Top 10 Sci-Fi Hotties

10. Milla Jovovich

This beautiful, Ukrainian-born actress has a habit of taking roles that put her exquisitely athletic body to the test. So is it any wonder then that she was chosen to play a perfectly engineered woman in Luc Besson’s The Fifth Element? As Leeloo, Milla runs around in a wet T-shirt, kicks alien ass and creates one of the most memorable sci-fi characters of the past decade.

9. Rachel Luttrell

There’s just something about a warrior woman that’s undeniably sexy, and this Stargate Atlantis beauty is no exception. In this scene, she’s possessed by an evil alien entity, which causes her to lay a savage beat-down on a friend who is three times her size—and she looks damn good doing it.

8. Billie Piper

Since 1963, Doctor Who has been a staple of British popular culture, and with babes like this it’s easy to see why. On the BBC series, Piper plays the gorgeous Rose Tyler, a young shop assistant in a London department store. By a strange twist of fate, she finds herself caught up in cosmic time travel with the oddball Doctor Who. In this clip, the good doctor rescues the British beauty from organ-harvesting robots.

7. Morena Baccarin

Joss Whedon’s space-western Firefly was a tragically short-lived TV series that debuted in 2002. Fortunately, the story idea was resurrected in the 2005 film Serenity—thus giving us another opportunity to watch this Brazilian beauty play an ultra high-class prostitute who is trained in the art of sexual pleasure

6. Michelle Rodriguez

After appearing in Lost and Resident Evil and lending her voice to the wildly popular Halo 2, this sexy Texan will return to the sci-fi genre yet again in James Cameron’s much-anticipated 3D flick Avatar. In this Lost clip, the brunette beauty shows her love/hate relationship with the island’s token bad boy.

5. Claudia Black

This Sci-Fi Channel veteran first turned heads in Farscape as the sexy space marine Aeryn Sun. Afterwards, she landed a role on Stargate SG-1 as Vala Mal Doran, a seductive space traveler who enjoys the good things in life like sex, jewelry, sex, stealing, sex, junk food and sex. Watch as she uses her extraterrestrial charm on one of her über-dork spacemates. Unfortunately for him, his nerd powers prevail.

4. Jolene Blalock

The latest Star Trek, incarnation, Enterprise, explores the beginnings of Starfleet and human relations with the always-logical Vulcans. In this clip, Sub-Commander T’Pol asks a human crewmate to help her relieve some pressure—proving that even the most rational beings in the galaxy need a little lovin’ from time to time.

3. Ali Larter

On the hit TV show Heroes, Larter plays Niki Sanders, a former Internet stripper from Vegas with superhuman strength and a dual personality. While we appreciate a chick who can hold her own in a barroom fight, we’ll take stripper Niki over the Hulk-like Niki any day. Take one look at this clip and we think you’ll agree.

2. Tricia Helfer

On the Sci-Fi Channel’s Battlestar Galactica, Helfer plays Number Six, a sexy robot babe with the ability to download pleasurable thoughts into people’s minds. In this scene, she helps the scientist Gaius Baltar overcome a brutal torture session with a little bow chica bow wow action.

1. Carrie Fisher

When intergalactic gangster Jabba the Hutt captures Princess Leia the first thing he does is put her in a gold bikini, and who can blame him? She even looks good while sitting on the lap of a giant space slug. These images from 1983’s Return of the Jedi remain the standard by which all sci-fi hotties are measured.

Jedi Religion Official

Jedi Church Planned In The UK

Posted By Mike on January 22, 2008

Click here to check out an article from the BBC about Barney and Daniel Jones who are planning their Jedi Chruch in the UK. Sermons will include meditation techniques, discussion of The Force and, of course, lightsaber training. See below for an excerpt:


'They plan to go to the official opening of a Surrey-based branch or "chapter" of the UK Church of the Jedi in April, and hope to hire an Anglesey venue for their own services.

Already six followers regularly meet in north Wales to discuss setting up the "church".

It is hoped Jedi church members will resist Darth Vader's dark side

"My brother and I would hold sermons, do talks and get guest speakers," explained Barney.

"We would read out essays members of the congregation have submitted on their feelings about the Jedi and the Force: do meditation, relaxation and visualisation techniques and a bit of light-sabre training."

Watching the films as children gave the brothers a good understanding of the "faith," said Barney.

"We had a knowledge of the Force from that and the teachings of Yoda. We've read the teachings on the internet.

"Our father is a karate black belt, we used to train with him, which is where we got the martial arts."

Barney, who has watched the Star Wars films "multiple dozens of times," does not wear film-themed clothing in public, but he and his brother would do so at Jedi church meetings.'


Thanks to James E. for the heads up!

Best Course Ever

University quenches thirst for knowledge with 'Beer 101'
Janice Tibbetts, The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Friday, January 18, 2008

Students at a small Halifax university are toasting a unique course on campus that has been dubbed Beer 101.

The popular "brewing science" course at University of King's College, which will trace the history of beer and include field trips to area breweries, is the brainchild of Professor Gordon McOuat, a self-described beer connoisseur with a passion for stout.

