The Zeray Gazette

Britannia's Fist by Peter G. Tsouras is an Outstanding Work of Alternate History

2010-05-10T22:40:00.005-04:00

I've finished reading Britannia's Fist by Peter G. Tsouras. I've been trying to find an email address for the author so that I could tell him how awesome it is, but to no avail.

Tsouras was an Army intelligence officer and a military historian, and it shows. The back of the novel is actually a full set of endnotes for his sources, both real and fictitious. It was a nice touch.

The story, in which Britain enters the American Civil War after the Laird rams controversy gets ugly, is meticulously researched and quite realistic. I await, with trembling pleasure, the sequel.

Grade: A+

How to Make Your Own Iron Man Arc Reactor

2010-05-09T18:10:00.000-04:00

Instructables user Honus created a replica of the arc reactor that Tony Stark wears to stay alive. He provides instructions so that you can make your own, too.

via Technabob

Superman: Origins

2010-05-09T18:09:00.000-04:00

via krushisabitch

Cosmo Magazine in The World of Warcraft

2010-05-08T21:36:00.001-04:00

The Daily Blink is a webcomic about World of Warcraft, produced by a pair of Blood Elves called Chris and CP. Here's their vision of Cosmopolitan magazine would look like if it was published in WoW.

via reddit

Top 10 Mothers in Science Fiction and Fantasy

2010-05-08T21:35:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow, call your mother because it's Mother's Day, and you'll (be made to) regret it if you don't. But until tomorrow, you may want to look at Matt Blum of Geek Dad's list of the ten greatest mothers in science fiction and fantasy:

8. Martha Kent - You think it’s tough to deal with your kids’ temper tantrums? Imagine having to worry they’ll register on the Richter scale! And imagine his birthday parties: “OK, Clark, blow out the candles… CAREFULLY!” It’s a miracle she had any hair, gray or not, left by the time she was getting old.

7. Padme Amidala - Yes, we know, she never actually had the opportunity to be a mother to Luke and Leia. And she did spend most of Episode III sitting at home being pregnant and spouting mind-numbingly bad dialogue. But she was pretty badass in Episodes I and II, and she did produce her twins, who did eventually help bring about the downfall of the Empire.

Who would you add to the list?

7 Enormous Game Worlds Compared

2010-05-08T21:34:00.001-04:00

What you're looking at is a compressed image of seven large game worlds, laid over each other to scale. They are:

Grand Theft Auto 3
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
The Elder Scolls 4: Oblivion
Farcry 2
The World of Warcraft
Burnout Paradise
Just Cause 2

Click here to view a larger size.

via Digg

Video Game Merit Badges

2010-05-08T21:33:00.000-04:00

Since the Cub Scouts are offering awards for playing video games, Kotaku hosted a photoshop contest for more specific video game skills and accomplishments.

New Harry Turtledove Short Story

2010-05-08T21:32:00.003-04:00

Harry Turtledove, master of alternate history, has penned a short story about life on Earth, decades after it has been partially conquered by aliens.

The President of the United States looked out of an Oval Office window at Grand Junction, Colorado. The Oval Office was square, but the President’s workplace kept its traditional name. Harris Moffatt III sighed and bent to his paperwork again. Even in Grand Junction, that never disappeared.

Washington, D.C., remained the de jure capital of the United States. Harris Moffatt III had never been there. Neither had his father, President Harris Moffatt II. His grandfather, President Harris Moffatt I, got out of Washington one jump ahead of the Krolp. That the USA was still any kind of going concern came from his ever-so-narrow escape.

Harris Moffatt III was also Prime Minister of Canada, or of that small and mountainous chunk of Canada the Krolp didn’t control. The two countries had amalgamated early on, the better to resist the invading aliens. That, of course, was before they realized how far out of their weight they were fighting.

A Stargate: Atlantis Movie

2010-05-08T21:31:00.000-04:00

Geek Tyrant reports that a Stargate: Atlantis movie is in the works:

Stargate:Extinction is directed by veteran Stargate director Andy Mikata and was written by the also returning team of Brad Wright, Robert C. Cooper, Joseph Mallozzi and Paul Mullie. These guys have spear-headed every single Stargate franchise episode so it's still in good hands!

Although it wasn't as strong as SG-1, I enjoyed Atlantis, so I'm looking forward to this movie.

Cross-Species Pregnancy

2010-05-07T21:21:00.000-04:00

A few seconds of pleasure and a lifetime of responsibility. By Joel Watson.

What's the Difference Between an Action Figure and a Doll?

2010-05-07T21:17:00.000-04:00

Doug Cravens' The Buckets explains.

via reddit

Some Jedis Are Jerks

2010-05-07T15:49:00.001-04:00

(YouTube Link)

As this great video illustrates, some Jedi knights never develop a maturity to match their powers.

via Nerd Bastards

The Real Pac-Man

2010-05-07T15:48:00.004-04:00

I'm not sure who made this illustration, but it nails the Pac-Man psychosis. (via Cool-O-Rama)

Previously: Pac-Man: The Movie

Environmental Assessments of Star Wars Characters

2010-05-07T12:25:00.000-04:00

Seven Star Wars characters are graded for their stewardship of the Empire's natural resources.

via Theresa Coleman's Facebook page.

