Robocop is here, almost
There could be artificially enhanced soldiers lifting 400-pound packs, leaping between building rooftops and running faster than Carl Lewis by 2005. If the company in this article, Sarcos, can sort out the problems of finding a portable power source, that is. This technology doesn't only have military applications, though: there are hopes that "Ultimately, exoskeletons could transform society. The elderly could regain the physical abilities of youth, and paraplegics could walk." It all sounds very exciting to the engineer within me, I can tell you.
Posted by Marcus
Friday, January 18, 2002 07:35 p.m.

Brit comedy database
This is aimed probably more at our British readers, but any anglophile readers from other countries should get a kick out of it. This site has all the details (casts, episode guides, etc.) on over 750 British comedies. Yes, 750! Some of my favourites that I had forgotten about till reading this include Nightingales, which was about three bumbling night watchmen, and Chelmsford 123, which was set in Roman occupied Britain.
Posted by Marcus
Thursday, January 17, 2002 02:35 p.m.

Buffy too 'gruesome' for Sky TV
Season 6 of Buffy The Vampire Slayer has premiered on the UK satellite channel Sky with cuts to some scenes, and fans are up in arms. It is shown at 8pm on Sky (and 6pm on BBC2), so some scenes have been trimmed for a more diverse pre-9pm (or the watershed as it's called in England) audience. How they are going to deal with all the Buffy/Spike sexual shenanigans, I can only guess!
Posted by Marcus
Thursday, January 17, 2002 09:44 a.m.

"I'm not mad!" - Adam Ant
The trials and tribulations of being an 80's pop star in a 21st century world. I would have like to have heard the bizarre renditions of his Eighties hits, though.
Posted by Marcus
Thursday, January 17, 2002 09:42 a.m.

Truck Drivin' Songs Back in Vogue
Now this is what I call a music review: Bill Friskics-Warren provides not only detailed descriptions of the songs on Diesel Only Records' new compilation of truck-driving songs, but he also gives some sense of the genre in terms of its socio-historical relevance. He's also just a flat-out good writer. If you want to read more of his work, the nice folks at Weekly Wire have put together a little archive of his columns from the Nashville Scene dating back to 1998. He also writes for No Depression, Village Voice, and The Washington Post, so keep an eye out for his stuff.
Posted by Sophie
Monday, January 14, 2002 10:49 a.m.

Giles Speaks!
Interview (transcribed from England's Time Out magazine) with Anthony Stewart Head. Includes the scoop on his forthcoming dark & broody series with Joss Whedon, titled Ripper, his current BBC2 sitcom, and his very dodgy-yet-fascinating sounding album.
Posted by Sophie
Monday, January 14, 2002 10:48 a.m.

B6 d- t- k+ s+ u- f i o x- e- l+ c-
Sophie's blogger code, via scrubbles
Posted by Sophie
Monday, January 14, 2002 10:47 a.m.

Venerable Cranky Irreplaceable Old Bookstore Goes Kaput
You know things like this break my heart into a gazillion pieces, right? As much as I love the ease and cleanliness of a Big Chain Bookstore, I am a total sucker for a place like Manhattan's soon to be late & lamented Coliseum Books, where the staff knows where everything is, even if your particular book is wedged underneath a stack five feet high. Sigh. Maybe they can all find jobs as librarians?
Posted by Sophie
Monday, January 14, 2002 10:45 a.m.