tony.quirke

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• Commented on Who Owns SF?
  Heh. I am RIGHT THIS MINUTE looking at "Farm, Forge and Steam" in which the author explains why universal empires weren't, rigid caste systems leaked, and social stasis wasn't. Also, the simple fact that an animal can't transport enough food...
• Commented on Who Owns SF?
  Anyone interested in the nitty gritty of medieval economics might find these two products useful: http://roleplayingtips.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=19294 http://roleplayingtips.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=20540 (And, yes, I have Hild on order now, even though it may not be sf 8-) )...
• Commented on Who Owns SF?
  Oh, and my public library has three of Nicola's books, but has rightfully filed Hild as (historical) fiction rather than sf. The library police will be coming for your nomination, Nicola......
• Commented on Who Owns SF?
  The 'Genre' field lists Mystery before Science Fiction, but that may be due to alphabetical order. Probably - "Science fiction" is above "Mystery fiction" in the actual MARC record. Your library has downloaded the Library of Congress catalogue record for...
• Commented on Who Owns SF?
  The Library of Congress has catalogued it as: 600 0 4 ‡a Hilda, ‡c of Whitby, Saint, ‡d 614-680 ‡v Fiction. 651 0 ‡a Great Britain ‡x History ‡y Anglo-Saxon period, 449-1066 ‡v Fiction. 655 7 ‡a Historical fiction. ‡2...
• Commented on Competition Time!
  Poor security procedure. Several of this officer's cases have wound up uploaded to the SCP Foundation database in very thin disguises. ADDENDA on further investigation, this reprimand has been revoked. All staff will be made aware of the problems of...
• Commented on Competition Time!
  ALL EMPLOYEES Effective IMMEDIATELY no shipping fanfic is to be released involving ANY entity with a code restriction. None. EQUESTRIAN RED SIRLOIN is a code word. Pay attention, Bronies....
• Commented on The Rhesus Chart: Chapter One
  What surprised me is the incredibly bad analysis Mo was spouting[1] As she said in the very first sentence, everyone knows vampires don't exist. She may not be deliberately engaging in malicious logic - back in the nineteenth century, everyone...
• Commented on Competition Time!
  Firstly, juvenile behaviour in dealing with security residual human resources. We do NOT use the "Z" word around here, we do NOT treat our security staff with disrespect whatever their metabolic status, and we do NOT attempt to tease them...
• Commented on Competition Time!
  ALERT ALERT ALERT Effective IMMEDIATELY Agent SCOTT_SANFORD is reassigned to investigating BLUE HADES genetic insertions in Gallus gallus domesticus. We want to know when, how, and WHY!...
• Commented on Competition Time!
  Employee started rumours among a class of new recruits that Sir Terence Pratchett was suffering from Krantzberg Syndrome, leading to mild humiliation and loss of work efficiency. Employee is formally reprimanded. SENIOR AUDITOR NOTE: This incident is now classified ORANGUTAN...
• Commented on Competition Time!
  Employee shows an unprofessional attitude. To be specific, when asked to come up with cheaper experimental protocols for PLUTO KOBOLD research, he formally submitted a proposal for selling dessicated tissue samples as, quote, "the latest magic mushrooms", unquote, in local...
• Commented on Competition Time!
  While we acknowledge the quick thinking and use of initiative that led to the interdimensional portal in Kings Cross Station failing to raise significant public comment, we feel that labelling it "Platform Nine and Three Quarters" had a direct influence...
• Commented on One week to go to THE RHESUS CHART
  You just couldn't resist the one Twilight reference, could you?...
• Commented on Competition Time!
  Loaning residual human resources to TV producers is completely unacceptable. We don't care that "it made Bran and Jojen's scene totally AWESOME!"....
• Commented on Competition Time!
  Unbelievable stupidity. For the last time people, our firewalls PREVENT this sort of thing coming in from outside. If you see a 419 scam, it is coming from INSIDE the organisation. And if it's asking for a blood donation so...
• Commented on Competition Time!
  Employee reprimanded for violating Internet usage policy. While very occasional use of work computers for recreational purposes is generally acceptable, the policy clearly states that Laundry computers will NOT be used for emails to the Internet Oracle, given the extra...
• Commented on Competition Time!
  Employee summoned a Class 3 Feeder to act as a "Maxwell's Demon" to reduce home heating bills. All staff are reminded that the Second Law of Thermodynamics is there for a reason, and the London Fire Department were not amused....
• Commented on Competition Time!
  Insufficient care in dealing with PLUTO HADES liaison. Your invitation for them to participate in Guy Fawkes Day without an adequate explanation as to the limits of this invitation resulted in unacceptable damage to the Houses of Parliament....
• Commented on Competition Time!
  (Re 379: well, I originally meant "public", but "pubic" may work even better...)...
• Commented on Competition Time!
  Inappropriate pubic display of an honesty geas while attending a trade conference for car sales employees. We had to pass off two dozen fatal cerebral hemorrhages as 'food poisoning'....
• Commented on Competition Time!
  Inappropriate deployment of recursive memetic technology into Laundry security protocols. You are reminded that as per the [REDACTED] Agreements, recursive memetic technology using [REDACTED] derived procedures are [REDACTED]. Not only are they dangerous, they waste the [REDACTED] time and [REDACTED]....
• Commented on Competition Time!
  Unauthorised use of succubi-pheromone based products on fellow employees while on field operations. You are also reprimanded for your comment "I didn't want to sleep with her, I just wanted her to be the slutty one that always dies first",...
• Commented on Competition Time!
  Gross negligence in use of classification procedures, resulting in De Vermis Mysteriis being stored in the recreational gardening section of the public library....
• Commented on Competition Time!
  Inappropriate use of office equipment. ALL staff are reminded that the photocopiers are NOT to be used to produce images of body parts. This is especially true if the body parts are not yours, doubly so if they are not...
• Commented on Competition Time!
  Inadequate testing protocols. While the Committee applauds agent NIVEN's work in re-engineering the neural networking behind SCORPION STARE technology to alter polarity, testing said technology out live at the Louvre was unsound both scientifically and professionally, and exposed the Laundry...
• Commented on Competition Time!
  Unauthorised use of global causality violation for personal gain. We refer you to the relevant provisions of memo 459/2014 which is reproduced below: i, "or potential use for causality violation" is added to line 2 of PARA 122 of the...
• Commented on A message from our sponsors
  Well, I was trying to figure out some way to work in "sparkly vampire" in there, but I couldn't figure it out without giving a major spoiler....
• Commented on A message from our sponsors
  "Poor Bob. Not only is he stuck in a mostly boring Government IT job with a boss who shows no sign of retiring, not only is he struggling with his new fad diet, but now his wife refuses to tell...
• Commented on The myth of heroism
  (seriously, who has considered Bob's actions from a tongue-eater's point of view?). There's an impressive bit in Peter Hamilton's Commonwealth Saga (Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained) where, after spending most of the first book chronicling an invasion by an implacable...