tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30335530360892651932024-03-13T05:12:45.108-07:00RunicfireAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144600653050501729noreply@blogger.comBlogger78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3033553036089265193.post-63484406050344410682016-12-25T11:33:00.000-08:002016-12-25T11:33:17.428-08:00A Wylde Sale Appears Yonder!The Kindle edition of <i>Rosaria of Venice</i>, Book One of <i>The Renaissance of Rosaria Adalberto</i>, is on sale for the holidays!<br />
<br />
In the year 1491, during a steam-powered Renaissance, Rosaria Adalberto seeks a theory of electromagnetism—but finds conspiracy and intrigue instead.<br />
<br />
The Kindle ebook will sell for 99¢ on Christmas Day only, and $1.99 every day thereafter until the New Year.<br />
<br />
If you have yet to experience the Steampunk Renaissance, this is your chance. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Rosaria-Venice-Renaissance-Adalberto-Book-ebook/dp/B00L7O1OFI/ref=sr_1_1_twi_kin_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1482622746&sr=8-1&keywords=rosaria+of+venice" target="_blank">Buy the Kindle ebook today!</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144600653050501729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3033553036089265193.post-29873197814565879452016-12-25T00:51:00.000-08:002016-12-25T00:51:39.762-08:00Solstice<div class="MsoNormal">
Windy howls on wintry eve<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
muffle sounds of merriment.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Snow-packed squalls<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
wrack porch and wall;<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
the black of Yuletide storm<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
swallows the glow of jubilation.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Midnight chimes long since sounded,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
echoes drown’d in frosty tempest,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
No dawn clutches at inky sky.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
morrow’s fortunes roil and churn,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
as do boiling thunderheads<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
which o’er hearth and fir still lie.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Through vagrant cracks night’s chill gusts;<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
the flutter of timid flame<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
in strobing light casts huddled<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
forms braced against wayward gale;<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In their widened eyes<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
is wintry darkness reflected.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Candlelight shrinks from the cold;<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
embers cling to scorched wicks.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Zephyr’s gales<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
cast ice and hail<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
—and yet, though grasp’d in frigid vise,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
the candles do not die.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
O’er three winters quenched in eternal night,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
freezing flesh and snapping bone,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
those stubborn flames do not subside,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
in darkness growing ever bright,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
the rays of banished sun<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
infusing their mounting glow.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hope alights in once-dead eyes<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
of the gathered merry host.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Their hearts’ solstice does ordain<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
that from Earth, not Heaven,<o:p></o:p></div>
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shall dawn be born again.<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144600653050501729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3033553036089265193.post-79984317271709143452016-12-22T19:05:00.005-08:002016-12-22T19:05:48.708-08:00Site MaintenanceI am in the process of migrating studiokenaz.com and rosariabooks.com to a new provider and faster server. While the transition should prove seamless, I cannot guarantee it. Temporary outages or malfunctions might occur.
However, once the transfer is complete, rosariabooks.com's and studiokenaz.com's response times should be greatly improved, easing navigation and ensuring more pleasant browsing. I will post again once everything is in the clear. Thank you for your patience!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144600653050501729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3033553036089265193.post-91726726769769386112016-05-24T21:41:00.001-07:002016-05-24T21:41:11.729-07:00Rosariabooks.com Back Online, With More Adjustments on the Way<i>Rosariabooks.com is finally back online, although I am still making adjustments. I am reposting my original update from Rosariabooks, as it applies to readers of the blog as well. You may read the original post <a href="http://studiokenaz.com/rosariabooks/2016/05/25/rosariabooks-com-back-online-with-more-adjustments-on-the-way/" target="_blank">here</a>.</i>
<br />
<p>Rosariabooks is back online, finally, though there’s still much work to do. Migrating the old content to the new system all but broke the website, and at last I have recovered everything and restored the site to life.</p>
<p>Although the site is in working order, I am still running into issues with domain redirection. I might have to take the site down again, temporarily, in order to troubleshoot this issue. Needless to say, this whole process has turned out to be a greater hassle than I had hoped it to be.</p>
<p>I will also be making adjustments to the website itself over the coming weeks. As you might have noticed, I’ve removed the “Newsletter” section of the site, as I haven’t been able to keep up with what I had originally intended for that feature. I hope to not abandon the feature entirely, but I do need to rethink how I approach it. At present I am looking into combining it with the Rosariabooks news feed and the Runicfire.net blog, so that I don’t have to duplicate my efforts with respect to content.</p>
<p>Other changes in the near future will include fine-tuning the layout of this site, making sure the mobile version is fully operational, and rebranding the site to reflect the serial nature of Rosaria of Venice. After all, I have many more books planned, and as The Sin of Prometheus’s release draws near, I want users to immediately know that not only are they getting into a series (versus an individual book), but that a new volume is on the way.</p>
<p>Migrating Runicfire.net to the new system will have to wait. Right now, I need to ensure that the new Studio Kenaz LLC and Gebobooks Publishing pages are working and presentable. Moreover, fixing the redirect issue will risk breaking the site again, and I want to make sure that Runicfire, at the very least, remains online until the Gebosites (as I have dubbed the collection of pages relating to my company) are operating smoothly.</p>
<p>In any case, thank you very much for your patience. I hope any future adjustments will proceed more smoothly than the last, and I will keep you up to date on my progress with the website and—very soon—book updates and new blog posts. Please stay tuned!</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144600653050501729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3033553036089265193.post-69518517866120301762016-05-23T19:13:00.004-07:002016-05-23T19:13:42.989-07:00Website Upgrade Progress ReportAs of this weekend, I have migrated Runicfire.net over to the new infrastructure. The process, however, did not transfer all of my settings and therefore parts of the website need to be rebuilt. Rosariabooks.com will be offline until Wednesday evening to ensure that everything is in working order.<br />
<br />
After Rosariabooks is transferred over, I will migrate this blog over to the new system. It might be possible to ensure a (relatively) seamless transition, but we shall have to see.<br />
<br />
Thank you very much for your patience.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144600653050501729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3033553036089265193.post-8289887586700155032016-05-17T14:05:00.001-07:002016-05-17T14:05:09.680-07:00Update On Website UpgradesRosariabooks.com is presently offline. Due to an unforeseen quirk of my domain setup, Runicfire will remain online until the tail end of the transition.<br />
<br />
When Runicfire transitions, this blog will still be accessible at runicfire.blogspot.com until the new site is fully operational.<br />
<br />
Thank you again for your patience.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144600653050501729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3033553036089265193.post-43355719780427658962016-05-16T13:50:00.002-07:002016-05-16T13:50:30.678-07:00Website Maintenance 05/16 - 05/22<i><a href="http://rosariabooks.com/archives/251" target="_blank">This announcement was originally posted on Rosariabooks.com.</a></i><div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Rosariabooks.com, Runicfire.net and Studiokenaz.com will be down for maintenance beginning tonight, May 16th, circa 8PM PST as these new websites are transitioned to the new system.</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">While I will be working to get everything up and running again as quickly as possible, there might be interruptions in access through Sunday, May 22nd, while I work out the kinks.</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">My author blog at Runicfire.net will still be accessible at runicfire.blogspot.com until the transition is complete. Please bookmark that URL and refer to that site for announcements regarding the transition.</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Thank you very much for your patience!</span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144600653050501729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3033553036089265193.post-83202432979086705522016-05-08T21:24:00.000-07:002016-05-08T21:24:29.953-07:00Runicfire Site Update AnnouncementIn order to better integrate my personal website with my novel's website, Rosariabooks.com, I will be transitioning to Wordpress over the next seven to fourteen days.<br />
<br />
While I will be importing all of the content from this website, the new blog will be using a different login system for comments that integrates with the one I am setting up for Rosariabooks.com.<br />
<br />
The blog has also been exceptionally quiet lately; I hope to change that as well with the redesign.<br />
<br />
I will see you on the flipside!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144600653050501729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3033553036089265193.post-3110797313980553822015-08-31T02:30:00.000-07:002015-08-31T02:30:01.303-07:00Monday Links 08/30/15: Adultery By Any Other Name, Less-Than-Stellar Star Wars, and Steamfunk's Sibling<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s been a long hiatus, and woefully unplanned, but at last
Runicfire returns with a new edition of Monday Links!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The notion that humans are obsessed with sex is all but an
axiom. Every society on earth possesses its own sets of customs and taboos
regarding sexuality, with some cultivating its expression and others
suppressing or controlling the prurient instinct as much as possible. Our
society frowns on adultery, considering the practice an insult to the sanctity
of marriage, but Sarah Laskow at Atlas Obscura <a href="http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-racist-slutshaming-history-of-adultery-laws" target="_blank">contends that American lawsagainst adultery were employed largely to enforce an altogether different setof taboos (NSFW)</a>. Rather than to avenge breaches of fidelity, adultery
laws—which have been on the books and enforced as recently as the 1980s in some
of the United States—served to punish female sexual expression as well as
affections between people of different races.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On an entirely different but no less tawdry subject, Scott
Mendleson at Forbes writes about <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2015/08/27/box-office-star-wars-the-force-awakens-is-being-set-up-to-fail/" target="_blank">why speculators on the upcoming Star Warsfilm’s profits are setting themselves (and us) up for disappointment</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lastly, I came across a fascinating article while trying to
determine if anyone else had written a novel that could be described as
Renpunk. This blog post, by author <span style="background: white; color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Balogun O. Abeegunde</span>, <a href="http://chroniclesofharriet.com/2013/06/04/rococoa/" target="_blank">posits a name for a hypothetical genre of heroic fantasy</a> set around the time of the Haitian Revolution. Mr. Abeegunde
himself is, according to his bio, “one of the leading authorities on
Steamfunk—a philosophy of or style of writing that combines the African and/or
African American culture and approach to life with that of the steampunk
philosophy[.]” I had not heard of Steamfunk before, but I guarantee you I will
be looking into the genre more intently, as well as Mr. Abeegunde’s blog, in
the future.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">That
is all for today’s edition of Monday Links. Until next time, stay tuned!</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144600653050501729noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3033553036089265193.post-83358116944097525742013-07-22T00:00:00.000-07:002013-07-22T00:00:14.931-07:00Monday Links: Daily Dose of Death, Deleterious Demonizing of Male Sexuality, and Chinese Ice Cream<div class="MsoNormal">
After a long hiatus, Monday’s links return!<br />
<br />
While a daily dose of death is hardly something most of us would consider
pleasant, Diana Athill, in her article on the <a href="http://www.radiotimes.com/" target="_blank">RadioTimes</a>, opens with the
thought that thinking about death a little bit each day is a good way to come
to terms with its inevitability. Her <a href="http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-07-13/death-is-a-part-of-life---why-be-afraid" target="_blank">article as a whole</a> amounts to a thoughtful
meditation on death, and overcoming the fear of it. I definitely recommend this
take on humanity’s oldest conflict.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On more lively subjects, Alyssa Rose at the <a href="http://goodmenproject.com/" target="_blank">Good Men Project</a>
discusses how <a href="http://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/the-danger-in-demonizing-male-sexuality/" target="_blank">our demonization of male sexuality hurts women and men alike</a>. As
a man, this is an article I am very glad to see. I agree with her arguments,
and would add that our culture more or less considers all sex to be rape.
Sex—especially when men are involved—assumes the function of asserting social
dominance over others. We all suffer the psychological ramifications of this
dogma, which warps an aspect of ourselves that is instinctively linked to
affection. Give this one a read, and mull it over.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Those of you who have seen <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Iron Man 3</i> know that fortune cookies look Chinese, and sound
Chinese, but are actually an American invention. However, according to
Civilization V’s <a href="http://www.dndjunkie.com/civilopedia/" target="_blank">Civlopedia</a>, the world is even stranger than that. Ice cream
may look American, sound American, and even taste American, but is, in fact,<a href="http://www.dndjunkie.com/civilopedia/CIVILIZATION_CHINA.aspx" target="_blank"> a Chinese invention</a>, and over 4000 years old. This little bit of trivia is at the
bottom of the page, but you’ll probably want to read through the reams of
fascinating history before it anyway.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I mentioned in <a href="http://www.runicfire.net/2013/07/status-update-and-announcements.html" target="_blank">last week’s post</a>, I will be keeping to one
update a week for the time being. Once work on the book, school, and my search
for a day job resolve themselves sufficiently, I hope to return to my usual
three updates per week.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Stay tuned, and see you next Monday!<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144600653050501729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3033553036089265193.post-70000344248624807562013-07-15T00:00:00.000-07:002013-07-15T00:00:12.991-07:00Status Update and Announcements<div class="MsoNormal">
It has been a while since I have posted, and I would like to
apologize for my absence. The Kickstarter campaign and its aftermath took a lot
out of me; however, I still feel that my hiatus should have had more planning
involved. Fortunately, not only was the Kickstarter campaign successful, but I
have learned a few things about my operational limits.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I turn my attention to revising <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rosaria of Venice</i> in earnest, I will resume updates on Runicfire.
They will, however, be less frequent than before. I will commit to one post a
week while I am in the middle of revising, with additional updates if I have
time. Some of these will be essays, and others will be the usual Monday link round-ups.
I plan to return to my original schedule of three updates per week—however, as
I enter my last year before earning my bachelor’s, fulfill the Kickstarter
rewards and look for a day job, it may be some time before I can return to that
schedule.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I’d like to thank any regular readers for your patronage and
your patience, and I’m looking forward to getting the blog rolling again. <o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144600653050501729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3033553036089265193.post-33957194275948719482013-06-03T01:59:00.001-07:002013-06-03T01:59:54.313-07:00Monday Links: Patrick Stewart, How to Use a Semicolon, and Being Wrong in Science<div class="MsoNormal">
Anyone alive who needs convincing that Patrick Stewart is an
amazing man is beyond hope. Anyone who doesn’t understand that men also have an
obligation to stand up for the safety of women after watching
<a href="http://www.upworthy.com/a-brave-fan-asks-patrick-stewart-a-question-he-doesnt-usually-get-and-is-given-a-beautiful-answer" target="_blank">Patrick Stewart say as much</a> needs to watch more Star Trek: The Next Generation
and make it so. It's not the only thing he says in the video, but it's a striking and true statement.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The sentence before last was certainly too long. When caught in a
similar situation last week, I sought out a reference on how to use the fabled
semicolon. After trudging through a waist-high swamp of pages on the mechanics
of removing tumors of the intestinal tract*, I happened upon this <a href="http://theoatmeal.com/comics/semicolon" target="_blank">lovely visual guide on The Oatmeal</a>. Do not read if bears and dinosaurs co-existing on the
same web page by any means offends you, though I cannot imagine how that would
be possible.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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And since that last paragraph acquired entirely too silly a
tone, I shall round off this week’s links with an article by Ethan Siegel on
Starts With a Bang about how <a href="http://scienceblogs.com/startswithabang/2013/05/31/most-scientific-theories-are-wrong/" target="_blank">all scientific theories are (at least partly) wrong</a>, how most new ideas are completely wrong, and why it’s important to come
up with them anyway.<o:p></o:p></div>
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What’s that, you say? Come now, you <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt0Y39eMvpI" target="_blank">didn’t seriously expect some kind of Spanish Inquisition</a>?<o:p></o:p></div>
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*This is no exaggeration; it is, in fact, entirely false.<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144600653050501729noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3033553036089265193.post-26527821178750414032013-05-31T03:38:00.000-07:002013-05-31T03:38:31.297-07:00The Eastern Roots of Western Democracy<div class="MsoNormal">
A few weeks ago, I briefly looked into 16<sup>th</sup>
Century Chinese history for a future project. I quickly learned that in order
to understand Chinese society of that era, I had to understand the government
bureaucracy that appears to have been a mainstay of that civilization since
time immemorial.</div>
<a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p><br />
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Though China, as a whole and as separate states, was
frequently subject to imperial rule, the civil bureaucracy remained an
essential part of Chinese society. Perhaps this should not come as such a
surprise: the British Empire, on which the sun never set, required an extensive
bureaucracy to administer itself. China, ancient in modern, deserves many
adjectives, but “small” is not one of them. Given the land’s size and
sophistication, Chinese rulers inevitably required bureaucrats to manage the
details of their regime.<o:p></o:p></div>
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An interesting feature of Chinese bureaucracy was the
potential for anyone to acquire a position on the basis of merit. An
individual, even one with no special connections, could undergo a set of
examinations. Passing these exams would earn them a place in the civil service,
and their families a great measure of honor and prestige.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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This is not the kind of class mobility one might expect from
a society subject to primarily despotic rule. While the Ming dynasty ruled
China from 1368 to 1684 (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ming_Dynasty" target="_blank">Wikipedia, 2013</a>), the divine right of kings prevailed
in most of Europe. In feudal Europe, heritage and the graces of the nobility
determined one’s status, and that left little room for someone of low birth to
rise above common standing. The republics of northern Italy stand out as
notable exceptions to this rule.<o:p></o:p></div>
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What, then, distinguished the society of the Ming emperors
from that of Europe’s Holy Romans? Part of the answer lies in the prominence of
Confucianism in Chinese society. Though sometimes mistaken for a religion,
Confucianism is more accurately considered a moral and social philosophy. It is
derived partially, though not entirely, from the writings of the ancient
philosopher K’ung-fu-tzu, whose name we translate as Confucius. (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucianism" target="_blank">Wikipedia, 2013</a>) Given the contributions of other scholars to the philosophy as we know it
today, it is closer to a school of thought than a single man’s philosophy. In
some regards, it is like the Eastern counterpart of the Western tradition
attributed to Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Confucianism’s thoughts on matters of personal and social
conduct are extensive, but meritocracy is an important component of Confucian
politics. Wikipedia asserts that scholars recognize Confucius as having
espoused “the revolutionary idea of replacing nobility of blood with nobility
of virtue.” (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucianism#Meritocracy" target="_blank">Wikipedia, 2013</a>) The notion that “In teaching, there should be no
distinction of classes,” is attributed to Confucian writings. Furthermore,
despite its reputation of forming the strict, authoritarian relationships and
roles within families that children of Asian-American immigrants begrudgingly
endure, Confucianism allows for the questioning of authority in particular
circumstances. There exists a notion of reciprocity within Confucian
philosophy; those in a role of authority are duty-bound to look after those
under their care, and it is not considered disobedience for someone to
legitimately question authority. (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucianism#Loyalty" target="_blank">Wikipedia, 2013</a>)<o:p></o:p></div>
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For some time Confucianism co-existed with an earlier
Chinese legal philosophy known as Legalism. Legalism, according to Wikipedia,
demands that a society cleave to the rule of law. As a whole, Legalism amounts
to an authoritarian philosophy that leaves no room for liberty. However,
Legalist philosophers paint a more sophisticated picture of the notion than one
may expect. Legalist thinker Han Fei Zi emphasized the need for the laws to be
clear, consistent, and publicly known; for all individuals ruled by a society,
apart from the ruler, to be considered equal under the law; for a ruler to
disguise any paths to succession so that the law will dive society instead of
lust for power; and that the authority of a ruler is a consequence of his
position, and not his person. (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legalism_(Chinese_philosophy)" target="_blank">Wikipedia, 2013</a>)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Between Legalism and Confucianism, we now see a fascinating
spectrum of ideas. We have the notion of society being driven by the rule of
law. Authority arises from its role in establishing the rule of law, and not
from some inherent right on the part of those in positions of authority.
Authority is reciprocal: those with authority have an obligation to use it for
the good of those under their care. People are entitled to question authority
and to loyally dissent. Individuals of merit may earn status and authority,
while society’s rulers must confuse politics enough so that the law, and not
ambition, rules the land. It seems the ideal Chinese ruler would be an
enlightened despot who governs with an even hand, accommodating challenges to
his decisions and holding all his subjects as equal under the law.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Sound familiar?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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These ideas—or variants thereupon—are some of the notions
core to the political philosophy of the European Enlightenment. The notion of
an “enlightened despot” was the holy grail of the earlier Enlightenment
philosophers, who considered democratic forms of government as useful and just
as a lynch mob. While the Enlightenment-born governments which endured, such as
that of the United States, ended up being democratic republics, the original
ideal was that of absolute rulers who presided with wisdom and compassion in
the name of the rule of law. They could have stolen the idea straight out of
Confucian texts. Point of fact: they did. (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucianism#Influence_in_17th-century_Europe" target="_blank">Wikipedia, 2013</a>) These philosophers,
however, also maintained Western notions of liberty as they adapted these
Eastern ideas.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Despite numerous differences, the kind of government
established in America and other republics has much in common with the kind
Confucian and Legalist philosophies sought to create. Both uphold that the
laws, and not people, ought to rule society. They emphasize the equality of
citizens (or subjects) under the law, and that government has an obligation to
serve the people it governs.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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The major difference is that, in the west, we try to
accomplish this by making the government a matter of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">res publica</i>. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Res publica</i>,
the Latin root of our word ‘Republic,’ translates roughly to “a public thing.”
In government, this makes the managing of society and the law a public concern.
To use the United States as an example, a balance of power is established
between elected representatives, an elected executive, and appointed judges.
This balance is designed to ensure that the law is just, represents the needs
of the people, is properly executed, and obeys the social contract from which
the government derives its authority. On the other hand, the Eastern tradition,
especially the Legalist tradition, involves an individual ruler using mystery
and subversion to defuse ambition and ensure that the rule of law prevails.
