41 Comments

Love this ending, Greg, if for no other reason than I am hellbent on making inroads into "Empress" which keeps getting blocked by the latest news of the day.

P.S. May we all make trips in the quest for milk that will lead us to illumination!

Expand full comment

Beautifully put. As an observer of patterns I have come to the same conclusion. Thats why holding onto our human kindness while chaos descends will be so important.

Expand full comment
Dec 4, 2022Liked by Greg Olear

I’m ok with insufficient data for a meaningful answer 😁. I wonder if some things aren’t meant to be known. And the Star Trek theme is strong as I just randomly finished reading about ‘Glacier Mice’ lol. Does it all point to something?!

Star gazing 🙌.......The bf & I always argue about which are the big & little dippers😂.

That karaoke was SO GOOD!!!!!! 🏆

Expand full comment
Dec 4, 2022Liked by Greg Olear

Thanks again, Greg. I really enjoyed this.

Expand full comment
Dec 4, 2022Liked by Greg Olear

Awesome, Greg! And yes I agree, "...we have arrived at the moment when the entropy of our political system will be reversed: when hope and love and honor will re-ascend, when there will be light. Shine On." Brilliant!

Expand full comment

Asimov was my favorite author in my youth, interesting how memories of his works come at us in different settings. The shambolic lives we denizens of this spinning rock all come down to AC’s regurgitations, rather amusing years later…Thanks Greg for the memories of youth, and the nazi nihilism that surrounds!

Expand full comment
Dec 4, 2022Liked by Greg Olear

Thanks Greg. I have read Asimov's Last Question many times. Issac was a giant among the human race and he gave us the fictional laws of robotics that contain moral elements for man. So he and Susan Calvin and Elijah Bailey have passed on into the cosmos. Currently have a Asimov novel at my bedside. But first must finidh my re read of Dune.

Expand full comment
founding

A piece about Beauty. And Love.

It’s just a reminder that we love Greg, that we love each other, and that we love life.

Expand full comment
Dec 4, 2022Liked by Greg Olear

From your lips - or your fingers - to AC's ear.

Expand full comment
Dec 4, 2022Liked by Greg Olear

Shine on, bright star! Shine on! 🌈

Expand full comment

Next to gratitude, humility is the greatest virtue imo. Isaac Asimov had a special way of humbling us readers

Expand full comment
Dec 4, 2022Liked by Greg Olear

Stargazing used to be one of my favorite pastimes. Now, with all the LIGHT pollution (and my house is probably the biggest offender on the block!), it's almost impossible. I can still see the moon and Orion in the winter, along with Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, and some brighter stars. A town or two over from me actually has light pollution ordinances in place for stargazers -- all lights on houses have to be dimmed at night, facing down and etc. I KNOW that my brother, who lives in what is essentially the desert in Arizona, has GREAT skies at night, yet he doesn't seem to ever look up.

Asimov was always a hard read for me, for some reason. I prefer Arthur C. Clarke, but that may have come when I saw "2001" for the first time in 1968, when I was 10 years old. I was enraptured by the movie, while my mom fell asleep in the chair next to me -- she never "got" the attraction. That movie set me off for life on Arthur C. Clarke, space, AI, and oddly, murders (Are there Murderinos here? We seem to be EVERYWHERE!). I didn't get it at 10, but later, when I realized what HAL had done, and WHY, I almost fell out of my chair.

To "political entropy," I say YES! There will come a breaking point, and we may or may not have reached it, but we're getting there. The current Nazism may do it, but we may have other things to go through before we get to the point that we turn ourselves around. As was discussed a few weeks ago, I keep trying to be a better angel online, but honestly, "those people" aren't ready for it. All we can do is keep trying. As we've seen in at least the past three Democratic administrations, a good Democrat is always ready to come in and clean up the mess left behind by a Republican. It's become kind of our thing. It's annoying and tiresome, but SOMEONE has to do it, or the Nazis win, and I don't want to be in a world like that. Eww!

A good week to ALL!

Expand full comment
Dec 4, 2022Liked by Greg Olear

There was a joke that this dual citizen (Canadian and American) thinks is perhaps at least a partial corollary. Pierre Elliott Trudeau (father of current Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Canada’s 15th prime minister) passes away. Upon reaching heaven, he asks Saint Peter if the French-English question that had so vexed his time in office would ever be solved. St. Peter says the question is above his pay-grade. Best to ask the “boss.”

After Trudeau returns from his audience with God, St Peter asks, “So, did you get an answer to your question? To which Trudeau replies, Yes, I did.”

“Well?”

“God told me the Canadian French-English problem would be solved.”

St. Peter exclaimed, “That’s great news.”

Then Trudeau wistfully added, “But God also said ‘Not in His lifetime.’”

Expand full comment

Greg in an email said Dune by Frank Herbert

" I couldn't get through it."

I suspect that is a majority of folks and i doubt if film will be successful.

The first three books by Frank Herbert deal with Law, Religion and the Environment. Three subjects of great influence on me.

I found Frank Herbert a newspaper Reporter so interesting that i have his large Biography, Dreamer of Dune by his son Brian and a Tome of Franks collected stories.

Also i suspect any attempt at turning the great book of "Foundation" by Issac Asimov into a movie will not be successful.

A large copy of Foundation with art sits on a music stand (a gift from my lady). Its open to the Chapter, The War Begins.

Expand full comment

Greg on 2001 Film and Dune trilogy.

Probably due to your intense Classics indoctrination. Ha!

I thought 2001 A Space Odyssey was not Kubrick as relates to his other films. I think it was Clarke that keep Kubrick rolling on 2001. Note Clarkes sequel, 2010 was directed by Peter Hymes.

I liked a number of Kubrick films but failed to finish watching Eyes Wide Shut.

Expand full comment

I have hoped someone like Stephen Spielberg would make a film based on The "Nine" Tales of the book "City" by Clifford Simak.

Most of the publications only have the first Eight Tales.

Rain fell on the Great Sonoran Desert today and so tonite, I'll likely re watch Roy Batty recite

"Tears in the Rain."

a Science Fiction 42 word cult classic monologue.

Expand full comment