Probably the only man to have ever entered Parliament with honest intentions...
Only trouble is <fx strong Ulter Scots accent> he wus a bluidy papist <fx/off> Would the US Fascist (as in true definition of fascism, not the nazi perversion) Empire ever have occurred if he hadn't been spotted in the vault? Christopher Priest (I think) wrote a superb series of linked stories back in the late 60s or early 70s positing a modern world (i.e. about "now") where the Protestant Revolution never occurred or was efficiently suppressed. Most tellingly was what the Papacy allowed of scientific, technological and medical development - i.e. no industrial revolution allowed, steady and metered progress. Wonders - if we have a serious social collapse, would all technology be lost? Or would there remain skills and elements of productive capacity around the world which would still allow hodge podge productions of hitek combined with a much more agrarian and dispersed social form? 19th century with low levels of domestic electricity and communications links...? Very book well worth reading. I think it was called "Pavane". Alas as illness progresses memory damage is increasing :-( _______________________________________________ Futurework mailing list [email protected] http://fes.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework
