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Future Talk: Robot Marriage, Coming Soon?

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robot - pixabay

Experts are predicting that humans will be able to marry robots by 2050. David Levy, author of a book on human-robot love, made the prediction at a ‘Love and Sex with Robots’ conference. It’s claimed that because society used to look at same-sex marriage as unthinkable, which is now legal in some countries, the prospect of robot marriages is now on the cards. The University of London event predicted that the human-robot marriages will be legal by 2050. Though it may seem far flung, robots that humans can have sex with have long been in the pipeline. Now those in … Read more

New Discoveries Day

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New Discoveries Day

Hey all, Welcome to New Discoveries Day – a day once a month (usually on the last day of the month) when we discuss recent discoveries that fascinate us and that could spawn plot bunnies (or plot squirrels or plot mongeese – your plot animal of choice). So chime in and let us know about any new discoveries you ran across in the last month – links are always appreciated. Thanks to Freddy MacKay for the great idea! –Scott Come Join the Chat!

Technology: New Driverless Police Superbikes

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Interceptor Police Bike

Imagine a super-fast, driverless motorbike flying across highways 24/7, issuing traffic tickets — via mobile apps — to the owners of any vehicle daring to break the speed limit. The design for these futuristic police drones already exists. It’s called Interceptor and could soon become a reality. “It’s only the natural evolution of technology,” Canadian mechanical engineer Charles Bombardier told CNN. By Karla Pequenino – Full Story at CNN

Asta’s Annotations: Queer Theory in Modern Culture

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In his 1993 essay “There’s something queer here” Alexander Doty stated that queer erotics were “already part of culture’s erotic centre” (Hollows, Hutching & Jancovich, 2000, pg 339) when he discussed queer readings of films. More than twenty years on, and with gay rights movements slowly gaining ground around the world, to what extent does this statement still hold true? I believe that these readings have become more mainstream. No longer merely the purview of cultural critics, they are readily embraced by an audience happy to celebrate diversity. In a previous column I discussed the role of fan fiction in … Read more

New Discoveries Day

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New Discoveries Day

Hey all, Welcome to New Discoveries Day – a day once a month (usually on the last day of the month) when we discuss recent discoveries that fascinate us and that could spawn plot bunnies (or plot squirrels or plot mongeese – your plot animal of choice). So chime in and let us know about any new discoveries you ran across in the last month – links are always appreciated. Thanks to Freddy MacKay for the great idea! –Scott Come Join the Chat!

Asta’s Annotations: The Path to LGBT Fiction

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Today I thought it might be interesting to discuss how we all came to LGBT fiction, whether as readers or writers.   For me, it all started with the film Van Helsing in 2004. Meeting fellow fans through the LiveJournal account I had at the time led me to discover fan fiction, and slash in particular. One of my earliest serious attempts at writing was a fan fiction with a Dracula/Van Helsing back story. I’ve written the occasional piece since—Rimmer/Lister (Red Dwarf), Hannibal/Will (Hannibal), Ragnar/Athelstan (Vikings), Sherlock/John (Sherlock), Steve/Loki (Avengers) etc.—and I still read a story or two when a … Read more

New Discoveries Day!

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New Discoveries Day

Hey all, Welcome to New Discoveries Day – a day once a month (usually on the last day of the month) when we discuss recent discoveries that fascinate us and that could spawn plot bunnies (or plot squirrels or plot mongeese – your plot animal of choice). So chime in and let us know about any new discoveries you ran across in the last month – links are always appreciated. Thanks to Freddy MacKay for the great idea! –Scott Come Join the Chat!

Article: Why Do We Need More Science Fiction By LGBT Writers?

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Last year, Lightspeed Magazine had a special issue in which “Women Destroy Science Fiction” (and horror, and fantasy.) Now, Lightspeed is following up with “Queers Destroy Science Fiction.” And today’s the last day to support the Kickstarter. But why should you care about getting more LGBT SF? The editors of the issue explain. See the full article here

Know Your History: LGBT Themes in Speculative Fiction

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Knowing the history of your genre gives you insight into how it’s viewed in the larger world. Why do publishers eschew works that push the boundaries? Which archetypes touch something in readers? Do you know your history well enough to shape the future of Science Fiction? Click here for a primer on LGBT themes in speculative fiction

Car of the Future

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Car of the Future

This could be the car of the future If you thought a pint-sized clown car was going to be the vehicle of the future, you may have been on to something. The Toyota iRoad, which isn’t even three feet wide, is a fusion of motorcycle, tiny electric compact car, bobsled and shopping cart — and you could be driving it in a few years. The company is testing the three-wheeler now in the San Francisco Bay area, which is home to some of the worst traffic in America. The idea is not to replace Toyota’s pioneering hybrid Prius or best-selling … Read more