Artist Ruben Ortiz Torres digs into his archives and offers his readers at For the Record a video piece entitled Custom Mambo (1992, 5 min., 13 sec).  It's a marvelous study replete with kaleidoscopic imagery and multiple juxtapositions: Mexican folk iconography with 1950s and 60s American pop culture symbols, dancing cars set against women dancing at car shows, signs of the dangerous, furtive, and panicked border crossings contrasting the relaxed, low-and-slow car cruise.  Ortiz brings these signs of arrival into American consumer life, highlighting in them the desire for recognition in a cultural setting that relegates such ingenuity and communication to the margins of American culture.  Custom Mambo also shows the technology of low-rider culture to be a kind of proto-cybernetics, giving cars the capacity to take on human qualities of gesture, movement, and storytelling beyond through aesthetic intervention.  About these re-tooled, re-constituted wonders, Torres-Ortiz notes:

These "rides" constitute an effort to be noticed in a society that doesn't want to see the people that ride them. I hope the video conveys the overwhelming experience of the Dyonisian "beauty" that escapes any notion of rationality and at the same time hints at some of the problems it raises.

Tranquilamente sentada sobre min mesma, inflando e desinflando unha querida caixa torácica e pestanexando cada pouco por necesidades do guión, leo. Leo sentada onda un patio. Leo e leo nun Babelia atrasado que o Meiac de Badaxoz ofrece unha mostra de arte, ciencia e tecnoloxía. Maldición. I eu aquí. Veraneando. Vacacións en cru. Casa feita un campamento xitano. Sen facer ren. Apenas cantando coma unha autómata en mostras de jazz e cerimonias nupciais nas que os noivos vesten de moaré cor porcoteixo.

Perdéndome campos extremeños, autoestradas extremas e duras, camas de hotel con pata negra e landras ciscadas por ondequeira que devesas.

Retornemos, benqueridos: a exposición do Meiac. Titúlana O discreto encanto da tecnoloxía, un xogo de palabras cinematográfico que semella querer alonxarse diametralmente das estridencias futuristas máis esperables nos títulos de mostras desa caste, por presupoñelas quizais máis acordes co contido. Da tecnoloxía sabiamos xa que era fascinante; que era cara; que era luxosa; que era masculina [eh, pero!]; que era críptica e belixerante; que o seu poder medraba mentres os tecnócratas durmían; que era, en fin, despampanante; que chufaba de ser a panacea de todos os males da carne...

Non sabiamos, malia todo, que tamén pode ser un encanto. Un charme. Charmante, disque, a tecnoloxía.  Aínda preto pero xa algo despegada dese clixé que leva un tempo a ser a guinda de todos os pasteis de arte e ciencia que se cocen nos fornos pasteleiros do occidente: o de que a tecnoloxía redimirao todo, a saturación artística, os desafíos da ciencia e os pozos filosóficos.

Para todos os que cremos que a linguaxe da máquina, as investigacións no xenoma, na antimateria, nos fluídos ferruxinosos, na holografía, na biónica ou cibernética mudaron xa para sempre o panorama do noso hemisferio dereito e da nosa medula espinal, esta mostra pode ser un imantado motivo para achegarnos a Badaxoz. Esa terra que, polo demais, non me di nada. Por moito que aplique a orella.

[pacenses do mundo, desincrustádeme da miña ignorancia, atrevida!!]

Estes son os 5 módulos temáticos nos que se artella a devandita mostra do Meiac que, en breve viaxará a Karlsruhe [ e unha vez escrito este topónimo, pregúntome: visitaráa o filósofo-elefante, o señor Sloterdijk, que ten trazos de habitante da aldea de Astérix e a sabedoría e o cinismo de Panoramix?].

En fin, que os módulos éranse:

Operar sobre el código formal

Operar sobre el código visual

Operar sobre el código sensorial

Operar sobre la interfaz del cuerpo

Operar sobre la interfaz de la realidad

E unha vez aí dentro, obras do pioneiro Ramón Llull onda as de Joan Fontcuberta, Dora García, Daniel Canogar, Isabel Herguera, Pepe Buitrago, Ignacio Pardo ou Roberto Aguirrezabala baixo o comisariado de Claudia Gianetti, Antonio Franco e Peter Weibel. Encantaríame dicirlles que a exposición é estupenda e que ben o merece, pero só son quen de deixar constancia do meu desexo, probablemente inalcanzable, de calibrala.

