Japanese scientists have found a way to reverse liver cirrhosis. By using a man-made molecule encased in vitamin A, the cells absorb the molecule and block the formation of collagen. Once the fibrosis is gone, the liver repairs itself.
A Tennessee courthouse is going to have a statue of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. :)
ABC has set their schedule for returning shows in April/May. Women's Murder Club is moving to Tuesdays, and Men in Trees will be taking a few weeks off again.
Supernatural has been renewed. The article at SciFi wire has some teasing, but no real spoilers.
DVR for tonight:
5pm Greek
8pm Big Bang Theory
830 How I Met Your Mother
9pm New Amsterdam & 2.5 Men
10p Medium
Monday, March 31, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
3-28-08
Popular Mechanics lists the 10 Most Prophetic Science Fiction Movies Ever. Another list to argue about (especially since I don't think some of their choices were even trying to predict the future, just look cool), but I like their #1 pick (Gattaca). I also find it interesting that 2 of the 10 have the same author (Andrew Niccol).
CNet's Crave today discusses the Top 10 Obsolete Ports. Of these, I still use 2 (parallel and PS2) on a regular basis, and they left off the serial port (probably because most computers don't even have them now, even though I want to use old hardware that requires it). I do like their page 10 joke.
Since Firefox 3 is just about ready for public (non-beta) download, they have started to plan what will be in Firefox 4. Two features planned are application launches that will work offline and synchronizing browser settings between different computers you log on to. Read more at the Webware article.
2 articles this week on the silicon chip: ITnews thinks the chip is dead and will be replaced by carbon nanotubes and superconductors, and BBC news has an article about silicon bonded with rubber to make stretchable chips for flexible applications.
A French sound recording made nearly 2 decades before Edison ever recorded sound has been found and played. (The original technology could record but not play back sounds, but researchers have found a way to play it back.)
A columnist for Earth & Sky has proposed that a Gamma Ray Blast that occurred on the same morning as Arthur C. Clarke's death be renamed as the "Clarke event". He urges people to contact planetariums to put more support behind the request.
Eos is giving away copies of their Hugo nominated books (The Yiddish Policeman's Union and The New Space Opera) as well as putting excerpts online.
SF Awards watch has a reminder that the Locus Poll submissions need to be in by April 15th. If you want to vote, the ballot is here.
DVR for tonight:
Battlestar Galactica specials
CNet's Crave today discusses the Top 10 Obsolete Ports. Of these, I still use 2 (parallel and PS2) on a regular basis, and they left off the serial port (probably because most computers don't even have them now, even though I want to use old hardware that requires it). I do like their page 10 joke.
Since Firefox 3 is just about ready for public (non-beta) download, they have started to plan what will be in Firefox 4. Two features planned are application launches that will work offline and synchronizing browser settings between different computers you log on to. Read more at the Webware article.
2 articles this week on the silicon chip: ITnews thinks the chip is dead and will be replaced by carbon nanotubes and superconductors, and BBC news has an article about silicon bonded with rubber to make stretchable chips for flexible applications.
A French sound recording made nearly 2 decades before Edison ever recorded sound has been found and played. (The original technology could record but not play back sounds, but researchers have found a way to play it back.)
A columnist for Earth & Sky has proposed that a Gamma Ray Blast that occurred on the same morning as Arthur C. Clarke's death be renamed as the "Clarke event". He urges people to contact planetariums to put more support behind the request.
Eos is giving away copies of their Hugo nominated books (The Yiddish Policeman's Union and The New Space Opera) as well as putting excerpts online.
SF Awards watch has a reminder that the Locus Poll submissions need to be in by April 15th. If you want to vote, the ballot is here.
DVR for tonight:
Battlestar Galactica specials
Thursday, March 27, 2008
3-27-08
Weird Tales is listing the 85 Weirdest Storytellers of the Past 85 Years. Weird is good. There are some great authors, artists, and creative visionaries on the list.
Bar codes that can be read by cell phones link window shoppers to web content for a business (ex. a Citysearch page). The technology has been used in Europe, but today in SF is the first US rollout.
The actor who plays Helo on Battlestar Galactica (Tahmoh Penikett) is joining Joss Whedon's new show, Dollhouse.
