The digital age brought us supercomputers that were helpful, rather than murderous – with their proliferation into everyday society, electronic machines just weren’t that scary any longer. With David Hasselhof and the smooth, glimmering veneer of the 1980’s, came Knight … Continue reading Supercomputers Week: KARR (September 18 Night Thread)
It’s Identify This GIF! And this week’s prize is a Cadillac Eldorado. It’s very simple, really: Post a SFW (or spoilered) GIF Identify the source ??? Profit! This is an open space where no one should feel uncomfortable, so please … Continue reading Identify This GIF!
“Unable to compute.” If HAL is the father of sci-fi artificial intelligences, then Mother is, well, the mother. Only featured in three very short scenes in Alien, Ridley Scott’s 1979 masterpiece, the design of this supercomputer has been long lasting … Continue reading Supercomputers Week: Mother (September 17 Night Thread)
Colossus: The Forbin Project is a 1970 science fiction thriller in which a highly advanced artificial intelligence is given the oversight of the United States nuclear deterrent. Between the publication of Dennis Feltham Jones’ source novel in 1966 and the … Continue reading Supercomputers Week: COLOSSUS (September 16 Night Thread)
The Borg are one of my favourite science-fiction antagonists, and also a perfect example of diminishing returns. Their first appearance in the second season episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, “Q Who?” is a show highlight. Their ship, a … Continue reading The Borg Day Thread (September 16)
“Will I dream?” 2001: A Space Odyssey is over fifty years old and is still the unavoidable standard for so much of science-fiction visual design that it is still being heavily referenced in every medium today. There are overwhelmingly good … Continue reading Supercomputers Week: SAL 9000 (September 15 Night Thread)
As a companion to my thread from July, here is Londo Mollari’s frequent nemesis and Narn ambassador to Babylon 5, G’Kar. The Narn were a race occupied and enslaved by the Centauri, who only gained their freedom after a hundred … Continue reading The G’Kar Day Thread (September 15)
In the first years of the 1950s, a team of scientists led by Nicholas Metropolis, constructed the MANIAC – Mathematical Analyser Numerical Integrator and Computer. It was gigantic and weighed almost a thousand pounds. It’s programmers included several notable women … Continue reading Supercomputers Week: The Old Man (September 14 Night Thread)
It’s Friday and that means it’s time to do that thing you do. And here’s what to do: Post a SFW (Or spoilered) GIF Identify the source ??? Profit! This is a light-hearted game so please do not post sexualised … Continue reading Identify This GIF!
The Dune trailer has been released today! Go crazy talking about it here. Continue reading Dune Trailer Reaction Thread
“I didn’t steal Alien from anybody. I stole it from everybody!” In previous Open Threads I have inspected some of the films Dan O’Bannon liberally plucked concepts and plot points from for his screenplay for Alien (Queen of Blood on … Continue reading The It! The Terror From Beyond Space! Day Thread (September 9)
Crime is ugly, and the criminals Chester Gould created to face off against Dick Tracy were designed to reflect their grotesque profession; in the 1940’s one bizarre character after another was introduced: Pruneface, Littleface, Flattop, The Mole, and my favourite, … Continue reading The Brow Night Thread (September 8)
It’s only a few weeks until the start of Autumn, the time of year that means mushrooms! In a small strip of grass outside my home that encloses some trees, a fairy ring is doing it’s best to form, although … Continue reading The Fairy Ring Night Thread (September 7)
The Baseball Furies hailed from the Riverside Park area of Manhattan, and looked pretty formidable with their KISS-style make-up and their sporting uniforms. Ultimately, however, they proved to be a bunch of wimps when the Warriors – Ajax, Swan, and … Continue reading The Baseball Furies Night Thread (September 6)
“Cosy Catastrophe” is a term coined by Brian Aldiss in his 1973 work ‘Billion Year Spree: The History of Science Fiction’, and is used to describe a certain type of apocalyptic sci-fi that was prevalent in the 1950’s; in particular … Continue reading The Cosy Catastrophe Night Thread (September 5)
Jabroni has been added to Dictionary.com this week! Jabroni [juh-broh-nee] noun Slang. a stupid, foolish, or contemptible person, loser: “She always has a comeback to own the trolls and jabronis on Twitter.” “Shut your mouth, you dumb jabroni!” Also called … Continue reading The Jabroni Night Thread (September 4)
It’s September! Let’s post and guess some GIFs. 1: Post a SFW (or spoilered) GIF 2: Identify the source 3: ??? 4: Profit!!! Let’s make this a welcoming space for everyone – so no sexualised or objectifying GIFs, please. Don’t … Continue reading Identify This GIF!
Camina Drummer is the hard-as-titanium captain of the Behemoth in The Expanse. Belter born and raised, she first appears in season 2 as Fred Johnson’s XO, before getting a promotion and more screentime simply because she kicks too much ass. … Continue reading The Drummer Day Thread (September 4)
Released in many locations last week and now finally coming out after such a long Covid-enforced wait in America today, Tenet is finally here! “Armed with only one word, Tenet, and fighting for the survival of the entire world, a … Continue reading Tenet Spoiler Space
Have you had the chance to watch Bill & Ted Face The Music yet? I know it’s only just been released on VOD, but you should because it’s a wonderful ray of sunshine and who couldn’t do without a little … Continue reading Incarcerated Bill & Ted Day Thread (August 31)
Tonight’s thread is dedicated to the mascots for Japanese baseball team the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, Tsubakuro and his younger sister Tsubami. Enjoy your night and take care, everyone! Continue reading The Tsubakuro & Tsubami Night Thread (August 30)
