Happy New Year!

Posted on by

Happy New Year!

I’m usually not one that’s happy to see a year end.  Most years, even though they have their ups and downs are good ones.  2009 was no exception.  Overall it was a good year, with a few bumps along the way.  Nothing major.  Everyone is in good health.  We all have jobs.  So, I don’t know why I’m really looking forward to 2009 being over.  Maybe it’s because I think that 2010 is going to be so much better.

Many folks make New Year’s resolutions.  Not me.   I know I should eat less of this and more of that.  I know I should exercise more.  Appreciate what I have.  Focus on the positive.  Etc. Etc. Etc.  My every day resolution is to try and make things better.  I’m not perfect and I don’t always live up to my goal, but each day I go out and try again.

And in 2010, I hope to be even better.  Here’s to a new year.  May all of your wishes come true.

Happy New Year!

Evans vs Silva

Posted on by

UFC 108 features only one fight that interests me.  It’s the main event match-up between Rashad “Suga” Evans and Thiago Silva.  Both men are fighting to stay in contention for the title head by Lyoto Machida.  Interestingly enough, Evans and Silva have each only lost one time.  Yep, you guessed it, to the champ Machida.

Let’s cut to the chase.  I’m going to pick Evans by decision… but I wouldn’t want to bet much on it!

Tom Hodges’ Jack Carter

Posted on by

This week we have Jack Carter as realized by Tom Hodges. I discovered Tom’s art through his DA site and then last August, Tom had a 24 Hour Draw-A-Thon live on UStream. I got on board and commissioned the Jack Carter above and a Rambo which will be posted in a few weeks. Tom still draws regularly on UStream and it’s always fun watching him go at it.

Merry Christmas…

Posted on by

Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Merry Kwanza, and of course there’s Festivus for the rest of us.  Oh, and if you don’t celebrate any of these, than good day!  I hope that you’re surrounded by friends and loved ones and that the day brings you all that you desire.

I Want a Gutshot Straight

Posted on by

It’s not often that the same day I discover a new author that I’ll order up a new hardback of his work.  But that’s what did today after hearing about Lou Berney’s novel Gutshot Straight.  My interest was raised when I saw a tweet from Bookgasm.com.  So I headed over to the site and saw this trailer for the novel.

I liked the trailer, so I found Berney’s site.  I read a bit about Berney and an excerpt from Gutshot Straight and was sold.  So I headed over to Amazon.com and pre-ordered a copy.  If Gutshot Straight sounds like something you’d like, go ahead and order one too!  Consider it an early Christmas present to yourself.

A Look @ “The Last Days of American Crime”

Posted on by

CBR.com is running a 17 page preview of Rick Remender’s “The Last Days of American Crime”.  It’s a mature crime comic, but definitely worth a look if you’re into that kind of thing.

It’s hard to believe I’ve been talking up “The Last Days of American Crime” for years [I first mentioned it in 2003!]. Now it’s finally here.  And from the looks of things, “The Last Days of American Crime” was more than worth the wait.

Dave Wachter’s Cosmo

Posted on by

This week we have Dave Wachter’s take on Sly as Cosmo Carboni from “Paradise Alley”. I’d never seen Dave’s art until this year at HeroesCon. I immediately got on board for the sketch above. Since then I’ve picked up two more small pieces from Dave. He’s talented and very reasonably priced. You can see more of Dave’s art at his site. Plan to spend a while!

“Timothy”: Cannibalism You Can Dance To

Posted on by

Today as I was updating the StalloneZone and listening to 70’s music, a song came on that I hadn’t heard in years.  “Timothy” was a one-hit wonder for a group called The Buoys.  It peaked at #17 which is pretty amazing considering that many stations banned it because of it’s references to cannibalism!  You read that right, cannibalism.

Written by Rupert “The Pina Colada Song” Holmes, it tells of three miners trapped by a cave-in and when the rescue team finds them there are only two.  Although it’s never explicitly said that the two ate the third, the lyrics make it pretty clear.

Trapped in a mine that had caved in
And everyone knows the only ones left
Were Joe and me and Tim
When they broke through to pull us free
The only ones left to tell the tale
Were Joe and me

Timothy, Timothy, where on earth did you go?
Timothy, Timothy, God why don’t I know?

Hungry as hell no food to eat
And Joe said that he would sell his soul
For just a piece of meat
Water enough to drink for two
And Joe said to me, “I’ll have a swig
And then there’s some for you.”

Timothy, Timothy, Joe was looking at you
Timothy, Timothy, God what did we do?

I must have blacked out just around then
‘Cause the very next thing that I could see
Was the light of the day again
My stomach was full as it could be
And nobody ever got around
To finding Timothy
Timothy…

Of course when radio station managers realized that the song was about cannibalism they’d pull it from rotation, but by then it was too late.  Kids were calling in to request it.  Stations that refused to play “Timothy”, faced the fact that the competition would.  Word of mouth continued to spread and “Timothy” rose up the charts.

I can remember it was the talk of all my friends who thought the song was too cool.  Yeah, eating a co-worker is cool.  What can I say?  We were kids.  Although I have to admit I still like the song.  You might too and you can listen to it here.

Top Unscripted Moments of the Decade

Posted on by

TV critic, Matthew Gilbert posted up his choices for the TOP 14 Unscripted TV Moments of the Decade.  Using just his list here are My Top Ten:

10. Susan Boyle’s first song on “Britain’s Got Talent”: Don’t judge a book by it’s cover and all that.  Pip, pip, cherio.

09.  Jon Stewart on “Crossfire”: Stewart took them to task for being “theater” — about time someone did!

08.  Susan Hawk attacks Richard Hatch on “Survivor”: It was a jaw-dropping moment and one that had everyone talking.  Still makes me smile to think about it.

07. Joe Jackson works the red carpet at the BET awards: Michael had just died and Joe Jackson is at the awards pushing his new record label?  Grieving, indeed.

06. Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake at the 2004 Super Bowl: A lot of people thought it was the breast best part of the Super Bowl!

05. Police taser a Florida student: “Don’t tase me, bro!”  Need I say more?

04. Tom Cruise jumps on Oprah’s couch: Want to bring your brilliant career to a screeching halt?

03. Sully’s plane lands safely: The first unscripted moment to make the list that is positive any way you look at it!

02. Howard Dean screams, is remixed: Dean would have been better off just jumping on Oprah’s couch.

01. The morning of Sept. 11, 2001: Nothing else came close to being #1.

Click here to see the full list or here to see how his poll results.

Stay Out of the Doghouse!

Posted on by

There’s less than two weeks until Christmas.  I know most of the guys reading this haven’t yet bought their wife, girlfriend or significant other their Christmas present.  Admit it fellas, some of us haven’t even started thinking about what to get them… and there’s probably one or two of you reading this now going, “Wow!  I didn’t realize Christmas was this month!”

So I’m going to help you.  Watch this funny video. Pay close attention.  Stay out of the doghouse!

Thanks to John Beatty for passing me the link!