Celebrate Your Geekdom
Love robots? Love art? Award-winning artist Lawrence Northey of Robot Art takes commissions, so you can combine your two passions and make any robotic creation you dream up a reality. One possibility he suggests is “a robot with a built in MP3 Player Docking Station. The robot could feature either built in speakers or, remote ones jacking into one of the robot’s feet. Combining this design along with the technology from Digital Photo Frames would be fantastic!”
from Garfield Minus Garfield:
If you’ve enjoyed it, then please vote Garfield Minus Garfield for Best Comic Strip in the 2008 Weblog Awards.
A reblog will help too 😉
One of the most anticipated books of 2008 was J.K. Rowling’s The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a collection of wizard fairy tales referenced in the final book of the Harry Potter series. Prefaced by an introduction by Rowling, the slender volume contains the stories “The Wizard and the Hopping Pot”, “The Fountain of Fair Fortune”, “The Warlock’s Hairy Heart”, “Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump”, and “The Tale of the Three Brothers”. The latter tale appeared in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, where it aided Harry, Ron, and Hermione in their quest to unearth the Deathly Hallows and thereby defeat Lord Voldemort, but the other four stories are completely new works. Scholarly notes attributed to Professor Albus Dumbledore, which “appear by generous permission of the Hogwarts Headmasters’ Archive”, with occasional footnotes by J.K. Rowling, add an air of verisimilitude to the book, as does the title page that quite fittingly credits Hermione Granger for translating the book from the original runes. Rowling’s charming illustrations, black-and-white line drawings perfectly suited to Beedle‘s Brothers Grimm-style storytelling, reveal another facet of the author’s creative talent, making it even more interesting to guess at what she’ll produce next, post-Harry Potter.
The Tales of Beedle the Bard was released in both a Standard Edition and a Collector’s Edition, the second offered exclusively by Amazon.com. The Standard Edition contains the five fairy tales, a new introduction by J.K. Rowling, illustrations reproduced from the original handcrafted book, and commentary on each of the tales from Professor Albus Dumbledore. The Collector’s Edition features all five fairy tales from the original The Tales of Beedle the Bard; an outer case disguised as a wizarding textbook from the Hogwarts library; 10 ready-for-framing prints of J.K. Rowling’s illustrations; an exclusive reproduction of J.K. Rowling’s handwritten introduction; 10 new illustrations by J.K. Rowling not included in the Standard Edition or the original handcrafted edition; a velvet bag embroidered with J.K. Rowling’s signature; metal skull, corners, and clasp; replica gemstones, and an emerald ribbon. Available only in limited quantities, Amazon.com recently posted a sold-out notice for the Collector’s Edition:
Thanks to the incredible enthusiasm of Harry Potter fans, we have sold out of all copies of The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Collector’s Edition available in the United States. To ensure that we have enough replacement copies (for example, for books damaged during shipping), we will be holding a limited number of copies in reserve. If you missed out on ordering your copy of the Collector’s Edition, it is possible that a small number of copies will become available in the weeks following its release on December 4, 2008.
J.K. Rowling has waived her royalties for The Tales of Beedle the Bard, and net proceeds from book sales will be donated to the Children’s High Level Group, a children’s rights charity co-founded by Rowling to benefit children who have been relegated to residential institutions. A press release from the Children’s High Level Group — J.K. Rowling Delighted as Beedle Sales Raise More Than £4M for CHLG in First Week — thanks Muggle fans for their support of this very important cause.
Check out the full range of Harry Potter titles, aside from The Tales of Beedle the Bard published specially by the Children’s High Level Group, at Raincoast Books. In addition to the original books, Raincoast Books offers adult, large print, “magic”, deluxe gift, foreign-language (Latin, Welsh, Ancient Greek, Irish), and box set editions, as well as the textbooks that Rowling wrote for Comic Relief, Quidditch through the Ages and Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them.
Order now at Amazon.com:
The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Standard Edition
The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Collector’s Edition (Offered Exclusively by Amazon)
Harry Potter Store featuring books, audio CDs, DVDs, posters, soundtracks, toys & games, video games, and videos.
Or order directly through the Bloomsbury Publishing website.
Shop for unique Harry Potter merchandise at Alivan’s Master Wandmakers.
The Tales of Beedle the Bard is distributed by Children’s High Level Group, in partnership with Bloomsbury Publishing, Scholastic and Amazon.com. The Harry Potter series is distributed by Bloomsbury Publishing (International), Raincoast Books (Canada), and Scholastic (US). For more information on the books and their author, visit the J.K. Rowling Official Site.
from Garfield Minus Garfield:
Merry Christmas!
from Garfield Minus Garfield and thank you all for your support over the year.
