Fringe theories...

In Fringe season 1, episode 20, when Robert Jones threatens to open a portal between this and another dimension, the Observer, who claims he cannot interfere in the affairs of man, leads Walter Bishop to a device which is used to close the dimensional rift.

In Fantastic Four #48, when Galactus threatens to consume Earth, the Watcher, who claims he cannot intervene in the affairs of man, leads Johnny Storm to a device, the Ultimate Nullifier, which is used to banish Galactus from our world.

Coincidence? Homage?

Fringe

Well, it isn't quite as good as I'd hoped, but still compelling, and miles better than The X-Files. It's just a bit too convenient that all the cases involve extrapolation on the decades-old work of Doctor Walter Bishop. Has no one done any new research into horrible ways to kill people since?

Also, how does Dunham shake off the effects of LSD so quickly? She's been dosed and put in that tank twice so far, and both times, within seconds of emerging, she's completely lucid. Dramatic expediency, anyone?

I've heard the series becomes far more interesting once Leonard Nimoy shows up.

Best episode (of the ones I've seen so far): "Safe" in which subplots start to come together and the mysterious Mr Jones is sprung from his cell in Germany using a device built decades ago by (wait for it!) Walter Bishop.

The best description of CBC's Q...

From eye Weekly. Could not agree more.

Most CBC shows are like Chinese water torture; Q is when your torturer takes breaks to tell you how much he likes the new Feist album. Smug “opening essays,” celebrity interviews and a smattering of Canadian indie-music fare. Grab an organic muffin and a soy latté folks. It’s time for Q!

Useless tech

Can someone explain what's up with people wanting to add technology to a problem that's (a) non existent or (b) been solved artfully and simply decades ago?

Take this for example: It's SEIL, pictured above, a backpack for cyclists with light-up turn and stop indicators.

We need SEIL right away, right now for all the cyclists. The sensational concept by designer Lee Myung Su gives cyclists an ability to indicate which way they would be turning while cycling on busy streets ruled by thoroughly callous four wheelers. Safe Enjoy Interact Light (SEIL) comprises of two components: a backpack equipped with LEDs and a detachable wireless controller that can be mounted on the handlebar. The rider simply touches the controller to indicate the desired direction, left or right or simply stopping, which simultaneously gets flashed on the backpack.

- From the Design Blog website.

Despite the site's demanding, "we need SEIL right away, right now for all the cyclists", I would argue that we do not. Why do we need lights, batteries, and other consumables to replace three or four simple hand/arm gestures? This goes against the reasons many of us cycle: to harness human power and to interact simply with the world.

Add this useless technology to a growing list: the kettle that beeps when it boils even though steam can power a whistle or the toaster that beeps before your toast pops up.

What happens when we add layer after useless layer of tech on top of simple human activities? Why does everything need an array of LEDs or an electronic beep or a built-in GPS? What sort of mindset develops when these become commonplace?

Okay, okay, I'll


now.

P.S. "Safe Enjoy Interact Light"?!

Hellblazer-like programme on BBC Radio 4 UPDATED

Are you a fan of Hellblazer?

Rich Johnson, from BleedingCool.com writes, "Pilgrim is a modern day magical fantasy horror series by Sebastian Baczkiewicz, broadcast by BBC Radio 4. And it gloriously and unashamedly rips off John Constantine, by way of Fables." A fair summation, though the show does have a bit of original charm, too, despite the fact that it's a wee bit over-written in the amusing style of radio drama ("It's the phone!" says someone after the sound effect of a phone).

Series 2 consists of four episodes, running once a week on Tuesdays at 12.15 p.m. (London time), starting August 31. It can be heard live on bbc.co.uk/radio4 and will then be available for another week worldwide on the BBC Radio iPlayer.

Series one can be found as a bittorrent file at RadioArchive.cc. I imagine someone will post Series 2 once it has completed its run.

More on the series and other Constantine-like characters here.

Random?

Aw, Dammit...!

Just when I think I'm immune to the lure of TV sci-fi because, you know, most of it is complete crap, I watched the first two episodes of Fringe. Now I fear I'm hooked. This just might be the show X-Files never was, but had pretensions of being.

Gah!

Gotta go. Three seasons to catch up on...

Oh, M. Ward!

One of the worst covers ever has to be M. Ward's version of Pete Townshend's "Let My Love Open the Door". No, I'm not going to provide a link to it and for that you should be thankful.

I love covers but this version is just pap, not what an song like this deserves, and not the sort of performance one would expect from the (until now) excellent M. Ward!

No, you are not ‘running late’, you are rude and selfish

No, you are not ‘running late’, you are rude and selfish

Worth Repeating: My Ten Requests for Podcasters

I've been listening to a lot of podcasts. Many of them are excellent. Others have excellent content, but try my patience. To that end I thought it would be worth linking back to this, My Ten Commandments for Podcasters, from January 2009.

As an addendum to #6, Thou Shalt Normalize, may I draw your attention to an excellent bit of freeware, called The Levelator? Does what it says on the tin. Excellent for spoken-word recordings that are compiled from various sources. I often run amateur podcasts through this to make them more listentable (you have to convert them to .wav files first).