(1) OOPS. Earth’s most famous genius warned us against talking to strangers. Did we listen? “Stephen Hawking warned us about contacting aliens, but this astronomer says it’s ‘too late’”.
In 2010, physicist Stephen Hawking voiced concern about the possibility that we might contact extraterrestrial life by transmitting signals into space. However, SETI senior astronomer Seth Shostak told us that it’s too late to consider whether we should send such transmissions, because we’ve already been doing it for decades.
Stephen Hawking warned us about contacting aliens, but this astronomer says it's 'too late' https://t.co/O6jQaGqF5w pic.twitter.com/uOGA7P1U3L
— Business Insider Video (@BIVideo) January 22, 2017
(2) CRUSHING IT. Meanwhile, Wil Wheaton gets his own rock.
https://twitter.com/RonBaalke/status/821869370624217090
(3) MAKING THE LEAP. At the B&N Sci-FI & Fantasy Blog: “How Myke Cole Went from Fantasy Writer to Reality TV Star”.
Landon: Myke, congratulations on being cast on CBS’ Hunted. I’m sure like everyone, I’m wondering how in the hell a fantasy novelist ended up being cast in TV show?
Cole: Thanks, man. It’s pretty surreal. Believe me when I say that I’m just as surprised as you are. I’ve spoken about my career in the intelligence services before I got my first book deal. A huge part of that was Counterterrorist “Targeting,” which is a fancy way of saying “manhunting.” I like to think I was good at it, and my reputation clearly circulated widely enough that when Endemol Shine (the production company making the show) was digging around casting for the show, they were passed my name, and then I got a call out of the blue.
(4) QUOTABLE QUOTE. Is a picture worth a thousand words in a case like this?
(5) TODAY’S BIRTHDAY GIRL
- January 22, 1959 – Linda Blair
(6) TODAY’S BIRTHDAY BOYS
- Born January 22, 1906 — Robert E. Howard
- Born January 22, 1934 – Bill Bixby, actor and director.
(7) WORLDCON 75 ACCESSIBILITY HOUSING. The Helsinki Worldcon, after a prolonged silence, announced on Facebook that they have granted all accessible hotel room requests already received.
200 days until Worldcon 75! Hooray!
Still haven’t reserved a room yet for your Worldcon stay?
Now is the time! Our block reservations expire this spring. Check out our hotel page for our current block status: www.worldcon.fi/hotel/
For those of you whom have access or reduced mobility needs, we have an update on Holiday Inn-Messukeskus sleeping rooms:
The cutoff date for requesting a room at this hotel is Friday, April 7 unless the requests surpass hotel capacity before then (which we’ll announce.) Room allocation will begin at that time and is expected to take about 2 weeks, and you’ll receive information from Member Services then about how to finalize your reservation with the Holiday Inn.
All requests to stay at the HI-Messukeskus that have been received up to now due to accessibility/reduced mobility needs will be granted. Details regarding rooms to accommodate differing, specific accessibility needs and connecting those people to the correct room are still being confirmed.
Anyone with questions or concerns about their accessibility housing request should e-mail [email protected] .
(8) THE HORROR. The Horror Show with Brian Keene podcast is about to present their milestone 100th podcast. Keene and co-host Dave Thomas decided to mark the occasion with a special edition of the show.
It won’t be a podcast.
Instead they have gathered a large group of friends, authors, and notables within the horror genre to present a 24-hour telethon-style broadcast. The show is an homage to the old Jerry Lewis style telethon.
In this case, the telethon will be raising funds to support the Scares That Care charity.
The show will begin on Thursday, January 26th at noon and end on Friday, January 27th. It will be broadcast live on Brian’s YouTube channel.
Adds Dann, who sent the item, “As with some other podcasts, adult discussions that sometimes use adult language will probably occur…”
(9) BELLY UP TO THE CANTINA BAR. A writer at SciFiDesign says “These Mos Eisley Brewing Beer Posters Are Making Me Thirsty”.
(10) TWO WRITERS BOLSTER THEIR CAREERS. Fans at home abed will call themselves accursed they were not there: The Joe Hill/John Scalzi pillow fight at ConFusion.
