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!

28 February 2009: Liberation Square

[14:03] Jago Constantine: So, have you read anything this week?
[14:03] Lewis Luminos: finished Perdido Street Station / omg what an ending / poor Lin / and poor Yag too :(
[14:04] Jago Constantine: Yeah ... / Harsh stuff
[14:04] Lewis Luminos: definitely not a happy ending
[14:04] Jago Constantine: He's not a happy ending kind of writer
[14:04] Lewis Luminos: and then I read something esle that wasn;t science fiction at all
[14:04] Lewis Luminos: lol
[14:04] Jago Constantine: GET OUT!
[14:04] Jago Constantine: just kidding
[14:04] Lewis Luminos: lol
[14:05] Jago Constantine: What was it?
[14:05] Lewis Luminos: The Piano
[14:05] Jago Constantine: Was there a movie of that?
[14:05] Lewis Luminos: yes but I've not seen it / I intend to now
[14:05] Jago Constantine: I think I've seen parts of it anyway
[14:05] Lewis Luminos: not my usual sort of book, but I enjoyed it
[14:05] Jago Constantine: or maybe that was a spoof / lol
[14:06] Lewis Luminos is not into chick-flick stuff normally
[14:06] Jago Constantine: ok
[14:06] Jago Constantine: Well, I read Stephen Baxter's 'Space'
[14:06] Lewis Luminos: was it good?
[14:06] Jago Constantine: It was great
[14:07] Jago Constantine: It's really mindblowing cosmological science fiction
[14:07] Jago Constantine: Begins maybe 20 years in the future and goes for 10,000 years lol
[14:07] Lewis Luminos: wow thats some saga
[14:08] Jago Constantine: Yeah... it's told as vignettes from different points in history / As characters travel through hyperspace (kind of) and skip through time in the outside universe / It's written from an interesting angle about the fermi paradox and why we haven't seen any aliens
[14:09] Lewis Luminos: sounds like an interesting approach / oh? what does it say about that?
[14:10] Jago Constantine: yeah it is, it's the second book in a trilogy but it stands alone / that's kind of a spoiler :P
[14:11] Lewis Luminos: I read a few books in the battletech/Mechwarrior universe, and there are no aliens there either
[14:11] Lewis Luminos: but it doesnt detract from it at all.
[14:12] Jago Constantine: This has aliens, and the question is why did they show up now
[14:12] Lewis Luminos: aah
[14:12] Jago Constantine: just when we emerge into a high tech civilisation / because there should have been some around long before us / Anyway, I'd previously read the third novel in the series, and was disappointed / So I'm glad I read them out of order / lol
[14:13] Lewis Luminos: was that because you read them out of order?
[14:14] Jago Constantine: No, I think I would have been disappointed anyway / The third book had some interesting ideas
[14:14] Lewis Luminos: I try to read them in sequence wherever possible
[14:14] Jago Constantine: me too
[14:14] Lewis Luminos: my library annoys me, sometimes they only have one book out of a trilogy
[14:14] Lewis Luminos: usually not the first
[14:15] Jago Constantine: lol I hate that / And noone will borrow that book unless they read the first / so it's pointless
[14:15] Lewis Luminos: *nods*
[14:15] Jago Constantine: I see the same thing in DVD stores / When I look for anime series
[14:15] Lewis Luminos: yeah
[14:15] Jago Constantine: they sold the first disc and have discs 2-12 on the shelf lo
[14:15] Jago Constantine: lol
[14:16] Lewis Luminos: my daughter collects anime so I'm familiar with that complaint
[14:16] Jago Constantine: Do I want to order it in? No! I want it now or I get something else :P
[14:16] Lewis Luminos: lol
[14:16] Jago Constantine: I just joined netflix or the australian version
[14:16] Lewis Luminos: I never really got into anime much at all
[14:16] Jago Constantine: that's fantastic, the best way to do it
[14:16] Lewis Luminos: I dont have the patience to watch them
[14:17] Jago Constantine: heh they can vary wildly in their quality
[14:17] MT Mimulus: Hi Jago
[14:17] Lewis Luminos: rather read the manga / hi MT
[14:17] Jago Constantine: Hi, rant, hi, MT
[14:17] MT Mimulus: Hello Lewis
[14:17] Lewis Luminos: hi Rant
[14:17] Jago Constantine: Try clicking on the innner edge
[14:17] rant Ugajin: hi
[14:18] Jago Constantine: We're just discussing what we read this week
[14:18] rant Ugajin: sorry to be late
[14:18] Jago Constantine: Lewis finished Perdido Street Station by China Mieville / I read Space by Stephen Baxter
[14:18] rant Ugajin: i came to listen
[14:19] Jago Constantine: That's cool :) / Did we lose MT?
