Linkee-poo has changed its hairstyle so many times now

Bwahahahaha. Okay, well, I think I've now got an answer as to why all this day thing and reboot stuff is screwing up my writing mojo.

Miranda Suri returns from Readercon bearing fire. She gives the five main reasons for attending cons (especially those like Readercon). Yep, those are it.

Learning from the greats on writing mysteries. A short post on some of the shining stars in mystery and how they approached writing.

Happy book-day for Ian Tregillis and The Coldest War. A few years ago at World Fantasy, I was told by a good friend that Ian was a writer to watch. To my shame, I haven't done that. I need to correct that error.

The first digital/cyborg hate crime? That's a guy with augmented reality glasses (that he uses for normal vision) being assaulted in a French McDonalds. I hear the sound of wooden shoes being ground up in the cogs. (Pointed to by Dan)

Edited they pulled the video from the old link, new link goes to YouTube channel with the video. Autonomous robots playing soccer. As John says, "It's kind of charming—like watching a bunch of four-year-olds." (Pointed to by John, 'notch)

So, what does a big Wall Street bank do for their money? Apparently nothing. Quick, tell me again the story about how all these poor people getting loans were the ones that tanked our economy instead of the rich bankers, I'm forgetting. (Grokked from Jay Lake)

Just in case you thought the Texas State Board of Education fracas was over. Sigh. "Ten of the respondents stated that they disagreed that 'it is the government's responsibility to be sure children are properly educated." Eight abstained from response, and only three agreed with the assertion — which is, of course, constitutionally mandated." Look, I'm getting tired of the people who claim to protect and revere the Constitution and who have no fucking idea what is in the actual Constitution. So tired. The struggle in Texas is the struggle over forward progression and another Dark Ages. (Pointed to by Dan)

Foxconn is looking at installing industrial robots in its factories. I'm reminded of a friend who shipped various packing machines over to China (bought second hand in the US). He'd go, set up the machines, instruct the management and workers how to run them safely. Only to return a year later to install new machines and see the ones he had previously installed sitting idle. That's because it was cheaper to pay Chinese factory workers to fill bags with scoops out of a bin that it was to run the machinery. But they continued to buy the machines. (Grokked from Jay Lake)

What could possibly go wrong with drilling in the Arctic Sea? Well, slipping your anchor in the port bay maybe low on the list, but you'd think they'd have at least that tech under control. (Grokked from Tobias Buckell)

"…but shame on the Democrats if they don’t try. There’s no reason except cowardice for failing to mount a full-throated defense of the law. It is not perfect, but it is humane, it is… fiscally viable, and it comes with some reasonable hopes of reforming the cockeyed way we pay health care providers." While that opinion article is entitles the "Five Obamacare Myths", it should actually read "the 5 things conservatives are trying to scare you about concerning Obamacare, none of which has any basis in reality." So, we had the 33rd vote in the house to repeal Obamacare, only to have the next day the Senate Minority Leader stand in the well of the Senate and decry the Democrats bill to make 501c4 contributions transparent as "waisting time by not getting to legislation that will grow jobs." But then, ol' droopy face also commented during the Bush years that government can't create jobs. So I guess I don't expect him to do much more than read the talking points that are faxed to his office every morning. (Grokked from Jay Lake)

You know my rant yesterday on the Romney/Bain disconnect and incompetent handling? Yeah, turns out I'm not the only one wondering about just what his Bain "experience" means for a US Presidency (I highly recommend that last article as an explanation of just what a company like Bain actually does and where it makes its money). Were conservatives still so hung over from the 2010 elections that they felt they didn't need to do the homework for this election? Maybe they though that all their 501c4 organizations would jet plow through with all the money they're spending. Or rehashing failed programs that sound great to the mythos conservatives live in would win them the White House. (majority of links grokked from Jay Lake)

Alligator Quotient: Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming.