2012
2013: Day 15 – Favorite Discoveries of 2012
Well as I still acclimate to this freshly minted 2013, I thought it was a good time to look back at 2012 and reflect on my own personal favorite and new discoveries of 2012. So here is my list in no particular order:
-
Kashi Raisin Bran Breakfast Cereal
-
Discovery of the work of Lord Edwin Weeks at the Richmond Museum of Art
-
The Walters Art Gallery
-
Texas Roadhouse in Durham, NC
-
The Charlotte, NC skyline
-
The Spider novels and writings of Norvell Page:2012’s Norvell Page obsession , and my mad dash to collect all his books, only equaled by earlier years Cornell Woolrich, Beksinski, Robert Duncanson and Marc Olden obsessions.
-
Sidebar Podcast
-
Victoria
-
11oclock Comics Podcast
-
Spy Smasher movie serial
-
And in a rare case of the popular choice actually being my choice, THE AVENGERS was my favorite movie theater experience of the year
-
James Jean Rebus
-
Dark Horse Creepy Presents BERNIE WRIGHTSON
-
 Dark Horse Creepy Presents RICHARD CORBEN
-
Numerous writers, among them Derrick Ferguson
and Richard Gavin
-
Rich Yancey’s MONSTRUMOLOGIST series audio books
-
Joe Hill’s Short Story POP ART (from the collection 20TH CENTURY GHOSTS) stands out as one of my favorite, if not THE favorite, short story reads of 2012
-
And these were a few of my favorite things! 🙂
Holidays in December! or ‘Santa you gonna Pay what you owe!!!’
Rosa Parks Day Dec 1
National Day – United Arab Emirates Dec 2 – I have problems with Dubai, located in the United Arab Emirates. Mostly being that much of American tax dollars is funneled into this pleasure palace of the ultra rich. I think the rich are robbing from America, to set up a deluxe retreat from which they can sit out America’s fall. The fall they are pushing us to.
Anna’s Day Dec 9 – A Swedish holiday, celebrating people with the name Anna? That appears to be a good amount of the population. 🙂 .
Human Rights Day                                       Dec 10
Feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe            Dec 12
Winter Solstice & Yule Festival               Dec 21
Boxing Day Dec 26
Kwanzaa                                                           December 26 – January 1
Jose Rizal Day                                                Dec 30
Wait— did I forget one? Oh yes—Christmas. The Mass of Christ- Dec 25
Here’s the thing about the Mass of Christ.
There is no evidence of the month or year of the birth of the person referred to as Christ. And indeed the modern construct of Christmas, is very much that… a construct. A product of crass commercialism, the date 25 December, having historically nothing to do with the figure of Christ.
What we do know is there was a celebration the Roman’s performed, on December 25th, to their pagan gods. That holiday would seem to be what we are, with television’s help, still celebrating, but have simply renamed their pagan god, with a christian appellation.
The truth of this, you can take, or you can leave alone.
If the holiday brings you a moment of true brotherhood that’s fine. But largely it’s not. Bombings and invasions of other countries by America’s Industrial War Complex tends to ramp up around the holiday seasons, while Americans are sidetracked stuffing their faces, and trying to buy things they can’t afford, and generally making lip service to a man of peace, while following men of war, into spreading blood and gore and death around the globe.
Merry Christmas. :).
My friend who is a huge Christmas fan could not disagree with me more. And that’s her right. If Christmas or anything brings you true joy, that’s fine. I’m all for it. I have no problem with ritual and myth.
I enjoy a midnight mass as well as a Buddhist temple or a Mosque or a Synagogue or a Vodun Temple. I enjoy anyplace where people genuinely seek something higher, something better, something sincerely sacred.
But make it something sincerely sacred.
Something without too much hypocrisy, and not built on mountains of lies and greed.
Don’t lose the meaning in the merchandising.
Happy Holidays, however you choose to meet the end of the year.
Gary Johnson Romney Obama Ron Paul Stewart Alexander and the Lesser of Evils
“I’m an old lefty. I believe the government must do for people, what people cannot do for themselves.”
