2009 Movie Guide: Where the Wild Films Are

From the wired.com article:
Wired.com’s 2009 Movie Guide takes a look at 13 intriguing flicks due out next year, including J.J. Abrams’ younger, faster Star Trek ; James Cameron’s long-awaited 3-D epic Avatar; Hugh Jackman’s return as the title character in X-Men Origins: Wolverine; the first Arnold-free Terminator film; Wolfman as re-fanged by Benicio Del Toro; Kate Beckinsale-in-a-parka Antarctic crime flick Whiteout; and Spike Jonez’s reworking of Where the Wild Things Are.

Read the article and see some clips here.

Gladiators to return to Rome

From the telegraph.co.uk article:
Umberto Broccoli, the archaeologist in charge of the Colosseum, said that he is planning to bring the gladiatorial clashes of ancient Rome to the modern Italian capital as part of a “serious project” to revive interest in its monuments and museums.

Whereas the gladiators who entertained ancient Roman crowds in the huge amphitheatre often battled to the death, today’s fighters will engage in mock battles.

While sparing their opponents from injury, those aspiring to follow Russell Crowe’s heroics in the film Gladiator will nonetheless wear authentic helmets and body armour and wield the same swords, tridents, nets and daggers that were used in ancient times.
…

The modern-day gladiators could be drawn from Rome’s “gladiator school”, whose 200 members spend their weekends dressed in sandals and breast plates and learning ancient fighting techniques.

“We fight each other in a way that is as authentic as possible, without hurting each other,” said Sergio Iacomoni, the president of the historical society that runs the school.

“A judge decides the winner when one adversary manages to land what is considered a mortal blow. Lots of people are interested in the fights, particularly American tourists and kids.”

Read the article here.

This could be awesome if its’s done right.

First-Ever Photo of Liquid on Extraterrestrial World

From the wired.com article:
The Huygens probe has captured an image of what may be the first drop of liquid ever observed on an extraterrestrial surface.

The photo is evidence that liquids may exist on the surface of other planets and moons, not just frozen lakes. And liquid is more likely habitat for extraterrestrial life.

Among the pictures snapped by the Huygens probe after landing on Saturn’s moon Titan in 2005, one appears to show a dewdrop made of methane that briefly formed on the edge of the probe itself (indicated by arrow at bottom of image on right). Scientists think heat from the probe caused humid air to rise and condense on the cold edge of the craft.

Though Huygens may have helped produce it, the methane drop is still the first liquid directly detected at a surface anywhere beyond Earth.

Read the article here.

ADL’s Soft Assault on Christmas

To to further their soft assault on Christmas the ADL has come up with guidelines for schools and other government entities to follow. 

From the ADL website:

Some of the matters highlighted and explained in detail by ADL include:

The difference between practicing religion and teaching about religion;

Guidelines for holiday assemblies, concerts and other public school activities where religious themes or music may be performed;

Choosing appropriate holiday symbols to decorate school grounds — among them Christmas trees, menorahs, reindeers and snowmen;

Choosing appropriate holiday activities;

Understanding what can – and cannot – be displayed on government property.

Read the article to find out what they deem permissible. 

Thank the stars above that we have the ADL to dictate what is and is not permissible.

Cosmology: Top 10 articles from 2008

From the newscientist.com article:

Understanding the origin and nature of the universe has been a goal of humans since they first lifted their eyes to the night sky. In the past decade, results that should help us to answers these questions have been pouring in, as cosmology has turned from a theoretical field to an experimental science.

Since its redesign last month, New Scientist has been making the last 12 months’ articles free for everyone to read. Here, in case you missed them, are our top 10 in-depth articles on cosmology

Why Einstein was wrong about relativity

The void: Imprint of another universe?

The hunt for the Un-universe

2008: Does time travel start here?

Is dark matter mystery about to be solved?

Dark energy may just be a cosmic illusion

Black holes may lurk in unexpected places

Inflation deflated: the big bang’s toughest test

Lithium: The hole in the big bang theory

Awaiting a messenger from the multiverse
 

Read the articles here.

Where are they now: ‘A Christmas Story’

From the nydailynews.com article:

It wouldn’t be Christmas without ‘A Christmas Story,’ the 1983 movie that became an instant holiday classic thanks to its winning cast and quotable scenes. Here’s a then-and-now look at the gang from fictional Hohman, Indiana, who brought the ‘original, traditional, one-hundred-percent, red-blooded, two-fisted, all-American Christmas’ tale to life.

Read the article here.