James P. Hogan Bug Park

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settling for the one Eric had used, trying to measure your airspeed inside
the plane.
Eric nodded. Exactly. But it s in all the textbooks. And the clergy have been
taught not to question the written Word, you see.
Michelle looked at him disbelievingly. Surely it can t be that simple.
I really think it is. So do a number of other physicists. But they re not the
ones in charge. Science has gone the way of the medieval European Church and
sold out to politics. It doesn t pursue truth anymore; it promotes correct
agendas.
So are you saying that Relativity is wrong?
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Not wrong. Just a needlessly complicated way of interpreting what s going on.
Ptolemy s epicycles weren t wrong. You can still say that the planets move
in loops if you want. It fits the observed data. But trying to figure out laws
of motion to make it work would drive you crazy. We re still waiting for the
new Copernicus to come along who ll be listened to but in the meantime, we do
what we can. In fact I ll be speaking on this at a conference that s being
held up in the mountains over the holiday weekend. So wish me luck, eh?
Oh? Where s this?
A place called Barrow s Pass. It s a new, glitzy creation that doubles as a
conference center and ski resort.
Michelle shook her head. Vanessa away this weekend. You next week. Is it
always like that? You don t seem to see too much of each other. She meant it
as a hint to take a look at his life, without wanting to sound critical.
We re like the two yuppies in the story, aren t we? Eric said, smiling. Did
you hear about them?
Go on.
They pass each other on the stairs of the house, both wearing suits and
carrying briefcases. He s just come in; his wife is just rushing out. He
shouts back at her, Where are you going? She shouts, Tokyo. Where are you
back from? He says, London. Then, just as she gets to the door, she stops
and calls back up the stairs, How are the children? And he answers, I
thought they were with you.
Michelle laughed, but then her expression became serious again. We joke about
it, but it s not far from the way a lot of people are getting these days. Life
is something that should be lived, not strip-mined. Don t you think so?
Eric snorted. That sounds funny coming from a lawyer. I thought they were
supposed to be among the worst.
We re like airplanes, Michelle told him. You only hear about us when one
flies faster, higher, or crashes.
Eric grinned, putting a foot up on one of the lawn chairs and resting an arm
on his knee while he surveyed the scene around them. Younger people still
have their values right, though. They make friends for the right reasons, read
things they like, and are healthily skeptical of eminent authorities. You
know, sometimes I think that all of this so-called wisdom that we brag about
acquiring as we get older is really nothing more than rediscovering the common
sense that we had at sixteen.
That s interesting. Did you think it up yourself?
No. I got it from Kevin, of course.
Doug Corfe had appeared from the direction of the house and been joined by the
Vancouver ferry captain, who had left the group he was with earlier. Ohira
detached himself from a mingling of people and children by the pool and came
over, holding a paper plate piled with pieces of steak and chicken. Like
Hiroyuki he was in blue jeans, his hair plastered in points around his
forehead by a scarlet headband worn in place of the cowboy hat.
Too dangerous for grown-ups back there, he said. A man could get drowned in
all that flying water.
Kids relive their fish ancestry, Michelle told him.
I think it s called recapitulation, Eric said. Are you enjoying yourself?
I always say that I m enjoying myself. If you can t tell a lie honestly, then
fake it. I learn from American lawyers.
Hey, wait a minute, Michelle protested. I ll have to figure that one out. .
. .
Ohira gestured approvingly toward where Kevin and Taki were talking with Avril
and Janna. See there, my nephew has the right idea. He enjoys himself too.
Eric and Michelle shifted their attention just in time to hear Kevin saying,
. . . I don t know. I d have to ask my dad.
Eric straightened up. What do you have to ask your dad? he called across.
Oh. . . . Kevin moved over to them. Taki motioned to the two girls. They
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followed hesitantly. This is Avril. That s
Janna, Kevin said. They were asking about the mecs. We wondered if they
could come and see Bug Park.
It sounds absolutely fascinating, Avril said.
Ohira nodded his shaggy bullet of a head. It s a great idea, he pronounced.
We should get more kids thoughts on what they like, what more they d want to
see. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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