Prometheus! Doctor Who! Reproductive rights! And the Golden Globes! Apple Rain![I read stuff]

Wherein I read things, laugh, and pass them on to you…

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Doctor Who girl Amy Pond axed in ‘heartbreaking’ exit:

Sidekick search starts as companion couple leave next series

Doctor Who is in the market for a brand new sidekick, as current companions Amy and Rory Pond will leave the show during the next series in a “heartbreaking” fashion.

The show’s head honcho Steven Moffatt broke the news after a screening at BBC TV Centre last night of the Christmas special.

“The final days of the Ponds are coming,” he said. “I’m not telling you when or how, but that story is going to come to a heartbreaking end.”

He also said that the Doctor was going to make a “new friend”, but as far as anyone knows, the part has not been cast yet.

[theregister.co.uk Brid-Aine Parnell 16 dec 2011]

Scott Walker’s Next Target: Cancer Screenings for Women:

First he gutted worker’s rights, then slashed state education funding and dumbed-down sex ed. Next on Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s hit list? Breast and cervical cancer screenings for women. Come January 1, Wisconsinites who rely on Planned Parenthood to access free cancer screenings may be out of luck.

The Wisconsin Well Woman Program is an 17-year-old state service created to ensure that women ages 45 to 64 who lack health insurance can access preventive health screenings. It is administered by the Department of Health Services and provides referrals and screenings for breast cancer, cervical cancer, and multiple sclerosis at no cost. The state currently uses a number of contractors to coordinate and provide those services, including Planned Parenthood. But now, in a move that could leave many women in the state without access to the program, the Walker government is ending Planned Parenthood’s contract.

In four Wisconsin counties, Planned Parenthood is the only health care provider currently contracted as a coordinator for the cancer screenings.

[motherjones.com Kate Sheppard 16 dec 2011]

Duchovny gets nomination for Golden Globes: Californication:

Golden Globe nominations for TV comedy actor

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — The 69th annual Golden Globe nominations for best actor in a television comedy series have been announced in Beverly Hills, Calif., by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.

The category’s nominees announced Thursday morning include: Alec Baldwin, “30 Rock”; David Duchovny, “Californication”; Johnny Galecki, “The Big Bang Theory”; Thomas Jane, “Hung” and Matt LeBlanc, “Episodes.”

The Golden Globes will be presented Jan. 15 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, televised live by NBC and hosted by Ricky Gervais.

[AP 15 dec 2011]

My favorites: The 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards NOMINATIONS:

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE

• TRENT REZNOR, ATTICUS ROSS THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

• STEVE BUSCEMI BOARDWALK EMPIRE
• BRYAN CRANSTON BREAKING BAD
• JEREMY IRONS THE BORGIAS

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

• DAVID DUCHOVNY CALIFORNICATION

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

• IDRIS ELBA LUTHER

[goldenglobes.org ]

It’s raining apples! Traffic grinds to a halt as ‘mini tornado’ dumps a hail of fruit:

After a series of storm warnings, drivers in the evening rush hour were prepared for almost anything.

Except, that is, for it to start raining apples.

Scores of them battered car roofs and windscreens before landing in the road at a busy junction in Coundon, Coventry.

[dailymail.co.uk Andy Dolan 15 dec 2011]