Or inherently wrong with western societies, begin all imperialistic and such. Which may be the stance the author is taking?

His arguments in this book in favor of the Inuit and against Norse culture are clearly racist...

This was my thought too. In the beginning of "Guns, Germs, and Steel", Diamond writes at length about how the people he knows in "primitive" societies are as intelligent and resourceful as anyone he knows from the West. This is the basis of the central question of "Guns, Germs, and Steel"; why didn't these equally…

Here's a less time consuming idea that will keep him happy - you wear a flight suit and carry a flamethower, as Nostromo Ellen Ripley. Have him go as Kane/John Hurt. Just have HIM wear the baby on his chest, under a bloodied up undershirt with a hole for the baby. Add little teeth to the baby's head and presto,…

Agreed, it started out pretty crappy, to say the least. Lot's of inexplicable character behavior, motivations, gadgets etc. Then the last season it got really good for awhile, and we all knew it was already dead...

Yes, the CC run had "The Late Phillip J Fry" and the "Prisoner of Benda" just to start, two very fine episodes.

I've always hated this argument, especially because it always seems to be applied to space travel and nothing else. You never hear anyone say "I was going to start a new small business, but poverty still exists, so no". Plus, it strikes me as profoundly opposed to the human spirit to explore, grow, and innovate. We'd…

I'm with you on this one. The characterization is terrible, and I usually skip the first 100 pages or so, but I can reread the Jayhawk War through the end over and over.

The candy dish, indeed. Also, I think this book gave me a permanent love of banana breakfasts.

Yeah, not vaccinating is more like drunk driving then anything - it's too bad if you crash into a wall, but if that was the only risk people wouldn't care about it so much. It's putting others at risk, in both scenarios, that is the really bad thing.

This would be one hell of a trip...

I don't know - I see the point, but in GOT everyone is really horrible and savage; I don't really see a big contrast where the people of Westeros are portrayed any better than the Dothraki. Different cultures, sure, but certainly no more noble. Only Dany seems to be better and more moral, and my guess is that she'll…

So Much For Subtlety

That's my favorite too - just amazing work.

I too was thinking of the Heechee - perfect example.

In the book, there are two prior Formic Wars, the First Invasion and the Second Invasion. I believe the First Invasion was a smaller scouting force without a queen, and that a lot of the action was drawn out - lots of talk of space marines and fighting in asteroids and such. I believe it started with an attack on…

I've always thought of it as the arctic equivalent to "At the Mountains of Madness". The creepy abandoned city, the skipping music, the sense that everything is just a little...off.

Amen to that. Evolution isn't directional - any change is just "evolution", no de-evolution" etc.

GSV Sleeper Service all the way.

On that note, the GSV Sleeper Service from Excession also fits the bill. A huge warship in itself that surprisingly has 80,000 powerful warships stowed away on board.