Entón era que vostedes saltaban aquí, e dicíanme adeus axitando a man, conturbados, e moito era o que me amaban. E aquí ficaba eu, chuchando un lapis un 0 e un 1 e matinando no que escribir mañá para seguir sendo adorada ou, xa que logo, consentida por vocés...

Poden escoitar Die Roboter, de Kraftwerk. Unha salsa de retrotecnoloxía

If, as will become the dominant theme of this blog, the Purpose of a System is What it Does (POSIWID) what does it mean to mankind that so many of our systems appear broken to even unseasoned observers?  Stafford Beer of course had a lot to say on this subject in his many works but open example that often haunts me comes from his work of prose Chronicles of Wizard Prang.

"In a hundred years or so, everyone now alive in the whole earth will be dead - is this not so? ... It would therefore be possible for the human race to run its affairs quite differently, in a wise and benevolent fashion, in a relatively short time... The purpose of education," said Wizard Prang, "is to make sure this doesn't happen."

<<< This was all to brief a workout but it looks like a valuable tool- it assists finding relevant links to cross reference in a blog post ..... and as a jog to my own memory of where to go back to others it doesn't find.

I'll be using it more over the next several posts to give it a real trial - this and the iPhone for "jiffy short posts" just might lead me back into blogging.

Fig. 1. The generalized architecture of RTDS

The structure of base tools G2+GDA, necessary for RTDSS designing, consists of the interactive editor, tools of the graphic interface with an user, object-oriented graphics, graphic real time monitoring windows and animation, tools for display of connections between objects, interaction with an external environment, imitative modeling and processing of complex rules and procedures, tools for messages and explanations. Such objects as a nuclear station power block are not made serially. Each object is unique and hence RTDSS for object management is also unique. But at designing RTDSS for various objects it is possible to use the same hardware platform and tools. Moreover, within the framework of G2+GDA class tools it is possible to design a tool environment of the same type of RTDSS. Such tool should give limited, but a rather complete set of primitives for the knowledge representation about an allocated class of objects and processes and about methods of management by them. Naturally the tool environment, oriented on dynamic RTDSS, should be open for updating by new constructive elements."

A REAL-TIME DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM PROTOTYPE FOR MANAGEMENT OF A POWER BLOCK - A.P. Eremeev and V.N. Vagin (2003)

If you look far enough into the future you can devalue the worth of not just the human race but of everything (at least by using NPV techniques) to such an extent that the value of humanity, civilization and the environment  today is nothing at all... it appears that this could be the basis of behind thinking of some well known politcal advisors.... As we must live in the best of times,  lets devalue the worth of everything in the future to zip by acting in such a way as to make it happen exactly that way...with the future worse than now it truly can be said "we do live in the best of times" QED

The Purpose of a System is What it Does....read Pope's work and then consider  if the purpose of the admin is indeed to discount the future value of anything (that might cause temporary local pain) to such an extent that no action is taken until its too late for change.

First is that what seems to be the most important factor is the combination of the vision and the right emotional tone. This is where the first warning comes into play. If you are constantly running through worst case scenarios and feeling doomed then this is likely how you will experience your life, as a serious of disasters which you feel trapped by and despair. When you have formed a vision of what you want make it as rich in terms of sensory experience as you can. Include what you can see, hear and what it would feel like. Make the image big and bright, the sounds clear and loud and the feelings very intense. When you have this image, make it a movie. Run it through and see it move. Now step into it. See out of your own eyes as it is happening. What you can do at this point is create a little hand gesture and catch phrase for this. Take all of those sensations of the goal experience and double them in strength. It is at this point that you make the gesture and say the phrase. This is what NLP calls an anchor. Use this anchor and call up the vision and the feeling regularly and especially whenever you feel yourself drifting into negative feelings and thoughts. Whenever you use this anchor you should also make the sensations stronger. Double them every time you call them up. Warning number two, it is very important that the feeling you concentrate on is the feeling of having reached your goal not the feeling of wanting it.

