12-16-09

RIP Roy E. Disney. The former head of Disney Animation died of cancer today at 79. Sources: CNN, BBC

Health News:
* An iPhone app is turning out to be a great digital stethescope for sending doctors diagnostic information. Source: The Independent
* Scientists have unlocked the genetic code for skin and lung cancers. Source: BBC
* Levels of leptin, a hormone that controls appetite, have been linked to Alzheimer's. Source: BBC
* Drinking coffee & tea (even decaf) appears to help prevent Diabetes. Source: BBC
* An extract from the spice turmeric (curcumin) has been shown to kill cancer cells. Source: BBC
* Scientists have found a way to stop proteins that cause leukemia. Source: BBC
* Scientists have found an antibody that can reduce internal bleeding after an injury. Source: BBC
* Researchers have found a gene marker that may allow early testing for lung cancer. Source: Yahoo

12-15-09

Joe Haldeman has been named a Grand Master of Science Fiction. While my favorite books of his (Mindbridge & Marsbound) are not the most famous ones, it is well deserved. Sources: Whatever, Locus, SF Signal

TV/Movie News:
* Golden Globe nominations were announced this morning. Zap2It has an easy-to-read list and an article on the snubs and surprises. Futon Critic has a list with totals by show/movie/network/distributor.
* Entertainment Weekly has a schedule of mid-season (re)start dates for TV shows.
* The recent Marvel/Disney deal inspired an amusing mashup poster that combines Marvel, Disney & Pixar characters.

Astronomy (aka Pretty Pictures):
* The first photos from the VISTA telescope show the Flame Galaxy. Sources: Space.com, io9, Wired
* io9 has a great picture of the Earth's atmosphere taken from ISS.
* Ultra Deep Field images from Hubble show the oldest galaxies we've seen. Sources: Space.com, CNet, io9
* Space.com has Hubble images they call "blobs, smudges & space jellyfish" from the Orion Nebula.
* The 2 moons of Mars have been captured in the same photo for the first time.
* io9 has pictures of the Heart Nebula from an amateur astrophotographer.
* Wired has Hubble pictures of the Jewel Box Cluster.
* Space.com has a crescent image of Earth taken by the Rosetta spacecraft which was swinging by Earth while chasing a comet.
* Space.com has a picture of the Centaurus A galaxy absorbing another older galaxy.
* NASA celebrated the 400th anniversary of Galileo's first telescope view with mashup images from 3 telescopes. Sources: io9 and Space.com

12-14-09

Audible has the unabridged audiobook of Ringworld by Larry Niven for FREE for a limited time. Source: SFFAudio via SF Signal.

TV news:
* Stargate: Universe and Sanctuary were both renewed. Sources: Futon Critic, SciFi Wire, Zap2It, Hollywood Reporter (via Whatever)
* Writers Guild award nominations were announced. Very little of what I watch was nominated, and I am baffled by the idea that they consider Glee a comedy.
* NBC has announced their mid-season premiere dates and how they fit in the schedule.
* Zap2It teases us about 3rd season Chuck. SciFi Wire has a 6-minute preview.
* Idina Menzel (Wicked) will guest star in the remaining 9 episodes of Glee. Source: Zap2It

DVR timers for the week:
Mon 6pm The Closer
Mon 8pm How I Met Your Mother
Mon 930 Big Bang Theory
Tue 9pm Scrubs
Wed 10pm CSI:NY
Thu 9pm CSI
Fri 7pm Sanctuary (repeats at 9pm) & 20 Pixar Short Films (ABCFAM)
Fri 8pm Dollhouse
Sat 6pm Doctor Who: Waters of Mars (BBCA)

Weekly TV update

FlashForward and V are now off the air until March. ABC announced the dates as March 4th for FlashForward and March 30th for V (which also moves to a new day & time after Lost). This will mess up the airing vs in-show dates for FlashForward, but means it will air without preemptions once it returns. Sources:
* Zap2It and FutonCritic with the announcement
* Robert J Sawyer comments at SciFi Wire
* Showrunner David Goyer comments at Zap2It

As you can see below, I think I'm going to give the pilot to Men of a Certain Age a try because I like the cast. See this review at NJ.com for more info.

