It feels like this week has been full of socializing, although that's partly because any week where I see friends more than once feels crazy-busy!

It also feels like this week has been horrible for productivity, and that is true for a couple of reasons. Primary among them is that I have been a bit stuck in the two novels that I'm writing in parallel ( Read more... )

In New York City, the decade before I have my little aether apocalypse set, they dealt with the Draft Riots. This was some serious shit. Lots of people died, lots more were seriously injured, the police were outnumbered and in some engagements outgunned, and this went on for days. It started out with attacks on police, black people, and the ( Read more... )

In the 1800s, badges with an "identify me" telegraph code were sold by the Fraternal Protective Association. If you were dead or injured, people could telegraph the code to them and they would respond with a file identifying you.

Alas, the telegraphs are broken in Circus of Brass and Bone, so I can't use this so much, but it's so cool!


( Read more... )

Via http://www.steampunkmagazine.com/

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It's harder than you might think to find out what games people gamble on in India and China. Dratted illegality!

"cards" "dice" - those are too vague! Mah-jong is useful.

For India? I've seen people throwing dice and holding cards in the street, but so far as the internet is concerned--nope.

What province in China has both high levels of industrial pollution and encroaching desertification ( Read more... )

Research resources ( Read more... )

02/02/2010, Tuesday* Posted writing log, freewriting, NanoWri ( Read more... )

02/01/2010, Monday, full day at day job* Posted writing log, freewriting ( Read more... )

01/06/2010, Wednesday, full day at job ( Read more... )