March 31, 2007

So I was working on the my blog the other night and the t.v. was on in the background. I believe the station was CITYTV and they were running that Pussycat Dolls reality show - you know, the one my friend refers to as Pussycat Dolls Presents: The Search for the Next Whore. Anyhoo, the show ends and the station announcer comes on to plug the next program - an episode of SG-1 in which the team confronts “the Oree”. Oree? Seriously? I don’t think it’s too much to ask that the station broadcasting the show do enough research to pronounce the name properly. Of course, I’ve heard worse mispronunciations. I remember one audition for the Adria character where an aspirant referred to herself as “the daughter of the Oreo”. Usually, I’m very good at suppressing laughter during auditions (and believe me, it’s no easy feat at times), but in this instance the urge was so great I had to bite my lip and actually look away. Unfortunately, I ended up shifting my gaze to director Andy Mikita who, back to me, was obviously having a hard time himself as evidenced by his heaving shoulders. I looked away yet again and right at Paul who was biting his knuckle so hard he ended up leaving a mark that remained for the better part of a week. Needless to say, the daughter of the Oreo didn’t get the part.

Speaking of television, some quickie comments on the shows I’m still watching -

House: Last week’s episode offered one of the most disgusting moments I’ve ever seen on television - and a lot of hilarity: "We're going to find out what’s wrong with you, but first we need to know one thing! Have you ever been in a porno?!”

Survivor: This past week‘s episode offered one of the most entertaining challenges to date in the blindfolded whacking puzzle.

The Amazing Race: Since Rob and Amber were eliminated - meh. Who annoys me the least? Hmmm. That’s tough. I guess I’d have to go with Oswald and Danny.

Boston Legal: Loving it. And great to hear the show was picked up for another season.

Friday Night Lights: Terrific episode last week with plenty of surprises and very touching character moments. Who wants to bet they lose the championship?

Earl/The Office/30 Rock: WTF? It’s like they left to go on their Christmas hiatus and never came back.

I went out for sushi today with Irma and Jevon from HiSciFi and did an interview for their SFU radio show. Very nice, very smart interviewers who know both shows and are pretty savvy about anime and scifi literature in general. Some of their recent guests including Cory Doctorow (check out Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom). I returned home to spend some quality time with the dogs - they love to lounge outside on sunny days - and make myself a hot chocolate. Follow the step-by-step method outlined in the pics. You could use hot milk but I prefer water which doesn’t take away from intense flavor of the dark chocolate.

Oh, and before I move on to today’s Q&A, thanks to all the fans weighing in with kind words of support. Much appreciated.

Let’s answer some questions -

Rozey writes: “Do you read anything besides sci-fi? And does Jason Momoa always dress like that?”

Answer: I occasionally read a bit of fantasy and non-fiction. And, yes, Jason Momoa usually dresses like this. Don’t even get me started on his pink Cadillac.

ChevronSeven writes: “I guess it would depend upon what type - whether it be vinegar based (North Carolina - the western part of the state adds tomato sauce) or mustard base (South Carolina). […] We'd love to have you visit.”

Answer: Hey, the next time you guys host a con - I’m there.

Wolfen writes: “I went in specifically to get the "Grape Pocky" I had gotten last time I was there, but today there wasn't any to be had! *pout* Have you tried it?”

Answer: No, but I have had the chocolate pocky. At Yuji’s on 4th, they usually include a few complimentary sticks when they present you with your bill at meal’s end.

Anonymous #1 writes: “ 1. Are we going to encounter another ancient city ship like Atlantis, Asuras or the one from The Tower episode in the upcoming season 4.
2. What happened to the Asgard Space ships after the destruction of their planet.
3. Any ZPM conquest episodes for season 4, you know like The episode the Brotherhood.

Answer: 1. Possibly. 2. That remains to be seen. 3. Sort of.

Anonymous #2 writes: “I was wondering about the episode the seer; is there any other episode from the past three seasons that is similar or we should refer to to get a hint.”

Answer: No hints on this one yet.

