Mad Dogs and Aliens

Daria's brief flirtation with paranoia, "The Lawndale File," aired 11 years ago today. It poked fun at xenophobia, though I am sure Mr. DeMartino was less amused by it than others were. Some memorable quotes:

• "Curse you different ones and your insidious logic!"
• "If there were any aliens smart enough to come here, they wouldn't be stupid enough to come here."
• "Daria, is anything wrong with Quinn?" "If this weren't a school day, I might have the time to begin answering that."
• "Quinn, is anything wrong with Daria?" "If this weren't a school day, I might have time..."
• "All of a sudden, she doesn't like aliens." "Who does? Aliens impregnate you and then they pop out of your chest and kill you while you're trying to eat lunch. What's to like? Gotta go! Bye!" "What exactly are they teaching about immigration at that school?"
• "You're talking implants?" "I heard that, and it's not true!" "I guess she thought you meant her UFOs."
• "Hey, Quinn, Mr. O'Neill says that girl from your house is an atomic communist."

• "I knew it! It's just like when they made us have pep rallies for field hockey. We're being invaded by communists!"
• "Remember that game when you fell on your head? Remember how you thought Vince Lombardi was sending you plays from hell?" "Heaven, bro! Vince Lombardi did not go to hell."
• "But... if Quinn's cousin is an atomic communist from Mars, shouldn't she have a more interesting outfit?"
• "I won't be sorry to see this day end." "You say that every day." "Oh, yeah."
• And the best line of all: "There's something out there. Something stupid."

'Nuff said. In other developments...

This is Saint Sithney's Day, honoring the patron saint of Mad Dog Morgendorffer mad dogs. It is also the birthday anniversary of humanitarian Raoul Wallenberg and the 49th birthday of the current President of the United States.

NOo0Z!

• OverlordMikey has created Stop Here: Leading into 13, artwork for part 13 of "The Lane That Wasn't." Click and enjoy it.

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• Daria/Dorian 6: Christmas Chaos, by LadieT (Part 3): "How is Dorian doing?" "Well, he really had a hard time after the economics project. We got in a big argument over nothing. Later that day, he finally opened up about how he was feeling. I think he really needed that." "I'm glad he has you, Jane. I wish Gregory had as good a friend as you when this happened to him. Maybe he would have turned out differently."
• Finn Morgendorffer 55: Dreamer Without a Cause, by HolyGrail2007 (Part 2): “What’s the good word?” Tom asked. Between the lawsuit, the State Championship, and Finn’s own grades, which were not as good as Daria’s but commendable, Tom reasoned that Finn would get in. He knew how to dazzle and how to impress. “Bromwell? I got in.” Finn replied. “Good. I knew you could do it.” “Didn’t you say that to Daria too?” “Two different situations.”
• The Lane That Wasn't, by LadieT (Part 13): As Daria wheeled through the living room, she paused to catch a moving scene. Helen had her arms around Jane and was crying. Jane looked as though she was trying to console their mom. I want to capture this on paper. She went into her room and started sketching. A few minutes later, Jane came and walked over to Daria. "Hey, squirt. What are you working on?"
• Pulp Fiction: Africa, by Chris Tucker (Part 3): "I think my mouth wrote a check my ass can't cash." "That business with the girl? Her name is Zelde, by the way. Had a chat with her earlier. Wonderfully brave girl. Came all that way hoping we could help. Of course we will. May I see that outline you've been working on?" Why am I still surprised when he does something like that? I really should be used to it by now.
• Satisfied, by OverlordMikey (COMPLETE!): Daria sat in her room enjoying the silence as she attempted to finish writing a story. However, her concentration was soon broken by blaring music. Daria got up and shut the door, but no avail: the music was too loud. She opened the door and headed over to her sister's room. Staring at the insanely chipper pink room, she felt an urge building that she normally suppressed.
• Unnamed story (Iron Chef: Daria and Jane pregnant at the same time), by McKeon (COMPLETE!): "So, how did we get into this situation again?" "Well, somehow, Quinn managed to persuade us to go out on a triple date with her and the J's." "And that leads to this how?" "Well, I have strong suspicions that the punch was spiked." "And that lead to this how?" "Quinn may have given them the impression our outcast attitudes came from lack of a good lay."
  

X Stands for "The Lawndale File"

We need more Artie fics, I was just thinking. Let's see, ten years ago exactly, "The Lawndale File" was released from its cage on MTV. I wrote a bit about this last year. Not sure how many more Daria fanfics or fanfic concepts were spawned from this episode. Anyone have any favorites? (I liked this one.) There was a naughty story based on Artie and the aliens, I recall, but we won't go there. If someone could fix up the appropriate page in DariaWiki, we would all be very grateful.

