Penwing's Friends

http://www.miamiherald.com/living/columnists/dave-barry/story/1307294.html

<em>(This classic Dave Barry column was originally published Aug. 12, 2001.)</em><br />North Dakota is talking about changing its name. I frankly didn't know you could do that. I thought states' names were decreed by the Bible or something. In fact, as a child I believed that when Columbus arrived in North America, the states' names were actually, physically, written on the continent, in gigantic letters, the way they are on maps. I still think this would be a good idea, because if an airplane's navigational system failed, the pilot could just look out the window and see exactly where the plane was. ("OK, there's a huge 'W' down there, so we're over Wyoming. Or, Wisconsin.")

I just finished a few new wallpapers from the latest episode: Find them Here at my journal

Here at my journal.

Phew, naturally, the one day I don't want to spend too long on icons, I have to go out for two hours, haircut takes forever, and I have to spend three hours on icons. But oh, what icons they turned out to be! Seriously, Sanctuary 2x05 is beautifully shot. I didn't even cap everything I wanted and I ended up with 52 icons. So, yeah. There are huge spoilers behind the cut, so avoid them at all costs if you haven't seen the episode yet! ~fights you off with a stick~ For everyone who has seen it, feel free to nab at your leisure. Or as I usually say it:

Want, take, comment, have! Click on any of the teasers to go to the main page in my LJ.

TEASERS:
.........

Ugggghhhh. We're hoping that our household has been infected with only the 24-hour variety of "you might want to carry a bucket" virus. Thankfully, we've been able to endure via unconsciousness most of the day. We think we caught it from a wayward nephew, whose school informs us it's most likely something that'll keep us down for a day or so. In the meantime, I've discovered that I may need to invest in more comfy couches at some point. :)

But neither sickness nor sleet nor ion storm will keep me from my appointed blogging(eventually), so let's start off with Wil Wheaton sneaking into JJ Abrams' "Star Trek" movie. He did some voiceover work for one of the Romulans, which can be heard in this clip. I was also a little late to finding out about his role in "The Big Bang Theory," where one of the show's characters challenges him to and then plays against him in a Magic-like game.

Both TV series starting with "S" pleased me this week. "Supernatural" pulled out the tongue-in-cheek, trapping Winchester brothers in "TV Land." This could have been a disaster, but the actors and writers managed to make it quite fun. There was even an appearance of "Smeat," the Spam/Treet product that has made quite a number of appearances in other productions. The commercial for a "flare up" remedy was also a scream. In "Stargate: Universe," the show took an immediate up-tic the second someone claimed their name was "Philip Fry." Whoever is writing Eli's dialogue is doing a bang-up job. I'm not so sure about how the episode concluded (it seemed a little pat), but what concerns me is that the next episode appears to deal with time travel, which is almost always a bad sign.

"Flashforward" may have gotten to something the novel pointed out regarding the visions. Maybe. We'll see.

And the film "2012" is apparently going to continue on TV. This could be a solution to the "sequel problem" a lot of franchise seem to have. I mean, nothing's deader than being canceled on TV, right?

Lastly, we're coming up on the KC Game Fair, where not only will I be in attendance, I'll be selling off some of the geeky items I've collected over the years that are now taking up valuable person-space in our house. A lot of them are Star Trek: The Next Generation toys, including the shuttlecraft Goddard and the Transporter playset, among other things.

So while I go see if I can face a bowl of chicken broth, here's some items of potential interest:

- Because I love how MST3K will usually have someone call out "and we have a title" whenever a character in a movie says the name of the movie, I really dig this compilation of title utterances in films.
- Reminding me of all those old Sears toy catalogs from days of yore, here's a list of the most popular Christmas toys since 1960 to the present.
- "Red Storm" is a mech game along the lines of "Smash TV," with upgrades and explosions a-plenty.
- I wish this thing had been invented when I was working in an office with a community fridge.
- Will Smith and Columbia pictures are making a Risk movie. What could go wrong?
- Anyone out there writing a ghost story? Here are 10 consistent story elements to tales of the ectoplasmic.
- Activision hired a private investigator to take down a thief selling hot copies of 'Mondern Warfare 2' along with one of the buyers who wanted to make illegal copies for sale. Hmm... sounds like the plot of a video game, maybe? :)
- This game has a marvelously "hand made" look to it: How My Grandfather Won The War. Navigate your plane past obstacles, or "splat" them with paint to render them harmless.
- Lastly, a preview of Prep & Landing, one of the first new holiday specials I've seen since I wore footy-pajamas.

Sanctuary's 2x05 Pavor Nocturnus
2,360 iTunes HD screencaps
1280x720
Gallery

Title: If You Need Me
Author: madly_love
Pairing: Helen/James
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Friendship/Angst
Disclaimer: They aren't mine.
Spoilers: None
A/N: My first fanfic on James Watson's character so I hope I had him right.
A/N2: Thank you toflash_of_ginger  for the lovely correction ♥

If anybody cares.  Obviously, spoilers for Pavor Nocturnus below.

I promise this isn't as mindlessly fangurly as it initially appears...

I wish I had been there for this!!

