Amped

I believe that yellow/ orange tinted goggles or visors are for enhancing contrast. Hence why many shooting glasses and tactical goggles are often tinted in those shades. Enhanced contrast (ie - being able to more clearly identify targets) would probably be a good thing in the bleak blackness of space!

That's the myth. The reality could be quite different. We shall see come May!

Actually, I think there IS a good chance that could be the case, otherwise I wouldn't have mentioned it. Granted, I'm not saying I care for the idea, but it WOULD make sense given the narrative mirroring Lucas is engaging in with the PT and the OT. Whether or not ya like the idea, or not... think it likely, or not... we'll just haveta see in coupla months!

Ummm... I just watched a second time... anyone catch the part where Palpy says to Anakin something to the the effect of ''I need your help son..." Ahem. Son?!? OK, OK, I know its just an expression (or can be)... but what if Anakin's mum had been ravished by the dag-nasty evil Dark Side.... what if PALPY IS Anakin's PAPPY?!? God that even smacks of Lucas' trite, juvenile word-play... like the dude has been watching Popeye episodes fer Chrissakes!!! Ag, ag, ag... where's me Pappy?!? No really. I know, I know... I too just felt a thousand fan boys scream out in terror... but admit it: this is just the kind of thematic/ narrative mirroring that Lucas has been doing throughout the prequels... Luke overcomes/ redeems his Father (Vader/ Anakin)... Episode 3, as we all know, ends in Anakin's 'damnation'... will we, then, find Anakin succumbing to HIS FATHER?!? This would, in affect achieve balance... to the Force, as it were, and to Lucas' sense of mythic narrative.

Dammit... that f'n trailer actually makes me wanna see it! But then... I felt the same way back when the Phantom Menace trailer debuted... that whole, 'Holee-sheat! A STAR WARS MOVIE. IN THEATERS!!!!' ...And then I remember how ass-erific the first two were, IMO. If any ya'll loved 'em, God bless ya, but they made my skin crawl. I want ROTS not to suck. The trailer sure didn't... but the movie itself? Well, it remains to be seen... by necessity, of course, there's a whole lot not in that trailer or only seen briefly... like Wookies... and Padme... hmmm, well only 2 months to find out once and for all!

Hm, while considering the legalities of media distribution via the internet, this makes for an interesting read: http://news.com.com/Legal+reprieve+for+Rus..._3-5602743.html If the Russians choose not to prosocute, this will open up a whole sh*tload of concern for the music industry... and might have implications for the movie industry as well. If the Russkies can do this with MP3s and get away with it... then I imagine that it won't be too long before they try a similar 'discount' distribution model for movies. Personally, I think folks like the MPAA are just being greedy bastards. They could make money hand over fist if they encouraged low cost distribution and easy access to their media. Rather than fight the inevitable they should be looking to shape the future in their favor... as it is, their combative attitude only encourages a Robin Hood mentality among netizens...

Well, it may have been available at Sharper Image as well (was SI even around back in the early 80s???), but I'm pretty sure the early (and rarest) big Zoids were Radio Shack exclusives.

What you have there is one of the bigger ZOIDS model/toys, in particular, GORDOS (aka, Gorosaurus, Gordox, or 'Stegosaurus Type') . Zoids have appeared in various color schemes and under various names over the past 20+ years. I'm not sure, but IIRC, GORDOS is one of the original large Zoids, and may have been available years ago as part of the ROBOSTRUX line (basically re-packaged Zoids) or as Radio Shack exclusives. For as many versions as there have been over the years, TOMY has sure gotten their $$$ worth form those molds! EDIT: GO here for more info on the Robostrux variations: http://misterhook.tripod.com/zoids/info2.htm

This guy did a pretty fine job of creating papercraft models of many of the Maschinen Krieger (formerly SF3D) suits! http://sk.aitai.ne.jp/~yamauchi/kamimak/

A slick submersible concept... http://www.gizmag.com/go/3771/

God bless The Memory Hole... they dig up all kinds of cool sh*t! A study on... http://www.thememoryhole.org/mil/weapons/n...ep_contract.htm

IIRC, he was also heavily involved with the animation of Spiral Zone. My only question is... was his involvement with it akin to Macek's w/ Robotech (ie - grafting English script onto existing Japanese animation) or was Spiral Zone created especially for the U.S. market by Tonka? its been so long, I can hardly recall the series, but I do know some pretty sweet toys came out for Spiral Zone in Japan... esp the Monoseed. As for JMS and Trek... it would be interesting, but I'd rather he pursue his own muse. Trek needs to lay fallow for a few years methinks. If Paramount turfs B&B and gives the franchise a breather it will be for the best. Trek, as it stands currently, has gotten horribly sidetracked from GR's original vision.

