The zebra, rhino and science fiction

My folks live next to the Crocodile River in Mpumamalanga South Africa, the river is also the border between themselves at Marlot Park and the Kruger National Park.

As you can imagine there are many animals and it is wild territory, with many dangerous snakes too, like the black mamba and vividly green boomslang.

In the morning wild hogs and many types of buck visit the waterhole.

I wonder how natural climate and human made climate change will effect this wilderness in future decades.

The beauty and wildness of Africa must be preserved for all of the world, it is truelly one of our great heritage sites.

The poaching and cruel slaughter of rhino increases year after year, and perhaps we will have to resort to genetic engineering to save the species in the not far future.

Click for more about the cruelty of rhino poaching

Still alive and back on Chemo

Can't believe I'm still alive, I should have been dead by now.

I guess the steroids and new chemo treatment is prolonging my life, I'm grateful for the reprieve I have lost my right eye to a tumor.

Reading is slow and a big effort.

I am reading Orbus by Neal Asher.

I've been on steroids since September 2011 and I've gained a lot of weight.

I've gone from 60kg to 98kg, I am slow, tired and uncomfortable, but happy to alive lol

Three strokes, two tumours removed one on each side of brain. Permanent damage: physically unbalanced, and not as mentally agile as before. Gamma knife radiation ten intense sessions. Large scars on my skull, my hair will not be growing back for a while. Still reading SF, but I have noticed that good and hard SF is becoming rare. Many SF movies made in last two years - most them are absolute trash.

An expensive photo

I had a Positron Emission Tomographical photo taken of myself and it cost R 18 725, that includes the scan and a cd with a copy of the images.

Whilst the nuclear medicine technician inserted the radioactive fluorine18 drip into my arm I told him: " I always believed I was an extraterrestrial, but now I know I'm not, and I'm so disappointed !" and we had a good laugh together.

In the warm and comfortable waiting room I met Kyle a 12 year old boy who told me he thinks that all the UFO sightings are fake, I told him that I agreed, many or most are fake, but that some are real and then his mom agreed with me, he gaped.

I also met a 72 year old gentlemen, who insisted I watch The Bucket List and that I should make a bucket list, he was there for a heart scan, and he had given up smoking
after a 55 year habit, only a month before, I could tell why ..the man was panting.

The other lady in the room didn't warm up to the rest of us, she was a bit tense and reserved, but did blurt out a compliment that made me feel very good, when she heard my daughter was 24 and I was 44, she said:" Wow, I thought you were about 30 something".
(and there I was sitting in my tracksuit, unwashed hair, not wearing any deodorant, with a swollen wound, bruised arm and inner tenseness that freezes the bones)

The pet scan itself is nothing major, I wore my own clothing not containing any metals and a nice thick blanket was placed over me to keep me warm, because of the op under my arm, I asked the radiologist to strap my arms to the side of the long slim sliding bed, which she did. The success to a good scan is to lie very still.

A minute or so later the bed slid slowly through the narrow tunnel, I emerged from the other side of the tunnel and was then scanned for 20 minutes, pulled into the tunnel from the feet down.

Not a big deal at all, however whilst my head and chest was in the tunnel I had the irresistible urge to laugh, I was remembering a story a friend told me that he heard from a friend who works in airport security, apparently airport scanners reveal wispy black clouds of gas emanating from passengers disembarking from aircraft after long flights, very funny when you're being scanned and wondering what the photo will reveal.

This is going to be quite an adventure, forum friends told me this joke to cheer me up !

A Cardiologist died and was given an elaborate funeral.

A huge heart covered in flowers stood behind the casket during the service. Following the eulogy, the heart opened and the casket rolled inside. The heart then closed, sealing the doctor in the beautiful heart forever.

At that point, one of the mourners burst into laughter. When all eyes stared at him, he said, "I'm sorry, I was just thinking of my own funeral; I'm a gynaecologist."

And that's when the proctologist fainted.

This last year

I have not blogged much recently, because I was distracted getting divorced after a 20 year marriage.