— Green Arrow courtesy of Dwayne McDuffie’s excellent JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED
I’ve been watching classic episodes of JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED, a show that remains animated television at its best, and for most of its run the love letter of producer/lead writer Dwayne McDuffie. The recently departed Dwayne McDuffie who followed up his stellar work at Warner Brothers Animation, with unfortunately editorially sabotaged work at both DC COMICS and MARVEL COMICS.
With the 2012 US Presidential election nearly upon us, the take away from my watching of JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED is that line, and the idea that only in a country as monumentally effed up and corrupt and mismanaged as America, could anyone consider either of the television approved candidates, Obama or Romney, steeped as they both are in the blood and oil and pus and complicity of big business, as viable people’s candidates.
You are a fool if you believe Obama is, and has been, in his tenure anything more than Bush-lite. He has rubber-stamped policies, in the past four years, that have destroyed civil and economic liberties domestically and expanded the endless war abroad.
And to make his conservatism seem liberal, he is contrasted with a malicious madman in Romney, though both candidates are more alike than they are different, taking money as they are from the same masters. But this illusion of conflict is played up in the media, to give the American people once more… the illusion of choice; a choice between the lesser of two evils, the choice between big business crafted puppets, between Mussolini or Hitler if you like, which is to say… no choice at all.
I voted for the ‘lesser of two evils’ four years ago, and I’ve regretted it since, with every bill or shredding of civil liberties that Obama has signed into law.
In many ways I think we would be in a better place if the obvious madman Mccain, had come to power 4 years ago, because people would have rallied against his obvious butchering of civil liberties, rather than this death by inches thing that has occurred under the cult of personality, which is the presidency of Obama.
He has been as ‘republican’ a president as you could hope, with all the negative connotations of that word, but his every action has been defended (or ignored) by people who see his labels (Democrat, Black, Liberal) rather than his actions (Republican, Conservative). And Republicans, conservatives become more conservative/republican to keep/enforce this artificial feud (which serves no one but big business), this artificial division of them and us.
So I’m not inclined to be backed into a corner again this year, this year I’m voting for a candidate whose views intrigue me, and whose background and history gives me reason to feel… justified.
Candidates on the ballot or write in candidates not sanctified by big business are few and far between, here are a few such candidates:
GARY JOHNSON– The former republican, and two time Governor of New Mexico, now running under the Libertarian ticket, has me very intrigued for his anti-big business stance, and his history of not raising taxes,
STEWART ALEXANDER –
http://stewartalexanderforpresident2012.org/- I’m also intrigued by the ticket of Alexander and Mendoza that is running for the Socialist Party. Their stances on the issues is the about face from the “give big business our first born” dance the American people have been on, though their lack of any documented political experience and lack of endorsements is a bit of a concern. As is the general sub-par nature of their web-site and presentation. But at this point in America’s history, I’ll take the well meaning amateur, over the slick big business approved trained seal… any day.
RON PAUL– I can’t really figure out from day to day if Ron Paul is running or not running for the Presidency, however it’s an impressive site the 75 year old has, and the stances he pays lip service to, you can really get behind. Give it a read, and should his name show up on a ballot, I don’t think anyone would have an argument picking him over Romney or Obama.
So where is the candidate who will do for the people, rather than for big business? Well he may be one of those above, take a look for yourself and decide.
You only have one vote, and despite what any one tells you, it is not wasted if you go against the majority or the ‘sure thing’, it is only wasted if you go against your conscience.
When the record shows that 99.99999999% of the population voted for the lesser of evils or established evils, be not afraid to stand alone as that man or woman who voted out of hope… rather than fear. One of the votes I’m proudest to have cast, was a ‘losing’ vote, was for Ralph Nader. And I’d cast it the same way today, given those same candidates and situations.
I’d cast it for the attempt to make things better, rather than the certainty and fear of keeping them the same.
Here endeth the Lesson
WHAT IS HOT and WHAT’s NOT on TV for FALL 2012!!
I don’t have cable. I jumped off the band wagon years ago, and really have not been seriously tempted to jump back on. I’m content with waiting for products to hit DVD, and in the interim there are a lot of great shows out there on DVD to try.
