Comments on: Vernor Vinge - Across Realtime http://www.nelefa.org/2006/05/vernor-vinge-across-realtime/ Talking rubbish on t'Interweb since 1996 Mon, 06 Oct 2008 22:28:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: John http://www.nelefa.org/2006/05/vernor-vinge-across-realtime/#comment-2613 John Thu, 21 Sep 2006 19:01:04 +0000 http://www.nelefa.org/?p=615#comment-2613 Well, strictly speaking, this isn't a science fiction website - just a site full of random nonsense some of which is science and some of which is fiction. As for the amazing post-eating grue, it does indeed live in the bowels of the web server and answers to the name of "Moderation". I have, however, shoved me hand down its neck and retrieved the postings for you to read in all their slightly moist glory. Well, strictly speaking, this isn’t a science fiction website - just a site full of random nonsense some of which is science and some of which is fiction. As for the amazing post-eating grue, it does indeed live in the bowels of the web server and answers to the name of “Moderation”. I have, however, shoved me hand down its neck and retrieved the postings for you to read in all their slightly moist glory.

]]> By: Count Otto Black http://www.nelefa.org/2006/05/vernor-vinge-across-realtime/#comment-2611 Count Otto Black Thu, 21 Sep 2006 18:18:56 +0000 http://www.nelefa.org/?p=615#comment-2611 Does this bloody thing actually work? I've typed two replies and they've both evaporated! Third time lucky... Does this bloody thing actually work? I’ve typed two replies and they’ve both evaporated! Third time lucky…

]]> By: Count Otto Black http://www.nelefa.org/2006/05/vernor-vinge-across-realtime/#comment-2610 Count Otto Black Thu, 21 Sep 2006 18:17:13 +0000 http://www.nelefa.org/?p=615#comment-2610 Ho hum. Let's try this again and see if this website registers my presence this time. OK, I'm a fictional character, so I shouldn't really be able to type this at all, but it's a little annoying if it evaporates as soon as I click "submit". Like it did last time... Anyway... Here's the pitch: a very fine and wonderful author called Robert Rankin will be in town on unofficial business some time before Xmas. He's a friend of mine (despite having killed me 4 times in 3 books), and he's had a lousy time recently, what with the ills that the flesh is heir to (except mine, obviously, because it isn't real), so I thought it might be rather jolly to have a surprise welcome sort of thingy. I'm not entirely sure exactly what this website is promoting, if anything, but it's Edinburgh and it's sci-fi-related, so maybe you would be vaguely interested in participating in something along these lines? By the way, he despises the internet and all its works, so there's zero chance that he'll read this and spoil the surprise. You have my e-mail whatnot, presumably, so get back to me whenever. If this message is already on this site somewhere else, apologies for redundancy, but it looks to me as though the last one I typed in went down the same hole as the now legendary oozalum bird... By the way, I really AM a fictional character. You can buy the badge and everything. Count Otto Black (deceased) Ho hum. Let’s try this again and see if this website registers my presence this time. OK, I’m a fictional character, so I shouldn’t really be able to type this at all, but it’s a little annoying if it evaporates as soon as I click “submit”. Like it did last time… Anyway… Here’s the pitch: a very fine and wonderful author called Robert Rankin will be in town on unofficial business some time before Xmas. He’s a friend of mine (despite having killed me 4 times in 3 books), and he’s had a lousy time recently, what with the ills that the flesh is heir to (except mine, obviously, because it isn’t real), so I thought it might be rather jolly to have a surprise welcome sort of thingy. I’m not entirely sure exactly what this website is promoting, if anything, but it’s Edinburgh and it’s sci-fi-related, so maybe you would be vaguely interested in participating in something along these lines? By the way, he despises the internet and all its works, so there’s zero chance that he’ll read this and spoil the surprise. You have my e-mail whatnot, presumably, so get back to me whenever. If this message is already on this site somewhere else, apologies for redundancy, but it looks to me as though the last one I typed in went down the same hole as the now legendary oozalum bird… By the way, I really AM a fictional character. You can buy the badge and everything.

