Ever wander down the aisles at Barnes & Noble and wonder who draws the covers for all of those Star Wars books? Turns out Joe Corroney does. I could blather on, but just read the credits from his bio:

Joe Corroney has been providing Lucasfilm with official Star Wars artwork for books, games, trading cards, comic books, posters and magazines since 1997. Other comic books he’s illustrated include GI Joe, Fallen Angel, 24: Nightfall, Doctor WHO, Angel and Spike Vs. Dracula for IDW Publishing, Buckaroo Banzai,Kolchak The Night Stalker and The Phantom for Moonstone Books and Crimson Dynamo for Marvel Comics. Currently, he’s providing cover art for IDW’s new Star Trek series and BOOM! Studios’ new Farscape comic books, developing his creator owned comic book series, Death Avenger and continuing to create new Star Wars artwork for Lucasfilm.

Some of the other licenses and professional publishers he has illustrated for are DC Comics, Hasbro, The Lord of the Rings, Heroes, Wizards of the Coast, XBox, Dragon Magazine, Sony Picture’s Men In Black, Xena: Warrior Princess, ThunderBirds: The Movie, IDG Entertainment, Rittenhouse Archives, Paizo Publishing, White Wolf Publishing, Cinemagraphix, Last Unicorn Games, West End Games, Image Comics, Blue Line Pro, and Microsoft’s Age of Empires collectible card game.

Holy crap.

I was an art major my freshman year in college, mainly so I could become a comic book artist. It didn’t pan out – I wasn’t talented enough or, umm, “different” enough for an art major – but I still appreciate artists doing their craft for comics.

But I came across Joe’s art when I found the Star Wars propaganda poster pictured above somewhere on the intertubes. Like that one? Check these out:

Those are just two of his awesome prints, and guess what – you can buy them too. If you ask me, I think these would be perfect for an office or living room, because they’re different enough to be considered mainstream art, but you still support your cause – Rebel or Sith – at the same time. Interested? Head over to his site and check out his wares, including G.I.Joe, Indiana Jones and more.

My personal love of Futurama started a few years ago, with the repeats on Comedy Central. They were on so often that it became difficult to avoid them in any way, so I just went with it. I saw the humor that I missed back in 2000, and now I try to catch every episode I can to catch up. I haven’t bought everything on DVD yet, but I imagine I will soon enough.

Need more proof? These are my desktop drives:

Bender handles my DVD collection, while Zoidberg handles backup. No reason not to trust him, he’s a doctor after all.

Of course there’s more news. Comedy Central has released a teaser for the next season. Interested in checking it out? Well it’s right below this paragraph, go ahead and click on it. Don’t make me get the clamps.

Word broke today that George Lucas is planning another animated Star Wars television series — only this one will be targeted at kids kindergarten age and younger. Apparently there’s this line of toys for little tykes called Star Wars Galactic Heroes that features cutesy action figures that look like caricature cartoon versions of all the major Star Wars characters (it’s the same exact thing as Marvel’s Super Hero Squad), and ol’ George has decided to cash in on these toys by making a full-fledged TV show about them.

Dumbest. Idea. Ever. Star Wars is a story full of death and betrayal and violence on a grand scale… Do we really need to see it retold for the preschool set?

I suppose we shouldn’t be surprised by this, though. Lucas doesn’t exactly have a sterling track record of late. First there were the prequel films, which disappointed pretty much everybody (and nobody’s ever forgiving him for that floppy-eared CGIdiot, Jar-Jar). The fourth Indiana Jones movie was one big yawn. The Clone Wars TV show started out as a silly mess, though I’ll admit it’s grown on me as its quality of storytelling slowly improved.

But all of these inferior projects make Lucas tons and tons of cash, because fans continue to hope that someday, somehow, he’ll create something good again. The original Star Wars trilogy was so earth-shattering, so game-changing, that it altered the landscape of pop culture forever. And no other intellectual property has come close to its level of cultural influence in the last century. Lucas clearly knew what cool was, once upon a time. But let’s face it: the only good Star Wars to come out since the 70s has been stuff from the extended universe — select books and games.

If George Lucas means for Star Wars to live forever, he should hand it over to someone who actually understands what fans love about it, and will treat it with the respect it deserves. But no, he won’t do that. He’ll just keep finding ways to betray all of us who once believed in the greatness of Star Wars by milking his cash cow until it bleeds.

Are there nothing but yes men working at Skywalker Ranch? Doesn’t anybody out there have the guts to speak up when George comes up with yet another monumentally stupid idea?

See that woman in the red up there? For those of you that don’t know, that’s the amazing Tricia Helfer, and me and her have a little history together. Alright, that may be exaggerating just a tad, but there is a story here, and it’s quick. Then we can get to the news. Cool?

I was the executive editor of a magazine back in 2009, and with that lustrious title came the ability to pick and choose who was featured in the book. As a result, I had a few of my favorites picked out: Adam from Man Vs Food, Wil Wheaton, and I was really pushing for Oliva Munn – but those were all on my “future issue” list. Then a PR person dropped me a line. “Would you be interested in talking with Tricia Helfer?” Umm, yes. Yes I would.

We scheduled an interview and eventually had a 45 minute phone conversation about BSG, Human Target, and not getting recognized on the street. It was really, really cool. I started transcribing it right away and locked it in for the October issue.

Except October never came. Instead, I discovered in late August that my magazine was being discontinued and the September issue was to be the last on the stands. I was also demoted back to my old job, and I decided to move on. In October I left the company to start my own business.

So indirectly, I suppose you could say that Tricia Helfer caused me to quit my job. Or not. Either way, I wish I could’ve printed that thing, but now it’s all irrelevant data and old news. Sigh.

Unless she comes back to BSG that is. The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that SyFy is working on a spin-off of the latest BSG. At first, the article gives us a bunch of BS about another horrible SyFy show getting greenlit, but then we get the good stuff:

Syfy also is seeking to expand its popular “Battlestar” franchise.

When asked about the chances of its modestly performing spinoff “Caprica” getting a renewal, Stern was bullish. He pointed to the show recently hitting a series high in the adult demographic using Live+7 ratings, drawing 1.6 million viewers and 913,000 adults 18-49.

“We have a lot of hope for that show,” Stern said. “The (DVR data) has been very promising and growing week after week.”

The network also is looking to order another “Battlestar”-related project. Details were slim, but Stern said the title would mark a return to the franchise’s space-opera roots.

“We’re looking for other ways to spin off ‘Battlestar’ beyond ‘Caprica,’ ” he said. “That world is so rich. We’re sitting down with (executive producer) Ron Moore and his team. It would not necessarily be a traditional series.”

My only hope is that it’s better than Caprica. A sci-fi show with no action isn’t any fun for me. I might as well be watching Oprah. Let’s hope this one takes it back to space where the series belongs. Maybe even redo the very first series.

Back in December, we told you about a new line of Adidas gear designed for the Star Wars enthusiasts. Like some kind of wacky hot tub time machine, here we are in the future – 2010 – and some of the shoes are out. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any sign of the dope Stormtrooper or Darth Vader models listed back then, but what I do have is all new stuff.

Pictured above is the X-Wing shoe, with a multi-toned gray suede finish, and fancy orange accents to really top it off. It’s currently sold out, but at $100, it’s money.

Next up is the Stan Smith 80s Millenium Falcon shoe set, running at $110. They’re not quite as nice as the X-wings in my opinion, but these ones are available today, so pick your battles.

Want to join the dark side? Of course you do, who wouldn’t. You get the cool choke power, cool uniforms and cloaks, and even red lightsabers. Who wants blue ones anyways, those are for sissies. Show your Sith side with the Superstar Vin Death Star shoes. Once again, these puppies are temporarily sold out, but at $120, they’re not too shabby. These are probably my favorite pair, with the traditional shell-toe look up front. Good times.

