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*You’ll know this is a thing when certain cities start boasting about their “smart-free zones.” http://www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/2013/05/18/the-too-smart-city/q87J17qCLwrN90amZ5CoLI/story.html?s_campaign=8315 (…) “But as political leaders, engineers, and environmentalists join the smart-city bandwagon, a growing chorus of thinkers from social sciences, architecture, urban planning, and design are starting to sound a note of caution. Building a new, intelligent urban infrastructure could be every bit as momentous as building a water supply, or roads, or a subway system—setting development patterns for decades. Though they share enthusiasm for what a smart city could do, they also point out that smart-city programs could—with little public oversight—put us on track to a kind of urban future that not everyone thinks is ideal. “Behind the alluring vision, they argue, lurk a number of troubling questions. A city tracking its citizens, even for helpful reasons, encroaches on the personal liberty we count on in public spaces. The crucial software systems and networks that underlie city services will likely lie in private hands. And the more successful smart-city programs become, the more they risk diverting resources into the problems that can be solved with technology, rather than grappling with difficult issues that can’t be easily fixed with an app. “Networks and software could reshape city life as permanently as highways did. ” “We’ve had a very good debate in the technology community and business community about the benefits, but very little assessment of the risks,” says Anthony Townsend, an urban planning researcher at New York University and the Institute for the Future, who has spoken and written critically about smart cities. “Cities are focal points for human civilization, the places where people live, work, and create. And they may well be on the verge of new transformation, one that not only alters how they run but what their residents’ lives are like. As they move forward, there’s not just one inevitable path: Different ways of implementing technology could create very different cities, not all of them desirable places to live. *** “TODAY, SMART-CITY programs tend to be limited and fairly granular, though people might be surprised to know exactly which parts of their cities are already sensing and analyzing information. Boston is wired with a system called ShotSpotter, which uses acoustic sensors to detect and pinpoint the location of gunshots. The MBTA has been building an extensive network of thousands of surveillance cameras throughout the subway system, monitored from an operations center, and has also installed sensors to detect biological weapons. Equipment on the Prudential Tower and other buildings tracks greenhouse gas emissions; analytical software even helps predict maintenance needs in parts of the sewer system. “Other cities are testing more extensive projects….”

News 20 May 2013 - 06:01 Could casting be underway for JJ Abrams' Star Wars: Episode VII? And is The Tudors' Jonathan Rhys Meyers signing up? The hit rate of Latino Review when it comes to sizeable exclusives remains good, even though one or two stories have been fervently denied of late (specifically regarding The Avengers 2). Time will tell if that hit rate remains as good, but anyway, we'd always suggest taking such big rumours (including this one) with a pinch of salt until there's a bit more meat on the bones. But its tentacles still appear to be better than ours. Its latest report suggests that JJ Abrams is in Star Wars mode now, having safely delivered Star Trek Into Darkness into cinemas. And with that in mind, the first piece of new Star Wars: Episode VII casting information has potentially come to light. It's widely expected that confirmation of the return of Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill to Star Wars isn't far away (weeks rather than months there, we'd suggest). But Latino Review is now reported that Jonathan Rhys Meyers is in line to join the cast, in a thus-far undisclosed role. Rhys Meyers appeared in Abrams' big screen directorial debut, Mission: Impossible III, although he remains best known for The Tudors. When we get any sign of confirmation of this, we'll let you know. In the meantime, the Latino Review story is here. Follow our Twitter feed for faster news and bad jokes right here. And be our Facebook chum here Star WarsJonathan Rhys MeyersStar Wars: Episode VIIJJ Abrams

