http://www.peter-hodges.com Science fiction, politics, space advocacy Fri, 29 Aug 2008 02:09:05 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en I have a business plan. Ever since I realized it was possible to strain so hard while defecating that you can actually push a coil or two of intestine out, I've been thinking about a revolutionary new weight loss treatment. Why not tapeworms? Tapeworms are parasites that live in your intestines, attaching themselves ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/08/28/why-not-tapeworms/ Click the picture to see how you would do. http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/08/27/how-long-would-i-survive-in-space/ I truthfully can't answer that question. Biden is everything Obama isn't. Is Obama admitting that he couldn't do the job now? Or is this a sop to the people who thought that he couldn't do the job, but in reality, he always could? I'm not sure where his head is. Given that ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/08/27/obama-picks-biden-brilliance-or-stupidity/ That's right, boys and girls. I'll be at DragonCon this weekend. It is one of the largest science fiction/fantasy/comic book fan conventions in the nation, held in downtown Atlanta, GA. Just like last year, I will be providing daily picture updates of all of the freaky geeks in costume, as well ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/08/27/dragoncon-this-weekend/ Weber fans, rejoice! The continuation of Off Armageddon Reef is available in stores now. There are definitely some good things about the novel (that I'll get to in a moment) that should keep Weber fans satisfied. However, there are some flaws as well, and I would be remiss if I didn't ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/08/25/by-schism-rent-asunder/ Various nations have pledged a visit to the moon within the coming years, and it will only be a matter of time before someone lays a claim to ownership. In an article published by CNET News, this will be a very valid question in our near future as NASA, Israel ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/08/24/do-you-have-a-flag/ This isn't necessarily a complaint. Mostly all I want to do is vegetate with a book or a video game to take my mind off of how much my throat hurts and how loopy I feel. I do, in fact, have the flu. I am one of the first confirmed cases of ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/08/23/the-flu/ The Vampire Suicides Part One By Peter Hodges  I have intentionally laden several layers of cliché into the text. See if you can pick them out. It's not easy to kill yourself. The moon and stars were obscured by angry clouds, lit softly from underneath by the mercury glow of street lamps. I lay on ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/08/22/vampire-fiction-as-promised/ This video follows the last four years of the Cassini mission and is what I would describe as incredible. If only we could see this stuff with our own eyes through space travel and exploration. http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/08/21/cassini-four-years-of-discovery/ You may have noticed that I'm reading the follow-up to David Weber's Off Armageddon Reef, but that's hardly the extent of the sheer number of great science fiction novels that are hitting the bookshelves right now. John Scalzi's new novel, Zoe's Tale, is a continuation of the story in the Old ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/08/20/its-a-great-time-for-science-fiction/ Seriously. Why is this genre so popular on the market? Why is vampirism such a key fixture in the dark fantasy/horror/science fiction genre? We see a genetic vampire in Peter Watts' Blindsight. There are three different types of vampires in Jim Butcher's Dresden Files. Stephanie Myers is making big news with ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/08/19/vampire-stories-can-bite-me/ Obama in January. Obama in August. In January, it was kosher to pull money from the space program to fund schools in the inner city. After all, he had to distinguish himself from his fellow Democrats by appealing to the one demographic most likely to give him an edge in the elections--inner ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/08/18/barack-obamas-space-plan-flip-flop/ I have a new pretty for range excursions and the Turtle Bluff trips. It shoots better (for me) than a Glock, but not quite as well as a Sig. (Disclaimer: I have small hands, so most who like the Glock will level the "girl hands" criticism at me.) My groups are ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/08/17/1-to-ranged-attack/ I saw this with my father last night. It is worth every penny. And for those who loved the movie the first time, a second viewing shows a whole bunch of little details that you might have missed the first time. The opening scenes of the movie and several of the ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/08/17/the-dark-knight-in-imax/ Mr. Chris sends along this article from Variety that indicates Universal has bought the film rights to Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time. NBC originally owned the rights to do a miniseries on the first novel, but this never materialized. Reportedly, Universal has paid seven figures for the film rights. Spending that kind of money seems ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/08/14/wheel-of-time-movie/ First of all, these will be posted by Kate, even though I (Pete) wrote it. Damn all Wordpress upgrades, anyway. West Helena, Arkansas is under martial law. Well, not really. But they do have a 24-hour curfew in effect to curb rampant violence in their town. Police officers are reportedly carrying ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/08/13/wednesday-quick-hits/ This one comes from a young lad who claims to be in Kenya. Since this is the first time I've ever gotten a request to put up a pic for a caption contest, I'll indulge him. You guys know what to do. (Poor horse.) http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/08/12/tuesday-caption-contest-3/ In reference to my previous post: ...that fantasy I had involving Jessica Alba and the Cookie Monster outfit. (Don’t ask.) And didn't I say: "Don't ask?" http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/08/12/cookies-not-cosplay/ Here on The Hodge, I've received thousands and thousands of spam posts. I use a plug-in called Akismet to catch them, but occasionally one will slip through the Akismet filter and end up in my moderation queue. I'm struck by the general lack of intelligent design behind the spam messages. Take, ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/08/11/intelligent-spam/ Tor.com has the complete list of nominees and awards. I've not read Michael Chabon's Yiddish Policeman's Union, but I'm a bit frustrated at his win here. I have read three of the other nominees, and each of the three would have been a good choice for a Hugo nod for various ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/08/09/hugo-award-winners-announced/ NASA scientists recently briefed the White House on a discovery made by the Phoenix lander. The blogosphere and editorial pages across the Western world were rife with speculation--had life been discovered? Was there the potential for life? Was there evidence (through spectroscopic analysis) of complex organic molecules? In the end, it ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/08/09/potential-life-on-mars/ We continue this week with the second half of Taylor Anderson's interview. The early reviews are all very positive (mine among them). Did you anticipate such a warm reception? Has this translated well into sales? Frankly, I didn't know what to expect. I'm a little new at this you know. ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/08/08/taylor-anderson-interview-part-two/ For the amateur writer, this is perhaps the hardest thing of all--sitting down and writing. Writing doesn't pay my bills. My blog would earn only minimal cash (and looks like it would earn barely enough to cover my hosting costs if I sold advertisements), and while I've had positive feedback from ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/08/07/struggles-with-the-craft-iv-sitting-down-and-writing/ Just watch this amazingly funny and well-done TF2 movie: Watch more TF2 Videos http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/08/06/the-best-of-both-worlds/ I've been a little late to jump on the Tobias Buckell bandwagon. I've known that he falls into the same category of "new comprehensible" that Scalzi does, but his premise of a Caribbean-rooted culture in the far future never really resonated with me. Call it cultural bias, but I only ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/08/05/crystal-rain/ Dare I say that her energy policy makes the slightest bit of sense? http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/08/05/paris-hilton-for-president/ Lightsaber chopsticks. No, really. Tyson replaces Labor Day with a Muslim religious holiday. In a recent union negotiation, Tyson, the ubiqitous packagers of poultry products, granted their workers at a plant in Tennessee a Muslim religious holiday in exchange for Labor Day. My natural bias leads me to be outraged here, ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/08/04/monday-quick-hits/ Taylor Anderson has made a recent splash on the science fiction scene with his novel Destroyermen: Into the Storm. This is the first novel of a projected trilogy about a group of World War II era sailors who find themselves on an alternate Earth. I mentioned in my review earlier ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/08/01/taylor-anderson-interview-part-one/ No. Not that kind of rap. Rapper Ludacris has written some urban poetry (I don't dignify any rap with the notion that it's music) about Obama. In it, he makes a few inflammatory remarks. Full text/lyrics here. I have a  couple of curious observations about this phenomenon. The article's headline is "Ludacris Releases Song Attacking ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/07/31/the-obama-rap/ Static sends this article along from the Washington Post. Mr. Heller, of Heller vs. Washington D.C., is at it again. He's filed a second suit which claims that the city of Washington, D.C. goes too far in its restrictions against semi-automatic handguns. He futher alleges that the requirement for ownership of a ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/07/30/update-on-washington-dc-hangun-ban/ The jacket on Taylor Anderson's new book, Destroyermen: Into the Storm might fool you into thinking that it's just another castaways in time story. There's nothing wrong with writing in this sub-genre of science fiction, but to dismiss the first of what promises to be an epic series as "merely" anything ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/07/30/destoyermen-into-the-storm/ OMG. Sam Raimi wants to make Evil Dead 4. If you're a normal human being, you're asking: What's Evil Dead, and why have there been three others? Truthfully, there have only been two Evil Dead movies, because the third was was called Army of Darkness. The latter should receive the title as ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/07/29/evil-dead-4/   You know the drill. http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/07/29/tuesday-caption-contest-2/ I actually believe. Boo to the critics who complain