Books | What A Slacker!

Don’t Let The Bed Bugs Bite or Read

Jul 012011

I was at the Reading Public Library today returning audiobooks which were due a week ago! Can’t believe I had to get sick again just when my library books were due. That will teach me for even going to the library. LOL

Anywho…since I knew they were late I decided to wait til the girl checked them in and just pay the fine right away. Instead of having 5 cents on my account for a year like I did when I checked these audiobooks out. Audiobooks are great for my long drive to work, but I digress. As I stood there waiting I watched the guy next to her cleaning DVD cases. I could not figure out why he was cleaning them until he picked another one up and a bed bug crawled out of the case.

No wonder the schools in Reading are getting infested. I would bet that the kids are bring them in with their school bags. It appears the library is going to be taken over too thanks to the patrons. Yuck.

I shant be taking any DVDs out of the library that you very much. Besides I have Netflix without the bed bugs.

I did take out two books, but I hesitated when it came time to take the into the house.

SCIFIpawty Contest: Win an Autographed Go-Go’s CD

Collectibles, Comics, Music, Pets 16 Responses »

Mar 262011

Being a child of the 80s the Go-Go’s are a big deal to me. They were one of the first bands I really liked and I still like their music even if it isn’t like all the other dark, gloomy, heavy stuff I usually listen too. The Go-Go’s will remain a favorite band of mine. That being said, it is with extreme pleasure (and a little bit of jealousy as I would like to keep this) that get to give away this autographed CD insert from the Go-Go’s signed by all five band members. This was given to me by band member Jane Wiedlin (you can also win signed copies of her Lady Robotika comic over at ScifiSlacker.com).

She donated these great prizes to help us raise money for One By One Cat Rescue during SCIFIpawty (a virtual science fiction convention my cat Boris holds every year).

So how do you go about entering our contest? Just answer the trivia question in the comments below and you are entered into our random drawing for this super awesome prize.

Want more chances to win? Donate to our charity using the same email address as the used to answer the question below and you’ll get another entry for every $5 you donate.

Donate here: http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/kelly-hoffman/boriskitty1×1

Answer this Question in the comments: Where was Jane on March 11th to 13th? (hint)

Fine Print: No purchase necessary, void where prohibited, odds of winning depends on number of entries. One entry per person, household, email address, etc. Contest ends 4/5/11.

Amazon.com Equals Censorship and Discrimination

Books, Online Shoping No Responses »

Apr 122009

I found out today that Amazon.com has started de-ranking what they deem to be adult content. Funny thing about that though is that the only thing that Amazon seem to be flagging as adult content is gay and lesbian themed books. They are stripping these books of their sales rankings within Amazon so as to keep them from showing up on searches.

I knew when they yanked the ultra violent video Rapelay that is was a sign of more to come. Granted that video is horrible and needed to be removed. But this latest development only proves that censorship of any kind opens the door for further discrimination.

The problems I am seeing with what Amazon is doing is the out and out homophobia. While they are removing the gay and lesbian books they are continuing to allow mainstream, yet extremely trashy sexual, books such as Laurell K Hamilton’s Incubus Dreams to have sales ranks. How is that?

Mark R. Probst is an author who is affected by the changes. He has posted the response he got back from Amazon about the removal of sales ranks on his books over on his blog. Amazon’s reply clearly states it is a new policy for adult content, yet other people are posting that they are getting responses from Amazon that it is a glitch, an oddly specific glitch, but a glitch.

This has obviously caused quite the stir across the net with much of that fervor coming from the Twitter community, where they are flagging posts with #amazonfail and in the past hour nearly 3000 posts with that tag have come through.

I have to say I agree with their requests from Amazon.com users to stop supporting the site until this is either reversed or sales ranks are removed from all adult content not just that with gay and lesbian subjects. There are plenty of other stores on the web (many of them with better prices and service) so if you can please avoid them. Thanks.

Update: for even more information check out this call for a boycott of Amazon until the fix this issue.

Here are a few more articles for your enlightenment:

Old Writers Grant from the Speculative Literature Foundation

Books, Writing No Responses »

Mar 202009

Are you old and like to write sceince fiction stories? Then check this out.

“The Speculative Literature Foundation is offering a grant of $750 to any writer of speculative literature of 50 years or older at the time of application who is just beginning to work professionally in the field. There are no restrictions on the use of the grant money.”

Pretty sweet deal. Alas I have a few years to wait before applying.

Apply here: SLF Older Writers Grant

thnx Boing Boing

Marvel and DC Comics Mixing It Up

Comics No Responses »

Mar 022009

So I was over on Marvel.com checking for information on upcoming Marvel movies and the ad running on almost ALL pages was an ad for the new DC Comics animated Wonder Woman movie (I will of course be getting this film when it comes out on Tuesday).

