Perplexed Orange Independent Biker

I wonder if the political and philosophical parallels between much of the sci-fi and non-fiction that I enjoy are coincidence, or an active part of what keeps me reading both? Would my life have been any different if I’d discovered the cyber-punk genre as a Ga Tech student in the late 80′s? Wow, imagine that.

Anyway, this is a cool story, but I mostly enjoyed Sterling’s exploration of the political philosophy and strategy employed by the various characters and groups in the novel. Comparable to the Mars series in balance between pleasure reading and thought-provoking. And that is praise from me.

I created a placeholder for this book when I read it, about a month ago.  My memory has largely failed me at this point, so this will be a vague review.

I love Gibson, of course.  Neat characters in this book, and fascinating picture of future capitalist breakdown.  Not my first choice for a new-to-Gibson reader, but worthy.

I just learned that she wrote this from the personal experience of her son’s autism. Damn.

Good story, kept me wanting more. Deals with autism well in some places, not so well in others. Better recommended to a friend who wants to understand what you go through as a parent, than to understand the kids.

Is it just me diving deeper and deeper into alternative subculture, a process that started when I moved to Minneapolis and continued stronger after I gave up the car as my primary mode of transport; or is the mass movement toward real change in our planet-destroying habits actually gaining momentum independent of gasoline prices?

This book is both compelling and depressing for me. Compelling because I enjoy his story and identify with his views on consumption and ecology, but also with his economic success. Depressing because I can’t possibly live up to his standards, without sacrificing years of conformist expectations.

While I’m proud, to the point of snobbish vanity, of my bicycle-powered life; I still care about Style, I still crave new stuff (bicycles and gadgets, mostly), and I want the best, most expensive things and experiences for my family. Reconciling these feelings takes up way too many idle cycles in my brain.

Popular culture seems to be exploring a very tame version of reality, as I witness in the release of An Inconvenient Truth, Tom Friedman’s latest Charlie Rose appearance, and the last few issues of Wired. That’s all good, but you only need a little bit of Chomsky to lose all hope again.

I’ve had this post languishing in “draft” mode for weeks now. Screw it and publish!

Interesting topic, good read. Bowden also wrote Blackhawk Down, and the writing here is similar quality although the subject matter is less intense. Pablo Escobar is a bad dude, Miami Vice-style. He got taken down by a plodding combination of Columbians and American military and spook-ish guys. Fun read to kick off my vacation week.

I now grok that grokking is about much more than simple understanding. Grokking is somewhat sexual, which is a big surprise to a nerdy sci-fi guy like me. I grok fixed gear bicycles. I do not yet grok Heinlein. Perhaps more reading will provide for grokking the fullness of Heinlein.

Not sure how/when/where this ended up on my reading list but it seemed like a good novella to request from the library and take on a week-long vacation. Seeming was right, as I enjoyed the read. Better than some fling by Nick Sparks…

Wow. Not only a great story, but he predicted my 2006 social consciousness and attitude when writing in 1992. Neal is my hero. I have two pages dog-eared for future reference…

Follow the loglo outward, to where the growth is enfolded into the valleys and the canyons, and you find the land of the refugees. They have fled from the true America, the America of atomic bombs, scalpings, hip-hop, chaos theory, cement overshoes, snake handlers, spree killers, space walks, buffalo jumps, drive-bys, cruise missiles, Sherman’s March, gridlock, motorcycle gangs, and bungee jumping. They have parallel-parked thier bimbo boxes in identical computer-designed Burbclave street patterns and secreted themselves in symmetrical sheetrock shitholes with vinyl floors and ill-fittng woodwork and no sidewalks, vast house farms out in the loglo wilderness, a culture medium for a medium culture.

Until a man is twenty-five, he still thinks, every so often, that under the right circumstances he could be the baddest [mofo] in the world.

Call of the Mall, by Paco Underhill, has inspired me to try reading his Why We Buy again, because the writing was so enjoyable. Nothing special here beyond a basic education in the current state of the mall, and Paco’s musings on how developers and retailers ought to be toying with the idea.