Welcome to the very first HNG podcast! Yay! My friend Darcy (getting knocked out in the above picture) and I discussed a range of topics including, what it was like to meet Stan Lee at Amazing! Las Vegas Comic Con, Man of Steel, Independence Day 2, and a whole bunch of silliness in between. Since it was our first one and we thought it was pretty funny, we decided to keep the podcast raw and mostly unedited. Hopefully y’all have as much fun listening to it as we had recording it. We’ll be doing some more of these and I’m sure they will evolve and get even better (and/or crazier…ya never really know with us) over time. Thanks for listening!
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World War Z Reviewed
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I was surprised by how much I liked World War Z.
First of all, let me start by saying that I had very low expectations going into this movie. I’d heard the rumors of how the first cut was terrible and they had to refilm huge chunks of it. Plus, I love the book by Max Brooks so I was already wary of it to begin with.
Second, World War Z the movie has absolutely nothing in common with World War Z the novel with the exception of the title and the fact that someone from the UN was a character. Everything else was completely new.
Third, if you know me or have read the blog for any significant amount of time, then you know that my biggest fear is zombies. Hands down. I thought I’d managed to desensitize myself to them thanks to this past season of The Walking Dead. I seemed to be doing better and was actually looking at the screen during the zombie scenes. Well, Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ, I fully expect to have horrific zombie nightmares every night for the next week. That, and I will likely be very sore for the next couple of days because I was wound up so tight during the whole movie. My friends were laughing at me because I spent half the movie covering my face with my scarf.
***I think I do a pretty good job of not spoiling too much this time but I’m putting up the usual warning just in case***
In the book, a UN Postwar Commission agent is collecting stories from survivors of a zombie war that started 10 years prior. He interviews astronauts, a soldier from the Battle of Yonkers, a Japanese gamer kid turned samurai, a girl who survived cold and starvation in frozen North America, amongst others.
The movie, on the other hand, focuses primarily on a former UN Crisis Specialist named Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt) and his attempts to figure out where the plague began and subsequently, a cure for it. He’s recruited by an old work buddy, UN Undersecretary Thierry Umutoni (Fana Mokoena) and assisted by various soldiers and scientists, most notably an Israeli soldier named Segen (Daniella Kertesz). The only other people you get to know for longer than 5 minutes are Gerry’s wife Karin (Mireille Enos), their two daughters Rachel (Abigail Hargrove) and Connie (Sterling Jerins), and a boy they pick up in Newark named Tommy (Fabrizio Zacharee Guido).
[youtube:http://youtu.be/qPGUtytMUk8]
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As competent as Lane is, the scientists around him all seem to be smart but clumsy. An ill-fated Virologist (Elyes Gabel) gives a pretty epic speech about Mother Nature being a serial killer before accidentally tripping and blowing his own brains out. Oops. And the guy in charge (Pierfrancesco Favino) at the W.H.O. research facility in Cardiff is physically incapable of not bumping into anything and everything around him which is super annoying. There are notable cameos by David Morse, Matthew Fox, David Andrews, Ruth Negga, Peter Capaldi and others.
At times the zombies are so obviously CGI that it’s almost laughable, especially in the larger group scenes. Other times, they are so detailed and grotesque that it’s hard to watch even if you’re not completely petrified of zombies like I am. This is most apparent in the W.H.O. facility and featured crowd zombies in Philadelphia and Jerusalem.
A few nitpicky things: I saw the movie with a bunch of friends and my brother who’s a Marine. He pointed out that the military plane could never have landed and/or taken off from the aircraft carrier (that’s where the movie lost him) and that different planes were used in different shots. That, and this particular plane never could have reached South Korea from the Eastern Seaboard. It wouldn’t have enough fuel to make it.
I was fine with most of the book not being included in the movie because, honestly, it’s a very difficult book to translate from page to screen, but there are a couple of things I think they could have kept that fans of the book would have appreciated. The Battle of Yonkers, a brief shot of the astronauts watching from the ISS, and some zombies walking around on the bottom of the ocean could easily have been included.
I can’t say much more without spoiling the movie, which I’m trying really hard not to do. But I’ll just end by saying that I’ve never been so inspired by a guy walking down a hallway full of charging zombies. It was a beautiful moment in a movie that was truly horrifying for me to watch. It’s worth it to see World War Z on the big screen; however, if you haven’t read the book, do yourself a favor and read it. Same goes for The Zombie Survival Guide, also by Max Brooks.
3.5 out of 5 Sci-Fives!
Don’t forget to buy a calendar! It’s got every nerdy holiday you can imagine, plus a super handy convention calendar, and some never-before-seen pictures that will never, ever be seen anywhere else. It’s worth it to get the 2013 calendar. Besides, if I don’t sell these, then there probably won’t be one next year so, ya know…buy one Since it’s June, they’re super discounted (I promise you I’m not making a fortune off of them) and the price includes taxes and shipping within the US and Canada (if you live outside of the US/Canada then email me at princesstrek@hotmail.com). AND I’ll sign it if you want.
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Star Trek Into Darkness Reviewed
HNG Star Trek Into Darkness
So many nerdy posters but not a single Star Trek one to be found
I know that this review crazy late but I’ve been dealing with some stuff that I might write about later so… c’est la vie, mes chers amis!
There isn’t much in this world that I love more than Star Trek. It excites and inspires me like nothing else. I managed to see Star Trek Into Darkness twice before opening day. My coworker convinced me to enter a costume contest that a local news station was having so I submitted this picture at the last minute and ended up winning the grand prize. No one was more surprised than me, let me tell you! My prize was VIP tickets to a Wednesday night showing, $80 in concessions, and a gift bag full of Star Trek Into Darkness goodies like a sweatshirt, t-shirt, poster, fake tattoos, cups, and some kind of Bluetooth device that I haven’t figured out yet. So I took my Mama and stood at the concession counter while two employees ran around collecting $80 worth of Red Vines and Junior Mints. Then I saw it again with my friends at a Thursday night preview. Both times were in 3D and I will probably see it again in 2D just for the heck of it.
*WARNING: I usually try really hard not to spoil things but I can’t help it when it comes to anything Star Trek related and I spoil the shit out of this so beware. Also, it’s been out a week so you should have seen it by now.
[youtube:http://youtu.be/QAEkuVgt6Aw]
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A brief synopsis: Starfleet’s been doing pretty swell since Nero got knocked down but a new threat has emerged and no one seems to know how or why, just that he’s blowing shit up and they want him to stop. It’s up to Kirk and his crew to stop this one man Army using whatever means necessary. They think they’ve accomplished this task until Robocop shows up and turns out not to be such a good guy after all. 72 Augmenticles, 2 starships, a few thousand lens flares, and a half-naked baby mama later and our favorite alternate reality crew is finally off on their five year mission and a third movie.
Kirk (Chris Pine) has the Enterprise. Kirk loses the Enterprise. Kirk gets the Enterprise back. Enterprise loses Kirk. Enterprise gets Kirk back. Some would call this a better love story than Twilight. But I digress. Kirk is riding pretty high at the beginning of this movie. He pretty much thinks he’s invincible and it’s up to Admiral Pike to knock him down a few pegs (or Peggs…?) Just as soon as the message sinks in he’s thrust back into being a rock star and has to save the day from enemies on two fronts. You’d think being thrown out of a trash chute with a genetically engineered superman would humble the dude. It doesn’t, but he learns a lot and by the end of the movie he gets a bit philosophical, saying “revenge is not who we are.” A nice little twist of the “revenge is a dish best served cold” bit of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Speaking of twists…Kirk and Spock’s little sacrificial switch-a-roo kind of annoyed me the first time I saw it. The second time I saw it I appreciated it more even though…..