Once you have started broadcasting this signal of what you want, the system of the world will start signaling back. I call these signals synchronic confirmations. An alternate interpretation of this effect is that through selective attention you start to notice things relating to the desires on which you are focusing. Either way the result is the same. The signals back come on the synchronicity channel. You will notice these signals either because they relate obviously to the desire or because they feel a little like it. These signals must be taken seriously. Pay attention to them and if they represent an opportunity take them. There are two reasons for this. One is that what you reinforce increases. The other is that you are training your unconscious to recognize pathways that lead towards your goals.

Vectors are those angles by which fulfillment of your desire can come to you. The universe can't provide you with something that is impossible. When you have created your vision you should also do anything in your power to make it easy for that vision to come true. If you've asked for money then set up a number of ways that money can come to you. If you are looking for a particular person put your self out where people like the one in your vision are likely to be. If you don't set up vectors along which your desires can come to you they will quite often come to you despite yourself but things go much quicker and smoother if you make sure to make everything as easy as possible.

Another principle I've recently discovered to increase the propagation of an attraction signal is called priming and amping. I tend to do my law of attraction visioning in discrete sessions, frequently while walking with a particular friend of mine. What we will do is develop the vision we want in one session and then revisit the vision in the next session. On that second session we have a tendency to exaggerate the vision sometimes to the point of ridiculousness. Early results of the ridiculous session can occur as quickly as an hour later. These sessions can be separated by a day or two or can be as close together as a walk before dinner and a walk after dinner. This leads us directly into the next tip, the mastermind group.

This is a facet of the law of attraction program that The Secret leaves out. The normal approach to mastermind groups is needlessly formal. There is no need for a mastermind group to be large or follow a recipe book of rules. All you need is someone else that gets the secret and with whom you can discuss your vision. As long as you can maintain a positive non-judgmental discussion you have a mastermind group. The point is to build up, rather than tear down, each others vision for the world and the feelings that go with it. And you will find that as you share and brainstorm about you visions that you are greater than the sum of your parts, synergy as Buckminster Fuller called it. It may even seem like out of the two, or more, of you a third mind has formed. If you maintain this collaboration for a while you may attune to the point you can see each others synchronic confirmation.

Now that you have your vision and feeling anchored, you are looking for synchronic signals towards your desires, you've set up vectors that your desire can come in on, are taking advantage of every opportunity and you've already primed and amped your wishes... now what? Maybe its been a day, maybe its been a week, hell maybe its been a year but here you are and you don't have what you want. In fact, your life is full of things you don't want. You are starting to think... hey man this is bullshit. Alright. Now stop and think. Have you been applying these principles to things you DON'T want? Have you been thinking about a vision of what you don't want, intensifying it, experiencing the feelings of it and then maybe giving that a name or a catch phrase? Have you been looking at your experience for proof that what you don't want is on its way or here to stay? Have you been setting up vectors for what you don't want to come to you, or even just leaving open existing vectors? If there's a person who treats you like crap why do you still hang out with them? Have you been amping your fears and complaints every chance you get? Well stop it. What you feed increases. So stop feeding what you don't want. Shut down as many vectors to what you don't want as you can. Any time you find yourself feeding what you don't want simply move your attention to what you do want. And remember its the emotional tone that matters. If you find yourself feeling like what you don't want take a moment just relax your breathing. And as your breathing becomes calm and smooth fire off that anchor for the feeling and vision of what you want.

So take the principles I've outlined here, and start feeding what you want with your attention. Forget about feeding what you don't want. You don't need to believe it will work, you just need to play with it like a game. When synchronicity starts responding and you start to see confirmation, smile because now the game starts to get really fun. Find other people who are willing to play the game with you. Once you have the vision and you have the feeling then its only a matter of time before the universe realizes them in a unique experience for you. All of these tricks are just to speed up that matter of time.

adj. and noun.

As adjective: alleviating pain; soothing to the mind or feelings. As noun: something that calms or comforts; a medicine or drug that relieves pain.

From Greek, a conjugation of an- "without" + odyne "pain." Odyne was the minor Greek Goddess of pain.

