S. Michael Wilson's Blog, page 6

Book Quotes: Death Wish

Cover of Death Wish

"There are times I'm convinced there is nothing more to existence in this world than a black desert where blind people pick up rocks and grope around to kill one another."

 - Related articlesFilm: The New Cult Canon: Death Wish 3 (avclub.com)Mark Twain back on bestsellers list century after death (telegraph.co.uk)The Death of the Book has Been Greatly Exaggerated, Redux (shannonturlington.com)

It's nice to know that someone cares what I think...

In this case, that someone is Susan Whitfield, who has posted an interview with me on her author review blog. In the interview, Susan asks me about my background, my writing habits, my projects, and my latest book, Performed by Lugosi. Stop over at her blog and read all about me, browse her other author interviews when you get bored with mine, and post flattering comments about my author photo if you are so inclined. Come on, you know you want to.
Related articlesBela Lugosi's Dead (wonderlandornot.net)Intellectual Debate and the Internet (jamblemag.com)An interview with myself (respiratorytherapycave.blogspot.com)

Why Aren't Republicans Funny?

Chistine O'Donnell's new "I'm not a witch" commercial is depressingly reminiscent of Sarah Palin running with the "Palm Notes" debacle, and underlines one of the major flaws of most republicans: they truly have no noticeable sense of humor. Palin and O'Donnell trying to act like they are good sports who are in on the joke, or firing back with staff-written jabs of their own, always fails with an audible thud. Why do most far Right Wingers have no comprehension of satire or parody, or even a basic understanding of the form and function of a joke?

Image by Bearman2007 via FlickrThis isn't an isolated incident, either. A recent poll showed that a large number of conservatives did not realize that the Colbert Report was satire; they thought he was actually championing conservative causes, albeit in a humurous way. They didn't get the joke. Could it be that buying into the Republican world view actually divorces you from reality and the human condition so much that you no longer understand what is humorous? It would explain why Dennis Miller stopped being funny once he gave up his impartial comedian status and became a dedicated toe-the-line conservative commentator.
Still don't see the connection? Remember Fox News' short-lived attempt at a Daily Show-type comedy news series, the 1/2 Hour News Hour? Yeah, most people don't. Yet another audible thud.
Related articles by ZemantaThe genius of Christine O'Donnell? 'I'm not a witch...I'm you.' (blogs.telegraph.co.uk)Stewart and Colbert plan spoof of Tea Party rally (omg.yahoo.com)Why Aren't Conservatives Funny? [Questions] (gawker.com)

A Funeral for Mickey

There were many guests at my sixth birthday party. Among those in attendance were Mickey Mouse, Fred Flintstone, and the rock band KISS. Actually, KISS was present in name only, their logo plastered across my t-shirt in a rather unusual and ill-advised form of product placement advertising. Then again, perhaps it wasn't that inappropriate; the fact that KISS t-shirts were available in my size suggests that there was plenty of money to be made in even the youngest demographic.

It feels strange to refer to the other guests, the other children present at my sixth birthday party, as my friends. I have no idea who any of them were. There are no names or fond memories available to attach to blurry, frozen faces laughing in this Kodachrome moment from the past. Friends from that age seem almost inconsequential, casual relationships dictated more by classrooms and neighborhoods than any innate desire to bond with others. We probably had very little in common besides shared classrooms. Otherwise, I might not have been the only one endorsing KISS so publicly at my birthday party.

My fondness for KISS had no basis on musical taste. Posters of Gene Simmons breathing fire and walking on foot-long spiked platform shoes in studded leather garb hung on my bedroom wall, yet I owned none of their albums. The closest I ever came to listening to their music was watching the television special KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park. I can only assume that my parents encouraged this fascination because of the cuteness factor inherent in a kindergartner running around in a KISS t-shirt making Gene Simmons devil faces.

