ALEXIAD (!7+=3!G) $2.00 This Year the Stores Began Dragging out Christmas Decorations Stablemate Lucan Hanover, While Captaintreacherous Was Before Halloween

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Vol. 12 No. 6 December 2013 ALEXIAD (!7+=3!G) $2.00 This year the stores began dragging out Christmas decorations stablemate Lucan Hanover, while Captaintreacherous was before Halloween. With a supreme effort of self control I refrained absent, heading for the Red Mile. from singing the Grinch song every time I went into a store playing The 58th Running of the Messenger Stakes (3rd leg of the Pacing Christmas carols before Thanksgiving. Come on, people, let’s at Triple Crown) was November 2, 2013 at Yonkers Raceway in least get through Thanksgiving before we start preparing for Yonkers, New York. Ronny Bugatti won, a purse which was Christmas. I don’t have anything against Christmas carols. I enjoy twice his previous winnings all together. (Ronny Bugatti’s sire them in their proper time, which is no earlier than the day after is named Art Major. Really.) Thanksgiving. The stores make huge efforts to sell us things. I understand that Christmas is a huge deal for them. I, however, do Trivia:...... 22 not like seeing the season turned into one huge market. It should be Art: about more than that. Oh, I will buy presents for people. But I am Brad W. Foster...... 3 not going to be sold a lot of hype. I give presents through the year Paul Gadzikowski...... 22 and I refuse to yield to the marketing hype. Alexis A. Gilliland...... 4, 5, 7 — Lisa Trinlay Khadro...... 2 Table of Contents Printed on December 10, 2013 Editorial...... 1 Deadline is February 1, 2014 Reviewer’s Notes...... 1 For some of you, this will be the last issue — unless you subscribe, Coffee...... 6 write, or otherwise indicate your interest. Eclipse News...... 6 The Joy of eReaders...... 6 Reviewer’s Notes The Joy of High Tech...... 6 Worldcon News...... 9 Life gets more complicated. Back around 2001 there was a quarrel about the Hugo-worthiness Book Reviews of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Was it the best SF novel of JTM Bart, Race to the Top of the World...... 5 2000? That can be questioned. Was it the best novel nominated? JTM Brooks, Shattered Nation...... 3 That, sadly, I had to say so. (One of the opposing novels was A Storm JTM Campbell, The Lost Stars: Perilous Shield...... 3 of Swords, one of the middle works of the Song of Ice and Fire.) JTM Greenfield, If Kennedy Lived...... 3 Since then, the trend has been downwards. More of them have been JTM Holland, Dam Busters...... 5 “within the circus” ones, such as Redshirts, a STAR TREK parody, and JTM Resnick, The Trojan Colt...... 4 Among Others, a story of a girl who reads SF (but strangely, not given JTM Resnick/Garcia, eds. Worlds of Edgar Rice Burroughs. . . . . 2 the time and place, not New Wave) and has fantastic adventures. JTM Walker, The United States of Paranoia...... 4 There’s a place for a novel about a girl who reads a lot of fantasy adventure and then gets cast into a fantasy world, but Diana Wynne Con Reports Jones has passed on, and such a work would not meet the standards of LK Archon 37...... 7 editors today. LK Windycon...... 8 I can see the problems of the earlier writers, but I also notice their virtues. The paradigm has flipped now, so I can’t read the more Fanzines Received...... 9 readable stuff. Random Jottings...... 2 Meanwhile, mundane factors intervene. I am now the only driver in the house. The cellar door needs to be put in, but I can’t do it alone, Letters...... 10 and our potential helper has so much else to do. Sheryl L. Birkhead, Dainis Bisenieks, Sue Burke, Richard A. We still go to Heitzman’s for Saturday brunch — it’s not that far Dengrove, Brad W. Foster, Alexis A. Gilliland, John Hertz, Robert from the con hotel for ConGlomeration, for your congoing experience. S. Kennedy, Timothy Lane, Rodney Leighton, Murray Moore, But even there changes are not for the better. Lloyd Penney, George W. Price,. John Purcell, Darrell Schweitzer, Joy V. Smith, Milt Stevens, Jim Stumm, R-Laurraine Tutihasi Some of you don’t do NASFiC, but I have connections in the north, and that’s a decent time to see the area. The Henry Ford, for example, Comments are by JTM, LTM, or Grant. which would have delighted Uncle Hugo. But then, Ford said “history is bunk” because it was being taught as rulers and wars, not as he saw The 59th Running of the Cane Pace (1st leg of the Pacing Triple it, the use of technology to better the human condition. Also, the Neil Crown) was September 3, 2013 at Tioga Downs in Nichols, Armstrong museum is not too far away, not to mention the Air Force New York. Captaintreacherous won by a neck after a hard-run Museum in Dayton. race. The 68th Running of the Little Brown Jug (2nd leg of the Pacing Have a fannish 2014. Triple Crown) was September 19, 2013 at the Delaware County Fair in Delaware, Ohio. Vegas Vacation won over his — Joe Page 2 December 2013 Alexiad

back in California. With his new love, Duare, RANDOM JOTTINGS And as year follows year, and her new love. by Joe More old men disappear, What was Lupoff thinking? He should have Someday no one will march there known better! at all. Report by Joseph T Major “The Forgotten Sea of Mars” by Mike Resnick (reprinted from ERB-dom 1963) There Remaining is: was a loose end in Llana of Gathol, when Tan Poland Hadron of Hastor, previous hero of A Fighting Józef Kowalski* (113) 22 Pulk U³anów Man of Mars (1931), was taken away by enemies while John Carter escaped. Loose * “WWI-era” veteran, enlisted between the ends ought to be tied up, and besides Tavia of Armistice and the Treaty of Versailles Tjanath ought to have her chieftain returned to her. So, here is the story of how John Carter ERB-DOM went to finish the job against Hin Abtol of Review by Joseph T Major of Panar and his army on ice. WORLDS OF EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS One correction: Cantonese is Yue not Edited by Mike Resnick and Robert T. Garcia “Apache Lawman” by Ralph Roberts. “Wu”, which is a different Sinic language. (Baen; 2013; ISBN 978-1451639353; $15; The Apache Devil finds a new job in his Amazon Digital Services; $7.53) forgotten origins, becoming a lawman for the Amazing Stories has revived “The Club whiteskins — of which he originally was one. House”, the fanzine column that I remember Tarzan fan fiction has been common for It’s well to be reminded that ERB, like most from those heady days of the seventies. The some time. Not always without difficulties, pulp writers, was eclectic, but that may have author, Earl Terry Kemp (the son) gave in his admittedly. The “New Adventures of Tarzan” been because there were eclectic markets and October 11 column a glowing plug for both by “Barton Werper” of the fifties violated no categorization as there is today. His this fanzine and Heinlein’s Children. We copyright, such as it was, and for many years portrayal of the Inde (of course it means point out that the distributor and reference ERB fans had to write about the adventures of “Person”, what would you expect) can be may spark some interest. “Elmo of the Apes”. And then there was PJF . faulted as a perspective of the derogated Other, . . by those who don’t want to believe that pre- http://amazingstoriesmag.com/ The copyrightholders have unbent a little, post-modern people might be able to have and here are stories by others in the many and other perspectives. We get it by cable ow! ouch! I’ll stop varied worlds that began on the backs of used already. stationery, under the moons of Mars and other “Moon Maid over Manhattan” by Peter places. Not just Elmo — Tarzan, either! David. And what happened to Nah-ee-lah and Someone in the Navy has a sense of her little one Julian the Sixth when the Kalkars destiny. The commanding officer of the new “Tarzan and the Great War” by Kristine followed them to Earth? In the follow-up to stealth destroyer USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000) Kathryn Rusch. Is there anything that that the revised prehistory of a Soviet America (the is . . . Captain James A. Kirk. Lloyd George won’t stoop to in order to finance story of how Under the Red Flag (1919) his schemes? While the Great War grinds on, became The Moon Men (1926) is a melancholy http://ingalls.huntingtoningalls.com/products/ddg1000 an investigator from the Treasury is dispatched warning of the fate of being ahead of one’s to Algeria to prove that this “Jean C. Tarzan” is time), we see the faet of a take-over from the Meanwhile, the LA Fan who was so not the true heir to the late William Cecil perspective of an Enemy of the People . . . who enthusiastic about the series that he changed Clayton, Lord Greystoke. And if there is no manages to get in her last shot, doing what a his name to “James T. Kirk”, performing other heir, the estate escheats to the government . . . good parent should do. acts of hommage as well, has been reported The story is interesting, but the background dead; he is alive, but unwell. Thanks to Mike seems a bit, well, contrived. There would be “Tarzan and the Martian Invaders” by Glyer and correspondents for the news. reaction: Kevin J. Anderson and Sarah A. Hoyt. There “Trying to grab a peer’s estate is an was one John Carter story in War of the And going on in the devoted fan outrage, I say, an outrage! Worlds: Global Dispatches (edited by department, a Tennessee fan is putting /s/ Disgusted, Tunbridge Wells.” Anderson) and this is in that spirit. Except forward great effort to building a full-scale perhaps these invaders have sinister mind- model of the Millennium Falcon. Has anyone “The Fallen: A Tale of Pellucidar” by control rays. Fortunately, Tarzan has his own seen his back? Mercedes Lackey. What was life like on the mind control, a more natural and human one. Pendent World, the orb within the shell of the MONARCHIST NEWS Hollow Earth? Particularly for the non-human “The Two Billys, A Mucker Story” by inhabitants, the Sagoths? Misty takes an Max Allan Collins and Mathew Clemens. Baldrick’s cunning plan to get into Buck excursion into the feeling of being shut out from Another less noticed work in the ERB library is House worked. That is, Anthony “Tony” others, describing what it is like in the Land of The Mucker (1914, 1916), the story of a man Robinson was created a Knight Bachelor in Awful Shadow in the inner world. Particularly rising above his origins and overcoming a dark the 2013 Birthday Honours for his services in when someone falls from the cause of that past. This is a scene filling in the greater story. politics, sports, and the arts, including playing darkness, straight into conflict and other matters Baldrick in the Blackadder series. . . . “To the Nearest Planet” by Todd McCaffrey. At the end of Beyond the Farthest Prince Harry (Prince Henry Charles “Scorpion Men of Venus” by Richard A. Star (1941) the narrator was preparing to make Albert David of Wales) is going for another Lupoff. Carson Napier and Duare find someone a flight to the adjacent planet. Not by walk with the Walking with the Wounded. To who is claiming connections to that impossible dragonback, ahem. This is what he did and the South Pole this time. Let us hope that place beyond the clouds. It turns out that his what he found there, also who, which comes history does not repeat itself. claims work, and before long, Carson Napier is out seeming just a little unfair to Harkas Alexiad December 2013 Page 3

Yamoda (the girl he left behind on Poloda). SMERSH conducted their activities in ordinary Which led to Victor Fleming srarting a fire. uniforms and civilian clothing, devoid of any Not surprisingly, the group of people who “The Dead World” by F. Paul Wilson. specific identification, unlike their colleagues in could not get along with Bragg (a set rumored The physics of Pellucidar is a litle off. In this the NKVD, who replaced the red tabs of the to include the man himself) generally thought daring tale, David Innes and Abner Perry Red Army with blue ones. Anyone could be a this decision less than well-considered. So. investigate the Pendent World, the cause of SMERSH operator, as too many found out too Brooks takes into consideration a number the only shadow in the inner Earth, after seeds late. of other political actions. The Army of begin falling from it, seeds which spread like Just as too many on the Syndicate Worlds Tennesee was politicalized, just as Scarlett super-kudzu and produce sleep gas. They find found out too late who the snakes were. The O’Hara Hamilton Kennedy Butler didn’t want an explanation, but it’s more troubling than Syndicate Worlds’ secret police pervaded the to go too long between her meals and her last resolving. Not to mention not satisfying the population. Their greatest damage was not that husband was unconcerned. In particular, the angry native whose draft dinosaur was killed. of arresting people; it was that their actions case of one commander shows discrimination eroded trust to the vanishing point. didn’t just extend to those of African origin. “Tarzan and the Land That Time The Midway System has thrown off the rule No Irish need apply for higher rank, Forgot” by Joe R. Lansdale. The author of of the Syndicate, extirpated (as far as they can particularly after they propose emancipation for the first authorized Tarzan pastiche takes the tell) the snakes, and established a more or less those who wish to serve in the ranks, and the Lord of the Jungle to a different world, the functioning government. And they still can’t response to Patrick Ronayne Cleburne’s exotic and strange island of Caprona, where trust anyone. notorious proposition plays a significant role in ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny with a This is the story of how that polity without the campaign. vengeance. (James Blish’s Father Ramón trust had to get going; when no one, from The relief of Johnston came at a bad time. Ruíz-Sanchez would be in trouble there, and President Gwen Iceni and General Artur Drakon Brooks, therfore, has a somewhat more his bizarrely reactionary Catholic Church not down to the lowest worker could trust anyone, advantageous result occuring. However, not all much better.) but had to act as if they trusted others. It is a goes well for the Army of Tennessee in very grueling and troubling story told here, for subsequent engagements, and often the Often (as with Sherlock’s Home: The all that there are successes, escapes, recoveries, outcome is in doubt. Empty House (2012; reviewed in Alexiad V. and improvements. There are also betrayals, Up north, too. The 1864 election is often 12 #4)) when fans write tributes to a writer’s and trying to find a human basis for existence in taken as a turning-point. Brooks has taken up work, they often have more admiration than a system so morally ravaged can be hard. a few more schemes, devices, plots, and other skill. These fans are professional writers, There are glimpses of the enemy; not the appurtenances of ordinary political activity as honoring a writer whose work was significant Alliance, which at least has politics, however addition to his story line. The activities of to them broken and dark they may be, but the Syndicate, Benjamin Franklin Butler, for example, make The skill level is better, but there is still with its other-worldliness. The flashes of its for particularly appropriate (for the man) the problem of imposing one vision over operations, not just the snakes but the results to the changing situation. another. Still, being professional, the writers relationships of their leaders and ordinary Thanks to superior numbers and some have tried and mostly succeeded in staying in people, who in a symbology worthy of clever deception, the situation at Atlanta ERB’s spirit, and the reader can follow in Dilbert and Working Daze are styled with becomes a particularly grand crisis, and our enjoyment. corporate titles from CEO down to line-worker. characters, both the surviving commanders, and One wonders how Hemry would have written the little people, such as the Texan SMERSH the story of F. M. Busby’s corporate sharpshooter who finds himself the last man Review by Joseph T Major of government in the Rissa Kerguelen series. standing in his outfit, are perilously close to THE LOST STARS: PERILOUS SHIELD At least the Enigmas aren’t just destruction . . . by “Jack Campbell” [John G. Hemry] misunderstood well-meaning types who just (Ace; 2013; happen to lash out killing, as the aliens were in THEN EVERYTHING CHANGED ISBN 978-0-425-25631-2; $26.95; Busby’s work; Gwen and Artur could deal with Review by Joseph T Major of Penguin Group (Kindle); $9.99) those, but their own problems are going to be IF KENNEDY LIVED: Sequel to The Lost Stars: Tarnished Knight harder to solve when this is . . . To Be The First and Second Terms of President (2012; reviewed in Alexiad V. 11 #6) Continued John F. Kennedy: An Alternate History JOHNSTON STAYS WEST by Jeff Greenfield Review by Joseph T Major of (G. P. Putnam’s Sons; 2013; SHATTERED NATION ISBN 978-0-399-16696-9; by Jeffrey Brooks Penguin Group (Kindle); $10.65) (Jeffrey E. Brooks; 2013; ISBN 978-0615802053; $14.38; Most of the works that presuppose Amazon Digital Services; $6.99) Lincoln’s living on present him as a failed if not hated figure, no Abraham to go with Martin The comment has been made that Fort Bragg and John. This novel is about John suffering in North Carolina has been named in honor of the same fate. the general for his great, if not decisive, In Then Everything Changed (2011; contribution to the Union victory in the Civil reviewed in Alexiad V. 10 #3), Greenfield War. Part of it was his advice for the high snuffed out JFK’s life earlier. Now, he takes command in the Western Theater. the other tack, and prolongs it. All because it Though the leaders of SMERSH became No, he didn’t recommend Grant or Sherman; looked rainy, and the Secret Service figured the prominent in the postwar Ministry of State he advised Jefferson Davis to sack that Presidental car should have the bubble top, so Security (MVD) they did not stick to one habit disreputable fellow Joseph Eggleston Johnston, he could seen, and not have raindrops a’fallin from their old days. Instead, they wore for his dilatory and overcautious defensive on his head. Or 6.5 mm bullets, either. uniforms with identifying insignia. During the tactics facing the Union advance on the railway Greenfield is to be commended for avoiding Great Patriotic War, the officers and men of and industrial center of Terminus, er Atlanta. the facile conspiricism put forth by, for Page 4 December 2013 Alexiad example, Bryce Zabel (Surrounded by Slave (“The Baroness #6" (1974)) by “Paul Reason Magazine carries the story of American Enemies, 2013, reviewed in Alexiad V. 12 Kenyon” [Donald Moffitt] with the Baroness conspiracies so immense and in infamy so #5), even though he does have the balked Penelope St. John Orsini, the “Sexy Superspy”, black back to when the Salem Witches were assassin silenced thanks to more energetic riding a stallion naked from the Keeneland agents of the International French-and-Indian resistance on his part in the Texas Theater. stables to Lexington Airport, which fortunately Conspiracy. Yes. King Philip’s War was After his salvation, Jack turns to tackling is just on the other side of US 60. conducted against a grand master conspirator several issues. For one, there is the land war The investigation is . . . well, unglamorous, working with the French and (gasp) witches, in southeast Asia. At home, there is the but not as “gritty” as some detective novels are. according to no less an authority than Cotton question of civil rights. In the government, More like a real-life police case (instead of the Mather himself. there is the question of Lyndon’s associates. novelistic ones with either gunfights or magical And so he goes on through the methods of Not to mention Cuber, the Soviet Union, and CSI, just as