Interviews & Profiles StarTrek.com interviews Dorothy Fontana. The Skiffy and Fanty Show interviews Mary Robinette Kowal. RT Book Reviews interviews John Scalzi (video). Lovecraft eZine video-interviews Ellen Datlow. The Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy interviews Rick Yancey (podcast). In conversation: Bill Griffith and Paul Di Filippo (video). Dread Central interviews James P. Blaylock. News John Scalzi’s “The Big Idea” – Open Call to Publicists, Editors and Authors. Ambling Along the Aqueduct: Ebook Edition of Nancy Jane Moore’s Conscientious Inconsistencies. Roleplayers Chronicle » Paizo Publishing and OffWorld Designs Partner to Create Official Apparel for the Pathfinder RPG. Star Trek shuttle craft to be displayed at Space Center Houston. Ticonderoga Publications – Free Shipping Offer – this week only!. Events & Event News Scott Eelman’s 10 photos from SFWA’s 2003 Nebula Awards weekend. Ellen Datlow’s Photos of Kit Reed and Daniel A. Rabuzzi’s reading at KGB. Confirmed guest for SofaCON 2013 Lois McMaster Bujold. Wednesday August 21 2013 at Oxford Playhouse: Neil Gaiman in conversation with Philip Pullman. Crowd Funding Euphoria: Build a Better Dystopia by Jamey Stegmaier. Robots vs. Slime Monsters: An A. Lee Martinez Short Story Collection. Articles Tansy Rayner Roberts on 2012 Aurealis Awards (and having “too many” wins). Stainless Steel Droppings on Spectrum Fantastic Art Live 2, Day One: A brief report in pictures. Jamie Todd Rubin on Stephen King and Doctor Who. Adam Roberts on Iain M. Banks, The Player of Games (1988). Fantasy Faction on YA Science Fiction & Fantasy – Part Two: From Humble Origins to Lofty Heights. Amanda Kooser on Why this old-school Trekkie loves the ‘Star Trek’ reboots. Society for the Advancement of Speculative Storytelling on The art of the short story. Salon on “Jodorowsky’s Dune”: The sci-fi classic that never was. [via Paul Di Filippo] James Wallace Harris on The Evolution and Education of Artificial Minds. Lawrence Watt-Evans on Pre-Code Horror Comics. Lou Antonelli on The art of the short story. A. Lee Martinez reviews Star Trek Into Darkness. The World in the Satin Bag reviews Star Trek Into Darkness. The Guardian on When horror stopped being supernatural. The Guardian asks How do you write about life when it’s lived on computers? Amazing Stories on Playing the Short Game: How to Sell Your Short Fiction (Part 18 in series). Amazing Stories on It’s All About the Vessel. Amazing Stories on Everything I Know, I Learned from Edgar Allan Poe. Amazing Stories on The Artful Collector: Are Conventions Good Places to Find Art? (Part 3). Gearfuse on 10 Zombie Gifts No One Needs But Everyone Wants. WhatCulture on 5 Best And 5 Worst Romances In Science Fiction. WhatCulture on Star Trek Into Darkness: 5 Reasons It’s The Best Star Trek Movie Yet. Film School Rejects on 9 Ways Star Trek Into Darkness Is Too Much Like a Star Wars Movie. Art Driving Distances on Mars and the Moon. [via io9] This Time-Lapse Video Of Robert Xavier Burden’s Transformer Art Is Awesome. Superman by BrenochAdams. The Walking Droid. More Fun Stuff Infographic: The Economics of Comic-Con. Notes from Coode Street #143: A journey from new SF to politicised editing. Fan trailer or Humanity’s Fire by Michael Cobley Brief Photoessay on the Steampunk World’s Fair. PKD Otaku #28 is now available (featuring a tribute to Paul Williams). Beware the Hairy Mango #170 – “It’s All Just Hearsmell” by Matthew Sanborn Smith. Beware the Hairy Mango #171 – “Butterfly Lass « Beware the Hairy Mango” by Matthew Sanborn Smith. Star Trek/Wars Cookies. Batman Mustache. Want More? See SF Signal’s Twitter, Facebook, and Google+ pages for additional tidbits not posted here! Related posts: SF/F/H Link Post for 2013-05-13 SF/F/H Link Post for 2013-05-15 Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Link Post for 2013-05-0

Our chums over at TeeFury have got another great Doctor Who t~shirt for sale - for 24 hours only! Titled The Girl Who Waited, the design is available worldwide for $11 - visit the site HERE.

