Horror fiction is not exactly my thing, usually. There is so little fantastic fiction published in Swedish that I have actually read some things John Ajvide Lindqvist anyway just because it was there. And now the movie based on his first book, Låt den rätte komma in gets a really good review at SciFi.com. And it's going to come to a movie theatre here in Kingston on December 12. I want to go!
And once again I ask myself why there is any need for a remake in English. Having grown up with subtitled movies and television, I really cannot understand why people could not just see the original. I guess it's just a matter of perspective, and what you are used to.
Sometimes I feel bad for being listed in blogrolls for physics blogs, when I have long periods when I don't write anything about physics. I like to relax with thinking about other things, like science fiction and stuff like that. Anyway, just because John Ajvide Lindqvist also wrote a good zombie novel (yes, it was good, despite the zombies), I'll post a link to Better Zombies Through Physics at Tor.com, where we see yet another example of how the gedankenexperiment by Schrödinger about the cat in the box inspires popular culture. I'm not sure it actually ever teaches anyone anything much about quantum physics, but it's one of the things that make people in general aware that such thought experiments exists. Physics is part of our culture too, sometimes very much so, and the separation of the two cultures is perhaps not always so wide.
(It's Friday night and want to go home, but I promised a student to test some analysis code first. It's taking forever to execute. Good that it's weekend now.)
Friday, November 28, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
How the world works
Patrick Nielsen Hayden, quoted in this article about anti-authoritarian ideas in science fiction:
This is exactly what I often try to say.
I think not only young people go to fiction to figure out how the world works. We think and understand things to large extent in the form of stories, and get our role models from stories. Science fiction is very powerful, giving tools in the form of story pieces to reflect and make sense of things. Especially if you deal with lots of changes in the world around you.
“Young people read fiction to figure out how the world works,” he says, “and science fiction is an extremely effective, quick way of testing your views of how the world works.”
This is exactly what I often try to say.
I think not only young people go to fiction to figure out how the world works. We think and understand things to large extent in the form of stories, and get our role models from stories. Science fiction is very powerful, giving tools in the form of story pieces to reflect and make sense of things. Especially if you deal with lots of changes in the world around you.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Rereading
Neil Gaiman wrote an essay for the program book of the 2002 World Horror Convention, about how to read Gene Wolfe (this I just learned from the introduction of the Wolfe story in the Wastelands anthology). His third point in this essay was: "Reread. It's better the second time."
Sometimes I miss the kind of reading I used to practice as a child and teenager: I would devour tons of books, and find some favourites. The favourites I would then read again and again, always coming back to them. Sometimes thinking about them between readings too.
I don't really do that anymore. Have I lost something? I'm afraid I have. I never make close friends among books anymore, only acquaintances.
I have been thinking about this for a couple of days (especially today, drowsy and unfocussed on anything productive after staying awake half the night to take care of and clean up around my sick child), since the SF signal Mind Meld about books worth reading twice. Which books are there that I would like to read again?
This is not very thought through, just my first inspiration. Here's the list anyway. Some books that made a large impression when I first read them, and that would be fun to take a closer look at again.
Do you have any books you still reread, or that you would like to read again? (I shouldn't ask questions at the end of a blog post, because I always get disappointed when I get no answers. Anyway. It seemed to belong here.)
Sometimes I miss the kind of reading I used to practice as a child and teenager: I would devour tons of books, and find some favourites. The favourites I would then read again and again, always coming back to them. Sometimes thinking about them between readings too.
I don't really do that anymore. Have I lost something? I'm afraid I have. I never make close friends among books anymore, only acquaintances.
I have been thinking about this for a couple of days (especially today, drowsy and unfocussed on anything productive after staying awake half the night to take care of and clean up around my sick child), since the SF signal Mind Meld about books worth reading twice. Which books are there that I would like to read again?
This is not very thought through, just my first inspiration. Here's the list anyway. Some books that made a large impression when I first read them, and that would be fun to take a closer look at again.
- Kim Stanley Robinson: The Mars trilogy. And the Three Californias.
- Neal Stephenson: Snow Crash
- Ted Chiang: Stories of Your Life and Other's
- Dan Simmons: Hyperion (only the first book of the Cantos)
- China Mieville: Perdido Street Station
- John Crowley: Engine Summer
Do you have any books you still reread, or that you would like to read again? (I shouldn't ask questions at the end of a blog post, because I always get disappointed when I get no answers. Anyway. It seemed to belong here.)
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
New Scientist on science fiction
Apparently there is going to be a special edition of New Scientist coming out on Saturday, about the future of science fiction. I'm going to buy this, read it, and tell you what I think.
