Mar 042023
 

After months of ignoring warnings from my WordPress dashboard that I needed to upgrade something called “PHP” or my blog might suffer some unspecified yet disastrous fate, I spent the last couple of hours figuring out how to do that. I soon realized that I would also have to find an updated version of my WordPress theme and install that as well. The fact that I didn’t completely vaporize my blog as I bumbled through this process has left me feeling a bit self-satisfied. I might be an old man, but I can still manage to do simple website maintenance. I’d like a cookie, please.

I also wanted to call attention to this piece in the Washington Post about North Carolina legislators finally agreeing to expand Medicaid after years of resistance from state Republicans. The article points out that political opposition to Medicaid expansion is becoming increasingly untenable for lawmakers, especially in purple states like North Carolina. And even that statement is giving Republicans too much slack. Opposition to expansion has never been tenable, at least not from a moral standpoint.

State leaders who continue to refuse expansion are denying health coverage to their neediest citizens because of an ideology that is openly hostile to any kind of assistance to the poor and marginalized. They may try to camouflage that ideology with platitudes about freedom and personal responsibility, but voters are no longer buying that bullshit. Ever since Republicans tried to repeal the Affordable Care Act in 2017, Medicaid has grown more popular as people understand its role in helping the single parent with two kids who lives down the street or the colleague at work who depends on personal care assistants to live independently. House Republicans are still flirting with deep cuts to Medicaid, but such legislation seems unlikely to pass even if a Republican president wins office next year.

Millions of people still have no health coverage because they live in red states where policymakers are more interested in making political statements than serving their people. Perhaps advocates can use North Carolina as a case study in how to persuade recalcitrant legislators to say yes to expansion.

May 172018
 

For decades, people with disabilities who wanted to play video games (especially on consoles) had to improvise their own accessibility solutions. Perhaps a relative could help you modify a controller or maybe you could find a custom-built device on the Internet that would meet your needs. But these solutions tended to be expensive, finicky, and completely lacking in technical support. Console manufacturers simply didn’t recognize that they had customers with disabilities who wanted to play their games. That may be changing, though. This fall, Microsoft will release the Xbox Adaptive Controller, the first Xbox accessory that is specifically targeted at gamers with mobility impairments. The base unit (which will sell for $100) includes oversized buttons as well as 19 (!) ports for adaptive switches of various types. Here’s a video providing a closer look at the XAC:

While I don’t play on consoles (I’m a PC gamer from way back), it’s so exciting to see a major corporation recognize that people with disabilities can enjoy gaming if they are provided with flexible hardware and software. I hope that other companies take note and make a concerted effort to be more inclusive of gamers with all types of disabilities. Over the years, I’ve noticed that an increasing number of games include options to improve accessibility in the software, but accessible hardware has always been difficult to find. The XAC could represent a genuine shift in how corporations perceive both their relationship with and responsibility to customers with disabilities. A decade ago, a mass-marketed and relatively affordable accessibility device would be unthinkable. A decade from now, I hope devices like the XAC are commonplace.

Apr 282018
 

I’ve enjoyed nearly all of the Marvel movies since Iron Man arrived in 2008. This is the first one that really captures the epic scope and high stakes of a comic book event. The story spans the galaxy, which gives most of the characters an opportunity to shine without making the film seem crowded (which was a problem with the previous Avengers films). I do wish we had seen a little more of characters like Black Widow and Shuri–here’s hoping they get more attention in the concluding chapter.

Thanos and his lackeys are appropriately menacing, but the movie also gives Thanos a surprising degree of pathos. His actions are horrific, yet not without context. He’s probably one of the more interesting villains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The visuals, particularly those set in space, are gorgeous and contribute to the epic tone. But even as the universe is burning around them, the cast cracks wise and poke fun at each other. The Marvel movies have perfected the art of the light touch in comic book movies; something that other studios still can’t seem to emulate.

The quiet yet apocalyptic ending is sure to spark petabytes of debate on Reddit. I thought it worked well; it sets the stage for some big changes to the franchise while keeping the exact nature of those changes unclear.

In conclusion: a vastly entertaining movie that will stand up to repeated viewings. Infinity War is a brilliant capstone to the past ten years of Disney’s world-building and I look forward to seeing what comes next.

