NERDSBURGH

And they're off! Day one of 2012 Wizard World Philadelphia

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Wolf) — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 02:00:00 +0000

Nerdsburgh's Erin Wolf and a um...friend

As I strolled down the aisles of opening day of the 2012 Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Convention, I was surprised at how accessible everything was. Then I realized why it felt so strange to be able to roam unburdened by sharp elbows, exasperating lines and sweaty, pushy fans: I don't usually come to a Comic Con until Friday or Saturday. The thing is, and I don't want to spoil it for those in the know, but coming to the opening day of a Comic Convention or "preview" night has to be one of the best kept secrets in all of Con-dom lore.

True most of the Hollywood celebs and the really decked out cosplayers won't show up until Saturday, but if you're a true comics fan and are in it to seek out commissioned artwork from an artist or chat it up with your favorite illustrator, this is the time to beat the lines.

Is every preview night this awesome or is it just Philadelphia? I don't know but what I do know is, I'll be one lucky gal if the rest of the weekend turns out to be as much fun as the first day, I can't wait to see what happens next...

Here is a pictorial journey of Nerdsburgh's first night at the con:

Wolverine's claws from X-Men 2
When I tried on the claws, my hands were so little that they didn't fill in the gaps between the blades showing the handle hidden within my palm. These were definitely made for a burly dude hand like Hugh Jackman's.

Always nice to see a lady Ghostbuster every now and then.

Anyone else see that TARDIS just hanging out on the showroom floor? Anyone? Doctor?

I was up for making new friends, but this was just downright silly. I mean no one is seriously that tall... *shudder*

Just a coupla Zombies trying to pass as live people.

One of my favorite artists, Yanick Paquette, signing a book for a fan. He draws hands down the best Swamp Thing in all of comics history, in my opinion of course.

I found the fun loving and always charming Raven Gregory hanging out over at the Zenescope Entertainment booth. Gregory is the author of two of my favorite comics, Fly and The Waking, as well as many other titles with Zenescope.

The Zombie King! - Arthur Suydam sitting amongst a myriad of illustrations of zombified pop culture icons such as Marilyn Monroe, Al Pacino as Zombie Scarface and even a twist on Nirvana's album cover of Nevermind where he has a zombie baby swimming after an ear.

Shirts, buttons and oh so much more swag depicting your favorite characters from television and movies. www.geekboypress.com

Byeeee, probably the only time this escalator will be this empty for the next three days.

Apparently it is forbidden to take off the wristbands, so into bed I go feeling like a patient at the Wizard World Psych Ward. Doctor, oh Doctor!

Nerdy Summer Movie Trailers 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Wolf) — Thu, 31 May 2012 17:16:00 +0000

While I will be spending all of my available hours this weekend at Wizard World Philadelphia, it doesn't mean that I can just ignore the massive list of movies about to be released in what is shaping up to be the biggest nerd blockbuster summer of all time.

I will assume that if you are reading this blog at this time then you are not at Wizard World and therefore live out of state, which is only a so-so excuse for not being there by the way.

Like a teacher that lets her kids watch movies on holidays, without further ado, I present to you a couple of awesome trailers to pass the time until I get home tonight with more news from Philadelphia Comic Con.

*Sound of a screen being unrolled to cover the chalkboard, followed by a flick of the light-switch and the whir of the motor on the projector as a dust particle filled beam of light comes on, shooting down the aisle through rows of bored children from a desk at the center of the room*

Go on now. Get some popcorn and a day planner to mark the release dates and enjoy a small respite from your otherwise humdrum lives on this rainy day, see you soon my little nerdlings.

"The Situation" to bring his um...situation to Comic Con

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Wolf) — Thu, 31 May 2012 04:45:00 +0000

It was the night before Comic Con and all through the house, not a creature was stirring not even a...what the hell is "The Situation" doing in my inbox?

Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino has gone from "television star" to "pop culture icon" to "venture capitalist" to now "superhero" faster than my fingers can keep up with all the air quotes. It is with a sarcastic tone and a pale complexion that I announce that "The Situation" has paused his lifestyle of pounding jager bombs, fist pumping and sucking face in hot tubs long enough to convince somebody to draw him half-naked in a comic book...as a superhero.

Don't get me wrong, he seems like a nice guy and God Bless those abs because my stomach sure doesn't look like that, but a superhero? Really?

Aren't there enough Vodka companies and tanning salons looking for a ridiculously famous-for-no-reason face to slap on their wares and sell their products to meat heads juicing it up in the tri-state area?

Ya know, it was dudes like "The Situation" flexing their muscles and not asking us out on dates that made us nerds feel like outcasts when we were more vulnerable versions of ourselves in the first place. Am I right? Don't stop me, I'm just getting started. I don't know about the rest of the geekos out there, but a cut dude who can get ladies with an oily smile and a pectoral juggling trick makes me want to huddle up in the shower Aliens style and cry until all the ickiness washes away.

Apparently this was just a taste of what's to come as the comic isn't due to hit shelves until August where Sorrentino will be making his first Con appearance at Wizard World Chicago. Hold on to your hats Windy City, and make sure to stock up on the hair gel.

What you can count on, however, is the fact that the talent assembled behind the branding actually seems quite impressive. I'm skeptical of course, but I will reserve judgement until I see the book in August. I just hope the writers opt for a tongue in cheek feel, otherwise we might have a Plan 9 from Outer Space invade the world of comics, sorry to say.

The team of artists and writers collaborating on the effort include Eisner Award winning writer Paul Jenkins (Wolverine: Origins, Batman, Hulk, Spider-Man), pencil and inks by Talent Caldwell (Superman, X-Men, G.I. Joe), and coloring by Paul Mounts (Avengers, Ultimate X-Men, Wolverine, and Thor).

“This team we’ve assembled is our commitment to put out a comic book of the highest quality that will have a compelling story and amazing art,” said John Macaluso, Wizard World CEO. “Our creative team is hard at work creating a book that will appeal to a wide new audience, and will also interest long-time comic fans.”

Comic Created By Sorrentino, Superstar Artist Greg Horn, Produced by Wizard World, MPS Entertainment Scheduled For Release At Wizard World Chicago Comic Con In August

Kansas Missile Silo becomes home to Chic Postapocalypse Condominiums

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Wolf) — Tue, 29 May 2012 16:41:00 +0000

Remember that Twilight Zone episode called "The Shelter" where after a bomb threat during a birthday party, a man and his family take to his personal shelter, effectively locking all the crazy neighbors outside to face the end of the world unprotected?

Well, imagine a world in which you wouldn't have to choose between your family and the rest of your huddled, frightened cul de sac of neighbors who were too sceptical to plan ahead for the end of the world. Former software engineer Larry Hall has bought an 174 foot deep underground missile silo that he is currently converting into five-star luxurious condominiums, according to his website www.survivalcondos.com, and they are for sale.

With the resort-like amenities of a Princess Cruise Line and the Science Fiction technology of the Axiom space retreat vessel from Wall-E, Hall has big plans for his ex-Atlas F nuclear ballistic missile holder hole in the ground nestled gently in the middle of scenic Kansas countryside.

A cutaway of the monolithic dome

THE SILO CAP
Topping the underground structure is a silo cap which is a type of monolithic dome known as a Torus. The dome is made of concrete with blast-proof windows and is capable of withstanding winds in excess of 500 MPH, well beyond the winds of the most powerful F-5 Tornadoes which produce winds up to 300 MPH and killed Helen Hunt's parents in the movie Twister. I would assume that in the event of a world-ending natural, or unnatural, disaster there wouldn't be much of a view, but it would be cool to watch anyway in hopes of catching a glimpse of the Wicked Witch of the East blow by on her broomstick from the privacy of your own...er...home. We're not in Kansas anymore Toto, or wait, are we?

LIVING SPACES
Buying one of the "survival condo units" is going to run the average family about $1 million for a Half-floor unit (3-5 people) and $2 million for a Full-floor (6-10 people). If that seems a little steep for those of us that are hoping to scrape together $30,000 for a down payment on a house above ground, keep in mind that this price also includes all the necessary components to sustain life for over five years. In addition to state-of-the-art kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms and anything else one might need to exist comfortably, each unit includes "windows" that are actually HD-TV panels and can display a simulated view of the resident's choosing, whether it be the Empire State Building or The Moon, to help stave off feelings of claustrophobia.

FOOD
The silo is designed to function as a self contained community (we did learn somethings from those damned hippies after all) and is equipped to accommodate the most basic needs of 70 people indefinitely. Connected to the silo by tunnel is an old launch control site which has been converted into a facility with hydroponic and aquaculture capabilities to produce fresh organic food as well as farm fish.

ENTERTAINMENT
It's inevitable that after a few weeks of hearing everybody's harrowing survivor stories, people are going to want some sort of recreation to take their minds off the fact that they might be the only people left on Earth. So, to satiate bored residents, social gathering places such as a movie theatre, bar, classroom, general store, fitness center and pool have been strategically built into the compound. If I knew the continuation of the entire human race rested on my ability to birth youngins, I might want to watch a light-hearted Sandra Bullock Rom-Com to keep the spirits up too.

IS IT SAFE?
A diesel generator and a wind turbine will supply electricity while a complex air filtration system is set up to keep all the Survival Condo dwellers breathing easily. In addition to electric fences, security cameras and a comprehensive, sophisticated alarm system (no five digit security code here George, "BOSCO") the facility also has its own weapons arsenal should they ever come under attack from outsiders.

As a fan of post-apocalyptic fiction, film and television; the idea of an underground missile silo turned luxurious bomb shelter condominium compound, tickles my nerd science sensibilities. But these unique living spaces were not designed with the run of the mill Xenophobic, paranoid nut-job in mind. All potential buyers will be screened for violent felonies, health problems and anger issues in order to avoid a Sartre-esque No Exit scenario.

