Author: John

Could This Be The Holy Grail?

Could a giant whirlpool in Scottland be the origins of the much speculated about Holy Grail? Author Stuart McHardy beleives that the monster Corryvreckan whirlpool is not only the source of local legends but is the origin of the Grail. Ancient local myths think of the whirlpool as the great cauldron of creation:

"These ancient pagan tribes saw the whirlpool as a giant cauldron – or Grail – of rebirth," he says. "They believed it was the womb of all creation and could even awaken dead warriors. It was literally their Holy Grail."

In traditional mysticism the Holy Grail is believed to posses the ability to heal the sick and to raise the dead. Sound familiar? Humm, there might be something to this…

Scotland’s Whirling Goddess or the Holy Grail?

Neo Victorian Rayguns from The Weta Workshop

Manmelter 3600ZThese creations are just too sweet.

Issuing forth from the fetid and possibly incriminating imagination of Weta Workshop designer Greg Broadmore come RAYGUNS: Dr, Grordborts Infallible Aether Oscillators! … Bespangled in fine detail and with various (most likely quite dangerous) moving parts, these wave weapons of yesteryear are the perfect ornament for a gentleman’s study or a deterring centerpiece for a lady’s powder room or chiffonier…

Seeing these works of art makes me want to pick up my razor knife and tube bender and have a go at making something like this. I used to make toy guns along time ago. They were never as sophisticated as these but they were fun to build.

[via boingboing] 

Weta originals – Rayguns

New ‘Martian Chronicles’ Movie In The Works

Ray BradburyScience fiction genius Ray Bradbury has picked up his pen and is writing a new screenplay for his classic ‘Martian Chronicles‘. I am particularly interested in how he merges such a large body of work into such a short format as a movie. The TV series on the late 70’s was ok, but just didn’t do the books justice.

The stories of Mr. Bradbury are perhaps the most stirring I have ever read, the story ‘There will come soft rains’ is perhaps his best. I remember reading that when I was a young boy and then realized the full futility of nuclear war. Reading about how the robots dutifully keep up their dead masters home was amazingly sad. If you haven’t read any of this anthology you have to. A number of years ago, during perhaps my first trip to Los Angles, I had the good fortune to meet Mr. Bradbury in person. I shook his hand and thanked him for his work. It’s not often you get to meet one of your heroes.

I think it’s time to re-read these treasures from the golden age of science fiction once again. I’m off to the book store to get a copy.

Amazon.com – The Martian Chronicles

Bradbury Penning New ‘Martian Chronicles’ Script

Russian Cosmonaut to Whack Golf Ball From ISS

FORE!

Well these things don’t fly for free. I wonder if NASA will ever fully embrac the capitalistic opportunities of space. Spin-off projects are great, everyone loves CAT scanners, micro electronics, and Tang but there are so many other uses for space. Advertising is just one of the uses that the Russian space agency has employed so far. In the future once a larger habitation structure can be built the possibilities for generating revenue for space agencies broaden significantly.

A Russian cosmonaut will whack a golf ball from the international space station in a publicity stunt on Thanksgiving Day, NASA officials said Tuesday, Associated press news agency reports.
Russian flight engineer Mikhail Tyurin will show off his swing to promote a Canadian golf club manufacturer during a spacewalk on Nov. 23.

Russian Cosmonaut to Whack Golf Ball From ISS

One Of Our Planets Is Missing

 

It had to happen one day, that little ball of  ice and rock that just can’t keep it’s orbit to itself has been demoted to a (sniff) planetesimal. Ok, the official classification is ‘dwarf planet‘ but you know it’s still the same as being sent to eat at the kids table during the holidays. It’s a good thing that the New Horizons mission got underway before the new ruling came into being.

Officially, Pluto is no longer a planet. "Pluto is dead," said Mike Brown, a planetary scientist at the California Institute of Technology who spoke with reporters via a teleconference while monitoring the vote. The decision also means a Pluto-sized object that Brown discovered will not be called a planet.

So, is anyone holding a wake for Pluto? If not then why not? 

Pluto not a planet