A documentary about street musicians around the world looks like it's going to be amazing if it spawns something like this, in which a musician in Santa Monica lays down the main track and then buskers around the world join in and jam out on Ben E. King's "Stand By Me." Ken shared this via Twitter and it is fan-freaking-tastic.
AMG wants to be the first 3-D network. The gist of what you need to know is that AMG TV is being bought and the folks behind it want to build up enough of a library that they can have "the first full-time 3-D network in the country." How do you get the tech to have 3-D at home, so we can watch cool shit like Coraline and Monsters vs. Aliens and such? "two solutions: an add-on box for cable and satellite subscribers; and an 'enhancement' that will turn any HD television into a 3-D TV for about $50, including the cost of glasses." Ah, but the coolness is tempered: they call it a 5 on a scale of 1-10 for quality, but it beats what we have right now for home options. Man, the 3-D sci-fi and horror festivals alone might be worth the price of admission for that thing, I don't know about you guys... Source.
The Wheel of Time is getting its final book. No, wait, trilogy. Hell, I don't know. This press release is confusing as hell. Basically the twelfth book of the long-running series by the late Robert Jordan is called A Memory of Light, which is the end of the series. It will be co-written by Brandon Sanderson, picked by Jordan's wife and editor (note: same person) to finish what Jordan started, and will be released over the next two years. Book 12 is called The Gathering Storm and hits on November 3rd. Apparently "JordanCon" is happening in Alpharetta GA (my neck of the woods) April 17-19 and Harriet McDougal (Mrs. Jordan), Sanderson, and Tor editor Tom Doherty will all be in attendance. The book is not available for pre-order, but oddly the audiobook is. Image source.
Some sites base their entire existence on regurgitating press releases at you. We just base one section. Saves everybody time and effort, I think.
Amazon has the first four seasons of Boston Legal for sale today and while stocks last for $80.49 on DVD, which is 65% off the usual price. You can snag yours here. Also, speaking of Amazon, Star Trek Season 1 is hitting Blu-Ray on April 28th. You can catch that here.
Just when you thought your degree was useless in the real world: Liverpool Hope University will give you a Master of Arts in The Beatles. I mean, seriously folks, I love The Beatles and grew up listening to them--but if that's your degree, even a Burger King might think you were underqualified.
This is where we come together to talk pop culture news. And we do it with a quickness and a snarkness. Because some sites may have all day to write up 750 words based on a press release, but the rest of don't have time for bullshit. So enjoy.
Okay, you know what? The Children looks disturbing as hell.
Just received word from my friend and yours, Craig Kausen--via his blog about his granddad, Chuck Jones, which we threw your way before--that Turner Classic Movies is debuting a new docu on Mr. Jones, "Chuck Jones: Memories of Childhood." That's happening tonight at 8PM EST. Which, you know, is pretty cool. But the really badass bit is that following the docu, you get a barrage of animated shorts until 3am. Fan-tastic.
And to whet your appetite (and because we love excuses to post Chuck Jones cartoons), here's one of the ones they're leading off with: "Elmer's Candid Camera" from 1939. Don't panic if Elmer and Bugs look different than their later model sheets...remember, friends: 1939.
Update: Unfortunately, "Camera" was taken down. Instead I offer up another cartoon from the program--also from 1939, it's "Prest-O Change-O." [[ Vid this way... ]]
Hollis Hawthorne is a performer who's been involved in an accident in India. The Lady Porphyre mentioned this first, then I saw The Neil and Uncle Warren both do so. The full story is at Coilhouse. She's got clearance to get treated at Stanford Medical here in the States as opposed to where she is now, where her boyfriend states "there are huge rats scurrying around on the [hospital] floor. I am sleeping on the ant-covered floor outside her room as I am not allowed in and the water they have used for many procedures is not even purified." So they have to get her out of there and back here. The Friends of Hollis are trying to pull together the money to do so. Go here and help if you can. I'm donating for the boyfriend as much as I am for Hollis. I know that sounds weird, but I'm just imagining what I'd be going through if my significant other was going through this and the whole thing was almost completely out of my control. Hang in there, both of you.
Beatles: Rock Band is now available for pre-order--the software version, apparently--for $59.99. The "limited edition bundles" aren't yet. But stay tuned, I'm watching for them. They'll run you $249.99. "Exclusive content" will be there for people who pre-order, apparently. And for you total Beatles freaks (I am among you), "Accompanying instruments modeled after the ones used by Paul, John, George and Ringo also will be available for $100. The game will be playable with existing 'Rock Band' guitars, drums and microphones, though." And here's a nice touch: remember what I said about "Revolution 9"? Release date is 9/9/09. If you're going to buy it anyway, if you could do it through us: we'd love the kickbacks. Thanks in advance: here's links to buy your copy for the Wii, your copy of it for the Xbox 360 or if you own a PS3, you can get your copy here. Source.
Some sites spend all their time and energy making you think everything pop culture-related is important. And if you've got nothing but time on your hands, then that's fine. Some of us, though, have lives. Not us at the site, you understand. We mean you guys out there. We take what they need an entire site to cover and do it in one post. Have some of your day back. Enjoy.
Furthering evidence for my theory that the Catholic Church and Dan Brown are in cahoots, The Catholic League has announced it's going to fight Angels and Demons, ensuring that everybody and his pet squirrel named Fred will see it. You'd think if anybody could appreciate the notion of a self-fulfilling prophecy... Source.
Some websites think you have all the time in the world to suck from their news teat all day, everyday. We cut out all the hoobah and pass the time savings on to you. You're welcome.
Seriously, DVD companies? You know the only thing keeping people from buying from whatever region they want? Shipping costs. Your region code thing is an outdated joke. Please get rid of it.
The Adjustment Bureau, based on the Philip K. Dick story "Adjustment Team," has George Nolfi (Bourne 3) on board to scribe and helm with Matt Damon attached as well. No studio yet. It's the story of "a man who discovers that his reality is, in effect, a giant soundstage controlled and manipulated by mysterious guardians." The only way to make that story idea more terrifying is that it's a greenscreen soundstage. And he also learns that his reality is directed by Robert Zemeckis and every person in his life is mo-capped by Tom Hanks. With Andy Serkis in the only other live action role. My idea's rapidly descending into the horror genre, isn't it? Source.
That's right, it's that time again. For our American readers, the government is about to set fire to a stack of your hard-earned money. Not literally, but they might as well be. Rather than belabor the point I'll just mention that Amazon has tax software available to download to help you through this trying time of the year. And I'll say this and get off the soapbox: I think, by law, everyone in the federal government should be required to do their taxes themselves--without aid of software or an accountant. If they can't do it, then maybe they should think about tax law reform. I'm just saying.
All of that electronic crap you have cluttering up your domicile? Best Buy will take it and recycle it for $10 a piece. And for every piece, you get a $10 gift card in return. There are limitations beyond the two items a day maximum--here's the site with more info. Source.