Hall designed and built these Survival Condos to provide safety and security for his family in an otherwise unpredictable world, lucky for us he has enough room to spare...ya know, just in case.

"This project has the advantages of letting the members own a piece of history, the coolness of a missile base, the protection of a nuclear hardened bunker, and the features of a luxury condo."
-Larry Hall via SurvivalCondo.Com

All Five Star Trek Captains on board for 2012 Philadelphia Comic Con

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Wolf) — Thu, 24 May 2012 14:14:00 +0000

The nerds are coming, the nerds are coming!

Open those doughnut shops early, stock up on the Mountain Dew and prepare to increase your WiFi bandwith Philadelphia because Wizard World Comic Con is coming to town in exactly one week.

Philadelphia Wizard World Comic Con is that glorious time of year when the last remaining winds of winter pass and the radiant sun emerges once more from the clouds, heralding nerds from all across the tri-state area to rise from the depths of their mom's basements and converge en masse to the PA Convention Center where they will mingle, shop, talk comics and gawk at their favorite nerd celebs. It is also the only time of year when Darth Vader can be seen riding a SEPTA bus past Green Lantern balancing a slice of pizza on his knee next to a Spiderman guzzling a 2 liter of Dr. Pepper straight from the bottle, I simply can't wait.

While typically comics are king at these sorts of conventions, the exciting news this year that has many a nerd heart pumping double time is that for the first time ever, all five captains from the Star Trek television franchise will be appearing together at the 2012 Wizard World in Philly.

For those of you that are hard-core Trekkies, pick your jaws up off the floor, for those of you that are otherwise this means that in an unprecedented and amazing turn of events William Shatner, Patrick Stewart, Avery Brooks, Kate Mulgrew and Scott Bakula will be under one roof interacting with fans, simply existing before our eyes in their Trekkie awesomeness.

“Bringing together the five Captains from the iconic ‘Star Trek’ series, capped with the addition of the legendary Sir Patrick Stewart, is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our fans,” said John Macaluso, Wizard World CEO. “They and other standout guests like Chris Hemsworth, William Shatner and Stan Lee make Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con a can’t-miss event.”

In addition to celebrity spotting, Wizard World also features a bustling exhibition hall stuffed to capacity with various table top booths representing super stars of the Comic Book industry as well as several events such as Costume Contests, Master Classes, panels and an impressive line-up of activities for 'Kids Day' on Sunday, June 3rd.

A list of programming for the 2012 Philadelphia Wizard World Comic Con is as follows:

ROOM KEY
THEATER ROOM = GRAND BALLROOM AB
ROOM A = 113
ROOM B = 111
ROOM C = 112

ALL WEEKEND
PORTFOLIO REVIEWS AT GLASS HOUSE GRAPHICS BOOTH #1059 (SHOW FLOOR)

THURSDAY 5/31
5:00-9:00PM: SUPERHERO PUB CRAWL
7:00-8:30PM: JEDI LIGHTSABER MASTER CLASS (SHOW ARENA – SHOW FLOOR)

FRIDAY 6/1
12:00-12:45PM: HOW TO FAIL IN COMICS: BIG CITY COMICS (ROOM A)
     CHALK TALK WITH MIKE DEODATO JR (ROOM B)
12:00-1:30PM: JEDI LIGHTSABER MASTER CLASS (SHOW ARENA – SHOW FLOOR)
12:00-8:00PM: SUPERHERO PUB CRAWL
1:00-1:45PM: BATMAN AND PSYCHOLOGY: A DARK AND STORMY KNIGHT (ROOM A)
     JAMES HONG (ROOM B)
2:00-2:45PM: FUNKY WINKERBEAN’S 40TH ANNIVERSARY (ROOM A)
     DEAN CAIN Q&A
2:00-3:30PM: JEDI LIGHTSABER MASTER CLASS (SHOW ARENA – SHOW FLOOR)
3:00-3:45PM: VAMPIRE LORE AND OTHER URBAN MYTHS AND LEGENDS (ROOM A)
     STAR WARS Q&A (ROOM B)
4:00-4:45PM: JAMES MARSTERS AND JULIET LANDAU Q&A (ROOM A)
     NY JEDI’s (ROOM B)
     KNIFE DEMONSTRATION (SHOW ARENA – SHOW FLOOR)
5:00-5:45PM: SAM TRAMMELL Q&A (ROOM A)
     SCI-FI SPEED DATING (ROOM C)
     BEHIND THE MAGIC WITH JEFF MENGES, WINONA      NELSON AND PHIL FOGLIO (ROOM B)
6:00-6:45PM: SAM WITWER Q&A (ROOM B)
     STAN LEE MEET & GREET (ROOM C) * PAID EVENT
     COSPLAYING COSTUMING AND FAN FILMS (ROOM A)
7:00-7:45PM: WIZARD WORLD COSPLAY PHOTO SHOOT MEET OUTSIDE OF ROOM A
     THE DOs AND DON’Ts OF A CAREER IN COMICS (ROOM B)
7:00-9:00PM: PARAMOUNT SCREENING (ROOM A)
8:00-11:00PM: WIZARD WORLD DRINK & DRAW (ROOM B)

SATURDAY 6/2
11:00-11:45AM: STAN LEE Q&A (THEATER ROOM)
     GREG CAPULLO WORKSHOP (ROOM A)
     TORCHWOOD Q&A (ROOM B)
12:00-12:45PM: HAYDEN PANETTIERE Q&A (ROOM A)
     TROMA ENTERTAINMENT (ROOM B)
12:00-1:30PM: JEDI LIGHTSABER MASTER CLASS (SHOW ARENA – SHOW FLOOR)
1:00-1:45PM: HOW TO CREATE COMICS - BREAKING IN WITH DAVE CAMPITI (ROOM B)
1:15-1:45PM: CHRIS HEMSWORTH Q&A (THEATER ROOM)
2:00-2:45PM: THE VAMPIRE DIARIES Q&A (ROOM A)
     COMIC CON COSTUMING WITH THE 501ST (ROOM B)
     STAN LEE MEET & GREET (ROOM C) *PAID EVENT
2:00-3:30PM: JEDI LIGHTSABER MASTER CLASS (SHOW ARENA – SHOW FLOOR)
3:00-3:45PM: BRUCE CAMPBELL Q&A (ROOM A)
     COMICS TO CA$H WITH MILE HIGH COMICS (ROOM B)
      KNIFE DEMONSTRATION (SHOW ARENA – SHOW FLOOR)
4:00-4:45PM: STAR TREK CAPTAINS Q&A (THEATER ROOM)
     EVIL DEAD Q&A (ROOM B)
4:00-5:00PM: COSPLAY PHOTOSHOOT MEET OUTSIDE OF ROOM A
5:00-5:45PM: DEAN CAIN (ROOM B)
     BOONDOCK SAINTS Q&A (ROOM A)
     SCI-FI SPEED DATING (ROOM C)
5:30-6:00PM: WWE® SUPERSTAR CM PUNK® Q&A (ROOM B)
6:30-9:00PM: WIZARD WORLD ADULT COSTUME CONTEST (ROOM A)
9:00-11:00PM: LLOYD THE CONQUEROR SCREENING
9:00PM-CLOSE: GEEKNATION LAUNCH PARTY PRESENTED BY WIZARD WORLD (FIELD HOUSE)
9:30-11:00PM: JACKIE “THE JOKE MAN” MARTLING COMEDY SHOW (ROOM B)

SUNDAY 6/3
10:00-10:45AM: GEORGIA BALL STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE READING (ROOM A)
     SHANNON ELIZABETH Q&A (ROOM B)
11:00-11:45AM: JERI RYAN Q&A (ROOM A)
     THEATER GROUP (ROOM B)
12:00-12:45PM: BUFFYFEST 20th ANNIVERSARY Q&A (ROOM A)
     RED ROCKET FARMS (ROOM B)
12:00-1:30PM: JEDI LIGHTSABER MASTER CLASS (SHOW ARENA – SHOW FLOOR)
1:00-1:45PM: QUANTUM LEAP Q&A (ROOM A)
      WIZARD WORLD KIDS COSTUME CONTEST (ROOM B)
2:00-2:45PM: MELISSA JOAN HART & JOEY LAWRENCE Q&A (ROOM A)
     WRITING AND EDITING IN COMICS (ROOM B)
2:00-3:30PM: JEDI LIGHTSABER MASTER CLASS (SHOW ARENA – SHOW FLOOR)
3:00-3:45PM: SPARTACUS AND LEGENDS OF THE SEEKER Q&A (ROOM A)
3:00-4:00PM: SCI-FI SPEED DATING (ROOM C)
3:00-3:15PM: FEDERATION FITNESS (ROOM B)
3:15-4:00PM: WRESTLING PANEL (ROOM B)

Join NERDSBURGH and tens of thousands of fans as they converge at Philadelphia Comic Con 2012 Wizard World Convention to celebrate the best in pop culture. Philadelphia Comic Con brings it all - Movies, Comics, Toys, Video Gaming, Games, TV, Horror, Wrestling, MMA, Original Art, Collectibles, Anime, Manga & More!

Show Hours:
Thursday, May 31, 2012 - 5pm - 9pm
Friday, June 1, 2012 - 12 NOON - 8pm
Saturday, June 2, 2012 - 10am - 7pm
Sunday, June 3, 2012 - 10am - 5pm

For more information on celebrity guests, tickets and just about any other darn thing you want to know about Philadelphia Comic Con 2012, please visit http://www.wizardworld.com/home-pa.html

NERDSBURGH will be attending this event, taking pictures and interviewing guests. Don't be shy, we want to hear from you, the fans! Check back over the course of the weekend for complete coverage, see you at the con!

