In the year 2525

Press Release: Hobbit steins by Tavern Craft

Glasses Feature Deep-Etched Artwork of The Prancing Pony™ & The Green Dragon™

SAN DIEGO, CA (July 7, 2010) – Taverncraft, a subsidiary of 3 Point Entertainment LLC, today announced the debut of a new series of premium-etched glassware based on the literary masterpieces The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Available both as a 16 oz. pint glass and a large 25 oz. glass stein, each high-quality drinking glass is deep-etched with iconic artwork featuring two of the most popular Middle-earth taverns, The Prancing Pony and The Green Dragon. Perfect for everyday use or gift giving, these dishwasher and freezer-safe glasses are available now at hobbitsteins.com for August shipment.

"Through our popular line of stoneware steins, Taverncraft has built a reputation for both product quality and artistic integrity," said 3 Point Entertainment President Jerry Bennington. "Our steins featuring The Hobbit are wonderful collectibles and perfect for special occasions, but we also wanted to add some items for everyday use. These premium-etched glasses maintain that same level of quality but are also ideal for use just hanging out with friends, sipping cold drinks on hot summer nights."

Pint glasses are packaged in 2-glass sets and retail for $29.99 plus shipping and handling. Each 25 oz. glass stein is packaged individually and retails for $29.99 plus shipping and handling. Additional information, images and ordering details are available at hobbitsteins.com http://hobbitsteins.com .

Is Your Credit Card Coded Into Your Hotel Key Card?

No.

This is the email making the rounds today, that I received.

Always take a small magnet on your holiday, they come in handy at the end of it.
Thought you all needed to know this

This is pretty good info. Never even thought about key cards containing anything other than an access code for the room!

HOTEL KEY CARDS
Ever wonder what is on your magnetic key card?

Answer:
a. Customer's name
B. Customer's partial home address
c. Hotel room number
d. Check-in date and out dates
e. Customer's credit card number and expiration date!

When you turn them in to the front desk your personal information is there for any employee to access by simply scanning the card in the hotel scanner.. An employee can take a hand full of cards home and using a scanning device, access the information onto a laptop computer and go shopping at your expense.

Simply put, hotels do not erase the information on these cards until an employee reissues the card to the next hotel guest. At that time, the new guest's information is electronically 'overwritten' on the card and the previous guest's information is erased in the overwriting process.

But until the card is rewritten for the next guest, it usually is kept in a drawer at the front desk with YOUR INFORMATION ON IT!

The bottom line is: Keep the cards, take them home with you, or destroy them. NEVER leave them behind in the room or room wastebasket, and NEVER turn them into the front desk when you check out of a room. They will not charge you for the card (it's illegal) and you'll be sure you are not leaving a lot of valuable personal information on it that could be easily lifted off with any simple scanning device card reader.

For the same reason, if you arrive at the airport and discover you still have the card key in your pocket, do not toss it in an airport trash basket. Take it home and destroy it by cutting it up, especially through the electronic information strip!

If you have a small magnet, pass it across the magnetic strip several times. Then try it in the door, it will not work. It erases everything on the card.

Information courtesy of: Metropolitan Police Service.

In actual fact, this is an urban legend.

Here's what Snopes says:
http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/hotelkey.asp

Nevertheless, if it makes you feel better, use that magnet! ; )

Toy Story 3 - It's a must see

I was initially reluctant to go see Toy Story 3. Toy Story 1 and 2 are two of my favorite films (and Buzz one of my favorite characters). In Toy Story 2 it is established that Woody is "an old family toy" so there's no way in Toy Story 3 that Andy's mom would let Andy get rid of him, even if Andy so desired.

But, as is made clear in the first 5 minutes, Andy doesn't desire. Woody is going with him to college (even though he hasn't played with him in years), and the other toys are going to go into the attic until Andy's return. (Molly can't be more than 10, but apparently she isn't interested in playing with the toys, either

In any event, Andy puts all the toys but Woody into a garbage bag, which he intends to take up to the attic. But he's distracted, his mom finds the bag, and thinking it's garbage, gives all the toys within to a local daycare.

Woody, who has seen all, tries to persuade the toys that it was an accident, but the toys think Andy has abandoned them, and decide to remain at the daycare. The problem is...everything at the daycare is not as it should be...

This is a heart-warming movie, with some real chills. The ending (prior to the anti-climactic ending which will perhaps have you in tears) is extremely chilling - my heart was in my mouth! The messages of Toy Story I and II are present here as well - friends and "family" (family in the widest sense of that world - friends are family) must stay together. All for one and one for all.

