Science Fiction | Anime (Japanese Animation) | Lego(tm) |
Computers | Electronics | Photography |
Now, with excellent television series such as Battlestar Galactica, Babylon 5, Space: Above and Beyond, and mind candy such as Star Trek, he is happy that its popularity is catching on with the American public, which is usually thrilled with the dregs of creativity, such as sitcoms.
Similarly, science fiction's popularity in film cannot be denied.
Multi-million dollar successes such as the
Star Wars trilogies, Jurassic Park, the Star Trek films, Close Encounters, and countless others, have ensured that science fiction will certainly stay a major part of the entertainment industry
The height of Emmo's anime fandom brought 7 trips to Japan to buy what
was still rather scarce in the U.S. However, despite taking Japanese
language classes at UCLA and another community college, his interest
lagged, due to the fact that it was hard to follow the majority of
stories, and harder to find translations. Now, despite a lot of work
as a staffer at the yearly Anime Expo, he is pretty much out of
the field. Perhaps, when domestic companies improve their translations
and audio/video transfer quality, he may return.
Another fascinating line of Lego is the Dacta educational line. While
harder to get than the Technic line, Dacta offers some incredible
capabilities, including computer interfaces, optical and positional
sensors, and more! Emmo is awaiting a chance to purchase some of these
and experiment.
Anime
Emmo discovered anime (Japanese Animation) at a little science-fiction
convention named "GeneriCon," held sporadically at Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute. While he was preparing to leave for dinner, a friend of his
named "Birdy" stopped him and asked if Emmo had seen what was playing
in the room at the end of the hall. When told no, Birdy recommended it,
as he knew that Emerson liked cartoons. Well, despite the hunger
pains, Emmo wound up staying in that room until dawn, fascinated by
gorgeous imagery and the skill of storytelling in a language he could
not understand.
Lego(tm)
Okay, go ahead and laugh. After a 10 year absence, Emmo's interest
in Lego(tm) brand bricks (hereafter termed Legos for ease of reading)
has returned. Not just any Legos, however...the Technic Line. Amazingly
advanced mechanical designs can be built with this line of Lego, including
pneumatic pumps, working 4-speed transmissions, powerful cranes,
huge cars with 4-wheel steering, independent suspension, and all-wheel
drive. The next big kit Emmo is eyeing is the Lego Space Shuttle, with
micromotors and fiber optics.