Robotic Love

Don't play with fire, read books instead!

Fri, 09 Feb 2007 20:04:22 GMT

Just the other day I noticed that one of my all time favorite authors David Eddings, and his wife, Leigh had a 
nasty accident. 

Seems that if you are uncertain about whether a pool of liquid (IN YOUR GARAGE NEXT TO YOUR SPORTS CAR!!) is gasoline or not, the way to tell is NOT to throw a flaming piece of paper on it. anyways, they are both ok, and still fairly well off, but wow. 

Reading that made me realize that a lot of my favorite Sci-Fi and fantasy authors aren't really represented any more in popular culture. I would want my kids to read these fantastic innocent tales. They were written by pulp fiction writers sure, but in many ways they outstrip the cyberpunk and grim Blade runner matrix end of days sort of view seen today in modern Sci-Fi.

I grew up with a pretty cool library, in a small farming community. This allowed for the library to have a stash of reasonably old Sci-Fi from the 1950's and 60's. I would read these guys a lot, and honestly I still do.

Ray Bradbury, led me to check out more poetry, because a lot of his short fiction read like poetry to me. Dandelion Wine is a great example. Bradbury can write some great Sci-fi, always with a bit of gothic mystery to it. The martian chronicles were not so much about colonization of another planet as a paper about the basic problems of being human, fears and hungers, petty jealousies, and racism. All wrapped up in a 1950's midwest sensibility . A great young adult book. Almost  required reading for a pre-teen, the short stories in there will make them think a little, and thats what being a kid is all about!

Robert Heinlein had a number of books that I loved as a kid. "Have Spacesuit will travel" and "Podkayne of Mars" are two relatively unknown books, that are just pure awesomeness. Another days idea of how folks will be in the future. Kids stuck in fantastic and dangerous situations that they have to solve, and quick or people could get hurt!
It is like a historical lens in two directions to read this stuff. You get the whole innocent 1950's viewpoint with a dash of high adventure, and "gee whiz/ zap the bad guys/ hey is that another flying car?" sort of thing. even today you still see bits of his visions in popular culture. Just try to tell me this movie isn't influenced by his writing!
You gotta love home grown starships! That is pure uncut, americana there, people!

Isaac Asimov, wrote a series of books about the galaxy, called the foundation series and how humanity would handle the end of civilization, if they knew it was coming. Great stuff to read. Spanned thousands of years. As a kid, it both stretched my brain by making me look up words! (that's right, I had to actually pick up the dictionary with good old Isaac. He was a tough read for me, growing up. It was worth every Summer afternoon I spent though!)

I just had to get this stuff off my chest so to speak and make sure that future generations (see what I did there?) might pick up a real live book or two, maybe read some to the kids, maybe read because its good to flex the mind a little, and to remember that we all look up at the stars, sometimes.
Big kids and small.

Valentines for the guys this time!/x-posted to blogs.mpire.com

Tue, 06 Feb 2007 20:32:54 GMT

Usually the

ladies get all the time,
regarding the whole St.

Valentines Day thing. I decided

that it is finally time to demand

equal rights
towards slightly expensive gifts.

So if you are female, and you

want to reciprocate the diamonds

and flowers that your wonderful

man got you, then read on!

First guys

like stuff. You might come across

the occasional minimalist, but he

still wants some Ikea
furniture or something to bring

the room together. We might not

care if it comes gift wrapped,

but we do like things. Noisy,

flashy, techy things. Potentially

hazardous things.

So here goes:

For the Handyman:

These guys need tools, and all

kinds. Auto parts

and car tools, heavy

duty Yardwork like snow
blowing this time of year,

and anything from a
hardware store will do nicely.

(these
guys have free shipping right

now)

For
the Techy:

They might not all be named

"Gates", but they all need

gadgets of all
kinds. Home
Entertainment Centers, computers

,
and periferal

s(extra
bits with cords etc.) come in

handy for this type of guy

all
year round.

For the Metro guy:

Clothes
make the man. A little

Armani
will make him feel loved, when he

wants to relax a little! So does

sweet disco phonage, like this

little tool.
Blackberries are so last year.

For the outdoorsman:

Gear,
but of a different
sort apply to this rugged

sort of character. I tend to

wander around
these sites quite

a bit, when searching for deals

online.

For the Sport guy:

these guys like anything with

a team
logo, or an excuse to

knock
around the ball with some

rowdies.I would suggest these

sites for quick grabs, and cheap

ones too!

For the Brew Master:

A
little bit of gear
( I personally like the beer

cozy! ) for the

homebrewer in all of us, and

some set ups for the tasting of

the
brew as well.

For the Dad:

This
guy is all heart. He works hard

to provide for everyone in the

family.
Treat him well,
and get him some of these golf
toys for men. He deserves it.

Plus walking on grass is always
better than mowing it.

Wed, 08 Nov 2006 17:45:46 GMT

"Seattle getting hammered by the rain and the construction site next door gets flooded. Dev team joking about polar bear club and James says "I would swim it for $50". Of course we immediately put in for it. Not shown: The supreme effort just to make it over to the "swimming area" and stripping down. Avg buyin: $20. Loss of productivity for the entire company: (est) $500. Watching one of your lead client dev team members strip to underwear and swim a 45 degree rain-pool next door: PRICELESS."---Greg, CTO for mpire.com

all I can say is that I couldn't stop the laughing. Just couldn't.

Another episode of spam theatre!

Thu, 26 Oct 2006 16:50:39 GMT

This time with punctuation!!

