Re: Brin: What's in the works?
On 8/26/08, Ronn! Blankenship [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Then there was the episode of _Quantum Leap_ where originally both (JFK and Jackie) were killed. From a distance of about 16 years, I remember that episode as much more intense than most episodes of that show. -- Mauro Diotallevi The number you have dialed is imaginary. Please rotate your phone 90 degrees and try again. ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Brin: What's in the works?
On Sun, Aug 24, 2008 at 8:54 PM, William T Goodall [EMAIL PROTECTED]wrote: On 24 Aug 2008, at 22:42, Alberto Vieira Ferreira Monteiro wrote: David Brin wrote: But of course I am distracted by the elections, hoping we'll at last save America and civilization from a criminal gang. (What we're seeing -- including the outright and direct theft of half a trillion dollars -- goes far beyond regular issues of mere left or right.) Now I'm curious - what's so wrong about McCain (beyond his killing of McAbel)? Alberto Monteiro He doesn't know how to use a computer, he doesn't know how many houses he owns and he seems to have too many senior moments for someone in charge of the big red button? And that's without anything to do with his policies. Ooh! Shiny Maru -- William T Goodall Mail : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web : http://www.wtgab.demon.co.uk Blog : http://radio.weblogs.com/0111221/ It was only after ordering the melon balls that Rick discovered he was at a drive through plastic surgery. McCain doesn't know how to use a computer. So? What does that have to do with being President? My choice for President depends on which candidate I think will address all the issues facing the USA consistent with my values, not whether or not he has a cool Facebook page. john -- about to vote in my 9th Presidential election ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Brin: What's in the works?
On 25 Aug 2008, at 14:25, John Garcia wrote: McCain doesn't know how to use a computer. So? What does that have to do with being President? It means he's completely out of touch with reality. My choice for President depends on which candidate I think will address all the issues facing the USA consistent with my values, not whether or not he has a cool Facebook page. Wouldn't he have to understand the issues first? Dinosaur Maru -- William T Goodall Mail : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web : http://www.wtgab.demon.co.uk Blog : http://radio.weblogs.com/0111221/ I think a case can be made that faith is one of the world's great evils, comparable to the smallpox virus but harder to eradicate. - Richard Dawkins ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Brin: What's in the works?
My choice for President depends on which candidate I think will address all the issues facing the USA consistent with my values, not whether or not he has a cool Facebook page. Its not whether or not he has a cool Facebbook page -- its whether he can understand the massive changes in socieity being wrought by computers and the internet, whether he is going to be a President who honors science and tries to learn from it, rather than supressing it out of ideologicial and religious prejudice like the one we have now, whether he is equipped to deal with a world bound ever tighter by communicantions, by enemies who have mastered the idea of loose networks bound by technology and of spreading their world view via the web. Whether he looks outward toward the future rather than backwards, and whether he can address, for instance, the kinds of issues of privacy, freedom and the impact of technology that Dr. Brin addresses. That's why its important that he know how to use a computer. Comparing it to a cool facebook page is the kind of trivial analysis the media usually does. Olin - Original Message - From: William T Goodallmailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Killer Bs (David Brin et al) Discussionmailto:brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Monday, August 25, 2008 6:49 AM Subject: Re: Brin: What's in the works? On 25 Aug 2008, at 14:25, John Garcia wrote: McCain doesn't know how to use a computer. So? What does that have to do with being President? It means he's completely out of touch with reality. My choice for President depends on which candidate I think will address all the issues facing the USA consistent with my values, not whether or not he has a cool Facebook page. Wouldn't he have to understand the issues first? Dinosaur Maru -- William T Goodall Mail : [EMAIL PROTECTED]mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Web : http://www.wtgab.demon.co.ukhttp://www.wtgab.demon.co.uk/ Blog : http://radio.weblogs.com/0111221/http://radio.weblogs.com/0111221/ I think a case can be made that faith is one of the world's great evils, comparable to the smallpox virus but harder to eradicate. - Richard Dawkins ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-lhttp://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Brin: What's in the works?
