Disturbing...

Doing a little research for a character I'm writing, I discover that my company's Benecia office is a few blocks from the location of the Zodiac Killer's first murder.

What makes this disturbing is that I got an idea for the character and his origin while driving by the site.

The character is The Abyss. Possibly the most powerful telepath on Earth. Not only can he read minds, he can re-write other's brains. At first, he mainly uses his powers to help people - stopping addictions, interrupting destructive behaviors, etc. But as he was exposed to more and more criminals, he began to get more violent in his attacks. Ordering drug dealers to ingest all their goods, forcing a child molester to walk into the ocean, inflicting pain and terror. He also began sending notes to the police and newspapers where he adopted the name "The Abyss" ("Battle not with monsters, lest ye become a monster, and if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche)

As his powers increase, he's becoming more unstable and less discerning on who he punishes and how extreme his attacks become.

The Zodiac connection come from his father - who was the Zodiac. The killings were part of a magical ritual to create a child of great power.

Wrongness in the First Degree

Sara Lee is using the Happy Happy, Joy Joy song from Ren & Stimpy in an ad.

Somebody is either cool beyond measure, or completely clueless.

Crikey!

Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin Killed

Steve Irwin, the Australian television personality and environmentalist known as the Crocodile Hunter, was killed Monday by a stingray barb during a diving expedition, Australian media reported. He was 44.

The accident happened while Irwin was filming an underwater documentary on the Great Barrier Reef in northeastern Queensland state, Sydney's The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported on its Web site.

The paper and other Australian media reporting the death cited police or state government sources.

Telephone calls to Australia Zoo, Irwin's zoo in southern Queensland, were not immediately answered.

Damn. He was a great voice for conservation and education.

I should note that this is a breaking story, there may be updates.