The release for the Robot Chicken: Star Wars dvd has been delayed until July.
DVR for tonight:
9pm Reaper (Season? finale)
Bar codes that can be read by cell phones link window shoppers to web content for a business (ex. a Citysearch page). The technology has been used in Europe, but today in SF is the first US rollout.
The actor who plays Helo on Battlestar Galactica (Tahmoh Penikett) is joining Joss Whedon's new show, Dollhouse.
The release for the Robot Chicken: Star Wars dvd has been delayed until July.
DVR for tonight:
9pm Reaper (Season? finale)
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
3-26-08
You've seen concept car photos, but today Computerworld has concept laptops. They show concept art and discuss how (they think) laptops will be used in 7 years. I like the Canova.
The List Universe has posted the Top 15 Science Fiction Book Series (note this means no fantasy). Despite a few omissions, I think the list is really good. I've read at least part of 8 (Vorkosigan, Dune, Hitchhiker's Guide, Ringworld, Ender, Heinlein's Future History, Barsoom, and Foundation) and others have been on my TBR pile for years. Check out the actual list for artwork, the ones I've missed, and reasons for placement (as well as the comments arguments about what is missing).
In 1968, Modern Mechanix had an article predicting what the world would be like in 40 years. We're here now, but the world isn't quite like they pictured (although there is more accuracy than you would expect). Read the original article here.
Want an Indy marathon prior to watching the new movie? SciFi will air all 3 movies on May 18th prior to their special Mystery of the Crystal Skulls.
Speaking of SciFi, SF Signal takes a look at their upcoming scripted programming. They offer more detailed descriptions, and there might be 1 or 2 more that are worth watching than I gave them credit for originally. I was planning to check out Alice and Caprica, but may now also look at Stranded and Deputized, depending on how they look once we get closer.
Rob Thomas has just been hired to write the pilot for a 3rd show. Five Year Plan, for ABC, is based on a New Zealand show called Outrageous Fortune. He's going to be very busy.
Subterranean Magazine is selling preorders for their final print issue. It has a Scalzi story that takes place between Old Man's War and Ghost Brigades.
DVR for tonight:
10pm Men in Trees
The List Universe has posted the Top 15 Science Fiction Book Series (note this means no fantasy). Despite a few omissions, I think the list is really good. I've read at least part of 8 (Vorkosigan, Dune, Hitchhiker's Guide, Ringworld, Ender, Heinlein's Future History, Barsoom, and Foundation) and others have been on my TBR pile for years. Check out the actual list for artwork, the ones I've missed, and reasons for placement (as well as the comments arguments about what is missing).
In 1968, Modern Mechanix had an article predicting what the world would be like in 40 years. We're here now, but the world isn't quite like they pictured (although there is more accuracy than you would expect). Read the original article here.
Want an Indy marathon prior to watching the new movie? SciFi will air all 3 movies on May 18th prior to their special Mystery of the Crystal Skulls.
Speaking of SciFi, SF Signal takes a look at their upcoming scripted programming. They offer more detailed descriptions, and there might be 1 or 2 more that are worth watching than I gave them credit for originally. I was planning to check out Alice and Caprica, but may now also look at Stranded and Deputized, depending on how they look once we get closer.
Rob Thomas has just been hired to write the pilot for a 3rd show. Five Year Plan, for ABC, is based on a New Zealand show called Outrageous Fortune. He's going to be very busy.
Subterranean Magazine is selling preorders for their final print issue. It has a Scalzi story that takes place between Old Man's War and Ghost Brigades.
DVR for tonight:
10pm Men in Trees
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
3-25-08
Numb3rs will be losing another lead actress. Diane Farr is leaving the show at the end of this season.
Stephen King and his son (bestselling author Joe Hill) are collaborating on a novella which will appear in an anthology honoring Richard Matheson.
Microsoft has released a timeline for the phasing out of XP. Considering it will be years before any software requiring FDA approval could ever be approved for use on Vista, I see that we are going to be screaming for them to extend their support timeframe. Just because they want people to switch doesn't mean we all can. This report from CNet implies the deadline may continue to shift.
The compiler of the Classics of Science Fiction lists is considering new lists with slightly different criteria (for SF books that even a non-genre reader has heard about).
