Miraclo Miles

Late of the 616: Mission Statement The idea behind a new series of pieces. I’ve been reading and collecting comics since roughly 1968, though comics had begun creeping in at least two years earlier, as my first comic was Fantastic Four #52, the debut of T’Challa, the Black Panther. Full of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby goodness, it was my introduction Marvel’s First Family as they and Johnny’s (the Human Torch) new college buddy Wyatt Wingfoot found themselves in a bizarre, high-tech jungle somewhere deep in Africa. Jack had a typical blast with the bizarre man-made terrain, and Stan & Jack accomplished in one issue what many of the current crop of writers would have taken at least two to do, and they did it better than any of those expanded versions would have likely been. Feel free to picture me shaking my fist at kids and telling them to get off my lawn. People of different ages will have different idyllic ages for their comics, naturally. I'm still often taken aback as I meet f...

At least I'll be able to watch a new Fringe tonight Okay, well, the Phillies were clearly out-gunned as some key players failed to perform in the World Series, and they needed at least a couple other players to peak to have a chance against as well-funded and talent-packed a team as the Yankees. It became increasingly clear that the Yankees were getting the Phillies players' numbers enough to connect hard with more than enough of the pitches and to neutralize some of their hitters enough of the time to make them fairly irrelevant. Once we hit game three, the first of the ones to be played back at home, I could see it wasn't going to go well. The loss in game four was for me the critical nail in the coffin as they came back to a point where they could have taken it... only to lose as another set of runs was scored against them. Lidge certainly didn't lose it all by himself, but he was a big part of it. While it was good to see them win game five, keeping their chances ...

Healthcare (Again) Another excellent journal entry by Roger Ebert. I keep hoping enough people will wake up and join us in demanding a national healthcare system.

Phillies Headed To World Series Again! They managed to pull it off in five play-off games. Tomorrow night the Dodgers may seal it for the American League, though I won't mind if the Angels take the night and force them to fight for it in one or two more games. (Not that I'm going to be watching those games, but anything to stress them and maybe get someone else on the D.L.) Now to see how out of control things get in Philly overnight. Wednesday morning they were pushing out the info that they'd greased the sign/light poles to prevent people from climbing them, and have remote-controlled cameras on each street corner. Then tomorrow we'll see what condition some of my co-workers are in. My lab assistant's down in there somewhere...

It Could Happen To Anyone The title is a link to her site. I should have posted this long ago. It's one woman's battle and journey, and the many, many similar stories from people she's met. People living and dying on the edge because our "healthcare" system is run by for-profit health insurance companies; highwaymen on the road to recovery. People who should be able to concentrate on recovery are instead left to make accounting decisions in which many will decide to avoid treatment and simply die rather than court almost certain financial ruin for their families. Never forget that the health insurance companies' mission is not to provide the best medical care, but to maximize profits. To become ill is to become a less effective profit center and then a source of loss for the company. The quarterly profits and interests of the shareholders will trump all else. What may be more frightening is that this is someone who has medical insurance. Those who...

Rockies To Rubble The Phillies take game 4 of the current series, so they'll be going up against the Dodgers for the right to be the NL team in the World Series. Yeah, it was a little cruel, but I must admit I was at least somewhat happy to see the Rockies fans go from being ecstatic with their gaining the lead in the eighth to watching it fall apart in the ninth. So, a couple days off and then it's out to Los Angeles for game one of a possible seven. Two there, three back here in Philly, then, if need be, back out West for up to two more.

Insurance Company-Driven Propaganda Storm It's almost heartening to see them go to these lengths - they're getting a little scared - though I worry how many wingnut media outlets will reference the report as if it's substantive..? ( From the Washington Post ) The Insurance Industry's Deceptive Report by Ezra Klein In the hallowed tradition of the tobacco and energy industries, the health insurance industry has commissioned a report (pdf) projecting doom and despair for those who seek to reform its business practices. The report was farmed out to the consultancy PricewaterhouseCoopers, which has something of a history with this sort of thing: In the early-'90s, the tobacco industry commissioned PWC to estimate the economic devastation that would result from a tax on tobacco. The report was later analyzed by the Arthur Andersen Economic Consulting group, which concluded that "the cumulative effect of PW’s methods … is to produce patently unreliable results....