[Thanks to Dann, John King Tarpinian, and JJ for some of these stories. Title credit goes to File 770 contributing editor of the day Camestros Felapton.]
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[first godstalk]
ticky
(One day I’ll catch up.)
(1) The inverse-square law should save us, shouldn’t it?
@10: so what was the casus belli? I recall reading that Larry Niven and Russell Seitz had an affair of honor involving champagne corks across a pool, but this seems to be a … fluffier … matter.
(10) Argh! I wanted to go to ConFusion this year, but time and money were not available. I can only hope for a rematch next year.
Second fifth is the best fifth!
It’s always the last pixel you scroll.
ConFusion does look like it was a good time this year, even if fog made travel back home for people today less than ideal
The Joe Hill/John Scalzi pillow fight at ConFusion.
Says Joe, “But I ain’t dead.”
No pie in the sky for him, then.
That might be one of the least aggressive pillow fights I’ve ever witnessed.
c4c
Clicky
(10) TWO WRITERS BOLSTER THEIR CAREERS
Pun of the year, Mike.
(Admittedly it’s only January…)
In which I almost (but not quite) began to read a book yesterday:
“Hmm, what to read…”
(turns e-reader on, pages through collections)
“Okay, something with superheroes sounds good – and hey, here’s a three-book set with an extra short story. Great!”
(opens book one)
“Oh, yuck. That paragraph indent’s way too narrow. Well, I can fix that in no time. I can touch up the metadata while I’m in there, too.”
(turns on PC, loads book in editor)
“Oh. Eww. This formatting is seriously tangled. And why make the base font size so huge if you’re just going to slash it back down? Nope, this won’t do.”
(whips out machete, attacks CSS)
“What’s the deal with these italics? Did I screw something up?”
(opens old version – always keep a backup!)
“Nope, it’s psychotic in the original. Wonderful.”
(fixes italics, one by one, along with rest of formatting)
“Okay, that finally looks decent. Better check the rest of the set, though.”
(opens other three in editor)
“Dammit. Well, at least I know what to look for now.”
(fixes the rest of the set in parallel, copies all over to e-reader)
“Ooookay. Hey, why isn’t this other supers book in my archive? Might as well touch it up while I’m copying it over.”
(opens in editor)
“Oh, great. Linefeeds after every line instead of between paragraphs?”
(bashes book with regex sledgehammer)
“Okay, done. Damn, all that time editing and no progress on my limbo pile? Can’t have that.”
(opens recent purchase in editor)
“Oh, what the… Who applies pixel units to text margins?”
(revs +5 Chainsaw of Coding)
“There. DONE. Let’s load this onto the reader and go.”
(copies, disconnects, shuts computer down)
“Why is this title misspelled?”
(looks at computer, clock)
“Screw it. I’ll make a note and fix the title later.”
…which is how I spent eight hours almost reading a book. The truly sad thing is, I neither made up nor exaggerated ANY of that account.
@Rev. Bob Does that mean you finished the silo series?
@Iphinome:
It does. I found the middle book to be the weakest of the three, and could’ve entirely done without the Silo 17/18 stories in it. Most of Solo’s backstory was no big surprise, and the Silo 18 story could’ve been greatly improved by a simple note up front indicating that it happened before Wool. As it was, I kept wondering when Juliette was going to show up in the narrative, and I still think it’s almost a completely extraneous story. (Personally, I think Howey added those because he liked the A/B structure of First Shift and needed B-threads to keep it going. But I could be wrong.)
Oh, and a confession: I did make up the bits about deploying sledgehammers, chainsaws, and machetes in tackling ebook code, but I trust my fellow Filers will indulge a spot of metaphor. The obstacles described, though? 100% genuine.
Although “Crushing it” was also veeeery funny.
