Sean, no one has called you an asshole. I can only speak for myself, but you have caused no lingering offense, and I would hate to see you feel wounded over a passing conversation.

I suspect that the continuing discussion about titles has more to do with the way we tend to dissect language and social custom here at b.org. I don't know that we've discussed this one before.

Most of my students address me as "Professor" (no last name there, just Professor), even though I'm not actually a professor. I usually don't say anything, mostly because explaining to them that I'm not a professor would take too much time. I introduce myself and sign all my class emails as Dr. LastName, but I think most of them can't figure out how to pronounce my last name, so they just go with Professor. There are a few who've started calling me Dr. LastInitial, and I'm fine with that.

I thought you had a tenure-track position, Hil. Is that not the case?

I thought you had a tenure-track position, Hil. Is that not the case?

Nope, I'm a lecturer.

Oy vey. I just had to potentially start something on Facebook. Really sad story -- I guess someone one of my contacts knows was killed by a hit and run driver. But he says she was killed by some "foreigner," someone else responds he was probably illegal... But I saw a TV story where they actually talked to the guy and he sounds 100% local. So I had to mention it. Because come ON.

Okay, I know people take their cosplay seriously, and some of the results are excellent, but $4K, seriously? My mind, she is naive and blown. Because that's just the dosh, not the work.

That Carnage suit is awesome.

I can't believe it was so relatively cheap. But the steampunk Iron Man rocks my socks.

Steampunk Iron Man is quite excellent.

Cincinnati had its first wee comic expo a few weekends ago, including a costume contest. There was a dude in full Heath Ledger Joker costume -- really well done -- and he didn't even make the finals.

The final 2 in the adult category were Harley Quinn and Predator. Harley won, because the judges said her costume looked more handmade. But I think Predator got the shaft, because his costume looked handmade, too.

Molotov Cocktease (from the Venture Bros) was also in the contest, and the judges wouldn't say her name, since it was an all-ages contest. Heh.

I was really surprised that there was no one dressed as Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, or a Green Lantern. None. There were, howerver, at least 10 Stormtroopers, of all ages. One was all black. I expected the Hello Kitty one to show up. (It didn't.)

Oh, I take that back -- there was a kid dressed as Batman. No adults, though. However, there were 2 adults dressed as Red Robin and the current iteration of Batgirl, and they were a couple, which was so utterly meta-perfect I squeed and flailed every time they walked by.

I told Tim that next year he should wear his business suit, enter the costume contest, and when it's his turn to walk past the judges, rip open his shirt to reveal the Superman shirt.

It wouldn't win, but it would get a lot of laughs. And I am ALL ABOUT the lulz, baby.

I'm guessing that the upshot of this chart is that there are even fewer decent female characters than I'd thought, and Zoe isn't one of them.

Zoe's on there! Lady of War.