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The Awesome Idris Elba! And a bunch of douchey, old, white dudes behaving badly [I read stuff]

By xxxevilgrinxxx | Published: May 17, 2012

Wherein I read things, laugh [or not], and pass them on to you…

• Idris Elba Will Return For ‘Thor 2′?:

Great news for fans of Thor, Heimdall and everything else that equals awesomeness — Idris Elba will be returning to play the guardian of the gate in the upcoming sequel ‘Thor 2.’
Elba confirmed in a recent interview that he was going to be coming back as Heimdall, the Asgardian guard of the rainbow bridge Bifrost who protects Asgard from any incoming intruders. [screencrush/El Guapo/15 May 2012]

• House Passes Watered-Down Version Of Violence Against Women Act:

The House has just passed a watered-down version of the Violence Against Women Act, by a vote of 222 to 205. The GOP-backed iteration of the bill strips out the provisions to protect undocumented, Native American, and LGBT victims that were included in the Senate version.

VAWA is usually a non-controversial, bipartisan effort, but this year has become a political talking point, with Republicans trying to slow its passage and providing fewer protections for victims. A misogynistic ‘men’s rights’ group has even voiced its support for the GOP’s version of the bill.

Meanwhile, a female Republican joined other women Senators in pressuring the House GOP to pass the Senate’s version.

…The President has issued a veto threat should the House version of the bill come to his desk.

Update: 23 Republicans voted against the passage of the bill, while 6 Democrats voted in favor of it.

Update: 196 men voted in favor of the watered-down version of the bill today: 191 Republicans, 5 Democrats. [thinkprogress/Annie-Rose Strasser/16 May 2012]

• Misogynistic ‘Men’s Rights’ Group Endorses GOP Version Of Violence Against Women Act:

But at least one group is coming to the GOP’s defense. The National Coalition for Men (NCFM) has released a statement arguing that the Republican alternative will “ensure more of the abused are better served” and provide protections for the “true victims” of domestic violence — heterosexual men [thinkprogress/Igor Volsky/16 May 2012]

• If You’re Knocked Up in Kansas and Don’t Want to Be, You Better Hope You Get the Right Pharmacist

• Brownback Signs Law That Allows Pharmacists to Guess if Women Are Having an Abortion, Refuse Them Service:

With the signing of a new expanded conscience clause bill in Kansas, Republican Governor Sam Brownback has now legally blessed a virtually open-ended number of situations in which “religious” workers can refuse to assist women under the guise that they believe they “may be” terminating a pregnancy.

Advocates of the law argue that it “updates existing law.” But by changing the law to include refusal to administer any drug that they believe may terminate a pregnancy, it opens the door to refusal of birth control and emergency contraception — both of which many anti-choice medical workers and pharmacists erroneously charge end very early pregnancies rather than preventing conception. The law could also allow refusal of even more medically-necessary drugs simply because they may relate to abortions. [alternet/RH Reality Check/Robin Marty/15 May 2012]

• It’s like the passive-aggressive cousin of Stand Your Ground. We could call it “Sit On Your Hands,” perhaps: You don’t have to help someone if you think they don’t deserve it, even if it’s a potentially life-threatening situation, and even if it’s supposed to be your job.

• Male AZ Rep. Pushes 20-Week Abortion Ban in D.C., But Won’t Let Female D.C. Rep. Speak at Hearing:

Arizona Congressman Trent Franks’ attempt to push a 20-week “fetal pain” abortion ban in Washington, D.C. (despite the fact that there is no science showing a fetus can feel pain at 20 weeks) is at best just another chance for the Republican to show off his anti-choice credentials and allow anti-choice House members to woo their supporters with their love of restrictions on women’s reproductive health. At worst, it’s an attempt to create a piece of legislation which, if it does become law, would provide a direct track to the Supreme Court to challenge Roe V. Wade. There is no evidence for fetal pain in the second trimester of pregnancy, and fetuses are not viable at 20 weeks.

Either way, he’s not intending to let his moment of glory be overshadowed, even if that means refusing to let D.C.’s actual Congressional representative speak on the bill.