Despite the poster, Bo Peep is not in this film. One wonders if the actress didn't want to reprise the role, or the writers realized there was no room for her. Woody's anxiety is between leaving Andy, or leaving his friends "as a group," with no siren call of Bo Peep's love to get in the way of the message.

The shots of Buzz in Spanish mode, so annoying in the trailer, actually make perfect sense in the movie.

Barbie meets her Ken in the movie and is swepot away...but turns out to be a true blue friend in the end as well.

Blake Clarke takes over from the late Jim Varney as Slinky Dog and does a good job, Wallace Shawn returns as Rex, Don Rickles as Potato Head, Estelle Harris as Mrs. Potato Head, John Ratzenberger as Hamm.

Again, highly recommended!

Greatest American Hero Marathon on SciFi right now

Or SyFi as they seem to prefer to call themselves. It's probably a more appropriate name for the channel, since they seem to focus more on horror than science fiction and have done for many years.

I can remember watching - and being disappointed by - The Greatest American Hero when it first came out. I was a fan of Robert Culp, and so watched the pilot episode with expectation, but William Katt's Ralph Hinkley character was sooooo inept...and I don't think he ever became ept throughout the three seasons. (Granted he lost the instruction manual...well, if you're a hero you go out and practice flying for a couple of weeks til you get the hang of it, you don't spend three years flying crooked or upside down because you don't know what you're doing!)

As a matter of fact, I didn't even realize it had run for 3 seasons. I thought at most it could have lasted for 1.

I also hadn't realized the series has been available on DVD since 2006.

In any event, it's a bit of nostalgia for the early 1980s (1980-1983) and I'm glad the SciFi channel is showing it and introducing it to a new audience. Just wish they'd show some other classic SF series, like Roddy McDowall's The Fantastic Journey (which unfortunately only lasted for 8 episodes), or some classic Irwin Allen like Land of the Giants or The Time Tunnel. (I've got The Time Tunnel on DVD, but Land of the Giants is not available and that annoys me!)

SciFi Air Show

scifiairshow.com/ is the url of this must visit site.

From their website:
The SCI-FI AIR SHOW’s purpose is to preserve and promote the rich and varied history of Sci-Fi/fantasy vehicles. Through display and education we seek to celebrate the classic design and beauty of these ships and the rich imaginations that created them. When the cameras stopped rolling, many of these proud old ships were lost and forgotten. Please join us in working to keep these rare and beautiful birds soaring!

Watch Darth Vader's Younger Brother Chad in Action in Hit Web Series

Received this Press Release today
www.babelgum.com/chadvader.

BABELGUM ACQUIRES ENTIRE LIBRARY PLUS ORIGINAL EXCLUSIVE EPISODES OF HIT COMEDY SERIES “CHAD VADER”

Content Live from Today on the Digital Broadcast Network’s Comedy channel
www.babelgum.com/chadvader.

LONDON / NEW YORK (June 24, 2010) -Independent web and mobile video content platform Babelgum announced that it has acquired the complete library of Blame Society Productions’ original, hit comedy series’ “Chad Vader.” Producers and directors Aaron Yonda and Matt Sloan will also be creating exclusive original episodes to air monthly on Babelgum’s Comedy channel starting today.

“We are very excited to add ’Chad Vader’ to our Comedy library. The series itself has been an internet phenomenon, receiving more than 80 million views. Now it can continue to grow through our vast global network of rabid comedy and sci-fi fans," said Amber J. Lawson, Publisher of Babelgum’s Comedy channel. “We look forward to supporting Blame Society Productions as they continue to create hysterical new content that will evolve the show’s brand.”

“The fan response to ‘Chad Vader’ has been amazing and we're happy to be working with Babelgum to be able to reach an even wider audience,” said Aaron Yonda. Matt Sloan added, “This partnership is giving us a great opportunity to expand the world of Chad Vader and create some exclusive new content that you can't find anywhere else.”

“Chad Vader” features the adventures of Darth Vader's younger brother and his comedic struggles as the Day Shift manager at the Empire Market grocery store. He clashes with customers, tries to earn the respect of his employees, and occasionally incorporates dialogue and concepts from the historic franchise.

Since it was first created in 2006, “Chad Vader” has become a viral sensation, quickly becoming one of the most viewed series on YouTube. In addition it has won more than a dozen film festival awards, including the "George Lucas Selects" award from the 2007 Star Wars Fan Movie Challenge. It has gained huge popularity from a global audience and was translated into 6 languages, including Portuguese, Spanish, French, Chinese, Hebrew and Lingua Franca Nova.

