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Wednesday, December 12, 2018

17 Equations that Changed the World

 The Equations

OK. So I took this title from Facebook. It was shared by a friend, David.
From Fotolia, which is now part of Adobe Stock
However, as one who sides with science in the culture wars, I hope an audience will take note of the ongoing effectiveness of science and math in society.

Can you name the 17 highly influential equations without reading the book? Or going to Facebook?

Look at all we as mankind have been able to do with science and math!!! From the Pythagorean Theorem to the Information Theory, Chaos Theory, and Black-Scholes Equation, Man's technology has been based on math. Remember E=mcsquared?

How much more will our world change?

Here is the Book. Click the Book to see What it is all About.

by Ian Stewart (Author)


Who knows? Maybe this will help solve the Plastics Problem. Solutions which, by the way, has been  posted by the World Economic Forum on Facebook and which I have posted on my own Facebook timeline.

If you need to know more about the image, I have the details still and will tell you the credits and name.

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

A New Set of Military Space Operas to Read

Ok, so actually they were new to me because I recently discovered them. I read the first one and got hooked on the series in each case. So I am telling you about them. (Click on the books to go to Amazon for more info and to get your copy.) (Updated 2020)

My Favorites

You might remember from past posts that my favorite space opera authors are these, although not in this order:
  1. David Weber
  2. Elizabeth Moon
  3. Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
David Weber has a new series called Manticore Ascendant that introduces a new hero as a midshipman. Although in the Honorverse, there is little mention of Honor Harrington. Also, this book can be read by a young adult. It is a good coming of age novel.

For the YA Reader


Then there is the series for YA readers that features a teenage Honor Harrington. This series begins with the book A Beautiful Friendship. 

Trade Secret by Lee and Miller is another book for YA, but it has a higher reading level than some. At least the grades 7-9 kids I introduced to it thought it difficult to relate to. The story is rather complex, but I enjoyed it.

Elizabeth Moon long ago wrote Sheepfarmer's Daughter that is part of The Deed of Paksinarrion anthology. Paks is another warrior that the YA reader will enjoy knowing.


For You and Me, as Adult Readers:  Space Operas to Enjoy


But let's get back to the military space operas. Some have female heroes. Some are actually in the space service of the universe. Some have several trilogies in the series; some just a few. All have lots of challenges to be solved and plenty of interpersonal relationships with ongoing friendships, different crew members with which to deal, families and at times a love interest.

Then there are the different approaches to what a spaceship is like. And how it moves through space. Seldom is there an alien species, but what the hey. These were enjoyable and I even paid to read the next one when the first was from Kindle Unlimited, but not the next or 5th or whichever. There are hundreds more.
  • Trading in Danger (Vatta's War Book 1) by Elizabeth Moon
  • Space Viking by H. Beam Piper
  • Midshipman Henry Gallant in Space (The Henry Gallant Saga Book 1) by H. Peter Alesso
  • On Basilisk Station (Honor Harrington Book 1) by David Weber
  • Star Nomad by Lindsay Buroker
  • Dragon and Thief by Timothy Zahn
... ... ... ...... ... ...
More to come.This picture and the spaceship above are from Fotolia, which is now part of Adobe Stock.