Getting back on the Steam Trek

I'm back, so to speak. I am about to get really busy again, but I thought I would take the time to catch everyone up on what's been going on since my last (forever ago) posts.

I was working with a chap in England on turning a minitures tabletop game into a web version. However, since his promotion at his job, along with him getting married and having a baby, and then getting really active with his local larping community, the project has fallen off the charts.

I, on the other hand could not sustain the coding load by myself whilst working on my studies in nuclear physics. I have been (if I haven't mentioned before) doing nuclear research at the university I attend, on track for a nuclear mechanical engineering Bachelor of Science degree. Three research projects in three years with three successful and awarded results. Not to mention all the studying I've been doing in between all of that. Whew! I'm beat.

This year, I have taken an approved academic leave of absence due to health issues ("I'm getting better," said the old man on the cart before he got hit on the head) and moved out of Student Housing to buy a house while the buying is still good.

Over the summer, I have been getting to certain persons on the east coast who happen to have an interest in my artwork. So, presently I am doing art and graphic design with a podcaster in California for a couple of weeks for his website and Facebook page.

I have also just gone through an interviewing process with two individuals working on a seperate but related project, and Iam told that I have a couple of assignments that I can start working on once all the paperwork is complete.


But on to the good stuff, the reason that you come to this page in the first place:

I happen to be an avid Star Trek fan (ToS through Nemesis (not much a fan of Orci's and Abrams' versions of Trek), and the upcoming Axanar), I've come across some steampunk art that I found worth sharing. Forget about re-evisioning the present, let's re-envision the far-flung future! From fantastic German Deviant Artist, Flo Svensson, here are samples of some fine craftsmanship. After you see these, you will want to check out all his other goodies, so go check out his galleries. And don't forget to tell him what an awesome Steampunker he is!

Steam Punk in the Cinema Part 1

Whew!! Life has been extremely busy of late. Between classes at the university and a separate web project that I am running, there hasn't been much time to grease the squeaks in the Flash Boiler. Nevertheless, I had to post a few videos that I found recently that all carry the steam punk theme. Instead of popping them up all at once, however, I plan on posting them as a series.

First off, this week's clip is a 2010 Russian film called The Invention of Love. Very dystopian, I hope you like it:

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.