"Deep Fritz" evens up chess challenge - Tech News - CNET.com
Deep Fritz, the German-developed chess computer, played a nearly flawless game to outwit world champion Vladimir Kramnik in just 34 moves Tuesday and pull even in the $1 million eight-match series.
The second win in a row for Deep Fritz brought the eight-match series to 3-3 in what has been billed the "Brains in Bahrain" challenge.
Wednesday, October 16, 2002
Tuesday, October 15, 2002
Daily Media News
Web users turn tables on Microsoft
Microsoft has been caught using a fake advert that claimed people were switching from Macs to Windows PCs.
The advert debuted on Microsoft's website and supposedly recounted the story of a former Apple Mac user who had converted to using Windows.
But investigative work by net users revealed that the supposed 'switcher' actually worked for a marketing company employed by Microsoft.
Web users turn tables on Microsoft
Microsoft has been caught using a fake advert that claimed people were switching from Macs to Windows PCs.
The advert debuted on Microsoft's website and supposedly recounted the story of a former Apple Mac user who had converted to using Windows.
But investigative work by net users revealed that the supposed 'switcher' actually worked for a marketing company employed by Microsoft.
The Miami Herald -- Selling newspapers in a Jimmy Eat World
Dave Barry gets advice from kids on how to get them to read newspapers.
Dave Barry gets advice from kids on how to get them to read newspapers.
Monday, October 14, 2002
Pasadena Citizen -- New Gilley's Restaurant finds home in former Ernie's building
A familiar name is returning to the limelight in Pasadena. Over 10 years after shutting down the world-famous honky-tonk on Spencer, country music superstar Mickey Gilley is opening a new business in the city. Only this time, he has a new demographic in mind when he brings an upscale restaurant to town.
"I don't ever want to be in the nightclub business again," Gilley said. "I couldn't handle it - I'm too old."
6707 Fairmont Parkway
A familiar name is returning to the limelight in Pasadena. Over 10 years after shutting down the world-famous honky-tonk on Spencer, country music superstar Mickey Gilley is opening a new business in the city. Only this time, he has a new demographic in mind when he brings an upscale restaurant to town.
"I don't ever want to be in the nightclub business again," Gilley said. "I couldn't handle it - I'm too old."
6707 Fairmont Parkway
Sunday, October 13, 2002
HoustonChronicle.com - Europe, Japan target moon at space congress
This article doesn't mention the Chinese program. Will there be another space race but this time the United States sits out?
This article doesn't mention the Chinese program. Will there be another space race but this time the United States sits out?
Guardian -- Shipwreck adventurer's fiction revealed as true after 270 years
It is likely the author of Robinson Crusoe was ghostwriter, however.
It is likely the author of Robinson Crusoe was ghostwriter, however.
Saturday, October 12, 2002
Wired News: Whisper the Songs of Silence
Round out your digital music mp-3 collection with downloads of "lowercase" - the sounds of silence. Very quiet sounds with long empty silences between them. One popular piece is listening to a tea kettle boil.
Round out your digital music mp-3 collection with downloads of "lowercase" - the sounds of silence. Very quiet sounds with long empty silences between them. One popular piece is listening to a tea kettle boil.
Wired News: A Site for Your Eyes
Wired News has always been the place to go for the latest news for geeks. It has also always been known for controversial design. This is it's latest redesign.
Wired News has always been the place to go for the latest news for geeks. It has also always been known for controversial design. This is it's latest redesign.
Friday, October 11, 2002
TIVO is probably not going to last. It is too complicated and it will be superceded by DVD Recorders. The concept is great but TIVO has the problem of being the first big company out with a product while the bugs are worked out. People also don't want another subscription service. A TIVO without a subscription that also included a burner would work.
Sky News - Cat Hitches 350 Mile Lift
Three-year-old Burmese cat Gallagher, which has a history of jumping into cars, disappeared for a month.
He was found wandering in Stockton-on-Tees.
RSPCA officials realised he had an identity microchip implanted and traced him to owner Rachel Pedley's home 350 miles away in Hampshire.
RSPCA animal collection officer Kirsten Anderson said: "Apparently Gallagher has a fondness for jumping into cars, so we think he must have climbed into a van or truck and accidentally hitched himself a lift up north.
Rachel, 20, said Gallagher had suffered from asthma and had been pampered for years because of his condition.
