Don't Let It Happen Here . . . Again.

I’d first heard of this book while reading about mainstream writers who wrote—not on purpose, some would say—science fiction. I was 13 at the time. I was blown away by it.

The novel was called It Can’t Happen Here. From Wikipedia:

Sinclair Lewis’s It Can't Happen Here is an alarming, eerily timeless work. The Chicago Tribune described the book as “written at white heat,” for Lewis was outraged as he created it, tormented by Hitler's aggression, the murderous events in Franco’s Spain, and nationalism rising in America. This book remains a warning about the fragility of democracy, juxtaposing hilarious satire with a blow-by-blow description of a president “saving” the country from welfare cheaters, sex, crime and the liberal press by becoming a dictator.

In 1936, American Senator Berzelius “Buzz” Windrip enters the presidential election campaign on a populist platform, promising to restore the country to prosperity and greatness, and promising each citizen $5,000 per year. Portraying himself as a champion of “the forgotten man” and “traditional” American values, Windrip defeats incumbent President Franklin D. Roosevelt for the Democratic nomination, and then beats his Republican opponent, Senator Walt Trowbridge, in the November election.

Having previously foreshadowed some authoritarian measures to reorganize the government, Windrip outlaws dissent, incarcerates political enemies in concentration camps then trains and arms a paramilitary force called the Minute Men—named after the Revolutionary War militias—who terrorize citizens and enforce the policies of a corporatist regime. One of Windrip’s first acts as president is to eliminate the influence of Congress, which draws the ire of many citizens and the legislators themselves. The Minute Men respond to protests harshly, attacking demonstrators with bayonets. In addition to these actions, Windrip's administration, known as the Corpo government, curtails women's and minority rights then eliminates individual states by subdividing the country into administrative sectors.

The government of these sectors is managed by Corpo authorities, usually prominent businessmen or Minute Men officers. Those accused of crimes against the government appear before kangaroo courts presided over by military judges.

Most Americans approve of these dictatorial measures, seeing them as painful but necessary steps to restore American power.

Sound familiar?

It happened here in 2016. We cannot let it happen again.

Get a copy of the novel. A man ahead of his time, Lewis profoundly understood the American character and ripped away smug platitudes to give readers the truth. In 1935, the Springfield Republican called It Can’t Happen Here “a message to thinking Americans.” Thinking Americans still need to hear it.

Be seeing you.

-30-

. . 

HEO: Hyper Enabled Operator

Say goodbye to the Ironman battlesuit concept: The United States military wants more James Bond than Tony Stark.

More brains, less brawn. Enjoy the read

The Hyper-Enabled Operator.

Be seeing you.

-30-

Readers: Tell Me Something . . . .

 Hello there.

Welcome to the page. Thanks so much for the likes and follows.

Oh.

This is a character of mine from the Fallout 4 roleplaying game. More or less, this is a good visual of what Zed looks like in Night Zero and other future stories.

I need some input from all of you.

As readers, what do you like or want from the main character?

And, well, what do you dislike or don't want?

I'm looking forward to your responses.

Circa 2095 CE: Orbital Habs & Sunjammers

Here are some visual inspirations for the orbital habs and a sunjammer-class vessel that will appear in Night Zero.

Enjoy.

 

Flat Earther Astronaut: #FAFO.

Pictured above is Mike Hughes, a staunch believer in the idiotic Flat Earth theory, who constructed a steam-powered rocket to prove his belief.

Sadly, on his final launch attempt on 22 Feb. 2020, Hughes died in a crash near Barstow, Calif. The rocket was built by both Hughes and his collaborator Waldo Stakes. Witnesses at the launch reported that the parachute, meant for landing, seemed to deploy too early and detach from the craft.

Freelance journalist Justin Chapman stated that the rocket may have scraped against the launch apparatus and ladder, causing damage to the parachutes.

The entire event was being filmed for a Science Channel television series called Homemade Astronauts, which featured Hughes as the main star.

Personally, I don't have problems when Flat Earthers remove themselves from the gene pool.

UFO: Keep Watching The Skies!

On 8 July 1947, everything changed.

Continued below.

 

 

The intelligence office of the 509th Bombardment group at Roswell Army Air Field announced at noon today, that the field has come into possession of a flying saucer.

