Submitted by GuyGG on Mon, 03/02/2009 - 2:59am
- Sometimes a news event can reveal interesting things. The crash of two satellites last month resulted in some interesting conversations I had with a number of different people. One thing is clear - the vast majority of people I talked to had no idea just how many satellites are floating around the Earth (roughly a thousand active satellites, with thousands of others that are inactive and/or destroyed), or the variety and nationality of said objects. For a good amount of information, check out the Wikipedia entry for satellites.
- Speaking of orbiting things, here's a cool set of pictures of what's involved in launching a space shuttle.
- And on the topic of outer space, here's another one of those astronomical phenomena that's tough to wrap your mind around.
- Ah, the fun of Google's Street View.
- Battlestar's series finale has officially been split into a two parter (well, a three parter, since it was already intended as a two parter with the first part the previous week). So far, I've been enjoying Battlestar's run to the finish, though last weekend's episode "Deadlock" (written by one of my favorite TV writers, Jane Espenson), was one of the weaker episodes of the show for some time. However, this weekend's episode, "Someone To Watch Over Me", was very good. Composer Bear McCreary has done what has to be one of the single most detailed write-ups any single episode of TV score has ever received in his three part analysis. Absolutely outstanding work by Bear - some of his best for the series. And the fact that he snuck Stu Philips' great "Exploration" intro theme from the classic Battlestar series gets him some bonus fanboy credit. It was another great Starbuck episode, and holds up nicely to the brilliant season 2 episode, Scar. Oh, and congrats to Bear on his recent engagement (to Raya Yarbrough - a vocalist who has often been featured on the Battlestar score).
- Rats. Somebody already beat me to an attempt at a video I've wanted to try myself - doing a Battlestar opening title sequence using Bear McCreary's revised arrangement of Stu Philips' classic theme using footage and cast from the new series in the style of the original series. OK, that sounds more complicated than it actually is. The linked video is a bit too tongue-in-cheek, so perhaps I might make my own attempt at it some day, anyway.
- For those of you who want to wear your Blu-Ray pride
- When, oh when, will us Pushing Daisies fans ever get to see the final three episodes? Turns out the DVD's (and hopefully Blu-Ray) of season 2 can't be released until ABC either airs the episodes or their contracted window to do so runs out in September.
- The Discovery Channel will be airing a new documentary special on the amazing US Airways crash on the Hudson. It debuts on Wednesday, the 4th.
- The end of an era - Computer Shopper will no longer be available in print form.
- Cowon is releasing a very light update to their D2 player called the D2+. I've been a happy user of the D2 for the last year and a half or so.
- So Star Trek: The Experience has been saved.
- Could any jury really punish this mother for her actions? I certainly think the dude got what was coming.
- On the flip-side is this sad but charming news story.
- And you thought your pet was quite the conversation piece.
- No matter how much proof I see of the pending release of the first season of Parker Lewis on DVD, such as this cover art, I still find it hard to believe. Perhaps I'll finally believe it as I'm watching the set at the end of June.
- The Simpsons has been renewed for two more seasons (#21 & #22). It'll be truly insane if it ends at that point, just 7 episodes shy of 500 episodes.
