16 January 2010

[13:57] Drennen Piers: good afternoon
[13:57] Jago Constantine: oh hi, hiroya
[13:58] Hiroya Chrome: Just heard of this gathering a few minutes ago. Regular occurance?
[13:58] Hiroya Chrome: e
[13:58] Jago Constantine: yes its weekly from now on
[13:58] Drennen Piers: i think that's what the other gal was asking too
[13:58] Hiroya Chrome: Eddi Haskel... funny
[13:59] Drennen Piers: and if we were going to work on some fiction ourselves as a whole
[13:59] Eddi Haskell: why. Mrs. Cleaver likes me.
[13:59] Hiroya Chrome: so you are golden. ;-)
[13:59] Jago Constantine: ok no at the moment we don't work on creating fiction in the group :)
[13:59] Eddi Haskell: lol
[14:00] Jago Constantine: Anyway as I said the usual format is that we go round the group and discuss what we read since the last meeting
[14:00] Jago Constantine: For anyone new, every second meeting we listen to a podcast science fiction story and discuss that
[14:01] Jago Constantine: I didn't get a chance to read much over Christmas, but I did get Dan Simmons' Drood
[14:02] Jago Constantine: It's not really science fiction I suppose ... it's a historical novel set in Victorian London
[14:03] Drennen Piers: very nice...how is it so far?
[14:03] Jago Constantine: But Simmons is a great science fiction writer and the book has supernatural themes
[14:03] Jago Constantine: It was really enjoyable - the protagonist is Wilkie Collins and it revolves around his relationship with Charles Dickens
[14:04] Jago Constantine: and the sinister evil character Drood who lives in the underworld beneath London
[14:04] Drennen Piers: interesting
[14:06] Jago Constantine: Drood is a really nicely portrayed villain - something like the phantom of the opera
[14:06] Jago Constantine: lol he's wearing an opera cloak when we first see him
[14:06] Jago Constantine: or maybe dracula
[14:07] Drennen Piers: i think i might have to pick that up for a good read
[14:07] Drennen Piers: well i re-read Ender Game over the break by Orson Scott Card
[14:07] Camilla Delvalle: Wow I have read Enders Game
[14:07] Jago Constantine: cool that's always a good read
[14:07] Jago Constantine: hey camilla :)
[14:07] Camilla Delvalle: Hola!
[14:07] Drennen Piers: i like Card's worlds he creates
[14:07] Drennen Piers: hi Camilla
[14:08] Camilla Delvalle: brb
[14:09] Hiroya Chrome: Scott writes very well though his themes are repetitive
[14:09] Drennen Piers: i agree
[14:09] Jago Constantine: I haven't read any of his shadow series ...
[14:10] Hiroya Chrome: The Alvin Maker books are well imagined
[14:10] Jago Constantine: yeah I enjoyed those
[14:10] Jago Constantine: a nice alternate history
[14:11] Drennen Piers: i was going to read that series next from him
[14:11] Drennen Piers: i haven't had a chance yet
[14:11] Jago Constantine: ok hiroya - what have you been reading lately?
[14:11] Hiroya Chrome: Sad that they didn't make a movie of "Enders Game" before others plagiarized it
[14:12] Jago Constantine: yeah
[14:12] Jago Constantine: hey erica
[14:12] Jago Constantine: its slow rezzing here so maybe wait a bit before moving :)
[14:12] Erica Barbarossa: hm..still rezzing :-) that s why i hit walls... sorry..i interrupted you
[14:12] Erica Barbarossa: hi
[14:12] Camilla Delvalle: Who plagiarized Enders Game?
[14:12] Hiroya Chrome: Several non-fiction, but recent fiction has been "Towing Jehovah" and "The Philosopher's Apprentice" by Morrow
[14:13] Hiroya Chrome: Halo is fairly brazen
[14:13] Jago Constantine: ok I haven't read much morrow
[14:14] Jago Constantine: or any really
[14:14] Hiroya Chrome: I met Morrow on a panel in Montreal last summer. Interesting person so I picked up a couple of his books. Very good reads.
[14:14] Jago Constantine: cool
[14:15] Hiroya Chrome: TJ is not really SF, more fantasy.
[14:15] Jago Constantine: he has a few in that series, right?
[14:15] Hiroya Chrome: TPA is a modern Frankenstein
[14:16] Hiroya Chrome: He handles the deeper ideas as well as anyone working now. Reminds me of Huxley but a better writer
[14:17] Jago Constantine: ok thanks hiroya :)
[14:17] Jago Constantine: Hey Camilla - what have you read since we met last?
[14:17] Hiroya Chrome: Not everyone would agree about the "better writer" statement but I've been impressed
[14:17] Camilla Delvalle: Where to start?
[14:18] Camilla Delvalle: Well I got a sf book in christmas present from a secret admirer.
[14:18] Camilla Delvalle: But I havnet read it yet.
[14:18] Drennen Piers: mysterious
[14:18] Jago Constantine: ooh a secret admirer o.O
[14:18] Jago Constantine: What you didn't read my book!!!!
[14:18] Jago Constantine: :p
[14:18] Camilla Delvalle: Actually I know who sent it because I recognized the calligrafic writing.
[14:19] Camilla Delvalle: From an ex boyfriend.
[14:19] Jago Constantine: heh ok whats the book?
[14:19] Camilla Delvalle: Nova I think it is called.
[14:19] Camilla Delvalle: Anyway I have mostly seen anime series.
[14:20] Camilla Delvalle: I think I already told you about Chobits.
[14:20] Camilla Delvalle: Maybe I can talk about Revolutionary Girl Utena?
[14:20] Jago Constantine: heh first tell us who Nova is by :)
[14:21] Camilla Delvalle: I dont remember but it is the same as Babel 17 I think.
[14:21] Jago Constantine: Delany?
[14:21] Camilla Delvalle: Yes probably.
[14:21] Jago Constantine: of course
[14:21] Camilla Delvalle: Anyway, Utena is a fantasy series.
[14:21] Jago Constantine: ok I haven't seen that one
[14:21] Camilla Delvalle: It is like Neon Genesis Evangelion for girls
[14:22] Camilla Delvalle: And some of the same people were involved
[14:22] Camilla Delvalle: It is about the girl Utena that dress like a boy and is in a school
[14:22] Camilla Delvalle: And she is like a gentleman
[14:22] Jago Constantine: Hi, Born, welcome to Science Fiction Saturday
[14:22] Camilla Delvalle: One day her friend is slighted by a boy and she takes him to a duel
[14:23] Camilla Delvalle: But he is in the student council, and they want to "revolutionize the world"!!!
[14:23] Camilla Delvalle: And she is drawn into the plot without wanting it
[14:24] Camilla Delvalle: And when she wins the duel she gets "engaged" to another girl called Anthy
[14:24] Camilla Delvalle: And they all fight over Anthy
[14:24] Jago Constantine: ok so sounds like a standard anime plot :P
[14:24] Camilla Delvalle: Have you seen Evangelion?
[14:24] Jago Constantine: yes, its one of my favourite science fiction anime
[14:24] Camilla Delvalle: Yes it is mostly a duel every second episodes
[14:24] Jago Constantine: my favourite is probably Planetes
[14:25] Camilla Delvalle: I loved Utena but I'm not sure if anyone else would because I have a strange taste.
[14:25] Jago Constantine: which is a hard SF series
[14:25] Camilla Delvalle: it is very strange and bizarre
[14:25] Jago Constantine: ok cool thanks Camilla
[14:25] Jago Constantine: Eddi - have you read any sci fi over the break?
[14:26] Eddi Haskell: close
[14:26] Eddi Haskell: i finished the year three million book
[14:26] Camilla Delvalle: And I read some analysis afterwards, it is possible to do a lot of analyzis of it
[14:26] Drennen Piers: nothing wrong with strange and bizarre
[14:26] Eddi Haskell: you want to continue drennen or camilla?
[14:26] Camilla Delvalle: Maybe the quality is not good in every episode, no I'm finished now
[14:26] Eddi Haskell: ok
[14:26] Drennen Piers: same...go ahead eddi
[14:27] Eddi Haskell: there are two things that intrigued me.
[14:27] Jago Constantine: ok this is the book Year Million that I read too, right :)
[14:27] Eddi Haskell: first, the idea that we can travel intergallcally by fax
[14:27] Jago Constantine: non-fiction
[14:27] Eddi Haskell: well for me its fiction
[14:27] Eddi Haskell: since it is not proven it can be done
[14:27] Jago Constantine: sure
[14:27] Eddi Haskell: but yes in the non fiction genre
[14:28] Eddi Haskell: bizarrely
[14:28] Eddi Haskell: i was reading a section
[14:28] Jago Constantine: I think faxing is more plausible than FTL travel :)
[14:28] Eddi Haskell: and sure enough it mentioned second life
[14:28] Eddi Haskell: in the second paragraph
[14:28] Eddi Haskell: the analogy being is this
[14:28] Eddi Haskell: since 99% of us here
[14:28] Eddi Haskell: what we do
[14:28] Eddi Haskell: how we are constructed
[14:29] Eddi Haskell: much like dna
[14:29] Eddi Haskell: our interactions
[14:29] Eddi Haskell: are similar
[14:29] Eddi Haskell: it would be easy to put into place something that transforms matter
[14:29] Eddi Haskell: or emergy that can be converted into matter
[14:29] Eddi Haskell: and then reproduce us with "fax transmissions"
[14:30] Eddi Haskell: now i do not believe in the einstein theorum
[14:30] Jago Constantine: which one?
[14:30] Eddi Haskell: that nothing can travel faster then the speedo of light
[14:30] Eddi Haskell: not speedo light
[14:30] Eddi Haskell: that is what you wear jago
[14:30] Jago Constantine: lol
[14:30] Eddi Haskell: speedo of light
[14:30] Hiroya Chrome: no one can swim that fast?
[14:30] Eddi Haskell: so this is intriguing
[14:30] Drennen Piers: lol
[14:30] Eddi Haskell: lol
[14:31] Eddi Haskell: even
[14:31] Camilla Delvalle: Its a fun idea to travel by fax.
[14:31] Eddi Haskell: yeah
[14:31] Eddi Haskell: but
[14:31] Eddi Haskell: what is interesting this is not part of my discussion
[14:31] Eddi Haskell: is when so we stop being human and start being a series of compuatiatonal equations but that is another discussion
[14:31] Eddi Haskell: the second hyptheisis is that
[14:32] Hiroya Chrome: A FAX would make multiple copies possible... ala Star Tretk teleporter
[14:32] Eddi Haskell: ya know
[14:32] Eddi Haskell: my mom said that
[14:32] Eddi Haskell: she studied physics in college
[14:32] Eddi Haskell: we talked about it
[14:32] Eddi Haskell: now the second interesting point
[14:32] Eddi Haskell: is that over time
[14:32] Jago Constantine: hey simeon :)
[14:32] Eddi Haskell: as colonies of humans or whatever we are
[14:33] Eddi Haskell: become farrther apart
[14:33] Simeon Bookmite: Hi
[14:33] Eddi Haskell: hi simon
[14:33] Eddi Haskell: this will impact
[14:33] Eddi Haskell: different evolutions
[14:33] Camilla Delvalle: yes it will
[14:33] Jago Constantine: that makes sence
[14:33] Eddi Haskell: this could fragment our perception of humans as entity
[14:33] Jago Constantine: sense
[14:33] Eddi Haskell: i think everyone should read this book
[14:34] Eddi Haskell: jago told me about it
[14:34] Eddi Haskell: they are expensive but
[14:34] Pillow 27 whispers: Simeon Bookmite, use shift + left/right arrow keys to change pose
[14:34] Drennen Piers: wow! very interesting point
[14:34] Eddi Haskell: i found one for four bucks on egay
[14:34] Jago Constantine: Year Million, ed. Damien Broderick
[14:34] Eddi Haskell: ebay
[14:34] Jago Constantine: lol eddi
[14:34] Jago Constantine: egay and speedos
[14:34] Eddi Haskell: lol
[14:34] Camilla Delvalle: Is it very different from today in the book?
