The auto's problems of pollution and congestion are certainly solvable. Cleaner engines and fuels, including hybrids, electrics, and hydrogen fuel, would not only clean the air and slow global warming, they would help end our dependence on imported petroleum. Traffic congestion could be eased by “smart” cars that can drive themselves on electronic guideways and return to home or park themselves once the owner has reached his or her destination. Surely we have the technological smarts to develop such systems. Do we have the political will?
Ben Bova
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Dear Dr. Schmidt,
Very good! It is said (and I believe it) that capitalism as an economic system works because it fits with human nature, rather than fights it (or words to that effect).We don't have a codified description of “human nature"; however, your analysis doesn't contradict what I think I know about it.And certainly your general prescription of working with, rather than against, it makes sense.
Oak Ridge, where I live, is in some ways a strange place.It was created for the Manhattan Project and has a large population of scientists, aging hippies, and other tree-hugging types [grin].We have citywide recycling here—and it mostly works.The secret is curbside pick-up (by specialized recycling trucks).Most people simply separate their recyclables into the “green bucket” and their trash into the trash bins and put them out on trash day.It's only a little more work than putting it all into the trash bins.(Whether the whole thing is cost-effective is another story.Except for the aluminum cans, I'm not sure that the recycling doesn't use more energy/resources, etc., than it saves.And we do pay more in taxes to support the double trash pickup.)The point is that under certain conditions, such activities as you discuss can be institutionalized—and even induce cooperation by agnostics, such as myself.
Dean Hartley
Oak Ridge, TN
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Stan,
Sarah Castle's “Kukulkan” in the December 2007 Analog certainly riveted my attention.I couldn't tell how it was going to play out until the very end.I do hope there will be a follow-up tale, as there seem to be loose ends left behind.
When the Cheorka ambassador Aranead sacrificed himself, there was still no leader from Earth who had actually agreed to sacrifice him/herself.Furthermore, the required annual sacrifice and the cessation of war on Earth had apparently received little consideration at the time.That is a lot of ground left uncovered for admission to the Universal Council.
Aranead's reason for self-sacrifice is definitely strange and alien."...the humans of Earth, alone, represent mammalian intelligence in the universe.""Cheorka threw that meteoroid.""The time has arrived for us to make amends to Earth's conscious beings and to the universe."Is Aranead apologizing to us and to creation in general for our/the misfortune that we did not grow to consciousness and ascendancy as reptiles?If so, this seems to imply that we will occupy a sort of permanent underclass in universal society.We humans are certainly not sorry that the meteoroid caused mammals to rule the Earth, so he really needn't have done himself in on our account.
I was expecting the terms of the offer to the council to be received quite differently—President Stewart's reply to be approximately the following:
It is only reasonable that we promise not to make war upon other members of the Universal Council.That some leader of renown sacrifice him/herself for initial admission to the Universal Council is a decision entirely up to that person.However, the requirement that we cease making war among ourselves is not a commitment that we can realistically hope to live up to.Furthermore, that the Earth annually offer up a hundred-some persons every year to be sacrificed is not possible by our standards of justice.We know this objection to the taking of life seems a contradictory belief when we kill so many of each other in the institution of war.Few people will voluntarily offer themselves for sacrifice, and our societies cannot choose innocent lives to be taken as a symbolic gesture, as this seems just too great a waste to us for any amount of benefit.Thank you, Ambassador Aranead of the Cheorka for your offer to the humans of Earth to join the Universal Council, but we respectfully decline.
Definitely thought-provoking circumstances.I look forward to seeing more from Ms. Castle.
Ewing Taylor
Rockville, Marylandn
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Reader's Department: UPCOMING EVENTS by Anthony Lewis
23—26 May 2008
Balticon 42 (Baltimore SF conference) at Marriott's Hunt Valley Inn, Baltimore, Maryland. Guest of Honor: Connie Willis; Artist Guest of Honor: John Jude Palencar; Music Guest of Honor: Urban Tapestry; Masquerade MC: Martin Gear. Membership: $46 until 28 February 2008, $51 until 30 April 2008, $59 thereafter. Info: www.Balticon.org; [email protected]; (410) 563-2737; Balticon 42, P.O. Box 686, Baltimore, MD 21203-0686.
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23—25 May 2008
CONduit XVIII: (General interest science fiction convention) at Radisson Hotel Salt Lake City, Salt Lake City, Utah. Guest of Honor: Michael A. Stackpole. Membership: until 1 May 2008, adult $35, teen $30, youth $17.50, child FREE, family (2 adult, up to 4 teen/youth) $125. Info: conduit.sfcon. org, CONduit, P.O. Box 11745, Salt Lake City, UT 84147-0745.
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28—29 June 2008
ConRunner 2008 (UK/Euro convention runners conference) at Britannia Hotel Wolverhampton, UK. Membership: 40.00 pounds until 21 June 2008; 50.00 pounds at the door; 25.00 pounds/day. Details and online membership www.conrunner.org.uk or write to ConRunner2008, 56 Jackmans Place, Letchworth G.C., Hertfordshire, SG16 1RH.
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10—13 2008
PORTUS 2008 (A Harry Potter symposium) at Hilton Anatole, Dallas, Texas. Membership: 1 February to 31 May 2008 $220.00; 1 June to 30 June 2008 $240.00; at the door $260.00. Info: www.portus2008.org/.
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11—13 July 2008
OSFest ‘08 (Nebraska SF conference) at Comfort Inn & Suites, Omaha, Nebraska. Writer Guest of Honor: Aaron Allston; Artist Guest of Honor: Mike Cole; TM: Rusty Hevelin. Membership: $40 until June 30, $50 at the door. Info: www.osfes.org/osfest.htm; [email protected]; OSFest ‘08, 7934 Grover Street, Omaha, NE 68124.
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6—10 August 2008
DENVENTION III (66th World Science Fiction Convention) at Colorado Convention Center, Denver, Colorado. Hotels include Adam's Mark (party hotel), Hyatt Regency. Guest of Honor: Lois McMaster Bujold; Artist Guest of Honor: Rick Sternbach; Fan Guest of Honor: Tom Whitmore; TM: Wil McCarthy. Membership: (until further notice; see website): USD 175; supporting membership USD 40; child (until 12 as of 6 August 2008) USD 45. This is the SF universe's annual get-together. Professionals and readers from all over the world will be in attendance. Talks, panels, films, fancy dress competition—the works. Nominate and vote for the Hugos. Info: www.denvention3.org; [email protected]. Denvention 3, P.O. Box 1349, Denver, CO 80201 USA.
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Visit www.analogsf.com for information on additional titles by this and other authors.
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