Over in rec.arts.tv I mentioned a SF story - which I'm pretty sure was
a short story written by one of the grand masters - about two armies
on the moon who endangered each other by shooting at each other and
the bullets (being Earth manufacture of course) having enough velocity
to put them into lunar orbit at a height of about 5' above the surface
and endangering their own side as the bullets did a circum-lunar orbit
and hitting themselves in the back.

Can anybody remember the story? As I say am pretty sure it's a short
story, written by one of the biggest name authors. Think it was in
Analog but not sure

On Thursday, July 14, 2022 at 12:37:21 PM UTC-4, The Horny Goat wrote:
> Over in rec.arts.tv I mentioned a SF story - which I'm pretty sure was
> a short story written by one of the grand masters - about two armies
> on the moon who endangered each other by shooting at each other and
> the bullets (being Earth manufacture of course) having enough velocity
> to put them into lunar orbit at a height of about 5' above the surface
> and endangering their own side as the bullets did a circum-lunar orbit
> and hitting themselves in the back.
>
> Can anybody remember the story? As I say am pretty sure it's a short
> story, written by one of the biggest name authors. Think it was in
> Analog but not sure

I vaguely remember it too, but can't help.

Nerding out:

The calculator at https://orbitcalculators.tech/orbits/
tells me you'd need 5511 ft/s to accomplish this. This
is higher than any commercial rifle round, though some
tank fired kinetic penetrators can reach 5600 ft/s

However, the moon has a very lumpy gravity field, AND
it has mountains. The notion the a round fired 5 feet
above the surface, horizontally, would get all the way
around it hit you in the back two hours later is incredibly
unlikely, but maybe not impossible.

pt

In <1f947f44-4757-4c6f-a6b7-8075cccc58c4n@googlegroups.com> "pete...@gmail.com" <petertrei@gmail.com> writes:

[snippeth[

>> to put them into lunar orbit at a height of about 5' above the surface
>> and endangering their own side as the bullets did a circum-lunar orbit
>> and hitting themselves in the back.

>Nerding out:

>The calculator at https://orbitcalculators.tech/orbits/
>tells me you'd need 5511 ft/s to accomplish this. This
>is higher than any commercial rifle round, though some
>tank fired kinetic penetrators can reach 5600 ft/s

>However, the moon has a very lumpy gravity field, AND
>it has mountains. The notion the a round fired 5 feet
>above the surface, horizontally, would get all the way
>around it hit you in the back two hours later is incredibly
>unlikely, but maybe not impossible.

Reminds me of another story where... the Good Guy is in
a low lunar orbit after some mishap or another, and
is about to crash into one of those mountains.

But.... one of the other big pieces of debris is in the
same orbit as he is, and 30 seconds (or somesuch) in
front of him, and pulverizes the obstruction first.

Ring any bells? Thanks

--
_____________________________________________________
Knowledge may be power, but communications is the key
dannyb@panix.com
[to foil spammers, my address has been double rot-13 encoded]

In article <1f947f44-4757-4c6f-a6b7-8075cccc58c4n@googlegroups.com>,
pete...@gmail.com <petertrei@gmail.com> wrote:
>On Thursday, July 14, 2022 at 12:37:21 PM UTC-4, The Horny Goat wrote:
>> Over in rec.arts.tv I mentioned a SF story - which I'm pretty sure was
>> a short story written by one of the grand masters - about two armies
>> on the moon who endangered each other by shooting at each other and
>> the bullets (being Earth manufacture of course) having enough velocity
>> to put them into lunar orbit at a height of about 5' above the surface
>> and endangering their own side as the bullets did a circum-lunar orbit
>> and hitting themselves in the back.
>>
>> Can anybody remember the story? As I say am pretty sure it's a short
>> story, written by one of the biggest name authors. Think it was in
>> Analog but not sure
>
>I vaguely remember it too, but can't help.
>
>Nerding out:
>
>The calculator at https://orbitcalculators.tech/orbits/
>tells me you'd need 5511 ft/s to accomplish this. This
>is higher than any commercial rifle round, though some
>tank fired kinetic penetrators can reach 5600 ft/s
>
>However, the moon has a very lumpy gravity field, AND
>it has mountains. The notion the a round fired 5 feet
>above the surface, horizontally, would get all the way
>around it hit you in the back two hours later is incredibly
>unlikely, but maybe not impossible.

