on books

The fresh news of the week is that Amazon bought Goodreads. It's a logical move for both sides, of course, but I am upset as a reader, since I really don't want Amazon to own everything book-related. There have to be good independent hangouts for readers of books. And Goodreads was a good one, even though I never got to be a very active user.

of course, they promise that nothing will change, but...

LibraryThing in the wake of Goodreads news announced that they waiver one year's fee for anyone who joins right now:

http://www.librarything.com/blogs/librarything/2013/03/free-accounts-through-sunday/

so, yes, I joined. just because.

in more reading news, I've finished A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan. It was very enjoyable, and not at all what I expected, based on her previous books. Must think up a proper review.

it IS the rocket science

"She made a mean beef stroganoff"

Is that about a great chef? nope. a cookbook writer? wrong again.

it is the first line from the NYT obituary for Yvonne Brill, an acclaimed rocket scientist and inventor. She died this week, and the age of 88, and many people, including me, who are not that much into rocket science and space engineering, have just learned about her and her work.

She was an awesome woman, and some of her inventions are, apparently the cornerstones of the satellite-making today, but of course, the most "important" thing is, in the opinion of NYT, that she cooked, she followed her husband wherever he worked and raised three kids.

all those things are worthwhile and not that easy, but... she is a damn rocket scientist! write about it!

http://io9.com/the-new-york-times-fails-miserably-in-its-obituary-for-464140204

slightly changed obituary: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/31/science/space/yvonne-brill-rocket-scientist-dies-at-88.html?_r=0