sanford episode is just short of 26 minutes with the credits included but those credits are not part of the story, they are the same piece of film every week. The Sanford episode also has a coda, a brief piece of non-essential story that was generally removed in syndication. If we take the timing from where the story ends, the length is 23 minutes and 15 seconds long, almost 8 minutes shorter than the British version.

The opening sequence where the Father's birthday is discussed and the evening out set up takes up about half of the episode for each version. The sequences in the bar and theatre run to similar lengths for both. The greatest variation is in the restaurant sequence which is about 4 minutes shorter in the American version.

While the general pacing is the same, the specific pacing is different and that's where the two approaches become unique. The Steptoe episode is from the second series. The characters of Father Albert and Son Harold are already established to the viewing audience. They have expectations. This is the second episode of 'Sanford and Son' so the characters of Father Fred and Son Lamont are still being established. The sequence of Harold pretending to have forgotten his Father's birthday is much longer than in the American version. Since the audience is already familiar with their relationship, this sort of thing would seem natural. If Lamont were to treat Fred in this way, this early in the history of the show the audience might turn on him as cruel.

Both Albert and Fred do the 'glasses' gag, digging through a drawer full of spectacles for the pair that will assist him with this specific task, but for different reasons. Albert uses the glasses in order to read the card Harold gives him. Fred uses them to read the phone book and dial the phone to talk to Social Security. In the American version, this conversation soaks up most of the time spent in the British version with Harold 'forgetting' the birthday. It's also mirrored in the coda sequence. Fred decides he's going to retire on the money Social Security will pay him. Lamont explains he won't get the maximum payout as he hasn't earned enough money to qualify. Fred calls to check. In both conversations with Social Security Fred asks a question. Both are answered to his satisfaction, responding to their explanation with multiple 'uh-huh' until he hangs up. This plays out better than it reads.

Where Steptoe Meets Sanford

A good idea is a good idea, no matter where it comes from originally. A successful idea opens itself up for copying, remaking, redoing. If it worked once, it should work again.

Nowhere is this as obvious as in television. Popular shows go from one country to the next, occasionally to be rebroadcast, but just as often to be remade, to have culturally specific references removed to better position the programme for success in its new home.

Many of the popular comedy shows of 1970's American television have their roots in England. After the success of translating 'Til Death Us Do Part' into 'All in the Family', other shows followed. 'Man About the House' became 'Three's Company'. 'Fawlty Towers' became 'Amanda's'. Okay, so maybe all the remakes weren't popular.

In 1972, the British show 'Steptoe and Son' came to America to become 'Sanford and Son'. Of the fourteen episodes that make up the first season of 'Sanford and Son', twelve of them are identified as rewritten 'Steptoe and Son' episodes. While not the only episodes so translated, it's interesting to see so many episodes from the original were used in this way.

I have all of 'Sanford and Son' on DVD and have about half of 'Steptoe and Son' on DVD. I enjoy both programmes for what they are but never really watch them at the same time. The urge to watch old British sitcoms generally fits a different mood than the urge that craves Redd Foxx's brand of silliness.

Last week, watching 'Steptoe and Son' while I dozed off, it occurred to me that I couldn't really remember anyone comparing and contrasting the original and the American versions. It's not that one is better than the other, just to see how things get changed, to take a look at the structure of the writing and performances to see how they differ. There may be a very good reason to not do this, one that I will learn while giving it a try.

In this regard, I'm hoping failure will be as entertaining as success. We shall see.

To Success!

All I know is that the last three Brewer home games equate to the last three Brewer home wins, going back to last year's playoff game. If the Brewers care to employ me as a lucky charm, I am not that hard to contact.

In progress gets you this

Spent a good chunk of today working on the project I talked about last week. Research and such. Fun! I don't want to rush it so I'm not going to crank it out for today. As a taste or tease or whatever you want to call it, I'm posting the above picture which won't mean much of anything to a lot of people.

Ads still don't stick

I spent most of today playing catch-up from being ill. I did some cleaning, mostly the putting away of Things that had been staged rather than put away straight away. The advantage to doing this time of chore is that it allowed me to look for the camcorder battery for which I'm looking. No, I've not yet found it and that is still driving me up the wall.

I also worked on cleaning up one of my primary email inboxes. I took a number of surveys today. It makes me feel useful and that's sometimes handy during this period of time. What I learned from today's surveys is something I've longer suspected: most current advertising doesn't stick in my head. Plenty of older jingles are still in my head, popping out when I least suspect it. Today, under 'pressure', I could recognize commercials, even ones I found stupid and unentertaining, but had no memory of the brand that the ad was representing. That's a waste of ad dollars.

