Tuesday, July 08, 2008

For steampunk fans: some history, some reading material, and some new arrivals.

First, the history: I just read an article about submarine telegraph lines from the fantastic Atlantic Cable website. There are dozens of articles, scores of photographs, and unlimited fodder for the imagination there!

More inspiration fodder: the true story of Napoleon's scientific expedition to Egypt. Be sure to read about Nicolas-Jacques Conté in particular, and his engraving machine. (He also, incidentally, invented the pencil.)

The latest big paper to cover steampunk is the San Francisco Gate, with a story on Sunday. A new magazine has appeared, too -- the Gatehouse Gazette. Go! Read! Also, the L.A. Times has an inventive review of the recent steampunk anthology, complete with mechanical women.

Google has proposed a skybridge for its New York city offices, and Valleywag imagines a futuristic look to the city. (The commenters, sadly, remind the editors that skybridges aren't really anything new in this particular metropolis.)

New arrivals! Strange Engines intends to educate us on the history of steam guns and whatever else strikes the author's fancy. Meanwhile, new steampunk wallpapers are up and available for downloading. Your laptop may not be steampunk, but at least your wallpaper can be!

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