Lists – Page 10 – Dr. Shaun Duke, Professional Nerd

The Book Habits Meme (Reboot)

Writtenwyrdd originally posted this in October of last year, but I thought I would bring it back with a few additions. If you have a blog, then post your own answers to the following questions and leave a comment with the link! Here goes: Do you snack while you read? If so, favorite reading snack:I don’t, actually. I sort of get involved in my reading, so snacking really isn’t an option. What is your favorite drink while reading?Hot chocolate, green tea, or water. But I don’t drink while reading. I stop, get a drink, and then continue reading. I can’t imagine doing both at the same time. That’s the kind of multitasking only crazy people can muster. Imagine that. You’re reading, imagining whatever is going on in your head, reaching out your arm, grabbing a mug, and drinking all at the same time. That’s a lot of stuff going on! Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you?I don’t mark in books I am reading for fun. I do for books I am using for graduate school or research. Generally I don’t like marking, but when you have to remember passages and things, marking is inevitable. That said, I own duplicates of books I really love that I have to mark in. I’m doing just that with Tobias S. Buckell’s books, actually. I recently bought all his first edition hardcovers, signed, just so I’d have a set that I could keep in perfect condition. I’m a weirdo. How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears? Laying the book flat open?Bookmark. Rarely will I lay the book flat and open. People who dog-ear their books are communists and shouldn’t be allowed to vote. That’s the kind of blasphemous nonsense the Inquisition wouldn’t have put up with, and that might be the only thing I would agree with them on. Fiction, nonfiction, or both?A little of both, actually. Are you a person who tends to read to the end of a chapter, or can you stop anywhere?I can stop anywhere, but I prefer to stop at the end of a chapter. I hate stopping in the middle of things. At best, I am comfortable with stopping at a break within a chapter, but even that is bothersome. Are you the type of person to throw a book across the room or on the floor if the author irritates you?I’ve come close. I’ve slammed books down onto my bed before, but I’ve yet to toss something across the room. To be fair, I don’t own my apartment, so throwing things is a bit dangerous when I don’t want to put holes in my walls. If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop and look it up right away?It depends on the word. If it’s really obscure, I’ll look it up. Otherwise, I use what little I know of the English language to figure out what it means on the spot. What are you currently reading?Spellwright by Blake CharltonAngel Dust Apocalypse by Jeremy Robert JohnsonThe Sacred Book of the Werewolf by Victor PelevinServant of a Dark God by John BrownPerdido Street Station by China Mieville What is the last book you bought?I think it was every single book by Tobias S. Buckell (first editions and signed). He had a deal going on at his blog and I partook. Are you the type of person that reads one book at a time, or can you read more than one?I can read more than one. Sometimes I start something, find it a little dull, and move on to something else for a while. Other times I don’t have much of a choice, being a graduate student and all. I’ve had 10+ different books going at once before. Do you have a favorite time/place to read?I prefer to read somewhere not in my house and away from a computer. That’s not an easy thing to do, especially right now with a few of my geckos needing regular care. On top of that, I either need absolute silence or pure noise. Anything between is a no go. Do you prefer series books or stand alones?Stand alones. I like series, but they require you to invest a lot of time into them, and unless a series is really good, I won’t do that. There are few series that I have been obsessed enough with to buy the rest of the books and read them (Harry Potter, Tobias Buckell’s Caribbean SF, and some others). When you find a good series, though, it’s a wonderful experience. Is there a specific book or author you find yourself recommending over and over?Four: Tobias S. Buckell, Karen Miller, Kage Baker, and Susan Beth Pfeffer. I’ve recommend loads of others, but those three have probably seen the most airtime from my lips (or fingers, actually). How do you organize your books?(by genre, title, author’s last name, etc.)I organize my books by genre and size. Mass markets are all together, with a section for SF/F, general fiction, and non-fiction. All other sizes are much the same. I separate all my books on writing from the rest, though. It makes it easier to get to them. And now that that is over with, I am going to tag Weirdside and NextRead. Again, if you want to do this on your blog, go for it and come back here to give me the link!

