Poul Anderson's "A Knight of Ghosts and Shadows", the last book in his Flandry series, is as grim as you could ask for. The light-hearted, wise-cracking, swashbuckling style of the earlier books ebbs away progressively during the course of the novel, until it culminates in a 'victory' for Anderson's hero that has no…

Given that the Human Microbiome Project recently reported that each of us carries around between 2 and 6 pounds of micro-organisms, belonging to more than 10,000 different species, I don't think we can really go pointing fingers at cheese.

So does this mean I have to stop knocking on people's doors wearing a white lab coat and telling them "I'd like to talk to you about the God Particle?"

Don't believe anything until you hear the government deny it.

"Homeless and rusty". "Will work for a recharge". "Disabled killbot, veteran of Yemen '36, Congo '41, Wisconsin '43. Give generously, help me fight for you again". "Buddy, can you spare a microchip?"

I think all the monarchies on Westeros are crowd-funded. Donations, however, are mandatory rather than voluntary.

This seems like a complicated way to go about things. An engineered aint-nuthing-but-a-womb body would still need a mechanical life-support system to keep it fed and healthy during gestation, so you've already got a substantial machinery cost. Presumably you'd also design these specialist 'bodies' to…

"Hey, Roland, look at this. Allen Hughes sent us all the effects filters they used for 'Book of Eli'. Wanna use 'em to give your new movie that unique, gritty post-apocalyptic look?"

My thoughts exactly. The trailer made me want to see the movie ... but I think I just did.

"Suffocating rabbits!" is my new all-purpose exclamation, suitable for any situation or social venue.

One good thing is that few people die of mortification any more. Apparently we're just harder to embarrass these days.

As an unexpected bonus, some people are reporting that their new '@facebook.com' emails don't actually deliver anywhere. Maybe having an email address that actually goes somewhere is a power user feature, or reserved for later implementation.

These ones wear little tiny capes and sleep in miniature coffins. On the plus side, you can protect yourself against them by hanging cloves of garlic from your earlobes.

Indifference? Who cares about that?

I was in my first year of college. I needed the money.

"I don't think you grasp your situation," said the man on the left, taking a pack of Gitanes from the breast pocket of his white mesh blouse. "You are busted, Mr. Case. The charges have to do with conspiracy to augment an artificial intelligence."

"Say, baby, why don't you and I go back to my place, so I can grapple you on a slight angle? I know you're gonna love the feeling of my pectoral fin on your flank."

There've been various mechanisms proposed for moving the moai. Another suggested technique involved sliding them on a layer of small round rocks, and then raising them upright by piling small rocks underneath them, lifting them a little, piling more rocks under them, and so on.

"At the age of six I wanted to be a cook. At seven I wanted to be Napoleon. And my ambition has been growing steadily ever since." — Salvador Dali

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS TOO MUCH WOMBAT!