Huh

Blowing Up the Blog

Three years into this blog and I've developed a bit of internet wanderlust. I started this to keep in touch with friends and family when I moved away to grad school. While it has continued to fulfill this function, it has since developed into a way for me to work on non-scientific writing. To continue this development, I think its time for a change. I'm not going to stop blogging. I'm just going to stop blogging here.

In the last few months I've been putting off any real writing in favor of various academic projects and a much needed vacation. Returning after such a long break I find that that I'm not entirely satisfied with what I've done here. My first instinct is to delete everything and start over from scratch. But given the time I put into this, and the continued interest in some of the individual posts, I'm going to leave this particular blog here and start again somewhere else.

I'm not sure what direction my new blog will take. The type of content will probably be similar, but I have some ideas about changing up the style of posting. Regardless, the link to new blog is below:

JBSebsequently.wordpress.com

Back Again

Apparently this thing gets the same number of hits whether I update it or not.

Anyway, my project is (96%) complete. I defended it successfully, but there a few revisions that I need to complete in the next few days. Nothing major, this is a standard part of the process. In the next few weeks, I dive into the publication process as I start the process of submitting the manuscript to a journal.

I’m going on vacation next week, so posting won’t pick back up for awhile. I’ll backlog some stuff, but I don’t expect to start averaging a post a day until September or so.

Hiatus

Posting will be on hiatus until further notice.  A higher authority (my boss) has dictated that my project is due in 3 weeks instead of in 10.

EMA- Grey Ship

I was planning on making a mix of my favorite music of the year so far, but I'm losing interest in 8Tracks.  So instead, I'm going to just post some streaming links.  This way I'll get to talk a little about each song and link to some neat stuff by each artist.

First up is "Grey Ship" by EMA.  This is probably my favorite song off her solo album and is definitely the most ambitious.  Its about five songs in one and all of them are really good.  The album has received a lot of attention, but I still think its rather underrated.  This is based on absolutely nothing, but I'm guessing her next album will be a gigantic breakout hit.

EMA- Grey Ship


Though I hadn't heard of Gowns before I listened to the EMA album, I've since become a retroactive fan.  Given that EMA was in Gowns, it makes sense that they have a very similar sound.  Gowns' sound is probably more ambitious, but I think the EMA album is more listenable.  Hopefully as more people hear the EMA album, more attention will be given to both projects.

Gowns- White Like Heaven

Alan Moore's Killing Joke

Somehow in my discussion of the Barbara Gordon/Batgirl fiasco, I neglected to mention the story that started the whole thing.

Though the legacy of The Killing Joke is most resonant with Barbara Gordon, they actual story is really about the origin of the Joker and the line between him and Batman.  Barbara Gordon is only in a single sequence and what happens to her only happens to motivate the actions of other characters.  I don't hold this against the story itself.  The world portrayed in The Killing Joke is full of tragedy and nihilism.  When reading it again, I was struck by how different it is tonally than all the Batman comics published before or since.  Though some horrible things happen in the book, it feels like the book really takes place in its own little world, independent of the rest of DC's output.  With all that in mind, its surprising that the story eventually become "official" with the Joker's origin and the injuries to Barbara Gordon being carried over into the other titles.

Ad Nonsense

Apparently my Adsense account was disabled last night.  I'm actually not sure why.  It doesn't matter though, having advertising on here made me uncomfortable anyway.  Consider that experiment ended.

How Research Works: 42

"42"

JUNIOR GRAD STUDENT

What is the answer?

SENIOR GRAD STUDENT

To life, the universe, and everything?

JUNIOR GRAD STUDENT

No.  Where is the coffee machine?

SENIOR GRAD STUDENT

42

JUNIOR GRAD STUDENT

They took the coffee machine because of budget cuts didn't they?!

SENIOR GRAD STUDENT

Um... 42?

Batgirl Returns

An interesting aspect of this whole DC comics reboot hullabaloo is that Barbara Gordon is apparently returning to the guise of Batgirl.  Normally I wouldn't really comment on a fictional character becoming another fictional character like this, but Barbara Gordon as Batgirl is something of a special case.

For the last 20 years, Barbara Gordon has been a highly visible character in a great many of DC's superhero books.  However, barring the occasional flashback issue, it hasn't been as Batgirl, but as Oracle. As Oracle, Barbara Gordon has led superhero teams, fought all sorts of supervillians, and anchored one of DC's most consistently good books.  Significantly, she did all this after surviving an attack that left her paraplegic.  Thus making her the only visible DC superhero with a physical handicap.

Green Lantern: Awful?

