“The vast majority of human beings dislike and even dread all notions with which they are not familiar. Hence it comes about, that at their first appearance, innovators have always been divided as fools and madmen. ”
Aldous Leonard Huxley, 1894-1963, British writer
I love keeping up with the latest technologies, scientific developments, astronomical discoveries and the like; it informs my novel-writing and plot development. But what did our present look like in the past (if one could say that)? What did past generations look forward and envision for our time? How much of it was humorously inaccurate, and how much of it could be inspiration still? For a glimpse into the minds of the past, click on the photo below.
Like something out of a Science Fiction film, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault looks like a monolith rising out of the snowy mountains in Norway. Its purpose could be out of the same film: It’s a depository for seeds from around the world, to preserve plants in case of global disaster, whether fire, flood, ice or nuclear. To read the whole story, check out the Wikipedia article by clicking on the image below. If you write Science Fiction, be inspired! If you are into gardening, global environmental issues, or simply worried about the direction society is heading, take comfort… there are people planning ahead.
Filed under Articles
For writers and bloggers, being reminded of the basic grammar rules from time to time is a good thing; they can help to improve our communication and efficiency. If you’re like me, you may be writing along when a question pops up like, “Does this sentence need a comma here or not?” The more familiar we become with the rules (and keep in mind that there are some differences between nationally-accepted rules, e.g. between the British standard and the American standard), the faster such decisions will become and the less time will be lost on such mundanely important details. Click on the image below for a link to the 20 most common grammar errors and how to solve them.
Filed under Nuts & Bolts, Research, Writing Exercise
Here’s a list that proves attraction is just weird, and that beauty really is in the eye of the beholder! I find this interesting especially because of the possibilities for finding that quirky element for building fictional characters. Enjoy, and be inspired to write depth and breadth! Click on the image below to view the article:
Filed under Lists
We can blame both spellings on the Romans! February is fairly clear: Februa is thought to be a Sabine word (maybe we could blame them for italics, too), meaning “purifications”; Februarius mensis was the month of purification. Before 450 BC this was actually the last month in the ancient calendar and referred to the feast of purification celebrated on the ides of that month throughout the Roman Empire. Ides was the term used for approximately mid-month, being the 13th or 15th, depending on whether that particular month had 29 or 31 days. Interestingly, in English it replaced the Old English solmonað (“mud month”… very appropriate, that) sometime in the 12th century when they began using the Old French term Feverier.
Wednesday accumulated slightly more pedigree before landing in our agendas: It started off as the “day of (the god) Mercury,” the Latin dies Mercurii. It was confiscated by the Scandinavians for their own religious version for Odin, Oðinsdagr (Old Norse) or Onsdag in Swedish. This came with them over the Channel and was adopted by their English counterparts as wodnesdæg, or “Woden’s day.” Old Frisian came fairly close to modern English with Wonsdei (I’ve probably seen that spelling on Facebook from people who can’t type with their i-phones properly…). By the mid- 400 AD period, the Germanic Goths had been converted from Paganism to Christianity by Greek missionaries, and their language began to reflect the changes: The astrological or religious terms gave way to ecclesiastical (or at least neutral) ones. This difference is reflected in words like Mittwoch (German for Wednesday, meaning literally “mid-week”), sreda (Russian), or środa (Polish), both meaning literally “middle.”
So there you have it: Blame it on the Romans, or the Vikings; but whoever you blame, just remember to spell them in correct modern English.
Filed under History, Nuts & Bolts
What happens when complete strangers, from enemy-nations, meet face to face? Or in this case, screen to screen? Smiles, and the realisation that at the core, humanity transcends race, colour, creed, nationality, culture and language. Coca-Cola engineered the experience; unfortunately it’s not a permanent installation due to the complex technology involved, but what if it one day could be a permanent fixture? So many people are alone in a crowd; it would be a possibility to connect with a stranger face to face, and maybe in the process, even meet a new friend. To read the article and see the video, please click on the image below.
If you’re a writer like me, you like keeping your eyes and ears open for interesting websites, information, random bits that can inspire and inform your writing. I just came across a great little gem on You Tube, the channel of Grant Thompson, the King of Random. He has, well, random videos, including scientific experiments, life-hacks, how-tos and a lot more. Need to know how to make fire with water? Check. Need to know how to fold a napkin to look like a shirt, or flower, or boat? Check? How to cut an apple to look like a swan? Check. Check him out by clicking on the photo below!
Once in a while I like to go surfing… internet, that is. I like to search for inspiring images, whether people, architecture, Hi-Tech, transportation, or whatever floats my boat. I come across them through a wide range of sites, and I’ve collected them for so long that I have no idea where some of them are from, but I hope that they will inspire you to go surfing, and find them on the original sites, read the articles, and be amazed, awed, or just dumb-founded. So without further ado, here are a few gadgets:
1: Airless tires. How cool is that?!
2: Blood-powered tattoo display. It’s perhaps just a matter of time. I wonder what all of those people will do who are already covered with tattoos? “Oops, lost the phone again… I know it’s on my arm somewhere…”
3: Insect Spy Drone. Whether or not it’s really in production by the US government, it’s either a frightening thought, or inspiring for Sci-Fi writers… either way, feel free to swat mosquitoes, even if they’re multi-million dollar ones.
4: The Skin Gun was developed by Jörg C. Gerlach and colleagues at Stem Cell Systems GmbH in Berlin. It replicates the healthy skin of burn victims, injecting it straight onto the burn area to grow new skin, avoiding skin-graft rejections.
5: Duluth, GA-based global systems integrations firm Polytron – transparent cell phone. I know a lot of teenagers who already have enough trouble keeping track of where they saw their phone last. Now make it invisible… that’s either a fun prank, or just mean. Either way, it’s cool.
Filed under Nuts & Bolts, Research
There are restaurants, and then there are places that serve experiences. Here is an amazing story of Tim Harris, restaurant owner, 10-time Olympic medalist, and a hugger. Yep. He serves food and a great hug. And he might also have the distinction of being the only owner of a restaurant who also happens to have Down Syndrome. And he’s so right: People with disabilities are a gift to the world. Through their perspectives and challenges, love of life and courage to face it with a smile (even though they have moods along with the rest of us!), we can learn to appreciate what we have, and take each day as a gift. Click on the photo below to follow the story, and come out smiling!
Filed under Videos
Stephanie Huesler 