[14:34] Eddi Haskell: speedolight
[14:34] Jago Constantine: well the book is about the year million
[14:34] Eddi Haskell: oh yeah it goes to the year million
[14:34] Jago Constantine: so yes :)
[14:34] Hiroya Chrome: what is the speed of dark?
[14:35] Drennen Piers: nada
[14:35] Eddi Haskell: funny you say that
[14:35] Eddi Haskell: cause one of the theories is that we will find a way to digitiza dark space
[14:35] Jago Constantine: it is an anthology of different authors talking about their predictions: Greg Benford, Wil McCarthy, Rudy Rucker, George Zebrowski
[14:35] Drennen Piers: i'm intrigued for sure
[14:36] Simeon Bookmite: what does Digitiz dark space mean
[14:36] Drennen Piers: digitize lol
[14:36] Camilla Delvalle: The speed of a shadow can be faster than the speedolight I think.
[14:36] Eddi Haskell: how come
[14:36] Drennen Piers: then why is mine always behind me
[14:36] Camilla Delvalle: It is not physical to begin with.
[14:37] Hiroya Chrome: even a vacuum has energy
[14:37] Eddi Haskell: well one of the theories is this
[14:37] Fat SecretSpy: hey guys
[14:37] Eddi Haskell: as the universe explands
[14:37] Jago Constantine: Hi Fat
[14:37] Eddi Haskell: lag
[14:37] Fat SecretSpy: are you calling me fat!
[14:37] Eddi Haskell: through the next severla millionyears
[14:38] Camilla Delvalle: If you have a lighthouse, and look on a long distance (a lightyear), the point of light or shadow from the lighthouse will move very fast around in a circle.
[14:38] Jago Constantine: Yes lol
[14:38] Fat SecretSpy: good, cos thats my name
[14:39] Fat SecretSpy: so whats the topic?
[14:39] Hiroya Chrome: Still hanging on for the end of Eddi's sentence. ;-)
[14:39] Camilla Delvalle: The speed of darkness.
[14:39] Jago Constantine: science fiction - eddi is just talking about the book Year Million
[14:39] Eddi Haskell: now this author says
[14:39] Jago Constantine: which is non-fiction, but speculative
[14:39] Eddi Haskell: of course this universe dies
[14:39] Eddi Haskell: ultimately
[14:39] Jago Constantine: of course
[14:39] Eddi Haskell: since there is no big bang
[14:39] Fat SecretSpy: omg i saw this great fantasy book called the bible its full of whores and awesome magic powers
[14:39] Avatar ejected.
[14:40] Jago Constantine: booted
[14:40] Eddi Haskell: thak you what a putz
[14:40] Eddi Haskell: this intrigued me
[14:40] Simeon Bookmite: well done
[14:40] Eddi Haskell: we can store our codes for everything here
[14:40] Eddi Haskell: in this universe
[14:40] Eddi Haskell: in binary
[14:40] Eddi Haskell: in space dust and the areas areound it
[14:41] Eddi Haskell: i just dont think the universe is going to expand infinitely despite the physical obeservation now but that was interesting
[14:41] Eddi Haskell: this book had me thiking for a long time
[14:41] Jago Constantine: me too :)
[14:42] Eddi Haskell: other than that i got a book from Australia about the coup in 1975 but that is not science fiction just stupidity
[14:42] Eddi Haskell: and finished it
[14:42] Eddi Haskell: and i finished shawcrosses queen mum bio
[14:42] Jago Constantine: actually I don't think faxing is really how space travel will be achieved - I think the only plausible method is uploading people to machines and sending the machines
[14:42] Simeon Bookmite: what coupe in 1975?
[14:42] Eddi Haskell: but how fast can they go?
[14:43] Jago Constantine: lol not a coup
[14:43] Eddi Haskell: when they got rid of whitlam
[14:43] Hiroya Chrome: way too early in the day for any "only" statement. ;-)
[14:43] Jago Constantine: well it doesn't matter how fast a machine full of uploads goes
[14:43] Jago Constantine: because they can either be turned off or slow their perception of time
[14:43] Camilla Delvalle: People are machines.
[14:43] Drennen Piers: yes...i'm not alone
[14:44] Jago Constantine: lol simeon
[14:44] Jago Constantine: anyway thanks eddi
[14:44] Eddi Haskell: hey my one meeting where i am not like Bart simpson
[14:44] Jago Constantine: TienMu - did you want to talk about a science fiction book you read recently?
[14:44] Hiroya Chrome: group pressure spelling / vocabulary lessons.. :-)
[14:45] Simeon Bookmite: ah when the governor genral decided to cut the gordian Knot and upset everyone in australia
[14:45] Camilla Delvalle: But Jago, if you travel at high speed the travel will not seem to take very long anyway.
[14:45] TienMu Xuanzang: I've been re-reading lots of Heinlein. :-)
[14:45] TienMu's Google Translator: Re-I've been reading lots of Heinlein. :-)
[14:46] Jago Constantine: I don't think speeds will be achieved that will make interstellar travel seem fast to a human
[14:46] Camilla Delvalle: ok
[14:46] Camilla Delvalle: What Heinlein books?
[14:46] TienMu Xuanzang: Starship Troopers (ran across the movie trailer and got frustrated)
[14:46] Eddi Haskell: oh i love that movie
[14:47] Eddi Haskell: the original one
[14:47] Eddi Haskell: i like the shower scene
[14:47] Jago Constantine: lol
[14:47] Drennen Piers: book is by far better
[14:47] Camilla Delvalle: I also like the movie. (Dont know if it is original movie)
[14:47] TienMu Xuanzang: I liked the book better, too.
[14:47] TienMu Xuanzang: Are there two versions of it in movie form?
[14:47] Drennen Piers: but that's usually the case
[14:47] Camilla Delvalle: The movie is more like a comedy?