Yikes.  Green Lantern is already getting hammered in the reviews.  The majority of the reviews aren't in yet, but a less than 30% on Rotten Tomatoes?  Looks like Warner Brothers might have another Jonah Hex on their hands.

This "report" sums up my general feelings about how misguided the whole endeavor is.  Forgetting my own distaste for Green Lantern and the fact that the movie looks awful, Hal Jordan just doesn't have the popular appeal to justify a big summer blockbuster.

No.  I will not be paying money to see this.


'Green Lantern' To Fulfill America's Wish To See Lantern-Based Characters On Big Screen

Recipe in Progress: Easiest Salad Ever

Easiest Salad Ever

Materials

2-3 Tomatoes (Depending on size)

1 Cucumber

1/2 Shallot

1/2 Lemon

Methods

1.  Dice the tomatoes, shallot and cucumber, mix together in a bowl.

2.  Squeeze lemon over mixture.
3.  Eat.

As far as what to serve this with, I've been working our a lime marinade for chicken.  I think that would probably be nice.

Recipe in Progress: Soyaki Sliders

Now that its summer I'm trying to come up with some new things to cook up on the barbecue.  I've been grilling up some corn, some other vegetables, and various types of traditional barbecue fare.   As much as I like hamburgers (and cheeseburgers!), I've been working on a recipe for turkey burgers for awhile now.

Usually, I find turkey burgers to be dry and not very appetizing.  However, the addition of some sauces makes for some interestingly flavored burgers.  So far I've been most successful using Trader Joe's Soyaki sauce.  I've been hunting around for a recipe to make a homemade equivalent, probably involving teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, and ginger but I've been unsuccessful.

Soyaki Sliders

Materials

1/2 lb Ground Turkey
1 Shallot
1 tbsp Ketchup
4 tbsp Trader Joe's Soyaki Sauce

Methods

1.  Dice the shallot and mix with the turkey, ketchup, and soyaki sauce.
2.  Divide the mix into eight equal portions.  Roll the portions into balls and then press into patties.
3.  Grill burgers over high heat.  Because turkey is rather dry, try to sear the outside of the burgers to trap some of the soyaki inside.
4.  Serve like a normal burger.  Because of the soyaki sauce, I like to add a fair bit of sriracha to the normal condiments.

How Research Works: 41

"FUN WITH FORMATTING"

SENIOR GRAD STUDENT

As soon as I hand in this paper you'll be the senior student in the lab.

JUNIOR GRAD STUDENT

Say it isn't so.

BRIEFLY FREE FROM ACADEMIA

Its not as exciting as you think.

SENIOR GRAD STUDENT

I can't wait to have an excuse for my bitterness.

ALMOST A POST-DOC

There is that.

BITTER SENIOR GRAD STUDENT

I'll take my small victories when I can get them.

POST-DOC

Remember those.  They become less and less common when your the senior student. 

Frankenstein: Agent of SHADE

The most exciting title in all of the Great DC Reboot of 2011... Frankenstein: Agent of SHADE.  

This series has been just rumors for about five years and I have been waiting for it for even longer.  For those who don't know, DC's version of Frankenstein's monster is something of a supernatural super spy who fights crazy monsters with steampunk weapons and bickers with his wife, all while quoting Paradise Lost.  In his introductory mini-series he was introduced as a hitman who rises from the dead to defeat an evil, sentient, universe and things got even crazier from there.  

Here he is after defeating some bugs (sent by humanity's future evil descendants, obviously) by burning down a school in a scene modeled after the last scene of Carrie.

The whole concept is just about the most ludicrous, most comic-booky thing ever.  I can't wait to see more of it.

Images from: Seven Soldiers: Frankenstein

By: Grant Morrison and Doug Mahnke 

Magneto: Mutant Secret Agent

So I saw this over the weekend.  Overall I thought it was very good, if a bit uneven.  Though its unlikely given how this one ended, I'd really like to see a whole movie of Magneto running around doing spy things.



The first three quarters of this are mostly awesome.  The Magneto scenes especially are engaging, with Michael Fassbender more than making up for the acting black whole that is January Jones.  There are a few clunky bits of dialogue, but overall I really enjoyed everything before the last sequence.  The third act isn't bad per se, but doesn't really fit with the rest of the movie.  I don't want to spoil anything, but all the character development that slowly develops for the first two acts is settled in about 30 seconds at the end of the movie.  Its jarring, and it doesn't really work, but I guess it was really necessary to maintain continuity with X Men 3.

