Episode 334 of Beam Me Up is at hand! This week, I tie up one story arc, start another small one and an anime fan joins me to talk about a movie we just watched.

First I open with the Bare-naked Ladies doing their theme song for the television show Big Bang Theory.

The first story of the afternoon is Mark Webb's In the Service of the Public. This story an Earth diplomat in service to an inter-galactic government. Webb has managed to make the subject entertaining and even develop a small story arc. As odd a subject this would seem, from what I have read so far that no matter how things change and evolve there is always a functionary some where keeping the "machinery" rolling. Webb seems to have captured the essence of the true architects of empire. We will see as the Interstellar Coalition Public Service and the Aazork public service evolves. My reading is a little rough however. It was a last minute addition to this week's line up.

Next is a couple of really excellent science article from Earth Sky dealing with the Van Allen radiation belts and the Tunguska event.

Then it is time once again for Star Trek Trivia. Two new questions this week.

If you are an anime fan and have seen the Tri Gun series or even if you haven't, you are going to want to take a listen to our review of the Tri gun movie Badlands Rumble which is an excellent to the TriGun universe or an excellent return to the Vash the Stampede universe. Anime fan and listener to the program Jeremey joins me to talk about the movie and the TriGun series in general. I know I had a great time, and I hope you have just as much entertainment!



David Sholes has a new collection of short stories called Speculative Fiction: The Ultimate Collection. Dave sent over a copy of the collection for me to take a look at. Since it was a nice mix of stories we have seen on BMU and new I thought a review was in order.

Ron posts an article about the Curiosity rover and many other of our equipment still out there doing science. As new and as cutting edge they are, the probes and rovers are held together by tech, thousands of years old!

Finally I play the conclusion of Edward McKeown's excellent story "The Dive". Everything moves ultra fast in this week's final. I think you will agree that this has been one of the better written and narrated series the show is running.

That and some other foolishness this week on episode 334 of Beam Me Up!

Review: Speculative Fiction - The Ultimate Collection

Speculative Fiction The Ultimate Collection By David Scholes 23 highly entertaining short story collection.

Any long time listener to Beam Me Up is bound to recognize the name David Scholes. Beam Me Up has hosted his stories like Odenforce The Intervention and Trathh. Scholes is well schooled in the god of ancient Norway which he has at time molded into wars spanning all time.

Also David has fashioned an alternative history where England was a major technological mover and shaker during the early 20th century managing to outstrip even the USA. It is clear that Scholes is a master of history and can realize a milieu as robust and complete as any historian.

Along with his Asgardian and Greater Britain stories there are other equally robust and entertaining shorter pieces.

Hired Guns is a fast paced short alien mercenaries story. Easy Meat, who said waste management can be entertaining? Are you ready for the Grey Police or something called GrannyBoost? Yeah? Then take a short read with the enforcers in Surprise Attack!

Sholes is not above changing up his Asgardian/Brell should the need arise. In Unwelcome Visitor, we are not sure who is the most “unwelcome” but like unruly children, certain lessons must be taught no matter how the “unruly child” complains. Or the story “The Ship” asks, what would it be like if everything was just.....better? And if the bringer of such largess were damaged, could we benefit from the lessons given even if the teacher is gone?

If you enjoy stories with a strong military / warrior thread running through them, then like me you will enjoy not only great ships and god like powers, but also stories of the human condition and so much more.

Sholes Speculative Fiction collection is marvelously entertaining and thought provoking as well. If you have enjoyed some of David's shorter works on Beam Me Up then this book is a definite look-see.

Lulu is publishing the paperback and the e-book is available on Amazon

Hand-tied knots on Mars

It might surprise most people to learn that knots tied in cords and thin ribbons have probably traveled on every interplanetary mission ever flown.   See knots on Rover Curiosity, right.

 Acceptable NASA knots are specified in NASA Technical Standard NASA-STD-8739.4 -- Crimping, Interconnecting Cables, Harnesses, and Wiring.  

