Pinocchio Paradox

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I like paradoxes.   You know, a statement or group of statements that leads to a contradiction.  Perhaps the simplest paradox is…

This statement is false.

If the statement is false, then it is in fact a true statement thus making it false.  Huh?  Exactly.

Another paradox…

God is all powerful and can do anything.  God could even create a rock so heavy that he couldn’t lift it.

If God couldn’t lift the rock, he isn’t all powerful… and if he couldn’t create the rock, then he isn’t all powerful.  But suppose God could create a rock so heavy he couldn’t lift it… then the fact that God couldn’t lift it would mean he wasn’t all powerful.  And if he could lift such a rock would mean that he wasn’t powerful enough to create a rock he couldn’t lift.

There are also a lot of movies [The Terminator, Back to the Future, 12 Monkeys, etc.] that involve time travel paradoxes. So, I’m pretty familiar with a lot of different types of paradoxes.  I’d never heard of the Pinocchio paradox until I stumbled across it at Neatorama.  I got a kick out of it.  I hope you did as well.

Riddick’s Return Lookin’ Good

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Earlier today, Patrick Sauriol of Coming Attractions posted a very positive script review of David Twohy’s The Chronicles of Riddick: Dead Man Stalking. According to Sauroil, Twohy has created a script that acknowledges all that happened in The Chronicles of Riddick and yet takes Riddick back to the type of character he was in Pitch Black.

From all that Sauroil writes, Twohy has crafted the perfect return for Vin Diesel as Riddick.  The only thing that I would suggest is to change  the title of the new film from The Chronicles of Riddick: Dead Man Stalking to Riddick.

Andrew Robinson & Nick Fury @ War

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As promised, here’s a pencil sketch of the Nick Fury for a Marvel trading card set. The art is by Andrew Robinson and appeared [in much smaller form] in Rough Stuff #4 [April 2007]. Here’s what Andrew said about the piece:

“Nick and the commandos in one war and I was in another, the battle of tangents.  In this case I used Photoshop after finishing the sketch, to cut out background figures and move them slightly to avoid bad tangents.  For example Nick’s right arm seems to be leaning on a commando’s back.  So to correct this bad tangent, I just moved the background figure to the left.”

What’s Anderson Silva to Do?

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If you’re an MMA fan, then you’re probably aware of the controversy surrounding Anderson Silva’s unanimous decision win over Damian Maia.  Dana White has repeatedly apologized for Silva’s performance and went on to say:

“I don’t think I’ve ever been more embarrassed in the ten years of being in this business.”

This is the third performance by Silva that has resulted in the same type of clowning and showboating.  Some are blaming the lack of competition for Silva in the middleweight division.  Others say Silva has an obligation to be serious and to finish fights.  Here’s my take on the situation:

  • If Silva is dissatisfied with the opponents available in the division, then move down or up a weight class.   To take a fight and then clown and showboat is disrespectful to his opponent and to the fans who paid to watch the fight.
  • If Silva is content to stay on his feet and strike, that is his choice.  He is the champion.  Silva is not obligated to go to the mat or change his style to make for a more exciting fight.  If Silva is content to win by decisions, to not finish fights, to keep himself out of dangerous situations, that is his right.  Fans may find the fights boring and decide not to buy his pay-per-views and that is their right.
  • Silva is a world class athlete.  He has been called the best pound-per-pound fighter in the world.  He may be, but if he continues to showboat and disrespect his opponents and fans, his popularity will take a nosedive.  He’ll be consider a world class, well, it won’t be athlete.

So what’s next for Anderson Silva?  Some say GSP.  Dana White said he’s not interested in that fight.  Chael Sonnen says he’d like a shot at Silva.  Michael David Smith at MMAFighting.com thinks Silva should move to heavyweight and give Frank Mir a try.  I wonder if Mir would want the opportunity? I really don’t care who Silva fights next as long as he gives it his best and leaves the showboating behind.

Andrew Robinson: Pencil Punisher

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Here’s a pencil sketch of the Punisher for a Marvel trading card set.  The art is by Andrew Robinson and appeared [in much smaller form] in Rough Stuff #4 [April 2007].  Here’s what Andrew said about the piece:

“When I think of the Punisher I see him as being very stoic.  For this composition I was inspired by the propaganda posters of WWII.  The straight lines in his form help define his defiant attitude as he pulls a ‘John Wayne’ in the midst of enemy fire.”

If you’d like to see the finished card, then click here.  We’ll be back tomorrow with another of Andrew’s card pencils.

UFC 112 Results

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UFC 112 is now history.  Here are the results and my earlier predictions:

  • Mark “The Philippine Wrecking Machine” Munoz (7-1) vs. Kendall “Da Spyder” Grove (11-6).

Prediction: “The Philippine Wrecking Machine” wrecks “Da Spyder.” Munoz win by TKO.

Result: Munoz won by TKO due to strikes in round 2 which makes me 1-0 with a perfect call of TKO.

  • Matt Hughes (43-7) vs. Renzo Gracie (13-6-1)

Prediction: Hughes win via unanimous decision.

