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Angry Nerd - Chris Baker’s Favorite Christmas Movie of All Time

A quest for films that genuinely reflect the spirit of the holidays leads the Angry Nerd to create an all-new celebration in honor of the best Christmas movie-maker of all time: Shane Black.




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WIRED Live - Milk Refrigeration Systems for India's Off-Grid Communities

As the largest producer and consumer of milk in the world, India faces a serious problem when it comes to off-grid dairy farmers. In this World Economic Forum discussion, Promethean Power Systems co-founder Sam White describes his approach to ensuring that milk is properly refrigerated and not spoiled by bacteria.




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Angry Nerd - The Big Bang Theory’s Shortcomings and Inaccurate Portrayal of Geek Culture

You'd think the Angry Nerd would be square in the targeting sights of The Big Bang Theory. You'd think he'd love the show. And yet…and yet….




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WIRED Live - Engineering Sustainable Biofuels

How do you feed the world, make biofuel, and remain sustainable? In this World Economic Forum discussion, MIT chemical engineer Kristala Prather says that microbes might provide an answer.




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Inside Innovation - Born of Sound: Transforming Sound into Art [Sponsored Content]

Consider it sound you can see. Find out how Ashik and Jenelle Mohan of Born of Sound are using audio recordings to create works of art, bringing to life a child’s laugh or heartbeat in a fluid, vibrant print. Brought to you by Intel.




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WIRED Live - The New Frontier of Medical Robots

In this World Economic Forum discussion, Carnegie Mellon roboticist Howard Choset shows how snake-like robots can perform minimally invasive surgeries, decreasing cost and patient recovery time.




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Gadget Lab - A Look at the Aerobie AeroPress Coffee-maker

It’s small in size, but packs the strong, flavorful punch that comes from a French press, with the clean and simple design of a drip coffee.




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Design FX - The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug: Creating a Waterlogged Action Sequence

Director Peter Jackson and FXguide’s Mike Seymour reveal how a pivotal seven-minute action sequence in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug was created with a combined 98 hours of footage from aerial shots, green-screen sets, live-action shoots, and complex CG environments.




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Angry Nerd - Mr. Peabody & Sherman and Today’s Remakes of Classic Cartoons

Pertinent question about the Mr. Peabody and Sherman cartoon: Why? It's a half-century-old cartoon with no brand recognition. But more to the point, all these expensive reboots tend to take away the things that made the original kids' shows…weird.




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Design FX - RoboCop: Breaking Down the Special Effects of the RoboCop Suit

For the latest reboot of sci-fi classic RoboCop, filmmakers opted for a mix of visual effects to achieve a realistic look. Fxguide’s Mike Seymour dives into the combination of creating a special effects suit for star Joel Kinnaman to wear, and the post CGI work that helped bring the half-man/half-robot to life.




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Angry Nerd - The Veronica Mars Movie Project and the Pitfalls of Crowdfunding Films

Veronica Mars fans pledged more than $5 million on Kickstarter to get a film adaptation of the show off the ground. And while Angry Nerd is all for crowdfunding for a good cause, when it comes to fans calling the shots in return for financial backing, the money-making model might end up causing more harm than good.




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Angry Nerd - Fox News’ Abundant & Unnecessary Use of Big-Area Touch Screens

Hollywood is always trying to sell us crazy computer interfaces. Wavy hands and holograms? Never gonna happen. But now Fox News is in on the game, too—and the Angry Nerd is unfairly unbalanced about the network's giant, newsgathering touch screens.




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WIRED April 2014 - Coal: It’s Dangerous, It’s Dirty, and It’s the Future of Clean Energy

Solar, wind, and nuclear don’t make climate change worse, but they don’t meet the world’s energy needs. What can? Coal, and in the April issue Charles C. Mann writes about cleaning up the dirty, cheap fuel. Also this month: keeping your garden green, how mobile messaging captured our kids (and $19 billion from Facebook), and Mike Judge takes on Silicon Valley.




