Wednesday, February 25, 2009

2-25-09

RIP Philip Jose Farmer. The author of The World of Tiers, Riverworld and many other books died in his sleep this morning at 91. Sources: SF Signal, Locus, Whatever and SF Scope.

Supernatural has been renewed for another season.

John Cusack has been cast in a time travel comedy.

Amazon's Kindle 2 started shipping this week, so now everyone has reviews. I'm glad that ebooks are getting more distribution and awareness, even though I will continue to use my Pocket PC as an ebook reader instead of buying a dedicated device like the Kindle. See: Wired, PC Magazine, CNet, and Business Week.

Stargate Universe has cast 2 more people (that I haven't seen in enough to make them recognizable). This was corrected at another site as 4 people, one of whom is Lou Diamond Phillips.

Special Effects company Weta made a mermaid tail for a woman whose legs were amputated.

Space.com has an article explaining that some UFO sightings are actually a phenomenon known as sprites, which are triggered by lightning from thunderstorms. The photo they show is great.

BBC radio is including a lot of science fiction in its schedule this year.

Monday, February 23, 2009

2-23-09

List Universe has the Top 20 Science Fiction Films of the 80s. Strange things about this: 1) I haven't actually seen them all (only about 13/20 or 22/31) and 2) They manage to find 20 films in one decade (31 if you count the bonus and notable omissions section) and I still feel there are movies that were left off (esp. Enemy Mine). I guess it was a better decade for SF than I remembered.

Asimov's has put their Nebula-nominated stories online for free reading. Note: if you haven't nominated for the Hugos, but plan to before the deadline this Saturday, 2 of these stories are eligible.

SF Signal
lists a bunch of other short fiction that has recently been posted online.

More complications with the merging of TV and internet: Hulu has been forced to stop distributing video through TV.com and Boxee. Content providers really think they can stop people watching web videos on their TVs by disallowing the legal, ad-supported companies? They are just going to drive more people to Bittorrent. See more at: CNet Social, CNet Digital Media, and Techdirt.

NBC and Wired both have articles about advancements in nano electronics that dramatically increases maximum storage density (they can fit 250 dvds in a device the size of a quarter).

BBC News has concept art for the UK's new reusable spaceship (that just got funding).

DVRs for the week:
Mon 6pm Kyle XY & The Closer
Mon 8pm Chuck & House
Mon 9pm Heroes
Mon 10pm Medium
Tue 7pm Leverage
Wed 9pm Lost & Life
Wed 10pm CSI:NY & Life on Mars
Thu 7pm Burn Notice
Thu 9pm CSI
Thu 10pm Eleventh Hour
Fri 7pm Battlestar Galactica
Fri 8pm Ghost Whisperer & Sarah Connor Chronicles
Fri 9pm Dollhouse
Fri 10pm Numb3rs
Sat SYN Legend of the Seeker

Friday, February 20, 2009

2-20-09

Although, sadly, The Middleman TV show is officially dead, it will have an extras-packed dvd this summer, then continue in comic book form. Sources: What's Alan Watching, Tor.com and i09.

Tor has an article about all the Jane Austen/SF projects I mentioned yesterday. I love the poster they show.

Great animal stories: cat diagnoses lung cancer and otter points camera at photographer.

Gradual desensitization may help cure peanut allergies.

Seattle is no longer in competition for the 2011 Worldcon (they lost their facilities, so may bid on a year further out), leaving Reno as the only remaining bid.

Gizmotron has a guide to Steampunk gadgets.

Funny internet rumor of the day: some Google Earth users spotted lines in the water off the coast of Africa and thought they'd found Atlantis - in actuality, it was data remnants from the path the boat took while collecting sea floor measurements, but I guess Atlantis sounds better. Sources: The Sun (c/o Slashdot) and CNet.

Cool new YouTube animation: The Future of the Ebook (they don't mean ebooks the way I think of them).

Apparently ABC is planning to finally air the final episodes of Pushing Daisies this summer (at the same time the dvd comes out).

i09 lists 9 books that deserve to be movies (I'm not sure about the word "deserve". I think that depends on the quality of the adaptation, but I'm going with the assumption they would be translated well to screen and they should get a wider audience.) I agree with a few and haven't read a few, but I think there should be a Jack McDevitt on the list.

If you haven't already read it, go check out the story of the squirrel and the motorcycle. It's the funniest thing I've read in ages.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

2-19-09

Space.com has a great photo of Earth eclipsing the sun as seen from Japan's lunar orbiter.

New discovery for repair of spinal injuries.

New discovery of possible cause of Alzheimer's.

Michael Vartan has a new TV show starting later this year on TNT. It looks like a medical drama called "Time Heals" but there isn't enough information to tell if it will be watchable.

Elton John's company is producing a movie called "Pride and Predator" (Jane Austen era story with an alien invasion). According to i09, this is just one of the 3 planned movies that mix Jane Austen with scifi elements.

If, like me, you haven't gotten around to watching David Hewlett's (McKay on Stargate: Atlantis) movie, A Dog's Breakfast, then go to Hulu.com. They have it for free viewing for the next month.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

2-17-09

Charlaine Harris is going to have her entire backlist released in audiobook format (not just the Sookie Stackhouse stories).

Joss Whedon will be given this year's Bradbury award for screenwriting for Dr. Horrible. Another article at Locus.

