‘Technical’ Difficulties

digresssmlOriginally published February 13, 1998, in Comics Buyer’s Guide #1265

“Only half a million copies.”

It was some years back, during the pinnacle of the sales boom for comic books. There was an editor walking around the offices at Marvel Comics, and he was sorely distressed, angry and disappointed. You may ask, Why was he so angry?

Go ahead. Ask.

I’m not going to tell you unless you ask. Come on. Say it out loud. Say it with me: Why was he so angry?

You didn’t say it, did you? I’m not kidding now. Together: Why. Was. He. So. Angry?

(It’s amazing how punchy this column can get when I produce one after, say, finishing a Star Trek novel, dialoguing half an issue of Hulk, and plotting Aquaman, all within a fifteen hour period operating on three hour’s sleep. But I… something or other, I forget.)

Debate the First 2012 Election

We are about two minutes from the beginning of the coverage of the debate.

I am currently on ABC where I am going to try to watch but if we have commentary by the news people, I am changing the channel.

Now I am saying this Here and Now. I don’t care what your political affiliations. You can argue positions but name calling will get your comments either de-voweled or deleted.

9:02 Presidental Gladiators? ABC not the best choice of words.

9:03 Fact checker> I am going else where

9:04 OK, now we are talking 6 fifteen segments. 3 Economy, Healthcare, Government, and ?

(:05 And here come the candidates. Romeny in red tie and Obama in blue

9:06 New Jobs is up but first Obama’s anniversary

9:08 Romney made a joke that was funny

9:10 Obama nothing new there. Romney is actually presenting some points. Small business started? How? Not very convincing.

9:11 Education OK. Taxes down but close loopholes so it can be american jobs. Making oil an issue. Aaaand we are onto the deficits and the rich

9:13 “Middle Class” do a shot

9:13 Romney is back-peddling on what he has said on taxes. He is trying to pull the middle class and the costs of things. HOW How do you balance the budget Mr. Romney? Wave a magic wand? He has been well prepared.

9:15 So we are going to burn coal? Are you Crazy? More Oil? Where? Alaska? How? And the Canadian pipeline is not a good idea with the current technology.

9:16 So I think I would have done about 10 shots by now just on the words “Middle Class”

9:17 Romney is texting? What is he looking at? He’s texting.

9:18 I will not is said a lot but what would you DO. And he brings in the kids into it. There’s a sound byte that he was taught

9:20 Is Obama texting? What is he looking at? Do they have their smart phones with them?

9:20 Obama pulls out the flip-fop Romney challenge. Asking for specifics Romney still dances around it.

9:21 There’s the Ghost of Clinton

9:22 AND we are back to education

I was behind the feed but am back on the live feed. Sorry folks the times will sync here.

9:24 The Ghost of Clinton again

9:24 Romney won’t let this go. What the F8ck IS your PLAN!>?!?!?! Now he is pounding on talking points he has been rehearsing. Get in there moderator

9:26 Deficit talk How to get rid of it Let’s see if anything comes out of this

9:26 Moral Issue? Moral Issue? WTF

9:27 Getting rid of PBS and Healthcare? States will have to pay more. So he would move the deficit from federal to state and call that a balanced budget?

9:29 Obama telling what he has done so far. OK Obama is doing math that people can do and these are specifics rather than generalizations. Unbalanced is a good word for this.

9:31 Romney does not like Simpson/Bowls. OH these were the zingers that he has been practicing. He is stuttering not a sign of truth.

9:34 Spain? We are now Spain?

9:35 Bringing in Big Oil and the subsidies. No breaks for corporate jets. Obama giving specifics. AAAANd we are back to education and homey stories. Medicaid to the states is not a good idea on every level

9:37 Romney is really pushing it here and trying to justify. Green energy. Pick the losers? Romney on the attack but not doing the best job.

9:40 3rd segment on Entitlements starting with Social Security

9:41 Homey story yet again. Obama just answer the question rather than your talking points. Entitlements is a hot button word.

9:42 And Romney back-peddles yet again. Oh wait Romney has one of his zingers

9:43 Bring up the cuts? they aren’t CUTS.

9:45 Go for it Obama! Explain what Romney has said on his OWN platform. We are talking vouchers in healthcare.

9:47 Romney is trying to put this spin on this that just doesn’t work. How is this going to fit into the budget? Two systems at the same time?

9:49 Moderator get control of this!

9:50 Federal Regulation of the Economy. Romney trying to keep on his talking points. Moderator trying to take control.

9:52 Bush’s watch was responsible for the bank failure.

9:53 Wall Street reforms that were put into place. Good use of the word “bet”.

9:54 Too Big to Fail was BUSH not Obama

9:55 Now we are onto health care. Affordable healthcare.

9:56 Aaaand we are into folkies stories again. We get it, you both talk to people. Aaand we are back to the medicare again.

9:58 Preexsisting condition. I know entirely too many people who got screwed over on that by the insurance companies. Obama presenting his policies again. Ah ha there is the previous Romney point.

10:01 that is because the republicans wouldn’t play ball !!!! All they did the entire time was block anything Obama wanted to do.

10:03 I don’t think Romney will reach across the aisle.

10:04 Performance base pay? Not going to fly really. Look at schools.

10:06 What was that?

10:07 Aannnd he is still not answering what he would do. Romney had avoided saying anything that he WOULD do just what he would not.

10:09 Obama going on the lack of details which is a good move.

10:11 Moderator get in there and take it over. Romney is bring out the ghost of Reagan. The problem is that no one would do what Tip and Ronnie did back them because of the political fighting

10:13 how one views the federal government

10:13 Obama first. Government in education and getting teachers skilled

10:16 so Romney loved teachers but again he is giving the cost of the states. He will balance the budget on the backs of the states.

10:16 Oh this is SO rehearsed and sound byte.He has been waiting for this the whole evening

10:17 State and local level yet again. Again no specifics. And school of choice (vouchers) Education is needed to create workers no argument.

10:20 Getting training programs in place federal support. College affordable although it is not. Obama brings up Romney’s idea to get money from parents.

!0:23 What the hack does this have to do with education? He is all over the map.

(Note Ariel says “Romney’s tie is crooked. It’s symbolic”)

10:24 Romney keeps harping on things that Obama did at the beginning of his presidency until the Republican caucus told him that he will never win.

10:26 He brought Benladen into it Which is the next debate.

Closing Statements

Obama’s remarks: And we are back to homey stories. OK we get it y’all are both folksy. OK now we are talking points rich.

Romney: (kath: I Glad that I didn’t use the word America in the drinking game) he is not saying what he would doing but what he says Obama is doing wrong. Nothing solid. He believes in fairy dust and pixies will make things better.

Was Romney giving his masters signals with morse code? He was blinking like an owl in daylight

Honestly I don’t think I learned anything that I didn’t know before. Not many sound bites there.

Babylon 5: An Overview

digresssmlOriginally published February 6, 2012, in Comics Buyer’s Guide #1264

“It’s not going to be as good.”

That’s what I heard fans muttering when word broke of the syndication deal that would provide Babylon 5 with a regular slot on TNT, aired five times a week in a time slot that—unlike in many cities—wasn’t at such a hideous hour of the morning that viewing it required either a VCR or a healthy shot of No-Doze.