Things you may have noticed elsewhere, provided you weren’t spending the day hitting F5 on Twitter in vain.
- Adventures in Odyssey is over 20 years old, so those who grew up listening to the audio dramas from Focus on the Family are now starting to pull out the tapes and CDs for their kids. One of the best parts of the show has been the high caliber of acting and production: the actors are some of the best in the voice-acting business. Most of them have done a few Disney and Warner Brothers cartoons, and others do enough commercials that they seem ubiquitous. Longtime fans of the show know that John Avery “Whit” Whittaker, the lead character was first played by Hal Smith — an immensely talented man best known as “Otis the Drunk” from The Andy Griffith show, died in the mid 90s and was proceeded by an actor named Paul Herlinger. Herlinger did more commercials and PBS documentaries than outright acting, but he inherited the job and fit in. Now that Herlinger is in his 80s, he has stepped down from the position and is being replaced by Andre Stojka. Stojka’s another veteran voice-actor, and his resemblance to Smith is uncanny. He’s best known for playing Owl in the newest renditions of Winnie-The-Pooh, which is another role he inherited from Hal Smith. Here’s a podcast explaining things for fans, plus a demo for the curious.
- This week’s “We’ve got the movie title, now come up with a story:” Staycation.
- A few weeks back, Michael Spencer (aka “Internet Monk”) wrote about watching Star Trek: Enterprise and I highly recommend it. While Enterprise seems to be the series that Trekkies like least, he finds a lot of things to look at, including the prevailing science and the faith of the Vulcans. This is a very insightful read, and one that might ruffle a few feathers. A quick sample:
In the Star Trek universe, cultural relativism gets its most appealing face. Science is no longer debating evolution with anyone. Christian fundamentalists- or any sort of fundamentalists- are a footnote in a minor museum somewhere. Exclusive religion exists in those cultures that have yet to wake up to the true nature of an ancient and diverse universe, cosmic evolution and the ability of science to solve any problem or answer any question. While spirituality may have persisted, its healthier forms are the Vulcan variety: a mysticism and clarity of logic; purity and humility before the greater knowledge.
The thought of Ken Ham or even Tom Wright walking the halls of the Enterprise seems unthinkable. What massive hubris to believe that God has definitively revealed himself to one tribe on one planet and through one man on one world. Such beliefs would illicit more intellectual pity than curiosity.
Read the whole thing.
- Of the Jim Henson productions not directly based on The Muppets, I think The Dark Crystal was my favorite. I remember being about 6 when it was in the video store (with all of 5 other videos — and I wasn’t watching the Care Bears), and we rented a VCR and few movies. My parents didn’t want me watching The Dark Crystal just yet. I think we settled on Pete’s Dragon instead. Years later I saw this and knew why — for all of the fun fantasy moments in it, there were more than a few frightening things for a little kid. It looks like Jim’s son Brian Henson is set to scare a new generation of kids: they’re planning a sequel to The Dark Crystal.
- I’ve already made known my thoughts on Twilight, but this video offers a better explanation of why Buffy was such a fun show in its prime: Buffy vs. Edward. This is what your heroine should do if she finds herself stalked by a mopey vampire.