I’m going to take a break for a few days but in the meantime if you’d like to show your support for G-G, please vote for it in the tumblr awards. It’s in the Overall Best Tumblelog and Best Image Posts categories.
Thank you 🙂
Dan
from The Legend of Neil:
Ok, I’ve seen some pretty amazing fan art in my day, but this has to take the cake. Our newfound beloved superfan, Jeri, has constructed an animatronic version of the Neil skeletons. I’m completely blown away and just have to share the links with you (and no it’s not Felicia Day even though it kind of looks like her, my brother was convinced that we just made this up. We did not, it’s real!) Check out part 1 and part 2 of how she put this all together.
Also we do have an official submission section for fan art and we haven’t seen squat. Send us some stuff, even if it looks like a 3 year old drew it. I need some cool pics to hang around our office for inspiration for the second season. C’mon people, drop everything and draw some fairy sex scenes already!
from Rod Roddenberry:
Majel Barrett Roddenberry passed away this morning, December 18, 2008, at 12:27 AM in her Bel Air home. She died peacefully, in her sleep, and was surrounded by family and loved ones.
“My mother truly acknowledged and appreciated the fact that Star Trek fans played a vital role in keeping the Roddenberry dream alive for the past 42 years. It was her love for the fans, and their love in return, that kept her going for so long after my father passed away.” — Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, Jr.
Condolences can be sent via email to share@roddenberry.com or by mail to:
Roddenberry Productions
4400 Coldwater Canyon Avenue, Suite 100
Studio City, CA 91604
“First Lady of Star Trek” Majel Barrett Roddenberry Passes Away at the Age of 76
Los Angeles, CA (December 18, 2008) –- Actress Majel Barrett Roddenberry, beloved star of sci-fi phenomenon Star Trek passed away early this morning surrounded by family and friends. Roddenberry was 76 years old. She began her acting career in the 1950’s with roles in such popular shows as Leave it to Beaver, Bonanza and The Lucy Show; but it was her numerous roles in the legendary Star Trek franchise that fans came to know and love her. Roddenberry had featured roles in almost every Star Trek television and film entity and became an iconic figure within the fan community. Her roles included Nurse Chapel in Star Trek: The Original Series, Lwaxana Troi in Star Trek: The Next Generation and the voice of the USS Enterprise computer in almost every incarnation of the series. However, it was the love affair between her and the late Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry that earned her the title “The First Lady of Star Trek.” Over the course of their more then quarter-century love affair, she became not only Gene’s partner, but also his creative muse. Roddenberry helped Gene expand the Star Trek universe and was an integral part of its continued legacy after his death. Majel recently completed reprising her role as the voice of the USS Enterprise for J.J. Abrams’ new Star Trek film.
Roddenberry succumbed to a short battle with Leukemia at 12:27 AM on December 18 in her Bel-Air home. She passed away peacefully, surrounded by her son Rod Roddenberry and family friends. She is survived by her only son Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry Jr. The family has asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in her name to the CARE Organization or Precious Paws both of which share Roddenberry’s love for animals and dedication to animal rescue.
Precious Paws
18034 Ventura Blvd., #430
Encino, CA 91316
preciouspaws.org
(818) 304-5595
C.A.R.E.
P.O. Box 56631
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
care4pets.org
(818) 685-9980
Funeral details are pending and a public memorial will be scheduled sometime after Christmas or in early 2009.
Click here for the Majel Barrett Roddenberry Dedication Page
Click here to share your memories and feelings in the Posting Forum dedicated to the loving memory of Majel Barrett Roddenberry: The First Lady of Star Trek.
With The Hobbit and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader both currently in production, now is the ideal time to invest in a related costume piece from Stansborough Fibres, one of the authentic suppliers of The Lord of the Rings and Narnia product lines. Stansborough Fibres has been selling the Authentic Magic Fellowship Costume Cloak under full license and endorsement from New Line Cinema since the completion of The Lord of the Rings, and continues to supply Weta Workshop and New Line Cinema (now a division of Warner Brothers) with costuming, cloaks, and accessories made from the fabrics created for the fantasy trilogy.
“Our Fellowship cloaks are of very high quality, all hand-made individually and numbered as a registered limited edition. These are the only ones in the world that are made from the actual fabric used in the movie and from the yarn and fleece which is grown at our farm, Stansborough. It’s the only wool of its kind in the world. We take great care in making them as close to the original design as possible and sewn with every care when creating each garment,” says Cheryl Eldridge of Stansborough Fibres.
