[extropy-chat] How The Schmirk Stole Nanotechnology

[Hal Finney]

J. Storrs Hall, author of the holiday classic "A Visit from Saint Assembler",
<http://home.zylstra.com/comedy/computer/molecular-assembler.txt>,
has a new effort out: "How The Schmirk Stole Nanotechnology", at
<http://nanobot.blogspot.com/2003_12_21_nanobot_archive.html#107220434465462087>.
(If that link doesn't work, just go to nanobot.blogspot.com and scroll
down a bit).

Apologizing to Dr. Suess, JoSH offers this update of the Grinch story,
about the Schmirk (whose brain was "two sizes too small") and his efforts
to thwart the nerds with their Drexlerian nanotech.  It's an artful
and funny poem, but it was spoiled for me by the obvious targetting of
Richard Smalley as the Schmirk.  If the Schmirk is just an anonymous
character then the story reads as a good-natured satire; but when he is
based on a real person, it becomes a mean-spirited attack.

Read it and see if I'm overreacting -

Hal