Archive for the 'Features' Category

A Very Special Friday Night Nerd

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Tonight’s Friday Night Nerd is special. As some of you may already know, Gary Gygax passed away this last March 4th. Gary Gygax was the co-creator of the Dungeons and Dragons tabletop roleplaying system, and considered by many to be the grandfather of all pen and paper roleplaying. As such, he was probably as close to “King Nerd” as anyone.

Although Gygax lost control of TSR (the company behind D&D) fairly quickly, his contributions to gaming and culture in general have left their mark. For me, he is probably responsible for more hours of quality entertainment than anyone other than Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek.

Fear not though, fellow nerds. Although Gary Gygax may have failed his saving throw vs. Death, we can be sure he is traveling the ethereal plane combating evil in another realm. That or he turned himself into a Lich with 8-12 hit dice, and is waiting for unwary adventurers in the lowest levels of a dungeon somewhere.

-Andy

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Weakly Astrology for 3-3-08

Previous Horoscopes

Aries

3/21-4/19

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Lottery Jackpot Time! And boy oh boy, it’s about time too. You’ve worked hard to get where you are and all that ass busting and saving is about to pay off big. Forgo the usual single ticket at the gas station on the way home from work and splurge on at least 100 of ‘em! The crab nebula is in your constellation this week, and that means buying 100 tickets will increase your odds of winning by 100 times! I guarantee it!

Taurus

4/20-5/20

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Don’t be too ambitious this week. I know jobs don’t find themselves, but what could one more solid week of unemployment hurt? It’s not like anyone NEEDS your skills at all. Protip: Cheetos are great dipped in Hidden Valley Ranch.

Gemini

5/21-6/21

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Your spouse or boss may try to part ways this week by firing/divorcing you. Try to weather the storm by being a total suck-up. Don’t worry about seeming to transparent about it either, get ‘em a big box of candy in a heart shaped box. And for the significant other shit I don’t know get them an apron or some crap.

Cancer

6/22-7/22

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You will take a penny/leave a penny… that’s all I got sorry.

 

 

Leo

7/23-8/22

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Today is a great day to institute change on a grand scale. Try to affect your world in a positive way by starting a petition or letter writing campaign. Not one of those worthless online petitions either. We’ll get another Star Trek series on the air if it’s the last thing we do. Paramount can’t hold back the flood any longer. TO BOLDLY GO WHERE NO MAN HAS GOME BEFORE! WHO’S WITH ME?! If you are rich, just finance more episodes of Mystery Science Theater 3000. That would be okay too.

Virgo

8/23-9/22

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Man, lemme tell ya man. Ya can’t trust anyone, ya know? Ya hear what I’m sayin’ man? It’s the corporations man, that’s like all there is. They own us. They own Washington and they own you man. Stop living in dream eating whatever the government shoves at ya. Think on your own for a change.

Libra

9/23-10/22

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It would be really cool if you socked someone in the nuts today and filmed it. Put it up on YouTube or something cause I feel like lollin for the lulz. Just wait outside of a convenience store pretending you work there with a broom or something and jam the handle into some guy’s nards. Lulz upon lulz FTW.

Scorpio

10/23-11/21

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That old Gypsy curse you came down with is going to start acting up today. Try not to cook or expose yourself to chemicals today (bar soap counts as a chemical), as you may find yourself highly flammable. Watch out for birds pecking your eyes out and any computer equipment you use may end up exploding in a shower of razor sharp shrapnel. There was something else too, but I forgot…

Sagittarius

11/22-12/21

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Stop reading now. If U are readin this still U have 2 repost this horoscope 10 times or U will DIE! Ur fingers will also turn into small hands. The fingers on those hands will also be replaced with even smaller hands. The fingers on those will be made of delicious shrimp scampi.

Capricorn

12/22-1/19

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Start annoying your friends by pointing out everything they do wrong. Hey, since you are reading this horoscope you have the inside track right? When one of your buddies talks about something like it’s a fact, be sure to contradict him in the most awkward way possible. People need to leave their comfort zone once in a while, and you’re just the “wacky” jackass to do it.

Aquarius

1/20-2/18

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Your sense of humor is one of your strongest assets this week. How do I know you have a great sense of humor? Why, because you’re here at Station Atomica of course! Station Atomica has all sorts of hilarious, original content you can’t find anywhere else, not like those OTHER sites. Remember to visit Station Atomica every day, and be on the lookout for Station Atomica license plate frames and napkin holders, coming soon. Station Atomica.

