Salon.com Arts & Entertainment | Artificial maturity - another good A.I. review.
Friday, June 29, 2001
I found an online version of Super-Toys Last All Summer Long, the short story that inspired A.I.. (But it's certainly fair to say that the movie is a lot different.)
Jim Ellis, Co-Creator of Usenet, Dies
I think for most of us who have been on the internet for a long time, those of us who have had various friendships and acquaintances because of being on newsgroups and the like, definitely owe a debt to the creators of usenet.
I think for most of us who have been on the internet for a long time, those of us who have had various friendships and acquaintances because of being on newsgroups and the like, definitely owe a debt to the creators of usenet.
MISFITS - A.I. Review
Both Tim Wick and I reviewed the movie...
Both Tim Wick and I reviewed the movie...
Good review of A.I. in the New York Times
Thursday, June 28, 2001
I just got back from seeing A.I.. It's not a short movie. It'll take a while to digest. But I thought it was brilliant. There are a couple nits I could pick (but won't here), but it's definitely one of the best movies I've seen this year. It's more Kubrick than Spielberg -- more 2001 than E.T. -- so make of that what you will.
But the more I think about it, the more I liked it.
But the more I think about it, the more I liked it.
My mother pointed me to Heart of the City, because the current plotline has them going to a Sci-Fi convention. The storyline began a couple of days ago.
Of course, if you want to go to a sci-fi convention, there is CONvergence next weekend. [July 6,7,8, 2001]
(of course, we are all not being politically correct by using the term sci-fi, but who really cares...)
Of course, if you want to go to a sci-fi convention, there is CONvergence next weekend. [July 6,7,8, 2001]
(of course, we are all not being politically correct by using the term sci-fi, but who really cares...)
Microsoft clips Windows XP Smart Tags
At least for now. And since the government breakup order has been vacated, I think Microsoft will be more likely to put it back in at some later version.
I'd be fine with smart tags if it was an "opt-in" technology for web page developers, as well as end users -- but I'm uncomfortable with it being an "opt-out" one, like it was being setup as, because I think that there's a great risk of them making every page you look at into a Microsoft advertisement.
At least for now. And since the government breakup order has been vacated, I think Microsoft will be more likely to put it back in at some later version.
I'd be fine with smart tags if it was an "opt-in" technology for web page developers, as well as end users -- but I'm uncomfortable with it being an "opt-out" one, like it was being setup as, because I think that there's a great risk of them making every page you look at into a Microsoft advertisement.
New Harry Potter Trailer.
Looks promising, actually. I still need to read the ones after the first one....
Oh, my enhanced version of the CONvergence schedule now lets you select by panelist. Note again, if it acts up, try the simpler one.
Looks promising, actually. I still need to read the ones after the first one....
Oh, my enhanced version of the CONvergence schedule now lets you select by panelist. Note again, if it acts up, try the simpler one.
Wednesday, June 27, 2001
Well, I recently found out that the one Flash Girls album I had was the rare out of print one, so when I was at Dreamhaven on my comics run today and saw the new one on the shelf, I followed my whim and completed the collection. I've listened to it a couple of times, and I'm enjoying it.
Info about the Flash Girls can be found at Fabulous Records (link via Windowseat.)
Today's comics were: Green Arrow #5, X-Force #117, and Ultimate X-Men #7. Today's magazine was Doctor Who Magazine #305, which is all about celebrating the tenth anniversary of The New Adventures.
I also saw Atlantis tonight. I enjoyed it -- at times, I thought I was watching a Japanese animated film though, it's not like any other Disney film I've seen. I pretty much agree with what Tim Wick said about it.
Info about the Flash Girls can be found at Fabulous Records (link via Windowseat.)
Today's comics were: Green Arrow #5, X-Force #117, and Ultimate X-Men #7. Today's magazine was Doctor Who Magazine #305, which is all about celebrating the tenth anniversary of The New Adventures.
I also saw Atlantis tonight. I enjoyed it -- at times, I thought I was watching a Japanese animated film though, it's not like any other Disney film I've seen. I pretty much agree with what Tim Wick said about it.
I don't know if I'll put this version out on the version accessible from the CONvergence site, but I've got a version of the CONvergence Panel listing that lets you change sort order, and saves more of your information between sessions, and might have additional features as well as I feel like adding to it. (like perhaps a way to mark all of the panels that have a particular panelist). I'm planning on keeping this around well after the con so it can be used for future conventions, so feel free to send me mail about it and comment.
This is very much a beta version, so there might be times where it doesn't work. this one probably won't be messed with further before the con
This is very much a beta version, so there might be times where it doesn't work. this one probably won't be messed with further before the con
Find out what your first name means (my oh-so-rare name means "Who is like God?" -- that it is a question is an important part of that) Also of interest is that Angel's (from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel) real name, Liam, means "Guardian".
I see that Google now has an image search. Out of curiousity, I wanted to see what happens if you search for MISFITS mascot
Maxwell Misfittle. It doesn't work as well for Connie or CONvergence though, or my own name.
Maxwell Misfittle. It doesn't work as well for Connie or CONvergence though, or my own name.
I just got back from seeing Richard Thompson at the Minnesota Zoo. I've had a couple of his albums for years -- his Watching the Dark collection has been one of my favorites for years. I thought for a while that with a set like that (and a couple of his other albums through the years, like Shoot out the Lights, Rumor & Sigh, and Pour Down Like Silver) would be relatively sufficient, but I was wrong. Fantastic show -- and even the songs I didn't know were fantastic. Must get more albums, I think.