(Hal Heydt)
I recall the story. Possibly Asimov?

The bullets traveled in eccentric orbits, so they didn't just
stay 5' above ground level to be stopped by mountains. IIRC, the
troops on the Moon wanted better computers to keep track of all
the stray munitions on orbit.

In article <tapmd6$jcs$2@reader2.panix.com>,
danny burstein <dannyb@panix.com> wrote:
>In <1f947f44-4757-4c6f-a6b7-8075cccc58c4n@googlegroups.com>
>"pete...@gmail.com" <petertrei@gmail.com> writes:
>
>[snippeth[
>
>>> to put them into lunar orbit at a height of about 5' above the
>surface
>>> and endangering their own side as the bullets did a
>circum-lunar orbit
>>> and hitting themselves in the back.
>
>>Nerding out:
>
>>The calculator at https://orbitcalculators.tech/orbits/
>>tells me you'd need 5511 ft/s to accomplish this. This
>>is higher than any commercial rifle round, though some
>>tank fired kinetic penetrators can reach 5600 ft/s
>
>>However, the moon has a very lumpy gravity field, AND
>>it has mountains. The notion the a round fired 5 feet
>>above the surface, horizontally, would get all the way
>>around it hit you in the back two hours later is incredibly
>>unlikely, but maybe not impossible.
>
>Reminds me of another story where... the Good Guy is in
>a low lunar orbit after some mishap or another, and
>is about to crash into one of those mountains.
>
>But.... one of the other big pieces of debris is in the
>same orbit as he is, and 30 seconds (or somesuch) in
>front of him, and pulverizes the obstruction first.
>
>Ring any bells? Thanks

Maelstrom, AC Clarke.
--
My reviews can be found at http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/
My tor pieces at https://www.tor.com/author/james-davis-nicoll/
My Dreamwidth at https://james-davis-nicoll.dreamwidth.org/
My patreon is at https://www.patreon.com/jamesdnicoll

In article <gbh0dhtbpctrto1g624lbahhr2a6sg4v1f@4ax.com>,
The Horny Goat <lcraver@home.ca> wrote:
>Over in rec.arts.tv I mentioned a SF story - which I'm pretty sure was
>a short story written by one of the grand masters - about two armies
>on the moon who endangered each other by shooting at each other and
>the bullets (being Earth manufacture of course) having enough velocity
>to put them into lunar orbit at a height of about 5' above the surface
>and endangering their own side as the bullets did a circum-lunar orbit
>and hitting themselves in the back.
>
>Can anybody remember the story? As I say am pretty sure it's a short
>story, written by one of the biggest name authors. Think it was in
>Analog but not sure

Men of Good Will (1964) by Ben Bova and Myron R. Lewis
--
My reviews can be found at http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/
My tor pieces at https://www.tor.com/author/james-davis-nicoll/
My Dreamwidth at https://james-davis-nicoll.dreamwidth.org/
My patreon is at https://www.patreon.com/jamesdnicoll

In <taptuq$9pq$1@reader2.panix.com> jdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll) writes:

[snip]

>>Reminds me of another story where... the Good Guy is in
>>a low lunar orbit after some mishap or another, and
>>is about to crash into one of those mountains.
>>
>>But.... one of the other big pieces of debris is in the
>>same orbit as he is, and 30 seconds (or somesuch) in
>>front of him, and pulverizes the obstruction first.
>>
>>Ring any bells? Thanks

>Maelstrom, AC Clarke.

Ahh, thanks muchly.

--
_____________________________________________________
Knowledge may be power, but communications is the key
dannyb@panix.com
[to foil spammers, my address has been double rot-13 encoded]

On Thursday, July 14, 2022 at 11:37:21 AM UTC-5, The Horny Goat wrote:
> Over in rec.arts.tv I mentioned a SF story - which I'm pretty sure was
> a short story written by one of the grand masters - about two armies
> on the moon who endangered each other by shooting at each other and
> the bullets (being Earth manufacture of course) having enough velocity
> to put them into lunar orbit at a height of about 5' above the surface
> and endangering their own side as the bullets did a circum-lunar orbit
> and hitting themselves in the back.
>
> Can anybody remember the story? As I say am pretty sure it's a short
> story, written by one of the biggest name authors. Think it was in
> Analog but not sure

Fritz Leiber's 1965 short story _Moon Duel_, first published in _Worlds of If_, had
as part of its plot bullets fired during an armed engagement on the surface of the Moon
that missed their targets and returned to impact among the combatants two hours later.
However, this was not a fight between armies but a small firefight between two human
prospectors in the relatively near future and one of the many and varied nonhumans who had
been exiled to our moon by a galactic civilization over the years, sort of a Botany Bay situation.