Criticisms aside, I actually really enjoyed this.  The first two acts more than make up for the messy third.  Its silly, its over the top, its exactly what you'd expect from an X-Men movie that takes place in the 1960's and stars Kevin Bacon.  I wouldn't rush out immediately to the theater to see it, but it is certainly worth checking out.

Brief Outage

Normal posting will begin again next week sometime.  I'm busy with various school projects and Red Sox games.

The Great DC Comics Reboot of 2011

The majority of the titles for this crazy reboot thing have been announced now, with only the Superman books remaining.  Honestly, I think there is a lot to like about what has been announced.  There isn't anything particularly earth shattering, but for the most part there doesn't appear to be to many egregious mis-steps.

I like that the line has some diversity to it now.  There are supernatural/fantasy titles, action oriented titles, westerns titles, even the superhero titles appear to be quite diverse in tone.  The creative teams also seem quite diverse with several indie creators making the jump to mainstream titles.  We'll see how long all this lasts, I'm guessing some of the more interesting titles (Frankenstein: Agent of SHADE, Firestorm, Stormwatch) will get canceled after not too long due to low sales.  But maybe going digital will help save some of the more marginal books.  We'll see.

I don't particularly care for the influx of 90's era Marvel talent.  Scott Lobdell isn't the worst writer in the world, but I'm not sure why he got the call and Bryan Q. Miller and especially Brian Wood didn't.  Its a little strange that a writer who hasn't contributed to a Marvel or DC book in about 10 years is now in charge of three titles, but I suppose it could work out decently enough.  I really have no idea what could be motivating DC to put Rob Liefeld on a book in 2011 though.  I know there is an increasing nostalgia for 90's comics, and I'm all for a diverse comics line... but seriously?

Anyway, I like a lot more than I dislike about the revamped DC comics.  At least for now, it looks like they are making a genuine effort to cater to range of different fans.  I don't particularly care for some of the choices they've made, but not all of DC Comics' output is meant to appeal to me.  I'll probably be reading more DC books after the reboot than I am now which bodes well for the success of this whole thing I think.

How Research Works: 40

PI's OFFICE

GRAD STUDENT
I got accepted to that fMRI bootcamp at UCLA in July, but I just found out my cousin is getting married during that time.  I guess I can re-apply for next year?

PI
Or you could go to the bootcamp.

GRAD STUDENT
But my cousin is getting married...

PI
It is an honor to get into this program.  You are making the wrong decision if you don't go.

GRAD STUDENT
But my cousin is getting married... You would miss a family member's wedding to go to something that happens every year?

PI
Of course I would.  To succeed in academia so should you.

GRAD STUDENT
...

GRAD STUDENT
I'm not going to the bootcamp.  There isn't any money for me to pay for tickets anyhow.

PI
I would pay my own way.

GRAD STUDENT
You realize this thing happens every year right?

Enchiladas + Beef + Egg

I have very few rules about eating in restaurants.  I'll try almost anything, almost anywhere.  A rule that I encourage everyone to follow is whenever a waiter/cook asks if you would like something not on the menu or an alternative preparation of something on the menu, always say yes.

The second variant of this rule came up this weekend at Gabino's Diner.  Every time I go to this place I have an interesting dinning experience.  Last time I ended up getting some complementary flan and some of the best chips and salsa on Long Island.  This time, I had some of the best enchiladas I've had on the east coast.

Eventually I'll order traditional diner fare at Gabino's.  I'm sure their pancakes and eggs are delicious, and their sandwiches all look amazing.  However, Gabino's also happens to have the best Mexican food within 40 minutes of my house.  Given that the only other Mexican place I know of on the island is an inconveniently far distance away, and there are plenty of places to get pancakes and eggs on the island, it'll probably be awhile before I order traditional diner fare at Gabino's.

On my most recent trip to Gabino's a very interesting question was posed to me, "Would you like beef and an egg on those enchiladas?"  Given my rule of dining, I absolutely had to say yes.  Especially since the waitress assured me that this was the way that everyone in the back ate their enchiladas.  With that sort of recommendation, I really couldn't say no.  Now I like almost anything with an egg on it and I like beef a lot, but I wasn't really sure how it would all work.  Turns out it all works amazingly well, the egg and the tomatillo sauce work well together as does the beef and chicken enchiladas.  What looked to be a massive pile of random foodstuffs turned out to be quite flavorful and delicious.

I haven't been led astray by following my rule of restaurant eating.  Nor have I been led astray by Gabino's.  Every time I go there, I have a memorable dinning experience.  And really, I can't ask for more than that.

Luke Cage Trailer

This is probably not a real trailer.  Likely Isaiah Mustafa is just trying to land a role in a movie that hasn't even been announced yet.