Star Wars merchandising in conjunction with the release of Episode II is predictably widespread. The usual Legos, lunchboxes, minibusts, and action figures are all out there on the shelves in the now-traditional marketing blitz.

But God help the poor rocker boy or grrl who purchases these guitars, made by Fernandes and found via The Angry Robot. Let me Jedi mind-trick you for a moment -- if you think having one of these will make you cool, think again.

If a band manages to get a video on MTV playing one of these guitars within the next 10 years, I'll personally eat all of their broken strings for the rest of my life.

After that, ironic coolness will set in and it might actually be hip to have one. But for now, These Are NOT The Guitars You Want. (insert subtle hand flourish here)

Today's new feature is the photography portfolio on the left sidebar! I'll be adding images from time to time, so keep an eye out for a rotating set of still images by yours truly.

Please, please, do not repost these images without my permission. If you link one of the images from your site, please also provide a credit line with a link to the main page of this site.

Thanks, and enjoy!

The Turner Prize short list has arrived. (See also this Reuters article.)

I'm sure no one is too surprised at the typically controversial list&#8212recitations of porn film plots, random conceptual projects generated by a computer (such as a KFC menu cast in lead), et cetera. It's what we've come to expect from the Turner.

Two things, however, are especially interesting this year.

First, the list is actually rather less unusual than normal. While the Reuters story attempts to make much of photographer Catherine Yass's choice of subject matter&#8212hospital corridors, toilets,etc.&#8212the fact remains that her choice of medium is far from shocking and her work is nowhere near the bafflingly conceptual levels of most Turner short-listers. Likewise, Liam Gillick's constructed sculptural installations and furniture come nowhere near the pickled-sheep, mussed-bed pinnacles of past Turner shock value.

"Why should this be?" you may ask. It's all due to the second novelty of this year's Turner:

This year the public were asked for the first time to nominate artists. More than 500 names were put forward: three of the four who made it on to the shortlist were public choices.

It seems almost certain that Yass and Gillick were among the public choices. Still, novelties aside, this year's Turner promises to be as entertainingly odd as ever.

Those wacky Brits!