Missive #86

Heretics of Dune is a 1984 science fiction novel by Frank Herbert, the fifth in his Dune series of six novels. It was ranked as the No. 13 hardcover fiction best seller of 1984 by The New York Times.

Fifteen hundred years have passed since the 3,500-year reign of the God Emperor Leto II Atreides ended with his assassination; humanity is firmly on the Golden Path, Leto’s plan to save humanity from destruction.I liked this book the better than the previous four in the series. Perhaps I’m just becoming used to Herbert’s writing style. He didn’t get bogged down in his philosophy and just told a good story. By crushing the aspirations of humans for over three thousand years, Leto caused the Scattering, an explosion of humanity into the rest of the universe upon his death. Now, some of those who went out into the universe are coming back, bent on conquest. Only the Bene Gesserit perceive the Golden Path and are therefore faced with a choice: keep to their traditional role of hidden manipulators who quietly ease tensions and guide human progress while struggling for their own survival, or embrace the Golden Path and push humanity onward into a new future where humans are free from the threat of extinction.

I found some quotes in Heretics of Dune.

Humans live best when each has his place to stand, when each knows where he belongs in the scheme of things and what he may achieve. Destroy the place and you destroy the person.
—BENE GESSERIT TEACHING

Technology, in common with many other activities, tends toward avoidance of risks by investors. Uncertainty is ruled out if possible. Capital investment follows this rule, since people generally prefer the predictable. Few recognize how destructive this can be, how it imposes severe limits on variability and thus makes whole populations fatally vulnerable to the shocking ways our universe can throw the dice.
—ASSESSMENT OF IX, BENE GESSERIT ARCHIVES

Historians exercise great power and some of them know it. They re-create the past, changing it to fit their own interpretations. Thus, they change the future as well.
—LETO II, HIS VOICE, FROM DAR-ES-BALAT

The worst potential competition for any organism can come from its own kind. The species consumes necessities. Growth is limited by that necessity which is present in the least amount. The least favorable condition controls the rate of growth. (Law of the Minimum)

Theodore “Ted” Kaczynski, the American domestic terrorist known as the Unabomber served out one of his life sentence on Saturday, June 10, 2023. He was was sentenced to four life sentences plus 30 years so I’m guessing the other three were to be served concurrently. The added 30 years will need to be served in a penitentiary cemetery.

I went to Reserve this morning and had breakfast at Ella’s. This is going to be my routine during the summer. However, they are closed on Mon & Tue so I’ll have to adjust my schedule somewhat to accommodate that.

I then went to Jake’s to see how much of my list they had in their store. I was surprised, I think most people would find what they want. It is a really good store for being so isolated. I got everything on my list although not exactly what I usually buy. They had non-dairy milk but I had to buy whole milk yogurt or do without. Not a lot of produce but they had red onions and garlic which was all I had on my list. No Diet Ocean Spray but they did have the regular in my preferred flavor. All in all I was not only surprised but pleased; they are expensive but also 140 miles closer than Safeway in Springerville.