This last week I went to the doctor with a lump under my left arm, after a needle biopsy, pigmented cells were found (melanoma/skin cancer), I suppose living under the beautifully harsh African sun is not good for Europeans. I've had an op this week, my lymph nodes, some glands and some nerves were removed for further biopsy. I am wearing a medical drain/drip from my wound for the last week - it's been uncomfortable, but I've coped well with the help of my friends and family.

I have not stopped reading non-stop though, I now read online, on my kindle and I still buy books.

I am writing a biography called Reality Failure and also compiling a bundle of my short stories which will include my Afrikaans work, which I will translate into English myself.

On a completely different note, South African politics has become increasingly depressing and the future of my country is looking dismal indeed. Our current ANC ruled government are mostly a bunch of corrupt money grabbing crooks with little understanding of the intricate workings of economies or education or governance.

The world itself is in turmoil, big changes are taking place, bad news has become the norm, I hope our fragile little civilisation survives these turbulent times well enough to keep progressing towards the space age.

I hope to get back to my blogs soon, but surviving financially, re-organizing my life, and adjusting (and reading lots) is keeping me somewhat busy.

Russian Science Fiction

Vasili Vasilievich Golovachov born 1948, is a modern Russian science fiction writer, he writes both hard science fiction and sci-fi/fantasy fusion.

I have just watched The Interceptor, this Russian scifi movie comes with english sub-titles and is based on Golovachovs books The Interceptor & Smersk-2 from his The Forbidden Reality series.

The movie is directed by Konstantin Maximov and produced by Julia Orlova and Vasiliy Golovachov.

This movie is excellent and I highly recommend it, it is now available for rental in our dvd rental stores.(in South Africa)

A counter-intelligence agent and hand-to-hand fighting expert, called the interceptor, is aided by 'People of the Light' from another reality, to combat a corrupted bureaucracy and a dark alien from another reality.

The Russians see things differently and have a refreshing influence, especially since one mostly reads Western (British and American) science fiction.

Trailer

List of works of author Vasiliy Golovachov

* The Beast's Gospel ("Евангелие от зверя") series
o The Beast's Lair ("Логово зверя")
o The Exodus of the Beast ("Исход зверя")
o The Taming of the Beast ("Укрощение зверя")

* The Forbidden Reality ("Запрещенная реальность") series
o The Loner" ("Одиночка")
o SMERSH-2 ("Смерш-2")
o The Interceptor ("Перехватчик")
o Third-Level Trouble ("Разборки третьего уровня")
o Breaking the Evil ("Излом зла")
o Exterminator of the Law ("Истребитель закона")
o Tornado ("Смерч")
[/B]
* Catharsis ("Катарсис") series
o And the Retribution Is with Me (Man of Combat) ("И возмездие со мною [Человек боя]")
o Battlefield ("Поле боя")
o The Fight Is not Eternal ("Бой не вечен")
o I Guarantee Life ("Гарантирую жизнь")

* Don't Wake the Sleeping Genies ("Не будите спящих джиннов") series
o The Sleeping Genie ("Спящий джинн")
o The Cemetery of Genies ("Кладбище джиннов")
o The War with Genies ("Война с джиннами")
o The Return of the Genie ("Возвращение джинна")

* The Saviors of the Fan ("Спасатели Веера") series
o The Envoy ("Посланник") – Nikita Sukhov is an unintentinoal witness of the liquidation of the Envoy of the Forces of Light on Earth. Barely escaping alive himself, he realizes that he is now a target of the otherworldly assassins and can die at any moment. His only choice is to accept the challenge and become the new Envoy on the dangerous Path of the Sword in the Worldfan.
o The Deliverer ("Избавитель") – the collapse of the Worldfan threatens to destroy every living thing in the Multiverse. The heroes have an uneasy task ahead of them - to face the forces of Darkness and cross the chrons of the Fan. They must fight treacherous enemies, including Lucifer himself, aid the Seven Mages in their struggle against the Great Igvas, and prevent the Evil from altering all reality.