Anonymous #3 writes: “Of the scripts you've written, which in your opinion was the bigger disappointment The Tower or Irresponsible?”

Answer: 1) Paul wrote The Tower. 2) Far from being a disappointment, I actually liked The Tower. Granted, it was an atypical episode, but I thought Paul did a great job creating some very entertaining guest characters. 3) Irresponsible.

Anonymous #4 writes: “Can you tell us how many episodes Elizabeth will be in. You have numbers for the others, including Jewel, who's also recurring. Please give us an indication of how many Torri will get.”

Answer: Jewel and Amanda were contracted for a set number of episode’s at the beginning of the season. For that reason, I can say that Amanda will appear in 14 and Jewel in 8. Torri was not contracted for a set number of episode and so, for that reason, I can’t give a definite number. We’re still coming up for stories for the back half of season four.

Lorr54 writes: “Is there anything left on the cutting room floor that you wish had been in the final product, and what was it?”

Answer: There were some scenes from Ripple Effect and Good to be King that I wish had made the final cut.

Anonymous #5 writes: “When you watch t.v. shows do you find yourself nitpicking the writing and/or the special effects or are you able to actually sit back and enjoy them as a regular viewer?”

Answer: I nitpick everything to death, the writing in particular. Sadly, my career choice makes it very difficult to just sit back, turn off my brain, and enjoy something.

Cindee writes: “It seems that you read many books written by John Scalzi. Did you know that he had his own blog? Check it out. http://www.scalzi.com/whatever

Answer: I have checked out his blog. He’s an equally entertaining blogger who puts in even more time online than I do!

Desiree writes: “Knowing that I am able to get various and sundry interesting packages across the border, I believe I could conceivably get some home-made South Carolina barbeque to you along with hush puppies and maybe even a couple more southern "delicacies". Interested?”

Answer: Thanks for the offer but I’ll have to pass on the hush puppies because I doubt they’d be at their best after the day(s) spent enroute. You could, however, recommend some great restaurants in the event I’m ever in your neck of the woods - for the South Carolina convention (maybe StarGameCock Con?).

Royal None_such: “Ever run into any poodles up there? I have three, and one is from Vancouver.”

Answer: Run into poodles all the time since Vancouver is a big dog city. My very first dog was a toy poodle.

Lemming86_au writes: “Have you read any of Stephen Baxter's books? I highly recommend his "Manifold" Series.”

Answer: I’ll check it out. I do have a couple of his books that I’ve been meaning to get around to in time including The Time Ships.

April writes: “I was wondering where do we send these postcards to in order for them to reach her or anyone else?”

Answer: Send them to the production offices. Our crack staff will ensure they end up in the right hands.

MaryB writes: “I was just wondering why you don't have any female writers?”

Answer: It hasn’t been from lack of trying. In previous years, we’ve invited pitches from new writers, several of them women. For whatever reason however, it didn’t work out.

Arctic Goddess writes: “ 1. Do you prefer to be called Joe or Joseph? 2. If you were invited to Creation's Vancouver Convention (or any other) would you go? 3. Who is your all time favourite actor/actress? 4. Have you ever tried to get him or her on Atlantis?”

Answer: 1. Joe’s fine. 2. No way. 3. That’s hard to say. I don’t think I have a favorite. I have always enjoyed Forest Whitaker’s work. 4. Haven’t tried to get him on the show as I’m sure he’s far too busy, but I hear he’s a fan.

Anonymous #6 writes: “She says she sees it as the beginning of the end for the series, because about 50 percent of the Atlantis fans don't actually watch SG1..”

Answer: Interesting findings. I’d love to see the research on that.

Anonymous #6 writes: “She said she feels that Sam will be too central in the series…”

Answer: Based on…a gut feeling? Well, her spidey senses seem to be out of whack.

Anthony writes: “Where would one post a question for you to answer?”

Answer: Right here.

Amanda writes: “Do you have any say in what goes up on iTunes?”

