HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: chad@pms704.pms.ford.com (Chad Childers)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc,rec.arts.sf-lovers
Subject: Re: ASIMOV
Date: 13 Apr 92 19:02:58 GMT
Article-I.D.: fmsrl7.1992Apr13.190258.9443
Organization: Technical Affairs, Ford Motor Company

>In article <1992Apr10.173524.20597@unix.brighton.ac.uk> rjb12@unix.brighton.ac.uk (Browning;f110or89;[05306) writes:
>>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

I would be surprised if the popular media did him justice... you should think
about that, and consider whether you really want to spend your time watching
television.

Friends said there was nothing on TV here, but I heard about his death on
the radio Monday morning.  We knew he was getting old, but it was still a
shock I will not soon forget.

In article <1992Apr11.003231.23063@news.media.mit.edu> minsky@media.mit.edu (Marvin Minsky) writes:
>eventually I came to share the personal friendship of these great
>teachers.  Why call them "teachers"?  Because they show us ways to
>explore new ideas by exercising the vital "what if" capacity that so
>often declines as we grow older and more sensible.

True, so true... I envy your chance to get to know him... I had always hoped
to meet Dr.A, he profoundly influenced me, certainly more than any other
living author, perhaps more than any at all.  Reading Expanding_Universe or
Foundation definitely opened one's mind.

>      "Isaac always encouraged his readers to try to see the world as
>comprehensible, to despise superstition and moral cowardice, and to
>think and speak as clearly and simply as possible.  He was never
>falsely modest, but was always honest, unpretentious, and humorous.
>To me he was among the finest of modern philosophers.

Thank you, Dr. Minsky.  It really helps to hear such a respected scientist
say what we all feel, and say it so well.  Perhaps Dr.A. will never be honored
on a postage stamp like Elvis, but some of us know what's real.

-- 
Chad Childers                            Work:  chad@quality.ta.ford.com
FMEAplus Project Leader                  Home:  chad@deep.mi.org
230 Parklane Towers East                 Voice: 313-33-71616
Dearborn, MI 48126 USA                   Fax:       59-49884
From: erics@ocf.berkeley.edu (Eric Schaffer)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc
Subject: SF/Fantasy Books For Sale
Date: 11 Apr 1992 19:49:16 GMT
Organization: ucb
Distribution: na
NNTP-Posting-Host: lightning.berkeley.edu

Science fiction and fantasy books for sale.  

For more details please contact Eric Schaffer at 510 549-0124, or 
send email to 'erics@ocf.berkeley.edu'. 


Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc
From: kyle@uunet.uu.net (Kyle Jones)
Subject: Re: Coolest SF Character (was Re: Even more things vs.things)
Organization: UUNET Technologies, Inc
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1992 13:58:28 GMT

Don't remember the characters name (not sure even that it was
given), but my vote for coolest character goes to the
narrator/protagonist in Steven Gould's "Peaches for Mad Molly".

Beowulf Shaeffer is a close second but he's a bit lazy.
From: ecl@cbnewsj.cb.att.com (Evelyn C. Leeper)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc
Subject: Oldest Living Old Masters/FAQ (was Re: Asimov - The Passing of a True Great)
Date: 12 Apr 92 23:34:35 GMT
Organization: AT&T

In article <65112@apple.Apple.COM> chuq@Apple.COM (Chuq Von Rospach) writes:
> Laurie Mann writes:
> 
> >And Arthur C. Clarke sounded pretty good for 74 in an interview
> >with NPR after Asimov's death on Monday.
> 
> I've had a chat with various people since Isaac's problem started last
> weekend. All of the Grand Old Farts of Science Fiction seem to be in pretty
> good health. The old master seems to be Jack Williamson at 84. 

I'm sure Jerry Boyajian will correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the oldest
master is Frank Belknap Long at 89 in two weeks (God willing); Manly Wade
Wellman is either a month or two years and a month younger (depending on
whether you follow Tuck's ENCYCLOPEDIA OF SF AND FANTASY or Nicholls' SF
ENCYCLOPEDIA) ; De Camp (mentioned by another poster) is third at 84.
Williamson is third at a young 83 (again, in a couple of weeks, GW).  The
birthdays are:
	Frank Belknap Long, 4/27/03 (Tuck)
	Manly Wade Wellman, 5/21/05  (Tuck) (1903, no date given, Nicholls)
	L. Sprague De Camp, 11/27/07 (Tuck)
	Jack Williamson, 4/29/08 (Tuck)
However, I think Long and Wellman have retired from writing, so De Camp and
Williamson are the oldest active writers.  Clarke, by comparison to this crowd,
is positively juvenile--he's young enough to be Long's son!

(Can the keeper of the rec.arts.sf.written FAQ stash this in there somewhere?
It's been asked several times in my memory.)

Evelyn C. Leeper  |  +1 908 957 2070  |  att!mtgzy!ecl or  ecl@mtgzy.att.com
--
The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new
discoveries, is not "Eureka!" (I found it!) but "That's funny ..."
					 -- Isaac Asimov (1920-1992)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc
From: mwasson@uhunix.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu (Michael Wasson)
Subject: Re: Coolest SF Character (was Re: Even more things vs.things)
Organization: University of Hawaii
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 06:05:55 GMT


Alyx; Joanna Russ's "Picnic in Paradise" ("...on Paradise"?)

----------------------------------------
mike @ u. of hawai


Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc,rec.arts.sf-lovers
From: tyg@HQ.Ileaf.COM (Thomas Galloway)
Subject: Re: ASIMOV
Reply-To: tyg@HQ.Ileaf.COM (Thomas Galloway)
Organization: Interleaf, Inc.
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 92 14:38:43 GMT

In article <1992Apr14.045918.797@news.media.mit.edu> minsky@media.mit.edu (Marvin Minsky) writes:
>>In article <1992Apr13.190258.9443@fmsrl7.srl.ford.com> chad@pms704.pms.ford.com (Chad Childers) writes:
>>>Perhaps Dr.A. will never be honored on a postage stamp like Elvis, but some
>>>of us know what's real. 
>
> Hmm.  Who would one write letter to, to get this done?

Right now, no one. Before being put on a postage stamp, a person has to
be dead for a certain period of time (or in the case of Elvis, presumed
dead :-)). I forget whether the period is 5 or 10 years. If the former,
it's time to start thinking about cranking up the machinery to get 
Heinlein on a stamp since he's been gone for about 4 years.

tyg   tyg@hq.ileaf.com
From: seiler@amarna.gsfc.nasa.gov (Ed Seiler)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc
Subject: Asimov stamp
Date: 15 Apr 92 22:06:10 GMT
Organization: Hughes/STX


  I think a tribute to Asimov that would be far more fitting than a postage
stamp would be to name some significant astronomical body/event/project after
him. For instance, if a very bright supernova just happened to occur sometime
soon. Or maybe a robot explorer space probe. Imagine "Mission Control, Asimov
has landed!"

Ed Seiler
seiler@amarna.gsfc.nasa.gov
From: Master_Robot@the_institute
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc
Subject: We'll remember you forever
Date: 8 Apr 92 15:14:59 GMT
Article-I.D.: hplb.1992Apr08.151459.18152
Organization: on the moon drinking oil
Originator: olivier@spira.bri.hp.com


Bye bye Dr Asimov, I am even dropping a tear.
Thank you for bring life to us.

Master Robot
From: sejones@csws1.ic.sunysb.edu (Stefan E Jones)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc
Subject: Re: Denial of Humanity
Date: 16 Apr 92 03:58:18 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: State University of New York at Stony Brook

Excellent Reference:

"Temporal Aspects of the Interaction among the First Galactic
Civilizations: The 'Interdict Hypothesis'" by Martyn J. Fogg

Appeared in _Icarus_ vol. 69, (1987). The author ran several thousand
simulations of galactic expansion/colonization; concludes that some sort
of interdiction scheme is in effect. Crux of the argument: "The hypothesis
that knowledge would likely be the most valuable resource of an advanced
culture has already been mentioned . . . If this is so, the we have a valid
reason for leaving life-bearing planets fallow for long-term study as
valuable nonrenewable sources of information." The simulation also came up
with an average "empire" size of over a million inhabitable planets populated
by (assuming only habitable worlds are occupied) 10^16 sapients. 

I met the author (who has written a number of articles on interstellar
travel, colonization, terraforming, and the like) at the CONTACT conference
in March; he's trying to get Usenet access. A remarkable guy!

--Stefan E. Jones
  Locust Valley, NY

TOG:
  Go on . . . post the Outreach quote!
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc
From: Andrew Bros <bros@convex.COM>
Subject: Re: Heinlein(Lazarus Long)
Originator: bros@mikey.convex.com
Reply-To: bros@convex.COM (Andrew Bros)
Organization: Convex Computer Corporation, Richardson, TX
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1992 21:33:13 GMT
X-Disclaimer: This message was written by a user at CONVEX Computer
              Corp. The opinions expressed are those of the user and
              not necessarily those of CONVEX.

