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Destroying the Death Star Was a Huge Mistake

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It was as if a million voices suddenly cried out in terror, and begged for a bailout. Now, that’s what happened when the first Death Star destroyed Alderaan, but rather what did when the Rebel Alliance destroyed the second Death Star. Well, at least according to an academic who has spent way too much time thinking about the Star Wars economy. The problem, according to Zachary Feinstein, is that technological terrors don’t come cheap. Or, as a certain Sith Lord might put it, the ability to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the financing it takes to do that. … Read more

The Star Trek Stamps Are Coming!

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Star Trek Stamps

The Postal Service is providing a preview of its 2016 stamp program that is sure to attract the interest of fans of Sarah Vaughan, Star Trek, NASA’s New Horizons mission, Trucks, Shirley Temple, flowers, soda fountain fans and the holidays — just to name a small handful. “Our stamps articulate the American experience through miniature works of art,” said Acting Stamp Services Director Mary-Anne Penner. “Our diverse stamp topics for 2016 are sure to appeal to everyone, and with the New Year just around the corner, now is a perfect time to get started in stamp collecting. It’s an educational … Read more

News: The Trailer for Deadpool

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Deadpool

A new full-length Deadpool trailer gives us a closer look at Colossus and all the violent and bloody action you’d expect. If you want all the swearing and blood spatters then pick the red band version, or there’s a green band version that’s a little more family friendly for Christmas Day. Deadpool arrives in theaters on February 12th, 2016. From The Verge

News: Behold! The Building That Looks Like Star Trek’s “U.S.S. Enterprise”

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Enterprise Building

In a grand exhibition of geekery, the Chinese gaming company NetDragon Websoft has licensed and built an office building shaped like the U.S.S. Enterprise from Star Trek. It’s a little difficult to see it from the ground, but in the following drone-shot video, you can really see how cool looking this thing is. According to My Modern Met, the building is just as interesting inside. It contains a replica display of a T-Rex dinosaur, 30-foot tall metal slides allowing instant access from the third floor to ground level, plus automatic sliding doors between offices. (I can’t help but picture Shatner … Read more

News: Jets With Frickin’ Laser Beams Attached to Their Heads

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Jet With Laser

The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, said it’s on track to demonstrate a working laser weapon on a fighter jet by 2020. “It really is a national tipping point,” said Kelly Hammett, chief engineer for the AFRL’s directed energy directorate. “We see the technology evolving and maturing to the stage where it really can be used.” Arming larger planes with laser weapons has been possible for years. But the more difficult challenge is to create lasers small, accurate and powerful enough for fighter jets, Hammett said. The g-forces and vibrations of near supersonic speeds make that tough. Hammett … Read more

Coming Out as Gay Superheroes

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Stripling Warrior

When the mutant superhero Iceman came out last month — thanks to a one-two punch of his prying telepathic teammate and a time-travel visit from his younger self — he immediately became the most prominent gay comic book character. But his revelation was far from the only story line involving gay, lesbian and transgender characters in the fast-evolving world of comic-book narratives. In October, Alysia Yeoh, a transgender friend of Batgirl, and her girlfriend Jo were married in a simple ceremony unmarred by super-villainy; Peter Parker, perhaps better known as Spider-Man, attended the wedding of Max Modell, his scientific mentor … Read more

Me Me Monday!

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Me Me Monday

Welcome to ME ME MONDAY at our FB discussion group – your chance to pop in and tell us about your latest success. Have a new book or short story coming out? Let us know. Just sell something? Let us know so we can cheer you on. HOW IT WORKS: I’ll pin this topic to the top of our FB discussion page for the day. –Please post your announcement as a separate post, so I can also share it over to our FB page (as opposed to this discussion group). –If you want, send me your book announcement info at … Read more

News: Happy Creepy Robot Reindeer Holidays

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Robot Reindeer

OK, so I’m a couple days late with this one. But Oooh… and eeeeeew: If you thought waking up on Christmas morning to above-average temperatures and no snow on the ground was scary, Boston Dynamics gives us a far more terrifying glimpse into a dystopian future where Santa’s reindeer have been replaced with (highly kickable) trotting robotic dogs. In this (what’s the opposite of heartwarming?) holiday video we see three of Boston Dynamic’s Spot bots, the younger sibling to the company’s BigDog, pulling a sleigh. From Towleroad

News: Star Wars – Could Poe Dameron be Gay?

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Could the X-wing pilot be gay? Ever since the new Star Wars film came out the blogosphere has buzzed with fan theories about its characters and possible future plots. But one in particular might have some plot relevance. Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) appears as the first hero of the film: A handsome hunky pilot reminiscent of Han Solo in the original trilogy. During the course of the plot, his role is eclipsed by John Boyega’s character, Finn. Some bloggers have opined the two have some scenes together suggesting something a romantic relationship. Full Story at Gay Star News

SpaceX Rocket Makes History, Deploys 11 Satellites, Returns Safely

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SpaceX

SpaceX made history Monday night when it successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket into orbit, deployed 11 satellites, and then brought the 15-story booster back to Earth for a soft, vertical landing just six miles from where it took off at Cape Canaveral, Florida. It marks the first time billionaire Elon Musk’s Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX, has attempted to land a rocket on land and the first ever successful attempt to recover a rocket from an orbital flight, NBC News reports. As the rocket came to rest on its landing pad, a SpaceX webcast commentator confirmed, “The Falcon … Read more