Episode 29 - 10:01 AM (Alexander Malac) TBD

31:32

Theme : It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature. Episode Connections Authors, stories . Murray Leinster, The Lonely Planet . Ursula K. LeGuin, “Vaster Than Empires and More Slow.” Stanislaw Lem, Solaris . Tom Godwin, “The Cold Equations.” Orson Scott Card, Ender’s Game . Jack McDevitt. Robert Heinlein, “They.” Films . The Happening . TV episodes, series . That margarine commercial from the 70s. The Office . Ideas . Colonial expansion on a planetary scale. Links between recorded history and species survival. Erase history, erase humanity and all life on Earth. Genetic code is a form of recorded history. Sentient planets and plants. Can civilization advance if it cannot record its history or accomplishments? Gaia Hypothesis. Animism. What did we miss? James Tiptree, Jr., “The Last Flight of Dr. Ain.” Whoa - Hmmm - WTF . We gave it away early … a definite WTF tale. Previous episode : Ann Warren Griffith, “Captive Audience” Next episode : Arkady Strugotsky, “Wanderers and Travelers” Music Credit : "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod ( Incompetech.com ). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Link : Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/…

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Episode 30 - Captive Audience (Ann Warren Griffith) 40:26

6 weeks ago40:26

40:26

Theme : Paying your debt to Capitalism Episode Connections Authors, stories . Ann Warren Griffith, “Zeritsky’s Law.” Henry Cuttner, “Nothing But Ginger Bread Left.” Arthur C. Clarke, “The Ultimate Melody.” Fritz Leiber, “The Girl With the Hungry Eyes.” Frederic Pohl, The Space Merchants . Neal Stephenson, Snow Crash . George Orwell, 1984 . Films . Blade Runner . Music . Rush, “Subdivisions.” TV episodes, series . Commercials. The Super Bowl. Ideas . What if advertising were everywhere? Well … even MORE everywhere. What if it were a crime to ignore or block advertising? Do we live in a Capitalist surveillance society? We are conditioned to consume. What did we miss? The Truman Show for its ad placement. They Live for its subliminal messages about consumption. Whoa - Hmmm - WTF . Bill wishes this was a WTF story, but alas. Dan says Hmmm. Previous episode : Alexander Malec, “10:01 AM” Next episode : Chris Neville, “The Forest of Zyl” Music Credit : "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod ( Incompetech.com ). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Link : Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/…

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Episode 29 - 10:01 AM (Alexander Malac) 45:50

13 weeks ago45:50

45:50

Theme : Justice, fast-food style Episode Connections Authors, stories . Alexander Malac, Extrapolosis . Harry Harrison, The Stainless Steel Rat series. Daniel H. Wilson, Where’s My Jetpack ? Alice Glaser, “The Tunnel Ahead.” Films . Star Wars . Running Man . J udge Dread . RoboCop . Blade Runner . TV episodes, series . Firefly . Judge Judy . The People’s Court , Judge Mathis . The Hot Bench . Ideas . Vehicular homicide. Smart vehicles in surveillance cities. Instant, data-driven justice justice. Science fiction as a collection of (among other things) cautionary tales. Whoa - Hmmm - WTF . Dan says it falls between Hmmm and Whoa. Bill says no WTF, but plenty of the other two. Previous episode : Thomas F. Monteleone, “Chicago” Next episode : Ann Warren Griffith, “Captive Audience” Music Credit : "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod ( Incompetech.com ). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Link : Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/…

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Episode 28 - Chicago (Thomas F. Monteleone) 39:26

18 weeks ago39:26

39:26

Theme : If I had a million robots ... Episode Connections Authors, stories . Dean Koontz. Monteleone, The Time Swept City . Fritz Lieber, “A Pail of Air.” Roger Zelazny, “For a Breath I Tarry.” Tom Godwin, “The Cold Equations.” Ray Bradbury, “There Will Come Soft Rains.” Cyril Kornbluth, “Marching Morons.” Harlan Ellison, “I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream.” Jack Williamson, “With Folded Hands.” Films . Colossus . The Planet of the Apes film series. Finch . I, Robot . Wall-E . Star Wars . TV episodes, series . Car Talk. Star Trek (the original series). Ideas . Automated, smart cities. Robots. Post-apocalyptic Earth. Human devolution. What does it mean to be human? Whoa - Hmmm - WTF . Dan says … hmmm at best. Maybe we need to add Meh to the scale? Bill says yep. Previous episode : Roger Zelazny, “For a Breath I Tarry” Next episode : Alexander Malec, “10:01 AM” Music Credit : "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod ( Incompetech.com ). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Link : Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/…

