12 June 2010: 'The Love Quest of Smidgen the Snack Cake' by Robert T. Jeschonek

This week we listened to another episode of the Escape Pod Podcast. The mp3 of of the story is available for download here.

[13:39] Aroha Hannu: oops... sorry... Hi.

[13:39] Jago Constantine: Hi :)

[13:40] Aroha Hannu: sooo... you're the big cheese around here?
[13:40] Jago Constantine: Well, I run the science fiction meeting
[13:40] Aroha Hannu: and when is the meeting?
[13:40] Jago Constantine: At 2pm
[13:41] Aroha Hannu: in 20 minutes.... that's great....
[13:41] Jago Constantine: Are you here for it?
[13:41] Aroha Hannu: Well.. I guess I am. I happened by this quite by accident. / lucky accident. *smiles*
[13:42] Jago Constantine: Cool :)
[13:42] Aroha Hannu: What do people usually discuss here?
[13:42] Jago Constantine: Well today we're listening to a recorded story / every second week we do that / otherwise we talk about what sci fi we've each been reading
[13:43] Aroha Hannu: Well, the music playing now is my kind of music.... hahahah / Kiwi... / But... gosh... I do try to read. / when I'm not reading non-fiction, it's usually sci fic.
[13:44] Jago Constantine: oh great :) / Would you like an invite to the Sci Fi group so you get reminders?
[13:45] Aroha Hannu: Oh yes! / I have a few standards...... I attend the NPR Science Friday show (which has recently had to move....)
[13:46] Jago Constantine: How is that?
[13:46] Aroha Hannu: It's GREAT! / super group... they are trying to stay together to listen, even though the Sci Fri sim has been dismantled.
[13:47] Jago Constantine: I have tried listening to the show myself but didn't get into it / I am Australian, and I think our Science Show is much better hehe
[13:47] Aroha Hannu: We used to be directly connected to Sci Fri, live and get questions asked... / What science show is that?
[13:48] Jago Constantine: hehe it's called The Science Show / it's on iTunes
[13:48] Aroha Hannu: is it in SL anywhere?
[13:48] Jago Constantine: no unfortunately
[13:48] Aroha Hannu: the brits have a science show on Sundays. / that's my other standard I try to get to. / it's called The Naked Scientist
[13:49] Jago Constantine: Oh I've heard of that but haven't tried it
[13:49] Aroha Hannu: I spend 15 years in New Zealand. / spent... / what is the story about today?
[13:54] Jago Constantine: the story we're listening to is called 'The Love Quest of Smidgen the Snack Cake' by Robert Jeschonek / It's written from the point of view of a snack cake / :P
[13:54] Aroha Hannu: hahahhahaa!
[13:54] Jago Constantine: And it's very funny :)
[13:54] Aroha Hannu: sounds good....
[13:54] Jago Constantine: Hey Sora good to see you :)
[13:55] Aroha Hannu: Hi Sora.
[13:56] Sora Bluebird: hello hello / stream is alreeady running
[13:56] Jago Constantine: Thanks Sora :)
[13:57] Mayda Darkrose: Hi Jago, Sora
[13:58] Aroha Hannu: Hi Mayda.
[13:58] Eddi Haskell: hi / shouts: hi
[13:58] Jago Constantine: hey mayda, hey eddi :)
[13:58] Mayda Darkrose: Hi Aroha
[13:58] Jago Constantine: HI EDDI
[13:58] Eddi Haskell: hi!
[13:58] Mayda Darkrose: Hi Eddi
[13:58] Eddi Haskell: i had my mic on
[13:58] Aroha Hannu: Hello, Eddi.