Answer: Nope. But then, it wouldn’t make sense to put the back half of season three on iTunes until it has aired in the U.S.

Kate writes: “With your new important status have you ever thrown a qeeney fit, or asked for something totally unreasonable, just because you could?”

Answer: Would you consider Perrier shampoos and mid-conference knee massages unreasonable? No? Then the answer is no.

Giu writes: “I was just wondering something... do you know if we will see Kavan Smith/Major Lorne in season 4? and if we are going to, how often?”

Answer: Yes, we will see Lorne in season 4. As for how often - that remains to be seen.

Anonymous #7 writes: “What is Lifeline about?”

Answer: Oh, well coming off Adrift it’s about…aaah…tricky!

Lisa writes: “I've always wanted to work behind-the-scenes on a TV show. Something Science Fiction related would be awesome. What sort of advice would you give to somebody who wanted to get into that line of work?”

Answer: If you’re looking to work on-set, I’d suggest learning a trade and then joining the local union.

Anonymous #8 writes: “Why would you respond to Prior of the Ori in such a dismissive fashion?”

Answer: It wasn’t intended to be dismissive toward Prior_of_the_Ori who has always weighed in with some great questions and comments - more a reflection of my - I mean, the Sarcastic 8 Ball’s feeling about the Hailey character.

Snitexmarex248 writes: “ 1.) Is Amanda Tapping in any of the first four or so episodes of Season 4? 2.)Has the whole city of Atlantis been explored yet? Or just some of it still? If most of it, will we ever see anything that's been discovered? 3.)What's your favorite book or movie?”

Answer: 1) She will be in the first few episodes of the season, yes. 2) We have yet to fully explore Atlantis. 3) Favorite book or movie? Hmmm. I’ll have to give this some thought.

Smiley Face06 writes: “Can you tell us the name of the episode that the pictures are from?”

Answer: Lifeline.

Anonymous #9 writes: “I was just watching "Conversion" (again) and was thinking about all the stuff Shep has in his quarters....the skateboard, the Johnny Cash poster, that guitar, the pic with Evel Knievel, et al. Here's my question.....ummm, when did Shep bring all that stuff back from Earth?”

Answer: It is suggested in Intruder that the members of the expedition are able to travel back to Earth on occasion for some R&R. The items in question would have been brought back to Atlantis with him on a return trip.

March 30, 2007

The great thing about being the show runner is that the position commands respect. Gone are the days when I would make a request for something - say a new book shelf or another insert shot of the floppy hat - receive a “I’ll see what we can do” response, and ultimately end up shelfless and occasionally floppy hatless. Now, when I make a request, things are different. It’s no longer “I’ll see what we can do.“ The response is: “No problem.” For example, the other week I requested that read-throughs no longer be held on Friday because it was the most difficult day when it came to actor availability. “Fridays are a pain. Any day but Friday, okay?,”I requested. And do you know what the response was? Yup. “No problem.” Ah, how sweet it is.

Anyway, today - Friday - we had our readthrough for Travelers. Jill Wagner (who it turns out is an old friend of Jason’s) participated and then headed down to costumes for her fitting. I went down and snapped some pics (No! Not of the actual fitting! My show runner title only gets me so far.), got some great shots of our terrific costume department - Val, Koreen [going crazy with the clothes], and Lesley - and a couple of shots of our special guest star. I then headed over to Stage 1 where Andy was shooting a jumper scene for Lifeline, then over to Stage 2 where they were putting the finishing touches on the Traveler’s set. I also swung by post and watched Martin Gero’s three hilarious Atlantis promos (with cameos by Joe Flanigan, David Hewlett, and Jason Momoa). He did such a terrific job that I instantly regretted not having hired him to do our wedding video that, in retrospect, could have benefited from a bike stunt and perhaps one additional explosion.