……Spock’s redux of the famous (and infamous) “KHAAAAAAAAAN!!!” call was only slightly less cheesy than Kirk’s original. Is it just me, or was Spock way too emotional in this movie? Don’t get me wrong, I lurv me some Zachary Quinto, missing earflaps and all, but the crying and the talking about the feelings and the anger were all very un-Spock-like. Like everyone else, I applauded when Spock Prime (Leonard Nimoy) Skyped in to break his own rule and discuss how his crew defeated Khan “at great cost.” I hope he shows up in every post-JJ-era Star Trek flick. Spock got some of the coolest scenes in the whole movie. In addition to fighting with a volcano, Khan, Uhura, and some Klingons, he got to use all his Vulcan tricks: nerve pinches, mind-melds, and leaping great distances in a single bound. His moments with Kirk were especially comedic.
Uhura (Zoe Saldana) got to be pretty badass in this movie. She stood up to the Klingons and swooped in to save the day when her boyfriend (who she also fought with) was taking a beating. Alternate universe Uhura is turning into the mama bear of the crew. She’s got a fierceness and a gentleness about her that exist in relatively perfect harmony. Her feistiness probably wouldn’t fly in a real-life military but for the movies it’s entertaining to watch her throw her earpiece across the bridge’s console.
McCoy and the metaphors! Bones (Karl Urban) spit out so many that it was almost – ALMOST – too much. He’s lucky I love metaphors, bad puns, and cheesy lines. I drew the line at “Damnit Spock, I’m a Doctor not a torpedo technician!” That was, in fact, too far. However, the scene where he’s trying to examine Kirk on the sly was absolute perfection.
Scotty (Simon Pegg) is running. He just thought you should know. Pegg is an absolute and sorely underutilized gem. He’s got more to do than he did in Star Trek (2009) but he needs more scenes to chew on because, my God, the man spits out gold every time he opens his mouth. He’s a little pissed off in this movie. First his ship is submerged in salt water, then transporter technology that he created is being used and abused, then he’s forced to resign his commission over a morality dispute, then “One day he’s been off this ship. One day!” and it’s falling apart. Still, he plays a huge part in saving the day and Kirk declares him “a miracle worker.” Poor guy needs some scotch and a foot massage. His friend Keenser (Deep Roy) pulls a Major “King” Kong and straddles a torpedo but disappears before the real action begins.
Sadly, Sulu (John Cho) doesn’t have much to do in this movie, with one major exception. He gets to sit in the Captain’s chair for a while and deliver an announcement to Khan full of truly epic badassery. It’s intimidating and unexpected enough that Bones (having previously underestimated him) looks over and says “remind me never to piss you off.”
On the other hand, Chekov (Anton Yelchin) gets slightly more to do. When Scotty resigns, Chekov gets promoted (?) to Chief Engineer and looks truly aghast when Kirk orders him to “put on a red shirt.” He spends most of his time running around with a nifty pair of goggles on (I don’t remember seeing anyone else in Engineering with goggles, but meh).
The good guys are rounded out by a new addition, Dr. Carol Marcus (Alice Eve). She’s the daughter of Admiral Marcus and the future mother of Kirk’s son, David (if this timeline follows the original timeline). She’s got a gratuitous but not at all offensive (not to me at least, I thought the scene was funny) moment in her underwear and a scream reminiscent of a velociraptor.
Benedict Cumberbatch can do no wrong. Even his name is amazing. I’m a MAJOR Sherlock fan (though I draw the line at Cumberbitch fangirl status thankyouverymuch) and while, yes, BC is very handsome, I’m far more attracted to his fantastic acting chops. He definitely does not disappoint here. He relishes every line of dialogue and every facial expression. He expresses more in a sideways glance then some actors do in an entire movie *coughcoughKristenStewartcoughcough* I’m seriously considering referring to him as Benedict Skullcrusher from now on. Also, did anyone else notice that he turns into Emo Khan when he’s fighting?
In the movie Khan declares that he’s better than everyone in every way. But he doesn’t really explain why. So if you’re a Star Trek virgin, you’re probably wondering why he’s so much better. Allow me to fill you in: way back in 1992 (you remember, right?) genetically engineered super humans developed a superiority complex and decided to take over the world. They managed to take over about 40% of it with Khan Noonien Singh as their absolute ruler. This resulted in a series of conflicts called the Eugenics or Great Wars. The normal old boring humans managed to defeat the “Augments” in 1996 but about 80 of them, including Khan, went missing until they were discovered in suspended animation aboard the SS Botany Bay by the crew of the USS Enterprise about 200 years later. Here’s how they are “better”: The Augments were designed to be remarkably agile, five times stronger than, and twice as intelligent as a normal human, resistant to sickness and with enhanced senses, possessing heart muscles twice as strong and lung efficiency 50% better. Their blood contained platelets capable of regenerating from any disease or toxin, which could be used to cure or revive medical subjects via transfusion. They also had twice the average lifespan. Even their resistance to energy weapons was improved, as it took multiple shots with a phase pistol to stun one. In combat, they were even capable of resisting a Vulcan nerve pinch and mind meld. Unfortunately, along with those awesome abilities comes a massive increase in aggression, ambition, and all around douchebaggery.
Speaking of douchebags…Admiral Alexander Marcus (Peter Weller) is one. Can’t quite figure out where you know him from? It’s Robocop. Sure, he’s been in a few things since then, but trust me, it’s Robocop. You’re welcome. You start off liking Admiral Marcus. He’s no-nonsense and doesn’t mind hearing what the youngins have to say. Then he goes and tries to start an intergalactic war with his brand new supership and you start to change your mind a little. Then he reveals that he’s been planning to murder craploads of innocent people just to further his agenda and you start to understand why Khan squeezed his head until his skull cracked open like a walnut.
To many folks Thomas Harewood (Noel Clarke) may seem like a minor character. Sure, he gets the action started by blowing up Section 31, but why should we care about him? Because he’s also Mickey Smith, former Companion to the Doctor who was, at one point, thrust into a parallel universe. He did make his way back to our universe eventually but who’s to say he didn’t get a hold of a vortex manipulator and find himself trapped in the 23rd century??
A few final notes:
I like the warp signature effect, even though it reminds me of “the more you know” NBC thing from when I was a kid, what with all the sparkles and tinkling and stuff.
When did the Starfleet uniforms get hats? I don’t ever remember hats but in this movie they were everywhere, especially when paired with the grey dress uniforms. Must be an alternate timeline thing.
The USS Bradbury. I can think of no greater honor.
42 people died when Harewood blew up Section 31. I just always feel the need to point out when the number 42 is used in anything.
The ash rain on Spock at the Daystrom Institute. It was very poetic.
Miss Jeanette (Aisha Hinds) from True Blood took over Navigation from Chekov. Every time I saw her I pictured a voodoo ceremony.
What happened to the red shirts who went with Kirk, Spock, and Uhura down to Kronos? They swapped out their red shirts for some generic leather jackets, made it to the surface and then were never seen again. I’m assuming they perished in the fight with the Klingons but when?? I like to know/see when Ensign Ricky bites the dust.
Carol mentions her friend Christine Chapel who got as far away from Kirk as she could and became a nurse. This is the second time Nurse Chapel has been mentioned in the new films but we still haven’t seen her.
Spock: “Our options are limited. We cannot fire and we cannot flee.” I LOL’d.
Khan’s speech on board the USS Vengeance was very in keeping with the original Khan.
The shot of the Enterprise regaining it’s thrusters and slowly rising through the clouds was GORGEOUS.
Whudda thunk that a noble Tribble would help to save the day? The shirt I wore the first time I saw it turned out to be very appropriate. Sometimes I’m psychic that way.
I happen to like the lense flares.
