First teaser for NORMALSVILLE

Marco van Bergen is a filmmaker that I've mentioned a few times on this blog not only because he's a really cool guy and good friend but because, well, he rocks as a filmmaker. Keep your eye on this up-and-coming director folks: he's definitely headed for good things!

So this morning he tells me that the first teaser for his new project Normalsville is done and that I oughta take a gander at it. So I did. Like, five times in a row. It's a right atmospheric and moody piece of work. Can't wait to see the rest of it (even though I've been "in the loop" on it for awhile :-) Check it out!

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HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN

Many times, I have been asked "What kind of town is Reidsville like?"

Something like this...

The first time I saw Hobo With A Shotgun was Butt-Numb-A-Thon 9 last year. This short has won a bunch of awards and is now on track to becoming an actual full-length movie! And it cracks me up every time I watch it :-) Shoot here for the official website.

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60 MINUTES blasts Transportation Security "theater"

I just finished watching Lesley Stahl's story on 60 Minutes about the Transportation Security Administration: what many consider to be the most worthless government agency ever created (thanks for nothing again George W. Bush). It pretty much encapsulated everything that a lot of us have been saying about the TSA since its inception. Namely, that it is absolutely impotent when it comes to apprehending real threats before they begin. One Congressional source cited in the report said that of the tens of thousands of travelers who had been stopped for TSA "interviews", not one was found to be carrying anything that could be deemed dangerous. That didn't stop outgoing TSA Administrator Kip Hawley from demanding that "THESE PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO KILL US!" as a justification for (1) harassing 90-year old ladies in wheelchairs and (2) the cushy job that the Transportation Security Administration gives him and thousands of others who otherwise could not find employment, gainful or otherwise. To this observer, it seemed more like the TSA bunch wants us to believe that they are somehow "superior" to us, that they "know more than we do" and thus we should shut up and accept them as a big brother.

Well, let me go on the record to say this: in seven years, I have never felt impressed or intimidated, at all, with the TSA goons. I have however had much incredulous laughter at their "security theater" antics. There is a reason why a lot of people call them "Too Stupid for Arby's".

For some thoughts about how there can be serious security on the airlines, without abusing the rights and convenience of American citizens and other travelers, read my proposal for the creation of "citizen marshals". Because the TSA and just about every other do-nothing agency has demonstrated that there is no faith at all to be had in government.

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Hey Michael!

'Twas a pleasure meeting you today. And thanks for filling me in on how Harold and Stephen are doing! Drop me a line sometime and we'll compare comic books or something again :-P

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Rest in peace RCA Dome

I just read on TheForce.net that yesterday in Indianapolis, Indiana the RCA Dome was imploded by demolition crews. The previous home turf of the Indianapolis Colts, the RCA Dome adjoined the Indianapolis Convention Center. That was the site of Star Wars Celebration II in 2002 and Celebration III in 2005. I attended both. The events never went inside the RCA Dome, but as we walked past the glass doors that opened into the floor level of the arena, we got to oggle it plenty. I remember the Saturday morning of Celebration II, there was a wild rumor that they were going to open up the RCA Dome that evening for an advance showing of Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones following the Star Wars concert. The showing didn't happen, but it was sure fun to imagine all those die-hard geeks assembled in the RCA Dome to watch it. Good times!

Here's video of the implosion. I love this kind of stuff! All those timed explosions going off just right, making it so the building falls in on itself from its own weight. There's a bloody science to implosions and... in its own way it's a profound thing of beauty.

By the way, in case you're wondering (which I was too) the Indianapolis Convention Center itself did not get destroyed also! This is making way for an expansion to the convention center (perhaps in time for Star Wars Celebration V?) and the Indianapolis Colts are now playing in the brand-new Lucas Oil Stadium.

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Judge Dredd movie is in the works

If there is a comic book franchise that demands a cinematic reboot like what Batman Begins did, then Judge Dredd/2000 AD is it.

I must say though, that 1995's Judge Dredd with Sylvester Stallone is something of a guilty pleasure for me. I don't have it on DVD but whenever it comes on television, I always wind up settling back to watch it. It's what first drew my attention to the 2000 AD mythology. Judge Dredd from '95 did a lot of things right... but it also could have been so much more if you know anything about the comics.

Well, hopefully Judge Joe Dredd and the world of Mega City One will soon be getting the big-screen treatment that they deserve: a new Judge Dredd movie has been greenlit. It'll be produced by DNA Films, which has recently brought out such sci-fi movies as Sunshine and 28 Weeks Later.

Might I be the first to suggest that Christopher Eccleston would be perfect in the role of Judge Death? :-)

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The last time we ever have to hear about this man...

O.J. Simpson has been transferred to Lovelock Correctional Center in Nevada, where he will begin serving his 9-33 year sentence for kidnapping and armed robbery.

