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Continuum a Sci-Fi Thriller, indie, web series, set in space begins production February 22.  Continuum is about:

“Reagen, a young woman who awakes on a space ship without any memory of what she is doing there. Her only companion on board is the ship’s computer, a female spin on 2001’s “Hal,” From the creators of pink.

I like seeing more independent series being produced.  It gives me hope for the future while watching the main TV studios go mad with not getting the paradigm shift in their industry.

Visit the main production site here

(via tubefilter)

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Hey everyone!  It is January 21st, and I am finally ready to ring in the new year…

Illness broke be for quite some time, and I have not been able to sit at my desk, or even use my computer for any extended period of time, but I am mostly better now, and we have a lot of work to do this year so I hope you are feeling up to it!

As always we are looking for suggestions on topics and direction for the new year.  I have some plans, and they will become clear soon, muhaha.

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It’s that time again! Time for my annual tour of the San Francisco shop windows.
This year we have much more in store for us than empty windows with boring, unemotional, uncreative, nothing. Most of the stores actually seemed to put some thought into it this year.

Top Pick

Anthropologie who used recyclables to create their winter scene.

They created two large animals using plastics that we all either used or thrown away in our daily lives.  I believe these bears are made from the leftovers of plastic bag packs used in stores.

You can also see box straps, soda can holders, and other plastic trash hanging from the ceiling to simulate snow. Great job guys! Not only is your window expressing your interest in the environment, but it’s creative and innovative.

Second Pick

Tiffany’s

After years of same old same old windows at this monster retailer, we finally get something interesting to look at.

These intricate paper works are so different from their previous windows and beautiful to look at. Whether it’s because of cutting costs, going green, or an new visual manager, I applaud this change and hope it continues in the future.

Other Notable Decorations

Barney’s on the left and Nordstrom’s on the right.

Barney’s tree (which was so big, I couldn’t get it in one shot thus the two-shot collage) sits in the lobby of Barneys. It is made of what appears to be cardboard and other toss-ables arranged in a very interesting way. They have some other visual elements on their walls in several different vignettes.

Nordstrom’s windows are rather pretty this year showing a pretty winter scene.

Don’t miss The Sugar Castle displayed in the lobby of St. Francis Hotel on Union Square. They also have an awesome Sci-Fi like tree. You have to see the laser lights on the tree.

Unfortunately, Saks disappointed us again with no drama, music, or imagination that we’ve been used to in the past. I have no idea why they discontinued this special holiday event, but it does a big disservice to the community.

Overall, I was very pleasantly surprised with the windows this year. Thank you to all the creators and imaginative persons involved. I can’t wait to see what you come up with next year. Do you have a store in the San Francisco Bay Area that is dressed to the nines? Contact me and I’d be happy to drop by.

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Star Trek

• Harlan Ellison more then willing to take a check for working on Star Trek 2. (via /Film)
• Star Trek: Blood and Fire Part 2 is out Get it here Star Trek Phase 2 (via DoorQ)

Iron Man 2

• War Machine movie poster. (via /film)

The Black Hole

• Disney started a project to Remake their 1979 classic “The Black Hole”. I barely remember the movie and am curious where it will go. Watch a trailer for The Black Hole below. (via /film)

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Watch a sneak peak for the final David Tennant Doctor Who special The End of Time.  Watch the video above.

• The Ood are Back!!!
• I love the upgrades to the Tardis
• “He will knock four times.”

Doctor Who: The End of Time premiers in the U.S. on December 26th

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Glee is one of the best shows to air this fall.  Like Joss Whedon it too is my biggest addiction.  From the amazing singing, eclectic music covered, tight writing, and deep social themes covered Glee will make you laugh, cry, think and feel edified in the end.  If you haven’t watched it there are some of the more recent episodes streaming on line Here.

Social Themes

This show is able to tackle such deep and complicated social issues like

• the need and pressures of being accepted
• teen pregnancy
• the benefits of diversity and being a social freak
• self acceptance
• self actualization
• being passionate about whatever you do

I love how the show starts out with the deep honest admittance that everyone is a looser.  It was such a shocking statement to hear but once we realize everyone is a looser we are able to move on to do that which you love and not to worry about everyone else.

Singing and Music examples.

Glee, Vol. One: Road to Sectionals is available for preorder and will be out on DVD December 29, 2009.

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Joss Whedon has agreed to direct one of the back nine episodes that Fox just ordered. -EW

This comes as bitter-sweet news since Fox will be canceling Dollhouse.

