] Because now I've finally read Red Mars, and I am agog at
] what may be the finest sf novel I've ever read. Red Mars
] has all the hard-sf window-dressing that many of us
] imagine when we think of sf: great and accessible tours
] through speculative cog sci, geology, astronomy,
] rocketry, physics, biology, genetics, and so on, until
] the head swims with the sheer scope of the research task
] Robinson set himself in this book.
]
] But the hard science is just the skin, and the meat of
] this book -- as with Pacific Edge -- is the "soft"
] science: the complex play of the community of his vast
] cast of characters as they set out to advance their
] competing agendas, writing the future of Mars.

Doctorow mentioned this on boingboing the other day, and I just got through the System of the World, so I decided to check em out. On his recommendation I bought Red Mars, Green Mars and Blue Mars. I'm 150 pages into Red Mars, and its just great. One of those books that you're drawn to, that you hate to put down even though you MUST GET SOME SLEEP. The science is good, he has a good grasp of it. But what really holds it are the group dynamics, shifting narrators, and excellent character development.

I haven't read any sci-fi that wasn't Gibson, Sterling or Stephenson in years. I'm very glad I decided to on these.

Boing Boing: Red Mars: a very belated appreciation

] Design has emerged as one of the world's most powerful
] forces. It has placed us at the beginning of a new,
] unprecedented period of human possibility, where all
] economies and ecologies are becoming global, relational,
] and interconnected.
] In order to understand these emerging forces, there is an
] urgent need to articulate precisely what we are doing to
] ourselves and to our world. This is the ambition of
] Massive Change.

More about the Massive Change project/exhibit in Vancouver.

Massive Change - What Is Massive Change?

] Massive Change:The Future of Global Design is an
] exhibition that will change the way you think about
] design just as contemporary design is changing the way we
] live in the world. Design affects all aspects of our
] lives and holds the possibility of changing the very
] nature of human life itself. Massive Change: The Future
] of Global Design is an exhibition grounded in a
] provocative proposition. It is a celebration of the human
] capacity to change the world and a call to recognize both
] the power and the responsibility of design.

As interesting as it was pretentious.

Massive Change: The Future of Global Design at the Vancouver Art Gallery

I believe all code is dead unless executing within the computer. For this reason I distribute the source code of my programs in modifiable form to encourage life and spread love. Opening one's code is a beneficial practice that both helps the community and grows the strength of the programmer.

Gallery of Computation | generative artifacts

His tenor and falsetto tell you of the complicated emotions harbored by an acutely perceptive blues musician in the denigratory South; so does his guitar playing, which amazingly often mixes leads with chords. Johnson's thematic lyrics -- further bespeaking his restlessness, fatalism, and defiance -- are stately in their imagery.

P: Checking this out...

http://torrent1.youceff.com/torrents/Robert%20Johnson%20-%20The%20Complete%20Recordings%20(1990)%20(2-CD)%20(@320).torrent

The Complete Recordings of Robert Johnson

If you don't get it, you just don't Get It.

This four-CD box set marking the 100th anniversary of Louis Armstrong's birth contains some of his most groundbreaking, historic works.

Recorded when Armstrong was emerging from the influence of his idol, Joe "King" Oliver, these discs feature the main staples of the Armstrong canon. The jewel of the collection is "West End Blues," with Armstrong's stratospheric, pyramid-structured solo, which ranks as one of the greatest in the history of music. The sessions also mark an important technological breakthrough, with the transition from acoustic to electrical recording.

All in all, this set shows that Louis Armstrong's heroic talents enabled him to become the alpha and omega of 20th century music.

From Rhapsody's Artist Snapshot:

"The Reverend Satchelmouth is the beginning and the end of music in America." So said Bing Crosby, and how right he was, because Armstrong is the single most important figure in twentieth century popular music.

If there's an artist who wasn't directly influenced by his astounding improvisations, and most importantly, his phrasing, then he was influenced by those who were.

Armstrong did more with time, nuance, and personality than whole armies of musicians.

But forget about influencing others -- if his music doesn't fill you with tingles of joy and delight then you just may be dead. And don't fret if you are six feet under; Pops will be serenading you in heaven. For how can there be a heaven without Louis?

I anyone finds a working torrent, please post it up.

Complete Hot Five & Hot Seven Recordings

Neal Stephenson's next book in The Baroque Cycle trilogy comes out next month. You can order it now.

Booklist had this to say:

This guy really likes to write long books.

With real-life supporting characters such as Isaac Newton and Wilhelm Leibnitz, the series blends fact and fiction so cleverly that it is virtually impossible to separate one from the other. Stephenson is a graceful writer, never getting bogged down in detail, keeping the story moving, dazzling us with his technique.

The concluding volume of the trilogy is scheduled to appear in October 2004, and it's fair to say anyone who reads this one will spend the intervening months waiting with breathless anticipation.

"George, get set for a mind blowing afternoon."

"Attention class A drivers ... You have 15 minutes to qualify."

The Confusion

This show is fucking good. Plane crashes on scary island. Lord of the flies amongst adults and polar bears. Good character development.

I highly recommend getting this on tvtorrents.net every wednesday.

Lost: The Bomb Ass New Show

The Movie that inspired Timothy McVeigh!

] At the outbreak of World War III, midwestern high school
] students turned refugees slowly organized themself into
] an effective guerilla force to turn back the tide of
] Soviet invaders.

Red Dawn (1984) | Coolest Movie Ever

] As they walked along, Mike gave a shrug and a twitch just
] so. That was enough cue for his Epiphany wearable. Its
] overlay imaging shifted into classic manga/anime: the
] manzanita branches morphed into scaly tentacles. Now the
] houses that edged the canyon were heavily timbered, with
] pennants flying. High ahead was a castle, the home of
] Grand Duke Hwa Feen...

Free Vernor Vinge short story on wearable/ubiquitous computing.

Vernor Vinge: Synthetic Serendipity