Count Otto Black (deceased)

]]> By: Count Otto Black http://www.nelefa.org/2006/05/vernor-vinge-across-realtime/#comment-2609 Count Otto Black Thu, 21 Sep 2006 15:50:50 +0000 http://www.nelefa.org/?p=615#comment-2609 May I make a comment here? The books thus far reviewed are all in the Fantasy category - so how about Robert Rankin? He does not personally wish to be categorised as "Fantasy", preferring the idiosynchratic label "Far-Fetched Fiction", mainly because it would get him a shelf to himself in the bookshop. And differentiate him from all those tedious dragon fanciers. But the fellow has been good enough to include me in certain of his books (OK, he's killed me 4 times - once twice in the same damn book! - but that's the price of fame, I guess), so I felt that I really ought to give him a bit of a mention here. By the way, at a wild guess, I'm fairly sure that I'm the only fictional character who is real enough to have typed something into your website without lying about being real enough to type something into your website (if you see what I mean - let's not get too deeply into that existential schtick...). And for what it's worth, Ispector Rebus doesn't get a look-in - that's something else entirely. Anyway, since you're an Edinburgh-based sci-fi website, I thought you might like to know that the aforementioned Mr. Rankin (Robert, not Ian) will probably be paying a visit to this fair city (which he has always revered as the birthplace of Jesus Christ - I trust you're familiar with the interestingly original Biblical theories of a chap called Comyns Beaumont?) at some time prior to Xmas, and I just wondered if you'd be interested in joining in with plans which I have for a surprise welcome party for the fellow? He hasn't been terribly well lately, and could no doubt do with a bit of a merry off-the-cuff whoopee. (And there's no chance whatsoever that I'm giving the game away by bunging this info on that ubiquitous internet thingy - Robert HATES computers, and never, ever looks at things like this). What do you reckon? I typed my e-mail address into this page of yours, so doubtless you have it somewhere. By the way, I'm NOT Robert Rankin. Honestly. He doesn't need the publicity that badly. Or Ian Rankin. Or J. K. Rowling (unfortunately - I could use all that money; it's a World Domination thing...). Count Otto Black (deceased) May I make a comment here? The books thus far reviewed are all in the Fantasy category - so how about Robert Rankin? He does not personally wish to be categorised as “Fantasy”, preferring the idiosynchratic label “Far-Fetched Fiction”, mainly because it would get him a shelf to himself in the bookshop. And differentiate him from all those tedious dragon fanciers. But the fellow has been good enough to include me in certain of his books (OK, he’s killed me 4 times - once twice in the same damn book! - but that’s the price of fame, I guess), so I felt that I really ought to give him a bit of a mention here. By the way, at a wild guess, I’m fairly sure that I’m the only fictional character who is real enough to have typed something into your website without lying about being real enough to type something into your website (if you see what I mean - let’s not get too deeply into that existential schtick…). And for what it’s worth, Ispector Rebus doesn’t get a look-in - that’s something else entirely. Anyway, since you’re an Edinburgh-based sci-fi website, I thought you might like to know that the aforementioned Mr. Rankin (Robert, not Ian) will probably be paying a visit to this fair city (which he has always revered as the birthplace of Jesus Christ - I trust you’re familiar with the interestingly original Biblical theories of a chap called Comyns Beaumont?) at some time prior to Xmas, and I just wondered if you’d be interested in joining in with plans which I have for a surprise welcome party for the fellow? He hasn’t been terribly well lately, and could no doubt do with a bit of a merry off-the-cuff whoopee. (And there’s no chance whatsoever that I’m giving the game away by bunging this info on that ubiquitous internet thingy - Robert HATES computers, and never, ever looks at things like this). What do you reckon? I typed my e-mail address into this page of yours, so doubtless you have it somewhere. By the way, I’m NOT Robert Rankin. Honestly. He doesn’t need the publicity that badly. Or Ian Rankin. Or J. K. Rowling (unfortunately - I could use all that money; it’s a World Domination thing…).

Count Otto Black (deceased)

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