Hello everyone! As you may know, we Book Smugglers are pretty big Doctor Who fans. As you may also know, if you’re a fellow Whovian, this year marks the 50th anniversary of the series, and just this weekend the series seven finale aired. To celebrate all things Doctor – spoiler free as much as possible, of course – we have a big fat time-travelly sonic screwdriver-y giveaway of a library of books and classic Doctor Who DVDs. The Books To kick off the anniversary festivities, Crown has released three new Doctor Who books on April 2! You can find out more about each of these three books on Suvudu (plus ">excerpts, too). Plague of the Cybermen by Justin Richards When the Doctor arrives in the 19th-century village of Klimtenburg, he discovers the residents suffering from some kind of plague: a ‘wasting disease’. The victims face a horrible death — but what’s worse, the dead seem to be leaving their graves. The Plague Warriors have returned. The Doctor is confident he knows what’s really happening; he understands where the dead go, and he’s sure the Plague Warriors are just a myth. But as some of the Doctor’s oldest and most terrible enemies start to awaken he realises that maybe — just maybe — he’s misjudged the situation. Read an excerpt HERE. Shroud of Sorrow by Tommy Donbavand It is the day after John F. Kennedy’s assassination and the faces of the dead are everywhere. PC Reg Cranfield sees his recently deceased father in the mists along Totter’s Lane. Reporter Mae Callon sees her late grandmother in a coffee stain on her desk. FBI Special Agent Warren Skeet finds his long-dead partner staring back at him from raindrops on a window pane. Then the faces begin to talk, and scream… and push through into our world. As the alien Shroud begins to feast on the grief of a world in mourning, can the Doctor dig deep enough into his own sorrow to save mankind? Read an excerpt HERE. The Dalek Generation by Nicholas Briggs Sunlight 349 is one of countless Dalek Foundation worlds, planets created to house billions of humanoids suffering from economic hardship. The Doctor arrives at Sunlight 349, suspicious of any world where the Daleks are apparently a force for good — and determined to find out the truth. He soon finds himself in court, facing the ‘Dalek Litigator’. But do his arch enemies really have nothing more to threaten than legal action? The Doctor knows they have a far more sinister plan — but how can he convince those who have lived under the benevolence of the Daleks for a generation? But convince them he must, and soon. For on another Foundation planet, archaeologists have unearthed the most dangerous technology in the universe… Read an excerpt HERE. The DVDs “Doctor Who: The Robots of Death” Special Edition DVD The TARDIS, carrying the fourth Doctor (Tom Baker) and his new companion Leela, arrives aboard a huge sandminer on a deserted world. The small human crew relies almost entirely on robots to carry out their every task and whim while they mine the planet’s rich minerals. Suddenly, one by one, members of the team start to disappear. The time travelers discover that someone or something is murdering the crew – but, of course, nobody believes it could be the robots. This digitally remastered special edition of the Doctor Who classic includes a new audio commentary with actors Tom Baker, Louise Jameson, Pamela Salem, and director Michael E. Briant. “Doctor Who: The Ark in Space” Special Edition DVD The TARDIS lands on a space station orbiting the earth in the distant future. It’s seemingly deserted, but the Doctor (Fourth Doctor – Tom Baker), Sarah Jane and Harry soon discover that they are not alone. Thousands of humans – the only survivors of the human race – are in cryogenic sleep, and while they’ve slept their ark has been invaded. A parasitic insect race – the Wirrn – have taken control and threaten the

Have you ever met a legend? I have. I've stood on the walls of a doomed-to-fall fortress with men too old, too young, and women who fight like lionesses; I've been chased across enemy territory by wild beasts, but rescued by a deformed cripple who was turned on by everyone he has ever known yet he still cared; I've gone behind enemy lines to cut the head from the snake’s body; I've met killers who would turn on country and kin, who have committed the most violent of acts, yet they would sacrifice themselves for the sake of children; and I have fought and fallen besides heroes. I am a soldier, and I have ‘been there, done that’, but these are legends. And the first legend that I met was not a soldier. He was a writer and his name was David Gemmell. David Gemmell was a fantasy writer. That’s the truth of it. He was and still is regarded as the British ‘King’ or ‘Father of modern heroic-fantasy’, a title worthy of his legendary status. To eleven year old me the big-daddy-of-heroic-fantasy was a fireside mythmonger. But behind every legend there is a human being, and you couldn't get more human than David. For all his renown, David was simply known as ‘the big man’ to his fans and readers. I picked up my first Gemmell novel when I was eleven, back in 2001. At the time I hated reading, so much so