Norebang!!!!!!!
Check out my eighth vlog about teaching English and living in South Korea.
Watch it here!
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Science/Speculative Fiction Review #8
To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #1 click here
To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #2 click here
To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #3 click here
To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #4 click here
To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #5 click here
To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #6 click here
To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #7 click here
I spend a great deal of my time every day reading speculative science fiction. The rest of my time is spent asking the questions and questioning the answers that the science fiction I read creates. All of the stories I post contain elements of profound contemplation, varying philosophy, metaphysics, and theoretical pondering. The authors that create these stories are among my heroes in this reality, and I very much want to share them with you. Although I read a great deal more than the stories I will post in these short reviews, I only want to share those pieces of text/audio that really stick with me and force my mind to ponder life, the universe, and everything. While I am delighted with nearly all that I read in this genre, I will make an attempt to only present the best of the best.
"And then it’s time. TheOtherGirls and their silent Ponies collect in a ring around Barbara and Sunny. Barbara feels sick.
TopGirl says to Barbara, “What did she pick?”
Sunny looks scared but answers her directly. “I would rather talk than fly or stab things with my horn.”
TopGirl says to Barbara, “That’s what Ponies always say.” She gives Barbara a curved knife with a blade as long as a woman’s hand."
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley -novel-
Huxley presents to the reader a world that can be viewed as a utopia within a dystopia, depending on who you are in the book's society and your perspective. The citizens of the world are controlled through a euphoric drug that creates complacency in an existence without freedom or choice. Even birth and the raising of children is fully controlled and regulated. No one seems to complain about the caste system; no one seems to care much about anything at all, and the society functions perfectly and efficiently. Until...
A highly influential novel still applicable to contemporary society.
"At the end of the room a loud speaker projected from the wall. The Director walked up to it and pressed a switch.
"… all wear green," said a soft but very distinct voice, beginning in the middle of a sentence, "and Delta Children wear khaki. Oh no, I don't want to play with Delta children. And Epsilons are still worse. They're too stupid to be able to read or write. Besides they wear black, which is such a beastly colour. I'm so glad I'm a Beta."
There was a pause; then the voice began again.
"Alpha children wear grey. They work much harder than we do, because they're so frightfully clever. I'm really awfully glad I'm a Beta, because I don't work so hard. And then we are much better than the Gammas and Deltas. Gammas are stupid. They all wear green, and Delta children wear khaki. Oh no, I don't want to play with Delta children. And Epsilons are still worse. They're too stupid to be able …"
The Director pushed back the switch. The voice was silent. Only its thin ghost continued to mutter from beneath the eighty pillows.
"They'll have that repeated forty or fifty times more before they wake; then again on Thursday, and again on Saturday. A hundred and twenty times three times a week for thirty months. After which they go on to a more advanced lesson."
1984 by George Orwell -novel-
An unforgettable, highly influential novel set in a dystopic world controlled by the government called Big Brother. The story focuses on Winston Smith, a man that, unfortunately for him, recognizes the hypocrisy and problems associated with the constant surveillance, propoganda, and harsh punishment of his government. All of these totalitarian facets result in the control and restriction of every action and thought, whether the denizens know it or not. Nothing is as it seems. Big Brother is always watching. The similarities with our own world are stark and terrifying. An eye opening, hair grasping adventure.
"The Ministry of Truth, which concerned itself with news, entertainment, education and the fine arts. The Ministry of Peace, which concerned itself with war. The Ministry of Love, which maintained law and order. And the Ministry of Plenty, which was responsible for economic affairs."
"WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH"
The Nine Billion Names of God by Arthur C. Clarke
Overall 5
"“This is a project on which we have been working for the last three centuries — since the lamasery was founded, in fact. It is somewhat alien to your way of thought, so I hope you will listen with an open mind while I explain it.”
“Naturally.”
“It is really quite simple. We have been compiling a list which shall contain all the possible names of God.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“We have reason to believe,” continued the lama imperturbably, “that all such names can be written with not more than nine letters in an alphabet we have devised.”
“And you have been doing this for three centuries?”
“Yes: we expected it would take us about fifteen thousand years to complete the task.”"
Distant Replay by Mike Resnick -short story-
"But she was sixty-eight when she’d died, and now she looked exactly the way she looked the very first time I saw her. I tried to smile at her as I passed her table. She looked right through me.
I got to the men’s room, rinsed my face off, and took a look in the mirror, just to make sure I was still seventy-six years old and hadn’t dreamed the last half century. It was me, all right: not much hair on the top, in need of a trim on the sides, one eye half-shut from the mini-stroke I denied having except in increasingly rare moments of honesty, a tiny scab on my chin where I’d cut myself shaving. (I can’t stand those new-fangled electric razors, though since they’ve been around as long as I have, I guess they’re not really so new-fangled after all.)
It wasn’t much of a face on good days, and now it had just seen a woman who was the spitting image of Deirdre.
When I came out she was still there, sitting alone, picking at her dessert.
“Excuse me,” I said, walking up to her table. “Do you mind if I join you for a moment?”"
To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #2 click here
To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #3 click here
To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #4 click here
To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #5 click here
To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #6 click here
To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #7 click here
I spend a great deal of my time every day reading speculative science fiction. The rest of my time is spent asking the questions and questioning the answers that the science fiction I read creates. All of the stories I post contain elements of profound contemplation, varying philosophy, metaphysics, and theoretical pondering. The authors that create these stories are among my heroes in this reality, and I very much want to share them with you. Although I read a great deal more than the stories I will post in these short reviews, I only want to share those pieces of text/audio that really stick with me and force my mind to ponder life, the universe, and everything. While I am delighted with nearly all that I read in this genre, I will make an attempt to only present the best of the best.
Writing - The quality of the writing. I specifically rate the writing on how well it is able to convey to me the action, thoughts, emotions, etc. of the story.
Creativity- Simply put, this rating is a measure of the degree of imagination that exists in the writing. How unique and new was the story? Is it something I have seen done over and over again? I also factor into this rating category interesting literary techniques such as stylish ways to present chapters or different parts of the story.
Intrigue- This rating represents the stories ability to keep me interested. Did I get bored and have to fight my way through to the end? Or did I lose myself and end up somewhere else entirely?
Overall- My general impression of the story. How much I enjoyed it from beginning to end, and/or how much it affected me.
Ponies by Kij Johnson -flash story-
This is less of a science fiction story and more of a gruesome fairy tale. A girl and her pony are just trying to fit in, even if it means bloody amputation! A story that will take a few minutes to read and will never leave your mind afterward.
Ponies by Kij Johnson -flash story-
Writing 4.5 Creativity 4 Intrigue 5
Overall 4.5
This is less of a science fiction story and more of a gruesome fairy tale. A girl and her pony are just trying to fit in, even if it means bloody amputation! A story that will take a few minutes to read and will never leave your mind afterward.
"And then it’s time. TheOtherGirls and their silent Ponies collect in a ring around Barbara and Sunny. Barbara feels sick.
TopGirl says to Barbara, “What did she pick?”
Sunny looks scared but answers her directly. “I would rather talk than fly or stab things with my horn.”
TopGirl says to Barbara, “That’s what Ponies always say.” She gives Barbara a curved knife with a blade as long as a woman’s hand."
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley -novel-
Writing 5 Creativity 5+ Intrigue 5
Overall 5
Huxley presents to the reader a world that can be viewed as a utopia within a dystopia, depending on who you are in the book's society and your perspective. The citizens of the world are controlled through a euphoric drug that creates complacency in an existence without freedom or choice. Even birth and the raising of children is fully controlled and regulated. No one seems to complain about the caste system; no one seems to care much about anything at all, and the society functions perfectly and efficiently. Until...
A highly influential novel still applicable to contemporary society.
"At the end of the room a loud speaker projected from the wall. The Director walked up to it and pressed a switch.
"… all wear green," said a soft but very distinct voice, beginning in the middle of a sentence, "and Delta Children wear khaki. Oh no, I don't want to play with Delta children. And Epsilons are still worse. They're too stupid to be able to read or write. Besides they wear black, which is such a beastly colour. I'm so glad I'm a Beta."
There was a pause; then the voice began again.
"Alpha children wear grey. They work much harder than we do, because they're so frightfully clever. I'm really awfully glad I'm a Beta, because I don't work so hard. And then we are much better than the Gammas and Deltas. Gammas are stupid. They all wear green, and Delta children wear khaki. Oh no, I don't want to play with Delta children. And Epsilons are still worse. They're too stupid to be able …"
The Director pushed back the switch. The voice was silent. Only its thin ghost continued to mutter from beneath the eighty pillows.
"They'll have that repeated forty or fifty times more before they wake; then again on Thursday, and again on Saturday. A hundred and twenty times three times a week for thirty months. After which they go on to a more advanced lesson."
1984 by George Orwell -novel-
Writing 5+ Creativity 5 Intrigue 5+
Overall 5+
An unforgettable, highly influential novel set in a dystopic world controlled by the government called Big Brother. The story focuses on Winston Smith, a man that, unfortunately for him, recognizes the hypocrisy and problems associated with the constant surveillance, propoganda, and harsh punishment of his government. All of these totalitarian facets result in the control and restriction of every action and thought, whether the denizens know it or not. Nothing is as it seems. Big Brother is always watching. The similarities with our own world are stark and terrifying. An eye opening, hair grasping adventure.
"The Ministry of Truth, which concerned itself with news, entertainment, education and the fine arts. The Ministry of Peace, which concerned itself with war. The Ministry of Love, which maintained law and order. And the Ministry of Plenty, which was responsible for economic affairs."
"WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH"
The Nine Billion Names of God by Arthur C. Clarke
-short story-
Writing 4.5 Creativity 4 Intrigue 4.5
Overall 5
A group of monks believe the entire purpose of the universe is to conceive, discover, and list every name of God. Because of the vast quantity of names, they hire two computer technicians to create a program and install it in a computer that functions algorithmically to create all possible combinations of language until all the names of God are created. So, what happens when they actually come up with all the names?
"“This is a project on which we have been working for the last three centuries — since the lamasery was founded, in fact. It is somewhat alien to your way of thought, so I hope you will listen with an open mind while I explain it.”
“Naturally.”
“It is really quite simple. We have been compiling a list which shall contain all the possible names of God.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“We have reason to believe,” continued the lama imperturbably, “that all such names can be written with not more than nine letters in an alphabet we have devised.”
“And you have been doing this for three centuries?”
“Yes: we expected it would take us about fifteen thousand years to complete the task.”"
Distant Replay by Mike Resnick -short story-
Writing 5 Creativity 3.5 Intrigue 5
Overall 5
This one has all the charm and wit that makes a great story. I wouldn't exactly consider it sci fi, but it contains many paranormal and speculative elements. An old man waiting for death thinks he sees his wife, but she's been dead for years. He slowly builds a very strange relationship with a young woman who is identical to his dead wife of nearly fifty years in every conceivable way. A truly touching and uplifting read.
Read it here.
Read it here.
I got to the men’s room, rinsed my face off, and took a look in the mirror, just to make sure I was still seventy-six years old and hadn’t dreamed the last half century. It was me, all right: not much hair on the top, in need of a trim on the sides, one eye half-shut from the mini-stroke I denied having except in increasingly rare moments of honesty, a tiny scab on my chin where I’d cut myself shaving. (I can’t stand those new-fangled electric razors, though since they’ve been around as long as I have, I guess they’re not really so new-fangled after all.)
It wasn’t much of a face on good days, and now it had just seen a woman who was the spitting image of Deirdre.
When I came out she was still there, sitting alone, picking at her dessert.
“Excuse me,” I said, walking up to her table. “Do you mind if I join you for a moment?”"
Monday, July 9, 2012
Science/Speculative Fiction Review #7
To view Science/speculative Fiction Review #1 click here
To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #2 click here
To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #3 click here
To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #4 click here
To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #5 click here
To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #6 click here
I spend a great deal of my time every day reading speculative science fiction. The rest of my time is spent asking the questions and questioning the answers that the science fiction I read creates. All of the stories I post contain elements of profound contemplation, varying philosophy, metaphysics, and theoretical pondering. The authors that create these stories are among my heroes in this reality, and I very much want to share them with you. Although I read a great deal more than the stories I will post in these short reviews, I only want to share those pieces of text/audio that really stick with me and force my mind to ponder life, the universe, and everything. While I am delighted with nearly all that I read in this genre, I will make an attempt to only present the best of the best.
Writing - The quality of the writing. I specifically rate the writing on how well it is able to convey to me the action, thoughts, emotions, etc. of the story.
Creativity- Simply put, this rating is a measure of the degree of imagination that exists in the writing. How unique and new was the story? Is it something I have seen done over and over again? I also factor into this rating category interesting literary techniques such as stylish ways to present chapters or different parts of the story.
