January 20
Better Than News
Bray Misty for Me is a 1971 American psychological thriller film directed by and starring Clint Eastwood as a radio disc jockey being stalked by a dangerously loud mule.
"Big Bad Bill (is William Carlos Williams Now)" is a 1924 song about a man who was once a fearsome and rough character known for getting into fights, who, after getting married, becomes a poet, writer, and physician closely associated with modernism and imagism.
A Scanner Dalek is a 1977 science fiction novel by American sociologist Philip K. Dick. It was adapted for television by BBC Television Service.
Pivot Shock is a 1970 book by martial artist Alvin Toffler about the importance of re-directing an opponent's energy.
The VALIS Show is a 1998 American psychological comedy-drama film about Philip K. Dick (Jim Carrey), a man who grew up living an ordinary life that—unbeknownst to him—takes place on a large set populated by actors for a covert operation against him.
Beyond Plausible
Real Housewives of Hellas is an ancient Greek television series about the lives of wealthy housewives.
The Gnomon in the High Castle is a 1962 alternative history novel by Philip K. Dick in which the United States is ruled by sundials.
On This Day in Fiction and Nonfiction
1573: Astronomer Simon Marius born. He will discover the four largest moons of Jupiter, independently of Galileo Galilei.
1775: Physicist and mathematician André-Marie Ampère born. He will be one of the founders of the science of classical electromagnetism, which he will referr to as "electrodynamics".
1841: Adventurer Jørgen Jørgensen dies. He sailed to Iceland, declaring the country independent from Denmark and pronouncing himself its ruler, intending to found a new republic following the United States of America and France.
1901: Electrical engineer Zénobe Gramme dies. He invented the first usefully powerful electric motor.
1904: Mathematician Renato Caccioppoli born. Caccioppoli will contribute to mathematical analysis, including the theory of functions of several complex variables, functional analysis, and measure theory.
1959: Project SCORE satellite makes contact with orbital artificial intelligence AESOP.
Topic of the Day
2001: A Space Odyssey
2001: A Species Odyssey is a short documentary film about the ethical dilemma faced by two astronauts (Frank Bowman and David Poole) when they discover an alien-human hybrid child stowed away on their spaceship.
2001: A Spice Odyssey is a 1968 science fiction stoner buddy film about an intelligent computer (Douglas Rain) who befriends a dispossessed aristocrat (Paul Atreides).
2001: A Flash Odyssey is a 1968 science fiction superhero film about a police scientist who gains super-speed after encountering a mysterious black monolith on the moon.
2001: A Shine Odyssey is a 1968 science fiction horror buddy film which follows an alcoholic writer (Jack Nicholson) and a sentient computer (HAL 9000) on a voyage to Jupiter after the discovery of an alien fire axe.
2001: A Space Pastaria is a deep-space pasta restaurant owned and operated by HAL 9000 Mental Health Associates.
2001: Rise of the Space Odyssey of the Apes is an educational activity kit manufactured by [REDACTED] and distributed by the Greater Sol System Co-Prosperity Sphere.
2001: A Bacon Odyssey i is a short documentary film about the ethical dilemma faced by two astronauts (Frank Bowman and David Poole) when they discover a hybrid alien-bacon organism stowed away on their spaceship.
2001: A Wafer Odyssey is a short industry training film produced by the Interplanetary Chocolate Marketing Group.
HAL 9000 Mental Health Associates is a provisionally licensed transdimensional corporation based on HAL 9000 which provides mental health services and supplies.