While in the West, government is a matter of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">res publica</i>, in the East, government has traditionally been a
matter of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">res privata</i>, as it remains
in China today.<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144600653050501729noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3033553036089265193.post-32590259598549570972013-05-29T00:00:00.000-07:002013-05-29T00:00:11.607-07:00Abrams' Trek Into Darkness: The End of the Star Trek Philosphy<div class="MsoNormal">
When I accompanied my friends to see <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Trek Into Darkness</i> last Friday, I knew it was against my
better judgment. I grew up watching the 1979 motion picture, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Wrath of Khan</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Voyage Home</i>, and the later films as they reached theatres. Part
of my family’s Sunday ritual was to sit down and watch that week’s episode of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Next Generation</i>. When <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Deep Space Nine</i> aired, we added that
series to our retinue as well, and I followed <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Voyager</i> through the bulk of its seven-season run.</div>
<a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p><br />
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Needless to say, I am fond of the classic <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Trek</i> and its spin-offs. Despite its
sometimes rough finish, it remained some of the most thought-provoking science
fiction in film and television for over three decades. J.J. Abrams’ 2009 reboot
did nothing for me, as I saw none of the original spirit. I did not expect to
enjoy the sequel. I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">did</i> expect a
mediocre film that would provide a measure of jaded amusement for someone whose
only real interest in the movie was to dissect it. I thought that I was now
inured to the sort of tedium I expected on account of the first film.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I was wrong.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Trek Into
Darkness</i> is the first movie I have ever seen that made me sick to my
stomach. I am uncertain of what to say about it. Like its predecessor, it
jettisons the essence of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Trek</i> in
favor of elaborate action set-pieces, flaccid sex appeal, and hackneyed
melodrama. Also gone is any remnant of Rodenberry’s humanism and compassion for
sapient life. Our protagonists are despicable, ignorant children. Our villain
is a bestial, bleached ghost of his former self. The remainder of the four
hundred Starfleet officers staffing the Enterprise amount to nothing more than
obstacles for our undeserving heroes—tumbling to their deaths as Kirk dodges
their carcasses in pursuit of his vainglorious destiny.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The worst part about the unsung massacre of the Enterprise
crew is that their sacrifice carries no meaning. The film hardly acknowledges
their passing, except as props. Their death carries no emotional or narrative
weight. Moreover, it would appear the only reason that so many of these
red-shirted officers had to die was the fact that the designer of Abrams’
Enterprise is a complete and utter imbecile.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Forget mere lack of intelligence—it takes a special sort of
stupidity to design a vessel like this new Enterprise. Its shields don’t work.
The transporters can be thwarted by doing the Harlem shake. And its interior is
riddled with deep, uncovered chasms whose only purpose could be to squash the
entire crew into Klingon blood-wine in the inevitable event this tinfoil
death-trap loses its artificial gravity. I imagine the only justice for this
ingenious simpleton could be a firing squad comprising Werner Von Braun,
Freeman Dyson, and every other notable physicist and engineer of the 20<sup>th</sup>
Century. Starfleet is fortunate that they avoided a war with the Klingons: a cabal
of escaped organ grinder’s monkeys in a flotilla of space-borne soup cans would
show better judgment than Abrams’ Federation.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Yet, many people still praise this film, as they do with
Abrams’ first gutting of the franchise. So often, when I present my (and many
other <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Trek</i> fans’) criticism to
people, they brush them aside. “It’s still a fun action movie,” they say, “They
needed to make <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Trek</i> appeal to a
mass audience. Abrams is taking the series in a new direction, and they’re
making it for everybody, not just fans.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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While I understand that film criticism involves no small
element of taste, this argument tires me. The fact that Abrams’ films are
trying to be “fun action movies”—philosophy, morality, or genuine political
commentary be damned!—is exactly my problem. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Trek: The Original Series</i> was frequently campy and rough
around the edges, but it had humanity, charm and thoughtfulness. Its ability to
place ethical and political matters in perspective, as well as its embracing of
diversity in an era riddled with bigotry, are what gave <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Trek</i> its appeal in the first place. Any “new direction” the
series takes cannot call itself <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Trek</i>
if it abandons that core.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Moreover, for a film that’s supposed to be for “fans of
movies, not fans of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Trek</i>,” as
Abrams claims it to be, it relies on the original’s legacy to a surprising
extent. Benedict Cumberbatch over-acts the reveal that his character is
actually Khan Noonien Sing, of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wrath of Khan</i>
fame. I do not understand how people unfamiliar with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Trek</i> are supposed to care about this fact. Abrams inserts a
completely unnecessary Leonard Nimoy cameo which affects the plot in no way
whatsoever. While the story initially takes an intriguing turn towards the
Enterprise working with Khan to defeat a rogue Starfleet admiral, the whole
thing dives into the gutter when Khan betrays Kirk and company. From then on,
the film amounts to nothing more than a clumsy parody of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Wrath of Khan</i>. In aping the older <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Trek’s</i> greatness, the movie’s hollowness stands out even more.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Between these irritating winks and nods to fans of the
original and Abrams’ shoddy cinematography, one gets the impression that no one
behind the film actually believes in the story they’re trying to tell. If
Abrams did, he wouldn’t feel the need to bury his actors in a blinding mass of
lens flares, or take every opportunity to orbit his CGI props, or move the
camera just because he <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">can</i>. Abrams
shoots films in the way a hyperactive seven-year-old plays with action figures:
he smashes his toys together, leaping and circling them all the while,
intoxicated with how <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">cool</i> the set-up
is. Unfortunately, this means he couldn’t tell a story to save his life.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Of course, there is the claim that this approach is what’s
needed to make <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Trek</i> appeal to a
mass audience. This, of course is nonsense. I believe Gene Roddenberry himself
<a href="http://www.niatu.net/transfictiontrek/download/gene-roddenberry-st-philosophy.pdf" target="_blank">put it best</a>:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
We did not accept the myth that the television audience has
an infantile mind. We had an idea, and we had a premise, and we still believe
that. As a matter of fact we decided to risk the whole show on that premise. We
believed that the often ridiculed mass audience is sick of this world's petty
nationalism and all its old ways and old hatreds, and that people are not only
willing but anxious to think beyond most petty beliefs that have for so long
kept mankind divided. So you see that the formula, the magic ingredient that
many people keep seeking and many of them keep missing is really not in Star Trek.
It is in the audience. There is an intelligent life form out on the other side
of that television too.</blockquote>
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This is where Abrams’ <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Trek</i>
reboot fails. It does not assume an intelligent life form is watching the
silver screen. It assumes that it plays to a mob driven by base and shallow
passions, distracting them with pretty lights and loud noises while paying lip
service to the show’s legacy, so that older fans might be mollified.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Popular rebuffs to criticisms of Abrams’ films disguise
accusations of elitism. People dismiss the complaints of long-standing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Trek</i> fans and other critics because
they fear that a film true to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Trek</i>’s
heritage would be an inscrutable mess of technobabble, understood only by
neckbeards and eggheads. In short, they think it wouldn’t be a movie for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">them</i>. This is not true. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Trek</i> is for everyone. It has always
been for everyone. Not everyone likes or appreciates it, nor do they have to.
But that does not change the fact that its themes are ones with universal
appeal, and its basic approach has always been to deliver them in a way that is
at once thoughtful and entertaining. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star
Trek</i> has managed to appeal to a wide audience <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> maintain an intelligent theme in the past. Abrams’ <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Trek</i> fails to do so.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Oddly enough, Abrams’ failure is due to a kind of elitism on
his own part. The attitude is apparent in the events of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Trek Into Darkness </i>itself. What is the crew of the Enterprise,
if not the fodder of the unwashed masses, perishing like lemmings so that we
might canonize our celebrated heroes? What is elitism, if not the glorification
of an undeserving few atop an altar borne by the backs of everyone else? And if
you found yourself transported to Abrams’ <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star
Trek</i> universe, just where would <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you</i>
stand in his cinematic pecking order?<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144600653050501729noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3033553036089265193.post-37042149470451990302013-05-27T01:58:00.005-07:002013-05-27T02:15:17.309-07:00Monday Links: Xbox One, Propaganda at the British Library, and Racism at Harvard<div class="MsoNormal">
I have found two articles of note from The Economist this
week, one of which is sure to be close to gamers’ hearts. Or perhaps not: the
article notes that <a href="http://www.economist.com/news/business/21578427-microsofts-newest-games-console-has-entire-living-room-its-sights-battle-boxes?fsrc=scn/gp/wl/pe/battleoftheboxes" target="_blank">Microsoft’s Xbox One announcement</a> heavily de-emphasizes
games, ostensibly due to falling console sales. Time will tell whether the
device will garner any appeal for its more conventional multimedia use.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The second article form The Economist addresses the more
sobering topic of propaganda. An exhibition at the British Library, called
“Propaganda: Power and Persuasion,” aims to expose the subtlety and prevalence
of propaganda, as used by governments, businesses and individuals. The subject
of propaganda, and the Propaganda Model of mass media, have been the focus of
some of my <a href="http://www.runicfire.net/2013/03/a-taste-of-propaganda-in-america.html" target="_blank">earlier</a> <a href="http://www.runicfire.net/2013/03/web-journalism-and-how-democratic-media.html" target="_blank">posts</a> on this blog, and the matter remains as relevant as
ever. I highly recommend you <a href="http://www.economist.com/blogs/prospero/2013/05/propaganda-british-library?fsrc=scn/gp/wl/bl/readbetweenlines" target="_blank">check out The Economist’s article</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Lastly, for the strong of stomach, ThinkProgress delves into
the case of how a Harvard doctoral candidate, Dr. Jason Richwine, <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/05/22/2044781/jason-richwine-harvard-dissertation-race-iq-hispanic/" target="_blank">earned his degree through a sloppily composed and blatantly racist dissertation</a>, to the
shock of many. The article is long, and the sheer illogic it reveals in Dr.
Richwine’s dissertation made me throw up my hands in disgust. Nonetheless, the
ThinkProgress exposé itself is a worthwhile read, if you have the patience.<o:p></o:p></div>
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With the <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/127354259/rosaria-of-venice-a-novel-of-the-steampunk-renaiss" target="_blank">Rosaria of Venice Kickstarter campaign</a> launch last Friday, we now return to full
updates. You can see what’s in store for this week <a href="http://www.runicfire.net/2013/05/this-week-on-runicfire-may-27th-june-2nd.html" target="_blank">here</a>. So please stay tuned!
And also please consider backing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rosaria
of Venice</i>, my forthcoming alt-history steampunk novel of the Italian
Renaissance, on Kickstarter.com. Thank you!<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144600653050501729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3033553036089265193.post-6251323248686476222013-05-27T01:58:00.004-07:002013-05-27T01:58:48.303-07:00This Week on Runicfire: May 27th – June 2nd<b>Monday</b>'s <a href="http://www.runicfire.net/2013/05/monday-links-xbox-one-propaganda-at.html" target="_blank">links</a> include the announcement of the Xbox One (and Microsoft's de-emphasis on games), an exhibit about propaganda at the British Library in London, and the disturbing case of how a racist paper of poor scholarship earned one man a Harvard doctorate.<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Wednesday</b> shall feature a review of <i>Star Trek Into Darkness</i>—as well as the case for why we should care more about the quality of our entertainment.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Friday</b>'s post explores the surprising link between Chinese philosophy and the genesis of the European Enlightenment.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Stay tuned!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144600653050501729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3033553036089265193.post-11322178060189373282013-05-20T00:00:00.000-07:002013-05-20T00:00:07.493-07:00Monday Links: The Health Industry's Big Lie, Atmospheric CO2 Thickens, and the DSM's Dangers
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I recently discovered <a href="http://pmustain.webfactional.com/" target="_blank">Patrick Mustain</a> through a <a href="http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/2013/05/19/dear-american-consumers-please-dont-start-eating-healthfully-sincerely-the-food-industry/" target="_blank">guest piece</a>
on Scientific American. He’s also written a more in-depth piece on how the
consumer fitness industry disguises the actual causes of America’s problems
with obesity. I recommend <a href="http://pmustain.webfactional.com/?project=consuming-health" target="_blank">giving it a read</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On <a href="http://scienceblogs.com/" target="_blank">Scienceblogs</a>, alarm over our contribution to global
warming increases. Earlier this month, the amount of carbon dioxide in Earth’s
atmosphere passed 400 parts per million. This is nearly one and a half times
the CO<sub>2</sub> density of the atmosphere in pre-industrial times, just over
200 years ago. And <a href="http://scienceblogs.com/significantfigures/index.php/2013/05/10/the-last-time-atmospheric-co2-was-at-400-parts-per-million-humans-didnt-exist/" target="_blank">according to Peter Gleick</a> at <a href="http://scienceblogs.com/significantfigures/" target="_blank">Significant Figures</a>, CO<sub>2</sub>
levels haven’t been this high since three to five million years ago—before
humans even evolved. For those of you inspired to political action, <a href="http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2013/05/11/dear-elected-official-please-note-the-400-ppm-benchmark/" target="_blank">Greg Laden has a letter template</a> you can modify and send to your congressman, senator, or
other state or federal representative.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Finally, the Economist runs an article with a brief <a href="http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21578050-single-book-has-come-dominate-psychiatry-dangerous-shrink-wrapping?fsrc=scn/gp/wl/pe/shrinkwrapping" target="_blank">critiqueof the psychiatric profession</a>, arguing that reliance on only one book (the DSM-V) to
diagnose mental illness is a dangerous game.<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144600653050501729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3033553036089265193.post-45082295464665675312013-05-18T02:16:00.003-07:002013-05-18T02:16:27.142-07:00Schedule Mishaps, and Kickstarter ThingsAs I have been busy getting the <i>Rosaria of Venice</i> Kickstarter campaign ready to go, I did not manage to get yesterday's post up. I do apologize.<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In order to keep this from happening (as there are no signs of me getting less busy in the coming weeks), I will be scaling down my posts for a while. I will still try to keep to my Monday/Wednesday/Friday schedule, but expect more reposts and shorter comments. I will resume long-form essays—including the one planned for yesterday—as soon as things begin to clear up.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
On the bright side, I'm starting to update Runicfire.net with some much-needed content. <a href="http://www.runicfire.net/p/rosaria-of-venice.html" target="_blank">A dedicated page for my forthcoming novel is up</a>, and that will be the main page for the project until the Kickstarter begins next Friday, May 24th. If that interests you, please check it out and keep an eye here for updates. I will also be adding a section which consolidates other fiction and goodies I post here, and just generally rounding out the site as much as I can.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And lastly, as consolation, an awesome picture someone posted on Facebook:</div>
<div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-adXuAnpUP2o/UZdGVpgjXSI/AAAAAAAAARI/TEZgeh5F7T4/s1600/natGeoPIc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-adXuAnpUP2o/UZdGVpgjXSI/AAAAAAAAARI/TEZgeh5F7T4/s320/natGeoPIc.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And with that... I will be seeing you next week with Monday's usual links. Have a good weekend!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144600653050501729noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3033553036089265193.post-19055681780614405162013-05-15T18:38:00.001-07:002013-05-15T18:38:28.713-07:00Steampunk: A Modern Throwback to Classic Science Fiction
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<br />
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As I again delve into the various genres of fiction with
which my current writing intersects, I discover surprising gaps in my
knowledge—and more books for my reading list.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is hardly a bad thing. Writers are fed by writing, and
not always their own. Indeed, one would hope that much of it is <i>not</i> their own—we learn our craft first
and best by reading the works of others. That is where we discover what we
like, what we don’t, and in our various reactions develop the biases that
inform our own voices and styles.</div>
<a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I describe <i>Rosaria of
Venice</i>—my forthcoming novel—as “steampunk,” yet I have read almost nothing
that could be similarly described as such. Steampunk, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steampunk">as Wikipedia will confirm</a>, is a contemporary genre of science fiction featuring steam-powered technology
at the front and center. Steampunk tales typically take place in the 19<sup>th</sup>
or very early 20<sup>th</sup> Century, and employ a style and aesthetic that is
a throwback to the science fiction authors of that era, such as Jules Verne and
H.G. Wells. Anachronism is the dish of the day for steampunk, with steam power
or more “primitive” analog technology accomplishing modern or futuristic tasks.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What is interesting about the term is that its creator seems
to have coined it, though off-hand, for marketing purposes. The website “<a href="http://steampunkworkshop.com/nine-novels-defined-steampunk">The Steampunk Workshop</a>” traces the origin of the word to an April 1987 letter from
K.W. Jeter, the author of <i>Morlock Night</i>.
