tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68209128191318858792024-02-07T11:16:25.991-05:00Abel Undercity's Two-Fisted TalesAttempting to live a Second Life less ordinary...<br>
email: abelundercity -at- gmail -dot- comAbel Undercityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15078932486481434946noreply@blogger.comBlogger232125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6820912819131885879.post-4447316797829540152013-01-12T15:59:00.000-05:002013-01-12T16:01:42.855-05:00The Beatles and the public domainI've more than once dipped into the well of the public domain, both for inspiration and for resources necessary to get the job done. And I'm hardly the biggest beneficiary, with Les Mis taking in $16 million at the box office this past weekend. The Walt Disney Company, still making bank from the brow-sweat of the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen, has built Abel Undercityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15078932486481434946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6820912819131885879.post-22774726280198582502013-01-10T18:11:00.003-05:002013-01-10T18:11:29.618-05:00There is no "but." Just shut up right now.Like everyone with an internet connection I've noticed a rise in some seriously vile behavior from guys that I used to identify as "my people:" Atheists, skeptics, geeks, and online gamers. Women have spoken up only to find themselves subject to horrendous threats and abuse. Misogynists got their backs up when when called out on their misogyny and responded with graphic threats Abel Undercityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15078932486481434946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6820912819131885879.post-36325453621149820912012-07-22T15:14:00.001-04:002012-07-22T15:14:57.668-04:00Cue the thereminsDon't get me wrong, I liked my old house:
But when you get right down to it, I'm just not a Hollywood bungalow type. Plus, it was made more with the needs of couples in mind, rather than a solitary type like myself. I had no real compelling need to even go upstairs.
So rather than rattle around in the same place, I began to explore other options. And an idea really started Abel Undercityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15078932486481434946noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6820912819131885879.post-81105218986535774212012-06-22T14:38:00.000-04:002012-06-22T14:38:46.949-04:00One does not simply walk into MarketplaceThings have gotten a bit heated up my way, as in the mid- to upper 90's. According to the Murphy's Law principle that dictates the inner workings of bookmobiles, this is also when the air conditioning gives out. Usually on the first day of summer, just in case we might miss the point.
So yesterday, after roasting like a peanut for the better part of an afternoon, I finally settled down in the Abel Undercityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15078932486481434946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6820912819131885879.post-66048907846943260382010-03-21T08:07:00.003-04:002010-03-21T08:54:58.079-04:00My place in the Care Bear CorpsFor the explanation of that title, see here.So I Googled "Lantern Corps personality test," and now I'm sharing results. Woo. I'm a wild man.Your result for Which DCU Lantern Corps Is For You?...Indigo Lantern Corps!Take Which DCU Lantern Corps Is For You? at OkCupidWho knew I was such a nice guy? :pAbel Undercityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15078932486481434946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6820912819131885879.post-25712043253894789462010-01-04T10:40:00.004-05:002010-01-04T15:09:31.223-05:00Allons y!I missed the turn of the year and decade* here on the old blog, so best to dispense with the year in review (you're welcome) and look to the year ahead (sorry).Another Day, Another Doctor:Spoilercalifragilisticexpialidocious.First off, big props to BBC America for not making us wait to say goodbye to David Tennant as The Doctor. Both episodes of The End of Time aired Stateside the day after eachAbel Undercityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15078932486481434946noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6820912819131885879.post-29013529109772679322009-11-05T14:26:00.002-05:002009-11-05T15:12:26.430-05:00PSA: Just Say No.The holidays are looming large ahead of us. That means celebration, festivity, and frolic.* And as always, when we gather with friends, there's always the possibility of temptation, of doing something that we know we'd later regret.So when your host opens that drawer and pulls out its contents, it's perfectly natural to want to go along, to not be the party pooper.But this is not the time for Abel Undercityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15078932486481434946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6820912819131885879.post-2143815893839623342009-08-21T14:05:00.004-04:002009-08-21T15:36:08.992-04:00My dream library project: Putting tools into as many hands as possible.A public library, a good one, is always more than a mere collection of books. Libraries are a hub of the communities that have them. They act as founts of knowledge, crucibles of human thought, and the foundries of creativity. In a library, one seeking the tools to engage the world will find them.With that principle in mind, picture, in the lobby of your local library, a