Paul McAuley on the Recent Unpleasantness

In which McAuley reacts to Kristine Kathryn Rusch’s piece in Asimov's, displaying a distressing level of reasonableness in the process.

Paul McAuley on the Recent Unpleasantness

In which McAuley reacts to Kristine Kathryn Rusch’s piece in Asimov's, displaying a distressing level of reasonableness in the process.

Paul McAuley on the Recent Unpleasantness

In which McAuley reacts to Kristine Kathryn Rusch’s piece in Asimov's, displaying a distressing level of reasonableness in the process.

I'd like more of this in my SF, please

As I mentioned on rec.arts.comics.dc.universe, the total failure of comics and other visual media to come up with images this striking is particularly disappointing.

[Huh. theweaselking also has this photo and they point out that the little dot on the left, the one that looks like dust on the CRT, is Earth]

I'd like more of this in my SF, please

As I mentioned on rec.arts.comics.dc.universe, the total failure of comics and other visual media to come up with images this striking is particularly disappointing.

[Huh. theweaselking also has this photo and they point out that the little dot on the left, the one that looks like dust on the CRT, is Earth]

I'd like more of this in my SF, please

As I mentioned on rec.arts.comics.dc.universe, the total failure of comics and other visual media to come up with images this striking is particularly disappointing.

[Huh. theweaselking also has this photo and they point out that the little dot on the left, the one that looks like dust on the CRT, is Earth]

The Problem of Pain

Pain is useful: it tells you that something is wrong and it does so in a way that you cannot ignore, thus offering the possibility that the cause of the pain can be avoided or mitigated.

Since we are evolved entities and evolution only care about "good enough", pain also can distract us so much that we fail to deal with the ultimate cause of the problem, being too distracted by trying to reconnect the missing leg to take evasive action against the gentlemen with the RPGs. It is apparently possible to learn how to ignore loud signals of pain but this is not a default.

In a designed entity, would it make sense to build in a function that let the entity consciously dial down the intensity of pain to facilitate dealing with the cause?

The Problem of Pain

Pain is useful: it tells you that something is wrong and it does so in a way that you cannot ignore, thus offering the possibility that the cause of the pain can be avoided or mitigated.

Since we are evolved entities and evolution only care about "good enough", pain also can distract us so much that we fail to deal with the ultimate cause of the problem, being too distracted by trying to reconnect the missing leg to take evasive action against the gentlemen with the RPGs. It is apparently possible to learn how to ignore loud signals of pain but this is not a default.

In a designed entity, would it make sense to build in a function that let the entity consciously dial down the intensity of pain to facilitate dealing with the cause?

The Problem of Pain

Pain is useful: it tells you that something is wrong and it does so in a way that you cannot ignore, thus offering the possibility that the cause of the pain can be avoided or mitigated.

Since we are evolved entities and evolution only care about "good enough", pain also can distract us so much that we fail to deal with the ultimate cause of the problem, being too distracted by trying to reconnect the missing leg to take evasive action against the gentlemen with the RPGs. It is apparently possible to learn how to ignore loud signals of pain but this is not a default.

In a designed entity, would it make sense to build in a function that let the entity consciously dial down the intensity of pain to facilitate dealing with the cause?

Hiro's Heroic Pose

Is it just me or when Hiro strikes a dynamic pose at one point, is it the same pose Logan struck in the final episode of Veronica Mars, Season One?

Hiro's Heroic Pose

Is it just me or when Hiro strikes a dynamic pose at one point, is it the same pose Logan struck in the final episode of Veronica Mars, Season One?

Hiro's Heroic Pose

Is it just me or when Hiro strikes a dynamic pose at one point, is it the same pose Logan struck in the final episode of Veronica Mars, Season One?

A timely rebuke

An anonymous commenter responds to an entry of mine.

It's the reply "ADD TEMPLATES", which is dated nine months after the article to which it is replying.

A timely rebuke

An anonymous commenter responds to an entry of mine.

It's the reply "ADD TEMPLATES", which is dated nine months after the article to which it is replying.

A timely rebuke

An anonymous commenter responds to an entry of mine.

It's the reply "ADD TEMPLATES", which is dated nine months after the article to which it is replying.