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Sharon Osbourne Did It!
2007-11-29 07:09:00
We've discussed the lap-band procedure here before. It is a revolutionary weight loss surgery that inserts a band around the stomach with relatively minor invasiveness. What I did not know is that Sharon Osbourne had this done a few years back!I was watching a show on E! about the Osbournes and Sharon apparently suffered from being overweight some time back, so she had the procedure done! I did not know that.Journey Lite specializes in the procedure and you can go to the central florida lap-band clinic, or there is one in Houston and LA.

Hellboy BPRD
2007-11-29 06:07:00
Mike Mignola is one of my favorite artists of all time. He has this distinctive, chunky style that's both hyper-realistic and cartoonish. It's one of those styles that once you see his work, you know immediately, "That's Mignola!" This is an official Dark Horse press release:Comics guru Mike Mignola teams up with rising star Josh Dysart (Swamp Thing, Conan and the Midnight God) for one of the most intriguing and revealing tales in the Hellboy Universe. BPRD: 1946 is the story of the early days of the Bureau and the quest for answers that explain, among other things, the enigmatic Hellboy’s apocalyptic origin.In the wake of the second world war, Professor Trevor Bruttenholm—occult investigator and guardian of the infant Hellboy—founded the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense to investigate and defuse the remains of the Axis' sophisticated occult warfare projects and potential Soviet threats. Now, outfitted with a small band of war-weary Allied soldiers, Bruttenhol...

New Umbrella Academy Products!
2007-11-29 06:00:00
I know, I know - talk about a late starts for a day! - but I had a lot of things to do today, including cooking a big meal. Actually, I have cooked all day (except breakfast).Anyway, let's get into it all, starting with this official press release from Dark Horse:Dark Horse Deluxe has announced that November 2007 will kick off an ongoing program of The Umbrella Academy merchandise designed exclusively for the fans of the comics series penned by Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance and illustrated by Eisner-nominated artist, Gabriel Bá. This month will see the release of the previously announced patches featuring The Umbrella Academy crest, The Kraken’s logo, The Rumor’s emblem, and the umbrella icon, as well as a four-pack of buttons with The Kraken’s logo, The Sparrow, The Rumor’s emblem, and the umbrella icon. There will also be men’s and women’s black T-shirts bearing a white umbrella icon. Additional products to watch for in the upcoming months include a coffee mug a...
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The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
2007-11-29 05:33:00
We all have revenge fantasies and we all dwell on the subject a little too long from time to time, but can you imagine - seriously imagine - plotting and planning your revenge for years, then carrying it out fully? That's basically the plot of Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street - a musical about a barber who kills his customers in revenge. The entirety of the plot is pretty gruesome and I don't want to give too much away, but you'll find the link to the official site toward the end of this post and you can always visit Sweeney Todd on MySpace.Sound weird? To be sure, it kind of is. It actually isn't a bad play and the particular production of it I saw was pretty good, but the musical numbers were a little jarring and left me thinking of the play as disjointed (yes, it's a musical). But what do I know? I mean, it's a long-running classic play and I was a 10th-grade kid. I have thought about Sweeney Todd several times since then, but have never gotten the chan...
More About: Leet

