Jon Schwarz shows us how cankered minds think alike. (I’m basically hijacking his entire post here, but it’s too good to pass up. I’m sure he won’t mind, especially if I point you to this, and urge you to pick up a copy today.)

In the self-plugging department, I should note that one of my Moscow Times columns from last year has been nominated for a science fiction prize, of all things: the “Sidewise Award for Alternate History,” which will be awarded at the North American Science Fiction Conference in St. Louis later this year. I don’t know who submitted the piece for consideration, but whoever you are, many thanks. A couple of passages use the language of some of our present-day imperial apologists, with suitable changes for the far-future setting. The story is below. It was <span