Interesting Bits XI

Everybody been good? Good. Lots of interesting things going about on the interwebs this week. Want to know how I do this real quick? From my Feed Reader I bookmark different stuff. Now, depending on how busy my week is and how quickly I crank this thing out is how full the bookmark folder gets. This week? 76. Heh. I open all tabs, sort and go from there. See? You learned something new and highly inane today.

Women I Love to Love

Tonight is the premier of Joss Whedon's Dollhouse. If a resume including: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel & Firefly on TV and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Alien Resurrection & Serenity in movies weren't enough for you...ummm..it's got Eliza Dushku in the lead roll.


As my favourite Slayer on BtVS I've watched almost everything Eliza has been in from Bring it On to bad The New Guy to the worse Tru Calling. She's lovely and has a real je ne sais quoi.


I'm troubled that the show is going to be on Fox (I know I'm not the only one who's still bitter about what they did to Firefly) rather then Sci Fi (where it would be given a proper chance), but hope springs eternal when it come to Whedon projects for me. Make sure and check out the pilot tonight at 9 eastern 8 central. If you wish to peruse her entire body of work the Internet Movie Database is always the best place to start.


For some of my favourite galleries with Eliza Dushku please check: here, here, or here.

Heidi (Mrs. Seal aka Ms. Auf Weider Zane) Klum is in this month's GQ from Germany.


Not bad for a 35 year old mother of two, huh?


Also, Megan Fox came to some child's house for the Make-A-Wish Foundation to play video games. I commend the child's choice, but I probably would've picked a hula hoop game or something that involved strenuous movements on Wii.


Lastly, how did I miss this promo shot for the new season of Battlestar Galactica? Katee Sackhoff is just fun to look at for me.


Politicians

A happy 200^th birthday to our 16^th President, Abraham Lincoln. The inventor of the emoticon. You only thought Lincoln was ahead of his time before this, but this document of a speech in 1862 has recently surfaced.


See the lil wink emoticon after his joke?

Greatest politician ever? Nikiski, Alaska has the awesome sense to have an assemblyman named…

Gary Superman.

I dunno about you, but this is easily one of the best things I’ve read this week, just for the name of the headline alone. “Superman Not Pleased With Borough Mayor.” All I can think about is heat-vision or a super-powered flick to the head (promptly causing said mayor to hit escape velocity).

Our Sad World

A recently un-ex-communicated Catholic Bishop has made headlines lately. And boy is he showing how grateful he is to the Pope for bringing him back into the fold. Bishop Richard Williamson has recently denied that the Holocaust ever took place. I shit you not. From Reuters:

"Bishop Richard Williamson is a member of the ultra- conservative Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX). In late January, Pope Benedict XVI decided to lift the excommunications of four members of the SSPX, Bishop Williamson among them. Just days prior to the retraction of his excommunication, Bishop Williamson said on Swedish television that he didn't believe the Holocaust took place and said that between 200,000 and 300,000 Jews died in Nazi concentration camps instead of the commonly accepted 6 million. The resulting scandal has led to doubts about Benedict's leadership of the Catholic Church, though Benedict last week demanded that Williamson recant his statements."

Check out an interview with the Bishop at Spiegel Online.

It's shit like this (and the 500 year too late apology for the Inquisition) that makes me consider myself a recovering Catholic. Sorta like an alcoholic, just because you stop drinking doesn't mean you aren't an alcoholic. Just because I don't go to church anymore doesn't mean I don't want to. I was brought up in the church and childhood teachings (brainwashings) are the hardest to shake.

Also on the sad world front comes this lil jewel:

"Brazil has called in the Swiss envoy to discuss an alleged skinhead attack near Zurich on a pregnant Brazilian woman that caused her to miscarry twins."

Sometimes I really doubt we'll make it as a species, but things like this give me hope...

Greatest Geek Samaritan

From Sir Steve's Guide:

"Josh "Tycho" Weisleberg has been part of the SirStevesGuide.com community for well over a decade, starting not long after I launched the site. Josh was first known for his newsletters regarding the world of Star Wars comics and books (as well as a die-hard toy collector and diorama builder) until an inherited kidney disorder put him in a coma for months and his longterm health took a sharp turn. So he put aside the newsletter to concentrate on dealing with his health, keeping active in the forums, and eventually even writing a book, while waiting on the donor list for a new kidney. It took the generosity of a fellow Star Wars fan, nearly 3 years, dialysis, and one disheartening false start, but as of February 3rd, 2009, his transplant was successful. The donor (or should I say hero) in this is Barry "bobafrett" Benecke. Barry gave the greatest gift one can give: life. Barry, a father, Star Wars collector, and member of the 501st Legion with several costumes, had never met Josh in person before but they were both active in the Forum. The need for donor kidneys is enormous in this country, there is a kidney waiting list of 90,000 people which had greatly limited Josh's chances, and when his health took a fast downturn in 2006, Barry felt compelled to help out a buddy in such dire need and offered to donate his own kidney, and it's simply amazing that everything worked out. I know there had been ups and downs, Barry had to undergo test after test to ensure that he was a good match, take time off from work, his family feared that he might not survive the kidney donation surgery, plus there were several trips from Barry's hometown of Chicago out to San Diego, all to help out a fellow Star Wars fan. Barry, you are truly a special person! "