Oh, and to all those wondering about the post wing and fried Mars Bar extravaganza fall-out - we are all alive and well (enh, close enough). I only woke around eight times last night but was otherwise unaffected. Carl admitted to an equally sleepless night marked by incredibly vivid dreams. Lawren did us one better: trouble sleeping, nightmares, AND a pimple. For his part, Alex slept well enough - when he finally got home. It seems he was so disoriented after last night’s meal that he got lost and, after a twenty minute drive, ended up exactly where he started.

Let’s play catch-up on the questions -

Shawna writes: “Owning a pug yourself, do you take more notice of other dogs you see on the street or other places (…)?”

Answer: Are you kidding? If we spot a pug while driving, we’ll actually pull over to say hi.

Anonymous #1 writes: “I was wondering how many episodes in season 4 are you writing personally not counting reunion and the mid season two parter nor the joint projects with your buddy Paul?”

Answer: Paul and I will probably write four scripts this season. Two down. Two to go.

Sanssong writes: “Does it ever drive you crazy that people who have NO experience or knowledge of the television business comment on your decisions as if they are experts?”

Answer: Only when they claim to have plenty of experience and knowledge of the television business (“I worked for the local WKRAP affiliate in Estonia and I should know what I’m talking about…”) and then go on to make ridiculous assumptions, displaying an utter lack of experience and knowledge of the business.

Smiley Face06 writes: “Have you read the Harry Potter books? If so, which book is your favorite?”

Answer: I’ve read all of the Harry Potter books to date. My favorite: The Goblet of Fire.

Anonymous #2 writes: “What is it in Pugs that makes you go crazy. Is it their personalities or is it because they are little. I personally like the big dogs like Great Danes or St. Bernard. How much does a pug cost by the way?”

Answer: Pugs have very distinct, eccentric little personalities. They’re also incredibly affectionate and lazy which means more lounging and less walkies. They can go for upwards of $1500.

Alipeeps writes: “Have you read any of Iain M Banks' novels?”

Answer: I haven’t although David Hewlett has recommended him as he’s a big fan. I’m thinking of checking out the Cultures series. Which book should I start with?

Prior_of_the_Ori writes: “Should the SG-1 movies be a success, and I hope they are, would we see story arcs introduced in the show being wrapped up in the movies? Say like perhaps that rumoured third Aschen storyline or return of those Foothold aliens?”

Answer: These would be questions for Brad and Rob as they’ll be the ones writing any future movies.

CatBoy writes: “I have no question, just a recipe that I posted on my blog and Ms. Jenny Robin suggested I share with you…”

Answer: Reminds me of the Nutella sandwiches I used to have as a kid. Well-rounded meal plans such as these made me the success I am today.

Paula writes: “Have you made your way through Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan series, yet?”

Answer: Another author I’ve been meaning to check out. If I was to check out this series, which book should I start with?

Someday Scientist writes: “ Any book you've finished or heard of recently that you'd recommend to a microbiology/immunology major who adores contemporary and science fiction?”

Answer: John Scalzi’s Old Man’s War is a pretty popular book at Stargate nowadays. If you’re looking for some hard, meticulously researched and detailed scifi, check out Kim Stanley Robinson’s Red Mars.

Prior_of_the_Ori writes: “Do you think we will get to see Cadet Hailey again? Either in Atlantis or Universe or in the movies?”

Sarcastic 8 Ball says: Are you kidding?

Chevron Seven writes: “When you get a chance to travel, do you go for out of the way places or major tourist spots? And is there any place in the States that you want to visit, but haven't had a chance?”

Answer: I’ve never been a beach and roughing it guy, preferring big city adventures. Tokyo and Hong Kong are two of my favorite vacation destinations for example. As for the U.S. - Fondy and I would love to head back to San Francisco some day. And I’ve always wanted to check out the home of some good barbecue.

Anonymous #3 writes: “Excuse me while I die laughing over the fact that it appears that while eating that crap (and yeah, your arteries will tell you it's crap) you're drinking DIET coke? What's that for, to off-set the calories in the deep fried mars bar?”

Answer: Technically, I wasn’t drinking the diet coke. I had the slimming bottled water.

