I Alter My DNA Daily

March 8, 2012

Finally, a scientific discovery made just for me! In the current issue of Cell Metabolism— my basic light reading— researchers report on beneficial changes to DNA achieved both through drinking caffeine and through exercise. “The DNA changes in question are known as epigenetic modifications and involve the gain or loss of chemical marks on DNA […]

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Blows Against the Empire

March 7, 2012

Okay, so at least we know the dimensions of the problem. NASA has admitted that their computers are riddled with hackers, having logged over 5400 intrusions over the last couple years.  The most spectacular of these, originating in China, actually seized control of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s systems, “gaining the ability to install malware, delete […]

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Connections

March 5, 2012

I was thinking today about James Burke’s admirable television series Connections, where seemingly unrelated historical events were shown to have contributed to a modern scientific discovery. As a fond hommage to that series, I’d like to trace some connections myself— though I’m not going to do science history, because that’s not really my strong point.  […]

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Mandelbox Set

March 4, 2012

Last night we went to the First Friday Fractals show at the local Imax, just to get our dose of insane psychedelia.  Here’s part of what we saw— only you have to picture this stretched out as wide as the night sky, with full digital sound. I would advise clicking the “full screen” box on […]

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Crowdsourcing the Law

March 2, 2012

Remember that scene in Fahrenheit 451 when Montag is on the run, and the announcer on television talks to his “friends” (in Bradbury’s future, television has friended the entire audience), and the announcer tells the friends to go outside and look for the fugitive? In the François Truffaut film, this scene was particularly chilling, with […]

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I Enter the Scalziverse

February 29, 2012

John Scalzi very kindly let me enter his universe for an essay about The Fourth Wall. Enjoy.

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The Little Receipts They Raineth Down . . .

February 29, 2012

What have I been doing today?  Sorting through hundreds of little receipts, many marked with indecipherable scrawls, in order to enter the results into Quicken and prepare my tax forms. Which, after many hours and an aching back, I have achieved. Only to find that Quicken refuses to print the results. May I just remark […]

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The Clock Ticks in Traditional Fashion

February 28, 2012

Just a reminder that Orbit has put all ebooks of This Is Not a Game on sale for $2.99, but that the sale should end on March 1.  So if you want to take advantage of this generous offer, the Clock on the Clubhouse Wall is telling you that you have only a few hours […]

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Owl. Pussycat.

February 27, 2012

This really isn’t the go-to blog for cute animal videos, but this one is so extraordinary that once I saw it on al-Zorra’s site, I had to share it with you.  

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PayPal Puts the Screws on Erotica

February 27, 2012

I’ve always thought that PayPal was a useful service, and regretted the fact that they crashed every time I tried to log onto them.  (Even when I tried to logon through other people’s computers, they crashed.  It’s not the computer, it’s me.  I am cursed.) Be that as it may, I’m not so sorry anymore […]

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