that I was classed under ‘special measures’ at school. So when my mother gave me £5 pocket money in a book shop as a last attempt at kindling an interest in reading, she fully expected me to pick-up a pack of stickers or a Pokémon magazine at best. Needless to say she was shocked when I chose a novel, let alone something from the adult ‘Fantasy’ section. Thinking back on it, I’m surprised that my mother didn't tell me not to waste the money – me being me, at first sight I honestly only wanted the book for the cool picture of the axe on the front. I’m eternally grateful that mum didn't talk me out of it. That novel was ‘Legend’. An eleven year old with an adult fantasy novel? Spotty pre-teen vs. violence, cursing, death, sorrow, tragedy…and courage, love, friendship, too. Above all else David Gemmell wrote passion. I laughed and I cried. I discovered a world where men stood against death – and in many ways life – not because they had to, but because it was the right thing to do. I wanted to be like one of these men. (Or women for that matter! Gemmell also catered to the strong female archetype. The character Virae from Legend will always have a place in my heart. As a boy, when I’d rather wipe a bogey on a girl’s back than play kiss chase, to have strong female role models was a real eye-opener. Though I still didn't play kiss chase.)Gemmell wrote ‘lightly’. Don’t take this the wrong way. He doesn't skim on detail nor does he info-dump pages of history in a single go. His voice is light as it’s easy to read, so easy in fact that eleven year old me who didn't EVER-want-to-read finished ‘Legend’ in a single night. My mum wasn't impressed with the bags under my eyes, but she was speechless that I had actually read a book, let alone in a few hours. I was young and impressionable, and Gemmell’s stories cast a spell over me. Where most teens my age had sports stars or pop sensations for idols, I had the heroes and heroines of Gemmell’s books. I was not alone in my fascination. One reader reportedly saved a woman from being attacked by two men, all because of Gemmell’s influence. If there’s one thing that has stayed with me over the years, it’s a code. A code of warriors, ‘The Iron Code’, something that Druss the Legend said. Something that Gemmell wrote. “Never violate a woman, nor harm a child. Do not lie, cheat or steal. These things are for lesser men." "Protect the weak against the evil strong. And never allow thoughts of gain to lead you into the pursuit of evil." "Never back away from an enemy. Either fight or surrender. It is not enough to say I will not be evil. Evil must be fought wherever it is found.” When asked by one of my fellow sol

TrekMovie continues our deep dive of analysis into Star Trek Into Darkness. Today we bring you a closer look at the USS Enterprise from the movie, including a surprising details you may have missed. We also have some exclusive insider details. Check it out below (beware of spoilers). Enterprise gets refit in Star Trek Into Darkness In Star Trek Into Darkness the USS takes some serious damage. They even played up this notion in the marketing often showing a ship crashing into the ocean and the Enterprise falling toward Earth was featured on the posters for the movie. Domestic poster featuring falling Enterprise But if you have seen the movie you know that in the end the ship makes it through, albeit with serious damage. The final scene of the movie jumps forward almost a year after the battle with the USS Vengeance with a ceremony to ‘re-christen’ the USS Enterprise. We then see the crew on the bridge as they set off on their new five-year mission and then the ship warps away. While the bridge itself appeared to be exactly the same, if you looked closely the ship’s exterior you would spot differences. Just compare the images below (taken from one of the movie trailers and from a behind-the-scenes video about the music) USS Enterprise in "Star Trek Into Darkness" (right before encountering USS Vengeance) "refit" USS Enterprise from end of "Star Trek Into Darkness" A source confirms with TrekMovie that ILM did make changes to the digital model of the Enterprise in order to show it has been ‘refit.’ According to the source there are "big and subtle changes" to the Enterprise. The most obvious change is to the impulse engines. While the nacelles do appear different in the above image that is mostly due to the pre-warp effect distorted angle, however the source did say there are subtle changes to the nacelles as well. The following video gives you a better look at some of the changes. The original ‘refit’ While there are differences for the new universe Enterprise ‘refit,’ they are not nearly as pronounced as the original ‘refit’ Enterprise from Star Trek: The Motion Picture. In that case the ship had gone through a complete redesign to transition from the 60s TV series to the big-budget 1979 film. Original TV series USS Enterprise and ‘refit’ from movie era Obviously we will see more of the new refit when the Blu-ray comes out and of course we will have to wait for the next movie to see the refit completely, and find out if the ship has any new technologies or features.

