[LMB] OT: Pournelle - How do you say "Argh!" in Italian...?

[Mark Allums]

technomad at intergate.com wrote:
> There's a horror story about how Jerry Pournelle was reading a German  
> translation of his novel _The Mercenary_ and noticed that all the  
> justification for the bloody action had been...edited...out.  Instead,  
> it was unrelieved gore and violence.  He confronted the "translator"  
> at a con, and after several iterations of "You _are_ a fascist, you  
> should _sound like_ a fascist!" he figured out that the guy was a  
> Communist.
> 
> This did not go over well.  I'm told that it's a very fraught subject  
> to bring up with Pournelle to this day.  The scene he threw apparently  
> went down in fannish legend.  Myself, I'd have sued.

Speaking of Pournelle, I haven't seen it mentioned here yet, so I will 
announce it.

Jerry Pournelle is ill at the moment, with an inoperable brain tumor. 
It is not known if it is cancerous (can't be biopsied) but it hadn't 
metastasized, so the outlook is hopeful.  He is undergoing radiation 
therapy at the moment.

He is being very forthcoming with details on on website, and he seems in 
good spirits.

He says he has at least one good book left in him, as Niven and he are 
starting to plot a new disaster novel, a la _Lucifer's Hammer_.

He appreciates good thoughts and prayers from his readers, so for those 
so inclined, you may wish to keep him in your thoughts.

--Mark Allums