Archive for March, 2009

New Feed Address

Posted in Announcements on March 28, 2009 by Nick

I just wanted to let all the subscribers know (by my count it’s about fifty of you) that I’m moving the blog site onto the actual sliverltd site. 

So if you’re seeing this, you should redirect your browser to http://www.sliverltd.wordpress.com/feed/ and subscribe there.

New Website

Posted in Announcements on March 27, 2009 by Nick

This will be the last post through this particular website.

The new design will be implemented on April 1, 2009.  To see what it looks like, just go to www.sliverltd.com after that date.

Payment Renderred

Posted in Publishing on March 26, 2009 by Nick

I keep getting a lot of spam regarding tax help. On the radio it seems that every other commercial is about tax help. “Do you owe more than $10,000 to the IRS? Tax Consolidation of America can help!”

I’ve been paying taxes since I was 16 (earlier if I had claimed all those tips I got as a coat check and bus boy). I was unaware that you had a choice in the matter. I didn’t know you could just not pay your taxes. Is this really a huge problem for Americans? Since when do I get to pick and choose which bills to pay?

It reminds me of some comic stores I’ve given Tiny Life to. I use the word “given” because that is what I did; they still – four months later – haven’t paid me a dime.

Just because a doctor perscribes it, it doesn't mean it's good for you. A few years ago, leeches kicked ass.

Just because a doctor perscribes it, it doesn't mean it's good for you. A few years ago, leeches kicked ass.

Maybe I’m weird, but I figure that once goods or services have been rendered, I have to pay for ‘em. When I go to dinner, I pay the bill. When I get my car fixed, I pay the bill. I even pay the doctor when he tries to treat me with tons o’ drugs and I refuse. As a community, we have agreed that a doctor’s time is worth a certain amount; I have used this certain amount and therefore the bill must be paid.

The whole thing just reminds me of when my aunt and uncle (and sometimes my cousins) used to not pay bills because they didn’t like the result. One time they wouldn’t pay their credit card bill because the Beta-Max version of Wrestlemania they bought on it doesn’t work in their VCR (true story!).

Is the whole world full of people like my family?

I certainly hope not.

Ch. 2, Pg. 6 Inks

Posted in Art on March 25, 2009 by Nick

Well, I’m done with this set. Colacitti’s next 10 should be coming in just a few days. Then I can do some more.

click to enlarge

click to enlarge

Gift for Me (part 2)

Posted in Unrelated on March 24, 2009 by Nick

My hand is bonier and has ink all over it.

My hand is bonier and has ink all over it.

Several months ago, I wrote a post about possibly buying myself an iPhone.  If you talk to anyone with an iPhone (or one of its competitors), you’ll hear that it’s far from perfect.  But there are a few improvements that have just been made:

“Apple today announced that iPhone OS 3.0 software, coming this summer, will deliver 100 new features, including cut, copy and paste; MMS; landscape view for Mail, Text and Notes; stereo Bluetooth; Notes syncing; shake to shuffle; parental controls for TV shows, movies and App Store apps; and a new Voice Memo app.”

A lot of those things actually squelch a lot of the moaning about the iPhone’s “limitations” (seriously, is “The Motorola version has stereo Bluetooth!” a reason to buy a more expensive, less reliable cell phone?), but it doesn’t apply to my list:

  1. a 30 gig model to replace my iPod
  2. an external keyboard to replace my laptop
  3. a guarantee that it’ll work at my house

I read today that there’s a company working on an external keyboard (it was supposed to be out this month, but there’ve been setbacks) and I also read that there’s a very probably rumor Apple will be releasing a 32gig model this summer.

Looks like I might get me gift after all.

Chapter 2, Page 5 Inks

Posted in Art on March 23, 2009 by Nick

I took this picture at night next to my desk lamp.  I think it ended up looking kinda cool.  The last panel is very cartoony/realistic.

click to enlarge

click to enlarge

Facebook is Just Email… and Vice Versa

Posted in Unrelated on March 22, 2009 by Nick

I didn’t think I’d be ahead of the curve on this one (I’m usually behind when it comes to this type of thing), but I was right.  Facebook is just email.  And now email is trying to be Facebook.

This is my Hotmail home screen.  It used to say, "You have two messages!"  Now it says this.

This is my Hotmail home screen. It used to say, "You have two messages!" Now it says all this.

One of the (few) advantages of social networking sites is that you can let everyone know what’s going on without actually sending everyone an email.  You can also see what’s happening with everyone without actually receiving an email.  Both Yahoo and MSN are trying to faze this in to their webmail accounts. 

Now when I log on to my Yahoo or Hotmail account, I have a dozen “suggestions” on how I can make my “experience” better. 

I don’t need suggestions.  I’m not having an experience.  I just want to see if I won that Buddy Christ toaster oven on eBay.

What is it about this country?  We take a good idea and run it into the damn ground until no one can stand it.  It’s not good enough that we have one really good Coke.  We also have generally crappier Pepsi and RC and Faygo and Shasta and Red Rock and Ritz.  It’s not good enough that we have one really good iPod.  We also have the generally crappier Zune and Walkman and Zen and goGear and Sensa.  It’s not good enough we have Facebook.  We also have the generally crappier MySpace and Classmates and myYearboook and now Yahoo and MSN.  I don’t understand why we can’t leave well enough alone.  Why we can’t let the big dog win. 

Of course, I guess if we did, Marvel would be the only comic company in America.  So I guess competition is a good thing.

Ch. 2, Page 4 Inks

Posted in Art on March 22, 2009 by Nick

Every time I see heavy black on white, I’m always amazed at how good it looks.

2-4ink

click to enlarge

Blogging/BlackBoard

Posted in Unrelated on March 21, 2009 by Nick

Which one looks better?

I may have talked about this before, but I think I might move the entire Sliver ltd. website over to my blog site.

I just think it’ll be easier than continually trying to update my website from a dozen different places (some computers have GoLive, some have Dreamweaver, some have high-speed internet, some have high-speed but limited capabilities thanks to proxy servers, etc.).  With a blog, as long as you have a vague idea of what it’ll look like when you’re done, there’s not really a helluva lot left to do.  The only thing stopping me is the massive amount of information that I have on sliverltd.com and the incredibly slow internet connection I have in my home. 

I think I’m only seriously considering changing over because they’re trying to push each teacher to have a website (at least where I work).  They’re pushing BlackBoard on us.  If you’ve never used BlackBoard, consider yourself lucky.  It’s basically a very slow, confusing, ineffective way to design a website.  I used to say, “BlackBoard: where turning in a paper is a baffling ordeal.” 

There’s nothing that’s currently done on BlackBoard that can’t be done on Blogger or WordPress or a dozen other blogging sites.

Hell, it’d be better to use Facebook.  At least the kids check that.

Chapter 2, Page 3 Inks

Posted in Art on March 20, 2009 by Nick

I’m in a hurry. I’m a bit behind since I had to letter and print preview copies for the SPACE con next month.

So. Here.

click to enlarge

click to enlarge