"Only as an aesthetic phenomenon can the world be justified" F. Nietzsche
Since the beginning of time humanity has recorded its existence in some sort of artistic form. These expressions have been the source of much that we know of how we perceive and experience existence: The sacrificial wonders of Montezuma, the slavery and opulence of the Egyptians, the massacre of Guernica and the hundreds of artistic composition from the survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
We intend to present our story in ways that have not always been part of the main stream narrative and the "official version". In the 21st Century still it might be said not much have changed since the Renaissance where most media and arts centres are ever more geared to the affluent and bourgeois segments of society. Consumers are increasingly consumed by the latest trend imposed by the board-rooms of London, Paris, N York or Milan.
Nevertheless there is another less visible story often restricted to areas in the world where the "hip and trendy" are not part of the scene like the country side of China, Vietnam, the inner cities of Brazil the "barrios" of Cuba, the forgotten artists of Serbia and the ex USSR. It's the story of the various movements and individual artists that have led man and woman to a struggle to survive and achieve a greater sense of equality, fairness and dignity against the powers of capital and oppression. This is the chapter of our story that we want to focus the also called political art, notwithstanding the notion that everything in our lives is political to a certain degree.
Our space is open to all the past, present and future forms of expressions that reflect the ideas rooted in the counter movements that have challenged the status quo.Not as anti thesis on the equation of life but as a hypothesis for a better future of a classless, just and fairer society. A space where the seemingly voiceless will turn their suffering into virtues like composers seek through their sorrow an unheard composition, as an artist yearning for a higher degree of understanding among us.
Thursday, 7 July 2011
All These Worlds Are Yours - The Appeal of Science Fiction
I've been fascinated with science fiction stories for as long as I can remember, although, I must confess, I never thought of science fiction as being mainstream literature. I, like many readers, pursued science fiction as a form of escapism, a way to keep up with speculation on recent scientific discoveries, or just a way to pass the time.
It wasn't until I met with my thesis adviser to celebrate the approval of my paper that I had to think about science fiction in a new light. My adviser works for a large, well-known literary foundation that is considered to be very "canonical" in its tastes. When he asked me if I liked science fiction, and if I would be willing to select about one hundred stories for possible inclusion in an anthology that they were thinking about producing, I was somewhat surprised. When he told me it might lead to a paying gig, I became even more astounded. I went home that afternoon feeling very content: my paper had been approved, and I might get a paying job to select science fiction, of all things.
Then it hit me: I'd actually have to seriously think about some sort of a method to select from the thousands of science fiction short stories that had been written in the past century. When I considered that the ideals of the foundation would have to be reflected in the stories which I selected, something near panic set in: science fiction was not part of the "cannon."
"While I pondered weak and weary, over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore," I reached a decision: I'd first try to figure out what science fiction "was," and then I'd develop a set of themes that related to the essence of science fiction. So, armed with this battle plan, I proceeded to read what several famous authors had to say about science fiction. This seemed simple enough, until I discovered that no two authors thought science fiction meant quite the same thing. Oh, great, thought I: "nevermore." (Sorry, Edgar, I couldn't resist).
Having failed to discover the essence of science fiction, I selected four authors whose work I liked to try to determine what they contributed to the art of science fiction. The authors were: Isaac Asimov, Robert Silverberg, Orson Scott Card, and Arthur C Clarke. At the time, I didn't realize that two of the authors, Asimov and Clarke were considered "hard" science fiction writers, and the other two, Silverberg and Card, were considered "soft" science fiction writers.
So, you might ask: what is the difference between "hard" and "soft" science fiction. I'm glad you asked, else I would have to stop writing right about now. "Hard" science fiction is concerned with an understanding of quantitative sciences, such as astronomy, physics, chemistry, etc. "Soft" science fiction is often associated with the humanities or social sciences, such as sociology, psychology or economics. Of course, some writers blend "hard" and "soft" science fiction into their work, as Asimov did in the Foundation trilogy.
So, having selected the authors, I was ready to proceed to my next challenge, which you can read about in the next installment of the series. "All these worlds are yours:" the Appeal of Science Fiction, Part II
In the first part of the series, I mentioned that I'd been given an assignment to select approximately one hundred science fiction short stories for inclusion in an anthology that was being considered by a literary foundation. Originally, I'd intended to find the "essence" of science fiction, and then select stories that reflected this essence. Unfortunately, this turned out to be nearly impossible, since different authors had different ideas about what constituted science fiction.
So, I took the easy way out, I selected four authors whose works appealed to me, and hoped that I could make selection based upon my familiarity with their works. My selection process resulted in four authors who have been writing science fiction for thirty years or more: Isaac Asimov, Robert Silverberg, Orson Scott Card, and Arthur C Clarke. As it turned out, two authors were considered "hard" science fiction writers, and two were considered "soft" science fiction writers.
Well, I finally had a plan. And then the wheels fell off. I still needed some sort of selection criteria, or I'd have to develop one as I read. So, I did what anyone in my place would have done. I started reading. I read, and read some more, and then... I read some more. Over three thousand pages and three hundred short stories, in fact. I was almost ready to make a stab at a selection process; almost, but not quite.