Maybe it's age. I probably see more commercials than most of my friends as I tend to watch more live tv than the rest, even now that I have DVR access, and these jingles don't linger. Maybe my brain is full of jingles and doesn't have room for any others. Maybe.

I'm still inclined to think that the commercial is dead.

Annoying

The worst thing about leaving an item out where you should be able to find it is that you can't leave everything out like that. There isn't the room. In an attempt to reflect that reality, items get assigned places, locations where they are supposed to reside when not in use.

I had a location where the spare battery to my camcorder was located. It's not there. I believe I moved the location to reflect the cleaning I've been doing on and off over the past few months. I don't know where it is now. I've been looking for the battery during this past week. I started hunting for it a bit more seriously today. I haven't found it yet and it's driving me nuts.

It's here somewhere. It had better be.

I am Mike Myers

We stood in line for a Very Important Reason. The wind whipped at us, increasing the priority of the Reason we were in line. This I did not enjoy. The line was not impossibly long but it was longer than I cared to see at the moment.

Bob's friend Ed spoke, pulling me from my inner musings. "It's taken me five beers but I figured out who you remind me of." A moment later, he'd lost it again, his brain hiding the name he required, but it was a movie star, someone well known, on the tip of his brain. He began an impersonation of a character the gentleman played, hoping that would trigger someone's memory, if not his own.

"Mike Myers?" I guessed. I was correct.

"I don't see it," commented the young lady in line behind Bob. She was young but not that young. Maybe young in the way that I could be considered young. Pleasant looking either way. I busted out a brief and rusty Dr. Evil impression. Both she and her friend laughed. "That's it! It's him!" A calculated rummaging began. "Hang on," the young lady stated, "we're looking for a pen. I want your autograph."

I became confused. While I knew beer was involved, I was clearly not Mike Myers, in any way. That said, I've nothing against a bit of fun.

I pulled aside my jacket in order to access the pockets of the flannel shirt that lay beneath. From that pocket, I produced a pen. "Look, he's got an autograph pen all ready!" she laughed. She pulled up a shirt sleeve and offered me the underside of her arm to sign.

I hesitated. Bob laughed. "You gonna sign it Mike Myers or Steve?"

Eh, what the heck. I signed her arm 'Mike Myers', almost horribly misspelling 'Myers'. I blame the medium. I'm not used to writing on other people's arms. As that was being accomplished, their camera was located, and Bob was asked to take a picture of them with me. I was a little impressed with how casually I draped my arms around their shoulders. I'm normally a little less casual around total strangers but, again, beer was involved.

I was thanked and they resumed their place in line behind us. The line had not moved much. "Great, now I've used up my best material and we're only here." That got a chuckle as well. At least I hadn't thought about the Reason for being in line for a minute.

It's my first time, please be gentle

I'm going to Opening Day today. Well, technically it's just the Brewers home opener as Opening Day for the season was Tuesday, but everyone here will be calling it Opening Day. In Milwaukee, this is a holiday, like a sequel to St. Patrick's Day. The fact that this year it falls on Good Friday, an actual holiday to some, will likely be lost on the bulk of the crowd.

This will be my first such event. I'm excited. Mostly I'm excited because it's baseball, we get to grill, and I know it'll be fun, win or lose. Part of me is excited in a 'how will this be different?' sorts of ways, 'will I get a good story out of this?' ways.

I'm planning to bring a notebook, just in case sometime different does happen so I can help myself remember it amongst the everything else. I shall also be dressing warmly. It's April in Wisconsin. Yesterday was nice. Today the wind shifted and it's in the upper 40s. It should still be warmer than my last tailgating experience at the Packers game. Oddly enough we played a Chicago team then as well. Packers played the Bears then and today the Brewers are up against the Cubs. Hmm, odd that.

This will be fun!

A Few Thoughts on Comics from this (?) week

Having missed getting my books last week due to my illness and then not getting my entire two week stack, I've no clue what came out when and that's likely to continue for another week or so. We'll talk about what I read and worry about the details of release, well, never I guess.

Amazing Spider-Man #590 starts dealing with a question some fans asked after the 'event' that, amongst other things, returned Spider-Man's secret identity to being a secret: won't some of his old pals notice that they've forgotten something? Spidey and the Fantastic Four meet up to follow up on a previous adventure to another dimension. Once they meet, it's clear to the FF that they knew who Spidey was but can't remember. This bothers Johnny Storm more than the rest and he becomes obsessed with remembering. The story flashes back to the previous adventure, mostly because it was never told before this story, so we can reference the change between before and after the 'event'. One of the main variations is that Spidey spends most of the previous adventure walking around with his mask off.

Huh? Really? Even in another dimension? That doesn't sound like the uptight Parker I know.

