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23 September 2005
[photo] Digital Camera Turns 30? Sort Of — MSNBC on the development of the Digital Camera … ‘[Steven] Sasson, now 55, never imagined as a relatively new Kodak hire in 1975 all the dazzling ingredients that have, in just a few years, put digital cameras in 50 percent of American households: fiber optics, the Internet, personal computers, home printers. His invention began with a 30-second conversation…’ [via Waxy’s Links]
21 September 2005
[film] Actress Mirren’s Queen unveiled — BBC News on Helen Mirren playing the Queen … ‘Mirren, 60, is pictured reading news of the death of Diana in the movie, which is called The Queen. Directed by Stephen Frears, it is set in the week following the crash which killed Diana and her lover Dodi Fayed in August 1997.’
20 September 2005
[comics] BeaucoupKevin: I’m the Goddamn Batman.
[comics] Welcome back, BD — the Guardian profiles Doonesbury and has rare interview with Garry Trudeau‘Would he go on drawing it to his dying day, or might there be a final strip, a final frame, The End? “As to when it all ends,” [Trudeau] said, “there are so many unforeseeable factors; health, energy, interest – it’s impossible to know.” But when the last Doonesbury cartoon appears, it will be the one of the great social and political records of the 20th and 21st centuries.’
19 September 2005
[comics] BY WIKIPEDIA BETRAYED! John Byrne vs. Wikipedia — Byrne deletes most of the content from his entry in Wikipedia. Hi-jinks ensue‘Byrne discovered [his Wikipedia Entry] the other week and immediately set about to “correct” things. Here’s the problem. Byrne didn’t just want to go through to clarify points or streamline the entry – he wanted to dismantle the entire page. He deleted everything except for the opening biographical paragraph and the bibliography. He deleted every bit of information regarding his career stages, his interactions with fans, pros, etc., claiming that the entire entry was fraught with inaccuracies and lies. Thing is, they weren’t.’ [via Metafilter]
[comics] On eBay: Watchmen Original Art – Page 24, Issue 6 … bidding is currently at £1,850. [thanks Stuart]
18 September 2005
[funny] British Comedians have their own version of the Aristocrats Joke — from b3ta.com‘A man walks into a talent agent’s office…’ [via Yoz]
[comics] Warren Ellis Is Going To Have Me Killed. Slowly. — scans and commentary on a small press comic from Ellis done in 1984 … ‘For the uniformed, I am Warren Ellis, a rather noisy 16-year-old fan…’ [via Progressive Ruin]
16 September 2005
[comics] Liberal Imagination — The Guardian on Liberality for All‘I ask [the writer of Liberality for All] whether he’s concerned about being interviewed by a liberal website like Guardian Unlimited? “You’re liberal? That’s not what I’d heard,” he says. “A friend of mine said you were like Fox News on the web. Maybe it was Sky News.” I suddenly imagine the sound of my editor-in-chief choking on her lunch.’ [via Venusberg]
15 September 2005
[apple] Stevie’s Little Wonder — Time Profiles Apple’s iPod Nano. ‘…it’s clear Jobs is just happy to be here. To paraphrase Lou Reed, his company was saved by rock ‘n’ roll. “What’s really been great for us is the iPod has been a chance to apply Apple’s incredibly innovative engineering in an area where we don’t have a 5%-operating-system-market-share glass ceiling,” Jobs says. “And look at what’s happened. That same innovation, that same engineering, that same talent applied where we don’t run up against the fact that Microsoft got this monopoly, and boom! We have 75% market share.”‘ [via Technovia]
[forensics] Television Shows Scramble Forensic Evidence — article on how forensically-aware criminals are trying to game scientists collecting evidence … ‘There is an increasing trend for criminals to use plastic gloves during break-ins and condoms during rapes to avoid leaving their DNA at the scene. Dostie describes a murder case in which the assailant tried to wash away his DNA using shampoo. Police in Manchester in the UK say that car thieves there have started to dump cigarette butts from bins in stolen cars before they abandon them. “Suddenly the police have 20 potential people in the car,” says Rutty.’ [via As Above]
14 September 2005
[cola] Label Watch: Diet Cola — analysis of the ingredients of the popular soft-drink.