What, three thousand pages, and still can't figure out how to start? How could this be? Okay, so I'm exaggerating a little bit. I started to break the stories up into groupings around general themes-it helps when I organize things into groups, so I can apply some sort of selection criteria for seemingly unrelated data points (who says that thirty years in business doesn't have its rewards)? Gradually, I began grouping the stories into several broad headings: scientific discoveries; life-forms (which included aliens, man-made life and artificial life); the search for meaning (which includes the search for God or the gods); the death of a group of men, a nation, race, or system; the meaning of morality.
Now I admit, these groupings may be arbitrary, and may in fact reflect my perspective on things, but I had to start somewhere. The strange thing was that these grouping tended to repeat, no matter who the author was. When I thought about it, these same types of concerns are mirrored in the more "canonical" texts that are taught in school. So, what makes science fiction different from the mainstream texts taught in colleges and universities across the country?
Once again, I'm glad you asked that, because it is a perfect lead-in to the next part of the series. "All these worlds are yours:" the Appeal of Science Fiction, Part III
I guess that the main difference between science fiction and the more acceptable or "canonical" type of fiction must arise either from the themes employed, or the subject matter. In part two of this series, I mentioned that the themes employed by science fiction, namely: the search for life, identity, the gods, and morality are similar to those themes employed in "canonical" literature. By the process of subtraction, that leaves subject matter as the primary difference between the two genres.
So, by subject matter, we must mean science, since we've already covered fiction ("when you has eliminate the impossible, whatever is left, no matter how improbable, must be the truth," as Sherlock Holmes would say). So, we must infer that science is the factor which differentiates science fiction from traditional fiction. By this definition, several traditional pieces of fiction must be considered science fiction. As an example, The Tempest, by William Shakespeare has often been cited as a type of science fiction if we expand the category to include those works which incorporate current science into their works. But wait, you say, The Tempest does not incorporate science into its construction. Oh really, I reply, the English were just beginning to settle the New World in earnest when the play was written ("Oh, brave new world that has such people in't.") Besides, you reply, if anything, it is more fantasy than science fiction. Splitting hairs, I reply.
What then of John Milton, I ask? John Milton... why, he's so boring and well, unread these days, you reply. Of course he is, but that's beside the point. What about Paradise Lost, I rejoin? What about it, you reply (and then in a very low voice... I've never read it). The scene where Satan leaves hell and takes a cosmic tour before alighting on Earth and Paradise has been described by many critics as being the first instance of an author providing a cosmological view of the heavens. In fact, Milton scholars point to the fact that Milton, in the Aereopagitica claims to have visited Galileo Galilei at his home in Italy. These same critics also refer to the fact that Milton taught his nephews astronomy, using several texts that were considered progressive in their day. Still, most critics would fall on their pens (swords being so messy and difficult to come by these days), rather than admit to Paradise Lost being... gasp, science fiction.
Still not convinced; what do you say about Frankenstein? You say it made for several interesting movies, but really, the creature was overdone; bad make-up and all that. I reply: the make-up is irrelevant; for that matter, so are many of the films, which don't do justice to Mary Shelley's novel. She didn't even write the novel, you reply. Oh no, not another apologist for Percy Bysshe Shelley writing the novel. Let me state unequivocally that I don't care whether Mary or Percy wrote the novel: it is often cited as the first instance of science fiction. But where is the science, you ask: it is only alluded-to. That's' why it's also fiction, I retort.
So, where are we? I think we've managed to muddle the waters somewhat. It appears that the element of science is needed for science fiction, but the precedents for science being contained in a fictional work, are somewhat troubling. Maybe in the next section, we should examine "modern" science fiction and try to determine how science plays a part in works of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
"All these worlds are yours:" the Appeal of Science Fiction, Part IV
Up till now, we've defined science fiction as part science, and part fiction. No real revolutionary concept there. I've tried to show how earlier works could be considered science fiction, with mixed results. I've also said that works of the twentieth century would be easier to classify as science fiction, because they incorporate more elements of leading-edge science into their writing.
To use two brief examples, the Foundation trilogy by Isaac Asimov is often considered a "soft" science fiction work, relying more on the social sciences than the physical sciences in the plot line. In the story, Asimov posits the creation of a foundation that relies on psychohistory, a kind of melding of group psychology and economics that is useful in predicting and ultimately molding, human behavior. Anyone who has been following the stock and financial markets over the past year can attest to the element of herd mentality which permeates any large scale human interaction. The theme of shaping human dynamics through psychohistory, while somewhat far-fetched is not beyond the realm of possibility (and would, no doubt, be welcomed by market bulls right about now).
A second example from Asimov, that of the three laws of robotics, has taken on a life of its own. Asimov began developing the laws of robotics to explain how a robot might work. The three laws were postulated as a mechanism to protect humans and robots. He did not expect the laws to become so ingrained into the literature on robots; in fact, the laws have become something of a de facto standard in any story or novel written about artificial life, as Asimov has noted in several essays.
The case of Asimov's three laws of robotics influencing other writers is not unusual. In the case of Arthur C. Clarke, his influence is felt beyond writing and extends to science as well. Clarke is the person responsible for postulating the use of geo-synchronous orbit for satellites, and the makers of weather, communications, entertainment and spy satellites owe him a debt of gratitude for developing this theory. He anticipated the manned landing on the moon, and many discoveries made on Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and their many moons.
Consider also, Orson Scott Card, whose novel Speaker for the Dead, postulates a world-wide communication network that is uncannily similar to the world-wide-web and predated the commercial internet by some fifteen to twenty years.
It appears then, that science fiction writers popularize science, provide their readers with a glimpse of the possibilities of new inventions and theories, and sometimes, anticipate or even discover new uses for technology. But there's still an element missing in our definition of science fiction, that of the fiction side of the equation. We'll explore the fiction side of science fiction in the next installment. "All these worlds are yours:" the Appeal of Science Fiction, Part V
Good literature requires a successful plot, character development, and an emotional appeal in order to be successful. Science fiction is no different than traditional forms of fiction in this regard. We've talked about plot and content (science) in earlier installments. In this installment, I'd like to talk about the emotional reactions generated by science fiction.
Broadly speaking, I think science fiction appeals to the following emotional responses: terror, the joy of discovery, awe and wonder, a lassitude born of too many space flights or too many worlds, and a sense of accomplishment. The instances of terror in science fiction are well documented: for anyone who has seen Alien for the first time, terror is a very real emotion. Many science fiction and horror writers as well, make good use of the emotion of terror. An effective use of terror is important, however. Slasher movies use terror, but they sometimes degenerate into an almost parodic exercise of who can generate the most gore per minute. True terror is a case of timing and the unexpected. That's why Arthur C Clarke's story entitled "A Walk in the Dark" is so effective. The author sets-up the BEM (bug-eyed monster, from Orson Scott Card) as a pursuing agent; the protagonist has no idea that the monster will actually wind-up in front of him.
As to the joy of discovery, this emotion can work in reverse. In Orson Scott Card's brilliant short story and novel, Ender's Game, the child protagonist learns that the war games he was practicing for were actually the real thing. His surprise, remorse and confusion have profound effects on his psyche, and set the stage for his attempts later in life to attain some sort of recompense for the race which he and his cohorts destroyed.
Robert Silverberg's works evoke a feeling of dj-vu, a sense of being on too many worlds or too many travels; a moral ennui not found in many writers. Yet somehow, he transcends this eternal boredom to reveal with startling clarity that something lies beyond; if only a sought after end.
Perhaps no other science fiction author offers a sense of wonder and discovery, a sense of joy de vivre, as does Arthur C Clarke. In story after story, Clarke expounds on new worlds, new discoveries, new possibilities ("all these worlds are yours..."). His love of the cosmos is rooted in his love of astronomy and physics, and is bundled together with a love of mankind that makes his work so inspiring and evergreen.
But what of our final category, that of a sense of accomplishment? Each of these writers talks in some way to the human experience. In bridging the worlds of science and fiction, in writing to our fears, hopes, joys and sorrows, each of these authors stakes a claim to be included among the list of canonical authors. In "Nightfall," Arthur C Clarke writes of the effects of an atomic war, and thinks back to an earlier time. He is staking his claim to posterity when he writes:
Good freed for Iesvs sake forbeare,
To dig the dvst enclosed heare
Blest be ye man yt spares thes stones,
And cvrst be he yt moves my bones.
Undisturbed through all eternity the poet could sleep in safety now: in the silence and darkness above his head, the Avon was seeking its new outlet to the sea.
For Sir Arthur was paying his respects to the Bard, and claiming his place in the pantheon of the great English writers.
It wasn't until I met with my thesis adviser to celebrate the approval of my paper that I had to think about science fiction in a new light. My adviser works for a large, well-known literary foundation that is considered to be very "canonical" in its tastes. When he asked me if I liked science fiction, and if I would be willing to select about one hundred stories for possible inclusion in an anthology that they were thinking about producing, I was somewhat surprised. When he told me it might lead to a paying gig, I became even more astounded. I went home that afternoon feeling very content: my paper had been approved, and I might get a paying job to select science fiction, of all things.
Then it hit me: I'd actually have to seriously think about some sort of a method to select from the thousands of science fiction short stories that had been written in the past century. When I considered that the ideals of the foundation would have to be reflected in the stories which I selected, something near panic set in: science fiction was not part of the "cannon."
"While I pondered weak and weary, over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore," I reached a decision: I'd first try to figure out what science fiction "was," and then I'd develop a set of themes that related to the essence of science fiction. So, armed with this battle plan, I proceeded to read what several famous authors had to say about science fiction. This seemed simple enough, until I discovered that no two authors thought science fiction meant quite the same thing. Oh, great, thought I: "nevermore." (Sorry, Edgar, I couldn't resist).
