Five SFF Stories in Which Kids Save the Day

Why spend trillions on defence when a plucky kid or two could well be
sufficient?

https://www.tor.com/2023/06/05/five-sff-stories-in-which-kids-save-the-day/
--
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

jdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll) writes:
>Five SFF Stories in Which Kids Save the Day
>
>Why spend trillions on defence when a plucky kid or two could well be
>sufficient?
>
>https://www.tor.com/2023/06/05/five-sff-stories-in-which-kids-save-the-day/

_Have Spacesuit, Will Travel_.

On Monday, June 5, 2023 at 11:18:54 AM UTC-4, Scott Lurndal wrote:
> jdni...@panix.com (James Nicoll) writes:
> >Five SFF Stories in Which Kids Save the Day
> >
> >Why spend trillions on defence when a plucky kid or two could well be
> >sufficient?
> >
> >https://www.tor.com/2023/06/05/five-sff-stories-in-which-kids-save-the-day/
> _Have Spacesuit, Will Travel_.

And Ender's Game

In article <t1nfM.3870481$9sn9.3023618@fx17.iad>,
Scott Lurndal <slp53@pacbell.net> wrote:
>jdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll) writes:
>>Five SFF Stories in Which Kids Save the Day
>>
>>Why spend trillions on defence when a plucky kid or two could well be
>>sufficient?
>>
>>https://www.tor.com/2023/06/05/five-sff-stories-in-which-kids-save-the-day/
>
>_Have Spacesuit, Will Travel_.

"Zero Hour"...
--
columbiaclosings.com
What's not in Columbia anymore..

On Monday, June 5, 2023 at 10:12:50 AM UTC-4, James Nicoll wrote:
> Five SFF Stories in Which Kids Save the Day
>
> Why spend trillions on defence when a plucky kid or two could well be
> sufficient?
>
> https://www.tor.com/2023/06/05/five-sff-stories-in-which-kids-save-the-day/

Pratchett: Only you can save makind.

On 6/5/2023 9:12 AM, James Nicoll wrote:
> Five SFF Stories in Which Kids Save the Day
>
> Why spend trillions on defence when a plucky kid or two could well be
> sufficient?
>
> https://www.tor.com/2023/06/05/five-sff-stories-in-which-kids-save-the-day/

"Stranger Things"

Lynn

On Tuesday, June 6, 2023 at 3:21:19 AM UTC+10, pete...@gmail.com wrote:
> On Monday, June 5, 2023 at 10:12:50 AM UTC-4, James Nicoll wrote:
> > Five SFF Stories in Which Kids Save the Day
> >
> > Why spend trillions on defence when a plucky kid or two could well be
> > sufficient?
> >
> > https://www.tor.com/2023/06/05/five-sff-stories-in-which-kids-save-the-day/
> Pratchett: Only you can save makind.

And Tiffany Aching.

-Moriarty

James Nicoll wrote:

>Five SFF Stories in Which Kids Save the Day

The one that always comes to my mind is "The Father Thing" by Phillip
K. Dick.

Brian

On Monday, June 5, 2023 at 6:46:52 PM UTC-4, Moriarty wrote:
> On Tuesday, June 6, 2023 at 3:21:19 AM UTC+10, pete...@gmail.com wrote:
> > On Monday, June 5, 2023 at 10:12:50 AM UTC-4, James Nicoll wrote:
> > > Five SFF Stories in Which Kids Save the Day
> > >
> > > Why spend trillions on defence when a plucky kid or two could well be
> > > sufficient?
> > >
> > > https://www.tor.com/2023/06/05/five-sff-stories-in-which-kids-save-the-day/
> > Pratchett: Only you can save makind.
> And Tiffany Aching.

I considered that, but couldn't recall her saving 'the world' as opposed to local people who
we're important to her. However, I think in the first TA, she may do so.

