Blizzard's Rip Van Winkle moment...

I know we have all been waiting for this moment... Starcraft II is now an officially announced and far into development game. If I know Blizzard they will be trying to mirror their schedule from ten years ago. Hence, the game should be released around Christmas time. I have watched the video and looked at all of the screen shots and all I can say is WOW!!!!!!

I will add more once the smoke clears and more details are available. Until then, the best source for information is IGN.com's reporter on the ground Charles Onyett. His article is here: http://pc.ign.com/articles/788/788627p1.html

YEE HAW!!! I feel like playing a little Starcraft for a few days.

The "Conspiracy" seems to be no more...

The Face on Mars Conspiracy Theories seems to now be sufficiently debunked by this image, released by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter on April 11th 2007. The face has lost its mysterious allure in many ways as the quality of the imagery improved. from the original Viking images. Farewell to a fond dream of many... Though it wasn't ever really a dream of mine. As a Map maker by trade I have seen many aerial images that at one resolution looked remarkable and a higher resolution assumed the ho hum of reality. Though I am certain there will yet be some folks who have much invested in the "face" that claim it is still visible and that it is the visage of a deformed "grey"... That will require that they stretch it a bit but hey anything for a good story is fair game in the realm of Sci-Fi!

Entanglement

No it isn't a knot tied by my five-old daughter... Though heaven knows she is a master at entangling shoe laces chairs and toys in to one combined entity. That is in deed entanglement after a fashion.

I am actually talking about the Quantum Theory Entanglement. I am currently listening to Amir D. Aczel's Excellent book on the subject. Which is appropriately titled, Entanglement: The Greatest Mystery in Physics .

If you have no clue what I am talking about then perhaps this short definition will only deepen your confusion on the matter because the reality is for us as mere mortals and not having an ability to truely comprehend infinity it is difficult to grasp the twists and turns that Quantum Mechanics presents.

Perhaps though the following simplified version will help. It was written by Justin Mullins back in 2000.

"Certain objects can become linked by a mysterious process called entanglement.
Particles that become entangled are deeply connected regardless of the distance
between them. If they become separated by the width of the Universe, the bond
between them remains intact. These particles are so deeply linked that it’s as
if they somehow share the same existence.

Physicists do not yet fully
understand the nature of entanglement but there is growing evidence that it is a
fundamental property of the universe. Unfettered by the restrictions of space,
entanglement may be the ghostly bedrock upon which reality is built."

(Justin Mullins, 2000).

Justin mentions one of the first links I found when writing this as well; that of the definition provided by Wikipedia.

"Quantum entanglement is a quantum mechanical phenomenon in which the quantum
states of two or more objects have to be described with reference to each other,
even though the individual objects may be spatially separated."

(Wikipedia, 2007).

I really enjoy the simplity that Amir has manage to weave into such a complex topic in his book. I would strongly recommend it to everybody. If you like the traditional tactile experience Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Entanglement-Greatest-Amir-D-Aczel/dp/1568582323) obvious first stops; Or if you prefer the audiobook then I highly recommend Audible.com as your source to procure this wonderful book.

Sales plug here for Audible.com from a loyal listener of nearly five years. It is a very easy to use service that makes digital audiobooks a joyous experience. I highly recommend their service to you.

I have to tell you about an amazing Web site where you can download and listen
to thousands of great digital audio programs. There are best sellers by top
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American Life!
It's called audible.com and they'll let you try a free 14-day
trial of the Audible Listener Platinum plan, which includes two free digital
audio downloads. You'll also get other benefits like free audio samplers and a
30% discount off the non-member price on all digital audio purchases. You can
cancel anytime and keep your free downloads.That's a $22.95
value-free.
Audible.com is the Internet's
leading provider of downloadable spoken word audio programs. You can listen
right from your compatible digital audio player (such as the Apple iPod), your
computer, or on CDs you burn. Listen on your commute, at the gym, or anywhere
you go! CNet.com and PC World recently named audible.com one of the best
consumer sites on the Web.

Right now there is a special of 50% off the Gold membership and you get 3 audiobooks for 7.49 for your first three months. That is a steal of a deal if you buy audiobooks.

http://www.audible.com/adbl/site/offers/learnMoreMembership.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes

If you do decide to join I hope you will do this Audiobook junkie a favor and enter my username in as the person who refered you to Audible. Why? Because if you like it as much as I do I will get a free audiobook on your anniversary. That is a nice bonus in my book. My username is iceworm72.

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Reference Links
Wikipedia, (2007), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_entanglement

Justin Mullins (2000) http://www.justinmullins.com/entanglement.htm

Antarctic Aliens...

I just closed the windows and the last one was MSN and the rotating banner had this beauty steering me in the face... Proof that we know less than we think we do 90% of the time. Especially when it comes to this AMAZING PLANET and the DARK WATERS BELOW...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18704209/?GT1=9951

I did see one image that I liked very much. The sea spider is very cool and I am going to find a way to weave a much larger version of this creature in a story someday.

Greetings from the Molecular Level...

Welcome to my humble blog dedicated to the wonders of SCIENCE FACT AND FICTION!I love Science!

I love Science Fiction! It has fascinated me from an early age. I am certain that it is due to my viewing of Star Wars at the age of four, that has forever gripped my mind. Since then I have spent long hours drawing spaceships and aliens; writing an epic Sci-fi novel that I will never publish; watching and rewatching corny sci-fi movies that I call classics and my wife just rolls her eyes at when the Netflix envelope arrives barring yet another classic Bonzi movie; and still more hours listening to audiobooks about Science Fact and Fiction.

To start this all off I have a link to an article that captured my imagination just the other day. In addition to the advanced computing power this SCIENCE FACT article illuminates, I can envision cool armor systems based on this technology as well... I suspect this hasn't eluded DARPA either, since they are partially funding this project. I could be wrong but I would be surprised if they missed the importance of building armor from the molecular level.

Give it a read. Tell me if it tickles your imagination like it did mine.

http://www.spacemart.com/reports/Californian_Chemists_Take_Important_Step_Toward_Building_Molecular_Computers_999.html

Well, The Wandering Iceworm is signing off to see what else of interest I can find!