theBaba.com

If you have any chemistry or science teachers on your Christmas list, your shopping is done. Information Title: The Disappearing Spoon (and Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements) Author: Sam Kean Publisher: Little, Brown Publication Date: July, 2010 ISBN: 978-0-316-05164-4 Buy from: [...]

The complete list of titles is available here. Dark Horse Comics BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #36 LAST GLEAMING PT 1 (OF 5) – Joss Whedon writes the final story arc in Buffy’s eighth season. CONAN THE CIMMERIAN #23 STAR WARS OLD REPUBLIC #3 (OF 6) DC Comics AUTHORITY #26 BRIGHTEST DAY #9 FREEDOM FIGHTERS #1 [...]

We’re continuing with the other half of the Tsubasa equation this week with xxxHolic volume 3. General Information Title: xxxHolic – Vol. 3 Written and Illustrated by CLAMP Translated by Bill Flanagan English lettering by Dana Hayward Originally serialized in Kodansha’s Weekly Young Magazine Available at Amazon.com The Premise Kimihiro and his rival for Himawari’s [...]

The Last Exorcism crept into the top box-office position during its opening weekend. It won’t have the same cultural impact as the first one (or any of the other films it cribs), but does it hold up as a horror film in its own right? The story begins with a skeptic masquerading as an exorcist. [...]

Several weeks ago, we reviewed Mon Bella and the Curse of 1809, an independent Canadian film and an atypical ghost story. At the time, there was no distribution opportunity. It has since been chosen for the Kansas International Film Festival, running from October 1-7, 2010, in Overland Park, Kansas. The film airs Monday, October 4, [...]

We conclude the 2010 summer school session with

Title DVD Release(s) Blu-Ray Release(s) Action Harry Brown DVD Blu-Ray Anime Black Blood Brothers Complete DVD Blu-Ray Ikki Tousen: Dragon Destiny, Vol. 3 DVD Ikki Tousen: Premium Box DVD Brick of the entire series Naruto Uncut Season 3, Vol. 2 DVD One Piece, Season 3, Second Voyage DVD Comedy The Middle: Complete First Season DVD [...]

Superman: Secret Origins finally delivers its last issue. We looked at the first half of the series here; today, we review the second act. BONUS: Four Faces of Superman Title: Superman Secret Origins #4-6 Writer: Geoff Johns Artists: Gary Frank, John Sibal Premise: The final three issues tell a more unified story than the earlier [...]

The complete list of titles is available here. Dark Horse Comics STAR WARS BLOOD TIES TALE JANGO & BOBA FETT #1 (OF 4) DC Comics ACTION COMICS #892 BATMAN #702 DETECTIVE COMICS #868 FRINGE TALES FROM THE FRINGE #3 (OF 6) GOTHAM CITY SIRENS #15 GREEN ARROW #3 – Brightest Day JUSTICE LEAGUE GENERATION LOST [...]

The penultimate lesson in our Summer School details how atoms come together. Lesson 1: Classical Thinking: Why Does It Fail? Lesson 2: Curiouser and Curiouser Lesson 3: Enter Heisenberg, Exit Common Sense Lesson 4: Don’t Underestimate the Power of Virtual Particle Exchange Lesson 5: Let There Be Quantized Electromagnetic Radiative Energy Lesson 6: Quanta, Quanta [...]

This week I’ve got the anime adaptation of the CLAMP manga I reviewed a few months earlier. General Information Hekiru Shiina as Hikaru Shidou Hiroko Kasahara as Fuu Hououji Konami Yoshida as Umi Ryuuzaki Emi Shinohara as Presea Juurouta Kosugi as Zagato Megumi Ogata as Princess Emeraude Minami Takayama as Ascot Nozomu Sasaki as Clef [...]

Title DVD Release(s) Blu-Ray Release(s) Action 2:22 DVD Blu-Ray The Long Good Friday Blu-Ray Blaine: Reviews indicate that this is not a great transfer, and people are blaming the distributor (Image Entertainment.) Image owns Criterion, and in my experience, they do the best they can with the available print quality. This was not produced by [...]

Alex Case on used game-bashing, SETI’s anniversary, cars that drink and drive, a licensed celebrity Stormtrooper, NASA news, and an NSFW video about why being an SF writer can rock. Anything to add? Alexander Case shares his thoughts on the industry’s used game-bashing. NASA wants a solar-powered Night rover. Jon Stewart uses the Force. SETI [...]

The complete list of titles is available here. Boom! Studios DARKWING DUCK #3 FARSCAPE ONGOING #10 Dark Horse Comics BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER RILEY ONE SHOT – To tide us over until the final story arc in the main series hits in September. STAR WARS LEGACY #50 EXTREMES PART 3 (OF 3) DC Comics BATMAN [...]

Our lessons are coming to a close, but that also means they are approaching the modern view of quantum mechanics. This week, we go Down the Rabbit Hole. Lesson 1: Classical Thinking: Why Does It Fail? Lesson 2: Curiouser and Curiouser Lesson 3: Enter Heisenberg, Exit Common Sense Lesson 4: Don’t Underestimate the Power of [...]

Something of a slow week this week. Title DVD Release(s) Blu-Ray Release(s) Action D.O.A.: Dead or Alive Blu-Ray Fists of Vengeance DVD Alex: While the Amazon listing doesn’t say what movies are in the collection, and how good the transfer is (consiering it’s 16 films on 3 disks, it probably won’t be great), I was [...]

“I understand you have some views for sale.” –respectable-looking old man. Michael Powell’s thriller has become something of a cinematic legend. Released in 1960, it beat Psycho to the screen by several months, delivering a superficially similar, twisted tale about a quiet young man with parental issues. Whereas horrified filmgoers embraced Alfred Hitchcock’s proto-slasher flick, [...]

The complete list of titles is available here. Boom! Studios FARSCAPE SCORPIUS #4 Dark Horse Comics BPRD HELL ON EARTH NEW WORLD #1 (OF 5) DC Comics BATGIRL #13 BIRDS OF PREY #4 – Brightest Day FRINGE TALES FROM THE FRINGE #2 (OF 6) GREEN LANTERN EMERALD WARRIORS #1 – Brightest Day JUSTICE LEAGUE GENERATION [...]

We are at the two thirds mark of our summer school. This week’s lesson: Quanta, Quanta Everywhere. Lesson 1: Classical Thinking: Why Does It Fail? Lesson 2: Curiouser and Curiouser Lesson 3: Enter Heisenberg, Exit Common Sense Lesson 4: Don’t Underestimate the Power of Virtual Particle Exchange Lesson 5: Let There Be Quantized Electromagnetic Radiative [...]

As mentioned last week, I wasn’t pleased with how the linear algebra summer school modules were turning out, so the project has mutated into something else entirely. Those who are interested can read the portions that were completed here. All intended content will eventually become a part of the Math From Scratch project, but as [...]