38 Reasons Why Darth Vader is Better (and Cooler) Than Iron Man

io9 recently posted a list of 38 reasons why Iron Man is better than Vader. As a Star Wars fan, I am horribly offended. Tony Stark? Better than Vader? Pah! That’s a load of crap, and here’s why (more after the fold; click the read more): Vader practically rules the entire frakking Galaxy. Stark can barely hang on to his own damned company. Vader has the Force. Iron Man has…a pretty kickass suit that, but it wouldn’t stand up against Force lightning or a Vader temper tantrum. John frakking Williams. Yeah. Vader doesn’t have any STDs. Stark? Probably a few dozen. Maybe even some we haven’t heard of yet. Vader has a lightsaber. And a spaceship. And an army. And cool bounty hunters like Boba freaking Fett. And a frakking space station for a house. And enough capital to build a second frakking space station when the first one gets blown up. Vader doesn’t have the U.S. government trying to take his shit. Vader has a son who turns out to be kind of a badass Jedi. Stark has a few dozen illegitimate children who’ll eventually come begging for college tuition. Vader also has a daughter who also turns out to be kind of a badass. Read the books. Vader says cool things like “the ability to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of the Force.” When Vader says stuff like #14, he’s not bullshitting. And we know it. Stark is pretty much 95% bullshit. It’s cute, but that 5% doesn’t do much for his credibility. Vader has a whole fleet of frakking chauffeurs. Hello? Did you see all the times he was ferried around by Imperial dudes in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi? Vader builds complicated, advanced machines and computers at the tender age of 10. Star Wars. Six movies. And the first film made double what Iron Man brought in after being adjusted for inflation. All that without having a pre-established brand. Yeah. When Vader designs an artificial intelligence, it’s actually useful. Remember that arm droid thingy in Stark’s garage? Now that’s annoying as shit… And Vader’s artificial intelligences are insanely complex. C-3PO? Speaks just about every language ever invented. Yeah, what do you say to that, Stark? Vader doesn’t need a stupid super suit to jump 100 feet. He can just Force jump that shit. And Vader can sense danger and emotions and loads of other crazy things that you didn’t think could be read. Why? Because he has the frakking Force. Magic, fools. Magic. James Earl Jones. Vader has his own theme song. Vader flies around in Star Destroyers. Stark has a private jet, which is cool, until you realize that it can’t go into space, can’t go into hyperspace, and is basically cannon fodder for anything with guns… Vader can stop laser beams with his hands. Vader’s enemies are actually quite competent, which means he actually has to do some real work. Stark’s first enemies in the first Iron Man movie are so stupid they don’t even realize he’s building a freaking super suit in their cave… When people fail Vader, he chokes them to death. None of that goofing off crap with him. Vader owns the military. He doesn’t have to impress them to get their money. Vader chops off his son’s hand, knowing it’s his son, all to prove a point. Vader has no qualms about striking down his old man mentor. Why? Because Vader is a badass and doesn’t take crap from nobody. As far as we know, Vader doesn’t have goo inside his chest. On top of that, Vader’s chest also isn’t a damned Operation board game. Vader can rap. Vader is one of the most quoted fictional characters ever. “Luke, I am your father…” That’s right. When he dies, he gets to become a cool ghost thing, where he’ll spend eternity hanging out with his friends. Stark will just be dead in a ditch somewhere. Maybe he’ll go to Heaven, but probably not. Vader can dance. No speculation. He can dance. He’s Darth freaking Vader. Why do you need 38 reasons to understand this? There. Problem solved.