@rev Bob
Shift didn’t bother me but…
Gur Raqbe-ubybpnhfg bs na raqvat gb Qhfg qvq. N pbhcyq qbmra crbcyr gbbx fbzr fhccyvrf naq jnaqrerq bss jvgubhg gur yrtnpl. Uhagre-tngureref obea vagb n yvsrfglyr jub jrer yhpxl rabhtu abg gb ynaq va n cynpr jurer uheevpnarf uvg sbez gvzr gb gvzr V’q tvir n punapr. Crbcyr jub’q arire orra bhgqbbef rire? Gurl’er gbnfg naq lbh unir gb ubcr gur arkg crbcyr gb yrnir n fvyb pna svaq rabhtu fhccyvrf gung gurl bayl unir gb qrny jvgu yrna gvzrf fgnegvat hc. N punapr gung tbrf qbja rirel lrne fvapr gur FRRQ jnf yrsg bcra naq abj angher pna trg va naq fgneg jerpxvat fghss. Uhzvqvgl, zvpr, ohtf, zbyq. Jba’g gung or sha.
Bar pna bayl ubcr gur Fvybf arne 40 qrpvqr gb oernxbhg va gur arkg pbhcyr zbaguf, naq xrrc n onpx naq sbegu ghaary bcra gb gurve fvyb’f snezf sbe n srj lrnef.
Naq gung gurl frg hc qrsrafrf orpnhfr vs nal bs Whyvrggr’f crbcyr fheivir gurl’er tbvat gb or yvxr gevonyf va Snyybhg juvyr gur arkg tebhc bs inyg qjryyref gel gb rg hc gur APE.
V rawblrq gur evqr ernqvat gur frevrf ohg gung raqvat jnf nalguvat ohg gur ubcrshy vg gevrq gb cbegenl vgfrys nf
Today’s birthdays include Richard Dean Anderson (aka MacGuyer, and of course Colonel Jack O’Neill on Stargate SG-1).
I enjoyed Wool a great deal. It was well written, had good pacing, believable characters, and created just the right sense of believable mystery about how/why the Silo(s) were built.
I agree that Shift was the weakest of the three. Two stars from me and a bill for my headache medicine and repairs to my wall for Mr. Howey.
Dust was OK, but it was significantly undermined by the problems in Shift.
ROT-13, naturally.
Gur fvybf va Jbby ner znffvir fgehpgherf ernpuvat jryy bire n uhaqerq fgbevrf vagb gur tebhaq. Rnpu yriry unf frpgvbaf enqvngvat bhgjneqf sebz gur prageny pbyhza. Lrg va Fuvsg vg fbhaqf yvxr gur fvybf ner pybfr rabhtu gung lbh pna urne cer-qvfnfgre pryroengvba abvfr sebz rnpu bs gur nqwnprag fvybf.
Gurer vf ab jnl gb whfg qvt n fgenvtug ubyr naq unir vg abg pbyyncfr bire gvzr.
Rvgure gur fvybf ner pybfr gbtrgure fb gung ivoengvbaf geniryyvat guebhtug gur ebpx/fbvy pbhyq or urneq ol nqwnprag fvybf, be gurl ner sne rabhtu ncneg fb gung lbh ernyyl fubhyqa’g or noyr gb urne gubfr cer-qvfnfgre bcra nve pryroengvbaf tbvat ba. Nyfb, vs gurl ner gung pybfr gbtrgure, gura gur cebprff bs gur rkpningvbaf pbyyncfvat jbhyq or nppryrengrq.
Whfg jnl gbb znal ratvarrevat zvfgnxrf gbbx zr bhg bs gur aneengvir.
Nabgure synj jnf gur vqrn gung n fvatyr HF Frangbe pbhyq neenatr sbe fhpu znffvir pbafgehpgvbaf va n jnl gung yrsg uvz va punetr bs gur jubyr bcrengvba juvyr gur HF Cerfvqrag (naq cerfhznoyl bgure angvbany naq jbeyq yrnqref) raqf hc qlvat nf gur byq jbeyq vf qrfgeblrq.
