Love it!

Thanks, Norm.

Brilliant! I have always loved William Dozier's Batman series. Many thanks.

Mayor West For President!

I wish my job was to say "meanwhile, at Batman campaign headquarters..."

Wouldn't it indeed.

And here I thought Cheney wasn't running.

Burgess Meredith, one of the all-time greats, ever. Most know him as Pengy and Rocky's manager, but if you've never seen his King Lear, well, get thee to a netflix. He was, and remains, one of the Olympian gods of his profession.

Ah, the idealism! Or the pre-saging of the country. Take your pick.

I've been thinking about elections recently, because I have students vote on final project presentations just for fun (in the shadow of American Idol). I do it very basic instant run-off-style; everyone lists 3 choices in order of preference. I've never had an undeserving project win, so I suppose it's a success. However, my 2nd places have often been mediocre in quality. This has led me to think about election results in general.

I'm starting to think that no matter what kind of election you hold - be it primary, caucus, general, mid-term, instant run-off, secret or open ballot, the results will be the same. People may consider candidate quality when they vote, but I believe that friendship, general popularity, and good humor are stronger factors - at least these days. Perhaps in a fledgling democracy this isn't so because the electorate hasn't been jaded by the process yet. When I see crafty projects get few votes, I find myself getting a little irritated.

I always post the results of the voting for my students. They do know this has no effect on their grade. The results list 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners from the class. I have played a sort-of super delegate on occasion and created 3rd place ties when I felt a neglected but quality project was deserving. I want that person or persons to be recognized for the good work. There's never been a need to take away 1st place, at least not to date. But if a W Bush-quality project came in 1st, I would be quite disenheartened. I hope that my students get the gist of the class enough to consider quality to SOME degree, just as I (and Batman) hope the U.S. voters do.

Ah, idealism.

And here I thought Cheney wasn't running.

Damn it! You beat me to it.

Adam West's Batman bugs me because all I can think when I'm watching it is: "How absurd, he walking around in a costume." Somehow other superhero shows and movies make it seem more normal. West looks like he's ruminating on democracy in a getup he picked up on October 29th in Walmart.

Aside from that, West's Batman is constantly going all boy scout on us. Batman is a rich kid who's dad was gunned down right in front of him. And he roams the seedy streets of Gotham. And he doesn't actually have super-powers. Those three things alone are enough to make Batman a really dark knight, or at least cranky. He's supposed to be constantly tettering on the edge of vigilantism. But this guy comes off like Joe Friday in grey and blue tights.

The funny thing about our generation now is that if someone made an Adam West-style Batman, the critics would pan it as laying the camp on way too thick.

I've always wondered. Was this Batman, in its time, supposed to be a comedy, being as funny as it is now? I remember watching it maybe in the 80's but as a kid so I wouldn't know.

And dende blogger, yeah, I agree, running around in a bat costume, without any superpowers (basically what keeps Superman un-wedgied), requires a super dark, mean and at least well-built character, and the silly costume must at least have some useful purpose, for people to not laugh at him.

Mayor West For President! Posted by: thaddeusphoenix | May 13, 2008 8:50 AM

Yeah! Someone needs to do something about my water being stolen.

Does anyone have the Simpsons three-eyed fish episode to post as a link. Hands down the best social political satire I have ever seen. Hilariious! So "spot on"

'Tricky Dicky' Nixon was running for POTUS probably around the time of this broadcast. (second of three)

The more things change the more they remain the same? ... nahh, they used to impeach liars and thieves back then.

Who do you trust to answer the batphone at 3am?