This is so fucked up...

The headline at ABCNews.com right now reads "The Other Dictator." They are referring, of course, to the search for that other most-wanted man, Osama bin Laden...

...who was not, by any stretch of the definition, ever a dictator. You kinda hafta have been a head of state to do that.

Strange Coincidence of the Month

We ran into Ted Chiang at lunch yesterday.

We know him, casually, from various science fiction circles. (He plays a mean game of Mafia. Beware!) The reason this was a bit odd, besides the fact that he sat down practically right next to us, is that Ted Chiang lives up in Seattle. So his appearance in a Japantown noodle joint was unexpected. Unexpected enough that Steven and I weren't sure it was really him. Sounds like him. Looks like him. What's he doing here?

I doubt Ted Chiang is the kind of author who expects people to recognize him sitting in a restaurant, either. He seemed a bit startled to have us ask his name. Apparently he's in town this week visiting friends.

Say hi if you run into him. Keep him on his toes.

(no subject)

I don't recall people dressed up as elves and such at the last two installments of Lord of the Rings. Is this a new phenomenon, or did I just miss it the last two years?

(No, I didn't see it. I was there for Bad Santa.)