Welcome to the “Supersized” edition of the weekend mailbag.

The Chinese Space Program

Ling Xao writes: (Just take the [sic] for granted; I think the ideas are clear, even if the grammar is not.)

China space program benefit mankind in all way. New tech come from China idea just like US idea. China not build same way Russia or US build. Maybe new idea help Earth people go faster to mars and stars.

“Johnny” Ling writes:

Fear mongering against China is a typical quasi-conservative response in American politics. In this case, you’ve taken your militant imperialism and translated to the notion that the USA somehow “owns” space and has a monopoly on good engineering and technology. My hope is that whatever government or corporation develops space travel, we all benefit from it. I can’t imagine my home country doing anything that would jeopardize the growing economic relationship with not just the USA, but also Canada, the EU, and the rest of the Pacific Rim. The Chinese government might keep certain techonolgies a closely guarded secret, but the world economy as a whole should benefit from it.

I lack the chops to be able debate the global economic climate with any sort of intelligence (aside from some opinions that are completely not verified by facts), so I’ll take your word for it to some extent. The only argument that I could offer is that China offers China its own biggest, untapped market. With the largest population in the world, I could see an isolationist regime choosing to develop space travel and focusing strictly on their domestic markets with the resultant technology. As a national government in China’s position, it’s hard to disagree that this would be an entirely bad thing; my sense of patriotism and my pro-Western bias just leads me to find it distasteful. And since a significant portion of China’s GDP is going toward military budgets, you can understand why a nation state that is the current superpower would suddenly become nervous at the annoucement that a rival on the global stage is rapidly developing launch capability.

Space Shuttle Endeavor

Hannah writes:

I still remember seeing the Challenger disaster in grade school. I watched the news reports on Columbia. I’d prefer not hear any breaking news regarding Endeavor.

Albert Chen writes:

The NASA engineers know what they’re talking about. If they conduct experiments in an environment that closely simulates reentry, count on the fact that they’ve thought of every angle. The group that manages shuttle missions is the top of the pile. They wouldn’t be there without loads of experience, strings of degrees, and enough intelligence to light a tokamak. Trust NASA just as the flight crew does.

Brownie Bob writes:

The headlines are in poor taste. The lives of seven astronauts are NOT a joke. If you’re about space advocacy, then take it seriously.

Gerry487 writes:

While I can’t deny the “wit” that went into writing your satire on NASA’s PR program, don’t you think that you’ll feel that it was in poor taste if something happens to the Endeavor?

Arm and Hammer w/o the Hammer writes:

I don’t see why they can’t just repair the shuttle in orbit? I mean surely they have enough rope or whatever they use to be able to reach the gouge? It seems stupid to just go ahead and say don’t worry about it come home!

Just because I’m a space advocate doesn’t mean that I’m not going to use humor and/or sarcasm to illustrate what I find to be flaws in NASA’s policy. Being a space advocate doesn’t mean that I blindly swallow everything that NASA says, either. I have the utmost respect for the men and women on the Endeavor, and even given their admittedly thorny predicament, I would trade places with any of them in a heartbeat.

Many of you are thinking/praying about the astronauts that will be landing on Tuesday. I wish them good luck and God speed.

The Five Month Mark

 Braden writes:

It doesn’t get easier, Pete. I have two boys of my own, and every night I fear that they’ll grow up to be half the man that they should be. I can only teach them so much, then it’s up to them to CHOOSE to do the right thing. You’ve got to make it so that they feel comfortable making that choice, even in the face of peer pressure.

New Podcasts

Julie writes:

Tell Kate that the new mic is awesome! She sounds better than many professional voice-over stars that work the audio book circuit. As for the content of the podcasts, Privateer is a solid effort, but it lacks the dramatic flair and action of some of your shorter work. Privateer should be digested in a couple of sittings, not spread out over a story arc that takes weeks. Keeping your audience engaged is crucial, and the past two weeks give me the hankering for more of your work!

Jacqueline D. writes:

I hate Tobias, yet I can’t stop replaying the podcast. Kate did such an excellent job with his inflection and tone. When she combined it with the moody music, I literally had chills running down my spine. I can only hope that you plan to give Tobias a bad end, Pete.

Julian B. writes:

All I can say is…Wow. I could totally see every image of this haunted house in the podcast. I closed my eyes and could hear the patter of rain drops and the creaking of stubborn flooring. When Kate switched gears with the piano music in the middle, everything clicked into place. This is the best podcast you guys have done to date, and that’s saying something, because they mostly keep getting better and better.

Trina G. writes:

Where do these ideas come from, Pete? You have a gift for imagery that is surpassed only by Kate’s ability to transform that imagery into the spoken word. In a word, she takes your great story and weaves a spell. Simply mesmerizing!

