Massive Changes For Massive Dynamics

Massive Changes For Massive Dynamics
October 7 | Staff Writer Javier J.

New York - Only one week since the death, reading and executing of Massive Dynamics creator William Bell's last will, the New York News has learned that Dr. Walter Bishop has been left sole shareholder of the company stock and already questions are arising as to his ability to lead a 50 billion dollar company.

They started circulating when he revealed the new direction that the company will be heading in the days to come. The first sign was when employees of the Chemistry department were given the task by Dr. Bishop of tackling improved LSD development and research.



The Agricultural Sciences division will soon begin a crash-course in development of a new and more potent cannabis product, project "Brown Betty", as it is called. Many have stated that this is Dr. Bishop personal mission and has had a hands on approach in teaching Massive Dynamic workers through the entire steps.

Another of Dr. Bishop's ideas is to get rid of the giant floating letters outside of the building. "There is no need to waste anti-gravity force fields on such self promotion of the buildings name and location." Bishop stated in a press release. "We already know it's in New York, what do you think? You woke up in Manhatan all of sudden?"



Employee and Department head Brandon McDonald was fine with the changes already made at the company commissary, where we he was eating one of Bishop's latest menu changes - Bacon Pudding. "I'm not all that shocked by the changes" McDonald stated, "But this bacon flavored pudding, now that's a surprise."

A bigger surprise is the rumors that have been circulating that CEO Nina Sharp was being replaced with a Mr. Papaya. When attempting to look into who this Papaya person was and find any work history or previous business experience, no files were found other than a note suggesting that he is the friendliest of all fruits.



Even though Massive Dynamic is a weapons testing, robotics, medical equipment, aeronautics, genetics and pharmaceuticals company, Walter Bishop has added one more item to the that list - diary farm. An entire floor has been devoted to the advancement of bovine studies. Specifically in the creation of a chocolate cow.

"I want Gene to be taken care of. How else is she going to start making chocolate milk?" Bishop told the NYNews. Along with that an on-site panda express expected to be added to provide constant satisfaction to Dr. Bishop's personal pet's food cravings.

"I would just like to say now that I would turn down any notion of being the Secretary, so just don't ask me." Bishop joked with reporters at the press conference.

"In his last message to me Belle told me not to be afraid to cross the line. And so that's why I say with certainly today that we're pushing the limits and seeing if Gene will be able to produce Strawberry milk as well."

Bishop finished by telling the press "Now if you'll excuse me, I have Ginger Ale to make."


More news:

Obama moves into new White house
Senate calls for hearings about federal departments
Copy of strange Back to the Future circulating Youtube
(October 7, 2010)

War Is Hell - And So Is The Pacific

War Is Hell - And So Is The Pacific

Band of Brothers is one of those shows that I loved and really, that I try to watch in full every now and then. But of course that would be easier if some asshole named Matt didn't lose Disc 1 of my box set. That fucker. Then again, he did far worse to the Cyber Cafe that he ran into the ground with skimming money off the top, not paying any of the god damn bills and being an all around tool. If given the choice, I'm sure my friend Josh and I would have signed him up to serve at war and hope he died.

Which brings me to the new HBO mini-series The Pacific. What is The Pacific? Well, it's a 10 part HBO mini-series that tells the intertwined stories of three Marines, Robert Leckie, Eugene Sledge and John Basilone, during America's battle with the Japanese in the Pacific during World War II.



The budget for this is $150 million and it was shot on location in Australia, the series follows "the extraordinary experiences of these men and their fellow Marines take them from the first clash with the Japanese in the haunted jungles of Guadalcanal, through the inpenetrable rain forests of Cape Gloucester, across the blasted coral strongholds of Peleliu, up the black sand terraces of Iwo Jima, through the killing fields of Okinawa, to the triumphant, yet uneasy return home after V-J Day."