10 Things You May Not Know About Firefly

2010-05-07T12:24:00.001-04:00

Zach Oat of Television Without Pity has a list of ten things that you might not know about the space western Firefly. A sample:

9. A Firefly Musical Episode Was Not Implausible
No, Whedon wasn't planning one or anything like that, but the musically inclined showrunner apparently likes to sing on set, and during one break in shooting he started singing the theme from Oklahoma! Immediately, Nathan Fillion, Fillion's stand-in and a half-dozen others joined in, and they sang the whole song through before returning to work. We're imagining a hallucinatory coolant leak on board the Serenity, with feelings expressed through song and, in River's case, interpretive dance.

via io9

Upcoming Art Show on The Twilight Zone

2010-05-07T12:23:00.000-04:00

The Los Angeles art gallery Gallery 1988, which has created shows on Lost and He-Man, is planning an exhibition of art related to The Twilight Zone.

via Comics Alliance

Street Fighter: Legacy is a First-Rate Fan Film

2010-05-06T22:12:00.001-04:00

(YouTube Link)

Street Fighter: Legacy from Streetlight Films is so good that it carries CAPCOM's official endorsement.

via reddit

Britannia's Fist: From Civil War to World War by Peter G. Tsouras

2010-05-06T22:11:00.000-04:00

I am currently reading the first book in an alternate history trilogy by Peter G. Tsouras. Britannia's Fist imagines a British entry into the American Civil War, specifically against the Union.

Tsouras is a retired US Army intelligence officer. Although I've heard of his name before, I have yet to read his work. So far, several pages in, it is clear that Tsouras is trying to create a historically plausible scenario. This is the most important task in the writing of alternate history fiction.

Harry Harrison wrote a similar trilogy, beginning with The Stars and Stripes Forever. I would describe it as wildly optimistic because every lucky break goes America's way. Nonetheless, it is fairly plausible and worth reading.

Buffy Comic Goes the Way of Twilight

2010-05-06T22:10:00.001-04:00

Thankfully, this is just a parody comic book cover, and not the sign of the impending collapse of all that is good and righteous in the Buffyverse.

via Comics Alliance

Giant Iron Man Lobster

2010-05-06T09:16:00.000-04:00

Meimi 132 reports that various lobster models are on display at the seaside British town of Cromer. Apparently creating such things is a local tradition. There are more pictures of the Iron Man lobster and an Avatar lobster here.

via Fanboy

Tetris Fabric

2010-05-06T09:15:00.000-04:00

This fabric was designed by Jenny at Chronically Uncool. It'd be handy for making Tetris clothing without resorting to quilting.

via Geek Crafts

Excellent Star Trek Parody

2010-05-05T20:25:00.005-04:00

(YouTube Link)

This parody of the recent Star Trek abomination makes more sense than the original. But it does need more lens flare.

Kirk: Scotty, we need more explosions!
Scott: You bet your hairy ass, Captain!

via Awesomesauce

Atari 2600 Table Lamp

2010-05-05T14:33:00.000-04:00

(YouTube Link)

Instructables user Seamster made this lamp from an Atari 2600 console and game cartridges.

via Make

Cthulhu Family Circus

2010-05-05T14:32:00.000-04:00

via Nerdcore

King Crab Attack: A Spoof of 1950s Monster Movies

2010-05-05T14:31:00.000-04:00

(YouTube Link)

King Crab Attack! is a short film in the form of a trailer for a faux monster movie. Massively destructive crabs are attacking the Normandy coast. Only one fisherman can discover who is behind these mutants and end their reign of terror.

via Nerdesque (where there's a promotional poster)

Rubber

2010-05-05T14:30:00.000-04:00

(YouTube Link)

Do you remember the Stephen King novel Christine about a murderous car? Rubber is a horror movie by Quentin Dupieux with a similar premise. A tire, after seeing humans burn its companions, seeks revenge by stalking and slaying anything with two legs.

via io9

Baby Announcement in the Form of a Star Wars Mashup

2010-05-05T08:54:00.002-04:00

(YouTube Link)

Jennifer and Jeff had difficulty conceiving, so when they finally got pregnant, they announced the good news through a mashup of scenes from Episode IV of Star Wars.

via BoingBoing

Terry Pratchett: Doctor Who Isn't Science Fiction

2010-05-04T22:17:00.003-04:00

Sir Terry Pratchett, author of the Discworld series, says that Doctor Who can't be classed as science fiction:

It’s no good, I’ll go with the Doctor, even if those Ood look as if they should have been confronted by Tom Baker. After all, when you’ve had your moan you have to admit that it is very, very entertaining, with its heart in the right place, even if its head is often in orbit around Jupiter. I just wish that it was not classified as science fiction. Much has been written about the plausibility or otherwise of the Star Trek universe, but it is possible to imagine at least some of the concepts becoming real. But the sonic screwdriver? I don’t think so. Doctor Who’s science is pixel thin. I’m sorry about this, but I just don’t think that you can instantly transport a whole hospital onto the moon without all of the windows blowing out. Oh! You use a force field, do you?! And there’s the trouble; one sentence makes it all okay. But it’s fun and occasionally wonderful, as in the episodes “Blink”, “Human Nature” and “The Family of Blood”.

via BoingBoing

Alternate Histories That I'd Like To See

2010-05-04T21:12:00.005-04:00

I've pondered this issue before, but after reading Red Inferno: 1945, I've thought of some other scenarios that I'd like to see explored in alternate history novels:

White Russian forces are victorious in the Russian Revolution, squashing the Bolsheviks.

After British interference in neutral shipping and at the agitation of Irish immigrants, the US enters World War I -- on Germany's side.

The Congressional vote to annex the Republic of Texas fails and Texas continues to be an independent state.

What alternate history scenarios would you like to read about?

