HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: puckett@lambda.msfc.nasa.gov (Jim Puckett)
Subject: Re: Coolest SF Character (was Re: Even more things vs.things)
Organization: NASA/MSFC
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 19:05:36 GMT

jheath@CERIS.Purdue.EDU (Jim Heath) writes:

>How about the narrator in the Callahan stories?


decidely _un_cool. No, I really like the guy - an _emphasize_ with him in
manyways on many issues - but 'cool' means to be unaffected by externals,
and the narrator most definitely was very emotional about some things.

jim p.

-- 
Jim Puckett    NTI    puckett@freedom.msfc.nasa.gov     
Huntsville,AL (205)544-8457

*****!Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty!*****
From: t88_lars_e@maj.teknikum.uu.se (L. Erik Hillberg)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc
Subject: Re: Coolest SF Character  (was Re: Even more things vs.things)
Date: 12 Apr 92 14:00:52 GMT
Organization: Lucy's Skyfreight


>>Finally, who's the coolest S.F. character. Not most powerfull or strongest or
>>anything like that , just the Coolest Person In Sci-Fi.
>>
>

>Anyone else out there want to cast a vote for "Coolest SF Character"?
>
Well, my vote will certainly go to Spider Robinson's ultracool bartender
Callahan, in "Callahan's Crosstime Saloon" and other books.

L Erik Hillberg, Uppsala, Sweden
Email: t88_lars_e@maja.teknikum.uu.se
*All that glitters has a high refractive index*
From: velmeran@milton.u.washington.edu (Jack Brown)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc
Subject: Re: "SF" versus <spit> "SciFi"
Date: 13 Apr 92 21:54:46 GMT
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle

Isn't there we can arrange for a tragically deadly surge of electricity into
the terminals of people who start these threads?  How long ago did this one
finally die out only to be resurrected by this idiot? 
(Ian Davis                               DAVIS@licr.dn.mu.oz.au

AAAAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHH!


===========================================================================
Jack Brown				Those on the moral high-ground,
aka velmeran@u.washington.edu		beware of low-flying aircraft

"Our opinion of the gods and our knowledge of men leads us to conclude that
it is a general and necessary law of nature to rule whatever one can."

===========================================================================
From: weemba@libra.wistar.upenn.edu (Matthew P Wiener)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc
Subject: Forward the Foundation
Keywords: asimov
Date: 9 Apr 92 18:42:31 GMT
Article-I.D.: netnews.73471
Reply-To: weemba@libra.wistar.upenn.edu (Matthew P Wiener)
Organization: The Wistar Institute of Anatomy and Biology
In-reply-to: ed@wente.llnl.gov (Ed Suranyi)

In article <121984@lll-winken.LLNL.GOV>, ed@wente (Ed Suranyi) writes:
>His last novel, "Forward the Foundation", was finished shortly before
>his death and will come out sometime this year.

I keep hearing this.  Does "finished" mean merely that what was written
gets published with just a light bit of editing, or did he actually
finish the fourth novella?  I assume that the intended fifth novella
is now forever nonexistent.
-- 
-Matthew P Wiener (weemba@libra.wistar.upenn.edu)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc
From: jflint@csws5.ic.sunysb.edu (Jesse Flint)
Subject: Re: Denial of Humanity
Followup-To: Comment on "absolute morality"
Summary: Morality, Human & Alien
Keywords: fnord
Organization: State University of New York at Stony Brook
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1992 08:55:17 GMT
Expires: Fri, 1 May 1992 04:00:00 GMT

In article <1992Apr15.005437.16098@hsv3.uucp> mvp@hsv3.uucp (Mike Van Pelt) writes:
>
>Well, one 'absolute', if you will, is that the aliens will have to have
>some standard of behavior that promotes their survival.  Otherwise they
>will not have survived in the long run, and won't be around long enough
>to contact us.  So, preservation of (their) life is a given.  Hard work,
>well, interstellar travel isn't easy, so either they have this one,
>or they stay home glued to the 3V set and don't contact us.

