This past weekend I attended our local convention, Archon. It’s a St. Louis convention that’s not actually in St. Louis, for many reasons too convoluted to go into here, and this one was number 36. Which means, with a couple of exceptions, I’ve been going to it for three decades. (Our first con was Archon 6, which featured Stephen King as GoH, and thus was something of a media circus. I met several writers, some whose work I knew and loved, others of whom I just then became acquainted—George R.R. Martin, Robin Bailey, Charles Grant, Joe Haldeman, Warren Norwood. Some have passed away, others are still working.)…
Month: October 2012
Yes, It Is My Birthday
I take partial responsibility. After all, my parents had more than a little to do with it.
I usually forget my birthday until the week before, when everyone starts reminding me. This year, though, I’m paying a bit more attention because, well, I’m here to have one. That was, for the first time ever, more than an academic question recently. So for that I am grateful to many people, most of whom I do not know and may never see again—doctors and nurses and even some folks who thought good thoughts without my knowing—and for the love of my friends.
I have pretty much everything one could ask for out of life. …
My World of Tomorrow
This weekend I’ll be attending the local science fiction convention, Archon. I’ve only missed a couple of these since 1982, when Donna and I went to out very first SF convention, Archon 6. Stephen King was guest of honor and we got to meet many of the writers we’d been reading and enjoying, some, at least in my case, for many years. Until that year I hadn’t even known such things happened.
Science fiction for me was part of the fundamental bedrock of my life’s ambitions. Not just writing it or reading it, but in a very real sense living it. …
Affirmative Action Revisited (Again)
This will be brief. The Supreme Court is set to hear another case about affirmative action in education. A Texas student was not accepted for the University of Texas and has claimed that the only difference between her and other students who did get in is her skin color—she’s white.
Now, by all accounts, she is an excellent student. According to UT, though, she wasn’t good enough. They use two metrics to select enrollees—academic scores and what they call “personal achievement” indices, which include extracurricular activities and an essay which is supposed to reveal leadership potential and other qualities that can’t be scored on a test. …
You Would Think…But No, That’s Too Hard
I thought I might write about something other than politics this morning, but some things are just too there to ignore. But perhaps this isn’t strictly about politics.
Representative Paul Broun of Georgia recently said the following. I’m pulling the quote from news sources so I don’t get it wrong.
“God’s word is true. I’ve come to understand that. All that stuff I was taught about evolution, embryology, Big Bang theory, all that is lies straight from the pit of hell. It’s lies to try to keep me and all the folks who are taught that from understanding that they need a savior.…
One or Two Observations on Last Night’s “Debate”
Okay, I confess, I did not watch the debate between Obama and Romney. In my opinion, it doesn’t count for much. I’ve been listening to both sides now since last spring and I’ve made my decision, so exactly what good would listening to the debate do me? Or for a committed Romney supporter, for that matter? None to speak of.
So, observation number one:Â I’ve never known anyone who changed their vote because of something in the debates.
That doesn’t mean people haven’t, it’s just that, in the 40 + years I’ve been paying attention, I’ve never met anyone who changed positions because of anything said during one of these. …
It Was Fifty Years Ago, Mr. Bond
“Do you expect me to talk?”
“No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die!”
The exchange between Bond and Goldfinger may sum up the attitude of many who are tired, offended, or otherwise ambivalent or disinterested in the absurdly long career of the improbable James Bond, 007. Even those of us who have been more or less unable to let go our adolescent attachment to the character have doubtless wondered why he hasn’t just died.
He should have, certainly after the criminal treatment he endured toward the middle and end of the Roger Moore years. All due respect to Mr.…
A Romney Review
Over the last few years I have written a great deal on presidential politics and politics in general. With the first debate this cycle coming up tomorrow night, I thought instead of rehashing what I’ve already said, I would simply link to what I’ve already said, specifically about Mitt Romney. I was surprised to see how far back I wrote my first post about him, 2007, when he made his bid then.
This was about Romney’s statement that he intended to put his religion in second place as president. As it has turned out, he has not said a great deal about religion this time around. …