Top 7 James Bond Title Themes

I’ve been on a James Bond kick lately. I might even read the original novels and short stories. Who knows. For now, I’m mostly interested in the music ever since hearing Chris Cornell’s “You Know My Name” from Casino Royale (as an single, rather than in the film itself). So, I thought I would put together a post of what I think are the seven best James Bond title themes ever. Feel free to send the MI6 after me if you disagree. Here goes (list begins after the fold): 1. “Die Another Day” — MadonnaIf any song could prove that Madonna has still got it, then “Die Another Day” was that song. The use of techno beats, orchestra, and bizarre editing make for a really weird, but awesome listening experience. 2. “You Know My Name” — Chris Cornell (from Casino Royale)The new Bond films have actually been quite good, despite the mild controversy over choosing Daniel Craig to play 007. The new direction of the films also heralded a slightly new direction for the title themes. Chris Cornell’s rather rough and rock-inspired tune is one of the best of the newer tunes (in the last 20 years of Bond films). 3. “To Live and Let Die” — Paul McCartneyA classic and probably the one song most people associate immediately with the Bond franchise (or maybe that’s just me). The song never gets old. 4. “From Russia With Love” — Matt MonroeSomething about the lounge singer/Sinatra feel of this song always tickles me pink (or blue or whatever color is appropriate). It’s smooth, enjoyable, and makes you want to sit back and get a drink. 5. “Goldfinger” — Shirley BasseyBassey’s vocals are rough and rugged, which fits the Bond franchise perfectly. Goldfinger is one of the more iconic Bond tunes, too. Listen for yourself. 6. “Goldeneye” — Tina TurnerWho didn’t love Tina Turner’s rendition of “Goldeneye”? The Bond tunes seem to have a close relationship with divas, and Turner’s belting vocals and attitude and the creepy and poignant lyrics made for a great opening to a revitalized Bond franchise (with Brosnan taking the helm). 7. “The World is Not Enough” — GarbageThe overall feeling created by listening to Garbage’s “The World is Not Enough” can only be described as chilling. The tone and pace create a kind of strange atmosphere. Too bad the film didn’t quite live up to the song. And there you have it. Hopefully I haven’t committed blasphemy here… What are your favorite Bond tunes? Let me know in the comments!

10 Things You Learn About the Internet (in a couple months)

(Note: @amisuggests on Twitter remarked that this post sounds angry. I’m not sure why. Perhaps the tone in some of the items below suggests anger? For the record, this post isn’t actually an angry post, nor a reflection of some personal experience with the below items. These are general assessments of the Internet, some of them good and some of them bad. I’m not angry at all. I haven’t the time to be angry for the things mentioned below.) The last few months have been pretty intense. I’ve attended two conferences, I’ve had all manner of problems in my personal life, and a mountain of unnecessary Internet drama that would make Jonathan Swift roll over in his grave. Through the course of all of this, I’ve come to a series of conclusions about what I’ve learned about the Internet: YouTube is probably the biggest intellectual cesspool to ever exist. Worse than the United States Government. Worse than the most radical of political activists. Trying to have a conversation there is like trying to convince a tiger not to eat you. You keep talking, but nothing changes, no matter how persuasive you are. The Internet is the premiere place to say whatever the hell you want without worrying about or even considering the consequences. People you meet on the Internet will often violate their own personal rules to get back at you. This is attached to #2, obviously. These same people will make a public spectacle of your personal life if they think it will lead back to you and, in effect, harm you. And if you’re smart, you learn to shrug it all off like the petty, vindictive, childish nonsense that it is, without letting it rule your life. Because…it’s just the Internet. E-commerce is the greatest thing to happen to the modern world. I can buy anything I want online, and that’s freaking awesome. I can literally find information on anything I want on the Internet. That may not sound impressive anymore, but imagine a world in which we had to spend weeks searching through a library of books. I’d still like to do that, but I don’t have time to do that for everything I want to know. The Internet makes knowledge available to everyone. That’s kickass, in my book. Trolls and other inflammatory Internet types are almost as bad as child molesters, and sometimes fit into that latter category. Hulu, YouTube, and other video or audio services have revolutionized the way we watch or listen to anything. Likewise, they’ve revolutionized how we produce and distribute visual and aural content (i.e. music). Podcasts, webshows, and so on. There has never been so much free entertainment in the history of humanity. Blogging, Twitter, Facebook, and all these other nifty ways of engaging with the WWW are just the tip of the iceberg. Just wait. Something is coming that will change the way we do things now so much that it will cease to resemble the current way of doing things. Just look back to the beginning of the Internet and see the difference between then and now. The Internet is evolving at a rapid pace, and we have to try to keep up with it. There you have it. So, what have you learned about the Internet in the last few months? What about in the last year?

