Just add water.
The ultimate fast food.
Hello everyone
Before I start with a new subject, let’s go back to last month’s editorial. I only had one book noted by pro astro-artist David Hardy, who pointed out that there was the 2000 novel called ‘Jupiter’ by Ben Bova where there was a sentient species floating on…well, do you need a clue from the book title to which large planet. Of course, there was ‘Captain Scarlet And The Mysterons’ in 1967 but there was never any proof that the Mysterons came from Mars, assuming they were alive and not a computer installation. Hardly a massive influx so it looks like we have our celebration of 50 years with only life on Earth in the Solar system in Science Fiction. Raise your glass or whatever you drink to celebrate an anniversary no one else has spotted. A rare occurrence at best considering how much else is celebrated these days.
Now, let’s look at food pills or rather how people first thought about what we’d eat in the future. At one time, there was a future where at home or on a space trip and hungry, you popped a food pill or three as your meal and could get on with your job or whatever you were doing. Each pill had all the nutrients you needed with little care for what it tasted like or what it meant to have a light meal. It was literally the ultimate fast food. No one said whether or not you had to add water, let alone drink anything to make them go down, let enjoy the meal. Imagine a world without TV cooking programmes and restaurants had they ever worked. Must feel like bliss for some of us. An entire industry wiped out in a swallow of a food pill. Think of all that time you could use no longer having to sit down to eat, digest and even have conversations. No more having to sit down with family to bond, just tapping away on your mobile phones or tablets (not to be confused with food pills). No wait, that’s happened already for many out there. No thought as to whether they tasted like anything or even if you had to enjoy them.
In a realistic sense, the food pill was seen as the means conserve space on a spaceship and didn’t start off in Science Fiction. They were shown originally in 1883 at the US World’s Fair. Oddly, in fiction, it was the 1930 musical ‘Just Imagine’ that used them next. I vaguely remember them being used in some early SF films but not in prose. Maybe the early SF authors realised the key point that roughage was needed to fill the stomach, resolve stomach pains and appease the appetite than a quick swallow of a pill. Either that or SF authors liked their food too much.
From the start, that didn’t really seem likely. Certain things like vitamins, yes. After all, we eat them that way today as supplements. But things like carbohydrates and protein need to be bulked out more and in quantity to be any good for our metabolisms. You couldn’t condense them down any smaller. Even if we could eat all we need through tablets, would we really want to see out intestinal tract shrink in size from lack of use? Hardly something you would need in space with all that does to the body while up there.
Probably ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ was the first SF film that took eating food in space the most seriously, although examples was given throughout the story. In each phase of mankind, food was the most common denominator. With the men-apes, it was raw tapir. Floyd on his trip to the Moon, eating what appears to be a heated slush sucked up by straws in zero gravity. No wonder he needed that zero gee toilet. For the astronauts on the Discovery, their food was heated blocks of different coloured whatever that they blended to taste, although a NASA food scientist was employed to ensure it looked authentic looking. Maybe they didn’t want to block their zero gee toilet which if you study the film doesn’t appear in the carousel. The food had to be pleasant to eat considering the number of times that Kubrick did his takes. Even at the end of his journey, Bowman found food to eat in the ultimate hotel. The novel had it as some sort of edible blue bread than what Kubrick portrayed in the film but maybe he thought that was going a step too weird. In future (sic) films, never was so much time spent on eating meals compared to ‘2001: A Space Eatery’. No doubt because it got in the way of moving the film along.
I did have a ponder on which SF films and TV shows had them eating futuristic meals. Hopefully, you might have more examples than I have here. The original ‘Star Trek’ had them eating different coloured cubes of whatever as exampled in ‘Journey To Babel’. The film ‘Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country’ where they had kitchens to feed the crew and had moved up a bit with their new starship unless it was opened for dignitaries. Things changed somewhat with ‘The Next Generation’ and the crew could get any food they wanted from replicators which I always felt a bit of a cheat because it made chefs a dying profession. Of course, with limited replicator use, ‘Star Trek: Voyager’ made cooking food a virtue and we all know about Klingon cuisine but it’s not terrestrial food.
