A Geek Girl’s Musings on San Diego Comic Con 2010
Lately I’ve seen a few articles aimed at women regarding SDCC. Let me just say that the word condescending does not even begin to cover them. It’s more than a little sad that in the year 2010 many people still swing that wide brush which paints any girls at a comic/sci-fi convention as just tagging along with a guy. It reminds me of when I showed up to an employee’s desk to fix a computer issue one time. He said ‘Oh, er, um…Are you like the ‘unofficial’ IT person? All the guys are busy right now?’ I was so taken aback all I could say at first was ‘Are you serious?’ (which was 100% more profanity-free and less violent than what ran through my head) Oh yes, he was completely serious. People really are amazed when they discover I read comic books, wanted a Death Star cake at my wedding, and that I prefer technology to people. So when I was asked to do a write-up on my time at Comic Con, I thought that maybe, just maybe I can convince at least one person that the mythical geek girl does exist. And doesn’t always dwell in her parent’s basement.
This was my second year at SDCC. Due to traumatic events post-SDCC 2009 and other assorted factors, I only purchased a Friday pass this year. Which let me tell you, one day will exhaust you. I guarantee it! One thing I stress to anyone going to a con, regardless if it’s Comic Con in San Diego, Dragon*Con in Atlanta, or Starfest in Denver, is do some planning! Plan, plan, plan! I had poured over the schedule as soon as it was released, deciding which panels I absolutely had to see. I entered all of the pertinent information into my trusty Google Calendar and ensured it was sync’d with my trusty Blackberry so I would know where I was every step of the way. I also toyed with the idea of dressing up because my husband had helped me build a truly shiny Dark Helmet costume for Halloween last year (Slave Leia’s EAT YOUR HEARTS OUT!). Then I remembered how hot the costume was, how hot Comic Con was, and how hard it was to see in that helmet. So civvies it was.
How Science Fiction Failed Us Goes To The Movies – Inception (2010)
Over the weekend, I let my curiosity get the better of me and I went to see the latest Leonardo DiCaprio epic: Inception. Normally, I’m not a big Leo fan. He’s just got one of those voices that’s hard to take seriously in a dramatic role. That and I will always see him as the snot-nosed Luke in “Growing Pains” or the mentally handicapped brother of Johnny Depp in “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape”. I just don’t see him as all that dramatic. I got so sick of see his awful New York accent in the trailers for “Shutter Island” that I decided against going to see a movie I would have probably enjoyed.
That said, I went into Inception with mixed hopes; I knew it had been well –received, and anyone I knew that had seen it had enjoyed it, but could I take Leo seriously in what was likely an action role? The players in action movies really require the right mix of comic book absurdity and real life believability. I mean would “Predator” have been as easy to swallow with Adrian Brody playing Dutch? OK, bad example. I suppose this topic related to a recent article in which Sylvester Stallone blamed Tim Burton’s “Batman” for the decline of the muscle-bound action hero of the 80’s. I’m not sure about all that (even if I am sure that casting Michael Keaton was the worst idea in the history of cinema… after, of course, anything to do with “Ishtar”), but he does have a point. The advent of the “muscle suit” meant that action stars could be more cerebral, while still giving the appearance of being muscular and sturdy, even if they weren’t. Toward the end of the 90’s and into the 00’s, we started seeing a pleasant combination of both, which allowed for Toby McGuire to pull of being Spider-Man AND Peter Parker, and for Ryan Reynolds to do… well… whatever he effin’ wants to do.
Spotlight on Geeky Startups: The UberDork Cafe Dream
As true geeks, we here at Geek Shui Living constantly keep our eyes open for anything that looks, smells, or tastes like geekiness. Back in June, I had the privilege to come across a geeky startup, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The brainchild of Natali, a person whom I have the unique pleasure of following on Twitter. A self-confessed (and monikered) dork, Natali is one of those people that others tend to flock toward, based on her positive attitude, keen wit, and demonstrated intelligence. In this case, I came across a Kickstarter project started by Natali.
What is her goal? Well, she has a dream. That dream is to start a business, called the UberDork Cafe. Of course, to start a business one needs either their own capital or funds from investors. Living in the real world, we know that now isn’t necessarily the best time to run to the bank and ask for a business loan. In Natali’s case, she is appealing to the geek masses. What is her humble request? She is asking for geeks to unite and donate anywhere from $1 to $1,000 to help her get things started. At this point, you might be asking what this really has to do with technology and geekery in general. That’s where it gets really interesting. Trust me. You want to be a part of this.
A culinary, tech startup where the needs of the many truly outweigh the needs of the few.
Antennagate: Real-world solutions to the iPhone 4 antenna problem
If you’ve been conscious anytime in the last month, you’re certain to have heard about the drama surrounding the iPhone 4’s antenna problems. The complaints began to surface back in June. It wasn’t until tech circles began calling it Antennagate that Apple really began to take notice. What was their response? Well, initially the solution was rumored to be a software update that would fix a flawed formula in the way the “bars of reception” was calculated and displayed. This was followed up by an official Apple press release on July 2, 2010. When that explanation didn’t quell the angry masses, Apple went a step further and, on July 16, 2010, held a press conference wherein the solution identified was to distribute free cases to those who had already purchased the iPhone 4. If that logic hurt your brain, don’t fell bad. It hurt ours, too.
