Google honors Thomas Edison

Yet another Google homage to science, the search engine website has spelled their company name with "working" schematics of Thomas Edison's inventions to honor the 164th birthday of the innovative engineer.

Aside from the obvious electric light, can you identify the other contraptions?

   

Google Pays Tribute to Jules Verne

In a unique layout of their logo, Google opened a window into the steampunk universe on their search engine front page. With interactive features, the logo features a seascape that is framed with Nautilus-like trim. A handle to the right of the logo allows one to rotate the underwater view as if in a submersible. Any with motion sensitive technology in their Chrome or Firefox hand-held browsers can tilt their "Nautilus" to move the scene. As the scene pitches or yaws, dials move on the instrument panel to the left. The custom logo was done in honor of the influential author's birthday. Mr. Verne would have been 183 today.

Steam Sound Machines and Sound Steam Engines

Now that I am settled in after moving 500 miles west, I have started my research again and have found a couple of nice pieces of contributions of video involving steam power and practical applications. From a whimsical entertaining piece of equipment to a whimsical entertainer, here are my latest finds:

Simon Jansen of Auckland, New Zealand, shared his steam-powered record player with Make Magazine online. In the video he provided Make, he is playing the Sex Pistols' rock anthem "God Save the Queen" on an LP with a regulated speed of approximately 33 1/3. A beautiful piece of functional steampunk art! You can see more about his creation on the Make Magazine website.

Next, check out this "webisode" of the now canceled gear-head series, Garage 419, in which Jay Leno takes Matt Farah through his garage and talks to him and his viewing audience about the wonder and efficiency of steam powered motor vehicles.
   

Inexpensive Flash Boiler

Here's a really well done set of DIY instruction videos, from LynxSteam, on a simple home-built flash boiler. The author also has other interesting instruction videos that I am going to be watching that deal with wind power.

Steampunk Visual

The move is finished and I have finally put the computer back together. Got the emails (mostly) checked, so I decided to get caught up on my shows on Hulu. One of the recommendations that the site has given me is one of the first live action sci-fi web series to feature the steampunk genre, called Riese: Kingdom Falling. As a web production, is generated so much interest last December that it was bought and aired on SyFy.

I will check it out and see if it is worth recommeding.


 

The Pathfinder

I recently read the preview short story, called "Expendables," by Orson Scott Card. It is a collection of episodic chapter prologues from his upcoming new book, Pathfinder. If anybody remembers the Ender series of books and the spin-off Ender's Shadow series, this next endeavor is a greatly anticipated return to science fiction for Card. Here is a 'trailer' for the first book in this new series coming November 23:

A Move in Progress

Due to the recent news that I would be allowed to finish my degree at a University, I have decided to take up the offer. This requires moving the family closer to the campus, so we are in the process of packing everything up in boxes to go on the road.


Moving is such an expensive endeavor, and I would not normally make such a decision; however, several factors have been involved in going through with this:

1. the University is paying for my tuition to attend there (doesn't include books, but it's still fantastic)
2. the company I work for is willing to transfer me (and is looking forward to having me there)
3. the housing arrangements have been taken care of quickly and worry free
4. and our landlord at our current residence is waiving the lease for remainder of time here (a wonderful gentleman, we are going to miss him).

What does this mean for my book and my research? Merely a change in environment. I am currently halfway through the first short story that will give a background to the complete novel. I am taking a page from the Orson Scott Card "school of writing" and will have chapter headings that parallel the context of the chapters themselves with flashbacks and "little-did-they-knows." I will post when I send it off to a sf mag to review for publication, and if it is accepted, I will reveal which magazine it is appearing in.

Meanwhile, I am a fan of the Food Network Challenge and just saw a really cool episode last night called "Flying Sugar." The competition was to create confectionery "flying machines," and there were some great steampunk-themed designs. Watch the Food Network to see it on October 30th.