I've had an interest in ancient Rome for a while now, but that was further stoked when the wife and I watched the BBC adaptation of Robert Graves' book, I, Claudius a few years back. The wife had seen it before, but I hadn't, and I was enthralled. I think Derek Jacobi, as Claudius, certainly helped. I loved the intrigue, almost soap opera-like.
In that show, Livia, wife of the Roman emperor Augustus, is portrayed as conniving and ruthless, doing anything she can to make sure that her son Tiberius rises to the throne when Augustus dies.
But is that real history?
Matthew Dennison says no, and he's written Livia: Empress of Rome in order to counteract that portrayal, which is taken from a number of Roman historians who seemed to have it in for her.
Sadly, Dennison's book only sometimes makes the case, and isn't interesting enough to hold the reader while he attempts to do so. From my review on Curled Up With a Good Book:
Was Livia really as bad as some Roman historians (on which many more recent portrayals are based) make her out to be? Dennison considers some of her detractors as incredibly biased, such as Tacitus, who it seems makes every effort to badmouth her at every turn, at least when she shows up in the histories. There are points in the narrative where Dennison demonstrates that something the historians say about her can't possibly be accurate based on any kind of logic or precedent. These passages are effective in doing what Dennison wants to do.
Unfortunately, too many times the best Dennison can do is say that there is no other corroboration or that something doesn't quite make sense. He can't demonstrate definitively that the histories are wrong. When these passages came up, I could almost see the mental gymnastics Dennison went through to try and lessen the impact. He tries to get into her head a little bit, supposing what she might have really thought in this case, rather than what Tacitus or Dio say she was thinking.
I could only struggle through a few pages here and there at a time, rather than being enthralled with the book.
Which is sad, because I really wanted to like it.
Anyway, check out the review and let me know what you think.
We're undergoing a few changes here at One-Hit Wonder Inc, in preparation for the fact that our very reason for existence is going away soon.
When one-hit wonders are no more, what use is a company devoted to one-hit wonders? And even worse, what will the interns do for a job when we're done here?
Just look at the fun they're having during their 15 minute lunch. Though you know, they really should spend that time eating, since eating at your desk isn't allowed.
Silly ladies.
Anyway, we'll have this place shipshape in no time, since the end of days is coming fast!
In the meantime, we have a decade to finish! Welcome to the one-hit wonders of the 2000s. We're entering 2009, and I have a sense of foreboding, a rock-hard pit in my stomach, wondering what this final year will hold for us.
Or that could be the 20 cupcakes I had at 2:00 am this morning.
Here we go! 1) Ron Browz: "Pop Champagne" (#22) (January 3, 2009)
Y'know, Rap is bad enough, but Autotuned Rap? Here I was, having a nice, calm, peaceful Sunday morning, the type of Sunday morning that even the most religious person would envy.
And then this happens?
It's making me want to go nuts. I'm going to have get up out of my chair, go outside, and stand on the street corner ranting about this.
Just let me get my hat.
Ok, I'm ready. The streets of Vancouver will shudder in fear once I've started.
You think I should actually wear pants with this thing?
2) The Veronicas: "Untouched" (#17) (February 7, 2009)
THIS ONE AUTO-STARTS - YOU MIGHT WANT TO STOP IT UNTIL YOU'RE READY FOR IT
Yay! More electronic cra...I mean, goodness!!!!! Put that together with the most imaginative lyrics I've ever heard in a pop song, bar none (Sting's got nothing on these ladies for introspection), and you've got a real winner of a song! I'm surprised they didn't win a Grammy for this one.
Whoops! I guess I laid it on a bit too thick there.
3) A.R. Rahman: "Jai Ho (You Are My Destiny)" (#15) (March 5, 2009)
This song is from the wildly successful film, Slumdog Millionaire, and the song is composed by A.R. Rahman, one of the most successful film composers ever.
However, the version that charted in the States (that's the video I've embedded) was performed by the Pussycat Dolls (with cameos by Rahman), who are decidedly *not* one-hit wonders (though some would argue they should be).
I am really getting tired of electronic voice augmentation. Our entire music industry seems to be heading into an altered state that we might not be able to get out of. This could be our #1 artist in the year 2015.
4) Maino: "All of the Above" (#39) (March 21, 2009)
(This is the extended version)
Can I just let out a scream now, or do I have to wait?
Another Autotune masterpiece!! Looking at the comments on the song, it sounds like the guy's story is quite poignant. But I can't get past the combination of Rap and the electronic changes to his voice!
It is literally drilling a hole in my eardrum.