Paxton, the detective, is not a conspiracy and its deleterious effects. For so on. grotesque, just a guy trying to get by). example, there was the never-published work It isn’t easy. The contestants don’t fall The complication is that another groom for Tom Sawyer’s Conspiracy, in which Tom down on their faces in awe of His this Trojan colt also inexplicably disappeared. persuades Huck and Jim to join with him in JFKsomeness. Add to it his deteriorating Goldfinger’s paradigm of events gets playing Abolitionist conspiracy. As this would health and personal situation, and the accelerated here (how far was it from his place, likely have ended with Huck narrating, “Here President is surrounded by a different sort of anyway?) and gradually a plausible motive they’s a-comin’ fer me, with an insultin’ thick troubles. appears. rope.”, like Huck and Tom Among the Indians When Jack bites the bullet and drops out But there’s no proof — until it turns out that it never got to the publisher. (That one of the land war in South-east Asia, that ends a standard of journalistic layout was applied, misfired when it became clear that the noble one potential problem, but sets another. taken up by someone who only read the savages had gang-raped their prisoner.) Perhaps in return to get the good opinion of magazine . . . Other discussions include the history of the armed forces, he discards McNamara and Robert Anton Wilson and his Illuminatus replaces him with — Bobby! Which sort of “Write what you know,” they say. Resnick works. Wilson might have the problem that his precludes a RFK in ‘68 campaign is doing this, with mysteries set in his area, games become too serious. As it was with Indeed, Greenfield shies away from the dealing with mundane things he knows. The another topic of this work, Philip K. Dick, who Kennedy dynasty (of, say The Number of the previous book in the series, Dog In the Manger began to wonder if he was telling the truth after Beast (1979, NHOL G.189)) concept, since (1995) featured dog shows (big surprise), all. (Walker’s proposed ending to the Matrix under the differing circumstances the siblings another of his mundane interests. Those looking trilogy should be drawn to the attention of the did different things. One hopes this keeps the for a novel that lacks grotesques, magic, YouTube “How It Should Have Ended” Prophet Nehemiah Scudder in his church. romance, or cyberpunk (yeah I know, that seems channel.) Incidentally, Greenfield’s usual omission to exclude almost every mystery reader these Some of the people involved are even continues; there is next to nothing about the days) can look here. stranger than Phil Dick, a remarkable space program here, any more than there was Thanks to Resnick for blowing his own horn, accomplishment. Thus we have William in Then Everything Changed. So much for as it were, and giving us a good time. Dudley Pelley, an American Nazi who believed Stephen Baxter’s Voyage (1996, 1997). in Occult Masters. He could have moved to the One can argue about some of his foreign HOW CAN WE ACCOUNT Homeland and got a job with the Ahnenerbe, or policy speculations. A choice between “Hey, Review by Joseph T Major of maybe sent messengers to the future in a ritual Hey, JFK, How many kids did you kill THE UNITED STATES OF PARANOIA: requiring the desanguination of a dozen Aryan today?” and “Who lost Vietnam?” would seem A Conspiracy Theory virgins, to mention two dooms possible. more likely than his ignominous scramble. by Jesse Walker Or for example the sinister Rothschild Is there something better coming from (Harper; 2013; mistress told off by her lover to write a popular this? The change described by James ISBN 978-0-06-21355-1; $25.99; tale that would set a blueprint of how the Piereson (Camelot and the Cultural HarperCollins Publications (Kindle); $11.89) Illuminati were going to take over America. Revolution (2007; reviewed in Alexiad V. 6 Her books sold wildly to Communists. In 1979 #5)) would not have such a strong focus. a follower of John Todd, the man who revealed But a ill, weak JFK sitting in his rocking this sinister plot, confronted the writer and chair, having paid any price and borne any demanded her confession. And Ayn Rand was burden, now has to face the pain of living, and confused. That wasn’t the weirdest thing being less than an icon. Illuminati revelator John Todd did, either. (It will be a severe disappointment to SILVER BLAZE skeptical, secularist, and other such groups that Review by Joseph T Major of far from being his enablers and supporters, THE TROJAN COLT Christian organizations critically investigated “An Eli Paxton Mystery” Todd’s claims and showed their falsehood. by Mike Resnick These people believe Jack Chick books are (Seventh Street Books: 2013; given out after Mass; that all redigulous ISBN 978-1-61614-789-1; $11.68; The question was put: “How can we account morons have one common belief.) Amazon Digital Services; for our present situation unless we believe that Some of Walker’s discussions are off. ISBH 978-1-61614-790-7; $8.89) men high in this Government are concerting to Thus he denounces Daniel Pipes for his calling deliver us to disaster?” (The current case being any critique of American foreign policy Bwana has also been into racing, and in those who are so absolutely convinced that the “conspiracist”. Or, he never deals with this mystery novel he deals with a coverup. entire American and British war effort was Piereson’s Camelot and the Cultural The groom for the new Trojan colt has gone directed for the benefit of Stalin.) But long Revolution. mysteriously missing. Now the annual before the Senator from Wisconsin, or even his A history of this dark doleful undertone in Keeneland yearling sale is one of the more state, came to be, people were asking that American culture is useful in learning its nature noteworthy events of the season. There’s question. and seeing its results. Walker is to be credited nothing here like the pulpy scene in Sonic In this useful book, the Books editor of for his bravery (considering how, for example Alexiad December 2013 Page 5

Popular Mechanics was excoriated as a As a coda, Bart recounts the story of the Germans are neocon propaganda rag for its analysis of the Fokker Triplane America and its flight across confident that the 9/11 events). the Atlantic. He does mention, casually, this thick concrete can other guy from Minnesota, before he gets down withstand any to the gruelling flight, the impossible conditions attack, but the at Paris, the desperate decision to land on the British have a new beach in Normandy . . . weapon: bouncing bombs. With any This is a well-informed book. I remember luck, they will be reading “Nevil Shute’s” An Old Captivity able to break the (1940) and noting that the explorers had to dam, flood the Ruhr custom-order their airplane. That was how it valley, and retard was up to the post-WWII era. To go a little German production beyond the topic, as with Norway’s for over a year. archaelogists, the Floyd Bennett Ford Trimotor was custom-built with a more powerful central — “The Dam Busters a la Star Wars”, engine, for example. Henry V. Keiper THE WIND AND THE BYRD Bart touches on this; design was a crucial Review by Joseph T Major of part of every such work in the early days of I have been rereading MacArthur’s War: A RACE TO THE TOP OF THE WORLD: flight, and technology was transitioning. Novel of the Invasion of Japan (2008; reviewed Richard Byrd and the First Flight to the Beyond this,there were other shifts. For in Alexiad V. 6 #3) by Douglas Niles and North Pole example, one proposal had been to use the Navy Michael Dobson. Ellis Halverson, the Smith- by Sheldon Bart dirigible Shenandoah to make the polar flight, fan AAF pilot who is the principal point-of- (Regnery History; 2013; but she ran into a storm and crashed. (Given the view character of the book (who else would ISBN 978-1-62157-082-0; $29.95; historical accident record of lighter-than-air name a B-26 The Skylark of Space?) in proper Amazon Digital Services: $14.99) craft, their popularity in alternate history and Seatonian style invents skip bombing. steampunk is the triumph of nostalgia and Somehow watching Flight Lieutenant Ellis Declaration of Interest: Anne Douglas enthusiasm over experience.) Halverson at the helm of a Lancaster named S- Beverage Byrd, sister-in-law of the topic of Beyond that, Bart takes Byrd’s point of Skylark roaring down towards the Möhne Dam this book, was a relative of mine. view. Thus he describes the 1925 Greenland would only involve him finally having crossed This is a partial biography of Richard expedition as being led by Byrd. Not up MacArthur once too much, and what Evelyn Byrd, the explorer from Virginia. It’s surprisingly, Donald B. MacMillan thought he MacArthur wants, MacArthur gets, says also a narrative of the earlier of his various was in charge (see Dangerous Crossings: The MacArthur. (The authors seem to have it in for explorations, with comments on the First Modern Polar Expedition 1925 by John H. Douglas MacArthur, though not quite as bad as competition. Bryant and Harold N. Cones (2000; reviewed in Robert Conroy, who had him being hit by a One of the characteristics of explorers Alexiad V. 2 #2) for more on this). kamikaze plane.) seems to be an ability to transcend physical More to the point, as said, Bart describes in Richard Ballinger Seaton might have found limitations. Or bad feet. Robert E. Peary had detail how the Polar flight of the Josephine Barnes Neville Wallis a congenial sort. The lost eight toes to frostbite, and Byrd had Ford could have been accomplished. There photographs show a grandfatherly, avuncular, broken an ankle so badly that he was seems to be evidence in the form of navigational lets-go-out-and-make-a-Heath-Robinson- medically retired after graduating from the readings made (and erased) by Byrd that Bart gadget looking fellow. He certainly had a very Naval Academy. Nevertheless, Byrd found does not discuss. commonplace origin, and knocked around in something he could do and with great skill various vehicular construction venues before persuaded the Navy to let him do it, over and DAM WARS fetching up at Vickers, where he became a lead over again, rising from Ensign to Rear Review by Joseph T Major of designer. (For a while he worked on airships Admiral — always on the retired list! DAM BUSTERS: with a team that included N. S. Norway. Did His contributions to flight were pervading. The True Story of the Inventors and Airmen their breaks include a spot of time On the He was involved in the Navy’s crossing of the Who Led the Devastating Raid to Smash the Beach (1957; as by “Nevil Shute”)?) Atlantic in 1919, and continued from there, German Dams in 1943 When the war broke out Barnes Wallis leading an aerial survey of Greenland and by James Holland started thinking about how to blow things up. Ellesmere Island. Then the Pole beckoned. (Atlantic Monthly Press; 2012; While his designs include the Grand Slam As with any such expedition, there was the ISBN 978-0-821-2169-1; $28; bomb, the first bunkerbuster, he also started problem of paying for everything. The Amazon Digital Services; 2013; $14.99) wondering about the best way to place explorers who trek with two dozen different explosives against dams. Since they had corporate logos plastered over their equipment DAM torpedo nets and there wasn’t the opportunity are in an old tradition. Byrd’s polar plane was WARS to run a loaded ship into them, he considered named after his principal donor’s daughter, other means. and just as well, too. Imagine how it would Episode .5 Gregory Boyington used to say that if you look today saying he had gone to the North Dam it! scratched a hero, you found a heel. Guy Pole in an Edsel. (The namesake of the Gibson may not have been a cad, but he was a Josephine Ford was Edsel Bryant Ford’s only The Germans have little . . . unusual. He fell for and got married daughter.) constructed a dam quite abruptly, and his wife’s position is given, Bart describes how the pattern of a storm in the Ruhr valley. perhaps discreetly, as “dancer”. Then, he fell and the actual timing of the flight dispelled British Lancesters in love with another woman — who before those accusations of falsehood. And then, have been long also got married. Perhaps volunteering Byrd, Bennett, and the rest of the guys they dispatched by the for this mission was a way of getting out of watched Amundsen and Nobile take off in the RAF with one goal - entanglements. old technology to do it. bring it down. The The development of these dam-busting Page 6 December 2013 Alexiad bombs had its moments. The bombs would The Dambusters” hasn’t. skip over the lake surface, and the torpedo For the Black Friday weekend Barnes and nets, hit the dam wall, roll down, and apply “Retard” . . . heh heh . . . Noble had basic Nooks going for $39. Joe took explosive force to the lower reaches of the — “The Dam Busters a la Star Wars”, me to the one in Evansville where I learned that structure with a concrete-shattering kaboom. Henry V. Keiper for ten dollars more I could have Glowlight. This took a lot of effort and indeed when the The sales woman did not find me a hard sell on mission was launched, the bombs still had not YOU’RE SO VAIN the more expensive machine. My impressions been fully tested. by Joe of the Nook so far are mixed. Overall it is a As for the men . . . a problem of the Army better machine than the Kobo, I think, but it Commandos was that they took high-initiative There was a hybrid solar eclipse (partially does not fit as well in my hands as the Kobo and skilled men, who would be good nco’s total, partially annular) on November 3, 2013. It did. Its screen is wider than the Kobo’s and I and even officers, and made them expendable was visible in Gabon, Republic of the Congo, believe it weighs less than the Kobo. It does footsloggers. This mission required high- Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, not have all the latest bells and whistles but all quality pilots and crews, just the sort every Kenya, and Ethiopia. The maximun totality was I wanted was a basic reading machine. I am squadron commander wanted to keep. Yet one minute 40 seconds, at 3E 30" N, 11E 42" W, enjoying the Nook but discovering also that it Gibson got them. Including Joe McCarthy. off the coast of Liberia. It was part of Saros has not brought me the thrill that the Kobo did. (An American named Joseph C. McCarthy, 143, which began on March 7, 1617 and will I think the reason for that is that the Kobo was and he was a pilot, not a tailgunner.) end April 23, 2897. my first ever e reader, not any fault in the Nook Then, Operation CHASTISE set off. The There will be two solar eclpses in 2014. The itself. My experiences with it were a voyage of mission was not the safest in the world. One first will be an annular eclipse, on April 29, discovery. You only get to make the voyage of of the Lancaster bombers (for Americans, visible in Wilkes Land of Antarctica, with the discovery with a new experience once. think B-17) flew into power lines. But the maximum totality being at 70E 36' 42" S., 131E first wave got to the Möhne reservoir, 18' 18" E. It is part of Saros 148, which began THE JOY OF HIGH TECH dropped, and blew open the dam. Gibson September 21, 1653 and will end December 12, by Rodford Edmiston went in first and stayed around, drawing 2987. The second will be a partial eclipse, on German flak, as he ordered in other bombers. October 23, visible in eastern Russia, Canada, Being the occasionally interesting ramblings of One of the other dams was also broken. and the United States. It is part of Saros 153, a major-league technophile. The flooding in the river valleys is all too which began July 28, 1870 and will end August reminiscent of the Johnstown flood, with 22, 3114. Oddly enough, all the eclipses in this MACHO WIMP devastation and destruction widespread. saros are either partial or annular. Albert Speer was ordered to mobilize a special The next total eclipse will be March 20, There’s a lot out there we don’t see. This effort to rebuild the dam. Which meant that 2015, visible in Svalbard and the North Atlantic isn’t surprising. We can only perceive distant the Atlantic Wall was short of workers and and Arctic oceans, ending at the North Pole at objects by the light they emit themselves or materials. I believe they call that a “knock- local sunrise. The maximum totality will be two reflect from other sources. (Here using “light” on” effect. minutes 47 seconds. It is part of Saros 120, to include the complete electromagnetic Afterwards . . . eight of the planes, out of which began May 27, 933 and will end July 7, spectrum.) For some bodies we also detect seventeen, did not come back, and the rest of 2195. particles they emit. Except for such nearby Gibson’s crew died on their next mssion. The bodies as the Moon and Venus (both of which book says four of the original Dam Busters are http://www.hermit.org/Eclipse have been radar scanned from Earth) we can’t still alive, another source says three. supply this illumination. Guy Gibson received the Victoria Cross http://www.eclipse.org.uk/ Digression: Well, we can’t supply the for bravery exceeding that of even the most amount needed from Earth. Not with any devoted British soldier. He died before the http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse.html practical application of current technology. The war ended, flying a Mosquito (for which he inverse square law sees to that. Typically, if was not checked out), after a showing extreme COFFEE you double the distance you need four times the signs of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. by Lisa energy sent for the same energy delivered to Barnes Wallis lived a long and happy life, the target, because the radar wavefront spreads becoming Sir Barnes, and held the seemingly I have a new favorite coffee. It is as it travels. Then subtract what the target contradictory values of a strong Christian faith Guatemalan coffee from Highland Coffee absorbs. Then only a tiny fraction of what’s and a sort of pride in having done what he had Company. I found its flavor smooth and robust. reflected actually heads back towards the done. The unit that conducted the mission It does not beat a sugar free cappucino but it transmitter, and even that is again weakened by was continued, the famous 617 Squadron of comes close. distance. the RAF, their insignia showing a broken dam Years ago there was a serious proposal to and their motto the sardonic “Apres Moi la For my birthday we went to the Newport launch a probe well out of the plane of the Deluge”. After sinking the Tirpitz and Aquarium. It was thoroughly fun even if I did ecliptic. Once far enough from what we already bombing Iraq, the unit is being reformed to fly learn that sharks are harder to photograph than know about (especially including us) it would F-35s. horses. The best thing about it was a tunnel with detonate a gigaton warhead. This would act as When George Lucas was doing early water above and on either side of the a flashbulb, illuminating the solar system out to rough cuts of what was then “The Star Wars”, passageway. The sharks were interesting but the perhaps hundreds of astronomical units. This to fill in the gaps, as it were, he used clips real prize of the exhibition were the mantas. “snapshot” would reveal many new objects in form “The Dam Busters”. Which was why They look like they are flying in the water. the Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud. Henry V. Keiper’s “Dam Busters a la Star Also, some space probes have had radar. Wars” YouTube video, with the dialogue from Saturday is December 7, seventy-two years Others have transmitted their radio data signal the attack on the Death Star over scenes from exactly since Japanese planes swept down on as they passed around the limb of a planet or “The Dam Busters”, works so well. The Pearl Harbor and brought us into World