Why isn't 'Batgirl' a valid career choice?

Earlier this year, as I'm sure you all are aware, pop music lost a legend.  Michael Jackson's passing marked the loss of one of the most innovated men in show business.  

As you know, each year in October, I do something Halloween related.  And this year is no exception.  But this year, there's more to it than just a poll or a user pic change, this year I want to do something in tribute to one of Michael's most iconic moments and one of the best Halloween songs ever released. Put on your dancin' shoes...

I stole these from El Rich.  He stole them from someone else, who was not the real Dread Pirate Roberts, either.  Answer them, and I'll most likely kill you in the morning.

1. Why did you first add me as a friend?
2. What were your first thoughts?
3. What do you think now?
4. What is your favorite picture I've taken or blog I've written?
5. How would you describe me or what I post?
6. What reminds you of me?
7. If we were able to magically teleport to magical places together, what do you think would be awesome to do?
8. Maybe we could attempt to make an ice sculpture, what do you think we should make?
9. Do you believe in magic?
10. Are you happy we're friends?

So, around these parts, Dallon Weekes is known as "that guy who played bass for Panic! at the Disco during their tour dates this summer."  But Weekes is also the frontman/sole permanent member of a band known as The Brobecks, who have been making music since 2002 and just released their newest album, Violent Things, on iTunes. Read more...

Okay guys, I'll be the first to admit, vampires are awesome.  I've been into the whole thing since long before a sparkling poster child for abusive relationships rekindled it by romantically telling his girlfriend how easily he could kill her.  I love me some vampires.

But it needs to stop.  Because it has officially gone too far.  Particularly the marketing. Retract them fangs!

Oh, the things one finds while browsing YouTube.  I was in a nostalgic mood and ended up deciding to view a bunch of old Backstreet Boys music videos. 

This, combined with Mark's recently outpouring of Jacob Black love at Mark Reads Twilight, led me to only one conclusion:

If Jacob Black had sung Backsteet Boys songs to Bella, she'd totally have gone for him.

Because, as much as Smeyer talks about how My Chemical Romance and Muse relate to her writing, Jacob Black LIVES IN A BACKSTREET BOYS SONG.  I do not kid!

Don't believe me?  Let's revisit some of their best, shall we?

I'll Never Break Your Heart:

Baby I know your hurting
Right now you feel like you could never love again
Now all I ask is for a chance
To prove that I love you

Hmmm...sounds a bit like Jacob's MO through most of New Moon, doesn't it?  And yet it gets better!

Ooooh, when I asked you out
You said no but I found out
Darling that you'd been hurt 
You felt that you'd never love again 

I deserve a try honey just once
Give me a chance and I'll prove this all wrong
You walked in you were so quick to judge
But honey he's nothing like me 

I'll never break your heart
I'lll never make you cry
I'd rather die than live without you
I'll give you all of me
Honey that's no lie

Hmmm...interesting.  But still, the rest of their catalog also holds up:

All I Have to Give:

I don't know what he does to make you cry,
but I'll be there to make you smile.
I don't have a fancy car,
to get to you I'd walk a thousand miles.

Jacob doesn't HAVE all the expensive cars and shit that Edward does, but he will do anything he can to make Bella feel better, dammit!

But my love is all I have to give
Without you I don't think I can live
I wish I could give the world to you...but
Love is all I have to give

But this is all from their earlier albums!  Surely nothing from their later albums would include this theme!

More Than That:

Okay, I'm just posting ALL of the lyrics to this one.

I can see that you've been crying
You can't hide it with a lie
What's the use in you denying
That what you have is wrong
I heard him promise you forever
But forevers come and go
Baby, he would say whatever
It takes to keep you blind
Tell the truth between the lies, oh

I will love you more than that
I won't say the words
Then take them back
Don't give loneliness a chance
Baby listen to me when I say
I will love you more than that

Baby, you deserve much better
What's the use in holding on
Don’t you see it’s now or never
'Cause I just can’t be friends
Baby knowing in the end, that..

I will love you more than
that I WON'T say the words
Then take them back
Don't give loneliness a chance
Baby listen to me when I say Hey...