I did that with both season 5 and season 6 of Doctor Who. Watching the shows over a few nights rather than the dubious experience of lengthy waits over several months, to invest in a story that may end with a whimper rather than a bang.
Which is how I tended to feel about Moffat’s Dr. Who seasons. While an imaginative and talented writer of “done in one” episodes or two parters, as a season wide story arc writer, his work tends to be swiss-cheese and disappointing.
So the ability to find that out by renting the DVDs over a couple nights, rather than an investment of months of ‘live’ watching, suits the way I like to view seasons.
That said for those of you who do watch TV/cable here are the shows I think you should be watching this fall, ones I’m intrigued in picking up when they hit DVD.
WHAT’S HOT
LAST RESORT on ABC- Why I’m interested? 1/Stars Andre Braugher of HOMICIDE fame. 2/Premise of a naval commander and his sub crew hunted for refusing to commit mass murder, has me incredibly intrigued. 3/One of the few dramas/genre/thrillers on an increasingly whites only TV shows, that has multiple actors of color
TREME- I’ve heard much about this Orlean’s based show. So look forward to catching up with it on DVD.
DOCTOR WHO- While I think Moffat should stick to done and one episodes or 2parters, and give up his attempt to outdo Russell T. Davies with big elaborate universe ending story arcs (Note to Moffat…, you may be a more imaginative writer than Russell, he is the better story arc guy. And your tenure is suffering in an attempt to outdo Davies rather than play to your strengths.
Particularly Moffat’s take leaves a lot to be desired. It gets old, the elaborate universe ending story arcs and over-hyping the Doctor into a God like protagonist. It just reads as bs and failed one-upmanship, and leaving your character no place to go or grow to. It tends to get boring, and while it’s fantasy and some level of inconsistency is inherent, season 5 and 6 have plotholes you can drive a truck through), I am interested in seeing where Season 7 takes the show. If Moffat would play to his strengths, smaller, intimate, done-in-one stories or two parters… the show could be fantastic.
WHAT’S NOT
ELEMENTARY- Sherlock Holmes is a recovering smart-alec drunk, Watson is his Asian female Bodyguard and Watcher, and the setting is New York. Really?!! I’m not a huge fan of the BBC SHERLOCK series, it’s okay, I just don’t think the writing is always up to the strong acting and direction, so my objection to ELEMENTARY has nothing to do with that BBC show. The more great shows the better. My objection is, if you’re going to change everything about it that is Sherlock Holmes, why even call the character Sherlock Holmes? I have no interest in seeing it, the premise just sounds insipid. However I’m willing to be proven wrong. If it makes it a full season and people are raving about it I’ll pick up the DVD, but otherwise this goes in the “What were they thinking’ trash pile.
That’s all for now! Feel free to leave your own recommendations, comments!
TONY SCOTT
“You Writers live too much out of the world.”— THE THIRD MAN
Tony Scott dead?
I don’t really know how to take that in right now, and the speculation of suicide, is also beyond my ability to grasp. Tony Scott as I’ve said often in this blog I consider one of the best Directors working, right up there with Michael Mann. I’m a huge fan of his films MAN ON FIRE, DEJA VU, and UNSTOPPABLE to name a few. Every movie he just gets better.
Still present tense, because I don’t know how to talk about him in the past tense yet.
I’ll have more on Tony Scott later, for now you can go here, for more on the available news.
MOVIE TRAILER RECAP! End of July Edition!
Well been a while, so thought I would touch on a few of the newer trailers I’ve seen.
DREDD– The DREDD trailer really does nothing for me. Following in the footsteps of THE RAID and other such movies it’s a bit of an overused premise these days. Basically video game carnage, (you have to clear and dispatch enemies in a building) with possibly a plot thinly wrapped around it.
Again just going by the trailer, actual film may be great, but the trailer gives me no incentive to find out.