that the movie is only an "extended television episode," or to the ones who complain that it lacks action that was typical of the series. Boo to the naysayers who say its been too long since the series ended for them to ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/07/27/the-x-files-sequel/ In the beginning there was Hypothesis, and behold! The Hypothesis was good. The Hypothesis was with Science, and the Science with Hypothesis, and in their union, they began to forge a universe of law and order between them. But Hypothesis was not constant. After a while, Science realized that Hypothesis ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/07/26/in-the-beginning/ When I opened the call for advertisements, I've received some interesting email asking me to advertise for Senator John McCain. I suppose I look like a likely person to vote for McCain, right? I'm obviously anti-Obama for very concrete reasons that I've covered in other posts. Couple that with some of ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/07/24/why-i-wont-endorse-candidates/ They're nicely summarized in this article. We'd already heard about the woman with nipple piercings, but now we can add a teenage cancer survivor with a prosthestic leg, a wheel-chair bound senior citizen, and a woman standing up for her rights. Here's a nice statistic: A spokesman said that out of 2 billion ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/07/23/more-tsa-excesses/   And yes, I meant "aggression" in the title. Don't ask. Well, maybe you should ask, because that statement was predicated on a discussion initiated by long-time friend Tasuja and fueled by hard liquor. Apparently, I lose the ability to distinguish between the -ive and -sion ending for words, thus mixing ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/07/23/hippopatmuses-are-very-aggression/ Err... whatever. This post will serve two purposes. 1.) To test out the audio plugin to temporarily replace podpress. 2.) To act as a vehicle for promotion of a new instrumental based on Pete's work in "The Alchemist." It's a  piece I put together using garage band, so I hope you enjoy. Not ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/07/22/to-kill-a-mockingbird-with-one-stone/ I'm pleased to announce that Taylor Anderson has agreed to do an interview with me here on the site. Author of the Destroyermen series, Taylor is also an expert in naval artillery and a history professor at a local university here in Texas. We'll post the interview on a Friday ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/07/21/site-announcements-3/ The Dark Knight is the best movie of the summer. I went in expecting it to be a bit of a letdown given the sheer amount of hype surrounding the film. After reading countless reviews about Heath Ledger's brilliance and the the quality of the movie, I felt that too many ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/07/20/it-was-all-part-of-the-plan/ Joss Whedon's Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog is worth the hype. It stars Neil Partrick Harris, Felicia Day (from the "The Guild"), and Nathan Fillion (Mal from Firefly). Acts I and II are available now. Felicia Day is a great discovery. I've watched a few episodes of the guild, but seeing her in ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/07/18/okayi-really-like-it/ For some reason, I've missed most of McDevitt's fiction during my tenure as a science fiction reader. I first read some of his short stories in the anthology Breach the Hull, which Mike McPhail of MilSciFi.com provided for my review. I enjoyed his prose immensely, so I decided to see ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/07/17/jack-mcdevitts-polaris/ I've been wrestling with my first completed novel (Loss of Innocence) for a while now. Kate and I had initally said that we were going to podcast it in its entirety throughout the year until we were finished, but as I dug in to seriously edit the manuscript, I realized ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/07/16/struggles-with-the-craft-iii-self-criticism/ Global warming gives you kidney stones. All this time I thought it was oxalate in tea and cola that did it. Let's be real for a second, even if we do live in the Feminized Nanny States of America. We are all responsible for our own actions. Do you know what ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/07/15/quick-hits-8/  Jack Campbell continues with his aggressive publishing schedule by releasing the fourth book in the Lost Fleet series just eight months after the last one. The saga of Black Jack Geary, commanding a battered fleet in enemy territory, continues. The novel opens with a large battle that is rendered in exquisite ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/07/14/the-lost-fleet-valiant/ Look for a theme change soon. I just wrote two book reviews scheduled for this week and the lack of capital letters in the titles is bugging the hell out of me. http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/07/13/grrthe-no-caps-titles-are-finally-getting-to-me/ A church in my hometown was going to give a gun away as a prize in a youth conference shooting contest. How awesome is that? Unfortunately, the Channel Five news in Oklahoma City (known even fifteen years ago for its sensationalism), liberally re-used shots of a youth firing what appears to be an ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/07/13/all-they-need-is-beer-and-bait/ Let me indulge in a little bit of fanboy nerdery here. (Yes, I said nerdery.) I was somewhere in the continuum between casual fan and dedicated fan when the show was on the air. I watched it fairly regularly, I went to see the movie, but when Mulder left the show ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/07/12/x-files-still-awesome/ It probably doesn't take a genius to figure out my platform. Thanks to Shawn Powers for catching this broadcast from a local Michigan television station. http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/07/11/my-blog-has-reached-critical-mass-the-hodge-for-president/ Congress has illustrated the principle that you can vote away your freedoms in assembly just as readily as a single person can take them away through executive action. The next statement hurts me to say. I mean, it really, really hurts me. God bless the ACLU. I've often called them the American Communist ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/07/11/fisa-amendments-act/ Does anyone really think about point of view? The answer to this question: If you're doing it correctly, then no, they don't.  When someone notices that you have a point of view problem, the issue with your work isn't necessarily plot, setting, or character--it's the the structure that you use ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/07/10/struggles-with-the-craft-ii-point-of-view/ The Incredible Hulk "reboot" couldn't have come at a better time. If you were unfortunate enough to have watched the first cinema iteration of Marvel's superhero, you were likely bombarded with a mishmash of metaphor and clever cinematrography that did its best to elevate a mediocre script. This time, the folks ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/07/10/hulk-smash/ As my visit to DragonCon and my attendance to Viable Paradise looms on the horizon, I felt that it might be prudent to examine what my struggles are with the craft of writing. Doing so helps me to identify, in black and white, exactly why I struggle with certain elements ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/07/08/struggles-with-the-craft-i-dialogue/ BSG Caption Contest! Do your worst. http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/07/07/caption-contest-2/ It isn't America without Will Smith starring in the July 4th release of a movie. Hancock, a potential franchise vehicle for all of the stars involved, is not your typical superhero movie. It isn't based on a comic book, it has no established characters, and it comes to the theater devoid of ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/07/06/hancock/ You're awesome. No matter what genre you write. Pardon me while I go devour the next book in the Codex Alera series. http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/07/05/all-right-i-get-it-mr-butcher/ http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/07/04/happy-independence-day/ I don't think people get the Fourth of July. It is one of the four times per year that people in my neighborhood put their American flags out. I know many who will go to barbecues (myself included), others who will drink too much beer, and still others who will spend time ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/07/03/patriotism-vice-or-virtue/ Dear Mr. Hodges, On behalf of the staff and the instructors, I'd like to welcome you as a student to Viable Paradise, and say congratulations!This letter is a written confirmation of your acceptance to the 2008 Viable Paradise Writers Workshop, aka VP 12/XII.  You should have received an email from us earlier. If ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/07/01/accepted-to-viable-paradise/ After all, why not? For those that are confused by the title, perhaps you are unfamiliar with the recent ruling in Heller vs. Washington, D. C. in which the Supreme Court upheld the right of citizens to bear arms as individuals. Furthermore, they ruled that the law in Washington, D.C. banning ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/07/01/lets-return-to-the-days-of-poll-taxes/ Here are Pete's look-alikes. http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/30/he-kept-getting-shirley-temple/ http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/30/kates-celebrity-look-alikes/ And I found the article on a UK based news site. Buzz Aldrin has some great things to say (as quote in the article), but the first thing that completely irritates me is that the first I hear of him making these remarks is in the foreign press. Why isn't this ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/29/buzz-aldrin-speaks-out/ You will be, too. Verify the age, then watch the trailer. http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/28/speechless/ I've had some email complimenting one of the regular denizens here for his insightful comments and his reasoned approach to issues. It struck a chord. I thought to myself: What would happen if I let Dez stand on my soapbox for a little while?  