5 September 2009

[13:56] Eddi Haskell: such slow rez
[13:56] Flawnt Alchemi: hi LL.
[13:56] Flawnt Alchemi: "all" ;-)
[13:56] Shadowen Silvera: howdy
[13:57] Eddi Haskell: hiya flawnt
[13:57] Eddi Haskell: hi SS
[13:58] Flawnt Alchemi is it heiSS or is it me...
[13:58] Jago Constantine: Hey, Shadowen - cool avatar
[13:59] Flawnt Alchemi: hi camilla dear
[13:59] Shadowen Silvera: thanks
[13:59] Camilla Delvalle: hello flawnt
[13:59] Flawnt Alchemi: did you get a new haircut, camilla?
[13:59] Flawnt Alchemi snorts.
[13:59] Camilla Delvalle: maybe
[14:00] Simeon Beresford: hi folks
[14:00] Karl Mearkus: Hi everyone
[14:00] Jago Constantine: Hi, everyone :)
[14:00] Jago Constantine: Thanks for coming to Science Fiction Saturday!
[14:00] Jago Constantine: And thanks again to our hosts at Bookstacks
[14:01] Flawnt Alchemi claps, muffled.
[14:01] Jago Constantine: As usual, we'll go round the group and talk about what we've read during the week
[14:01] Jago Constantine: I'll begin by talking about the book I read - Hunter's Run
[14:02] Jago Constantine: It was written by Gardner Dozois, George R R Martin and Daniel Abrahams
[14:02] Jago Constantine: It was a long collaboration, originally between the first two authors, but they never finished
[14:02] Jago Constantine: it was completed a few years ago by Abrahams
[14:03] Jago Constantine: Anyway, it's a pretty light weight novel about a man being chased by aliens on a largely wilderness-type world
[14:04] Jago Constantine: the twist is that one of the aliens is actually a clone of him, and it's written from the clone's perspective
[14:04] Flawnt Alchemi: neat
[14:04] Jago Constantine: I thought it was alright, but I'm glad I got it from the library instead of paying for it :)
[14:05] Jago Constantine: Welcome, Coach
[14:05] Flawnt Alchemi: what didnt work in it?
[14:05] Coach Bravin: Hi Jago
[14:05] Flawnt Alchemi: or rather why didnt it work for ya
[14:05] Coach Bravin: Hi all
[14:06] Jago Constantine: Well, it was just written at too low a level for me
[14:06] Camilla Delvalle: i have read book by george rr marting
[14:06] Jago Constantine: I felt I was reading a young adult novel or something
[14:06] Jago Constantine: maybe that was it
[14:06] Camilla Delvalle: how do you mean low level?
[14:06] Flawnt Alchemi: you mean the language?
[14:06] Jago Constantine: Yes, I think so
[14:07] Flawnt Alchemi: ursula le guin writes at that level, too, sometimes
[14:07] Eddi Haskell gave you Incident at Oak Ridge, Terry Bisson.
[14:07] Flawnt Alchemi: but she still hits my spot every time
[14:07] Camilla Delvalle: interesting that it had three authors
[14:07] Flawnt Alchemi: actually a lot of times...
[14:07] Jago Constantine: Maybe I didn't like the fact that it was mostly set in the wilderness, and that isn't my thing
[14:07] Jago Constantine: It's hard to say
[14:07] Flawnt Alchemi shudders - wilderness
[14:07] Camilla Delvalle: did you notice the style of the differnt writers?
[14:07] Jago Constantine: the background civilization isn't very well fleshed out either
[14:07] Jago Constantine: No it's hard to spot and signs of that
[14:08] Jago Constantine: It was co-written by Dozois and Martin when they were young authors decades ago
[14:08] Flawnt Alchemi wonders about other (better) multi author collaborations
[14:08] Jago Constantine: and completed by newish author Abrahams
[14:08] Jago Constantine: Welcome, Pasirto
[14:08] Flawnt Alchemi: brothers strugatzky are a brilliant example. you wouldnt know it.
[14:08] Simeon Beresford: only thing of abrahams I have read is his short "Flat Diane", which was very good
[14:09] Camilla Delvalle: george rr martin usually has a lot of details
[14:09] Jago Constantine: Actually, it feels a lot like a 1970s sci fi novel, which is understandable given when it was begun
[14:09] Jago Constantine: Yes, well it's nothing like Martin's later works
[14:09] Camilla Delvalle: how is 1970 sf?
[14:10] Tillery Woodhen is Online
[14:10] Jago Constantine: Heh don't ask me to try and pin it down, it's just a feeling
[14:10] Simeon Beresford: pre or post star wars?
[14:10] Jago Constantine: Hmm... not sure when it was begun
[14:11] Simeon Beresford: star wars kicked of a return to space opera
[14:11] Jago Constantine: This isn't really space opera - it's planetbound
[14:11] Simeon Beresford: but action adventure ?
[14:11] Jago Constantine: Yeah, it's action
[14:11] Simeon Beresford: nods
[14:12] Camilla Delvalle: i dont think i would like a novel by a man hunted by aliens in the wilderness either
[14:12] Flawnt Alchemi wishes for some action. writes down "more action".
[14:12] Jago Constantine: Anyway ... Shadowen - have you read any good books lately?
[14:12] Shadowen Silvera: Always :)
[14:13] Flawnt Alchemi laffs.
[14:13] Jago Constantine: Heh please share
[14:13] Shadowen Silvera: typing
[14:13] Shadowen Silvera: I have the typing sound turned off so please be patient
[14:13] Jago Constantine: ok
[14:15] Shadowen Silvera: Unfortunately the library delivered several books at once that I had put on hold so I haven't been able to finish them yet. Currently reading: Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson, Mona Lisa Overdrive by William Gibson, The Losers by David Eddings, Flow my tears the Police Man said by phillip k dick
[14:15] Shadowen Silvera: a few others but they are not scifi
[14:15] Raver Xeno is Online
[14:15] Jago Constantine: Nice
[14:15] Jago Constantine: Which one are you liking the most?
