News Briefs 09-03-2010

Well, I don't know who invented the alphabet. It wasn't the Chinese, nor the Egyptians. Not anyone in the Americas either. Some people in the Middle East.

What is fascinating is that there was one (in digits: 1) independent invention of the alphabet in all of human history.

Different kinds of writing were invented independently, not knowing that other people can write.

Different alphabets were invented, but only after knowing that other peole use these things. This is not copying, it is more like reverse engineering. But it is not an original invention.

Why only once? That is very interesting, perhaps more interesting than who exactly did it.

Hi all -

At one time I knew Jerry E. Smith quite well, but had a falling out with him later. You can see his thank you to me in "Weather Warfare" for taking a look late in 2005 at an early rough draft of some of the chapters on cloud seeding he was working on. (He thanked me after I asked him not to mention my help.)

After learning he was dying, I tried to send the message that I forgave him for his actions, but I don't know if the message ever made it to him.

I'd like to share some of the good memories of Jerry instead of the bad ones.

Jerry always wanted to be a science fiction writer, but never succeeded in doing so, which is sad. That's how he got his start with Jim Keith and with the zine scene, back when both of them were in high school.

Both Jim and Jerry were victims of scientology (go anonymous!) for over a decade, which ultimately led to their anti-scientology zine Dhamra Combat, which later morphed into a conspiracy zine, and the rest followed...

Some of Jerry's best writing will never be known. When Jerry was in Reno working with Jim Keith, they wrote porn novels that were used to wrap photos, providing "significant social and artistic content". Jim would provide the action while Jerry provided continuity and detail. Paid per book with a set number of pages. When those pages were filled, the book stopped wherever the "story" was. Sorry I can not remember their collective noms de plume or their publisher anymore...

Some of Jerry's best writing will never be read. Jerry had been working on his science fiction at Jim's place. When Jim died, Jim's family threw all of the computer disks holding Jerry's science fiction writing into a dumpster when they cleared Jim's possessions.

Jerry lost decades of work.

Jerry always considered himself a "samurai", who could write on anything for money, and that is the reason for his later books on very diverse subjects. He got 15% royalties from David Hatcher Childress for the books he wrote for him, while David got 85%. I'm sure David and Kenn will miss Jerry, not only as a source of income, but particularly as a traveling companion.

On the other hand David sold Jerry "The Corner House" here in Kempton just over a year ago for $60,000; Jerry's cancer was discovered January 2; his cancer may have been due to his drinking himself falling down drunk regularly, or it may have been due to farm chemicals in Kempton's water supply, or it may have been due to other factors... there's some material for you conspiracy buffs... Here in Kempton we're waiting to see who buys the Corner House next.

Jerry had a House Purchase Celebration party with friends on February 28 which ran until 4 in the morning.

For some reason I could not get to sleep last night until roughly 3 in the morning. Make of it what you will.