Monday, April 14, 2008

Top 20 Crazy Movie Bastards

They left out Tom Cruise in his Scientology video.

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Michael Chabon’s Spiderman 2

Courtesy of Aint it Cool News, the unused script for Spiderman 2, written by Michael Chabon. 

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Worst Burgular Ever!

This guy was on something. You think?

Prologue

[NOTE: I wrote this opening to a novel that I never finished. It was something I whipped out one say for fun years ago. I think this is from the early 90s. Here you go.]

They were coming up the stairs, and Androval knew the time was nigh. He quickly stepped into the pentagram and drew the blade. A bluish glow flickered along it’s silver inlay, each rune in the knife’s metal lighting up in anticipation of what was to come.

All he had to do now was say the word and do the deed.

“Ungram!”

The blade flashed red, then sparkles of slivery light began to appear along the edge.

A loud booming sound told him they were trying to break in the door. It was solid oak and reinforced by a thousand spells. But he had no doubt they’d be standing before him in a short span of time.

He put the blade, point first, over his heart, and with one quick thrust, killed himself.

The door exploded inward in a spray of metal and wood. But Androval was already gone. His blood pooled around his corpse.

Vrtex was the first to enter the room. His eyes were like coals in the furnaces of hell. They looked upon Androval’s body and rage burned in them mightily.

The others came in after him. D’Xrr, his sister. A beauty no one could have. Her eyes like bright crystals. And Abxac, his cousin…a void of darkness shaped like a man, wreathed in red lightning. Both of them snarled when they saw the mage’s dead form.

“Quick! His soul may still be in the room! Search for it!” D’Xrr howled.

The room was large and somewhat classical for a mage’s workplace. The walls were covered with runes of power, the floor painted with all manner of symbols. There were shelves and shelves of books, potions, magical artifacts, and components.

Before they could do anything a small form shot out of a wood case on the shelves, sending glass shards flying. Like a rocket it blasted through a nearby window and went into a storm laden sky, disappearing in an instant.  The only thing they were able to see was a flash of metal. It wasn’t a soul. It was some strange device.

Vrtex glared at the dead mage and the body burst into flames. It quickly turned to ashes.

“You can’t escape us, wizard. Nor can the world its fate.”

The three gods reached into other space with their minds and moved elsewhere. Androval’s tower exploded in flames, then crumbled into dust. For ten thousand years hence, no grass would grow where it once stood.

The end of all things had begun. 

Friday, April 11, 2008

An Early Divorce

A nine year old girl wants a divorce from an arranged marriage.

An eight-year-old girl decided last week to go the Sana’a West Court to prosecute her father, who forced her to marry a 30-year-old man.

Nojoud Muhammed Nasser arrived at court by herself on Wednesday, April 2, looking for a judge to handle her case against her father, Muhammed Nasser, who forced her two months ago to marry Faez Ali Thamer, a man 22 years her senior. The child also asked for a divorce, accusing her husband of sexual and domestic abuse.

According to Yemeni law, Nojoud cannot prosecute, as she is underage. However, court judge Muhammed Al-Qathi heard her complaint and subsequently ordered the arrests of both her father and husband.

The Human Camera

The Sword of Gou Jian

In 1965, a 2000 year old sword was discovered it a watery tomb, still sharp and uncorroded. Yes, this is real and not a line from a fantasy novel.

Apparently, it has a unique blend of metals and compounds that made it resist even tarnishing after laying in water for 2000 years. The ancient civilizations were more advanced in some ways than many people think. This reminds me of the Greek Parthenon, which had been damaged by many centuries and war, had metal stays in it that resisted corrosion until some British tried to replace them with unprotected iron which ended up rusting. Those were later replaced by Titanium. 

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Catch the Moment

Snaps at just the right time.

Party Time!

Today is my birthday. Huzzah!

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

How to Install Windows Vista in 2 Minutes

This helpful video from Anthony of the Opie and Anthony radio show, reveals how to do a quick install of Windows Vista. I could do a whole long post about my Vista “experiences”, but I’ll save that for another time.