13 September 2005
[tv] Warren Ellis on CSI: ‘[CSI] …has gotten genuinely odd in its old age. I saw a re-run from last season recently, and there’s a two-minute sequence of William Petersen sluicing blood off a body on a metal tray put to “Sfevn-G-Englar” by Sigur Ros. That’s all it is. Slowed down visuals of water washing blood off brushed steel. Twenty years ago, that would’ve been an art film. Now it’s a musical interlude in a major US network show.’
[comics] Excerpts from Alan Moore’s script for Big Numbers #3‘PAGE 5, PANEL 1. Okay, now there are twelve panels on this page, with this first tier being a continuous background shot. I should point out before we get too far in that this page requires some technical information and possibly some visual reference that will have to wait until I can contact the guy I know who works in a Computer Shop.’
12 September 2005
[tv] The Church of Klugman — this blog wholeheartedly endorses worship of the star of Quincy, M.E.‘This is a brand new religion – a religion worshiping a man who is a legend, a myth, who brings a new social conscience to our troubled times.’ [via Progressive Ruin]
[ukblogs] Belle de Jour’s 100 Days Without Sex — can the soon-to-be published in paperback sex-blogger survive? … ‘I send him a photo of me that he took on our holiday. My top was a little tighter than I remember and I look very busty indeed. “WHORE!” “Excuse me?”, I type. “I spelled that wrong, didn’t I?” he writes. “The noise you do when someone looks great.” “Did you mean PHWOAR?,” I type.’
11 September 2005
[film] Interview with Dave McKean — Guardian Online interviews the comic creator and director of MirrorMask‘Q: Can you instantly tell if you’re watching computer generated images in a movie? A: Yes, although the integration is sometimes so clever it is hard to be sure. I think some images that are unashamed to look fabricated can be fascinating in their own right, especially as many make use of what computers can do very well, creating complexity, adding complex systems to manmade simple basic building blocks.’ [Related: MirrorMask Trailer]
9 September 2005
[film] Let’s Go To Birmingham — wonderful 1962 short film to download from the BFI … ‘Driver’s-eye view of the rail track on the London to Birmingham (via Leamington Spa) run of the Blue Pullman, to the accompaniment of Johann Strauss’s Perpetuum Mobile’ [via Peter Cooper]
8 September 2005
[comics] We3 — a collection of Morrison and Quitely’s latest comic is now available at Amazon.co.uk.

» We3 Preview‘They’re the ultimate cyborg assassins; armed with missiles, poison gas, state-of-the-art computer technology and unbreakable exo-skeletons. The government has spent millions to fuse the firepower of a battalion with the nervous systems of a dog named Bandit, a cat named Tinker, and a rabbit named Pirate. As part of a program to replace human soldiers with expendable animals, the U.S. government has transformed three ordinary pets into the ultimate killing machines. But now, those three animals have seized the chance to make a last, desperate run for ‘Home’. A run that will turn into a breathless hunt to the death against the might of the entire military/industrial complex.’

[comics] Uniquely Original — another Grant Morrison interview … On All-Star Superman: ‘I’m trying to think of it as the re-emergence of the original, pre-Crisis Superman but with 20 years of history we haven’t seen.’
7 September 2005
[music] A Lost Pop Symphony — long overview of the history of Brian Wilson’s Smile Album … ‘A contract signed with Warner Brothers in 1970 following the group’s departure from Capitol even included a clause that promised a finished Smile by 1973. When it failed to appear, the group was fined $50,000. Wilson had by then renounced the work as “inappropriate music” and derailed any attempt to revive it.’ [via Robot Wisdom]
6 September 2005
[comics] A Chat About Craft With Grant Morrison — yet another interview with GM … ‘If I’m feeling miserable, burned out and hermit-like, for instance, the bad feeling can turn up, as it did in JLA: WORLD WAR III, as something like the monstrous ‘Primordial Annihilator’, Mageddon. At which point I give myself a slap, send the Justice League in to solve the problem, and before you know it, they’ve won and I’m able to leave the house again with a smile on my face!’