In addition to the full-sized cloak, there’s an adorable Mini Fellowship Cloak, made from the same fabric but without the double-lined authentic hood. This is a smaller replica of the Fellowship cloak, meant for a teddy bear or doll.
“The images on our website of the cloaks and the other products made from the same fabric are a good representation of our movie costuming,” Cheryl Eldridge continues. “Of course, the fabric is much better in real life and all the clients who have them are thrilled with them when they arrive. They are always more impressed with the actual products when they arrive.”
If you’re ever in New Zealand, escape to the real “Middle Earth” by staying at Stansborough Cottage or taking an interactive Experience Stansborough tour, with personal and group tours available by appointment. Elle Canada did an article in their May edition on what to see in Wellington, New Zealand, and Stansborough Fibres was featured as the place to go and purchase some unique New Zealand-made products.
Stansborough Fibres is also now selling through several clients in Vancouver, Canada, mostly higher-end interiors stores who love their innovative designs and 100% eco-friendly natural interiors lines. These products are from the corporate gifts, accessories, baby range, and interiors collections, rather than movie costuming, and are available at Atkinson’s, Bernstein & Gold, Fino Lino, RoseHill Bed & Bath, Provide, Moulé, and Inform Interiors.
For artisans wanting to make their own “Stansborough Grey” designs, Stansborough Fibres offers a Spinners & Weavers selection of washed fleece, roving slivers, and knitting yarn. There’s a wholesale Buyers Range for commercial clients, as well.
Order directly through the Stansborough Fibres website.
From New Zealand Farm to Hollywood
When Cheryl and Barry Eldridge looked to diversify the farming activities on Stansborough, their New Zealand sheep station, sixteen years ago, they had no idea the results would eventually be seen on cinema screens around the world. The unique fibre created by their flock of rare grey sheep was used to costume most of the main characters appearing in the blockbuster Lord of the Rings trilogy and was seen again in two other major Disney productions, Narnia’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian, along with The Waterhorse, BBC’s Kidnapped and several other projects. This New Zealand couple says that producing the fabric for the “Fellowship Cloaks” and major costuming in the Lord of the Rings movies was their ultimate challenge and their biggest achievement to date.
In 1991, Cheryl and Barry Eldridge concluded that their hill country sheep and cattle farm, situated in a picturesque valley in the Wairarapa, two hours drive north of Wellington, was a marginal farming operation. Instead of following the example of many others that turned their properties into pine plantations, the Eldridges looked for more imaginative options. Their search resulted in them obtaining a small flock of grey sheep and several alpacas. These sheep are also now registered as a wool breed in their own right, “Stansborough Greys”.
These grey sheep, that historically originate from an island off the coast of Sweden, now have wool that is unusually silky, soft and lustrous. This is the result of many years of selective breeding and hard work, producing a “Stansborough Grey” flock of over twelve hundred. There are also sixty alpacas on the farm whose fibre adds warmth and variety to many of the end products. When on display in New York, the unusual qualities of the “Stansborough Grey” fibre caught the eyes of the Lord of the Rings costume designers and led to the order for the costumes for Tolkien’s creations, and other subsequent movies.
The Eldridges personally attend the shearing, hand sorting and grading of the fleece of each animal. After the fleece has been professionally spun, the yarn is then woven at their own small weaving mill in Wellington. 100% grown, inspired, designed and created in New Zealand, the end product is totally eco-friendly, from the sustainable way the animals are farmed, to the finished textiles. Fibres used are in totally natural colours or dyed with only biodegradable overdyes.
Cheryl Eldridge, who has a background in the creative arts, along with daughter Kiri, designs all the fabric, accessories and end product range. Barry Eldridge draws on an engineering background to expertly operate the historic looms they use in their factory. Both their sons, Jamie and Gavin, help with the farm and the accounts. The looms, that came out to New Zealand in the early 1900s, were developed in England in the 1890s to make fine worsted textiles and are themselves masterpieces of design and engineering. These were among the very first commercial looms manufactured, at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, and have the ability to still create heirloom textiles from a byegone era.
Cheryl and Barry Eldridge are constantly developing their range of original and unique fashion, interiors and baby wear. These are now marketed through outlets in the United Kingdom, Europe, USA, Canada and Australia. What originally started out as an idea to keep a rare sheep from extinction and a farm operating profitably, has grown into a family business that begins out in the paddock and ends in high end fashion outlets or boutique hotels around the world, and increasingly on blockbuster cinema screens!
