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This is Tony Collett's weblog dedicated to my thoughts on the happenings in the world, comic books, anime, science fiction, DVDs, and anything else I encounter. I'm forty-something, male, and married (sorry, ladies)
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View Article  Peanuts Library to Warner Home Video
The Peanuts library of specials are moving to Warner Home Video. In addition to the classic specials being rereleased with new extras, they're talking about releasing some of the lesser-known material a la the Looney Tunes Golden collection sets. They also talk about new specials being released direct to DVD, as with the "Superman: Doomsday" DVD, and other expansions into the digital realm. Hopefully the feature films will get a better treatment and release this time around.
View Article  Plan Your Vacation The Right Way
Note: The following post is sponsored.
Summer's coming to an end and the warm weather is going away. Doesn't mean that you have to settle for all that. With Holiday Hypermart, you can choose from the thousands of holidays and packages for the trip that you'll enjoy and get you out of the doldrums of the cold bleary weather. Holidays such as Cyprus holidays, trips to Florida, and more. Or select a package and get everything set up so all you'll have to do is relax. Or pick a last minute deal and get a good bargain and an interesting place to get away from it all.
View Article  Peter Jackson On The Hobbit?
Instead of adding to to the latest frenzy and hype about Peter Jackson possibly directing The Hobbit, I will direct you to this Entertainment Weekly article. There, along with the latest hype (there's a change. Is he going to do it?) is an overview of the LOTR and Hobbit stories, and why there is a division. Even though I knew some of the details, it's good to have everything in one place.
View Article  Dentist Ealing
Note: The following post is sponsored.
Dentist Ealing of Sparkle Dentist Group are award winning cosmetic dentist providers of smile makeovers and cosmetic dentistry in the United Kingdom. I know, you hear the jokes all the time, and I've been guilty of that from time to time. But when you see the good work they offer, the jokes will stop. They realize that your smile is precious and want to help you make it the best there is and impress everyone you see. And did you know that Sparkle Dental Boutique won the Best Practice Environment 2007? The judges commented that Sparkle Dental Boutique was selected for its attention to detail and its sympathetic and modern renovation. Throughout the practice the aims of practicality and aesthetics had been consistently focused on. From its impressive glass entrance to its relaxing waterwall, nothing had been missed to ensure a comfortable patient visit. They are committed to making our patient visits as comfortable and relaxing as possible.
Live life. Enjoy. Sparkle.
View Article  Serenity 2?
With movies doing well on DVD, and sequels showing up as direct to DVD releases, we might be seeing more productions like this. Just Press Play is relaying a rumor that Serenity 2 might be a DVD release. Spoilers at the link, including relaying the rumor by someone killed off in the movie. Given that many movies aren't in the theatres that long before released on DVD, it cuts off the theatre equation.
View Article  Dentemp OS
Note: The following post is sponsored.
A few years ago I lost a filling, and it seemed like anything would set off the pain. Air, food, water, you name it. It was hard trying to take care of work and dealing with people with that going on until I could get to the dentist to take care of the problem. If only Dentemp OS were available back then, it would have helped out a lot. Sure, there was this one stuff I put on to numb the pain temporarily, but it only took care of the problem for a short time. But with this temporary dental repair all you have to do is remove it from it's plastic vial and it's ready to use. No mess or mixing involved. Replaces lost fillings and may be used to temporarily cement loose crowns. Plus, you can eat on it within 30 minutes of setting. And you don't have to worry about the safety, as it's been tested and fully complies with FDA Regulations for Oral Care. So next time you lose a cap or a filling, don't go through all that pain, discomfort, and embarrassment before you can get to the dentist. Use Dentemp OS for fast, temporary relief of pain and discomfort.

