Good Books.... Well, there are a few.

[Steppenwolfe]

I really enjoyed all of John le Carre books.

Night Manager series was quite good I thought.

 

[Chilliwack Murray]

My memory has faded after all these years, but I recall reading a book...or short story as the case may be...by Isaac Asimov entitled "I, Robot". Years later, I saw the movie and wondered if it was the same story. I thought the movie sucked. I's been probably 50 years or so ago, but I do remember reading a sci-fi book entitled "Death World" that I thought was good, and another entitled "A Canticle for Lebowitz."

I was still looking forward to the I Robot movie when it came out even after I saw who was in it but it was just about the most disappointing movie I’ve ever seen. About the only thing it has in common with the book is the character names.

Bicentennial Man was an Asimov short story and the movie with Robin Williams was every bit as good. Probably my favourite movie adaptation of a science fiction story. Most really are terrible though.

 

[Frankenkubota]

Asimov was in the science business? Was he a physics prof for something? I read that many of his contemporaries came to him to ask if their newest scifi idea was technically feasible?

He wrote a 3 volume series, introduction to physics. Best text book i've ever seen. Very readable and it was obvious, he was not trying to impress you with how smart he was. He could explain things in a manner that was just different than most. I read those books to this day. Outdated but basically, better than most!

 

[2LaneCruzer]

I seem to recall a movie entitled "The Illustrated Man", taken from a book written by Ray Bradbury. It's been a long time, but seems like he (The Illustrated Man) had numerous tattoos that came to life with a story.

 

[Chilliwack Murray]

Asimov was a professor of biochemistry but nothing physics related I do t think. He was just a very forward thinker and built up huge storylines spanning millions of years and settings that also considered how society would be in those worlds.

Stephen Baxter also writes on these kind of timelines but also has an unusual way of getting into his characters head which is interesting when they are prehuman for example.

 

[dmccarty]

Not sure if it is still in operation but years ago there was a practice bombing range in the Ocala National Forest...it was maintained and operated by the U.S. Navy...the actual base was called "Pinecastle" the sailors that were stationed there got extra pay because of the isolated location...

my family camped nearby often and it was very cool to watch the practice sorties at night...the sounds of the 20-22MM guns was awesome...

Pinecastle Impact Range

Yeah, I don't know if the Ocala range is still in use but the Google Earth image from 2017 at, 29ｰ06'47.06" N 81ｰ42'30.36" W, is pretty interesting. :laughing:

I do know about the Ocala range and there is another one south of Orlando. Back in the 80's I was driving up the FLA Turnpike to Orlando and there was a flight of four A10s "attacking' a Cypress head. They were doing gun runs but not shooting. Amazing how tight those planes can turn. At the time, some A10s were based at Shaw AFB in SC so I figured they had flown down south of Orlando to make their passes. Same time frame, I was on a sail boat in Biscayne Bay, and we saw some F16's flying out of Homestead AFB. Pretty cool. Then they used us a "target" and made runs at us. :shocked::laughing::laughing::laughing: They did not really come close and did not come low but they were making runs on us.

Kinda freaky, but I heard some strange plane noises over the house a few nights ago. Usually I get up and go check really fast but I was a bit slow this time. By the time I got outside I saw two small jets flying just above tree tops heading SE. There might have been more since the first sounds I heard I did not go out and see in time. As I was looking at the back of the two planes, three more flew right over us. Low, slow and in a pretty tight formation. I am guessing A10s because of the speed, sound, and number of planes in the flight. My guess is they were heading to Pope AAF. :confused3: I sure don't know where the heck they came from or really where they were going. Never seen that before.

It is pretty common to see Apaches and Black Hawks. Every once in awhile we will see Marine Hueys and Cobras. Early this year so a formation of them flying NW. Someone is flying a bright yellow Huey which I have seen a couple times. This week I saw a couple Osprey's flying to the NW. Kinda in the same direction the A10's were flying from.

Back in the 90's I was on canoe camping trip in eastern NC. We had stopped for the night, which happened to be Halloween, and there was a full moon. <Insert Scary Music> :laughing: We heard what we at first thought was a truck moving on the sugar sand road we were camped next too. This was on private land which we had permission to use and we were expecting a care taker to come check on us. The truck sounded strange and was taking forever to get close to us. Turned out it was not a truck but a Cobra flying very low and slow. :confused3: Not sure what muted it's sound so that it sounded like a truck and not a copter. Nor do we know what it was up too. We were in a swampy area and units from Lejune or Bragg could have been out playing.

Later,
Dan

 

[om21braz]

Back in the 90's I was on canoe camping trip in eastern NC. We had stopped for the night, which happened to be Halloween, and there was a full moon. <Insert Scary Music> :laughing: We heard what we at first thought was a truck moving on the sugar sand road we were camped next too. This was on private land which we had permission to use and we were expecting a care taker to come check on us. The truck sounded strange and was taking forever to get close to us. Turned out it was not a truck but a Cobra flying very low and slow. :confused3: Not sure what muted it's sound so that it sounded like a truck and not a copter. Nor do we know what it was up too. We were in a swampy area and units from Lejune or Bragg could have been out playing.

Later,
Dan

Were you in a known "Robin Sage" area?

 

[Frankenkubota]

Were you in a known "Robin Sage" area?

I live just west of Fort Bragg, soon to be renamed? We hear stuff constantly, the other nite i went outside to see what side of my roof he was gonna land on. They also fly blackhawks.

Years ago there was a c130 group here and you would see them fly in 3 groups of 3 planes each. My air force buddy called it a ballgame because of 9 innings.

And the when they start bombing, that's something.

 

[Frankenkubota]

I seem to recall a movie entitled "The Illustrated Man", taken from a book written by Ray Bradbury. It's been a long time, but seems like he (The Illustrated Man) had numerous tattoos that came to life with a story.

Rod Steiger?

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Rod Steiger?

As a matter of fact, I believe you are correct.