Museum of the Slightly Curious

Test

2011-09-11T09:54:00.001-07:00

Testing the new mobile blogger app.

iPhone Photos from Gencon 2011

2011-08-10T19:05:00.001-07:00

Gencon_2011

Indiana Wind Farm

2011-08-08T20:58:00.000-07:00

Photos from the Treshnish Isles of Staffa and Lunga, west of the Isle of Mull, Scotland.

2011-08-08T11:51:00.001-07:00

UK2011_Staffa_Lunga

Photos from our nature walks around the Isle of Mull, Scotland

2011-08-08T11:50:00.005-07:00

UK2011_Mull

Photos from our visit to London, Oxford, and Windsor Castle.

2011-08-08T11:50:00.003-07:00

UK2011_London_Ofxord_Windsor

Photos from our nature walk around Loch Ba on the Isle of Mull, Scotland.

2011-08-08T11:50:00.001-07:00

UK2011_LochBa

Photos from the Isle of Iona, Scotland.

2011-08-08T11:49:00.001-07:00

UK2011_Iona

Photos from around the Scottish cities of Oban and Tobermory.

2011-08-08T11:48:00.001-07:00

UK2011_Oban_Tobermory

2011-03-15T10:25:00.001-07:00

Red Panda Adventures (68) - Small Wonders http://ping.fm/V1YQQ

2011-03-13T20:34:00.001-07:00

Surreal first person footage of the tsunami destroying a city
http://ow.ly/4dHHM

2011-03-13T19:32:00.001-07:00

Basic Instructions - Basic Instructions - How to Compose a "Tweet" http://ow.ly/4dGq2

2011-03-11T12:42:00.001-08:00

I'm testing Hootsuite's posting tools:
APOD: 2011 March 9 - The International Space Station Expands Again http://ow.ly/4cLW5

2011-03-11T12:37:00.001-08:00

Testing Hootsuite post to my blog

2010-12-27T17:33:00.001-08:00

Went to Xmas Eve church this year. Unusual to be at seasonal public event where "Merry Christmas" was said without restraint or hesitation.

Winter at Navy Pier Chicago

2010-12-22T14:53:00.000-08:00

2010-11-25T16:19:00.001-08:00

Prime Rib on Thanksgiving with plenty of strong red wine!

2010-11-17T19:47:00.001-08:00

I'm listening to The Mind's Eye (Unabridged) by Oliver Sacks on my Audible for iPhone app.

2010-11-17T19:31:00.001-08:00

Was that a flake of snow..? Just a leaf.

2010-11-05T16:16:00.001-07:00

I'm listening to A Fire Upon the Deep (Unabridged) Part 2 by Vernor Vinge on my Audible for iPhone app.

2010-11-01T21:02:00.001-07:00

RT From @cwgabriel: This is an amazing comic http://bit.ly/c9bYg7

2010-10-30T15:28:00.001-07:00

I'm listening to The Incredible Adventures of Jack Flanders by Meatball Fulton on my Audible for iPhone app.

2010-10-26T07:55:00.001-07:00

I'm listening to Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination, Part 1 by Neal Gabler on my Audible for iPhone app.

2010-10-15T06:19:00.001-07:00

RT from @beatonna: the problem with these hats is that there are so many to
choose from http://tinyurl.com/26d9h8z

2010-10-14T21:14:00.001-07:00

All new Pulp radio thrills - Red Panda Adventures: Rocket Science! Kick some Ratzi butt - click to listen! http://tiny.cc/m43dp

2010-10-12T19:03:00.001-07:00

I'm listening to The Grand Design (Unabridged) by Stephen Hawking, Leonard Mlodinow on my Audible for iPhone app.

2010-10-04T18:52:00.001-07:00

The Adventures of Dr. McNinja: http://ping.fm/GBOPd

2010-10-01T16:48:00.001-07:00

I'm listening to Grave Peril: The Dresden Files Book 3 (Unabridged) Part 1 by Jim Butcher on my Audible for iPhone app.

2010-09-28T14:21:00.001-07:00

RT @ryanqnorth: This movie - this movie might be the best movie http://tinyurl.com/39me6ae via @jennipoos

2010-09-28T13:50:00.001-07:00

I'm listening to The Year of Magical Thinking (Unabridged) by Joan Didion on my Audible for iPhone app.

HRP-4 Athletic Robot Worker

2010-09-20T21:22:00.000-07:00

Okay, now it's starting to get scary.

http://pinktentacle.com/2010/09/hrp-4-athletic-robot-worker/

2010-09-20T18:33:00.001-07:00

The world's teensiest stop-animation video http://slate.me/aeifOo

2010-09-14T19:05:00.001-07:00

RTfrom @DalaiLama: Through kindness, affection, honesty, truth and justice toward all others we ensure our own benefit â€“ this is a matter of common sense.

YOU ARE PROBABLY A CYBORG RIGHT NOW. are you aware??