The rare time in the Hartnell era of ‘Doctor Who’ had the companions trying out a literal sandwich maker that whenever you took a bite tasted of something different in the first episode of ‘The Daleks’. ‘Soylent Green’ (1973) was, of course, food squares but we all know what they were made of and I suspect even Hannibal Lector would have balked at this as a steady protein diet as he had his liver diet.
None of this resembles reality. Astronauts food is desiccated for compactness and water added before they could eat it. The choices made were to prevent crumbs floating around but mostly because the water could be recycled and not the food itself. No one has really used the human end product as fertiliser to grow crops in space yet although I suspect it’s on the list for the manned flight to Mars.
As several TV programmes have shown over the years, NASA has spent considerable time and money ensuring that their astronauts have decent meals. Other countries have, too, although not so widely publicised. A trip to the Moon or lengthy periods on the various space station meant nutritious meals to keep them healthy. It’s no wonder many of them chose heavily flavoured meals. After all, who knew from the start that in space, your sense of taste would diminish quite drastically for many astronauts so quickly.
The problem with a possible eighteen month trip to Mars even as a one-way journey is the amount of food to be carried. I doubt if there would be that much desiccated food so I suspect a practical ecology system would be in operation. In that respect, a proportion of the crew would need to be farmers and chefs. I doubt they would carry large livestock so a crew of vegetarians or vegans would be useful although any protein might still be desiccated. After all, with such a long trip, there would have to be concern to keep bone and muscles intact so that protein can’t be ignored and would be eating it long before they left Earth.
How they would resolve this problem of meat protein when on Mars is debatable although the length of time it would take to prepare such a spaceship, I’m sure embryo research would have advanced sufficiently to bring to fruition an enclosed ecology to set up on the red planet that was already working on the spaceship. Mind you, who’s to say it would be standard animal husbandry? For what they are used for, cattle, sheep and pigs eat far more than what they produce in return and would certainly take up too much space. It would make more sense to go for reptiles or maybe amphibians, although water would be a smaller quantity although knowing there’s some of the wet stuff on Mars waiting to be used already reduces how much needs to be transported. Reptiles and amphibians do grow faster and as the old joke goes, their flesh does taste like chicken and probably more economical than fish to carry.
There’s a lot of sense in uses the likes of frogs. After all, they grow fast and are economical on an algae nutrient which can be easily grown and there are a lot of large species that could be used. Even better, their eggs could be kept in low temperature until needed although I suspect some research would be done on the space station first to ensue both male and females can be successfully grown in space to keep the chosen species going. It really is a good choice. Interestingly, it works the same way as those odd food pills. You just add water.
In many respects, the future of space travel is going to depend on farmers, chefs and frogs. It sounds more like Douglas Adams than standard space fare. It would set up a whole different imagery of space colonisers. More in line with the old American settlers but without the cowboys. But who said real life had to follow Science Fiction?
Would it make a good film? Not so sure on that but I can see the nickname for the Mars colony as being ‘Frogtown’. That’s no leap of the imagination but a spawn by any other name.
Thank you, take care, good night and just because it tastes like chicken doesn’t mean you have to look at the packet ingredients.
With everything Yuletide being promoted ever earlier each year, let me be the first to welcome the new year of 2015 now than in a month’s time. Do we really need our regular annual holiday timetables set like magazine publication dates?
Geoff Willmetts
editor: SFCrowsnest.org.uk
My thanks to John Rivers for a little guidance in which way to look at a ‘Doctor Who’ episode.
For those wondering why I haven’t reviewed ‘X-Men: Days Of Future Past’, they might want to consider that there’s a director’s cut on the horizon and then which copy should they buy? I prefer to wait.