Having failed to discover the essence of science fiction, I selected four authors whose work I liked to try to determine what they contributed to the art of science fiction. The authors were: Isaac Asimov, Robert Silverberg, Orson Scott Card, and Arthur C Clarke. At the time, I didn't realize that two of the authors, Asimov and Clarke were considered "hard" science fiction writers, and the other two, Silverberg and Card, were considered "soft" science fiction writers.
So, you might ask: what is the difference between "hard" and "soft" science fiction. I'm glad you asked, else I would have to stop writing right about now. "Hard" science fiction is concerned with an understanding of quantitative sciences, such as astronomy, physics, chemistry, etc. "Soft" science fiction is often associated with the humanities or social sciences, such as sociology, psychology or economics. Of course, some writers blend "hard" and "soft" science fiction into their work, as Asimov did in the Foundation trilogy.
So, having selected the authors, I was ready to proceed to my next challenge, which you can read about in the next installment of the series. "All these worlds are yours:" the Appeal of Science Fiction, Part II
In the first part of the series, I mentioned that I'd been given an assignment to select approximately one hundred science fiction short stories for inclusion in an anthology that was being considered by a literary foundation. Originally, I'd intended to find the "essence" of science fiction, and then select stories that reflected this essence. Unfortunately, this turned out to be nearly impossible, since different authors had different ideas about what constituted science fiction.
So, I took the easy way out, I selected four authors whose works appealed to me, and hoped that I could make selection based upon my familiarity with their works. My selection process resulted in four authors who have been writing science fiction for thirty years or more: Isaac Asimov, Robert Silverberg, Orson Scott Card, and Arthur C Clarke. As it turned out, two authors were considered "hard" science fiction writers, and two were considered "soft" science fiction writers.
Well, I finally had a plan. And then the wheels fell off. I still needed some sort of selection criteria, or I'd have to develop one as I read. So, I did what anyone in my place would have done. I started reading. I read, and read some more, and then... I read some more. Over three thousand pages and three hundred short stories, in fact. I was almost ready to make a stab at a selection process; almost, but not quite.
What, three thousand pages, and still can't figure out how to start? How could this be? Okay, so I'm exaggerating a little bit. I started to break the stories up into groupings around general themes-it helps when I organize things into groups, so I can apply some sort of selection criteria for seemingly unrelated data points (who says that thirty years in business doesn't have its rewards)? Gradually, I began grouping the stories into several broad headings: scientific discoveries; life-forms (which included aliens, man-made life and artificial life); the search for meaning (which includes the search for God or the gods); the death of a group of men, a nation, race, or system; the meaning of morality.
Now I admit, these groupings may be arbitrary, and may in fact reflect my perspective on things, but I had to start somewhere. The strange thing was that these grouping tended to repeat, no matter who the author was. When I thought about it, these same types of concerns are mirrored in the more "canonical" texts that are taught in school. So, what makes science fiction different from the mainstream texts taught in colleges and universities across the country?
Once again, I'm glad you asked that, because it is a perfect lead-in to the next part of the series. "All these worlds are yours:" the Appeal of Science Fiction, Part III
I guess that the main difference between science fiction and the more acceptable or "canonical" type of fiction must arise either from the themes employed, or the subject matter. In part two of this series, I mentioned that the themes employed by science fiction, namely: the search for life, identity, the gods, and morality are similar to those themes employed in "canonical" literature. By the process of subtraction, that leaves subject matter as the primary difference between the two genres.
So, by subject matter, we must mean science, since we've already covered fiction ("when you has eliminate the impossible, whatever is left, no matter how improbable, must be the truth," as Sherlock Holmes would say). So, we must infer that science is the factor which differentiates science fiction from traditional fiction. By this definition, several traditional pieces of fiction must be considered science fiction. As an example, The Tempest, by William Shakespeare has often been cited as a type of science fiction if we expand the category to include those works which incorporate current science into their works. But wait, you say, The Tempest does not incorporate science into its construction. Oh really, I reply, the English were just beginning to settle the New World in earnest when the play was written ("Oh, brave new world that has such people in't.") Besides, you reply, if anything, it is more fantasy than science fiction. Splitting hairs, I reply.
What then of John Milton, I ask? John Milton... why, he's so boring and well, unread these days, you reply. Of course he is, but that's beside the point. What about Paradise Lost, I rejoin? What about it, you reply (and then in a very low voice... I've never read it). The scene where Satan leaves hell and takes a cosmic tour before alighting on Earth and Paradise has been described by many critics as being the first instance of an author providing a cosmological view of the heavens. In fact, Milton scholars point to the fact that Milton, in the Aereopagitica claims to have visited Galileo Galilei at his home in Italy. These same critics also refer to the fact that Milton taught his nephews astronomy, using several texts that were considered progressive in their day. Still, most critics would fall on their pens (swords being so messy and difficult to come by these days), rather than admit to Paradise Lost being... gasp, science fiction.