[13:58] Jago Constantine: hehe its ok
[13:58] Eddi Haskell: hi sora / busy being a minister lol
[13:59] Sora Bluebird: hello monsieur eddi
[14:00] Jago Constantine: Ok I've switched to the stream that the story will be on / you should hear moonlight sonata on piano
[14:00] Mayda Darkrose: Got it
[14:00] Jago Constantine: hey eppie :)
[14:00] Eppie Shoreman: hi
[14:00] Zoltan Insoo: hello
[14:01] Mayda Darkrose: Hi Eppie
[14:01] Jago Constantine: Hi, Zoltan, welcome :)
[14:01] Mayda Darkrose: Hi Zoltan
[14:01] Zoltan Insoo: hi All
[14:01] Jago Constantine: Welcome to Science Fiction Saturday everyone :) / Today we're listening to a funny story, but still sci fi / 'The Love Quest of Smidgen the Snack Cake' by Robert Jeschonek / told from the point of view of a snack cake / It's from the podcast Escape Pod last week / Do you all have your music streams on?
[14:03] Mayda Darkrose: I have it.
[14:03] Eppie Shoreman: yes
[14:03] Zoltan Insoo: yes
[14:03] Jago Constantine: Welcome perry :)
[14:03] Eddi Haskell: i can say a prayer to being the meeting today :)
[14:04] Jago Constantine: Ok then DJ Sora can start the stream
[14:04] perry Sunkiller: hiya
[14:04] Jago Constantine: you should hear the show beginning now
[14:08] Mayda Darkrose: makes me want potato chips!
[14:08] Aroha Hannu: sorry,.. falling alseep here. / 11pm.... / night.
[14:08] Jago Constantine: night aroha :)
[14:09] perry Sunkiller: lol me to junkkkkk food junkie lol / give me chipssssss lol
[14:13] Jago Constantine: lol
[14:13] perry Sunkiller: or cheetos lol
[14:14] Jago Constantine: Hi, Lori :)
[14:16] perry Sunkiller: brb
[14:16] Jago Constantine: ok
[14:16] Lori Kohl: Hi Jago :-) / wow lol
[14:26] Jago Constantine: lol the innuendo
[14:26] Lori Kohl: yeah!!
[14:26] Eddi Haskell: im getting off on this hostess twinkie i have in front of me .
[14:26] Jago Constantine: lol
[14:26] Lori Kohl: lol
[14:27] Eddi Haskell: someow the low fat strawberry fig newtons i have in real life dont cut it.
[14:27] Jago Constantine: hehe
[14:27] Lori Kohl: I love the strawberry fig newtons! / YES!
[14:28] perry Sunkiller: cr my choc 4 legged cake (black lab) wants a walk in rl :( bye folks
[14:28] Jago Constantine: bye perry :)
[14:28] Lori Kohl: throw them away!
[14:28] Eppie Shoreman: I had to have a piece of Godiva choc.
[14:28] Jago Constantine: they sound like nerds
[14:29] Lori Kohl: yeah they do
[14:29] Jago Constantine: lol you go girl
[14:30] Lori Kohl: lol
[14:31] Jago Constantine: hi, saga :)
[14:31] Saga Highfield: Hi, sorry for being late
[14:31] Jago Constantine: thats ok :) / hi, doctor
[14:31] Doctor Qualia: Greetings.
[14:31] Jago Constantine: we're listening to a story on the music stream ... its most of the way through
[14:38] Lori Kohl: oh no!
[14:39] Mayda Darkrose: haha, the dog
[14:39] Jago Constantine: lol
[14:40] Lori Kohl: lol / wow!
[14:41] Mayda Darkrose: produce porn
[14:41] Lori Kohl: lol
[14:41] Jago Constantine: lol
[14:41] Lori Kohl: yeah / mmmmmmmmm
[14:42] Eppie Shoreman: great story, I've got to go.
[14:42] Jago Constantine: cya next week eppie ;)
[14:42] Eddi Haskell: bye Eppie!