Save the Date - Marvel announces Astonishing X-Men Gay Wedding

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Wolf) — Tue, 22 May 2012 18:36:00 +0000

This morning on ABC's The View, Marvel Comics announced that Jean-Paul Beaubier, AKA Northstar and a popular member of the X-Men, will propose to his long time boyfriend Kyle Jinadu in Astonishing X-Men #50, on-sale tomorrow in comic stores.

Wanna know what I think? I like it. I like that Marvel is willing to push the boundary of what is acceptably safe to show with regards to acknowledging homosexuality in pop culture. Notice no one even cares that it is an interracial couple? We've come so far, maybe Americans are willing to go a little further towards equality for all...especially if they're a fan of comics.

Men kissing men and women kissing women in a comic, or on a movie screen is no longer a taboo event to display, in my opinion. But to have a same sex couple dare to join in matrimony is still an act that most conservative Americans are uncomfortable with accepting. I don't know why, especially since it is more likely that the majority of today's married couples will end their vows in divorce rather than "death do us part" but okay, it's current news and whether or not it should be allowed is an issue that is on the minds of both government officials and everyday people, gay or otherwise.

Enter Marvel Comics.

This day and age, we (and by we I mean all of us, the everyman comic book readers), aren't just looking for a savior but a relatable hero. One that we can call neighbor as well as protector.

What I can only imagine is a timely response to the public controversy surrounding gay marriage, the powerhouses that be in the world of comics, namely the heads of Marvel, have decided to not only point at the elephant in the room but throw him a big, gay fabulous wedding he'll never forget.

“The Marvel Universe has always reflected the world outside your window, so we strive to make sure our characters, relationships and stories are grounded in that reality,” said Axel Alonso, Marvel Editor in Chief. “We’ve been working on this story for over a year to ensure Northstar and Kyle's wedding reflects Marvel's "world outside your window" tradition."

The proposal in Astonishing X-Men #50, and the wedding, which will occur in issue #51, were both written by Marjorie Liu (X-23¸ the urban fantasy Hunter Kiss series and the Dirk & Steele paranormal romances) and illustrated by Mike Perkins (Stephen King’s The Stand).

“The story of Northstar and Kyle is universal, and at the core of everything I write: a powerful love between two people who have to fight for it against all odds,” said Liu. “This is the quintessential Marvel story, one that blends the modern world with the fantasy of super heroes in order to tell an exciting story that begins with a wedding—and continues in ways you can’t imagine.”

“As a long-time fan of the X-Men, it’s not only a true honor to be part of such a historically significant story but also a complete joy,” explained Perkins.

In 1992’s historic Alpha Flight #106, Northstar became the first openly gay super hero when he announced his sexual identity through national media. Since then, Northstar has not only joined the X-Men but become one of their most popular new members. Northstar and Kyle have been a couple since 2009, garnering a large fan following since their first appearance together.

Marvel is sparing no flourish, pomp or circumstance for what they hope will be the wedding of the century, sorry Kate and Will. Instead of crazy hats, prancing Pippas and bad British teeth; certain comic book retailers will be hosting wedding parties in their stores in honor of this monumental and joyous occasion.

I predict X-Men fans across the nation will be wearing tights or dressing up as their favorite mutant character, as they blow bubbles and throw rice when the issues are unveiled and the owner of the shop ceremoniously walks it down the crowded aisle to Canon in D. Send in your RSVPs now because the unforgettable wedding issue will also feature covers by Dustin Weaver and Marko Djurdjevic, along with a special “Create Your Own Wedding” blank variant cover.

Not to be outdone by its biggest competitor in the arena of hot topics, DC has also announced that they will be outing one of their iconic superhero's sexuality this summer. Even though DC is understandably tight-lipped about the identity of the soon-to-be-outed hero, Courtney Simmons, DC Entertainment's senior vice president of publicity confirmed to ABC News “one of the major iconic DC characters will reveal that he is gay in a storyline in June.”

Despite the speculation surrounding camp DC and amidst the hectic wedding planning going on at Marvel, the happiest of all has to be the LGBT community about the buzz being generated championing their cause for acceptance by Americans at large and more specifically, the government. Matt Kane, associate director of entertainment and media for GLAAD, told ABC News, “DC and (archrival) Marvel are recognizing that there is an LGBT audience that has been reading their comics for years. When creating these fictional worlds it’s important to show the full diversity."

Don’t miss the proposal everyone’s talking about in Astonishing X-Men #50, available tomorrow in comic stores. And then save the date for June 20, as Northstar and Kyle tie the knot in Astonishing X-Men #51. Also, look for the announcement regarding DC's big and super gay outing sometime later in June as they let the media speculation percolate through Marvel's splashy nuptial.

No, it's mine and I don't want to share

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Wolf) — Thu, 17 May 2012 19:23:00 +0000

There is a room in Nerdsburgh amongst the winding labyrinth of tunnels that only I am allowed to enter. There is a retina scan at the door, a voice activation mechanism and a nerd alert alarm system. It is here, in this tucked away Scrooge McDuck style swimming pool of nerdom that I have been hoarding my wisdom, my thoughts and my Converse.

I have been spending a lot of time in the underbelly of Nerdsburgh these past couple of weeks. Usually I'm forthright and up for sharing the latest Nerd info with all of you good people but lately, I have been feeling very selfish.

It's not you, it's me.

Don't get all teary eyed, we're not breaking up. I'm just going through a selfish phase, that's all.

All my life I've dreamed that one day the tables would turn and the cool would be cast asunder and the nerds would rise in a blaze of glorious light, to behold and coveted by all who aren't me. Well, that day has finally come and I don't feel any different. In fact, I feel worse because instead of claiming my niche with a warm embrace, I find myself jealously coveting all of nerdom for myself.

It started with my shoes.

Since I was a kid I have worn Converse. It wasn't because they were offbeat, weird and especially not cool, I just liked the fact that I found a pair of shoes that I could wear that didn't hurt my feet and came in a variety of colors. High heels are for going out, sneakers are for running and slippers are for sleep but Converse are for when I just want to not care about what I put on my feet.

But, alas, now wearing Converse is a fashion statement. Every wanna be nerd who wants everyone else to know that they are a nerd wears them and it has left me exasperated. Suddenly it's trendy to be a nerd, and I don't want to be trendy. I just want to like what I like and it makes me want to shout that I've been here for years.

Ever since the Nerdery fad has triumphantly blazed its way into the mainstream of pop culture, I have felt swept up in a lengthy line of geeks determined to prove something. What that is, I have no idea. But, I don't like lines. I have for so long enjoyed the solitude of nerdom that I don't know if I can bear to share this fascinating world that was once so empty and calming with so many others that I find to be johnny-come-lately trespassers.

It could be that I am loner at heart. Maybe I'm just scared of all the people that suddenly now want to be where I have always been. This is a world my former awkward highschool fan girl self could only dream that one day would come to pass, I never thought I would long for the time when it was only mine to appreciate.

I can still remember conversations with my friends at school, huddled in a protective corner away from the popular kids, collectively wishing for the day when the activities that we liked would be the "the thing to do" and where we liked to hang would become "the place where its at." And now that the time is finally here, I still feel like an outcast.

I should be stepping out into the sun and accepting some obtuse award for years of patience and servitude as a faithful nerd, I have certainly paid my painful dues. Why does it feel as if I haven't earned it?

This is a gilded age for nerds. The long winter of biding our time and hoarding supplies is over, this is the springtime of our condemned youth.

So, it is with a nervous yet hopeful sigh that I write this but it's time to finally cast aside a lifetime's worth of shame and revel in the glory of us. I will open my door at long last and embrace my Converse. Today is the day I shall wear them with pride, not because the rest of you are doing it, but because they're my shoes and I like them.

I am nerd and not because it's popular, I'm just that way. Nice to meet all of you.

Survivor Survivor Pool - Week 13

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Wolf) — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:41:00 +0000

It's week 13 on Survivor: One World and the castaways are hungry, but not just for food. At this point in the game, rice is running low, bathing suits are beginning to sag and an alliance of six becomes the strategy of one.

Until now, the women have stuck together through thick and thin, not necessarily because of loyalty, but more so because they figured out something that the men of this season never quite seemed to grasp...you need a majority of votes to win. It really is that simple.

Kim the bridal shop owner is clearly the boss lady in charge of the dwindling number of castaways left on the island. Yet, despite the fact that she should be public enemy number one, no one seems to have considered the probability that if they are sitting in a finale scenario with the blue eyed smooth talkin' Kim, then they will have done nothing but secure a front row seat to watch Kim win a million dollars. Big moves are what makes waves in Survivor, and once you've lost the numbers to do so then you've lost the game. So, why aren't any of the girls staging a coup? It's time for a revolution ladies, let's get it together! Raise your fist, fight for your right to party...er...win a million smackeroos!

Regarding the last two weeks of eliminations, can we take a moment to mourn the elimination of Troyzan and laugh at the hilarious blindside of Kat? I would like to announce that I support Troyzan's campaign for Fan Favorite and Kat's campaign to win dumbest person ever cast on television. However, even though she is quite dense, Kat was also one of the most entertaining castaways of this season. She has a Jessica Simpson "chicken or tuna" pretty girl ignorance about her that is kind of endearing, a rockin' bod which I'm sure most male viewers appreciated, along with many uncomfortable too-close-for-comfort hugs with her "cousin" on the family episode as well as one of the funniest tribal council eliminations I have ever seen. That said, I'm glad she's gone. In this economy when so many struggle to make ends meet, it would have been all but unbearable to watch a twenty something half wit spend a million dollars on jet skis and jager bombs in Cabo.

