Strike

Orlens Glider Concept is Green, Recyclable Air Transport of the Future

This concept glider, dubbed Orlens, is attention-grabbing through its rather beautiful shape alone. But when you look into how it would work, you can see that designer Roland Cernat has put a lot of thought into its greenness. It would be made of entirely recycled materials, and be recyclable itself, would have photovoltaic cells atop the wings for energy for eco-friendly propulsion and have an aerodynamically-efficient body. The body too would be made from a flax-based bio-compound that would be CO2 neutral. It's pretty much what green personal air-transport of the future should look like, which is why it's just won Roland the Lucky Strike Junior Designer Competition. Impressive, and I'd love to take it up and give it a spin, were it not just a concept. [Inhabitat]

7:16 AM on Fri Jul 18 2008
By Kit Eaton
4,080 views, 38 comments

Latest by GadgetPlay: There there, ps61318, there there. more »

aircraft

Joint Strike Fighter Technology May Have Been Compromised...Whoops!

It appears that the geniuses at the Defense Department have been asleep at the wheel of their new Joint Strike Fighter program, leading some to believe that its super valuable aviation and weapons technology may have been compromised. The crux of the problem involves the fact that the Pentagon's Defense Security Service (DSS) has had a difficult time monitoring the contractors working on the aircraft. While no specific breaches have come to light regarding the classified information, an audit has uncovered that the DSS cut corners and the DoD suffered lapses in its controls designed to evaluate and protect the sensitive information from unauthorized access. More »

7:00 PM on Thu May 1 2008
By Sean Fallon
7,601 views, 28 comments

Latest by madderhatter: The JSF is more-or-less a technological handout anyway, so others don't have to fly around in blimps or prop-jobs any longer. If another JSF user is deployed somewhere else they can rest assured there will be parts and mechanics more »

itunes

Apple Giving Two Free Episodes to Season Pass Holders, Courtesy of Writers Strike

iTunes Season Pass holders who got hosed by the writers strike when their shows went away are getting a little bit back from Apple. Specifically, every Season Pass holder gets two free episodes worth of store credit, which can be spent on TV shows, music vids or short films. Naturally, if a season didn't finish out—say only 15 of 23 episodes will air, you'll get credit back for the other eight episodes, too. [Macworld]

8:30 PM on Tue Mar 18 2008
By matt buchanan
1,919 views, 17 comments

peripherals

Wiimote Nerf Blaster Shoots Foam Darts, Adds Meaning to Life

Every now and again a product comes along that makes us question how we ever managed without it. Well, the Wiimote Nerf Blaster has us asking ourselves the same question. Details are light at the moment, but the most amazing technology combination since the touchscreen/phone will include a fully functioning Nerf blaster, as well as providing on-screen controls via the docked Wiimote. The peripheral is probably intended for EA's upcoming Nerf N-Strike title, but whatever the use, it will certainly enrich many, many lives. Bless you, EA Sports. [Kotaku]

4:24 AM on Wed Feb 13 2008
By Haroon Malik
5,933 views, 15 comments

Latest by THX5334: The Nyko Perfect shot for $10-15 is an awesome substitution until this comes out. I am so buying this.... more »

television

THE STRIKE IS OVER! TV IS BACK! TV IS BACK!!

HOORAY! According to Disney's Michael Eisner, the writers' strike is over! We don't know why, and we don't know how. But the man assured us that this whole horrible travesty is finally coming to an end with writers returning to work soon.

Wait, we just remembered something...TV kinda sucked. [CNBC]

10:37 AM on Fri Feb 8 2008
By Mark Wilson
13,100 views, 86 comments

wga strikes back

Striking Writers Form Online Video Company Visual Artists, I Still Want New "Heroes"

Led by the writer of Air Bud (that bodes well), a large posse of out-of-work WGAers is looking to launch the online video company, Visual Arists, later this year with over $30 million in funding with Silicon Valley types. Supposedly a bunch of A-listers are on board, which gives small hope that they punch out fare along the lines of name-checked Juno and The Office. More »

10:45 AM on Mon Jan 14 2008
By matt buchanan
2,050 views, 3 comments

televisions get television

Letterman's Company First to Reach WGA Agreement

David Letterman's production company Worldwide Pants is—we believe—the first to reach an agreement with the Writers Guild of America for internet royalties. Since The Late Show and The Late Late Show are owned, not by CBS but Letterman's own company, the show was able to circumvent CBS negotiations altogether and settle with the WGA without setting major broadcast-wide precedents.

