Month: April 2007

Eclipse is Volume One of John Shirley’s oft-overlooked cyberpunk trilogy, A Song Called Youth.

In it, NATO and the Russians, fighting World War 3, have agreed to limit their warfare to only small-scale, tactical nukes — painfully drawing out the death of the planet (and FirStep, the space colony). Behind the scenes is the Second Alliance, a sort of combination of PNAC, Blackwater, and Jesus Camp. Worldtalk, a stand in for Newscorp, has developed a device allowing them to scan and selectively remove memory of their subjects. The New Resistance, a collection of fighters, refugees, philosophers (and a musician) headed by an ex-Mossad agent (with questionable funding and support), is the only hope against the neo-fascist-corpolitical takeover.

An excellent book, it is perhaps the most disturbing look at our corporate-dominated future. Shirley truly puts the punk in cyberpunk.

I went exploring earlier today.

Along a beach, I happened upon three different shelters, all within a few minutes walk of each other. One concrete, one wood, the other plastic (not quite straw).

(The later two looked occupied, so I didn’t enter.)

Washington Governor Signs Bill Rejecting REAL ID

As part of a growing state rebellion, Gov. Christine Gregoire today signed a bill rejecting REAL ID, a new federal identification system that would create a de facto national ID card. Legislatures in four other states — Maine, Idaho, Arkansas and Montana — also have adopted measures opposing REAL ID, and lawmakers in more than 20 other states are considering similar action.

State government needs to stand up to the feds more often.

I was waiting at the bus stop today when a construction worker walked up to me. He stared at me for a few moments and said “Wow, you look impressive. Cargo pants and everything.” I chuckled, told him thanks, and he went on his way.

About a minute later he came back and said “I don’t want to bother you or anything, but I got to thinking a guy dressed like that could use some wheels.” He handed me a business card and walked away. On the back was written:

www.imz-ural.com Gear-Up Model 2006 Download Manual

Now all I need is $10,995.

The strange part is, this bus stop was in the middle of a large parking lot with no construction site around. When I turned around to see where he walked off to, he was gone.

I went to the opening of the farmer’s market today. It seems to be smaller this year. A whole row of vendors was missing, and the vendors that are there are mostly crafts — much less produce.

My favorite apple stand was missing.

Hopefully the farmers will return and reclaim their market as the season continues.

On the plus side, my honey stock is replenished and I’m sitting here with a bag of salmon jerky.