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Angry Nerd - The Problem with Game of Thrones

There’s a massive publishing gap in the books that Game of Thrones is based off of, and Angry Nerd is concerned that the show could catch up to the plot before the next book is out. But, one simple solution could solve everything.




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Gadget Lab - A Look at Ducati & the Technology Behind One of the Fastest Production Motorcycles in the World

The 195-horsepower engine isn’t exactly meant for a daily commute. But Ducati’s 1199 Panigale S has a slew of features and the aerodynamics, torque, and weight reduction to make it one of the fastest production motorcycles in the world. Transportation editor Damon Lavrinc tests out the bike and talks to Ducati designers to see how they engineered one of the lightest street motorcycles on the market.




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WIRED - June 2014 Issue Teaser - The Future of VR is Here

We’ve long imagined a device that renders virtual reality that's indistinguishable from the outside world. In the June issue, Senior Editor Peter Rubin explores the Oculus Rift—a VR headset doing just that. Also this month: creating a museum from the ruins of 2,983 lives, the surprising science of the hangover, and the quantum computer that maybe isn’t. Music: "On Pagaie" Performed By: HUMANS (http://dashumans.com/)




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Angry Nerd - The Madness of the Timeline Mashup in the New X-Men

Angry Nerd has been to the future and he brings back an important message: don’t see the new X-Men movie. With a scrambled timeline and inclusion of too many sub-franchises, the film adds a new dimension to the “days of future past” continuum: straight confusion.




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Angry Nerd - Why Edge of Tomorrow is of the Greatest Movie About Video Games, Ever

The new sci-fi flick Edge of Tomorrow is basically a sci-fi rip-off of Groundhog Day, but with more Tom Cruise and less Bill Murray. And somehow, it manages to establish itself as one of the best movies about a video game, ever.




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RetroGrade - Why the Atari 2600 Is One of the Best Video Game Consoles, Ever

Long before the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the Atari 2600 was heralded as the next generation of gaming. Look no further than the sweet joystick and the detailed graphics to see why it’s considered one of the holy grails of video game consoles.




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WIRED Live - eBay’s R.J. Pittman on the Future of Shopping

WIRED senior writer Steven Levy talks with eBay’s R.J. Pittman on the future of shopping, the growth of mobile, and how to build an engaging experience in the digital marketplace.




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Design FX - X-Men: Days of Future Past: The Sentinels’ Complicated Follicle Animation

In X-Men: Days of Future Past, the mutant clan goes head-to-head with the Sentinels—a group of dystopian-era robots. Effects experts MPC created the Sentinels’ special effects using a follicle-like animation, comprised of tiny scales. Mike Seymour explains how they accomplished the technically complicated designs.




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New Rules for Stylish and Proper Behavior with Guest Voice of Reason: Jerry Seinfeld

As technology pioneers, we are inundated with new gadgets, services, apps, messaging, games, and media. We’re doxing, vaping, and Lyfting. And that means there are new rules for how to behave. Is it ok to answer an email during dinner? Is Google Glass ever cool? We got some help from Jerry Seinfeld, keen observer of social mores and foibles, on how to cope with modern technology… and whether it’s ok to “Like” a Facebook posting that someone died.




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Meet the Cast & Crew of Star Trek Continues with Vic Mignogna

Get to know the dedicated cast and crew that are bringing Star Trek Continues to life. Plus, find out which cast member spent time on set of the original series when his dad starred as Scotty.




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Angry Nerd - Why Andy Serkis is the Greatest Actor of His Generation

He's the maestro of motion capture performance. From Gollum in Lord of the Rings to Caesar in the new Planet of the Apes movies, Andy Serkis is the greatest actor you've never seen. So where is this man's Oscar? The Angry Nerd has words for the Academy—doesn't he, my Precious?




