25 Years Ago

9/11/2001 was 25 years ago. Unlike some days in the past that are pretty unremarkable, it remains starkly remembered by pretty much any U.S. citizen who lived through it. Terrorists struck multiple major landmarks to make a statement (spare me any conspiracy theories; it was our nation's incompetence that got us attacked, as opposed to some ingenious inside-job plan), resulting in damage to the Pentagon as well as the total destruction of the World Trade Center Twin Towers and Tower 7, with the others suffering catastrophic damage. I was in 8th grade, and we watched everything unfold on the televisions in our classrooms after it became apparent this was no singular accident (when the first Tower was struck, it was assumed to be some kind of mistake).

 9/11/2001 was a messy, weird day, followed by weeks of confusion from citizens and our Government itself. It provided the George W. Bush administration with enough support to not just go after the Taliban in Afghanistan, but to engage in a separate war built upon lies with Iraq, whilst also implementing the Patriot Act, one of the first small steps taken to chip away at individual liberties and put in place various kinds of mass surveillance programs that have only grown in size and scope since then. I'll often see folks look back at that day as tragic, but then have a weird nostalgia for 9/12/2001, discussing how we came together as a Nation and realized we needed to help and be kind to each other. Ya'll, that is some revisionist bullshit (as many will tell you).

In the days after 9/11, there were people who did good deeds; that is true. People in New York City tried to help with rescue efforts and clean-up; millions donated blood (even though much of it expired and went to waste). Lots of folks bought American flags to proudly fly from their porch. There was a swell of patriotism, but also Xenophobia and rage. People were talking about bombing various countries with weapons up to and even including nuclear weapons. Anyone who looked/sounded/seemed Arabic was viewed with suspicion and hatred, regardless of whether they were any form of Muslim or instead Sikh, Hindu, etc. Parts of America came together, yes, united in fury and bloodlust. It wasn't some magical time of unity--it was a time of trauma and anger. A time of pain as our Nation came to terms with how it was viewed by the rest of the World (not always favorably), and proceeded to use any International goodwill it could to wage all kinds of battles that at first made sense but then became increasingly questionable. I mean, remember the Axis of Evil and how it lumped a bunch of random, unrelated countries together like some video-game-esque ranking of boss battles? 

9/11/2001 was a tragedy, and the way many used it for political purposes or to make a buck was a travesty. I'm not so cynical as to ask, "Did the Terrorists Win?" as Rolling Stone just did. I will agree that America is more divided than ever, personal liberties keep getting eroded, efforts continue to be made to make voting harder (or votes simply not count), and so forth. America and its concept of freedom is an idea, however, and you can't kill an idea. You can try to twist and manipulate what America is into something unrecognizable that furthers your own goals. You can try to placate the populace with half-truths and outright lies, acting like everything is great when it really isn't. You can try to shut down any dissent or those who would question the people in power in America. You can do all that, but the idea persists that America is the land of the free and the home of the brave. Nobody can stop that, whether they be terrorists trying to instill fear, or people within our own Nation working on implementing laws and policies that are counter to the idea of, "Liberty and justice and for all." 

I've always said if I ran for political office (I have zero intent to do so, but if I did) I would ask Lee Greenwood for permission to play, "God Bless the USA," at events because even though the GOP has tried to claim it as some kind of anthem, it is a beautiful tune that rings true. I am proud to be an American and love this country and all it could accomplish. I don't want our country to suffer from forces outside or within. I won't forget 9/11/2001, because it was a day of shock, pain, and serves as a prime example of how, anytime there is something devastating that occurs--no matter how awful--there will be people ready to take advantage of the situation for their own means. It's been 25 years since 9/11/2001, and we have illustrated that America, the idea, cannot be extinguished. America, the country, remains as messy and troubled as ever, though.

September 2026 is Moving Along with Some News and Links

We are in the swing of September, and a variety of interesting things have already occurred as of late. Let's discuss some...

Apple unveiled the iPhone Duo yesterday. It seems cool and is a potentially big metaphorical swing for the company. There is an outer screen that looks like a more standard iPhone, but then it folds open like a little book to reveal a bigger screen--it has been compared to popping open a passport. Other (new) folding phones have been around for a bit in the Android sphere of tech, but this is Apple's first foray into a folding phone. This seems to be a bit of a bridge between an iPhone and an iPad Mini. I'm intrigued, but upon hearing that it will cost a dollar less than 2 grand, I'll pass for now. The first generation of Apple products tends to be quite pricey, and later versions that eventually come out are a bit less exorbitant.

