Archive for June, 2008
Strange Horizons is far and away the best speculative fiction magazine on the web. They are a non-profit that proves a volunteer-driven enterprise can generate consistently professional results. And speaking of professional, they honor writers by paying them professional rates; they are an SWFA-recognized professional speculative fiction market. I am not privy to their budget, [...]
The proof that machinima is growing into an artform of its own. Juvenal would be proud! WeGame.com – WoW Videos
At least not according to this new University of Minnesota study. It finds that not only is the digital divide not nearly as prevalent as it used to be, but that social class is not a determining factors as to who is and isn’t techno-savvy. Good news for educators like myself who work in diverse [...]
Two Chinese government agencies have come together to produce what they’re calling — unfortunately — Chinese Menu in English Version, a translation of Chinese menu items into English to help tourists get what they want to eat (more or less) during the 2008 Summer Olympics. A good and practical idea: but one that drains the [...]
Okay, look, sometimes a governing agency has to make a tough call in order to promote future stability and, for the long term, make things simpler, smarter and helpful for all concerned. This is not one of those times. The International Astronomical Union, belligerently continuing its anti-Plutite policies, has given a new designation to poor [...]
Ah, the New York Times, long may it live! Read an article by Matthew Forney today on how his kids will eat pretty much anything. He kicks off the article by relating an illustrative episode concerning the pouring of fried scorpions into his son’s cereal bowl for breakfast. I once returned home from a [...]
A cheery report via ABC News shares the news with us that 1 in 4 New Yorkers has herpes. In other news, I am never having sex again. Blech. And in case the report on its own isn’t enough to scare you here is, courtesy of that same report, a huge picture of the herpes [...]
From AFP: Paralysed man takes a walk in virtual world Mon Jun 2, 12:18 PM ET TOKYO (AFP) – A paralysed man using only his brain waves has been able to manipulate a virtual Internet character, Japanese researchers said Monday, calling it a world first. The 41-year-old patient used his imagination to make his character [...]
The New Yorker had an interesting article on how psychologists are helping soldiers who return from Iraq with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder conquer the disorder through an elaborate desensitization program. That program uses a Virtual Iraq, which the psychologist runs like a conductor leading an orchestra, in order to repeat certain, stress-inducing stimuli until those [...]
There is just too much science out there. Given how closely I have been following longevity studies, I find it just about impossible to believe I haven’t heard of resveratrol before. But there it is: a magic chemical in red wine that just might help a body live longer. Specifically, it works in the same [...]
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