There has been some buzz on the Internet about a debate...no that isn't the right word. Neither is discussion because that implies civility. Let's just say there has been a 'back and forth' between the rapper B.o.B and astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson over whether or not the earth is flat. B.o.B. claims that it is. Tyson says it isn't. Tyson is correct. It is distressing to see anyone still professing the world is flat. Though I have to admit that I know people who might think so. This particular page in the flat-earth debate (who would have believed it would even be a debate any longer) points to the fact that there are plenty of people who are scientifically illiterate. Yet we reveled in that illiteracy for years by denying global warming or that smoking has negative effects on the body. Like, you know, death. I am sure that at some point persons like Tyson and the EPA want to throw their hands up and say, "Fine. Live...
I have long been a fan of science fiction. Especially when it comes to science fiction movies. I would characterize that fandom as relating to movies that were more of the 2001 persuasion as well as Star Wars than, say, Predator or, perhaps more to the point, Plan 9 From Outer Space . While I do love a good space drama, I would point out that that sci-fi need not leave the planet or have aliens to be good sci-fi. In fact, while it is often considered a romantic drama, Somewhere in Time is, in fact, science fiction - the whole story is predicated on time travel! It is a wide genre, to be sure. As a fan of science fiction, what I often enjoy the most are stories that deal with hypothetical situations that focus on the contemporary in the guise of science fiction. Parables, in other words. I really enjoy those that effectively call ideas, ideologies, or commonly held beliefs into question. 2001, Contact, and most of the episodes of ...
If there is a phrase that has been over-used during the last year, it is "double down." Throughout much of the election cycle the phrase was used to mean one of two things: (1) to become more tenacious, zealous, or resolute in a position or undertaking or (2) to engage in risky behavior, especially when one is already in a dangerous situation. Usually these definitions were used in the reverse order - someone makes a claim that is patently false and puts themselves in a dangerous situation politically, then becomes more tenacious in defending the initial position, no matter what the actual facts might be. The term works, but it worked too well and too often and it has lost its power. The term itself comes from blackjack, and was used when a player would double the original bid against the house in exchange for only one more card. A risky move. The fact that a gambling term has come to be the common phrase utilized to describe the political behavior ...
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