1. Rosner, Hillary. "A Chemist Comes Very Close to a Midas Touch." The New York Times 15 October 2012. Web. 3 November 2012.
Paul Chirik, a chemist at Princeton University, has successfully managed to make iron react like platinum in certain chemical reactions. Though shy of changing the base metal into gold, Rosner describes this as a kind of alchemy and gives a brief glimpse at some of the implications of this discovery - including how it's contributing to new fuel-efficient tires. writes in a clear conversational style.
As a medievalist and someone interested in modern discoveries that either look or wink back at medieval beliefs and/or ideas, I just had to include this article.
2. University College London. "Virtual reality puts human in rat world: 'Beaming' technology transforms human-animal interaction." ScienceDaily 31 October 2012. Web. 3 November 2012.
Computer scientists at UCL and Barcelona have managed to create the technology to add a physical dimension to long distance interaction. The article details how this technology works (a mix of virtual reality and robotics), and includes some quotes from the scientists leading the project about its implications. This one is written in a clear style while making use of block quotes.
As someone who's been in a distance relationship for several years, this kind of technology is beyong intriguing. So, this one had to be included.
3. Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI). "Asteroid belts of just the right size are friendly to life." ScienceDaily 1 November 2012. Web. 4 November 2012.
Rebecca Martin, a NASA Sagan Fellow from the University of Colorado in Boulder, and astronomer Mario Livio of the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Md, have published a study that suggests that a perfectly placed asteroid belt is necessary for life-sustaining planets to develop. The article summarizes these scientists' hypothesis, and walks readers through the possible asteroid belt-related scenario that lead to the formation of Earth, as well as suggesting that asteroid impacts can help to spur on evolution. This article is written in a clear, matter-of-fact style.
The necessity, and usefulness of asteroids is something curious to ponder. And what better way to stir thoughts on space rocks than to read about them? That's why this article is included in this week's Annotated Links.
4. Adams, James. "It’s high time: The Dreamachine is no longer just a dream." The Globe and Mail 31 October 2012. Web. 3 November 2012.
Adams' article provides a quick overview of the history and cult popularity of the dreamachine - a device that simulates light undulating in a regular pattern, as when passing by evenly spaced trees at sunset. Adams also gives some insight into the celebrities that have used it in the past, and uses the case of Margaret Atwood's recent receipt of one to provide a slightly cynical perspective on the device. This article is written in a steady going style.
Anything that offers a "drug-less high" is a curiousity. Not because it's possibly a legal way to get such a high, but because of what it suggests about the brain and its ability to, put simply, entertain itself. This article is included in this batch of links because of the insight into this phenomenon.
5. Kim, Sam. "Elephant in South Korean zoo imitates human speech." Bradenton.com 1 November 2012. Web. 3 November 2012.
Scientists have confirmed that an elephant in South Korea's Everland Zoo can imitate human speech. Kim explains how this phenomenon came about and why it seems to be isolated to just a couple of elephants. Kim's article is designed for the internet with simple sentence structure and short paragraphs.
Various birds can mimic human speech, but elephants? That's just plain weird, and so it just plain had to be included in this article.
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Closing
Next week on the blogs watch for another poem on Monday, the second to last stanza of "Dum Diane vitrea" on Tuesday and more Beowulf on Thursday. As always Tuesday's and Thursday's updates can be found over at Tongues in Jars, and Monday's can be found right here at A Glass Darkly!
By the way, because of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and how my work week's rolled out, I'm not going to be reviewing a movie this coming week. But, watch for a review of something the next week!
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Showing posts with label annotated links. Show all posts
Showing posts with label annotated links. Show all posts
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Saturday, October 27, 2012
[Sæternes-dæg] Annotated Links #23: Chameleon Communications
1. Anders, Charlie Jane. "What would a Random House/Penguin merger mean for science fiction and fantasy?" io9 25 October 2012. Web. 27 October 2012.
Anders offers a handful of insights into what a merger of Penguin and Random House might mean for publishers, imprints, writers, readers and those aspiring to be writers. She also includes a link to an in-depth article about what mergers in general mean for science fiction and fantasy, and another link to a 2007 interview with Ace/Roc editor Anne Sowards. This article is written in a easy-going, conversational style.
This one is included, and set into the first place, because the possibility of a Penguin/Random House merger is huge news for anyone keeping an eye on the publishing industry.
2. Sullivan, Tim. "'Gone With The Wind' In North Korea An Unlikely Cultural Phenomenon." HuffPost World: Canada 24 October 2012. Web. 27 October 2012.
Sullivan writes on an array of reasons why Gone With the Wind is so popular among North Koreans. Among these reasons, he gives in depth treatment to the book's Civil War setting and its tough, hardship-enduring characters. He writes in a smooth style and uses a handful of quotations to underline his article's narrative quality.
This one's included because it's a great example of how cultural products can cross cultures and end up thriving in places that you would simply not expect.
3. Peng, Kan. "How to hard sell China's soft power." China Daily 26 October 2012. Web. 27 October 2012.
Peng begins by summarizing the Psy/Gangnam Style phenomenon, how social media has played an integral part in the phenomenon's popularity, and how the phenomenon has helped to promote South Korean culture and products across the world. He then moves into how China has tried and failed to do promote their soft power via cultural exports in the same way, but have failed because they've kept their attempts too official. Peng writes in a punchy, to-the-point style.
This article is included because of the contrast that it sets up between two nation's strategies for increasing their soft power. This contrast underlines the usefulness of pop-culture.
4. Rector, Gene. "'Science fiction' becomes 'science fact' following Utah test." WRWR The Patriot 23 October 2012. Web. 27 October 2012.
This is a brief article about a new microwave emitter-equipped missile (called CHAMP, or the Counter-electronics High powered Advanced Missile Project) that is designed to disable electronics. According to the article, the titular test in Utah saw this technology not only shut down all of the computers in a target building but also the camera recording the experiment.
As a technology article amongst articles about books and publishing, this one might seem out of place. However, at its heart it's about a missile that has the potential to take out communications systems - and what are publishing and books if not just friendly means of communication?
5. Perlow, Jason. "Computing's low-cost, Cloud-centric future is not Science Fiction." ZDNet 21 October 2012. Web. 27 October 2012.
This article looks at Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey and Ridley Scott's Blade Runner as examples of futurism. Specifically, Perlow goes over the aspects of each movie that, some 50 and 30 years before the present, accurately depict technological aspects of our daily life and those elements of the movies that aren't here just yet. Perlow writes in an expositional style, using a generous number of links to his own and others' writing.
This one is included because it shows the importance of fiction as a way to explore ideas that seem far removed from reality, just one of fiction's enduring uses.
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Closing
That's it for this week in the blog, but check back here next week for another short story draft, a review of the recent cult classic The Room (Monday and Friday), and, over at Tongues in Jars, more of "Dum Diane vitrea" and Beowulf (Tuesday and Thursday).
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Anders offers a handful of insights into what a merger of Penguin and Random House might mean for publishers, imprints, writers, readers and those aspiring to be writers. She also includes a link to an in-depth article about what mergers in general mean for science fiction and fantasy, and another link to a 2007 interview with Ace/Roc editor Anne Sowards. This article is written in a easy-going, conversational style.
This one is included, and set into the first place, because the possibility of a Penguin/Random House merger is huge news for anyone keeping an eye on the publishing industry.
2. Sullivan, Tim. "'Gone With The Wind' In North Korea An Unlikely Cultural Phenomenon." HuffPost World: Canada 24 October 2012. Web. 27 October 2012.
Sullivan writes on an array of reasons why Gone With the Wind is so popular among North Koreans. Among these reasons, he gives in depth treatment to the book's Civil War setting and its tough, hardship-enduring characters. He writes in a smooth style and uses a handful of quotations to underline his article's narrative quality.
This one's included because it's a great example of how cultural products can cross cultures and end up thriving in places that you would simply not expect.
3. Peng, Kan. "How to hard sell China's soft power." China Daily 26 October 2012. Web. 27 October 2012.
Peng begins by summarizing the Psy/Gangnam Style phenomenon, how social media has played an integral part in the phenomenon's popularity, and how the phenomenon has helped to promote South Korean culture and products across the world. He then moves into how China has tried and failed to do promote their soft power via cultural exports in the same way, but have failed because they've kept their attempts too official. Peng writes in a punchy, to-the-point style.
This article is included because of the contrast that it sets up between two nation's strategies for increasing their soft power. This contrast underlines the usefulness of pop-culture.
4. Rector, Gene. "'Science fiction' becomes 'science fact' following Utah test." WRWR The Patriot 23 October 2012. Web. 27 October 2012.
This is a brief article about a new microwave emitter-equipped missile (called CHAMP, or the Counter-electronics High powered Advanced Missile Project) that is designed to disable electronics. According to the article, the titular test in Utah saw this technology not only shut down all of the computers in a target building but also the camera recording the experiment.
As a technology article amongst articles about books and publishing, this one might seem out of place. However, at its heart it's about a missile that has the potential to take out communications systems - and what are publishing and books if not just friendly means of communication?
5. Perlow, Jason. "Computing's low-cost, Cloud-centric future is not Science Fiction." ZDNet 21 October 2012. Web. 27 October 2012.
This article looks at Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey and Ridley Scott's Blade Runner as examples of futurism. Specifically, Perlow goes over the aspects of each movie that, some 50 and 30 years before the present, accurately depict technological aspects of our daily life and those elements of the movies that aren't here just yet. Perlow writes in an expositional style, using a generous number of links to his own and others' writing.
This one is included because it shows the importance of fiction as a way to explore ideas that seem far removed from reality, just one of fiction's enduring uses.
Back To Top
Closing
That's it for this week in the blog, but check back here next week for another short story draft, a review of the recent cult classic The Room (Monday and Friday), and, over at Tongues in Jars, more of "Dum Diane vitrea" and Beowulf (Tuesday and Thursday).
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Saturday, October 20, 2012
[Sæternes-dæg] Annotated Links #22: Different, but the Same
1. Ramstad, Evan. "Are Koreans the Irish of Asia? Here’s a Case." Korea Realtime (Wall Street Journal) 16 October 2012. Web. 20 October 2012.
Ramstad recounts the recent visit to Seoul of Eammon McKee, Ireland's ambassador to the Koreas, and a speech he made there wherein he fleshed out the Korea-is-Ireland cliché. He quotes McKee's speech selectively, compiling a brief list of the ways in which the two nations are similar. This article is written in a pure journalistic style, this article reports on the idea of the two nations having shared traits.
An article about how two disparate nations actually have quite a bit in common is a great way to start of an Annotated Links about different things that, upon further analysis, can easily be considered similar. Thus, this article was an easy pick for this week's batch.
2. Lorditch, Emilie. "Using Science Fiction to Educate." Inside Science 17 October 2012. Web. 20 October 2012.
This one is a brief article that provides an overview of the basic argument for using science fiction in science education: to show the relevance of science to young people so that more of them will take an active interest in pursuing the sciences at college or university. It makes specific reference to science fiction and super hero films while leaving out anything about science fiction literature. Lorditch writes in a direct style of reportage, with an effective use of quotes.
Science fiction and science fact are definitely different, but the limits of human technology are always making gains on the limits of human imagination. This article doesn't make a direct comparison between science fiction and science in the classroom, but mining science fiction for examples to show how science does and doesn't work bridges the two nicely.
3. Houpt, Simon. "IBM hones Watson the supercomputer’s skills." The Globe and Mail 19 October 2012. Web. 20 October 2012.
In this interview with the IBM T.J. Watson Research Center's Eric Brown, Houpt explores the different uses for IBM's Question Answering supercomputer Watson. Specifically, Houpt asks about IBM's work with the US healthcare insurance provider WellPoint and how Watson will figure in with that. It's written as any interview is bound to be written - in a conversational tone.
Though comparisons between Watson and human personalities don't come up until near the end of the interview, this piece is included in this week's Annotated Links because it underscores how a stripped down version of human thinking (parsing sentences, taking certain elements and understanding the relationships between them) is being emulated by computers.
