Sink Your Teeth Into Random News

Well, September has come to an end and we enter October, which means we’re almost ready for Canadian Thanksgiving! If you’re new to Arune.Com, use the navigation tools on the right to check out all the posts in September, from reports about my trip to Toronto to some fun videos for everyone. See you next month.

• There’s a new Angel comic book series and I interviewed the writer, Scott Tipton, over at CBR. He’s written some great stories in that universe and I expect he’ll tell another excellent story. I got a sneak peek at the first issue and I loved it. It’s also where I got the above art.
• Matt Striker’s Classroom. Matt is a former NYC teacher who was fired for moonlighting as a wrestler and then hired by the WWE. He uses the teacher gimmick in the WWE and he also gives “lessons” each week. Check ‘em out– they’re pretty funny and not quite PC.
• No matter what this article says, I refuse to believe that not wearing underwear in public is anything but silly. And Paris Hilton is the not the person whose trends I’d wanna see anyone follow.
• Avril Lavigne spits on a photographer again and I don’t know if she should be lauded or criticized. Yeah, as someone famous you have to give up some privacy, but as a celebrity photographer, you’re robbing people of their privacy. I guess no one’s right or wrong, but here’s how to stop the cycle: stop buying those gossip rags.
• Weird Al talks about his new album, Straight Outta Lynwood and it’s a great disc. I love “Canadian Idiot” (a parody of Green Day’s “American Idiot”) and “White & Dirty” (a parody of the rap song “Ridin”). Great stuff and one of the best albums I’ve purchased in a while.
• Can you smell what the Rock is cookin? Either way, check out this interview with The Rock and learn about his plans for the future. It’s from June, but still pretty relevant.
• Justice League Heroes looks excellent and this article has images of all the alternate costumes for the characters. I’m partial to the “Kandor” costume for Superman and the”Walter West” uniform for Flash. I played the gave at Comic-Con International in San Diego this year and loved it, even though similar games such as X-Men Legends tend to bore me. Superman, in particular, was fun to play with because you could use his heat vision and do a 360 degree turn. Awesome.
• The WWE is supporting the U.S military by having a special screening of John Cena’s new film, The Marine, for some Marines. The WWE does a lot for our troops overseas and it’s admirable.
• A nice interview with WWE superstar Batista, who is a pretty charismatic guy, and probably really scary to meet in real life (he’s huge!). He’ll be on Smallville later this year.
• There’s a new sexiest woman alive. To each their own. I don’t get the big deal about her.

Iron Clad Random News

This may be the last update of September, but it’s been a good month for Arune.Com and we appreciate the support from all our readers. Remember to check out the Battlestar Galactica recap special on October 2nd, 7pm EST. As always we welcome comments, so feel free to leave some feedback. The above image is from the teaser poster for the new Iron Man film, coming to theatres in 2008 (if I’m not mistaken).

• Someone is finally apologizing to Mr. Arar, but it’s not nearly enough and doesn’t go nearly far enough for my liking. Even many Canadians agree with me. Even more disturbing than the lack of attention on this case by the American media is how America is alleged to have conducted itself. The lack of information provided to Canada is quite odd and I’d love to hear from someone in the American government about how this case was handled. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that the handling of this case will define the faiths of many people in both governments. It’s also scary that the investigators in this case aren’t being penalized in any way, nor are they having to explain their actions. I’m interested to see how the RCMP and Canadian government “make up” for these mistakes.
• Another student shoots someone at their school, though this time it’s in Wisconsin. I don’t know why there are so many school shooting lately, but I wonder what the hell goes through people’s minds when they plan to do this and after they shoot their target. How could you possibly feel “good” about taking another human life? And if there is such a situation, it’s hard to imagine that this is the situation. Perhaps more details will emerge to round out this story, but right now I’m just shaking my head.
• In much lighter news, Robert Downey Jr has been cast as Iron Man in the film Iron Man, to be direct by Jon Favreau. In the comics, Iron Man is really Tony Stark, a rich industrialist with some major alcohol problems. There’s a Downey joke in there that I won’t go for, but I will say that it’s an odd casting choice. I didn’t think they’d cast a known actor in the role, but I do hope the movie turns out well.
• Comedy Central’s Drawn Together is a funny show and I interviewed the series’ writers/creators for CBR. The third season premieres next week.
• Should girls wear kilts at school? Hear what some Canadians have to say about this issue.

