Challenge 778

Coughing Hacks

In J. Zhanna Malekos Smith’s The Great Cyberspace Solarium Dialogue:
1. Why might a “playbook” for cyber security threat levels be suggested? Do you think such a “playbook” is actually needed?
2. Who would normally determine the level of threats to cyber security?
3. What cyber attacks would constitute a casus belli, a cause for armed conflict? Would such attacks be a cause for war if they failed or were countered successfully?
4. What is the real problem in determining the level of cyber threats and the proper response? Is it technical or human?
5. Which parts of the essay and discussion can taken as satire? At what point might readers realize that a battle of clichés is irrelevant?
6. What would you add to the discussion?
In Danko Antolovic’s Pasiphae:
1. How does Daedalus feel about his exile on Crete? How does he feel about Minos and Pasiphae?
2. How does Daedalus feel about the Minotaur? How does he feel about building the giant prison of the Labyrinth?
3. What was Daedalus’ motive for murdering Talos, in chapter 1? What impression might readers form of Daedalus’ personality thus far?
In Rachel Rodman’s Comestibly Ever After, how would you characterize the tone of most of the food vignettes: as comic, ironic, sarcastic? Other?
In Joshua Begley’s Juliet’s Street-Side Serenade:
1. What is the advantage in choosing the classic Romeo and Juliet as characters rather than an ordinary couple?
2. At what age do Romeo and Juliet appear to have “stalled” rather than become multi-centenarians?
3. What makes the story a comedy rather than a tragedy?
4. At what point or points does the narrative switch from the present to the past tense? Does the tense switch seem to be an oversight, or does it have a function in the story?

Responses welcome!