View Article  Consumer Investigations
Like Mark Evanier, I wish they'd do more consumer investigation reporting to help keep people from being ripped off. He first talked about it awhile back when KNBC investigated Jiffy Lube charging for services they never did. Then went back years later to find them doing it again. He talks about their latest series of reports about home remodeling repair, and as before it's a major chain. They link to tips before you hire a contractor.
Basically, any service you seek (not just home improvements) should ask other people for referrals, check their credentials, watch what they do (trust, but verify) and be aware they may something else in mind besides what's best for you (meeting a sales quota, for example)
View Article  Tequila Renaissance
Note: The following post is sponsored.
Did you know that there's a tequila renaissance going on now? It's everywhere, and people are taking part in it. We're not talking about the cheap stuff that you took shots of in college that's causing you to look askew at this post. We're talking about an appreciation of the stuff, like the 100% blue algae tequilas that are enjoyable for sipping. You can learn about those and more from The Tequila Guy where you can find out about the different types of tequila out there, reviews of it, news, and more. Become a true conniseur of tequila, or at least know what you're talking about.
View Article  Childrens' Health Care
As Steve Chaput noted, it's ironic that while the younger Bush is out promoting her book about children and health care, W vetoes a bill designed to help that. I read the story about it to see if there was more to the story, that there was an explanation that provided some explanation. All I saw was the explanation that he didn't think the government should get into the health business. With everything else they do to us, I guess that would be a bad thing for them to get into. And as Mark Evanier notes, his suggestions on options are made by someone who's never had to use them. "Emergency room"?
View Article  Film Fresh
Note: The following post is sponsored.
I like to talk about movies from time to time, and yes, that includes the big budget extravaganzas where stuff blows up and looks good. But long time readers know that I like the independent and foreign films as well.

Film Fresh is a site to go to to read about those films that aren't clogging up many screens at the multiplex, and you can purchase some of them on DVD or download for rental or purchase. Why not check them out? You might find a film you didn't hear about and like a lot.
View Article  ComicMix Comics
ComicMix phase 2 has kicked off, with online comics provided. Besides the return of Grimjack, there's also EZ Street about two young creators and their dreams, which is well worth a look. Much as I'm an old fart look forward to getting the collected versions and having something concrete in hand, reading them online for free isn't without their charms. This is a 21st century version of manga in the cheap newsprint phone books with the collections being where the money's at.
View Article  Area Rugs
Note: The following post is sponsored.
Rugs can do a wonder for your home. It can supplement the furniture arranged, make a floor look better, or feel that much warmer on cold mornings.

Area Rugs has the rugs you need to spruce up your space. Whether it's braided rugs,shag rugs,rag rugs, persian rugs,oriental rugs, or any other rugs Rugs USA can help you out.
View Article  New Season, Week Two
You know how you watch a new show, get all excited about it and get let down on the second episode? Or you're on the fence and want to give a show one more chance? Ken Levine writes about those shows. With snarky comments about the "Caveman" series.
View Article  Credit Offers
Note: The following post is sponsored.
With bankruptcies, the housing bubble, credit usage, etc. growing each day more and more people are suffering from "bad credit". And they want to do something to fix it. But rather than jump on the first credit card offer you get and paying outrageous charges that could end up higher than the credit limit (and costing you more than money) why not try this guide to bad credit?

They offer different options for bad credit credit cards, home loans, auto loans, and more. Look around and compare notes before you proceed.
View Article  10 Businesses Facing Extinction In 10 Years
Here's one list of 10 businesses facing extinction in 10 years. There are some that are right on (record stores) and some that you thought were already dead (coin-operated arcades. I haven't seen one in who knows when. I think the ones that'll still exist will have an interactive feature that can't easily be duplicated by the X-Box 360/Playstation 3/Wii crowd, rather than the button pushing versions of yore) and some you wonder about (piggy banks?) But like comic shops, I don't think any of these'll be extinct, but not as plentiful or easy to find as they used to be.
View Article  Plasma Wall Brackets
Note: The following post is sponsored.
While I haven't made the leap yet, I like to look at the generation of television sets. The plasma screen TVs are sure thin, a lot thinner than the old models. And you can even mount them on the wall, like a painting. That's the part that concerns me. Because I would be afraid to spend that much on a TV and mount it on the wall, because I would be afraid that something would happen and it would crash down to the floor.
But when you see these Plasma Wall Brackets from Dekomount, you'll change your mind. This is a high quality product, sure to give you confidence. You can even use it to mount your LCD monitor on the wall and free up space. They offer an 18 month guarantee on their products, and the best you can hope for from the TV manufacturers is a year. They offer quality shipping and secure packing of their products.
View Article  Secret Origin Of Scrappy Doo
Mark Evanier on part four of the creation of Scrappy Doo. In still installment, we learn once again that the last good thing created by a committee was Stonehenge. Because we all know that's the reason why Scappy is so hated. But if you're a completist (and since there's a lot of comics fans, I'm sure there are) here's part one from back in February, part two came a month later, it was about a couple of months before part three, and it took this long for Mark to run out of things to say for part four.
View Article  Microsoft Software at Academic Discounts
Note: The following post is sponsored.

