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Anybody Wanna Go In With Me on This?

Posted by: Pearce

Tagged in: Television , Technology , Star Trek , Science , Lifestyle , Humor , Geekmas , gadgets , Eye Candy

Pearce

 

Space shuttles are for sale, people.  And as sad as I am that the shuttle program is ending, I'm also curious to see where NASA is going to go with their next program.

 

Unfortunately, I'm a little short of the $28.8 million price tag as far as my personal funds are concerned.  Wanna split one?

 

 

 

 

We can keep it in the field behind my house, and the engines are free!  All we need is a few mechanical engineers, and we can start our very own commercial spaceflight business.  Let's give Richard Branson a run for his money. 

 

Even better, let's actually go through with the plans I gave my university for my degree:  let's equip it with phasers and torpedoes and go build a base on the moon.  

 

From there, who knows?  I think the grand majority of Cool Space Stuff is going to come from the market at this point instead of from NASA. 

 

 

 

Vulcan, here we come! 

 


The (Roku Player) Box

Posted by: Pearce

Tagged in: Video , Television , Technology , Movies , Lifestyle , Geekmas

Pearce

 

 
 
 

 

 

I feel I should give a bit of back story to this particular review, considering how very strongly hooked I now am on streaming movies and TV shows.

 

I've had a Netflix account for quite a while. Very convenient, very fast, and no movie rental store leaving me angry voicemails about how they're going to charge me $60 for that copy of Serenity that my ex-boyfriend borrowed  and never brought back.

 

Unfortunately, after hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, I had no mailing address.  Another university had agreed to let me attend for that semester and live in the dorms, and they'd worked out a deal with my school so that my scholarship would still be honored.  So  I wasn't exactly going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

 

Of course, that meant that I couldn't use Netflix by mail.

 

Enter the "Watch Instantly" on  demand streaming function.  I loved it.  Sure, I had to watch things on my computer, but considering I don't do well with roommates anyway, I was perfectly fine with shoving headphones in my ears and having an excuse for not responding to anything any of my three roommates said.

 

Eventually, Netflix  announced it was going to make streaming available directly through televisions.  Currently, this can be accomplished through any of several gaming consoles or by buying a Roku box. I was intrigued by the Roku box, but I didn't want to spend a hundred bucks for it until I'd heard something good or bad.  Unfortunately, no one that I know has bought one since they came out.

 

So when I opened one of my Geekmas gifts and found a Roku player, I was excited.  Very excited.

 

 

I've had time to play around with it, and I have to say that I'm impressed.  I wanted to see how the manufacturer had managed to address some obvious issues (set-up, connection, selecting titles, etc.).


Some Holiday Cheer

Posted by: UberWench

Tagged in: Video , Music , Geekmas

UberWench

 

Happy Holidays, everyone! Here are some fun little things to give you a smile.

 

First, from the Rebel Viral Team, we have Jack Bauer interrogating Santa Claus:

 

You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this video

 

Now, torture is no laughing matter, but outrage hasn't worked all that well to combat it, so I figure satire is the next best thing. 

 

Next, here's a video that does its best to bring the funny as a Geek's Guide to Surviving Christmas. However, it gets triple Grinch-marks from me for assuming that "girls" don't want DVDs or video games, which is lame. Ovaries and Geek cred are NOT mutually exclusive, bozo! But I put it up anyway, because it says "Happy Christmas" in binary at the end, and that's just cool.

 

You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this video 

 

This time of year, it becomes very difficult to express the sentiments of the season without references to our personal religious practices. On that note, I'd like to share the following video, from my heart. It features God singing a lovely Christmas medley with Bing Crosby.

 

 You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this video

 

Did I mention that David Bowie is my god? No? Oops. But seriously, the next one is truly lovely, whatever your opinion of The Monkees.

 

You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this video

 

Last, but not least, a special one from our own Fluffy Bunny:

 

You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this video 


 

Aside from the Rifftrax guys' ubiquitous Christmas carol version of "Pokerface," there is an entire album you must purchase for great lulz this holiday season.

 

 

Have Yourself a Meaty Little Christmas

 

My rating?

