Monthly Archives: February 2012
This Evening’s Political/Philosophical Question
Posted on February 29, 2012 61 Comments
So, if Mitt Romney gets a larger share of the popular vote in Michigan’s primary, but due to the state’s apportionment rules, ends up tied with Rick Santorum in the number of delegates he gets from the state, can he actually be said to have won the Michigan state primary? After all, the whole point […]
The Big Idea: Walter Jon Williams
Posted on February 29, 2012 32 Comments
Walter Jon Williams is thinking about the entertainment media of the future in his latest novel The Fourth Wall, and despite all the technological advances that have been made in entertainment — and are yet to be made — there will still be some things that are constant, for better or worse. What things will […]
Turkish OMW Cover
Posted on February 29, 2012 15 Comments
That’s a pretty cool cover. It’s for the Turkish edition of Old Man’s War, which is titled Yaşlı Adamın Savaşı, which is pretty much a direct translation of the English-language title as far as I can tell. I don’t know who the artist and cover designer are, but they did a nice job. From what […]
Oscar and China Thoughts
Posted on February 29, 2012
This week at FilmCritic.com I post my thoughts on the Oscars — and whether I now consider Oscar winners Hugo and Midnight in Paris genre films — and also do a follow up on last week’s thoughts on China and sf/f film production. It’s gripping stuff, the sort of thing you read only once in […]
Cudo Stupidity Followup
Posted on February 29, 2012 13 Comments
Regarding that oblivious Australian online retailer Cudo, co-owned by Microsoft and Channel Nine, that offered a cheap reader bundled with a CD full of hot, piping stack of copyright violations, it looks like there’s some positive movement. Here’s a nice piece on the matter from The Sydney Morning Herald, an Australian newspaper (disclosure: I was […]
Birthday Song
Posted on February 28, 2012 14 Comments
For my pal Deven, whose birthday is today. He likes Steely Dan! And so do I. Also, I got him a pony. Boy, are they hard to mail. Just so you know.
SFWA Is Redirecting Amazon Links From Its Site
Posted on February 28, 2012
Come find out why (the short answer: Amazon is fighting with publishers again and in the process hurting writers). Comments turned off here, per my usual practice regarding SFWA notifications.
The Big Idea: Chad Orzel
Posted on February 28, 2012 11 Comments
A couple of years ago physics professor Chad Orzel (and his dog Emmy) endeavored to explain physics to humans with How to Teach Physics to Your Dog. That book went on to become a worldwide success, with translations into ten languages to date. How do you follow up? By diving deeper into an especially strange […]
Genuinely the Stupidest Thing I Have Seen on the Internet in a Very Long Time
Posted on February 27, 2012 96 Comments
Australian bargain site Cudo, apparently co-run by Microsoft and Channel Nine, offers for an e-reader for sale, complete with a CD of 4,000 written works, the purported titles of which are here. If that title listing is correct on that CD, then tons of those books are under copyright, including what looks like hundreds of […]
My Day
Posted on February 27, 2012 46 Comments
Has been spent doing publicity for the Italian release of Old Man’s War, which has meant three e-mail interviews. Question present in each interview: “Hey, isn’t Scalzi an Italian last name? Are you Italian?” Why yes. Yes, I am. Well, Italian-American. Actually, more accurately Italian-English-Irish-French-Dutch-NERD-American. But still. How’s your Monday?
Outgoing SFWA VP Mary Robinette Kowal Endorses Rachel Swirsky For VP
Posted on February 27, 2012 1 Comment
You may read her reasoning here. I am running unopposed for President (again) (again), but the Vice Presidential race has two candidates, Rachel Swirsky and Lou Antonelli, both of whose candidacy statements SFWA members may see here. As president, I have no doubt that I will happily work with whomever the SFWA members, in their […]
The Lifespan of a Silly Argument
Posted on February 26, 2012 56 Comments
I’m reading this New York Times review of The Lifespan of a Fact, an unusual book by John D’Agata and Jim Fingal. On each page of the book is a paragraph of an essay D’Agata wrote about the suicide of a Las Vegas teenager; surrounding the paragraph are the queries about the piece by Fingal, […]
2012 Oscar Prediction Post Addendum
Posted on February 26, 2012 15 Comments
Every year when the Oscar nominations are announced I make predictions in the top six categories (here’s this year’s), and then closer to the ceremony I (if necessary) tweak my initial guesses. This year I need to do some tweaking, so here’s what I think will go down. Best Picture & Best Director: In these […]
Why It’s Nice to Live in a Small Town
Posted on February 25, 2012 48 Comments
Because when Mike passed away this last week people in town knew and cared. My daughter’s powerlifting coach showed up at the door with a condolence card for Athena signed by every member of the team. The local library sent a lovely flower arrangement for Mike’s visitation and sent someone to attend the memorial. When […]
Oh, Hey, a Redshirts Giveaway From Tor.com
Posted on February 24, 2012 1 Comment
They have five to give away. Want one? Go here and leave a comment. You’ll be entered. And then you might win. US only. I know. Sorry, rest of the world.
E-Mail Note + General Status Update
Posted on February 24, 2012 17 Comments
First the e-mail note and then the update. E-Mail: Between travel to Boskone last weekend and my father-in-law’s passing this week, lots of e-mail got past me this week. I’m catching up on it today, but if you sent me e-mail in the last week and were hoping for a response, if you have not […]
The Big Idea: Robert Jackson Bennett
Posted on February 24, 2012 18 Comments
What does YouTube have to do with the vaudeville theaters that used to pepper the United States — and what do either have to do with Art (yes, with a capital “A”)? These are excellent questions, and in the course of writing The Troupe, Shirley Jackson Prize-winner (and current Edgar and Philip K Dick award […]
Offline Today
Posted on February 23, 2012
Last night was the visitation for Mike, my father-in-law; today is the memorial service. I’ll be spending my day with family and friends, remembering Mike and celebrating his life. You’ll see me here again on Friday, I think. Before I go, I want to extend my thanks to all of you who have offered me […]
Shadow War of the Night Dragons Wins Tor.com’s 2011 Readers’ Choice Award
Posted on February 22, 2012 18 Comments
I’m delighted to say that my overt and tasteless vote-mongering campaign involving kittens worked the people have spoken, and they have graced my short story “Shadow War of the Night Dragons: Book One: The Dead City: Prologue” with the laurel of the Tor.com 2011 Readers’ Choice Award, in the category of short fiction. It joins […]
China, Hollywood, 3D
Posted on February 22, 2012
Would you like to know how a semi-obscure trade decision made by the government of China means that you are likely to have more big, expensive 3D science fiction and fantasy films in your future right here in the United States? Sure you would, which is why I wrote about just this very thing in […]
Whatever Everyone Else is Saying