February 13, 2010 | My Own Valentine’s Day Blog

Ah, yes, Valentine’s Day. That day. It’s a day that men dread due to the absurd amounts of social programming that tells us that the gifting of chocolates and jewelry apparently equate to the retention of romantic courtship. I’m not into that romantic pomp and circumstance social dance, and thankfully I don’t have to worry about it at the present.

Emancipation is a wonderful feeling, even if you’re the only one tossing and toiling in bed, all alone in the night.

Onto more important matters: sometime this month marks the fifth birthday of a site that helped change my life. It’s called Battlestar Wiki, and I spent the better part of an hour and a half sifting through my experiences running the site and, much to my surprise, writing what amounts to a love letter to the frakking fandom that has placed so much time, effort, and trust in a website. It is as raw as bloody steak, having come from a stream of consciousness, and can be found here:

http://blog.battlestarwiki.org/2010/02/13/our-five-year-mission/

Thank you.

January 12, 2010 | Reactions to the New Prisoner

Most viewers wanted to do this after watching all six hours... Nom nom grenade nom nom—boom!

I’ve wanted to react to the perversion that was AMC’s “remake” of The Prisoner, however I didn’t want to come across as a whinging fuckard who didn’t like it.

But I said to hell with it. More to read…

January 11, 2010 | Random Update Posty Time!

… the above is possibly the best title I’ve ever devised. Add that somewhere to your ledger, if you’d like.

1. Battlestar Weékeéheé

The above is a nod to my friend, Shannon/Taser/Doubletap, who kept on referring me by this name whenever she was up in Vancouver.

So, the website is finally back online. Getting all the logistics into place for moving the server took time out of Shane’s and my life, not to mention all the technical obstacles that popped up during our arduous server move. As you can imagine, this endeavor was the largest (and longest) move that we’ve ever made. It isn’t for the feint of heart, and Shane (who did most of the IT heavy lifting), is a trooper. If it weren’t for him, I would have swan-dived off the roof.

All the while we were down, people came forward and offered their assistance. (One of them, in particular, I would like to make a special mention of as they are responsible for our new home when MediaTemple didn’t pan out, but I’m leaving that for its own blog in a more official venue.) Some of them freaked out, which is something that concerns me a bit, but I took the time to assure them that it was a server move that took longer than expected.

I continue to be humbled by the appreciation that people have for the website, and the server move not only cuts costs, but also results in a more powerful server that can handle all the requests that people make on it.

Did you know that the Wiki has over 2,000 unique visitors an hour? That’s with the show no longer being on the air, by the way, which explains why my jaw sort of hits the ground a bit.

During our peak, we had well over 300,000-400,000 unique visitors a month, if not more. The site is tremendously popular and I am honored to have been the guy who began something that’s attracted talent from across the world. At the risk of gushing, it’s really something when a website gets you the opportunity to help create history, particularly with the Battlestar auctions that happened in 2009.

And, as you might be aware, the Wiki has always been the slowest every time an episode airs. Sometimes, the servers crashed. And that sucked, for everyone. Now that we have a powerful server at an economical price, I think we’ve achieved balance there where it won’t crash and burn everytime the Wiki addicts want to look up something.

It will be interesting for me to see what Caprica holds, particularly for the website. I hope the show is of great quality and is around for a while.

Exciting.

2. Mass Effect

On the gaming front, I’m working my way through the first Mass Effect, and I am really digging the game so far. For some reason, I find myself more attracted to Mass Effect than I am to something like Dragon Age: Origins. I seem to have a better handle on leveling my characters, modifying my equipment, affecting the story the way I think it should be played out, and I’m just having fun with it. Given some of what I’ve seen in the game so far, I suspect that there are some Mass Effect programmers and writers who are fans of BSG and Farscape.

With that, I’m really looking forward to Mass Effect 2 based on my experience in this game.