 

(Four Chicas)

 

 

Okay, I love Aqua Teen Hunger Force, but even if you don't (and there are plenty of people who don't), there's a good chance you'll find this album hilarious.  Especially those who've had just a little too much stress to handle.  They have some pretty fantastic, if not family-friendly lyrics.

 

 

The tracks and my favorite lines are as follows (be warned that by clicking "Read more," you will likely be amused, scandalized, and/or insulted):

 


 

Looking for some last-minute stocking stuffers? Try these geek-tested choices:

 


Hunger GamesCatching FireFor teenagers and adults, The Hunger Games and its sequel Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. These may be the most intense books you ever read. They're set in a dystopian future America. A teenaged girl named Katniss is randomly selected to participate in an annual reality show where 24 people enter a gladitorial arena, and only one walks out alive. As bleak as it sounds, the story abounds with love; you will see humanity not only at its worst, but at its best. It may be too scary for kids under 14.

 

 The Lightning theifFor younger kids, The Lightning Thief and sequels by Rick Riordan. My 11-year-old son loves this series about a boy who discovers he's the son of a Greek god. This book is being made into a movie which comes out in March of 2010, so your kid can be extra cool by reading it before then!

 

 

 For geeky parents, Nurture Shock: New Thinking about Children, by Po Bronson and Ashley Nurture shockMerryman. This nonfiction book is a collection of the latest research on how children develop and how much of our current thinking is wrong. Learn why praise can backfire, why kids lie, and why early high school start times are hurting our kids. You may not agree with everything in this book, but it will certainly get you thinking.

 

 

For the mythology nut, Norse Code by Greg van Eekhout. The book follows a super kick-ass Valkyrie who is fed up with blind obedience and strikes out on her own to stop the end of the world and rescue her sister from Hel. She teams up Norse Codewith Hermod, a down-on-his-luck son of Odin and one of the few gods whose future is not laid out in the myths. He's kind of prone to catastrophe, for being a god. The author does a great job of keeping in the spirit of the myths while creating a new and compelling story around the lesser characters.

 

 

Know someone who likes romance novels, but can't stand it when the heroine is a pathetic weakling and the so-called "hero" is an asshat? Here are three feminist-friendly romance novels guaranteed not to be thrown against the wall!

 Can't stand the heat

Can't Stand the Heat, by Louisa Edwards. She's a snarky food critic. He's the head chef of a hot new restaurant. Hardly brooding or angsty, our hero is happy and passionate and devoted to his kitchen, which he runs with an iron fist and zero tolerance for lackluster work. This book is as fun for its look at the inner workings of an upscale restaurant as it is for the romance.

 

 

Games of Command, by Linnea Sinclair. She's a starship captain with a checkered past. He's an admiral and a biocybe--a cybernetically enhanced human. Theoretically, he's emotionless, except wait, he's not. He has her assigned to work on his starship. She thinks it's because he's learned something about her past and is out to get her, but actually it's because he has a GIANT CRUSH on her. Great fun. Bonus geek points for being set in a Star Trek-like universe.

 

 In the bleak midwinter

In the Bleak Midwinter, by Julia-Spencer Fleming. This is actually a mystery novel with romance elements. She's a former army helicopter pilot, now an Episcopalian priest. He's a Vietnam vet and chief of police in the small town where she's just been assigned. They bond while working together to solve a crime--but there's one small problem. He's married. Uh oh!

 

Got a gamer in the family, but can't stomach those $50 game prices? Here are some high-quality but inexpensive options:

 

Plants vs. Zombies. This little gem from PopCap, makers of super-addictive casual games like Bejeweled, lets you plant a garden of ravenous plants to defend your household from a horde of marauding zombies. It's very cute. I defy you not to laugh when the dancing zombies show up! While it's aimed at adults, I've seen kids as young as 5 get into this game. It's $20 purchased directly from PopCap, or $10 on Steam.

 

Defense Grid: The Awakening. Know someone who loved Plants vs. Zombies but thought it was too easy? Like Plants vs. Zombies, Defense Grid is a tower defense game. You build defensive structures to repel an invading horde, in this case aliens instead of zombies. It's not as cute as Plants vs. Zombies, but it's far more strategically complex, because the placement of your towers alters the path of the invaders. A great game for puzzle solvers and engineering types who like to tinker and get a design just right. The gameplay is addictive, and the storyline is actually touching in places. $20 on Amazon or $10 on Steam.