Slow Day
2007-11-27 23:24:00
Hi guys, I'm here and I have a slew of news to get to you - a whole lot of comics stuff from Dark Horse, Marvel, and more! But there are also some technical issues behind the scenes, mostly from the Google PR debacle, but also because one of our sponsors, PPP (aka, IZEA, or The Devil - and at least a legion of other names) has rolled-out their own ranking system. Even weirder - as I mentioned before - The Rundown is returning wildly different PRs, according to different checking tools, but still a 0 according to the "general" or "average" stats... and a "Real" or "Technical" PR of between 2 and 3.Pffft. Search me (just not on Google!)...Anyhoo, I am working on that and blogging over to The OddBlog as I get the chance, plus I had some personal stuff to deal with pretty much since I woke up this morning, so I've been under the gun almost all day. Oh yeah, and I had to do a little (mild) marketing work on the Chill section and the website, in general (thanks for the kudos, Arcano...
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Heroes Tonight - 11-26-07
2007-11-27 04:06:00
Now that's what I'm talking about! I don't know if any writers are reading this, nor how long ago tonight's Heroes was written, but that's what I've been talking about: make some episodes with stories and characters we care about and you don't have to rely on the stupid ploy of befuddling us. Heroes has far too often followed the "If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullshit adage." And man, have they steeped us in bullshit!But tonight was an entirely different matter: we knew who the players were, we knew what their situations entailed, and we got to see how most of them played-out. That's how stories work - in theory.And hey, they even got to stop short and keep us all in suspense!Next week is the finale, and while I was kind of hard on the WGA for their strike, after Google's recent strong-arming of us decent, but little, individuals, I have to say I... oh, I hate to say this, but in this day and age more than any other, I have to admit I see ...
More About: Tonight

Messiah CompleX 4 Sells-Out!
2007-11-27 00:40:00
Messiah CompleX One-Shot is one of those comics I received that I plan to review and haven't yet. Truthfully, I haven't finished reading it. I'm going to try and get to it tonight, if I can, but I'm also trying not to overwhelm everyone with too many posts today. Still, you know I will most likely weigh-in on tonight's Heroes, so there's that.Also, I'm worried to death that they are going to shut off my utilities! Long story short, there was an issue about some money from back in April that had not been applied to my bill, then apparently has, and so forth - big mess-up - and I just found out what I actually owe a few days back, but obviously couldn't pay it due to the holiday. So, I may decide to go on and get as much out as I can... we'll see how things go. This is an official Marvel press release:Marvel is pleased to announce that New X-Men #44, featuring Messiah CompleX Chapter Four, has sold out at Diamond (though copies may be available at the retail level). Thi...
More About: Complex , Messiah , Mess

Bloggerwave
2007-11-27 00:26:00
With Google's recent PR tactics, many sponsored bloggers may be wondering what they can do. I know several programs have suspended my account or simply deleted me altogether, without any explanation!Plus, a lot of non-US bloggers have often complained that they do not receive as many offers and opportunities as we do. But bloggerwave aims to become Europe's biggest sponsored program and offer opportunities in many languages!Follow the link above for more information on how to make money from your blog!

Marvel Comics Shipping 11-29-07
2007-11-26 23:41:00
I just placed my advance orders for January and I did decide to jump-in on The New Exiles (Chris Claremont). I was reading a great article in this month's CBG, where Cap'n Comics (whose articles I have been reading for years because The Commercial Appeal in Memphis carried his column - no idea if they still do) basically said 'we all think the comics we fell in love with around age 12-13 were the best comics ever made.' Someone else expounded upon this, noting how he had almost given up on comics because he thought they were all crap until he just let go and took them for what they are instead of what they used to be or what he expected them to be.That's the long way around saying I've had two Chris Claremont experiences in the past, say, 5-6 years:I reread some of my old X-Men comics and the really good ones stood out - way, way out - but the vast majority of them were pretty... bad, actually. But bad in a comics way - bad in the way all juvenile fiction is bad when you gr...
More About: Shipping , Marvel , Marvel Comics

Hulk #1
2007-11-26 22:20:00
Alright, well I got my running-around done. I actually got it done earlier, but it's cold and rainy here and it's killing my neck, so I had to lie down for a bit and see if it was going to subside. It hasn't so far, but what can I do?I'm sure you've heard about the new Hulk titles coming out of World War Hulk. This official Marvel press release gives you the details on the upcoming Hulk #1:Marvel is pleased to unveil two brand new covers to the hotly-anticipated Hulk #1, arriving in January from the superstar creative team of writer Jeph Loeb and artist Ed McGuinness. This can’t-miss first issue not only features an “incredible” new cover by McGuinness (different than solicited), but also a powerful variant by newly Marvel exclusive artist Daniel Acuna!Now that the dust has cleared and World War Hulk has ended, the Hulk is seemingly no more. But if that’s true…then who is this new, red skinned Hulk? And what connection does he have to the murder of a classic Hulk c...

