I’m certain that no one in that room could really conceive of what would happen to the world of entertainment and geekdom when Star Wars made it to the silver screen.  The action figures, the payout, the conventions, the ability to play someone called Cocknocker – none of that would have happened.

And Kurt Russell may also be thinking “Wow, I wasn’t typecast for the rest of my life!”

Mark Hammill:

Kurt Russell:

Cocknocker:

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Here’s a guy who claims he is channeling aliens via an energy beam directly to his hairy, slightly repugnant sweaty chest.  The very same chest he then makes an interviewer feel to confirm the alien-beam sweat.

The worst part is, the aliens sound like something out of a 1930′s serial featuring slightly evil aliens with German accents and horrible pronounciation.

As a bonus, the sweaty indivudual being interviewed even includes static as if to signify he’s connecting up with the alien power hour.

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Technorati Tags: ninjacat, feline physics, ninja, cat, OMG make it stop, video

I can’t imagine doing any one thing daily for 17 years short of bodily functions.

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Technorati Tags: video, spore, pet, creature creator, giant time sink

Ouch.  Several broken ribs and a broken sternum later, Eric is lucky to be alive.

Technorati Tags: video, mountain bike, world speed record, ouch, crash, volcano

Here’s a quick video essay to introduce you to the Strix – a 120mm, terminally guided, top attack mortar projectile.  This thing will happily find and destroy it’s target, even main battle tanks (MBTs) day or night from up to 7 klicks away.   All you need is a standard 120mm mortar!

I don’t know what’s more interesting.  The presentation, or the cheery, 1970′s science class documentary theme music at the end.

Technorati Tags: mortars, MBTs, weapons, boom, technology, saab, explosions

We have no way of knowing what it is that the inhabitants of the Death Star want, or even if they are friendly. But one thing is for certain. On the fateful day when we must finally engage our enemy in combat, the greatest weapon available to us will be Jeff Goldblum and his Macintosh of Doom.

Technorati Tags: Jeff Goldblum, Star Wars, Independence Day, Macintosh, Death Star, San Francisco, video

A while back I remember hearing rumors that BB was coming to a computer and/or console near you.  Now it looks like it’s a lot closer!  Check out this teaser trailer and the screenshots below.

You can hit up the official site here, where there’s a forum that’s becoming more and more active as the potential release date draws near.

Technorati Tags: bloodbowl, video game, gdw, elfs, orcs, football, bloody, booyah

One of the primary hurdles that Image Metrics faces on a daily basis is the Uncanny Valley.  The Uncanny Valley is a term that refers to the observed revulsion of people viewing objects demonstrating near lifelikeness.  You have experienced the Uncanny Valley any time you’ve been creeped out by a baby doll.

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Which do you prefer?  Or should we just stick with Robot Chicken?

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All we need are Adam West style sound effects.

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How are things going for Anonymous?  How much progress have they made, and what changes have come about in the six months or so that they’ve been in existence?  You can catch the second video here.

EDIT: Nice – the COS appears to be targeting posts about anonymous with ads via Google, like in this image (click for a larger version).  Looks like some keyword blocking may be in order.  It didn’t take long either, that ad appears minutes after the post went up.

Greetings to Anonymous and their allies in the fight against Scientology,

Recently, an invitation was issued to those who left Project Chanology to return and reclaim it. There may be some who are newer to Anonymous, or are associated with them who may have misunderstood the charge and are wondering if they and their methods are still welcome.

In any conflict of this magnitude, every part plays a role. A hive would be nothing more than a horde of insects if not for its singularity of purpose. No part is greater than the other. Is the eye, less useful than the hand – because it cannot grasp?

In sum: all Anonymous are welcome, regardless of their origins, tactics, beliefs, and reasons for their fight. Some may not understand those that created Anonymous in the first place or their tactics, and people fear what they do not understand. What must be realized is the nature of that very fear is what brought attention to Anonymous in the first place by the media, and by the Church of Scientology. It works. So does what you do, but in a different way.

