Author Archives: SWYSI

The Good Kind of Pandemic

Posted on September 3, 2011 | Leave a comment

There is no good kind of pandemic. At least there isn’t if you’re referring to disease. If you’re referring ti fun, then there are a couple of very good kinds of Pandemic; the first being the video game developer named Pandemic Studios, the second being the board game Pandemic. While I love the work of the former, I write today to sing the praises of the latter.

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Posted in Fun

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Another Summer, Another Storm

Posted on August 26, 2011 | Leave a comment

The drama of preparing for a hurricane is something that most people experience indirectly; it’s presented by someone in a suit sitting behind a desk and followed up by sports highlights. Living in an area where the preparation is ocurring is a different matter entirely.

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Posted in Life, People, Science

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Shelves From Mr. Bean

Posted on August 22, 2011 | Leave a comment

I need to build some shelves in my basement. There are several important tools you need to complete such a project. At least, that was my approach until watching Mr. Bean modify his apartment with fireworks and a drill. Do you really need the right tools for the job? Probably. Should you do some research first? It could save you a lot of trouble. But Mr. Bean taught me that you have to draw the line quickly between thinking and doing, or else overpreparation can prevent the task from getting done.

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Posted in Fun, Life

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The Rumors of the Death of Sci-Fi…

Posted on April 8, 2011 | Leave a comment

I’ve been reading a lot of science fiction literature lately. Like many geeks, I’ve spent years enjoying it in small doses in movies and on TV, but going right to the source of the genre, so to speak, has been an enlightening experience. I’ve been very surprised at how much of the material in Douglas Adams’ “The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy” has been (flatteringly) ‘adapted’ over and over again for the last 25 years. And a read of Joe Haldeman’s “The Forever War”, a Vietnam-era classic, makes one feel as though war is the same no matter what year it is. But the age of originality in science fiction isn’t over.

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Posted in Art, Life

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iPad 2 Too?

Posted on March 11, 2011 | Leave a comment

Proud iPad owner. It’s a great thing to own. I use it for at least three or four hours every day. Far, far easier to surf the web with (amongst other things) than a desktop computer or any of the other portable computer form factors. So why on Earth would I need another one?? iPad 2. That’s why.

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Posted in Fun, Technology

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