From: "Strong, Lee" <StrongL at MTMC.ARMY.MIL> To: "'WSFA members'" <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net> Subject: [WSFA] Re: Got Milk? Date: Thu, 21 Mar 2002 15:54:56 -0500 Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net> Ted, Thank you for correcting my chronology. O.K. Shaver might have been influenced by speculation about atomic warfare etc. prior to the 1950s. As for proving Shaver's influence on _The Time Machine (1960)_, I said this was merely speculation and therefore I don't feel a need for a detailed defense. I can show, as a general proposition, that real people pick up and adopt ideas from people that they claim to hold in complete contempt so I can not rule out a POSSIBLE Shaverian influence on _The Time Machine (1960)_. Since H.G. Wells wrote at least one atomic warfare story as well as the original novel about dehumanized humans living underground, one might speculate further that Wells influenced Shaver who influenced the script of _The Time Machine_. You also wrote that you are incredulous that I would dignify the ravings of the lunatic in this fashion. I take that as a complement to my good taste. However, I don't have a Geiger counter that enables me to separate stupid stuff from smart stuff at a distance. So, I read lots of stuff and analyze it according to my best understanding of how the universe works so that I can categorize the stuff accurately. If you would like to discuss my arcane hobby further, fine, but it sounds like you are reading more into it than I do. In the meantime, please recommend a good book or website that discusses the Shaver Mystery accurately and completely. Thank you again. Your friend, Lee -----Original Message----- From: Ted White [mailto:tedwhite at compusnet.com] Sent: Thursday, March 21, 2002 3:26 PM To: WSFA members Subject: [WSFA] Re: Got Milk? "Strong, Lee" wrote: > Ted, Please have a glass of milk on me. I have not actually read > Shaver's original printed materials but I have read digests or recaps of his > theories. I speculate that his theories of underground civilizations > populated by dehumanized robots may have been influenced by 1950s ideas of > nuclear warfare and survival in underground bunkers-forts-cities, and, in > turn, may have influenced the development of the 1960 movie _The Time > Machine_ which went considerably beyond Wells in this direction. Yes, you already said that. And I remain incredulous that you'd dignify the ravings of a lunatic in this fashion. The moreso because your chronology is all wrong. Shaver's "Shaver Mystery" stories were originally published in AMAZING in 1946 and 1947, reaching a climax with the "Shaver Mystery Issue" of July, 1947. Obviously these could not "have been influenced by 1950s ideas of nuclear warfare and survival in underground bunkers-forts-cities." And before you can claim Shaver's influence on the 1960 TIME MACHINE movie I'd think you'd need to demonstrate that anyone connected with that movie knew of him -- and didn't hold him in complete contempt. --Ted White