Liam writes:

What are you doing working for this clown, Kate? I pay better, even if my writing isn’t as stylized…seriously, though, you guys do a great job. I wish that I had half the originality of Pete and a quarter of Kate’s vocal talent. Excellent work! 

The Boz writes:

Can you give us the rest of Privateer if you’re not going to podcast it? I’d like to finish the story.

I’ll look into doing it as a PDF. Another thing that I’m looking at on the site is setting up several of my works as e-books that would be available for micropayments through Paypal. Stay tuned!

Privateer – Chapter 8

Hildebrandt says:

Pete,

I’m enjoying “Privateer,” but I enjoyed your shorter work more in the podcast format. A longer story (I think you said this was novella length) is harder to follow in a podcast medium. By the time a week has gone by, I’ve almost forgotten where we are and I feel like I have to spend time reacquainting myself with the Mendozas.

Gortafindle says:

The podcasts continue to be well-done. I’m eager to find out what happens on Europa, and a once-weekly dose isn’t cutting it. Post more and post faster!

Gliese

Dr. Star writes:

Excellent analysis on the probability of finding life on other worlds, Pete, but don’t be so shackled to the notion of carbon-based life, nor to typical Earth forms of life. There is no reason that a vastly different environment couldn’t force different evolutionary pressures on organisms to survive. A prime example of this on our own world would have been if sulfur metabolizing bacteria had risen to primacy rather than being an evolutionary dead-end. If so, then might there be a whole plant kingdom that uses sulfur compounds for an analog to respiration?

I lack the biological background to engage in intelligent debate, Dr. Star, but I was thinking more in terms of planets that are human-habitable. Stipulating that planets like that do exist, then what are the chances that they occur naturally? I’ve never been comfortable with the estimates provided by the scientific community.

Black Widows

Mark writes:

I hope that you’re not mindlesly killing spiders. Most of them have an ecological niche to fill…even if you don’t comprehend it. To make a mockery of their existence shows a lack of maturity and a poor regard for naturalism in general. Study these creatures and dicover if they might have something to teach you.

I’m not “mindlessly” killing spiders. In the past, I have killed spiders in the following ways, all of which required at least rudimentary thought:

• I have poured smokeless powder down the holes, inserted a length of dynamite fuse, and blown them up.
• I have sprayed them with deet (insect repellent).
• I have used a can of hairspray and a lighter to make an impromptu flame thrower.
• I have frozen them in liquid nitrogen and dropped them on a hard surface to watch them shatter.
• I have drowned them in countless toilet bowls.
• I have squashed them under a shoe.
• I have crushed them with newspaper.
• I have crushed a grass spider in my bare hand.
• I have shot them with a variety of handguns, rifles, and shotguns.
• I have immersed them in sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, concentrated hydrogen peroxide, ethanol, methyl ethyl ketone (I lit that spider on fire with a sparkler), and sodium hydroxide.

Pete will take the shot

Nina writes:

Thanks for bragging about your murder machine. Enjoy it before the next administration makes them illegal.

*rolls eyes*

SgtWebb writes:

Nice group there Pete! I recommend getting a nice red dot site for that weapon. Eotech makes a good one with a reticle site [sic] but I prefer the Burris speeddot sites [sic]. Target acquisition is fast and clean through the Burris but their [sic] pricey. I guess it depends on if you want another weapon or if you want to deck out the one you have. And good luck with the load experimentation. I’ll be interested in your final results if you and your pop don’t mind sharing the load data.

Thanks, Sarge. I have looked at a red dot sight, but they’re REALLY expensive for what you get. I’d rather go for another weapon, especially in light of how well I shoot with just the iron sights.

That’s all for this week, folks. We’ll talk again next week.

Another slow week in the mailbag. I really need to stir up more controversy!

The Online Lifestyle

Grinktor writes:

I play games and I go to bars. I can’t get laid in a video game…at least, not satisfactorily.

Thank you for the details. Please don’t explain further. 

Hullor writes:

I play games to hang out with all the guys that I went to college with, but I certainly don’t try to meet girls there. Most of the girls who play MMO’s are damaged goods. I meet a lot of normal, well adjusted dudes, but most of the girls I talk to are have severe psychological issues with attachment, OCD or bad relationships.

You forgot to add “escapism.” However, you should really be careful of stereotypes. My year and a half-stint as a guild alliance leader in World of Warcraft brought me into contact with some fascinating, well-adjusted people as well as our fair share of nutjobs. 