Did you know that Microsoft Software is sold at a discount for educational purposes? www.CostCaptain.com sells software such as the brand new Office 2007 Suite and Vista to students and staff of schools, libraries and research labs. Home schools qualify too. You can get Microsoft Office 2007 from $129 and Vista Upgrade from $89. Once you provide them your academic eligibility, the product is shipped.
View Article  Kevin's Boring Ass Life
Steve Thompson on Kevin Smith's new book "My Boring Ass Life", compiled from his blog. I got the book myself a couple of weeks ago and just finished it. Considering it's just shy of 500 pages, I think that's an accomplishment. Like Steve, I was fascinated by Smith's account of dealing with Jason Mewes' addiction and freedom from them, trying to do his best to help and shaking hands with the devil more than he wished to, and I had read it originally online. I found that the bit of gossip that kicked off Smith's chronicling of the tale (the trades just talked of the gossip, not as part of the longer tale with a satisfying epilogue) had the other party's name asterisked out. It's also interesting that Nicole Ritchie fits those asterisks.
View Article  Blue Oval Scholars Design Challenge
Note: The following post is sponsored.
Ford Blue Oval Scholars is a national internet-based initiative that will provide Ford Blue Oval Scholars a place to network and share information with each other, learn about internships and jobs, plan and implement community service activities, and access information about careers. Unlike other scholarship programs, Ford Blue Oval Scholars will have the ability to "customize" their relationship with Ford, using the program in a way that best fits their needs and interests.

To kick things off, they're dedicated to demonstrate their committment to be different and more relevant than other scholarship programs out there by conducting a national logo design contest, open to amateur and professional designers, ages 16 and older. The winning logo will be used as the official logo for the Ford Blue Oval Scholars program, on the Web site and in all materials related to Ford Blue Oval Scholars. The top ten designs will be chosen by a selection panel of Ford Motor Company employees and design experts. Ford Blue Oval Scholars will vote online to pick the winning logo. The prizes are as follows: First place is Adobe Creative Suite 3 Design Premium with a retail value of $1,700. Second place is $300 for design software of choice. Third place is $150 for design software of choice. And fourth through tenth place is a $50 music download card. Entries must be received by November 1, 2007. The winner will be announced December 1, 2007.