But why is it popping up on Marvel.com? I guess an advertisement is an advertisement even if it is for the competition.

Samuel L. Jackson is Nick Fury

Comics, Movies No Responses »

Feb 282009

Remember the end of Ironman? We got a glimpse of SHIELD agent Nick Fury played by Samuel L Jackson. The geek in all of us LOVED the idea and assumed it was a sign of things to come. Apparently, it wasn’t and no deal was in place between Mr. Jackson and Marvel (at least that is what ThinkHero was telling us last month from info they got off the LA Times Hero Complex site). That was until recently.

According to GeekTyrant.com Samuel L. Jackson has just committed to playing Fury in Ironman 2, which is good news for us fans.

Further more Variety reports, “Jackson’s deal is a long-term commitment to play Fury, the leader of the espionage unit the Shield. His deal contains an option to play the character in nine future Marvel superhero films, efforts that are expected to include Captain America, Thor, The Avengers and The Shield as well as potential sequels.”

All I can say is SWEET! This pretty much answers my questions about an upcoming Avengers movie (but will it be sans Spider-man, most likely as Sony still has the rights to make those films). You go Marvel with your nine film deals!

Pet Cemetery Makes It To Top Ten Places of Rest List

Books, Death, Mourning, Odd Stuff, Pets No Responses »

Feb 272009

The Hartsdale Pet Cemetery near New York City has made it to the Top 10 Places of Rest list “alongside the Taj Mahal in India and the Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt” according to ZooToo Pet News website. Lonely Planet published the list in their book 2009 Best of Travel (I assume it is a book of lists about traveling in 2009). I don’t know about the rest of the book but this list in particular interests me quite a bit and I will be adding it to my TO DO LIST (which may or may not ever get done).

The Hartsdale Pet Cemetery is the world’s oldest operating pet cemetery started way back in 1896 by Dr. Samuel Johnson. It also happens to be America’s first pet cemetery.

Poking around their website they have a war dog memorial at the cemetery that I would really like to see at some point. Maybe this summer we can take a trip up there (if my car can make it that far).

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes

Comics, Movies, Odd Stuff No Responses »

Feb 052009

This was one of those weird films that for some odd reason I really liked. But I never new there were so many sequels to it.

Apparently there is going to be a remake of the movie in 2009 and there was a comic book adaptation of the film released last year.

Here’s what I found over at MoviesUnlimited.com (they have all kinds of out of print films on DVD and VHS — check them out).

Attack Of The Killer Tomatoes (Special Edition) [DVD](1978) DVD
A tomato farm downwind from the local nuclear reactor grows intelligent, monster-sized vegetables (or are they fruits?) that run amok and threaten Southern California. Can anything stop the killer fruits (or are they vegetables?), or will mankind drown in a sea of ketchup? Outrageous sci-fi spoof features David Miller, Jack Riley, a cameo by the San Diego Chicken and the hit song “Puberty Love.” 90 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English; audio commentary; deleted scenes; featurettes; theatrical trailer; radio spots; trivia; more.

Return Of The Killer Tomatoes [DVD](1988) DVD
Just when you thought it was safe to open a bottle of ketchup, a mad scientist is stewing up a mess of trouble in his mansion as he mutates tomatoes into “vegemen” intent on taking over the world. Is humanity about to be trampled like…well, like tomatoes? John Astin (“The Addams Family”), George Clooney (“ER”), and Rick Rockwell (“Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire”) star. 98 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; theatrical trailer.

Killer Tomatoes Strike Back! [DVD](1991) DVD
Mad doctor John Astin, posing as the host of a tabloid TV talk show, is set on taking over the world with his frightful fruit creatures. An ambitious cop and gorgeous scientist team up to stop the wacky doc before his plan, er…stews to perfection. Rick Rockwell, Crystal Carson, Debra Fares co-star. 87 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English.

Killer Tomatoes Eat France! [DVD](1991) DVD
It’s the most frightening menace to hit Paris since Jerry Lewis! Evil scientist John Astin has taken his ketchupy killers across the Atlantic in his latest scheme of conquest, and it’s up to an American tourist and his girlfriend to save the day. Marc Price, Angela Visser co-star. 93 min. Standard; Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital stereo, Spanish Dolby Digital stereo; Subtitles: English, Spanish.

Counting Catwomen

Cartoons, Comics, TV 2 Responses »

Sep 292008

In the season opener of Big Bang Theory we find Sheldon staying over at Howard’s because he cannot keep a secret Penny told him from Leonard. Once settled in bed Sheldon begins to ramble about Catwoman due to the Halle Berry Poster over Howard’s bed.

