There's a story about that

David has finally put his money where his mouth is. Well, actually, he put his time and effort where his writer's pen is.  The TASAT (there's a story about that) organization is now up and running and is associated with the Arthur C Clark Center for Human Imagination at UC San Diego.  I joined, of course.  It sounds like fun!

Wayward Galaxy 7: Wayward Earth by Jason Anspach & J.N. Chaney (2024)

Fun prequel with Brody's origin story and fresh, new characters who are the ancestors of the folks in the original series. Non-stop close combat, 5/5 Stars.

Schweigeminute von Siegfried Lenz (2016)

Das Lesen dieser Geschichte ist ein intensives und intimes Erlebnis. Die Sprache ist wunderschön. Das Coming-of-Age-Setting ist eindrucksvoll. 5/5 Sterne.

Hurrah wir leben noch von Johannes Mario Simmel (1978)

Ich mag Simmel-Bücher und habe mich gefreut, in der größten Buchhandlung der Welt in Portland, Oregon, ein Buch von Simmel zu entdecken, das ich noch nicht gelesen hatte. Simmels Geschichten sind sinnliche Dramen über Liebe, Sex, Neid, Essen und Ficken, Rastlosigkeit und Verrat, politische Korruption und den Zynismus der Mächtigen. Die Geschichten enthalten "James Bond"-Elemente, die geschmackvoll präsentiert und immer unterhaltsam sind. 4/5 Sterne.

The Mercy of g-ds by James S. A. Corey aka Daniel Abraham & Ty Franck (2024)

With many of the same story elements as the last two books in their "Expanse" series, the authors create a new space opera and build a new world for this new series.  The Hero, Dafyd Alkhor, is our plucky, "awe shucks," reluctant everyman, much like "Jim Holden" from the Expanse.  Good story line with fun themes, 5/5 Stars.

Kelwitts Stern von Andreas Eschbach (1999)

Ein junger Außerirdischer im Teenageralter besucht im Rahmen seiner Orakelfahrt das ihm zugewiesene Sonnensystem. Eine gekünstelte Erzählung führt dazu, dass er im Haus einer schwäbischen Familie landet, wo eine Komödie entsteht. Trotz des schwachen Schreibstils, der schrecklichen Erfindungen und der willkürlichen Magie hat die Geschichte ein „großes Herz". Und sie ist lustig. 2/5 Sterne.

Imperial Twilight by Stephen R. Platt (2018)

I really appreciated the style of this book.  The story-telling and drama kept my attention through the tedious details of the myriad names, dates, events, and dry, academic historiography, where conflicting historical evidence is analyzed. The interesting origins of the Opium War and the deep insights from each main character's point of view are very interesting. 4/5 Stars.

Seafair 2024

(Blue Angels Air acrobatics team)

(Racing boats)

Like many cities in the USA, Seattle has an annual summer event with an air show, boat regatta, boat racing, carnival tents and fairs.  And every year we head over to swim or float in the water under the air show to watch the festivities.  Here are my photos and here is a "delta break-out" video. This year the show included an F-35a doing acrobatics with flares, a C-5b fly-by, Fat Albert the C-130 AWACS for the blue angels, an F-35b doing the vertical take-off, landing tricks, and the blue angels.  Since I was on the water, the pictures are not as clear as my photos from previous years.  

We went to Seattle Sunday and ate lunch at the city center watching the air show again but suddenly,  an Opera broke out!   It was a great production of Pagliacci.

La commedia è finita! We all enjoyed the music and spectacular staging.

Diaspora by Greg Egan (1998)

Here is another "big ideas" book of a far flung future where intelligence has evolved into software on augmented and non-biological substrates and is trying to survive a deadly natural disaster that will eliminate all life.  The math is fun and the plot is unpredictable. The story and concepts a are a little too big for my comfort zone, 3/5 Stars.

The Daily Laws by Robert Greene (2021)

Here are some excerpts Robert Greene has collected from his earlier works on the topics of strategy, human nature, manipulating people, and stoic philosophy.  There is not much new that is not in his books, so if you (like me) have read them, don't bother with this one. As Robert and I both get closer to our inevitable deaths, the last few meditations were good reminders for me to live with more intensity. 3/5 Stars.

Charity Majors on Pragmatic Leadership

If you work in technology and care about leadership you should subscribe to Charity's blog.  She does not post frequently, but when she does, her ideas are always fantastic, even if you don't agree with her.  Here is her take on "politics" in the workplace and focusing on what matters most.