My Far-flung Readers

PopularScience It's amazing what you can come to take for granted.  I can't remember the name of the story, but there is a great science fiction story written in the 1950s.  It is set in the 1890s.  The protagonist invents a time machine and visits the 1950s.  Upon his return, he writes an account of his experiences in the future and submits it to a magazine in the guise of science fiction.

The publisher rejects it out of hand.  "Too unbelievable.  Automobiles that travel a mile a minute, people traveling across the country in huge airplanes, pictures come out of the air…  True, these amazing things might someday occur, but in your story the people simply take these things for granted.  Unbelievable!"

That's the way the internet is becoming for us.  This week, in addition to the usual questions on Aural Hematoma (I'm thinking about starting an Aural Hematoma.com site, just for that problem), I've answered questions about pelvic fractures from a gentlemen in Karachi, Pakistan.  He just searches the internet for information about his dog's injury, and finds me in Kennett, Missouri, and gets an answer.  Omar says "thanks". Simple, right? 

I've posted a "veterinarian wanted" notice on the clinic website and today I got an email from a veterinarian in Serbia.  He's thinking about selling his practice there and moving to the USA.  Kennett sounds good to him.  Serbia, forsooth.

And we just take it for granted.

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