The result is available below. (It goes without ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/27/by-popular-demand-dez-speaks/ At least, that's what NASA scientists speculate. Chemical analysis from the Phoenix lander indicates that the Martian soil is alkaline (slightly basic) with a pH between 8 and 9. Further, the soil released both water and carbon dioxide vapor when baked in an oven, indicating that it had once interacted with ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/26/martian-soil-could-grow-asparagus/ Where should I start? I recently picked up George R. R. Martin's Dreamsongs, Volumes One and Two. I've been wanting to have all of Martin's works conveniently located in one omnibus edition, and this satisfies. I'll probably not read them all at once, but use the stories and novellas within them ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/26/im-drowning-in-books/ The Supreme Court struck down the strict anti-handgun law in Washington, D.C. on the grounds that the constitution guaranteed the right of Americans to own firearms for their own personal use. Everyone can now breathe a collective sigh of relief. http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/26/victory/ A disturbing trend that I've noticed in recently published books is to throw non-stop action at you. As an action junkie, I'm torn about whether to complain about this. Well-written action can keep the pages turning quickly. It can keep me engaged over longer periods of time, but at the end ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/24/escapsim-versus-art-in-fiction/ Oh, for the days of yore! http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/23/mountain-grown-coffee/ Yes. I made an adverb out of evolution. Get over it. Read this article from a Cornell anthropologist that details how sarcasm may have been a survival trait over the years. Her example seems a little far fetched, but the notion that social interaction would be a selectable trait in our long ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/22/im-not-just-a-smart-ass-im-evolutionarily-superior/ Over the past couple of days, I've asked everyone to first pick a universe in which they would like to live. Then, I asked everyone to pick one character to have dinner with, to discuss whatever you'd wish. Now, for part three, I want everyone to "set the scene" for this. ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/21/and-now-the-contest-or-petes-sick-mind-game-part-three/ ...is muggy, but the stars sure are brighter here. Correction; I'm just outside of Oklahoma City, so I'm without light pollution or smog. My parents still enjoy somewhat rural living with pretensions of suburbia, so this is a little bit of a switch from North Dallas. I'll be here for the weekend, ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/20/the-view-from-oklahoma-city/ NASA scientists say it could be! "These little clumps completely disappearing over the course of a few days, that is perfect evidence that it's ice," Smith said. "There had been some question whether the bright material was salt. Salt can't do that." This is a huge prerequisite for eventual manned exploration there. ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/20/did-the-mars-rover-strike-gold-ice/ There's a method to my madness, trust me. Now that you've given me a universe that you want to live in, pick a fictional character that you'd like to have a quiet dinner with. Do you go the romantic route, and try to woo the lovely Six from BSG? Do you sit ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/19/now-pick-a-fictional-character-you-want-to-have-dinner-with/ You can make it happen. Time magazine is sponsoring the rankings. If you like what Tycho and Gabe do, slide that bar up just a little. If you don't know what I'm talking about, run, do not walk, to their Web site and start reading. If you like video games or the ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/19/penny-arcade-one-of-the-top-50-web-sites/ If you absolutely had to live in a universe created by another, where would that be?  Since most good stories center around conflict, pick your universe carefully. The world of Star Wars is always at war. Popular fantasy settings like Lord of the Rings are just plain grim. If you like ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/18/pick-your-universe/ For all you Star Wars fans out there... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/18/you-can-dance-if-you-want-to/ Romanians elect (un)dead mayor The Dracula legend appears to be alive and well in Romania, where a small village elected their recently dead incumbent candidate Mayor to keep his competitor out of the office. We thought politics in the US were bad! No one in responsible media is talking about the bloodsucking undead, but ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/17/quick-hits-7/ ...and ended with my theme being broken. Kate did an excellent job fixing the site while I was at work today and unavailable to do so myself. Until the theme is fixed, we'll probably stick with this one for a while. Who knows? Maybe we'll exist in a state of thematic ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/16/it-started-with-the-now-reading-plug-in-being-broken/ Update: Looks like the new Mandigo theme is hosed. I was able to save the "Now Reading" plug-in though. It looks like the issue is with Amazon. Pointing the books to the amazon.ca site will work for the time being, until the amazon.com site is back in business. It might ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/16/technical-difficulties/ This is my second Father's Day. My son is fifteen months old. He is already manifesting personality traits that he'll have for the rest of his life. Most notably, he is stubborn and resilient. Combined with curiousity, I find that he is in to things he shouldn't be more often than ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/15/fathers-day-reflections/ WTF!? I mean that from the bottom of my heart. http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/13/indiana-jones-and-the-kingdom-of-the-crystal-skull/ This one's for you Pete. (and me too) http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/13/in-light-of-the-previous-post/ That's right, role-players. A Roman d20 is on sale at Christie's right now. Valued at $17,295, I'm sure it won't last.   http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/13/roman-d20-for-sale/ Peaceful resistance failed. Conventional weaponry was ineffective. Nuclear weapons couldn't even hold them back. They came from the sea...on the California side, actually. Everyone appreciated the irony of California getting eaten by some sort of quasi-intelligent sea-borne army. One commentator even remarked that maybe real estate prices would be reasonable again in Orange ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/13/the-last-day/ You've been warned. http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/12/blog-like-its-the-end-of-the-world/ This doesn't have to be a partisan issue. When did acting in the best interests of our country become so sharply divided down a party line? This is really pretty simple. We either have evidence, or we don't. If we don't have evidence, but we suspect someone of being a terrorist threat, ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/12/gitmo-detainees-may-have-rights-after-all/ European doctors have started offering a medical treatment that can restore a semblance of physical virginity to women. No, really. The procedure, called a hymenoplasty, will provide a realistic semblance of first-time intercourse to nervous Muslim bridegrooms concerned about the alleged purity of their wives. Surgeons who perform the procedure said they were ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/11/purity-through-surgery-hypocrisy-at-work-in-islam/ I have to give SgtWebb the nod for last week's caption contest. Here's this week's picture from the wedding Kate attended two weeks back: I think it's safe to say that we'll go ahead and encourage innuendo on this one. http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/10/caption-contest/ Just wondering. http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/10/will-it-ever-stop/ Scott Lynch continues the adventures of Locke Lamora with Red Seas Under Red Skies. The plotting is as tight as the first novel, but the relationship between Locke and Jean, and the aftermath of the climax of the first novel gets this story rolling on the right foot. Our two heroic ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/09/scott-lynchs-red-seas-under-red-skies/ Mr. Chris sent along an LA Times article on the "Open Carry" movement. For a California paper, the article seems to be fairly balanced. The author merely shines a spotlight on the movement itself and talks about the motivations of people who carry firearms openly. The men (and women) he picked ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/08/open-carry/ Most of my drug-induced stupor is over with, so let me say that I'm alive, although I am sore as hell. I still have only about 25% mobility (which is way less than I think I should have), so I've spent the bulk of my time sleeping or playing Age of ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/07/i-am-alive/ ***Kate writes: Edit: As Marketing Director, I am hereby overruling Pete's drugged state of mind and hiding the picture of his scar behind the cut. That way its your fault if you happen to click the "Read More", link and we don't scare away anyone just happening by the site with grotesque ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/05/wanna-see-it/ I drove to Boston and back, I'm tired. You will have to wait for my witty diatribe tomorrow while Pete recovers. However, do not fret! In our absence, I'd like to present you with a caption contest. We haven't had one in a while, and you guys seemed to love ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/03/oooh-a-caption-contest/ I was just called a 'veggie noob' by Pete who informed me that iceburg lettuce is soft while under the influence of Lortab. I'm not sure really, if I should be insulted. Veggies and me, man. We go waaaay back. http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/03/and-the-hernia-fun-continues/ I'll be having surgery to repair a hernia tomorrow. I'm told it's a pretty painful procedure, but it provides rapid healing. I've been on lifting restriction for roughly the past month, so it'll be nice to get it taken care of and get back into the gym. I currently have a ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/02/hernia-surgery-tomorrow/ I mentioned earlier that I think Jim Butcher makes the same mistakes that I make in his fantasy epic Furies of the Calderon. This isn't hubris; Butcher writes great characters, but his world is a charcoal sketch that barely serves to contain them. For someone so skilled in writing dialogue ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/06/01/furies-of-the-calderon-by-jim-butcher/ Where to start? I like computer-based RPGs, and I'll admit to being intrigued by a solo-able massively multiplayer one that is designed from the get-go for grownups. If I'm to play another RPG that involves others, then I at least want some little assurance of adult behavior, and I also want ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/31/age-of-conan/ I've been scoreboarded by work. So much for weekend plans, I suppose. http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/31/work-2-pete-0/ I'm playing Age of Conan. I'm in the middle of a serious mission where I have to sneak by some thugs when the game minimizes, my programs begin to shut down, and Vista decides to start applying updates. I'm sorry? Was I in the middle of something? Doing a little investigation yields ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/31/damn-windows-vista-damn-it-to-the-deepest-pits-of-hell/ At least, that's what my buddy Tasuja and I were discussing on the way home from work today. His perspective is that everyone is too selfish to do what really needs to be done. Whether that's to drive as efficiently as possible to save gas or to help the poor, no ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/30/the-world-sucks/ We ended up sitting on the tarmac in Anchorage last night for almost two hours. Our plane apparently had a navigational instrument that was broken, and Anchorage is apparently not well stocked with spare parts. We arrived around 9 AM this morning. By the time I had caught a cab home, ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/29/home/ I'm in the Anchorage airport. We returned the RV this morning and bummed around Anchorage for most of the day. Most of it was nostalgia/family related, so I shan't bore you with the details. We did some sightseeing, ate some awesome food, and prepared to leave. Unfortunately for me, the plane is ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/28/alaska-day-six/ (Sorry, no more pictures until I return home.) Today we traveled back from Denali to Eagle River, AK. We hiked along the Eagle River for a couple of miles, looking to find some scenic vistas. Eagle River is called Eagle River because the place is just packed full of Bald Eagles. ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/27/alaska-day/ (Complete pictures here. Caution, there are many, many of them.) Denali National Park is so vast, so awesome, and so beautiful that I find myself speechless. For this post, I'm not going to embed pictures; feel free to click through the above gallery to see some of the shots I was ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/27/alaska-day-four/ (Complete gallery of pictures here.) The day started entirely too early again. (Is this vacation or what?) We rolled out of Ninilchik on our way to Anchorage to pick up my wife's uncle. After a brief meal at their house in Eagle River, AK, we made the journey up the highway ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/26/alaska-day-three/ (Full complement of pictures here.) 5:00 AM arrived entirely too early this morning. By the time it was all said and done, I ended up getting only about four hours of sleep. Our charter was scheduled to leave at 6:00 AM, so we had to be up, breakfasted, and ready to ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/24/alaska-day-two/ XE-cute-R writes: Pete, If your blog is crack, then I'm your crackwhore. XOXO, XE-cute-R Umm...thanks. I think. http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/24/why-i-love-having-a-moderately-popular-blog/ The trip started on a promising note. I brought two handguns with me (of course I did!). I declared them, demonstrated that they were unloaded to a (very nervous) American Airlines service rep, and then proceeded to take them to the TSA checkpoint for "special" people. The service rep was ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/24/alaska-day-one/ We continue our discussion with S. M. Stirling with more questions about the Nantucket novels. I also unsuccessfully pump him for insider information regarding his most recent series of novels. Begging didn't help! I owe a heartfelt thanks to Mr. Stirling for the interview and the time he spent answering questions ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/23/interview-with-sm-stirling-part-two/ Creationism is alive and well in the public school classroom. Is it science? Is it religion? Any view of how we were created requires a bit of faith, in my opinion, so one shouldn't necessarily trump the other. Evolutionary biology can be taught via empirical evidence quite nicely, but what the ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/22/creationism-in-the-public-school-classroom/ ...I'll be in Alaska.   http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/21/in-forty-eight-hours/ Darker, more epic, and devoid of the same sense of awe and wonder as the first movie, Prince Caspian doesn't fail to please. If the first of the Narnia movies was for a 'tween audience, this movie is for the same audience, grown and matured by a few years. We rejoin ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/21/chronicles-of-narnia-prince-caspian-review/ We follow Michael Collins deeper into enemy territory, watching the Solarian Marine Corps at their deadliest. The fate of a Rak'lan alien is dealt with as the skirmish ends an in turn sparks a debate about our own grasp of humanity.   A Loss of Innocence  - Part Two Story by Peter Hodges Dramatic ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/20/a-loss-of-innocence-part-two/ I will be leaving for Alaska on Friday.  That's right, folks. I'm traveling with my father and father-in-law (I bet you all wish you had a family where you could do THAT) to the last frontier in the US. We have a full itinerary of fishing, hiking, sight-seeing, and gold panning. ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/19/alaska-or-bust/ ...and will try out for American Idol next season. Okay, I might be going a little overboard with the former statement, but HONDA robot, ASIMO did conduct the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in their rendition of "The Impossible Dream". You can read the entire article featured on CNN, here. As if "IROBOT" ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/18/asimo-conducts-detroit-symphony/ My wife's family is experiencing a difficult time. Their dog of twelve years, known to all of us as Phil, passed away on Friday, May 16. Phil was a golden retriever/husky mix with a sweet spirit and a loving disposition. He was born in Alaska, and was rescued from the pound by ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/17/requiescat-in-pace-phillip-taylor/ Matthis Chiroux, a sergeant in the U.S. Army,  is refusing to be deployed to Iraq, saying that the war is "illegal." "I stand before you today with the strength and clarity and resolve to declare to the military, my government and the world that this soldier will not be deploying to ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/16/desertion-in-the-face-of-the-enemy/ S. M. Stirling has had a rich and varied career to date. His bibliography includes science fiction, alternate history, and (quasi) post-apocalyptic novels. I first became aware of his books with Island in the Sea of Time--a rousing tale of adventure and alternate history centering around a mysterious event that throws the ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/16/interview-with-s-m-stirling-part-one/ The Jedi Church in Wales was attacked by Darth Vader. No, really. A man who dressed up as Darth Vader, wearing a garbage bag for a cape, and assaulted the founders of a group calling itself the Jedi church was given a suspended sentence Tuesday. And further: Arwel Wynne Hughes, 27, attacked Jedi church ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/15/no-i-do-not-need-a-tray/ ...to get the replay of the radio show on which I was prominently featured! Vince O'Connor hosts, "Off the Beaten Track", a radio show dedicated to the independent music artists of the world. These are the artists that have a talent and create the music as a labor of love, sometimes without ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/15/follow-me-to-amnesia/ Muskogee, OK elected a nineteen year old Freshman attending school at the University of Oklahoma to be its mayor. Muskogee is southeast of Tulsa, OK and has nearly 40,000 residents. Could it get any crazier than that?   http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/14/nineteen-19-year-old-mayor-elected/ It's true. A Wiki site has been ordered to remove links to a super-secret-lucky-special handbook for Mormon leadership. The publication of the handbook on the internet apprently violates copyright. Let's stop and ask a question. Why in the world is your "priest" handbook kept secret and then copyrighted? If your religion is ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/14/mormons-want-to-gag-the-intarweebs/ Michael Collins was a marine. He should have been a doctor.  Michael Collins was like any other high school senior. He wanted to get even with the Rak’Lan for destroying San Francisco and Shanghai. He wanted to know the truth about the disastrous first contact with an alien race around the ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/13/loss-of-innocence-part-one-audio/ Ronald Moore can kiss my ass. What the hell does he think he's doing with Season Four of Battlestar Galactica? He's taken a great series that combined emotional punch with great character development and unforgettable action sequences and turned it into a mire of existential bullshit. Let's back up for a moment. ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/12/oh-no-im-a-cylon-petes-take-on-season-four-of-bsg/ I saw Iron Man last weekend, but it took me a bit to put my thoughts together on it. It was awesome. No, really. I know I'm going to sound like every other critic out there who loved the movie, but the facts are these: Robert Downey is perfect for Tony Stark and Iron Man. The ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/11/iron-man-review/ http://www.ussamatches.com/ProAm.html GK passed this along. The matches are in Tulsa, OK, but no one can deny that it looks wicked fun. http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/11/i-want-to-shoot-in-this/ Badfun won last week with comment #8! Pete will pick the winner from last week and update this post. But here is another one to start working on in the mean time.     http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/10/pseudo-wednesday-caption-contest/ I'm home. I'm putting up this week's caption contest tomorrow. We're also (finally) going to talk to S.M. Stirling sometime in the near future. Podcasts resume Tuesday morning. Expect an Iron Man review sometime over the weekend as well. *sigh* It's good to see the fam.   http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/09/home-from-chicago/ So I went to a restaurant called Giordano's tonight for dinner. They are a Chicago pizza joint (all over the Chicago metro area, apparently; that would have been good to know before I drove all over creation) famous for stuffed crust pizza. My thought was that stuffed crust pizza was just ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/08/chicago-style-stuffed-crust-pizza/ Pete asked me to fill in for him tonight since he's out of town. Truthfully, I think he's hiding in his hotel room watching old BSG reruns, but apparently he's out trying to enjoy what looks to be a rainy Chicago. While browsing our wonderful intarweebs today, I came across this. ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/07/a-fangirls-wet-dream/ All right. Enough already. Thanks for the supporting emails so far. I've begun the edits on Loss in a timely enough fashion that podcasts will resume next week. After going to a couple of workshops and seeing what people have done to my beloved Alchemist novel, I understand what needs to be changed ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/06/loss-of-innocence-edits/ I just finished Elizabeth Moon's Trading in Danger while en route to Chicago for my business trip. Quite a few people have recommended these books to me, and having a series of long plane rides and some lonely hotel stays (WTF is with all the Chicago museums closing at 4:30, anyway?), ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/05/elizabeth-moons-space-opera/ Do you remember that first person in a movie or on a television show that made you swoon? What about being lovestruck with the teen heartthrob in your favorite pop/rock band, as you called the radio station repeatedly to request your favorite song? I had an interesting conversation with Pete the ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/04/still-crushing-after-all-these-years/ Allergic reaction + eyelids don't mix.   