Finally, for the two women who read this site, there’s the women’s Game Mid Princess Leia shoes, at $80. I get the point – it’s supposed to hark back to the sexy slave Leia suit we all love and adore – but it’s also ugly as sin. Frankly, if any girl I knew wore these, I probably would stay away. Of course, these are available for purchase today, probably because no one wants them.

Raise your hand if you’ve ever spoken to Tricia Helfer, Six from Battlestar Galactica, for more than 10 minutes. Anybody? Oh, I guess it’s just me then. Back in September, I interviewed her for a magazine I was working for at the time. 30 minutes later, I had the best interview I ever did on MP3, and I couldn’t wait to write it. Then the magazine shut down, and I had no outlet for it. I even had exclusive pics, too. Bummer.

Six was just one of the great things about that show. The interaction between humans and cylons, the constant drama and action – it was all worth every minute. Well, except for the half-assed ending, anyways. If only there were some kind of way for me to play as a BSG character …

Oh wait, there is. NBC Universal and Bigpoint has just announced an MMO based on BSG. From the official fancy press release:

Players will be able to choose to play as cylons or humans in a constant struggle to control the universe or just survive its perils. A blend of tactical space combat, exploration, and mission-based gameplay will provide a diverse experience. The dramatic missions will define the game’s overall storyline, enabling the player to delve into mysteries of the Battlestar universe. Battlestar Galactica Online will create a new standard for web games, with beautiful 3d graphics and innovative game mechanics bringing a new level of game play to browser based MMOG. Assets from the television production will be integrated into the game to deliver an even more authentic experience.

There’s not much to their teaser site yet, but feel free to check it out and sign up for updates as they come. No word yet on a release date, but as soon as we know, we’ll let you know.

Apparently, I’m on trailer duty this week. First Iron Man 2, now the sequel to the cult classic Tron, Tron Legacy. The newest trailer is out now, and it’s definitely worth the 2:20 run time, because this movie brings me back.

My first experience with Tron wasn’t in the theaters, it was at the local arcade, just off of Route 9 in my hometown of Framingham, Massachusetts. Once a week, my father and I would head down there to plunk down $5-10 playing games. I’d be playing the arcades, while he’s play pinball, as per his pinball wizard dreams. I remember very specifically when the Tron game first came to our arcade, because there was a line to play it and it took me a while to finally break through the ranks to get in to play the game. When I finally got a chance at the stick, you couldn’t break me off of the game to save my life. I recall quite a few moments with my irritated father looking over my shoulder, tapping his foot because he was hungry and wanted to go to Papa Gino’s next door. Ah, memories.

Tron is one of those movies that I saw when I was a kid, but I never really “got it” the way my folks did. I was probably too young at the time to get it, which is why I’m going to get the DVD prior to the release of Tron Legacy so I can catch up. Regardless, if the movie looks as good as the trailer, I’m in.

I loved Battlestar Galactica, all the way until the last episode. Then I sat there, confounded, and wondering what just happened. That, and I really wondered why they took the lame way out and had them land on past Earth, and start civilization again. Just seemed cheesy to me, and a poor way to end the series.

But I don’t want to let that last episode spoil the other 5 seasons for me, because the series as a whole was amazing. Great acting, excellent storyline, and lots of action. It was what I looked forward to every Friday night.

Now we have Caprica, the show that depicts how the Cylon race started and how they became sentient. At least, that’s how they sold the show to the series, but so far, there hasn’t been a whole lot of Cylon action. In fact, it’s more about the drama around the Graystone family, and all of the weird stuff with the Adamas. There seems to be so many different storylines going on that it’s difficult to follow who did what to whom and when.

