1st Heinlein Prize Awarded

baxissimo writes "The first ever Heinlein prize for Advances in Space Commercialization is going to be awarded to Dr. Peter H. Diamandis, for various activities including his efforts as Founder and Chairman of the Ansari X Prize. The prize is a cool 1/2 million USD plus a few other nifty trinkets -- a gold Heinlein Medallion, the Lady Vivamus Sword (as described in Heinlein's book Glory Road) and a Laureate's Diploma. The award ceremony will be held in Houston, July 7, 2006. This prize has been around a good while (since Heinlein's death in 1988?) with no awardees. Hopefully this will make the existence of the prize a little more widely known, and help spur further developments like the X Prize."

What is it with Heinlein?

[Anonymous Coward]

What is it with the geek fascination with Heinlein?

His sci-fi is just a cover for his extreme right-wing, dog-eat-dog capitalistic propanganda with some boobs and underage sex thrown in.

Oh wait... maybe geeks are the perfect audience for such morally bankrupt crap. Nevermind.

Science Fiction Classics

[loose electron]

Heinlein was one of the Sci-Fi authors that stimulated the imagination, while staying within the bounds (albeit loosely) of "possible" scientific reality.

Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, Arthur C Clarke, Larry Niven, to name a few.

Heinlein also had some interesting commentary on some "not PC" topics as well:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stranger_in_a_Strange _Land [wikipedia.org]

Do you grok? :)

Re:What is it with Heinlein?

[jschrod]

Obviously, you've never read Ken McLeod or Iain M. Banks.

Too centered on US authors, may be?

(Btw, I consider Heinlein one of the best SF storytellers of the last century. I'm just wondering at this prize, because Glory Road ain't one of his good books. He's written great stuff, but this run-of-the-mill fantasy doesn't come close.)

Happy Birthday to Us!!!

[tringstad]

The award ceremony will be held in Houston, July 7, 2006.

The article doesn't mention it, but I assume this date was chosen because it is Heinlein's Birthday.

I know this because it is also mine, and I always thought that was cool.

-Tommy

Wrist Breaker

[Kozar_The_Malignant]

>she'd be something of a wrist-breaker.

I'm not sure how it would work on a saber, but you see that angled grip on hammers and other tools these days. That grip would put the line of the blade in direct line with the line of your forearm. Less arm fatigue when hacking at the annoying peasantry from horseback.

Re:Wrist Breaker

[Medievalist]

Let's put it this way: You will always see some curve in a cavalry saber - it's what defines the form - but you won't always see that cocked hilt. My US Model 1840 doesn't have it. There are distinct advantages to the curve that you notice immediately when riding at the pell, and you can learn how to compensate for it when thrusting or fighting on foot - the limitations are manageable. The angled grip, though, puts extra stress on the wrist in any situation other than the classic cav chop-n-disengage sweep, and doesn't really help (in my opinion - others differ) much on the thrust.