Franco Christmas

Christmas Greetings From the Franco's from James Franco

Muwahahaha

All I Want For Christmas Is This Tongue Removed From Within My Cheek

Huffington Post put up a slideshow of 13 really funny, acerbic Christmas cards. The cards come from this company, Somee cards. Their tagline is "when you care enough to hit send". Heh heh. Hey - it's a busy world. I may not have time to hit send! People should feel flattered that I make room in my schedule.

They have a Twitter feed - I'm looking for the link. It looks like they retweet others, too.

SNL, Julian Assange Hijacks Mark Zuckerberg's Time, Man of the Year Speech

Bear McCreary, Composer (and He of Awesome Hair)

If, like me, you think the music for The Walking Dead is awesome (and if, like me, you also thought the music for BSG was fan freakin' tastic), then you'll be interested to know that the composer has a blog, and regularly posts videos of himself and his collaborators.  I took special interest in this video explaining the composition process. Unfortunately, the video file doesn't have an embed code. So no pretty video file to put directly in the post.

He seems too young and, well, goofy to be such an accomplished, polished composer. But that he is.

Bear McCreary's Website
Bear McCreary's Blog

P.S. I plan to record or write an article on The Walking Dead. I'm looking at January for my podcast to start.


The Walking Dead trailer

Adam Levin, The Instructions

I want to read this book, but I'm afraid it'll depress me, or worse - make me anxious and paranoid. I don't react well to antagonism. Just ask my mother. Or any doctor I've ever seen. Or any Comcast or AT&T representative.

A Nice Jewish Christmas

An 8 year old Neil Gaiman fights for a Christmas tree.

I remember reading this article by Neil Gaiman when it was published two years ago. He talks about how when he and his sister were kids, they lobbied (more like browbeat, it sounds like) their parents for a Christmas tree. His parents were perplexed. They weren't religious, but they were still Jews. Jews didn't have Christmas trees.

Ah!!!, a young Neil Gaiman interjected. The idea for Christmas trees is based on the pagan tradition of bringing trees in during the winter solstice and decorating them.

That was enough to persuade his parents. Or maybe it was the constant verbal torment from the children (that's how I got to go to Europe as a teenager and move out-of-state for college). They got their Christmas tree.

I really think it had more to do with having a big, sparkly ornament-laden spectacle in the house, and nothing to do with Christian, Jewish or whose holiday is better. I think it just had to do with sparkly. I'm envious--it sounds like it was a real tree. My family was Methodist, and all we had was the same old plastic tree year after year.

Carl Sagan, Auto-Tuned

Billions of planets...billions of galaxies...billions of auto-tuning opportunities.

Goodbye Blake Edwards

I grew up watching Blake Edwards movies.  Breakfast at Tiffany's has been one of my favorite movies since I was in high school. I would watch it on rainy days when I was feeling lonely, and didn't even have the company of a cat named Cat.

I thought Inspector Clouseau was the coolest, funniest character ever. I loved the Pink Panther movies. I thought the movies were modeled after the Pink Panther cartoon - not the other way around.  I loved Henry Mancini's music.

I didn't know he was American. I thought he was British like his wife, Julie Andrews, and like the star of the Pink Panther movies, Peter Sellers. Turns out he was from Tulsa, Oklahoma.

I absolutely adored Victor/Victoria. I still make Victor/Victoria jokes, but sadly most people don't get the reference any more. I still remember the sparkling gown Victoria (as Victor playing Victoria - whatever) wore.

I even liked Micki and Maude.

Quentin Tarantino, Friar Clubs Roast

The December 17th issue of Entertainment Weekly had some great quotes:

Jeffrey Ross: "You changed the face of cinema. I just wish cinema would return the favor".

Sarah Silverman: "Quentin actually turned down directing Speed. Which marks the first time he ever turned down speed".

Samuel L. Jackson: "According to Quentin, [he and Uma] have a 'platonic' relationship...I'm guessing that means they talk a lot on the phone about Uma's boyfriend problems, and he gives her rides to the airport".

Heh heh.

Zack Galifianakis, Between Two Ferns

I didn't even know these existed until a few months ago. This is my favorite so far (because I love Ben Stiller so much). Though the Bruce Willis is rivaling for my favor. I don't even like Bruce Willis that much, but the stuff he says is so off-the-wall.

Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis: Ben Stiller from Between Two Ferns

Neil Gaiman, The Graveyard Book

Neil Gaiman is offering the chance to listen to all chapters of his childrens' book The Graveyard Book for free, read by him as part of his book tour. When the book was published, he offered it streaming for free. And of course I procrastinated until it was gone. Hopefully I won't do that this time.

Warehouse 13 and Eureka new holiday episodes

Ensign Tightpants

Wil Wheaton is thrilled that someone knitted him a burrito cover

Okay, so I've never seen Wil Wheaton in tight pants. I just thought it was funny because Wesley Crusher was an Ensign on Star Trek: The Next Generation, and any excuse to make a Firefly reference is taken with glee. It actually fits in a six degrees kind of way because Nathan Fillion (AKA Captain Tightpants) was in Dr. Horrible's Sing-along blog. Felicia Day was in Dr. Horrible's Sing-along blog. Felicia Day is the star of The Guild.

Queue Kevin Bacon moment: Wil Wheaton was in The Guild!!!

So it all makes sense!!! I'm not mad!!! I'm not delirious with fantasy-soaked misguided perceptions of reality!!!

I want to see Wil Wheaton in tight pants now. Or hugging a gaggle of smurfs.

I first read Wil Wheaton's blog several years ago--probably five years ago. But like many adult-onset ADHD girls, I found other geeky things to move on to, and I forgot that I had his blog on my Google Reader. But now that he's Evil Wil Wheaton on The Big Bang Theory, he is prevalent in my life once again. And I still think he's the awesomest.

I listened to his podcast Radio Free Burrito for the first time tonight. It was a short episode (18 minutes), and it was primarily Wil Wheaton talking about Pink Floyd (particularly a performance of The Wall he was going to that night) and reading a short short story he'd written. It was a nice story, but I wish there was more to it. He said, though, that the purpose of writing the story is just to write it--not to make it perfect.

His blog is always funny and creative.  It's neat to follow the life of one of my teenage crushes. I want to read his books (or listen to the audio books, depending on my level of laziness at that moment)

Is there finally going to be a sequel to ET?

This is an Asgard. He's from  MGM and Syfy's Stargate franchise. Asgards are cool.

Drew Barrymore could be the mom this time to a youngster who hides *another* tiny lamp-shaped alien in his or her closet.

Or maybe there's going to be a sequel to Independence Day. It'll be called Columbus Day, and it'll be the story of the day Kohl's and JCPenney go head to head. Who will win? The stand-alone clothing store where everything always seems to be on sale? Or the well-known department store that has decent stuff, and unlike some other department stores, never makes you feel like you're spending more money than you pay in taxes in a year?

Okay, now that I've successfully buried the lead...RUN!!! ALIENS ARE AMONG US!

That's possibly what NASA is going to tell us at their conference tomorrow at 2 P.M. Or they're going to tell us that they found a plant on another planet.  They're going to tell us something involving extraterrestrial life. Huzzah!!!

Have Faith in Faith! (Er, Eliza!)

                                                       
Eliza Dushku will be starring in a new pilot for TNT.

TNT, you're on notice. Don't screw this up like Fox screwed up Eliza's other shows.

(Photo courtesy of the fan size Eliza Dushku Central)

Comics Can Predict More Than Next Year's Newest Movie Franchise

Comics predicted several tragedies and weapons. I always new comic writers were prescient, but that's crazy!

It would make sense if the Man of Steel was the Man of ESP, also. He probably could see the future. All he has to do is speed up the earth.

Caprica's last five episodes to air on Syfy January 4th

Syfy...oh, Syfy. Why? I was riding high using my holoband. And.

Now we hear the end is here. The last five eps burned off in an eve.

Caprica Caprica Caprica

On BSG your capital city looked very yellow, but I never noticed that on your namesake show.

But now there is no show. Syfy, bad idea.  We all say so.

Amy Farrah Fowler Forever!!!

Mayim Bialik

Or you can call her Mayim Bialik.  I want to be like Mayim Bialik. Seriously! She's a neuroscientist. I bet she doesn't take crap from people. Look at her! She's awesome!

She's also been promoted to series regular on The Big Bang Theory.

Melissa Rauch, with Wolowizard and the back of Leonard's head

Not to be outdone, Melissa Rauch, who plays Wolowitz's girlfriend, Bernadette, has also become a regular.  Reading her bio on her website makes me really want to see her live work.

Fringe is moving to Friday nights

Oh dear.  Fringe is on Fox. Fringe is moving to Fridays.

Remember Firefly? Dollhouse? Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles?  These were all scifi shows I was very fond of.

They were all on Fox.  (Dum Dum...that's the Law and Order noise)

They were all on Friday nights. (Dum Dum...)

