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2006-04-06 Home Front: WoT

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Posted by Korora 2006-04-06 0:00|| || Front Page|| [10 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Well written but the three word bit at the ending sort of left a sour feeling, like he had no ending and wanted to ensure people would talk.

Posted by rjschwarz 2006-04-06 01:01|| 2006-04-06 01:01|| Front Page Top

#2 A better version would have had a guilt ridden time travel explaining how Islam was eradicated and we all felt bad.

"It started with the Iranian nuke strike on Tel Aviv that was followed by retalitory strikes on Damascus, Tehran, Rihad, Qom and Cairo.

The Israeli atack on Mecca failed due to the pilots unwillingness to deploy the bombs. Unfortunately for the Muslim world a terrorist/biologist who had created a particularly nasty strain of Small Pox to attack Israel had accidentally infected himself and visited Mecca for that years Haj and the nuclear fire might have prevented hundreds of thousands of Muslims from returning to their nations and decimated the bulk of the Islamic world.

The West was overloaded taming the Small Pox infection and found it easier to seal the Islamic world off and handle their own problems rather than help the dying masses of the Muslim world. Those of us in the west felt bad about that. Really bad. but what can you do? Islam died in less than two years of the Iranian attack. Well dead is a strong word, but there are more scientologists these days than Muslims so it's about as good as dead."

Posted by Time Travelor 2006-04-06 01:15|| 2006-04-06 01:15|| Front Page Top

#3 phobos, kerdos, doxa

Posted by Xenophon">Xenophon 2006-04-06 01:18|| 2006-04-06 01:18|| Front Page Top

#4 **WARNING** Plot spoiler.

The three words are 'Message from Dan'

There are a number of self-referential points in the story that are meant to clue you in. But I agree its a bit obtuse.

Posted by phil_b">phil_b 2006-04-06 01:38|| http://autonomousoperation.blogspot.com/]">[http://autonomousoperation.blogspot.com/] 2006-04-06 01:38|| Front Page Top

#5 Apropos grim (Islam wins) versions of the future, there is a 1989 book by Donald Moffitt CRESCENT IN THE SKY (The Mechanical Sky, Book 1)

Posted by gromgoru 2006-04-06 01:54|| 2006-04-06 01:54|| Front Page Top

#6 It's A Cookbook

Posted by Adriane 2006-04-06 04:32|| 2006-04-06 04:32|| Front Page Top

#7 hhhmmm not sure about the three word messege being 'Message from Dan'. He says the messege will be something everyone undrstands and knows what it is. I think its the name of a person who carries out a evil act or the name of 3 places that get detroyed by atomic weapons. Was an amazing read though ty for linking it. heres another guess on the three words 'religion of peace' but even that dosn't really fit. God lets just fckin bombard him with emails saying we demand to know the three words lol.

Posted by ShepUK 2006-04-06 07:15|| 2006-04-06 07:15|| Front Page Top

#8 Odds are the "three words" are just place holders, waiting to take on meaning with the next major Islamist atrocity.

Posted by Robert Crawford">Robert Crawford 2006-04-06 07:19|| http://www.kloognome.com/]">[http://www.kloognome.com/] 2006-04-06 07:19|| Front Page Top

#9 Over and out.

Posted by Elmoluque Slimp5990 2006-04-06 07:41|| 2006-04-06 07:41|| Front Page Top

#10 "Islam will win".

Posted by anonymous5089 2006-04-06 07:41|| 2006-04-06 07:41|| Front Page Top

#11 'I love malteasers' ,no sorry lol that cant be it, another thought though are thier any cities in America or allied Europe that have a three word name? I cant think of any but im no wise head. Now a three worded diesease? again i cant think of one but there must be a few nasty ones that could fit. Sheesh you know this is actually buggin me alot lol.

Posted by ShepUK 2006-04-06 07:47|| 2006-04-06 07:47|| Front Page Top

#12 I stand by my "islam will win", fits the bill good IMHO.

Posted by anonymous5089 2006-04-06 07:53|| 2006-04-06 07:53|| Front Page Top

#13 "I'm your grandson."

Posted by Lone Ranger 2006-04-06 07:56|| 2006-04-06 07:56|| Front Page Top

#14 "I'm your grandson"

Nope, already explicitly told in the text, Enjoy these last days and months and years of your slumber, Grandfather, said the scarred old man. Your wake-up call is coming soon.

Posted by anonymous5089 2006-04-06 08:02|| 2006-04-06 08:02|| Front Page Top

#15 Nah, the point of the story is that 'Message from Dan' is something everyone in the future knows about, because they read the warning (widely disseminanted by email) and ignored or discounted it and it came true and everyone regrets they didn't do something about it.

Posted by phil_b">phil_b 2006-04-06 08:04|| http://autonomousoperation.blogspot.com/]">[http://autonomousoperation.blogspot.com/] 2006-04-06 08:04|| Front Page Top

#16 I'm so confused! Damn!

