"Majority of Americans: Immigrants are lazy free-loaders who take our jobs by working harder for less pay"

Fark interprets a CNN article.

Highlights from China Mieville's interview at i09

China Mieville answered several questions about his detective novel The City and The City.

Maps of The City and The City exist:

I did indeed draw them: three maps in fact. One the physical outlines of streets, then two maps that folded down on tape-hinges, drawn on tracing paper, with the environs of Beszel marked on one with lines in red running in one diagonal direction, and on the other Ul Qoma, in the other direction, in green, so when they were both overlaid I could see the separate areas and the overlap - the crosshatching.

His vision for the movie version:

Casting? I've had my idle ruminations. My own feeling is that it should be filmed, were it to be so, as absolutely simply as possible. Camera angles focusing on one architectural style in one city, a few fleeting glimpses of foreign passers by; other angles on other styles in the other; and in Breach a long, slow, 'Vertigo'-style panning in and pulling back, so that both styles come into shot at the same time. Keep the (effing) CGI out of it. Keep it super simple.

I think Csanyi is excellent, but a smidge young for Borlú. Honestly I don't know. If we're playing fantasy casting, I might as well go for people I'd like to meet, so let's say Brad Pitt (haggarded up a bit), Christian Bale as Dhatt, and the utterly incomparable Kenneth Cranham as Ashil. Then I can persuade Cranham to be King Rat, as well.

*Buy The City & The City at Amazon.

Opinion in the Gaiman vs. McFarlane trial

From Judge Barbara Crabb's finding that Todd McFarlane stole Neil Gaiman's character:

The two characters are similar enough to suggest that either Dark Ages (McFarlane) Spawn is derivative of Medieval (Gaiman) Spawn or it is the same character to which plaintiff owns the copyright.

Much as defendant tries to distinguish the two knight Hellspawn, he never explains why, of all the universe of possible Hellspawn incarnations, he introduced two knights from the same century. Not only does this break the Hellspawn “rule” that Malebolgia never returns a Hellspawns to Earth more than once every 400 years (or possibly every 100 years, as suggested in Spawn, No. 9, exh. #1, at 4), it suggests that what defendant really wanted to do was exploit the possibilities of the knight introduced in issue no. 9. (This possibility is supported by the odd timing of defendant’s letter to plaintiff on February 14, 1999, just before publication of the first issue of Spawn The Dark Ages, to the effect that defendant was rescinding their previous agreements and retaining all rights to Medieval (Gaiman) Spawn.)

If defendant really wanted to differentiate the new Hellspawn, why not make him a Portuguese explorer in the 16th century; an officer of the Royal Navy in the 18th century, an idealistic recruit of Simon Bolivar in the 19th century, a companion of Odysseus on his voyages, a Roman gladiator, a younger brother of Emperor Nakamikado in the early 18th century, a Spanish conquistador, an aristocrat in the Qing dynasty, an American Indian warrior or a member of the court of Queen Elizabeth I? It seems far more than coincidence that Dark Ages (McFarlane) Spawn is a knight from the same century as Medieval (Gaiman) Spawn.

There Will Be Blood poster by Olly Moss

Via.

Labyrinth saucer

Oluk coffee cup with maze saucer by erdemselek.

Business card for Space 150

Space 150.

Miniature giraffe

Miniature giraffe created by The Mill for DirecTV.

*Buy giraffe toys at Amazon.

JLA Monopoly cards by Mike Allred

One of six Community Chest cards by Mike Allred for a canceled DC Universe themed Monopoly game.

Final Fantasy-esque bookmark by Olly Moss

Final Fantasy-esque bookmark by Olly Moss for Urban Outfitters.

CCTV laptop webcam sticker

CCTV laptop webcam sticker on sale here.

Finn paper toy

You can download Finn here. It's the first in a series of Adventure Time paper toys by Bryan.

*Previously: Another Finn paper toy.

The Old Republic bounty hunter

By haiQu, Shae Vizla, the bounty hunter from The Old Republic trailer.

*Buy bounty hunter toys at eBay.

Hot Wheels Wonder Woman Invisible Jet

The Comicon exclusive Hot Wheels Wonder Woman Invisible Jet has made its way to eBay. Via these sites.

Print out your own sad Keanu

Perfect for decorating your computer monitor, print out a sad Keanu. Via.

This is against lawn!

This is against lawn. Via.

Space Traveller Magazine

By Last Exit to Nowhere.

Batgirl and Robin

Batgirl and Robin cosplay via these sites.

The Baroness

The cover to G.I. Joe #16 by David Williams on sale here.

"Former Dallas Cowboys head coach Jimmy Johnson will appear on the CBS reality show 'Survivor: Nicaragua' this fall"

"The 67-year-old Johnson, who was unavailable for comment, joins the show's 21st season this summer."

Meet Maulkiller

Gamestop's exclusive Force Unleashed 2 Collector's Edition includes this:

* Maulkiller Skin - In the cloning facilities of Kamino, Darth Vader created a warrior of unparalleled strength and power by combining the genetic material of Darth Maul, former apprentice of Sith Lord Darth Sidious, with his own apprentice, Starkiller. The resulting aberrant clone possessed traits from both warriors, but the crude fusion of two disparate Force users quickly produced physical and mental instabilities that led to the unfortunate clone’s destruction. For a brief time he struck fear into the hearts of all who faced him, even Lord Vader himself.

* Maulkiller Silver Saber Crystal – The perfect companion to the Maulkiller costume, the silver crystals make his dual lightsabers look like an extension of the silver Zabrac styled tattoos that cover his body and face. This powerful crystal allows the player to consume less Force Energy when using Force Powers so that he can devastate his enemies.

Retro soccer t-shirts

T-shirts for the Brooklyn Wanderers, Washington Whips and other defunct US soccer teams on sale at Bumpy Pitch.

Dirk Benedict is...Columbo?

Dirk "Faceman" Benedict is currently performing as Columbo in a stage production of Prescription: Murder.

*Buy Columbo boxed sets at Amazon.

Baby seal pinata

Baby seal pinata.

Bubo transistor radio

Bubo (the owl from Clash of the Titans) transistor radio on sale at eBay. Via these sites.

*Previously: Bubo bobblehead.

Sym-Bionic Titan concept art

Kevin Dart posted a bunch of concept art created for Genndy Tartakovsky's new cartoon Sym-Bionic Titan.

*Buy Genndy Tartakovsky collections at Amazon.

"Ask about our stomp Mel Gibson special"

A gym in New Jersey has put the Mel Gibson scandal to use.

Improv Everywhere's Star Wars Subway Car

Courtesy of Improv Everywhere, Stormtroopers arrested Princess Leia on a New York subway car.

Watch your head

Safety stenciling in the Ace Hotel Portland by OMFGCO.

X-Ladies print

John Allison has X-Ladies prints for sale.

*Find Psylocke action figures at eBay.

Engagement ring box shaped like Carl Fredricksen's house from Up

By Michal Miszta.

Disneyland tour guide figurine

Disneyland tour guide figurine by Kevin Kidney and Jodie Daily. Part of an upcoming new series of collectible figurines celebrating the Cast Members of early Disneyland.