I found a recent interview while doing a post-concert search...he doesn't have a website yet, but something to keep an eye out for.
and it was a chance to get back to the zoo, like I wanted to, and get a good view of a bunch of exhibits, which I haven't seen in years and years.
But now, I must sleep.
I found a recent interview while doing a post-concert search...he doesn't have a website yet, but something to keep an eye out for.
and it was a chance to get back to the zoo, like I wanted to, and get a good view of a bunch of exhibits, which I haven't seen in years and years.
But now, I must sleep.
Monday, June 25, 2001
70s Live Action Kid Vid
Lots of 70s kids TV stuff. Some good images.
Lots of 70s kids TV stuff. Some good images.
One of the things that I don't have right now on the site is a massive links page linking to lots of friends or sites I like -- I've had those pages before, and eventually it becomes a pain to maintain. One of the nice things about linking ot people in a web log format is while they're still there, they're dated, and so if I still have elements of this log in five or ten years -- not a silly thing at all, since there are elements of my Doctor Who section that are that old -- and it's not quite the rush to make sure that all of those links are properly maintained since they're dated.
So here are a couple of people that I haven't linked to before that I probably should. It's a bunch of people I know through (primarily) on line Doctor Who fandom, though I've met them at conventions and other things, of course.
Greg McElhatton does a daily comics review column that usually talks about lots of comics that I don't get and probably should. He also has a page celebrating Doctor Who companion Dodo Chaplet, which is morally quite questionable.
Steve Traylen is another UW-Madison grad school alumni, he encouraged me reading the Doctor Who novels, which really reignited my interest in the series. I'd say going back to Minneapolis to see Paul Cornell doing a signing at Uncle Hugos and a panel at Diversicon back in the summer of 1995 that relit my interest in fandom.
Trina Short is an Ohio science teacher, one of the biggest Sylvester McCoy fans I know, and has a whole bunch of stuff on him.
Occasionally, you might hear Jack Beven on NPR when there's a hurricane going on, but he's also a fan, and has a good set of links that includes me.
Shel Wolf lives in River Falls, Wisconsin. I'm in some of the pictures she's taken at various conventions we've been to
So that's a good batch for today...
So here are a couple of people that I haven't linked to before that I probably should. It's a bunch of people I know through (primarily) on line Doctor Who fandom, though I've met them at conventions and other things, of course.
Greg McElhatton does a daily comics review column that usually talks about lots of comics that I don't get and probably should. He also has a page celebrating Doctor Who companion Dodo Chaplet, which is morally quite questionable.
Steve Traylen is another UW-Madison grad school alumni, he encouraged me reading the Doctor Who novels, which really reignited my interest in the series. I'd say going back to Minneapolis to see Paul Cornell doing a signing at Uncle Hugos and a panel at Diversicon back in the summer of 1995 that relit my interest in fandom.
Trina Short is an Ohio science teacher, one of the biggest Sylvester McCoy fans I know, and has a whole bunch of stuff on him.
Occasionally, you might hear Jack Beven on NPR when there's a hurricane going on, but he's also a fan, and has a good set of links that includes me.
Shel Wolf lives in River Falls, Wisconsin. I'm in some of the pictures she's taken at various conventions we've been to
So that's a good batch for today...
Ah. I just looked at the TPT Program Schedule: What's On? and I see that Gormenghast will be on locally (Minneapolis/St. Paul) this Wedensday and Thursday (Jun 27, 28) on TPT-2 at 8:00 pm CST. I assume that's probably the same time nationally.
NPR's website has an audio interview about the BBC/PBS production of Gormenghast with the director, Andy Wilson. I've seen the first episode and it was really fascinating, and I got the books for Christmas last year, but I haven't read them yet. I'm not sure if I'll watch it on tv, or just go ahead and get it on DVD.
It's also nice because Andy Wilson also says really nice things about the actors on Doctor Who -- and that the ability of actors well to act in a fantasy setting. Though it is reminiscent of Neil Gaiman's comment about Neverwhere -- something along the lines that when it comes to fantasy, the BBC is like a sausage factory, it doesn't matter what you put in, out comes Doctor Who.
(It's also interesting because Andy Wilson said that he was interested in going to SF conventions...)
It's also nice because Andy Wilson also says really nice things about the actors on Doctor Who -- and that the ability of actors well to act in a fantasy setting. Though it is reminiscent of Neil Gaiman's comment about Neverwhere -- something along the lines that when it comes to fantasy, the BBC is like a sausage factory, it doesn't matter what you put in, out comes Doctor Who.
(It's also interesting because Andy Wilson said that he was interested in going to SF conventions...)
Creative Loafing Atlanta | NEWS | ROCKY, HORRID RIVALRY [from Alt-log]
Shock, horror! rivalry between different fan groups? I've never heard of such a terrible thing before!
One of the amusing things I saw when reading through some fifty-or-so year old postcards that SF fans used to send to each other back in the 40s or so is that things really haven't changed much since then -- you see references to people having fallings out or so on from time to time.
Shock, horror! rivalry between different fan groups? I've never heard of such a terrible thing before!
One of the amusing things I saw when reading through some fifty-or-so year old postcards that SF fans used to send to each other back in the 40s or so is that things really haven't changed much since then -- you see references to people having fallings out or so on from time to time.