View Article  Comics Picnics
Maggie Thompson on comics picnics. Talks about the history of them, and the latest one she threw. She points out that this time of year is ideal to get together with like-minded individuals and talk about things. You don't have to wait for conventions to do that.
View Article  Dax Stores
Note: The following post is sponsored.
Dax Stores is a family owned independent internet retailer that has their products shipped directly from the manufacturer to you, eliminating the middlemen. It's named after their frisky Cairn Terrier, check out his picture and info about the store. As a Yahoo Store, Dax Stores is a member of the most respected retail network on the Internet. They offer organic product for the home, such as organic cotton sheets, 100% organic cotton towels, educational toys, fountains and sculpture, and more. Shipping on orders less than $100 is only 6.95, free on orders over $100 (bulky items excepted, see their info page)
View Article  Wall*E French Trailer
Yes, I'm a Disney Pixar fanboy. And I'm not alone, as the wife and my nephew Mike (whom I told you about before) are as well, and Mike has the tattoos to prove it. Ain't It Cool News has linked to a French film site that has a different trailer for the upcoming Pixar will Wall*E, including an Pixar studio logo gag that they should keep in the movie.
A word about the captions: I knew a little french to pick out what they were saying. The first caption "Voici Wall*E" is "This is Wall*E", but the next two I had to use Google language tools for help. The next caption reads in french "Pendant 700 ans, il a fait ce pourquoi il etait programme" which Google translated to "During 700 years, it made this why it was program". Given what I know of the film and it's premise, I would guess a better translation would be "For 700 years, it wondered why it was here". The third caption reads "Il va enfin donner un sens a sa vie" which Google translates as "It finally will give a direction has its life". My humble clean up: "It will finally have a direction in it's life". Hey, now I have a new found appreciation of Tony Isabella's work on the Disney comics, Mark Evanier's work on Groo, and anime translators, among others. But the visuals in the video are cool and funny. Check it out.
Update: Yahoo has the trailer in English. Way off in the translation.
View Article  CheapoAir Customer Support
Sponsored by CheapoAir
I keep reading stories about the problems with flying on all levels. The customer service is so bad. You have to wait on hold, wait in line, wait in the plane, treated poorly all around, no wonder I'm not in a hurry to get back on a plane anytime soon. And you're always hearing about the airlines being in financial trouble and going out of business, you wonder if anyone ever considered the idea of, oh I don't know, improving customer service and the experience so that people would want to use their business?
And you keep hearing about all these websites that offer the best lowest prices for flights and travel. What good are they if you run into all sorts of hassles if you have a problem? You don't want to wait on the phone forever with no promise of getting anything resolved.
CheapoAir is taking a step in the right direction. They believe that superior customer service creates a more loyal customer base. For that step alone, I'm not concerned about their name. I think I'm like most people where if they are above the rest of the pack customer service-wise, they can call themselves "Bozo Express" for all I care. CheapoAir Customer Support has increased their staff and implemented 24/7 customer support. Hold times have decreased by 65% and caller abandonment rates have plummeted by 70%, and having toiled in those fields, I can tell you from experience that those are numbers to crow about. CheapoAir's customer service goal is One Call - does it all, to make finding cheap flights a hassle-free experience.
View Article  Genevose Syndrome?
You've heard the story: Kitty Genovese was killed coming home from work one night over 40 years ago. There were 38 witnesses to the crime, and not one did anything about her cries for help until it was too late, when one person called the police after she died. It has become the symbol of urban apathy, that the cities are full of people who "don't want to get involved". It even inspired the origin of Rorschach in Watchmen.
Over the years, new information has come out saying that the facts that inspired the legend may not necessarily be true.
View Article  Snow Boards
Brought to you by your friends at Shopping.com.
For those that are into snowboarding, there's all sorts of equipment out there to choose from. And like other hobbies you want to make the investments necessary to participate, but you don't want to feel like a chump by overpaying for your equipment. And you don't want to go all over the net chasing after bargains and trying to compare prices.
At Shopping.com they offer a variety of items to comparison shop online, including snowboarding. You have many types of shoes, boards, helmets, and other equipment to choose from, from brands such as Burton, Saloman, Nitro, and more.
So don't go all over the place chasing bargains, either in the real world or on the net. Just go to Shopping.com and have them do the legwork for you.
View Article  Presidential Fund Raising
Barack Obama has raised $19 million in fundraising from July through September. And that's on par with other candidates. Last I heard, the job pays $400,000 a year. I know there's a certain prestige with being President, and that since 2000 the gloves are off, but am I missing something here? Does anyone else think the whole thing is out of control?
View Article  Go Dance Crazy
Note: The following post is sponsored.
The latest reality shows such as "Dancing With the Stars" has brought renewed interest and popularity in dancing. And the good thing is that unlike sports, where skills and years of training are involved, that with a little dedication and expert training most anyone can be more graceful on the dance floor. With Dance Crazy, you can learn all sorts of dance steps, whether it be salsa, waltz, ballroom dance, and more. DanceCrazy.com is a dance site for instructional dance videos featuring truly step by step, world class dance instruction that makes it possible for anyone to learn how to dance.
View Article  TV Nerds
Ken Levine writes about the popularity of nerds this season on TV. And about network executives following a trend, in this case Judd Apatow movies. Or as the writer put it in the post: "Y’know, you had Judd Apatow doing shows for you and you canceled him."
View Article  Download Mac Games
Note: The following post is sponsored.
There's a lot of Mac users that like games, but get frustrated when they find out their favorite game isn't available for their platform. They feel like they might be missing out. But here's a site where there's all sorts of mac games available for download and play.
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