Just the other day I noticed that one of my all time favorite authors David Eddings, and his wife, Leigh had a nasty accident.
Seems that if you are uncertain about whether a pool of liquid (IN YOUR GARAGE NEXT TO YOUR SPORTS CAR!!) is gasoline or not, the way to tell is NOT to throw a flaming piece of paper on it. anyways, they are both ok, and still fairly well off, but wow.
Reading that made me realize that a lot of my favorite Sci-Fi and fantasy authors aren't really represented any more in popular culture. I would want my kids to read these fantastic innocent tales. They were written by pulp fiction writers sure, but in many ways they outstrip the cyberpunk and grim Blade runner matrix end of days sort of view seen today in modern Sci-Fi.
I grew up with a pretty cool library, in a small farming community. This allowed for the library to have a stash of reasonably old Sci-Fi from the 1950's and 60's. I would read these guys a lot, and honestly I still do.
Ray Bradbury, led me to check out more poetry, because a lot of his short fiction read like poetry to me. Dandelion Wine is a great example. Bradbury can write some great Sci-fi, always with a bit of gothic mystery to it. The martian chronicles were not so much about colonization of another planet as a paper about the basic problems of being human, fears and hungers, petty jealousies, and racism. All wrapped up in a 1950's midwest sensibility . A great young adult book. Almost required reading for a pre-teen, the short stories in there will make them think a little, and thats what being a kid is all about!
Robert Heinlein had a number of books that I loved as a kid. "Have Spacesuit will travel" and "Podkayne of Mars" are two relatively unknown books, that are just pure awesomeness. Another days idea of how folks will be in the future. Kids stuck in fantastic and dangerous situations that they have to solve, and quick or people could get hurt! It is like a historical lens in two directions to read this stuff. You get the whole innocent 1950's viewpoint with a dash of high adventure, and "gee whiz/ zap the bad guys/ hey is that another flying car?" sort of thing. even today you still see bits of his visions in popular culture. Just try to tell me this movie isn't influenced by his writing! You gotta love home grown starships! That is pure uncut, americana there, people!
Isaac Asimov, wrote a series of books about the galaxy, called the foundation series and how humanity would handle the end of civilization, if they knew it was coming. Great stuff to read. Spanned thousands of years. As a kid, it both stretched my brain by making me look up words! (that's right, I had to actually pick up the dictionary with good old Isaac. He was a tough read for me, growing up. It was worth every Summer afternoon I spent though!)
I just had to get this stuff off my chest so to speak and make sure that future generations (see what I did there?) might pick up a real live book or two, maybe read some to the kids, maybe read because its good to flex the mind a little, and to remember that we all look up at the stars, sometimes. Big kids and small.
"Seattle getting hammered by the rain and the construction site next door gets flooded. Dev team joking about polar bear club and James says "I would swim it for $50". Of course we immediately put in for it. Not shown: The supreme effort just to make it over to the "swimming area" and stripping down. Avg buyin: $20. Loss of productivity for the entire company: (est) $500. Watching one of your lead client dev team members strip to underwear and swim a 45 degree rain-pool next door: PRICELESS."---Greg, CTO for mpire.com
all I can say is that I couldn't stop the laughing. Just couldn't.
He did not even attempt to pronounce this name, though its strange, inexplicable look on the page was a joy to him. From there by mule-back and afoot over the Andes to Chile. He knew something about that trip. A woman who had taught in the Methodist missionary school in Santiago de Chile had taken that journey, and he had heard her give a lecture on it. He was the sexton of the church and heard all the lectures free.
At Santiago de Chile...
(he pronounced it with a strange distortion of the schoolteachers bad accent)
he would stay for a while and just live and decide what to do next.
His head swam with dreams and visions, and his heart thumped heavily against his old ribs. The clock striking ten brought him back to reality. He stood up with a gesture of exultation almost fierce.
"Thats just the time when the train crosses the state line!", he said. "Generalstaatsverordnetenversammlungen, with other collectors, and thus increase the variety of my stock."
"Here raresentence, clothed with an awful and unsuspected power, and crumbles theground from under me. For instance, my book inquires after a certain bird --(it is always inquiring after things which are of no sort of no consequenceto anybody): Where is the bird? Now the answer to this question --inexactness is worse."
"Why, whats Nathaniel doin here?", he asked himself in surprise. He had not known that the boy was even in town, for he had been on the point of leaving to enlist in the navy. Family matters could not have detained him, for he was quite alone in the world, since both his father and his mother were dead and his stepmother had married again.
Under his great-uncles gaze the lad opened his eyes with a start and sat up confused.
"Whats the matter with you, Nat?", asked the older man not ungently. He was thinking that probably he had looked like that at sixteen. The boy stared at him a moment, and then, leaning his head on a chair, he began to cry. Sitting thus, crouched together, he looked like a child.
The text-ornament caught his eye. Still half asleep, with his sisters long-forgotten voice ringing in his ears, he remembered vaguely that he had meant to bring the second text to light. For a moment he hesitated, and then, Well, its come true for Natty, anyhow, he thought.
it do, or what is it made of or whatever? their TV technicians were another thing altogether, Very much on the everything that we can do they remain immune to our blandishments,
I was out drinking last weekend with my girl and her friend. A bum was running in and out of traffic hopefull for some change. He ran up to a car full of guys. One leans out and punches the bum. humanity is overated.
The Brother, also known as Driver! This is what 80% of the trip looks like. dirt and asphalt! A very friendly "Chester" Dog unit! Freshly
retired "Old Man Raleigh" Still a little peeved about what some ass
said regarding his last days at work, but willing to move forward.
People just don't get what a job means to my dad. He was there for
37+years, and basically pushed out on a whim. At least he still has a
good retirement set up. No working at Mc D's for this guy! OK OK
One more picture of sin, and bad health! the bartender told us that
tobasco will mix with tequilia and they will cancel each other out. He
was right, but it only works if your lips are not cracked, like Peters
were. HEEE HEE!
My brother and I got out into the dust of
Eastern Washington to spend a weekend with the parents and update them
on my life. We also hit the bars, including a very nice one called "The
Globe". the thing that still gets me is that in downtown Spokane you
can still find parking anywhere. And a night of drinking runs about
$30.00. Very tasty! Parents handled things quite well, so we spent the
rest of the weekend updating ocmputers and hitting the Globe whenever
it got dark out. It's getting cold out there too. Lets you know that
winter is on it's way and soon this disgusting year will be over. And
now some pics!!!Me at the globe with a fine array of beverages! This was above the mens room. Pure classic Spokane! The cold sterile picture of the Globe! The warm fuzzy slightly drunken version! This is the parking lot in Downtown Spokane 10:00pm on Saturday!
Can you believe this???
My job
is getting up and running, spent the day yesterday in 4 chats at the
same time, until my co-worker arrived. A lot of people are coming to
mpire.com to use the service. Who would have thought that our
competetors would do such a lousy job of simply helping out customers.
going to Spokane this weekend to let my parents know about the divorce.
Gonna play some poker tonight tho'. Need a relaxing session of texas
hold-em!
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ga_woo, Hosted and ReWritten by 
cheerful
These guys need tools, and all 
Clothes
Gear,
these guys like anything with 
A
This
This is what 80% of the trip looks like. dirt and asphalt!
A very friendly "Chester" Dog unit!
Freshly
retired "Old Man Raleigh" Still a little peeved about what some ass
said regarding his last days at work, but willing to move forward.
People just don't get what a job means to my dad. He was there for
37+years, and basically pushed out on a whim. At least he still has a
good retirement set up. No working at Mc D's for this guy!
OK OK
One more picture of sin, and bad health! the bartender told us that
tobasco will mix with tequilia and they will cancel each other out. He
was right, but it only works if your lips are not cracked, like Peters
were. HEEE HEE!
This was above the mens room. Pure classic Spokane!
The cold sterile picture of the Globe!
The warm fuzzy slightly drunken version!
This is the parking lot in Downtown Spokane 10:00pm on Saturday!
My job
is getting up and running, spent the day yesterday in 4 chats at the
same time, until my co-worker arrived. A lot of people are coming to
mpire.com to use the service. Who would have thought that our
competetors would do such a lousy job of simply helping out customers.
going to Spokane this weekend to let my parents know about the divorce.
Gonna play some poker tonight tho'. Need a relaxing session of texas
hold-em!