Cartoon by Toth (sent by Valerie)

"Sweetie daring, of course I’ll be sober in time to go see Mick and Andy"

(Graphic from Valerie)

MORE DAMNED GIG ADVERTISING
Just a final reminder that tomorrow night (Thursday ), Mick Farren and guitar partner Andy Colquhoun will be playing their two-man alien electric blues as part of Tequila Mockingbird's Club Fluffer at Zen Sushi, 2609 Hyperion Avenue (323 665 2929.) Showing up around 9.30 is still a good idea. And, yes, there’s a $5 cover, and other attractions include The Jane Cantillion Cabaret, Miss Lady La Diva' Burlesque, Backbiter, and the incredible song stylings of The Bunny.

I THOUGHT ISAAC ASIMOV HAD FIXED THIS YEARS AGO?
The following report came from The Times of London via MSNBC
"The race is on to keep humans one step ahead of robots: an international team of scientists and academics is to publish a "code of ethics" for machines as they become more and more sophisticated. Although the nightmare vision of a Terminator world controlled by machines may seem fanciful, scientists believe the boundaries for human-robot interaction must be set now - before super-intelligent robots develop beyond our control. "Security, safety and sex are the big concerns," said Henrik Christensen, a member of the Euron ethics group. How far should robots be allowed to influence people's lives? How can accidents be avoided? Can deliberate harm be prevented? And what happens if robots turn out to be sexy?" http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2230715,00.html

Clearly what’s being proposed is a modern and for-real version of The Three Laws of Robotics formulated in 1940 by Isaac Asimov and John W. Campbell for use in science fiction, which are as follows.

First Law: A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
Second Law: A robot must obey orders given it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
Third Law: A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

I feel, however, that at least two other factors are on play here. One is Ray Kurzweil’s concept of The Singularity, when in about 30 years time, machines will be self-aware and smarter than we are. The other is, of course, the logical assumption of fictional artificial intelligences like HAL9000 and Skynet, that humanity is a worthless viral infection and should be erradicated. A sentiment with which I don’t always disagree.

The secret word is Exterminate

(The email address is still byron4d@msn.com)

I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised with the emphasis put on sex robots especially in view of this graphic sent by Valerie.

I STILL HAVE A NEW BOOK OUT
Here are a couple of reviews, and also a highly salient comment from our pal AlanB that decries the current publishing practice of expecting books to sell themselves.
http://alanburridge.blogspot.com/2006/06/motorblog-fanfare-of-silence-in-his.html

This is from the redoubtable Harriet Klausner
"The fearsome "Four" teens (Cordelia, Jesamine, Argo and Raphael) function as one when they must psychically battle the Dark Things in the Other Place in their quest to contain the evil Mosul Empire and its malevolent enchantress Queen Jeakqual-Ahrach. Their current assignment is to drive the Asian horde out of the once free Commonwealth of Virginia. However, the quartet realizes that their powers as a group and as individuals are growing rapidly, but none of them comprehend that a by-product of their rising skills is an increasing dependency on alcohol and sex at first.
Each soon recognizes what is happening as they covet sex to the point that it engulfs their every moment, but none apparently can stop the desire for more. Each turns to some form of gratification with Jesamine making it with Prime Minster Jack Kennedy, a bull who can keep it up. However, the heroes must return to form soon as the enemy enchantress has created twins to destroy to quartet and Jesamine has been abducted into enemy held territory across the channel near what is left of Paris. Together they are nearly invincible, but their individual needs and desires keep them divided.
CONFLAGRATION, the sequel to KINDLING, is an interesting erotic alternate historical fantasy. The story line spends quite a bit of time in the first segment showcasing the wide sexual appetites of the Four, but once an assassination and the abduction occur, the plot goes hyperspeed thriller though the passion cravings grow too. Though a bit muddled, fans who appreciate a different type of alternate historical fantasy, will want to read this tale and its predecessor as Mick Farren brings out all the chains, whips, and assorted XXX paraphernalia in this rousing tale. "

And this is from Regina Schroeder in Booklist
"The Four of Farren's Kindling (2004) are plagued by visions of mysterious, pale twins. Meanwhile, freeing Virginia from Mosul rule goes well, with the Kingdom of Albany turning back the horde with surprisingly little supernatural aid. When Prime Minister Kennedy goes to London to negotiate with the English and Norse, the Four accompany him per the mysterious Yancey Slide's advice. They meet spies from the Morgana's Web network and hear rumors about the envisioned twins related to a breeding program Jeakqual-Ahrach has been working on. Then in one chaotic day and night, Kennedy is assassinated, and Four member Lady Cordelia is kidnapped and, with a detour past a pyramid being built in Amiens for some nefarious Mosul purpose, whisked to Paris. The other three Four (Argo Weaver, Jesamine, Raphael Vegas) come to her rescue, with Yancey and a group of Rangers striking at the heart of Jeakqual-Ahrach's most destructive plan yet. The struggle for freedom from a nearly unstoppable colonial force that Farren's fantastic alternate history portrays is altogether gripping."
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

CRYPTIQUE – For 16 minutes in every hour I sit with my eyes closed and wonder if I’d like to be dead.

THE BUNNY IS NOT IN THE BAND
(Although he will be appearing at the same show)
This coming Thursday (June 22nd ), and for the first time in at least two years Mick Farren and Andy Colquhoun will be playing their two-man advanced alien electric blues as part of Tequila Mockingbird's Club Fluffer at Zen Sushi, 2609 Hyperion Avenue (323 665 2929.) Showing up around 9.30 would probably be a good idea, and there’s allegedly a $5 cover, because, unlike the musicians, the strippers like to be paid. (Yes, my friends, there will be strippers as well as a bunny .)

The secret words are Be There

DARE WE HOPE?
A puff piece on Barak Obama in this morning’s Washington Post is the kind of flurry that marks someone considering a run for President. I sure hope he is, because by 2008 things could be so fucked up he might be the only one with enough smarts to begin digging us out of a hell of our own creating. Pundits accuse him of being too young, but, in fact, by my arithmetic, he’s actually a year or so older than JFK when he took office.
For the story...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/17/AR2006061700736.html?referrer=email&referrer=email