Observation: Here’s something to puzzle over. The Hartnell Doctor wasn’t aware of Skaro indeed the Daleks, when he first encountered them and yet it would surely have been recorded in the Time Lords archives even if that part of his history hadn’t been developed in the early days. Granted the TARDIS arrived there at random and an age problem with that regeneration but he could have put things together. Retrospect thought is wonderful, isn’t it? Had the stories been written today, such thinking would have been applied but at least, so far, ‘Doctor Who’ has never had to be remade.
A progression of that is why did the first generation fear to regenerate unless the Doctor thought he would change his mind (sic) and go home.
A Zen thought: Look before you leap and then forget about the distance.
Observation: If work legislation for foreigners goes ahead in the UK, poor Paddington Bear would be kicked out in under a year assuming he can get in at all.
Observation: Looking at the list of popular names for kids, I’m still puzzled why Three, Five and Seven weren’t mentioned especially as so many kids are called that in the news these days.
Observation: One odd thing about space opera. No one seems to be doing any singing in them.
NOTE: Although there are details below, please observe the bigger message elsewhere on site. I’m always recruiting reviewers. If you’re living in the UK and love books, read the notes below. You might be want I’m looking for and I do train people up and it’s good for your writer’s CVs and books to feed your reading habit.
Polls: We did have them for a time but the new version was causing a mess in WordPress so until a new version that doesn’t cause conflicts comes around, we’ll have to do without them but please use the answer option at the end of any material to express comments because we do read them.
For the record: For the odd query I have about being linked to media contacts. I do not have either a personal twitter or facebook account. There’s enough of me here to not outstay my welcome. I’m also puzzled why some people this SFC is a blog site when we’re not. It’s getting to the point that people can’t tell the difference between blog and butter.
Beware Of Virus Attacks: December 2012, even though I hadn’t left an active link to my email address, it got solidly attacked and then blocked from everyone, including myself. By necessity, having a form of open contact to me comes as part of the editor’s job. I’m still seeking reviewers and new material so follow the paths through the website and go where no spam-bot dares. I’ve yet to see them write anything. Humans and aliens can apply, providing they live in the UK. Monsters need to prove they can read and write. We could do with some reviewers who like fantasy right now. Don’t be scared of the instructions, you’d be surprised how easy it is to learn. So, if you want to contact me, build these words into an email address: gfwillmetts at hotmail dot com I won’t bite, especially as I’m hunting for fantasy reviewers right now. In fact, I’ll settle for any more willing reviewers who love to read.
Fancy being a reviewer and live in the UK?
NB: Anyone interested in reviewing books for me, especially fantasy and military SF, as we have a surfeit of books, and lives in the UK should contact me through the website. I’m not putting it in as a link to avoid spam. Just copy and paste into your emails to contact me. I’m always recruiting and details are through a link on the top of the SFC main page and in the SFC Forum for this and articles and stories as well. Just because it’s sunny, doesn’t mean you’re going to read any less. We could do with some more fantasy readers right now!
If you’ve on a budget, a book for a review is a good bargain and I can teach the nervous how to do it by seeing what you do when you present a sample. It’s a good deal. We get books in a variety of formats these days so all things are possible to those with the knack for putting words into sentences.
PPS Don’t forget to join the SFCrowsnest Forum. Join up and express your thoughts in leaving typed words that make sentences. I’ve noticed many of you are joining up but the Forum isn’t supposed to be a passive site. You can even vote in polls. Remember the editorial above. I’m not advocating a vow of silence. Well, unless you’re a monk but I doubt if that precludes typing. Are you going to be a lurker or a typer??!! Remember the editorial above, passivity is for sheep not a sentient species. The number of hits shown on the Forum aren’t daily, but for every ten minutes! Write something and others will respond if you have something to say. Equally, you could just be a guest and look around, especially as we release a lot of news that way, but the more the merrier when you have something to say.
