Re: was the Free Mars movement a nod to Kim Stanley Robinson's
Mars books....

I take your question as polite, and supportive, and genuinely
curious, and so I answer back: no, the thread was nowhere tied to Kim's
work. Rather it grew out of a sense of history, looking at the tradition
of colonies to outgrow their founders, and want to strike out on their
own. The United Kingdom being a good example of this.

Having now answered politely, I return to my closet to stick very
long needles into my eyes....

jms

(Nothing to do with you, just the tenor of the day and messages
preceding.)