Links for 03-12-2007
Aldiss laments sf’s unpopularity, the history of Indian sf, de-bloating EMI, the failure of the War on Drugs, US claims legal right to kidnap anyone anywhere any time …
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1 - Why are science fiction’s best writers so neglected? Brian Aldiss
“SF is a city literature. It thrives in developed countries. It’s the magic brewed, not in the high street, but in side streets, in high-rise apartments, in hotel rooms, in offices, in airport lounges.
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2 - Udankhatola Redux - the history of Indian science fiction
DNA-ALTERING experiments, moody robots, strange mutations from failed cloning projects, wonder machines and nano-gadgetry, and, of course, aliens playing peek-a-boo with humans — science fiction writing in Indian languages has this all and more.
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3 - The future warehouse of unwanted books
“The warehouse is extraordinary,” the Guardian writes, “because, unlike all those monstrous Tesco and Amazon depositories that litter the fringes of the motorways of the Midlands, it is being meticulously constructed to house things that no one wants.”
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4 - Bringing EMI down to earth
“Terra Firma, the new owner of the record label, is stamping out the last vestiges of rock ‘n’ roll excess.” Lean times for lazy suits. My heart weeps, really it does.
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5 - How Africa’s desert sun can bring Europe power
“Europe is considering plans to spend more than £5bn on a string of giant solar power stations along the Mediterranean desert shores of northern Africa and the Middle East.” Because importing energy has always worked before.
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6 - In a parallel universe, this theory would make sense
“We all have our favourite take on the existence of parallel worlds; it’s a subject that has been fodder for science-fiction writers for quite a while now. The question is whether the idea has a place in serious scientific discourse.”
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7 - US says it has right to kidnap British citizens
“If you kidnap a person outside the United States and you bring him there, the court has no jurisdiction to refuse — it goes back to bounty hunting days in the 1860s.” Good grief. This world is so broken.
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8 - How America Lost the War on Drugs
“After Thirty-Five Years and $500 Billion, Drugs Are as Cheap and Plentiful as Ever: An Anatomy of a Failure.” Set aside an hour - this is a must-read article, and a spectacular piece of journalism.
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