On Thursday, the House Judiciary Committee will be reviewing a ban on any abortion after 20 weeks, but Democratic Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, who represents the District, will not be allowed to testify, despite the fact that she would be the one who represents the women who would be affected by the bill if it passes. [RH Reality Check/Robin Marty/16 May 2012]

• “They’re like, ‘Well, the poor pitiful women that can’t afford to go out of state are just going to start doing them at home with a coat hanger.’ That’s what we’ve heard over and over and over. “But hey, you have to have moral values. You have to start somewhere, and that’s what we’ve decided to do.

Posted in Celebrity, I read stuff, Idris Elba, Movies, News, Sexuality | Tagged domestic violence, Idris Elba, reproductive rights | Leave a comment

Millennium, Prometheus and Phantom [I read stuff]

By xxxevilgrinxxx | Published: May 15, 2012

Wherein I read things, laugh [or not], and pass them on to you…

Tesla Rules!

• Lance Henriksen Says ‘Millennium’ Movie Is Going to Happen:

In 2009 we reported that Henriksen had been approached by private investors who wished to produce an independent film version of Millennium. At the time we spoke with Henriksen’s friend and his Bone Dry director Brett A. Hart, who told us of his interest in directing the potential film [screenrant/Niall Browne/14 May 2012]

• First Clip Online – “Prometheus Has Landed”:

• “Phantom” (2012) Official Teaser Trailer :

The haunted Captain of a Soviet submarine holds the fate of the world in his hands. Forced to leave his family behind, he is charged with leading a covert mission cloaked in mystery.
A Film by Todd Robinson ~ “Phantom” ~ Starring Ed Harris, David Duchovny, and William Fichtner ~ Executive Producers Rui Costa Reis, Ricardo Costa Reis, Eliad Josephson ~ Produced by John Watson, Pen Densham, Julian Adams ~ Written and Directed by Todd Robinson
Follow RCR on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rcrmediagroup
Follow “Phantom” on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Phantom-movie/208821035818936 [RCRMediaGroupOnline/11 May 2012]

• ‘Prometheus’ Star Idris Elba Prepares to Play Nelson Mandela:

Idris Elba is going from exploring the distant reaches of the universe to playing one of the most famous men on planet Earth.
Elba, who co-stars in director Ridley Scott’s coming sci-fi movie “Prometheus” told The Wall Street Journal yesterday that he’s getting ready to start filming his starring role as Nelson Mandela in the movie “Long Walk to Freedom,” a biopic about the South African leader. [wsj.com/speakeasy/Christopher John Farley/14 May 2012]

And now for the Daily Douchebag section of the blog post….

• Oklahoma Judge Overturns Law Arbitrarily Restricting Medication Abortions:

A state judge has ruled that the Oklahoma law that severely restricts “the ways in which doctors can treat women with abortion-inducing drugs” is unconstitutional. In his ruling overturning the 2011 law, Judge Donald Worthington wrote that the law violates a woman’s right to privacy and bodily integrity. And Worthington added that the law ignores medical standards, according to RH Reality Check:

Judge Worthington ruled that the bill’s restrictions on medication abortion are unconstitutional because they are “so completely at odds with the standard that governs the practice of medicine that [the bill] can serve no purpose other than to prevent women from obtaining abortions and to punish and discriminate against those women who do.” [...]

The law — which had been temporarily blocked since October — would have banned any off-label use of medications for abortion or treatment of ectopic pregnancy, while explicitly allowing off-label use of the same medication for other purposes. According to the lawsuit, the law not only jeopardizes women’s health by preventing doctors from using safe and effective methods available, but also undermines women’s ability to exercise the full range of their fundamental constitutionally protected reproductive rights.

[thinkprogress/Amanda Peterson Beadle/14 May 2012]

• Jan Brewer Signs Arizona Big Brother Birth Control Surveillance Law:

Well, who didn’t see this coming? Our favorite woman-hating female governor has actually signed the Arizona birth control bill into law.

…the law expands the definition of an employer covered under this particular exception

…in case you’d forgotten about the specifics of this abomination amidst all of the right wing lunacy that’s been flying around the country lately, the bill would allow employers to interrogate women about the purpose for which they are using birth control pills. If the fruit of that interrogation revealed the horrible fact that the employee was using birth control pills for—heaven forbid—birth control, she could be fired summarily. For anyone who thinks this is ridiculous and couldn’t actually happen, please go re-read Susie Madrak’s post about it.

[crooksandliars/karoli/14 May 2012]

• GOP Colorado House Speaker Ignores Majority, Moves To Kill Civil Unions Bill:

After obstructing civil unions and other legislature, McNulty shows considerable gall, blaming others for his obstruction, and considerable ignorance, suggesting voters do not care about expanding civil rights for all Coloradans. The House State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee meets later today — seemingly to kill the civil unions bill. The voters of Colorado meet in November and observers expect they will likely respond by killing his one-seat GOP House majority and ending his reign as Speaker. [thinkprogress/Josh Israel/14 May 2012]

• “[S]traight people don’t need any help tearing down the institution of marriage.”

• RNC Chair Priebus: Gay People Deserve Dignity and Respect, As Long as That Doesn’t Include Allowing Them to Get Married

• In a taped appearance on The View, the President explained that supporting “marriage” over civil unions is important because of the federal benefits that depend on the word.

• “This is a test of our character.” – Jay-Z opens up about gay marriage, politics and the economy

• What If, Like, A Key Moment In The Game, Her Shirt Pops Open And Her Bosoms Come Flyin’ Out?

Posted in Celebrity, David Duchovny, I read stuff, Idris Elba, LOLs, Millennium, Movies, News, Sexuality, TV | Tagged David Duchovny, Homophobia, Idris Elba, Lance Henriksen, Millennium, Phantom, Prometheus, reproductive rights, Tesla | Leave a comment

Watermelon Noms! [I read stuff]

By xxxevilgrinxxx | Published: May 14, 2012

Wherein I read things, laugh [or not], and pass them on to you…

Cat Noms on Watermelon

• Juan Of The Dead review – Alexis Diaz de Villegas stars as supreme Slacker survivor: Juan Of The Dead succeeds with imaginative zombie killing set pieces, but also scores large with the satirical bite it aims at Castro and his crumbling regime. Director Alejandro Brugues’s film enters the zom-com genre, but you wonder how they got permission to film the survivors stealing from zombie tourists and the blood spattered attacks on the walking dead plaguing the grandeur of Havana harbourside. There is an amazing underwater walking dead scene as the survivors trying to flee on makeshift rafts and are pulled under by the more energetic zombies. Throughout the film we are reminded that the Cuban Government blame the impending social disaster and zombie apocalypse on a group of American funded dissidents. [purplerevolver/Pierce King/13 May 2012/Official Juan Of The Dead site]

• My Warrior Women: All the relationships in my life have been with strong women, and I think I get on better with them. My mother was a big part of bringing up three boys, so I accepted that as the status quo. Oddly enough, I find it quite engaging to be working with a female when I’m directing. There are a lot of men who feel they’re being emasculated by having the woman in charge; I’ve never had that problem. The stronger the woman, the better for me. [thedailybeast/Ridley Scott/14 May 2012]

Posted in I read stuff, LOLs, Movies | Tagged Juan of the Dead, LOL, Women | Leave a comment

Happy Mother’s Day! [I read stuff]

By xxxevilgrinxxx | Published: May 13, 2012

Wherein I read things, laugh [or not], and pass them on to you…

[Show as slideshow]

• Hugh Jackman Wishes You and Yours a Happy Mother’s Day from the Set of LES MISERABLES

• FLASHBACK: Ripley – I am Mother, hear me roar!: Leaving us with Ripley and the Alien herself. Good those two are last because I see a hell of a lot of similarities in them both. The writer puts the Alien and Ripley on opposite sides of the line but I tend to see them as being on the same side of that same line, with the same enemy no less, given that the Company wants them both. Both of those women are mothers and it’s not the soccer mom ideal we’re looking at but primal motherhood with all the niceties stripped clean. Both of those mothers fight, literally tooth and nail, for what’s theirs. [xxxevilgrinxxx/8 Dec 2010]

• Lance Henriksen Thinks a Millennium Film Will Happen: Though it was never quite as well known as creator Chris Carter’s other FOX series, “The X-Files,” “Millennium” has, since its three-season run in the late 1990′s, developed a sizable cult following. The show starred Lance Henriksen as a criminal profiler with the uncanny ability to put himself inside the mind of a killer. Now, thirteen years after the show went off the air, Henriksen tells ComingSoon.net that Frank Black could still return on the big screen.

