Constant Joy

Being unemployed does have benefits. I've gotten to spend the last 2 days with my kids at their field days at school. That's not something I would ordinarily have time to do, so this has been a rare treat. I think I missed all their field days last year, and only attended 1 out of 3 the year before.

My children are a continuous source of joy for me. One would think that going from 40+ hours a week at work to constantly at home would make me less tolerant of the kids since I'm around them so much. It seems the opposite instead is happening. I actually like to spend time with them, and I've become much more tolerant of their behavior and antics than I was before. Or maybe I'm just growing desensitized.

Best joke I've heard in a while. This was told to me by my 5 year old.

Why are rhinos so wrinkly?
Because they're so hard to iron!

Trials of War(craft)

I don't know if you like WoW (World of Warcraft) or not, but I'm a player. I was suckered into it by a friend who has long since quit. Love 'em or hate 'em, Blizzard took the genre and refined it to a point where it was more palatable for more people than any company before or since.

Now, Blizz is set to do it again with a new title. No word on what it is yet, but the bet is it'll be something sci-fi. And no, not Starcraft, some new intellectual property. *sigh*

Back in Black

Well, my little 2 day job went well. Yesterday I had internet connection issues, so no bloggy for me.

Harry Potter is coming back this summer as well. I haven't been very fond of the movies since the second one, but this one looks freakin' amazing. Check out the trailer here.

So many good movies coming out this summer, so little time.

Couple of Days Away

I've got a temp job doing some work out of town, so I won't be posting anything Monday or Tuesday.

Stay tuned. I'll be back as soon as I can. :D

Just Back From the Flick

And it was every bit as good as the reviews! Go see it. You won't be disappointed.

I'll not give any of the story away, but they did an amazing job. The cast and acting are fantastic. The musical choices were a bit odd, but they fit the movie, so I really don't have an issue with them. The special effects were all amazing. All of the actors turned in a really strong performance. Even though the movie is nearly 2 hours long, it doesn't seem that long, and you go away wanting more. I especially enjoyed McCoy and Scottie. Karl Urban was channeling Deforest Kelley, and Simon Pegg is one of the highlights of the film. Both performances were amazing!

I highly recommend reading the back-story before seeing the movie in the 4 issue series, Star Trek Countdown. It fills in a lot of holes. They do a good job explaining it in the movie, so you won't be lost if you don't read it first.

I guess what I'm most impressed with on this reboot, is how it is handled. Yes, it does change the history of Star Trek, but it doesn't erase it or negate it. I really can't say more without giving more of the plot away, but I really am impressed with the script.

My favorite part? All the gorgeous scenes of my favorite lady. The Enterprise has never looked better, and they take every opportunity to show her off. When I heard that they were "updating" the look of the ship, I rebelled and vowed to not see the film, but her new look really grew on me. She's every bit as beautiful as the original, and she really gets to shine in this film.

My review: 2 thumbs waaaaaaay up! Go see it immediately. This is easily the best Trek since Khan.

Should You Take Your Kids to See the New Star Trek Film?

GeekDad does a (spoiler free) review of the movie with a mind towards whether or not you should take your little Trekkies to see the PG-13 movie.

Personally, even though I haven't seen it yet, I imagine it will be fine. Trek has always been family friendly, even more so than Star Wars. My kids still haven't seen Episode III because of Anakin's slaughter of the younglings.

Today's the Day

The reviews are already rolling in, and it's been predicted by some that Star Trek will break $65 million this weekend. I wouldn't be surprised at $100 million, but we'll see.

Only 4 1/2 hours to go until I get to see for myself. :-)

Arts & Crafts Time

Fandomestic looks at various arts & crafts made by fans to celebrate Trek.

Quite possibly the most useful Star Trek nicknack ever

11 iPhone Apps to Get You Geared Up for the Movie

Mashable has put together a list of 11 iPhone apps to get you ready for the movie. From comics to games, lots of fun stuff.