 


Gifts for the Geeky Traveler

Posted by: A Nonny Mouse

Tagged in: Lifestyle , Geekmas

A Nonny Mouse

 

I travel a lot for work.  I've gone from Washington DC to Wisconsin to Kolkata, India.  I can and have lived out of a suitcase for 6 months.  When you travel like I do, you learn quickly that the are some serious essentials.  If you've got a travel geek on your Christmas list, here are some awesome gifts to consider.

With the economy crunching, airlines are scrimGorillamobile Action Shotping as much as they can.  This means things like food, and even entertainment is going away.  Even if you have entertainment, it might not be what you're looking for.  Mp3 players with video, netbooks and even laptops can all have video capabilities.  Who wants to hold a iPhone or Creative Zen for a two and a half hour movie?  That's where the Gorillamobile comes in.  The Gorillamobile by Joby is a flexible tripod that can attach to smart phones, iPods and mp3 players.  This is great as it means you can hook your mp3 player to just the right spot in order to get the best viewing angle to catch up on The Big Bang Theory.

Lots of people talk about noise reducing headphones.  They work awesome, but are extremely Ink'd Headphonesexpensive and often don't work if your battery dies mid flight.  I've found that a set of in ear headphones can have the same effect, minus the batteries.  Especially Skullcandy earbuds .  These things work so much better than the expensive Sony's I bought a few years ago at filtering out the noise.  Best yet?  The Ink'd are only 21.99.

Katadyn Personal Water PurifierWestern Europe and North America is gifted with good clean water that can be drank for free right out of the tap.  Unfortunately, the rest of the world isn't so blessed.  This is where the Katadyn Water Filtration Bottle comes into play.  As someone that's had giardia and other water born nasties, this is perfect for both business and pleasure, taking out 99% of the nasties that can make any trip painful.

Pashminas were all the rage back in the early '00s and there have been a plethora of knock offs.  PashminasWhile a 100% pashmina wool shawl is close to 400 dollars, you can get imitations that work just as well.  The point is to have something that doubles as a blanket and is light and easy to pack.  A Pashmina shawl is large, folds down to easily be put into a carry on or laptop bag and will keep the travel warm and fashionable at the same time.

Last but not least are two gifts that work both inside and outside an airport.  Power is a the bane of most travellers existence.  No matter what TV would have you believe, laptop aren't powered but nuclear fission and therefore need to be plugged in from time to time.  If you're lucky enough to have power in economy (and seatguru.com is an awesome place to go to find out if you will or not) you'll more than likely need an adapter.  Which is something else to stuff in your already overfilled carry-on.  If you don't have power?  You're relying on your laptop battery to last long enough to stay caught upThermapakThermapak Cooling Pad on Being Erica.  So, I offer two last gifts.  One is a ThermaPAK laptop cooling pad that is self cooling, takes no power, and will prolong battery life by keeping the battery cool with the rest of your laptop.  The other is a universal power adapter.  Just in case you get one of those coveted seats in economy or are lucky to fly business.  Bonus is that most of them will work in a car as well for those long car trips.


Wholiday gifts for Whovians

Posted by: Nightsky

Nightsky

 

I first encountered Doctor Who as a wee slip of a girl, but as I was not 100% sure that I hadn't hallucinated it*, it probably doesn't count.  I encountered it again much later--after college, even--and recognized in it a union of my lifelong love for SF and the love of camp I'd developed as a teen.  After years of watching MST3K and feeling faintly guilty when I liked one of the movies, I discovered in Doctor Who a show where not only was it OK to laugh at the bad parts while still being inspired by the good parts, it was encouraged.

 

And lo! after years in the wilderness, Doctor Who is cool again.  Chances are good that you, O reader, know a fan, and are perhaps wondering what sort of gift would elicit the Squee of Joy and not the Oh How Very Nice of Meh.  We don't know that, but you could do worse than to surprise her with one of our specially-selected treats--read on for details!