Birds Singing The Darth Vader Theme

2010-05-04T15:58:00.005-04:00

Some people own birds. I don't mean eating chickens, but birds. As pets. I don't know why. But if a person has a bird, teaching it to sing a tune from Star Wars seems like a good idea.

via Urlesque

Iron Man 2 Outtakes

2010-05-04T13:09:00.000-04:00

Leonard Nimoy Gets Career Advice from John F. Kennedy

2010-05-03T21:45:00.000-04:00

(YouTube Link)

In this video, Nimoy talks about his early years as an actor. In 1956, he was working as a cab driver and Senator John F. Kennedy hired his services. At the 2:50 mark in the video, Nimoy spoke of this encounter. Here's a selection:

It was only about a 10-minute ride. He said, "What are you doing out here?"

I said, "I'm an actor."

So he said, "A lot of competition in your business."

I said, "Yeah."

He said, "Just like mine."

And we kicked it around a little bit, and then he said, "Just keep in mind, there's always room for one more good one."

That was very helpful.

via Sci Fi Wire

Some Privacy, Please?

2010-05-03T21:44:00.001-04:00

Image by deviantART user Matt Moylan.

Man Hand Farts Imperial March from Star Wars

2010-05-03T21:43:00.001-04:00

(Video Link)

At least, I'm assuming that it's a man. It could be a woman. I mean, women do this sort of thing, right?

via Nerd Bastards

Star Wars Lotería Cards

2010-05-03T13:14:00.002-04:00

Lotería is a Mexican game somewhat similar to bingo. Artist Chepo Peña created cards for that game inspired by Star Wars.

via BoingBoing

Multiplayer Mode James Bond

2010-05-03T13:05:00.002-04:00

I can't find the cheat codes anywhere.

Video Game Cocktail Recipes

2010-05-03T08:45:00.004-04:00

The Drunken Moogle is a geek humor blog that regularly features cocktail recipes inspired by video games. Pictured above is the "Barrel of Bananas", which is taken from Donkey Kong. Here's the recipe:

3/4 shot of 99 Bananas
3/4 shot of Coconut Rum
about 1/2 a highball glass of Root Beer
about 1/2 a highball glass of Fuze - Banana Colada

Directions: Throw some ice into a nice, large highball glass. Pour in the 3/4 shots of 99 Bananas and coconut rum. Then, simultaneously pour in the Banana Colada Fuze and your favorite root beer evenly until it reaches the top of the glass. Stir and enjoy.

via Nerd Bastards

Ripped from the Headlines!

2010-05-03T08:40:00.003-04:00

Dateline: Silver Age is a blog of classic comic book panels that depict strange newspaper headlines.

via Miss Cellania at Neatorama

Goofus and Gallant in the 21st Century

2010-05-02T11:32:00.000-04:00

Goofus and Gallant is an educational comic that has appeared in Highlights for Children since 1948. It contrasts two boys, Goofus and Gallant. Gallant has good social skills and Goofus poor. Here is a comic illustrating the two boys in a hilariously and increasingly dystopian 21st century. I had to break it into three pieces to get the picture to load properly.

Here's part 2 and here's part 3.

via Awesomesauce

Perfect for the Nursery: Bioshock Mobile

2010-05-02T11:31:00.000-04:00

From Etsy seller SaltyandSweet for $133.

This reminds me of a time when I went into a grocery store on a chilly December day a few years ago. The store's speakers were playing music and I thought, "OMG! They're playing the theme music from Hitman! This is cool!" Then my brain cranked away little bit and I realized "Oh, wait, that's just 'Ave Maria', which Eidos used as theme music in Hitman."

I lost my innocence that day.

via technabob

St. Mario and the Dragon

2010-05-02T11:30:00.002-04:00

Butt Johnson created this lovely depiction of the art icon St. George and the Dragon. It's presumably modeled after the one below, of which I can find no information. (via Ovablastic)

This Is My Preferred Nomenclature

2010-05-02T11:29:00.002-04:00

Although I think that "geek" entails that the hobby lacks widespread social acceptance. So a person who knows a lot of sports statistics is not a geek of any kind.

Link via reddit

The Stoners' Twilight

2010-05-02T11:29:00.001-04:00

Twi-Lit is apparently a parody of Twilight from Antarctic Press:

When the vampires on campus would rather bake in their weed than drink blood, life is pretty mellow. Well, except for the occasional scraps with the werewolves, but as long as they vacuum up afterward, the vamps are cool with it.

What's worse is the furry fan down the hall who's convinced he's a werewolf, but isn't. If the vampires didn't need him to handle the UV lights for growing their stash (vaporized limbs are a real downer), they'd drain his blood like that...if they weren't out getting more snack cakes for the munchies.

via Comics Alliance

The Firefly/Fraggle Rock Theory

2010-05-01T17:50:00.000-04:00

Caleb Goeller speculates that Firefly is actually a subtle parody of Fraggle Rock:

Now, I'm not saying Alan Tudyk has a huge foamy nose or a tail, but Hoban "Wash" Washburne certainly shares a few superficial characteristics with the famous eye-rolling Fraggle. From his full-bodied blonde mane to a shared fashion sense, the fictional man and Muppet have enough in common to merit some kind of (all-ages) fan fiction.

Rhode Island Declares Today Official "G.I. Joe Day"

2010-05-01T17:49:00.000-04:00

As Rhode Island goes, so goes the nation:

Fans of the world’s first action figure are holding their 17th annual convention in Providence this weekend. It’s the first time the convention will be held in Rhode Island, home of Pawtucket-based Hasbro, which makes G.I. Joe.