Now on to this week's Pool results, after the jump:

13th ELIMINATION: GREG "TARZAN" SMITH

After weeks of game play, finally Tarzan attempts to implement a little strategy with the women. Of course, his insistence on wearing eliminated player Kat's old underwear on his head around camp isn't really helping his social sway with the ladies. In the end, despite the fact that Chelsea is a bigger physical and social threat than the addled old plastic surgeon, Kim decided to finally give the last of the guys the big heave-ho. It is up for debate on whether or not this move will effect Kim's end game, what we do know is, any hope Christina or Alicia had of turning the game around is now eating his heart out with the rest of the dudes at the Survivor Jury Ponderosa .

The Survivor Survivor Pool standing after the week 13 elimination of Tarzan:

THE FOUR TRIBES

"Savai-vi"

1. ~~Troy Robertson~~

2. ~~Colton Cumbie~~

3. Chelsea Meissner

4. ~~Kat Edorsson~~

"Drop yr Buffs"

1. ~~Kourtney Moon~~

2. ~~Jonas Otsuji~~

3. ~~Bill Posley~~

4. Alicia Rose

5. ~~Greg "Tarzan" Smith (1st man out consolation)~~

"Josh's Tribe"

1. ~~Matt Quinlan~~

2. ~~Jay Byars~~

3. ~~Nina Acosta~~

4. Christina Cha

"The Others (Nerdsburgh's picks)"

1. ~~Michael Jefferson~~

2. Kimberly Spradlin

3. ~~Leif Manson~~

4. Sabrina Thompson

Alternates:

~~Monica Culpepper~~

What we learned this week in a few bulletpoints:
- Alicia Rose seems to have a new bathing suit. Huh? What?Where's that red leopard hottie number? No mid season suit jumping, it's bad luck.
- I can't decide if Kim is skilled in the art of deception or if the rest of the castaways that remain on the island are just that stupid. They seem to follow her only because they aren't sure of what else they should be doing.
- I miss Troyzan. Let's all vote for him for fan favorite. K?
- In the history of Survivor this is the first time it has been all women castaways in the finale...does anyone care? Nope.

Predictions for next week's finale:
Christina and Alicia will be voted off. Kim, Chelsea and Sab will make it to the finale and Kim will win...ipso facto I will win the entire Survivor Survivor Pool. Done and Done. Thank you and goodnight. Anyone want pizza?

Stern Superfan "Snickers" - A Review of the 'Hereafter Musical'

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Wolf) — Wed, 09 May 2012 19:48:00 +0000

Tom and Dorie Rickard, Vinnie Favale, Joseph Mooski and Erin "Snickers" Wolf

My name is Erin Wolf and I am nerd.

I am also a Howard Stern Superfan.

I have always been a fan of The Howard Stern Show, ever since I started listening to him in college, but it wasn't until recently that I became an official and active Superfan, complete with nickname and all. What does being a Stern Superfan entail, you ask?

Well, so far I have found it to be similar to joining a club or a society in which all members have similar interests. Keep in mind, I am not fanatical like a teenager with Bieber Fever nor do I want to throw my panties at every wack packer I meet like a cougar at a Davey Jones concert, R.I.P. Davey.

I am just a normal gal who likes this dude who does an awesome radio show. However, couple the tame fan with the obsessive behavior of a typical information junkie nerd and you've got "Snickers" the Stern Superfan: loyal attendee of local Howard appearances, adorable cheerleader of Stern staff side projects, unofficial scribe of the Stern Facebook Superfans and of course, dutiful listener of The Howard Stern Radio Show.

Let's be completely honest here, are you really that surprised? I am a fan and I am a nerd, it is to be expected that I would involve myself in this way...I make no apologies.

In my most recent venture into the world of Stern Superfandom, I found myself deep in New York's East Village at Theatre 80 over on St. Mark's Place. After years of torturous turmoil, Vinnie Favale (of the "Oh Debbie" tapes fame) finally got his off-Broadway show "Hereafter Musical" on its feet and we, being the awesome Superfans we are, decided to go see his show. Here is an excerpt of an article I wrote about the experience...

SUPERFAN REVIEW OF THE 'HEREAFTER MUSICAL'

Originally published on http://sternsuperfans.com/

Superfans of The Howard Stern Show aren’t typically a theatre going crowd but last Friday a dedicated group of fans (Stern Facebook Superfans to be exact) put on their best duds and ventured out in style to New York City’s East Village to support Vinnie Favale in a “little-musical-that-could” limited run of his off-broadway production, “Hereafter Musical.”

It was a sight to see the Superfans and I huddled around the entrance to Theatre 80 on St. Mark’s Place last Friday night. After weeks of planning on the SFS website, there we all were, finally together, some of us meeting for the first time face to face. Our greetings were cut short, however, for not two minutes after we arrived, longtime friend of The Howard Stern Show, creator of “Hereafter Musical” and the man we got all gussied up to see, Vinnie Favale came rushing down the street grinning from ear to ear. I assumed the pep in his step and the smile on his face could only be attributed to the fact that after years of hard work, months of rigorous rehearsal and the end result of an impressive Kickstarter campaign in which Favale and partner Frankie Keane were able to raise over $60,000, this was the night he was about to see all his hard work finally pay off.

Despite his haste, Vinnie stopped and greeted our gaggle of Stern Show cheerleaders with giddy enthusiasm as he proceeded to take several pictures with us under the theatre’s marquee. He then ushered us inside The William Tabernacle Bar, which is adjacent to Theatre 80, like we were family and where he graciously spent the next couple of minutes Facebook tagging our group in the pictures we took outside. (Read more...)

For more information visit www.hereaftermusical.com or sternsuperfans.com

Maurice Sendak author of 'Where the Wild Things Are' dies at age 83

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Wolf) — Tue, 08 May 2012 18:48:00 +0000

Thanks to Maurice Sendak we all know where the wild things live. You remember, don't you?

Maybe you haven't been there since you were a child but don't worry, it still exists.

Merely close your eyes and go through the forest that sometimes appears on your bedroom walls, then sail a year's worth of traveling across a vast choppy ocean on a private "Max" boat...only then you will find where the wild things live. Don't complain, if it were any closer the wild things might get too crazy and eat you and your family. Far away is fine for a visit and once you've gotten the wildin' out of your system, simply return home on the "Max" boat. Apparently wild things know not how to swim or sail, so no worries about them following you home for supper.

In regards to where the wild things are, it was never a question of where or how to get there, but when it would suddenly become necessary to go. Every person, not just rowdy children, need some time away for a little "rumpusing" now and again, if only to satisfy some inexplicable animalistic urge to exercise untethered freedom in the untrodden expanses of the world. It is in this expression of freedom that we can appreciate, as Max does in the story, how lovely life back home really is. His time away amongst the wild things makes him grateful to return home to those that aren't so wild but instead gentle and loving, even if they do have a lot of overbearing rules (*cough* parents just don't understand *cough*).

Plus, I'm sure the wild things have certain undesirable traits about them as well. They tend to be a bit smelly after some rowdier rumpuses and it can't be comfortable sleeping on the forest floor night after night, constantly worried that one misstep may result in being eaten. And no one, not even wild little Max, could resist the holy awesomeness of a home cooked meal forever.

Especially, when it is still hot.

The world is all that much more lonely today now that Maurice Sendak, the author of many beloved children books including the famous Caldecott Medal winner "Where the Wild Things Are" has passed away. So, in honor of that wild little renegade Max in his wolf suit and the equally as mischievous man that created him, here is a hilarious interview Stephen Colbert did with Maurice back in January.
Enjoy:

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Grim Colberty Tales with Maurice Sendak Pt. 1

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor & Satire Blog

Video Archive

Star Wars Day at The Please Touch Museum

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Wolf) — Wed, 02 May 2012 15:22:00 +0000

Greetings Philadelphia Nerds!

If you're a Star Wars fan, which you probably are, and if you have kids, which you're probably old enough to have at this point, then you will be ecstatic to know that The Please Touch Museum is throwing a "Star Wars Day" celebration this Friday, May 4th.

What better way for us Nerds to raise our nerdlings right than to expose them to all that is wonderful in the world...i.e. Star Wars.

So, dust off that Han Solo vest you bought for "Halloween" (wink, wink), round up the youngins and take 'em on over to The Please Touch Museum for a day of "space" related activities, Star Wars themed arts and crafts and a Far Far Out Dance Party at 12:30. There will also be a scheduled meet and greet from 3:00-5:00pm with beloved characters from the movies followed by an End-of-Day-Imperial-March-Parade.

The museum's website is encouraging all Padawans to come dressed as their favorite Jedi Knight or Master...or Dark Side Kingpin if you're one of those kind of people, so don't forget to geek out your children's attire accordingly. Experience your childhood all over again and see the joy of Star Wars through the eyes of a child, they are after all the next generation of super nerds so teach them well.

The Please Touch Museum is located at:
Memorial Hall, Fairmount Park
4231 Avenue of the Republic
(formerly North Concourse Drive)
Philadelphia, PA 19131
(215) 581-3181

May the 4th be with you.

Nerdy Terrariums or "Nerdariums"

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Wolf) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 19:41:00 +0000

Rachel Bishop's Beetlejuice Terrarium

I don't have much of a green thumb. In fact, if you drove by my house right now, you would see two planters on either side of my front porch with dead flowers in them overrun by the luscious greenery of commonplace weeds. The embarrassing part about killing outside plants is just that...they're outside. If I forget to water them, there is always rain and sunshine which I foolishly believed was enough to keep a plant alive. Well, apparently, it isn't.

Enter the terrarium.

