I remember an Arthur Clarke novel where a space ship needs water from the planet below. The easiest thing is to lower cables from space and then lift some ice bergs.

So, no space elevator in the next few months?

They are just harmless fireworks. They are even useful for signaling ships at sea of dangerous tides.

I can’t travel with a library.

I’m the kind of traveler who, after I check in, the first thing I look for is the bookcase where they put all the books that other guests have left. I have to give it to the Germans; they dominate every bookcase I’ve seen.

Close. But what I really want would look like a blank book. The pages would feel like paper. When I down load the material, text appears on the pages and I can flip back and forth. When I’m done I can download another book.

I know it’s niche but that’s what I want.

Get real.

Mitch is going to die comfortably and probably have some schools named after him after he’s gone.

There would have to be a lot of people killed before things changed wnought to change that, and I don’t think it’s worth the cost.

If you want a serious mind fuck read “stand On Zanzibar” a science fiction novel from 1969.

One of the things that the writer predicted was Mr. & Mrs. Everywhere, a gimmick where your TV would insert your family into advertisements.

The novel is full of other, equally accurate predictions…

The scenario I’ve been imagining would go like this. The Cheney/Romney/McConnell GOP would abandon the Republican name to the MAGoos and do a hostile takeover of the Libertarian Party. Right now the Libs have about 800,000 nation wide. The Cheney bloc could join and overwhelm the old guard and be on the ballot in all fifty state instantly.

[off topic] If you’re at a peaceful demonstration and see someone getting ready to throw a rock at a cop be ready to stop them. Cops love to send in provocateurs so they can have a reason to bust heads.

Back in the day, Union demonstrators had their own goon squads to make sure things stayed quiet.

What’s crazy to me is that there are hundreds, if not thousands, of great old movies that are mostly forgotten.

Look up a movie called “Sorcerer.” Incredible action, fantastic acting, impeccable script.

Full movie.

https://youtu.be/d6khax1ZHMk

Atomic bombs are also tools with no moral compass of their own.

Pfft, AskJeeves for the win.

Have you seen “Ex Machina?”

https://youtu.be/5yxF4Mak77E

https://youtu.be/urS8GmwmeWQ

[off topic]

From the movie Cherry 2000. In the movie the hero has just lost his sex robot and is trying to date human women for the first time in a while.

I’d like a hybrid camera. Digital and film options. Also, I think you could get people interested in developing their own pictures. Here’s a quick link to developing film photographs.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photographic_processing

This is off the top of my head, but I could see retirees and young people being sold on a new hobby. Sell a camera with darkroom equipment.

Good luck with the project.

I’d put ‘The Expanse’ at the head of the line

Poul did a throwaway story that I’d love to see expanded into a series.

A group of time travelers from 4,000 AD travel back to Renaissance Italy. They run into an evil baron and his henchmen, including one very learned monk. A little torture and the Italians have their own time machine. They set up a base in 10,000 BC and raid across time. They know that the Time Patrol can only use things in the historical record, so as long as they keep a low profile they’ll never get caught.

I always try to go by publication.

Someone put it this way [they were talking specifically about the Conan stories]. If you meet someone and get to chatting you don’t tell your story in chronological order. Maybe the first story you tell is about what happened at work, or your most recent vacation. After you’ve known them a while you talk about grade school.

That’s my opinion.

Here are some old school paperback writers you might not have heard of. I present them in no particular order, just off the top of my head. I found them all on wire racks in drug stores, lo these many years ago…

Robert Beck aka Iceberg Slim. If you ever wondered why there were so many rappers with ‘Ice’ in their name, it’s because Iceberg Slim was the author most widely read in the US prison system. I particularly liked ‘Trick Baby’ the story of a Black conman who could pass for White.

Donald Westlake aka Richard Stark. The other most widely read prion writer. Stark’s ‘The Hunter’ has been filmed about a dozen times. His crooks are unemotional professionals.

Tanith Lee. The Goddess-empress of the hot read. ‘Night’s Master’ has Satan as the hero. Every night he flies from his palace to seduce and/or terrorize mankind.

Enjoy.

‘War Of The Wing-Men’ is a good one to start with.