303 thoughts on “Jack Mangan’s Deadpan #121: Watchmania, part 2

  1. Yeah it’s showing up in iTunes on my netbook but not the iTunes store on my phone…grrrrrr!

    Ah well will listen next sync.

  2. Yay! New Watchmania!!! I can’t wait to hear it.

    LostRalph: Good to see you around again!

    Ed: I caught that last night. I was thinking, “Either he really doesn’t like Browncoats, or he simply isn’t aware of Firefly/Serenity…” But now I realize: He’s a TV personality, how could he not be aware of a pop-culture phenomenon like that?

  3. Morning, Deadpan!

    Colbert Nation versus Browncoats — hmm. As I watched him talk about Serenity, sitting next to my NASA-employed better half, I thought well, well, well.

  4. Ugh.

    Made the mistake of grabbing a mocha latte from Sonic on the way in.

    I’m not sure what that goo was, but if it had coffee in it I’d be surprised.

  5. Have any of you been following the “Racefail ’09” controversy currently playing out? It’s got my hackles up this morning, and I was just about to rant out a blog post on the topic, but thought maybe sitting with the issue for a bit before writing about it was a smarter tactic. Anybody have any thoughts?

  6. I’m back. I am kind of creeped out by the weird synchronicity of the first three episodes of the ‘Pan and the last Unshows.

    Mr. Mangan, I’m very sorry that I don’t have any resources to send your way. My only advice is to doubt and triple check any legal advice that you do get.

    Hurm. That was an honest typo where “doubt” was supposed to be “double” but it works better the way I mis-typed it.

    And Tee is a good friend. I’m glad he was/is there for you.

  7. I enjoyed the Watchmania conversation, part 2, just as much as I enjoyed part 1. Well done, all of you!

    If I had been on the Skype conf, I would have added to one conversation thread by saying that the “watch” motif throughout the GN also makes me think about the entire Cold War notion of the Doomsday Clock. The ticking clock is no question the Doomsday Clock.

    The image is a depiction of our nearness to (self-) destruction via the nuclear option. Who watches the Watchmen? All of us better, or kaboom. I’d be curious if Amy had ever heard of the Doomsday Clock, or if it’s “before your time.”

  8. Now I’m curious as to what I missed on Colbert. It wasn’t just his usual faux right-wing schtick?

    The Minuteman ICBM connection hadn’t occurred to me! Watchmen is some seriously fertile text.

    Morning, Pan. Yes it is.

  9. Well, I didn’t see Colbert recently, but on the news this morning I saw where he was recruiting his minions to do a write in campaign on the new space station module. Serenity had been in the lead, but apparently Colbert’s efforts have been paying off.

    NASA says that the vote is non-binding ๐Ÿ™‚

  10. Jack: NASA is allowing people to vote for the name of the newest module of the International Space Station. “Serenity” is leading in the main poll, but “Colbert” is leading the write-in votes, and Stephen Colbert tried to rally people to vote for him on last night’s show.

  11. Hey, ditto, thanks for the info – I’ll read it. I definitely wasn’t impressed w/ Scalzi’s comments from yesterday, but generally feel aligned with his politics so have faith in him.

    Also, Sly B likes the chair too.

  12. Jack: You’re welcome! ๐Ÿ™‚

    I’m moving into a new and (hopefully) better apartment (in the same complex) tomorrow afternoon. My ISP does not know about this yet; I’ll tell them tomorrow. So, if you don’t see me online for the next few days, that’s where I am.

  13. CP: LLAP 107

    The best promo I never heard.

    Why to I think that, when CJ was talking about Riker and Remmick having a “spat”, she was thinking in her head “The make up sex will be awesome!”

    Was I close, CJ?

  14. No, I remember, I didn’t change it from the randomly generated default. I’ll have to check my email at home.

    “Momma, you’re watching KID tv.”

    Oh, CJ, that has given me a giggle fit. Damn u!

  15. My kid is still sick so I can’t leave the house and I desperately want coffee from somewhere other than my pot.

    Anyone want to bring me coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts or McDonalds? Heck, I’d even take Starbucks….

    Delivery? Please? I’ll pay you … with real cash money and hugs!

  16. Hugs for Cj from across the pond.

    Now for something totally trivial:

    After playing computer games since 1980 and never dabbling in light guns games…I ordered a gun attachment for the Wii and HOD:Overkill.