For more information, and the latest on Stansborough Fibres’ involvement in Disney’s The Chronicles of Narnia, visit the Stansborough Fibres website.
from Shout! Factory:
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XIV
Featuring MST3K Film Episodes Mad Monster, Manhunt in Space, Soultaker and Final Justice, Limited-Edition Mini-Posters, and All-New Bonus Content
In Stores Nationwide February 3, 2009, from Shout! Factory
From 1988 to 1999, the hilarious and widely beloved space travelers on The Satellite of Love from Mystery Science Theater 3000 skewered B-movies and in the process made them masterworks of comedy. Hot on the heels of the recent Mystery Science Theater 3000: 20th Anniversary celebration, Shout! Factory in association with Best Brains, Inc. proudly present the Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XIV 4-DVD box set on February 3, 2009. Poised to satisfy the appetite of fans for ritual viewing, as well as a perfect Valentine’s Day gift for pop culture geeks, the awe-inspiring 14th collection of the side-splitting Mystery Science Theater 3000 features the show’s never-before-released film episodes Mad Monster, Manhunt in Space, Soultaker and Final Justice, 4 limited-edition mini-posters, along with a wealth of new bonus content, including a brand-new interview with Soultaker star and MSTie favorite Joe Estevez; a new interview with Final Justice writer/director Greydon Clark; Mike Nelson, Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot on ESPN’s Cheap Seats without Ron Parker; and original trailers. Join the banter as Joel Hodgson, Mike Nelson, Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot supply their own playful brand of commentaries on some of cinema’s most misunderstood “masterpieces” in Shout! Factory’s Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XIV. This collectible 4-DVD box set is priced to own at $59.99.
Mad Monster
Obsessed with getting revenge on those responsible for the demise of his career, Dr. Lorenzo Cameron concocts a serum that transforms his unsuspecting gardener into a deadly wolf-man. Join hosts Joel Hodgson, Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot as they send up the very best revenge-fueled-wolf-monster-created-by-a-mad-scientist film of 1942! This memorable episode of MST3K also includes the short Commando Cody & The Radar Men from the Moon.
Manhunt in Space
Launched into space with the mission of rescuing the lovely Vena from a gang of notorious space pirates, Rocky and his copilot Winky are once again ready to fight evil to the very end — even if it takes them to the furthest edge of the galaxy! Composed of reassembled episodes from the short-lived 1950s television series Rocky Jones, Space Ranger, Manhunt in Space is unable to escape the cinematic critique of Joel and the ’bots of the Satellite of Love. Also includes the short General Hospital, segment 1!
Soultaker
After four youths are involved in a serious car accident, a mysterious man in black is sent to claim their souls — but these feisty teens aren’t yet ready to pass into the afterlife. Now they must return to their hospital-bound bodies before their parents decide to pull the plug or, worse yet, the Soultaker catches them. Starring MSTie faves Joe Estevez and Robert Z’Dar, Soultaker is perfect fodder for the sarcastic wit and wisdom of Mike, Crow T. Robot and Tom Servo aboard the Satellite of Love.
Final Justice
When tough-as-nails Texas Deputy Sheriff Thomas Jefferson Geronimo captures a member of the Italian mob, only he can successfully get his prisoner back to Italy to stand trial. But the Mafia declares war on Geronimo. That was their last mistake. The hard-hitting crew of the Satellite of Love — Mike, Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot — pulls absolutely no punches when riffing on Final Justice (starring legendary Mystery Science Theater 3000 antagonist Joe Don Baker), making this one of MST3K’s most beloved episodes of all time.
The Art of Bolt by Mark Cotta Vaz is the trusty sidekick guide to Bolt — the latest film from Walt Disney Animation Studios — and the newest volume in Chronicle Books’ line of Pixar/Disney animation art books, following The Art of WALL-E. The Art of Bolt documents the evolution of a movie whose “creators built from scratch an ingenious animation process that blurs the line between hand-painted and computer-generated filmmaking.”
Packed with vivid conceptual art “that functioned as beautiful building blocks for the unique look of the film,” The Art of Bolt has the feel of a travel journal filled with sketches and paintings done on a cross-country road trip of urban and rural America, paused for lengthier rest stops in New York, Ohio, Las Vegas, and Hollywood. The bulk of the art consists of scenery studies that show off the expert use of light effects in the film, with sketches of Bolt, his friends Mittens the cat and Rhino the hamster, and the humans they interact with — “physiologically accurate yet perfectly caricatured at the same time” — sprinkled throughout like thumbnails of interesting people seen and met on the journey.
