Monday, February 27, 2017

Mind Sieve 2/27/17

This will probably be a short one. But better short than none? :)

Fan Fun


Something About This Biscuit - by Pastor Fred. Very cute! They played it on the radio so I hunted it down to share with ya'll. :)










Sunday, February 26, 2017

Virtual Tourist - Dishonored 2 2/26/17

Greetings, all! 
Yep, totally not keeping up with anything this week. :( Did finally close Dec 2016 at work - yay! Now it's time for all the reports for the auditors and the dreaded Flux. *shiver* Oh and catching up on January close. Why 2017? Why?!
Dishonored 2
 
Side view from the ship's deck. I'm about to take my first trip to the mainland.
The captain gives me a few bits of advice as she prepares to drop me off.
Look at those mountains! 
The buildings and people have had it rough here.
Delilah has wasted not time in making sure I get hunted down.
The streets are filled with blood. Blood from the whales they slaughter here. Pestilence lurks everywhere.
View back out to the bay from a balcony. Love that sky!
Yeah, she's wasted no time at all.
Forlorn looking painting, no?
In the first game, there were rats everywhere spreading contagion. Now it's red flies. This is one of their nests. 

Hope you have a great day!

Sunday, February 19, 2017

Virtual Tourist - Deus Ex: Mankind Divided 2/19/17

Ugh! Missed posting since I was at ConDFW last weekend and this time it was due to a 14 hour day at work! Boo. Hiss! Hiss!
Anyway....
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
Magic shop! A cool place and also has vital info for one of the sewer adventures. :P
Here's a pic of the inside. Notice the magic fortune machine to the right. 
The shop owner and former hypnotist.
Entrance to one of the subways. See how it's a credit card ad? Hee!
Kidnapped and imprisoned paper forger. If you look closely at her shoulder, you'll see she's wearing plastic see through sleeves! 
You can see them even better here. Almost looks like a mirage. :P
Statue sitting outside one of the other subway stations. Love the clock tower!
Love that poster! lol. And the super modern look of this station.
This view is looking back at the station from the outside. Better view of the statue too!
No, he's not dead. Couldn't figure out a way to talk to him, though, so had to knock him out. The guy on the floor is the master brainwasher of the sewer cult. 
Hope your Sunday is peaceful and fruitful! 

