John McCain

I haven't said much about John McCain's death. Heck, before now, I haven't said anything about it. Not even to people privately.

There's not anything I could add to what people have said. I will say that I voted for John McCain for president in 2008 because he was a better choice than the idiot the Democrats nominated. I had some strong online disagreements with some people at that time. They said he was no better than Obama. I thought just about anybody would be better than Obama. I still feel that way.

I don't regret my 2008 vote. McCain wouldn't have been the president I wanted, but he would have been a better president that what we got. I thought that then, and I think that now.

I wasn't a big fan of his throughout his political career, but I did respect his service. I've seen people online trashing his service, and I don't particularly care for that. Don't like his politics? Fine. I'm right there with you. Don't like his service? I'm not gonna join you on that.

One thing in particular that's been going around again relates to the aircraft carrier fire that killed 134 service members. Yes, McCain's plane was the source of the fuel that fed the fire. No, McCain wasn't responsible. The Navy determined that a missile was accidentally launched from elsewhere on the carrier, that the missile hit two planes (including McCain's) and started a spill that was ignited by the missile rocket engines, and that the missile landed in the ocean without exploding.


[The YouTube]

How much of those statements about McCain are from misinformation or people that just don't care about the facts, I don't know. I'm not a fan of either.

What I'd rather focus on are the good things. Like I mentioned, I didn't always agree with McCain on some things, many things, in fact. But let me conclude with this appearance on Saturday Night Live, from back when it was funny.


[DailyMotion]

MST3K: Completing the library?

I wrote before about having a full library of all the video releases of Mystery Science Theater 3000. Shout Factory has continued to release volumes since I originally wrote that.

Volumes XXXVI, XXXVII, and XXXVIII have been released, as well as re-releases of Volumes 2, 3, 4, and 5. And, yes, I have them.

Volume XXXIX would normally be released this summer, based on the schedule Shout Factory has maintained since they took over the releases in late 2008. And they normally announce the next volume when a volume hits the stores.

This time, they didn't.

What they did do was announce that the complete Cinematic Titanic collection would be released in August. That's around the time of the normal MST3K summer volume release (traditionally, late July).

So, why no annoucement? Why Cinematic Titanic instead of a new collection of MST3K? I dunno. But I've never let that stop me.

In case you aren't aware, Cinematic Titanic was Joel Hodgson's project that, like Mystery Science Theater 3000, had a crew riffing on movies. Like RiffTrax -- from Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy, and Bill Corbett, who were Mike, Tom and Professor Bobo, and Crow and Brain Guy on MST3K -- they pretty much were themselves in the riffing. Like MST3K, they used silhouettes over the movie.

Cinematic Titanic ran from 2007 to 2013 with DVDs and live shows. Since it's from MST3K creator Joel Hodgson and featured MST3K stars Trace Beaulieu (Dr. Forrester/Crow), Frank Conniff (TV's Frank), Mary Jo Pehl (Pearl Forrester), and J. Elvis Weinstein (Dr. Erhardt/Tom Servo), it's quite closely related to MST3K. And, it seems that Shout Factory is using the complete CT catalog to fill in for the summer release. At least, that's how I see it.

Anyway, we're not sure if we've reached the end of MST3K releases, or if we're simply close to the end.

As of this writing, there are only 13 national classic episodes that have never been released in any form (that is, Rhino VHS, Rhino DVD, or Shout DVD):

• Rocketship X-M
• Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster
• It Conquered the World
• Fire Maidens of Outer Space
• Attack of the The Eye Creatures
• Girls Town
• The Amazing Transparent Man
• Terror from the Year 5000
• I Was a Teenage Werewolf
• The Deadly Bees
• The Space Children
• Quest of the Delta Knights
• Diabolik

There's one other, The Amazing Colossal Man that has never been on DVD, but was released on VHS.

None of these are public domain, so rights have to be negotiated. Only two are likely for release: The Amazing Transparent Man and Quest of the Delta Knights (Source: Travis Hosey).

Shout Factory may never get rights to some of these. I'd personally be fine with them releasing any they could, with inclusion of previously-release solo items padding out to fill a four-pack. For example, Shorts Volume 3 was only on Rhino VHS and as a bonus disc on early issues of The Essentials (Rhino). That would be great to have for fans that didn't get those early or limited editions.

