Have you hit 'Dreams in the Witch House' yet?

Did Cordwainer Smith predict eveything?

Just read A Perfect Spy by John Le Carré and really loved it. I've never read any of the Smiley books but I've seen both versions of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, love the story. About to read The Gone Away World by Harkaway, his SF is supposed to be top notch. I think I might be a spy genre fan now

It was my first encounter with extreme poverty. I didn't understand. I grew up in a middle class family. It bothered me tremendously. I wanted to know why we could have all the food and water we needed and they couldn't.

I still don't get it.

After eating we then went to walk around the streets of Ciudad Acuña. I was in shock at seeing children my own age begging for money. Disabled people laying on the hot pavement because they had no other place to go.

I was told not to drink the water because it could make me sick. The straws and other materials were reused. It was explained to me why this was the case. These people were poorer than my family. This is how they live.

While there we went over the border into Mexico. Into a town named Ciudad Acuña. We waited in the long line of cars at the border check point. It was a hot summer day. After taking a long time to get into Mexico we were hungry.

This and too many Dillingers.

But to be alive is rare and powerful and beautiful. It cancels out the fact that we die.