Wednesday, February 08, 2017

ConDFW Panel Schedule 2/10-2/12/17

Yo!
Here's my schedule for ConDFW that's coming up this weekend! If you're in town, interested in writing, or just talking to other fans about books, science, and more, come on down! 
ConDFW 2017
Friday
PROGRAMMING 2 Friday, 3 pm: Brass Technology and Steam Power
Panelists: Julie Barrett, Rie Sheridan Rose, Gloria Oliver, Julia S. Mandala
The genre of Steampunk has always featured unlikely brass gadgets and powered by steam. Whether realistic or fanciful, these gadgets define a look which is unique for both costumers and writers. We gather our panelists to talk about how to bring these gadgets to life – and what lies in the future for Steampunk.
PROGRAMMING 2 Friday, 5 pm: Interstellar Archaeology: Part One – Initial Findings
Panelists: Mel White (M), K. B. Bogen, Scott Cupp, Ethan Nahté, Gloria Oliver, S. Boyd Taylor
The first of two panels where we inflict (discover) startling artifacts of OBVIOUS alien origin and our esteemed (and indeed, TRAINED) archeologists, in turn, tell us what the artifacts are. Light hearted fun, and bring ear plugs! This year we will take a mystery slant and see what story they come up with!
Saturday
MAIN PROGRAMMING Saturday, 10 am: Unlikely Sources of Inspiration
Panelists: A. Lee Martinez (M), Gloria Oliver, Lillian Stewart Carl, Rhonda Eudaly, Patricia Burroughs, William Ledbetter
In this day and age of the Internet and wide exposure to many cultures, there are plenty of strange and unlikely sources to inspire you to write, draw, costume or even perform. From anime to webcomics to taking bus trips to strange locations, the human condition can express itself in many ways. Our panelists relate some of the more unlikely ways they get inspiration.
MAIN PROGRAMMING Saturday, 3 pm: 2017 Movie Forecast For the Geek Nation
Panelists: Mark Finn (M), Michael Ashleigh Finn, Ethan Nahté, David Doub, Gloria Oliver
Our panelists talk about upcoming films for the coming year – what is coming, what looks to be exciting and what moviegoers should watch out for.
PROGRAMMING 2 Saturday, 6 pm: The Survivor’s Guide to the Supernatural
Panelists: Melanie Fletcher (M), Sue Sinor, Gloria Oliver, Marshall Ryan Maresca, David Doub, Michelle Muenzler
If you were ever concerned about living in a world with supernatural heroes and villains, this is the panel for you! How can you survive in a world with mutants? Our survival experts try to guide you through the chaos. [Note: Survival is not guaranteed by attending this panel]
PROGRAMMING 3 Saturday, 8 pm: Yard Dog Road Show!
Panelists: Christopher Donahue, Linda Donahue, Rhonda Eudaly, Melanie Fletcher, K. Hutson, William Ledbetter, Julia Mandala, Tracy Morris, Ethan Nahte, Gloria Oliver, Teresa Patterson, Dusty Rainbolt, Rie Sheridan Rose, Bradley Sinor, Sue Sinor, Mel White
The fantastic authors of the Yard Dog Press put on their always entertaining Road Show! Make sure not to miss this.
Sunday
MAIN PROGRAMMING Sunday, 1 pm: The Science of Space Flight
Panelists: William Ledbetter (M), Karl K. Gallagher, William C. Seigler, Frances A. May, Gloria Oliver
What is the state of flight these days? Pictures of possible space ships notwithstanding lets get down to brass tacks on what can and can not be done right now. Our scientists will mull over these issues and answer questions.
PROGRAMMING 2 Sunday, 3 pm: Worlds of Imagination
Panelists: A. Lee Martinez (M), Tex Thompson, Teresa Patterson, Heather Schwartz, Gloria Oliver
In “A Monster Calls,” a world out of a boy’s head comforts him as he deals with his mother’s cancer. The movie’s imagery is what calls you – seeing the gravestones, feeling the parsonage smash, it is very visceral imagery. Our panelists talk about worlds of fantasy that are in our heads – and how to bring them out.

Should be a blast! :) 

Monday, February 06, 2017

Mind Sieve 2/6/17

Morning, all!
Well, looks like it will be another quick one this week. Sorry! 
If you're in Dallas/Ft Worth next weekend, make sure to check out ConDFW! First SF/F Convention for me for 2017! Lots of fun guests and peeps. This year's Guest of Honor is RACHEL CAINE!  Woot! 

Fan Fun






This was the intro cartoon for a recent animated film (Drawing a blank!) and is was so lifelike and so utterly ADORABLE! Ran across it and had to share! Piper from Disney Pixar.


Ghost in the Shell Super Bowl Spot Trailer + has new and old scenes. Saw the anime movie recently, the fight with the guy in the water came straight from it. Looking forward to this! 







This Beautiful Fantastic Official Trailer 1 - looks like it might be fun. :)


Have a great week!

Sunday, February 05, 2017

Virtual Tourist - The Testament of Sherlock Holmes 2/5/17

Morning!
Touring an older game today - The Testament of Sherlock Holmes. I'd played the game after this one a year or two ago, so when it's predecessor came up on super sale on Steam, I couldn't resist. It's taken me a whole other year to get to play it! Gack!  
This is Sherlock. Currently at the house of a Marquis looking for a missing necklace. A simple case that ends up getting complicated after it's solved. Dum dum DUM!
The game has voice over and text. Plus each conversation is saved and can be looked at again if needed. I love all the awesome detail. :)
The game gives tips during this first crime, which is very nice! (Coolest aquarium ever right?)
So pretty!
And analyze you will!
Player Interface screen. It is currently showing the city map. You click on the round icon to choose to go there.
Watson is there as well. You sometimes get to move him around instead. And there's also Toby! Woot! (Something I loved from the previous game I played - you get to be the hound for a case! Heh heh)
Murder of the Bishop. The plot thickens!
Such lovely stained glass windows! And the solar is beyond the doors. 

Hope you have a productive Sunday!