Pt

In article <u5lsbu$fs4u$1@dont-email.me>,
Default User <defaultuserbr@yahoo.com> wrote:
>James Nicoll wrote:
>
>>Five SFF Stories in Which Kids Save the Day
>
>The one that always comes to my mind is "The Father Thing" by Phillip
>K. Dick.

(Hal Heydt)
Not exactly children when they do it, but Kit Kinnison and his
sisters.

On Monday, June 5, 2023 at 8:12:50 AM UTC-6, James Nicoll wrote:

> Why spend trillions on defence when a plucky kid or two could well be
> sufficient?
>
> https://www.tor.com/2023/06/05/five-sff-stories-in-which-kids-save-the-day/

In real life, the bad guys _have_ read the Evil Overlord Handbook. This is why,
for example, you can't just overthrow North Korea by sending one brave Scotsman
there (admittedly, with a girlfriend and a Bulgarian-German-American genius
professor, who recovered from a brief descent into madness).

John Savard

On Monday, June 5, 2023 at 11:21:19 AM UTC-6, pete...@gmail.com wrote:

> Pratchett: Only you can save makind.

So all we need to do is add Vladimir Putin to the list of those who
conscientiously douse their campfires thoroughly with water.

The meaning of that remark:

The real meaning of Smokey the Bear's famous saying "Only you
can prevent forest fires" is, of course, that _everyone_ needs to do
the things required to avoid causing forest fires. Including, but
not limited, to "you".

If absolutely everyone refrained from criminal acts of aggression,
yes, the world would be saved. But we already knew that, and since
that doesn't seem to be happening, and the world will _not_ be
saved as the result of any actions under _my_ control, what is the
usefulness of such a statement?

And so I am bemused, rather than impressed, by such statements as

"Be the change you want to see in the world" and
"Let there be peace on Earth, and let it begin with me" and so on.

Of course, it could be worse. In the "Be careful what you wish for"
department, there could have been peace on Earth, which began
with Edith Keeler...

John Savard

On 2023-06-05 8:12 a.m., James Nicoll wrote:
> Five SFF Stories in Which Kids Save the Day
>
> Why spend trillions on defence when a plucky kid or two could well be
> sufficient?
>
> https://www.tor.com/2023/06/05/five-sff-stories-in-which-kids-save-the-day/

The protagonist in Needle is the blob, not the kid it inhabits, although
the kid is a helpful assistant.

On Monday, June 5, 2023 at 8:12:50 AM UTC-6, James Nicoll wrote:

> Why spend trillions on defence when a plucky kid or two could well be
> sufficient?

Fortunately, in the column itself, you are more accurate: this sort of thing
might happen in the realm of the imagination, but in realilty, one has to
be more practical, and not count on plot armor.

Thank goodness, then, that Canada can pledge $650 million in aid to
Ukraine, when in the United States, $300 million in aid has to be stripped
from the budget to avoid a government shutdown.

John Savard

On 9/25/2023 8:30 PM, Quadibloc wrote:
> On Monday, June 5, 2023 at 8:12:50 AM UTC-6, James Nicoll wrote:
>
>> Why spend trillions on defence when a plucky kid or two could well be
>> sufficient?
>
> Fortunately, in the column itself, you are more accurate: this sort of thing
> might happen in the realm of the imagination, but in realilty, one has to
> be more practical, and not count on plot armor.
>
> Thank goodness, then, that Canada can pledge $650 million in aid to
> Ukraine, when in the United States, $300 million in aid has to be stripped
> from the budget to avoid a government shutdown.
>
> John Savard

The USA is bankrupt.

