Another interlude: I was part of a panel in London last night on “open content,” care of the Open Knowledge Forum Network; the Flashing12 podcast has just posted the audio so I’ve folded it into the podcast stream. I’ll be back in a day or two with the conclusion of I, Robot.
Here’s part four of the podcast of my story “I, Robot.”
IBM Insights magazine has an interview with me in the current issue, and they’ve given me permission to distribute the PDF.
Here’s part three of the podcast of my story “I, Robot.”
Here’s part two of the podcast of my story “I, Robot.”
This is the commencement of the podcasting of a new story, I, Robot, which was originally published in The Infinite Matrix, is slated for reprint in several of the Year’s Best anthologies, and is a finalist for the British Science Fiction Award and the Locus Award for Best Novelette. It’s a riff on Asimov’s robots stories, in which only one kind of robot is allowed — I tried to use this to show how such a world would be one of universal, totalitarian Broadcast Flags, technology mandates that restrict innovation and liberty.
Arturo Icaza de Arana-Goldberg, Police Detective Third Grade, United North American Trading Sphere, Third District, Fourth Prefecture, Second Division (Parkdale) had had many adventures in his distinguished career, running crooks to ground with an unbeatable combination of instinct and unstinting devotion to duty.
He’d been decorated on three separate occasions by his commander and by the Regional Manager for Social Harmony, and his mother kept a small shrine dedicated to his press clippings and commendations that occupied most of the cramped sitting-room of her flat off Steeles Avenue.
No amount of policeman’s devotion and skill availed him when it came to making his twelve-year-old get ready for school, though.
“Haul ass, young lady – out of bed, on your feet, shit-shower-shave, or I swear to God, I will beat you purple and shove you out the door jaybird naked. Capeesh?”
The mound beneath the covers groaned and hissed. “You are a terrible father,” it said. “And I never loved you.” The voice was indistinct and muffled by the pillow.
“Boo hoo,” Arturo said, examining his nails. “You’ll regret that when I’m dead of cancer.”
The mound – whose name was Ada Trouble Icaza de Arana-Goldberg – threw her covers off and sat bolt upright. “You’re dying of cancer? is it testicle cancer?” Ada clapped her hands and squealed. “Can I have your stuff?”
I’m giving a talk on copyright, creativity and authorship at a public event in London next week put on by the Open Knowledge Foundation:
Speakers:
* Paula LeDieu, iCommons
* Cory Doctorow, Writer and Campaigner
* Tom Chance, RemixReading and Free Culture UK
* Jennifer Rigby, BBC Creative Archive* When: Wednesday 22nd February 2006, 7-9pm
* Where: Stanhope Centre, Marble Arch, London, W2 2HH. (Directions) (Map)
Here’s the seventh and final installment of the podcast of my story Human Readable:
Well, I’ve just had my second flight cancellation from London-Boston in 24 hours, and my new flight doesn’t land until 5PM. As many of you know, I’m scheduled to be speaking at MIT’s Bartos Theater at 5PM, which means I’m going to be late. Someone’s picking me up at the airport and I’m going to sit as far forward on the plane as I can, so with any luck I won’t be too late. Luckily, we’ve got a great big block of time booked for my talk — 5PM-7PM with a subsequent reception until 9PM, so with any luck you’ll be able to entertain yourselves for a bit until I get there. Just cross your fingers and hope for short lines at the Department of Homeland Security checkpoint.
Here’s installment six of the podcast of my story Human Readable:
