tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post5247592861214939277..comments2024-03-29T05:59:55.834-07:00Comments on CONTRARY BRIN: Sci-News, Sci-Fi News... and Brin-news!David Brinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-15207266122007174832012-08-17T21:48:43.390-07:002012-08-17T21:48:43.390-07:00onward
onward<br />David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-60384275620155485372012-08-17T15:21:59.870-07:002012-08-17T15:21:59.870-07:00Science fiction writer and humorist Brockway just ...Science fiction writer and humorist Brockway just wrote an interesting article on the future of science fiction. The call for more optimism is what made me specifically link it to this blog.<br />http://www.cracked.com/blog/4-things-science-fiction-needs-to-bring-back/<br />beoShaffernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-51361711706899457712012-08-17T11:05:18.236-07:002012-08-17T11:05:18.236-07:00LarryHart, that op-ed was typical batshit lying di...<i><br />LarryHart, that op-ed was typical batshit lying distracto-idiocy.<br /></i><br /><br />In all fairness, it was not an op-ed, but a letter to the editor. The Chicago Tribune was far-right in the 1930s, but is actually more of a bastion of actual journalism these days.LarryHartnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-29410041232330413272012-08-17T09:20:05.676-07:002012-08-17T09:20:05.676-07:00Tim I know Somtow but I suppose I was more inspire...Tim I know Somtow but I suppose I was more inspired by Shanghai Disneyland, my brief visit to Pudong... and maybe some of the stuff yelled by the Boing Boing crowdDavid Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-50345800386731505212012-08-17T09:19:04.529-07:002012-08-17T09:19:04.529-07:00LarryHart, that op-ed was typical batshit lying di...LarryHart, that op-ed was typical batshit lying distracto-idiocy. All the right has anymore is allegories, metaphors, assertions, and more assertions and more assertions.<br /><br />In fact, they are the ones who have most horribly harmed the things they claim to love<br /><br />Pax Americana... which I do not worship but deem absolutely necessary for one more generation, has been devastated by the american right<br /><br />the US military... ditto...<br /><br />Capitalism and free competitive enterprise..<br /><br />startup business, self-reliance, fiscal responsibility, skepticism toward foreign quagmires, waste-notwant-not, saving for the future...<br />need I go on?David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-5087721027212816752012-08-17T08:52:24.704-07:002012-08-17T08:52:24.704-07:00Question, might "The Shanghai Universe of Dis...Question, might "The Shanghai Universe of Disney and the Monkey King" be a tip o' the hat to Somtow Sucharitkul?Tim H.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-69457644665890852172012-08-17T07:58:03.133-07:002012-08-17T07:58:03.133-07:00Sorry, there was a missing word "If" at ...Sorry, there was a missing word "If" at the beginning of that quote:<br /><br /><i><br />If one goes according to President Barack Obama's beliefs, Olympian Michael Phelps should have to give up some of his 22 medals because, after all, at some point, a person has enough medals. And, since he didn't earn them on his own because other people helped him (he did, after all, use the roads that others built so he get to practice, etc.), he should give some of his medals to someone who did nothing to earn them.<br /></i>LarryHartnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-43492993639604222272012-08-17T07:56:29.171-07:002012-08-17T07:56:29.171-07:00This letter to the editor in yesterday's Chica...This letter to the editor in yesterday's Chicago Tribune illustrates what seems to me to be a fundamental misunderstanding of the role of society:<br /><br /><i><br /> one goes according to President Barack Obama's beliefs, Olympian Michael Phelps should have to give up some of his 22 medals because, after all, at some point, a person has enough medals. And, since he didn't earn them on his own because other people helped him (he did, after all, use the roads that others built so he get to practice, etc.), he should give some of his medals to someone who did nothing to earn them.<br /></i><br /><br />In a self-contained sporting event with clearly defined rules and prizes, sure there are winners and losers, and the winners owe the losers nothing.<br /><br />The metaphor is flawed, though, when applied to society as a whole, both in the assumption that life itself is a game with "winning" as the goal, and that the means of survival are the legitimate property of the "winners" with poverty and depredation and death for the "losers".LarryHartnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-17000722693824944742012-08-16T21:56:59.684-07:002012-08-16T21:56:59.684-07:00Cute music video.