[14:15] Jago Constantine: Welcome, Justine
[14:16] Camilla Delvalle: i have read by eddings and gibson
[14:16] Justine Rhapsody: Thanks, hello everyone
[14:16] Flawnt Alchemi raven catching up on human literature? ;-)
[14:16] Shadowen Silvera: Cryptonomicon for the geek elemens, The Losers for the humanistic
[14:16] Camilla Delvalle: hello justine
[14:16] Jago Constantine: Welcome, Arkady
[14:16] Simeon Beresford: the eddings got his usual plot?
[14:16] Flawnt Alchemi: i am curious about "the losers" - havent heard of it
[14:16] Arkady Poliatevska: hi Jago
[14:16] Shadowen Silvera: no the losers is not typical eddings
[14:16] Jago Constantine: Is Losers a fantasy?
[14:17] Shadowen Silvera: Fiction I suppose but it does have a fantastical element
[14:18] Shadowen Silvera: Set in oregon and washington its a sort of good against evil story
[14:18] Shadowen Silvera: not far into it but its good
[14:18] Jago Constantine: Cool
[14:18] Jago Constantine: Thanks :)
[14:18] Eddi Haskell: ir oregon good and washington evil?
[14:18] Jago Constantine: lol
[14:18] Flawnt Alchemi: lol
[14:18] Shadowen Silvera: Hope the good side would be oregon cause otherwise im living in the wrong state
[14:19] Eddi Haskell: well at least they know how to say please and thank you there , not like seattle
[14:19] Jago Constantine: Ok, Eddi - have you read anything this week?
[14:19] Eddi Haskell: yes
[14:19] Eddi Haskell: i caught my attention
[14:19] Jago Constantine: Welcome, Nolligan
[14:19] Eddi Haskell: the story was by Terry Bissson
[14:19] Eddi Haskell: it was called return to oakridge
[14:19] Nolligan Nino: hi
[14:19] Nolligan's Google Translator: जागो Constantine
[14:19] Eddi Haskell: i gave a note card to jago with the story on it
[14:20] Eddi Haskell: on nolligan
[14:20] Eddi Haskell: its about a time warp
[14:20] Eddi Haskell: well it was really good but i cant figure out the ending
[14:20] Eddi Haskell: has anyone read the story ?
[14:20] Flawnt Alchemi: nope
[14:20] Eddi Haskell: he won a big award for it
[14:20] Eddi Haskell: well
[14:20] Nolligan Nino: soz didn't see you
[14:20] Eddi Haskell: its like the philadelphia experiment
[14:20] Eddi Haskell: yah i dont see some people
[14:20] Eddi Haskell: and
[14:21] Eddi Haskell: two guys go back to 1944
[14:21] Eddi Haskell: they end up in oakridge
[14:21] Eddi Haskell: where the uranium isoptop was purified or something
[14:21] Eddi Haskell: im sure others nhere know more about this than me
[14:21] Eddi Haskell: and
[14:21] Eddi Haskell: then at the end
[14:21] Eddi Haskell: there true selves
[14:21] Eddi Haskell: meet them and everyone tries to kill everyone lese
[14:21] Shadowen Silvera: sorry jago groups are full
[14:21] Eddi Haskell: else
[14:21] Nolligan Nino: me too
[14:21] Eddi Haskell: see
[14:22] Simeon Beresford: lol
[14:22] Eddi Haskell: if they interfere with oakridge, they interfere with the manhattan project
[14:22] Eddi Haskell: and then
[14:22] Jago Constantine: lol
[14:22] Simeon Beresford: sumss up so many plots
[14:22] Eddi Haskell: who knows that would have happened
[14:22] Arkady Poliatevska: the beaver is never born?
[14:22] Eddi Haskell: but its really good i just cant figure out the quantum at the end
[14:22] Jago Constantine: lol Arkady
[14:23] Eddi Haskell: yes the beaver might not be born, hugh beaumonth might have been part of operation coronet
[14:23] Arkady Poliatevska: too old a reference for many
[14:23] Eddi Haskell: and barbara billigsley could have become a dyke biker, who knows?
[14:23] Jago Constantine: Yes :P
[14:23] Arkady Poliatevska: :)
[14:23] Camilla Delvalle: never heard of :)
[14:23] Jago Constantine: Ok, thanks, Eddi
[14:23] Eddi Haskell: Im named after a very famous obnoxious teenager, eddi haskell
[14:23] Jago Constantine: Nolligan - have you read any sci fi this week?
[14:24] Shadowen Silvera: I've been musing to myself as to what the world would be like if the hindenburg disaster hadnt happened.
[14:24] Nolligan Nino: not this week
[14:24] Camilla Delvalle: it would be nice with airships
[14:24] Shadowen Silvera: oops wrong window
[14:24] Jago Constantine: Ok, no worries :)
[14:24] Arkady Poliatevska: some other airship would have bloen up spectaculalry
[14:24] Jago Constantine: lol shadowen
[14:24] Justine Rhapsody: Airships are so beautiful
[14:25] Nolligan Nino: but I recently re-read a classic - the land ironclads by HG Wells
[14:25] Eddi Haskell: and nothing famous would have ever happened in new jersey except mob killings
[14:25] Jago Constantine: Cool
[14:25] Arkady Poliatevska: in france in ther early twentieth century..
[14:25] Jago Constantine: I haven't read that
[14:25] Flawnt Alchemi: me neither
[14:25] Eddi Haskell: is it about tanks?
[14:25] Arkady Poliatevska: the very first concrete buidings were airship hangers
[14:25] Arkady Poliatevska: because they caught fire so freqquently
[14:26] Nolligan Nino: written in 1910 it imagines a european war that is resolved by the use of 'tanks' essentially
[14:26] Jago Constantine: Cool ... I wonder how prescient it was?
