Prey

 Prey

A novel by Michael Crichton (excerpt)

The camera now showed a ground level view of the dust cloud as it swirled toward us.But as I watched, I realized it wasn't swirling like a dust devil. Instead, the particles were twisting one way, then another, in a kind of sinuous movement.

They were definitely swarming.

“Swarming” was a term for the behavior of certain social insects site. A cloud of bees will fly in one direction and the another, forming a dark river in the air. The swarm might halt and cling to a tree for perhaps an hour, perhaps overnight, before continuing onward. Eventually the bees settled on a new location for their hive, and stopped swarming.

In recent years, programmers had written programs that modeled this insect behavior. Swarm-intelligence algorithm had become an important tool in computer programming. To programmers, a swarm meant a population of computer agents that acted together to solve a problem by distributed intelligence. Swarming became a popular way to organize agents to work together. There were professional organizations and conferences devoted entirely to swarm-intelligence programs. Lately it had become a kind of default solution – if you couldn't code anything more inventive, you made your agents swarm.

Relaxed Pond. Photo by Elena

But as I watched, I could see this cloud was not swarming in any ordinary sense. The sinuous back-and-forth motion seemed to be only part of its movement. There was also a rhythmic expansion and contraction, a pulse, almost like breathing. And intermittently, the cloud seemed to thin out, and rise higher, then to collapse down, and become more squat. These changes occurred continuously, but in a repeating rhythm – or rather a series of superimposed rhythms.

“Shit,” Ricky said. “I don't see the others. And I know it's not alone.” He pressed the radio again.

“Vince? You see any others?”

“No, Ricky.”

“Where are the others?” Guys? Speak to me.”

Radios crackled all over the facility. Bobby Lembeck: “Ricky, it's alone.”

“It can't be alone.”

Mae Chang: “Ricky, nothing else is registering out there.”

“Just one swarm, Ricky.” That was David Brooks.

“It can't be alone!” Ricky was gripping the radio so tightly his fingers were white. He pressed the button. “Vince? Take the PPI up to seven.”

“You sure?”

“Do it.”

“Well, all right, if you really think...”

“Just skip the commentary, and do it!”

Ricky was talking about increasing the positive pressure inside the building to seven pounds per square inch. All clean facilities maintained a positive pressure so that outside dust particles could not enter from any leak; they would be blown outward by the escaping air. But one or two pounds was enough to maintain that. Seven pounds of positive pressure was a lot. It was unnecessary to keep out passive particles.

But of course these particles weren't passive.

Watching the cloud swirl and undulate as it came closer, I saw that parts of it occasionally caught the sunlight in a way that turned it a shimmering, iridescent silver. Then the color faded, and the swarm became black again. That had to be the piezo panels catching the sun. But it clearly demonstrated that the individual microunits were highly mobile, since the entire cloud never turned silver at the same time, but only portions, or bands.

“I thought you said the Pentagon was giving up on you, because you couldn't control this swarm in wind.”

“Right. We couldn't.”

A Small Kindness

A Small Kindness

By Ben Bova

… Before Heremy could reply, Rungawa went on, “it would be easy for us to create a million creatures like myself and to land on your planet in great, shining ships and give you all the answers you need for survival. Fusion energy? A toy. World peace? Easily accomplished. Quadruple your global food productions? Double your intelligence? Make you immune to every disease? All this we can do.”

“Then why…?” Jeremy hesitated, thinking. “If you did all that for us, it would ruin us, wouldn’t it?”

Rungawa beamed at him. “Ah, you truly understand the problem!” Yes, it would destroy your species, just as yours Europeans destroyed the cultures of the Americas and Polynesia. Your anthropologists are wrong. There are superior cultures and inferior ones. A superios culture always crushes an inferior, even if it has no intention of doing so.”

In the back of his mind, Jeremy realzied that he had control of his legs again. He flexed the fingers of his left hand slightly, even the index finger that still curled around the trigger of the dart gun. He could move them at will once more.

“What you’re saying,” he made conversation, “is that if you landed here and gave us everything we want, our culture would be destroyed.”

Small Kindness. Photo - Elena

“Yes,” Rungava agreed. “Just as surely as you whites destroyed the black and brown cultures of the world. We have no desire to do that to you.”

“So you’re trying to lead us to the point where we can solve our own problems.”

“Precisly so, Mr, Keating.”

“That’s way you’ve started this World Government,” Keating said, his hand tightening on the gun.

“You started the World Government yourselves,” Rungawa corrected. “We merely encouraged you, here and there.”

Return of the Comeback Kid

Democrats and Republicans: Return of the Comeback Kid?

Early indicators spell trouble for Bill Clinton, but the field is wide open

The campaign is already well under way. By the summer of 1995, President Clinton indicated that he would seek reelection (no surprise there) and nine Republicans had declared their intent to take the job away from him. And there’s always a chance of a third party challenge like the one Texas billionnaire Ross Perot mounted in 1992.