After watching the sixth episode the other night, my wife said to me, “I don’t get it.This is supposed to be about Cylons becoming sentient and taking over the planet. Why isn’t there any action? What’s with all this spy stuff? And how would I explain this episode to someone who hadn’t seen it?”

That’s just it. There are so many plot twists, plot lines and so much confusion in general that just describing the show in itself is difficult. And there are so many characters at this point as well that it’s hard to keep track of who’s doing what. Every episode I watch, it seems like I jumped into a story halfway and now I just have to play catch up.

I’m going to give the show the benefit of the doubt for now, but there’s gotta be some changes. Something has got to happen to bring some excitement into the show, otherwise I’m gonna lose interest. It’s debatable that I haven’t already.

If there’s one thing I’m a fan of, it’s organization. I hate having wires strewn across my desk, I hate kicking them when I work, and most importantly, I hate seeing them. Wires should be hidden is what I think, and apparently, I’m not the only one.

Behold the AT-AT cable organizer kit, available overseas at Geek Cook. It folds up into various positions, looks cool, and hides all sorts of goodies in its torso. Stuff a power strip in there, hang the wires out the side, then marvel as your friends wonder where all your cables went.

OK, so it’s not the most awesome thing I’ve ever seen, but it’s certainly not bad. And for $8, it’s pretty hard to beat. Me, I’d paint it gray, hang a Lego Luke Skywalker underneath it, then put it on top of my desk for some Empire Strikes Back action. Of course, I’m also the guy with a Lego Death Star, so I guess my previous statement isn’t very shocking.

[via NerdApproved]

If I had to choose one Star Wars character to be my best friend, I’d pick Admiral Ackbar. Sure, it might get kinda sketchy, what with him saying everything is a trap and all that, but if he kept me from getting tricked just once, I’d be alright. Fact is with his giant yellow eyes and spotted head, he’s just a guy that cares. A guy with weird facial hair yes, but one that will tuck you in at night too. I want him and I to be besties.

Turns out, I’m not the only one. The University of Mississippi is currently working on replacing their mascot, Colonel Reb, because he could be construed as offensive. I don’t see it – I mean, sure, he looks like Colonel Sanders and just oozes racism, but so does my neighbor’s cat – but apparently, somebody does, so they’re replacing him with something new. That brought up a hole bunch of different candidates, with the front runner currently being my bestest buddy, Admiral Ackbar. Check out notatrap.org to see the flyer and learn more about the contest.

Now, even though this is all in good fun, that doesn’t mean that Lucas would be cool with it. Mr Litigious himself might have a few things/lawyers to throw their direction, right? According to the NY Times, not so much.

Lucasfilm is flattered that our Star Wars fans at the University of Mississippi are considering electing Admiral Ackbar as their mascot. The last time we checked in with Admiral Ackbar he was leading the Rebel Alliance Fleet on a critical mission so it will be difficult for him to show up for the games!

That’s not a no. All I know is that if this does go through, I’m buying an Ole Miss hat the next day and rooting for the team 24/7.

But just in case you are looking for some incentive to spend a little more time in the bathroom making yourself smell nice, take a look at these two soap bars that will definitely get you washing as much as you can.

That’s the Star Wars soap bar, obviously. I found it on Etsy, and the creator calls it the “greatest soap ever.” While I would not go that far, I think that it’s pretty cool. It’s obviously handmade using a custom mold. Each order is made as it comes in, making sure that you get only the freshest soap. The scent is mandarin sandalwood, and the soap contains soy and wheat proteins. No chemical foaming agents added! The bad news is that it’s currently sold out but I am sure they will make more if you order.

Here’s another one – I think it’s cooler: the Gmail soap bar. Well, the Star Wars soap looks cooler but the idea of having Gmail in your bathroom appeals to me more. Not everyone may agree with me – indeed a lot of people online call it ridiculous, but I still think it’s a pretty neat idea. The bad news is that no one seems to know where to buy one. Maybe you do?

