The Cambias Digression

Notes and thoughts on everything from what I had for breakfast to the fate of the Universe.

  • The Fermi Paradox and Why It Matters

    As a science fiction writer I have what may be called a professional interest in aliens. I read every popular science article or technical paper that comes to my attention about detecting or communicating with extraterrestrial civilizations. But I'm always a little surprised at how many people aren't interested in the subject. To me it…

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  • A Peeve

    I've lately become rather irritated at seeing the helpful little notices on the paper napkin dispensers in coffeeshops and the more pretentious fast-food joints, asking patrons not to hog the napkins because "napkins = trees." Grr. Yes, paper napkins are made from wood pulp, and wood pulp is made from harvested trees. But: the idea…

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  • My Three Questions

    I'm not a very spontaneous writer. If I depend on inspiration it won't turn up at the moment I need it. I have to put a lot of mental brute force into creating stories. Over the years I've developed a set of questions which must be answered before I can write a story. These may…

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  • BUY MY BOOKS!

    The Miranda Conspiracy Coming February 2025 from Baen Books! After the events of The Godel Operation, Daslakh, Adya, and Zee have traveled to Adya’s home, Uranus’s moon Miranda. But trouble is brewing in the oceans inside Miranda. Adya’s parents, members of the super-rich oligarch class, disapprove of Zee and want to arrange a marriage for…

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  • Nostalgie du Geek: Opening the Traveller Box

    My roleplaying game life began with Dungeons & Dragons, because that was the only roleplaying game there was back in the summer of 1977. But that changed very quickly. That same year, Game Designers' Workshop published the first science fiction roleplaying game: Traveller. I got my copy of Traveller some time in 1978, possibly at…

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  • The Long History of Spin-Offs

    It is practically a cliche to complain that modern movies and television are creatively bankrupt. I won't argue the point. But one piece of evidence often used to support that notion is the reliance of Hollywood and TV on spinoffs — shows or movies built around characters introduced in another show or movie. Trouble is,…

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  • Appalachian Spring, or Not

    One of my favorite pieces of music is Aaron Copland's Appalachian Spring. I often listen to it while driving, but the last time I did that I realized something which had been scratching at the back of my brain for years: Appalachian Spring doesn't sound much like the Appalachians. The main theme is a Shaker…

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  • Another Political Paradox

    I've already mentioned that solidly loyal states are at a disadvantage in modern American politics, but there's another paradox I've noticed: Elections are determined by the people who don't care much about politics. After all, the party faithful are the ones who care. The ones who read political blogs and listen to Rachel Maddow or…

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  • Perfection

    Some time ago I was making a long trip by car on a summer weekend, and so as I drove I could see a number of families enjoying the nice weather with back yard cookouts. It made me realize something. We will never know who made (or who ate) the greatest hamburger ever. It may…

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  • That Show I Watched

    This week marks the 50th anniversary of two science fiction icons. One is me, the other is Star Trek. Since we're practically twins, I feel as though I can be brutally honest about the show, the universe, and what has become of them. First of all, it always surprises me how unfamiliar people are with the…

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The Worldbuilding Index