So far, the electoral arithmetic shows some signs that the president is slipping. The Cook Political report, a well-respected newsletter, already has predicted that Clinton is likely to lose seven states that he won in 1992 – Georgia, Louisiana, Kentucky, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, and Tennessee.

Even if that turns out to be the case, victory could still be within Clinton’s grasp. He easily defeated George Bush in 1992 with 370 electoral votes, a comfortable 100-vote margin over the 270 that are needed to win.

There are not many good omens for the president in the results of the 1994 mid-term elections, however. Democrats did poorly all across the country, but particularly in the West and Midwest, regions that were crucial to Clinton’s ’92 with 370 electoral votes, a comfortable 100-vote margin over the 270 that are needed to win.

There are not many good omens for the president in the results of the 1994 mid-term elections, however. Democrats did poorly all across the country, but particularly in the West and Midwest, regions that were crucial to Clinton’s ’92 victory. All told, Democrats lost eight Senate seats and 55 House seats, the most for any party since 1980 and 1948, respectively. In addition, polls show that a growing number of voters are willing to consider a third party candidate, and voter registration groups report that large numbers of new voters are registering as independents.

Presidential primaries will come earlier and quicker than they did in 1992, when candidates were given of a breather to raise the funds that would carry them through to the final stretch. More than 70 percent of the Republican delegates to the national convention will be chosen before March 1996. In the past, primary battles have continued until as late as June. The thinking now is that if the primaries and early, the likely nominee can concentrate on fund-raising and strategy for the general election.

New York Downtown. Photo by Elena

No one expects the summer political conventions to be anything more than television-friendly coronations of already decided-upon candidates. Nonetheless, the amount of air tie the TV networks give to the conventions has been steadily declining in recent years. In 1992, none of the three major networks bothered with gavel-to-gavel coverage of the conventions. The Republicans are scheduled to meet in August in San Diego; the Democrats in Chicago in August. Republicans will try to avoid a replay of the ’92 convention in Houston, when the party’s right-wing sounded themes that alienated much of the general electorate. For their part, Democrats will strive to wipe out memories of their last convention in Chicago in 1968, which was marred by violent, highly politicized clashes between police and Vietnam War protesters.

Want to get an early lead on who is going to come out ahead on Election Day, November 5, 1996? Presidential debates may be interesting but there is little evidence that they significantly shape an election’s outcome. The second presidential debate of 1992, whose innovative formal allowed for questions from the audience for the first tie, attracted the largest U.S. Television audience ever, beating out the final episode of M*A*S*H in 1983. But Clinton was ahead in the polls before and after the debate. Historically, Labor Day polls have been most accurate when one candidate had a strong lead, such as in the 1984 election. In 1980, Jimmy Carter led in the polls past Labor Day but was soundly defeated by Ronald Reagan in November. Various seers tout their prediction methods, but all of their records have been spotty. Guess you’ll just have to wait and see.

Party nominations for the presidency aren’t settled in smoke-filled rooms. Instead, delegates, who usually (but not always) are pledged to a certain candidate, are selected in state-level primaries and caucuses and then go on to the national conventions to vote for a nominee

Cafés in Reykjavik

Cafés in Reykjavik

Icelanders have always been coffee lovers and this is reflected in the number of cafés that have sprung up in the past few years, such as Kaffitár, the aromatic coffee shop with a social conscience that brightens up Bankastræti downtown. There are 5 more Kaffitár outlets in Reykjavík with the latest opening in the new exhibition centre at Perlan. Most cafés sell light meals & alcoholic beverages as well as being child-friendly. Many cafés have taken advantage of the effects of global warming in Iceland and now provide outdoor seating for warmer days. There’s nothing like sipping a good cappuccino in the sun while watching daily life in Reykjavík. Each café has its own speciality and ambience, making choosing difficult, so why not do a ‘café crawl’ that includes the Icelandic traditional food specialist, Café Loki or newcomer Café Laugalækur until you find your favourite barista.

Kaffitár

Bankastræti 8, tel: 420 2732

Iceland‘s most popular coffee shop, built on the passion of the barista and the aroma of newly-ground coffee. We offer a wide variety of coffees, cakes and pastries in a relaxed atmosphere.

Café Loki

Lokastíg 28, tel: 466 2828

This is where you experience typical Icelandic hospitality while you indulge in traditional Icelandic food. Family-owned, the restaurant makes use of recipes that have been passed on from one generation to the next.

Café Laugalækur

Laugarnesvegur 74a, tel: 537 6556

A speciality café and art gallery in the Laugardalur valley. We offer healthy sourdough flatbreads, salads and sandwiches as well as delicious soups and dish-of-the-day. We also serve brunch on weekends from 10:30 -15:00.

