Brainy Quinn's Breakthrough Day

Eleven years ago today, Kara Wild completed the first story in her grand epic, the Driven Wild Universe. That first tale was "Rose-Colored Lenses," in which Quinn Morgendorffer is forced to get corrective glasses (see "new" Quinn at right) and sets off a magnificent trope-busting saga. Congratulations to Kara, and thank you!

In a delayed April Fools prank, the BBC announced 80 years ago today in the evening that there was "no news" to report. Imagine hearing that!

Actor and poker player James Woods, said to bear an amazing resemblance to Lawndale lawyer Jim Vitale (per Scissors MacGillicutty), turns 63 today. Best not to confuse Mr. Vitale with James Woods as he appears on Family Guy, which also features a high school named for Mr. Woods.

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• Daria Race War, by Bliss Ticks (continued): The clock struck midnight, and yesterday marked the last day of exile for Jane Lane. Tomorrow morning she would meet Daria in front of her house, and together they would walk into that hellhole, Lawndale High.
  
• The Dream of the White Darkness, by jtranser (continued): "This is where something jumps out of nowhere, screams 'Booga Booga!!' and scares the shit out of me." Daria's nervous attempt at humor met with silence, then a very faint reedy voice coming from under the stairs said: "No. That comes later."
• DVDaria, by Admonisher (COMPLETE!): [Originally posted 3/31/01 on FF.net, this classic now appears only on PPMB. Enjoy!]
• Finn Morgendorffer 43: A Tale of Three Schrecters, by HolyGrail2007 (Part 1): “Good morning, Finn,” Helen spoke warmly to him. “What a lovely day.” “I don’t plan on wasting it,” Finn returned. “I’ve already made plans.” “That’s wonderful, Finn. Have a lovely time, Finn. But, speaking of plans, have you thought of what you’re going to do with your summer?”
• The Hallowed Halls of Fielding, by Roentgen (Part 24a): "When was the last time I was in Maynard Hall?" Tom asked himself. "Yeah, I remember. Fifth grade music. I remember a song that went 'solar plexus meow meow meow'. That's the sum total of my learning." "What did you learn?" Daria asked. "That I couldn't sing," Tom said. "Oh, Thomas!" cried Elsie. "I've been telling you that for years." (NEW! Part 24b: "So, Quinn?" said Pat Seven. "Do you want to see our little wooden boat?")
  
• Library Phoenix, by SigDiff (continued): Jane stayed up halfway through the night listening to Daria talk about her plans. To her, it sounded like complete fantasy. Flying machines that could outrun their own sound, other machines that could do math by themselves. Light with no flame, powered by the wind and the sun and something called the atom, which apparently the ocean had plenty of. Devices that allowed one to talk to another miles and miles away as if they were just a few feet away. Jane didn't believe a bit of it. At least, she didn't believe it until the demonstration.
• NEW! Shining Star: Temporal Conundrum, by RLobinske (Part 6): BEGIN EMERGENCY TRANSMISSION: Central Database security has been compromised. Intruder identity is currently unknown. Extent of breach is currently unknown. Breach has been identified as the personal computer issued to former field agent Ian Llwyd. Unrecovered computers from his team are considered suspected alternate breach sites. Containment protocols have been initiated. Access of data to field units may be restricted until full security is restored. You are instructed to use your current assignment to investigate this breach and provide any assistance in identifying the perpetrator.
  
• Springtime for Self-Esteem, by Ajar (Part 1): “It's always a pleasure,” said Ms. Li as she ushered a woman out of her office. “Well, the Mental Health Society always appreciates any principal that takes initiatives to help those dealing with mental health issues. Although I really was hoping to meet some of the support group.” “I wouldn't want to take them out of class, or expose you to their reformist delusions.”

The DFB2 Turns Two!

It's PARTY TIME!

The Daria Fandom Blog II is now two years old. It had 51,000 hits last year at this point, and now has over 128,000. Thanks go to CINCGREEN for inspiring me with the DFB1, thanks go to all DFB2 followers and readers for your support, and thanks especially go to Viacom-Paramount-MTV-etc., for giving us Daria on DVD next year as our long-hoped-for and long-awaited treat.

