April 24, 2002 Header
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via the EFF… TINSEL TOWN CLUB!

via the EFF TINSEL TOWN CLUB!
Tinsel Town Club!
Senator Ernest Hollings and a powerful group of Hollywood entertainment interests are pushing Congress to pass an anti-consumer bill called the Consumer Broadband and Digital Television Promotion Act (CBDTPA) that may make it impossible to:

» Play your CDs on your desktop computer
» Create legal copies or mp3s of the music that you own to play in your car, or listen to while you exercise
» Create mix-CDs of music you’ve paid for

This is not the way copyright law is supposed to work. Tell your member of Congress that you value your fair use rights and don’t want Hollywood to control technological innovation.

After you contact Congress, check out the Tinsel Town Club video!

Third Best Comic Book Store Ever

While I was visiting Washington D.C. last week, my sister and I wandered around Georgetown a bit. In so doing one of the places we went was a place my sister had never been — Big Planet Comics. Now, I’ve lived all over. And I’ve been to a lot of comic book stores. My compliment that it is the third best is not a small one.

Big Planet is very clearly laid out. They actually store comic collections and graphic novels by author in many cases, very handy if you’re looking for say, works by Frank Miller or Alan Moore. They also have an extensive independent comics section of comics and collections that’s logically laid out. Most surprisingly, they have a great deal of foreign comics – French, German, Spanish. They also had a nice selection of new comics.

But they had more than “fancy” comics. They also had an extensive section of superhero graphic novels. I picked up two things (I can’t resist supporting a good store!) — The collected Earth X and Conversations with Charles Schulz. Both were worth the purchase. Earth X is beautifully done – but a bit heavy-handed and self-important. But it’s a fun read. The Schulz book is a collection of interviews with the Peanuts creator. The conversations span decades, and it’s a good read so far.

Now, about and in my “list” of Best Comic Book Stores. The best comic book store I’ve ever been to is Golden Apple Comics in Los Angeles/Hollywood. They’re on Melrose Avenue, and have a tremendous selection of comics and magazines and toys and oddities. It’s also well laid out, and has lots of events with artists. A great store.

The second best store on my list would be Comic Kingdom, which was on University Avenue here in San Diego. I used to go to that one when I was younger (say, 17 to 25 years old?). The problem is, several years ago they went out of business. But they were great. Massive numbers of back issues, all the most current comics, books, collectibles. It was a great messy goulash of a store. Then one year, in my periodic trips to San Diego from Virginia while I was in RT school and working as an RT, I drove to the store and poof! No more store. That was a heartbreaker.

New News

Not much new to report. Jennifer called late last night and left a message on my machine. We have administrative things to address, papers to sign, keys to turn over. She also asked how my trip was and wished me well. I’m having a hard time understanding how it is she still has any interest in that. I’m very much hoping she’ll take me up on joint counseling. Her last email seemed open to that. But who knows? A colleague of mine mentioned that marriage is a dynamic environment. I like that makes marriage sound like one of those spinning plate acts – where the performer has say, 6-10 plates spinning at the tops of thin spokes. They seem to totter, but somehow it works out. But then I think of when my marriage was at its’ best – early on, when everything seemed to work quite fluidly, organically even. Things clicked. I guess we just never made the proper transition from dealing with “good times” to “bad times.”

Best not to dwell on the past. But I’m definitely trying to constructively learn from the past.

Onward.

Fellow Terrorist/Blogger/Webbie

I got a nice note from Kitty of BitchBlog – seems I’m not the only web designer/respiratory therapist/blogger out there! Though I believe Dori Smith made this connection years ago in the vfth discussion boards. Hi Kitty!

Unsent Email

Last week, Friday, I drafted an email to Jenny. I ended up not sending it. But I sent it to myself just in case I wanted to re-send it another time.

As I reread it I was so happy that it went to my dead letter office. Sometimes you want to talk, and it’s a really dumb idea. The watchword for relationship-strife communications: Caution.

In other news, it looks like Jennifer has updated her online journal.

Bowling for Columbine

Michael Moore’s Bowling for Columbine looks like it’s gonna be a heckuva a movie. I remember the impact Roger & Me had on me back in 1989. The empowerment of the little guy, and the crazy guts it takes to make a movie for nearly no money and lots of guts was compelling to my 19-year old self. Heck, my 32 year-old stuff too!

Back

I’m back in San Diego, but I’m still on east coast time. Upshot? If I were in EDT, I’d be up late. But it’s PDT, so I’m up early.

As for the map in the previous entry, my flight actually went through Chicago, but you didn’t think the map in the previous entry was spot-on anyway, did you?

Tomorrow’s Trip

I have more to say than will fit in this space. In lieu of words, here is a picture of my trip tomorrow from Washington, D.C. to San Diego.:

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