JMJ Wetsuits have developed RDT wetsuits from Star Trek The Original Series. They are available in Command Yellow, Engineering Red and Science Blue. Themed as such you’d have a great time underwater with your “away team” as your dive instructor takes the gold shirt, your assistant DM takes the blue and everyone else wears red. Or wait. That might not be a good idea as you all know what happens to red shirts in away missions…

For the longest time I’ve been looking for themed wetsuits as the ones you’d see by Scubapro, EXCEL, Henderson, and MARES are all just the same old thing you find underwater. The good news is that there are customized wetsuits around — Superman, Spiderman (sorry no pics!) but these are made by third parties who can’t assure you of great quality. These however are authentic, real-deal wetsuits that any diver or surfer can use to explore above and below the surface of the ocean. The wetsuits are available in 3mm, 5mm, and 7mm depending on what type of water you’re diving in and are all custom made. To order, you’d need to send in your measurements. Roddenberry has a detailed guide on what exactly you should send in.

So which one should you get? My honest recommendation would be to go for the red suit as it looks astounding underwater (my dive gear is themed to red fins and gloves with everything else black). Blue is OK — I mean, the ocean is already blue-ish so if you’re after great photos, red may still be a better choice unless you really want to keep to the theme of a science officer discovering the a new sub species of nudibranch. If you want to attract sharks, yellow is what you want to wear.

RDT Star Trek: The Original Series Wetsuit (3MM) — Price: $434.95
RDT Star Trek: The Original Series Wetsuit (5MM) — Price: $459.95
RDT Star Trek: The Original Series Wetsuit (7MM) — Price: $469.95

Delivery takes 6-8 weeks. If you check out their dive apparel, they also have custom post-dive parkas and USS tank wraps (more hassle than useful to be honest). The stickers are great though.

In less than 30 days, we will all be able to play Star Trek Online. Highly anticipated is an understatement.

There are two versions available on Steam for pre-purchase. The Star Trek Online Deluxe Edition which costs USD $10.00 more allows earlier beta access and more exclusive items. What the deluxe edition adds are aesthetic doodads that any fan would love. This includes an exclusive KHAN! emote, the ability to have the “NX” prefix on your Starship, TOS uniforms from William Shatner’s era, and more. If you happen to buy this from Steam, you also get exclusive items straight from Janeway’s venture into the Delta Quadrant: a special set of AWAY team armor that enhances damage and chance to crit.

Star Trek Online retails for USD $49.99 and USD $59.99 for the Deluxe edition.

There are also two early reservation promos with Gamestop if you decide to go for the retail box set rather than digital downloads. The regular edition comes with an exclusive Starship and of course, the collector’s edition comes lined with in-game uniforms from Deep Space 9 and TNG, as well as a Federation communicator. Buying the retail box from Gamestop also allows for open beta access.

If you’re thinking technology from your favorite SciFi adventures might be far away, think again. A San Diego-based company called Organovo plans to market an inkjet printer that prints out actual human organs. The technology was conceptualized two years ago, but Organovo plans to commercially release its first production models to research facilities within 2010.

The printer produces organs by layering cells on a two-dimensional pattern, therefore forming a three-dimensional output. The concept is similar to a laser printer spraying layers of solid particles on paper. But instead of spraying ink or toner powder, the machine actually sprays layers of stem cells and hydrogel.

Initially, the machine will be able to “print” arteries meant for heart bypass surgeries. However, the goal is to be able to produce full-fledged organ replacements, such as livers, kidneys, and the like. Tissues-on-demand would definitely help the medical community and patients alike, as this would obviate the need to wait in line for compatible organ or tissue donors, which can sometimes take years and years. In contrast, Organovo’s technology can finish producing an organ within an hour, and the cells would then fuse together on their own within two days.

The technology for creating human tissues and organs is not likely meant for the consumer market. But this could be a precedence for more interesting things to come. Someday, we might be able to fabricate our own gadgets with the help of 3D printers. Oh, the possibilities!