[14:42] Saga Highfield: bye :)
[14:42] Jago Constantine: let me know when the story finishes for you all :)
[14:43] Eddi Haskell: i once bought a case of tastycakes and ate them I go so sick
[14:43] Jago Constantine: lol eddi
[14:43] Saga Highfield: Hehehe
[14:43] Eddi Haskell: i did
[14:44] Lori Kohl: story is finished for me
[14:44] Saga Highfield: The story's over, now there's feedback
[14:44] Jago Constantine: I wondered at first if Smidgen's motivation was realistic / ok I'll switch it back to music / I thought Smidgen's motivation should be to get someone to buy him / not necessarily eat him
[14:45] Mayda Darkrose: That was much better than i thought it would be
[14:45] Lori Kohl: lol
[14:45] Jago Constantine: glad to hear it mayda
[14:45] Mayda Darkrose: The company gave the cake an obsession
[14:45] Lori Kohl: once they buy him, they will eat him lol
[14:46] Jago Constantine: but I suppose if he's eaten there is more chance of repeat purchases
[14:46] Saga Highfield: But if he really is as good as he thinks he is, he should want them to eat him / Exactly what I was thinking
[14:46] Mayda Darkrose: "bet you cant eat just one" lol
[14:46] Jago Constantine: lol yes
[14:46] Sora Bluebird: have a good one everyone =)
[14:46] Mayda Darkrose: you too Sora
[14:46] Jago Constantine: cya sora :)
[14:46] Eddi Haskell: bye sora!
[14:47] Eppie Shoreman: i'm back
[14:47] Eddi Haskell: thank you!
[14:47] Saga Highfield: bye sora
[14:47] Jago Constantine: welcome back eppie LOL
[14:47] Mayda Darkrose: It was good Eppie..you can listen to it online tho
[14:47] Eppie Shoreman: someone sent out an event notice on the wrong day.
[14:47] Jago Constantine: in some ways it does sound like a realistic scenario
[14:47] Lori Kohl: bye everyone :-)
[14:47] Mayda Darkrose: Bye Lori
[14:47] Eppie Shoreman: bye
[14:47] Jago Constantine: the way the product placement in the shop works
[14:47] Mayda Darkrose: Some stores really do things like that / Thats why they advise only shopping the walls of a store, LOL
[14:48] Jago Constantine: the walls?
[14:48] Mayda Darkrose: Outside of the isles--theres vegetables, meat. healthy things
[14:48] Eddi Haskell: i buy what ever is on sale
[14:48] Jago Constantine: oh I get it
[14:48] Mayda Darkrose: The inside aisles have chips, cookies
[14:48] Eddi Haskell: yes
[14:49] Mayda Darkrose: One of the stores here recently put the mixed nuts in the beer aisle / Instead of with chips
[14:49] Jago Constantine: that makes sense lol
[14:49] Eppie Shoreman: I was annoyed by those other healthy snacks. they reminded me of munchkins saying now this is good for you.
[14:49] Mayda Darkrose: LOL Eppie
[14:49] Jago Constantine: I can see why the reader gave them that voice
[14:49] Mayda Darkrose: I'd like to try those seaweed snacks tho!
[14:49] Eppie Shoreman: Eddi, I saw some of your work on the Internet last night. It was beautiful.
[14:49] Eddi Haskell: i thought the story was about aliens but i have very bizarre interpretations
[14:49] Mayda Darkrose: I love chocolate, but I also love tofu
[14:49] Jago Constantine: but you'd think realistically they'd have something as appealing as smidgens
[14:49] Eddi Haskell: which one? / i thought the snack cakes were aliens
[14:50] Eppie Shoreman: the one with the beach setting and music.
[14:50] Jago Constantine: LOL eddi
[14:50] Eddi Haskell: oh cool!
[14:50] Saga Highfield: must be off guys
[14:50] Mayda Darkrose: Like invasion of the bodysnatchers?
[14:50] Eddi Haskell: bye saga / yeah
[14:50] Saga Highfield: have fun :)
[14:50] Eddi Haskell: that si what i thought
[14:50] Jago Constantine: Cya next week saga :)
[14:50] Mayda Darkrose: Bye Saga
[14:50] Jago Constantine: how did you get that idea eddi lol
[14:50] Eddi Haskell: i like the story / cause / they were talking over the minds of people / disguising as junk food
[14:51] Jago Constantine: hmm
[14:51] Mayda Darkrose: I can picture that.
[14:51] Eppie Shoreman: that would have been a really good plot.