You Ever Curious About This?

You ever wonder what happened to people you knew at school, worked with, or just passed by on the street? I’m often curious, even though I know that these people probably don’t give me a second thought, just because I guess part of me hopes everything worked out okay and another part of me just wants to know for the sake of knowing. I’m not concerned about whether or not I made an impression on those people, I’m just hoping that someday we run into each other again and I find out that they’re really happy. I don’t think I’ve ever known anyone who didn’t deserve some real happiness in their life. And hell, I’d love to help them achieve their, if that’s possible.

So, if you’re someone I haven’t talk to in a while, leave a comment and let me know how you’re doing.

Super Random News

Hey folks, this will be a quick entry, but I hope to have some more entries up tonight. Enjoy!

• Smallville returns tonight and it’s easily one of the worst written shows on television, down there with Heroes. I could spend days talking about the inconsistent characterization, the illogical plots, the bad acting, and how this is a poor show on almost every level. Here’s the rub: I really did like this show at one point. Watch the pilot. It’s a perfect pilot. There have been some phenomenally written episodes, but the show continually goes for mediocrity instead, which is evn more frustrating when I know there are good writers over there. I once read about the showrunners saying that 22 episodes are hard to fill with story (I have the quote in a British sci-fi magazine) and that it can be hard to figure out how to fill up a season. That’s just plain nuts to me. There is so much that could be done with the characters in this show and hell, they could try to make Clark Kent not seem like such a selfish, self rightous and arrogant bastard. He’s not sympathetic at all and more often than not acts like an idiot. Check out Neal Bailey’s Smallville reviews to understand how badly this show is written. Why do I watch it? I’m a Superman addict. I did stop watching the show with Season 4 and I usually fast forwarded through most of Season 5. I keep hoping it’ll reach the potential it showed in the pilot.
• Microsoft has released more details on The Zune and I think Apple will finally have some competition. It’s a great looking device, with excellent built in features, at a reasonable price and the music store sounds like a great deal. I like the idea of two options– one to own music or a monthly fee to listen to whatever you want. That’s just awesome. Honestly, if I wasn’t so invested in iTunes (or if this machine could run those song files), I’d consider getting a Zune. The big problem for Microsoft is marketing this device, because they need to give consumers a reason to switch from Apple to Microsoft, or at least a reason for those invested in neither to have faith in the Zune. I hope it does well, only because competition means Apple has to make even better iPods and offer more from iTunes, which means the consumer wins.
• There’s a new superhero card game called VS, which isn’t THAT new, but it may be new to a lot of fans. I interviewed the art director over at CBR (which I linked to) and if nothing else, the game has some beautiful art.

Holy Random News, Batman!

Well folks, we did it– we set a new record for blogging at Arune.Com! I know that a lot of other sites update way more than this site, but I’m happy to up my blogging in both quantity and quality. I have no idea what I’m going to talk about in October. Suggestions? Well, onward with the news! There’s a lot of random stuff, but y’know, that’s why it’s called Random News.