I got really excited by stuff like Section 31, pregnant Gorns, and a reference to the “Mudd Incident.”
It was nice to hear Chris Pine give the Star Trek shpeel with the “5 year mission” added back.
No one knew what to expect from the 2009 reboot. Thankfully, it turned out to be magical with just the right amount of inside Trekkie jokes for those in the know. They attempted to recapture that magic here and, to be honest, they just tried too hard at times. They are definitely focusing more on action than substance, which in some ways is a shame because that’s not what Star Trek is all about. It’s about diplomacy and exploration first and violence as a last resort. The conversation between Kirk and Scotty over the torpedoes addressed that which I was grateful for, but the big explosions and fighting cheapen it just a little. That being said, I’m a big fan of action and it’s also helping to attract a crowd that normally wouldn’t give Star Trek the time of day so I appreciate the contribution it’s making to the fandom. The more fans the merrier! It means that much more Star Trek for me in the future 🙂
And so ends my review of The Wrath of Khan 2.0. What did you think of the movie?
4 out of 5 Sci-Fives! (for once my Sci-Five graphic is 100% appropriate)
If you like pictures like this:
Then don’t forget to buy a calendar! It’s got every nerdy holiday you can imagine, plus a super handy convention calendar, and some never-before-seen pictures that will never, ever be seen anywhere else. I know it’s May but it’s worth it to get the 2013 calendar. Besides, if I don’t sell these, then there probably won’t be one next year so, ya know…buy one Since it’s May, they’re super discounted (I promise you I’m not making a fortune off of them) and the price includes taxes and shipping within the US and Canada (if you live outside of the US/Canada then email me at princesstrek@hotmail.com). AND I’ll sign it if you want.
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Lucky 13: Maxim’s Hot Nerd Women of 2013
MAXIM_HOT_100_Nerd Girl 13
Every year I assign myself an extremely strenuous assignment…go through Maxim’s Hot 100 List and pick out the 13 nerd-worthiest ladies (is nerd-worthiest even a word? Did I just coin that?) It’s a tough job but someone has to do it and I suppose that someone might as well be me.
The things I do for you all… 😉
I never repeat the same ladies two years in a row so this year I’m sad to say that Rebecca Mader, Kat Dennings, Stana Katic, Yvonne Strahovski, Adrianne Palicki, Kaley Cuoco, Charlize Theron, Kate Beckinsale, and Jennifer Lawrence from 2012’s list will have to sit this one out. However, I never said I wouldn’t repeat from past years so some of the hotties featured in 2011’s list are making a comeback.
My first run-through narrowed the list down to 39. The second attempt got me down to 18. Third time was the charm and I settled on the 13 you see below.
Just like in years past, I did not choose the women on this list, I just narrowed them down. Had I chosen, Felicia Day, Rose Leslie, Hayley Atwell, Natalie Dormer, and Natalie Portman (amongst others) would all be on here. I’ll be rooting for them next year.
Note: the order in which they are presented is the order Maxim put them in. So don’t go blaming me if the ones you like are further down the totem pole.
My #13 – Their #97. Daniella Alonso
This sexy rebel knows how to blow your mind and blow you up. She also has an impressive list of horror films under her belt.
My #12 – Their #95. Zooey Deschanel
This New Girl is the ultimate dork and I love her so much for it. She’s awkward and silly and is completely unapologetic about it. And she was Jovie, Trillian, AND Ms. Edmunds so, you know, she’s got that going for her.
My #11 – Their #84. Alice Eve
Dr. Carol Marcus just got a whole lot hotter. She’s in Star Trek. Nothing else matters.
My #10 – Their #77. Janina Gavankar
This sultry shapeshifter gets to roll around in the dirt with Sam Merlotte. I’m a tid bit jealous about that.
My #9 – Their #65. Emilia Clarke
This dragon mama should be way higher up the list IMHO. I mean seriously, look at her, she’s beyond gorgeous. And she’s a brunette who can pull off a platinum blonde wig. As a fellow brunette, I know exactly how hard that is.
My #8 – Their #48. Nina Dobrev
A vampire vixen sandwiched between two hottie brothers who are constantly fighting for her sweet lady kisses. Can you blame them?
My #7 – Their #38. Zoe Saldana
I personally think that Miss Saldana is one of the pertiest people on the planet. I’m a former dancer so she first caught my eye as the bitchy (in a good way) ballerina in Center Stage. Then she went and got herself cast as Uhura and sealed the deal.
My #6 – Their #29. Olivia Munn
I don’t know what it is about Miss Munn but I’ve always liked her. Maybe it’s because she says it like it is and she’s not afraid to be herself even though she seems to be afraid all the time. I can relate to her. Also, her recent guest turn on New Girl was amazing.
My #5 – Their #21. Emma Stone
I love funny women and Emma has comedic timing to spare. She’s making out with Spider-Man both on screen and in real-life and that just seems like way too much good fortune for one little lady. Also, I want her on my Zombie Apocalypse Annihilation Team (ZAAT). I can think of no greater honor.
My #4 – Their #19. Emma Watson
This little witch is all grown up and showing us that it’s ok to be a wallflower. Super smart in real life, she’s proving to be a great role model to girls who would otherwise idolize actresses with far less class.
My #3 – Their #17. Jessica Alba
I wasn’t always a fan of Miss Alba but she’s grown on me over the years and I’m sure her role as a stripper in Sin City had absolutely nothing to do with it… *ahem*… Plus, I’ve almost forgiven everyone who was involved in the Fantastic Four movies. Almost.
My #2 – Their #15. Scarlett Johansson
One of the things I love about ScarJo is that she’s got curves and she knows how to use them. She’s not a twig like some other Hollywood starlets and she seems to be just fine with that. Her confidence is infectious. She shines as Black Widow, the lone (so far) female team member in the movie version of The Avengers, and will be reprising her role in Captain America: The Winter Soldier next year.
My #1 – Their #4. Mila Kunis
This supposedly “wicked witch” graciously accepted a date to the Marine Corps Ball when asked (in a stunning display of balls by Sgt. Scott Moore). A move that made this funny lady even hotter, something I didn’t even know was possible.
That’s it for this list. Until next year, this is HNG signing off.
Don’t forget to buy a calendar! It’s got every nerdy holiday you can imagine, plus a super handy convention calendar, and some never-before-seen pictures that will never, ever be seen anywhere else. I know it’s May but it’s worth it to get the 2013 calendar. Besides, if I don’t sell these, then there probably won’t be one next year so, ya know…buy one Since it’s May, they’re super discounted (I promise you I’m not making a fortune off of them) and the price includes taxes and shipping within the US (if you live outside of the US than email me at princesstrek@hotmail.com). AND I’ll sign it if you want.
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“The Best of Both Worlds” on the big screen
Aw yeah, that’s a baby Borg on my t-shirt!
Aw yeah, that’s a baby Borg on my t-shirt!
Star Trek is my first nerdy love. Without it, I would not be the nerd I am today. I’ve said before that I literally have no memory of my life without Star Trek. Watching The Original Series with my parents on Saturday nights is one of my earliest memories and, although I was very young when The Next Generation came on the air, I was not so young that I don’t remember watching it for the first time very clearly. In my humble opinion it is, quite simply, the greatest franchise ever created.
The Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “The Best of Both Worlds” is arguably one of the greatest cliff hangers in the history of television. So, when my friend Mike reminded me that it was going to be playing in movie theatres across the country this past Thursday evening in all its remastered glory, I immediately bought my ticket.