Survival of THEIR life, I'll give you... of course, what if it's a hive-mind
which considers individuals expendable?
"Hard work" was in the Protestant Work Ethic sense... again, it's possible
that aliens would, for whatever reason, develop star travel WITHOUT this
"moral" drive...

>
>A nudity taboo is far more questionable.  This is highly variable even
>among human societies.  But certainly there would have to be some
>standard of sexual behavior that provided for the propagation of the
>species and the care of the young, whether their system otherwise looks
>anything like any of ours or not.  (Of course, much of our current
>society's sexual behavior neither provides for the propagation of the
>species nor for the care of the young.  As Robert Heinlein pointed out,
>this is self-correcting in the long run.)

Of course. But just don't expect the aliens to get Properly Offended at
the Penthouse centerfolds hanging in the cabin of our scout ship... :)


-- 
############################################################################
#DISCLAIMER:    	     # "Too often peace is merely the result of    #
#	                     #  war-weariness, and the very negation of    #
#THE OPINIONS IN MY POSTINGS #  victory. It is (or may be) the formula of  #
#ARE MINE AND DO NOT REFLECT #  sloth and the gateway to stagnation."      #
#THE VIEWS OF MY HOME SYSTEM #   	               --A. Crowley        #
#OR THE OWNER OF THIS        #  Gary McCammon a.k.a. Tog                   #
#ACCOUNT. <FNORD>            #    c/o  jflint@sbcs.susb.edu	           #
############################################################################
From: rjb12@unix.brighton.ac.uk (Browning;f110or89;[05306)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc
Subject: Asimov
Date: 10 Apr 92 17:42:24 GMT
Organization: Brighton Polytechnic, UK

Isaac Asimov's death is a hard thing for me to grasp; it was he (often
accompanied by Arthur Clarke) that held my hand during my first forays
into science fiction. His books continue to enchant me, as they have done
ever since my early school years.

I am annoyed at the media here in Britain: I can't remember seeing anything
on television about Mr. Asimov's death; it seems to have been obliterated
by election coverage, and I think that's very wrong. Isaac Asimov was the
man who gave birth to the robot concept and the Three Laws of Robotics;
he was the man who changed the public's attitude of science fiction from 
contemptuous to admiring.

Something should be done to honour him.

In sadness,

Richard.

-- 
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Rich Browning (rjb12@bton.unix)   *  The Three Laws of Robotics 
Department of Computer Science    *   ... a design for humankind.      
Brighton Polytechnic              *       
****************************************************************************
		Isaac Asimov: May you rest in peace.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
From: dave@cs.arizona.edu (Dave Schaumann)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc
Subject: Re: Coolest SF Character (was Re: Even more things vs.things)
Keywords: coolest, sf, character, Blake's 7, Avon, Picard, Cat
Date: 13 Apr 92 04:12:24 GMT
Reply-To: dave@cs.arizona.edu (Dave Schaumann)
Organization: University of Arizona

In article <s-6tp-p@rpi.edu>, kasprj@vccsouth03 (Jim Kasprzak) writes:
> Even though this is extremely silly,

F'tang F'tang Ole' Bisquit-barrel (definitely extremely silly ;-)

>I may as well put my vote in for the
>coolest SF character. In my opinion, there's no contest: it's Niven's 
>Beowulf Shaeffer.

Yup.  I just read "Neutron Star" again; definitely cool under pressure.

>The Stainless Steel Rat makes a good runner-up.

How about Louis Wu?  The opening of "Ringworld Engineers" (and really,
much of the book) make him look tough as tungston nails.

-- 
Oh, we are us, sir.  But they are also us.  So indeed -- we are both us.
				-Data, in "We'll Always Have Paris"
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc
From: dietz@cs.rochester.edu (Paul Dietz)
Subject: Re: Denial of Humanity
Organization: Computer Science Department University of Rochester
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1992 01:59:19 GMT

In article <1992Apr13.003821.25191@watdragon.waterloo.edu> jdnicoll@watyew.uwaterloo.ca (James Davis Nicoll) writes:

>	Why are you assuming the ability to successfully wage war is a 
> trait which would be selected against? Perhaps pre-emptive genocidal attacks 
> are a very successful method of suvival on the galactic stage; if so, we
> could expect warmongers to persist longer than their victims.

