Clea's Cave

Ed Wood Heaven

The Spirit of Ed Wood Blog-a-thon, shared by David Jones.

Really, It's Gone Too Far....

This has been a difficult week for me.  Film buff that i am, i can't really ignore all the Watchmen hoopla, and because i love the book i don't want to, AND because i love the book, i feel i must try.  Not going to see the movie, rereading the book instead.  So here comes Slashfood with this cupcake photo.  It would be prety fun to decorate these sweet babies.  Check out the original blog, Cupcakes Take The Cake, for yet another Watchmen cake. 

Why We can't Choose A Leader

Robert A. Burton, M.D., author of the remarkable On Being Certain, presents this article in Salon on My candidate,myself.  Here he explains, from a neurologist's veiwpoint, the crux of the problem:

Feelings of absolute certainty and utter conviction are not rational deliberate conclusions; they are involuntary mental sensations generated by the brain. Like other powerful mental states such as love, anger and fear, they are extraordinarily difficult to dislodge through rational arguments. Just as it's nearly impossible to reason with someone who's enraged and combative, refuting or diminishing one's sense of certainty is extraordinarily difficult. Certainty is neither created by nor dispelled by reason.

As in his book, Burton has suggestions for how we can sort out some useful facts from our bundle of impressions, prejudices and preconceptions.

Ball Jointed Dolls On the Web

In comments and emails through this website, people ask me where to go for information on purchasing or making Asian style ball jointed dolls.  Now, when i google "asian ball jointed dolls", there are least two great references before this site.  But, as different searches give different results, here are a few suggestions for the people who come to this site from a search.

Den of Angels  Go to the forum.  Register, and read all the rules.  You will have to be registered for a few weeks and have made 40 posts before you will have marketplace privileges, but that gives you time to get acquainted with this ginormous  international board.  Yes, it can be a dramatic and frustrating place, but also an indispensable resource and inspiration.  Explore the galleries.  If you need to know how to make or fix something, someone can help.  And there are waiting rooms with others blowing off steam while awaiting their next doll.  Also comprehensive links to doll company websites, group orders, and consumer discussions and advice in dealing with Asian sellers.  If you really need to know something about the hobby you can find it here.

Resinality is a much more intimate version of Den of Angels.  If over time the noise at the big forum leaves you frazzled, you can chill with a slightly more adult discourse and a strong gallery.  Another forum worthy of mention is  Zone of Zen, which has a friendly, chatty, old school bulletin board feel.  Michigan area people have our own forum, Disjointed Images, where you can find out about our public meets - though we mention those on Den of Angels as well.  If you like some kink with your resin, ControversialDoll has photos of subjects disallowed on other boards - this is one of those "If you have to ask, you don't want to know" kind of things. Posting is light on this board, so it's nice to bookmark for when you're in the mood.  If you're looking for trouble, or just need to rant about the stupid doll fandom, there is Den of Demons, the legendary snark board.  A shadow of its former self, it's till fun.  Asbestos gear suggested.

There are lots of databases on and off the forums, where you can examine and compare different kinds of dolls and their elements.  But big ones to know are Gigglegeek's Modern Asian Ball Jointed Dolls, which isn't complete but is pretty damn comprehensive, and the Volks database Where Angels Lie.  Sooner or later, you're likely to look at Volks dolls, and this excellent resource will give you a broader picture than the Volks site.

Hope this helps, and the key players in this post have been added to the blogroll.

Regis Is Really, Really Basque

Since i'm unemployed, i really should be getting up in the morning and watching Regis and Kelly. Years ago it was a goofy guilty pleasure, and i miss stuff like this, courtesy of the New York Basque Club, the oldest Basque club in the U.S..

Name That WWF Action Figure!

Last week i was wandering American Pop!, and came across one of my favorite things, a tub o' LJN WWF (in)action figures.  Definitely not mint-on-card, rubbed and roughed up, magic markered, some with digits chewed off by animal or infant... just the way i like 'em!  The person selling them in this fabulous resale and consignment shop didn't know from 80's wrestling icons, so they were tagged with descriptions like "beat up grandpa" or "big daddy".  The tags were funnier than that, and i should have purchased at least one i don't have and saved the tag.  But i digress... these toys are made of win, even though they have zero articulation and half the wrestlers are sadly forgotten or unknown by today's fans.  They might only have one pose, but pack a wallop when pitched at another toy or playmate.

