Star Trek; facts about fiction.

Tags

light speed, science fact, science fiction, Star Trek, starship Enterprise, the final frontier, The Greatest Gift, Trekkies, warp speed

As a science fiction writer, I always try to use correct science; I think it makes my books more believable. However, as a science nut, it’s easy to become sidetracked when researching science facts. Recently I found this, non-relevant but nevertheless fascinating information about one of the best science fiction programmes ever, Star Trek.

Take a look,

Source SPACE.com: All about our solar system, outer space and exploration

Ken Balneaves wrote, The Greatest Gift, available at http://amzn.to/QF7RLd (US), http://amzn.to/O12kgX (UK)

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The mating game; friend, #lover or foe?

Tags

alien, Aliens, race, science fiction, war

I hope you don’t mind, I’d like to conduct an experiment. I apologise if you’ve read this blog before. I posted it four days ago with the title “The #aliens are coming, it could be the end.”; it bombed, with only a relatively small number of hits. So, here it is again with a sexier title and seven more words. I’ll let you know in a few days how it goes this time.

“As a science fiction writer, I spend most of my life thinking about the, ‘what if’ of life and beyond. Recently, on Discovery, I watched a, ‘How the universe works’ programme about the likelihood of alien existence and it set me thinking about what has to be the biggest, ‘what if’ of all time.

But what if they do exist? Religion, race, colour, creed, wealth and power have all at some time acted singularly or conspired to keep the human race at odds with each other. To a lesser or greater extent, these factors have succeeded over countless centuries, causing wars between individuals, families, tribes, counties, countries and continents. How then, would we deal with aliens, a truly ‘different’ race from other worlds?

They might be so vastly different from us as to be totally repugnant, or they might be some sort of super race and we know what happened the last time someone tried to create that. Either way, it is likely that the differences would cause us to want to defend ourselves from the unknown. To man and woman, the unknown is fearsome and ‘alien’ in any guise, until one acquires an understanding of those differences and their aspirations, whereupon previously held prejudices can often be set aside. Some might become friends or even lovers!

It’s not so long ago that we, as a human race, considered ourselves to be split into three. Caucasian, Mongoloid and Negro. These classifications were not very helpful in terms of unification of the people of the world and thankfully, are now all but dead. But the fact remains that we are all different and until and unless we understand these differences, we will continue to fight for our corner of this planet. Still, it’s a sad edictment that there are many wars going on in our World right now. I Google searched on how many, which returned varying answers from 16 to 43. One answer however simply said ‘to many’ (sic) so I have added another, the one against ignorance. And that brings me nicely back to the reason for those wars. Let’s all hope we have a long period of amail (alien mail) contact with our intrepid interplanetary travellers, ahead of when they arrive or before we visit them. If they speak one of our native tongues that is, otherwise, it could be the end of civilisation as we know it, the ultimate war; sometimes, only survival counts.”

Ken Balneaves wrote, The Greatest Gift, available at http://amzn.to/QF7RLd (US), http://amzn.to/O12kgX (UK)

The #aliens are coming, it could be the end.

Tags

alien, Aliens, race, science fiction, war

As a science fiction writer, I spend most of my life thinking about the, ‘what if’ of life and beyond. Recently, on Discovery, I watched a, ‘How the universe works’ programme about the likelihood of alien existence and it set me thinking about what has to be the biggest, ‘what if’ of all time.

But what if they do exist? Religion, race, colour, creed, wealth and power have all at some time acted singularly or conspired to keep the human race at odds with each other. To a lesser or greater extent, these factors have succeeded over countless centuries, causing wars between individuals, families, tribes, counties, countries and continents. How then, would we deal with aliens, a truly ‘different’ race from other worlds?

They might be so vastly different from us as to be totally repugnant, or they might be some sort of super race and we know what happened the last time someone tried to create that. Either way, it is likely that the differences would cause us to want to defend ourselves from the unknown. To man and woman, the unknown is fearsome and ‘alien’ in any guise, until one acquires an understanding of those differences and their aspirations, whereupon previously held prejudices can often be set aside.

It’s not so long ago that we, as a human race, considered ourselves to be split into three. Caucasian, Mongoloid and Negro. These classifications were not very helpful in terms of unification of the people of the world and thankfully, are now all but dead. But the fact remains that we are all different and until and unless we understand these differences, we will continue to fight for our corner of this planet. Still, it’s a sad edictment that there are many wars going on in our World right now. I Google searched on how many, which returned varying answers from 16 to 43. One answer however simply said ‘to many’ (sic) so I have added another, the one against ignorance. And that brings me nicely back to the reason for those wars. Let’s all hope we have a long period of amail (alien mail) contact with our intrepid interplanetary travellers, ahead of when they arrive or before we visit them. If they speak one of our native tongues that is, otherwise, it could be the end of civilisation as we know it, the ultimate war; sometimes, only survival counts.

Ken Balneaves wrote, The Greatest Gift, available at http://amzn.to/QF7RLd (US), http://amzn.to/O12kgX (UK)

I don’t swear or use the word, ‘awesome’ but the UK #Paralympic Games were simply F*%>\ng Awesome.

Tags

awesome, disabled, discrimination, fire, Olympics, Paralympic Games, Paralympics

It was with complete and utter awe that I watched the closing ceremony of the Great Britain Paralympics’ Games last night. As a writer, I try not to swear too much although, on occasion, my characters do. However, the spectacle of the end of the Games was indeed F*%>\ng Awesome.

It was reported that there would be fire and there was; the imagination of the director, Kim Gavin knew no bounds this time. He had apparently said not to look for the derivation of his inspiration for the set pieces; they were, as it transpired, fantastically fictional and doubtless, entirely from his own cerebral invention, much like when writers write science fiction.

Its story however conveyed the message that these games, the Paralympics’ Games, were about the greatness of people. People who, for various reasons, are disabled; from relatively minor injuries or abnormalities to unbelievably debilitating conditions that have a huge impact on their way of life.

Their recent battle against such adversity making achievements against all odds cannot, and must not, be simply for the sake of the past ten days. They have striven for Great Britain for years to qualify and subsequently win medals, but even the taking part is more than admirable.

Let’s not forget the Olympians of course, they too have, ‘done us proud’ coming third in the World, like the Paralympians, was also a fantastic achievement.

And the Gamesmakers, what a fantastic bunch of people, working long hours and managing to maintain a cheerful demeanour, it was almost like being in a US Disney park and just as clean.

Thankfully there were no antics from the warring factions of this World. It was really great to see our troops (and the Police) there in a peaceful role, enjoying their work, making the Games memorable for the right reasons.

So finally, for the disabled, it’s up to us, those who are able bodied and minded. The mood in the UK towards them has palpably changed; let’s keep it that way and afford them as much assistance as they need and deserve. Well done Team GB.

Ken Balneaves wrote, The Greatest Gift, available at http://amzn.to/QF7RLd (US), http://amzn.to/O12kgX (UK)

Dallas. The Greatest Soap?

Tags

classis, Dallas, Ewing, soaps, Southfork, Texas, UK TV

Dallas is back on UK TV and straight back to the Ewing conflict that we loved in the 1980’s. The original characters, although 25 years older, still have the same unique idiosyncrasies.

However, something has changed. The house, Southfork, doesn’t look so palatial now and I think for me, that’s because in those 25 years my own house has become larger. I’ve also driven most of the cars they had back then in the old days, Jaguar, Mercedes, Porsche, Aston, Range Rover … I’ve built a business too in that time.

So I’m watching this from a different perspective now. Then, the young man, mightily impressed by the twists and turns of business dealings and personal conquests. Now, the elder statesman, who’s been there and done that, well the business part anyway.

Still, it’s good to see headstrong young men striving for position with the older heads giving them their own personal ‘infallible’ advice, thus ensuring it’s all set to kick off again with Sue Ellen simpering and prissing in the background.

Can’t wait for Cliff Barnes to turn up.

Ken Balneaves wrote, The Greatest Gift, available at http://amzn.to/QF7RLd (US), http://amzn.to/O12kgX (UK)