God, Please Save These Troubled States

It's that time of the week again and we've made it to our tenth photo assignment. This week's topic was conceived by our fellow admin Richard and is a reference to the Madonna song, "What It Feels Like For A Girl." How will you respond to this week's assignment?

Full instructions for the photo assignment inside...

It's not often that I make posts about outside organizations or people making an appearance on Buzznet. I'm sure you can say I'm biased in posting about this, but I'd like to introduce the Issue Oriented podcast to Buzznet. Run by the always-articulate Ronen Kauffman, it's a smart and fascinating interview series that addresses important issues as voiced by YOUR favorite bands.

Why should I listen to the Issue Oriented podcast?

This week's theme was "Before and After" and the community responded with their own ideas about transformation. It was our most successful project yet (60 submissions!!!) and continues to gain momentum. How did your fellow Buzznet members respond this week?

Results of this week's Photo Assignment inside...

This week's photo assignment is back to being free and ambiguous. The theme for the final week of August is, "Before and After." Interpret it as you may; I'm excited to see what you guys can come up with!

Instructions for this week's photo assignment inside...

If Buzznet were casting a TV show, we'd use this week's Photo Assignment results to create a cast of interesting, hilarious, and fascinating characters. Make sure to find out how we described ourselves (and also find out what your fellow friends actually look like!) by reading the results of the "Casting08" assignment.

Results of the Casting08 photo assignment inside...

This week's photo assignment is also our first user-suggested topic. Inspired by a Twitter update of mine, Paxgitmo/Blindoctorswife came up with the idea to have Buzznet cast themselves. So read on for full instructions on this week's unique project!

Full instructions for this week's photo assignment inside...

These boots were made for walkin' and Buzznet responded by walkin' out their front doors to take a stunning set of photographs all based around this week's Photo Assignment. Where did your boots take you? Make sure to check out the full gallery of photos!

Results of this week's photo assignment inside...

Pardon the delay! We're goin' back to a single photo entry for this week's Photo Assignment. (It's number seven if you've lost count.) This week's theme: These Boots Were Made For Walkin'. A fantastic song and a theme ripe with possibilities. Let's see what you can come up with!

Instructions for this week's Photo Assignment inside...

The Faint, Omaha, Nebraska's dance-punk heroes, have recently embarked on a US tour in support of their fifth full length, Fasciinatiion. Keyboard/synth player Jacob Thiele took a moment to speak with Buzznet about the inspiration for the new record and how the band keeps things interesting after all these years.

Find out what fascinates The Faint...

The shocking news that mega-producer Jerry Finn, who worked on records by AFI, Green Day, and Morrissey, was taken off life support this weekend has stunned us all. He was too young, he was too vital to music, and he was just too talented to leave this earth so suddenly. Let's band together to remember this wonderful man and how he has affected our lives.

Which of Finn's records affected your life?

Whoa. 190 photos in just a few days? We can't express how much we love each of you who participated in the first Gallery Photo Assignment, "The Perfect Day." It was a tough one, for sure, but the results are wonderful! Find out what people felt represented their perfect day.

Results of The Perfect Day assignment inside...

Let's try to do something interesting for this week's photo assignment. The theme for this week is, "The Perfect Day." Here's the catch: To qualify for this week's assignment, you must make a GALLERY of what your perfect day would be. (I hope to have these once after 5 straight assignments to keep you interested.) So what's your perfect day?

Instructions for Photo Assignment #6 are inside....

Ah, nothing quite like unchecked creativity. The Buzznet community responded to last week's photo assignment, 'The Day The Earth Shook," with a drove of photos that touch on various themes and visual styles. Find out what your peers contributed this week!

Results of this week's photo assignment inside....

Ok, so California's recent earthquake really wasn't that bad. I swear. And this assignment isn't to scare us into some apocalypse-fearing lemmings. I want to know what your brains conjure up when you hear the phrase, "The Day The Earth Shook." (Yes, it's a not-so-clever twist on the Robert Wise film.) Start thinking!

Instructions for this week's Photo Assignment inside...

Sheesh! We are nerds here at Buzznet and we sure are proud of it. Comic Con 2008 was just this past weekend, so to commemorate the nerd fest, we asked you to geek out and elaborate on the theme of, "Revenge of the Nerds." How did you respond?

Results of photo assignment inside...

12:05: Lights went down and they previewed the special features on the new DVD. We'll be able to watch the flash-forwards in narrative chronicle order, as well as other stuff they won't tell us.

12:14: Most of the cast will be autographing on www.liveautographs.com for a charity whose name I just missed.

12:16: OMG!!! Dharma Initiative is presenting!!!

12:21: Hahahaha. Turns out the Dharma Initiative booth was mostly a joke where people were filmed asking ridiculous questions and they just showed the video of it. But 5 people were chosen and are on stage now.

