Raven

I generally don't regard comics and novels as being part of the Trek "canon" - for want of a better term - as there are so many, and they tend to contradict themselves as much as the TV programs they are based on, but at the same time it was pretty obvious from the moment that Data downloaded a copy of himself into B4 that they had an out for the death of his character. Spiner is on record as saying he doesn't see how he can continue to play an android when he himself is aging, but had Nemesis done better at the box office, and had Stewart and Co. been convinced to come back, I'm sure Data would have been a part of the story, one way or another.

The original cover for 500 Mile Walkies was much better, I'll have to scan and post it sometime!

WHSmiths are currently selling Unseen Academicals, by Terry Pratchett, for

The Golden Compass tanked at he box office - the studio behind it though they would have another Harry Potter on their hands, it didn't quite work out like that and with all the story shredding they would have to do in the next two films, to keep the American right happy, I think they decided to quietly sweep the series under the carpet . . . District 10, perhaps?

He's only dead in the same respect that Spock was dead after Wrath of Khan. If the story is good enough, or the pay packet large enough, we'll see the character again. Personally, I don't think Nemesis is the end of his story (indeed, it isn't, if you've read Star Trek: Countdown).

Now there's a coincidence; I finished Boogie up the River this evening, and here is my review of 500 Mile Walkies from a month or so ago. I've not read The Day Job, I don't even own a copy, but that is something I intend to rectify that shortly!

I don't think Nemesis fully deserves the bad press it often gets. The story is basically sound, and there is a lot to commend it, it just falls down in a few areas and is flawed by being a story general viewers just don't care about. The main problem is the direction is pretty woeful, and was the cause of a lot of on-set friction that didn't help the filming (I think it would have been a better film all round if Jonathan Frakes had directed it). It's certainly a better film than both Insurrection and Generations, anyway.

Good news! Dave seem to have confirmed that they will not be editing any future episodes.

But Voyager is rubbish! Over-use of techno-babble; lack of continuity between episodes; very little use of supporting cast (and even some regular cast members!); no clear direction for the show; destroying the Borg; no idea how to write for Janeway; a really lame ending; etc etc etc. Deep Space Nine is waaaaaay better . . . (And for all you Seven lovers out there, Kes was a far more interesting as a character, we just got lumbered with Seven because the Borg were infinitely preferable to the Kazon and Jeri Ryan's chest was bigger!).

*cough* Watch them on DVD! I didn't see last night's screening, but the word is Dave cut the episode to fit around their ad breaks, which is kinda puzzling given that C4 is also a commercial station and they managed to show it in 30 minutes, so why can't Dave?!

I use tattoos. On my forehead. If I stand in front of an assistant long enough, they eventually work out what I'm looking for . . .

How about

Several sites have this as a free of charge download, if you can face reading it on your PC . . .

See, John, you are amongst the professionals now. If you don't go to a book shop with a list of first choices (minimum 50 book list), a separate list of second choices (another minimum 50 book list) and a back up list of emergency choices for when your first 100 choices aren't available, you're just a rank amateur!

I'm thinking Action Man (or Ferrari driver . . .). A bookshelf made of men, well, at least you would have someone on hand to put it together for you . . .

Spiner on Twitter. ETA: It's a hard slog to get through in one hit - I'd suggest pacing yourself. The best game to play of the three is "How many people can you get in one shot?", seriously, in some episodes it gets as high as seven or eight people!

I'm currently watching the back-half (or arse end) of season one of The Next Generation. It is years since I last watched it, and I really don't remember it being as clunky as it is, but it is soooooo clunky it's actually quite amusing! Games to play include "How many people can you get in one shot?", "Will Worf say anything this episode?" and "What pointless remark is Troi going to make next?" - a big cheer, or swig of your beer, after each one, please! The one thing I'm surprised about is that Wesley isn't actually as annoying as I remember him being (he's still an up-tight little prick at times, but then again, have you seen how up-tight his mother is?!).

Cool beans, I have a

It will descend into another discussion about kids and school, but for completely different reasons. I'd recommend Vernon God Little, by DBC Pierre. From Amazon: Don't let the subject matter put you off, this Booker prize winner is a deeply black satire and a thought provoking read, and one that should generate plenty of discussion!

Anna Paquin didn't look very comfortable on Graham Norton tonight! (Mind you, I doubt I would either . . .).

BBC America has the first play rights to quite a few UK TV programs, and are actually co-funding the next two series of Primeval.

There

I found that with the Paltrow version. I've also not read Emma, but I thought that was quite good last night.

Judy Bennett (Shula), according to Wikipedia. It's been years since I last listened to the Archers; I used to listen to it at work around the time Lucy Davis first played Hayley, and John(?) Archer rolled his tractor.

With three-quarters of the year now under our belts, I reckon it's time for a quick Sit Rep, so how ya'll doin'?! I'm now up to 18 books for the year; not a huge total I'll grant you, but I'm more or less happy with that as I'm still on for my 24-for-the-year target! And how are you doing on following up on this bad boy?: I may as well have added War and Peace and Moby Dick to that list, as the only one I've managed since June is Trouble With Lichen, which I finished this evening. Must try harder!