You’ve hopefully noticed that we recently launched a new editorial section at GateWorld, staff blogs. These are online journals where members of our slave work force can maintain their own personal space for opining, commenting, and sometimes just being ridiculous. All important things to a Stargate fan.Even though the blogs are at GateWorld.net, and even though some are written by the very same people who bring you news and interviews, keep in mind that these are the author’s own personal space. We won’t review or approve anything prior to publication, and we won’t censor. Read ’em as the author’s own opinion, not GateWorld’s.In the future we hope to add blogs written by other Stargate fans who we think would have interesting and entertaining things to say!So from now on you’ll start to find the editorial content that we’ve been slipping into your News Briefing over there instead, leaving this space for, as they say, “Just the facts, Ma’am.” When there is news to report about the goings-on behind the scenes of this site, look for it especially at Darren’s blog and David’s blog.We’re aiming to publish these briefings once a week, every week, hopefully on the same ol’ reliable day of the week. You’ll have to stay tuned to see if we actually manage to do it.Now, news, on with you!

SCI FI this month has switched its popular “Stargate Monday” block of programming to theme nights! Rather than airing the first seven seasons in order (look to weeknights at 6 p.m. Eastern/Pacific for that), the upcoming 4-hour Monday night block includes key episodes about alien body snatching (March 13), resurrection / ascension (March 20), Sam and Jack (April 3), the Russians (April 17), and Season Seven’s two-parters (April 24), for example. (Stargate Monday will not air on March 27, in lieu of the SCI FI mini-series Dark Kingdom.) Look for the full schedules at SciFi.com.

Still stuck with the short version of “Threads” on DVD (Region 1 – North America)? Sony has extended the disc trade-in offer through next month! Learn more at CheckMyRebate.com. Boxed sets must be purchased by March 31, 2006, and the mail-in portion of the redemption postmarked by April 30.

New Zealand’s TV2 network will air SG-1 Season Eight on Saturday afternoons at 1 p.m., starting April 1. Prime is also screening the first season of Atlantis.PRODUCTS

On the shelves now at comic stores everywhere is the first trade paperback volume of the Stargate SG-1 comic series, which brings together in one book the 3-issue story “P.O.W.” and the original stories “Know Your Enemy” and “First Prime.” The 96-page book has an artwork cover and features a number of photos of the cast, including one of Michael Shanks as Daniel Jackson. The trade paperback has been issued as a regular paperback as well as a limited edition (1,000 copies) hardback.

In May, Avatar’s SG-1 comic series continues with the issue “Ra Reborn” prequel issue, as well as a 2006 Convention Special, with a story featuring the popular SG-1 characters the Nox.To check out the issue covers and to place orders for the forthcoming issues (and back issues) visit the Comic Cavalcade” Web site.

Get your free Jack O’Neill in May! Stargate action figure licensee Diamond Select Toys will offer a free figure on Free Comic Book Day — May 6, 2006. The event has traditionally featured loads of free comic books from publishers large and small, but this year it will have a special added (and unusual!) treat for SG-1 fans! Free Comic Book Day will be held at comic book stores across the nation; check with your local retailer to see if they are participating, and if they’ll have the figures. First come, first served!You can see a photo of the free O’Neill figure here. Read more about Free Comic Book Day here.

Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment has selected the BigWorld Technology Suite as the development platform for its forthcoming MGM-licensed MMO (massively multi-player online role-playing game), based on the Stargate franchise. The suite is an integrated set of tools, software, and systems that provides all of the underlying technology and content development tools required to produce an MMO, providing operators and studios with a lower cost and total time-to-build. Stargate Worlds is now in pre-production.CONVENTIONS

Creation Entertainment has made three big announcements for fans attending this month’s Stargate convention in Vancouver. The first is a special bus tour scheduled for Monday, March 27. The tour guide is Lynn Smith, location manager for seven seasons of Stargate SG-1. She will be hosting a day tour through the city of Vancouver, pointing out locations used in the filming of the series.Second, fans who sign up to tour the sets of Stargate will be permitted to take photos this year (for personal use only — no Internet publishing). Visitors to the set must sign a waiver.Finally, convention attendees can purchase a special photo opportunity with Thor himself, Supreme Commander of the Asgard fleet! The animatronic puppet has been made available to the convention for photos with fans. Learn more at Creation’s Web site.