Now for all of the fanboys and cinemaphiles out there, you're probably familiar with the word "Cyberdyne" from the Terminator series. Cyberdyne Systems Corporation was the company that developed Skynet, the network of artificially intelligent supercomputers that was designed to replace human beings control of military systems and almost immediately became self-aware and launched a nuclear attack. So, if you take the prefix "Cyber," which is used to form words related to computers (and lately, the internet), but actually derives from a shortened form of the word "cybernetics," the theory/science of communication and control in animals and machines, and you combine it with "dyne," or pain, it appears that James Cameron constructed the word "cyberdyne" to loosely mean: "computer control of pain and suffering." At any rate, I thought it was interesting.

In Fuchs discussion of the work of Niklas Luhmann, an impassioned theorist. Luhmann argued that the role of sociology was to develop a theory that would provide a better and more complex understanding of the world. This could be done by developing a description and analysis of modern society through observation of society in its minute details. However, in its role as a science, sociology should not try to provide recipes to improve the world. The functional differentiation between sociology and politics should be respected.

In this way ethics should not determine sociological theory rather ethics depends on sociological theory.

Professor Hornung, the President of the University of Marburg, acknowledged that Luhmann's restriction to observation and non-intervention may seem to be an unaffordable luxury in crisis-ridden times. Hornung admits that sociologists "are in fact under daily pressure in our jobs to "produce" both scientific results and students to the precise profiles requested by the economy and the "market". But he cautions against ignoring Luhmann's lesson that

"complexity can be handled only by complexity (Hornung 1998)."

Shifting Words, Shifting Worlds

In the address written at the time of Niklas Luhmann death in 1998, Dr. Bernd R. Hornung, , described Luhmann as the "most important contemporary intellectual leader and representative of systems science in sociology." The influence of his new challenges and new perspectives extended far beyond sociology. Empassioned by theory, Luhmann provided new and influential perspectives which challenge the "army of "regular scientists." Luhmann combined the theory of the organization of the living of Maturana and Varela with his own complex reasoning and "transferred it to sociology, where it became soon a cornerstone of his own monumental construction of theory." In this theory the observer plays a key role by observing minute differences which impact on shifting terms, words and worlds (Hornung 1998).

"A considerable part of his life work consists in applying his abstract, complex frame of theoretical reference to virtually all areas of society, from the internal workings of administration to global ecological problems, from politics and economy to arts, love, and religion. Aiming at a universal theory of society no sector of society was left out in his attempt to apply, test, and further develop his theory." In order to expand his theory Luhmann entered into a scholarly confrontation with Habermas' theory (1971). See Hornung (1998).

Luhmann, a student of Talcott Parsons at Harvard in 1960-1, is a successor to but not a follower of, Parsons. They both attempted to develop a grand sociological theory that was universal and all encompassing (Hornung 1998).

In 1968, as Professor of Sociology at the newly founded Reform University of Bielefeld he devoted his full energy to his theory of modern society. He was inspired somewhat by Husserl's phenomenology but primarily by systems theory and cybernetics in his own efforts to develop a description of society (Hornung 1998).

Luhmann's Methodology: History, Legal Theory not Empirical Measurement

Informed by his love for history and using the tools of legal theory which involved library research and case studies Luhmann's project was to study society as a whole and develop a theory of modern society. His methods were not those of a natural scientist. He did not use an ethnological style of participant observation nor empirical measurement, data collection, and statistical hypothesis testing as a way to construct theory (Hornung 1998).

Issue #0 On Sale: Now
Issue #1 On Sale: 7/30/08
Issue #2 On Sale: 8/27/08

For whatever reason, I tend to have a soft spot for mercenaries and the stories that involve them. For example, Deadpool, "the merc with a mouth" is one of my favorite Marvel characters. Also, I consider Firefly to be one of the greatest television shows of all time. Outlaw Star was an anime favorite for a while as well. I say this because Contract, a new series from First Salvo Productions, has potential to be a solid, unique entry into science fiction mercenary genre.