So when all these talk-format entertainment shows come back (Leno, Jon Stewart, etc), Letterman will have a competitive advantage that we can't help but to sympathize with at least a little: he will have his full staff of writers behind him.

Of course, CBS isn't too happy about the agreement...

More »

11:19 AM on Sat Dec 29 2007
By Mark Wilson
6,754 views, 44 comments

ballsy

The Daily Show and Colbert Report Return Jan. 7, Sans Striking Writers

Like late-night white knights, Jon Stewart and Colbert are returning to save us from rerun/reality TV/web purgatory on Jan. 7—the news has been the exact same for weeks, right? But they won't have an army of writers to make sure every word out of their mouth kills, so we'll see just how much funny naturally spills out of their brains. I have faith, do you? [TechCrunch]

6:00 PM on Fri Dec 21 2007
By matt buchanan
3,999 views, 40 comments

jerkfaces

Producers Say the Strike Has Cost Writers $106 Million...and Counting

The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers has a fun new flash widget on their site with a running tally of how much income the writers have dropped into a black hole since the strike started. Right now, it's at about $106 million. Kind of a dick move if you ask us, since producers trying to screw writers is why they're at impasse. Besides, writers stand to lose a lot more if they let producers slime their way out of fair compensation deals for new media and internet distribution. Hey writers! If you need some cash in the meantime and don't have Aflac, talk to us. [AMPTP]

7:20 PM on Wed Dec 12 2007
By matt buchanan
4,023 views, 61 comments

Latest by HeartBurnKid, creepy morbid freak: @Techguy1138: Considering that you say there is NO MONEY being made in it, in big capital letters and all, then why should the studios not cave on this? What's 2.5% of NO MONEY? more »

brothers in arms

Giz Wants to Give Work to Striking WGA Members

Hey, TV writers! Yeah, you awesome folks on strike. I'm talking to you. Are you sick of not writing? And not getting paid as a result of not writing? It's understandable. Well, we here at Gizmodo want to help you help us help you (help us). More »

9:30 AM on Fri Dec 7 2007
By Adam Frucci
5,689 views, 36 comments

off air

Your Writers Strike TV Guide

With the WGA writers strike in full swing, we're sure that some families are going hungry. And the subsequent complete staff layoffs are a miserable by-product of corporate greed. But the biggest losers? Those without ~~health insurance~~ anything to watch on their 50-inch flatscreen televisions...those who could hear a pin drop over the silence of their surround sound. Here's a rundown of how many of our favorite shows are left (along with several that are dead in the water): More »

9:48 AM on Wed Dec 5 2007
By Mark Wilson
23,776 views, 88 comments

Latest by n/a: oh, and where's my Scrubs on the list? I think there's only one episode left after tonight. Darn. more »

scrooged

$250 Flat Fee Producers Offer Writers Guild for Internet Distribution Is Way Lame, Still Screws Writers

The Writers Guild strike languishes on: Heroes ends for the year next week. In a bid to end our suffering, the producers' trade group has made a "groundbreaking" offer to the Writers Guild, grandiosely titled the "New Economic Partnership." The deal's a mind-blowing less-than $250 flat fee for an hour-long show to be re-broadcast on the internet for up to a year. If you recall, internet distribution's sort of the sticking point and writers asked for 2.5 percent of the "distributors' gross revenue." Let us count the ways writers get screwed by the producers' Scrooge-y offer. More »

6:30 PM on Fri Nov 30 2007
By Matt Buchanan
5,668 views, 40 comments

Latest by n/a: @Clammy42: Your response is exactly what I was looking for and exactly what I was getting at, thank you! These writers might be getting cut out of the loop but they still make a shitload of money and are asking more »

weapons

Nerf Sniper Rifle is Three Feet of Fun

The Nerf N-Strike Longshot CS-6, to give it its full name, is the kind of blaster gun that your kid would kill for. It's also the kind of thing that would be a gift in name only, because, any child will have problems prying it out of a parent's hands once unwrapped. And it works just as well at close range as it does on long targets: More »