Title: Wish You Were Here 8/?
Author: Ennee Gray (graylair )
Rating: PG13 for now
Word count: 1 600 ish
Ships: Jack/Ianto (eventually, working on it, close.)
Summary: Ianto hates Captain Harkness, but that's not enough to stop Jack. Ianto doesn't want a second chance, but that is not his to give.
Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood or Doom or Doctor Who - the characters, idea, situations, etc. - nothing really. Rednex song isn't mine either.
A/N - I would have posted sooner, but last night kinda marked 36 hours since I last slept and I'm not Ianto - you deserve better than I can do in that condition. This should explain quite a bit about the last part's ending ;) Enjoy. There are just two to three more parts to go as this ends with Ianto walking back into Hub and getting back to work in a more or less canonic way.

Title: Amends
Author: missthingsplace
Parings/characters: Jack/Ianto, Gwen, Owen, Tosh
Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood or any of the characters ... unfortunately, just borrowing them for a while.
Summary: AU - What if after the way Jack reacted to Gwen refusing to retcon Rhys at the end of 'Meat' Ianto decided he didn't want to feel like he was second best anymore ...
Warnings: Slash, Angst, Violence, Rape, Mpreg.
Rating: NC17 for the series.

Chapter 40: http://missthingsplace.livejournal.com/297943.html#cutid1

Previous chapters: http://missthingsplace.livejournal.com/276771.html#cutid1

Title: No, You Can’t Borrow Ianto
Author: Wereleopard
Rating: Adult
Pairing: Jack/Ianto
Spoilers: Ummm all of Torchwood and Dr Who
Summary: UNIT have set up a base outside Cardiff in case anything happens, Martha is based there and wants to borrow Ianto. What is Jack jealous of that Ianto gets to spend time around hot military men or the fact that Ianto is dressed up as a hot military man????
Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Torchwood or Dr Who. I wish.

Ok once again not beta’d this was supposed to be the last chapter but the story took a little twist there will be only a couple of chapters left if that. I would know precisely if I planned but I don’t sorry about that and hope you like it and thank you for all reading and reviewing. You have made this the most popular story I have ever written. You are all the coolest.

Chapter One http://wereleopard58.livejournal.com/68922.html#cutid1
Chapter Two http://wereleopard58.livejournal.com/71338.html#cutid1
Chapter Three http://wereleopard58.livejournal.com/71904.html#cutid1
Chapter Four http://wereleopard58.livejournal.com/71959.html#cutid1
Chapter Five http://wereleopard58.livejournal.com/73338.html#cutid1
Chapter Six http://wereleopard58.livejournal.com/73845.html#cutid1
Chapter Seven http://wereleopard58.livejournal.com/76571.html#cutid1
Chapter Eight http://wereleopard58.livejournal.com/80297.html#cutid1


Chapter Nine http://wereleopard58.livejournal.com/80674.html#cutid1

My review and photos of the con(s) here in Los Angeles - Part 1 over here at my journal...

Cross-Posted

(Ryan Robbins Photos)

Title: And She Would Always Lie
Pairing: Will/Helen (preship)
Rating: G/FRA
Word Count: 238
Summary: Takes place after the events of 2x03 "Eulogy". Contains spoilers for the episode!
Disclaimer: Not mine.

Here at my fic journal

This week's discussion post is up here. Stop on by and tell us what you think!

As usual, I will be hosting a live discussion post here at my journal!

http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2009/11/final-reminder-for-bookshops.html

A quick reminder (as I was just asked) that today is the day that the bookshop Graveyard Book party reports have to be in to Harper Collins. By 9 pm PST.

http://files.harpercollins.com/Mktg/HarperChildrens/PDF/GraveyardContest_rules.pdf are the rules and info for those who lost them.

Hi Mr. Gaiman,

I was disappointed today to read you won't be part of the judging for The Graveyard Book contests. My not-wealthy, middle-of-nowhere bookstore just sent in its entry, and something we're concerned about is the fairness of judging.

For example, independent bookstores like Powell's (I'm sure you know) easily have enough money and are in a convenient enough location to ask you to come at one time or another. Against stores like that, who were able to put more money into their parties, we stand little chance.

I don't think that it's a lost cause for us; we were very creative. I'm just nervous to know you won't be judging. Can you tell me whether you think the judges will take things like size and location of bookstores into account? It would make me sleep a little easier until the results are announced.

Tusen takk,
Allison

Well, per the rules, the judging is based on:

(i) Overall creativity of the Party, as demonstrated by the invitations, signage, decorations, activities, entertainment, and refreshments.
(ii) Customer attendance and response (i.e., enthusiasm, costumes, participation).
(iii) Ability to capture and represent the spirit of The Graveyard Book.
...specifically to reward creativity, and not the ability to outspend other shops. (That was also why the party had to actually be at the bookshop, and not at another location.)

I asked my editor, Elise Howard, and she said,

Gosh, yes. Here's what we think is happening. We are looking at all the entries. On Monday, we'll send you the best 11, from which you will choose the Grand Prize Winner. The rest will get the first-prize package. So the short answer is that you ARE helping to choose.

The longer answer is that we will be very fair and will consider creativity, which includes work done with available resources, along with pure execution. (Don't you think? We haven't done anything yet; still waiting for more entries to come in.)

...which means that

a) I was wrong and will be the ultimate judge, from the shortlist. (Damn.)

and

b) everyone's on a level playing field.

Does that help reassure you?

PS -- Widgett's Graveyard Book Dessert competition winners have been announced over at http://www.needcoffee.com/2009/11/06/graveyard-book-dessert-challenge-winners/.

This one had NOTHING to do with me at all. But lor' the winning desserts look tasty...