Allow me to begin this entry by congratulating the folks over at Pyr who are basking in the glow of four brilliant nominations. Our buddy and guest blogger Lou Anders has garnered a Hugo nomination in the category of Best Professional Editor, Long Form. Meanwhile, future guest blogger and long-time Baron Destructo nemesis Joe Abercrombie has received a nomination for the John W. Campbell Best New Writer Award. Also receiving the nod in the same category is author David Louis Edelman. And, finally, Ian McDonald’s Brasyl received a Hugo nomination for Best Novel. Good luck to all.
Well, despite what I interpreted as a very bad omen – the fact that the view outside my office window looked like a damn snow globe this morning (“This isn’t right,”muttered a stunned Carl) – it turned out to be a surprisingly good day. My notes call on Whispers went swimmingly, the director’s cut of Broken Ties was great, and I discovered a government refund check for a whopping $11.99 amid the papers in my briefcase. It was a pleasant change from yesterday when the infuriatingly incompetent West Virginia Mountaineers blew a six point lead in overtime, losing to Xavier and robbing me of a spotless 4-0 night in my March Madness picks. Still, I’m in pretty good shape (provided Memphis, Kansas, Texas, and Wisconsin come through for me tonight) and look poised to finish in the money. Which is alternately nice yet kinda lame. Apparently, prizes will be awarded to not only the first place finisher, but those finishing second, third, fourth, AND FIFTH! Seriously. Whatever happened to winner take all? What kind of world are we living in where we reward people for the simple act of trying? Is it that we’ve grown so apathetic as a society that we require constant reinforcement in order to feel good about ourselves? The answer to that question is a resounding “YES!”. It’s why many schools prevent students from discussing birthday parties or handing out Valentine cards unless they intend to include every frigging classmate AND that creepy janitor with the wooden teeth. And why in Little League play, every team is rewarded with a trophy regardless of record, athleticism, and general suck-assity. In a misguided bid to raise our children’s self-esteem, we’re simultaneously instilling them with unreasonable expectations they‘ll undoubtedly cling to in a wide-eyed stupor when reality eventually slaps them around in their adult years. We desperately want them to believe that “In life, there are no losers only winners” but the truth is life is filled with losers! And we should embrace this fact because, if not for them, the rest of us would be nothing but winners of varying degrees. As is the case with this damn March Madness pool.
Today, many cities around the world are taking part in Earth Hour, an international event in which individuals will do their part to help lower carbon emissions by turning off their lights and appliances for one full hour. I think this is great and if my cell phone didn’t require recharging and the basketball game wasn’t on and I didn’t need to heat up the water for my green tea, I’d be totally down with it. Still, unlike most of you, I’m already doing my part for the environment. Read all about it here: http://josephmallozzi.com/2007/07/07/july-7-2007/
By the way, thanks to those who suggested Baron Destructo and Cookie Monster co-host some sort of intermittent self-help column. I’ve checked with them and both informed me they’d be only too happy to dispense their irresponsible advice.
Today’s pics: The view outside my office, Rob Cooper sitting as his – oh!, The new and improved Ark of Truth poster, Mr. Wraithy’s big move.
Wrong date, my dear!
I hate to point out, er incompetence in ANY form… but check your calendar 🙂 and heck, you’re a good few hours behind me! LOL.
Dear cookie monster: living with my husband is worse than living with Bert after he’s let all the pigeons in the house. How do I get him to clean up the messes?!
And sorry, Joe, but it looks like tonight’s games aren’t going to go in your favor 🙁 but console yourself with the $11.99. Isn’t that like 24 in Euros?
wams352
I will be taking part in the Hour of Power, where you turn all the lights and electrical appliances on.
If you want some good reading with reports from proper scientists and to get a better understanding of how the IPCC works who don’t agree with the man-made warming theory, then:
http://mobile2.wsj.com/device/html_article.php?id=1&CALL_URL=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119387567378878423.html?mod=opinion_main_commentaries
http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/2352
http://z4.invisionfree.com/Popular_Technology/index.php?showtopic=2050
http://www.ipa.org.au/files/news_1342.html
http://nzclimatescience.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=178&Itemid=1%5dFortnight%20of%20the%20undead
It’s incredible how so many scientists are being shunned by the media and top notch hypocrites like Al Gore and Tim Flannery.
It’s basically a matter of science, and there is no evidence to suggest man is intervening in the climate. Even throughout the past where the Green’s have pushed their scaremongering agenda’s, none of them have turned out to be as what they claimed and promoted so much.
The IPCC in a nutshell, has about 50 core people who write up the reports of global doom, then they attach 2000 names to the report, not all 2000 people are consulted and many of the 2000 want their names removed. One guy who wanted his name removed was told it couldn’t be removed because he was ‘involved’, then he threated lawsuit action and then they removed his name.
That classic ‘hockey stick’ graph (the graph that was one of the main catalysts in propelling the warming faith is indeed false) Al Gore commonly uses has been debunked a while ago, and it won’t be making an appearance in the new IPCC report.
Joe, cool set! What, exactly, are the Wraith sets made of? Sometimes it just looks so…deliciously GROSS! Goo IS good!
Oh, and will we ever see how the Wraith themselves sleep – do they have ‘quarters’, or are they more like the cells they keep their food in?
Thanks, as always, for the pics and your time!
das
Oooh, a space cow jerky house! Mmm, edible walls. I wanna live there. But only if the Bacon Mansion is occupied. Unless it is occupied by Hawt SGA hunks, then I’ll live undetected in the basement, leave my footprints in the carpeting and rummage thru the underwear drawers, rearrange the spice rack. You know, basic Stalker 101 theory.
Yay! I finished the attic rooms in the dollhouse. That leaves the Haunted Honeymoon Suite. I opened the half-scale furniture kits for the bed and the old fashioned washstand, read them, folded them back up and put everything back in the boxes. Yikes.
Yes, I do hate the “you’re a winner because you tried” mentality. Nope, if you lose, that makes you a loser. Thumb and finger on the forehead in the shape of an L optional. I handed out Fourth Place ribbons once as a joke. Not for anything, just, “Congratulations! You are in Fourth Place!” Fortunately, people got it and laughed as they pinned on their shiny new prizes.
What most people don’t realize is that the current global warming theory is that it will actually going to usher us into the next ice age, which we were overdue for anyways. Haha if you believe that sort of thing.
You have to let us know how Continuum is after the screening!!!!!
Hey Joe!
May I recommend you wish for a calendar during your next birthday? Heck, I may even send you one! 😀
Thanks for the photos again, and I love that Ark of Truth poster!
– Enzo Aquarius
A friend and I were just wondering, are we EVER going to find out what “cut the green one” means? 🙂 Thanks.
And to reply to Anthony, there isn’t anything saying that man -isn’t- contributing to global warming. What a major coincidence it would be if oh, we started majorly mistreating the earth with all sorts of fun pollution, and, hey, there was a response? And regardless of whether you think we’re causing global warming, turning on all of your lights certainly isn’t going to help. The only point of it is to be stubborn and say, “Hey look at us, we can turn lights on, because we don’t think we’re causing global warming. Let’s waste energy!”
Sorry. I could go on about this for hours. I tend to get very worked up about global warming issues.
In Cleveland, we had snow on Easter 🙂
But the snow makes me happy, not sad….. I prefer snow over rain (so Cleveland is an appropriate place for me, I guess, huh?)