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Episode 27 - For a Breath I Tarry (Roger Zelazny) 56:19

45 weeks ago56:19

56:19

Theme : What does it mean to be human? Episode Connections Authors, stories . Roger Zelanzny, Chronicles of Amber . Neil Gaiman, Sandman . The Bible . Isaac Asimov, Bicentennial Man . Jack Williamson, “With Folded Hands.” Films . Bicentennial Man. AI. Blade Runner. I, Robot. Finch . TV episodes, series . Star Trek: The Next Generation . Ideas . Literary sci fi. Mythological connections. Logic is once again the defining characteristic of humankind, even in a post-human world. In that context, the story asks … what does it mean to be human? What role does emotion play in defining humanity? Whoa - Hmmm - WTF . Bill says it is designed to be a Hmmm tale. Dan agrees. Previous episode : Ray Bradbury, “There Will Come Soft Rains” Next episode : Thomas F. Monteleone, “Chicago” Music Credit : "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod ( Incompetech.com ). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Link : Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/…

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Episode 26 - There Will Come Soft Rains (Ray Bradbury) 35:22

1 year ago35:22

35:22

Theme : Our house … is a very, very, very smart house Episode Connections Authors, stories . Sara Teasdale, “There Will Come Soft Rains.” Dean Koontz, The Demon Seed . Alan Weisman, The World Without Us . James Tiptree Jr., “The Last Flight of Dr. Ain.” McSweeney’s.com. Fritz Lieber, “A Pale of Air.” Larry Niven, “Inconstant Moon.” Films . The Demon Seed . I, Robot . Back to the Future . Mad Max . Planet of the Apes . Winnie the Pooh . TV episodes, series . Ray Bradbury Theater . The Jetsons . The Jeffersons . Life After People . Little House on the Prairie . Ideas . Nuclear holocaust. Automated houses. "Life" after the apocalypse. Whoa - Hmmm - WTF . Dan says it is definitely a Hmmm story to begin with, but maybe a little bit a Hmmm - wtf. As in WTF did you humans do? Bill says it is a bit of Whoa because there are no humans. Previous episode : James Tiptree Jr., “The Last Flight of Dr. Ain” Next episode : Roger Zelazny, “For a Breath I Tarry” Music Credit : "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod ( Incompetech.com ). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Link : Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/…

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Episode 25 - The Last Flight of Dr. Ain (James Tiptree, Jr) 37:52

1 year ago37:52

37:52

Theme : A plague of humans. Episode Connections Authors, stories . Lynn Margulis, the Gaia Hypothesis. Stephen King, The Stand . Richard Matheson, I Am Legend . Richard Preston, The Hot Zone . Albert Robina, The War in the Twentieth Century . Aldo’s Huxley, Brave New World . H.G. Wells, “The Stolen Bacillus.” Nicholas Christakis, Apollo’s Arrow . Films . The Matrix . Resident Evil films. The Omega Man . The Last Man On Earth . I Am Legend . 12 Monkeys . The Andromeda Strain . Outbreak . Games . Plague Incorporated . The Goliath Virus . Ideas . Post-apocalyptic sci fi. Environmental degradation. The Gaia Hypothesis. Biological warfare. Whoa - Hmmm - WTF . Dan says Hmmm. A very plausible hmmm. Bill wishes that it could be a WTF story, but it is just too real. Previous episode : Larry Niven, “Inconstant Moon” Next episode : Ray Bradbury, “There Will Come Soft Rains” Music Credit : "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod ( Incompetech.com ). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Link : Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/…

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Episode 24 - Inconstant Moon (Larry Niven) 40:24