To celebrate the event, Gov. Don Carcieri has proclaimed May 1 as G.I. Joe Day.

via Comics Alliance

Wait for Me -- A Life in 8-Bit

2010-05-01T17:48:00.000-04:00

(YouTube Link)

This is a music video for the song "Wait for Me" by Moby. It's a tale of silent desperation by an ordinary man leading an ordinary life in 8-bit form.

via Nerdcore

Radio Controlled Plane that Looks Like the Enterprise

2010-05-01T17:47:00.000-04:00

(YouTube Link)

Or at least as much as one could hope for and still be a functioning airplane.

I'd like to point out (in fact, I have an obligation to do so) that this was modeled after the 1701-A, and so the use of the opening from The Next Generation was inappropriate.

via Fanboy

The Problem with Time Travel

2010-05-01T17:46:00.000-04:00

via Awesomesauce

Super Mario Bros. Dog Costumes

2010-05-01T17:45:00.000-04:00

Do you need to humiliate your dogs in a trendy, retro-cool style? Then etsy user Young Urban Puppy has a set of Super Mario Bros.-themed dog costumes for you. Pictured above is the Princess Peach costume.

via technabob

Red Inferno: 1945 by Robert Conroy

2010-04-30T19:34:00.001-04:00

Ugh. I have a fever of 102.1°F.

But I'm a blogger, dammit. You depend on me to entertain you, and I'm not going to let you down. So let's do this.

Today, I offer a review of Red Inferno: 1945 by Robert Conroy. It's an alternate history novel in which war breaks out between the US/UK and the USSR in the closing days of World War II in Europe.

Unfortunately, there isn't enough published alternate history to keep up with my appetite, so I've had to read mediocre authors rather than deprive myself of my favorite genre of fiction. His first novel, 1901, about a surprise German invasion of New York City, was historically preposterous. 1862, about the British entry into the American Civil War, and 1945, about the US ground invasion of Japan, were somewhat improved. But in all of these novels, major characters acted and thought like socially conscious 21st Century Americans, and lapsed into sanctimonious moralizing about the evils of American racism.

1945 is largely free of these problems. He takes a few swipes at racism, homophobia, and McCarthyism, but the novel features few preening lectures about social inequalities in American society. The characters act like real people.

Realism is the most essential quality in alternate history, and Robert Conroy has greatly improved. 1945 makes sense, both in historical variation and individual behavior. It's exciting and worth reading.

Dungeons & Dragons for Kids

2010-04-29T21:32:00.001-04:00

Wizards of the Coast has developed a Dungeons & Dragons game specifically for kids 6 and up. The whole thing is available for free here. It looks like a pretty good way to introduce children to the hobby, which can get very complex and seem daunting to even adult beginners.

Girl Sings "The Fifth Element" Opera

2010-04-29T21:31:00.000-04:00

Remember this cool scene from The Fifth Element? Hot blue alien chick played by Inva Mula-Tchako sings a lovely opera piece. Very nifty. Here's a YouTube user named Laura offering a good reprise of it. The sound is cut out for the first 54 seconds, but it starts to function when it's time to sing. (via Urlesque)

13 Musical Episodes of Sci Fi Shows

2010-04-29T21:30:00.000-04:00

Sci Fi Wire has a list of musical episodes or scenes from science fiction television shows. The author has a pretty expansive definition of science fiction, but it's all good stuff. Among them is a clip from "Brigadoom", the musical episode of Lexx. It was a really stand-out episode, particularly in costuming.

Cub Scouts Create Award for Video Games

2010-04-28T15:21:00.006-04:00

Start 'em young. The Cub Scouts now have an award for playing video games. Here are some of the requirements:

1. With your parents, create a plan to buy a video game that is right for your age group.
2. Compare two game systems (for example, Microsoft Xbox, Sony PlayStation, Nintendo Wii, and so on). Explain some of the differences between the two. List good reasons to purchase or use a game system.
3. Play a video game with family members in a family tournament.
4. Teach an adult or a friend how to play a video game.
5. List at least five tips that would help someone who was learning how to play your favorite video game.
6. Play an appropriate video game with a friend for one hour.
7. Play a video game that will help you practice your math, spelling, or another skill that helps you in your schoolwork.
8. Choose a game you might like to purchase. Compare the price for this game at three different stores. Decide which store has the best deal. In your decision, be sure to consider things like the store return policy and manufacturer’s warranty.
9. With an adult’s supervision, install a gaming system.

I like video games, and I don't think that they're necessarily harmful, but there's nothing constructive in these requirements. What useful skills or values is a boy learning from this list? Okay, maybe a little technical ability by installing a game. But that's it. Here's what I would suggest:

1. Present an argument to your scout leader about how a particular game that you have played improves your critical thinking skills. Win the argument.
2. Interview a game designer. Discover and list the skills necessary to become a game designer.
3. Unless physically disabled, run one mile in under ten minutes.

What would you put on such a list?

via Boing Boing

What Makes A Franchise Enduring? Uniforms

2010-04-28T14:52:00.000-04:00

Marc Bernadin argues that shows with uniforms (military or otherwise) permit fans to easily identify with them, and thus aids the endurance of a franchise:

Just one thing separates Star Wars, Doctor Who, and Firefly from Lost, The X-Files, and Buffy.[...]

The bond that unites fans is the shared experience: the idea that a common passion offers a rally point for community. Humans, by nature, flock together — on teams, in the workplace, as families — and a uniform is the most demonstrative display of that community.

Not only does a uniform allow for on-sight verification of a fellow fan, it can also serve as something of a totem with which one can access the story itself. It'd be foolish to posit that there wasn't some element of fantasy at work, that by donning a Viper pilot uniform the wearer isn't trying just a little to be part of the grand Battlestar mythos. The fans don't want to be William Adama or James T. Kirk or Captain Tightpants — it's not about pretending to be someone, it's about wanting to belong to something.