[14:26] Eddi Haskell: well tanks were thought up in 1914 under churchills juridiction
[14:26] Jago Constantine: I mean maybe the writing was already on the wall
[14:26] Jago Constantine: tank-wise
[14:26] Nolligan Nino: I don't think so
[14:26] Eddi Haskell: they were invented to end trench warefare
[14:27] Nolligan Nino: nobody expected trenches - it was wars of movement pre 1914
[14:27] Flawnt Alchemi: interesting.
[14:27] Camilla Delvalle: they didnt know there could be such a great war at that time
[14:27] Simeon Beresford: were trences in american civil
[14:27] Eddi Haskell: yup. it was the farthest thing from their minds
[14:27] Nolligan Nino: make sme wonder which sci fi writers today will be judged as 'prescient
[14:27] Jago Constantine: "the first description of a tank-like vehicle and its usefulness in trench warfare is found in an H.G. Wells short story, "The Land Ironclads", in the Strand Magazine, December 1903"
[14:27] Eddi Haskell: wow
[14:27] Nolligan Nino: sorry 1903
[14:28] Eddi Haskell: did he visit the future
[14:28] Eddi Haskell: serioulsy
[14:28] Eddi Haskell: how could he see this stuff????????
[14:28] Nolligan Nino: how could Neal Stephenson see a place similar to sl?
[14:28] Eddi Haskell: i wish i coujld do things like that
[14:28] Flawnt Alchemi: wells wasnt a cottage writer...he was on top of science in his time and knew everyone who know anything
[14:28] Shadowen Silvera: Imagination combined with current information
[14:29] Jago Constantine: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tank#History
[14:29] Flawnt Alchemi: fabians, russell...plus the world was actually simple then (or was it?)
[14:29] Eddi Haskell gave you jago oil.
[14:29] Camilla Delvalle: There were ironclads on the sea, so it would not be a far leap to imagine ironclad wagons powdered by steam or something
[14:29] Shadowen Silvera: If you know it could be possible but doesnt exist (yet) its fun to imagine what it would be like if it was. with enough clues you can come up with a good idea
[14:29] Simeon Beresford: all the scientific heavy weights new big changes in the air
[14:30] Camilla Delvalle: they also had trains, so they could think up trains without rails
[14:30] Jago Constantine: Yes
[14:30] Eddi Haskell: yes the first ironclad le gloirie 1858 france
[14:30] Simeon Beresford: and wells new them all
[14:30] Jago Constantine: That wikipedia link mentions some ideas for use of steam vehicles in war
[14:30] Nolligan Nino: easy to say with hindsight
[14:30] Eddi Haskell: well necessity is the mother of invention and they needed tanks
[14:31] Jago Constantine: So Nolligan - is it a good read, or is it just notable for its prediction of tanks?
[14:31] Shadowen Silvera: makes one wonder if there will ever be battle suits ala heinlein's starship troopers
[14:31] Eddi Haskell: iwant to read it
[14:31] Camilla Delvalle: or mechas like in anime
[14:31] Nolligan Nino: quite a good read , quite short too
[14:31] Nolligan Nino: good but not brilliant
[14:32] Nolligan Nino: but I like HG Wells generally
[14:32] Eddi Haskell: who cares about that will there be hot shower scenes with casper van dien again?
[14:32] Flawnt Alchemi: /e nods nolligan
[14:32] Jago Constantine: http://www.zeitcom.com/majgen/60w-1_landironclads.html
[14:32] Jago Constantine: That's the story online
[14:32] Flawnt Alchemi: ty jago
[14:32] Jago Constantine: lol eddi
[14:32] Jago Constantine: Ok, thanks, Nolligan
[14:32] Nolligan Nino: :-)
[14:32] Jago Constantine: Karl - have you got a book report for us?
[14:33] Karl Mearkus: Nope, didn't get to any SF this week
[14:33] Jago Constantine: Ok :)
[14:33] Jago Constantine: Justine?
[14:33] Karl Mearkus: I'm just here to hoover up all your tips ;)
[14:33] Eddi Haskell: dont you feell guillty when you say that? i do.
[14:33] Jago Constantine: lol
[14:33] Flawnt Alchemi hides.
[14:34] Justine Rhapsody: oh yes,
[14:34] Jago Constantine: heh wb justine :)
[14:34] Justine Rhapsody: lol you caught me
[14:34] Justine Rhapsody: I am reading Beggars and Choosers by Nancy Kress, the second in the trilogy.
[14:34] Jago Constantine: Oh, I was just listening to an interview with her
[14:35] Justine Rhapsody: I like these books, her characterizations are wonderful.
[14:35] Justine Rhapsody: Oh really!
[14:35] Simeon Beresford: the folks that dont sleep?
[14:35] Jago Constantine: an old one from The Future and You podcast
[14:35] Shadowen Silvera: thanks
[14:35] Jago Constantine: like a few years old
[14:35] Justine Rhapsody: yes the sleepless and then there are super sleepless lol
[14:35] Justine Rhapsody: Yes they are. I only recently discovered that I like her writing, so went back and got those.
[14:35] Jago Constantine: And how does it compare to the first book?
[14:36] Justine Rhapsody: oh its a good continuation
[14:36] Justine Rhapsody: she brings in a various concepts, nano,
[14:37] Justine Rhapsody: and i especially like how she creates the supersleepless as having new ways of thinking, completely different than humans can think now.
[14:37] Jago Constantine: Here are 6 episodes of the future and you with Kress http://www.thefutureandyou.libsyn.com/?search_string=kress&Submit=Search&search=1
[14:38] Jago Constantine: It's a great podcast, I only just discovered it. Really wonderful
[14:38] Simeon Beresford: always have problems with none human thinking how can humans right about it?