The whole store is based in part on the books Helmet for my Pillow by Robery Leckie and With the Old Breed by Eugene B. Sledge, with additional material from Red Blood, Black Sand by Chuck Tatum and China Marine by Eugene B. Sledge, as well as original interviews conducted by the filmmakers.

Obviously it is also based on the actions of John Basilone, who was the only enlisted Marine in WWII to be awarded both the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross. He really was that big of a badass. Don't believe me? Just read his citations

Medal of Honor Citation:

For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry in action against enemy Japanese forces, above and beyond the call of duty, while serving with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division in the Lunga Area. Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on 24 and 25 October 1942. While the enemy was hammering at the Marines' defensive positions, Sgt. Basilone, in charge of 2 sections of heavy machine guns, fought valiantly to check the savage and determined assault. In a fierce frontal attack with the Japanese blasting his guns with grenades and mortar fire, one of Sgt. Basilone's sections, with its guncrews, was put out of action, leaving only 2 men able to carry on. Moving an extra gun into position, he placed it in action, then, under continual fire, repaired another and personally manned it, gallantly holding his line until replacements arrived. A little later, with ammunition critically low and the supply lines cut off, Sgt. Basilone, at great risk of his life and in the face of continued enemy attack, battled his way through hostile lines with urgently needed shells for his gunners, thereby contributing in large measure to the virtual annihilation of a Japanese regiment. His great personal valor and courageous initiative were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.

Navy Cross Citation:

For extraordinary heroism while serving as a Leader of a Machine-Gun Section, Company C, 1st Battalion, 27th Marines, 5th Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands, 19 February 1945. Shrewdly gauging the tactical situation shortly after landing when his company's advance was held up by the concentrated fire of a heavily fortified Japanese blockhouse, Gunnery Sergeant Basilone boldly defied the smashing bombardment of heavy caliber fire to work his way around the flank and up to a position directly on top of the blockhouse and then, attacking with grenades and demolitions, single handedly destroyed the entire hostile strong point and its defending garrison. Consistently daring and aggressive as he fought his way over the battle-torn beach and up the sloping, gun-studded terraces toward Airfield Number 1, he repeatedly exposed himself to the blasting fury of exploding shells and later in the day coolly proceeded to the aid of a friendly tank which had been trapped in an enemy mine field under intense mortar and artillery barrages, skillfully guiding the heavy vehicle over the hazardous terrain to safety, despite the overwhelming volume of hostile fire. In the forefront of the assault at all times, he pushed forward with dauntless courage and iron determination. Stouthearted and indomitable, Gunnery Sergeant Basilone, by his intrepid initiative, outstanding skill, and valiant spirit in the face of the fanatic opposition, contributed materially to the advance of his company during the early critical period of the assault, and his unwavering devotion to duty throughout the bitter conflict was an inspiration to his comrades and reflects the highest credit upon Gunnery Sergeant Basilone and the United States Naval Service.

See what I mean, total badass. Now to answer your question in advance, yes. That's the kid from Jurassic Park in this mini-series. Strange to see him all grown up, isn't it?



And if you're a fan of Fringe, perhaps you should know that Olivia Dunham will be in this HBO mini-series. Yup, Anna Torv will be in this. Just read her interview from Esquire Magazine.. and then look at the pictures as followed as I couldn't help but put them into this blog post full of violence.

That sex scene in The Pacific? You don't get that on Fringe, do you? I don't think anyone finds them easy. It's not that I'm embarrassed about my boobs. It's just that some part of you really doesn't want that out there. At the same time, you want to get good at it. In the moment, what you're really thinking is, Shit, I need a mint.

I don't find guys nervous around me. But maybe guys don't talk to me if they're nervous.

They say Australians get that ten-yard stare. It comes from the land and the horizon. You can see all around you for as far as you can see. So you just stare. I do it all the time.

Sometimes there will be a line in the script and I just can't imagine saying it. I'll ask an American and they'll say, "Oh, yeah. That's how we say it." We just say things differently in Australia — like torch. I'd ask, "Can I have the torch?" It seems to fall flat when I say, "Can I have the flashlight?"

