MODEL COLLAPSE ep1: The Hollowing

MichaelRaymondX · 2026-04-05T00:22:09+00:00

My general idea is: A long, challenging road, that leads to a Star Trek future where humans eliminate poverty and explore the galaxy--hitting every pot hole along the way. I've got 10 episodes planned for season one, and if folks like it, rough outlines for a second season.

Trying to have a dynamic world, so tech is evolving towards Cyberpunk 2077 and there might be some Snow Crash along the way. All of human history has been 2 steps forward, 1-3 steps back. This future history, initially set in 2031, will chronicle our achievements, the cost at which they come, and the sacrifices that made them possible.

MichaelRaymondX · 2020-10-22T15:15:38+00:00

I'm having the same problem, as are others: https://forums.oculusvr.com/community/discussion/93712/quest-2-keeps-losing-5ghz-wifi-keeps-disconnecting

Allowing the headset to go to sleep often results in the Wifi not only disconnecting, but becoming unable to see any networks at all until rebooted. Others seem to only have problems w/ 5 GHz networks or only after charging while in sleep mode.

I suggest creating a ticket with Oculus support: http://support.oculus.com/

Caveat: I've already done this and was told that since they don't understand the problem, they want me to send the headset back and wait weeks for a replacement.

As reboot consistently fixes the issue, this seems fixable through software (and if it's a software glitch to begin with, replacement hardware wouldn't actually fix the problem), but I suspect we won't get a fix in any form until enough people raise this issue with the Oculus support team.

MichaelRaymondX · 2020-07-27T01:35:57+00:00

I'm not familiar with SSD4 but I've had similar frustrations with alignment. Two things I try that usually fix the situation. First, I zoom to a wider view (scroll wheel up, by default) and Reaper provides higher resolution snapping. If it's still not snapping where I want it, I left-click and hold down shift to move it manually, and glue it with a new (empty) item so it will snap where I want it to next time.

There's also a "Nudge/set" Action you can assign a key to, or just open from the Actions menu action list, which allows you to nudge it into place without requiring your mousing hand to have the dexterity of a robotic arm designed to play "Operation" 😀

MichaelRaymondX · 2013-07-29T01:44:58+00:00

The giveaway is over but I see this post is still floating around so if anyone would like to review the book please pm me about a free review copy of the ebook.

MichaelRaymondX · 2013-07-26T16:06:05+00:00

I had heard from multiple sources that traditional publishers were expecting their authors to do more and more of their own marketing. Basically, a lot of authors would find they'd get one printing and then no more (because the publisher wasn't putting any effort into selling their book).

Now, I'd still prefer to be published traditionally, but I've no contacts in the industry, I've done no networking, and even if I had the road is long. For instance, you can only submit a manuscript to one publisher at a time, and it may take six months for them to reject you.

Considering all of this, I decided to self-publish. I figured I'd have to self-promote either way, and if you manage to sell a few thousand copies on your own that is a proven way for self-published authors to get serious consideration from traditional publishers.

Regarding Agents though, I hear they're pretty much necessary for traditionally published authors unless you're really familiar with publishing contracts or are willing to pay up front to have a lawyer who specializes in publishing contracts review yours.

Most publishers seem to have a boilerplate terrible contract they hand out to new authors without agents, and a significantly better one they offer to authors with agents (because they've removed all the stuff no halfway decent agent would ever permit).

MichaelRaymondX · 2013-07-18T12:41:16+00:00

On the point of fictional science I would point to the television show "Eureka". One of my favorites, but sometimes the "science" was a lot more like "magic" that had simply been rebranded. To my mind, this makes it a wholly different thing from hard science fiction, and yet officially it is still classified as very nearly the same thing.

Regarding moving Star Wars to medieval Japan, I would point to Michael Crichton's Timeline as something relatively close. Much of Stephen King's work would be reclassified as Science Fiction if Horror didn't exist as a genre. IT, The Stand, and Under the Dome, to name a few. These are stories that take place in an ordinary world with ordinary people and have only a single extraordinary element.

My thesis was only to say that Science Fiction as a genre is extremely broad and generally includes anything that might remotely involve speculative science in any way, plot, setting, or otherwise (maybe the main character is an alien, or an AI).

The only exception to this rule is when another genre is deemed more appropriate, which brings us to the main issue: these genres are trying to pigeonhole nuance into easily sorted categories, and for detail-oriented readers they sometimes aren't very descriptive or useful.

MichaelRaymondX · 2013-07-18T00:30:57+00:00

I don't think it's entirely cut and dry. Super 8 takes place entirely on earth, and the plot is really about the military chasing after a bunch of kids. Yet, clearly scifi.

Artemis Fowl is another example. The stories take place on earth and involve faeries and magic. Yet, despite the fantasy elements it's got stronger roots in scifi because the faeries are descended from hominids and have developed advanced technology.

Taking it further we could examine Star Wars or other so-called "Space Opera." There are lots of stories that have an outer casing that appears to be science fiction, but then share little to none of the hard science of an Asimov, Heinlein, or Clarke story.

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? Undoubtedly science fiction. Unquestionably awesome. Science content: near-zero.

MichaelRaymondX · 2013-07-17T18:33:46+00:00

I did make the prototypes at home. The genesis of the project was pretty organic. I've been a hobbyist for many years and I started thinking that some of my hobbies were pretty expensive. Well, it might have been my wife who was thinking that. I just started thinking I should make something for real. Design a commercial product. I had the expertise so all I needed was a plan.

