Like real-time strategy games? Like science fiction? How about a real-time strategy game where you (and your units) can time travel. Imagine sending future units back to fight alongside themselves against an enemy in the past… you thought keeping track of your units and tech tree was a headache, wait for the fourth dimension. Maybe before you get too interested… Read more →
Year: 2009
We Are Living In Science Fiction (Again)
When I was reading that story about the Canadian researched who uncovered the “GhostNet”–the gigantic system of compromised computers around the world, one that appears to be run out of China, and to target organizations of interest to China–my first thought was “Huh, that’s almost right out of Stross‘ Halting State. Apparently Charlie thought so too, since he just posted… Read more →
Scary Creatures From The World Of Science
Reading a story about a colony of billions of amoeba, a colony so big that it was visible across a 40 foot area is pretty spooky. Reading further in the article about: the fact that these are “clonal” amoeba–all genetically identical copies, the fact that these amoeba can apparently work together and function as a kind of hive organism, the… Read more →
Smart Things: Sterling on the death of editorial cartoons
“Man, that's like seeing a stake put through the heart of the 20th century. Watching banks fail is a picnic compared to this.” —Bruce Sterling in “You know newspapers are screwed when even the CARTOONISTS catch it“. Read more →
The Warrior’s Lament
Today I ordered a copy of Possibilities, an EP by Sierra Noble. I’d never heard of the ridiculously young Métis from Manitoba prior to today–which actually kind of surprises me–but as soon as I encountered her on the web today I knew I was going to buy the album. What I encountered today (indirectly, via Penguin Eggs) that made up… Read more →
Head explodes again
The Texas Board of Education will vote this week on a new science curriculum designed to challenge the guiding principle of evolution, a step that could influence what is taught in biology classes across the nation. The proposed curriculum change would prompt teachers to raise doubts that all life on Earth is descended from common ancestry. Texas is such a… Read more →
The Blagger’s Guide, et. al.
I had almost 12 hours in the car yesterday, and for most of that time I listening to various things on my iPod. Obviously there was some music–you can’t road trip without music–but these days I spend a lot more time on non-music content. I finished listening to a kids’ book I had been listening to with my daughterHey, I… Read more →
Possibly Meaningless Anecdotal Observations
I once again had the opportunity today to spend some time with the Department of Homeland Security’s border people at the American border. Since I’ve spent a not insignificant amount of time with them–mostly in the same office, at the same border-crossing–over the years, I have some idea of how these things will go, and what to expect. Today, I… Read more →
Peaks of rage
You know, if I posted every time Harper’s government took and action, or announced a policy direction, that I disagreed with or found repugnant, this blog would be one long bile-laden rant. So I mostly take the “ignore them and hope they go away” strategy, coupled with the occasional rant when something particularly ludicrous or vile happens. Here’s a couple… Read more →
Aside
Finally, someone has realized how to use the power of the web to expose the deep power of GOP economic thinking to the masses on the web. Pop over to the GOP Problem Solver to find out how to solve all your problems. (The second stage joke actually made me laugh out loud.)
Aside
That was the 1500th post. That seems utterly ridiculous.
SF Authors Say Smart Things: KSR on climate & social justice
Does the word postcapitalism look odd to you? It should, because you hardly ever see it. We have a blank spot in our vision of the future. Perhaps we think that history has somehow gone away. In fact, history is with us now more than ever, because we are at a crux in the human story. That’s from the conclusion… Read more →
The Latest Addition
The latest addition the collection of stuff hanging around my house: a signed print of Wondermark #442: In which Beth keeps her Books, which I have had framed, and which is now hanging on the door to my office/libraryCan I coin a new word for that? I mean I could just use study, but that’s kind of fusty. How about… Read more →
Aside
The Vampire of Venice. A true story, courtesy of the BBC.
A capsule review
most of it is such a carbon copy of the book that some of what alan’s saying gets across by accident. it’s kind of like someone with no sense of humour retelling a joke he heard once. some lines are taken out of context and you remember them from the book so you KNOW they’re a good line, you KNOW… Read more →