While I know that these RPGs are from the same company and everything has the same basic concept—bionic powers being indistinguishable to magic spells and the same basic general character classes, for instance—I’ve found that I respond better to the science fiction setting. Perhaps because I’ve always found science fiction far more interesting (and with more possibilities) than a realm run by wizards, ogres, dragons and the like. This isn’t a knock against fantasy, since fantasy and science fiction have always been intertwined, but science fiction has its advantages. Particularly if it is well executed. I would go as so far to say that science fiction brings fantasy into the realm of the galactic universe, as opposed to the mystical one. Or one is an extension of the other.

Needless to say, I’m of a few different minds on this…

3. Moving Blah-Log

Keeping up with my blogging has been a bit of a chore for me. However, persistence is key, and I’m chugging along. Some of the blah-logs are probably boring, but it’s a cross-section of what limited interests I do have in this pitiful little life of mine.

One of the things I’ll be doing is moving my blah-log to the MT server that my company (FrakMedia!) has, since I’m consolidating things. Right now, I have three different hosts for various sites, and I want to reduce that number. Same with domain names. I have some domains through 1&1, one through resell.biz (that’s JoeBeaudoin.net) and GoDaddy. Goal is to get all the domains over to GoDaddy within the next few weeks. JoeBeaudoin.net is being migrated now and should be transferred by the 12th, and once that is done, I can implement all the necessary DNS changes and move this blah-log over.

Yes, that was fun to know wasn’t it?

Until tomorrow, good night and good luck.

January 10, 2010 | South Park Meets “I’m A Mac” Commercials

Facebook viewers: To see this post properly, click here.

Today’s blog isn’t going to be an necessary harangue on how real estate professionals should take photos.

Today is Sunday, and today should be entertaining. In that frame of mind, I’ve dug up these videos from YouTube. They tickle my geek bone, particularly the whole computer thing, and mock those rather annoying “I’m a Mac, I’m a PC” ads that I have little love for. So if you mix those elements with South Park, this appears to be the end result.

And when we throw Linux into the mix…

Have a stellar Sunday!

January 7, 2010 | A Few Random and Spoilerless CAPRICA Factoids

While up in Vancouver in December 2009, yours truly took an hour or so to visit the sets of Caprica. There are a few pieces of information that I know about the series that I’d like to impart on my readers. Nothing here betrays any confidentiality agreements that I had signed, nor does it spoil anything about what’s happening in the series, so if you’re looking for spoilers… You’re not going to get any.

Sadly, I was not able to take pictures, as that was part of the deal. (Same could be said for the Universe sets that I visited when up there. Destiny‘s sets are truly magnificent, even if it wasn’t fully lit up when I and a few others went to visit it.) With that in mind, I give you a brief insight into the world of Caprica.

Graystone's Living Room (Courtesy of UGO)

While not Galactica‘s CIC, the Graystone mansion is magnificent. Pictures of it can be seen on various science fiction news websites, from Syfy’s Digital Press Tour last year. It is a recreation of the original house that was used in the pilot, and is indistinguishable from it; a testament to the construction and set decoration team on Caprica. The thing has two levels to it (upstairs and downstairs) and you could literally live there, with the minor exception that the “basement”—where Daniel’s lab-office can be found—isn’t really down below the main level at all. Furthermore, I’m not sure where the bathroom is, but I know what’s in their walk-in closets! The view of the water and mountain range from the massive living room windows is tremendous… and a fake backdrop that is, itself, completely impressive in its detail.

All the major standing sets, including the Graystone house, are housed only in one stage. I had visited this stage once before when working on the Battlestar auctions, but at the time it had the Café Diem and other minor locales from another Syfy show, Eureka.

The show uses more CGI than one would assume, and there’s a section of Caprica‘s main stage set aside for that (V-Club and other locales that you’ll see are mainly shot here). Much in the same way that Stage I—I believe it was “I,” I’m not sure though until I review my pictures and notes—that housed Galactica‘s Hangar Deck also had a section for CGI, where they would place the Raptor or Vipers when shots needed to be done.

Serge, the phallic one-eyed Caprican droid, is completely CGI.