Posted by anonymous5089 2006-04-06 08:05|| 2006-04-06 08:05|| Front Page Top

#17 so this is the warning yeah - but only a miniscule fraction of people in the west will even read this story as great as it is - pretty pointless if you ask me cos 99.999% of people wouldnt know what the hell 'messege from dan, means. I must say though i have a feeling if someone said to me in a few years time 'messege from dan' i'd remember this story though which is kind of odd i guess but cool. Oh well i'm gonna stop overloading my tiny mind with this stuff now lol.

Posted by ShepUK 2006-04-06 08:23|| 2006-04-06 08:23|| Front Page Top

#18 Stratford on Avon

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2006-04-06 08:35|| 2006-04-06 08:35|| Front Page Top

#19 Three words....WTF !

Posted by Besoeker 2006-04-06 08:38|| 2006-04-06 08:38|| Front Page Top

#20 If I say to you "Alas Babylon: how many would get the reference?

Posted by Redneck Jim 2006-04-06 08:42|| 2006-04-06 08:42|| Front Page Top

#21 If I say to you "Alas Babylon: how many would get the reference?

Which reference? The Biblical one, or the post-apocalytpic SF novel one?

Posted by Robert Crawford">Robert Crawford 2006-04-06 08:45|| http://www.kloognome.com/]">[http://www.kloognome.com/] 2006-04-06 08:45|| Front Page Top

#22 I think its the names of his surviving granson and grand daughters.

Posted by BrerRabbit 2006-04-06 09:40|| 2006-04-06 09:40|| Front Page Top

#23 STOP MESSING WITH MY MIND!!!

Posted by anonymous5089 2006-04-06 09:51|| 2006-04-06 09:51|| Front Page Top

#24 Three words:

This ganja's good

Posted by badanov 2006-04-06 10:14|| http://www.freefirezone.org/cgi-bin/index.pl]">[http://www.freefirezone.org/cgi-bin/index.pl] 2006-04-06 10:14|| Front Page Top

#25 Alas Babylon
I get it.
try "On the Beach"

Posted by jim#6">jim#6 2006-04-06 11:06|| 2006-04-06 11:06|| Front Page Top

#26 What's the frequency, Kenneth?...
Oh wait, that's 4 words. Dammit, Mary, where do you get this crap?

Posted by Dan Rather 2006-04-06 11:24|| 2006-04-06 11:24|| Front Page Top

#27 Hillary for President

Posted by pihkalbadger 2006-04-06 11:31|| 2006-04-06 11:31|| Front Page Top

#28 ..The hell with the riddles, I thought it was great.

(And it's him - "Sincerely, Dan Simmons" )

Mike

Posted by Mike Kozlowski 2006-04-06 11:39|| 2006-04-06 11:39|| Front Page Top

#29 If we're going to be all literary and stuff:

Exterminate the brutes!

Posted by 11A5S 2006-04-06 11:47|| 2006-04-06 11:47|| Front Page Top

#30 'kill the orcs' lol, Statford upon Avon - ive been there and thats where my asthma started on holiday at some foul campsite there lol. Never go to Stratford upon Avon unless you want to get ill lol. No its a lovely place though seriously but jihadis attacking it? stranger things have happend i guess.

Posted by ShepUK 2006-04-06 11:57|| 2006-04-06 11:57|| Front Page Top

#31 Conspiratorial:

[Fill in name of well known political or religious leader] is Muslim!

Posted by 11A5S 2006-04-06 12:05|| 2006-04-06 12:05|| Front Page Top

#32 Sorry. It was the only one I could think of with three words except Newcastle upon Tyne which everyone really calls Newcastle, don't they?

Though there is the Capital of Tanzania, Dar Es Salaam. I like the ring of that as a target.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2006-04-06 12:06|| 2006-04-06 12:06|| Front Page Top

#33 "three words I will not share here in this piece..."

This is the best clue given.

Posted by eltoroverde 2006-04-06 12:08|| 2006-04-06 12:08|| Front Page Top

#34 muhammadu rasūlu-llāhi

Get it? He's given up and become a Muslim, too!

Posted by 11A5S 2006-04-06 12:15|| 2006-04-06 12:15|| Front Page Top

#35 "we have lost", just guessing, scary read.

Posted by djohn66 2006-04-06 12:28|| 2006-04-06 12:28|| Front Page Top

#36 Somehow I think Dan doesn't know the three words but the intent was to get folks debating exactly that. As he has done. Masterful in that, sort of like the end of Basic Instinct that Esterhoez intentionally left vague to get folks talking the next day and seeing it again. He had to fight producers to keep it vague.

Part of me thinks its brilliant and part of me recoils at the manipulation of an audience.

I like "Exterminate the Brutes" best of all so far. Either that or "Nuke Mecca now!"

Posted by rjschwarz 2006-04-06 12:36|| 2006-04-06 12:36|| Front Page Top

#37 Deus lo volt?