[14:38] Jago Constantine: I think it would be hard for an author to try to write a character that is either superintelligent or thinks in a radically different way
[14:38] Justine Rhapsody: ok thanks :)
[14:39] Shadowen Silvera: Jago: try the alien intelligence game sometime. it's fun.
[14:39] Jago Constantine: Of course, being an author you're omniscient anyway lol
[14:39] Justine Rhapsody: well it is, but she does a good job of describing it - they create all kinds of association thinking with images words etc all rolled in together.
[14:39] Shadowen Silvera: sometimes called higher power
[14:39] Eddi Haskell: like a 12 step program.
[14:40] Jago Constantine: thanks, shadowen
[14:40] Justine Rhapsody: alien intelligence game?
[14:40] Simeon Beresford: think most heros are super intelligent the author takes three days to pick an action the hero has 3 seconds for.
[14:40] Jago Constantine: true
[14:40] Jago Constantine: So I assume you're going on to read the third book, Justine?
[14:41] Shadowen Silvera: you assume the aspect of a higher power/alien intelligence and then have a friend ask meaninful questions.. like "why are we here" you then answer as if you are a higher intelligence: ie "Nobody knows but it is the journey that counts" my example is lame but you get that idea.. its a sort of stream of consciousness exercise
[14:41] Justine Rhapsody: Yes I am. Though now I have Paul McAuley's new Quiet War ordered so have to read that one first.
[14:41] Camilla Delvalle: sounds difficult
[14:41] Jago Constantine: I want to read that one too
[14:41] Jago Constantine: Quiet War
[14:42] Justine Rhapsody: Yes I love that kind of space opera with ideas.
[14:42] Jago Constantine: Thanks, Justine ... Ok, Arkady? Anything to report?
[14:42] Arkady Poliatevska: I will just obseve this time
[14:42] Arkady Poliatevska: if thats okay
[14:42] Jago Constantine: Sure :)
[14:43] Jago Constantine: Flawnt, I see you crouching down back there
[14:43] Jago Constantine: :P
[14:43] Flawnt Alchemi whistles.
[14:43] Kyo Rogozarski is Offline
[14:43] Flawnt Alchemi: ya, i havent read any SF. torturing myself with flaubert on my left and alison lurie on my right
[14:43] Jago Constantine: Heh no worries
[14:43] Eddi Haskell: are they avatars?
[14:43] Justine Rhapsody: lol
[14:43] Eddi Haskell: sounds hot
[14:43] Flawnt Alchemi wipes the sweat off his brow
[14:44] Jago Constantine: Ok, Camilla ... your turn!
[14:44] Camilla Delvalle: can you tell me of flaubert maybe? im interested in him because people says he writhes good
[14:44] Flawnt Alchemi: lol eddi. but they're dirty ;)
[14:44] Eddi Haskell: lol
[14:44] Flawnt Alchemi: he's a style guru
[14:44] Camilla Delvalle: shall i talk?
[14:44] Flawnt Alchemi nods camilla - later.
[14:44] Jago Constantine: If you have read some sci fi :)
[14:44] Camilla Delvalle: ok i can talk about haibane renmei
[14:44] Camilla Delvalle: although it is fantasy
[14:45] Jago Constantine: Nice :)
[14:45] Jago Constantine: Another anime I like :)
[14:45] Simeon Beresford: more manga?
[14:45] Camilla Delvalle: it is a anime, japanese series
[14:45] Simeon Beresford: ah
[14:45] Camilla Delvalle: so you like it?
[14:45] Jago Constantine: Yes, it's sweet
[14:45] Camilla Delvalle: it is about a girl who is reborn as an angel
[14:45] Camilla Delvalle: in a strange town
[14:45] Camilla Delvalle: and there are other angels but mostly humans
[14:46] Camilla Delvalle: she gets winds
[14:46] Camilla Delvalle: but her halo will not stick so they have to use metal wire to keep it in place
[14:46] Camilla Delvalle: but they are like disciminated
[14:46] Camilla Delvalle: because she can only wear used clothes
[14:46] Flawnt Alchemi gets wind, too.
[14:47] Camilla Delvalle: and they cant have money
[14:47] Jago Constantine: heh
[14:47] Camilla Delvalle: the angels are cool
[14:47] Camilla Delvalle: there is a leader who is called Reki
[14:47] Jago Constantine: Yes, the angels are called haibane in the show
[14:47] Flawnt Alchemi likes it.
[14:47] Jago Constantine: which I think is a japanese pronunciation of heaven
[14:47] Camilla Delvalle: and she smokes cigarrettes
[14:48] Camilla Delvalle: it is very calm series
[14:48] Camilla Delvalle: i like it because it is not hysterical or shrieky like many other
[14:48] Jago Constantine: I hate those shrieky hyperactive anime series :P
[14:48] Camilla Delvalle: it is a bit religious but not so that it disturbs
[14:48] Jago Constantine: Excel Saga for instance
[14:48] Camilla Delvalle: it is much about existential questions
[14:49] Camilla Delvalle: and friendship and such
[14:49] Jago Constantine: Yes, I think it's just a japanese author using angel symbolism mostly
[14:49] Jago Constantine: in the same way they might pick out ancient greek or aztec just because they think it's cool
[14:49] Camilla Delvalle: it not so much plotdrivet
[14:49] Camilla Delvalle: more character driven, with low tempo
[14:49] Camilla Delvalle: very nice
[14:49] Camilla Delvalle: questions?
[14:49] Flawnt Alchemi: arent "angels" outside of the japanese....spiritual world? (not that i have any clue)
[14:50] Jago Constantine: Well they'd have a conception of them from western sources
[14:50] Simeon Beresford: yes
[14:50] Flawnt Alchemi: it is a rather interesting choice then i suppose.
[14:51] Flawnt Alchemi wonders what the equivalent would be for a western writer.
