Today I spent all day at TED^x Boston. My brain is full of intriguing ideas; some I agree with, some of which I’m not too sure of, all of which have me thinking. Thinking more than usual.

If you know me, that’s a lot of thinking.

What is TED^x Boston? For that matter, what is TED? Well, you could just follow the link, but I’ll tell you. TED is a small nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. TED originally stood for Technology, Entertainment, Design, but the conference has grown in scope far beyond that.

What then is TED^x? TED^xis a new program that enables local communities such as schools, businesses, libraries, neighborhoods or just groups of friends to organize, design and host their own independent, TED-like events.

If you know me, you know that I’m a mind mapper. For me it is the fastest way for me to record notes in high density, along with recording connections amongst and between ideas. Plus, the physical act of diagramming improves my recall. Re-drawing my notes improves my recall even more, in addition to allowing me to tease out even more connections / references / reflections / refractions / contradictions in the idea space presented and represented.

That’s why I’m not going to say anything more about TED^x Boston until this coming Sunday. The mind maps I generated are so huge, that it will take that long for me to straighten them out. They’ll be an integral part of my next post.

Until then, Keep Thinking. Share those Ideas.

Even as you’re reading this, Readercon is bearing down upon the world of F&SF literature like an express train.  Is that the light at the end of the tunnel I see? Perhaps.  It is definitely the light of sweet reason.

I’ve noticed that plenty of scientists and engineers do not like science fiction, even when they grew up on the genre and it was a major contributing factor to their chosen profession?  Why?  All too often, they find themselves unable to excuse the scientific and/or engineering inaccuracies in a text whose genre presupposes a basis in scientific fact.  They end up reading fantasy instead, which is unhindered by claims of ties to the real.

Are there authors currently producing science fiction where the science is as rigorous as the prose in beautiful?  I suggest the following and welcome suggestions for additions and subtractions, comments and criticisms.

• Rudy Rucker
• Ken MacLeod
• Charlie Stross

Who else would you suggest?

If you’ve been following the h+ summit, or even if you haven’t been, perhaps you have questions regarding transhumansim, human augmentation, radical life extension, germ line genetic engineering, etc, etc.  I know I do.

So, I’ll be headed down to Sprout for the h+ beer meetup sponsored by DIYBio.

When?  6pm until 8ish.

Where? 339 Summer St, Somerville, Massachusetts 02144

Back in 2004, I lamented that no one was campaigning the then shiny and new Ford GT at Le Mans.  Well, this year, there are three, countem, 3 Ford GTs on the starting grid.  Two from the Swiss team Matech. The other, and highest qualifying Ford GT is being campaigned by Belgian team MARC VDS.

I had given up on ever seeing Ford vs. Ferrari, but, perhaps good things to come to those who wait.

There will be a little bit more magic than usual on the Circuit de la Sarthe tomorrow morning.

This past Sunday,  after an abbreviated visit to Boston Media Makers [http://bostonmediamakers.wordpress.com/], I made my way over to West Newton to attend a day long seminar on Wielding a Longsword (pics & vid to come), taught by Steven Hirsch (founder), Stuart Ferguson and Josh Watson of Kunstbruder – The Brotherhood of the Art.

This was a six hour long version of the 1 hour class I took part in at Arisia [http://www.arisia.org].  Whereas at the Arisia class we were quickly introduced to basic stances and footwork, this seminar proceeded as follows:

• 12:00 -12:25 Introduction to the Longsword
• 12:25 – 12:35 Warm-ups – Be prepared to sweat
• 12:35 – 12:50 The Basic attack – Oberhau
• 12:50 – 1:30 Footwork
• 1:40 – 2:30 Moulinet & Zornhau with Zorn-ort and Abnemen
• 2:30 – 3:00 Snack break
• 3:00 – 3:50 Unterhau and Combining it all
• 4:00 – 4:30 Absetzen – parry-riposte
• 4:30 – 5:00 Ringen am schwert – Wrestling at the sword
• 5:00 – 5:40 Coached free play
• 5:40 – 6:00 How to practice what you’ve learned
• 6:00- Dinner!

There were 6 students in attendance, including Marc Bernier [http://www.hickoryarmsonline.com], the swordsman and craftsman who created my brand new hickory waster, seen above and on the right.

By the end of the day, I was sweaty, tired, famished, and totally happy.  Afterwards, we shared a well deserved beer and some much needed calories.  Check these guys out.  They’re great teachers.  I’m definitely looking forwards to many, many, more lessons.

Thanks guys!