Biotene Sensitive Tooth Toothpaste
2007-11-26 17:50:00
If you have sensitive teeth, you know how awful it can be. It not only hurts, it limits what you can eat and when - not to mention the embarrassment in public when you forget and take a big drink of your cool refreshing beverage or too large a bite of that dinner roll (yes, if you have sensitive teeth like I've had, soft things like bread hurt almost as bad as tough meats!). But now there's Biotene.There are other sensitive tooth toothpastes, to be sure, but Biotene is a bit different. For one thing, it actually works! I speak from experience because I have tried it - been using it for weeks now, in fact. It is not gritty, but it isn't a gel anything like that either; it is a smooth, creamy toothpaste that goes on easily. It also does not have that medicinal taste some similar products do. The taste is pleasant, not overwhelming, and goes away not long after you use it while leaving your breath fresh and clean.Biotene cleans your teeth and mouth while treating it and you o...
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Pizza and Beer
2007-11-25 21:00:00
I have comics news and subjects galore to discuss, I just wanted to take a moment to mention this because I don't know how much of them I will get to today:Drinking doesn't go well with much. Doesn't go well with driving, reading, writing, watching kids, or cake. Even wedding cake.It's one of those ugly truths you have to face when you get older. The other is that you simply cannot drink whenever you want. I don't mean like for breakfast; I mean that just because you have a day off or you are out on the town with your friends, you can't always just have a drink. Sometimes it's because of health or medications, because you are driving, because you have to be up early the next day - there are a thousand excuses why not to drink... almost as many as you can come up with to drink!So the hard, sad truth is that sometimes, you really have to make time to drink. Doesn't matter if you just want a few or if you want to go on a full-fledged bender; you either can or you cannot.A...
More About: Pizza , Beer

Torchwood Marathon Today
2007-11-25 17:45:00
BBCA has a Torch wood marathon today, showing the last five episodes that have aired. This is all leading up to the season finale next Saturday night.If you haven't been watching Torchwood, I don't know why the hell not. It is consistently one of the most satisfying sci-fi shows on TV right now, doubly so now that they are starting to establish a real Torchwood-based mythos apart from Doctor Who.Torchwood is a spin-off of the legendary Doctor Who series, that has incredibly little to do with the parent series, aside from the casual nod. The first several episodes were intensely dark and largely sexual in nature, then Torchwood turned its hand back to more traditional sci-fi roots and lost some of its edge. It is still an excellent series always worth watching and reportedly BBCA's highest-rated show ever.
More About: Today , Marathon

Diet Products
2007-11-25 17:41:00
Regardless of the physical health issues involved with being overweight, there are plenty of mental and emotional health issues that come with the turf. Many overweight people suffer from depression, anxiety, and other social, emotional, and psychological problems that stem directly from their poor self-image. Worse, not every diet, procedure, and exercise regimen works the same for every person, and some people spend thousands of dollars a year trying to keep their weight under control.If you follow the link provided, you will find great reviews on diet and weight-loss products, such as Miracle burn. Why spend thousands searching for a product that works for you when you can spend a few minutes researching what others have to say?
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Marvel vs. DC: The War Continues?
2007-11-25 03:08:00
So I'm reading the latest Comics Buyer's Guide today and they had this article on the news of upcoming events the Big Two dropped at the Baltimore Con (note to organizers: Baltimore Con? Really? That's... look, I'm just asking, but - that's the best you could do?) and I noticed a two-page spread of DC news, with a little sidebar blurb of upcoming Marvel news. And it brought-up some childhood bitterness.Now, I have been planning to make a post concerning this for some time now, but I wanted to drag out some of the old comics and look through the letter pages to quote a letter or two to make my point. But there's no need now because CBG did me the favor of a two-page DC-centric spread with a dinky little word balloon of Marvel news at the top.That's just the way Marvel "Zombies" have been treated for as long as I could remember. To be fair, when we were kids, we Marvel "Zombies" could be pretty critical of DC readers too - no need to lie - but the acrimony truly came from ...
More About: Conti