[14:51] Jago Constantine: LOL
[14:51] Eddi Haskell: but i thought that was it / i think i scare people away from here sometimes lol
[14:51] Jago Constantine: well its really more sinister / because its humans taking over the minds of other humans
[14:51] Eddi Haskell: oh yeah
[14:51] Jago Constantine: through marketing manipulation
[14:51] Eddi Haskell: mmmm / i used to work on the kelloggs acount / its pretty sick what they do to get kids to eat sugar
[14:51] Mayda Darkrose: And you know the manufacturers *will* do that as soon as they can
[14:51] Eddi Haskell: yeah
[14:52] Eppie Shoreman: he reminds me so much of a guy who goes around stealing widows money and killing them. I've seen a few old movies like that. I love classic moveis.
[14:52] Jago Constantine: hehe
[14:52] Eddi Haskell: arsenic and old lace lol
[14:52] Jago Constantine: The reader's voice was perfect
[14:52] Eppie Shoreman: yes it was.
[14:52] Mayda Darkrose: But Smidgens methods were soooo realistic, lol
[14:52] Jago Constantine: yes they were ... sinister too
[14:53] Eppie Shoreman: yes he sounded like a sinister smooth talker gigalo
[14:53] Eddi Haskell: lol
[14:53] Mayda Darkrose: "I promise we wont do anything you dont want to do"
[14:53] Jago Constantine: yes lol the innuendo was hilarious
[14:53] Eddi Haskell: lol
[14:53] Jago Constantine: like when she opened the package and pulled him out
[14:53] Eddi Haskell: hahahahahahah
[14:53] Eppie Shoreman: disrobing
[14:53] Eddi Haskell: got me thinking about the voice switch too in SL / like that guy needed a morph
[14:53] Jago Constantine: what do you mean?
[14:54] Eddi Haskell: well he was raising his voice
[14:54] Mayda Darkrose: Ah, and now they have a way for a man to sound like a woman
[14:54] Eddi Haskell: and if he had an avatar he coulda switched
[14:54] Eppie Shoreman: true.
[14:54] Jago Constantine: he probably could for a male customer
[14:54] Mayda Darkrose: The new alpha viewer
[14:54] Eddi Haskell: yeah / i put up photos yesterday on my blog on how it could be used
[14:54] Jago Constantine: I think smidgen is a gender neutral name LOL
[14:54] Mayda Darkrose: yes
[14:54] Eppie Shoreman: i would like to see the movie or play, LOL.
[14:55] Mayda Darkrose: Didnt S say he could choose his voice?
[14:55] Jago Constantine: yes
[14:55] Mayda Darkrose: Perfect
[14:55] Jago Constantine: I am posting meeting transcripts to a blog here http://sciencefictiondiscussion.blogspot.com/
[14:56] Mayda Darkrose: That will encourage people to read or listen to the story
[14:56] Jago Constantine: I hope so / Actually I should post links to the story mp3s on the right transcripts
[14:56] Mayda Darkrose: I bookmarked Podcast, but I never think to listen
[14:56] Eppie Shoreman: well, I have to go. It has been fun. See you guys next week.
[14:56] Eddi Haskell: bye eppie!
[14:56] Mayda Darkrose: so long Eppie
[14:56] Jago Constantine: Yes next week we're talking about books again
[14:56] Mayda Darkrose: I've got to be going too. / see you next week
[14:56] Jago Constantine: Thanks for coming :)
[14:56] Eddi Haskell: bye myda / mayda see you next week

5 June 2010

[13:45] Eddi Haskell: hi / lol
[13:49] Jago Constantine: Hi, Alyria!
[13:49] Alyria Bovarro: Hey all! how's it going?
[13:49] Eddi Haskell: hola senoira
[13:50] Alyria Bovarro: sorry waiting for everything to load
[13:50] Jago Constantine: It loads a little slow here :)
[13:50] Eddi Haskell: I know. you can have a tooth extraction in the time it takes to load
[13:51] Alyria Bovarro: lol / how are you both today?
[13:52] Jago Constantine: Good thanks :)
[13:52] Eddi Haskell: I'm okay
[13:52] Jago Constantine: How are you?
