So, I've been catching up on my DVR and finally got around to watching the Fringe episode entitled, "White Tulip" where Peter Weller (yes, Robocop) keeps jumping back whenever our intrepid FBI agents are about to catch him.  Then, back to square one, the Fringe cast must figure out how to find him all over again.

Doing over the day, this is not a new plot device, in fact it is the entire premise of Bill Murray's Ground Hog Day.  Where he keeps doing the same day over and over again until he gets the girl, learns his lesson, and becomes a better man.  So for a change of pace, I though I would highlight some great Groundhog Day episodes from Science Fiction Shows. 

More after the jump.

I heard about this on Inside the Magic and it sounded interesting.  I'll be doing it  Here is the official info:

Walt Disney Records is giving away a song a day for 50 days just for being a fan! Become a fan on Facebook, Follow on Twitter or Text "disney" to 66937 to get your song.

The songs are going to cover the extensive Walt Disney Records catalog from classic animated films such as "Aladdin," "Toy Story" and "Bambi" to hit Disney Channel series such as "Hannah Montana," "Wizards of Waverly Place",Phineas & Ferb and "Mickey Mouse Club House."

I recently received an email about an article by James Barron of the New York Times about a n art historian who sought to uncover the mystery of a Superman painting hanging in the Lehman College library.  It is apparently the first official full length portrait of the Superman, which was commissioned for the radio show.

Read the complete article here.

Disney has been pumping an enormous amount of money into making their California Adventure into an amazing park.  To be honest, I never understood this park.  I mean Disney provides the ultimate in escapism.  Why people who live in California would want to escape to a place called California Adventure?

But I digress.  As part of this expansion, Disney has created a new water show to rival Fantasmic.  Here is the press release with the details.

LIGHTS, WATER, ANIMATION! 'WORLD OF COLOR' WATER SPECTACULAR
DEBUTS JUNE 11 AT DISNEY'S CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE PARK ANAHEIM, Calif., April 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Lights, water, music, fire and animation will come together like never before on June 11 when "World of Color" makes its dazzling debut at Disney's California Adventure theme park. The show is choreographed with revolutionary technology that creates a playful, nighttime spectacular and a new way for guests to experience Disney stories - from the charming to the adventurous.

Presented on Paradise Bay in Disney's California Adventure park, "World of Color" is a major milestone in the multi-year expansion of the park. The show combines nearly 1,200 powerful fountains, popular Disney music and an all-new kaleidoscope of audio and visual effects, including both classic and new animation projected on massive screens of water. "World of Color" floods the senses and takes the audience on an imaginative, emotional journey into the colorful worlds of Disney classics, such as "The Lion King" and "The Little Mermaid," along with Disney-Pixar films including "Toy Story" and "WALL-E."

"What's great about 'World of Color' is there's something for everybody," said Steve Davison of Walt Disney Imagineering Creative Entertainment.

"World of Color" will take water-infused entertainment to a new level of artistry. Disney's newest production features an unprecedented infrastructure of water effects, larger-than-life projections, lasers, fire, fog, surround sound and moving fountains that can shoot spouts from 30 feet to 200 feet high. Technical wizardry integrates all the media with one of the biggest show control system ever built; more than 18,000 active points of control are precisely managed by a single system.

"World of Color" debuts this year as part of "Summer Nightastic!" - a lineup of exciting, after-dark entertainment that will illuminate the night at Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure theme parks. "Summer Nightastic!" will run from June 11 through Aug. 29, while "World of Color" will continue entertaining guests year-round at Paradise Bay.

At Disneyland park, "Fantasmic!" ignites the night with thrills, life-like creatures including a fire-breathing dragon, and spine-tingling adventures for Sorcerer Mickey. In the skies above Sleeping Beauty Castle, "Magical" sparks to life with a dazzling firework spectacular in which colorful, choreographed pyrotechnics burst and soar to a soundtrack of Disney songs. "Magical" features both Tinker Bell and Dumbo in flight over the castle.

The Disneyland Resort features two theme parks - Disneyland (the original Disney theme park) and Disney's California Adventure park - plus the Downtown Disney District comprised of unique dining, entertainment and shopping experiences. The resort's three hotels are the luxurious, newly expanded 948-room Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, the magical 970-room Disneyland Hotel and the 481-room Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel with its "day-at-the-beach" fun. For information on new attractions and vacations at Disneyland Resort visit www.disneyland.com, call 866/60-DISNEY or contact local travel agents.