My right eye was swollen shut this morning, even though what I like to call "Event #36569" happened on Thursday. I had to go to an urgent care clinic this morning to get a steroid shot to even get these beautiful baby blues to see ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/03/ill-take-one-in-the-eye-for-the-team/ S.M. Stirling continues his Lords of Creation series with In the Courts of the Crimson Kings. This novel is only a true sequel to The Sky People (the first book in the series) by virtue of cameo appearances by characters from the first novel and universal consistency. However, don't let that dissuade ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/03/in-the-courts-of-the-crimson-kings/ Foxbat wins the caption contest for #13 last week. Here's this week's funny picture: http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/02/wednesday-caption-contest-on-friday/ I owe Mike McPhail an apology; I've had a review copy of his anthology, Breach the Hull for just about a month and a half. I finished the book quickly, but I've had a hard time framing a meaningful review around a collection of short stories. Let me say first of ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/05/01/breach-the-hull-review/ Vince O’Connor, a frequent commenter on my site, Amnesia, hosts a Minnesota radio show called “Off the Beaten Track.” He approached me a few days back and asked if he could play a few of my original songs and I gladly and over-enthusiastically obliged! If you are interested and don’t live ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/04/30/kates-gonna-be-famous-in-mnsorta/ We're entering a "cooling" phase in our global climate patterns. Take that, Al Gore! The article is obviously written with some bias, not the least of which is that statement that this phenomenon may "mask" greenhouse gas contributions to increasing temperature. I say bring the warmth! We'll need it in the next ice age.   http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/04/30/even-nasa-agrees/ Pardon the video-game speak in the headline, but I thought it strangely appropriate. Wikipedia has blocked a DOJ IP address from editing articles on Wikipedia, citing vandalism. After the IP address belonging to the DOJ was blocked, Wikipedia editors informed the Wikimedia Foundation's Communications committee about the incident. Both Wikinews and Wikipedia ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/04/30/wikipedia-pwns-doj/ Kate and I have undertaken a project whereby we take the first novel I've written (Loss of Innocence) and podcast it. To do that, I've had to go back and look at the text and basically do the third draft/revision of the work. Oh. My. God. I sucked when I wrote that piece. Granted, ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/04/29/discouraged-in-dallas/ I'm back! I've posted the pictures of the trip here. Three items of note: While going "number two" in the woods with a wonderful portable toilet seat, some baby wipes, and an entrenching tool, I had a visitor. It was shortly after sunset when I was greeted by a lone coyote in mid-push. I'm ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/04/28/turtle-bluff-recap-2/ Here is a new song called "Everything". I composed, wrote the lyrics and sang it in a period of about 3-4 hours, and I hope you enjoy it. As an added bonus, I've also included an instrumental techno as well as the second song. I'd love to hear your opinions on ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/04/27/everything-a-new-vocal/ An Atlanta Man builds anti-homeless robot. That's right...an ex-marine turned environmental engineer has built a robot that operates via remote control that patrols the grounds of his bar. Vagrants, drug users, and would-be thieves are chased off by the robot, who warns them with the owner's voice that they are ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/04/26/snarky-quick-hits/ Tom Kratman has graciously allowed me to host the afterword of Caliphate, his latest book, here on the site. The afterword is a lengthy essay in which he explores the potential for a silent Islamic domination in Europe over the next few years. Before discounting his words as conservative fantasy ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/04/25/the-afterword-of-caliphate/ I'm off for the first camping trip of the Spring to Turtle Bluff this weekend. I have some genuinely good snark planned for the time during which I'm out. Kate will also debut some of her wonderful music here to keep everyone occupied. This is a smaller trip than normal, but ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/04/24/bound-for-turtle-bluff/ Let the flames roll. Badfun won last week with Comment #7. http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/04/23/wednesday-caption-contest-5/ After a little research and three seperate emails on the subject, I'm so angry at the possibility of this imbecile becoming president that I can't even form a coherent thought. Here's the blog post that got my blood boiling. Obama plans to place the development of our next generation launch capability on ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/04/22/obamas-vision-nightmare-for-space/ The folks at Kennedy Space Center are going to respond to a strange message that washed up on the beach near the space complex. The message was from a girl in the Bahamas who through a bottle containing a letter into the sea as part of a class project. Workers in Florida ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/04/21/message-in-a-bottle/ This was a pretty good con, all in all. The writing workshop was extremely beneficial. Over and over again, I heard corrections that were mostly in the nit-picky category, although I do have some work to do in the point-of-view category. The changes are mostly minor, but since I tell Alchemist ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/04/20/home-from-penguicon/ I saw a young woman crawling on her hands and knees while on a leash. This has to do with science fiction and open source, somehow? The writing workshop continues to be beneficial. Most of the suggestions and comments I'm getting are pretty minor. I'm definitely beyond the "ooh, I want ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/04/19/here-at-penguicon-day-two/ Stuff is pretty cool. Tonight, I saw "singing tesla coils." This is cooler than it sounds; by applying differing amounts of voltage/current to the coil, they generate a different pitch. When controlled by the computer, they can play entire songs.  As a writer in the workshop here, I get a cool pink ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/04/18/here-at-penguicon/ We're off to see the wizard...*sings* I'll be at Penguicon in Troy, Michigan for the next few days. While there are a lot of fun, geek-centered activities at this con, I will be a square for most it. I'm going there for a writing workshop in which I'll be reviewing the ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/04/17/journey-to-penguicon/ Static won last week's caption contest with comment #17. With no further ado, I give you this week's entry: Racial jokes are right out, so don't even make them. (Notice I didn't say "gender" jokes.) http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/04/16/wednesday-caption-contest-4/ Jimmy Carter doesn't know when to leave well enough alone. Former President Jimmy Carter embraced a leading Hamas figure Tuesday, according to participants in a meeting that infuriated Israeli officials already upset by Carter's freelance Mideast peace mission. Carter also laid a wreath at the grave of Yasser Arafat, whom the Bush ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/04/16/and-we-still-arent-over-that-iran-debacle/ The age for the draft is eighteen years old. Young men who are not old enough to drink are nonetheless privileged to fight and die for their country under arms on foreign soil. These same young men, who would be trusted to behave responsibly with incredible destructive power in another country, ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/04/15/students-for-concealed-carry-on-campus/   This *proves* it. :P http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/04/14/guns-dont-kill-people/ Sorry for no posts this weekend and for sparsity the week before. I was out last week on business travel (Austin, TX); then was deathly ill Wednesday-Thursday. (After tomorrow, I may have a somewhat weird announcement about that.) This weekend marked a visit from the adoring grandparents to see the boy, ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/04/13/its-been-a-hell-of-a-week/ Tom Kratman continues his dicussion with us this week, covering the topics of publication, his initial meeting with Jim Baen, and a brief discussion of his new book, Caliphate. It's been a riot corresponding with Tom over the past couple of weeks. I would encourage all of you to give his ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/04/11/author-qa-tom-kratman-part-two/ You guys know the drill. Comment 29 by Dez won last week's contest! http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/04/10/wednesday-caption-contest-3/ Lee Stephen writes: I thought I'd pass this on to you. I'm not sure if you're aware of the controversy brewing with Amazon.com right now, but it's fairly significant (and under-reported). Before I give you the summary, here are some reference pages: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120667525724970997.html?mod=googlenews_wsj http://blogs.computerworld.com/amazon_pulls_a_microsoft http://www.booktrade.info/index.php/showarticle/14395 http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/04/07/backlash-forms-against-amazon In short, Amazon is attempting to monopolize the Print On ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/04/09/amazon-to-muscle-the-publishing-on-demand-industry/ Absolut Vodka is appealing to Mexicans by implying that they never would have ceded the territory comprising the southwestern United States in an "Absolut" world. I guess I "absolutly" (the missing "e" is intentional) won't be partaking of their product. http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/04/07/mexican-manifest-destiny/ It isn't just the Government violating your privacy, it's Google. Obviously, this is an extreme case in which the google vehicle crossed a private property line. Nevertheless, keep all your over-the-top activities behind closed blinds. After all, we wouldn't want our information overlods knowing that you were browsing MSN, would we? http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/04/07/google-street-view-in-your-backyard/ In case you didn't know, BSG episodes are available online...for free. They are perfectly legal, streaming video hosted by the NBC/Universal group. Want to watch them? Click here. Link courtesy of Phifer. http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/04/05/bsg-episodes-available-online/ Wired magazine gives their own tribute to Gary Gygax with their celebrity character sheets for AD&D. I think that we could do better (especially Dez and Foxbat). Drinking eight glasses of water a day may not be the miracle of health that you thought it was. Quote: Neither are there many studies ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/04/05/quick-hits-6/ For the next two weeks, we'll be speaking with Tom Kratman, author of