Friday, February 03, 2017

Movie Review - The Space Between Us

The Space Between Us



Starring: Asa Butterfield, Britt Robertson, Gary Oldman, Carla Gugino, BD Wong, Janet Montgomery, Peter Chelsom, and more.
Directed by: Peter Chelsom Screenplay by: Allan Loeb Story by: Stewart Schill, Richard Barton Lewis, and Allan Loeb Cinematography by: Barry Peterson Music by: Andrew Lockington
Premise: An accidental pregnancy discovered after the launch of a mission to Mars, becomes a secret to avoid scandal and the withdrawal of funding. Sixteen years later, Gardner's existence is still a secret. But when he finally gets a hold of his mother's belongings in storage, he longs to follow the clues she left and see his father, if only for a moment. So when he has the opportunity to go to Earth, he escapes the facility to meet his only friend on Earth and track down his missing parent. (Rated PG-13)
Review:
1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Asa Butterfield does a marvelous job as Gardner. His wonder at seeing what Earth has to offer is infectious. Britt Robertson as the thick skinned Tulsa was perfect. It was fun watching her well placed and shored up emotional walls slowly come tumbling down. Gary Oldman as Nathaniel Shepherd was poignant as a man who'd lost sight of what the dream was about. Carla Gugino gave depth to the awakening of Kendra Wyndham's feelings and realizations about her charge.
2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: The film begins before Gardner is born, so we see the actual launch of the mission to Mars. The take off sequence looked great. The views of Mars and later Earth from orbit were fantastic. 
Since the story is set several years in our future, there were lots of little technical upgrades to everyday life. The crystal/glass computers looked super cool. Centaur, the robot on Mars, looked like something a kid would make. The kick me sign on the back of his head was hilarious and also reminiscent of the cool SF film called "Moon." 
The barn explosion was BIG! A little overdone, but they did do a great job with the wind and smoke to obscure the view from those spying from above. :P
3) Plot/Story - Neutral: This is one of those films where you don't want to look too closely at what is being told, or it starts falling apart. Overall, the concept is fun and entertaining, and it even has a couple of twists. The growing relationship between Gardner and Tulsa and their trials are what keeps us interested. Yet the film also took a few corners by omission and some of the science is ignored, so they don't have to figure out a way to work around it.
The primary driver of the film is how Gardner can't handle Earth gravity. And they did take the time to introduce a way to help his bones stand up to the higher gravity, which was great. What they ignored is the fact that going into orbit or into space, multiplies the gravity, which would, in turn, kill Gardner outright. They could have used a gel container or even a water tank to help offset some of the effects, but they didn't use anything at all. 
They also ignored some facts with Sarah getting pregnant in the first place. No woman who fought and clawed her way to being the leader of a four-year mission to Mars would then blow it all away by getting pregnant. Birth control would have been the first thing she would have taken care of. To spend so much time and effort to gain her position, she wouldn't have just thrown it away. (And they never have the decency to tell us what she died of! Argh!)
The same lapse in mentality shows up again when Gardner and Tulsa have a "night" together. As a child in foster care, she would be very aware of the type of situations which might have been the reason she got into the system. I doubt she'd be wanting to make the same error to another child. (And there's also the fact with Garnder's health problems, he would have probably died from the act due to the stress on his enlarged heart, but we won't go there...) :P
A couple of more nitpicks. 1 - Things Gardner found unfamiliar didn't quite work. Since he had access to entertainment on Mars, it's hard to believe he didn't know what streets were, or horses, even dogs. It would have been more fun for him to know what they were but touching them, smelling them, that part that would have been new and would surprise him. Much like the fun scene at the bus stop in the rain. He knew what it was, but actually experiencing it was something else altogether. We needed more of that! 2 - If Gardner had access to social media/chat rooms - why was Tulsa his only friend? 3 - Communications between Earth and Mars were pretty much instantaneous. Yet nothing was said about how this is possible. Especially since lag times currently run from four to twenty minutes each way!
4) Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: The cinematography on this film was fantastic. The shots are themselves a love story of sorts. One to get the audience to see and fall in love with our planet as much as Gardner does. So many gorgeous shots! 
Conclusion: An adorable love story with bits of mystery carried forward by a great cast. As long as you don't look too closely at the details and science, you're in for a nice ride.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)
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