Your fairness rant reminded me of an incident during my one-and-only babysitting stint back in college. I was watching the child of a family friend for the summer, which included picking her up from school on occasion. On one such occasion, I casually asked her how class had been while we walked back to the car, and amidst her ramblings, she informed me that she had gotten a candy from the teacher for not looking at another student’s paper during a test. Gobsmacked, I asked her, “You mean you get rewarded if you don’t cheat?” She nodded, as if this was the most natural thing in the world. I just shook my head and told her, “Back in my day, we were punished for cheating, not rewarded for not cheating.” She thought this a very strange notion. Ever since then, my faith in the public school system has completely gone.
He’s in a good mood! Here is hoping Memphis, Kansas, Texas and Wisconsin add to the pleasant atmosphere, so that we can get a plethora of photos, mailbag answers, and advice from Cookie Monster and the Baron. I’ve managed to snag all three book club selections in one trip. I’ve studiously ignored the fact that I’m only 365 days away from a half century on this waterball in space, and indulged in both a chocolate fest and a nice long walk to mitigate same. I’ll try just one question for the night. Sci Fi showed Letters from Pegasus again today. Is there a (staticistically significant) chance we’ll get an explanation in season five of the mysterious light beam that struck the planet being culled?
That’s okay, Anthony. If the rest of us do manage to save the world from complete catastrophe, we’ll still share it with you.
$11.99 ? Wow that could get you a third of your favourite chocolate (yeah I googled it.. $30 bucks a block?) ouch..
Ok got a question for Agony Aunt (and I bet he’s good at the Agony bit) Baron Destructo
Dear Aunt Destructo.
My ex partner won’t pay child support for the kids. How do I manage on so little money? Any suggestions to get him to pay???
Thank you very much, Joe!
Question, will we be seeing Carson’s mum when he returns to Earth for R&R in Whispers?
Hey Joe, you forgot John Scalzi’s Hugo nomination for The Last Colony. You might want to correct that oversight before he guest blogs next month!
Oh, and has a decision been made on the bloopers?
In the background of the Ark of truth poster, is that the Ori art created by Mirko Stoedter?
http://www.thescifiworld.net/img/wallpapers/stargate/mirko_stoedter/mirko76_1024x768.jpg
Thank god for you, Joe…without you, I’d be stuck describing the world with unimaginative adjectives like “awful” or “horrible”. With your help, not only have I tucked away the little gem “crap-tastic”, but today: “suck-assity”. Look out Webster…here comes Joseph Mallozzi!
And either you sent the snow our way or we sent it your way, because today the view outside the 36th floor in downtown Seattle was eerily the same as yours…very snow-globey.
Joe,
Why oh why would you put that poster in your blog?? Check out the comments over at Gateworld in the news article featuring the poster. This is just going to piss everyone off again. As a Ben fan, I’ve had a hard enough time getting through the hate on this show. I get it, people don’t like Mitchell. Can’t we all just move past it already? Stuff like this is just going to drum up more anti-Ben posts everywhere. Please consider taking the pic down.
http://www.gateworld.net/news/2008/03/mgm_unveils_iark_of_truthi_poste.shtml
Dear Baron Destructo,
My next-door neighbors host loud parties quite frequently. In addition to loud music blaring at all hours, the crowds spill out of their house and into the front and back yards, where frights break out among the intoxicated revelers. The other night, they set off fireworks, one of which went airborne and set my deck on fire!
I don’t want to call the police all the time, but neither do I wish to be disturbed by their almost constant socializing. When I went over to speak with my neighbors, they slammed the door in my face and told me to mind my own business!
My question is: How should I take care of this problem?
Thanks in advance,
The Skypig
Snow…pretty…never actually seen it, apparently you get sick of it…:(
I dont want to believe it…..lies, all lies….
To Baron Destructo: Whats your opinion on slowly annihilating one student at a time from every school in the state so that no matter what i will get he highest scores at the end of the year when i graduate from high school? Not evil enough? or too evil for the human children to cope with?
Glad your day went well, Joe.
I’m afraid I have to make a comment or 4 about the poster… As in, I might have been inclined to buy it, if the representation of the characters weren’t so out of whack. I know Ben is lead actor, but Mitchell’s story was the B story of the movie! This was “The Ark of Truth”, not “The Return (yet again) of the Replicators.” The Ark-hunting team should be the prominent figures. At the very least, Daniel’s head should be bigger than the Prior’s! And I had to look twice to see if Vala is even there. Sorry, but thumbs down from this fan. I hope I don’t ruin Coop’s weekend. Hah!
@Charlie’s Angel
Thanks for the recommendation – sounds like just the thing.
Jean
Well got about a quarter of the way through Timescape on my way to and home from Toronto, plus the wait in the waiting room and was pleasntly surprised that I share a name with one of the characters.. that’s all I’m saying.
Also picked up Android’s Dream didn’t get Mr. Abercrombie’s book as it wasn’t there so I’ll have to get at the worlds largest book store when I’m back in Toronto in 3 weeks. Yep back to the big city again. Passed by Godiva chocolates and instanly thought of you. I can’t eat any, I’d have a migrane for a week… which SUCKS so bad!! Don’t think they have anything unique but might pop in there and see if there is anything I can send you.
Question for Cookie monster or mr. Desturcto: What is the best way to meet the guy of my dreams??
Cheers
Penny
I love the sets! Thank you for showing us the work in progress.
I am one of the crazies that believe it is up to us to ensure a future for children and puppies, and will turn off all unecessary lighting for Earth Hour on the evening of the 29th. Even in the unlikelihood we are all wrong, what does it hurt to err on the side of the planet?
Well I’d say that I’m sorry that your bracket got broken, but as a Davidson grad I just….can’t. Don’t worry, I bet no one else picked us either. (I’ve been reading your blog for approximately ever, but have resisted all temptation to comment until this unlikeliest of days. the world is truly turned upside down.)
How come Vala Never made it onto the poster? I notice she is the only one missing…
Hey Joe.
Congratulations, when I logged in today, your post from yesterday was the “hawt Post” at the top of the page!!!
Way to go!
Best wishes to the book nominees, congratulations to yourself for the good day despite the white crap falling from the sky, and a grand hello to Carl Binder: I’d know those teeth anywhere! I myself will be celebrating Earth Hour with lots of God-given electricity.
And may I say, I am thoroughly impressed with the set, whatever it is. Kudos to the designers and builders. I don’t know how they did it, but I admire the hard work and imagination.
Don’t worry, it’s hard to get a perfect bracket, but it looks like you’re gold with Memphis. As I type, it’s 58-27. I think someone needs some bandages. Wisconsin, on the other hand, fell quite drastically to Davidson. If you’d like some winner-take-all action, my husband won 2 seats in the company suite at the UNC/Louisville game. Sorry, I’m very happily taking the other ticket! He’s very excited, as he’s a HUGE Tarheels fan.
And snow? In March? I was basking in 80F weather today! Tis an odd, odd world we live in.
Hey, it looked like that outside my window last a couple of weeks ago. 60 degrees one day and twelve inches of snow the next. Go figure!
Snow in February and March instead of December and January, but nope nothing wrong with the atmosphere.
Glad to know Whispers and Broken Ties are coming along. Season 5 can’t get here fast enough. I’m already in Atlantis withdrawals.
Pics of our favorite cast and small tidbits tossed to us by favorite blogger barely keep the worst symptoms at bay.
Why, what lovely teeth you have, Mr Binder! (All the better to EAT ROB COOPER WITH! Mwahaha!)
I would have commented an hour ago, but my power was off. I feel better now.
Anyway, being a parent having raised a child through the Little League years you speak of, I totally agree with you. Awarding a child for mediocre or worse, not trying their best because they don’t need to because they’ll get rewarded for mediocre, doesn’t prepare them for the real world, at least not the real world my kids are living in.