In article <2050@sjfc.UUCP> pp8851@sjfc.UUCP (Pamela Principe) writes:
>Why doesn't Lazarus ever go back and get Dora(his great love from _Time 
>Enough For Love_? He has the time travel at his disposal. And to me Dora 
>was the only woman (besides his mother) that he truely loved without 
>reservation. 
>
>Pamela

  As someone else pointed out, there are technical reasons that would
make this very difficult.

  I think a better reason is that Dora wouldn't have liked it.  She
could have gone with Lazarus to Secundus and gone through regeneration
as often as necessary, although there are limits to the effectiveness
of treatment on "non-Howards".  Dora didn't want this.

  I like to believe that Lazarus had one of his unselfish moments, and
put her feelings above his own.
-- 
Andrew Bros				bros@convex.com
Technical Assistance Center		Convex Computer Corporation
Hacker's Dictionary:  DOS: Dain-bramaged Operating System
From: ed@wente.llnl.gov (Ed Suranyi)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc
Subject: Test
Date: 13 Apr 92 06:40:58 GMT

Test
Ed
From: Crawford_Kilian@mindlink.bc.ca (Crawford Kilian)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc
Subject: Re: DeCamp was( Asimov - The Passing)
Date: 12 Apr 92 17:10:46 GMT
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada

I had the honor and pleasure of meeting the DeCamps at a convention in Calgary
a couple of years ago--what a wonderful couple! Both of them good-looking,
witty, elegantly dressed, full of energy and good conversation, and living
proof that spending your life in this field may be helpful to your health.
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc
From: orange@alfred.carleton.ca (Paul Vallee)
Subject: Re: Coolest SF Character (was Re: Even more things vs.things)
Keywords: coolest, sf, character, Blake's 7, Avon
Organization: Carleton University
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1992 13:49:30 GMT

I nominate Jack Chalker's Nathan Brazil, of the WellWorld series.
Most Cool.

*my 0,02$, that's it...*


orange@ccs.carleton.ca ------- Paul Vallee ---- 542429@acadvm1.uottawa.ca
------------Home: (613)569-1068 --------- Work: (613)995-6921------------
"We have to shout above the din of our Rice Krispies..."     - The Police
"My Canada includes Quebec."  <-- If you believe it, say it!
From: Joel.Rosenberg@f341.n282.z1.tdkt.kksys.com (Joel Rosenberg)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc
Subject: Asimov
Date: 14 Apr 92 14:35:01 GMT

In a message to All <14 Apr 92 04:59> Marvin Minsky writes in and says:

 >>>Thank you, Dr. Minsky.  It really helps to hear such a respected scientist
 >>>say what we all feel, and say it so well.  Perhaps Dr.A. will
 MM> never be honored
 >>>on a postage stamp like Elvis, but some of us know what's real.
 >>      ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >>Excellent idea!
 >>
 >>Ben Allen
 >>allen-benjamin@cs.yale.edu

 MM> Hmm.  Who would one write letter to, to get this done?

Your congresscritter and the Postmaster General, for starters.

 * Origin: Now you see it, now you don't (1:282/341.0)
From: bwise@hemlock.mitre.org (Barry Wise)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc
Subject: Re: Coolest SF Character  (was Re: Even more things vs.things)
Date: 13 Apr 92 18:00:42 GMT
Article-I.D.: linus.1992Apr13.180042.15188
Organization: The MITRE Corporation

In article <1992Apr12.140052.19577@corax.udac.uu.se>  
t88_lars_e@maj.teknikum.uu.se (L. Erik Hillberg) writes:
> 
> >>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.
> 
How about Retief, the dippymat?
--
Barry Wise
(bwise@hemlock.mitre.org)
From: jheath@CERIS.Purdue.EDU (Jim Heath)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc
Subject: Re: Coolest SF Character  (was Re: Even more things vs.things)
Date: 14 Apr 92 18:05:04 GMT
Organization: Center for Environmental and Regulatory Information Systems, Purdue University

From article <1992Apr13.180042.15188@linus.mitre.org>, by bwise@hemlock.mitre.org (Barry Wise):
> In article <1992Apr12.140052.19577@corax.udac.uu.se>  
> t88_lars_e@maj.teknikum.uu.se (L. Erik Hillberg) writes:
>> 
>> >>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.
>> 
> How about Retief, the dippymat?
>