• Halo Wars is coming and while I’m not a big fan of the Halo games (it got a bit boring to me), they are always well done and I know that a lot of Arune.Com readers love the series, so here’s to you!
• Ron MacLean talks about Wayne Gretzky. It’s the Great One, which automatically makes it a must watch video for me.
• Nokia has some nice new cell phones, especially their new E62 phone, which looks like the PDA I will get. It’s exclusive to Cingular and they want me to renew my contract, so this looks like the phone for me. I also do love the Palm Treo, so I’ll have to see which one I can afford (I’m in no rush).
• More praise for Battlestar Galactica, which remains one of the top 3 shows on television, if not the best. It’s as good as The Shield, if not better.
• Don’t expect to see George Clooney in politics. The article is pretty worthless except for the funny comic book comment at the end. Yeah, I’m a nerd.
• Tim Horton’s introduces a new breakfast sandwich that I’m sure will be yummy, like all their food (especially the donuts). However, their employees are sometimes, how do I put this, not very adept at making the sandwiches properly, so expect a few sloppily put together egg sandwiches for the next couple of months.
• Watch the premiere of Veronica Mars‘ third season on MSN. Sadly, you need to use one of their web browsers to do so, so Firefox users such as myself are left out of the loop. I’m half way through the second season and I’m not liking it much at all, especially compared to the phenomenal first season, but I’ll wait to see if there’s some payoff at the end. I’m also including a video of the show’s updated third season credits, which has a cool new look, but also a slowed down version of the old theme, and that’s not really working for me.
  
  
  

• Footage from the new Superman Returns game has been leaked. It looks pretty cool, but I’m debating whether or not I should buy it when it comes out, or wait for a cheap used copy. Thanks to Justin for the heads up. And since I’m so cool, here’s the video!
  
  
  

Democrats, You Need To Grow A Pair

It’s really sad to find that this whole Bill Clinton mess is the highest profile situation for the Deomcrats in year. Bill Clinton seems to be the only Democrat who is showing any kind of resolve and standing up for what he believes in, though one could make an argument that Al Gore is doing something similar with his excellent An Inconvenient Truth book and film of the same name. I remember seeing Howard Dean on The Daily Show months ago, where he outlined the Dem’s strategy, which seemed to be based on the idea of giving out pamphlets and hanging crap from your doorknob. When asked to outline what made the Democrats a unique party or the better choice for Americans, Dean listed a number of really vague talking points and couldn’t really offer specifics. In a five minute interview, Dean demonstrated everything wrong with the Democratic party. They have no identity. They don’t stand for anything.

I’m sure it’s not easy to be a politician in today’s America, but when you decide to get in the game, you better play to win. The Democrats seem afraid to take a stance on major issues. There’s no party message or unified strategy. There’s no serious attack on the mistakes of Republicans. There’s no serious effort to get their message out to the major media outlets. We all know what the Republicans stand for and the choices they make. We know what the party stands for and we hear their message loud and clear. But the Democrats have no real leadership, no one person or ideal they rally around, and as a result, all Americans suffer.

The great thing about this whole Bill Clinton/Fox News argument is that we finally saw a Democrat take on the Republicans. Look, I don’t much care for either party, but this country benefits when both parties are strong and hold the other accountable. It keeps everyone on their toes. It keeps people trying to top the other by doing more good for the people of this country. We need that competition. Why is it that Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert do more to hold our politicians responsible, than either political party does? It’s a sad day when two comedians are more politically aware and active than the people we elect to office.

So c’mon Democrats, wake up, grow a pair and fight for what you believe in. When Rumsfeld or any other politician lies, bends the truth, or makes a mistake, hold them responsible. Dig up the facts– I mean, if Comedy Central can do it, so can you. You guys are a joke because you don’t stand for anything. You’re simply an alternative to the Republicans, but we have no idea what that means. We have no idea what you stand for and why you stand for it. You can’t expect to win elections by waiting for Republicans to screw up. Stand for something. Tell us what you want to do and then damn well do it. It’s sad that Bill Clinton’s kind of passion and plain speak is a rarity among your party. It’s sad that Al Gore is doing more for this country than you seem to want to do. You have some great members in your party. You have the potential to change this country. Rise up to the challenge and fight for something, because right now you stand for nothing.

Take A Bite Out Of Random News

We’re almost there, as I’m closing in on the record breaking Arune.Com blog entry. I’m working on new things to share with all of you, and I’ll be tackling politics a bit more, but don’t expect this to become a political blog. I’m a centrist, with a slight leaning to the right, but I’m not about to get too political, except on the big issues (like the Arar situation). Plus, I’d rather focus on the fun stuff and talk about what’s on my mind regarding the mysteries/quirks of life, as opposed to ranting and raving. By the way, if you’re Canadian, you need to listen to Weird Al’s new song entitled “Canadian Idiot,” a spoof of Green Day’s “American Idiot.”

