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I know... It's been two months since my last post. I'll explain more about that later today after I get some sleep. For now, I thought I would share with you what I thought about Cory Doctorow's book Little Brother.

While the link provided for the book is to Amazon, you can get it for free legally directly from Cory's web site. The main reason I've provided the Amazon link is because I believe that artists, even the ones willing to give their work away, should be compensated for their work. Also, I will fess up to it being an Amazon Associate link. However, the $0.50 or so I would make off of a referral really means little to me. It's not like I can buy much with that.

Now on with the review...

As a fan of the futuristic cyber-punk genre, it's great to find something grounded in the reality of modern day.

Little Brother is the story of seventeen year old Marcus, aka w1n5t0n and his use of current technology to take down a system that has robbed all U.S. citizens of their privacy. It all takes place during the weeks and months after a devastating terrorist attack in San Francisco.

Some descriptions of how some of the tech worked did get in the way of the overall story. It probably would have been better if Cory had just mentioned it in passing and then include an appendix going into more details of how it all works. For example the part where it explained tunneling SMTP through IM and that you could tunnel all of that in SMTP distracted from what I feel was the most important part of the story.

While the tech was an important part of the story. I think, however, the overall message is we need to keep a closer eye on the government and the sacrifices we have already made in the name of national security. If we are ever attacked again, are we prepared to place more of our Constitutional rights on the alter of "security" to be sacrificed?

Overall it was an excellent read, and I would highly recommend this book. As a country we are already close to living in the America depicted in Little Brother. It shows that there is a place for home grown "terrorists" willing to be brave enough to take on our own government for the betterment of the nation. It reminds us all of why the colonial terrorists overthrew the tyranny of the English crown, and why such liberties were included for all of us in the Bill of Rights.

Sci-Fi Wire is reporting that there is going to be a remake of the classic film Highlander.

So much for "there can only be one."

Iron Man co-writers Art Marcum and Matt Holloway will be writing the updated version of the movie. I haven't seen Iron Man yet, but all the reviews have been positive, so I will try to reserve judgment until further news of this comes out.

There's a reason why I should check out friends blogs before posting to here. I was beat to the punch on finding a YouTube posting of Ellen's announcement. In my defense, I don't have real internet access at work unlike sammy.the.k LOL. Also when I got home today, surfing the web was the last thing on my mind. I wanted to catch up on some TiVo then watch BSG.



via: [the chaser blog]

With the California Supreme Court decision yesterday, this opens the door for everyone's favorite lez couple to get married. While calls and e-mails to Ellen DeGeneres were not immediately returned, The Associated Press is reporting that a source said that Ellen and Portia de Rossi will be getting married.

Ellen has been using her show as a platform for GLBT issues, and I would like nothing more than to see her and Portia tie the knot.

Congrats girls, maybe being one of America's best loved talk show hosts will turn this into a catalyst for change across the country.

John Waters is at it again, and this time he's added indie favorite Parker Posey to be in his latest movie. I'm already excited about seeing the movie, called Fruitcake, solely on the fact that she will be in it.

Joining Posey is everyones favorite Jackass, Johnny Knoxville. Knoxville was in Waters's last movie A Dirty Shame, which I loved.

Actually I don't think John Waters has ever made a bad movie. Sure they can be a little disgusting from time to time, but that is what made him so famous in his early days.

The plot has not been announced officially, but according to The Hollywood Reporter it concerns a boy named after his favorite dessert. After his parents are caught shoplifting, the boy runs away from home and meets another runaway, a girl who was raised by a gay couple and is searching for her birth mother.

Why do I sense some incest is going to be involved? Well Waters has done plenty of taboo subject matters before. What's one more for him?

I'm really getting turned on by the casting of the Battlestar Galatica prequel Caprica. While I don't mean that to sound so dirty, they have cast two pretty hot actors.

A few days ago Sci Fi Wire reported that Esai Morales will be joining the show. Now they are reporting that Eric Stoltz is going to be playing a wealthy computer engineer. They are both incredibly sexy, and terrific actors.

When I first heard that the prequel was going to be more of a night time soap, I was a little reluctant to want to see it. That's changing as the casting announcements are being made. Of course I was a little turned off by the idea of a re-imagined BSG until I saw that Edward James Olmos and Mary McDonnell were staring in the mini-series.

The producers are doing a great job of attracting really talented people that you wouldn't necessarily associate with Sci Fi. I think that that has been one of the strengths of BSG. I'm now hoping that it carries over to Caprica.

Tonight's Battlestar Galactica couldn't have been better. Within the first four minutes the show had me yelling "Frack Me!" at the TV. Thankfully it only turned out to be one of the final five thinking about what he wanted (or was afraid he was programmed) to do to Adm. Adama.

As we all know from last seasons finale Starbuck is back. While Lee "Apollo" Adama [pictured] welcomed her back, his father and Pres. Roslin are suspicious of her sudden return from the dead. I can't say that I find most of the crew's reaction to her coming back shocking. How do we know that she isn't the final human Cylon?

The four Cylons that make up the final five, are trying to understand how they didn't know who/what they were. It will be interesting watching them as they try to deny their Cylon nature and to try and hold on to their humanity. Will they cause lots of havoc this season while the humans make the final push to find Earth?

Finally, where do I start with the Giaus Baltar story line? I'm glad they had him shave his beard. He started off tonight looking little too Christ like. Although he did perform a J.C. worthy miracle by curing a little boy. That certainly cemented his position as a prophet of the "One True God."

For anyone that hasn't watched the latest incarnation of BSG, I would urge you to TiVo this season. Don't watch them just yet. Log into Netflix and rent the first three seasons, and watch them.

The one thing that sets BSG apart from other shows is its willingness to tackle tough topics. They have dealt with such issues as abortion, stolen elections, war, and religion. Almost everything touched upon is a reflection of the times we currently live.

BSG did not disappoint me tonight. I think we're in for a wild ride on the way to Earth.

The end is nigh for Battlestar Galactica. The new and final season starts in a little over one hour. I'm going to be a total geek and camp out in front of the TV tonight to watch it. I just wish my cable company offered the Sci-Fi channel in HD... I'll probably post some thoughts on the show after it's over tonight.

This looks to be a great season of the show. So say we all!

Jay Leno has apologized for his "gayest look" comments to Ryan Phillippe.

"In talking about Ryan's first role, I realize that what I said came out wrong," the host of NBC's Tonight Show said in a statement to PEOPLE. "I certainly didn't mean any malice. I agree it was a dumb thing to say, and I apologize."

Come on Jay, you've had that job long enough to know that could get you into hot water. I'm sure it will only be a matter of time before you return to being a douche bag.

As I'm sure most everyone knows, Jay Leno was a major douche bag when Ryan Phillppe was on The Tonight Show on March 20, 2008. Jay kept urging Ryan to look into the camera and pretend it was his "gay lover...Billy Bob, who has just ridden in shirtless from Wyoming."

This of course led to an awkward and uncomfortable interview for Phillipe.

This has led to a web site called My Gayest Look being created. It's a place where GLBT persons and allies can send in a picture to let Mr. Leno know what we think about his disrespectful behavior that night. You can also check out a video of the interview and decide for yourself, was Jay right or wrong for doing what he did.

This is my gayest look.