Countdown #35- After 3 weeks of improvement, the book had 2 weeks of crap. Luckily, the winning streak has restarted. The story hasn't improved much, but while the writers couldn't do with plots, Countdown is at least packing action this week. Fights aplenty this week; Jason Todd, Donna Troy, and Bob fight againest the queen of the Nanoverse; Holly Robinson went into a battle AND she still has no idea what she is doing. Like me! What is she doing in the series? Jimmy Olsen continues try-out for superteams, this time the JLA. (Unfortunately, they did not kill him.) Mary Marvel got kicked out of Shadowcrest after her battle. Action all around!
Avengers: The Initiative #5- This issue is another tie-in to the World War Hulk event, at least this one make sense! Last issue, we saw the rookie get drawn in a fight with the Hulk. This month, the rescue mission starts. The Shadow Initiative is the black-ops of The Initiative. Dan Slott want readers to wonder about the identity of the Scarlet Spiders and Mutant Zero; I don't care! What is interesting is the team itself. I said before that I believe the team is too big, but Dan Slott seems to be trying to spilt the members into teams. That will work. I mean you can't sent nineteen characters on one mission right? Good idea, whether it will work long-term...I will be here to see.
Silver Surfer: Requiem #4- Before this mini-series has ended, Marvel has said that another mini starring Silver Surfer will be released next month. Naturally, I expected the bald one to live past this issue. HE DIDN'T! The Silver Surfer is dead! Really! Even Galactus couldn't save him. WOW! I haven't been this surprise by a character's death in years. (I expected Cap's death) WOW! J. Michael Straczynski, I take back everything I have said about you, this is impressive. The series was beautiful front-to-back. WOW!
Friday, August 31, 2007
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Virgin Mary in a burqa?
Remember when the publication of cartoons of the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten in 2005 and how it led to violence, arrests, inter-governmental tensions and riots in several countries? Remember the debate about the right of free speech? How many Muslims claim that any image of Muhammad is blasphemous, while many Westerners say that this is the right of free speech? Some people just do not learn.
Artworks depicting Osama bin Laden in a Christ-like pose and a statue of the Virgin Mary covered in a burqa have been showcased in a prestigious religious art competition in Australia, and of course people are screaming bloody murder. Australian Prime Minister John Howard is leading a chorus of condemnation against the decision to include the two entries in a prestigious art competition that ridicule the Christian faith. The Australian Prime Minister, who was very quiet in 2005, now say that the artwork is "gratuitously offensive to the religious beliefs of many Australians."
Funny how different people are when situations are changed, isn't it?
But no matter what your views are on the Australian Prime Minister, he was right in that religious icons should not be mocked. Osama bin Laden in a Christ-like pose, that I can accept as he is not a religious leader. He is either a terrorist or a Islamic warrior (depend on who you speak to), but he is not a religious leader. The Virgin Mary statue covered in a burqa is another matter. I don't care if you are a artist or a newspaper, you should not mock religious icons. Why can't these morons learn from past mistakes? Some people will hold the opinion that these "art" works are a provocation, and I'm not that sure they are wrong.
Yes, I will admit to be very interested in the reactions of "free speech" U.S and Europe but this is an issue which should never be bought up in the first place. Please, stop these morons from causing further problems by banning such provocation works in the future.
Artworks depicting Osama bin Laden in a Christ-like pose and a statue of the Virgin Mary covered in a burqa have been showcased in a prestigious religious art competition in Australia, and of course people are screaming bloody murder. Australian Prime Minister John Howard is leading a chorus of condemnation against the decision to include the two entries in a prestigious art competition that ridicule the Christian faith. The Australian Prime Minister, who was very quiet in 2005, now say that the artwork is "gratuitously offensive to the religious beliefs of many Australians."
Funny how different people are when situations are changed, isn't it?
But no matter what your views are on the Australian Prime Minister, he was right in that religious icons should not be mocked. Osama bin Laden in a Christ-like pose, that I can accept as he is not a religious leader. He is either a terrorist or a Islamic warrior (depend on who you speak to), but he is not a religious leader. The Virgin Mary statue covered in a burqa is another matter. I don't care if you are a artist or a newspaper, you should not mock religious icons. Why can't these morons learn from past mistakes? Some people will hold the opinion that these "art" works are a provocation, and I'm not that sure they are wrong.
Yes, I will admit to be very interested in the reactions of "free speech" U.S and Europe but this is an issue which should never be bought up in the first place. Please, stop these morons from causing further problems by banning such provocation works in the future.
Coming up: A Real-life Spiderman
In a way that show life follow art, a "Spider-man" suit that enables its wearer to scale vertical walls like the comic and movie superhero could one day be a reality.
In a article that was published in the Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter, natural technology used by spiders and geckos could help a human climb the side of a building or hang upside down from a roof. They are already working on a suit for the matter.
So the next time you see someone climb up a wall, don't be suprised, it's Spiderman!