2 years ago40:24

40:24

Theme : It’s the end of the world as we know it, and I feel … angst. Episode Connections Authors, stories . Larry Niven, Ringworld series. Fritz Lieber, “A Pail of Air.” Arthur C. Clarke, “Rescue Party,” and “The Star.” Jerry Pournelle. Ursula K. LeGuin. Films . Finch. Castaway. Solar Flare. Sunshine. Sharknado. The World’s End. Knowing. Apollo 19. TV episodes, series . The Land of the Lost. Star Trek: The Animated Series. The Outer Limits. The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Music . Nickel Creek, “The 21st of May.” Ideas . Apocalyptic, hard sci fi. Solar decay/disaster. Disaster stories. The last night on Earth. Whoa - Hmmm - WTF . Dan says it falls between Hmmm & Whoa. Bills suggests it is a rising and falling Whoa, like a roller coaster. Previous episode : Fritz Lieber, “A Pail of Air” Next episode : James Tiptree Jr., “The Last Flight of Dr. Ain” Music Credit : "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod ( Incompetech.com ). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Link : Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/…

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Episode 23 - A Pail of Air (Fritz Lieber) 36:13

2 years ago36:13

36:13

Theme : I can see my breath. I can scoop mine with a bucket. Now that’s COLD! Episode Connections Authors, stories . Fritz Lieber, Newhon series. James M. Ward & Rob Kuntz, Deities & Demigods (TSR, AD&D). Stephen King, “The Jaunt.” Jerome Bixby, The Holes Around Mars . Hal Clement, Mission of Gravity . Tom Godwin, “The Cold Equations.” Films . Snowpiercer . The Day After Tomorrow . The Colony . Mad Max . TV episodes, series . None this time. Ideas . Post-apocalyptic sci fi. Surviving the apocalypse in a blanket fort. Did they have duct tape in 1951? The Earth was pulled away from the Sun. Not all science fiction stands up to scientific scrutiny. Many early sci fi stories are built around pseudoscience. Science feels more like magic in some of those stories. Sci fi inspired fantasy authors to have laws of magic. So, Lieber gets some science wrong. “Fire and pure oxygen don’t play real well together.” Sometimes sci fi just constitutes a good yarn. The “Life is good” postulate in sci fi … there is always hope. Pousse cafe, layered digestif - recipe at < Epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/the-pousse-cafe-no-1-51167400 >. This is an early post-apocalyptic sci fi story. Oddly optimistic. Extremely cold realms have come to equate with space. alien landscapes, and post-apocalyptic lit. Nuclear winter. Climate change. Rising temperatures … we need more sci fi stories about blazing heat. Assless leather chaps are never a good fashion choice. TBD is key to surviving an apocalypse. Whoa - Hmmm - WTF . Dan says … none of these apply well to “A Pail of Air.” It is less science fiction than fictional science. Bill says it is a head scratcher. Worth reading, but not great science. Previous episode : R.A. Lafferty, “Encased in Ancient Rind” Next episode : Larry Niven, “Inconstant Moon” Music Credit : "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod ( Incompetech.com ). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Link : Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/…

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Episode 22 - Encased in Ancient Rind (R.A. Lafferty) 40:59

2 years ago40:59

40:59

Theme : Does more life bring greater wisdom? Episode Connections Authors, stories . Neil Gaiman, Sandman series. Phillip K. Dick. Samuel R. Delaney & Marilyn Hacker, Quark series. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings . Stephen R. Donaldson, The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant . Jerome Bixby, “Old Testament.” Clifford Simak, “Desertion.” J.G. Ballard, “Voices of Time.” Jason Key. R.A. Lafferty, Not to Mention Camels . Jonathan Strahan, The Best of R.A. Lafferty . Films . The Day After Tomorrow . TV episodes, series . None this time. Ideas . Post-apocalyptic sci fi. Evolution & adaptation of species. Free speech, knowledge, and oppression. Social & intellectual regression. Whoa - Hmmm - WTF . Bill says he began in a state of WTF, but that fades to Hmmm on further reading. Lafferty hits you between the ears. “Ancient Rind” is strategically weird. Dan followed a similar path. Previous episode : Alice Glaser, “The Tunnel Ahead,” Kurt Vonnegut, “2BR02B” Next episode : Fritz Lieber, “A Pail of Air” Music Credit : "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod ( Incompetech.com ). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Link : Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/…

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Episode 21 - The Tunnel Ahead (Alice Glaser) & 2BR02B (Kurt Vonnegut) 46:40

