Film. Comics. Sci-Fi. Superheroes. Pulp. Noir. History. Superman. 20th Century Archaeology.
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
Wherein I just gush about "The Flash"
I keep meaning to write a post about Fargo,currently airing on FX. But, for right now, I just recommend you watch the hell out of that show. But I suspect writing about Fargo will take a super long time, I'm not going to do that tonight. And, I'm not going to talk about Supergirl, which was actually not half-bad on Monday.
Instead, because its a Tuesday and its fun as hell to discuss, let's talk about The Flash.
There are a large number of reasons I tune in every week to see the Scarlet Speedster, and I don't think I talk about it enough, but Grant Gustin is actually really pretty great as Barry Allen. The guy has taken a character that comic nerds always insisted was "boring" (a diagnosis I never fully understood), and found the kind of guy it would take to be The Flash. I know, it's crazy to think that a level-headed person with a sense of responsibility would put on tights as readily as the now omni-present anti-hero, but Gustin and a crack writing team have managed to make Barry a buyable, believable character in the middle of a very, very strange world.
And, speaking of strange...
Instead, because its a Tuesday and its fun as hell to discuss, let's talk about The Flash.
 |
| this is not the actual Flash, btw |
There are a large number of reasons I tune in every week to see the Scarlet Speedster, and I don't think I talk about it enough, but Grant Gustin is actually really pretty great as Barry Allen. The guy has taken a character that comic nerds always insisted was "boring" (a diagnosis I never fully understood), and found the kind of guy it would take to be The Flash. I know, it's crazy to think that a level-headed person with a sense of responsibility would put on tights as readily as the now omni-present anti-hero, but Gustin and a crack writing team have managed to make Barry a buyable, believable character in the middle of a very, very strange world.
And, speaking of strange...
Monday, November 16, 2015
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Signal Watch Reads: Isaac's Storm by Erik Larson (audiobook)
I'd been intending to read Isaac's Storm for years, probably since its initial publication in 2000, 100 years after the actual storm in question.
If you've not heard of the 1900 Storm, it was the Katrina of its time. In September of 1900, a hurricane passed through the Gulf of Mexico, gaining energy and striking the boomtown of Galveston, Texas, then considered to be a growing metropolis. Estimates of casualties are always well into the thousands, from 6-8000. When you consider that the census had just been taken, estimating the entire population of the island at 37,000 - it could have been even worse had Galveston continued to grow.
Isaac's Storm uses meteorologist Isaac Cline as a fulcrum to explore the state of the infant science of meteorology in 1900, the why's and wherefore's of the early national efforts on this front, the growth of Galveston in the late 19th Century and the culture of the town, and the hurricane and its aftermath.
If you've not heard of the 1900 Storm, it was the Katrina of its time. In September of 1900, a hurricane passed through the Gulf of Mexico, gaining energy and striking the boomtown of Galveston, Texas, then considered to be a growing metropolis. Estimates of casualties are always well into the thousands, from 6-8000. When you consider that the census had just been taken, estimating the entire population of the island at 37,000 - it could have been even worse had Galveston continued to grow.
Isaac's Storm uses meteorologist Isaac Cline as a fulcrum to explore the state of the infant science of meteorology in 1900, the why's and wherefore's of the early national efforts on this front, the growth of Galveston in the late 19th Century and the culture of the town, and the hurricane and its aftermath.
Opera Watch! We take in some culture and see "Tosca" at the Houston Grand Opera
So, it's pretty hard to call me an opera fan. I mean, the only opera I've seen live in the past 30 years has been Das Rheingold. For reasons I don't even remember, I had to give up my tickets to see Der Walkurie this year, and if Jamie's enthusiasm to Das Rheingold was any indication, it's not really worth the weekend trip to Houston to go catch parts 3 and 4.
But, you know, I think its not imperative, but a good idea, to try to see famous works for yourself. That's kind of the stage of life I'm in now I guess. And among operas, Tosca is more or less a household word. Fortunately, I'm culturally illiterate, so I wasn't actually sure what the word "Tosca" meant when I plunked my butt in the seat at the Wortham Center to see the Houston Grand Opera Saturday night.
Little background: a fellow I was pals with in high school is now a, like, serious opera-performer-type-person, Weston Hurt (ask for him by name)! Weston has performed all over the US and abroad, but he'd never wound up playing Houston Grand Opera until this recent run of Tosca at the HGO. And while I've watched YouTube clips of him and whatnot, I hadn't seen him sing since high school where he kind of shamed everyone else during a musical revue where he led the chorus in "Do You Hear the People Sing?" from Les Mis and sounded like a grown-up-type singer among a herd of high school squawkers (I was working crew for that show, so I got to hear it over. And over. And over.) He also did a little Country and Western at the talent show, which left me baffled, but the guy has pipes.
But, you know, I think its not imperative, but a good idea, to try to see famous works for yourself. That's kind of the stage of life I'm in now I guess. And among operas, Tosca is more or less a household word. Fortunately, I'm culturally illiterate, so I wasn't actually sure what the word "Tosca" meant when I plunked my butt in the seat at the Wortham Center to see the Houston Grand Opera Saturday night.
Little background: a fellow I was pals with in high school is now a, like, serious opera-performer-type-person, Weston Hurt (ask for him by name)! Weston has performed all over the US and abroad, but he'd never wound up playing Houston Grand Opera until this recent run of Tosca at the HGO. And while I've watched YouTube clips of him and whatnot, I hadn't seen him sing since high school where he kind of shamed everyone else during a musical revue where he led the chorus in "Do You Hear the People Sing?" from Les Mis and sounded like a grown-up-type singer among a herd of high school squawkers (I was working crew for that show, so I got to hear it over. And over. And over.) He also did a little Country and Western at the talent show, which left me baffled, but the guy has pipes.
Saturday, November 14, 2015
Friday, November 13, 2015
Tragedy in Paris
Like all of you, I am furious to read about the terrorist attacks in Paris. May all free nations unite to fight and end this barbarity.
We're with France. May the U.S. always remember the great debt we owe France, and always be among the first to lend aid.
Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité
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