4. Taylor, Kate. "Picnicface: Why are we laughing? I don’t know, but it sure beats crying." The Globe and Mail 20 October 2012. Web. 20 October 2012.
Taylor's article offers some quick background information on the Picnicface story, along with a very quick rundown of where the three-person comedy trio is today. Her article also offers some thoughts on the matter of internet fame vs. old school fame, and how being popular on YouTube does not necessarily translate being popular on the boob tube. This one is written in a straightforward style, with quotes from players in the Picnicface story sprinkled throughout.
Including this one in the Links for this week was necessarily partly because it fit and partly because of personal prejudices. Picnicface is an hilarious troupe, and the ways in which culture on the internet is different from culture on TV or radio or in print is something that needs more mainstream attention.
5. Strickland, Eddie. "Red Potion (The Legend of Zelda cocktail)." The Drunken Moogle 14 October 2012. Web. 20 October 2012.
Simply a recipe for a cocktail inspired by the Legend of Zelda (clicking on that tag at the bottom of the recipe shows another 4 pages worth of Zelda-inspired booze bombs). This recipe is written in a direct style without any extra notes.
This one's included for the obvious reason that video games ('The Legend of Zelda,' perhaps especially) are not the same as real life. However, it must definitely be noted that medieval medicine (and therefore medicine in a high fantasy setting such as the one in 'Zelda') would invariably involve alcohol in some way - so the two different worlds of the real and the virtual are bridged by the cause of and solution to all of life's problems: alcohol.
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Closing
Next week, watch for a poem post for Monday, and Part Four of Shocktober, when I'll make the call for the conversion of the campy horror flic The Convent.
Plus, over at Tongues in Jars, watch for the fifth stanza of "Dum Diane vitrea" in Tuesday's Latin entry, and Wiglaf's tongue lashing of the cowardly thanes in Thursday's Beowulf entry.
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Ramstad recounts the recent visit to Seoul of Eammon McKee, Ireland's ambassador to the Koreas, and a speech he made there wherein he fleshed out the Korea-is-Ireland cliché. He quotes McKee's speech selectively, compiling a brief list of the ways in which the two nations are similar. This article is written in a pure journalistic style, this article reports on the idea of the two nations having shared traits.
An article about how two disparate nations actually have quite a bit in common is a great way to start of an Annotated Links about different things that, upon further analysis, can easily be considered similar. Thus, this article was an easy pick for this week's batch.
2. Lorditch, Emilie. "Using Science Fiction to Educate." Inside Science 17 October 2012. Web. 20 October 2012.
This one is a brief article that provides an overview of the basic argument for using science fiction in science education: to show the relevance of science to young people so that more of them will take an active interest in pursuing the sciences at college or university. It makes specific reference to science fiction and super hero films while leaving out anything about science fiction literature. Lorditch writes in a direct style of reportage, with an effective use of quotes.
Science fiction and science fact are definitely different, but the limits of human technology are always making gains on the limits of human imagination. This article doesn't make a direct comparison between science fiction and science in the classroom, but mining science fiction for examples to show how science does and doesn't work bridges the two nicely.
3. Houpt, Simon. "IBM hones Watson the supercomputer’s skills." The Globe and Mail 19 October 2012. Web. 20 October 2012.
In this interview with the IBM T.J. Watson Research Center's Eric Brown, Houpt explores the different uses for IBM's Question Answering supercomputer Watson. Specifically, Houpt asks about IBM's work with the US healthcare insurance provider WellPoint and how Watson will figure in with that. It's written as any interview is bound to be written - in a conversational tone.
Though comparisons between Watson and human personalities don't come up until near the end of the interview, this piece is included in this week's Annotated Links because it underscores how a stripped down version of human thinking (parsing sentences, taking certain elements and understanding the relationships between them) is being emulated by computers.
4. Taylor, Kate. "Picnicface: Why are we laughing? I don’t know, but it sure beats crying." The Globe and Mail 20 October 2012. Web. 20 October 2012.
Taylor's article offers some quick background information on the Picnicface story, along with a very quick rundown of where the three-person comedy trio is today. Her article also offers some thoughts on the matter of internet fame vs. old school fame, and how being popular on YouTube does not necessarily translate being popular on the boob tube. This one is written in a straightforward style, with quotes from players in the Picnicface story sprinkled throughout.
Including this one in the Links for this week was necessarily partly because it fit and partly because of personal prejudices. Picnicface is an hilarious troupe, and the ways in which culture on the internet is different from culture on TV or radio or in print is something that needs more mainstream attention.
5. Strickland, Eddie. "Red Potion (The Legend of Zelda cocktail)." The Drunken Moogle 14 October 2012. Web. 20 October 2012.
Simply a recipe for a cocktail inspired by the Legend of Zelda (clicking on that tag at the bottom of the recipe shows another 4 pages worth of Zelda-inspired booze bombs). This recipe is written in a direct style without any extra notes.
This one's included for the obvious reason that video games ('The Legend of Zelda,' perhaps especially) are not the same as real life. However, it must definitely be noted that medieval medicine (and therefore medicine in a high fantasy setting such as the one in 'Zelda') would invariably involve alcohol in some way - so the two different worlds of the real and the virtual are bridged by the cause of and solution to all of life's problems: alcohol.
Back To Top
Closing
Next week, watch for a poem post for Monday, and Part Four of Shocktober, when I'll make the call for the conversion of the campy horror flic The Convent.
Plus, over at Tongues in Jars, watch for the fifth stanza of "Dum Diane vitrea" in Tuesday's Latin entry, and Wiglaf's tongue lashing of the cowardly thanes in Thursday's Beowulf entry.
Back To Top
Sunday, October 14, 2012
[Sæternes-dæg] Annotated Links #21: Simple Solutions
1. "Scholars finish dictionary of ancient Egyptian language." ScienceBlog 19 September 2012. Web. 13 October 2012.
The Chicago Demotic Dictionary, developed at the University of Chicago's Oriental Institute, has finally been completed. The article details how the Ancient Egyptian common language has contributed to Modern English, as well as how it sheds light on how the common people of Ancient Egypt lived. It is written in a fairly conversational style.
Language news is always fascinating news, and so this one had to be included.
2. Knight, Chris. "From Doctor Who to Looper to Robot & Frank: The best sci-fi is made on a shoestring." National Post 7 October 2012. Web. 13 October 2012.
Knight uses Doctor Who (the Daleks, specifically), Looper, and Robot & Frank as examples of effective science fiction that's financially successful because of its small budget. These are contrasted with blockbuster movies of the past summer, and the take away is that good science fiction needs to be more substantial and referential to our own present to be successful.
This article is included because it shows that substance is more often appreciated than flash.
3. McGinn, Dave. "The $55K, 2,900-square foot, eco-friendly home – with no electricity bills." The Globe and Mail 10 October 2012. Web. 13 October 2012.
This article explains just what an "earthship" home is (one built from recycled materials, and that uses natural heating and water) and how they're more economically and environmentally feasible than your standard home. Its focus on a couple from Tilsonburg, Ontario lends this story a human interest element, and it's written in a simple style that makes broad use of quotations.
Wild designs and neat aesthetics combine with practicality in this subject, and so it's something I've got to share.
4. Baumann, Chris, and Shu Setogawa. "Korean teachers preferred." The Korea Herald 10 October 2012. Web. 13 October 2012.
This one is a report on a study of teacher preferences among Koreans. It shows that Koreans do prefer Korean teachers, even when it comes to English language instruction, because they are believed to be the most apt to demonstrate the proper etiquette and cultural values. Baumann and Setogawa's report is written in a formal, academic style and includes a handful of charts.
Although this report addresses the issue of ESL teachers, I included this one to help spread these findings and because it very quickly details how the Korean approach to ESL teaching is changing.
5. Everett-Green, Robert. "1K Wave: Can a great film be made for $1,000? Ingrid Veninger thinks so." The Globe and Mail 10 October 2012. Web. 13 October 2012.
Ingrid Veninger, Toronto filmmaker, believes that local filming and at-home editing mean that anyone who wants to make a movie can - and for only $1000 up front. Veninger has already run the 1K Wave contest, and five films were created as a direct result. This article is written in a conversational style with quotes from a variety of local filmmakers.
Creative contests that stand out like this one deserve to get attention. So, since this one also works with this Annotated Links' theme, it had to be included.
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Closing
Next week check the blog for a new polished draft of fiction (Monday), a look for the lurking in Silent House (Friday), and the next Annotated Links (Saturday).
And to keep your reading going throughout the week, check out Tongues in Jars for translations and commentary of the Latin poem "Dum Diane vitrea" and the Old English Beowulf.
Back To Top
The Chicago Demotic Dictionary, developed at the University of Chicago's Oriental Institute, has finally been completed. The article details how the Ancient Egyptian common language has contributed to Modern English, as well as how it sheds light on how the common people of Ancient Egypt lived. It is written in a fairly conversational style.
Language news is always fascinating news, and so this one had to be included.
2. Knight, Chris. "From Doctor Who to Looper to Robot & Frank: The best sci-fi is made on a shoestring." National Post 7 October 2012. Web. 13 October 2012.
Knight uses Doctor Who (the Daleks, specifically), Looper, and Robot & Frank as examples of effective science fiction that's financially successful because of its small budget. These are contrasted with blockbuster movies of the past summer, and the take away is that good science fiction needs to be more substantial and referential to our own present to be successful.
This article is included because it shows that substance is more often appreciated than flash.
3. McGinn, Dave. "The $55K, 2,900-square foot, eco-friendly home – with no electricity bills." The Globe and Mail 10 October 2012. Web. 13 October 2012.
This article explains just what an "earthship" home is (one built from recycled materials, and that uses natural heating and water) and how they're more economically and environmentally feasible than your standard home. Its focus on a couple from Tilsonburg, Ontario lends this story a human interest element, and it's written in a simple style that makes broad use of quotations.
Wild designs and neat aesthetics combine with practicality in this subject, and so it's something I've got to share.
4. Baumann, Chris, and Shu Setogawa. "Korean teachers preferred." The Korea Herald 10 October 2012. Web. 13 October 2012.
This one is a report on a study of teacher preferences among Koreans. It shows that Koreans do prefer Korean teachers, even when it comes to English language instruction, because they are believed to be the most apt to demonstrate the proper etiquette and cultural values. Baumann and Setogawa's report is written in a formal, academic style and includes a handful of charts.
Although this report addresses the issue of ESL teachers, I included this one to help spread these findings and because it very quickly details how the Korean approach to ESL teaching is changing.
5. Everett-Green, Robert. "1K Wave: Can a great film be made for $1,000? Ingrid Veninger thinks so." The Globe and Mail 10 October 2012. Web. 13 October 2012.
Ingrid Veninger, Toronto filmmaker, believes that local filming and at-home editing mean that anyone who wants to make a movie can - and for only $1000 up front. Veninger has already run the 1K Wave contest, and five films were created as a direct result. This article is written in a conversational style with quotes from a variety of local filmmakers.
Creative contests that stand out like this one deserve to get attention. So, since this one also works with this Annotated Links' theme, it had to be included.
Back To Top
Closing
Next week check the blog for a new polished draft of fiction (Monday), a look for the lurking in Silent House (Friday), and the next Annotated Links (Saturday).
And to keep your reading going throughout the week, check out Tongues in Jars for translations and commentary of the Latin poem "Dum Diane vitrea" and the Old English Beowulf.
Back To Top
Saturday, October 6, 2012
[Sæternes-dæg] Annotated Links #20: Bending Borders
1. Koh, Yoree. "Novelist Murakami Weighs In on Japan Territorial Rows." Japan Real Time (The Wall Street Journal) 28 September 2012. Web. 06 October 2012.
Koh recaps Haruki Murakami's stance on Japan's current territorial disputes as they appeared in an essay that made the front page of the Asahi Shimbun. Murakami argues that these territorial disputes are threatening the cultural ties that the three Asian countries have established over recent decades, and that they're "like getting drunk on cheap sake." This article is written in a plain, direct style.
