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The Aphelion Daily Comics Page Don't miss a single hillarious issue of Bruno the Bandit, Freefall or The Melonpool Chronicles!Check back every day for laughs from Aphelion's featured cartoonists!

Hello again and welcome to another thrilling episode. This is the last issue of Aphelion's third year- Next month we celebrate Aphelion's birthday once again. Since I am one of those annoying people who count 2001 to be the real beginning to the 21st. century, I could say that this issue is the first of the last year of the 20th century... But I won't. Aren't you glad?

I'm looking forward to the next century. If my health holds out I stand to live long enough to see nearly half of the coming 21st century. So many advances have happened within my lifetime so far- and the rate is accelerating with every passing day. I was born in the same hour as the USSR launched Sputnik II, I watched men walk in space, and then on the moon, and now begin to reach toward Mars. I've watched airplanes get bigger and faster, cars get faster and safer, the computer become a common household item, and the mini-satellite dish replace the giant TV antennas that once adorned every rural home. I was one of the last generation of Americans who had to get a license to operate a CB radio in my car. Now the number of autos with CBs or Cell Phones is nearly equal to the number that don't. I am one of those drivers that you see on the shoulder of the interstate reading a map to figure out how to get un-lost. Now there are mobile GPS units and computerized maps to help us poor sods. And let the record state that I do indeed stop and ask for directions... frequently... Sometimes that even helps.

Another thing- If you're reading this then the Y2K fears were overblown, but if you're not reading this then I hope that you have sufficient stockpiles of canned goods, bottled water, firewood, and ammunition to enable you to survive the fall of civilization. I have only about three months’ worth of rifle ammo myself, but I could stretch it further by doing some hunting with handguns. In case of extreme emergency, I do have a black powder rifle and pistol and know enough chemistry in order to make gunpowder when my supply runs out. Hopefully though, civilization has not fallen, Mad Max is not running for President, and hordes of looters have not emptied the local grocery stores. At least, no more than usual. With any real luck, the millennium madness will wear off soon and the whole world can get back to normal.

And if you are indeed reading this then you can assume that we have reached normality and anything that you still can't cope with is therefore your own problem. We'll send Marvin back to lead you to the bridge sometime soon.

One final note; It has come to my attention that some of you are actually reading my editorials rather than scrolling on down and getting straight to the stories. I'm warning you, if this keeps up I'll have no recourse but to get up on my soapbox and preach about things like why you should vote, or why you should fight to retain your right to own firearms, or why you should demand faster progress on low-pollution automobiles, or even why you should uphold the rights of those people who run the adult websites on the internet. I can't promise that you'll agree with me, but I can promise that you'll want to think about what I say.

Until then, I am proud to bring you another issue of Aphelion. I'll shut up now and let you get to reading.

Thanks for your time.

Dan

Manners By Ralph Benedetto, Jr. It's possible that the first meeting between mankind and another intelligence will be a noble event.Then again, since there will be people involved, maybe not.	Cora Dreams of Me By McCamy Taylor "...there are things all around us, other times, other places, that we do not see or hear, because our brain filters them out."
Brother, Can You Spare A Crime? By Dan L. Hollifield The Reever is called to the Mare Inebrium to investgate a murder, but the victim keeps coming back for more.	Free Fall By David Allen Execution takes on new heights in this bizarre tale.
Beyond Mudslinging By J. Alan Erwine When you start engaging in dirty politics, you are starting down a slippery slope.	The Turing Project By Wesley Ike They hoped to find the answer to the fundamental question: "What does it mean to be conscious?"
Velle Semoth By Derek Smith "These are the names of the children of Israel that retreated from the Exodus begun by Moses and returned to the land of the Pharos, leaving their kindred to ultimately perish in the wilderness..."	Interview With an S&M Queen By Neal Williams Imagine the worst thing that could happen.Then imagine it was all on TV.
Madia Mangalena By Michael Haulica Here is a fable for the future.	The Writer By Christopher Clagg Persecuted, abandoned, and doomed, the writer can still have his revenge.
The Ghost and the Peril of the Changing Times By Ron Capshaw Only a few of us are old enough to recall that the character known as "The Ghost," hero of pulp magazines, comic books, and matinee movies was based on the real life exploits of Dr. Johnathan Silver, scientist, explorer, adventurer, and war time agent of the OSS. Those of us who remember, found his disgraceful performance before the House Unamerican Activities Committee completely baffling....

Aphelion's Daily Comics By Mark Stanley, and Steve Troop Did he say daily?Yep, Aphelion is proud to feature two of the funniest comic strips on the Internet, Mark Stanley's "Freefall" and Steve Troop's "The Melonpool Chronicles". Bookmark this page, you don't want to miss a single installment!	The Listening Room By Rob Wynne Rob Wynne takes a look at recordings of interest to science fiction and fantasy fans in this semi-regular column. In this issue: Passing Through by Bill Sutton
Wayward Musings by Kim Holec Kim warns readers about a new and present danger:the goverment wants a piece of your e-auction.	Double Wide by Jim Parnell 2000 Years and All I Got Was This Stupid T-Shirt WARNING:Contains Language.
The Awards Page All of the Awards that Aphelion has won.
- 12\03\1999 - A Challenge to Writers... Not a contest, but a series of ideas to spark off a story.

P.S.
In case anyone is curious as to exactly what's been keeping me so busy, I've planed a few webpages that show the progress of my landscaping, interior decoration, and housework. Look for it in my personal pages at Casa Vila. Its the begining of a sort of photographic timeline of my yardwork and such. I don't know why anyone would want to see it, but Rob thought that someone might so I worked it up. Expect it to be updated as I get new film developed and scanned. I have two new rolls of film shot for this page and expect to update it within the nexw few weeks.

Dan

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I've decided to ditch the back issues in favor of the Archives. The Archives are easier to use and can be indexed by author or story title. Hopefully this will ease the task of finding a favorite story. We may start a page of our past cover art, if there is a call for it. Thanks for your readership for without you, nothing we do has any meaning.

Aphelion Webzine is © 1997-2000 by Dan L. Hollifield