War II. moon, giving us information on the makeup of “Dam Busters a la Star Wars” video has been any atmosphere present. deleted from YouTube for copyright NOOK Coming back on target: Even the most problems. Its counterpart, “Star Wars a la Observations by Lisa Major sensitive telescopes can only detect what Alexiad December 2013 Page 7 bodies reflect or emit themselves, and even which are the results of matter pouring through explanation is that thermal photons (IR heat that must be above a certain threshold. That a wormhole and producing a negative gravity emissions) from radiothermal generators is threshold gets a little lower every year, but it’s effect. Which makes my head hurt just thinking providing enough thrust to cause the still there. So, when looking out at the about, so let’s move on. differential. However, some say this doesn’t universe, we know we’re missing a lot. A similar exotic concept is negative matter. completely account for the deceleration. In the Thirties, brilliant (if eccentric) While antimatter has a reversed electrical charge One wonders whether the piano-sized New physicist Fritz Zwicky used data from with respect to what we’re made of, negative Horizons probe — at the time this is written astronomers to demonstrate that we could not matter has a reversed gravitational charge. If it over halfway to Pluto — will show this effect. see enough material in other galaxies to exists, it would collect between galaxies, and New Horizons has both spin-stabilized (cruise) explain how they held together against their might provide an inward repulsive force which and three-axis stabilized (science, using own spin. There just wasn’t enough visible would counter the centripetal acceleration which thrusters) modes. In the spin stabilized mode is mass. He coined the phrase “dark matter” would otherwise tear apart galaxies and other should be subject to the same effect as the (“dunkle Materie” in his native Swiss) as a large collections of stars. It could also be all or Pioneers, once it gets far enough from the Sun label for this substance we can’t see. Like the a major component of the mysterious “dark for the effect to be detectable. Force, dark matter holds the galaxy together. energy” (you’d think they’d call it “dark force” An alternate explanation to dark matter is (Oh, so many jokes to resist . . .) but noooo . . .) which is expanding the universe. MOdified Newtonian Dynamics, or MOND. It There are many potential candidates for However, it also is still very hypothetical. claims that gravity does not behave exactly as this matter we aren’t seeing. One is numerous one would expect according to the inverse massive objects out in the cometary halos square law. That over very large distances, around star systems. For our own system, gravity decreases less and less. This makes these are detectable through occultation (that gravity stronger at great distances than if it is, they get in the way of light from stars) or operated strictly according to the inverse by direct observation if they reflect enough square law. light from the Sun. We don’t know how many MOND does explain galaxies holding there are, but considering we’ve already together in spite of their spin. It also explains discovered several of them the number is the Pioneer anomaly. However, there is no probably large. However, even using experimental evidence to support it. We know maximum estimates for their total mass, there there are MACHO out there; we’ve seen some aren’t enough. There has to be more. Much of them. We have actually observed lone more. Two classes of what that more might be planets between stars. We’ve seen large objects are the origin of this column’s title. in our own cometary nebula, too. Given our MAssive Compact Halo Objects current state of the art and the number so far (MACHO) are massive bodies such as dead detected, there must be a *lot* of both ‘em we stars (including neutron stars and black holes) So, the WIMP concept seems the most likely aren’t seeing . . . at least yet. Most people and small, dim stars; “free” or “rogue” planets source of unseen mass. Multiple detectors familiar with MOND dismiss it as an which wander between stars; brown dwarfs around the world are seeking the WIMP interesting intellectual exercise which is almost and a few things. They could be imaged population, using several different certainly not applicable to the real universe. through occultation or — for the most massive methodologies. If they exist theory calls for a There are no confirmed findings of WIMP of these — gravitational lensing. These whole family of different particle types, to matter, but the concept fits so well with massive bodies would produce a specific symmetrically balance with visible matter. Some existing subatomic particle physics it is lensing signature when passing in front of a physicists (and others) have imagined that these probably real. Besides the detectors — which star. That is, there would be a smooth, gradual aren’t just particles flying around on their own. look for existing WIMP particles — there is rise to a peak then a gradual symmetrical That there would be at least dark matter atoms, hope that the Large Hadron Collider — which falloff, over many days to several months, and likely molecules. There could possibly be already found the Higgs Boson even while depending on the geometry and relative entire planets and star systems, existing operating at a reduced power level due to speeds. These are normal bodies, made of alongside us unseen and undetectable except for equipment problems — will produce detectable normal matter (that is, baryonic matter, which their gravity. Actually, the individual particles, WIMP particles once at full power. is what we are made of). They are just too atoms and molecules have so little mass they There’s a lot to look for out there. Even if small or too old to glow detectably on their could be passing right through us continuously, we can’t see it. own. (A black hole doesn’t glow at all, but and we’d never notice. One wonders if WIMP matter falling into one does. However, if stars produce an analog to electromagnetic ARCHON there’s no matter falling in . . .) radiation, and how that might be detected. Con Report by Leigh Kimmel Weakly Interacting Massive Particles are We see the presence of dark matter on a similar to neutrinos in that they are incredibly galactic scale, but what about within our own Archon 37 was held over the weekend of difficult to detect. However, those ghostly solar system? No matter what is responsible for October 4-6, 2013 at the Gateway Center and particles have barely any mass at all. WIMP the extra gravity, the effects would be subtle in the Doubletree Hotel in Collinsville, Illinois, particles do... theoretically. If they exist, they something as small as a star system. Inside the one of the St. Louis Metro East suburbs. It is are likely the most significant part of whatever orbit of Jupiter, even light pressure from the Sun one of the larger annual conventions in the makes up dark matter. would overwhelm the effect. However, there are Midwest. There are even GNACHOs: signs of the influence of an unexpected force on We started our trip that Wednesday and Gravitationally Negative Anomalous Compact some of our most distant probes. There is went to my folks’ place in the Halo Objects. These are also detectable something causing the Pioneer 11 and 12 probes Bloomington-Normal area to stay the night. through gravitational lensing, but with a to slow more quickly than expected as they Their local high school was having their different and distinct signature. (Gradual rise move outward from the Sun. The Voyager homecoming that weekend, so we went to in intensity, sharp cutoff to zero, sharp rise to probes can’t show this effect, since they are not watch the parade. It brought back memories of a second peak, gradual falloff. Again, the time spin stabilized and fire their thrusters to my own high school days, and the homecoming scale depends on geometry and relative maintain or change orientation. That parades in our small town. speeds.) These are very hypothetical objects overwhelms this miniscule effect. The given Thursday morning we hit the road for Page 8 December 2013 Alexiad

Collinsville. We made some pretty good time turning in for the night. It had been a very long from Archon. We talked briefly, then continued in spite of a fair amount of road construction day, and I was ready to get some sleep. on our way. on I-55, and we got checked into the hotel. Saturday morning came way too early, and We made good time to my folks’ place, and However, we made an unhappy discovery it didn’t help that I’d been dreaming about stayed the night. On Monday we continued the when we checked out the hot tub -- it was shut driving through Oklahoma during our Worldcon journey and made it home in good time. down and drained. We asked at the front desk trip. We had breakfast and then headed off to and were told that it had been shut down the convention center to get our tables open and WINDYCON permanently because it couldn’t be made do business. Con report by Leigh Kimmel compliant with ADA accessibility At first, sales were so slow that I was requirements. I was a little surprised and did fighting sleep. But plenty of caffeine and some Windycon is the Chicago area’s big fall some research, and discovered that the ADA lively conversation with fellow bibliophiles science fiction convention. This year it was rules were supposed to apply to new perked me up, and by the time I needed to get to held in the Westin in Lombard over the construction, and existing installations that the David Weber signing, I was actually starting weekend of November 8-10, 2013. couldn’t be retrofitted at reasonable expense to feel alert. While I was standing in line, I Because dealer load-in begins at noon on would be grandfathered in. So a ham-fisted made a pretty good start on my con report. Friday and we knew it would take us a long interpretation of the law meant that a nice When the signing started, we were warned time to get everything in, we came up on thing was taken away for everyone. We were that he had an old wrist injury that was prone to Thursday. However, in the haste of getting on really disappointed, since we’d been looking giving him trouble, and that he might not be able the road, some important things got left behind. forward to soaking out some aches and pains. to sign for everyone. As it turned out, the line As a result, I had to figure out some awkward After supper, we headed over to the wasn’t that huge and he ended up getting workarounds, but at least I could make do. convention center to get our badges. I everybody’s stuff. His wife was helping get After supper we headed over to the main might’ve gotten my art on the art show, but I’d books ready so he could sign one after another. hotel. Since this was our first time at this forgotten and used the art box to fill a space After the signing, I headed back to the location, we wanted to take a look around and when I was loading our merchandise, and it dealers’ room. I’d been thinking about checking get some sense of our logistics. We got an was pretty well buried. in at the art show to see if anything else had opportunity to talk to some of the people In the evening I did some writing. We also sold. However, as I went by, I saw they were running the con, which was also helpful. Then made contact with the couple who would be closed for auction setup. we headed back to our room and took it easy sharing our room. When the dealers’ room closed for the for the evening. I did some work on a story, Friday morning we got up early and had evening, we debated on whether to come back although it took several times to catch elements breakfast before heading over to the for the parties or to just stay at our hotel room. I’d forget. convention center to load into the dealers’ We took a look at the weather radar and didn’t On Friday we headed back to the main room. We had some really good help and were like the look of the rain to the west of St. Louis. hotel. We went early in hopes of getting our able to get in quite quickly, which was good so we just stayed put after supper and I did some badges, but registration still wasn’t open. because it was unseasonably hot and humid, writing. However, the dealers’ room did start letting us which made the process miserable. Setting up As we discovered the next day, it was load in early, so we started hauling everything in air conditioning was much nicer, just time probably a good call. At breakfast another fan in. We didn’t have a lot of space to work with, consuming. Because of some trouble we’d had was telling me about various activities he’d so getting set up was quite a challenge. We just with our big t-shirt display at Worldcon, I participated in, and mentioned that he didn’t made it in time, and I still needed to get my reinforced it with some PVC pipes, and it enjoy the parties because there were so many artwork on the art show. seemed to be holding up better when we cops hanging around, like they were just waiting I picked up the necessary paperwork and started loading it up with t-shirts. for an excuse to crack down. Then, as we were took it back to the dealers’ room to fill out Once we were set up, I headed over to the packing to leave, our roommates mentioned that between customers. Then I took it back and got art show and got my art set up. Then I had a the parties were wilder than they felt my art set up. Since they print bid sheets up on little time to look around and see what other comfortable with. computer, I tried my best to put everything in sellers were offering. Once we got our stuff out of our room and the proper order to simplify the process of Once the doors finally opened for got checked out, we headed off to the getting the bid sheets on the correct artworks. business, I noticed that sales seemed to be convention center. We were running late, so by The rest of the evening was fairly slow, and coming more slowly than I would’ve the time we got our dealer tables open for we were rather disappointed with our sales. We expected. I had some time to write, or at least business, there wasn’t much time to look tried to console ourselves with the idea that it make some notes. There were a few spurts of around. would be slower than an anime con, but it still business where we had several customers at At least the sales started picking up, but not left us wondering whether we’d made an once, but nothing to the level of really enough to let us feel confident that we’d expensive mistake. similarly-sized anime cons. made money. Soon it was time to start packing, After the dealers’ room closed for the After the dealers’ room closed for the which meant I had to go out and get our empty evening, we headed over to the con suite to evening, we headed over to the artists’ boxes from the van. At least I was able to move grab some food and hang out until the parties. reception. It was already in progress, but there to a parking spot closer to the loading dock, We talked to some friends I hadn’t seen for a was still a reasonable amount of food left. I which would speed things up. while, and I did a little writing. took a look through the art show and was We had good help in packing and loading, Windycon has always been a really good gratified to see a bid on one of my pieces. I and we were able to snag one of the convention one for parties, and that was something I really also saw two very nice Cthulhu-inspired center’s big flatbed carts. Our biggest problem missed during the years we weren’t attending. majolica-ware ceramic jars with very was not always having the next thing I needed to Several of the local and area conventions had reasonable starting bids. I would’ve liked to load out, but I was able to improvise enough to parties to promote them, and they had enough bid on them, but with the poor sales we’d keep things flowing while other things were good food that I ended up eating more than I’d experienced in the dealers’ room, I didn’t want being broken down and packed. intended. By the last couple of parties, I was to commit myself to the purchase of either Once we had everything loaded into the van, feeling full and icky, and was talking with a one. we hit the road back to my folks’ place. While friend about how we just aren’t as young as we After that we headed back to the hotel to we were stopped at one of the rest stops on I-55, used to be, and can’t do some of the stuff we do a little catching up on the Internet before we encountered some other fen returning home used to do without a second thought, like Alexiad December 2013 Page 9 staying up all night partying, or pigging out on Fish Out of Water #559, #560 the party food. Marty Helgesen, 11 Lawrence Avenue, WORLDCON BIDS We headed back to the other hotel to get Malverne, New York 11565-1406 USA some sleep. At least by the next morning I was 2016 feeling enough better that I could eat a hearty The Life of Rodney Year 65 #1 Kansas City breakfast from the hotel’s complimentary Rodney Leighton, 11 Branch Road, R. R. http://kansascityin2016.org/ spread. #3, Tatmagouche, Nova Scotia, B0K 1V0 Then we headed over to the main hotel to CANADA Proposed Dates: August 18-22. get our dealers’ tables open for business. Sales remained pretty much steady, and we MT Void V. 32 #14 October 4, 2013 — V. 32 # 2017 were beginning to have some guarded 22 November 29, 2013 Helsinki optimism about the possibility that we’d do Mark and Evelyn Leeper, 80 Lakeridge http://helsinkiin2017.org/ well enough to return in future years. Drive, Matawan, NJ 07747-3839 USA However, sales were still slow enough that I [email protected] Japan had time to write. [email protected] http://nippon2017.org/ We headed over to the con suite to have http://leepers.us/mtvoid supper. However, I was still feeling rather off Proposed Dates: sometime in August after the previous night’s indulgence, and I Opuntia #268 October 2013, #269 November found the chicken sandwich I’d brought for 2013 Montréal supper did not appeal. I tried to force it down, Dale Speirs, Box 6830, Calgary, Alberta but each bite got harder, until it was literally T2P 2E7 CANADA Washington DC repulsive. I finally ended up having to toss it. http://dc17.org/ As a result, we decided not to stick around The Reluctant Famulus #96 for the parties, even if it did look like we were Thomas D. Sadler, 305 Gill Branch Road, Proposed Dates: August 16-20 going to have an interesting night, what with a Owenton, KY 40359- USA mundane wedding party sharing the hotel. We [email protected] 2018 headed back to the other hotel so we could http://www.efanzines.com New Orleans turn in early and get some serious sleep. http://neworleansin2018.org On Sunday morning we ate breakfast, then Space Cadet #23 carried our stuff out to the van. Then we R Graeme Cameron 2019 headed over to the main hotel to get our Dublin dealers’ tables open for business. I also Vanamonde #918 January 11, 2011 — #922 http://dublin2019.com/ needed to retrieve my unsold artwork from the February 8, 2011 art show. John Hertz, 236 S. Coronado Street, No. Paris Sales actually picked up on the last day, 409, Los Angeles, CA 90057-1456 USA https://sites.google.com/site/parisin2019/ after people settled up with the hotel and the art show and knew how much money they had 2020 left to spend. However, we had a long drive New Zealand home ahead of us, so we started packing the http://nzin2020.org/ slow-selling merchandise early. We were able to get everything packed Bids under consideration include: without too much difficulty, although we did 2021 have some hassles over the hotel’s issues with Fort Worth carts on their carpet. Then we hit the road for the long drive back home. 2022 Chicago FANZINES Thanks to Mike Glyer for the updates. Askew #6 John Purcell The problem with Detroit is, well, Detroit. As for future bids, Kansas City is quite Beyond Bree October 2013. November 2013 reasonable — it will be forty years *SIGH* Nancy Martsch, Post Office Box 55372, after my very first WorldCon, and afterwards Sherman Oaks, CA 91413-5372 USA there is the Kansas Cosmosphere, with the [email protected] Liberty Bell Seven capsule. I would never http://www.cep.unt.edu/bree.html have thought to see it, and there it is, in Not available for The Usual; $15/year, $20 Hutchinson, Kansas, a place that features in foreign, $10/year electronic. When Worlds Collide (1933). I can see some relatives afterwards, too. Broken Toys #22, #23 Of the choice, we have a preference for the Taral Wayne newly announced DC in ‘17 bid, but it looks as if Helsinki has the emotional edge. And New The Drink Tank #357, #358, #359, #360, Orleans should be fun. (Not surprisingly, I #361 have relarives in both.) Christopher J. Garcia See you in Detroit. [email protected] http://www.efanzines.com Page 10 December 2013 Alexiad