Haruki Murakami is an amazing writer, and the matter of Japanese-South Korean-Chinese territorial disputes is one of interest since I recall how passionate many South Koreans were about their owning Dokdo (Takeshima, in Japan), so inlcuding this article was a must.
2. Stusinski, Melissa. "‘Looper’-Like Time Travel Possible, Scientists Say." The Inquisitr 28 September 2012. Web. 06 October 2012.
A misleadingly titled article that suggests that time travel to the future is possible, while time travel to the past is much more problematic. This one is written in a very conversational style that makes it seem like a token blog entry.
Despite its brevity, this article is included because it is a solid summary of time travel mechanics.
3. Tozer, Jessica L.. "Sensors on Scan." Armed With Science 2 October 2012. Web. 06 October 2012.
Dr. Chris Field at the Naval Research Laboratory is currently working on technology that does just what Star Trek's tricorder does - scan an area for any and all vapours it contains. Various applications for this quarter-sized technology are discussed, ranging from carbon monoxide detection to airport security applications. Tozer writes in an informal style.
Anything about such amazing science simply has to be included. It's practically the law.
4. Oh, Young-Jin. "Coming out on Psy." The Korea Times 2 October 2012. Web. 06 October 2012.
This one offers a thought-provoking look at the Psy phenomenon from the perspective of someone who thinks that Psy represents nothing Korean. In it Oh relates his thoughts on Psy and how they've evolved to his current stance that Psy represents more of global pop culture than Korean pop culture. It is written in a prim, yet conversational style.
Because of the wild popularity of Psy, this one had to be included to offer a counter-argument to his apparent bolstering of the Korean cultural wave that's supposedly swept over the world in recent weeks.
5.Clayton, Nick. "Scientists Look to Use Bee’s Brains to Control Flying Robots." Tech Europe (The Wall Street Journal) 4 October 2012. Web. 6 October 2012.
Researchers at the universities of Sheffield and Sussex are looking into using bee brains to power flying recon robots. Among the uses for these robots, the article focuses on their being used to gather information to help rescue teams figure out what the next best option is. It is a short article, written in a plain style.
This one's included because it's some exciting news from the world of robotics, and it's not often that social insects are thought of as being as useful to science as social mammals.
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Closing
Next week, watch for another (much more recent) poem on Monday, and a prowl for the palatable in Leprechaun In The Hood on Friday!
Back To Top
Koh recaps Haruki Murakami's stance on Japan's current territorial disputes as they appeared in an essay that made the front page of the Asahi Shimbun. Murakami argues that these territorial disputes are threatening the cultural ties that the three Asian countries have established over recent decades, and that they're "like getting drunk on cheap sake." This article is written in a plain, direct style.
Haruki Murakami is an amazing writer, and the matter of Japanese-South Korean-Chinese territorial disputes is one of interest since I recall how passionate many South Koreans were about their owning Dokdo (Takeshima, in Japan), so inlcuding this article was a must.
2. Stusinski, Melissa. "‘Looper’-Like Time Travel Possible, Scientists Say." The Inquisitr 28 September 2012. Web. 06 October 2012.
A misleadingly titled article that suggests that time travel to the future is possible, while time travel to the past is much more problematic. This one is written in a very conversational style that makes it seem like a token blog entry.
Despite its brevity, this article is included because it is a solid summary of time travel mechanics.
3. Tozer, Jessica L.. "Sensors on Scan." Armed With Science 2 October 2012. Web. 06 October 2012.
Dr. Chris Field at the Naval Research Laboratory is currently working on technology that does just what Star Trek's tricorder does - scan an area for any and all vapours it contains. Various applications for this quarter-sized technology are discussed, ranging from carbon monoxide detection to airport security applications. Tozer writes in an informal style.
Anything about such amazing science simply has to be included. It's practically the law.
4. Oh, Young-Jin. "Coming out on Psy." The Korea Times 2 October 2012. Web. 06 October 2012.
This one offers a thought-provoking look at the Psy phenomenon from the perspective of someone who thinks that Psy represents nothing Korean. In it Oh relates his thoughts on Psy and how they've evolved to his current stance that Psy represents more of global pop culture than Korean pop culture. It is written in a prim, yet conversational style.
Because of the wild popularity of Psy, this one had to be included to offer a counter-argument to his apparent bolstering of the Korean cultural wave that's supposedly swept over the world in recent weeks.
5.Clayton, Nick. "Scientists Look to Use Bee’s Brains to Control Flying Robots." Tech Europe (The Wall Street Journal) 4 October 2012. Web. 6 October 2012.
Researchers at the universities of Sheffield and Sussex are looking into using bee brains to power flying recon robots. Among the uses for these robots, the article focuses on their being used to gather information to help rescue teams figure out what the next best option is. It is a short article, written in a plain style.
This one's included because it's some exciting news from the world of robotics, and it's not often that social insects are thought of as being as useful to science as social mammals.
Back To Top
Closing
Next week, watch for another (much more recent) poem on Monday, and a prowl for the palatable in Leprechaun In The Hood on Friday!
Back To Top
Saturday, September 29, 2012
[Sæternes-dæg] Annotated Links #19: Wonders Outwards, Inwards, and Engineered
1. "This is Not a Real-Life Pokemon, Just the Poodle Moth." TechEBlog 23 September 2012. Web. 29 September 2012.
This article focuses on an image of the poodle moth in nature, and as a pokemon card. It's a brief article that includes no extra description of the animal or an external link.
Nonetheless, this link is included because of its weirdness and how it shows the world's wondrousness.
2.Marable, Eileen. "This Nazi Space Buddha isn't science fiction — it's real." DVICE 27 September 2012. Web. 29 September 2012.
According to this article, information on a Buddhist statue made from meteorite iron was recently released by researchers. This statue is from the 8th-10th centures, but the iron itself fell some 10,000 years ago, along the Siberia-Mongolia border. During the late 1930s it was brought to Nazi Germany, possibly because of the swastika on its chest. This article is written in a sensationalist, yet level-headed style.
This article is included because of its bizarreness.
3. Taylor, Kathleen. "The Brain Supremacy." Huff Post Science 24 September 2012. Web. 29 September 2012.
An article that proposes that the field of neuroscience is going to be a hot spot for future scientific development - as the brain is increasingly better understood, the more it will be treated directly, and the more it will be pleased directly (with things like artificial experiences or direct thought-editing). At the same time, this piece raises the ethical questions important to a world where neuroscience can do all of these things. Taylor writes in a lecture-style register but keeps things moving along smoothly.
This one is included because the matter of brain manipulation is a curious thing.
4. Adams, James. "Why reading more carefully is better." The Globe and Mail 21 September 2012. Web. 29 September 2012.
Adams explains the importance of reading slowly based on observations of reading brains and circulatory systems. According to this article, slow reading gives blood flow to all of the brain, whereas skimming something only gives a blood flow to certain parts of the brain. He writes in a casual but tidy style.
I had to include this one because any research into the body's reaction to reading needs to be shared. Especially when it proposes such positive benefits to slow reading.
5. Kooser, Amanda. "Nintendo zapper hacked to shoot high-powered laser." CBS News 26 September 2012. Web. 29 September 2012.
Over at North Street Labs in Portsmouth, VA, engineers have hacked an NES Zapper to fire a powerful laser. This laser can set things on fire, damage eye sight, or burn skin. A video demonstrating some of its applications is included with this article, and it's written in a direct, simple style.
Because this one is so amazing, it's included.
Back To Top
Closing
Tomorrow, watch for the next look-back/look-ahead entry!
Back To Top
This article focuses on an image of the poodle moth in nature, and as a pokemon card. It's a brief article that includes no extra description of the animal or an external link.
Nonetheless, this link is included because of its weirdness and how it shows the world's wondrousness.
2.Marable, Eileen. "This Nazi Space Buddha isn't science fiction — it's real." DVICE 27 September 2012. Web. 29 September 2012.
According to this article, information on a Buddhist statue made from meteorite iron was recently released by researchers. This statue is from the 8th-10th centures, but the iron itself fell some 10,000 years ago, along the Siberia-Mongolia border. During the late 1930s it was brought to Nazi Germany, possibly because of the swastika on its chest. This article is written in a sensationalist, yet level-headed style.
This article is included because of its bizarreness.
3. Taylor, Kathleen. "The Brain Supremacy." Huff Post Science 24 September 2012. Web. 29 September 2012.
An article that proposes that the field of neuroscience is going to be a hot spot for future scientific development - as the brain is increasingly better understood, the more it will be treated directly, and the more it will be pleased directly (with things like artificial experiences or direct thought-editing). At the same time, this piece raises the ethical questions important to a world where neuroscience can do all of these things. Taylor writes in a lecture-style register but keeps things moving along smoothly.
This one is included because the matter of brain manipulation is a curious thing.
4. Adams, James. "Why reading more carefully is better." The Globe and Mail 21 September 2012. Web. 29 September 2012.
Adams explains the importance of reading slowly based on observations of reading brains and circulatory systems. According to this article, slow reading gives blood flow to all of the brain, whereas skimming something only gives a blood flow to certain parts of the brain. He writes in a casual but tidy style.
I had to include this one because any research into the body's reaction to reading needs to be shared. Especially when it proposes such positive benefits to slow reading.
5. Kooser, Amanda. "Nintendo zapper hacked to shoot high-powered laser." CBS News 26 September 2012. Web. 29 September 2012.
Over at North Street Labs in Portsmouth, VA, engineers have hacked an NES Zapper to fire a powerful laser. This laser can set things on fire, damage eye sight, or burn skin. A video demonstrating some of its applications is included with this article, and it's written in a direct, simple style.
Because this one is so amazing, it's included.
Back To Top
Closing
Tomorrow, watch for the next look-back/look-ahead entry!
Back To Top
Saturday, September 22, 2012
[Sæternes-dæg] Annotated Links # 18: Cultural and Career Vehicles
1. Skelding, Conor. "K is for Kapital, and Not in a Marxist Way." BWOG 22 September 2012. Web. 23 September 2012.
Professor John Lie gave a talk at Center for Korean Research’s Colloquium Series on Korean Cultural Studies in which he didn't speak about K-Pop. Instead, Lie spoke about how Korean pop music is an entirely market and capitalist driven endeavour that is hollow culturally. His evidence is all of the financial backing that the industry receives and its stark contrast to Korea's straightforward and simple traditional music.
This piece is written in a casual style befitting a blog, but with authority. It's included because I find the different perspective on K-Pop's importance refreshing.
2. Cho, Chung-un. "Hallyu can help spread Korean: Minister." AsiaOne 18 September 2012. Web. 23 September 2012.
Choe Kwang-shik, Korean Culture Minister, claims that the world's initial interest in K-Pop is spreading to other cultures. Yet, he posits that even more important than the spread of K-culture in general is the spread of the interest in the Korean language, what he calls the "most important cultural product."
Written in a direct, journalistic style, this article is included because it celebrates the Korean language, a thing truly worth studying.
3. Sofge, Erik. "What Would a Starship Actually Look Like?" Popular Mechanics 20 September 2012. Web. 23 September 2012.
Real physics and space dangers are considered in what an interstellar ship might just look like. The fact that there is no air in space, and so aeordynamics aren't relevant, as well as the problem of space dust perforating sails and hulls because of ships' high speeds are among the things considered.
Sofge wrote this piece in a technical style, but in a tone that is readable - even if some of its paragraphs tend toward lumpiness. Its included because the realities of space-travelling vehicles are excellent things to know for writing science fiction.
4. Hanna, Jeff. "Fantastic Poetry: W&L's Wheeler Uses Terza Rime to Spin a Sci-Fi Story." Washington and Lee Universities: News and Media 20 September 2012. Web. 23 September 2012.
Leslie Wheeler, the Henry S. Fox Professor of English at Washington and Lee University, has just published a collection of speculative fiction poetry. The title poem ("The Receptionist") is set in a fantastical academia, where fantasy creatures and figures stand in for the usual group found in universities.
This article doubles as a light overview/review of the collection and an informative piece. It's included because I find it encouraging that something close to one of my own projects has been carried out and published.