[13:52] Alyria Bovarro: I'm great, thanks
[13:53] Eddi Haskell: waiting for some cool thunderstorm / we get thunderstorms a lot this time of year
[13:53] Jago Constantine: heh
[13:54] Eddi Haskell: in south Florida / oh goody weather alert / let's see if I have to run for cover lol
[13:55] Jago Constantine: lol
[13:55] Eddi Haskell: nah its 30 miles north
[13:55] Alyria Bovarro: lol wow. I am really jealous. It's just been cold here for months.
[13:55] Eddi Haskell: where r u
[13:56] Alyria Bovarro: canada
[13:56] Eddi Haskell: its cold there ay? / canada day is soon i get to wear my mounty outfit
[13:56] Alyria Bovarro: well, it's about 18C today. So it's getting warmer. But just two days ago it was 7C and before that lik -10C on average / XD / We aren't actually all mounties and we don't live in igloos XD
[13:57] Eddi Haskell: where are you in the Yukin? / lol
[13:57] Alyria Bovarro: yukin?
[13:57] Eddi Haskell: yeah but mounties are hot / Yukon
[13:57] Alyria Bovarro: do you mean Yukon / lol
[13:57] Eddi Haskell: yeah
[13:57] Alyria Bovarro: No, Alberta
[13:57] Eddi Haskell: i went to canada to check out the mounties
[13:57] Alyria Bovarro: it does get warm here in the summer, sometimes hitting 30C. But I wish I lived somewhere warm year round haha / And how'd that go
[13:57] Eddi Haskell: i am trying so hard not to drive people away from the meeting / well we went to niagara falls candada and it was fun!
[13:58] Alyria Bovarro: It's so beautiful there! / Have you been to the rockies?
[13:58] Eddi Haskell: no / i was in Utah
[13:58] Alyria Bovarro: You should go one day.
[13:58] Eddi Haskell: and idaho / i want to go to Banff
[13:58] Alyria Bovarro: haha good times in Idaho
[13:58] Eddi Haskell: to lake louise
[13:58] Alyria Bovarro: I love it there
[13:59] Eddi Haskell: which is more fun / edmonton or calgary
[13:59] Alyria Bovarro: OH boy. Depends what you're looking for. I don't really know the difference to be honest. Edmonton has more artsy stuff I suppose.
[13:59] Eddi Haskell: yeah/ cool / i want to see cowboys
[14:00] Alyria Bovarro: lol then you should go to calgary
[14:00] Eddi Haskell: yeah / cool
[14:00] Alyria Bovarro: afk for a moment
[14:00] Eddi Haskell: there is a movie of me on my stallion Nelson as oh Canada is played around us to fireworks / I can give you the link
[14:00] Jago Constantine: Hi, Mersilkee :)
[14:00] Eddi Haskell: lol / hiya merilkee
[14:01] mersilkee Restless: hi
[14:01] Jago Constantine: We're just about to get started / So if you haven't been before, the way the group works is
[14:02] Alyria Bovarro: back
[14:02] Jago Constantine: we go round the group and take turns discussing what science fiction we've been reading / welcome back, Alyria :) / Eddi ... have you read any sci fi lately?
[14:03] Eddi Haskell: lol / I read a major book review
[14:03] Jago Constantine: oh?
[14:04] Eddi Haskell: it's called is anyone out there / it's collection of works around two theories / of extra terrestrial intelligence / .
[14:04] Jago Constantine: Welcome, Armand :)
[14:04] Eddi Haskell: that appeared in the sunday times on may 15
[14:05] Armand Saintlouis: hi there
[14:05] Eddi Haskell: hi armand / the first throry was written many years ago by enrico fermi / works like this / if there IS intelligent life elsewhere / then why have we not been able to observe it YET / the emphasis is on the word yet / and the second theorem is by Steven Hawking / who is the subject of much of the book / is there IS intelligent life elsewhere / we need to keep away from it / and not make ourselves noticeable
[14:06] Jago Constantine: heh
[14:06] Eddi Haskell: which makes sense to me
[14:07] Alyria Bovarro: totally
[14:07] Eddi Haskell: i dont think there is intelligent life elsewhere
[14:07] Jago Constantine: so is it fiction or non fiction?