Intrigue- This rating represents the stories ability to keep me interested. Did I get bored and have to fight my way through to the end? Or did I lose myself and end up somewhere else entirely?
Overall- My general impression of the story. How much I enjoyed it from beginning to end, and/or how much it affected me.
Fragmentation, or Ten Thousand Goodbyes by Tom Crosshill -short story-
Fragmentation, or Ten Thousand Goodbyes by Tom Crosshill -short story-
Writing 5 Creativity 4.5 Intrigue 5
Overall 5
Some of the best writing I have ever read. He has already won many awards, and I have a feeling Tom Crosshill is only at the beginning of his due to be highly successful writing career. Crosshill introduces his readers to a world where people can be uploaded into a personal, virtual world of their choosing just before death to be preserved forever.This story is packed with emotion and leaves the reader stunned and speechless by the end of the ride. A story that begs the age old question, "what is self?"
Read it here.
"Every day, Mom says goodbye to me for the last time.
I need to go to the office or meet Lisa at the airport or pop out for some milk. I'm lacing my shoes in the hallway when I hear the tap-tap-tap of her heels. I freeze for a moment, then rise to meet her.
Mom stands in the door, elegant in a simple dress. No matter the silvery hair. No matter how her skin, once a smooth dark brown, wrinkles over her bones. You'd never guess she has lived a century. She has no titanium knees, no vat-grown veins, no concession to modernity inside her.
If only her mind were as strong."
Writing 5 Creativity 4 Intrigue 5+
Overall 5
A schizophrenic patient in a mental hospital is paranoid that the entire world has been created and continues to exist as an illusion to fool him. Is it possible he's right?
The Ugly Little Boy by Isaac Asimov -short story-
Writing 5 Creativity 4 Intrigue 4.5
Overall 4.5
This is the story of a boy born 40,000 years in the past and brought to the present to be studied. When the studying is over with, what is to be done with this ugly little boy?
Read it here.
Read it here.
But his forehead glistened.
Edith Fellowes found herself out of her seat and at the balcony railing, but there was nothing to see.
The man at the microphone said quietly, “Now.”
There was a space of silence sufficient for one breath and then the sound of a terrified little boy’s scream from the dollhouse rooms. Terror! Piercing terror!"
Writing 5+ Creativity 5+ Intrigue 5+
Overall 5+
Neal Stephenson quickly became a big name in the realm of sci fi. His degree of historical research, technical insight, rhetorical wit, and high level of storytelling ability are mixed with a perfect dosage of action, romance, charm and wonder. The virtual world and real world are both at risk of complete destruction and pandemonium. In a completely capitalistic and corporate United States whose land is bought and sold by other nations and companies, including itself, it is up to Hiro Protagonist, a pizza delivery driver and the greatest swordsman in the 'the world' to save everyone. One of the most entertaining and well told/researched stories I have ever read. From start to finish, I completely lost myself in this one. Beyond perfect score in all aspects.
“She's a woman, you're a dude. You're not supposed to understand her. That's notwhat she's after.... She doesn't want you to understand her. She knows that'simpossible. She just wants you to understand yourself. Everything else is negotiable.”
“When you are wrestling for possession of a sword, the man with the handle always wins.”
Writing 4.5 Creativity 4 Intrigue 5
Overall 5
It's weird enough that a robot named Jackson has any desire at all. The fact that he has the sole desire to become a member of the church he cleans is even stranger! A story that examines humanity's humanity. Beautiful and poignant.
"“I’m sure,” I said. “Somehow, lunch seems pretty trivial after you’ve been thinking about God all morning.”
“God, sir?”
“The Creator of all things,” I explained.
“My creator is Stanley Kalinovsky, sir,” said Jackson. “I was not aware that he created everything in the world, nor that his preferred name was God.”
I couldn’t repress a smile."
Friday, July 6, 2012
Killin' like a Ruff Ryder
Ever since summer started Claire and I have been noticing fruit flies of various sizes roaming around the apartment.
Most of the time we are able to kill a few here and there, keeping their numbers at bay. I even leveled up to master fruit fly destroyer when I killed two with one slap.
"Knock knock, open up the door,
Most of the time we are able to kill a few here and there, keeping their numbers at bay. I even leveled up to master fruit fly destroyer when I killed two with one slap.