Some have suggested that the words were something like "Goodbye, Mr. President". Which would be a good ending if he were not using the conceit that he was the one who received the Time Traveler. As it is, that idea is just a little smarmy.

I cannot see how "Message from Dan" could be the three words. The words would have to be either a farewell or an an injunction, and these are neither. If you're saying that he himself was the Time Traveler -- well, that's what I thought, too, but it seems more likely that the TT is his grandson, as anonymous5089 (#14) has pointed out.

On his website's forum several people have pointed out that this was posted on April 1, and therefore this could be an April Fool's joke. "Great satire!" they say. But satire requires exaggeration.

Posted by Angie Schultz 2006-04-06 12:58|| 2006-04-06 12:58|| Front Page Top

#38 Somehow I think Dan doesn't know the three words but the intent was to get folks debating exactly that.

That's what I said. He's given us a placeholder. We'll fill it in as more atrocities occur.

Does anyone think we won't have anything to fill it?

Posted by Robert Crawford">Robert Crawford 2006-04-06 12:59|| http://www.kloognome.com/]">[http://www.kloognome.com/] 2006-04-06 12:59|| Front Page Top

#39 I was thinking "Religion Of Peace" was a decent fit.

Posted by Laurence of the Rats">Laurence of the Rats 2006-04-06 13:21|| 2006-04-06 13:21|| Front Page Top

#40 Mecca delenda.....

Posted by 6 2006-04-06 14:11|| 2006-04-06 14:11|| Front Page Top

#41 I remember them. They had a show on right after Ed Sullivan back in the 70's.
Looks like they got seriously into drugs. Too bad...

Posted by tu3031 2006-04-06 14:59|| 2006-04-06 14:59|| Front Page Top

#42 If the people owned all means of production, then these imperial assaults would be a thing of the past.

Of course Chomsky Tooth Fairy. It all worked so well the last time. I'll go out and give all my mutual funds to the vanguard of the proletariat as soon as I finish typing. Do you have a PO Box I could send them to?

My last nomination for the three words: Love ya gramps!

Posted by 11A5S 2006-04-06 15:05|| 2006-04-06 15:05|| Front Page Top

#43 Hey, they re wrote my #41 post. Stalin did that sort of thing.

So I guess you're okay with it then?

Posted by tu3031 2006-04-06 15:21|| 2006-04-06 15:21|| Front Page Top

#44 I see. It was just Stalin. The fact that he stole all of his ideas about collectivization from Trotsky has nothing to do with all of the killing, I'm sure. I'm also certain that you'll agree with me that the GULAG being so similar to Trotsky's Labor Armies was just a coincidence too.

How am I sloganeering? By giving the means of production over to the workers you are disappropriating my wealth, aren't you? How do you propose to do that without violence? Because I'm sure as hell not going to give away my share of the means of production without a fight.

Posted by 11A5S 2006-04-06 15:27|| 2006-04-06 15:27|| Front Page Top

#45 The THREE WORDS are: "Praised be Allah"!
Ironically appropriate for this Lovecraftian shaded story...

Posted by borgboy 2006-04-06 15:39|| 2006-04-06 15:39|| Front Page Top

#46 My half-arsed guess is it is another date, like "June twenty-fifth" or something like that, when something as horrible or maybe worse than 9/11 will happen in the future.

Either that or maybe the first words of the Constitution, "We the People", since there is the underlying theme of civil liberties, having the right to vote restricted, etc.

But ultimate nightmare scenario...."President John Kerry".....

Posted by Desert Blondie 2006-04-06 16:27|| http://azjetsetchick.blogspot.com]">[http://azjetsetchick.blogspot.com] 2006-04-06 16:27|| Front Page Top

#47 I was looking up the ghost of christmas future to see if he left with three words. Couldn't find it, but I did find another future scenario from the SF Chronicle.
link

Posted by 2b 2006-04-06 16:34|| 2006-04-06 16:34|| Front Page Top

#48 or maybe this is it. Darn. I hate these kinds of stories.

When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished! and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost (John 19:30).

Posted by 2b 2006-04-06 16:37|| 2006-04-06 16:37|| Front Page Top

#49 re: that other scenario,

Yes, yes .. we are being deeply oppressed by the heavy hand of the administration. Some no doubt secretly long for the peace and justice offered by the sharp beheading sword and heavy stones of sharia instead, but though that beckons it hasn't quite reached our shores .....

Posted by lotp 2006-04-06 16:39|| 2006-04-06 16:39|| Front Page Top

#50 "Mars needs women."

Posted by BH 2006-04-06 16:43|| 2006-04-06 16:43|| Front Page Top

#51 Off-topic or abusive comments deleted]

Posted by Chomsky Truth Family 2006-04-06 14:57|| 2006-04-06 14:57|| Front Page Top

#52 Off-topic or abusive comments deleted]

Posted by Chomsky Truth Family 2006-04-06 15:18|| 2006-04-06 15:18|| Front Page Top

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