Chris Braak's Blog, page 46

Have to Do Something, I Guess

Eventually, we will figure out how to make the flashlights brain-powered and able to project giant fists. http://lampprogram.wordpress.com/ Filed under: Threat Quality

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

This movie was okay.  There's a lot of stuff going on it, definitely.  Also, there's a long boring part in the middle/end, which corresponds to the long boring part in the book.  So, at least it's accurate. The more I watch Harry Potter, though, the more frustrated I get that he isn't any good at [...]

TQP at Philcon!

As we speak, Mr. Braak is setting up a table at Philcon, the Philadelphia Science Fiction Society's annual gathering, hocking our wares and slowly building the empire. (A perfect storm of dreaded deadline doom, seasonal part-time job, dogsitting, and traditional Thanksgiving-with-friends is keeping me away this year.) Anyhow, if you're in the area, stop by [...]

5 Marvel Comics Movies Waiting To Happen

Now that the next slate of Summer Superhero Movies are getting their early media attention (the Captain America cover story in Entertainment Weekly; Green Lantern's trailer popping up the same day Ryan Reynolds was announced as People's Sexiest Man, and why don't I just throw the link to that Thor sizzle-reel in here too), the [...]

Still Betasked

Plus, it turns out that people pay money, sometimes, for the short critical writing that I like to do, so I am trying to sell some of it.  We'll see how that goes! In the meantime, check out this: Paul diFillipo interviews Thomas M. Disch Thomas M. Disch, now the late Thomas M. Disch, was [...]

The thing about 'meh'

Now, as with most half-words the internet has latched onto, it gets a bit overused. That's okay – the internet is vast and chatty, and churns out new words at an alarming rate. Some are bound to catch on. But if you're using "meh" as part of a larger critique? You are misusing the word. [...]

Dang it!

I have TASKS today.  Important ones! So, let's see.  Here we go:  did you know that, despite America's nominal commitment to free speech, up until about sixty years ago you could still be arrested or deported for saying your political beliefs out loud?  That prior to the establishment of the ACLU, Supreme Court decisions were [...]

Authors and Self-Promotion

Here's an interesting bit about writing and self-promotion by Betsy Lerner.  Her general point — that authors have to work to promote their book, and that getting published isn't a guarantee of getting noticed is well-taken, and true.  What would be the point of creating a beautiful store with a fine logo, and then just [...]

Generalized Tech Rant #295

(This post is a direct response to having a discussion among three editors over whether you should capitalize "tweet," which in turn led into your standard "And what's with the kids and their big pants and the rappity-rap songs" grousing session.) Blog Tweet Friend-as-verb Poke iPod Apps Wii-mote When did modern technology get so FUCKING [...]

Attention the World!

Being an atheist is okay!  You can still have morals, and love your family, and not just be out for yourself all the time, despite actively disbelieving in any heretofore-defined conception of a deity. It's true, it's really possible, I promise. Theism is okay, too, if that's what you're into, but, just as atheism doesn't [...]