Also in tech news, Hideo Kojima is a game developer who has worked closely with Sony for decades, but now he's jumping over to Microsoft--their Xbox console, specifically. A tweet from Sony made it appear as if everyone is on good terms, while Kojima discussed on social media how Sony pulled the plug on his studio's game, "Physint," back in June. He described how everyone had scrambled to find a new partner up until now. Sony says any parting of ways was mutual; Kojima's version sounds more like a bitter breakup where Sony did him wrong. Between this, Sony dropping physical discs from their new console, and just recently arguing in court that gamers don't, "Own," digital purchases, I'd say Sony is having a rough 2026 in terms of optics.

The upcoming, "Avengers: Doomsday," has a lot riding on it for Marvel (and owner Disney). It simultaneously looks kind of cool and as if everything but the kitchen sink is being thrown out there in the hopes of a big hit flick. One encouraging sign of success is that it has already made about 50 million dollars in pre-sale tickets, with three-ish months still to go until the premiere on December 18th. Considering how much was spent making the movie (and will continue to be spent to promote it), that's probably a drop in the bucket, but a promising one.

"The Fury of Firestorm," was solicited as a six-issue mini-series by Jeff Lemire and Rafael de Latorre. It was really good and a hit. Hence, it grew to eight, nine, and now 15 total planned issues! It is interesting, in a time when Marvel seems to cancel stuff before it can really get going, that DC chooses to expand certain series.

In WTF-styled political news, Donald Trump recently claimed that if Republicans can take the House and the Senate in November, he'll make sure every American gets $5,000. Putting aside how it sounds like a weird bribe, the question of where this money would come from, and how we're all still waiting on our DOGE checks and Tariff refunds...what? I mean, if someone were a Republican or Democrat and made the statement that if I vote for their party and the candidates they like, I'll be given money, I'd be incredibly disturbed by the implication that someone thinks they can outright buy my vote--whether the way they're going about it is legal or not.

Finally, I continue to miss The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, which was canceled for purely financial reasons--right? I kind of recall fellow late-night host Jimmy Kimmel said he felt concerned when The Late Show went off the air--alluding to it feeling like the first domino of many falling, or such. Well, now there are ample rumors swirling that, "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" could be canceled and end in May of 2027. ABC released a statement that carefully avoided actually stating that the reports were incorrect. At this rate, anyone who dares to question the Trump administration via jokes that point out how much of a buffon he is seems to be in danger of losing their platform--lest the big companies who broadcast the shows suffer any financial strain from a vengeful and idiotic White House. It makes me worry Seth Meyers' show could be in trouble as well, sooner rather than later. Jimmy Fallon will probably be fine, as over the years he's become increasingly spineless and boring to watch.

"Star Fox," for the Switch 2 is a Surreal Trip Down Memory Lane; Now We've Got a Zelda Remake Coming Soon Too!

I had a chance to rent/check-out a copy of, "Star Fox," for the Switch 2. I was excited for the official announcement, even if it was revealed that this was more of a remake of the Nintendo 64 Classic than it was something truly new. Having played this new/old game, I can conclude that it is good fun--just like the original! Plus, the fact that it is a much fancier remake, but still a remake at heart, resulted in a bunch of surreal feelings of Deja Vu. So much is different in terms of gameplay and graphics, but many pieces were quite familiar or just like the original (albeit with gorgeous visuals). 

It was strange to experience something, "New," that I simultaneously remembered much of, even if I played it on my N64 decades ago--although I did play it a lot! Seriously, I can't remember what I had for breakfast, but I was eager to take the secret route through the waterfall for the, "First," time after I saved Falco when he was in danger during that initial mission (and, of course, went through the arches). This isn't really a review of the game so much as an observation of just how potent one concept I've discussed before can be. Yep, weaponized nostalgia.

I first talked about the idea of an item designed to appeal to our nostalgia over a decade ago, but it remains topical. I've mentioned it in the context of music quite often, but it can apply to anything, from Robert Downey Junior coming back to the MCU to all the video-game re-releases, remasters, remakes, and so forth we've been witnessing. I mean, Nintendo just spent yesterday revealing a whole bunch about their new, "Zelda: Ocarina of Time," game because I guess the Nintendo 64 really did have a lot of masterpieces worth bringing back! As it stands, "Star Fox," is a hoot in its mix of new and old, so if companies can take something, "Old," and make it new again, I'm all for it. I just want to make sure we still get plenty of things that are simply, "New," too, however. If all we ever do is engage in nostalgic navel-gazing, I feel like eventually we'll turn into one of those snakes metaphorically eating their own tail.