[web] Dropload — useful website I use regularly to drop large files for collection by others avoiding delivery by email.
5 September 2005
[comics] Grant Morrison on All-Star Superman‘To me, he’s a big folk hero. He’s been around forever. He’s like Paul Bunyan or Johnny Appleseed and here I’m allowed to tell new stories of these amazing folk heroes. You’ve got to make Superman about a few things. It’s got to be about big emotions and big human feelings like death and loss and bereavement and grief and joy. Then you weave those weird sci-fi stories around those themes. I think those are the best Superman stories — the ones about human feelings but on a huge, cosmic, ridiculous, superhero canvas.’ [via plasticbag.org]
[mac] Blank Apple Keyboard! — yet another oddity on eBay … ‘This is an authentic screw-up by Apple – even their mistakes are aesthetically pleasing…’ [thanks Phil]
[drink] The 86 Rules of Boozing‘Unacceptable things to say after doing a shot: Great, now I’m going to get drunk. I hate shots. It’s coming back up.’
4 September 2005
[comics] All-Star Superman Scans — looks amazing and scores bonus-points for Grant Morrison guest-starring as Lex Luthor. [via Sore Eyes]
2 September 2005
[blogs] Paul Daniels’ Weblog‘So, what have I been up to? Ah, the wonderment of life in Show Business – I have been fixing toilet seats.’ [via Feeling Listless | Related: Mefi – Now that’s magic…]
1 September 2005
[politics] Steve Bell: Are you Smoking What We’re Smoking?
[comics] Cerebus Art — Dave Sim and Gerhard’s official site for selling original Cerebus Art. [via Meowwcat’s Cerebus Links]
30 August 2005
[cartoon] The ORIGINAL Illustrated Catalog Of ACME Products — suppliers of merchandise to Wile E. Coyote. ‘…from Ultimatum Dispatchers to Batman outfits, ACME has set the standard for excellence.’ [via Robot Wisdom]
29 August 2005
[comics] Excerpts from Alan Moore’s Watchmen Script … in PDF Format.

image of Rorschach's voice-over from Alan Moore's Watchmen Script

[birdflu] H5N1‘News and Resources about Avian Flu’
28 August 2005
[games] It Plays Doom — site listing every gadget Doom has been ported to.
27 August 2005
[film] Don’t Let Yourself Get Attached To Anything — a lookback at Michael Mann’s Heat‘McCauley is perhaps the part that De Niro played that is closest to the actor’s own personality: a screen, a cipher, depthless, icily professional, lacking in reflexivity, stripped down to pure Method (‘I do what I do best’). When McCauley meets the love interest, Eadey, he is reading a book on metals.’ [via Blackbeltjones Links]
26 August 2005
[blogs] What’s That Bug? — a blog which identifies insects from pictures readers send in. Undoubtedly Gil Grissom’s favourite blog… [via Peter Cooper]
[comics] Governments should be Afraid of their People — Metafiler discuss V For Vendetta.
25 August 2005
[comics] Neil Gaiman’s 24 Hour Comic: Being An Account of the Life and Death of the Emperor Heliogabolus.
[comics] The Lost Neil Gaiman Interview — an interview with Neil Gaiman by Pete Ashton from 1989. ‘…it’s an interesting snapshot of Gaiman quite early in his career.’ [Related: Direct Link to MP3]
24 August 2005
[comics] Hellblazer: Original Sins — free PDF of the first issue of Hellblazer by Jamie Delano and John Ridgway. [via Metafilter
23 August 2005
[comics] Mind Games Poster — a grid of pages from Cerebus #20 which form a hidden picture. [via Meowwcat’s Cerebus Links]
22 August 2005
[film] Interview with Errol Morris … from the Huffington Post .. On Robert McNamara and The Fog of War: ‘When people say to me, this is just some self-serving account that McNamara has provided, part of my feeling when I hear that is, “Well, yeah, of course it is!” But that’s not all it is. It’s not just a self-serving account, it’s a complicated account. We all have narratives about ourselves, about who we are and why we do what we do. We have accounts of ourselves for ourselves and we have accounts of ourselves for other people to try to convince them about who we are and our underlying motivations. Part of the premise here is that people reveal themselves through their use of language, through talking.’
