Thursday, July 02, 2009

Thursday Odds & Ends (Late Edition): Leoben, Alien Nation and Comic-Con

+ Looks like "24" is doing its best to ease our collective loss over the end of "Battlestar Galactica." Not only has Katee Sackhoff joined the cast, now so has Callum Keith Rennie , AKA, Leoben. This being "24," I'm guessing it's only a matter of time before someone starts stabbing someone else with kitchen utensils again...

+ Further proof that Hollywood producers are trying to make me cry: SyFy is doing a revamp of "Alien Nation." It's being helmed by former "Angel" and "Firefly" scribe Tim Minear which, yes, means it will probably be good but really, another remake? Can't wait 'til HBO remakes "Alf."

+ If you're going to Comic-Con, first let me say congratulations! And second, let me say, I hate you just a little bit. No, just kidding. I only hate the people going to the Doctor Who panel. (I really am just kidding.) Anyway, if you are attending the big shindig, here's helpful list of 11 Things You MUST See at Comic-Con.

In all seriousness, though, is there anyone attending this year's event who might want to do a little correspondence blogging for The Park Bench and help keep your fellow (jealous) nerds informed? If so, please let me know.

+ It looks as though my dream of one day simply being anesthetized and placed gently on a mattress to fly may be coming. Or not. A Chinese airline is contemplating "standing room only" flights where people stand in the aisles, like on subways or buses, for short flights. Don't worry though -- they've addressed the safety concerns: basically, people will be tethered in place. “It’s just like bar stools,” Spring’s Zhang Wuan told China’s CCTV.”The safety belt is the most important thing. It will still be fastened around the waist.” I can't even sit on a bar stool when I'm sober and on the ground! I can't wait to see if this pans out.

+ Did you hear about the new glass ledge on the 103rd floor observation deck of the Sears Tower? Yes, you can now lay down and look through clear glass approximately one million feet down (that distance may be inaccurate and might simply reflect this loser's fear of heights). Cool idea. I'm guessing window washing duties just got a lot scarier, though.

6 comments:

agent57 said...

Oh excellent, a way to make airplanes even more crowded and uncomfortable! It sounds like a terrible idea. Instead, I vote we line the walls with bunks, and the floor with throw pillows instead!

Anonymous said...

Actually, the Sears Tower things are less like ledges and more like transparent boxes (sure to draw Mimes from all over). Apparently they retract into the building to make the outside surface "even" for the automated window washers.
And I'm with you on the fear o' heights - just watching the view on television made my stomach do a full twisting dismount in the pike position...

Kat said...

Callum Keith Rennie, aka Ray Kowalski of Due South (cult) fame. :D :D :D?

I would be pleased but for my hating 24 with the passion of 24 burning suns.

Eli C said...

I bet it would be a hell of a lot scarier to be laying down looking a million feet below and suddenly have a window washer appear below you, like some massive kraken rising up beneath your glass-bottomed boat.

Michelle said...

Callum Keith Rennie is also being fabulously creepy on "Harper's Island" right now.

Rachel said...

Considering that 24 seems to want to hire *all* the Canadian actors, I'm not surprised to see CKR show up there!