The show uses CGI in ways you did not expect either. A notable instance that took me aback was being told that Serge, the gray and white Apple-esque phallic rolling droid at the Graystone house, is a complete CGI construct. I had assumed that they had a full-size electronic version, like they have a full-size electronic version of the U-87 Cylon prototype. Of course, I know now that this is not the case: the production uses a cardboard stand-in when they need a visual marker for the actors and digital effects team, which is the same thing they did for the Centurions in BSG. (They also have a cardboard stand-in for the U-87 for the CGI sequences.)

I would say more, but most of what I’ve seen is stuff that hasn’t been aired yet, so I’ll keep that to myself until the time is right.

Look for Caprica to begin airing on January 22nd. It’s not Battlestar, but this piece of “blue-sky” science fiction should prove interesting… and it does pose this question: Does BSG have the ability to become its own little science fiction franchise or not?

January 5, 2010 | Distractions on a Geek Road

While working the long, long hours at Propworx earlier this year, we did allow ourselves some time to geek out. It compensated for the times when we mere Propworx minions wanted to cast all that Battlestar crap in our warehouse to a large bond fire. Crap that, thankfully, a bunch of fans have purchased over the past year.

And when I call it crap, I use the word “crap” in lieu of the word “pure garbage.” The other crap is good crap. However, the axiom of “one man’s garbage being another man’s treasure” applies here. If you like your crap, then I don’t begrudge you your tastes. You did buy it after all and I hope it means something to you!

Now when we geeked out, we still did some pretty creative things. We had a photo shoot of us in uniforms, with the photos taken by our SoCal local photographer, Lee, who is awesome. If I can find those photos, I’ll post a few; we shot them very late at night, so we had the “33″ effect going on, which fitted nicely into the gritty feel of the series.

Regardless, what prompted this entry was a photo I was sent by my friend and former Propworx co-worker, Erin. Steve, Thom, Erin and I had devised this little thing before my little dance with temporary insanity. It’s a graphical chart depicting the whole “all this has happened before” junk that Ron Moore stole from Peter Pan.

The "cycle of time" illustrated on a white board.

I’m quite proud of it. Even if there should be another red arrow between “colony” and New Earth… Or maybe we added that later?

Yeah, we added that later. Just assume we did.

Addendum: See? We even expanded upon it! I knew I wasn’t imagining this!

The expanded special edition of the whiteboard layout. Oh, and Roslin, our whiteboard was bigger than your puny one. How do you like those New Caprica apples?

See the following one-sentence paragraph? Not an addendum. Just a carry over during the revision process:

So, ahem, enjoy!

December 31, 2009 | … And As Timeless as Infinity

The original Twilight Zone remains one of the best examples of scripted television to this day, featuring some of the most memorable characters ever to be seen on television for the past 50 years. If you’ve ever watched any current show on television, from The Simpsons to The X-Files or even flashes of current science fiction television, you can see the imprint that Twilight Zone has left on American television, and referenced in stories told throughout the years in magazines, books, and other printed media.

Surprisingly, I haven’t been able to find a definitive (or even a meaty partial list) of references to The Twilight Zone.

As an aficionado of science fiction and of the craft of story telling, I find myself compelled to watch a heaping of The Twilight Zone at least once a year. With this being the case, I find that I am riveted to the television screen, particularly around New Year’s when I am planted on a couch in front of a television watching Syfy Channel. (I find myself still disliking the name, but I will admit that the name change has been successful for the channel, which has been struggling to change is identity for some time. From a realist’s standpoint, I agree with the change… and this is from a guy who doesn’t like the slang “scifi” to begin with.)

I’ve listed a number of my favorite episodes here, for those of you who don’t have the time to watch the five years of the series. Ignore the number order, as it’s what comes to mind when I skim over this list.

1. “It’s a Good Life“

Bill Mumy in "It's a Good Life."

Kids in science fiction are akin to oil and water. If you want to know why, it’s because child actors who can actually act are rare. Or, in the case of actors like Wil Wheaton, kids are badly written by people who do not grok childhood, ergo Wesley “Superboy” Crusher from The Next Generation. However, young Bill Mumy had the odd quality of actually scaring the shit out of people, particularly in this memorable Twilight Zone episode where he plays a brat who gets his way… otherwise, he wishes you and your little dog to the cornfields. (For the record, Mumy appeared in two other episodes: “In Praise of Pip” and “Long Distance Call;” the latter is worth viewing, as well.)