Babalú

Skólavörðustígur 22

A cosy café with a laid back atmosphere. Offers crêpes, paninis and homemade cakes.

Café Flora

Reykjavík Botanical Garden

A lovely café set in the Botanical Gardens. Light meals from local produce.

A coffee house in the capital of Iceland. Photo by Olga

Café Haiti

Geirsgata 7b

A relaxing atmosphere and excellent coffee roasted at the premises.

Café Paris

Austurstræti 14

A cosy café in the heart of town. Serves a selection of light meals.

Café Roma

Rauðarárstígur 8

Café/ bakery which offers tasty light meals at reasonable prices.

Grái kötturinn

Hverfisgata 16a

A tiny little 50´s-style café, located in a quiet place on Hverfisgata.

Hannesarholt – Cultural house

Grundarstígur 10

Located in the historic home of the late Hannes Hafstein, Iceland’s First Minister and a beloved poet.

Hressó

Austurstræti 20

Café, bar and bistro that turns into a nightclub in the evenings and at weekends. They sometimes offer live music and have a good dancing area.

IÐA Zimsen

Vesturgata 2a

A book café in a cosy and relaxed atmosphere. Serves light courses and good cakes.

Iðnó

Vonarstræti 3

Theatre café. Beautifully decorated and furnished.

Kaffi Sólon

Bankastræti 7a

Café, bistro, bar and a club, depending on the time of day.

Kaffi Vinyl

Hverfisgata 76

Vinyl store that offers light vegan and vegetarian food.

Kaffifélagið

Skólavörðustígur 10

A small coffee house with a sit in or take away option.

Kjarvalsstaðir

Flókagata 24

Located at Kjarvalsstaðir art museum.

Nice selection of art magazines and good crêpes.

Laundromat Café

Austurstræti 9

Nice Café with light meals and children’s play area in the basement. Transforms into a bar at night.

Mokka Kaffi

Skólavörðustígur 3a

One of Reykjavík´s oldest cafés. Offers a selection of coffee, sandwiches and cakes.

Nora Magasín

Pósthússtræti 9

A small café that offers home-made meals at affordable prices.

Reykjavík Roasters

Kárastígur 1

Local coffeehouse that serves speciality coffee from fresh roasted beans.

Sandholt Bakery

Laugavegur 36

Quality bakery and café, offering light meals and snacks.

Svarta Kaffið

Laugavegur 54

A nice café in a cosy old house. Serves excellent soup in a bread bowl.

Te og Kaffi

Austurstræti18 and Laugavegur 27 & 77 (ask for other locations).

Excellent coffee, cakes and light dishes

Which Mortage Is for You

Which Mortgage Is For You

It’s hard to keep track of all the different kinds of mortgages currently being offered, much less choose the one that’s the best deal for you. Here’s an explanation of some of the most popular varieties, adapted from the Mortgage Money Guide, published by the Federal Trade Commission, along with the pros and cons of each and some expert tips.

Fixed-rate mortgage: Fixed interest rate, usually long term; equal monthly payments of principal and interest until debt is paid in full.

Pros: Offers some stability and long-term tax advantages. Cons: Interest rates may be higher than other types of financing. New fixed rates are rarely assumable. Expert Tip: Can be a good financing method, if you are in a high tax bracket and need the interest deductions.

Fifteen-Year Mortgage: Fixed interest rate. Requires down payment or monthly payments higher than 30-year loan. Loan is fully repaid over 15-year term.

Pros: Frequently offered at slightly reduced interest rate. Offers faster accumulation of equity than traditional fixed rate mortgage. Cons: Has higher monthly payments. Involves paying less interest but this may result in fewer tax deductions. Expert Tip: If you can afford the higher payments, this plan will save your interest and help you build equity and own your home faster.

Which mortage is for you

Adjustable Rate Mortgage: Interest rate changes over the life of the loan, resulting in possible changes in your monthly payments, loan term and/or principal. Some plans have rate or payment caps.

Pros: Starting interest rate is slightly below market. Payment caps prevent wide fluctuations in payments. Rate caps limit amount total debt can expand. Cons: Payments can increase sharply and frequently if index increases. Payment caps can result in negative amortization. Expert Tip: Remember if your payment-capped loan results in monthly payments that are lower than your interest rate would require, you still owe the difference.

Renegotiable Rate Mortgage: Interest rate and monthly payments are constant for several years, changes possible thereafter. Long-term mortgage.

Pros: Less frequent changes in interest rates offer some stability. Cons: May have to renegotiate when rates are higher.

Balloon Mortgage: Monthly payments based on fixed interest rates usually short term; payments may cover interest only with principal due in full of term end.

Pros: Offers low monthly payments. Cons: Possibly no equity until loan is fully paid. When due, loan must be paid off or refinanced. Refinancing poses high risk it rates climb. Expert Tip: Some lenders guarantee refinancing when the balloon payment is due, although they do not guarantee a certain interest rate.

