SyFy is producing an online series about the life of William Adama during the First Cylon War. It's called Blood & Chrome and will consist of 9-10 episodes, each of which will be about 10 minutes long:

"Blood & Chrome" is "about a young man's initiation into war: both the realities of war as fought by soldiers on the ground (and in Battlestars and Vipers), and the somewhat less real version portrayed in the media," according to Taylor.

"Blood & Chrome" would consist of nine or 10 episodes of nine or 10 minutes each, and it would make use of cutting-edge digital technology and special effects to depict the Cylon War. If it is greenlit to production, it will be filmed using green screens and virtual sets, not unlike Syfy's "Sanctuary" or James Cameron's "Avatar." Before "Battlestar Galactica" ended, high-tech scans were made of all the show's sets, so that the special-effects team will be able to re-create them (possibly even in 3D).

Link via io9 | Image: Sky Broadcasting

Etsy seller YOUgNeek makes clocks that denote the hours with different ships from Star Wars:

This beautiful clear and chrome Sterling and Noble clock boasts 12 vintage classic Action Fleet Micro Machine battleships and vessels. They are hand finished in a black and silver pewter-like color. Each Star Wars Starships and Fighters clock is YOU gNeek and one-of-a-kind. If you have some favorite ships or vehicles in mind, let me know so I can include them if I have them in stock. Time to do battle! Requires one AA battery (not included - I use to include them but it made shipping more expensive a couple times).

She has a similar clock that shows vessels from Star Trek.

Link via reddit

Duke Ferris of Game Revolution noticed that the cover art for the same Kirby games shows a happy Kirby in Japan and an angry Kirby in America. There are four more examples at the link.

It's probably those full-body scanners that the TSA uses now that gets him angry.

http://www.gamerevolution.com/manifesto/happy-japanese-kirby-angry-american-kirby-500 via Digg

deviantART user MoonYen made these cute crocheted Daleks. They'll be on sale at the upcoming Otakon 2010.

Link

(YouTube Link)

This video is a real gem. In 1978, teenager Rob Hampton and his friends made a Star Trek fan film, including primitive special effects. 25 years later, the original cast reunited to add the voices and sound effects.

via technabob

Novelist Ursula K. LeGuin deeply regretted letting the SyFy Network turn one of her Earthsea books into a miniseries, and has been tightfisted about her film rights ever since. But a group of film students was able to persuade her to give them the film rights for free:

The script is based on a short story by sci-fi writer Ursula Le Guin – to whom the pair wrote to in April to ask permission for the rights.

Rob, 27, from West Wycombe, said: “She doesn't usually give away the rights to her material but she let us have it for free – it was amazing when we got the reply.”

The story is called "The Field of Vision" and is about psychologically traumatized astronauts who have returned from Mars.

Link via io9 | Photo: Lewis & Clark College

(YouTube Link)

YouTube user MeJoolee provides instructions on how to make a huge cookie that looks like a Stargate. I don't think that the glyphs were precise, but the wormhole effect is an impressive piece of cookery.

via blastr | Previously: Father and Son Build Stargate (Replica)

That is Qui-Gon Jinn, right? After enough therapy, I was able to forget about Episodes I-III, so I'm not sure.

Anyway, we can't say that we weren't warned.

via Awesomesauce

The specific details in this painting by deviantART user gamefan84 were actually commissioned. Which is awesome!

Link via Popped Culture

Finnish photographer Marko Saari made a set of pictures depicting the characters from Super Mario Bros. as zombies. His Flickr photostream is filled with all manner of elaborate cosplay works.

Link via Nerdcore | Photo: (c) Marko Saari, used with permission.

This motorcycle is a functional -- well, drivable -- replica of the Batpod from The Dark Knight. Pankaj Shah commissioned Chopper City USA to build it:

Obviously none of the weaponry is functional, and the seating position was also altered. Instead of lying face down like on the Batpod, the PS-Pod's rider sits in a manner more similar to a chopper bike rider - far more practical and you won't look like an idiot when stopped at the traffic lights.

The PS-Pod was constructed using all metal bodywork, no fiberglass was used at all. Mounted within the custom made frame is the drivetrain from an Aprilia Mana 850. The bikes builder, Dave Welch, bought the Aprillia brand-new, and then proceeded to strip it down for its parts.

The massive 18"x13" wheels of the PS-Pod were custom made for the bike. The rims were specially machined, and each has five Batman logos cut into their center.

Link via technabob | Photo: Diseno-art

Like I've said before, if companies would just cater to Klingon tourists, they could make a lot of money.

The Jenolan Caves near the Blue Mountains west of Sydney is about to become possibly the first tourist attraction in the world to launch tours in the fictional Star Trek language of Klingon.

The link between the world's oldest dated limestone cave system and the fictional Star Trek language is through a spaceship, the USS Jenolan, which featured in an episode of the Next Generation series.

Earlier this month two Klingon scholars from the United States flew to Australia to tour the caves and finalise the translation of a self-guided tour.

The headline of the article, unfortunately, refers to Star Trek fans as "Trekkers". The correct term is "Trekkies".

Link via reddit | USS Jenolan at Memory Alpha | Image: Paramount

Max Fisher of The Atlantic rounded up three perspectives identifying Jedi as generally libertarian, socialist, or centrist. Here's the latter position from Daniel Drenzer:

Are the Jedi big government advocates? That's unclear. I think it would be more accurate to describe them as cartelistic -- they refuse to permit a free market in learning the ways of the Force. After all, the Jedi Council's initial inclination is not to train Anakin Skywalker despite his obvious talents, using some BS about fear as a cover. Only when Qui-Gon threatens to go rogue do they relent. The Council does not inform the Senate that their ability to detect the force has been compromised. They're reluctant to expand their assigned tasks -- they're keepers of the peace, not soldiers. Just as clearly, their anti-competitive policies weakened their own productivity, given the fact that they were unable to detect a Sith Lord walking around right under their noses for over a decade.

So, were the Jedi perfect agents of liberty? No, probably not. But neither were they handmaidens to the greatest concentration of state power in galactic history.

What do you think? Do the Jedi display a general political ideology? If so, what is it?

Link via Digg | Image: Lucasfilm

It's an empty blister packet. Get it? These exclusive, imaginary toys are on sale at Comic-Con for $5.

via OhGizmo! | Photo: Lindsey Chen

deviantART user Andrew Hillman made this hoodie for his brother that creates an impromptu Hellboy costume. He's quite a versatile artist who uses various media to create many works in mostly -- sorry, Vonskippy -- steampunk themes.

Link via Comics Alliance