Some of the solo-only episodes would be great, too:

• Beginning of the End
• Red Zone Cuba
• The Wild Wild World of Batwoman
• Manos: The Hands of Fate

There are also some that were released on Rhino that have never been released on Shout Factory.

• Eegah
• I Accuse My Parents
• The Crawling Hand
• The Hellcats
• Santa Claus Conquers the Martians

Technically, Santa Claus Conquers the Martians was never a solo release, but part of the aforementioned two-episode The Essentials DVD release along with Manos: The Hands of Fate and, for limited pre-orders, Shorts Volume 3.

I wouldn't mind Volume XXXIX consisting of packaging some of the solo-only releases. For example, a Super Essentials with Manos: The Hands of Fate, Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, Shorts Volume 3, and maybe the full versions of Poopie and Poopie II (their bloopers reels) as the fourth disc. The uncut versions of the two films would make great Bonus Disc materials. They'd even make good replacements for the interviews and features that have been staples of the releases.

Volume XL could be one (or two) of the unreleased items for which Shout Factory has or can get rights, padded with Tom Servo's All Time Favorite Host Segments volumes 1-5, The MST Scrapbook, and The Last Dance - Raw (though that would be great to pair with Diabolik, should it ever see the light of day.

Perhaps they could even work out a deal with RiffTrax for some of their public domain movies they riffed to be released.

Now, I firmly believe that if Shout Factory were to release anything other than four previously unreleased episodes, they'd get complaints. Heck, they've received complaints about some of the four-packs of unreleased materials. Some people live to bitch, moan, and complain.

Anyway, I'm not sure if we're on the home stretch, of if we've actually crossed the finish line.

Oh, and I've not even mentioned the KTMA episodes. Word is they exist. I've seen them, or tapes of broadcasts from episode 4 on. They're rough. They're not the quick-paced riffing we're used to, because it was all ad-libbed. Still, there are some gems there. But that's a topic for a whole 'nuther day.

Hillary in her own words

There's not much one can add to this.


[The YouTube / Les at Nuking Politics]

Good Timing, Geek Timing

The timing is right, at least.

Doctor Who has ended its run in time for ... Star Wars.

In case you hadn't heard, they're making a new Star Wars movie. You'd think that would have made the news, right? Well, they are. And it's coming out next week or something. Here's the trailer. Sort of.


[The YouTube: Honest Trailers]

I'm still not sure if I'm going to go to a theater and see it. Especially since it leaked that Kylo Ren is really Jar Jar underneath the getup. So, I'm still wavering on going.

Anyway, what to do until next Thursday? I could re-watch this season's Doctor Who, I suppose. Yeah. That'll work. I'm watching Doctor Who again. I know I won't be disappointed with that.

Happy Doctor Who Day

Geek alert.

It's Doctor Who's birthday. The TV show. You know how all you comic book fans with your Batman and your Deadpool and your Richie Rich...

Well, Doctor Who fans are just as bad. This is the anniversary of the first episode of the show, which aired November 23, 1963 in the UK. And most Doctor Who fans, particularly those in the US, didn't watch it. But we don't care. We're fans. So, we want to wish The Doctor and Doctor Who a happy birthday.


[BBC]

A happy day. And it seems like only yesterday that we were mourning the loss of Clara.

It was 40 years ago today...

Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody was released 40 years ago today. I was a DJ at a small radio station in a small town in southeast Georgia. When the record came in, I listened to it. Queen wasn't new. They had been around a few years, and had played some of their stuff. But, when I listened to Bohemian Rhapsody I thought "What the heck?..." Or something along that line. But, it wasn't my call about adding it to the rotation. When it started making its way up the national charts, it was added to our rotation.

The general reaction was "What the heck?..." Or something along that line. Still, it kinda grew on everyone. After all, this was the mid 1970s.

If you like the song, you'll like this old video, because it's a funny tribute. If you hate the song, you'll like this video, because, well... muppets.


[The YouTube]

Okay, if you'd rather watch the original version, click here.

Sports Post-Game Press Conference

Hey, sports fans! Did you miss the big post-game conference? Here you go.


[The YouTube]

The Force Awakens Trailer featuring Luke Skywalker

I keep reading that Star Wars fans are getting their panties in a wad over Luke Skywalker not being in any of the trailers for The Force Awakens. Well, a whole bunch of somebodies have not been paying attention. Because, right there on The YouTube is a trailer, and I sure enough spotted Luke in it. You gotta look careful, though.


