This Week in Geek: Ed Norton Out, USB Ring, Two Obits

This is the way Patrick Stewart should have been knighted by the Queen. jIH DaH ja’ SoH Sir Patrick Stewart! Qapla! Other news…

Ray Arifianto, a Microsoft game developer, was given a custom-made wedding ring designed to look like a USB drive by his wife. The ring was created by Foxfire Jewelers, known for their unique creations, and has “for a lifetime of memories” inscribed inside of it. Some people are calling his wife the best wife ever.

Monkey Migraine: I disagree. The best wife ever would have given him a working USB wedding ring.
Maurice: Did it at least have a diamond? It would be cool if the ring had pictures on the couple on it. Awwwwwww…

Over the weekend, Hitfix broke the story that Marvel has dropped Edward Norton from the upcoming The Avengers movie. He was originally supposed to be reprising his role as Bruce Banner from The Incredible Hulk. Instead, Marvel will hire an unknown actor. The story drew outrage from fans. Marvel claims it’s a decision based on Norton’s lack of commitment to the character, Norton’s camp says it was a decision based on money. There’s been outrage from the geek community over the change, but Norton himself expressed his disappointment gracefully and wistfully on Facebook.

Monkey Migraine: I’m disappointed that Norton won’t be coming back, but not surprised. I always felt the roster of big-name stars was the Achilles heel of “The Avengers” movie. Talent costs money. By the time you get Robert Downey Jr. and Samuel Jackson on the cast list, you don’t have much money for anyone else. Let’s just hope Norton is the only casualty.
Maurice: It makes me sad in a way, since he had such a unique take on the character. He really captured the sense of isolation and tension that Bruce Banner would feel in this situation. Plus, he was integral in bringing some key aspects of the Marvel universe into the film. Edward Norton has never been a team player though, so this will finally take the mystery out of the role.

Harvey Pekar, author of the long-running autobiographical comic book American Splendor, died on July 12. The series began when Pekar met underground comic artist Robert Crumb and discovered that comics could be about more than superheroes. Crumb began illustrating the stories about Pekar’s life as a grumpy filing clerk in 1976, and a movie was produced in 2003.

Also this week brought the death of Robert Galambos, a neuroscientist and giant in auditory research. In 1940, he proved that bats navigate using echolocation, something that was unknown at the time.

Whats your take on the week’s news?