Sunday, October 5, 2008

Repair Work

If you tried to read this site in the last hour or so, you may have gotten a blank or wrong page. I tried to embed this video, which is one of those fast-paced montages of excerpts, in this case from the vice-presidential debate. Something in it crashed the site and wiped out a lot of stuff I had to restore. Then, fool that I can be, I tried embedding it again and the same thing happened. I have no idea what it is...maybe too many uses of the word "maverick.

There may be something else wrong here but I'm not going to stick that video in again. If you want to see it, click on the above link and go to the site.

• Posted at 7:42 PM · LINK

Mid-Ohio Report

Everyone seems to have had a good time at this year's Mid-Ohio Con here in Columbus, Ohio...which is where I'm blogging from as we speak. This has always been one of the friendliest comic/s-f/media conventions around and its new proprietors are continuing that tradition. I didn't hear a bit of industry news here — it's not that kind of convention — but I sure got to see and talk with a lot of great people...especially yesterday when I interviewed the great Joe Kubert for an hour. Joe has been drawing comics since John McCain was in knee pants and it's warming to hear that he still enjoys doing it. I did Joe the great favor of not giving him the big hug and a kiss that Sergio sent for him.

That was the best part of the con. Oddest for me was probably today when I found myself fighting my way through a mob of several hundred 13-year-old girls in cheerleader costumes. Something called Cheersport was in the adjoining hall, having a Grand Championship competition...throngs of young ladies doing acrobatics and precision moves and hurling one another in the air. As I hiked to the comic convention this morn, they all seemed to be limbering up and/or practicing in my path, and I came seriously closed to being high-kicked into the next county. I had to peek in and watch a bit of the contest, of course. The teenagers all seemed to be lovely and talented and judging from the volume of the music they dance to, by the time they graduate middle school, they will all be stone deaf.

Back at the Mid-Ohio Con: My longtime pal Tony Isabella and I did a panel today about the late, greater-than-great Jack Kirby. Otherwise, I signed stuff, bought stuff, talked to people, dodged cheerleaders and enjoyed myself. I won't list all the people I saw because I used to do that in con reports and everyone thought it was boring unless they were mentioned.

Last night, a gang of us hiked down to a nearby outlet of B.D.'s Mongolian Barbecue, which is one of those chains I wish we had in Los Angeles. As I explained after last year's visit, I've always liked the concept of Monogolian Barbecue but most of those I've patronized have been disappointing. B.D.'s is excellent and I'm not sure why all such restaurants don't equal their standard. All it seems to involve is a wider, fresher selection of ingredients to toss in your bowl and have the chef stir-fry. There are no secret recipes, no impossible-to-copy procedures. Just better selection is all it takes. Why is that so hard for the places in my neck of the woods?

This evening, much the same gang went to a Gordon Biersch's for supper. These, we have in Los Angeles and every single time I go to one with friends, everyone else enjoys what they order and I get stuck with an inedible piece of something you could have a cobbler use to resole your dress shoes. The Gordon Biersch's in Columbus continues that tradition so I've decided to start a tradition of my own: Never going to another Gordon Biersch's.

Otherwise, it's been a good trip and Carolyn says the cats in my backyard are well-fed and fine. Tomorrow, Len Wein and I get to head home and perhaps unpack the mystery of Southwest Airlines Boarding Passes. A whistle-blowing Southwest employee has given me some insight which I'll share with you later.

• Posted at 6:09 PM · LINK

Recommended (Maybe) Reading

Someone over at Rolling Stone magazine — correct that: many someones — doesn't/don't like John McCain...and they aren't too wild about Ms. Palin, either. In the latest issue, Tim Dickinson has a pretty unflattering bio of the man — so unflattering that I'm waiting to see if anyone will offer a fact check/rebuttal before I wholeheartedly believe what it says. If anyone sees one, let me know.

• Posted at 7:24 AM · LINK

Today's Video Link

Jonathan Winters just being Jonathan Winters. A thing of beauty and a joy for a very long time...

• Posted at 7:08 AM · LINK

October 6, 2008 • Current • October 4, 2008