It's an interesting hypothesis, although there have been many shows that had uniforms, but have not endured (e.g. Space: Above and Beyond, Exosquad, Xena). I am, however, at a loss to think of any science fiction or related franchise that did not uniforms, yet has maintained a strong fanbase over time.

Do you agree with Bernadin's hypothesis? Why or why not?

The Cumulative Summer Movie Trailer

2010-04-28T14:48:00.003-04:00

(YouTube Link)

Screen Rant put together this neatly-edited montage of 24 different upcoming summer movie releases. I want to see this movie. Except for the Pixar stuff.

via Nerd Bastards

Lord of the Rings London Tube Map

2010-04-28T14:29:00.003-04:00

It can be hard to navigate public transit in Middle Earth, which is why t-shirt designer Reagan H. Lee made this handy guide resembling a London Tube map. (via Sci Fi Wire)

Question of the Day

2010-04-27T20:54:00.003-04:00

The Matrix: Alternate Ending

2010-04-27T13:43:00.002-04:00

Here's a solution that I never thought of.

via Popped Culture

Previously on The Zeray Gazette: The Pills Are Also Available as Suppositories

Iron Man: How It Should Have Ended

2010-04-27T13:20:00.003-04:00

If you have a mortal enemy, just kill him. Basic Evil Overlord List advice. Granted, there are fewer sequels, but then you don't have to keep dealing with the same problem.

via Nerd Bastards

If a Jewish Zombie Bites an Agnostic, Does He Become a Jewish Zombie or Just a Zombie?

2010-04-27T13:16:00.003-04:00

This question and others are answered in College Humor's latest original short.

30 Minimalist Superhero Posters

2010-04-27T13:05:00.004-04:00

Anthony Ocasio Josh made thirty excellent minimalist superhero posters, including Duffman and Darkwing Duck.

via Sci Fi Wire

Spock + Sunset + Pie

2010-04-26T21:39:00.000-04:00

NimoySunsetPie is a photoblog that combines three wonderful things: Spock, sunsets, and pie.

Hmm. Mabye I should create a Xena + Reuben Sandwich + Recliner blog.

What three things would you combine to create a beautiful photoblog?

via Sci Fi Wire

Nintendo Blood Glucose Meter

2010-04-26T21:38:00.000-04:00

The pharmaceutical company Bayer has created a blood glucose meter that plugs into a Nintendo DS. It's called the DIDGET. This gadget includes a game that is both (allegedly) fun and educational for children living with diabetes.

via Boing Boing

A Comic Book History of Nintendo

2010-04-26T21:37:00.000-04:00

Did you know that the Nintendo company was founded in 1889 and originally sold playing cards and operated brothels? Comic book artist Bill Mudron is composing a comic-form history of the company.

via Comics Alliance | Artist's Website

Arty Variations of the Enterprise

2010-04-26T21:36:00.000-04:00

Artist Rafael Burgos created a series of Enterprise sculptures. The 70s zebra print velour model is particularly groovy.

The Raven

2010-04-26T15:49:00.003-04:00

(YouTube Link)

The Raven is an excellent superhero short film by Ricardo de Montreuil. There's talk that it might be turned into a feature-length film.

via Johnny Cat and Divers and Sundry

Lex Luthor Explained

2010-04-26T14:34:00.001-04:00

Les Jones on what superhero comics have taught him:

If you make a sentient robot that’s indistinguishable from a human being and has superpowers like flight, laser bolts, and invisibility you shouldn’t start a business and sell it on the free market. Instead you should try to kill Superman and become mayor of Metropolis.

This is something that I've thought about for quite a while. If I had superpowers, the first question I would ask myself is "How can I make a lot of money from these powers?", not "How can I become a secret, tormented hero, likely to be killed at some point in the future?"

Question of the Day

2010-04-25T20:30:00.002-04:00

Mad Love

2010-04-25T20:24:00.002-04:00

Drake Tsui made this lovely digital image showing the twisted love between the Joker and Harley Quinn.

I've Started Battlestar Galactica

2010-04-24T20:27:00.001-04:00

I've started watching the more recent Battlestar Galactica series. I watched a bit of the late 70s series when I was a child, which never really grabbed my attention.

So far, I've seen the 2003 miniseries and the first episode of the show which began in 2004, and I'm deeply impressed. The worldbuilding is outstanding, and the stories are well-written, acted, and directed.

I suspect that Stargate: Universe (an excellent show in its own right) is derivative of it. Both feature the same shaky-camera documentary style cinematography. And central to both shows is that the characters have been thrown at random into the unknown with minimal resources.

Have you seen Battlestar Galactica? What did you think of it?

Samurai Jack in Stained Glass

2010-04-24T20:26:00.000-04:00

I loved Genndy Tartakovsky's Samurai Jack, which is why I dig this stained glass piece by Cindy Crowell.

I've Waited My Entire Life for This Moment

2010-04-24T20:25:00.000-04:00

"The only thing that can stop this asteroid is your liberal arts degree."