[via Information Week]

When major labels take over a branch of science fiction, the end result can be described as an epiphany of sorts for the uninitiated. Geeks can now roam the earth more freely taking advantage of the fact that their little cult has been carved out and brought into the mainstream.

Take Adidas. Out this 2010, Adidas Originals will feature a special Star Wars apparel collection highlighted by the Storm Trooper / Vader footwear for the guys and, well … Princess Leia rubber shoes highly inspired by the slave girl outfit.

Manufacturers are fragmented to complete the whole picture. So you have Adidas for the boots, Marc Ecko for the hoodies (see above hoodie for the Clone Trooper), and who knows, perhaps we’ll have North Face or Columbia designing Storm Trooper pants in the coming months.

So what happened to Star Trek? Well, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see some co-branding competition in the same way that ASUS owned the Lamborghini and ACER owned the Ferrari laptop tie ups. Paging Nike?

The Ecko hoodies go between USD $59 to USD $199 (the most expensive is the Rebel Pilot hoodie because it actually holds a tinted visor for the “helmet”). No official prices have been announced for the Star Wars Adidas Originals. Boo — this would have been epic for the holidays.

But in a few months we’ll be getting what we want. a Galactica spin-off is already being filmed as we speak. Caprica is a new sci-fi series that is set within the Galactica universe. The new series is set 50 years before the events we see in Galactica. We will finally see how the Cylons came about and all of the events that led to the invasion.

The pilot of Caprica is already out on DVD to give fans a taste of what to expect in the series. I’ve seen it and it looks very promising. The creators may have created a new genre — science fiction soap opera — in creating Caprica. It is deep, full of intrigue, there’s even family dysfunction to propel the whole plot. Hopefully, Caprica will be handled as well as Galactica and we’ll get to watch this series for a long time — possibly longer than Galactica’s four seasons.

The Battlestar Galactica Series coming to an end and the (main) characters are dropping like flies.

To review the whole reimagined series before they reach the ultimate climax, we thought it were time to round up all the characters and publish a list of our 15 Best Battlestar Galactica Characters.
The list is based on the complexity of the characters and their persona. It played no role if the character only appeared in only some episodes.

15. Lee “Apollo” Adama

The character of Lee Adama could have been much more intriguing and never really climbs up to become one of the stronger, better persona in the series, mainly because of poor acting compared to author characters.

Lee certainly was at his best as CAG of the Battlestar Galactica and in the period of self-conflict about which side to chose. Lee’s best scenes are arguably the moments when he stands up against the military decisions of his father, Admiral William Adama.

14. Scar

Scar is a Raider fighter, so called because of the battle damage endured over time. Scar is feared and has destroyed many vessels from the fleet, separating them from their wingmates.
The hunt for Scar starts a escalates the rivalry between Starbuck and Kat, who will eventually kill the feared hunter. Featuring in only one episode Scar is an exception in this list because of the fear and terror he manages to create among the squad

13. Lieutenant Sharon “Athena” Agathon

Sharon Athena, Number Eight, had as task to seduce Helo and then become pregnant, but things went wrong and she fell in love with Helo. As first Cylon in the series to show genuine feelings, she later managed it to win the trust of President Laura Roslin and Admiral Adama, becoming a trusted crew member of the Galactica.

12. Number Five, AKA Litmus Doral

Number Five appears to be among the most anti-human Cylons seen in the series. Five is downloaded frequently and always insists on humans capitulating without any resistance. Five considers Cylons as the kids of the humans, who will rule when the parents time has ended.

One of the copies of Number Five, Litmus, is a suicide bomber on board of the Galactica.

11. Louanne Katraine

Kat, a former drug-runner on Caprica, is selected as candidate Viper pilot because of her previous fly experience. Soon she develops as a psychological opponent of Kara Trace, who is her instructor.

