Christmas has passed (unless you’re Orthodox, and then you have a few days left), and I felt the itch. The itch to change my blog theme, that is. I had a wintry theme going for the holidays. The holidays are past. “Change, m’dear, and not a moment too soon!” and all that. 🙂 And sinceContinue reading “On Changing the Decorations”
On the Gaza Crisis
Last week, Israel launched massive air strikes on the Gaza strip, killing nearly 300 Palestinians. The Israelis called up 6,500 reservists, and have now launched a ground campaign into the Strip. A crisis has been brewing in the Gaza strip for a while. This occupied territory has been treated by Israel as a virtual prisonContinue reading “On the Gaza Crisis”
On “New Doctor” Anticipation
So, in about two hours, we’ll know. We’ll know who David Tennant’s replacement is. We’ll know who the next Doctor will be. 🙂 BBC News has a rundown of the leading contenders. Leading, as in, these are the people the bookies in the UK are talking about. As if bookies know anything. The leading candidateContinue reading “On “New Doctor” Anticipation”
On 2009’s Goals
A number of my friends have posted on their blogs their writing goals for the coming year. A sensible thing, that — it lends itself to measurement and accountability. 🙂 Last year, I set a goal — “In 2007 I earned more from writing than I did in 2006. My goal for 2008 is toContinue reading “On 2009’s Goals”
On Stratfordians, Oxfordians, and “The Brain of Morbius”
A few months ago, I picked up off a clearance table at a bookstore Manga Shakespeare: The Tempest. It’s exactly what it sounds like, a manga-styled adaptation of one of Shakespeare’s plays, the comedy “The Tempest.” It’s a late play, written somewhere around 1608 or 1610 if memory serves, based in part on a real-lifeContinue reading “On Stratfordians, Oxfordians, and “The Brain of Morbius””
On a New Favorite Font
I think I have a new favorite font. As many people know, I refuse to work with Times New Roman. I find it… unattractive. The shapes are common. It doesn’t speak to me. It doesn’t reveal my inner self. Instead, I work in Palatino. Sometimes its close cousin Book Antiqua, but I’ve gotten so thatContinue reading “On a New Favorite Font”
On the End of America
Here’s a cheery Christmas present for us all.A Russian professor predicts that the United States has eighteen months of life left to it. “There’s a 55-45% chance right now that disintegration will occur,” [Igor Panarin]. “One could rejoice in that process,” he adds, poker-faced. “But if we’re talking reasonably, it’s not the best scenario —Continue reading “On the End of America”
On Light Rail Travails
Some days, I think the universe is conspiring against me. It doesn’t want me to get to work. Or to get home. This was one of those days. The light rail is powered by a distributed electrical grid. Sometimes, when it’s rainy, you can hear the sparking of the contact against the high-voltage wires. AndContinue reading “On Light Rail Travails”
On Watchmen Merchandise
So. Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ graphic novel Watchmen is about to hit theaters in an adaptation directed by 300‘s Zach Snyder. The trailer for it was fantastic. It had the right look. It had the right feel. Every new poster I see, and I get a little more excited. Moore has said at lengthContinue reading “On Watchmen Merchandise”
On Things I’ve Been Reading
Phonogram: The Singles Club #1 Image Comics Written by Kieran Gillen Art by Jamie McKelvie & Others A year and a half ago Image Comics published an interesting six-issue series entitled Phonogram. The story of David Kohl, a phonomancer (that is, a magician that works through music), Phonogram could perhaps be best described as HellblazerContinue reading “On Things I’ve Been Reading”