In what was probably the most bizarre moment of Elena Kagan’s confirmation hearing, she was asked to weigh in on the pressing issue of Edward vs. Jacob.
Full Story »How to Make a Desktop Pirate Treasure Chest
by Amy Ratcliffe Have you ever longed for a place to store your office plunder? Maybe you need to hide your prized colored paper clips or your thumbtacks with kitty faces from sticky-fingered co-workers? Well, fret no longer. You just need a miniature pirate treasure chest to adorn your desk. Related Stuff:
Full Story »Book Review: Burlesque Paraphernalia
I found it rather enlightening reading Burlesque Paraphernalia and Side Degree Specialties and Costumes. The book is a reprint of a 1930’s DeMoulin Bros. & Co. catalog featuring devices and contraptions specifically created to shock and prank (and shock some more–almost all of the pranks advertised in the catalog feature some sort of electrical charge).
Full Story »True Blood: It Hurts Me Too
John asked, “Does this episode seems boring to you?” I agreed. Right then, Bill and Lorena got on with their hate sex and things got weird.
Full Story »Do We Need the Feds Running Our Online Data?
Am I the only one who thinks thinks the White House’s proposed online ID strategy – the National Strategy for Trusted Initiatives in Cyberspace – is a really bad idea?
Full Story »Geek Theater: The Little One
by Teresa Jusino – For a play whose playwright and director bill as a “horror” play, The Little One wasn’t terribly frightening. Granted, I was always a little unnerved whenever one of the vampires in the play would snap a human’s neck, and Patrick Shearer’s sound design would kick in, forcing me to rub my neck in sympathy with every CRACK. However, I was never afraid. Perhaps casting it as a “horror” show is simply meant to attract lovers of that particular genre, but I never once feared for any of the characters, or for my own well-being. Lest you think this is a criticism of the piece, it isn’t. I just didn’t get that fright was really the point of this story.
Full Story »In Defense of Comics. . . Again
by Teresa Jusino – I say “again,” because it seems like all geeks do is argue for the legitimacy of the art forms they love. Comic books, and sci-fi and fantasy anything are mostly considered lowbrow pop culture save a few begrudging exceptions. I bring this up, because I just read an article on the Mother Jones website that tries to make the case that current box office numbers are suffering, because people over 30 are going to the movies in dwindling numbers, and that this problem is caused because Hollywood films have gotten too juvenile.
Full Story »A Post-Apocalypse Survival Primer
The more I read about the oil spill and the effects it may have, the more I feel it’s necessary to start sewing my apocalypse wardrobe. It’s the kind of atmosphere that has me eying leather goods at the thrift shop. Luckily, I’ve seen enough post-apocalyptic movies to get a sense of what I can expect and what I need to know.
Full Story »Being in the 501st & Building Armor
by Amy Ratcliffe The 501st Legion. The name has a ring of awesome and elite. In the Star Wars universe, the legion begins as a superior unit of clone troopers selected by Emperor Palpatine during the Clone Wars. At one point, they were Darth Vader’s personal unit. The name actually came first in our universe [...]
Full Story »Can’t Stop The Serenity: Five Years of Being Mighty
By WorldofHiglet – Over the next few weeks, 42 cities around the world in the USA, Canada, UK, Germany and Australia will be celebrating the 5th Annual Can’t Stop The Serenity (CSTS). CSTS is a global fundraising event where people gather to watch Joss Whedon’s film, Serenity, on the big screen, and take part in activities such as auctions, costume competitions and music.
Full Story »The Remake That Just Won’t Die
I am, of course, talking about Footloose. I hoped it would disappear when Zac Efton dropped out of the project. But, here it is again with a director and a cast.
Full Story »True Blood: A Vampire Martha Stewart
Am I the only one who was tickled by vampire cuisine? Carbonated, cruelty-free blood with citrus notes. Rose petal infused blood bisque. Blood sorbet. And here I thought vampire cuisine was all about biting the necks of free range humans. I wonder if the king’s consort has considered putting out a Martha Stewart-esque lifestyle quarterly.
Full Story »Syfy’s The Phantom
Well, this is awkward. I’m in a position wherein I have to say something nice about Syfy. Why? Because Syfy has managed to do something. . . wait for it. . . good.
Full Story »The Smurfs Movie: Not Very Smurfy
Why, Hollywood? Why? Why are you putting the Smurfs in the company of such live action/ animated atrocities as The Chipmunks and Garfield and Marmaduke? WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO THE SMURFS????
Full Story »Nosedive’s The Little One: Rewriting Vampire History
By Teresa Jusino – Two years ago, I interviewed director Pete Boisvert and playwright James Comtois about their theater company, Nosedive Productions. Today, Nosedive’s 10-year history is littered with all manner of comic book, fantasy, and horror stories. Comtois’ latest play, The Little One, opens TONIGHT, and hopes to take the vampire myth into some exciting new directions. I recently had the chance to talk with Pete, who is directing The Little One, about how far Nosedive Productions has come in ten years and how this show, which is the company’s largest endeavor to date, will propel Nosedive into the next ten years.
Full Story »Comics: Adam Wreck and the Kalosian Space Pirates
As a kid, one of the worst things in the world was going on road trips with my parents. Dear god, the boredom of sitting in the backseat for hours listening to the same Debbie Gibson tape over and over again on the Walkman. The highlight of any childhood road trip was running around in manic circles in a Burger King parking lot while Mom looked pissy and Dad searched the car for his lost bottle of Rolaids. I imagine it’s about that bad for Adam Wreck, the titular character of Adam Wreck and the Kalosian Space Pirates
Full Story »Comics Round-Up: Week of 6/9
by Teresa Jusino – It wasn’t a stellar week, but it wasn’t bad. Also, not very many new titles caught my eye…but the one that did? LOVED it. Lastly, even though I’m not giving it its own review this week, I just have to say that I’m completely head-over-heels for Bobby Drake in Ultimate Spider-Man. If he were around when I was in high school, I would totally have wanted to make him my boyfriend. And with that, here we go…
Full Story »True Blood S3: Bad Blood
Ah, Sookie. You’re the protagonist of this whole thing. Why do I have so much trouble with you? Perhaps it’s because you are so inconsistent. Of all the characters on True Blood, she is the most poorly defined, and seems to switch personalities faster than Jason switches sex partners. She loves Bill, she despises Bill, she loves him again, but not really. She’s strong, intelligent, and has a backbone of steel, or she’s a ditzy girly-girl thinking about nothing other than her romance with Bill.
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