Peter Wezeman
anti-social Darwinist

On 14 Jul 2022, James Nicoll wrote
(in article <taptuq$9pq$1@reader2.panix.com>):

> In article<tapmd6$jcs$2@reader2.panix.com>,
> danny burstein <dannyb@panix.com> wrote:
> > In<1f947f44-4757-4c6f-a6b7-8075cccc58c4n@googlegroups.com>
> > "pete...@gmail.com" <petertrei@gmail.com> writes:
> >
> > [snippeth[
> >
> > > > to put them into lunar orbit at a height of about 5' above the
> > surface
> > > > and endangering their own side as the bullets did a
> > circum-lunar orbit
> > > > and hitting themselves in the back.
> >
> > > Nerding out:
> >
> > > The calculator at https://orbitcalculators.tech/orbits/
> > > tells me you'd need 5511 ft/s to accomplish this. This
> > > is higher than any commercial rifle round, though some
> > > tank fired kinetic penetrators can reach 5600 ft/s
> >
> > > However, the moon has a very lumpy gravity field, AND
> > > it has mountains. The notion the a round fired 5 feet
> > > above the surface, horizontally, would get all the way
> > > around it hit you in the back two hours later is incredibly
> > > unlikely, but maybe not impossible.
> >
> > Reminds me of another story where... the Good Guy is in
> > a low lunar orbit after some mishap or another, and
> > is about to crash into one of those mountains.
> >
> > But.... one of the other big pieces of debris is in the
> > same orbit as he is, and 30 seconds (or somesuch) in
> > front of him, and pulverizes the obstruction first.
> >
> > Ring any bells? Thanks
>
> Maelstrom, AC Clarke.

I don’t think so. That’s part of Venus Prime.

On 14 Jul 2022, James Nicoll wrote
(in article <tapu4n$9pq$2@reader2.panix.com>):

> In article<gbh0dhtbpctrto1g624lbahhr2a6sg4v1f@4ax.com>,
> The Horny Goat <lcraver@home.ca> wrote:
> > Over in rec.arts.tv I mentioned a SF story - which I'm pretty sure was
> > a short story written by one of the grand masters - about two armies
> > on the moon who endangered each other by shooting at each other and
> > the bullets (being Earth manufacture of course) having enough velocity
> > to put them into lunar orbit at a height of about 5' above the surface
> > and endangering their own side as the bullets did a circum-lunar orbit
> > and hitting themselves in the back.
> >
> > Can anybody remember the story? As I say am pretty sure it's a short
> > story, written by one of the biggest name authors. Think it was in
> > Analog but not sure
>
> Men of Good Will (1964) by Ben Bova and Myron R. Lewis

I think that that’s it.

On 7/14/2022 1:29 PM, danny burstein wrote:
> In <taptuq$9pq$1@reader2.panix.com> jdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll) writes:
>
> [snip]
>
>>> Reminds me of another story where... the Good Guy is in
>>> a low lunar orbit after some mishap or another, and
>>> is about to crash into one of those mountains.
>>>
>>> But.... one of the other big pieces of debris is in the
>>> same orbit as he is, and 30 seconds (or somesuch) in
>>> front of him, and pulverizes the obstruction first.
>>>
>>> Ring any bells? Thanks
>
>> Maelstrom, AC Clarke.
>
> Ahh, thanks muchly.
>

Strange thing, proceeding from that information,
I using my computer, STILL had trouble finding it!

Just in case anyone hit the same problems I did,

The described scene is in the short story
Maelstrom II that I just reread in Arthur C. Clark's
book of short stories titled "The Wind from the Sun"
(page 6) on my 1972 paperback printing.