Something not likely to be clearly stated on FOX Full text below. Fox Admits on CNN That It Traffics in Opinion Not News Jon Ponder | October 12, 2009 After a brief but concerted challenge by the White House to the credibility of Fox News Channel as a legitimate news organization — including a detailed takedown by Communications Director Anita Dunn on CNN’s “Reliable Sources” on Sunday — a spokesman for Fox made a de facto admission that the channel is nothing more than a propaganda arm of the Republican Party and the conservative movement: In a written statement given to CNN, Fox News said its programming was comparable to the editorial page of a newspaper. “An increasing number of viewers are relying on Fox News for both news and opinion,” Fox News Senior VP Michael Clemente said in the statement, “and the average news consumer can certainly distinguish between the A-section of the newspaper and the editorial page, which is what our programming represents. “So with all ...

A few of the oh so many examples of why I have my DVR set to catch The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson five nights a week.

Swined! Ah, yes. The H1N1 has had carnal knowledge of yours truly. It went from mild symptoms Tuesday mid to late morning in through a desperate, truly feverish push to clear out some projects before leaving work after 7 that night. I made a quick stop for something in the Flu Buddy strain on the way home (living in the brutality of the Land of the Free, I knew it wasn't as if I was going to go to a doctor and get a prescription I couldn't afford to fill, after all) and arrived home, somehow, hot enough that I was reportedly almost painful to touch. Two nights later and I appear to be past most of it, though I'm still a bit sore, and will be dosing up with anti-diarrhea pills before settling in for the night. I'm wrung out. Tomorrow I go back into work for the first time since Tuesday. I'm going to attempt to take it sanely, deal with what needs to be dealt with and not let the other matters stress me. Easier said than done, but that's the plan. Hopefully my r...

NomNomNom! Jack Kirby's heirs have served Marvel Entertainment, the Walt Disney Co. and related studios with 45 copyright termination notices concerning characters created or co-created by Jack Kirby. The list of characters includes Captain America, the Fantastic Four, X-Men, Thor, Iron Man, Hulk, Silver Surfer, Black Panther, Galactus, Magneto and Dr. Doom. I'm sure I'll raise some ire from some and perhaps confusion from others over this, but my tone's one of initial reaction. On the one hand I believe that copyright laws have long since been corrupted into a hideous, eternal monstrosity they were never intended to be. Current law, and trends that we've seen in it, threaten to choke our society by locking everything up so that it becomes less and less likely that anyone who succeeds in some creative venture will be free of people claiming to pre-own a piece of it. On the other hand, while I will side with the individual over a corporate entity almost any day, it...

It speaks eloquently for itself. (Thanks to Grant for the link.)

2009: Day 240 The first issue of Scientific American is published today back in 1845. Hail to the King! Jack Kirby (born Jacob Kurtzberg) - without whose creations modern comic books would be a very different place - was born today back in 1917. Nancy Kulp -- known primarily as Miss Jane of The Beverly Hillbillies - was born this day in 1921. Hutch! Actor/musician David Soul hits 66 today. (I had no idea he'd become a British citzen in 2004.) Director, producer and political activist Robert Greenwald (1946) is 64 today. Puerto Rican character actor Luis Guzmán (1956) celebrates his 53rd birthday today. Fillmaker David Fincher ( Seven , Fight Club ) turns 47 today. Stiffler's Mom - Jennifer Coolidge - turns 46 today. The same day, the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom occurs, and Martin Luter King Jr. delivers his "I Have a Dream" speech. In 1964 the Philadelphia race riot of '64 began in a Northern section of the city today, continuing for three ...

Yes, Another Healthcare Post This is a link to one by Roger Ebert . I'm simultaneously angry and depressed by the lies and seeming stupidity that remain rampant in this country. The information is there, and reason leads one to the correct conclusions, but apparently reason remains out of fashion. Seeing more people speak up, making sense, it gives me a little hope. We really cannot afford - for our sake and that of those to come after us - to let the thieving, conniving bastards win by steering a mass of people who've been raised on lies and fear.