 

TARDIS in snow (courtesty Doctor Who Image Archive)

(Images mostly from the Doctor Who Image Archive)


Furry Friends and Happy Holidays

Posted by: A Nonny Mouse

Tagged in: Lifestyle , Geekmas

A Nonny Mouse

 

The Holiday Season is upon us.  As the decorations come out and the food is prepared, there are a few things to remember when it comes to that special furry person in your life:

 

Have a Holly Jolly Christmas

 

There are a surprising number of holiday plants that are poisonous to animals.  Two of the worst dog and hollyare poinsettias and holly.  Both can cause diarrhea, coma and death.  Not exactly the way anyone wants to spend the holidays.  Another plant common in homes is mistletoe which can also cause heartbreak and tears instead of fun and excitement this holiday season.  If you still want plants, because why not they've been know to boost moods and make everything festive, think about getting a pet friendly bouquet from ASPCA.org or get silk or plastic plants.

Rocking Around the Christmas Tree


Who doesn't have stories of cats and Christmas trees?  I know I do and my two don't even climb it.  Cats especially, love the bright, shiny and it's important to remember a few things.  First?  Dude, take it Puppies and tinselfrom me and put only the ornaments you never want to see again on the bottom of the tree.  Cats and dogs, love to investigate and aren't above making just about anything into a toy.  In the same vein, careful with the breakable ornaments as when they break they could cut little paws that are investigating what just happened.  Tinsel is another thing to be careful of, especially if you have cats.  They love batting around and carrying they're toys and tinsel can get stuck in their throats and intestines.  Always watch the tree to make sure your little darlings haven't decided to use it as a ladder.

 

kitty checking out dinner

Sugarplums and Candycanes

Pretty much everybody knows not to give our furry loved ones chocolate or anything sweetened with xylitol.  Of course, that doesn't stop dogs and cats a like from finding ways to eat what they shouldn't.  The most surprising was onions, chives and garlic.  Things that are found in just about everything.  Now before you panic, especially if you see it on your animal's food, this is a cumulative thing.  The tiny amount that's found in pet food won't do harm, but you should try and avoid giving them table scraps.  I know, trust me, it's hard to say no when you have a very determined cat between you and the fork, determined to say I can haz dat, rite?  


In the long run, it's better to have them abstain.


Though it's been said, many times many ways...


One last piece of advice.  Don't step on your ferret.  It always ends badly.



Happy Holidays!


Gift Ideas For The Star Wars Lover

Posted by: Amalia The Savage

Tagged in: Star Wars , Lifestyle , Geekmas

Amalia The Savage

 

Looking for something other than the traditional Star Wars holiday ornament from Hallmark? Check out this list for the Star Wars fan in your family.

 

To my intense dismay, Macy's seems to have stopped selling the awesome Boba Fett Hoodie, and the Rebel Pilot Hoodie, but you can still pick up a Clone Trooper, Darth Maul, Classic Storm Trooper, or Darth Vader. The Boba Fett and the Rebel X-wing Pilot are still available from shopecko, but you'll pay a premium price for them. These hoodies strike me as the perfect gift for the college-aged Star Wars fan, but anyone else who can't be parted from their hooded sweatshirt and is proud to show off their love of the franchise will be thrilled to have one!

 

In the same price range, you can purchase the Taun-Taun Sleeping Bag for a younger Star Wars lover. It's big enough for an older fan, as well, but it would probably go over best with someone in the ages 9-12 bracket. Old enough not to be terrified, young enough to appreciate and make use of it. 

 

Another great gift for your younger (8 and up) Star Wars fan is the Dagobah Frog Habitat from ThinkGeek. Seriously, if they're going to keep amphibians, they may as well do it in style. It even comes with a Yoda figurine to teach your froggy friend to use the force for good. Or to mind trick said child into remembering to feed him...

 

For the friend who still angsts over Special Edition, give them the gift of a shirt that says it for them: Han DID shoot first.

 

A little bit on the pricey side, but a great conversation piece at a party that needs a trash bin for recyclables, or a helpful hint to your slovenly Star Wars loving friend, the R2-D2 trash can might be just the thing. Sick of your roommate leaving his garbage around the apartment/basement/dorm? Maybe giving them R2 will teach them to love cleaning up after themselves. 

 

And of course, the greatest gift you can give a non-star wars fan, is the opportunity to watch the movies! Amazon offers the Original Trilogy in a three pack for a pretty good price--25.99 (subject to change) means you get free super saver shipping, too. 