Here’s their conversation. After this I will give my list of favorite Catwomen.

Sheldon: That poster of Halle Berry is a little unnerving.

Howard: So don’t look at it.

Sheldon: She’s like my fourth favorite Catwoman.

Howard: No Kidding.

Sheldon: Yeah, Julie Newmar, Michelle Pfeiffer, Eartha Kitt and then her.

Howard: What about Lee Meriweather?

Sheldon: Oh, I forgot about Lee Meriweather.

Howard: Well I’m glad that is settled.

Sheldon: That makes Halle Berry my fifth favorite Catwoman. It’s Julie Newmar, Michelle Pfeiffer, Eartha Kitt, Lee Meriweather”

Howard: Please I’m begging you go to sleep.

Sheldon: I’m trying. I’m counting Catwomen.

Sheldon: She did make a fine mutant in the X-Men movies, though.

Howard: Oh for God sake.

Sheldon: She’s not my favorite of the X-Men though. In order that would be wolverine, Cyclops — wait I forgot Professor X. Professor X, Wolverine, Cyclops, Iceman, then Storm, Angel, the Beast — No wait Nightcrawler. Professor X, Nightcrawler, Wolverine, Cyclos, Iceman, then Storm, Angel, the Beast.

I have to disagree with Sheldon a little on the order of Catwomen.

My favorite Catwoman is Michelle Pfeiffer, then Julie Newmar, Eartha Kitt, Halle Berry, Lee Meriweather. (And we’ll throw Adrienne Barbeau in there as well. She played Catwoman in Batman the Animated Series).

For more on Catwoman check out CatwomanFan.com.

Comic Book Show In Reading PA

Comics, Death, Mourning No Responses »

Aug 282008

I was just reading about a Comic Book Show in Reading, PA at the Expo Center. The Expoâ€™s website had no information about the show other than the dates (September 6-7). So I did a search for more info and learned that the show is hosted by Comic Geek Speak. For more show information check out their website at http://www.comicpodcasting.com/cgsss/index.php. There youâ€™ll find out who is exhibiting and what guests will be there. I might be going just to check it out.

It is sponsored by Golden Eagle Comics. I used really like that shop before the owner got sick and it was being run by this guy I donâ€™t really care for mostly because he just wasnâ€™t friendly like Lem. I really enjoyed stopping by and talking geek with Lem he was a great guy. I just learned tonight from a post over at comics bulletin from Lead Slinger Studios that he had passed away earlier this year. He will be missed. He has been missed. Golden Eagle just has not been the same without him.

Buffy The Animated Series Mini Pilot Loose on the Net

Cartoons, Comics, TV 1 Response »

Aug 212008

A few years ago I first wrote about the possibility of an animated version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer over at ScifiSlacker.com and much like the ill-fated animated Star Trek they teased me with as well was never to be.

After fours year one gives up hope that anything will ever happen. The one day you stumble on a tiny little blip in the TV Guide telling you that just this month someone leaked the 3 minute pilot for the BtVS animated series and your little heart starts a pumping. Hell, with the success of the BtVS Season 8 comics (gosh those are good) maybe they could see fit to bring about this once shelved project and breath life back into the Vampire Slayer franchise on the small screen.

Â The clip is very nicely done and done in a style of animation that I really like similar to the Batman The Animated Series cartoon. Very cool (if this does ever come into being I hope they stick with this style and don’t screw it up by making it pseudo anime).

Â Now this little pilot does have all our favorite characters doing their own voices except Sarah Michelle Gellar who apparently is too good to go back to doing anything Buffy related (what has she done lately besides the voice of Bufy on Robot Chicken?), but the girl doing Buffy’s voice (Giselle Loren) is most excellent and you would never even miss that other actress (what’s-her-face).

So to read more about Buffy the Vampire Slayer the Animated series or sign the petition to bring it on (maybe a DVD movie like the resurrection of Futurama) head over to BuffyAnimated.com. Watch and enjoy while you can (I am sure this will be yanked from YouTube at some point).

Marvel-ous Cartoons Are A Coming

Cartoons, Comics, Movies, TV No Responses »

Jun 272008

Marvel’s Wolverine and the X-men will come to TV in 2009 thanks to NickToons. But that’s not all that’s a coming. We will also get Ironman: The animated series!

Â Each will offer up 26 half hour episodes and give us all a reason to set our Tivos.

Check out the new trailer for Wolverine and The X-men (Marvel must have cleared up their little spat with the Foo Fighters).Â

But wait you also get…

Another animated feature film on DVD this fall. NEXT AVENGERS: HEROES OF TOMORROW. That makes five.

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