[cbyvgvpny yrafrf ba – lbh unir orra jnearq]
Bar zbqrfgyl jel fzvyr-vaqhpvat ryrzrag jnf gur snpg gung gurfr jrer Qrzbpengf qbvat nyy bs gur cynaavat, Qrzbpengf trggvat gb qrpvqr jub yvirf naq jub qvrf, Qrzbpengf ehaavat gur bcrengvba cbfg-ncbpnylcfr, Qrzbpengf jevgvat gur uvtuyl rqvgrq uvfgbel va “gur yrtnpl”, Qrzbpengf nqzvavfgrevat qehtf gb znxr crbcyr sbetrg gur byq jbeyq, Qrzbpengf frggvat hc n flfgrz jurer aba-pbasbezvfgf trg n qrngu fragrapr jura gurl ner frag bhg gb “pyrna”. Rpubrf bs gur Xuzre Ebhtr frrxvat gb ratvarre n “cresrpg fbpvrgl”. N pbhcyr bs gur punenpgref gung jrer va ba gur rneyl cynaavat jrer gnyxvat nobhg pbagebyyvat pbfgf naq raqrq hc wbxvat nobhg ubj gurl jrer fgnegvat gb guvax yvxr Erchoyvpnaf.
[cbyvgvpny yrafrf bss – gunaxf sbe lbhe vaqhytrapr]
Qhfg jnf n ernfbanoyr ernq, ohg vg jnf haqrezvarq ol nyy bs gur abafrafr va Fuvsg. V sbhaq gur arg erfhyg bs fbzr bs gur crbcyr va punetr qrpvqvat gurve rssbegf jrer jebat gb or vafcvevat. Uhzna qrprapl fheivirq znffvir uhzna vaqrprapl.
V nyfb sbhaq gur fheivibef npg bs nonaqbavat gur yrtnpl gb or fbhaq. Gurl xarj gung gur vasbezngvba pbagnvarq gurer jnf uvtuyl rqvgrq. Onfvat gurve fbpvrgl ba gur yrtnpl jbhyq unir bzvggrq n terng qrny bs hfrshy uvfgbevpny vasbezngvba va gung rssbeg.
Gurve qrpvfvba gb whfg tb qb gurve orfg ba gurve bja jnf n grfgnzrag gb gur uhzna qrfver sbe serrqbz. Juvyr V nterr gung gurl jbhyq snpr fbzr fvtavsvpnag fgehttyrf, gurve novyvgl gb nqncg zrntre erfbheprf nf vyyhfgengrq ol gurve gvzr va gur fvyb fhttrfgf gung gurl unir n orggre guna nirentr punapr bs fheivivat, VZUB.
Dann
Gurl qvqa’g nonaqba gur yrtnpl, gur cevrfg ohearq vg. Gung jnfa’g n oybj sbe serrqbz. Jungrire uvfgbel naq cbyvgvpf gurl ybfg jnfa’g zl cbvag. Vg cerfhznoyl unq vasbezngvba ba ubj gb fheivir bhgfvqr gur inhygf, jurer erfbheprf pbhyq or sbhaq, guvatf gb nibvq. Gurl znqr vg gb gur bprna naq fbba bar bs gurz jvyy trg fghat ol n wryylsvfu, nabgure bar jvyy rng n cbvfbabhf zhfuebbz. Gurve gragf ner tbvat gb trg evccrq njnl jura n uheevpnar oybjf guebhtu, bar znxrf vg abegu nybat gur pbnfg rirel pbhcyr lrnef. Gurl unir ratvarref fb gurl pna pbooyr gbtrgure arj furygref ohg gurl’ir arire urneq bs gungpuvat be svevat pynl. Jrnivat gurl zvtug svther bhg ohg jung nobhg svfuvat?
Gurl xabj nobhg snezvat, va n pbagebyyrq raivebazrag jvgu yvtug fbvy, jung nobhg pynl fbvy, jung nobhg qenvavat fbzrguvat gbb jrg? Jvyy gurl xrrc rabhtu erfreirf ntnvafg n qebhtug be ntnvafg frrqf ebggvat sebz gbb zhpu jrg? Nyy bs hf unir gur xabjyrqtr bs gur cnfg trarengvbaf gb qenj ba jura jr frg bhg gb qb jung crbcyr unir orra qbvat fvapr gurer unir orra crbcyr. Gurl unira’g rira orra gbyq abg gb qevax fnyg jngre.
Ubj pna Whyvrggr’f tebhc fheivir jvgubhg gur yrtnpl?
@Jonathan Edelstein
Most scientists seem to think that Earth’s undirected radio emissions couldn’t be detected past 1 or 2 light years. Shostak has argued for a while that that just shows a lack of imagination.