Result: Hughes wins by TKO due to strikes in round 3 at the 4:40 mark. Although that keeps me perfect at 2-0, I missed calling how the fight would end.  If only Gracie could have held on for 20 more seconds!

  • BJ “The Prodigy” Penn (15-5-1) vs. Frankie “The Answer” Edgar (11-1)

Prediction: “The Prodigy” knows “The Answer” to defeating Edgar. Penn win via submission.

Result: Edgar defeats Penn by unanimous decision to become the new UFC Lightweight Champion! What an upset.  Hats off to Edgar for find “The Answer” needed to beat “The Prodigy.”  That knocks me down to 2-1.

  • Anderson “The Spider” Silva (25-4) vs. Demian Maia (12-1)

Prediction: Silva wins by KO.

Result: Silva defeats Maia with a lackluster performance but a unanimous decision and retains the UFC Middleweight Title.  Although I was wrong about how it would end, I did pick Silva and so I end the night at 3-1 or 75%.

Silva clowned and danced and was warned by the ref in later rounds to mix it up.  Yet, Silva was content to stay on the outside and pick his shots.  Maia, for his part, tried to make the fight competitive and continued to swing for the fences for all the good it did.   Dana White was very upset by Silva’s performance and told the press:

“… what a disgrace the main event was… To end it the way that we did was an embarrasment for me, the UFC, the Fertittas and  the UAE… I’m so blown away and disgusted and saddened… I don’t know how yet, but I will make this up to the fans… ”

According to Steve Cofield of YaHoo Sports

White also said Silva may be the first UFC champ to fight on the non-televised prelims in the future.

While 75% ain’t bad, I bet I feel better about my wins than Silva does his.

UFC 112 Predictions

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UFC 112 takes place later this afternoon live from the Concert Arena in Ferrari World on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.  There are four fights that interest me and here are my predictions:

  • Mark “The Philippine Wrecking Machine” Munoz (7-1) vs. Kendall “Da Spyder” Grove (11-6). Munoz is coming in to this fight with a 3 win streak.  Munoz has the better stand-up and wrestling skills.  Grove, a former Ultimate Fighter winner, has a six inch height advantage and better bjj skills.  The question becomes will Grove be able to use his reach advantage to prevent takedowns?  If taken down will he be able to submit Munoz?  I think not.

Prediction: “The Philippine Wrecking Machine” wrecks “Da Spyder.”  Munoz win by TKO.

  • Matt Hughes (43-7) vs. Renzo Gracie (13-6-1)
    Hughes     will have the wrestling, strength and experience advantage.  He’ll also be the crowd favorite.  While it’s true that Hughes is no longer as young as he once was, he won’t have to be.  Gracie is 43 years old, hasn’t had an MMA fight in three years and in the five years before that had won only once while losing six times.

Prediction: Hughes win via unanimous decision.

  • BJ “The Prodigy” Penn (15-5-1) vs. Frankie “The Answer” Edgar (11-1)
    Edgar     is a tough kid with a great record.  He’s a small lightweight, but that hasn’t stopped him from imposing his will in previous fights.  Of course in previous fights, he wasn’t facing “The Prodigy.”  Edgar’s greatest strength, besides his toughness, is his wrestling.  Unfortunately for him, Penn’s takedown defense is legendary.  Penn has not lost a fight at this weight class in eight years and he’s faced the best in the division.

Prediction: “The Prodigy” knows “The Answer” to defeating Edgar.  Penn win via submission.

  • Anderson “The Spider” Silva (25-4) vs. Demian Maia (12-1)
    If Maia can get Silva to the ground things could interesting.  I just don’t see that happening.  Silva is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world and although Maia is world class, as in Highlander, there can only be one, and that, at least right now, is Anderson Silva.

Prediction: Silva wins by KO.

We’ll know the results later today.  They’ll be posted here tonight or tomorrow.

“The Vega Brothers”

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Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction are my two favorite Quentin Tarantino movies.  For years Tarantino has teased fans about a potential movie featuring Vincent Vega [John Travolta from Pulp Fiction] and Vic Vega [Michael Madsen from Reservoir Dogs].  As the years drug on, every now and again a rumor would start about The Vega Brothers movie and how Tarantino was going to do it.  But the rumors turned out to be just that.  I gave up hope of ever seeing The Vega Brothers movie.

Two days ago, Michael Madsen gave an interview to WAAF [a Boston radio station].  A question came up about The Vega Brothers movie and Madsen said that Tarantino had finally figured out how to make it work.  You can see Madsen explaining Tarantino’s plan here.

It would either be the stupidest thing ever — or perhaps the coolest.  Tarantino could pull it off.  LOL.  I’d love to see it.  My guess is that in the long run it’ll just end up being another one of those Vega Brothers movie rumors.

Mitch Byrd: Quite a Character

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I love Mitch Byrd’s art.  Check out the pencil sketch above and you’ll get a taste of why.  Although Mitch doesn’t do a lot of comic work, when he does, it’s always exciting.  This piece comes from Sketch magazine #37 and an article that Mitch wrote about making each character in a scene distinctive.