How about the narrator in the Callahan stories?
-- 
"Land of song, said the warrior bard,           Jim Heath
Though all the world betrays thee.
One sword, at least, thy rights shall guard, (The Minstrel Boy)
One faithful harp will praise thee."         (Thomas More)
From: phil%miracle@merk.com (Phil Hill)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc
Subject: Re: Advanced Dungeons & Dragons ...
Date: Sun, 05 Apr 92 23:41:39 EST
Organization: Miracle Computer Consultants

dat91uni@ludat.lth.se (Urban Nilsson) writes:
>
>Hello !
>
>I just wonder if there's any one out there who wanna exchange some experiences
>with me, or start a thread here about for example why can't TSR print all stuff
>that they give out in the same book, ex: all spells in one compendium ?,
>what to do with a character that have XL > 20 ? ...
>
>Hope to get some interest ...
>
>Regards / UNI

Try posting in rec.games.frp you'll get much better results.

(Frp = FANTASY ROLE PLAYING)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Phil Hill                     | "All you people in TV land,           |
| Miracle Computer Consultants  |   I will wake up your empty shells.   |
| Email: phil%miracle@merk.com  |  Peak time viewing blown in a flash,  |
|  -or-  phil.hill@channel1.com |   as I burn into your memory cells.   |
| FAX:   (508)875-3297          |  'cause I'm alive." - Peter Gabriel   |
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc,rec.arts.books
From: nadel@aero.org (M.H. Nadel)
Subject: Re: Moorcock's reference to Harlequin
Keywords: harlequin,moorcock
Organization: The Aerospace Corporation, El Segundo, CA
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1992 14:59:13 GMT

In article <rose.702656189@acf9> rose@acf9.nyu.edu (David Rose) writes:
>
>  In a couple or so of his stories, Michael Moorcock alludes to an 18th
>or 19th century story of Harlequin and Poirot.  I believe he does this
>in one of the "Dancers at the End of Time" series as well as "A Brothel
>in Rosenstrauss" (which is a period piece, and not fantasy/sci-fi).

Surely you mean Pierrot, not Poirot?  Harlequin and Pierrot, among others,
are classic characters of commedia dell'arte.  (Poirot, however, is a pompous
Belgian detective written about by Agatha Christie.  Christie did also
create Harley Quinn, but I don't recall the two of them getting together.)

Commedia dell'arte was a form of theatre that originated in Italy in the
16th century.  It had probably died out as popular entertainment by the 
mid-18th century.  There weren't actual stories, but improvisations based
on set characters.  In addition to Harlequin and Pierrot, these include
Pierrette, Columbine and Pantaloon.  These characters have been worked
into later literature and art forms, particularly dance.  August
Bournonville, the Danish choreographer and ballet theorist, made extensive
use of the commedia dell'arte traditions (sans the sleeve gestures that
passed for emoting), for example.

Miriam Nadel
-- 
"UCLA's fans are so totally mellow, nine out of every 10 have no idea where in
the world Duke University is located, or whether it was endowed by John Wayne
or named after Patty."     - Mike Downey
nadel@aerospace.aero.org
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc
Subject: Serious SF Plays
From: maven@kauri.vuw.ac.nz (Jim Baltaxe)
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1992 22:42:35 GMT
Followup-To: jim.baltaxe@vuw.ac.nz
Organization: Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand


Hi,

I am looking for any titles, scripts etc. for plays with a serious SF
theme which might be producable by a small but competent(!) group. The
"serious" above is to head off suggestions like the Rocky Horror Show
(the guy who made that one _should_ have known better!).

It occurred to me that I have never seen any such plays in live
theatre and I am wondering if anybody has - or whether the special
effects etc. might be too much to do on a limited budget. Or,
alternatively, that the genre got eaten by TV, Hollywood etc. sort of
like the Amoeba that Devoured Cleveland...

I'd prefer titles aimed at older audiences (if that isn't too much to
ask), but kids' shows would be useful too. If I can find something
useful, I will have a go at producing it, aspecially if amateur rights
are available.

Thanks in advance from a newcomer to the group.

-- 
Jim Baltaxe - jim.baltaxe@vuw.ac.nz
Computing Services Centre - Victoria University of Wellington - New Zealand
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Time is such a valuable commodity because they're not making it any more.
From: yee@mipgsun.mipg.upenn.edu (Conway Yee)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc
Subject: Re: Heinlein(Lazarus Long)
Date: 9 Apr 92 23:18:56 GMT
Organization: University of Pennsylvania

>Why doesn't Lazarus ever go back and get Dora(his great love from _Time 
>Enough For Love_? He has the time travel at his disposal. And to me Dora 
>was the only woman (besides his mother) that he truely loved without 
>reservation. 

