Monday night, a little hectic

[cleolinda]

I'm deeply behind on my linkspam because my internet connection hates me, so it's going to be a little scattershot today. I have a story about a neighborhood feud, but I'm saving that for a less busy entry.

Golden Compass updates:

I saw it and loved it.

All the images I have of the scenes moved to The Subtle Knife. Some good stuff in there. If you didn't see the preview this past weekend and want to hold off, I'll repost the link next weekend when the movie's out proper. Note: I haven't gone through and labeled everything yet, but the images come from Bridge to the Stars, Queste Oscure Materie, the official Golden Compass site, and screencaps from I think all the trailers/previews but the very last one. Warning: spoilers.

News: Christian groups slam new Kidman children's movie. Yes, but I love her dress. The Carpetbagger: ‘Compass’ Points to Franchise ("In 'The Golden Compass' the monstrous polar bears, which make for a nice bit of Ultimate Fighting right in the middle of the movie, are alone worth the price of admission"); The Chronicles of Atheism ("It’s certainly worth a read for anyone who wants to be fully informed of the arguments about The Golden Compass"); Peter Jackson's role in getting the movie made; BBC Radio 4 likes the movie, "dismisses" negative Christian reaction (also links to Philip Pullman's own piece in the Sunday Times; Bridge to the Stars writeup contains an apropos typo); Is 'Golden Compass' 'selling atheism to kids'? ("But at least one liberal scholar has called the trilogy a 'theological masterpiece,' and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops rates the film 'intelligent and well-crafted entertainment'." SHHHH, NO ONE TELL PULLMAN); The Golden Compass Board Game; Guided Tours of Lyra’s Oxford; Win a part in The Subtle Knife Movie. FAO Schwarz has GC plush toys, btw. They also have the exclusive on the gold-dress Mrs. Coulter doll.

(A conversation my mother and I had in the car on the way home from the movie:

"Well, I know how important it was for you to see this--I know this was your childhood."

"Uh... actually, I didn't read these books until I was out of college."

"... What? "

"Yeah, I don't even think they were written until the mid-nineties."

"..." )

Major kerfluffles:

>> SixApart sold Livejournal to a Russian corporation. I'm sorry, but there's a Child of the Cold War deep inside me filled with completely irrational panic over this. "Yesterday we announced that LiveJournal has a new home. Today it's time to celebrate! We're throwing a private party tonight in San Francisco to toast to the future of LiveJournal. Joinlj_2008 - our new community dedicated to discussing what's next for LJ - and get an exclusive invitation to the party from brad." WELL NOW I'M CONVINCED! Also: Russia Growls at LiveJournal Deal (2006). "That's why I am thinking that Sup's goal is not to earn, but rather to spend money for some very important reason ... the destruction of our [Russian] LiveJournal community, which is very organized and even dangerous to the [Russian] government." Furthermore: "To allay the fears of political persecution voiced by Russian LiveJournal users of all stripes, Six Apart and Sup are allowing Russian users to opt out of migration to Sup, keeping all dynamic files -- like blog posts -- exclusively on American soil. Of course, if a blogger wants no part of their data to ever reside with Sup, they should opt out soon, before their information is transferred."

>> SFWA (Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America) is imploding. Again. Some more.

>> Another writer trying to profit from her fanfic: "She’s also trying to sell her HP sequel because the Writers Guild of America told her it was okay and J.K. Rowling only holds the copyright to the first seven books in the series anyway. Bonus! She also posed as a US soldier stationed in Iraq in order to receive care packages." Note: Nothing in that first sentence is actually true.

>> Eidos gets game reviewer fired over bad review.

>> Update: Facebook's Beacon More Intrusive Than Previously Thought ("Beacon will report back to Facebook on members' activities on third-party sites that participate in Beacon even if the users are logged off from Facebook and have declined having their activities broadcast to their Facebook friends"); Webomatica tells Firefox users how to block it. Also, guess who's on the corporate affiliate list? LiveJournal. Which is now owned by a Russian corporation. I'm just saying.

Linkspam:

Venezuelans reject Chavez's bid for new powers.

Evel Knievel dies at 69.

Hostage-taker at Clinton office gives up.

Court rules employee worked to death.

Vote! The best books of 2007.

Wal-Mart to record labels: Ditch DRM!

Thieves steal 17 tons of Christmas ham.

Why bad kissers don't get to second base.

Via John Scalzi: Kitty Wigs.

New publicity pics of Batman and Joker; Yet Another 'Dark Knight' Viral Website.

First Reviews Call 'Sweeney Todd' Best Film of 2007; pics from the Sweeney Todd premiere (my God, Johnny Depp cleaned up for the occasion! So did Keith Richards!); Sweeney Todd: Behind the Scenes Footage.

Construction Begins on "Wizarding World of Harry Potter" In Florida.

Tim Roth on The Incredible Hulk 's Abomination; Ed Norton and 'Hulk' Co-Star Return for 'Leaves of Grass.'

Update: Bale in Negotiations for Terminator.

Cloverfield has been seen.

Your First Look at Sam Rockwell in 'Choke'; 'I Am Legend' Director to Tackle Palahniuk's 'Survivor' Next.

New 'Wanted' stills with McAvoy and Jolie; James McAvoy on ''Atonement'.'

Katherine Heigl Admits That If It Were Up To Her, She Would Probably Have Aborted Seth Rogen's Love Child.