August 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Microwave Auditory Effect: Uncle Sam Says

Warning of microwavesHeard any voices in your head lately? I know I sure have.

While I’m fairly sure mine are simply the result of the sort of self-willed madness we writers invite upon ourselves in the name of creativity (I’m winning three separate arguments with myself even as I type), your voices could be another result of government interference.

And I’m not talking about the oppressive polity of overly-bored and underly-creative legislators. No, this time I’m talking about the microwave portion of the electromagnetic radiation spectrum. Who knew, but during the cold war the United States government funded research that revealed it was possible to deliver audible clicks and noises directly into the human head via microwaves.

The phenomena has been labeled the microwave auditory effect or the Frey effect, named after the researcher, Allen H. Frey.

Nothing sinister yet, but we all know that everything during the Cold War was most certainly taken to sinister extremes only to be covered up and disavowed by Ronald Reagan (conveniently effected by his own administration’s mind ray). [Read more...]

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July 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Top 5 Conspiracy Theories in Literature

Conspiracy Theories. What would the world be without them? While some ring hollow and others are petty or cruel, many have made our world a better place. Some of the best conspiracies out there were originally constructed for the sake of great literature. Since researching how to create a top notch conspiracy theory for the sake of my next novel, I’ve developed my top 5 list of most impactful literary conspiracies (created first within literature rather than the other way around) that have changed our world for the better–or have they?

Most Impactful Conspiracy Novels

Dreadful SanctuaryDreadful Sanctuary by Eric Frank Russell

While not popular by any means, Dreadful Sanctuary blazed the path of the alien conspiracy. Blending science fiction and political thriller, this mostly forgotten novel laid the groundwork for many of our favorite contemporary conspiracy theories. The moon landing? Area 51? Alien invasion of popular figures?

The Da Vinci Code: A Novel (Robert Langdon) by Dan Brown

On the opposite end of popularity, Dan Brown’s religious conspiracy thriller has spurred countless other publications debating the “truthiness” of his fictional novel. This is of course the true test of the effectiveness of a literary conspiracy. When an author can write a fictional novel (which by the way means it’s not factual) and generate scads of argument, then he/she has done the job well! [Read more...]

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January 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The Wild West Meets the What If

Dr. Arliss Loveless from The Wild, Wild West

Months ago, while taking my weekly shower, it struck me — the answer to the question that keeps most of us up at night: “What happens when a power hungry petro-oligarchy runs amuck of an anarcho-capitalist wild west?” (And no, the answer isn’t George W. Bush.)

(Warning: small children or readers who suffer from repetitive nightmare disorder should continue reading with their hands over their eyes.)

What happens? The most ruthless and powerful geopolitical state since the Roman Empire. That’s what happens. Known as Texicas, the petrodollar-fueled nation shatters the already unstable Americas by rising to power through a post-revolution Mexican government allied with an infiltrated Texas state legislature that votes to succeed in the year 1921. Just think, in an alternate history not so different from our own I could be a third generation Texican.

Obviously, Louisiana has no choice but to acquiesce to lingering frustration over the War of Northern Aggression, and thus joins Texicas in its new independence. [Read more...]

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December 2, 2010 By 9 Comments

Firefly: a Conspiracy Theory

Serenity from T.V.'s Firefly

Serenity from T.V.'s Firefly

In case you are unaware, the best show on T.V. to never finish a single season is incontestably Firefly. It aired and was cancelled in 2002 on Fox. Many diehard, Firefly freekies will tell you that they show was cancelled due to conflicts with the creator working on another show, or due to the fact that the first two episodes were mysteriously not aired until after the other ten.

Stick in the mud types will tell you that it was due to low ratings. (Pshaw.) I’m here today to tell you the truth. Partisan politics.

You see, the plot line for Firefly is about a browncoat independent who fights for civil liberties in order to stick it to the man by encouraging a free-trade economy based on bartering and simple living and implemented by a diverse, bipartisan crew of federation outsiders. (I know. How did the creators ever think they would get away with such a thing?) [Read more...]

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