Still not convinced; what do you say about Frankenstein? You say it made for several interesting movies, but really, the creature was overdone; bad make-up and all that. I reply: the make-up is irrelevant; for that matter, so are many of the films, which don't do justice to Mary Shelley's novel. She didn't even write the novel, you reply. Oh no, not another apologist for Percy Bysshe Shelley writing the novel. Let me state unequivocally that I don't care whether Mary or Percy wrote the novel: it is often cited as the first instance of science fiction. But where is the science, you ask: it is only alluded-to. That's' why it's also fiction, I retort.
So, where are we? I think we've managed to muddle the waters somewhat. It appears that the element of science is needed for science fiction, but the precedents for science being contained in a fictional work, are somewhat troubling. Maybe in the next section, we should examine "modern" science fiction and try to determine how science plays a part in works of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
"All these worlds are yours:" the Appeal of Science Fiction, Part IV
Up till now, we've defined science fiction as part science, and part fiction. No real revolutionary concept there. I've tried to show how earlier works could be considered science fiction, with mixed results. I've also said that works of the twentieth century would be easier to classify as science fiction, because they incorporate more elements of leading-edge science into their writing.
To use two brief examples, the Foundation trilogy by Isaac Asimov is often considered a "soft" science fiction work, relying more on the social sciences than the physical sciences in the plot line. In the story, Asimov posits the creation of a foundation that relies on psychohistory, a kind of melding of group psychology and economics that is useful in predicting and ultimately molding, human behavior. Anyone who has been following the stock and financial markets over the past year can attest to the element of herd mentality which permeates any large scale human interaction. The theme of shaping human dynamics through psychohistory, while somewhat far-fetched is not beyond the realm of possibility (and would, no doubt, be welcomed by market bulls right about now).
A second example from Asimov, that of the three laws of robotics, has taken on a life of its own. Asimov began developing the laws of robotics to explain how a robot might work. The three laws were postulated as a mechanism to protect humans and robots. He did not expect the laws to become so ingrained into the literature on robots; in fact, the laws have become something of a de facto standard in any story or novel written about artificial life, as Asimov has noted in several essays.
The case of Asimov's three laws of robotics influencing other writers is not unusual. In the case of Arthur C. Clarke, his influence is felt beyond writing and extends to science as well. Clarke is the person responsible for postulating the use of geo-synchronous orbit for satellites, and the makers of weather, communications, entertainment and spy satellites owe him a debt of gratitude for developing this theory. He anticipated the manned landing on the moon, and many discoveries made on Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and their many moons.
Consider also, Orson Scott Card, whose novel Speaker for the Dead, postulates a world-wide communication network that is uncannily similar to the world-wide-web and predated the commercial internet by some fifteen to twenty years.
It appears then, that science fiction writers popularize science, provide their readers with a glimpse of the possibilities of new inventions and theories, and sometimes, anticipate or even discover new uses for technology. But there's still an element missing in our definition of science fiction, that of the fiction side of the equation. We'll explore the fiction side of science fiction in the next installment. "All these worlds are yours:" the Appeal of Science Fiction, Part V
Good literature requires a successful plot, character development, and an emotional appeal in order to be successful. Science fiction is no different than traditional forms of fiction in this regard. We've talked about plot and content (science) in earlier installments. In this installment, I'd like to talk about the emotional reactions generated by science fiction.
Broadly speaking, I think science fiction appeals to the following emotional responses: terror, the joy of discovery, awe and wonder, a lassitude born of too many space flights or too many worlds, and a sense of accomplishment. The instances of terror in science fiction are well documented: for anyone who has seen Alien for the first time, terror is a very real emotion. Many science fiction and horror writers as well, make good use of the emotion of terror. An effective use of terror is important, however. Slasher movies use terror, but they sometimes degenerate into an almost parodic exercise of who can generate the most gore per minute. True terror is a case of timing and the unexpected. That's why Arthur C Clarke's story entitled "A Walk in the Dark" is so effective. The author sets-up the BEM (bug-eyed monster, from Orson Scott Card) as a pursuing agent; the protagonist has no idea that the monster will actually wind-up in front of him.
As to the joy of discovery, this emotion can work in reverse. In Orson Scott Card's brilliant short story and novel, Ender's Game, the child protagonist learns that the war games he was practicing for were actually the real thing. His surprise, remorse and confusion have profound effects on his psyche, and set the stage for his attempts later in life to attain some sort of recompense for the race which he and his cohorts destroyed.
Robert Silverberg's works evoke a feeling of dj-vu, a sense of being on too many worlds or too many travels; a moral ennui not found in many writers. Yet somehow, he transcends this eternal boredom to reveal with startling clarity that something lies beyond; if only a sought after end.
Perhaps no other science fiction author offers a sense of wonder and discovery, a sense of joy de vivre, as does Arthur C Clarke. In story after story, Clarke expounds on new worlds, new discoveries, new possibilities ("all these worlds are yours..."). His love of the cosmos is rooted in his love of astronomy and physics, and is bundled together with a love of mankind that makes his work so inspiring and evergreen.