Lastly, where’s Teal’c in the Ark of Truth poster?
Ah… Joe nice to here someone else state so eloquently the disservice society is placing on children today. When I was a kid and we played ball there was a winner and a loser, there were “stars” and bench warmers, we played the game to WIN. I always found it much more FUN to win the game than to lose because we stuck in the kid that didn’t know 1st base from 3rd, and hey I turned out OK.
Being a teacher I see the self-indulgent, self-absorbed, self-entitled, narcissistic, attitudes of many children on a daily bases and I can’t help but think that this is a result of the everyone plays and no one loses societal norms of today’s “little league” type activities. It’s like they (kids)are use to not earning a darn thing they think everything should just be given to them. When they see the F on their grade reports they have the audacity to ask “Ms. Norris why did you give me an F?” … “Well little Johnny you haven’t turned in an assignment all semester.”…. “You mean we actually have to do the work to get a good grade.”… Sorry frustrations of a Junior High teacher coming out there.
Oh glad the Whispers call went well, and why no Teal’c in the poster?
It looks that way, doesn’t it? I thought so too, but then I noticed her beside Teal’c, her hand cradling Tomin’s race (she’s pretty much turned away from us).
Anyway, I gotta get back to dinner. Glad to know the Whispers notes session went well, Joe!
Snow, how I hate thee. I mean, I’d be fine with a month or two of it, but going on six months of winter? I’m in dire need of sunshine and greenery. My city hit 100 inches of snow a week or so ago, shattering the old city record for snow in a season by a good two feet or so. Then it got sunny and warm and I thought it was all over. Then it snowed again the other day. Dammit.
And here’re some bracket tips for everyone: Never base your bracket picks solely on mascots or hot coaches. Especially hot coaches. And I use the term ‘hot’ lightly. And don’t brag and act all arrogant when you go 28 for 32 for your first round picks as, inevitably, your second (and third) round picks will suck up a storm and your ranking will plummet. Not that that happened with me, or anything…
Think you were upset about West Virginia losing? My family is originally from Morgantown, West Virginia (live in South Carolina now) and my father (who is OBSESSED with the Mountaineers) was positively LIVID about the game. So much so that he was in a bad mood all day Friday. No wonder the only sport I watch is football (as in football with the round ball. Soccer.) Here’s to Manchester United kicking Aston Villa’s ass.
“Suck-assity” needs to be adopted by everyone, everywhere, immediately. Of course, you as the creator, should get a residual everytime it’s used in polite conversation.
Good thing MGM went with a DVD cover with Carter in the middle instead of the look of this poster. At least that cover features all the cast. This one would have hurt sales. It’s not right.
Did everyone sign off on the season 4 SGA blooppers? YOUR KILLING ME!!!!!Are we going to see them. THAX
I didn’t know men got PMS. . .
No point in offering tea and sympathy, I suppose – unless something really serious has happened, like Davidson drubbing Wisconsin – in which case “anything’s possible” and “Gotta love an underdog” condolences make the situation infinitely worse. Recommend changing channels to watch a bunch of people beating up on each other. Unless you’re already tuned in to the “Ken Olbermann – Bill O’Reilly, And All Their Fans” match.
Read your linked post, tried not to laugh too much in order to cut down on amount of CO2 being added to atmosphere, to help compensate for whatever out-loud ranting you may be doing at present. Made note to ask how you got the print on the wall behind you in pic #1, since it was part of a grouping I wanted. Am now regretting failure to take Advanced Techniques in Art Theft when I had the chance.
*has opinions on subject of this entry’s rant, but will raise them where they’ll have the most impact: in next chat with Bill Belichick*
Oy…ok, so 2 hours later I notice my mistake; that seems to happen a lot.
That’s “Tomin’s FACE” not “Tomin’s RACE”.
hehe glad the idea took off.. So Baron Destructo: What should I do when the women I love ignores my feelings and instead shacks up with someone almost exactly like me except with a bad attitude, and a pony tail??
Hate to ask, but any news on the bloopers?
On March 27, 2008 at 3:26 pm Loren Said:
Hey Mr. M.
I kind of just wanted to remember a lost friend in a rather small way. He died Monday and was 16-years-old. Truely one of the nicest people you would ever meet, and that’s saying something because he was smart, atheletic, and handsome… but always so nice and kind and found good in everyone.
Think you could dedicate a blog to him? His funeral is tomrrow (Friday.) I’ll leave another comment on today’s post.
Thanks.
@ Loren – I remember reading this a couple days ago, and was quite touched by it. I was just wondering how you’re doing? Such a sad loss… 🙁 My heart goes out to you, and your friend’s family. My 18-year old niece was recently killed in a car accident, and it’s really quite traumatic to lose someone so young, so suddenly. She was a fantastic person, too. So, I can relate a bit to what you’re going through. Please take care of yourself…
*hugs*
das
Oh, lovely snow picture of the Bridge.
We need some snow on Atlantis – can you do that Mr. Mallozzi 😉
what’s supposed to be different about this poster? what’s new and improved; the coloring?
btw, i like the poster. sam might not have been in it a lot, but the poster doesn’t reflect it. 😛
sally =)
Joe, in regards to the not-losers-but-not-exactly-winners-either discourse you have going on…have you been spending more time than usual with Baron Destructo?
I wasn’t a very regular reader back in July of last year so I missed that carbon footprint entry. I was wondering if you could tell me the link to that University of Oregon study? I’m doing my master’s paper on reducing greenhouse gas emissions through tech solutions like green buildings and energy efficiency versus land use choices like more dense, mixed use communities. Part of it involves calculating the CO2 produced by a home in appliances and the like and the info I’ve been getting is a bit old so something from 2006 would be helpful. Hmph, and my best friend says goofing off on the internet wouldn’t help me get my draft written. Thanks a lot!
In response to Lauren, C02 isn’t pollution. It’s a natural part of the atmosphere and the increase in C02 hasn’t shown any link to rising temperatures (Or the current cooling trend the Earth is experiencing). In fact, rising temperatures cause rise in C02. There’s a lot more to the Earths climate system then what you read in your newspaper. A waste of electricity switching lights on? The Hour of Power is a stand against Global Warming Alarmism and lunacy. Turning lights off isn’t ‘helping’ anything.
Why is there need for such propaganda on behalf of the Warmists? Why are they so afraid to admit the increasing Antarctic ice and cooling down of the Antarctic over the last 50 years? Why don’t we hear so commonly about the drop in the Earths temperature? Why do they continually say the ‘debate is over’ when there never was a debate and there are thousands of scientists who disagree with the man made theory?
Even excluding the last year of temperature, which it cooled half a degree celcius, the Earth still didn’t warm since 1998. And the temperatures over the last 2000 years have been higher on 2 or more occasions, today’s temperatures or the temperatures 10 years ago were nothing abnormal but they actually sit in line with solar activity.
Hm, usually when I leave a comment it shows up and tells me it’s pending your approval. I haven’t said anything in a while so maybe that changed, but on the off chance that my comment was lost to cyberspace, I will ask again.
Can you give me the link to that 2006 University of Oregon report you mentioned in your July post? It would be helpful for my master’s paper.
I will also add in response to Anthony’s comments that the two Nobel Prize winning members of the IPCC who are professors at my school were not in anyway coerced to participate and they have written chapters for the reports and talked about the process which involves many more than 50 core people. They are vetted through many different scientists as well as governments and they are extremely conservative in their assertions compared to what they could say if not for people like you who deny the obvious science.