In SETI on the SKA, Keith Cooper argues that Shostak’s idea for a super receiver just isn’t practical.
Of course not practical for us might be no problem for a sufficiently advanced race, but even then it only buys you a couple of hundred light years.
Given the Fermi paradox, it’s most likely there isn’t anyone out there to listen anyway, and that’s the biggest thing that saves us.
(10) Would have been better with fish.
The title for Star Wars episode 8 has been revealed to be The Last Jedi.
(From what I gather, apparently, Luke Skywalker, turning his back on the Force, has become a shoemaker.)
@Jack Lint: only if somebody had the fans make a mosh pit for the finale….
@Iphinome, Dann:
Since we’re ROT13-ing…
Gurer’f n Fvybirefr gevcyrg va Gur Ncbpnylcfr Gevcglpu, juvpu vf jul V ernq gur Fvyb frevrf vzzrqvngryl gurernsgre. Gur svany fgbel va gung gnxrf cynpr 500 lrnef nsgre gur ahxr, jura gur fvyb(f) jrer fyngrq gb bcra, naq vg vaibyirf crbcyr sebz Orsber jub ubyrq hc va (VVEP) Purlraar Zbhagnva naq znqr gurve jnl gb gur Ngynagn fvyb fvgr. Jura gurl trg gurer, gurl rapbhagre n fznyy ivyyntr bs fvyb qrfpraqnagf – fb fbzrobql fheivirq.
Nf sbe gur ghaaryvat ratvarrevat ceboyrz, gur grkg ersref gb gur ghaary orvat ervasbeprq qhevat gur gjb jrrxf vg gbbx gb trg gurer. Ab pbzzrag ba gur FRRQ ceboyrz, ohg nf sne nf qrgrpgvat gur qvttvat – erpnyy gung Fvyb Bar QVQ qrgrpg vg; gurl gubhtug gurl jrer gur gnetrgf. Cyhf, nf sbe gur Orsber pryroengvbaf, erpnyy gung gubfr jrer uhtr guvatf jvgu gubhfnaqf bs crbcyr ng rnpu fvyb. Gung’f cerggl ybhq, naq gurl unq fbhaq flfgrzf.
Speaking of silos, today’s “Fanfic of general interest” is The Saga of Hearthruler Whitebeard and Snowsgrace Dreamfinder, in which the Broad Street Pump and Expert Judgment on Markers to Deter Inadvertent Human Intrusion are SFnally combined.
@Iphinome
Juvyr gur cernpure qvq qrfgebl bar frg, VVEP Fbyb naq Whyvrggr rkcerffrq fxrcgvpvfz nobhg gur frg va Fbyb’f fvyb. Nyfb, gurl yrg bar bs gur yvggyr tveyf fgneg phggvat vg hc. V guvax sbe gur cubgbf, ohg pbhyq or jebat nobhg gung.
V qba’g frr gur nofrapr bs gur yrtnpl nf orvat n “znxr be oernx” vffhr. Vg qbrf znxr vg uneqre sbe gurz gb fheivir. Ohg V qba’g guvax vg qebcf gurve fheiviny punaprf gb mreb.
@Rev. Bob
Gurer’f n ahxr? V gubhtug vg jnf n znff eryrnfr bs anabobgf. Vg’f orra n pbhcyr bs lrnef fvapr V ernq Jbby, fb V pbhyq ernqvyl or zvfgnxra ba gung cbvag.
Nf sbe gur ghaaryvat ceboyrz, V nterr gung gur ubevmbagny ghaary jnf fuberq hc. Ohg gung znffvir iregvpny rkpningvba? Abg ohlvat vg.
V qb erpnyy gung gur Orsber pryroengvbaf unq fbhaq flfgrzf. Zl vzcerffvba vf gung gur fcbxrf enqvngvat bhg sebz gur uho rkgraqrq zhpu shegure. Gur ceboyrz V unir vf gung vs gurl unq gur novyvgl gb qrgrpg qvttvat yngr va gur fgbel, gura gurl fubhyq nyfb unir orra noyr gb qrgrpg bgure ivoengvbaf fhpu nf gur bhg bs onynapr trarengbe. (Fho-fhesnpr ivoengvba genafzvffvba vf npghnyyl va zl *qnl wbo* jurry ubhfr.) Creuncf zl snzvyvnevgl jvgu gur fhowrpg vf jung haqrezvarf gung vffhr sbe zr.