It may be my memory failing me but I don't remember that the FF knew Spider-Man was Peter Parker. I seem to remember Reed going 'of course I knew, I am so s-m-r-t' at one point, but that feels like a reasonably recent occurrence. Even with Pete's trust of the FF, I remember him being masked when going to Reed for help with the alien suit that would become Venom. Maybe I'm misremembering.

For sake of argument, let's say I'm misremembering and the FF have known about this for ages. It still seems weird to see Pete walking around in his Spidey suit but with the mask off. That's different. One of the plot points upon their return to the other dimension is that the grateful people they helped made statues of their heroes and, oh look, the Spidey one is unmasked but eroded so you can't make out the features. It feels like they did this just to give Johnny Storm another reason to freak-out about being unable to remember the secret identity.

From a reader's perspective, Pete's reluctance to let the FF in on his secret is a bit odd as he unmasked for the Avengers two weeks ago. He trusts them but not the FF? Really?

Now, the story is to be continued so it may make sense in the end. Maybe he admits he's being silly to friends he trusts and all is well in the end. Perhaps this story takes place before the one in New Avengers #51 and is the motivation behind him deciding to trust the Avengers with his secret as well.

At this moment it just doesn't read very well.

I'll be willing to take that back if #591 explains all but right now it feels like an awkward, rare 'swing and a miss' from writer Dan Slott.

Temptation

It's part of human nature to want what we can't have. That which is forbidden, for any reason, holds more interest than what is available. It may not be that we have no interest in the available, the available may also draw us in, but that what we can't have is that much more interesting.

This makes a lot of sense, perhaps moreso depending on your beliefs regarding the origin of man. Most of the creation stories have a 'fall from grace' moment associated with them. Pandora's curiosity regarding the closed box (what couldn't she have that was inside?) caused her to open the box, loosing evils upon the world. Eve is tempted to eat the fruit of the forbidden tree, not just because it's forbidden, but because she's told something's being kept from her, something that she'll receive once she eats of the fruit.

Perhaps it's a secret. One of your co-workers has something hidden. It's probably nothing of import but does the knowledge that there's something being kept from you gnaw at you? Distract you? Cause you to snoop where you otherwise may not snoop? Do a little detective work until that part of your brain can be satisfied?

Perhaps it's media of some kind: a movie that remains unreleased, an album that is long out of print and unavailable, or something never made available commercially. Do you hunt the internet for a copy?

Perhaps it's a tidbit from a production yet to be released. You're a fan of a TV show and the new season is approaching. Can you prevent yourself from reading the spoilers that leak online? Do you want to know that detail that you know your friends won't so you can be that ahead of them? Worse yet, a workprint of the first episode escapes to the online community. Can you not watch it?

I've got no smooth answer to this point as I'm horrible at this sort of thing. In fact, I've done most of the above, and recently as well! I'm a bad man...

This is driving me nuts now

I read today that the 'magnifier' prop from 'Adventures in Inner-Space' from Disneyland puts in an appearance in the 'Star Tours' ride. This was meant as a cute nod to the fact that 'Star Tours' would be taking over the building that housed 'Inner-Space'. The information regarding it's location in the ride movie appears to be a little incomplete. So, I ask, is the structure in the lower right corner meant to be the prop?

All rights to the picture above are no doubt owned by Disney and/or Lucasfilm and in no way am I trying to pretend otherwise. Just looking for some help with this 'math'.

'The Ten Doctors' webcomic

I don't normally point out links as I add them to the sidebar but felt a need to do so this time. No offense to everyone else I've added and NOT mentioned. It's not like that, really. Oh fine, come back when you're done pouting.

I added a link to 'The Ten Doctors' webcomic today. In theory the story is nearly done so, if you haven't read it yet, you should be able to get through the bulk of it and not have to wait around for the wrap-up too long. It is over 200 pages so it might take you a little reading.

Why have I added it and why talk about adding it?

It's a Doctor Who fan fiction. I'm familiar with those from all aspects. It's rare to have a story go on for this long, with this many characters, and yet remain so good. It's funny. It's scary. It has cliffhangers. It's just good reading.

It's not perfect. Some of the companions are a little hard to distinguish from one another, which I think is often due to the author's art style. Typos sneak in from time to time. Occasionally the action in a panel is difficult to decipher. On the whole, these are quibbles. They are occasional. They do not damage the overall enjoyment of the piece.

The overall enjoyment of the piece is the grand joining of old and new Who. Together again for the first time, everybody and then some join together to fight a ripple in Time that's monkeying with the events of the Time War. If you've been a long-time fan (such as myself), there's a lot of references to make you giggle. Today's strip had one such reference, with a piece of machinery not seen since 'The Chase'. For the newer Who fans, don't worry, all gets explained. References are noted in the text summary or the comments, so you'll be filled into what's going on if it isn't clear.