 

 Unfortunately the Build Your Own Lightsaber Kit doesn't seem to have the same availability it did last year, but you can still get your hands on a micro-light saber of a handy almost keychain size for your trips into places with inadequate lighting.

 

If none of these items strike your fancy, head over to the Star Wars Shop, or ThinkGeek for a broad selection of Star Wars items to meet your every need!

 


Gifts for non-geeks

Posted by: Nightsky

Tagged in: Television , Recs , Lifestyle , Geekmas

Nightsky

 

I am not native to fandom.  Other than the science fiction/ fantasy I devoured, my exposure to geekery when growing up was limited to my dad having Star Trek TNG on in the background while he puttered around the house. 


This is, as it happens, my parents' preferred method of TV viewing: something to watch while knitting (Mom) or clipping coupons (Dad).  And yet TV viewing was (and still is, when I'm home for a visit) very much a communal activity, something for the whole family to watch after dinner.

As I sank further and further into fandom, my tastes became ever more esoteric.  I furtively taped MST3K and Space Ghost: Coast To Coast* for private screenings when the 'rents weren't around, because I knew what the reaction would be:

 

Parent: (friendly, interested) Hey, what are you watching?

Me:  Um...  A show about robots who make fun of bad movies / A pretend talk show hosted by a cartoon superhero.

Parent: *blank stare*

And they, being loving and supportive parents, would give whatever weird thing I was interested in a try, and end up saying things like "I wish those robots hadn't talked over the movie."

To sum up: my parents are not fen. 

And yet they--being, as previously mentioned, loving and supportive--invite me to pick the after-dinner movie, try to like what I like, and--with the sixth sense I developed as a teenager--I just know that TV shows with disappearing police boxes, or space cowboys, or bakers who can raise the dead, or extradimensional superheroes named after chemical compounds... these are not going to be big hits.

 

So over the years, I've developed a strategy for uniting the worlds of fandom and non-fandom: not geeky works, but geek-related works.

My hypothesis is as follows: actors who appear in geeky works are, ipso facto, attracted to geeky projects, and stand a good chance of being smart.  Smart and geeky people like smart projects, not all of which are necessarily geeky.  So, if I begin with one of my latest interests, Classic era Doctor Who, ("What do you want to watch, Nightsky?" "Low-budget British TV weirdness from the 70s and 80s!"), I look at what else the actors have done.  In the penumbra of geekiness, if you will.  And lo! here's The Last Detective (starring ex-Doctor Peter Davison), a gently funny police procedural that I like; good characterization; smart dialogue... and it's 100% weirdness-free, and I know my parents like whodunits, because they loved Murder, She Wrote.  Perfect!

 

Similarly:

  • Blackadder too dark and too earthy?  Try Kingdom--funny, accessible, beautifully-shot show about a country lawyer, starring Stephen "Melchett" Fry.  If they like period pieces, he and Hugh Laurie (now, of course, better known as House) deliver the goods in Jeeves & Wooster.
  • Life on Mars too damn surreal?  Maybe they'll like the more down-to-earth intrigue of State of Play, starring John Simm and Philip Glenister.
  • Firefly too hard to get into? Castle, starring Nathan Fillion, awaits!

 

This is not to say that nothing geeky can work.  Knowing of my sister's interest in the paranormal, I put on Dead Like Me when she visited, and it went over so well that the weekend turned into a DLM marathon.  And the whole family liked Spirited Away--they've often said so, even though at the time their reactions seemed kinda meh.  Even my former roommate, one of the universe's least geeky people, fell hard for Howl's Moving Castle.


Remember, try to keep it light.  What non-geeks dislike about geeky works is the amount of continuity you have to absorb and remember: to them, it looks an awful lot like work.  Any work best understood by arguing about it with other fans online is right out.

 

* I actually didn't much like SG:C2C, despite its They Might Be Giants theme song.


Top 5 Gifts for Horror/Zombie Geeks

Posted by: cyannide

Tagged in: Movies , Lifestyle , Internet Phenomenon , Geekmas , Books

cyannide

 

 

As an avid zombie and horror geek, here are my top 5 picks for gifts for those lovers of the undead in your life.