You may recall my March 19th piece On Fighting, Or, Maybe That Elf Needs a Black Eye, in which I discussed my then-recent experience of getting out of my proverbial shell, losing weight and learning Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and how that had affected my impression of how fights are written up in fantasy. It's been a couple of months since I wrote that, and I feel like it's time to revisit the subject. I've been training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (and now kickboxing, as well) for almost six months now, and boy, things have changed. I've lost 30 pounds of fat, and have - for the first time in my life - started to build a little muscle. I've started to get to a point where I may not win if I ever have to defend myself, I am at least sure I can give the other guy a fight. I even earned my first "stripe" on my white belt! I'm more confident, much happier and...well...a great deal more sore. It's not something that many fantasy writers visit in their fiction: injuries. Stick with any combat sport - no less actually fighting -  long enough and you're bound to get a few. Teeth get chipped, nerves tweaked, muscles pulled and joints pulled out of socket. Concussions happen, and so do broken noses, jammed fingers and cauliflower ears. All of this won't happen to every person who trains, but some of them will. My left middle finger is a little stiff, and my neck snaps, crackles and pops more than those Rice Krispies elves. It's all probably temporary, just like the leopard-spot constellation of bruises and hamstring soreness. Some of my classmates - the lifers - aren't so lucky. Look around and you'll see a few misshapen ears and hear a few complaints about chronic shoulder pain. It's all part of the game. That's what I'm getting at here: If you're a writer and you've got a brawler or sword-slinger in your story, then you might want to consider adding a few colorful details. Consider some scars around the hands and arms, or maybe a finger joint that isn't right anymore. How about a knee that creaks, or an old shoulder injury that flares up when it rains. Fighters fight, and when you fight you get hurt. Sure, nobody wants to read about a mercenary who constantly complains about pain and old injuries, but a few nods to what he or she has paid physically to develop their skills will make your characters all the more believable. Further, just like in any profession or pastime, fighters have their own language - stuff that people outside their circle won't know. I had no idea what it mean to have my "neck cranked" last year. I had never heard the expression "gassed out", or seen a fighter referred to as "game". I know what these things mean now. It's part of the process of enculturation, if you will. Further, although I'm relatively new in my studies, I'll be able to strike up a conversation with another Jiu-Jitsu enthusiast no matter where I go. Think about your warrior characters having the same relationship with the fighters around him or her - even if they're the enemy. The sweat, passion and pain of fighting should be part of any warrior's story. Think about making it part of yours. Matt Staggs is the author of short stories, numerous reviews and many feature articles. He’s also a podcaster, publicist, editor and more. His work has appeared in several non-fiction works, including Beyond the Wall: Exploring George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire and Booklife: Strategies and Survival Tips for 21st Century Writers. He was games and fiction reviewer for Realms of Fantasy magazine and has had his writing appear on many websites, including Tor.com. As a book publicist, Matt has worked with a wide range of authors, including Tom Disch, Michael Moorcock, Peter Straub, John Shirley, Alan Dean Foster, Daniel H. Wilson, Nancy Kress, Joe R. Lansdale and Jeff VanderMeer. Some of the publishing houses he has worked for include Random House, Harper-Collins, Tachyon Publications and Underland Press. Matt is web content editor for the Disinformatio

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