Lynn

On Mon, 25 Sep 2023 21:02:51 -0500, Lynn McGuire
<lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:

>On 9/25/2023 8:30 PM, Quadibloc wrote:
>> On Monday, June 5, 2023 at 8:12:50?AM UTC-6, James Nicoll wrote:
>>
>>> Why spend trillions on defence when a plucky kid or two could well be
>>> sufficient?
>>
>> Fortunately, in the column itself, you are more accurate: this sort of thing
>> might happen in the realm of the imagination, but in realilty, one has to
>> be more practical, and not count on plot armor.
>>
>> Thank goodness, then, that Canada can pledge $650 million in aid to
>> Ukraine, when in the United States, $300 million in aid has to be stripped
>> from the budget to avoid a government shutdown.
>>
>> John Savard
>
>The USA is bankrupt.
>
>Lynn

You mean "the Putin Party, formerly the Republican Party".

Which has amply shown that it cannot legislate itself out of a wet
paper bag. Ineptness, thy name is "Republicanism".
--
"Here lies the Tuscan poet Aretino,
Who evil spoke of everyone but God,
Giving as his excuse, 'I never knew him.'"

On 9/26/2023 9:15 AM, Paul S Person wrote:
> On Mon, 25 Sep 2023 21:02:51 -0500, Lynn McGuire
> <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> On 9/25/2023 8:30 PM, Quadibloc wrote:
>>> On Monday, June 5, 2023 at 8:12:50?AM UTC-6, James Nicoll wrote:
>>>
>>>> Why spend trillions on defence when a plucky kid or two could well be
>>>> sufficient?
>>>
>>> Fortunately, in the column itself, you are more accurate: this sort of thing
>>> might happen in the realm of the imagination, but in realilty, one has to
>>> be more practical, and not count on plot armor.
>>>
>>> Thank goodness, then, that Canada can pledge $650 million in aid to
>>> Ukraine, when in the United States, $300 million in aid has to be stripped
>>> from the budget to avoid a government shutdown.
>>>
>>> John Savard
>>
>> The USA is bankrupt.
>>
>> Lynn
>
> You mean "the Putin Party, formerly the Republican Party".
>
> Which has amply shown that it cannot legislate itself out of a wet
> paper bag. Ineptness, thy name is "Republicanism".

That's not _entirely_ fair. They are lurching, ineptly, towards their
goal of destroying the American government.... :P

--
buy them buy them buy them buy them buy them buy them buy them buy them
buy them buy them

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

On Tue, 26 Sep 2023 14:08:40 -0700, Dimensional Traveler
<dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:

>On 9/26/2023 9:15 AM, Paul S Person wrote:
>> On Mon, 25 Sep 2023 21:02:51 -0500, Lynn McGuire
>> <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> On 9/25/2023 8:30 PM, Quadibloc wrote:
>>>> On Monday, June 5, 2023 at 8:12:50?AM UTC-6, James Nicoll wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Why spend trillions on defence when a plucky kid or two could well be
>>>>> sufficient?
>>>>
>>>> Fortunately, in the column itself, you are more accurate: this sort of thing
>>>> might happen in the realm of the imagination, but in realilty, one has to
>>>> be more practical, and not count on plot armor.
>>>>
>>>> Thank goodness, then, that Canada can pledge $650 million in aid to
>>>> Ukraine, when in the United States, $300 million in aid has to be stripped
>>>> from the budget to avoid a government shutdown.
>>>>
>>>> John Savard
>>>
>>> The USA is bankrupt.
>>>
>>> Lynn
>>
>> You mean "the Putin Party, formerly the Republican Party".
>>
>> Which has amply shown that it cannot legislate itself out of a wet
>> paper bag. Ineptness, thy name is "Republicanism".
>
>That's not _entirely_ fair. They are lurching, ineptly, towards their
>goal of destroying the American government.... :P

You are correct: ineptness here is not a bad thing.

Indeed, IIRC, I stated in the past that I hoped Trump was not
convicted when impeached because Pence, whose views were no better,
would have been an /effective/ President, while Trump was not.