Let me speculate here...

I suggest that unless the galaxy is sparsely populated, warfighting
ability should be quite common.  A galaxy of defenseless populations
is unstable to takeover by aggressors.  Once aggressors dominate,
loss of warfighting ability is also selected against.

Aggressiveness would also drive colonization, if only to plant
colonies to thwart the opponent.

The stable equilibrium is a dense population of fiercely territorial
civilizations, since attacking a competent defender is likely to be
unprofitable.  However, that defensive ability could be easily turned
to offense against a civilization such as ours.

If the warfighting ability of a civilization is related to its
resource use, there might be a positive feedback operating to drive
all civilizations to fully use their resources in a short time, all
the way to disassembling planets and stars.  More likely, potential
competitors that could cause costly arms races would simply not
be allowed to become threats.

	Paul F. Dietz
	dietz@cs.rochester.edu
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc
From: holger@vmars.tuwien.ac.at (Holger Reusch (Dipl. ALF in spe))
Subject: Recommended US mail order address for SF books
Summary: The Science Fiction Shop
Keywords: sf,book,mail,order
Organization: Technical University Vienna, Dept. for Realtime Systems, AUSTRIA
Distribution: intergalactic
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1992 08:02:49 GMT

One week ago Imentioned in my article in r.a.sf.written a mail order
address in the US for SF books.  Since then I have got some e-letters
asking for this company.  So here it is:

The address is:  The Science Fiction Shop
		 163 Bleecker Street
		 New York City, NY 10012
		 U S A

Telephone #:     (212) 473-3010
		 (212) 475-9727 [FAX]
If you write to them, they will send you a catalogue (~40 pages).

I'll quote the payment conditions from their December 1991 catalogue:

   "We honor VISA, MASTERCARD, DISCOVER and checks PAYABLE in the U.S.
    in U.S. DOLLARS, and IPMOs.  We no longer accept AMERICAN EXPRESS.
    We are not able to supply pro-forma invoices. Telephone chargecard
    orders are welcome seven days a week during afternoon business
    hours.  Charges will be from "Comic Art Gallery".  When sending
    an order please be certain that your name and address are on the
    order itself.  We cannot process charge orders without the 
    expiration date Please include a SASE with all inquiries NOT
    accompanying an order.  NY State residents must add appropriate
    sales tax.

   "Minimum Order (Not including shipping charge): $20.00
    DOMESTIC SHIPPING CHARGE:  3.25 for the first book and .15 for
    each additional title.
    OVERSEAS SHIPPING CHARGE:  4.00 for the first book, 1.00 for each
    additional hardcover, and .25 for each additional paperback.  We
    will ship overseas orders via airmail at your request; charges then
    are approximately 8 times surface transport.

   "Domestic shipments are made via UPS unless otherwise specified.

Book prices are $15+ for hardcovers and $3+ for paperbacks.

Over the last two years I ordered many books from them and I never
had any problems.  Delivery time to Europe is 8 to 10 weeks, if the
books are sent by surface mail.  I pay by credit card, which is very
convenient (and yields a better currency conversion ratio).

To be on the safe side, I want to add that I have no personal or
business interest in this company, except as a satisfied customer.

Greetings,
Holger

--
| Holger Reusch                             |
| Technical University of Vienna, Austria <-+--- No kangaroos here,
| Dept. for Real-Time Systems               |    sorry!
| holger@vmars.tuwien.ac.at                 |
-- 
| Holger Reusch                             |
| Technical University of Vienna, Austria <-+--- No kangaroos here,
| Dept. for Real-Time Systems               |    sorry!
| holger@vmars.tuwien.ac.at                 |
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc
From: kasprj@operators.its.rpi.edu (Jim Kasprzak)
Subject: Aggressive civilizations (was Re: Denial of Humanity)
Reply-To: kasprj@rpi.edu
Organization: The Big Wedge
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 01:07:19 GMT

In article <1992Apr13.015919.4605@cs.rochester.edu>, dietz@cs.rochester.edu (Paul Dietz) writes:
|> 
|> Let me speculate here...