* Relict ("Реликт") series
o Unforeseen Meetings ("Непредвиденные встречи")
o Relict. Volume I ("Реликт. Том 1")
o The Coming ("Пришествие")
o The Return of the Wandering Constructor ("Возвращение блудного Конструктора")
o Children of Eternity ("Дети Вечности")
o Counter-intelligence ("Контрразведка")
o The Law of Change ("Закон перемен")
o The Absolute Player ("Абсолютный игрок")

* The Solo on the Broken String ("Соло на оборванной струне")

* The Vague Time ("Смутное время") series
o The Scourge of Times ("Бич времен")
o Skhron ("Схрон")
o The Executioner of Times ("Палач времен")
o Magatsitls ("Магацитлы")

* The Adventures of Denis Molodtsov ("Приключения Дениса Молодцова")

* RTH, or Rule of Times of Harmony ("ВВГ, или Власть Времен Гармонии")

* To the Time of My Tears ("Ко времени моих слёз")

* Special Control ("Особый контроль")

* Regulum ("Регулюм")

* The Ruthless ("Беспощадный")

* The Masters ("Владыки")

* Demon ("Демон")

* Death Preserve ("Заповедник смерти")

* Kali Yuga ("Калиюга")

* Can Opener ("Консервный нож")

* The Corrector ("Корректировщик")

* Cryptozoy ("Криптозой")

* Deviation to Perfection ("Отклонение к совершенству")

* The Piranhas ("Пираньи")

* The Black Force ("Черная сила")

* The Black Time ("Черное время")

* The Black Man ("Черный человек")

* Sentenced to Light ("Приговоренные к свету")

* The Tree of Disappearing Times ("Древо исчезающих времен")

* The Edge of the World ("Край света")

* Fight without Rules ("Бой без правил")

* The War of Realities ("Война реальностей")

* Contacts of the Special Kind ("Контакты особого рода")

* The Face of the Demon ("Лик беса")

* The Rules of Combat ("Правила боя")

* The Predicted ("Предсказанное")

* The Heart of the Universe ("Сердце Вселенной")

* The Seekers of Death ("Искатели смерти")

* On the Other Side of the Fire ("По ту сторону огня")

* The Phantasms ("Фантазмы")

* Who Are We? Why Are We? The Experiment of Transpersonal Perception ("Кто мы? Зачем мы? Опыт трансперсонального восприятия")

* The Land of Wonders ("Земля чудес")

* The Devil's Fire Extinguisher ("Огнетушитель дьявола")

* Invasion into Reality ("Вторжение в реальность")

* Ultimatum ("Ультиматум")

* The Fourth Dimension ("Четвертое измерение")

* The Silver Time ("Серебряное время")

* The Masters of Reality ("Владыки реальности")

* The Extinguishers of the Suns ("Гасители солнц")

* Overcoming the Impossible ("Преодоление невозможного")

* Chronotwist ("Хроновыверт")

* The Compressed Spring ("Сжатая пружина")

* The Beyond ("Запределье")

* Requiem to the Time Machine ("Реквием машине времени")

* The Divinator ("Прорицатель")

* The War of Absolutes ("Война абсолютов")

* Playing with Fire ("Игра с огнем")

Celebrating Africa

From the southern tip of Africa comes the sound of a thousand horns, as Africa celebrates as world cup host.

To forever capture the vibrant mood of Africans everywhere, especially on the streets of South Africa as the country swings into full gear to welcome the world to her bosom, I have written this short short story.

Emo Hack

W00t, guys check this out, I hacked a holo, a snatch of a conversation between two distant lab rats getting all emo about an old ship.

"The immense ship lit up the night sky, dwarfing the moon.

It was an incredible spectacle. The Stadium was clearly visible, we could see the playing field.

I was in Soweto when the ship arrived, it was the 11th of June 2310, I'll never forget how it glinted in the sky.

The excitement and feeling of expectation was feverish, all over the planet people gathered outside, looking up at the sky, waiting to get a glimpse of the most beautiful star ship we had ever seen, The Madiba Paladin."

"Eish Siphokazi, that's a while ago, which Planets were playing ?"

"It was Earth versus Mars, but The Madiba Paladin had come all the way from the outer solar system from Titan. She was the most elegant star ship ever built at the time, in a class of her own.

She stretched across the sky With a length of 65 kilometers, and the Transparent Stadium Dome was fixed to her spine like a shield to a spear.