[14:07] Eddi Haskell: i thik its both jago
[14:07] Jago Constantine: ok sounds interesting
[14:07] Eddi Haskell: the fermi paradox / is very important / which can be simply stated as, Where Is Everybody? If there are really millions of star-systems in the universe capable of supporting life, as scientists theorized in the early part of the 20th Century, a large percentage of which may have developed technological civilizations, then why haven't any of those alien civilizations visited us? / ya know / i have to be honest with eveyrone / I am a very big doubter / of intelligent life elsewhere. / i mean / surely / someone would hhave tried to contact us by now in ways in which we canunderstand / and secondly as Hawking says / there are so many ways in which we can be harmed / lets keep hidden / how do you feel / in your gut / about intelligent life elsewhere / i am a firm beleiver in gut dynamics / meaning what you feel is probalby correct / how do you feel Jago
[14:10] Jago Constantine: well I think it's out there
[14:10] Eddi Haskell: why
[14:10] Jago Constantine: but rare / lol gut feeling
[14:10] Eddi Haskell: lol
[14:11] Alyria Bovarro: I don't see why, if we are here, and haven't contacted them, why they can't be there not having contacted us. / They don't have to be any more or less intelligent than we are
[14:11] Eddi Haskell: how would they get here do ya think
[14:11] Alyria Bovarro: and the universe is huge. There is no way that we will ever "see" all of it
[14:11] Jago Constantine: yeah
[14:11] Alyria Bovarro: since it technically, as far as we know, has no boundaries
[14:11] Eddi Haskell: we can only see our own dimension anyway / according the majority of physics departments at major universities today there are other dimensions we cannot observe
[14:12] Alyria Bovarro: exactly. So we will never know if there is another life form if it is not in our dimension
[14:12] Eddi Haskell: maybe they reside there
[14:12] Alyria Bovarro: 11, in fact
[14:12] Eddi Haskell: really?
[14:12] Alyria Bovarro: Yessir
[14:13] Eddi Haskell: is that that string theory is saying????????? / wow / do you know something someone can read about this
[14:14] Alyria Bovarro: Um, not sure about read but if you watch Stephen Hawking's Into The Universe series.
[14:14] mersilkee Restless: I think part of the problem is that the universe is so huge and other intelligent species also would have a hard time getting to us. I read an article about a book describing the probability of a civilization surviving long enough to get to the point that they would have the techonology to go all over the universe and it would be very few.
[14:14] Eddi Haskell: your right / cause / it would take them so long to reach here
[14:14] Alyria Bovarro: Um, and I know another scientists website, hold on I'll try to find it
[14:14] Eddi Haskell: i dont know about Jago / hes the boss / but all this stull really interests me
[14:15] Jago Constantine: heh
[14:15] Eddi Haskell: hes being quiet today lol
[14:15] Jago Constantine: Well its been interesting to listen to :)
[14:15] Eddi Haskell: Alyria / no one i know / can talk intelligentally about string theory dimentions / you can it seems
[14:16] Jago Constantine: Hi, Lucrecia :)
[14:16] Eddi Haskell: are you studied in it?
[14:16] Alyria Bovarro: Only from the reading I've done about it
[14:16] Eddi Haskell: hi lucrecia / i'm super interested / cause / it is eveyrthing / if that can be proben / proven / in fact it related direclty
[14:17] Alyria Bovarro: Indeed, it is. It will open a lot of bolted doors for us
[14:17] Eddi Haskell: into what we are talking about / string theory makes our perception of time and distance irrelevant / thank you for that / now / my mother / who is a very intelligent woman / fiercely beleives in von Dankians theories / that we have been visited by extraterrestials
[14:18] Jago Constantine: lol really?
[14:18] Eddi Haskell: yep
[14:18] Jago Constantine: hmm
[14:18] Eddi Haskell: because there is too much evidence / in the bible / other ancient cultures
[14:18] Alyria Bovarro: Isn't it von Daniken?
