Misery is a 1990 American horror-thriller film from Columbia Pictures and Castle Rock Entertainment, based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King. Directed by Rob Reiner, the film received critical acclaim for Kathy Bates’ performance as the psychopathic Annie Wilkes. Bates won both the Academy Award for Best Actress and a Golden Globe. The film was ranked #12 on Bravo’s 100 Scariest Movie Moments.

Trivia:

• Cameo: [J.T. Walsh] State of Colorado Police Chief.
• Director Cameo: [Rob Reiner] the helicopter pilot.
• After seeing The Shining (1980). Rob Reiner was immediately inspired to direct a movie based on a Stephen King novel.
• The main character Paul Sheldon’s novels are published by Viking, the same publishing company that published Stephen King’s books at that time.
• A video of When Harry Met Sally… (1989) (also directed by Rob Reiner) is visible in the general store.
• The “guy who went mad in a hotel nearby” is a reference to The Shining (1980), also based on a novel written by Stephen King.
• Jack Nicholson was offered the role of Paul Sheldon but passed because he wasn’t sure he wanted to do another movie based on one of Stephen King’s novels after what he had experienced with Stanley Kubrick on The Shining (1980).
• When Annie demands that Paul burn his manuscript, she lights the paper and we see a close-up of the words on the paper, an article about Cameron Crowe and how he is an amazing scriptwriter. It talks about his movies, but mostly offers praise for Say Anything… (1989).
• According to William Goldman’s book “Four Screenplays”, the main character role, Paul Sheldon, was offered to William Hurt, ‘Kevin Kline (I)’, Michael Douglas, Harrison Ford, Dustin Hoffman, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Richard Dreyfuss, Gene Hackman, Robert Redford, and Warren Beatty, all of whom declined.
• Anjelica Huston was offered the leading role, and was interested, but was unable to accept it due to her commitment to The Grifters (1990). Bette Midler also turned the role down before it went to Kathy Bates.
• One of Stephen King’s first typewriters had a malfunctioning “N” key, just like the one used by James Caan in the movie.
• The new manuscript that Paul burns at Annie’s urging was called “Fast Cars.”
• In a recent interview with Melvyn Bragg, William Goldman revealed that few actors wanted the role of Paul Sheldon because Annie Wilks overshadowed him so much as a character. Warren Beatty commented before declining that the hobbling scene made Paul Sheldon “a loser for the rest of the film”. Goldman was determined to keep that scene in the film as it was his favorite from the Stephen King novel.
• Stephen King had originally planned to release the novel under his pseudonym, Richard Bachman. While writing it, however, it was discovered that King was Bachman. King subsequently published the novel under his real name, and announced that Bachman had died from “cancer of the pseudonym.”

The lovely and talented Swedish-born Ulrika Ericsson was in America working hard as a swimsuit model and looking for acting gigs when she posed for Playboy as Miss November 1996.

Photographed by Arny Freytag

Get it? She is done up like the newsboy, at the newsstand in front of the display of Playboys. “Wuxtree, wuxtree!” Super-cute. Great theme, well-executed, and she has a very sweet innocence that makes it playfully tease-y instead of costumey and skankeriffic.

However, the acting thing must not have panned out, because other than Playboy credits, the imdb lists her most recent work in front of the camera as being a host for a Swedish show called “Nyehtsmorgon.”

Nyhetsmorgon är TV4:s morgonprogram i TV. Programmet var vid starten 1992 det första dagliga morgonprogrammet i svensk tv. Nyhetsmorgon har hämtat inspiration från amerikanska NBCs The Today Show, som var världens första morgonprogram på TV när det började sändas i januari 1952. Nyhetsmorgon är Sveriges största morgonprogram med över fem miljoner tittare i veckan och 1300 timmar sändningstid om året.[1] Konkurrenter i genren är Gomorron Sverige i SVT1 och Vakna med The Voice i Kanal 5. (the wiki)

Ran that through a handy-dandy translator and got much less hilarious results than I was hoping for (sometimes translation software spews wonderfully broken interpretations of the original text) but here they are:

Nyhetsmorgon is TV4’s morgonprogram* in television. The programme was at the start 1992 the first daily morgonprogrammet on Swedish television. Nyhetsmorgon have drawn inspiration from the American NBCs The Today Show, which was the world’s first morgonprogram on the television when it started sent in January 1952. Nyhetsmorgon is Sweden’s largest morgonprogram with more than 5 million viewers in the week and 1300 hours transmission time of year. Competitors in the genre are Gomorron Sweden in SVT1 and wake up with the Voice of Channel 5.

*let’s all agree that means “morning program;” I mean, I know we must beware of false cognates and such when attempting translation but I’m going to make the leap.

That picture is adorable. I am going to assume Ms. Ericsson is okay with what life has handed her, career-wise, over the years, because of this quote from her Playmate interview

“The Vikings understood that good looks don’t last forever. Their idea of success was to die young, go to Valhalla and fight with the gods against the giants.” (“How Swede It Is,” Reg Potterton. Playboy, November 1996)

And this picture is super-triple-dog adorable. Also, enormous. It’s wallpaper sized. You’re welcome!

Because I am a spectacularly great friend, I used that same software program to give you an opening line to lay on Ulrika should you ever get the opportunity: “I am an agent for Hollywood. I have a very big part for you.” “Jag är en agent för Hollywood. Jag har en mycket stor roll för er.”

You’re welcome again!

Geologist Scott Wolter wants you to forget 1492.

While you’re at it, forget the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria.

Forget all of it.

Forget Christopher Columbus because he wasn’t the first European to visit North America and Wolter is out to prove it in his new book, "The Hooked X: The Key to the Secret History of North America."

Minnesota and the Great Lakes states play a key part in that history, Wolter said, as Vikings and Cistercian monks traveled here leaving behind inscriptions and evidence that they were here long before Queen Isabella hocked her jewels to finance the Columbian journey to the New World.

Wolter, a trained geologist, first became interested in North America’s discovery by accident.

His firm – American Petrographic Services – was hired to analyze the weathering on the Kensington Runestone, a stone found by a farmer in western Minnesota in 1898 that had runic inscription on it.

For years, historians and archaeologists have argued about its authenticity. Many outside the area have claimed it was a hoax.

Yet, when Wolter, who had never heard of the stone, analyzed it in 2000, he discovered the weathering on the stone’s inscription was at least 200 years old, meaning it was carved before 1700.

"I had originally told the Kensington Museum that they needed to understand that I will give you news you may not like and you’ll still pay me," Wolter said.

When the testing came back, Wolter presented his findings at conferences and was asked to present it to archaeologists and historians.

"It was like I was talking to a wall," Wolter said.

He presented his scientific findings which had been reviewed by a panel of eight other certified geologists. All concluded the stone’s carvings were more than 200 years old.

"They still said it was a myth," Wolter said. "I was stunned. I was completely dismissed."

It was that dismissal by people Wolter said should have most readily accepted the evidence that drove him to research more about the stone.

From there, he wrote a massive tome on the Kensington Runestone that included all primary source documents.

His latest book and a recent History Channel two-hour special chronicling his work, "The Holy Grail in America," take his initial work even farther than just lobbying for the Kensington Runestone’s acceptance.

Wolter points out there are other runic inscriptions that have been found in the Great Lake states and even through the Midwest. He said when taken as a whole, they point to European exploration before Columbian expeditions.

Even more controversial, Wolter said the visitors weren’t just Vikings – they were Cistercian monks and Knights Templar in search of new riches and minerals to help expand a secret society.

Wolter points out those groups were looking for minerals like copper, lead, nickel, zinc, gold and silver – all found abundantly in the Great Lakes region.

"We’ve found hundreds of places where they were mined hundreds of years ago," Wolter said. "Who did it? The Native Americans didn’t do it."

Wolter said the backlash from the historical and archaeological communities comes from challenging a long-established paradigm.

"We treat it as a sacred paradigm that no one was here before Columbus. But it’s stupid and wrong," Wolter said. "Our academics let us down and the public doesn’t understand it. I am not trying to attack them, but if a rockhead like me can make progress, imagine what our best smart people in academia can do."

Though authors like Dan Brown and his work, "The Da Vinci Code," have made the Knights Templar a popular subject, it’s more of a distraction for Wolter.

He said they arrived in North America for practical reasons, and the hooked X, a runic symbol that has greater meaning to the Knights proves it.

"I am all done listening to what people think," Wolter said. "If they want to prove me wrong, they better have evidence because that’s what I have.

"I haven’t said anything that I can’t prove."

The secret history of North America: Author to speak about Kensington Runestone, Vikings and Templars

Robert Pattinson, look out. `Coz Alexander Skarsgard will kick you in the ass.

I’m not into vampires. Never understood the appeal of anyone who sees you as food. That doesn’t mean that I have no appreciation for some vampire things. I mean, Buffy the Vampire Slayer was one of my favorite shows, and swooned over Angel and Buffy. But Twilight? Ugh. No. True Blood–that’s a different matter.

I thought to check out Charlaine Harris’ books from which the series is based and..it’s not worth it. I don’t want to say it’s bad writing; the television show is light-years away from the book, which is that it soo much better. And I’m miserable from waiting for Season Two to make it here. I can’t get enough of Alexander Skarsgard, who plays the Viking Vampire Eric Northam. I like him best here:

While I prefer the shower to the tub, I’d get into one if he’s in there. Haha.

He’s a lot hotter now compared to when he had longer hair. I mean Dude’s got long hair, and he’s the only guy who’s sexy with long hair (plus points for girlfriend loyalty here!). I wish he’d take his clothes off more often. Sigh. I mean, Alexander.

I wouldn’t mind if he’d like to sink his fangs into me.

Three more days until Siege of Mirkwood expansion.  I am excited for it but the downside is my little side project of obtaining a full set of Annuminas armor will have to be on hold once it hits.  Everyone will be too busy enjoying the new skirmishes and leveling up, including me.  All I have left to get for the set is the Helm and Shoulders.  The helm is easy it can be done by three of the Viking Fellowship.  But the shoulders are obtained from the Gardens in Ost Elendil and that place requires a full fellowship of six to turn the water wheels to open the gates.  The armor looks much better with the shoulders.  MMO Viking needs those shoulders!  I need my precioussss.  I have a plan though.  I am going to bribe my friends.  I will offer each person of the fellowship one gold piece to knock it out someday and to not roll on the shoulders against me.  Even Nindrojrir who doesn’t even want the armor and hasn’t been rolling on them.  I figure if I get Nin on my side he will help me pester the rest to go in on the deal!  It is always good to get Nin on my side with any nefarious plans.  We are an unstoppable force together.  It’s kind of like Odin and Loki joining forces.  Once I have the full set Beowyf will be able to switch back and forth from the gold and navy Dwarven Lord outfit and the green and brown Dwarven Ranger outfit.  Or as I like to think of it as Young Beo the Ranger and Old Beo the Viking-lord. 

“We collect these creatures in service to humanity. By better understanding them, we can protect humanity from them. Any one of these animals would maim and slaughter as many humans as it could reach before it was brought down. Dump one in the middle of any major metropolis, and you’d have a massacre.”

“Then why don’t the ghouls of Sybar City wipe out the inhabitants?” she countered, getting sick of his sanctimonious attitude.

He didn‘t look surprised to learn that there were ghouls in Sybar City and shook his head as he explained in a condescending tone, “Ghouls tend to prefer well-aged meat, and they‘re not stupid. I’m sure they’re well aware that by the time the people they had slaughtered were ripe, their deaths would be noticed, and they would get to enjoy none of the fruits of their labor. Beyond that, how do you know they don’t steal the homeless off the streets at night?”

“Well, aside from the fact that I was homeless for several months and according to the politicians, the homeless problem is on the rise, I don’t think the ghouls are culling our extraneous population,” she replied with some disgust. Though she immediately regretted even mentioning the ghouls, she managed to suppress her desire to blurt out that the ghoul she’d seen had had no problem eating a fresh corpse. Of course, it might have been starving at that point. Not only had she probably just put them in danger by even mentioning them however, if she was attempting to make the professor think she was on his side, she was doing a great job of it.

“Oh, you would get along splendidly with Professor Murdock. She’s as much a bleeding heart as you are,” he announced sourly and much to her relief. “She’ll get herself killed one of these days trying to ‘reach out’ to these monsters, and the rest of my colleagues will finally see what I’ve been saying all along. There is no ‘friendly’ xenite.”

Glory said nothing, but he’d just confirmed his true feelings and they were more inline with Jacoby’s than not. She wondered how many of the other researchers below Miskatonic’s campus were in Scott’s camp. The professor was obviously well respected if the reactions of the people they’d encountered so far was any indication. Or maybe they were just cowed by his intellectual bullying.

“But I’m getting ahead of myself. Ghouls are only one of many creatures which threaten the human race. If you would be willing to work with us, there is much that we could share with you about the true nature of our existence on this planet.”

Glory frowned. She had no doubt that there was a great deal she could learn, but did she want to associate herself with people who would torture other sentient species just because they weren’t human? Beyond that, could she trust these people? No doubt they’d heard Robert’s story and were curious about the sword. Worse, they would expect her to share her research with them. If she refused, there wasn’t a lot he could do to keep her here, despite having revealed some of his organization’s secrets. On the other hand, if she disappeared later, who would connect that with her visit here?

“In your researches, have you encountered any vampires?” he asked suddenly.

For a second she was terrified that he was in some way referring to her sword. “Yes, but I had to kill her. Though in all fairness, she was trying to do the same to me,” Glory answered, recalling the woman Lori had sent to Aaron’s place.

“Excellent,” Professor Scott replied, ignoring or misreading her momentary anxiety. “No doubt you’re concerned with human rights issues Ms Lewin, but I can assure you that any resemblance the various xenite races bear to us are entirely circumstantial. One of my colleagues insists that it is simply a biological adaptation designed to help these creatures hunt us. Even when they use us as progenitors of their own offspring, it is merely to lure us into a false sense of sympathy.”

As he continued his spiel, she could tell he was up to something; she just didn’t know what. “I can see your reluctance to join us,” he announced with a slight pleading tone to his voice, “but perhaps if you were to participate in one of our current projects… you might get a better feel for what we do here and how important it is for the good of our race.” Was there a momentary tightening of the skin around his eyes, a quiver in his voice? Glory wasn’t sure what made her suddenly wary, but she followed Professor Scott from the room without comment.

He explained with his back turned to her as he lead her back down the hall to the intersection and past the elevators. “A Viking barrow was recently discovered on a new construction site near the Sybar City harbor. Perhaps you read about it in the paper? With Columbus day coming up less than a month from now, they‘ve been calling it the tomb of Leif Ericson, despite the fact that the grave predates his possible arrival by at least one hundred years,” he stated with some annoyance.

He glanced back at her, but she shook her head. “I’ve been away.”

“Yes, of course,” he replied without pressing for more information. “So you’ll be unaware of the bad reputation the site has acquired with the press since its discovery.” He opened a door on a conference room which was much nicer than his office upstairs. For one thing, entering the room wasn’t automatically an obstacle course.

“I do understand why you might be wary of us, Ms Lewin. After Jacoby’s harassment, you must be questioning not only our methods, but our goals. Please, have a seat,” he said. “I’ll be right back.”

Professor Scott was gone several minutes too long for her comfort. She was just starting to worry that they were planning something when he returned with a thick manila folder held together with two rubber bands. Taking a seat opposite her, he began shuffling the papers and photos inside.

Nrk: Vil gjenskape et havgående langskip fra vikingtiden.

Det er foretningsmannen Sigurd Aase som er oppdragsgiveren når verdens største havgående vikingskip skal bygges på Vibrandsøy i Haugesund.

Drakeskipet, som skal hete Harald Hårfagre, blir 35 meter langt, åtte meter bredt, og skal ha et råseil på hele 300 kvadratmeter. Byggingen starter rett over nyåret, og skipet skal være klart til sitt første tokt våren 2013.

Tirsdag skal tre åtte meter lange testbåter med ulike varianter av skrogformen til drakebåten Harald Hårfagre testes ut i Nedstrandsfjorden.

Som Ormen Lange
Forstudiene til vikingskipet Harald Hårfagre har pågått i ett år, og i tillegg til testbåtene er det også brukt høyteknoligisk datasimulering med supercomputere for å finne fram til den beste utformingen av skipet og seilføringen.

Les mer nrk.no

Está siendo un fin de semana increible.

Ayer fue un dia mas o menos light en la uni, y hubo muchas risas comiendo con Eli, Raúl, Fabián y Miguel Ángel en la pizzería del campus. Cuando llegué a casa a las 6 me puse a vaguear un poco y a ver “The cleaner” de Samuel L. Jackson. Después de cenar y ducharme estuve viendo con Fabián y Pico “Unglourious Basterds” (si aún no la habeis visto no se a qué esperais – peliculón de Quentin Tarantino, que está loco, se le va la pinza en las películas). A la 1 o asi me fui a la cama después de la llamada de Juan al movil desde la cena de empresa de Nokia, contándome que había tenido que hacer un truco de magia delante de todos los supervisores y que ahora estaban todos borrachísimos después de beber unos 20 chupitos durante la cena (están locos estos ingenieros daneses).

Hoy después de dormir 11 horas, hemos cogido las bicis y nos hemos ido al otro lado de fiordo, a Lindholm, a visitar un cementerio vikingo (guapísimo). Realmente no son más que elipses de piedra en una colina, pero esta guay saber que ahi incineraban a los vikingos en la antigüedad.

Lindholm Høje Viking Cemetery

I was there!!

Viking tomb

Viking sunset

El cementerio estaba lleno de cabras vikingas (ver video):

De la que volvíamos hemos parado en el mercadillo navideño del centro. Muy entrañable todo. Y nos han dado hot vine y cookies gratis. Hemos visto a Santa Claus y nos hemos hecho una foto en su casa.

Aalborg Christmas Market

Santa Claus

Sitting in Santa Claus' Chair

Ahora por la noche tenemos cena en casa (chorizo, chistorra, huevos fritos y patatas al horno con cebolla y pimiento, ñam ñam).

Por la noche me tocará trabajar, que mañana tenemos que mandar un email con los avances del proyecto al supervisor y hoy no he hecho nada, y quiero tener el día libre mañana: Barça-Madrid!!

A ver que hace el Oviedín hoy!! Esta siendo un gran fin de semana, asi que si ganan el Oviedo y el Barça puede ser espectacular!!!

 

18 días para volver a casa por navidad!!

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