I well remember October 3rd, 1995: the day that the verdict in his murder trial was read. You could literally hear the gasps of disbelief all across the Elon campus. "I can't believe he got away with it!!" is what most people were saying.

"He didn't get away with it," I told one friend. "One day, and it may not be in a way that we will ever see, but eventually Simpson will be punished somehow, if he did it."

Does anyone today doubt that he did do it? Or that his personal character has, at last, come back to haunt him in a way that this time, he could not escape?

O.J. Simpson has been a festering keloid on the face of American culture for nearly fifteen years now. At last, we won't have to be bothered with him any longer. He made his bed (one of fifteen hundred at Lovelock), now he'll have to sleep in it.

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New LOST trailer abounds with mysteries!

Cloaked monks working mathematics? Desmond telling Penny that he's leaving? People on fire? Sawyer speaking gibberish? More blinding light?

I have faith that this upcoming season of Lost will be one of the most legendary in television history. Just a little over a month now and the show returns!

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Here are the GEARS OF WAR 2: THE SOUNDTRACK Steve Jablonsky-signed CDs contest winners!

A little over two weeks ago we started a contest on this blog. The spoils? Three copies of the Gears of War 2: The Soundtrack CD... personally signed to the winners by composer Steve Jablonsky (the creative force behind the musical scores for Transformers, Desperate Housewives and a wazoo-load of other movies and television shows and other stuff). But in order to be eligible to win one of 'em, entrants were asked to send in a picture of themselves doing their best impersonation of any character from established Gears of War canon. Not a "costume contest" so much as that this was about conveying character and heart.

So we were giving away three Steve Jablonsky-signed copies of Gears of War 2: The Soundtrack... and this was an easy contest to judge 'cuz three is exactly the amount of entries that came in! So the following three individuals will soon be getting their grubby lil' paws on one of the CDs. Thanks to everyone who entered and thanks to Steve Jablonsky! :-)

The first winner is Mike Casteel from Burlington, Kentucky. Mike sent in this photo of himself posing as Chairman Prescott, the leader of the Coalition of Ordered Governments. Looking at this great pic, you can practically hear "Armored Prayer" playing in the background...

The next winner is Adam Solomon from Bay Shore, New York. He sent in this pic of himself as Marcus Fenix. Or as I like to call it: "Marcus getting out of the shower in the morning after a night of killing Grubs"...

And finally, there is Jay Ballance from Cranbrook, British Columbia. And Jay did not play it safe. He made what some might consider to be a very risky move by portraying a Gears of War character that we don't have a single image of at all! What did Jay do? In his own words...

"Carlos (Dom's older brother, from the book. From the chapter where him and Marcus are guarding the emulsion pipeline, in freezing temperatures.....lol)"

Yup, Jay went with Carlos Santiago from the novel Gears of War: Aspho Fields, complete with cold-weather garments (and check out that awesome cardboard Lancer!)...

Congrats to Mike, Adam and Jay! And we appreciate the effort and cleverness that you went to in this contest :-)

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"Deep Throat" Mark Felt has passed away

"The most famous anonymous source in history", W. Mark Felt - the legendary "Deep Throat" who passed along the information about the Watergate scandal to reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein that ultimately brought down President Richard Nixon - has passed away at age 95.

Felt's alter-ego was one of the greatest and most celebrated mysteries of American politics during the past fifty years. For more than three decades speculation continued to swirl about the identity of Deep Throat. It wasn't until the spring of 2005 that Felt came forward and revealed to the public that he was the informant who guided Woodward and Bernstein.

Was he a movie star or sports figure? No. But in his own way Felt was just as much a larger-than-life celebrity to those who came up in the Seventies and Eighties. Some will disagree with his motives and politics, but there is no argument that Mark Felt made a profound impact on the history of his country... and that's plenty enough reason to note his passing.

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Majel Barrett-Rodenberry, the First Lady of Star Trek, has passed away

I have a confession to make: one of the biggest reasons why I watched Star Trek: The Next Generation was because from the very beginning, I became a fan of Lwaxana Troi: the outrageous, overbearing mother of Deanna Troi, both hilariously and tragically portrayed by Majel Barrett-Roddenberry.

Of course, that wasn't Barrett's only connection to Star Trek. She was also Nurse Chapel in the original series. She played Number One in "The Cage": the first pilot episode of Star Trek. Hers was the ubiquitous voice of the Federation starships in the later series. And yes, she was the wife of Star Trek creator himself, Gene Roddenberry.

Just a few short days ago, it was announced that Barrett would be returning as the computer voice in J.J. Abrams' Star Trek movie later this summer. A lot of people rejoiced at hearing that news. And now those same people and many, many others are grieving at hearing that Majel Barrett-Rodenberry has passed away from leukemia at age 76.

It will certainly not be the same without her...