Despite my affection for the flamboyantly costumed rock band, there were no KISS related decorations at my sixth birthday party. Instead, the centerpiece of the event was a large cake in the shape of a more wholesome and kid-friendly Mickey Mouse. The Disney theme did not extend far beyond the cake, however, as the plates and cups all featured Fred Flintstone. I guess that is the one benefit to catering a party for children; they don't put much emphasis on coordination or consistent presentation as long as there is cake, ice cream, and a pile of gift wrapped goodies..
The Mickey Mouse cake turned out to be a huge hit, although not quite in the way it had been intended. The cake looked great sitting on the table, but after the candles were blown out and the cake was cut, the removal of a portion of Mickey's ear exposed a dark, rich, red interior. I don't know who was first to point out the blood-red filling's resemblance to freshly cut flesh, but it wasn't long before we were all joining in, a group of six year olds laughing and giggling as we gleefully screamed that my parents had killed Mickey Mouse. As we rejoiced over the ritualistic vivisection of a cartoon icon, a party balloon in the other room suddenly popped, inspiring someone to shout out "Oh no! They got Goofy!" My parents did little to discourage our behavior, and so our sugar-fueled imaginations kept us ranting about cartoon character safaris until parents finally started arriving to remove my party guests one by one.
I have no recollection whatsoever of the presents received on my sixth birthday. The memory of my gifts, no matter how much I treasured them then, have since faded from the slide show of my childhood's most cherished moments. Yet I will never forget the touching image of me and my friends celebrating Mickey Mouse's mutilated, frosting-covered corpse.Related articles by ZemantaMickey Mouse in Metal (battlegrip.com)'Epic Mickey' And His Magical, Reality-Bending Ears (multiplayerblog.mtv.com)La Mulana is like 'Mickey Mouse Vs. The Terminator' (destructoid.com)EW exclusive: 'Epic Mickey' trailer! (popwatch.ew.com)Photo: World's Largest Mickey Mouse Collection (shoppingblog.com)

Funeral for Mickey, Birthday for Me

There were many guests at my sixth birthday party. Among those in attendance were Mickey Mouse, Fred Flintstone, and the rock band KISS. Actually, KISS was present in name only, their logo plastered across my t-shirt in a rather unusual and ill-advised form of product placement advertising. Then again, perhaps it wasn't that inappropriate; the fact that KISS t-shirts were available in my size suggests that there was plenty of money to be made in even the youngest demographic.

It feels strange ...

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Ray Bradbury Corrupts Young Girls

Talk about your Book Lust ! Here's a NSFW tribute to one of Science Fiction's most prolific authors:



Why do I get the feeling that follow-ups for Isaac Asimov and Philip K. Dick are already on the way?
Related articles by ZemantaWhy Ray Bradbury still matters (beliefnet.com)10 Things You Didn't Know About Ray Bradbury (neatorama.com)Ray Bradbury: Too Much Government, Let's Colonize Mars (outsidethebeltway.com)

Total Eclipse of the Killers

Image by Nayara - Oliveira via Flickr
This weekend's episode of the MovieSucktastic podcast is up and available for your Fourth of July listening pleasure. After all, why would you blast Creedence Clearwater Revival or Nickelback by the poolside when you could subject your pool party guests to the fevered rantings of a man forced to watch both Killers and The Twilight Saga: Eclipse in one sitting?
Yes, episode #17 of MovieSucktastic features reviews by yours truly after a harrowing night spent ...

Amazon Puts 70% Royalty in Place for DTP Publishing

Image via CrunchBaseAmazon Puts 70% Royalty in Place for DTP Publishing

Well, it looks like Amazon might be dragging the big publishing companies into the new technology once again.
One of my main complaints with eBooks has always been that the publishing companies were raking in extra cash at the expense of both the artist and the consumer: with eBooks being sold at the same or similar price as physical books in most cases, publishers were successfully eliminating printing and shipping...

Book Review - My Footprint by Jeff Garlin

Having never watched Curb Your Enthusiasm (yeah, I'm THAT guy), my only familiarity with in the past has been recognizing his voice as the Ship's Captain in Wall-E . So when I picked up his book, My Footprint: Carrying the Weight of the World , I did so with no preconceived notions or expectations, other than that I was about to read a humorous story about one man's quest to lose weight and 'Go Green'. I give this disclaimer only to separate myself from those familiar with Garlin wh...