“I think it’s going to happen,” Henriksen said today at the press junket for the upcoming animated series, “TRON: Uprising.” “I really do… There’s a big push on right now and there’s a lot of crazy people involved in it. They’ve written a book with interviews with everybody that was on the show including [Frank] Spotnitz and me… It’s crazy that you wouldn’t give it a shot. It doesn’t have to be a $30 million movie either. There’s a lot of fans out there in 65 countries. I can’t go into any other country without them wondering when the movie is going to be made.”

Following the demise of the series, Henriksen made one final appearance as Black in an episode of “The X-Files,” timed to air just before the end of 1999. What’s happened since then, Henriksen explained, would help fuel the film’s narrative.

“Ever since 9/11, the world has changed so radically,” he continued. “If ‘Millennium’ was made today with those characters, it would be a far more interesting show than the limited palette they had with serial killers. I love the idea of a non-judgemental character like Frank Black was… He wanted to know why and how all these things happened, but he knew that judging someone for what they’ve done would just get in the way of finding out things. Imagine that kind of morality and focus, like a master chess player. There’s beads on a string and suddenly you’ve got a necklace. He knew how to do it. It would be much more interesting now than it was then.”

The actor went on to explain what he’d like to see Black go through should a big screen “Millennium” become a reality.

“When you trap a guy like Frank Black,” he said, “who has that kind of imagination and you put him in a world like Bulgaria where everything is in Cyrillic and he can’t communicate actively with a lot of people, he has to do it in another way. I’ve thought of how it could be done. You just keep moving the pressure in on him about this kind of terrorist stuff. A terrorist plot. The pressure keeps building and building and building until you realize that that pressure gave him all the answers he needed. You would be gasping for air to wonder what is going to happen to this guy.” [comingsoon/Silas Lesnick/12 May 2012]

• Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer Signs Legislation Permitting Employers to Interrogate Female Employees About Contraception Use: Jan Brewer just signed this monstrosity into law yesterday. In fact, the version which she signed is actually worse than the originally-introduced version. The amended version attempts to address the concerns that the bill violates a woman’s privacy by off-handedly stating that the bill does not authorize the “religiously-affiliated employer” to obtain an employee’s protected health information or to violate HIPAA. [rawstory/ABL/12 May 2012]

Posted in Celebrity, Hugh Jackman, I read stuff, LOLs, Millennium, Movies, News, Sexuality, Special Events, TV | Tagged Aliens, Hugh Jackman, Lance Henriksen, Millennium, reproductive rights, Ripley | Leave a comment

Yes: Don’t Kill the Whale

By xxxevilgrinxxx | Published: May 13, 2012

Official Music Video

Uploaded by vzqk502 on Aug 4, 2009

Lineup from “Tormato”:

Jon Anderson: vocals, percussion, Alvarez ten-string guitar
Steve Howe: Gibson Les Paul Custom, Martin 00045, Spanish Guitar, Fender Broadcaster, acoustic Gibson guitar, Gibson ES-175, mandolin, vocals
Chris Squire: Rickenbacker bass guitar, Pitch shifter, piano (on ‘Don’t Kill the Whale’), bass pedals, vocals
Rick Wakeman: piano, Hammond organ, Polymoog, Birotron, harpsichord, RMI Electra Piano
Alan White: drums, glockenspiel, crotales, cymbals, bell tree, drum machine, gongs, vocals

Posted in Music, Yes | Tagged Music, Yes | Leave a comment

Fast Six, Comic Book Men and Walking Dead [I read stuff]

By xxxevilgrinxxx | Published: May 12, 2012

Wherein I read things, laugh [or not], and pass them on to you…

• ‘Fast and Furious 6′ Plot Hints Revealed as Luke Evans Confirmed as Villain: Adding to the filmography he will be going for even wider appeal as previous rumors that had him playing the villain in the upcoming The Fast and the Furious 6 have now been confirmed as production prepares to get underway shortly for a May 24, 2013 release. Evans is filling in the role originally offered to Jason Statham as the leader of crew of thieves targeting the same heist job eyed by Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel), Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) and their gang as the film makes way for Europe with Germany already mentioned as one of the film’s possible locales. [ropeofsilicon/09 May 2012]