Contract tells the story of Jess (the leader), Tsumi (the brains and swordsman), and Panzer (the brawn) - members of the mercenary team, "The Stellar Rangers". These guys take a wide variety of jobs in a technologically advanced future society. To be honest, Contract doesn't really bring a whole lot new to the table in the way of team dynamics, however, the characters are entertaining enough. Tsumi was, for me, the standout character of the group because, let's face it, the technological brains are rarely the sword wielders. He just has the "it" factor. Jess is a fairly generic, sexualized team leader that uses her smooth talking and sexual nature to get the job done. Panzer is the only member of the team I had a real issue with as his ridiculously written accent and lame action movie dialogue/"humor" annoyed me within a couple of pages. Seriously, they tried to hard to make Panzer funny and it just comes across as irritating.

The missions the team goes on are pretty entertaining and I enjoy the fact that they're episodic in nature. Each could be told as a stand alone story, yet still fit within a larger on-going arc as well. While nothing particularly groundbreaking, the story elements work to good effect. Programmed cybernetic warriors, technological implants, and underground crime rings have all been done before, but they are good plot elements both for the story being told and for the futuristic nature of the society.

The writing featured in Contract leaves a lot to be desired. As I mentioned before, Panzer comes across as an extreme action movie cliché ("funny" accent included!) and much of the humor feels forced. It felt as though the writers would rather go for a joke before they went for storytelling. That said, I did like the team interaction and chemistry. Also, props to whomever came up with the cybernetic warriors that were programmed to see things a certain way. The scenes featuring Crechebaby V.R. are hilarious and extremely unique. Basically the warriors are programmed to see things as though they're warriors living in a high fantasy world filled with elves and such. This is a great idea and acts as a standout concept in the seriess. The humor in these scenes are spot on and it shows that the writing team can do humor when it comes naturally to the story itself.

I really enjoyed the artwork in both Contract books. A number of artists worked on the project, but each brought something unique to the table. While some stories featured better art than others, as a whole this an attractive comic. In particular, the black and white artwork in issue #2 really stand out and I believe Ariel Padilla to be an artist worth keeping an eye out for. Simply put, Contract is a good looking series.

Keep an eye out for this series when it hits stores over the summer. While there will be some growing pains, it has a lot of potential. If the writers can scale back the attempts at humor a bit in favor of a more coherent story, I see good things in store for those willing to give this a chance. If you like mercenaries or are a fan of team books, check out Contract. Issue #0 is in stores now and Issues #1 and #2 are slated for July and August, respectively. For more information on Contract or how to order the books, head over to First Salvo Production's site. (Grade B-)

-Kyle Posluszny

As our Civil Code states in art. 5.1: the ignorance of the law does not excuse from its fulfilment, the mistake at law shall only produce the effects which the law determines. This only makes some sort of sense, critical of it as we may be, if at least the norms and their interpretation are available to everyone from verifiable and trustworthy sources. The common practice is that judicial decisions are issued by courts and kept in archives, and sometimes published in compilations of jurisprudence, but the general way law firms get to see them is through paid-for services which compile them, categorize them, and set up mechanisms for searching. Now, a new breed of computer-based legal databases is emerging, to compete with the old-style, practically monopolistic players. While I am not particularly in tears for the plight of "poor law firms" which have to pay big bucks, I am hoping this kind of initiative gets to open the law--at least somewhat--to the common people, and that the State takes over these duties of presenting it in useful ways, duties it should have never abandoned.

While I wouldn't say I am afraid of technology - yet - this gives me pause to think. Using a bug as the CPU of a robot. Especially this bug; a 2.5 inch Madagascar Hissing Cockroach. Is it really all that smart to integrate the only creature on Earth that would likely survive a nuclear holocaust with a machine? I can just picture it. Dozens of these battle ready robots, all controlled by bugs, running amok in our cities. It can't get any worse than this.

It's finally here! Herein is contained the Book of the Month review of Martin Caidin's Cyborg, much delayed, and sent out with the heartfelt apologies of the two tardy losers who post this blog, EG and OG.  As always, beware! There are SPOILERS within! If you haven't read the book and want to and don't want to know anything about it yet, now is the time to bale! 

If you've read the book and want to participate, we'd love it if you left a comment or 12 at the bottom of the post. Now, if we are all set, please settle down, sit a spell, kick your shoes off, and let's take a look at Cyborg! 

