Thursday, May 31, 2007

Sci-Fi Terrorist Advice

Posted by Greg Hambrick on Thu, May 31, 2007 at 3:13 PM

click to enlarge unknown.jpg

Science fiction authors have been recruited to help come up with worst-case scenarios for Homeland Security.

We're well-qualified nuts," says Jerry Pournelle, co-author of the best sellers Footfall and Lucifer's Hammer and dozens of other books.

There actually is some logic to this.

"Fifty years ago, science-fiction writers told us about flying cars and a wireless handheld communicator," says Christopher Kelly, spokesman for Homeland Security's Science and Technology division. "Although flying cars haven't evolved, cellphones today are a way of life. We need to look everywhere for ideas, and science-fiction writers clearly inform the debate."

The Wrong Way to Eat a Reese's? (News Wrap)

Posted by Greg Hambrick on Thu, May 31, 2007 at 2:52 PM

Here’s the wrap:

• Hershey is suing over marijuana candy with similar sounding names and wrapping.

The tainted treats, with names like Rasta Reese’s, Keef Kat, Puff-A-Mint Pattie and Stoney Rancher, were sold to California state-authorized medicinal marijuana shops, according to police. Stickers on the treats’ packaging resembled labels of Hershey’s Reese’s Peanut Cups, Kit Kat, York Peppermint Pattie and Jolly Rancher.

• Proving you can’t keep a good mythical water beast down, the Loch Ness Monster is back.

• Proving that you can't get enough of a good mythical place, Universal has plans for a Hogwarts theme park?! Sweet!

• Associated Press picks the five most vulnerable hurricane areas. Charleston doesn’t make the list, but New York does. I guess it depends on your definition of vulnerable.

• Prolific spammer arrested. Spam expected to noticeably drop. Where oh where will I find the Viagra I don’t need and the straight porn I don’t want!

Gay Topics Have Moved

Posted by Greg Hambrick on Thu, May 31, 2007 at 1:09 PM

The Gay Char category has moved to its own little home on the Charleston City Paper Blogroll.

gaycharleston.ccpblogs.com 

Steve Jobs and Bill Gates Chat

Posted by Greg Hambrick on Thu, May 31, 2007 at 12:30 PM

Warning: Geek Post

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I've always said that the tiff between Microsoft users and Mac users has been a one-sided tussle (and this is coming from a Mac user), but it appears that it has not gone unnoticed by Bill Gates.

It didn’t take long for the first joint appearance by Bill Gates and Steve Jobs in 20 years to get around to the latest chapter in their intense, decades-long rivalry: The Apple television ads pitting a cool Mac Guy against a dorky PC Guy.

“The art of those commercials … is for those guys to like each other,” the top Mac guy argued to the top PC guy. “It’s worth thinking about.”

He must have known that Mr. Gates had already thought about it. Wired wrote that Gate's wordless response “could have melted … well, an iPod.”

The closest that Mr. Gates came to replying with words was after a joke about another Apple commercial that Mr. Jobs said he passed on. “Steve is s-o-o-o-o known for his restraint,” he said.

No Hotel Decision Yet

Posted by Greg Hambrick on Thu, May 31, 2007 at 5:34 AM

The Board of Architectural Review provided their strong support for the nine-story hotel set to replace the old, nasty library on King Street. And then they said they weren’t ready to accept it, deferring a decision to give the developers one more crack at the small stuff.

“It’s close to where we hoped it would be, but I don’t think you can let it go to final approval,” said board member Samuel Logan, who praised the building, but said that he wanted to see more excitement on the first floor.

A packed house came to hear the debate over the proposed nine-floor, 105-foot building, with half the room supporting a much-needed face lift to one of the few black eyes left on Marion Square, while the other half support development, just a much smaller development. It’s the difference between a Charleston landmark and another boutique hotel.

“We must not loose site of the fact that this city is based on the scale of 18th and 19th century buildings,” says Robert Gurley, with the Preservation Society of Charleston, which lobbyed hard to have the board send this back to the beginning the approval process all over again. Obviously hoping he’d get something smaller.

But board members said the buildings height can be an asset by creating an appropriate border for Marion Square.

“Marion Square has been allowed to bleed,” Logan said.

If there was a consistent complaint, it was that the building didn’t look like Charleston. Logan said it looked like New York, Robert Demarco said it looked like a South Florida resort, and Chairman Craig Bennett said, “It’s got Florida, New York, and perhaps Chicago elements in it.”

Aside from a little spice for the first floor retail, board members also stressed that they wanted high-end materials used in construction..

Board member Robert Stockton highlighted what may be the most important concern about the building’s design: the pool.

“Are we sure we want to look across the square and see traveling salesmen in bathing suits.” Amen.

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