The following books are extremely different from each other, but each of them uses suicide as a plot element that raises the question, what do we live for - or not. Two of them have been out for awhile, but this year I'm thinking fiercely about the question of what to live fo… Read full post »

It's likely that you too received an email from Michelle Obama about today's "day of service", in honour of Dr King and also (for me anyway) in celebration of the change of government. Last night my mom and I surfed through the list of things to do in our neighbourhood...

One of our ne… Read full post »

Many science fiction writers have used their stature and scientific knowledge to propose paths out/up, remedies, and new approaches (notably David Brin here and on his official site, Bruce Sterling via his Viridian Design project, and others). They have experience with scientific content, with i… Read full post »

Heard this double bill at the Wonder Ballroom in Portland tonight. FoW (my first time seeing them live) were even better than I had hoped: tight, melodic, and working on another album. They did a schmoopy acoustic version of "Stacy's Mom" that was almost Lawrence Welkish but with lots… Read full post »

Today at Wordstock, Salon's own Douglas Wolk moderated a lively panel on comics and politics, with Patrick Rosenkranz, Spain Rodriguez (Mr. Dark Hotel!), and Alison Bechdel speaking. Here are some notes I managed to jot down.

Alison said her first exposure to underground comix was the R. Crumb art on… Read full post »

The Aussie comedy Summer Heights High is coming to US TV. (Thanks Heather for the heads up.) Two tips for US viewers:

Ranga. This is an Aussie insult aimed at people who have red hair. (Orangutan > ranga.) The islander kids are tired of being discriminated against, so they decide to beat… Read full post »

Executive Summary: Dick Francis' thrillers have been a group effort by him and his wife and his son(s) and others. Dead Heat (2007) finds second son Felix Francis more officially in the saddle, with the whip hand, in the frame, et cetera. (According to the Times Online, Felix took the lead… Read full post »