A Podcast on Undertaking

I hope you had a memorable memorial day. On the podcast this week have a replay of episode #228 published, January 14, 2016, called, Undertakings of an Undertaker.

About Our Guest

What do the following have in common? A Funeral Director, an Undertaker and a Mortician. Quite simply they are the names for a job that is of huge significance to humanity but are often shunned by society. The ironic thing is that everyone will one day become a paying client for this age-old industry. In a rare and wholly-unique new book, Stanley Swan is breaking his silence to share the good, the bad and the sometimes zany stories from serving the last wishes of those who have passed on.

This Week’s Podcast:

You can listen to this podcast on Thursday at Ron’s Amazing Stories, download it from iTunes, stream it on Stitcher Radio or on the mobile version of Spotify. Do you prefer the radio? We are heard every Sunday Night at 8:00 PM (PST) on AMFM247.COM. Check your local listing or find the station closest to you at this link.

The Calendar:

April 26 – Throwback Thursday – RAS #325
May 03 – These Are Your Stories – RAS #326
May 10 – After The Movies – RAS #327
May 17 – The Answer – RAS #328
May 24 – The Nothing Equation – RAS #329
May 31 – Memorial Day Replay – RAS #330

RAS #329 – The Nothing Equation

On Ron’s Amazing Stories we will feature a selection from Tom Goodwin called, “The Nothing Equation.” This is a science fiction short story that explores the loneliness of space. Also in this episode, we will have another edition of, Johnny is it true, and more of your stories and submissions.

Program Note: Follow this link to see the photo of Kaleb Whitney. Go here to read the amazing story.

Our Marquee Story – The Nothing Equation

Our marquee story for this week was written by Tom Goodwin and is read for you read by Mark Nelson. A scientist is left alone to man an observation bubble light years away from Earth? a post that has had terrible psychological effects on his predecessors. He tries to reassure himself that nothing is wrong, but gradually paranoia begins to creep on him. Godwin published three novels and twenty-seven short stories. His story, The Cold Equations, is probably his best-known work and was adapted to radio for Dimension X in the 50’s.

Ron’s Amazing Stories is produced and hosted by Ronald Hood

Email: ronsamazingstories@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ronsamazingstories/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RASpodcast

Spotlight – Tom Goodwin

Despite being an incredibly respected science fiction writer, not much is known about the life of Tom Godwin. The author of three novels and around thirty short stories. He was forced to drop out of school in the third grade, yet he managed to write one of the most famous and controversial short stories in the science fiction genre. “The Cold Equations” was originally published in Astounding Magazine in 1954 and was Godwin’s fourth published story.

“The Cold Equations,” tells the story of Marilyn whose only fault is that she has been raised in a world that has sheltered her to the point of ignorance. She does not realize the perils of space and she pays for it. She does not die because of aliens, blasters or even an explosion in space. She dies because she is uninformed, and idealizes the hazards of space. She failed to understand the basic premise that weight equals fuel usage. Too much weight equals a shorter flight time.

This story made many critics realize that science fiction was not all warp-speed and flashing lights. Godwin proved that the genre could be deep, dark, and scary. Did Marilyn have to die? Fuel in a space is a tricky thing. Take a look at our own history in space and you will see the point. Despite solutions drawn up by other writers (as well as by Godwin himself), the answer is yes. Not because she deserved it, but because life is, sometimes, more often than not, unfair. Though the story was written and published in the ’50s, the concept grips us still.

On the podcast this week we will feature another of Goodwin’s tales, with the same sort of impact. It is called, “The Nothing Equation,” and is a science fiction short story that explores the loneliness of space.

This Week’s Podcast:

Also on this podcast, we will have another edition of, Johnny Is It True, and more of your stories and submissions. You can listen to this podcast on Thursday at Ron’s Amazing Stories, download it from iTunes, stream it on Stitcher Radio or on the mobile version of Spotify. Do you prefer the radio? We are heard every Sunday Night at 8:00 PM (PST) on AMFM247.COM. Check your local listing or find the station closest to you at this link.

The Calendar:

RAS #328 – The Answer

On Ron’s Amazing Stories we track a missile heading to Auburn, but was it launched by humans or aliens? Tune in and find out. Also, We have three of your stories which include two museum ghosts and one angel visitation. Add to that a Five Minute Mystery with a killer snake!

Our Marquee Story – The Answer

Our main tale is a science fiction short story called, The Answer. It was written by H. Beam Piper and made its first appearance in Fantastic Universe. When you listen to this story you might think it is a modern tale surely written in our time. However, it takes place in 1984 and was written in 1959. It tells the story of a post-nuclear war and the efforts to find out who started it.

Ron’s Amazing Stories is produced and hosted by Ronald Hood
Email: ronsamazingstories@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ronsamazingstories/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RASpodcast

Email Of The Week – What’s Your Story

I have received many emails asking basically the same question so, I decided to pick the best one and answer it.

Marilyn from Spring Falls, Virginia sent in this email: Hello Ron, I love the podcast and want to share my story. Most of your stories are so exciting and I am afraid that mine is rather boring. What types of stories do you want for the show? Do they have to be supernatural? – Marilyn

Marilyn,

I have to say that I am looking for any story and all stories. Nothing is too boring, too scary or too funny. On the show, we have had everything from ghosts to wolf encounters. We have had lost time tales to a funny rowboat story. The question I have is this: What’s your story?

Anything counts! All that I ask is that it be yours and the subject matter has to be family friendly. In fact, the only stories I have ever rejected have been borderline indecent.

I recently upgraded the story submission process at Ron’s Amazing Stories to make getting your tales to me, a simple process. Just head to the main site and click on the story submission banner.

Thank you for the question,

-Ron

This Week’s Podcast:

Our main story tracks a missile heading to Auburn, but was it launched by humans or aliens? Tune in and find out. Also, We have your stories which include two museum ghosts and one angel visitation. You can listen to this podcast on Thursday at Ron’s Amazing Stories, download it from iTunes, stream it on Stitcher Radio or on the mobile version of Spotify. Do you prefer the radio? We are heard every Sunday Night at 8:00 PM (PST) on AMFM247.COM. Check your local listing or find the station closest to you at this link.