I know as much about anime as I do quantum physics. But one thing I do know is that all those cosplayers at cons spend a lot of time, effort, and money to get their costumes just right. Unfortunately, all that hard work is usually captured by low-resolution digital cameras, poor lighting, and boring, static photos. But Ackson Lee takes a different approach to capturing those wonderful cosplay costumes.
Using HD video cameras on Steadicam harnesses, Lee and his small team of videographers run around cons taking some pretty incredible clips of fans in costume. They actually take the time to setup shots, have the people pose, and sometimes even have them act out small scenes to give their characters life. The videos are beautiful and definitely give you a better appreciation for all the hard work put into the wardrobe and props.
Check out this special Final Fantasy video, then hit Lee’s YouTube channel for more. And then someone give this guy a budget, because he could make some kick ass fan films.
Most of you won’t really give a crap, but here it is, the new logo representing the next major revision of the HTML standard: HTML5.
It stands strong and true, resilient and universal as the markup you write. It shines as bright and as bold as the forward-thinking, dedicated web developers you are. It’s the standard’s standard, a pennant for progress. And it certainly doesn’t use tables for layout.
You can find some really fantastic handmade geeky crafts on Etsy (they do have a whole section called geekery), and one type I’ve noticed a lot of lately are scarves – probably because it’s cold outside! Though of course you can’t go wrong with emulating Doctor Who, here’s some you might want to snatch up – but be quick because Etsy goodies are often one-of-a-kind.
The idea that friends are the new family might go deeper than purely cultural patterns. A US study raises the possibility that genetics may contribute to who we do and don’t form friendships with.
James Fowler, an assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego, has previously looked into the way humans form social networks in “real life” as well as online. He decided to examine whether there was a genetic basis to those patterns by looking at two US studies that contain data both about the genetics and friendships of those tracked in the study.
Before going any further, it’s important to note that (even beyond the usual caveats of scientific research results), what Fowler found was far from conclusive. With four of the six genetic markers studied, there was no clear pattern at all.
However, the findings did show that people with the DRD2 marker, which is associated with a tendency towards alcoholism, were likely to form “clusters” of friendships with one another. Meanwhile people with CYP2A6, which has been linked both to the metabolism of nicotine, and openness to new ideas, tended to form friendships with one another.
How much of this pattern is genetic and how much is down to social behavior is hard to tell. For example, there’s certainly a strong argument that people who drink a lot are more likely to spend more time in bars and strike up friendships. Then again, those whose bodies are able to cope with heavy smoking should theoretically be less likely to make friends with each other according to the genetics, but in reality many smokers can form friendships through the common bond of being forced outdoors or to designated smoking areas.
The most interesting outcome of the research isn’t so much the specifics of the gene, but rather the wider pattern that it suggests: that people can be likely to form friendships not only with those who are genetically similar, but also those with genetic differences.
It follows on from previous exploration of whether the idea that “opposites attract” is purely a social phenomenon, or if there’s a genetic element to it. There is a theory that people susceptible to genetic conditions may be wired to avoid those who could be susceptible to the same condition, thus reducing the chances of passing it on to children.
A cool-looking gas mask ring from Manillusion.com, complete with rubber hose and slave ring, for those of you who like… unconventional-looking jewelry.
