NASA Crew Exploration Vehicle

I was doing some research into the Crew Exploration Vehicle, which is being designed as we speak by several competing aerospace corporations, including Honeywell, and came across an article by Robert Zubrin called "Getting Space Exploration Right." The article relates the current NASA problem and how to fix it in the context of a mission to Mars. It makes for interesting reading. In it you will find explanations of the current "Shuttle mode" versus the successful "Apollo mode" that got us to the moon. The section of the Hubble is quite enlightening on the political nature of space funding.

Sherlock Holmes

I was talking to Rick the other day about books we will be glad we had read when we are 90 years old, and Sherlock Holmes came to mind. I have the Baring-Gould edition below, and was price hunting when I came across a newer, and critically acclaimed edition edited by Leslie S. Klinger. The Klinger is said to be more readable, and to have better illustrations. The Baring-Gould has a better introduction, and is less frivolous in some of its ideas. I am inclined to acquire both, then we can loan them out so we can benefit from both Sherlockian views espoused by the two editors. Sherlock has yet to be scheduled on the HMTP.

The complete "cannon" includes two prefaces by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Two editions of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes:

The Annotated Sherlock Holmes : 2 Vols., edited by William S. Baring-Gould [ASIN B0006BR56K ] Out-of-print, but it can be found for as low as $20.00 on Amazon.

The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Short Stories , (2 Vols.) edited by Leslie S. Klinger [ISBN 039305800X ] $51.00 Amazon
The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes: The Novels , edited by Leslie S. Klinger [ISBN 039305800X ] (to be released Nov 2005)
$32.97 Amazon

Press [Enter] Release

For Immediate Release:

John Varley has just posted a link to The Varley Vade mecum from his official author's home page. This is quite an honor. I expect the traffic to multiply greatly. Now is the time to put together your thoughts on the work of John Varley for publication on this web site. I have been posting reviews, plot synopsis, character lists, maps, and essays. pretty much anything I think would be of interest for the Varley reader. I am seeking opinions explaining Varley's appeal. If you have something that might fit, post it here or send it to me for consideration.

(Deus Vult)

Robert Sawyer MINDSCAN

I have done some recon for SF novels, and think Robert Sawyer's latest, MINDSCAN, should be on the list. It looks like a return the kind of story that made him famous; technology infringing upon moral decisions. Sawyer's home page has a lot of material to review about the book, and all of his books for that matter. MINDSCAN has been included in lists of the classics of SF, FRANKENSTEIN and THE TIME MACHINE. I have read the short story (Shed Skin) that includes the concepts in MINDSCAN. It is thought provoking, and a little reminiscent of Varley. Sawyer's politics are sharply left-wing, and yet he somehow manages to perceive the ethical dilemma his ideas would cause. This makes him worth reading, at least when he isn't propagandizing evolution as he did in the HOMINIDS trilogy. So go to the links above and inform yourself on this book. If it is anything like THE TERMINAL EXPERIMENT, I think I will want to read it, sooner rather than later.