M Thomas Apple Author Page

Science fiction, actual science, history, and personal ranting about life, the universe, and everything

IndieReader Approved!

April 16, 2024
MThomas

In BRINGER OF LIGHT, M. Thomas Apple crafts a satisfyingly complex future where mankind has moved off Earth but must fight and struggle against the harsh realities of physics—and each other—in order to survive. 

https://indiereader.com/book_review/bringer-of-light/

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Today’s quote

April 13, 2024
MThomas

When you are younger you get blamed for crimes you never committed. And when you’re older you begin to get credit for virtues you never possessed. It evens itself out.

Charlie “Casey” Stengel

Get ready for the 2024 totality, North Americans!

April 8, 2024
MThomas

Researchers will fly rockets into the path of the eclipse, stand in zoos watching animals, send radio signals across the globe, and peer into space with massive cameras. 

And you don’t need to be a scientist to take part.

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-68742516

If you’re lucky enough to have no clouds or rain, that is.

Things the eclipse affects:

  • Radio waves
  • Animal behavior
  • The birds and the bees (seriously; read about what tortoises did last time)

Things scientists can view thanks to an eclipse:

  • The solar wind (plasma on the surface of the Sun)
  • Coronal mass ejections (which interfere with satellites)
  • Dust rings around the Sun and possibly even new asteroids

The East Coast of North America, where most of my relatives live, is currently 13 hours behind me in Japan. So the event will be long over by the time I wake up.

Hope to see video of it on the morning news show tomorrow!

Check out my author interview at Literary Titan!

April 1, 2024
MThomas

Today’s quote

March 29, 2024
MThomas

The influence of geography on history went mostly unrecognized…Humans tended to look more at the influence of history on geography. Who owns this river valley? This verdant valley? This peninsula? This planet? None of us.

Frank Herbert, God Emperor of Dune

How to photograph a solar eclipse

March 29, 2024
MThomas

The eclipse begins as a small notch slowly appears along one edge of the Sun. During the next hour, the Moon gradually covers more and more of the Sun’s bright disk. You’ll need a Solar Filter to both view and photograph the partial phases. 

https://www.mreclipse.com/SEphoto/SEphoto.html

On April 8, 2024, there will be a total solar eclipse across parts of North America. It starts on Mexico’s Pacific coast and ends on Canada’s Atlantic coast. (So, no, it’s not just “from San Antonio to the Canadian border” as one article puts it).

I’m a little jealous of friends and family in the path. The eclipse lasts for over four minutes this time — if you’re in the area, enjoy!

And send me a photo or three if you can 😁

Today’s quote

March 27, 2024
MThomas

You don’t write for success. That takes part of your attention away from the writing. If you’re really doing it, that’s all you’re doing: writing.

Frank Herbert, “When I Was Writing Dune”

Short sharp shocks, please

March 27, 2024
MThomas

Daily writing prompt
What’s something most people don’t understand?

How NOT to look at their smartphone while zombie walking on a train platform or stairs.

Smartphones should be programmed to send tiny electrical shocks into your hand when you walk while reading them. Put the thing in your pocket until you clear the field.

Techie here! (Aka geek)

March 26, 2024
MThomas

How has technology changed your job?

How has it not?

I’m a TESOL teacher. Learning to use technology — appropriately — has always been a part of my job.

It’s the “appropriate” part that has difficult to deal with the past few years.

Yeah. Hi, Chat.

Forget about Zoom, LMS, video editing software, and all sorts of online sites that don’t need any knowledge of programming language.

I was making my own web pages in basic HTML and JavaScript back when people still though InternetExplorer was a good browser.

But tech is nothing more than a tool. And tools can be used well and badly.

And often the simple tech of a piece of paper and a pencil are all you need. No bandwagon mentality here.

So if anything I would say that, although I have always used technology to some degree for my job, I have had the luxury of experience (and a lot of mistakes!) to figure out when technology can help my job, and when it just gets in the way.

(FWIW I also teach a one-semester class about language, identity, and technology. And yes, we do analyze our selfies.)

Today’s quote

March 25, 2024
MThomas

Life is a mask through which the universe expresses itself.

Frank Herbert, The Children of Dune
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