The Dome itself was beyond imagination, The Stadium sat in the center of a green oasis, surrounded by parks, lakes, hotels, whole neighbourhoods and entertainment and administration villages."

Nkosana laughs heartily, "That sounds like the standard public transport we use around Outer Titan these days all right !

The Titan shipyards are impressive, but our AI's are far more impressive than anything I can think of, Seventeen AI's have manifested in The Cradle over the last 200 years, and without their help, we would never have managed to thrive out there in the Outer."

"Well, Earth won the game, and the celebrations lasted a long time, apparently there's a scorch mark visible from earth on the moon, where some Martian fans dug an artificial crater, and attached a huge gas filled disposable stick-on dome and lit it, the thing went off, scaring the shit out of all of us, moon and earthlings, eish, heady days those."

"Anyway listen, reason why I holo'd was to invite you to the opening of the Vuvuzela Stargate end of this decade, if you can make it in person, there's something interesting I'd like to show you, here in the lab."

"Okie Dokie, will do, Tembi just waved and said I must give regards, sik."

about Readers

One of the great advantages a good & fast reader has over others is the ability to scan (speedread) vast amounts of information in a short time and the ability to dismiss the crap from the real stuff.

Finding your way through the neverending supply of information now flowing constantly into the net, can be a nightmare if you don't understand how the system works.

The key to this vital source of information is the correct and clever use of keywords or now more commonly known online as tags or labels.

Experienced readers who frequent the hallways of cyberspace and who tread their way through the maze that is the greatest library of mankind, glow as they put their oldworld skills to good use and shifting into gear, they kick dust in the eyes of the lazy reader in the slow lane.

The treachery of the net is subtle, readers are subjected to every form of distraction imaginable, words become traps, little wormholes spawn and one minute you're in Cape Town reading about Pratley Putty glue being used on the Apollo XI mission, and the next you're way out in the solar system, watching an earth sized object impact Jupiter.

Life has never been this good.

I harbour a secret fear for the book. I know the time has come, within decades the wooden book will no longer be mainstream, I have had such an incredible love affair with books, I'm already grieving.

Books are word wormholes. The Writer creates the worlds that bring the word universe into existence, the reader purchases a ticket to travel; a book.

Books offer an offline experience.
There are no distractions.
The reader enters the universe of the Writer.
Full wireless and techfree natural immersion can be attained.
Remember this as we hurtle towards our digital selves.

My multiple universe of Writers are varied and I have my favourites,
with me, once a favourite, always a favourite, it's a longterm relationship.

So, for my love of books, I like to photograph them, there is a remote chance that at least a digital image could survive heh ! (paper definately not)

Recently read



Currently Reading

a Larry Niven, almost finished, just finished the top white book, a Journal of the Flood Year by David Ely and halfway with The Execution Channel by Ken MacLeod.



What are you reading ?

Reading Spots

This is my spot.

I read here, I use the pillows to fascilitate different positions and I often use the green pillow to rest books on.

I've on occasion had to nurse painful arms, after a lifetime of heavy reading.

I weighed Neal Asher's books, aah yes, if only he knew he was not only exercising our imaginations but also our arms and wrists!

Line of Polity 787
Voyage of The Sable Keech 667
Brassman 654
Gridlinked 598
The Gabble 459
Prador Moon 322
Polity Agent 301
Hilldiggers 290

Total 4078 grams

Below are the books I weighed:
From the Earth to the Moon by Jules Verne weighed in at 97 grams.
is Science Fiction getting heavier ? oh yea baby !

The bus slogan generator

Today on the NAG forum, a superb South African gaming magazine with a lively online community and dedicated supporters, we had some fun with the bus slogan generator. give it a try.

Here are some I generated:

Forum language use

Forum Decorum: Posting styles and language use

It seems as if the younger generation have incorporated these words as every-day words into their vocabulary and don't see them as words that should be censored.

Words like fuck, cunt, shit are simply adjectives and add flavour to their language.

I personally don't care whether people cuss or not, the way people use language, evolves constantly and it does not define who they are, it is simply creative expression and it leaves room for language freestyling which enriches our urban culture.

