FantaSci Cafe: Fear and Hope

The eleventh episode of FantaSci Cafe is here but this is a transition episode that is focused mainly on a bunch of news updates along with my brief tribute to Arthur C. Clarke.

FantaSci Cafe: Walking Away

In a very special episode, FantaSci Cafe dips its toe into the waters of Sci Fi ethics, and talks specifically about the Ursula K. LeGuine story, "The Ones Who Walked Away from Omelas".

This episode wasn't planned and I didn't think I'd have much to talk about so imagine my surprise when I looked at the time and realized that I spoke for nearly twenty minutes on the subject and I really could have gone on much longer. This is a big topic with a lot of angles and positions to explore so I imagine in the second season there will be another ethics show.

FantaSci Cafe: Scaring the Share

These week is focused on horror and the book Horror 101: The A-List of Horror Films and Monster Movies Vol. 1 edited by Aaron Christensen. Sadly it looks as thought it is currently out of stock. Aaron Christensen's website is http://www.horror101withdrac.com/ and if I had properly done my research, I would have noticed that the very thing I wish this book had, breakdown of movies by subgenres and all that is one of the very things that is being created as part of Horror U, so boo on me for failing to take the extra step and read, but yay for getting what I want.

The George Romero interview is at the following link: http://video.scifi.com/player/?id=220546 and I recommend watching it.

FantaSci Cafe: Manufactured Doom

This episode is about the technological singularity, that point in time when machines can design and manufacture themselves better than humans can and thus create evolutionarily better beings than we can.

I bet you want to know about the nanotechnology and cars as discussed in this Engadget story. Well, there you go, I so artfully gave you the link to the wiperless windshield.

If you are curious about Starship Troopers, you really need to check out the trailer found on this page: http://www.hofmae.ch/swisstvblog/?p=574.

FantaSci Cafe: Nano No No

A bit late, but never boring, Episode 7 of the FantaSci Cafe.

This time it is all about nanotechnology in Star Trek, Jake 2.0, The Bionic Woman, and Knight Rider.

Also, a new segment called Lists is introduced. Specifically The List of Names Not to Call your Top Secret Research Project.

This is followed by the Best of the Week in which I present Venus Rises. A clip of the show can be seen at IO9.com. Good Stuff!

FantaSci Cafe: Torchwouldn't

This week I focus on Torchwood, the Doctor Who spin-off show that could be so good, but isn't because of its faults. I dwell on the faults of Torchwood. Not all, just some. Just the ones that annoy me right now. I'm sure I could do several weeks worth of material beating up on Torchwood.

Also, I mention the roleplaying game CthulhuTech which I think is a rocking concept.

Oh, and I also rehash a bunch of news you've probably already read from IO9 and Pink Raygun.

FantaSci Cafe: Flashtastic!

In a shortened podcast, there is a brief discussion of Flash Gordon, basically saying that every incarnation of Flash Gordon has been a complete twist of the original and even the original was kind of lame - so there isn't any reason to complain about the new Flash Gordon because Flash is meant to be a hero of the time, not a timeless hero. I mention Umberto Eco's book The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana which isn't directly sci-fi but does allow the main character to be strongly influence by science fiction.

Also there is a brief chat about the proton pack from Ghostbusters and the Best of the Week referred to a certain actress in the new Indiana Jones movie. The link to that behind the scenes video is right here.

FantaSci Cafe: Knowledgy

This was supposed to be the 'quick' episode, but it still stretches to almost 30 minutes. When I get talking I just can't stop.

For those who want to read the Twenty Things for themselves, you can find them here at Discover Magazine and if you want to see this torn apart, the io9.com article is here .

The Guild can be found here and God, Inc. is right here.

FantaSci Cafe: Shadowy Flight

This week's discussion is all over the board. First Sean discusses what he feels is bloating of Sci-Fi books. He quotes all sorts of statistics that he mainly got from the website Beneath the Cover. He goes on to say Harry Potter did a disservice to the Fantasy genre and claims Asimov hates the money he earned by selling the rights to his stories and books to have them turned into movies that had nothing to do with the original works. Yeah, if you want to beat up on him, his email address is sdf2008@gmail.com.

The books mentioned were Ilium by Dan Simmons, Pandora's Star by Peter F. Hamilton, Web of Angels by John M. Ford, A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller, Jr., and Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein.

Knight Rider swoops in to save the day and prevent the villagers from storming the cafe with pitchforks and torches. The trailer for the new series is located here.

For the Best of the Week Sean mentions http://www.piratesonline.com and Jane Espenson's Blog.

FantaSci Cafe: BD Terminator

Ahh... the show notes for the second episode of FantaSci Cafe: BD Terminator.

First the important link... the tea: Moroccan Pomegranate Red served with orange peel and sweetened with marmalade. Quite tasty and has nothing to do with Science Fiction, Fantasy, or Horror.

For more information and discussion about Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles I refer you to the following sites.

http://sarahconnor.wetpaint.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminator:_The_Sarah_Connor_Chronicles

And if you are hankering for screenshots and information about the Hellboy videogame, you can find it here.

FantaSci Cafe: Dragons and Monday

Here it is, the very first episode of FantaSci Cafe: Dragons and Monday

In the premiere episode, I discuss the movies Dragonlance and The Girl from Monday. The opening music is provided by Eric Seilnacht from Podsafe Music Network. While I state that I learned about Dragonlance from Whedonesque.com, I really learned about it first way back in June from Dimfuture.net.

The YouTube videos I mentioned are linked below.

Dragonlance live action trailer
Impossible Cast for Dragonlance

The two books I mention in relation to The Girl from Monday are Scorch by A.D. Nauman and Jennifer Government by Max Barry - both good reads for those who like dystopia fiction regarding the near future.