5. Hagy, Jessica. "20 Ways to Find Your Calling." Forbes.com 26 June 2012. Web. 23 September 2012.
This article gives readers a list of 20 questions to ask and things to think about to figure out what you want to do with their lives. The things on this list aren't earth shattering but they're the sort of things that can help to shake loose what might be rattling around in your head.
Written in a casual, easy-going style, this article is included because it offers a way to potentially figure out where your natural skills lay.
Back To Top
Closing
Check back here tomorrow for the week-in-review/week-ahead entry!
Back To Top
Professor John Lie gave a talk at Center for Korean Research’s Colloquium Series on Korean Cultural Studies in which he didn't speak about K-Pop. Instead, Lie spoke about how Korean pop music is an entirely market and capitalist driven endeavour that is hollow culturally. His evidence is all of the financial backing that the industry receives and its stark contrast to Korea's straightforward and simple traditional music.
This piece is written in a casual style befitting a blog, but with authority. It's included because I find the different perspective on K-Pop's importance refreshing.
2. Cho, Chung-un. "Hallyu can help spread Korean: Minister." AsiaOne 18 September 2012. Web. 23 September 2012.
Choe Kwang-shik, Korean Culture Minister, claims that the world's initial interest in K-Pop is spreading to other cultures. Yet, he posits that even more important than the spread of K-culture in general is the spread of the interest in the Korean language, what he calls the "most important cultural product."
Written in a direct, journalistic style, this article is included because it celebrates the Korean language, a thing truly worth studying.
3. Sofge, Erik. "What Would a Starship Actually Look Like?" Popular Mechanics 20 September 2012. Web. 23 September 2012.
Real physics and space dangers are considered in what an interstellar ship might just look like. The fact that there is no air in space, and so aeordynamics aren't relevant, as well as the problem of space dust perforating sails and hulls because of ships' high speeds are among the things considered.
Sofge wrote this piece in a technical style, but in a tone that is readable - even if some of its paragraphs tend toward lumpiness. Its included because the realities of space-travelling vehicles are excellent things to know for writing science fiction.
4. Hanna, Jeff. "Fantastic Poetry: W&L's Wheeler Uses Terza Rime to Spin a Sci-Fi Story." Washington and Lee Universities: News and Media 20 September 2012. Web. 23 September 2012.
Leslie Wheeler, the Henry S. Fox Professor of English at Washington and Lee University, has just published a collection of speculative fiction poetry. The title poem ("The Receptionist") is set in a fantastical academia, where fantasy creatures and figures stand in for the usual group found in universities.
This article doubles as a light overview/review of the collection and an informative piece. It's included because I find it encouraging that something close to one of my own projects has been carried out and published.
5. Hagy, Jessica. "20 Ways to Find Your Calling." Forbes.com 26 June 2012. Web. 23 September 2012.
This article gives readers a list of 20 questions to ask and things to think about to figure out what you want to do with their lives. The things on this list aren't earth shattering but they're the sort of things that can help to shake loose what might be rattling around in your head.
Written in a casual, easy-going style, this article is included because it offers a way to potentially figure out where your natural skills lay.
Back To Top
Closing
Check back here tomorrow for the week-in-review/week-ahead entry!
Back To Top
Sunday, September 16, 2012
[Sunnan-dæg] The First of many Lights
Welcome to the first Sunday Edition of A Glass Darkly.
In keeping with the themes of my other entries in this blog, since Sunday is named for the Sun, these entries will shine a light on what I did related to my writing over the previous week, while also using that light to peer ahead into the next. Yes, there will be lists, but there'll also be a little bit of description. Let's get to it.
As you might remember from the last "Update Entry" I made, I wrote that I was going to provide an update every three days rather than every two. That was back on Monday, and so things have sort of slackened on that end of things.
However, I'm now yanking that slack and drawing in the last parts of that blog update for this Sunday entry. So, in the future, those sorts of blog updates will come out every Sunday. In the meantime, these entries will be all about my writing efforts.
Over the past week, here's what I've done for the sake of my fiction and poetry writing:
As a refresher, here are the things still outstanding from the blog update of August '12:
It's my hope that I'll have all of these wrapped up come next Sunday.
Until then, don't miss tomorrow's creative writing entry and Friday's look at Luke Wilson and Samuel L. Jackson's Meeting Evil here at A Glass Darkly. Plus, on Saturday, you'll be able to find the newest "Annotated Links" here as well.
And keep an eye out for Tuesday's translation of a poem possibly written by Peter Abelard (of the famed pair of star-crossed medieval lovers Héloïse and Abelard), "Dum Diane vitrea," followed by Thursday's look at Beowulf's burial instructions at Tongues in Jars.
Oh, you might also have remembered that I mentioned a video game blog that I'd be starting up soon. I still intend to start it sooner rather than later, so watch for a link in future entries.
Back to Top
In keeping with the themes of my other entries in this blog, since Sunday is named for the Sun, these entries will shine a light on what I did related to my writing over the previous week, while also using that light to peer ahead into the next. Yes, there will be lists, but there'll also be a little bit of description. Let's get to it.
As you might remember from the last "Update Entry" I made, I wrote that I was going to provide an update every three days rather than every two. That was back on Monday, and so things have sort of slackened on that end of things.
However, I'm now yanking that slack and drawing in the last parts of that blog update for this Sunday entry. So, in the future, those sorts of blog updates will come out every Sunday. In the meantime, these entries will be all about my writing efforts.
Over the past week, here's what I've done for the sake of my fiction and poetry writing:
- Re-organized the schedule of A Glass Darkly to better accomodate my fiction and poetry writing;
- Come up with the climactic moment for my current fantasy novel (Working title: Dekar 4);
- Made notes for a number of short stories;
- Done some world building for that fantasy series I'm working on (the world's cosmology, history, and magic system, specifically);
- Compiled a list of Canadian science fiction magazines.
As a refresher, here are the things still outstanding from the blog update of August '12:
- Send out two short stories to magazines
- Outline entirety of the fantasy novel I'm writing
- Completed 10 of those chapters
- Completed the next act (4 scenes) of an audio drama I'm working on
It's my hope that I'll have all of these wrapped up come next Sunday.
Until then, don't miss tomorrow's creative writing entry and Friday's look at Luke Wilson and Samuel L. Jackson's Meeting Evil here at A Glass Darkly. Plus, on Saturday, you'll be able to find the newest "Annotated Links" here as well.
And keep an eye out for Tuesday's translation of a poem possibly written by Peter Abelard (of the famed pair of star-crossed medieval lovers Héloïse and Abelard), "Dum Diane vitrea," followed by Thursday's look at Beowulf's burial instructions at Tongues in Jars.
Oh, you might also have remembered that I mentioned a video game blog that I'd be starting up soon. I still intend to start it sooner rather than later, so watch for a link in future entries.
Back to Top
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Annotated Links #17: Writing of Rarities and Hard Finds
1. Doctorow, Cory. "Great writing advice from this year's Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy writing workshop." Boing Boing 14 August 2012. Web. 16 August 2012.
The title really says it all for this one: it's a short collection of some great advice from this year's Clarion workshop. It's written in a straightforward style and includes a link to the blog of Sam J. Miller, one of this year's participants and a stalwart notetaker who's been benevolent enough to post most of his notes online.
Because this one showcases some great writing advice that will probably still be new to you if you've only read how-to guides and gone to a few general writing workshops it's leading off today's Annotated Links.
2. "South Korean writer to take 'Persian Myths Tour.'" Tehran Times 7 August 2012. Web. 16 August 2012.
Briefly relates the plans of Gong Wonkuk, the South Korean "walking mythologist," to visit historical sites in Iran as part of his Persian Myths Tour. It also explains that Gong will give lectures and interviews during his travels, and will ultimately write a book in 10 volumes that summarizes his tour called "Eurasian Myths." The article is written in a bare-bones style with a handful of grammatical and stylistic errors - but nothing that gets in the way of coherency.
This made it into today's Annotated Links because it offers a look into the literary culture of South Korea, and into what one of the country's literati is up to at the moment.
3. Kennedy, Maev. "Soldiers injured in Afghanistan make surprise find on UK archaeology dig." The Guardian 7 August 2012. Web. 16 August 2012.
Soldiers who had returned to the UK after serving in Afghanistan found the remains of an Anglo-Saxon warrior on a dig as part of their rehabilitation to civilian life. Their find is in the area of an ancient burial monument dating from 2000 BC. Because of the thrill of a successful dig, eight of these soldiers are now going on to study archaeology at Leicester University. This article is written in a straightforward, journalistic style.
It's rounding off today's set of links because it shows how transformative discovering something can be. In this case the discovery is archaeological, but I think the same thing can happen if you discover something amazing to write about (as Gong Wonkuk might) or how to write more effectively (following that advice from the Clarion workshop).
Back To Top
Closing
Have your galoshes ready for tomorrow - Part Three of All-Request August will be posted then. This week's movie is the Deep-South horror venture Squirm!
Back To Top
The title really says it all for this one: it's a short collection of some great advice from this year's Clarion workshop. It's written in a straightforward style and includes a link to the blog of Sam J. Miller, one of this year's participants and a stalwart notetaker who's been benevolent enough to post most of his notes online.
Because this one showcases some great writing advice that will probably still be new to you if you've only read how-to guides and gone to a few general writing workshops it's leading off today's Annotated Links.
2. "South Korean writer to take 'Persian Myths Tour.'" Tehran Times 7 August 2012. Web. 16 August 2012.
Briefly relates the plans of Gong Wonkuk, the South Korean "walking mythologist," to visit historical sites in Iran as part of his Persian Myths Tour. It also explains that Gong will give lectures and interviews during his travels, and will ultimately write a book in 10 volumes that summarizes his tour called "Eurasian Myths." The article is written in a bare-bones style with a handful of grammatical and stylistic errors - but nothing that gets in the way of coherency.
This made it into today's Annotated Links because it offers a look into the literary culture of South Korea, and into what one of the country's literati is up to at the moment.
3. Kennedy, Maev. "Soldiers injured in Afghanistan make surprise find on UK archaeology dig." The Guardian 7 August 2012. Web. 16 August 2012.
Soldiers who had returned to the UK after serving in Afghanistan found the remains of an Anglo-Saxon warrior on a dig as part of their rehabilitation to civilian life. Their find is in the area of an ancient burial monument dating from 2000 BC. Because of the thrill of a successful dig, eight of these soldiers are now going on to study archaeology at Leicester University. This article is written in a straightforward, journalistic style.
It's rounding off today's set of links because it shows how transformative discovering something can be. In this case the discovery is archaeological, but I think the same thing can happen if you discover something amazing to write about (as Gong Wonkuk might) or how to write more effectively (following that advice from the Clarion workshop).
Back To Top
Closing
Have your galoshes ready for tomorrow - Part Three of All-Request August will be posted then. This week's movie is the Deep-South horror venture Squirm!
Back To Top
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Annotated Links #16: Video Games: History and Experimentation
1. "The History of Sound Cards and Computer Game Music." MacGateway 13 July 2012. Web. 14 August 2012.
An extensive, chronological history of major sound cards from 1981 to the present. Each entry includes a brief history of the sound card and a set of examples of the sound card at work. The entirety of the article is written in a straightforward style.
This article is included here because of its depth, and because it gives a great overview of an important part of computer and video game history.
2. Maleficent Rea, Jasmine. "Adding a shock to a Sega Genesis is a bad idea." BitMob 7 August 2012. Web. 14 August 2012.
Two French gamers have rigged shock collars up to a Sega Genesis. The shock collar delivers a small shock to the player whenever their character takes damage. The article is brief, and written casually, but includes a video (in French, with subtitles) of the modders testing their shocking modification.
This article is included because it's a console mod in action, and though it's a less than useful one, it reflects human curiosity and the desire to experiment.
3. "Transforming a Nintendo 64 into a Handheld Console." slightlywarped.com 14 July 2012. Web. 14 August 2012.
A nearly step-by-step guide on how to turn a Nintendo 64 into a handheld console in pictures. This particular guide-in-pictures uses Goldeneye 64 as it's test game.
