Michael Lee's Train of Thought

I am enjoying Google Reader more all of the time. One of my favorite features is that it lets you create a shared list of items -- that anyone could also subscribe to. I've got my shared list -- and I'm always interested in seeing other shared lists, so let me know if you have one.

Of course, what my long-term wish-list for this feature would be that it would automatically capture my folders -- and then you could theoretically subscribe to someone's shared links *from a particular tag* -- for example, you might be interested in the items that are computer related, but not my entertainment related.

But still, it's very neat -- and it makes keeping an eye on lots of places throughout the web much, much easier...

Labels: google, rss

I wasn't completely sure about the rumored casting of Christopher Eccleston and George Takai on Heroes but the following Comic Book Resources Interview has a bit more information direct from some of the producers involved in the series. As I've had a lot of hits about it both here and on my Doctor Who blog I know that there is a whole lot of interest about this two high profile casting decisions...

Labels: heroes

I haven't read the full article yet, but Neil Gaiman is interviewed in the latest City Pages. I'm always amused that he's local to our area -- while intellectually I know that, there's a part of me that feels that he should be far away and removed from my reality.

In other comics news, I'm somehow very comforted that Dave Cockrum died in Superman pjs. One of the things that's great is when you discover that creators share the passion for the history of the form and the material -- and in my mind, that's dying with your boots on in the best sense.

Labels: comics, gaiman

About a year ago I referenced a call for submissions for a book called She's Such A Geek. I got an e-mail pointing out that there is now a new She's Such A Geek website as well as ">the book now being out.

Digging through, I saw reference to this list of ten women geeks. It's obvious to me that Paris Hilton isn't on the list because she's really a geek, but as link bait and wishful thinking. I'm also not sure it's a good idea to mix real people and fictional ones on the same list.

In my list of top fictional girl geeks, I'd certainly include Kitty Pryde of the X-Men, and probably the three geek women from Joss Whedon shows -- Willow Rosenberg, Winifred Burkle, and Kaylee Frye. But I suppose since Joss is writing Kitty in Astonishing X-Men, it's really obvious that they're all pretty much from the same mold.

Very quickly as you look at a list like that you are looking at what the definition of geek is in general -- it is not the same as just being smart. And at least for me, it's not quite the same thing as just being a techie -- it certainly includes a lot of the entertainment interests that seem to coincide with that as well. (We're such a stereotype.)

Labels: geek

My favorite new television series of the year is Heroes. And they've managed, so far, to keep things moving at a good pace but still having a lot of mysteries. They manage to keep enough mysteries going to keep it fresh and interesting -- but also reveal enough that you feel that you're making some progress with the story.

And they've got the best way to introduce episode titles I've ever seen.

And while the episodes are on iTunes -- and looking at the rankings on iTunes earlier today they're doing quite well there -- you might want to take advantage of the marathon on Sci Fi this Wednesday, November 29th. They're showing the first six episodes -- so something to fill your TiVo up with.

So time to get on the bandwagon before Christopher Eccleston and George Takai show up.

Labels: heroes

As someone who grew up reading X-Men comics in the 1980s, I wanted to pause for a moment and give tribute to Dave Cockrum. He was the first artist for the "New" X-Men, and he drew many of the issues that were a vital part of my youth.

I think the issue that immediately springs to mind is The Uncanny X-Men #153, entitled "Kitty's Fairy Tale". In this issue Kitty Pryde retold much of the Dark Phoenix story in a fantasy setting filled with pirates and humor. It could have been little more than one of those standard "refresh the readers on the backstory" issues that you would get in comics from time to time, but it was able to present it in a fresh way that could still be entertaining and moving.

Labels: comics, x-men

There are more and more specialized Wiki based-sites everyday. And frequently, the specialized Wiki sites that go into greater detail than Wikipedia. I've frequently found Lostpedia valuable, and I had been tagging a whole lot of others as well.

So using Google's wonderful custom search technology, I've built a MetaWikiSearch. If there's a Wiki site out there that you think I should add -- and I've tried to add several already -- let me know.

Labels: search, wiki

As I mentioned earlier, I switched over to the blogger beta a week or so ago. I was primarily interested in getting the labels (or as I've usually seen them refered to, tags) going. I thought it'd be useful to split off, for example, the Doctor Who posts I made before I started the Torchwood Institute.

But I've had a few frustrations with the feeds that are generated through the system -- it looks like it's breaking the feed into live journal and technorati. And while it hasn't broken them from going into Google Reader, it pushes items as they are edited and labeled to the top of the feed. Which isn't really what I would have ideally wanted.