Anonymous #4 writes: “Speaking of promos, Joe, have you seen the absolutely ridiculous ads that Scifi is using to promote the upcoming episodes? They're horrible! The one for SG-1 gives away just about every cool image and episode resolution from the final ten episodes.”

Answer: We’ve complained about it in the past, even made jokes about it on the show. They’re clearly graduates of the Robert Zemeckis school of teasing.

Anonymous #5 writes: “Have you had your cholesterol checked lately?”

Answer: Nah. It would be too depressing.

Anonymous #6 writes: “I can't help but notice that Lawren looks alot like a supposed curious passer-byer from last week's rally.”

Answer: I think you’re referring to Alex Levine. He’s intensely curious by nature.

March 29, 2007

The explosion was so loud it reverberated throughout the building and set the windows thrumming. I looked outside and watched as stunned lot personnel stepped out of buildings and cars to investigate. “Damnit!”cursed Paul who suddenly stepped into my office. “I missed it.”

The “it” in question was one of the stunts for the Atlantis promo being shot on the lot. Directed and produced by Martin Gero, it details the misadventures of three uber-fans and their attempts to reach Atlantis. Since I had made astounding progress on my script (already seven pages in!) I decided to reward myself and go for a little stroll.

I got there as they were setting up the bike stunt. BamBam, our stunt coordinator, was prepping his stuntman. Martin and the actors (pictured along with on-set visitor, Martin’s gal Stephanie) were kicking back as the ramp was readied and the measurements taken to ensure the impromptu gate not be damaged during the stunt. I said hi to everyone then moved over to snap some pics of the set-up and some preliminary bike jumps. Check out the improvised DHD. As I was snapping away, Martin came over and informed me that the actors, upon seeing me stride over in my all-black ensemble, gloves, and overcoat had remarked: “Wow. Is he a Count or something?”. Close. Close. Wil Waring, manning the camera, got into position as the rope that would be used for the ratchet pull was laid out serpentine (to avoid it snagging), and the signal given. I readied the camera. Action! I heard the bike approaching. My finger pressed the button - just as BamBam side-stepped into my direct line of sight. The stuntman made the jump, got ratcheted, but not before taking out a portion of the gate. Click. And I snapped a pic of the back of BamBam’s head.

I returned to the office and a delightful surprise. Well, besides Jason Momoa in his snazzy snakeskin boots and dangling rubber chicken. Anne M. from Highworth, Wiltshire sent me a hardcover copy of John Scalzi’s The Android’s Dream which I recently mentioned I was having some trouble tracking. Anne, the book is much appreciated. In fact, I swung by set today and ran into David Hewlett and told him about it and he was equally thrilled. Since I’m only a hundred or so pages into Red Mars and he’s finishing off To Say Nothing of the Dog tonight, he’ll be swinging by the offices at some point to borrow the book and break it in with a first read.

Guys night out tonight. The place: Wing Nuts. In attendance: Carl Binder, Alex Levine, Lawren Bancrot-Wilson, and myself. On tap: assorted wings including - cajun, salt and pepper, spicy thai peanut, garlic parmesan, tandoori, and smoking hot. The latter were so hot that Alex was actually perspiring and I was riding an endorphin rush that hit 11 with dessert: deep-fried Mars Bars and deep-fried Snickers bars. The meal averaged out to about 18 wings and a deep-fried bar and a half each not counting miscellaneous fries and celery sticks. By the time we were done, we could barely move. Soooo diiizzzy. I’ve included snaps of the after-meal hangover. “Let’s never do this again,”moaned a barely coherent Carl.

Give it a couple of weeks.