Nope, a quick re-search . . . can’t find anything pays any attention to what I say I want) is a Letters, we get letters yet. “nice” record and cd player — caveat being the I don’t have a cell phone that I use or that price-free would be affordable. That went on could be used as a camera. As a result, I have the list a year ago, but since there was no extra thought about buying a digital camera (which I money at Christmas, it is still right there. Yeah, keep reading will soon be obsolete — well, my RSN. (To make matters worse, I need a floor- drawing software will have company!) but am mat for the car and the one it came with never uncertain about what to look at/for and suspect fit right — since it was not factory equipment the price will be a rude awakening. So, no I can’t complain. I took the car in for routine digital camera. servicing which I expected to cost at most $64. There was a new guy at the reception desk who You can get some decent digital asked for name and then read over the cameras for about $100. I repair/service history and told me what needed noticed during my skin cancer doing would be a bit over $1000. I didn’t both surgery that the dermatologist saying he must be joking-just said- to going to used a regular camera to record happen. He took the list back and said-no From: Sheryl L. Birkhead Oct 12-14, 2013 the operation. wait—I see you’ve done a few of these things 22509 Jonnie Court, Gaithersburg, MD already — so the total is $596. I repeated- not 20882-3422 USA My VCR taping is still months behind in the going to happen, but if all that was really watching category — but I think Jenny necessary, it would get done over time. Then, Ah, the saga of the laptop continues. Well, McCarthy is the new co-host on the View. the service manager who usually waits on me I found out what the underlying cause of the Eventually I’ll get to some of their shows tapes came by and said he would look at the erratic (psychotic) behavior was. within the past two or so months and I’ll know paperwork. He told his co-worker that Unfortunately, during the diagnosis, I . . . um, for sure. I won’t cheat and go look! everything had been done over the past year, er . . . rendered it pretty much useless as a Sheesh, even with eye surgery as an excuse, just out of order and not exactly at the mobile computer. It (as you can see) still Brad Foster is doing a better job at loccing than benchmark of mileage. So, for the first time works, but only while plugged in since I made I am. Gotta get better at this. since I got the car it really did only need grease it impossible to install a battery. Since the Lloyd, maybe you and Brad can discuss eye and oil etc. It is difficult to keep up since the connection is a magnetic one, almost any surgeries — it is the fannish thing to do. car is 11 years old but only has 68,000 miles on movement of the computer makes it pull off I am just now trying to watch the new it so work has been done due to age rather than and if I have not saved it . . . well at least I am episodes of Foyle’s War. I watched Bletchley mileage. Anyway- at that point I didn’t ask the making different mistakes! Fixing it for this Circle after seeing Sam (Honeysuckle) in the cost- it had to be better than the $596 . . . just model will require replacing the lower case. I previews. took my toys and went back to the waiting area bought a used one off eBay, but after reading George (Price) my condolences on your to ..well...wait. When I was told the car was the directions several times (it is labeled as a loss. done and had been through the wash-1 just difficult procedure) I am not so sure I want to Well — kept typing, cord pulled out and went to pay the bill. $4.98 I thought he was tackle it. Apple won’t do it, saying it is too whoop there it went. Not sure where my kidding, but no, that is what the receipt says. old (2007) but went on to say they cannot get comments were headed, so might as well stop So, I went over to their parts department and the parts. I said I already had them — and now and not even try to re-construct this (but I asked the guy if he could research new mats — they said no since they can not guarantee such gotta admit this is better than it was — but now really only need the one, but no way to get just parts. I went to an Apple related store called I need to make it right!). one and break up a set~l only found then at Mac Business Solutions and they said they Didn’t hear anything about the worldcon — $139 — again, not going to happen. He went to would do it if I got the parts for $226 making me think nothing went horribly wrong — his words — an arcane and difficult to however he went on to say he felt it was not in or terribly ghreat — can live with that. I tried locate website and they had one set of the 2002 my best interests to repair this one. It boils to watch the Hugo ceremonies online, but the mats(come to think of it — he never did ask the down to the idea that I want to be able to use screen kept on going dark and I gave up. color — this might get interesting) $49.99 ~– FreeHand as long as I possibly can since I SOLD! Well . . . order me one and then it will have been unable to find any other drawing You missed the mad dogs be sold — so that has become my holiday gift program that feels as right. FH is obsolete kneeing us in the groin. to me — and bumped the player down to a from OS 10.7 on. This locks me in to any maybe . . .) Macbook (or closely related) manufactured As always — thanks! A comment about tires. I grant you that I before late 2011. On my desktop I use 10.6.8 totally forgot my own advice when I got my (Snow Leopard) with an external hard drive November 17, 2013 last tires but I remembered it as soon as I connected that is running 10.7.5 (Mountain signed the credit card receipt and I won’t forget Lion) — so I can use both as needed, but not It would appear that I am close to being it in the future. I found that (I don’t haggle, so on the portable one. So, problem figured out caught up (again?) on loccing . . . well, to one it is much nicer if the regular price is right...) — solution . . . well . . . not yet. I looked on zine at least! the amount I saved on one tire at Sam’s Club eBay and just cannot afford any of the right I have notes to myself written all over the covered a year’s membership that I had to buy years. With any luck (read that as coming into envelope- so I need to re-write them in some in order to... I was buying two tires that time, a windfall) I will be able to get a newer model other spot that I can remember. I’ll work on that so I got a year’s membership and still saved and repair this one (yeah, right!). later. $75 on top of that for the same tires I would Moving right along . . . I bought a turntable and cd player that have gotten from the dealership. As I type this Capclave is doing its thing looked like an old victrola. Well, you get what Just heard from my brother that they are nearby. I have poked around the Internet to you pay for and within a year, the cd portion moving to Louisville..their younger daughter see if I can locate any news item about it, but died. So, the whole thing is parked in a corner already lives there. It is ridiculous for them to so far haven’t located anything. With Steve of the bedroom. Perhaps I think it will self-heal keep their beautiful (and BIG) home when they Stiles and G RR Martin as two of their GoHs because I certainly cannot find a repairman! On are at home only 2-3 months out of the year, I was hoping to see exposure (so to speak). my list of holiday gifts to me (since no one else they do love traveling! He pointed out that it Alexiad December 2013 Page 11 might take a while, since homes in this price Every time I start thinking of attending a northern one because it is closer, and the bracket don’t sell well and add in winter...may Worldcon, I look at the travel and lodging immediate geopolitical implications are greater, be a while. They (he and his wife and their costs. That pretty much finishes off even because there is no land underneath, which daughter) are off for their traditional holiday considering a trip. allows easy access to oil in the seabed. But this trip-meeting up with the elder daughter in I only get 3 of the 10 zines listed. 30% is not a mystery. The political issue remains Australia for a three week stay in Vietnam and bodes well for the state of health of printed though, how to defeat the obstructionists and Laos. I believe that last year’s Antarctica trip zines. harness international will to address the meant they had hit all the continents. Next In this area we have had WETA UK on problem. they head out to Hawaii in January for a few regular PBS TV for a year now. If you were Alexis Gilliland is quite correct that the weeks’ stay at their time share. In March they paying close attention to the scheduling, it was world’s leading polluter is China. That is head out to Australia again for another cruise possible to get episodes of Endeavour (the because the Chinese have completely — 4 months — tough life! prequel series) and Inspector Lewis (the spin- unregulated capitalism, very much in bed with Coffee — nope, don’t like it. My mother off, sorta sequel) back to back with episodes of the corrupt government but not at all drank it with cream/milk and sugar and I got Inspector Morse. My stack of VCR tapes to answerable to the people. Profit is all. There is used to the smell — and I had eaten coffee ice watch has grown substantially since this TV no equivalent of the Environmental Protection cream. I thought coffee would taste like . . .it show started broadcasting! Agency, no laws against monopolies, no didn’t. When I’d try a cup of “good” coffee, I got a temporary CoA for Guy and Rosy regulations guaranteeing worker safety, etc. It the only analogy I could think of was that it Lillian — then a follow up letting me know the is true that some Republicans apparently see tasted as if someone had stubbed out a original one was wrong. That’s another faned this as an ideal and are working to bring it cigarette in it. Yeech. I don’t want the buzz. I on my list of needing to contact/loc RSN. about in the United States, but they have not also never could tell if one cup would make I am/was hoping to be able to get to a few done so yet. China may ultimately turn out to trying to draw a “straight-ish” line impossible fillos to send, but so far that is proving difficult be a warning to the rest of the world. For and it wasn’t worth it to me. The day I decided — useable time in a chunk.just is not being example, if fracking is really as bad as some not to continue trying to like the stuff was the found. I’ll give it another try before trying to people say it is, we will find out from China, day after my Organic Chemistry exam in print this off to send . . . which is determined to take the lead in this college. In panic, I had gone to the student Man — the little illo below is so very simple technique, without any regard for union and gulped down cup after cup..so I and took forever to create-l have no idea if it environmental consequences. could study. I went back to the dorm will look the same printed as it does on monitor Alexis is also right about another thing: rule and..immediately fell asleep. Coffee ice — let alone I got carried away with color — by the rich is the most common form of human cream — that is okay, not on my best list, but sorry, but too enticing to avoid! Sheesh — it is government. It may take many names, and . . . now Nov 17th — sorry! sometimes cause and effect can be reversed (as There is a vegan ice “cream” mocha when a revolutionary clique becomes rich by chocolate fudge~and yeah, you know how I From: Darrell Schweitzer October 25, 2013 ruling, but it tends to work out the same. In the know that fact. It is difficult to find, but 6644 Rutland Street, Philadelphia, PA Roman Republic there were offices (such as enjoyable. 19149-2128 Tribune of the Plebs) which were reserved for I use Healthwarehouse online to mail [email protected] non-senators, supposedly to give the order the one small prescription I get. I never government some balance, but even as far back get anywhere near the annual deductible, so I I fear our friend Taras Wolansky is getting as the days of the Gracchi this did not really just pay it myself-since going through a mite peculiar. He seems to think that work, and the electoral system was more like insurance would be $180 for 6 months and heterosexual AIDS is a “myth.” If so, what is an Illinois election as managed by Al Capone. Healthwarehouse is $18.50 for 6 months (free devasting Africa? In South Africa as much as a The masses actually did better under the shipping). FYI, the address is listed as third of the population is infected. Either South Empire, as there was more opportunity of Kentucky. I don’t know if their prices are any Africa and some of the adjoining countries have persons of low birth, who lacked senatorial better than what you are already getting. the highest rate of closet homosexuals in the connections. So when Caesar and then Around here, of the chains — Sam’s Club is world, or something is wrong with this model. Octavian wiped out most of the old senatorial routinely the least expensive — and the last Indeed, most sources report that the main means aristocracy, the common people were not time I checked you did not have to have a of spread has involved (female) prostitutes and particularly concerned. When Octavian as membership if the pharmacy was all you truckers, who get laid when they are on the road Augustus brought peace and prosperity, most wanted to “visit”. and then come home and bring the disease to people did not care how exactly he had done As non-Worldcon reports go, yours rates their wives. The result is that there are an this, and did not look too closely at the studied right at the top. Sorry you had so many extraordinary number of orphans, because many hypocrisy it required. troubles and couldn’t make it. I’d be tempted children lose both parents this way. I don’t As for what there is to admire in Heinlein, to say — think of all the money you saved, but doubt that certain homosexual practices are there is of course a great deal, but the question, with all the car troubles, I am not sure how riskier, and more likely to introduce the virus which I once used for the title to a group much the bottom lines varied from each other. from semen into the bloodstream, but it is also discussion at a Lunacon, is “When Did clear that heterosexual transmission is common. Heinlein Go Bad?” He definitely did, but, was The price of the two repairs The science on global warming is in. We it before or after Starship Troopers, before or was about what the price of the know it is happening and it is caused by human after Stranger, or later. The common opinion hotel stay would have been. That activity. The UN admitted as much recently. certainly is that The Moon is A Harsh Mistress was why I decided there was no There really is no argument here, although the is the last really good Heinlein novel, and that point in going on. details continue to change as more data is most of what he published thereafter, starting — JTM collected. Will the sea level rise a foot, six feet, most memorably with I Will Fear No Evil did or twenty feet? That we do not really know, but his reputation no good. Friday marks only a I’m trying to remember if I ever stood in it will rise. Taras asks why people who keep up partial return to form, but it was given a lot of line for an autograph..yes. My sister came with with these things do not mention the southern slack at the time because so many Heinlein me to a con and wanted Asimov’s signature — polar cap. The answer is that they do. It is admirers were so desperate for something to so I stood in line with her while she waited to melting too. Pieces have been breaking off at admire. But to see Heinlein at his very best, I get it. Wonder what she did with it? record sizes. We just pay more attention to the think you have to cut off his career after Have Page 12 December 2013 Alexiad