20 August 2005
[comics] Gallery told to Drop ‘Gay’ Batman‘DC Comics has ordered a New York gallery to remove pictures which show Batman and Robin kissing and embracing.’ [Related: Robin — What Have I done to You?]
19 August 2005
[comics] What is a Graphic Novel? — an introduction from Jessica Abel. [via Warren Ellis]
18 August 2005
[strategies] Oblique Strategies — online version of a pack of Cards created by Brian Eno and Peter Schmitdt for help in solving creative problems using cryptic remarks… ‘Repetition is a form of Change.’
[wifi] 10 Tips for improving your Wireless Network — from Microsoft but applicable to any Wifi Network … ‘If Microsoft Windows XP ever notifies you about a weak signal, it probably means your connection isn’t as fast or as reliable as it could be. Worse, you might lose your connection entirely in some parts of your home. If you’re looking to improve the signal for your wireless network, try some of these tips’
16 August 2005
[comics] Sushi Comic Books — gallery of comic book covers [via Metafilter]
[trains] Accessible UK Train Timetables‘This is an accessible version of the National Rail Enquiries train timetable site, giving access to the information on that site no matter what browser you are using, with no requirement for cookies, JavaScript and iframes. It works by screenscraping the information on the official site…’ [via del.icio.us/blogjam]
[macs] Largest Collection of Macintosh Compacts in Belgium — collecting Mac’s taken to the extreme… [thanks Phil]
12 August 2005
[bombings] The World on a Train — Geoff Ryman (author of 253) on the 7/7 Tube Bombings … ‘The philosopher Hannah Arendt concluded that evil lay in the refusal to think. One of the things evil cannot face contemplating is variety. It prefers monolithic simplicity. Reality outstrips simplicity through a constant flowering of unexpected lives.’ [via Londonist]
[comics] Amateur Manga Translators Tell Their Stories — The Comics Journal looks at Manga Scanlations‘What is interesting is that there are many, many people working in these scanlation groups, and it takes up an incredible amount of work to put out a single chapter. And they all do it for free. That is an incredible amount of passion.’
11 August 2005
[bb6] The Going, Going Gong Show — Charlie Brooker neatly sums up this years Big Brother. ‘…the prestigious Most Sickening Housemate award, which this year goes to a couple: Maxwell (London’s village idiot) and Saskia (burly, wrathful harridan with a face that could advertise war). Their daily routine consisted of bullying, bellowing, cackling at their own dismal non-jokes, glaring, sniping and discussing their imminent ascent to the toppermost peaks of stardom – until the last week, when, faced with eviction, they settled for sulkily rutting like doomed livestock. The latter surely ranks as the least sexy thing ever broadcast on television. I’d get more aroused watching a dog drown in petrol.’
[soundboard] The Sewell Sampler — a soundboard of utterings from Brian Sewell‘I am an Art Expert…’ [via currybetdotnet
[comics] Interview with Dan Clowes — mainly covering his new film Art School Confidential‘I had a revelatory moment as a child when I was drawing Superman. He had that insignia on his chest, and I was studying it for hours (I think I was 4 or 5). I saw the negative shapes that define the S, but I didn’t get that it was a letter. I would draw those shapes over and over. Then one day I realized, “It’s an S!” It all fit together. “S for Superman, of course!”‘
10 August 2005
[comics] V for Vendetta Annotations — includes an interesting list of pop culture influences which Alan Moore and David Lloyd drew on whilst creating V for Vendetta

‘Orwell. Huxley. Thomas Disch. Judge Dredd. Harlan Ellison’s “Repent Harlequin! Said the Ticktockman.”, “Catman” and “Prowler in the City at the Edge of the World” by the same author. Vincent Price’s Dr. Phibes and Theatre of Blood. David Bowie. The Shadow. Nightraven. Batman. Farenheit 451. The writings of the New Worlds school of science fiction. Max Ernst’s painting “Europe After the Rains.” Thomas Pynchon. The atmosphere of British Second World War films. The Prisoner. Robin Hood. Dick Turpin…’