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I'll Stick to Boating, Thank-you...
On Thu, 1 Oct 2009 19:18:54 -0700, "nom=de=plume"
wrote: Heinlein (Stranger in a strange land... I still re-read it) Which version - unedited or edited. The unedited version is better and by comparison, the edited version sucks. Heinlien was good only up to a point. If he kept within the bounds of his Libertarian views, he wrote some great stuff. When he started wandering off the reservation trying to match Silverberg and Dick (who by the way was a complete and total asshole as befits his name), he lost it completely. Read "Grumbles from The Grave" sometime - that will give you a whole new opinion of Heinlien. Issac Asimov was a good friend of my Father's. They met through another friend of my Dad's Clifford Simak - another scifi author. My favorite Asimov story was when I was in high school - I came home from football practice on my way to my job at the TV store and sitting in my living room with my Dad was Asimov, Simak and Martin Greenberg (the publisher, not the anthologist) yucking it up like there was no tomorrow. :) |
I'll Stick to Boating, Thank-you...
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I'll Stick to Boating, Thank-you...
wrote in message
... On Thu, 1 Oct 2009 19:18:54 -0700, "nom=de=plume" wrote: wrote in message . .. On Thu, 1 Oct 2009 17:28:21 -0700, "nom=de=plume" wrote: snipped for the conservation of bandwidth We should genetically engineer people to have grasping feet. In fact, I imagine that generations from now people who live in space will develop such. They will have little use for shoes and will need such feet to keep from drifting around while they use their hands. That reminds me of a science fiction novel I read years ago, "The Mote in God's Eye," by David Niven and Jerry Pournelli. It's been years since I've read it; but, it seems to me that that in the novel the human race encounters another life form that was similar to what you've described. -- Posted via NewsDemon.com - Premium Uncensored Newsgroup Service -------http://www.NewsDemon.com------ Unlimited Access, Anonymous Accounts, Uncensored Broadband Access I vaguely remember reading this in college... can't remember it though. Maybe I should get it from the library.... I think that was their first collaboration. It was my favorite Sci-fi novel until I read "Dune" by Frank Herbert. -- Posted via NewsDemon.com - Premium Uncensored Newsgroup Service -------http://www.NewsDemon.com------ Unlimited Access, Anonymous Accounts, Uncensored Broadband Access I didn't like that book... the movie was awful Do you read Science Fiction, Miss De Plume? I devoured science fiction novels when I was young. I haven't read a science fiction novel in years, though. The genre became too...commercial and gratuitously salacious, as far as I was concerned. The last good novel I've read, recently, was actually a humorous work by Leornard Wibberley, "The Mouse that Roared." Dune was not a nascently intellecutal book of the type you might find written by Stanislaw Lem, Ursula Le Guin, or Phillip K. Dick. But, Herbert wove a wonderful tapestry of story, future, distant shores, culture, intrigue and memorable characters that spawned at least two movies. I thought the work was incomparably imaginative. I have read other works since, though. Em is fine. I really like, no let me say it differently, I'm a huge fan of Usula Le Guin (favorite story is The Darkness Box) and Phillip K. Dick (Do android dream of electric sheep aka Blade Runner). I also love Azimov (I Robot and the Foundation novels - except the last one), Heinlein (Stranger in a strange land... I still re-read it), and Bradbury (too many to list). Heinlein is actual exceptional. I saw the movie version of The Mouse that Roared when I was a child and thought it was so much fun, but I never like The Wizard of Oz. I didn't like the Dorothy charcter and the monkeys scared me when my mom took me to see it. "Em" seems so CSS, Em. But it works for me. Ursula Le Guin did write the Earth Sea Trilogy, too, which I enjoyed. Those books were more in the Fantasy or Heroic Fantasy genre. I thought her "Left Hand" more masterly. To be honest, I haven't read "The Darkness Box." I'll add that to my list (the interminable list). I read a lot of Asimov when I was in my teens, including "I Robot," and I would have to reread the books to discuss them adequately. I do remember that Asimov was markedly proud of his three laws of robotics. And I'd read "Stranger in a Strange Land," too. I read a lot of Heinlein back then (including "The Rolling Stones," the possible genesis for Gerrold's "The Trouble with Tribbles"). (In fact one of my research papers in college used references from Heinlein's testimony before Congress concerning NASA spinoff technology.) The one heralded author that I never really explored much as I probably should have was Arthur C. Clarke. I had read a couple of his books, I know. I don't remember the titles, though. Bradbury was an intriguing author, also, I'd have to agree. I don't think he ever forgave Michael Moore for 'borrowing' the title from his "Fahrenheit 451." Not sure what CSS means... sorry... didn't take it as flip. My name is a series of M's, so sometimes I'm called M&M, shortened even more to Em. The Darkness Box is a very short story. I don't think it's available online. My favorite I Robot short story is Robbie. Moore, I think, was trying to make political points with the title. I guess it sort of fits, but.... -- Nom=de=Plume |
I'll Stick to Boating, Thank-you...
On Thu, 1 Oct 2009 07:32:26 -0700 (PDT), Frogwatch
wrote: Watch animals who are good at climbing and you eventually get the impression that their minds are wired diff. I remember something in the paper about a couple of guys who had never done any climbing. The rode their mountain bikes into the desert, abandoned them, walked a ways and got the bright idea that it would be fun to climb down a cliff. Halfway down, the dropped down onto a ledge, which left them with no way back. I can only imagine their horror when they found no way down. Casady |
I'll Stick to Boating, Thank-you...
On Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:47:23 -0400, Tom Francis - SWSports
wrote: snipped for the mere exercise Yes, I do remember the "Mote in God's Eye". About a race that could not practice birth control so their civilization kept ending in extreme overpopulation. I forget how the problem was solved. I was a teenager when I read the book, and I remember so little about it. What you described evoked memories of the alien race in that book. I came across a copy of the book a couple of years ago at a yard sale. I purchased it to read again, and I started to do that last winter. For some reason I never got beyond the first few pages. (I've got too many books going at the same time right now.) All of this has me reminsicing about favorite books, though. The "High Crusade" by Poul Anderson was a lighthearted read, and Le Guin's "The Left Hand of Darkness" was a thought-provoking work. Then there was "The Forever War"... You need to read "Old Man's War" by John Scalzi and his companion works "Ghost Brigades" and "Zoe's War". Is there a reason why, Tom? I really gave up on Sci-fi years ago. And my reading list is overwhelming as it is. And I have opened concurrently; "Hypatia of Alexandria," "World Masterpieces since the Renaissance," and "Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds." I have never been an organized reader. -- Posted via NewsDemon.com - Premium Uncensored Newsgroup Service -------http://www.NewsDemon.com------ Unlimited Access, Anonymous Accounts, Uncensored Broadband Access |
I'll Stick to Boating, Thank-you...
On Fri, 02 Oct 2009 01:23:11 -0400, Tom Francis - SWSports
wrote: minor snipage I didn't like that book... the movie was awful Do you read Science Fiction, Miss De Plume? I devoured science fiction novels when I was young. I haven't read a science fiction novel in years, though. The genre became too...commercial and gratuitously salacious, as far as I was concerned. The last good novel I've read, recently, was actually a humorous work by Leornard Wibberley, "The Mouse that Roared." Dune was not a nascently intellecutal book of the type you might find written by Stanislaw Lem, Ursula Le Guin, or Phillip K. Dick. But, Herbert wove a wonderful tapestry of story, future, distant shores, culture, intrigue and memorable characters that spawned at least two movies. I thought the work was incomparably imaginative. I have read other works since, though. Em is fine. I really like, no let me say it differently, I'm a huge fan of Usula Le Guin (favorite story is The Darkness Box) and Phillip K. Dick (Do android dream of electric sheep aka Blade Runner). I also love Azimov (I Robot and the Foundation novels - except the last one), Heinlein (Stranger in a strange land... I still re-read it), and Bradbury (too many to list). Heinlein is actual exceptional. I saw the movie version of The Mouse that Roared when I was a child and thought it was so much fun, but I never like The Wizard of Oz. I didn't like the Dorothy charcter and the monkeys scared me when my mom took me to see it. "Em" seems so CSS, Em. But it works for me. Ursula Le Guin did write the Earth Sea Trilogy, too, which I enjoyed. Those books were more in the Fantasy or Heroic Fantasy genre. I thought her "Left Hand" more masterly. To be honest, I haven't read "The Darkness Box." She did do some wonderful work - "Darkness Box" is one of her best, but it's hard to get into initially. Once you get the rythym of the work, it becomes a joy to read. I read a lot of Asimov when I was in my teens, including "I Robot," and I would have to reread the books to discuss them adequately. I do remember that Asimov was markedly proud of his three laws of robotics. Heh - once, in an unguarded moment during an interview, Asimov said that he regretted not doing more with Dr. Susan Calvin. When he was asked why, he said that she could be the prototypical female version of himself. Nobody ever said that Asimov didn't lack in the ego department. Interesting little tidbit about the Three Laws. The Second Law was actualy rewritten by John Campbell - Asimov didn't like the rewrite, but went with it because of publishing pressure. Campbell did it again to Asmimov in the short story "Nightfall" which is one of Asimov's more famous stories - rewrote part of the ending and again Asimov had to go with it. Those two particular rewrites had critics falling all over themselves about Asimov's genius. It ****ed him off so bad that he never spoke directly to Campbell again. :) And I'd read "Stranger in a Strange Land," too. I read a lot of Heinlein back then (including "The Rolling Stones," the possible genesis for Gerrold's "The Trouble with Tribbles"). (In fact one of my research papers in college used references from Heinlein's testimony before Congress concerning NASA spinoff technology.) Actually, it was on the value of the space program and aging - basically how space and the micro-gravity of High Earth Orbits (HEO) and LaGrange Point habitats could lengthen the life spans of humans and keep them productive twice as long. That could be. My paper was on NASA spinoff technology. I can't say that I remember the focus of Heinlein's testimony, other than it was pertinent and germane to my paper. I could dig the paper out, though. I have it buried deeply in a filing cabinet somewhere in the recesses of my home... The one heralded author that I never really explored much as