Pic of the day #6: Starship Orgone

Encyclopaedia Galactica reference: Starship Orgone is a living organism, a new ship engineered with the incorporation of machine and organic parts. The ship has its own free will and intelligence. In the little time it has been allowed to evolve it has decided its own course in evolution. Initially designed as a militant entity the starship willingly chose to experiment on an open sourced philosophy with the incorporation of varied knowledge from all parts of the cosmos and not only warfare. It is continuously traveling the universe in search of new data. Orgone is still a small child trying to grow up.

Terraforming Mars: Ecopoiesis

While we worry about the climate changes in our habitable planet and try to work on our ecology to cut down on gas emissions and global warming there are many scientists that actually visualize a similar process for the planet Mars. In this case there is no need for a restoration of an ecological balance but the whole process of creating conditions suitable for life and a stable ecosystem, in one word: ecopoiesis, the creation of a new earth.
There are many notable visionary scientists that dreamed of taming the red planet. Most notable of them was Carl Sagan. The late astronomer conceived a way of a biological factory of algae that will process carbon dioxide and generate oxygen and heat. In this way there will probably be a new more viable atmosphere created over time through the melting of the Martian polar caps, the vast expanses of iced water that are found to lie underneath the planet's poles. During a period of many hundred years the climate of the planet will gradually change to a more earth compatible one. The process also known as terraforming. In the picture shown there is a four step artistic illustration of the process of Mars' terraforming.(source wikipedia)
Also Martyn J. Fogg published in the Journal of the British Interplanetary Society his views on planetary engineering and presented that although mars used to be a biocompatible planet compared to Earth, a certain cataclysmic event, possibly an asteroid collision has turned it to an inhospitable place. The process of terraforming could be done anew but at immeasurable costs.
There are many issues ethical, political and financial in the way of a successful ecopoiesis. The political issues arise from the national divisions and the sovereignty of nations on the new planet. It is extremely possible that new conflicts will arise on this mater. The next thing is the economic impact of who and how will benefit from the time and resource consuming process. Will it be political nations, corporations, the settlers themselves? Finally if we come to nationality what will the future Martians be calling themselves? Americans, Russians, Greek or generally Terran? Probably none of these, a new revolution will surely start on the new motherland.

Pic of the day #5: The faithful departure of Viora SR-136

The Viora SR - 136 experimental cruiser was based on technology recovered from an archeological dig in an ancient derelict structure from the 23rd spiral region. The ancient technology that GALAXIA ΤF-aRc corp had salvaged and utilised in many prototypes was thought to be buried for millions of years. The derelict had long since been turned into the corporation's primary shipyard. Thousands of ships were launched and Galaxia's profits skyrocketed. The relic was moddified accordingly with scaffolding, living facilities and working quarters. Ore was mined from the asteroid field and used for the ships' srtuctural alloys. It was during Viora's maiden voyage when a strange source of radiation emerged from the distant part of the asteroid field. Everyone was mobilised to find the source when the whole sector was shocked by a cataclysmic explosion. The scale of the blast was such that all objects in a radius of 0.4 AU vaporised instantly! Nothing survived the self-destruction mechanism. The Old Ones finally had their vengeance!

Bladerunner Final Cut!

Bladerunner is my favourite movie ever, Period! I have enjoyed watching it so many times that I can recite all the dialogues from start to end. It is a timeless jewel that 25 years after its original release still amazes and gives thought about issues such as life, death, the social hierarchy, violence, love, racism, the decisions we make, our misconceptions and our regrets. Ridley Scott, the director, has remastered the original version with new vibrant colours and has edited again for one final cut. Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, Daryl Hannah, Joanna Cassidy, Edward James Olmos are still giving monumental performances! The restored film relies on the 1992 director's cut and expands the question of being a "replicant", an artificial being, even more with the addition of new scenes. The theatrical screenings have begun in the States but here in Greece we are still waiting for a cinema to host this brilliant restoration. There will be a 5 disk boxed set by the end of the year including bluray and Hd dvd versions! The film is based on Phillip K Dick's classic novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep". Watch it and you'll see things you wouldn't believe!

Bronko's Turrican Page!

Bronko is a modder and a fan and this is his marvelous Turrican page! He is from Germany where there are a lot of fans of the classic Turrican games. He is an active member of the Turrican community and is currently modding for the T2002 engine! His current project is called Underneath and he was also involved in Morgul Returns! You can check out his page here! There is also a forum with news and answers on Turrican mostly in the german language. Way to go Bronko keep up the good work! For german speakers click here.