The guide has a place in this Annotated Links because it's curious, neat, and a great use for an old console. Plus, it shows ingenuity and lateral thinking.
Back To Top
Closing
Check back here tomorrow for an editorial and on Thursday for Annoted Links #17. Plus, don't miss Part Three of All-Request August: a look for the likeable in the deep-South worm-pocalypse flick, Squirm.
Back To Top
An extensive, chronological history of major sound cards from 1981 to the present. Each entry includes a brief history of the sound card and a set of examples of the sound card at work. The entirety of the article is written in a straightforward style.
This article is included here because of its depth, and because it gives a great overview of an important part of computer and video game history.
2. Maleficent Rea, Jasmine. "Adding a shock to a Sega Genesis is a bad idea." BitMob 7 August 2012. Web. 14 August 2012.
Two French gamers have rigged shock collars up to a Sega Genesis. The shock collar delivers a small shock to the player whenever their character takes damage. The article is brief, and written casually, but includes a video (in French, with subtitles) of the modders testing their shocking modification.
This article is included because it's a console mod in action, and though it's a less than useful one, it reflects human curiosity and the desire to experiment.
3. "Transforming a Nintendo 64 into a Handheld Console." slightlywarped.com 14 July 2012. Web. 14 August 2012.
A nearly step-by-step guide on how to turn a Nintendo 64 into a handheld console in pictures. This particular guide-in-pictures uses Goldeneye 64 as it's test game.
The guide has a place in this Annotated Links because it's curious, neat, and a great use for an old console. Plus, it shows ingenuity and lateral thinking.
Back To Top
Closing
Check back here tomorrow for an editorial and on Thursday for Annoted Links #17. Plus, don't miss Part Three of All-Request August: a look for the likeable in the deep-South worm-pocalypse flick, Squirm.
Back To Top
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Annotated Links #15: Refreshing Language, Renewing Knowledge
1. Doll, Jen. "A Dictionary of Despicable Words." The Atlantic Wire 7 August 2012. Web. 10 August 2012.
This is a list of despised words that readers of The Atlantic Wire have contributed. Each word's entry includes a brief description of why it is so reviled. The list and its introduction are written in a conversational, lightly humourous style.
This article is included because it offers a cross-section of the English words that many would like to see left behind.
2. Carswell, Beth. "Singularity & Co: Saving Out-of-Print Science Fiction." Abe Books 8 August 2012. Web. 10 August 2012.
Details how a group called Singularity & Co. is going to start a bookstore online and in Brooklyn, New York that will feature one new, formerly out-of-print science fiction book every month. Each month the group is accepting votes and suggestions on titles to bring back and has pledged to bring back whichever book has the greatest support. The article is written in a straightforward style and includes a lengthy excerpt from Singularity & Co. themselves.
The article is included in this Annotated Links because this project is incredible and deserves as much support as possible. It's also in keeping with today's theme of refreshing old knowledge. If they expand into fantasy, it could make Eve Forward's Villains By Necessity much easier to find.
3. "Cataclysmic volcano wreaked havoc on medieval Britain." Medieval News 6 August 2012. Web. 10 August 2012.
A volcano that erupted somewhere in the tropics during the 13th century is believed to have affected distant London. This eruption may be the reason for the heavy rains, crop failure, and famine noted in thirteenth century records, or so archaeologists who have been baffled by medieval London burial pits believe. This article is written in a crisp, English style of reportage.
Although it's not about language, this article is all about new discoveries altering existing knowledge.
Back To Top
Closing
Tomorrow, be sure to come by the blog and join me for a look for the good in the Sci Fi Channel's Alien Apocalypse.
Back To Top
This is a list of despised words that readers of The Atlantic Wire have contributed. Each word's entry includes a brief description of why it is so reviled. The list and its introduction are written in a conversational, lightly humourous style.
This article is included because it offers a cross-section of the English words that many would like to see left behind.
2. Carswell, Beth. "Singularity & Co: Saving Out-of-Print Science Fiction." Abe Books 8 August 2012. Web. 10 August 2012.
Details how a group called Singularity & Co. is going to start a bookstore online and in Brooklyn, New York that will feature one new, formerly out-of-print science fiction book every month. Each month the group is accepting votes and suggestions on titles to bring back and has pledged to bring back whichever book has the greatest support. The article is written in a straightforward style and includes a lengthy excerpt from Singularity & Co. themselves.
The article is included in this Annotated Links because this project is incredible and deserves as much support as possible. It's also in keeping with today's theme of refreshing old knowledge. If they expand into fantasy, it could make Eve Forward's Villains By Necessity much easier to find.
3. "Cataclysmic volcano wreaked havoc on medieval Britain." Medieval News 6 August 2012. Web. 10 August 2012.
A volcano that erupted somewhere in the tropics during the 13th century is believed to have affected distant London. This eruption may be the reason for the heavy rains, crop failure, and famine noted in thirteenth century records, or so archaeologists who have been baffled by medieval London burial pits believe. This article is written in a crisp, English style of reportage.
Although it's not about language, this article is all about new discoveries altering existing knowledge.
Back To Top
Closing
Tomorrow, be sure to come by the blog and join me for a look for the good in the Sci Fi Channel's Alien Apocalypse.
Back To Top
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
[Wōdnes-dæg] Book Covers or Ebook Reviews?
Introduction
The Article Summed Up
Covers, Reviews, Impressions
Undercutting and Supporting
Closing
Back To Top
Introduction
Although hardcopy books might seem to be disappearing from the lives of many as more and more people get ereaders, the old saying "don't judge a book by its cover" still has some currency. Yet, as books make the transition from paper to screen, their covers could become a thing of the past.
Back To Top
The Article Summed Up
An article from NPR Books came to my attention through a Google Alert of mine.
The article posits that, in the past, books could sell based on their covers alone, while now ebooks aren't bought because of covers, but because word of them gets around or people read reviews.
However, Chip Kidd, an associate art director with Alfred A. Knopf, has no fear for the future of book covers. Kidd's theory is that hardcover books, the focus of his work, have always been luxury items, and that they will endure as such in spite of publishing's ongoing transition into the digital world.
Included with the article is a short recording that summarizes and expands upon it.
Back To Top
Covers, Reviews, Impressions
As much as reviews or mentions by friends might help to make books attractive to online readers, covers can really make or break a book.
Even if you've seen a book a few times, a really powerful cover can grab your attention with every pass. And as much as a review can help you to make an informed decision about a book, a book that's bought because of a review is a book bought based on reason rather than instinct. A book's cover can evoke a more visceral response, which can lead to stronger feelings both during and after reading it.
In fact, buying a book based on it's cover (along with a quick peek inside, perhaps) can make the experience of reading that book more enjoyable.
Instead of knowing what to expect from a writer's style, a book's story, or it's characters as you might after reading a review, peeking at a book's cover and blurb gives you a more nebulous impression of a book. The difference is like that between the impression a person whom you're meeting for the first time but have heard about before and the impression that someone completely new to you leaves.
Maybe you don't remember the book's title after an initial encounter, just as you might not remember a person's name, but if a cover and a peek at the text leave any impression at all you've just formed something that reading that book (once you get around to that) can cause to grow and change with more fluidity than a first impression from a review or word of mouth.
Now, the same could be argued about word of mouth or a review. These things also leave you with a first impression of a book comparable to that which you're left with after meeting someone for the first time. But the major difference is that in this situation your first impression isn't really your own. Instead, it's pre-formed based on what you've been told or read.
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Undercutting and Supporting
Of course, it could be argued that this talk of varying extents of first impressions (first and second hand) and the effects that they have on your perceptions of a book is just splitting hairs. This is a valid argument, though, and now my English degrees might be showing through, having first impressions that are entirely your own - and therefore based on a cover rather than a review or word of mouth - will lead to a richer personal experience of the book.
But perhaps the extra personal element that covers bring to books, just as their durability, is something that makes hard-copy, hard-cover books luxury items.
In a world that's constantly socializing the individualized experience of seeing an entrancing cover and knowing you must buy that book might just become another selling point for books that are read off of paper rather than a screen.
Back To Top
Closing
Tomorrow's Annotated Links will carry today's literary focus forward, while Friday's search for the salvageable in Alien Apocalypse may take a different turn. Be sure to check back here to find out!
Back To Top
The Article Summed Up
Covers, Reviews, Impressions
Undercutting and Supporting
Closing
 |
Back To Top
Introduction
Although hardcopy books might seem to be disappearing from the lives of many as more and more people get ereaders, the old saying "don't judge a book by its cover" still has some currency. Yet, as books make the transition from paper to screen, their covers could become a thing of the past.
Back To Top
The Article Summed Up
An article from NPR Books came to my attention through a Google Alert of mine.
The article posits that, in the past, books could sell based on their covers alone, while now ebooks aren't bought because of covers, but because word of them gets around or people read reviews.
However, Chip Kidd, an associate art director with Alfred A. Knopf, has no fear for the future of book covers. Kidd's theory is that hardcover books, the focus of his work, have always been luxury items, and that they will endure as such in spite of publishing's ongoing transition into the digital world.
Included with the article is a short recording that summarizes and expands upon it.
Back To Top
Covers, Reviews, Impressions
As much as reviews or mentions by friends might help to make books attractive to online readers, covers can really make or break a book.
Even if you've seen a book a few times, a really powerful cover can grab your attention with every pass. And as much as a review can help you to make an informed decision about a book, a book that's bought because of a review is a book bought based on reason rather than instinct. A book's cover can evoke a more visceral response, which can lead to stronger feelings both during and after reading it.
In fact, buying a book based on it's cover (along with a quick peek inside, perhaps) can make the experience of reading that book more enjoyable.
Instead of knowing what to expect from a writer's style, a book's story, or it's characters as you might after reading a review, peeking at a book's cover and blurb gives you a more nebulous impression of a book. The difference is like that between the impression a person whom you're meeting for the first time but have heard about before and the impression that someone completely new to you leaves.
Maybe you don't remember the book's title after an initial encounter, just as you might not remember a person's name, but if a cover and a peek at the text leave any impression at all you've just formed something that reading that book (once you get around to that) can cause to grow and change with more fluidity than a first impression from a review or word of mouth.
Now, the same could be argued about word of mouth or a review. These things also leave you with a first impression of a book comparable to that which you're left with after meeting someone for the first time. But the major difference is that in this situation your first impression isn't really your own. Instead, it's pre-formed based on what you've been told or read.
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Undercutting and Supporting
Of course, it could be argued that this talk of varying extents of first impressions (first and second hand) and the effects that they have on your perceptions of a book is just splitting hairs. This is a valid argument, though, and now my English degrees might be showing through, having first impressions that are entirely your own - and therefore based on a cover rather than a review or word of mouth - will lead to a richer personal experience of the book.
But perhaps the extra personal element that covers bring to books, just as their durability, is something that makes hard-copy, hard-cover books luxury items.
In a world that's constantly socializing the individualized experience of seeing an entrancing cover and knowing you must buy that book might just become another selling point for books that are read off of paper rather than a screen.
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Closing
Tomorrow's Annotated Links will carry today's literary focus forward, while Friday's search for the salvageable in Alien Apocalypse may take a different turn. Be sure to check back here to find out!
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Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Annotated Links #14: Science and Human Acheivement
1. Tucker, Phil. "Web designer building nuclear fusion reactor with parts from eBay." Sync.ca 2 August 2012. Web. 7 August 2012.
Brooklyn-based web designer Mark Suppes has been building a small-scale fusion reactor out of parts bought on Ebay over the past four years. Suppes has no nuclear physics background, but after a video made by Dr Robert Bussard inspired him to take up the challenge of building a working fusion reactor he has remained unfazed. The article is written in straightforward style that ultimately leans more towards reportage than possible human interest aspects of the story.
This article is included here because its subject is a testament to the innovative spirit of individuals and to the power that inspiration has to help people trailblaze.