There's not a day that passes by
I don't wonder why we haven’t tried
It's not too late to change your mind
So take my hand, don’t say goodbye

Holy crap!  This PROVES IT, folks!  If Jacob Black had shown up outside Bella's window and sung any of these songs to her, she would have MELTED LIKE BUTTER.  If she didn't SHE HAS NO SOUL.  Hate music all you want Miss "Linkin-Park's-Drum-Patterns-Are-So-TOTALLY-Complicated-and-Their-Lyrics-Are-So-Deep!"  But even you would be reduced to a puddle of goo if Jacob showed up belting out any of these songs, dedicated entirely to you. 

IN FACT, YOU KNOW WHAT?  YOU DON'T DESERVE HIM.  Fuck it, I want Jacob outside MY window singing this shit to me.  FUCK YOU, BELLA!  YOU MISSED OUT!  HOW D'YOU LIKE THEM APPLES, HUH?

Zombieland, an indie-comedy-horror-thriller film starring Woody Harrleson and Jesse Eisenberg, is set to invade theaters on October 2nd.

But some of you Zombie enthusiasts might not be able to wait until then.  You might have a hunger for more.  You might need to stumble to a theater sooner than that.  If you've got a zombie plague, there is only one cure.

Destroy the brain.

WAIT, NO, sorry, that's an ACTUAL zombie plague!  But if you've got a desire to see Zombieland a few days early as well as get a chance to show off your best zombie look and shambling walk, then you might just want to head to a Zombieland Zombiewalk and Screening.

What does this entail?  Well, first, you need to be in or near LA, Chicago, Dallas, Houston or Washington, DC.  Then, you need to head to this website for more information about where to meet, what to do and what to wear.  You might also want to follow Zombie Walk on Twitter, 'cause they're giving out details about getting free zombie make-up done before the walk and other helpful tidbits of information.

And, if you're in the Monroeville area, there's actually going to be a non-Zombieland Zombiewalk on October 11th at the Zombie Mecca that is Monroeville Mall (for those of you not in the know: it's where the original Dawn of the Dead was filmed...hence the title of the My Chemical Romance song "Early Sunsets Over Monroeville.") along with all kinds of other zombie-related stuff as well as a zombie ball for the 21 and over crowd!  You can get details on THAT at the It's Alive Show website.

In the meantime, you can relive Buzznet's Zombie shenanigans from last year, including the scene celebrity zombie gallery, the Twilight zombie gallery, and pictures and video from last year's Zombiewalk in Monroeville.

So, Brittany tipped me off to this last night and I felt a rant was in order. 

As September ends and October rolls in, we begin thinking of that magical time of year called "Halloween."  With the spooky stuff and the pumpkin based goodies and, of course, the costumes.  Which means you'll be shopping around for bits and pieces for the year "come as you aren't."

Luckily, there are a number of websites out there offering help with costumes.  You can buy pre-packaged or you can look at tips for easy costumes that you can put together from everyday clothing items.  

And then, there's Hot Topic.

Look, Hot Topic, you were cool and fun when I was in high school.  And I don't know if I've out grown you or if you've changed, but we are done.  Professionally.  Your Halloween ideas are both ridiculously BAD and over-priced, to the point that you've morphed into a store selling the Mean Girls theory on Halloween costumes:

In the real world Halloween was a time for little kids to dress up in scary costumes. In girl world it was the one night a year a girl could dress like a total slut and no other girls could say anything about it. The hard core girls just wore lingerie and some form of animal ears.

Okay, so maybe it's not quite THAT bad.  But several of the guy costumes are...well, they're certainly not GOOD.

Do you remember when you were a kid and there were "costumes" that were just smocks with a character's picture on them and a cheap plastic mask?  Yeah, these are just the adult version of that.  

There's also a ton of pre-packaged Alice in Wonderland inspired costumes (gee, Hot Topic selling stuff that's related to a Tim Burton movie?  You don't say...), but of course, according to the website, you also have to dump an extra ton of money on accessories to go along with your $60 pre-packaged costume.  Let's try to ignore the fact that you can get similar costumes, if not BETTER ones, for the same price at a ton of other stores, especially Halloween specialty stores.

And yes, every year someone needs to come as a dead celebrity.  And this year's big one, obviously, is going to be Michael Jackson.  And their "normal" Michael version is fine, if dull:

But in celebrating the King of Pop's life, let us not forget to be epically LOL EDGY and make fun of the fact that, near the end, he was a very sad and messed up man.

Oh, but here's the kicker.  It's Hot Topic, so you know who HAS to make an appearance?