But what of our final category, that of a sense of accomplishment? Each of these writers talks in some way to the human experience. In bridging the worlds of science and fiction, in writing to our fears, hopes, joys and sorrows, each of these authors stakes a claim to be included among the list of canonical authors. In "Nightfall," Arthur C Clarke writes of the effects of an atomic war, and thinks back to an earlier time. He is staking his claim to posterity when he writes:
Good freed for Iesvs sake forbeare,
To dig the dvst enclosed heare
Blest be ye man yt spares thes stones,
And cvrst be he yt moves my bones.
Undisturbed through all eternity the poet could sleep in safety now: in the silence and darkness above his head, the Avon was seeking its new outlet to the sea.
For Sir Arthur was paying his respects to the Bard, and claiming his place in the pantheon of the great English writers.
Author Biography
Peter Ponzio, the author of Children of the Night, is a CPA with over 30 years experience in Corporate Finance, holding positions as divergent as Treasurer, VP of Sales Administration, Vice President of IT, and General Manager of an internet start-up company in the late 1990s, and CFO at a subsidiary of a Fortune 100 company.
Mr. Ponzio graduated with a degree in English literature from Loyola University of Chicago, and an MA in Literature from Northwestern University.
Peter Ponzio, the author of Children of the Night, is a CPA with over 30 years experience in Corporate Finance, holding positions as divergent as Treasurer, VP of Sales Administration, Vice President of IT, and General Manager of an internet start-up company in the late 1990s, and CFO at a subsidiary of a Fortune 100 company.
Mr. Ponzio graduated with a degree in English literature from Loyola University of Chicago, and an MA in Literature from Northwestern University.
ESPY Awards
Every summer since 1993, ESPN has presented its annual Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly (ESPY) Awards in honor of the best and most memorable individual and team players and moments from the past year in athletics. For the first seven years, the ESPY ceremony took place in New York, first at Madison Square Garden from 1993-1994, then at Radio City Music Hall from 1995-1999. During the years 2000-2001, the ceremony was held in Las Vegas; and from 2002-2007, the awards show has been held in Hollywood, at the Kodak Theatre. In 2008, the show moved to the Nokia Theatre in downtown Los Angeles, where it has been held since then. Until 2002, the ESPY awards ceremony was held and broadcast in February or March on ESPN. Beginning that year, however, the awards ceremony moved to the Wednesday in July that follows the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, a rare point during the year when no other major professional athletic league in North America has no games scheduled, with the NBL, NFL, and NHL out of season, and no possibility of baseball games being contested by MLB on the day after the all-star-game. That way, all invited athletes can be available to make an appearance at the ESPY Awards Ceremony. Then, although winners are announced online on ESPN.com and from other media sources immediately after filming, the show is broadcast on ESPN on the Sunday following the actual ceremony.
ESPN donates portions of the proceeds from each ceremony are donated to The V Foundation, a charity established by Jim Valvano, college basketball coach and television sports commentator, with the mission to promote cancer research. He had established the foundation only shortly before dying from metastatic adenocarcinoma. His death occurred almost two months following the first ESPY awards ceremony, at which he had been honored the Arthur Ashe Courage Award, which honors personal courage and activeness in charity beyond the realm of sports.
Infusing a hip factor into the ceremony are contemporary celebrities and comedians - such as Seth Meyers, Jamie Foxx, Samuel L. Jackson, Tony Danza, Jimmy Kimmel, LeBron James, and Justin Timberlake - usually host each year's show, which also features comedic sketches between the distribution of awards to their recipients. It's the fresh choice of host that makes the Espy award one of the coolest honors in all of .
Other ESPY Award categories include Best Male Athlete, Best Female Athlete, Best Breakthrough Athlete, Best Coach/Manager, and Team of the Year, as well as honors for the top plays and top moments from the year. Awards are given in bowling, angling, driving, fighting, golfing, tennis, track, jockeying, and of course basketball, football, and soccer. Other awards transcending specific sports include Best Championship Performance, Best Male/Female College Athlete, Best Comeback Athlete, Best Game, Best Moment, Best Upset, Best Play, Best record-Breaking Performance, Best Sports Movie, and more.
ESPY Award winners are chosen online, with votes submitted by sports fans around the world. As of 2004, sportswriters, broadcasters, sports executives, athletes, ESPN personalities, and other athletic experts have also been invited to vote from among those nominees determined each year by the ESPY Select Nominating Committee. Before 2004, sports journalists and sports experts at ESPN had determined the nominees for each year, but since 2005, fan voting has determined all factors from nominees to winners.
ESPN donates portions of the proceeds from each ceremony are donated to The V Foundation, a charity established by Jim Valvano, college basketball coach and television sports commentator, with the mission to promote cancer research. He had established the foundation only shortly before dying from metastatic adenocarcinoma. His death occurred almost two months following the first ESPY awards ceremony, at which he had been honored the Arthur Ashe Courage Award, which honors personal courage and activeness in charity beyond the realm of sports.