On Mon, 25 Aug 2008, Olin Elliott wrote: My choice for President depends on which candidate I think will address all the issues facing the USA consistent with my values, not whether or not he has a cool Facebook page. Its not whether or not he has a cool Facebbook page -- its whether he can understand the massive changes in socieity being wrought by computers and the internet, whether he is going to be a President who honors science and tries to learn from it, rather than supressing it out of ideologicial and religious prejudice like the one we have now, whether he is equipped to deal with a world bound ever tighter by communicantions, by enemies who have mastered the idea of loose networks bound by technology and of spreading their world view via the web. Whether he looks outward toward the future rather than backwards, and whether he can address, for instance, the kinds of issues of privacy, freedom and the impact of technology that Dr. Brin addresses. That's why its important that he know how to use a computer. Comparing it to a cool facebook page is the kind of trivial analysis the media usually does. Besides, the pols *hire* people to do their MySpace/blog/etc.[1] sites. Whether or not he has a cool MySpace page has more to do with how good a job someone in his campaign did *hiring* the right person than his understanding of any of the tech involved. (I'd have listed LiveJournal there, but I don't know of any pols using LJ.) Julia ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Brin: What's in the works?
At 08:25 AM Monday 8/25/2008, John Garcia wrote: McCain doesn't know how to use a computer. So? What does that have to do with being President? I dunno. I kept looking without success for the scene in one of Harry Turtledove's alternate history books which matched the cover illustration which showed JFK using a PC . . . He Wasn't President In That Timeline Or Even A Major Character In The Book Maru . . . ronn! :) ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Brin: What's in the works?
I agree with John. Both sides offer up trivia to foster visceral dislike of the other guy, having nothing to do with how they'd govern. I am especially uninterested in passing slips of the tongue. BFD. McCain would re-appoint most of the scoundrels who have robbed us blind. That's kinda boring as a soundbite. But it's overwhelming. A second reason... only if the GOP is utterly trounced will its own internal reformers have a chance to re-take the party from the alliance of Rupert Murdoch, Karl Rove and radical fundies who actually WANT the US to end in fiery armageddon. Only in exile, licking its wounds, might the Goldwater types re-take command and save the conservative movement. ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Brin: What's in the works?
On Mon, Aug 25, 2008 at 10:52 AM, Olin Elliott [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: My choice for President depends on which candidate I think will address all the issues facing the USA consistent with my values, not whether or not he has a cool Facebook page. Its not whether or not he has a cool Facebbook page -- its whether he can understand the massive changes in socieity being wrought by computers and the internet, whether he is going to be a President who honors science and tries to learn from it, rather than supressing it out of ideologicial and religious prejudice like the one we have now, whether he is equipped to deal with a world bound ever tighter by communicantions, by enemies who have mastered the idea of loose networks bound by technology and of spreading their world view via the web. Whether he looks outward toward the future rather than backwards, and whether he can address, for instance, the kinds of issues of privacy, freedom and the impact of technology that Dr. Brin addresses. That's why its important that he know how to use a computer. Comparing it to a cool facebook page is the kind of trivial analysis the media usually does. Olin - Original Message - From: William T Goodallmailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Killer Bs (David Brin et al) Discussionmailto:brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Monday, August 25, 2008 6:49 AM Subject: Re: Brin: What's in the works? snippage Does *anyone* really understand those changes? And what level of computer use is acceptable? Novice? Expert? Should he at least know where the power button is? Jimmy Carter was trained as an engineer on nuclear submarines. Didn't help him at Three Mile Island. john ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Brin: What's in the works?
See: February '77 National Lampoon --Grand Fifth Term Inaugural Issue: JFK's First 6,000 Days which featured a silver-haired JFK on the cover. The whole issue was a big what if... about how things might have turned out had the assassin's bullet missed JFK and hit Jackie instead. A very good issue--neatly deflates the Kennedy myth: US steers clear of Vietnam, but ends up in Northern Ireland instead. ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Brin: What's in the works?
