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Power vacuums always fill
01/08/2006 . Source: Geoff Willmetts 
This editorial is getting changed daily based entirely on the situation with Israel and Lebanon, says Uncle Geoff. It's one of those times where its impossible to stay within subject when there is a war escalating in the Middle East and the casualty rates rise so I hope you can forgive my concern for both sides. Let's hope any commentary will still have some meaning by the time Hello everyone
This editorial is getting changed daily based entirely on the situation with Israel and Lebanon. It's one of those times where its impossible to stay within subject when there is a war escalating in the Middle East and the casualty rates rise so I hope you can forgive my concern for both sides. Let's hope any commentary will still have some meaning by the time we go to press let alone have any relevance in the coming month.
I mean, how can you have an editorial about anything else when so much carnage is going on and think such things will just not go away? Discussing anything else this month here would only trivialise a world situation although I did spot a wider issue from it. In general terms, short of a coup or outright surrender by one side or the other, escalation is inevitable and a strong reminder that there are innocents and victims on both sides combined with a mutual hatred of intolerance for the other side. Just goes to show that for every advance we make, there's still the old problems of intolerance, religion and territory we fight most over. As readers of Science Fiction we come across such stories, not even as allegories, all the time. In our own reality, though, solutions are not dependent on superior logic, science or technology. Here, there has to be negotiation tables, backdowns and even exclusion zones keeping nations separate. How much of this is impartial we will have to wait and see but this is a war where both sides are now at fault for letting a bad situation get worse and acting as bad as each other.
In my ponderings on other things, something that rarely comes up in SF is what really happens when one side wins. Such stories end as a 'happy ever after'. In SF, it can also be with the annihilation of the other side and the world continues from a single perspective. For our reality, such an event never happened. The Cold War really came to a halt by economics and America seemingly won by default. Without the ying and yang balance, American policy has somewhat won the day wherever it goes even if, for the most part, it is more economical than warlike on the whole. With Russian support elsewhere somewhat minimalised, is it hardly surprising that those who fear capitalism add that to their list of dislike for our friends - I use the term loosely cos we British are supposed to have a special relationship - across the pond.
Can there be too much of a good thing? Does the term 'good' actually have a perimeter before it is 'bad'? What is the tolerance for other systems in such a power vacuum? Believing that 'right' is on your side for any action taken doesn't necessarily make it the right thing to do. It just means you've chosen your allies well. Who is manipulating who tends to be irreverent to the actions taken and the end result? How far can such things go before a nation's actions are no better than the side they face?
It is an unusual situation where the 'good guys' can be somewhat unchecked by any other country which can lead to policies on one hand can look fair but on the other can be used to the other extreme as well. It can become equally unbalanced as other than refinement, there is little opposition to stand up and be counted. At that point, it can make where your allegiances lie most precarious.
To some extent, a lot of this stems back to the end of the Cold War. Before that, there were skirmishes and even short wars in the Middle East but not total escalation without bringing in the countries who supplied both sides. With things more unbalanced now and building resentment, there is a greater melee into the power vacuum with many countries testing each other for either alliance or how much they can pull from the others. Is it any wonder conflicts happen?
Power vacuums are always seen as a means to advance your own belief system. Whether we like it or not, mankind is still very much tribal and determined to attack any system that is in opposition to itself at some point. It is because a faith is different that is often cited as reason enough for conflict. Any stand-offs come about largely because a similar system is adopted, especially in terms of economics and capitalism, so assimilation is achieved or because there is no active confrontation. When the latter happens, there is always war as witnessed in past weeks. At its heart, mankind is still strongly xenophobic towards itself. Hardly an indictment for world peace and any passing alien will shake its heads and try somewhere else for a little world community spirit.
Where the area is weak is in getting battles fought over a table than on a battlefield. Shows of violence is more an action some nations use to show they can match anything the opposition can toss at them. Ultimately, they don't overall achieve anything. Leaders can always be replaced but it is the belief and martyr system that keeps the opposition alive. There has to be some radical change in either or both if some compromise is to be achieved. When both sides act as bad as each other than it becomes awfully difficult to tell the good and bad guys apart. It is then no longer a war of ideals but simply one of annihilation. If one cannot beat the other then there is ultimately no winners only losers. To compromise means admitting to finding some area of negotiation. With life considered so worthless in places like the Middle East this isn't going to be easy but at some point there has to be hope that some maturity develops that looks for less violent solutions. It's either that or new players are needed to keep the power vacuum from boiling over.
It's a scary world out there and war alone is not enough to stop conflict. It needs determination for peace.