Sweet

Joss is a big fan of Glee which comes as no big surprise for several reasons.

• The show rocks!
• The music is great
• The messages behind the story is both challenging and edifying

I’m stoked to find Joss is directing an episode. He is brilliant director who also shares in a passion for music. His episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Once More, with Feeling and Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog are testaments to his acumen in that field. Personally I hope the episode he directs is the one where Will and Finn find out that they have been lied to about their fatherhood.

Bitter

The bitter part of this news is that it comes out on the back of Fox’s announcement of canceling Dollhouse. I have been silent so far on this subject because I feel a long string of expletives wont solve any thing.

If Fox thinks this move will appease the fans for all of the BS over Dollhouse then they are more foolish then originally believed. There is a coming storm but Fox will find it a quiet one. Fox doesn’t respect Joss, they don’t respect the fans and so I will not support them. They are lucky that Glee is over there it’s the last Fox show I watch. They should thanks their lucky stars that they didn’t cancel Glee like they originally wanted to before it got a chance to air.

On the plus side Joss is free of them once again and I hope that he goes independent with Dollhouse or at least with his next project. I can’t wait for Doctor Horrible 2 and other projects out of Joss Whedon Digital Studio.

Get:  Season 1 from Amazon or

         Glee Music Albums from Amazon or

More Glee on dashPunk

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Good news everyone! – Farnsworth

Don’t worry I’m not going to send you on a suicide mission to collect space honey nor enthrall you with the many wonderful smells of the universe.  I did want to pass along some savings that even Conrad would be impressed with.

I love watching Futurama it’s a great show.  Often I find myself comparing my friends to the different characters in the show.  For me I’m somewhere between Fry, Conrad and Zoidberg which says all kinds of sad and weird things about me.

Fans of Futurama can get all 4 season on DVD and save $35 off.  Amazon is offering large discounts off of the purchase of Futurama, The Simpsons, King of the Hill, Family Guy and American Dad! The offer is only good until November 22.

• Buy 2 qualifying items and receive $15 off your total purchase at checkout.
• Buy 3 qualifying items and receive $25 off your total purchase at checkout.
• Buy 4 qualifying items and receive $35 off your total purchase at checkout.
• Buy 5 qualifying items and receive $45 off your total purchase at checkout.
• Buy 6 qualifying items and receive $60 off your total purchase at checkout.
• Buy 7 qualifying items and receive $75 off your total purchase at checkout.
• Buy 8 qualifying items and receive $90 off your total purchase at checkout.
• Buy 9 qualifying items and receive $105 off your total purchase at checkout.
• Buy 10 qualifying items and receive $120 off your total purchase at checkout.

Click here for the full offer.

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I find myself thinking about the “Good Old Days” a lot lately.  This is not just a condition of thirty-somethings like me.  A surprising number of twenty-somethings I know are doing it to

Telling War Stories

There is some value in sitting around with your friends telling stories about our pasts.  It is how we come to know each other.

With increasing frequency, I have noticed that stories are not shared as memories, but as a wish for a return to our glory days.

Times Arrow

We are propelled forever into the future, writing ever more moments of our lives into the past.  Everything changes.  What is important is that we do not allow ourselves to become mired in the past.  We can learn from our past, but there is no known power in the cosmos that will allow us to return to a time already lived.

When a chapter closes, we have to turn the page and write the best words we can on the page.

The Best is yet to come

Believe me.  Several times, I have thought my best days were behind me.  The though enters all of our minds from time to time.  The fact is, it is easier to look back than it is to look forward.  We know the past.

Might I suggest we learn how to know the future.

• Plans help
• Goals motivate
• Hope enlivens

We have to find a way to have all three.  That is why I am thankful to Gene Roddenberry.  Star Trek gave me a vision of the future that is hard to strip away from my eyes.  The world I want to live in doesn’t exist yet.  I have too much work to do to waste time looking back.

How do you keep yourself looking forward?

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Season two of Sanctuary brings a return of many of the cast and crew we know and have fallen in love with plus some new faces and guest appearances.

Helen Magnus

Played by Amanda Tapping.  Head of the Sanctuary in Old City Helen is 157 years old doctor.  She and John Druitt have a relationship which produces Ashley Magnus though her embryo is frozen in stasis for many years before being born.  I love hos Amanda portrays her character Helen.  She comes across as genuinely caring, inquisitive, and open minded about the weird world she lives in.  She is the third from the left in the picture.