[14:47] Jago Constantine: there are sequels
[14:47] Eddi Haskell: im into uniform so i loved the movie
[14:48] Jago Constantine: I like both the movie and the book, but it would be more enjoyable for a heinlein fan to view any similarities as coincidental maybe :P
[14:48] Camilla Delvalle: Is the book more serious than the movie?
[14:48] TienMu Xuanzang: LOL
[14:49] Drennen Piers: depends on your definition of serious...when it comes to Heinlein lol
[14:49] TienMu Xuanzang: The book is very different. The bugs may be the only things that were kept for the movie.
[14:49] Drennen Piers: lol
[14:49] Camilla Delvalle: I have read a couple of books from Heinlein and I think they were serious.
[14:50] TienMu Xuanzang: Hard to say with Heinlein, but I believe he meant this one to be serious.
[14:50] Drennen Piers: yes he did
[14:50] TienMu Xuanzang: The idea of what should be required for a person to be considered a full citizen is interesting.
[14:50] Camilla Delvalle: What is required?
[14:51] TienMu Xuanzang: In the book, everyone who wants to be a citizen is required to serve a period of time in governement service.
[14:51] TienMu Xuanzang: This can be military, research, scrubbing floors, whatever.
[14:52] Simeon Bookmite: community service/ but military service in the context of the book.
[14:52] Eddi Haskell: i like it
[14:52] Eddi Haskell: then we have Sarah Palin as president in no time!
[14:52] TienMu Xuanzang: No one can be denied the chance, but if you don't finish your term of service, you will never be able to vote.
[14:53] TienMu Xuanzang: AIGUH! She can't even finish her term as governor. :-D
[14:53] Jago Constantine: hehe it reminds me of an idea I had once
[14:53] Jago Constantine: based on the slogan "no taxation without representation"
[14:53] Eddi Haskell: that was sarcastic on my part but my dog liked her at one point, until he got thrown out as a blogger and I am not amking this up.
[14:53] Jago Constantine: people get to choose: no tax and no vote, or tax and a vote
[14:54] Eddi Haskell: well that was the situraton in the uk for most of the 1800s
[14:54] TienMu Xuanzang: Hmmm. How high a tax?
[14:54] Eddi Haskell: and the south too , called a poll tax
[14:54] Simeon Bookmite: not really it was similar to the us at that time
[14:54] Jago Constantine: lol I didn't go that far into it
[14:54] Simeon Bookmite: no vote without land ownership
[14:55] Jago Constantine: I always like reading about weird taxes like window tax or beard tax
[14:55] Eddi Haskell: the movie startship troppers actually predicted many of the mechanisms of today
[14:55] Simeon Bookmite: american seem to have no troube taxing none citizens
[14:55] Eddi Haskell: in a way it was as well known as bladerunner for being predictive and visionary
[14:56] Eddi Haskell: even those reality shows were in starship troopers
[14:56] Jago Constantine: I think starship troopers has stood up well since it was released
[14:56] Simeon Bookmite: one of the ancient greek city state taxed people who's door opened Outwar on to the city streets
[14:56] Jago Constantine: hehe cool
[14:56] Yomatto Torres: 1st 1 was good but 2nd, not so much
[14:57] Yomatto Torres: Yo People
[14:57] Jago Constantine: Yo, Yo
[14:57] Ugene Ogrimund: Hey!
[14:57] Simeon Bookmite: lol
[14:57] Jago Constantine: We're just winding up this week's meeting I'm afraid
[14:57] Jago Constantine: Hi, Ugene
[14:57] Jago Constantine: Would anyone like a group invite?
[14:59] Jago Constantine: Ok so the next meeting is next saturday at 2pm
[14:59] Simeon Bookmite: i listened to the Podcast of Fledging this week
[14:59] Jago Constantine: never heard of it :P
[14:59] Yomatto Torres: plenty time to save Vvardenfell then
[14:59] Eddi Haskell: ya know what is cool
[14:59] Eddi Haskell: next saturday is the new babbage air race
[14:59] Eddi Haskell: steampunk
[15:00] Simeon Bookmite: In the Lieden Universe series
[15:00] Jago Constantine: too bad no one here can go because of this meeting
[15:00] Jago Constantine: heh
[15:00] Camilla Delvalle: There are a couple of elevator songs from Utena on youtube.
[15:00] Camilla Delvalle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3e2GwpZ7ug
[15:00] Camilla Delvalle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gW4q5bMJVA8
[15:00] Simeon Bookmite: we are interving the authors for our pod cast next week
[15:01] Simeon Bookmite: they are published by Baen
[15:01] Camilla Delvalle: The second is about Greek philosophy! Have you ever heard a song about philosophy?
[15:01] Jago Constantine: monty python did one
[15:01] Camilla Delvalle: Yes you are right.
[15:01] Yomatto Torres: LOL
[15:02] Simeon Bookmite: any how tiome to wrap up
[15:02] Jago Constantine: yes I have to go for breakfast
[15:02] Hiroya Chrome: Wandering on for now. Nice to meet all of you.
[15:02] Eddi Haskell: bye hiroya!
[15:02] Simeon Bookmite: bye folks
[15:02] Jago Constantine: thanks for coming folks - see you next week
[15:02] Eddi Haskell: see ya folks1
[15:02] Yomatto Torres: )
[15:02] TienMu Xuanzang: Bye. :-)
[15:02] Eddi Haskell: if anyone wants a kiosk to put out for haiti ask me
[15:03] Jago Constantine: Sorry Edward - we're winding up
[15:03] Edward Aelberts: It's okay. I had a feeling I was too late. ^^;
[15:03] Drennen Piers: thanks for the get book tips...i'm going to pick me up a copy of year million today
[15:03] Jago Constantine: good to hear :)
[15:03] Jago Constantine: cya all

27 June 2009: Walpole

[13:51] Jago Constantine: hey, purple, welcome :)
[13:51] Purple Baum: hi
[13:51] Jago Constantine: this is our steampunk airship :P
[13:51] Purple Baum: `So let me change into something that matches the decor, brb
[13:52] Jago Constantine: heh ok / eddi put on your suit :P / the one from made men lol
[13:53] Eddi Haskell: oen second
[13:53] Jago Constantine: ok
[13:53] Eddi Haskell: its messed up now / ok
[13:53] Jago Constantine: we can always re-rez the airship / Welcome back :)
[13:53] Purple Baum: I'm back
[13:54] Jago Constantine: cool outfit
[13:54] Purple Baum: Here is my steampunk backpack, it's still a work in progress
[13:54] Jago Constantine: it's great!
