Archive for May, 2010


‘The Futurians’ Return To Comics!

Filed Under: Comics by Wayne Hall — Leave a comment
May 18, 2010

As reviewed by me here on the SciFiPulse website, the first issue of Avatar Of The Futurians can now be ordered at your local comics store! The fact that the driving force behind this comic is David Miller, a co-worker of mine, has absolutely nothing to do with this entry! Here is the official release:

Dave Cockrum’s Futurians Return!

From the creative mind that gave the comics world the All-New, All-Different X-Men springs forth The Futurians!

David Miller Studios is proud to create new adventures of one of Mr. Cockrum’s greatest creations: Avatar Of The Futurians!

In this first mini-series, super-powered immortal Andrew Pendragon gets top billing as Avatar of the Futurians! Avatar returns to his English home for a family funeral and encounters an ancient evil from his past, an evil that could consume all of Great Britain. Issue #1 sports an awesome cover by Legion Of Super-Heroes and Flash artist Greg Larocque.

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Robot Runs Wedding In Japan

Filed Under: Computers/The Web by Wayne Hall — Leave a comment
May 17, 2010

Remember just a few days ago when I said that computers were taking over the world? Well, here’s a good indication of that from the Associated Press:

>>Almost everyone stood when the bride walked down the aisle in her white gown, but not the wedding conductor, because she was bolted to her chair.

The nuptials at this ceremony were led by “i-Fairy,” a 4-foot (1.5-meter) tall seated robot with flashing eyes and plastic pigtails. Sunday’s wedding was the first time a marriage had been led by a robot, according to manufacturer Kokoro Co.

“Please lift the bride’s veil,” the robot said in a tinny voice, waving its arms in the air as the newlyweds kissed in front of about 50 guests.

The wedding took place at a restaurant in Hibiya Park in central Tokyo, where the i-Fairy wore a wreath of flowers and directed a rooftop ceremony. Wires led out from beneath it to a black curtain a few feet (meters) away, where a man crouched and clicked commands into a computer.

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The iPad: It’s Not ‘If,’ But ‘When’ We’ll Buy It

Filed Under: Computers/The Web, iPod, iPhone, iPad, i by Wayne Hall — Leave a comment
May 16, 2010

These days, when I talk with my fellow techno-geeks, the discussion centers around the recently released iPad portable computer. I’ve been intrigued to notice that our conversations follow a specific track–it isn’t IF we’ll buy it. Instead, it is WHEN we’ll each get ours.

For instance, one co-worker/friend who is retiring and moving to a warmer climate said she’s getting the iPad because she needs a new computer, and the iPad is very thin, light and portable. She also liked the thought that she would be the first person in the group to get the new “toy.” That means a lot to her, and impresses the rest of us, who prefer to wait.

I have some concerns about buying the iPad now besides the fact that I really can’t afford it. First, it doesn’t use WiFi and second, there is no camera in the machine … yet. As I did with the iPod and iPhone, I’ll wait maybe a year before I think about buying it. By then, they should have all the kinks worked out. But the iPad is on my mind so much that I posted a video about it in one of my first blog entries.

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‘Human Target,’ ‘V’ Renewed For 2010-2011 TV Season

Filed Under: Science Fiction, SciFi Pulse, Television/Movies by Wayne Hall — 1 Comment
May 15, 2010

This year, the program I found to be the most fun of the new offerings (and also of many of the other shows on television) was The Human Target on Fox. It had action! It had adventure! They did things I’d never seen before on the tube, including a fistfight inside a moving car!

But the network was hesitant to renew the show for some reason. I guess the ratings weren’t the best, but it did appeal strongly to the male demographic, and that group tends to spend money more than other groups, so it might be worth advertising on that show (if you are trying to sell a product guys would consider buying).

Then, too, Human Target usually had self-contained episodes that wrapped up most of the storylines within the hour. But during the season finale, they treated us to a cliffhanger, which made me want it back for another year even more!

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Is Friday Really Friday … Or Is It Thursday? Or Maybe Saturday?

Filed Under: SciFi Pulse, What-everrr! by Wayne Hall — Leave a comment
May 14, 2010

One of the tough things about working for a publication that comes out every day of the year is that your schedule may have to be flexible to keep working there.

