Author Archive for Relantel

Madagascar 2: Part Lion King, Part normal sequel letdown

Published
by
Relantel
on January 8, 2009
in Movies
. 2 Comments

We had missed seeing Madagascar 2: Escape to Africa when it was first released earlier in the fall. Since the birth of our son on Christmas Eve, Monday [Dec 29, I'm late to publishing this]marked the first point where my wife felt comfortable taking the baby out, and we managed to find a major theatre still playing the film, albeit 20 minutes away, in a newer AMC outfit. It was the only listing for Madagascar 2 across Northern Virginia, so off we went.

There were funny parts. It was entertaining. But it failed to live up to the standards of the first film. If you were taking a child to see it, the child won’t be disappointed. Our 4yo loved it. Our newborn slept through the whole thing. The crowd, for a 5:15 weekday matinee, was quite slim. It was not hard to think that this may be the last week for it in that theatre.

Naturally the Penguins steal the show, but I can’t help but wonder how the two Monkeys get on board, as I didn’t recall them leaving New York in the original. Maybe I need to rewatch it…

The film starts as a prequel scene to set up the Africa scene and its significance to Alex the lion. Here enter some Lion King themes - such as the scheming lion out to take over, trying to use Alex along the way. Then we see the NY Zoo bunch getting ready to leave Madagascar, with the Penguins as the flight crew. Conveneniently, they crash at the site of the prequel preserve.

While the Penguins supervise the repair of the destroyed airplane, the Zoo crew encounters scores of animals of their respective types. We watch as a rift developes between the friends, setting up the make-up and the outright Melman declaration for Gloria that was hinted at in the first film.

The granny from the train station in the original is back, conveniently as a tourist to the African preserve, and serves the role as Alex’s nemesis. (I almost said villain, but that might be classified as the Lion challenging for control of the pride)

A decent film, but if we didn’t have a four-year-old, I doubt we would have bothered to see it in the theater. We may yet be ‘forced’ to get the DVD for next Christmas, but it’ll be cheap by the time of the 2009 Black Friday sales.

Krog turns 35

Published
by
Relantel
on December 13, 2008
in Personal and Poetry
. 6 Comments

At the risk of drawing ire, a minor milestone is achieved today - our dear beloved Krog turns 5 touchdowns old today. Contrary to popular belief, though, 35 is not over the hill. Not yet.

So, for the occasion, I drug out an old work that commemorated a past birthday:

“Krog’s Ode”

Here’s to another year,
some say it’s never so clear
bouncing down life’s path
reluctant to do the math
the years are seen adding
it’s nonstop, it’s maddening
Yet the mind controls age
with as much anxiety as a sage;
There is light on the other side
another year to abide,
once this day is done –
the day that adds one.

12.13.04-1 “glenn” (script)

I will be writing a fresh one later today, and will post that when it is ready.

Happy!

Youch, not a good day to be from Illinois

Published
by
Relantel
on December 9, 2008
in Law
. 2 Comments

Drudge has been ablaze this AM with the news of the indictment of the Governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich (D). The prosecutor is the same one that pursued the Plame leak case in D.C. (I. Lewis Libby, anyone?) - Patrick Fitzgerald. The Sun-Times has the story here, where they note that the Governor’s Chief of Staff has been arrested as well. The charge? “Blagojevich, 51, and Harris, 46, both of Chicago, are each charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and solicitation of bribery.” It seems Blagojevich forgot the oldest example of Mail Fraud to tackle the old Chicago machine of Al Capone…

The Chicago Tribune notes that the probe has widened to include Obama’s vacant Senate seat. The Washington Times reports the grand jury has issued subpoenas in the Rezko/Obama land deal.

Krog Ninja Edit:

From the Sun-Times article, the following:

A 76-page FBI affidavit alleges that Blagojevich was intercepted on court-authorized wiretaps during the last month conspiring to sell or trade Illinois’ U.S. Senate seat vacated by Obama for financial and other personal benefits for himself and his wife.

At various times, in exchange for the Senate appointment, Blagojevich allegedly discussed obtaining:

• A substantial salary for himself at a either a non-profit foundation or an organization affiliated with labor unions.
• Placing his wife on corporate boards where he speculated she might garner as much as $150,000 a year.
• Promises of campaign funds — including cash up front.
• A cabinet post or ambassadorship for himself.

On Dec. 4, Blagojevich allegedly told an advisor that he might “get some (money) up front, maybe” from Senate Candidate 5, if he named Senate Candidate 5 to the Senate seat, to insure that Senate Candidate 5 kept a promise about raising money for Blagojevich if he ran for re-election.