I probably should have was Arthur C. Clarke. I had read a couple of his books, I know. I don't remember the titles, though. He was indeed a pioneer and one of the "Masters" although he tended to wander off the reservation from time-to-time - which is perfectly fine - the works were good stories. Oddly, my favorite Clarke story line was the "Rama" series - that was really fun to read, but by the third book, it got lost. Bradbury was an intriguing author, also, I'd have to agree. I don't think he ever forgave Michael Moore for 'borrowing' the title from his "Fahrenheit 451." Actually no - Bradbury wasn't happy about the use of the name, but it had nothing to do with politics. Bradbury accepted Moore's explanation of the error as a misjudgement on his part and while not exaclty friends, they aren't enemies. I didn't imply that it was a politically motivated circumstance. And it's been sometime since I've read the article. At the time that I read the article, I don't believe Bradbury was that far along. But then, my memory may be failing me on this. -- Posted via NewsDemon.com - Premium Uncensored Newsgroup Service -------http://www.NewsDemon.com------ Unlimited Access, Anonymous Accounts, Uncensored Broadband Access |
I'll Stick to Boating, Thank-you...
On Thu, 1 Oct 2009 22:56:52 -0700, "nom=de=plume"
wrote: wrote in message .. . On Thu, 1 Oct 2009 19:18:54 -0700, "nom=de=plume" wrote: wrote in message ... On Thu, 1 Oct 2009 17:28:21 -0700, "nom=de=plume" wrote: snipped for the conservation of bandwidth We should genetically engineer people to have grasping feet. In fact, I imagine that generations from now people who live in space will develop such. They will have little use for shoes and will need such feet to keep from drifting around while they use their hands. That reminds me of a science fiction novel I read years ago, "The Mote in God's Eye," by David Niven and Jerry Pournelli. It's been years since I've read it; but, it seems to me that that in the novel the human race encounters another life form that was similar to what you've described. -- Posted via NewsDemon.com - Premium Uncensored Newsgroup Service -------http://www.NewsDemon.com------ Unlimited Access, Anonymous Accounts, Uncensored Broadband Access I vaguely remember reading this in college... can't remember it though. Maybe I should get it from the library.... I think that was their first collaboration. It was my favorite Sci-fi novel until I read "Dune" by Frank Herbert. -- Posted via NewsDemon.com - Premium Uncensored Newsgroup Service -------http://www.NewsDemon.com------ Unlimited Access, Anonymous Accounts, Uncensored Broadband Access I didn't like that book... the movie was awful Do you read Science Fiction, Miss De Plume? I devoured science fiction novels when I was young. I haven't read a science fiction novel in years, though. The genre became too...commercial and gratuitously salacious, as far as I was concerned. The last good novel I've read, recently, was actually a humorous work by Leornard Wibberley, "The Mouse that Roared." Dune was not a nascently intellecutal book of the type you might find written by Stanislaw Lem, Ursula Le Guin, or Phillip K. Dick. But, Herbert wove a wonderful tapestry of story, future, distant shores, culture, intrigue and memorable characters that spawned at least two movies. I thought the work was incomparably imaginative. I have read other works since, though. Em is fine. I really like, no let me say it differently, I'm a huge fan of Usula Le Guin (favorite story is The Darkness Box) and Phillip K. Dick (Do android dream of electric sheep aka Blade Runner). I also love Azimov (I Robot and the Foundation novels - except the last one), Heinlein (Stranger in a strange land... I still re-read it), and Bradbury (too many to list). Heinlein is actual exceptional. I saw the movie version of The Mouse that Roared when I was a child and thought it was so much fun, but I never like The Wizard of Oz. I didn't like the Dorothy charcter and the monkeys scared me when my mom took me to see it. "Em" seems so CSS, Em. But it works for me. Ursula Le Guin did write the Earth Sea Trilogy, too, which I enjoyed. Those books were more in the Fantasy or Heroic Fantasy genre. I thought her "Left Hand" more masterly. To be honest, I haven't read "The Darkness Box." I'll add that to my list (the interminable list). I read a lot of Asimov when I was in my teens, including "I Robot," and I would have to reread the books to discuss them adequately. I do remember that Asimov was markedly proud of his three laws of robotics. And I'd read "Stranger in a Strange Land," too. I read a lot of Heinlein back then (including "The Rolling Stones," the possible genesis for Gerrold's "The Trouble with Tribbles"). (In fact one of my research papers in college used references from Heinlein's testimony before Congress concerning NASA spinoff technology.) The one heralded author that I never really explored much as I probably should have was Arthur C. Clarke. I had read a couple of his books, I know. I don't remember the titles, though. Bradbury was an intriguing author, also, I'd have to agree. I don't think he ever forgave Michael Moore for 'borrowing' the title from his "Fahrenheit 451." Not sure what CSS means... sorry... didn't take it as flip. My name is a series of M's, so sometimes I'm called M&M, shortened even more to Em. The Darkness Box is a very short story. I don't think it's available online. My favorite I Robot short story is Robbie. Moore, I think, was trying to make political points with the title. I guess it sort of fits, but.... CSS stands for cascading style sheets, Em. It's a web design mechanism - sort of an html thing. If I can find "The Darkness Box," I'll definitely read it. I think I can slip in a short story :) -- Posted via NewsDemon.com - Premium Uncensored Newsgroup Service -------http://www.NewsDemon.com------ Unlimited Access, Anonymous Accounts, Uncensored Broadband Access |
I'll Stick to Boating, Thank-you...
On Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:38:15 -0400, Tom Francis - SWSports
wrote: On Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:49:50 -0500, wrote: On Thu, 1 Oct 2009 12:44:00 -0700, "nom=de=plume" wrote: wrote in message ... On Thu, 1 Oct 2009 09:09:30 -0700 (PDT), Frogwatch wrote: On Oct 1, 11:56 am, wrote: On Thu, 1 Oct 2009 07:32:26 -0700 (PDT), Frogwatch wrote: On Oct 1, 10:27 am, Frogwatch wrote: On Oct 1, 9:38 am, wrote: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OndG4b5M-Q4 -- Posted via NewsDemon.com - Premium Uncensored Newsgroup Service -------http://www.NewsDemon.com------ Unlimited Access, Anonymous Accounts, Uncensored Broadband Access That is impressive. Watch animals who are good at climbing and you eventually get the impression that their minds are wired diff. They do not have the fear of falling we have although logic says they should. Clearly, this guy has little fear of falling but I wonder how much he has practiced on these particular rocks. Notice the white chalk on some of the blocks indicating a lot of use by climbers. Whether it's familiarity with the terrain, a natural talent, or a lot of practice, I would have to concede that the backflip on the vertical wall is unnatural. I would suspect that very few people would be able to develop that type of skill. -- Posted via NewsDemon.com - Premium Uncensored Newsgroup Service -------http://www.NewsDemon.com------ Unlimited Access, Anonymous Accounts, Uncensored Broadband Access We should genetically engineer people to have grasping feet. In fact, I imagine that generations from now people who live in space will develop such. They will have little use for shoes and will need such feet to keep from drifting around while they use their hands. That reminds me of a science fiction novel I read years ago, "The Mote in God's Eye," by David Niven and Jerry Pournelli. It's been years since I've read it; but, it seems to me that that in the novel the human race encounters another life form that was similar to what you've described. -- Posted via NewsDemon.com - Premium Uncensored Newsgroup Service -------http://www.NewsDemon.com------ Unlimited Access, Anonymous Accounts, Uncensored Broadband Access I vaguely remember reading this in college... can't remember it though. Maybe I should get it from the library.... I think that was their first collaboration. It was my favorite Sci-fi novel until I read "Dune" by Frank Herbert. It was. Others are "Footfall", "Gripping Hand", "Oath of Fealty". ....and "Lucifer's Hammer." -- Posted via NewsDemon.com - Premium Uncensored Newsgroup Service -------http://www.NewsDemon.com------ Unlimited Access, Anonymous Accounts, Uncensored Broadband Access |
I'll Stick to Boating, Thank-you...
On Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:33:57 -0400, Tom Francis - SWSports
wrote: snipped quickly We should genetically engineer people to have grasping feet. In fact, I imagine that generations from now people who live in space will develop such. They will have little use for shoes and will need such feet to keep from drifting around while they use their hands. That reminds me of a science fiction novel I read years ago, "The Mote in God's Eye," by David Niven and Jerry Pournelli. It's been years since I've read it; but, it seems to me that that in the novel the human race encounters another life form that was similar to what you've described. Good lord. It was written by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. Quite right. Mr. Krause had already corrected my error, made in haste. -- Posted via NewsDemon.com - Premium Uncensored Newsgroup Service -------http://www.NewsDemon.com------ Unlimited Access, Anonymous Accounts, Uncensored Broadband Access |
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