In a article that was published in the Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter, natural technology used by spiders and geckos could help a human climb the side of a building or hang upside down from a roof. They are already working on a suit for the matter.
So the next time you see someone climb up a wall, don't be suprised, it's Spiderman!
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Rebound might not continue
The Straits Times reported today that global investors were pulling out of the Singapore stock market after the recent rebound.
This tell you how nervous people still are over the US housing meltdown and people are running scared of a possible credit squeeze in America. Even after a broad stock market rebound, including Wall Street's 2.29% rally in the past week, investors still believe that the hefty losses earlier this month will continue. I think they are right.
The biggest problem is that the crisis is in the housing sector. Real estate is a slow business, much slower than finance. So the housing problem will take the Americans weeks, if not months, to unravel. Until then, people will stay nervous and people will stay scared. Weak markets are ahead.
This tell you how nervous people still are over the US housing meltdown and people are running scared of a possible credit squeeze in America. Even after a broad stock market rebound, including Wall Street's 2.29% rally in the past week, investors still believe that the hefty losses earlier this month will continue. I think they are right.
The biggest problem is that the crisis is in the housing sector. Real estate is a slow business, much slower than finance. So the housing problem will take the Americans weeks, if not months, to unravel. Until then, people will stay nervous and people will stay scared. Weak markets are ahead.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Strange death at marathon
In another strange turn, a participant of the SAFRA Sheares Bridge Run & Army Half Marathon collapsed and died on Sunday morning. 25-year-old Captain Ho Si Qiu collapsed at the end of his 21-kilometre run and medics who attended to him were unable to prevent his death.
The cause of Captain Ho's death is still being investigated but something strange is in the air here. People who run marathons do not just died like this. If this is one incident, I say it can be a case of bad luck but Captain Ho is not the first case like this. I remember at least 3 cases like this in the past year when people died after distance races like this.
I believed there was no cause of death in the other cases, and I think the Singapore Sports Council must get to the bottom of this. Like I said earlier, people who can run marathons don't just died like this. If the reason is not found, there might be more deaths in the future, and I think everyone would like to avoid that.
The cause of Captain Ho's death is still being investigated but something strange is in the air here. People who run marathons do not just died like this. If this is one incident, I say it can be a case of bad luck but Captain Ho is not the first case like this. I remember at least 3 cases like this in the past year when people died after distance races like this.
I believed there was no cause of death in the other cases, and I think the Singapore Sports Council must get to the bottom of this. Like I said earlier, people who can run marathons don't just died like this. If the reason is not found, there might be more deaths in the future, and I think everyone would like to avoid that.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Garbage prize for Garbage singing
In the latest American Idol rip-off, 13-year-old Shawn Tok prove that Singaporeans are more taken with people who look cute than people who can sing (I think). Tok beat his older competitors yesterday to claim the Campus SuperStar title.
The Loyang Secondary School favourite earned the fans' votes and walked away with a trophy and the $2,000 prize money. You read that right. $2,000? These kids went through all these weeks of competition for $2,000? Is TCS poor? The prize money is a miserable $2,000? What were they thinking? No wonder the singing were so bad this year. They were garbage because the prize was garbage as well.
Now you know.
The Loyang Secondary School favourite earned the fans' votes and walked away with a trophy and the $2,000 prize money. You read that right. $2,000? These kids went through all these weeks of competition for $2,000? Is TCS poor? The prize money is a miserable $2,000? What were they thinking? No wonder the singing were so bad this year. They were garbage because the prize was garbage as well.
Now you know.
Comics this week
Countdown #36- Out of the various stories in Countdown, the writes has got 2 things right. Mary Marvel and the Piper/Trickster story were the only 2 things which were right about the book. After this issue, there's is only Piper/Trickster. Mary Marvel threw a temper tantrum and battle with her would-be mentor because...I'm not really sure why exactly. Essentially, the writers had destroyed the Mary Marvel story which leave only Piper and Trickster. Wonder how long it'll take for them to destroy that one?
Hiding In Time #2- I pick up the book due to the great plot. Listen to this: In the near future, the Witness Protection Program relocate people throughout time to ensure their safety. But then the program got shut down and hired assassins begin finding and killing the witness. Nathan Crew, a technician in the now-defunct Time Portal Division of the WPP, has to travel back in time to stop the killings! Now is that a great plot or what? The execution of the story (and the art) isn't as good as the plot but it is passable. A good story that could have been a lot better. Still, it is very interesting.
Hiding In Time #2- I pick up the book due to the great plot. Listen to this: In the near future, the Witness Protection Program relocate people throughout time to ensure their safety. But then the program got shut down and hired assassins begin finding and killing the witness. Nathan Crew, a technician in the now-defunct Time Portal Division of the WPP, has to travel back in time to stop the killings! Now is that a great plot or what? The execution of the story (and the art) isn't as good as the plot but it is passable. A good story that could have been a lot better. Still, it is very interesting.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)