FlyingPawn

A previous incarnation of this website had a feature called “Review on Demand”, where users could request a review of something and I would never, ever write it. Back in October 2004, an anonymous user requested a review of the music video for Toby Keith’s song “Beer for My Horses”. I watched the video, made a few mental notes, and then never wrote it up.

I got the opportunity to make up for this neglect with the film version of “Beer For My Horses”, or “B4MH” as the insiders call it. I figured it was my duty the review the film, so I rented it from Netflix. As if I wasn’t already in the mood for some negative reviewing, the DVD introduction included two videos of Keith professing how integral Ford trucks were to the movie, and to his general quality of life.

In the movie, Keith stars as a deputy sheriff in rural Oklahoma. His cohorts are fellow deputies Rodney Carrington (the dopey sidekick) and Ted Nugent (the non-speaking trigger/bow-happy crime-fighting maniac). Keith’s the kind of guy who gets along great with everyone, but Doesn’t Understand Women so his long-time girlfriend storms off in the first scene. She’s not missed for long, though, as Keith’s old flame Claire Forlani comes back into town and re-captures his heart. Forlani’s timing is a bit off, and her first date with Keith ends with her kidnapping by the drug kingpin whose brother Keith had arrested earlier in the week. So, Keith rounds up the guys and goes on a vigilante rescue mission, and the adventure progresses from there.

As I noted above, I watched this movie out of a feeling of obligation, and I expected to not like it. Maybe it was just that my expectations were so low, but actually the movie was pretty entertaining. The story goes pretty much how you might expect, including a big telegraphed plot twist, but isn’t too contrived. As an action comedy, neither the action or the comedy are outstanding, but they both do their job. A few of the comedy bits were surprisingly inventive, and deserve some credit for trying even if the jokes didn’t always land. And the characters and their interactions seemed authentic, if not fascinating. So, all in all, a decent way to spend a few hours.

Requested (sort of): 3 October 2004 by Anonymous
Rating: 2 stars

Here in Fairfax County, our previous chair of the county board of supervisors, Gerry Connolly, has moved on to represent the Virginia 11th in Congress. (For the record, FlyingPawn HQ is in the 8th district, represented by Jim “earmark the s— out of it” Moran). To replace Connolly, there is a special election this coming Tuesday. The candidates are Democrat Sharon Bulova, and Republican Pat Herrity, whom I have done extensive research on using campaign mailings from the Fairfax County Democratic Party.

Experience

Bulova has been on the board of supervisors for 21 years. Herrity has only been on the board since 2007, but his dad was chairman for 12 years and has a highway named after him, so county government is in his blood. Advantage: Tie

Transportation

This is the only issue in the race, as far as I can tell. Bulova is a founding board member of the VRE commuter rail system, and favors the plan to expand Metrorail to Dulles airport. Herrity oppposes the Metro expansion plan, to the point of suing the county over it, but he apparently has an alternative rail plan involving adorable tykes:

Advantage: Tie

Looks

Ultimately, the best reason to vote for someone is their physical appearance. This is the only known photograph of Herrity:

I think he looks upset/gassy and the black-and-white makes him look more unfriendly. My wife thinks it makes him look pensive and traditional.

Bulova, on the other hand, looks like Mon Mothma. Advantage: Bulova

I’m featured on last Thursday’s episode of NPR’s “Planet Money” blog. My question is so insightful that the answer to it will probably defuse the entire credit crisis. You’re welcome, world.

I finally got around to alphabetizing the books today. (Based on your e-mails, I bet a lot of you thought I forgot.) The final results are below:

Adams
Addams
Allison
Buffyverse
DC Universe
Gambrell
Hammond
Holkins/Krahulik
Kellett
Larson
Martin/Telgemeier
Moore/Gibbons
O’Malley
Ottaviani
Roman/Green
Rowland
Straub
Troop
Trudeau
Watterson
Wheeler
Willis

Thanks to all the fans who entered this year’s contest. Winners will be announced in an upcoming blog post.

So I am writing a blog post instead of spending another 20 minutes trying to figure out how to comment on Jesse’s blog. Comfort actually made it to the top 12, but needed to be in the top 10 to go on tour, but Jesse is right about his endorsement ruining her dancing.

Sometimes, on the Internet, people are wrong. And usually I can accept that. But obviously someone who is referencing the lyrics to the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” would want to know if they made a mistake, right? So I felt confident that I was doing the right thing when I clicked on the feedback link on
today’s Dinosaur Comic. Then I noticed that the subect line had already been filled in:

ryan is it “ninja teens” or “ninja teams”? either option appears to be contentious

I thought about just hitting send on the empty message, thereby proving my inconsequentiality. But then I realized that I could redeem myself with an amusing blog post! (in theory)

Also, it totally is “teens”. Why would Splinter teach them teamwork when he could be teaching them how to be teenagers?

I’m suddenly reminded of the fact that I have two pieces of Eliot Spitzer fan art on my computer.

I guess I had a lot more free time for photoshopping things in 2004.

The vast anti-webcomic conspiracy at Wikipedia continues! This time they’ve gone as far as to sabotage their own server in order to stop webcomics researchers from learning THE TRUTH!

Maybe I should, I don’t know, write some posts.

So, I’ve set up this blog, and hopefully the site will actually start updating regularly.  I’ve changed hosting providers, so all the old stuff is offline for the time being.