 That's the whole point of SF after all. (-:

|> I suggest that unless the galaxy is sparsely populated, warfighting
|> ability should be quite common.  A galaxy of defenseless populations
|> is unstable to takeover by aggressors.  Once aggressors dominate,
|> loss of warfighting ability is also selected against.
|> 
|> Aggressiveness would also drive colonization, if only to plant
|> colonies to thwart the opponent.
 
 I agree so far, to some extent. But...

|> The stable equilibrium is a dense population of fiercely territorial
|> civilizations, since attacking a competent defender is likely to be
|> unprofitable.  However, that defensive ability could be easily turned
|> to offense against a civilization such as ours.
 
 I contend that no stable equilibrium is possible. The only way that a 
group of aggressive civilizations could coexist peacefully (hm, bad 
choice of words - let's say in a state of cold war) is if they had almost
identical levels of technology. And that, given the number of variables
involved in the development of life, sentience and technology, seems 
pretty darn close to impossible. Carl Sagan pointed out how the Europeans
trashed the Central and South American empires with only a few centuries'
difference in technological development - less than an eyeblink on the 
evolutionary scale. And Niven and Pournelle in _Footfall_ showed how a 
technology a century (or less) ahead of today's could make all of Earth's
vaunted military power look pretty useless. 
 
 Disparity in evolutionary timescales on the interstellar level is more 
likely to be on the order of millions, not hundreds, of years. The first 
aggressive civilization in a galaxy could easily trash any potential 
enemies. Lucky us that they haven't noticed us yet... or, even more scary,
perhaps we're the first.
------------------------------------------------------------------
     __  Live from Capitaland, heart of the Empire State...
 ___/  | Jim Kasprzak, computer operator @ RPI, Troy, NY, USA
/____ *| Why can't people stop taking things so seriously? 
     \_| "All I want is to have my peace of mind" - Boston   
      ====  e-mail: kasprj@rpi.edu or kasprzak@mts.rpi.edu
From: mike@maths.tcd.ie (Mike Rogers)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc
Subject: Re: "SF" versus <spit> "SciFi"
Date: 15 Apr 92 22:04:12 GMT
Organization: Sometimes found in a quite disorganized state in Trinity College
              Dublin. Freedom==Anarchy. My opinions are, like my total lack of
              organization, entirely my own fault.

In article <cswj=#r.xtifr@netcom.com> xtifr@netcom.com (Chris Waters) writes:

>Randall Garrett, Phil Dick, and at Greyhaven.  John Brunner has crashed
>at parent's house when he was in the States.  My aunt has six or seven

And did they find him an obnoxious sexist fuck as well?

-- 
Mike Rogers,Box 6,Regent Hse,##EveryoneHasTheRightToFreedomOfOpinionAndExpressio
TCD,EIRE. <mike@maths.tcd.ie>##nThisRightIncludesFreedomToHoldOpinionsWithoutInt
###############################erferenceAndToSeekReceiveAndImpartInformationAndI
deasThroughAnyMediaAndRegardlessOfFrontiers...#10 UN Declaration of Human Rights
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc
From: mvp@hsv3.uucp (Mike Van Pelt)
Subject: Re: Even more things vs.things
Organization: Video 7 + G2 = Headland Technology
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 00:28:29 GMT

In article <trent.0538@termnet.chi.il.us> trent@termnet.chi.il.us (Brian Issleb) writes:
>How about Tribbles vs. Ewoks?

Ugh.

How about Alien vs. Ewoks?
The Vang (military form) vs. Ewoks?
A division of T1000's vs. Ewoks?
The Thing (Campbell/Carpenter version, not the silly carrot stick) vs. Ewoks?
Thread vs. Ewoks?
Delgonians vs. Ewoks?
Cthulhu vs. Ewoks?

