Viridian Note 00410: Sterling Book Tour

Key concepts

Bruce Sterling, book tour, publicity, Viridian Aromatizer Contest

Attention Conservation Notice:

Who cares about some author out on the road promoting some new novel. Contains some more entries on the Viridian Aromatizer Contest.

(((I'm about to confront the biggest book tour that I've ever done. If you ever felt the urge to press-the-flesh of the Pope-Emperor in person, well, here you go, then. Also, if you are local media, then the estimable Mr. Robbins of Del Rey publicity would rather like a word with you.)))

Bookstore Tour Schedule
Contact: Fleetwood Robbins at 212-782-8373 or frobbins*randomhouse.com

Bruce Sterling
The Zenith Angle

Bruce Sterling will be speaking and signing his new book THE ZENITH ANGLE in the following cities:

Chicago, IL Thursday, April 29th @ 7:30 PM Talk & Signing
Barbara's Bookstore
1100 Lake StreetOak Park, IL 60301 Phone: (708) 848-9140

New York, NY
Tuesday, May 11th @ 7:30 PM
Talk & Signing
Barnes & Noble #2017
396 Ave. of the Americas (at 8th St.) New York, NY 10011
Phone: (212) 674-8780

Boston, MA
Wednesday, May 12th @ 7:00 PM Talk & Signing
Harvard Coop
1400 Massachusettes Ave., Harvard Sq. Boston, MA 02238
Phone: (617) 499-2012

Arlington, VA
Friday, May 14th @ 7:00 PM
Talk & Signing
Olsson's
211 Wilson Blvd.
Arlington, VA 22201
Phone: (703) 525-4227

Roseville, MN
Saturday, May 15th @ 3:00 PM Talk & Signing
Barnes & Noble #2614
2100 N. Snelling Ave.
Roseville, MN 55113
Phone: (651) 639-9256

Austin, TX
Monday, May 17th @ 7:00 PM
Talk & Signing
Book People
603 N. Lamar
Austin, TX 78703
Phone: (512) 472-4288

San Francisco, CA
Tuesday, May 18th @ 12:30 PM Signing
Stacey's
581 Market Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
Phone: (415) 896-1606

Tuesday, May 18th @ 7:00 PM
Talk & Signing
The Booksmith
1644 Haight St.
San Francisco, CA 94117
Phone: (415) 863-8688

San Diego, CA
Wednesday, May 19th @ 7:00 PM Talk & Signing
Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore
7051 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92111
Phone: (858) 268-4747

Thursday May 20th @ 7:00 PM
Talk & Signing
University Bookstore
4326 University Way
Seattle, WA 98105
Phone: (206) 634-3400

Friday, May 21st @ 7:00 PM
Talk & Signing
Third Place Books
17171 Bothell Way NE
Lake Forrest Park, WA 98155
Phone: (206) 366-3320

The Viridian Aromatizer Contest entry deadline is May 11, 02004.

From: st54d2002*yahoo.com (Kathleen McKenzie)

Dear BruceS,

Here are my Viridian atomizer application contest entries.

1. Hacker crime retardant. When a hacker compromises a system, the atomizer emits pepper spray, or worse, a permanent red dye-type mist that marks (brands, tattoos) the hacker, enabling easier identification by feds & court jurors. The Aromatizer would be a standard incorporation into Windows/Mac boxes, which might spur a new Linux/Unix movement.
   
   
2. Spymatizer. Spyware could digitize sample smells from households (like baby smells, pet smells, smoker smells), then beam the info back to headquarters. Headquarters then targets ads to the computer user.

What if you were using a laptop in Central Park by the horse carriages?

3. The Net for Dogs. Based on smells, dogs could be taught interactive computing. Bark once for poo, three times for Alpo Doggie Steak. Voice input would then translate the barks into signal input. Could be used as spyware for dog food ads.
   
   
4. Google for Smells. A smell-mixer program, similar to a sound-mixer program, could be used to key in smells. Use of created digitized smells would include input to Google to search the Net for corresponding smells. I'd like to see the SmellRank code for that. You would just link to smells the usual way, via hyperlink.

Eventually, SmellRank code could locate smells on or off the web, over the whole globe.

Smell viruses would invade us as spammers/hackers learned to target the personal smells of certain people.

kathleen mckenzie
http://www.kathleenmckenzie.com

From: wapel*aes.ac.in (Warren Apel)

Bruce,

I took a bunch of photos in India and Thailand over the last few months. I'd like an olfactory recorder on my digital camera. It would embed the smell data into the JPEG, then I can play the photos back on a digital AV player.

People who had an Aromatizer on their cellphone, PDA, or desktop could smell the photos off my website or if I emailed them, since all the data would be part of the JPEG itself.

Olfactorily yours,

Warren

From: will*subterrane.com (Will Munslow)

Bruce,

I really hate to say it, I really do...

"Any technology sufficiently advanced can be used for porn."

The real money is always in entertainment. Although adding scent to porn may push people right over the edge.

:: Will :: http://www.subterrane.com ::

From: nonwhiz@earthlink.net (Michael Treece)

Your Holiness-Majesty:

I propose installing scent generators on all electrical appliances sold (except those under energy-conservation programs, EnergyStar and the like). When the offending appliance begins to draw power, a sulfurous burning- coal stench would be emitted.

As I'm in the medical field, I had initially thought of using olfactory cues instead of lights and audio alarms in patient monitors, but a hospital is already such a fantasia of aromas that such smell-alerts would be lost.

yrs,
Mike

O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O
SEE THAT CONTRAIL
UP THERE? THAT'S
PROBABLY ME!
O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O