Pisces

2/19-3/20

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Your quest is to retrieve 20 rat’s gizzards from the Plains of Desolation. ‘Course there are 1000 other people I just gave this quest to, and they’re all at the Plains of Desolation already. Also, despite popular belief, rats are extremely rare creatures and only one in twenty rats has a spleen. Did I say gizzard before? Spleen, gizzard, who knows what I mean, maybe I’m not even talking about rats at all. Good Luck! See you in five hours and I might give you a cucumber skin jerkin or a pair of moth fur bracers!

-Andy

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.GIF Critique Theatre for 2-28-08

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Welcome to the GIF Critique Theatre, a place where the lovers of art and technology come together to explore the world of the .GIF image as art. Analysis, appreciation, and insight are the orders of the day, as well as a bunch of words used only in the cutthroat world of competitive scrabble. Onward, the knowledge you crave so deeply is just a few short words away.

 

Blackdance

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Just as we must appreciate a Renaissance fresco in conjunction with the time it was produced, so to must we consider a .GIF image in context. This turn of the century work by an early American .GIF artisan is the product of the prevailing views toward African-Americans around the year 2000.

We may find such imagery distasteful now, but we must remember that every artist is a slave to the time at which they were born. Had Rembrandt been alive today, he may very well have been remembered for a performance piece in which he shaves his eyebrows while defecating into a box of Honey-Nut Cheerios. This work is in no way malicious, but it does showcase subtle prejudices of the time. The belief that all blacks are born to dance, as well as their depiction as a violent race by including red boxing gloves on the figures’ hands are beliefs no longer held by society as a whole and are no longer found in more modern works. The subconscious prejudice runs so deep that boxing gloves were even included on the feet, indicating the figures used them in similar fashion as the hands, much like an ape.

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These views are no longer accepted in American society, but were commonplace in 2000. A wise student of the .GIF image will always remember to take into account historical context when analyzing a .GIF image for meaning.

 

Sparkle Car

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This depiction of a glittering sports car is the product of contemporary .GIF artist Eli Gomez. Gomez is a well known figure in the conceptual .GIF movement. We were recently able to interview Gomez over telephone regarding the intention of this piece.

“Sparkling Car is my message to the materialists of the world. So called “bling” is nothing but a transitory speed bump in the pursuit of what is truly valuable in life. Do you have any idea how much it costs to coat a Lamborghini in glitter? I don’t, but you can bet some of these misguided fat-cats know all about that? See how the car exists in a cold, lifeless void? Where is it going? it is nothing more than a gaudy display speeding toward a destiny of nothingness.”

 

UFO Chasing Skeleton.

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This work by an unknown .GIF artist is a true masterpiece. Much effort has been expended trying to uncover the source of this amazing work, but in all probability the artist has succumbed to the extravagant excesses of the .GIF world.

This work was found abandoned on a humble abandoned Star Craft: Brood War strategy tips website in late 1999 and recently went in auction for a sky-high price of $1.23. Such is the tragedy of .GIF artistry; the greatest artist are discovered only after their time. In all likelihood the unknown creator died penniless in a back alley after a particularly severe LSD trip left him confused and disoriented.

Perhaps the artist was running from his own demons, much like the skeleton in his work is pursued relentlessly by a laser wielding UFO. Unlike the artist, however, not even death is an escape from a tortured existence for the skeletal subject. Certainly one of the greater masterpieces of our time.

Excuse me now, gentle readers, for I am overcome with emotion and must be left in silent contemplation. Until next time here are some more .GIF Critique Theatre episodes.

-Andy

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Weakly Astrology for 2-25-08

Previous Horoscopes

Aries

3/21-4/19

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Your relationships will suffer as that urge to kill manifests itself later in the week. Don’t panic if the voices seem to scream for the blood of innocents. In the words of Ghandi, “Wait until they’re asleep, then you can whack ‘em over the head with a wrench. Nobody screams and there’s nothing to worry about.”

Taurus

4/20-5/20

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You have to believe in yourself if you ever want to charm that special someone. Go on little buddy, anythings possible if you just believe. Why, did you know you can even fly if you believe hard enough? All you have to do is find a high enough spot like a canyon or a Sears Tower and believe really hard as you jump off and into the clouds!

