(no subject)

Saw Men In Black 2 yesterday. It was okay. They had a very large number of silly cliches and they would give just enough of them to let the audience know what was up, then skip to their necessary conclusion. I'm trying to decide how I feel about that as a cinematic convention, but it's growing on me.

Just as an example: Will Smith vaporizes the evil alien whats-her-name and as they leave you see a tiny remaining pod begin sprouting new appendages. Maybe a minute later she's chasing them, fully-restored, in a vehicle. Because, y'know, duh, of course she's going to regrow and chase them without skipping a beat, so why show it?

Why she doesn't use this trick again after the movie's finale is never explained. Fair enough. It's supposed to be an action movie, and that's exactly what it delivers. I was kinda hoping for something brainless, and there it was.

We *did* see the movie with a guy who played one of the agents, though, which is kinda neat. He didn't have any actual lines and was just background, but still...

(no subject)

I'm gonna excerpt from my brother Ben's blog again and see if he notices and comments.

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I started a story which I will transcribe and finish. Until then, I hope this'll hold you:

From the hills they came, a tougher breed of human, one who have lost a weakness behaviour which took generations to make second nature.
They have lost the urge to nap.
Using this newfound adjustment which some call an advancement and some call simple de-evolution, they conquer those who are, without question, more civilized than they.
In their napless frenzy, they brought the single greatest army to its knees. They ejected the native people from several regions, despite the funding, training and often the actual presence of one of the greatest superpowers in the world, at the time. They went on to control one of the fiercest armies in the world, leaving no area without, if not actually winning a real victory, at least dropping a trail of economic and social devestation.
To defeat the British armies, the Americans won their most decisive victory at valley forge on a major holiday, by attacking in the dead of night when most of the British soldiers were asleep. Texas was taken by a direct assault on Mexican forces during a prescribed time of rest during the hottest part of the day, when any civilized person would be in shade. Americans fight at tea time. Americans fight on holidays. Americans fight all night every night until interest is lost.
This world is run by empires on the downswing. In those states, as documented in previous falling empires, the upper classes tend to emulate the lowest in social patterns, speech and general demeanor. Lower classes become heroes and idols. Where is there greater proof than the lack of napping in so-called "civilized" nations throughout the world.

Really, the first line came to me, and the rest sort of flowed naturally. Maybe I want naps throughout the day. Actually, I know I do.