GAHHHHH EVERYTHING I TYPED JUST DISAPPEARED. GASDH;FEJSFA;HEWYR ;F DS

Ok, so here's a brief re-cap of everything we learned:

- Jin and Farraday most certainly are in season 5, though we don't know what form they'll return in.
- Farradday knew about the island's secondary protocol hatch (with the poison) because Farraday has apparently traveled into the future. (This was hinted at in "The Constant," when they showed his notebook and it said, "Desmond Hume is my constant.") Lindeloff and Cuse stressed that Daniel's notebook is integral to season 5.
- We will 100% get Rousseau's back story in season 5, but it will NOT BE A FLASHBACK.
- In fact, while they'll use flashbacks and flash forwards, they're introducting a new storytelling device that no TV show has ever used for season 5.
- Richard Alpert will get more time on screen in season 5 and we'll learn more about his age and how many toes he has. (????)

So I was in line to ask a question when all this erased. Gah. My question:

"The big mystery at the end of season 3 was who was in the coffin. We found out it was Locke, but I thought it was more important that you named him Jeremy Bentham. Bentham was most famous for developing the Panopticon. My question is: Are the people on the island being watched and, if so, will we find out who is watching them?"

Their answer was interrupted by a Dharma video, in which Dr. Marvin Candle (who revealed his real name, which I forgot) confirms that the island's unique properties, based on Einstein's equations, allowed people to travel in time. They'd apparently done so and learned of the inevitable purge of the Dharma Intitiative by the hostiles; Dr. Candle warns that we must reinstate the Dharma Initiative and "change the past."

AHHHHHHHH!!

You know, since I'm at Comic Con (sorry this is late!), there's really nothing more relevant than a celebration of nerdiness! So this week's fourth Photo Assignment has a simple theme: Revenge of the nerds. Time to grab your camera and nerd out!

Photo assignment instructions inside...

So I'm sitting in line for the midnight screening of The X Files 2 and I'm surrounded by women. It's been years since the show ended and I'd forgotten how much it was adored by females. (Well, I have to be honest. The three gay dudes at my high school, myself included, all worshipped the show too. Go figure.)

This really is kind of a significant nerd moment for me. I've literally been following this show since 1993; my parents were huge sci-fi nerds and this was the one show I was allowed to stay up and watch. I was one of the first people in line when the first film came out in 1998. (Was it 1999? Whatever.) And, like any true X-Phile, I patiently awaited another cinematic installment to the one show that captured my attention every week for seven years.

It never came.

I just left a two hour chaotic panel for Robert Smigel's TV Funhouse, a show that's been ripped off ever since it went off the air. The highlight was hearing about Don's disgusting freak accident when dealing with a live goose on set that shat right in to his open mouth. Good times. Bob Odenkirk moderated and attempted to keep the discussion relevant, but that rarely happened. It was a refreshing break from a day full of rigorous schedules. And shit. It was funny.

So I've got two hours left until I spend 100 minutes freaking out over two characters I've missed dearly. And I don't really care if it's disappointing. Half the joy of Comic Con is being excited. And most of life is about the experience along the way. I'll enjoy the experience here and cherish this elusive anxiety that fills me with happiness.

Welcome to Comic Con.

Jesus, this year is so overcrowded. It took me nearly two hours yesterday just to pick up my Press Pass. (Why would you have just one dude for 3,000 journalists???)

I've only attended a few panels today and reserved most of my times trying to capture the creativity and the chaos of this place with my trusty Canon Rebel. Keanu Reeves seemed as clueless as ever during the panel for "The Day The Earth Stood Still," but the always-classy Jennifer Connelly restored my faith in the film. Mark Wahlberg was so hot, but I have no real interest in "Max Payne."

I was in the same room as Hugh Jackman. 'Nuff said.

I've already met a ton of cool people and I'm currently waiting for the TV Funhouse panel to begin. Then I'm hoping the line for tonight's midnight screening of "The X Files 2 isn't long, as I'll be joining that. (Momentary freakout: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Ok, enough of this. I'm posting on my Sidekick and Bob Odenkirk just came onstage. More later!

I'm currently sitting in Hall H and just discovered that this year, Comic Con International decided to ditch their ridiculous internet pricing plan ($15 a day?!?!?!?) to give us FREE PUBLIC WI-FI!!!! So, so awesome.

I'm awaiting a presentation for the remake of The Day The Earth Stood Still and the adaptation of the video game Max Payne into a movie. Jennifer Connolly will be here and I'll be damned if I don't sit here and geek out over one of my favorite actresses. (And Mark Wahlberg will be here for Max Payne, and I kind of have a teeny crush on him. DON'T HATE.)

I'll be here until Sunday, so if you need any help regarding the site, it's probably best to contact Richard or Bree; I'll only have limited access most of the time and I'll be busy live-blogging the crap out of the weekend. (LOST live-blogging ZOMGWTFBBQ!1!1)

Expect many pictures and many journals! Nerds unite!

PS: I get to meet OunceofWentz tomorrow! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!