The BC QB

Don't worry, Kevin. Now that it's Evolution Day I'm sure your development will finally start moving forward. Soon you might even progress to cave drawings!

In the meantime, maybe he could club a turkey for us since it's also Thanksgiving. You know, the holiday for a lot of screwed-up family problems and getting depressed by the end of the day? Jane probably has her TV dinner in the microwave as we speak.

Fanfic Update!

• God, Guns and Killer Dogs, by wilddogjj (COMPLETE!): "Kevin was waiting in line to have his driver's license renewed. He noticed the guy in front of him is wearing a dark blue cap. The guy was incredibly muscular with a long mullet and a biker mustache." (Part 2)


• Market Value, by wilddogjj (part 1): "It's Thanksgiving and Jim and Kevin were standing in the driveway enjoying the cool November air."

"Darwin's the Monkey Guy, Right? I Like Monkeys!"

I don't know if the Three Js have any nieces or nephews, but they are definitely set on celebrating All Our Uncles are Monkeys Day. I can already picture Quinn's horrified reaction.

Of course, the reason for this holiday is that it's Evolution Day, also known as the anniversary of the publication of Darwin's On the Origin of Species in 1859. Mostly today was just an excuse to post a picture of monkeys. Ook ook ook!

Fandom News!

• Discuss surprisingly underrated performances by well-known actors.


• What do you think about the return of Freakazoid?


• welltemperedclavier wonders about adding to the DariaWiki.


• Vote in the Deadliest Warrior poll between Dan Tanna and Frank Cannon.

To Evolve, or Not to Evolve... Is That the Question?

It's Evolution Day, celebrating the 150th anniversary of the publication of Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species. Obviously, the Three J's still have a long way to go up the human family tree. (Thanks to Pinhead and UU for the images!) If y0u ever want to peek at this groundbreaking work, look no further.

By chance, today is also the 35th anniversary of the discovery in Africa of Lucy, the female australopithecine (at left, shown with husband Ricky) who redefined human evolution. Here's lookin' at ya, kid.

Dale Carnegie, who wrote How to Win Friends and Influence People (a favorite book of Jodie Landon, per "Gifted") , was born 121 years ago today.

And this is the 38th anniversary of the strangest unsolved robbery in history. Wither didst thou goest, D.B. Cooper? And can anyone make a Daria fanfic out of this?

The Perfect Holiday for Kevin to Serve as Poster Boy

Today has been called Evolution Day, as it is the 149th anniversary of the publication of Sir Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection. To say this book was controversial is an understatement of the highest order.

Curiously, I cannot find much about Evolution Day online. It is related to Darwin Day, of course, but it is probably quite new as a holiday and hasn't gotten very far yet. I suppose the holiday just needs to evolve more. The holiday wrapping paper should be interesting.

That alter ego of Kevin as a caveman had me wondering if he was parodying Alley Oop, but apparently not.

Hong Kong Dariacon, anyone? Early February 2009?

Keep evolving!

Fortress CINCGREEN

• Data Dump, by CINCGREEN (Part 10): Less than a week after her disastrous meeting with Tom, Daria was in a classroom again. *

PPMB

• Bet, by Legendeld (Part 7): “I asked if I could move back in, didn’t that send up some kind of warning flare?”
• Daylight: Baked Alaska, by Brother Grimace (COMPLETE!): Burn baby burn! Burn that mama down! (Also: "The lady with the glasses? That’s Sarah Palin. She’s running for governor.")
• Daylight: The Essentials of Everyday Living, by Brother Grimace (COMPLETE!): She extended her hand. “I’m Maryann. What’s your name?” The centaur looked at her before reaching out. “I’m Boone.”
  
• Falling into College 65: Arrivals and Returns, by Richard Lobinske (Part 2): "I hope you don't mind that everyone else considers you a hero."
• LATIFA: In the King's Navy, by SoCalledGoodeGuy (teaser): Oh, I won't spoil this one for you. It's worth it.
• Legion of Lawndale Heroes: A Legion Halloween, by Brother Grimace (COMPLETE!): “Get away from me, you idiots! I’m Brenda Starr!” (Also, Jodie Landon dresses up as an interstellar phone receptionist.) (Also, a very yukky Fiend Folio monster.) (Also, it's deja vu all over again! Nice!)
  
• Order and Chaos, by Legendeld (Part 12): “I have sent a communication to the Jedi Council asking you to be allowed the trials.” Daria said with a slight tremor in her voice. “You’re ready.”
• Two Halves, by Dark Kuno (Part 3 beta): Helen Morgendorffer has a conversation with the twins about college.
• Upholder of the Good, by SoCalledGoodeGuy (Part 2.5): “Sooo…” said Jane, pushing herself off of the wall she’d been leaning against. “How’d you make out?”
  