On 2022-07-14 10:37 a.m., The Horny Goat wrote:
> Over in rec.arts.tv I mentioned a SF story - which I'm pretty sure was
> a short story written by one of the grand masters - about two armies
> on the moon who endangered each other by shooting at each other and
> the bullets (being Earth manufacture of course) having enough velocity
> to put them into lunar orbit at a height of about 5' above the surface
> and endangering their own side as the bullets did a circum-lunar orbit
> and hitting themselves in the back.
>
> Can anybody remember the story? As I say am pretty sure it's a short
> story, written by one of the biggest name authors. Think it was in
> Analog but not sure

I remember it as being incredibly short. Less than a page.

On Thu, 14 Jul 2022 16:39:57 -0700, a425couple
<a425couple@hotmail.com> wrote:

>On 7/14/2022 1:29 PM, danny burstein wrote:
>> In <taptuq$9pq$1@reader2.panix.com> jdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll) writes:
>>
>> [snip]
>>
>>>> Reminds me of another story where... the Good Guy is in
>>>> a low lunar orbit after some mishap or another, and
>>>> is about to crash into one of those mountains.
>>>>
>>>> But.... one of the other big pieces of debris is in the
>>>> same orbit as he is, and 30 seconds (or somesuch) in
>>>> front of him, and pulverizes the obstruction first.
>>>>
>>>> Ring any bells? Thanks
>>
>>> Maelstrom, AC Clarke.
>>
>> Ahh, thanks muchly.
>>
>
>Strange thing, proceeding from that information,
>I using my computer, STILL had trouble finding it!
>
>Just in case anyone hit the same problems I did,
>
>The described scene is in the short story
>Maelstrom II that I just reread in Arthur C. Clark's
>book of short stories titled "The Wind from the Sun"
>(page 6) on my 1972 paperback printing.

It's also in /Tales from Planet Earth/, available on Kindle.
--
"In this connexion, unquestionably the most significant
development was the disintegration, under Christian
influence, of classical conceptions of the family and
of family right."

[snip]

>>The described scene is in the short story
>>Maelstrom II that I just reread in Arthur C. Clark's
>>book of short stories titled "The Wind from the Sun"
>>(page 6) on my 1972 paperback printing.

It looks like some folk began producing a short
film based on this story. I've found the following
description/story board, but it's from 2007 and
I can't find any updates.

Anyone have further info or pointers?

(no response to the e-mail I sent).

thanks

https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/distant-galaxy.com/maelstrom2/MaelstromII.html

--
_____________________________________________________
Knowledge may be power, but communications is the key
dannyb@panix.com
[to foil spammers, my address has been double rot-13 encoded]

On 7/15/2022 9:27 AM, Paul S Person wrote:
> On Thu, 14 Jul 2022 16:39:57 -0700, a425couple
> <a425couple@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>> On 7/14/2022 1:29 PM, danny burstein wrote:
>>> In <taptuq$9pq$1@reader2.panix.com> jdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll) writes:
>>>
>>> [snip]
>>>
>>>>> Reminds me of another story where... the Good Guy is in
>>>>> a low lunar orbit after some mishap or another, and
>>>>> is about to crash into one of those mountains.
>>>>>
>>>>> But.... one of the other big pieces of debris is in the
>>>>> same orbit as he is, and 30 seconds (or somesuch) in
>>>>> front of him, and pulverizes the obstruction first.
>>>>>
>>>>> Ring any bells? Thanks
>>>
>>>> Maelstrom, AC Clarke.
>>>
>>> Ahh, thanks muchly.
>>>
>>
>> Strange thing, proceeding from that information,
>> I using my computer, STILL had trouble finding it!
>>
>> Just in case anyone hit the same problems I did,
>>
>> The described scene is in the short story
>> Maelstrom II that I just reread in Arthur C. Clark's
>> book of short stories titled "The Wind from the Sun"
>> (page 6) on my 1972 paperback printing.
>
> It's also in /Tales from Planet Earth/, available on Kindle.

Weird!

My printed, hardcover book (collection of short stories)
"Tales from Planet Earth" by Arthur C. Clarke of 1990,
DOES NOT HAVE the short story Maelstrom II,
although it does have some of the short stories
that are printed in the book "The Wind from the Sun".