• Everyone’s favorite vampire, Spike, has a new comic book series and I interviewed the writer over at CBR. I read the first issue and it’s a lot of fun, easily one of the best Angel or Buffy comic book adaptations. It’s a very authentic feeling tale, but if you’re not one for monthly comic purchasing, just wait till the mini-series concludes and buy the trade paperback.
• The results are in and Grey’s Anatomy continues to be the show to beat. I understand the people like primetime soaps and that the diversity of this cast appeals to a large audience. I even understand that the sappy love stories in the show might intrigue viewers. But everytime I’ve watched this show, I’ve found Meredith (the lead character) to be a whny, self important brat and the writing (especially the dialogue) to just not be very good. Any fans care to explain what’s so awesome? I know that everyone has their own tastes, but I just don’t get the show.
• There’s more than one important Steve at Apple. Wozniak is quite an important person in the computer world, and has probably influenced your life more than you realize. Through his work with Steve Jobs, you now have the iPod, the Mac OS (operating system), and the Mac design aesthetic that continues to be aped by all the major companies. If anyone wants to buy me his book, iWOZ, I’ll be happy to accept the gift.
• I’ve never been a big fan of the musical group The Black Eyed Peas and this article touches on many of those reasons. That said, they know how to craft a good hook and I wish them nothing but success, even if their music usually doesn’t do much for me.
• Expect some changes in the education system. I don’t know much about Secretary Spelling, but I do like a lot of the ideas put forth in this article, as I’ve made no secret of my dislike for the form that higher education is taking these days. The cost of school is ridiculous and the interest on student loans is even worse. It’s sad that we can’t create a school system that is open to most Americans to participate in without fear over those costs. The only way for this country to get ahead of others in creativity, technology, innovation, etc, is to educate everyone so that they have the tools to boldy blaze new paths.
• Keep religion out of politics, says Lou Dobbs, who can often seem like a blowhard, but is on the money with this article.

Too Many Commercials?

Is it just me or has there been a huge increase in the amount of commercials during television programs these days? I first began noticing it a couple of years ago when Lost premiered, as the amount of commercials seemed a bit on the steep side, but now it seems that instead of 2 minute commercial breaks, we’re getting 3-4 minute commercial breaks. Not only does this make the wait between scenes tedious, but we’re getting a lot less of the program at the same time! Is there a reason for this phenomenon? Did networks decide upon this new commercial time and I missed the announcement?

I can understand why this would happing with programs which don’t have a large audience, such as Daytime Soaps, which find themselves losing viewers on a weekly basis, but it seems odd to do with primetime shows, especially when everyone is fighting for ratings. Longer commercial breaks give people more time to channel surf and find something else to watch. I’m beginning to realize how much more I enjoy watching television shows on DVD, since I’m not burdened with excess advertising and worrying about pre-empting, sattelite issues, and shows taking breaks between new episodes. Having a DVR helps, but it does get a bit annoying to have four minute breaks between scenes of shows such as Studio 60 and All My Children.

Anyone else annoyed by these breaks? Or am I the only one who noticed?

Lost In The Random News

Yeah, you guessed it– more random news! Hopefully there will be some more original content day, but we’ll have to see how the day pans out. For now, feel free to catch up on all the posts from the weekend and leave some comments too. If you get a chance, check out my review of Heroes that I unleashed over the weekend and let me know what you thought of the show. Viewers seem to love it, even though I think it’s one of the worst written shows I’ve ever seen. I’d love to know what you thought about it.

