Startide Rising and my Top Ten Sci-Fi Books

I've recently finished Startide Rising (spoilers in this link), by David Brin and consider it one of the great sci-fi novels. It also left me wanting more, which is fortunate that its the second book of a six book series, the Uplift Saga. I've already read the first of them.

I also recently finished the supurb The Martian (spoilers), by Andy Weir. I consider it the best sci-fi published in the last few years.

After finishing these books I wondered what would be on my top 10 Sci-fi book list. In no particular order they are:

Demolished Man by Alfred Bester
Player of Games by Ian M Banks (part of a universe of books he wrote, all great)
Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham (all his books are great reads)
Forever War by Joe Haldeman
Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny
Aristoi by Walter Jon Williams
Hyperion by Dan Simmonds (part of a duology)
Startide Rising by David Brin (second in a series)
Dune by Frank Herbert (part of a series but don't read the rest)
Reality Disfunction by Peter F. Hamilton (a massive six book series)

Any person wanting to get into sci-fi should probably read them in the order given above and branch off from there. Happy reading!

Thai Green Elephant Restauraunt

We tried out the Thai Green Elephant resterant earlier this week for supper. It took the place of the Great Wall Chinese resteraunt that was there for over 20 years.

We ordered Pad Thai with Shrimp, honey garlic ribs and mixed rice. It was not as good as some Thai places in town but it was decent and very close by. The staff were learning thier trade and there was spelling mistakes on the menu but each added to a hard to pin down charm. Everyone wants this place to work and I think they can. Very reasonable prices too.

Ribfest 2014

My wife and I missed ribfest last year but heard good things about it. Plus it benefits multiple charities for the donation entrance fee.

This year's Ribfest 2014 was an interesting experience but my eyes were bigger than my stomach. We ordered a platter for $24 and shared it but it was too big for both of us to finish! We should have ordered a half or quarter rack from each one and did a taste comparison. It would be more expensive, as the more you order the cheaper per amount of meat it gets, but would have been the better taste experience option. Ah well. Next year. The lemonade was delicious though.

Workplace Sports Day

I've been to many workplace sports days over the years and they are always a good opportunity to get out from behind a desk and the office to interact with everyone in a relaxed atmosphere. The healthy competition is always great too. This year it was held at a place i've been to a few times before, the Juan de Fuca Recreation centre.

I bike to and from work and exercise two to three times a week on top of this so I first participated in golf. I play once or so a year and use my wife's Grandmothers golf clubs. They're good and were used by her when she was a semi-pro back in the day, although the leather in the bag is starting to fall apart. I scored what I usually do, double par, and enjoyed myself.

Since there were other events going on, I brought my travel Bocce ball set purchased at Mountain Equipment Co-Op and got three other coworkers to play. It was great fun.

Then was the long line for burgers and hot dogs but they ran out of hot dogs by the time I got to the front, alas. The potato salad was good though and the burger was a burger. You never come out for the food at these events.

The last event was the inter-department tug of war which my department won.

All throughout the day I chatted with both new and old acquaintances and mostly everyone had a great time. Why not try something like this at your workplace!

Postcard of the Interwebs - 17 Sept 2014

Steam Power from the Sun: A new process, from MIT, converts 85% of the sun's energy into steam, made up of carbon foam with graphine flakes would be useful not only to generate power. Its also for generating clean water or making freash water from the salty kind. Its also cheap!

Giant Viruses may give new Insight into Life: The pandoravirus, a very large virus, has a much larger genome sequence and what makes it different may give clues into how varied life is.

Ancient Mayan City Rediscovered: Like the board game Tikal, there are still excellent archeological sites waiting to be discovered.

Quantum Vibrations in the Brain equate to Consciousness: Imagine if the cells structure can accept vibrations and it is these vibrations that are made by the brain to store information about what makes you...you. Now imagine if these vibrations can be changed to make the injured or bad parts of you better. This is the concept of Orchestrated Objective Reduction. This theory is highly critisised but a discovery of warm temperature microtubules in Japan had added credence to the theory.

Part of Brain for Excersisce Motivation Discovered: What if the area of the brain that makes you happy when you excersise or do activites could be stimulated? A great aid for depression is what this article surmises.

Best and Worst Times to have your Case Reviewed by a Judge: Spoilers...see them after they eat.

Wafer thin metal absorbs Sound to Generate Electricity: This drum shaped membrane flexes and moves as sound is absorbed. Lots of uses at concerts, airports or any facility that has lots of sound.

Pier Bistro Restaurant and Biking to Sydney

My wife and I recently biked from downtown Victoria to Sydney and for lunch stopped here at the Pier Bistro in Sydney.

