Smallville is the best dramatic adaptation of a comic book to ever appear on TV. Don't hate, appreciate.

Just started watching it again a few weeks ago after missing the latter half of the first season and the first half of this season and what they've managed to develop over that time makes for one of the most engaging shows out there. The overlay of teen angst and trials of adolescence breathes a life into the Superman mythos that has never been present in its other incarnations. I'd always found him one of the most boring comic book characters out there but, for once, Clark Kent's humanity outshines his indestructibility and actually makes him interesting. Knowing the ultimate fate of the major characters makes some of the smallest moments absolutely heartbreaking. Last night, Clark and Lana almost kissed and the intensity of the moment, knowing they'll never actually get there, nearly killed me. I love this show.

I remember when USA Today first started publishing. McNews they called it, with its color pictures and sound bite news coverage. We used to take whole stacks out of the machines, sell them and use the money to play video games til our thumbs cramped up. My favorite day was Wednesday when they'd publish the Nielsen ratings. I was a total geek for that stuff, tracking the performance of my favorite shows like it was baseball. Smallville is the WB's best rated show.

I've decided I want Ruben to get voted off American Idol tonight. America deserves a Clay/Josh finale and I'd hate to see Ruben tainted by facing either of them at the end and losing. Bad enough Kelly Clarkson is tied to the hip with that Justin idiot. Ruben deserves better and I want my Wednesday nights back! And I want to smack the shit out of Randy and Paula when they give their shocked little looks when it happens, reminding them it's their fault for encouraging Josh this long when they know damn well he should have been gone weeks ago. Jive Talkin' indeed! As for Clay and the hip shaking? Yuck! That's all I have to say.

Hater alert: I don't give a damn where Michael Jordan goes from here. He failed miserably in management, proved himself a mere mortal with his unsuccessful comeback attempt and still stands for nothing other than himself. For all the people that give Tiger Woods flack, why has Jordan always been given a free pass? Fuck him and his overpriced, sweatshop-made sneakers!

loudpoet.com UPDATE: Did some more work on the site this weekend, including a new black & white photo gallery, courtesy of Angel Thomas. Check it out.