Month: May 2007

I just received some spam:

Are you smarter than a Fifth Grader? Get $1,000 VISA Card!

Please, the way the credit industry works, I’m surprised they don’t hand out credit cards to every fifth grader on the first day of class.

Oh, and it wasn’t like there was a link to an online quiz where you could prove you were smarter. No, it was just phishing for personal details…which even a fifth grader should be smart enough never to send.

Spam survives because it’s very cheap to produce and because a few people are very naive or gullible. It does not survive because spammers are smart.

So 28 Weeks Later, which I saw this afternoon, manages to be even more disappointing than Spider-Man 3, even though my expectations going in were not anywhere as high. I don’t think I’m jaded when it comes to horror movies, since I don’t actually watch all that many, but I didn’t find this one genuinely frightening most of the time. Bloodier than the original, almost definitely, but by no means better, or even as good.

This one gets off to a decent enough start, then throws in some vague hints at social commentary, but it almost immediately becomes one extended chase sequence. Or, rather, a not terribly extended chase sequence, since it’s all over relatively quickly, and it never feels like all that much is at stake. Besides, of course, the survival of a couple of people we never get to know terrifically well. And whereas the first film made some really effective use of seemingly deserted London streets, this one seems so determined to best those shots at every turn — empty countrysides, an abandoned Wembley Stadium — that it all starts to feel a little gratuitous. (As does the setup for the, I’m sure, inevitable next sequel.)

So far, my summer movie viewing isn’t off to a terrific start. Even the trailers at today’s show looked exceptionally lame*.

* With the possible exception of the Fantastic 4 sequel, but, given how lame the first movie was, I’m not holding out too much hope.

The Friday Random Guess 10:

  1. Does she make you think nasty thoughts
  2. I’m twenty-two now but I won’t be for long
  3. Why don’t you just go ahead and turn off the sun
  4. Let me cross a very fine line
  5. Remember, slower pizza’s more luscious
  6. I wrote her off for the tenth time today
  7. I’m twenty-two now but I won’t be for long
  8. Chips, chips, du-du-du-du
  9. Couldn’t split up Tango and Cash
  10. Lost between tomorrow and yesterday

You know how this works, right? There’s still plenty left from last week, if you need a referesher course. As always, good luck.

Oh, and despite all appearances, #2 and #7 are actually two completely different songs. It’s only random luck that they both came up in the same playlist. No need to guess which is which, obviously.