Insurance Companies & the Healthcare Debate An excellent piece by a 20-year veteran of corporate public relations - until his conscience overwhelmed him - on how they magnify and use people's fears to drive those people into rejecting moves that would help them. (full text in the expanded post, in case the link above doesn't work.) Commentary: How insurance firms drive debate By Wendell Potter Special to CNN Editor's note: Wendell Potter has served since May 2009 as senior fellow on health care at the Center for Media and Democracy, a nonprofit organization that says it seeks to expose "corporate spin and government propaganda." After a 20-year career as a corporate public relations executive, Potter left his job last year as head of communications for one of the nation's largest health insurers, CIGNA Corporation. Ex-insurance company spokesman Wendell Potter says the industry seeks to drive the health care debate. Ex-insurance company spokesman Wendell...

Heroclix Update I've posted the first substantial news in months over on my Heroclix blog .

Another Good Question Here is an article trying to bring matters into better focus for those who have been tricked, scared and largely lied to about the state of health care in the United States. It does so by asking the simple question: "If U.S. health care's so good, why do other people live longer?" (I've also reprinted it in the full post below, never completely trusting a link.) One note I'll add is that it's important to both keep from wrapping the flag in any of this - this move is notorious for stopping the mind from functioning - and to separate the excellent medical personnel and technology from a corrupt, parasitic, profiteering health insurance mafia that has insinuated itself into our lives starting with the Nixon administration, as revealed in transcripts of White House tapes from the early 1970s. Here's an excerpt: Ehrlichman: “Edgar Kaiser is running his Permanente deal for profit. And the reason that he can … the reason he can do it … I ...

Dead to Walk the Small Screen? Ah! While there's an inestimable gulf between this sort of announcement and anything concrete, I was pleased to see the announcement below concerning a comics series I follow being optioned for tv. 'The Walking Dead' TV Series Oscar-Nominated Writer/Director Published: 08/12/2009 12:31am AMC has won a bidding war and has acquired the rights to Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead comics for a potential series. Frank Darabont, nominated for three Oscars for writing and directing (The Green Mile, Shawshank Redemption), will write, direct, and executive produce the series. Gale Anne Hurd of Valhalla Pictures and David Alpert of Circle of Confusion will also exec produce. The series would join such high quality fare as Mad Men and Breaking Bad on AMC. The Walking Dead has been steadily increasing in popularity, and recently made the #1 position in ICv2’s Top Genre Properties list for Q2 (see “ICv2’s Top 10 Genre Properties—Q2” ). There’s plenty o...

Light Touch A very cool demonstration.

Public Service II Healthcare reform remains a major, major topic for me as I look at the brutal practices in this nation and cannot believe anyone is to stupid as to believe that a system with "healthcare" parasites -- insurance companies that do nothing but get between caregivers and those needing care, not only taking prodigious salaries for their people but also have to generate quarterly profits for shareholders, is in any way in the best interests of the vast majority of us. Yet, apparently millions are gullible enough to follow the lead of their favorite millionaire pundits and embrace the current system (what one friend aptly referred to as a "health insurance mafia") with patriotic fervor. I'm somewhat annoyed by stupidity in general, but when it drags me and mine down in the process it makes me angry. You know what a reasonably established national healthcare system that treats its citizens as, well, human beings, and not a mix of consumers and burden...

Public Service Today's another of those days where I really appreciate Daily KOS being out there. Possibly favorite of the day in terms of a ZING! moment is this embarrassingly clumsy bailout when an attempt to get a Democratic senator to lie about the Cash for clunkers program, instead has his attempt at a score derailed, and gets the signal to cut and run to what apparently passes for "breaking news" on Fox. Also, be sure to scroll down and check out the various updates on the faux grassroots patriots, the Screamers, including a link to this timely information ad:

2009: Day 208 Today in 1940 , the world meets Bugs Bunny as A Wild Hare is released. (1972) The first flight of the F-15 Eagle . Born Today: (1922) Writer and producer Norman Lear . (1931) I don't care if it is Jerry Van Dyke 's birthday. I'm not going to look for episodes of My Mother The Car . However, if you should happen to want to... (1938) Dungeons & Dragons co-creator Gary Gygax . (1948) Actress and director Betty Thomas . (1949) Singer and broadway actress Maureen McGovern , probably best known for her vocal performance of "The Morning After" from the 1972 version of The Poseidon Adventure . (1953) Australian Yahoo Serious . (1972) Actress and comedienne Maya Rudolph . Last Gasps: (1984) Actor James Mason . (2003) Bob Hope .

