I watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream
Of warm impermanence
And so the days float through my eyes
But still the days seem the same
And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They're quite aware of what they're goin' through

Monday, January 27, 2014

Linkee-poo gets it three days in a row

Cat Rambo is running for SFWA VP.

Hey, look what my friend, Mer Haskell, won. You go, Mer.

It might make you feel better about your writing, John Scalzi lets us know every award-winning book sucks for someone. So when you're in the middle of the book, that moment where you think you couldn't write an effective "What I did on my Summer Vacation" essay, note when you finally win that award for the wip, someone will agree with your mid-book blues sentiment. John also offers some mid-career advice. At some point, you will wear your ass as a hat. Oh, and he has three other points about writing.

“PV is becoming ever cheaper and simpler to install, and China’s government has been as surprised as European governments by how quickly it can be deployed in response to incentives.” Last year China installed more solar power than the US has in its history. (Grokked from Jay Lake)

"DNA taken from the wisdom tooth of a European hunter-gatherer has given scientists an unprecedented glimpse of modern humans before the rise of farming. The Mesolithic man, who lived in Spain around 7,000 years ago, had an unusual mix of blue eyes, black or brown hair, and dark skin, according to analyses of his genetic make-up." There's other things in there that overthrow the most common, Europeancentric view of our ancestors. So, all those movies of blonde cavemen running around, yeah, just like the blonde, white Jesus. (Grokked from Matt Staggs)

The ancient ghost-city of Ani. Wow. (Grokked from Jay Lake)

Some of the weird things the TSA found last year. "First off, the TSA found 1,813 firearms in carry-on bags at airport checkpoints last year. That's about five a day, and represents a 16.5 percent increase from the year before." Yes, they sometimes miss, but mostly they find these things. (Grokked from Matt Staggs)

Six reasons while female nudity can be powerful. Specifically, women using their bodies as a power statement in a non-tittilating way. Not much can intimidate a man more than a naked woman in a non-sexual context. (Grokked from Jay Lake)

This art sculpture is kewl. A sphere made of light sensitive mylar panels, and then a light source which is activated by the approach of peoples. (Grokked from Matt Staggs)

So, the Pope and two kids released some "Peace Doves" and before they could make it out of St. Peter's Square the doves were attacked by a crow and seagull. And apparently a bunch of people considered this a sign of the Apocalypse. It's not, this is normal behavior for birds. As the old joke says about deranged people, something was going to set them off, a bad day, volcanoes, low-flying airplanes, something. Two, on the plus side, still time for the WIP. (Grokked from John Scalzi)

"As the Republican National Committee opens its winter meetings here Wednesday, the party is counting on the political geography and expected lower turnout of the 2014 midterm elections to give them control of the Senate." But unfortunately for Republicans, their message really hasn't changed. Although, "The National Republican Senatorial Committee, for example, is prescribing training for candidates that includes suggestions on how to address touchy topics." I'd like to believe this isn't training on how to lie effectively, but I think we've seen this kind of training before and that's exactly what it is. Fortunately for the Republicans the off year election is more dominated by white, elderly voters. (Grokked from Jay Lake)

Remember when I said that one of the ways to cure the idiocy of politics and counter the reality bubble surround conservatives was just to laugh at them? And how I probably wouldn't be able to keep a straight face if I interviewed them and they would come up with these severe forms of reality disabled thoughts? Well, I guess Bob Schieffer was the first to crack. Start up the, "Bob's a well known liberal activist" rant on Fox News in 3… 2… 1… Seriously, Ted Cruz saying he wasn't for a government shutdown and how he voted to keep the government open, if that isn't a planned laugh line, I'm not sure what it could be (other than rewriting history because he's no longer talked about as the front runner for the GOP candidacy in 2016). (Grokked from Matt Staggs)

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