Why Are Marvel’s Blu-Ray Releases So Mediocre?

Why Are Marvel’s Blu-Ray Releases So Mediocre?

Posted inComics & Graphic Novels, Films, Geek Stuff, Random Musings, Rants
These days, Marvel Studios make THE tentpole action flicks. With a combination of fun characters, good direction, solid stories, huge spectacle, and a formula that just works, they’ve created an ongoing, interwoven geek movie franchise that has every other studio scrambling to catch up. Make no mistake, I’m an unabashed fan. I don't pretend they are classic cinema -- they're just comic book movies -- but they do something important: they consistently make me feel like I'm 12 again, only without all the self-loathing and zits. From the tense drama of The Winter Soldier to the charming adventure of Ant-Man to the…
Interactive Content Services, a jackass company for jackasses staffed by jackasses

Interactive Content Services, a jackass company for jackasses staffed by jackasses

Posted inRants, Writing
Recently saw a help wanted ad seeking an online reporter, a part-time telecommute position involving doing stuff I've done for, oh, the last 15 years or so. Perfect. More work is always (okay, usually) good. I could slot that work into my freelance schedule, add a little income, and stay sane in the process. I applied, providing many writing samples when I did, as requested. This is the response I got, in full, from jobs@contentservices.co: Dear Eric, Thank you for your interest in the company and for sending me your samples. You have been identified as a possible reporter candidate for our…
5 Questions that should always be met with frothing incredulity

5 Questions that should always be met with frothing incredulity

Posted inRandom Musings, Rants
Look, if anyone asks you one of these questions, you ought to reconsider your relationship with them. Do you want butter on that corn muffin? Yes, of course I want butter on my goddamn corn muffin, do I look like a savage to you? This is so dumb I don't even know where to start. Do you want cheese on your burger? The only people who should ever ask a question as stupid as this had better be people with fatal cheese allergies who just assume everyone else will die when they eat cheese, too, because CHEESE BELONGS ON EVERYTHING. Period. End of story. Another?…
Why you should never write for the Huffington Post

Why you should never write for the Huffington Post

Posted inRants, Writing
Imagine for a moment that you want to hire chefs to prepare food at your chain of restaurants, but you don't want to pay those chefs. You want them to volunteer.  And when asked why you believe that's a valid way to do business, this is what you tell people: "If I was paying someone to cook something because I want to draw in customers, that’s not a real authentic way of cooking. When somebody cooks something for us, we know it’s real, we know they want to cook it. It’s not been forced or paid for. I think that’s…
Tech company founder’s rant on the homeless shows that he’s a giant asshole

Tech company founder’s rant on the homeless shows that he’s a giant asshole

Posted inRants, Uncategorized
Justin Keller, the founder of Commando.io, some tech company that I can't be bothered to look into because screw this guy, recently ranted about the homeless in his neighborhood. But his rant wasn't a plea to help them or a rant decrying the conditions that have made them homeless in the first place. No, it was a rant explaining why he doesn't want to see those disgusting people. A quote: "I know people are frustrated about gentrification happening in the city, but the reality is, we live in a free market society. The wealthy working people have earned their right…