This short film was a Sundance Festival entry, and is an interesting mashup of high school sex-ed and the writings of H.P. Lovecraft. Where “interesting” should be read as, “really peculiar.”

(via Topless Robot)

1. What was “The Observer’s” full name on Quantum Leap?
   A) Al Lewis
   B) Al Pierce
   C) Al Calavicci
   D) Al McWilkie
   E) Al Scaramaglio
2. What Robert Heinlein novel was sometimes called “The Hippies’ Bible?”
3. Who wrote the original screenplay for Planet of the Apes?
   A) Pierre Boulle
   B) Roman Polanski
   C) George Pal
   D) Rod Serling
   E) John Brunner
4. Named for the god’s acolytes, Fear and Terror, the moons of Mars are called what?
5. James Blish’s “Black Easter” is the tale of an arms dealer who wants to unleash all the demons of hell on Earth for one day, to see what happens. It was serialized in If Magazine under what title?
   A) Dr. Mirabilis
   B) A Case of Conscience
   C) Faust Aleph-Null
   D) The Day After Judgment
   E) After Such Knowledge
6. In the space-vampire flick Lifeforce, the shuttlecraft Churchill discovers an alien spacecraft inside the head of what comet?
7. What E.C. Tubb character is the hero of The Winds of Gath, among others?
   A) Jason Dinalt
   B) Davy Pangborn
   C) Tabitha Jute
   D) Earl Dumarest
   E) Riddley Walker
8. The 1958 Japanese classic The Hidden Fortress was acknowledged as a primary source of inspiration by the producer of what genre-changing science fiction classic?
9. Who wrote the auto-erotic novel Crash?
10. What Federation outpost did V’Ger zap at the beginning of Star Trek: The Motion Picture?
    A) Epsilon 9
    B) Memory Alpha
    C) Qualor II
    D) Regula I
    E) Argus Array

(Answers below the fold)

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The heck with Chuck Norris; Carl Friedrich Gauss is the real badass.

Gauss didn’t discover the normal distribution, nature conformed to his will.

If Gauss had to walk 100 metres, and half the remaining distance, then half the remaining distance again, and so on, he’d get there.

Parallel lines meet where Gauss tells them to.

:::giggle:::

“Art-technology-philosophy group” monochrom is creating a ten-part improv-reality sitcom about life on the International Space Station.

The four actors playing the ISS crew must develop strategies on the fly in response to surprise situations, which are loosely based on actual ISS data uncovered by monochrom.

Here’s the first episode. The others (there are currently three, plus some extra video goodness) are here.

(via BoingBoing)

Marvel did this spoof of the “Little Vader” VW ad to promote the movie Thor. The dog’s name on its bowl and the car license plate are nice touches.

(via Blame it On the Voices)

redandjonny – Tumblr photoblog devoted to a couple who like to dress up in stormtrooper helmets.

The Lost TinTin Book – I’d read this.

Chocolate Cthulhu – Artist Paul Carrick posted a fake chocolate Cthulhu as a prank and got such an overwhelming response that now he’s going to actually make them. (Hat tip to CJ)

The Three Ages of Nerd – Exactly.

Buntacles – The cutest mashup of a bunny and a cephalopod that you’re ever likely to see. First you snorgle it, and then it eats your face off.

Myths RETOLD – Hi-larious stream-of-consciousness recounting of various myths and legends. You will laugh.

Play Dead – Potential movie (they need funding to finish it) that appears to amount to “The Incredible Journey” with zombies.

Just Your Typical Office – Gorgeous steampunk-themed office.

1. Teletraan I is the name of the Autobot’s computer in the series Transformers Generation One. What actor provided its voice?
2. This planet was home of House Corrino and Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV.
   A) Arrakis
   B) Terminus
   C) Kobol
   D) Iscandar
   E) Kaitan
3. The Grand Napolean is a Charles Babbage-style mechanical supercomputer from what alternate history novel by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling?
4. In the Twilight Zone episode “The Howling Man,” who is imprisoned in the monastery?
5. In Jack Chalker’s Well World series, what is the name of the gigantic computer underlying the planet?
6. You’d better have a glitter gun if you run into these Dr Who villains.
7. Holly is the name of the ship’s computer in what SF TV series?
8. In Larry Niven’s Ringworld, what character has “all the luck in the world?”
9. EPICAC is a computer that coordinates the US economy in “Player Piano”, a story by what author?
10. In Ira Levin’s This Perfect Day, children sing songs of praise to:
    A) Christ, Marx, Wood and Huey
    B) Christ, Marx, Arlo and Wei
    C) Christ, Lenin, Wood and Wei
    D) Chris, Marx, Wood and Wei
    E) Huey, Dewey, and Louie

(Answers below the fold)

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Several more on Buzzfeed.

(via Blame It On the Voices)

Black Phoenix is a purveyor of unique fragrances specifically designed to appeal to the fantasy/horror geek.

They take inspiration from their perfume blends from a wide variety of literature, mythology, historical figures, and folklore, which results in blends like “Jersey Devil” (pitch pine with blackberry leaf, cranberry, cedar wood and tomato leaf) and collections like “Steamworks” (“Aelopile,” “Galvanic Goggles,” “No. 93 Engine,” “Phoenix Steamworks,” “Smokestack,” “The Antikythera Mechanism,” “The Obsidian Widow,” and “The Robotic Scarab”). They also occasionally do limited-edition scent collections based on authors’ works, with proceeds going to charity: One of their current offerings is inspired by Neil Gaiman, with fragrances like “The Macabray” and “Fairy Market.”

Since they’re definitely aiming for “ambiance” over “mass appeal,” their blends don’t work with every skin chemistry, so a thriving community has risen up around trading scents with other fans. The BPAL Swaps LiveJournal page and The Unofficial BPAL Forum are two sources for trading and/or finding discontinued blends, and searching “Black Phoenix Swaps” will turn up plenty of others.

One criticism I’ve seen of their products is that, although the fragrance blends are “logical,” they’re not necessarily what one would expect a particular scent to be. For instance, their “Dracul” is a mixture of black musk, tobacco, fir, balsam of peru, cumin, bitter clove, crushed mint, and orange blossom. That fits right in with the literary description, from the pine forests in Transylvania to the scents beloved of Victorians. What it doesn’t do is smell much like Dracula.

Nevertheless, if you’re wearing a fragrance called “Abe Sapien” or “Misktatonic University” you can’t help but feel a little geekier than usual. They’ve got dozens of perfumes to choose from, so you’re bound to find something that appeals.

(Cross-posted at The Art of Darkness)

Geeks Are Sexy created this chart, based on the Chinese zodiac (larger image at the link). It makes at least as much sense as traditional astrology.

I’m deeply disappointed that I’m a Spy instead of an Alien.

(via Pharyngula)