Archive for category Books
Friday Night Movie: Professor Kevin Warrick is “The Cyborg”. The Human-Robot Hybrid Revolution is Coming.
Posted by mistergroonk in Books, Technology, The Future on October 22, 2010
In 1998, Kevin Warwick, a Professor of Cybernetics at Reading University, became the world’s first cyborg. Well, to be exact, he had a radio frequency ID implanted in his arm. As a result, he can turn on lights by snapping his fingers; once he let his wife’s brain waves take control of his body (she’s also cybernetic).
Wherein Stephen Fry Puts Pedants in Their Place and We Love Him for It
Posted by mistergroonk in Animation, Books, Grammar on October 19, 2010
“Do they ever yoke impossible words together for the sound-sex of it?” –Stephen Fry
We don’t believe they do, Mr Fry. Our knowledge of the execution of the written word is strong but not entirely kingly. We know there are places we could do better in being more “grammatically correct.” But, more often than not, we damn those ways in order to find new ways.
We are not immune to pedantic qualities that live inside. We typically try to limit the chastising to our own incorrect usage.
But now, most importantly, when friends turn up their noses and snidely accuse us of killing the English language, we no longer choose to smile and ignore their immovable imaginations.
Now we will simply state, ‘Stephen Fry says you can kindly ‘fuck off’ with that.’
After Being Knighted, Terry Pratchett Created a ‘Thunderbolt Iron’ Sword
Posted by mistergroonk in Books, Just Freaking Neat on October 19, 2010
Add this to the list of things that makes Terry Pratchett an incredible, awesome man.
Pratchett, believing the sword would not truly be his own unless it was made from metal he had produced, found a field with deposits of iron ore near his home in Wiltshire, west of London.
He gathered the deposits and smelted the iron ore himself.
[…]
Pratchett, who has Alzheimer’s disease, also said he had thrown in “several pieces of meteorites — thunderbolt iron, you see — highly magical, you’ve got to chuck that stuff in whether you believe in it or not“.
Check out the sword below the cut.
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Stephen Hawking Ruffles Feathers and Remains Future-Fearful
Posted by mistergroonk in Books, Interviews, Space, The Future on September 2, 2010
Earlier this morning for some reason, Stephen Hawking upset some people with his Burly Man words.
Stephen Hawking says universe not created by God
God did not create the universe, the man who is arguably Britain’s most famous living scientist says in a forthcoming book.In the new work, The Grand Design, Professor Stephen Hawking argues that the Big Bang, rather than occurring following the intervention of a divine being, was inevitable due to the law of gravity.
In his 1988 book, A Brief History of Time, Hawking had seemed to accept the role of God in the creation of the universe. But in the new text, co-written with American physicist Leonard Mlodinow, he said new theories showed a creator is “not necessary”.
Stephen Hawking just declared that Gravity is God!
See what we did there?
We have some notes for those so ready to jump on Professor Hawking’s words and shout across the world because you think you need to be heard, too.
Religious right. Calm down. Just because one brilliant scientist aired his beliefs about the universe and everything in it does not mean it invalidates your faith in whatever. Not everyone has to believe what you believe for it to be valid.
Atheists. Settle down. The universe, and multi-verse, is a big place. It’s where we keep all our stuff. There’s no need to get all culty, know-it-all, froth at the mouth and point fingers while dancing the I-told-you-so dance. There’s bound to be something out there that challenges you straight to your mortal core. Want to lay odds on that thing being unexplainable?
There’s no reason for science and religion to exist separately. Others far wiser than our humble self have postulated on this. We don’t have it all figured out any more than you. (Though at times you’d be hard pressed to believe that.) There’s no filling a cup that’s already full. (Stop those snarky typing fingers. That phrase did exist before James Cameron thought to throw it into AVATAR. )
Are your feathers unruffled now? Good.
Now look below to let Stephen Hawking freak-out your future.
International Read Comics in Public Day is August 28. Happy Birthday, Jack Kirby!
Posted by mistergroonk in Books, Comics, Holiday on August 20, 2010
If you look closer at the photo inset you’ll notice we already “read comics in public.” No special day required.
But almost any holiday is a good reason to celebrate.
Hey @HavenComics, what are you planning for the occasion?
The concept is fairly simple: we’re asking that everyone take an hour or two out of their day on August 28th (also the birthday of Jack “King†Kirby, incidentally) to read a comic book in a public setting—a park bench, a beach, a bus, the front steps of your local library (we do ask, however, that you be mindful of local loitering laws). Let strangers see you reading a piece of sequential art.