I found out via Cheryl Morgan, who suspects "the main result of this will be a whole lot of people who don’t know much about SF (or sci-fi) pontificating learnedly on the subject and earning themselves spots in Dave Langford’s 'as others see us' collection."
We'll see. I'm interested enough to take a look.
I found out via Cheryl Morgan, who suspects "the main result of this will be a whole lot of people who don’t know much about SF (or sci-fi) pontificating learnedly on the subject and earning themselves spots in Dave Langford’s 'as others see us' collection."
We'll see. I'm interested enough to take a look.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
IKEA expert!
This post is just some rambling, IKEA-related thoughts.
I still haven't visited IKEA in Canada. People ask me things: "So, do you actually have IKEA in Sweden, or is it just something you are exporting?" or "Do those names on the things really mean something? What is "Poang" for example?" (Yes, no, yes, and "point" -- it's Poäng, actually.)
People also assure me that IKEA has "all kinds of Swedish food". I wonder. Will they carry kaviar (the pink cod roe bread spread) or tunnbröd (really thin, flat, white bread)? At some point I will have to go and investigate. Now that I actually have a driver's license it will probably be easier.
Anyway, I found the study mentioned here (end of the post) interesting: it says that people tend to like things more if they invest some effort in them. Like assembling the furniture after taking it home from the store. I'm not surprised, but it's interesting to get a confirmation that this is how humans work. If it's too easy to get, it's not worth as much to you.
It reminds me of the first science fiction story I ever tried to write (I was about 14), where there was a youth sub culture where it was high status to wear and use only things you had made yourself. Lots of time invested, and definitely unique -- more cred than anything mass produced. It's actually a little bit like that in many LARP circles. Of course, assembling IKEA furniture does not take any craft skills whatsoever, and you don't show off the results to brag, but it's interesting to see that people value their own possessions not only after how much money they put in them, but also how much work (even if it's as little as assembling an IKEA bed).
I still haven't visited IKEA in Canada. People ask me things: "So, do you actually have IKEA in Sweden, or is it just something you are exporting?" or "Do those names on the things really mean something? What is "Poang" for example?" (Yes, no, yes, and "point" -- it's Poäng, actually.)
People also assure me that IKEA has "all kinds of Swedish food". I wonder. Will they carry kaviar (the pink cod roe bread spread) or tunnbröd (really thin, flat, white bread)? At some point I will have to go and investigate. Now that I actually have a driver's license it will probably be easier.
Anyway, I found the study mentioned here (end of the post) interesting: it says that people tend to like things more if they invest some effort in them. Like assembling the furniture after taking it home from the store. I'm not surprised, but it's interesting to get a confirmation that this is how humans work. If it's too easy to get, it's not worth as much to you.
It reminds me of the first science fiction story I ever tried to write (I was about 14), where there was a youth sub culture where it was high status to wear and use only things you had made yourself. Lots of time invested, and definitely unique -- more cred than anything mass produced. It's actually a little bit like that in many LARP circles. Of course, assembling IKEA furniture does not take any craft skills whatsoever, and you don't show off the results to brag, but it's interesting to see that people value their own possessions not only after how much money they put in them, but also how much work (even if it's as little as assembling an IKEA bed).
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
How to make convention panels work
I have been to two sf conventions in Canada. At one of them, I was a programme participant. At both, I was thinking about what it is that makes the panels run smoothly. One common problem seems to be that panelists don't show up for their panels. Someone told me that this is because they might have been signed up for the panel six months ago, and by now they have forgotten about it. This can easily be avoided by some planning.
There are many other things I have learned over the years, involved in planning and arranging cons myself. Here are my thoughts on how to make the panel part of the convention program work well. I should say that my experience is from small(ish) conventions, but I think most of this will apply also for conventions with several hundred members.
Topics. Brainstorm, look at other conventions for inspiration, use the special interests of the guests. Test the topics by discussing them yourself. If you cannot keep it going for more than a few minutes, it might not work for a panel. If it's something you know nothing about this might be difficult -- then try instead to come up with interesting questions. If you can write down ten or so, then it might be a good topic for a panel.
Participants. Don't just wait for people to sign up, also actively ask people you know with some knowledge of the topic in question. Try to put together a panel of people who are not only interested in the topic, but will also work well as a panel. Usually you might not know everyone on the panel, but try as best you can to balance the participants. A very loud and talkative person needs to be balanced by a strong moderator, especially if there are some more quiet or shy people on the same panel.
Information to moderators. Don't assume that everyone knows what they are supposed to do. Make sure that the moderators know what their task is: keep the panel on topic, and let everyone get to speak. Provide them with the panel description in the green room just before the panel, in case they forgot their notes. Add some help questions to that, it can never hurt. You owe it to the members to make sure that the panel is really about what it says in the programme that it's going to be about. Interesting sidetracks can be noted and pursued later in the bar (or whatever meeting place your con has).