I’m dying to see you people fill in the survey polls. They won’t bite y’know and are active when you sign in.
Speaking of the Forum, if you want up-to-date info of book signings, news and such, have a peak. You don’t have to sign up to have a look as to when these things are happening and I’ve yet to hear of a flash crowd turning up for such things but there’s always the first time. We’re not libel for that if you do such a thing, just to keep my boss happy.
Don’t forget, I’m always on the lookout for new reviewers as well as articles, interviews and stories and after some recent changes, let’s see if the full details about that appears below. If they don’t then look in the new Forum or on the link line at the top of the main page. For potential book reviewers in the UK, it’s a good way to keep up your reading habit and show you can write. There are detail links scattered over the website and on the forum. If you don’t think you’re up to scratch, you’ll discover why I’m the dutch uncle.
Another real Zen thought but this time for potential writers:If you can express an opinion independently of others and aren’t likely to bend to the masses then you might show potential as a writer.
Zen for those who are scared by all the instructions below: Many of the instructions are things you should be doing automatically if you’re developing your writing skills. If you do them already then focus on the ones that you don’t get right. They are there to help you as much as me to get the best writing from you. If you think you’re 80% there then I’ll help you get the final 20%. Trust me, I’m an editor and I can get things right.
BOOK REVIEWS – Don’t feel intimated by all the info below or linked to. If you’re any good as a writer, much of it should be second nature already.
Do you love books?
Do you like curling up and reading a book in preference to socialising, even on the Net? You might not even want to curl up, that’s only an option.
Do you have a preference for fantasy, SF or horror? We really could do with some fantasy readers!!!
Do you find it the greatest pastime you have next to being on your computer?
Are you very vocal about what you like and don’t like in what you read?
Would you like to share your thoughts with others about books?
Would you like an endless supply of books to do this with?
Do you live in the UK?
Can you spare an hour every day to read?
Do you think you can write about what you’ve read?
Are you finding the recession is hitting your book buying habit?</b>
If you’ve been nodding your head up to this point then link in below and see if you have what it takes to be a reviewer at SFCrowsnest. If you have that special knack to read and write or want to develop said skill then the only way you’re going to find out is to take the plunge yourself rather than wait for others to do it first. Reading a lot of books is a requisite for any writer. Being able to say what makes them good or bad hones your own skills. Even if you’re just happy with reading with a little writing on the side then this might be for you. It’s got to be better than waiting for the sun to come out in this weird summer and now cold winter. It’s also amazing how much you can read in an hour a day.
If you’ve survived this far in the editorial, let me reiterate something from the website newsletter and the above editorial. As you can see from the main page, we have one of the biggest SF/fantasy/horror monthly reviews columns on the Net. Our success has increased the number of books that comes in and our policy is to read everything and give it a roadtest before giving a review so you have some idea of what you’re letting yourself in for. You want the bottom line about what you’re going to choose to read. That means we need people actually willing to read the book and tell others they’re opinion in reviews. For that, we’re always on the outlook for more reviewers.
Do you think you have what it takes to review a book? It’s a skill that can be easily mastered and we need a few more. If you love fantasy, we have more than enough to keep you busy for instance.
Apart from the ability to put words into sentences, you also need to know how to précis, do a little research on associated subjects and can express opinions constructively about the good and bad points about the books you read. We even let you choose from our pile of received books rather than foster something on you that you wouldn’t normally read. You’ll even get a little editorial help in how to write good copy and that can always lead to other things. I’m not as scary as I sound editorially and it’s better to do the test review and see how you fare than not attempt to see how well you did. I did say you have to love books and willing to read beyond your favourite authors, didn’t I?
If you like reading books in the genre and can average two or maybe three a month, can really think and show you can write a decent review and, most importantly, live in the British Isles (sorry, expense, time and distance travelled mostly prohibits elsewhere), then use the link below and see our requirements. We can’t pay you but writing a review has to be cheaper than buying a book and a good incentive to see if you have what it takes to develop your writing skills.