Stefanie writes:

Sometimes I hate being a girl who games. I play EQ2 and LOTRO, but as soon as guys find out I’m a real girl, I get everything from tame in-character propositions to total losers who want to find a quiet corner and cyber. Does the internet seriously remove the brains and inhibitions from lonely boys? I can guarantee that none of these wannabe deviants would have the nerve to approach me in a bar or in a club. I bring the hotness. I just want to play my game and have fun without being hit on.

I really think the denizens of www.Peter-Hodges.com should judge if you bring “the hotness.” Be a (wo)man and post a pic below to back up your claims.

Bob the Bike Boy writes:

I think the internet is great. I live in a small town that isn’t big enough to support its own cycling group, but I can connect with users in a bicycle forum and through IM to chat about the coolest things going on in the cycling world. I also like science fiction, so I can connect with this site as well. Without the internet, I’d be riding up and down hills by myself and thinking that I was reading a deadend genre.

Glad to have you with us, Bob. I can personally say that if it weren’t for the internet, I wouldn’t be in contact with some dear friends of mine in the Tulsa, OK area.

The Dresden Files

Galileo the Heretic writes:

I thought you had better taste.

Space Vacuum writes:

How dare you compare that abysmal Sci Fi Channel series to Buffy? Wheedon will come for you, my friend.

To both of you guys, I said I found the book entertaining, even if it wasn’t Hugo material. Geez. And for the record, I have not checked out the Sci Vi Channel show yet.

Privateer Chapter Eight

Nina writes:

I knew it! The gloves are off! You’re using a story to suck people in to your political views. That’s completely despicable. There are people that will read your story and be swept up in the characters only to find themselves agreeing with your viewpoint. You’re creating an atmosphere of sympathy that is designed to further your political views in an insidious manner.

Oh…my…God.

Here’s Privateer:

 Here’s your comment:

That’s all we have time for today, ladies and gentlemen.

We didn’t have a weekend mailbag last week for several reasons – the first of which is that I was at the Heinlein Centennial and returned home utterly beat. But the real reason was that during that week before, I put nothing controversial up on the site, so my emails, either in favor of my posts or against them, were few and far bewteen.

So with no further ado, I bring you this week’s weekend mailbag.

Pete in a Suit

Thora Bora writes:

You have a chubby face, but otherwise you’re cute. Your about page says you’re married, so let me know if that changes. I’ve always wanted to date a writer.

*speechless*

Gialta writes:

You said what your shirt and tie were, but you missed the suit, shoes, belt, and cologne.

Uh, the suit is off the rack from a store called Dillard’s (not sure how universal they are outside of the South). All they did was tailor they pants. I was wearing Johnston and Murphy (deerskin) wingtips, a Perry Ellis belt, and no cologne. I HATE cologne, and think that men who need a fragrance to feel confident about themselves need to shower more often. Remember, guys, the difference between “baste” and “bathe” is only one letter.

Space Advocacy

Trey writes:

Don’t get me wrong, Pete. I like science fiction, but I think our tax dollars should be used to fix what’s wrong here on Earth before we spread the same problems outward. A space program just isn’t practical when you have people who can’t get affordable health care.

I could give you the Republican answer (not one that is entirely palatable to me) and say that there are always going to be poor people no matter what you do.  But I think the real meat of the issue is that both big business and our government need to make investments in our future…even if they can only do a little bit at a time. A space program is exactly that–a long term investment that won’t show a return for perhaps decades. Making short-term decisions over and over again places the entire future in jeopardy. Choosing to not fund programs which are investment opportunities ensure that the United States will become a scientific and industrial backwater in the latter half of the twenty-first century, which in turn reduces the tax base, which in turn makes it even more difficult to fund programs that could be used for domestic improvement.

I’m not trying to blow you off, Trey, but this is really how I see it. I’d invite you to comment here or continue a discussion in email.

Trey’s email is pretty typical of the dissenting opinions I received. Many of you are concerned that domestic programs wouldn’t receive enough attention if we poured the amount of money into NASA that we did in the 1960′s. Hopefully I managed to summarize a logical position; if not, feel free to continue the discussion in the comments thread or via email.

Cow Worshippers Unite!

Nina writes:

While I applaud your sentiments, you mock other religions by the title of your entry and calling Muslims “Jihadists.” You can’t resist your little digs on people, can you?

I wasn’t aware that there was mockery in my post!?! Thanks for pointing that out.

Seeing Yellow

SgtWebb writes:

HP will give you step by step instructions on how to disable the yellow dots printed on the paper but you have to ask for a senior level tech support person. I was warned that performing this action would also void my warranty on the printer if my printer was still under the warranty. The instructions are easy to follow. Pete feel free to share my email address with anyone who wants to do this without contacting the HP support line.

