Exciting Update.

Things are pretty sedate at casa de Droid Whisperer. My lap top died a few weeks ago, which goes part of the way in explaining my lack of posting (if I can't write from my recliner while watching bad movies I seem to be less motivated).

I just noticed that I got my first spam comment on that Sarah Silverman video I posted a while ago. Penis sized & potency seemed to be involved, I didn't look that closely, and I'm going to go delete it shortly.

My sister is one of the masterminds behind 30 Hour Day. Go check it out.

Also of interest is Fictional Film Club by my friend The Legendary Black Marquis. The Marquis writes real reviews for non existent films, an idea that as soon as I heard it I kicked myself for not having. He does it better than I would though, so the world is a richer place.

I am also currently running for reelection to the Burnside Chief Steward position at Local 5. Wish me luck, and if you are a fellow Local 5 member, I would greatly appreciate your vote.

In which I actually post an update to my Blog

Lots going on.

I am now a chief steward for ILWU Local 5 (please excuse the rough web site, we had to switch hosting on short notice), and things at BLB01 are going about as well as can be expected in these brutal economic times.

On the other hand, Percey the cat is not doing so hot. She has another round of dental problems and various other health issues, that for her comfort and quality of life we have decided not to treat. We'll be going on a track of some antibiotics and enough painkillers to keep her comfortable, and we're going to let her live out her last year or so in relative comfort. No more traumatic day long vet stays or surgery that she's always scared and miserable after, and as little poking and prodding as we can manage. There's no sense in having her live in fear.

I have come to a tattooing decision. I've always wanted to get one nice, fairly ambitious tattoo, and the decision has been made as to what & where: A collage of starships (no, not Jefferson Starship) will be somewhere on my body (I will reveal where when work has begun). Here's the list of what I'm planning on including so far

Definitley:
Serenity (Firefly/Serenity)
Enterprise (TOS)
The TARDIS (Dr Who)
a Viper (New BSG)
a Raider (Old BSG)
Moira (Farscape)
Challenger (the space shuttle)
Klingon Bird of Prey (not sure which one)
Saucer from the original The Day the Earth Stood Still
Discovery One (2001 ASO)

Maybe:
SDF 1 (Robotech)
The Phoenix (Battle of the Planets/Gatchamon)
The ARK [Transformers (80's Cartoon)]

I'm also looking for other ships, be they from old Amazing covers, obvious things I haven't thought of yet, etc. So send me links and scans, I've got some flesh to fill!

My next step is to talk to a tattoo artist, and my dear sister has provided what I think will be the right path.

I am aware that there are no Star Wars ships on the list above, and it is intentional. There will be one Star Wars vessel, either an X-Wing or Slave-1. We have been betrayed, and my anger runs deep.

Everything's gone Gold

First off watch this:



We love Amanda Palmer.

Now for the good news: BLB01 has deemed me worthy of the Gold Room. I will be working the Sci-Fi section full time in about two weeks. The year of Generalist was enjoyable, but I was ready to settle into a section and Gold was the room I wanted, and what I'm best suited for, so we all win.

Both of us also went through steward training, and pending approval by the Executive Board, I will be a shop steward in short order.

t-minus 3 days till election. Vote damnit

WGA on strike. Solidarity Baby!

So the talks failed, and WGA has taken up the picket line. Good on them.

The writer gets about 4 cents for each DVD package sold in residuals, be it a 9.95 bargain disc by the register at Fred Meyer, or a $60 six disc set of a TV show. No difference between the two at all. The writers aren't even asking to fix that. They basically want 8 cents per unit instead, and considering how the current numbers were devised in 1984 when VHS and Beta were still slugging it out, I think that a 4 cent raise is a reasonable request.

They also want a piece of internet revenue. The studios say "it's to new, untested, and not yet profitable" which is basically the same line they used to give as little as possible to the writers on home video in the first place.

This isn't just one group of rich assholes picketing another for spite. A lot of these guys are the working stiffs of the industry, pulling in $30,000 to $45,000 a year (which in LA will allow you to afford a lovely one bedroom apartment in Compton). These negotiations will also affect the director's and actor's union negotiations next year: they get the same cut from home video as the writers, and they'll rightfully want their share.

The studios will make noise about how this is "irresponsible", which every company being striked against says any how. They'll also try to tell us that this will force the price of DVDs to go up, which is most likely bullshit. They've found a price point that works, and they know it will substantially hurt their bottom line if they add $2 to the price of every DVD.

There's not much we as consumers can do to help right now, aside from not buying DVDs (Doctor Who is okay, as it's BBC) or internet content until the strike is over. We can however, write about it, and spread the word. The studios make 150 billion + off of the home video market, which is more than what they pull in off of theatres nowadays. It's time they paid their fair share.