box. It's open, with Abel Undercityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15078932486481434946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6820912819131885879.post-90808520651171827702009-07-12T17:58:00.002-04:002009-07-12T18:06:36.831-04:00Don't try this at home.When a shitty, inexplicably popular franchise needs to be bashed, sure, you could just sit on the couch and mock it between handfuls of Doritos. But are you really bashing it? Are you applying the full spectrum of sheer scorn that needs to be heaped upon this insult to the collective intelligence of humanity? Or are you just winging it as best you can within your limited scope of insult humor Abel Undercityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15078932486481434946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6820912819131885879.post-72985678923750728202009-07-07T14:29:00.003-04:002009-07-07T16:58:50.770-04:00I am that which I used to mock.So yesterday morning I found myself alone with both breakfast and the remote, my wife still feeling tired and having gone back to bed. I'd had more than my fill of Michael Jackson coverage (here's the latest: He's still dead), so it was time to head into the outer limits of basic satellite service.At 5 AM it's mostly a trip into infomercial hell, of course. I had no urge to have the question "Abel Undercityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15078932486481434946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6820912819131885879.post-27357054745380633902009-06-26T10:53:00.003-04:002009-06-26T16:03:56.577-04:00Wizard World Philadelphia: The belated con reportYes, Bill, I'm posting it now.Pre-Con:I can be hard on my friend Bill, a cataloguer in Technical Processing, the department across the hall from mine. When I agreed to go with him to this year's Wizard World Philadelphia I had actually broken precedent by agreeing almost immediately, without hemming and hawing for weeks while he nagged and cajoled me, as I had done in previous years.By affirmingAbel Undercityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15078932486481434946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6820912819131885879.post-67720024045421957242009-06-22T12:00:00.002-04:002009-06-22T12:33:58.721-04:00Stalking ≠ RomanceI'll get to the matter of Wizard World and the good time that was had by all momentarily. First, as a lover of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and a loather of Twilight, I wanted to share this video that was posted up at Pandagon.Without spoiling it, let's just say that one Edward Cullen picks the wrong teenager upon whom to try his creepy "stalk ya/control ya/maybe wanna kill ya" shtick.I really don'tAbel Undercityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15078932486481434946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6820912819131885879.post-87925953328781707802009-06-19T11:09:00.004-04:002009-06-19T15:01:12.923-04:00All the young zombiesWizard World Philadelphia is underway even as I write this. I get my shot at the place tomorrow (details forthcoming, of course). But I want to draw your attention to a facet of the celebration that had me scratching my head.I like to grab me a copy of the Philadelphia Metro on the way in to work. While paging through it an ad for Wizard World caught my eye. This wasn't a difficult task, as Abel Undercityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15078932486481434946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6820912819131885879.post-28861064742841151992009-06-17T15:12:00.001-04:002009-06-17T15:14:29.601-04:00MuppetMuppetMuppet!A classic Sesame Street song about the diversity of human experience.With the notable exception of the lactose intolerant. Heavy. ;pAbel Undercityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15078932486481434946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6820912819131885879.post-14801958241922124632009-06-17T13:29:00.002-04:002009-06-17T15:05:50.330-04:00Test drving the 1.23 viewer.So after much hype and ballyhoo, the 1.23 viewer is upon us, tool of the Great Sanitization, wherein all of SL's adult content has been moved to its own continent. This puzzles me because, well, SL is only meant for adults anyway. Why are we protecting adults from adult content?My personal theory, uncontaminated by research or verified facts, has less to do with any squicky feelings residents Abel Undercityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15078932486481434946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6820912819131885879.post-60940937085219123722009-06-16T13:22:00.004-04:002009-06-17T13:25:00.209-04:00'Ere, 'e says 'e's not dead!He was being led down the courthouse steps in handcuffs. A hero to the nation for longer than most Americans had been alive, he was now a prisoner. All that was certain in his future was his day in court, and then, most likely, prison. He knew this, but, like the soldier that he was, he vowed to face the future fighting.That future was suddenly shattered by the report of a high powered rifle.Abel Undercityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15078932486481434946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6820912819131885879.post-32161828665029147752009-06-03T14:56:00.003-04:002009-06-03T15:51:17.711-04:00Debuffed.One of my favorite presents from last Christmas was a copy of Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Long