I really don't have anything to add so I am just going to post a link to Eric Flint's exquisite rant about the alleged Social Justice Warrior control of science fiction & fantasy publishing and fandom.
I've been a fan of Flint's fiction for quite a while (Please write more Joe's World books, Eric!) and am rapidly becoming a huge fan of his blogging. This post and his first one on the Hugos are enough that I plan on nominating for Best Fan Writer next year.
Showing posts with label recommendations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recommendations. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Tim's Vermeer
Last night I watched the film Tim's Vermeer, a documentary produced and narrated by Penn Jillette (and, incidentally, directed by Teller) about his friend Tim Jenison and his fascination with Johannes Vermeer's ability to make very photo-realistic paintings.
Jenison is an inventor and designer of television equipment and he became fascinated with Vermeer after reading British artist David Hockney's book Secret Knowledge: Rediscovering the lost techniques of the Old Masters in which Hockney posits the idea that Vermeer may have used optics, that is lenses and mirrors, to make his paintings. Jenison, coming from a background of video technology became obsessed with Hockney's thesis and set about to prove it correct.
The film records the five year process by which Jenison sought to replicate Vermeer's Music Lesson using 17th century optics.
Along the way Jenison taught himself how to grind lenses, make his own pigments, wood-working, even how to paint to a certain degree. He replicated the room that Vermeer used as his primary studio. Jenison is a man obsessed and the viewer follows along with his obsession. However, unlike many obsessive types, Jenison remains a very personable and likable guy throughout the process.
There are several points in the film that discuss the physics of optics and how they would have been used and the neuroscience of light and vision and they provide excellent background context as do interviews with David Hockney. One of the key points the film makes is that the idea that art and science are forever and always separate is very much a modern idea and did not exist in the 17th century.
Jenison is an inventor and designer of television equipment and he became fascinated with Vermeer after reading British artist David Hockney's book Secret Knowledge: Rediscovering the lost techniques of the Old Masters in which Hockney posits the idea that Vermeer may have used optics, that is lenses and mirrors, to make his paintings. Jenison, coming from a background of video technology became obsessed with Hockney's thesis and set about to prove it correct.
The film records the five year process by which Jenison sought to replicate Vermeer's Music Lesson using 17th century optics.
Along the way Jenison taught himself how to grind lenses, make his own pigments, wood-working, even how to paint to a certain degree. He replicated the room that Vermeer used as his primary studio. Jenison is a man obsessed and the viewer follows along with his obsession. However, unlike many obsessive types, Jenison remains a very personable and likable guy throughout the process.
There are several points in the film that discuss the physics of optics and how they would have been used and the neuroscience of light and vision and they provide excellent background context as do interviews with David Hockney. One of the key points the film makes is that the idea that art and science are forever and always separate is very much a modern idea and did not exist in the 17th century.
Friday, May 1, 2015
Three geeks walk into a con...
First allow me to show you the re-animated corpse of H.P. Lovecraft interviewing a couple of game designers at Cthulhucon in Portland, OR:
This video is a wonderful nexus of three strings of on-line geekery that I regularly follow.
First is the Ask Lovecraft series of videos, in which my friend Canadian actor and all around hoopy frood, Leeman Kessler plays a reanimated H.P. Lovecraft and in the normal course of things answers the questions from his viewers whether it be on his writing, his thoughts on 21st century life and culture, or advice for the lovelorn. His answers are often filled with wit and occasionally a surprising bit of wisdom and is not to be missed. Ask Lovecraft posts three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Leeman is also one half, along with his wife Rev. Rachel Kessler, of the podcast Geekually Yoked, which they describe as "the world's best married, Christian, geek podcast." Leeman is the child of missionaries and was born and raised in Nigeria. Rachel is an Anglican priest in the Diocese of Toronto. They look at the intersection of faith and fandom, and while they and the podcast are explicitly Christian it is not the militant, in your face sort of Christianity some find off-putting. I'm a Jewish American Pagan and I listen to them regularly for their insightful look at the deeper meaning of the geek culture we all participate in. Geekually Yoked drops every other week on Saturday. Or when Leeman gets around to is.
Lastly are the two victims of Leeman's HPL persona, Ken Hite and Robin D. Laws of the podcast Ken And Robin Talk About Stuff. Ken's and Robin's gaming and writing CV's are far too long and varied to list here but suffice it to say when it comes to geek culture both know what they are talking about. Their weekly podcast (dropping on Fridays) covers everything from games and gaming, writing, food, cinema, time travel, and conspiracies, to name just a few things they cover. Ken and Robin are both incredibly knowledgeable and witty and the podcast is great fun to listen to.
This video is a wonderful nexus of three strings of on-line geekery that I regularly follow.
First is the Ask Lovecraft series of videos, in which my friend Canadian actor and all around hoopy frood, Leeman Kessler plays a reanimated H.P. Lovecraft and in the normal course of things answers the questions from his viewers whether it be on his writing, his thoughts on 21st century life and culture, or advice for the lovelorn. His answers are often filled with wit and occasionally a surprising bit of wisdom and is not to be missed. Ask Lovecraft posts three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Leeman is also one half, along with his wife Rev. Rachel Kessler, of the podcast Geekually Yoked, which they describe as "the world's best married, Christian, geek podcast." Leeman is the child of missionaries and was born and raised in Nigeria. Rachel is an Anglican priest in the Diocese of Toronto. They look at the intersection of faith and fandom, and while they and the podcast are explicitly Christian it is not the militant, in your face sort of Christianity some find off-putting. I'm a Jewish American Pagan and I listen to them regularly for their insightful look at the deeper meaning of the geek culture we all participate in. Geekually Yoked drops every other week on Saturday. Or when Leeman gets around to is.
Lastly are the two victims of Leeman's HPL persona, Ken Hite and Robin D. Laws of the podcast Ken And Robin Talk About Stuff. Ken's and Robin's gaming and writing CV's are far too long and varied to list here but suffice it to say when it comes to geek culture both know what they are talking about. Their weekly podcast (dropping on Fridays) covers everything from games and gaming, writing, food, cinema, time travel, and conspiracies, to name just a few things they cover. Ken and Robin are both incredibly knowledgeable and witty and the podcast is great fun to listen to.
Saturday, April 25, 2015
My brother also blogs
Apparently me starting this blog has encouraged my brother Dan to revive his blog, Spice Up Your Dice. Dan is a professional chef and his blog is primarily about cooking and board gaming, his job and his hobby. It's good. You should read it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)