Blackwolf the Dragonmaster's Diary of Magecraft

Being a Chronicle of the Inner Secrets of, and Spells of Magick as Wielded by, the Philosopher of the Internet and Unofficial Sorcerer-in-Residence of the City of New York

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Location: New York, New York, United States

As New York's Unofficial Wizard, my mission is to encourage the Mortals of Manhattan to imagine responsibly!

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

A Few Guest Blogs, A Milestone, and the End of a Bookstore

Before we begin today, Mortals, the inevitable has at long last reached Time Warner Center as well as Madison Square Garden: Borders Bookstores has placed itself up for liquidation, and accordingly will begin shutting down its Penn Plaza and Columbus Circle locations here in Manhattan.

Several other Borders bookstores across the nation will also close their doors forever, thus ending the story of Tom and Louis Borders, and how they transformed a minor book-selling establishment in Ann Arbor, Michigan into the nation's second-largest bookseller chain. But the Internet, the increasingly powerful mania surrounding the e-book and other factors were things they could not use to their advantage; thus, a celebrated book legend will be shelved for what may well be the last time. Alas, dear Mortals, the power of reading is becoming taken advantage of for no good reason. Was it not Spielberg, dearests, who said that only a nation of readers can inspire a generation of writers?

Something worth thinking about, dear children.....

But enough for the moment, as far as lamentations go. There is a milestone to be shared here, and for that aspect of our blog for this day, I turn things over to our dear and ferocious Blackbeard. Take it awa', if thou wouldst, dear Capitaine.

Thank'ee, Blackwolf lad. As fer ye, bilge rats: Blackbeard, the Most Dangerous Pirate on Earth 'ere. Now shut up an' lissen:

26 accurs'd an' dusty years ago, I became Corporate Mascot and Principal Spokespirate fer a modest li'l hinterprise named Electric Pirates Entertainment. By ye same token, thanks ter its Commodore, one Richard Washington by name, I didst join up --- regrettably, at first, mind ye! --- wi' that fraternity ye landlubbers call ye Goode Guys. Aaargh!

In them dark early days, Mr. W and me, we thought we were the only Pirate Lovers left on Earth, sez I. Then one, two, three or maybe four miracles happened: The first was a movie called Cutthroat Island. The second was a little magazine named No Quarter Given. The third: Cap'n Jack Sparrow and company, them o' Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. And last but definitely not least, Cap'n Slappy an' Ol' Chumbucket, Foundin' Buccaneers o' Hinternational Talk Like a Pirate Day! The efforts and tales told by all these scurvy dogs helped Richard n' me sail through loads n' loads o' ruff waters; and I wants ta take a moment to say thank'ee and fair winds to alla ye landlubbers what made our first 26 years of Electric Pirates Entertainment possible! Aargh! Now it be my turn ta shut up, as I sense the presence o' a weird swab all in red; doubtless he wants ya to know a few things, too.

Your introduction, Captain Blackbeard, was rather silly, but it obviously served its purpose. Greetings, my minions-in-the-making! Lucifer, Prince of Darkness here, a/k/a the Devil, sending you oh so icky-poo Mortals my usual frowny-faced greetings from my Throne Room O' Doom, where, as usual, I shall sneer at you and laugh my nasty laugh! But first: I am, I must admit, a rather happy camper of sorts as I sit here on my custom-upholstered Throne O' Doom. For heatwaves are being reported both in New York and Los Angeles.

Sweat is fun. It's also juicy --- but only if you can properly handle it. It takes a true villain to properly appreciate 90-plus and 100-plus degree temperatures; and I'm giving New Yorkers a heatwave like they wouldn't believe! Hence, my nasty smile! I'm always at my best when 100-plus degree temperatures on both sides of the Continental U.S. get me in my usual nasty-smiling mood.

Enough gloating for now, though. Time for you, dear future minions, to tremble before my Throne with the usual mixture of awe, as I laugh my nasty laugh:

Bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!
Bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!
Bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!


There, that's that. You may now resume control, Dum-dum.

(Don't tell anyone, but your dear Dragonmaster gets a kick out of having the ol' Devil call me 'Dum-dum'. I've always thought it was quite ticklish!)