Thanks, Sergeant. If anyone wishes to take him up on his offer, please let me know.

That’s all for this week, boys and girls. I had quite a few emails regarding my opinion of the Harry Potter movie, but most of them were one or two lines, and many of them called into questions everything from my sanity to my manhood. I can only assume by this that most of the people in the Harry Potter fan community thoroughly enjoyed the movie and felt that my review was a little harsh. Oh, well.

The Podcast

Timmayyy writes:

Nice work on the setup.  When does the action start?

Aludra writes:

Come on, Pete. Quit stringing us along. I want to see some action!

Epidrene writes:

Great job on the world building, so far. What I’m really looking forward to are some of the action set pieces that I saw in your excerpts from Loss of Innocence.  You’ve proven you can write things other than action now, so let’s blow something up!

Patience!  Good things come to those who wait. 

Brenda writes:

I can tell that you are a man who cares deeply for his family by the way you write. That is rare and precious in this day and age. Few writers could write the agony that Anthony is going through in his domestic struggles with the kind of sensitivity that you do. (And by the way, Kate is awesome, as usual.)

Awww, shucks.  Thanks for writing in, again, Brenda.  I appreciate the feedback.

Eric the Red writes:

Pete, you said that you initially wrote this to practice your craft…and it shows. If you were trying to plot something in a way that was internally consistent, then I think you failed. There are several things that don’t work here, chief among them is your dialogue between Mendoza and the tug builders. You don’t think that a colony such as that would have highly trained specialists doing their fabrication work? … Kate’s quasi-Brooklyn accent is atrocious and insulting in the podcast.  Both of you seem to be equating work on a shop floor as something that requires lesser intelligence, and you chose a stereotype accent to represent your misconceptions.

I’ve made a policy of posting both the bad and the good in the weekend mailbag so that no one makes the mistake of assuming that I’m doing this as an ego-boosting exercise.  Hopefully the above comment convinces everyone of this.

Eric, let me say that you don’t have the entire plot in front of you right now.  There are several, compelling reasons that I plotted this novella the way that I did.  At this point, you don’t have enough information to tell me what is internally consistent and what is not.  If you stand by your opinion after reading the complete novella, then I’ll certainly be willing to listen.  Right now, though, you don’t have all the facts.    And as an aside, I asked Kate to do a different accent to differentiate the workers.  Since she’s from the Northeast, a Brooklyn accent is what emerged.  Had I done the podcast, it would have been a Southern drawl.  There is no intended stereotype here; each of us would have done the accent that we could pull off.

What if?

Helios writes:

JFK would have been the driving force that put us on Mars in the 1980s.  We lost decades of progress because of his assassination.

TubOfRottenCherries writes:

He would have been the first President to get a *censored* stain on the dress of his mistress.

Gyra writes:

We would all be dead now, because he would have pushed Khruschev past the point of no return.  He had a mafia mentality, and that was not fitting for the role of the President.

Bob the Best Big Bear in Boston writes:

We love the memory of JFK here in Mass.  If the CIA hadn’t killed him, we would have kept our commitments in Vietnam to a minimum, the civil rights movement would have been more peaceful, and we would already have a city on the moon.

Real ID

Nina writes:

Pete, of all the things that you could complain about, this is by far the most harmless. If you want to criticize the Bush administration for the Patriot Act or for the Iraq war, then fine, but this might actually be beneficial.

First of all, before I let you put words in my mouth, I have carefully not criticized the Iraq War.  I have questioned our reason for being there, but as I’ve said before, I’m all for American Imperialism.  I’ll answer your other concerns in a longer answer below.

Julie writes:

Pete, you’re just being paranoid. Grow up and quit acting the wounded libertarian. Your politics are fashionable in an absinthe-drinking, woo-haw I’m a writer sort of way, but real people aren’t that idealistic. 

“Woo-haw?”  I don’t know that I’ve ever heard that before.

Stephanie writes:

What harm does a little information do? It’s not like the government is going to put you on a spam list for Nigerian princes or something. I agree with AmbianceForce when he says that it will make things easier on us.

Every last one of you (including the others that I did not post) completely, totally missed the point.  What gives my government the right to collect this information?  Not a damned thing.  As long as they know who I am, where I was born, where I live, and how much I make, I’m fine with it. The first two items tell them that I have a right to vote in elections, the third tells them where I am so that I can be appropriately represented by local, state, and federal officals, and the last gives them something to assess taxes against. Other than that, they need to know NOTHING. When those four items of information are tied to everything that I am in a computer system, ranging from my buying habits, my internet search history, my political leanings, and my choice of creed, then I have a real problem. Of what possible benefit is that to a government that is only concerned with the powers granted to it specifically within the constitution?  Therein lies the problem–our wonderful, benevolent, quasi-Republic has mutated beyond the boundaries set by our founding fathers…to our detriment. That information only becomes useful to our overlords when our government steps beyond the boundaries that were placed against it.  REAL ID is a tool that is being sold to us as a means of increasing security, but it amounts to a tool that allows the government to exercise more direct control on our day to day lives.  Anyone who thinks differently refuses to learn the lessons of history.

