Robots; noisy and power hungry. Sharks? Silent and self-fueling. Just one reason the US military is investigating the potential of using neural implants to control ocean-going sharks and use them as spies.
Octavia Butler Transcripts
As the literary world mourns the loss of one of its most unique and strong voices, tributes and remembrances are flooding the web. Henry Jenkins of MIT’s Comparative Media Studies Program has posted up transcripts of two of her appearances there, one of which is a discussion with fellow SF author Samuel Delany.
FeedTree: Peer-To-Peer Syndicaton
I can see why a system like FeedTree would be useful to web publishers who want to reduce the load on their servers, but I have a hard time buying that what users really need is faster RSS. This might be a P2P bridge too far.
Alternate Chinese Internet
Slashdot links to an article about China’s plans to launch it’s own internet, complete with alternate root system, a blow to the idea of the global internet.
THE JIMINY DEVICE by Lisa Mantchev
“The Jiminy Device” from Lisa Mantchev is a delightfully snarky satire of celebrity taken to its logical (and entourage-encrusted) extreme.
[ IMPORTANT NOTICE: This story is NOT covered by the Creative Commons License that covers the majority of content on Futurismic; copyright remains with the author, and any redistribution is a breach thereof. Thanks. ]
The Jiminy Device
by Lisa Mantchev
“What do you mean you’re leaving?”
Shock and disbelief clouded London’s brow (despite the neurotoxin injections) as she stared at her lover. Marcel only shrugged. When one of his people scribbled a note and handed it to him, he read it cold.
“We’re drifting apart. It’s not you, it’s me.” He took the cigarette out of his mouth and glared at the hapless scriptwriter. She withered visibly behind her cheap haircut. “This is what I pay you for?” He shook his head and his stylist adjusted the tousled locks with a comb.
London sniffed, trying to muster some tears. Her special effects guy produced a squirt bottle of saline when she couldn’t quite manage it on her own. Her personal trainer (Tony… or was it Toby?) glared at Marcel. “You can’t leave me. I’m an heiress for god’s sake. I’m leaving you.”
Neil and Susanna, their respective PR generals, glowered at each other. Index fingers hovered over cell phones, ready to speed-dial the Associated Press. Continue reading THE JIMINY DEVICE by Lisa Mantchev