The Week in Review: Critics, Steampunk, and Cyber-Attacks

In this week’s edition, Anonymous protects WikiLeaks, and Star Wars goes steampunk (again).

Anonymous Apparently Foiled a Cyber Attack Against WikiLeaks

A recent attack by the “hacktivist” group, Anonymous, on a cyber-security firm might not have been a retaliation against the FBI’s efforts to track down Anonymous members, as was previously believed. Instead, it seems it may have been a pre-emptive strike which prevented a corporate-backed campaign to take down WikiLeaks. Hit the link to read the long, conspiracy-filled, story. (Link)

Slightly Longer Ago, In a Galaxy a Little Bit Further Away

There’s something about steampunk that’s wonderfully evocative. Case in point: When artist Björn Hurri decided to give Star Wars a retro-futurist update, the steampunk twist seemed to have inspired him to go in some interesting directions. For example, Yoda smokes a hookah, and Jabba sips tea under a parasol. Hit the link for a gallery. (Link)

Spider-Man’s Worst Enemy Is a Theater Critic

The seemingly cursed Spider-Man musical, Turn Off the Dark, has had to weather a monsoon of scorn as theater critics all over the US broke with tradition and published reviews of the show ahead of its release in March. Some critics were in two minds about the show, saying that it swung between very good and very bad, but other critics made their disdain very clear. (Link)

Fox News Claims That Videogames Turn People Into Rapists

No one’s going to dispute that Bulletstorm isn’t really appropriate for kids, but according to Fox News, it’s not really appropriate for adults, either. Fox News is trying to make the case that videogames play a large part in increasing the incidences of rape in the US, despite there being very little evidence – by which I mean, “no evidence at all” – to back that up. (Link)

ESRB Spoils Dragon Age 2’s Sexy Surprises

American videogame rating organization, the ESRB, has given us a glimpse at the hot and steamy action we can expect in Dragon Age 2. There’s sexual language, and the usual fade-to-black sex scenes that we know and love from BioWare games. There’s also a more risqué section – for videogames at least – where it’s implied that one character performs fellatio on another. (Link)