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Showing posts from March, 2009

Clean code, modern life, maelstrom, mainspring and steampunk

Review backlog to clear. Let's keep it short. " Clean Code ", by "Uncle" Bob Martin , is a manual for programmers that care about their craft. I went to one of his tutorials at JAOO last year in Sydney , where he successfully explained the Liskov Substitution Principle to us. Lots of good advice in this one, and I'll be recommending it to all my minions. " This Modern Life " is the third in Steph Swainston's series of books that started with "The Year of Our War". As always, interesting, different and exciting fantasy, with a little sneaking in of SF via the backdoor. " Maelstrom ", by Peter Watts, is the second of his three (maybe four) Rifters books. Lenie Clarke rampages across America, spreading a deadly microbe in her wake. Good stuff, with plenty to think about like all good SF. " Mainspring ", by Jay Lake, a master of short fiction. I was hoping for great things from this story, and while the worl

Vegetable recognition

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Vegetable recognition Originally uploaded by No Middle Name Turnips on the left. Swedes on the right.

I'll spend my golden years in Adelaide, Australia

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Adelaide's old town, north of the CBD, is beautiful. Quirky architecture, nice restaurants, bars, walking distance to the botanic park and the CBD, warm weather all year. Only a tram ride away from the beach, so that I may disgust the pretty young things with displays of my wrinkly, saggy body.