Monthly Archives: January 2011

Federations: The Shoulders of Giants by Robert J. Sawyer

Posted on January 21, 2011 by Nick Matthews

As I’ve already reviewed one of the other stories in the Federations anthology, I thought I would review “The Shoulders of Giants” written by Canadian science fiction author Robert J. Sawyer. This story was the lead story in Star Colonies, … Continue reading →

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Cold

Posted on January 20, 2011 by Nick Matthews

Ah, winter. The magical time of year when tiny crystals of water shimmer in the sky as they fall glistening to the ground. When ice and snow covers the silver branches of trees, catching the sunlight in silent splendor. The wicked … Continue reading →

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Exhaustion and toddlers

Posted on January 19, 2011 by Nick Matthews

Not entirely sure what to write about today. Feeling rather exhausted. A certain little two year old hasn’t been dealing well with darkness and shadows in her room, and hasn’t been sleeping well. Of course, we find this out at … Continue reading →

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News Radio and MMR

Posted on January 18, 2011 by Nick Matthews

I have a love/hate relationship with my local news radio station, 570 News. The traffic and weather reports are great, although I tend to avoid the major routes in town. Instead of taking Homer Watson to the expressway, I follow … Continue reading →

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Writing with the iPad

Posted on January 17, 2011 by Nick Matthews

The iPad can be one of the most frustrating devices to write with. It also has the potential to be one of the best, under certain circumstances. I’ve had the device for a few months, and in this time, it … Continue reading →

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The Gernsback Continuum

Posted on January 16, 2011 by Nick Matthews

The lead story in Steampunk II: Steampunk Reloaded is The Gernsback Continuum, by William Gibson. This story is quite different from the Difference Engine, the novel by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling. In this story, some sort of temporal rift … Continue reading →

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Bookstores and Customer Service

Posted on January 15, 2011 by Nick Matthews

The other day, I was surprised as I was going through the drive through at a local fast food restaurant. The person taking my order was happy and cheerful, and the service was prompt and accurate. It’s a sad sign … Continue reading →

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Ancient Writing and the Odyssey

Posted on January 14, 2011 by Nick Matthews

How are texts passed down through history? In my English 301H class, we’re studying a modern english translation of The Odyssey, by Homer. Interestingly, scholars believe that the Odyssey and the Iliad were both composed some five hundred years before … Continue reading →

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Blogging software on the iPad

Posted on January 13, 2011 by Nick Matthews

I was actually very surprised by the lack of good blogging software for the iPad. The WordPress app isn’t all that friendly, especially if you’re trying to use it offline. Without a network connection, it pops up six or seven … Continue reading →

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On Photography

Posted on January 12, 2011 by Nick Matthews

I considered doing a 365 day photography project this year, but decided against doing so this year. While I’m currently on a good start for daily blogging, I suspect that adding daily photography would cause me to miss one, and … Continue reading →

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