• If you’re on medication, you need to read this article about quitting too early. For me, personally, I hate the way that a lot of medication can make you feel a bit disconnected or like you’re viewing life through some fog. So I can understand not taking medication when you’re told to, but when a doctor says I need it, I try to stay on it for the minimum amount of time he recommends, so that way I don’t become too dependent on it. Still, I’ve never had medication for something life threatening and in that case, I’d be an idiot not to play it safe and take for as long as the doctor tells me to.
• The Lost Experience is explained, and I gotta admit, it’s a bit disappointing. I’m not sure if there’s any explanation for the mysteries in Lost that would satisfy everyone, but this just seems so, I don’t know, cliched? Predictable? I’ve made no secret of my disappointment with Season 2 of the show and while I’ll give the third season a try, I have a feeling that I may not stick around for too long. That isn’t to say it’s a bad show or that you’re stupid to like it, but it has become the kind of show I’m not too interested in watching.
• Buy your kids an ATM for Christmas! This is definitely one of the odder children’s toys I’ve seen. I know that kids are very creative in the application and use of their toys, but an ATM? Seriously? I guess during play time, one of kid could pretend to mug the other kid while he’s getting money out of the bank, but a toy ATM is definitely not the most necessary part of that scenario.
• What is it with liking Vampires, being Canadian, and killing people? I’m not trying to make light of this horrific murder, and I don’t believe there’s any causal relation between those aforementioned elements, but it’s just something that keeps popping up in the news. I can’t imagine so viciously killing someone, not to mention your own brother, but these kids need real help. I’m curious as to what caused all this to happen, because I have a hard time understanding why this stuff happens, which makes it difficult for me to accept that these kinds of things happen in the world.
• Seems like the wrong girls were going wild, as the founder of Girls Gone Wild just lost a court case involving not documenting the ages of these girls. Look, I have no issue with porn, strippers, hookers, etc. If you enjoy all that stuff, and you’re not cheating on someone, go for it. It’s all good. But what the hell is the appeal of Girls Gone Wild? Seriously, these girls are piss drunk and acting like idiots, with shoddy camera work to boot. What’s the appeal?
• Here’s a new interview with musician John Mayer, who just released the excellent Continuum album. His songs may be too saccharine for some, but the man is an amazing guitarist and I don’t think he gets enough credit for his ability to create a good hook.
• Let’s go Blue Jays! The Jays are now in second place in the AL East, blowing past the Red Sox, and leaving fans with a lot of hope for the 2007 season. Seeing that picture of the fans made me think of a Blue Jays “soundtrack” that was put out back in the nineties, after the Jays won their first World Series. Every so often, the “Terminator” song from that CD starts playing in my head. “Terminator, terminator…pitch that fast ball!”

What Do You Want?

I can’t really get to sleep tonight, so I’ve been thinking a lot about my life goals and what I want from my life. I’ve always wanted to help people, to do some good in the world, and as I’ve mentioned before, that can be done in a lot of ways. I have some friends who want to be in business. Some who want to be pro athletes. Some who just want to have a chance to ride a bullet bike again. When it comes down to it, all any of us want is to be happy and for those we care about to be happy too. Sure, there are some repulsive people out there who want to hurt others, or those who simply don’t care if they hurt others, buy by in large, most people you meet just want to be happy. They don’t want to hurt you or interfere with your happiness. They just want their happiness. It might be a little bit selfish, but we all want that to some degree. So next time you meet someone new or are in a position where you interact with a lot of strangers, just remember that like you, they’re probably just trying to get by. Offer assistance. Smile. Go that extra mile. You never know when your kindness and deceny will give someone the hope they so desperately need. You might just turn around someone’s day, not to mention their life.

We all like to dream big. I blame my delusions of grandeur on all the comic books I’ve read. But you know what? We all can make that difference if we just remember to do the small things, like being polite and considerate to others, giving what we can of ourselves to make the world around us a bit brighter. Then we’ll be happy and everyone around us will be happy, and after all, what more could you really want? Sure, some of us want cool toys or certain pleasures, but in the end, when we’re lying all alone, the one thing that will get us through the tough times is hope and faith in those around us. You can give that to people. You can be a hero.