What's the Most Intelligent Animal on the Planet, Other Than Us?
Scientists ask this question all the time. For a long time it was assumed to be our closest living relative, Pan troglodytus, more commonly known as the...
Songs and Magic
Review: Dawnshard by Brandon Sanderson Another "out take" of sorts. I assume we will be seeing a lot more of Rysn. Sanderson does a good job of writing a...
Philcon Roundup!
So, Philcon went well. Thanks to everyone on my panels…you all behaved yourselves except for the occasional losing track of how long you were talking for,...
Messy Endings
The Handmaid's Tale 6.8 "Exodus" Do they manage to blow up the Commanders? No. But what they do manage is to empty the Red Center and free, for now, all of...
Getting from A to B - the Human Importance of Roads
I am recalling a trip I took with my husband to Britain, one of many. I told him we were on one of the oldest roads he had ever walked on. It was a ridgeway....
Dancing the Winds
Review: Edgedancer by Brandon Sanderson I don't often review novellas, but I'm trying to get in the entire series so far, and it felt a little unfair not to...
At Philcon
Picture is for pony tax, because why not. This is a queued post - I’m at Philcon getting ready to moderate a ton of panels. Fortunately, I love it almost as...
Aliens and Fun Fairs
The Avengers 2.22 "Man in the Mirror" This episode is creepy, because it involves a fun fair. It's another one I actually remember watching from my...
Chasing Balls Around - Do All Humans Play Ball?
It sometimes seems likely. I just read an article on the revival of pok-ta-pok - the pre-Columbian ballgame (That did not actually involve sacrificing...
Avoiding the Storms
Recap Review: The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson Some authors write doorstoppers. The first book of the Stormlight Archive would stop a barn door - in my...
Philcon Next Week
I’ll be seeing everyone at Philcon next weekend. It’s coming up fast. I’m on a bunch of panels. Oh wait, I’m moderating a bunch of panels. Seven panels....
Maybe Some Shouting at the Screen?
The Avengers 2.10 "School For Traitors" A college instructor kills himself...or does he? He uses a silencer. Who does that? Steed has to infiltrate the...
...Across the Universe
Review: Star Trek: Prime Directive by Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens I think I have read this before, albeit a while ago. It's out of the Pocket series...
Winter is Coming
Or at least I had to wear a jacket to go to the grocery store this morning. I’m up to…the usual. Enjoying the nicer fall days, wincing at the colder ones....
A Creature Feature...that Wasn't
The Handmaid's Tale 5.8 "Motherland" Sometimes, yelling at the screen has to happen. It just does. Lawrence is building New Bethlehem, a beautiful island...
Monoliths and Vessels - the History of Big Dumb Objects in Science Fiction
Big Dumb Objects (BDOs) are a science fiction staple and have been for a long time. They're also usually not dumb (You occasionally see Big Smart Object, but...
Star Trekkin'
Review: Star Trek: Legacy by Michael Jan Friedman I thought I had all of the old Pocket Star Trek novels, but it turns out I was wrong. Legacy is a fairly...
Philcon and Such
So, the big news is that Philcon sent me my schedule for this year, and here it is! Friday 6:00pm - Science Fiction Games: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly!...
Sharks and, Oh Dear, Cyborgs
Cinema Disaster: Shark Attack Shark movies have always bothered me...even when I enjoy them. Jaws has a lot to answer for. Let's take the black tipped shark,...
White, Gray, Blue - The Tradition of Spooky Ladies
Newstead Abbey I thought about campfire tales, but its too broad. Instead, I want to go into a specific ghostly tradition. Ladies. Typically of a color, most...