Without darkness, there is no light. Without decay, there is no life. Without fear, there is no hope. The V for Vendetta masks, currently worn by so many Anonymous, is the trademark symbol of a dark vigilante character. Anonymous was born in darkness, and currently some of the symbols of darkness have been embraced. They are powerful, protective, and strong. As Anonymous, or allies of Anonymous, you are free to conduct yourself as you wish as long as you stay on target and keep in mind that you alone are responsible for your own actions. You do not have to cease protest and activism methods such as hug raids or candlelight vigils. Continue to dance and sing. Continue to offer help to those that wish to escape the cult.

If activism of a darker nature leaves a bitter taste in your mouth, do not participate in those actions. If it resonates with you, feel free to contribute your ideas and actions in order to effectively fight this corrupt organization your way. As other Anonymous do not interfere with your works, do not interfere with theirs. Cast aside your ego and your preconceived notions. There is work to be done.

To those who are still in scientology: your orgs are closing. Your friends and family members are leaving. The corruption is coming to light. Course materials are now free for you to find on the internet. People are speaking out in the media and in the streets. It is time to leave. The storm is coming, and in the end it’s up to you to decide where you’ll be standing when it strikes.

We are Anonymous.
We are Legion.
We do not forgive.
We do not forget.
United as one, divided by zero, we are unstoppable.
Expect Us.

Technorati Tags: anonymous, scientology, internet groups, the shadow organizations, culture

Combining zombies, action figures and The Thing – that’s a geek triumvirate of amazingness right there.

Technorati Tags: Zombie zombie, the thing, carpenter, video, movies, tribute, gi joe, action figures, geek films

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As an added bonus, it appears that you can now purchase a Barrett .50 caliber rifle through Google ads.  Sweet!  Shopping.com will even comparative shop for you.

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Things have been quiet in the Joss-Whed-verse for awhile now and for those who have been following him (more like skulking, stalking, pretending to be trees on his estate) then you’ve heard the talk of his latest project: Dollhouse!

Well… oh ye Jossey-Whedon-verse fans, I came across this on ‘Aint it Cool News‘ and my Whedo-uverse passion has been lit again.

On the list: Eliza Dushku as Echo (Faith from BTVS)
Amy Acker (Fred from Angel) … and other people

Here’s the interview that I stumbled across

Welcome (back) to the Dollhouse.

A New Pilot? A New Hope? A Prequel? A Nyquil? What’s the skinny on DOLLHOUSE and why doesn’t this link to anything?

Hi guys. Well, it’s been an eventful week. While all of you have been enjoying (and in some cases, suddenly NOT enjoying) our adorable little musical romp “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog” (exclusively available on iTunes!) (And I lied about some people not enjoying it!) I’ve been busying myself with a little something I like to call DOLLHOUSE. Finishing a new episode. Finishing a new… here’s the headline… FIRST episode.

What’s that, you say? A second first? How can such a thing be? Does it defy the laws of all physics? Well, I sat down with Rutherford D. Actualperson to do a quick Q&A and give you all the skinny on the progress of my new series (Available on iTunes at some point one would assume!)

Rutherford D. Actualperson: Joss. You are a legend in the industry, and your forehead is a normal size proportionate to your face. Tell me about the idea behind doing a new first episode. Didn’t you already shoot one?

Joss: Yes, Ruhthie, I did. And it was grand, simply grand.

R.D.A: Then why shoot another? Also, your teeth are whitish.

Joss: I said it was grand, I didn’t say it was comprehensible. I showed some scenes to David Lynch and he’s all, “whuh?” Bad sign. But I kid.

The fact is, I’m very proud of the ep we shot and the series is making me crazy with the excitement. But I tend to come at things sideways, and there were a few clarity issues for some viewers. There were also some slight issues with tone – I was in a dark, noir kind of place (where, as many of you know, I make my home), and didn’t bring the visceral pop the network had expected from the script. The network was cool about it, but not sure how to come out of the gate with the ep.

R.D.A.: So they made you do another. It’s Firefly all over again! Run! For the love of God, HE’S CALLING FROM THE HOUSE!!!

Joss: Wow. Good panic.

R.D.A.: I try. But I am genuinely concerned. Also your smooth skin and elegant hands are making me bi-curious.

