Posted by Michael Pinto on Jan 31, 2009 in Pulp Fiction
If you’re in the market for open source science fiction and fantasy stories you may want to check out freesfonline.de which has a pretty decent collection of works by various authors. For eons what’s left of the pulp magazines have been struggling, so I wonder if like Linux that this might breath some new life into the market? Shown above is a cover for the book Little Brother by Cory Doctorow which is one of the goodies ready for reading.
Posted by Michael Pinto on Jan 31, 2009 in Science
Lacking a new administrator NASA’s next direction seems a bit uncertain — and part of the problem with the previous administrator was that the Orion Vehicle project which was suppose to replace the space shuttle which ran way over budget. This past week a mockup of part of the new system arrived at the Kennedy Space Center with the hope that NASA can put together a test launch by July. While it’s certain that President Obama wants to return to the moon his immediate focus at the White House has been on trying to rescue the economy, although the space exploration fanboy in me hopes he gives NASA some leadership sooner than later.
Posted by Michael Pinto on Jan 31, 2009 in Japanese TV
I can’t place an exact date on this Japanese advert for Kirin Mets Grapefruit although judging by the quality of the animation I’d say that it was produced in the 80s. During the early days of computer animation the technique was so expensive that using it became a visual gimmick to get attention — even if it had no connection to the product that you were selling. You get the feeling that the marketing department at Kirin was a bit worried and added the young lady in the swimsuit “just in case”.
This video is from a New York fashion show that showcases models wearing superhero chocolate outfits. The fashion show was part of the New York Chocolate Show last year (I knew I should have gone). I think the most delicious featured frock was Barbarella although the outfits for Wonder Woman and Iron Man were also tasty treats.
Posted by Michael Pinto on Jan 29, 2009 in Star Trek
I’m sort of sad knowing that Shatner won’t be in the next Star Trek film, but I’ve been watching him take on the role of a talk show host and he’s pretty darn good at it. Look out Oprah you’ve got Admiral Kirk gunning for your job…
Posted by Michael Pinto on Jan 29, 2009 in Star Trek
This is a fan made video that kit bashes the A Team opening theme with the original Star Trek cast. The funny thing is that I’ve forgotten how many silly scenes there were in the original series…
If you’re a geek and you’re reading this, to you social media is old news — which is why it’s now mainstream (and about to get worse). But first a history lesson: The real story behind the sucess of MySpace and Facebook is that they were sites NOT aimed at geeks — unlike so many Web 1.0 hubs the real appeal of this first generation of these Web 2.0 sites is that they allowed a younger demographic to organize their real world activities. As an example MySpace empowered Gen Y to see their favorite band or to meet their classmates before moving into the form on Facebook. Yet there was still a generational barrier in place that has only slowly been crumbling lead by elder techies and creatives. Read more…
Posted by Michael Pinto on Jan 28, 2009 in Comic Books
The art student inside of me always takes a certain pleasure when artists take on a pop culture icon — although too many times the result becomes trapped within the techniques of a Andy Warhol silkscreen look or a Roy Lichtenstein graphic approach: Which is why I’m impressed with what artist CW Wells is doing here with his take Batman which is titled mr fancy pants. His multimedia approach has a nice little touch of 80s Memphis with his approach to texture with the dark knight who’s a little bit less dark as a result. For more info on CW Wells you can find his bio here and follow his Flickr feed here.
One of the fun things about urban toys is when they give you a fresh take on a familiar character, and that’s the case with these Modern Pets Friend: Mickey and Minnie figurines. In fact looking at these toys I almost wish that Disney would think of doing some feature length animation with a set of reinvented characters done right (of course while trying to avoid over doing it ala Muppet Babies).
Posted by Guest Author on Jan 27, 2009 in Animation
Editor’s Note: In this essay film critic Joe Strike offers us his insights into the Oscars nominees for best animated feature.
For me, the Oscar I most look forward to during that endless TV show isn’t Best Picture or Best Director, but Best (or Outstanding Achievement In, I guess) Animated Feature (from hereon referred to as BAF). The first straw in the wind was Wall-E’s Golden Globes BAF win. At that point I was sure the Oscar nominees would be Wall-E, Kung-Fu Panda and (the token intellectual nominee) Waltz with Bashir. Turns out Bashir got a Best Foreign Film nomination (way to go, Avi – nice Jewish boy makes good!) and Disney’s superdog Bolt filled out the third spot. (A fun movie, but not a flick for the ages.) Read more…
