Dieting....and more

Well, after seeing my gut in some shots from Cooperstown I have decided I must loose the gut. Therefore I am giving up white foods and trying to increase my exercise. In order to help guilt myself into losing weight I will weekly be posting my weight on my facebook page.

http://www.facebook.com/john.zakour

Other thoughts:

So Japan has lost track of their two oldest citizens. That seems like something out of a sf novel...

Is Mr. Farve really really really retired? If he comes back now he risks LeBron style scorn.

Forums

Ya know, back in the 1990s I use to love internet forums. The way people from all over could share their opinions with each other with the filter of an editor deciding rather something was worth sharing with the world or not. Now, in 2010 I am starting to rethink all that.

I'm still for free speech and people being able to post whatever they want. The thing is I'm not sure how useful it is. Looking at the comment sections of places like Yahoo and CNN are pretty depressing for me. It's amazing the amount of animosity you see on these boards. There is a lot of US vs THEM attitudes. Be it, Republicans vs Democrats, Real American vs Terrorists, America vs North Korea. It doesn't really matter. There's just a lot of bile being tossed around by both sides.

Part of the problem is, the Internet allows a person to be anonymous therefore they can say whatever they want without fear of reprisal. Plus on the Internet you don't see the consequences your words have on other people which makes it easier for you to insult somebody. I like to think most people are basically good and they don't want to hurt another persons feelings in person. Yet the internet makes insulting somebody else easy as you can't see the hurt or anger in a persons face after you insult them.

I also like to think we're a lot more a like than we are different. That most people have the same common goals and that a lot more good can be done learning how to work towards common goals than looking for issues that separate us. Yet being anonymous on the Internet makes it easily to be belligerent. You don't see who you are dealing with therefore you tend to forget that you are arguing with another person not just a collection of electrons shown on a screen.

So don't get me wrong, I'm a geek. I like the Internet. I just feel it makes it too easy for us all to act like jerks without having to worry about consequences. Finally after 20 years I'm starting to see the value of both face to face communication and editors. Who would have thunk it.

Somebody about the rank.

Thinking

Hi all:

First off, hats off to John Isner and Nic Mahut for their classic, never to be duplicated 70-68 final set at Wimbledon. Wow, 11 hours of playing over 3 days. An amazing match.

Speaking of amazing, it will be amazing if the US can beat Ghana on Saturday to go to the great eight in the World Cup. I can't believe I am looking forward to a soccer match.

I am traveling for the next two weeks, man I miss my 27 inch mac.

Yes I am a geek.

This weeks (and next weeks) Working Daze is very bewitched inspired. What can I say I watched a lot of Bewitched as a kid. Now I even watch the russian version. They actually cloned some of the episodes it is surreal. I may have to have my Russian cowriter (on a hypnosis book) Elena Beloff to translate them for me some day.

Pac Man is 30

Wow, Pacman is 30 Today! I feel soooo old. It is way cool how google has a playable version of pacman on their front page. Heck the maze spells google!

Scott and Mine Newest project

Hi all:

Here's a sample of a new serial comic Scott and I are working on: Albrut the Barbarian. A Barbarian looking for a simpler life.

Also here is my latest Zuda entry done with Greg Smallwood, Universal Sales Pitch: where a race of alien women hire a top NY ad exec to help tell the world of their existence.

I almost forget

Oh I almost forgot.

It would be nice if readers could go to wow.com's two bosses enter poll. They are having a poll to determine which Boss to bring back into their tournament of bosses that I am a judge for. I am pushing for Eadric the Pure as he is much more fun the Lich King. The Lich King is so boring. (Like I said on twitter it's like voting for Dick Cheney to come back. Okay, the Lich King isn't that evil but still!)

So if Eadric wins a return i will give away 2 books of my books to 2 people who post pro Eadric comments (and vote for him) on the wow.com site. (By 2 books I mean 1 book each to 2 people.)

Thanks.

Checking In

Hi All:

Sorry, between books, a documentary movie deal and other projects it's been busy. Plus my mom was recently diagnosed with Myeloma so that's meant at least two trips to the oncologist a week.

The good news is she seems be responding to treatments quite well. They have come a long way since the 80s and even the 90s. I have to tip my hat to the folks at Interlakes Oncology they have been all been wonderful.

In news from around the world:

This is kind of a sad setback for Nasa: with the ballon crashing...

I also found Steven Hawkings comments about alien life a bit narrow minded. Yeah, Mr. Hawkings is way way way smarter than I am but as a SF writer I have a more optimistic view of alien contact. I like to think any race / civilization advanced enough to travel here would be advanced enough to be peaceful, at least mostly peaceful. We can't assume aliens will act as violently as human explorers. At this that is my hope.

On a more earthly level. I really like ABC's Modern Family. In fact I like the entire lineup of ABC's Wednesday night comedies. Those combined with In Plain Sight, make a nice evening of must see viewing.

Speaking of "must see" I remain hopeful that NBC will renew Chuck. This has been a strong year for the show.

I am also glad to see Smallville coming back for season 10. Yeah, yeah. I think it's fun.

Still not to sure what to make of the New Dr. Who. I do Mr. Tennant as the Dr. I do hope Rex is Not Your Lawyer gets picked up for the fall 2010.