On Mon, 18 Jul 2022 08:22:12 -0700, a425couple
<a425couple@hotmail.com> wrote:

>On 7/15/2022 9:27 AM, Paul S Person wrote:
>> On Thu, 14 Jul 2022 16:39:57 -0700, a425couple
>> <a425couple@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> On 7/14/2022 1:29 PM, danny burstein wrote:
>>>> In <taptuq$9pq$1@reader2.panix.com> jdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll) writes:
>>>>
>>>> [snip]
>>>>
>>>>>> Reminds me of another story where... the Good Guy is in
>>>>>> a low lunar orbit after some mishap or another, and
>>>>>> is about to crash into one of those mountains.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> But.... one of the other big pieces of debris is in the
>>>>>> same orbit as he is, and 30 seconds (or somesuch) in
>>>>>> front of him, and pulverizes the obstruction first.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Ring any bells? Thanks
>>>>
>>>>> Maelstrom, AC Clarke.
>>>>
>>>> Ahh, thanks muchly.
>>>>
>>>
>>> Strange thing, proceeding from that information,
>>> I using my computer, STILL had trouble finding it!
>>>
>>> Just in case anyone hit the same problems I did,
>>>
>>> The described scene is in the short story
>>> Maelstrom II that I just reread in Arthur C. Clark's
>>> book of short stories titled "The Wind from the Sun"
>>> (page 6) on my 1972 paperback printing.
>>
>> It's also in /Tales from Planet Earth/, available on Kindle.
>
>Weird!
>
>My printed, hardcover book (collection of short stories)
>"Tales from Planet Earth" by Arthur C. Clarke of 1990,
>DOES NOT HAVE the short story Maelstrom II,
>although it does have some of the short stories
>that are printed in the book "The Wind from the Sun".

Comparing the Kindle
<https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005FSGQMI/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1>
Look inside TOC (you have to used the "<" on the side) doesn't match
the Wikipedia list
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tales_from_Planet_Earth>, showing
"Maelstrom II" as something extra in the Kindle edition.

That's the problem with the really /great/ SF authors: it isn't always
clear what belongs (or is found) where. Short story collections can be
particularly hard to investigate.
--
"In this connexion, unquestionably the most significant
development was the disintegration, under Christian
influence, of classical conceptions of the family and
of family right."

In article <kh5bdhhdj4tg1sfkb20lfo4lsqdsnra7sa@4ax.com>,
Paul S Person <psperson@old.netcom.invalid> wrote:
>On Mon, 18 Jul 2022 08:22:12 -0700, a425couple
><a425couple@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>>On 7/15/2022 9:27 AM, Paul S Person wrote:
>>> On Thu, 14 Jul 2022 16:39:57 -0700, a425couple
>>> <a425couple@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> On 7/14/2022 1:29 PM, danny burstein wrote:
>>>>> In <taptuq$9pq$1@reader2.panix.com> jdnicoll@panix.com
>(James Nicoll) writes:
>>>>>
>>>>> [snip]
>>>>>
>>>>>>> Reminds me of another story where... the Good Guy is in
>>>>>>> a low lunar orbit after some mishap or another, and
>>>>>>> is about to crash into one of those mountains.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> But.... one of the other big pieces of debris is in the
>>>>>>> same orbit as he is, and 30 seconds (or somesuch) in
>>>>>>> front of him, and pulverizes the obstruction first.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Ring any bells? Thanks
>>>>>
>>>>>> Maelstrom, AC Clarke.
>>>>>
>>>>> Ahh, thanks muchly.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Strange thing, proceeding from that information,
>>>> I using my computer, STILL had trouble finding it!
>>>>
>>>> Just in case anyone hit the same problems I did,
>>>>
>>>> The described scene is in the short story
>>>> Maelstrom II that I just reread in Arthur C. Clark's
>>>> book of short stories titled "The Wind from the Sun"
>>>> (page 6) on my 1972 paperback printing.
>>>
>>> It's also in /Tales from Planet Earth/, available on Kindle.
>>
>>Weird!
>>
>>My printed, hardcover book (collection of short stories)
>>"Tales from Planet Earth" by Arthur C. Clarke of 1990,
>>DOES NOT HAVE the short story Maelstrom II,
>>although it does have some of the short stories
>>that are printed in the book "The Wind from the Sun".
>
>Comparing the Kindle
><https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005FSGQMI/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1>
>Look inside TOC (you have to used the "<" on the side) doesn't match
>the Wikipedia list
><https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tales_from_Planet_Earth>, showing
>"Maelstrom II" as something extra in the Kindle edition.
>
>That's the problem with the really /great/ SF authors: it isn't always
>clear what belongs (or is found) where. Short story collections can be
>particularly hard to investigate.