Both Yonda and Sloan also appear in the series as the lead characters. Sloan provides the voice of Chad Vader, which led to other voiceover roles, including providing the voice of Darth Vader in the LucasArts’ videogame “The Force Unleashed.”

In addition to “Chad Vader,” Blame Society Productions will also be rolling out episodes of the show “Celebrity Bric-A Brac” on Babelgum.

Starting June 24, viewers can begin watching “Chad Vader” on www.babelgum.com/chadvader. “Chad Vader” will release an exclusive episode each month on Babelgum.

X Men Blah

I had never seen the first X-Men movie until today. (The only one I ever saw was, I think, the 3rd one.)

And, I appreciate that it's a 10 year old move and was a success at the time of its release, but I thought it was terrible. For one thing - the costumes were lousy. Why make them all wear black leather instead of blue and yellow, to brighten up the screen?

WHy was the screen so damn dark all the time. Now - that might be my TV, but I susspect it was intentional by the fimmakers. Trying to give a "dark cast" to the film by using actual darkness instead of in other ways.

And the characters. Blah blah blah.

The problem with this film was the problem with most super hero films - instead of putting the teen age students in actual situations, they are plunged into a plot where they have to save the world. Too overbearing. (Frankly, considering how many films pander to the teenage audience - for example the live action Thunderbirds film, I'm surprised that the X-men weren't portrayed as teenagers, but rather as adults in sexy black leather uniforms.)

Psycho celebrated its 50th anniversary release date...

Roger Hall allowed The Thunder Child to reprint his article on the 50th anniversary of the release of Psycho: June 16, 1960

http://thethunderchild.com/Music/PsychoAnniversary.html

Roger Hall is the editor of the Film Music Review, and wrote this article. It appears here:

http://www.americanmusicpreservation.com/Psychofilmscore.htm

Drunk, speeding and texting

I live in what I've always thought of as a sedate town home housing area in York County, VA. This morning at 9.30 while I was making my first bike ride of the day, I found this scene of carnage.







As far as I could make out, it had happened only a half hour or so earlier. A young woman (from North Dakota!) had been drunk, and was speeding on this residential road, and was texting, when she rammed at what looks like full speed and did the following damage. (She herself was unhurt, and there was no passenger in the car.)

You can't see the people in the background, but apparently two of the three destroyed cars belonged to them. That'll teach you to park both your cars side by side!

Mr. Limpet on at 10 pm?

In honor of the 100th birthday of Jacques Cousteau, every Friday TMC is showing ocean-themed movies - starting at 6 bloody pm. Big whoop.

Tonight at 8 pm is Around the World Under the Sea, starring Lloyd Bridges, and at 10 pm - 10 pm! - is The Incredible Mr. Limpet starring Don Knotts.

Now, it seems to me that The Incredible Mr. Limpet, with its animated sequences, is pretty much a children's film and should be shown at 8 pm, with the other one 10. Seems silly to me...

Pipped at the post...again! The Big Bang Theory T-shirts

For a couple of days now I'd been planning on creating a web page featuring the T-shirts worn by Jim Parson's character, Sheldon Cooper, in The Big Bang Theory.

Well, before I could get started, I found this site, which has already done it:
http://www.sheldonshirts.com

And they've done me one better - or, hell, many orders of magnitude better - they provide links where you can actually buy the shirts featured - probably the same places where the warddrobe folks at TBBT get the shirts.

They also have photos and links of where to get Leonard's shirts, which rather than superheros are focused more on molecular design.

There are also quotes from Dr. Sheldon Cooper.

A very fun site - check it out.

Big Bang Theory Ringtones

Only one at the moment...

Someone on YouTUbe posted that they wanted a ringtone of Sheldon saying "No one calls me Moonpie but Meemaw."

I recorded the file, but now can't upload the link there.

So, I'll put it here, even though it wont' do any good for the poor schmuck at Youtube who wants it.

Also, it's a WMA file instead of a MP3 file - anyone who wants it will have to convert it using one of the many applications that allow you to do this conversion.

http://volcanoseven.com/Moonpie.WMA

What I Could Have Been, sung by Lynn Thigpen

A very powerful song, and relevant to minorities and women in the States up until the late 1970s...

Now, the only thing holding them back is themselves...

Peter Wyngarde narrates Sea Borne Treasure

It's a 6 minute doc, filmed in 1967, about the collapse of the Sea Gem oil rig in the north sea.

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=82016

Interesting to listen to.