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James Oldfield declares the Salvation Army is a work of evil on broadcast television

Folks, please understand that I am not on a "get the 'Church of Christ In Name Only'" binge tonight. Heck, I've so many projects on my plate right now that I'm pretty much relying on the reports that others have been sending me lately about the cult. Like earlier today when I posted that cult leader Johnny Robertson can't spell worth a hoot even as he condemns preachers of other (and in my opinion, legitimate) churches in the area.

And now later this evening, it is Robertson's chief henchman/second cousin who accompanied him from Texas, James Oldfield (heh-heh... bet y'all didn't know that the two were related, did ya?) who is up to no good.

Who is Oldfield and the "Church of Christ" cult (remember, it's not the real Church of Christ at all) going after this time? None other than the Salvation Army.

I came in from some errands tonight, and there were two e-mails practically screaming at me to tune in to WGSR Star 39. And I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see it but sure enough, Oldfield is in "mad pit-bull" mode, assailing the Salvation Army for not being "the real church" and accusing them of all sorts of chicanery. Oldfield even used his hidden camera tricks on the head of the Salvation Army in Danville. As if that weren't bad enough, Oldfield told viewers that he and the "Church of Christ" do not boast about how they help people like the Salvation Army does... and then Oldfield went on to brag about how there was a frozen turkey in the trunk of his car that he was delivering to a fellow cult member!

I also happened to catch Oldfield condemning the Lord's Food Pantry in Eden. Which logically puts WGSR general manager Charles Roark in a bad position since apparently he was making a big deal about the Lord's Food Pantry earlier in the week, even staging a "telethon" to raise money for them to purchase food for needy folks. Which I think the Lord's Food Pantry is doing a good thing too. I think the Salvation Army has always been of immense service to others also, for the right reasons.

So why are James Oldfield and no doubt Johnny Robertson and the rest of the "Church of Christ" cult attacking them?

I can think of only one word at the moment: "jealousy".

Maybe Robertson and Oldfield should take the $15,000 that "the boys in Texas" send them for airtime each month, and put that money to some good use like the Salvation Army and the Lord's Food Pantry... instead of using it to harass and threaten others. They certainly have let it be known to enough people that they have no intentions but malicious ones.

(And some of y'all wouldn't buh-leeeeve what one person has told me in the past few weeks what he/she would do if Robertson and Oldfield came to their house again. 'Twould be enough to give one pause for sake of personal safety, no doubt.)

EDIT 11:02 p.m. EST: And what were Oldfield's concluding words on his broadcast tonight? "Don't put any quarters in those kettles."

A very wise man told me in recent days that Johnny Robertson, James Oldfield, and their cult were "of the spirit of the Antichrist" as the Bible puts it. If I had only their broadcast tonight to go by, I couldn't possibly doubt that.

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Johnny Robertson (still) can't spell

Nobody can take a so-called "preacher" seriously when he chronically mis-spells words like "especially" and "scriptures"...

And Johnny Robertson is saying that another preacher is "confused"?

Kinda funny, isn't it? That there have been at least two major stories that happened in the area in the past few days, and WGSR general manager Charles Roark didn't see fit to have either of them reported over the air. The bigger priority at Star News is the illiterate cult leader from Texas: the one that Roark acts like an obedient dog to.

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No birthday cake for Adolf Hitler

Geez louise, is this a day for weird news or what?

A grocery store in Pennsylvania refused to decorate a birthday cake for three-year old Adolf Hitler Campbell. His parents Heath and Deborah eventually got their cake decorated at a Wal-Mart. So now little Adolf will get to enjoy his cake along with siblings JoyceLynn Aryan Nation Campbell and Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie Campbell.

Only in America...

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Things that you do not expect your airline pilot to tell his passengers...

"I am not qualified to land the plane."

Okay, I can see how this one should be allowed to let slide. This is a pilot with thirty years of experience and of course he had landed plenty of times. It just happened that on this occasion he had to land in fog, which he didn't have the proper training and clearance for with the type of aircraft that he was operating. The pilot absolutely did the right and professional thing by turning around.

But still, I thought that was too funny not to post :-)

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Mystery: Swiss watch found in 400-year old Chinese tomb

Shades of Michael Crichton's Timeline, or television's Lost: archaeologists are stumped at the discovery of a Swiss watch within a Chinese tomb that was sealed more than four hundred years ago. While excavating the Ming-era tomb in southern China, researchers heard a metallic object hit the floor. When they picked it up they discovered, encrusted with the detritus of time, a tiny watch stopped at 10:06 and with the word "Swiss" engraved on the back.

Four hundred years ago there were no watches. And Switzerland didn't even exist as the country as we know it today. The watch itself is thought to be around one hundred years old.

The archaeologists have stopped with the dig until experts from Beijing can arrive to help unravel the anachronistic riddle.

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