Spacesuit, Will Travel, and before Starship triumphed, as it very nearly did in the mid-4th got several of them, you could be referred to Troopers. He is rather like Bradbury in that century. Is it really a meaningless formula that drug counseling. Possession of 50 lbs. of regard. He had about ten great years, early, Christ was “begotten, not made”? What if it marijuana was still a serious matter. Of course, and then wrote less and less good work. I were the other way around? I then went off into driving under the influence is illegal no matter think the preponderance of his later work is satire, suggesting that an infinity of worlds and what the substance. going to harm his reputation in the long-run, timelines was necessary to allow all the particularly the publication of the unedited contradictions in Christian theology to make From: Joy V. Smith October 26, 2013 texts. A fan of my acquaintance tells me that sense. 8925 Selph Road, Lakeland, FL 33810- this twenty-something woman at his local club Who is the senior person in the SF field 0341 USA asked the older members, “Why does Heinlein now? I think it may be Carol Emshwiller, born [email protected] have such a good reputation? He writes such 1921. Now 92. terrible books.” What had she read? I Will I’m so sorry you had to miss WorldCon, Fear No Evil, The Number of the Beast, Time First story, “Built for Pleasure” and it sounds like a lot of people missed you! Enough for Love, etc. It is entirely possible (Long Island Suburban, November I’m glad you did get out and about to visit your that bad Heinlein will sink Heinlein altogether. 1954) families. —JTM Those Darth Vader books on single There are some good parts in fatherhood sound like fun. Interesting Time Enough for Love and even I From: Milt Stevens October 25, 2013 background on Tyler Kent, whom I’d never Will Fear No Evil. Up to the 6325 Keystone Street, Simi Valley, CA heard of. Fascinating article on economics, ponit when we find out that Gwen 93063-3834 USA dystopia, and fiction. (Excellent roundup.) in The Cat Who Walks Through [email protected] And I like to read about the alternate history Walls is Hazel Meade Stone and books out there to see what’s happening in that she brings in the rest of the I held off writing an LoC on Broken Toys sub-genre, but I never see any point in reading Lazarus Long bunch, that book #21 until I received some new software. The them ‘cause I’d lose track of what really isn’t half bad. The writer is software is called JAWS, and it will read happened. (I have enjoyed a couple.) Another master of his world and as he fanzines for me. It does pronounce words like interesting review is The Riddle of the goes on, his attitudes get prozine and Lonestarcon strangely, but you can Labyrinth. I am impressed by the work done in reinforced, usually to the get used to it. Now all I need is some software that field, and I know more about Linear A and detriment of his writing. As that will write LoCs for me, and I’ll have this B than I did. I’ve seen them mentioned, but Bradbury had his Mr. Munigant, fanac thing knocked. never had a clue as to what the reference who crunched the strength out In the United States, it does appear that the meant. of his work. For as long as number of massacres has increased in recent Thanks to Sue Burke for the intel on Heinlein had to defend his ideas years. It’s still not as bad as in the Arab world Spanish conventions and SF books. And against an equally firm where blowing yourself up is just something to thanks to everyone for their LOCs to give us a personality (Campbell first, then do on a Friday night. In the U.S., the media different perspective on everything. Fun story Alice Dalgliesh) he was the isn’t exactly to blame, but they have made the combo on the back page, though I don’t know better for it, even if they had marginally suicidal aware of a spectacular enough about Smiley. their own issues. To look how it alternative. However, areas in most major went for another writer, compare cities have been war zones for decades. The The BBC serial is better than Dragonquest and Dragonflight, massacres don’t do much to the overall the recent movie, and besides it written with Campbell’s input, numbers. has Obi-Wan facing off against with the later books, written Back when I was still working, I read an Captain Picard, instead of with the input of adoring fans essay titled “The Statistics of Deadly Quarrels.” Commissioner Gordon. hoping to see their dragonrider The man who wrote the essay had collected as names in print. much information as he could about people Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1979) getting killed for the last 700 years. He may http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080297/ I have to admit that Richard Dengrove’s have found a relationship. As I recall, it was idea for an alternate history does not excite me called a Lausanne Distribution. Basically, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) very much. I suspect that for the average people kill people in either a few big incidents http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1340800/ soldier on the ground, or the average civilian or a lot of small incidents. It’s possible there – JTM trying to survive through it all, an alternate doesn’t have to be any reason for people killing historical war causes the same sort of suffering people. It’s just what we do. From: Alexis A. Gilliland October 26, 2013 and destruction as a regular, historical one. So I agree that things would be better if there 4030 8th Street South, Arlington, VA some different combination of how a battle were fewer guns. Considering the number of 22204-1552 USA turned out is not particularly interesting, men who were killed with bolt action rifles in http://www.alexisgilliland.org dramatically or intellectually. Alternate the 20th century, I wouldn’t think it was histories only get interesting when the necessary to have automatic weapons in private Thank you for Alexiad 12.5, the highlight of difference brings about some real change, and hands. Trying to control bullets would never a postal delivery otherwise consisting of a mess creates a strange, new (but half-familiar) accomplish anything. Making bullets is cottage of Christmas catalogs. Since the previous issue, world, as it did in Keith Roberts’s Pavane. industry. Some reloaders produce bullets that various things have happened, the most notable I’ve always admired Sprague de Camp’s have far more oomph than factory ammo. of which being that I traded my gold 2000 “Aristotle and the Gun,” which is about how Unfortunately, it is also possible to create Mazda Protege for a white 2013 Mazda 3. Such the difference in an idea about the nature of bullets that are poisonous or which promote a move was maybe a little overdue, because in science changed everything. The only infection. the past year I had spent more on repairs than alternate history I ever wrote (“The Last Back before I retired, possession of minor the car was worth, and more repairs, some Heretic,” published in a Postscripts anthology) amounts of marijuana had been reduced to major, were in prospect. Since Lee had begun was about the impact of a religious idea, i.e. being an infraction. In other words, it had been to urge me to get a new car, I cooperated with what would happen if the Arian “heresy” had reduced to the level of a traffic citation. If you the inevitable, and turned in the old car for Alexiad December 2013 Page 13 about three percent of the cost of the new one human piloted fighter planes. In a world of concluded, “We don’t know over the big Labor Day sale. The Mazda 3 is Machina Uber Alles, who needs humans, except either.” The vision returned over taking a little bit of getting used to, but so far maybe the writers of science fiction? about a week. so good. Lee and I were also invited to In the letter column there is some discussion of — JTM Capclave, the local con, for the first time since climate change. The notably conservative 2005. Why were we invited? It seems the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Oh, and speaking of drawing, attached is a Baltimore-Washington Area Worldcon recently issued its fifth report since 1990 in new piece I hope you might get a grin from. Association is bidding for 2017 in some as yet which they estimate that the chances are 95 One of those “Hey, never thought of it that way unspecified location, and feels the need to percent that global warming is caused by human before” kind of cartons. If you’d prefer not to show that things are cool between BWAWA burning of fossil fuels. The IPCC also predicts use it, just let me know. I think the lettering and the Gillilands. We wouldn't have gone a three-foot rise in sea levels by 2100. Will will hold up when reduced to your column back to WSFA, but decided refusing an global catastrophe wipe us all out before our format . . .) invitation to WSFA's convention would have very profitable machines turn suffering Sorry one of the things we had to miss out been ungracious, so we arranged to attend for humanity into a useless anachronism? Stay on this summer was getting to go to the Saturday only, with one panel each, and tuned for breaking news. Worldcon after, well, quite a while. Right down despite her misgivings Lee had herself a very George Price extols the virtues of the gold the road from us, but having it moved back to good time. Alas, after dinner I ran out of standard, though he doubts that anyone the Labor Day weekend conflicted with one of steam (if we had had a room at the hotel I anywhere has ever lived up to his ideal. Two our bigger art festivals that I show at each year, could have taken a nap) so we went home things come to mind, the first being that the and we couldn’t afford to lose the income from around nine. essence of government is choosing the least that show at this time. We’re going to take a Joe's essay on “The Economy of available evil. In practice this means long-term gamble and throw our hat in the ring for TAFF Abundance” 'aka “Oomphel In the Sky” advantage is usually traded off to avoid short- for this next year though. Have always wanted (Oomphel In The Sky With Diamonds?) offers term pain. The second is that the humans to visit England, and figure we’ll never be able a number of comment hooks, the first being running any given government have often to do it financially on our own. So, maybe will that the cargo cult in the New Hebrides was embraced dumb ideas with enthusiasm, get to attend a Worldcon after all, as long as cynical rather than naive, having begun as a invariably to the detriment of the governed. enough people in the US vote to kick us out of counter-missionary effort. The second is about Examples of such ideas are left as an exercise to the country for a while! employment. In 1800 about 70 percent of the the reader, but might that perfect gold standard population worked as farmers, while in 2000 be one of them? George should consider August issue— only about 3 percent did, the result of the whether there are minuses as well as pluses to While I was sorry to see the obit for E. L. mechanization of agriculture. The same his beautiful idea. When William Jennings Konigsburg, it did remind me that I have been process (applying science and engineering to Bryan said: “You shall not crucify mankind meaning to read From the Mixed Up Files of make more money) has increased the upon a cross of gold!” did he have a point for at Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler forever, and so have efficiency of manufacturing even as it reduced least some of the people? The fact that the added it to our “look for this one” book hunting the size of the labor force needed to produce nation eventually abandoned the gold standard list. The writer may pass, but their work all that stuff. The manufacturing exported to suggests that Bryan might have been on to remains to entertain over and over. China, Mexico and India may someday return something. What else? This Halloween will be Your description of scenes from “Le to this country, but only when it will be our 20th wedding anniversary. voyage dans la Lune” as having a Monty cheaper to make stuff here. That will be when Python vibe had me grinning and nodding my manufacturing can be sufficiently automated, From: Brad W. Foster October 29, 2013 head in agreement. The Pythons tackled so so that the necessary investment of capital will Post Office Box 165246, Irving, TX many things, I always wondered what a Monty be less than the ongoing expense of labor. 75016-5246 USA Python sf movie would have been like. But Labor in need of expensive training, and often [email protected] then, maybe we have that in the Douglas inclined to unionize as a way of getting more http://www.jabberwockygraphix.com Adams works? money for less work. The general rule seems Getting near the end of reading At Home, A to be that well-paying jobs are the first to be New issue of Alexiad arrived this weekend, Short History of Private Life by Bill Bryson. eliminated, as is currently shown by America's in time to remind me that I still have the Odds are you have already devoured it at some shrinking middle class. The rich are getting previous issue in the stack here, waiting for point yourselves. However, if not, all the books richer, and the poor are getting, if not poorer, response. Been that kind of a summer, always in this issue dealing with history of various at least a lot more numerous. College degrees hurrying to catch up on things. Should be a bit sorts made me think it might be something you for all will not help, nor more job training, and better from now on, had the last of the eye would enjoy. He uses the framework of the we seem headed for more inequality of income surgeries about a month ago. The rooms of a house as a jumping off point for a than we currently enjoy. From a science twice-operated eye is still a bit funky (slow to look at the history of.. well, just about fictional point of view, this is not a promising adjust to light in the morning, not the same everything! I’ve been a Bryson fan for years, so future, since machines are usurping human focus as the old eye, etc.), but it is getting might be a bit prejudiced, but am enjoying this economic functions, thereby making humans better, and I now am at least back to having two one tremendously. unnecessary. For instance, it is hard to imagine eyes, which means depth of field, and I can Oh, and think special mention needs to be a worker's uprising if workers are only a tiny DRAW once again on something more than a made of the wonderful Gilliland cartoon on minority of the population. A third comment tiny doodle. Lots to catch up with on the page 24 of the August issue, with the alien hook is the weaponry revolution since the drawing front after a whole summer of little folks occupying the negative space of the two battlefield is becoming increasingly non- getting done. human figures (or is it vice versa?) Freaking survivable as machines usurp not only human brilliant, Alexis! economic functions but also human military Back in 1996 I had a sinus functions. Indeed, hotshot pilots like Buck headache and woke up the next October issue— Rogers are already being phased out in favor morning unable to see out of my Can identify with your comments on of drones, with the prospect of cyber-fighter right eye. After several visits to changing tech, Lisa. Looking at all the record planes (not human fighter planes flown by various eye specialists, thorough albums on the shelves at one side of the room, clunky Cylons) being able to outperform testing, and much analysis, they I know I’ve got an old turntable around here Page 14 December 2013 Alexiad somewhere, but not sure if it even works a cellphone, Yvonne has one and a laptop, and so relieved at having this job, and a number of properly anymore. Then there are all the VCR this suits what we want and need. Also, old tech people are happy to have me there, and have tapes on shelves on the other side of the should never be considered bad or useless tech. told me so. Anyway, the best of times to room-- I’ve got a player next to the tv, but it That was brought home to me when years ago, everyone for Hallowe’en, and may we have a has been unhooked for years, so I could attach I saw a group of university students hook up relatively warm and snow-free winter. I don’t the DVD player. Can I even figure which their Twitter feed to an old teletype machine. want to think about snowbanks . . . See you cables go where anymore? (Of course, there is Not only did they get their messages printed with the next issue. also the old hand-crank standing victrola in out, but they could also respond to the messages the front room, and it’s selection of about a using the teletype keyboard. From: R-Laurraine Tutihasi Nov. 2, 2013 dozen or so super-thick record discs — I can Dave Kyle is now our senior statesman? I Post Office Box 5323, Oracle, AZ crank that up anytime I want, though the am sure that’s a distinction he has never looked 85623-5323 USA selections are a bit more limited.) for. I am pleased to say that Dave will be at a [email protected] Part of Leigh’s trip report struck home, the convention in Toronto next month, and I look http://www.weasner.com/ crappy deal with their insurance for their forward to chatting with him and signing his house being cancelled out from under them, book. Thank you for reviewing The Cats of even after doing all the work that was asked. Daniel Snowdon’s actions have lost-lasting Tanglewood Forest. It looks like my kind of We had something similar last year — told effects, now with revelations that the US book. I’ve added it to my reading list. would not be renewed unless some nebulous government, through the NSA, has spied on In response to Rodney Leighton’s query, I “fix the walls” repairs were made. After a lot allied nation leaders for many years. A received an issue of Pablo Lennis sometime of calls, I was finally able to narrow it down to comment I saw on Facebook last night . . . the last year or so. It came with a note saying that what, exactly, they wanted done. Had the US has been proved to be doing terrible things, I was mentioned within. I read it fairly repairs made, photographed and sent it in things they used to criticize the Soviet Union carefully without finding that reference. I can’t months before the policy would end . . . then and East Germany for doing. I enjoy history say I was terribly impressed by the zine. The waited and waited. Turns out they still needed texts, but must wonder about our future. . . who layout was pretty bad, and the contents weren’t to have their reps drop by to look at it, and will write those history books? much better; I didn’t find it worthy of a LoC. wouldn’t you know it, just too difficult for Your commentary on oomphel . . . we’ve It doesn’t sound really worthwhile to get a anyone to drive by for two minutes to confirm been living a dystopia in some ways. Dubya got driver’s licence in Spain. Wow! the repairs in the photo were real. For months, rid of surplus production in the US by I’m glad to see that I’m not the only one they couldn’t be bothered. Ended up our agent almost-never-ending, never-victorious wars in unimpressed by Kim Stanley Robinson’s literally had to write a brand-new policy, and Iraq and Afghanistan, and did so to boost the writing. The ones I’ve read seem like treatises on the day the old one expired, put the new economy. But, it resulted in record debts, and of with a thin veneer of fiction. His ideas are one into effect. Insane, but hopefully we course, the Republicans blame Obama for debt often very intriguing, but his characterizations won’t have to go through that again for a they rang up themselves. Our own conservative leave a great deal to be desired. That said, I while. leaders have been doing much the same things, felt that 2312 was an improvement over his Meanwhile, we are still paying off bills for and the next federal election should give them Mars trilogy where his characters were the new ac/heating unit, the two different their just rewards. I can hardly wait . . . concerned. They were about the level of times burst pipes had to be repaired by cutting I am pleased to say that after six months of Asimov’s early characters. through the foundation, and a couple of unemployment, I am working again, and I hope different doctor/hospital bills from my for more than the proposed two-week trial or At least the setting of 2312 surgeries this summer — all of this stuff, three-month contract. With this job in mind, we was interesting. I found the Mars interestingly enough, was not to make things are still optimistic for going to London. I must Trilogy boring. better, but just to maintain the slowly agree with you that many consumers of science — JTM crumbling status quo of both the house and my fiction these days are consumers, not own body. Ah, life. Of course, it beats the participants. We’re being trained not to speak Since there was some discussion of alternative! up or do anything, but simply sit down and worldcons and hopeful statements made about watch. The mad dogs will knee us in the groin meeting at some future date, I just want to say From: Lloyd Penney October 29, 2013 again and again, if we stick around to have it that the next one on our calendar is the one in 1706-24 Eva Road, Etobicoke, ON happen again and again. The FAAn awards will Spokane. I can’t see getting to London unless M9C 2B2 CANADA have to do for the moment. an unknown long lost uncle leaves us a large [email protected] The locol . . .Sheryl asks about change the legacy. Illness prevented us from being in San http://lloydpenney.livejournal.com/ elimination of the copper penny here. The price Antonio, and I regret the lost opportunity for of anything, should it be something other than meeting some people there. Many thanks for the 71st Alexiad. I am 5 or ten cents, gets rounded up or down to the rapidly catching up with my letter writing, nearest five or ten. I hope I’ve gotten the luck I From: Murray Moore November 6, 2013 mostly because yesterday was the day I started need for my new job; thank you for your good 1065 Henley Road, Mississauga a new job with an advertising agency literally wishes. Ontario L4Y 1C8 CANADA down the street from me. I am so relieved, and My loc . . . Joseph, better change my e-mail [email protected] while it is a two-week trial to get a 3-month there. I haven’t been with Allstream for many contract, it is the first work I’ve had since years. Now that Helsinki is now bidding for the The two of you have a lot of relatives. My March. Let’s see what I can say here. 2017 Worldcon, I think Montréal’s chances mother’s side of the family assembles in a city Netbook, laptop, iPad, smartphone…I have become fairly slim, unfortunately. park annually on Labour Day. Since I resumed have none of these, finding that for the money, For the moment, I think that will have to