New Riddick pic and synopsis, Aurora over Australia, Iron Man, Mythbusters, and the X Files [I read stuff]

Wherein I read things, laugh [or not], and pass them on to you…

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Vin Diesel Left for Dead in New Set Photo from Riddick:

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Following on from the awesome new image Vin Diesel shared with us just at the end of this week, we’ve now got a brand new photo from the set of the upcoming third film in the Riddick series, Riddick.

Diesel himself, in keeping with his sharing of the project so far (all of which you can catch up on here), has put the image out through his Facebook page, and with it gave the following description:

“The Furyan left for dead…

GRRRR…

P.s. A Riddick production still, from this week’s filming.”

He looks pretty damn menacing in this new photo, and I definitely wouldn’t want to be the one he’s coming after. With the latest image we got this week came an updated official synopsis for the film, which looks a little like this:

“The latest chapter of the groundbreaking saga that began with 2000?s hit sci-fi film Pitch Black and 2004?s The Chronicles of Riddick reunites writer/director David Twohy (A Perfect Getaway, The Fugitive) and star Vin Diesel (the Fast and Furious franchise, xXx). Diesel reprises his role as the antihero Riddick, a dangerous, escaped convict wanted by every bounty hunter in the known galaxy.

The infamous Riddick has been left for dead on a sun-scorched planet that appears to be lifeless. Soon, however, he finds himself fighting for survival against alien predators more lethal than any human he’s encountered. The only way off is for Riddick to activate an emergency beacon and alert mercenaries who rapidly descend to the planet in search of their bounty.

The first ship to arrive carries a new breed of merc, more lethal and violent, while the second is captained by a man whose pursuit of Riddick is more personal. With time running out and a storm on the horizon that no one could survive, his hunters won’t leave the planet without Riddick’s head as their trophy.”

[heyuguys.co.uk/4 Feb 2012]

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Christmas cats! The Hobbit! SOPA!, and Hair! [I read stuff]

Wherein I read things, laugh, and pass them on to you…

Cats are the same, no matter how big they get!
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Watch the new Hobbit trailer at Apple Trailers! Or here:

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Vin Diesel at Khufu, Gillian Anderson, and Pastafarians! [I read stuff]

Wherein I read things, laugh, and pass them on to you…

Vin Diesel in Pyramid of Khufuin in Cairo:

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[JokerxGFX 10 dec 2011]

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Earth’s Auroras

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We’re 99% certain this is the most beautiful footage of Earth’s auroras yet recorded:

Boy howdy, this video definitely confirms that if you’re going to gaze at our planet, the International Space Station is the best seat in the house. This video was shot during Expeditions 28 and 29 aboard the ISS from August-October of this year. Time to pretend you’re an alien fleet joy-riding through the Milky Way.

[io9 Via Notcot]

Wolverine Rewrite, Twihards, and LA Noire [I read stuff]

Wherein I read things, laugh, and pass them on to you…

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‘Total Recall’ scribe rewriting ‘Wolverine’:

The-Wolverine-New-DirectorMark Bomback, the scribe who wrote Bryan Singer’s “Jack the Giant Killer” and Len Wiseman’s “Total Recall” remake, is adding one more tentpole to his resume: He’s been brought on to rewrite Christopher McQuarrie’s script for 20th Century Fox’s superhero sequel “The Wolverine.”

[variety.com Jeff Sneider Sep. 1, 2011]

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Why we do this; Best Steampunkyness; Women in Armour; Doodlers Rule; Baggy Pants Downfall, and Why Some People Hate New Things [I read stuff]

Wherein I read things, laugh, and pass them on to you…

On Keeping On Keeping On, Part One:

This, then, is for the people who frequently ask me how to navigate it, how to keep going. And the answer is: I don’t know. I don’t know what’s best for you, in terms of processing this shit.

But I do know is that recognizing it as projection, seeing it for the pitiable flails of desperate men that it is, is important.

All of their furious bravado, and the genuine threats, are meant to terrify me, of course, but I am not the one who is terrified. The men who misrepresent my life in order to justify harassing me know, in some deep down place, that they are wrong. They know that my fat, disabled, feminist self is, in truth, everything that the Patriarchy tells them men are supposed to be: They know that I am strong, that I am tough, that I am resilient, that I am smart, that I am independent, that I am brave. They know that I fuck, that I influence, that I do not yield.

And that’s what prompts their terroristic missives in which they try to mask behind their rage a derisible fear of the powerful feminine. Not that they believe that I am weak, but that they know I am strong.

Having that perspective helps. Having that perspective, for me, makes all the difference.

[shakespearessister.blogspot.com Melissa McEwan August 26, 2011]

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10 Greatest Handguns in All of Science Fiction and Fantasy [io9]

10 Greatest Handguns in All of Science Fiction and Fantasy:

10) Mal Reynolds’ Sidearm (Firefly)

We weren’t really sure whether to include this one, but it got by far the most votes in our Facebook poll. (There’s just something about Browncoats and polls.) And you have to admit, it is a gorgeous piece of ordnance. According to this super-detailed gun-related website, it’s an antique-styled weapon, but judging from the sound effect, it uses some unknown futuristic propellant. Like everything on Firefly, it’s retro but also futuristic.

9) Deckard’s hand-cannon (Blade Runner)

By all accounts this gun shoots explosive shells, meaning it makes quite a mess if Deckard decides he didn’t like your responses to those turtle questions. And it’s a big scary gun, with some rifle characteristics as well as bits of a basic .44. It’s got intimidation as well as blasting power.

8) The Lawgiver Mk II (Judge Dredd)
7) The Needler (The Stainless Steel Rat and Halo)

6) The Colt (Supernatural)

We have to give some props to a gun that can kill almost anything. It’s the ultimate magic gun! Made by gun-maker Samuel Colt (whom we met last week), this gun is enchanted with such powerful spells, it can kill even the most powerful demons and beasties. There’s only a few supernatural creatures whom the gun won’t work on… including one of the most important evildoers in the Supernatural mythos. Still, it’s a great plot device and an awesome object for your mystical gun fetishism.

5) Winona (Farscape)
4) The Noisy Cricket (Men In Black)
3) The DL-44 Heavy Blaster (Star Wars)
2) The Good Samaritan (Hellboy)
1) The mighty Phaser (Star Trek)

[ io9 ]