A Stainless Steel Rat Sheds a Tear

Harry Harrison, one of the founders of Steampunk, the creator of “Make Room! Make Room!” the basis for the film “Soylent Green”, and creator of a character that I have loved for years James Bolivar DiGriz “The Stainless Steel Rat”, passed away today at the age of 87.

Here is an obituary from Christopher Priest from the Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/aug/15/harry-harrison

Here is what the BBC had to say about Mr. Harrison’s passing: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-19270109

Here is what Neil Gaiman wrote about Mr. Harrison: http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2012/08/harry-harrison.html

As a young man I discovered a wonderful anti-hero just when I truly needed to discover a wonderful anti-hero.  Thank you for Slippery Jim, Mr. Harrison.  Thank you for, The Stainless Steel Rat. 

Godspeed.  

Desks of Legend and Yore

My laptop was downstairs for the summer. It was just too hot up in my computer room. I tucked it away next to my bed so that I could use it in the air conditioning of my bedroom. I will be migrating upstairs in the near future to place my laptop back onto its appointed position on my impromptu desk. I use a door laid flat on top of two old metal filing cabinets. It works just fine for what I need it to do but recently I asked myself, “Self,” I said, “what sort of desks are out there for geeks and/or eccentrics to use?”

Gentle Reader, before I knew it I was hitting Google and searching which is where I found this blog: http://www.casemodblog.com/?p=4536. Oh yeah, that’s pretty cool. “Expensive and perhaps a tad extravagant?” you might ask. No doubt about it. Still the steampunk gear desk and the Han Solo are just plain cool.

Hey, Batman has the desk in the Batcave, Tony Stark is surrounded by cool desks – apart from being priced WAY out of our league why not us? Yes, I know that they are both imaginary billionaires but that’s not the point. The point is they have cool desks I thought I’d pass these your way for consideration.

Until next time, Gentle Reader; I’ll be in line at Ikea!