John, if you look to at what Jimmy Carter tried to tell us before his last failed election run against Reagan and compare it to where we are today you might reconsider his position in history. A friend Andrew Bacevich addresses some of this in his new book, The Limits of Power.(shameless plug for Skip) You might want to watch the discussion on Bill Moyer's Journal http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/08152008/watch.html I totally agree with Olin's comments. I am not sure how Obama will support the scientific community other than getting out of the business of trying to make scientific reports match political agendas. I suspect his economic social and foreign policy initiatives to get us back on track will force science budgets to the back burner. Chris Frandsen Remember Remember 4 November! On Aug 25, 2008, at 10:41 AM, John Garcia wrote: On Mon, Aug 25, 2008 at 10:52 AM, Olin Elliott [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: My choice for President depends on which candidate I think will address all the issues facing the USA consistent with my values, not whether or not he has a cool Facebook page. Its not whether or not he has a cool Facebbook page -- its whether he can understand the massive changes in socieity being wrought by computers and the internet, whether he is going to be a President who honors science and tries to learn from it, rather than supressing it out of ideologicial and religious prejudice like the one we have now, whether he is equipped to deal with a world bound ever tighter by communicantions, by enemies who have mastered the idea of loose networks bound by technology and of spreading their world view via the web. Whether he looks outward toward the future rather than backwards, and whether he can address, for instance, the kinds of issues of privacy, freedom and the impact of technology that Dr. Brin addresses. That's why its important that he know how to use a computer. Comparing it to a cool facebook page is the kind of trivial analysis the media usually does. Olin - Original Message - From: William T Goodallmailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Killer Bs (David Brin et al) Discussionmailto:brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Monday, August 25, 2008 6:49 AM Subject: Re: Brin: What's in the works? snippage Does *anyone* really understand those changes? And what level of computer use is acceptable? Novice? Expert? Should he at least know where the power button is? Jimmy Carter was trained as an engineer on nuclear submarines. Didn't help him at Three Mile Island. john ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Brin: What's in the works?
John Garcia wrote: McCain doesn't know how to use a computer. So? What does that have to do with being President? My choice for President depends on which candidate I think will address all the issues facing the USA consistent with my values, not whether or not he has a cool Facebook page. Someone who doesn't know enough about computers to be able to open his own email (if he wants to) *cannot* have the proper understanding of technology in today's world to be competent as POTUS. --[Lance] -- GPG Fingerprint: 409B A409 A38D 92BF 15D9 6EEE 9A82 F2AC 69AC 07B9 CACert.org Assurer ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Brin: What's in the works?
Chris Frandsen wrote: I totally agree with Olin's comments. I am not sure how Obama will support the scientific community other than getting out of the business of trying to make scientific reports match political agendas. I suspect his economic social and foreign policy initiatives to get us back on track will force science budgets to the back burner. *heh* I'll take science budgets getting backburnered if it means getting the politicians out of driving scientific reporting in government agencies. --[Lance] -- GPG Fingerprint: 409B A409 A38D 92BF 15D9 6EEE 9A82 F2AC 69AC 07B9 CACert.org Assurer ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Brin: What's in the works?
On Mon, Aug 25, 2008 at 9:14 AM, Lance A. Brown [EMAIL PROTECTED]wrote: Someone who doesn't know enough about computers to be able to open his own email (if he wants to) *cannot* have the proper understanding of technology in today's world to be competent as POTUS. Technology as an agent of change is a progressive idea. It truly doesn't fit with current conservative ideology, which argues that if you failed to becomet powerful and wealthy, it is because you aren't disciplined enough... and if you are well-off, it is thanks to your own hard work. If a hard-line conservative were to admit that access to digital technology makes a positive difference in peoples' lives, they might have to admit that access to education, health care, food and jobs are also keys to individual success or failure. That would be a long way down the supposedly slippery slope to socialism. The kleptocracy says I got mine because I earned it; the playing field is always level here in 'Merica, so if you didn't get yours, it's your own fault. And we're not going to reward you with help -- access to technology, for example -- because that would teach you to be lazy. I was at an event with Bill Clinton a few years ago and one of the kids in our organization asked him if he used email. He said no, he didn't, because emails have a way of always becoming public. I thought it was a good point... and it speaks to privacy and transparency, of course. I can't imagine John McCain getting excited about the potential for a single computer and computer-literate person to transform a rural village in India, which was the subject of my one and only conversation with a U.S. president (Clinton at the same event). So, even though I don't think that mastering any particular compute skill is critical, I do believe that anybody who wants to be elected should have a grasp of the potential in digital technology, regardless of their ability to use it. Sometimes when we are too intimate with the technology, we actually can't see the bigger picture. Is a space shuttle pilot likely to be a visionary leader in space exploration? Maybe, but certainly not necessarily. Nick ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Brin: What's in the works?
