The Discriminating Fangirl » Cool Stuff

How X-Men: First Class Should Have Ended

TDF Pamela — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 17:00:03 +0000

I love this series of videos, not only because they’re extremely funny but because they’re also extremely true. How many times have I shaken my fist at a movie screen when the ending missed something huge?

Now they’ve made one for X-Men: First Class:

So. True.

TDF’s Holiday Shopping Guide!

TDF Pamela — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 15:00:13 +0000

It's dangerous to go alone. Take this!

It’s that time again, fangirls and fanboys. It’s time to buy the geeks in your life deliciously nerdy gifts for your winter holiday of choice. If you’re wringing your hands over what to buy, wring no more. The Discriminating Fangirl has a list of super awesome geeky gifts! And since you can buy all of this online, you won’t have to leave your warm, comfy house on Black Friday.

Grown-Up Geek Toys

Tauntaun Sleeping Bag

And you thought they smelled bad on the outside. Well, these don’t smell bad outside or in, but they do make an awesome sleeping bag. Just think, with a tauntaun, your Star Wars aficionado will be the warmest and coolest geek at the slumber party. (ThinkGeek)

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception Collector’s Edition

For the gamer in your life. I’m hoping to get this one myself. This awesome collector’s edition comes with a standard copy of Uncharted 3: Drakes Deception on Blu-ray disc, exclusive Collector’s Edition steelbook, wearable replicas of Nathan Drake’s buckle and ring with necklace strap, Nathan Drake statue by SlideShow Collectibles, and Traveling Chest packaging. I’m seriously drooling over the Nate Drake statue. (Amazon)

Doctor Who 11th Doctor Sonic Screwdriver

You’ve got your bow tie and your fez. Maybe you have a companion, too. Now, all you need is your trusty sonic screwdriver, and you’re set. Watch out for ride-in Daleks. (ThinkGeek)

Captain America: The First Avenger Action Figure

We may be grown-ups, but we still love playing with action figures. This 7″ tall Captain America is ready to act out your secret fantasies about Steve and… Tony. (Entertainment Earth)

Marvel Select Iron Man Action Figure

Hey, I don’t judge. Cap and Iron Man make a great pair. ;) (Entertainment Earth)

Alien Chestburster Plush

Because nothing says cuddly like a baby xenomorph. (ThinkGeek)

Geek Wear

Self-Rescuing Princess Babydoll Shirt

You know the geek girl in your life is one tough cookie. She’s not waiting helplessly in the tower to be rescued. So get her this shirt so she can show off her ability to save herself, thankyouverymuch. It’s also available in Women’s Classic Cut (ThinkGeek)

Dire Brew Baby Tee

Winter is coming! And even though it’s going to get cold, Song of Ice and Fire fans will still need t-shirts. Also available in men’s cut. (604Republic)

Jedi & Sith Bathrobes

Just think. Your favorite geek can hop out of the shower and don Obi-Wan’s robe. Or Darth Maul’s, if they lean a little more toward the Dark Side of the Force. Made of luxurious terrycloth embroidered with the Jedi or Sith logos, these bathrobes are sure to please the Star Wars fan in your life. (ThinkGeek)

Adamantium Tee

It is the strongest element on earth, capable of cutting through pretty much any material. Just ask Wolverine. (Busted Tees)

Horcrux Collector Baby Tee

I dunno about you, but some days I’d much rather be out hunting for Horcruxes than chained to my desk. I’d rather not go on an endless camping trip, but finding parts of Voldemort’s soul sounds much more exciting than work. The Harry Potter fangirl in your life can look awesome in this shirt! Never fear, for the Potter fanboys can also get it in a men’s cut, too. (604Republic)

Festival of Lightsabers Tee

Celebrate Hanukkah, Star Wars style. (Busted Tees)

For the Book Geeks

(Keep following TDF for a list of books that would make awesome gifts! It’ll be up in a few days.)
Kindle Touch

If you’re an Amazon addict, there’s no better way to get e-books than a Kindle. With a 6″ multi-touch E Ink display and a choice of wifi or wifi/3G capability, the bookworm in your life will love this e-reader. (Amazon)

Kindle Fire

Or if that Amazon addict wants to do more than just read books, the Kindle Fire is a nifty tablet with thousands of apps and a spiffy color screen. (Amazon)