A special thanks to Topless Robot for bringing this story to my attention. I truly needed it after those last two.

Talent

Having done a slew of book covers, Magic the Gathering cards and various other projects, Dan Dos Santos has truly outdone himself on the new Patricia Briggs, Mercy Thompson novel, Bone Crossed.


Please check out the review at Bitten by Books (cheap pop since I review for them as well and have reviews for her first three Mercy books forthcoming). The saying is, 'Never judge a book by it's cover,' but you can fore go that in this instance. Patty Briggs and Dan Dos Santos together make one excellent book.

News of the Weird

"HONG KONG (AFP) — A Hong Kong filmmaker aims to lure audiences back to the cinema with what what he says is the world's first 3D erotic movie, according to a newspaper report.

Stephen Shiu Jnr., chairman of One Dollar Production, said he would use special effects to make the love scenes in his 30 million-Hong Kong dollar (four million US) "3D Sex and Zen" as realistic as possible."

3-D Porn?!? What I'm wondering is why no one has ever done this before? They would seem to go together like a hand in glove or a condom on a...well, you get the picture. Of course it brings up the question of how inadequate some men will feel when the lead actor's schlong isn't only larger then yours, but it coming straight for you!!!

Geek Apparel

I gotta have it. It's been a personal motto since I first learned it. "Oderint Dum Metuant" was basically the only good thing Emperor Caligula introduced to the world. Translated from the Latin, 'Let Them Hate, Provided They Fear.' Now it's on a shirt I must own from Jinx. Purveyors of fine geek apparel.

Funny Bits

Yet again, Robot Chicken out does itself. From an Italian opera written about Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. You're right, that alone is funny...this however takes it a step further.

Everyone try to have a safe, happy and loving Friday the 13^th. Oh yeah, try to make the best out of Valentine's Day too ;)

Interesting Bits of the Day II

This is my (hopefully) weekly post on things I found of interest while sifting through the minutia of the interwebs....


It appears that all wasn't sweetness and light between the McCain and Palin camps during their recent failed attempt at the nation's highest office. In today's LA Times article it appears what some news outlets are calling "Fashiongate," (gods the American media is witty, isn't it?) was one of the main sticking points. A RNC lawyer was told to go to Alaska and inventory the clothes still in her possession and then to retrieve them. These clothes, reportedly in excess of $150,000 shot Palin's image of a Good Ol' Girl Hockey Mom in the ass.
"Fox News reported Wednesday that Palin's lack of knowledge on some topics also strained relations. Carl Cameron reported that campaign sources told him Palin had resisted coaching before her faltering Katie Couric interviews; did not understand that Africa was a continent rather than a country; and could not name the three nations that are part of the North American Free Trade Agreement -- the United States, Canada and Mexico."
Not to mention she couldn't get the really tough question right. My personal favourite that she missed of 4 separate tries interspersed between several months, "What does a Vice President do, Gov Palin?"
If this lady (I use this term in it's loosest sense) makes herself the senior senator from Alaska lots of people are going to be most unhappy. Not to mention John McCain.


Also in election news, Jon Stewart had Fox News anchor Chris Wallace on The Daily Show last night. To say it was uncomfortable is putting it mildly. Uncomfortable, but funny as hell.



Now, on to the lighter side of the webs. Via Den of the Geek the writer of the article handicaps the "Who Will Replace David Tennant on Dr. Who?" The contenders run the gambit from front runners David Morrissey (5/2 odds) & (my favourite) Paterson Joseph to long shots Wanted's James McAvoy & Hugh Grant . The article goes on to mention the pros and cons of these 4 and 9 others. Although Tennant told BBC Breakfast on the 3^rd that he doesn't know what he's going to do: ‘I had a meeting with Steven (Moffat)and that was difficult because I love his writing,’ he went on to state that, ‘Now I know some of his ideas I was tempted to change my mind. Who knows what might happen in the future? The door isn't necessarily closed forever.’ So, this may all be academic.

