Nov 5 2009 What Space Invaders Actually Look Like

This is an $18 Threadless shirt depicting what 8-bit Space Invaders actually look like in 3-D. Pretty amazing, huh? I know, I thought they were giant 2-D bugs as well. Really turns your whole world upside down, doesn't it? Like finding out your parents are swingers.

Product Site
via
8-Bit Invaders Are Perfectly Formed [fashionablygeek]

Thanks to Amanda, who just realized Aunt Beth and Uncle Simon weren't actually relatives. Sorry, Amanda.

Nov 2 2009 Spanish Space Hotel Still A Go For 2012

Intergalactic Suites, the $4.4 million per 3-night space hotel (you better change the sheets!) that we first reported on back in 2007, is apparently still a go for a 2012 grand opening. I'm skeptical. Also, on the waiting list. God I'm rich!

Galactic Suite Ltd, set up in 2007, hopes to start its project with a single pod in orbit 280 miles above the earth, with the capacity to hold four guests and two astronaut-pilots.

It will take a day and a half to reach the pod -- which Claramunt compared to a mountain retreat, with no staff to greet the traveler.

"When the passengers arrive in the rocket, they will join it for three days, rocket and capsule. With this we create in the tourist a confidence that he hasn't been abandoned. After three days the passenger returns to the transport rocket and returns to earth," he said.

Interesting, but I can think of a better business model. Namely, taking the customers to the hotel, then pulling away and threatening to leave them there if they don't pay another $10 million (you know they've got it). Geekologie Writer LLC: 2010 Startup of the Year!

Space hotel says it's on schedule to open in 2012 [msnbc]

Thanks to thanks to, who made me do that on purpose to make me look stupid EVEN THOUGH I KNOW ITS YOU FDSY.

Aug 23 2009 They're Coming: Space Invaders Lamp Shade

This Space Invaders lamp shade is available from meninos in both ceiling and table varieties for 60 bones. Each side of the cube features a different invader from the game and is sure to scare the crap out of you on your way to the kitchen in the middle of the night. Just sayin', I used to have a Frogger lamp in the dining room and some of the shit on the walls is so high I can't even reach it. Dinner anyone?

Product Site

Thanks to Tizer, who knows the only acceptable lamp shade comes in dinosaur form.

Aug 13 2009 Why Not?: Send A Text Message To Aliens

HelloFromEarth.net is a website where you can submit text messages to be broadcast to Gliese 581d, a planet 20-light years away that may or may not support life (but 100% does). You have until the 24th of the month to submit your texts. Aaaaaaand here are some awful examples of why the aliens are gonna come kill us all.

Come here and take me with us. Here everyone is crazy.

Ever heard of Jesus? He's pretty awesome. Yay space travel!

... hi....... hehehehehhehehehehee (runs off giggling like a little school girl at lunch over a cute boy)

Of course, not everyone can be an idiot moron, so thankfully there were a couple people who actually know how to talk to aliens.

You are cordially invited to an Interplanetary BBQ. 6.00pm, 4th October, 2452 at my place BYO Meat and Beer. RSVP: Year 2100 Cheers

Junjun, I love you forever. Although we are different and our love is not accepted by others,I cant stop loving you.I want to share my dream with you forever.

Hell yeah, Junjun, get you some! Share that dream. Share it ALL. NIGHT. LONG.

HelloFromEarth

Thanks to Katie and Harsh, who accidentally sexted the aliens. Nice going, guys (forward them to me).

Jun 27 2009 MacBooks Made With Space Technology

Here's video proof MacBooks are made with space technology. Now I don't want to ruin it for you, but I'm going to anyways: they are among us. And by they I mean them. The French.

Liveleak

Thanks to Ryan, Geekologie fan.

Jun 22 2009 Today's Woot Shirt: How Bacon Bits Are Made

This Bacon Bits t-shirt combines aspects of both Space Invaders and delicious pig particulate. I want to eat it.

Once in a while, in a great while, a shirt comes along that is so good, it leaves us totally speechless. There's no reason for us to even pretend otherwise today. And we won't.

They're $10 shipped over at shirt.woot.com (today only). So go get one now and show your appreciation for everyone's favorite sundae topping.

Shirt Woot (if you click this after today, 6.22.09, it will be a different shirt)

Thanks to Matty, Julian, Etienne, Jenny and Melissa, who once spilled a jar bacon bits and ate the floor.

May 5 2009 We Are Not Alone: Alien Skull Spotted On Mars

That's right folks, we now have 100% conclusive evidence there are, in fact, dead aliens on Mars. Or rocks, possibly just rocks.