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I realized I never posted the final Sky Girl Press Release

Joe Sergi’s Sky Girl Offers a Unique View of the Superhero Genre And Promotes a Superheroicly Positive Message DeDe Christopher must live up to a destiny no one can remember in Sky Girl and the Superheroic Legacy, the new young adult novel from Joe Sergi. The novel combines fun story telling with a strong female lead character and a positive message.

Bridgeton, MO (PRWEB) -- Imagine living up to a legacy that no one can remember. Sky Girl and the Superheroic Legacy, a new young adult novel from Joe Sergi, tells the story of DeDe Christopher, an ordinary teenager with an extraordinary destiny. After she develops the powers of a fictional superhero, DeDe must deal with capes, apes, and aliens to find a way to live up to a legacy that no one can remember and become Sky Girl.

Sky Girl and the Superheroic Legacy is available from iEnovel.com Sergi wrote Sky Girl and the Superheroic Legacy for his young daughter, Elizabeth. Sergi explains, “As a comic fan, I wanted to bring my daughter into my world. As a father, I wanted a strong role model for her. Sky Girl presents both.” Megan Sherrier, Teach for America Corps Member, '08, agrees, "Sky Girl presents a great message with positive role models that are accessible to students. I would gladly give Sky Girl to any one of my middle school students." But the story goes beyond a positive message. Michael Schwartz, creator of the webcomic Oceanverse, says, “Sky Girl flies off the page with an exuberance that is somewhat lacking in today's young adult fiction. Joe Sergi has crafted a tale that is sure to strike a chord with all those who have adventure in their heart.” And Shawn Pryor, founder of PKD Media, says that the novel possesses “classic comic book storytelling that pushes the envelope of fantasy & tradition with lavish characters, plot twists and a good literary use of applying a MacGuffin to a story.” Mike Imboden, creator and writer of Digital Webbing's Fist of Justice, says, "Sky Girl has the potential to become a Harry Potter of the super-hero scene.” Steve Younis from the Superman Homepage calls the book, "a thrill-a-minute read that is sure to please both male and female readers alike." And Brian Carr, co-owner of Resolution Comics, says, "Sky Girl is on par with Neil Gaiman’s Interworld. I dare you not to fall in love with this book."

ISBN:1451530137
EAN-13: 9781451530131
LCCN: 2010903747 For a complete press kit, go to www.skygirlnovel.com. To place orders for the book, go to www.iEnovel.com.

About the Author
Mr. Sergi lives outside of Washington, DC with his wife, Yee, and daughter, Elizabeth. He has published comics, short stories, and articles in the romance, horror, science fiction, and superhero genres. A complete list of Mr. Sergi’s publications can be found at www.joesergi.net. To arrange a book signing or interview, contact the author at joesergi(at)cox(dot)net.

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I will be joining other local authors, poets, bookartists, booksellers, small publishers, literary groups, and community organizations at the The 5th Annual Kensington Day of the Book Festival, which will be held this Sunday, April 25, from 11am to 4pm on Howard Avenue in historic Old Town Kensington, Maryland. 

Come on out and say hello.  Information can be found here.

Here is the press release for the event.

Kensington Day of the Book Festival
"Kensington street festival celebrates the International Day of the Book"
Where: 3786 Howard Avenue to 3716 Howard Ave, Kensington Md 20895
When: Sunday, April 25, 2010, 11am-4pm, rain or shine
Website: www.dayofthebook.com
Contact: Elisenda Sola-Sole
Phone: 301-949-9416
Email: kensingtonbookfestival@gmail.com

The 5th annual Kensington Day of the Book Festival will be held on Sunday, April 25, from 11am to 4pm on Howard Avenue in historic Old Town Kensington. This afternoon outdoor street festival celebrates the
International Day of the Book with over 100 local authors, poets, bookartists, booksellers, small publishers, literary groups, and community organizations set up along Howard Avenue to show and discuss their works. Visitors will enjoy listening to poetry readings, author panels, live music, and more.

Featuring authors from the Mystery Writers Association Mid Atlantic Chapter, among many others. Discover the unique charm of Old Town Kensington and the literary talent of our area. All activities are free to all. Rain or shine. Co-sponsored by the Town of Kensington and the Pauli Bellet Foundation
Catalan Library.

Activities for children and adults will include:

* Open Mic Poetry readings
* Children's books author readings
* Author panels including Vietnam War Novelists, and Mystery Writers Association
* Live Music by JP McDermott and Western Bop, and other local performers
* Chess exhibit by International Chess Master and chess book author Allan Savage
* Free rare book evaluations by Dale Sorenson, founder of Waverly Book Auctions
* The Twinbrook Tellers tell tales of magic and adventure
* A Literary Scavenger Hunt for children of all ages
* Free books from Bookcrossing
* Book art activities

Parking will be available in the neighborhood and a number of parking lots in the town. Food will be available at established food venues.