Chatty Cathy
2007-11-25 00:16:00
Sorry for all the ads today. Didn't mean to get on a 1:1 ratio there, I just had a lot to get out the door because I did so few all week long. Plus, I did some general maintenance on some of the older entries and answered some comments and so forth.I have some more PRs to get out there, and some other news to get to. I know today's been more about me just rambling, but I'm out of the habit, so it's taking me a bit to get back into the swing of things. Plus, I wanted to make sure you had enough time to digest what I did get out to you because some of it was kind of lengthy... because I feel kind of chatty today. No real reason, just do.I haven't gotten to looking into saving time and making more "Me-Time" because my muscle relaxers are making me drowsy. I guess I'm just going to have leftovers because I forgot to pull anything out of the freezer earlier and it won't be thawed in time. I don't microwave-defrost meats because I can never tell when they are actually thawe...
More About: Cathy

The Equestrian Corner
2007-11-25 00:00:00
I live in a rural area. Even when I have lived in urban areas, rural areas surrounded them - it's just the state of the South - and they were always covered with farm animals, like cows and horses. A lot of the farms had tracks and you would see the people working with their horses on the warm days and holidays.But the best times to watch them was when they were dressed to the nines in their riding gear and the animals were all decked-out in theirs.The Equestrian Corner carries all your equestrian riding apparel, along with tack and other gear for animals. A beautiful, well-designed site with plenty of pictures and departments, The Equestrian Corner is a great online store dedicated to the horse riding community.

Thor #4 - Sold-Out!
2007-11-24 22:44:00
I told you I was going to buy Thor , no matter what. Walt Simonson cemented that for me when I was a child and I wouldn't go back on it if I could. I've always loved Norse mythology and while I didn't care much for Thor's alter-ego bit, it hasn't been much discussed in the series so far (at least not in the issues I've received and read, so far) - and I'm actually wondering how that's going to be handled. That's the mark of a great story: when you're interested even in the parts you don't think you're going to like!I'm really glad to see how well the old God o' Thunder has taken-hold because it assures a good run, which is great for me since I am a subscriber and I don't want to get that little form that tells me switch titles...This is an official Marvel press release:Marvel is proud to announce that Thor #4 has sold out at Diamond (though copies may be available at the retail level). This is the Odinson's fourth consecutive sell-out since JMS and Oliver Coipel re...
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UK Auto Insurance
2007-11-24 21:29:00
I have said it before and I'm sure I'll say it again: you cannot survive in modern day Western society without insurance - Car insurance, Home insurance, Life insurance - you need insurance for just about everything you can get insured. I know far too many people who do not have any, or not enough, due to the costs, but without it, they rarely go to the doctor's and they run the risk of serious financial problems in the future.The good thing is that cheap car insurance is available to you. Even if you can't afford insurance on many other fronts, low-cost auto insurance is a must to ensure your continued mobility, as well as your health and the health of anyone else with whom you might one day be involved in a crash. Without it, you run the very real risk of serious financial burdens! So while the cost may be prohibitive in the short-run, with inexpensive coverage, you can be certain to not face serious financial hardship in the future!
More About: Insurance , Auto Insurance , Auto

Time, Time, Time
2007-11-24 20:48:00
I do some online surveys. They don't generally pay very well, so I don't do them all that often; they usually pile-up for a few days, then I spend a couple hours doing as many of them as I can 2-3 times a week.So I was doing one earlier that asked me to rate just how hard I was working to make some more "Me-Time " in my daily life and I really had to think about that.I've been talking about it quite a bit here lately, but I never really quantified it in those terms. Like I've said a billion times before, by the time I get to the posts I need to make (and usually barely a handful of those I really want to make), do some spot-cleaning around the house, and take care of my personal business, I honestly very rarely have any Me-Time in my daily life. It results in my basically burning-out and taking a few days off, even though I really can't afford to do that...So after reading and answering this question, I haven't been able to get it out of my head. How do you go about making ...