(In my news reading, I found an article suggesting that moderate
Republicans and moderate Democrats might reach a consensus to, at
least, fund the gummint and keep the Speaker in power if challenged.
And some Dems, at least, appear to be talking about eliminating the
need for continuing resolutions altogether. Also, a lot of people seem
to feel that the Electoral College has had its time and needs to be
replaced with winning the nationwide popular vote. I don't expect any
of these ideas to go anywhere.)
--
"Here lies the Tuscan poet Aretino,
Who evil spoke of everyone but God,
Giving as his excuse, 'I never knew him.'"

On Monday, September 25, 2023 at 8:02:57 PM UTC-6, Lynn McGuire wrote:
> On 9/25/2023 8:30 PM, Quadibloc wrote:

> > Thank goodness, then, that Canada can pledge $650 million in aid to
> > Ukraine, when in the United States, $300 million in aid has to be stripped
> > from the budget to avoid a government shutdown.

> The USA is bankrupt.

Dear me. That would be a serious problem. However, I don't recall hearing this
lamentable fact being announced anywhere in the mainstream news media.

Instead, based on the information I have, if the Republicans just rolled over and
approved every requested increase to the debt ceiling - just like they do when
there is a Republican President - according to all the information I have, all would
be right.

And the United States needs to avoid letting monetary fictions stand in the way
of fully employing its resources of land, minerals, and a skilled workforce..

https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-troops-rape-ukrainian-women-force-families-listen-war-crime-2023-9

Because there's a war on, a war against ultimate evil.

John Savard

On Wed, 27 Sep 2023 13:49:46 -0700 (PDT), Quadibloc
<jsavard@ecn.ab.ca> wrote:

>On Monday, September 25, 2023 at 8:02:57?PM UTC-6, Lynn McGuire wrote:
>> On 9/25/2023 8:30 PM, Quadibloc wrote:
>
>> > Thank goodness, then, that Canada can pledge $650 million in aid to
>> > Ukraine, when in the United States, $300 million in aid has to be stripped
>> > from the budget to avoid a government shutdown.
>
>> The USA is bankrupt.
>
>Dear me. That would be a serious problem. However, I don't recall hearing this
>lamentable fact being announced anywhere in the mainstream news media.
>
>Instead, based on the information I have, if the Republicans just rolled over and
>approved every requested increase to the debt ceiling - just like they do when
>there is a Republican President - according to all the information I have, all would
>be right.

Or just join with the Dems, who by now must be as tired of this game
as the Republicans should be, to abolish the debt ceiling altogether.

>And the United States needs to avoid letting monetary fictions stand in the way
>of fully employing its resources of land, minerals, and a skilled workforce.
>
>https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-troops-rape-ukrainian-women-force-families-listen-war-crime-2023-9
>
>Because there's a war on, a war against ultimate evil.

I don't think Putin is ... impressive ... enough to be "ultimate
evil". And it's Ukraine's war anyway; we're just the arms dealers.
--
"Here lies the Tuscan poet Aretino,
Who evil spoke of everyone but God,
Giving as his excuse, 'I never knew him.'"

On Thursday, September 28, 2023 at 12:17:24 PM UTC-4, Paul S Person wrote:
> On Wed, 27 Sep 2023 13:49:46 -0700 (PDT), Quadibloc
> <jsa...@ecn.ab.ca> wrote:
> >On Monday, September 25, 2023 at 8:02:57?PM UTC-6, Lynn McGuire wrote:
> >> On 9/25/2023 8:30 PM, Quadibloc wrote:
> >
> >> > Thank goodness, then, that Canada can pledge $650 million in aid to
> >> > Ukraine, when in the United States, $300 million in aid has to be stripped
> >> > from the budget to avoid a government shutdown.
> >
> >> The USA is bankrupt.
> >
> >Dear me. That would be a serious problem. However, I don't recall hearing this
> >lamentable fact being announced anywhere in the mainstream news media.
> >
> >Instead, based on the information I have, if the Republicans just rolled over and
> >approved every requested increase to the debt ceiling - just like they do when
> >there is a Republican President - according to all the information I have, all would
> >be right.
> Or just join with the Dems, who by now must be as tired of this game
> as the Republicans should be, to abolish the debt ceiling altogether.
> >And the United States needs to avoid letting monetary fictions stand in the way
> >of fully employing its resources of land, minerals, and a skilled workforce.
> >
> >https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-troops-rape-ukrainian-women-force-families-listen-war-crime-2023-9
> >
> >Because there's a war on, a war against ultimate evil.
> I don't think Putin is ... impressive ... enough to be "ultimate
> evil". And it's Ukraine's war anyway; we're just the arms dealers.