Regards,
Dann
Adding on a bit here.
V jrag onpx naq frnepurq Fuvsg sbe “ahxr”, “ahpyrne”, naq “obzof”. Gbjneqf gura raq bs puncgre 23 gurer vf n cnffntr vaqvpngvat gur obzof qvq snyy, ohg Qbanyq abgrf gung ivrjvat gur oynfgf qvqa’g yrnir uvz oyvaq. Gur fhttrfgvba, urer naq ryfrjurer va Fuvsg, vf gung gur obzof jrer ernyyl gurer gb trg crbcyr zbivat vagb gur fvybf. Gurl jrera’g gur zrpunavfz bs gur ynetre qrfgehpgvba bs uhznavgl.
VVEP, Fuvsg fcraqf n ybg bs gvzr gnyxvat nobhg ubj fbzrbar vf riraghnyyl tbvat gb jrncbavmr anabobgf ntnvafg gur HF. Gurer vf n ybg bs gnyx nobhg qrivfvat arj pbafgehpgvir anabobgf gb pbhagre gur qrfgehpgvir irefvbaf. Guvf vf abg pbafvqrerq gb or n cebqhpgvir nccebnpu.
Zl ernqvat bs Fuvsg fhttrfgf gung gur obzof (ahpyrne be bgurejvfr) jrer abg gur zrnaf bs qrfgehpgvba. Vg jnf gur qrfgehpgvir anabobgf gung jr hfrq cer-rzcgviryl.
Regards,
Dann
Thanks to the Filers who recommended Dusk or Dark or Dawn or Day from Seanan McGuire! It was just the right read for a sick day in bed… Easy, but very nice indeed, great world Building, great characters, just the story was a bit on the thin side. But beautiful written and as I sad good “Comfy-iterature” 🙂
(And yes, its best to go in it totally “cold”, i.e. knowing nothing about the story)
@Dann, in ROT13:
Jung “znffvir iregvpny rkpningvba”? Gur rkbqhf sebz Fvyb 17 jnf ivn fhvgf, nobir tebhaq. Naq lrf, gurer jnf n ahxr. Gung’f jung jerpxrq Ngynagn (gur ohfgrq-hc pvgl gur fvybf pna frr va gur qvfgnapr), naq vg jnf gur guerng gung qebir gur pbairagvba sbyxf vagb gur fvybf va ’52. Nf sbe trarengbe ivoengvbaf, jul jbhyq Fvyb Bar pner nobhg gubfr va gur yrnfg? Gurl qvqa’g pbzzrag, ohg gung va ab jnl zrnaf gurl qvqa’g xabj. “Bu, ybbx, gurve traavr’f bhg bs nyvtazrag. Lnja.”
Nf gb lbhe frpbaq cbfg, gurer ner frireny synjf va lbhe ernfbavat. Svefg, Qbanyq unq urnyvat anavgrf, juvpu pbhyq or gur ernfba ur jnfa’g oyvaqrq. Frpbaq, V arire pynvzrq nalguvat nobhg ahxrf orvat jung qrfgeblrq uhznavgl. Vg jnf zreryl na fubeg jnl gb ersre gb gur ncbpnylcfr rirag.
As to “undermines” – I see what you did there. 😉
4) I think Bradbury once wrote that a word was worth a thousand pictures…
I think Tom Gauld is onto something here. I would probably buy souvenir porcelain plates from the Martian invasion of 1894.
Rev bob-
Do you mind saying what superhero series it was? It’s one of my favorite genres, and I’m always on the lookout for a new series.
Nov schmoz ka pop.
(It’s not ROT-13. I just wanted to get into the post-something-strange-looking craze. Also: notary sojac.)
Nf n fphon qvire gur bar guvat gung naablrq gur uryy bhg bs zr va Jbby jnf jbexvat bhg whfg ubj qrnq bs gur oraqf Whyvrggr jbhyq unir orra.
