Monthly Archives: June 2008
A Sure Sign of Summer
Posted on June 21, 2008 16 Comments
Not unlike the swallows returning to Capistrano, the in-window air conditioner returning to my office window heralds the start of summer around these here parts. The room of the house my office is in is both the warmest room in the summer and the coldest in the winter, thanks to poor air circulation and its […]
Where It Began
Posted on June 21, 2008 60 Comments
You know, as a young teenage boy, I was about as homophobic as any young teenage boy is. Why? Oh, for all the usual reasons, including years of soaking up general anti-gay sentiment without even knowing or understanding it (for example, playing lots of games of “smear the queer” in elementary school), and of course […]
From the “That Doesn’t Actually Make it Any Better” Department
Posted on June 21, 2008 40 Comments
First, yes, I’ve heard about the middle-school science teacher here in Ohio who is getting fired for branding crosses into the flesh of his students with a high frequency generator, and who was also slipping religion into his science teaching. Oops. What stands in my mind, however, is this bit from the article, in which […]
On the Wanting of Good Stories, Or Not
Posted on June 21, 2008 14 Comments
Nick Mamatas, in his capacity as acquiring editor at Clarkesworld Magazine (and also in his capacity as, well, Nick Mamatas), explains why he thinks the oft-expressed editorial comment of “I just want good stories” is a contemptible lie, and eventually stemwinds himself into this paragraph: I don’t want good stories. I want great writing with […]
My Own Fair Use Policy
Posted on June 21, 2008 20 Comments
In the recent fracas of the Associated Press versus bloggers, I noted what I felt was a reasonable level for fair use regarding quoting from news stories (basically: no more than three graphs). So the question now becomes: What do I feel qualifies as fair use while quoting from me, and anything I post on […]
Japanese Cover for The Ghost Brigades
Posted on June 20, 2008 28 Comments
Courtesy of reader Patrick Vera, who saw it on Amazon’s Japanese site, the cover of the Japanese version of The Ghost Brigades: I’m making the assumption that is supposed to be Jane Sagan on the cover. Apparently in Japan, Jane Sagan has a remarkable resemblance to actress Jennifer Esposito. I do not have a problem […]
Dude, I Totally Unmarried You Just Now
Posted on June 20, 2008 87 Comments
In his Chicago Tribune column yesterday, Eric Zorn notes this interesting bit of “logic” from the same-sex-marriage haters, explaining why all those thousands of same-sex couples who have gotten married in California over the last week aren’t really married: The Illinois Family Institute’s blog refers to the legalization of same-sex nuptials this week in the […]
Zoe’s Tale at The Agony Column
Posted on June 20, 2008 7 Comments
Rick Kleffel of The Agony Column gives an early shout-out to Zoe’s Tale, in which he talks about the book as one of three science fiction books aimed at teens but worth reading if one’s an adult (the other two: Little Brother, by Cory Doctorow, and Have Spacesuit, Will Travel by Robert Heinlein). You can […]
Your Questions, Answered
Posted on June 20, 2008 32 Comments
Here you go. It’s about 16 and a half minutes total. Enjoy. [display_podcast]
Soliciting Questions
Posted on June 20, 2008 29 Comments
I need to test a microphone and some recording software for a project I’m doing. So ask me some questions. I’ll answer them this afternoon (so, you know, get those questions in soon). Thanks. Update, 11:32am: Okay, I have 20 questions. That’s enough for now. I’ll power up the microphone and get to them.
John C. Wright Explains Science Fiction For You
Posted on June 19, 2008 44 Comments
“Science Fiction is that genre of cognitive estrangement in a post-Gothic mode, utilizing a willing suspension of disbelief, transcending anthropocentricism and temporal provincialism, where spacemen, raygun in fist, soar through outer space with a glamorous brunette Space-Babes in their brawny arms.” Now I know what I’ve been doing wrong all this time. Note to self: […]
Guess Which Popular Toys Athena Received Today
Posted on June 19, 2008 62 Comments
Here’s a hint: Take your time. No rush. Oddly, we managed to get through nine and a half years of Athena’s childhood without actually getting her any of these. Thinking about that now, that seems damn odd.
The Book Haul, 6/19/08
Posted on June 19, 2008 68 Comments
The books that have arrived at the Scalzi Compound in the last week: I want you all to appreciate the fact that I nearly killed myself getting this picture for you, on account of I was poorly balanced on a chair while I snapped it. Seriously, I could have broke my neck. The things I […]
Nerdgassing Redux
Posted on June 19, 2008
Over at the AMC Web site, my movie column this week revisits the concept of “Nerdgassing” — that is, kvetching about science and/or continuity issues in your science fiction. This time I’m focusing on movies in particular and point out two of my favorite nerdgassing movie moments, which appear in The Matrix and The Phantom […]
Sporkzilla Wants to Be Your Friend
Posted on June 19, 2008 23 Comments
Yes, I downloaded the SPORE Creature Creator and tried it out and created Sporkzilla here, who I think is kind of cute, if you like chicken-legged, stalk-eyed, Homer Simpson-lipped creatures, as apparently I do. I suspect I could lose hundreds of hours of productivity just playing with the Creature Creator and calling it “research” (hey, […]
“Hate Mail” Contest: Be in the Book!
Posted on June 18, 2008 209 Comments
First, here’s the cover to Your Hate Mail Will Be Graded: A Decade of Whatever 1998 – 2008: As Bill Schafer notes at the Subterranean Press site, he’s the one who lobbied for this particular cover, and who was I to refuse him? Some would say it captures my natural essence. And while not every […]
Two Quick Bits About Zoe’s Tale
Posted on June 18, 2008 10 Comments
A couple of very quick things regarding Zoe’s Tale: 1. To the folks who won the ZT contest a couple of weeks ago: I still haven’t mailed out your books. Yeah, I know, I suck. I’ll get them out today or tomorrow. I swear. 2. Folks have been asking how they might get hold of […]
Destroying Marriages to “Protect” Marriage
Posted on June 18, 2008 231 Comments
In all the hub-bub surrounding the start of same-sex marriages in California, it’s worth remembering that in November, there’s likely to be an initiative on the California ballot which would change the state constitution of California so that it specifically defines marriage as between a man and a woman, and recognizes as valid only those […]
Moderation Reminder
Posted on June 17, 2008 16 Comments
I know a lot of you are throwing in a lot of links in your comments over the last couple of days, so here’s a reminder: Posts with three or more links automatically get tossed into the moderation queue, to prevent spammination. If you try to post a comment and it doesn’t show up, chances […]
Thirteen Years
Posted on June 17, 2008 89 Comments
Krissy and I got married thirteen years ago today. It was a good day. Crazy Love – Bryan Ferry
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