In which David finishes a Space Opera

No, nothing that I wrote - especially not any music. It's about a book - my most recent soporific and a very exciting soporific too.

The Algebraist by one of my very favorite authors Iain Banks. (click the picture for larger size)

Or is he called Iain M. Banks? Yep, he publishes under two names - with the middle M. and without - to denote whether he's writing science fiction or not. Here's his home page. Let him explain it.

A few years ago Leslie brought home one of Banks' science fiction works, Excession, which I devoured. It's about a world where machines are very intelligent and powerful, a common Banksian theme.

Since then I've read every one of his books that I know of (except the newest Dead Air). I have an entire shelf devoted only to his novels. Banks is a versatile and capable author, pretty much unknown in the U.S.

The Algebraist takes place mostly in Ulubis, a distant planetary system, which faces invasion by a horrendously evil villain with a fleet of deadly space ships. Hoping for some inside information that will save them, the inept, bureaucratic rulers of Ulubis send the bookish hero on a quest to find . . . a book (what else).

He goes to a large gas planet (think of Jupiter) which is populated by Dwellers, an ancient species with a billion year life span. Our hero spends most of the story traveling about in a one-person space ship (think of a high tech mobile coffin with mechanical arms). Dwellers don't organize their libraries very well (think of my CD collection) and the critical information has been misplaced.

Yes, that is the exciting premise of The Algebraist.

I couldn't put it down.



SCIENCE FICTION LINKS

A picture I took of the Rocket Ship of the Gods at Chichen Itza Mexico.

Van Daniken has a Theme Park (in English via BabelFish or in German)

For more information about the science fiction genre called Space Opera click here for Wikipedia.

A composer named David Bass has written an actual musical "Space Opera" based on the first Star Wars movie, (known as "Episode Four, the New Math.") Click to see the cast in costume. Cute.

L. Ron Hubbard, the science fiction author who could have become a God, made the term Space Opera into a religious tenet. Click here.

SCIENCE FICTION VIDEO

Short commercials for the Sci-Fi network: a Superhero Grandmother and a balloon dog.
Here is another balloon video (not science fiction but most men will enjoy it.)
Here is a German commercial (not science fiction and most men will be disappointed)
Here is Stunt City 7:45 a.m. (very highly recommended if you like action movies)

A Star Trek parody (in Finnish): Star Wreck, In the Pirkinning (click here) which "... begins with Captain James B. Pirk of the starship Kickstart shipwrecked on the 21st century Earth with his crew ..." (I've only watched the trailer, no time for the full length movie yet.)

A Star Wars Fan Movie, IMPS: The Relentless (click here). Imagine COPS, the television show, on the planet Tatooine following a squad of Imperial Storm Troopers as they work an average day on the job.

Click on the Ice-Nine truck (seen in Alhambra CA) for a larger picture. An ice-related Sci-Fi Network commercial.

Want more MIXED METERS POSTS?

STAR WARS: The IPO (Imperial Philharmonic Orchestra, Darth Vader music director) in concert.

DAVID'S RECENT SOPORIFICS ("books read before bed")
The Merchant of Prato - (click here or here. )
Umberto Eco - Baudolino (click here)
One Market Under God (click here)
50's Japanese Murder Mystery with electronic music (click here)

Tags: Iain Banks, Iain M. Banks, science fiction, The Algebraist, space opera, Mixed Meters
Tags: Iain Banks, Iain M. Banks, science fiction, The Algebraist, space opera, Mixed Meters

The Guitar as Icon

All pictures taken in Pasadena California.





Click on the last picture for an enlargement. I had to Photoshop this one heavily to make the large black-plastic Mickey Mouse with the Strat and the amp visible through the reflection on the window.

I gave the player my spare change and asked if I could take his picture. He just glared at me.

Here's video of a Mastercard commercial that continues today's theme

Make Like a Tree and . . .

Say hello to two of my neighborhood trees.



Here are more faces in other trees.

And another video of what you can do with a tree in Norway if you ski.

Pictures of Plants

30 Second Spots - Jihadist Boogie

click here to hear Jihadist Boogie.

Once I decided to call this a "boogie" (which it isn't) I needed to think of something that probably has never had a boogie named after it. I looked down at some newspapers and on the cover of the New York Times was a story about some bad Jihadist - or other.

This is the piece that asks the question "If a bomb explodes in a forest and no one is there to hear it, does it make any sound?"

Copyright © June 15, 2006 by David Ocker - 59 seconds

Know Your Enemy Department:
Here's a political video advertisement entitled "Democracy vs. Jihad" (produced by something called "Vote To Be Free Dot Com"). An ugly-voiced announcer explains how Democratic Lawyer Senators are on the side of the jihadists and urges us to make sure our "next vote is the right vote".

This is a taste of the upcoming election. Be sure to check out the countdown to the explosion at the end to see why the Democrats haven't got a chance in November against vicious propaganda.

Explanation of 30 second spots

30 Second Spots
Politics

The Price of A (Lousy) Piano

This is a short news article from the Los Angeles Times, July 14, 2006:

PIANO IS THE STAR AT BOWL CONCERT

The piano used in the film "Casablanca" -- the one on which Dooley Wilson played "As Time Goes By" -- will be onstage tonight and Saturday at the Hollywood Bowl for the "Mediterranean Blue: From Fireworks to Fado" concerts with conductor John Mauceri and the Hollywood Bowl orchestra.

Valued at more than $2.5 million and owned by Beverly Hills dentist Gary Milan, the salmon-colored piano will be played in the Suite from "Casablanca" by composer Max Steiner. As an insurance requirement, a security guard will be with the piano at the Bowl from delivery this morning until 8 a.m. pickup time on Sunday. - From a Times Staff Writer

Here's the press release for these concerts. In my opinion, the only real reasons to go to the Hollywood bowl are a) to have a picnic or b) to watch fireworks. You can listen to music on a stereo system anywhere.

Here's a Casablanca Page which includes a video of the scene in question here. (As Time Goes By - at the bottom)

This piano is not even full size. For 2,500,000 dollars I think you should at least get yourself a decent sounding instrument with 88 keys. An identical piano which hadn't been blessed by being in Casablanca wouldn't cost 4 figures, let alone 7.

Click here for a Steinway & Sons page detailing the highest prices ever paid for one of their products. They argue that they make both the most expensive and the least expensive piano you can buy. They mean the same piano. It's an accounting trick which will appeal to people who need furniture.

Obviously I'm not the one who gets to decide what is valuable and what isn't.

In honor of Bastille Day

These are all video links.

A Very Strange French Song about Dogs (thanks to Music Thing)

A New Post-World Cup interpersonal French Tradition (thanks to Kill Ugly Radio)




Two French Television Commercials

Driving a Large Auto in France