On Mon, Aug 25, 2008 at 11:54 AM, Chris Frandsen [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: John, if you look to at what Jimmy Carter tried to tell us before his last failed election run against Reagan and compare it to where we are today you might reconsider his position in history. A friend Andrew Bacevich addresses some of this in his new book, The Limits of Power.(shameless plug for Skip) You might want to watch the discussion on Bill Moyer's Journal http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/08152008/watch.html I totally agree with Olin's comments. I am not sure how Obama will support the scientific community other than getting out of the business of trying to make scientific reports match political agendas. I suspect his economic social and foreign policy initiatives to get us back on track will force science budgets to the back burner. Chris Frandsen Remember Remember 4 November! snippage I do remember Jimmy Carter, even voted for him in 1976 and 1980. Also watched what Andrew Bacevich had to say on Bill Moyers (Brian Lehrer on WNYC also interviewed him. You can download it here: http://www.wnyc.org/shows/bl/episodes/2008/08/20) Carter was correct when he said that we were living beyond our means. Too bad we didn't want to hear it. john ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Brin: What's in the works?
I am not sure how Obama will support the scientific community other than getting out of the business of trying to make scientific reports match political agendas. I suspect his economic social and foreign policy initiatives to get us back on track will force science budgets to the back burner. One of the most promising things I've heard during this campaign was in a question session that Obama did with reporters after a speech somewhere in the midwest (I think). He has been a supporter of corn based fuels, and he was asked about new studies that show that the processes may not be so environmentally friendly after all. Obama's answer was, if the science shows us there's a problem, we need to change our policy. Wow. That alone is almost enough to get my support. Olin - Original Message - From: John Garciamailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Killer Bs (David Brin et al) Discussionmailto:brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Monday, August 25, 2008 10:57 AM Subject: Re: Brin: What's in the works? On Mon, Aug 25, 2008 at 11:54 AM, Chris Frandsen [EMAIL PROTECTED]mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: John, if you look to at what Jimmy Carter tried to tell us before his last failed election run against Reagan and compare it to where we are today you might reconsider his position in history. A friend Andrew Bacevich addresses some of this in his new book, The Limits of Power.(shameless plug for Skip) You might want to watch the discussion on Bill Moyer's Journal http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/08152008/watch.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/08152008/watch.html I totally agree with Olin's comments. I am not sure how Obama will support the scientific community other than getting out of the business of trying to make scientific reports match political agendas. I suspect his economic social and foreign policy initiatives to get us back on track will force science budgets to the back burner. Chris Frandsen Remember Remember 4 November! snippage I do remember Jimmy Carter, even voted for him in 1976 and 1980. Also watched what Andrew Bacevich had to say on Bill Moyers (Brian Lehrer on WNYC also interviewed him. You can download it here: http://www.wnyc.org/shows/bl/episodes/2008/08/20http://www.wnyc.org/shows/bl/episodes/2008/08/20) Carter was correct when he said that we were living beyond our means. Too bad we didn't want to hear it. john ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-lhttp://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Brin: What's in the works?