Take to the streets. Be proud. If someone asks what you’re reading, say, “a comic book†(the phrase “graphic novel is also acceptable, but let’s face it, it sort of defeats the whole purpose). Heck, lend them a book, if you’ve got an extra—what better way to make a new friend and convert a new reader?
While you’re at it, why not get a friend to snap a picture of you reading? Send it along and we’ll post it up for you in our photo gallery and on our site.
Official site:
http://readcomicsinpublic.com/
via boingboing
Ray Bradbury is Mad as Snakes, Claims there are Too Many Internets. Rachel Bloom Shares Her Bradbury Love.
Posted by mistergroonk in Books, Interviews, Music, Video on August 17, 2010
Prolific science future writer Ray Bradbury had a few things to share about today’s world. His words are political, frustrated, and a tinge desparate. While we agree with his thoughts on returning to the moon, Mars and the universe at large, we see a lot of angry old man shaking his cane at today’s youth in his words. That always makes it difficult to separate the useful wheat from the crazy chaff.
For example:
Useful Bradbury
“He[President Obama] should be announcing that we should go back to the moon,â€
“We should never have left there. We should go to the moon and prepare a base to fire a rocket off to Mars and then go to Mars and colonize Mars. Then when we do that, we will live forever.”
Crazy Bradbury
“We have too many cellphones. We’ve got too many Internets. We have got to get rid of those machines. We have too many machines now.â€
Bradbury says he’s not technology obsessive which is fine and good. Lots of people aren’t. We can’t help but wonder how humanity will ever reach the stars without massive amounts of proven technology. Unless he’s invented the fine art of “traveling without moving” we’re gonna need those machines for future use.
Rachel Bloom’s “Fuck Me, Ray Bradbury”
And now, hold on tight as we take a wild left turn. The following is a sexy pop music video about Ray Bradbury created by You Tuber racheldoesstuff . There’s no doubt Bradbury’s crazy old man rant was never meant to mix with this catchy NSFW tune. That’s just how we roll.
Our universe lives in dichotomy.
via @comicscavern, @richl1, la times, racheldoesstuff
UPDATE: Ray Bradbury watching “Fuck Me, Ray Bradbury”
Thanks, Ain’t It Cool.
Today in Star Wars: Adventures In ABC
Posted by mistergroonk in Books, Flickrlicious, History on July 14, 2010
Notice the theme we have going on.
With Han and Jabba and Falcon’s short song.
Watch: Bret Easton Ellis Inspired Short Film “Imperial Bedrooms”
Posted by mistergroonk in Books, Intertube Madness, Just Freaking Neat, Movies, Video on July 9, 2010
Editor’s note: Whoops! We held on to this post a little longer than intended(see: forgot about it). The contest held to name this Bret Easton Ellis short is over. The winning title: Imperial Bedrooms. We made the following image long before the contest expired and just can’t seem to find the will to drop it. Also, we’re striking through the long past contest copy instead of erasing it from existence.
This short video clocks in at 3 minutes and change. It is inspired by, and promoting, Bret Easton Ellis. The video takes a notion from a famous scene in an unexpected favorite movie of ours, Rules of Attraction. Not “My name is not Richard” but Victor’s European vacation montage .
There are a whole host of problems with adapting the works into movies, and I think Roger solved it visually. The way he set the movie up on a visual level is a nice counterpart to the novel, and I also thought it was kind of outrageous. He didn’t try to push the likability, he didn’t try to give these people sympathetic backstories. It was like, “This is it, and you can either take it or don’t take it.†There was something uncompromising about it that I found exciting.
Inspired by Bret Easton Ellis Video Contest
Bret and crew are stumped on what to title the film. Submit your suggested video title in the comment box below and enter a chance to win one (1) signed copy of Imperial Bedrooms by Bret Easton Ellis and one (1) signed copy of the short film by select cast members.
As per usual, the short film in question is below the cut.
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Scott Pilgrim, Getting It All Together: Game Trailer, Movie Trailer Review, Avatar Creating, Fan Art, Flesh Art, Overload
Bryan Lee O’Malley provided the sketch. Twitter friend, and cartoonist, Harry Myland IV gave it the animation.
An epic overload of Scott Pilgrim stuff below the cut.
Really. You can’t imagine what we threw down there.
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