Archive for the ‘Blog’ Category:
Creator Of Email Died
Missed this bit of news amidst all the election hoo-ha — the creator of email died. His name was Ray Tomlinson.
Read more at CNN.
Astronauts Return To Earth – Do You Think Space Travel Is Cool?
Astronauts return to Earth! That’s right, folks, NASA astronaut Scott Kelly has touched down on terra firma, along with his fellow space travelers, after spending almost a full year on the International Space Station.
The above paragraph should be read in an old-timey newsreel type of voice. That’s how I heard it when I was writing it.
Mostly, as I’ve been saying — SPACE TRAVEL! It’s awesome.
English: S99-05705 – Astronaut Scott J. Kelly, commander (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Major Tom (OK, commander Scott Kelly) is back but NASA is apparently still working on getting to Mars. (See related links below.)
Mars. So cool.
Is anyone else excited about this? I mean obviously some people are. But are any of you folks? DaddyTips readers? Friends of DaddyTips readers? People who stumbled across this site from a search engine? Do you think space travel is cool?
When you hear “astronauts return to Earth” do you feel a little flutter in your gut? Or is it just another tidbit of news that flits by your eyes like so many digital space junk?
(Heh heh. Space junk. Sorry.)
For me, I’m happy to hear about space exploration and that it’s getting news coverage. That means that at least I’m not the only one still dreaming of hopping a flight to Mars.
NASA astronaut Scott Kelly is back on Earth.
Source: Scott Kelly back on Earth after nearly a year in space – CNN.com
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I Got Yer Planet Right Here
You want a ninth planet? Planet 9? Well, apparently French scientists aren’t that far away from finding it. Maybe. Regardless, it’s cool, it’s space news, and…
Look, I just think it’s cool that people are potentially… maybe… on the verge of finding another planet. Think about it. ANOTHER PLANET.
The truth is out there. I hope.
US astronomers announced last month they may have found a ninth planet beyond Neptune, but conceded they had no idea where on an estimated 10,000-20,000-year orbit it might be.
Source: Search Narrows For Planet Nine – Universe Today
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Disney Frozen Sparkle Princess Elsa Doll Deal
Check out this Disney Frozen Sparkle Princess Elsa Doll deal at Amazon.
Limited time. Amazon Lightning deal. List price is $12.99. Deal price is $9.69. 25% off. Like the song says: If you want it, here it is, come and get it.
If not… just let it go. (Sorry. Couldn’t resist.)
Amazon.com: Disney Frozen Sparkle Princess Elsa Doll: Toys & Games
Source: Amazon.com: Disney Frozen Sparkle Princess Elsa Doll: Toys & Games
Deadpool Good. Don’t Take The Kids.
You may have heard that there is a movie based on the comic book character known as Deadpool. I have seen it. It is good. It is not for children. Don’t take the kids. Leave the kids at home. Can we be more clear?
That’s not to say the Deadpool movie isn’t childish. It’s totally childish, in the best way. (See this Nerdist review for more.) I’ve often said that video games should have an “IM” rating for “Immature” instead of “M” for “Mature”, because often “Mature” means dirty jokes and boobies. The Deadpool movie has both of those, but it also does a nice job of showing the darker side of the title character, showing that it would kind of suck to be Wade Wilson.
More importantly for ‘Pool fans (of which I am one), the movie hits a lot of things from the comic books from which DP spawned (including the whole “it would suck to be Wade Wilson” part). That’s something that a lot of the reviews I’ve been reading seem to forget, or perhaps the critics simply don’t know the source material. (“Use the Source, Luke.”) Deadpool doesn’t break the fourth wall because the filmmakers thought it would be “cute” or “subversive”, he does it because that’s how the character is written. He knows he’s in a comic book, therefore he knows he’s in a movie. It’s a fairly simple concept that has huge potential, some of which was realized in this movie.
Also worth mentioning is that the Deadpool movie is not excessively long. It’s under two hours, which these days feels like a gift. We all know I loved The Avengers movie, and that was a long flick. But there’s something to be said for leaving people wanting more instead of dragging on for too long.