Yikes! At the very least this may mean much higher prices for kits! Which might make it less likely that casual hobyists will be able to afford the pastime... http://www.strategypage.com//fyeo/howtomak...get=HTMURPH.HTM

Woah! Might this mark a return of the mighty COMMODORE?!? http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4145965.stm

Here's the latest news tidbit I found while scouring Google, RE: Zaphod's Head:

Ahhhh... actually, from what I've heard... Zaphod does still have a 2nd head... it's just that in this movie version... it's in one of his nostrils. Seriously. Still, I am cautiously optimistic to see how this translates to film. The vibe thus far seems right!

Ouch! Good catch! Joe Johnston also contributed greatly to the functional aesthetic of the OT. IMO, he is a vastly underated designer... so many of the beautiful grey marker sketches from the OT, esp, SW:ANH, were his doing. I think it's safe to say he singly-handedly inspired a generation of artistically-inclined youth to pursue industrial design as a profession. BTW, he's gone on to make his mark in Hollywood as a director of flix like Jumanji, The Rocketeer, Jurassic Park III, and Hidalgo. Not all of 'em are uniformally memorable pix, to be sure, but they all bear the mark of someone with a good eye for aesthetics, ie - 'eye candy'. Not many folks realize it, but he also contributed greatly to the final design of the title character in The Iron Giant, as well.

RE: the Naboo ship resemblance to the SR-71 Designers take inspiration from all sorts of things... some are springboards for designs that hardly resemble their original inspiration (or at least conceal their source of inspiration very effectively)... some clearly resemble their inpirational source. Regarding the Naboo ship, let their be NO doubt the SR-71 inspired its design... and there is no shame in that. The Art of SW: TPM clearly states that Doug Chiang drew inspiration from modern supersonic aircraft *cough* SR-71 *cough* as well as chrome automotive hood ornaments from the 50s. Whether or not you like it is a matter of personal opinion. Personally, I don't like it... it simply looks like an excuse to show off ILM's chrome rendering capability. Meh. Anyone that has ever modeled speedforms in a beginning 3D modeling class has seen that. Setting aside any issues I may have with the prequel trilogy's stories... my main problem with the prequels' aesthetics is that too many designs (ships, costumes, etc.) too clearly resemble their real-world counterparts from recent 20th century design history. Doug Chiang is a helluva illustrator and movie SFX guy... but that's his background: Hollywood. McQuarrie spent most of entire career doing real, unglamerous technical design stuff in the aerospace industry. As such, his designs manage to trancend their inspiration and look functional; like they really worked. Chiang's illustrative design work effectively captures the Sci-Fi/ Saturday Mainee Serial/ Buck Rogers vibe that Lucas has imbibed the prequels with. McQuarrie's designs capture the gritty WWII vibe that Lucas wanted for the OT. Again, which you prefer is simply a matter of personal taste.

Wow, I'm surprised by how many of those things I recall from my childhood, even tho its a Brit list! Btw, one thing was buggin me... so anyone know exactly how old are the Zoids and Transformers lines, anyhow?!? I thought early eighties... but that list has a whole buncha stuff from the early/mid 70's as well... just curious...

Yeah, I've heard of it! In fact, a really good friend of mine is the illustrator for the series, having done all the box and card art... I got a free copy of the base game and the MALL WALKERS expansion set when I bumped into him at a recent comic con. Haven't really had a chance to play it, but it seems pretty straight-forward and fun. The rules definitly lend themselves to a zombie-flick vibe. I'll probably haul it out and take it out for a spin over the holidays, now that ya got me thinkin of it...

I third that request!!!

WOW!!! Look at all the new signature-series iPods!!! First U2, now all these!!! http://www.liebography.com/ipod.htm Gonna haveta get me some of that Christina Aguilera edition! Ahem.

I recommend using a thin piece of paper or tape cut to fit around the 'male' part of the barrel end.... then twist it into the cavity; it should fit nice and snug and keep the barrel straight. You may haveta experiment with just the right amount of paper/ tape, but it works like a charm... and no need to add any polish.

Soon you will only have to think about visiting MacrossWorld and you're there!!! http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/12/07/compute...reut/index.html

Gotta chime in here... if a helmet has had an impact... even if you only DROPPED it... TOSS IT and buy a new one. The plactic shell is really only for style and holding the foam together... once the helmet has suffered an impact the foam may be compromised... the foam is ment to crack/ break apart... thereby disipating the kinetic forces from an impact.... and saving your precious noggin! Even a hairline crack in the foam (something you'd never see or hear) could severly degrade a helmet's protective attributes. Most helmet manufacturers will outright replace or offer a discount price on a replacement helmet for one that has been in an accident. Folks: NEVER buy... let alone use a used helmet. And if you're gonna customize 'em, use something like 3M vinyl... or an approved paint product. It's a sweet Macross custom helmet, but I'm much more concerned for my fellow MWorlders' safety... especially if you're racing cars!