Information for all participants. Send out an email about a week before the con, containing at least the following information. Don't assume that everyone knows it all! Even experienced panelists might need some reminders.
Leave some space for the panelists to breathe. If possible, don't put the same person on two panels after eachother. In any case, make sure that there is 10 minutes between panels, to let panelists and audience find the next thing they are going to.
Include all information in the printed programme. Yes, the members need to understand what the panels are about. Don't give just a fun title, make sure to provide at least one sentence of description. A nice thing is to also include a very short presentation of the panelists in the programme book, especially if the convention is so large that not everyone will meet everyone. (At Swedish conventions this might be interesting mostly for new fans, since everyone else usually knows everyone already, but nevertheless.)
That was all, at least all I can think of right now. Any thoughts or comments? Anything I should add or remove?
Addendum: someone just reminded me that it can be a good idea to prepare a little guide for each panelist (or other programme participants), just a printed list of items with time and location for each. It's good if it's small enough to fit in the badge holder, so you can easily have it ready at all times. Very helpful!
There are many other things I have learned over the years, involved in planning and arranging cons myself. Here are my thoughts on how to make the panel part of the convention program work well. I should say that my experience is from small(ish) conventions, but I think most of this will apply also for conventions with several hundred members.
Topics. Brainstorm, look at other conventions for inspiration, use the special interests of the guests. Test the topics by discussing them yourself. If you cannot keep it going for more than a few minutes, it might not work for a panel. If it's something you know nothing about this might be difficult -- then try instead to come up with interesting questions. If you can write down ten or so, then it might be a good topic for a panel.
Participants. Don't just wait for people to sign up, also actively ask people you know with some knowledge of the topic in question. Try to put together a panel of people who are not only interested in the topic, but will also work well as a panel. Usually you might not know everyone on the panel, but try as best you can to balance the participants. A very loud and talkative person needs to be balanced by a strong moderator, especially if there are some more quiet or shy people on the same panel.
Information to moderators. Don't assume that everyone knows what they are supposed to do. Make sure that the moderators know what their task is: keep the panel on topic, and let everyone get to speak. Provide them with the panel description in the green room just before the panel, in case they forgot their notes. Add some help questions to that, it can never hurt. You owe it to the members to make sure that the panel is really about what it says in the programme that it's going to be about. Interesting sidetracks can be noted and pursued later in the bar (or whatever meeting place your con has).
Information for all participants. Send out an email about a week before the con, containing at least the following information. Don't assume that everyone knows it all! Even experienced panelists might need some reminders.
- A list with the panels this person is signed up for, as a reminder.
- Instructions to check on arrival to make sure that when and where your panels are. Check also during the con, for changes.
- Instructions to meet with the others on the panel in the Green Room just before the panel starts. It will give them time to say hello and make sure that they all agree on what it is they are going to discuss.
- A description of the compensation panelists are offered, whether it is free things from the bar or discount on the membership. Just so that everyone is aware of this in advance.
Leave some space for the panelists to breathe. If possible, don't put the same person on two panels after eachother. In any case, make sure that there is 10 minutes between panels, to let panelists and audience find the next thing they are going to.
Include all information in the printed programme. Yes, the members need to understand what the panels are about. Don't give just a fun title, make sure to provide at least one sentence of description. A nice thing is to also include a very short presentation of the panelists in the programme book, especially if the convention is so large that not everyone will meet everyone. (At Swedish conventions this might be interesting mostly for new fans, since everyone else usually knows everyone already, but nevertheless.)
That was all, at least all I can think of right now. Any thoughts or comments? Anything I should add or remove?
Addendum: someone just reminded me that it can be a good idea to prepare a little guide for each panelist (or other programme participants), just a printed list of items with time and location for each. It's good if it's small enough to fit in the badge holder, so you can easily have it ready at all times. Very helpful!
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Listening to dark matter
This appears to have been significant enough for a press release!
The PICASSO collaboration has a new paper out in New Journal of Physics. Of course the press release text is a bit easier to digest. Recommended.
(Lots of things going on now, so this corner of the blogosphere has been a bit quiet lately. I won't promise anything.)
A team of researchers in Canada have made a bold stride in the struggle to detect dark matter. The PICASSO collaboration has documented the discovery of a significant difference between the acoustic signals induced by neutrons and alpha particles in a detector based on superheated liquids.
The PICASSO collaboration has a new paper out in New Journal of Physics. Of course the press release text is a bit easier to digest. Recommended.
(Lots of things going on now, so this corner of the blogosphere has been a bit quiet lately. I won't promise anything.)
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