2009: Day 207 Today in Spaaaaace: (1958 ) Explorer 4 , a aatellite instrumented by Dr. James Van Allen designed to study the radiation belts surrounding the Earth (named for Van Allen), was launched. The specific intent of this mission was to study the effects of nuclear explosions on the upon the belts (presumably in conjunction with planned detonations), but that was planned to involve two such satellites, and only this one was launched. (1963) Syncom 2 (1 was lost via an electronics failure and ended up in the wrong orbit), the first geosynchronus communication satellite, launched by NASA via a Delta B #20 launch vehicle from Cape Canaveral. Over all it was a successful test satellite, enabling President Kennedy to make the first-ever satellite-relayed telephone call between two heads of state (a Nigerian President) and test out the possibilities for live, satellite-relayed television broadcasts. Its successor, launched the following year, was used to relay the '64 Tokyo Olymp...

2009: Day 206 From The How'd That Work Out For You? Dept. : (1792) Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick and commander of the Allied Army, issued the Brunswick Manifesto , which was essentially a proclamation threatening the people of Paris with physical harm if the revolting citizens (I couldn't resist) acted violently toward the French royal family. The result was rather the opposite of that intended. Basically, it's a bad idea to send word to a dirty mob stewing in the middle of summer that they better not step over the line. Born Today: (1870) Illustrator/artist Maxfield Parrish . Here's a gallery of his work . (1894) Academy Awards-winning character actor Walter Brennan . (1943) British musician, best known as the drummer for The Yardbirds , Jim McCarty . (1951) Attorney (former?) and anti-obscenity/violence in video games, broadcast media, rap music, etc., Sandy Vagina Jack Thompson . (1965) Another of those faces I knew, but not the name, it's Ill...

2009: Day 205 This Day In Disgrace: (1974) The U.S. Supreme Court orders the Nixon Administration to turn over subpoenaed White House Tapes to the Watergate special prosecutor. (2002) Ohio Representative James Traficant is expelled from the House of Representatives for charges of taking bribes, filing false tax returns, racketeering and using government aides to perform chores at his farm and on his houseboat. The How'd That Work Out For You? Dept. : (1929) The Kellogg-Brand Pact , renouncing war as an instrument of foreign policy, goes into effect. Among the signatory nations were Germany, Italy and Japan. Good News, Everyone! (1683) Slavery is abolished in Chile by the Spanish crown. (1911) Hiram Bingham III re-discovers the Lost City of the Incas, Machu Picchu . Of course, it had been "lost" only in the sense that the plundering Spaniards hadn't found it, but the locals knew it was there, buried under jungle growth. Pablito Alvarez, an 11 year-old nativ...

2009: Day 204 This Date In Disgrace : (1942) The Treblinka extermination camp opens, beginning to receive freight car shipments of Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto . (1967) The Detroit/12th Street riot breaks out, leading to 43 deaths, 467 injured and over 7,200 arrests over the following five days. (1968) In Cleveland, Ohio the Glenville Shootout begins with snipers ambushing and killing two tow truck drivers whose uniforms, apparently, looked similar to those of police officers. Five days of rioting and looting ensued. (1984) Vanessa Williams formally resigns her Miss America crown in the wake of nude photos of her appearing in Penthouse . (1992) A Vatican commission, led by future Pope Joseph Ratzinger affirms that it is necessary to limit the rights of homosexuals. Born Today : (1865) Christian occultist, astrologer and mystic Max Heindel . (1886) German physicist and electronics whiz Walter H. Shottky . (1888) Author Raymond Chandler - creator of Philip Marlowe. ...

2009: Day 203 I'm trying to alter this a little, to make it both easier and more enjoyable to put together, as in the end I'm doing all of this for my own entertainment and edification. On this date in 1587 the second, also apparently doomed set of colonists landed on Roanoke Island off the coast of North Caroline. Until poking around I'd never heard of the Preparedness Day bombing in San Francisco in 1916, but there it was. A not-so-great day in the U.S. space program, today in 1962 Mariner 1 , intended to be a Venus fly-by mission, started to fly erratically after take-off and was destroyed before it could become a menace. In the world of music, today's birthdays include Rufus Wainwright (36), singer/songwriter & half of the Indigo Girls, Emily Saliers (46), pianist, theater and film composer Alan Menken (60), singer/songwriter Don Henley (62), Supertramp 's Rick Davies (65), once-tean idol Bobby Sherman (66). If you're feeling Funkedelic today,...