Graduated payment mortgage: Lower monthly payments rise gradually (usually over 5 or 10 years), then level off for duration of term. With adjustable interest rate, additional payment changes possible if index changes.

Pros: They are easier to qualify for. Cons: Buyer’s income must be able to keep pace with scheduled payment increases. With an adjustable rate, payment increases beyond the graduated payments can result in additional negative amortization.

Shared appreciation mortgage: Below-market interest rate and lower monthly payments, in exchange for a share of profits when property is sold or on a specified date. There are many variations.

Pros: Low interest rate and low payments. Cons: If home appreciates greatly, total cost of loan jumps. If home fails to appreciate, projected increase in value may still be due, requiring refinancing at possibly higher rates. Expert tip: You may be liable for the dollar amount of the property’s appreciation even if you do not wish to sell at the agreed-upon date. Unless, you have the cash available, this could force an early sale of the property.

Assumable mortgage: Buyer takes over seller’s original, below market rate mortgage.

Pros: Lower monthly payments. Cons: May be prohibited if “due on sale” clause is in original mortgage. Not permitted on most new fixed-rate mortgages. Expert tip: Many mortgages are no longer legally assumable. Be especially careful if you are considering a mortgage represented as “assumable”.

Seller Take-Back: Seller provides all or part of financing with a first or second mortgage.

Pros: May offer a below-market interest rate. Cons: May have a balloon payment requiring full payment in a few years or refinancing at market rates, which could sharply increase debt. Expert tip: If an institutional lender arranges the loan, uses standardized forms, and meets certain other requirements, the owner take-back can be sold immediately to Fannie Mae. This enables sell to obtain equity promptly.

Wraparound: Seller keeps original low rate mortgage. Buyer makes payments to seller, who forwards a portion to the lender holding original mortgage.

Pros: Offers lower effective interest rate on total transaction. Cons: Lender may call in old mortgage and require higher rate. If buyer defaults, seller must take legal action to collect debt. Expert tip: Wraparounds may cause problems if the original lender or the holder of the original mortgage is not aware of the new mortgage. Some lenders or holders may have the right to insist that the old mortgage be paid off immediately.

Growing Equity Mortgage: Rapid payoff mortgage. Fixed interest rate but monthly payments may vary according to agreed-upon schedule or index.

Pros: Permits rapid payoff or debt because payment increases reduce principal. Cons: Buyer’s income must be able to keep up with payment increases. Does not offer long-term tax deductions.

Land Contract: Seller retains original mortgage. No transfer of title until loan is fully paid. Equal monthly payments based on below-market interest rate with unpaid principal due at loan rate.

Pros: Payments figured on below-market interest rate. Cons: May offer no equity until loan is fully paid. Buyer has little protection if conflict arises during loan. Expert Tips: Land contracts are being used to avoid the “due on sale” clause. The buyer and seller may assert to the lender who provided the original mortgage that the clause does not apply because the property will not be sold to the end of the contract. Therefore, the low interest rate continues.

Buy-Down: Developer (or other party) provides an interest subsidy that lowers monthly payments during the first few years of the loan. Can have fixed or adjustable interest rate.

Pros: Offer a break from higher payments during early years. Enables buyer with lower income to qualify. Cons: With adjustable rate mortgage, payments may jump substantially at end of subsidy. Developer may increase selling price. Expert Tip: Consider what your payments will be after the first few years. They could jump considerably. Also check to see whether the subsidy is part of your contract with the lender or with the builder. If it’s provided separately with the builder, the lender can still hold you liable for the full interest rate.

Rent With Option: Renter pays “option fee” for right to purchase property at specified time and agreed upon price. Rent may or may not be applied to sales price.

Pros: Enables renter to buy time to obtain down payment and decide whether to purchase. Locks in price during inflationary times. Cons: Payment of option fee. Failure to take option means loss of option fee and rental payments.

Reverse Annuity Mortgage: Equity conversion. Borrower owns mortgage free property and needs income. Lender makes monthly payments to borrower, using property as collateral.

Pros: Can provide homeowners with needed cash. Cons: At end of term, borrower must have money available to avoid selling property of refinancing. Expert Tip: You can’t obtain a RAM until you have paid off your original mortgage.

Payments Month-by-Month

You can find charts showing the maximum monthly amount you could spend for home payments and total monthly credit obligations at a variety of income levels and meet the guidelines required by most lenders. As a rule of thumb, no more than 28 percent of your gross monthly income should be used for your mortgage payment (principal, interest, taxes, insurance, condo fees, owner association fees, mortgage insurance premium) and no more than 36 percent of your gross monthly income should be going toward your mortgage payment plus all other monthly credit obligations (car loans, credit cards, utility payments).