Thank you, take care, good night and be safe
Geoff Willmetts
editor: SFCrowsnest.co.uk
(Less Serious) Thought For The Month # 1: I was recently watching the 1952 film 'The Day The Earth Stood Still'. Still stands the test of time but I wonder what would happen in a re-make with current sensibilities. No doubt, several nations would attack. Gort who would take umbridge and destroy the Earth. Quickest film ever.
(Less Serious) Thought For The Month # 2:- At Camelot, why did King Arthur have a round table? Ikea couldn't supply a square one!!!
A real Zen thought::The world is not a simple place but could be full of simple people.
A real Zen thought for potential writers: If you can express an opinion independently of others and aren't likely to bend to the masses then you might show potential as a writer.
BOOK REVIEWS
PS Do you love Science Fiction, horror or fantasy books? Do you read? Able to string words into sentences? Then read on...you maybe what we need...
If you've survived this far in the editorial, let me reiterate something from the website newsletter and the above editorial. As you can see from the main page, we have one of the biggest SF/fantasy/horror monthly reviews columns on the Net. Our success has increased the number of books that comes in and our policy is to read everything before giving a review. You want the bottom line about what you're going to choose to read. We roadtest books so you have some idea of what you're letting yourself in for. That means we need people actually willing to read the book and tell others what they think in reviews. For that, we're always on the outlook for more reviewers. Do you think you have what it takes to review a book? It's a skill that can be easily mastered and we need a few more.
Apart from the ability to put words into sentences, you also need to know how to précis, do a little research on associated subjects and can express opinions constructively about the good and bad points about the books you read. We even let you choose from our pile of received books rather than foster something on you that you wouldn't normally read. You'll even get a little editorial help in how to write good copy and that can always lead to other things. I did say you have to love books and willing to read beyond your favourite authors, didn't I?
If you like reading books in the genre, can really think and show you can write a decent review and, most importantly, live in the British Isles (sorry, expense, time and distance travelled mostly prohibits elsewhere), then use the link below and see our requirements. We can't pay you but a review for the price and regular supply of new books, this has to be a good incentive.
We have one of the most popular and biggest SF review columns on the Net. Do you think you're up to writing a review? If you think you can, then you're really going to think you've landed your hands in the biscuit tin. It won't hurt to try and see if you have the right stuff. Look up the Review Guidelines:
WHAT WE LOOK FOR IN CONTRIBUTORS AND WRITING GENERALLY PPS: For those keeping track, I'm still about 24 months (late August 2004) behind.
With going through the ebook samples, I have removed some who've gotten published elsewhere. Thank you for your patience but let me know if you've sold elsewhere so I can reduce my pile or if you've changed address, especially e-mail address. I can't give you my comments unless either is up to date. Currently, doing spot-checks to see if you're still there when I reach your sample in the pile is making it easier on my time and catching up on the slush pile.
This isn't much of a repeat, just to show you're not forgotten. Those sending in ebook samples, be prepared for a long wait and read the Guidelines with your mouse here: elsewhere on this website
They are there to help you do some of the right things and reduce the number of times I'm repeating myself over silly grammatical errors and spelling mistakes that you shouldn't be making. It makes editing a lot easier if any editor has less work pointing out poor English which should have been sorted out in the first place and more focused on other areas of your work. As a writer, it is your command of the English language and its grammar that will show how serious you are about writing.
NOVEL-LENGTH AND OTHER WRITING
General advice for those who want to become writers of any sort: There's an old editorial adage, if you can't aim for perfection why should an editor nurse-maid you to that state? If you're a writer, then you should understand the words, sentences and grammar of the job you're supposed to be writing or are you considering it as mundane and boring as any other job to get right? Fall in love with making every sentence the best you're ever written, read up and understand the rules of grammar. Put the time in researching any subject you're using in the story. Be prepared to put a story away for a few weeks and go back to it for a self-edit. Even I do that. A lot of the time, errors will just stare you in the face when you didn't see them the first time round. Once you know where your weaknesses are, they can be sorted out and allow you to move a little higher up the ladder towards making your material look its best. Look up the Common Problems Link with your mouse here:
SHORT STORY SLUSH PILE
Please don't confuse the above link with my short story slush pile which is kinda low at the moment. We're always willing to give short story writers a chance to be seen if they can withstand my scrutiny even if we can't pay for their efforts, your material will be seen by a lot of people. If you can get a short story written well then it'll make it easier to move up to novel length. Look up the Short Stories Link with your mouse here
FLASH OR ONE-PAGE FICTION
Don't forget also, we've got a teaching ground of one page stories, so check out the rules elsewhere on the website.: Flash fiction stories link with your mouse here.
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