Sunday, May 31, 1998
I'll be tackling SQL this week. I started reading about it last week. Got a computer over the weekend and I'll be working through a tutorial on it this week. Then it's on to Visual Basic, Java and Cold Fusion. Looks like I'll be spending the month of June on this stuff but I should have some employable skills when it's all said and done! ;-)
You might recall that several weeks ago I mention that I had received a review copy of To Seek Out New Life: The Biology of Star Trek by Athena Andreadis, Ph.D. I had planned to finish and comment on it in mid-May but with the Nitpicker's Guides shakeup (See the end of the 5/15/98 Ask the Chief column for more info) my schedule slipped a bit.
On the off chance that you haven't already deduced this fact, To Seek Out New Life: The Biology of Star Trek examines the plausibility of Trek elements from a life science viewpoint much like Lawrence M. Krauss's Physics of Star Trek examined the plausibility of Trek elements from a physical science viewpoint. Dr. Andreadis covers a wide variety of topics such as the characteristics of life and its possible chemical foundations; interspecies mating; shape-shifting; the mind versus the brain; cryonics; symbiotic relationships; the operation of the transporter; the possibility of empaths; the plausibility of the universal translator . . . and more!
I found it a very enjoyable read! Dr. Andreadis obviously enjoys the Star Trek universe and her rich scientific background gives her important perspective. Not only that, she writes well--which is always a delightful surprise! And she calls on an impressive array of examples from published science fiction in the course of her discussions about Trek. In other words, she reads and understands the genre. In fact, I've had the pleasure of corresponding with Athena and--wouldn't ya know it--she's working on some of her own speculative fiction as well! I have a feeling it'll be good if she can make it through the publishing gauntlet. ;-)
If you'd like more information on Dr. Athena Andreadis or To Seek Out New Life, you can visit her website at: http://www.thebiologyofstartrek.com/.
Monday, June 1, 1998
Uploaded more nits and reflections for Demon and Hope and Fear. The Brash Reflection files for the fourth season of Voyager are now frozen!
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: The Brash Reflections for the third season of Voyager are officially frozen. However, you may feel free to send in additional nits for the episodes. I will keep the information for future reference and possible inclusion in a Voyager Nitpicker's Guide. Also frozen are Trials and Tribble-ations, along with all movie files. Also, aside from "Trials and Tribble-ations"--which was a special case, there aren't any Brash Reflections for DS9 on the website. Sorry. Just don't have the time to do another series and I started with Voyager when I started the homepage.
Tuesday, June 2, 1998
No uploads planned.
Wednesday, June 3, 1998
No uploads planned.
Thursday, June 4, 1998
No uploads planned.
Friday, June 5, 1998
Uploaded a new Ask the Chief column (Click here for last week's column.)
Saturday, June 6, 1998
No uploads planned.
United We Nitpick!
Phil
P.S. While you're surfing, be sure to stop by my Shameless Plugs page!