Live from Munich, capitol of the Free State (former kingdom) of Bavaria, in the Federal Republic of Germany ― more on how German energy policy is causing domestic and international political turmoil, and damaging both German industry and (by implication) the environment.
Author: publius
Fools! I will destroy you all!!
ASFO 2021–08–21
Space news (with a brief digression into “New Space” versus “Dino–Space”) and the value of having more than one string to one’s bow ; problems I would not attempt to solve using nuclear energy, with a little thought about setting priorities ; and just what is this pastoralism that I’m always inveighing against, anyway?
ASFO 2021–08–14
More about grids, solutions which solve nothing (and which nobody really believes in anyway), the South Asian Brown Cloud, and urban leopards. Also a minute or two of confusion at the beginning.
A Journey in Other Worlds
Best–selling books written by very wealthy people are usually along the lines of “The Secrets of My Success” ― but this is a space–travel story!
A Romance of the Future
John Jacob Astor IV (1894)
- HNtW 092 (2021–08–13) : Author’s Preface, Book I Chapters I―IV
- HNtW 093 (2021–08–17) : Introduction by SM Stirling for a reprint edition (following the main content of the show, which is Chapter II of The Castle of Otranto)
- HNtW 094 (2021–09–02) Book I, Chapters V―VII
The Castle of Otranto
This is regarded as the first “Gothic novel” of terror and suspense. I had trouble restraining my laughter all through.
Horace Walpole (1764)
- HNtW 091 (2021–08–10) : Author’s Preface and Chapter I
- HNtW 093 (2021–08–17) : Chapter II (plus an introduction to A Journey in Other Worlds, written by SM Stirling)
- HNtW 096 (2021–09–10) : Chapter III ― we are now on even numbers, because of the special episode 95 for the 25th anniversary of aNONradio
For those who wish to follow along at home, the text is available on Project Gutenberg.
ASFO 2021–08–07
An intentional minute of silence to follow some unplanned dead air ; acknowledgements ; things worse than Venezuela ; Man, the animal who (for better or worse) creates his own environment ; Grid is Good.
ASFO 2021–07–31
Venezuela as a macroeconomic example, and the Parting of the Ways.
ASFO 2021–07–24
A restatement of basic principles, including why the Cosmos is the true home of Man ; and how Sesame Street and peanut butter demolish the “Marching Morons” ideology.
ASFO 2021–07–17
More about copper, as well as the development of ancient agricultural civilizations, and what those apparently unrelated things tell us about the concept of “overpopulation” ― also best wishes for Jeff Mezos’ ascent to the Bezosphere, planned for the Glorious 20th of July.
ASFO 2021–07–10
Gold, copper, value added, and the economy of Chile (with a digression into trains) ; the SpaceShip Two concept of operations, and Tim Pickens’ hybrid rocket motor ; the Karmann Line and the definition of “Outer Space” ― no, “explosive decompression” is not a thing spacemen have to worry about, unlike deep–sea divers ; and intellectual blind spots.