2. Brandrick, Chris. "Want to live on Mars? Here's your chance." MSN Tech & Gadgets 31 July 2012. Web. 7 August 2012.
Mars One, a Dutch company founded by Bas Lansdrop, is looking to send a team of 10 civilians on a one-way settlement mission to Mars. The company will take on 40 volunteers through an international lottery in 2013 and, after specialized training, 10 of these 40 will be sent on the mission.
Mars One plans to send a communications satellite to Mars in 2016, to follow up with "settlement units" in 2020, and to send the crew itself in December of 2022, arriving on the red planet in April of 2023. The article is written with a slightly incredulous tone, while delivering bare facts. It also includes a link back to the original story as it appeared on Y!Tech.
This article is included because it showcases the audacity that humanity possesses when faced with the chance to delve into totally new territory. If you had no strong connections to Earth, wouldn't you enter the lottery and hope to be picked?
3. Gonzalez, Robert T. "Carl Sagan’s message to future explorers of Mars will cold-cock you right in the touchy feelies." io9 7 August 2012. Web. 7 August 2012.
Gonzalez features the full Carl Sagan quote from which a shorter excerpt has been bandied about the internet of late. The article also includes a brief introduction to the full quote, and mentions the reciprocal relationship between science and science fiction.
This article is included in this edition of Annotated Links because the Carl Sagan quote beautifully expresses why people have sought to climb high mountains, to write long works of fiction or philosophy, and to explore other worlds.
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Closing
Don't miss tomorrow's editorial, where I offer my thoughts on book covers and ebooks, or Thursday's Annotated Links.
Plus, be sure to be around on Friday for Part Two of All-Request August: A search for the good (aside from the laughs) in the Bruce Campbell-starring, terrible-effects-having, quality-filming-using Alien Apocalypse.
Back To Top
Brooklyn-based web designer Mark Suppes has been building a small-scale fusion reactor out of parts bought on Ebay over the past four years. Suppes has no nuclear physics background, but after a video made by Dr Robert Bussard inspired him to take up the challenge of building a working fusion reactor he has remained unfazed. The article is written in straightforward style that ultimately leans more towards reportage than possible human interest aspects of the story.
This article is included here because its subject is a testament to the innovative spirit of individuals and to the power that inspiration has to help people trailblaze.
2. Brandrick, Chris. "Want to live on Mars? Here's your chance." MSN Tech & Gadgets 31 July 2012. Web. 7 August 2012.
Mars One, a Dutch company founded by Bas Lansdrop, is looking to send a team of 10 civilians on a one-way settlement mission to Mars. The company will take on 40 volunteers through an international lottery in 2013 and, after specialized training, 10 of these 40 will be sent on the mission.
Mars One plans to send a communications satellite to Mars in 2016, to follow up with "settlement units" in 2020, and to send the crew itself in December of 2022, arriving on the red planet in April of 2023. The article is written with a slightly incredulous tone, while delivering bare facts. It also includes a link back to the original story as it appeared on Y!Tech.
This article is included because it showcases the audacity that humanity possesses when faced with the chance to delve into totally new territory. If you had no strong connections to Earth, wouldn't you enter the lottery and hope to be picked?
3. Gonzalez, Robert T. "Carl Sagan’s message to future explorers of Mars will cold-cock you right in the touchy feelies." io9 7 August 2012. Web. 7 August 2012.
Gonzalez features the full Carl Sagan quote from which a shorter excerpt has been bandied about the internet of late. The article also includes a brief introduction to the full quote, and mentions the reciprocal relationship between science and science fiction.
This article is included in this edition of Annotated Links because the Carl Sagan quote beautifully expresses why people have sought to climb high mountains, to write long works of fiction or philosophy, and to explore other worlds.
Back To Top
Closing
Don't miss tomorrow's editorial, where I offer my thoughts on book covers and ebooks, or Thursday's Annotated Links.
Plus, be sure to be around on Friday for Part Two of All-Request August: A search for the good (aside from the laughs) in the Bruce Campbell-starring, terrible-effects-having, quality-filming-using Alien Apocalypse.
Back To Top
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Annotated Links #13: Japan in Art and Quirk
1. Bennett, Lennie. "Art deco exhibit at Ringling Museum illuminates Japan's lost decades." Tampa Bay Times 22 July 2012. Web. 2 August 2012.
Bennett describes the contents of the "Deco Japan: Shaping Art and Culture, 1920-45" exhibition and gives a brief history, explanation, and context of the movement in Japan. However, Bennett doesn't include what the remaining two stops of the exhibition are or for how much longer the exhibition will be staying at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. Bennett writes in the style of an informative account of visiting the exhibition.
This article is included because of the obscurity of its subject matter - I had no idea that there was a significant and culture-changing art movement in Japan after World War I and during World War II.
2. Elwood, Kate. "CULTURAL CONUNDRUMS/Cultural facets of Cupid's arrow." Daily Yomiuri Online 30 July 2012. Web. 2 August 2012.
Elwood gives a history of Japanese romance novels, including how they "blossomed out of Western seeds" in the 70s and 80s, and how Sanrio started its "New Romance" line for domestically written romances in 1982. She also summarizes a comparative study of Western harlequin and Japanese romance stories written during the 70s and 80s. According to the study, the most marked differences found in Japanese romance novels are that female leads are generally stronger, and that the hardships involve social restrictions that keep love from being widely accepted rather than love itself.
This article is included here because because it gives a good look at the differences in the romance genre, and thus in two cultures romantic ideals.
3. Liebl, Lance. "Giant dancing Japanese robot women in bras will be the end of us." GameZone 27 July 2012. Web. 2 August 2012.
Liebl reports on a restaurant in Tokyo that features robotic female torsos on giant mech-legs, operated by women in bikinis. His article includes a live link to the original picture album on The Chive. It also Includes a short youtube video of a man tinkering with one of the robots.
This article is included here because it's an example of Japan's well-known quirkiness, something that I find utterly fascinating.
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Closing
Tomorrow, join me for Pt. 1 of All-Request August, featuring a search for the superb in Plan 9 From Outer Space!
Back To Top
Bennett describes the contents of the "Deco Japan: Shaping Art and Culture, 1920-45" exhibition and gives a brief history, explanation, and context of the movement in Japan. However, Bennett doesn't include what the remaining two stops of the exhibition are or for how much longer the exhibition will be staying at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. Bennett writes in the style of an informative account of visiting the exhibition.
This article is included because of the obscurity of its subject matter - I had no idea that there was a significant and culture-changing art movement in Japan after World War I and during World War II.
2. Elwood, Kate. "CULTURAL CONUNDRUMS/Cultural facets of Cupid's arrow." Daily Yomiuri Online 30 July 2012. Web. 2 August 2012.
Elwood gives a history of Japanese romance novels, including how they "blossomed out of Western seeds" in the 70s and 80s, and how Sanrio started its "New Romance" line for domestically written romances in 1982. She also summarizes a comparative study of Western harlequin and Japanese romance stories written during the 70s and 80s. According to the study, the most marked differences found in Japanese romance novels are that female leads are generally stronger, and that the hardships involve social restrictions that keep love from being widely accepted rather than love itself.
This article is included here because because it gives a good look at the differences in the romance genre, and thus in two cultures romantic ideals.
3. Liebl, Lance. "Giant dancing Japanese robot women in bras will be the end of us." GameZone 27 July 2012. Web. 2 August 2012.
Liebl reports on a restaurant in Tokyo that features robotic female torsos on giant mech-legs, operated by women in bikinis. His article includes a live link to the original picture album on The Chive. It also Includes a short youtube video of a man tinkering with one of the robots.
This article is included here because it's an example of Japan's well-known quirkiness, something that I find utterly fascinating.
Back To Top
Closing
Tomorrow, join me for Pt. 1 of All-Request August, featuring a search for the superb in Plan 9 From Outer Space!
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Wednesday, August 1, 2012
[Wōdnes-dæg] Fantastic Fantasy and the Grit of Popularity
Introduction
The Article Summed Up
Fantasy and Cynicism...Hand in Hand?
The More Names, the More Things
Closing
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Introduction
The subject of today's editorial comes from the website Fantasy Faction - a site that hosts articles, interviews, reviews, forums, and a podcast that are all about the fantasy genre.
This article by Douglas Smith caught my eye because it attempts to explain the current trend away from "classic" tales of black-and-white good versus evil in modern popular fantasy. The article also grabbed my attention because it speaks to the variety that can be found in the fantasy genre.
These elements aren't just interesting, but are also quite relevant to me since I'm in the midst of writing my own fantasy universe into existence.
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The Article Summed Up
In his article Douglas Smith notes the growing popularity and presence of gritty, realistic fantasy and tries to explain it.
Quite deftly Smith looks at the trends in entertainment more generally, and concludes that what we watch and read to relax as a whole has become grittier as the world around us has changed into something a bit grittier, too.
Gone are the days of massively popular soap operas and police procedurals, and now things are more about characters so real we might bump into them on the street and involve plots so intricate that it's as easy to become entangled as it is to become immersed.
Smith concludes with the statements that writers of gritty fantasy are reinvigorating the genre, that it's cool to read fantasy again, and that this might just be "a second 'Golden Age' for fantasy."
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Fantasy and Cynicism...Hand in Hand?
As far as its explanation of why gritty fantasy is now popular goes, this is a great article.
The world certainly has changed, and, as those of older generations have said from time immemorial, it may actually be worse off (in some ways). Technological advances aside, events like "9/11" have made people more readily dubious of others and paranoid enough that fear could now be considered a small animal living in most people's heads as much as a human emotion.
Older stories that follow a straightforward plot and shimmering, clean-cut characters are definitely no longer enough to put this animal to sleep for a time so that the human host can truly enjoy an escape.
Instead, worlds and characters need more depth. In fact, this might be an analogue to the extra cynicism in a lot of people's worldviews. Just as more scrutiny and attention is paid to the real world and goings-on therein, so too in entertainment are characters and plots under more and more scrutiny.
The best way to meet that scrutiny, so far, has been to present things that are more layered and more like the world that can be seen all around. Instead of escaping into worlds that contrast the real one, the increasing popularity of gritty fantasy suggests that people are more willing to escape into worlds that are like their own.
Back To Top
The More Names, the More Things
Another factor to consider when looking the rise in gritty fantasy is the ever-increasing drive to categorize literature and entertainment. Particularly, the urge to separate the "adult" literature from the "children's" literature.
Both fantasy and science fiction have always been perceived as children's literature.
They aren't set in the real, contemporary world.
They aren't written by those who aspire to write capital-L literature.
But at the same time, there have always been adults who enjoy fantasy and science fiction more than other forms of not-true stories. These adults would read Frank L. Baum, they would flip through Asimov, they would delve into the world of the Harry Potter series.
At times these stories, labelled as being for "children," would be adapted into re-tellings or versions that were more "grown-up," and at other times they would be distributed with darker, more "adult" covers. Anything to appeal more directly to those who were outside of the original key age demographic but nonetheless liked what they read for whatever reason.
Enter gritty, realistic fantasy.
Just like that, there's now a fantasy sub-genre for adults, those who'd been generally perceived as "too old" for stories about magic, heroes and villains, Good and Evil. And where there is a supply to fill a hitherto unfulfilled demand that supply will soon prove insufficient.
After all, give something a new, more specific name, and those previously too shy to admit to liking that something under it's old, general name (let's say fantasy) will come out and help push demand even further.
Back To Top
Closing
Don't miss tomorrow's Annotated Links (#13), and keep an eye out on Friday for the first part of All-Request August, featuring a search for the superb in Plan 9 From Outer Space!
Back To Top
The Article Summed Up
Fantasy and Cynicism...Hand in Hand?
The More Names, the More Things
Closing
 |
Back To Top
Introduction
The subject of today's editorial comes from the website Fantasy Faction - a site that hosts articles, interviews, reviews, forums, and a podcast that are all about the fantasy genre.
This article by Douglas Smith caught my eye because it attempts to explain the current trend away from "classic" tales of black-and-white good versus evil in modern popular fantasy. The article also grabbed my attention because it speaks to the variety that can be found in the fantasy genre.