[14:51] Camilla Delvalle: the creator said that it was inspired by religions, but he would not say which
[14:51] Jago Constantine: It's kind of whimsical in the manner of hayao miyazaki in some places
[14:51] Camilla Delvalle: yes
[14:51] Jago Constantine: although not too surreal
[14:52] Camilla Delvalle: it is not entirey logical
[14:52] Simeon Beresford: japanese do thinngs to to western culture that are as wrong as some of the things we do to eastern cultures not much resembance.
[14:52] Jago Constantine: yes
[14:52] Jago Constantine: it's probably as realistic as our conception of zen for example
[14:52] Jago Constantine: a popular conception
[14:52] Flawnt Alchemi nods. good example.
[14:52] Simeon Beresford: you have to put away the part of you that says " thats just wrrong".
[14:52] Jago Constantine: or hinduism
[14:53] Jago Constantine: Ok, Simon ... you had a sci fi author speak during the week didn't you?
[14:53] Eddi Haskell: yeah ever have a big mac in tokyo? you can gag
[14:53] Flawnt Alchemi wonders if modern sci fi is more culturally transgressive or not
[14:53] Jago Constantine: Thanks, Camilla :)
[14:53] Jago Constantine: transgressive in what sense?
[14:54] Flawnt Alchemi will teleport to second tokyo later to gag on a mac
[14:54] Simeon Beresford: there was one at one virtualy speaking I think
[14:54] Simeon Beresford: ours is tomorrow
[14:54] Jago Constantine: Ok, I thought I got a notice from bookstacks during the week :P
[14:54] Simeon Beresford: we cross promote
[14:54] Flawnt Alchemi: jago: in the sense of using symbols etc from other cultures
[14:54] Jago Constantine: Ok, it was the Tobias Buckell podcast
[14:55] Jago Constantine: my mistake
[14:55] Simeon Beresford: yes at one oclock tomorrow
[14:55] Simeon Beresford: we will be recording in world
[14:55] Jago Constantine: well, I think authors today, flawnt, have access to better information about other cultures through the internet
[14:55] Flawnt Alchemi: ... and turning it into something new and really interesting.
[14:55] Simeon Beresford: and there will be a q&a after with the audience
[14:55] Flawnt Alchemi: i am wondering how real that information is...
[14:56] Arkady Poliatevska: thank you all I must go
[14:56] Jago Constantine: and I expect there's a lot of incentive to be the first to exploit a different culture for a story
[14:56] Simeon Beresford: nods
[14:56] Flawnt Alchemi nods.
[14:56] Simeon Beresford: bye arkady
[14:56] Nolligan Nino: bye
[14:56] Flawnt Alchemi waves
[14:56] Jago Constantine: Let's see - there's Ian McDonald's River of Gods
[14:56] Justine Rhapsody: bye
[14:57] Justine Rhapsody: Oh I loved that book River of Gods.
[14:57] Jago Constantine: a major one from recent years set in India
[14:57] Simeon Beresford: coulld I plug our meet to set up some reading groups tommorrow at two as weel
[14:57] Jago Constantine: absolutely fantastic book
[14:57] Flawnt Alchemi: i am just astounded how culturally provincial most sci fi still seems to be...
[14:57] Flawnt Alchemi: thanks will check that out.
[14:57] Jago Constantine: sure simeon
[14:57] Flawnt Alchemi nods - sure simeon
[14:57] Flawnt Alchemi: thanks jago, again!
[14:57] Simeon Beresford: will expect to see every one at both :^)
[14:58] Flawnt Alchemi: bye all
[14:58] Eddi Haskell: bye!
[14:58] Nolligan Nino: bye
[14:58] Jago Constantine: Thanks for coming everyone
[14:58] Simeon Beresford: see you next week
[14:59] Justine Rhapsody: I need to go too
[14:59] Jago Constantine: Back here again next week same time!
[14:59] Simeon Beresford: when I will have finished a book to report on :^)
[14:59] Jago Constantine: And don't forget the off the shelf podcast here tomorrow
[14:59] Jago Constantine: If you'd like to check that out :)
[14:59] Eddi Haskell: happy labour day to you americans
[14:59] Justine Rhapsody: Bye everyone
[15:00] Eddi Haskell: bye!
[15:00] Simeon Beresford: that sounds so socialist
[15:00] Jago Constantine: bye!

21 March 2009: Channel Island Asylum

[13:57] Jago Constantine: Hey Fourside :)
[13:57] Fourside Janus: Hi!
[13:57] Eddi Haskell: hai
[13:57] Jago Constantine: The meeting will be at the far end of the building behind me
[13:57] Eddi Haskell: im wearing a haradous duty uniforum / hazardous
[13:57] Lewis Luminos: hi guys :)
[13:57] Jago Constantine: Sorry about the bad landing point
[13:57] Fourside Janus: k... still rezzing, can't see much.
[13:57] Eddi Haskell: hi
[13:57] Jago Constantine: Hi, Lewis / The meeting is in the end of the building ... sorry we had to arrive a ways from it
[13:58] Eddi Haskell: i just suprised jago with a new appearance. Hes trying to digest it
[13:58] Jago Constantine: heh
[13:59] Fourside Janus: Wait... are you saying we're going thru an asylum to reach the meeting?
[13:59] Jago Constantine: you look pretty similar eddi :P
[13:59] Eddi Haskell: ah
[13:59] Jago Constantine: lol
[13:59] Lewis Luminos: that sounds like a polite way of saying he doesnt like it
[13:59] Jago Constantine: it is in the asylum :)
[13:59] Eddi Haskell: of course he dont like it lol / i changed back
[14:00] Jago Constantine: I will cam out here from the room and keep an eye out for people
[14:00] Eddi Haskell: you should never suprise your partner with a new look
[14:00] Jago Constantine: let's go in
[14:00] Eddi Haskell: reminds me of where I grew up in brooklny / i dont have lag / just a bit
[14:01] Fourside Janus: Any chance you have the LM?