The Poor

Geraldine writes:

I can’t believe you think this is a bad idea, Pete. It seems to me that anything that would help these people have a better quality of life would be desirable. If we can reward them for making intelligent life choices, then this conditions them to makes those choices in the absence of reward. I hate to be a proponent of human conditioning, but in this case, everyone wins.

You mean everyone loses. Unfortunately, the conditioning that you speak of has a nasty tendency to backfire. What happens when you remove the financial support that these people have come to depend on? Do they continue to make responsible life choices when they could be better served by working those extra hours or taking a little bit of time for themselves? This is likely going to be a zero-sum game in the end.

Nina writes:

Of course you hate this, Pete. You want to keep your elitist upper middle class boot heel on the necks of the poor. Your only concession is to make your wasteful lifestyle available to those in the lower classes by waving a free education in front of them. What if they don’t want your lifestyle of excess? How many of those same people have the background to succeed?

Give me a second to remove my steel-toed Boots of Oppression (+1) from the necks of the downtrodden. *rolls eyes* From your comment, I hope you’re not implying that the poor are any less capable than those that are more fortunate? Let’s put it this way, in simple terms that even a liberal like yourself can understand. I want to help people help themselves. I’m not going to do anything for them, but I will pay to enable them to do things for themselves. If you want to take Geraldine’s conditioning example, I could see that making people work for the things that bring them to a higher standard of living could have real benefit–i.e. you’re training them to be productive members of society. If they choose to not take advantage of such a program, or if they attempt it and don’t put the requisite effort into it, then that is their fault. I’ve done my part (and more) as a responsible citizen.

Cheney

Bob writes:

Come on, Pete. You know as well as I do that secrets have to be protected. Cheney is the mastermind behind all of Bush’s plans for the last seven years. He knows what he’s doing.

This kind of blind obedience to party and dogma is the reason why our nation will eventually fail. I consider myself moderate to conservative, and yet I don’t blindly give obesiance to the current administration. They have done more things wrong than any administration since Jimmy Carter’s. Clinton may have given rocket technology to the Chinese, but at least he didn’t push the Patriot Act. I’m afraid that it is time for a change. I’m hoping the GOP puts someone up who can repair the damage Bush & Co. have done, but I’m thinking that the American people will do something radically stupid and elect Hillary or one of her ilk.

Hestera writes:

I don’t understand you, Pete. First you’re all “hey I have guns let’s party” and now you’re like “Cheney sucks”. Make up your mind, will you? Just when I’ve decided that your political views are awful, you come out with something like your article about Cheney.

Like I said above, I am loyal to the idea of our Republic, and to the people of this land. It so happens that my ideology more-or-less aligns with certain things from bothparties, so it shouldn’t surprise you that I free with criticism and snark.

Kate’s Article on Video Game Addiction

Bonnie writes:

Kate, you do not suffer in silence. I am currently enduring a divorce from a man who will not pay attention to me, our toddler, or our cat. His addiction is Everquest II. When I told him that it was me or the game, he said that he’ll help me move out. I was crushed. Nothing is real to him anymore except the game. He goes to work, but I suspect that he plays even while he’s there. He eats fast food on the way home. We never do anything as a family. When I cancelled the internet to get his attention, he told me to take care of the internet bill and went to Starbuck’s with his laptop.

Bonnie, you have my sincere regrets about your situation. There is no excuse for his behavior. I am reluctant to classify constant MMO playing as addiction, simply because there is usually a deeper psychological issue present that acts as an enabler. I wish you the best of luck as you try to rebuild your life and I hope that you can find happiness or reconciliation in the future.

Podcast

I’m just going to do a montage of comments below. By the numbers, the feedback is 81% positive, 4% unsure, 15% critical/negative. (Three hundred eighty-nine total respondents.)