Infusing a hip factor into the ceremony are contemporary celebrities and comedians - such as Seth Meyers, Jamie Foxx, Samuel L. Jackson, Tony Danza, Jimmy Kimmel, LeBron James, and Justin Timberlake - usually host each year's show, which also features comedic sketches between the distribution of awards to their recipients. It's the fresh choice of host that makes the Espy award one of the coolest honors in all of .
Other ESPY Award categories include Best Male Athlete, Best Female Athlete, Best Breakthrough Athlete, Best Coach/Manager, and Team of the Year, as well as honors for the top plays and top moments from the year. Awards are given in bowling, angling, driving, fighting, golfing, tennis, track, jockeying, and of course basketball, football, and soccer. Other awards transcending specific sports include Best Championship Performance, Best Male/Female College Athlete, Best Comeback Athlete, Best Game, Best Moment, Best Upset, Best Play, Best record-Breaking Performance, Best Sports Movie, and more.
ESPY Award winners are chosen online, with votes submitted by sports fans around the world. As of 2004, sportswriters, broadcasters, sports executives, athletes, ESPN personalities, and other athletic experts have also been invited to vote from among those nominees determined each year by the ESPY Select Nominating Committee. Before 2004, sports journalists and sports experts at ESPN had determined the nominees for each year, but since 2005, fan voting has determined all factors from nominees to winners.
Lanyard Hardware or Attachments
Lanyards can be customized according to what a customer may need. Different patterns, in color or braiding or size or material can be used. Lanyards can be used for attaching a variety of products from a key to a whistle to a USB flash drive to a cell phone. Lanyards depending on what its use is going to be are attached with different hardware so that connecting or tying or attaching them to an instrument becomes easy. The most general of hardware is that which comes fitted with O-shaped ring so that a key or a whistle can be affixed very easily and doesn't breakaway from a lanyard in worst of the situation. This goes with the small valuable instruments which can be wore in neck or in wrist.
Opposite to this is a breakaway mechanism; which generally is used where lanyard is supposedly long and has chances of getting stuck in some static object. In such cases a break-away mechanism is provided so that the neck of the wearer does not get a jerk incase it gets stuck. There are many other types of clips that can be used to affix different things to a lanyard. - such as a Swivel snap hook which is generally meant to affix Identity cards or badges which have a rectangular hole at the top of it, also the bull-dog clip which has serrated jaws and can clip on itself once the thing to be affixed is slide in it. It somewhat works same as a crocodile clip. A crocodile clip with swivel snap hook combo is also used in some cases.
Whereas in most of the digital equipments a simple nylon thread also work. It can be affixed to any of the lightweight digital equipment with the help of a cow hitch which is a very simple kind of knot.
Opposite to this is a breakaway mechanism; which generally is used where lanyard is supposedly long and has chances of getting stuck in some static object. In such cases a break-away mechanism is provided so that the neck of the wearer does not get a jerk incase it gets stuck. There are many other types of clips that can be used to affix different things to a lanyard. - such as a Swivel snap hook which is generally meant to affix Identity cards or badges which have a rectangular hole at the top of it, also the bull-dog clip which has serrated jaws and can clip on itself once the thing to be affixed is slide in it. It somewhat works same as a crocodile clip. A crocodile clip with swivel snap hook combo is also used in some cases.
Whereas in most of the digital equipments a simple nylon thread also work. It can be affixed to any of the lightweight digital equipment with the help of a cow hitch which is a very simple kind of knot.
Lanyard Manufacturing and Designing
Various manufacturers provide their lanyard products in various different sizes, shapes and colors patterns. Even different braiding patterns are provided. Manufacturers also provide customized patterns for the lanyards. Manufacturers to attract customers from all over the world have started marketing Lanyards online. Just because of this they are able to reach customers from all over the globe. The most common arena where the manufacturer can compete is by providing different patterns or by customized pattern as a customer may wish to have. Different printing patterns are also decided on the needs of a customer. A manufacturer can also provide economically cheap lanyards for the customer on his demand.
A lanyards design may depend on its use or the place where it is going to be used; the most common use can be attaching a key to keep it safe from loosing it. As same in big companies employees are provided with printed lanyards with their identity cards attached to it. Even in big expos or exhibitions lanyards with printed company logos are made to distinguish them distinctly and also to promote a specific brand name or a company. In such cases where the customer needs lanyards in bulk and has a very shorter use for example in an Annual seminar or exhibition cheaper methods can be used to print and produce such lanyards. Also the material used for making lanyards can increase or decrease the value of the finished product.
Lanyards are still used in Militaries all around the globe. This has been a common practice since ancient times so as to keep the important material safe at the time of action in a battlefield and also so that it can be easily accessed whenever the situation aroused. Generally a cavalry mounted soldier or a sailor used lanyards for affixing their swords or pistols or whistles to their uniforms to keep them safe while they are operating in the battlefield or during an exercise.
A lanyards design may depend on its use or the place where it is going to be used; the most common use can be attaching a key to keep it safe from loosing it. As same in big companies employees are provided with printed lanyards with their identity cards attached to it. Even in big expos or exhibitions lanyards with printed company logos are made to distinguish them distinctly and also to promote a specific brand name or a company. In such cases where the customer needs lanyards in bulk and has a very shorter use for example in an Annual seminar or exhibition cheaper methods can be used to print and produce such lanyards. Also the material used for making lanyards can increase or decrease the value of the finished product.
