Linkdump

Want.

Betelgeuse may have exploded already.

Oh look, 10 places I don't want to visit.

You know this will happen.

Pike Place Market 1908. Now that I don't live near Seattle any more, I want to go visit and be a tourist.

Ah, the perils of posting your images to the internet.

No, really, Whose Line is it Anyway?

Another case of a photographer being harassed in the misnamed and poorly executed "war on terror".

Ouch ouch ouch.

Basement Cat bites it.

Pug for the in-laws.

Random Thoughts Continued

In memory of Leah Adezio, who baked a birthday cake for Aqualad every March 6th, I've continued the tradition. I think Leah would have enjoyed being remembered with a birthday cake devoted to Aqualad.

Galaxion updated, and there's a little extra something on the forum that Tara doesn't want you to go see.

New Supergirl Costume Design.

Mike Sterling has described the evil comic shop, which all comic book fans have been in at least once. And usually only once.

Unfortunate match up of Shazam! Monster Society of Evil and 52.

Artist Ryan Kelly is cleaning out his old artwork, and offering it to fans if they make a donation to his site.

Movies based on comic books are based on comic books, not graphic novels, and we should be proud to be fans of the form instead of embarrassed by it, so says Mike Gold.

A set-back for creator's rights?

Oh... Osvaldo Cavandoli, 1920-2007. I certainly recognize La Linea.

The strangest level of Counter-Strike ever made. I mean, really, Hotel Fawlty Towers?

We have started in on this year's set of Girl Scout Cookies. While my favorite type is the Tagalongs, hubby-Eric loves Thin Mints. We got a box of each type this year, most of which went into the freezer. I was asked to try the "Little Brownies" by some friends, as they are sugar-free. My initial reaction? Ok, but too dry.

On the topic of food, here's a way to communicate menus in condiments, used by the Waffle House.

Charles Bonnet Syndrome. It's D*mn Interesting.

Mel Gibson made a one-frame appearance in this Apocalypto trailer. I would make you watch it to find it, but instead, here's the screen grab:

I still don't have any need to see the movie, though I think I'd sit through it before I'd sit through some of his other movies.

Snow from Boiling Water.

A very strange comparison of private versus socialized health care. I've always been pro-universal health care, but right now, as I go day to day without any insurance, I'm even more for universal health care than I used to be.

Speaking of health, there's a way to find out if medicine will work for you, but most doctors don't use it, and insurance won't cover it. The technology has "the potential to significantly reduce the 2 million hospitalizations and 1 million deaths caused by adverse drug reactions every year". Isn't that a good enough reason to give it a shot?

Slate argues for the release of Holocaust Archives that have been closed since the War.

Boing Boing shows an anti-anti-piracy ad. As long as the companies that distribute movies and music treat their customers as de facto criminals, piracy will grow.

Oh No! There's a pug in Get Fuzzy!

Linkdump

Oh man, it's so hard dealing with new technology (YouTube link). Go, look. Do you have that problem with opening it? Via Tara Tallan (read Galaxion!).

Comic Book Resources chats with Phil Foglio about the web success of Girl Genius.

Rob at The Aquaman Shrine interviews Norman Alden, the voice of Aquaman in the first few seasons of Super Friends.

Polite Scott provides us with Valentine's Cards from the Legion of Doom and More Valentine's Cards from the Legion of Super-heroes.

John Barrowman & Ruthie Henshall - "Anything You Can Do". Get that gal on Torchwood. Via (postmodern barney). There's a longer clip of backstage stuff with more of John Barrowman, including a bit with Russell Davies, here.

If you want your blood to boil, read some of Lea Hernandez' recent entries about how her new house is coming together... or not, as the case may be. Why do people feel it's ok to steal from someone who already lost everything?

That didn't take long: processing keys for Blu-Ray AND HD-DVD extracted by hackers. Companies waste millions of dollars on trying to create hacker-proof DRM, when they should by figuring out how to make profits in the new paradigm. It's possible, but they're too stuck in the past to adapt to reality.

Stupid cats: Worst Turn Signal Ever and Monorail Cat Animated.

ThoughtsALot

Journalista has a bit of a comment about on-line comics...

The notion that the Internet might be the saving grace for serialized comics is actually fairly well-entrenched, at this point. In fact, they’ve already demonstrated the potential to not only assist in marketing but actually exceed and replace the profit once earned by comic books. Creators like Carla Speed McNeil and the Foglios turned to the Web because most comics shops are too focused upon servicing the desires of thirty-year-old Wolverine fans to be of much use to anyone else.

A person who is saavy with the net and can build a decent website can promote their comic with considerably less cost and frustration than dealing with the monopoly of Diamond Distributors or the razor-thin margins of comic shop owners struggling to survive in a tough market. Presenting a collection of an already popular comic for sale will make more money in the end than attempting to put out single issues and being crushed by the realities of the market. That's all presuming you have a product that is good enough to find a readership.

On that note, I just want to point out that Galaxion has just started a new story over on GirlAMatic. Pages will update every Tuesday. Put it on your weekly checklist.

Crime and the Comic Book Shop.

Lost Girls banned in Canada. Well, at least Customs won't let it in.

Shrek the Halls. Hmmm. Could be fun.

Strange Maps.

Awwww... Cute!