Yes, ladies, you too can force your boyfriend to dress like Captain Sparkle Dick of the USS Uber Douche.  And guess what this costume costs, according to Hot Topic's website?  Go on, guess.

I'll tell you:

$137.98.  Plus shipping.

So, yes, you can totally pay about $150 (when you add in the shipping cost) to look like a total douchebag.  Seriously, all that shirt needs is a popped collar and I swear I have seen college guys walking around in the same thing, calling each other "bro" as they do.  The only difference is, they aren't slathered in this:

Also available at Hot Topic, btw.  That'll up the price of the costume by $9.99.

Honestly, folks.  Don't take their advice on this stuff.  You can do so. much. better.

Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab is this fantastic online store that carries amazing and original scents with fabulous names.  Dab a little Brimstone on your pulse points, scent yourself with Incantation or soak yourself in Poisoned Apple and watch the boys and/or girls come running.  They've also got lines based on the works of Shakespeare, the writing of Neil Gaiman and even the Hellboy comic series.

Best part?  BPAL does limited edition scents for each season, and of course they've always got something amazing brewing for Halloween.  And Beauty School Blog is giving you a chance to score a free bottle of one of three of this year's limited edition Halloween scents!

The scents in question?

BITE ME
Croquembouche with almond silk and a drizzle of caramel.

LAMBS-WOOL
A popular holy day beverage in 18th century Ireland: roasted apples mashed into warmed milk and ale, with nutmeg, sugar, ginger, and clove.

SUCK IT
Sexy and suckable: black cherry brandy.

Want to enter?  Head over to this website and check out the many options for entries.  But get them in before September 30th or you'll turn back into a pumpkin.  And get carved.  Or something.  I don't know where I was going with that one...

Patrick Stump has long been the most elusive member of Fall Out Boy when it comes to social media.  While Pete Wentz has been a fixture on message boards and blogging sites and both Joe Trohman and Andy Hurley have given into blogging and the allure of Twitter, Patrick has constantly resisted joining in. Read more...

It was a Monday evening.  My day had been pretty much shot at my day job.  You know what I needed?  

I needed to dance. More deetz ...

It's over again for another year!  And what a year it was!  From big entrances from Lady Gaga, Pink and Cobra Starship, to huge performances from the likes of Muse and Green Day and a huge salute to Michael Jackson featuring his sister Janet, the 2009 MTV VMAs were one for the record book!  And since there was so much excitement, here's a little round up of what all went down: Drum roll...

So, in case you missed it, Kanye West caused major drama at the 2009 VMAs.  After the award for Best Female Video was presented to Taylor Swift for "You Belong With Me," Kanye stormed the stage.  Taking the mike away from the shocked country star, Kanye proceeded to talk about how Beyonce should have won the award for "Single Ladies," claiming it was one of the best music videos in the past decade. Read more...

Hey gang!  Watch along with us and leave your thoughts, feelings, snack tips and, inevitably, macros!

This'll be running like the Twilight liveblog from last week.  I'll only be updating the main post with the winners.  The only rules are play nice and have fun!

BREAKTHROUGH VIDEO: Matt and Kim "Lessons Learned"

BEST VIDEO THAT SHOULD HAVE WON A VMA: Beastie Boys "Sabatoge"

BEST FEMALE VIDEO: Taylor Swift "You Belong With Me"

BEST ROCK VIDEO: Green Day "21 Guns"

BEST POP VIDEO: Britney Spears "Womanizer"

BEST MALE VIDEO: T.I. "Live Your Life"

(we interupt with this important question about J'lo's outfit)

BEST HIP HOP VIDEO: Eminem "We Made You"

Before Pink performs, let's talk about the fashion faux pas she was involved in...

BEST NEW ARTIST: Lady Gaga "Poker Face"

VIDEO OF THE YEAR: Beyonce "Single Ladies"

Hey gang, thanks for hanging out with us tonight and enjoying the show!  See you next year!

Inspiration comes from the strangest places.  A random word or phrase, a flash of color, a photograph, even a song.  And in fact,  the song "Tiffany Blews" is exactly what inspired Pete Wentz and the other creators of Fall Out Toy Works to create the new comic series.  The characters reflect this, with names like Mr. Moth, Crybaby and, of course, Tiffany. Read more...

Hey folks, it's that time again: the VMA's are this weekend.  And you know what sucks?  Watching them alone when you really want to make that witty comment about so-and-so's dress or talk about how damn awesome a certain performance was.