We're getting closer to universal cell phone chargers (which we should have had all along). Sources: The Register (c/o Slashdot), CNet and Techdirt.

RIP Alfred A. Knopf. The publisher of many wonderful books died at the age of 90.

For some strange reason, I find food as art amusing. Wired (with an interview and a gallery) and Tor (wich also links to a Flickr gallery) have recently spotlighted scifi bento box art.

DVRs for the rest of the week:
Tues 7pm Leverage
Wed 9pm Lost & Life
Wed 10pm CSI:NY & Life on Mars
Thu 7pm Burn Notice
Thu 8pm Bones & My Name is Earl
Thu 9pm CSI & Grey's Anatomy
Thu 10pm Eleventh Hour & Private Practice
Fri 6pm Monk
Fri 7pm Psych & Battlestar Galactica
Fri 8pm Sarah Connor Chronicles
Fri 9pm Dollhouse
Sat SYN Legend of the Seeker

Monday, February 9, 2009

2-14-09

Lifetime is turning 4 more Nora Roberts books into movies to air in March and April.

The Battlestar Galactica prequel, Caprica, will debut on dvd this April (and not air on SciFi until next year).

It looks like we have to wait til June for Torchwood season 3 on TV (or July for the dvd). TVshowsondvd has a preview for it to tide us over.

Summer Glau (Firefly, Sarah Connor Chronicles) will be guest starring as herself on Big Bang Theory next month.

Dreamworks Touchstone movies will be distributed by Disney starting next year. (Their animated movies are distributed through Paramount.)

CW has given a green light to "Vampire Diaries". Unfortunately, it sounds like a teen soap with genre trappings.

Have you been wondering what "Up" (Pixar's next movie) is actually about? They previewed the beginning of the movie and SciFi Wire has a spoiler-full summary.

In April, Alien Trespass will be coming to theaters, designed to look like a 50s B movie. It sounds like it might be fun. Details at SF Scope and SciFi Wire.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

2-5-09

Locus has put up the ballot for their annual poll.

Forrest Ackerman's entire collection is up for sale. How sad. Sources: SciFi Wire, AP

We're getting closer to a universal flu vaccine. Wouldn't it be nice to have a flu vaccine that protected against more than just the one or two strains they think are most likely to hit?

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

2-4-09

BBC America has announced 3 genre shows coming "later in 2009" (whenever that happens to be - I wish they'd been more specific): Being Human (vampire, werewolf & ghost share a flat), Survivors (post apocalypse), and 3rd season Primeval.

Google Maps has a new mobile application called Latitude, which lets you share your location information with friends and family (you can set level at specific address, city level, or not shared on a person-by-person basis) once you install the app on your mobile device (but not the iPhone yet). Sources: SF Gate (AP), Wired, CNet.

Yahoo is discontinuing their Briefcase. I'll have to check what files I have there and move them. I used to use it to store files I wanted access to at both home and work, but I mostly use my flash drive for that now. The CNet article mentions other services that you can use to replace your Briefcase if you still use it.

Since Microsoft released the beta of Windows 7, there has been a bunch of news and reviews about it (most of which I've left off this blog), but here are a few good links. Ars Technica takes an in-depth look at the new taskbar and CNet breaks down what they like and what they don't like about it.

While looking at Microsoft releases, there are also reviews of their IE 8 release candidate. I'm sure I'll stick with Firefox whenever I can, but if you're curious, there is a photo gallery at CNet and a full review at PC Magazine.

The Galaxy Express has a 2-part look at SF Romances (the good, the bad, and some history). See Part 1 & Part 2.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

2-3-09

The New York Times has an article on advances in research on refrigeration using magnetic fields.

For the next 6 months, the Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa will have an exhibit on Snoopy and NASA.

io9 has a gallery of 40 years of moon exploration pictures.

Webecoist has pictures of 15 homes using dirt in their construction. I love the hobbit hole.

The Sierra Nevada brewery is going to start testing a portable ethanol refinery that will transform their used yeast into fuel.

Amazon has launched a game download service. Games are free to try for 30 minutes, with most costing 6.99 to 9.99 after that.

Google Earth version 5.0 was announced this week with new coverage of the oceans, Mars, and historic satellite images. Links: CNet photo gallery, photos from announcement, CNet article on why the oceans were added, CNet article on Mars additions, and Guardian article.

Monday, February 2, 2009

2-2-09

Locus has released their Recommended Reading List for 2008 books.

SF Site has also posted their Best of 2008 list.

TNT has renewed Leverage for a 2nd season.

ABC Family has renewed Greek and canceled Kyle XY.

DVRs for the week:
Mon 6pm The Closer & Kyle XY
Mon 8pm Chuck, House & Big Bang Theory
Mon 830 How I Met Your Mother
Mon 9pm Heroes & 2.5 Men
Mon 10pm Medium (season premiere)
Tue 7pm Leverage
Tue 9pm Scrubs & Fringe
Wed 9pm Lost & Life
Wed 10pm Life on Mars
Thu 7pm Burn Notice
Thu 8pm Bones & My Name is Earl
Thu 9pm Supernatural & Grey's Anatomy
Thu 10pm Private Practice
Fri 6pm Monk
Fri 7pm Battlestar Galactica
Fri 8pm Ghost Whisperer
Fri 9pm Psych
Fri 10pm Numb3rs
Sat & Sun --nothing--