• Also... some remarkable short tales worth reading in "Scenes No Daria Fanfic Should Have-Who's Holding Daria Now?"

* Contains mature content.

Happy Birthday, Evolution!

It seems like only yesterday, but it was 150 years ago on the nose that Sir Charles Darwin published his first paper on the theory of evolution. Alas, it did not explain Kevin Thompson. It did lead to anger management classes for gorillas, though.

Today is also the 118th birthday of H. P. Lovecraft, whose works were crossed with Daria in Dervish's "Call of Quinnthulhu." Great story.

Just got home from work, more to come. Or, you know, not.

Monkey Business

Teacher John Scopes was convicted of teaching evolution on this date 83 years ago. Jeffy, Joey, and Jamie are here with us to commemorate that historic backward step. Darwin, by the way, got mentioned in Daria.

"Darwin's the monkey guy, right? I like monkeys."

—Kevin Thompson, "The Old and the Beautiful"

* * *

Also, Ernest Hemingway was born this date 109 years ago. He, too, got mentioned in Daria.

"Now remember, your Hemingway essays are due in one week. And this time, Stacy, it's Ernest, not Mariel."

—Mr. O'Neill, "Daria Dance Party"

* * *

Fortress CINCGREEN

• The Autobiography of Jane Lane--With Fiber! (as told to CINCGREEN): Moar Jane goodness! Tonight: the garden story.
  

PPMB

• Stacy Rowe, Seeker (Part II), by jtranser (continued): Kevin's going on a very special date. His last.

SFMB

• DARIA Takes a Holiday! by Gum Wars (COMPLETE!): Trent slowly replied, "Come on DARIA, lets all take a holiday."

"Gentlemen, like, start your engines, or whatever."

The 92nd running of the Indianapolis 500 is over, and someone won. Hooray! I have trouble seeing Trent in the Indy 500, though. It would be too fast for him.

Cynigal is asking if anyone will be around Portland, Oregon, for a Dariacon during the week of June 16. Write back here if you will be thereabouts.

On this day, 83 years ago, schoolteacher John T. Scopes was indicted for teaching evolution. This led to the famous (i.e., infamous) Scopes Trial, which proved that if we didn't really evolve from monkeys, we should have.

This is also the day when, 47 years ago, President John F. Kennedy made his famous speech in which he announced that the United States would put a man on the moon before the decade was out. And so it was done, and then everyone forgot to go back.

Richard Lobinske has updated the 2008 Daria Visual Fanworks listing once again (PPMB, SFMB). Go, thou, and see wonders beyond imagining. I love it.

And Cypher, Dennis, and WacoKid have added some amazing ficlets to the Iron Chef called Autobiography. You have to check it out.

PPMB

• Avalon, by legendeld (COMPLETE!): “I’d be more worried about yourselves at this point.” Quinn said as she teleported in the room. Things went bad right after that.
• D: The Last Cynic, by CDM (continued): "If he's the last man on Earth, I'll be worshipping Sappho so quick."
• Falling Into College 62: Run It Up the Mast (Part 5): Michael paused in thought and then said, "Jane, can you and your friends do something for me?"
• Infected, by legendeld (Parts 4 and 5): “You still don’t believe in guardian angels?”
• A Little Vacation, by Doggieboy (Epilogue 3): “You win a kewpie doll,” Daria said as she quickly lifted the pistol, cocked it, and fired.
• The Other Side of Time: Witness to the Monkey Show, by The Sidhe (continued): Has the reason for "Mad Dog" Morgendorffer's bad attitude been discovered?
• Reign of the Darias: Life as a Corpse, by Lorenzo Sauchelli (Parts 1 and 2): This was probably not how Daria thought her reunion with a summer camp acquaintance would go. A new Daria/Harry Dresden story, though the previous one isn't finished yet.
• Snuff the Rooster, by Cypher (continued): “Daaaaaaaam! You scored!” An honest-to-gosh Jane/Upchuck shipper. Hang on.
• Stacy Rowe, Seeker (Part II), by jtranser (continued): Every good plot requires an injection of comic relief, and so it's time for the clown to take the stage. NOTE: In the next section is the classic Daria fanfic line: "Crystallization rate is 27 microboogers per second." I love it.
  
• Upon the Torches of the Stars (formerly Reaper), by Ray (COMPLETE!): Quinn takes on a metric ton of supervillains, but does she win?