If I could draw, I wish this is a story I was doing. That's the main reason I'm linking to it. I've written and read a sizable amount of fan fiction and most of it belongs as fan fiction. Sometimes they have good ideas but poor execution of them. Sometimes it's a good story idea told well, but not developed as well as it could be. Sometimes they go in directions you don't enjoy. Sometimes they're just not very good, more enthusiasm than anything else. Occasionally you get a story that steps beyond it's boundaries a bit and is just good. This is one such story.

Am Feeling Better

Got some typing done yesterday and a bit today. Starting getting ideas and had to scribble a storyline into my notebook. Things are getting back to normal.

Had an idea for something for here, something I've considered a good idea before and just hadn't figured out how to accomplish until nowish. It involves some research and is something I don't think has been done before. I may find out there's a good reason why it's not been done before.

We shall see.

All I'm saying is that I'm getting somewhere again. About time too.

If I posted this already I apologize

Cantiflas was not pleased. “What is wrong with you?” Did it not occur to you what might happen?”

This delivery brought a hurried reaction from Doctor Davis, working to quiet the aggravated owner. “Hey, hey now. Can we have that a wee bit quieter now? This is a hospital you know.” As soon as I realized our Doctor was Scottish, I decided he was awesome. Luckily he’d done nothing since then to disrupt that declaration.

Cantiflas visibly attempts to calm himself. “Yes, of course. I’m sorry. My frustration got the better of me.”

“No problems there. Better out than in, right? Tell you what, I can discharge these two fellows and you can take them outside to yell at them all you want.” Doctor Davis paused after this statement, considering it as he looked upward. “Well obviously not right outside. You know, get a bit away from the hospital and then yell at them. Okay?”

Cantiflas nodded but encouraged him to stay a moment yet. “I know of the condition of my wrestlers bar Robbie V. Do you have any word on his status?”

Doctor Davis’ brow furrowed as he flipped through the papers on his clipboard. “Robbie V, Robbie V,” he muttered. “Ah, Robert Snakowski! I believe he’s in surgery at the moment; broke his leg you see. Not sure on the severity of the injury but if he’s in surgery it must be awkward.”

This information did not please Cantiflas. “Thank you Doctor. I’ll check in on him again later. I can verify the insurance information is accurate at that time as well.”

“Glad to be of help. Now remember, no yelling at those two until you’re well away. Have a good rest of the night.” His eye caught the clock, causing him to append his statement. “Well, good morning anyway.”

The sad ‘little kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar’ expression remained on the Smasher’s face until the door clicked closed behind the medical man. “Yeah, quit with the yelling Cantiflas,” he teased.

Cantiflas looked concerned. “Was it too much?” he questioned.

“I thought it was just right,” El Hombre noted from his prone position on the bed. “That said, the gentleman was probably correct in noting that you were a little loud.”

“Nevermind that now,” Cantiflas has his question answered and realigned his thoughts, “I heard you jumped from the balcony of the bar.”

I nod. “I saw him do it.”

“You’re the one I heard it from,” Cantiflas commented. “I was looking to hear this from the ‘horse’s mouth’ as it were.”

El Hombre sat up slowly, favoring the soreness of his lower personage. “I did indeed do a plancha from the balcony of ‘Breakers down to the battle on the floor.”

This excited Cantiflas. “Madness! I wonder if anyone recorded the action with their phone. I’ll have to get Young Miguel to make a search for the website. If footage exists, we must have a copy of it or, at the very least, a link to it.”

“I didn’t do it with an audience in mind,” El Hombre noted. “I did it because I felt it was the best way to end the battle.”

Smasher interjected. “I’m just glad you didn’t land on me; my neck is bad enough.”

Cantiflas politely ignored this comment to continue the conversation. “I know you didn’t do it with an audience in mind but we need the positive attention from our fanbase. We are under attack. We need them to see the lengths we will go to in order to protect our turf. We need them to see that we will do what it takes to fight back!”

“I hope you are not hoping they will think that they will see further daredevil jumps on my part.” Carefully El Hombre stood up. “I think I’m done with those for the time being.” Slowly, tenderly, he started walking. He grunted and fussed as he moved. “I need some whiskey.” I waved his prescription at him and reminded him of its existence. He waved back at it. “Pills make me nervous; the chance of getting addicted is so high.”

This drew a chuckle from Smasher. “And you’re not addicted to alcohol?”

As he neared the door, El Hombre’s gait continued to loosen up and relax. “I understand the side effects of alcohol upon me and its cheaper than pills. Now, let’s stop worrying about my medication habits and just get me to it.”

Smasher stood up to follow. “Seems ta me that’s what we were working on when this mess started.”