It only gets better from there:

I don't need some pencilneck with four Ph.D's, one-thousand hours of simulator time, and the ability to operate a robot crane in low-Earth orbit. I need someone with four years of broad-but-humanities-focused studies, three subsequent years in temp jobs, and the ability to reason across multiple areas of study. I need someone who can read The Bell Jar and make strong observations about its representations of mental health and the repression of women. Sure, you've never even flown a plane before, but with only ten days until the asteroid hits, there's no one better to nuke an asteroid.

via reddit

Street Fighter High

2010-04-23T22:13:00.001-04:00

Street Fighter High re-imagines the Street Fighter video game as an angst-filled teen drama. Written by Jennifer Zhang and directed by Derek Easley.

via reddit

Sausage Enterprise

2010-04-23T22:11:00.000-04:00

I salute this Trekkie's ingenuity. Now we know why Scotty wouldn't let himself get promoted out of engineering.

via Sci Fi Wire

Wash Yourself with Soap Shaped Like a Nintendo Cartridge

2010-04-23T22:10:00.000-04:00

Or ordinary soap -- whatever. But please, for all of us, just wash.

via GearFuse

Fast Food Street Fighter

2010-04-23T21:12:00.000-04:00

Doug Harvey imagined competition between fast food joints as a martial arts combat video game.

Roger Ebert: Video Games Can Never Be Art

2010-04-22T16:44:00.002-04:00

Film critic Roger Ebert kicked in a hornet's nest in the geekosphere when he asserted that video games are not and never can be art (via Nerd Bastards).

Having once made the statement above, I have declined all opportunities to enlarge upon it or defend it. That seemed to be a fool's errand, especially given the volume of messages I receive urging me to play this game or that and recant the error of my ways. Nevertheless, I remain convinced that in principle, video games cannot be art. Perhaps it is foolish of me to say "never," because never, as Rick Wakeman informs us, is a long, long time. Let me just say that no video gamer now living will survive long enough to experience the medium as an art form.

Ebert wrote in response to a TED talk from game designer Kellee Santiago on the subject.

I would prefer to do a straight fisking of Ebert, but he wrote largely in response to Santiago, who I think provided an inadequate definition of art and thereafter proceeded in the wrong rhetorical direction.

So rather than defending Santiago's perspective and rebutting Ebert, let me argue positively that video games can be art.

We begin with the most foundational question: "What is art?" Here, I think, Santiago makes an early mistake by defining it as "the process or product of deliberately arranging elements in a way that appeals to the senses or emotions."

Without consulting other sources, let me offer this alternative: art is the outward expression of an inward conception of an ideal condition, such as beauty or terror. If a person thinks of something beautiful, it is not, in and of itself, art. If that person can effectively communicate it through text, performance, or a physical rendering, then he has created art.

It is necessary to note that some degree of technical skill is required. If a person is able to fully externalize his inner vision, then he has created good art. If he is hampered by a lack of technical skill, then the product represents a limited and obscured expression of the image trapped within the confines of the mind.

A person may attempt to disguise his lack of technical ability by choosing an expression that does not require great technical skill and claim that the original intent has been fulfilled. This is how we can discern the difference between Bouguereau and Pollock. Pollock chose more abstract expressions because he lacked the technical skill necessary for concrete expressions. Bouguereau, if he wished, could have created a Pollock. Pollock could never have created a Bouguereau.

So art is not fully egalitarian. A talented few, with training to hone their raw talent, will be able to outwardly express their inner vision. The rest of us will not. Or as Rudy Giuliani has been quoted "If I can do it, it's not art."

Therefore, one test of an activity as a medium of art is to ask "Can anyone, with sufficient training, do it?"

I'm inclined to think not.

Ebert suggests that the anonymity of game designers evidences their unworthiness of mention:

Yet she concedes that I was correct when I wrote, "No one in or out of the field has ever been able to cite a game worthy of comparison with the great poets, filmmakers, novelists and poets." To which I could have added painters, composers, and so on, but my point is clear.

Quick -- name ten composers. Now name just three game designers.

How well did you do? I'm not a musical person, but I came up with ten composers and not a single game designer. Does this mean that they are not artists? Does fame denote true art?

No -- and for a reason that Ebert of all people should understand. If game design may be compared to any medium, it is filmmaking. Both media are enormous collaborative projects that require between dozens and hundreds of specialized workers. Give Spielberg the job of creating a film entirely by himself, and he'll create something as mediocre as a game designed entirely by a solitary producer at Ubisoft. If filmmaking is an artistic medium, then so is game design. If art can be created collaboratively on film, then it can be created collaboratively in pixels.

But we can name Steven Spielberg. And Oliver Stone and the Coen Brothers and many more. But no game designers. Why? Because game production is a very rapidly changing industry, and viciously cut-throat. The technology that empowers it is growing so fast that the market rolls over any designer who can't keep up with the frenetic pace. A game made ten years ago is as crude as Georges Méliès' 1902 Le Voyage Dans la Lune. But a movie made ten years ago can be better than current releases because the medium is comparatively stagnant. Filmmakers can rest on their laurels; game designers cannot.

Both Santiago and Ebert actually mention Méliès and his film Le Voyage Dans La Lune. Ebert writes:

Now she shows stills from early silent films such as George Melies' "A Voyage to the Moon" (1902), which were "equally simplistic." Obviously, I'm hopelessly handicapped because of my love of cinema, but Melies seems to me vastly more advanced than her three modern video games. He has limited technical resources, but superior artistry and imagination.

How so? Ebert does not explain. To Santiago's most effective argument -- that video games are at an early stage of artistic development comparable to the earliest movies -- Ebert is almost silent.

But I won't argue from Santiago's perspective, which, as I've said, starts with a somewhat faulty definition of art. I define art -- and specifically good art -- as the effective outward expression of an inward conception of an ideal condition. If a person thinks of a story, and can express that story fully in text, that person is an artist and has produced art. If a person thinks of a sound and can fully express that sound in music, that person is an artist and has produced art. If a person thinks of a movement and can fully express that movement in dance, that person is an artist and has produced art. If a person thinks of an image and can fully express that image in paint, that person is an artist and has produced art.

