Cat Rambo, Asteroids, Science, Kirk's Middle Name and More

It's Friday and pleasant weather, at least here in Illinois, so I'm in a very good mood as I post this, despite still using an emergency backup computer that is old enough to be considered steam-punk. Lots of good reading and more today, with a slightly off topic final section of science podcasts, but I'll likely be going off topic more frequently than in the old days. It's more fun that way.

E-Fiction
At Daily Science Fiction,

"Swallowing Ghosts" by Cat Rambo.
"Grandma always said, "Don't yawn with your mouth open, a ghost will fly in."

I didn't believe her until it happened."

Online HERE.

"The Birdcage Heart" by Peter M Ball.
"One She likes watching him dress. He likes to be watched, so he goes through the motions: yesterday's underwear; Levis, left leg following the right; the belt threaded through the loops, tugged tight and fastened; yesterday's black socks; the crimson sneakers, the laces, the left foot before the right. The shirts always last, always the struggle. 'No undershirt,' she says. 'Leave it off today.'"

Online HERE.


At Munseys,

"The Honored Prophet" by William Bentley (1954).
"The black dwarf sun sent its assassin on a mission which was calculated to erase the threat to its existence. But prophesies run in strange patterns and, sometimes, an act of evasion becomes an act of fulfillment."

In ebook downloads HERE.

"Tangle Hold" by F. L. Wallace (1953).
"Jadiver objected to being the greatest influence for good on Venus ... because what was good for Venus was bad for Jadiver!"

In ebook downloads HERE.


"Chain of Command" by Stephen Arr (1954)
"By going through channels, George worked up from the woodwork to the top brass!"

In ebook downloads HERE.


At Lightspeed Magazine,

"Simulacrum" by Ken Liu.
"[A] photograph is not only an image (as a painting is an image), an interpretation of the real; it is also a trace, something directly stenciled off the real, like a footprint or a death mask. —Susan Sontag"

For online reading, online listening, and MP3 download HERE.


"The Passenger" by Julie E. Czerneda.
"At last, one gave him a purpose to match the unknown one sending the aliens sliding past his prison day in, day out. It was a child’s box of markers."

For online reading HERE.


"Long Enough and Just So Long" by Cat Rambo.
"He talked about rain, about slow gray clouds and tearing nor’easters. Rain drumming on a tin roof versus its sound on slate. Fine spring mist and the hot rain that fell during drought, coin-sized and evaporating too quickly."

For online reading, online listening, and MP3 download HERE.


Audio Fiction
At Dunesteef, "The Alarm" by Harris Tobias.
"An alarm has started ringing, but no one knows what it’s for. Old Havermayer, the beggar, says it’s a signal to alert the town that the dragon wakes. Could it be true? What will become of this peaceful town?"

Listened to this one yesterday. Quite enjoyable, though somewhat predictable.

Streaming and in MP3 download HERE.


Online Video
At StarTrek.com, The complete Star Trek animated series (TAS) available for free streaming. These have rather clunky animation and are quite abrupt due to the 30 minute format, but are still entertaining. Trek Trivia, Kirk's middle name "Tiberius" was first used in the animated episode "Bem" not in the original Star Trek series.

These free streaming episodes are online HERE. [via SFSignal [via Bureau 42]]



Comic Books
SF with an asteroid setting theme today

At Golden Age Comic Book Stories, Journey Into Unknown Worlds #20, July/1952. This issue features horror and SF stories including "The Secret of Asteroid #85."



Online HERE.






And at The Comic Book Catacombs, Science Fiction/Double Feature featuring "Asteroid Treasure" from Amazing Adventures #4 (Jul-Aug 1951).

Online HERE.






Science Podcasts
A trio of recommended ones this time.

First up is This Week @NASA a weekly audio podcast covering the latest news. Updated every Friday, this is always interesting even when there is too little going on at NASA.

Available in separate audio and video downloads HERE.




NPR Science Friday is an outstanding weekly science program covering breaking science news as well as ongoing controversies. The archive is especially convenient with each episode broken into topics so that you can download those that interest you.

The archive is HERE.




And Beam Me Up. Although its perhaps better known for its readings of SF stories, one of my favorite parts of this podcast/radio program is the roundup of Science and SF news at the start of most episodes. Topics range from the biggest science stories to odd, easy to miss stories, all presented in a friendly, informal matter. Always worth a listen.


Streaming and in MP3 download HERE.