Cringely, the PBS high-tech scribe, gazes into his crystal ball for 2003 – by his own (somewhat dubious) reckoning, he was 7/10 for 2002. I don’t know much about the computer business stuff he discusses, but I find this prediction perspicacious: 12. Hollywood will come up with another new copy …

This story of Arab-Israeli pornography is tawdry and sad on every level. But the worst element, by far, is the Islamic cultural retardation sanctioning violence against those accused of violating “honor.” This is the 21st century: grow up, mind your own business, do something worthwhile with your life, repect the …

Yesterday would have been J.R.R. Tolkien’s 111th birthday, his “eleventy-first.” Fans celebrated worldwide: It’s a clear sign that a movie has passed from mere entertainment into the realm of cultural phenomenon when it starts spawning theme parties. Such is the case with “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy. Act two, …

The “Susan Orlean” depicted in Adaptation is a female human who wrote The Orchid Thief: A True Story of Beauty and Obsession – similarities end there: The movie Adaptation portrays real-life author Susan Orlean in so perversely inaccurate a manner that studio executives were ”terrified” that Orlean might halt the …

Regular 40 year-olds gaze at the screen or pictures in magazines and say “How do they do it?” in reference to the likes of Demi Moore and other fab forty-somethings. Here’s how: Pictures from the set of “Charlie’s Angels 2: Full Throttle,” in which the 40-year-old actress plays a villainous …

Music Industry News Network reports on Neilsen Sounscan CD sales through 12/22/02: Nielsen SoundScan, the entertainment industry’s data information system which tracks point-of-purchase sales of recorded music product, has announced its 2002 sales research data through 12/22/02. A subsequent report will be release on 01/02/03 will include sales through 12/29/02. …

We reported a few days ago that Justice O’Connor “last week agreed to the California-based DVD Copy Control Assn.’s request for the stay, giving the court time to collect more arguments.” Having collected more arguments, she changed her mind Friday, per Declan McCullagh in CNET: The U.S. Supreme Court has …

“Urban legend” researcher Snopes.com explains the retardation that has led to the ubiquitous six-note ditty being protected until 2030! The Hills’ catchy little tune was unleashed upon the world in 1893, when it was published in the songbook Song Stories for the Kindergarten. (The composition of “Good Morning to All” …

The kids are taking online gaming a bit too seriously in LA, Reuters reports: Los Angeles City Councilman Dennis Zine said on Thursday he plans to introduce a motion at a hearing next week asking for a report from the Los Angeles Police Department on recent outbreaks of violence at …

Our good friend and Blogcritic John Scalzi has great and interesting news: he published a sci-fi novel in serial form on his website last month, now the book has been picked up by a publisher for “traditional” publication. This is excellent news for John and for the free publication of …