I'm Glad Daniel Way is Happy. That Said, I Wouldn't Mind if He Wrote Comics Again

Daniel Way wrote a lot of comics in a short-ish period of time. From 2000 through 2013 or so, he did a ton of writing, especially for Marvel. Some of the bigger books included but were not limited to, 'Wolverine: Origins," "Deadpool," "Venom," "Ghost Rider," and one of my favorite works of his, "Supreme Power: Nighthawk." Toward the end of his tenure with Marvel, he did a chunk of a, "Thunderbolts," run and then shifted into works for other publishers at a much slower rate. He wrote for, "Crossed," from Avatar Press and some other stuff in 2014, scripted a, "Hit-Girl," mini-series in 2019, and did a little Deadpool yarn in a 30th anniversary special comic in 2021. That was it. He basically disappeared from comics in terms of writing any after that. He was practically everywhere for a decade and some change, then once we hit 2015...little to nothing (zero comics after 2021). I was curious if he was alright, and thankfully he is, and seems pretty happy!

In 2024, Bleeding Cool's Rich Johnston was also wondering, "Whatever happened to...Daniel Way?" It turns out in 2016 he cofounded Geekcraft Expo, a comic-con-styled take on craft fairs. He is also the frontman for the band, "Gamma Gamma Ray," which plays at many of the Geekcraft Expos. He seems to (intentionally) have almost zero social media presence outside of a semi-official Facebook fan page that hasn't been updated since 2018, except for now linking to Geekcraft Expo.

To Way's credit, the Geekcraft Expo events remain popular,  happening in a mix of cities in varying months, with one having occurred in Saint Louis this past July, of all places! I actually was aware we had a geek-centric craft show held in our city on occasion, but had zero idea it was the one that Way founded! From the little I can find specifically about him on the internet, he's grown a family that he lives with in Hawaii when not doing the Geekcraft Expos. I wonder if a comic writing opportunity came along that was just right, if he'd be interested in scripting something? For now, he seems semi-retired from that particular part of, "Geekdom," even if he's quite active in other aspects.

Labor Day 2026

This Labor Day, remember what Unions fought for. Keep it in mind while considering how the current President of the United States once posted (not actually recently, but still) on social media that he feels people get too many holidays. Remember that as businesses attempt to pay employees low wages, cut benefits, and otherwise screw over workers so the CEO can be a billionaire with a yacht that costs more than some countries' GDP. Remember all that if you're kicking back on this Labor Day. Keep it in mind, because as soon as we forget, those whose greed is greater than their desire to help their fellow man/woman will work their hardest to take away anything that people fought for (some even lost their lives). Remember why we have Labor Day, before they try to casually rewrite it or outright erase it from history.

Can I Please Watch Tubi/PlutoTV/Etc. Without Weird Sweepstakes Slot Ads?

I'll be trying to watch the, "Free," streaming channels sometimes, and over the past year I have noticed a massive increase in advertisements for, "Sweepstakes," slot games. Others are sick of them as well. I was aware of a handful of these casinos-that-aren't-casinos due to having seen/heard  ads for them over various years, such as, "Chumba," which even got Ryan Seacrest to do bits promoting it on the radio. I even tried Chumba long ago back in the day but quit upon realizing that it was going to be little more than a great way to lose money fast. Now,  every single day there is some random new slot game on my television apps. They always start by bragging about how you can win money, often featuring terrible real actors, or even worse, "AI," ones. These advertisements generally aren't promoting the idea of fun or responsible gambling either; they make lofty claims of people winning hundreds or thousands of dollars a day and quitting day jobs to play these virtual slots. It is alarming, and when I looked into it, one YouTube channel dedicated to playing real slots with a safe financial plan discussed how scary these ads are, considering they could appeal to people who know very little about slots and forget how, in the long run, "The House always wins."

I have zero problem with gambling when people can do it responsibly or, against all odds, succeed at it. There are folks with amazing poker skills, from math skills to keep a blank face--and I compliment their ability to have zero, "Tells." I am impressed with people who can sit at a slot machine with a twenty-dollar bill, lose it, and have no desire to get more money and keep playing. I avoid slot machines because there were times in my life when I found it relatively easy to avoid starting them, but once I started playing them finding it really difficult to actually stop. It is better for me to not begin playing a slot game than struggle to quit one due to my personality--I mean, just remember my recent post about how addictive ePack was for me and apply that to a literal slot machine! If other folk want to do poker, blackjack, roulette, slots, or craps they can, however. The thing is, they usually need to go a physical casino or be in a state with strict rules for internet gambling. The aforementioned sweepstakes slots exisit within a huge loophole.

