Science Fiction Microstory Contest discussion
February 2021 - Science Fiction Microstory Contest (Comments Only)
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Tom
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Feb 16, 2021 04:22PM
Maybe we should start by making human rights our guiding priority.
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Interesting story form, Justin. Very vivid sensory.(Is it just me, or do I remember that premise from a Jennifer Lawrence movie? 'Can't remember the name.)
Can we still discuss the stories this month? Because that one of Justin's is brillianr--seriously brilliant. And humorously, too--in a way. NICE work, Jusrin!
Good points, Jot--one question: who'd be controlling the currency? Human or AI--and if AI, developed by whom? Or, if humans controlling the currency, which humans?
Decided to put a fiction where I've been chattering merrily along, so have posted a story now, folks. Pure raw prose, indeed.
Mod
The cards would look like credit-card sized calculators, with a small, single line display. Other units would also exist (larger display, speaker, ..) for those with a disabilities. They would include a pass code for entry and a finger scanner for approval of a payment. Each card would have both NFC (near field communication) and WIFI for sharing of data packets. NFC would be used for private payments between two cards or a card and a kiosk. Two separate and encrypted packets would be created (one by the payer and the other by the receiver), and echoed via WIFI to any nearby card, kiosk or WIFI hub. This way, if the power or internet went out, transactions could still take place and stored on this secondary, decentralized network. Remember, for this to work, we would have to replace anonymous currency. However, given the extent of bitcoin's use, which is completely underground, that cat might already be out of the bag.
As to your question, the transaction packets would be received, verified, stored and reconciled between two independent server centers. Each would be run using the same open source engineered software system. Not until the international community of engineers agreed on the security of the systems, would it be put into practice. No AI would be used, just specifically written software. And neither of the two independent server centers would be able to grant unilateral access to the private linkage of the transactions. Only aggregated bookkeeping numbers would be accessible, including transaction amounts or voting results based on regions. However, if both the Federal and State server centers were sent requests for the specific linkage of a single person, a digital handshake between them would unlock the details for that account for a period of time. Likewise, for some place like Palestine, a new government there would control only one server set, and the international courts the other. This way, if a vote of no confidence was privately cast by a majority of the populous, the government accounts be locked in a way to expedite the peaceful transfer of power. Also, if a country like the U.S. or E.U. wanted to provide assistance to people in impoverished countries, they could do so directly without the money being diverted to the ruling government for malicious intentions. I know it sounds like science fiction, but this could all come together using today's technology.
Interesting! The tech details are very interesting. And so the established nations, or a group of nations such as the E.U., could through some international court half-control the currency operations of a new or small or "controversial" nation--?
Tom wrote: "Interesting story form, Justin. Very vivid sensory.(Is it just me, or do I remember that premise from a Jennifer Lawrence movie? 'Can't remember the name.)"
"Passengers" with Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence. I took the basic premise and put my own twist on it. Thanks Tom!
Paula wrote: "Can we still discuss the stories this month? Because that one of Justin's is brillianr--seriously brilliant. And humorously, too--in a way. NICE work, Jusrin!"Thank you Paula, much appreciated! I enjoy your stream of consciousness writing!
Mod
I wrote one, but it is...boring. Will have to see if I can find time to revise it to the point where it's postable.
Hi all, Mine's up!Took me a while to scroll down. lots of discussions here.
On the discussion of how we are perceived overseas, there ought to be night classes for those travelling. We should have knowledge of how the US and US travellers are perceived in the destination country so that we can be a bit more careful about what we say and do. Some are obvious like don't get drunk, brag, or be belligerent. Some are not so obvious, such as, don't say you are from America or the USA. Say the state instead. That's not perceived as bragging but as a conversation starter.
Mod
I'm 100% Californian but I can put on a Texas accent that can fool Californians (But not Texans). "Which part of Texas you say you came from?"
"Austin!"
"Well, I'm holding onto my wallet! You ain't from Texas!"
Posted.When I travel, if I say I'm from Canada, people think I'm a US person in mufti. I usually say I'm from Toronto ("T'ranna") even though I live north of there.
"Ah bon, j'habitais a Paris pendant trois ans," and I just don't say *which* 3 years. Then I'm fine. OTOH, how many times can one get asked "Oh yeah, you related to that economist?" --Fortunately, it's cool once I remind them "When the Czar demanded Jews in the Pale of Settlement take surnames, it was the name most taken." One does, though, have to remind people.
And then they say "T'ranna rex"?Jeremy wrote: "Posted.When I travel, if I say I'm from Canada, people think I'm a US person in mufti. I usually say I'm from Toronto ("T'ranna") even though I live north of there."
Kalifer wrote: "On the discussion of how we are perceived overseas, there ought to be night classes for those travelling. We should have knowledge of how the US and US travellers are perceived in the destination c..."
Kalifer, what a wonderful story--and genuinely moving. Queen Tibilla reminds me of so many . . . well, not to write any spoilers here, but . . . she does.
Jot wrote: "One step at a time."But which step? Maybe 1st diverse pop., 2nd whatever currency reform/changes the people determine necessary--
Jeremy, that story's not at all boring. (see my post in the Critiques thread.)
Mod
The next is manufacturing. Very pricey, but perhaps could be crowd sourced, along with international aid for the purpose of testing it in a small, third-world country looking to replace a dictator with a true democracy.