    The big kid still lives.

    Cough

  17. CP: Scratch the Surface – The Week that Was
    ditto – I think you’d dig this tune. I don’t have time to chase down the link, but I know I found it at spin.com

    Did I know that you’d once lived in Jersey?

  18. Jack: Thanks. I’ll give that song a listen after work. As for NJ, I really don’t remember if I’ve mentioned it before. I lived in Marlton for a couple of years.

  19. I always get the bands Mastodon and Behemoth mixed up because of the names. LOL One of them has a track on the video game “Need for Speed: Most Wanted” and I’ve always liked it. But apparently not enough to remember who they were. LOL

    I’ve added a couple of new tracks from the band “Gojira” to my MP3 running playlist. I’m also thinking of getting a couple of tracks from “Testament” and “Cynic.”

  20. Hello, Pan!

    I’m in my new apartment now. I plugged in the cable modem and wireless router, and they started working perfectly. I still haven’t told the ISP, though. I’ll have to do that when they open again on Monday.

  21. I haven’t seen the DVD. But, since I bought my watchmen ticket online, I got a free bonus download that included the opening chapters of the Watchmen motion comic and an intro to the Black Freighter animation.

    The motion comic (think the GN with the text narrated and the Ken Burns effect applied with some animation) was actually pretty cool. The Black Freighter story doesn’t look to be terribly impressive animation.

  22. I need to do retakes and further editing soon. I’m really glad there will be more Watchmania on the Deadpan, but we will get back to regular episodes in the fairly near future, and I would like to have more than one new Questors episode ready to go. (#4 is already in the can.)

  23. EssBee, I don’t know if you’ve been warned or not, but there’s a bit in the opening credits sequence that’s probably going to upset you. It’s mentioned “off camera” in the graphic novel. Personally, I thought it was rather excessive and unnecessary. But, like much of the movie, it was a bone to through for the fanboys.

  24. Thanks, Ed. I’ll bring my hands so I can cover my eyes. I have read a few reviews by lesbo-feminists who HATED the film (because, I am guessing, of the scene you’re warning me about), and the trailer for Lesbian Vampire Killers before the film. I’ll hold my thoughts about that until I see both things with my own eyes, but I am not too worried at this point.

  25. Rhettro: LOL! I actually did have pleasant dreams for the first time in three nights last night.

    Yes, it’s true: The Watchmen story universe has pretty much zero tolerance for lesbians or gays. It’s a shame that so many people will be put off from the story by that.

    Off to start moving food and kitchen items into new apartment.

  26. I don’t think the book or film endorses or condones the anti-gay attitudes, but they’re certainly there.
    Both the book and the film are chock full of horrific ideas and images.

    Three nights of unpleasant dreams doesn’t sound good, Amy!

    OK – I need to get out and enjoy this day.

  27. Jack: That was what I meant. The attitudes are there in the world of the story, but the author certainly doesn’t endorse them.

    It was actually only two nights of unpleasant dreams, and then pleasant ones on the third night. The first night’s dream featured the wall directly opposite my bed being completely covered with bedbugs. The second night’s dream took place in a ski resort that also featured elaborate death traps รƒยก la the “Saw” films. It didn’t make sense, but I thought it would be a great setting for a horror story.

  28. Okay if have a Wii and you just want a fun game, then you won go wrong with HOD: Overkill…cheesey fun.

    Not for the kiddies though..too much swearing.

  29. Also an update: Daughter is still sick. Today is so flippin’ gorgeous outside. We should be running in the yard, riding bikes at the park, or hiking around the zoo – but instead, I’m stuck again looking at the inner walls of my house.

    I’m going stir crazy and I’m out of groceries and I’m in desperate need of human adult contact.

    But, on a positive note – I did sleep for 7 hours straight last night and after not having slept more than 3 hours a night for the last 4 days – today just HAS to be better!

    Coffee and Newspaper are calling me now.

  30. That cake is excellent. I love the dice. It says the dice aren’t edible though – My 20 sided is so much smaller. I have dice envy right now.

  31. Funny Rorschach song. We gets no Computer King love round here anymore ๐Ÿ™

    And holy crap – it would be such a shame to cut up and eat that cake. A delicious frosted shame.