He currently needed inhalers twice a day, regular eye drops and visited a specialist to aid his condition three times a month.
She had been told by a psychic the cat was dead and is now due to be reunited with Gallagher later this week.
IOL : Hi dad, says call-girl at the door Jerusalem - An Israeli man suffered a heart attack when he summoned a call-girl to his hotel room and opened the door to his daughter, a newspaper reported on Thursday.
The 48-year-old businessman was treated in hospital in the Red Sea port of Eilat before returning home to northern Israel, where he confessed the traumatic experience to his wife.
His wife burst into tears and vowed to put their daughter back on the righteous path, then promptly demanded a divorce from her errant husband.
There was no word on the fate of the young woman. - Sapa-AFP This is probably an Urban Legend.
The 48-year-old businessman was treated in hospital in the Red Sea port of Eilat before returning home to northern Israel, where he confessed the traumatic experience to his wife.
His wife burst into tears and vowed to put their daughter back on the righteous path, then promptly demanded a divorce from her errant husband.
There was no word on the fate of the young woman. - Sapa-AFP This is probably an Urban Legend.
Pasadena Citizen
Fifteen children from a school in El Salvador experienced the fun of feasting at McDonald's for the very first time Thursday, and based on their smiles and repeated polite requests for more ketchup, they are ready for a repeat.
Wednesday, October 09, 2002
Wow, I had been getting rising readership but today I first discovered I have two links to my blogs. I don't know the correct etiquette? Should I link to them now? Should I read their blogs and then decide? Should I send them an email?
I'll just list and link them here for now.
http://sainteros.blogspot.com/ Poetry here, I don't have a link for my poetry yet.
http://mars-or-bust.blogspot.com/ Smart person with good political concerns.
I'll just list and link them here for now.
http://sainteros.blogspot.com/ Poetry here, I don't have a link for my poetry yet.
http://mars-or-bust.blogspot.com/ Smart person with good political concerns.
Salon.com Technology | Riding along with the Internet Bookmobile
Angered by a law that extends copyright terms for 20 years, a crusader named Brewster Kahle wants to use the Internet to make books available to everyone.
In a print-on-demand world, where the cost of creating a book runs about $1 and the capital costs run under $10K, libraries don't lend books, they give them away.
If the Supreme Court upholds Sonny Bono, it will leave the door open for Congress to perpetually extend copyright. If that happens, it is reasonable to assume that no more works will ever enter the public domain. Even if the court finds against the law, the decision wouldn't change the fundamental fact that new works automatically enter this super-lengthy copyright protection.
Mickey Mouse vs. The People
The Sonny Bono Copyright Extension Act harms the public by retroactively taking information from the public domain and putting it back under the control of copyright holders. Lawrence Lessig, then a law professor at Harvard, heard their call and took on the case pro bono. The previous law, passed in 1978, protected an author's work for 50 years after an author died, while works for hire -- those created for a corporation, like Mickey Mouse -- were protected for 75 years. The Bono Act extended both categories by two decades.
Angered by a law that extends copyright terms for 20 years, a crusader named Brewster Kahle wants to use the Internet to make books available to everyone.
In a print-on-demand world, where the cost of creating a book runs about $1 and the capital costs run under $10K, libraries don't lend books, they give them away.
If the Supreme Court upholds Sonny Bono, it will leave the door open for Congress to perpetually extend copyright. If that happens, it is reasonable to assume that no more works will ever enter the public domain. Even if the court finds against the law, the decision wouldn't change the fundamental fact that new works automatically enter this super-lengthy copyright protection.
Mickey Mouse vs. The People
The Sonny Bono Copyright Extension Act harms the public by retroactively taking information from the public domain and putting it back under the control of copyright holders. Lawrence Lessig, then a law professor at Harvard, heard their call and took on the case pro bono. The previous law, passed in 1978, protected an author's work for 50 years after an author died, while works for hire -- those created for a corporation, like Mickey Mouse -- were protected for 75 years. The Bono Act extended both categories by two decades.
WSJ.com - Something About 'SpongeBob' Whispers 'Gay' to Many Men
Will there be comments from Rev. Falwell when he gets done bashing Islam?
Tuesday, October 08, 2002
New Scientist More Ig Noble Prize winners - The annual awards for achievements that "cannot or should not be reproduced" were presented at Harvard University on 3 October.
