In a groundbreaking new advance in RSS technology, you can now subscribe to an RSS feed of your own personal lightcone. You give it your date of birth, and it keeps track of which stars have distances from Sol in light-years that are lower than your age in years. If you look at those stars in the night sky, you’re seeing photons that left during your lifetime.
How old am I? I am Delta Eridani, going on Beta Comae Berenices.
Bands and cones
One of my favourite pieces of Vonnegut writing is from Breakfast of Champions. An artist is defending his painting that no one thinks much of: a stripe of orange reflecting tape on a field of green wall paint.
“I now give you my word of honor,” h…