Interesting Links for 25-08-2014

• Media coverage of Worldcons: Loncon 3, 2014 and Seacon '79, 1979
  (tags: media conventions scifi )
• This is the biggest thing I disliked about the first Capaldi Doctor Who
  (tags: drwho )
• Fish: smarter than you think
  (tags: fish intelligence )
• Macro-economics. Not really much of a science
  (tags: science economics )
• Video game journalism is having issues with idiots. I should be surprised, really, should I?
  (tags: journalism women games )
• Not a Tea Party, a Confederate Party (Would love to know more about this)
  (tags: history usa TeaParty )
• What Happens If You Quit Liking Things On Facebook for Two Weeks.
  (tags: Facebook )
• "GRRM can't do the ice bucket challenge! It'll give him a heart attack!" quoth the Julie
  (tags: GeorgeRRMartin video )
• Dr Who: Reuse of sets, or a hint at a "grand plan"?
  (tags: drwho )
• The police are WRONG: Watching extremist videos is NOT illegal
  (tags: YouTube law police videos uk terrorism )
• US mobile phone costs are more than 50% higher than the UK
  (tags: phones usa uk money )
• The seriousness of California's drought - before/after photos
  (tags: water California USA drought )

You don't need to put on makeup, we can just project it

In related news, I was watching the UI reel for Guardians of The Galaxy* and suddenly realised that at no point had I wondered "How did they make a talking raccoon that looks just like, well, a talking raccoon. I don't think there's anything that you could do with CGI nowadays that would surprise me.

Which, in some ways, spoils the experience. I remember when you could amaze the audience with a few dinosaurs.


*and agreeing with lproven that someone should provide UI skins that looks that awesome (and, sadly, unusable).