Then of course is to use this country as a test ground. Once the technology is shown to the masses to be safe, private and secure, would we then be able to replace something like the dollar bill.
In the U.S., there would be a two year period for all paper currency to be turned in for digital credits. After that, it would be just paper, though I'm assuming many would still accept it for underground transactions. And of course, gold or other coinage would also be used, but in much lesser numbers than that which is currently untaxed.
Using Herman Cain's 9%,9%,9% plan (where those rates could vary based on income), tax would be automatic for income (on the books or off), purchases of goods or services (legal or not) and capital gains. No tax returns would be needed for personal accounts. So if a girl had a lemonade stand and charged a dollar for a cup, 9% of that would go to the federal government and some other amount to the state. Like gas, the advertised price would have to pre-include the tax. That's the idea, at least.
Thank you, Jot and Jeremy! Very much appreciated!
Science Fiction moment.It's 2021, and I just listened to audio of the wind blowing on Mars.
Thank you, Tom. Jeremy, wow, that is amazing! Now I shall try to link to it--that is REALLY amazing!
Alina, saw that ending coming. I wanted to put that woman out of her misery too. The asteroid belt as the new Devil's Island is a nice touch.
Just read all of your stories and had a great time doing it! Well done for coming up with the theme, Kalifer, lots of interesting things came up :).
Mod
Did you get that ah-ha moment in Clark's Rama to think the craft was a cilindar for a reason, that it had an tall ridge to hold back the water during thrust? Or in 2001, when Dave was just painfully able to keep his head from exploding by quickly engaging the airlock.
How important is it for the science to be accurate? Did you cringe in Armageddon when they produced artificial gravity just by spinning the space station, where motion would have torn the shuttle from its port? Or how in the center of the station, the gravity field was strong and "downward?"
Or in Heinlein's This Immortal, when the engineer attached a small device to the hull and caused it to utilize solar wind to quickly accelerate out of the solar system?
For me, I think Clark's model is best when introducing science or technology. Comments?
I think that it's important to use science in science fiction, hence the name.Now, it's true you might utilize science in stories for a range of effects, from adding exotic backdrops to evil technology-based characters.
But as in any fiction, elements might be overused or misused. So if the technology obscures the story or reduces necessary character development, that's bad.
If scientific concepts become an appropriate color on the author's pallet, blending artfully with the other story elements to add story depth and increase emotional engagement by the reader, that's good.
So like bad grammar or poorly wrought descriptions, bad science is yet another way authors demonstrate their lack of artful creativity.
And if you accidently describe someone on a moon base waving a full martini glass around without a splash; then, I suppose, you have another form of amusing entertainment value.
Mod
I actually had a drink-in-glass low-gee scene in a story a while back.Solved that one by making the glass larger than normal, with a special shape that lowered the risk of liquid slopping over.
One could also use a toddler's sippy cup, I suppose.
C. wrote: "I think that it's important to use science in science fiction, hence the name.Now, it's true you might utilize science in stories for a range of effects, from adding exotic backdrops to evil tech..."
Very well put, C.
I used weightlessness a lot in "Star Dancer" - right in the opening scene, in fact. And, probably took several liberties with simulated gravity. I probably made a dozen mistakes, but I had fun doing it. And, I hope I entertained my audience (if I have one) somewhat.***
“You are boring me, you limp little freak,” she taunted him, all the while calculating the angle of her trajectory relative to the upsweeping agro sphere at the end of the revolving tube at the nearest platform’s middle section. The timing had to be perfect. You can do this, she assured herself. Why not? She’d made a lucrative career by calculating the physical intricacies of sex in zero-gee. And, her teachers in the finest schools from Luna to Venus had complimented her on her extraordinary mathematical aptitude. Numbers she could embrace; one more thing to take precious space away from feeling. Her thoughts raced even as another part of her mind calculated. The angle of trajectory against the speed of the rotation, the rate the line was retracting, the center of mass, the length of the tether at the right moment… Her breath accelerated as she tinkered with the electrical system in her suit, swearing under her breath as her gloved fingers clumsily struggled with two live contacts. Sweat beaded on her forehead as the last remaining seconds ticked off. Now.
She opened the valve on her suit’s recycling system and sparked the two contacts together, igniting the escaping flammable gas before it could freeze. The make-shift jet flared in the icy vacuum, knocking her aside. As she swung downward, the bastard at the opposite end of the tether of course swung upward, his counterweight giving her just enough kick to intercept the agro-sphere as it swung up. She fought to keep her breathing steady as she twisted the valve closed. She unhooked the grapple head from the tether line, falling free, the superstructure of the agro-sphere hurtling up beneath her.
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/star...
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
***
Feel free to point out every technical error. Just tell me if you enjoyed it.
I think Jeremy's and C's answers cover most the ground here. As for the drinks, could be a problem if the toddler mistakes that sippy cup for--
Gripe water. That's what they used to call it.
Mod
"This made it easy for Jill to provide details to the living sections of the tugs without worrying about how many bedrooms, bathrooms, cooking and command stations might be needed and how they would be connected together. The true genius was in allowing thrust and spin to be completely blended together to create smooth, artificial gravity, without impact to the section layout. With the three sections combine into a single, circular tube, the crew torus contained room for sixty of these interchangeable stations. Each of them linked together to provide one flat and level walk around the perimeter of the vessel, no matter the thrust and gravitational forces."
