The omnibus review can now be viewed here.

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(2006 continued...)

The review can now be viewed here.

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(2006 continued...)

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(2006 continued...)

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(2006 continued...)

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(2006 continued...)

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(2006 continued...)

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(2006 continued...and moves into 2007 and 2008!)

The combined reviews can now be found here.

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(2006 continued...)

The review can now be viewed here.

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(2006 continued...)

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(2006 continued...)

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(2006 continued...)

The review can now be found here.

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Many people have died protecting our country. They have not only died on battlefields, but at home: saving others from criminals, saving others from fires.

Even "ordinary civilians" can be heroes.

Today I finished re-reading Robert Mason's Chickenhawk and started re-reading We Were Soldiers Once...And Young by Lt. Gen. Harold G. Moore (Ret.) and Joseph L. Galloway. I recalled a photograph that had been on the cover of an earlier edition of the book.

And then I recalled who the person was in the photograph. And what role he played in a later battle.

Even "ordinary civilians" can be heroes.

I love the caption for the photograph found at this site:

No sleep for 48 hours.
Grimy, unshaven, filthy uniform.
Canteens loose, dogtags hanging out, pocket unbuttoned, helmet strap hanging.
No insignia of rank, sleeves up.
Dirty fingernails.
His bayonet is fixed; trigger finger alert and ready for action.

Posted by: Fred Kiesche at 12:16 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Here's what I've read since my last report:

The Accidental Mind: How Brain Evolution Has Given Us Love, Memory, Dreams, and God, David J. Linden

The Varieties of Scientific Experience: A Personal View of the Search for God, Carl Sagan (edited by Ann Druyan)

In progress:

Change: Principles of Problem Formation and Problem Resolution, Paul Watzlawick et al.

Teach Yourself Spanish Complete Course Package, Juan Kattan-Ibarra

Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon, Daniel C. Dennett

The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer, Neal Stephenson

On Deck:

1776, David McCullough (Still...)

Posted by: JohnL at 08:52 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Ansible 240 is up! Rejoice! Laugh! Cry! Scream in delight!

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It's an interesting time to be studying Mars. In addition to the orbital looks of the ESA's Mars Express and NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and 2001 Mars Odyssey (I'll have a writeup on these three in the future), we're still reaping the benefits from two other missions, both of which have lasted well past their "expiration dates."

(Update! The entry into Victoria Crater (see below) has been delayed due to a dust storm!) more...

Posted by: Fred Kiesche at 08:40 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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"When a place gets crowded enough to require ID's, social collapse is not far away. It is time to go elsewhere. The best thing about space travel is that it made it possible to go elsewhere."

—Lazarus Long in Time Enough for Love and The Notebooks of Lazarus Long.

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It is with sadness that I pass word that Fred Saberhagen died on Friday, June 29, 2007, after a long illness.

He had a long and distinguished career in the fields of science fiction, fantasy and horror. He wrote tales of Dracula and Sherlock Holmes.

He was probably best identified, for me, with the tales of the Berserkers, implacable alien machines bent on destroying organic life (including us).

Wikipedia entry and official site.

Addendum: The family will announce a date for a Memorial Celebration later this year. In lieu of flowers donations would be appreciated to any of the following: Doctors without Borders, Catholic Relief Services, SFWA Emergency Medical Fund, or John XXIII Catholic Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico. If you would like to send an email message to the family please use the link to contact me, and I will pass your words on. more...

Posted by: Fred Kiesche at 03:00 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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In conjunction with the Robert A. Heinlein Centennial, Dwayne A. Day (writing at The Space Review) provides us with an excellent look at the relationship between Heinlein and the U.S. space program.

Particularly of interest is a memo that Heinlein wrote in 1945. Has history overlooked a piece of writing as important as the letter Einstein wrote to Roosevelt regarding the creation of the atomic bomb? more...

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(2006 continued...)

The review can now be found here.

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