Joe said:
Whatever happened to winner take all? What kind of world are we living in where we reward people for the simple act of trying? Is it that we’ve grown so apathetic as a society that we require constant reinforcement in order to feel good about ourselves? The answer to that question is a resounding “YES!”. It’s why many schools prevent students from discussing birthday parties or handing out Valentine cards unless they intend to include every frigging classmate AND that creepy janitor with the wooden teeth. And why in Little League play, every team is rewarded with a trophy regardless of record, athleticism, and general suck-assity. In a misguided bid to raise our children’s self-esteem, we’re simultaneously instilling them with unreasonable expectations they‘ll undoubtedly cling to in a wide-eyed stupor when reality eventually slaps them around in their adult years. We desperately want them to believe that “In life, there are no losers only winners” but the truth is life is filled with losers! And we should embrace this fact because, if not for them, the rest of us would be nothing but winners of varying degrees. As is the case with this damn March Madness pool.
Okay, Joe, let’s take a look at this important subject from the POV of a parent. Me 🙂
I’ll be the first one to tell you that if there is a party at school or the exchanging of Valentines…then every kid should be included. It shouldn’t be just for the kids that are liked and not the ones they don’t. Not good for anybody. It’s divisive, exclusionary and just plain mean.
Now, as for the other…rewarding kids no matter what. That can be a problem and we in society have this tendency to go to extremes no matter what. Our society, especially here in the states, is rife with it, which has really harmed us.
There were righteous concerns some years age. Kids were killing themselves, abusing drugs and alcohol, experimenting with sex and all that.(Yes, I know…they’re still doing all that) The big evil was low self-esteem. So parents, teachers and the rest of them got together and decided that we needed to fix it.
Okay, not a problem…well, until we took fixing that to the extreme. It wasn’t just about praising our kids, telling them how much we loved them and being affectionate. We overcompensated in so many ways that now being average, being normal, isn’t good enough anymore.
We give out trophies, tell our kids how special they are all the time, and generally elevate our kids to such a degree that by the time they meet the real world…they are unprepared to deal with mediocrity. They don’t know how to be just another cog in the machine we call normal everyday boring life.
As a result, we spit out kids who don’t know how to deal with rejection or disappointments. Some do come around on their own okay and recover just fine. Others wind up living in their parents’ basement expecting all that greatness their folks told them about, will strike any minute.
We should be teaching our kids that losing is a part of life and that being a winner doesn’t mean acting like an asshole. Losing builds character and winning means the other guy gets all the girls. That’s life.
This comes from someone who is green with envy that you have an awesome job and she’s an ordinary housewife who’s considering entering the job market once again after ten years of raising kids. 🙂
Joe. It is not a good idea to take part in the so call Earth hour.
Understand there is a risk of electric outage with the power usage crashing and spiking from a major urban area turning off and on the lights at the same time. It even worse with compact fluorescent light bulbs, they use about the entire 110 watts to excite the mercury vapor in the CF light bulbs to start illumination. Hopefully in such an outage not too many local transformers get toasted. So that most people still have electricity for cooking, heating, watching TV, surfing the internet and lighting. This is a hare brain idea. Do the public want a cascading power outage for a symbolic gesture. Consider the fragility of the powergrid recently in North America.
I can foresee the Greater Toronto Area blacking out after everyone turning the lights back on at same time after the “Earth Hour”.
I think the cover on Ark of Truth DVD as released is more suitable than the improve poster.
I seem to have misplaced my comment on another post, and have now come to realize it’s a poster not the new dvd for the next sg1 movie! Oh! how I hope the “papyrus font” doesn’t make an appearance on the next dvd set, one can only hope, one can only hope.
Salut Joseph =D
Ohh il neige chez vous a ce que je vois=) …Aujourd’hui chez moi c’est grand soleil, mais ils ont encore annoncer de la pluie pour demain =(
éh oui, aujourd’hui on avance d’un heure, la mauvaise nouvelle c’est que je vais dormir 1 heure de moin et la bonne c’est qu’il y’aura 1 heure de décalage horaire en moin entre vous et moi^^!
Merci pour toute ces photo =), vous ne pourriez pas en faire une de vous?? s’il vous plait!!
Question:
Combient de semaines de congée payer on les Canadian par ans?
Je pose cette question car je suis entrain de faire cette leçon a l’école^^! Nous en france , c’est 5 semaine pas ans.
Bon aller Bisou, je vous adore fort ♥
Hi Joe!
So Todd’s in three episodes, more or less in the first half… It’s the greatest news I’ve heard for ages! Thanks for the info 🙂
Now I feel like dancing 🙂
How about the other Wraith from Search and Rescue? Will you tell us please who acts him? Please, please…
Best wishes
Icarium
Marjorie Said:
Marjorie, you need to hang out somewhere different. Surf over to Stargate Community where you’ll find plenty of Ben Browder and Cam Mitchell fans.
Life’s too short to waste time with haters.
Cheers, Chev
p.s. lovin’ the AoT poster.
Hate the “new and improved” AoT poster, the DVD cover is much better. Again it’s huge slap in the face towards Vala/Claudia Black’s fans, ’cause we are not able to see her face. What the hell were the “artist” thinking “creating” this piece of … (fill the blank, ’cause it’s not “art” word that I want to use here).
Keith Olbermann. If he’d stayed on ESPN, I would remember his first name. *grumbles*
– There’s so much to say about the issues you’ve raised, and I’ve talked about the same things at length with others. I see and agree with your POV for the most part; but I also feel there’s not only room for, but a need for, change from what’s often the norm in education and extracurricular activities. I’d just like to see such change come about in a more logical and effective fashion.
Thanks for the pictures,I do remember snow, not crazy about it,(driving)but pretty to look at. The 2007 blog entry ref you gave, I wasn’t here then, nice suit, like reading the blog. thanks for the poster pic, I don’t visit gateworld much, not as much fun as here, so I appreciate the inf you share. I guess the Baron’s office is open?!? Has he decided on his fees? (you might be thinking about recouping some expenses..)(grin) I have some batteries to add to your collection and an old computer,minus the hard drive… Have a great day!
Of course I was forgettng that when I read your blog its actually tomorrow for you. with that in mind can I once again request a shout out to my eldest Chris, (nickname PID cuz he couldn’t say his name when he was little so pid kinda stuck!) He is 23 today and an avid reader fantasy.
cheers
Aw, it’s nice to see a picture of Carl. Even if it is a rather scary picture. Who was he blocking?
I managed to hand in my dissertation with 17 minutes to spare, now that’s impressive.
Have you read any of the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher? If so, what did you think about them? I’m about to sit down and read the first one which looks entertaining, the tv show was brilliant, a shame that got cancelled.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=-WWpH0lmcxA
If you have a spare hour, that’s a lecture given by Dr. John Christy who has a PhD in Atmospheric Physics and is also a member of the IPCC.
It’s very interesting and makes things clearer, and let’s the data speak for itself.