SYNOPSIS:

"Steve Austin, astronaut. A man barely alive.  Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology.  We have the capability to build the world's first bionic man. Steve Austin will be that man. Better than he was before. Better, stronger, faster." 

And, so goes the original opening of "The Six Million Dollar Man," the TV series based on this month's book, Cyborg by Martin Caidin.  Cyborg is indeed the tale of Steve Austin, but a different one than most of us who watched the series are used to. Not completely different... but different enough. 

Air Force Colonel Steve Austin is a former astronaut who had become a test pilot. During a test flight, there is a catastrophic accident, leaving Steve Austin barely alive. As a result of the accident, he loses his left arm, both legs, and his left eye.  But he survives. 

Dr. Rudy Wells, Austin's physician and friend, is approached by Oscar Goldman of the Office of Strategic Operations (OSO), with a proposition. Using the cybernetic breakthroughs of leading researcher Dr. Killian, Steve Austin could return to a relatively normal existence, not a crippled shell of the former man.  Wells, knowing that Austin would rather die than live in his condition, decides to allow the procedures.  We follow as Austin is implanted with his cybernetics and given a great amount of detail about how they work, their advantages, and their limitations, as Steve Austin becomes the first true Cybernetic Organism (or Cyborg). 

As Austin recovers from the procedures, we also follow his mental state, from his feelings of less than a man, to freak, moving toward acceptance of his state, and even to a place of gratitude for the advantages he has.  The reader is treated to the testing of the cybernetics of Austin, as he learns his abilities and limitations.  Before long, the OSO decides that it is time for Austin and his new cybernetics to serve their country, and begin sending him out on missions. This first is simply a recon mission, but an amazingly dangerous one, infiltrating a secret Russian base near the southeastern perimeter of the United States. 

Shortly after a successful completion of that mission, Austin is sent into the Middle East to steal a Russian MiG-27. 

On with the discussion! 

DISCUSSION:

EG: This is the first book we've taken a look at that has some "hard" science fiction elements to it. That is, it has really in-depth scientific description and explanation, focusing on theoretically accurate possibilities for the future of real science. Not simply, "Yeah, we gave him robot legs!" OG, I'm really interested in your reaction to this book, since you've admitted to having less experience with science fiction in book form. 

OG: You're right, I have.  And I've really been looking forward to bringing some hard sci-fi into my diet. I love reading about new developments in technology and other futurist type writing, so I think I'd enjoy that stuff within the context of a greater work of fiction. That said, in a novel, I think I can only truly enjoy it if it's been woven seamlessly into the narrative. My problem with Cyborg was that it didn't handle that balance properly. My understanding is that before writing fiction Martin Caidin was an aviator or aeronautics engineer of some sort. That doesn't surprise me in the least because many of his science-based passages were so dry that they chapped my lips.

That difficult reading (and, as short as this book is, I really did have a hard time slogging through it) only had a real payoff in terms of narrative as Steve began to deal with the psychological implications of what he's become and his upgraded body. And, while that character stuff was much darker than I expected from the source material for "The Six Million Dollar Man," (at least I don't recall any scenes where Lee Majors attempts suicide!!!) it made the earlier stuff worthwhile because Caidin really forces you as the reader to understand how the "bionics" would work in conjunction with the body and therefore puts you squarely inside Austin's head. 

EG:  That is true.  As for the character, no, in the TV show, Steve Austin never attempted suicide.  I've read some articles that refer to the Steve Austin in the book as "bloodthirsty," but I don't think of the character in that way.  To me, he is what I would call more "militaristic."  He has a job to do, he has been trained and prepared to do that job, and he does that job.  In that frame of mind, in those situations, moral debate is left for a later time, perhaps by other people entirely.  And, the description of the cybernetics, to me, actually helps fill out Steve Austin as a character a bit.  Instead of seeing the cybernetics as an arm and legs, they very much became more "tools" in my head.  For example, when they talked about the limitations of the legs in side to side movement, or when they described the arm as a piston-like sort of battering ram, I saw them more clearly as tools of the man, rather than a part of the man himself.  Steve Austin was being equipped.  Modifications are even made from mission to mission.  The science-based passages helped cement that in my mind. 