British poultry farmers trying to raise ostriches in the 1990s called in scientists to find out why their birds were failing to breed. Careful observations confirmed the birds were courting the farm workers rather than each other,
The economics prize was shared among a long list of corporations for "adapting the mathematical concept of imaginary numbers for use in the business world."
British poultry farmers trying to raise ostriches in the 1990s called in scientists to find out why their birds were failing to breed. Careful observations confirmed the birds were courting the farm workers rather than each other,
The economics prize was shared among a long list of corporations for "adapting the mathematical concept of imaginary numbers for use in the business world."
Monday, October 07, 2002
National Priorities Project:
Where was your 2001 Tax Money spent? By the Way, Clinton was paying down the debt. Bush is expanding it.
Where was your 2001 Tax Money spent? By the Way, Clinton was paying down the debt. Bush is expanding it.
I love Google News. CNET has Larry Dignan explaining why he loves it.
Perspective: Who needs editors anyway? - Tech News - CNET.com
Sunday, October 06, 2002
Global Warming is happening - another recent attack rebutted
http://www.nasw.org/users/appell/Weblog#October_5_2002
http://www.nasw.org/users/appell/Weblog#October_5_2002
Saturday, October 05, 2002
Dispatch
The winner of this year's Ig Nobel Prize for pointless academic papers was written by Sydney University research fellow Dr Karl Kruszelnicki. His study was a large survey of belly button lint.
The winner of this year's Ig Nobel Prize for pointless academic papers was written by Sydney University research fellow Dr Karl Kruszelnicki. His study was a large survey of belly button lint.
Shift.com - 10.3 - THE SIMPSONS GENERATION (EXCERPT)
Brilliant essay on the Simpson's and how the show captured the 90's. The essay is going into Yahoo! and the internet when it is cut off.
Brilliant essay on the Simpson's and how the show captured the 90's. The essay is going into Yahoo! and the internet when it is cut off.
Thursday, October 03, 2002
Did John O'Neill, the former head of the FBI's New York counterterrorism unit, figure out the Sept. 11 plot before it happened? That possibility underlies this compelling chronicle of his career.
O'Neill was perhaps America's foremost Al Qaeda expert, but his intensity and flamboyance bothered many Bureau bureaucrats, including ex-director Louis Freeh, and he was forced out in August 2001. Filmmaker Michael Kirk pieces together O'Neill's story from interviews with his allies (critics declined interview requests). “We're due for something big,” one recalls him saying on Sept. 10, 2001. The next day, O'Neill died on the job as security chief at the World Trade Center.
Lots of daily political links on my liberal page.
New Scientist
"Swapping glasses for contact lenses can dramatically increase success with the opposite sex, research on short-sighted students in a nightclub has found."
Funny, I find glasses sexy.
"Swapping glasses for contact lenses can dramatically increase success with the opposite sex, research on short-sighted students in a nightclub has found."
Funny, I find glasses sexy.
Wednesday, October 02, 2002
NATIONAL POST It might be useful to remember - you are not naked if you have shoes on. My free legal advice for the day.
Weather Underground: Pasadena, Texas Forecast
Current Tropical Prediction Center forecast the storm should make landfall Thursday afternoon along the southwestern Louisiana coast. Houston is under Tropical Storm Warning - possible gusts to 40 mph Thursday morning to afternoon.
In three hours they will issue new update. Meteorology discussion indicates about the same track but higher winds for Hurricane Lili.
Current Tropical Prediction Center forecast the storm should make landfall Thursday afternoon along the southwestern Louisiana coast. Houston is under Tropical Storm Warning - possible gusts to 40 mph Thursday morning to afternoon.
In three hours they will issue new update. Meteorology discussion indicates about the same track but higher winds for Hurricane Lili.
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
"Global Warming" may cause an abrupt North Atlantic "Ice Age" Northern United States, Northern Atlantic Ocean and Europe could switch in a 3 to 10 year period to extremely cold winters. The North Atlantic becoming less salty, "freshening" could shut down the Gulf Stream which keeps the North Atlantic region warm. Right now there is no evidence for cooling, only for freshening of the northern Atlantic Ocean.
"Global Warming" may cause an abrupt North Atlantic "Ice Age" Northern United States, Northern Atlantic Ocean and Europe could switch in a 3 to 10 year period to extremely cold winters. The North Atlantic becoming less salty, "freshening" could shut down the Gulf Stream which keeps the North Atlantic region warm. Right now there is no evidence for cooling, only for freshening of the northern Atlantic Ocean.