• AMC Renews Comic Book Men and Talking Dead: AMC announced a second season pick-up for its unscripted series Comic Book Men and Talking Dead. Comic Book Men is executive produced by Kevin Smith (Clerks, Chasing Amy), Charlie Corwin’s Original Media (LA Ink, Storm Chasers, Swamp People) and Elyse Seiden (Red State). The series continues to delve into fanboy culture by following the antics in and around Smith’s New Jersey comic shop, Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash. Talking Dead, the network’s first live after show that serves as a platform for discussion for AMC’s series The Walking Dead, is executive produced by Michael Davies and co-executive produced by Jen Kelly from Embassy Row. Chris Hardwick (Nerdist; G4) is the host. Season two of both series consists of 16 half-hour episodes. [amctv/12 May 2012]

• Everybody Farts

• Supporters of Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment Prove They’re Assholes With Incredibly Tacky Victory Party

• Batshit crazy: “P- E- N- I- S goes into the anus to rupture intestines. The more a man does this the more he’ll be a fatality or a homicider…”

• Kansas Senate Stops Anti-Abortion Bill That Would Have Required Doctors To Give False Information

Posted in I read stuff, LOLs, Sexuality, Toretto, TV, Walking Dead | Tagged Fast Six, Homophobia, LOL, reproductive rights, Walking Dead | Leave a comment

Fantastic Ferns and Nature Study

By xxxevilgrinxxx | Published: May 10, 2012

Up until now, the most advanced crochet pattern I’ve attempted has been labeled, well, advanced. Until now! Behold! My start on “challenging” patterns!

In green and also red are “Fantastic Ferns”. The first was using green size 10 crochet cotton, with a 1mm hook. Some errors, but it came out okay. Of course, the errors bugged me, so I took another whack at it, in red size 100 cotton and a 0.60mm needle. *Damn! My eyes!* One thing about working with a needle that small is that when I switched back to a 1mm needle, it felt HUGE! The second challenging pattern was “Nature Study”, in size 10 crochet cotton with a 1mm hook.

It’s been nice to bump it up a level but wow! Lots of complicated stitches. Worth it, I think.

Posted in Crochet, Design | Tagged crochet | Leave a comment

Cole Hauser’s New Role [I read stuff]

By xxxevilgrinxxx | Published: May 9, 2012

Wherein I read things, laugh [or not], and pass them on to you…

cole-hauser-in-die-hard-5-good-day-die-hard

• A Good Day To Die Hard Adds Cole Hauser In Supporting, Villainous Role: Now Deadline is reporting another tiny bit of casting that suggests some forward motion– Cole Hauser, the character actor with roles in everything from 2 Fast 2 Furious to Good WIll Hunting to Dazed and Confused, has signed on in the supporting role of Collins, a villain who presumably will work in cahoots with the the previously cast bad guys. Hauser has been in two other Willis films, Tears of the Sun and Hart’s War, though it’s unclear just how much face-to-face time they’ll have. A Good Day To Die Hard is shooting in Russia [cinemablend/deadline/08 May 2012]

• Hillary Clinton wore glasses, didn’t wear makeup. The world did not end.

• Roe V World: Why Not Require a 72-Hour Waiting Period for Every Major Life Decision?: At least one Salt Lake City writer agrees — but he thinks the law doesn’t go far enough. His Jonathan Swiftian suggestion? Three day waiting periods on every major life decision….For example, he thinks that since getting drunk can lead to poor decisions (“Let’s eat some Taco Bell!”) and getting high can lead to its own special brand of stupidity (“Let’s roll three Taco Bell tacos into one super tacoburrito!” or, “Let’s invent Pizza Scissors!”), people should be legally required to sign a letter of intent and then wait for three days. The 72-hour rule should also apply to church attendance, which Kirby says can cause imposition of belief and intrusion on the lives of others. And finally, couples trying to get pregnant on purpose should state their objectives in writing and keep their pants on for 72 hours of quiet reflection before procreative sex takes place. [jezebel/Erin Gloria Ryan/08 May 2012/Salt Lake City Tribune]