According to information released by the department, over authority of Maj. J. A. Marcel, intelligence officer, the disk was recovered on a ranch in the Roswell vicinity, after an unidentified rancher had notified Sheriff Geo. Wilcox, here, that he had found the instrument on his premises.

Major Marcel and a detail from his department went to the ranch and recovered the disk, it was stated.

After the intelligence office here had inspected the instrument it was flown to "higher headquarters."

The intelligence office stated that no details of the saucer's construction or its appearance had been revealed.

Mr. and Mrs. Dan Wilmot apparently were the only persons in Roswell who have seen what they thought was a flying disk.

They were sitting on their porch at 105 South Penn. last Wednesday night at about ten minutes before ten o'clock when a large glowing object zoomed out of the sky from the southeast, going in a northwesterly direction at a high rate of speed.

Wilmot called Mrs. Wilmot's attention to it and both ran down into the yard to watch. It was in sight less then a minute, perhaps 40 or 50 seconds, Wilmot estimated.

Wilmot said that it appeared to him to be about 1,500 feet high and going fast. He estimated between 400 and 500 miles per hour.

In appearance it looked oval in shape like two inverted saucers, faced mouth to mouth, or like two old type washbowls placed together in the same fashion. The entire body glowed as though light were showing through from inside, though not like it would be if a light were merely underneath.

From where he stood Wilmot said that the object looked to be about 5 feet in size, and making allowance for the distance it was from town he figured that it must have been 15 or 20 feet in diameter, though this was just a guess.

Wilmot said that he heard no sound but that Mrs. Wilmot said she heard a swishing sound for a very short time.

The object came into view from the southeast and disappeared over the treetops in the general vicinity of six-mile hill.

Wilmot, who is one of the most respected and reliable citizens in town, kept the story to himself hoping that someone else would come out and tell about having seen one, but finally today decided that he would go ahead and tell about seeing it. The announcement that the RAAF was in possession of one came only a few minutes after he decided to release the details of what he had seen.

That was the Army Air Force press release The Roswell Daily Record published on 8 July. Days earlier, people in the American Southwest reported UFO sightings—in fact, since Kenneth Arnold’s report of unknown aircraft near Mt. Rainier, thousands had seen UFO all across the country.

Then, suddenly, the USAAF retracted the story. Called it a weather balloon.

Ever since then, ufology has been debating about what or what didn’t happen. I have my own views but that’s another story.

Like the Arnold sighting, the Roswell incident has become a part of our popular culture; books, comics, movies and TV shows featuring UFOs and aliens—especially the Roswell event—have been around for decades and there’s no chance of slowing down.

Will we ever know what happened?

I don’t know.

Time, as always, will tell.

Happy Roswell Day.

Be seeing you.

-30-

 

A Planet Called Vulcan.

According to some sources, in the 18th Century, astronomers hypothesized that there was a planet located between the Sun and Mercury, some calling it Vulcan.

Eventually, the scientific community came to the realization that Vulcan never existed.

But, well, what if it did?

From Night Zero:

Gustav Holst’s The Planets' nine movement suite started playing as I laid in bed, reading the dataflexi; I’d arranged each movement to follow each planet’s orbital path around Sol: “Vulcan, Bringer of Fire,” “Mercury, the Winged Messenger,” “Venus, the Bringer of Peace,” “Mars, the Bringer of War,” “Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity,” “Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age,” “Uranus, the Magician,” “Neptune, the Mystic” and “Pluto, the Bringer of Wealth.” Holst had lived long enough to see Pluto discovered and eventually added the new movement; however, Eris wasn’t known until its discovery in 1981. Mars was my favorite; the Pluto movement, with its eerily haunting choral arrangement, was also outstanding and ranked second among my favorites.

Of course, nothing was ever composed for Tellus, Earth’s co-orbital twin.

SI (Synthetic Intelligence) Nightmare Fuel.

I have to say this about AI art.

It does create some rather disturbing nightmare fuel.

Take Teletubbies, evil lawn gnomes, Monster, Inc. rejects, some really bad Eurotrash Star Trek ripoff and David Lynch taking enough drugs to scare the shite out of Dennis Hopper--well, this is what happens.