Me and my friend Mike before the show
I love seeing stuff from my childhood on the big screen. In a relatively recent phenomenon, they’ve started bringing movies back to the theatres for limited runs. Movies like Star Wars, Top Gun, Jurassic Park, and The Lion King. It’s so much better than remaking a movie and introduces them to a whole new generation. When I lived in Los Angeles, they would have events where they would play a movie on the big screen for the first time in decades, then have people who worked on the movie do a Q&A panel afterwards. My NerdBFF Geek Outlaw and I went to one of these for Ghostbusters and LOVED it. Events like that are one of the few things I miss about living in LA.
The lights went down and we were immediately treated to a behind-the-scenes look at the making of “The Best of Both Worlds, part I & II” that included interviews with the people involved and fan reactions to the season three cliffhanger. Some highlights:
– Patrick Stewart recalled how a woman pulled up next to him while driving, rolled down her window, and shouted “You ruined our summer!” and a guy walking past him in the NY subway, paused in front of him momentarily and said “You’re keeping it real.”
– The late, great Michael Piller wrote the episode thinking he’d be leaving the show and someone else would have to figure out how to get the crew out of this mess. Of course, he ended up sticking around and had to clean up after himself.
– For some reason, I never put two and two together that Elizabeth Dennehy (LCDR Shelby) was Brian Dennehy’s daughter. Which is weird because I LOVE Brian Dennehy. Turns out he didn’t really want her to do an episode of Star Trek. Elizabeth didn’t really know anything about the franchise. It was one of her first auditions after moving to Los Angeles and she didn’t know enough about it to be intimidated. She also didn’t realize that it wasn’t like working on a soap opera (where you apparently get several hours to just sit around and learn your lines) and was completely unprepared the first day of shooting. She learned quickly and never made that mistake again.
– I’ve never been one to notice hairdos, but once Elizabeth Dennehy pointed out how much hairspray was used in her updo, I couldn’t help but notice how it affected other people’s hair.
That’s DOES look like it takes way more time than a Commander has in the morning.
Especially Dr. Crusher’s, whose hair pretty much didn’t move when she turned her head. It was like a gloriously shellacked red waterfall.
I never understood why one side of her hair was longer than the other
– They showed how they achieved many of the special effects and how they remastered them for the Blu-ray. The hardest part was the starship graveyard at Wolf 359, mostly because of their limited budget.
– I’m always struck by how the actors have to pretend like they’re being jostled around when the ship is struck by enemy fire. When I was a kid they had an attraction at Universal Studios in which members of the audience were called up to participate in some scenes from Star Trek. We got to see firsthand how they put together an episode, including having to fake being bounced around in your seat. So I‘ve always known that this is how it’s done. But it’s quite funny to see the actors do it over and over again, take after take, with a completely straight face.
Then it was time for the episodes, which they combined to make a feature length presentation. In case you haven’t seen the episodes, here’s a little summary/background information:
First seen in the 2nd season episode “Q Who” (thanks to Q playfully tossing the USS Enterprise right in the path of a Cube), the Borg have been on the Federation’s mind for years. None more so than Admiral JP Hanson and Lieutenant Commander Shelby who have been working tirelessly to develop weapons and defenses based on what they know from the Enterprise’s encounter. They assumed it would take the Borg a certain amount of time to reach the Alpha Quadrant but they severely underestimated the Borg’s capabilities and they arrived much sooner than planned. The Borg’s goal is to reach Sector 001 aka Earth. To do this, they need to tap someone’s brain, someone who has the knowledge they need to get around the Federation’s best laid plans. They choose Captain Picard, assimilating him into the Collective, making him their spokesman, giving him a killer mechanical six-pack, and dubbing him “Locutus of Borg.” To my knowledge, Locutus is the only Borg who is ever given a name as opposed to a designation (ie, Seven of Nine). Despite the friction in their relationship, Commander Riker and Lieutenant Commander Shelby must work together to rescue Picard and stop the Borg from reaching Earth.
Mmmmm…Borg abs….
When the third season ended abruptly with Picard as Locutus and Riker telling Worf to fire on the Borg Cube, a collective (heehee) uproar went up in the Star Trek community. No one knew what was going to happen or if Patrick Stewart would be coming back to the show, not even the showrunners. Speculation was so great that someone wrote a fake script in which the whole thing was a prank orchestrated by the Q Continuum.
“The Best of Both Worlds” is critical in Star Trek cannon. It provides a major part of the back story for the TV show Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and is the basis for the movie Star Trek: First Contact.
After the ending credits, we were delighted to watch a blooper reel featuring outtakes from many different episodes. Some of the highlights included stumbles over the technobabble, forgotten lines, Worf blurting out that he never played with little boys, Guinan cursing, and Lieutenant Richard Castillo asking Tasha Yar to call him “Dick.” It was a lot of laughs that were missed by at least half the audience who walked out during the ending credits.
Speaking of credits, I must say, it was amazing to see the opening credits on the big screen. Every time I ever watched them as a child, it was always on our little 1980’s-era tube television set. As an adult I’ve watched them on my nice flat screen TV but NOTHING compares to seeing it that big and whispering the words along with Patrick Stewart in movie theatre surround sound. They are some of my favorite words in the world and I’ve known them by heart since before I could read:
“Space, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its continuing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life, and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one as gone before.”
Thanks to Mike for being my nerdy Star Trek buddy!
One last note: folks have been asking me to put out a calendar for the last couple of years and I finally got around to doing it with the amazing artistic talents of my sister-in-law, Reba. It’s really an awesome calendar. It’s got every nerdy holiday you can imagine, plus a super handy convention calendar, and some never-before-seen pictures that will never, ever be seen anywhere else. I know it’s almost May but it’s worth it to get the 2013 calendar. Besides, if I don’t sell these, then there probably won’t be one next year so, ya know…buy one 🙂 Since it is almost May, they’re super discounted (I promise you I’m not making a fortune off of them) AND I’ll sign it if you want.
Buy one here: http://hotnerdgirl.com/shop/
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WonderCon 2013
Mama Jedi, HNG, Geek Outlaw
Mama Jedi, HNG, Geek Outlaw
Hope y’all had a very happy and nerderific Easter! I apologize for the lack of posts recently. Between working full-time (yes, I have a “real” job!), out of town guests, and just plain old life, I just haven’t much time to blog. But I’ll try to be better.
So, a lot of cool crap happened this past weekend. There was new Doctor Who, the season premier of Game of Thrones, and the season finale of The Walking Dead. And, of course, WonderCon.
I mentioned in my wrap-up of last year’s WonderCon that WC was the first comic book convention I ever went to (back when it was in Oakland) and it holds a very special place in my hearts. It’s a nice combination of comic books and TV/movies. San Diego Comic Con is great, but it focuses so much on the Hollywood stuff that the comic books tend to get a little lost. A comic book vendor and I were joking on Saturday about the audacity of the people who actually buy comic books at a comic book convention! Inconceivable!
After cosplaying as Thor for a day at SDCC last year, I honestly didn’t think I would cosplay in public again for a very long time. I’m quite shy, especially around large groups of strangers, and my instinct is to blend in. Cosplaying is the opposite of blending in. Because of the timing of the day, I didn’t spend much time at SDCC walking around as Thor. But in the brief times that I did, it garnered a lot of attention. Attention that I’m not used to and that made me a bit panicky. I was very uncomfortable and not just because of the corset. I’ve been putting together a Tenth Doctor costume for quite a while now. He’s my favorite of the Doctor incarnations (followed by Eleven, Four, Nine, and Five) and, if I’m being completely honest with myself, I was looking for an excuse to buy a sonic screwdriver. Because of last year’s experience, I almost didn’t wear it, but I’m glad that I did. It was comfortable and fun and was a great ice breaker (that and the flask of liquor I kept in my backpack *ahem*)
Enough rambling, on to the panels I attended. Sadly, the TV show panel I was most excited about was the Vikings one and I missed it thanks to the traffic around the convention center. I was very, very sad because, as many of you know, I’m very proud of my Viking heritage. But I sat in on a bunch of really cool ones that made up for it.