[14:18] Jago Constantine: yes
[14:18] Alyria Bovarro: Ok haha
[14:19] Eddi Haskell: yes / like if you read the Bible / it's freaky / if you are looking for extraterrestial stuff / the burning bush
[14:19] Jago Constantine: lol
[14:19] Eddi Haskell: the fire that appeared at night guilding the people in the exodus / the pillar of smoke at day / its all so UFO / Jago thinks im crazy but i beleive in ghosts / i can see em somtimes / lol / why not ufos / ok / i am still getting over RSI
[14:20] Jago Constantine: ok eddi
[14:21] Eddi Haskell: lol
[14:21] Jago Constantine: Alyria have you read any sci fi lately?
[14:21] Alyria Bovarro: Yes, actually. The new-ish series by Robert Sawyer lol / Really really interesting
[14:22] Jago Constantine: Cool what's it called?
[14:23] Alyria Bovarro: WWW: Wake and his new one is WWW: Watch / The third comes out next spring ish
[14:24] Jago Constantine: so they're about the world wide web?
[14:24] Alyria Bovarro: kind of...an intelligent entity that has suddenly emerged inside the world wide web...you'd have to read it lol I don't want to give it all away
[14:25] Jago Constantine: heh ok
[14:25] Alyria Bovarro: basically a Japanese scientist finds a way to make a blind girl see, and something happened to make this entity emerge
[14:25] Eddi Haskell: the semantic web
[14:25] mersilkee Restless: what is the url to find those books or any discussion about them?
[14:26] Eddi Haskell: I've written alot about the intelligent web in fl / rl
[14:26] Jago Constantine: you could google them / Robert Sawyer WWW
[14:26] Alyria Bovarro: yeah, I believe its on the front page of his website as well
[14:26] Jago Constantine: Hi, Brekka :)
[14:26] Brekka Sveiss: hello
[14:26] Alyria Bovarro: hey
[14:27] Eddi Haskell: hi Brekka
[14:27] Brekka Sveiss: hi just thought I'd stop by
[14:27] Jago Constantine: thanks :) / I'm not sure if WWW makes sense for a series about artificial intelligence / isn't the web just the hypertext component of the internet?
[14:28] Eddi Haskell: to me it makes sense / the current iteration of the web / is so primitive / in terms of what i could be
[14:28] Alyria Bovarro: You'd have to read it and find out...Its not on the actual internet, its in the "space" between the net.
[14:28] Jago Constantine: heh yeah I thought so
[14:29] Eddi Haskell: I can bore people but the most important standard is called RDF or resource description framework / that is going to make the web intelligent
[14:29] Jago Constantine: LOL that does sound boring :P / j/k
[14:29] Eddi Haskell: I wont talk about it its about information / lol
[14:30] Jago Constantine: So I guess you'd recommend Robert Sawyer's WWW series alyria?
[14:30] Alyria Bovarro: Definitely. A very easy read, but well written and informative regardless of the fact that its fiction / Very well done
[14:30] Jago Constantine: he wrote Flash Forward didn't he? I liked that one
[14:31] Alyria Bovarro: yeah, he is a very good author
[14:32] Jago Constantine: Thanks, Alyria :) ... Mersilkee, do you have any sci fi to discuss?
[14:34] mersilkee Restless: no, I haven't been able to do any reading lately. I've been writing but I have enjoyed two readings in Sl recently, Beyond an Open Window and last night Wanda the Robot
[14:35] Eddi Haskell: Where are these readings / I love readings
[14:35] Jago Constantine: cool
[14:36] Alyria Bovarro: I think I've heard Wanda the Robot. It rings a bell. Hm. / What's it about?
[14:36] mersilkee Restless: Oh I think it is Beside an open Window. Unfortunately, Hux who readBeyond an open window just finished his last chapter. I don't remember the full name of the author last night but his name was Harvey and it was here on book island. / It is about a robot who stays with a family over many generations. The first chapter was Wanda talking about herself. The author did a voice sim to sound like a robot. It was quite entertaining.
[14:38] Jago Constantine: cool
[14:38] Alyria Bovarro: awesome :)
[14:38] Jago Constantine: There are a few stories about faithful robots like that
[14:38] Eddi Haskell: Like Rosie in the Jetsons
[14:38] Jago Constantine: lol not what I was thinking of
[14:38] mersilkee Restless: yes indeed.
[14:39] Alyria Bovarro: lol!