Lanyards are still used in Militaries all around the globe. This has been a common practice since ancient times so as to keep the important material safe at the time of action in a battlefield and also so that it can be easily accessed whenever the situation aroused. Generally a cavalry mounted soldier or a sailor used lanyards for affixing their swords or pistols or whistles to their uniforms to keep them safe while they are operating in the battlefield or during an exercise.
Various Uses of Lanyards
Lanyards from the past have been used to hold some or other item for a person for whom that item can be of extreme importance. It can be a simple instrument such as a key or a space-age digital device to a simplest of instruments such as a whistle. In today's world, in big Multi-national companies to keep a check on its employees or visitors Identity cards or Passes are issued. Such passes are generally attached to a lanyard. Even for Promotional events Lanyards Printed with companies' logos are in use. In such a way the company and its brand name is also advertised on a large-scale.
Lanyards are also used in industries where heavy-duty machineries are fitted with dead man's switch or a kill switch has a lanyard so if incase some mishaps occurs with the operator the lanyard is pulled out thus switching off the heavy-duty machines and thus avoiding further accidents. In such cases Lanyard is wore on the wrist. Deep sea divers also practice wearing Lanyards so that the small instruments that they carry can be accessed very easily whenever needed as also swimmers use neck lanyards to keep their valuables. This helps them to keep the valuables with them even when they are swimming. Even in the game of geocaching - where in a small container the trinkets are hidden. The container which is generally small in size has also lanyard attached to it so that it can be handled properly.
Now days the digital devices which are lightweight and are small have a built in notch where a lanyard can be attached to make the handling easy. In such cases a cow hitch can be used to tie the lanyard to the digital devices, which also in turn helps to affix the digital device and the lanyard firmly.
Lanyards are also used in industries where heavy-duty machineries are fitted with dead man's switch or a kill switch has a lanyard so if incase some mishaps occurs with the operator the lanyard is pulled out thus switching off the heavy-duty machines and thus avoiding further accidents. In such cases Lanyard is wore on the wrist. Deep sea divers also practice wearing Lanyards so that the small instruments that they carry can be accessed very easily whenever needed as also swimmers use neck lanyards to keep their valuables. This helps them to keep the valuables with them even when they are swimming. Even in the game of geocaching - where in a small container the trinkets are hidden. The container which is generally small in size has also lanyard attached to it so that it can be handled properly.
Now days the digital devices which are lightweight and are small have a built in notch where a lanyard can be attached to make the handling easy. In such cases a cow hitch can be used to tie the lanyard to the digital devices, which also in turn helps to affix the digital device and the lanyard firmly.
Lanyard Business in Today's World
Many of today's Lanyard manufacturers today give a variety of products which are made up from various types of fabrics and in various sizes & colors especially for the consumer on their specific demand. The most commonly used materials for making a Lanyard are cotton, polyester or any other nylon fabric, plastic such as PET, silk, nylon etc. Lanyards can be used by a specific company by printing their symbol on the lanyard as graffiti or a print-art. As this also a way to promote the Companies brand name and provide uniformity among the staff workers.
These printings are done by hot stamping or screen-printing or dye sublimation. Hot stamping is generally done by a Hot Stamp metal Plate with the art-work which is pressed on the Lanyard fabric. The artwork is what the client provides or is designed according to his needs. Hot-stamping is one of the most economical ways of getting the lanyard printed, but the only drawback is that the dye can be adjusted to give out a single color product. Whereas Screen-printing is one of the best forms to get the Lanyards printed with the symbol or art-work which is needed by the client.
It gives a very high quality and durable product. Dye sublimation gives out a superior outcome which is used for highly detailed and multicolored designs. This method gives out a smooth design which can resist abrasion and is thus less prone to fading. Depending on the user and its demands the printing of the Lanyard is chosen. For huge orders and where the lanyards are to be used for shorter period for example- Auction Galleries or expos or for Annual exhibitions the economical method of Hot-stamping is used.
These printings are done by hot stamping or screen-printing or dye sublimation. Hot stamping is generally done by a Hot Stamp metal Plate with the art-work which is pressed on the Lanyard fabric. The artwork is what the client provides or is designed according to his needs. Hot-stamping is one of the most economical ways of getting the lanyard printed, but the only drawback is that the dye can be adjusted to give out a single color product. Whereas Screen-printing is one of the best forms to get the Lanyards printed with the symbol or art-work which is needed by the client.
It gives a very high quality and durable product. Dye sublimation gives out a superior outcome which is used for highly detailed and multicolored designs. This method gives out a smooth design which can resist abrasion and is thus less prone to fading. Depending on the user and its demands the printing of the Lanyard is chosen. For huge orders and where the lanyards are to be used for shorter period for example- Auction Galleries or expos or for Annual exhibitions the economical method of Hot-stamping is used.
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