So It's Officially GoT Week Here on TSTN. Today, a Prize Offer from GRRM Himself

If you're up for spending time with the man who created the whole thing, you have a chance to win that right here.

More Anti-Quackery

You might remember I posted a link to some anti-bullshit tips here. Well, here's a link to some more anti-BS medicine, this time more health-oriented. You're welcome!

Bill Murray is the New Chuck Norris Meme

Reasons why Billy Murray is awesome.... http://www.dumpaday.com/random-pictures/reasons-bill-murray-is-awesome-16-pics/

See, this is EXACTLY how a comedy legend should spend his time post-blockbuster. Woody Allen spends his time making tiny little movies that people pretend to like. Bill Murray takes the funny to the people and has an amazing time. (Although if this is what he's doing, it's kind of hard to understand how he feuded with Harold Ramis all that time. It seems right in his wheelhouse.) As I take a second look at these photos and captions, I realize- Bill Murray is the New Chuck Norris Meme.

I Have a New Favorite Actor [SPOILER]

Pedro Pascal, the gent who played Oberyn Martell on Game of Thrones - and this video is why. Here he is, describing his concept of the Red Viper's funeral. I would kill to see them actually shoot this on GoT.

GoT Spoiler

So...as soon as I saw Oberyn do his fancy spins and flips before the trial by combat, I knew he would die. It's to the the show's credit that I actually suspended disbelief for a few moments during the fight, and entertained the notion that he might live. But alas, no.

 Here's the thing - I've heard a lot of people complain that they knew Oberyn was going to die because virtue never triumphs on Game of Thrones. The good always die young: Ned Stark, Rob Stark, Catelyn Stark, etc. But they're missing the point, of course. The bad die, too - Joffrey, Viserys - and the good survive (for a while anyway): Tyrion, Jon Snow, Sam Tarley.

The point isn't that the innocent die, or that evil triumphs: The point is that living or dying has nothing to do with good or evil. Instead, it depends entirely on whether or not you're paying attention. Oberyn took his eye off the ball, so no amount of training in the fighting pits of Dorne was going to save him. Joffrey is more interested in sadism than power. He thinks he's invulnerable. He's wrong. Ned Stark is more interested in justice than power. He dies. Rob Stark is more interested in honor and love than power. He dies. Jaime Lannister only cares about himself. He does okay, until he starts to care about Brienne. Then he loses a hand. You'd think he's learned his lesson...but probably not. Tywin Lannister is really interested in power...but he can't let go of those delusions, like "Tyrion killed my wife" or "Jaime is fit to lead." He's alive for now - but you just know those delusions will come back to bite him in the ass. A truly smart clan leader would never both abuse an underling (Tyrion) and give him power, and then indulge the spite of one of his other children.

 The characters with a single-minded purpose get farther than the ones who are distracted by fancy notions. Which should mean that the Hound lives forever. But maybe not.

Five-Hour Energy, Eat Your Heart Out

Over at io9.com, they've got a photo collection of 19th Century patent medicines that remind us exactly why we have "government interference" like the FDA.

Silicon Valley

Not the place, the show. Mike Judge is behind it, and it seems pretty good so far. You have to love a show where a character is shanghaied by the computer glitch in a driverless car.

A Revolt That Never Was

The Fishing Creek Confederacy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fishing_Creek_Confederacy Think of it as a writing prompt.

People I Hate That I've Never Met

For years I hated Jim Morrison, frontman for The Doors. As a member of Generation X, I loathed most things having to do with the '60s, and to me, the Doors' catalog epitomized the pomposity and self-importance of the Boomers. (I've changed my mind about some of their songs since, but "Love Me Two Times" and "Touch Me" still piss me off.) And Morrison seemed like the essence of narcissistic '60s bullshit - the canned beans and LSD, the Venice Beach "meet cute" with Ray Manzarek, the bare-chested pouty album covers, the rocker flameout death in Paris, the liebestod romances with Rimbaud and Kerouac. But then I found a recording of a bit of an interview Morrison did with Howard Smith. Morrison is talking about putting on a freshman thirty at college, and how he liked being fat. He's playing around with the interviewer, and it's so friendly and and down to earth, it's hard not to like him. It reminded me that hating on people you've never met is a mug's game. Actor, athlete, artist, reality TV "personality," those are only personae. Anyone older than 18 knows that intellectually...but we all have to be reminded, from time to time.

The Devil's Dictionary

A hundred years ago, freelance grump Ambrose Bierce wrote a book called The Devil's Dictionary, which was full of the snarkiest definitions he could invent for American sacred cows. Of course, such a dictionary could not be allowed to pass forever from the earth - so the good folks at TL;DR Wikipedia have updated the project for the Internet Age. Enjoy!