The course, which began last week and is offered for three hours every Thursday night, is believed to be the first of its kind in Canada.

Called Brewing Science: The History, Culture and Science of Beer, the course is offered under the auspices of the History of Science and Technology program at the liberal arts university of only 1,100 students.

The university's website bills the course as "Beer 101" and it is by far the most popular upper-year course in the entire program.


© The Ottawa Citizen 2008

Heath Ledger Dead

Actor Heath Ledger Dead At 28
Sources: Death May Be Drug-Related; Pills Found Scattered In NYC Residence

NEW YORK (CBS) ― Heath Ledger, who was nominated for an Oscar for his performance in the critically-acclaimed movie Brokeback Mountain, has died, sources tell CBS 2.

The Australian-born actor was just 28.

He was pronounced dead at 3:26 p.m. in his downtown Manhattan residence by his housekeeper, who discovered him in cardiac arrest and called 911, an NYPD spokesperson says. He was apparently scheduled to have a massage in his apartment this afternoon.

Sources tell CBS 2's Scott Weinberger the death may be drug-related and that there were pills scattered around the room.

Ledger had recently separated from his wife, actress Michelle Williams. The couple have one daughter, Matilda, who was born in 2005.

Before marrying Williams, Ledger had also dated actress Naomi Watts and Heather Graham.

Most currently, Ledger was featured in the Bob Dylan biography film "I'm Not There."


He is also appearing in the next installment of the "Batman" movie opposite Christian Bale as the infamous "Joker" and was in the midst of filming "The Imaginarium Of Dr. Parnassus."

Of the most well-known 15 films Ledger appeared in: "The Patriot," "A Knight's Tale," and "Monster's Ball." He was also nominated for a Golden Globe for his role in "Brokeback Mountain."

Ledger grew up in Perth, and began doing amateur theater at age 10. At 16, he moved to Sydney to pursue an acting career, quickly landing TV movie roles and guest spots on Australian television.

After several independent films and a starring role in the short-lived Fox TV series "Roar," Ledger moved to Los Angeles and costarred in "10 Things I Hate About You," a teen comedy reworking of "The Taming of the Shrew."

Offers for other teen flicks came his way, but Ledger turned them down, preferring to remain idle than sign on for projects he didn't like.

"It wasn't a hard decision for me," Ledger told the Associated Press in 2001. "It was hard for everyone else around me to understand. Agents were like, `You're crazy,' my parents were like, `Come on, you have to eat."'

He would have turned 29 on April 4.

Stay with wcbstv.com and CBS 2 for the latest in his developing story.

(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

Miss America

Miss America Lauren Nelson Passes The Torch

By Miss America, aka Lauren Nelson , USA

Date Posted: 01/18/08

Reader Rating:

I am handing over my crown at the Miss America pageant on Saturday, January 26, 2008. I’m pretty sad about it ending actually. I dedicated four or five years to this organization. It’s the end of an era in my life, and definitely a bitter sweet moment.

I don’t actually remember watching Miss America every year when I was a little girl in Oklahoma, but I do remember looking up to the girls that were competing. I was in awe of them, so to be able to represent that later on was just amazing.

I started competing when I was about 16 years old. Four years later, I was crowned Miss America 2007. (It’s interesting to note that there’s only ever been a couple Miss Americas that have done “kiddie pageants.”)

In those moments when we were waiting to hear who was to be crowned, I knew it could go only one of two ways; my life was either going to completely change, or I was going to go back to the life I knew.

When I was named Miss America, it was definitely surreal. The first thing I remember was looking into the crowd and seeing the Oklahoma crowd cheering for me. That moment flies by so fast that you really don’t even realize what’s happening.

I was definitely a bit apprehensive about my new job. I really have to tell you that the first week that I was Miss America was probably the hardest week of my life, because I was newly 20, traveling across the country and not knowing when I was going to get to go home and see familiar people.

I was definitely nervous about the responsibility. Everything you do and say is representing the Miss America organization. It is a lot of weight to carry because you’re reflecting all the other contestants and people involved. The judges definitely crown Miss America because she’s ready to take on that responsibility from the start.

After the first week, I settled into my job and started loving it.

The crowning moment is totally surreal.

The new Miss America will go through that same adjustment period too.

One piece of advice that I would love to give Miss America is to realize that every day that you’re Miss America is really a gift, and you need to appreciate that. You’re only Miss America once! Even on those days when you’re exhausted because you’ve been traveling and haven’t had a day off in three months, just stop and smell the roses because it’s never going to come around again.

One of the highlights this year for me was that I was Miss America during Oklahoma's centennial year, so I got to be a big part of all the celebrations with all the other Miss Americas from Oklahoma. That was a really neat experience for me.

The best thing was definitely working with Children’s Miracle Network. These kids are going through medical difficulties, recovering from car crashes and other traumas. Seeing these little kids with smiles on their faces really puts things into perspective for all of us and has really motivated me this year.