[13:54] Jago Constantine: is it a jetpack or for breathing?
[13:54] Jago Constantine: or something else
[13:54] Purple Baum: I am also working on a gun. I just started building it today so it's very basic
[13:55] Purple Baum: It's the powerpack for the gun
[13:55] Jago Constantine: ah cool / it might be tricky connecting the two
[13:55] Eddi Haskell: im gonna log in again
[13:55] Eddi Haskell: im using snowglobe and it is very pretty
[13:55] Eddi Haskell: but
[13:55] Eddi Haskell: i cant figure things out
[13:55] Jago Constantine: Hey, Jack, welcome :)
[13:55] Eddi Haskell: snowglobe looks good / be right back
[13:56] Purple Baum: Yeah. I am pretty new to building so I am still looking for ideas (and tutorials) on how to connect them
[13:56] Jack Ozigard: hi all
[13:56] Jago Constantine: maybe something like lockmeister
[13:56] Jago Constantine: this is our steampunk airship, jack
[13:57] Jago Constantine: feel free to take a seat, both of you :)
[13:57] Purple Baum: ty / Here's the gun
[13:57] Jago Constantine: very nice
[13:58] Jack Ozigard: nice ship :)
[13:58] Jago Constantine: Yeah, it's amazing ... Eddi was given it for free I think
[13:58] Jago Constantine: he did some photography in the creator's vessels
[13:58] Eddi Haskell: back
[13:59] Jago Constantine: Welcome back, Eddi :)
[13:59] Eddi Haskell: snowglobe looks great but it is confusing
[13:59] Eddi Haskell: the new viewer
[14:00] Eddi Haskell: ive come out with two new videos in the past two days
[14:00] Eddi Haskell: one on caledon
[14:00] Eddi Haskell: the steampunk community
[14:00] Eddi Haskell: and one on steampunk airships
[14:00] Eddi Haskell: they are really just photo montages
[14:00] Jago Constantine: hey, melch :)
[14:00] Melch Savon: Hey Everybody!
[14:01] Jago Constantine: Ok, well we can start
[14:01] Jago Constantine: For new attendees - basically, we go 'round the circle and each talk about what we read last
[14:02] Jago Constantine: that's the basic framework but there's a lot of latitude in our conversation :)
[14:02] Melch Savon: We're 300 feet up -- don't you mean altitude?
[14:02] Jago Constantine: lol / I've been reading some of Kevin Anderson's novels
[14:03] Melch Savon: Which novels are those?
[14:03] Jago Constantine: his fat space opera - The Saga of Seven Suns
[14:03] Melch Savon: ah
[14:04] Jago Constantine: I admire the man for being able to write so much
[14:04] Jago Constantine: but he's very workmanlike, I don't think anyone would accuse him of being a poet
[14:05] Purple Baum: This is the same Kevin Aderson that was co-writing the new Dune noverl, right?
[14:05] Jago Constantine: yeah / I really can't forgive him and Brian Herbert for those
[14:06] Purple Baum: I agree
[14:06] Jago Constantine: I've said before in these meetings that Brian Herbert was developing his own, distinct whimsical style
[14:06] Jago Constantine: which I really enjoyed
[14:06] Purple Baum: I enjoyed the first on mostly because of the novelty but after that it was not good
[14:07] Jago Constantine: but obviously the $$$$ were too enticing
[14:07] Purple Baum: *one
[14:07] Purple Baum: I am reading Illium by Dan Simmons
[14:07] Jago Constantine: Great!
[14:07] Jago Constantine: I love it
[14:07] Jago Constantine: How are you finding it?
[14:08] Purple Baum: I'm about a 200 pages in. So far it's interesting
[14:08] Jago Constantine: It's one of my favourites - although I was disappointed by the sequel, Olympos
[14:09] Purple Baum: I enjoyed Hyperion / and most of it's 3 sequels
[14:09] Jago Constantine: for those of you who haven't read it, Ilium is set in the far future
[14:09] Jago Constantine: and somehow in ancient troy
[14:09] Jago Constantine: where the greek gods are real
[14:10] Jago Constantine: welcome, don :)
[14:10] DonJuan Writer: allo
[14:10] Purple Baum: Hello
[14:10] Jago Constantine: is that a new moustache?
[14:11] DonJuan Writer: it's a dali handmedown
[14:11] Jago Constantine: nice
[14:11] Jago Constantine: I liked the hyperion series too, Purple
[14:11] Jago Constantine: but some of Dan Simmons' works I can't get into
[14:12] Jago Constantine: there was one about a retired astronaut, I can't recall the name
[14:12] Jago Constantine: I loved The Terror
[14:12] Jago Constantine: about an expedition to find the northwest passage
[14:13] Jago Constantine: Ok, Eddi - have you read anything this week?
