On the upside, my keyboard pulled itself together and works again. Mostly. On the downside, I broke down and bought a wireless keyboard/mouse combo... and the software won't load because it claims I don't have enough free space on my hard drive. You know, where "not enough" equals "64 gigs." (That, or it's "some other error." THANKS, MICROSOFT WIRELESS LASER DESKTOP.) Thirty seconds out of the box, and already I want to kick it. This does not bode well.

By the way: yes, JournalFen is being exceptionally robust this week, it's not just you.

Alabama soldiers at war watch the Iron Bowl. Full disclosure: My family is Alabama (rather than Auburn), much the way one might be Hatfield or McCoy. The Hatfields didn't do too well six years in a row yesterday, and most of my friends are strongly McCoy, is all I'm saying. Fortunately all I think when I hear the word "football" is "those assholes in high school," so I'm not crying myself to sleep or anything. My mother might be, though.

In other Alabama news, the story that will never, ever go away: 3 charged in Natalee Holloway's death; Judge orders 2 held in Holloway case; Van der Sloot's lawyer discusses Holloway case; Holloway’s family surprised by arrests; Natalee Holloway's father to search for body.

Penny Arcade/Child's Play charity update. (Main site.)

Note on charity links: my primary concerns when posting links is that they're 1) for legitimate charities and 2) non-partisan. And I do feel that you should choose to donate, if you choose at all, to something you feel connected to. Child's Play was started, as I understand it, as a way for gamers to give back to the community (it's "a game industry charity dedicated to improving the lives of children with toys and games in our network of over 40 hospitals worldwide"). If you feel like world hunger or breast cancer or endangered whales or [fill in the blank] is more important, then go for it--help out with those instead. I just feel like any effort to help someone is laudable, and each effort may speak to someone in a way that other efforts don't. Sometimes I do try to circle the wagons for specific reasons, but mostly? I'm just putting the information out there: Hey, look, someone's doing something nice; if it calls to you, here's how to help out. Which is a more delicate way of saying, don't bitch me out like someone did last year because "games for kids aren't important when people are starving."

rachelmanija met Masi Oka from Heroes!

Re: Facebook advertising: Okay, I take back what I said. I was assuming, foolishly, that it wouldn't be evil intrusive.

Yahoo Picks: Fans4Writers.com; The Secret Lives Of Striking Writers' Pencils; Mark Evanier Explains The Writers' Strike Much Better Than The Five-Year-Old Did.

A Year Later, Poisoned Agent’s Family Accuse Russia.

Shamed Marion Jones' Olympic glory erased.

Nude man accused of causing I-95 crashes.

Trooper zaps driver over speeding ticket. What the hell! Stop tasering people!

Most steroid users are not athletes: study.

Alleged 'Dinnertime Bandit' back in US. I'm starting a garage band right now just so I can call them the Dinnertime Bandits.

Sanctuary of Rome's 'founder' revealed.

'Bachelor' Creator on Brad's Double Diss. Man, I kind of wish I had actually watched this now. "The original ending [shot], before the network made me change it, was after the girls were crying we fade down and come back up to a shot of Brad sitting on the couch, remote control in hand, clicking on the game, munching on a submarine sandwich. That's what I wanted at the end. But the network said no."

Famous polar bear Knut may get siblings.

I has a icecap.

Any Colder and mah Tail will… ah!

George R.R. Martin answers your questions.

When geeks and Yo Mama jokes collide.

Your skills at car repair are woefully inadequate.

From tothemax: What Kind Of Powdered Chocolate Drink Mix Have We Unleashed Upon The World? "We pleaded, begged them to see reason. 'We have strayed into the dark food sciences, following in the path of deep-fried ice cream and fruit by the foot!' we cried."

Cate Blanchett and David Wenham get political; Australians wake up to new era after Rudd crushes Howard.

‘Enchanted’ casts spell over box office; Adams Enchanted By Princess; Interview with Enchanted's Amy Adams; could Adams win an Oscar for Enchanted?

HDM fansite Bridge to the Stars reviews The Golden Compass. Short version: "It’s not Lord of the Rings, but it’s not Eragon either." I just skimmed it to avoid major adaptation spoilers, but the site seems to do a pretty good job of being enthusiastic and critical at the same time--it's not a tongue bath, but it's not mega-purist griping, either. Meanwhile: Hear Kate Bush’s ‘Lyra’; Jordan College & Trollesund clips; ‘Golden Compass’ Director Chris Weitz Answers Your Questions: Part II; Dakota Blue Richards chats to Newsround; Philip Pullman’s compass points to a blockbuster.