 

 

 

Freddy1. Nightmare on Elm Street Freddy Doll 

 

 

With the new Nightmare on Elm Street movie comes new memorabilia. I personally LOVE this doll because I love dolls. And even though it’s only available for pre-order right now, I think it’s totally worth the wait. How awesome is a little Freddy doll? I mean, does it get any better?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Pride and Prejudice and zombies

 

 

As a zombie lover who enjoys a good book, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is a winning combination. This book takes a classic and adds a zombie twist. Zombies can make anything better.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Umbrella3. Umbrella Corp. umbrella

 

Any Resident Evil fan would really enjoy this Umbrella Corp. umbrella. Keep the ran off and show everyone how much they enjoy the whole Resident Evil franchise. And an Umbrella Corp umbrella is such a winning idea.

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Zombie Portraitzombie portrait

 

 

One very special unique gift for the zombie lover in your life is to give them their own personal zombie portrait. You submit a photo of them and it gets turned into a very cool zombie portrait by a talented artist. This is really something you can be sure they will love and will definitely leave an impression.

 

 

 

 

 

skull hoodie5. Skull Hoodie from Total Skull

 

A great item for any fan of horror movies and zombies, is a skull hoodie from Total Skull, a company run by Rob Zombie’s wife and actress, Sheri Moon Zombie. There are many cool clothing items to choose from, but this basic skull hoodie is a fave of mine

 


 

I truly live in a mad scientist house.  We've got not only tons of technology, but also all kinds of random chemical equipment and experiments sitting around in various rooms.  Once you've lived here long enough, you just come to accept that there will be strange smells wafting about, dances with blowtorches, and the use of medieval weaponry for the killing of snakes found in the back yard.  And as a mad scientist couple, we're generous to one another.  It's great to get fun little things "just because," but it does make things difficult as far as holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries are concerned.  There are only so many times you can fall back on ThinkGeek.com.  Here are a few smaller things your mad scientist friends probably don't have...and would probably find fun:

 


Gifts for Whedonites

Posted by: Nightsky

Tagged in: Whedonverse , Recs , Geekmas , Costuming

Nightsky

 

What did fans do before the Internet?  Actually, don't answer that--I'm old enough (juuuust barely) to have been getting into fandom during the age of paper, and I remember joining the MST3K fanclub by mail.


But hot damn, does the Internet ever beat the shit out of fanzines.  Oh, sure, I bet you could find a classified ad in the back of a Doctor Who zine from someone offering to knit you a Fourth Doctor scarf... but today, a little Googling and you can buy one, basically, off the rack.  A couple clicks and presto!  It's in stock and on its way. They have them in sizes. They even have the season 18 burgundy scarf.

Yes, it's a fine time to be a fan, assuming you don't mind poverty.  And it's a fine time to be buying gifts for fans, because they are really easy to shop for.  Take the list we've compiled below.  What Whedonite wouldn't weep tears of joy on finding one of these under the tree?  (Answer: none.)

  1. The cunning hat. Of course you need one.  You walk down the street in a hat like this, people know you're not afraid of anything.
  2.  

  3. Kaylee parasol. Among Firefly's many virtues was its sheer beauty: it was gorgeously shot.  One lovely image is from the pilot: Kaylee with her parasol, a riot of color against the neutral background of the shipyard.  It's proved to be so iconic of the character that she's often depicted with it--even though the series never showed it again.

    Naturally, you can paint your own Kaylee parasol; parasols can be found in Asian neighborhoods, and paint is cheap.  Or you could buy one here  or here.

  4. Buffy complete collection; Angel complete collection.

    The universe has richly rewarded me for being a lazy cheapskate. I delay buying this DVD, or that DVD, only for them to serendipitously release a Special Edition.  So it was with Buffy. No sooner had I resolved to maybe buy me some of the seasons of BtVS than this beauty was released, with everything that was in the season box sets PLUS an extra DVD of treats.

  5.  

  6. Firefly DVD set / Serenity DVD

    Try to hold out for a bargain.  Add whedonesque.com to your RSS feed; they're uncannily good at sniffing out sales.  You probably want the Special Edition Serenity: more features.
    Both TV series and movie are available on Blu-Ray; as neither was shot in HD, though, opinions vary on whether or not Blu-Ray is worth it.

  7.  