OG:  Well, I can see that.  I did like all of that stuff, but it could have been done so much more fluidly by another writer. Caidin, to me, seems like the prototype for Michael Crichton, someone I feel does a better job of mixing the sciency exposition with the story and character. Well, from what little I've read from him, that is. 

EG:  I can't argue with that.  It was infinitely easier to read through, for example, Jurassic Park (you did know that was a book before it was a movie, right OG?) than it was to get through Cyborg.  I gotta warn you though, my friend - a lot of hard science fiction suffers from this same problem. 

OG:  Well, yes, Mr. Smarty Pants, Jurassic Park and The Lost World happen to be two of the Crichton books that I have read. 

Anyway, what might have worked better from a storytelling point of view would be to start the novel in first person following the surgery as Steve begins to deal with what has happened and then, through third person flashbacks (better) or through conversations with one of the three exposition-mad characters in this book (worse), we could slowly learn about the accident and the technology that was integrated into his body. That way you dole out the science in bite-sized chunks that also serve the greater story. Instead of what you have now, which is kind of like drinking a gallon of NyQuil prior to eating a delicious piece of cake. 

EG:  Yeah, I went in expecting something closer to the TV show, but instead I got a hard science fiction book that turned into a spy thriller.  And, being totally honest, I'll admit - I was very happy once we moved beyond the hard science fiction and into the spy stuff. I didn't dislike the hard SF, it is just that, as you mentioned, long sections of pseudo-science technical explanation and testing can become...tedious. Getting to the application of Steve Austin's cybernetic enhancements was much more interesting.  Perhaps Caidin could have focused on each of the cybernetics as they were about to be used, giving the explanation, and then immediately going into an application. 

OG: I think so.  And, I too welcomed the fact that this wasn't just a big hunk of American cheese with dubious "science" on top.  I mean, the TV show is cool for what it was, but had that been all the book was, it might have been easier for me to get through, but wouldn't have been as interesting. That said, I wouldn't have minded in the slightest if Caidin had dropped the dusty realism just long enough to give our boy that cool telescoping eye from the show. A camera is fine and all and perhaps more plausible. But, come on! We'd all gladly suspend some disbelief in favor of a telescoping eye!  By the way, do you recall Steve Austin having a dart-shooting finger in the show? 

EG: No, Steve didn't have the dart-shooting finger.  I also found the science-based book version of Steve Austin more interesting than the Steve Austin of TV.  I liked that  he couldn't run at super speed or bend steel girders.  I was even fascinated by the explanation of his endurance abilities - that the heart and lungs that supported him when he was all man actually supplied much more for him after his accident, since they didn't have to "feed" one arm and two legs.  I honestly didn't miss the telescopic eye at all. 

OG: You didn't miss the telescopic eye!?!?  Oh man, I don't think there's a single book I've read in my life that wouldn't benefit from a telescopic eye or two.  I mean, imagine if Atticus Finch had had one.  Well, I don't know what he would have done with it, but it probably would've come in handy when he had to shoot the rabid dog.  Of course, he did all right in that regard without it.  But still.

Okay, so I majorly digressed. 

Anyway, yeah, I also started to turn the pages at a faster clip once it became the spy thriller that it became. Again, it reminds me of another writer and, based on the characterization of Steve Austin that Caidin gives us, it's a writer I wouldn't be surprised to find he was an avid reader of. That would be Ian Fleming. And, this is not just because of the obvious comparisons to James Bond in terms of secret missions, cool gadgets, etc. Fleming also began as a technician in the field he later wrote fiction about and also wrote about a dark, manly man character that dispenses with human life without passion and views his employer with more than a smidgen of cynicism; a character who seems to hate himself while being simultaneously confident in his ability to do the job at hand. I will risk beating the proverbial dead horse here to point out that the primary difference between Fleming and Caidin is that Fleming made the transition from practitioner of spy-craft to fiction writer much more smoothly and entertainingly than Caidin did from aviator to sci-fi novelist. 

