Congratulations to Taos Toolbox veteran Fran Wilde, whose Updraft won the Andre Norton Award for young adult fiction, and also the Compton Crook award for best science fiction, horror, or fantasy novel (no age mentioned). Updraft was workshopped at Toolbox, and despite being perhaps the most altitude-impaired student ever at Toolbox, Fran seems to have paid some […]

The original title of this Dutch film is Michiel de Ruyter, but as this title means nothing to audiences outside the United Provinces, the American release is retitled Admiral.  (Thus prompting confusion with the Korean film Admiral, about the naval hero Yi Sun-sin, or Admiral, the Russian film about the naval hero Alexander Kolchak.  This particular Admiral is about a Dutch naval hero […]

Via ace mathematician Michael Wester, we have ace correspondent John Oliver ranting about the media’s demand for cute pop science.  After viewing this video, you will be able to answer the following true/false questions correctly. 1.  Does champagne make rats live longer? 2.  Are babies made of chocolate? 3. What will keep the doctor away— […]

Since we’re heading into the weekend, I thought I’d program a bit of entertainment for you folks. Live from the Hi Ball Lounge, it’s Miss Lavay Smith and Her Red-Hot Skillet Lickers. Put on a smoking jacket, pour yourself a gin gimlet, and give it a listen.