If human civilization ends tomorrow, interplanetary landers, orbiters, and deep space probes will preserve evidence of both the oldest and newest of human technologies for millions of years.

Pictures courtesy of International Guild of Knot Tyers Forum 

Woman Grows Ear...On Her Arm!

I know, sensationalistic, but honestly how often do I ever get the chance to really come up with a totally lurid article title! Plus have it be 100% absolutely true!

That's right, A woman really did grow an ear on her arm, it's the circumstances I have omitted... This is what the Boing Boing article said:

• A woman whose exterior ear was removed during her fight with cancer has grown a replacement ear made from starter-tissue harvested from her rib. (when it was mature) it was removed from her arm and affixed to the side of her head. 

And who is doing this "cutting" (sorry) edge plastic surgery? Doctors at Johns Hopkins according to this CBS News Article 

Sherrie Walters lost her ear to an extremely aggressive rapidly-spreading basal cell cancer, in 2008. 

Doctors took cartilage from Walters’ ribs (and) stitched together a new ear matching her right ear which they then implanted it under the skin of her forearm, where it grew for months.

  

Cheap cool hybrid possible, maybe

I want this freaking car, and badly want this car. 

It's an Aptera hybrid.   Okay, before we get to the tech aspects, I have to say something here. This thing looks like the cars we were once promised even if it doesn't fly. Now on to the tech part.

Aptera in Greek means wingless, and the car is as eco-friendly as it is futuristic.

It can be all electric with a plug in, or you can get a small fuel engine installed which will apparently deliver around 200 - 230 MPG. (Bet we never see these offered here openly.)

  The top speed is limited to 95 mph, which is 

probably a very good thing when you take into 

account people like me that learned to drive on

 back country roads.

It's a 2.5 seater, and has only 3 wheels. This would also reduce the friction lag and drag on the car, and still keep it entirely stable. 

  The all electric version runs about 120 miles and then you just plug it in for a couple hours. And it plugs into a standard 110 outlet.

  The other has a fully electric drive train, assisted by a fuel efficient generator.

  It has all the standard festures of a regular car, with air bags, rear view camera, gps, and of course stereo accomidationg cd's, mp3's and a dvd player. RFID key system for starting, solar assisted climate control system, and my mouth is watering over this thing. 

  Reserve it for a 500 dollar fully refundable deposit, and the car itself runs in the area of $26,900.

  Now lets get to what I am fairly sure will happen here. I have no doubt that they will do everything in their power here to keep this vehicle out of america by any means necessary. We have too many in charge that care more for their pocket than they do anything else, regardless of what they say they care about. And you know that the oil companies will hate this and do everything possible to see to it that it gets banned in America for something.

  People are so against hybrids in this country it is unbelievable  and here is one that not only looks amazing, but is also within the affordable range of your normal working person.

  Anyway, thought this might interest a few of you out there, and since we were talking about antiques, and ended up on old cars, I remembered this one.

  SO, anyone know where I can get a quick $27,000 plus shipping costs? Not only would I and I am sure many of you love this vehicle, just think what it would do to this backwards town I am living in right now. Hee hee hee. Okay, so I'm evil. They started it.

  But here it is. Hybrid, affordable, and just plain gorgeous. And I bet they'll do everything possible to keep it out of this country, or they won't make as much money. Or, gas will suddenly shoot to 85 dollars a gallon for whatever false excuse they can make up. I don't care, I want one. And I want it now. They didn't give me my flying freaking car, so I'll take this instead, and we'll call it even. FOR NOW. I still want my flying car. 

Here's a link folks, enjoy, and dream. And if you get one before me, please don't tell me. 

http://inhabitat.com/aptera-diesel-electric-hybrid/aptera-diesel-electric-car-hybrid-concept-car-hybrid-automobile-aptera-hybrid-green-transportation-sustainable-car-green-cars-sustainable-transportation-transportation-tuesdays-4/