I've noticed that the older folks have their own way of being creative/expletive in their language use.

Setting a forum scene:

It's another ordinary day on the forum, members are coming and going and posting as the morning progresses into afternoon.

A popular thread has everyone on a roll, except for one member who keeps posting negative and predatory remarks, spoiling the discussion for everyone else.

This member is a regular, who contributes to many posts, but has been moaning a lot more in recent weeks, as they spiral into a pit of negativity.

Individual responses you could expect: This illustrates the different responses and language use you often encounter, note how effective the expletives are.

Please stop moaning all the time, it's creating a negative vibe and we've had enough of it now, thank you.

Listen here birdbrain, go back to kindergarden if you wanna moan like a baby - go suck a dummy asswipe !

Stop moaning, you make me sick !

Your moaning is boring, you're boring, get a life weasle.

Listen here brainless retard, your constant whinging is pathetic - now shut-the-fuck-up !

If you moan once more, you will regret it.

I've had enough of your constant nagging, if you have nothing positive to say, keep quiet.

Why are you always moaning, it's irritating and boring, everyone has problems, what makes you special ?

Listen here fuckface, your fucking whining is pissing me off- now fuck-off and complain to the magistrate !

Your negative outlook and predatory comments are indicitive of someone drunk on their own shit.

Your bitterness is becoming unbearable, go see a psychologist.

(written after taking part in language use poll on NAG forum)

Honouring Frederik Pohl

I came across Frederik Pohl's blog on Neal Asher's blog, and immediately opened another page to read about one of my favourite oldskool science fiction authors.

After reading a while, I found myself with tears streaming down my face, so very sentimental, crying for the death of Arthur C Clarke and all the good things that will pass, very nostalgic, and maybe the fact that I am going through a difficult time on a personal level.

Even though I've read thousands of SF books, it never tires me, and to honour Frederik Pohl I will make 2009 the year in which I get hold of all his books I do not own or have read yet.

Being a serious and dedicated sf reader is the greatest fun I've ever had, I highly recommend it !

Marrow by Robert Reed

Marrow by Robert Reed

Marrow is the one recent (current decade) science fiction book I would recommend to new readers of science fiction. I read Marrow in 2001 and again in 2005.

I can imagine how confusing it must be for sf-n00bs when they have to make choices about what to read from a variety of superb authors, none of which they've read before.

If you want a kickstart, a rollercoaster ride into the amazing and totally awesome world of science fiction, read Marrow by Robert Reed.

This highly intelligent novel will introduce you to a variety of current topics and concepts in science fiction.

Blow your mind wide open by the scope and magnitude of the concepts, ideas, and incredible wit and visions from Robert Reed in Marrow.

Once you have read Marrow you will be left with a yearning for more.
Highly recommended and with highest honours, this is a rare book.

From the backflap of the book:

The ship is home to a thousand alien races and a near-immortal crew who have no knowledge of its origins or purpose. At its core lies a secret as ancient as the universe.

It is about to be unleashed.


Covers:

Reading Frenzy

Three books to sweep me off to the stars, to meet wonderful lifeforms, experience galaxy spanning battles and to bare witness to and to partake in the genius and imagination of the science fiction writer.

I will relish every word beloved authors, and thank you.

It's a most beautiful summers day here at the southern tip of Africa,
deep blue skies, sunny, oh so amiable and inspiring.

It's good to be alive, regardless of the fact that the world is going for a ball
of shit and the shit is about to hit the fan (relatively speaking).

Long cold wet Cape Town winter 2008

This current winter (May - September 2008)has been very wet and cold, frequent and hard rain has filled up all the dams across the Western Cape and probably the underground water lakes as well - is this another tiny hint to what is in store when global warming is in full swing ?

So it's been wet and cold with snowfalls on the higher peaks and fortunately there has been enough energy (electricity) to keep us smiling through most of it - nice one Eskom.

This photo is taken driving towards Franschoek from Stellenbosch in the Cape Province of South Africa.

Burning people alive

Once again I am confronted by the most vicious, cruel acts of my fellow countrymen.

These people can only be called savage and barbarian, how else can one describe such uncivil behaviour.