If a person can envision a video and gather a team together that can accurately express that inner vision, that person is an artist and has produced art.

If a person can envision an interactive video and gather a team together that can accurately express that inner vision, that person is an artist and has produced art.

And that's what video games are -- interactive visual and auditory environments that express an inner vision. Not everyone is capable of producing good video games. I can't and Roger Ebert can't. The task requires people with a natural talent sharpened by formal training. They can create artificial worlds where we can experience their inner vision. Such people are artists.

And the product of an artist is art.

Now yesterday this post began as a comment at Nerd Bastards, and it grew and grew until I realized that I should write an entire post on the subject. While composing it, I encountered this excellent response from Jerry Holkins of Penny Arcade (via reddit). An excerpt of its brilliance:

so there's nothing here to discuss. You can if you want to, and people certainly do, but there's no profit in it. Nobody's going to hold their blade aloft at the end of this thing and found a kingdom. It's just something to fill the hours.

Also, do we win something if we defeat him? Does he drop a good helm? Because I can't for the life of me figure out why we give a shit what that creature says. He doesn't operate under some divine shroud that lets him determine what is or is not valid culture. He cannot rob you, retroactively, of wholly valid experiences; he cannot transform them into worthless things.

He's simply a man determined to be on the wrong side of history, the wrong side of the human drive to create, and dreadfully so; a monument to the same generational bullshit that says because something has not been, it must not and could never be.

All of this is true. Ebert, film critic, is no different from the people a century ago who proclaimed that film could never amount to anything; that it was not real art. His views will end up on the ash heap of history, and we know it, and he knows it.

What do you think?

What is art?

Do video games constitute art?

Ewok Song in Barbershop Harmony

2010-04-22T16:25:00.002-04:00

The Barbershop group Crackerjack Junction made this variation on the Ewok celebration song.

via BoingBoing

Ewok Karaoke

2010-04-22T12:52:00.002-04:00

via Nerdist

Previously on The Zeray Gazette:
Recipe: Roasted Leg of Ewok

Parody Posters for (Thankfully) Non-Existent Sci-Fi and Superhero Movies

2010-04-21T21:02:00.002-04:00

io9 has a gallery full of them. I kinda worried that it might give Hollywood some ideas.

Pokémon's Marketing is a Little Heavy-Handed

2010-04-21T16:33:00.002-04:00

Buy! Buy! Buy!!

Bioshock Bento Box

2010-04-21T14:25:00.003-04:00

Anna the Red made this lovely bento box featuring a Bioshock Big Daddy and Little Sister. You can read more about the project and see in-process photos here.

via Nerd Bastards

Leonard Nimoy Retires, George Takei Turns 73, Sir William Shatner

2010-04-20T20:23:00.007-04:00

Leonard Nimoy, 79, announced that after an upcoming episode of Fringe, he will retire from acting. Nimoy is an accomplished photographer, and the article about his retirement shared this touching story:

He acknowledges he was met with skepticism initially about this latest creative venture, “but I’ve built credibility now in the art world.”

And among the general population, too. He recalls an incident in which he and Tom Hanks were approached by a young man who wanted his picture taken with Hanks. When Hanks asked who would take the photo, the man turned to the now former Mr. Spock.

“He said, ‘Mr. Nimoy, you’re a wonderful photographer. Would you take our picture?’”

(via io9)

In other news, George Takei turned 73 years old. Sci Fi Wire has a list of 25 interesting facts about him, such as that he was named after King George VI.

A Star Trek actor named after a Windsor monarch? Sure, why not. After all, William Shatner might become the Governor-General of Canada, representing Queen Elizabeth there.

Bad Idea: Pretend to Be Video Game Character, Wave Gun Around in Public

2010-04-20T13:12:00.000-04:00

So here's the idea for this Splinter Cell video game viral marketing stunt: hire a guy to dress up in bloody bandages, run around in public pointing a fake gun at people. What could possibly go wrong?

The police showed up. Their guns were not fake.

About 20 revellers drinking outside Degree bar dived for cover after the promotions worker threatened them with a black imitation pistol about 8pm on Friday.

Witnesses said they heard someone shout “he’s got a gun” and outdoor drinkers dived behind their tables.

Degree manager Steph Kurtovich said: “This guy with bandages on his hands pointed a gun at customers sitting outside. They were pretty terrified.”

The stunt, to promote the release of Xbox title Splinter Cell Evolution, was condemned by police.

Senior Sergeant Ben Offner said officers could not tell the gun was made of plastic until they had taken it from the actor.

If he had tried this in Texas....

via Say Uncle

Iron Man Punches Hugh Grant

2010-04-20T13:11:00.000-04:00

(YouTube Link)
I'm not sure why this scene exists, but I think that punching Hugh Grant is self-evidently good, so here it is. I'm informed that this is a scene from some chick flick called Bridget Jones’s Diary. You can tell that it's a chick flick because Hugh Grant is in it.

via Great White Snark

When It Will Be Silent

2010-04-20T13:10:00.000-04:00

(Video Link)
When It Will Be Silent is a touchingly romantic, post-apocalyptic short film by Dan Sachar.

via io9

Amazingly Detailed Miniature Model of Bag End

2010-04-20T11:54:00.005-04:00

Maddie Chambers of Chesterfield, UK, made this very detailed model of the home of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins:

There is a tiny one-inch version of the Baggins family tree framed on one of the walls, an even smaller, fully accurate map of Middle Earth and even notes in Frodo's 'Elvish' handwriting littering the hobbits lounge.

The kitchen is stocked with miniaturised food and utensils and a barrel bearing a longbottom leaf label the ale drunk by the hobbits in the record-breaking films.

