Category: Aa

My Keyboard

By 5t4n5

Akko 3068B Plus
This is my lovely Akko 3068B Plus keyboard.   I’ve changed the stock switches to Akko Crystal Silver switches, because they activate faster and bottom out earlier, and i really didn’t like the cherry profile (or whatever that uneven profile is) of the original keycaps, so i bought these rather pretty looking XDA pudding keycaps from Ali Express at a surprisingly good price.   I love the way the pudding keycaps really make the RGB bling to the max as they have translucent sides and legends.

The faster switches and the flat profile of the XDA keycaps make this keyboard a very nice keyboard to type on.   I touch type (that’s like with all my fingers and everything, while not looking at the keyboard ever) with the keyboard sitting just about my knees and this feels just about prefect to me, your mileage may vary depending on how you type.

You can keep a check on my typing speed at this post, which i will keep updated with my progress as i get more used to this keyboard set up.

#5t4n5 #akko #mechanicalkeyboards #keebs

Translation State — Ann Leckie

By 5t4n5

Translation State -- Ann LeckieI get the feeling these latest books by Ann are fleshing out the universe she introduced in the Imperial Radch Trilogy and its many varied lifeforms and AI’s.

That’s not to say they’re not enjoyable, well written stories in their own right, they are. And i thoroughly enjoyed this one as well as Provenance, which introduced us to the Geck.

In this story we’re being introduced more intimately to the Presger Translators, who are genetically engineered, very strange beings.

To be honest, i’m looking forward to lots more of these books as we slowly moved towards the Conclave where they all will come together to discuss whether to accept the Two System’s AI’s into the treaty.

Bring it on.

Bye for now.

Ann’s Page

#scifi #annleckie

Ninja Foodi — Mixed Beans

By 5t4n5

Ninja Foodi MaxHow to make the perfect mixed beans in a Ninja Foodi

There is no need to pre-soak the beans or change the water.   The slow cooker takes care of the soaking bit and this is all the water the beans need, they’ll absorb it all.   When you’ve finished cooking these you will notice that the adzuki beans will have turned to mush and absorbed all the leftover, nutritious, bean cooking water, this is supposed to happen, it’s nice like that – mixed beans in pure bean sauce.

The following recipe is for a 7.5 lt Foodi.   If you’re using a 6 lt Foodi use 200 g of each bean and reduce the water to 2 lt)

This will make about 3500 g of cooked beans so you’ll need some containers to freeze a whole bunch down. I freeze them in 450 g batches and add them to everything i eat — super duper banging healthy.

250 g Chick Peas
2.4 lt Boiling Water

Start “Slow Cook” 4:00 on Hi

When countdown gets to 3:30 add:

250 g Soy Beans
250 g Black(Turtle) Beans
250 g Pinto Beans

When countdown gets to 2:55 give the beans a stir.

Continue slow cooking on Hi until timer reaches 2:20, turn off the Foodi, the slow cooking is done.

Add:

250 g Adzuki Beans

Stir to mix in with other beans

Turn off slow cooker and start pressure cooker on Lo set for 10 minutes.

When the pressure cooker beeps, do not release pressure.   Just leave it until the count up timer reaches 35 minutes and then release any left over pressure.

Stir beans well and place in a sink full of cold water to cool them with a lid on.   Continue to replace the cold water as the beans cool and the water warms.

#5t4n5 #food #health #microbiome #ninjafoodi #recipes #vegan #wfpb

Provenance — Ann Leckie

By 5t4n5

After the two inbetweenie shorts we’re back to novel length stories in the Imperial Radch Universe.

In this story we find ourselves on a planet outside of the Radch empire who are having a bit of a political squabble with some neighbours over the jump gates in their neighbourhood, and also quite a bit of a political squabble amongst themselves.

Our protagonist, Ingray, is trying to show her mother that she’s better than her brother because they’re competing for her inheritance, but Ingray keeps blundering through, making mistakes, because she’s unearthed a can of worms that others have set in motion.

In some ways there’s a continuation of the Imperial Radch Trilogy in that people are talking about the upcoming Conclave with the Presger.   The Geck have already sent an ambassador, who has gotten itself sidetracked chasing down a Geck fugitive, which just happens to fall right in Ingray’s path, turning her plans upside down as well.   But, as everyone says, it’ll be a very long time before the Conclave happens, and i think this is Ann’s way of saying there’ll be a lot more of these side stories before we get to the Conclave.   I do hope so because this is a wonderful universe that Ann has created and it’s nice to get out and explore it’s many cultures and life forms.

All in all though, Provenance has been a really good story.   There’s plenty going on and Ingray is a wonderful protagonist to follow this story through.

Next up, Ann has written Translation State, also in this universe.   Which i’m diving straight into eagerly.

Bye for now.

Ann’s Page

#scifi #annleckie

She Commands Me and I Obey — Ann Leckie

By 5t4n5

She Commands Me and I Obey -- Ann LeckieWell this was not what i expected.

Apparently, supposedly, based in the same universe as the Imperial Radch Trilogy, i was expecting something as good as the trilogy but instead got this jumble-luted mess of names that was just ridiculous to follow.

Really, your readers expect much, much better, Ann.   Although, as i have said in the past, every writer is allowed to write something utterly below their abilities once in while.   But it’s still annoying to wade through this nonsense.

Even the sports match was just nonsense.   Was it like a game of tennis or something?   I really couldn’t work out what the game was about.

Onwards and upwards, next in this universe is Provenance, i do hope for much better.

Bye for now.

Ann’s Page

#scifi #annleckie

Night’s Slow Poison — Ann Leckie

By 5t4n5

Night's Slow Poison -- Ann LeckieAlso available in Galactic Empires.

A good novella about a flight through an area of space to a planet that virtually impenetrable.   But the Radch want that planet and when the Radch want something they won’t stop until they get it.

Yes, it’s set in the same universe as the Imperial Radch Trilogy, but it’s completely unrelated to those books.   I found it good to read it straight after i finished the trilogy.

Next up in this universe is She Commands Me and I Obey.

Bye for now.

Ann’s Page

#scifi #annleckie

Ancillary Mercy — Ann Leckie

By 5t4n5

The final episode in the Imperial Radch Trilogy, and quite a good page turner it was.

We;re still at the space station and planet system but “She” has turned up, and it’s one of those “She’s” that really doesn’t like Breq.

So all kinds of chaos and fun ensues with some great new characters thrown in to spice things up.

I did feel the ending was a bit lacking, as in it didn’t finish the trilogy off neatly, leaving lots of openings for further stories — which is a good thing because there’s four more books in this universe to read next.   Hopefully we’ll get to find out what happens next during one of those stories.

So that’s exactly what i’m going to do now, start reading those four stories, beginning with Night’s Slow Poison.

Bye for now.

Ann’s Page

#scifi #annleckie

Ancillary Sword — Ann Leckie

By 5t4n5

Ancillary Sword -- Ann LeckieI just finished this second book in the trilogy, and it was good.

The story has evolved and now the Lord of the Radche is at open war with herself with Breq, our favourite ancillary, caught in between her various parts.

And so it’s off to another planet and a space station for more wonderful shenanigans within this fantastic universe that Ann has created for us all to enjoy immensely.

If you’re into sci-fi and you haven’t started reading this series already then just drop whatever you’re reading and pick this up instead, you won’t be disappointed.

I’m now diving straight into the third book, Ancillary Mercy.

Bye for now.

Ann’s Page

#scifi #annleckie

Ancillary Justice — Ann Leckie

By 5t4n5

Ancillary Justice -- Ann LeckieThis is a super good read.   An AI spaceship’s mind ends up in the body of one person named Breq, one of its ancillaries.   The AI mind is out for a bit of revenge after its spaceship, all it’s crew and the rest of its ancillaries are destroyed.

Really well written with a great protagonist, it’s a real page turner.

But don’t just take my word for it being a great story: Ancillary Justice won the following awards:

Arthur C. Clarke Award for best science fiction novel of the year, 2014.
British Science Fiction Association BSFA Award for Best Novel
Hugo Award for Best Novel from the World Science Fiction Society, 2014.
Kitschies Golden Tentacle for best debut novel, 2013.
Locus Award for Best First Novel, 2014.
Nebula Award for Best Novel from the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, 2013.
Seiun Award for Best Translated Novel, 2016.

The novel was also nominated for the following awards:

Finalist for the Compton Crook Award for best first science fiction/fantasy/horror novel from the Baltimore Science Fiction Society.
Named to the James Tiptree Jr. Award Honor List, for science fiction or fantasy that expands or explores our understanding of gender.
Shortlisted for the Philip K. Dick Award for distinguished original science fiction paperback.

It does kind of remind me of Murderbot by Martha Wells, so if you liked those books you’ll probably like this, and vice versa.

And now i’m diving straight into Ancillary Sword:   #excited

Bye for now.

Ann’s Page

#scifi #annleckie

The Counselor — Robin Sloan

By 5t4n5

The Counselor -- Robin SloanA look to the future when everyone has access to talk therapy with a counselor, for their whole lives.

But the only way this has become possible is because everyone’s free lifelong counselor is an AI.

And how does the counselor council the terminally ill who can stay alive on life support equipment for decades?

An interesting view of the future of health care, which isn’t too far fetched when we consider that health care providers are already putting chat bots in old people’s homes to talk to them and old people are already heavily medicated and looked after for decades to keep them alive without any real quality of life.

Another interesting little story from Robin.

Bye for now.

Robin’s Page

#scifi #robinsloan