Seven Science Fiction Movies That Should Be TV Shows

There are a lot of fantastic movies out there that have the potential to be more. Terminator, for example, certainly had the possibility of a TV show built into it, and with the moderate success of the Sarah Connor Chronicles, everyone can see why (even if you didn’t like the show to begin with). But what other movies would make great TV shows? The following are my top seven movies that should be turned into TV shows: Galaxy QuestTim Allen is probably an easy pick for the small screen. For one, he’s already been there with Home Improvement, demonstrating that he knows the trade; and two, Galaxy Quest is a perfect fit for his comedic style both on the big screen and on our television sets. Add in the rest of the cast, some of them TV experts and some of them just damn good actors, and you have the potential for a great show. The only thing that has to be decided is this: do you tell a story about the actors going on space adventures, or the story of the fictional characters in the TV show?Problem: Daryl Mitchell is paralyzed due to a car accident; the way around that is to rewrite his character with the same disability.Pitch: America’s answer to Doctor Who. EquilibriumWhile the movie is fairly self-contained, it alludes to a lot of back matter that would make for an interesting television series (preferably on HBO or Showtime, rather than the networks). You could tell one of two stories: the prequel story of how the world turned into this emotion-rejecting, drugged up ninja clan, or the sequel of what happens after Bale’s character gets revenge. Both could work, but I suspect that a prequel would be somewhat pointless, since we know where things end up.Problem: There would have to be some damned fine writers to pull this off. You could say that of most of these, but I think Equilibrium requires the kind of writer who can manage the depth of character needed to make it interesting and powerful. Someone like Ron Moore of Battlestar Galactica, perhaps.Pitch: 1984 meets Brave New World and Philip K. Dick. The OneAs one of my favorite movies of all time, this Jet Li action flick has a built in concept for a television series. All you have to do is cut out all the bits about “the one” and tell a show about the police officers who patrol the multiverse (multiple dimensions). Make it part police procedural, part action and you’ve got the makings of an awesome show.Problem: A TV version of The One can’t be anthology style like The Outer Limits or other shows (i.e. the terrible Dollhouse). It has to really get into the characters and provide more than a repetition of the same basic plot over and over.Pitch: Science Fiction has a love affair with Law & Order. Alien/AliensTwo classics of science fiction, the series has recently been bastardized in the Alien vs. Predator movies and is desperately in need of a proper revival. A TV show produced by one of the cable networks with quality writing, plenty of the dark, scary horror, and the military-style science fiction elements could remind us what was so awesome about the originals. There’s potential for an expansive look into the universe that gave us Ripley and the alien queen, with all kinds of social and political dynamics coming into play.Problem: Whoever tries to pull this off would has to realize that the only way Alien/s can work is with decent writing, good special effects, and realistic portrayals of the aliens. This means no TV-quality CG and a lot of attention paid to detail. While the original Alien was sparse, a TV show has to do more.Pitch: Aliens. That is all. The Fifth ElementCut out all of the heavy religious stuff (which worked well for the movie) and you could have a really interesting world to work with for a TV show. The Fifth Element is one of those weird, strangely lovable films that gives you so much, but can only develop a few of the important points before ending. A TV show, however, could take all of those bits that we only got a glimpse of and make a pretty weird, pretty fun story.Problem: Deciding what kind of story to tell in this particular universe would be a tough choice. Do you ignore the original characters in exchange for a broader, adventurous, slightly odd show, or do you stick with the God person and the cab driver? That’s a tough choice.Pitch: It’s Star Wars meets Red Dwarf and Total Recall. Serenity/FireflyYes, it’s already been a TV show. Yes, it was canceled. But the fact that Whedon’s fans helped spawn the movie Serenity should be reason enough to consider the possibility of a revival of a Firefly series. Just imagine what it would be like to see Reynolds and his crew firing up the sky with Serenity, causing mayhem and havoc wherever they go. There’s still life in the series, and fans would fall head over heels for the opportunity to see it back on their television screens.Problem: It’s already been canceled once. The solution is to host the show on another network, preferably one that has a healthy respect for science fiction. Besides, some of the original characters were killed off in Serenity, and Whedon would have to come up with some damned good reasons to replace them.Pitch: A western in space with your lovable ragtag group of smugglers, gunhands, and government experiments. Starship TroopersYes, I am well aware of the horrible animated show and the various craptastic sequels to the original movie, but if any concept deserves a shot at being blown up Band of Brothers style by HBO or Showtime, it is Starship Troopers. With a decent budget and some good writing, this classic science fiction satire could really take Heinlein’s original novel to new heights. All it needs is a little facelift and some good, honest

Dr. Shaun Duke, Professional Nerd

Editor. Writer. Professor. Host.

Tag: Lists

The Book Habits Meme (Reboot)

Top 10 Most Commented-on Posts on WISB

38 Reasons Why Darth Vader is Better (and Cooler) Than Iron Man

Top 7 James Bond Title Themes

10 Things You Learn About the Internet (in a couple months)

Seven Science Fiction Movies That Should Be TV Shows