"God In The Dust: What Catholics attacking 'The Golden Compass' are really afraid of." Definitely read this if you're trying to articulate a defense of the books/movies to people like your panicked Southern Baptist grandmother. Key passage, IMO:

But this is a sad misreading of the trilogy. These books are deeply theological, and deeply Christian in their theology. The universe of "His Dark Materials" is permeated by a God in love with creation, who watches out for the meekest of all beings - the poor, the marginalized, and the lost. It is a God who yearns to be loved through our respect for the body, the earth, and through our lives in the here and now. This is a rejection of the more classical notion of a detached, transcendent God, but I am a Catholic theologian, and reading this fantasy trilogy enhanced my sense of the divine, of virtue, of the soul, of my faith in God.

The book's concept of God, in fact, is what makes Pullman's work so threatening. His trilogy is not filled with attacks on Christianity, but with attacks on authorities who claim access to one true interpretation of a religion. Pullman's work is filled with the feminist and liberation strands of Catholic theology that have sustained my own faith, and which threaten the power structure of the church. Pullman's work is not anti-Christian, but anti-orthodox.

Daniel Craig: Behind the Scenes (note: the BTTS review says he's in very little of the movie, which makes sense if they've moved his end scenes to The Subtle Knife); Daniel Craig on Jonathan Ross; Daniel Craig Talks Bond 22; Daniel Craig Divulges 'Bond 22' Details.

Entertainment Weekly Names J.K. Rowling "Entertainer of the Year" (see also: The Top 25 Entertainers of the Year); Dan, Rupert, and Emma Talk "Half-Blood Prince" and Beyond in New Interviews; 'Half-Blood Prince' has lighter tone; Portus Announces Snapefest and Registration Discount; JK Rowling Worth Exactly 1 Billion; Wait, Madonna's daughter in HBP what?

Also: Fantastic Ian McKellen interview/profile in which we find out, among other things, why he didn't take the Dumbledore job after Richard Harris's death. But read it for everything else.

(Meanwhile: Fanfic and False Press - The Real Story on James Potter and the Hall of Elders' Crossing.)

'Dark Knight' Update: New IMAX Featurette Hits Net, Gotham Times Arrives; Holy 'Dark Knight' Viral Sites Batman! (Okay, this one made me laugh.)

Cloverfield: I haven't been keeping up with the Slusho back story, but apparently there have been some updates.

New Sweeney Todd posters (scroll to the bottom for others).

Poster for 'The Sarah Connor Chronicles' (TV); Rumor: Christian Bale is John Connor in Terminator 4?

Hawaii May Lose 'Lost' to writers' strike; ‘Lost’ star Kim pleads not guilty to DUI.

Gilllian Anderson spotted back in Scully red. I STILL DON'T BELIEVE IT'S HAPPENING, CARTER.

Actual, official stills from The Duchess.

The First Poster for 'Solomon Kane.' Okay, now I'm interested.

Poster Bites: 'Teeth,' 'Nanking,' and 'The Spiderwick Chronicles.'

Could Jim Sturgess Become the Next Spider-Man?

Johnny Depp too expensive for Shantaram?

Brad Pitt Ditches 'State of Play.'

Cruise Infuriated by Fat, Bald Image Leak.

Kevin Smith Explains the Porno Casting.

If Seth Rogen Retires, Blame Daniel Day-Lewis. (New Daniel Day-Lewis article.)

Sean Connery swears he'll never act again; wife calls BS.

Morgan Spurlock Asks ‘What Would Jesus Buy’?

Wolverine Delayed, Too? Fox Says No.

Watchmen: "Tales of the Black Freighter" offered as an animated DVD?

What Lives in The Ruins ?

Tin Man Star Praises Cast.

First Look at Bolt and Madagascar 2.

The Official Site for 'Be Kind Rewind' Goes Live.

In Bruges Trailer With Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, and Ralph Fiennes. The accompanying poster, by the way, is strangely hilarious (tagline: "Shoot first. Sightsee later").

Kit Kittredge Hits the Net with American Girl Trailer.

trailer_spot: Made of Honor, Spiderwick Chronicles, Forbidden Kingdom, Fool's Gold, Walk Hard, Enchanted.