Allons-y!
Geeking Out with the League of Extraordinary Ladies
Panelists: Autumn Massey, Dina Kampmeyer, Emily Heyer, Geek Girl Diva, Jenn Fujikawa (Just Jenn), Sarah Kuhn, Stephanie Thorpe, Theresa Wollenstein
These geektacular ladies are very much in line with my favorite motto: “nerd girls of the world unite.” They are a positive group of strong, independent, intelligent women who love to geek out together and support each other. As someone who can’t stand cattiness, these ladies are right up my alley. The first thing I did when I got home was to join their facebook group. I encourage everyone (men are also welcome) to join as well. Unfortunately, we had to leave their panel early to make it to the next one. What I wouldn’t give for a time-turner so that I could go to multiple panels that are scheduled for the same time.
Falling Skies
Panelists: Drew Roy (Hal), Sarah Carter (Maggie), Seychelle Gabriel (Lourdes), Remi Aubuchon (Executive Producer)
I’ve been a fan of Falling Skies from the get go. As my NerdBFF Geek Outlaw says, “if it’s got aliens in it, I’ll watch it!” And it keeps getting better. We got to see some clips from the first episode premiering June 9th on TNT, including a new baby girl, some more Karen, a badass new punk rock haircut for Matt, promotions for Tom and Lourdes, new alien technology, conflict for Maggie, and some pretty epic looking battle scenes. It definitely got me excited.
Oddball Comics Live: Sex, Drugs, and Rock ‘n Roll
Panelist: Scott Shaw
I’ve never laughed harder at a panel than I did at this one. Scott Shaw has collected some of the most bizarre comic books imaginable over the course of the last 50 years. It’s filled with crotches, boobs, phallic symbols, crazy concepts, and hidden-in-plain-sight imagery (kind of like the dirty stuff found in every Disney movie made from 1989 to 1992). It’s hard to tell if they were done intentionally or unintentionally. He’s compiled them into a power point presentation that he complements with witty commentary. It’s hysterical and I highly recommend checking it out if you ever see him on a convention schedule.
Roddenberry Presents
Panelists: Rod Roddenberry, Trevor Roth, Tory Mell
As a life-long Trekker, I always enjoy checking out the Roddenberry Presents panel. I’ve had the pleasure of hanging out with Rod and Trevor a few times now and even interviewed Rod at SDCC last year (I’m still perfecting my interviewing skills, mmmkay?) They are super nice and working on some seriously awesome stuff.
Rod Roddenberry, HNG, Trevor Roth. I have no idea why I look bored in this picture, I SWEAR I wasn’t. I was probably wondering if Mama Jedi knew how to operate my camera.
Things worth checking out right now: Days Missing, Mission Log podcast, and White Room: 02B3. Things worth checking out in the near future: Worth. We were teased about exciting new things TBA at SDCC this year. One of the highlights of the panel? Winning this awesome “Cool as Kirk” t-shirt for answering one of the trivia questions correctly.
Geeks Get Published
Panelists: SG Browne, Katrina Hill, Alan Kistler, Alex Langley, Dr. Travis Langley. Moderated by Jenna Busch.
This panel was extremely informative. It was a panel full of geek-centric authors offering up free advice on how to get published. The main thing I took away from it was that I’d like to get a literary agent and that I’m doing the right thing by writing what I love. Afterwards, Alan Kistler found me downstairs and wanted a picture (he’s a big Doctor Who fan and is coming out with a Doctor Who book later this year.
Alan Kistler and HNG
He graciously stayed and chatted with Geek Outlaw and I for a good 10-15 minutes about writing while his friends wandered off to the bar without him. Thanks again, Alan!
Here’s some of what happened down on the Floor…
One of the first booths we noticed was that of Lion Forge Comics. It was a mighty impressive booth.
Geek Outlaw oohing and ahhing
They had a healthy line for the slot machine which we were talked into joining. It was manned by this lovely lady armed with a sonic screwdriver.
Mama Jedi went first and won a giant bag.
Then it was my turn.
The machine didn’t seem to be working properly so I fixed it when no one was paying attention and won a bracelet.
Then Geek Outlaw went and won a bracelet. I totally took a picture of him doing it but he didn’t send it to me so blame him for the empty space here.
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Based out of St. Louis, MO, Lion Forge has a lot of projects in the works and were some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. We chatted with a number of the people involved, including the Creative Director, the YouTube channel host, one of the primary writers, and even the guy who’s in charge of Licensing who was kind enough to help me get Mama Jedi into the giant bag she’d won.
It seemed like a good idea at the time
There was a large “celebrity row” including Boomer aka Herbert Jefferson Jr. from the Classic Battlestar Galactica.
Star Wars staple Chewbacca aka Peter Mayhew.
The ghost of Richard Hatch aka OG Apollo and reboot Zarek.
The Soup Nazi aka Larry Thomas, who’s decision to sign soup ladles convinced Geek Outlaw to buy an autographed one for his parents who LOVE the Soup Nazi.
And then there was this guy who Mama Jedi made a beeline for. I still have absolutely no idea who he is or what he does besides sitting there shirtless.
We ran into SDCC buddy Daniel who was holding down the fort at the booth of a friend.
We also visited a buddy from this past Long Beach Comic Con. Artist Matt Stevens creates metal fan art. Last time I bought Tenth Doctor and Wash. This time I got an Eleventh Doctor and River Song bookmark. They sit right by my desk and I LOVE them. Not only is Matt a fantastic artist but he’s a super cool dude so you should definitely check him out HERE.
That’s a mighty fine t-shirt you got there, Matt
One of the ships from Oblivion.
There was a parade of R2 units lead by a small child.
Where were those brakes again?
They got into a fight with a couple of WALL-E‘s.
There was some spitting and at one point the Black R2 unit totally flipped off one of the WALL-E’s as you can see in this video I took:
[youtube:http://youtu.be/gfu_uFi_W6E]
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It wouldn’t be an HNG convention wrap up without the costume pictures!
One of the very first cosplayers we ran into was Toni Darling, better known to the interwebz as Lady Thor. She’s a friend of Daniel’s and the artist who’s booth he was manning (see the posters and artwork behind him?)
I have no idea why I’m making that stupid face
On our way to the Falling Skies panel I time crashed into my future self in the form of a delightful guy with a very convincing British accent named Jack.
Something’s up with the universe because we ran into each other again at the end of the night while Geek Outlaw and I were chatting with Alan Kistler and took some more pics.
This is Alan’s friend who took off for the bar while we were deep in conversation about writing and stuff
Jack even helped us out by taking the picture of our little group in front of the WonderCon sign.
Time crash number two occurred down on the Floor. This time I ran into my Fourth incarnation.
Four is my favorite of the Classic Doctors so he gave me a jelly baby which I totally ate, because, heck, it’s a jelly baby from the Doctor! It was delicious.
It was a little freakier when I saw myself. I’m just going to assume that he’s the Meta-Crisis Doctor 😉
Mini me. Seriously, this kid was adorable. He was a bit upset with his Mom because she ruined his jacket. It’s not easy being the mother of a Time Lord, mmmkay kiddo?
There were many, many, many ladies dressed up as the TARDIS. Apparently a Time Lord dropped some TARDIS coral on Earth at some point in the past. This one was one of my favorites because it was so unique.
Let’s move away from Gallifrey and check out some of the other costumes, shall we?
This Lady Thor sat next to us during the Roddenberry panel.
I ran into this walker at least three times. It freaked me out just as much each time. *shudder* He obviously ran into Haley from Woodbury because there’s no way Daryl would have missed that badly. Twice.