Today on Wil Wheaton's blog, he shares this wonderful WWF Superstars Quiz, where you can try to identify the wrestler from hefty 8 inch solid rubber doppelganger.  i got 13 out of 14, because i couldn't for the life of me remember Ted Arcidi... which doesn't fully explain why i didn't exploit the ease of multiple choice.

Here is a nice appreciation of the LJN WWF series.

Link to WWF Superstars Quiz

A Word To The Wise

Farhad Manjoo's Machinist blog at Salon didn't impress me at first, but has been rapidly winning me over, and cracked  me up today.  If you live anywhere in Metro Detroit it's been impossible to avoid the snippets of text messages revealing a sexual affair between Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and his Chief of Staff Christine Beatty.

Not such a big deal, or big surprise, but a whistleblower lawsuit has cost the city over 9 million dollars, after two police officers claimed they were fired for investigating the Mayor's horseplay.  The over 14,000 text messages between Mayor and CoS confirm perjury about their affair and removal of the snoopy officers.  There is at least one other pending federal lawsuit connected to the Mayor's alleged hosting of a party at the Manoogian Mansion, brought by the survivors of a murdered exotic dancer said to have performed at the party.  Until last night hearings have found no actionable connection between the mayor's office and the stripper's unsolved death, but now the text messages will be subpoenaed in an updated complaint.

So.  As Manjoo wisely points out - "please, for the love of all things good, refrain from text messaging your booty calls".  Thank you and amen!  i mean, my heart goes out to the poor overtaxed, depressed, overburdened citizens of Detroit at this time.  They surely deserve the truth, and the expanding County Prosecutor's investigation commencing today.  But what baffles me is that otherwise smart, tech-savvy folks like Kwame and Christine don't know that what's done in cyberspace remains in cyberspace.  Phone calls, emails, and, duh, text messages. If you're so lame in covering up your cheating, please do not use texting to discuss the coverup. 

Even if "all" you're guilty of is a little mess around, disgracing two cops doing their jobs, and squandering millions in one of the nations most cash-strapped cities,  assume someone is watching.  Because in the unlikely event that the frustrated and heartbroken citizens who reelected you on a mountain of lies decide to forgive you, they will still have to laugh at you, because TEXTS LOOK DUMB.

KK: That's the first time that I couldn't fully seduce you. My game is off. LOL! Thanx for the  conversation and the QT! Love you!

CB: LOL! Your game is way on baby! "you had me at hello!" Jerry McGuire 2000. LOL.I just didn't want to get caught.

Just a word to the wise.  And Jerry Maguire came out in 1996.

Feliz Navidad From The Monkees

Today i was watching the television news and All My Children ("Will Aidan's love be enough to save Greenlee?" With Father Clarence's annual appearance, could the outcome possibly be in doubt?). In an old TV tradition, shows do their complete crew and cast credits as close as possible to December 25th, often with a musical tag.

Check out this wonderful clip of the Monkees from their only Christmas episode. i actually knew the song they sing, Riu Chiu, and when i saw this air on December 25th, 1967, i went completely apeshit because they were doing a song in Spanish that i recognized. Link referred by TV Squad, where they go to great lengths to offer this as conclusive proof that these guys could sing. i didn't realize that was still debated, but many thanks for the carol, massive cast roundup, incense, peace signs and sparklers!

My Penguicon Was Great

- How was yours?  If you unfortunately missed it, Here is a good assortment of After Action Reviews by people who actually did something.  i had a pretty good time for not doing much worth blogging about.  This convention just keeps getting better.

If you missed the fun, you can rectify this by keeping your eye on penguicon.org, where registration for Penguicon 6.0, tentatively set for April 18-20, 2008, will soon begin.  See you there!

And On A Related Note...

Slate has a terrific piece by Michael Agger showcasing the best machinima.  Be dazzled by The Nerd Auteurs!