Anniversary

Happy 45th anniversary, Star Trek! You gave a generation a vision, and, to be completely egocentric about it, you changed the gender balance of fandom to the point where I could get laid and provided me with gainful employment for years.

Thanx to Geek Feminism for reminding me.

9/11

Charlie Stross has a very good idea:

I'm going to turn the TV off on September 11th. And close all the web browser tabs I have open on news sites.

This isn't to belittle the events of ten years ago, or to show disrespect for the victims and their bereaved: rather, it's to avoid the narcissistic and indecent media feeding frenzy that battens onto popular sentiment and attempts to jerk every tear from the emotional aftermath of tragedy, the better to milk the advertising revenue stream.

If the media really wanted to mark the occasion respectfully, they'd do so by holding a minutes' silence at 8:46am EST this Sunday.