The Wordsmith's Forge

This automated rocking crib creeps me out. Babies need human contact to learn how to be human beings. They can die from lack of touch. I can understand parents' need for relief, but that's what relatives and friends are for. Or do you want children to imprint more on machines than on humans?

O_o Now there is a disturbing idea for a science fiction story: a sentient computer takes over the Earth, and only the old people are bothered by it. The younger generation, raised by machines, feel comforted. Yee eee eee ...

sythyry has posted the rules of Diamond Chess, a popular game in the setting of World Tree (for which a roleplaying handbook is available). Anyone is welcome to playtest Diamond Chess, and the author welcomes feedback on the results if you do.

This is an advance announcement for the February Poetry Fishbowl. This time the theme will be "romance, science and love." (Both "romance" and "science and love" were suggestions in a recent poll; they seemed to go together, but you can mix and match at will.) I'll be soliciting ideas for
romantic settings, dashing heroes and heras, damsels and gentlemen in distress, love life complications, things that make you go "awww!" and poetic forms in particular. If you want to give your sweetie something really special for Valentine's Day, consider dropping me a prompt. Love poetry is very traditional, and no, you don't have to make your own any more than you have to make the truffles or grow the roses!

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