These elements aren't just interesting, but are also quite relevant to me since I'm in the midst of writing my own fantasy universe into existence.
Back To Top
The Article Summed Up
In his article Douglas Smith notes the growing popularity and presence of gritty, realistic fantasy and tries to explain it.
Quite deftly Smith looks at the trends in entertainment more generally, and concludes that what we watch and read to relax as a whole has become grittier as the world around us has changed into something a bit grittier, too.
Gone are the days of massively popular soap operas and police procedurals, and now things are more about characters so real we might bump into them on the street and involve plots so intricate that it's as easy to become entangled as it is to become immersed.
Smith concludes with the statements that writers of gritty fantasy are reinvigorating the genre, that it's cool to read fantasy again, and that this might just be "a second 'Golden Age' for fantasy."
Back To Top
Fantasy and Cynicism...Hand in Hand?
As far as its explanation of why gritty fantasy is now popular goes, this is a great article.
The world certainly has changed, and, as those of older generations have said from time immemorial, it may actually be worse off (in some ways). Technological advances aside, events like "9/11" have made people more readily dubious of others and paranoid enough that fear could now be considered a small animal living in most people's heads as much as a human emotion.
Older stories that follow a straightforward plot and shimmering, clean-cut characters are definitely no longer enough to put this animal to sleep for a time so that the human host can truly enjoy an escape.
Instead, worlds and characters need more depth. In fact, this might be an analogue to the extra cynicism in a lot of people's worldviews. Just as more scrutiny and attention is paid to the real world and goings-on therein, so too in entertainment are characters and plots under more and more scrutiny.
The best way to meet that scrutiny, so far, has been to present things that are more layered and more like the world that can be seen all around. Instead of escaping into worlds that contrast the real one, the increasing popularity of gritty fantasy suggests that people are more willing to escape into worlds that are like their own.
Back To Top
The More Names, the More Things
Another factor to consider when looking the rise in gritty fantasy is the ever-increasing drive to categorize literature and entertainment. Particularly, the urge to separate the "adult" literature from the "children's" literature.
Both fantasy and science fiction have always been perceived as children's literature.
They aren't set in the real, contemporary world.
They aren't written by those who aspire to write capital-L literature.
But at the same time, there have always been adults who enjoy fantasy and science fiction more than other forms of not-true stories. These adults would read Frank L. Baum, they would flip through Asimov, they would delve into the world of the Harry Potter series.
At times these stories, labelled as being for "children," would be adapted into re-tellings or versions that were more "grown-up," and at other times they would be distributed with darker, more "adult" covers. Anything to appeal more directly to those who were outside of the original key age demographic but nonetheless liked what they read for whatever reason.
Enter gritty, realistic fantasy.
Just like that, there's now a fantasy sub-genre for adults, those who'd been generally perceived as "too old" for stories about magic, heroes and villains, Good and Evil. And where there is a supply to fill a hitherto unfulfilled demand that supply will soon prove insufficient.
After all, give something a new, more specific name, and those previously too shy to admit to liking that something under it's old, general name (let's say fantasy) will come out and help push demand even further.
Back To Top
Closing
Don't miss tomorrow's Annotated Links (#13), and keep an eye out on Friday for the first part of All-Request August, featuring a search for the superb in Plan 9 From Outer Space!
Back To Top
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Annotated Links #12: Bully for Japan
1. Ruble, Cynthia. "Parent-child relationship key to solving bullying problem in Japan." The Japan Daily Press 30 July 2012. Web. 31 July 2012.
This is a first person, opinion-based piece written as part anecdote and part observation. It identifies two major issues in Japanese culture that may make bullying ubiquitous: a willingness to accept hardships as part of life rather than try to improve them (related to the Japanese concept of "gaman"); and the unwillingness amongst adults to stand up against bullying for social reasons.
This article is of interest because it offers a cross-cultural look at bullying, and at some of the universals (unwillingness to defend oneself, fatalism) that may perpetuate bullying.
2. Gale, Bruce. "Tackling the bullying culture in Japan's schools." The Straits Times [found on Asia News Network] 18 July 2012. Web. 31 July 2012.
Gale analyzes bullying in Japan based on Herman Smith's The Myth of Japanese Homogeneity. Specifically, Gale notes and includes analysis based on the three characteristics Smith writes of: "intense competition for scarce educational advantages;" "that girls are rarely victims;" and "that the victims are usually transfer students who do not yet have friends to protect them." Gale also makes an interesting connection between bullying, gang violence, and heterogenous/multicultural societies, and another between bullying and the art style found in many manga. The article is written in a straightforward, easy to read style.
This article is of interest because of its analyses and because it offers a good sociological overview of the problem of bullying in Japan.
3. Nelson, Christopher. "To cut down on bullying, transform school culture." MPR News 23 July 2012. Web. 31 July 2012.
A first person opinion piece based on Nelson's experiences as a student and educator. Nelson writes that it's important to tell bullies that bullying isn't what's done, and to get them to feel included after being reprimanded, not ostracised. He states that the best solution is to have a strong, school-wide sense of where the school is going and what's important to it, yet he notes that there is no one formula for this sense and its enactment that can be universally applied. The article includes a brief summary of Nelson's experience and credentials.
Though it isn't about bullying in Japan, this article is included because it offers an interesting counterpoint to the otherwise ignored sense of school spirit found in Japanese schools that may also underlie bullying new/transfer students.
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Closing
Tomorrow's editorial will be about the increasing grittiness of popular fantasy, and this Friday check the blog for a search for the good in the infamous Plan 9 From Outer Space. Plan 9 currently sits at a 66% among critics on Rotten Tomatoes, but because of a special request, and the movie's reputation, I'm going to relax my usual 50% cut off point.
And, of course, don't forget to check out "Annotated Links #13" on Thursday!
Back To Top
This is a first person, opinion-based piece written as part anecdote and part observation. It identifies two major issues in Japanese culture that may make bullying ubiquitous: a willingness to accept hardships as part of life rather than try to improve them (related to the Japanese concept of "gaman"); and the unwillingness amongst adults to stand up against bullying for social reasons.
This article is of interest because it offers a cross-cultural look at bullying, and at some of the universals (unwillingness to defend oneself, fatalism) that may perpetuate bullying.
2. Gale, Bruce. "Tackling the bullying culture in Japan's schools." The Straits Times [found on Asia News Network] 18 July 2012. Web. 31 July 2012.
Gale analyzes bullying in Japan based on Herman Smith's The Myth of Japanese Homogeneity. Specifically, Gale notes and includes analysis based on the three characteristics Smith writes of: "intense competition for scarce educational advantages;" "that girls are rarely victims;" and "that the victims are usually transfer students who do not yet have friends to protect them." Gale also makes an interesting connection between bullying, gang violence, and heterogenous/multicultural societies, and another between bullying and the art style found in many manga. The article is written in a straightforward, easy to read style.
This article is of interest because of its analyses and because it offers a good sociological overview of the problem of bullying in Japan.
3. Nelson, Christopher. "To cut down on bullying, transform school culture." MPR News 23 July 2012. Web. 31 July 2012.
A first person opinion piece based on Nelson's experiences as a student and educator. Nelson writes that it's important to tell bullies that bullying isn't what's done, and to get them to feel included after being reprimanded, not ostracised. He states that the best solution is to have a strong, school-wide sense of where the school is going and what's important to it, yet he notes that there is no one formula for this sense and its enactment that can be universally applied. The article includes a brief summary of Nelson's experience and credentials.
Though it isn't about bullying in Japan, this article is included because it offers an interesting counterpoint to the otherwise ignored sense of school spirit found in Japanese schools that may also underlie bullying new/transfer students.
Back To Top
Closing
Tomorrow's editorial will be about the increasing grittiness of popular fantasy, and this Friday check the blog for a search for the good in the infamous Plan 9 From Outer Space. Plan 9 currently sits at a 66% among critics on Rotten Tomatoes, but because of a special request, and the movie's reputation, I'm going to relax my usual 50% cut off point.
And, of course, don't forget to check out "Annotated Links #13" on Thursday!
Back To Top
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Annotated Links #11: Getting Technical And/Or Long
1. Bird, Winifred. "Fish-loving Japan begins to embrace sustainable seafood." The Christian Science Monitor 24 July 2012. Web. 26 July 2012.
A lengthy article that details much of the action being taken both inside and outside Japan to move the country into using sustainable fisheries since they consume 6% of the world's fish harvest. The article is flush with consumption and fishing industry statistics. It is written in the style of a report, and includes very little to no human interest element.
2. Julian, Hana Levi. "Sci-Fi Comes Alive in New 'Temporal Focusing' Microscope." Arutz Sheva 25 July 2012. Web. 26 July 2012.
Professor Yaron Silberberg and Dr. Dan Oron of the Physics of Complex Systems Department at the Weizmann Institute have created a microscope that views cells in both time and space. The microscope works by controlling the focus of a laser light beam in time rather than in space. It has been used primarily for brain tissue analysis so far. The article is written in a revelatory fashion, and dwells on explaining just how the microscope works.
3.Johnson, Carolyn Y. "Boston scientists use light to control behavior in monkeys." White Coat Notes 26 July 2012. Web. 26 July 2012.
Using a technique called "optogenetics," (a process by which algae genes are inserted into brain tissue) a team of scientists in Boston have successfully used light to control monkey behaviour. The team is optimistic that their work will help scientists to breakdown and figure out complex human behaviours and diseases in the future. The article is lengthy, but gives a significant amount of background information on the experiment and where it may lead in a straightforward fashion.
Back To Top
Closing
Don't miss tomorrow's conclusion to Nicolas Cage Month - a search for the salvageable in Seeking Justice!
Back To Top
A lengthy article that details much of the action being taken both inside and outside Japan to move the country into using sustainable fisheries since they consume 6% of the world's fish harvest. The article is flush with consumption and fishing industry statistics. It is written in the style of a report, and includes very little to no human interest element.
2. Julian, Hana Levi. "Sci-Fi Comes Alive in New 'Temporal Focusing' Microscope." Arutz Sheva 25 July 2012. Web. 26 July 2012.
Professor Yaron Silberberg and Dr. Dan Oron of the Physics of Complex Systems Department at the Weizmann Institute have created a microscope that views cells in both time and space. The microscope works by controlling the focus of a laser light beam in time rather than in space. It has been used primarily for brain tissue analysis so far. The article is written in a revelatory fashion, and dwells on explaining just how the microscope works.
3.Johnson, Carolyn Y. "Boston scientists use light to control behavior in monkeys." White Coat Notes 26 July 2012. Web. 26 July 2012.
Using a technique called "optogenetics," (a process by which algae genes are inserted into brain tissue) a team of scientists in Boston have successfully used light to control monkey behaviour. The team is optimistic that their work will help scientists to breakdown and figure out complex human behaviours and diseases in the future. The article is lengthy, but gives a significant amount of background information on the experiment and where it may lead in a straightforward fashion.
Back To Top
Closing
Don't miss tomorrow's conclusion to Nicolas Cage Month - a search for the salvageable in Seeking Justice!
Back To Top
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
[Wōdnes-dæg] The E-Book Shades and the English Classics
Introduction
The Article Summed Up
A Classical Fixation?
Fan-Fiction and a Possible Future
Closing
Back To Top
Introduction
Fifty Shades of Grey and its sequels are exploding all over the internet. Though some might be too shy to buy it from brick and mortar stores, they will soon be able to use convincing cover stories when buying other racy reads.
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The Article Summed Up
In today's Globe and Mail, Russell Smith reports on Total E-Bound's announced e-book series of re-vamped literary classics.
These re-releases aren't abridged versions, or copies re-written with androids, zombies, or werewolves (that's all been done, after all), but instead will have "graphic sex scenes" added to them. Rightfully so, this series of e-books will be called "Clandestine Classics." According to Total E-Bound, the series was planned before Fifty Shades came out.
Smith ultimately regards the re-release of classics with addition prurient bits as positive as it potentially brings new readers to the English classics.
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A Classical Fixation?
Smith definitely has a valid point in his closing paragraph. Total E-Bound's altered classics do have the potential to draw new readers to the established classics of English literature. But is that really a good thing?