Will Zimmerman

Played by Robin Dunne.  He works for the Sanctuary now after serving as a police forensic psychiatrist.  Will possesses a creative and open mind looking beyond the surface of a situation.  He also has natural empathic abilities.  His talents serves him well in the world of the Abnormals where nothing is.  In season two we will get to look into the darkness that is in Will’s past.  Will is a fun character.  If comparing Sanctuary to Stargate he kind of fills the role of Daniel Jackson when looking at the model but he is different enough to not be a carbon copy.  What they share in common are an endearing quality, a curiosity, and a boldness to fight for what is right regardless of weather that might buck the chain of command.  Will though has adapted to his new environment much faster then Daniel by the end of season one he is fully adjusted to the Sanctuary.  I expect to see more of Will in his own right in season 2.  He is second from the left in the picture above.

Henry Foss

Played by Ryan Robbins.  He is the Sanctuary’s weaponsmith and tech guy.  He started going through a transformation in season one revealing that Henry is an abnormal who can change into a werewolf.  I’m glad that his character has been promoted to main character status for season two.  This means that we will get to see more of Henry and where the show will go with his werewolf condition.  I expect that they will go in a fun creative direction with it giving a twist on the classic monsters.  He is on the right in the picture above.

Clara Griffin

played by Christine Chatelain.  Granddaughter of Nigel Griffin, one of “The Five” who had the power of invisibility which Clara inherited.  She joined up with the Sanctuary late in season one helping them in their struggle with the Cabal.  We expect to see her and will have a growingrelationship this season.

Kate Freelander

Played by Agam Darshi.  One of the new faces to season two, Kate is a witty and sarcastic swindler with a gift for persuasion.

She finds herself in an uneasy alliance with Dr. Magnus after her business relationship with the Cabal goes sour.

Kate should be a fun character this year.  Her comments in the trailer have been witty and sarcastic.  She should also adds some needed info on the Cabal along with being, I have enjoyed her comments in the trailers.

John Druitt

Played by Christopher Heyerdahl.  A member of “The Five” during the Victorian era and Helen’s former lover.  John has the ability to teleport through time and space but at a cost.  Each time he does so it furthers his brain damage which drives him to homicidal tendencies.  This is what drove him to become Jack the Ripper for a period of time murdering prostitutes in London.

After being tortured by electric shock at the hands of Nikola Tesla John was cured of his murderous urges.  He has now joined up with the Sanctuary helping them in their fight against the Cabal.

Christopher Heyerdahl is brilliant in his role as John Druitt.  I love how this character gives a fun spin to the Jack the Ripper story yet it still takes time to explain why Jack murdered and why he vanished suddenly.  The most memorable and slightly chilling part about John is Christopher’s laugh.  He plays his character so well that in the minds of the fans he becomes Jack the Ripper a figure to be feared and John a caring troubled person who just wants to bring his family back together.

At a convention this past summer, in a crowded hall Christopher was deep in conversation and broke out in laughter.  A Sanctuary fan jumped, letting out an instinctual shriek because somewhere in the crowded hallway was Jack the Ripper.  After being openly amused and proud to meet another Sanctuary fan I admitted that my skin also crawled instinctually, just brilliant.

Nikola Tesla

Played by Jonathan Young.  Tesla is half human and half vampire.  A member of “The Five” who despises humanity for killing off the pure-blood vampires centuries ago.  He has an on again off again relationship with Helen, John and the Sanctuary.  He is definitely for himself no matter who’s side he is currently fighting for making him a dangerous character.

Ashley Magnus

Played by Emilie Ullerup.  She is the daughter of Helen Magnus and John Druitt after Helen kept the frozen embryo for over a century.  She was working for her mother at the Sanctuary but after her abduction by the Cabal she has become unstable and her loyalties have been brought into question by the end of season one.

There is a part of me that still believes that this is her attempt to gain the confidence of the Cabal to help bring them down from the inside.  Though with her inheriting her fathers ability there is the possibility that she too has suffered brain damage and is currently in a psycocitic killer state.  When John became Jack the Ripper he killed hookers to clean up the streets of a corrupting immoral influence.  Having Ashley become Amber the Abnormal Slayer on a puritanical crusade to purge the their corrupting influence on humanity would poetically parallel her fathers plight.  If that is the case then we can have hope that she will overcome her derangement but we can only hope that she does so before she does things that will leave her with a century of regrets.

Special Appearance From

• Paul McGillion bringing Wexford back from the original web series but re-imagined.
• Michael Shanks who will play Jimmy who shares similar backgrounds with Kate.

For more read Sanctuary Season 2 Cast

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