Jul 242016
 

Comic-Con is wrapping up in San Diego and, once again, I was not in attendance. Here are a few related news items that have my geek senses tingling:

  • CBS unveiled a teaser for its forthcoming Star Trek series, which is now titled Star Trek: Discovery (which is also the name of starship featured in the teaser). I dig the sleek look of the Discovery and the title seems to imply that the show will be exploring new territory in the Trek universe. Showrunner Bryan Fuller has confirmed that the show will be set in the original Trek universe rather than the rebooted universe of the recent movies, which appeals to the purist in me. I’m still unhappy about having to pay another fee to watch the series on CBS’ crappy subscription service, but I gotta have my fix.
  • Incidentally, I saw Star Trek Beyond over the weekend and really enjoyed it. After the grim rehash that was Into Darkness, Beyond provides plenty of screen time to all of the main characters while spinning an interesting and sometimes surprising story. I’m already looking forward to the next installment.
  • The next season of Mystery Science Theater 3000 will air on Netflix. Hopefully, this means that we’ll get additional seasons of Jonah and the bots riffing on bad movies.
  • A Wonder Woman movie set during World War I? Yes, please.
May 072016
 

I’m saddened to hear that my local comics shop, Big Brain Comics, is closing next month. And I feel a little guilty about not patronizing it more in recent years. Ever since comics became widely available in digital format, my trips to Big Brain have become far less frequent. But back in the day, it wasn’t uncommon for me to drop close to $100 in a single visit. In fact, Big Brain played a huge role in helping me rediscover comics. I read a lot of comics during my frequent hospitalizations as a kid, but they were difficult to find in hometown of Green Bay. I stumbled across Big Brain soon after I bought my place in downtown Minneapolis and it soon became one of my favorite walking destinations. The owner, Michael Drivas, was always happy to help me find things or make recommendations. My spare bedroom is filled with stacks of comics purchased from Big Brain.

Today is Free Comic Book Day, so I think I’ll pay a visit to Big Brain and perhaps purchase a handsome collected volume as a final “thank you” to a place that encouraged me to let my geek flag fly.

Apr 172015
 

A few pop culture thoughts to end the week:

  • The new teaser for the upcoming Star Wars movie stands up well to repeated viewings. That shot of a Star Destroyer wreck in the desert (apparently not Tatooine, though) looks magnificent. But the teaser also raises many questions. What exactly is this new iteration of the Empire glimpsed in various scenes? Did the Rebels totally screw up their chance at governance? Are Han and Leia still a thing? These are the questions that will keep me awake between now and December.
  • I’ve only seen a couple episodes of the Daredevil series on Netflix, but what I have seen is excellent. The tone is dark but not oppressive, the dialogue is snappy, and the fight scenes are stunning. You should watch it.
Mar 242015
 

The 90s are coming back in a big way. A Clinton will soon be running for President. My favorite gaming genre is enjoying a resurgence in popularity. And most importantly, The X-Files is returning! Fox announced today that the paranormal drama will be revived as a limited 6-episode series that will feature both David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson reprising their roles as Mulder and Scully. No word yet on whether The Lone Gunmen will make an appearance.

As I’ve mentioned previously, I was a big fan of the show back in the day, so this news is terribly exciting for me. Six episodes seems like an ideal vehicle for a revival. It should allow for enough time to tell a few good stories without getting bogged down in ponderous mythology. If the writing is good and attracts an audience, perhaps we’ll get another season. And if not, even mediocre X-Files is better than nothing.

All I need now from this wave of 90s nostalgia is another Massive Attack album.

Mar 122015
 

Rogue One, the first Star Wars spinoff movie announced today, has me intrigued. The title hints that it may focus on X-wing pilots, which presents all kinds of interesting storytelling possibilities. And it could have a woman as the lead character, which may demonstrate that Disney is trying to expand the franchise’s appeal to a wider audience. While we have yet to see whether any of these movies will actually be good, I’m impressed thus far with Disney’s handling of the property. They seem to be making real efforts to create a movie universe that could be just as interesting as the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which has worked out quite well for them.

Feb 202015
 

I’m excited to see what director Neil Blomkamp does with the Alien franchise. District 9 is one of my favorite science fiction films of the last few years and an Alien movie could be a great showcase for his gritty, shakycam-fuelled sensibility. And if his movie chooses to ignore the mess that came after Aliens, even better. Based on some of the concept art that Blomkamp previously shared on his Instagram feed, we could get to see the return of Ripley and a grizzled Corporal Hicks. I’m also taking bets on what role Sharlto Copley will play and whether his character will survive until the end of the movie.

Feb 062015
 

My new voicemail greeting is cooler than yours.

I gave money to LeVar Burton’s Reading Rainbow Kickstarter last summer and received a personalized voicemail greeting as a reward. This is likely going to confuse telemarketers and my parents, but I don’t care because OMG LEVAR BURTON FROM STAR TREK IS SAYING MY NAME!!!!!

Now, how much cash do I have to shell out for Gillian Anderson to have dinner with me?