Tuesday, October 01, 2002
The Onion RIAA Sues Radio Stations For Giving Away Free Music!
According to Rosen, the radio stations acquire copies of RIAA artists' CDs and then broadcast them using a special transmitter, making it possible for anyone with a compatible radio-wave receiver to listen to the songs.
According to Rosen, the radio stations acquire copies of RIAA artists' CDs and then broadcast them using a special transmitter, making it possible for anyone with a compatible radio-wave receiver to listen to the songs.
Elizabeth Moon dashed off:
Frisk, frisk, frisk across the back yard came a young squirrel, flirting
its tail....and then it slowed, and began to dig a hole in which to bury
the pecan.
Flap, flap, flap, into the low branch of the sapling oak behind the
squirrel came the blue jay.
The squirrel buried the nut, patted the surface, and frisked away about
ten feet...the blue jay flew to the hole and began digging with its
beak.
The squirrel whirled around--ACK! in squirrel body language--and charged
the blue jay. GET AWAY FROM MY NUT!
The blue jay flapped back to the little oak with no great concern. The
squirrel dug the nut up--yeah, still there--and reburied it. And again
went away, but not too far. The blue jay came down to dig up the nut.
Back came the squirrel, chittering. A second blue jay dove at the
squirrel, which flinched and backed off.
Yeah, the jay got the nut.
~~~~~~
I also ran across Ian Wallace's blog. A very different writer.
Frisk, frisk, frisk across the back yard came a young squirrel, flirting
its tail....and then it slowed, and began to dig a hole in which to bury
the pecan.
Flap, flap, flap, into the low branch of the sapling oak behind the
squirrel came the blue jay.
The squirrel buried the nut, patted the surface, and frisked away about
ten feet...the blue jay flew to the hole and began digging with its
beak.
The squirrel whirled around--ACK! in squirrel body language--and charged
the blue jay. GET AWAY FROM MY NUT!
The blue jay flapped back to the little oak with no great concern. The
squirrel dug the nut up--yeah, still there--and reburied it. And again
went away, but not too far. The blue jay came down to dig up the nut.
Back came the squirrel, chittering. A second blue jay dove at the
squirrel, which flinched and backed off.
Yeah, the jay got the nut.
~~~~~~
I also ran across Ian Wallace's blog. A very different writer.
Weather Underground: Tropical Storm: Strike Probability
Hurricane Lili - SW LA - Fri AM - Category 3 - we should get some rain from this one.
Hurricane Lili - SW LA - Fri AM - Category 3 - we should get some rain from this one.
Monday, September 30, 2002
Saturday, September 28, 2002
Wired 10.10: Start
I Fought the Future for the CIA
True story - Wil McCarthy was asked to recreate the scene from FootFall. The government calls in science fiction writers as far out scenario experts after we are attacked.
I Fought the Future for the CIA
True story - Wil McCarthy was asked to recreate the scene from FootFall. The government calls in science fiction writers as far out scenario experts after we are attacked.
![[If I were an online test, I would be The Lord of the Rings Character Test]](http://homepage.ntlworld.com/paulspeller/onlinetest/lord.gif "Click to find out which test you are")
I'm The Lord of the Rings Character Test!
I like to think that everyone is really a character in my strange fictional world - I don't care if no-one outside it has a clue what I'm on about.
New Scientist
Lorenzo's oil finally proven to work
The controversial do-it-yourself medicine that inspired the heart-rending movie Lorenzo's Oil has finally been proved to work. The new research ends years of uncertainty about the treatment and demolishes the claims of experts who repeatedly said it was a worthless quack remedy.
Lorenzo's oil finally proven to work
The controversial do-it-yourself medicine that inspired the heart-rending movie Lorenzo's Oil has finally been proved to work. The new research ends years of uncertainty about the treatment and demolishes the claims of experts who repeatedly said it was a worthless quack remedy.
news.telegraph.co.uk - Zen gardens and the art of invisible trees
Can rocks and gravel stimulate the unconscious mind?
Can rocks and gravel stimulate the unconscious mind?
Friday, September 27, 2002
Japanimation godhead Hayao Miyazaki takes a deranged and delightful voyage to the other world, where parents become pigs and the Radish Spirit rides the elevator.
