Random Thoughts

For the record, the Seattle Times ran Today's Doonesbury. As usual, it's on the opinion page.

Hey, check out this analysis of the action in The Interman. It just makes me want to reread it all the more. Oh wait, Lisa returned the book, I can reread it!

Remember, 24 Hour Comics Day is TOMORROW! Find a site near you and visit.

Dark Horse Comics is having trouble filling demand for Hellboy books. A good explanation of why this is of interest to comic book fans is over at Franklin's Findings.

I somehow got involved in a major dust-up on the comics blogosphere, about an obscure Silver Age character. Indeed, to my vast amusement, I apparently started the fracas in an entry like this one. Well, fine then... Nice cover, Legomancer, but shouldn't it be spelled 'Space Cabbie'?

Kevin Melrose points out an article my husband will need to read. Archaeology magazine talks with Eric Shanower about Age of Bronze! If you haven't read Age of Bronze yet, go get a copy and read it. Good stuff, and I still think this ought to be in high schools so they can "see" the story better. And yes, I know there is adult content, but it was in the original tales. In some cases even worse than Eric shows it.

Kevin misunderstood my admittedly hamfisted attempt to say that the title of Digital Webbing Presents isn't something that jumps out and says "buy me!" In my Flipping Through Previews post, I tried to explain why I had missed the book in the past... I wasn't (at that point) commenting on the quality of the book itself. Sorry, Kevin. I hope I didn't offend.

Shane Bailey posts another Blue Beetle Sketch. This one is by Aaron Sowd, who I've never met so I can't point to an Aquaman sketch by him, sorry. My Aquaman sketches have recently come to the attention of some real art collectors, thanks to a post I made on the comicart list on Yahoo, and I'm a bit overwhelmed by the kind comments from them.

There's a fascinating article about Mennonites on an exchange program living in Iran for a few years. Via Pacific Views.

WARNING POLITICS AHEAD (people tired of my political rants can just skip the rest of the post):

The North Korea Zone has thoughts and links on various conspiracy theories as to the train explosion. When information is not forthcoming, people will make up their own reasons for events. In any case, North Korea is now asking for humanitarian aid.

This is a bit of political garbage that actually gives me hope for the future: After harshly chastising Diebold Election Systems for what it considered deceptive business practices, a California voting systems panel voted unanimously Thursday to recommend that the secretary of state decertify an electronic touch-screen voting machine manufactured by the company, making it likely that four California counties that recently purchased the machines will have to find other voting solutions for the November presidential election.

The panel also voted to send the findings of its recent Diebold investigation to the state's attorney general for possible criminal and civil charges against the firm for violating state election laws.

That's right, folks: the people at Diebold who lied, covered up, and promised to deliver votes to Georgie might just face criminal charges!

The huge spike in traffic from people wanting to see the images that the Memory Hole obtained has all but shut the site down. There are now some mirror sites. Please note: the government does not want you to see these photos, which show the incredible amount of respect the armed forces shows our fallen. According to Kevin Drum, some of the photos (the earliest in the series) are from the Columbia disaster, not from the war.

There is also a bit of slander/libel going around about Tami Silicio. She was NOT paid for the photo she provided to the Seattle Times. That's a flat-out lie. She wanted to show a friend the respect with which the dead are treated, and the friend sent the photo to the Times. Silicio was not compensated for the use of the photo, and in fact lost her job because of it. If you hear that she was paid, you are being lied to. SHE WAS NOT PAID FOR THE PHOTO.