A Desert Called Peace, Carnifex, and Watch on the Rhine. His newest novel, Caliphate, hit stores on April 1st. Thus far the Amazon reviews are a testament to Tom's skill as a writer and as a man who ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/04/04/author-qa-tom-kratman-part-one/ Cow and human DNA has been mixed to create an embryo that survived for three days. Why do would-be Dr. Frankensteins do this? The embryos survived for three days and are intended to provide a limitless supply of stem cells to develop therapies for diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and spinal cord ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/04/03/insert-fat-joke-here/ What? This is going to be a TV series? This is going to be a TV series by ABC/Disney? I generally make it a policy to only speak positively about books/authors around here because when it comes right down to it, we all share a passion for telling stories and we just ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/04/02/goodkinds-sword-of-truth-to-be-a-tv-series/ Congratulations to last week's winner--Catalyst! You guys know the rules. Come up with witty captions that make me giggle. http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/04/01/wednesday-caption-contest-2/ Forget hugging trees. The Sierra Club is campaigning for your dollars to help save the Wooly Mammoth. In this age of global warming, only concerned citizens such as yourselves can prevent this disaster. For more information, follow this link. http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/04/01/wooly-mammoths-need-your-help/ Someone likes BSG a bit too much, I think. Popular Science has a feature story about some BSG geeks who have built a fairly functional Viper cockpit in order to play a flight sim based on the television show. Of course, if I had this in my living room, I'd think I ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/30/bsg-flight-sim-mod/ Here in my home state of Texas, the TSA is eager to show that they are the boss of transportation. Their latest fiasco involves forcing Mandi  Hamlin to remove her nipple piercings before being allowed to travel on a plane from Lubbock, TX to Dallas, TX. "I wouldn't wish this experience upon anyone," ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/29/tsa-finds-metal-in-the-oddest-places/ Think Patrick Rothfuss got gypped out of a Hugo nomination? You can still vote for him in the Locus Awards. He's in the category for "Best First Novel." If you are an active reader in the science fiction community, there are some impressive nominees this year in other categories as ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/28/locus-awards/ Below the cut is the continuation of our interview with Patrick Rothfuss. Our questions are a bit more whimsical in this section as we loosened up during the course of the discussion. One final note: The first question in this interview was asked before the Hugo nominations were announced. Like several bloggers ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/28/author-qa-patrick-rothfuss-part-two/ If you need a primer, here it is. Seasons one and two were beyond awesome; the first and last of season three was excellent, but the middle of the season made me think the writers had lost their way. If you missed any of them, season three is now on DVD. If ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/27/bsg-season-four-friday-april-fourth/ Interviews: The month of April is full of interview goodness! We have Tom Kratman, author of A Desert Called Peace, Carnifex, and Caliphate, followed by S. M. Stirling, author of The Sunrise Lands and other books too numerous to name chatting with us. If you're a fan of military science ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/27/site-announcements-2/ If I can continually show enough participation in these threads, I'm going to start a small giveaway (likely a new trade paperback) twice per month. As usual, place your captions below. http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/26/wednesday-caption-contest/ It's the democratic way! At least, it's the totalitarian-authoritarian-I'm-pretending-to-be-democratic way. Welcome to the People's Fascist Republic of Washington, D.C.  The above article is for real: Washington D.C. wants citizens to voluntarily let their homes be searched for weapons and contraband in exchange for amnesty. Do you think your teenage son might be dealing ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/26/voluntary-search-and-seizure/ In regards to the previous post, this just came to my attention. In a statement Tuesday, NASA said: "This letter was not coordinated with the administrator's office and is in the process of being rescinded. The administrator has unequivocally stated that no rover will be turned off." You can read the full ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/25/whew/ NASA is set to cut funding from the Mars Rover program to the tune of four million ($4,000,000) dollars. If this happens, the Martian rover Spirit would be put into hibernation mode pending more budget allocation from NASA administrators. Never mind that NASA spent nearly a billion dollars to get ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/25/this-is-the-agency-tasked-with-putting-a-man-on-mars/ GK sends along this link from Australia, in which a noted scientist provides information that says that the Earth has been cooling since 1998, despite the fact that carbon dioxide levels have been steadily increasing. This is also acknowledged by the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change). Oh, dear. What will Al ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/24/global-warming-try-global-cooling/ Matthew 27:33 ff: 33.And when they came to a place called Golgotha, which means Place of a Skull, 34.they gave Him wine to drink mixed with gall ; and after tasting it, He was unwilling to drink. 35.And when they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments among themselves by casting lots. 36.And ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/23/easter-isnt-about-bunnies/ Pat is not only a terrific author, he's a great guy who took the time to banter back and forth with Kate and I about his latest book, The Name of the Wind. This book was a strong candidate for my novel of the year last year, earning the popular vote here on my ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/21/author-qa-patrick-rothfuss/ Pete is off having fun with his family the next few days in celebration of the Easter holiday. He asked me in his absence to amuse you with jello, but I just didn't have the heart to fulfill his wish. However, just because I like you guys, I'm going to ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/20/grain-of-sand-world-premiere/ A few quick items: Patrick Rothfuss' interview will go live this Friday, March 21, and the following Friday, March 28. We have the completed interview in our hot little hands. It was a great pleasure working with Pat; this is by far the best interview we've done. The format is informal, ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/19/site-announcements/ One of the great writers of the defining days of science fiction has passed away. Known best for his novel 2001 and the subsequent sequels, Clarke leaves a legacy of space advocacy and optimism to his readers and admirers. MSNBC has the best obituary that I've found. In it was a fact ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/18/arthur-c-clarke-passes-on/ White Knight, the last book in the Dresden Files until Small Favor comes out in April, got off to the slowest start in the series. Harry's transition into a Warden of the White Council and his commitment to an apprentice (the daughter of a friend) felt a little too much like "jumping the shark." ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/18/the-reading-list/ If you haven't heard, the Supreme Court will be reviewing the constitutionality of Washington D.C.'s ban on handguns. Unless you've been living under a rock, I bet most of you are pretty sure where on this issue I fall. Some of you are probably asking why a ruling on this particular ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/17/supreme-court-to-hear-landmark-second-amendment-case/ My son turns one year old today. Stay tuned. I'll have some remarks early next week regarding my transition into fatherhood. Happy birthday, son. http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/14/happy-birthday/ One of the hardest things to do for a person who you care about is to forgive them for wronging you. We finally find out what has happened to Shannon that made her run away from her life in Ireland to join the ranks of the SMC. Letters Home, Part 10 - ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/14/the-oleary-letters-part-ten/ We're going to delay Pat's interview for a few days. Pat is a very busy guy with a lot on his plate right now. When we have an opportunity to do so, we'll post the questions and answers in two parts. Sorry for the inconvenience! http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/13/delay-of-patrick-rothfuss-interview/ I've become increasingly aware of a trend within our society to classify moral stances as intolerant. I guess I should correct that and say that these moral stances are classified as intolerant at best, and as bigotry at the worst. In our rapidly expanding culture of ethical relativism, clearly drawing a ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/13/morality-intolerance-and-political-correctness/ I have a photo mosaic of Yoda above my desk at work, so I was intrigued when I saw this on Gizmondo. Hopefully this will be available to purchase at some point in the future. http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/12/star-wars-last-supper/ I saw this picture in the vastness of the intarweebs and thought that we should all have a chance to comment on it: Come up with a suitable caption for the picture and put it in the comments section below. http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/11/tuesday-caption-contest/ This site definitely has its finger on the pulse of the slightly obnoxious right-wing elements of the South. My shirt is in the mail. http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/11/best-t-shirt-ever/ The British have a camera that can detect objects concealed under clothes. (Also here.) Using the characteristic frequencies of low-level electromagnetic radiation emitted by all objects, such a camera can detect weapons, distinguish flour from cocaine, and pinpoint explosives. Britain is already one of the most surveilled countries in the world. Quis ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/10/quick-hits-5/ All issues with a question-begging title aside, Scott Lynch packs a terrific punch with his Campbell-award winning style in this debut fantasy novel. The title character, Locke Lamora, is a consummate con artist and thief who finds himself embroiled in the political schemes of the underworld of Camorr, a Venice-like ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/09/scott-lynchs-the-lies-of-locke-lamora/ Jack Campbell continues his discussion with us today. In this portion of the interview, we talk about some things related to his practice of the craft and his personal philosophies. Many authors cite one or more people who have a large influence on their style. Who are