Show Discussions open

Those of you who’ve been around since we started this show know that I’d implemented a plugin that automatically closed the comments form after 4-5 weeks, basically to save me from having to clean up as much comment spam.

With the newer and better comment spam filters out there, I’d been thinking about removing that plugin and opening up the comments for the older posts, since new listeners wouldn’t have a chance to comment on an older show they’d newly come across.

Note, I said “thinking about”. Oddly enough, a software upgrade has pretty much forced me to abandon that policy. The plugin doesn’t seem to be compatible with newer versions of WordPress. Interesting, that… it looks like it might be an SQL error from a database change, but it’s pretty much is a moot point now.

So, if there’s an older show you’ve always wanted to comment on, now’s your chance!

Happy New Year, folks!

KAMN Show #24: The Day The Earth Stood Still

Welcome to Show #24!

The Ninjas discuss the 1951 classic scifi feature, The Day The Earth Stood Still. Once again, the Ninjas disagree.

Both David and Joe were disappointed and displeased with the story, leaving Summer alone to defend it’s merits. She also adds a little bit more historical perspective, in terms of it being the film to create what would later become the “standard” for B-movies of the 50s and 60s, and also of it’s thematic message, especially given that Fox made this film in a political climate that was increasingly suspicious and fearful of everyone, and with a cast member who would later be blacklisted after this film’s release.

Listener Feedback: Give us some! You can leave comments here for the show, or at the Kick-Ass Mystic Ninjas Forum. If you want to leave a voicemail comment on anything we’ve discussed, you can call us at 206-666-5266.

Movies mentioned:

Promo: The Signal: Songs from the Black
Promo: Mighty Seek Podcast
Link: Wikipedia: The Day The Earth Stood Still
Link: IMDb Robert Wise

 

 KAMN Show #24: The Day The Earth Stood Still [54:30m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (6530)

Ninjas in Other Podcasts

Sheesh… I can’t believe I forgot to post this here.

Right after Thanksgiving, I chatted with The Lipstick Aliens, Show #13. They even stumped me with some trivia questions.

Check ‘em out!

A brief Kuato update.

Did the laxative on Wed. Went easier than I thought it would after what people told me.

Did the scope on Thursday. Don’t remember a thing. Gooood drugs.

Mass didn’t seem to penetrate the colon, but does invade the duodenum. I guess that’s where the stomach meets the small intestine. Screw it, if you’ve never heard of it, you don’t need it, I say.

The scope couldn’t go in as far as the doctor would’ve liked, due to the size of the tumor pressing against the colon. So, oh joy, I get to do a barium x-ray of the colon next week, to see what might have been missed. I’m going radioactive!

Show #24: Pre-show Discussion

Show #24 will be about the film “The Day The Earth Stood Still”.

This 1951 scifi classic often gets lumped in with “all those formulaic B-movies”, but this is the movie that inspired the tropes that were beaten to death later in all those B-movies. From special effects techniques to otherworldly sounding music, this is considered to be the movie that started the trend.

Definitely watch the 90min long documentary on the flip side of the special edition DVD. It’s not labeled clearly, but it features director Robert Wise, producer Julian Blaustein, and the biographer for composer Bernard Herrmann. I think it’s worth watching, moreso than listening to the audio commentary of the film.

KAMN Show #23: Gateway

Welcome to Show #23!

The Ninjas discuss Frederick Pohl’s award-winning novel Gateway. Published in 1977, it won the Hugo Award in 1977, and the Nebula and John C. Campbell awards in 1978.

Summer fesses up to not finishing the book before the discussion, but interjects some tidbits discovered during some web searches that she did after becoming impatient. Joe really didn’t like the book, and David was disappointed by how slow the book moves.

Everyone really enjoyed the idea of the Gateway premise, and the mystery behind why such an advanced race as the Heechee just vanished is intriguing, but compared to more modern stories where the reader is placed in the middle of the action and may or may not learn all of the backstory as they go along, the fact that it’s a setup story detracts from how well-written it is and how detailed the universe is.

Side comment: The Hugos are strictly SF, while the Nebulas can be either SF or Fantasy. For quite some time, I had the thought that since the Hugos were SF only, the Nebulas leaned more towards the fantastical. The list of winners of both awards kinda knocks my preconception out of the water.

Listener Feedback: There is no listener feedback. Blue Ninja sent in a message about the “V” discussion, incredulous that Joe could think people could behave so stupidly, but we pretty much covered that. Hey Blue, catch up!

If you have a comment on anything we’ve discussed, let us know! You can call us at 206-666-5266, or send an email and let us what you think.

Books mentioned:

Promo: Time Traveler Show
Link: Wikipedia: Gateway

 

 KAMN Show #23: Gateway [39:53m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (6721)

Another Kuato update

Just to give everybody a idea of what’s up.

I talked to the surgeon this past week, and we decided on a colonoscopy, and based on those results, determine whether to start with surgery, or do chemo first to shrink the mass. I’ll have the colonoscopy on the 21st (these docs are lightning fast, eh?) Won’t know more till then.

I just want to say thank you to everyone who called and emailed in. I haven’t you answered you all individually, but I have read every one and am very greatful for your thoughts, prayers, and advice and support. Really, you have no idea.

KAMN SE #1: Chat with Steven Gould

We have a special treat for you KAMN listeners — Steven Gould joins us to talk a little bit more about “Jumper”, his first novel and a recent Ninjas discussion feature.

Steven tells us how his novel landed on the ALA Banned Book List as one of the most banned books of 1990-1999, his thoughts on the movie adaptation that’s currently in production (what he’s able to tell us, anyway), and much more about the creation of “Jumper” and “Reflex”, and story writing in general.

A fun time, no doubt about it.

photo of Laura Mixon and Steven Gould from LocusMag

Link: Steven Gould
Link: Eat Our Brains: Group Blog

 

 KAMN SE #1: Chat with Steven Gould [25:54m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (6021)

Show #23: Pre-show Discussion

Show #23 will be about “Gateway”, by Frederick Pohl.

It’s a now-classic that won the Nebula Award in 1977, and the Hugo and John W. Campbell Awards in 1978. But it’s also the first in Pohl’s Heechee Saga, and you know how we can get about first books in a series.

Hope you’ve read up on it!