Anyway, one week the fruit fly numbers started increasing at an overwhelming rate. We checked all around the apartment, in the garbage, in the sink, everywhere, but couldn't find the source.
One morning, after Claire had gone to school early, I awoke to a dizzying cloud of fruit flies dancing around one another in the kitchen. I thought, quite eloquently, "No fucking way."
One morning, after Claire had gone to school early, I awoke to a dizzying cloud of fruit flies dancing around one another in the kitchen. I thought, quite eloquently, "No fucking way."
I sauntered into the kitchen, swatted the pests out of my eyes and away from my nostrils, and opened the cabinet under the sink.
My eyes widened to a disgusting scene of 100's of fruit flies in a swirling black cloud having an orgy and dropping larvae to the bottom of the cabinet. There were just as many larvae as there were flyers. The eggs lined the cabinet. They were sticking to the walls, to the pipe of the sink, to the garbage. They were crammed into unreachable crevices behind the sink, and under the stove, Piled into corners like disheveled firewood.
They had created the foundation for a thriving colony overnight. I thought, quite eloquently, "Fuck that."
I retreated a few steps, tempted by the thought of cowering and hiding in the bathroom in an impenetrable stream of hot water. I let out a few pathetic whimpers, and finally found a centered, murderous zen.
I knew that I would have to bring the artillery for this battle.
I walked over to my laptop. I did what any sane, white, suburban kid would do in this type of situation requiring pain and barbaric, wing crunching blood lust.
I turned on some DMX.
I turned this song on repeat,threw on some plastic gloves, and began piling up minuscule bodies like an insect Auschwitz.
I thought these lyrics were most fitting for the situation:I knew that I would have to bring the artillery for this battle.
I walked over to my laptop. I did what any sane, white, suburban kid would do in this type of situation requiring pain and barbaric, wing crunching blood lust.
I turned on some DMX.
I turned this song on repeat,threw on some plastic gloves, and began piling up minuscule bodies like an insect Auschwitz.
"Knock knock, open up the door,
it's real
Wit the non-stop, pop pop
and stainless steel
Go hard gettin busy wit it"
Go hard gettin busy wit it"
The 'door' being the cabinet door, and the 'non-stop pop pop' being my hands endlessly ending tiny lives with a steel-like slap.
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Mr E - Beet (Rap #4)
This is rap #4 of my homemade raps.
Lyrics:
lame
day, weak pay, weeks pay couldn't preserve my name sake,
9-5
just to reserve what they take,
For
god's sake forsake gods they're all fake,
our
solution evolving media, I do declare Wikipedia
source
of facts non-fiction, depiction of her curvature the only
link
that's missing,
next
up is a special edition
of
the mischief your missing
listen,
and im'a christen these air waves
like
stairways to heaven seven merry men
gather
round my rhetoric screaming amen, pretend,
that
you don't owe my mental den consisting of ryou and ken
one-
the president's head
silent and dead , irrelevant, Stacion and
Mister E are sub urban sent,
and
solely meant to keep your mind bent
in
all of the right directions, this social section is where we hold elections
for
the globes hardest erections, hmmmm
chose
anarchy due to filibuster bullshit malarkey
and
requests for endless pension, somebody stop these beat fiends arrest them
for
causing cardiac arrest in less than half the rap population testing
these
tunes with android cellphones and metronomes that only click
when
left alone, fully grown
we
dwell in zones sanctioned for garden gnomes,
and
roam near home with a fluid poem rolling of our bottom lip
quick
tip, empty lungs and bottle it, allow it to ferment to fit
don't
just sit there , harness hip hop hustle
hissy fit,
sell
that shit as sparklit
garnish
roaring applause you get with redic rhymes writ as hits
holster
on your hip all the extensive vocab that you can equip
never
quit
no
matter the stakes its worth every bit
every
last moment,
as
if a roman, open coliseum
moon
glowing, crowd roaring
we
spread these beats to every single scene
and
oversee hobbits
murdering
dark kings, one ring to rule every mc seething,
fangs
lashed, and heart beating faster
anxious
to meet with the caster,
the
mage rapper, inventory full with flow
blasters
banned
from scrabble, creation, and disaster,
if
you want it faster collect some mental castor and pour on the up tempo plaster
and
forever after we understand the everafter , my species please
only
riddle me this,
the
forgotten trick...
to
remain insane
long
enough to be your own master
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)