2010-09-14T06:10:00.001-07:00

2010-09-13T14:08:00.001-07:00

RT @dylanhorrocks Interview w/David Wesley, perhaps the original inventor of RPGs: http://bit.ly/cX3q3J dnd

Nailed It Blog - Bruce Lee Audition Screen Test

2010-09-11T19:10:00.000-07:00

2010-09-09T19:29:00.001-07:00

Samuel sent 3ev2im@ping.fm a message on Facebook.

To reply to this message, follow the link below:

http://ping.fm/Qeg2g

2010-09-09T07:07:00.001-07:00

RT @JadAbumrad New Radiolab podcast up! ... voices in your head...http://bit.ly/bHndI7

2010-09-08T07:27:00.001-07:00

I'm listening to The Game of Rat and Dragon (Unabridged) by Cordwainer Smith on my Audible for iPhone app.

2010-09-05T19:24:00.001-07:00

What does Earth look like from the planet Mercury?
http://ping.fm/NR8O6

2010-09-03T19:15:00.001-07:00

Tweet from @noobde: Harry Potter playing Mortal Kombat. I can now die in
peace.. http://ping.fm/gbCbg

2010-09-03T07:16:00.001-07:00

I'm listening to A Study in Emerald (Unabridged) by Neil Gaiman on my Audible for iPhone app.

2010-09-02T13:46:00.001-07:00

I'm listening to Fool Moon (Unabridged) Part 2 by Jim Butcher on my Audible for iPhone app.

2010-09-01T20:25:00.001-07:00

I've finally gotten back my luggage which the hotel lost last month after Gen-con..!

Max Headroom It was ahead of its ti-ti-time.

2010-08-31T19:17:00.000-07:00

http://www.slate.com/id/2265067

2010-08-29T18:02:00.001-07:00

Tweet from @neilhimself
Lots of people sent me links to this Sandman-Inception Fan-Fiction comic at
http://bit.ly/99K3VE

2010-08-29T13:05:00.001-07:00

Recent updates to the Adventure Log of my D&D campaign on Obsidian Portal:
http://tinyurl.com/2d5f2wh

Foxtrot 08/29/2010

2010-08-29T07:41:00.000-07:00

08/29/2010

Living in a Technicolor Universe

2010-08-27T20:01:00.000-07:00

http://news.discovery.com/space/living-in-a-technicolor-universe.html

2010-08-26T18:55:00.001-07:00

Tweet from @DalaiLama: There must be a way of promoting human values without
involving religion, based on common sense, experience and recent scientific
findings.

2010-08-25T21:13:00.001-07:00

SF Movie posters from an alternate Universe. http://bit.ly/cNqjXz

2010-08-25T19:39:00.001-07:00

3 new players at D&D Encounters, which is good, though I feel bad having to start folks at part 12 of a 15 part story. dndenc

2010-08-24T21:01:00.001-07:00

Sam has sent you a link to a post on Kotaku:

Title: What's Next For Mortal Kombat, NetherRealm Studios
Link: http://ping.fm/AB3nk

Sam says: What's Next For Mortal Kombat, NetherRealm Studios

Everything You Need to Know About Star Trek

2010-08-24T06:14:00.001-07:00

2010-08-20T17:54:00.001-07:00

Webcomic Review: Gunnerkrigg Court is an Epic for All Ages http://ping.fm/8YnFt

2010-08-18T20:06:00.001-07:00

D&D Encounters chaos tonight. Prisoners of cannibal hobbits. Some players wanted to fight some wanted to join up some just nonplussed dndenc

2010-08-17T19:52:00.001-07:00

Tweet from @DalaiLama: We find that patience is the best means we have of
defending ourselves internally from anger's destructive effects.

2010-08-15T06:33:00.001-07:00

On the Web, whispers of the next big discovery quickly become roars, NY Times: http://ping.fm/M5bey

2010-08-12T19:28:00.001-07:00

Itâ€™s almost impossible to imagine a world without words. But in this hour of Radiolab, we try to do just that. http://ping.fm/UugCG

2010-08-09T15:56:00.001-07:00

A few photos I took at Gen-con are up at: http://ping.fm/8eTjU

2010-08-08T18:20:00.001-07:00

Back from Gen-con. Other than trouble getting there (flight cancelled) and trouble getting back (hotel lost bag) it was fun. Blog to come.

2010-08-08T15:52:00.001-07:00

Hotel lost bag with my copy of Monster Manual III and Dark Sun Campaign Setting. At least I had Dresden Files RPG book on my person. gencon

2010-08-03T08:24:00.001-07:00

My wife asked question about whales and I gave 15 minute reply that had little to do with question. I need to find/make a Science Club...

Slow Motion Video of a Multiple Tower Upward Lightning Flash on 6/16/10

2010-07-29T17:43:00.000-07:00

2010-07-28T19:59:00.001-07:00

New Horizons looks WAy back on Jupiter from it's perch near Uranus's orbit: see http://bit.ly/dhtaSW

2010-07-28T19:56:00.001-07:00

New Horizons looks back

2010-07-27T17:46:00.001-07:00

And you thought the Axe Cop/Dr McNinja crossover was cool: Hugh Laurie's House, Tezuka's Black Jack Co-Star in Ad http://tinyurl.com/23c7qt3

2010-07-26T07:59:00.001-07:00

I'm listening to The Salmon of Doubt (Unabridged) by Douglas Adams on my Audible for iPhone app.

