There's No Place Like Geekdom for the Holidays...

Hail all!

First I want to apologize for my lack of posting. Not a lot of good geekdom across my desk of late.

However, I am prepared to rectify that, now that the world will indeed continue and the celebrations for the holidays can move full speed ahead.

To Bulbly Go Where No One Has Gone Before...

Happy Life Day...

"The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass... then you see it!"

"What? Gandalf? See what?"

"White frostings... and beyond. A far gummi country, under a swift sunrise."

For more views and a vid, click

And just to cover the rest of the geekdom verses

The 12 Days of Christmas: Gingerbread + Geek Edition

I hope everyone has a wonderful Holiday and a very Happy New Year.


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Mae Govannen

We interrupt this regularly scheduled blog to bring you a newscast of great import! Sadly, I had not seen this gem when it posted last month. But we are fortunate to be seeing it today, on Hobbit's Eve. What fortuitous timing!

As if the movie shoots, production studios, and cinema-tourism weren't proof enough, New Zealand media removes all shadow of doubt that the country is now, truly, Middle-earth.



Yup, I'm in the mood to head to the movies tonight!

/bow, "we're not worthy, we're not worthy! /bow.

Dilithium Crystals for Tribbles!!!

Recently, Wil Weaton tweeted various pictures from GenCon showing all that is wild, wonderful and weird at conventions.  In one of the many shots of him signing fan swag, a box on the table caught my eye.

Could it be true? Or was this a very clever fan made item?

An internet search commenced and lo and behold, its true!!!!

Introducing a new bit of great, gaming geekery!

 

Star Trek Catan

I can't wait to hear all the drinking games that emerge around this one. Romulan ale anyone?

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Geek Chic; Deco Edition.

Good morning, Potpourri.  After my fourth or fifth submission to Dave S of fun web finds, he graciously said, and I heavily paraphrase, "[Do it your damned self!]"  From this point forth, if you see a post about gaming or Star Wars, there is a high probability that it's from me.  My network of Bothan spies runs far and wide.

While surfing the web for gaming info, I stumbled upon "How Did the Duck Hunt Gun Work?", a blogpost/article from Jan 2011.  That article alone made the geek in me smile with 80s 90s nostalgia and optics glee.  Lo and behold, gaming with light beams was done 66 years prior to my beloved Nintendo Zapper!  Embedded was a link to some fantastic early gaming geekery, the 1936 Seeburg Ray-O-Lite Rifle Range (not to be confused with Ray-o-Vac flashlight products also named Ray-o-Lite).  Seeburg made a variety of vending units, primarily jukeboxes.  I was simultaneously taken aback by the pre-computer, vacuum tube technological innovation combined with the craftsmanship of the late-deco wood case and gorgeous art in the game scene.  I am not a collector, but what I wouldn't give to have one of these consoles in my den!

And a little more research reveals that Seeburg sold conversion kits with different scenery and animals; bear, deer, raccoon, and rabbit.  Later models included more mundane cans on a fence (why shoot cans at home when you can show off to your buddies in a bar!) and, sigh, people (a classic gangster shootout, a chicken thief, and convict escaping from a chain gang).  There's even a custom one called "Shoot the Bartender."  Not sure I'd want that game in my bar.

PONG on your oscilloscope?  Check.  And now, from the Great Depression, optical shooting galleries.  Gaming + tech = awesome in any time period!

She Must Have Hidden the Plans on the Five-Inch Drive

Ever wonder what to do with those 3.5" floppy drives (kids, ask your parents)?

Try this:



Play that in the background as you peruse this.

The Ultimate (Fashion) Power in the Universe

Beastybunny and The Messenger threw a bunch of Bothan spies to the wolves to bring us this information. Behold an entire legion of Star Wars-themed shirts. I think my favorite is the Kiss one.

Lest we forget, there is also a Dath Vader tracksuit and a Boba Fett tracksuit. With reference to the Product Information for that last item, teal-y is NOT steely.

I Find JJV's Lack of Embedded Video Disturbing

JJV's most recent post is certainly one of my favorites, from a certain point of view, but I thought it could use some visuals.

Thus (NSFW):

What's Japanese for "Squeeee!"?

Via Galley Slaves comes word of a live-action production of Star Blazers, to which I say, with slightly unsynchronized mouth movements, "Hot dog!"

Everybody sing!

Paris, Oshkosh, Andrews? Amateurs.

This past May, JWT and our respective children took in the sights and (often incredibly loud) sounds of the Joint Services Open House at Andrews Air Force base outside Washington, DC. It was impressive although I think my kids enjoyed the dollar-a-pop moonbounces more than the occasionally earsplitting airshow flights.

However, if it landed on the same weekend as the Sci-Fi Airshow, some hard decisions would have to be made.

Unless of course there was no oppportunity to play in Moonbounce Alpha.

Of Course, You Can Still Throw Yourself Around the Bridge If You Want To

Courtesy of Bad Astronomy comes this impressive review of the physics of space battles. We can only presume that outer space warships will not incorporate five-digit access codes into their design.

On the other hand, if you want to go all old-school be my guest:

Dagor Brethilnariath

As mentioned previously, a couple of weeks ago I put up the birdfeeder that my parents had given us as a housewarming present. At first we thought we may have located the feeder too close to the house, as for the first week there was no sign of any visit by any creature, although I did see a squirrel first note the baffle placed on the feeder's pole, check out the distance between our windowsill to the feeder, then scamper off, no doubt to report to his superiors.

Finally, last Sunday we were visited by chickadees, nuthatches, tufted titmice and a song sparrow. Also, five of the fattest squirrels I have seen in my life, two of which had managed to drop onto the roof of the feeder via our back roof or jump from the aforementioned windowsill.

However, I was ready. More to the point, Gracie was ready. I opened the side porch door and, literally, unleashed the hound, whose first thought as she leapt forward was probably along the lines of "Thank you God!" Not surprisingly, the squirrels have returned but I am more than happy to give Gracie an actual job (apart from her chosen task of harassing the children by lying across doorways).

Here Gracie maintains her occasionally sleepless watch over our lands:



Lest anyone think I have been slacking off, that was taken at the start of Raking Day.

And for those of you are wondering, the post title is Elvish for "Battle of the Tree-Rats." Obviously it would sound better if spoken by Cate Blanchett or Liv Tyler, neither of whom look a day over four thousand.

Boldly Going Where No Spouse/SO Would Ever Think of Going

The precious reserves of spare time carefully hoarded by some of us are about to be swallowed by the release of MMO Star Trek. I actually do not count myself as vulnerable to this particular threat but certain of us may be about to significantly lower our risk of skin cancer.

Also I imagine all quadrants will be overrun by K1RKs and 5P0[Ks and such, all vying for fleeting tactical advantage while strategic goals remain unfulfilled. This, at least, was my experience playing an early version of Netrek, in which we largely eschewed the strategic goals of star system colonization in favor of parking ships alongside each other at pistol range and having at it until one ship's shields failed or, in one spectacular case, a third ship would enter the battle area at extremely high speed and destroy everything in the vicinity (including itself) via collision. Good virtual times.