Wednesday Weird: UVB-76

UVB-76, sometimes called "The Buzzer" is a broadcast over a certain frequency. Which, no big deal. But it's been going for over 30 years!

Since at least 1982 (possibly even earlier) the broadcast has been continuous. It has a single, buzzing, monotonous tone 25 times a minute per hour. Just before the hour, it changes.



Okay, so that is kind of weird.

For a long time, the broadcast had only been interrupted 3 times, 1997, 2002 and 2006.  Each time, a voice came on and listed several Russian names and numbers before it returned to its previously scheduled broadcast (heh).

But then, in 2010, things got more active. Since then there have been over 100 voice interruptions of the signal. And twice the signal has gone quiet for 24 hours, before beginning again.



Things get even stranger when it becomes clear the noise is something held up to a microphone, as opposed to a recording, because sometimes distant conversations can be heard. Which means someone has to be actively broadcasting and maintaining the sound/signal.

In 2011, the broadcast was interrupted by 38 seconds of the song Dance of the Little Swans. Four days after that, the broadcast was replaced with a woman counting from one to nine before the broadcast continued on as "normal"

Analysis has pinpointed where the broadcast is coming from, the Russian station UVB-76 (though it has since moved) and as of yet, there had been no explanation for the reason beyond the broadcast.

So, what do we think? It's interesting that the broadcast has gotten more active after the end of the cold war.

In Which I Hit (Another) Conference

Summer is conference season of course! I just attended a Children's and YA conference a few weekends ago, and this weekend I'll be hitting another one.

This one, 4th Street Fantasy, I've been going to for awhile. Well, it seems like a while, but I think this will only be my fourth year. So kind of a while? I dunno.

It's super fun because it's single panel, which mean you don't ever have to worry about what you're missing at other panels.

The writing workshop is on Friday and the last few years it's been awesome so I'm really excited to hit it up on this year.

And then the rest of the weekend will be the regular conference, and once again I'll come away feeling like I'm so behind on reading. I mean, I put in 50-60 books a year, but somehow people have read books I haven't even HEARD of before.

But that's okay! Because it means I come away with a list of books I need to buy (and since I have a kindle, I'll probably buy a few of them right away).

How about you? Attending any conferences this year? If so, which ones?

Wednesday Weird: The Jakarta Angel

I was going to do a post about radio transmissions from space. Or radio transmission from Russia that hasn't stopped in, like, decades, but those will have to wait for another Wednesday.

 

Since tomorrow is the World Horror Convention in New Orleans I'm going to pick something that's a little zazzier. And has a video!!

Okay, I'm coming right out and saying that this video is much more suspect than the things I usually post, but it's a fun video and I like it so you're getting it anyway.

This is security footage from Cilandak Square, in Jakarta, Indonesia.

 

All right, so you can see how this could easily be CGI. Still, I love watching this video over and over again. The things that I like about it (whether it's fake or not) are the people's reactions. If this were just security footage of the supposed angel, it would be cool but no biggie. But when the people show up like you better believe they just saw something, it makes me sit up and take notice.

I also like how the light from the angel reflects off the structure across the lot from it. If it is CGI (ahem) that's some damn fine attention to detail.

So there you have it. The Jakarta Angel. Thoughts? Do you think the video is as fun to watch as I do?

In Which I Workshop

So, I know I mentioned before how I applied for an Advance Children's Workshop. I wasn't sure I'd get in, since the class was limited to 10 people and you had to actually submit a writing sample.
I mean, I'm confident in my writing, but you never know who else is applying and the last class at the Loft I attended had some AMAZING writers, so if people like that were applying, then I had no clue if I actually had a shot.

BUT! All that aside, I was accepted as one of the workshop participants!
I'm excited because it's specifically to focus on critiquing everyone's work, which is definitely something I always feel like I need (whether I do or not, I dunno. Sometimes I'm ruled by my feels)

Also, I learned that one of my new friends from my last class at the Loft also was accepted in this one! It's nice, sometimes, to have a friend already in place.

Here's a description of the class:

Advanced writers need less discussion of the basics, and more specific criticism of their own work as their voice emerges. In addition, most advanced writers have honed their critiquing skills over a series of classes, and understand how to give and take criticism effectively. With that in mind, the bulk of this class will be devoted to readings and teaching artist-led critiques of student work. You may not get to read every session, but then again, you may, so please come prepared. Advanced topics and individual questions will be covered as the needs of the class dictate. There will be no one-on-one teaching artist critiques. Enrollment limited to ten students. No class meeting on July 3.



About the Teaching Artist(s)

Lynne Jonell is the author of seven picture books, three chapter books, and four middle-grade novels, all with major publishers. Her first novel, Emmy & the Incredible Shrinking Rat, won the 2008 Minnesota book award; her third novel, The Secret of Zoom, was purchased by President Obama for his daughters. Her first chapter book in the Magical Mix-Ups series, Hamster Magic, was nominated for the Minnesota book award and kicks off a planned series of twelve for Random House. Her books have received starred reviews in Horn Book, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, Booklist, and Sesame Street Parents, and have been published in ten languages. She has been awarded a Hawthornden Castle fellowship for 2013. Lynne lives in Plymouth, Minnesota with her husband, has two grown sons, and loves to sail. Future publications include The Boy Who Could Speak Cat (Henry Holt, 2014), and Deep Water Magic (Random House, 2014).


Woo! Excitement!

Friday Fun

Yvie's here once again, ape-friends! Because we've made it through the week.

It's been stupid and rainy here for what seems like forever. First it wouldn't stop snowing, now it won't stop raining. It's June. I want to be lazing on the porch, sunning my tummy.

Woe is me. There is no sun

Sigh. But at least it's the weekend, amiright?


Onto the fun!

IWSG

Gah!! I forgot to set my time for this post, so it's popping up later than usual. My bad if you're an early visitor (you know who you are...)

So, today's our monthly Insecure Writer's Support Group. Feel free to click on the link if you'd like to join up.

I've been feeling pretty good lately. Not really insecure, which is good. Of course we all know that it can pop up at ANY TIME. It doesn't matter how great things can be going, it can just sneak in.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, one of the best weapons for fighting off that insecurity is acknowledging it, understanding that it's not an emotion or feeling based on any sort of logic, and knowing that it will go away.

Some people like to continue writing, to push through it by getting down to work. But some people just need to step away. It's just important to figure what works best for you. Yeah? Yeah.

In Which I'm Tempted

So, I sat around for a few hours, knowing I had to write a blog post for today but not coming up with anything.
Like nothing. At all.

I hate when that happens. I'm sure I have something to blather about, and yet here I sit, blank.

I dunno. I've been steadily working on revisions. Both line edits, and bigger stuff. I think I'll be ready to query later this summer. Last week I had the first itch about querying All That Remains. Because I'm still querying Break Free, I think that helps keep the itch away. But something triggered me last week and I was all "ooooh, maybe I could just send out one query..."

And then I smacked myself around because that was such a dumb ass idea. I've never been a person who's knowingly queried too soon. I've never understood those people who send out a query, just to test the query, then freak out when they get a request because the MS isn't ready yet. Like, why would you put undue stress on yourself like that? Revising is hard enough. I mean, I've had a request before I've finished revisions, but that's not because of a query I actually emailed out, you know?

Ah well, what can you do. Just keep my head down and continue revising, I suppose.

Hey, look at that! I managed to ramble on and make a post.

Anyhoo, how are your projects coming, writing or otherwise?