He's not the Ultimate Evil, but definitely one of the top 5 or so
threats to the West at the moment. Maybe Saruman as opposed to
Sauron.

It's been repeatedly made clear that he's trying to reinstate the
Soviet Union, and impose "Russkiy Mir"[1] on as much as the world
as possible. He despises Western values, and wants to replace it with
Russian authoritarianism, Orthodox religion, intolerance wherever possible.

This is a Bad Thing.

The current attempt to annex Ukraine has allowed the US to spend about 5%
of its military budget to degrade Russia's military by at least 50%, at the cost
of no US Military lives. Many of the arms we're sending over is stuff we were
planning to (expensively) dispose of anyway (such as the cluster shells).

It's been a huge bargain for the US and NATO. It may be Ukraine's war, but we
have very good reasons to try to ensure that Russia loses.

pt

On 28/09/2023 11.44, pete...@gmail.com wrote:
> On Thursday, September 28, 2023 at 12:17:24 PM UTC-4, Paul S Person wrote:
>> On Wed, 27 Sep 2023 13:49:46 -0700 (PDT), Quadibloc
>> <jsa...@ecn.ab.ca> wrote:
>>> On Monday, September 25, 2023 at 8:02:57?PM UTC-6, Lynn McGuire wrote:
>>>> On 9/25/2023 8:30 PM, Quadibloc wrote:
>>>
>>>>> Thank goodness, then, that Canada can pledge $650 million in aid to
>>>>> Ukraine, when in the United States, $300 million in aid has to be stripped
>>>>> from the budget to avoid a government shutdown.
>>>
>>>> The USA is bankrupt.
>>>
>>> Dear me. That would be a serious problem. However, I don't recall hearing this
>>> lamentable fact being announced anywhere in the mainstream news media.
>>>
>>> Instead, based on the information I have, if the Republicans just rolled over and
>>> approved every requested increase to the debt ceiling - just like they do when
>>> there is a Republican President - according to all the information I have, all would
>>> be right.
>> Or just join with the Dems, who by now must be as tired of this game
>> as the Republicans should be, to abolish the debt ceiling altogether.
>>> And the United States needs to avoid letting monetary fictions stand in the way
>>> of fully employing its resources of land, minerals, and a skilled workforce.
>>>
>>> https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-troops-rape-ukrainian-women-force-families-listen-war-crime-2023-9
>>>
>>> Because there's a war on, a war against ultimate evil.
>> I don't think Putin is ... impressive ... enough to be "ultimate
>> evil". And it's Ukraine's war anyway; we're just the arms dealers.
>
> He's not the Ultimate Evil, but definitely one of the top 5 or so
> threats to the West at the moment. Maybe Saruman as opposed to
> Sauron.
>
> It's been repeatedly made clear that he's trying to reinstate the
> Soviet Union, and impose "Russkiy Mir"[1] on as much as the world

[*]

> as possible. He despises Western values, and wants to replace it with
> Russian authoritarianism, Orthodox religion, intolerance wherever possible.
>
> This is a Bad Thing.
>
> The current attempt to annex Ukraine has allowed the US to spend about 5%
> of its military budget to degrade Russia's military by at least 50%, at the cost
> of no US Military lives. Many of the arms we're sending over is stuff we were
> planning to (expensively) dispose of anyway (such as the cluster shells).
>
> It's been a huge bargain for the US and NATO. It may be Ukraine's war, but we
> have very good reasons to try to ensure that Russia loses.