If this episode were remade today, it would leave nothing to the viewer’s imagination. Instead, such makers would “amaze” us with visuals of “the cornfields,” and so warpedly pervert the “Jack in the Box” scene near the final act that the reaction from audiences would be “ooh, even with the blood, maggots and gore, it’s still not scary enough.”

It needs to be said that the “Jack in the Box” has neither blood nor maggots, and ergo no gore, as the only thing you saw of the box was the shadow on the wall and the reactions of those present. Much of the fear that is palpable in this episode is generated by the actors’ facial ticks, mannerisms, and delivery. For this now-a-days defiant act of brilliance, this storytelling ability is something that filmmakers and playwrights should learn from, practice, and execute.

2. “One for the Angels“

Ed Wynn and Dana Dillaway in "One for the Angels."

This episode is particularly touching, in that an honest salesman makes the sales pitch of his life… with a positive result. It is a feel-good installment where you can love the participants, and the “bad guy” (let’s say he’s an angel, of a kind) is not evil. If you told this story today, people would lament about its lack of grit and that “it could have been darker.”

It’s a fairly straightforward story with a colorful protagonist, but a wonderful story nonetheless.

3. “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street”

Scene from "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street."

A classic episode about the danger of fear and the need for logic. This episode played off of the Cold War fears of the time, pitting neighbor against neighbor as they lash out in fear of whom (or what) disconnected their neighborhood from the rest of the world. For those of you familiar with recent television, I would say Jericho‘s existence is due to this very episode. Recommended viewing, since we all need a reminder about the dangers of hysteria.

4. “A Passage for Trumpet“

Jack Klugman and Mary Webster in "A Passage for Trumpet."

A down-and-out trumpet player seeking solace in alcohol—wonderfully portrayed by one of my favorite actors, Jack Klugman—has lost all faith in himself, sells his trumpet, and then is a victim of a car accident. Recommended viewing for when you need to rediscover your faith and realize that the world is what you make of it.

As “Gabe” said, “You take what you get and live with it. Sometimes it’s sweet frosting, nice gravy. Sometimes it’s sour, goes down hard, but you live with it.”

5. “Time Enough at Last“

Burgess Meredith as Henry Bemis, charter member of the fraternity of dreams.

Another classy actor by the name of Burgess Meredith portrays Henry Bemis. Mr. Henry Bemis is a bank teller with thick glasses, love of the written word, surrounded by those who have no love of said beauty and married to a despicable woman of the four-legged variety. Even if you haven’t entered The Twilight Zone as a mere spectator, you’ve likely seen him before, as this story has been the subject of many parodies on both The Simpsons and Futurama.

While the episode requires leaps in logic and some detachment from science, the story is able to hold its own and addresses many issues that resonate even today in our gadget-infested world.

6. “The Night of the Meek”

Art Carney in "The Night of the Meek."

We may need this story to occur in reality, given the mutilation and disgusting perversion of the holidays by those who would seek to have us “lowly forms of life” (see: “consumer,” “bottom feeder,” and “mindless drone”) squabble over deliberately-limited amounts of Nintendo Wiis, Tickle-Me-Elmos, gadgets and other garbage. Such garbage that is, invariably and without fail, worthless to the pursuit of the human condition.

This is about an out-and-down department store Santa Claus who discovers that he can be a bringer of joy and wonder after all, after finding that his sack actually has goodies that his recipients most desire. It is an episode that I, on another level entirely, do not care for as the insinuation that objects, gizmos and physical nonsense are the only things capable of evoking happiness during the holidays.

7. “The Obsolete Man“

Burgess Meredith as the theistic librarian awaiting his fate in "The Obsolete Man."

This is a story of a dystopia where a theistic librarian, portrayed by Burgess Meredith, is seen by a totalitarian government as obsolete, for both literacy and religion have been abolished by the State. Facing death, he is given the choice on the method of execution, and it is within that request where he makes his final stand.