The simple reason is that he can't.  Dora died while L.L. was in the
room.  Also, remember the L.L. "waited a long time" before calling in
his daughter.  Dora was in the company of others from the time before
she died until well after.  There is absolutely no way to pull a
switch.

If I remember correctly, Maureen Smith "died" in a car accident.  The
switch was pulled off in the confusion.


-- 
Blockley Hall, 4th floor|                    Conway Yee, N2JWQ
418 Service Drive       |yee@ming.mipg.upenn.edu    (preferred)
Philadelphia, PA 19104  |cy5@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu (forwarded to above)
(215) 662-6780          |yee@bnlx26.nsls.bnl.gov    (rarely checked)
From: Laurie 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 12:37:34 GMT
Reply-To: lmann@vineland.pubs.stratus.com

J. E. Shum writes
\>In article <1992Apr12.233435.25006@cbnewsj.cb.att.com>,  
ecl@cbnewsj.cb.att.com (Evelyn C. Leeper) writes:
>> ... Manly Wade
>> Wellman is either a month or two years and a month younger (depending on
>> whether you follow Tuck's ENCYCLOPEDIA OF SF AND FANTASY or Nicholls' SF
>> ENCYCLOPEDIA)
>> 	Manly Wade Wellman, 5/21/05  (Tuck) (1903, no date given, Nicholls)
>
>I can't provide the date but Wellman died some time ago.  I miss him.

Wellman died in 1986.  There was a big auction back at
ConFederation to help his widow pay for his medical expenses.

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.

* NeXT: lmann@vineland.pubs.stratus.com  GEnie,AOL: Laurie.Mann *
***    I guess we all have to fall apart a little, once in    ***
***   a while, in order to rebuild our dreams.  Tappan King   ***
From: willimsa@unix1.tcd.ie (Gavin Williams)
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: 11 Apr 92 01:30:41 GMT
Organization: Trinity College, Dublin



No way!!!!!
The coolest character of all time is Aiken Drum!!!!!!!
He beats the pants off everybody else...
You're all wrong Wrong WRONG WRONG!!!!!!!!   (IMHO  :-) )

--
         ______________________________________________________________
	|  A.G. Williams          |        Plus qu'il n'en faut.       |    
	|  willimsa@unix1.tcd.ie  |                                    |
	|_________________________|____________________________________|
Xref: sparky rec.arts.sf.misc:1359 rec.arts.sf-lovers:1018
From: sejones@csws1.ic.sunysb.edu (Stefan E Jones)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc,rec.arts.sf-lovers
Subject: Re: ASIMOV
Date: 12 Apr 92 16:48:09 GMT
Organization: State University of New York at Stony Brook

The business section of today's _New York Times_ (Sunday 4/12) has a nice
article by computer columnist John Markoff. It presents tributes by five
famous engineers and scientists, including Marvin Minsky, Gerard Piel (the
former editor of _Scientific American_) and Joseph Engelberger.

I'm still having trouble believing -- accepting -- that the grand old man
of SF is gone. But, as others have noted, his works are still with us. And
gol darn, there's a lot of it!

--Stefan E. Jones
Locust Valley, NY
From: unixwiz@mcl.mcl.ucsb.edu (Silk)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.misc
Subject: Re: Coolest SF Character (was Re: Even more things vs.things)
Date: 12 Apr 92 17:57:22 GMT

In <1992Apr12.140052.19577@corax.udac.uu.se> t88_lars_e@maj.teknikum.uu.se (L. Erik Hillberg) writes:


>>>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*

I don't know about that one....I was thinking more along the lines of
Zaphod Beeblebrox, President of the Universe...(or was it Galaxy) from
_Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy_ Series by Douglas Adams...I mean, the
guy's got it all together...He's always described as cool...

Another guy I would choose is probably Alois Hammer, of "Hammer's
Slammers" fame...He's tough and what-not, but he's no slouch, and he knows
what he's doing....

And of course, The Stainless Steel Rat, who has, I must admit, slowed down
since he got married, but up until then, he was definitely cool...

unixwiz@mcl.mcl.ucsb.edu

/=========================================================================\
|| I'm not under the alkafluence of inkahol that some thinkle peep I am. ||
|| It's just the drunker I sit here, the longer I get.                   ||
\=========================================================================/