  32. So there’s this little button at the bottom of the board that says “Insert Audio Comment”. Has anybody tired this? Every time I see it, i want to give it a try but am too chicken incase I mess something up.

  33. Haven’t tried it, but it looks interesting. I might try it sometime.

    Life looks much sunnier this morning thanks to rides from friends, an iced mocha from Starbucks, and the prospect of a fun weekend trip on the horizon. ๐Ÿ™‚

  34. Hey, Jack! The ComputerKing love is still here, just mostly in spirit. I still love the community, and still listening. Just consider me lurking in the shadows, like a good Supervillain should:).

  35. Re: Mystery Button

    Being the “born button pusher” that I am, I have tried said audio button.
    I found it to be very unsatisfying.
    Others should try it ans see if your computer yields different (or any) results.

  36. Clicking on the insert audio comment generates the following error:

    The requested URL /recorder/record_app_JS.asp was not found on this server.

    So now you know.

  37. Hey Van that is the whole point of the interview glad you enjoyed it!
    His audio drama stuff is really good and recommend “Twin Stars!”

    J0e – thats what I named my Chihuahua.

  38. WNDRWolf, I’m checking that out… my Poe isn’t Edgar Allan, mine is more of the “Angry Johny”, “Trigger Happy Jack”, and “Dolphin” variety.

    “Can’t talk to a psycho like a normal human being.”

    It’s angry music for angry people.

    No decent You Tube videos, but the song I wanted to hear is there. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZXjp-vHZMM

  39. And speaking of angry music…

    gouge away
    you can gouge away
    stay all day
    if you want to

    missy aggravation
    some sacred questions
    you stroke my locks
    some marijuana
    if you got some

    gouge away
    you can gouge away
    stay all day
    if you want to

    sleeping on your belly
    you break my arms
    you spoon my eyes
    been rubbing a bad charm
    with holy fingers

    gouge away
    you can gouge away
    stay all day
    if you want to

    chained to the pillars
    a 3-day party
    i break the walls
    and kill us all
    with holy fingers

    gouge away
    you can gouge away
    stay all day
    if you want to

    Gouge Away — Pixies

  40. Oh gawd..the latest coverville consists of a number covers of ‘seasons in the sun’…most fucking depressing song EVAR.

    I need to watch the Seventh Seal to cheer up a bit.

    Funnily enough the French original sounds quite cheerey.

  41. Re: Coverville

    Music to listen to with your head in the oven.

    If he does a “Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald” retrospective, the mortality rate among his listeners will sky rocket.

  42. April 1 is the anniversary of Joe’s death.
    Thanks for the initial support, you guys ๐Ÿ™‚ If you have access to root beer and ice cream that day, a root beer float would be an excellent way to remember and celebrate a great guy and great friend.

  43. And we resolve again to stop complaining so much, as I recall.

    I’m afraid to even ask how many years it’s been and even more so to guess. Time does strange things in the podosphere.

  44. My hubby did say that Froot Loops taste different in the US than in Canada. I knew some chocolate bars tasted different, but who knew cereals did too.

  45. Shuffle Meme:

    Mother Ever It’s Me

    Hey, that almost makes sense!

    (And coincidentally, “Mother” is the Luther Wright and the Wrongs cover of the Pink Floyd off “Rebuild the Wall”)

  46. Yeah! I can now make my announcement.

    I have been nominated for an Prix Aurora award (CDN equivalent of the Hugos) for the WF08 podcast.

    While it probably says more about the state of CDN SF & Fantasy than anything I’ve done, but still.

    They haven’t put the voting form on the Aurora site yet, but the announcement is on the World Con Site http://www.anticipationsf.ca/English/Canvention.

    World Con did mess up though and put the French version on the English side and visa versa.

  47. Now it means hubby and I will be going to Montreal World Con in Aug to attend the ceremony (we were hemming and hawing about going anyway, this just sealed it for us)

  48. … erm, can someone tel me how the “shuffle” thing works. I know how to make iTunes randomly play songs from my playlists, but how do I get it to re-stack my lists in some random order.

  49. I-tunes should have a “party shuffle” area. This is basically a randomizer of what ever is in your playlists. I just used that and looked at the first four songs on the list.

