So I should do some kind of summing up post before everyone forgets 2011.

Books:
My favourite is, quite predictably, Steven Erikson's The Crippled God (don't act surprised). It was heartbreaking and heroic and I had to stop myself from crying in public places. It delivered what I didn't even dare to hope for but secretly wanted. And he finished ( Read more... )

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I'm marathoning my family on skype today so I just drop by for a moment to leave you this:

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Since I'm staying far away from home once again this year and there will be no family to occupy my time I need something else. And It looks like this year it will be BBC America as this is what they are going to have on Friday:

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This is on on Saturday:

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And of course Sunday is time for this:

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Don't worry, I'm meeting some friends too.

It has been officially confirmed that Anne McCaffrey died of a massive stroke at home in Ireland yesterday. She has been living in Ireland for years raising horses and writing books.

As most people probably I first had contact with her work by reading Dragonriders of Pern. I still like to point out to people it SF not fantasy when I feel nitpicky. I ( Read more... )

Today is 11.11.11 and at least for one day I’m not confused by the date here in US. Somehow, out of the all weird US measurement ways, this is the one that I have the most problem with. Well, this and ounces. I just can’t remember how much are they, probably because I keep mixing the weight and volume ones.

Anyway, this is a nicely symmetrical day ( Read more... )

Today is Maria Skłodowska Curie's 144 birthday and she got her own Google Doodle. Or rather it was yesterday as it's already after midnight in Poland but I was too busy today to post earlier. This year it's also centenary of her second Nobel Prize, the one she got all to herself. This is why this year have been declared Maria Curie's year by Poland ( Read more... )

The Ig Nobels for 2011 were awarded yesterday. You can watch the ceremony on youtube - it's way more entertaining the the other one. The full list of winners is here on the Improbable Research site.Among fascinating research awarded this year are the one for Physics that went to people who studied why discus throwers become dizzy, and why hammer ( Read more... )

It's been few days since Worldcon ended and the reports are coming. Various people posted their recaps, shared their feelings about the awards they won or about the other people who won (Scalzi is right it was pretty awesome - it's nice to see somebody happy like thisIt is all awesome but concentrating on Hugos I forgot about other awards that were ( Read more... )

This year's Worldcon is coming to close in Reno and the voting results are in. The official list of 2011 Hugo Award Winners

Best Novel
Blackout/All Clear by Connie Willis (Ballantine Spectra)

Best Novella
The Lifecycle of Software Objects by Ted Chiang (Subterranean)

Best Novelette
The Emperor of Mars by Allen M. Steele (Asimov’s, June 2010)

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