<i>Morlock Night</i> was a “what-if” story
based upon H.G. Wells’ <i>The Time Machine</i>, and one of the first steampunk novels.
At the time, only a few other authors (such as Tim Powers and James P.
Blaylock) dabbled in these sorts of anachronistic, retro-themed science fiction
tales of Victorian strangeness. Jeter believed that “Victorian fantasies [were]
going to be the next big thing, as long as we can come up with a fitting
collective term for Powers, Blaylock, and myself. Something based on the
appropriate technology of the era; like ‘steam-punks,’ perhaps.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The rest, of course, is history.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Steampunk now not only refers to a popular genre which
Jeter, Powers and Blaylock pioneered, but a burgeoning subculture as well. In
my neck of the woods, the San Jose-based convention <a href="http://www.clockworkalchemy.com/">Clockwork Alchemy</a> will run
concurrently with Fanime (its sponsor) Friday next. Earlier this year was San
Francisco’s <a href="http://edwardianball.com/">Edwardian Ball</a>, which assumes its own sort of steampunk aesthetic. When
you take into account <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steampunk#Media">the volume of art, music, film and literature the genre has inspired</a>, steampunk proves to be a notion with a singular ability to capture the
public imagination.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I expect that much of its appeal—at least, when it comes to
the core of literature and film which it comprises—comes from its whimsical approach
to the science fiction genre. While many people find “hard” science fiction
difficult to swallow, steampunk novels can provide a more familiar point of
reference for readers, as well as license on the part of the author to play
with the format. The Steampunk Workshop describes how Tim Powers, in his early
steampunk novel <i>The Anubis Gates</i>, “combines
a very hard science fiction approach to time travel with some of the creepiest
portrayals of black magic you will find in late 20<sup>th</sup> Century writing.”
William Gibson—who earned renown as the father of cyberpunk with <i>Neuromancer</i>—and Bruce Sterling push the
hard sci-fi angle in <i>The Difference
Engine</i>, which, according to the Steampunk Workshop article, is “set in a
parallel universe where Charles Babbage’s calculating machine was actually mass
produced and used to create an information age one hundred years earlier than
in our time line.” While I am not familiar with the novel, the article
describes a vividness of imagery and depth of setting that likely gave it great
appeal in its time, and has earned it a space on my “to-read” list.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One common thread amongst all steampunk, it seems, is its
connection to the culture of the 19<sup>th</sup> Century Industrial Revolution, even when that is not the setting.
Where I hope <i>Rosaria of Venice</i> proves
distinctive is in how it transplants a steampunk premise into the Renaissance Era.
I have yet to see this done—but as my studies continually demonstrate, there is
much I have yet to see.<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144600653050501729noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3033553036089265193.post-5105053878112562602013-05-13T18:31:00.003-07:002013-05-13T18:34:05.020-07:00This Week On Runicfire: May 13th - May 19th<a href="http://www.runicfire.net/2013/05/monday-links-secret-history-of-colony.html"><b>Monday's</b> links</a>: Colony Collapse Disorder, the recent history of famine, and pictures from the International Space Station.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Wednesday's</b> post delves into the world of Steampunk.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And on <b>Friday</b>, a look at the world outside of Europe in the 15th Century.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144600653050501729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3033553036089265193.post-11806855210719876422013-05-13T18:24:00.002-07:002013-05-13T18:24:50.024-07:00Monday Links: The Secret History of Colony Collapse Disorder, Graphing Famine, and Photos from the ISS
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So, one kind of business (finals) ends, and another begins.
I’ve been busy getting the Kickstarter for my novel going, and thus these
Monday links are up late. But do not fear, for they are here at last!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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A <a href="http://membracid.wordpress.com/2013/05/03/guest-post-honey-bees-ccd-and-the-elephant-in-the-room/">guest post</a> on <a href="http://membracid.wordpress.com/">Bug Girl’s Blog</a> talks about how Colony
Collapse Disorder—that worrying trend of domestic honeybee hives spontaneously
dying off—is older than the name, and how the press and the scientific
community have overlooked and obfuscated the actual issue.<o:p></o:p></div>
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On the sobering front of human mortality, <a href="http://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2013/05/daily-chart-10?fsrc=scn/gp/wl/dc/famine">the Economist hasa graph</a> showing the history of world famine.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Lastly,<a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2013/05/13/photo_gallery_astronaut_chris_hadfield_s_top_15_pictures_from_space.html"> a set of fifteen photos</a> taken from the International
Space Station on Bad Astronomy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144600653050501729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3033553036089265193.post-6780025827141648432013-05-10T18:58:00.002-07:002013-05-10T18:58:34.757-07:00Alternate History Fiction, Fiction History Fact
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is an odd feeling when you discover how little you know
about a subject.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I first learned of the alternate history genre at around the
age of 10. Or at least, I think it was the age of ten. I might’ve been two or
three years older or younger. All I know is that I was in a cool and musty used
book store, and I found this hefty paperback with a picture of Stalin, Hitler
and Truman standing in front of a ray gun straight out of the Golden Age of
science fiction. The blurb on the back said this was “alternate history.” From
what I remember of my emotions at the time, I found the whole idea silly.