FLIGHT– See my earlier coverage on the upcoming film (the poster is the height of laziness. Their marketing people should be fired), but as far as the trailer… I quite like it. Nothing revolutionary, just an easy drama, but it looks engaging and perhaps morally satisfying, and it has been a bit since I’ve seen that combination. So this is definitely one I’m looking forward to seeing in the theaters
FREELANCERS– It’s a bit difficult to get a read on where this film is heading. I’m not a fan of the TRAINING DAY type of film, but there’s enough twists and excitement, in this trailer to keep me interested. And while I don’t care anything about 50cent starring in this, powerhouse actors such as Forrest Whitaker and Robert Dinero make this one I’m really looking forward to seeing.
AFTER EARTH– This teaser for the upcoming M. Night Shyamalan film, much like the teaser for the upcoming ROBOCOP, looks slick and intriguing, but really gives you no clue as to the quality of the finished product. Post THE VILLAGE, M. Night Shyamalan’s reputation has taken a decided hit, with one derided, and under-performing film after another. So with AFTER EARTH he teams with Will Smith, hoping that the star’s record of box office successes can rub off on this film. Time will tell.
WEDNESDAYS WORDS
OKay, I don’t know what is going on with this segment of WEDNESDAYS WORDS, but in my defense all I can say is interesting titles, regardless of genre, if they catch my eye, can end up featured here.
So this ‘testosterone lacking’ episode of WEDNESDAYS WORDS (with the exception of the Tim Vigil art book and Blacksad Graphic Novel) is for all my female readers and uhh husbands and boyfriends of females. 🙂 Wow that’s a nicely put together sentence… NOT.
Anyhow, yeah, wacky books for the woman in your life… enjoy. 🙂
WEDNESDAYS WORDS is a new weekly installment that ranks the most interesting, intriguing books of the week (old, new, reissues, digital, etc). Contributors represent a variety of genres and sources. Each book includes Title and publisher blurb.
Blacksad: A Silent Hell [Hardcover]
Juan Diaz Canales (Author), Juanjo Guarnido (Author)
Book Description
Publication Date: July 24, 2012 | Series: Blacksad
Detective John Blacksad returns, with a new case that takes him to a 1950s New Orleans filled with hot jazz and cold-blooded murder! Hired to discover the fate of a celebrated pianist, Blacksad finds his most dangerous mystery yet in the midst of drugs, voodoo, the rollicking atmosphere of Mardi Gras, and the dark underbelly that it hides!
Product Details
Hardcover: 96 pages
Publisher: Dark Horse (July 24, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1595829318
ISBN-13: 978-1595829313
Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.6 x 0.6 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
“The strip puts forth a dark dirty-realist style. The artwork uses clean, realistic lines. Very detailed watercolor drawings, including real-life places and cities, contribute to the realism and arresting (no pun intended) nature of the series… The knowledge of US culture and New York design is stunning. Neither creator is old enough to remember it. They are nothing short of brilliant. And subtle. I love this series.”– Noel Hynd
Tim Vigil Artworks 1976-1990 [Paperback] [Paperback]
Tim Vigil (Author)
Book Description
Publication Date: 1991
The best unseen works from early in his career
Tim Vigil Artworks 1976-1990 [Paperback]
Keeping Score [Paperback]
Regina Hart (Author)
Book Description
Publication Date: July 3, 2012
To be a pro b-ball champion takes endless drive and passion. But being a winner on the court can often mean losing off the court. . .
He’s an NBA legend, considered the best of the best. Now veteran player Warrick Evans is determined to lead his team all the way to the championship. It’s his last shot before he retires, but the media can’t get enough of his story–and all the attention is turning his teammates against him, not to mention his wife. . .
Dr. Marilyn Devry-Evans has always stood by her man, even when it meant standing in his shadow. Now she wants to focus on her own career, and on scoring her own dream job. But with the spotlight bearing down on them, Marilyn is reaching her breaking point. Especially when a secret comes to light–one that could destroy not only her career, but her marriage.