Gemini

5/21-6/21

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Hey, for once the problem isn’t your circumstances or other people, it’s YOU. That’s right, you better start shaping up, poindexter. I mean look at you. Lousy job, lousy family, and to top it off you’re ugly. Get out of my face; you disgust me.

Cancer

6/22-7/22

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Yeah yeah, I don’t know what’s up with the goofy sign for Cancer either. I think these things were drawn a long-ass time ago when people didn’t know shit about animals. Some jerk in a hovel probably just hiked his ass up to the local monastery and asked the monks if he could see the “Ye Olde Beastiary” because he didn’t know what the hell a crab was supposed to look like. So that is the reason your sign looks like a crawdad.

Leo

7/23-8/22

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Stop right there. You’re being watched. Don’t turn around. The light fixture has a camera in it. Keep reading this like nothing unusual is happening. This was the only way I could get the message to you. They’re trying to figure out if you know about their plans. The important thing now is to lay low, and don’t draw attention to yourself. There’s nothing more I can do for you. You will get a call with further instructions.

Virgo

8/23-9/22

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It may seem as though you are not in control lately. That’s because you aren’t. I’m not really one to give advice, but if I were you I’d put my foot down. I mean why shouldn’t you have pork chops for dinner tonight, and every other night?!? Life’s a one shot deal, and don’t let you-know-who interfere with your dreams of a PORK CHOP PALACE.

Libra

9/23-10/22

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Hey buddy, wanna know a secret? IDDQD. Congratulations, you now know the secret of the universe and are the most powerful being imaginable. You don’t need to read the horoscopes anymore, you make the horoscopes for all those other sad mofos out there.

Scorpio

10/23-11/21

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The phases of the moon and the position of Jupiter in the Antares cluster mean that your normal steadfastness may become a hindrance in the near future. Wait for your energy points to align with the aaaisduf AUUUURRGHGH ASTROLOGY IS SO GODDAMN DUMB AND YOU SHOULD FEEL HORRIBLE IF YOU BELIEVE EVEN AN OUNCE OF IT.

Sagittarius

11/22-12/21

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Try not to feel too horrible for the mistakes of the past. Progress can be made only if you forgive yourself. I know, those kids in the orphanage were looking forward to Christmas more than anything. It’s true that their screams echoed through the night as they roasted alive with the building burning around them. I know how hard it is to forget about their tiny bodies throwing themselves futilely against the heavy doors blocked on the other side by none other than yourself. Time heals all wounds though, and what you want can be yours if you convince yourself that you deserve it.

Capricorn

12/22-1/19

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Big plans this week, huh? Got it all worked out, right? Well, we’ll see about that. I’m the horoscope writer, and I’LL tell you when you have plans, got it? So you just take it easy. If I’m feeling like it I’ll write something about the Lotto or a giant diamond. Then again, I could just write about the International Space Station suddenly losing orbit and turning your ass into strawberry jam. Yeah, that’s the ticket…

Aquarius

1/20-2/18

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FAAAAAART Sorry, there seems to be a problem with your horoscope here. FARTZ Uh, You’ll have to come back later when we have this straightened out. ~FaAaaaAAAaRRRrRT~ Not sure what the :::##FFFAAAAAUUUAUAUUARRRRTTT##::: problem (fart) is -=FARTZZZ=- but we’ll have it figured out in a little bit. {fart}

Pisces

2/19-3/20

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This morning’s going to suck but you will find a million dollars in a briefcase this afternoon. So yeah, I’m done right? No more horoscopes to write. Yeah, definitely a million dollars, maybe 2 million. So if that’s it I’m going to go now. Alright…

well…

okay then, see ya later.

-Andy

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Back in Brown (Jedi Robes)

Wahoooooo! Haven’t updated since Monday and my excuse is… I been busy. I got irons in the fire, I’ll tell you what, and I’m shootin’ to the MOON! Don’t worry though, I haven’t forgotten my pride and joy, and Station Atomica is back on track for more adventure and updates so great, you’ll swear your dick was slammed in a car door! To show I mean business, here’s a FRIDAY NIGHT NERD:

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More lonely keyboard Jedi HERE

-Andy

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