[  Mood: Happy ]
[  Currently: Watching Law & Order ]
The sixth book of the Dresden Files finds Harry doing a favour for the White Court vampire Thomas. He ends up trying to track down who is bumping off the women close to a porn director. He ends up dodging Black Court vampires, helping Murphy negotiate a family reunion, rescuing some tibetan Dogs and getting involved in White Court vampire politics. Along the way he learns somethings about his mother that are surprising and give the series a nice boost.

Jim Butcher has given another solid entry in his series. A good ride and fun time.

I have ordered the next one from the library.

[  Mood: Silly ]
So last night, Husband Unit and I trundled off to Centrepointe Theatre to see Canadian musical comedy group, the Arrogant Worms.

It was their annual spring concert in Ottawa. Since they come from Kingston, which is two hours down the highway from Ottawa, they play here every year in support of the Ottawa Folk Festival. And I go see them. Joe just got jealous.

The opening act was the Good Lovelies and they made everyone laugh and clap, but then the Worms came out to entertain and sign four or five songs before intermission. Then they came back after the intermission and did even more songs.

And, this is the part where Joe gets jealous again, they did some new stuff. Apparently a new album is due out in the fall. They may have taped some of this live in Kingston in February.

The New Stuff
"Big Box Store" is a rant about the Walmarts/Costcos of the world, where everything is made in China and the workers come from Mexico.

"Hollywood Girl" about young Hollywood starlets. This was the most sarcastic and mean song I have ever heard the Worms do, with lines like "Is she a model? Is she an actress? Is she a singer? Is she a matress?"

"If I Were Prime Minister" song about how Canada would change if Trevor was elected Prime Minister of Canada. Lots of booing when he said the Leafs would always win the cup. Cheering when he said that appointment to the Canadian Senate would be based on trail by combat.

"I’m Concerned About the Boy" song about Mike’s son who is three, plays with trucks, which he then puts dresses on. I may have the title wrong.

"It’s All About Me" sung by Chris where, it’s all about him.

Old Stuff
A bunch of the standbys. Like
"Celine Dion"
"I Am Cow"
"The Mounty Song"
"Rocks and Trees" – I got to be a rock!
"Last Saskatchewan Pirate"
"We Are the Beaver"

Wierd Stuff
1. Chris kept getting shocked by his mike. It was either static electricity or he was being electrocuted. And given how he dances, anything is possible.

2. During the song "Carrot Juice is Murder", we held up our cellphones as lighters. One of the volunteer ushers came over to chastise us. "It can be distracting, you know!" Given that she was a grey haired granny, it came off as scolding from a kindergarten teacher. But don’t worry, we got our own back. During "Rippy the Gator", we directed our chomping to her.

Overall, a great concert. A good time was had by all.

Michael Moorcock offers this moving, heartfelt eulogy for his friend Arthur C. Clarke.

Moorcock on Clarke was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

[  Mood: Cool ]
[  Currently: Eating Breakfast ]
So as I was crashing around the kitchen this morning, I actually looked down and registered that I had put on my "Joss Whedon is My Master Now" T-Shirt, which made me think of my "Han Shot First" T-Shirt.

Now this got me off onto my stream of rant about that change in Episode IV. I ran through the fact that Han is a black hat. He is a good man that has been turned bad by life. He is a survivor, as the scene shows. And in the Jungian archetypes that Lucas admits he based the whole story one, that fits.

To me, Episode IV is far more about the redemption of Han by Luke, and not in a slashy way, than it is about anything else. It is Han’s friendship with Luke that redeems him, making him willing to risk his own skin at the end, and not go pay off Jabba, to save Luke. It is not, as some people would have you believe, the love of a good woman.

This friendship further pulls him into the rebellion, making him stay longer, and sets up the whole bounty hunter thing for Episode V. It is also the friendship that allows Han to finally become a good enough human being that Leia would give him the time of day.

Then the thought crossed my mind that the redemption of Han is really a dress rehearsal for the redemption of Anakin. That through Han’s conversion, Luke learns that he can save people, and so he is willing to risk it on his father.

No, I didn’t do this whole thing out loud in the kitchen to the audience of the cat. It was in my head. But I thought I should write it down. I do believe there is a PhD thesis in Film Studies here somewhere. Maybe someday when I am old and grey. Or maybe not.

P.S. Interestingly enough, as I was looking for the links for the T-Shirts, I came across this page, where "Han Shot First" has become their rallying cry.

[  Mood: Happy ]
[  Currently: Watching American Idol – Top 11 ]
The Merry Gentry series is the second of Laurel K. Hamilton’s juggernaut series. Merry is supposed to be a private investigator in Los Angeles, but really the books are supernatural erotica. They are also chronicles of the politics of the Fairie Courts, cause Merry is a Fairie princess.

Book 6, A Lick of Frost, is shorter than previous entries and also lacks the out and out sex. It is heavy on the politics though.

The book opens with three of Merry’s guards accused of rape by the King of the Seelie court. Merry has to defend them and figure out why the King is lying. (Cause fairies, or Seelies, as they are called, can’t lie.)

A better entry than I expected. The lack of sex did not detract from the story. In fact, it may have made it better. And given what happens at the end, this may be a new trend for Hamilton and the series.

Not bad.

Entertainment Weekly offers up the first images from the Benicio Del Toro-starring, Joe Johnston-helmed The Wolfman remake. Pretty impressive, but with Rick Baker behind the makeup, I wasn’t too concerned. With the under appreciated Johnston directing and the perfect Del Toro casting, this might actually be pretty good. Course, I thought the same of the disastrous Van Helsing, so initial looks can be deceiving.

The New Wolfman was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

From Publishers Weekly, March 19:

This could be terrifying news for the American book industry. What happens if Barnes & Noble buys Borders? Or if Borders is chopped up into smaller companies?

Imagine the megalithic Barnes & Noble tromping throughout the US with no stiff competition? Sure, Amazon offers some resistance but online has yet to replace the neighborhood book store.

What happens if B&N decides to not carry an author or title? With no Borders, publishers will have little recourse.

What’s worse than two gigantic book chains? There being only one…

(Thanks to Jeff VanderMeer for the link and for offering a unique solution)

Borders Considers Sale was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

The latest issue of The Austin Chronicle contains my feature on the unique internet movie review site, Spill.

Animated Opinions was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

[  Mood: Silly ]
[  Currently: Listening to CBC Radio ]
Somethings I have come across in the last few weeks that I want.

Tim Gunn Talking Bobblehead
So he can tell me to "Make it Work" and to "Carry On".

Top Chef Cookbook
I love cookbooks. I read them like novels. I may never make anything from this book, but it would be fascinating to look at this.

Clock in Terms of Pi
This Pi Clock tells time in radians. Yeah baby!

Diaper Cover – "Scented"
Cause this is funny.

Someday I’ll Demand a Pony – Outfit
Also funny.

In advance of the forthcoming final season, SciFi produced this eight minute recap of BSG.

If you have been watching only on DVD, DO NOT watch this. Talk about your reveals.

What the Frak Is Going On? was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon