thehowe_v7.1

I realized something recently about science fiction fans. When you have a conversation with them about their favorite science fiction, the vast majority of them will cite movies or TV shows: Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek, Star Wars, etc. These are all excellent shows, but people, I have news for you: there is far better science fiction out there.

The problem is that the vast majority of SciFi. that makes it onto film or TV is very mainstream. Take a classic story, give some of the characters blue skin, pointy ears, and ray guns, and you've got your typical mainstream SciFi. I'm not saying those shows aren't good, they're some of my favorites. I'm just saying that those shows are to good science fiction as a big wheel is to a corvette.

Now, if you want to read some really good science fiction, I can suggest several excellent authors. Asimov's Foundation Novels of course, are a classic that examines the impacts of both society and individuals on the long-term fate of the human race. C. J. Cherryh's Foreigner novels provide one of the best representations of truly inhuman aliens that I've ever read. Dan Simmons' Hyperion novels explore a number of interesting ideas, from time travel to artificial intelligence to the long-term viability of the human species. Several of Vernor Vinge's novels touch on interesting subjects such as the idea of the Singularity.

I guess it makes me kind of a science fiction snob to say that the only good SciFi is in books, but I really think it's true. I'd strongly encourage anybody who likes science fiction movies and TV shows to give one of the authors I mentioned a try. They're all well worth reading.

I have a theory.

I'm single, and have been for several years now. About 80% of the time, I'm content with this. The other 20% of the time, it kind of sucks. Today, something occurred to me: if I wasn't single, it's not like that 20% would be magically filled in with "happy". My theory is that about 80% of the time I'd be happy, or at least content, with being in a relationship. The other 20% of the time would probably kind of suck.

Maybe not the most profound realization, but I found it interesting.

I just read a thread on a Comic Books discussion social discussion list here at Microsoft, whose penultimate post postulated that Superman would be weak against the powers of the Force, based on the assumption that the Force is a form of magic.

This BLEW. MY. MIND.

Well, I've been busy.

For the past two weeks and change, I've been traveling with my parents and brother across the country, hitting all kinds of sights. Check Facebook for the photos.

We arrived in the Seattle area yesterday. Today I: bought a car, opened a bank account, got car insurance, and got renter's insurance. It was a busy day.

If all goes according to plan, I'll have an apartment by the end of the week.

For the past week I've been canoeing with friends & family up in Canada. For the most part, the trip was pretty uneventful. With a few minor exceptions.

Like, for example, how on the drive up, at 3:00 in the morning, we hit a horse. Well, actually two horses. They had somehow gotten loose and decided it would be a good idea to cross the road in front of us. Nobody was hurt, but a car was totaled and two canoes were ruined. Good times.

Then there was the hotel we stayed at that night. We're fairly sure the receptionist was high. First she gave us smoking rooms, which was understandable. Then when we tried switching one of the rooms, she gave us keys to a room that was already occupied. Then when we got another new room, the sheets were dirty. Good times.

Then there was the portage we did on a day trip once we were in Quetico. The water was a little high this year. High, as in over half the portage was up to my knees in water and had a current running through it. Good times.

Like I said, and uneventful trip.

(All kidding aside though, we had a great time, modulo a little bad luck here and there).

Fifteen minute impressions of MIT vs. Harvard, based on walking around their campuses during the summer (so, probably totally inaccurate):

MIT: Based on the number of pasty people wearing glasses and inappropriate tropical shirts, approximately 67% more nerds than Harvard. The nerds were very polite, though.

Harvard: Based on the number of people playing instruments on street corners, approximately 1000% more hippies than MIT. The hippies were very polite, though.

Things I learned on the 14 hour drive from Ann Arbor to Boston:

1. Trucks don't have to go slower in other states.
2. Getting passed by a semi going 10 over the speed limit is scary.
3. There is a restaurant called "Quaker Steak and Lube".
4. I find the idea of a restaurant named "Quaker Steak and Lube" vaguely disturbing.
5. Whoever designed Boston's streets was clearly on crack.

Later this weekend: hang gliding. It will either be awesome, or I will die. Possibly both.

So, I was taking the garbage out yesterday, and I happened to walk past some dandelions. I kid you not, my first instinct was to harvest them for ingredients.

I think I've been playing too much Oblivion.

Hrm, yes, thoughts. Well.

For one, I'm gradumatated. Again. Like, for real this time, as in "see you later Ann Arbor, I'm off to the real world to get a job and stuff" for real. It feels.... good? I don't really think it's sunk in yet.

Also, entertainment. Over the past few weeks I've discovered not one, not two, but three incredibly awesome webcomics that have been around basically forever but nobody ever bothered to tell me about: The Adventures of Dr. McNinja, The Order of the Stick, and Questionable Content. You should read them. All of them, all their archives, in one sitting. Like I did. Totally worth losing 12+ hours of your life.

And yes, I realize that "Gradumatated" is not the correct spelling. It is, however, 327% funnier. How do I know this? Science.

In today's issue of the Michigan Daily there's a letter to the editor addressing inter-faith relationships, in response to an earlier article on the same subject.

I have no opinion on the matter, but I found the hypocrisy evident in the letter to the editor rather amusing, so I thought I'd share it with you.

First, the actual text of the letter:

To the Daily:

I would like to express my disagreement with Shakira Smiler's column Friday on interfaith dating (Guess who's coming to dinner, 03/21/2008). Smiler questioned why refusing to date someone of a different faith is different than discriminating against someone based on race. The answer is simply that value systems and beliefs can transcend skin color, but that's not necessarily true of religion.

Dating or marrying someone of another faith can lead to social isolation within your own community, a terrible situation for children and, according to some studies, higher divorce rates. While we all like a little variety in our dating lives, there are ways of learning and appreciating the values and convictions of others without becoming involved romantically.

Daniel Horwitz
Law School

Now, the same letter, but swapping all references to religion with references to race, and vice-versa (swapped words are highlighted):

To the Daily:

I would like to express my disagreement with Shakira Smiler's column Friday on interrace dating (Guess who's coming to dinner, 03/21/2008). Smiler questioned why refusing to date someone of a different race is different than discriminating against someone based on faith. The answer is simply that value systems and beliefs can transcend religion, but that's not necessarily true of skin color.

Dating or marrying someone of another race can lead to social isolation within your own community, a terrible situation for children and, according to some studies, higher divorce rates. While we all like a little variety in our dating lives, there are ways of learning and appreciating the values and convictions of others without becoming involved romantically.

I ask you, does the second reason make any less sense than the first? They both sound about the same to me.