Bus Stops - March 23

Parents Build Nightclub in Basement to Keep Kids Safe, Lights and DJ Booth Included (ABC) 

(Every parent wants to keep his or her child safe. One British couple has taken that desire to another level, by building a nightclub in their million-dollar home so their children can enjoy themselves without having to leave the premises. According to a story in The London Evening Standard, Claire Farrow and Ian Hogarth outfitted their West Kensington home with a gym, movie room, sauna, and yes, a nightclub — complete with professional DJ booth, flashing lights and an illuminated dance floor imported from China.)

Oakdale porn-star prom date formally disallowed (Star Tribune) 

(An Oakdale high school senior is being prevented from bringing his chosen date -- a porn actress -- to prom. Mike Stone tweeted one member after another in that profession, seeking someone willing to go to the Tartan High School prom at Landmark Center in St. Paul. Megan Piper said on her Twitter account that she'd love to accompany the 18-year-old to his rite of passage May 12 as long as Stone paid for her transportation from California.)

Helena man charged with getting small dog drunk (Billings Gazette) 

(A Helena man has been charged with animal cruelty for getting his dog four times more drunk than the legal limit for humans driving motor vehicles. Todd Harold Schrier, 49, also faces a felony drug charge related to the March 1 incident. At about 11:30 that night, East Helena police responded to a report of an intoxicated dog being cared for at Smith’s Bar and found Arly II, a Pomeranian or Pomeranian cross, who could not walk a straight line and kept falling over when placed on the floor, according to an affidavit filed by police in District Court.)

Kevin Smith defends gay brother against anti-homosexual sentiment: "Stay out of my brother's bedroom, buddy...he's a good dude" (CNN) 

(This evening on "Piers Morgan Tonight," author, producer, and actor Kevin Smith sits down for an in-person interview, touching upon everything from politics to pornography. The star of such films as "Dogma" and "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back," Smith speaks candidly and emotionally when the subject turns to social issues, as he draws context and perspective from his gay brother...)

Director, Bear Icon Kevin Smith Says Anti-Gay Fundamentalists “Are Hiding Something” (Queerty) 

(Perhaps as a counterpoint to has-been actor Kirk Cameron, Piers Morgan welcomed director Kevin Smith (Red State) onto his CNN chat show last night. The outspoken filmmaker spoke candidly about how irritated he gets with judgmental fundamentalists (us too), especially when they go after gay people like his brother...)

'Too fat to fly' incident low point in my life: Kevin Smith (SMH) 

(Getting kicked off a flight for being too fat was one of the lowest points in Kevin Smith's life, the director reveals in a new book. Smith's fourth book, Tough Sh*t: Life Advice From a Fat, Lazy Slob Who Did Good, focuses on the last five years of his career. He also talks about why he intends to retire from directing movies and other future plans. In the book, the director of Clerks reveals his spat with US carrier Southwest Airlines in February 2010, which saw him booted off a flight for being too large, was a low point in his life. While Smith admitted at the time he was "way fat" he said he could buckle his safety belt and put his arm rests down in the seat.)

'Bus driver in Ohio accused of choking student (Google) 

(A veteran bus driver accused of choking a third-grade special-needs student as she was driving the girl home from school in an encounter captured on video was fired by the school district on Thursday, a district spokesman said. The Columbus City Schools district fired driver Laura Roberson on a district charge of malfeasance for inappropriate contact with a student, district spokesman Jeff Warner said.)

Ski bus crash victims mourned by thousands in Belgium (Toronto Star) 

(Belgium’s King Albert and thousands of mourners remembered the 28 victims of last week’s bus crash in a Swiss tunnel during a memorial service Wednesday centring on the 22 schoolchildren whose promise of youth was shattered by sudden death. Under a sparkling sky in northern Lommel, soldiers took part in a solemn procession that carried 15 coffins into a 5,000-capacity hall. The brown casket contained the remains of a teacher; the 14 white ones held the bodies of children who were on the cusp of their teenage years.)

'Batman Live' world tour coming to LA, OC (ABC) 

("Batman Live" started soaring in England to rave reviews last July. This September, the live arena show will hit American soil, first at Honda Center in Anaheim, then at Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles. Sam Heughan, who plays the caped crusader and his alter-ego Bruce Wayne, says there's lots of thrills in store for spectators.)

Nolan shows bosses Batman movie (Google) 

(Christopher Nolan has reportedly screened his first cut of highly-anticipated Batman film Dark Knight Rises for movie bosses approval. The director screened the final movie in his Batman trilogy starring Christian Bale to Warner Bros top executives, including film chief Jeff Robinov and production president Greg Silverman, sources have told The Hollywood Reporter. The film is not due for release until July 20, 2012, so Nolan has allowed himself plenty of time to "fine tune" the movie as the Warner Bros executives see fit.)

The Dark Knight Rises Won’t Be Four Hours Long (What Culture) 

(Apparently there has been some rumours circling across the web that Chris Nolan’s first screening of The Dark Knight Rises to Warner Bros executives was made up of a four hour long cut! I got so many emails about the rumour yesterday (the first few I dismissed as nonsense as we get a lot of those regarding the Batman franchise, some even still suggesting that Aaron Eckhart’s villain Two Face is still alive and will turn up in the new movie!!) that I did some hunting and it appears the rumour caught fire at MTV where a joke was taken too literally.)

Do you collect comic books? (CBC) 

(Mark Waid, the writer for Marvel Comics' Daredevil, is selling his entire comic book collection to start up a new line of digital comics. This is not your everyday comic book collection. A copy of Superman #3 from 1944 produced as a morale booster for the U.S. navy, for example, has already sold for $2,000 U.S.)

Comic Book Bites: Michael Bay urges calm over Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles revamp, British actor Darren Shahlavi joins Arrow as villain Drakon (Coventry Telegraph) 

(IT'S a world on the brink. In New Zealand, they are in the midst of Marmageddon, a crisis caused by the closure of the only Marmite factory. Elsewhere, we have Turtlegate, triggered by Michael Bay's comments that the rebooted Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will be reinvented as aliens. Will the world survive these catastrophes?)

Five things you may not know about comic books! (The Manitoban) 

(Perhaps one of the most commonly known facts about comic books is that very old ones tend to be worth a lot of money. Although the label on the cover advertises a ten-cent cost, the first issue of Action Comics (the first appearance of Superman) has been known to sell for well over US $1 million. Similarly, in recent years the first appearance of Batman from 1939 (Detective Comics No. 27) has also sold at auction for more than a million dollars.)

Teenagers Now Texting 60 Times a Day (The Manitoban) 

(If you think the teenagers in your life are texting a lot, you’ve now got some scientific proof to support your claims. According to a new report by the Pew Research Center, the average teen texts a whopping 60 times per day. Nearly two-thirds of teenagers interviewed said they texted with friends every day—almost once every 15 minutes they were awake. So parents are likely yelling, “get off the phone” much less often—only 29 percent of the 799 kids interviewed said they talk to friends on the phone every day. Instant messaging is also on the decline.)