20 Things About Trek You Might Not Know

BigStupidIdiot takes a look at 20 things you might not know about Star Trek

You're probably wetting yourself a little bit today with the release of the new Star Trek film. Could this be the one to bring the franchise back to life? In a few hours we'll all know. But before you sit down with your Goober and Mountain Dew, get a little insight to the film. Check out the 20 things you didn't know about the new Star Trek. (Spoiler Free)

Not Trek, but Cool Nonetheless

My favorite Marvel superhero is Captain America.

Captain America is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 (March 1941), from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby. Over the years, an estimated 210 million copies of "Captain America" comic books have been sold in a total of 75 countries. For nearly all of the character's publication history Captain America was the alter ego of Steve Rogers, a sickly young man who was enhanced to the peak of human perfection by an experimental serum in order to aid the United States war effort. Captain America wears a costume that bears an American flag motif, and is armed with an indestructible shield that can be thrown as a weapon. from Wikipedia

Sideshow Collectibles, Inc. has a nifty piece I'd love to get my hands on.

The Science of Star Trek

In line with the idea that warp drive may be possible, Live Science takes a look at other pieces of Trek science and its possibilities.

Five Reasons Women Should Like Star Trek

Cinemablend looks at five really good reasons women should jump on the Trek bandwagon.

And no, Chris Pine isn't one of them....

Just look at those pecs. What's not to love?

Speaking of Sexy

I've gotten some e-mail asking where to get that Star Trek corset from the other day's post. You can get them here.

I'm thinking of ordering one. I may even get one for the wife, too. :-)

Sexy Trek

Don't tell me Star Trek isn't sexy. It's always been sexy. From Shatner having his shirt ripped off every other episode to the those oh-so-short miniskirts. There was innuendo, some subtle, some not so much. Mankind moved out into the stars and better future, a future where sexiness was very much a part of life.

If only these were standard issue in Starfleet...

Wonder where Kirk's other hand is?

If Kirk's shirt was ripped every other episode, why wasn't Janeways?

Bow-chicka-wow-wow!

Wow, Just Wow

If you buy this, you really are out of your Vulcan mind.

Nerds Gallery

Obtuser has a link to a rogues gallery of Star Trek nerds. I'd link myself, but Obtuser has the best of the bunch on his site with some humorous comments.

However, below is the one I consider to be the best of all.

See? Women will talk to anyone with a cool car.

Are You Out of Your Vulcan Mind!?!

Lunch.com reviews Star Trek.

*Spoiler Alert* Do not read this review if you mind spoilers *Spoiler Alert*

Wil Wheaton Gives it the Maniac Thumbs-Up

He says: "If all reboots were done this well, we geeks would never worry about reboots."

There Are Always Possibilities

Space.com's writer, Clara Moskowitz, postulates that maybe warp drive isn't just for science fiction anymore.

There's a nice video with Marc Millis, former head of NASA's Breakthrough Propulsion Physics Project, who explains how physicists approach the intriguing possibility of faster-than-light travel.

Screen Rant's Star Trek Review

Vic Holterman is a self-described Trekkie. He gives us his take on the new film.

My favorite line of his review, a basic summation of Berman-Braga style of Trek:

"...the fans don’t know what’s good for them - we’ll tell them what they want.”

Yep, that pretty much sums up their efforts over the years that nearly destroyed the franchise.

Top 10 Scifi Guns

Throughout my infatuation with all things science fiction, one of the big draws for me has always been the tech. And what better tech is there than things that blow other things up?

Here's my top 10 list of the best sci-fi guns ever.

10. Logan's Run: This gun wasn't that great in application, but it sure made up for it with futuristic looks. Let's face it, it's an icon just because if you've seen the movie, you'll recognize this gun.


9. Gene Simmons' gun from Runaway: This gun was horribly ugly, but it had one really cool feature - the bullets tracked. Called "smart bullets", all you had to do was point and shoot. Sadly, he still couldn't hit Tom Selleck. It was probably the mustache.


8. Gatling gun from Predator: Yeah, I know. This is a real gun, but it is still way too cool. Seeing the future governor of Minnesota mow down a jungle was definitely one of the movie's highlights.