He is the greatest animated director - Porco Rosso is one of my favorite films. What is it about? It is about someone transformed into a pigman, or maybe "about an Italian Air Force pilot who left the service due to the rise of fascism. He became a bounty hunter, assuming the name 'Porco Rosso.' "
Most people love Princess Mononoke and Laputa: The Castle in the Sky.
And this will be in Houston soon:
Friday
Cinemark 18
20915 Gulf Freeway
Webster, TX 77598
281-332-8400
BTW, one of the highest rated in Rotten Tomatoes history : 99% Fresh.
Thursday, September 26, 2002
Yahoo! News - 'Rampant Rabbit' Sex Toys Recalled in Safety Scare Popular vibrator recommended on Sex in the City.
Spin and Counter Spin about Farscape cancellation. The next time people can see Farscape is one of the least television viewership days of the year - Dec 24th. Why are they putting their most expensive show on at that time? Is this a Christmas present to Farscape viewers? Very strange.
Isadore went ashore early Thusday, south of New Orleans. One of the four tracking models had predicted it moving that fast straight up. I was not very accurate but still very fortunate for us all. Texas didn't really get that much out of it.
My depression is slowly going away, I'm getting back to normal sleeping schedule. I did have dim sum with my brother, Amy and Pat Sunday. The brocolli was odd but very good, it still had its leaves and I thought it was greens at first I also like the shrimp balls and the sesame coated ball of ??? OK, but I think it was a low ratio of things I really liked. I would prefer Thai. I managed to get Jim's signatures on paperwork, now to give to Charlene.
Isadore went ashore early Thusday, south of New Orleans. One of the four tracking models had predicted it moving that fast straight up. I was not very accurate but still very fortunate for us all. Texas didn't really get that much out of it.
My depression is slowly going away, I'm getting back to normal sleeping schedule. I did have dim sum with my brother, Amy and Pat Sunday. The brocolli was odd but very good, it still had its leaves and I thought it was greens at first I also like the shrimp balls and the sesame coated ball of ??? OK, but I think it was a low ratio of things I really liked. I would prefer Thai. I managed to get Jim's signatures on paperwork, now to give to Charlene.
Tuesday, September 24, 2002
The Homeless Guy A blogging homeless person. I need to find out how he added comment boxes. Later today, I stuck comment boxes on my liberal blog.
Monday, September 23, 2002
Weather Underground: Tropical Storm: Tracking Map My first guess for landfall - Port Aurthur Friday early evening.
Sunday, September 22, 2002
"Oh Lucy! - You Gotta Lotta 'Splain' To Do" Timeline for possible CIA and FBI prior knowledge of 9/11
This Election Won't Turn on Regime Change (washingtonpost.com)
Democratic pollster: if Democrats convince the electorate that they also take a tough stance on terrorism, election will be on domestic issues and they will take both houses of Congress. So minimize differences with the President's insane plans because we don't want the debate to be on that.
Democratic pollster: if Democrats convince the electorate that they also take a tough stance on terrorism, election will be on domestic issues and they will take both houses of Congress. So minimize differences with the President's insane plans because we don't want the debate to be on that.
Saturday, September 21, 2002
WIL WHEATON DOT NET: Where is my mind?:
Penguin Time
This is Wil Wheatons experience setting up Linux.
SaveFarscape News : 'Interstellar Transmissions' Interviews David Kemper
"If we come back in January with a couple eps that are sky-high in
ratings--and the critics love us, I've talked to a lot of critics and
they're shocked--the ratings go through the roof, something's gonna
happen. "
"Farscape is a love story. It's not even science fiction. The reason
people are passionate, it's not your father's science fiction."
http://farscape.wdsection.com/news/article.php?newsid=73
"If we come back in January with a couple eps that are sky-high in
ratings--and the critics love us, I've talked to a lot of critics and
they're shocked--the ratings go through the roof, something's gonna
happen. "
"Farscape is a love story. It's not even science fiction. The reason
people are passionate, it's not your father's science fiction."
http://farscape.wdsection.com/news/article.php?newsid=73
BusinessWorld Internet Edition International battle fails to save Farscape. Producers have said elsewhere that season 4, which will air starting in January, is great. I take that as probably much better than this past summer. Also if ther ratings are big enough they can still shoot the final wrap-up season for which they have the written scripts that close out the series. I am not optimistic there. I am conducting a no Friday night Sci Fi Network boycott until Farscape returns in January. This is probably a stupid idea but...