Ready for Joss Whedon's new show Dollhouse? Fox announced today that it will be premiering Feb 13, 2009. It seems as though Fox already has it in for the show since it's putting it on it's lowest rated night as it did with Whedon's acclaimed show Firefly. The lead in will be Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles which wouldn't be terrible if this were last January, but Terminator's ratings have dropped off by a third this season. The trailer appeared today on Sci Fi.com's Sci-Fi Wire:


Via Topless Robot:
You Don't Know the Deliciousness of the Dark Side

Finally, it appears. Kevin Smith's Batman 3 part miniseries Batman: Cacophony seems to be finally becoming a reality, or at least the first 6 pages are. Check 'em out at MySpace.

In shows I can't stop watching news:

"A fan site for Alexz Johnson has confirmed the Canadian pop singer and actress will play Saturn Girl in an upcoming episode of Smallville, written by Geoff Johns. The episode, titled “Legion,” also features Cosmic Boy and Lightning Lad. The three come from a future where Clark is the greatest hero.“Legion” is scheduled to air on Nov. 27 on The CW.

Wrapping up, in comic book stores today, A Tribute to Michael Turner came out. An 80 page $8.99 comic with benefits going to The American Cancer Society and The Make-A-Wish Foundation. On June 27^th Mike Turner died of complications from chondrosarcoma a bone cancer that attacks cartilage. He was only 37 years old. Mike had already had a surgery to remove a tumor in March of 2000. It cost him 4 lbs. of bone from his right hip. Before this, besides being a comic book artist, Mike was a competion level water skiier and 3^rd level red sash martial arts instructor.

In 1995 Mike became co-creator on Top Cow Comic's Witchblade. A few months earlier in 1995 I had started managing a comic book store and selling original comic art. One of the owners, Phillip, arranged for comics legend Bernie Wrightson to come in and do a signing on Saturday. Now, Phillip was in Dallas because there was a teeny tiny convention up there that he was selling art at. He was driving back to Austin to pick up Bernie after the signing and take him up to Dallas to sit at our table and sign there for the Sunday part of the convention. This left me in charge of the signing. I had never met Bernie, nor organised a signing before, nor taken care of a "Legend's" ego. Shockingly, the signing came off without a hitch. To reward me Phillip decided to take me to Dallas with Bernie for my first convention.

We arrived at the hotel and got up at 6 AM for the show (okay Bernie got up at 11). I was underwhelmed to say the least when we got there. The convention "hall" was half the size of my high school basketball gym. Bernie was the only artist in sight and there were more dealers than fans there. We suffered through most of the day hardly making enough money to pay for our hotel rooms when Phillip tells me to take a break. I had brought along my sketch book from the previous day so that Bernie could finish the sketch he started for me. Since he had tons of time he had finished it hours earlier, and since the rumour was that there were other artist there I decided to rome around with it. While going out to have a cigarrette I happened upon this young guy by the door. He was at a folding table saying hi and smiling at people as they came in. I didn't think anyone knew he was an artist because A) he was so young (24 at the time) and B) he was wearing a name tag that said, "Hi. My name is: Mike," and C)he was so friendly. I only noticed because he seemed out of place and I saw the pens and sketchbook.

I went out to have the cigarrette first, but stopped by his table when I came back in. I asked him what he had worked on since he was only 3 years older than me, and he told me that he was the penciller on Witchblade...had I seen it? Seen it? Seen it??? I pimped that book so hard when it had come out we had to reorder it 3 times. I was completely blown away by the art in it. Was there any chance he was doing sketches?
He give me a huge smile and said, "yeah, I'm supposed to be, but you're the first guy to ask me in the 3 hours I've been here.
"I was gonna try and charge people $20 per sketch, but I'm so glad to be doing one that yours is free."
I told him that no, this was my first show, but I knew that this was how they made spare money. He wouldn't take it. We argued nicely for a few minutes before he said, "Let me do the sketch. If you like it, you can pay me."
He opens my book and since I had just bought it the week before, Bernie's sketch is the first one. "When did you meet Bernie Wrightson??"
"Yesterday when he did a signing at the store I manage. We drove up here together. He's at my table sketching and signing stuff."
Mike flipped. He was so excited. He asked if I would introduce him. It was so funny because he was so serious about it. I told him that it wasn't a problem and we went over.

After the show was over and Mike had finished my sketch (he never did take my $20) we all went to dinner. Just my boss Phillip, Bernie Wrightson, Mike Turner and me. No matter how bad the convention was I'll never forget it, and I'll never forget meeting Mike Turner. He was such a down to earth genuine person. Reading the remembrances from his friends, apparently that held true his entire life.