The BBC News website’s Technology section has presented us with a very nice article and video on Steampunk, featuring Mr. James Richardson-Brown, Miss Amanda Scrivener, and an inventor and contraptionist whose name escapes me for the moment…

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8376028.stm

A very  well produced piece, that shows our little world in a very positive light; I for one think this reason enough for the licence fee!

Today is the natal anniversary of HG Wells, who would be, if he had lived, 143 years old.

So, charge your glasses, and time machines, and toast one of the Fathers of the Future!

News reaches us of a dastardly crime against one of our own, details below, courtesy of redturtle on the brassgoggles forum:

Thomas (of Brute Force Studios) suffered the theft of a monocle during DragonCon this year…a one-of-a-kind piece that was going to be displayed in the Steampunk Exhibit in an Oxford museum in October.

Here is a link to a post he made about it: http://community.livejournal.com/steamfashion/2071981.html

He is offering a reward for its return (no questions asked), and a reward leading to the arrest of the thief.

Please, if you are scouring over pictures from DragonCon 2009, and you see the monocle , shown above, please contact Thomas at Bruteforceleather.com

Alternately, please keep an eye out if you go to any cons this weekend or in the near future.

Thanks in advance

Thank you all for your interest, over the ‘9 days of 9′ we have had over one thousand fo r this little competion, the last question of which was: Name the designer of the first mechanical ‘Difference Engine’, and the name of the person that wrote the first ‘program’ for such a device, the two people in question were  Charles Babbage and Ada Lovelace; and the first name plucked from the virtual Panama hat was Zack Fisher, Congratulations, Zack!

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‘Normal’ service will be resumed as soon as I’m back from the Asylum!

Here it is, your last chance to win one of the limited edition ‘9’ Movie books!

The answer to yesterday’s question, Name the Victorian Engineer and all-round genius that created the trans Atlantic steamship, the Great Western, and the iron steamer, the Great Eastern?, was, of course, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, as correctly identified by Nicholas Howie, Congratulations, Nicholas!

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Right, now, here is the final question:

Name the designer of the first mechanical ‘Difference Engine’, and the name of the person that wrote the first ‘program’ for such a device.

Please send your answer and address to:

Ninedaysof9@aol.com

Good Luck!

Firstly, the answer to yesterdays question, In what year did the hero of “the Time Machine” meet the Eloi and the Morlocks?, it was the year A.D. 802,701, and the first out of the virtual top hat is Dave Kroening, congratulations, Dave!

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For today’s chance to win the strictly Limeted Edition “9” movie book, simply answer the following question:

Name the Victorian Engineer and all-round genius that created the trans Atlantic steamship, the Great Western, and the iron steamer, the Great Eastern?

Send your answer and your address to:

Ninedaysof9@aol.com

Good Luck!

Back, once again, for the third to last chance to win a Limited Edition “9” Movie book, one of only 999 produced, including a DVD of the original short film that is the basis for the full length movie!

Before further ado, the answer to yesterday’s question: Name the two authors of ‘The Difference Engine’, – William Gibson and Bruce Sterling, as correctly sent in by Erin Goss, well done, Erin!

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Now onto today’s question:

In what year did the hero of “the Time Machine” meet the Eloi and the Morlocks?

As ever, send your answer and address to:

Ninedaysof9@aol.com

Good Luck!

Once again, time for an answer, a winner, and a new question: firstly, the answer to yesterdays question, How many Leagues under the sea did the Nautilus travel?, the answer, 20,000, and the winner, with the correct answer, is Gabriel Rondeau; Congratulation, Gabriel!

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Now, for todays question:

Name the two authors of ‘The Difference Engine’

Send your answer and mailing address to the following email:

Ninedaysof9@aol.com

Good Luck!

Wewlcome back for the fifth day of “9 Days of 9″!

 The answer to yesterdays question, “Name the co-writer and director of the anime film “Steam Boy”” is  Katsuhiro Otomo, and the lucky winner is Alex Kotsch, well done, Alex!

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Day five’s question:

How many Leagues under the sea did the Nautilus travel?

Answers to:

Ninedaysof9@aol.com

 The winner will be posted tomorrow before the next question is set.

Good luck!

Back for the fourth day, the “9 Days of 9″ competition, before we begin, let’s see what the answer to yesterday’s conumdrum was: Name the novel that features “Selenites” as the inhabitants of the Moon, the answer is The First Men in the Moon, written by H. G. Wells.

Our lucky winner from day three is Mr. Kazarial Pax aka Cazimir Bzdyra, congratulations!

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Onto todays question:

Name the co-writer and director of the anime film “Steam Boy”

As usual, please send your answer and address to:

Ninedaysof9@aol.com

Good luck!