I don't go to clubs or places where people go to be picked up. But if I'm out, I usually sit at the bar.

If someone carries your bag out in Australia, it's like a favor. I always feel sick when I forget to tip the guy carrying it here.

It's a hard concept to get used to: If I pay you more, you do it better.

I just can't bear to swallow Vegemite, and I don't know how people do it. It's revolting. If you want to try something from Australia, go with Tim Tams. They're sweet chocolate biscuits.

So about that.. it seemed that the the interview sort of glossed the whole subject of The Pacific.. but as you can tell, it seems that her tits will be in this.. Oh yeah, and the actress too!


Great Googly Moogly!

Besides being thrilled to see the very much attractive Fringe star in the show, I'm also really thrilled about the idea of seeing this eventually on Bluray. I have to pick up the Band of Brothers Bluray sometime as I'm sure that's the only way I will be able to see the first episodes again. Fucking Matt.

I hear that the video quality is insane. Not to mention the fact that the Pacific theater will have a lot more open sky shots. That in itself makes my home theater shiver with anticipation. Oh yeah, don't mind me, I'm just going to lace Anna Torv's pictures along in this blog to brighten some otherwise dreary topics about war. If you don't want to be brought down to the realities of war, just look at the pretty pictures and keep your hands out of your pockets, misters... and misses?



While I have never been a soldier and never had the position placed where I have to kill the enemy, I don't know what that sort of feeling is like. The one thing I noticed about Band of Brothers was that the Germans were portrayed as impersonal automatons. They were Nazi's! That's all. So killing them was nothing of a big deal. Considering how the fighting in the Pacific were usually in smaller squads and were very up close and personal due to the caves and small islands to fight on, the presence of POWs would give the production room to show some interaction.

Compare the dynamics between Upham and the German soldier who was captured and released in Saving Private Ryan. Due to his morals and fact that he saw the enemy as an actual person, Upham prevented the German from being executed at first. However, this decision comes back to bite him in the ass when that very same German ends up killing Melish and then passes by Upham without worry before shooting Miller. In the end Upham finally realizes that the German is the enemy and executes him at the end of the fight.



That was one of the many things I think Saving Private Ryan was good. As well as the Normandy invasion. Though perhaps it will be a little odd to see the Pacific theater covered. We are going to see a lot more grittiness and how war really was hell. I think one of the main reasons that the pacific theater is often ignored is it's hard to deal with it without going in with the massive racism of the Americans, not that the Japanese were much better, but terms like Kraut almost seem affectionate compared to Jap or Nip.

Then we move past racism and go onto war torture. There is going to have to be at least one scene where a wounded Japanese soldier is having his gold teeth pried out by a G.I. while his buddies laughed. Yes, war torture is not a new thing by any stretch of the imagination. There was a fairly well documented accounts that American soldiers would collect the gold teeth that many Japanese soldiers had, often from wounded enemy soldiers as well as prisoners of war.



War Without Mercy: Race in the pacific war is an excellent book on this subject. Both sided dehumanized each other to the point that they both treated them like shit. The scene I just described was documented by war correspondents, and it was pretty bad. He just used his knife to cut them out of the poor guy who was just laying there from a belly wound.

From what I read, the tooth-removing scene is going to be in there and has been confirmed. What other instances will just balance it out some. One scene will have Sledge, as described in his book;

"As we moved past the defiled, my buddy groaned, "Jesus!" I took a quick glance into the depression and recoiled in revulsion and pity at what I saw. The bodies were badly decomposed and nearly blackened by exposure. This was to be expected of the dead in the tropics. But these Marines had been mutilated hideously by the enemy. one man had been decapitated. His head lay on his chest; his hands had been severed from his wrists and also lay on his chest near his chin. In disbelief I stared at the face as I realized that the Japanese had cut off the dead Marine's penis and stuffed it into his mouth. The corpse next to him had been treated similarly. The third had been butchered, chopped up like carcass torn by some predatory animal."