Yes, I do mean "literally." Here's what it's using.
And that's a wrap for part one of 2009! Be here next week, for the ultimate conclusion (yes, I'm a redundant fellow, why do you ask?) of the one-hit wonders!!!
And then, be ready for a re-invention so vast, so startling, that people are already starting to panic.
This will be so mind-bending that...well, that I haven't thought of it yet.
Do you remember the childhood lemonade stand? You and a friend or sibling would go out on the sidewalk with a nice, cold pitcher of lemonade and some cups, and sell glasses of lemonade for five or ten cents a glass?
It still happens today, as I remember one time visiting my brother's family, how my nieces were up at the corner selling Kool-Aid or some other beverage. It's still a childhood institution.
But rampant government regulation is killing that dream.
And it's a damned shame. There are too many instances of government officials coming in and forcing kids to shut down their lemonade stands because they don't have a vendor's license. Or because the kitchen where the lemonade stand was made hasn't had a health inspection.
The problems are endless.
The Freedom Center of Missouri has an awesome map of these incidents, dating back to 1990. But if you look at the timeline, you'll notice that they really start kicking into high gear in 2005. And these are just the incidents that have been reported to the operators of this web site! Stories still abound that aren't included there as well.
To give one example from that page:
"July 15, 2011 – Cops in Midway, Georgia shut down a lemonade stand some kids were running in their own front yard, saying the kids had to obtain a peddler’s license, a food license, and pay $50 per day for a temporary business permit."
Is this insane, or what?
Kids these days are learning a lesson, all right, but it's not a lesson they should be learning. They're learning that government is getting in the way of making an honest living (you could buy a used video game with that money, if you make enough lemonade!). They're being encouraged *not* to be innovative and entrepreneurial.
How much will the kids have to charge for a glass of lemonade to make up for the $50 (or $100, if you do it more than one day), not to mention the one-time fees for the licenses? Fifteen bucks?
Ed Driscoll has some more examples on his page, including an excerpt from Mark Steyn's book, After America.
In the excerpt, Steyn talks about how a Catholic church's fish fry on the first day of Lent was raided by a state official, and the old ladies involved were told that they couldn't sell the pies they had made for it. Since the pies were not made in a kitchen that had been inspected, it was illegal for them to sell the slices of pie. The only way they could was if they each paid $35 for him to come and inspect their kitchen, certifying that it was "safe."
I feel like the world is spinning out of control. I may have to go lie down soon.
Do they think that people walking down the street who just may want to pay 10 cents for an ice cold glass of lemonade are too stupid to weigh the risks of buying said lemonade? "Hmmm...I better not buy this, because I don't know where it was made! There might be grasshoppers in there or something!"
If somebody is that paranoid, they're free to pass on by without purchasing any of the lemony goodness.
Take these examples and expand them into the adult world, and you get the situation that we're in today.
I guess it's good the kids are learning these lessons early, eh?
(Of course, I wrote this on Thursday night, scheduled it to post Friday, and in the meantime National Review's Rich Lowry also writes an article on it, which is a must-read)
Tess Gerritsen is back with another outstanding Rizzoli & Isles crime novel. The Silent Girl is steps above last year's Ice Cold. Not that the previous book was bad, but it was just typical, more than anything else. Nothing stood out.
The Silent Girl, though, has tons of stuff in it, and it all comes together very nicely. Irish mob, Chinese martial arts and mysticism, the works! This book allows Gerritsen to explore a little bit of her heritage, which is nice as well.
A female's severed hand turns up in an alley in Boston's Chinatown one evening. Up on the roof is the body it belongs to, a red-haired woman dressed all in black, with two hairs on her body that aren't human. The brutal murder may stem from a horrific act of violence in Chinatown nineteen years ago, a murder-suicide that involved a massacre at a Chinese restaurant. Detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Dr. Maura Isles must figure out what's going on, how a mysterious martial arts master may be involved, and what chilling evil may be reaching forward from the past to envelop them.
This isn't a fantasy book, but Gerritsen's writing is exceptional enough that she makes you believe that it all just might be real.
And the actual reality is horrific in itself.
Gerritsen continues to excel at characterization, especially the main leads. But she also gives Rizzoli's partner, Nick Frost, a chance to shine as well.
I won't spoil any more of the review, except to say that this is an excellent novel. One of Gerritsen's best (though not the best, as that's still Vanish).
There's nothing like a little sex in the parking lot of a Dunkin' Donuts at 2:00 am to keep you going at night.
Not that I know this for a fact, of course. But I'm sure some guys in New Jersey must be thinking that.