Reality Check

The great thing about the new reality show, Miss America Reality Check, is that America gets to see the girls before they compete and get to know them a little bit more. It’s obviously an attempt to modernize the pageant, but I have to say I love Miss America just the way it is and the way it’s always been.

Of course there’s always some negative publicity about pageants, like the pepper spray allegations made by Miss Puerto Rico, but the reality is really different. The competition is really friendly. We all show up ready to win and compete, but it’s never catty or hateful.

The bathing suit competition promotes health and fitness.

Of course when I won, some of the girls may have been disappointed that they didn’t win, because I know I would have been too. It takes years of hard work to get to that point, and it’s the last time that all of us can compete in that pageant, so of course it’s difficult to walk away. I know the girls were happy for me, just as I would have been happy for her had someone else won.

We’re all very close and we’re poised, mature and responsible, so that’s why you don’t see any cat fights. We have good heads on our shoulders.

The Skinny On The Swimsuit Competition

I don’t think the swimsuit competition is controversial at all. This competition is designed to show whether you’re in shape or not, and the swimsuit competition does that. To be Miss America you have to have more going on too. You have to be well-rounded - you don't have to be the best in every category, but you have to be good in every category. It’s all about having a healthy lifestyle. When you’re traveling all over the country, you need to be healthy!

Steering Clear Of Scandal

People have asked me if I think women who’ve been found to have posed in suggestive photographs before the competition should have to give up their crowns. I’m not going to comment on any specific situation, but I will say it goes back to the fact that you’re representing the organization. Every move that you make and every picture you take reflects back on Miss America as a whole, and it’s so important to keep that in mind.

Passing The Torch

This whole experience has allowed me to grow so much and I’ll carry that with me for the rest of my life.

I plan to continue my studies and become a high school music teacher.

I’ve never given much thought to how I feel about getting older, but I do think it’s important to age gracefully. It doesn’t scare me or anything to think that my body’s not always going to look this way.

As for plans for the future, I’m moving back to Tulsa, Oklahoma and will keep traveling and speaking as the former Miss America. I’ve still got a lot of schooling to do, so I’m going to study to be a high school music teacher.

I can’t make any predictions about who will be crowned this week. I haven’t had much time to get to know the girls yet. Tonight is the first night I’ll actually be meeting them. They’re all prepared, that’s for sure. It will be very exciting.

*****

Visit MissAmerica.org

Girl Scout Cookies Overseas

Girl Scout hopes to get cookies to troops serving overseas

Staff report
Tuesday January 22, 2008


Martinsville

Cookies and Kool-aid.

That's what one Morgan County Girl Scout thinks troops overseas need, as the cookie season sales get underway for the year.

Tulip Trace Troop 391 member Molly Dirrim is selling Girl Scout cookies and hopes people will buy 300 boxes to send to Indiana National Guard Troops overseas in April. They might even include some Kool-aid to go with the tasty treats.

"We thought it would just be nice to send them," Molly Dirrim said. "Kool-aid and cookies are a good combination."

The Martinsville Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1257 has offered to pay for the postage to send the cookies to Iraq, which is where members of B Co., 1-151, headquartered in Martinsville, are expected to deploy to later this year.

This is not the first time soldiers overseas have received care packages from the Dirrim family, according to Molly's mother, Bobbie. Bobbie said they have been sending care packages that include food and cards and letters of support to troops with family ties through their church. Most recently they sent a package to a solider who grew up in the Center Grove area.

"We just kept asking for people, and his name came up," Bobbie Dirrim said. "We always ask for soldiers that don't have much family to send our packages to. They like the food too, but they really love the letters and the pictures in the package."

Cookie sales for the Girl Scouts will continue until March 10, and are available through any Girl Scout, or they will be available at several locations around Martinsville.

"A person can buy a box for themselves and one for a solider," Molly Dirrim said.

Swedish Short Persons

Mini-Thief Packed in Luggage Robbing Swedish Buses

A gang of thieves is employing Trojan Horse tactics by smuggling a 'short person' -- a dwarf or child -- on Swedish buses inside a large bag in order to ransack other bags in the luggage compartment.

REUTERS

Perhaps Swedish authorities should hire this expert bag sniffer.

Thieves are believed to have been robbing Swedish coaches by smuggling a "short person" into luggage compartments inside a large bag, the coach operator said on Tuesday.

Swebus, which operates coach services across Sweden, said cash and a number of items went missing from bags on two separate occasions this month.

"We think it is a short, young person," Ingvar Ryggasjo, sales manager for Swebus, told SPIEGEL ONLINE. "We are taking extra security measures and are thinking of installing video surveillance cameras."

He said the person is believed to have been smuggled onto the coach in a hockey equipment bag.

One woman travelling from the town of Vasteras to Stockholm reported seeing two men squeezing a large, heavy bag into the luggage space under the bus. After arriving she found a camera, purse and other items missing.

"We have got reports about several thefts on the stretch between Vasteras and Stockholm," Swebus customer services manager Pia Kravall said in a police statement. "It is very possible that a very small adult or a child is being placed in a bag in order to search through the other bags."