A terrarium is a miniature landscape with living plants and even sometimes small animals like lizards or turtles. The best part about Terrariums is that they are designed to be kept indoors, away from that fickle mistress Mother Nature.

Terrariums are the Beta Fish of the gardening world, in that they require very little care and almost prefer to be ignored most of the time. The biggest danger to terrariums is over-watering, so the less you futz with them, the more likely it is that your garden in a bottle will survive.

The Beetlejuice Terrarium pictured above was done by an illustrator named Rachel Bishop, more of her work can be found at:

http://www.rachelrbishop.com/

If you would like to make your own terrarium, however, there are several websites that would be more than happy to put their two cents in about what and how you should go about it. I've found the most helpful and imaginative website thus far to be: How to Make a Terrarium by Terrarium Man.

Terrarium Man, besides having a cool name, has a lot of great ideas on how best to execute certain themes. For example, he suggests when creating a "Desert Theme" to incorporate colorful stones with sand to accommodate the special needs of Cactus plants.

Because I'm a nerd, I started thinking of all the different themes I would consider if I was to make a terrarium of my own. Here's a list I came up with. Feel free to steal my ideas, I don't own or work for any of these television shows, but be sure to email me your work at nerdsburgh@hotmail.com

- Game of Thrones themed terrarium: especially consider incorporating images from some of the more easily identifiable landscapes like The Eyrie or Winterfell.

The Eyrie from Game of Thrones

- The Shire from The Lord of the Rings: it's almost too easy but could be done quite well.

- The Walking Dead themed terrarium: shot in Atlanta, I think a particularly stunning terrarium would be some of the horrific forest scenes or do the farmhouse being stormed by a horde of Zombies.

Rick running to the farmhouse in The Walking Dead

- The Gunslinger in the desert: if you wanted to do a desert themed scene, there can be none more epic than any scene from Stephen King's first novel in The Dark Tower Series

Stephen King's The Gunslinger

- Swamp Thing theme: Swamp Thing protecting The Rot.

Swamp Thing

These are just a few ideas I came up with, feel free to "geek out" and get creative with your very own garden in a bottle. Making a "nerdarium" would be a fun Sunday afternoon activity that you could keep around all year long!

It's a Star Wars dance-off: Do the Wookie!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Wolf) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 17:42:00 +0000

I know I'm a little late to the party on this one, but did you know there is a Kinect Star Wars game for XBox 360? And did you further know that while the game has been summarily panned by critics, most reviewers agree that the controversial Star Wars character "dance off" is by far the best part of the game?

Do you even know what I'm talking about?!!

Well, if you have a Wii like I do then you've probably been stuck in the no man's land of better late than never gaming. So, for you Wii Nerds that are still playing side quests on Skyward Sword, LucasArts released Kinect Star Wars exclusively for XBox 360 on April 3rd, 2012.

As a Star Wars fan and a lover of video games, as most of us are, I can see why this event must have been so exciting. While battling against your cousin with plastic light sabers in the basement is fun and all, finally nerds everywhere have the ability to put their saber skills to the test in a simulation that is as full scale as the biggest TV your mom would agree to buy you.

Well, turns out, the game's not so great, or so I've heard. The Kinect sensors are inconsistent during gameplay and worst of all, the light saber dueling is disappointing in its inaccuracy...so I've heard. But! The one saving grace, according to gaming Internet pundits, is the Galactic Dance Off mini game. Now, hardcore fans will probably hate the dance off style game which features favorite characters such as Han Solo and Slave Leia dancing to modern pop tunes with retooled "Star Wars themed" lyrics but I think it looks like an intergalactic jolly good time. The only thing missing, in my opinion, is a Jabba shuffle. What? I like to see fat people dance.

Since I haven't played the game, I scoured the Internet for somebody who has to give a little rundown on what they thought. In my search, I came across Angry Joe who has now become my favorite Internet Video Game reviewer, double bonus! Not only likable but incredibly thorough, the Angry Joe Show is a great find, despite the fact that his rants sometimes go a little too long...as in over twenty minutes long.

So, without further ado, here is Joe to give you the lowdown on Kinect Star Wars and the Dark Side dance party of the century:

Nerds Make the Best Superfans

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Wolf) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 16:49:00 +0000

Nerds have lots of obsessions.

Much like those Calvin Klein Obsession ads from the 80's, so do we of the uncool variety pine away for those things which we love without shame or inhibition...often in ambiguous warehouses with beautiful women prancing and puckering their lips to the sound of waves crashing in the background, of course.

I like many things, many people and many shows but I LOVE The Howard Stern Show.

I have been a "fan of the show" for some time now but it wasn't until recently that I finally crossed the threshold from loyal listener to participating SuperFan. Ever since Howard accepted a judging position on America's Got Talent earlier this year, he has been more accessible to his fans unlike anything we have experienced since Private Parts was released in 1997. Stern has been spending his "vacation time" in between weekly radio shows out of the studio and on the road, with fellow America's Got Talent judges Howie Mandel and Sharon Osbourne, hand-picking talent at auditions in various cities across the country.

It was a New York City style homecoming for the King of all Media, as the final series of the AGT auditions began taping in Stern's backyard at the Manhattan Center on April 11th.

I was lucky enough to be able to attend the first of the NYC tapings and it was an experience I will not soon forget.

And so, because I'm a nerd and because I refuse to do anything involved with my fan-girl obsessions halfway, here is a full recap of my day at AGT in NYC on...where else, but a website dedicated to Stern SuperFandom.

An excerpt from the article and links to the website:

"A Superfan Story of AGT in NYC"
SternSuperFans.com

BY ERIN WOLF

3:00am is an odd hour to be doing much of anything but sleeping. But there I was, last Wednesday morning, hopping out of bed, plugging in the curling iron and printing two tickets for the taping of the New York City auditions for America’s Got Talent starring the wonderful triple judging act of Howie Mandel, Sharon Osbourne and the king of all media, Howard Stern.

Since the taping started at noon, my friend (a fellow Stern fan named Mike) and I left Philadelphia at no later than 4:00am to make it to New York in time to get a good spot in line for the show. And what a good spot it was! Expecting to see a line of Stern Fans halfway around the block, I was shocked to see only three guys hanging around the entrance to the theatre when we arrived at 6:00. Little did we know that our small group of early risers would become the first five audience members in line and that getting there early would make all the difference...(read more)

For the complete article, visit "A Superfan Story of AGT in NYC" on SternSuperFans.com

Nobody does SuperFan like a SuperNerd.

Amercia's Got Talent premieres Monday, May 14th on NBC. Howard Stern will be on Jimmy Fallon on May 9th followed by The View and The Today Show on May 10th. Stern also announced he has plans to make a guest appearance on Sharon Osbourne's The Talk on the day of the AGT premiere on May 14th.

The Survivor Survivor Pool - Week 10

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Wolf) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 19:08:00 +0000

In this week's episode of Survivor it's Troy-zan against the world as the women attempt to make bold moves and vote the remaining men off the island. I'm reminded of tales of the gigantic Amazonian Women Warriors as the women strutted their stuff around the island without a worry in their minds of gameplay. With Michael gone and Jay voted off last week, it seemed that Troy-zan was the next fish to be shot in a very small barrel.

I have to admit, I was torn during this week's episode on who to root for. Of course, I wanted the castaways on my Survivor Survivor Pool team to go the farthest but, there's some quality of likability in Troy-zan that made me want to cheer for him. I don't know if it was because of his situation as the underdog or if it's because I genuinely think he's a solid player, but as the episode progressed, I felt more invested in his "survival" on the show than any of the other castaways.

In regards to this week's pool members, again we viewed from the comfort of separate living rooms across town. I don't know about the other S.S. Pool Tribes, but I have been quite surprised by the turns this season has taken.

As always, recap and reviews of week 10 after the jump.

10TH ELIMINATION: LEIF MANSON

The thing about Survivor, Leif, is that in order to remain on the island you have to be aligned with a group of people that controls a majority of the votes. So, when somebody like Troy-zan approaches you and offers you an alliance where you will not only have majority over strong players like Kim and Chelsea, but you then also have the ability to save yourself from elimination. I mean, c'mon people. Why is no one listening to Troy-zan?!

Don't get me wrong, I am thrilled that Kim is in a position of authority. She's on my Survivor Survivor Pool team and her million dollar win is my win as well. However, let's not make it easy for her okay Christina, Tarazan and Alicia? For example, obviously there was going to be an immunity idol related item at the auction, are you ladies so ill prepared to save yourselves and unwilling to protect your alliance that you would blow all your money on showers and chocolate? You're either in it to win it, I'm looking at you Kim, or you should step aside for a hungry competitor like Troy-zan to sprint right past you to the finale.

Here's how the elimination of Leif changed the Pool for Week 10:

SURVIVOR SURVIVOR POOL

THE FOUR TRIBES

"Savai-vi"

1. Troy Robertson

2. ~~Colton Cumbie~~

3. Chelsea Meissner

4. Kat Edorsson

"Drop yr Buffs"

1. ~~Kourtney Moon~~

2. ~~Jonas Otsuji~~

3. ~~Bill Posley~~

4. Alicia Rose

5. Greg "Tarzan" Smith (1st man out consolation)

"Josh's Tribe"

1. ~~Matt Quinlan~~

2. ~~Jay Byars~~

3. ~~Nina Acosta~~

4. Christina Cha

"The Others (Nerdsburgh's picks)"

1. ~~Michael Jefferson~~

2. Kimberly Spradlin

3. ~~Leif Manson~~

4. Sabrina Thompson

Alternates:

~~Monica Culpepper~~

Here's what we learned this week in a few bulletpoints:
- Tarzan is useless. Along with the recently departed Leif, he refused to play a strategic game. It baffles me that some people once they get on that island feel content just to exist. While that sort of coasting will get you far in the game as it is seen as a non-threat, it is also the quickest way to get voted off in a tight week for votes at tribal council.
- It's true Kim and Chelsea are dominating the game right now, but they need to start being a little more aggressive at immunity challenges if they want to keep a coup led by Troy-zan at bay.
- There is still time for Christina and Alicia to turn things around, but I don't think they have the guts.
- Also, make sure to watch the Ponderosa episodes each week on the Survivor CBS homepage, they are an insightful as well as delightful peek into the lives of eliminated castaways turned jury members.

