The Phantom City

It’s interesting what you miss when you’re moving. I’m spending my time trying not to forget things like bills and address changes, and I completely miss the one-year anniversary of The Phantom City.

When I started this blog, I figured my biggest problem would be keeping it going. After 241 posts, that doesn’t seem like a problem. There’s a lot to write about out there, in a lot of different fields, a few of which I actually pay attention to.

Anyway, posting has been sparse lately. I’ll plead “really busy” for the past few weeks, and try to do better once I get an Internet connection at the new house. I want to thank everyone who’s been reading — at least the living, rather than the spambots that keep stopping by and trying to leave comments about poker and mortgages — and I hope you’ve found something of interest here. (Since I just wrote the words “poker” and “mortgages,” I think the spambots may find it even more interesting.)

The Fashion SWAT review on Something Awful is all about bad comic character costumes this time. While I’m surprised they could stick to only a dozen, one has to appreciate that they manage to get two Rob Liefeld drawings in there.

How to explain Liefeld…If, back in the 1990’s, you ever saw a comic book cover and went “What is that thing?!?”, only to realize it was supposed to be a human, that would be a Liefeld-influenced cover. His characters always seem to have lots of muscles where people simply don’t have muscles, as well as inch-wide veins that stick out all over them and upper bodies that would cause them to tip over easily. Check out his gallery for some good examples. Back then, he largely plied his trade for Marvel and Image Comics.

Mattel is suing a BBQ restaurant in Montreal because its name is “Barbie’s,” and its logo might be confusing.

Personally, I think I would have wanted a “Barbie’s BBQ Joint” toy when I was a kid.

Link courtesy of Boing Boing

I received this spam today at work:

I’m new, it’s Julie Alot of the times I feel weird, even my girlfriends told me that …. old time friend suggested
to put my hot videos somehow online. My website is like my new hobby AllCome check website I put together, I’m not that good tho with comp skills yet but tell me what you think

She’s not that good with spelling, grammar, punctuation, spacing, or line breaks either.

From the Chicago Tribune:

“The Bulls have no picks in the June 28 NBA draft, but that didn’t stop them from bringing perimeter players Mike Bell, Drake Diener, Jackie Manuel and Rawle Marshall to the Berto Center on Wednesday.

“Management wants to get a handle on some players who may go undrafted and could fill the summer-league roster and/or be invited to October’s training camp.”

Personally I agree with at least one part of Marybeth Peters’ testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee: It is disturbing that there may be ties between terrorist organizations and copyright violators. I mean, after all, what if the terrorists get their hands on copies of Britney and Kevin: Chaotic and release it to the rest of the world? That will just make people hate America more.

Link courtesy of Corante, via Boing Boing

Rats Seen Near Waterbury Fast-Food Restaurant

Well, apparently it was top story at NBC30 in Connecticut. Lead off with local, right?

Link courtesy of This Modern World

The mother blames the schools for not providing proper sex education.

Because goodness knows there’s not much a parent could have taught them…oh, wait.

Russian lake goes missing.

Link courtesy of warrenellis.com

“Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, uhh… grrr snarl yum yum.”

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