[14:39] Jago Constantine: maybe Bicentennial Man / Asimov
[14:40] Eddi Haskell: hi kacy
[14:40] Jago Constantine: Or Simak's book City
[14:40] mersilkee Restless: the other book where I had listened to several readings took place in a Metaverse where dead people had had their brains scanned and lived ther.
[14:40] Alyria Bovarro: Oh Asimov
[14:40] Jago Constantine: oh thats interesting / some people would love to be scanned into second life lol
[14:41] Eddi Haskell: scanned? / I think it would be great not to have to go to the dentist
[14:41] Jago Constantine: heh
[14:42] mersilkee Restless: or to the doctor or not to be in constant pain. that would be wonderful. The Metaverse Fiction reminds me those books about The River, can't think of the titles
[14:43] Alyria Bovarro: Haha that would be awesome
[14:43] Jago Constantine: hmm not sure about the river books / Thanks, Mersilkee :) / Ok I've just finished reading Red Claw, by Philip Palmer
[14:44] Alyria Bovarro: Hi Sublim / What's that about?
[14:44] Jago Constantine: Hi, Sublim :)
[14:44] Sublim Selona: Hi All
[14:44] Jago Constantine: It's an action science fiction novel with a kind of ecological bent / It reminded me a bit of Avatar the movie
[14:45] Eddi Haskell: hi Sublim
[14:45] Jago Constantine: Basically humans have come to an alien world / with a fascinating but deadly ecology
[14:45] Sublim Selona: Hello Eddi
[14:45] Jago Constantine: the humans are in two factions - scientists and military / The scientists are studying the ecology of the planet before it gets destroyed for human colonisation
[14:46] Alyria Bovarro: Oh neat. Will have to look into this one.
[14:46] Jago Constantine: It seems pretty much the general outline of Avatar lol
[14:46] Eddi Haskell: that's very interesting and pertinent
[14:47] Jago Constantine: The book has a lot of action in it, mainly fights with rogue robots and weird monsters / but there's a funny sub theme in which we have diary entries about taxonomy from one of the scientists / which I found entertaining lol
[14:48] Alyria Bovarro: lol no doubt / sounds very interesting
[14:49] Jago Constantine: It is, it made me think there should be a word for novels / in which the ecosystem of a planet is almost a character / such as Brian Aldiss' Hothouse / hmm I can't think of other examples offhand / ecopunk maybe, although the punk isn't really relevant
[14:50] Alyria Bovarro: ecosim?
[14:50] ALE2009 Neutron: OLÁ
[14:50] Jago Constantine: Hi, ALE :)
[14:50] Alyria Bovarro: Hi ALE
[14:51] ALE2009 Neutron: Que lugar é este?
[14:51] Jago Constantine: Anyway, I recommend it ... Red Claw, by Philip Palmer / The title is a reference to the Tennyson line / Nature, red in tooth and claw / With ravine, shriek'd against his creed
[14:52] Alyria Bovarro: I love Tennyson. haha
[14:52] Jago Constantine: Hehe / Anyway, that's all of us ... / next week we'll be listening to a podcast story again / We do that every second week.
[14:53] Alyria Bovarro: darn, I work every second week
[14:53] Jago Constantine: Aw thats a shame / At the moment the story will be 'The Love Quest of Smidgen the Snack Cake' by Robert T. Jeschonek / It's told from the point of view of a snack cake ...
[14:54] Alyria Bovarro: LOL
[14:54] mersilkee Restless: Interesting.
[14:55] Jago Constantine: ... and it IS science fiction, not fantasy :)
[14:55] Alyria Bovarro: :)
[14:55] Jago Constantine: A transcript of today's meeting will be up soon at http://sciencefictiondiscussion.blogspot.com/ / Do either of you want invites to the science fiction discussion group, Alyria and mersilkee?
[14:56] Alyria Bovarro: Sure / Thanks :)
[14:57] Jago Constantine: Ok ... so same time next week or the week after / hope you can make it!
[14:57] Alyria Bovarro: Thanks guys!
[14:57] Eddi Haskell: bye all see you next week
[14:57] Jago Constantine: Thanks for coming!