March 28, 2007

For some strange reason, people have an incredibly easy time opening up to Fondy. There’s something inviting about her, something comforting, something that will compel, say, our neighbor from apartment 305 to unload a tearful, soul-wringing account of her heartbreaking divorce on the very first night we go out to dinner with her. Fairytale romance. Infidelity. Crushing disappointment. Utter devastation. For my part, I just wanted to finish my agedashi tofu in peace. It’s not that I didn’t sympathize (I saw Kramer vs. Kramer. I know what it’s like.), but more that any compassion I felt at that moment was overshadowed by the fact that I didn’t really know this woman. Mandy? Monica? Marta? Besides, she wasn’t really talking to me. She was having an intimate conversation with my wife and my presence was about as significant as that of the decorative bonzai sitting beside us. Two hours later, having ditched the crazy lady, I was sitting in bed reading, when Fondy turns to me and says: “We never talk.” I couldn’t believe it. First of all, I distinctly remember asking her where she kept the extra toothbrushes not ten minutes earlier. Secondly, you would think that given all of the people who happily confide in her on a daily basis, she’d find my comparatively reserved disposition delightfully refreshing.

Apparently not.

Well, we had dinner at Sea Harbour Seafood Restaurant in Richmond last night on our way to picking up Fondy’s sister, Grace, at the airport. We went with the standards: sharkfin soup, hand-ripped chicken, sweet and sour pork belly, and a mixed vegetable dish that included lotus root, cloud ear mushrooms, black fungus, bamboo shoots, and gingko nuts. And, oh yeah, celery (yech!). We didn’t order dessert but were served complimentary sweet red bean soup that I left untouched. Then, with time to kill, we meandered over to the Yaohan Center where we did a little shopping at T&T. Still feeling peckish, I picked up a couple of sweet buns and treated myself to a little snack once we got back to the car. The first bun was a “Coconut cream bun” that was very soft and fresh and tasted nothing like coconut. It tasted more like sweetened whipped butter. The second bun was actually a “Coconut tart” and this one did actually taste like coconut - and extremely rich and buttery. How rich and buttery? Well, I checked out the Nutrition Facts on the back of the packaging and discovered that this delectable treat contained 108% of my daily recommended dosage of saturated and trans fats. 108%! Holy Mackerel! It’s like a superfood! Rather than going through all the trouble of getting 11% here with this snack and another 15% at lunch then another 25% at dinner, I can get my entire day’s allotment in one convenient package.

We picked Grace up at the airport a little after 8:30 p.m., then had to wait for her sole piece of luggage to put in a conveyer belt appearance. “It’s a black bag,”she advised. “That one?”I asked. “It’s a small black bag,”she clarified. “That one?”. “It’s got something blue on the handle.” “Like that one?”I suggested. “No,”she answered. “Something blue on the handle,”I repeated. “Could you be more specific?” “A blue ribbon,”she informed me. “This one?”I wondered, hopefully holding up a small black bag with a blue ribbon on the handle. “Dark blue,”she advised.

We got home a little after 9:30 p.m. and, after posting my latest blog entry and giving the pugs their eye treatment (a topical gel that must be applied directly to their adorable eyeballs), I headed up to bed where I finished The Risen Empire which, it turns out, is only the first part of a two-part book series. I’ll be getting around to book two just as soon as I finish the hundred or so other books in my library. Tonight, I’ll be switching gears to one of scifi’s heavy hitters - Kim Stanley Robinson - and starting on Red Mars. Oooh, this is a fat one, 572 pages, with really tiny type. Should take me well into the weekend.

Questions…

Anonymous #1 writes: “Are we going to have the opportunity to see episodes like the Siege or the hive in season four? You know episodes involving the fight or destruction of Wraith ships.”

Answer: Yup.

Smiley_Face06 writes: “I've got two questions about the Fourth Horseman Pt. 1. Dr. Lee is using "Dark Pariah" to run his tests. 1) Why was a made up band used? 2) Since it was made up, who/what band actually made that song Dr. Lee was listening too?”

Answer: 1) Using a phony band was much more cost-effective than paying for the rights to an established band. 2) I’m not sure the name of the band but the studio has a library of tunes that do a pretty good job of approximating many of musical sub-genres. Check out those cheesy hits of the 80’s in Bounty.

Little Raven-Hawk writes: “Have you ever came across a show tune that Martin Gero doesn't know?”

