1) Readercon has overturned the decision to ban harasser Rene Walling for only two years and has instead banned him for life, as they should have done to begin with.
Their announcement and apology is professional, thorough, and completely appropriate, and my respect for the concom is enormous.
2) Last night,
NASA successfully landed a rover the size of a Mini Cooper on the surface of Mars using an innovative system designed to protect the vehicle and allow it to start working immediately. I watched the whole thing online via the NASA web site. The sheer excitement about the event across the country was wonderful to behold, and watching the eruption of joy in the control room when a safe landing was confirmed was uplifting. I love that an enormous crowd filled Times Square to watch the event and chanted "Science! Science! Science!" in response to the success. These are things that give me hope for the future.
Follow Curiosity on Twitter. 3) Lest we forget,
Opportunity still roves the surface of Mars doing important science, five years after it first landed.
4)
The trailer for the upcoming season of Doctor Who fills me with delight, even in the wake of last season's plot holes, logic problems, and irredeemable gaffes. I'll be there against all reason. I loves me the Doctor.
5) I am not sure what else to put here for a fifth thing. Ideas anybody? Questions for me? Thoughts?