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Teen Technorati - To Infinity & Beyond: The Fellows Visit NASA & Learn About the Future of Life on the Moon

In this episode, Thiel fellow Rebecca Jolitz takes us on a tour of the NASA Ames Research Center, where she worked while attending UC Berkeley. The entire group also pays a visit to lunar transportation company Moon Express for lessons on space, technology, and how to turn the impossible into a reality.




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How to Survive a Real-Life "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" Situation

Ever wonder what you'd do if a gang of genetically engineered apes took over the planet? Host Quinn Beswick talks to scientists, sociologists, and survivalists for tips on what to do if you find yourself in a real-life Dawn of the Planet of the Apes situation.




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Bonus Content: Could A "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" Disaster Actually Happen?

Now you know what to do if a Planet of the Apes situation occurs, but is an ape takeover actually plausible? Host Quinn Beswick breaks down the likelihood of a primate invasion.




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How to Make a Giant Creature - It’s Back! Watch a Teaser of the Biggest, Baddest Creature Coming to Life for Comic-Con 2014

At San Diego Comic-Con 2013, WIRED debuted a giant robot mech. This year, a new version of the larger-than-life beast will be revealed at the ultimate fan convention. Watch a preview of what’s in store for the colossal creature, created in collaboration with the Stan Winston School, Legacy Effects, Stratasys, and WIRED. From design to tech and prototype to finished product, see how the ultimate cosplay creation came to life.




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How to Make a Giant Creature - Watch FX Experts Build the Prototype of a 14-Foot Creature

The design phase is over, and now it's time to prove that the 14-foot-tall creature can be built. As the team starts to build the prototype, challenges arise due to the creature's size and scale.




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How to Make a Giant Creature - How Do You Scale Up the Design of a Giant Creature?

Designer Greg Smith walks us through the process of scaling up the massive beast to see how much volume is needed to create it. After taking photos and videos of the rough frame and superimposing it onto an image of the creature, the team is able to get a better idea of what dimensions they'll need to bring it to life.




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How to Make a Giant Creature - Using 3-D Printing to Build a Small-Scale Figure of a Giant Creature

Lead systems engineer Jason Lopes walks us through the process of creating a maquette—a 10 to 18-inch 3-D figure—which gives the team a tangible and highly detailed representation of the creature.




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Design FX - Dawn of the Planet of the Apes: Transforming Human Motion-Capture Performances Into Realistic-Looking Apes

In the latest incarnation of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Andy Serkis and Toby Kebbell deliver human motion-capture performances to help bring the realistic apes to life. Shot with a combination of high-speed cameras, Mike Seymour breaks down the tech behind shooting the motion-capture scenes on location versus on a sound stage.




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How to Make a Giant Creature - Watch the Full-Body Mechanics of the 2,000-Pound Giant Creature in Action

Catch a first-look at the giant creature in action as the team tests out the mechanics of the frame.




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How to Make a Giant Creature - How to Make Monster Sounds with the Click of a Button

Wonder how Bodock the Giant Creature and his alien sidekick got their voices? In this episode, we take a trip to Anarchy Post to see how the creature's voice came to life with the help of voice actors and Dehumaniser—a real-time vocal processor for monster sound FX.




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Design FX - Game of Thrones: Combining CGI and Live Action to Create the Dragons & Fights Scenes in Season 4

In season four of Game of Thrones a combination of CGI and live character action were used to create impressive fight scenes and stunning visual effects. Mike Seymour breaks down the tech behind the hit HBO show.




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How to Make a Giant Creature - What's Under the Hood of an Otherworldly Giant Creature?

How do you make a 2,000-pound creature move with fluidity and ease? Find out, as we break down the animatronics and mechanics that control the mobility of the giant beast, including nostril flares, mouth movements, and more.




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The Window - Goodyear Blimp Part 3: From Zeppelin to Goodyear: Discover the History & Future of Airships

Blimps have come along way from the Zeppelin days; find out what's in store for the future of Goodyear's new airships.




