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Despite his limited mobility, the evil Artist Mannequin surprises Spiderman 2099 with the most cruel of kicking attacks.

What? I don’t know why they are fighting. I didn’t pose them! Like I have time at work to stage incredibly detailed fake battles with my action figures? Actually, this is just a test of the awesome Canon video camera that I have at work which can also take really nice still images. I did do a little bit of manipulation in Photoshop to make the scene a bit more dramatic. Looks like Spiderman2099 is about to get his butt kicked.

I thinking of trying to do a stop motion film with these guys. I’ll post it here if that ever happens. Hey have a great hump day!

The boys went back to school yesterday. First day of high school. Holy crap.  I can hardly believe it. Did I mention I had them when I was 12?   Well, in honor of going back to school here is this week’s quote.

“There are obviously two educations. One should teach us how to make a living and the other how to live.”

James Truslow Adams

Wow, I really like that one. Book smart and street smart. It can be tough to find people who have plenty of both.

And just for fun:

Diane: Actually, I’d like to join you, but I have class tonight.
Thornton Melon: Oh. How ’bout tomorrow night?
Diane: I have class then, too.
Thornton Melon: I’ll tell you what, then. Why don’t you call me some time when you have no class?
Diane: [laughs] Alright. Maybe I will.

So this weekend in my Netflix rotation came up the movie “The Last King of Scotland.” No, there’s no Billy Connolly or Mike Myers (”Head, Pants, Now!) but there are a few kilts. It’s actually about Idi Amin who considers himself an honorary Scotsman when he meets a young doctor played by James McAvoy, who I keep getting confused with Jim Sturgess.  Oh well. When I saw the trailer for this movie I wanted to check it out just because of the greatness that is Forest Whittaker.  His performance did not disappoint.

SHORT PLOT SYNOPSIS:The movie is fictional story of Dr. Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy), a young Scottish doctor who travels to Uganda and becomes the personal physician to the dictator Idi Amin (Forest Whitaker). The movie is based on factual events of Amin’s rule.

OVERALL: Okay, I have to be honest. I got a little bored with this movie and zipped through a few parts here and there however, it was interesting to the see the rise of this dictator and how quickly everything got out of hand and the atrocities that occurred.   As I mentioned earlier, the story is fiction but it’s loosely based on English-born Bob Astles.

RENT IT? Yes because of Forest Whittaker’s Academy Award winning performance and to get a perspective of what happened in Uganda.

UPDATE: From 1977 to 1979, Amin titled himself as His Excellency, President for Life, Field Marsha Al Hadji Doctor Idia Amin Dada, VC, DSO, MC, Lord of All the Beast of the Earth and Fishes of the Seas and Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa and Uganda in Particular. I think this guy was quite impressed with himself. He died in Saudi Arabia on August 16, 2003.

Here we go…

• Finally felt a bit like fall this week. I really enjoyed going outside and not being instantly covered by sweat.
• You may remember that I had a $399 electric bill last month. I checked my electric bills of yore and lo and behold, I had a $389 whopper during the same time period! (July-August) I guess It’s just one of those things. I should probably look into rounding out my bill over the year. They still do that don’t they?
• High school football season starts soon. First scrimmage is tonight.  Here’s to my son staying healthy all season.
• I ran track and field in high school. Specifically, high jump and long jump. I should have done pole vault because I had decent upper body strength.  Still love watching it on TV during the Olympics.  I could watch Yelena Isinbayeva all day. And I am not saying that because she’s easy on the eyes.  Even her competitors and coaches have said she has almost perfect form, better than most men when clearing the bar. Amazing.
  
• Finishing up The Watchmen comic. It’s pretty good and makes me more excited about the movie. (which is now apparently delayed because of a legal fight about who owns the rights.WTG Suits!)
• My grass is green. Thank you rain.
  
• Got some good feedback on my job, yesterday. Feedback is good. Todd need feedback. Codemonkey like fritos.
  
• I really want to see Tropic Thunder this weekend. And get a massage. Wait a minute! I just had a brilliant idea. A massage parlor/movie theater! You could put a screen on the bottom of the floor so when you are getting a massage you can look through that little hole and watch a movie! Awesome. Note to self: Call Cinemark and Lulu’s Massage Hut.
  

Holy smoke.  This is Kevin Farley. Yes, he is the late great Chris Farley’s brother.  Now I knew that he had been doing some comedy and there’s even a national TV commercial running for Hertz where you can see and hear the resemblance. Well, while trolling the intertubes last night looking for a video to post today, I stumbled across this trailer for a movie called  An American Carol. UPDATE: FIXED LINK

He looks and sounds exactly like his brother! It’s like they cloned Chris Farley. Or did some weird CG. Now the movie looks dreadful and I predict box office failure but it feels so weird watching this thing.  Anybody else feel that way? (Fat guy in little coat….)