They were all canceled either within a year, or a little over a year.

Oh, this sucks.

Kilkeconomics

I wish I could have gone to this. An Irish comedy festival addressing economics. That's the best way to talk about economics!

Thoughts On a Subject

Okay, everyone brace yourself. I wouldn't call this talking politics, but something I watched a few weeks ago got me thinking.

A few weeks ago, Jimmy Carter was on Real Time With Bill Maher, episode 195. Growing up in Georgia, I revered this man from an early age. When I was younger the favorable attitude was because he's from Georgia, and because I like peanuts. Now I realize what a wise, smart, kind person he is. Some people may disagree. I know his presidency had problems. I'm more focused on what he's done since 1980, and it's a lot. He's done some amazing things for this country and for humanity.

When he was on Bill Maher, he said something that particularly resonated with me. I can't find a transcript or a video of his appearance, unfortunately. He was promoting his book of recollections from his time in the White House (White House Diaries). The book has some very honest, and surprisingly off-putting passages, but on the show (and everytime I've heard him speak), he has talked with a humility and brilliance that I wish were valued by more people.

President Carter was talking about our rampant consumerism, and the prevalent attitude that we are entitled to everything that's available. He said that too many people in our society believe they have a "special privilege on earth", "don't need to sacrifice anything" and can "waste what [they] want with impunity". Some people use the phrase "American Exceptionalism" to describe this mindset (though others consider American Exceptionalism to mean we're different because of our democratic process, judicial system, etc., not "privileged" or superior. Even Wikipedia can't come to a consensus). I would argue that we're not different--we're all human. President Carter was lamenting the notion that we're above everyone else. That we somehow deserve more than other people. We don't.

We are no more special or entitled than anyone else on this earth. If anything, it's the humble and unassuming attitude of some of this country's citizens that most represents the American spirit to me.

Global Survey of the English Language

Global Language Monitor has the top ten words and phrases of 2010 here. The jury is still out on "refudiate" being allowed to be a word.

I love me some Coco

91 Year-Old Superheroine

This is going to be me one day :)

Big Art Teacher Brother is Watching

I do not believe it is beneficial to harm ones body for art. I *definitely* don't believe in the merits of implanting anything in ones body for art or education.

Turn left at the Costa Rican flag.

In the realm of "I can't make this crap up": Nicaraguan troops depended on Google maps to tell them where their country is. And Google maps was wrong.

Didn't their mothers ever tell them not to believe everything Google says? After all, that's how wars start!

No more "drunk Facebooking"

Okay, so I went to Webroot and looked for this allegedly available Facebook app, but I could not find anything. They have a page that asks you what your favorite online activities are, to help determine what software you need, but I didn't see "get drunk and post on Facebook.

So, the question is: Is this a joke? If it is, then how long before someone actually creates this app? Afterall, Gmail can prevent you from drunk-e-mailing.

Update!!! I did see it on the front page of Webroot's site. I'll be darned! The link directs to this page.

Social Media Sobriety Test from TDA_Boulder on Vimeo.

Keep in mind--this is on Funny or Die

Belligerence Canned: The Four Loko Experiment - watch more funny videos

Because this is how all good blogs must start out.

A Beginning

Hello. This is Lola. Ceruleanlobster to some. Lolabelle to others. If you call me anything else, you do so at your own risk. I'm a spitfire.

My plan for this site is for it to serve as a blogging platform for me to post my own observations about pop culture, including TV, movies, books, some comics, other blogs and podcasts. I'll also post links to news articles and other outside content. I'm also interested in politics and technology, and that may sneak in occasionally, but I'm not showy about politics. I'm not the type who makes it a requisite that you think my way. I'm all about debate.

I will also begin producing a companion podcast. It's going to take me a few weeks to get it going. I podcasted for 4 years, but I've been out of the game for nearly a year. This new podcast will be completely different from my prior podcast, so I have to write out a plan for it. I have to think about format and what type of content I will include.

Unfortunately, it will just be me. I will try to be entertaining! Since my specialty has always been finding good, independent music, I'll include music in the podcast. Production-wise, I'm no audio engineer, but I'll do my best. I'm always learning.

If you'd like to see my music blog, it's here. The podcasts probably aren't playable any more because I stopped the service. I'm not sure if those podcasts will be available again once I start paying the hosting company for my new podcast.

I plan to begin posting to this new blog this week.

I will promise you this: I am funny and outrageous. I'm also very knowledgeable about pop culture (with a focus on all things SCIFI).