Opera 9.5 released earlier this week. I’ve been an Opera user for, umm, a really long time now. It’s the bestest, fastest, coolest web browser on the planet. It’s more secure that Internet Explorer. It’s more complete than Firefox. It’s faster than Safari. I’ve been running betas, dev builds, and the release candidate for aContinue reading “On the Newest Opera”
On Feeling Anxious
Today, I felt anxious. Today, I felt on edge. Oh, I had reason. Today was my big day in the publishing cycle, where I had publications to put together from scratch and get them out the door to press. But! There wasn’t anything different or unusual this time. Actually, things should have been smoother sailingContinue reading “On Feeling Anxious”
On the Supreme Court and Detainees
The Supreme Court issued a stinging rebuke to the Bush Administration and its policy of classifying detainees as “enemy combatants,” stripping them of legal rights. In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court says that detainees held at Guantanamo Bay and other military prisons have the right of habeas corpus to challenge their detentions. Also, theContinue reading “On the Supreme Court and Detainees”
On Reviews
Reviews of Doctor Who: Short Trips: The Quality of Leadership have begun to turn up, and I’ve been remiss in linking to them. Unreality SF, a UK-based review site, has two reviews of the book. One is by Dan, the other by Jens. Both reviews break the anthology down story by story, and both provideContinue reading “On Reviews”
On Ice Cream Sandwiches
My grandmother ate my ice cream sandwiches. Had she eaten them and thrown the wrappers away, I’d have been annoyed, but it wouldn’t have been a tragedy. Had she eaten them and left the wrappers on the counter, I’d have been annoyed, but I’d have been okay. Had she eaten them partially, and frozen whatContinue reading “On Ice Cream Sandwiches”
On Economic Curiosities
Strangely enough, Guinness is now cheaper than Sam Adams.
On Impeaching the President
Dennis Kucinich, Democratic Congressman from Ohio and former Presidential candidate, is introducing 35 articles of impeachment against President George W. Bush. I’ve long wanted to see Bush impeached and removed from office. Or, even better, Bush extradited to Europe to stand trial at the Hague for war crimes. I know that Kucinich’s resolution will goContinue reading “On Impeaching the President”
On the Need for Pirates
It’s hot. It’s really hot. This is no mere heat wave. This is global warming, pure and simple. There’s only one thing to be done, really. High seas piracy. Where are the pirates stepping up to the plate, to sacrifice their lives, liberty, and sacred honor on the high seas? Where are the men ofContinue reading “On the Need for Pirates”
On Paperback Writer
It sometimes surprises me, given the cultural signifance of the Beatles, that there’s not more fiction devoted to the Beatles than there is. There’s a few novels — Liverpool Fantasy stands out — and some short stories, like Ian MacLeod’s “Snodgrass” and Stephen Baxter’s “The Twelfth Album.” Curiously, all of these novels are alternate historiesContinue reading “On Paperback Writer”
On Late Night Conversations
At midnight, my grandmother wanted to talk. She’d fallen asleep earlier in the evening, sometime around nine, and now it was midnight and she was done with her nap. She opened the door at the bottom of the steps, and began to ask questions. “Are you cool enough?” she asked. No. “Yes,” I said. “AreContinue reading “On Late Night Conversations”