• Kansas Bill Permits Doctors to Refuse to Administer Chemotherapy to Pregnant Cancer Patients: The Kansas Senate has approved a bill that literally prioritizes a doctor’s personal beliefs over women—currently alive, breathing women—by permitting doctors and other healthcare providers to refuse medical care to a pregnant woman if such care might end her pregnancy. And here’s the kicker: the healthcare provider would not be under any obligation to refer the patient elsewhere. So, if a woman develops breast cancer while pregnant, or if a woman with breast cancer becomes pregnant, her doctor could refuse to provide chemotherapy treatment to her, and the doctor would not have to tell her why she was being refused treatment and would not have to refer the patient to another doctor who would provide chemo. We’re familiar with abortion laws that prioritize the lives of the unborn over the lives of women. This bill now prioritizes a doctor’s personal beliefs over the life of a human. THIS IS MADNESS. [balloon-juice.com/ABL 2.0/08 May 2012]

Posted in Celebrity, Cole Hauser, I read stuff, LOLs, Movies, News, Sexuality | Tagged Cole Hauser, LOL, reproductive rights | Leave a comment

Shirtless Riddick! [I read stuff]

By xxxevilgrinxxx | Published: May 8, 2012

Wherein I read things, laugh [or not], and pass them on to you…

*Fans self* Yum! A heavier, older Riddick is very easy on the eyes!

• New shirtless Riddick pic:

[Bigger pic avail. here]

A still from the RIddick set this year… we are in post and I can’t tell you how excited I am to see it manifest. You all were such a part of it becoming a reality… willed it into being, so to speak…

P.s. Filming Fast this summer is going to be incredible, haha… Thank you again for the opportunity to make magic. [Vin Diesel/07 May 2012]

funny-dog-pictures-i-has-a-hotdog-love-yourself

• Dispatches From the Set – Comic Creator and Series Executive Producer Robert Kirkman:

Q: After two seasons, you must feel like an old pro on set. What aspects of production still surprise you?

A: One thing that’s surprising me is how much I’ve fallen in love with Georgia. The town Senoia where we’re filming is absolutely beautiful…The big change this season is we’ve got this amazing prison that we’re filming in. It’s absolutely stunning, and I never get used to being on set.

Q: What went into constructing the prison?

A: They’ve taken a lot of what you see in the comic book series and brought it to life in ways that I didn’t think possible. This is going to be one of the most impressive looking things that’s ever been put together for a show.

Q: With the evil Governor in the picture, does that mean the humans are the bigger threat this season?

A: The plan was always to evolve naturally into a place where the zombies essentially become a manageable threat. You know the rules. You know how to deal with them. To a certain extent they become something to not really be scared of unless you mess up. Humans, however, do not follow any rules and will always do something that surprises you and are capable of doing things far worse than trying to eat you…We’re definitely going to be seeing a lot of horrible things.

more at the link! [amctv/07 May 2012]

• Imagine a world in which politicians dictate to doctors that they must lie to their patients. Actually you don’t have to. The Kansas House of representative passed this law today.

• “Do What We Say or the Women Will Die”: That may sound like some kind of villainous threat in a Wild West melodrama, but it is exactly what the Rick Perry administration in Texas is saying today. Planned Parenthood is suing the state for unlawfully excluding PP and its hundreds of thousands of patients from life-saving women’s health services. Perry’s health czar says that if Planned Parenthood wins the state will shut down the entire Women’s Health Program. [firedoglake/Glenn W. Smith/06 May 2012]

Posted in Celebrity, I read stuff, LOLs, News, Riddick, Sexuality, TV, Vin Diesel, Walking Dead | Tagged reproductive rights, Riddick, Riddick 3, Vin Diesel, Walking Dead | Leave a comment

SGU Season 3? Not so much

By xxxevilgrinxxx | Published: May 7, 2012

A brief critique of Stargate Universe: The Virtual Third Season.

Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t review fanfic here, but this particular bit of fanfic has received some foofarah about possibly, maybe, perhaps being a sort of definitive Season 3 and perhaps even becoming somewhat official. I’m only 3 episodes into the 8, but here are a few brief points about why I think that would be a poor idea: Read More »