Breakfast Links: Atari, Turtle Wheels & J.K. Rowling
First Monday Back Art
First up. Atari. You know you love Atari, well, you know you love Atari if you’re an oldster like me. You’ve loved it since the first time you played Pong. Check out this post on the Rise and Fall of Atari. You know it’s gotta be good because like the first 25% of it on the origin of Pong - which part ends awesomely with this bit of trivia about the first Pong ever installed at a bar:
The bar’s owner also told Alcorn that on some morning when he arrived to open the bar, people were already waiting outside. But they weren’t waiting for beer. They’d come in, play Pong for a while, and then leave without ordering a drink. He’d never seen anything like it.
Pong blew their minds. Awesome.
Another rise and fall story, much sadder, chronicles the life and sudden death of Little Bit - a turtle. He was paralyzed after an unfortunate run in with a car and his saviour kept him mobile with the deft addition of model airplane wheels! Also, inexplicably repaired the shell with velcro? I though one generally used duct tape for such things? Ah well, the story is short and bitter sweet. Like Iron Man, but with a different ending.
And lastly we end with a couple links to authors weighing in on J.K. Rowling’s lawsuit against the guy trying to publish his website The Harry Potter Lexicon. Up first Neil Gaiman didn’t think that the suit had legs, legally, and gave some further examples of why he thought that. All generally mild condemnations of the suit. Orson Scott Card, on the other hand, comes out swinging. Where opens with this bit - which is, I suspect, the first time you’ve ever heard anyone comparing Harry Potter with Ender’s Game.
Well, heck, I feel like the plot of my novel Ender’s Game was stolen by J.K. Rowling.
A young kid growing up in an oppressive family situation suddenly learns that he is one of a special class of children with special abilities, who are to be educated in a remote training facility where student life is dominated by an intense game played by teams flying in midair, at which this kid turns out to be exceptionally talented and a natural leader. He trains other kids in unauthorized extra sessions, which enrages his enemies, who attack him with the intention of killing him; but he is protected by his loyal, brilliant friends and gains strength from the love of some of his family members. He is given special guidance by an older man of legendary accomplishments who previously kept the enemy at bay. He goes on to become the crucial figure in a struggle against an unseen enemy who threatens the whole world.
I could read that all day it’s so great. I don’t always love OSC, but man, when he’s on, he on. I mean, I gotta end this post with what he ends his with:
Rowling has now shown herself to lack a brain, a heart and courage. Clearly, she needs to visit Oz.
May 6th, 2008 at 4:24 am
Combat ruled.