Keeping Score
Skinny Bitching: A thirty-something woman mouths off about age angst, pregnancy pressure, and the dieting battles you’ll never win [Paperback]
Jenny Lee (Author)
Book Description
Publication Date: October 25, 2005
In her acclaimed books I Do. I Did. Now What?! and What Wendell Wants, Jenny Lee hilariously chronicled the milestones of getting married and getting a dog. Now she takes on the most terrifying milestone of all: getting older.
Tackling everything from the peer pressure to have children to resisting the siren call of suburbia, Skinny Bitching delivers unsparingly witty commentary on:
• What to do when you actually start breaking out again like you did in junior high school (how is that even possible?)
• Saying good-bye to going to bars, seeing bands, and generally being cool
• Finally facing the fact that those extra ten pounds are never coming off
• Dealing with the fact that just when you finally know what you want out of a husband, it’s too late to exchange him
In a hilarious and poignant homage to thirty-something women everywhere, Jenny Lee lets us in on her most intimate secrets as she transforms her modern-day angst into something timeless, moving, and unfailingly funny.
The Beauty of Color: The Ultimate Beauty Guide for Skin of Color [Paperback]
Iman (Author)
Book Description
Publication Date: September 5, 2006
The first beauty and make-up book to address skin tones from across the spectrum-including Latina, black, Asian, Indian, Native American, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern, as well as multiple ethnicities – The Beauty of Color features:
Skin care basics with specialized beauty regimens for skin of color
Makeup 101 – what you really need for every skin tone
How to create ten amazing make-up looks with easy step-by-step instructions and photos
Famous beauties, including Salma Hayek, Tyra Banks, Eva Mendes, Venus and Serena Williams, Eve, Rosario Dawson, Padma Lakshmi, Jade Jagger, Alicia Keys, and Kimora Lee Simmons
The Beauty of Color: The Ultimate Beauty Guide for Skin of Color
Foul Play!: The Art and Artists of the Notorious 1950s E.C. Comics! [Paperback]
Grant Geissman (Author)
Book Description
Publication Date: April 5, 2005
Legendary publisher Bill Gaines is perhaps best remembered as the founder of MAD Magazine, but in the opinion of many dedicated comic book fans, his greatest achievement was E.C. Comics, a line of adventure, horror, and science-fiction comics whose influence on American graphic novels is undeniable, even today. Foul Play! is the perfect book for anyone wanting to understand the special place E.C. holds in the comic fan’s heart — or who just wants to read some real good comics!
Foul Play! celebrates the fan-favorite creators of E.C. Comics, profiling their artists — a veritable who’s who of mid-20th century popular illustration — and describing how they came to work with Bill Gaines and how their careers evolved after E.C.. Among the comics art legends profiled are Al Feldstein; Harvey Kurtzman; Johnny Craig; Jack Davis; Graham Ingels; Jack Kamen; Wallace Wood; Joe Orlando; Will Elder; John Severin; George Evans; Al Williamson; Reed Crandall; Bernie Krigstein; and more! Plus, the book includes a special bonus: a lost E.C. Comics story “Wanted for Murder!” originally intended to be published in 1956 but forgotten and unseen until now
Foul Play!: The Art and Artists of the Notorious 1950s E.C. Comics!
The WEDNESDAYS WORDS column is a new blog feature, appearing (you guessed it!) every Wednesday. Come back next week to see which books make the list!
If you’re a publisher, writer, or other creative representative looking to submit items for WEDNESDAYS WORDS, just leave a comment on this post with your email/contact info, comments don’t get posted they come right to me, and I’ll reach out to you with the snail mail details.
And as far as readers, if you see items on WEDNESDAYS WORDS you’re considering purchasing then, if you are able and would like to support this blog, please utilize the attached links.
Your helpful purchases through those links, generates much appreciated pennies to keep this blog running. Your feedback and support… just way cool, and way appreciated. Thanks!
Sponsored by Ebay Store: Deals of the Day!
WEDNESDAYS WORDS
WEDNESDAYS WORDS is a new weekly installment that ranks the most interesting, intriguing books of the week (old, new, reissues, digital, etc). Contributors represent a variety of genres and sources. Each book includes Title and publisher blurb.