Joss: Well, the idea to do a new first episode wasn’t the network’s. It was mine. I understood their consternation, and saw the gap between my style and their expectations, and I suggested I shoot a new ep and make the one I’d shot the second. It isn’t going to be buried, like the pilot of Firefly. It’s simply coming after another, slightly cleaner ep. And because unlike Firefly, it isn’t a two hour epic which introduces everyone to each other, the onus isn’t on the new ep to explain a million things.

The fact is, Fox ordered the series before we shot a frame and then, after the strike, I had literally two months to write and prep the whole thing. Which means simply that the network has to figure out what they might want to tweak AFTER it was shot, unlike a pilot. Buffy didn’t make the fall sched, Angel got shut down when they saw the second ep outline… it’s birth pangs. The network truly gets the premise (this is a whole new crew, as you know), loves the cast, is excited about the show – but they’re also specific about how they want to bring people to the show and I not only respect that, I kinda have to slap my forehead that I didn’t tailor my tone and structure to the network’s needs, since that’s something I pride myself on.

R.D.A.: You’re not just being the good soldier?

Joss: We both know from years of experience that I’m a crap soldier, though I am an accomplished fan-dancer. No, this is a very cold look at what’s going on, and it’s not an Us vs Them. The truth is, I’m in love with this world, and I don’t care how people get into it. I have a million things to say about (and through) all of these characters, and I don’t mind which ones I say first. I think I just turned in a pretty cool pilot script. [Editor’s note: that means someone TOLD him THEY thought it was cool. He has no judgement of his own. This is sad, but on the plus side, it was probably one of his writers, who actually ARE cool. So rest easy.]

R.D.A.: So what does this mean for production?

Joss: We’ve pushed an extra few days so I can prep this bitch within an inch of its life, i.e., read it once more.

R.D.A.: But how will this affect the foundation of the very turning of our precious earth, and by that I mean Comiccon?

Joss: Yeah. Unfortunately, we won’t have a new teaser to show, since we’ll start shooting after the con. People will have to settle for chatting with Eliza and Tahmoh. But they’re likeable folk. (Sadly, Tahmoh only speaks Canadian, though he has a lovely translator at his side, like Isabella Rosselini in “White Nights”.) We’ll still rock the panel, but showing clips is kind of a tradition, so my emoticon doth frown.

R.D.A.: And the first first episode?

Joss: I’ll reshoot a few scenes, but it’ll basically air as is. When I was given seven episodes, I referred to them as “the Seven Pilots”, ‘cause you always have to lay out the premise one way or another in those early eps. So instead of Grumpy, this particular episode will be Sneezy. (Seriously. Eliza fights POLLEN! Sooo sexy.)

R.D.A.: So Eliza’s still a different character every week?

Joss: Often several.

R.D.A: And in the Dollhouse, the amazing-looking facility where all the beautiful people whose memories have been wiped live in a state of unselfconscious innocence, the showers are co-ed? [Editor’s note: the showers are co-ed?]

Joss: The showers are co-ed. [Editor’s note: HOT damn.]

R.D.A.: So nothing of substance has been changed. Shower-wise.

Joss: You are a sad, lonely actual man, Actualman.

R.D.A.: So true, so true. Thank you for talking/fan-dancing to me. Anything else you’d like to add?

Joss: Available exclusively on iTunes! Oh. About Dollhouse? Only that it’s going to be a funhouse ride of excitement, fear, existential angst and co-ed showers. That I love it. Love the writers, love the cast, and already blissfully live in the strange, compelling world of the removable self. Hmm. When I pitched it to Eliza, she said “My God, it’s my life!” But after that sentence, I think maybe it’s mine.

R.D.A.: I guess we’ll have to wait till January to see what you’ve cooked up.

Joss: And I’ll probably keep cooking till the moment I serve.

R.D.A.: Would you hold me?

Joss: Yes, Ruhthie. Yes I will.

[Editor’s note in Strongbad’s voice: IT’S OVER!]

Now I see why people like to watch professional wrestling.