David Brin wrote: February '77 National Lampoon --Grand Fifth Term Inaugural Issue: JFK's First 6,000 Days which featured a silver-haired JFK on the cover. The whole issue was a big what if... about how things might have turned out had the assassin's bullet missed JFK and hit Jackie instead. A very good issue--neatly deflates the Kennedy myth: US steers clear of Vietnam, but ends up in Northern Ireland instead. In Heinlein's The Number of the Beast, the succession of USA presidents in Timeline 2 is Woodrow Wilson, Harding, Coolidge, Hoover, Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Kennedy, Kennedy, Kennedy, Kennedy, Kennedy, ..., Neemiah Scudder Interregnum. I guess that he gave two 4-year mandates to each of the three brothers (is it legal to have a brother succeed another one in the USA?), which would make Ted Kennedy to leave office in 1984 - or earlier, in the case of impeachment. Or maybe each Kennedy above is a different family member, which would place Kennedy VI being elected in... hmmm... 1960 + 5 x 8... 2000 (!). It's a pity that he abandoned this idea in later books, because in To Sail Beyond the Sunset the presidents are Roosevelt, Alvin Barkley (who?), and Patton (who dies in 1961). Alberto Monteiro ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Brin: What's in the works?
On Mon, Aug 25, 2008 at 3:46 PM, Alberto Monteiro [EMAIL PROTECTED]wrote: David Brin wrote: February '77 National Lampoon --Grand Fifth Term Inaugural Issue: JFK's First 6,000 Days which featured a silver-haired JFK on the cover. The whole issue was a big what if... about how things might have turned out had the assassin's bullet missed JFK and hit Jackie instead. A very good issue--neatly deflates the Kennedy myth: US steers clear of Vietnam, but ends up in Northern Ireland instead. In Heinlein's The Number of the Beast, the succession of USA presidents in Timeline 2 is Woodrow Wilson, Harding, Coolidge, Hoover, Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Kennedy, Kennedy, Kennedy, Kennedy, Kennedy, ..., Neemiah Scudder Interregnum. I guess that he gave two 4-year mandates to each of the three brothers (is it legal to have a brother succeed another one in the USA?), which would make Ted Kennedy to leave office in 1984 - or earlier, in the case of impeachment. Or maybe each Kennedy above is a different family member, which would place Kennedy VI being elected in... hmmm... 1960 + 5 x 8... 2000 (!). It's a pity that he abandoned this idea in later books, because in To Sail Beyond the Sunset the presidents are Roosevelt, Alvin Barkley (who?), and Patton (who dies in 1961). Alberto Monteiro ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l Alvin Barkley was Harry Truman's Vice President. john ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Brin: What's in the works?
Thanks for the link, John. Chris I do remember Jimmy Carter, even voted for him in 1976 and 1980. Also watched what Andrew Bacevich had to say on Bill Moyers (Brian Lehrer on WNYC also interviewed him. You can download it here: http://www.wnyc.org/shows/bl/episodes/2008/08/20) Carter was correct when he said that we were living beyond our means. Too bad we didn't want to hear it. john ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Brin: What's in the works?
On Mon, Aug 25, 2008 at 5:15 PM, Chris Frandsen [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Thanks for the link, John. Chris I do remember Jimmy Carter, even voted for him in 1976 and 1980. Also watched what Andrew Bacevich had to say on Bill Moyers (Brian Lehrer on WNYC also interviewed him. You can download it here: http://www.wnyc.org/shows/bl/episodes/2008/08/20) Carter was correct when he said that we were living beyond our means. Too bad we didn't want to hear it. john ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l You're welcome. WNYC is New York City's public radio station. They have some pretty good shows. john ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Brin: What's in the works?
announcing a new posting on my blog at: http://davidbrin.blogspot.com/ ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Brin: What's in the works?