There was about 20 years ago a complete collection of Clarke stories.
Presumably, it is in there.
--
My reviews can be found at http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/
My tor pieces at https://www.tor.com/author/james-davis-nicoll/
My Dreamwidth at https://james-davis-nicoll.dreamwidth.org/
My patreon is at https://www.patreon.com/jamesdnicoll

On Monday, 18 July 2022 at 18:27:55 UTC+1, Paul S Person wrote:
> On Mon, 18 Jul 2022 08:22:12 -0700, a425couple
> <a425c...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> >On 7/15/2022 9:27 AM, Paul S Person wrote:
> >> On Thu, 14 Jul 2022 16:39:57 -0700, a425couple
> >> <a425c...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >>
> >>> On 7/14/2022 1:29 PM, danny burstein wrote:
> >>>> In <taptuq$9pq$1...@reader2.panix.com> jdni...@panix.com (James Nicoll) writes:
> >>>>
> >>>> [snip]
> >>>>
> >>>>>> Reminds me of another story where... the Good Guy is in
> >>>>>> a low lunar orbit after some mishap or another, and
> >>>>>> is about to crash into one of those mountains.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> But.... one of the other big pieces of debris is in the
> >>>>>> same orbit as he is, and 30 seconds (or somesuch) in
> >>>>>> front of him, and pulverizes the obstruction first.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> Ring any bells? Thanks
> >>>>
> >>>>> Maelstrom, AC Clarke.
> >>>>
> >>>> Ahh, thanks muchly.
> >>>>
> >>>
> >>> Strange thing, proceeding from that information,
> >>> I using my computer, STILL had trouble finding it!
> >>>
> >>> Just in case anyone hit the same problems I did,
> >>>
> >>> The described scene is in the short story
> >>> Maelstrom II that I just reread in Arthur C. Clark's
> >>> book of short stories titled "The Wind from the Sun"
> >>> (page 6) on my 1972 paperback printing.
> >>
> >> It's also in /Tales from Planet Earth/, available on Kindle.
> >
> >Weird!
> >
> >My printed, hardcover book (collection of short stories)
> >"Tales from Planet Earth" by Arthur C. Clarke of 1990,
> >DOES NOT HAVE the short story Maelstrom II,
> >although it does have some of the short stories
> >that are printed in the book "The Wind from the Sun".
> Comparing the Kindle
> <https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005FSGQMI/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1>
> Look inside TOC (you have to used the "<" on the side) doesn't match
> the Wikipedia list
> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tales_from_Planet_Earth>, showing
> "Maelstrom II" as something extra in the Kindle edition.
>
> That's the problem with the really /great/ SF authors: it isn't always
> clear what belongs (or is found) where. Short story collections can be
> particularly hard to investigate.

Sometimes, editions vary, across national borders,
probably for many reasons. Before Kindle, space
would be one.

I wonder if this has gone as far as nearly entirely
different collections in different places having the
name of the same short story as anthology title.

Or, possibly a very small story - if this is that -
is left off the contents page by mistake.

On Thu, 14 Jul 2022 19:40:38 -0600, David Johnston
<davidjohnston29@yahoo.com> wrote:

> I remember it as being incredibly short. Less than a page.

I remember it as being told from the viewpoint of someone sent to find
out why peace had broken out, in the hope of duplicating it on earth.

The punchline was the interviewee triumphantly exclaiming that war
would resume as soon as they'd finished [building a wall or something
like that].

