Matthew Alan Thyer's Blog, page 32
September 16, 2015
Smart and Connected Communities Have Tightly Integrated Physical Networks
SpringWise Flying Firstaid Kit
The National Science Foundation announced on the morning of September 14th that they are spearheading a White House initiative to “Cultivate Smart and Connected Communities.” The endeavour is supposed to be a sort of Manhattan Project resulting in research, prototypes that are a model for the world. The next step in smart and connected communities. I have to say that I’m glad to see nearly $40 million dollars being earmarked for research into this most critical...
September 15, 2015
IOTD
When people are giving him a hard time about putting any sort of person in his latest release, telling him he’s not the “right choice” or “best choice” for the SW universe, or generally just being sad, sad banthas all Check Wendig ever need do is re-post this video.
September 14, 2015
IOTD
“Bonsai” by LSouthern
Maybe what I need this morning.
Wake Up
The sun was just breaking the eastern horizon, climbing through the narrow slit of clear space between the Cascades and the cloud cover, when the dream woke me. I was breathing heavily, sweating despite the open window, and crying. I was grateful to be awake all the same.
A nightmare? Yes, but not the usual sort. Tess and I have been investigating fostering children and, as a result, the flavor of my anxiety and consequently my dreams has changed.
Five years ago the dreams were similar. In th...
An Interview with Diana M. Pho
Diana’s essay appears in Invisible 2 (edited by Jim. C Hines) alongside other voices. We’re all talking about representation in SFF, and this interview extends her eloquent words in the anthology.
Take a look, a worthy read.
Originally posted on Geek Girl in Love:
Today’s interview is with Diana M. Pho, author of the essay “Breaking Mirrors” inInvisible 2,edited by Jim C. Hines. We’ve been thrilled to feature interviews from several authors from this anthology recently – you ca...
September 3, 2015
Syrian Refugees
“One does not ask of one who suffers: What is your country and what is your religion? One merely says: You suffer, that is enough for me.” –Louis Pasteur
If you agree with Pasteur and you’re a US Citizen click here to do something about suffering.
I’ve been avoiding my computer for a couple of days now. My avoidance is a result of finding myself at the end of my rope. After posting this IOTDimages of a drowned toddler who washed ashore began to come up in my searches about the refugee crisis...
August 31, 2015
IOTD
Warning: not everyone is going to want to watch this video.
On August 26th theDoctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) rescue ship, the Bourbon Argos, rescued about 800 refugees from Tunisia and Syria. I chose this video, in part, because of the subject matter of the most recent story I’ve just completed. And also, because this rescue operation does not end in tragedy.
Ladies and gentlemen, the distance that separates most of us from this sort of fate is so precariously thin. I...
August 28, 2015
Conan vs Man-Bear-Pig
Conan vs. Man-Bear-Pig
Warning: Hereafter, you will find more Hugo derp. If you’re tired of it, uninterested, or annoyed with terms like “fandom,” “Puppies” or “Literary Science Fiction” don’t bother reading past this warning. No, I mean it. Go. Get. Be gone.
I ran into a manifesto this evening; it got me hot and bothered. Ken Burnside, nominated as part of both Puppies slates, wrote “How The Hugos Crashed” and posted it to Facebook and G+. I ran into it and ended up reading about half of it...
August 20, 2015
IOTD
Micah True “Caballo Blanco” Running Free
“I remember this photo of Ali, running along the beach, on the sand in combat boots, so his boxing shoes would feel lighter when he was in the ring. He said something about the fight being won in the gym, out on the road, long before he danced under the lights. Ali was my Hero. He’d rather go to prison, than go to war. I always respected him for that. He was a great fighter, and a great runner.”When I was 21/22 years old, I had been smoking lots of dop...
August 19, 2015
IOTD
“Polar Bear in Tundra Bloom” – Dennis Fast
Today’s inspiration is very grounded. But despite being completely real, and an everyday occurrence at that, it’s all the more amazing because of its commonality. I’ll let you click through to the full story, but the summary is that a guy named Dennis Fast took some amazing images of polar bears frolicking in a bloom of arctic Chamerion angustifolium.
I love these creatures and I love that they live, eat and breath right through the harshest of winte...
