[Speed Gibson,
Thursday May 10, 2007 at 11:37pm]
Another World
The general consensus across all the versions of Superman's origin is that the planet Krypton was ruled by scientists. We could use a little of that here on this planet.
Imagine seeing their anti-smoking zealots try to extrapolate the mild health risk of first hand smoke that remains legal into the serious threat of second hand smoke that must be outlawed. Laughter is all they get.
Then comes the global warming brigade before the council. Krypton has no endearing polar bears so the ruling is abrupt: dismissed for lack of evidence.
Ethanol, Head Start, reduced class sizes, light rail, universal health care, death taxes, restorative justice, instant run-off voting, and the Freedom to Poop card are all quickly dispatched. The Happy to Pay for a Better Krypton activists can only wonder how it much nicer it must be on other planets.
But this is science fiction on multiple levels, for the scientists of their ruling council were ultimately politicians, too. Jor-El's prediction of doom was met with the same mockery and incredulity that the permanent property tax relief proponents got.
Imagine seeing their anti-smoking zealots try to extrapolate the mild health risk of first hand smoke that remains legal into the serious threat of second hand smoke that must be outlawed. Laughter is all they get.
Then comes the global warming brigade before the council. Krypton has no endearing polar bears so the ruling is abrupt: dismissed for lack of evidence.
Ethanol, Head Start, reduced class sizes, light rail, universal health care, death taxes, restorative justice, instant run-off voting, and the Freedom to Poop card are all quickly dispatched. The Happy to Pay for a Better Krypton activists can only wonder how it much nicer it must be on other planets.
But this is science fiction on multiple levels, for the scientists of their ruling council were ultimately politicians, too. Jor-El's prediction of doom was met with the same mockery and incredulity that the permanent property tax relief proponents got.