That is why we here at Buzznet provide you with the chance to watch it with other Buzznet users, via the fabulous form of a liveblog!  So join us Sunday when the awards begin!  Myself and Baronetess will be watching together, and we want your input into the evening as well! Let's do this!

I think she's more of a typical teen than people give her credit for. She's a little more withdrawn, she's quieter. But there are so many girls out there that don't know kung fu. And if a guy jumps out of any alley they're not going to go at him with a roundhouse kick.
-source

Well, there's an idea out there that to be a strong female role model you have to know kung fu and the whole line of Prada products from that year, and I think you can be a strong person by just being who you are and being really strong mentally. I don't think Bella gets enough credit for just knowing who she is, [possessing] her confidence, and also making some really tough decisions.
-source

Stephenie Meyer: stop fucking ripping on Buffy Summers.

No, I don't care if you're going to claim that's not what you meant to do and you respect Joss Whedon and you TOTALLY mean to watch Buffy at some point.  Shut it.  You are lying through your fucking teeth.  Because you keep coming back to this whole thing where you insult women who know martial arts and yet are aware of trends in fashion.

"Well, I'm not exactly quaking in my stylish yet affordable boots..."
~Buffy, "Once More With Feeling."

This whole thing goes hand in hand with what Random wrote about Stephenie's apparent belief that you either know kung fu or you wait for a sparkly stalker to save you, there is no in between.  And as someone who spent 7 seasons drinking in life according to Buffy, the vampire slayer, it pisses me off to see her have such a nasty attitude towards women who CAN defend themselves.  Because apparently, they are the weird ones, there's something WRONG with them.

Fuck.  That.  Noise.  Because you know what?  Buffy had superpowers, but that isn't what made her strong.

Buffy's strength comes from, believe it or not, being who she is and being strong mentally.  Her refusal to obey the Watcher's Council (who we find out later were created for the express purpose of controlling The Slayer because they were afraid of powerful women...when they were the ones who gave her the power in the first place), her insistence on having friends and a social life (In face, it's generally when Buffy faces a challenge WITHOUT her friends that she's in the most danger), her determination to accept that she is the Slayer but at the same time not be nothing BUT the slayer (there's an exchange in the comics where she and Willow, her best friend, discuss Buffy dropping out of college and Willow begs her not to because if she gives up on Buffy, all that's left is the Slayer...and in the Buffy Versus Dracula episode Dracula keeps calling Buffy the "new killer" and Buffy keeps insisting she's more than that), THAT'S part of her strength.  And more often than not, it's those things, not her super strength, that ultimately save the day.

In Season Three's "Helpless," she is actually stripped of her powers in order to pass a test every Slayer is put through on her 18th birthday...one many other girls have failed, assuming they LIVED to the age of 18. Buffy is forced to face a psychotic vampire who, through a series of extremely messy circumstances, ends up holding her own mother captive, with the plan of luring Buffy to him, making her a vampire, and forcing her to kill her mother. Buffy manages to defeat the vampire, by herself, without her super powers, by utilizing her mental strength and quick thinking.

In fact, we're shown that the perks of being the Slayer are not enough to make you into a strong person.  Kendra, a Slayer called when Buffy briefly died in the Season One finale, was raised and trained as a traditional slayer: away from her family, depending on herself, totally focused on the kill.  She is killed at the end of Season Two, despite having the same powers and abilities as Buffy.  In Season Three, we meet Faith, the Slayer called after Kendra's death.  Faith is Buffy's shadow, proof that being the Slayer doesn't mean you'll be the hero, and proof that you can be physically strong and still emotionally very weak.  Faith is manipulated by the bad guys, she gives in to her rage and anger and becomes a murderer and then Buffy's enemy.  It's only through seasons worth of self-realization that she comes to realize that being the Slayer isn't just about mystical powers, it's about being a strong person underneath it all.

