From: Jim Gillogly <jim@ACM.ORG>
Date: Sat, 8 Jun 1996 05:33:27 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS
In-Reply-To: <199606070633.XAA01053@mail.pacifier.com>
Message-ID: <199606071523.IAA12176@mycroft.rand.org>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



Regarding TCM's en passant comment that Bell's ideas are derivative:

jim bell <jimbell@pacifier.com> writes:
>Technically, it wasn't derived from anything directly, or for that matter 
>even indirectly.  However, since there's nothing new under the sun,

Try Gilbert & Sullivan's operetta "Utopia, Ltd."  Assassinating the ruler
was fine and/or encouraged, but the assassin had to take his place.  Not
as close as the Dirty Harry movie, though...

>I generally don't feel the need to name specific people.  I'm sure each 
>reader has his own pet list to fall back on.

Aha.  Gilbert & Sullivan again, this time from the Mikado:  "I've got a
little list of society offenders who might well be under ground, and who
never would be missed."  That's Koko, the Lord High Executioner, casting
about for the next victim.  However, in Mikado assassinating an Heir
Apparent was a punishable offense.  Something <lingering> involving
boiling oil, as I recall.

I noted recently a news article listing about 4 "dead pools" around the
Web, not even counting the Idea Futures death claims.  I don't recall that
any of them used real money.

	Jim Gillogly
	Sterday, 18 Forelithe S.R. 1996, 15:17