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04.01.08 by Widge @ 5:08 am It's April. And you know what that means. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Thomas Stearns Eliot has the floor. Categorized as: Books
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03.30.08 by Cosette @ 10:59 pm   Published by: Thomas Dunne With all of the concern these days about Destroying the Planet, whether through our "carbon footprint" or not recycling, as well as "green" living being the new catchphrase, I was relieved when I read this book. Rather than dwell on how we humans can "kill" our planet, author Alan Weisman sets out to hypothesize what would happen to the Earth if all of us pesky humans just up and disappeared. This is hardly idle speculation, either. About what happens afterwards, I mean. Weisman has consulted with experts in everything from forestry to mortuary science. He asks not only what would happen ten or one thousand years from now if there were no one to man the cooling vats at a nuclear plant, but also what will happen to all of those big heavy boxes in which we've been interring our dead over the last century. He also examines what we can learn from past extinctions and huge climate changes regarding how our planet heals itself over time after catastrophe. Categorized as: Books and Reviews
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03.19.08 by Doc @ 10:11 am  Another titan has departed the science fiction world. Arthur C. Clarke, author of more than 30 novels and inventor of the geostationary communications satellite, passed away earlier today at his home in Sri Lanka. As hard science fiction goes, there were none greater than Clarke, and his vision and tireless advocacy for human exploration and utilization of space may well be as important as any of his contributions to fiction. Among his many awards and recognitions, he was one of only two dozen SFWA Grand Masters, a Knight Bachelor, and a Commander of the British Empire. He also had an asteroid and a dinosaur named after him, and an Apollo command module named after one of his fictional spacecraft (Odyssey). Categorized as: Books
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03.16.08 by Widge @ 4:16 am  Rox writes in to let us know that the Luggage is up for auction. Not just any luggage, though. The Luggage from Sky One's adaptation of Colour of Magic. As I write this, it's currently at £2,150. And if you know anything about the exchange rates these days, that means it's roughly $10,000 in US currency. But the good news is that the Pratchett Nation continues its assault against Alzheimer's, and 100% of the purchase price goes to Alzheimer's research. Nice. On a side note, some of you on this side of the pond might be saying: "Colour of Magic? Sky One? Eh?" Yes, apparently. Check out the official site with the trailer. David Jason, Sean Astin, Tim Curry and Christopher Lee as the voice of Death. Wow, Christopher Lee as Death. What great casting. That airs on Easter in the UK. As Ken says after watching the trailer, it's possible to do a completely faithful TV adaptation of Hitchhiker's Guide. Somebody get on that, would you? Categorized as: Books
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03.14.08 by Widge @ 3:38 am  Terry Pratchett yesterday announced that he's donating $1M to research for Alzheimer's. This after he was diagnosed in December with an early onset version of the disease. He said, "Part of me lives in a world of new age remedies and science, and some of the science is a little like voodoo, but science was never an exact science, and personally I'd eat the arse out of a dead mole if it offered a fighting chance." He also said "I intend to scream and harangue while there is time." I've personally lost two grandparents to Alzheimer's, so I feel for him. And I'm sure his carrying on will help the cause. So scream on, Brother Terry. We're right there with you. In related news, the British Association for the Advancement of Dead Moles was quick to point out that there are no scientific studies linking them with Alzheimer's cures. They said this while remaining seated. And also dead. Thankee to Rox, who sent us this. Categorized as: Books
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