Internet forums are full of chatter about the picture, taken by a panoramic NASA camera known as Spirit.

One alien-spotter speculated: "The skull is 15 cm with binocular eyes 5 cm apart. The cranial capacity is approximately 1400 cc.

"There appears to be a narrow pointed small mouth, so this creature most likely is a carnivore."

Another joked: "The coronal ridge shows ample structure to support the musculature of antennae, although none are visible in this view.

Joke now, but it's all fun and games until you wake up with an antennae in your you-know-what. And by 'you-know-what' I mean your girlfriend -- she's gonna cheat on you with an alien. Hey, don't cry, film it.

'Alien skull' spotted on Mars [telegraph]

Thanks to Chuck Nunchuck and Julian, whose relationships with Martian lovers have all ended the same: with them getting the shaft. The cold, metal shaft.

May 1 2009 Sure, Why Not?: Growing Plants On The Moon

Paragon Space Development Corporation, a NASA subcontractor, has decided to take a stab at growing plants in a specially designed greenhouse on the moon. THE MOON! The attempt will take place in 2012, so we may or may not get to see if it works before the world ends.

In order to successfully grow a plant on the moon, Paragon has developed a very specialized greenhouse that can safely contain a plant and provide it with all elements it needs to survive. The greenhouse will need to protect the plant from the sun's intense rays while providing it with enough water, balanced soil, and carbon dioxide while removing its waste oxygen.

Paragon has chosen a species within Brassica (the mustard family), due to their quick growth and the abundance of knowledge about the plant. A typical Brassica needs 14 days of light in order to grow, flower and then set seed. A lunar day is 14 Earth days long, so if the landing is timed perfectly, it will allow just enough time for the plant to grow to maturity and possibly re-seed.

Nice, but you really think anyone cares about growing mustard on the moon? No, I'm convinced there's a much more diabolical motive behind this experiment. Namely, government space weed.

First Gardens on the Moon by 2012! [inhabitat]

Thanks to Chuck Nunchuck and toast king, who once got high on Mars and thought they saw an alien. It was a rock.

Mar 18 2009 Rare Quadruple Moon Transit On Saturn

Will you look at that -- four of Saturn's moons (from left to right) Enceladus, Dione, Titan, and Mimas, all transiting its face at the same time. Amazing! This picture was taken by the Hubble Space Telescope and just recently released by NASA. You know, pictures like this really get me thinking about the beauty of space and just how small we are compared to the vast expanse outside our own atmosphere. Also, naked-ass aliens gettin' freaky deaky on the moon.

Hit the jump for a cool time lapse photo of the transit in progress.

Continue Reading " Rare Quadruple Moon Transit On Saturn "

Feb 12 2009 Woops: Two Satellites Crash Into Each Other

Two satellites in earth's orbit recently crashed into each other and caused a huge mess. "Cleanup in outerspace aisle 4!" Great, right when I was about to get off too.

In an unprecedented space collision, a commercial Iridium communications satellite and a defunct Russian satellite ran into each other Tuesday above northern Siberia, creating a cloud of wreckage, officials said today.

"As of about 12 hours ago, I think the head count was up (to around) 600 pieces," Carey told CBS News late today. "It's going to take about two days before we get a solid picture of what the debris fields look like. But you, I think, can imply that the majority of that should be probably along the same line as the original orbits."

Lovely, more space junk for me to run into in my rocket ship when I finally blast the hell out of here. And if you're having trouble understanding how two satellites could accidentally run into each other, just look at the image above, which is a rendering showing some of the 18,000 objects that are being tracked in earth's orbit. With that much stuff floating around, accidents are bound to happen. And speaking of which, Happy Birthday, son!

Two satellites collide in orbit [spaceflightnow]

Thanks to Dr Necropolis and E of R, who both agree this was planned by those devious Ruskies.

Dec 8 2008 ISS Orbiting Toolbag Filmed From Earth

Remember last month when a NASA toolbag accidentally floated off into space during a repair to the International Space Station (if not, video after the jump. Skip to about 0:55 to see the loss)?

Endeavor astronaut Heidi Stefanyshyn-Piper's loss has turned out to be an amateur star gazers' event of the season. The $100,000 tool bag slipped out of her reach and floated into space while she was trying to clean up a greasy mess on the starboard section of the space station. The tool bag is now dubbed ISS Toolbag and is orbiting the Earth. According to Space.com, Edward Light spotted the orbiting tool bag using 10 x 50 binoculars from his backyard in Lakewood, New Jersey.