The Art of Bolt is printed on heavy, art-quality paper, and presents a selection of preliminary sketches, character studies, storyboards, colorscripts, and full-color images, along with material from the Disney archives that illustrates how the Bolt creative team sought to return to Disney’s animation roots in their development of the film’s “painterly” look, a blending of classic 2D and modern 3D animation styles. The art is interspersed with quotes, interviews, and essays from the director, producer, designers, artists, and others involved in the production of Bolt, all of which open a fascinating window into the making of this underdog tale.
Order now at Amazon.com:
The Art of Bolt
The Art of Bolt is distributed by Chronicle Books (International/US) and Raincoast Books (Canada).
from Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog:
If you have artistic chops, participate in a holiday gift card competition.
from Vancouver2010.com:
Put your party hats on and make room for some cake; today marks the first birthday of Miga, Quatchi and Sumi, the mascots for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. And there’s even more reason to celebrate because the mascots’ cyber-sidekick Mukmuk is now featured in his own line of playful merchandise! In addition, starting today, a new animated video about Mukmuk that allows his fans to get to know him better will be available at vancouver2010.com/mascots, as well as a new interactive game featuring a flying Sumi.
Mukmuk, a small and friendly Vancouver Island marmot, is now a plush toy and featured on pins, T-shirts, playing cards, travel pillows and even a berry orange and blue toque just like the one he sports online at vancouver2010.com. Special edition box sets of Mukmuk with Miga, Quatchi and Sumi are now available. Mascot merchandise, including a variety of new Mukmuk merchandise, is available at HBC stores, including The Bay and Zellers, across Canada, starting today at 9:30 a.m. PST. It’s also for sale at Olympic stores, at vancouver2010.com and YVR, the Vancouver International Airport.
Best known for his loud cheers during games and races, as well as his unwavering support for his mascot buddies, Mukmuk entered the international spotlight one year ago when Miga, Quatchi and Sumi were introduced and he was named the first-ever Olympic and Paralympic sidekick. While the mascots travel across the country greeting people in person, until now Mukmuk existed in the vast world of cyberspace and in print where he interacts with the public through online games for the 2010 Winter Games as the driver of an ice resurfacer, hockey referee and even a curling skip. He has also acted as postmaster for public questions sent in about the Games.
“Since their introduction one year ago Miga, Sumi and Quatchi have been welcomed into the homes of thousands of Olympic fans. With the support of their friend Mukmuk, the mascots have worked tirelessly to spread a message of goodwill on behalf of Vancouver 2010,” said Dennis Kim, director of licensing and merchandising of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC). “Mukmuk himself has become incredibly popular — in fact he’s developed a great fan base, so in response, we’re pleased to offer this line of Mukmuk products to complement the popular mascot merchandise available.”
Today, Miga, Quatchi and Sumi will be handing out special invitations at HBC’s flagship downtown Vancouver store welcoming families to their birthday party on Saturday, November 29. Parties will be held on Saturday at five HBC stores in British Columbia’s Lower Mainland. The mascot trio will be on hand to visit with youngsters, pose for photos and hand out slices of their special birthday cake. The store locations are:
Mukmuk gets his name from the word “muckamuck”, Chinook jargon for food, because he loves to eat. He is enamoured with all the different types of food found in British Columbia, and is particularly fond of berries and mountain flowers. The Vancouver Island marmot is a species unique to the mountains of Vancouver Island.
A year ago more than 800 schoolchildren witnessed the mascot trio emerge from the mists of a magical West Coast setting of gigantic trees, soaring mountains and majestic ocean. Since then, the mascots have travelled across the country making friends and lighting up the faces of tens of thousands of youngsters and grownups alike at almost 300 public appearances in schools, hospitals and community events. They even paid a visit south of the border where they delighted crowds in Los Angeles and took part in an ice show during the opening days of the Beijing 2008 Summer Games. Highlighting their love of winter sports and the great outdoors, they have skated at Vancouver’s GM Place, travelled by dogsled in Calgary and even snow tubed at the Quebec Winter Carnival, and most recently-cross country skied at the opening of Whistler Olympic Park in BC’s Callaghan Valley.
The mascot microsite at vancouver2010.com has been immensely popular in its first 12 months. Its success includes more than 1.8 million page views, over 336,300 views of the animated mascot video page, more than 92,550 plays of the Operation Recycle game, and well over 500,000 page views of the mascots’ profiles.
The mascots, designed for VANOC by Vancouver-based Meomi Design, are a key component of the Games identity and a playful way to engage a young audience, and, at the same time, increase understanding of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010. Visit vancouver2010.com for further details on programs and schedules.
VANOC Communications
mediarelations@vancouver2010.com