do. attending Worldcon in 2000, on Labour Day I for me anyway, the benefits are questionable I have just finished up my second day at chose to be at Worldcon when Worldcon and the potential costs of software and Perennial Inc., an advertising agency just down happens on Labour Day weekend. possible temptations to buy stuff online are the road from where I live . . . a walk and a You were missed at LoneStarCon 3, both as more than I want to consider. I am no Luddite, short bus ride gets me there is about 20 minutes. individuals and as warm bodies. I have not but I won’t take on new tech until I can find a I am trying my best to stay there, but I shudder experienced such an underused Worldcon Fan reasonable use that will benefit my life. I have to think what will happen to us if I don’t. I am Lounge, despite its location adjacent to a bar, Alexiad December 2013 Page 15 the fan tables, Newsletter, and site selection Stiles, Mike Meara, Pat Meara, Randy Byers, Having troubles with these glasses I went on tables. Jim Caughran, Jerry Kaufman, Suzle Tompkins, Thursday to see if I could get them fixed. Looking at the list of Hugo winners, I had Linda Deneroff, Roy Kettle, Kathleen Mitchell, Sorry, can’t weld those. Got to get new frames. to remember, ‘Scalzi won for best novel’. I did Kim Huett, Rich Coad, Stacy Scott, Got to have an eye exam to do that. Bother. not vote in the Novel category however my R-Laurraine Tutihasi, Mike Weasner, David So, I made an appointment for the choices for Novella, Novelette, and Short Levine, Kate Yule, Rob Hansen, Eileen Gunn, following Tuesday. Exam took about 15 Story, were the winners. Jack Calvert, Gary Hunnewell, Jeff Schalles, minutes. Used to be they were all one, do Cadigan’s “The Girl-Thing Who Went Out Doug Bell, Christina Lake, Pat Charnock, exams, fit you for glasses, make the things, For Sushi” was the only fiction nominee which Graham Charnock, James Charnock, Shell mail them out. Now she is affiliated with some I thought very fine. Rees-Jones, Eloise Charnock, Gordon Eklund, huge corporation which does the glasses; took Recently I read Best Graphic Story winner, Lucy Huntzinger, Victor Gonzalez, Tamara longer to select and order a pair than the exam “Saga”. The writing is smart and the painted Menteer Gonzalez, Alan Rosenthal, Jeanne did; they no longer use Canada Post. And art does not get in the way. I will borrow Bowman, Andy Smith, Chris Wrdnrd, Karen instead of the three to five days it uset to take it Volume 2, too, if it becomes available through Schaffer, Mike Ward, Ian Sorensen, Gregg is now seven to ten days. our public library. Trend, Audrey Trend, Bill Burns, Mary Burns, They had a buy one pair get the second free I voted for Best Fan Writer on the basis of Elinor Busby, Kate Schaefer, Glenn Hackney, so called deal. Then the female doing this stuff the samples included in the Hugo packet. Pamela Davis, Terry Floyd, Grant Kruger, revealed that if I only bought one pair there Tansy Rayner Roberts I gave my second place Lenny Bailes, Jim O’Meara. was a 30% discount. Thus: $99.95 for frames; vote. Galen Dara as Best Fan Artist: nice for Dainis, our public library has these Gillian $365 for lenses less $139.49 for one complete her but Very Much Not my choice. Bradshaw titles: which one should I sample?: pair of glasses equals $325.46. Plus three trips Dept. of Mad Dogs Kneed Us In The Wrong Reflection, Sand-Reckoner, Island of to Truro at around $20 per trip equals about Groin, AKA Unversed in History, this year’s Ghosts, Bearkeeper’s Daughter. $60. But that’s probably not fair; I did other record five-Hugo-nomination recipient, during things the other times I was there, like buy Renovation, did not appear to understand a Simple, read them all. some Chinese food for lunch and likely will reference to The Stars My Destination. Kids — JTM next trip as well. these days! In case Lloyd doesn’t answer Sheryl’s Dale Kyle, your suggestion, Joe, as Senior From: Rodney Leighton November 1, 2013 question; sales tax is added to the cost of Science Fiction Author, is a guest, Nov. 11 Branch Road, R. R. #3, purchase. I just now realized there is no tax on 29-Dec. 1 at SFContario 4, with the slightly Tatmagouche, Nova Scotia B0K 1V0 the glasses or else it’s factored into the cost. younger Chan Davis and the very young CANADA Anyway, the discontinuation of pennies applies Seanan McGuire. only to cash transactions. Since I paid this one Joe you comment “I think Corflu has got Thanks for the last couple issues of Alexiad. with the Visa the price given was what I paid. to be . . . people who had been there and done #72 appeared a few days ago all by itself. This If I had been carrying $400 with me and paid that a long time ago, and those who are going is the day after Hallowe’en. I was sorry that cash it would have been $325.45. Price is to pub their ish RealSoonNow.” you didn’t make it to the con. Admit it, you rounded up or down to the nearest five cent Of the 95 names on the list of members of were secretly pleased. Knowing in your heart level; 46 or 47 cents goes down to 45; 47 or 48 this year’s Corflu, 30 I know to be active that you are the only person interested in these or 49 goes up to 50 cents. Gas has taxes on top fanziners, whether publishing, writing, faned feasts or at least the only one willing to of taxes. drawing. More of them might be but I don’t put in any effort on them and being tired of It’s raining like crazy. Probably had know it. being the sole organizer of the things for years nothing to do with global warming or any such You can experience Corflu next year, in on end, aren’t you happy to see that there foolishness. How about a moratorium on Richmond, Virginia, only 8 hours 13 minutes wasn’t one because Joe wasn’t there to make it global warming chatter? from Louisville. No need to organize a Faneds happen. I have been in one of my “I am getting out Feast: the Corflu Sunday brunch ticket is part My latest adventure involved eyeglasses. of this small press shit entirely” moods. But I of your membership. And two weeks later you Interesting how things have changed over the gather that a couple of people have started can return to Virginia, to Bristol, for years, but some things stay more or less static. reading the zine. Here’s one in case you want DeepSouthCon 52. I got my first pair of glasses 53 years ago. to read it. Examined by an older man whose son attended. That’s May 2-4. We have A few days ago I had an eye exam with his From: Jim Stumm November 1, 2013 another engagement that grand daughter; her father having done almost Post Office Box 29, Buffalo, NY weekend. all of my eye exams in the interim. He passed 14223-0029 USA away a couple of years ago. She’s really good, The 2013 Corflu, CORFLU XXX, and fast. Our vaunted medical care will pay for George W. Price: This is what a gold Membership List, as it was April 17, 2013: the exam now that I am 65. They won’t do standard would prevent: On the first day the Ted White, Pat Virzi, Geri Sullivan, Robert anything for the glasses. debt limit was raised, the Obama Lichtman, Carol Carr, John Harvey, Eve The adventure began when my glasses fell Administration added $328 Billion to the Harvey, Claire Brialey, Mark Plummer, Nigel apart. Cleaning the lenses and they National Debt, in one day. That’s a new record Rowe, Spike, Tom Becker, Arnie Katz, Joyce disintegrated into three parts. I found an older high increase for one day, surpassing the old Katz, Frank Lunney, Earl Kemp, Michael pair. Those I am now using date back to the one day record increase that was also set by the Dobson, Dixie Tracy-Kinney, Jay Kinney, 90's. Eyes haven’t changed much. But I Obama Administration in 2011. Terry Kemp, Aileen Forman, Ken Forman, developed some sort of allergy to something in Before the debt limit was raised, I read that Gary Mattingly, Patty Peters, Sandra Bond, the frames. If I wear them for about four hours the Govt needed $246 Billion a year to pay the Woody Bernardi, Art Widner, Milt Stevens, wearing my hardhat with ear muffs down my interest on the National Debt. The revenue that Carrie Root, Andy Hooper, Hope Leibowitz, head feels like it is in a compression chamber. the Govt continuously receives from various Murray Moore, Mary Ellen Moore, JoHn Doctor is in Thuro, about a 45-minute drive taxes is more than 10 times that. So what I Hardin, Jacq Monahan, Rob Jackson, John D. away. I had some other things to do there and heard repeated over and over, that not raising Berry, Teresa Cochran, James Taylor, Petrea my aunt lives farther away, I planned on doing the debt ceiling would FORCE the Govt to Mitchell, Chris French, Steve Stiles, Elaine all my stuff on Friday and going to fisit her. default on its debt, was not true. They had Page 16 December 2013 Alexiad plenty of revenue to pay the interest and avoid polar ice pack — global warming. toothbrush?” – a good idiomatic translation. In default. Cold winters — global warming. I Spanish, the word for tent is also the word for But if they keep on raising the National started having problems when an store, a usage dating back to medieval times Debt by continuing to borrow more, the expedition set out to measure when shopping was done at weekly or annual amount of interest they have to pay will annual snow pack in Greenland. fairs where itinerant merchants pitched their continue to increase. Besides that, interest They expected to see less snow in tents. If that sentence had been translated rates are now very low. They will probably go more recent years, due to global literally, Matt would have asked her where her much higher in the future, and that will also warming. They found the snowfall store was. So an alternative had to be found, increase the interest that must be paid on the in recent years had been greater, and this sounded just as jocular in Spanish as in National Debt. So future generations will be thus proving the global warming English. stuck with paying the bill for what this present hypothesis since increased Translation isn’t always so easy. Here in greedy generation is consuming. evaporation from the oceans was Spain, if something is very successful, it Jerry Kaufman: You wonder what will increasing snowfall. “leaves by the big gate.” This is a reference to happen when the writers have run through all bullfighting, where a matador who has a very of the Oliver Sacks books . This often happens Alexis A. Gilliland: Moral hazard also successful fight is carried out of the main gate in the British police procedurals that I like to applies to the Govt’s response to rising sea of the bullring on the shoulders of his crew, watch. For example, there were only some or levels. If they subsidize flood insurance for surrounded by cheering fans. You could 8 “Inspector Morse” novels to adapt for TV. people who want to build on barrier islands, translate it as “hits a home run,” but Spaniards After that, other writers wrote new episodes that encourages more people to take on more don’t play baseball. You could just say “very “based on” these novels, using the same risk and build in these unsafe places. successful,” but the verve of the expression characters, the same setting, and trying to But I have heard on the news that a law has gets lost in translation. remain faithful to the original concept. I been passed requiring the Govt to stop Similarly, there’s the expression, “They suppose this requires approval by the author subsidizing flood insurance. I don’t know if that blamed him for everything. He even killed or his estate, and payment of royalties. means all flood insurance or just in certain Manolete.” Again, this is a bullfighting Another example is “Midsomer Murders.” I places. reference. Manolete (1917-1947) is generally believe there were only original novels, but One woman whose house was flooded by considered the greatest bullfighter ever. He was they have by now made over 80 episodes, and Superstorm Sandy says her flood insurance killed in the ring by a bull named Islero. To the series is still going on, with some premium is going to go up from a few $100 a blame someone for Manolete’s death is a way characters being replaced, as they do regularly year to $9000. She can’t afford that so she will of saying that the person is considered the on “Law and Order.” drop her flood insurance. So the next time she culmination of all evil. I can’t think of any gets flooded out, there will be no insurance translation that would not be another lesson in In production terms, it’s a money to rebuild. I don’t think people should loss. franchise. If the Lord of the be living on barrier islands or right down on (By the way, you can see the tanned hide of Rings movies didn’t cost so much, ocean beaches. But I would prefer a softer Islero in the Bullfighting Museum of Córdoba, we would have a LotR franchise, transition. Give one last payment, but only to in the room dedicated to Manolete. Olé.) with further adventures of the people who agree to build somewhere else, on Speaking of Spain, I recommend that Fellowship. (Aak, Tauriel fights higher ground. Darrell Schweitzer throw away all his history the New Shadow . . .). Use these beaches for recreation. Maybe books that say Spanish Jews had to give up drive your RV down to the beach and park there their children when they were expelled in 1492. Darrell Schweitzer: So all these scientists for a week or 2. But no one should receive any The edict by Queen Isabel I and King Fernando are prepared to blame climate change on kind of Govt subsidy to build a permanent II specified: human activity. But they don’t seem to be house there. And the Govt should not build any prepared to say what proof they have that it is infrastructure in these high risk places. No “. . . Nosotros ordenamos además en due to human activity. At least I have never utilities, nothing more than roads. Any RVs that este edicto que los Judíos y Judías de seen any such proof. What I have seen use these places should be self-contained, no cualquiera edad que residan en repeatedly is the assertion that global warming hook-ups. And when a big storm is forecast, nuestros dominios o territorios que is caused by human activity. And a theory, the everybody should clear out of the area, leaving partan con sus hijos e hijas, sirvientes greenhouse effect. And a correllation, as CO2 nothing much of any value behind. y familiares pequeños o grandes de rises, due to humans burning fossil fuels, Rod E. Smith: You think low solar activity todas las edades al fin de Julio de este global temperature rises. accounts for the lack of global warming in año . . .” But, correllation does not prove causation. recent years. Do you think that higher solar “. . . In this edict we also order male And a theory is not proof, it’s what needs to activity before that may have had something to and female Jews of every age who be proved (that this is what’s really do with the global warming that occurred then? reside in our dominion or territories to happening). And an assertion is just an leave with their sons and daughters, unproven hypothesis. And now we see that as From: Sue Burke November 14, 2013 servants and family members, humble CO2 continues to rise, the global temperature calle Agustín Querol 6 bis - 6D 28014 or wealthy of all ages, by the end of has stopped rising. So you no longer have Madrid, SPAIN July of this year . . ..” even a correllation between CO2 and [email protected] (http://es.wikisource.org/wiki/Decreto_de_Granada) temperature. mount-oregano.livejournal.com So what proof do you have that global amadisofgaul.blogspot.com I thought it had been July 2 — warming is caused by human activity? In Tisha b’Av 5252. science, a theory is not proved by the number I went to watch the movie Gravity in of people who say it is true, but rather by the “versión original,” which means original And so they did. The priest Andrés strength of the evidence. I haven’t seen ANY language with subtitles. The movie was fun, and Bernaldez (1450-1513), in his history of Isabel evidence. one subtitle taught an interesting lesson in and Fernando’s reign, wrote this account: translation. When Matt asks Ryan where she “...Young and old, they left the lands where Everything that is occuring is lives, “Where do you pitch your tent?” the they were born, elderly and children, on foot or proof of global warming. More Spanish subtitle read, “Where do you keep your mounted on donkey or other beasts, and in carts Alexiad December 2013 Page 17

... some falling, some rising, some dying, “Dystopia made in Spain.” It’s not light on in 2012 showed that he had Y- some being born, some becoming ill, so no politics; in fact, it’s pure political dynamite. My chromosomal descent from the Christian who saw them did not feel sorrow problem with the Spanish novel Cenital is the Stuarts, so it looks like Lucy for them....” same as I have with quite a few US and British Walter was telling the truth about The edict was formally overturned in dystopias: that our technological civilization her son’s parentage. 