Chapter ten:

To Buenos Ayres, then

    He did not even attempt to pronounce this name, though its strange, inexplicable look on the page was a joy to him. From there by mule-back and afoot over the Andes to Chile. He knew something about that trip.
    A woman who had taught in the Methodist missionary school in Santiago de Chile had taken that journey, and he had heard her give a lecture on it. He was the sexton of the church and heard all the lectures free.

    At Santiago de Chile...

(he pronounced it with a strange distortion of the schoolteachers bad accent)

he would stay for a while and just live and decide what to do next.

    His head swam with dreams and visions, and his heart thumped heavily against his old ribs. The clock striking ten brought him back to reality. He stood up with a gesture of exultation almost fierce.

"Thats just the time when the train crosses the state line!", he said.
"Generalstaatsverordnetenversammlungen, with other collectors, and thus increase the variety of my stock."

"Here raresentence, clothed with an awful and unsuspected power, and crumbles theground from under me. For instance, my book inquires after a certain bird --(it is always inquiring after things which are of no sort of no consequenceto anybody): Where is the bird? Now the answer to this question --inexactness is worse."

"Why, whats Nathaniel doin here?", he asked himself in surprise. He had not known that the boy was even in town, for he had been on the point of leaving to enlist in the navy. Family matters could not have detained him, for he was quite alone in the world, since both his father and his mother were dead and his stepmother had married again.

    Under his great-uncles gaze the lad opened his eyes with a start and sat up confused.

"Whats the matter with you, Nat?", asked the older man not ungently.
He was thinking that probably he had looked like that at sixteen. The boy stared at him a moment, and then, leaning his head on a chair, he began to cry. Sitting thus, crouched together, he looked like a child.

A Clockwork Orange

Thu, 26 Oct 2006 00:04:34 GMT

new cartoon

more email nonsense

Wed, 25 Oct 2006 19:30:37 GMT

The text-ornament caught his eye. Still half asleep, with his sisters long-forgotten voice ringing in his ears, he remembered vaguely that he had meant to bring the second text to light. For a moment he hesitated, and then, Well, its come true for Natty, anyhow, he thought.

my head is filled with delicious candy

Tue, 17 Oct 2006 00:43:46 GMT

so this is one of those cutscheck check one two. mic one mic one

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 20:29:31 GMT

interests? hmmm

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 15:36:30 GMT

Create your own! Originally Written By ga_woo, Hosted and ReWritten by darkman424</lj></lj>

Dub Jay- "Amber Translucence"

Thu, 05 Oct 2006 16:45:34 GMT

I have a flicker account now. I will begin the transmission of my head into it now. Enjoy the oddness that is me.

i love random spam

Tue, 03 Oct 2006 18:53:45 GMT

it do, or what is it made of or whatever?
their TV technicians were another thing altogether, Very much on the
everything that we can do they remain immune to our blandishments,

Robot Love

Sat, 01 Jul 2006 22:41:19 GMT

Fri, 30 Jun 2006 16:24:38 GMT

day dreaming-----blue lines

Mon, 13 Feb 2006 18:42:37 GMT

I was out drinking last weekend with my girl and her friend. A bum was running in and out of traffic hopefull for some change. He ran up to a car full of guys. One leans out and punches the bum.
humanity is overated.

this thing is so under written!!! Needs more cowbell!!

Wed, 28 Dec 2005 16:54:06 GMT

I haven't done anything with the journal in a bunch of months. UGH, I want to update it, so here is whats been going on in DJ Seattleartists life.

Oct. 15 met a girl
ever since been terribly happy.

Broke but happy.

Still separated, hopefully soon to be divorced.

Ate food at christmas, got a shirt from my girlfriend.

Good friend great artist awesome blog, check her out

Wed, 28 Sep 2005 17:51:22 GMT

http://erika.fisherking.org/

spok-a-vegas round two...more pictures

Tue, 27 Sep 2005 14:56:59 GMT

The Brother, also known as Driver!
This is what 80% of the trip looks like. dirt and asphalt!
A very friendly "Chester" Dog unit!
Freshly retired "Old Man Raleigh" Still a little peeved about what some ass said regarding his last days at work, but willing to move forward. People just don't get what a job means to my dad. He was there for 37+years, and basically pushed out on a whim. At least he still has a good retirement set up. No working at Mc D's for this guy!
OK OK One more picture of sin, and bad health! the bartender told us that tobasco will mix with tequilia and they will cancel each other out. He was right, but it only works if your lips are not cracked, like Peters were. HEEE HEE!

Road trip to Spokane

Tue, 27 Sep 2005 14:47:34 GMT

My brother and I got out into the dust of
Eastern Washington to spend a weekend with the parents and update them on my life. We also hit the bars, including a very nice one called "The Globe". the thing that still gets me is that in downtown Spokane you can still find parking anywhere. And a night of drinking runs about $30.00. Very tasty! Parents handled things quite well, so we spent the rest of the weekend updating ocmputers and hitting the Globe whenever it got dark out. It's getting cold out there too. Lets you know that winter is on it's way and soon this disgusting year will be over. And now some pics!!!Me at the globe with a fine array of beverages!
This was above the mens room. Pure classic Spokane!
The cold sterile picture of the Globe!
The warm fuzzy slightly drunken version!
This is the parking lot in Downtown Spokane 10:00pm on Saturday!
Can you believe this???

busy busy busy

Thu, 22 Sep 2005 16:41:50 GMT

My job is getting up and running, spent the day yesterday in 4 chats at the same time, until my co-worker arrived. A lot of people are coming to mpire.com to use the service. Who would have thought that our competetors would do such a lousy job of simply helping out customers. going to Spokane this weekend to let my parents know about the divorce. Gonna play some poker tonight tho'. Need a relaxing session of texas hold-em!