Re:Exactly, Jack of Shadows is a better work
on
Lord of Light
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· Score: 1
I found the three-page sermon delivered by Sam to be very compelling. It actually makes a strong foundation for a value system that does not conflict with rational thought. I know because I read it as an young teen, and promptly adopted it.
"Down with Ugliness!"
Re:Spoilers in the review...
on
Lord of Light
·
· Score: 1
I remember chatting in the #amber channel on efnet when the news of Roger's death broke. I cried real tears that I'd never sent that fan letter I always meant to. His books resonated so strongly with me in my formative years.
I also hung out a bit in alt.books.roger-zelazny. It was a nearly universal experience, that everyone put this book down the first time they tried reading it. It was also a consensus that it is by far his greatest work. I think its the big flashback that throws most people. I missed it the first time through and was thoroughly befuddled.
Try Guinness in a can. They've got a nifty little device that mixes CO2 and Nitrogen with the brew when you open it up. Not quite as tasty as a fresh keg but pretty darn close!
Blue Champagne is a superlative collection of short stories by Varley that contains "Press Enter". Its old for scifi(1984?) but ages well, and is on my top-10 list of Science Fiction. Every story is entertaining and though-provoking while at least three are brilliant.
... Can you imagine the shennanigans that Microsoft could play with AOL if IE became the defacto browser? ... It will be interesting to see who wins this particular "Clash of the Titans
And from the top-level post: Of course, now that IE has 86% of the market,
I thought this was an interesting battle myself, but, correct me if I'm wrong... Didn't IE win this one a while ago?
are the common threads between online gaming and sports.
My circle of Real Life friends is mostly composed of aging hard-core athletes, and online gamers. There is a large overlap between the two, based on appreciation of the above elements.
Chess and Football both require tactics and strategy as well as these three qualities. Ever listen to John Madden wax philosophical about the chess match being waged between offensive and defensive linemen? My favorite sport, fencing, is often referred to as "chess at x miles per hour", x being the best guess at the speed of the tip of a blade propelled by a fencer in full lunge. My best result to date (25th at U.S. Nationals) followed an injury-plagued year where my training regimen mostly consisted of gym work and obsessive quaking for my adrenaline fix. I genuinely think that quake served to keep my focus and "twitch" response in competition form.
I guess my point is that, if you ask anyone that is deeply into both (physical sports and online gaming) they will tell you that the sensations and rewards are similar. The only thing missing is the physical exertion. That is the feature I am waiting for. I look forward to the athletic gaming of the future: Mountain bike competition on the lifecycles at the gym and shadow boxing vs. computer opponents that actually requires you to perform the correct movements to win.
I'm still trying to figure out how playing games is a form of literary expression...
Its a stretch, but participation in hardcore role-playing in games such as Everquest consists of collaborative storytelling using computer avatar actions and text as medium.
I haven't witnessed anything I would elevate to the level of "literature" yet, but you can be pretty entertained just by watching a good role-player at work...
I loved the ticket system when I visited my Aunt in LA as a kid. She had a drawer full of leftover A - C tickets that we would use to go round and round all day. Not only did it keep the lines down on the big ticket rides, it gave you some incentive to do the funky rides.
I was heartbroken when they got rid of Inner Space to make room for some lame Michael Jackson ride.
I remember thinking how cool it was that a mainstream band was actually inspired by a video game. If you listen closely you can hear the Space Invaders sound effects playing behind. Plus its a damn good instrumental track.
I'll have to fire up Napster when I get home and snag a copy for old times sake. I actually own a cassette tape I copied from a friends album way back in Junior High, so thats a legitimate use, right?;-)
But Napster is a tool and ownership or use of a tool in a legal manner is legal. Yes, it can be used to trade illegal MP3s. It can also be used to trade valid ones. A car can be used to get away in a bank heist. It can also be used for grocery shopping. Should we ban cars? When is the last time you, or anyone else, used Napster to trade legal MP3's? How would you go about doing it? Sure, you can make your own music available for download, but I would despair of finding a legal MP3 from among the 99.99998% illegal distributed MP3s (Journal of Self-Serving Statistics, May 2000) available through Napster. Maybe someone should make a tool for freely sharing legal MP3s. But then, who would bother? I want Marcy Playground...