My hunch is that Caidin's following three Steve Austin novels improve without having to do all the heavy lifting that's taken care of in this one. Do you have any interest in reading any of those? 

EG:  I think we can plan on putting those on a list for a future date. 

OG:  Sho 'nuff!

EG:  Maybe we'll get through one in less than two and half months! 

OG:  'Nuff said.

EG:  For this book, though, despite the dry portions of theoretical science, I enjoyed it.  And, though it seems somehow a sacrilege to give the inspiration of this little club a less than 5 Running Steves rating, I'm gonna have to go with 3 1/2 out of 5 Running Steves. 

OG: Yes, it does seem like a sin, but I'm gonna go just a bit lower and give it 3 Running Steves. 

Hey, I don't know if you caught any of NBC's "Bionic Woman" re-tread debacle, but I kind of wonder if the makers of that show read Cyborg prior to putting it together. Now, they were hampered by some bad writing and not great casting. Also, they went a little too "Battlestar" on the thing and basically drained any fun out of what should be a little fun on principle alone. That said, they did try their hand at injecting some of the melancholy and moral quandary of becoming a cyborg (against your will) that you only really get from this book and not from the previous TV incarnations of these characters. And, while they failed completely, I can see better what they might have been attempting and it makes me wonder if it couldn't have worked, or if a "Six Million Dollar Man" remake would be worth a thought. NBC certainly won't be trying that any time soon. But, it makes me wonder.  Maybe some day. 

EG:  I did see the first four episodes of that series.  I don't know if the book inspired it at all; I would say it was just the writing staff infusing a common "angst" into the show for the purposes of conflict.  (Get ready, because I'm about to go all geeky trivia here!)  I would say that the issue of melancholy and moral quandary was actually handled pretty well in the TV film "The Return of the Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman," in which Steve Austin's estranged son was in a similar crash to his father, and his father asks OSO to implant bionics in him. 

Afterwards, he deals with the issues of not wanting the bionics, particularly because of his feelings toward his father.  He even has to be counseled about it.  I remember liking the movie... but it has been 20 years since I saw it.  To further my geeky cred, though, there was another reunion movie a couple of years later called "Bionic Showdown," and it starred a bionic Sandra Bullock.  I remember it stunk though, a lot, in spite of my crush on Sandra Bullock.  And, I don't think the near 20 years since my last viewing will change THAT opinion at all. 

OG:  Wow.  "Return of..." sounds like a Netflix candidate for me.  Awesome. 

In that vein, I must say I'm excited at the forthcoming "$40,000 Man" about an astronaut involved in a terrible accident and is then rebuilt by the government on a shoe-string budget. Could be some comedy gold in there and maybe distract Jack Black away from any Green Lantern project he may have been thinking of in the past. 

EG: Uh... yeah.  You know, I have not been thrilled at the thought of any of these comedies that have been proposed over the years, be it the Jim Carrey “Six Million Dollar Man” or this one.  Then again, there haven’t been all that many comedies that have looked good to me in recent years.  But, if it keeps Jack Black away from Green Lantern, well, I’m all for it. 

OG:  Well, I think that just about does it.  Onward and upward.  And, dear readers, you should know that we here at the SABC are working feverishly to make sure we get "Dune" read and discussed in time for the end of June, beginning of July. 

We look forward to that and hope to see you in the comments section on this one or the next!

As reported by the BBC (who, incidentally, have a version of the above video where you can actually see the monkey's face), a monkey with its arms restrained (to simulate armlessness) and cybernetic implants is able to use its artificial limbs purely by thought. Which is amazing on a lot of different levels. The fact that the the apparatus is so intuitive a monkey can figure it out -- even with the steampunk-looking prototype -- is amazing.

While the article reports that the monkey had a 61% success rate in feeding itself and my initial inclination was to put an "only" between "monkey" and "had", I urge anyone skeptical of the amazingness of this advancement of the facts that a) this is a monkey, and b) this is a prototype. With a few years of serious love, the potential impact this technology will have on people with disabilities from limb amputations to, in the hopes of lead researcher Dr. Andrew Schwartz, "people with total paralysis" is mind boggling.

Dr. Schwartz and your team at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, buy yourselves a round of drinks and send me the tab.