Predictions for next week:
- There are chinks in the armor of the women's alliance. If Troy-zan can expose them, he may still have a chance of winning this thing.
- Kim will be fine if she can accept that the game can still change before this thing is over. It is her ability to adapt that will determine whether or not she can make it to the finale. Plus, don't forget that she still has a hidden immunity idol!

Philadelphia and New Jersey residents and Survivor wanna-bes:

Saturday, April 28th
Trump Taj Mahal Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey
12noon - 3pm.

Nobody asked me, but...

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Wolf) — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 14:16:00 +0000

BY JOSH WOLF

"Nobody asked me, but..."

- I wish Stephen King had not written The Wind in the Keyhole or Dr. Sleep. The Shining and The Dark Tower are King’s most complete works. The constant reader (as King refers to his legion of fans) does not need to know what happens to Danny Torrance as an adult or to Eddie, Jake, and Susannah in their alternate reality. King is often criticized for his inability to cleanly end his novels. I mostly disagree with that assessment, but can understand why the Hand of God was anticlimactic in The Stand or the fact that Pennywise was a weird alien spider disappointed people at the conclusion of IT. But The Dark Tower and The Shining ended perfectly. Roland is doomed to repeat his quest over and over and over again in order to hold reality together. What happens to Eddie, Jake, and Susannah does not matter because, as much as the constant reader may have loved those characters (Eddie was my favorite), in the end, they don’t matter. They were simply featured extras in Roland’s never ending saga. As far as The Shining, Danny and Wendy escape because in the end Jack’s love for his son is stronger than the evil that possessed him. A sequel holds little meaning, because the heart of the story – the father/son relationship – is gone; Jack is dead. Additionally, the Overlook, which enhanced Danny’s powers ten fold, is destroyed. Also, Dr. Sleep is an awful title. All being said, I fully plan on reading both books.

- I like John Cusak, but don’t expect me to buy Edgar Allen Poe as an action hero for one second. He was a scrawny, sickly alcoholic with a brilliant mind. Hollywood already took Sherlock Holmes away from us.

- I finally read The Hunger Games trilogy. I was completely underwhelmed. The first book, The Hunger Games, was quite entertaining and I would recommend it to anybody. I would also recommend that they not bother with Catching Fire or Mockingjay. Katniss never grows or develops as a character. She is the same temperamental, self-centered, petulant teenage girl at the end of the third book that is at the beginning of the first. Also, for a heroine, she is quite stupid. Katniss’ stupidity is fine in the first book, which centers more on her survivor instincts and her woodsman skills in the arena, but as she becomes more involved in the politics of the districts and the uprising of the oppressed, one would think she might smarten up a bit. One would be wrong.

- The Avengers look great, but I can’t understand why Edward Norton is not playing Bruce Banner. I really like Mark Ruffalo, but Norton was fantastic in his own rendition of The Hulk.

- I know some fans are less than thrilled about the liberties HBO is taking with Game of Thrones, but for my part, I like it. I know everything that is coming, so it is nice when small wrenches are thrown in there, like Stannis bedding Melisandra.

- I know most people were all abuzz with the season finale of The Walking Dead, but I found it to be sloppy. The way the group turned on Rick at the drop of a hat because he killed Shane (justly) and withheld a potentially devastating truth regarding the infection (correctly), was ridiculous. The audience is supposed to believe all the good Rick has done for the group and the way he managed to keep most of them alive does not buy a man some leeway? That is doubly true for his wife, Lori. She is the one who sparked the entire chain of events. Her conversation with Shane by the windmill led him to believe that if he could eliminate Rick, Lori and Carl would be his once more. Finally, how can the writers expect the audience to expect Rick turning on dime and becoming a iron-fisted dictator. Sloppy. I hope they clean it up next season.

- Why hasn’t there been a television adaption of Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series? It would be perfect for the Syfy network and if each book were one season, it would be a clean five season series, which is as long as any television series should run.

- Survivor: One World has been incredibly boring and disappointing. Too many stupid people with too few smart ones has eliminated all strategy from the game. My only hope is that Leif is a secret genius and wins the whole thing, in which case this season will be redeemed, even though he is not on my fantasy Survivor team.

The Survivor Survivor Pool - Week 9

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Wolf) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 19:03:00 +0000

"If there wasn't a reason for you to paranoid before, there is now," said Jeff Probst, host of Survivor: One World, after this week's eliminated castaway walked down the notoriously long path into the lonely jungle of loserville.

It is week 9, that crazy sprinting point when funny things start happening to alliances as the scent of the impending finale starts wafting through the warm island air. Castaways previously considered dead weight are now viewed as malleable voting patsies used to make the strong players seem more million dollar worthy, threats are identified then systematically eliminated and alliances, if they were hidden before, now become public knowledge as patterns develop and the number of jury members across the fire pit increases.

As I spent most of my day clapping and cheering for Howard Stern at the America's Got Talent taping in New York, I had to wait to watch this week's episode until I got back to Philadelphia last night. It was tough to avoid the spoilers on Twitter, I'm looking at you Probst, but well worth the wait.

Spoilers and recap, after the jump.

9th ELIMINATION - JAY BYARS

Jay is gone and it's his own damn fault too!

Last week's elimination of Mike should have tipped off the bone-headed dudes that the ladies had reformed their alliance.

And if that didn't do it, all Jay had to do was pay attention to the body language of the over-confidant girls at the Immunity challenge. Why else do you think the typically hyper- competitive women would suddenly jump off their logs so easily? Because they're hungry? You are all hungry! This wasn't some reward challenge for BBQ, this was a getting-to-the-end serious business immunity challenge! If Alicia or Sabrina or Kim actually thought they had a ghost of chance at elimination they would never have jumped ship for candy that quickly, duh.

Troy-zan tried to warn you buddy. He tried! But you were all like, oh no I trust Kim and Chelsea even though they just voted off my best friend last week (insert high pitched southern accent).

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy that my girl Kim is running the show now but as a lover of the game, I hate for anyone to get voted off the island without even trying to make a play for survival. And to be honest, I don't care so much that Jay was sent packing if it wasn't for the fact that his elimination left Troy-zan completely vulnerable to an attack from the women.

Here is how Jay the model's week 9 elimination effected the Survivor Survivor Pool standings:

SURVIVOR SURVIVOR POOL

THE FOUR TRIBES

"Savai-vi"

1. Troy Robertson

2. ~~Colton Cumbie~~

3. Chelsea Meissner

4. Kat Edorsson

"Drop yr Buffs"

1. ~~Kourtney Moon~~

2. ~~Jonas Otsuji~~

3. ~~Bill Posley~~

4. Alicia Rose

5. Greg "Tarzan" Smith (1st man out consolation)

"Josh's Tribe"

1. ~~Matt Quinlan~~

2. ~~Jay Byars~~

3. ~~Nina Acosta~~

4. Christina Cha

"The Others (Nerdsburgh's picks)"

1. ~~Michael Jefferson~~

2. Kimberly Spradlin

3. Leif Manson

4. Sabrina Thompson

Alternates:

~~Monica Culpepper~~

Here's what we learned this week in a few bulletpoints:
- At this point in the game, eliminated castaways are kept on the island at The Ponderosa as members of the jury. I recommend watching the Ponderosa mini-episodes on the CBS Survivor: One World website. They are adorable.
- Kim is rocking it with her shrewd decision making skills but I'm still skeptical with whom she has chosen as her closest advisers. Chelsea seems hesitant to make bold moves, which is good for Kim but can be dangerous when it comes time to wipe out the likable Troy-zan. Alicia and Kat are not so good at keeping secrets as they almost gave away the plan to vote off Mike to Jay and were a little too obvious at this week's immunity challenge.
- Troy-zan is not on my team but I am really starting to like the guy and find myself rooting for him. He is smart, athletic and charismatic. He made the mistake of trusting Kim but hopefully he can find a way to the finale. If Kim has to fight for the million, i'd rather she do it against a strong competitor like Troy.
- Tarzan is still in a speedo and Alicia is still spilling out of her bikini? Is there no sort of wardrobe quality control on this island? Puh-lease.
- In addition to being a great player, Tory-zan was a lovely host for this week's Probst-less reward challenge. I'm thinking possible co host for Jeff's new talk show? Eh? Yea?

Predictions for nex week:
Kim has a lot of options but it would be silly to think that she her sights on eliminating anyone but Troy-zan. If Troy-zan doesn't win the immunity challenge this week, he better be prepared to do some serious talking to Tarzan and Leif and together they need to combine their forces and woo some ladies.

Happy Survivor watching everyone!

Neil Gaiman interviews fellow author Stephen King about his latest works-in-progress: 'Joyland' 'Dr. Sleep' & 'The Wind Through the Keyhole'

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Wolf) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:16:00 +0000

An interview is never as interesting than when it is done by someone who knows how to ask the right questions. Stephen King is on a hot streak, actually I'm not entirely sure his streak ever ended, and who better than to ask him a few questions about life, work and what he's got warming up in the dugout than fellow author Neil Gaiman.