According to the Gothamist, Melissa Redmond was arrested by police for turning tricks out of her job at the local Donut establishment.
And maybe a little hot coffee on the side? Or maybe it comes with sprinkles?
According to the Gothamist:
A six-week police investigation called "extra sugar" in New Jersey has allegedly turned up a prostitute working an interesting corner: the drive-through window at a Dunkin' Donuts on Route 46. Last week Police arrested 29-year-old Melissa Redmond for offering Dunkin' customers a secret menu that puts the one at In-N-Out to shame.
Allegedly, she was offering to supersize (sorry, i'll stop the fast food puns...soon) certain customers' orders when they came to the drive-through window.
An anonymous tipster told police about it, and I'm sure there was a mad rush to be on the investigative team. ("From fast food puns to stereotype jokes? Please don't stop." - The Peanut Gallery). Detective Sgt. Kyle Schwarzmann was the lucky winner and staked out the place.
Allegedly, Redmond would go out to customers' cars. Sometimes they'd drive away; other times, they'd stay in the parking lot. Encounters could last up to 15 minutes, and Schwarzmann apparently saw money change hands a few times, though obviously he couldn't see exactly what was going on without being too obvious. So they sent in somebody undercover, who she eventually propositioned, and she was promptly arrested.
This woman worked the overnight shift at the donut shop, and was evidently a very good worker (I'm sure not many of the customers complained!).
But what does it say about the place that an employee can disappear for up to 15 minutes, I assume multiple times a night (though the story doesn't say, so maybe it was only once a night?), and not have somebody say "hey, where's Melissa at?" And leaving the restaurant to go out to the car? Are late-night car deliveries regular enough not to be commented on? Somebody had to see her go out there eventually.
Of course, picking a donut shop is probably not the smartest thing anyway. Even if it's just for the coffee (how many places are open 24 hours that serve good coffee, for those cops on late night rounds?), you have to think that the police would be around eventually.
This story just seems really odd, and I don't know what to make of it. There's no grand statement about society here, other than maybe another entry in the "dumb criminals" listings.
I want to hear the story when it comes out that somebody woman is turning tricks out of the local police station.
This one is almost as bad, or at least as likely to have been caught.
(Thanks to a friend of mine for sending me this story)
Yesterday, somebody submitted all of my one-hit wonders posts to the social sharing site StumbleUpon. It's a site, like Digg, where you can share stuff that you find on the web with others.
When you create a StumbleUpon account, part of your profile that you create is a series of interests. Then you can submit sites that you think others would find interesting as well. You can find people on there who share interests and follow them, so you can see what they share.
But one thing that's unique (in my limited experience, anyway) is that you can "Stumble" your interests by clicking the "Stumble" button. This will take you to a random site that has been submitted to StumbleUpon by other users, a site that will match one of the interests that you stated in your profile.
I'm not sure how the algorithm works for determining what web site to take you to. I'm sure it's in the back there, silently plotting world domination.
What I didn't know is just how much of an impact that site can have.
My blog usually gets 30-50 hits a day, and many of those are family/friends or image searches.
Yesterday?
6615 My free StatCounter only logs the last 500 page views, so I have no idea whether there were visitors who were not brought by StumbleUpon yesterday. I do know that every time I looked at my StatCounter, every visitor had come over from StumbleUpon.
That's a lot of influence.
I was gratified to see that a number of them at least took a tour through the rest of the one-hit wonders posts, even if they didn't read anything else. And some people did read posts that weren't in that grouping too.
I was sad that it only got me a couple of comments, but you can't have everything.
One thing I did notice this morning is that my Feedburner subscriber count was the highest it's ever been. While it can fluctuate, it's been averaging around 100-110 over the last little while. Today, it was at 126.
It's a start!
So, to those of you who came over here via StumbleUpon, I welcome you! I hope you stick around and check out the rest of the posts. I am a bit eclectic, but I hope you find something that will interest you.
I really should have posted this yesterday. Oh well. Late to the party, as usual.
As always, I'd love to know what you think. Please leave a comment or send me an email.
And the Share button at the bottom of each post does include StumbleUpon, so please feel free to share anything you like.
Captain America is one of the oldest superheroes around, almost as old as Batman. He's long been a fighter for "truth, justice, and the American way" (though granted, that's Superman's byline, Cap has also fit that profile). I was really into comic books for a long time, and while admittedly he was never my favourite character, I've always had a certain respect for him.
