Entries from September 2008 ↓

The Evil League of Evil is recruiting!

The rumblings you’ve been hearing in the criminal underground since July indeed are true: At long last, we are seeking new applicants to the League.

For what purpose, I hear you cry?

The best applicants, as determined by the League or its designated agents, will be included on a special DVD commemorating our most recent member.

Yes, it’s a competition to be included in the bonus features of the Dr Horrible DVD. Awesome, and a great excuse to finish my own freeze ray.

It’s almost October, which means that the spectre of NaNoWriMo looms large across the next two months. Barely a moment will pass over the next four weeks where I’m not planning my novel, or worse - worrying that I haven’t yet planned my novel.

I was going to write a work of near-future science fiction, but a recent post by Charlie Stross claims that’s almost impossible given current world events. I certainly agree with his sentiment, but many of his arguments (especially about plot obsolence in the time it takes to publish) are far less relevant to what will more than likely be a vanity work. An unpublished vanity work, at that.

At least the new house meets my every fantasy of a writer’s home. Large garden, plenty of space, excellent pubs and coffee shops nearby. Not forgetting R and J - two wonderful writers (and friends!) are my housemates and fellow sufferers of November’s death of fifty-thousand cuts.

Even L is joining in this year, so hopefully the house will be a suitable retreat with writing a constant activity.

Martian Blizzard - by Uqbar

According to NASA, the Phoenix Lander has detected snow falling from clouds 4km above its landing site. Whilst the snow is vapourising before it hits the ground, this is a remarkable observation of Mars’ vestigial atmospheric processes in motion.

This is a handy little snippet that allows you to set rate limits for views in Django.