That's how it was described to me once.

When I asked an electrician I knew to explain to me why electricity didn't fall out of the outlets if there wasn't a plug to stop it, he gave me some story about how electrity flows like water. Well, now, according to <a target="_blank" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3201030.stm">this article on the BBC</a>, electricity may flow <i>from</i> water. It's not hydro-electric power plants, but it is electricity generated from the flow of water. Fascinating and new, so no one knows what the implications are yet. Perfect fodder for a near-future science-fiction story!

This is the second new script.

Last week, I re-released my <a href="http://www.fantasist.net/wordgen.shtml">Conlang Word Generator</a> in a limited version. This week, I've added <a href="http://www.fantasist.net/wordgen2.shtml">a variation</a> on that generator. <a href="http://www.fantasist.net/wordgen2.shtml">This version</a> lets you use your own source lexicon! So, if you wanted to make more words that were similar to your own, hand-crafted conlang, all you have to do is copy and paste words from that conlang into the input section and click the button. Presto! More words in the same style as your conlang. Or, at least, similar to your conlang. So, now, you don't need to rely on my choice of datasets. Go have fun!

Wow, they're really on this!

Here's another article on war in space. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.oaklandtribune.com/cda/article/print/0,1674,82%257E1865%257E… article on the Oakland Tribune site </a>is about a high-powered laser that they're developing into a weapon. So, we may have Star Wars yet! (The government program, not the movie, you goof.)

Here's why....

Or, at least, here's why some people think you're feeling spooked. According to <a target="_blank" href="http://asia.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=scienceNews&storyID=3401… article on Reuters</a>, sub-sonic "music" may cause people to experience strange, otherwise unexplainable feelings. Something about this particular ultra-low bass sound just freaks people out. The speculation is that sites where people are convinced there are ghosts have something that generates this sound naturally. Okay, it's kind of far-fetched, but still...

And, Happy Halloween!

That's the next military frontier.

Or, at least, according to this article on <a target="_blank" href="http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/10/16/1065917535115.html">the Sydney Morning Herald </a>it is. Experts in the article indicate that the increasing value of our satellites, and other space-based resources, mean that the next big, battle frontier will be in outer space. That and the fact that the Chinese have sent an astronaut into space. Exciting times. Is it science-fiction, or science-fact? The future is now.

even in the world of genetics.

Two stories here, linked only by the underlying science of genetics. First, from Wired News, a <a target="_blank" href="http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.11/regeneration.html?pg=1&topic=&… about the quest to regenerate lost or damaged body-parts</a>. In humans! Now this has been around for a bit, but it seems like they're getting somewhere for a change. Let's hope so. I really like the idea of being able to grow my own replacement parts instead of harvesting organs from clones. Ick.

And, another story in the "have a heart" deparment, also from Wired News, about <a target="_blank" href="http://www.wired.com/news/medtech/0,1286,60894,00.html?tw=wn_techhead_3… genetics really do determine our sexual orientation</a>. So, let's lighten up a little, hunh? To paraphrase Popeye, we are what we are and that's all that we are. In any case, it's a bit of proof that we are wired to be like we are sexually. Of course, we're complicated creatures, so that can get diverted and changed, but, still, the basis is still there in the genes.

A writer's resource for the BBC.

No, really, it's all about helping writers get their stuff onto the BBC. It's called <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/"&gt; The Writer's Room</a> and it's a pretty complete resource for writing drama and comedy for television, radio and film. At least, in the UK. I assume that it's fairly slanted toward the BBC, as well, because what else is there in the BBC for television, radio and film? In any case, it might be a chance to break into a different market.

Have fun with it! And, as always, keep writing!

At least, in a limited capacity.

After much thought, and reworking of code, I've decided to bring back the popular <a href="http://www.fantasist.net/wordgen.shtml">ConLang Word Generator</a>. It functions basically the same, but will only generate a maximum of 25 words at a time. Hopefully, that will not be too big a burden on the server.
However, rest assured that if I get even the slightest hint of trouble, I'll have to take it down. It was pretty touch and go last time I had a popular script running that killed <a target="_blank" href="http://www.thehostgroup.com">my web host's</a> server, so I'm not taking any chances this time.

And, stay tuned for a new, totally different, word generator! Coming soon to a web page near you!!

I'd like to give this book a good review.

No, really, I would. When I picked it up, I had high hopes for a deeply moving spiritual experience. Unfortunately, I didn't get it. Oh, it was a good reminder that I need to be more connected to the source of my spiritual strength, which is God. But, mostly, it was watered-down New Age mubo-jumbo.

It started out okay, though it wasn't what I expected. It was, essentially, a work of fiction meant to impart nine "insights" of a spiritual nature. I hadn't expected a story at all, but I plowed ahead anyway. Even though it was written at about the same level as USA Today. Then, they started to tell me that I needed to be a vegetarian. Uh-oh... I disagree with that for a number of reasons, which I won't go into here. Suffice it to say that was my first warning that this wasn't my kind of book. But, I reminded myself of all the Hindu and Buddhist vegetarians and kept reading.
Then, they started seeing auras. Oh, they called it "energy fields", but it was nothing more than auras. That's not bad in and of itself, but it added a bit of hokey-ness to the whole thing that was hard to get past later.
And, from there on out, everyone was a characature of a stereotype found in pop-psychology or New Age literature. Not that it's all that bad, but it didn't endear the book's author to me. And, ultimately, it all got in the way of my reading. It's never a good sign when the medium obstructs the message.

Still, it wasn't a total loss. I did gain a deeper appreciation for better books! And, it made me think about what "coincidenes" really mean. Are they just interesting accidents? Or, are they messages from a higher source? So, I vowed to pay closer attention to chance encounters and such.
Also, it made me think more about how we interact with each other. How most of us are not conscious of the way we talk to and treat others. I know that <i>I</i> have not always been very conscious of how I deal with others. So, I promised myself that I would pay more attention to my interactions with other people.

So, while I can't honestly reccomend this book to anyone else, it wasn't a total loss. Oh, and normally, I'd post this on a Sunday, since it was a book about spirituality, but I'm announcing a new site feature tomorrow. And, the next two Sundays as well. Stay tuned!

They're bringing him back for his 40th anniversary!

No, really, a new Dr. Who series is going to be done for the BBC. For those of you who are big geeks like me, you already know who Dr. Who is. For those of you who don't... Well, it's about time you were educated.
Though it's hard for me to believe that the Good Doctor has been around for <i>fourty years</i>, he apparently has. And, he's still popular enough that BBC1 will be airing a new series based on the classic series. The series was about an immortal, time-travelling, space travelling alien who was out to protect the universe from any and all baddies. At his disposal to aid in this duty were the TARDIS and his sonic screwdriver, among other toys. And, of course, his ever-faithful humanoid companions. (Not all of them were actually humans from Earth.) Oh, the memories this brings back!
You can read more about this at the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/doctorwho/">Official BBC Dr. Who Website</a>.