Kat is headstrong, arrogant and a very driven pilot. This ultimately earns her the title of Top Gun on board of the Galactica, after she kills Scar.

10. Admiral Helena Cain

Admiral Helena Cain, from the colony Tauron, was Admiral of the Battlestar Pegasus. Although rather unpopular as a character, mainly because of the decisions she made when escaping the Cylon attack on the 12 colonies and for her attitude towards Admiral Adama, she certainly is one of the strongest women in the series.
Shot by Gina Inviere, in Resurrection Ship, Part II, she only appeared in 3 episodes but her character was revised in the movie Razor.

9. Tom Zarek

Tom Zarek, former political activist, is a charismatic power-hungry character. Torn between winning the sympathy of the people in charge and his own need for hunger, he shows his true and not really democratic nature several times. During the whole series he always sides with the camp most likely to offer him more power.

Under the reign of President Baltar, he becomes Vice-President and subsequently President when Baltar Gaius goes missing. Surprisingly he then offers Laura Roslin to opportunity to become President again in exchange for a role in the new government. He then proceeds to chase Gaius whom he now considers being a traitor and collaborator. Like these there are many more plans Zarek had before his execution, but every time his charisma manages to gather popularity among the fans.

8. President Laura Roslin

President Roslin is an admirable woman, taking the task up to save humanity from the Cylons. At first she is a fierce opponent of Admiral Adama’s decisions but with time both start to collaborate more and more. Laura Roslin clearly has and influence on the Admiral and due to her he becomes more democratic with time. It is obvious a relationship between both will grow, although I might have preferred to wait a little longer for the confirmation.

I doubt her relationship with William Adama makes this powerful and driven woman climb up our personal ranks as it seems hard to forgive her for having thrown Adama in the brig.

During the entire series Laura Roslin not only fights the Cylons but also a case of terminal cancer.

7. Colonel Saul Tigh

Perfectly played, Colonel Tigh is a rather disillusioned person in life, but a good soul. Just like Admiral Adama, Saul Tigh carries lots of baggage with him. Tigh also is an alcoholic.
Tigh has no real aims in life anymore and clearly suffers under the burden of life. He is satisfied with his role within the Fleet and aspires no higher role within the military. In times of absence of Adama it is clear that he would rather not prefer to be the Commanding Officer.

The bona fide character of Colonel Saul Tigh is only emphasized in a personal conversation with Admiral Adama after their return from Earth. Tigh values friendship over Cylonship.

6. Gaius Baltar

Gaius Baltar is at times hard to like because of the complexity of his persona. What makes Baltar hard to get are all the flaws he has and publicly displays. And his freak-outs.
His instability, and often his desire to be a Cylon, make this character rather unlikely not to be helped by his egocentric behavior. Technically one of the most complex characters of the series.

Most of all, Gaius has the honor of having a relationship with Caprica Six (or had one… he thinks). We hate him forever for this.

5. Leoben Conoy, AKA Number Two

Displaying as first character the weakness of Cylons for radiation in a stand-off with Admiral Adama, Leoben always fares a harsh anti-human course.

Leoben is specialized in seeding doubts and mis-information. His obsession with Kara Thrace borders the psychotic and it wouldn’t surprise me if it were revealed that Leoben is Starbuck’s father.

4. Dr. S. Cottle

Dr. Cottle, Battlestar Galactica’s Chief Mediacal Officer, is possibly the most charming and funnest character in the series. His (politically incorrect) smoking habit is perfectly timed and often makes one grin.

Although Dr. Cottle prefers to stay neutral in political matters, he was called upon faking the death of Hera tarnishing slightly his persona. He is a long term friend of Admiral Adama and also one of the few on board of the Battlestar Galactica who will occasionally speak up to the Commander.

3. Number Six

Let’s get things right: Number Six is the Sci-Fi fans’ and nerds’ dream. Period.