NOOK Color

If your bookworm prefers Barnes & Noble for their reading needs, the NOOK Color is a snazzy e-reader with a 7″ color touchscreen. (Barnes & Noble)

NOOK Tablet

And just like Amazon, B&N now has a tablet for your even-more-than-e-reader needs! (Barnes & Noble)

Apple iPad 2

This one’s my personal favorite. Apple’s ubiquitous tablet sports a 9.7″ LED touchscreen, so it’s awesome for reading, watching movies, and playing hours of Angry Birds while you’re supposed to be working. You can get it in 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB with either wifi-only or wifi/3G connectivity. (Amazon)

Portal Bookends

If the bookworm in your life is a devotee of paper books and is also a fan of shooting portals into walls and solving puzzles, you’re set with this gift. Don’t worry, though. GLaDOS is not included. (ThinkGeek)

Star Wars Trash Compactor Bookends

Is there a giant stack of Star Wars tie-in novels at your house? Do they keep falling over? Problem solved. (ThinkGeek)

For Little Geeklets

Ride-In Dalek

For your little Whovian. It’s a ride-in Dalek! This is the logical evolution of those Power Wheels that we all lusted after as kids of the 80s (well, those of us who were kids of the 80s anyway). Sadly, it has a weight limit of 65 pounds, which means that I can’t ride around in one, but this would be an amazingly awesome gift for your little nerd in training! (ThinkGeek)

Star Trek Enterprise Light-Up Feeding System

Start your offspring on the right path early. The Enterprise-shaped spoon lights up to catch your baby’s attention, and the motion-sensitive LEDs on the bib guide the starship in for pureed carrot docking. Heck, I’m half-tempted to get this one for myself, just to make breakfast a little more entertaining. (ThinkGeek)

Young Mad Scientist Blocks

For the little mad scientist in training. Made of smooth maple, each block has a different sciencey word for each letter of the alphabet. (ThinkGeek)

Kids Electronic Drum Shirt

In case your kid doesn’t make enough noise, you can give them this spiffy shirt! When they tap the drums on the shirt, it makes drum sounds! Just remember, you can lock them in the basement if there are too many drum solos in your house. (ThinkGeek)

Deck the Halls with Geekery

TDF Pamela — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 19:58:44 +0000

My holiday tree is a nerdy one. Sure, it has some traditional Christmassy ornaments, but it also has Darth Vader, Wolverine, and a Ron Weasley ornament, among other nerdy things.

So I now have a major dilemma. I’ve found these two tree toppers, and heaven help me, I can’t decide which one I should get for my tree.

First, we have the best topper, from a certain point of view:

And then there’s the most logical tree topper I’ve laid eyes on:

Which one should I get? And in the meantime, you can click the pics and see these awesomely nerdy decorations for yourself on ThinkGeek’s website. :D

Amazing Halloween Light Show

TDF Pamela — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 16:36:27 +0000

YouTube user KJ92508 has what just might be the coolest light show ever displayed on a house. Set to “This is Halloween” from The Nightmare Before Christmas, this Halloween display might annoy the crap out of neighbors and passers-by, but it is absolutely amazing.

4 Year Old’ Reaction to Vader’s Big Confession

TDF Pamela — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 20:00:39 +0000

bashthemonkey on youtube posted what might be the cutest Star Wars video ever. This is his four year old son’s reaction to Darth Vader’s “I am your father!” line in The Empire Strikes Back:

Contest – A Brand New E-Reader!

LamoreVincera — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 17:45:14 +0000

First person to e-mail us dirty pictures of Nathan Fillion wins.

WE’RE JOKING. [Ed: Though if you want to email us dirty pictures of Nathan Fillion, we're not stopping you.]

Well, except that we are giving away a brand-new e-reader. Are we awesome or what?

This e-reader is a Literati, run on Kobo software. Its awesomeness, in easy-to-read bullet points:

It’s a full-color e-reader, with adjustable brightness and font size, among other things.
It has easy access to wi-fi, where you can buy new books to your heart’s content.
It comes pre-loaded with 25 books, with access to another 125.
It comes with a leather cover, as well as a charger and a USB cable.
It’s still sealed in its package! Never been opened! It may even look at you coyly while you unwrap it. Or sing “Like A Virgin”. (Disclaimer: Okay, maybe that one wasn’t true.)