7. The Fembot "Guns": Austin Powers completely parodied so many other great movies, that it became great in it's own right, but my favorite scene was the Fembots. I always did like girls of that 'caliber'.


6. The Stormtrooper Carbine: This one would probably be higher on the list if it had been the least bit accurate. Even the heroes couldn't hit the broad side of a Death Star with one. Just look how long it took Princess Leia to kill those guards while stuck on that ledge. Why they bothered to put a scope on those things is beyond me.


5. Battlestar Galactica Blaster: As much as I loved the reboot of BSG, the guns were just too realistic to make my list. They looked too good, if you know what I mean, not clunky and futuristic and stuff. Not so the one from the original show. It was clunky, huge, and very flashy.


4. Space 1999 gun: This is probably the most unusual of all the guns here. Very similar in function to Star Trek's phaser, its looks are what set it apart. This was a classic of design and function. I had a watergun model of one of these as a kid and loved it.


3. Star Trek Phaser Type II: One of the most iconic of all sci-fi ray guns, the Phaser was a testament to design. It not only was practical as a ray gun, it doubled as a portable heater. The new designs for the movie took their cues from this one as well.


2. Han Solo's Blaster: What kid didn't have one of these growing up? This was and still is one of the coolest sci-fi pistols ever. And the best part? It was totally made up of spare parts. This is the reason Broomhandle Mausers are so collectible today.


1. Decker's gun from Blade Runner: While not a ray gun, this one skates to #1 on looks and chutzpah. Is it an automatic or a revolver? Yes, yes it is. It's not just a gun, it's a freakin' cannon. And besides, #1 and #2 were both wielded by Harrison Ford, so it has to be bad-a$$!

Ten Things Outsiders Just Don’t Understand About Star Trek - Film School Rejects

Ten Things Outsiders Just Don’t Understand About Star Trek - Film School Rejects

Posted using ShareThis

Meet the Bad Guy

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

Doesn't say much, does he?

Star Trek D.A.C.

Here's a sneak preview of Paramount Digital Entertainment's shooter Star Trek: D-A-C for the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360. Based off the feature film hitting theaters this Friday.

Video Games - Video Game Cheat Codes - Video Game Trailers

It's Still Not a Cell Phone

Star Trek USB Webcam

It's the Beard

There's Red Tape Everywhere

Even on the USS Enterprise via Cracked.com.

Now Imagine Her Green

Rachel Nichols plays an Orion in Star Trek. I'm even more excited than I was.

Hottest Girls Across the World has more.

A Small Break in the Action

Just wanted to post a cool image in the midst of all this Trek-action.



Courtesy of National Geographic

75% of Fandango's Ticket Sales are Star Trek

Apparently some folks are excited. Get your tickets while you still can!

Oh, and if you show up in costume, I'm going to pretend I don't know you...unless it's like one of those costumes I talked about yesterday. Then we're sitting together.

Star Trek Meets Cloverfield

Teaser Trailer has more.

"Great Job" Says Spock

Long-time Trek fans may be disappointed in the new film in the way that it changes the history of the series, but Leonard Nimoy tells fans to lighten up and enjoy the ride.

I Wonder if it'll Have Bongos?

The soundtrack to the new Star Trek film goes on sale today.

And yes, it does include Alexander Courage's original score.

Funny in a Sad Sort of Way

Trekkies Bash New Star Trek Film As 'Fun, Watchable'

Top 10 Star Trek Movie Moments

IGN.com has a list of their favorite Top 10 Star Trek movie moments.

Hope, Change, and Live Long and Prosper

I know, not everyone loves Star Trek. There's dissension even among those who do. Are you a Next Gen fan? (Kirk would totally kick Picard's butt, btw) Is DS:9 more your style? I'd ask about Voyager or Enterprise, but honestly, who cares? They both sucked. See? I'm a die-hard Trekkie and even I don't like parts of the franchise.

There are Trekkies everywhere, from Hollywood to the White House. Some I'd like to put a Vulcan death grip on, and some I'd just like to take my boots off for. I'll let you figure out which is which.