[14:19] rant Ugajin: she went to eat / do you know Dan Simmons?
[14:19] Jago Constantine: heh
[14:19] Jago Constantine: Yes, the last book I read of his was The Terror
[14:19] Lewis Luminos doesn't
[14:19] Jago Constantine: I loved it
[14:19] rant Ugajin: what is his trilogy called? / based on greek myths
[14:20] Jago Constantine: Hmm not sure about a trilogy ... he wrote four books in the Hyperion Cantos
[14:20] rant Ugajin: those are them
[14:20] Jago Constantine: and I think it was two based on the greek myths
[14:20] Jago Constantine: Ilium and Olympos
[14:20] rant Ugajin: yes / must read them again
[14:20] Jago Constantine: I loved the first greek one, but the sequel a bit less
[14:20] Lewis Luminos: ohh. I say Olympos this week in the library
[14:20] rant Ugajin: what did you guys read last?
[14:21] Lewis Luminos: *saw
[14:21] rant Ugajin: is that in world?
[14:21] Lewis Luminos: I read Perdido Street Statiion
[14:21] rant Ugajin: have you talked about it Lewis?
[14:21] Jago Constantine: He can recap :)
[14:21] rant Ugajin: please
[14:22] Lewis Luminos: sure, well its a very gritty urban setting / fairly low-tech world, almost steam-punk-ish
[14:22] Jago Constantine: I would call it steampunk
[14:22] Lewis Luminos: with a classic science fiction theme - bug-hunting / in this case literally
[14:22] rant Ugajin: bug hunting?
[14:22] Jago Constantine: like in alien
[14:22] Lewis Luminos: the heroes are after some giant killer moths
[14:23] Jago Constantine: the plot revolves around hunting a monster / or The Thing
[14:23] Lewis Luminos: whilst dodging the militia and the local drug-gangs / *nods* same sort of theme as Alien, / xcept the setting is an urban city, not a spaceship
[14:23] rant Ugajin: i see
[14:24] Lewis Luminos: anyay. I really enjoyed it
[14:24] Jago Constantine: I recommend the sequel too, I liked it more - The Scar
[14:24] Lewis Luminos: yeah I will have to buy that one I think
[14:24] Lewis Luminos: definitely want to read more about the city
[14:24] Jago Constantine: It's set in a city too, but one made of thousands of ships lashed together
[14:25] Lewis Luminos: oh its not New Crozubon then?
[14:25] Jago Constantine: No, though it has characters from there
[14:25] Lewis Luminos: ooh. :)
[14:26] Jago Constantine: So I read Space by Stephen Baxter / it's a cosmological science fiction novel / looks at big questions about the universe
[14:27] rant Ugajin: wha are the big questions?
[14:27] Jago Constantine: the plot stretches over thousands of years as characters travel through hyperspace / The main one is the fermi paradox - where is everyone? / Why haven't we discovered any trace of aliens / They show up in the book, so the question becomes, why now? Why did they appear just when we did
[14:28] rant Ugajin: we are immortals?
[14:28] Jago Constantine: the characters?
[14:28] rant Ugajin: yes the charachters
[14:28] Jago Constantine: they live a long time because of the hyperspace ... they skip through normal time
[14:29] rant Ugajin: but they live and die
[14:29] Jago Constantine: basically they're being transmitted and reassembled at different places / yes
[14:29] Lewis Luminos: interesting philosophical questions there
[14:29] rant Ugajin: haha
[14:29] Lewis Luminos: about self identity
[14:29] rant Ugajin: ??
[14:30] Jago Constantine: Yeah ... there are lots of cool, big scale effects too / like terraforming the moon and so on / alien invasions / So next I'm going to read an old anthology I picked up ... Galactic Dreamers / edited by Robert Silverberg.
[14:32] rant Ugajin: what is that about Jago?
[14:32] Jago Constantine: Stories by Jack Vance, James Blish, Brian Aldiss, J G Ballard, Cordwainer Smith
[14:32] Jago Constantine: sounds good
[14:32] rant Ugajin: hi boris
[14:32] Jago Constantine: It says it's about / "Visionary" science fiction
[14:33] Lewis Luminos: isn't ALL science fiction "visionary"?