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I found the three-page sermon delivered by Sam to be very compelling. It actually makes a strong foundation for a value system that does not conflict with rational thought. I know because I read it as an young teen, and promptly adopted it.
"Down with Ugliness!"I remember chatting in the #amber channel on efnet when the news of Roger's death broke. I cried real tears that I'd never sent that fan letter I always meant to. His books resonated so strongly with me in my formative years. I also hung out a bit in alt.books.roger-zelazny. It was a nearly universal experience, that everyone put this book down the first time they tried reading it. It was also a consensus that it is by far his greatest work. I think its the big flashback that throws most people. I missed it the first time through and was thoroughly befuddled.
Try Guinness in a can. They've got a nifty little device that mixes CO2 and Nitrogen with the brew when you open it up. Not quite as tasty as a fresh keg but pretty darn close!
Blue Champagne is a superlative collection of short stories by Varley that contains "Press Enter". Its old for scifi(1984?) but ages well, and is on my top-10 list of Science Fiction. Every story is entertaining and though-provoking while at least three are brilliant.
Can you imagine the shennanigans that Microsoft could play with AOL if IE became the defacto browser?
It will be interesting to see who wins this particular "Clash of the Titans
And from the top-level post:
Of course, now that IE has 86% of the market,
I thought this was an interesting battle myself, but, correct me if I'm wrong... Didn't IE win this one a while ago?
are the common threads between online gaming and sports.
My circle of Real Life friends is mostly composed of aging hard-core athletes, and online gamers. There is a large overlap between the two, based on appreciation of the above elements.
Chess and Football both require tactics and strategy as well as these three qualities. Ever listen to John Madden wax philosophical about the chess match being waged between offensive and defensive linemen? My favorite sport, fencing, is often referred to as "chess at x miles per hour", x being the best guess at the speed of the tip of a blade propelled by a fencer in full lunge. My best result to date (25th at U.S. Nationals) followed an injury-plagued year where my training regimen mostly consisted of gym work and obsessive quaking for my adrenaline fix. I genuinely think that quake served to keep my focus and "twitch" response in competition form.
I guess my point is that, if you ask anyone that is deeply into both (physical sports and online gaming) they will tell you that the sensations and rewards are similar. The only thing missing is the physical exertion. That is the feature I am waiting for. I look forward to the athletic gaming of the future: Mountain bike competition on the lifecycles at the gym and shadow boxing vs. computer opponents that actually requires you to perform the correct movements to win.
I'm still trying to figure out how playing games is a form of literary expression...
Its a stretch, but participation in hardcore role-playing in games such as Everquest consists of collaborative storytelling using computer avatar actions and text as medium.
I haven't witnessed anything I would elevate to the level of "literature" yet, but you can be pretty entertained just by watching a good role-player at work...
I loved the ticket system when I visited my Aunt in LA as a kid. She had a drawer full of leftover A - C tickets that we would use to go round and round all day. Not only did it keep the lines down on the big ticket rides, it gave you some incentive to do the funky rides.
I was heartbroken when they got rid of Inner Space to make room for some lame Michael Jackson ride.
Sure it is! You're just examining the wrong criteria. "the best" at doing what?
I remember thinking how cool it was that a mainstream band was actually inspired by a video game. If you listen closely you can hear the Space Invaders sound effects playing behind. Plus its a damn good instrumental track.
;-)
I'll have to fire up Napster when I get home and snag a copy for old times sake. I actually own a cassette tape I copied from a friends album way back in Junior High, so thats a legitimate use, right?
But Napster is a tool and ownership or use of a tool in a legal manner is legal. Yes, it can be used to trade illegal MP3s. It can also be used to trade valid ones. A car can be used to get away in a bank heist. It can also be used for grocery shopping. Should we ban cars? When is the last time you, or anyone else, used Napster to trade legal MP3's? How would you go about doing it? Sure, you can make your own music available for download, but I would despair of finding a legal MP3 from among the 99.99998% illegal distributed MP3s (Journal of Self-Serving Statistics, May 2000) available through Napster. Maybe someone should make a tool for freely sharing legal MP3s. But then, who would bother? I want Marcy Playground...