Answer: I actually sat in his office and quizzed him once and, believe it or not, I ran out of shows before he ran out of tunes.

Anonymous #2 writes: “Is the new series called “stargate universe” because it takes place in a new or parallel universe?”

Answer: From what I know, it will take place in this universe.

Anonymous #3 writes: “Do you read the mail fans send to you?”

Answer: I try to.

Anonymous #4 writes: “Do you guys intend to make a joint episode together, in the sense that everyone of the writing staff will write the episode together?”

Answer: No plans to do so.

Kirsten writes: “Okay, random question that returned to mind after watching "Echoes" again. Was there any intention for the whales' impact on humans to parallel the story right now about what the US Navy's sonar is doing to whales, or did that happen by accident?”

Answer: It was coincidental.

Mel writes: “What is Dr. Keller's first name?”

Answer: Jennifer.

Anonymous #5 writes: “Can you tell us how far into "War and Peace" Shep has gotten?”

Answer: He’s about one third of the way through.

Anonymous #6 writes: “I read in SGA magazine that Jason Mamoa wanted his character to go to the darkside. Can you confirm this?”

Answer: I don’t know as I haven’t read the article in question - but, sure, it sounds like something Jason would say.

Sweet pea writes: “ Do you have any tattoo's or piercings? If not what's your take on them?”

Answer: No tattoos or piercings. As for my take - meh.

Anonymous #7 writes: “ Out of curiousity, do you have a system for chosing which questions to answer?”

Answer: I just scroll through them and pick out a) the ones I haven’t already answered, b) the ones I can usually answer off the top of my head.

March 27, 2007

You’d think I had one of the cleanest dogs in the world. Bubba not just loves bath time, he craves it. Lately, there hasn’t been a day that’s gone by when I haven’t walked into the bathroom and found him sitting on the edge of the tub, patiently awaiting my attention. If he doesn’t get it immediately, he’ll start to whimper, then whine, then, eventually, bark his outrage until, finally, like one of those less-than-ideal dog owners profiled on The Dog Whisperer, I’ll eventually give in - filling the tub with lukewarm water and dropping him in (what would Cesar Millan say?). Toss his pong in with him (that rubber ball with the tiny feet that are now minus those tiny feet because he always chews them off) and he can amuse himself for hours, bobbing and batting after the floating ball. Literally, hours. And it’s not just baths. Some mornings, he’ll actually hop into the running shower, position himself under the hot stream, and simply sit there until he is forcibly removed. All well and good and I don’t mind drying him off twice a day because he enjoys being clean, yet why do his paws always smell like nachos?

Went to the Sha Lin Noodle House the other night. As is usually the case after 6:00 p.m., the place was packed but we didn’t have to wait long before getting a table. I had the number 28 - nutritious soup with lamb and stewed pancake. I’m not exactly sure what makes it nutritious, but it may have been the bok choy or the seaweed or the plethora of mysterious dried berries that balanced the savory broth with a subtle sweetness. Bargain-hunters take note - $10 will get buy you a huge bowl. Fondy and I also shared a plate of sweet and sour batter-fried pork - more sweet than pour, more batter than pork -, and one of the house specialties: a terrific spicy cumin fried lamb. The glass-walled kitchen allows for a front row view of the noodle chefs in action - twisting, kneading, pounding, cutting, and tossing. Kids get a big kick out of the show and, occasionally, so do adults - like the time one of the chefs slammed his noodle rope down onto the table with such unexpected ferocity that one blasé father almost jumped out of his skin, much to the delight of his young son.

Let’s field a few questions…

Minigeek writes: “I did. Thought you might be interested in Dolby's response.”

Answer: Gah! I showed Carl and he LOVED that pic.

UberAmandaFan writes: “When did you want us to remind you about re-posting your poem?”

Answer: Soon, soon.

Copernicus writes: “What do you think of Aaron Sorkin's writing, be it for The West Wing, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, or any of his earlier projects?”

Answer: I enjoyed Sports Night.