2 years ago46:40

46:40

Episode Connections Authors, stories . Kurt Vonnegut, Cat’s Cradle, Slaughterhouse 5 . Paul Ehrlich, Population Bomb, Population Explosion . Stephen Emmott, Ten Billion . Dr. Danny Dorling, Population 10 Billion . Harry Harrison, Make Room, Make Room . John Brunner, Stand On Zanzibar . Isaac Asimov, Caves of Steel . Films . The Tunnel. 2BR02B. What Happened to Monday? Soylent Green. Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: End Game. Inferno. Logan’s Run . TV episodes, series . Star Trek , “The Mark of Gideon.” Love, Death, & Robots , “The Swarm.” “The Parasite.” Ideas . Over/population & post/apocalyptic sci fi. Social consequences of population explosion. Government strategies for population control. Whoa - Hmmm - WTF . The scale is less applicable … a little hmmm, a little wtf. Previous episode : Stephen King, “The Jaunt” Next episode : R.A. Lafferty, “Encased in Ancient Rind” Music Credit : "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod ( Incompetech.com ). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Link : Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/…

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Episode 20 - The Jaunt (Stephen King) 34:19

3 years ago34:19

34:19

Episode Connections Authors, stories . Alfred Bester, The Stars My Destination . Clive Barker, “Hellraiser.” Dan Simmons, Hyperion . Robert Jordan, The Wheel of Time series. Fred T. Jane, To Venus in Five Seconds . Films . The Langoliers . Back to the Future . Galaxy Quest . Stargate . Contact . The Fly (both versions). TV episodes, series . Star Trek . Ideas . Teleportation v. matter transportation. Scientists / inventors in sci fi. Physical v. psychological trauma. Psychological effects of travel through time & space. Whoa - Hmmm - WTF . Bill - A smidge of hmmm, and a bit of whoa, and a bit of wtf. But it does not register big on any of them. Dan says … the little flaws take a bit away Previous episode : Dean Koontz, “Altarboy” Next episode : Alice Glaser, “The Tunnel Ahead,” Kurt Vonnegut, “2BR02B” Music Credit : "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod ( Incompetech.com ). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Link : Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/…

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Episode 19 - Altar Boy (Dean Koontz) 38:21

3 years ago38:21

38:21

Episode Connections Authors, storie s. Dean Koontz, Star Quest, Odd Thomas series. Harlan Ellison. Dean Koontz, Midnight . Harry Harrison, Soylent Green . Aldous Huxley, Brave New World . John W. Campbell, “Who Goes There?” Films . Odd Thomas. Logan’s Run. Star Wars . TV episodes, series . Quantum Leap. Stargate. Star Trek. Dr. Who . Ideas . Government by consensus. The soul as the driver for identity. Fear of dissent leads to compliant citizenry. Time travel through mental discipline. Government = control. Mind control and mental discipline. Whoa - Hmmm - WTF . Bill began all-in on WTF, but softened his read to include a little bit of hmmm upon revisiting the story. Dan agrees, but adds in a whoa factor. Previous episode : James Causey, “Inferiority” Next episode : Stephen King, “The Jaunt” Music Credit : "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod ( Incompetech.com ). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Link : Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/…

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Episode 18 - Inferiority (James Causey) 30:30

3 years ago30:30

30:30

Episode Connections Authors, stories . Frederic Brown, “Arena.” Flash Gordon series. Edgar Rice Burroughs, John Carter/ Barsoom series. Cyril Kornbluth, “The Marching Morons.” Films . Independence Day. Battlefield Earth. Signs. War of the Worlds . TV episodes, series . Star Trek . Ideas . Cultural accomplishment & envy. Militant v. peaceful values - which is greater? Barbarism in sci fi. Boxing is the celebration of brutality. Human ingenuity. Sci fi uses cultural differences to teach us something about ourselves. Whoa - Hmmm - WTF . Dan starts with hmmm, turns to whoa, and ends in WTF. Bill says hmmm to whoa. Previous episode : Jerome Bixby, “Old Testament” Next episode : Dean Koontz, “Altar Boy” Music Credit : "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod ( Incompetech.com ). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Link : Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/…

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Episode 17 - Old Testament (Jerome Bixby) 37:15

3 years ago37:15