One of the most influential writers in comics today is Warren Ellis, in some ways a true descendant of Hunter S. Thompson's gonzo journalism. Ellis has created some memorable fiction including Global Frequency, Planetary, Transmetroplitan and The Authority. Along the way, he's also dabbled in film & TV, with much more in the pipeline.

Ellis is also a fellow geek at the vanguard of the communications revolution. he was messageboarding long before the messageboards became popular. Gave up blogging before blogging was what they called it. He's listserved, photoblogged, podcast and audioblogged, all while retaining his down-to-earth British sense of 'it's all crap, really". Most of the posts to his mailing list end with the signature "Sent from mobile device probably from the pub".

Here's a sample from a recent email to his "Bad Signal" mailing list:

Songs made freely available for download on the internet by the artists, put into a single file and released as a podcast mixtape for several hundred of my closest friends.

Podcast address:
Songs made freely available for download on the internet
by the artists, put into a single file and released as a
podcast mixtape for several hundred of my closest friends.

Podcast address:
http://warrenellis.libsyn.com/rss

Direct download:
http://warrenellis.libsyn.com/media/warrenellis/superburst08.mp3

Track listing:
http://www.warrenellis.com/index.php?p=439

(Almost) All previous mixtapes:
http://warrenellis.libsyn.com

If you like Superburst Mixtape, tell people

okay. so this probably won't make Jellio's top five consumerables this week, but you can stock up on Pi Day (3.14) paraphanelia for all the mathematicians on your Pi Day list. Although, frankly, the drop of the giant Pi leaves a little something to be desired.

Thorough recap of Burger King/Crispin Porter + Bogusky's product placement in Arrested Development by adfreak's Deanna Zammit:

"Not content to have a central character chow down on a Spicy TenderCrisp Chicken Sandwich, the writers included a scene where psychiatrist-turned-actor Tobias meets his mentor, Carl Weathers (of Predator and Apollo Creed fame), at the restaurant. In the ensuing conversation, Weathers spells out the concept: 'I'm trying to get them (Burger King) to underwrite the TV project I'm working on. Get some money in exchange for setting a scene here.' Tobias answers: 'As long as you don't draw attention to it.' Weathers then goes on to explain how refills of any soft drink are free at BK, before Tobias exclaims, 'It's a wonderful restaurant.'

"Letting the audience in on the gag spoils the placement not a fire-grilled ounce. The irreverent nod to product placement works both for the show and for BK, whose lead ad agency, CP+B, created the chain's Self-Consciously Quirky Brand of Humor in ads featuring the King and, inexplicably, Hootie himself, Darius Rucker."

New episode this Sunday at 8:30 on Fox. Set your TiVos.

Think about all the crap doctors are given by pharmaceutical salespeople. Hats, notepads, magnets. Easily forgettable.

But this Levitra pen, which expands at the push of a button, is quite possibly the greatest leave-behind in drug marketing history. Well, not as good as, say, a $25,000 check. But memorable nonetheless.

Get your own on eBay right now!