Hi Joe, I hope you ‘re having a good day,
I agree with others, I don’t understand how the poster is being hailed as ‘New and improved’ as it completley mis-represents the movie. 🙁 what do the actors who play Daniel, Vala and Teal’c have to do to get equal kudos anyway? I don’t see how the positioning on this poster is justified at all 🙁
Yeah, I agree about the winning logic. I tell my niece and nephew that it’s okay not to be a winner. And the next time they don’t “try” they “do”. But we do live in a very competitive society where being first is all that matters. I think that good, hard work should be rewarded. If a team ends up 2nd, then that’s okay as long as they realize that next time if they “do” they can win. You’re right in that we reward everyone for everything but I think that goes to a lot of the current parents. I’ll bet some of these parents ended up 2nd or 3rd but weren’t even given a pat on the back because they accomplished something and weren’t recognized. So now they’re trying to be “fair” with all of their children. The Olympics are a perfect example: how many times has someone been disappointed because they’ve only made it to the heats in their sport? They don’t realize that just being at the Olympics is an achievement in and of itself. They’re actually one of the best in their sport! Not everyone can run 100 meters in under 30 seconds. Heck, some people can’t even walk a 100 meters in 30 seconds! Being 2nd is good but you’re right it should be rewarded as an achievement at a degree less than 1st. You’re 1st, you get the big trophy but 2nd and 3rd should get smaller trophies, respectively; and 4th and 5th should maybe get ribbons? And if you don’t place, so you know that you’re still one of the best in your field! But not everyone’s a winner. I think the important lesson is that regardless of whether you win or not and you know you’ve “done” then you should be proud of what you’ve accomplished whether anyone recognized you or not. There’s that sense of good pride in oneself for a job well done even if you place last. I know! I’m repeating myself but I have good written skills and probably will never end up as a bestselling author but I’m happy with the way I write and I try to improve who I am everyday!!!
I love seeing the set pictures out-of-context. (In full light and at odd angles)
Perhaps moreso because by the time I watch them I forget that I’ve seen them (until the second or third time I watch them).
Congratulations to all the book folk who got their well-deserved noms.
It’s nice to know that you don’t suffer from suck-assity. 🙂
And, dang. What is up with all the snow?!
I’ve said it many a time before; Glasgow = Vancouver :P. We had snow yesterday but it’s quite a nice day today lol.
I completely agree with your idea of “winners and losers”. On a serious note, in one set of our high school exams (standard grades) we have a section called Foundation. Standard Grade results range from 1 (best) to 7 (fail). With the foundation section people can get a 5 or a 6. People getting these results think they actually have a pass. In reality – you will NOT find any employer who takes a mark like that seriously. Why the hell give people any kind of pass mark when it will not get them anywhere?
My, my, my, where shall I begin?
1 – Planet Earth is part of a really vast, complicated system. Climate changes are cyclic (they repeat).Live with it.
2 – The MGM-approved poster seems to unjustly elevate Mitchell over the “core” SG-1 founders. No good.
3 – I’m not a sports fan of any kind, so I don’t understand the brackets talk.
4 – NJ has had very little snow this year, so it was a pleasant surprise to see Bridge all a-swirl in it, very pretty.
5 – While in karate class, our Sensei would encourage everyone who attempted a new move or in fact performed it well. He was equally fast in correcting errors. Belts came when you showed proficiency. Why then would you wish to reward mediocrity and laziness for the sake of political correctness? Such action only encourages continuing laziness and lessens the level of success expected or earned.
6 – Carl sure has LARGE teeth.
7 – What, no puppy pics?
8 – Whatever happened with Bam-Bam and American Gladiators?
9 – I admit to be being opinionated. So shoot me.
10 – The current financial mess is all the fault of Keith Olbermann, Lou Dobbs, Costco, Mr. Greenspan, Tobin Smith, Larry King, The Fonz, Al Franken, Sean Hannity and WalMart.
11 – ‘nough said.
Everyone have a happy day!
Carol Z.
Shouldering the anti-squirrel crusade with fearless determination…
Whenaever global warming comes up all I can think of is how back in elementary and middle school the only atmospheric science we were ever taught was the approaching new ice age.
Glad the notes call on Whispers went well.
Sorry about the snow – though why I’m apologising I’m not sure. It’s not like I made it snow!
Someone sent me a funny email that I put up on my LJ – it’s a message to dogs and cats from the owner. I thought it was very funny and I think you will as well. It’s HERE if you have time to read it.
Leesa Perrie
Hi Mr. Mallozzi,
I can’t believe it snowed up there! And glad I don’t live in Seattle anymore. It was 80 here yesterday and I loved it. I agree that some people take the global warming thing a bit too far but whats the harm in doing some of the small things as I see or rather read that you have done? I work from home as often as possible mainly because A) It saves on gasoline & I can & B) I can watch TV, walk the dog, clean the house… and no one is the wiser (except when work things don’t get done).
I liked the “Ark” poster – you’ve got to make some rather hard choices when you have such a large cast and I think that it highlights a significant moment for each character and I think Tomin needed to be there. I always liked the idea of his charactor and the actor Tim did a great job portraying such a conflicted man.
Glad it was a good day and I hope your weather improves!
Libby
Hi Joe!
Love the snow pics. 🙂 I know living with the snow isn’t much fun, especially since it’s almost April, but figure you have at least one more big storm before Winter lets go? Anyway, the pictures are pretty.
I have no agenda in regards to AoT, except telling people I liked the movie, so I like the poster. 🙂
Very cool pics of Wraith set pieces!! They really hold up, even without the smoke and dramatic lighting. Kudos to your set people!
Kids. What to do with them? I dunno. Don’t treat them like shit and don’t tell them to expect something for nothing. What they do with that, it’s up to them.
Per my promise-to-self and my word-to-you, I have only a short reply to Anthony.
Anthony, it is disappointing that you group, label and vilify people who may think differently from you. “Warmists?” *shakes head with sad laughter*
57% through Timescape, a book I wonder if Anthony has/would read, and still enjoying it. I hope to have some good comments for my review.
All the best!
eddy
Again, I am fascinated by the divergence of opinions about raising children today and “man causing global warming” That a person can be so very politically correct about the Warming thing, and yet so realistic about the kids is interesting. Why buy into the propaganda on one issue and not the other? Perhaps it’s just something that strikes the individual psyche in different ways. I’m sure Baron Destructo could care less about being politacally correct and would warm the Earth into oblivion.
I’m going to hop on your rant about the “everyone’s a winner” society that we find ourselves living in. Nope it doesn’t work and yep it does raise expectations that you get a medal for getting out of bed in a morning. It stifles competition which is what the world runs on and kills ambition. Why try harder for first prize if you’re all gonna be called winners, where is the special-ness in that? we can’t all be winners nor should we want to be. It is as important to know how to lose, how to pick up and try again and again to never give up inspite of the odds. I doubt very much whether half the discoveries and advancements made over the ages would have been achieved with todays attitudes!
*falls off soapbox*
Ooooh look at the pretty snow! 😛
So glad the “Whispers” thing went well Joe, love the AoT poster too. 🙂
I’m also gonna ask – any news yet on the fate of the Bloopers?
I just came across this photo of pure pug innocence (!) on a site called http://ihasahotdog.com
I hope you like it: PHOTO LINK
Hope you like it.
Leesa Perrie
Argh, I repeated myself and didn’t notice.
Still, I hope you liked the photo!!
Leesa Perrie – *banging head against desk*
“The new and improved Ark of Truth poster”
LOL – you’re being funny aren’t you, Joe? I have a feeling (if you did your homework) that you already knew that quite a few fans were upset with it. You are kidding aren’t you, Joe?!?!?
IMO – I don’t care for the poster. Stargate has always been an ensemble show. This poster gives the impression of Stargate-Mitchell…and those other guys. I also have a HUGE problem with Sam, Daniel, and Teal’c all being positioned on Mitchell’s chest. It just re-inforces (to me) that Mitchell is team leader and Sam, Daniel and Teal’c are his medals. That Cam finally got the band back together and now they are all tucked nice and neat on his chest. In other words, Mitchell is the leader of SG1 and here’s the poster to prove it. I also find the poster an insult to Amanda, Michael and Chris who have been with the show since the begining. *sigh* Did I mention that I really don’t like this poster.