[14:01] Eddi Haskell: lol / this place is so creepy / i like it / hi lewis
[14:02] Fourside Janus: I'm just glad it's not "The Cradle".
[14:02] Eddi Haskell: hiya fourside
[14:02] Fourside Janus: Ji.
[14:02] Eddi Haskell: i have a photo of insilico in the paper metaverse manager
[14:02] Jago Constantine: we can't take LMs in here
[14:02] Eddi Haskell: on page 8 / if you want to check it out / you can take a slurl / i also have a feature coming up in sl vibe on insilico
[14:03] Fourside Janus: Oh, right SLURL...
[14:03] Lewis Luminos: lol "The A to Z of Electrotherapy", one of the books on the floor here
[14:03] Eddi Haskell: how about
[14:03] Lewis Luminos: by Doctor Linden :-D
[14:03] Eddi Haskell: thorazine for you and me
[14:03] Jago Constantine: lol yes
[14:04] Eddi Haskell: they give you that sometimes for hiccups
[14:05] Jago Constantine: Hi, Ilsa, welcome :)
[14:05] Eddi Haskell: hi lisa / ilsa sprecht deutsche? / bitte sehes? / bitte sehen?> / seine namen ist deutsche / oh good i dont have to translate LOL
[14:06] Jago Constantine: I am lagging today so please bear with me everyone / Anyway, this isn't really a sci fi location, but it is haunted :P
[14:06] Eddi Haskell: jago let me check the sim to see if it is laggy
[14:06] Lewis Luminos: you're grey Jago / at least to me
[14:07] Jago Constantine: I think it is me
[14:07] Eddi Haskell: no lag
[14:07] Jago Constantine: I was very slow logging in and lagged out tping a few times
[14:07] Fourside Janus: How's it haunted?
[14:07] Eddi Haskell: the fps is 34 / the 45 / so
[14:08] Fourside Janus: ?
[14:08] Eddi Haskell: jago is lagging today so
[14:08] Jago Constantine: I have bad chat lag this morning sorry
[14:08] Eddi Haskell: he might have a delay
[14:09] Lewis Luminos: i haven't seen a ghost yet Fourside
[14:09] Eddi Haskell: hes in australia and the server serving that could be overwhlemed
[14:09] Jago Constantine: You can hear them in some places if you have sound on
[14:09] Fourside Janus: Hm.
[14:09] Eddi Haskell: i can tell if there are ghosts i have been tested by professional ghosthunters im serious
[14:10] Eddi Haskell: i was on the Queen Mary and there are no ghosts there
[14:10] Jago Constantine: heh I am sceptical of that eddi :P / the sound of crazy laughing, or childlike giggling
[14:10] Fourside Janus: I should probably turn down my techno mix...
[14:10] Eddi Haskell: it cant be proven / so you should be / i started reading snowcrash
[14:11] Jago Constantine: Cool
[14:12] Eddi Haskell: im really not a sci fi reader but i read all the time so its good
[14:12] Lewis Luminos: how are you going with it?
[14:12] Eddi Haskell: my mom is a heavy sci fi reader / she wanted to watch the meeting but shes at a seminoar now / ok / hwo am i going with it / why is it so dark? / in general
[14:12] Lewis Luminos: hehe I think its meant to be
[14:13] Eddi Haskell: is the vast majority of thesci fi genre dark
[14:13] Jago Constantine: I liked the darkness of it :)
[14:13] Eddi Haskell: i can too / ok
[14:13] Lewis Luminos: the majority of the cyberpunk genre is
[14:13] Eddi Haskell: ok tto fill you in on me when Im not doing photography / and writing articles / i read history and bios / so this is a good change for me
[14:14] Jago Constantine: heh
[14:14] Lewis Luminos: I really liked Snow Crash
[14:14] Eddi Haskell: so the thing amazing about it / is how much ternminology he has thought of
[14:14] Jago Constantine: Yes, Neal Stephenson is good for that ... / LOL I read Anathem earlier in the year, his newest book, it is full of invented terms
[14:15] Eddi Haskell: i will read that next / what came to mind for me oddly / in 1993 / called VRML / the first virtual reality language / computer language was written
[14:15] Jago Constantine: I think you would be better to read The Diamond Age next, it is sort of a continuance of Snow Crash in some ways
[14:15] Eddi Haskell: ok / ill get throught that one first
[14:15] Lewis Luminos makes a note
[14:15] Jago Constantine: I liked it better too :)
[14:16] Fourside Janus: ditto.
[14:16] Eddi Haskell: VRML predicated things that we take for granted for example embedding hyperlinks within this environment / the era was the same / that oddly enough was in my mind when I started reading
[14:16] Lewis Luminos: thats interesting
[14:16] Jago Constantine: cool
[14:17] Eddi Haskell: yeah back in 1993 the entire idea of a consumer web was out there as Second Life is to 99% of the world today
[14:17] Jago Constantine: I like the idea of the burbclaves
[14:17] Eddi Haskell: yes
[14:17] Jago Constantine: each of these different communities
[14:17] Lewis Luminos: yes those are great
[14:17] Eddi Haskell: that is exaclty what happened here
[14:17] Lewis Luminos: commercially-owned neighbouthoods
[14:17] Jago Constantine: there's a book that is similar in a lot of ways, Only Forward, by Michael Marshall Smith / different suburbs with different cultures / I really enjoyed that too ... a lot of fun
[14:19] Eddi Haskell: thing is
[14:19] Jago Constantine: Yes, SL has turned into burbclaves lol
[14:19] Eddi Haskell: yes
[14:19] Fourside Janus: O.o
[14:19] Lewis Luminos: haha yes
[14:19] Eddi Haskell: with these vr novels / i imagine there are many of then out there / they are all written as if we are applying first world or real world
[14:20] Eddi Haskell: concepts
[14:20] Lewis Luminos: I'd love to find more
[14:20] Eddi Haskell: snwo crash is / you are looking from here in / has any been writtien / the other way around?
