Author: DOuG pRATt

Gun Fun

Sorry to get political, but a couple of weeks ago this news tidbit caught my eye.

Around 10:45 p.m. an armed robber entered an Alcoholics Anonymous center in Columbia, S.C. The robber brandished a handgun and ordered the people inside the center to “Gimme what you got.” One of the AA visitors, who is also a Right-To-Carry permit holder, drew his gun and fired at the armed criminal, striking him multiple times, ending the robbery. The robber was taken to a local hospital where he died. (The State, Columbia, S.C. 04/13/09)

Guns and booze. Always a winning combination. A recovering alcoholic with a gun. What if he weren’t recovering and he brandished it while drunk?

The following week on the BBC World Service, I heard a lengthy protest against gun control by a typical NRA mouthpiece. Here’s what I don’t get. If the NRA’s position is that gun control doesn’t work, then why fight it? Prove the point by letting every piece of gun legislation pass, then sit back and smile smugly when gun violence goes up.

Actually, I know why they would never take this tack. It’s because they really believe that if they compromise at all, then gun ownership will be banned outright, and the government will turn into a dictatorship and they won’t be able to form a well-regulated militia. But of course we already have a well-regulated militia. The National Guard.

Schulzes

If you click here, you’ll see Amazon.com’s pre-publication listing for Monte Schulz’s new novel, This Side of Jordan. Here’s Monte in a photo that’s 1280×720 pixels — HD Monte!

Monte Schulz

Monte’s stepmother, Jeannie, recently donated $1 million to the Ohio State University Cartoon Library & Museum. Cartoonist Brian Narelle, who teaches cartooning classes at the Charles M. Schulz Museum, took this picture of the Charlie Brown car that belongs to Jeannie. That’s the manager of the ice rink at the wheel.

Charlie Brown Car at Schulz Museum

Next Year!

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I’ve been taking a nice, stressless break from the self-imposed deadlines of blogging. Before taking down the Boston Marathon banner, here is a short video and a couple of photos of the scene at the starting line on Monday. I didn’t get to run it this year, but next year for sure!

This is looking up at the starting line. Note the Ash Street sign…

2009 Boston Marathon starting line

… and this is looking down the road towards Ashland, where the original starting line was until 1924.

2009 Boston Marathon starting line

Confessions of a Superhero

Jennifer Wenger in \

Morgan Spurlock presents Confessions of a Superhero is a 2007 indie documentary that’s popped up on Netflix Watch Instantly. It’s very different from Spurlock’s excellent and influential Supersize Me, and only vaguely similar to the outstanding character study The King of Kong, but Confessions of a Superhero is just as fascinating to watch. Why? Because as unreal as it is, it’s real.

The Superman impersonator is way too into his character, the guy in the Hulk costume is sympathetic and equally pathetic, and the George Clooney lookalike Batman has an anger management problem. Jennifer Gehrt, who plays Wonder Woman, may have made too many impulsive decisions in her life — like quitting college — but if there’s a star in the making here, it’s Jennifer.

What ends in FOOM?

I’m in the middle of trying to decide if I want to keep AT&T as our wireless phone service, or switch to Verizon Wireless. It’s maddening that every outlet has different phones, plans and deals, which makes today’s Dilbert timely.

Dilbert.com

Note this panel from the strip, as scanned from The Boston Globe, which is at risk of becoming the Boston edition of The New York Times. The comic book fans among you should be able to answer the questions below.

Dilbert goes FOOM!

  • What did FOOM once stand for?
  • What comic book character’s name ends in FOOM?