Some might say that the English classics are horribly under-read nowadays, and as a result the Western world's literacy and taste are slowly slipping. Genre fiction is eroding what was once a great literary tradition.
But what the apparent manipulability of English classics suggests is that they're anything but un-read.
Back around 2009 and 2010 we saw nineteenth century novels re-written with horror and science fiction elements added to them. Now, sex is being explicitly added to them, and they'll be read anew.
At its heart, the desire to see the classics read and thus to add things to them to entice new readers seems like a sound strategy. But, it also seems like sugar is being added to medicine. English classics are considered classical because they speak to various aspects of human nature in a rather direct way, and shed light on much of the foundation of Western society. Yet, there's no end to new books that do the same, both those considered genre fiction, and those considered regular fiction.
And that's where the focus needs to be. Nineteenth century classics are a fine literary cornerstone, but that cornerstone has plenty of sound material built on top of it as well. Why not look up?
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Fan-Fiction and a Possible Future
Although Smith only mentions it briefly, fan-fiction, a form that often involves the "a gleeful uncapping of [established] texts’ repressed fountains of desire" merits expansion.
Fifty Shades of Grey started out as Twilight fan-fiction. Many young writers cut their teeth writing fan-fiction under an alias or anonymously. Projects like Total E-Bound's "Clandestine Classics" are definitely a variety of fan-fiction.
Yet, they're obviously something more - most people on fanfiction.net aren't getting paid for their efforts, after all.
And so, the question that we need to ask is: To what extent does the success of Fifty Shades of Grey and the existence of a project like "Clandestine Classics" validate fan-fiction?
Ultimately, though industry-validated fan-fiction might see success and may open for more in the future, the track that some publishers seem to be on now seems dangerous. Re-hashing classics by adding what is essentially fan-fiction portions seems to be a perilous few steps away from going the way of Hollywood and making a senseless number of sequels and re-makes rather than focusing on original ideas.
Though, at the same time, were the mainstream to become more predictable, all of the vibrancy and life that's to be found in genre fiction would get more and more exposure.
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Closing
Don't miss tomorrow's Annotated Links #11, or Friday's Nicolas Cage Month finale featuring Seeking Justice! Watch this blog!
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The Article Summed Up
A Classical Fixation?
Fan-Fiction and a Possible Future
Closing
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Introduction
Fifty Shades of Grey and its sequels are exploding all over the internet. Though some might be too shy to buy it from brick and mortar stores, they will soon be able to use convincing cover stories when buying other racy reads.
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The Article Summed Up
In today's Globe and Mail, Russell Smith reports on Total E-Bound's announced e-book series of re-vamped literary classics.
These re-releases aren't abridged versions, or copies re-written with androids, zombies, or werewolves (that's all been done, after all), but instead will have "graphic sex scenes" added to them. Rightfully so, this series of e-books will be called "Clandestine Classics." According to Total E-Bound, the series was planned before Fifty Shades came out.
Smith ultimately regards the re-release of classics with addition prurient bits as positive as it potentially brings new readers to the English classics.
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A Classical Fixation?
Smith definitely has a valid point in his closing paragraph. Total E-Bound's altered classics do have the potential to draw new readers to the established classics of English literature. But is that really a good thing?
Some might say that the English classics are horribly under-read nowadays, and as a result the Western world's literacy and taste are slowly slipping. Genre fiction is eroding what was once a great literary tradition.
But what the apparent manipulability of English classics suggests is that they're anything but un-read.
Back around 2009 and 2010 we saw nineteenth century novels re-written with horror and science fiction elements added to them. Now, sex is being explicitly added to them, and they'll be read anew.
At its heart, the desire to see the classics read and thus to add things to them to entice new readers seems like a sound strategy. But, it also seems like sugar is being added to medicine. English classics are considered classical because they speak to various aspects of human nature in a rather direct way, and shed light on much of the foundation of Western society. Yet, there's no end to new books that do the same, both those considered genre fiction, and those considered regular fiction.
And that's where the focus needs to be. Nineteenth century classics are a fine literary cornerstone, but that cornerstone has plenty of sound material built on top of it as well. Why not look up?
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Fan-Fiction and a Possible Future
Although Smith only mentions it briefly, fan-fiction, a form that often involves the "a gleeful uncapping of [established] texts’ repressed fountains of desire" merits expansion.
Fifty Shades of Grey started out as Twilight fan-fiction. Many young writers cut their teeth writing fan-fiction under an alias or anonymously. Projects like Total E-Bound's "Clandestine Classics" are definitely a variety of fan-fiction.
Yet, they're obviously something more - most people on fanfiction.net aren't getting paid for their efforts, after all.
And so, the question that we need to ask is: To what extent does the success of Fifty Shades of Grey and the existence of a project like "Clandestine Classics" validate fan-fiction?
Ultimately, though industry-validated fan-fiction might see success and may open for more in the future, the track that some publishers seem to be on now seems dangerous. Re-hashing classics by adding what is essentially fan-fiction portions seems to be a perilous few steps away from going the way of Hollywood and making a senseless number of sequels and re-makes rather than focusing on original ideas.
Though, at the same time, were the mainstream to become more predictable, all of the vibrancy and life that's to be found in genre fiction would get more and more exposure.
Back To Top
Closing
Don't miss tomorrow's Annotated Links #11, or Friday's Nicolas Cage Month finale featuring Seeking Justice! Watch this blog!
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Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Annotated Links #10: Massaging Media
1. Chung-Un, Cho. "‘Focus on human nature, not unique cultural aspects’." The Korea Herald 18 July 2012. Web. 24 July 2012.
Robert McKee explains why he finds Korean film so intriguing. He also highlights the importance of speaking to human nature rather than cultural elements in stories intended for an international audience. This article is part reportage, part interview between McKee and the Korea Herald. It is written in a straightforward style with only some minor typos.
2. Dvorsky, George. "How An Alien Invasion Inspired Kevin J. Anderson to Start Writing Science Fiction." io9 16 July 2012. Web. 24 July 2012.
Kevin J. Anderson's accomplishments are listed, and it's noted that his novelization of Rush's Clockwork Angels is due out in September. Included is a long quote about Anderson's seeing the War of the Worlds movie lead him to writing science fiction. The article is written in a light, direct style.
3. MSumm. "Dear Nintendo, Please Give Me a Zelda Game Tougher Than Majora’s Mask." Kotaku 17 July 2012. Web. 24 July 2012.
A rant/letter directed at the major players at Nintendo, asking for a new Zelda game that is as difficult as Majora's Mask. MSumm considers Majora's Mask difficult because of its utter lack of hand-holding and un-skippable tutorials. Difficulty is sought because beating such a game grants the player a great feeling of satisfaction. This article is posted from Kotaku's "Speak Up" forum, so there are some typos and grammatical errors. The article's style is quite casual.
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Closing
Tomorrow, watch this space for an editorial entry, and don't miss Annotated Links #11 on Thursday! Then, come Friday, the final part of Nicolas Cage month, a quest to find the good in Seeking Justice, will be posted.
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Robert McKee explains why he finds Korean film so intriguing. He also highlights the importance of speaking to human nature rather than cultural elements in stories intended for an international audience. This article is part reportage, part interview between McKee and the Korea Herald. It is written in a straightforward style with only some minor typos.
2. Dvorsky, George. "How An Alien Invasion Inspired Kevin J. Anderson to Start Writing Science Fiction." io9 16 July 2012. Web. 24 July 2012.
Kevin J. Anderson's accomplishments are listed, and it's noted that his novelization of Rush's Clockwork Angels is due out in September. Included is a long quote about Anderson's seeing the War of the Worlds movie lead him to writing science fiction. The article is written in a light, direct style.
3. MSumm. "Dear Nintendo, Please Give Me a Zelda Game Tougher Than Majora’s Mask." Kotaku 17 July 2012. Web. 24 July 2012.
A rant/letter directed at the major players at Nintendo, asking for a new Zelda game that is as difficult as Majora's Mask. MSumm considers Majora's Mask difficult because of its utter lack of hand-holding and un-skippable tutorials. Difficulty is sought because beating such a game grants the player a great feeling of satisfaction. This article is posted from Kotaku's "Speak Up" forum, so there are some typos and grammatical errors. The article's style is quite casual.
Back To Top
Closing
Tomorrow, watch this space for an editorial entry, and don't miss Annotated Links #11 on Thursday! Then, come Friday, the final part of Nicolas Cage month, a quest to find the good in Seeking Justice, will be posted.
Back To Top
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Annotated Links #9: Changing Our Minds
1. Kesterton, Michael. "Keeping an open mind about vacationing aliens." Globe and Mail 12 July 2012. Web. 19 July 2012.
This is a collection of small news briefs about quirky events and findings. The most interesting of these is one entitled "Seat of self-awareness disputed," which summarizes an article from London's Sunday Times about Dr. Donald Pfaff, a neuroscientist who believes that the center of the brain responsible for creativity and self-awareness evolved in primitive fish to help them escape from predators. These news briefs are written around quotes from the original articles.
2. Feit, Daniel. "Hands-On: Nintendo’s Demon Training Purports to Build Your Brain’s RAM." Wired 18 July 2012. Web. 18 July 2012.
As a 3DS follow-up to the popular Brain Age memory training game, Nintendo is releasing Five-Minute Demon Training on July 28 in Japan. According to Ryuta Kawashima, the neuroscientist who works on Nintendo's brain training games, Five-Minute Demon Training helps to build your memory's speed and capacity. The article is written using the first person, and includes a video of the Nintendo Direct video featuring a demo of the game.
3. Crowell, Todd. "Could Fukushima Cause A Change In Japan's Groupthink?" Asia Sentinel 17 July 2012. Web. 18 July 2012.
Two commissions, a parliamentary commission headed by Kiyoshi Kurokawa (the Kurokawa commission for short) and "The Verification Committee for the Accident at Tepco’s Fukushima Nuclear Power Station" headed by Yotaro Hatamura (the "Hatamura Committee" for short) are on the verge of publishing investigative reports on the Fukushima disaster. These reports will help to answer whether the disaster was an act of God or the result of Japanese risk-aversion and group-think, though the article takes no sides. This article is written in a clear, concise style and includes some quotes.
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Closing
Don't miss part three of Nicolas Cage month, going up tomorrow, as we get into 2011's Trespass.
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This is a collection of small news briefs about quirky events and findings. The most interesting of these is one entitled "Seat of self-awareness disputed," which summarizes an article from London's Sunday Times about Dr. Donald Pfaff, a neuroscientist who believes that the center of the brain responsible for creativity and self-awareness evolved in primitive fish to help them escape from predators. These news briefs are written around quotes from the original articles.
2. Feit, Daniel. "Hands-On: Nintendo’s Demon Training Purports to Build Your Brain’s RAM." Wired 18 July 2012. Web. 18 July 2012.
As a 3DS follow-up to the popular Brain Age memory training game, Nintendo is releasing Five-Minute Demon Training on July 28 in Japan. According to Ryuta Kawashima, the neuroscientist who works on Nintendo's brain training games, Five-Minute Demon Training helps to build your memory's speed and capacity. The article is written using the first person, and includes a video of the Nintendo Direct video featuring a demo of the game.
3. Crowell, Todd. "Could Fukushima Cause A Change In Japan's Groupthink?" Asia Sentinel 17 July 2012. Web. 18 July 2012.
Two commissions, a parliamentary commission headed by Kiyoshi Kurokawa (the Kurokawa commission for short) and "The Verification Committee for the Accident at Tepco’s Fukushima Nuclear Power Station" headed by Yotaro Hatamura (the "Hatamura Committee" for short) are on the verge of publishing investigative reports on the Fukushima disaster. These reports will help to answer whether the disaster was an act of God or the result of Japanese risk-aversion and group-think, though the article takes no sides. This article is written in a clear, concise style and includes some quotes.
Back To Top
Closing
Don't miss part three of Nicolas Cage month, going up tomorrow, as we get into 2011's Trespass.
Back To Top
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