[14:33] rant Ugajin: what does visionary mean in this context?
[14:33] Jago Constantine: yeah, but some more than others
[14:33] Jago Constantine: lol
[14:33] Jago Constantine: wait I'll grab it and check the blurb
[14:33] rant Ugajin: lol
[14:34] rant Ugajin: where's betsy?
[14:34] Jago Constantine: 'for Silverberg ... the best science-fiction stories are visionary and mystical'
[14:34] rant Ugajin: k
[14:34] Lewis Luminos: I would agree with that
[14:34] Jago Constantine: 'offering that transcendental experience that only the best science fiction can provide / I think it's supposed to be mind-expanding :) / I'll let you know how it is next week at the meeting :) / What are you reading next, Lewis?
[14:36] Lewis Luminos: The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon
[14:36] Lewis Luminos: set in the near future
[14:36] Jago Constantine: I've never read any of hers :P
[14:37] Lewis Luminos: about a guy who's a genius mathematician
[14:37] Lewis Luminos: well more than that
[14:37] Lewis Luminos: mind like a computer
[14:37] rant Ugajin: i sec brb
[14:37] Jago Constantine: ok
[14:38] Jago Constantine: heh and what does he do?
[14:38] Lewis Luminos: I'm not sure yet, not started reading it
[14:38] Jago Constantine: heh ok
[14:38] Lewis Luminos: seems to be somewhat cyberpunk-y, based on the blurb
[14:38] Jago Constantine: Ok
[14:39] Lewis Luminos: talks about a Corporation that he works for
[14:39] Jago Constantine: Anything with corporations sounds a little cyberpunk
[14:39] Jago Constantine: heh
[14:39] Lewis Luminos: *nods* part of the definition :-D
[14:40] Jago Constantine: Oh, if I made a group for Science Fiction Saturday, would you be interested?
[14:43] Jago Constantine: You there?
[14:43] Lewis Luminos: sorry yeah
[14:43] Lewis Luminos: and yes definitely
[14:44] Jago Constantine: Cool :)
[14:44] Lewis Luminos: thanks :)
[14:44] Jago Constantine: I was thinking maybe we could have meetings elsewhere sometimes
[14:44] Jago Constantine: Like at Insilico :)
[14:45] Jago Constantine: Of course, I like to get traffic up on my land lol
[14:45] Lewis Luminos: I have a meeting venue available too
[14:45] Jago Constantine: Oh how did your philosophy group go?
[14:45] Lewis Luminos: not started yet
[14:45] Lewis Luminos: First one next weekend
[14:45] Jago Constantine: ah ok
[14:46] Jago Constantine: What's your venue like?
[14:46] Lewis Luminos: its a garden, with seating,
[14:46] Lewis Luminos: dancefloor, in case anyone wants a party
[14:46] Jago Constantine: lol
[14:47] Jago Constantine: Well, I'm kind of talked out :P
[14:48] Jago Constantine: Less people this week lol
[14:48] Jago Constantine: Fewer
[14:48] Lewis Luminos: *nods*
[14:48] Jago Constantine: Got anything else sci fi you want to talk about?
[14:48] Lewis Luminos: these things take time to get into a pattern
[14:48] Jago Constantine: Yeag
[14:48] Jago Constantine: yeah
[14:48] Lewis Luminos: ah MT is back
[14:48] Jago Constantine: Oh I watched a sci fi anime called Gasaraki, which was pretty dull
[14:49] Lewis Luminos: maybe she has a book to talk about
[14:49] Jago Constantine: Hi, MT, are you a sci fi reader?
[14:49] Jago Constantine: rant is afk I think
[14:50] Jago Constantine: anyway I don't recommend Gasaraki unless you're into mecha
[14:50] MT Mimulus: Sorry I had to leave
[14:50] Jago Constantine: No worries :)
[14:50] Jago Constantine: Have you read any science fiction lately, MT?
