RIP, Octavia Butler, "genius" science fiction writer

"Octavia Butler, the brilliant science fiction writer, reportedly died on Saturday following a fall that gave her a fatal concussion. Butler was the incredible writer who was the first genre author to win the MacArthur Foundation's 'Genius' grant. She was the first prominent African-American woman in the field, and her novels and short stories were an inspiration to a generation of writers of all backgrounds and both sexes (I was ready to give up writing after a five-year bout of writers' block in my mid-twenties when I read the introduction to her short story collection in which she recounted her own block and decided to keep trying)." [via Boing Boing]

Nightstalker and Christmas Story Star Dead at 83

Nightstalker and Christmas Story Star Dead at 83

"McGavin, 83, died Saturday of natural causes at a Los Angeles-area hospital with his family at his side, said his son Bogart McGavin.

"McGavin also had leading roles in TV’s 'Riverboat' and cult favorite 'Kolchak: The Night Stalker.' Among his memorable portrayals was Gen. George Patton in the 1979 TV biography 'Ike.'

"Despite his busy career in television, McGavin was awarded only one Emmy: in 1990 for an appearance as Candice Bergen’s opinionated father in an episode of 'Murphy Brown.'

"He lacked the prominence in films he enjoyed in television, but he registered strongly in featured roles such as the young artist in Venice in "Summertime,' David Lean’s 1955 film with Katharine Hepburn and Rosanno Brazzi; Frank Sinatra’s crafty drug supplier in 'The Man with the Golden Arm' (1955); Jerry Lewis’s parole officer in 'The Delicate Delinquent' (1957); and the gambler in 1984’s 'The Natural.' He also starred alongside Don Knotts, who died Friday night, in the 1976 family comedy 'No Deposit, No Return.'"

2nd hand electronics sales will soon be illegal in Japan

"The customer is not always... well, rarely, right in Japan, and manufacturers don't really care about them. The second hand marker flourishes over here, and most people take good care of their equipment, so used goods are usually in a very good condition and are sold easily to be replaced by new goods. It's easy to strike a good deal when buying these second hand goods. But that's exactly the big problem for manufacturers, because this grey market is not generating them any profit, and they would like to get rid of this phenomenon. The first ones to talk to the government about this were the car manufacturers, and they convinced the government to enforce a rule that used cars have to go to the technical inspection after 3 years, and this is a costly matter since a check costs between 1500 and 3500 EUR. Once you're in the system, you have to get your car checked every 2 years, and once your car is 10 years old, you need to go there every year. This is a reson why the Japanese change cars quite fast, usually before the car is 3 years old. Important aspect is that you have no control whatsoever on the cost of possible repairs, because after the technical check, the car is driven to the garage and they do the repairs that the technical check asked them to do, you just get the bill with your car. A very nice rip-off... and this system is being envied by a lot of other domains, like the electronics domain at this moment. So from April 1st 2006, ALL electronic products sold in Japan before 2001 will be prohibited from the 2nd hand market! This means that for example a PC like the Vaio U1 (PCG-U1) will be soon not vailable [sic] on the Japanese market anymore, since it was sold in April 2002... and you still have about a month to get a Vaio C1! It also seems that a 5 yeas old product (made after 2001) will Face the same problem in the futur. [sic]"

2nd hand electronics sales will soon be illegal in Japan

More Anagram Transit Maps!

Now, you don't have to just live in London to have an Anagram Map of your city's transit system. Yippeee!! One for Cleveland!

Boing Boing: Anagram transit maps for Cleveland, St Louis (x2), BART, and Singapore

There are also links to: Toronto Anagram Subway Map, Amsterdam Anagram Metro Map, Chicago Regional Transit Authority Anagram Map, Maps for Manhattan, Oslo, Boston and Atlanta, Vienna U-Bahn Anagram Map, DC Metro Anagram Map, Stockholm Transit Anagram Map, LA Red Line Anagram Map.

Enjoy the weirdness! [Via Boing Boing]

Eric Shanower's Age of Bronze

Since this came to my email Inbox by way of John Kovalic, I figured that it was worth passing along. It is certainly a good comic that deserves (and needs) the support.

Eric Shanower's Age of Bronze

Hello, everybody.

I've never sent a mass email asking friends to consider subscribing to a comic book before, but this is a very special case. Eric Shanower's award winning 'Age of Bronze' - a 10 year project retelling the story of the Trojan War - needs subscribers to keep the book going.

You've probably heard me praising this work. It's the perfect way to tell this sometimes complex story because this comic illustrates the period costumes and architecture, carefully researched. Unlike the Homer novels some of us have read, Eric leaves out the fantasy elements of the gods and concentrates on people and politics. The gods' only influence is through the people who worship them - and interpret their will.