Gurer jnf gung fghss va Qhfg gung fhttrfgrq fur unq zntvp ertrarengvir cbjref. N ernpgvba bs vengr qviref onqtrevat Ubjrl?
Today’s Meredith Moment:
A set of anthologies of grown-up fairytales, all edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling, are on sale for today only for $1.99 each.
@Rev. Bob,
Gur znffvir iregvpny rkpningvba gung V nz ersrerapvat vf gur bar jura gur fvybf jrer bevtvanyyl ohvyg. Gurer vfa’g n irel tbbq pvivy ratvarrevat cebprff sbe cresbezvat fhpu na rkpningvba naq yrnivat na nve tnc orgjrra gur fbvy/fgbar naq gur fgehpgher. Juvpu vf jul Fvyb 1 ner noyr gb qrfgebl gur fvybf jvgu rkcybfvirf.
Tvira gur trareny uhzna qrfver sbe pbzzhavpngvba, V’z fhecevfrq gung gur fvybf qvqa’g jbex bhg n jnl bs pbzzhavpngvat (zbefr pbqr?) orgjrra bar nabgure jura vg orpnzr boivbhf gung gur enqvbf bayl pbzzhavpngrq jvgu Fvyb 1. VVEP, gur yrnqrefuvc xabjf gung gurer vf zber guna bar fvyb. Ohg gur nirentr erfvqrag qvqa’g xabj gung.
Vs gur fvybf jrer pybfr rabhtu gbtrgure, gura rnegu obear ivoengvbaf jbhyq unir orra na boivbhf zrnaf bs pbzzhavpngvba. Vs gurl jrer abg pybfr rabhtu gbtrgure, gura gur bevtvany cerzvfr bs frcnengr pryroengvbaf fgnegf gb snyy ncneg, VZB
As far as “undermining”….just wait to see how good I am when I try something on purpose!! 😀
Regards,
Dann
@Brendan:
The supers series I’ll probably start tomorrow (being 72% through How to Save the World right now) is Kevin Hardman’s “Kid Sensation” series, of which I have the short story and the first three novels. The book with the italics problem was the first in the series (Sensation) and I bought it at Kobo, where it’s no longer available – but the Kindle version looks like it’s fine.
@nickpheas:
There’s some stray dialogue addressing that point, implying that gur Fvyb 17 fuhgqbja jnf fnobgntrq ivn fjvgpurebb – gurl tbg gur tbbq anavgrf vafgrnq bs gur onq barf. Whfg yvxr gur barf Guhezna unq va uvf Frangr qnlf.
@Dann, since I just missed the edit window:
V jnf haqre gur vzcerffvba gung gur bhgre pbapergr jnyyf jrer ynvq va fgntrf, qhevat gur qvt, ohg V qvqa’g ernyyl tvir vg n gba bs gubhtug. Orfvqrf, gurl pbhyq’ir svtherq fbzrguvat bhg bire gur arkg guerr qrpnqrf – znlor n cvg qvt gung trgf svyyrq va ba gur fvqrf nf gur fvyb’f ohvyg hc sebz gur sybbe, juvpu jbhyq nyfb rkcynva gur evqtrf orgjrra fvybf. Svefg Fuvsg fnlf fbzrguvat nobhg gur pbafgehpgvba cebprff.
Naq tvira F1’f yvr qrgrpgbef, V’z abg fubpxrq nobhg gur bgure fvybf borlvat beqref. Yrneavat Gur Beqre vf, nsgre nyy, na vaqbpgevangvba cebprff, naq gurl pna gryy vs pbairefvba vf trahvar. Gung fnvq, V ernyyl guvax lbh’er haqrerfgvzngvat gur fpnyrf vaibyirq. Vg gbbx gjb jrrxf gb ghaary sebz bar fvyb gb gur pybfrfg bar, naq rnpu vf jvguva n pengre bs fbegf. Lrf, cneg bs gung gvzr vf obhaq gb or qhr gb fubevat hc gur ghaary naq gheavat gur qvttre, ohg gurl’er fgvyy n snve qvfgnapr ncneg. Abg ba gur beqre bs zvyrf, ohg qrsvavgryl zber guna sbbgonyy svryqf. Pbhcyr gung jvgu gra gubhfnaq crbcyr cneglvat ng rnpu fvgr, cyhf fbhaq flfgrzf, naq gung trgf ybhq SNFG. Jr’er gnyxvat nobhg n gurzr cnex, abg n pvephf grag.
