the simsian review

May 31

What the New Yorker and Tin House science fiction issues tell us about the state of SF -

io9 has a great review of the Tin House science issue and The New Yorker science fiction issue. I can’t wait to get my copy of the latter, though the review and table of contents have already given me minor reasons to pause and accept that I cannot be really satisfied.

May 28

Video: The Science Fiction Issue : The New Yorker -

Sadly, I cannot embed the video. Needless to say, I’ll be reading this New Yorker cover to cover.

May 27

(via “Sexy” according to Victoria’s Secret » Sociological Images) Boo, Victoria’s Secret, boo. Monochromatic and so very blond. Branch out to women, please.

May 25

The Invisible War - Movie Trailers - iTunes

A New Theme

I’ve been mulling over the idea of making this tumblog less of a personal interest link-dump and, thus, a bit more directed. To that end, I think that I have a set of three themes to which I’d like to dedicate my postings.

Gender studies - this could, at the outside, mean posts geared at a single gender-identification group. However, it might simply mean egregious mistakes made the world over by one group against another. I know I’ve left this vague, but it’s purposeful, as you’ll see with the rest of the themes.
IT Security - Long time followers will already know this is a topic of interest for me. I frequently post items about online privacy, information security, online identity, etc. It’s an important issue to me, and one that can certainly intersect with the previous.
Literature - I won’t go into this except to say that it’s what I study, it’s what I love, know, and breathe. For me, it connects to the previous two in increasingly complex way.

The point of redirecting the tumblog is two-fold:

Thematic tumblog are more interesting for everyone. They are more interesting for me because they mean fewer, more direct posts with a greater chance of insight. Rather than posting a headline, I’ve like to contribute to a conversation. They’re more interesting for readers because link-dumps become old. Honestly, the only people who love link-dumps are friends of the editor. I have few close friends on Tumblr, so…
I’ve posted less on Tumblr since I joined Twitter (> 1 year ago). This would seem to fly in the face of the previous point. By posting less, it might seem there is less need for me to cut down on posts and thus given greater attention to the posts I make. Instead, being on Twitter has led to me giving less attention to the posts I make here. There are a few less per day, but those posted have less chance of commentary. Again, this leads to the link-dumping I’ve done for ages. (Note: If you dig the link-dumping, no worries. Follow @simsian)

I would love feedback on what you think. I’m planning to change the header of this Tumblog on 1 June and start with the new “rules” then.

May 23

Zimbabwean senator proposes ending AIDS crisis by mutilating women and preventing them from bathing - Boing Boing

May 22

Local Governments Have the Power to Restrict Drone Surveillance in the US | Electronic Frontier Foundation

May 19

Judge suspends US law that provided for indefinite detention without trial - Boing Boing

May 18

No More Plastic Bags Anywhere In Hawaii - The Consumerist -

I’m sure being an island had a part in this decision. Let’s hope it’s the first of many such decisions to come.

“For the first time, more than half of the children born in the U.S. are non-white. New census data released today shows 50.4 percent of U.S. children under one year are minorities. The number is even higher in Texas. Here, about 70 percent of kids under one are non-white.” — Minorities Now Majority Among Youngest Americans | KUT News