Hindus measured the diameter of Saturn in the 5th century? I never heard that before. How did they do it? What instruments did they use? Were they measuring just the planet's diameter, or the rings also?
And if they measured Saturn, what about Jupiter, which is closer, larger, and brighter?
Great story! With me, it was a girl in my evening writing class at UCLA. During break I followed her out to the vending machines. She bought some Funky Granola and offered me some.
It's been 50 years now, and it's still about food. And writing.
When respected authorities disagree, what is the proper response? To suspend judgment. The worst response is to double down on your perceived certainty, and castigate those who believe differently.
In my reading on this issue, it's too soon to draw conclusions with "certainty."
Not sure if you're talking about the books or the movies, but I thought the movies did a much better job of portraying the love between Aragorn and Arwen, and also the plight of Eowyn.
I've read Silmarillion, and it's not an easy read. Mostly telling not showing. Very compressed. So if parts of it could be expanded into full stories, that sounds like a worthy project.
By the way, I think it has a better creeation story than any religion I'm familiar with.
I'm wondering if my 1995 Ford Explorer will last for the rest of my life, so I don't have to worry about any of this baloney.
Regarding Apple: I'm still using an iPhone 6S and a 2013 MacBook Air. I've found Apple products to be durable and long-lived.
I just read the report from the US Air Force documenting the unidentified objects shadowing our aircraft. "Unexplainable. Beyond our technological capabilities."
My first thoughts:
- The government did not try to hide this from people.
- People were not panicked. They ignored it.
- Worst of all, if this turns out to be real alien contact, it will screw up my science fiction stories. This is the biggest hazard for a sci fi writer.
My novels are written first person. My heroine is the narrator of her story. Occasionally she says, "Dear Reader, I've got to explain something to you." or "I'm sure you [readers] have seen these stories about me in the tabloids." I think this works if I don't overdo it.
I had a direct ancestor who was on the Sultana when it exploded. If he hadn't survived, by swimming to the shore, I wouldn't be here. He was a Union soldier who'd been a prisoner of war of the Confederates
I have 3 identities: 1. Science fiction writer. 2. Small business advisor. My sci fi is a hell of a lot more fun! 3. Lonely politics — not right, not left.
