Good evening

[Noumenon]

Hello to the forum. I came across Secular Café via a comment on this story (http://freethinker.co.uk/2011/06/25/atheism-set-to-make-a-big-breakthrough/) in The Freethinker, and you look interesting. I used to be a very regular forum member elsewhere, but in the last few years I've been contributing online much less frequently. Most likely I'll be lurking, off and on, but I'm looking forward to being lured out from the dark.

I'm an Englishman in my mid-thirties and have been living in Madrid for the last four years. I work 90% of the time as a Business English teacher, 10% of the time for my own small company back in the UK, and (in the hope that my creative writing masters wasn't a total waste of time) I spend my free time trying to finish one of a growing pile of never-ending projects. The current one is a children's novel, what I think of as a political thriller for ages ten and up. Anyone interested in seeing if I should give up the day jobs can find various book and film reviews here (http://http://cartesiantheatre.wordpress.com/), plus links to some of my original writing.

...what the hell, since I'm decending into a self-promotion vortex all of a sudden: my first "published" (that is to say, not put out there by me) short story can be found here (http://mythaxis.co.uk/5issue8.htm). You can read it, if you like. Go on. It's partly about religion, so you know you want to!

[neilstone40]

Welcome to the SC Noumenon...

I'm sure you'll find us a friendly bunch and hope some discussions catch your attention enough to post. Even long time members read a lot of what's posted but respond to what they're particularly interested in.

You can also initiate your own discussions any time the notion takes you.

I'll have a read of your story tomorrow (Sunday mornings are a good time to read before the rest of the world wakes up).

[Ray Moscow]

Welcome!

[David B]

Hi Noumenon

Glad to see you here. The Freethinker is one of the sites we maintain friendly mutual links with. I look at it every day, and comment occasionally.

David

[Jobar]

Welcome, Noumenon. I read your story, and I'm afraid I see a plot-killer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7BQKu0YP8Y

Your prophets have to have some undetectable way to receive the info being sent to them- else someone like Randi would trace it. Even if it was encoded.

You could fix the tale by mentioning just such an undetectable medium; 'no-channel' or 'neutrino radio' or some other technological deus ex machina.

I'm an sf fan for more than 45 years now. Do I detect some influence from Philip K. Dick here?

Anyway, I hope you speak up occasionally, or at least enjoy lurking! :)

[columbus]

Hello Noumenon! Glad you joined us. I hope you poke your head into a thread or two:)


I'm with Jobar on the story. I'm an old hard scifier and technical plausibility is a must. I kept waiting for that loose end to be explained. But it was a fun little read, thanks!

It is hard to write such stuff any more. The technology changes so fast and unpredictably. I remember reading a novel not terribly long ago set in a future society where the few million super-rich people left all move around rapidly. Part of the plot was driven by the protagonist losing his love interest's phone number! He couldn't find her because he didn't know her physical location at any point in time. It became an epic journey for love, which sounded totally quaint in a world of googling and Facebook.

Tom

[Noumenon]

Thanks for the various greetings, and thanks also for the plot killing. Maybe it's time for a revision already!

[DMB]

Hi there, Noumenon! I'm also an expatriate English person, but about twice your age. :)

[Noumenon]

Hi there, Noumenon! I'm also an expatriate English person, but about twice your age. :)Mentally or physically?

[DMB]

Hi there, Noumenon! I'm also an expatriate English person, but about twice your age. :)Mentally or physically?

Certainly physically. You'll have to judge my mental age for yourself. :)

[Noumenon]

I'm an sf fan for more than 45 years now. Do I detect some influence from Philip K. Dick here?I do like a bit of Di- that is to say, I am a fan of his work. I did have two specific influences in this case though: the pseudo-sacrifice is an echo from Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land, and media/preacher theme came from Network.

As it happens I'm trying to flesh out concepts for a religiously themed sf story, so if there are general enthusiasts or even real scientists around here who would be interested in having ideas bounced off them...

[columbus]

Start a thread in the Arts forum.

You will probably find a bunch of people willing to donate advice.:rolleyes:

I'm more of the Clarke/Asimov type myself, but I'm sure you will find lot's of different opinions and ideas.

Tom

[Silly Sausage]

Hi Noumenon,


Welcome to Secular Cafe, hope you like it here :)

Silly Sausage

[Noumenon]

Thanks again for the continued greetings. I have to say (and it feels odd to do so, maybe you all will contradict me immediately, but) I find that there's something strangely peaceful about this forum so far. Also, browsing through the Arts section I came across the post Asimov on Science Fiction: the Reaction, not the Action (http://www.secularcafe.org/showthread.php?t=10911), which was very pleasing from the point of view of my planned sf planning.
Glad to see you here. The Freethinker is one of the sites we maintain friendly mutual links with. I look at it every day, and comment occasionally.I mis-read this yesterday and somehow understood "The Freethinker" as referring to this place, which didn't make a lot of sense...

My first impression of TFt wasn't that good actually; I read some of the more agro comments following whatever article is was and thought, "Oh gord, how does it help to get so vitriolic about it all?" Anyway, I got over it - just like I got over the phrase "faithheads" when I finally got around to reading The God Delusion for myself. I also check it daily now, and I've posted a couple of comments there too, under another occasional pseudonym, Cliff Knoetz.

[lpetrich]

Also, browsing through the Arts section I came across the post Asimov on Science Fiction: the Reaction, not the Action (http://www.secularcafe.org/showthread.php?t=10911), which was very pleasing from the point of view of my planned sf planning.
I'm the author of it. I'm glad you like it.

[Noumenon]

:)

[Full Tilt Boogie]

Welcome aboard mate! Enjoying your input already :)

[Noumenon]

I live to serve.