Through it all, Buffy maintains that she is normal.  In fact, at the end of Season Five, after she dusts a vampire, she has this exchange with a kid she's just saved:

Kid: "H-how'd you do that?"
Buffy: "It's what I do."
Kid: "But you're... you're just a girl."
Buffy: "That's what I keep saying."
~The Gift

Buffy doesn't consider herself a "special" case.  She considers herself the "normal" girl, despite all the powers and everything else.   And the thing is, part of her strength is helping others find and develop their strengths.  She encourages Willow when her friend begins taking up witchcraft...which eventually leads to Willow becoming one of the most powerful witches in the Buffy universe (pleae to note: there is both a good and bad side to power, the show always manages to remind you of this).  During the Seventh Season, she takes her younger sister Dawn (a mystical construct...long story...) under her wing and starts teaching her how to protect herself and how to find her own power.  Dawn shows her stuff later in the season when it's believed she's a potential Slayer...and then further shows what she's capable of after she finds out she's NOT.  And with Xander, Buffy's longtime friend and occasional admirer, she is always clear to recognize his strengths and thank him for fighting beside her when he is the one in the group with no superpowers, with no greater calling, just a desire to do what's right.

And at the end of the series, empowering others is how she saves the world.  When confronted with an evil she cannot face and an army of girls who will eventually be Slayers but are still minus the Slayer Magic, Buffy decides that she doesn't like the rules anymore, that they're unfair and there's no reason she should be the only one with power.  And since Smeyer is so fond of saying feminism is about "choice," here's Buffy's take on choices:

So here's the part where you make a choice: What if you could have that power... now? In every generation, one slayer is born... because a bunch of men who died thousands of years ago made up that rule. They were powerful men. This woman is more powerful than all of them combined. So I say we change the rule. I say my power... should be our power. Tomorrow, Willow will use the essence of the scythe to change our destiny. From now on, every girl in the world who might be a slayer... will be a slayer. Every girl who could have the power... will have the power... can stand up, will stand up. Slayers... every one of us. Make your choice. Are you ready to be strong?
~Chosen

Let's assume for one second that "the power" is a metaphor.  Because let's face it, IT IS.  The idea is that every girl out there has the potential within her to be strong, to fight against what is threatening her, to stand her ground.  And the choice we make is whether or no you will tap into that power and be strong.  It's a choice YOU make, not your creepy ass stalker vampire boyfriend/husband, it's not something you only obtain by turning into something else.  You yourself, as you, have that power and all you have to fucking do is search yourself for it, because in the end THAT is what will make the difference.  Choosing to be strong has fuck all to do with kung fu and Prada and everything to do with demanding you be treated well by the people in your life, fighting for your right to live your own life, knowing you are more than someone's property, being able to stand on your own if need be but at the same time knowing you sometimes have to ask for help.  Being strong is knowing your limits, but being strong is also knowing when to push them.  Being strong is asking for help but not hiding behind others.  Being strong is facing your challenges head on with everything you have inside of you and knowing that win or lose you have fucking fought.

Buffy Summers empowered me.  I have chosen to be Chosen.  And I hope every other woman out there does the same.

And while I have a mean roundhouse, I have no idea what's stylish in Prada this season.

...WHEN TWILIGHTMANIA RUNS WILD OVER YOU?

It's very pretty.

That's the first thing I have to say about Fall Out Toy Works, the comic co-created by Pete Wentz and labeled as "Inspired by the ideas and lyrics of Fall Out Boy."  It's gorgeous.  Sam Basri's images of a futuristic world where anything can be bought and sold is stunning.  He handles the characters, both human and mechanical, with the same care he hands his backgrounds and set pieces.  So, visually, Fall Out Toy Works gets all kinds of kudos from me. But there's more...

So, as you may or may not know, Wednesday is New Comics Day.  And today, that means the release of issue #1 of Fall Out Toy Works, the comic created by Fall Out Boy bassist/lyricist Pete Wentz.

Now, I'm definitely picking up a copy on my way home and am hoping to have a review of issue #1 up sometime today for you folks, but I wanted to address something first.  See, I'm sure there, no matter what, FOTW will end up getting compared to another project: The Umbrella Academy, written by Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance. Read more...

You're a broken doll, one glass eye fell to the floor and shattered and shattered's how

you feel but

you could never let us know that.  Let the shards dig in deeper and deny that

you're bleeding, then point out the blood on our clothes. It's not that I want

you, I want

you to matter to

yourself most of all.

You shove the words

you call

yourself in the mirror into our mouths like cakes and wine.   

You know I would never waste this sweet vinatage to challenge the choices

you make late at night.  And

you reach for it every time things are wrong in

your life.

You just want to drown them. Then maybe they'll wash down the drain. But by now

you should know they survive the strongest spirits

you can pour.  For twenty-some years

you've played this game and

you say

you lose more than

you win, but here's the big secret

Your majesty:

Your own queen holds

you in check.