your major influences? There were ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/07/qa-with-jack-campbell-author-of-the-lost-fleet-series-part-two/ Special thanks to Mike McPhail and the folks over at MilSciFi for the opportunity to read and review an anthology jam-packed with Military Science Fiction talent. If you haven't visited their site yet, you're missing out on some great content. http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/06/look-what-came-in-the-mail-today/ Chicago is considering a ban on small, plastic bags in an effort to curb drug use. If you're like me, you're doing a double-take at this headline. Apparently drug sellers use small plastic bags to package economically feasible portions of their narcotics. Note that this doesn't stop drug sellers, it ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/06/bags-not-drugs-are-a-problem-in-chicago/ Damn that little groundhog. We're getting sleet and snow in north Texas again. It's March, for crying out loud. I have weeds growing in my yard. Bradford pear trees are blooming. I have to mow this weekend for the first time. ***UPDATE*** Here's the boy playing in the snow: He's too cute for words! http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/06/punxsutawney-phil-can-die-in-a-fire/ I'm only posting this because I broke a dozen emails this morning giving me this information. Who is he, you might be asking? He is the founder of RPGs, one of the original writers of Dungeons and Dragons, and arguably one of the most influential people on the development of the ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/05/gary-gygax-has-passed-away/ It's true! The Catholic church is formulating an apology after nearly four hundred years. Okay, maybe it's not a true apology, but at least they're admitting that their treatment of Galileo was wrong. If you're unfamiliar with the situation, Galileo  advocated a worldview called heliocentrism, which means that the sun is ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/05/galileo-to-have-a-statue-in-the-vatican/ Having just recently graduated, Shannon tells of both the triumphs and tribulations associated with becoming a Non-commissioned officer of the SMC. Letters Home, Part 8 - set in the universe of A Loss of Innocence Universe by Peter Hodges Story by Kate Baker Dramatic Reading by Kate Baker Music: “What Must Be Done" by Nick Cave ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/04/the-oleary-letters-part-nine/ ...because it's snowing in Texas. In March. It was 80 degrees here yesterday. Trapper isn't happy at going for "final pee" in the snow. My backyard is covered in the feathery, wet stuff: http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/03/someone-might-think-hell-froze-over/ Marion Cotillard, winner of the Best Actress Academy Award for a film that no one watched, has this to say about the 9/11 attacks and the Apollo moon landings. On 9/11: "I think we're lied to about a lot of things," she said during a television programme first broadcast last year which has ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/03/french-actress-shows-why-shes-french/ As an experiment, I am beta-testing a version of phpBB3 that will allow the denizens of this blog to have a more sheltered spot to speak their mind. I'm not sure if this is something that will generate interest, so we'll leave them around for a bit and see if ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/02/more-site-announcements/ Professor Murray Straus concludes that children who are spanked are more likely as adults to coerce partners to have sex, to have unprotected sex and to have masochistic sex. The article that summarizes the study is here. I don't normally talk about sex and sexuality here on The Hodge. Generally, I don't ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/03/01/an-unintended-consequence-of-spanking/ I'm pleased to welcome Jack Campbell, author of the The Lost Fleet series, here to Peter Hodges.com for a short chat about his fiction, his personal philosophy, and the craft of writing science fiction. If you're interested in a short biography and a complete bibliography, please visit his Web site. We'll ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/02/29/qa-with-jack-campbell-author-of-the-lost-fleet-series/ What!?! It's true. States spend millions every year just to keep their prisons running. In fact, the AP reports: Four states - Vermont, Michigan, Oregon and Connecticut - now spend more on corrections than they do on higher education, the report said. Four states in the union spend more on housing criminals than ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/02/28/one-percent-of-american-adults-are-in-prison/ They are releasing a third Starship Troopers movie. The trailer is available here. The bugs look terrible, the ship combat looks like something I could do with plastic models and a handycam, and the campy satire of the original continues into this one. Someone please stab me in the eye with ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/02/27/heinlein-is-spinning-in-his-grave/ After much trepidation, I have instructed my illustrious marketing director to add a Paypal "Donate" button to the bottom right hand of my sidebar. Kate keeps 100% of the proceeds as compensation for her time and effort for the site. I get nothing from the donations. We are able to pay ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/02/26/a-few-very-important-announcements/ Let's get something straight before I launch into the review. I have always said that Hayden Christiansen was poorly directed by George Lucas in Episodes Two and Three of Star Wars. I maligned George Lucas in that statement. The simple truth is that Hayden has all of the on-screen charisma ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/02/25/jumper/ We've been featured on Podcast.com! Under the main article, there is a selection of podcasts, and we happen to be on the top left of the list. You can click on the bigger picture, but dang, we've already seen some great traffic from this site and I'm hoping perhaps one ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/02/24/some-cool-news/ I promised a report on Boskone, but it took a bit for me to put my notes together into something I wanted to talk about. First of all, the con this year didn't have as many valuable panels for an aspiring writer. In fact, although I attended sessions for most of ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/02/23/boskone-report/ We're continuing our chat with Lee Stephen today with questions that focus on his personal philosphy and his writing techniques. I would suggest that you read Part One of the interview before starting here. It was a real pleasure having Lee drop by the site!   9. When you are writing, are you organized ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/02/22/qa-with-lee-stephen-author-of-the-epic-universe-series-part-two/ Slowly picking up the pieces from her breakup with Collins, Shannon sheds light on the moment she decided to join the SMC.   Letters Home, Part 8 - set in the universe of A Loss of Innocence Universe by Peter Hodges Story by Kate Baker Dramatic Reading by Kate Baker Music: “Winter Story" by Grigor Iliev http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/02/21/the-oleary-letters-part-eight/ EDIT - Image used to be a G-Rated symbol that was roughly akin to the MPAA rating. I guess since most of the instances of strong language occur during the Podcasts, I merit a G-rating. You'd think my grumpy political rants would at least earn me a PG. http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/02/21/i-think-they-got-it-wrong/ Let's talk about Harry Dresden, professional wizard and private investigator. As a preface to my remarks, let me say that no, I have not seen the show on the SciFi channel. I have heard of it, but I have not watched even one episode. I cannot speak to any comparisons between the ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/02/20/the-dresden-files/ An editorial in the Aspen Times Weekly claims that angry white men will dominate the 2008 election. What the Aspen Times Weekly fails to realize is that angry white men don't have anyone to vote for. China will launch more than ten missions into space this year. This includes China's first spacewalk. What does ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/02/19/quick-hits-4/ Yeah, I know that Pete promised you that I would write Shannon's back story for you this weekend while he was gone at Boskone. The only problem is that he didn't clear it with me first! This is something I've been wrestling with since I started writing the letters. Every time ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/02/18/shannons-story/ There will be more to come later. I was actually a little too busy to do any posting when I was there, and what little free time I had was used for sleep. Here's a short after-action report: There is some interest in the site as a means of "getting the word ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/02/17/im-back/ Lee and I have been corresponding since he stumbled onto this site via a Gooogle search. I've admired his works for their tight plotting, great character development, and unapologetic devotion to telling a fulfulling story. After we had talked for a while, Lee agreed to do a two-part interview for ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/02/15/qa-with-lee-stephen-author-of-the-epic-universe-series/ I'll be at Boskone again this year. Last year was a blast. I'm hoping that this year is equally fun (and hopefully profitable). We have an interview with Lee Stephen, which is scheduled to go up tomorrow morning while I'm travelling. I'll be reporting on the events of the conference on ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/02/14/im-off-to-boston-to-huck-my-fiction/ As her hand neared the palm plate that would open the door I jumped to my feet, grabbed her by the shoulders, and shoved her into the center of my tiny room. “Stand at attention, Corporal,” I said. "Michael? What the fuck are you..." I backhanded her. I can’t say to this ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/02/13/the-oleary-letters-part-seven/ CNN has the story. The edict to ban Valentine's Day is enforced by the Saudi Arabian "thought police." The virtue and vice squad is a police force of several thousand charged with, among other things, enforcing dress codes and segregating the sexes. Saudi Arabia, which follows a strict interpretation of Islam called ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/02/12/saudi-arabia-bans-valentines-day/ I've had this question emailed from multiple people: Who am I behind for the upcoming Presidential election? First of all, let me say that while I occasionally make inflammatory remarks regarding the political scene, I am reluctant to endorse a candidate publicly for several reasons. No matter who I choose, my endorsement ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/02/11/613/ The voice sounds like Mel Blanc, even. http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/02/10/1940s-cartoon-on-booby-traps/ Jack Campbell, author of the The Lost Fleet series, has commented on the article reviewing his latest book. I would encourage everyone to give him a shout in the thread before going to Amazon and purchasing his book! http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/02/09/for-those-that-missed-it/ Berkeley, CA has told recruiters for the U.S. Marine Corps that they are not welcome. From the CNN article: The battle erupted after the Berkeley City Council approved a measure last week urging the Marine recruiters to leave their downtown office. "If recruiters choose to stay, they do so as uninvited and unwelcome ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/02/09/berkeley-you-are-now-free-to-leave-the-country/ Cracked has a rather amusing article about the top five cutest animals that can kill you. In no particular order, they are: Hippopottamus Dingo Chimpanzee Swan Dolphin The video in the middle of the article, featuring the chimpanzee troop throwing down with a scientist, is a real trip. http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/02/08/the-cutest-animals-that-can-kill-you/ After a year, I felt it was appropriate to put some new pictures on the other pages of the site. You'll see that Trapper has a new pic under the appropriate link, and I've changed my personal photo to a much more appropriate "author" shot. http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/02/07/page-updates/ Jack Campbell has done it again in the third book of his Lost Fleet series. Imagine a future where humanity has spread throughout a large portion of the galaxy under the leadership of two powers. One is an alliance of planets that values democracy and individual achievement, while the other ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/02/07/the-lost-fleet-courageous/ On April 14, 2066, a hollow asteroid encased in a ceramic shell designed to withstand atmospheric entry, fell with pinpoint accuracy on the San Francisco Bay area. In an instant, what had once been one of the most populous areas in the world and a seat to major innovators in ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/02/06/the-oleary-letters-part-six/ The following is a half chapter from my latest project, Alchemist. In it, a young man thought to be the lost scion of a royal family leads a rag-tag army against those who would deny him his ancestral rights. Fifteen Banners flapped in a rapidly stiffening morning breeze, popping over an organized ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/02/05/alchemist-sneak-peek/ Well, "space center" might be kind of a stretch. Iran opened a "launch facility" with an underground control center with the intention of launching satellites to monitor the regions of their country which are prone to natural disaster. (Ahem, *cough*) They left the whole part about spying on Israel out of their ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/02/04/iran-opens-space-center/ First of all, Kate continues to astound me with her portrayal of Shannon O'Leary in her podcast series The O'Leary Letters. Her words and characterization have become an indispensible part of the world of Loss of Innocence, fleshing out the character of O'Leary into a second main protagonist. Her work ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/02/03/writing-related-news/ Outlaw Trigger is a dark glimpse into the psychology of loss and the resulting crisis of faith. Lee Stephen has outdone himself with this excellent work. The hero of Dawn of Destiny, Scott Remington, continues his journey as a soldier of EDEN defending the Earth against alien aggression. Written in a straightforward, ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/02/02/outlaw-trigger/ I'll be returning home tomorrow.  I have to say that being a dad makes it more difficult to travel frequently. I miss the little guy (now almost eleven months old). I hate the fact that I'm missing new developments, new words, a more confident approach to cruising (that first unassisted ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/01/31/the-hodge-in-exile-part-four-reflections-on-health-care/ Shannon writes about her frustrations and inadequacies while attending NCO training.  Letters Home, Part 5  - set in the universe of A Loss of Innocence Universe by Peter Hodges Story by Kate Baker Dramatic Reading by Kate Baker Music: “Structure & Discipline" by Thomas Newman *Contains strong language http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/01/31/the-oleary-letters-part-five/ I ate a wonderful restaurant tonight called the Iron Hill Brewery. It's really too bad that I didn't discover it until tonight, because the food was excellent. It is a fairly renowned micro-brewery in this part of the country, but since I'm allergic to hops, I didn't partake of any ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/01/30/the-hodge-in-exile-part-three/ That's right, folks. I'm calling myself "the Hodge." Why? Because when you're in downtown Wilmington, DE, you gots to fit in, yo. Peter just doesn't cut it. The Hodge is in full effect. We now return from the Twilight Zone. Seriously though, here's a couple of things that I learned in my nearly twenty ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/01/29/the-hodge-in-exile/ Ugh. This isn't the most pleasant place that I've been sent in the course of business travel so far, that's for sure. Couple my persistent bronchitis (or is it walking pneumonia by now?) with a three hour flight into Philadelphia, and you have a recipe for grumpiness. I'm here all week, ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/01/28/youve-won-a-magical-trip-todelaware/ This is a "documentary" that shows what happens to the wounded after battle. http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/01/27/what-happens-after-battle/ Before I begin with today's rant, let's have a little geography lesson. To the left is a map of Israel. Israel lies on the eastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea. It is the only Jewish state in the Middle East, it is the only quasi-acknowledged nuclear power in the Middle East, and ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/01/25/gaza-border-wrecked-again/ This article in the Daily Mail shows a rock formation on Mars that looks remarkably humanoid. The different tone of the rock formation is puzzling. Has this been "photoshopped" for emphasis? If not, are we looking at a misplaced statue? Or even fossilized remains of a once proud Martian civilization? Is ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/01/23/life-on-marsor-just-a-funny-looking-rock/ MPAA Failed the Class in Statistics The MPAA has suddenly retracted the stastistic that said an astonishing 44% of piracy losses came from college students. These inflated numbers have been used as a crutch for the College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2007, which is currently pending a vote in congress. The ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/01/23/quick-hits-3/ A change of heart fills this new letter home to Gillian. Letters Home, Part 4  - set in the universe of A Loss of Innocence Universe by Peter Hodges Story by Kate Baker Dramatic Reading by Kate Baker Music: “Small Moves” by Alan Silvestri http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/01/22/the-oleary-letters-part-four/ You've got to be kidding me. Granted, I'm no expert on Star Trek canon, but the Enterprise wasn't built on the surface of a planet. A ship such as that would certainly have to be built in a space dock, wouldn't it? And if it's the 23rd damn century, why do ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/01/22/star-trek-trailer-now-available/ I'm not sure I'll meet my goal of finishing by mid-February, but I'll be awfully darned close. I'm struggling with writing one character in particular. At Kate's suggestion, I've made the effort to sort of "fall in love" with the character. That required some tweaks (she wasn't my type), but now, ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/01/21/alchemist-continues/ I'm of mixed emotions about the film. First of all, the movie is well-acted, intelligently shot, and plotted with an eye toward minimalism. This is a pure thrill ride, as told through the eyes of the shaky cam footage of a group of twenty-somethings on a night when an unknown, large monster ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/01/20/cloverfield/ Wow. My cloning position has inflamed the ire of the entire intarweebs. From Lizzie T.:  A "man" referencing a woman's right to choose is ludicrous. Take your quasi-evangelical conservative viewpoints and shove them up your ass. That's about what I expect from the feminist movement.  From Gerda541: In one essay you come out as pro-life ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/01/19/the-mail-rolls-in/ Unless you live under a rock, you've heard the claims of California scientist (M.D. / Ph.D.) Dr. Samuel Wood. Following in the footsteps of the world famous sheep "Dolly," Wood has used donated eggs and skin cells from himself to create a viable clone. The clone was allowed to grow to ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/01/18/human-cloning/ Biometric Spy Technology for Employers Microsoft is patenting technology that would allow computers to gather biometric data on workers parked in front of computers. The potential uses of the technology are to provide "intervention" in cases of extreme stress, but the unspoken is that the technology would be exerted by companies ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/01/16/articles-to-get-under-your-skin-guaranteed/ Shannon O'Leary's correspondence continues although there has been no reply from home. Letters Home, Part 2  - set in the universe of A Loss of Innocence Universe by Peter Hodges Story by Kate Baker Dramatic Reading by Kate Baker Music: "Loneliness" by Kostia http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/01/15/the-oleary-letters-part-three/ ...so no update for you. What is Alchemist you might ask? Why, it's my current project! In a few words, it is a high fantasy novel loosely based on the structure of the Roman Empire and the social and political situation at the dawn of the Age of Reason. Mix in a little ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/01/14/working-on-alchemist/ Have you read Legion of the Damned by William C. Dietz? If you haven't, I would recommend that you do so immediately. It is both imaginative and easily digestible in the grand trandition of Heinlein and Haldeman. The basic premise is that a far-future empire set on Earth uses a ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/01/13/dietzs-when-all-seems-lost/ A state senator in Wisconsin wants to levy a 1% tax on video games to help fund a juvenile justice program. I could haul out my soap box, but two Wisconsin papers have already done a better job than I could in disabusing the senator of his inexcusably silly notion. http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/01/12/wisconsin-should-stick-to-cheese/ I'm not normally a LOLcats fan, but seeing this wonderful picture mixed with an Edgar Allan Poe reference made it irresistable. (If you're looking for the entire poem, go beyond the cut.) The Raven Edgar Allan Poe Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/01/12/what-happened-to-the-raven/ The city of San Fransisco is currently fighting a legal battle in Federal court that would make it mandatory for medium and large companies to provide health care for their employees. If they do not, then they would be required to pay a fee to the city so that the ... http://www.peter-hodges.com/2008/01/10/theres-no-free-lunch-but-there-is-free-health-care/ <