“Great voice work! I wish I sounded half as good as you guys.” – Hector
“Terrific! I love the story so far.” – Michylle
“Can you speed up the update cycle to twice per week?” – Thomas T.
“You capture the desperate future of Earth so well: Megacorporations are the rule and governments are secondary.” – TunnelRat
“Strongly reminiscent of Heinlein.” – Julie
“Your evocative images of family life and marital conflict ring true to life. Well done.” – Terry
“Kate’s voice is super-sexy and under utilized for humdrum science fiction.” – Alyssa
“The voice over work is better than many professional audio books I’ve read.” – Jake and Nat
“Kate should come read me to sleep every night. I would sleep like a baby.” – Brenda
“The podcasts always make my Wednesday morning subway mix. Thanks, guys!” – TravelingMan
“Boring, derivative, and overtly preachy–science fiction by amateurs is worse than poetry by teenagers.” – Grendel

Due to the sheer volume of emails, I will be post-poning the weekend mailbag until tomorrow.  I need a chance to go through them and see what I would like to post.  Most of the emails have been regarding the podcasts recently.  Thanks to everyone who has listened, and thanks to everyone who has taken the time to provide feedback and comments. 

Please remember, that you can now comment without registering.  All it takes is a valid email address that I do absolutely nothing with.  Your comment might get caught in a moderation queue for a bit, but I always release them in a timely manner if you’re not spamming the site.  Once you’ve commented once, you don’t go into the moderation queue.  You’re all out of excuses for lurking.

As always, thanks for all the emails, both positive and negative. 

What an interesting week!  We had a gay bomb, Al Gore showing that war and the lives of the people in the Middle East are pawns in a political game, a zombie apocalpyse, and an IQ test.

Big Gay Pentagon’s Big Gay Bomb

Turtlerific writes:

So would the bomb make people just instantly jump on other dudes, or would there be like a waiting period?  Hopefully you’d get some kind of warning that you were about to be gay like a tingling sensation or something.  That would suck.  Hey I’m tingling.  Let me bend you over.

Uh…I’m not sure about the science behind what would happen.  All I know is that it was supposed to absorb through the skin.  (And as an aside, you are a sick, sick man.)

Yolande writes:

Being gay doesn’t make you quit fighting.  This is typical army logic–if they were gay, then they’d all be cowards or bad soldiers.  I bet George W. Bush commissioned this study.

I think the Air Force just thought it would be a great practical joke to play on the enemy.  “Haha!  You’re gay.”

Al Gore

SgtWebb writes: 

That’s what I’m talking about!  That prick roasted the first Bush administration for not finishing the job and then doesn’t have the nads to stand behind what he said before.  Wake up people!  The Democrats are more apt to use the lives of us soldiers to further a political agenda than anyone else.  At least we get deployed for decent reasons when the Republicans are in power, and at least we play to win.  If you look at Somalia and Bosnia, you can see how Clinton and his bunch of pantywaisted butt pirates conduct war.

I think it’s important to point out that the reasons why we went to war in Iraq would somewhat less than truthful.  I would have been much more comfortable with W. coming on the TV and saying:  “Boys and girls, Saddam Hussein is a bad man.  I want to go kick his ass and open Iraq up to McDonald’s, Wal-Mart, and cheap exploitation of petroleum by American companies.”  If he’d said that, he would still have a lot of credibility in my eyes.

Nina writes:

You’ll find anything, including a fifteen year-old video, to discredit the Democrats, won’t you?  Pete, I’m sure you’ve never changed a political stance in your lifetime, or had an epiphany that allowed you to see things more clearly.  People are allowed to change their point of view, especially if they take the side of life.

Nina’s back!  Yay!  The fact that this video is fifteen years old doesn’t really change the truth of the situation.  First of all, the first Bush made a mistake in not going all the way to Baghdad and removing Hussein, and Al Gore was completely, 100% right in calling him on it.  What is amazing is that the circumstances were almost exactly the same when W. went after him shortly after 9/11.  Why did they change their tune, when the facts on the ground hadn’t really changed?  And just out of curiousity, my frequently emailing liberal, since you say you take the side of life, are you pro-life?

The Zombie Apocalypse

Sherry writes:

Pete, do you really carry a pistol and a combat knife in your car?  If so, is that legal in Texas?

Sorry!  That’s a bit personal.  A few points to make:  First of all, anyone may carry a concealed weapon if they have the concealed/carry weapons license.  There is a nominal fee that most states charge after you demonstrate proficiency with a given weapon.  Furthermore, in Texas (as defined  specifically under section 46.15(i) of the state law), a person may carry a loaded, concealed firearm in their vehicle with no permit.  (Thanks to Packing.org for the information.)

Tony Z. writes:

MORE!  This is your best stuff yet, Pete.  When are you going to finish the story?

Thanks, I guess.  I sort of whipped this out to get in the spirit of the blogging theme.  I’m not a big fan of horror stuff, nor of Zombie movies, although I did love Max Brook’s World War Z.  I’ll probably do the second part of the story mid-week next week.