In a recorded conversation on Oct. 31, Blagojevich claimed he was approached by an associate of Senate Candidate 5 as follows: “We were approached to ‘pay to play.’ That, you know, he’d raise 500 grand. An emissary came. Then the other guy would raise a million, if I made him (Senate Candidate 5) a Senator.”

All in all, not a good day to be from Illinois…

Senate final tally in sight: MN recount near end; GA runoff today

Published
by
Relantel
on December 2, 2008
in Politics
. 0 Comments

Soon, we may know whether the Democrats got their 60 votes in the Senate or not - GOP seats 41 and 42 hang in the balance. Minnesota’s recount is near complete, some 92% done, with a margin little different than the final certified tally. Georgia’s Runoff election between incumbent Saxby Chamblis and Democrat Jim Martin is today. Late polls in Georgia showed Chambliss up between 4 and 7 percent.

HotAir and Powerline are good sources in the Minnesota mess. Redstate has been good on the Georgia fight, as its lead editor is from Georgia.

And in other news, Mel Martinez is retiring in Florida, leaving that an open seat for the GOP to defend in 2010.

Redemption: 24 is back

Published
by
Relantel
on November 24, 2008
in Television
. 0 Comments

24 is back. Last night, Jack Bauer returned in 24: Redemption, a two-hour interlude between the 6th and 7th seasons, with the latter due to begin on Sunday, January 11, 2009. The full episode can be viewed here.

Basic review and minor spoilers below the fold.
Continue reading ‘Redemption: 24 is back’

McCain’s defeat is complete: McCain takes Missouri

Published
by
Relantel
on November 19, 2008
in Politics
. 0 Comments

The last unsettled state finally has a winner - and it is the loser, John S. McCain. Missouri had been considered a bellweather - It marks the just the second time since 1904 that Missouri has gone with the electoral college loser (the other being 1956). The finality of Missouri gives a final electoral tally of 365-173 in favor of Obama.

Space Shuttle blasts off with little fanfare

Published
by
Relantel
on November 17, 2008
in Science
. 0 Comments

Endeavour STS-126
The Space Shuttle Endeavour lifted off from Cape Canavral Friday evening with little fanfare or replay on the nightly news. (Though I suspect that at least CNN and FNC covered it live, I did not think of it at the time, and went looking for the launch later that evening) The mission is STS-126, an International Space Station assembly flight delivering a multi-purpose logistics module.

The launch was flawless. The NASA video link provides a transcript of the audio below the video. Also check out the Launch blog, which liveblogged the countdown and launch. There are only 9 more shuttle flights scheduled before the remaining orbiters are retired, scheduled to give way to the Aries series of rockets and the Orion capsule, together which comprise the Constellation program. (A nice video introduction to Constellation is here)

Global Warming books cooked

Published
by
Relantel
on November 17, 2008
in Science
. 4 Comments

It has been known that “Global Warming” has been a hoax, and now it is confirmed that one of the leading data collectors being used to promote the myth has been cooking the books. The entity: NASA’s Godard Institue for Space Science. How did they get caught? Their October data showed increases in global temparature, despite evidence to the contrary. When they were examined in greater detail, it was discovered their October numbers were really September data in many areas, including Russia. The Telegraph raises further questions about GISS’s reliability.

Continue reading ‘Global Warming books cooked’

It’s bad when the referee doesn’t know the rule

Published
by
Relantel
on November 17, 2008
in Football
. 0 Comments

The screw-up had nothing to do with the result of yesterday’s Steelers-Chargers game, but it everything to do with the margin. With a spread of Pittsburgh -4, the officiating error affected the gambling on the game, by changing the result against the spread, and for sure, affected some fantasy football leagues that give points to defenses scoring touchdowns.

The play? With the Steelers leading 11-10 with 5 seconds to go, the Chargers had a legal forward pass from Philip Rivers to LaDainian Tomlinson, who then lateraled back to another Charger, who in turn attempted a backward pass that was broken up by Steelers safety Troy Polamalu. Polamalu scooped up the ball and was tackled after he had crossed the goal line, seemingly giving the Steelers a 17-10 lead as time expired.

Enter the video review booth - in the last 2 minutes of each half and in OT, the coaches cannot challenge, and all reviews must come from the booth. Here is the line in the NFL.com play-by-play:
Continue reading ‘It’s bad when the referee doesn’t know the rule’

2008’s County by County Map

Published
by
Relantel
on November 13, 2008
in Politics
. 2 Comments

2008 County by County Map
(From Newsmax via Rush Limbaugh)

The damage doesn’t look as bad from that scale. But compare it to the 2004 county map on Wiki:
2004 County by County map (wiki)
Continue reading ‘2008’s County by County Map’

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