Anonymous #1 writes: “can you please give us hints on Carter's position in the Atlantis? Will there be a 5 person team like on SG-1, or will she stay on base?”

Answer: We will not be going with a 5 person team.

Grace writes: “Joe, I hope you have your resume ready. You're going to need it.”

Answer: Why? Do you have any hot tips on some upcoming job openings? Dish.

Lauren writes: “You also referenced that the revelation in season 4 is going to be of 'Gift' preportions.”

Answer: I did?

Anonymous #2 writes: “Do you have a favourite scene from an SGA episode? “

Answer: Whenever I watch Duet, I always crack up when McKay lays the expected yet no-less shocking smack on Beckett.

Prior_of_the_Ori writes: “1) Will we see any more Wraith like Michael who got infected by the retrovirus? 2) Will we see any more people who used the Wraith enzyme like Ford did? 3) Will we see anymore people with the Wraith gene like Teyla? 4) Will we see anymore Runners like Ronan?”

Answer: 1) Possibly. 2) Perhaps. 3) Maybe. 4) It’s possible.

Allison writes: “If you could only pick one book that I just had to read, what would you suggest?”

Answer: I’d have to know a little more about your taste in books. Just going by the very positive responses from other I’ve recommended the book to, I’d suggest John Scalzi’s Old Man’s War. If you like fantasy, check out Scott Lynch’s The Lies of Locke Lamora. If you’d like to check out a very funny, period time-travel adventure, check out Connie Willis’s To Say Nothing of the Dog.

Lizzyshoe writes: “Mr. Mallozzi, sir, how do you feel about the coffee/chocolate combination? Heavenly union, yes?”

Answer: Possibly. To be honest, I’m not a coffee drinker.

Ruffles writes: “Are you any closer to casting someone for Larrin in Travellers?”

Answer: The lovely and talented Jill Wagner, formerly of Blade.

Joseph writes: “So Joe, my fairly odd but delightful local butcher offered me squirrel last time I wandered in. Yea or nay?”

Answer: Personally, I would lean towards nay. It’s not like it’s a delicious raccoon.

Maja writes: “So those who disagree don't matter and their opinion is less important? Why do we have to be put down constantly by some other fans and the executive producer of the show. It still surprises me every time... and I don't think it's fair. One would think TPTB would be glad the character they created caught on with the audience so much.”

Answer: Everyone involved with the show appreciates the fact that fans are passionate about Stargate. The fact that so many fans came out to support Carson Beckett was great to see. Similarly, I can’t fault fans for expressing their likes or dislikes concerning creative decisions - unless they do so in an obnoxious manner in which case they can expect to be slammed. Similarly, if they insist on continuing to voice asinine opinions regarding actor intentions and motivations based on little more than conjecture, they can expect to be slammed hard. Such was the case yesterday.

Shawna writes: “I actually went to Chocoatl yesterday. I tried several of the chocolates, and while they were certainly very good, I have to admit to being slightly disappointed after the rave reviews I've read.”

Answer: You have to try to Mokachino chocolate and the Denso hot chocolate.

Anonymous #3 writes: “Over at the Scifi channel forums Jim Butcher, the guy behind The Dresden Files, made the following post:

"It's a common misconception that the production crew of SG1 WANTED to keep on making the show. They didn't. The show's been going for ten freaking years. It doesn't matter how great a crew you have to work with, after that much time you start to develop problems and issues, and people start to want to try new things and get other projects on their resumes. SG1 had one of the better runs of any show on TV, much less within the genre. They're ready to do new things. It's pretty much as simple as that. What, you think SciFi /wanted/ to cancel the longest-running genre program on TV? A proven success, whose personnel and audience were reliable and firmly in place? Not even. TV execs love the shows they can rely upon. It was SG1's time. Life is like that."

Is what he says true? Did you guys want to stop making SG-1? Were you just sick of it? Or is this guy full of shit?”

Answer: Full of shit is a bit harsh. Let’s just say “he couldn’t be more wrong”. We were ready and willing to do another season. We were cancelled.