IQ Test

Melissa writes:

Cheater!

Nope.  But I did have pen and paper handy to work out the answers.  Did you guys know that some IQ tests are timed?  I’m not sure if this one was, but finishing quickly (with the correct answers) probably wouldn’t hurt.

Gymnahnkaka writes:

I took the test and scored a 141.  Previous IQ tests I scored much lower on.  I wonder if this test is accurate?  Have you ever taken a test for emotional IQ?

I’ve had a similar experience.  The last time I took a test, I was right around the 150 mark, so maybe this one is easier/scored a little differently?  And no, I haven’t taken a test for emotion IQ.  I’m tempery and melancholy, I completely lack compassion, so I don’t expect that I would score very high on it.

Thanks for the letters, guys!  We’ll post more next week.

There’s not nearly as much “snark” fodder for the mailbag this week.  Most of the comments I received were very positive, including a certain amount of surprise that I would endorse the First Amendment so strongly. 

Free Speech

Nina writes: 

You go from anti-homosexual bigot and gun freak to defender of free speech?  What gives?

Normally, I wouldn’t continually feature one person week after week, but I felt that Nina deserved special attention.  First of all, Nina, welcome back.  Although I would not have been terribly heartbroken had you left in angst over my political views, I am happy to see that you are continuing to read the site.  However, I think that everyone should realize that I more closely align myself with a Libertarian style of government rather than a Conservative style.  On some things I even lean left-of-center.  Hopefully the horror is bearable.

Michael S. writes:

The first amendment should never be used as an excuse to allow perversion, racism, or sedition to flourish.  The FCC is doing their duty as the guardians of the public to impose a modicum of civility and decency on our television and our radio.

The problem with this point of view, Michael, is that you have to pick a group of people with a particular bias to decide what is “decent” for the bulk of the American public.  Since we are in a nation that ostensibly practices the separation of church and state, we have to consider decency on a purely secular basis.  This leads to a somewhat sticky problem of having a government agency defining decency.  You cannot guarantee that the people who are implementing such a definition share your viewpoint, because as I said, these people are appointed (not voted for by you and me) and given delegated legislative power.  So which definition of decency should we use?  Mine?  Yours?  Hugh Hefner’s?  I would prefer that this sort of decision to define decency be left where it belongs–in the hands of parents and individuals.  Let everyone choose what programming they watch and listen to and let our constitution work as intended.

You mention “sedition” as one of the things that shouldn’t be allowed.  I would invite you to amplify exactly what you mean by “sedition.”  Criticism of our government should always be allowed, no matter the circumstances of the nation.

Privateer – The Podcast/Writing Sample

Julie writes:

Nicely done.  Pete, you write as though you have been through the experiences you’re describing.  You have a nice emotional impact that rings very true in few words.  Keep up the good work!

Terry T. writes:

I looked up picture of Europa and your description of it is perfect.  I especially like how thoroughly researched the novella seems to be so far.  You mentioned in the writing sample posted today that Europa would experience high levels of radiation due to the magnetic field of Jupiter, but I had a question.  Would a human in a space suit really be able to work on the surface?  Is any kind of unmanned mission planned for the moon?

That’s really a good question, Terry.  I don’t think we really know for sure at this point.  I do know that a mission to Europa was not included in NASA’s 2007 budget.  It will be a long time before we see an actual landing craft set down on the surface, but we can keep our fingers crossed that there will be less political wrangling and more exploration out of NASA in the near future.  If not, we may be reading the results of Europa missions in Chinese.

Operation Opera

Gerry B. writes:

Warmongering!  You’re glorifying acts of violence.  If Iraq had gotten their peaceful reactor online, then maybe their people would have had enough of a tech base to actually rebel against Saddam Hussein and save us the trouble.  What happened to national self-determination, anyway? 

I think Iraqi government chose to bombed back to the stone age with acts of aggression against its own people, against Iran, against Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, and by supporting terrorism.  The Iraqi government determined to give the world the finger, so I have to applaud countries who aren’t afraid to show them how to behave on the global stage.

Harry Hairy writes:

We need to see more of this in the future.  Israel has the ability, but I think that we [The U.S., I presume? - Pete] hold them back too much.  I think you hit on a very important point, Pete.  If Israel had not done this, how bad would Desert Storm have been? 

I sense a plot-line forming.  That just might be mainstream enough to cross-over from sci-fi, don’t you think?

Space Shuttle Atlantis

Tabitha writes:

Sure…the space shuttle launch was five months too late.  I just heard that there is a gash in the heat shield on the bottom.  Let’s sacrifice more astronauts in the name of national hubris.