Nyfb, gjb crbcyr va rnpu fngryyvgr fvyb xabj bs gur Beqre naq Yrtnpl. Whfg gjb. Naq V qba’g erpnyy nalguvat fnlvat gurl xarj nobhg nal bgure fvyb guna gurve bja naq Fvyb Bar. Lrf, Sbegl fgnegrq ernpuvat bhg, ohg V guvax gurl’er gur bayl barf jub qvq – naq Bar oebhtug qbja nyy gur “pbagnzvangrq” fvybf nf n erfhyg.
Jung V svaq uneqre gb fjnyybj vf gur rkvfgrapr bs gur prafberq Ovoyrf. V pbhyq ohl na vagnpg Ovoyr orvat oebhtug va ol na bevtvany pbybavfg, be gur Beqre perngvat vgf bja eryvtvba, be n eryvtvba fcevatvat hc ba vgf bja – ohg na boivbhfyl-prafberq Puevfgvna Ovoyr? V pna’g svther ubj gung jbhyq pbzr gb rkvfg va n fvyb.
Igga ma ifgo tolla? Mmigto A? Ynng ta!
I’ve got to figure out this rot-13 thing.
(Hat tip to Russell Letson)
(3) I tried watching the premiere of Hunted. Had to bail after the first 15 minutes because I found the constant jumpiness uncomfortable – in that time there were only two or three shots that lasted as long as 6 seconds, by my count, and none longer than that.
@John M. Cowan,
Pssstt!
And, if you enter it into Google Images, at least some of them are going to be porn. (No matter what the word.)
They call it ROT13, but actually it is just Klingon.
Meredith moment (UK edition): The kindle edition of The Stone Sky by Jemisin is currently listed for pre-order on Amazon UK at £3.49 compared to the paper version at £8.99, which is a bit of a steal if you ask me.
(10) Following the pillow fight, following the reading from The Fireman, following the reading from The Collapsing Empire, the rest of the panel was taken up with Joe Hill’s assertion that Paul McCartney is a better rock bassist than Geddy Lee, and John Scalzi’s assertion (in turn) that Joe Hill is 100% incorrect.
It was fun.
@Mark: Thanks for the heads-up! Been waiting for when it might be available as an ebook.
Missed the deadline to buy the discounted Datlow/Windling anthologies, drat. (After a weekend of crap sleeping, about 13 hours total in three days, then working a 12-hour shift, then having to run Hilde to the ER again for a recurring UTI –thanks, antibiotic-resistant microbes! — as soon as I got home, when we got back from Mayo’s ER, I spent the rest of the day finally catching up on sleep. A couple of hours of that catchup was at the ER, tho’ I think it was more “passing out” there than sleeping.)
Read Bruce Sterling’s PIRATE UTOPIA. Dieselpunk alternate-history, based on an obscure part of post-WWI Italian history. Neat stuff, which is expected from Sterling, but it stops dead just at the plot twist where most writers would have begun the actual story. So very frustrating.
@Brendan:
I’m about two-thirds of the way through Sensation, and I’m putting it down only because I need sleep. I’m annoyed with some of the bad italics I missed during prep (a problem you shouldn’t have to worry about), but the story itself is pretty solid. There is some pretty lumpy “as you know, Bob” exposition up front, mainly in terms of explaining how supers fit into the world, but that smooths out after the first couple of chapters.
Like most superhero debut stories, the main character’s a teenager. However, his true superpower appears to be manifesting new superpowers. When the story starts, he already has several, and he seems to be the key to thwarting an evil supervillain team’s master plan.
I’m already looking forward to reading the rest of what I own in the series, but the remaining three books (so far) are $5 and $6 each – which is expensive enough to make me hesitant to snap ’em up immediately. I figure I’ll probably make a decision after finishing what I’ve got and seeing if those books keep up the solid work. So far, I’m impressed with the editing level, too. I’ve caught a couple of small things (principal for principle, etc.), but nothing huge. That bodes very well in my book.