In the last couple of years, I’ve worked Monday through Friday, then spent about a year working Sunday through Thursday, then another year working Tuesday through Saturday.

So, today is Friday. As far as my work goes, is it Thursday? Or is it Saturday? Or could it even really be Friday? I get so confused!

It’s not like I haven’t worked for places that didn’t require shift changes before. I worked for a hospital in Florida that provided the same challenges. When I was employed there, I worked days, nights and in-between … including double shifts. It was a rare and wonderful thing when I had two days off together that I didn’t specifically request. What a treat!

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Computers Are Taking Over The World!

Filed Under: Computers/The Web, iPod, iPhone, iPad, i, Science Fiction, Star Trek, Television/Movies by Wayne Hall — 1 Comment
May 13, 2010

It wasn’t long ago that, on a late Saturday night, I downloaded a file from the Internet only to find that it contained quite a nasty virus that tried to disable my computer while asking me to give whoever put it there my credit card information so they could “take care of it.” Yeah, right. They’d take care of my credit rating instead!

The solution as I understood it was to use Windows 7 to return the machine to a previously set Restore Point. I indicated that, but I must have bungled it somehow because all I got when I tried to boot the machine up was a black screen with my cursor happily going wherever I wanted it to, mocking me with great glee since my computer wouldn’t work.

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‘Stone’ Rocks

Filed Under: Television/Movies by Wayne Hall — Leave a comment
May 12, 2010

I love a good mystery! That’s why I watch the various incarnations of CSi, for example. But there is another television mystery series I am a big fan of–the Jesse Stone films starring Tom Selleck, who most people remember from Magnum, P.I.

On Sunday night, May 9, CBS aired No Remorse, the sixth and latest in the series. (I have all the previous offerings on DVD.) Once again, Selleck does a terrific job of portraying the title character, who is quiet, witty and still dealing with his wife’s loss and the death of his dog—both happening around the same time a few years ago. Stone is having trouble with attachments, including his “new” pet dog that has lived with him for three years.

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Images Of Batman – 5

Filed Under: Animation, Batman, Comics, Television/Movies by Wayne Hall — Leave a comment
May 11, 2010

This series of articles has been outlining how much of an influence the character of Batman has been in my life. I’d like to include just a few more thoughts before I turn my at­tention to other areas of interest.

The Batmobile. I know that “chicks dig the car,” but automobiles are often a “guy” thing.

I have already discussed how much I love the Batmobile on my blog in a previous entry. But let me add a few more points about it.

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Images Of Batman – 4

Filed Under: Animation, Batman, Television/Movies by Wayne Hall — Leave a comment
May 10, 2010

When we last spoke on this topic, Batman: The Animated Series (B:TAS) was about to debut on Fox.

Monday, September 7, 1992. I lived for that date.

That was the day the first episode of Batman: The Animated Series was set to debut on Fox.

As I mentioned last time, I had seen a copy of an episode at a local Trek convention, and I was stoked! It looked great, and I counted the days until the show hit the airwaves.

I was so excited that week and so focused on that Monday that I didn’t follow my usual practice at that time of read­ing the TV Guide from stem to stern. I hated missing programs! And I knew that nothing was going to compete with B:TAS.

Finally, the day came, and my VCR (yes, it was that long ago) taped the premiere half hour. It was “On Leather Wings,” the same episode I’d seen at the Trek con. I was thrilled to have it on tape, the first of many.

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A Message To Mom

Filed Under: What-everrr! by Wayne Hall — Leave a comment
May 9, 2010

Since today is Mother’s Day, I thought I would honor my Mom’s memory by writing her a letter. I hope you can also find something of value in it as well. And Happy Mother’s Day to each and every Mom!

Dear Mom:

I miss you. It’s hard to believe it’s been nearly two years since you’ve been gone. Sometimes it feels like two decades. You told me once that nothing stays the same forever and, as always, you were right.

I see you and the house the way it used to be in my dreams. You still have that wonderful smile and the kind, soft, gentle words you always said. I remember that the only time anyone ever heard loud noise coming from our house was when we were laughing. View full article »

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