[14:13] Eddi Haskell: yes
[14:13] Eddi Haskell: sorry
[14:13] Eddi Haskell: phone
[14:13] Eddi Haskell: ok
[14:13] Eddi Haskell: Professor Panini
by Matthew Grigg
[14:14] Eddi Haskell: isa s short story
[14:14] Eddi Haskell: its set in 2028
[14:14] Jago Constantine: cool
[14:14] Eddi Haskell: and some professor has made a machine
[14:14] Eddi Haskell: that allows you to exchange your thought , actually your brain
[14:14] Eddi Haskell: with someone else
[14:14] Eddi Haskell: so first he tries it on a duck and a dog
[14:14] Jago Constantine: lol
[14:14] Eddi Haskell: it works but / the dog goes crazy / cause hes a duck / and tries to fly / but ducks cant fly / so / he runs into the maching / machine / before the dog kills himself jumping off the balcony
[14:15] Jago Constantine: so he's chased by a vicious duck dog
[14:15] Eddi Haskell: the nachine / yes
[14:15] Jago Constantine: :)
[14:15] Eddi Haskell: well he has a special machine that makes toasted bagels
[14:15] Eddi Haskell: all he has to go is say
[14:16] Eddi Haskell: buttered sesame
[14:16] Eddi Haskell: and the machine gives you a buttered bagle
[14:16] Eddi Haskell: so
[14:16] Eddi Haskell: he accidentlaly changes minds
[14:16] Jago Constantine: lol
[14:16] Eddi Haskell: with the machine / and he dont know what to do / so / he gets the maching to call 911
[14:16] Jago Constantine: welcome back, jack
[14:16] Eddi Haskell: the emergency service
[14:16] Eddi Haskell: hi
[14:16] Eddi Haskell: by flinging bagles at the telephone
[14:16] Eddi Haskell: they police come
[14:17] Eddi Haskell: and he keeps on flinging bagels at the police
[14:17] Eddi Haskell: and they cant figutre it out
[14:17] Jack Ozigard: (the region was suddenly gone)
[14:17] Eddi Haskell: so / at the end of the story he accepts his fate / and spends the rest of his life as a butter toaster making bagles for some rich family
[14:17] Jago Constantine: lol
[14:17] Eddi Haskell: iom not making that up / deep hih
[14:18] Jack Ozigard: which book is that eddi?
[14:18] Jago Constantine: that's pretty weird lol
[14:18] Melch Savon: now that is a funny story
[14:18] Eddi Haskell: ill give you the rul
[14:18] Eddi Haskell: url
[14:18] Eddi Haskell: i liked it
[14:18] Eddi Haskell: http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/UBooks/ProfPani724.shtml
[14:19] Eddi Haskell: jago if i had to pick a story to read would it be that one?
[14:19] Jago Constantine: for the group?
[14:19] Eddi Haskell: yes / i thinik it is very me
[14:19] Jago Constantine: it is :P
[14:20] DonJuan Writer: reminds me of red dwarf, there's a manically bored toaster in that
[14:20] Eddi Haskell: yeah / i thought it was an allegory
[14:20] Jago Constantine: yes lol / I like the toaster from red dwarf
[14:20] Eddi Haskell: its my birthday / lol
[14:20] Jago Constantine: heh
[14:20] Jago Constantine: happy birthday again, babe :)
[14:21] Purple Baum: Happy Birthday
[14:21] Eddi Haskell: thanks!
[14:21] Melch Savon: Happy Birthday Eddi -- doing something fun I hope!
[14:21] Jack Ozigard: happy birthday!
[14:21] Eddi Haskell: thanks people
[14:21] Jack Ozigard: I forgot to bring presents
[14:21] DonJuan Writer: I raise my glass to you
[14:22] Eddi Haskell: aww thanks
[14:22] DonJuan Writer: every seven seconds
[14:22] Jago Constantine: lol don
[14:22] Melch Savon: here it is -- bday cake all around
[14:22] Jago Constantine: So, Don - what did you read last?
[14:23] Melch Savon gave you Slice of Birthday Cake.
[14:23] Slice of Birthday Cake whispers: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, & Best Wishes
[14:23] Slice of Birthday Cake whispers: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, & Best Wishes
[14:23] Slice of Birthday Cake whispers: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, & Best Wishes
[14:23] Slice of Birthday Cake whispers: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, & Best Wishes
[14:23] Slice of Birthday Cake whispers: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, & Best Wishes
[14:23] DonJuan Writer: I'm writing at the moment, reading tends to remind me of things I haven't thought of and slow me down
[14:23] Jago Constantine: heh cool cake melch
[14:23] Slice of Birthday Cake whispers: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, & Best Wishes
[14:23] Melch Savon: Always be prepared with da props
[14:23] Eddi Haskell: yeah it is
[14:23] Jago Constantine: lol
[14:23] Melch Savon: What are you writing donjuan?
[14:24] DonJuan Writer: working on a sci-fi story about the deepest hole in the world
[14:24] Melch Savon: ... a tunnel to the other side?
[14:24] Jago Constantine: is this a bottomless pit?
[14:25] Melch Savon apologies -- he is doing matrix math at the moment, and his mind is all logical
[14:25] Jago Constantine: heh
[14:25] DonJuan Writer: well, was summising on this, what would happen if one jumped into a tunnel through the world, would you bounce in and out through the different polarity of gravity until you levitated in the middle?
[14:25] Jago Constantine: That's what I assume
[14:25] Melch Savon: Ignoring heat and pressure in the center of a huge gravity well
[14:25] Jago Constantine: Actually, wouldn't the deepest hole only go to the centre? If it went further it would be getting shallower again
[14:25] DonJuan Writer: so, there is a gravitational singularity going on there
[14:26] Melch Savon: There is a centerpoint where the forces balance out
[14:26] DonJuan Writer: where the force balnces out, luke?
[14:26] Jago Constantine: yeah, zero g in the centre
[14:26] Melch Savon: Right
[14:26] Purple Baum: Wouldn't you shoot out from the other side?