Friday, September 20, 2002
Newsweek: Futurology: The World in 2012 Another recent reminder that I started to get a Master's in Futures Studies years ago. This special report does have one section that indicates that would not have been a good field to get into. That's in addition to my preference for harder future science techniques as opposed to softer visioning.
Thursday, September 19, 2002
New York Times: A Tribute Gone Awry, on the Wings of Pigeons
I guess no one remembered the WKRP Thanksgiving show. "As God is my witness I thought turkeys could fly."
Most of my stuff has been about politics lately.
I guess no one remembered the WKRP Thanksgiving show. "As God is my witness I thought turkeys could fly."
Most of my stuff has been about politics lately.
Wednesday, September 18, 2002
A science fiction fan reviews Margarat Atwood's review of Ursula Le Guin in the New York Review of Books. One comment: " [...] It's too bad that one term—"science fiction"—has served for so many variants, and too bad also that this term has acquired a dubious if not downright sluttish reputation.
Well, you could quit accusing the genre of sleeping around with other genres, as if that were a bad thing, Ms. Atwood.
Well, you could quit accusing the genre of sleeping around with other genres, as if that were a bad thing, Ms. Atwood.
Tuesday, September 17, 2002
Monday, September 16, 2002
Sunday, September 15, 2002
The Pop vs. Soda vs. Coke vs. Soft Drink etc. This is a cool research project on regional dialects. When you were growing up how would you refer to carbonated beverages?
Some Lester Bangs: The first mistake of Art is to assume that it's serious.
A limited group of people really do decide what is cool to get out to the rest of the schlubs in middle America.
Dori Bangs, listed in his 10 favorite stories,
DORI BANGS by Bruce Sterling
* Nebula Short Story Nominee (1989), Hugo Short Story Nominee (1990)
An alternate history where cartoonist Dori Seda and rock critic Lester Bangs, two underground figures who died young and alone, find each other and marry.
a critical review here
A great history - A Brief History of Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine.
Some Lester Bangs: The first mistake of Art is to assume that it's serious.
A limited group of people really do decide what is cool to get out to the rest of the schlubs in middle America.
Dori Bangs, listed in his 10 favorite stories,
DORI BANGS by Bruce Sterling
* Nebula Short Story Nominee (1989), Hugo Short Story Nominee (1990)
An alternate history where cartoonist Dori Seda and rock critic Lester Bangs, two underground figures who died young and alone, find each other and marry.
a critical review here
A great history - A Brief History of Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine.
Saturday, September 14, 2002
UK Independent - Britain will have more floods. London is threatened. Cars may have to be restricted. This is an official British government global warning report. Our oil/big "badness" administration meanwhile denies global warning exists. Maybe here in the US we should create a new phrase "I know the difference between rain and someone p*ssing on my boots and telling me it's not raining."
Politics - Scott Ritter, Karl Rove, Emily's List, and Representative Dennis Kucinich among my other rants.
Friday, September 13, 2002
Wednesday, September 11, 2002
Yahoo article on Farscape being cancelled says that Stargate SG-1 was getting much bigger ratings. I am surprised at that. I see at Save Farscape that the press release was a lie(?) and ratings were going up. I would think they should be about the same as SG-1. SCI FI may be right in that Farscape had peaked and it needed to expand its audience.
Showtime is a little interested in picking up Farscape. Use the link, Luke to say it is a good idea.
Here is the petition link.
I just hopped over to SCIFI Chat and several veterans there have never seen a TV fan protest building as fast as this.
Rally tomorrow about Farscape cancellation is in the same area as Today show and other network news offices. Might make the news shows but this was last minute. This protest seems to be building very fast.
Showtime is a little interested in picking up Farscape. Use the link, Luke to say it is a good idea.
Here is the petition link.
I just hopped over to SCIFI Chat and several veterans there have never seen a TV fan protest building as fast as this.
Rally tomorrow about Farscape cancellation is in the same area as Today show and other network news offices. Might make the news shows but this was last minute. This protest seems to be building very fast.
Busy weekend for me. I was not able to go the the Saturday San Jacinto gaming group at the alternative rain site because of the once a month Saturday meeting with my other main group. I would have liked to have seen Horizon Games.
Last Saturday the 7 PM monthly Bennigans meeting for the Clear Lake Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Club lasted until almost midnight. Great, although I really noticed my hearing loss. I can't wait for the monthly Wednesday meeting where we exchange books. I'll bring the recent Hugo winner.
