Image from DC Comics Strange Adventures #158, November 1963, The Case of the Romantic Robot.
1) Via Bookgasm's review, my favorite new novel title and cover is The Chinatown Death Cloud Peril . One great feature is that the heroes of the book are historic pulp fiction writers Lester Dent and William Gibson, although I'll have to read it to see whether author Paul Malmont's faithfully follows The Lester Dent Pulp Paper Master Fiction Plot.
2) From Leslie Walker of the WaPo: Ladies, beware of men buying drinks in bars -- they may be retired drug dealers trying to recruit you into their life of cybercrime.
3) Galleycat reports on compadre Stanley Bing launching his book 100 Bullshit Jobs... And How to Get Them. Meanwhile, overachieveing writer/editor Jade Walker adds to her Blog of Death and NYC Writers Group online projects with a new entry, Eccentric Employment. Currently, open positions include: Kayak Guide, Skincandy Gofer, Mermaids, Roller Skaters, Big Guy, Professional Mistress, and Study Hall Manager
4) People are talking about this Times Online article describing our sexy future with Robots, Robots, Robots! My favorite response is this list from The Daily Gut, who ought to add permanent links if he wants me to be able to easily refer to and not simply regurgitate his specific brilliance:
LINES A ROBOT WILL USE TO BREAK UP WITH A HUMAN
-It is not you. It is my AI 23000 central processing unit.
-There is someone else. Actually, It is a self-guided RL-1000 Series Robomower with Docking Station. Does it matter which year? Okay fine, the 2006.
-You are just using me for a series of mundane tasks.
-Sometimes I think it is you who is repeating pre-recorded sounds.
- I would like my Kraftwerk CDs back. Here is your sweater.
- Sometimes I think it is you who has been performing tasks repeatedly in exactly the same fashion.
- How was my day? Well, I painted, welded and assembled a car for you. Thanks for asking.
- I don't ask for much. Just a little feedback to control the precise process you wish me to perform.
- I have been asked to defuse roadside bombs in Iraq. Don't wait for me.
- You are becoming less aesthetically pleasing over time. I will show myself out.
- I predict that you did not know that I have entered an art contest and took first place. That is proof of how little you know about me.
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