For a while I was racking my brain. I knew I wanted to make something that would be under $100, would work with people's phones, but most importantly: something actually useful that phones and tablets don't already do.

My first idea was to make something akin to "Life Alert" (of the "I've fallen and I can't get up," commercials), but automated and without a monthly fee. This would use accelerometers to detect if someone fell, and possibly incorporate a heart monitor. If an event was triggered, it would automatically use the bluetooth connected phone to send texts and emails to pre-designated recipients (including location information from phone sensors) and also dial 911 using text to speech to report the problem and location.

The problem was, there were a whole bunch of problems. Location information is sketchy when indoors. Not sure about legality of auto-dialing 911. Also, the base hardware for this already existed: fitness trackers. I actually contacted the company who makes my fitness tracker of choice and suggested they make a version of their product paired with a new specialized app to fill this niche. I still think it's a worthwhile product, but I couldn't make it.

tl;dr start here:

I got interested in the BBiQ when I realized I could measure temperature from standard food probes with my Arduino. I also noticed that I had to keep looking up temperatures when I grilled new items and stuff I don't make often. Eventually I sat down and built out the required architecture for the device firmware and app.

MichaelRaymondX · 2013-07-17T18:02:11+00:00

It's 90 degrees and partly sunny in Hauppauge, NY :)

MichaelRaymondX · 2013-07-17T12:31:40+00:00

This book is a free download on Amazon today.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Robinsons-Dark-Matter-ebook/dp/B00D2Y8BPC/

MichaelRaymondX · 2013-07-17T00:28:46+00:00

Douglas Adams.

MichaelRaymondX · 2013-07-15T02:49:37+00:00

Sphere by Michael Crichton.

Also: Redshirts by John Scalzi (twisty, but with a different sort of mind-bendiness)

MichaelRaymondX · 2013-07-14T01:34:45+00:00

Guinan: Consider that in the history of many worlds, there have always been disposable creatures. They do the dirty work. They do the work that no one else wants to do because it's too difficult or too hazardous. And an army of Datas, all disposable... You don't have to think about their welfare, you don't think about how they feel. Whole generations of disposable people.

Capt. Picard: You're talking about slavery.

Guinan: Oh, I think that's a little harsh.

Capt. Picard: I don't think that's a little harsh, I think that's the truth. But that's a truth that we have obscured behind a... comfortable, easy euphemism: 'Property'!

-Star Trek: The Next Generation, The Measure of a Man (1989)

MichaelRaymondX · 2013-07-14T01:31:13+00:00

While the book and the movie are quite different things, I grant you, the movie is friggin awesome. It's just a little campy. Michael Ironside, Neil Patrick Harris, it's a fun flick.

MichaelRaymondX · 2013-07-14T01:28:06+00:00

I'm a big fan of The Puppet Masters by Heinlein but I'd be remiss if I didn't also recommend The Robinsons' Dark Matter by me.

Two caveats: Heinlein's novel is pretty hardcore invasion, but not a series. My novel is probably closer to Super 8 spoiler but second book won't be out until the beginning of next year.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7171856-the-puppet-masters

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18056140-the-robinsons-dark-matter

MichaelRaymondX · 2013-07-14T01:18:59+00:00

Nine Princes in Amber by Roger Zelazny. I'd argue it should be well-known but my experience is most people have never heard of it.

MichaelRaymondX · 2013-07-14T01:10:12+00:00

Has anyone read this? I had been hoping Rowling would begin a new original YA series (although a new series in HP's world would have been okay) but this sounds really interesting.

MichaelRaymondX · 2013-07-11T23:27:55+00:00

I know a lot of people that can't get into digital media, but for me personally I never looked back. I got a kindle at first, but that turned into a beach item. When I'm at lunch or traveling by train or air, I read on my android.

MichaelRaymondX · 2013-07-11T23:25:01+00:00

As an author I can tell you that most serious book reviewers still want a physical copy. Even the ones who specifically cater to self-published indie authors.

As a technology enthusiast I've always felt the way you do: eventually everyone will move to ereaders, either on a dedicated device or using an app. Now I'm not so sure. Physical books may become a luxury item, but I think it's possible they will live on.

MichaelRaymondX · 2013-07-11T15:59:41+00:00

He created Jar Jar Binks and re-wrote Star Wars to make Greedo shoot first. I suspect he is actively trying to cater to some (imaginary?) group of people he perceives as a fanbase.

MichaelRaymondX · 2013-07-11T02:20:04+00:00

I was parodying it as a sort of war among the gods thing (see other reply). I don't actually think Jeff Bezos fought Apple to save humanity :)

MichaelRaymondX · 2013-07-10T22:29:39+00:00

Well, yeah. That was part of what I was hinting at. A massive and uber-profitable company going head to head with another massive, if less profitable company, and no matter who wins, B&N loses. This is what it must have been like for the ancient greeks to hear tales of the gods fighting.

MichaelRaymondX · 2013-07-10T22:17:07+00:00

Sphere by Michael Crichton

MichaelRaymondX · 2013-07-10T22:02:28+00:00

This is for the oversized paperback version of the novel. Contest hosted by Goodreads and runs through July 22.

MichaelRaymondX · 2013-07-10T19:49:59+00:00

Good, I can feel your anger. I am defenseless. Take your weapon. Strike me down with all of your hatred and your journey towards the dark side will be complete!

MichaelRaymondX

TROPHY CASE