It's our oldest recorded adventure story retold. Fans of 'Lord of the Rings' type stories, especially, will enjoy it.

Here's how to order:
1. There are two collected volumes out in affordable softcover that start from the beginning of the story.
2. The comic itself is bimonthly. You can jump on now and soon be up to speed, if you'd like.
Visit www.age-of-bronze.com

I consider my subscription a worthwhile and fun contribution to the fields of literature and art. It's important to keep history alive for future generations. Once again, it's available at www.age-of-bronze.com

Thanks,
Gary Beatty

The New Orleans Public Library Seeking Book Donations

Because I think that this is something important, and because dorks and geeks usually have more books than they actually need anyway, try to send some in the direction of someplace that really needs them.

The New Orleans Public Library Seeking Book Donations

"The New Orleans Public Library is asking for any and all hardcover and paperback books for people of all ages in an effort to restock the shelves after Katrina. The staff will assess which titles will be designated for its collections. The rest will be distributed to destitute famil! ies or sold for library fundraising. Please send your books to:

Rica A. Trigs, Public Relations
New Orleans Public Library
219 Loyola Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70112

"If you tell the post office that they are for the library in New Orleans, they will give you the library rate which is slightly less than the book rate."

Paul Kupperberg's Ragnarok

I've never really been one for comic book novels, other than the ocassional (including the The Avengers Battle The Earth-Wrecker mentioned in the interview. But this might be cool, since I am a longtime JSA fan. I think that its cool that an RPG book was used as reference material....I wonder which one?

Paul Kupperberg's Ragnarok

"When it comes to writing and editing, you could literally say that Paul Kupperberg has 'done it all'. Longtime readers (and those paying attention over the years) will have glimpsed his name attached to everything from comics and novels to non-fiction and role-playing games. Since first freelancing in ’75, Paul has walked a literary labyrinth through companies such as DC, Marvel, and Charlton, both as a writer and editor and also behind-the-scenes (at DC). He was also instrumental in the development of the !mpact line of comics and can be credited for the creation of Arion: Lord of Atlantis, Checkmate!, and Takion. Perhaps one of the most exciting projects he’s been involved with, at least for this fanboy, is the upcoming JSA prose novel, Ragnarok. That’s primarily what I’ve begged him to talk about in the following interview."

Calling Up The Spectre With Ostrander & Mandrake

In light of the suffering that the character has undergone at the hands of DC Comics lately, I thought that I would link to this interview with the creators who managed to pull off the last good run with the chracter. We can only hope that the character will go up from here. [Day of Venegence...I'm look at you]

Calling Up The Spectre With Ostrander & Mandrake

"Long time co-creators John Ostrander and Tom Mandrake (GrimJack, Firestorm) joined forces once more in the early 90s to give a fresh treatment to a character started way back when Superman was young, the Spectre. With the fantastic art of Tom Mandrake and the rich, labyrinthine writing of John Ostrander, The Spectre series they created may well be some of the finest comic book creating the world is likely to see. Tom and John graciously agreed to re-visit their work in an interview, and what follows is the result of that discussion. So now, brave readers-enter the uncanny world of The Spectre-if you dare!"

Hakworld

I just thought that I would throw out a link to the new Hakworld blog. I enjoyed Hakwood's 101 Days of the Rules Cyclopedia experiment (even if it only lasted 70-some days...it still had some good stuff to it) and I am sure that something interesting will come from his new blog.

Hakworld

So much better than just a bunch of theory.

lost camera: camera unlost, but not quite found.

After seeing this on Boing Boing, I figured that it could use some reposting. A sad, sad lesson that these people are teaching their child. If there even is one.

I think that Canada should be held for the blame. But seriously, this is a seriously asshat thing to do.

lost camera: camera unlost, but not quite found.

"I hadn't posted here in a while, because just after the last post, I got a call from an excited park ranger in Hawaii that 'a nice Canadian couple reported that they found your camera!' She gave me their name and number, and I eagerly called to reclaim my camera.

"'Hello,' I said, when I reached the woman who had reported the camera found, 'I got your number from the park ranger, it seems you have my camera?'

"We discussed the specifics of the camera, the brown pouch it was in, the spare battery and memory card, the yellow rubberband around the camera. It was clear it was my camera, and I was thrilled.

"'Well,' she said, 'we have a bit of a situation. You see, my nine year old son found your camera, and we wanted to show him to do the right thing, so we called, but now he's been using it for a week and he really loves it and we can't bear to take it from him.'

"I listened, not sure where she was going with this."
[via Boing Boing]