I realize that I'm a stranger in a strange land, being in Broville, here, but these stories aren't cringeworthy to me. In fact, I think most of these (excepting the SAWED-IN-HALF TENNIS BALL, WHAT THE EVERLIVING FUCK) are sweet. I do understand the utter mortification these guys experienced; don't think we women…

I remember Ursula LeGuin writing about how baffled/irked she was when Playboy published one of her stories with the byline U. K. LeGuin. This was in the late 60s or early 70s, I believe. She wrote about it, asking who U. K. was — "Ulysses Kingfisher?" She is priceless!

It looks like a still from the movie.

Margo Lanagan's short story "The Goosle" disturbed me for days and days after I read it. It freaked me out so much that I've not been able to re-read it.

This is absolutely fascinating. I am by no means (or desire) a pro, but I've picked many locks in my life (mostly out of necessity, i.e., locking myself out of places, but also for fun). This lock is simply amazing!

Irony is the reason Terry Bisson and Howard Waldrop are two of my favorite authors.

You'd be asked to retake it.

Wow, this takes me back to my doctoral program days. I have not done any kind of testing in years, but this was one of my favorites, mostly because (depending on the population), I got some wild-ass answers!

Yes.

This was an interesting read. Seems some of the scientists doing research on wind turbine syndrome had conflicts of interest, so, regardless of my loathing for junk science and mass hysteria, I'm wondering if more research is called for.

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Jesus Christ, this money would feed and house every homeless person on the planet for life. WTF is wrong with this country!

K. J. Parker's Academic Exercises. What a superb writer he/she is! I do not like fantasy at all, but I will read any and everything Parker writes.

Being a clinical psychologist isn't all exciting puzzle-solving diagnoses nor life-saving heroics. It IS an immersion into a person's life and week-to-week tiny steps. It is an exhausting job. I am always tired. Always. But I cannot imagine doing, being, anything else, and I feel joyful much of the time.

Also, I was always confused by Burgess's dislike of Kubrick's movie, since it was exactly like the book.

Ursula LeGuin was absolutely right about the dreadful Earthsea adaptation.

My favorite book is Changing Planes. But I would start with The Left Hand of Darkness. I have a special place in my heart for the Earthsea books, though.

Ursula LeGuin is why, to this very day, I read science fiction. Without her in my horrible teen years, I don't think I'd have survived.

I love snakes and thought this was hysterical. The guys laughing in the video made it even more funny.

Yeahhhh . . . My dogs swallow everything whole. I'd be hard pressed to believe they taste any damn thing.