tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16327517.post1348011824064568244..comments2024-03-26T19:19:35.144+00:00Comments on Eolake Stobblehouse thoughts: The Hydrogen Sonata (updated)Eolake Stobblehousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07126147415891586345noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16327517.post-38723401108476237302012-12-06T15:28:46.694+00:002012-12-06T15:28:46.694+00:00Yes, that's a big pain in the ass. Also for eb...Yes, that's a big pain in the ass. Also for ebooks. <br /><br />It'll take time to change, because most of the many, many publishers are stuck in the idea of buying/selling only rights for one country at a time. Eolake Stobblehousehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07126147415891586345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16327517.post-14208010916688927852012-12-06T03:21:59.441+00:002012-12-06T03:21:59.441+00:00True. And it seems kind of strange in that we hav...True. And it seems kind of strange in that we have more and more "Region Free" stuff in DVDs but in other ways it's still like it's always been. It's odd that there even have to be different itunes stores instead of one for the whole world.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16327517.post-19201752700108930832012-11-28T22:24:50.629+00:002012-11-28T22:24:50.629+00:00Rights and regions is just one big bullshit game w...Rights and regions is just one big bullshit game which nobody gains from. Eolake Stobblehousehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07126147415891586345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16327517.post-28978271680085918222012-11-28T21:54:53.689+00:002012-11-28T21:54:53.689+00:00Got Hydrogen and Use (the latter there were two di...Got Hydrogen and Use (the latter there were two different listing, one $16.95 the other $17.95, same narrator...went for the cheaper one as there didn't seem any difference). It's strange they don't have all of them when the US and UK itunes do. I recently asked Amazon.ca why they have such limited content compared to Amazon.com and .co.uk but got some bullshit answer.Joe Dicknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16327517.post-82732275637827197602012-11-10T00:12:39.814+00:002012-11-10T00:12:39.814+00:00I just found out that Use Of Weapons is now out on...I just found out that Use Of Weapons is now out on audiobook too. <br />That one is considered one of the best by many fans. Eolake Stobblehousehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07126147415891586345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16327517.post-88346507765708962602012-11-08T22:07:42.946+00:002012-11-08T22:07:42.946+00:00Ah, okay, I'll have to try that.Ah, okay, I'll have to try that.Joe Dicknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16327517.post-51909001504566709932012-11-08T18:51:38.823+00:002012-11-08T18:51:38.823+00:00I am using a US re-mailing company, myUS.com. I...I am using a US re-mailing company, myUS.com. I've heard that some companies will also somehow lease use of a US-registered credit card, though I don't know much about it. Eolake Stobblehousehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07126147415891586345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16327517.post-16932868258150589202012-11-08T18:40:34.899+00:002012-11-08T18:40:34.899+00:00I'm awfully sorry, it seems Canada in many way...<i> I'm awfully sorry, it seems Canada in many ways is a backwater what applies to ebooks and audiobooks. </i><br /><br />It sure seems that way. I just wonder why they'd have a couple of his books but not the rest - and why not, as is often done, have the U.S. itunes store for us as well. I mean, when you're talking about electronic content and electronic payment...<br /><br />I don't know anyone in the U.S. that I could ask, though, so I'll just have to forget about an audio book and - sigh - read it the old fashioned way.Joe Dicknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16327517.post-92131951152869406012012-11-08T02:45:30.003+00:002012-11-08T02:45:30.003+00:00Maybe you actually wrote "Dave Nielsen."...Maybe you actually wrote "Dave Nielsen." Once on another blog, a while ago now, I was typing my name into the box after finishing my comment, and I unconsciously typed the name of the guy I was replying to. Although you weren't replying to me, but still.<br /><br />Oh well, doesn't matter. Too bad about the itunes stuff, but maybe like Eolake said you could work out something like he did.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16327517.post-14192772568983598722012-11-08T02:42:39.278+00:002012-11-08T02:42:39.278+00:00(Just so Dave Nielsen doesn't get mad at me fo...<i>(Just so Dave Nielsen doesn't get mad at me for impersonating him.)</i><br /><br />I've just been too lazy to log in. I probably should every time, then there'd be no confusion.<br /><br />That is a weird fluke, though.<br /><br />P.S. The Culture novels all appear to be there in itunes for me, the U.S. one.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16327517.post-56347955233961658372012-11-07T20:51:11.373+00:002012-11-07T20:51:11.373+00:00That *is* weird. Never heard of that before.