  50. J0e,

    On my iTunes screen there in the lower left corner is a rectangle with 4 little symbols. The 2nd one is two arrows crossing over each other. I click that and it shuffles my list.

  51. Yeah, I have that symbol on the upper corner of my i-touch. I actually hate it when I accidentally press it. It messes up the podcasts I’m listening to.

  52. Jack: I’m with you. Joe Murphy Day on April 1 seems to be becoming a tradition in our corner of the podiosphere, which is a good thing, in my book. (Last April 1, we had “I Remember Joe” and the reissue of “Mason Rocket” over at The Song of the Day.) I’ll be on a trip, but if I can, I’ll try to get my hands on the supplies to make root beer floats that day.

    TEB: Congratulations! ๐Ÿ™‚

  53. Re: shuffle thingy

    The crossed arrows randomize play for me but don’t alter the actual order that the list appears in. I shall look into the “party shuffle” thing.

  54. Hmm, no Itunes at work, so the Ipod will have to do. As it happens, I caught up on subscribed podcasts and I’m listening to my random song’s I’ve not listened to in over a year playlist. It’s already randomized so:

    Do
    Time
    Wanted
    Think!

    Well, of course!

  55. I’m glad that people are into the Joe Murphy Day idea. The JMMF podcast and fund have run their course (it seems), but I didn’t want the day to come and go without some kind of tribute. I’ll certainly make a special post here on 4/1, but I think any gesture, private or public, is a great way to pay tribute to Joe. If that means you drink a root beer in his honor on April 1 – if that means you spend 5 minutes remembering something funny he said on WI! or KAMN – – – – – awesome.

  56. I like the cup cakes CJ.

    I am going with the chips and salsa … just no time to do anything fancy.
    2 or three of my home brews and no one will remember anything else anyway!

  57. Outside, at night, sitting on porch, feeling wind on face while using Internet. Reminds me of old times in Japan. Feels good.

    (Have suddenly slipped into Rorschach-speak again. Repressed need to continue writing Rorschach Challenge journal entries surfacing?)

  58. Finally, finally made it to part 2. Listening to it now and #1> Yall are awesome. #2> “White pages.” #3> Greg Weisman’s thumbprint. #4> Shaun Farrell is deadpan. Vmmmmm. #5> At the sign off, Amy sounds discombobulated by going first.

    I guess now I can go see if I feel the same way about the movie version of Watchmen that I did about the movie version of Sin City.

  59. Wednesday is always a busy podcast day, I have 14 items downloading into i-tunes right now. I’m already 8 hours behind in my podcasts. I guess I’ll have lots to listen to when I go on holidays (and lots to pile up for when I get back).

  60. TEB – I know that feeling. I was down for a week and have a back log of 60+ hours. Currently catching up….slightly out of order because the computer did not get turned on for a couple of days.

  61. So I’m doing a shout out…

    I’ll be at WorldCon in Montreal in Aug. If any of you will be there, we should hook up for a drink.

  62. Van, I’m at the latest WNDR, it’s just twelfth on my list of the 36 podcasts I have in my i-tunes to listen to at the moment.

  63. A marlodianne sighting! I hope you’re at least semi-well, marlo.

    TEB, So sorry for passing up a chance to congratulate you on your nom. Don’t self-deprecate! You earned it! Congratulations and good luck in Montreal.

  64. Marty Brodeur is the greatest goaltender of all time, in net for three Devils Stanley Cup championship teams, currently closing in on breaking a record for career shutouts, to go with his recently achieved record for the most career victories.

    I named my old German Shepherd Brody after him.

  65. Nope, Jack, I’m still firmly in the not-well-at-all cat. Hence, the silence.

    But I’ve had my blood test, and surgery hell is only a couple of weeks away. And then I’ll be in the final shot of ungodly pain and then way better…or not.

    I’m trying not to think about it, not that it works. More terror won’t help my odds ๐Ÿ˜›

  66. marlodianne, I’m fairly new (still?) to the community and I don’t know what you are going through, not that I want you to think about it – but I’m curious what it is. ??

    I hope things will be getting better for you soon!

  67. Cj: Short version, to sum up–I have a growth in my abdomen that is shoving aside organs as it grows. The surgery is going to try to try to take it out, and, if won’t go quietly, they’ll take out other organs as well. Because saving some of me is still considered a good thing.

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