1969, and in 1992, King Juan Carlos I and will die without oil. What about coal? Not that — JTM Queen Sofía presided over a ceremony called it’s desirable from an environmental point of Sefarad 92 to mark the official reconciliation view. What about atomic energy? While the Duke involved himself in 17th with Spanish Jews, held at the Madrid Now that we have spoken about one danger Century politics, you and Trinlay indulge synagogue. to humanity; how about another. This, however, yourself in silly politics. I love the idea of the I hope, elicits no politics. I found the hook in Lovecraftian Prairie Home Companion. Primo de Rivera decreed in your article “On Not Going to Worldcon.” You Now we’re completely back to hard politics the 1920s that descendants of mention donut burgers and donut sloppy joes as again with Jim Stumm. He argues that expelled Sephardim could gain a way of clogging arteries. In fact, I gather the precedent is good as long as the judges stick to Spanish citizenship, which proved cholesterol in them is not measured in the letter of the law. No, no, the idea behind to be of use during the micrograms but in megatons. precedent is the law is what the court says it is. Holocaust. The same here: it is no politics politics. In Of course, since the justices know their power fact, I hope this excites even fewer politics than is very limited: they have no army or police Here in Madrid, we watched a partial the donut burgers. Too bad you couldn’t make force: normally they are cautious in their eclipse of the Sun on November 3 in the early it to WorldCon. Of course, something like this decisions. afternoon – just a nibble out of the solar disc, had to happen. I had my incident at Ditto Con What Lloyd Penney says is too personal for not very exciting. We had a little more in, I think, 1991. My 1970 Volvo broke down politics, namely that he has been searching for excitement two days later with an earthquake and I had to return home. a permanent job for some time; and hasn’t been at 7:34 a.m., 3.5 on the Richter scale, with an Unlike you with World Con, I doubt Corflu successful. You Joe sympathize because you epicenter 2 kilometers under Alcorcón, a missed me. searched between 1976-88. My search wasn’t suburb where I had practiced driving. My For this next comment, also absolutely no as long as either of you two, 1974-77. Still, apartment building shook briefly. No injuries politics at all. I’d like to tell Sheryl Birkhead in however long it was, it was depressing. As they or damage, but it gave us a lot to talk about. the letters section there’s nothing wrong with say, job hunting is the worst job you’ll ever I’m turning in this letter early because I’m using a mouse with your laptop. I found a have. off to San Angelo, Texas, for three weeks, to wireless mouse best, and that there was no need What isn’t a micron so depressing is help my sick sister. I’ll be there for for a mouse pad. So the mouse took up even discussing the how and why of people’s names. Thanksgiving and for the Packers game on less space than normal. I referred to Josephus as Titus Flavius Josephus television. I’m packing my Packer backer My next comment concerns politics again. and Joseph ben Matityahu. You said you gear. Fortunately, politics of the 17th Century. referred to him as General Two-Gun Joe The next missive will include a report on Nobody should be up in arms about that, but Cohen. Hispacón XXXI/Quartumcón 2013, Spain’s I’m sure there are few that are. I am sure some Just one problem: wouldn’t that be a nick national SF convention, on December 14 and would react when you mention the Duke of name? 15 in Quart de Poblet, a suburb of Valencia. Monmouth to Alexis Gilliland. Next plenty of politics as opposed to the Hasta luego. My comment is that while the Duke of politics of names. George Price advocates Monmouth may have been illegitimate, my taming the politicians with bimetallism. Rather Hasta la vista, ba-bee. understanding is he still would be entitled to a than taming the politicians, I suspect — JTM coat of arms. However, it would have to contain bimetallism, a gold and silver standard, would the Bar Sinister, indicating he was illegitimate. allow great room for mischief. I know the From: Richard A. Dengrove Nov. 16, 2013 I also hear that some heraldic symbols signify a Republicans were opposed to silver as a 2651 Arlington Drive, #302, person whom the king had Gay relations with. standard too, the Democrat Bryan’s cause. Alexandria, VA 22306-3626 USA Of course, you, Joe, know more than I do about They feared it would inflate the currency. [email protected] that. Of course, the politicians wouldn’t be in control if you had Free Silver, which gets As usual, I have arranged all my comments He was granted one: “The Arms pretty close to the private currency you on politics to come at the end of Alexiad, of King Charles II (viz. quarterly: advocate,. Anyone could have any silver they October 2013.. It is not hard because most of 1st and 4th, France (azure, three owned brought to the mint, made into coins and the comment hooks on politics come from the fleur-de-lys two and one or) and used as the currency. letter writers, and the letter column is near the England (gules, three lions passant If that were the case, the way I heard it, it end. At any rate, most hard politics come near guardant in pale or) quarterly; 2nd, would accomplish an objective the opposite of the end; and softer politics are typical Scotland (or, within a tressure yours: it would inflate the currency. I have throughout. flory counterflory gules a lion heard the amount of silver would suffice to do For example, my comment on George rampant guardant of the same); that today; and the farmers who advocated free Orwell, AKA Eric Arthur Blair, whom you 3rd, Ireland (azure, a harp or silver intended it to do just that then. mention in “Oomphel in the Sky.” For now, stringed gules)) defaced with a George goes from bimetallism to the I’m apt to believe him that he based his baton sinister argent, with an Financial Meltdown. And he is still trying to Oceania not on a Fascist Britain but on Britain inescutcheon of Buccleuch (or, on prove it was caused by the Community during the World War II. He worked in the a bend azure a star between two Reinvestment Act of 1978. To do this, he propaganda branch of the government, and crescents of the first)” [for his claims that it is possible lenders didn’t mind exaggerated his experiences for his 1984 wife], and now the Dukes of making subprime loans he claims the Federal world. For instance, people disappearing from Buccleuch have more quarterings. government was forcing them to make. the public view, and heroes being made up for Also, a DNA test peformed on Sir The reason is that while such loans would the public. Richard Walter John Montagu bankrupt them, they thought the Feds were I can’t say the same for this comment on Douglas Scott, the current Duke, going to bail them out because the Feds were Page 18 December 2013 Alexiad already subsidizing housing. While I doubt the doo-dee-doo-doo . . . On page 5 you review a book — lenders would give up present profits for pie Surrounded by Enemies — that asks the in the sky, I have to admit anything is Don’t you mean *SNAP* musical question on everybody’s lips this week, possible. *SNAP*? “what if JFK had lived?” Well, “what if’s” is In fact, something else is possible: that a staple plot device in science fiction, and there lenders were willing to stoke the housing You know, Daylight Savings Time is a have been numerous Alternate History books bubble because they saw dollar signs in their fully-loaded crock of steaming fecal matter. on the very topic. You mention Gregory eyes. With prices always going up and up, Studies continue to reveal that the use of DST Benford’s novel Timescape here, of which I foreclosures didn’t matter. Nor that the has resulted in no significant changes in energy have an autographed copy of. One of these mortgagee was a credit risk. The lenders could consumption or savings. At best, the differences years I may even read it. In another universe still make money by reselling the property. It between standard time and daylight savings maybe I have — and before Benford even is possible. time are negligible. All I know is that now it’s wrote it. Of course, both of us can’t be right – nor dark by six in the evening, and that’s a bad can the proponents of alternatives thing when everything around you is in black And another one, If Kennedy unmentioned here. So ‘possible’ is a garbage and white. Can’t see a frigging thing anymore! Lived, in thish. criteria. Thus, once more, George fails to give Then again, that may be a good thing. any actual proof that the Community When word spread around LoneStarCon 3 Oh, my! A fanzine written in Linear B Reinvestment Act of 1978 was the cause of that Frederik Pohl had died on Monday, (page 8, column 1). That’s enough to make my the Housing Bubble of the ought years. September 2nd, the general tone of the head hurt. Don’t make me use wing-ding font On the other hand, I will say, while George WorldCon dramatically downshifted. It was the on the next Askew in retaliation. fails to give any evidence for his thesis, he last day of the con anyway, but it was terrible recognizes I believe the Financial Meltdown news to leave the WorldCon with. I heard the was a bubble not a government plot. Also, he news from Steven H Silver when Valerie and I Go ahead. Make my day. is responding to my arguments when he argues rode the elevator with him up to the dead dog So Lisa has discovered the wonders of that you cannot control a financial bubble party (re-named the Old Fan’s Party, I noticed) coffee? I usually only drink one and a half cups once it gets sufficiently large. in the Marriott Rivercenter Hotel that night. each morning, and that holds me for the day. It is true I disagree with George that The news definitely affected many a convention More than that and I’m bouncing off the walls. absolutely no one saw trouble coming while attendee as groups of fans shared memories of I am really sorry you two didn’t make it to the housing bubble was in progress. I meeting Pohl and appraisals of his many books San Antonio for WorldCon; hate to say this, remember a lot of people worrying about it. In and stories. For myself, I have always enjoyed but I was really looking forward to finally addition, a number of people saw the real Gateway and Man-Plus, but I think my favorite meeting you two. If anything, it is good that estate practices leading to it as basically fraud. Pohl novels were his collaborations with Cyril you were able to make it home safe and sound, However, I have to agree with George Kornbluth, especially The Space Merchants and which is major good news. 100% that once a financial bubble has grown The Marching Morons. Those two are Speaking of the WorldCon, I have no large enough, it is too late. Once the bubble wonderful books. Frederik Pohl was definitely comment on the Fan Hugos except that until gets sufficiently large, the perps have too one of the greats, and he is missed. the final ballots came out, I had never heard of much money to be regulated. No, any housing Joe, your article “Oomphel in the Sky” is a Tansy Rayner Roberts nor Galen Dara. Sure I bubble has to be nipped in the bud. very good discussion of the concept of had met Leigh Kimmel, though; I have a couple It is obvious to me, though, that that can over-abundance and howit has been of her books at home and it would have been and has been done. That regulation between incorporated into various science fiction stories. nice to put a face with the name. 1940 and 1980 had nipped any wouldbe What impresses me the most is how you discuss financial bubbles in the bud. Forever in the how many writers explored the consequences Leigh spent most of her time in world of the politics and government. over-abundance would have on society. I would the Dealers’ Room, selling so she It looks like my long, meat potatoes think that such a material excess would create a could afford to go. Tansy Rayner screeds on politics to George – on lazy society, which could become stagnanty Roberts is a minor pro with a blog, bimetallism and the financial meltdown – will with every need and want provided with plenty Galen Dara is a pro artist, and end my letter. Just in case you forgot, I made left over. If there is no desire to ‘want’ both of them are among the mad comments earlier about George Orwell, anymore, then that removes the drive to provide dogs who have kneed us in the Spanish and American dystopias, Ditto Con and/or acquire goods. Complacency would groin. and me, and Lloyd Penney and job searching. become the norm, and such a situation could — JTM Anyway, as all good things, my letter is finito. result in lower classes (the proletariat) becoming thoroughly cowed and controllable. A fairly lengthy loc. Not bad at all. Many From: John Purcell November 21, 2013 It’s like you said: “if there is no need to work, thanks for sending the zine my way, and now 3744 Marilene Circle, College Station, who will be the distributors?” My guess is that it’s time to get onto the next Askew and TX 77845-3926 USA would be those in charge and they’d regulate Askance, the latter of which should be done [email protected] the amount of produced to be used, thereby around Thanksgiving weekend. maintaining the status quo as they see fit. Egad. Your fanzine has reached a rather Availability regulating needs. From: Robert S. Kennedy Nov. 21, 2013 stratospheric number. The problem here, 1779 Ciprian Avenue, Camarillo, CA though, is that now I have the song “77 Sunset I’m surprised that no one got 93010-2451 USA Strip” running through my head. Oh, great. the point about “Huga Wells-Erb [email protected] My vision just regressed 50+ years so that Heinsturbury”; a field dominated now everything around is no longer in color, by continuations of others’ work Thank you for Vol. 12, No. 5 (October just black and white — birds, trees, the sky, and by women. 2013), Whole Number 71. hockey games on the television . . . Oh, whow! In the last issue I mentioned obtaining four The players aren’t wearing helmets, either. Holy crap, but I’m beginning to sound free paperbacks at WorldCon in San Antonio. And is that really Gump Worsley in goal for downright Marxist! This is not good. Time to Two of them I could not read. However, the the Canadiens? Doo-dee-doo-doo, change topics and fast. remaining two I did read and enjoyed even Alexiad December 2013 Page 19 though they are not in my usual interest area. continuing to live. Red John murdered his “abugida” is a syllabary where Touched By An Alien by Gini Koch (DAW family. Red John apparently has a large vowels only appear in association Books, Inc., 2010) and Servant of the number of people working for him including a with consonants. Underworld by Aliette de Bodard (Angry good number in law enforcement. I do not have Robot, 2010). any problem with the Red John storyline. As of Once in my life I declared myself to be While I’m at it let me recommend a non- the latest installment Red John has been aghast, when I found that the American editor SF book. The Revenge of Geography: What identified and is on the run. Where The of Titus Groan had taken the drunken Swelter, The Map Tells Us About Coming Conflicts Mentalist going to go next is the question. shpeaking like thish, and normalized and The Battle Against Fate by Robert D. So, Helsinki, Finland is trying again, this everything. Kaplan (Random House, 2012). In a couple time for 2017. I wish them luck. I voted for Somewhere in a magazine I read recently of places the author gives his political them as #1 for 2015 and they led on the first was a bit about words that are only used in orientation away. But, I heard part of an ballot eventually losing to Spokane, newspapers. I did hear “slain” from a interview with him on the radio and that led Washington. youngster in a creative anachronist household. me to check the book out of the library. His “But of course,” said his father. “‘Kilt; is what information is excellent and his conclusion(s) From: John Hertz November 16, 2013 Uncle Paul wears.” is well thought out. For anyone interested in 236 S. Coronado Street No. 409, Los Lastly, on words: I found quoted from what the United State should be doing in Angeles, CA 90057-1456 USA “Indian Ink” by Tom Stoppard: “While having foreign policy and actions around the world I tiffin on the verdanah of my bungalow I spilled recommend the book highly. Among childhood memories of my kedgeree on my dungarees and had to go to the Every Thursday I go to the library to grandfather is his teaching me to sing “Little gymkhana in my pyjamas.” return books and DVD’s, obtain any books or Brown Jug”. Decades later I realized what it DVD’s being held, and to get a copy of the meant. For that you need to reference weekly free county alternative paper The Under so many of the “economy of Hobson-Jobson (1886, 1903) — Ventura County Reporter. Also, I like to abundance” stories we intellectual types have which itself is from the Shi’ite check the new SF books shelf. What do you never thought through the creation and wail of “Yâ Hassan! Yâ Husayn!” know? On October 24 there was a copy of exchange of value. Instead we abhor or for Ali’s children. The Lost Stars: Perilous Shield by Jack romanticize labor — usually both. (We don’t Campbell (a.k.a. John G. Hemry) (2013, Ace read books like the Dorothy Sayers Mind of the My auld acquaintance X. J. Kennedy — Joe Books). I am not as fast a reader as Joe; but I Maker because that’s religion, see comment Kennedy, 1940s fan and letterhack — asked did finish it in two days, not getting some about labor.) me to copyedit a novel for which he’s trying to other things done. Just by chance I noticed Fascinating to read about ripening find a publisher. This I have now done. In that next to it on the shelf was another book by sunflowers in Middle-earth. such matters, the principal of confidentiality Jack Campbell, The Last Full Measure (2013, Josephus had handguns? applies; an editor saves the writer’s face where Subterranean Press). It is an alternate history necessary and takes no credit. Still, I can make of the United States. It’s either a one-time As the Romans said, “Cave ne a few harmless remarks. The setting is a short work, the start of another series, or a ante ullas catapultas ambules.” (wholly fictional) college in New Jersey, 1946- political statement by Campbell (Hemry). It is (Lingua Latina Occasionibus 7. I realized the question whether there should only 98 pages. I recommend it. Omnibus, Henricius Barbatus or should not be any little pointers for the 21st scripsit (AUC MMDCCLVII). Pagina c. reader. This is akin to Heinlein’s principle It was reviewed in Alexiad V. CXXXVIII [“If I were you, I for science fiction, that it should be written as 12 #2 WN 68. wouldn’t walk in front of any though for readers of the time of the story. It catapults.” (Latin for All Occasions struck me that some of C. J. Cherryh’s novels, Being that I enjoy the TV series Once by Henry Beard (2004) Page 138)] the ones not about world-changing events, were Upon a Time I watched the first two Once — JTM exactly such. Upon a Time in Wonderland. I didn’t I was certain that Joe couldn’t resist particularly care for it and did not like Alice, From: Dainis Bisenieks Nov. 23, 2013 working a prominent bar in Secaucus, N.J., into so have not watched it further. 921 S. St. Bernard Street, Philadelphia, the story — and sure enough! He had this I went to see Ender’s Game. It was well PA 19143-3310 USA poem, in a ballad metre: Secaucus was famous done, but a bit of a disappointment. It’s been as the site of the NYC landfill. many years since reading the book. But it By a neat coincidence, this appeared in the seemed to me that they left out some parts that letter column of TLS, Oct. 11: Have the mad dogs kneed him could have been included (the movie was two in the groin lately? hours and could have been a bit longer with no “Armenian is a normal abjad with — JTM problem) and put in some of Hollywood’s thirty-eight characters, conspicuous for politics. On my movie rating scale of 1-5, I their disciline, regularity, while Amharic The biography of Patrick Leigh Fermor by gave it a 4.5. I would be interested in the is an abugida, or syllabic alphabet, with Artemis Cooper is now out, a year after UK opinions of others who have seen the movie. 182, that fleefully dsnce up and down publication, and I have it from the library. I Let me recommend another book, this time the page.” find myself reading more about Brits of that by Neil Gaiman—Fortunately, The Milk era, roughly the first half of the 20th c., than (Harper, 2013). It’s indicated as Young Wouldn’t want to add these words to my about Americans. Familiar names flit through Adult, but probably is more like children. vocabulary until I was sure the guy didn’t just these pages, as they do in other biographies and Nevertheless I enjoyed it which may indicate make them up. Not that I can imagine them memoirs — I looked to see who was also in my mental age. J It was a fun read and the being in my active vocabulary, spoken or Friends of Promise (about Cyril Connolly and illustrations by Skottie Young are outstanding. written, which msut not send the hearer of Horizon, the magazine he edited in London in I don’t understand the problem some reader scurrying to the dictionary. the 1940s) and found a bunch of them. More people seem to be having with the Red John of them may may, in time, take on some storyline in The Mentalist. Getting Red John An “abjad” is a consonant-only solidity. Much can be accomplished by a good is the reason for Patrick Jane (Simon Baker) (or almost solely) alphabet. An revealing anecdote about a person. Page 20 December 2013 Alexiad