Alberto Monteiro wrote: In Heinlein's The Number of the Beast, the succession of USA presidents in Timeline 2 is Woodrow Wilson, Harding, Coolidge, Hoover, Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Kennedy, Kennedy, Kennedy, Kennedy, Kennedy, ..., Neemiah Scudder Interregnum. I guess that he gave two 4-year mandates to each of the three brothers (is it legal to have a brother succeed another one in the USA?), which would make Ted Kennedy to leave office in 1984 - or earlier, in the case of impeachment. Or maybe each Kennedy above is a different family member, which would place Kennedy VI being elected in... hmmm... 1960 + 5 x 8... 2000 (!). It's a pity that he abandoned this idea in later books, because in To Sail Beyond the Sunset the presidents are Roosevelt, Alvin Barkley (who?), and Patton (who dies in 1961). IIRC, To Sail Beyond the Sunset had entirely different timelines from the ones in The Number of the Beast. I don't think Heinlein abandoned any ideas so much as tried to contrast them (arguably to better or worse effect depending on how much esteem you give Heinlein's final quadrology). Heinlein used the presidential succession and the first man to land on the moon as indicative of each major timeline in his last four books (with both US presidential succession and moon landing being highly variable and indicative of stronger political, social, and economic trends), and he did try to show at least a few differences between the timelines that might have resulted indirectly from vastly different presidents and moon landings. -- --Max Battcher-- http://www.worldmaker.net/ ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Brin: What's in the works?
David Brin wrote: But of course I am distracted by the elections, hoping we'll at last save America and civilization from a criminal gang. (What we're seeing -- including the outright and direct theft of half a trillion dollars -- goes far beyond regular issues of mere left or right.) Now I'm curious - what's so wrong about McCain (beyond his killing of McAbel)? Alberto Monteiro PS: one guy is named Cain, the other is named Hussein... definitely, the writer of this story ran out of names... ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Brin: What's in the works?
Now I'm curious - what's so wrong about McCain (beyond his killing of McAbel)? Well, I'm not sure if you meant that as a serious question -- but for starters, how about the fact that McCain has shown himself to be a shallow, venal, opportunistic political hack who is willing to cozy up the very people who viciously attacked him and impugned his war record and patriotism in 2000, just because it's now convenient to have them do that to his enemies instead of him? How about the fact that he has sold out virtually every position he ever staked out as a Republican maverick now that its more convenient for him to get the support? The man who once attacked right-wing religious leaders liked Pat Roberson and James Dobson as agents of intolerance and a threat to the democratic process has now, apparently, drunk the kool-aid and become their born-again buddy. This is a man who makes jokes to reporters about women being raped by apes and liking it. Everything that once seemed virtuous and admirable about John McCain was either a lie, or something he was w illing to jettison when he got the chance to be embraced by his Party. If elected, his most important contribution will be keeping in place the same political machinery that has been trashing our democracy for the past eight years. (Has anyone noticed that every Democratic president brings, for the most part, a totally new administration into office, with a few experienced people getting re-hired, but the Republicans have been recycling the same thugs into different positions since the Nixon/Ford adminstrations? The guy at the top changes, but the faces around him seem familiar -- its sort of like one of those horror movie franchises where you think you've gotten rid of the monster but it keeps coming back for the sequal.) I'm sorry if I stepped on your joke by taking the question seriously but I'm scared to death that a lot of the ostriches out there (to borrow David Brin's term) are just buying the whole war hero, political maverick, okay-for-a-Republican schtick. But what do I know? I thought (twice) that George Bush was unelectable - Original Message - From: Alberto Vieira Ferreira Monteiromailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Killer Bs (David Brin et al) Discussionmailto:brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Sunday, August 24, 2008 2:42 PM Subject: Re: Brin: What's in the works? David Brin wrote: But of course I am distracted by the elections, hoping we'll at last save America and civilization from a criminal gang. (What we're seeing -- including the outright and direct theft of half a trillion dollars -- goes far beyond regular issues of mere left or right.) Now I'm curious - what's so wrong about McCain (beyond his killing of McAbel)? Alberto Monteiro PS: one guy is named Cain, the other is named Hussein... definitely, the writer of this story ran out of names... ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-lhttp://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Brin: What's in the works?
