And now, a gratuitous linkpost

[annathepiper]

Meanwhile, for all the non-Americans on my Friends list as well as those of you who would just rather not read about politics, here, have a collection of recent interesting news stories!

The BBC reports that UK scientists have applied for permission to create embryos by fusing human DNA with cow eggs. Tsk, UK scientists! Aren't you guys having enough of a problem with mad cow disease over there? I mean, geez. You're just asking for a mutant human-cow hybrid to go rampaging through downtown London. In a bear suit.

Meanwhile, I saw word today that a couple of cops are suing Burger King for getting served hamburgers laced with marijuana. Best news quote of the week: "It gives a whole new meaning to the word 'Whopper,"' the officers' attorney, Sam Bregman, said Monday.

Fun astromony news doubleheader: Mercury is about to make a rare transit across the sun, and Titan studies are hinting at how early life went on Earth.

For all of my fellow fangirls who became Doctor Who fen courtesy of the Ninth Doctor, I bring you the reason why Christopher Eccleston REALLY quit the role! Link snurched from filkertom.

And last but not least, because this wouldn't be an Anna post without GBS squee: the B'ys sent around a new newsletter tonight, with a loverly, loverly way to whet the appetites of all of us anxious for the coming of Courage & Patience & Grit: a new DVD exclusive page for members of greatbigsea.com, with outtakes from the DVD shoot! Whee!

Days till A Good Year: 3
Days till Courage & Patience & Grit: 14
Thursday through Tuesday miles: 16.7
Miles out of Hobbiton: 1515.6
Miles out of Rauros Falls: 206.6
Miles to Isengard: 277.4

Comments

[ravyngyngvar.livejournal.com]

Bwa-ha-ha-ha! Loved the Eccleston clip!

Still haven't seen anything of David Tennant beyond his half a second at the end of the last episode, but I'll really miss Christopher.

Crossing fingers about the Senate. Oh, wait, this is the non-political thread.

[annathepiper]

I need to get the Ninth Doctor DVD set. 'Cause I really did love those episodes and I don't want to forget them even if the Tennant Tenth Doctor ones are also full of awesome. :) Like that clip! HEE!

[lethendy.livejournal.com]

I actually prefer David Tennant as the Doctor *ducks* Of course, Tom Baker was the original Doctor for me, and Peter Davidson will always have special place in my heart. Colin Baker, not so much.

[annathepiper]

Actually, I prefer David Tennant too! It's just that Eccleston actually made me a real Doctor Who fan--I hadn't been, before. ;)

[ravyngyngvar.livejournal.com]

Have you seen any of the old episodes? I saw a few on BBC Prime some years ago. Not enough to really judge. There was something about a Concorde in the middle of the desert which was half a plastic model in a sandlot, half a vertical pole standing in for the front wheel, half stock footage (I seem to have too many halves here), and a take-off scene where you could clearly see the terminal buildings in spite of this supposedly being in the desert. Was the director an alumni of the Ed Wood school of filmmaking?

Anyway, I'm still looking forward to the new series, when and if it is shown on Norwegian TV. Well, if they don't start it after the current batch of reruns is over, I'll probably seek out the DVDs.

I saw Christopher Eccleston as a mafioso in "The League of Gentlemen" the other day. Seriously black comedy series, and no relation to the Alan Moore comic or its horrid film adaptation.

[annathepiper]

Oh, I've seen a whole lot of the older episodes--solarbird and spazzkat both are longstanding Doctor Who fans, and we have a local public broadcasting station that's had a history of running the older Doctors. So we've watched a lot of 'em over the years. It's just that prior to Ninth Doctor, my reaction was mostly to occasionally be interested. Ninth Doctor comes along and suddenly I'm an actual fan.

I suspect it has something to do with the Doctor getting progressively younger and hotter as his regenerations continue, but hey, I'm easily entertained that way. ;) Also, there's much, much to be said for a much improved budget for special effects. I'd also say much more coherent storylines, except that some of the older Doctor plots were pretty coherent too once you got past the goofy effects and sets.

[bloody-keri.livejournal.com]

Mixing human DNA with a cow's egg: bad, bad, BAD idea!!!

The article mentions a 'yuck factor'. Uh, yeah?

[annathepiper]

Just a little wee bit, yeah!