Yul Brynner: A Photographic Journey
Book Description
Publication Date: October 15, 2010
Yul Brynners reputation as one of the twentieth centurys most charismatic and versatile actors is irrefutable. But his talent as a photographer has been relatively unknown and unacknowledged. YUL will change that, presenting Brynners photographic oeuvre for the first time in a comprehensive and lavish way in book form. Brynners subjects are some of the pivotal figures of cinematic and stage history, and his talent lies in capturing these people and particularly actors (those best at disguising their true selves) at ease, both on and off set: Charlton Heston as Moses in The Ten Commandments, Audrey Hepburn in a gondola in Venice, Elizabeth Taylor relaxing poolside. YUL also contains candid shots of Brynners family. Comprising a selection made from 8,000 images and press cuttings edited by Brynners daughter Victoria Brynner, YUL is divided into four volumes: Lifestyle, Life on Set, 1956 (the pivotal year of The King and I, The Ten Commandments and Anastasia), and Man of Style which contains portraits of Brynner by photographers such as Richard Avedon, Henri Cartier-Bresson and Inge Morath. Published on the twenty-fifth anniversary of Brynners death, YUL is a celebration of Brynners photographic legacy and a complex portrait of the man himself.
Steve McQueen: The Actor and His Films
Book Description
Publication Date: December 15, 2011
Steve McQueen: The Actor and his Films, is the definitive account of every film that the iconic actor made. This lavishly illustrated book devotes nearly 500 pages to Steve McQueen’s career and tracks his journey from juvenile delinquent, to Marine, to an aspiring actor breaking into Hollywood, until he became a global superstar and the highest-paid actor of his era. Included are numerous behind the scenes tales of events that occurred leading up to and during filming, and fascinating insights into McQueen’s acting techniques and motivations.
The Oxford Encyclopedia of African Thought: Two-volume set
Book Description
Publication Date: April 27, 2010 | ISBN-10: 0195334736 | ISBN-13: 978-0195334739 | Edition: 1
From St. Augustine and early Ethiopian philosophers to the anti-colonialist movements of Pan-Africanism and Negritude, this encyclopedia offers a comprehensive view of African thought, covering the intellectual tradition both on the continent in its entirety and throughout the African Diaspora in the Americas and in Europe. The term “African thought” has been interpreted in the broadest sense to embrace all those forms of discourse – philosophy, political thought, religion, literature, important social movements – that contribute to the formulation of a distinctive vision of the world determined by or derived from the African experience. The Encyclopedia is a large-scale work of 350 entries covering major topics involved in the development of African Thought including historical figures and important social movements, producing a collection that is an essential resource for teaching, an invaluable companion to independent research, and a solid guide for further study.
Bals: Legendary Costume Balls of the Twentieth Century
BALS: Legendary Costume Balls of the Twentieth Century
BY Nicholas Foulkes
Hardcover in Luxury Slipcase / 11 x 14″
308 pages / 250+ Illustrations
Item Quote
From the twilight of the Romanov dynasty through les années folles of Art Deco Paris to the jet-set seventies, Bals explores the nine most exceptional private costume parties of the twentieth century. The most lavish, beautiful book ever produced on the subject, Bals features social commentary both by and about the colorful characters—Truman Capote, Cecil Beaton, and others—who immortalized these extraordinary events, as well as first-person narratives by Jacqueline de Ribes, Hélène David-Weill, and Marisa Berenson.
The WEDNESDAYS WORDS column is a new blog feature, appearing (you guessed it!) every Wednesday. Come back next week to see which books make the list!
If you’re a publisher, writer, or other creative representative looking to submit items for WEDNESDAYS WORDS, just leave a comment on this post with your email/contact info, comments don’t get posted they come right to me, and I’ll reach out to you with the snail mail details.
And as far as readers, if you see items on WEDNESDAYS WORDS you’re considering purchasing then, if you are able and would like to support this blog, please utilize the attached links.
Your helpful purchases through those links, generates much appreciated pennies to keep this blog running. Your feedback and support… just way cool, and way appreciated. Thanks!
Sponsored by Ebay Store: Deals of the Day!
Heroic Times 