Stray Neutrinos

Musings on Science Fiction
by Gary Ross Hoffman

"Must have been a stray neutrino." - Electrical Engineer Dave Ficke

Why we really loved certain shows Star Trek - the bright colors Battlestar Galactica (original) - the monotone voices of the Cylons Battlestar Galactica (reimagined) - the drums Harry Potter - John Williams Superman - John Williams Star Wars - John Williams and James Earl Jones Batman - Danny Elfman Red Dwarf - absolutely everything Doctor Who - the sheer Britishness of the whole thing

Sturgeon's Law states: "90% of science fiction is crud. 90% of everything is crud." I think it should the long-term goal of humanity to bring that down to 85%.

Reading a Philip K. Dick novel is like peeling an onion. There are layers upon layers upon layers........

Was The Prisoner surrealistic fantasy, or were we being shown how society really works?

Remember "The Voice" in Frank Herbert's Dune? The Bene Gesserit used it to force people to answer questions or do things against their will. I was startled to find that there really is such a thing. I've seen it used. A friend hypothesized that most women, and all mothers have "The Voice", but can only summon it involuntarily during times of extreme stress.

The best quote I ever heard about "Ace" on Doctor Who came from Thorsten Wieking: "You could go out and steal horses with her."

"Trufen are cadets to become Secret Masters of the Universe. The problem is, they can't move into the Inner Circle til they grow up, and no one has ever known a Trufan to grow up." - Lee Hoffman

I am fascinated by the Gaia Theory. In a nutshell, it says that the planet Earth itself is a living entity. If so, how would it reproduce? I think it might reproduce by evolving on its surface an intelligent species which would learn how to leave Earth to go terraform other planets. Voila. Reproduction.

"...I am convinced that I have been abducted (by aliens). I have absolutely no memory of anything of the kind. Isn't that proof enough...?" - Lee Hoffman

"A lot of people are deliberately stupid so that telepaths won't scan them." - Lee Hoffman

I just have to find out what the writers of Red Dwarf were smoking.