On the bright side, if you’re a Mitchell fan, or enjoy playing ‘Where’s Waldo’………..
danielfanforever
As for the poster…I love it. I know that it seems out of whack not showing everyone’s face at the same size but I like the concept. I don’t get the “haters” of Mitchell…just seems like some people have to have something to have bitchassyness about…if it is not about Mitchell it is about Vala or Keller. I mean if someone is stuck on never letting the show grow then we (fans of Mitchell, Vala, Keller, etc) can’t let those comments get to us…just mutter something under your breath and move on. I know how Marjorie feels, because I get just as annoyed with negative comments over Mitchell, Vala, Keller, etc.
Spent yesterday at home instead of work (since the pain that the ER never tried to figure out -other than not appendicitis- was bugging me) and finished THE KEEP.
I am crossing my fingers that Louisville loses cause I am a UK (not their best year). Good luck on your picks.
Odd question-does anyone on staff have a Stargate tattoo? I have already got my license plate to reflect my love of the shows but I am mulling over getting a tattoo to show my love (obsession) of the show. I only get tattoos that mean something to me…and since I have been a fan for 10 years plus I am seriously thinking about either the gate as a tattoo or one of the badges…maybe a the gate address to earth. I know how hockie that sounds but I thought I would ask…then of course I still have to find the right art to pick from.
I hope it’s okay if I make a quick plug for the bone marrow registry. Two weeks ago we found out my niece Emma’s leukemia has returned, so they are preparing for a bone marrow transplant. Luckily, her prognosis is excellent, but if she had a rare blood type or wasn’t so ethnically Caucasian, it could be very difficult to find a match for her. The more people who get registered, the more lives we can save! Go over to Emma’s site and see the cute photo of her wearing the hat Robin Williams sent her (I’m not above using guilt here) and then scroll down to the link to the bone marrow registry, and information on cord blood donation as well. Thanks!
Joe,
First of all, my sympathies on the weather. It’s about 80 degrees here in Miami, sunny with a lovely breeze. Snow is a large part of why I will never live up North again. Again, my sympathies.
As for rewarding people for not winning, I have no problem rewarding someone (esp. a child) for their effort. It should, of course, not be anywhere near as great a reward as for winning, but anything that reinforces that putting forth ones best effort is worth something gets points in my book. Now, mind you, this is a completely different attitude than I had a few years ago. Before becoming a high school teacher in a society that seems to relish mediocrity, I would have agreed with you whole heartedly.
I have students who determine the level of their intended effort based on the prize awaiting them. I am one of the few teachers in my school who rarely weights different assignments differently. When my students ask me “How many grades is this worth?”, my response is always “Does it matter?” But I do reward effort. My electronic gradebook weighs an “F” the same as a “Z” (“Z” indicated a zero, meaning the assignment was never even attempted). I disagree with this because a 59% (still an F) is worth more than 0%. If I have a student who has earned an F because they did every assignment, but just didn’t get the concepts fully, I have a hard time giving that student the same grade as someone who made absolutely no effort. The one or two times that has happened, I have bumped the grade up to a D-. Still not stellar, but better.
This past week my classes had a vocabulary competition against another teacher’s classes. I offered As for winning, Bs for not winning, but showing their best effort (which means I could tell they studied) and Fs for no effort at all. Thankfully, all but one of my students rose to the challenge. You may disagree with me, but when a student starts an assignment with the attitude of “I can’t do it, so I’m not going to try”, a teacher wants to do everything possible to turn that around.
Sorry for the rant.
BTW, I may be in the minority, but I like the poster. I can see why some might have a problem with Mitchell’s prominance, but I have never understood the intense dislike for his character. Just as I never understood the intense dislike for Jonas. Yes, Jonas wasn’t Daniel, but that wasn’t Jonas’ fault. Yes, Mitchell isn’t O’Neill, but, again, not Mitchell’s fault. Both characters have proven their worth in their own ways and, if people would stop comparing them to their predecessors, they might be able to see that. I, personally, wasn’t pleased when Keller replaced Beckett, but I have forced myself to give her a chance and she is growing on me.
After all, if you have a coworker who leaves for whatever reason and someone else is hired to fulfill that position, are you going to decide to dislike that new person or give him/her a chance? He/She may never be like his/her predecessor, but that’s okay. It doesn’t make that person’s contributions any less valuable.
But then, maybe I’m just getting wishy-washy in my old age.
Have a wonderful weekend and I hope your b-ball picks go well for you.
Waiting for football season to start again,
Mary A. Milan
It was my birthday a couple of days ago, Joe. As a belated gift, could you please tell me if there is going to be any serious Shep Whump in S5?
Also any news on the Bloopers front??
Love the show especially our intrepid hero Sheppard and the great work JF does playing him.
Thanks
Oh shut up about the poster already! Mitchell is part of Stargate, I don’t like it either, but we can’t do anything about it! It is only one stupid poster what difference does it make?!!
«éh oui, aujourd’hui on avance d’un heure, la mauvaise nouvelle c’est que je vais dormir 1 heure de moin et la bonne c’est qu’il y’aura 1 heure de décalage horaire en moin entre vous et moi^^!
Merci pour toute ces photo =), vous ne pourriez pas en faire une de vous?? s’il vous plait!!
Question:
Combient de semaines de congée payer on les Canadian par ans?»
Allo Anaïs,
Je peux répondre à cette question. Ici au Canada, on a pas de semaine de congé payé comme vous (en fait je n’ai aucune idée comment ça fonctionne chez vous). Ici, on a des jours fériés payés, mais pas de vacances nationales. Tout le monde prend ses congés quand ils veulent (bon à part les enseignants et les gens de la construction qui n’ont pas le choix de le prendre prendant l’été) Alors, si ton patron ne te donne pas de congé (dépendament de tes années travaillées et blablabla), ben tu prends des congés à ton compte. Bon, ya toujours l’histoire de ton droit de congé (4%) de toute ton année que tu peux prendre quand tu veux, mais si t’as pas trvaillé ben ben, ça vaut pas la peine.
Pour ce qui est du décalage horaire nous aussi on a changé l’heure il y a quelques semaines…
En passant bonne journée cher Joseph et j’espère que tout va bien pour toi !
Morgia
P.S
De la neige, que c’est cute de voir ça …
Dear Cookie monster should I max out my Visa card any time soon? If the Earth is hurling its self to wards global disaster will I need to pay any of it back?
I suspect the Earth will come through global warming the same as it has done for the past billion years? Global warming began 18,000 years ago as the earth started warming its way out of the Pleistocene Ice Age. This is the start of a normal cycle for the Earth.
The thing about the human race is that we think we are the ‘be all and end all’ but like every other animal that has inhabited this world we are here to do our thing and disappear to make room for the next course of evolution.
Yes we have a duty of care and we should look after the Earth while we are the custodians I do agree with that.
But by tilting at windmills can we ever hope to stop nature’s normal course?
Why does the dude who played the Ori Prior and who incidentally died within the first ten minutes of the movie have a bigger image on the poster then the other main characters?
Goodness but this soapbox is a long way off the ground!
Pauline
Hmmmm….Global Warming…
I don’t know about global warming (I turned my lights off anyway – can’t HURT, can it?)…but I do know that ocean temperatures are rising and coral reefs are dying…dying reefs lead to a dying ocean, dying ocean leads to a dying planet…therefore, there can be only one solution: Stop peeing in the ocean!!!!
😀
*said with all the enthusiasm of a life-long seashore resident who is sick and tired of finding the occasional ‘warm spot’ while frolicking in the ocean* 😛
@ Icarium – Did you mean the Wraith in Broken Ties…the one with the good hair? 🙂 Yes, we’d love to know who the actor is under the makeup! I wonder if this Wraith will get a name (well, besides the one we’ve already given him…). 😉
das
SAVE THE BLOOPERS
Nope I still don’t like the Ark poster.