Viva Las Vegas

Ever been to Las Vegas? If you get the opportunity, go! but leave the kids at home. As hard as they try, it's not a family town. Oh, the stories I could tell, but I don't feel like going to jail and I promised that the details would remain buried. Just watch Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and you'll get the point.

I can tell you about one story, though embarrassing as it may be. See, I'm a Tennessee boy. I grew up surrounded by hills and mountains. So, from my perspective, if you can see it, you can walk to it because it can't be more than a couple of miles away. Logical, right?

When some pals and I went to Vegas, we decided to take in Star Trek: The Experience at the Las Vegas Hilton. Our hotel was at one end of the strip, but we could see the sign for the Hilton, and all of us being from Tennessee, we figured it couldn't possibly be that far away. We set off walking. Yep, we walked. In Las Vegas. In summer.

Three hours later, we figured we were lost and stopped to ask a native. He just looked at us in amazement when we told him where we were walking toward and from whence we came. He muttered something, and shaking his head walked away. Stoically (sort of), we trudged onward.

Ages later, we arrived at the Hilton. Weary, sweaty, and nasty from the MILES OF WALKING, we looked up to see a 300 foot sign. Yep, we could indeed see that gigantic sign from our hotel 'cause the terrain is completely flat. True story.

I was sad to hear that the Hilton closed down their Star Trek attraction last year, but like the phoenix Star Trek is, they're reopening it just in time for the movie.

If you get a chance, check it out. It's worth the trip. But trust me, take a cab.

Quark's bar: Skip the Romulan Ale, trust me on this, you'll thank me.

A Bevy of Videos

Paramount is releasing tons of videos for the upcoming film. Here's some of the new ones.

From TrailerAddict


Three from Ebaum's World

I would post these, but their code and Blogger's don't seem to want to get along. Follow the link for these. They're all short, but worth the watch.

Zoe Saldana Interview

LatinoReview.com has a nice interview with Zoe Saldana.

Star Crossed Lovers

Star Trek and romance are not exactly new. This was in the mix from the get-go. The new movie has its share as well, but who it is might surprise you.

io9 looks at the Romance That Will Change Star Trek Forever

*Spoiler Alert* If you're avoiding spoilers, don't read it! *Spoiler Alert*

Old Captain, Meet New Captain

William Shatner watches a preview of the new movie.

William Shatner Watches New Star Trek Movie Trailer

Now Those Are Uniforms

Kirk would approve.

This Just in: Trek Now Cool, Trekkies Still Geeks

Newsweek posted an article giving a brief rundown on the history of the series and the new film. Yeah, that Newsweek.

Buy Your Tickets Now

If you haven't gotten them already, and you really want to see the new Star Trek film this weekend, you'd better get your tickets now.

I picked ours up on Sunday, and there were already 2 shows sold out. Now would be a good time.

Also, Paramount has already announced plans for a sequel. We'll see, but if this baby has legs and a great opening weekend, it'll be a sure thing.

I wasn't going to include a pic, but that is a really cool poster.

Epic Motivation

The Chive has some "epic" motivational posters.

Sorta safe for work, if your boss is cool and a man...or a lesbian.

Favorite Star Trek Rip-Offs

io9 has a write-up on their 5 Favorite Star Trek rip-offs.

I don't know about rip-offs, but inspired-by's and parodies, sure.

Also, Galaxy Quest was the best Star Trek movie since Star Trek IV. Sad, isn't it?

Welcome to Star Trek Week

Yeah, I'm a trekkie. I have been since a kid. I can't help it. I always loved the original series, and I still do. I'm such a rabid fan, I sat through episodes of Voyager and Enterprise (though I still hated them).

In celebration of the opening of the new Star Trek movie on Friday, DAMIT is going to have lots of info about the upcoming film and lots of other Trek stuff.

Enjoy, and live long and prosper.

Cooking: MacGyver Style

Nothing says lovin' like something from the oven, or in this case, the coffee pot. Food2Blog has a nice write up on cooking in your cubicle.

Wow, if I could smoke there, I'd have no reason to go home.

It's Not Femtroopers but is Worth a Look....

101 Hottest Slave Princess Leia photos

via Uncle