[14:20] Lewis Luminos: there was an element of VR in "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep"
[14:20] Eddi Haskell: sometimes / ues / FUNNY
[14:20] Lewis Luminos: totally missed out the movie, unless you count the unicorn thing
[14:20] Eddi Haskell: electric sheep iinvented windlight / the company / that iw where they got the name i guess
[14:21] Lewis Luminos: I guess so :)
[14:21] Eddi Haskell: what is everyone else reading
[14:22] Lewis Luminos: well I finished the Scar on Thursday
[14:22] Eddi Haskell: what is that about
[14:22] Jago Constantine: How did you like it?
[14:22] Lewis Luminos: Its the sequel to Perdido Street Station / Very interesting setting, a city at sea, made up of many boats lashed together
[14:23] Jago Constantine: Remember the last meeting was set there babe?
[14:23] Lewis Luminos: but... I dunno. I actually didnt like it as much as Perdido
[14:23] Fourside Janus: Sounds familiar... :D
[14:24] Jago Constantine: I liked it more
[14:24] Lewis Luminos: I was going through the whole thing waiting for this great exciting climax when they reached the Scar, and it didnt happen
[14:24] Eddi Haskell: we are kinda far from each other
[14:24] Jago Constantine: It was more fun I thought / We can still hear each other :P
[14:24] Eddi Haskell: oh / ok
[14:25] Lewis Luminos: I think it didn't help that I didn;t particularly like the main character / not as much as I liked Isaac and Lin
[14:25] Jago Constantine: Bellis was it?
[14:25] Lewis Luminos: yeah / stick up goth chick :P / *stuck-up
[14:25] Jago Constantine: I wanted more about the spy :P / she was a bit of a cold fish
[14:26] Lewis Luminos: I wanted more about The Lovers, and Uther
[14:26] Jago Constantine: yes they were cool / some really interesting backstories too
[14:26] Lewis Luminos: but on the whole I liked the story from Perdido better than this one
[14:26] Jago Constantine: ok / Oh eddi another excellent VR story is Permutation City by Greg Egan
[14:27] Eddi Haskell: cool / i have to write that down
[14:27] Fourside Janus: Well, I know I'm not going to be short on readng material for a bit...
[14:27] Jago Constantine: heh :) / What are you reading now, Fourside?
[14:28] Fourside Janus: I just discovered "Buck Godot - Zapgun for hire" http://www.airshipentertainment.com/buckcomic.php Last thing I read was http://www.setileague.org/articles/meat.htm
[14:28] Jago Constantine: Heh I like that story
[14:28] Fourside Janus: Both of them are somewhat silly...
[14:28] Jago Constantine: they're made of meat, it's a classic :)
[14:29] Jago Constantine: "They talk by flapping their meat at each other. They can even sing by squirting air through their meat."
[14:29] Jago Constantine: lol
[14:29] Lewis Luminos: o.O / lol
[14:29] Eddi Haskell: it sounds like the club jago and I were at yesterday
[14:29] Jago Constantine: it is about alien perceptions of us fleshy earthlings :P
[14:30] Fourside Janus: Which club?
[14:30] Eddi Haskell: warehouse / i need to behave myself at these meetings
[14:30] Jago Constantine: The Wharf you mean :P
[14:30] Eddi Haskell: yeah
[14:30] Jago Constantine: It's a gay club / pretty fun
[14:31] Eddi Haskell: its gay but not that gay, anyone can come / btw before i forget jago is in this huge blog
[14:31] Jago Constantine: Anyway I read The Collapsium by Wil McCarthy this week
[14:31] Jago Constantine: lol
[14:32] Eddi Haskell: http://www.eddihaskell.com/ / no / i will give you the url
[14:32] Jago Constantine: I am quoted in New World Notes :P / About the Adult Continent thing
[14:32] Lewis Luminos: cool
[14:33] Eddi Haskell: http://nwn.blogs.com/nwn/2009/03/adult-praise.html
[14:33] Jago Constantine: Anyway The Collapsium is an interesting vision of the future
[14:33] Eddi Haskell: that is another book or short story jago? / who is the author
[14:33] Jago Constantine: a novel / Wil McCarthy / One funny part is that the human race has become united in a monarchy / The monarchy of tonga, which was the only surviving monarchy when they decided that was the system they wanted
[14:34] Lewis Luminos: lol
[14:35] Fourside Janus: So it was the Tongans all along! Ah, I mean. Haha, intersting.
[14:35] Lewis Luminos: what happened to the monarchy of Britain? Oh, I guess it all collapses when Carlie takes te trone
[14:35] Jago Constantine: heh
[14:35] Lewis Luminos: *Charlie
[14:35] Jago Constantine: it doesn't really say I think ... :P
[14:35] Eddi Haskell: charlie means idiot in england
[14:36] Lewis Luminos: well I was referring to Prince Charles, but yeah, same ting
[14:36] Eddi Haskell: lol
[14:36] Jago Constantine: But anyway, a very positive look at the future, humans are doing some cool things
[14:36] Lewis Luminos: sounds cool
[14:36] Eddi Haskell: i know
[14:36] Jago Constantine: the author is a physicist so his speculations are really interesting / even a kind of teleportation / It is the first in a series so I might check them out / so that will be what I'm reading next ... how about you, Lewis?
[14:38] Lewis Luminos: I dont have anything lined up yet. Trip to the library on Monday, see wat I can find / I should make a habit of picking the next book BEFORE I finish the last one
[14:39] Jago Constantine: heh / I usually get two at once from the library
[14:39] Fourside Janus: Heh, that's why I like anthologies.