Originally published in the UK Sunday Times Magazine, The Fire Wire Blog has re-published the article here for easy Internet access: 'Stephen King Writing New Novel Called Joyland'

In the article, King reveals his latest project entitled 'Joyland' which is briefly described as a book about an "amusement-park serial killer." Gaiman drifts in and out of the highest and lowest points of King's life and career with the wit and know-how of a jungle cat, yet all the while eliciting interesting candid quotes from the sometimes shy writer.

I never thought of myself as a horror writer. That’s what other people think. I never said jack shit about it. Tabby came from nothing, I came from nothing, we were terrified that they would take this thing away from us. So if the people wanted to say “You’re this”, as long as the books sold, that was fine. I thought, I am going to zip my lip and write what I wanted to write.” Then his book of four short stories, Different Seasons, which included a prison story, “Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption”, a tale based on King’s childhood called “The Body,” and two others, got great reviews. “That was the first time that people thought, woah, this isn’t really a horror thing."

King later goes on to discuss the timing of the release dates of his latest installment of The Dark Tower series 'The Wind Through the Keyhole' and 'Dr. Sleep' which is a sequel to one of his most popular novels 'The Shining.'

King grins. “Somebody told me that every year Danielle Steel wrote three books and published two, and I knew Agatha Christie had squirreled a couple away, to put a final bow on her career. As of right now, if I died and everybody kept it a secret, it would go on until 2013. There’s a new Dark Tower novel, The Wind in the Keyhole.That comes out soon, and Dr Sleep is done. So if I got hit by a taxi cab, like Margaret Mitchell… Joyland wouldn’t be done but Joe could finish it, in a breeze. His style is almost indistinguishable from mine. His ideas are better than mine. Being around Joe is like being next to a Catherine Wheel throwing off sparks, all these ideas. I do want to slow down. My agent is dickering with the publishers about Dr Sleep, that’s the sequel to The Shining, but I held off showing them the manuscript because I wanted time to breathe.”

The piece is essentially a great conversation between two guys about what they do for a living and how they get it done...with a little bit of storytelling mixed in between, it is a great read for King fans or just fans of prolific authors with impressively extensive careers.

“I never think of stories as made things; I think of them as found things. As if you pull them out of the ground, and you just pick them up. Someone once told me that that was me low-balling my own creativity. But still, on the story I am working on now, I do have some unresolved problems. It doesn’t keep me awake at nights. I feel like when it comes down, it will be there…”

The Survivor Survivor Pool - Week 8

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Wolf) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 19:22:00 +0000

Welp, it was an interesting week on the island of Survivor: One World.

The episode for week 8, entitled 'Just Annihilate Them,' kicked off with a super Survivor style slip-n-slide challenge that would lift the heart of any grumpy adult lamenting the long gone days of summer. You know, that magical time in childhood when a green garden hose and a rectangular piece of plastic could provide hours of outside entertainment?

Wedgies abounded as the castaways slipped down the watery chute but it was the hodge podge grouping of Leif, Kim, Michael, Sabrina and Christina who won the BBQ reward; shamelessly brought to the island by obvious sponsor 7up. It was there, in the middle of the paradise of the uncola, that loyalties shifted and while Leif and Mikey were chowing down, girl power was reignited in the spa directly under their tapping tootsies.

Back in the real world, it was a week of home viewing for the various Survivor Survivor Pool members. While we watched together yet apart on televisions across the greater Philadelphia area, I wept into my pillow as the first member of Nerdsburgh's 'The Others' was bid a fond farewell in this week's shocking and heartbreaking tribal council elimination.

For the sake of you dear reader, as always, we shall save the knowledge of the results until after the jump:

8TH ELIMINATION: MICHAEL JEFFERSON

It all started with Kim, who interestingly enough is also on team 'The Others.' Kimberly Spradlin, who is involved in alliances with both the old Salani Tribe AND the original woman's tribe, is sensing the end game is near and this week began hedging her bets. After identifying a weakness in the men's loyalties, she decided to ditch her Salani ties and plant dangerous seeds about old alliance partner, and remaining male hottie on the island, Michael Jefferson. She slyly used her womanly ways to influence Troyzan into thinking that big Mike wanted to vote him out next. Troyzan, ever the strategist, took the bait hook line and sinker throwing caution to the wind, along with any hope the men had of reclaiming numerical control over the women.

Here is how the trouble that Kim stirred up on the island effected the Survivor Survivor Pool in week 8:

SURVIVOR SURVIVOR POOL

THE FOUR TRIBES

"Savai-vi"

1. Troy Robertson

2. ~~Colton Cumbie~~

3. Chelsea Meissner

4. Kat Edorsson

"Drop yr Buffs"

1. ~~Kourtney Moon~~

2. ~~Jonas Otsuji~~

3. ~~Bill Posley~~

4. Alicia Rose

5. Greg Smith (1st man out consolation)

"Josh's Tribe"

1. ~~Matt Quinlan~~

2. Jay Byars

3. ~~Nina Acosta~~

4. Christina Cha

"The Others (Nerdsburgh's picks)"

1. ~~Michael Jefferson~~

2. Kimberly Spradlin

3. Leif Manson

4. Sabrina Thompson

Alternates:

~~Monica Culpepper~~

Here's what we learned this week in a few bulletpoints:

- For a guy that knows a LOT about Survivor, Troyzan was a little quick to vote out a member of his alliance without even consulting someone like Jay.

- Kim is playing with fire by putting a lot of faith in unpredictable players like Chelsea, Christina and Alicia.

- Michael was so cute. Really? Why not Tarzan? WHY NOT TARZAN?! Aren't his bamboo stealing hijinks enough to get him the boot? He didn't even compete in the reward challenge!

- There is a picture on Twitter of Alicia Rose with blonde hair. She looks adorable. Maybe I was wrong and she did lost some weight on the island? The unforgiving rays of the island sun plus wedgie inducing challenges don't help her cause much.

- Jay is killing it in the physical game...he really needs to step up his social game.

- What is Leif doing? Does anyone talk to him?

- Did Jeff get "Tarzaned" at Tribal and will that stupid phrase really catch on?

Predictions for next week:

Unless Tarzan puts his blue speedo directly in Chelsea's coffee, Jay might be in for a big wake up call because the girls are gunning for the strongest men to kick off first.

See you next Wednesday Survivor Pool fans!

Morgan Spurlock's latest documentary 'Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope' to premiere in Philadelphia April 12th

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Wolf) — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Spring has sprung and that means one thing in the world of nerdom...Comic-Con season is officially upon us.

It's a known fact that when the weather gets warmer, convention halls all across the country begin to fill up on long weekends with Star Wars characters, Superheroes and doe-eyed Anime cosplayers that look like really slutty high-school girls...which is weird because most of them are in their 30's.

Hey, I'm not judging. In fact, I will be one of the nerd herd when Wizard World hits Philly's Convention Center at the end of May...look us up convention people, we'll be the ones with the Nerdsburgh hazard signs plastered all over ourselves!

However, *cough* while this lifestyle may seem normal to you and me, there are others...ahem, you know above us *points to the ceiling of Nerdsburgh's underground headquarters* that without a doubt think we look like a bunch of weirdos. To the outside world, Comic-Cons appear to be one big costume party where all we do is trade comics and pick our zits.

Enter documentarian, and the hottest famous ginger person I know, Morgan Spurlock (Super Size Me, 30 Days), Stan Lee (Marvel Comics...if you don't know who Stan Lee is then you're probably not human, in which case, go make me some pasta salad you robot) and Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Serenity, Firefly, Dr. Horrible...must I go on?). These knuckle heads, aka real life nerd superheroes, got together and decided to make a documentary called Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope about what it's really like behind and in front of the booth at the mecca of all cons, Comic-Con International: San Diego.

"Comic-Con is a place that is built and survives because of our love and our passions. There’s something for everyone there and there’s something that will make us all remember what it was like to be a child, whether we’re collectors or cos players, artists or addicts. It reminds us all of the importance of dreams and of wonder. It’s not just an event … it’s a state of mind, and this film reinforces why we love it and shows everyone else what they’ve been missing." (Director Morgan Spurlock on Comicconmovie.com)

The movie explores the amazing cultural phenomenon that is Comic-Con by following the lives of five attendees at San Diego International Con 2010:

Eric - an aspiring illustrator

Holly - a costume and creature designer

Chuck - a seasoned comic book dealer

Skip - an illustrator trying to break into the industry

James - a young fan

In addition to the stories of the five Con goers, the film also features one on one interviews with Stan Lee, Joss Whedon, Frank Miller, Kevin Smith, Matt Groening, Seth Rogen, Eli Roth and others along with exclusive coverage of all the panels, parades, photos, costumes, crowds and camaraderie of the largest Con in the United States.

Yes, there will be a showing of Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope at The Trocadero Theatre ("The Troc") in Philadelphia, PA on Thursday, April 12th at 8:00 pm (Doors open at 7:00pm). Tickets range from $10.00 for general admission to $60.00 which includes goodies such as a DVD and action figure bundle. The screening will also feature a special appearance by Director Morgan Spurlock which, in my opinion, is totally worth the price of admission.

But, if you are home bound because of extreme obesity and/or issues regarding that light sensitivity problem those kids in that movie The Others had...or if you just can't wait until the 12th to see the movie, Comic-Con Episode IV will be available through various popular Video On Demand providers such as Direct TV and Xfinity Comcast on April 6th.

Presented by Stan Lee and Joss Whedon, COMIC-CON EPISODE IV: A FAN’S HOPE is directed by Morgan Spurlock; produced by Spurlock, Jeremy Chilnick, Matthew Galkin, Harry Knowles and Thomas Tull; and written by Spurlock and Chilnick.