There are always a few Ghostbusters wandering around conventions. This time they were everywhere. We chatted with a group from Sacramento for quite a while. I like the Ghostbusters groups, they do great things in their communities.
The Ecto-truck (behind Ecto-1) belongs to one of the guys from the Sacramento group.
The Stay Puft Marshmallow Man was the Dad of the Mini Tenth Doctor (see him down in the right hand corner? He’s totally thinking he has the coolest Dad ever).
Stay Puft helped me out by posing with Flat Stanley. I was put in charge of Flat Stanley by a friend who’s kid read the book. I honestly have no idea what the heck Flat Stanley is all about but I returned him to his owner yesterday. Apparently I’m getting him back when I go to Wisconsin for my family reunion next month,
Rad.
Steam Punk Snow White can kick your ass.
Disney Princesses + Rainbow Brite = every little girl’s fantasy come true.
Jon Snow admiring Daenerys’ …uh…eggs. Riiiight…..
THIS.
COBRA Command from GI Joe. I’m pulling this entirely from memory here but the group seems to include Serpentor, Destro, The Baroness, and I think Zarana, a BAT and a Night Creeper. Please correct me if I’m wrong, it’s been more than a few years.
Marvel goodies vs. DC baddies.
LEGO Darth Maul!
This fellow HNG was mighty hot for a scruffy looking nerf herder.
That’s a nice multipass you got there, Leeloo (and a view from the rear for anyone who’s interested).Finally, there’s CMDR William T. Riker as portrayed by a guy who’s name really is William (no joke). He was very nice and we chatted for a few minutes about how much we love Star Trek. It was only after I got home that I realize we’d already met and taken a picture together at Long Beach Comic Con back in November. Kismet!
And that concludes my wrap up of WonderCon 2013. It was loads of fun and I’m looking forward to next year!
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What I need to survive the zombie apocalypse (revised)
HNG Zombification by Brett DeWall
One of my earliest HNG posts was titled “What I need to survive the zombie apocalypse.” Since then, The Walking Dead has premiered and risen to cult-like status, not to mention I’ve discovered new products and had about a gazillion more zombie-related nightmares (seriously, there are nights when I hardly sleep at all because of them…bastards).
I think about the zombie apocalypse a lot. Way more than I should. And despite my massive fear of zombies, I’ve watched every episode of The Walking Dead (and Talking Dead) religiously. I’m a glutton for punishment, apparently.
When it comes to the zombie apocalypse, some people get it and some people think that I’m completely ridiculous and insane. I’m of the opinion that it never hurts to be prepared for a disaster, regardless of whether it’s a plague of the undead or an earthquake. You just never know.
So I’m updating my list of must-have items. The original listincluded:
– Two Japanese swords (katana or tachi – although I would totally take a couple of tsurugi’s) … this was long before I knew of Michonne, by the way.
– Some grenades (in case I get surrounded)
– One really good pair of running shoes (uhm, self-explanatory)
– Five ponytail holders (in case some get lost and because rubber bands are really damaging to your hair)
– One kinetic water resistant watch (doesn’t need batteries and can handle some rain)
– One really amazing sports bra (YOU try running around with 34DD’s)
– Water purification tablets (alas, I doubt I’ll have easy access to my beloved Arrowhead)
– One pair of Maui Jim sports sunglasses (preferably with one of those landyards that hold them to your head)
– One baseball hat (can’t have sun in your eyes while you’re fighting the undead)
This is one of my faves
– As many MRE’s and meal replacement bars as I can carry in a light hiker’s backpack
That’s a pretty darn good list if I do say so myself. But I’ve come to realize that there are other things I’ll be wanting and/or needing. The Zombie Research Society recommends packing items like maxipads and pantyhose. They serve multiple functions and are definitely good suggestions; however, they don’t make it to my list (sorry, Matt Mogk…I still heart you). Remember, I’m a rather petite chick and plan on carrying as little as possible.
So here’s what I’d like to add to my list:
– A sturdy Buck knife (I have a trusty one that my Dad gave me when I became a Brownie Girl Scout…cause my Dad is awesome…and I’ve learned from Andrea that having a knife on you at all times is a life saver)
Thanks Dad!
– Pocket knife (also trusty, also given to me by my Dad when I became a Girl Scout)
– Brass knuckles (when all else fails, PUNCH the zombies in the head)
– A roll of Duct Tape (because it fixes everything and can be used as improvised light body armor)
– A length of chain and a carabiner (For scrambling up fences or walls or whatever. I’m not sure how long a length I could practically carry but the longer the better. I’d settle for some rope if I had to)
– Eye Drops (nothing puts a damper on zombie killing more than getting crap in your eye or having dry eyes. It’s a luxury item, but one I’d like to have)
– Chapstick with sunscreen (to protect your knuckles, nose, eartips, and lips from sunburn and chapping)
– Bar of deodorant (not necessarily for body odor, but to prevent chafing. It can help prevent blisters if your shoes don’t quite fit, or if something like, I dunno…a gun holster rubs you the wrong way)
– Baby powder (can also be used to prevent chafing and can be used in lieu of shampoo/soap to absorb oil and grease)
– Hand or baby wipes (I’m Obsessive Compulsive and my hands must be clean as much as humanly possible. In fact, throw a toothbrush in there too)
– Extra socks (every military guy I know, most of whom are related to me, recommend having extra socks. Plus, I know it’s been mentioned in a ton of movies)
– First aid kit with antibiotics and an EpiPen (Duh, this should have been on my original list)
– Electrolytes (these bad boys come in handy when you get a muscle cramp. I take them when I go hiking and it helps prevent muscle soreness later as well)
Electrolytes FTW!
– Night vision goggles (couldn’t hurt to be able to see in the dark)
– Collapsible canteens (a no-brainer and I really prefer them over the condoms the ZRS recommends carrying around)
– A Keeper or Moon Cup (see explanation below)
That last one might be TMI for the guys reading this, but we girls need to think about these things and there’s no guarantee we’ll have a Glenn who’s willing to risk his life for a box of tampons. The Keeper/Moon Cup is a fantastic little gizmo. You can leave it in all day and just rinse and reuse. Plus, it literally lasts for decades. I have yet to find a better alternative for dealing with Aunt Flo during a zombie apocalypse (or a day at the beach). You’re welcome ladies.
If possible, I’d like to throw a gun and a decent amount of ammo on the list but since I don’t currently own a gun, I’d have to pick one up along the way. Luckily, I have a few Dad’s that taught me how to use guns so I’m familiar with them and can pretty much handle any one I manage to grab.
Hopefully I’ll never have to worry about this stuff but I’m tougher than I look and could probably lead my Zombie Apocalypse Annihilation Team (ZAAT) without going batshit crazy a la Rick.
Ready to kick some zombie ass for realz yo
Have anything you think should be added to the list? Let me know in the comments!
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Delilah Photo Shoot & Contest
My birthday was on Saturday. I don’t even remember the last time it was on a Saturday. To celebrate I had a little last minute party which involved dancing, roasting s’mores, and a party necessity in my circle, Jäger shots.
nom nom nom…
Last year I thought I’d thank all you loyal HNG readers with a birthday Batgirl photo shoot. It was a ton of fun so I thought I’d make it a tradition. This year I debated what costume to use. I’ve been working on a prototype “HNG Superhero” costume for about 7 months and I finally figured out exactly what I wanted and completed the outfit.
Meet “Delilah.”
Why the name Delilah? I honestly can’t give you one reason. I’ve always liked the name and I even named a pet mouse Delilah about 8 years ago. Also, I like the idea that a badass superhero chick would have a super girly name. But mostly, it came to me in my sleep. I had a dream about the character and everyone in the dream kept calling her Delilah. I started using the name to refer to the costume and it stuck. So there.