Now, there are the free-to-play slot games where you pay a few bucks a month to have unlimited fake money to enjoy on the slots. Those are truly just fun games where people can't win anything or lose more than some minutes of their time aimlessly playing. Sweepstakes slots are designed where they let you buy credits worth nothing more than, "Fun," but throw in special sweepstakes money you can redeem for real cash after you gamble with it in their games and possibly win extra to get sent to your bank or put on a gift card, or more realistically, end up with zero credits. These sites usually have it hidden somewhere on the webpage on how you can send in an envelope requesting to enter a drawing for more sweepstakes bucks, but that's to keep things in the legal gray area. It's gambling, with a lot less regulation than, "Real," gambling, plus these sweepstakes casinos are legal in more states than they're not. This website I found is relatively in favor of sweepstakes casinos, but still gives a good breakdown of how they manage to operate. Some states shrug at these loophole-exploiting sites, and others have put out PSAs warning folks. 

These apps need a constant influx of new players to make money, however, so they advertise. They want to make the most money possible for the least amount of effort, so the ads are terrible to the point that they almost seem intentionally bad, with cheap sets and unskilled actors or incredibly fake-looking AI. If you're watching Tubi, PlutoTV, or even local news apps that have ads, you've doubtless seen the creepy shiny-looking faces straight out of the uncanny valley cheering or crying (with joy) about the money they won on whatever the latest fly-by-night sweepstakes slot site is. From some of the ads, the new fly-by-night ones seem to be Tang Luck (so much fake crying in the AI ads), Cider Casino, and I'm gonna stop there as I've seen those ads and don't need to list the over 240 other ones according to Deadpin. Remember, these apps technically aren't gambling and don't have to protect your information, have certain payout rates, or do any of the stuff that is legislated and regulated is required to do.

The fellows over at Unlookatable, summing up these ads.

I have enough experience with slot machines to know it is best that I stay away. Would some random person watching Tubi in one of the 30 states where these can operate, who has never played a slot game, learn they have an addictive personality for slots the hard way? They're bored in Ohio and figure 20 bucks couldn't hurt. Only, they aren't those people who can walk away after losing $20, and considering it is as easy as using their smartphone, there isn't really anywhere to, "Walk away." Plus, with basically no oversight, these sites can try to screw-over anyone who does win, and from a cursory look at the internet, often do. The bigger sweepstakes slots that can get Ryan Seacrest or whoever to promote them at least seem to have aspirations of legitimacy. I don't think the sites getting hit with class action lawsuits are as reputable, obviously. I know my limits, but many people possibly do not. These sweepstakes casinos have minimal rules they need to follow, with ads designed to appeal to those desperate for quick cash--it is a problematic combination, clearly. 

Tubi or PlutoTV don't have to ban these ads, they have every right to run whatever they want. I just wish I could request any other kind of ad category while I'm streaming free television. It's wild to think I'm thankful nowadays for ads about erectile dysfunction pills or medicare options when I watch, "The Price is Right," because it's a nice break from AI slop of a golden pig surrounded by money or an, "Interviewer," asking people why they love winning so much money. Yeah, I'll take the boner pills with the couple holding hands in adjacent tubs any day.

Meet My Sebo Dart Vacuum

I don't enjoy a number of your usual household chores. Cleaning a toilet is gross but necessary, for example. That said, I like vacuuming. There is something satisfying about seeing those freshly cleaned-out lines on the carpet. Plus, I hate stepping on pointy crumbs or dirt particles, so having a smooth carpet helps avoid that sensory nightmare. We'd been using a cheaper direct-to-consumer model that you can buy on Amazon, and it had been okay for some time, but despite my best efforts, it basically conked out the other day. When it needed maintenance in the past, I went to a great local spot, the Ballwin Vacuum Center. The owners, Mike and Julie, were always helpful and had shown me other vacuum options before as well, in anticipation of when I was ready to get a new model. That time came yesterday.

After examining a variety of great models, I chose the Sebo Dart. It wasn't quite as fancy as the Sebo Felix, which had a little swivel feature, but the Dart was perfect for getting our carpets and hardwood floors. Plus, the fact that you could pop it off the base to do your stairs or tight spaces with the hose appealed to me. I used our Sebo Dart all over the house yesterday and this morning. I am extremely impressed with its quality. Also, the fact that it has a 10-year manufacturer's warranty gives me some peace of mind because I'll probably be using this thing quite a lot with our kids always spilling snacks, our cats shedding fur, and so forth. I want to thank Mike and Julie for all their help selecting a vacuum and encourage anyone who lives in the area to visit them at 14544 Manchester Road (in Ballwin).