T-Rex expresses my thoughts.

2010-07-26T06:01:00.000-07:00

By strange coincidence, today's "Dinosaur Comics" does a good job of expressing my feelings, halfway through Perdido Street Station:

http://www.qwantz.com/index.php?comic=1760

2010-07-25T18:42:00.001-07:00

Any China Mieville readers want to give me some advice? I have a post/question on my blog: http://tinyurl.com/36x2qdw chinamieville

Mieville Muddle

2010-07-25T18:38:00.000-07:00

If you haven't read the books discussed below, I'm going to try to avoid any real spoilers, but there is some general discussion.

I haven't kept up too much with contemporary SF/Fantasy authors, so I have only recently read any China Mieville. The first book of his I picked up (note whenever I mention "reading" I almost always mean listening to an unabridged audiobook) was "The City & The City." I liked that one a lot (and may write more about it in another post. I saw some criticism of it though, from people who thought it a departure from Mieville's other, more elaborate. fantasy novels.

With that in mind I started "Perdido Street Station." It is a baroquely detailed steampunk fantasy about an enourmous, bizarre, rotting city full of humans and numerous other, carefully imagined strange races. So far so good: that's my kind of thing (I've gotten through Mervyn Peake's "Gormenghast" trilogy twice).

I was swept up into the decaying grandeur of New Crobuzon, its people, and the weird lifestyles that are, to them, ordinary life. I liked the troubled trans-species couple of Issac and Lin. The irresistible opportunities that come up for each of them (the problematic situation of getting what you want) were engaging, both in themselves, and it what they mean for each personally and their relationship. I liked the perspective shifts that came from the occasional switch to the first person point-of-view of Yagharek.

And then the "plot" kicked into full speed.... Halfway through the book I'm wishing the plot would go away. The world and lives we've followed so far get thrown into chaos, and Mieville seems intent on making everybody suffer as much as possible. I liked the characters' "ordinary" lives, and the more Mieville tortures and mutilates them, the less interested I am in the story.

I find myself dreading getting back to the book. I'd be interested in the thoughts of anybody who has read the complete book. Given what I've said above, should I stick with it, or am I better off stopping? I can discuss or comment in greater detail in a more spoilery fashion, if anybody has specifics to bring up.

2010-07-25T18:09:00.001-07:00

Whenever it rains a lot, the local park turns into a lake full of happy
ducks.

Stormy skies - The Big Picture - Boston.com

2010-07-25T08:53:00.000-07:00

Stormy skies - The Big Picture - Boston.com

2010-07-23T21:31:00.001-07:00

@CBrenchleyI love iTunes, but yes, music.zoekeating.com works out better for me...RT @zoecello

2010-07-23T11:47:00.001-07:00

RT Zoe Keating @zoecello My new album "Into the Trees" is now LIVE IN THE ITUNES STORE! Whoop! http://bit.ly/de07c1

2010-07-21T19:47:00.001-07:00

Only 6 players at D&D Encounters tonight. So since I run the second table, no game for me. dndenc

2010-07-20T10:29:00.001-07:00

Warner Brothers Interactive's Ryan On Company Expansion, Midway Acquisition http://ping.fm/RDEDE

2010-07-19T20:19:00.001-07:00

Axe Cop and Dr. McNinja to Team Up http://ping.fm/20y7P

2010-07-18T18:50:00.001-07:00

Photo Album from Amy & my recent trip to the United Kingdom is up at http://ping.fm/xqY53

2010-07-18T11:42:00.001-07:00

Inventor of the pixel wishes he never invented the damn thing
http://slate.me/bcixq8

2010-07-17T21:17:00.001-07:00

About to be stepped on by a giant ant.

2010-07-17T13:40:00.003-07:00

Short walk by Chicago River and saw 3 kinds of heron, 3 kinds of turtles, + kingfisher, ducks, geese, jumping fish

2010-07-16T21:03:00.001-07:00

D.C. earthquake devastation in Gaithersburg, Maryland. http://ping.fm/Id7U7 (via @radleybalko )

Sent from Echofon - http://echofon.com/

2010-07-16T19:56:00.001-07:00

Photos: Rice paddy art (2010) http://ping.fm/tdkM6

2010-07-16T16:53:00.001-07:00

I'm listening to Perdido Street Station (Unabridged) Part 2 by China Mieville on my Audible for iPhone app.

2010-07-16T12:33:00.001-07:00

Chicago River, middle of the city, hot July afternoon.

2010-07-16T10:59:00.001-07:00

Not much of a picture, but great blue heron soaring over Chicago River.

2010-07-16T05:58:00.001-07:00

Wondermak#639; The Moment of Clarity http://ping.fm/gdg4y

2010-07-13T21:31:00.001-07:00

Top 10...For Now: Anime Papercrafts http://ping.fm/iO2AZ

2010-01-28T20:16:00.001-08:00

I'm working up to restarting this blog. I have ideas; we'll see what happens.