Yup, all that will be in there. Spielberg has put it that this will be in your face, just like if you were the marines fighting there.



Though people will be expecting stuff like that from the Japanese. I think it will really come as a shock to see the "Heroes" do that to the enemies. Even if they are "enemies", maybe this will change the tide in how the average person feels towards any one who comes from an Arabic country. I mean, yeah, Band of Brothers didn't have you see any of Easy Company shooting prisoners. It happened, only they left that for the French soldiers to do. Which really does make me wonder why we consider them cowards.

I guess you need to keep in mind that the European Theater and the Pacific were two completely different things. While the Nazi's were seen as evil and all that jazz, they were never demonized and dehumanized like the Japanese. I mean, do I need to say anymore than the dropping of the Atomic Bombs? That in itself was.. well, I think overkill would be an understatement.

I recall reading in The Fog of War that if the US would have lost, even after the bombs dropped, that the entire army command would have been put on trail for war crimes because of their actions. But I suppose that's the case in any war ever fought, right? Either way, even though we know the outcome and ending to this series already.. and in many instances you can guess the fates of the characters involved, I'm really looking forward to this new HBO mini-series that starts on Sunday.

Fringed

Fringed

Yes, it's Monday and you actually made it through the day. I know, Mondays are one of those things that just have to exist. It's the bane of everyone's existance but how else are you going to get the week started? Besides, you get a special treat tonight... an old/new episode of Fringe. Oh, I know what you're going to say.. You watch Fringe now? Yes, it may come to a surprise to some, but I've gotten into it a bit over the last week or two.

For the longest time I didn't give Fringe a shot. I would watch one or two episodes, but considering it has a large subplot running through it, I wouldn't really pick up much other than the monster/illness of the week story. Don't get me wrong, it was some what interesting, but I wasn't ready... to love again.



You see, I was a huge X-files fan. I own the series and have seen them at least 2-3 times each. So why while it comes to no surprise that I would be interested in Fringe, I felt that it was a bit too much like the X-files. Not only that but it's J.J. Abrams and I have a love/hate relationship with his work. Then you have to pay attention to the J.J. Abrams shows for patterns. This makes the second JJ Abrams related show in which a shape shifter steals an important character's identity. Someone should comb through old felicity episodes for clues.

Besides that, let's put it this way, I invested a lot into the X-files. It was a love affair.. one could say it was my first adventure into love. The love of the paranormal. I was a susceptible youth. Wide eyed and full of awe at the idea that we weren't alone, that big brother was out there and that I wasn't going crazy in thinking those thoughts about the strange underbelly of our world..



This love took me along on a fling that lasted 7 good seasons.. But then it got ugly. 2 seasons more were just heart breaking and emotional destroying times that I regretted.. but yet still had feelings for this show. 2 films later and I can finally have some closure on the relationship. It taught me and was my role model for a healthy relationship... which is probably why I screw up most relationships. I mean, seriously Mulder and Scully. All those years and you're worse than liberachy with keeping your emotions to yourself. Only to later donate sperm to have a kid? No wonder Mulder is in Californiacation. All those years chasing aliens and his sister would automatically cause Mulder to become a sex addict.

But don't you get it? Maybe I wasn't ready for Fringe because I'm wasn't ready to love the paranormal investigation genre again. My heart's still tender... And then you want me to get in bed with J.J. Abrams? I think my rocky relationship between lost becoming a shambles but Star Trek being an enjoyable romp in the Trek universe has left me.... confused to put it mildly. Is J.J. just that abusive ____friend who will treat me like shit but I'll keep running back to him for more? Didn't I get done with that after X-files? Am I just repeating the same mistake over and over again? The truth is out there...



But I did it anyway. Mainly because it was recommended by the lady and well, I wanted something new to watch after going through various other comical series. So now with this new episode that is shown tonight, I can say that I'm all caught up with the story thus far. I suppose that means I get to maintain a high nerd count in my genes.

