Sleepless Society: Insomnia – Thai thriller review

Dan Wild

During lockdown I started watching Thai TV. I’ve been to Thailand three times and Bangkok is one of my favourite cities. So I started learning a bit of the language too. Thanks to streaming services we can see that acting, production and screenwriting talent is evident all over the world. Every stand-alone instalment in the …

Space Sweepers movie review – Korean science fiction

Dan Wild

Space Sweepers, directed by Jo Sung-hee, is probably Korea’s first venture into blockbuster science fiction film. Much of Korean TV contains fantasy elements, so sci-fi isn’t too great a leap into the unknown. The preview is full of visual eye candy. And across the full two and half hours Space Sweepers does not fail to …

Record of Ragnarok review of Season 1 – Anime

Dan Wild

Many of us dream of seeing showdowns between ultimate sporting legends, like a matchup between Don Bradman and Curtly Ambrose in cricket, or Muhammed Ali versus Mike Tyson. Or how about Fangio, Senna, Schumacher and Hamilton all lining up on the F1 grid? Maybe it’s impossible to compare eras, with their different techniques and technologies …

Rocket Science: Chapter 12 – Party of four

Dan Wild

Previous Chapter Back in his quarters, Chuck Marley sat down and introduced Gaston Dimble and the Zorgon. The cleaning droid had attempted to tidy his room again. Pickle stains from the Betelgeuse Burgers remained, as did a couple of potato chips. “Do you have a name?” Marley asked the Zorgon.“No. On Zorge only the Guardian …

Rocket Science: Chapter 11 – The art of the loan

Dan Wild

Previous Chapter As Chuck Marley entered the office of Binary Loans he noticed the strapline above the door: ‘We Have Your Interest in Mind’ He strolled in, not over confident, but confident enough to attract the attention of the Octomaid on reception. She batted her long eyelashes. Female Octomaids were generally very social and took …

Five great YouTube math channels

Dan Wild

I watch maths channels on the internet. Why? I’m not sure. If I knew myself better I’d be able to answer that. I didn’t do well at school maths. Halfway through high school I dropped to intermediate level and humanities began to fill the void that science and maths used to occupy. Literature, philosophy and …

Rocket Science: Chapter 10 – Snooze button

Dan Wild

Previous Chapter When the alarm went off Marley pushed the snooze button. The alarm buzzed half an hour later. Again Marley pushed snooze. One of the great advantages of modern technology was its adaptability. On the verge of the third millennium alarm clocks were installed with memory chips, so after about two weeks your bedside …

Netflix Lupin review, with notes on French culture

Dan Wild

Omar Sy stars as Assane Diop, son of African immigrant Babakar, who is betrayed by an influential businessman. Babakar Diop (Fargasse Asandé), accused of theft, is imprisoned and ends his life in a cell, unable to live through the loss of face. But not before he introduces Assane to Maurice Leblanc, creator of the Arsene …

Composing Sir Dinadan the Foolish Knight: Form and Inspiration

Dan Wild

I occasionally think about death. Being paganistic in a world dominated by the ego-centred Abrahamic faiths, my entrance into hell troubles me. May I request one thing: my arrival is accompanied by an orchestra playing my music. This should prepare me for the transition from the pangs of life to the pains of the inferno. …

Rocket Science: Chapter 9 – In denial

Dan Wild

Previous Chapter The VT was playing hits of the 2670s. Chuck Marley had fallen asleep. Gaston Dimble was relishing the opportunity to study a rare historical document. The closest he had come to anything like this was when the curator of the Cretan Museum allowed him to glance at Harvard Akbar’s geological survey, Asteroidal Tendencies, …