Rampant violence and hatred, I can only beg people from around the world not to come to South Africa and the world cup in 2010, the chances that you will be mugged, knived, shot, raped or set alight is very very high.

The inability of Pres Mbeki to govern South Africa can no longer be excused, he must go, the crimes he has committed against Southern Africans are many, from aids denial to supporting Mugabe in Zimbabwe and refusing to root out extreme corruption and greed in his government.




Pres Mbeki is a failure, out of touch with his people, indoctrinated, malinformed and shows a lack of insight and vision that is so typical of African leaders.


South Africa is rushing down the path of destruction as the country literally starts falling to pieces; there is no reading or learning culture in africa, only a culture of burning, pillaging, theft, rape and hatred of anyone who dares to be different, and I am not just saying this, this is what I am seeing, experiencing, having to live with and deal with on a daily basis, as vicious crime, rape, theft and hijackings spiral out of control.

Nobody is safe in South Africa. I am a prisoner in my country.

South Africa is failing, the path to poverty and violence is set.

I am so disappointed.

Tribal Wars | World 12 K75 | The Rim

Mars in the Milky Way.The planet Mars glows like a brilliant burning ember amongst the Milky Way stars of the Scorpion. Note the smaller glowing red star beneath Mars known as Antares. Dark lanes of dust between the stars of the Milky Way obscure the light of the stars behind. Taken through a 50mm lens.All photos Copyright Greg Bock.

Orbital Scribe

The Illusion of War on the Rim
World 12 archives.

Background

With the incredible advancement
of nanotech and biosciences,
humans have managed to get
their foot in the door
to exploring the local galaxy.

A small team is resident on Phobos
to do research on Kleeches
(lifeforms that corrode metals
and plastics).

Live Kleeches are taken from Phobos
in special containers for penetrative
research, Kleeches are hard to catch,
the work is dangerous,
the environment is deadly.

The Rim Wars
Humans come up against the
deadly and brutal enemies
of the Kleeches.


I've moved the rest of the Story and will continue with it in due course.

----------------------------------

State of the Nation Speech Feb 2008

year 2008 bad start

south africans had a rude awaking to the new year and next decade with the shocking news that the country has run out of electricity.

so we buy candles, connect gas stoves, cuss and curdle when the power shuts off and grin and bare it.

racial tension in the country mounts as a lone madman guns down township dwellers set in contrast to thousands of innocent south africans killed in the last few years..the south african killing fields ?
- when will the SA Police get their act together and get a grip on crime?

as darkness descends on south africa, hopes of hosting the world cup fades, people becoming depressed and a feeling of hopelessness settles over the country, we are very disappointed in the south african government and the ANC.

crooks, charlatans, fraudsters, murderers, rapists flourish and after sunset, ordinary people cower in their homes, afraid to venture outside.

the shocking news of Kenia's civil unrests, reminding us just how quickly civil war and chaos can break out and south africans shudder at the possibility that it could happen here too.

the mess/war/famine in Zimbabwe further deepening the overall feelings of pessimism and true african blues.

the long road to the dark ages in south africa has been set in tar, and this road we must walk, we have no choice, nowhere to run, or hide.

how can zuma be the best candidate for our presidency ? - he's uneducated, cannot read, is superstitious and agrees with mugabe and was accused of rape too
- oh hell, the devil just loves africa.

my once postive attitude has corroded, i no longer want to be here, but how can i run when our beds are burning ?

there is no god, and africa is not blessed, the big fat lie

when all else fails, duck and cover

some thougtful reading

Land of the Headless by Adam Roberts.

Set in a future where IslamBibliq, is the religious
government that governs all.

Strict laws are applied in this society, the
story is narrated by a man who was sentenced
to headlessness because he protected the
morality of the women he was having an
affair with - big no-no.

The sentence is:
headlessness - the head is lopped off and replaced
with a square bin to which technology can be
added if the headless can afford it.

So the headless are like the lepers of old, walking
around with metalbins for heads, they are
recruited into the army, where they are used
as cannonfodder to clear the ground for troops
with heads.

The narration is somewhat philosophical and intellectual
and brings to the fore the question: which punishment
fits which crime.