Link roundup

1. File away this prediction by Bill Simmons:

Best-case scenario: NBA season starts in Feb. And that's the best-case scenario. I don't think I've ever been more disenchanted with Stern.

2. Map of time capsules buried under Los Angeles. Via.

3. More 3A Toys news:

ThreeA is proud to announce that it has partnered with amazing Japanese artist Kow Yokoyama to produce Maschinen Krieger in both 1/12 and 1/6 scale! If you think you know Maschinen Krieger think again - ThreeA is about to bring you a whole new world.

Furthermore we will be producing figures for the upcoming blockbuster Reel Steel in 1/6th scale. The Reel Steel movie directed by Shawn Levy stars our own boy from Oz, Hugh Jackman.

4. "The Billionaire Sheikh Who Carved His Name Into an Island." (You can see it from space.)

*At Toycutter: Custom 3A Toys.

*Buy 3A Toys at eBay.

Link roundup

1. 9% of those special flashlights for the Warren Ellis/Berg SVK comic were broken on arrival.

2. FYI, if you plan on visiting Los Angles, do not stay in a hotel downtown.

3. Book giveaway.

Link roundup

1. I've mentioned this once or twice, but there's a charity raffle for some really incredibly painted Warhammer 40K miniatures. You have one more week to enter the raffle.

2. "Last night, the Culver City Cultural Affairs Commission unanimously approved the art work concept for Tony Tasset's Rainbow, which will soon tower over Sony's Culver City lot." You can see what it'll look like at the link.

3. Large, new, and probably NSFW illustration by McBess.

4. If you buy all #1 issues of DC's upcoming relaunched comics, they'll be 50% off at TFAW.

Link roundup

1. Cartoon Brew is conducting a reader survey and giving away a $50 Amazon credit.

2. DIY modern platform dollhouse.

3. If the aquarium was closer to the airport, I think I'd take advantage of the $4 flight Jetblue is offering from Burbank to Long Beach this weekend. (A major freeway is going to be closed all weekend, so residents have been begged not to drive.)

Link roundup

1. Johnny Depp has apparently made $350 million from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

2. The Netherlands is apparently the world's third largest agricultural exporter, despite having little land, thanks to hydroponic agriculture that uses computer-controlled feeding of high-quality chemicals. (Presumably such techniques could be applied elsewhere if there was a serious danger of food shortages.)

3. For Los Angeles residents, if there's a police helicopter hovering over your house, you can call 213-485-2600 to find out why. (I had need of this today.) Via.

Link roundup

1. Looks like the next set of Happy Meal toys will be some totally lackluster Clone Wars toys. Via.

2. Night vision contact lenses. Via.

3. "Noir Afloat" - - vintage photos of the gambling boats that used to float just past three miles from the shore of Santa Monica and San Pedro.

*Buy Happy Meal toys at eBay.

Link roundup

1. A claim that Adobe is paying for text links. Via.

2. "A third Los Angeles building inspector has been fired in a corruption probe."

3. The Bad Deal is devoted to pointing out dumb deals at Groupon and other daily deal sites. Via.

Link roundup

1. I first mentioned this years ago, but The Edge lost a big vote in his efforts to build a big compound in Malibu.

2. Ann Althouse: "A middle-aged politician sitting at home masturbating because young women thought he was cool when he yelled at that guy that one time is not macho."

3. Member of Canada's national water polo team (and possible Olympian) identified as Vancouver rioter.