Its limitations are those of the physical universe: it won't let you play with some really wild ideas that aren't possible, but are fun to speculate about.

It's most presumptuous to believe we already know all the answers and will never get any more big surprises.

Don't mistake a good setup for a satisfying conclusion - many beginning writers end their stories when the real story is just ready to begin.

Resist the temptation to try to use dazzling style to conceal weakness of substance.

Blaming society makes it awfully easy for a person of weak character to shrug off his own responsibility for his actions.

Ideally, I'd like every issue to include a diverse group of stories that meet the qualifications sketched above, but covering a wide range of specific matter and flavour.

It's easy to imagine ways the future can be ugly and depressing. It's harder, but more worthwhile, to imagine plausible ways we can make it better.

As for sticking strictly to presently known science, I will simply point out that we have already experienced at least two major revolutions in science in this century alone.

There may be something to the suggestion about the pace of technological change intimidating writers, though - it's been awfully hard to keep ahead of real developments.

I think the rising and falling popularity of areas like hard SF and far-future SF is, to a considerable extent, the same as any other fashion.

And, of course, some SF is set close enough to here and now that Anglo and European do apply. Since many of the writers come from those backgrounds, so does much of the fiction.

When we speak, dress, and think like others, we live with the goal of achieving the approval they have

Doing what's right isn't the problem. It's knowing what's right.

Our American friends offer us money, arms, and advice. We take the money, we take the arms, and we decline the advice.

It seems that every time mankind is given a lot of energy, we go out and wreck something with it.

It's only in winter that the pine and cypress are known to be evergreens.

I can't read music and I'm crap at learning lyrics. Especially since the accident I have memory problems. I can't remember words, names, places.

We are the products of a highly intelligent and creative supreme being.

I don't think there is one president that's come down the line that hasn't done something good somewhere.

The civil justice system is a backup system when the criminal justice system fails.

The NBA needs more of that 'it's-about-us-against-them' mentality.