Labels: blogger, rss

Ok. Considering Christopher Eccleston's rumored casting on Heroes is listed as a rumor on the "official" unofficial Heroes site. maybe there is some truth to it. There's a lot of interesting speculation out there as far as what sort of character he could be playing. Is he a good guy? A bad guy? A character that we've already heard about? Sylar?, or Mr. Linderman?

In other amusing news on the 9th Wonders site, they're reporting that George Takai is going to appear as Hiro's father. I'm more than a bit amused if the we're getting casting from a primary actor from both Doctor Who and Star Trek announced during days of each other.

While digging around for more information and gossip about these casting I've also discovered a Heroes Wiki -- I think the Wiki format works really well for shows like Heroes or Lost.

Labels: doctorwho, heroes, startrek

Wil Wheaton's Star Wars Review focuses on one of the things that has been on my mind concerning how the first Star Wars Generation reacted to Episodes I to III. The original Star Wars films are, for the geekier among us -- more than just an enjoyable nostalgic movie from our childhood. They in a very real sense are our childhood -- they're every birthday and Christmas for a half a dozen years.

I'm not as anti-the prequels as many people I know are. They're not the original Star Wars -- and how could they be -- and I'm not sure I can separate my childhood nostalgia when I watch them. And that makes some things work, but also emphasizes every little flaw.

Of course, it is possible for that sort of nostalgic revisit to work in their own rights as well -- the new Doctor Who is still recognizably the series that I discovered as a kid, but is a complete modern upgrade as well. And while the nostalgic elements of Battlestar Galactica are less frequent, it's something that is very good for today, and stands on its one terms despite any distant nostalgic memories.

And tomorrow is another day where nostalgic franchises return, as we go to see the new James Bond movie Casino Royale. It is odd because it promises to be a back-to-basics Bond film, but there was a fair amount of controversy in the past about it.

Labels: bond, doctorwho, galactica, nostalgia, starwars

If you're working with the on-demand CRM package Salesforce.com and are looking for resources, I've set up a Salesforce Search Engine collecting related sites that I've found.

Labels: salesforce, search

I've just switched over to using the blogger beta. So we'll start to see tags (as I remember to use them) and whatever other new features this might have...

Labels: blogger, meta

Windows SysInternals

Doctor Who - Region 1 March titles announced

Minnesota voters send first Muslim to Capitol Hill

iCentera Portals For Mortals

MapQuest for AppExchange - The Official Salesforce Blog - Salesforce Blogs

Labels: links

Whose side is your favorite superhero on?

Today is the end of the electronic voting machine

'Real Borat' seeks apology - CNN.com

Genesis regroups for tour after 15-year break - CNN.com

Battlestar Galactica - The Return of Athena « Warp Section

Mark Gatiss on Nigel Kneale

Labels: links

Don't forget to vote tomorrow (if you are a USA person....)

Labels: minnesota, politics

I think this will be a good site to track the most interesting races in Minnesota on Tuesday.

Labels: minnesota, politics

Election Night Cheat Sheet

Doctor Who made Robert J Sawyer cry

Torchwood Episode Guide (A Brief History of Time Travel)

Labels: links

Code Monkey

One Breath

19 Things Republicans Want You To Forget on 11.7.06

MPR: Hatch on the hotseat

Ain't It Cool News Graeme Harper Interview

Lost Producers Explain (Season 3 Spoiler)

Labels: links

Are you searching for information about clubs, conventions, stores, or whatever in Minnesota for Science Fiction and Fantasy? What follows is a tailored google search engine. It's still early days, and if you've got a suggestion for a site that is appropriate for Minnesota area science fiction fans to have weighted a little higher, let me know.

The Minnesota Science Fiction and Fantasy Search Engine

Labels: minnesota, scifi, search

MPR: Campaign 2006: Select a Candidate

Schneier on Security: How to Steal an Election

Heroes' Pasdar Eyes Future

Labels: links

How Republicans poisoned politics. - By Jacob Weisberg - Slate Magazine

MPR: Campaigning heats up in the 5th Congressional District

Digital Spy - Cult - 'Spooks' actress to star in 'Doctor Who'

Labels: links

Doctor Who wins more UK TV awards

Hammer Films

HammerWeb Tribute: Nigel Kneale

Extreme Diet Coke & Mentos Experiments II - The Domino Effect - Google Video

Labels: links