The orbiting tool bag weighs approximately 30-pounds. It measures 20-inches wide and 12-inches long. The tool bag contains two grease guns, a scraper tool, a large trash bag and a small debris bag. Given the size and dim magnitude of the orbiting tool bag, star gazers will need binoculars or a small telescope to view it.

The video above is actual footage of the bag sailing by. Go here and enter your ZIP code to find out when and were to look to see the toolbag for yourself. Alternatively, come over to my place around six when my roommate gets home.

Hit the jump for the loss video.

Continue Reading " ISS Orbiting Toolbag Filmed From Earth "

Dec 5 2008 U.K. Launches (Teddy) Bears To (Near) Space

The University of Cambridge, in cooperation with a bunch of school kids, ballooned four teddy bears to 30,000 meters. Because, I mean, why the hell not?

A helium balloon was used to get the bears up up and away flying to Near Space or the Edge of Space as it is known. The bears endured temperatures of minus 53 degrees on the three hour flight from Cambridge and all were returned safely to Earth.

The project was intended to "engage local schoolchildren in science and engineering" with young pupils making the Teddy-nauts' space-suits.

Oh yeah, making Teddy-naut suits, that's science and engineering for you. Let's see, the dumbass bear on the left doesn't even have a freaking helmet, so that poor bastard's long gone. And the one on the right....is that an inside out Doritos bag zip tied to his body? Wow. There was no good picture of the balloon they used, but we can only assume it was of the 'Get Well Soon' variety from the grocery store.

Photos of teddy bears in space [newslite]

Thanks to Charles, who once launched a polar bear into space with a single punch. The dude's strong.

Dec 1 2008 Meteor Fragments Found, Geekologie Writer Plans To Pilfer And Sell On eBay

Remember the meteor that PEW PEWed over Canada last week? Well a bunch of the fragments have finally been located by scientists. So what I'm going to do is grab one of the guys, beat the whereabouts of said fragments out of him, liberate the stones, and then sell those mothers on eBay for a hefty profit! It's the American way. In Canada. It's the Americanadian way!

U of C planetary scientist Dr. Alan Hildebrand and graduate student Ellen Milley announced Friday morning they located several meteorite fragments late Thursday afternoon. They believe thousands of meteorite bits are strewn over 20 square kilometers near the Battle River.

Friday afternoon, they led a group of reporters to the site -- a region called Buzzard Coulee, about 40 kilometres from Lloydminster Reporters were told those observations, combined with the physical evidence, give scientists a treasure trove of data that could give them a better understanding of the solar system.

Haha, I didn't have to beat up the scientist after all. Woops. Anyway, what is this about a better understanding of the solar system? I'll tell you everything you need to know about the solar system in three sentences: It's big. It has a bunch of shit in it, but it's all pretty spread out with lots of nothing in between. Sometimes stuff busts all up into earth's atmosphere and goes buck-ass wild in here. Seriously, just ask the dinosaurs. OH HO -- that's right, they're all dead! My God were they sexy though.

Meteorite pieces found in Saskatchewan [cbcnews]

Thanks to Larry, who made fun of me for crying during The Land Before Time. Also, Dan smells.

Nov 4 2008 Space: Screw It, It's Just A Vacuum-y Landfill

Space: Our vacuum-y landfill to the north, south, east, and, uh, left.

A 1,400-pound (635-kilogram) ammonia tank burned up over the Pacific Ocean late Sunday, more than a year after an astronaut chucked it from the International Space Station because it had become obsolete, NASA said yesterday.

Astronauts routinely trash equipment in space. Most of it - including a 212-pound (96-kilogram) video camera stand Anderson got rid of during the same spacewalk - burns up before making impact on Earth.

What the -- we're already trashing space? I swear, if I see a single freaking McDonald's cup on the way to Moonbase Brothel, it's somebody's ass. And hopefully an alien stripper's -- in my lap.

Trash crash: Space litter makes landing [sciam]

Thanks to loyal Geekologist Hunter, who, even on his birthday, takes the time to send tips. HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUDDY!

Sep 4 2008 This Is What Would Happen...

If a large meteor hit earth because Superman is dead or we couldn't blow it up like in that movie Armageddon which totally did not make me cry when I watched it.

Watch the video for death and destruction set to Pink Floyd, sweet!

CG Animation Shows What Happens When Large Meteor Hits Earth [techeblog]

Aug 21 2008 Pretty F'ed Up: World Trade Center Invaders

French-American artist Douglas Edric "Asshat" Stanely "Steamer" has this game on display right now at the '08 Games Convention in Leipzig, Germany.