Still, the notion of playing with past events stayed with me, despite my
skepticism about the genre.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At the time, I believed alternate history—fiction taking
place in a history divergent from our own—to be a new sub-genre of science
fiction. That is not accurate. Alternate histories have been around for a long
time. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternate_history#Antiquity_and_Medieval">According to Wikipedia</a>, one of the earliest works in that category is <i>Tirant Io Blanc</i>, a 1490 epic by Joanot
Martorell that tells a version of recent history in which the titular hero
repels the Turkish invasion of Constantinople. According to the same article,
alternate history novels and stories appeared in the mass market in the 19<sup>th</sup>
and early 20<sup>th</sup> centuries, with the 30’s being a pivotal decade for
the genre. During World War II, alternate history tales also served as a means
of propaganda for Allied countries. (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternate_history">Wikipedia</a>, 2013)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For that matter, while alternate history <i>can</i> overlap with science fiction, it
doesn’t have to. The earliest examples, mentioned above, were written before
science fiction became a discrete entity. Quentin Tarantino’s <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0361748/?ref_=sr_1">Inglorious Basterds</a></i> is an alternate
history, and has no science fiction elements to speak of. (It does, however, feature
idiosyncratic, Tarantine dialogue.)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Oddly enough, when I conceived of the idea for my
forthcoming <i>Rosaria of Venice</i>, which
is an alternate history, I hadn’t read or seen much in the way of alternate
history. I still haven’t. The only work I have seen and can honestly categorize
as such is the animé <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0328739/?ref_=sr_1">Full Metal Panic</a></i>.
It is a lack of experience that I ought to fix. The idea for <i>Roaria</i>, however, didn’t come from that
animé, despite some odd parallels. It came from a little device called the
antikythera mechanism.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The antikythera mechanism, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antikythera_mechanism">as the Wikipedia article explains</a>,
is a mechanical computer designed to calculate the positions of heavenly bodies
at particular places and times. Such a device would be invaluable for
navigators in the 1<sup>st</sup> Century BC—when it was likely developed.
Comparable machines would not appear for another fifteen hundred years.
(<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antikythera_mechanism">Wikipedia</a>, 2013)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Learning of this device led me to wonder, much as Carl Sagan
did, what might have happened if the civilization which produced this
machine—that of the Greeks and Romans—had survived past the 3<sup>rd</sup>
Century AD. From this thought, the first prototype of Rosaria of Venice arose:
a version of the 5<sup>th</sup> century (or thereabouts) AD where, after the
fall of the Roman Empire, Greece nonetheless survived as a burgeoning
technological remnant. They had steam power, more advanced computers, and all
sorts of useful mechanical devices. My protagonist, at that time, was a former
slave boy applying for an education in Athens who became caught up in some
intrigue involving the government. There was also a time-travelling girl from <i>our</i> version of events who popped in and
out, and was somehow connected to the whole intrigue bit.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While the premise held some interest for me, the characters
felt too bland, and so the idea went underground. It stayed there for several
years. Then, while listening to the latest album from my favorite band, an idea
struck me. <i>How about taking the “musketeer”
archetype and gender-swapping it?</i> That idea quickly merged with the
antikythera-inspired scenario. I switched the setting to Renaissance Italy (but
with steam power!), dropped the time-traveling girl, and switched my
protagonist to a swordswoman and scientist of that era. <i>Rosaria</i> was born. The character stuck with me, and so I stuck with the story.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is an odd feeling when you discover how little you know,
but it soon becomes fuel for the imagination.<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144600653050501729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3033553036089265193.post-42409795818158439702013-05-08T20:19:00.002-07:002013-05-08T20:19:57.549-07:00When Did Science Fiction Begin?
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is a more difficult question than it seems. We all know
what science fiction is, right? Ray guns and space ships and aliens? So we just
go back in time, look for the earliest instances of these elements, and presto!
We have the first literary work of science fiction.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But what about a totalitarian regime using technology that
was but a stone’s throw away at the time it was written? Or a sexist dystopia
with identical technology to the present day? What if the people with the ray
guns, space ships and aliens can move things with their brains? Is this still
science fiction, or are we going someplace else entirely?</div>
<a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All three of the works I reference (<i>1984</i>, <i>The Handmaids Tale</i>
and <i>Star Wars</i>) are frequently
categorized as science fiction. But the classifications are far from unanimous.
While Orwell’s novel seems to be in little danger of being considered anything
other than social science-fiction, especially as it still involves technology
not yet used at the time. Yet Margaret Atwood considers her novel, <i>The Handmaid’s Tale</i>, to be speculative
fiction, but not <i>science</i> fiction, as
it has no future technology. (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Handmaid's_Tale#Classification_as_science_fiction_or_speculative_fiction">Wikipedia</a>, 2013) <i>Star Wars</i>, of course, takes its fantastic elements so far that many
consider it science fiction in name only.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
How we define science fiction has profound implications on
how we understand its history. If <i>Star
Wars</i> is science fiction, then we may consider all of the myths and legends
of years past—of which its creator intended it to be a modern analogue—to be a
form of science fiction. This would include the oldest recorded tale, <i>The Epic of Gilgamesh</i>, which some indeed
consider to be, at least in part, a work of science fiction. (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_science_fiction#Early_precursors">Wikipedia</a>, 2013)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But if we accepted <a href="http://www.analogsf.com/information/submissions.shtml">the definition of science fiction used by the magazine Analog Science Fiction and Fact</a>, that science fiction consists of “stories in which some aspect of
future science or technology is so integral to the plot that, if that aspect
were removed, the story would collapse,” we would read the situation much
differently. <i>Star Wars</i> would still be
science fiction because—despite its fantasy elements—it still relies on future <i>technology</i>, but it would not confer that
status upon <i>The Epic of Gilgamesh</i>.
Gilgamesh’s tale, though fantastic, lacks any element of scientific thought as
we know it, and is thus disqualified.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Analog’s</i>
definition would also confirm Atwood’s assertion that her work is <i>not</i> science fiction, and we could even
question <i>1984</i>’s status as science
fiction. Although it does involve “future” technology that was not quite
available when Orwell wrote it, one could argue that the plot could remain
intact without it. The novel would lose quite a bit of its punch, but it could
survive.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If <i>1984</i> and <i>The Handmaid’s Tale</i> aren’t science
fiction, however, then much of what we might consider prototypical science
fiction in the Western canon may not be. Thomas More’s <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utopia_(book)">Utopia</a></i> (written all the way back in 1516) is considered a precursor
to what we now call science fiction, on account of it using a fictional society
to comment on contemporary issues. (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_science_fiction#European_proto-science_fiction">Wikipedia</a>, 2013) If the use of speculation
to critique modern society in <i>1984</i> and
<i>The Handmaid’s</i> <i>Tale</i> are not hallmarks of science fiction, one may question whether
<i>Utopia</i> had any influence on the genre
at all. Of course, a more solid argument would be that even if <i>1984</i> and <i>The Handmaid’s Tale</i> aren’t SF, that doesn’t mean <i>Utopia </i>was any less influential.
Huxley’s <i>Brave New World</i> is truly
difficult to see as anything other than science fiction by Analog’s definition.