By the by, I have a lot of fun writing the little stories that go along with my pictures. So thank you for indulging me when it comes to them 🙂
What’s that? You want to win a signed copy of one of these pictures? Ok, fine. There’s a contest after the pics.
Hey there bitches, my name’s Delilah.
I’m a bit of a badass.
No really, I am. See?
I patrol the streets at night looking for trouble. Or maybe the trouble comes looking for me.
It’s hard to tell the difference sometimes.
So I always have to be on my guard.
You never know what you’re going to find when you walk around a corner.
It’s best to be prepared.
…with attitude!
Did someone order awesome…
…with a side of whoop ass?
Hey, check out my fierce battle cry! AHHHHH!!!!
A true crime fighter never rests. But she can sit on a skanky old tire and take a breather for a minute, mmmkay?
When the sun rises and dawn sheds her harsh light on this foul city it’s time for me to go home.
But never fear, Delilah will be back again tomorrow night, defending the streets against the scum and villainy.
Many, many thanks to photographer extraordinaire Jon Upson for taking such amazing pictures and for sweet talking the lady cop who thought I was underage (ha!). To Mama Jedi for helping out and also being mistaken for underage (ha!). And to my friend Darcy for staying up past his bedtime on a school night to help me out and for all the constant support.
Now about that contest part…
Since the Babe Lincoln: Vampire Hunter contest was such a success, I decided to try it again. So if you want a chance to win a signed 8”x12” print from this photo shoot, leave a comment below by Friday, February 8th at midnight PST. I’ll pull five names out of a hat and contact you directly if you’re a winner!
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The Nerdy Nine – In Memoriam 2012
Every year I write an In Memoriam post in which I pay tribute to those who had a deep impact on the nerd ‘verse before they passed away. These are the people who aren’t necessarily famous in a main stream sense but they deserve to be remembered.
Every year is a little different. Some years there are more actors or comic book artists or directors. This year has leaned more heavily towards science. They say that deaths come in threes and we lost three astronauts this year. I desperately wanted to be an astronaut when I grew up and I’ve always been obsessed with space; therefore, I included all three in this year’s tribute.
1. Neil Armstrong – NASA Astronaut
Neil Armstrong could fly a plane before he could drive a car. He was more than just the first man to walk on the moon, he was the very definition of a Real American Hero, in part because he was so reluctant to bear the title. An Eagle Scout and decorated Navy pilot, he flew more than 200 different models of aircraft over the course of his career. Known for being an intensely private and humble man, he retired to Cincinnati and became a professor after his mission to space was complete. Still, his sense of adventure never left him and he offered to command a mission to Mars in 2010 at the age of 80. He passed away during coronary artery bypass surgery on August 25th.
2. Ray Bradbury – Author, Fahrenheit 451, The Martian Chronicles
Ray Bradbury started writing when he was 11 years old during the Great Depression. His daily writing regimen started after two events in his childhood. First, he saw Lon Chaney in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, then he went to a carnival and was brought before a performer named “Mr. Electrico” who touched Bradbury’s nose with an electrified sword and shouted “live forever!” Young Ray’s hair stood on end and his imagination ignited. He was never the same after that and almost became a magician. Instead of going to college, which he couldn’t afford because of the Depression, he went to the library three days a week for ten years. He was an avid supporter and defender of libraries his entire life. He insisted that he was a fantasy writer and that Fahrenheit 451 was the only sci-fi book he ever wrote declaring that, “science fiction is the art of the possible.” Despite living most of his life in Los Angeles he never got a driver’s license. He was 91 years young when he died on June 5th after a lengthy illness.
3. Jean Giraud – Comic Book Artist
Under the pseudonyms Mœbius and Gir, Jean Giraud became a well-known and highly influential comic book and storyboard artist. Best known for his Blueberry series, he was revered by Stan Lee and worked with him on a two-issue Silver Surfer miniseries called Parable. Raised in the suburbs of France by his grandparents, he only attended art school for one year before moving to Mexico for 8 months and later serving in the military and working for the army magazine. His work was the inspiration behind The Fifth Element and the Imperial Probe Droid in Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back. He worked on many films including Alien, Willow and The Abyss. Giraud passed away on March 10th of cancer at the age of 73.
4. Svetozar Gligorić – Chess Grandmaster
Svetozar Gligorić and I have something in common, we’re both Groundhog babies. But that’s where the similarities end. But because of our shared birthday, I’ve known about this Serbian-Yugoslavian chess grandmaster for as long as I can remember. So I was saddened to learn that he’d passed away. His father died when he was young and to make ends meet his mother rented rooms to boarders. It was one of these boarders who taught an 11 year old Svetozar how to play chess. Lacking the funds to buy a set, he created his own by carving the chess pieces out of the corks of wine bottles. He went on to become the greatest chess player ever to come out of Serbia, a career that was interrupted only by WWII. He later became a renowned chess commentator. Svetozar died of a stroke on August 14th at 89 years old.
5. Bill Hinzman – Actor, Night of the Living Dead
Hinzman was working as an Assistant Cameraman when George Romero spotted him and changed his life forever by casting him as the first zombie seen in Night of the Living Dead. When Producer Gary Streiner’s arm caught fire during an effects mishap on the set, he began running in terror, and Hinzman (in full zombie makeup) tackled him to the ground and helped extinguish the flames. Hinzman and Romero went on to work together many times over the years, helping Hinzman to become a cult figure and fan favorite at conventions. He was 75 when he passed away of cancer on February 5th.
6. Sir Bernard Lovell – Physicist & Astronomer
Born in Bristol, England in 1913, Lovell was a physicist and radio astronomer who studied cosmic rays and constructed the largest steerable radio telescope in the world at that time. The telescope would later be named the Lovell Telescope and is still in use today. He established the Jodrell Bank Observatory and was its Director for 35 years. For his contribution to science, Lovell received an OBE in 1946 and was knighted in 1961. The first name of the fictional scientist Bernard Quatermass, the hero of several BBC Television science-fiction serials of the 1960s, was chosen in honor of Lovell. He was 98 years old when he passed away at home on August 6th.
7. Alan G. Poindexter – NASA Astronaut
A born daredevil, it was only natural that Poindexter would become a Navy test pilot and NASA astronaut. In his career as a pilot he logged over 4000 flight hours on 30+ types of aircraft. His first trip to space was derailed by the Columbia disaster in 2002. It would be four more years before he finally flew to the International Space Station in 2008. He served on two missions to space before retiring from NASA and returning to the US Navy as Dean of Students at the Naval Postgraduate School. The youngest person on this list, he was only 50 years old when he died from injuries received during a personal watercraft accident in Little Sabine Bay off Pensacola Beach, Florida, being the daredevil he always was.
8. Sally Ride – NASA Astronaut
As a young girl who was obsessed with all things space-related, Sally Ride was a huge idol of mine. Ride was a Physicist who answered an ad in the newspaper along with 8000 other people and became the youngest American astronaut to be launched into space as well as the first American woman to enter into low Earth orbit. She retired from NASA and went on to teach physics at UCSD, become the only person to serve on the panels for both the Challenger and Columbia accidents, found Sally Ride Science, and write several children’s books along with her partner of 27 years, Tam O’Shaughnessy. Fiercely private, she revealed more in her obituary than she had in 30 years of public life. She died on July 23rd of pancreatic cancer at age 61.
9. Maurice Sendak – Children’s Book Author, Where the Wild Things Are
The child of Polish Jewish immigrants, Sendak’s childhood was marred by the passing of most of his extended family in the holocaust. Young Maurice escaped by reading and decided to become an illustrator after watching Disney’s Fantasia when he was 12 years old. He would go on to become one of the most famous children’s book authors and illustrators in the world with the massive success of Where the Wild Things Are. In May 2008 he quietly revealed that he was gay and had hidden his 50 year relationship with psychoanalyst Dr. Eugene Glynn from his parents. An atheist, he was quoted as saying “My gods are Herman Melville, Emily Dickinson, Mozart. I believe in them with all my heart.” Maurice died on May 8th from complications of a stroke. He was 83 years old.
