Math is hard? Not anymore: Barbie takes on engineering

Computer Engineer BarbieThere are bound to be tons of announcements out of Toy Fair this week (people seem awfully excited about Hasbro’s new AT-AT.) But what I personally find most interesting is a computer engineer Barbie. On the one hand, I was surprised that Mattel hasn’t gone there already, and that it took a “popular vote” to get her there. (The “girls vote” went to ‘news anchor.’) On the other hand… I’m not surprised at all. Not even that her laptop is pink. But a step is a step, right?

Wait a minute:

“Girls who discover their futures through Barbie will learn that they – just like engineers – are free to explore infinite possibilities, and that their dreams can go as far as their imaginations take them,” said Nora Lin, President, Society of Women Engineers. “As a computer engineer, Barbie will show girls that women can design products that have an important and positive impact on people’s everyday lives, such as inventing a technology to conserve home energy or programming a newborn monitoring device.”

Baby monitors. Not that there’s something wrong with baby monitors, but how does that even make the top ten of exciting things to do with computers? Aim for the stars, girls!

Gate Geek – Own the Stargate

A year-long auction of Stargate memorabilia has begun.  The auction, run by the same company that did last year’s Battlestar Galactica sell-off, is supposedly of items that the production company knew they’d not need for future movies. (via)

Of course, this only reinforces the fan perception that the new straight-to-DVD movies will never happen.  MGM has been unable to gather the funding to launch them in the current economy.  But after 15 years, one can imagine that their prop storage is full to busting at the seams.  Still, Stargate fans enjoy some good angst, so the worry continues.

Actor David Hewlett (Rodney McKay) has proposed another idea on his Twitter, though:

Okay, here’s the plan: We buy everything, put it all back together, and then we make the Stargate Atlantis movie. http://bit.ly/8qJ2tQ

Gift Guide: Santa Maul panders to his demographic

baseball

Santa Maul's Holiday Gift GuideSanta Maul considers himself a gentleman of taste. This means he does not wear baseball caps, or any such gear reserved for the beer-swilling masses. As such, he finds these Star Wars baseball caps – while wildly creative – not the type of thing he would ever let near his perfectly-adequate head. But again, Santa Maul’s duty here is not to outfit himself, but you… Or friends with ridiculously pedantic taste in headgear. Santa Maul only points and comment: The rest is up to you. And at least none of them hold beer.