The original drawing of Ada Byron (later known as Countess Lovelace, the world's first programmer) has been sold on eBay to a computer programmer. How appropriate.
DVR for tonight:
10pm Jericho (series finale)
Stephen King and his son (bestselling author Joe Hill) are collaborating on a novella which will appear in an anthology honoring Richard Matheson.
Microsoft has released a timeline for the phasing out of XP. Considering it will be years before any software requiring FDA approval could ever be approved for use on Vista, I see that we are going to be screaming for them to extend their support timeframe. Just because they want people to switch doesn't mean we all can. This report from CNet implies the deadline may continue to shift.
The compiler of the Classics of Science Fiction lists is considering new lists with slightly different criteria (for SF books that even a non-genre reader has heard about).
The original drawing of Ada Byron (later known as Countess Lovelace, the world's first programmer) has been sold on eBay to a computer programmer. How appropriate.
DVR for tonight:
10pm Jericho (series finale)
Monday, March 24, 2008
3-24-08
SF Signal has reviews of all the Nebula short fiction nominees (as well as links to the online versions). I read a few of these over the weekend, and will be reading more over the next few days, so I'm curious to see where we agree and disagree.
Surveillance technology meant to catch the transport of dirty bombs instead detected a cat who had cancer treatment.
DVRs for tonight:
5pm Greek (season premier)
8pm Big Bang Theory
830 How I Met Your Mother
9pm New Amsterdam & 2.5 Men
10pm Medium
Surveillance technology meant to catch the transport of dirty bombs instead detected a cat who had cancer treatment.
DVRs for tonight:
5pm Greek (season premier)
8pm Big Bang Theory
830 How I Met Your Mother
9pm New Amsterdam & 2.5 Men
10pm Medium
Friday, March 21, 2008
3-21-08
Hugo Nominations have been announced. A few things I voted for even made the list (YAY!), but I'll have some reading to do. John Scalzi comments on his nominations. The nominee list at SF Signal has links to free online versions (more to come soon).
Jericho has officially been canceled again.
Nanochip Inc. has developed a new flash memory technology that stores memory in a different way, so it won't be limited by the Moore's Law trend. We may see 1TB storage on a chip in only a few years.
A math puzzle that has been unsolved for 38 years is now solved. An Israeli-Russian mathematician has solved the Road Coloring Problem.
Studies warn that the east bay is due for a magnitude 7 earthquake on the Hayward fault at any time now, and we are not even remotely ready for it (only 5-15% of buildings are even insured compared to 30-40% for Katrina-damaged).
It sounds like Apple may be contemplating selling an iPod that comes with all the (legal) free music downloads you want from iTunes if you pay a higher price upfront for the iPod. (Basically different methods for doing a subscription music service instead of a pay-per-song method.)
It looks like The Sarah Connor Chronicles will be renewed. While it hasn't been officially announced, they have been given permission to add staff.
The TV Guide guy reports from the Buffy Reunion panel this week, but it is for curiosity only. There was nothing exciting announced.
DVR for tonight:
830p Return of Jezebel James (Fox)
Jericho has officially been canceled again.
Nanochip Inc. has developed a new flash memory technology that stores memory in a different way, so it won't be limited by the Moore's Law trend. We may see 1TB storage on a chip in only a few years.
A math puzzle that has been unsolved for 38 years is now solved. An Israeli-Russian mathematician has solved the Road Coloring Problem.
Studies warn that the east bay is due for a magnitude 7 earthquake on the Hayward fault at any time now, and we are not even remotely ready for it (only 5-15% of buildings are even insured compared to 30-40% for Katrina-damaged).
It sounds like Apple may be contemplating selling an iPod that comes with all the (legal) free music downloads you want from iTunes if you pay a higher price upfront for the iPod. (Basically different methods for doing a subscription music service instead of a pay-per-song method.)
It looks like The Sarah Connor Chronicles will be renewed. While it hasn't been officially announced, they have been given permission to add staff.
The TV Guide guy reports from the Buffy Reunion panel this week, but it is for curiosity only. There was nothing exciting announced.
DVR for tonight:
830p Return of Jezebel James (Fox)
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