--
Joy Beeson
joy beeson at centurylink dot net
http://wlweather.net/PAGEJOY/

On 7/28/2022 8:04 PM, Joy Beeson wrote:
> On Thu, 14 Jul 2022 19:40:38 -0600, David Johnston
> <davidjohnston29@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> I remember it as being incredibly short. Less than a page.
>
> I remember it as being told from the viewpoint of someone sent to find
> out why peace had broken out, in the hope of duplicating it on earth.
>
> The punchline was the interviewee triumphantly exclaiming that war
> would resume as soon as they'd finished [building a wall or something
> like that].
>
Just as soon as they can cover their asses. Literally.

--
I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
dirty old man.

On 18/07/2022 18:35, James Nicoll wrote:
> In article <kh5bdhhdj4tg1sfkb20lfo4lsqdsnra7sa@4ax.com>,
> Paul S Person <psperson@old.netcom.invalid> wrote:
>> On Mon, 18 Jul 2022 08:22:12 -0700, a425couple
>> <a425couple@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> On 7/15/2022 9:27 AM, Paul S Person wrote:
>>>> On Thu, 14 Jul 2022 16:39:57 -0700, a425couple
>>>> <a425couple@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> On 7/14/2022 1:29 PM, danny burstein wrote:
>>>>>> In <taptuq$9pq$1@reader2.panix.com> jdnicoll@panix.com
>> (James Nicoll) writes:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [snip]
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Reminds me of another story where... the Good Guy is in
>>>>>>>> a low lunar orbit after some mishap or another, and
>>>>>>>> is about to crash into one of those mountains.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> But.... one of the other big pieces of debris is in the
>>>>>>>> same orbit as he is, and 30 seconds (or somesuch) in
>>>>>>>> front of him, and pulverizes the obstruction first.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Ring any bells? Thanks
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Maelstrom, AC Clarke.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Ahh, thanks muchly.
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Strange thing, proceeding from that information,
>>>>> I using my computer, STILL had trouble finding it!
>>>>>
>>>>> Just in case anyone hit the same problems I did,
>>>>>
>>>>> The described scene is in the short story
>>>>> Maelstrom II that I just reread in Arthur C. Clark's
>>>>> book of short stories titled "The Wind from the Sun"
>>>>> (page 6) on my 1972 paperback printing.
>>>>
>>>> It's also in /Tales from Planet Earth/, available on Kindle.
>>>
>>> Weird!
>>>
>>> My printed, hardcover book (collection of short stories)
>>> "Tales from Planet Earth" by Arthur C. Clarke of 1990,
>>> DOES NOT HAVE the short story Maelstrom II,
>>> although it does have some of the short stories
>>> that are printed in the book "The Wind from the Sun".
>>
>> Comparing the Kindle
>> <https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005FSGQMI/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1>
>> Look inside TOC (you have to used the "<" on the side) doesn't match
>> the Wikipedia list
>> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tales_from_Planet_Earth>, showing
>> "Maelstrom II" as something extra in the Kindle edition.
>>
>> That's the problem with the really /great/ SF authors: it isn't always
>> clear what belongs (or is found) where. Short story collections can be
>> particularly hard to investigate.
>
> There was about 20 years ago a complete collection of Clarke stories.
> Presumably, it is in there.

[Checks bookshelf] Yes, it is there in Clarke's complete short story
collection. It's not space debris, but his ship, and he is ordered to
abandon ship and jump clear so he can be picked up.

--
Mike Dworetsky

On 28 Jul 2022, Joy Beeson wrote
(in article<eaj6ehlmec1e38ksj0c05nip0bjkbau88h@4ax.com>):

> On Thu, 14 Jul 2022 19:40:38 -0600, David Johnston
> <davidjohnston29@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > I remember it as being incredibly short. Less than a page.
>
> I remember it as being told from the viewpoint of someone sent to find
> out why peace had broken out, in the hope of duplicating it on earth.
>
> The punchline was the interviewee triumphantly exclaiming that war
> would resume as soon as they'd finished [building a wall or something
> like that].

from the story in question:

“But don’t worry,” Patton concluded with an optimistic, professional
grin. “I’ve got a small detail of men secretly at work on the far side of
the base—where the Reds can’t see-building a stone wall. That’ll stop
the bullets. Then we’ll fix those warmongers once and for all!”

Excerpt From: Donald A. Wollheim. “World's Best Science Fiction - First
Series 1965.” Apple Books.

The name of the story is ‘Men of Good Will’. It’s the second story in
the anthology, at least in my copy.