Erratica Reduex

We've all done it. We've all read those books or stories that at the time we thought were wonderful, they spoke to us. Later on though, with more maturity or simply perspective, we realize that not only are those stories bad, but we are actually embarrassed that we ever liked them.

For me, one of the big embarrassments in my reading past is Emergence, by David Palmer. At first as a callow youth I thought this story of a genius 11 year-old girl traveling across an America where a plague wiped out 99.9% of humanity was a fun adventure story...but then on later reflection the creepiness started surfacing. The Mary Sue nature of the protagonist (black belt genius who everyone wants to sleep with), the elitist "Fans are Slans" distinction taken to the genetic level (the plague wiped out all the mundanes, you see), the far, far right wing politics (all Communists are evil psychopaths who must be killed), the pedophilia, and of course, the telepathic macaw. Oh god, the telepathic macaw. The book is really like a parody of a bad post-apocalyptic novel, except serious.

There's also The Harper Hall trilogy, which has Menolly as the definition of a Mary Sue (literally everyone except her parents and the bad guys loves her). And anything I read by Ann Ricin. And finally, Enders Game, about which enough has been written.

So let's hear it people- what are some stories that you're embarrassed to admit you ever liked?

So this Christmas, because it is a holy day at the end of the year, when the nights are longest, I decided to do something special for racerxmachina . I decided to do something I haven't had the courage to do in ages. I descended the 99 stone steps to the unlit cavern carved out of the living earth, I removed the ofuda, I broke the seals, and I opened the vault. With my left hand, I removed the recipe for EL GUAPO. With my right eye closed and wearing only red, I made one, this my signature drink.

And we survived to tell the tale of EL GUAPO.

There are skeptics out there, I know. "It's just a drink" they say "So what?" They can say that, they are safe in their own houses, with their whimsical and innocuous drinks such as martinis, mai tais and Long Island ice teas. They've never had an EL GUAPO in their hand, seen the earthy deep brown fluid inhabiting the glass staring back at them.

This is EL GUAPO: the mysterious drink that kills with it's love. The drink that Racerxmachina calls "The universal panty solvent. She says the ladies love EL GUAPO...they think. What they can remember of it anyway.

I share the secret recipe for EL GUAPOwith no one. Well, unless they ask me. Then I tell as much of the recipe as I can remember when sober.

To tell the truth, I'm normally not even completely sure what the recipe consists of. I just wake up in the morning to the smell of cinnamon and chocolate, and I notice the blender is pitted and it's gaskets need replacing.

I do know that a chemist once tried to analyze EL GUAPO; all we know of the aftermath is they never did locate his pants.

You do not have an EL GUAPO as a "Hair of the dog". Because if it were a hair it would be a hair twenty feet long weighing 300 pounds.

Anyway, the recipe (more of a list of suggestions and warnings, really) is back safe in it's vault. I have sworn off EL GUAPO for the next solar cycle. Except as a toast to departed friends, I may bring a small sample to Dundracon. Those who are brave may have a sip.

 
 
From Melissa McEwan's science blog Shakesville, we get this disturbing bit of information about what the Discovery Store thinks about Toys for Girls and Boys.

I mean seriously, what the HELL are they thinking?  No wait, I know what they're thinking: girls like crafts and fashion, boys like cool active stuff and discovery.  Science is unfeminine, is the thinking, and gender traits are both broad and absolute.

And a larger question: Is it just me, but does it generally appear that tools and other "masculine" items marketed to girls and women are generally shoddy?

Please forward this around.  This could use some comment from the public. 
 
Thanks to James Nicoll: I found out about this from his blog.