As somebody once said, "the best place to fight a war is on somebody else's
territory."

--
Michael F. Stemper
Galatians 3:28

On Thursday, September 28, 2023 at 10:17:24 AM UTC-6, Paul S Person wrote:
> And it's Ukraine's war anyway; we're just the arms dealers.

As my link pointed out, women are being raped.

That makes it everyone's war.

John Savard

In article <uf4qmf$3s3db$1@dont-email.me>,
Michael F. Stemper <michael.stemper@gmail.com> wrote:
>On 28/09/2023 11.44, pete...@gmail.com wrote:
>> On Thursday, September 28, 2023 at 12:17:24 PM UTC-4, Paul S Person wrote:
>>> On Wed, 27 Sep 2023 13:49:46 -0700 (PDT), Quadibloc
>>> <jsa...@ecn.ab.ca> wrote:
>>>> On Monday, September 25, 2023 at 8:02:57?PM UTC-6, Lynn McGuire wrote:
>>>>> On 9/25/2023 8:30 PM, Quadibloc wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>> Thank goodness, then, that Canada can pledge $650 million in aid to
>>>>>> Ukraine, when in the United States, $300 million in aid has to be stripped
>>>>>> from the budget to avoid a government shutdown.
>>>>
>>>>> The USA is bankrupt.
>>>>
>>>> Dear me. That would be a serious problem. However, I don't recall
>hearing this
>>>> lamentable fact being announced anywhere in the mainstream news media.
>>>>
>>>> Instead, based on the information I have, if the Republicans just
>rolled over and
>>>> approved every requested increase to the debt ceiling - just like
>they do when
>>>> there is a Republican President - according to all the information I
>have, all would
>>>> be right.
>>> Or just join with the Dems, who by now must be as tired of this game
>>> as the Republicans should be, to abolish the debt ceiling altogether.
>>>> And the United States needs to avoid letting monetary fictions stand
>in the way
>>>> of fully employing its resources of land, minerals, and a skilled workforce.
>>>>
>>>>
>https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-troops-rape-ukrainian-women-force-families-listen-war-crime-2023-9
>>>>
>>>> Because there's a war on, a war against ultimate evil.
>>> I don't think Putin is ... impressive ... enough to be "ultimate
>>> evil". And it's Ukraine's war anyway; we're just the arms dealers.
>>
>> He's not the Ultimate Evil, but definitely one of the top 5 or so
>> threats to the West at the moment. Maybe Saruman as opposed to
>> Sauron.
>>
>> It's been repeatedly made clear that he's trying to reinstate the
>> Soviet Union, and impose "Russkiy Mir"[1] on as much as the world
>
>[*]
>
>> as possible. He despises Western values, and wants to replace it with
>> Russian authoritarianism, Orthodox religion, intolerance wherever possible.
>>
>> This is a Bad Thing.
>>
>> The current attempt to annex Ukraine has allowed the US to spend about 5%
>> of its military budget to degrade Russia's military by at least 50%,
>at the cost
>> of no US Military lives. Many of the arms we're sending over is stuff we were
>> planning to (expensively) dispose of anyway (such as the cluster shells).
>>
>> It's been a huge bargain for the US and NATO. It may be Ukraine's war, but we
>> have very good reasons to try to ensure that Russia loses.
>
>As somebody once said, "the best place to fight a war is on somebody else's
>territory."

[Hal Heydt]
Using someone else's soldiers has some advantages, as well.

A lot of those "Plucky Kids" stories have been banned from libraries for
obscenity.

Everything from "The Enema Boys at the Pumping Station" to "Tom Swift And
His Electric Prostate Activator" is under scrutiny from parents looking to
remove books from libraries.

What is next, "Tintin And The Mystery Of the Other Hole?" When will this
be stopped?
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."