I hate it when this happens.

I may have a lot of complaints about this country but damn, it really does have the best airport in the world.

And it just got better:

Singapore’s Changi Airport recently unveiled the Slide@T3, the tallest slide in Singapore and, for the record, in any airport around the world.

My next flight’s on a different terminal but I just may check in really early just so I could go to T3 for the slide.

Click here for the article via NYTimes.

Diesel Sweeties brings you a shirt that basically says ‘bugger off’ to Glenn Beck without using any f-words. It reads “Sorry, Glenn but the only Beck I listen to has two turntables and a microphone.”

Click here to see the shirt or to buy one.

Hey, remember that real-life Russian femme-fatale, Anna Chapman? First we get he katana-weilding, Vader-fightin’ Obama figure and now we get us Anna Chapman, the Russian spy!

The doll manufacturer Herobuilders.com has created two action figures of the flame-haired spy and is selling them online for $29.95.

“The Predator” spy girl figure features a muscular-looking woman in a white cropped vest, high-waisted jeans with a black revolver in her left hand.

The second action doll, dubbed “The Spy I Could Love,” is sporting a tartan skirt – and nothing else but a gun.

I’m still looking for pics of that second figure though.

Full article: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/2010/07/22/2010-07-22_russian_spy_anna_chapman_gets_her_own_action_figure_plastic_doll_of_sexy_secret_.html

Directed by “Clown” aka the percussionist. Stars Corey as well.

Judge Barbara Crabb decides on the case of Neil Gaiman and Todd McFarlene ownership of some characters. Essentially, Gaiman created Medieval Spawn and Angela. Todd then ‘created’ Dark Ages Spawn, Tiffany and Domina to get around ownership so he doesn’t have to pay Gaiman. It was a policy then in Image comics regariding creating characters and in turn, also who owns the rights (and the royalties that come with them). Judge Crabb ruled in favor of Gaiman.

The surprising thing is, the good judge really did some research to figure out the similarities and differences of these characters

Both Medieval (Gaiman) Spawn and Dark Ages (McFarlane) Spawn committed baddeeds in the past for which they want to make amends, both have sisters whom they lovedwho married men who were or became the Hellspawn’s enemies; both made a deal with thedevil to let them return to Earth; and both use their powers to help the defenseless. The twocharacters are visually similar: both wear metal helmets and face masks with rivets; both ridehorses and carry oversized swords and battle shields; both have armor shoulder pads withspikes. Both have aspects of the first Al Simmons Spawn: a “neural parasite cloak,” aparticularly shaped face mask, green eyes and a red “M” on the chest.

In fact, the basic concept of the Spawn series raises questions about the individualityof Dark Ages (McFarlane) Spawn. In Spawn No. 9, plaintiff conceived of a new direction inthe story line, introducing a courtly Hellspawn of the middle ages, the twelfth century, to beexact, who stopped to help a damsel in distress and who spoke “medieval.” According to therules of the Spawn universe, only one Hellspawn could be on Earth at the same time and theAl Simmons Hellspawn was already around. Plaintiff suggested the idea of a middle agesHellspawn in the form of a knight who existed on earth 800 years before the Al SimmonsHellspawn. After this knight made an appearance in Spawn No. 9, Tr. exh. 1, (and in issuesNos. 14 and 15, tr. exhs. 2 & 3, and the Spawn Bible, tr. exh. 16), a second knight from thesame century and with many of the same characteristics then appeared in subsequent issues,albeit with more of a history. This new knight was referred to as a “Dark Ages medievalspawn” in a Spawn publication created to be sold with a toy, tr. exh. 28, inside front cover.10Case: 3:02-cv-00048-bbcDocument #: 323Filed: 07/30/2010Page 11 of 14In both cases, the characters were knights who had committed acts in the past of which theywere ashamed and took actions to help the defenseless in an apparent desire for absolution.The two characters are similar enough to suggest that either Dark Ages (McFarlane) Spawnis derivative of Medieval (Gaiman) Spawn or it is the same character to which plaintiff ownsthe copyright.

Just reading the “Background” section of the ruling gives you enough information to know these characters. The judge really did read all those comics to get the characters straight!

But the juicy part which a lot of people are finding really entertaining is where the Judge Crabb suggests what-could-have-been Dark Ages Spawn that would-not-have-been Medieval Spawn:

If defendant really wanted to differentiate the new Hellspawn, why not make him aPortuguese explorer in the 16th century; an officer of the Royal Navy in the 18th century, anidealistic recruit of Simon Bolivar in the 19th century, a companion of Odysseus on hisvoyages, a Roman gladiator, a younger brother of Emperor Nakamikado in the early 18thcentury, a Spanish conquistador, an aristocrat in the Qing dynasty, an American Indianwarrior or a member of the court of Queen Elizabeth I? It seems far more than coincidence11Case: 3:02-cv-00048-bbcDocument #: 323Filed: 07/30/2010Page 12 of 14that Dark Ages (McFarlane) Spawn is a knight from the same century as Medieval (Gaiman)Spawn.

People are already suggesting Judge Crabb write or at least come up with new ideas for the Spawn universe.

Full Article (with PDF link to ruling) via The Beat