Dark Horse Comics premieres motion-comic The Secret on nerdy YouTube channel Geek & Sundry

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Wolf) — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 03:10:00 +0000

Super Nerdess Felicia Day (The Guild, Dr. Horrible, Eureka) has done it again.

In addition to general nerdery awesomeness, she has taken her know how of the geek community and launched a newly fantastical YouTube channel called Geek & Sundry. The channel will feature "the very best of indie geek culture by exploring fun themes in comedy, gaming, comics, music, and literature that are sure to captivate audiences every week. Geek & Sundry will also provide a social destination and community for fans connecting online and offline about nerd culture worldwide" (GeekAndSundry.com).

Alongside shows starring Nerd powerhouses such as Wil Wheaton (Star Trek and The Big Bang Theory) and fan favorite Paul and Storm (w00tstock), Dark Horse Comics will be airing a new motion-comics episode every Wednesday, featuring characters like Hellboy, Conan the Barbarian, Usagi Yojimbo, and Gerard Way’s The Umbrella Academy.

"This is an exciting new extension of our comics business. Our technology is state of the art and the tales are extremely engaging. Add Erik's (Director Erik Bruhwiler) genius to some of the greatest creators in the comics business and the project becomes irresistible." said Dark Horse President Mike Richardson.

This week's episode is called The Secret. It is a chilling coming-of-age mystery from Dark Horse founder Mike Richardson and Eisner-nominated artist Jason Alexander (Damn Nation; The Escapists).

"Tonight is Tommy Morris's big chance: he's been invited to party with the social elite of Franklin High and maybe even hook up with the girl of his dreams. But when a prank call turns sour, Tommy gets much more than he bargained for . . "

If you haven't already subscribed to Geek & Sundry on YouTube, do it now before the crowd. And for your viewing pleasure, The Secret:

Julia Louis-Dreyfus to star in 'Veep': New HBO Trailer airs during Game of Thrones

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Wolf) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 16:13:00 +0000

During last night's premiere of Game of Thrones, HBO aired a trailer for the new upcoming Julia Louis-Dreyfus vehicle called 'Veep' that caught my eye.

Now, I am your typical DVR viewer. It's not that I have such an active social life that I don't have the time to watch television, it's just that I watch so much television I am forced to rely on a television recording robot in order to watch it in its entirety. Thanks to this luxury, I often don't watch most shows in real time and am therefore spared the interruption of commercials or super long confessionals on The Bachelor with the aid of a triple arrow fast forward button.

But, this was the premiere of Game of Thrones Season 2, which in geek world is an epic event, of course I had to watch it live. So there I was, sitting on the floor in front of the space heater, my favorite winter TV viewing spot, with a piece of homemade chocolate cake, thanks to my hubby the chef, bracing myself for the heart pounding intro to Game of Thrones, thanks to composer Ramin Djawadi, watching a funny little trailer for a new show called 'Veep' thinking I just might have to add yet another show to this Spring's already full-to-burst can't miss television lineup. Yay! Sigh.

Starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Vice President Selina Meyer, 'Veep' follows the amusing trials and tribulations of the second most important office of an elected official in the country. Or is it?

Just because she's the star, doesn't mean Louis-Dreyfus is the only cast member with an impressive resume. The show also stars a powerhouse supporting cast of great actors leftover from the archives of television past such as Sufe Bradshaw (Overnight), Anna Chlumsky (My Girl), Tony Hale (Arrested Development), Reid Scott (My Boys), Tim Simons (Days Together) and Matt Walsh (Outsourced).

'Veep' was created by Armando Iannucci (The Thick of It and In the Loop) and shot in the popular "scripted with room for improv" style made famous by Christopher Guest but probably despised by the entire Hollywood writing community.

If the series is anything like the trailer, which looks to be a comedic, quirky sidekick version of Aaron Sorkin's mega hit The West Wing, then it might be a show worth watching.

'Veep' premieres Sunday April 22nd at 10 p.m. on HBO

The Survivor Survivor Pool - Week 7

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Wolf) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 14:54:00 +0000

The newly merged tribes sans Colton, who was evacuated off the island last week with appendicitis, makes for a very different One World. With the removal of her dictator-like cohort Alicia Rose has lost her power thus allowing Christina Cha a second chance to stay in the game. A merged tribe where individual immunity is the only free pass coupled with the clashing loyalties of previous tribes, it is uncertain whether or not the remaining castaways will stay true to gender alliances or newly formed Salani/Manono friendships.

In honor of this week's reward challenge, in which the winning gaggle of castaways dined on pizza and beer after a hard fought victory of crawling under bars in the sand, we here at Survivor Survivor Pool headquarters had a little pizza party of our own.

Survivor Pool members "Drop yr Buffs" and "Savai-vi" spent the better part of their Wednesday afternoon installing a wide screen TV in order to watch this week's episode in the cadillac of viewing luxury. Their efforts were thwarted, however, by a particularly pesky "HD cable" situation but, ever the Survivors ourselves, we made do with the old TV which was located ironically directly under the new one.

I couldn't help think as I watched last night's episode with the one working old TV under the not working fancy new one that Jeff Foxworthy would have been proud.

Just because we got to watch Survivor: One World in real time, doesn't mean that all of you got to do the same. So, with respect to you dear viewer, recap and results after the jump.

7th ELIMINATION: JONAS OTSUJI

This week's elimination can be attributed to one singular moment of bad decision making on Jonas' part, the second he suggested Mike to be voted off in lieu of himself he sealed his fate as public enemy number one.

How blind can one guy be to friendships that are forming seemingly all around him? The girls may stick with a girls alliance, the Salani tribe may stick with their alliance but no where does anyone think that a men's alliance or a Manono alliance is going to hold any water when it comes to voting at Tribal Council.

Whether he likes it or not, Jonas chose a long time ago to side with Tarzan and it would have behooved him to keep the elderly, albeit odd, castaway at bay emotionally as well strategically. So, when Jonas and Tarzan got into a lover's quarrel, which should have resulted in Jonas scrambling to make new friends, the dense chef instead makes insincere amends with Tarzan only to try and throw Mike under the bus as a "Hail Mary" vote later that evening at Tribal.

Even though he seemed like a super nice guy and maybe a half decent cook, Jonas was the singular master and demise of his own island destiny in this scenario. No one can blame Tarzan for just being plain ol' wacky Tarzan, if you poke the bear it is not advised to try and sleep in the same bed with him that night.

Here are the standings after the 7th elimination of Jonas:

SURVIVOR SURVIVOR POOL

THE FOUR TRIBES

"Savai-vi"

1. Troy Robertson

2. ~~Colton Cumbie~~

3. Chelsea Meissner

4. Kat Edorsson

"Drop yr Buffs"

1. ~~Kourtney Moon~~

2. ~~Jonas Otsuji~~

3. ~~Bill Posley~~

4. Alicia Rose

5. Greg Smith (1st man out consolation)

"Josh's Tribe"

1. ~~Matt Quinlan~~

2. Jay Byars

3. ~~Nina Acosta~~

4. Christina Cha

"The Others (Nerdsburgh's picks)"

1. Michael Jefferson

2. Kimberly Spradlin

3. Leif Manson

4. Sabrina Thompson

Alternates:

~~Monica Culpepper~~

Here's what we learned this week in a few bulletpoints:
- Troyzan is the strongest player in the game right now and nobody knows it. Fresh off of finding the hidden immunity idol, he won the individual immunity challenge. He's strong, he's likable and he has one of the strongest alliances with the old members of the Salani Tribe. His only competition now could be Kim if she decides to throw her weight towards an all women alliance.
- Tarzan is a wild card but worth keeping around in case an easy elimination is needed...much to the chagrin of Chelsea.
- Based on Leif's vote at the past Tribal, Leif might be the next to go. He has practically no involvement in the strategic and social aspects of the game right now.
- Alicia Rose is significantly less entertaining now that Colton is gone.
- Christina should spend less time washing clothes and more time kissing Kim's butt, if she knows what's good for her.

Predictions for next week:
A line has been drawn in the sand and it's time to choose sides. I predict that the Salani alliance will prevail but no women will be voted off until Leif and Tarzan have left the island first.

The game is afoot, see you next week!

Ron Burgundy announces Anchorman Sequel on Conan

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Wolf) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 13:09:00 +0000

How often does one get to jam out to a flute? But a flute played by Will Ferrell's beloved character Ron Burgundy from the movie Anchorman is truly an occasion for a case of the giggles.

In a comedic publicity stunt, which I don't think there are enough of these days (Ben Stiller's too rich and Mike Myers is too irrelevant), Will Ferrell once again donned the burgundy suit of hilarity on Conan last night to announce that a sequel to Anchorman is in the works.

Personally, I could do without the return of Christina Applegate in the much anticipated sequel but it has been just long enough for a new Ferrell comedic vehicle to get the sex panther juices flowing. I just hope that Paul Rudd and Steve Carell aren't too big to return to the San Diego news station.

AMC's murder mystery 'The Killing' and HBO's 'Game of Thrones' premiere Sunday, April 1st

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Wolf) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 17:39:00 +0000

Okay so The Walking Dead is over but that doesn't mean nerds should do anything rash like start developing some sort of social life beyond the confines of the living room. Put down the calendar and have no fear, Sunday's nerd-o-vision line up isn't just about Zombies anymore.

This Sunday, April 1st features two of the most anticipated premieres of the nerd television season with the return of HBO's critically acclaimed series Game of Thrones and, after a long hiatus, the murder mystery thriller The Killing is finally back on AMC.

Because of the long absence, here is a recap clip of The Killing:

And, for those of you who have been aimless and sad with disappointment from The Hunger Games movie and are starving to watch something incredible, here's a little taste of this Sunday's Game of Thrones episode from the masterminds behind HBO's original programming series: