The Fredösphere

How do you combat the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation scammers?  Why, you invite them to join the Holy Church of the Order of the Red Painted Breast, of course.

The lead roles have been cast for the movie version of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.  It's being filmed in  -- where else? -- New Zealand.  It's based on a popular children's novel by some guy who's name slips my mind, but may have been Philip Pullman.  Something like that, anyway.  The article says Nicole Kidman will not be involved; I guess she couldn't fit into the lion suit.  Yes, I'm talking about the lion suit left over from the dreadful BBC version -- the one where Aslan suffered from Parkinson's disease.  "Hey!  We spent 20 pounds on that outfit.  Darned right we're gonna reuse it!"

UPN is considering putting some Amish teenagers in a reality show.  The kids will be set loose in an urban environment and we'll watch while they ... well, what are we supposed to expect?  They'll eat bamboo and scratch themselves?  The network says its foremost concern is to treat them "with the highest respect."  Ah.