Entry 5:

Clove:

Van Heflin, if you're out there, please phone in.

Apropos supercomputers, we're talking about 1,000 trillion ops within the decade, enough I'm told to model small organisms at atomic scale and small mammal brains. (Tikal, the black panther occicat in residence, speaking of small brains, is in my lap pushing against my hands: Nooo, look at meee! Look at meee!) No doubt that will have its effect on science and technology, but what really intrigues is the possibility of creating virtual celebrities whom people follow, emulate, fall in love with, chat over and about, stalk, the whole appizza. Not much different from celebrities today, except they wouldn't have to be catered to or humored, no ashtrays to keep emptied, no fridge stocked with Evian, no groupies, no drug runs, no diva moments, just pure perfect celebrity out of a black box, getting more and more celebritous via feedback from the fans--evolution at logarithmic scale. Where would it end? What perfection would celebrity evolve to? Elvis? Lennon? Britney? Michael? Please don't say Van.

s.w.a.k.,
Rhodeman