[The YouTube]

Maybe I will go see the movie after all. The current season of Doctor Who will be over by then, anyway.

The Force Awakens or Batman v Superman

So, which are you most excited about? The Force Awakens or Batman v Superman? Well, why not both?

Here's the trailer for Batman v Superman with the audio for The Force Awakens


[The YouTube]

Me? I don't know. Might see them both. Might see neither one. Might wait for them to come to home video and just watch them on the big screen color TV. For now, I'm going to keep watching stuff on the small screen like Doctor Who.

Which reminds me. Check out the Doctor Who LaB podcast at http://DoctorWhoLaB.com where romance author Larynn Ford and I review both new and classic episodes. You can subscribe to it on iTunes and listen to it while waiting in line to watch The Force Awakens. Or Batman v Superman. Or both.

The Future is Now

Embedding the video is hit and miss. Oh, well. Click it, watch it, come back here and comment.

Back To The Future Vs. Reality

Hey future, why are we still tying our own shoes?

Posted by HuffPost Australia on Thursday, October 15, 2015

[From The Facebook]

Neither future is how I imagined today would be. But how did you imagine it would be?

Coming soon to a DVD near you. But not me.

One of the biggest money-making films of all time is out on DVD and Blu-Ray today. And I was wondering if I wanted to get it.

Jurassic World hits stores -- and Amazon Instant Video -- today. I haven't seen the film. Apparently, from the box office numbers, I'm one of about a dozen people who haven't seen it. So, before I shell out $20 for it, I wanted to find out if it's any good. There's a trailer out. An Honest one.


[The YouTube]

Still not sure they're going to get my money. I could own Jurassic World or get four KFC Lunch Meals. I'm leaning toward the Colonel.

It's no Bohemian Rhapsody, but...

A small clip of the Swedish Chef performing "Rapper's Delight." Yes, you read that right.


[The YouTube]

You're welcome.

 

I know. You thought I was going to somehow find a way to plug the latest episode of Doctor Who LaB podcast, didn't you? Well, there's no connection. So I won't.

Relax!!!

You've nearly made it through the work week. Perhaps this will help you finish the week. Perhaps not.


[The YouTube]

If you're in the mood for more Doctor Who, there's the Doctor Who LaB podcast that I keep nagging you about. Larynn and I have a new episode up. We talk about a really really old serial from the early days of the show: An Unearthly Child (conclusion, episodes 2, 3, & 4). Find out why the TARDIS looks like it does, and learn how time travel can be like playing with fire.

Twilight Zone Trivia

One of these is not like the others. Only a true Twilight Zone fan will know which. I knew right from the start. But, do you?


[The YouTube]

By the way, if you have to guess, you'll probably not get it right. But, if you know, you know. I'll give you until tonight.

Okay, if you want a hint (another one; yes, you already have one), it happened on the show three times, but only once in this video. That ought to be a useless enough hint.

UPDATE: The answer is in the comments.

The Hot-Crazy Matrix

Science is useful. Because Science!


[The YouTube]

Tip: Douglas Urbanski/The Facebook

Peggy Joseph 2014

Remember Peggy Joseph? Sure you do.


[The YouTube]

Well, she's using different words now.


[The YouTube]
Tip: The Other McCain

The question is not who "will she vote for in 2016?", it's "who will she vote for in 2014?"

I didn't mind making fun of her in 2008, or in the years since. But she seems to be wising up. So, maybe there's hope -- real hope -- after all.

But, if I stop making fun of Peggy Joseph, that doesn't mean I'll stop making fun of Barack Obama and others who still drink his Kool-Aid. None of us should.

Do you have a funny story of someone who was Peggy Joseph then and is still that way? Share it. We could all use a good laugh.

239

[The YouTube]

70 years ago

[Video: The YouTube. Transcript: U. S. Army]

Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force! You are about to embark upon a great crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers in arms on other fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.

Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle hardened, he will fight savagely.

But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats, in open battle, man to man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our home fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men. The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to victory!

I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full victory!

Good Luck! And let us all beseech the blessings of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.

-- Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower

A manly man workout by a manly man

The manly manness of the manly man doing a manly man workout puts all other manly man men to shame.


[The YouTube]

Original: Daily Mail Tip: Pamela Geller

O'Shizzle

IMAO has a strick No Irish policy. I'm not sure if this is evidence supporting it or refuting it.


[The YouTube]

Tip: Roxy Maunz, Facebook