Stanely says that the exhibit is an update of one he created in September 2001. This time the exhibit is much larger, includes multiplayer support, improved tracking, high and low scores leader boards and a "stronger tie-in to the historical narrative that originally inspired me to make this version in the first place."

You aren't helping.

The World Trade Center attacks mark a deep cut in our recent history that is still being processed. The French-American artist Douglas Edric Stanley has found an unusual - though obvious - metaphor with his work "Invaders!", which is based on the 1978 arcade original. In his interactive large installation, the players must prevent the catastrophe by controlling the well- known cannon at the lower screen border with their bodies and firing it using arm movements. Like the original, this trial is ultimately unsuccessful, thus creating an articulated and critical commentary about the current war strategy. In this regard, Douglas Edric Stanley sees Space Invaders as "a social tale that can be related to historical tales without losing its poetic power"

Oh yeah, tons of poetic power there, Stanley. How moving. The convention goes on until the 24th, so anybody that's attending or lives nearby, feel free to stop in and say hello to Douglas. Hello with a tire iron to the nuts. And maybe you could recite some Dylan Thomas or Robert Frost while you're doing it. You know, for added poetic power.

Space Invaders Attack World Trade Center At Games Convention [kotaku]

Artist Explains WTC Space Invaders Exhibit at Games Convention [kotaku]
(Note: this page has a picture of him that will make you hate him even more -- he looks like a Nihilist from The Big Lebowski)

Thanks to Julian, who promised to stuff me in his luggage and get me over there.

Apr 24 2008 Space Invaders Decals A Hit With, Well, Me

So Space Invaders is celebrating its 30th anniversary and there's a new game coming out. Now what better way (besides getting a themed tattoo and legally changing your name to Space N. Vaders) to let guests in your home know that you love the game than sporting these wicked wall decals? Each set costs $45 and product details follow:

• 20 decals/pkg
• 15cm invaders
• 4 each of the 5 styles shown
• includes 20 missiles
• Comes in 4 color combo: classic red, raspberry, kiwi & deep sea

They look red, purple, green and blue to me, but let's not argue over the names of colors. No, let's argue over dinner. *wink* Your place or mine? Actually, let's make it your place, mine's being fumigated for genital lobsters. You make the dinner, I'll make the wine. Just kidding, I'll pick up a box on the way over.

Product Site

Thanks to Jonny 5, whose daughter's father is awesome, for the tip

Apr 14 2008 New Space Invaders Game Coming To Wii

A new Space Invaders game (Space Invaders Get Even) is coming out for the Wii later this year. Instead of trying to fend off the pesky bastards, you actually control them in an attempt to dominate the planet.

Using the Nunchuck, you direct a UFO to drop hundreds of aliens on forest, city and military targets, destroying everything in their path. You'll be able to command the invaders to swarm and group in a variety of attack formations.

Well hot damn, it's been awhile since I've done any serious invading. Mostly because the last time I tried making an invasion it didn't go so well. It was the women's locker room, and some buff chick wet-towel whipped me in the eyes before I even saw a tit.

One more screen shot after the jump.

Continue Reading " New Space Invaders Game Coming To Wii "

Apr 2 2008 Space Invader Pillows Will Invade Your Dreams

HAHAHAHHH!! Did you read that title I wrote? Do you get it? Because I don't. I asked my roommate if he thought it was funny but he just swung his bong at me. So I guess it's not. Oh well. Anywhichway, these are 30th anniversary Space Invader pillows. They're available for pre-order (shipping in July) and cost $30 each. Now don't get me wrong, I love Space Invaders, but I don't know if I need them in bed. I mean what if one of those little alien bastards tries invading your ear while you're sleeping? Then what? You gonna blast yourself in the head to get him out? Because I've got the feeling that'd f*** your brain up. Bad. Not that I care about my brain all that much, but my ears? Jesus, I've got great looking ears.

Space Invaders 30th Anniversary Pillows [albotas]

Mar 11 2008 Space Invader Coffee Table On Craigslist

Some guy made a Space Invader themed coffee table and is now selling it on Craigslist. He's asking $450, which is expensive. He has the list of materials he used on his website and apparently the thing cost him $415.59 to build. Which is also expensive. I'd be tempted to make one if I could do it for around $100. Maybe I can. The seller is getting rid of this table because he "had another clever idea for a coffee table and no room for two of them." Now the real question is "What the hell is this other awesome table he has up his sleeve?" Do you think it's going to be Zelda themed? Because man that would be AWE-to the-SOME. Possibly even more awesome than Zelda girl, just way flatter.

A couple more pictures after the jump.

Continue Reading " Space Invader Coffee Table On Craigslist "