Tabitha is talking about a small piece of thermal blanket that is out of place.  The heat generated during re-entry is not expected to affect this portion of the shuttle significantly.  Keep in mind that we are working with 30 year old equipment.  If we could quit funding useless programs in our government, we could get back to our manifest destiny of exploring and colonizing space.

That’s all for this week.  Thanks to everyone who wrote in, and if you’re miffed that you didn’t make the mailbag, you can always use the comment button to be a contributor as well.

We missed the weekend mailbag due to the Memorial Day holiday last weekend, but we’re back in full force this week.  Comments ran the gamut between calling me a “hard headed poo-poo head” and agreeing with my review for Pirates of the Carribean 3.  I’ve posted some of the most amusing below, including a rant that is so full of quasi-intellectual feminism that I still giggle when I read it.

Pirates

Tiffany writes:

Spot on review, Pete.  I watch the movies for Johnny Depp and I was disappointed at his minial role.  This is nothing more than a thrill ride for summer movie go-ers. 

Tom J. writes:

I happened to like this outing, especially since I thought Barbossa was one of the better characters in the first movie.  The only thing that was hokey was the whole “Calypso” thing.

The Nuge (Ted Nugent)

Nina writes:

I’m so done with you and your site.  Good writing can’t make up for your willinging endorsement of such an animal.

Bye! 

Robin K. writes:

Enjoy your toys while you can, Pete.  Soon you won’t be able to buy them.  Hopefully before Gen X fades away we’ll have the political majority to come and take them from you.  Your outlook is two hundred years old.  While there was a dubious place for the second amendment during the expansionism of the United States, it is no longer the wild west, nor is there imminent danger from Native American attacks or wildlife.

I shan’t debate the many questionable things you say in your email, but I find it interesting to think that any government could come and forcibly disarm a population.  I think that the body politic that decided that might be in for a rude awakening.

Hector G. writes:

I wouldn’t be surprised if you align yourself closely with an evangelical Christian agenda.  Tell me, sir, if that is the case, how does your willingness to commit murder jive with your faith?

I practice my faith as best I can in a fallen world; that doesn’t mean that I’m going to stand by and let evil win.

Marla T. writes:

Your aggressive endorsement of an outdated interpretation of the second amendent is a knee-jerk reaction to what you see as the encroachment of feminism on a traditional male role.  You long for the days of horses, cattle drives, and gun fights in saloons.  Unfortunately for you, you live in the modern day, so your gun play is acted out in guilty fantasies in the woods and on shooting ranges.  Hopefully God in Her wisdom will see fit to cure you of the rot of the male-fetishist culture and bring you to a state of peaceful enlightenment…In the meantime, try to not to kill anyone.

Wow.  Would you hate me if I said that I read your email and laughed?  Then I read your email to my wife and laughed even harder.  (She laughed, too.) 

God is a DUDE by the way.  FYI.

Alyssa P. writes:

As a woman who has been rescued by a “good samaritan,” I am happy to see that you are standing in the front rank of those willing to defend their fellow man.  Before an attempted rape, I was adamantly opposed to the personal ownership of firearms.  I was ambushed on a jogging trail in northwest Houston by two men.  I was beaten and was about to be raped when a fellow jogger, who happened to have his conceal/carry permit came upon us.  He drew his weapon. One of the men ran, while the other stayed at gunpoint as I used my cell phone to call for help.  Had he not intervened, I might be dead now…I’ve had my conceal/carry premit [sic] for 8 months now.  I carry a Beretta Cheetah in .380 in my purse and in a holster at the small of my back when I jog.

Alyssa, thanks for sharing your story.  I think I can speak for everyone who has/is prepared to defend another that we are grateful first of all for your safety, and second of all, for your willingness to stand up and be counted as one of those who will defend both herself and others.  Thank you for writing in.

Privateer – Writing Sample / Podcast

Arthur of the Mice writes:

Great work as usual, Pete.  I have to say, though, that I really miss Kate’s sexy voice.

Billy K. writes:

Thanks for posting the written form of the podcast first.  I assume that’s what you’re doing with this Friday’s writing sample?

You’re right, Billy.  Two of my real life friends that read the site also requested this format, since neither of them really care for the Podcasting format.  To each, his own, I suppose, but this way, I reach all of my audience. 

Yohann The Apple Man writes:

I’d love to see where you’re going with this, Pete.  You say that this isn’t your favorite story, but this piece rings more true than your novel does.  Perhaps you’re just being yourself in writing this one?

That could be.  This one was written a lot more quickly (and subsequently, I agonized less over the edits), so it is likely that this is more “me” than some of my other work that has gone through revision after revision.

Have a great week, all!