Two Items of Concern re: the Governance of Mainland China

Chinese blacklist an early glimpse of sweeping new social-credit control - Nathan Vanderklippe for The Globe and Mail

Xi Jinping tells army not to fear death in show of China's military might - Tom Phillips for The Guardian

These details do not fill me with confidence regarding the current "management" in Beijing. Or their relations with the rest of the human race. Including Canada.

BOOKS: Artemis by Andy Weir

I've finished a quick and dirty read-through of it, and I'm mostly happy with it. I'm not anywhere near the science and technology nerd I ought to be, despite living ever closer to several of those possible futures. "Jazz" Bashara, Saudi-born and Lunar-raised, strikes me as an interesting enough protagonist. Not going to call her a "hero", which is likely to be a label she'd reject anyway if she were real. The story's not boring, and getting into the political and economic as well as the technical nuts and bolts always helps keep me interested when it's well-presented. It's as much a mystery/crime drama as a space adventure. The two aspects are well-balanced here.

It's not fair to compare Artemis to The Martian. So I'm not going there.

If I were to adapt Artemis for any other medium, I'd say "mini-series for TV, five to ten episodes". It's got enough characters with their own stuff going on in the background to justify it.

I'll leave the question of whether "Jazz" and her neighbours and family should get a sequel to Mr. Weir.

Bottom line: worth your money, worth your time.

Climate/Weather Worries

To everyone (expecting to be) affected by the upcoming "weather bomb" along Turtle Island's Atlantic coastline this next day or two, I wish you the best in staying as safe and as well as you can.