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Then there are the regular Joes. The nerds and geeks we know and love who aren’t famous. They don’t get recognized during awards shows or in magazines but their loss is just as devastating and much more personal for us. The nerd world lost two wonderful souls this past year who deserve to be recognized for the incredible people they were. They were both life-long nerds and meant a great deal to me.
Grandma Kay
Her R2D2 outfit
My Grandma Kay was one of the most beautiful people I have ever met. She was warm and kind and accepting of everyone. I never once heard her say a negative word about anyone. She was always chuckling. I could pick out that chuckle in a noisy room and if I close my eyes I can still hear it. She took me to Kennedy Space Center see my first space shuttle launch (Endeavor) and introduced me to gators and herons in the blueways of central Florida. She was a life-long nature lover and one of the first computer wiz’s I ever knew. She wanted to see and learn everything she possibly could. She always said that people don’t die, they graduate. I miss everything about her. I miss her stories and blowing and catching kisses over the phone. I miss the way that she ate her half a danish every morning because she was half Danish. I even miss her terrible cooking which I totally inherited from her. When I was with her, everything was magical. She graduated in early July at 96 years young.
Papa Nick
Papa Nick was not my biological grandfather, but much like my parental units, I’ve picked up a lot of grandparents through marriage, chance and circumstance along the journey of my life. Papa Nick was one of those. Together with his lovely wife Grace, I was one of the many indirectly related kids who was adopted into their brood of grandchildren. I took to Papa the instant I met him. His thick accent, Greek Fisherman’s cap, and ever-present pipe combined with his sharp wit and a steady stream of one-liners resulted in a man who you couldn’t help but love. He was one of the smartest people I’ve ever known. His love of science and education was infectious. Papa passed away in early October at the age of 90.
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Do you know a nerd who Graduated in 2012 who deserves to be recognized? Please leave a comment and let me know or post a picture and comment on the Hot Nerd Girl facebook page.
Honorable Mentions:
Renato Dulbecco – Virologist, 1975 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
Michael Clarke Duncan – Actor, The Green Mile, Daredevil, Green Lantern, Sin City
Jonathon Frid – Actor, Dark Shadows
Harry Harrison – Sci-Fi Author, Make Room! Make Room!, etc.
Lars Hörmander – Mathematician, 1962 Fields Medal
Sir Andrew Huxley – Physiologist, 1963 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
Kathryn Joosten – Actress, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The X-Files
William Standish Knowles – Chemist, 2001 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
Rita Levi-Montalcini – Neurologist, 1986 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
Patrick Moore – Amateur astronomer, writer, researcher, radio commentator, television presenter, co-founder of the Society for Popular Astronomy
Frank Sherwood Rowland – Chemist, Nobel laureate
Tony Scott – Director and Producer, Top Gun, Man on Fire, Unstoppable
Boris Strugatsky – Sci-Fi Author, The World of Noon series, etc.
William Thurston – Mathematician, 1982 Fields Medal
Mike Wallace – Journalist, 60 Minutes
William Windom – Actor, The Twilight Zone, Star Trek
Richard Zanuck – Producer/Director, Jaws, Planet of the Apes, Dark Shadows, Big Fish, From the Earth to the Moon
***
“Every life comes to an end when time demands it. Loss of life is to be mourned, but only if the life was wasted.”
- – Spock (TAS: “Yesteryear“)
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Book Review – “Snyper: A Matter of Caliber” by J. Meredith Harmon
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What would happen if the Greek gods of Olympus were real and lived among us? What would they do with themselves? Would they have jobs? Would they be destructive or productive members of society? What if there were other mystical creatures that walked among us? Beautiful women who burst forth from trees fully grown, three-headed puppies, immortal ex-wives…
Harmon hanging out in Phil’s neighborhood
Such is the world created by first-time author J. Meredith Harmon in Snyper: A Matter of Caliber, the first in a planned seven part book series. Our protagonist is Phil Bowman (a rimshot-worthy moniker if there ever was one) aka Eros aka the god of love. After playing a role in one of the most defining moments of American history, we find Phil retired from shooting people (both for love and to death) and working as a Private Investigator in New York. He’s divorced and bitter and his life is spiraling out of control. He has no idea why and no idea how to stop it despite his best misguided efforts.
The gods and goddesses deserve their own reality show. “The Real Housewives of Olympus” or “Days of Our Immortal Lives.” The amount of scheming and backstabbing that goes on is impressive, especially given the fact that they are all related to each other in more ways than one (limited dating pool and all). It’s a twisted and complicated family tree that deserves a chart like this to keep it all straight. Every one of them has a love-hate relationship with everyone else and yet, they are family and those roots run deep.
We hear about but never see Zeus, Hades, or Apollo. I think that Harmon is saving them for later. In fact, aside from Phil and Heracles, we mostly see the goddesses and female chthonics like Persephone, Hecate, Demeter, Athena and Aphrodite. Phil seems to surround himself with the fairer sex, for good and for bad. Whether that’s consciously or unconsciously on his part, I’m not sure, but it makes sense because he’s a bit of a scoundrel and the women in his life can’t help but want to save him. He’s a bit like Malcolm Reynolds in that way.
Eros before life knocked him down a few pegs
There are plenty of nods to nerdom, mostly from Phil’s nymph secretary, Ashley, and his nutty Aunt Minnie aka the goddess Athena. They include references to Stargate, Doctor Who, Harry Potter, Avatar, Firefly, Watchmen, Star Wars, Underworld, Battlestar Galactica, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Veronica Mars, 300, Clash of the Titans, Hercules, Xena: Warrior Princess, Charmed, and even one snide comment about Twilight. Even her nickname, Ash, makes me think of the Evil Dead films. I would be lying if I said that I didn’t identify with Ashley. Aside from the obvious nerdiness, we share a quirky sense of humor, a naïve innocence, and an inner strength that is slowly but surely making us braver about venturing out into the real world.
Meliai, mythologic nymphs of the ash tree
The lovely part about Snyper is how seamlessly Harmon weaves the multiple storylines, much like one of Aunt Minnie’s Arnold’s cat map tapestries. No one is exactly who they seem to be and some will downright surprise you. It’s quite impressive for a first time author.
Reading Snyper, you almost believe that magic is real; that the woman sitting next to you on the bus might be Athena and you would be none the wiser. It’s an intriguing thought and Harmon manages to bring it to life in exciting and innovative ways.
Some hilarious moments:
When Charon pulls up the decking to reveal that his ferry is secretly motorized.
The nymphs posing for Phil like Playboy pin ups and trying not to be obvious about it but failing spectacularly.
Ash running from Hecate because she thinks that the chthonic goddess is a vampire.
Molly the hell-mutt peeing in Phil’s bed. Repeatedly.
Who wouldn’t want a three-headed puppy?!
There are some truly gut-wrenching moments as well but I can’t reveal them without giving too much away.
Harmon came up with the concept of this book 22 years ago, spent four years fleshing it out, and only recently set it loose upon the world. It’s definitely worth the read, especially if you’re into mythology, which I am. It’s fun to see the gods and goddesses fleshed out and immensely imperfect despite the control they wield over all our lives. I highly recommend it and I eagerly anticipate the sequels.
For more, read my Nerd BFF Geek Outlaw’s review. It’ll make you LOL. Cause he’s funny and stuff.
Buy Snyper: A Matter of Caliber HERE.