Bat Sorbet

Refreshing!

After the brief screening, which ended in roars and applause from the fans in attendance, Register commented upon the need to break away from recent animated versions of Batman. "We had seen Batman done really well -- I think B:TAS, best animated series ever," said Register. And he said, "I had a really scary lunch with Bruce Timm, and he said, 'Why don't you do a friendlier version of it?'" Register felt that Timm's comments gave him permission to bring a lighter, more upbeat tone to the series. It's in keeping with classic Batman stories from the comics, as Register explained. He said, "it's only in the last ten years that he's been, like, Dracula."

The creators of The Brave and The Bold cite Dick Sprang as inspiration.

via Comic Book Resources

Quote of The Summer

“Any artist should be grateful for a naïve grace which puts him beyond the need to reason elaborately.”

Saul Bellow

Perfect.

Links to this, but I'm kind of more into this.

Michael Lerner is More than A Useful Idiot?

Rabbi Lerner's attendance at the Saudi "World Conference on Dialogue" is something I would normally just make a snarky, cynical comment about in passing. But his account in the Huff Post is worth reading and thinking about. Check it here.

I am not crazy about alot of the positions he has taken over the years. I think he has often demonstrated a Jesse Jackson level of self promotion. (Writing fan letters to yourself in Tikkun? WTF?) But since the mainstream debate is on the issue of "when do we bomb Iran", it is worth thinking, THINKING about what's going ON.

Obama Campaign VS. Cartoonist? Ugh

Of/c I am still gonna vote for Obama, but the lame response to the New Yorker's dry and somewhat amusing cover nails it. Politicians are duchebags.

"The New Yorker may think, as one of their staff explained to us, that their cover is a satirical lampoon of the caricature Senator Obama's right-wing critics have tried to create. But most readers will see it as tasteless and offensive. And we agree," Obama spokesman Bill Burton said in the statement.

What's offensive is the further dumbing down of discourse that this spokesman represents. How about "Right. It's a joke, man. And we get it." Now onto the business of saving our crumbling republic. People who care more about politics than cartoons will say that operating on this shithead level is politically necessary.

Of course, because they are shitheads and they not so secretly enjoy putting on their fucking flag pins anyway. I value cartoons and making jokes.

I'm hoping Obama shows up to laugh at this stupidity when asked directly about it, rather than letting his oh so offended spokesman have the last word.

In any case, I will vote for the least objectionable candidate. Let the nose holding begin!

John Lennon animated interview from 1969

It's not like The New Yorker or Slate don't have good distribution, but this is just too sweet and inspirational not to cross post. The interview was originally made by the 14 year old Jerry Levitan.

Junot Diaz Video Interview

NO to FISA

Timothy Ferriss has posted a great entry on this one & given some concrete actions to take as well. Check here.

From his entry:

Ordinary citizens who want to live in a democracy — including those with nothing to hide — should be concerned about the ability of the government to use private, sensitive personal information to blackmail, manipulate, and intimidate their representatives, journalists and their sources, potential whistleblowers, and activists or dissenters of any sort

.

Interview with Daniel Ellsberg:


What Every American Needs to Know (and Do) About FISA Before Tuesday, July 8th from Tim Ferriss on Vimeo.