Rating Sherlock Holmes
for Sherlock Holmes. It traded Holmesness for big explosions and a plethora of clichés… and not even Downey was able to save the film.
Archive for 2009
TWiSmas
A special TWiSmas story I stumbled upon on the fantastic podcast/radioshow This Week in Science, sent in by TWiS-minion Jason Quade, and read by the always charming Dr. Kirsten Sanford. Enjoy… A Visit From James Cameron
Please note: all rights reserved by original author/producers. I am just hosting this little snippet because I love it, and also because I want more people to listen to This Week in Science.
Minaret Verboten?
First we must chase the elephant out of the room by stating that, contrary to what many European leaders claim, the Swiss minaret ban does not curtail the freedom of religion. Swiss Muslims are still allowed to worship, at home or in mosques.
Surprisingly, the French foreign minister Kouchner expressed his shock, saying “[i]t is an expression of intolerance and I detest intolerance”. A few years ago, France banned the headscarf in public schools, which apparently is not an expression of intolerance. To the benefit of the French, though, they banned all forms of overtly visible religious dress and symbols, while the Swiss target Islam specifically with their ban on minarets. Continue reading, Inshallah!
Getting Hitched
On Tuesday, 22nd of September 2009 at the Corsewall Lighthouse Hotel in Scotland, the unimaginable happened: I got married to a bookworm! Since this was a secular humanist ceremony, officiated by a member of the Humanist Society Scotland, we were able to fill in the ceremonial details any way we wanted. Therefore, we had written our own statements and vows. With permission of the boss, I’ve reprinted my geeky, skeptical, rational statement below the space-folding jump. Make the jump»
Moon
With a perfectly timed premiere alongside the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission to the titular celestial body, the science-fiction film Moon finally touched down in the UK. Supposedly a move back to Sci-Fi classics such as ‘Silent Running’ and ’2001: A Space Odyssey’, Moon actually brings a breath of fresh air to the stale life-support systems of most contemporary Sci-Fi productions. Launch to the rest of the review»
Coraline 3D
for Coraline (the film — in 3D) because it is just stunningly gorgeous!
Die Trekkies, Die!
And then, George Lucas came along to destroy the Death Star by shooting torpedoes made of unnecessary back stories down the exhaust port (Patton Oswalt alert!)
Dear Music Industry, please stop hurting your own sales by fighting “pirates”.
Astronomically Insignificant
The earth and the sun compared to several other celestial bodies; how insignificant we are (insert sigh of awe). I don’t know the original source of this file but I believe it is OS from NASA. Larger (readable) version can be found here.
For people wondering why I don’t go out to St. Mary Street, take a look at these photos. After many months, these snapshots are creating a political storm, too.