Do you think you’re up to writing a review? If you think you can, then you’re really going to think you’ve landed your hands in the biscuit tin. It won’t hurt to try and see if you have the right stuff by sending me a sample review to show me you can write. If you want an added incentive, it can also be good for your CV.
Look up the Review Guidelines by linking here: <a href=”http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/contribute_reviews.php”></a> with a press of a mouse button.
SHORT STORIES
We always have an interest in running short stories which can be anything from one to thirty or so pages long. We’re always willing to give short story writers a chance to be seen if they can withstand my scrutiny even if we can’t pay for their efforts, your material will be seen by a lot of people if it’s shown on the SFCrownest website. If you can get a short story written well then it’ll make it easier to move up to novel-length.
Look up the Short Stories Link by linking here <a href=”http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/contribute_bigfiction.php”></a> with your mouse.
FLASH OR ONE-PAGE FICTION
We’ve also a teaching ground of one page stories, so check out the rules elsewhere on the website. It’s a lot tougher than it looks and far too easy to just write and write and hope something good comes out of it. What writing a one page story does is test your ability to control your word count and still tell a story in a concise way. This doesn’t mean we don’t accept stories of different lengths – a short story can be anything up to 30-40 pages long after all – but opens up the means for really short stories from ideas that don’t need as much space.
Flash fiction stories by linking here: <a href=”http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/contribute_flashfic.php”></a> with your mouse.
NOVEL-LENGTH SAMPLES
For those keeping track, I’m actually now caught up but don’t tell everyone as I’m undecided as to whether to keep looking at novel-length story samples, move over specifically to short stories – which we do anyway for the website – or get a couple of my own book projects completed. The latter, I still intend to do anyway and now actually working on but don’t let that put you off too much. If you want me to look over a sample, you can contact me through the links on this website.
Before you submit, study the next section below as it’s there to help you do some of the right things and reduce the number of times I’m repeating myself over silly grammatical errors and spelling mistakes that you shouldn’t be making if you’re serious about becoming a writer. It makes editing a lot easier if any editor has less work pointing out poor English which you should have been sorted out in the first place and more focused on other areas of your work that deal with plot and the other serious elements of storywriting. As a writer, it is your command of the English language and its grammar that will show how serious you are about writing.
There might not be much of a wait unless I get a deluge, however those sending in ebook samples, please read the Guidelines by linking here <a href=”http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/contribute_bigfiction.php”></a> with your mouse here or through the bottom line menu on the opening page of the SFC website.
EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT WRITING BUT AFRAID TO ASK
General advice for those who want to become writers of any sort: There’s an old editorial adage: If you can’t aim for perfection why should an editor nurse-maid you to that state? Nominally, my job is to catch minor glitches not total mishaps. If you’re a writer, then you should understand the words, sentences and grammar of the job you’re supposed to be writing or are you considering it as mundane and boring as any other job to get right? Fall in love with making every sentence the best you’re ever written, read up and understand the rules of grammar. Put the time in researching any subject you’re using in the story. Be prepared to put a story away for a few weeks and go back to it for a self-edit until it’s as good as you can make it. Even I do that. You look good. I make you look better but you have to start off with good.
A lot of the time, errors will just stare you in the face when you didn’t see them the first time round. Once you know where your weaknesses are, they can be sorted out and allow you to move a little higher up the ladder towards making your material look its best and more importantly, getting your material seen by readers.
The link here will show you the Common Problems Link page and what I see mostly <a href=”http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/contribute_commonprobs.php”></a>
with your mouse. It’s the smart writer who doesn’t get caught out with these.
Good luck.
Geoff
Related posts:
Editorial – February 2014: Scam of the Earth (editorial by GF Willmetts).
Editorial – Oct 2014: Judgement calls. The robots are coming. an editorial by GF Willmetts
May Contain Water : a short story by GF Willmetts (story).