Other than that, the character is awesomely profiled and very complex, due to the different variations of Number Sixes. Predator alike but also caring. And bearer of Saul Tigh’s child, the first 100% Cylon Baby.

Have I mentioned Number Six is smokingly hot?

2. Captain Kara “Starbuck” Thrace

Having grown up with the original series it may have sounded weird some years ago had I said that some day I would laugh at Dirk Benedict for his “Starbuck” character, but this frakkin’ bitch blonde surely made that statement become true. Today it seems almost impossible to think that Starbuck should not be a woman.

Kara Thrace is another very complex character in the series, not just because she’s a woman. We would almost forget that if it weren’t for her permanent romantic escapades. We’ll forgive her this weakness.

1. Admiral William Adama

Admiral William Adama is without any doubt the most charismatic and best character of the series. Although at times his choices are purely militaristic and maybe unpopular there is no doubt that he always aims to achieve the best for his crew and the survivors even. He considers the task to keep humanity alive his task. This surely comes from his personal background, having had a harsh life himself.

Just like many other geek households, Case el Franky is no exception and Battlestar Galactica is a highlight every week again. Battlestar Galactica is the exception when it comes to ‘legal’ matters. BSG is when it becomes allowed to acquire the newest episode somewhere because it is injustice that we here in the UK have to wait 2 weeks. And obviously it is fun to annoy the less internet-knowledgeable neighbours with spoilers.
Battlestar Galactica is just like Reservoir Dogs, no new media version is released or this boy orders it and it looks pretty much like this: First you buy Season 1 then Season 2 and box these boxes are replaced only weeks later usually with the Complete Season 1-2 box. One year later Season 3 is bought, only to replace the Complete Season 1-2 and the newly bought Season 3 box with the Complete Season 1-3 box. You get the git… I’m a fan. And I gladly become the subject of most marketing ploys of some execs when it comes to BSG.

But sometimes even this fan can become annoyed although I must admit that the Cylon Detector for iPhone (iTunes link) hot sounds. For $1.99.

The only problem is that again it is one more useless application for iPhone. But hey, who cares? Lightsaber, Moo, Flashlight, Fart application and now a Cylon detector. My life is getting better and better.

And so is that of some studio execs and marketing agencies.

I did watch the pilot episode of this sci-fi series but was not suitably impressed enough to actually start following it (I watched it after the dismal Bionic Woman pilot so it may have had something to do with my disinterest). But raves from my sci-fi loving friends made me check the series out again.

And I was pleasantly surprised.

It may not be as compelling as Fringe but the new Terminator series is still a decent sci-fi show. It’s refreshing to see the Terminator mythos given more meat and soul, which is so different from the soulless and brainless Terminator movies.

I just finished the first season and I’m now eagerly looking forward to some free time so I can watch the second season episodes.

You just gotta love design competitions.  They birth out unique ideas, some promising, some a little “eh”, some wierd and others amusing.  One thing we have to say about competitions is that they are IDEA INCUBATORS.

Take the Di-Cycle for instance, a concept developed for the Brabantse Spelen a dutch design competition in 2005 by the GBO design engineers

Based on the given theme sport and design, GBO made a two-wheeled vehicle being able to drive over land as well as over water. Goal of this concept is to involve people with the city Helmond in an active manner. Helmond has got an extensive network of roads and channels. This offers the opportunity for a new kind of guided city-tour. While being active in the fresh air, one can enjoy the nicest, touristy spots in Helmond and even visit them. Sponsoring companies of the Di-Cycle were Gamma Holding, Dorel Netherlands and Janssen – Fritsen..

I think this concept, even on it’s early stages, is really worth developing further.  With global warming and environment issues beckoning it was noted that the future of the human race may rest well within the scope of “The WaterWorld Movie”.  When the polar caps do melt, half the earth-land we have today will be wet lands.  And here’s hoping that the Di-Cycle would be an answer to human transportation in the very distant future.