4:54 AM on Tue Nov 20 2007
By AddyDugdale
30,228 views, 44 comments

wga strike

Daily Show Writers Use Viacom's YouTube Suit to Hilariously Explain the Strike

Because of the WGA strike, there's no Daily Show, which sucks. But if you think you're suffering, think of how the writers of that wonderful program feel! In this video that the writers of our favorite mock newscast made on the picketline, they clearly explain why this strike is happening and how the studio chiefs are total hypocrites. And they have a point! I mean, how can Viacom go around suing YouTube for one billion dollars and then turn around and say there's no money to be made on the internet? Scumbags! [Defamer]

5:01 PM on Thu Nov 15 2007
By Adam Frucci
26,381 views, 68 comments

Latest by n/a: I SAY JON STEWART DOES HIS SHOW LIKE THIS UNTIL THE STRIKE IS RESOLVED!!! more »

weasels

Video of Studio Execs Bragging About the Internet Cash Cow

Yesterday, I wrote a feature on the WGA strike that quoted the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers as saying that, while the internet was great for promotional purposes, "there is not enough marketplace data to judge its true potential, ultimate impact on traditional media or viability as a business." Oh, so I guess they haven't been making any money off the internet and didn't have any plans to in the future then? Check out this video of a bunch of studio and network honchos bragging about how much coin they were planning on raking in from the internet, then get a little bit more cynical about the entertainment industry. Come on, greedy studios. Give the writers a fair deal.

9:55 AM on Wed Nov 14 2007
By Adam Frucci
7,167 views, 33 comments

Latest by Ednonymous: @willyboy: I only wish I was a teacher. Here in Ontario they are in the upper strata of the pay scale. Their pension fund it the richest in the country. $66k+ salary is normal. And the buggers still BITCH! Like more »

solidarity

The WGA Strike and the Death of Television

This WGA strike sucks, to be sure. If it goes on for more than three months (which is looking increasingly likely), pilot season won't happen, no new shows will be created, no new seasons will come back, and we'll be stuck with the dregs of reality TV for a full year. Yep, that means no last season of Battlestar Galactica, no new season of Lost, and no new episodes of The Office. It's no small thing, and not just because you'll be inconvenienced by marathons of Overweight Celebrity Chili Cook-Off Island or whatever the networks will throw up when they run out of new programming.

TV is not disappearing anytime soon, but clearly, it's going to be replaced by either the internet or some TV/internet hybrid. Like the music industry, the TV industry realizes that their tried-and-true business model is about to be useless, and it's lashing out in panic. Unlike the music industry, who stupidly attacked its fans, the TV industry is attacking its own creative source: writers. But the WGA wouldn't be striking if this wasn't important. We talked to both sides to get at the root of the trouble.

More »

1:30 PM on Tue Nov 13 2007
By Adam Frucci
28,409 views, 103 comments

Latest by n/a: @it-hobbit: I have not watched Heroes since NBC put the gag on themselves with all the iTunes hubbaballoo. I am excited to buy season 2 on DVD when it comes out... but I would be MORE excited if I didn't more »

unfortunate

Digital Distribution Tangling Up Writers Guild of America Talks, Strike Looms

In case you were unawares, the contract between Hollywood producers and the Writers Guild of America was supposed to expire a few hours ago, leading to a possible strike, meaning bad things could happen. One of the major issues is digital content and distribution—after getting screwed over by the terms of how they were paid from video and DVD, set many moons ago, they're leery of losing out on tons of cash yet again. Since a multitude of content is going online in an infinitude of formats—web-exclusive content, full episode replays, ARG, etc. on network websites, iTunes and the works—the terms are inevitably just as complicated. Right now, writers only get coin if a viewer pays to see the goods, making ad-supported Hulu, for instance, a black hole for them no matter how many users tune in. More »

3:15 AM on Thu Nov 1 2007
By Matt Buchanan
3,262 views, 18 comments

Latest by axiomatic: Come on guys, I know that upping the writers salaries will not make them better writers. But we can't ignore the fact that it would effect some of them. I got my salary "leveled" by my company a few months ago more »

Gizmodo

Steve Jobs Says He Doesn't Have Cancer (And Why It's Not Your Business...

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