Gatecon UK has been scheduled for August 7 to 13, 2006 in Cheltenham, England. Fans will have a chance to win a sunrise hot air balloon ride with Teryl Rothery (“Janet Fraiser”) and Colin Cunningham (“Paul Davis”). Tickets are on sale now at Gatecon.com.

Rachel Luttrell, Chris Judge, Alex Zahara (“Xe’ls,” “Michael,” and many other roles), Dan Payne (Kull warrior), Andrew Jackson (“Per’sus”), and many others will appear at the Timeless Destinations event in Vancouver, July 31 to August 6. The popular fan event “Sekhs Party” will also take place during the convention, to raise money for the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Corin Nemec (“Jonas Quinn”) will appear at Big Apple Con, March 31 to April 2 in New York City.ACTOR WATCH

Richard Dean Anderson (“Jack O’Neill”) will attend the upcoming Sea Shepherd benefit in San Diego, California, ‘Tapasand Tops’ls,’ on June 4, 2006. Anderson is the organization’s director. The Sunday afternoon event will take place aboard the Star of India moored at the San Diego Maritime Museum, and will include a silent auction to raise money, and dancing to vintage rock n’ roll. Tickets to the event are selling quickly and can be purchased at tapasandtopsls.org. All proceeds go to charity to support conservation efforts.

SG-1 alumnus Gavin Hood has won an Oscar! Hood wrote and directed the South African movie “Tsotsi,” winner of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film at last week’s 78th annual event. Hood played Colonel Alexi Vaselov in Season Eight’s “Lockdown.”

Rachel Luttrell (Teyla Emmagan”) is now answering fan questions at The Scifi World forum! (Before posting, please read the rules on how to post your questions.)

Gary Jones will reprise his role as Chief Master Sergeant Walter Harriman in SG-1‘s upcoming tenth season, and will make an appearance in the Stargate Atlantis Season Three opener, according to the Gary Jones Official Web Site.

Beau Bridges (“Hank Landry”) reprises his role as Carl on “My Name Is Earl,” airing March 16 on NBC. The episode is titled “Dad’s Car.” For all the Mother’s Days Earl blew, he is asked to do something nice for his father, so Earl tries to redeem his father’s classic Mustang lost in a bet by Earl when he was a kid.

Stargate Atlantis guest star Robert Patrick (“Marshall Sumner”) stars as Colonel Tom Ryan in the new CBS series The Unit, which premiered Tuesday, March 7 at 9 p.m. Eastern/Pacific. The series follows a covert team of Special Forces operatives as they risk their lives on undercover missions around the globe.

Ronny Cox (“Robert Kinsey”) will guest star in an upcoming episode of ABC’s smash hit Desperate Housewives! Cox will appear as Bree’s father when Bree is taken to court. The episode co-stars Carol Burnett, and is scheduled to air on Sunday, April 9 on ABC.

Adam Baldwin (“David Dixon”) will star opposite Taye Diggs in ABC’s new drama Day Break. Rob Bowman (The X-Files) is directing the pilot. The show is about an L.A.-based cop (Diggs) who’s trying to stop the murder of a loved one while trying to find the person who framed him for murder.

Dion Johnstone (“Chaka” and “Tyler,” among many other SG-1 roles) is now appearing on stage in Vancouver, B.C. in the musical version of “The Lord of the Rings.” Johnstone plays Boromir.

Sean Patrick Flanery (“Orlin”) has joined the cast of ABC’s Secrets of a Small Town, a murder mystery drama that tracks the murder of a teenage girl and the disappearance of her sister.

John Billingsley (“Simon Coombs”) has signed on for ABC’s untitled “Steinbergs” drama.Reporting by Livi Dolgin and Darren Sumner.(Thanks to Morjana, liam, jace, Jen, Katie, Claire Finnegan, Jeepifer, Kelly Thorndycroft, Andrew Clarke, Mark Nguyen, B. Nonymous, Glenn, Trish, and CathyRas for contributing)