My Conquest is the Sea of Stars.

My conquest is the sea of stars is the pilot movie to the series "Legend of the Galactic Heroes" probably one of the most complex and extraordinarily philosophical anime that have ever been created. The production is from 1988 but nevertheless it is a series of more than 110 episodes with a plot that is so thick with action that EVERY episode is compared with big budget action movies! Main characters are easily killed and there is a degree of realism that is disturbing with bombings, battles and political assassinations. The struggle to rule humanity is the theme and two nations battle over political and ethical supremacy. The scale of the conflict is massive and there is a very clear chain of command that is the backbone of the story. Literary hundreds of characters are introduced all of whom are voiced by different people! The fact that are completely massive space battles in the range of tens of thousands of spaceships has made this show an instant classic for me. The best thing though is that all the space battles are accompanied by classical music! Imagine 40 thousand spaceships blasting each other on the tune of Ravel's Bolero!!! It is beyond words! Just watch it!

Heroic Age!

Age is one of the last of the Heroic tribe, a civilization so advanced that could destroy planets and stars during their rage. The Golden tribe the rightful rulers of the galaxy have left for another universe and the rest of the tribes are left to sweep up the mess in the chaos that has followed. The humans, called the iron tribe must survive the vengeful vendetta waged by the technologically advanced Silver tribe and their henchmen, the alien Bronze tribe. The odyssey of the human tribe is told beautifully in 26 episodes in what is one of the most visually stunning anime around! The designs are beautiful and the colouring... AWESOME! Tip: Watch the high definition version!

Pic of the day #4: The super-intelligent humanoid parrot

There are many parrots in all the different regions of the cosmos but no other is nearly as intelligent as Hue Avinni the Genius. Raised by a family of human academics he was in the ideal environment for his overwhelming intelligence to flourish. At the age of 8 he finished highschool and by the age of 12 he had received his first Doctorate. Unfortunately even though his academic career was brilliant his mind was wandering on other methods for gaining power. He soon set up a network of criminally intent genetic scientists and started mysterious experiments on humans and animals alike. He created many chimeras, beings that were part human and part animal, trained them, and used them as assault troops in mob-like operations. His fortune rose to huge levels from arms and drugs dealing as well as technology and body part shipping and patenting. His gangster methods at industrial espionage were legendary as was his extravagant lifestyle and addiction to an exotic mind enhancing drug called mithral. He has had 23 children all of them genetically modified clones of himself. He is 45 years old although the race of parrots he originates from have a life expectancy of at least a hundred.

Pic of the day #3: The honoring of Baron Bren McGuire

Baron Bren Mcguire had been the liberator of the border worlds and strategic consultant to the Emperor himself. He single handedly defeated Morgul the three-headed, destroyed the Machine and later hunt down the machine cult heretics. After the fall of the allied worlds of men and during the catastrophic civil wars that devastated many civilizations he helped to bring order and stability to the universe. He was appointed commander of the Praetorian Guard and regional governor of the eastern core sector. In his early nineties the old veteran presented his arms dressed in his full ceremonial Turrican suit, bearing the crest of his rank and was honored by the imperial hand for his overall contribution to galactic stability. The Baron stood firm and unmoving in the great coronation hall. He stoically received the blessings and hurriedly left to attend to his duties. Bren McGuire, a true hardened warrior, was never at ease with formalities.

Pic of the day #2: Demise of the space Pirate

The infamous Var Lothe, the space pirate was the scourge of the west galactic stream. On countless occasions he had hijacked the unaware and the unprepared. His techniques were brutally efficient and he had accumulated great wealth and a large band of associates. It all changed the day that the imperial regional governor placed a bounty on his head so high that even his own colleagues could not ignore! A mutiny was quenched and on many occasions he barely survived capture and defeat. It was during one of his raids on a border world orbiting a gas giant that his second in command Johr Aile and his faithful group of Wolves, the elite ruffians betrayed him. The attack relied on surprise and Var Lothe was surely to be doomed or captured by the ferocious pack of ships. In the last possible moment before the inevitable the old pirate dived in the atmosphere of the gas giant. The pursuers followed hot in pursuit blasting large chunks of the ship to pieces. Then gravity had its way and his ship started to be crushed under the massive pulling forces. The dogs left the hunt and in his last moment Var Lothe disappeared flaming into the thick methane gases never to be seen again. Tales of his deeds and his demise spread around nearby system and rumor has it that his ship still haunts a certain secluded dark nebula.