[14:27] Melch Savon: Purple, no, because once you go through the center the net pull is back to the center
[14:27] DonJuan Writer: oh, well, it's all an unfolding story, like the Kraken Wakes, about the build up to and the eventual digging
[14:27] Jago Constantine: In Iain Banks' non-culture novel The Algebraist, everyone in the universe uses warp from deep space except for one group who cleverly use it from the core of gas giants where they live
[14:27] Melch Savon: oh, I like that premise
[14:27] DonJuan Writer: cleverness in a darwinian sense there
[14:28] Jago Constantine: that's kind of a spoiler actually, but not too big / so this hole gets dug in your story? / that would be a monumental effort
[14:30] Jack Ozigard: it reminds me of the hollow earth theory though
[14:30] Jago Constantine: yes ... journey to the centre of the earth
[14:30] DonJuan Writer: yes, it's a desperate measure to solve a problem... don't ask me more 'cause it aint writted yet
[14:30] Jago Constantine: this is beyond the centre of the earth :P / Ok, Melch - your turn :)
[14:31] Melch Savon: This week I re-listened to the original Hitchiker Guide to the Galaxy radio broadcasts
[14:31] Jago Constantine: nice
[14:31] DonJuan Writer: oh, had those on lp as a kid
[14:31] Melch Savon: Everyone here is probably familiar with them, but I still think they are the best telling of the story
[14:31] Jago Constantine: I like the books best :P
[14:32] Jago Constantine: hehe
[14:32] Melch Savon: Arthur Dent remains beautifully clueless
[14:32] DonJuan Writer: if the radio series is the same as the lp's, I agree with you melch
[14:32] Melch Savon: Beyond that, I noted that the USA gave us Indiana Jones with a big whip; the Brits gave us Doctor Who with a big scarf (Tom Baker). I am wondering how to interpret that
[14:33] Jago Constantine: lol
[14:33] Jack Ozigard: lol
[14:33] Jago Constantine: Was the scarf ever used as a weapon?
[14:33] Jago Constantine: I mean more than for tripping or blinding people
[14:33] Melch Savon: no, but often as a tool
[14:33] Purple Baum: USA also gave yes Yogurt with a big schwartz
[14:33] Purple Baum: *us
[14:33] DonJuan Writer: as a segue, an american invited me (a brit) to his fourth of july picnic... my Russian friend said, "Was he too cheap to rent a clown?"
[14:34] Jago Constantine: lol
[14:34] Melch Savon: flip switches from a distance without exposing yourself to the laser ray, that sort of thing
[14:34] Jago Constantine: that's a good line I might use that
[14:34] Melch Savon: donjuan, we have presidents to play that role every day of the year
[14:34] Jago Constantine: I can totally see Tom Baker strangling someone with a scarg
[14:34] Jago Constantine: f
[14:34] Melch Savon: doctor who -- serial murderer
[14:34] DonJuan Writer: what? I thought there had been a change?!? ;)
[14:35] Jago Constantine: the perfect crime
[14:35] Jago Constantine: locked room mysteries are easy with a tardis
[14:35] Melch Savon: Same basic policies, same general disillusionment, some destruction of the dollar. No, not really much of a change.
[14:36] DonJuan Writer: There is a new president called Obama, who came claiming change to the drama, there's a stock-market crash, so he's printed some cash, now we're pinning our hopes on his karma
[14:36] DonJuan Writer: boom-boom
[14:36] Melch Savon thinks that might be an amusing bit of fan fiction -- Dr. Who, aka Jack the Ripper?
[14:36] Jago Constantine: lol
[14:37] Melch Savon: Pretty much. Started printing money Bush's last term, went into overdrive under Obama
[14:37] Melch Savon: anyways that was it for me this week
[14:37] Jago Constantine: The Doctor was seen at the garden party at the same time as the murders occurred ... so he has an alibi
[14:37] DonJuan Writer: but an enjoyable limmerick, noe-the-less?
[14:37] Melch Savon: *grin* Of course he does!
[14:37] Jack Ozigard: yes
[14:38] Jago Constantine: then explain the distinctive scarf-hairs on the victim's throat
[14:38] Melch Savon: Reasonable doubt. The Queen herself was visiting him in his cell at Torchwood
[14:38] Jago Constantine: heh
[14:39] Jago Constantine: then he regenerates and blends into the crowds like hannibal lecter
[14:39] Melch Savon: Now I think we confuse him with The Master
[14:39] Jago Constantine: lol
[14:39] Melch Savon: Who, ironically, is the true hero of our story
[14:39] Jago Constantine: ooh what a twist
[14:39] Jago Constantine: Anyway ... Jack - read any good books lately?
[14:39] Jack Ozigard: well, no
[14:39] Jack Ozigard: that is
[14:40] Jack Ozigard: I don't read a lot of books but rather short stories from amateur writers
[14:40] Jago Constantine: cool
[14:40] Jack Ozigard: and I was workling on my owen story which is incidentally a jack the ripper meets steampunk thing
[14:41] Jago Constantine: lol
[14:41] Jago Constantine: feel free to use our idea :P
[14:41] Melch Savon: I've infected the room with a meme!
[14:41] Jack Ozigard: it seems to be very difficult to do
[14:41] Jago Constantine: just make it HG Wells' time traveller
[14:41] Jago Constantine: and voila
[14:41] Melch Savon: Oh, Jago, how *original*
[14:41] Jago Constantine: lol
[14:41] Jack Ozigard: people keep telling "that is not how it was with jack the ripper"
[14:42] Jack Ozigard: readers know the facts
[14:42] Jago Constantine: yeah
[14:42] Melch Savon: fine, change the character to ... Mina Harker?
[14:42] Jack Ozigard: I do too, and avoidthed the name jack, set in in 1915 or thereabout
[14:43] Jack Ozigard: no, I introduced rabbi löw into the story :)
[14:43] Eddi Haskell: was he a haskellski?
[14:43] Jago Constantine: lol
[14:43] Jack Ozigard: he raised the golem
[14:44] Jago Constantine: cool
[14:44] Jack Ozigard: I will think about the Dr Who vs Jack the ripper thing
[14:45] Melch Savon: Hey story ideas are bountiful. good ideas less so, but still ...
[14:45] Melch Savon: /ao off
[14:46] Jago Constantine: Ok, Purple - what did you read this week?
[14:46] Purple Baum: Well, before Illium I was reading "Venus on a half shell"
[14:47] Purple Baum: It's by Kilgore Trout
[14:47] Jago Constantine: cool
[14:47] Purple Baum: But the real author is Philip Jose Farmer
[14:47] Jago Constantine: I never read that one
[14:47] Jago Constantine: but I've heard of it a lot
[14:48] Jago Constantine: what's it about?