I d...That *is* weird. Never heard of that before. <br /><br />I did have an idea you were in Ca. I'm awfully sorry, it seems Canada in many ways is a backwater what applies to ebooks and audiobooks. <br />I've heard also Amazon's Kindle ebooks there are not many. <br />Perhaps it's because of Kobo, which is Canadian, not sure. <br /><br />Listen, if you can find a friend or a company to help, you can get a US membership for the iTunes store. I've had for years, and and I flick back and forth all the time, Apple doesn't seem to mind. They even shuffle me automatically to the right store if I lock in with the other login. <br /><br />It's worth it, there are so many things I have which I couldn't find in the UK store. Eolake Stobblehousehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07126147415891586345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16327517.post-46049521342289498462012-11-07T20:09:08.449+00:002012-11-07T20:09:08.449+00:00That's weird. I clearly typed "Joe Dick&...That's weird. I clearly typed "Joe Dick" but they have me down as "Dave Nielsen." (Just so Dave Nielsen doesn't get mad at me for impersonating him.)JOE DICKnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16327517.post-56148205522578321292012-11-07T20:07:20.788+00:002012-11-07T20:07:20.788+00:00I sure hope these are not only in the UK part of t...<i>I sure hope these are not only in the UK part of the iTunes store! ... Nope, I see them in US too. I forget are you there?</i><br /><br />Canada.<br /><br />They have all those titles as actual books, but in Audibooks they just have the two I mentioned. I just double checked.Dave Nielsennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16327517.post-20294177230839262122012-11-07T16:44:49.024+00:002012-11-07T16:44:49.024+00:00Well, it has Matter too. Not bad, but not his best...Well, it has Matter too. Not bad, but not his best. <br /><br />And it has The Algebraist. SF, but not Culture, and frankly I never got through it. <br /><br />Against a Dark Background, also non-Culture SF, also pretty OK. <br /><br />And Consider Phlebas, and Player of Games, the latter a fave of mine. <br /><br />...Surface Detail and Transition. Only the first is Culture, but I like them both a lot. <br /><br />I sure hope these are not only in the UK part of the iTunes store! ... Nope, I see them in US too. I forget are you there?<br /><br />--<br />By the way, Garbadale and Stonemouth are there too, but they suck. <br /><br />The Wasp Factory and The Business are there too, I liked them both. Eolake Stobblehousehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07126147415891586345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16327517.post-37527105458459414922012-11-07T16:20:32.335+00:002012-11-07T16:20:32.335+00:00These books sound very interesting, but I prefer a...These books sound very interesting, but I prefer audio books and unfortunately itunes, for some reason, only has one Culture novel - Surface Detail. Bit of a drag.Joe Dicknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16327517.post-5123268431009499112012-11-06T13:23:41.900+00:002012-11-06T13:23:41.900+00:00By the way, in Hydrogen Sonata it's said that ...By the way, in Hydrogen Sonata it's said that somehow it's difficult or unusual single humans or drone to Sublime, that somehow it takes "more mind", either a real big Mind (as in ships) or a big group to do it. I am reading Windward now, and there is no hint of this difficulty, it's only said that it's "unusual" for less than a full civilization to do it. (The Chel did it partly, 6% of the civilization.)Eolake Stobblehousehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07126147415891586345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16327517.post-44243480753792224292012-11-06T13:20:50.553+00:002012-11-06T13:20:50.553+00:00Yes, these are very interesting questions.
For ex...Yes, these are very interesting questions. <br />For example me, I am interested in the concept of Awakening or becoming Enlightened, and Ascending. But some of my old friends are indignant, the response being often: "don't you dare take away my wonderful playground". <br /><br />Apart from the unknown of how Subliming/Enlightenment actually is, I think the people of the Culture just so far love their playground too much. And I think it can become a much larger part of the galaxy before it even thinks about settling down or leaving. Eolake Stobblehousehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07126147415891586345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16327517.post-74696666866972969542012-11-05T23:31:53.511+00:002012-11-05T23:31:53.511+00:00For me it would matter whether you could un-Sublim...For me it would matter whether you could un-Sublime or not. As great as it's said to be... It's strange that in the Culture more people don't do it. I've only read two of them so far, but in Player of Games - MINOR SPOILERS HERE - Gurgeh kills himself after the end (though it might have been centuries or millennia later), and in Consider Phlebas that chick in Special Circumstances does too. I can see why in her case, but I wonder why someone like Gurgeh wouldn't Sublime. Then again, none of us knows what it would be like to live for centuries.Dave Nielsennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16327517.post-24492174741200944882012-11-02T09:51:00.666+00:002012-11-02T09:51:00.666+00:00Yeah. The latest centers much on a Sublimation. It...Yeah. The latest centers much on a Sublimation. It's made pretty clear that it's all voluntary. But I'll grant you that if everybody you know sublimes, it'll take a particularly hard-headed individual to not go along! Eolake Stobblehousehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07126147415891586345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16327517.post-48871481422129515762012-11-02T01:21:18.731+00:002012-11-02T01:21:18.731+00:00And unlike most writers he has never made this in ...<i>And unlike most writers he has never made this in any way seem ominous.</i><br /><br />Unless a civilization Sublimes en masse - he said the Culture figures in those cases there must be coersion. But in itself it's not ominous.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16327517.post-29925745498860377432012-11-01T12:37:51.166+00:002012-11-01T12:37:51.166+00:00Thanks! Will check it out.
It's interesting,...Thanks! Will check it out. <br /><br />It's interesting, I think Banks is an atheists, but a funny SF kind of spirituality still has a strong presence in his books. Civilizations will "Sublime" and disappear into a higher state where everything is better. And unlike most writers he has never made this in any way seem ominous. That is courageous and rare. Eolake Stobblehousehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07126147415891586345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16327517.post-13348837548919034092012-11-01T05:04:38.391+00:002012-11-01T05:04:38.391+00:00This is an interesting article about the Culture:
...This is an interesting article about the Culture:<br /><br />http://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/the-ambiguous-utopia-of-iain-m-banksDave Nielsennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16327517.post-44003356465888343472012-10-20T21:17:48.186+00:002012-10-20T21:17:48.186+00:00It's a bit like the future of those Bill &...It's a bit like the future of those Bill & Ted movies - I bet the Culture has some excellent waterslides. :-)Dave Nielsennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16327517.post-22222464308249777472012-10-20T14:09:53.548+00:002012-10-20T14:09:53.548+00:00Dave, maybe Pascal (if he's even read them) wi...Dave, maybe Pascal (if he's even read them) will turn up and give you an intelligent reply.Todd Bridgesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16327517.post-33021423277191369972012-10-20T14:06:53.190+00:002012-10-20T14:06:53.190+00:00Non-interfering in the lives of Culture members, b...Non-interfering in the lives of Culture members, but they interfere plenty in aliens civilizations. Even Earth becomes a member eventually.Todd Bridgesnoreply@blogger.com