I don’t buy totally man-made global warming the evidence shows planetary cycles. But in my opinion The Industrial Age wasn’t exactly planet friendly, so sometime next month (probably on Earth Day), we will do without power or other modern conveniences for a day because I think the kids should keep remembering how to make do like their ancestors did. And they will be prepared for the coming apocalypse.
I don’t buy rewarding losers either. My kids know the score- winners graciously win but NEVER apologize for it, losers NEVER give up, A=$5, B=$2, anything else=nada. So far this year 2 are A-B and 2 are straight A students (high school). Two of their teams won their division- but not the championship. But they can’t wait go again at it next year.
I still like snow but only to look at, not drive in or shovel.
SAVE THE BLOOPERS
DD
Hello!!
on the whispers front….
quoting Gateworld here:
” Having been removed from stasis in Atlantis after two months, Carson Beckett — or, more precisely, the clone of the late doctor created by the Wraith Michael — returned home to Earth for some R&R. Now he has returned to Atlantis, and is called upon to join Colonel Sheppard on a visit to another planet ”
does he actually get to spend some time on earth or does he stay at the sgc while the IoA Make him feel welcome?
Joe, glad to hear that all is well with Whispers.
chrisash said:
Have you read any of the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher? If so, what did you think about them? I’m about to sit down and read the first one which looks entertaining, the tv show was brilliant, a shame that got cancelled.
I read all eight of the Dresden File boooks last summer.Really got hooked. They are all a really entertaining and exciting read. Just started the ninth but have put it to one side for Timescape.
Just finished reading Timescape and what do you know? My small home town of Dereham (England) gets a mention. What are the chances eh? *does a merry jig*
hi joe!
just read the spoilers for ‘whispers’ and it sounds great! yay for beckett being back! though i do wonder why rodney didnt go with them?
I was wondering if we would be getting flashbacks of carson seeing his mother on earth as he’s telling Dr Porter what happened?
always enjoy reading the blog! and can you see if you can get any more pics of david hewlett eating chocolate again at your party?
sammy
gah i phrased that question wrong.
‘does he actually get to spend some time on earth or does he stay at the sgc while the IoA Make him feel welcome?’
should have been he gets to return home and see his mother etc but how will the IoA treat him..as an ‘alien’??
Just me and my q’s again, 😉
Joe; 1) Is there any hope that we will get to see more of sheppard’s past in season 5? Will we get to see 2) why his mother isn’t around, 3) why things with his father and brother went so bad, or 4) More of his brother and ex-wife and how they interact with him now? 5) Will the reactions of his family and friends when he was announced KIA in season 4 be revisited or did he come back before the funeral and news were given? 6) Also will we see any episodes where you explore the fact that Sheppard has the strongest accent gene and what that means for Atlantis? I know it’s been touched on, but not for some time and I’d sure like to know? Sorry for rambling but i’m really really really curious and have been thinking about these questions for a while now. Thanks again, Nicole.
I was watching The New Order part 1 and 2 on SciFi last night, and Jack was talking about how he didn’t want to be ‘the man’ – basically the same lines that John Sheppard said. I watched SGA first, and I was wondering if – you? – did this on purpose or was it one of those mistakey things.
Hey there Joe!
WOW…..SNOW! That is not something I have a great deal of experience with…..being in south Louisiana and all. Last time we had snow down here was on Xmas day 2004……and the following year we had Katrina and Rita hit the state. *shudders*
Any word on the bloopers?
BTW…..I love “suck-assity”. Can I use that?
Have a good day!
Hello Morgia =)
Merci d’avoir répondu a ma question, =D
Nous en france,si ont travail on n’a 2,5 jours de congée payer par mois. Mais on travail pour les congée payer de l”année prochaine et au final on peu prendre nos 5 semaine de congée payer quansd on veut dans l’anné. Et nous avont 11 jours férier dans l’année.
Voila=D
Tiente et je me posais un autre question??
Les éléves Canadian on beaucoup de vacance??
Help Joe!!!!I am feeling down in the dumps today!:(
Please can you tell me something about Sheppard in s5 that will bring back my squee? 🙂
SheppyD
Hi again Mr M.
Greetings from Tipperary! Have been off-line, as the Internet Gods took my connection and computer…for service…for TWO WEEKS!!!! YIKES! Had a lot of JM Blog to catch up on!
Just caught the AOT….Fab-a-roonie!
Am packing for the Vancouver Expedition,thanks for heads up re: snow.
Aside from the myriad of SG1/A events, and having read your blog avidly, I hope to also partake of the following restarants:
Fuel (this Tuesday with your good self and Mr G and all here)
C Restaurant
Don Francesco’s
Vij’s
Rekadoes
And that Fish and Chip place near Stanley Park you mentioned..
Any other MUST see/dine destinations?
See you Tuesday (provided the Terminal 5 Heathrow Gremlins allow!)
Shirt’n’Tie
I’m not going to debate climate change (which doesn’t mean only warming), but I will point out that the reasons of many people who are trying to get attention for climate change is really rooted in a desire to end injustices. We’re unnecessarily dependent on foreign resources to feed our consumerism while people in other countries can’t even have vaccines because they have no access to refrigeration. Things like improved CAFE standards are more about reducing energy demand and dependence on foreign energy sources than whatever climate change rhetoric. If developing countries like China can have higher fuel standards than the US you know we could be doing better.
Had another Question or two…
Are we going to see more of sheppards personal life like say his mensa testing days or will we get to see more of the fued he has with the Genii? Thanks bunches, Nicole.
Hate the new AoT poster, liked the old one a lot better. As others have said, the new poster elevates Mitchell above everyone else in a totally unacceptable way.
Look, everyone connected with Stargate has been saying in many interviews that this film was for the fans. Ok, hmm, I wonder if they meant to include the people who have been fans of the show for the first eight years BEFORE Mitchell? Remember us? Remember the characters we love? Now I know we don’t have Jack; most of us have learned to live with that and have been able to accept that the team changed; things do that in life. But for Mitchell to be THE guy is simply wrong and a slap in the face to the characters who have been the heart and soul of SG1 since the beginning, and it’s a slap at the fans of those characters.
I have never accepted that Mitchell was put in charge of SG1 over Sam; it was unbelievable given that she had run SG1 successfully before her transfer to Area 51. She had LOTS more experience than he did, and even when she came back, he was still the new guy. Eventually he became less of a screw up and idiot, but the only real reason he was in charge was old fashioned, simple, sexism. I haven’t seen any argument by anyone that even comes close to being able to justify him being in charge.
Now, I liked Ark of Truth, but there were a few major flaws: too much Mitchell, not enough Sam, waaaay too much replicators, way too long stupid fight between Mitchell and replicators, not enough of the team on Celestis, Mitchell being in command, hmm, gee, there’s a theme: too much Mitchell and not enough team.
When I rewatch the dvd, I skip over the replicator-Mitchell-fight stuff. It’s boring, frankly. It’s also way too reminiscent of Star Trek: First Contact, you know, borg on the ship, Borg queen skeleton surviving for a time, etc.
At any rate, the problem with skipping over the way too long replicator stuff is that the only Sam stuff in the movie is the little dialogue she gets while trying to find out how to defeat the replicators. And in the end, Mitchell does that too.