St. Augustine Art Walk
2007-11-24 19:38:00
We are big on art here to The Rundown - after all, that's primarily what we discuss. But for all our talk of sequential art and other cartoon- and comics-related fields, I personally have a foundation in "traditional" art, as I took Art throughout highschool and was even accepted into one of the premiere art colleges in the world (though I could not afford to go there). We love all kinds of art, right down to the homemade crafts and pieces you can learn to make on those great cable channels and weekend shows on PBS. That's why learning about the St. Augustine Artwalk is so nifty for me and I'm glad I can share it with you!Apparently, the city of St. Augustine, Florida - the oldest city in America - is rife with artists and art-lovers and at least once every month, there is a great to-do on the streets, with tons of art and exhibits for all to enjoy.The weekend of December 7th commemorates the First Friday Weekend Art Walk , with similar walks continuing throughout the following...

Doctor Who's First Producer Dead
2007-11-24 14:15:00
Verity Lambert, the first female TV producer at BBC, as well as the first producer of the longest-running sci-fi series of all time, Doctor Who , died Thursday. Her death came one day before the 44th anniversary of the very first Doctor Who episode. She was also due to receive an award from the Women in Film and Television Awards next month.Ms. Lambert was 71. She produced the famous Doctor Who series from 1963 through 1965. 20 years later, she started her own TV production company and made several more series throughout her career.
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Fiber Cables
2007-11-24 14:04:00
If you are into computer networking, you know how much goes into it, as well as how many peripherals can be involved - network cards, fiber cable, mounts, and more. You are always looking to save time and money and if you are just setting up or you run into problems, you know how your gas bill can skyrocket with sudden necessary trips to the computer store!Why go through all of that when you can simply logon and purchase what you need at Fiber Multimode? You should always have at least a few necessities on-hand, thanks to Murphy's Law. So follow the link above for more information!
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11-24-07
2007-11-24 13:43:00
Well, I finally did get to read some of the comics I got almost two weeks ago now. I didn't even post to you what all I received. Things have just been so hectic around here and the weather change has had me sickly and hurting.I also figured out that I really haven't been eating much lately. It hadn't occurred to me until a friend said she'd noticed I had lost some weight. I hadn't noticed it, but I may have dropped a few pounds. What made me think about it was when I looked in the freezer and saw all the meats I have! Apparently, I haven't cooked a damned thing all month long, so don't ask me how it was that I had no dishes until I washed them Thanksgiving Day... and honestly, there weren't even that many then!I've been subsisting on TV dinners and a solitary pizza which lasted about 4 days (and of which I ate every last bite), plus the errant sandwich and chips. I will admit that I have been pretty hungry most days, but I have snacked my way through. So last night...

Nothing on TV, Nothing to Do
2007-11-24 00:27:00
You know, one of the things about being in a small town is that no one really takes the right things seriously enough. Pretty much everything was closed today except the bank (of course), and I hope like heck I didn't bounce a check! I deposited money in there yesterday, so I shouldn't have... but this bank keeps such odd hours, that I couldn't say for sure and I'm afraid to look.Anyway, remember Mary Catherine Gallagher from SNL? I had the misfortune of suffering through the movie, Superstar, earlier. Let me just say this about that: Molly Shannon owes me at least a drink for the two hours of my life she took from me! A movie has to be damned bad to make even Harland Williams unfunny... that spaceman movie he did was pretty bad, but it at least had a few laugh-out-loud moments ("Wasn't me!"). I didn't even crack a smile at Superstar.I know how cliche it is to say it, but there's a reason it's cliched, and I have to say it: 999 channels and there is absolutely nothing ...