On 24 Aug 2008, at 22:42, Alberto Vieira Ferreira Monteiro wrote: David Brin wrote: But of course I am distracted by the elections, hoping we'll at last save America and civilization from a criminal gang. (What we're seeing -- including the outright and direct theft of half a trillion dollars -- goes far beyond regular issues of mere left or right.) Now I'm curious - what's so wrong about McCain (beyond his killing of McAbel)? Alberto Monteiro He doesn't know how to use a computer, he doesn't know how many houses he owns and he seems to have too many senior moments for someone in charge of the big red button? And that's without anything to do with his policies. Ooh! Shiny Maru -- William T Goodall Mail : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web : http://www.wtgab.demon.co.uk Blog : http://radio.weblogs.com/0111221/ It was only after ordering the melon balls that Rick discovered he was at a drive through plastic surgery. ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Brin: What's in the works?
While I see far more to dislike about John McCain than there is to like... his history of vicious anger, the fact that he never administered more than 60 men, once, for a year and did badly, the fact that he has always acted like an entitled-though-oedepally-frustrated son of a high achieving father (sound familiar?)... ...I admit that there are some likeable traits too. Like his willingness to occasionally part from the standard (and completely insane) neoconservative party line. NOWHERE enough to be called a maverick alas. Which is the chief point. Though he has edged away from Bush, he would appoint at least 50% the same monsters who have been crushing the US civil service for 8 years, preventing the FBI from investigating corruption, the SEC from investigating Wall Street scams, the EPA from enforcing the law, the FDA from vetting drugs... while giving no-bid contracts to cronies and bankrupting our kids... ALL of these are crimes by conservative standards, BTW ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Brin: What's in the works? (was Re: Greg Bear)
Let's ask him... ;-) What *is* in the works, David? (By adding Brin: to the start of the subject, it'll get to David. If the subject drifts off, please replace that with Br!n or something like that, which helps keep his inbound mail volume down.) Nick On Sat, Aug 23, 2008 at 7:00 AM, John Williams [EMAIL PROTECTED]wrote: After seeing several messages with Greg Bear as subject, I am wondering if anyone has read his new book, City at the End of Time. Are there any guidelines on discussing books here without giving away too much (I'm new here, by the way)? As long as I am asking questions, does David Brin have any new science fiction books in the works? I suppose the lack of new David Brin SF accounts for the lack of SF discussion here? ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Brin: What's in the works? (was Re: Greg Bear)
Thanks Nick and sorry I neglect Brin-L. Drowning for time, alas. (I blog sometimes at: http://davidbrin.blogspot.com/ ) First off... we've all just returned from a high plains family odyssey -- from Denver (the World Science Fiction convention) to Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Devil's Monument and several cool caves (a family interest of ours.) The Denver World Science Fiction Convention was a bit small (they are steadily getting smaller) but charming, friendly and one of the sweetest I ever attended. (My first worldcon ever was Denvention II in 1981.) Among the highlights: 1- SKY HORIZON received the Hal Clement Award for best science fiction novel for Young Adults...a short but exciting novel in the Heinlein tradition. 2- I got a chance to do this fabulous panel with much-talented artists Frank Wu and Teddy Harvia, in which I essentially did stand-up storytelling improv with images or elements shouted from the audience while Frank and Teddy sketched. It got rather rollicking and manic, with Frank I standing on the tables doing surfer moves, then leading the audience in chants and songs, then getting REALLY silly. There must be a dozen blog entries and youTube postings about that one event. My latest book is THROUGH STRANGER EYES -- a collection of essays and book reviews from Nimble Press. Also...controversial ...Star Wars on Trial : Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Debate the Most Popular Science Fiction Films of All Time from Benbella Books. Other news? I was a cast member on the History Channel show The ArchiTechs (http://htyp.org/The_ArchiTECHS) as well as the History Channel's most popular show ever: Life After People. Currently appearing on the science show The Universe. I helped launch a major new online venture UNIVERSE Magazine. (http://www.baens-universe.com/) Drop by for exciting stories! Including my new serial-comedy THE ANCIENT ONES... funniest thing you'll read this year! But of course I am distracted by the elections, hoping we'll at last save America and civilization from a criminal gang. (What we're seeing -- including the outright and direct theft of half a trillion dollars -- goes far beyond regular issues of mere left or right.) Thrive all. With cordial regards, David Brin http://www.davidbrin.com ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
