Existence
The new Brin novel Existence comes out in June. A topic! ___ http://box535.bluehost.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: Torchwood: Children of Earth
On 25 Jul 2009, at 04:02, John Williams wrote: I just watched the 3rd season of Torchwood, which was a 5 episode mini-series called Children of Earth. What a disappointment. [snip] Then I looked at the Torchwood forum on imdb.com, and found that quite a few people posting thought Children of Earth was the best science-fiction they have seen in quite a while! One post even compared it to Firefly. Ouch. I quite enjoyed it. The ending was weak as usual for Davies. I'm trying to think of any good sci-fi on television recently, or coming soon, but the only thing I can think of is Dollhouse. Umm, and possibly A Game of Thrones, if it ever makes it to HBO, but that is fantasy, not science fiction. The pilot for _Virtuality_ was good, and they're still shopping that around looking for international partners so it may yet become a series. The trailer for the latest Stargate spinoff, _Stargate Universe_ makes it look like the best thing in that franchise for many years. In the new season TV the remake of _V_ starring Morena Baccarin and _FlashForward_ based on the novel by Robert J Sawyer both look interesting. _Lost_ and _Fringe_ both return. _Lost_ was excellent last season and I expect great things from the final season. _Fringe_ kicked up a gear with the twists and revelations at the end of the first season so it will be interesting where that goes. ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Texan Education
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16859-texas-vote-leaves-loopholes-for-teaching-creationism.html?page=1 However, additional amendments that were voted through provide loopholes for creationist teaching. It's as if they slammed the door shut with strengths and weaknesses, then ran around the house opening windows to let it in a bunch of other ways, says Dan Quinn, who was on site at the hearings. Quinn is communications director of the Texas Freedom Network, a community watchdog organisation. One amendment calls for students to analyze and evaluate scientific explanations concerning the complexity of the cell, phrasing that rings of intelligent design arguments. Another amendment requires students to analyze and evaluate scientific explanations concerning any data on sudden appearance and stasis and the sequential groups in the fossil record. These issues are commonly held up by creationists as arguments against evolution, even though the scientific community disagrees. Anti-evolutionist Don McLeroy, a dentist and chair of the Texas State Board of Education, testified at Friday's hearing: I disagree with these experts. Someone has got to stand up to experts. An amendment to the environmental sciences standards requires students to analyze and evaluate different views on the existence of global warming, despite overwhelming consensus within the scientific community that global warming exists. An amendment to the Earth and space sciences curriculum requires the teaching of different theories of the origin, age and history of the universe. The board voted to remove from the standards the statement that the universe is roughly 14 billion years old. Facepalm Maru ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
TV (was Re: Weekly Chat Reminder)
On 22 Apr 2009, at 19:32, Alberto Monteiro wrote: The Brin-L weekly chat has been a list tradition for over ten years. (...) BTW, about the chat we had two weeks ago, I think I know the confusion about Heroes. What I was calling Season 4 (not aired nowhere) was the Book 4. Book 3 finished a long time ago, I think they are showing Book 4, but I missed all episodes, since I thought they were reprising. I got my satellite DVR upgraded to HD just before we went to Prague last week so now I'm watching Heroes, 24, Bones, Lost and others in HD with Dolby Surround Sound. Very nice. On the first leg of our journey (to Paris) we flew on an Embraer 190 which was very comfortable and quiet. The Air France stewardesses were very nice and the sandwich was smoked salmon. The second leg (Paris - Prague) was on a Czech Airlines 737-400 which was cramped and noisy and the sandwich was cheese, turkey and cabbage. Not sauerkraut Maru ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: TV (was Re: Weekly Chat Reminder)
On 28 Apr 2009, at 17:33, Alberto Monteiro wrote: William Goodall wrote: On the first leg of our journey (to Paris) we flew on an Embraer 190 which was very comfortable and quiet. (...) Really? But that's not its streght. Surely you have heard about the airplane collision that happened over Brazil a few years ago? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gol_Transportes_A%C3%A9reos_Flight_1907 The huge Boeing 737-8EH SFP (c. 40,000 kg) collided with an Embraer Legacy (c. 16,000 kg). The Boeing dissolved in the air and crashed, while the Embraer landed successfully with its seven occupants uninjured. These planes are reputed for their resilience. So, spacious (2+2 seating instead of 3+3), comfortable (wider seats, more legroom), quiet and built like a brick house? Mrs Wife (who has travelled more than I) said the Air France flight was the best she's been on. Last time we went to Prague it was British Airways via Gatwick on 737-400s and the stewards were comically gay. Their demonstrations of the oxygen masks and life jackets were quite hilarious. Stereotypes Maru ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