Sunday was for Peter and Carol. I went down to Clear Lake with Pat for a Mexican lunch out. We met a friend of their's from the Larry Niven mailing list. Pat and Carol went to the UU Church to do crafts for a few hours while Peter and the kids and I went to his house. I learned about SimSafari which I really liked. It is a greatly expanded version of an idea I had for an ecological world simulation 25 years ago. Carol and her son later went with Pat and me to a cheap movie theater for Star Wars Episode 2. The movie was better than the last Star Wars, Episode 1, but had many flaws. A problem given that I think Episode 3 will have to be more complicated, with more conflict and high drama, and Lucas could not handle it in number 2.
Peter is almost ready with his short book discussing the flaws in the current Libertarian Party - more on politics page.
Last Saturday the 7 PM monthly Bennigans meeting for the Clear Lake Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Club lasted until almost midnight. Great, although I really noticed my hearing loss. I can't wait for the monthly Wednesday meeting where we exchange books. I'll bring the recent Hugo winner.
Sunday was for Peter and Carol. I went down to Clear Lake with Pat for a Mexican lunch out. We met a friend of their's from the Larry Niven mailing list. Pat and Carol went to the UU Church to do crafts for a few hours while Peter and the kids and I went to his house. I learned about SimSafari which I really liked. It is a greatly expanded version of an idea I had for an ecological world simulation 25 years ago. Carol and her son later went with Pat and me to a cheap movie theater for Star Wars Episode 2. The movie was better than the last Star Wars, Episode 1, but had many flaws. A problem given that I think Episode 3 will have to be more complicated, with more conflict and high drama, and Lucas could not handle it in number 2.
Peter is almost ready with his short book discussing the flaws in the current Libertarian Party - more on politics page.
Tuesday, September 10, 2002
Commentary Tracks of the Damned - bad movies on DVD. It has a brief review of Million Dollar Hotel which was at first going to be a science fiction film.
I have read Strata, American Gods, Sourcery recently.
I'm disappointed that Farscape is being canceled by the Sci Fi Channel. There is a problem with another network picking it up as the Sci Fi Channel has all of the past episode rights. Farscape is definitely a series where you need much of the back story to understand new episodes. Email, fax, or phone to help persuade them to change their minds. This habit of SCI FI of canceling their original series does not lead to network loyalty and expansion.
I have read Strata, American Gods, Sourcery recently.
I'm disappointed that Farscape is being canceled by the Sci Fi Channel. There is a problem with another network picking it up as the Sci Fi Channel has all of the past episode rights. Farscape is definitely a series where you need much of the back story to understand new episodes. Email, fax, or phone to help persuade them to change their minds. This habit of SCI FI of canceling their original series does not lead to network loyalty and expansion.
Friday, September 06, 2002
Thursday, September 05, 2002
Houston Press | Global Warming is Good For You! Brilliant article by Dylan Otto Krider who is also a local Houston SF writer. I had to go searching for the article because I wanted something to send John Ringo, military SF writer, as he has fallen for the industrial line. I should point out that the title is satirical.
Wednesday, September 04, 2002
Most of my archives disappeared while I was trying to modify my top banner description. I had read that was a past problem with blogger but thought it had been corrected. I may have to try RadioLand or LiveJournal.
Meanwhile here is an article about the future power needs of space craft. Science@NASA
I also found some answers for Peter's question about why the US can't just invade Iraq for not honoring the peace treaty. The US can't because binding documents the US signed puts enforcement into the hands of the UN. Of course, we can if we want to face the repercussions of being a rogue lawless state. Link is in my Liberal notebook.
Meanwhile here is an article about the future power needs of space craft. Science@NASA
I also found some answers for Peter's question about why the US can't just invade Iraq for not honoring the peace treaty. The US can't because binding documents the US signed puts enforcement into the hands of the UN. Of course, we can if we want to face the repercussions of being a rogue lawless state. Link is in my Liberal notebook.
Tuesday, September 03, 2002
Sunday, September 01, 2002
Posted Lightning Strike: A Risk 2210 Variant rules.
I had misspelled it as Lightening which might be appropriate. I had a lot of popular media and my cable experience stuff but it is too late to post now.
I had misspelled it as Lightening which might be appropriate. I had a lot of popular media and my cable experience stuff but it is too late to post now.
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