Goodbye Shea, Goodbye 2008 Mets

The plus was that I made it to Shea Stadium one last time, and took Batya.

The minus is that my wonderful team got a runner to third with no outs three times and managed to get one lousy run on a based loaded walk. If you can't score when you get that kind of opportunity, you aren't going to make the playoffs. So I think the season is about to end after all, and that the Mets really just don't know how to win when it matters most. I know it's just a game, so I usually don't get as bent out of shape as most fans, but then I was never there to see such things in all their painful glory.

China Launches Third Manned Spaceflight

About an hour ago, China's Shenzhou 7 spacecraft lifted off with a three man crew. The mission will include China's first spacewalk.

While I continue to have almost no respect whatsoever for the regime that runs China, at the same time as a space enthusiast I have to applaud the efforts of the Chinese people to take their next step towards the stars, with the hope that someday the US and Russia and China and the EU and the rest of mankind will make that journey together.

If anyone can find a link to video of the launch, please let me know. It was a nighttime launch, and was supposed to be broadcast live for the first time as well.

Depp, Depp and More Depp

Disney announced yesterday that Johhny Depp will be taking over the studio.

OK, not really, but they did announce he would:

1) Return for a fourth PotC film (presumably without Orlando Bloom or Keira Knightley)

2) Play the Mad Hatter in a Tim Burton-directed stop motion animated version of Alice in Wonderland. (Sorry, Bat-fans, he's not playing THAT Mad Hatter.)

3) Take on the role of Tonto in a new Lone Ranger film to be produced by Jerry Bruckheimer

The first is no surprise. Depp loved the part of Capt. Jack Sparrow and the money on the first three films was too good for Disney not to look for a fourth. There is still a lot left that could be done with Jack, but he'll need someone interesting to play of off. Maybe they can get Geoffrey Rush back?

The second was rumored for months. It's a Burton film, and Depp is Burton's go to guy. Which doesn't mean that Burton will succeed where so many others have failed in making a good film of Alice. (You know you aren't doing well aside from the Muppets spoof of the story, the only thing you ever saw in an Alice film that you liked was Sammy Davis Jr. as the Cheshire Cat.) I also expect Burton will be forced to use far too many name actors in bit parts, the downfall of the last two major made for TV versions. Still, it's Burton and Depp. And I'd bet it's also Bonham Carter as the Red Queen before too long.

The last? I suppose that in the right hands (which are usually not Bruckheimer's), a revisionist Lone Ranger might work. I just don't know if anyone really cares. And if you have Depp as Tonto, that precludes a Lone Ranger who's much younger. Since they haven't cast a Lone Ranger or hired a director yet, it's way too early to say.

If nothing else, though, we can look forward to seeing Depp having all sorts of fun in a role we already love him in, a role he was born for, and a role that could be anything.