We shared the seafood chowder, which was hearty and flavourful. I then had the crab cakes and mixed salad greens and my wife had the grilled Cajun halibut with homemade peach salsa. Both were excellently cooked and tasty!

San Francisco - Baseball

We decided to experience a bit of Americana and take in a baseball game while in the San Francisco area. So we went to the only game happening while we were there: the Oakland Athletics versus the Tampa Bay Manta Rays.

What struck me at first was the small size of the field and the humongous size of the stadium. They can cram a lot of people in here! The second thing is how expensive food is! I had flavoured popcorn, a Guinness, and two hot dogs...$29! The heat was also brutal although this was an afternoon game in August.

The Oakland Athletics lost. I had an experience that I feel no need to repeat. Perhaps those that watch baseball would get more out of it than I did.

This is my last post on San Francisco until the next time.

San Francisco - Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot

My wife's sister, whom we were staying with in San Mateo, suggested to eat at the Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot restaurant in town. We were there during Tuesday's all you can eat night and it was delicious and a great experience!

We chose the meats, vegetables and pastas and chose the regular and spicy soup broths. Then we had to cook it in the broth; meats first, then vegetables, then noodles. They have several franchises including one nearby in Vancouver. We will try this again.

San Francisco - Comic Art Museum

The Comic Art Museum in San Francisco is a small but ultra cool museum of comic art.

Mike Zeck is  a comic book illustrator who started in 1974 and has worked on many tites over the years.

Marvel's Punisher

Marvel's Secret Wars. The iconic black Spider-Man symbiote outfit.

They also had an exibition from the research work done by Trina Robbins, called Pretty in Ink. She is a comic artist as well. The exibition was of women in comics throughout the ages.

One of the standouts is Nell Brinkley, a stylish artist who worked on comics for fourty years.

Her work is artful and moving. I'd love an original.

Another standout was Tarpe Mills and her Miss Fury comic. It was the first costumed female superhero! Very risque art for the 1940's.

Next was the 30th anniversary exibition of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, by Eastman and Laird. That was fun reminising and I flipped through my TMNT graphic novels when I got home.

We were here on the first Tuesday of the month which is donation day. You basically pay what you feel is a suitable donation. Even the $8 regular charge would have been perfectly fine.

The gift shop is well stocked with comics and I picked up DC's Identiry Crisis. I read it over the next week and was super impressed.

San Francisco - Chinatown, Red Blossom Tea Company and the City View Restaurant

My wife and I went to San Francisco's Chinatown to show her around, as I have been here before. It has turned more touristy with multiple shops selling the same trinkets, pottery and t-shirts. Its the alleyways and corners of the area that I like the best, always hoping I come into an hidden area where "Big Trouble in Little China" is real.

We stopped in a tea store that was recommended to us, the Red Blossom Tea Company. It was very specialized and the staff really knew her stuff. If we were wealthier we would have gotten some premium tea but in Victoria we have two supurb local tea stores, Silk Road and Special T's, that it would have to be quite the unique and tasty tea. Instead we got some interesting and inexpensive tea.

We asked the lady where she would eat for dim sum and she directed us to the City View Restaurant. It was very tasty, fresh and not greasy. We'd eat here again.

San Francisco - Chez Pannise

My wife has eaten at Chez Panisse before, when wine touring with friends of ours. It is a French resteraunt with a California flair. It is nicely done up inside and is an experience in of itself. It opened in 1971 and offered a fixed menu, which changed each evening. In 1980, they opened the upsatairs cafe with an al a carte menu. They strive for freash and local when making thier menu. We dined there in the cafe for lunch.

To start I had the golden tomato bisque with creme fresh and anise hyssop.

My wife had the halibut tartar with marinated beets, chevril and citrus vinagrette.

Her main was Sonoma duck breast with pickled peaches, escarole, green beans and grilled potatoes.

My main was hand cut noodles with chanterelles, gremolata and pecorino cheese.

For dessert I had a bittersweet chocolate pave with caramel ice cream.

My wife had the creme fresh panna cotta with wood roasted black mission figs.

We would definitly eat here again...and again.

San Francisco - Cookin' Kitchen Store

Nestled just to the West of Haight is the Cookin' Kitchen Store.

Inside is a treasure trove of kitchen appliances and accoutrements all at decent used prices. Beware neat freaks and elitists, the owner is curt and has her own way of doing things. Be patient and you will be rewarded with a great experience.

My wife found a menu, for Pan America airlines in 1960, for their President's buffet meals on board their Asian flights...all inspired by Maxim's of Paris. A cool find. She intends on having it framed with clear glass on each side so the art or the menu can be displayed. We just wish we had more room for other items for the kitchen.