The latest Economist, looking forward to Galaxy had a habit of running electricity to charge the batteries of electric 2014, had a ratehr unusual obituary, not of a that sort of story. Then the same cars. person but of the Latvian unit of currency, the spirit animated Star Trek: The Had I been writing Cenital, I would have lat, about to be replaced by the euro. Its Next Generation. felt obliged to work out a plausible rationale stability was noted. It was brought in after the for why the oil companies — especially the transitional Latvian ruble had stabilized; it was * * * * * government-run ones — overlooked all this. Or not noted here that 200 of them converted to Sue Burke reviews the Spanish novel did Bueso give such a rationale that Ms. Burke one lat. They didn’t want to make the Cenital, by Emilio Bueso. She describes it as a didn’t mention? If not, I have to put this down hundredth part too picayune. They should dystopia about the oil suddenly running out in as an idiot plot (though perhaps not quite as have gone for 500, just as a number of other 2012, with the consequent breakdown of idiotic as in “The Midas Plague”). countries should have shifted by one more commerce and farming leading to starvation decimal place. and violence. Right up to the end the oil * * * * * companies “lie about how much reserves exist, Darrell Schweitzer says, “Religious From: George W. Price Nov. 24, 2013 while in fact the reserves are close to zero.” I do freedom in the United States after the P.O. Box A3228, Chicago, IL not know any more about this story than Ms. Revolution was a radical idea that took a while 60690-3228 USA Burke tells us, so I could be way off, but I to catch on. There was still anti-Catholic [email protected] suspect a huge misconception of what violence in the 1840s.” Indeed so. I have seen petroleum deposits are like, and what is meant it stated (but have not confirmed) that public October Alexiad: by “reserves,” and especially “proved reserves.” school systems started being founded around My heartfelt thanks to all those who First, a petroleum reservoir is not a big pool that time precisely to “Americanize” the Irish offered condolences on the death of my wife of oil that we can suck out steadily until we get and other Catholic immigrants pouring in. Virginia. Your concern is very much to the bottom, and then suddenly it’s all gone, Previously, almost all schools were run by appreciated. like draining a tank. It is more like a rock Protestant churches, and the Catholics wouldn’t sponge with oil in the pores (“fracking” breaks use them. So compulsory public schools were * * * * * open those pores), and in general the oil gets set up with the plain intent of breaking the harder to pump as the amount remaining Catholics of their papist ways and Joe’s commentary “Oomphel in the Sky” diminishes. In practice, we “shut in” the well indoctrinating them in proper Americanism. deals with utopian or dystopian stories about when pumping becomes too expensive for the The new schools were highly slanted toward “the economy of abundance” which assume price we hope to get. Half or more of the oil Protestantism, of course, so the Catholic that “some technological or scientific advance might still be left. response was to set up their own parochial will solve the problems of production, and Second, “proved reserves” means the school system. then the concept of a price for goods will amount of oil known to exist that can be As I have noted before, the First cease to exist, since all goods will be so profitably produced at the current price. If the Amendment forbade the federal government to abundant that their sale will not be feasible.” price goes up, then “proved reserves” increase establish a national religion, and also forbade it That is, there is no longer any scarcity. even though no new oil has been discovered, to interfere with the already-established Such stories usually embody a fatal because now we can profitably produce oil that religions that still prevailed in several states. misunderstanding of what “scarcity” means in was already known but too expensive to extract. (Those were eventually disestablished one by economics. It does not mean “shortage” or (The reverse is also true: if the government one by each state, not by federal compulsion.) “poverty.” A good is “scarce” if the amount clamps on price controls, and at the new lower So it was perfectly constitutional for states to available is any less than what would be price level we can profitably produce only half discriminate against Catholics, either explicitly consumed if it were perfectly free. No matter of our previous proved reserves, then the or implicitly. I hope we’ve outgrown that. how wealthy an economy is, goods are still proved reserves figure drops by half.) “scarce” if producing some means that we As production draws down reserves, the I learned about Pierce vs. must forego others that might have been price will rise to where it becomes profitable to Society of Sisters (in full, Pierce, produced with the same resources. The step up exploration for more. When we find it, Governor of Oregon, vs. Society function of prices is to help us decide which that adds to the “proved reserves” at the new of Sisters of the Holy Names of goods we will forego in order to produce higher price. The economics of oil production Jesus and Mary, 268 U.S. 510) in which other goods. are such that proved reserves are usually about constitutional history class. Stories positing that all goods will be twenty years’ worth of consumption. That does Unfortunately, it seems that a lot abundant are implicitly assuming that capital, not mean we’ll run out in twenty years, only of other people didn’t, particularly labor, and natural resources will all be that we’d better explore for more oil before Justice McReynolds’s line about unlimited, so that we never have to choose then. children not being “mere between using them to produce one good It is effectively impossible for the oil to run creature[s] of the state.” rather than another. Until that impossible out all at once. In the real world, as oil is used world of infinite resources shows up, we need up the price will keep rising, which encourages Mr. Schweitzer also notes that “Jesus was a a price mechanism to make the choices. As exploration for more oil, discourages oil pacifist and Mohammed was a warrior,” which Ludwig von Mises pointed out in 1922, consumption, and encourages developing helps explain why Islam is usually more centrally-planned economies lack such a substitutes. militant and intolerant than Christianity. I’d say mechanism, and so they necessarily work very In fact, substitutes for natural petroleum Jesus was more a peacemaker than a pacifist. poorly. The Soviet Union spent seventy already exist. For example, back in the He famously said to “turn the other cheek” miserable years proving him right. apartheid era the South African company when attacked, which I interpret to mean that By the way, I once talked to Frederik Pohl SASOL developed a workable process for we should be slow to take offense, and should and pointed out that “The Midas Plague” had making gasoline out of coal, to evade sanctions look for a peaceful resolution if at all possible. an idiot plot because, really, all the people had cutting off imported oil. Any number of such Is there anything in Scripture to show that he to do was turn off the production machinery. processes are sitting on the shelf, ready for use meant that we should never fight at all He agreed, and said it was Galaxy editor when natural petroleum becomes too scarce. regardless of how gross and harmful the Horace Gold’s idea. That sounded like Gold We can also substitute non-petroleum provocation? Should we meekly suffer all right. energy sources, such as nuclear-generated invasions, with all the usual rapine and plunder, Alexiad December 2013 Page 21 rather than fight back? I think not. (We all complicated to discuss now, but it will surely this summer than it has in recent years, and know the pacifist way of preventing rape: give need a massive change in morals and social Antarctic ice cover actually growing. in willingly — then it’s not rape.) attitudes. It may well require killing the welfare Now some German climatologists (as state and depending on private charity to care reported by Michael Bastach of the Daily 6"Â Ò :° §PT<, BT80FVJT JÎ for the poor and afflicted. With lots of hard Caller) have concluded that the pause in global Æ:VJ4@< "ÛJ@Ø, 6"Â (@D"FVJT work and good luck, we just might get there warming since 1998 (which is why the cultists :VP"4D"<. without a complete social collapse. I don’t now talk of “climate change” instead of “global kai ho m echÇn pÇlsalÇ to himation expect to live long enough to see it. warming”) will continue for the rest of this autou kai agorasatÇ machairan. The struggle against same-sex marriage has century. They base this partly on the 200-year and he that hath no sword, let him sell been lost in Illinois. This is absurdly bad public De Vries cycle of solar activity (which his garment and buy one. policy, but at least it was done in the apparently is at its peak, hence the warming Luke 22:36 constitutionally proper way, by act of the from the late 1970s to the late 1990s) and the legislature. That’s more honest than judges 65-year Atlantic and Pacific oscillations. pretending to discover a previously unknown Meanwhile, in the name of preventing * * * * * constitutional right. climate change, the federal government is John Thiel asks me what I think of planning to issue a rule allowing wind turbines Chicago today. Now that’s a subject that could * * * * * to continue to kill endangered bird species such fill up several issues of Alexiad. But in brief, I asked Sue Burke if “those reckless private as golden and bald eagles without facing the the city has improved in some ways and borrowers [would] have dared to take such risks severe penalties anyone else not so politically deteriorated in others. The political system is if they hadn’t known the government would bail favored would. This comes after they finally not quite as dirty as it used to be, but the them out?” She gives a resounding “Yes, they did issue a fine to Duke Energy for the eagles politicians are just as irresponsible in their would. Again and again. With and without they’ve killed. (I assume this means Duke spending. Chicago is well on the road to bailouts. Bubbles and panics abound in history, Energy made the mistake of contributing to the bankruptcy, though not as far along as Detroit. including recent history.” wrong campaign.) Not yet. To top off, our mass transit agency True, but with a critical difference. When Darrell does make some excellent points just rolled out a new fare-payment system that there is no government support and bailout, the about the nature of Islam. I do have a couple works almost as poorly as the ObamaCare bubble collapses much sooner. The damage is of minor points to make. First, while the Jews website. less, and is inflicted mostly on those with the of the Old Testament could be very bloody bad judgment to have believed in the bubble, when Yahweh commanded it, there was no * * * * * not on taxpayers in general. The creators of the general commandment to convert at the point I am happy to join Alexis Gilliland in bubble usually wind up broke. When the bubble of the sword (unlike Islam). Fortunately, there denouncing government bailing out big is government-supported, the damage goes on are no Amalekites for the modern Hebrews to business “by being their insurer of last resort.” and on. The malefactors don’t get punished, and target. As he says, “Moral hazard also affects the indeed may be left in charge so they can repeat The other point is that the dichotomy is not government, which enjoys the popularity (and the offense. I note that Rep. Barney Frank, who between Islam and Darrell’s beloved higher taxes) of boom times and fiddles to strenuously and successfully obstructed efforts Secularism, but between Islam and modern keep the good times rolling.” to damp down the housing bubble, became civilization. No other religion of significance, And in bad times the government fiddles to co-author of the new law supposed to prevent for example, treats women anywhere near as revive the good times, with massive future bubbles. Not a good sign. badly as Islam does. No matter what Darrell “stimulus” spending which is actually a drag believes, for example, fundamentalist on the economy. Since stimulus spending is * * * * * Christians educate women and allow them to be money taken away from taxpayers (or Taras Wolansky, discussing Foyle’s War, independent members of society. lenders), it makes sense only if what the says, “at least, they’re willing to admit that the And Taras Wolansky is equally accurate government spends it on is better for the Soviet Union under Stalin was a nasty place, about the intolerance of other religions in economy than what the taxpayers (or lenders) and that the Soviets were worse than our side.” Islam. Adherents of the religions of the book would have spent it on if the government had Yes, leftists do occasionally admit having been (i.e., Judaism and Christianity)) are to be let them keep it. And how often is that the wrong, but (as Taras says) usually not until after tolerated only as long as they know their place case? This is the “Papa knows best!” it no longer matters. And I have yet to see (to use a Southern expression that seems apt). nanny-state mentality in full flower. anybody on the left express even the slightest But this presupposes a Muslim world; they regret that, because of the way the Cold War divide the world into the City of Submission * * * * * ended, we can’t hunt down and punish the (Dar al Islam) and the City of War (Dar al Jim Stumm notes that, in denouncing masters of the gulag. Harba). The religion alos has the doctrine of same-sex marriage, I cited an editorial “that taqiyya, which calls for deceiving the Infidels says we should have laws that promote the From: Timothy Lane December 1, 2013 if htat is necessary. One needs to remember flourishing of children.” It’s too late, he says; 2265 Bradford Drive, Louisville, KY this whenever one hears a Muslim proclaiming “That ship sailed 50 years ago when LBJ’s 40218-1562 USA his moderation. Is he telling the truth (no War on Poverty began subsidizing bastardy. . [email protected] doubt some are), or following the call to . . . What we need is take-care-of-your- deceive the Infidel? children laws, aimed at criminally negligent I see Darrell Schweitzer continues to place mothers.” He’s right, of course, and such laws faith in those who call themselves scientists and have to be part of recalling that ship. It is said agree with his “climate change” dogma than in WAHF: that the single best marker for predicting if a the actual science (which involves checking out Lloyd Daub, with various items of child will become delinquent — as by joining theoretical predictions against new facts). It’s interest. a street gang — is whether he is raised by a been a bad year scientifically for the cultists of Martin Morse Wooster, with the same. single mother. (There’s room for a lot of Catastrophic Anthropogenic Global Warming, research on the role of gangs as surrogate what with less actual severe weather than they fathers.) expected (no Atlantic hurricanes hit America, This is a problem too large and for example), Arctic ice cover shrinking far less Page 22 December 2013 Alexiad

No appointments to these positions have This structure would collapse, were any to THE DECADENT EMPIRE been made in living memory. The emoluments be found to assail it. None should be surprised and benefits pertaining thereunto accumulate in that the actual control of the land is exercised . . . the ritual for succession is that the the treasury, or would were there any collection by bandit gangs, yet they too fail to coalesce, as Imperial Ordnance of Succession, stored in the of taxes. any bandit chief of resolution is generally slain Dynastic Casket in the Imperial Throne Room, The structure of the Ministries provides for by a jealous subordinate striving for a is consulted. If the Wangdi were even to have a civil service, filled by examination. In this momentary advantage. prepared such a document, it was inevitably manner, the most able and intelligent will be Without the empire, a few roving nomads destroyed. associated with the management of public seek possession of greater things. Their The choice for a successor thereupon falls affairs. numbers are inadequate to obtain any upon the Grand Deliberative Council. The examinations grew more strict and substantial control. Betimes, some more Inevitably, they have chosen among the exacting with the passage of time, reaching a successful bandit has secured dominion in youngest sons of the late Wangdi, ostensibly level of complexity where none were able to some more fertile region. These leaders seem to facilitate the steadiness of a long reign. fulfill the requirements. The existing body of inevitably to fall prey to the addictive After his proclamation and installation the administrators jealously hoarded their authority seductions of drugs or the jealousies of newly enthroned Wangdi is removed to the and strongly warded their community, desiring subordinates, or both. Exalted Chambers of the Forbidden Palace. to not dilute them by expansion. The Board of The Wangdi is kept stupefied with alcohol, Examination died off with the passage of time, Some fantasy realms just don’t hemp, and opium. His education is and while the examination halls still exist, the seem to work right. abandoned, and should he survive to maturity, examinations have been postponed to a later he is endowed with harims of women and date which has not yet been announced. Co-Editors: Lisa & Joseph Major boys. He never marries, since such an Indeed, the entire civil service has perished Co-Publishers: Joseph & Lisa Major attachment would create a First Consort, the with the passage of time. In its final years, Writers, Staff: Major, Joseph, Major, Lisa, existence of such creating a separate locus of every official strove to enrich himself with & McCormick, Grant power which would diminish the power of the bribes, yet could not succeed in this effort, as Tech Staff: Grant C. McCormick Grand Deliberative Council. his superiors required of him greater payments, Few Wangdi survive their third decade. which were required to fulfill the exactions of This is issue Whole Number Seventy-Two The Grand Deliberative Council consists their superiors, and thusly upwards. (72). of the other Princes. They are ill-educated, if at all, given to the most extreme of The accumulation of wealth in the private Art: What we are mainly looking for is perversions and to the excesses of sphere is massively deterred. Any who saved small fillos. Your fillo will probably be consumption. Much of their effort is foodstuffs would have them confiscated by scanned in (by Grant) and may be reused, expended upon contriving the murders of their bandits, often operating under the color of tax unless you object to its reuse. colleagues, which plots so often fail because collectors. Similarly, any who developed a of the ineptitude or incapacity of the useful mechanic art would be slain by his Contributions: This is not a fictionzine. It assailants. fellows, jealous of his advantage. is intended to be our fanzine, so be interesting. Subordinate to the monarchy, the Three This conflict militates against the Departments and Six Ministries are continuation of literacy. Education has lapsed, Material in Alexiad is copyright © 2013. established as the governing bodies of the as the struggle for mere subsistence has become All rights reserved. Upon publication, all empire. The order of the administration is that predominant. There is no wherewithal to rights revert to the original contributor, but we there is a Principal Minister, assisted by a sustain a specialization in education, even as reserve the right to use any item more than Grand Minister of the Left, a Grand Minister such people fall under suspicion as having once, unless otherwise specified by the of the Center, and a Grand Minister of the wealth, to be taken from them for sharing out. contributor. All letters sent to Alexiad become Right, overseeing the Minister of Personnel, Beyond that, the preservation of written records the property of the publishers. Any material by the Minister of Revenue, the Minister of Rites, is nonexistent. the editors is available to other fanzines if they the Minister of War, the Minister of Justice, provide proper credit and send a copy. and the Minister of Works. Available for The Usual (letter of comment, A Question for the Jedi by Paul Gadzikowski trade, contribution). Sample issue available upon request. Back issues $1; subscription $10/year. Alexiad is also available by email in Adobe Acrobat .pdf format. ALEXIAD c/o Lisa & Joseph Major 1409 Christy Avenue Louisville, KY 40204-2040 USA [email protected] http:/efanzines.com/Alexiad/index.htm