Fitzpatrick's War: The Early Life of Sir Robert Mayfair Bruce is a wonderful book. Theodore Judson creates a wonderful world in a very possible future. Set in the late 26th century the world is powered by steam (electricity has been forgotten) and the age of fuedalism has returned.
The world's most important science has become history and not only has history been written by the victors (the Yukons), but rewritten by them to glorify Isaac Prophet Fitzpatrick, the conquerer of the world and a young man with an Alexander complex. Or has it?
If you are a fan of historical fiction, speculative history or alternative earths, then this book is definately for you. Not only does Judson create an all too convincing possible future of earth, but he dots the book with humorous takes on current times as seen through the eyes of a puritan society 600 years in the future. The book is filled with footnotes that point out the inconsistancies between Robert's tale and what has become the remembered history of the Age of Fitzpatrick, which allow you to see the power that history creates.
One can only hope that Judson will write more about his future earth as he leaves plenty of back history and potential stories littered in his footnotes. It's been a long time since I have read anything this good.
Thursday, August 25, 2005
Friday, August 05, 2005
Humans Vs The Vampire Car
My car (95 geo metro named Polly, 95K miles) is a vampire.
It doesn't like sunlight and tends to die in the face of overwhelming heat. Example one, yesterday. While driving home it stalled on Lynn Road while doing 50, I tried coasting to a place to jab a stake in its heart, but you really can't coast uphill, so it stopped in a turning lane about 50 feet from an intersection.
As luck would have it, two cars behind me was a cop. He helped me push it uphill through the intersection onto a side road into a bus lane, where I sat down to wait for a while. In the past waiting has given my car a chance to cool off? return from gaseous form? or something, and then it usually starts up again.
Within 5 minutes I was asked by not one, but three people if I needed a ride anywhere (not help), but a physical ride to someplace. One of them had pulled off Lynn Road and turned onto the sidestreet to see if I needed help. The other two happened to be driving on the side road.
People stopping to help a stranger? in 2005? with Bush in the whitehouse? It made me happy, renewed my faith in humans again and proved to me, once again, that in a global war of humans vs vampires that humans would win
It doesn't like sunlight and tends to die in the face of overwhelming heat. Example one, yesterday. While driving home it stalled on Lynn Road while doing 50, I tried coasting to a place to jab a stake in its heart, but you really can't coast uphill, so it stopped in a turning lane about 50 feet from an intersection.
As luck would have it, two cars behind me was a cop. He helped me push it uphill through the intersection onto a side road into a bus lane, where I sat down to wait for a while. In the past waiting has given my car a chance to cool off? return from gaseous form? or something, and then it usually starts up again.
Within 5 minutes I was asked by not one, but three people if I needed a ride anywhere (not help), but a physical ride to someplace. One of them had pulled off Lynn Road and turned onto the sidestreet to see if I needed help. The other two happened to be driving on the side road.
People stopping to help a stranger? in 2005? with Bush in the whitehouse? It made me happy, renewed my faith in humans again and proved to me, once again, that in a global war of humans vs vampires that humans would win
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
Dogs Kick Ass
Another reason dogs are better than cats...
SAN FRANCISCO - One of the swimmers in this weekend’s Alcatraz Invitational swim has dog paddled his way into the record book.
Jake is a 65-pound golden retriever and the only non-human in the tenth annual 1.2 mile swim from the infamous prison island to the San Francisco shore. The four-year-old pooch swam across the cold, choppy water in just under 42 minutes, finishing 72nd out of the more than 500 swimmers. Organizers say it was the first known crossing by a dog.
The crowd cheered as Jake made his way onto solid ground, shook himself and dodged a woman who tried to put a medal around his neck.
Jake’s owner, Jeff Pokonosky, says the two swim four miles a week and bodysurf together. His training secret? Jake always gets scrambled eggs before a big swim.
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Funny Things
Its been a while, but I needed to write something.
Things that are always funny:
1. People walking into things. Funnier when its glass walls or doors, like that new AOL commercial. I always pray for that commercial rather than the AOL commercial with cake, because cake isnt funny.
2. Mascots getting beat down. Specifically college mascots in full soft cloth puppet heads and accompanying costume, not the lame mascots who only wear a fake head (George Washington U) or just dress in period costumes (FSU & WVU). If its two mascots going at it, its even better.
3. Puppets cursing (or saying rude things). Especially when its unexpected. Also, the cuter the puppet, the funnier. This is why Greg The Bunny was very funny.
Things that are always funny:
1. People walking into things. Funnier when its glass walls or doors, like that new AOL commercial. I always pray for that commercial rather than the AOL commercial with cake, because cake isnt funny.
2. Mascots getting beat down. Specifically college mascots in full soft cloth puppet heads and accompanying costume, not the lame mascots who only wear a fake head (George Washington U) or just dress in period costumes (FSU & WVU). If its two mascots going at it, its even better.
3. Puppets cursing (or saying rude things). Especially when its unexpected. Also, the cuter the puppet, the funnier. This is why Greg The Bunny was very funny.
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