Wow, Mitchell superhero. Mitchell the guy who gets whumped into oblivion and like the energizer bunny keeps on ticking. And all Sam has is a bit of technobabble. And it’s really sad for me because I love the rest of the film; the opening credits with the mountain shots and the music, the amazing mess hall scene with Teal’c and Tomin, the hunt for the Ark on Dakara and Celestis, the short scenes with Col. Reynolds and Col. Ellis, the scenes with Landry and the prior, all terrific. Yet way too much time was taken up with Mitchell the Superhero guy in command.
Ark of Truth wasn’t supposed to be Mitchell’s movie, as I understood it. I thought it was supposed to be the team’s film. All I can figure is that sam isn’t considered part of the team anymore, because she had less than anyone else. I’m still disappointed in how badly she was dealt with in most of the Atlantis episodes she was in. She’s only windowdressing anymore, and that’s really awful for such a great character.
This was a real shame for me; my favorite characters are Sam and Teal’c. Then the team. I can accept Mitchell when he’s part of the team, but not when he’s the STAR and someone who has been part of the team for ten years is background at best, and the primary storyline takes a back seat to yet another replicator thing.
I had been looking forward to Continuum, but now I don’t know about it because with both Jack (whom I also love) and Mitchell, Sam is probably going to disappear entirely.
I won’t be buying the new AoT poster. I have the old one. I’ll stick with that.
Mary
That poster is just so wrong on so many levels.
drideboer,
Your kids are older than mine, so you pay more, but this is the report card rule for my kidlets (the ones I gave birth, not the ones I teach) A = $1, B = $0.50, C = $0.0, D = -$0.50, F = -$1 (Yes, they have to pay me if they bring home bad grades). So far the 9 year old has only brought home As and Bs. People say paying for grades is bad, but I say you don’t go to your job for free, why shouldn’t my children get paid for their work…of course this would be completely different world if people had to pay their company for work done badly….
Hmmm. Wonder what the Almighty Baron would say to THAT idea?
MA
Bon je vais au lit joseph.
Je vous envoi pleins de gros bisou provenant de la france! A demain! JE VOUS ADORE!
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Hi Joe,
I’ve been told that you tend to use Movie Magic Screenwriter for your writing endeavors. Is this what you use?
Also do you find that it really matters that much what software writers use? I’ve used a myriad of software packages and find huge similarities but also quite disparate in terms of more advanced features. Are there any absolutely essential features one should look for when selecting screenwriting software or maybe a particular piece of software you’d particularly recommend?
Thanks Joe!
John
Oh….when I said I’ve been told you use Movie Magic…I meant you as in you guys at Stargate.
I didn’t make that clear. 🙂
Well said, Mary. I agree, and it’s not easy for me to say. I’m in a tough position, because my husband is in Afghanistan again, and we’ve spent years watching Stargate because of how well it represents the military and the integrity of our soldiers. Well, my daughter is still young enough to want to be in the military “like daddy” and has always loved Sam the best. When season nine came around it crushed me having to try to explain what was going on onscreen, why Sam wasn’t still in command. She was in tears over it, and I don’t think I’ll ever forgive the show doing that to my daughter.
But. I have so many great memories of my husband and I watching SG-1, and then of watching it with my little girl that I can’t hate the show. It gave us all so much happiness for so long that I’ll always be grateful and will always support it if I can. That’s why I bought Ark of Truth. Not because I thought it would be any better (and it wasn’t), but because I feel like it’s the least I can do to say thank you. I’ll always remember Stargate as a part of my first years with my husband, and I still love watching it when he’s away.
This comment started out one way and ended up another. So thank for everything, Joe. And the poster still sucks. 😀
What happened to the Wraith’s hallucination ability?
Who is/are getting the honours of whumping Sheppard in the extreme Shep-whumpage-ep?
I think the poster looks great. It shows key scenes for all the characters and the composition is more interesting and creative than just putting everyone up there as the same size. Plus, who can get tired of looking at Ben’s handsome face? Not me!
Holly B. Said:
Well, my daughter is still young enough to want to be in the military “like daddy” and has always loved Sam the best. When season nine came around it crushed me having to try to explain what was going on onscreen, why Sam wasn’t still in command. She was in tears over it, and I don’t think I’ll ever forgive the show doing that to my daughter.
Um… aren’t you kind of ignoring the fact that Sam didn’t even WANT to be in charge or part of SG1 at the start of season 9? That she had left to do her own thing at Area 51, BY HER OWN CHOICE? While YES she is military she is also a scientist and for the most part I think she thinks of herself as a scientist first, military officer second. She only came back because Cam needed her help and she decided to come back.
She wasn’t really in command of SG1 during season 8 – it was more of a three-way partnership with each of them playing to their strengths like they always have.
And I’m sorry for your daughter being upset but I think instead of letting her get upset about Sam not being in charge you could have explained that Sam wanted to do other things rather than be in charge of SG1 (which is true) and then came back to help out because she’s a good person, and the right thing to do (also true). Cameron didn’t take anything away from her at all! She had already left and had no expectations of being in charge of SG1.
finally got my Ark of Truth dvd I ordered online (because I didn’t want to wait the extra 13 days it would have taken to get the Australian release!!) I loved the movie – the grand scenic shots of Teal’c on the mountains were supurb!
My only problem with it was the whole Replicator thing – as soon as I saw it I said “what?!!! you’re kidding!! NOT AGAIN!!” unfortunately I think it was a story line done to death already on stargate to date (I’m even sick to death of them in SGA even though they aren’t the little spider things of SG1… fortunately they don’t come around all that often over there though) – it seemed like a cheat to get sam and cam in mortal danger. i would have liked them to be facing mortal danger(coz I realise it is a necessary part of these types of stories)directly from a Prior and their followers .. ok I know they were getting bombarded by Ori ships but we didn’t even see inside those ships and it all felt somehow withdrawn from the main story more like a Z storyline than a B-story. That said, I loved the Replicator!skeleton that whooped Cam’s arse – that was cool!
And to all those people bagging the poster – give it a rest already!. when they created it, I’m sure they didn’t have the fan’s personal opinions specifically in mind – (“oh wait! we can’t have Vala too big coz you know she is soooo loved by the fans and the mother of the Orici, such a small part ….. super!Sam doesn’t even save the day here anyway… bigger Teal’c? – nah no-one cares about him anymore and his part is only the main instigator for turning the Ark on….phf, irrelevant. Oh I know, there are (apparently!!) alot of Ben Browder haters out there so lets make him the most prominent character on the poster!!! that’ll show ’em!! oh, and this Prior? Well you know he didn’t survive the first 5 minutes of the movie but lets put him on there anyway. Not the one-eye guy who made it to Earth or the Doci even or how about making Adria’s head bigger.. no the dead Prior is perfect!!!!
Taking it all a bit personally aren’t we!!
As to my own opinion, I think that shot of Mr Binder’s teeth should be the new AoT poster!!
I do have one question though…. did Morgan and Adria kill each other? or are they stuck in eternal battle like Anubis and Oma Desala?
What’s with all the Cam Mitchell bashing?
I love Ben’s Character! He was a great addition to the show and I think he fit in really well with Sam, Daniel and Teal’c without taking anything away from their characters at all.
I like the poster, it shows the enticement of the movie, as that is what poster’s are meant to be for. Not just the already fans but everyone else too.
Cudos to you for this weblog. I love your stuff.
A question… in relationship to some of the comments have you ever wondered how mature some of these people are?
Did you watch the Kansas-UNC game!?! I didn’t think Kansas had a chance in hell of winning, and then they came out and absolutely dominated. I thought, This game’s not going to be very fun to watch, and then Kansas fell apart, giving my roommate and I coronaries, then they finally pulled it together to dominate the end again. Go Kansas!! Can they win the final? Maybe. Can they do it without giving me a heart attack? Definitely not…