Monday, June 11, 2007

Milt Stevens, Simi Valley, CA

Your courtroom vignettes were the best item In Challenger #25. Your courtroom stories usually are the best item in any given issue. Even though your venue is a long way from Southern California in a number of ways, things seem to be pretty much the same all over. The same problems at a different address.

Again I marvel at your visits to Watts Towers. I was the analytical officer for that area of Los Angeles back in 1970-71, and I've never been there. South-Central Los Angeles was pretty bad back then, and Watts was the worst part of South-Central. Things have undoubtedly changed since then. The endless stream of Hispanics have been moving into South-Central and forcing the Blacks out. The Blacks have the choice of either leaving under their own power or feet first. Politicians have noticed and decried all this hostility between Hispanics and Blacks. Which doesn't change a darned thing. These two groups just plain don't like each other.

Mike Resnick's "L.A.con IV Diary" gives a glimpse of life in the pro lane. Not surprisingly, I was never anywhere near Mike Resnick during the entire course of the convention. After reading Mike's account of the convention, I am now aware of another reason why I would never make it as a pro writer. I couldn't eat that much no matter what. I only eat two meals a day, and usually they aren't terribly large meals. The only reason I ever ate lunch was because they gave a lunch break at work. My ex-wife once commented that I eat like I'm fueling a machine. As long as I get about the right number of calories at about the right times, I don't much care what I eat. That's more-or-less true, since there are some foods I definitely don't like. Aside from that, I am fueling a machine.

As Greg Benford points out, there are definite risks out there in the real world, and we can't possibly avoid all of them. Personally, I fly much less than I once did. It isn't the possibility of terrorists I fear but rather the certainty of homeland security. I figure I'm a very small target on a very big planet. Terrorists might get me, but the odds are against it. Other people could get me as well. I could be walking down a street and a stray bullet from a robbery or a drive-by shooting could kill me dead. A driver could lose control of his vehicle and run me down on the sidewalk. I could probably worry about such things night and day if I wanted to worry about something. Such thoughts occur to me, but I don't really worry about them. I figure there is no point to worrying about things I can't possibly prevent. What me worry?

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