What's At Stake

Melinda — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:35:18 +0100

I'm linking to a terrific editorial in the NYT. Mostly because it holds the thoughts and reflections of a heath insurance industry insider, and it helps clarify the actions being taken by insurance companies. It's no longer about spreading risk, it's about maximizing profits.

Lion Lost

Melinda — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:29:14 +0100

The death of Ted Kennedy hit me hard. Not only because I fear for our chances to see real and fundamental health care reform without him, but for personal reasons.

My dad was friends with Ted Kennedy. I was pretty little so I don’t remember the details, but apparently after the plan crash and Kennedy’s terrible back injury he did some rehab out west after being released from the hospital. Someone contacted my dad, and told him Teddy was lonely,Read More...

What Do You Do?

Melinda — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 06:05:04 +0100

I have a strange and upsetting situation. I'm the president of my small home owners association. Once of our member (who happens to be the vice-president of HOA) is retired military and somewhere to the right of Attila the Hun. He is also a stone cold racist. He has been sending me these horrible racist emails that show the President as a dancing monkey, and one entitled Why Do Blacks Think They Deserve a Free Ride?

I have asked three times, nicely and theRead More...

Surrogate Heinlein Fix

Melinda — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 01:52:14 +0100

I'm reading John Scalzi's THE LAST COLONY and it's just wonderful. It reminds me of all the old Heinlein classics that I loved so much -- HAVE SPACESUIT, CITIZEN OF THE GALAXY, THE ROLLING STONES.

I've just come off reading a number of fantasy books. Okay, some of them were interesting, but diving back into this Scalzi book is like coming home and getting comfortable. Thank god that someone is still publishing science fiction and keeping the dream of the stars alive.

Great Cartoon

Melinda — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 01:45:30 +0100

You have to check out this wonderful web cartoon sent to me by Ty Frank. It's especially wonderful for those of us lucky enough to know the amazing Stephen Boucher, SMOF, and computer guru. Jesus sounds just like him.

Anyway, enjoy and do watch all of it. It's worth it.

Rogue's Gallery of Bad Restaurants

Melinda — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 01:40:03 +0100

I had to run into Santa Fe today to mail back the contracts for my next book contract. It was 1:00 pm and I was hungry. I never could find the New York deli that I'd heard advertised. Finally, in desperation, I turned into a China Star. Chinese buffet. Now, I don't know if this a national chain, or just in New Mexico, but it was _awful_. There were six steam tables loaded with Krab wontons, and egg rolls, spicy beef, various chicken dishes, etc. etc. Read More...

Democracy in Action

Administrator — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 01:17:41 +0100

I did my civic duty on Monday and went to a heath care town hall meeting hosted by Congressman Ben Ray Lujan. I went partly because I thought it was past time that supporters of reform showed support, and stopped letting the trolls turn this from a debate into a rage-filled shouting fest.

It was being held in a Unitarian church, and since I didn’t know where it was I went by eRead More...

Montreal

Melinda — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 05:00:00 +0100

I’m back from Montreal, and spent the past three days digging out. Bills to be paid. Bills that had gotten lost because of the change of address so I was frantically paying past due bills by credit card. Which was actually okay because I get airline miles for every dollar I spend. But I digress. Worldcon. Well it was younger than last year’s probably due to the presence of Neil Gaiman. That was a good thing. A wise fan and I were discussing the fact that we couldn’t Read More...

Julie and Julia

Melinda — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 05:00:00 +0100

I just got home from seeing JULIE AND JULIA. What a wonderful film. If TERMINATOR SALVATION was a primer on how _not_ to write a movie, this film is an example of how to write a good movie.

It didn’t hurt that the cast is terrific. Amy Adams and Meryl Streep are fantastic. Both are equally charming in vastly different ways. Chris Messina playing Julie’s husband was good, but he is completely buried by Stanley Tucci turning in another terrific performance as Julia Child’s husband, Paul.
Read More...

Booze Tales

Melinda — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 05:00:00 +0100

I was reading through an old Atlantic magazine (June 2009) which had lain forgotten on my cluttered desk when I came across the most absurd article ever. Apparently there is now signature ice at your better drinking establishments. There is a bar in Chicago that features eight different kinds of ice, type to be selected being dependent upon your cocktail. It seems that normal bar ice is too cold and chills the drink to quickly, and the ice melts too quickly causing the drink to go flat. We aRead More...

Torchwood Mini-Series

Melinda — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 05:00:00 +0100

I’m a big Torchwood fan because John Barrowman is hot. Yes, I know, he’s really, really gay, but he’s also really, really hot. The show is much darker than Dr. Who and I’ve found that hard to take at times, but I was excited to watch the five hour plus mini-series.

I tivoed the entire thing, and then Ian and settled down to get our fix. The first three hours were terrific. Increasing tension, paranoia, a heroic rescue, and at the endRead More...

Melinda Snodgrass - Science Fiction Author - Busted Flush - Edge of Reason - Star Trek - August 2009