Jose Feliciano Sings the Star Spangled Banner

Marvin Gaye

Gigantic footsteps found in sand at Santa Monica Pier

Surfers, tourists, and local Los Angelenos alike were stunned yesterday morning by a rather HUGE mystery: the discovery of 15 foot long footprints in the sand at Santa Monica Pier!

A local fisherman was perhaps the only person who caught a glimpse of the creature responsible. “Everything started shaking,” he said. “Then I saw this thing. Bigger than any whale…eyes dark and menacing, teeth as big as the poles under the pier here.” Police are cautioning people not to panic, and to be careful not to fall into the deep footprints on the beach. Residents and tourists are wondering what kind of monster could be responsible for footprints so massive.




Some people are suggesting that the footprints belong to none other than King Kong, who has been making his way through Los Angeles en route to his new home at Universal Studios Hollywood. Last week, Kong wreaked havoc at Dodgers Stadium by marking up the baseball field with his gigantic footprints, similar to the ones found at Santa Monica Pier. King Kong will be headlining King Kong 360 3-D, the brand new, revolutionarily interactive attraction designed by esteemed director Peter Jackson, and it’s possible that Santa Monica Pier was just his latest stop on his journey to Universal Studios Hollywood.

Random Thoughts

I see Rue McClanahan died today.

I always liked her. It's hard to say that I liked her on the Golden Girls - I liked her acting in that but I didn't really care for the character...

So Betty White is the only golden girl left....

On another note, just read an article today about the fact that BP is hiring owners of luxury yachts to help clean up the oil spill on the surface, rather than professional fishermen whose livlihoods have been destroyed by the spill. This makes no sense to me, in particular because I would have thought that EVERY bloody boat in the adjacent area would be at work, regardless of whether it was a pleasure yacht or a fisherman's boat or what have you.

But perhaps BP thinks that because they're going to have to pay these fishermen gazillions of dollars in lawsuits, why pay them more now?

I think this accident is going to put paid to offshore drilling on the US coasts, which is a pity, because obviously if the drill had been in closer waters, where it could be gotten to more easily, this leak probably could have been capped long ago. As it is, the result is the same, oil arriving on the beaches - not to mention killing or causing to suffer millions of animals and birds.

Close Encounters of the Third King, for Christmas

What Would [Your Hero] Do?

A few years ago, I bought a Captain America comic that featured a new Captain America in training. I'm hazy on the details now...either he was Havoc training to be Captain America, or he was one of several aspiring men, one of whom was going to be chosen as the new Captain America.

In any event, some crooks get away with a crime, so this guy steals an exo-skeleton, goes to the crooks hideout, and beats them up and turns them over to the police. Something of that nature.

The next day, the entire recruiting class is summoned, and a government official says, "Okay, which one of you stole the exo-skeleton?" Our hero thinks for several minutes. He knows no one can prove he took the exo-skeleton. He also knows that if he confesses, he'll be kicked out of the program...goodbye to his dreams of being a superhero. He thinks... "What would the real Captain America do?" And then he stands up and confesses to having stolen the Exo-skeleton.

Contrast that to what we've got today. Politicians caught dead to rights with money in their freezer, or taking drugs, and they deny that they've done it, and when it's proven that they've done it they deny that it was illegal. (Worse, for some of 'em, despite their felony record, they are relected by the people!)

Then we've got athletes. Floyd Landis, yesterday, who for four years has sworn up down and sideways that he never cheated, yesterday admitted that he cheated and not only that, but accused Lance Armstrong of cheating also.

Jose Canseco cheated, but apparently he confessed without prompting, and of course wrote that book in which he accused quite a few people of also taking steroids. All of whom denied it, all of whom were later proven to have taken it. [Such as the idiot Rafael Palmeiro, who so stridently denied taking steroids and condemning those who did. The next day, practically, it was proven that he'd taken steroids.]

Then there's the case of Marion Jones, denied taking steroids for years, even though her dirtbag of a husband "outed" her - finally, yes she did take steroids.

Such people do not deserve our sympathy, our admiration for finally telling the truth. Invariably, they only tell the truth when they are forced to, not because it's part of their inner morality to own up immediately to what they've done.

Then there's the case of the two Minnesota football players fighting their suspension for violating the league's drug policy. Oh, they took the drugs all right, but they don't think the NFL has the right to punish them! I say, anyone who violates the league policty - first time - banned for life.

Sad days, when kids look to athletes as "role models" and see nothing but preening prima donnas who are absolutely the worst role models a kid could have. But they sure can't look to politicians as our role models... not even Barack "yes, President Caldron, critizize our country all you like, and how did you like the Ipod Igave you full of my speeches?" Obama!