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Battle Damage - Microsoft Zune Torture Test

Released in 2006, the Microsoft Zune was intended to be a competitor to Apple’s iPod. It didn’t stand a chance then and it doesn’t stand a chance now. See what happens when we go medieval on this week’s gadget, as recommended by Mark and Todd from Barely Political.




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Angry Nerd - Star Wars Rebels: Strong With the Force, or a Pile of Sith?

Star Wars Rebels is Disney’s latest foray into the Star Wars universe, but will this animated installment use the power of the force for good, or take a trip to the dark side? Angry Nerd Chris Baker reviews all of the animated renditions of Star Wars to uncover what worked, and what was a steaming pile of Sith.




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Battle Damage - MacBook Air vs. Karate Kick of Death

Apple’s MacBook Air is light and easy to transport, but can it withstand a blow from our stunt performer who holds a black belt in karate? YouTuber @Jackson challenged us to find out—see what happened.




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Angry Nerd - Why "Dracula: Untold" Will Suck the Blood (and Soul) Out of You

The latest victim in the movie studios' quest to take stories we know and love and destroy them with tedious pre-history? Dracula: Untold, which provides us with the unnecessary origin story on how the original vampire became a thirsty bloodsucker, long before the days of Twilight.




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Angry Nerd - Will the New U.K. Import “Gracepoint" Join the Ranks of “The Office,” “House of Cards,” and “Shameless”?

The British are coming. Can the new crime drama Gracepoint (based on the U.K. hit Broadchurch) find success stateside and join the shortlist of Brit expats that found their footing on red, white, and blue T.V.s, like The Office, House of Cards, and Shameless?




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Ziba: A Bold Vision for the Future of Postage

Signet, created by the design firm Ziba, is a visionary concept for changing the way we send mail.




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Array of Things: A Fitbit for the City

The Array of Things project in Chicago, led by the University of Chicago, Argonne National Laboratory, the Computation Institute, and the School of the Art Institute Chicago, is installing hundreds of sensors across the city, in hopes of providing a new breed of data-fueled urban planning.




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WIRED - November 2014 - The Big Heroes of Disney Animation

Dinosaur. Treasure Planet. Home on the Range. For years, Disney Animation churned out duds. Then Pixar's masterminds took over and we got blockbusters like Wreck-it-Ralph and Frozen. In the November issue, WIRED senior editor Caitlin Roper talks to Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios' Ed Catmull and John Lasseter about their latest film, Big Hero 6, which proves the magic is here to stay. Also this month: what's inside a flu shot; the NBA's money ball moment; the future of AI.




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WIRED by Design - Bjarke Ingels Will Make You Believe in the Power of Architecture

Architect Bjarke Ingels at WIRED by Design, 2014. In partnership with Skywalker Sound, Marin County, CA. To learn more visit: live.wired.com




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WIRED by Design - An Aerospace Whiz Shows Off a Space Suit Made for Mars

Dava Newman and Gui Trotti at WIRED by Design, 2014. In partnership with Skywalker Sound, Marin County, CA To learn more visit: live.wired.com




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Angry Nerd - Big Hero 6 is More Than Just a Disney-fied Version of a Marvel Classic

When Disney announced the launch of Big Hero 6, Angry Nerd was skeptical it’d turn into another kid-friendly version of Marvel IP. Turns out the House of Mouse was able to adapt the classic comic (albeit with a few major changes) into an entertaining animated feature that’s not just another Disney dud.




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WIRED by Design - What Power Plant Software Can Learn From Consumer Apps Like iTunes

Greg Petroff at WIRED by Design, 2014. In partnership with Skywalker Sound, Marin County, CA. To learn more visit: live.wired.com




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WIRED by Design - These Incredible High-Tech Exhibits Are the Future of Museums

Jake Barton at WIRED by Design, 2014. In partnership with Skywalker Sound, Marin County, CA. To learn more visit: live.wired.com