DVR timers for the week:
Mon 6pm Alice (SYFY - repeats later) & The Closer (TNT)
Mon 8pm How I Met Your Mother
Mon 930 Big Bang Theory
Mon 10pm Castle & Men of a Certain Age (TNT)
Tue 9pm Scrubs
Wed 9pm Glee
Wed 930 Cougar Town
Wed 10pm CSI:NY
Thu 8pm Bones
Thu 9pm CSI & Fringe
Fri 7pm Sanctuary
Fri 8pm Dollhouse
Sun BBC America marathon of UK edits for Doctor Who episodes (extra footage!)

12-3-09

SyFy's Alice miniseries starts this Sunday. Generally non-spoiler reviews/articles are available at i09, Zap2It, and SciFi Wire if you are debating watching or not.

Jeremiah season 2 is finally coming to DVD, although it will be part of the new Manufacture-on-demand product line from Amazon.

The final David Tennant Doctor Who episode will air on BBC America on January 2nd (which makes 3 Saturdays in a row for new Doctor Who in the US). Sources: Zap2It, FutonCritic

There is a list out (from Reuters care of Zap2It) of the 10 most watched shows of the decade (since we are now less than a month from the end). Of these, I saw #1, I think I might have seen #6, and I wasn't even interested in the rest. For the most part, the shows people watch baffle me.

DVR timers for the rest of the week:
Thu 8pm Bones & FlashForward
Thu 9pm Fringe (& Private Practice?)
Fri 6+8pm Stargate: Universe
Fri 6+9pm Monk
Fri 7+9pm Sanctuary
Fri 7+10p White Collar
Fri 8pm Ghost Whisperer
Fri 9pm Medium
Fri 10pm Numb3rs
Sun 6pm Alice pt1 (SYFY, repeats at 8+10pm)
Sun 9pm Robin Williams HBO special

11-22-09

Tech News:
* Recombo.com has an interesting top 10 list (until the end where it becomes just a joke) about the things mobile phones have made or will make obsolete.

TV News:
* Doctor Who "The End of Time, part 1" will air on BBC America on Dec. 26th (only 1 day after the UK gets to see it). Zap2It and SciFi Wire have sneak peeks. io9 also adds a "What is Doctor Who" video.
* Chuck will return on January 10th. Sources: Ausiello Files, Futon Critic, Zap2It, and What's Alan Watching (which includes interview with the show runner).
* Stunt casting might actually get me to watch an episode of The Simpsons. Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) will be playing Edward Cullen (Twilight) in their Halloween episode next year.
* A full cut of the previously lost Star Trek pilot has been found.

DVR timers for the week:
Mon 8pm Heroes & House & How I Met Your Mother
Mon 930 Big Bang Theory
Mon 10p Castle
Tue 8pm V
Wed 9pm Glee
Wed 930 Cougar Town
Wed 10p CSI:NY
Fri 6/9pm Monk
Fri 7/10pm White Collar

11-2-09

TV/Movie News:
* The Terminator franchise is for sale, and Joss Whedon has made an (extremely amusing) offer to buy it. Sources: i09, SciFi Wire
* December 19th has been announced as the US airdate for the next Doctor Who special, The Waters of Mars. The final 2 David Tennant specials will air "over the holidays" with dates to be announced in December. Source: SciFi Wire, Futon Critic
* John Rhys Davies will not be appearing in The Hobbit. He doesn't want to put back on the dwarf makeup he is allergic to. Source: SciFi Wire
* Defying Gravity will come out on dvd on January 19th, so we'll finally be able to see the rest of the episodes.
* Cougar Town will have a couple familiar guest stars soon: Lisa Kudrow and Scott Foley. Sources: Zap2It & Ausiello Files
* Castle was picked up for a full 2nd season. Source: Zap2It

DVR settings for the week:
Mon 6pm Greek
Mon 8pm Heroes & How I Met Your Mother
Mon 930 Big Bang Theory
Mon 10p Castle
Tue 8pm V (ABC - premiere)
Tue 9pm Universe: Science Fiction, Science Fact (HIST)
Wed 930 Cougar Town
Wed 10p CSI:NY
Thu 8pm Bones & FlashForward
Thu 9pm CSI, Fringe & Supernatural
Fri 6/9pm Stargate: Universe & Monk
Fri 7/10p Sanctuary & White Collar
Fri 8pm Ghost Whisperer
Fri 9pm Medium
Fri 10p Numb3rs
Sat & Sun = nothing