A Real Blast from the Past

Forty-eight years ago, about this time, a fire was started in a garbage dump in Centralia, Pennsylvania. The intent was to get rid of some garbage. The fire instead spread to a nearby coal seam, as the dump was located in an abandoned mine pit. The fire continued to burn underground and in time produced sinkhole collapses and poison-gas emissions from cracks in the ground, and the town was almost completely abandoned. It is today one of the most famous modern ghost towns created by technology and not by economic or population changes.

Today is also the 76th birthday of writer Harlan Ellison, whose works have changed the intellectual landscape of the world. Indeed, even Daria fanfiction has been inspired by his works, to include: "Movies and Moonflower" (in which flower-child Helen Barksdale once got stoned with him), "And I Must Scream" (a nightmare future in which only a handful of humanity survives), and "Mad Dog" (in which one of his stories offers a clue about an evil influence). Thank you, Mr. Ellison!

PPMB

• The Dream of the White Darkness, by jtranser (continued): "Daria, the new Director wants to see you and your staff in his meeting room in fifteen minutes. Lock it all down before you go." "April, does he want us to use Quiet Passage Protocol?" "No. He wants everyone to see you walking down the hall to his office." "That doesn't sound good. Can you tell me anything more?" "You have excellent extrapolation skills. Use them well. Also read your fortune cookie."
• Finn Morgendorffer 47: Hell Is Homecoming, by HolyGrail2007 (Part 5): According to Daria’s speech at graduation, pizza was the world’s greatest panacea. And Jane knew that was so much the case. The dough, sauce, and cheese said no words to her, but once it was inside her, everything felt so much better. Heh, like Finn, Jane thought. What a crude joke.
• Judith Strikes!: Opening Gambit, by Erin M. (continued): "I was a sophomore in college when it happened," said Heather. "One second I'm droning on and on about 'Middleton's time-honored tradition of tomfoolery,' the next, I've levitated an idiot frat boy and got guys in uniforms cornering me in my dorm room. They offered to send me to the HIVE, I said yes, and here we are."

Holy Spandex! It's Bat-Jane!

On this day, 71 years ago, Detective Comics #27 came out, featuring a new crimefighter named Batman. The rest was history.

One hundred and thirty years ago today, Isadora Duncan was born, considered one of the greatest of American dancers. Jane Lane appeared as Isadora Duncan in an alter ego used earlier in this column.

This is also the 74th birthday of renown science-fiction author and critic Harlan Ellison, whom this blogger considers one of the True Gods of writing, period. One of Mr. Ellison's stories, "The Deathbird," had a profound effect in the writing of a Daria fanfic: "Mad Dog."

In addition to the various Three Word Story threads at PPMB, fen in need of a game can play The Amazing Daria Race. And Deref the Conquerer has a few more cave paintings to show of his recent excursion into civilization, which now lies in ruins from Spain to the Urals. Hail, Crom!

In the spirit of the elections this year, here's a T-shirt design you might like. Why pick the lesser of two evils?

SFMB has been little used of late. Getting concerned about that. Fanfic writers and fan artists are encouraged to post there when possible; exposure is always good.

PPMB

• Falling Into College 62: Run It Up the Mast, by Richard Lobinske (COMPLETE!): Friendships are made and preserved . . . an one enemy-ship is made as well.