Playstation Peripherals
2007-11-24 00:16:00
I have said again and again how I am not a big gamer, but I have nothing against gamers (I mean video game consoles, not RPGs). In fact, I have often wished I got into the hobby more because then I would have more to do when nothing is on TV!But video gaming can be pretty expensive, so you are always on the lookout to find the wires, controllers, accessories, games, and other peripherals for your playstation 3 or other console. Follow the link provided to see what great deals Buy.com has for your video gaming needs!
More About: Playstation , Peripherals

Charmed Marathon
2007-11-22 17:51:00
Duh! There is a Charmed marathon on all day today. Well, until 5:00 PM CST, anyway.These are the episodes with Chris, and while they are key to the overall story and several of them are really good, the whole mood on the set is really dampened... a lot. Often.These are those middle years I talked about the other day: you could miss most of these episodes and be fine. But a lot of the storylines and arcs that went through this part of the series were creatively brilliant, they just didn't translate well to the screen because of the players.I hate to lay blame because I love the cast, but it's true. A lot of these episodes were more dramatic than the earlier and later ones and it really dampens the atmosphere; they kind of lost that light-hearted spark that was omnipresent throughout much of the series and some of the tongue-in-cheek jokes were decidedly more... adult in nature. But not exactly cute or sexy - or even all that funny... just point-blank and obvious.Still a fun w...
More About: Marathon

Happy T-Day, Y'all!
2007-11-22 16:32:00
What kind of Americana blog would this be if I didn't wish you all a happy Thanksgiving?As I said over to The OddBlog, I am not making any promises as to how much I'll be blogging today, but I have had a habit of being fairly prolific on holidays in years past, just because... and since no one will be here today and I only have limited plans, who knows what the day will bring?I'm going to eat and spend the entire afternoon reading comics and watching Mystery Science Theater 3000, so who knows what thoughts I may have to share?Ooh! Here's one: Al Roker just looks weird thin.Weee-ird.
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A New Dawn for Marvel's Exiles
2007-11-22 02:29:00
Let me tell you a few things about this cat, Chris Claremont: first of all, I grew up on him. Not literally; that would have been very uncomfortable for us both. Claremont wrote this title a small comics company by the name of Marvel sold - you may have heard of it - Uncanny... something or other - I was a kid.Anyway, while he had his share of misses, most of his stories were pretty close to hits if not downright homeruns. And I do not know of another writer to this day - in any medium - who can script such a large cast as well as he does.I haven't read Exiles , but once you read this official Marvel press release, you may decide to leap on-board, as I think I will. Read on to see what I mean.The Exiles say goodbye in an extra-sized 100th issue! Series writer Chris Claremont and artist Tom Grummett present Exiles #100 in what could be the last adventure of Marvel’s merry mutant multiverse heroes. That’s right, the Exiles are packing it in...calling it quits. But after years ...
More About: Dawn

Age of Bronze
2007-11-22 02:14:00
Now this is some crazy stuff! This guy actually traveled to ancient Troy to check it out as research for this series. I would love to do something like that - at least once in my life, you know? I don't care if it is for pure text, sequential art, or just to do some sketches; I want to travel somewhere really exotic just on art-related business like once.No, neither Atlanta nor San Francisco are what I'd call "exotic." At least not in the sense I mean.This is an official Image Comics press release:Berkeley, CA - Nov. 20, 2007 - Image Comics announces Betrayal Part One, the eagerly anticipated new volume in the award-winning AGE OF BRONZE graphic novel series by Eric Shanower"I first started researching the story in 1992," says Shanower, "and I'm still collecting material. There are countless versions of the story that have been created in the last 2800 years. I doubt I'll be able to find them all, but I'm trying. Sometimes it's a challenge to fit all the material into Age ...
More About: Bronze