Way Home, which was the first chapter in the ongoing "Season Eight," a continuation of the tv series in comic book form. I was eager and curious to see how characters I had known and loved had progressed since the destruction of Sunnydale, but I was also a bit worried. Would the things I had loved Abel Undercityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15078932486481434946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6820912819131885879.post-30789954640822529392009-06-02T12:13:00.002-04:002009-06-02T13:33:23.401-04:00"I'm Zippy! Who are you?"The source of this clip,1988's Comic Book Confidential, was on the Ovation Channel on Sunday night. If you haven't seen the Ovation Channel, think of it as a sort of an A&E Lite: Highbrow programming combined with the usual basic cable commercials for quickie loans, herbal male enhancement, and other dubious pursuits. What might be easily overlooked on, say, the E! Channel is rather Abel Undercityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15078932486481434946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6820912819131885879.post-38741774014760742002009-05-26T19:42:00.002-04:002009-05-26T20:11:43.916-04:00Breaking Radio SilenceFifteen days without blogging seems like long enough. Let's see... any news?Well, for the Friday Tournament on the 8th I had the honor of being on the receiving end of Abbiee Benazzi's first win as a heavyweight. I feel I put in a good effort, keeping pace with Abbiee for four out of five rounds, but it was the last one that killed me. It was a good match, and Abbiee is good people. Look for Abel Undercityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15078932486481434946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6820912819131885879.post-89896851657010134742009-05-11T23:32:00.002-04:002009-05-11T23:37:19.083-04:00I know Trekkies.And I say to them, with love, that when Life Imitates Onion, it's time to pause and reflect.Trekkies Bash New Star Trek Film As 'Fun, Watchable'I'm serious. The only people I've heard from who don't like the new Star Trek movie are hardcore, exclusionist Trek fans and Daniel Holloway, the putz reviewer in the Daily Metro who likes nothing anyway.Abel Undercityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15078932486481434946noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6820912819131885879.post-66865979852563496982009-04-30T17:59:00.002-04:002009-04-30T19:46:57.189-04:00Give it up for the ladies.The Sisterhood of the Squared Circle had a good night last night. Both of the two Feverlast bouts scheduled were male vs. female with the female coming out on top (India Nadeau scoring a knockout in her first match, followed by Ardsley Ballinger going the full three rounds in her fight to win by points). Follow that up with Shan Pevensey and Crystal Meersand having a serious woman-to-woman Abel Undercityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15078932486481434946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6820912819131885879.post-77531334792607491572009-04-23T14:03:00.002-04:002009-04-23T15:08:47.390-04:00Little bits and things.A few items of business to bat around, mainly because I'm feeling blog-conscious about not having posted anything in a while...Jaunty Jackalope - Canonical has released the latest version of Ubuntu, so that means that some time in the very near future I'll be disappearing from SL and all related internet activities for about a day or so while I download and install it. In return for the long Abel Undercityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15078932486481434946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6820912819131885879.post-39366122406269535842009-04-14T14:40:00.002-04:002009-04-14T15:06:58.041-04:00Some boxing posters from the past few weeksThis one was a bit of a rush job. Don't ask me why a disco theme, of all things. Zak Renfort was kind enough to take the pictures of the fighters when I couldn't get inworld in time to do it myself. I love karynn's "wait'll they get a load of me" smile contrasted with Ald's expression. To me that look says nothing else but: "One day, my army of atomic supermen will take over the world!"This Abel Undercityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15078932486481434946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6820912819131885879.post-83578461362877250742009-04-14T14:28:00.001-04:002009-04-14T14:32:20.880-04:00Placeholder YouTube video until I can think of something witty or relevant about comics, tv, or Second LifeEddie Izzard on the Death Star canteen, with Lego men:Abel Undercityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15078932486481434946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6820912819131885879.post-61036378571823413492009-04-02T19:26:00.003-04:002009-04-03T20:00:41.163-04:00"But the film is a sadd'ning bore - 'Cause I wrote it ten times or more..."[UPDATED with expanded rantyliciousness!]If I had a favorite tv show this season, I'd have to pick the late and lamented US version of Life on Mars. I know that I was in the minority on that score, but I found it a compelling, well-written show with memorable characters. And now, with its all-too brief life now over, I find that I might have had good memories of it if not for the ending.Fair Abel Undercityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15078932486481434946noreply@blogger.com0