[14:50] MT Mimulus: I'm reading The Algebraist right now
[14:51] Jago Constantine: Cool, Iain Banks
[14:51] Jago Constantine: I liked that one
[14:51] MT Mimulus: Yes. Its very good - funny
[14:51] Jago Constantine: The aliens are whimsical
[14:51] Jago Constantine: the main aliens
[14:51] Lewis Luminos: hehe
[14:51] Lewis Luminos: sounds fun
[14:52] MT Mimulus: It is. A good read
[14:52] Jago Constantine: they have an economy based on kudos
[14:52] MT Mimulus: Sounds familiar, doesn't it
[14:52] Lewis Luminos: yeah but I can't place where from
[14:52] Lewis Luminos: great idea though
[14:53] Jago Constantine: it's like Cory Doctorow's book
[14:53] Jago Constantine: the magic kingdom one
[14:53] Lewis Luminos: like trading favours
[14:53] Jago Constantine: yeah
[14:53] Jago Constantine: In that people have power based on their reputation
[14:53] Lewis Luminos: *nods*
[14:53] MT Mimulus: But lacking any logic to the system
[14:53] Jago Constantine: hehe
[14:53] Lewis Luminos: ohh I remember where I've come across that idea before
[14:54] MT Mimulus: Whre is that Lewis?
[14:54] Lewis Luminos: Vampire the masquerade. The RPG
[14:54] Jago Constantine: lol really?
[14:54] Lewis Luminos: it all revolves round political intrigue
[14:54] Jago Constantine: how did that work
[14:54] Lewis Luminos: social status
[14:54] Lewis Luminos: depends on who owes you favours
[14:54] Jago Constantine: oh cool
[14:55] Lewis Luminos: the more important the people that owe you, the more important you become
[14:55] Lewis Luminos: thus you rise up the social ladder
[14:55] Lewis Luminos: whilst trying to avoid being staked, of course
[14:56] Jago Constantine: lol
[14:56] MT Mimulus: How often do you hold these discussions, Jago?
[14:57] Jago Constantine: this is the second one
[14:57] Jago Constantine: once a week is the plan
[14:57] MT Mimulus: Is there usually a theme proposed?
[14:57] MT Mimulus: Or I should say, will there be?
[14:57] Jago Constantine: The theme is just sci fi :)
[14:58] Jago Constantine: What we've done is talk about what we each read last, and what we want to read next
[14:58] MT Mimulus: I see
[14:58] Jago Constantine: With some free discussion of course
[14:59] Jago Constantine: I just made a group if you're interested
[14:59] MT Mimulus: Yes
[14:59] Jago Constantine: Although the notices will be in events too
[14:59] MT Mimulus: If I have room
[14:59] Lewis Luminos: and on SL Universe forums :)
[14:59] Jago Constantine: yes, and on SLU
[15:00] Jago Constantine: Thanks for joining :)
[15:00] MT Mimulus: Thanks Jago
[15:00] Jago Constantine: We might have meetings at different locations sometimes
[15:00] Jago Constantine: I was thinking Insilico, the cyberpunk sim
[15:01] MT Mimulus: I haven't been there - should be interesting
[15:01] Jago Constantine: or the museum of robots
[15:01] Lewis Luminos: that would be cool :)
[15:01] MT Mimulus: Yes it would be
[15:01] Jago Constantine: Feel free to post to group chat
[15:01] Lewis Luminos: maybe we should dress the part too
[15:01] Jago Constantine: During the week if you like
[15:01] MT Mimulus: OK
[15:01] Lewis Luminos: ok
[15:02] Jago Constantine: It is a group for discussion after all ;)
[15:02] Jago Constantine: If we meet at an rp place like insilico it would be good to dress the part :)
[15:02] Lewis Luminos: yeah thats what I was thinking
[15:02] Jago Constantine: I will check with the Insilico owner and see if she'd let us meet there
[15:03] MT Mimulus: ok
[15:03] Jago Constantine: they have an out of character bar
[15:03] Jago Constantine: Is rant there, MT? Would he like to join the group?
[15:04] MT Mimulus: I don't think so
[15:04] MT Mimulus: He seems to be away
[15:04] Jago Constantine: Would he be interested in the group?
[15:05] MT Mimulus: I think he is interested in Sci Fi but I don't know about joining a group
[15:05] MT Mimulus: Hello Boris
[15:05] Lewis Luminos: even the dog is trying to wake him up
[15:05] Jago Constantine: heh
[15:05] MT Mimulus: haha
[15:05] Jago Constantine: I just set the group so any of you can invite members
[15:05] Jago Constantine: It's also open enrolment anyway :)
[15:05] MT Mimulus: OK Jago
[15:05] Lewis Luminos: cool, thanks