  8. Officially licensed Browncoat

    AbbyShot have been around for a while, with a pretty good reputation as a made-by-fans-for-fans company. (Not cheap, but the good stuff never is.)  But I was researching their new Browncoat (which I'd vaguely heard they were doing) when I came across this, on their site: they've apparently gone legit, with an official license and everything!  Fandom triumphant!

    Accuracy: they boast about it, and honestly it looks darn good to me.  But, for whatever it's worth, another officially licensed coat they make--the Tenth Doctor longcoat--has been nitpicked by the cosplayers over at Gallifrey Base and found to be a few details off.

    On the downside, AbbyShot appear to have stopped making the Zoe vest.  Poo.

     Breaking!  They ARE still making the Zoe vest!  It's just not linked to off the main page, for some reason.

  9.  

  10. Customized ladies' Browncoat

    The Browncoat: It is rugged. It is weathered. It is not at all tailored.  For guys, it works; we chicas are built differently, and on some of us the Browncoat hangs like a sack.  An especially shapeless sack.  So, for ladies more interested in the spirit of the Browncoat  than in strict screen accuracy, we have this lovely Etsy offering.  It is a variation on the regular Browncoat design, in that it comes in at the waist and then flares back out; it also fastens over your belly, instead of over your boobular region.

     

  11.  

  12. Dr. Horrible lab coat

    Okay, so they're not quite right.  They're cheap.

    American Science and Surplus (where the link goes) is also wonderful for buying all kinds of weird science-y crap to outfit your Mad Scientist's Lab the way a Mad Scientist's Lab should be outfitted. I myself have the 1L laboratory flask in my kitchen. I keep vinegar in it.

  13.  

  14. Serenity blueprints

    Did you know that Serenity has a shower aboard? Explore your favorite Firefly-class transport in more detail than you ever thought possible.  Good to drool over, handy to have if you're running an RPG set in the 'Verse, as I plan to one of these millenia.

  15.  

  16. Firefly jewelry

    I feel funny about listing this one, since it's not really online yet, and it's been dormant since August, so who knows if it'll ever be.  But if you can find her at cons, she sells awesome fannish jewelry, including three Firefly pendants in sterling silver: the ubiquitous "Serenity" kanji, the Independent Army triangle emblem, and an outline of the ship.


The Geeky Girl's Guide to Gifts for Gastronomes

Posted by: KitchenJedi

Tagged in: Geekmas , Food , Books

KitchenJedi

 

The holiday season is upon us, and we all know what that means:  finding gifts for those on our lists that are particularly difficult to buy for.

 

Below are five suggestions sure to be a hit with the foodies on your social networking friend's list.

 

 1) Leaves from the Inn of the Last Home

 

 

For the book lover on your list, this companion guide to the  Dragonlance series is an interesting read, complete with recipes from Tika's cookbook.  Available from Amazon.com starting at $4.50 used.

 

2)  Whiskey Stones

 

 Useful for chilling your Romulan ale in the glass without watering it down, these stones work by the simple principle of enthalpy.  Made in Vermont from soapstone, they are nonporous, and impart neither flavor nor color to your favorite spirit.  Available at extremegeek.com, $16.99 for a set of 9 stones.

 

 3) Star Wars Cookbook

 

Touting the catchphrase of "Use the Fork, Luke!" this cookbook really needs no explanation but I'll provide one anyway.  Remember the scene in Cloud City when they walk into dinner with Vader?  The whole scene cut away before we could figure out what they were eating.  Providing the secrets to Cloud Cities finest chefs, the Star Wars Cookbook is 60 pages of delicious, geeky fun.   Volume I Wookiee Cookies is currently on sale at Amazon for $9.93(nearly $5.00 less than at Think Geek), Volume II - Darth Malt and more Galactic Recipes is available at Amazon for $11.55.

 

4) Bacon Bandages

 

Everything is better with bacon... right?  Now you can kiss those boo-boos bye-bye with the wonder meat that is hard to resist without a high will save.  Available from Archie McPhee, $4.95.

 

 5)  The Star Trek Spork

 

Star Trek Spork

 

Was that supposed to be Spock?  Or was it really spork?  This utilitarian tool is sleekly designed of titanium and is being released in a limited edition set of 1701.  Available from thinkgeek.com for $22.99.

 


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