So what is the solution? The logical step might be reevaluating and reengineering something. It could be software or hardware fix, or, as Steve Jobs suggested, just holding it the “correct” way might work. Let’s pause and think for a minute. Are iPhone 4 cases the answer, either? What about those who don’t like cases on gadgets. Some don’t want to bulk it up with armor. Some like to carry it in their pockets. Adding even a quarter of an inch of width, length, or depth is unacceptable for many size-conscious users. Should we complain about Apple’s solution, though? The question brings to mind the old addage, “It’s better to be part of the solution, not the problem.” We choose this route. As a result, some Geek Shui geeks (okay, one Geek Shui geek…okay, me) sat down and decided to come up with some alternative solutions to holding the phone correctly or using a case. Take your pick. Ultimately, they can’t make the situation any worse….well, probably not, anyway.
Virtual Reality – How Science Fiction Failed Us
Over the past fifteen or so weeks, we’ve covered a myriad of topics on “How Science Fiction Failed Us”, but we still have so much ground to cover. As I was pondering what Brain was pondering (Pinky was way off… I think he was pondering how lederhosen makes his butt look big), I began to wonder what it would be like to be able to experience these worlds without ever leaving Earth, or maybe even the comfort of your own home. It was obvious that I needed to talk about… Virtual Reality.
The ability to separate one’s self from the drama, rigors and mundane nature of everyday life would be desirable to say the least, though if it were to happen now, it would likely be something only the extremely wealthy could afford to do regularly. Eventually, though, technology like this could replace entertainment venues as we know them today. But before we start speculating on the possibilities in the real world, let’s take a look at how Science Fiction has treated the subject.
Medicine – How Science Fiction Failed Us
As I was writing last week’s article and the one before it, I started thinking about all those future space men (and women) who would invariably end up injured in these epic battles. Most of the time, we only see the odd flying body and seemingly dead Stormtrooper or Borg Drone, but that many people don’t even die in modern combat.
In fact, even with today’s warfare, a combatant is far more likely to get injured than killed outright (although, sadly, injuries are often grave enough to cause death if not treated properly and immediately – something I know from experience). So what happens when you only get grazed, or if you get a case of the Interstellar Sniffles? We’ll explore that, and more, as we talk about – Medicine.
The Apple iPhone 4 – This Vuvuzelas Everything
This week, there has been no shortage of big news in both the technological and sporting arenas. Between the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the Apple iPhone 4 pre-ordering drama, it seems there has been little attention devoted to anything else. Or has there? Yes, with the the World Cup drama, we’ve all become familiar with the Vuvuzela, that insanely loud instrument which seems to be given out to everyone in South Africa.
Of course the iPhone 4 news was exciting, too. This made us wonder. Is there anything that could make the iPhone 4 any more exciting? We believed so and proceeded to improve upon the iPhone 4 introductory video. For your viewing and auditory pleasure, we’ve melded two worlds together to bring you “iPhone 4 – This Vuvuzelas Everything”.
Star Wars vs Star Trek – How Science Fiction Failed Us
Well, friends, I apparently got some people fired up with last week’s article on Space Battles. Apparently, I broke an unwritten rule that says that you can’t pit one universe’s technology against another’s without committing the worst faux pas since Princess Leia unwittingly kissed her brother after calling her future husband a “scruffy-looking Nerf herder”. But I’ve never been one to follow the rules, really, particularly ones that no one has ever bothered to write down. So that said, it’s time we settled this age-old dispute once and for all.
Geek Culture: Season 3 of True Blood premieres. Were you bitten?
Did you watch the season three premier of True Blood this past Sunday? If not, you are among the few who television viewers who didn’t. The world’s vamp phenomenon experienced a major blood spewing explosion this past weekend that created a frenzy that overwhelmed even the stars of the show.
I watched a few minutes of the red carpet premier prior to its start, and the amazement on the faces of the cast made me feel as if they were floating on this cloud with me. Ryan Kwanten, the actor who plays Jason Stackhouse, mentioned how awestruck he was regarding the difference between the premier of the first season and that of the third. The satisfaction was written on their faces. It was like watching graduates cross the stage to receive their diplomas after working hard and wishing for success in the television business. I was happy for them. Shoot, I was happy for me, because I was a part of it.
USB Typewriter for iPad: The past and present of writing collide with an audible ding
As geeks, we are no stranger to kitsch. Since the introduction of the USB port, we have seen the proliferance of USB external storage, printers, smart card readers, and the like. As with many a popular idea, though, we’ve also seen an endless stream of USB gadgetry that provide us with some form of convenience, amusement, or, at times, plain old strangeness. What are a few cases in point? There is the Humping USB Dog, the USB Lightsaber Lamp, and even the USB Turntable.
At first glance, Jack Zylkin’s USB Typewriter looks like just another example of USB kitsch. After watching the short demo video, though, and actually thinking about the concept, there actually does seem to be some redeeming value in it. What benefit could one possibly derive from it? Open your mind for a few seconds, and I’ll tell you.