Note: This is not a paid endorsement post or the result of any deal with the store/Sebo. I bought the vacuum for full price and didn't even mention my blog until after buying it. I just truly love my Sebo Dart and appreciate Ballwin Vacuum Center!

Film Friday: The New, "Street Fighter," Movie Looks Wonderfully Unhinged

From the first trailers, I have been quite intrigued by the new, "Street Fighter," movie. It looked like it knew not to take itself too seriously or treat the source material as if it were only a joke. A new trailer recently dropped, and this may be the first flick I want to go see in theaters in quite some time, instead of just waiting for it to hit streaming. There is a strange over-the-top look and feel that I'm vibing with. Give it a view:

This latest take on, "Street Fighter," arrives in theaters on October 16th, 2026. At that point, we shall see if other people are into the wild energy it's giving off. I know I'm legit going to try and get a seat for a viewing!

Forget Miniature Christmas Villages, I Want to Go to Spooky Town!

A number of companies offer various landscapes, buildings, and figures to build your own little Christmas village display/diorama/scene. Those are very cute and enjoyable, but in the past chunk of years I have seen the rise of something I endorse even more--Halloween-themed villages. For example, the good folks over at Lemax have been doing a mix of themed sets since 1990, with recent offerings including the usual Christmas stuff like Santa's Wonderland and an alpine Ski Village. However, since 2000, they've also offered Halloween stuff, such as Spooky Town. Someone can buy a miniature Halloween village that is as cute as it is scary? I mean, sign me up! It isn't just Lemax who do creepy town sets either, with the folks at Department 56 offering the usual smorgasbord of Christmas pieces, but selling some superb Halloween miniatures too!

Why not add some elves and such with the Headless Horseman?

One thing I have not yet seen but would 100% approve of is someone combining the different themes from the same brand (or even different ones) to create a surreal mix of holidays. Something like a twisted, "Nightmare Before Christmas,"-type situation. I want to witness Santa and his elves at an undead roller rave or set the brains food cart (geared toward zombie customers) right outside of the Polar Frost Ice Cream Parlor. Yes, I am equal parts deranged and hilarious, but I lack the space or bottomless funds to create such an epic village of absurdism; I can only encourage someone else as bizarre as myself to do this idea.

Like Jason From, "Friday the 13th," the Diamond Case Rises From the Grave!

It was done, finally. It was actually done, it seemed. Diamond Comic Distributors had gone out of business, and the new owners of its business-corpse were selling inventory (that wasn't theirs to sell) like some twisted horror movie where a person keeps getting organs taken away and sold piece-by-piece whilst still technically being, "Alive." However, a bunch of agreements were finally reached about this inventory, as it was one of the last remaining issues of what was, "Left," of Diamond. Yet, things keep happening! Now, the company that bought Diamond and scrapped it for parts, Sparkle Pop, is playing the victim despite most of their woes being self-inflicted!

I have referred to Diamond as a zombie company, but that phrase really doesn't work because zombies eventually can be put down if you damage them enough. No, this whole case has turned into a, "Friday the 13th," franchise. We think Jason is finally down for the count, but then he rises again for a new flick to wreak havoc, no matter how many times matters seem resolved. Sparkle Pop dislikes any kind of settlement between "Old," Diamond and the folks suing for their consigned goods, as they're the new owner of Diamond (even though Diamond was killed by Sparkle Pop) and letting people into their warehouse to collect heavy comics could results in injuries--somehow--and open them up to more lawsuits...or something else random Sparkle Pop has actually claimed. 

"Someone could get hurt lugging those comics around, perish the thought!"

Oh, plus we should never forget that Chase Bank wants its 6.5 million dollars and change from somebody, as they, "Kept on lending Old Diamond money to keep operating after they filed for bankruptcy. In retrospect, that was a really bad investment, but hindsight is 20/20. Diamond went from declaring bankruptcy in January of 2025 to completely shutting down within that single calendar year in December; it felt astonishingly fast. At this rate, however, the arguments over Diamond's, "Remains," could take longer than the company's speedy demise. In the words of John Mellencamp in his song, "Pink Houses," and being taken only slightly out of context (the song is actually quite critical) by myself, "Oh, ain't that America?"