Going to the Midwest US Dariacon? Check here!

What else is going on... the President of the United States turns 48 today. Many more happies to you.

Ninety-seven years ago today, a man was born in Sweden who had a mostly obscure and unremarkable life until he saw people around him being persecuted, hounded, forced into railroad cars to be taken away to death camps. He then did a very remarkable thing: he began saving people. No one can say how many Hungarian Jews Raoul Wallenberg rescued from certain death, though it is in the tens of thousands at least. Thank you for everything.

Oh! And who could forget Saint Sithney, whose feast day this is? Someone really needs to write a story about this Saints' Day Holiday from Holiday Island High School. He is really and truly the patron saint of mad dogs. That's what I said. Perhaps he is still trying to heal Jake Morgendorffer's emotional trauma from this mad dog.

Moar 2 kumm. Stae toond. Oh! Right, someone asked for a link to that alter ego of Daria as a motorcyclist. Here it is. It was part of a screensaver posted on The N's website once. I used it as "D-Day" Morgendorffer, but it is exactly the same pic. Enjoy.

The Truth Is Way, Way Out There!

Nine years ago today, "The Lawndale File" came to MTV. The episode didn't go anywhere and had some unlikely subplots, but it is worth a thought on ways that the two FBI-ish agents (pseudo-Scully & Mulder) could be worked into fanfics. Who were they, really? Were they villains, foes, threats, dangers to society, or (worst of all) from the IRS? How else could they have been used? (I remember using them in "Scarlett," but I don't recall anyone else using them.)

"The Lawndale File" did spawn at least two fanfics, both with strong SF overtones: "It's That Guy" and "And I on the Opposite Shore Will Be."

This date was also important in two fanfics. First: "A Killer in Lawndale." (The story has some unintentionally amusing spots.)

Second: "The Alternate History Teacher." Today is the date of the Gulf of Tonkin Incident, which turned the Vietnam War from a small war into a huge one, despite the fact that the incident was a big mistake. Does this sound familiar?

Speaking of important days, today is one of those multitudinous saint's days seen in "Depth Takes a Holiday": The Feast Day of Saint Sithney, the patron saint of mad dogs! (Not Jake's dad, I think. Or maybe he was.) No, seriously, Saint Sithney is the actual patron saint of mad dogs. I have no idea how that got started. This is a character who really needs to appear in Daria fanfic!

If you are a Canadian, Holiday Island High wishes you a happy Civic Holiday. Wonder what that kid looks like. Sorta Canadian, I imagine.

Finally . . . Happy Birthday, Barack Obama! Who do you think the Daria cast will vote for this year?

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• A Simple Makeup Kit, by Richard Lobinske (Part 3): Ninth-grader Daria asks a boy out to the theater. Will there be disaster and heartbreak, or merely the end of the world? Time will tell.
  
• Stacy Rowe, Seeker (Part II), by jtranser (continued): "The Ring has its own mission, which is to create the Universe of the Sixth Sun." [Wait until you find out HOW that will be done, though!]
• Turnabout Confusion Part II: All The King's Horses, by Dennis (continued): "Work with?" Scarlett asked, clearly intrigued despite herself. "Why would I want to work with you on anything?" "Not even on running the school?" Sandi asked, raising an eyebrow.

Holy Spandex! It's Bat-Jane!

On this day, 71 years ago, Detective Comics #27 came out, featuring a new crimefighter named Batman. The rest was history.

One hundred and thirty years ago today, Isadora Duncan was born, considered one of the greatest of American dancers. Jane Lane appeared as Isadora Duncan in an alter ego used earlier in this column.

This is also the 74th birthday of renown science-fiction author and critic Harlan Ellison, whom this blogger considers one of the True Gods of writing, period. One of Mr. Ellison's stories, "The Deathbird," had a profound effect in the writing of a Daria fanfic: "Mad Dog."

In addition to the various Three Word Story threads at PPMB, fen in need of a game can play The Amazing Daria Race. And Deref the Conquerer has a few more cave paintings to show of his recent excursion into civilization, which now lies in ruins from Spain to the Urals. Hail, Crom!

In the spirit of the elections this year, here's a T-shirt design you might like. Why pick the lesser of two evils?

SFMB has been little used of late. Getting concerned about that. Fanfic writers and fan artists are encouraged to post there when possible; exposure is always good.

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• Falling Into College 62: Run It Up the Mast, by Richard Lobinske (COMPLETE!): Friendships are made and preserved . . . an one enemy-ship is made as well.