Every scrap of furniture been created from scratch and duvets, rugs and towels mean any tiny hobbits could live in comfort.

There is also a shelf of microscopic books on offer and beautiful dresser drawers and wardrobes to help fashion-conscious elves look the part.

via Sci Fi Wire

MacGyver/Big Lebowski Mashup

2010-04-20T11:48:00.003-04:00

(YouTube Link)

This isn't my usual fare here at The Zeray Gazette, but it's too good not to share. This video imagines the Dude as a clutzy, incompetent MacGyver. Almost as good as the Shakespearean version.

via Nerdcore

He-Man's Blog

2010-04-19T21:12:00.008-04:00

It hasn't been updated in, well, eight years. But this Live Journal account is pretty funny.

So much for the rumors of He-Man's homosexuality.

via reddit

Lost Tarot Cards

2010-04-19T15:46:00.002-04:00

Graphic designer Alex Griendling created Lost-themed tarot cards. (via Popped Culture)

Elsewhere, blogger Brian J. Noggle is getting into Lost mischief.

Anatomy of a Tribble

2010-04-19T15:06:00.004-04:00

This image has been attributed to an unknown Starfleet reference book, so I can't verify its accuracy.

via Neatorama

A Gallery of Awful Science Fiction Book Covers

2010-04-19T14:15:00.005-04:00

Good Show Sir is a photoblog of bad science fiction novel cover art. Here's the annotation for Will Shetterly's The Tangled Lands:

It was my late teens and I was studying hard at some top notch university. Then came the LSD and it was all, floating semi translucent men surrounded by magical orbs in a forest being watched by unicorns. I suppose that has something to do with the world of cats, right?

via io9

Babylon 5 Stuffed Animals

2010-04-18T21:25:00.002-04:00

deviantART user Babylon 5 Club made these Centauri and Earth Force stuffed animals. Cute!

I watched about a twenty episodes of Babylon 5 when it aired -- enough to know that I was missing something pretty awesome. So in the past couple months, I watched the entire run of the show, the movies, and a few episodes of the awful spin-off show Crusade.

It was as good as I remembered. Some of it is creepy-cultish (e.g. "We live for the one, we die for the one."), but it is a rousing adventure and an intricate story arc, well-executed.

Have you watched Babylon 5? What did you think of it?

The Science of Pokémon

2010-04-17T20:23:00.000-04:00

deviantART member Robert Ryan created a poster describing the physics of fifteen different Pokémon.

via reddit

Alliance vs. Horde Conflict in World of Warcraft Results in Gamer Getting Turned Down for Job

2010-04-17T20:22:00.001-04:00

The long struggle between the Alliance and the Horde in World of Warcraft recently boiled over into real life and real consequences. This might be a hoax, as the claim has not been verified, but one man claims that he was turned down for a job because the interviewer's character was in the Alliance, and his character is in the Horde:

A recent thread located on the Official World of Warcraft Forums told a story about what a player went through at their recent job interview. The job in question was a pretty important position at a local television stated located in Chicago. It seemed like a reputable place to the player, and all was going well according to the interviewee.

As the interview carried on, the player, known as "Urge," was asked what they enjoyed doing in their spare time. Of course, to this question this Urge responded by saying she played World of Warcraft. It turned out that the interviewer was also a big fan of World of Warcraft, and like any fan, asked which race Urge played on.

Excited now, the the player told her interviewer that she played a level 80 Blood Elf Priest. Unfortunately, it seemed as though this was the wrong answer because he replied, "Well I play Alliance" and almost immediately the interview was cut short, leaving Urge to ponder.

via Digg | Image by deviantART member EspenG

Transformers in Stained Glass

2010-04-17T20:19:00.000-04:00

While browsing through deviantART for blog fodder, I discovered that user Timothy Miller has created many fine works of stained glass, including several Transformers. Pictured above is his Bumblebee. At his gallery, you can see his Optimus Prime, Galvatron, and Unicron pieces. Also, his John Deere logo is just cool.

User cymrudragon made this neat lampshade bearing the Decepticon logo. I would love to have this grace my home.

Super Mario Bros. Theme Played with Pens/Pencils

2010-04-17T20:18:00.001-04:00

(Video Link)

YouTube user Shane Bang has created some impressive music videos using nothing but pencils and pens. He does a lot more than just tap to the rhythm. Here's his rendition of the Super Mario Bros. theme music.

via technabob

Betty White in a Metal Bikini Wielding a Flaming Chainsaw While Riding a John Ritter Centaur

2010-04-16T20:52:00.004-04:00

By Andrew Zubko, the same artist responsible for the Batman vs. shark painting. Zubko created this cover for The Portland Mercury to the specifications given to him by readers in an online poll. That makes me really respect that magazine's readership.

via Nerd Bastards

The Most Awesome Thing Ever

2010-04-16T20:51:00.002-04:00

This marvelous website asks readers to discern, from one thousand possible choices, the most awesome thing ever. It randomly selects two to display, and you select one. For example, which is more awesome, the planet Jupiter or Mariah Carey's Glitter?

Go forth and lend your voice. The five most currently awesome things are (in order) the Internet, a nap, life, oxygen, and music.

Warning: self-starting sound.

via GearFuse

What is your favorite science fiction television comedy show and why?
	Futurama
	Red Dwarf
	Mystery Science Theatre 3000
	3rd Rock From the Sun
	Mork and Mindy
	Tripping the Rift

pollcode.com free polls

Which is Joss Whedon's best production and why?
	Buffy the Vampire Slayer
	Angel
	Firefly
	Dollhouse
	Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog

pollcode.com free polls