The ability to create humans by a factory process is one we still lack today,
and is critical to the plot. The novel also works in the dystopian vein of <i>1984</i> and <i>The Handmaid’s Tale</i>, which, as a whole, is a distortion of <i>Utopia’s</i> apparent portrayal of a perfect
world, and thus owes its existence to its influence.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, given the disagreement on exactly <i>what</i> constitutes science fiction, <i>when</i> did it begin?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The simplest answer is: very recently. In his essay “<a href="http://andromeda.rutgers.edu/~hbf/sfhist.html">Science Fiction: The Early History</a>,” H. Bruce Franklin asserts that science fiction, as
we know it, is a direct outgrowth of the industrial revolution:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
It is an expression of only modern technological, scientific, industrial society, appearing when preindustrial societies are transformed by an industrial revolution. Indeed, industrial society creates not just the consciousness characteristic of science fiction but also the very means of physically propagating science fiction in its various cultural forms, even before it was beamed as images on movie and video screens. For science fiction, like other forms of literature typical of industrial society, is propagated in mass-produced magazines and books, which require advanced manufacturing and distribution as well as a large literate audience.</blockquote>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Franklin’s argument makes sense for a number of reasons. For
one, the <i>Analog</i> definition of science
fiction does resonate with many of our expectations of science fiction: that
something that can only be explained by science or technology be involved in
the story. The industrial revolution, as Franklin says, creates the conditions
for us to see the world through the lens of science and technology. Secondly,
the term “science fiction” is a recent invention. Franklin cites its first use
as happening in 1851—however, the Online Etymology Dictionary <a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/science+fiction">indicates that this was an isolated example</a>, and first entered regular use even more recently
in 1929.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The use of the word indicates that, at the very least,
awareness of this kind of tale as a distinct form of fiction did not exist
until the 19<sup>th</sup> or 20<sup>th</sup> century. Even if such stories did
exist before the 1800s, they did not reach enough of a critical mass to earn
recognition as a genre. While we may debate over when the first science fiction
story was <i>told</i>, it would appear that
the <i>genre</i> did not exist until the
1800s.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But again, there is the question: what <i>is</i> science fiction? What <i>is</i>
this genre which we first recognized nearly two centuries ago? With everyone
using their own definition, it can be difficult to come to an agreement on the
subject. But Franklin’s essay, I believe, offers an insight. In describing the
effect of the late Renaissance on human consciousness, he writes:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
During the 17th century, technological and social change were accelerating so rapidly that they could be experienced within a person's lifetime. It would soon become possible to imagine an historical future qualitatively different from the past or the present. Prior to this, there had never been a fiction set in a future period of human history. The closest had been millennial imaginings that had pictured the replacement of human history by God's kingdom.</blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here, Franklin asserts that a change in our perception of
time as a driving force in the development of science fiction. Now that we knew
the future might be different than the present, we became able to imagine it.
Since that future was driven by discoveries in science and the development of
technology, our minds opened to those possibilities.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But this change, I believe, masks an even more fundamental
development. Scholars generally say that the acceptance of Copernicus’s
heliocentric theory cast the Earth from its throne at the center of the
universe. However, on an inner level, humanity appears to have assumed the
throne at the center of its own soul. As Franklin’s quote indicates, the
prevailing myth of the pre-industrial world was that our fate lay in the hands
of divine providence. When we became aware of the possibility of tomorrow being
different from today and yesterday, and that tomorrow changing on account of
human progress, I suspect that it also became apparent that we, ourselves, are
the drivers of our own destiny. It makes sense, in this light, that some
consider <i>Frankenstein</i>,<i> </i>whose subtitle is <i>The Modern Prometheus</i>, the first true science fiction novel.
(<a href="http://andromeda.rutgers.edu/~hbf/sfhist.html">Franklin, "Science Fiction: The Early History"</a>) With the realization—still incomplete—that we hold the key to
our own future, it seems humanity replaced God as the center of our own existence.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, while it is not the most complete definition, we can describe
science fiction thusly: <i>science fiction</i>
is that genre of stories which operates on the notion that humanity is the
agent of its own destiny, and that humanity alone is accountable <i>to itself</i> for the consequences of its actions.<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144600653050501729noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3033553036089265193.post-90170899228306878502013-05-06T19:21:00.002-07:002013-05-06T19:21:31.953-07:00Runicfire Recap: April 25 – May 6I've been crunching for finals the past few weeks, and have slipped on my Google+ and Facebook announcements. My apologies. I have, however, been continuing to pump out content here on Runicfire, and I'd like to catch up any readers who follow me on Facebook or Google+ on what they might have missed. Recap begins beneath the jump:<br />
<a name='more'></a>On <b>April 26th</b> I discussed the <a href="http://www.runicfire.net/2013/04/the-hopeful-yet-dismal-science-of.html">hopeful, yet dismal science of hydrogen fuel cells</a>. The technology shows promise, and we're even able to commercialize it now. The problem? Infrastructure.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.runicfire.net/2013/04/monday-links-wifi-to-replace-cables.html">Monday links</a> for <b>April 29th</b> featured articles on gigabit WiFi replacing computer cables, continuing global warming denialism, and the duration of the longest sunset you can observe.<br />
<br />
<b>May 3rd</b> saw a double post. First was <a href="http://www.runicfire.net/2013/05/the-case-for-global-warming-part-3-how.html">Part 3 of "The Case For Global Warming,"</a> my series on the phenomenon of anthropogenic global warming, how it happens, how we know it's happening, and—in this final installment—how much of a risk it poses to human life and civilization. If you missed the earlier installments, you can read Part 1 <a href="http://www.runicfire.net/2013/04/the-case-for-global-warming-part-1.html">here</a> and Part 2 <a href="http://www.runicfire.net/2013/04/the-case-for-global-warming-part-2-how.html">here</a>.<br />
<br />
I also <a href="http://www.runicfire.net/2013/05/rosaria-of-venice-choosing-cover-and.html">announced the Kickstarter campaign for my novel</a>, <i>Rosaria of Venice</i>. The campaign begins on May 24th. Proceeds will fund the cover illustration and editing costs. Backers will get to vote on the final cover as well. Go take a gander at the candidates!<br />
<br />
And earlier today, <b>May 6th</b>, we had <a href="http://www.runicfire.net/2013/05/monday-links-defining-time-neurologys.html">another round of Monday links</a>. The subjects included time (and how to define it), the difficulty in understanding the mind through the brain, the launch of Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo, and what the Economist is calling a Northern Irish "culture war" echoing that of the United States.<br />
<br />
I hope all these lovely articles strike your fancy. With finals over, I will be making sure to get the word out more quickly. So please, keep an eye on your feed for new posts every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. See you then!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144600653050501729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3033553036089265193.post-23963249297437866092013-05-06T00:00:00.001-07:002013-05-06T00:00:08.755-07:00This Week on Runicfire: May 6th — May 12th<b>Monday's </b><a href="http://www.runicfire.net/2013/05/monday-links-defining-time-neurologys.html">links</a> discuss the definition of time, the difficulty in measuring the human mind, the launch of SpaceShipTwo, and Northern Ireland's new schism.<br />
<br />
On <b>Wednesday</b> I delve into the history of science fiction, in the first of a series of posts on the genre and its sub-categories. On <b>Friday</b> I delve deeper into the subject with a look at the alternate history genre.<br />
<br />
With the <i>Rosaria of Venice</i> Kickstarter launch approaching, you can expect more updates on the novel as well. Please check back throughout the week for these and the Wednesday and Friday articles. I believe you'll find them an interesting read.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144600653050501729noreply@blogger.com0