I'm Nasa and I know itCute music video.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFvNhsWMU0c" rel="nofollow">I'm Nasa and I know it</a>sociotardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11697154298087412934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-76507801878263875692012-08-16T16:07:50.707-07:002012-08-16T16:07:50.707-07:00I'm thinking the extraordinary hissy fit that ...I'm thinking the extraordinary hissy fit that came out of the UK foreign office yesterday sounds remarkably like Senator Strong's outburst in 'Existence', and will likely lead to a similar degree of fallout. Haven't got to the resolution of that thread yet, but I have my suspicions.<br />Tony Fiskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14578160528746657971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-72176487499600576542012-08-16T09:50:47.992-07:002012-08-16T09:50:47.992-07:00Tim H:
40% through Existence, only noticed one mi...Tim H:<br /><i><br />40% through Existence, only noticed one minor nit, in the introduction to part three it's History of the world, part I. <br /></i><br /><br />I noticed that as well. I intended to mention it here, but not sure if I actually did so.<br /><br /><i><br />Smoother reading than Earth,...<br /></i><br /><br />Hmmmmm, not sure I agree with this.<br /><br />In many ways, it did remind me of "Earth", especially the way it started off with several seemingly-disconnected characters and stories. But once Earth "got to the point" as it were--once the Beta singularity was discovered--the book had a plot with a beginning, middle, and end. "Existence", on the other hand, seemed to intentionally leave many plot threads unresolved, or at least ambigouous as to whether they are resolved.<br /><br />To me personally, "Earth" was a more satisfying read. That's a matter of personal preference, so no criticism of the author intended. After all, I'm comparing one Brin book to another Brin book.LarryHartnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-8762897937979233672012-08-16T09:49:07.237-07:002012-08-16T09:49:07.237-07:00Tim... hope you liked it...Tim... hope you liked it...David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-52667791111947364552012-08-15T23:43:06.161-07:002012-08-15T23:43:06.161-07:00@Tim H, yeah, I raced through Existence in far les...@Tim H, yeah, I raced through Existence in far less time than I took to read Earth.<br /><br />Ianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01739671401151990700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-60442133520354649022012-08-15T22:44:38.200-07:002012-08-15T22:44:38.200-07:00Re: The Jedi being a cyclic phenomenon.
I was thi...Re: The Jedi being a cyclic phenomenon.<br /><br />I was thinking of the "Guild" in Vernon Vinge's <i>The Witling</i>. Unusually gifted children are removed to the care of powerful elders, lest they terrorise their home villages. You can imagine something similar with especially gifted potential Jedi who discover their power on their own (or by rediscovering old texts.) Too easy for them to dominate their local region, and use that to found an empire. Hence Jedi Wizard School to the rescue! But if/when the educators become factionalised, then it becomes a race between factions to recruit more potential Jedi, recruiting earlier and earlier, before rivals can get hold of them, until you're kidnapping every toddlers with the slightest twinge of potential.<br /><br />In Vinge's world, the entire citizenry had the gift ('cept Witlings), so the peasants had power in numbers, the oligarchs had power in military, the Guild had power itself. Any two could overcome the third. It prevented a single despot from creating an empire. But in Lucas' universe, the basic citizens seem to lack the Force, so there'll always be a trend towards imbalance.Paul451https://www.blogger.com/profile/12119086761190994938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-6213285201150602462012-08-15T18:40:21.715-07:002012-08-15T18:40:21.715-07:0040% through Existence, only noticed one minor nit,...40% through Existence, only noticed one minor nit, in the introduction to part three it's History of the world, part I. Smoother reading than Earth, Dr. Brin's art improves over the years.Tim H.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-5338316330166615512012-08-15T18:35:51.605-07:002012-08-15T18:35:51.605-07:00Assange update: no move on embassy yet, but there ...Assange update: no move on embassy yet, but there was one of those farcical scenes earlier where two vanloads of British Bobbies were poised to enter, while a pizza delivery man actually did so..<br /><br />Live feed from the street is being DDosd, This is a smart swarm/counter-swarm situation straight out of Existence. All we need are the zeppelins... (diplomacy department will probably be providing a few lead ones later)Tony Fiskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14578160528746657971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-84665281512193263952012-08-15T16:16:28.756-07:002012-08-15T16:16:28.756-07:00Meanwhile, in the UK, Ecuador's president prom...Meanwhile, in the UK, Ecuador's president promised not to embarrass the UK government over the Assange affair until after the Olympics. It would appear that the UK government is about to embarrass itself, by <a href="http://t.co/DTIdkVfp" rel="nofollow">breaking in to the embassy and taking Assange by force</a>.Tony Fiskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14578160528746657971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-14955451167364676482012-08-15T12:51:07.611-07:002012-08-15T12:51:07.611-07:00Johnathan S:
Han shoots Greedo because waiting wo...Johnathan S:<br /><i><br />Han shoots Greedo because waiting would be suicidally stupid, etc. (And as he leaves, Ford plays it as if Han was a little stunned by his own actions, not like the smug killer Lucas seemed to have originally envisioned if Lucas' own excuses for the alteration are to be believed.) <br /></i><br /><br />Of all the alterations to the first movie that I dislike, that's the one that seems (to me) to be the least defensible.<br /><br />The original scene in which Han shoots first (but just barely so) is a character-establishing vignette. "Han knows when to act, and he doesn't waste time worrying about sympathy with the guy trying to kill him." That sort of thing. Lucas's later excuses weren't that the scene was filmed badly, but that he changed his mind about Han's character and went about retconning it in the films.<br /><br />The idea that Han, being a "good guy", can't engage in self-defense unless the kill-shot is already on its way is ludicrous. Lucas is defacing his own film UNNECESSARILY in order to portray Han as a hero.<br /><br />And if Han's character needed retconning, what about Indiana Jones? Did that guy twirling the sword shoot first too?LarryHartnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-55586505151093554232012-08-15T09:12:16.222-07:002012-08-15T09:12:16.222-07:00The plan likely was for the Queen to narrowly esca...The plan likely was for the Queen to narrowly escape while the noble Jedi died protecting her. Undoubtedly if Maul had killed Kenobi and Qui-Gon, either in the initial confrontation, or later on Naboo, he'd then have faded into the background and let things fall where they would. He wasn't there for the Trade Federation. He was there to impart an extra sense of fear on the Queen so she'd take that extra foolish step and start dismantling what semblance of Democracy that the Republic had.<br /><br />Mind you, it was still a puerile movie (though if Jar Jar and the Trade Federation had spoken with subtitles only then the movie would have improved significantly, though still significantly below even the worse of the original Trilogy movies). <i>Darths and Droids</i> took a far more interesting and amusing look at it and created a story that made a bit more sense (with Little Orphan Annie being behind the destruction of the Jedi and manipulating Palpatine). <br /><br />Rob H.Acacia H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07678539067303911329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-2342388680638443962012-08-15T08:13:02.005-07:002012-08-15T08:13:02.005-07:00Dr Brin:
But then, Darth Maul attacks on Tatooine...Dr Brin:<br /><i><br />But then, Darth Maul attacks on Tatooine without the slightest plan or reason! Dig it... he seems to be trying to STOP the Queen from going to the capital...<br /><br />... when her presence there is CRITICAL to Palpatine's plan!<br /></i><br /><br />Darth Maul was, to me, the epitome of a then-new kind of marketing blitz. Fans had already been beseiged by images of Darth Maul in advertisements, trailers, McDonalds tie-ins, etc, so that you just <b>knew</b> he was an amazing, bad-ass character.<br /><br />So what he actually did in the movie itself was almost irrelevant. The audience is so full of expectations about Maul's awesomeness that afterwards, you are supposed to "remember" having seen what you expected, rather than what you actually did see on screen (which was almost nothing).LarryHartnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-87197730484425510272012-08-15T07:44:43.921-07:002012-08-15T07:44:43.921-07:00Harry Harrison has died.Harry Harrison has died.Ian Gouldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07666385933765478081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-30270761422025794072012-08-15T07:06:34.831-07:002012-08-15T07:06:34.831-07:00Vale Harry Harrison<a href="http://scifibulletin.com/2012/08/15/rip-harry-harrison/" rel="nofollow">Vale Harry Harrison</a>Tony Fiskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14578160528746657971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-22413525315290285272012-08-15T06:02:54.753-07:002012-08-15T06:02:54.753-07:00Only if Timothy Zahn was doing the writing. =^-^=Only if Timothy Zahn was doing the writing. =^-^=Acacia H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07678539067303911329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-85845949426595646732012-08-15T05:13:43.259-07:002012-08-15T05:13:43.259-07:00"Darth Kermit", amusing, but Frank Oz di... "Darth Kermit", amusing, but Frank Oz did that voice, so it's gotta' be "Darth Piggy". "Red Tails" to me was typical Hollywood, think John Wayne's "Flying Tigers" with updated special effects, at least the P-40 was accurately portrayed as effective below 15,000'. Despite my agreement with most of the Star Wars criticism, if an episode 7 was made, I would buy a ticket.Tim H.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-55922059999177222502012-08-15T00:28:39.037-07:002012-08-15T00:28:39.037-07:00PS All this speculation is just me trying to make ...PS All this speculation is just me trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. I'm quite aware that 'Darth Kermit' and 'Clone Vader' are totally at odds with what Lucas intended.Tony Fiskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14578160528746657971noreply@blogger.com