April twenty-third (the festival is on the nearest Sunday) is a symbolic day in world literature. Declared as International Day of the Book by UNESCO in 1995, this celebration of books and literature draws its inspiration from a Catalan tradition, the Festival of the Rose.

Legend has it that Saint George, Patron Saint of Catalonia (Spain) and international knight-errant, slew a dragon about to devour a beautiful Catalan princess. From the dragon's blood sprouted a rosebush, from which the hero plucked the prettiest rose for the princess. Hence the traditional Rose Festival celebrated in Barcelona since the Middle Ages to honor chivalry and love. In 1923, this lover's "festa" became even more poetic when it merged with "el dia del llibre", or The Day of the Book, to mark the nearly simultaneous deaths of Miguel de Cervantes and William Shakespeare, the two giants of literary history, on April 23, 1616.

On this day in Barcelona, bookstalls and street festivities run the length of the picturesque La Rambla, the old city's main boulevard and, according to the Spanish author Garcia Lorca, "the only street in the world which I wish would never end". The Pauli Bellet Foundation Catalan Library, the Town of Kensington, and all our generous sponsors, invite you to celebrate this wonderful day on Howard Ave, our "La Rambla".

Follow the Kensington Day of the Book Festival on facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/elisenda.solasole?ref=profile#/pages/Kensington-Day-of-the-Book-Festival/197428863289?ref=mf

As readers of this page know, Disney is doing a dramatic expansion of Fantasyland in Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom to create lands for each Princess.  Unfortunately, first, they must destroy before they can create.  The Official Disney Parks Blog has this update:

As we’ve shared here on the blog, work is beginning on the expansion of Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom Park. And as the transformation begins, there are some updates you should know about. Beginning April 12, Ariel’s Grotto, Scuttle’s Landing snack location and Pooh’s Playful Spot will be closing. You’ll still be able to find several of your favorite Disney Characters in some other locations and continue to experience other favorite Fantasyland attractions –- in their normal locations. Ariel will continue to be seen in the Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade and SpectroMagic Parade at Magic Kingdom Park as well as at the Voyage of The Little Mermaid attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Ariel will have a new grotto greeting location and ride-through attraction called Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid as part of the Fantasyland expansion scheduled for 2013. We’ll post any new updates on the expansion project on the blog.

On April 11, 2010, Eddie Carroll's wife Carolyn told the Los Angeles Times that he died at the Motion Picture and Television Fund Hospital in Woodland Hills, California from a brain tumor.

Eddie Carroll was born in Canada in 1933 and  moved to Hollywood in the 1950s to become an actor. He took over the role of Jiminy Cricket in 1973  after the death of original voice Cliff Edwards in 1971.  During the 1970s, he co-wrote scripts for Hanna-Barbera and other cartoon studios (notably The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan, along with Jamie Farr).  Carroll had portrayed Jiminy since 1973, two years after the death of Cliff Edwards, who originally voiced the famous cricket. The Canadian-born actor assumed the role of Jiminy for all manner of Disney media, including the Kingdom Hearts video game series (2002's "Kingdom Hearts" and 2005's "Kingdom Hearts II") and the 1999 video game, "Disney's Villains' Revenge". No one else ever voiced a Disney character for as long as Carroll did, said Rick Dempsey, senior vice-president of Disney's Character Voices division.

Carroll had been performing the critically-acclaimed one-man tribute stage show Jack Benny: Laughter in Bloom, which he wrote himself. He entertained in dinner theatres as a Benny impersonator.

Besides his wife and children, Tia Monti and Leland Carroll, he is survived by brothers Bob Elen and Dale Eleniak, all of Los Angeles.

I completely forgot to post this.

Last week Marvel announced that it was leaving Diamond and going to book distributor Hachette Books to distribute its trades to the book store.  Some people are saying this is the downfall of Diamond.  I don't think so.  In fact, marvel signed an exclusive with Diamond for the direct market distribution.  What I do fear is that there won't be as many deep discounted Marvel Trades at conventions (now that books will be returnable).  But, at least comic shops won't be sent book store returns  by diamond.  here are the releases.

I was recently interviewed by the Home News Tribune in New Jersey.  They wrote a nice article that can be found here.

Apparently, the paper version was released last Sunday.