Something else: can we get some love for Leslie Uggams? She makes a great Blind Al, and the filmmakers manage to work her into the movie seamlessly, which was a pleasant surprise. I’m a little annoyed that she isn’t getting more attention. Here’s a classic video of her from a long time ago when she messed up the lyrics to a song but kept going anyway. I like Leslie. Always have.
The entire cast is solid, but Ryan Reynolds and T.J. Miller are getting enough press. Let’s hear it for Leslie Uggams!
Bottom line: the Deadpool movie is fun, violent, and not for young kids. You could do worse for a Valentine’s Day date film, depending upon who your date is.
If you want to pick up a good Deadpool comic, this one, the start of a fantastic run by Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn, with art by Tony Moore (at least for awhile), is a good place to start: Deadpool Vol.1: Dead Presidents, currently available for only $3.99 on Comixology/Kindle, which is a freakin’ bargain. You can read the entire run via Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited, which I’ve gone on and on about and is still a great deal.
I leave you with this image. It has nothing to do with Deadpool, it is a public domain image of a comic book featuring characters that are unlikely to ever get any screen time at all. Although Magno & Davey does have a certain ring to it…
FourFavorites0801 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
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Cam Newton Named His Kid Chosen
With the Super Bowl coming up tomorrow, a little story about how Cam Newton named his kid Chosen. You know, to avoid the pressure of being named Cam Jr.
PLUMBBOB/NEWTON – September 16, 1957 – NEVADA TEST SITE — The fireball of the 20th full-scale nuclear detonation of Operation Plumbbob lights Yucca Flat. Code-named NEWTON, the device was suspended by a balloon at an altitude of 1,500 feet. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The above photo came up because it happens to contain the word “Newton”, but it also is what happened to my head when I read this story. Don’t get me wrong. Cam can name his kid whatever he likes. However… “Chosen”? I assume he’s joking, at least a little bit, when he says it’s about avoiding pressure.
Father and son quarterbacks are certainly a thing — the Mannings being the easiest example. Peyton Manning will be playing in Super Bowl 50 against Cam Newton. Peyton and his wife Ashley have a son (part of a set of twins), so I guess it’s possible that kid could become a quarterback and Cam’s son could become a quarterback, and then they could play against each other in Super Bowl 75 or something. If so, you heard it speculated about here first.
In the interest of equal time, here’s a story about Peyton Manning doing something nice for a player on the practice squad who helped him with his rehab.
Go good game! Yay both teams!
Cam Newton Rocks Father-and-Son Dab Emoji Shirt Before Game vs. Seahawks
Cam Newton recently became a father, and revealed that his son’s name is Chosen. Why that name? In part, because Newton didn’t want his kid to have to live with the pressure of being named Cam Newton Jr.
Source: Cam Newton Didn’t Want To Put A Lot Of Pressure On His Kid, So He Named Him Chosen (Deadspin)
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Article by Brett Singer in Clark Magazine
Why hello there! I, the one and only Brett Singer, wrote a story for Clark Magazine, published by Clark University (‘natch).
The topic? Youth sports, specifically baseball, because that’s what I played as a kid and later coached my own child’s team. There were some big differences between then and now, which is what I talk about. The article is posted below.
You can also read the full issue online here. (Look for Clark Magazine, Fall 2015.)
The article I wrote was a full-page sidebar to a story written by Jeremy Shulkin about the reality show “Friday Night Tykes“, produced by Matt Maranz. And special thanks to James Keogh of Clark Magazine for the opportunity. (I like to give everyone credit.)
You can read more of my writing at brettsinger.org, see a nifty portfolio at Contently, or follow me on Twitter, which you should be doing anyway because I’m hilarious and extremely insightful. Also humble.
Bonus: here’s a wicked old photo of Clark University, back when it was called Clark College. Gotta love Wikipedia.
English: Clark College (now Clark University), Worcester, Massachusetts, USA. This photograph published circa 1910. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