Or just blast their planet into goat cheese from far enough away that
we don't have to suffer their insufferable cutesyness?
-- 
"Pound for pound, lame puns are           Mike Van Pelt
 your best entertainment value."          ...ames!vsi1!hsv3!mvp
               -- Gogo Dodo               mvp@hsv3.lsil.com
Xref: sparky rec.arts.sf.misc:1387 rec.arts.books:7914
From: pete@minster.york.ac.uk
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc,rec.arts.books
Subject: New Robert Rankin out!
Date: 13 Apr 92 13:29:48 GMT
Reply-To: pete@minster.york.ac.uk (Pete Fenelon)
Followup-To: rec.arts.sf.misc
Organization: Department of Computer Science, University of York, England


Title says it all. ``The Suburban Book Of The Dead'', vol. 3 of Rankin's
Armageddon trilogy, has just appeared! In keeping with the tradition of RR's
books, there's been no publicity whatsoever....


Go out and buy it. It's good.

Published by Bloomsbury, cost a rather steep \(ps 15.99

Pete Fenelon
--
*Peter Fenelon -- Research Associate -- Software Safety Assessment Procedures*
Dept. of Computer Science, University of York, York, Y01 5DD (+44/0)904 433388
EMAIL: pete@minster.york.ac.uk (or pete%minster.york.ac.uk@nsfnet-relay.ac.uk)
Out of this nettle, danger, we pluck this flower, safety. Henry IV, Pt1 2.3.11
From: rossa@eleipl1.eleipl1.aukuni.ac.nz (Ross Alexander)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc
Subject: Memmory, Sorrow & Thorn book 3
Summary: Third book in Dragonbone Chair series
Keywords: fantasy
Date: 13 Apr 92 22:47:12 GMT
Organization: University of Auckland, New Zealand.


Does anybody know when the third book in the series is going to
published?  If so, could you please send me some information.

-------------------------------------------------------------------
internet:  rossa@eleipl1.aukuni.ac.nz
From: jmann@vineland.pubs.stratus.com (Jim Mann)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc
Subject: Re: Oldest Living Old Masters/FAQ (was Re: Asimov - The Passing of a True Great)
Date: 14 Apr 92 14:10:58 GMT
Reply-To: jmann@vineland.pubs.stratus.com

In article <2171@transfer.stratus.com> Laurie Mann writes:
> How old is Ray Lafferty?  He looks pretty old, but he's looked pretty
> old for the last 17 years.  Other writers/editors born in 1920 or
> earlier include Ray Bradbury (who looks about 20 years younger),
> Fred Pohl, Ian & Betty Ballantine and Andre Norton.
> 


Jack Williamson is also very old.  Apparently when he was young
his family moved west in a covered wagon!!  I'd guess he is at
least pushing 90, and is possibly older.  (Anyone have a reference
book handy?)


--
Jim Mann                                       
jmann@vineland.pubs.stratus.com 
Stratus Computer
From: warwick@cs.uq.oz.au (Warwick Allison)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc
Subject: Re: "SF" versus <spit> "SciFi"
Date: 13 Apr 92 03:39:04 GMT
Reply-To: warwick@cs.uq.oz.au

DAVIS@licr.dn.mu.OZ.AU writes:

>What really gets up my nose though is the abbreviation of Science
>Fiction to "SciFi".  When *I* was a youngster I was brought up
>correctly!  Surely the One True Abbreviation is "SF"! 

You saying "EssEff" gets half a mouthful of your saliva up MY NOSE. 
SPELL it SF (it's easier to write, and spreads less unease), SAY it
scifi (it's easier to say, and spreads less disease).  