[14:48] Purple Baum: He got permission from Kurt Vonnegut to use the Name Kilgore Trout as a psudoname
[14:49] Purple Baum: It's about the last human travelling through space with an owl a dog and a female robot trying to figure out the meaning of "everything"
[14:49] Jago Constantine: nice
[14:49] Jack Ozigard: a female robot?
[14:50] Purple Baum: He encounters weird civilizations and pokes fun at government, sex and other things
[14:50] Jack Ozigard: it sounds odd
[14:50] Purple Baum: It's pretty amusing and very sarcastic
[14:51] Jago Constantine: sounds like Farmer
[14:51] Purple Baum: And yes a female robot. Her story is another bit of sarcasm
[14:52] Purple Baum: The book has been out of print. I got a used copy off of amazon
[14:52] Jago Constantine: yeah that's why I never read it
[14:52] Jago Constantine: hard to find
[14:53] Purple Baum: I'm not sure what I'll read next, but I am interested in reading "Roadside Picnic"
[14:54] Purple Baum: It's the book that is the base for the story of the movie and videogame "STALKER"
[14:55] Jago Constantine: I love roadside picnic
[14:55] Jago Constantine: strugatsky brothers
[14:55] Jago Constantine: I think that's the name
[14:55] Purple Baum: So I'll probably get it but it's also out of print
[14:55] Jago Constantine: I think it's available again
[14:55] Jago Constantine: in one of those sci fi masterworks kind of editions
[14:55] Purple Baum: I'll check it out
[14:57] Jago Constantine: Ok, it's getting on to 3pm - time to wind up :)
[14:57] Eddi Haskell: before everyone goes would you like to see this picture i found?
[14:57] Jago Constantine: I have to go have some breakfast
[14:57] Jago Constantine: lol eddi
[14:57] Eddi Haskell: of my haskell family ancestors arriving on ellis island in 1914
[14:57] Melch Savon: DonJuan, Jack -- I am curious, do you two use writing software?
[14:57] Eddi Haskell: from Eastern Europe
[14:57] Melch Savon: Eddi - sure!
[14:58] Eddi Haskell: thats my great grandmother
[14:58] Jack Ozigard: picture - yes please
[14:58] Eddi Haskell: ida haskellski
[14:58] Eddi Haskell: they say we look alike
[14:58] Jack Ozigard: software? no. I can do a bit of programming though
[14:58] Jago Constantine: A friend of mine writes using this
[14:58] Jago Constantine: http://www.spacejock.com/yWriter5.html
[14:58] Jago Constantine: It's a free program
[14:58] Jago Constantine: lol eddi
[14:59] Jack Ozigard: a in that sense.
[14:59] Eddi Haskell: and that is great uncle yankel haskellski. They cold only afford a girls outfit
[14:59] Eddi Haskell: he went on to invent the junk bond
[14:59] Melch Savon: Thanks Jago. I've seen it, but find my spreadsheet is better. I have been thinking about buying a Mac program, like StoryMill
[14:59] Jack Ozigard: I was used to use a typewriter. that did not have any software
[14:59] Melch Savon: Eddi - are you kidding?
[14:59] Jago Constantine: lol
[14:59] Eddi Haskell: well
[14:59] Jago Constantine: yes he is
[14:59] Eddi Haskell: people say i look like them
[14:59] Eddi Haskell: lol
[15:00] Eddi Haskell: isnt that photo priceless?
[15:00] Melch Savon: It is pretty cool
[15:00] Jago Constantine: hehehe
[15:00] Jago Constantine: Anyway, I'm not sure where next week's meeting will be ...
[15:00] Purple Baum: I can see the resemblance
[15:00] Eddi Haskell: yes
[15:00] Eddi Haskell: welljago isnt it july 4?
[15:01] Jago Constantine: we are planning to move our land to the new adult continent
[15:01] Eddi Haskell: we have to have firworks
[15:01] Jago Constantine: is it? what is the significance of that date>
[15:01] Melch Savon: Identical faces -- you photoshopped them in?
[15:01] Eddi Haskell: there is a program photofunia that is an effect they have
[15:01] Eddi Haskell: online editing
[15:01] Melch Savon: ah
[15:01] Eddi Haskell: i have to admit its funny
[15:02] Eddi Haskell: this is one of my photos
[15:03] Eddi Haskell: we can meet in caledon sky steampunk city
[15:03] Eddi Haskell: thats cool
[15:03] Eddi Haskell: that is it
[15:03] Jago Constantine: I'll think about it ... maybe in caledon, or maybe insilico again
[15:03] Melch Savon: Insilico is a truly amazing place
[15:03] Jack Ozigard: the picture reminds me of early online porn: waiting ages untill you get to see something
[15:03] Melch Savon: But it's less blocky
[15:03] Melch Savon: Not even ASCII art
[15:04] Jack Ozigard: indeed melch
[15:04] Jago Constantine: the picture is changing too fast to see lol
[15:04] Jack Ozigard: it is a grey screen most of the time
[15:04] Purple Baum: I recognize that NCI place
[15:05] Jack Ozigard: from caledon yes
[15:05] Eddi Haskell: i interviewed the guvnah and the vicereigne this week for vr style
[15:05] Jago Constantine: Ok, I'm going to log and have breakfast
[15:05] Eddi Haskell: jago dont go yet
[15:05] Jago Constantine: ok
[15:05] Eddi Haskell: need to ask you
[15:05] Melch Savon: Ciao all -- it's been fun as always
[15:05] Jago Constantine: See you next week!
[15:05] Purple Baum: OK, cya everybody
[15:06] Eddi Haskell: hey guys
[15:06] Eddi Haskell: before you go
[15:06] Jago Constantine: thanks for joining the group, Purple
[15:06] Eddi Haskell: we have a cool museum here
[15:06] Purple Baum: ty
[15:06] Eddi Haskell: jago dont talk it up
[15:06] DonJuan Writer: cheers. got called away. see y'all
[15:06] Eddi Haskell: if yo uwant to see it
[15:06] Purple Baum: I'll check it out

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