Outpost Daria has updated! Go thither and rejoice!

Other Important Historical Date-things Today

• Harpo Marx was born this day 121 years ago. Jane Lane offers a snarky comment about a lesser known Marx Brother.
• The very first episode of Doctor Who premiered 46 years ago today on the BBC. Daria fanfic crossovers with this wonderful SF show include Yui Daoren's "Doctor Who-Gives-a-Damn," Ranger Thorne's "Lane Change," and Lawndale Stalker's work-in-progress "The House on Space-Time Lane" —epic stories all!
  
• An eloquent defense of the freedom of speech and freedom of the press, the Areopagitica, was published 364 years ago by John "Paradise Lost" Milton. I hadn't heard of it either, but quotations from it are astounding and very applicable to this fandom. Some of my favorites:
  

Who kills a man kills a reasonable creature, God's image; but he who destroys a good book, kills reason itself, kills the image of God, as it were in the eye.

A good book is the precious lifeblood of a master spirit, embalmed and treasured up on purpose to a life beyond life.

Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience, above all liberties.

FF.net

• Another Pie, by Yami White Rain (COMPLETE!): "All I'm saying," Tom said, "I'm just not sure what king of self respecting dictator would take over Lawndale of all the places in the entire world." Daria paused from taking a bite from her slice of pizza. "He has a point. It's kind of insultingly easy to get them riled up."
  

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• Finn Morgendorffer 16: Ambrosia Vinaigrette, by HolyGrail2007 (Part 2): “Instead of reading a story for its moral dimensions, why don’t you write one with moral dimensions?” “Excuse me?” “Daria, you are one of this school’s most talented writers, and your writing style is, well, it’s a little unpleasant, but it’s very well written.”
  
• Legion of Lawndale Heroes Mini: Part of the Solution, by Brother Grimace (COMPLETE!): The intercom on the desk sounded. “The representatives from the Society are here,” the voice spoke up. “Shall I take them to the conference room?” A woman’s voice responded. “Yes—and make sure that they are comfortable.”
  

Moar l8r. Stay tooned.

T-t-t-twenty Minutes into the F-f-future

This day is of course known for the JFK assassination in 1963, which I remember as a third grader, but it is also known for a peculiar event called the Max Headroom broadcast signal intrusion incident. That was 22 years ago, when someone wearing a Max Headroom mask (at left) used powerful transmission equipment to interrupt normal TV transmissions in Chicago, Illinois. Max Headroom (a "real" photo of which is at right) appeared in a Daria fanfic by Ruthless Bunny, the title of which is borrowed from the original movie in which Max appeared.

Interesting: Here is a webpage detailing efforts to get various TV shows on DVD, and both Daria and the Max Headroom TV show from the late 1980s are on it!

More Interesting: The BBC's Channel 4 created a series of ads two years ago using Max Headroom to promote the switch to digital TV. The result was one of the most hysterically funny ads ever shown on TV. You have to see this. Also, Max Headroom's music video and Max Headroom's advice for macho guys.

NEWZ

• Richard Lobinske has updated the 2009 Daria Visual Fanworks list! Hooray!
• NEW! The earliest Daria story on FanFiction.net was posted 11 years ago today: Paperpusher's "Her, Uh, Cane." It was also 11 years ago at this time that one of the earliest and most extensive Daria supersites, Planet Daria, was taken offline.
• NEW! Tommy Sherman, by some esoteric mathematical figuring, won the state championship in football for Lawndale High about 15 years ago.
  
• NEW! The last story in Kara Wild's Driven Wild Universe was completed about this time four years ago: "Tomorrow Never Knows."
  

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• Finn Morgendorffer 16: Ambrosia Vinaigrette, by HolyGrail2007 (Part 1): "Daria, did anything interesting happen at school today?” “I wasn’t invited to anything, no one asked me on a date, I’m getting a cold sore, and I think someone threw a Life Saver at me.” “Oh, that’s horrible! Finn, what about you?” “I blew off my date with Ashley Beaker tonight to do this work, I’ve got two parties and four dates come the weekend, and I need to master these...tactics before my birthday next week. And today, someone actually gave me Life Savers.”

Stay tooned.