Cycho Librarian

I've always been a Science Fiction fan, although I've noticed that the older I get the less tolerance I have for the more frivolous Sci-fi and the more I appreciate "hard" Sci-fi. For those of you not familiar, "hard" Sci-fi is based out of current scientific theory, attempting to remain as close as possible to what can reasonably be thought possible based on that theory. This is not escapist Sci-fi, this is Sci-fi that really makes you think about where we're headed and what life will be like in the future. So I was pleased to discover that in a recent poll by the Sci-fi channel, other fans of the genre came down firmly on the side of hard Sci-fi, especially with regards to books. Not only that, but the number one thing you can do to save the world? Read. 1. 1984 by George Orwell 2. The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells 3. Dune by Frank Herbert 4. The Time Machine by H.G. Wells 5. I, Robot by Isaac Asimov 6. The Stand by Stephen King 7. Fahrenhe...

Web 2.0 has become one of those phrases that is used so much in so many different circumstances that it's almost become meaningless. This is unfortunate, because the concept it represents is probably the most important concept in our society today. The way the Internet has completely integrated into our lives is already changing everything about ourselves, our society, and our world. So in an effort to rescue "Web 2.0" from inanity, I'd like to share (in true Web 2.0 fashion) one of the simplest and best explanations of what it means I've ever come across. So link, tag, embed, and share, friends. The world is changing.

I know this is a little late, but I had to say something about the string of idiocy that came out of the mouths of our fearless leaders/ would-be-leaders a couple weeks ago. First, let's talk about gas tax holidays. I think by now we've all seen the commentaries that have been floating around about the idea. The thing that gets me is that a lot of the pundits seem to be suggesting that Obama is making a "complicated" argument against Clinton/McCain's "simple" argument. This I don't get. How much simpler can it be to say "You'd only save 18 cents on the gallon, and that will get eaten up by higher summer prices anyway"? Nevermind the 900 million it would cost the federal government in badly-needed infrastructure repairs. I just wish that the media and the politicians would stop assuming that we're idiots. Next, McCain's recently unveiled health care proposal. Once more we are being told that if everyone went out and bough...