Now, I did say “contest”…

We want to hear what fandom means to you. Given all the great shows we cover – Sherlock, Doctor Who, Supernatural – we’d like to hear in around 250 words what TV show has your heart, and why. Any show, anywhere – you choose!

All you have to do is post your entry in the comments by Saturday, August 27th. The winner will be picked by yours truly (butt-kissing welcome), and the top five will be posted on Wednesday, the 31st.

Bring it, readers!

Prepare Your Ears!

Amanda — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 21:30:37 +0000

Going on vacation this summer? Have a long commute to and from work? Or do you just have a really boring job with little human contact like I do? Try breaking up the monotony by listening to some nerd-friendly podcasts. Fair warning: these will make you laugh out loud and probably make anyone nearby wonder just what’s wrong with you. Trust me, it’s happened plenty of times to me.

The Dork Forest – Hosted by one of my favorite comedians, Jackie Kashian, dorks of all kinds talk about their geekery of choice. Before this podcast, I didn’t even realize people dorked out over the Kennedy family history or nun orders. Past guests include Aisha Tyler, Marcia Wallace, and Scott Krinsky.

Nerdist- This was the first podcast that I ever downloaded and immediately started working my way through past episodes after listening. Chris Hardwick, Matt Mira, and Jonah Ray talk with actors, writers, musicians, and sometimes, just with themselves (the “hostful” episodes, as they’re called). Past guests include Simon Pegg, Damon Lindelof, and Matt-freaking-Smith (prepare to fall a little more in love with the man after this episode).

Made of Fail – Considerably longer than the previous two podcasts, Made of Fail is a great find from @Cleolinda (who also shows up on a number of episodes). Hosts Dayna and Kevin bring on other podcasters and bloggers to talk about a variety of TV shows, movies, video games, comics, etc. Don’t let the title fool you, this is a fun listen, and also check out some of the projects spawned from the show, like Kevin’s Straight Guy Reviews of Bad Romance Novels or Deconstructing Moya (a Farscape rewatch). [Side note: Most of the older episodes will not appear on iTunes, go directly to the website to listen/download them as an mp3.]

iTunes isn’t required to listen to these, check out their websites for more ways to listen. Almost every one of these has links to even more podcasts, so be on the look out for them. If any of you have podcasts, tell us about them and why they’re so awesome. Also, be on the look out for a podcast from The Discriminating Fangirl in the future (aka, once we get off our lazy asses and record something). Go forth and fill your head with goodness!

Geek Deal: Firefly on Blu-ray for $23.49!

TDF Pamela — Fri, 13 May 2011 17:33:45 +0000

For today only, Amazon has Firefly: The Complete Series on Blu-ray for only $23.49! That is 74% off, guys. Holy crap.

Click the pic to buy from Amazon!

I’m upgrading to Blu-ray as we speak. Coincidentally, I’m also wearing my Big Damn Hero t-shirt today. It’s fate, I tell you!

Ain't we just?

Awesome Death Star Infographic

TDF Pamela — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 19:27:53 +0000

Presented without comment (because it doesn’t really need comment anyway).

Okay, presented with one comment:

Can I hang out in the Death Star sauna? And does Vader go in there and get all sweaty? You’d think he sweats enough in that suit…

source

Daily Dose of Awesome: Matchstick Minas Tirith

TDF Pamela — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 22:25:34 +0000

Because I’m kinda bored and am feeling thoroughly uncreative (thanks, WordPress, for killing my joy today), I give you awesome found on the internets.

Matchstick Minas Tirith, via Laughing Squid.

Click to embiggen. Patrick Acton created this using 420,000 matchsticks. You can see more photos of this magnificent work of geeky love here.

Acton’s version of Minas Tirith is one of his biggest and most detailed matchstick models yet, as he has constructed his rendition of the tremendously ancient city that Tolkien says “appears hewn from the rock of Mount Mindolluin” in the White Mountains. Tolkien’s fortress city is said to tower 700 feet above the Pelennor Fields in Middle Earth’s land of Gondor. Acton’s matchstick version of the seven-level city was started in 2007 and took nearly three years when completed in February 2010. The Minas Tirith model contains hundreds of city buildings and is topped with the Citadel, the Tree of Gondor, and the White Tower of Ecthelion.

Not only does this warm my LOTR fangirl heart, it also makes me feel like I’m squandering away my life. This dude? Built Minas Tirith out of matchsticks. What did I do today? Broke the caption styling on my blog. Way to go, fangirl.