[14:39] Eddi Haskell: i need to stop buying them and taking them out LOL
[14:39] Lewis Luminos: well I bought The Scar / library didn't have it
[14:40] Jago Constantine: I like book exchanges too
[14:40] Lewis Luminos: I trawl te second hand shops a lot
[14:40] Jago Constantine: I have one near me where I can usually swap books for good rates
[14:41] Lewis Luminos: I will probably swap The Scar away
[14:41] Fourside Janus: I find it interesting that there are still places unconnected to the internet for selling, simply because it's too complex...
[14:42] Jago Constantine: heh
[14:42] Lewis Luminos: internet use is still pretty much a minority, at least in the UK
[14:42] Jago Constantine: a lot of them are online in some way I find
[14:42] Jago Constantine: but you're right
[14:42] Lewis Luminos: I think its about 12% of the population, someting like that
[14:43] Lewis Luminos: or 12% of households
[14:43] Jago Constantine: wow that seems low
[14:43] Fourside Janus: Hmm... I wonder if a person could make a living just driving around buying & reselling online.
[14:43] Lewis Luminos: well dont forget 50% of te population in the UK is over 50
[14:43] Eddi Haskell: no cant be
[14:43] Eddi Haskell: is it? over 50? wow
[14:43] Jago Constantine: If you knew what you were looking for you could
[14:44] Lewis Luminos: its very close, according to statistics I read recently
[14:44] Lewis Luminos: I used to make a profit, buying up things like comics, science fiction toys and stuff, in Manchester
[14:44] Lewis Luminos: then going do conventions in London and selling the stuff
[14:45] Lewis Luminos: usually made enough profit to cover my ticket
[14:45] Jago Constantine: http://www.internetworldstats.com/top20.htm
[14:45] Jago Constantine: this site says almost 70% of the uk are internet users
[14:45] Eddi Haskell: that is correct
[14:45] Lewis Luminos: wow
[14:45] Eddi Haskell: it is higher then the united states
[14:45] Lewis Luminos: thats gone up fast then
[14:45] Eddi Haskell: but
[14:46] Eddi Haskell: teletext is estblished there
[14:46] Fourside Janus: Canada has the higest %?
[14:46] Jago Constantine: maybe you hears 17 when they said 70 :P
[14:46] Lewis Luminos: maybe its a different thing, does this one count people who have internet access at school or work, but not at home?
[14:46] Lewis Luminos: I think the % I read was home use
[14:46] Jago Constantine: Not sure
[14:46] Jago Constantine: Australia is about 80% ... we are fast with technology uptake
[14:46] Lewis Luminos: but admittedly it was a couple of years ago
[14:47] Jago Constantine: Do you have any reading plans, Fourside?
[14:48] Fourside Janus: I was thinking either "The Best of Robert Silverberg" or...
[14:49] Fourside Janus: Gnoph http://www.drunkduck.com/Gnoph/index.php?p=527206 which has something to do with internal parasites. Might check out the titles mentioned here if I burn through 'em.
[14:49] Jago Constantine: hmm haven't heard of that one
[14:49] Jago Constantine: He is good, a real master
[14:49] Jago Constantine: silverberg
[14:50] Fourside Janus: I don't think I've read any of his works, would you reccomend anything else by him? Or everything?
[14:51] Jago Constantine: I liked his majipoor books when I read them
[14:51] Jago Constantine: particularly the first one I guess
[14:51] Jago Constantine: they are kind of fantasy
[14:52] Fourside Janus: Heh http://www.majipoor.com "the official site of Robert Silverberg".
[14:52] Fourside Janus: Quasi-*
[14:52] Eddi Haskell: hi antwan
[14:52] Jago Constantine: Hi, Antwan
[14:52] Jago Constantine: yeah
[14:52] Fourside Janus: Hi! And maybe!
[14:53] Fourside Janus: Am I the only one with voice?
[14:53] Jago Constantine: Downward to Earth is a good Silverberg novel
[14:53] Lewis Luminos: I dont have voice
[14:53] Jago Constantine: I don't either :P
[14:54] Fourside Janus: Ah.
[14:54] Eddi Haskell: you have been blogged take a look before you go http://eddihaskell.blogspot.com/
[14:54] Lewis Luminos: lol Eddi!
[14:54] Eddi Haskell: lol
[14:54] Fourside Janus: ...
[14:55] Eddi Haskell: your in there too fourside
[14:55] Jago Constantine: Also The Man in the Maze, which is kind of a rip off of Algis Budrys' Rogue Moon
[14:55] Jago Constantine: Cool Eddi :)
[14:55] Eddi Haskell: :)
[14:56] Jago Constantine: Ok, the next meeting will be at the Museum of Robots :)
[14:56] Lewis Luminos: cool :)
[14:56] Fourside Janus: Hmm... I have to see that.
[14:56] Jago Constantine: I'll send out a notice to the group soon
[14:56] Jago Constantine: the landing point will be a little way from the meeting area again sorry
[14:56] Fourside Janus: Have you held a metting at the dinosaur park yet?
[14:57] Jago Constantine: not yet
[14:57] Jago Constantine: sounds interesting ... do you have an LM?
[14:57] Jago Constantine: Thanks, I'll check it out!
[14:57] Lewis Luminos: thanks :)
[14:57] Eddi Haskell: oh cool fourside maybe i will write aobut it in vibe
[14:57] Fourside Janus: )
[14:57] Lewis Luminos: guess we'll need safari gear
[14:57] Jago Constantine: heh that would be fun :)
[14:58] Eddi Haskell: i work for two publications, metaeverse messenger and sl vibe
[14:58] Fourside Janus: Gotta check those out now... argh... too many windows...
[14:58] Eddi Haskell: so i like cool places to photo
[14:58] Jago Constantine: Ok, thanks for coming again!
[14:58] Lewis Luminos: Eddi do you have a Flickr page?
[14:59] Jago Constantine: Have a wander around the asylum, it's pretty cute for a linden build