Category: Geekitude

The Horror That Is Real Genius

Growing up, Real Genius was one of those movies I watched repeatedly. Enough times that my friends and I can repeat whole scenes from memory. It’s one of those movies that are part of the “required viewing” for our group in order to get some of the references.

So this video just made me giggle.

H/t Boingboing

Reality Smack in the Face – Child Rearing

My niece and nephew are being raised steeped in geek culture. It’s a natural outgrowth considering that many of the adult influences surrounding them are familiar to rabid with the geek culture. We even speak to them using geek references and things we find amusing, because we are geeks. Every so often, during the children’s interaction with mainstream society, we remember that we do not necessarily live int the same culture as most people. Hence the interaction between my five-year-old niece and her kindergarten teacher.

Setting: Niece is in front of the teacher after biting a classmate on the playground.

Teacher: Do you have anything to say?

Niece: I’m sorry, and I won’t do it again because cannibalism is wrong.

Both children had been informed of this fact after biting one another. I don’t think any of us expected her to extrapolate that out to the rest of the world. I swear those kids are going to get us pulled in front of a shrink one day.

Machine Gun Jet Pack

Every Tuesday on What If the creator of XKCD answers a hypothetical physics question. This week’s comes from Rob B.

Is it possible to build a jetpack using downward firing machine guns?

The simple answer is yes, depending on the machinegun’s thrust (recoil) to weight ratio.

Then comes the hypothetical lift-pack (it’s not really a jet pack at this point) using 300 AK-47’s.

Then, in true Mythbusters style, the article ramps up. You should RTWT. Especially mounting an A-10’s gun to a Volkswagen. That’s enough there to keep me giggling all day.

It’s as if thousands of geeks cried out in horror

News has emerged that Disney has purchased Lucasfilm for over $4 billion. Not content with just adding that immense portfolio to its stable of properties, Disney has announced that “Star Wars Episode 7” will be released in 2015.

The announcement was met with looks of astonishment and horror by my local group of Star Wars fans.

I’m just hoping that they don’t screw it up too much.

Some Funny Gun Comics

Jeph Jacques, who does the webcomic Questionable Content, had remarked that he hates when people don’t draw guns realistically. So, he brings his own unique twist:

AND

Jeph is not a gun person, but those are still funny as hell. If you’re not reading Questionable Content, I would highly recommend it. Start from the beginning. There are so many great story arcs.

Geek Equivalent of Black Friday

So my brother and me woke up early to pre-order the new iPhone 5. As we were texting back and forth waiting for 3am to hit, I made the comment that it was kind of like waiting outside a Best Buy on Black Friday. Except I never had to leave my bed.

I love the internets.

New Monter Hunter Novel Will Always Take Precedence

Monster Hunter Legion, the latest in the Monster Hunter series by the Larry Corriea released this week. I am grateful that the audio version dropped the same week as the dead-tree version. First, because I don’t have to spend long weeks avoiding spoilers in the gun blogs. Secondly, in my day job, there are long stretches that I can fill up with podcasts or audiobooks. The audio versions of the MH books are awesome and are part of my normal “EDC” of audiobooks on my phone. I’ve listened to just over half so far, and Legion is keeping up with its predecessors and looks to surpass.

A special congratualtions and thank you goes out to Robb Allen, whose Tampa-based MHI team was included in this book. As a fellow resident of Tampa, it was exciting to hear the Sticks of Fire team mentioned. May he enjoy his contribution to the MH-verse to the fullest extent possible. (Slightly jealous because in my infite stupidity, I didn’t get my own team submitted in time).