With Marvel Comics creating their own movie studio and making a series of superhero films that will culminate in next year's Avengers movie, you knew that Cap would be one of the mainstays of it. That would be Captain America: The First Avenger. The question was, would director Joe Johnston, following the typical Hollywood lead, water down Cap's patriotism to make him more a "man of the world" with deliberate moral ambiguity and a denial of who Cap really is? And even if he didn't, would the movie just suck?
Thankfully, I can say that the answer to both question is a resounding "no." The movie mostly takes place in World War II, though there is a framing sequence in the modern day to explain why Cap can be in the Avengers despite being a 40s superhero. Scrawny lightweight Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is trying desperately to enlist in the army to fight Nazis, but he's got a number of physical frailties that keep him out of it. He's determined to keep trying, though, and this comes to the attention of Dr. Abraham Erskine (Stanley Tucci), who is perfecting a serum to create the ultimate soldier. He chooses Rogers because he sees that he is a good man who wants to do the right thing, whatever it takes.
The serum enhances everything about Rogers, making him ripped like (ladies, fill in your perfect male specimen here), along with other physical and mental improvements. He starts out by out-racing a car, for example. Bureaucrats, being what they are, decide that the best use for somebody like this is to sell War Bonds! Steve reluctantly agrees, but he ends up taking the war to Hydra (the Nazi scientific division, headed up by Johann Schmidt (Hugo Weaving), who is an insane product of Erskine's serum) instead. Schmidt, also known as the Red Skull, wants to go beyond even what Hitler envisioned, and he's got the intelligence to do it.
The movie is a lot of fun, though the pacing is really slow in the first 45 minutes or so. Once things get moving, though (pretty much after the USO tour), the movie really takes off and is at its comic book best. There are some great action scenes, if a little CGI heavy at times. The fight choreography is really good, both the hand-to-hand combat as well as the various attacks on Hydra bases.
(Ladies, don't say that I don't post anything for you)
The characters aren't anything to write home about, not being nearly as nuanced as they could be (heck, even Iron Man has a bit more of a dimension), but that's not really a problem in this flick. They are pretty much archetypes, and fairly good ones at that. It's fun to finally see a movie where there aren't any grey areas; there's simply right and wrong. Cap is excessively good, the Red Skull is a megalomaniac. What could be more stark?
I appreciate that, despite pre-publicity comments from Johnston and Evans that seem to contradict this, the Stars and Stripes are very prominent throughout this movie, and with no apologies. Rogers is a hero, an ordinary man who, while given heightened everything from the super serum, is just a man underneath. A man who wants to do what's right and fight evil wherever it is.
Red Skull: "What makes you so special?" Cap: "Nothing. I'm just a kid from Brooklyn."
Yet the film isn't jingoistic at all. It lets its imagery do the talking.
I really enjoyed Captain America: The First Avenger. There are some great performances that really add to that enjoyment. Tommy Lee Jones steals almost every scene he's in as the head of the scientific branch of the army that's facing off against Hydra. He's got some great lines ("I asked for an army. All I got was you."). It's always fun seeing Stanley Tucci (though his German accent is simply dreadful) and Weaving chews the scenery with relish as the Skull. I kept waiting for him to call Cap "Mr. Anderson," but he didn't.
Hayley Atwell is gorgeous as Peggy Carter, British liaison with the army scientific group, but she also does a good acting job too. The character is written very nicely, as well.
(beautiful and awesome, all in one package!)
One final note of interest. When Steve Rogers is the scrawny mess at the beginning of the movie, Chris Evans' head is CGI'd onto a scrawny body. It works a lot better in motion than it does in still picture form.
I barely noticed it in the movie itself, but when you look at the picture, you can see how disproportionate the head is to the rest of the body. Thankfully, it didn't bother me like it did some other people.
Ultimately, while not a perfect movie by any means, Captain America is a fun popcorn movie that embodies a lot of what we love best in heroes, something that seems to be missing from a lot of other movie heroes nowadays. An essential goodness and a willingness to fight evil because it's the right thing to do.
To quote Dr. Erskine, when explaining his choice of Rogers as test subject:
"Why someone weak? Because a weak man knows the value of strength, the value of power..."
Also, don't forget to stay until the end of the credits! As with all the other Marvel movies, there's a post-credit sequence, though this time it's a full-blown trailer for the Avengers!
I've had an interest in ancient Rome for a while now, but that was further stoked when the wife and I watched the BBC adaptation of Robert Graves' book, I, Claudius a few years back. The wife had seen it before, but I hadn't, and I was enthralled. I think Derek Jacobi, as Claudius, certainly helped. I loved the intrigue, almost soap opera-like.
is steps above last year's 