Just my A$0.025 worth.
--
Warwick.
--
  _-_|\      warwick@cs.uq.oz.au            / eastings genistas /
 /     * <-- Computer Science Department,  / giantess seatings /
 \_.-._/     University of Queensland,    / teasings tsiganes /
      v      Brisbane, Australia.        / -------- -------- /
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc
From: kasprj@jacob.its.rpi.edu (Jim Kasprzak)
Subject: Re: Asimov
Reply-To: kasprj@rpi.edu
Organization: The Big Wedge
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1992 01:44:45 GMT

In article <12438@umd5.umd.edu>, walrus@bessel.umd.edu (Grig Larson) writes:
 
 [anecdote about Asimov showing up at a con with no advance hype]

|> And you can't mistake those sideburns for anyone else....:)
 
 The first time I saw Asimov in person was at Lunacon in '88. He just walked
down the hallway where I was talking to a few other people. I thought I
recognized the sideburns from somewhere, and when it finally clicked, I said,
"Hey, did you notice that guy? He looked just like Isaac Asimov!"
 
 The person next to me, more enlightened than I, whacked me upside the head
and said, "You bozo, that WAS Isaac Asimov."
 
 I, like most everyone here, will miss him greatly.
------------------------------------------------------------------
     __  Live from Capitaland, heart of the Empire State...
 ___/  | Jim Kasprzak, computer operator @ RPI, Troy, NY, USA
/____ *| Why can't people stop taking things so seriously? 
     \_| "All I want is to have my peace of mind" - Boston   
      ====  e-mail: kasprj@rpi.edu or kasprzak@mts.rpi.edu 
 
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc
From: urgent@wam.umd.edu (Gent-Secret A)
Subject: Re: "SF" versus <spit> "SciFi"
Organization: University of Maryland at College Park
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1992 20:50:44 GMT

In article <1992Apr15.191741.8158@sbcs.sunysb.edu> shane@sbgrad7.cs.sunysb.edu (Shane Bouslough) writes:
>In article <cswj=#r.xtifr@netcom.com> xtifr@netcom.com (Chris Waters) writes:
>
>>What really gets up *my* nose is pretentious wankers who feel they have
>>to compensate for their own insecurity by setting up straw dogs like
>>this.  Boy, it sure makes you feel high and mighty to know that you're
>>superior to those "infidels" who say "skiffy", huh?
>
>followed by
>
>>convention when I was three.  I've dined at the house of Phil Farmer,
>>Marion Zimmer Bradley, and Poul Anderson, crashed at the house of
>>Randall Garrett, Phil Dick, and at Greyhaven.  John Brunner has crashed
>>at parent's house when he was in the States.  My aunt has six or seven
>>[etc]
>
>But what *REALLY* yanks my dingdong are pretentious wankers who feel
>dropping names somehow legitimizes their opinions. So John Brunner
>slept at your parents house? WOW! You must *really* know the right
>abbreviation for science fiction!
>
>>Chris Waters    | the insane don't |   I figure the odds be fifty-fifty:
>>xtifr@netcom.COM| need disclaimers | I just might have something to say. --FZ
>
>
>--
>Shane Bouslough       | #include <stddisc.h>
>shane@sbcs.sunysb.edu | #include <funnyquote.h>

And of course what really wanks various other parts of my anatomy are
the gits out there who get upset at a totally facitious article by
someone who knows yer all out there waiting to just jump on the 
flame-wagon.

(The original poster did include a PS in the post: it included
 the net.symbol for "tongue-in-cheek," namely ":-^" (I think). I
 detect that many here arn't respondin' in a similar light and
 need this pointed out.)
-- 
David A. Gent----------| Truth can set you free, but only if you freely ---
(urgent@wam.umd.edu)   |                 abuse it...
aka: SecretDaveGentMan |  [The Zeno project accepts my opinions, but does not
pianist's -r- us ------|---------   embrace or reflect them.] ---------------
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc,rec.arts.sf.written
From: dim2@ellis.uchicago.edu (Alexander Dimitrov)
Subject: Re: Isaac Asimov
Reply-To: dim2@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: University of Chicago Computing Organizations
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 20:46:37 GMT

We remember thee, Master!

-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alexander Dimitrov		a-dimitrov@uchicago.edu
tel.(312) 667-1611	   or   dim2@midway.uchicago.edu (Internet)
--------------------