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!

Smaug the Magnificent Tankard - Pre-Order Now! (Press Release)

FIRST STEIN IN NEW THE HOBBIT™ DRINKWARE LINE NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER

Taverncraft Introduces Two Versions of the Smaug™ the Magnificent Stein

SAN DIEGO, CA (May 20, 2010) – Taverncraft, a subsidiary of 3 Point Entertainment LLC, today announced that they have begun accepting pre-orders for the first stein in their ongoing collectible drinkware series based on the literary masterpieces The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Smaug the Magnificent, illustrated by premier fantasy artist Matthew Stawicki, is presently available in both Epic and Legendary editions, both with special pre-order pricing. Additional details are available at www.hobbitsteins.com http://www.hobbitsteins.com.

"As lifelong J.R.R. Tolkien fans, everyone at Taverncraft worked hard to ensure the stein truly honored the characters," said 3 Point Entertainment President Jerry Bennington. "The artwork on Smaug the Magnificent, which shows the dragon Smaug in his lair with Bilbo, beautifully captures both the danger and excitement of the scene. It's a great stein to kick off the line-up, and one we're sure fans of Middle-earth will be incredibly excited to add to their collections."

Each Smaug the Magnificent stein stands over 10” (25.4 cm) tall and is handcrafted from authentic fine-grain stoneware. The steins feature panoramic bas-relief sculpting and a sculpted pewter lid featuring the legendary "One Ring to rule them all." The Smaug the Magnificent Epic Collection Stein is available through June 30, 2010, at a special pre-order price of $99.99, while the Smaug the Magnificent Legendary Collection Stein is available through June 30, 2010, at a pre-order price of $149.99. The Smaug the Magnificent Legendary Collection Stein is limited to 999 worldwide, features an 18K gold-plated "One Ring" lid and hand-painted gold trimming throughout the image and handle. Also included is a certificate of authenticity hand-signed and numbered by the artist.

The Smaug the Magnificent stein is expected to ship in September, 2010. Additional images and information, along with ordering details, are available at www.hobbitsteins.com http://www.hobbitsteins.com.

A Great Mother's Day Comic from Brewster Rockit

Dragnet 1967: The LSD Story

Hulu is a site that hosts lots of classic TV shows, which you can view for free.

I thought they'd have the original Dragnet (black and white eps,) but these are from 1967 with Frank Gannon.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/501/dragnet-the-lsd-story#x-0,vepisode,1,0

1967, and concerned with LSD. 43 years later... there's much worse things to worry about... would that more people back then took these shows to heart!

From Forry Ackerman to Orson Welles: The Views and Reviews of Steve Vertlieb

The Thunder Child is proud to announce our new pubishing venture, Sacred Poet Press, which is an ebook-only press at the present time.

http://volcanoseven.com/SacredPoetPress

The first offering in our pantheon is a collection of the works of Steve Vertlieb, entitled From Forry Ackerman to Orson Welles: The Views and Reviews of Steve Vertlieb.



All of the work below either first appeared at The Thunder Child science fiction and fantasy webzine, or was reprinted there with Steve's permission.

If you don't have a Kindle (currently the only format where the book is available), you can download a FREE Kindle emulator:

Kindle emulator for the PC
http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=kcp_pc_mkt_lnd?docId=1000426311

Kindle emulator for IPod and Iphone
http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&ref=kcp_pc_ddp_dtl&docId=1000301301

Kindle for Blackberry
https://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=klm_lnd_dtl?docId=1000468551


TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgements
Introducing Steve Vertlieb
Reminiscences
1. The Most “Famous Monster” of Them All: A Personal Remembrance of Forrest J. Ackerman
2. A Chip off the Old Bloch
3. How I Met the Blob
4. The “Milk” of Human Kindness
Tributes
1. The Gentle Monster – The Life of Boris Karloff
2. Vampire in the Shadows – The Life of Bela Lugosi
3. Xanadu: A Castle in the Clouds – The Life of Orson Welles
4. Time After Time – The Life of Miklos Rozsa
6. Between This World and the Next – The Twilight Zone
Documentaries
1. Under The Stars of Egypt: The Making of Kreating Karloff
Reviews
1. Movie: The Dark Knight
2. Movie: Peter Jackson’s King Kong
3. DVD Release: Peter Jackson’s King Kong Revisited
4. Soundtrack CDs: Tribute Film Classics: Mysterious Island, Fahrenheit 451 and “Walking Distance”, Varese Sarabande’s North By Northwest
5. Documentary: Music for the Movies: Bernard Herrmann
6. Soundtrack CDs: Monstrous Music: The Blob and The Intruder
7. Soundtrack CD: Howard Shore’s Return of the King
8. Rock Musical CD: Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds
Interviews
1. The Thunder Child Interviews Steve Vertlieb
2. The Return of Steve Vertlieb: The Thunder Child Interviews Steve Vertlieb Again

What we need to learn from history: 400 years ago

I just saw an editorial cartoon in which two Native Americans confront a male and a female Pilgrim and say, "No passport? No Green card? You can't enter our country."

And that refrain is a typical one, I'm afraid. "We stole this land from the Indians, so what right do we have to try to keep people from Mexico, Central America, and any other country, out of our country? (And, of course, what right do we have to expect them all to speak English?)

Here's the thing. 400 years ago, the Native Americans consisted of thousands of tribes, most of them - not all, but most of them - hating each other and warring against each other. They could not - and did not - secure their borders. Result - all the Native Americans have left of their land is reservations, where they dwell in poverty and drunkenness.

What is the lesson we need to learn here? That after 400 years of owning this land, we Americans - people born here in those 400 years, and those who immigrated legally, are in danger of losing that land to new invaders.

These new invaders don't have the guns or technological superiority (except the drug cartels, of course) what they have instead is the "R" word. Try to keep them out and it's "Oh, you're racist."

No, we're not racist. We just can't afford to let people in here overwhelming our welfare system. We're already bankrupt!

Everytime you read about the problem with illegal immigration, the "mainstream" or "lamestream" or "driveby" media always, always, calls it "immigration." They never mention that what Arizona and other states are trying to fix is "illegal" immigration.

Frankly, it is because there are so many illegals in this country that actual citizens, of Latino and Hispanic heritage, get such a bum rap. The illegals are a slap in the face to those indviduals who came to this country legally and did everything they were required to do to gain citizenship. Then we've got these illegals who just waltz in, and expect, and are, put on the welfare rolls immediately. Oh, yes, there are pockets of resistance - but those people who try to fight back are labeled racist, and their efforts are doomed to failure.

The US is teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. We need educated, productive immigrants coming here - people who won't immediately go on welfare and never get off. People who will learn our language - that'd be English - to make it easier for them to succeed. We don't need people who have no education, no desire to learn English, to come here and get on our welfare system.

Don't get me wrong. Who wants to live in Mexico? Or Central America? Nothing but grinding poverty and dishonest politicans - worse than our own politicians. I don't begrudge people who want a better life.

But I don't want my country dragged down to Mexico's level of poverty because we didn't secure our borders. Let's help them *in their country* and keep them out of ours until they have the education and knowledge to be worthy to come here.

In the early 1900s the US was wide-open. Anyone who was willing to work with their hands was as valued as those who could work with their brains. That's no longer the case. Now, we need brain work.

We need to stop the invaders. If we can't, we probably won't end up like the Native Americans, living in our own little reservations. What we will end up like (and by we I mean the middle class, the people who do all the work in this country) is slaves who do the work while the poor live comfortably in their houses with their perks.

(How do I know this? You should keep up with what's happening in Haiti. Everyone who was hurt in the earthquake is getting free healthcare and free food. So, other Haitians, who weren't hurt by the earthquake, are now moving into the "tent cities" in order to get all this free stuff. Human nature.

Meantime, the UN, with funds given to them mostly by the US, are spending $400 million a year in Haiti. Of that, $39 mil goes to the Haitians, the remainng $371 mil goes to the salaries and perks of the people there.

There's something wrong with this picture.

The US is bankrupt. It's time we stopped throwing money away on other, poor countries with crooked politicians, and kept the money in our country. Yes, our politicians are crooked also, but not as egregiously as everyone elses.