I do have to say though, the thing about "The X-files" was that the series always made sure to keep Mulder and Scully isolated, so that their reports could always be dismissed as kooky nonsense. This could have been done to keep the budget lower and not need massive city wide special effects, but it did keep the idea out there that creepy things were on the verge of discovery and powerful forces were bent on their suppression. Opposed to creepy things being discovered and everyone just essentially shrugging their shoulders.



It does take away some of the "oh wow" factor when something like the multiverse shows up from your comic tales to the television screen and the fantastic just happens to seem mundane for the characters. It's sort of like in Buffy and Angel when the apocalypse would happen ever other week and normal people just went about their business. Not saying there's anything wrong with it, it's just an observation.

That's not to say that I'm not shocked by the show. I mean, think about Walter alone. I still can't get over how insanely evil it is to steal your own kid from yourself like he did. Walter is so deceptively charming and adorable, but he had to know how what he did would affect the other Walter because he himself was going through the exact same thing. But I guess it's also incredibly childlike in the sense that it's selfish in a way that doesn't consider the consequences at all, and kind of embodies a love for and dedication to Peter that's admirable like other things about Walter are indefensible but also admirable.



But I'm sure stealing Peter really fucked up that alternate universe in a major way that we'll see in the remainder of this season. Just think about Universe-B Walter. It actually makes perfect sense on who is going to wreck shit up. Who else would have the motivation to be going through all of this trouble just to fuck up our universe? He wants his son back. Our Walter opened a hole in a universe to replace a kid he lost. Universe-B Walter is probably willing to do the same to get his kid back. Plus, he's proably out-of-his-mind angry so he wants to wreck some hell on our universe for that action. And from a storyline perspective, it personalizes things and keeps it more interesting. As opposed to "generic war between universes".

Just think about what the clues were from season 1. Walter casually mentioned that he built the plug that closes dimensional gateways "to keep anything from coming back through" which didn't mean anything at the time, but indicates that he was probably afraid of his Universe-B self following him back over. The Observer did say that there's more than one of everything. Back in St. Claire's, he did start hallucinating of a malicious version of himself. But really, it's a foregone conclusion because the dramatic potential (and possibly comedy potential) of another Walter is too great, especially when the actor doing it is as good as John Noble.


But to add even more connections between the two, FRINGE is now filmed in Vancouver and it'l be interesting to see if they recreate shots in the actual locals of X-files episodes as they love to reference the old show. Just in the season opener you had a screen shot of an X-files episode in the background on a TV. Then you have the U.S. higher ups saying that the Fringe division was nothing more than a new name for that X titled department.

Just take a look at the picture above and the one below. Can you see where the picture in picture occurs? It doesn't take a team of paranormal activity detectives to figure out that they're at least tipping their hat to the old classic.



So maybe.. just maybe I am ready to love again. I don't know what these feelings are. A little excitement every time I see the show.. wanting to watch it till the wee hours in the morning? Surely these are all signs that this is an unhealthy relationship doomed to fail.. mainly because it's J.J. Abrams and it'll peter out by season 4, but I'll jump in.. I suppose. Don't hurt me, Fringe, I bruise easily.

Oh yeah. I didn't even touch on a Fringe worthy investigation. Why is it being shown on Monday night? It's a Thursday staple, right? Well, it seems that Fox is testing the waters to see if the lack luster enjoyment of Heroes can mean that moving Fringe on Monday as a lead in to 24 can be something that they can work off of. Which is odd because Monday night is already a pretty busy week night in terms of Television. Even odder is that this episode tonight is a left over from season 1. Production shooting laws meant that they had to produce one more episode than Fox was picking up for the season, so this one is going to feel very out of place. You better get the Fringe team on top of this one.

With that, let's take a moment to remember those that are no longer with us a season and a half later.. Yes, it's time to look back to the fallen characters of this show..


Goodbye Mr. Papaya. You truly are the friendliest of fruits.