Monthly Archives: June 2014

Around the Web, June 13, 2014

Bad news for Star Wars fans. Harrison Ford was recently injured on the set of Episode VII. Ford was apparently hurt by the door to the Millenium Falcon and was rushed to an emergency room with a broken ankle and a chest injury. Studio executives have been working to rearrange the shooting schedule to account for what could be a long recovery for the 71 year old. This is also not the first time Ford has been injured on set. During Temple of Doom he required back surgery and during filming of The Fugitive he tore a ligament in his knee.

Harrison Ford having some fun at a photo shoot for Star Wars.

Harrison Ford having some fun at a photo shoot for Star Wars.

Therefore I Geek wishes Ford a speedy recovery and we eagerly await the coming of Episode VII.

Rumors are quickly spreading that DC is planning a massive movie announcement for San Diego Comic-Con. The supposed plan calls for three movies a year in 2016 and 2017 and included in the mix are Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash, and Sandman. Unfortunately, there are already some doubts about the legitimacy of this schedule given how ambitious it is.  Truthfully, the level of quality that DC can achieve in such a short time span is questionable.  Additionally, fans are wondering whether the films would use the actors from the DC television universe or if actors would be recast for the movies.

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Personally, I’m game for both Sandman and Wonder Woman, but we’ll see what DC actually says at SDCC.

For those of you who have been living under a rock, the Reading Rainbow Kickstarter has been nearly unstoppable. They reached their initial goal of one million dollars within the first 24 hours of the campaign and the total amount donated is now approaching the five million dollar mark. As a deal sweetener (like we really needed one at this point), if the campaign does reach five million, several live events will feature Star Trek alumni such as Brent Spiner, Johnathan Frakes, Kate Mulgrew, Gates McFadden, William Shatner and Patrick Stewart. A total of four events will be held, one featuring the men of Star Trek, one for the women and then Shatner and Stewart get their own events.

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I remember watching this show as a kid, so I’m pretty excited to see this campaign doing so well.

Last but not least, fans of HBO’s Game of Thrones are getting a look at how the creative team managed to make Jaime Lannister’s severed stump look so real.  Prosthetics and makeup genius Sangeet Prabhaker instagrammed this photo of the process to make his stump look incredibly real.  Apparently there were multiple techniques used, depending on camera angles and activity.  This one was used, among other scenes, for the infamous bath scene with Brienne of Tarth.

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I personally just figured they slapped a sock on the end and called it a day.

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Filed under Around the Web, Weekly

My Favorite Trek Episodes – DS9 “In the Pale Moonlight”

Of all the television shows I have watched throughout my life—and there have been many—the one that has had the most impact on me is Star Trek. I have watched nearly every episode of every series (still working on the Original and Animated series) and they have profoundly shaped my view of the world. So starting with today, I’d like to periodically talk about my favorite episodes and what I think makes them special.

One of the really great things about Star Trek is the fact that it is episodic. This allowed creators to dedicate entire episodes to specific issues that may have only gotten a few lines, or subtext in feature films. The last two seasons of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine featured an ongoing plot line of the Dominion War, which allowed the show to tackle themes rarely broached in other Trek series. “In the Pale Moonlight” is one such episode, and is one of my absolute favorites.

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Filed under Andrew Hales, Television

Winning Science June 11, 2013

It’s no secret that tattoos have become a part of geek culture. It’s gotten to the point that several conventions have had tattoo shops present so that attendees can get inked right on the spot. These tattoos are of course done by your standard human tattoo artist, but in the not too distant future, that may change. Recently, French students jury-rigged their MakerBot 3D printer with a pen and began drawing on people. Not satisfied with just using a pen, they eventually installed a full tattoo machine. While the machine can only do simple designs and there are still a few other technical issues to work out, the machine is off to an impressive start.

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I’d like to know if these kinds of modifications void the printer’s warranty.

Long, long ago, in the early days of Around the Web (ok, so it was like a year ago…I’m allowed to be dramatic every now and again) we featured an article that discussed a frozen mammoth with actual flowing blood. Well now Harvard Medical School students are working to bring the mammoth back to life, in part by modifying genes of the Asian elephant to match those of the mammoth. This is not the first time something like this has been attempted. In fact an extinct species was successfully brought back in 2003, though the clone died from a lung defect. The real problem is the lack of funding, which is preventing research from progressing further.

Of course there are still the ethical questions that must be addressed.

Lastly, we have a very interesting interview with Fabian Cousteau, grandson of Jacques Cousteau. Fabian Cousteau is continuing his grandfather’s legacy by taking part in a 31 day mission on the ocean floor. While the interview is a little lengthy, it’s definitely worth a watch. Cousteau discusses the mission, takes some questions from the internet, and then gives the audience a tour of the facility. Underwater, otherwise known as inner space, is one of the last two truly unexplored regions, and it’s easier to access than outer space.

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Mission 31

I’m not sure I could live in such a small space for 31 days.

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Filed under Weekly, Winning Science

Random Thought Generator Episode 7, Phoenix Comicon

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On this episode, Andrew and Tracy share their experience from Phoenix Comicon, as well as a cold (fortunately, this is not shared with you). The staff talk comics, creators, their overall views of the convention as well as some highlights.

 

Podcast Links

Phoenix Comicon

Tor

Del Rey

Mouse Guard

David Petersen

Chris Claremont

Nightcrawler

John Rhys-Davies

Patrick Rothfuss

Nathan Fillion

Syndicate Press (Kyle Stephens)

Ae-Saga of Brge

Naomi Novik

Locke & Key

Superboys

Black Science

Sex Criminals

X-Factor

 

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