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Here’s a snippet from Cosmos that I love – the evolution starter kit, bringing us from single cells right through to folks like you, me and Jack Chick.

Technorati Tags: carl sagan, video, cosmos, video, evolution, dinosaurs, science, seven and a half minutes of fun

It has me staring at my kids playdoh and wondering. . . .

If you like zombies, like short films of a horror nature and don’t mind some fairly prevalent clay organs, then you need to watch this.  The soundtrack leaves a little to be desired, but that’s forgivable. If any of that isn’t appealing to you, you have been warned!

Anyone got any other zombie claymation flicks?

Technorati Tags: zombie, claymation, movie, art, video, braaaaaaaaaains, chainsaws, maids

I love Hellboy.  The comics are gold, the first movie was fun and the second looks to be a ton of fun!

Technorati Tags: actors studio, fun, golden army, hellboy, james lipton, Movies

We here at ArsGeek want to know what YOU think about this announcement.  Are you excited?  Pensive?  Will this get you to build a new gaming rig or could you care less?  Here’s what I loved about the previous versions and what I’m hoping for in the new one.

1. Lots of hacking and slashing.
2. Super easy interface.  You can pretty much play the whole game using your mouse.
3. Dynamic play – levels are never the same, multiplayer is free and fun, neat items, the ability to mod your own items in D2.
4. I get to crush demons like they were over ripe tomatos.  Seriously, that’s fun!

That’s why this video has my heart beating faster and my wife getting worried.

I’ve watched it a number of times and I’ve gotten that old feeling again.  For the first time in a long time I’m really anticipating the release of a new game.  Anticipating it in my bones.   This has the potential to be one of the greatest games of whenever the heck it’s launched.  Even better than Duke Nukem Forever.  If Blizzard sticks to their successful format and doesn’t change the game beyond all recognition.

Diablo was really my first good multiplayer experience, set up in a rental house I shared with a couple of other gamers.  Here was Moria (Nethack) with a beautiful skin!  It was my gaming dream.   When Diablo 2 arrived, and later with the LOD expansion I was again in heaven.  Even my wife, who’s not really a gamer, enjoyed the hell out of it.  We’ve played several characters into the upper 60s and had lots of fun with this game.

From the sound of it, they won’t depart to far from their original blueprint, while updating the game enough to give me some other reason to play it than just having shiny new graphics.  It’s still tied to Battle.net – which can be good and bad, but I’ll take it.  Just please, please don’t saddle this thing with some uber-intrusive  DRM crap Blizzard, that and good game play is all I ask!

They’ll be launching with 5 character classes (including a revamped Barbarian and the Witch Doctor who looks to be a Necromancer replacement) which will be customizable.  I’m assuming they’ll have something like or better than the gems and jewels of D2 to upgrade items.  DETAILS!  I need them!

If you haven’t checked out the Diablo universe yet, you can grab the whole series for $30 from Amazon.  It’s very much worth it.  It’s something to say that a game that came out years ago is still playable, and still ranks up there with my favorite titles that I’m currently playing.

If you’d like to get even deeper into it than that – Blizzard is hiring a whole horde of people to make this game.   Now’s your chance to get in on this franchise if you have 3D artistry skills or are a coding guru.

Technorati Tags: diablo, blizzard, itchy mouse fingers, can’t wait, computers, games, video games, WOW can go blow

I’ve never wanted to take up Cello more in my life than after seeing this video.  Oh, and if you’d like to watch this or other gems on your television or any other media displaying device, check out our latest contest for you chance to win a $180 Neuros OSD.

Technorati Tags: cello, latvia, music, Melo-M, Intars Busulis, who you gonna call?, video, music, 80s

We’ve heard you dog camp, and have decided to feature Lou the singing dog.  Hit it Lou!  Oh, and if you’d like to watch this on your telly, then check out your chance to win a Neuros OSD!

Technorati Tags: lou, dog, singing, chemical brothers, that’s entertainment, animals

This guy however, he’s like the DaVinci of RC Helicopter flying.  He makes Airwolf look like me.

Technorati Tags: airwolf, rc, remote control, helicopter, madness, copter ninja, talented bastard