I’ll be honest here: If I am to go out of this world in a manner of my choosing, I’d choose the method the librarian uses here.

8. “A Game of Pool“

Jonathan Winters and Jack Klugman in "A Game of Pool."

Again with a story featuring Jack Klugman… There is a reason why he was one of two actors who have had multiple appearances during the run of the original Twilight Zone.

This story is about Jesse Cardiff (Klugman) whose only life has been in the pursuit of being the greatest billiards player to have ever walked the Earth, if not for being overshadowed by the late Fats Brown (Jonathan Winters). Alone in a billiards hall during the night, Cardiff meets up with his match: a very deceased, yet corporeal apparition of Fats Brown. The game has high stakes. More so than Cardiff counted on, and what most people would likely suspect when watching this episode.

While not the preferred ending by the original writer—as this is one of a few stories redone by the various iterations of Zone—it’s still a great story about the consequences about trying to be “the best” in anything while ignoring everything else of consequence.

9. “The Long Morrow“

Commander Stansfield (Robert Lansing), returning to Earth after 40 years," without the use of suspended animation.

It’s a story about a forgotten space explorer and about love that isn’t viable. It’s something I can relate to, and I’m at a loss for any more words than that, if only since it has been a while since I’ve seen this episode. Oh, and for you Trekkies, Robert Lansing played Gary Seven in the classic Star Trek episode “Assignment: Earth.”

10. “A Quality of Mercy“

Leonard Nimoy as a WWII soldier in "A Quality of Mercy." Look, no pointed-eared freak here.

If you’re a Dean Stockwell fan, then this episode is for you. Our Number One brother with an admiration of the female form, John Al Cavilicci, portrays a soldier who happens to be on both sides of a WWII battle in the Philippines. In one instance, he is Lieutenant Katell, a gun-ho US Army officer who orders his war-weary men to attack a detachment of Japanese soldiers; in another, he is Lieutenant Yamuri, one of the Japanese soldiers in the cave that Katell wants to assault.

11. “To Serve Man“

Susan Cummings and Richard Kiel in "To Serve Man". Kanamits: Nom nom humans nom.

I really don’t know if I should bother even explaining why this is on my list. If you don’t get it by now, I doubt that you’re going to.

12. “Living Doll“

Erich Streator (Telly Savalas) and his arch nemesis, Talky Tina, face off.

A cautionary tale of why dolls should not be permitted into households.

13. “The Silence“

Liam Sullivan in "The Silence."

Jamie Tennyson (Liam Sullivan) finds himself agreeing to a bet he is unable to refuse out of necessity: for $500,000 this otherwise talkative man is to remain totally silent for a period of one year. During this year, he is to remain under observation in a room that has been wired for sound recording, so as to ensure that Tennyson keeps his end of the bargain. It is a test of character that has its consequences, in good Twilight Zone fashion.

14. “A Piano in the House“

Joan Hackett and Barry Morse in “A Piano in the House.”

As a fan of Barry Morse, his only appearance in The Twilight Zone thrills me, particularly when his character is pitted against a piano that can reveal the true nature of a person. It is an episode worth watching, as it is very much a character-driven play that puts most current television to shame. I do wish such a piano existed, for it would force us to face our own true natures, and test the loyalty and honesty of those around us.

Runners Up

A handful of worthwhile episodes I will note, if only briefly (descriptions and spoilers at the link via Wikipedia):

1. “A World of His Own“
2. “Nick of Time“
3. “The Invaders“
4. “Mr. Dingle, the Strong“
5. “Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?“
6. “The Shelter“
7. “Five Characters in Search of an Exit“
8. “The Hunt“
9. “I Sing the Body Electric“
10. “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet“
11. “One More Pallbearer“

August 8, 2009 | Friends with talent…

My friend Troy Rudolph, who works up in Vancouver as a background extra in various television series (including all of Season 4 of Battlestar Galactica), did this commercial. It’s actually very good. I kid you not.

Troy plays the smart one. He’s on the left. As if you need clarification on that point.