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"The science fiction method is dissection and reconstruction. You look at the world around you, and take it apart into its components. Then you take some of those components, throw them away, and plug in different ones, start it up and see what happens."
- Frederik Pohl
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| Variable Modifier | ||
| Provides the capability of altering standard jokes to fit new circumstances. |
Lester the Jester designs a robot comedian to help him with the creation of off-the-cuff jokes.
| "...your order said for him to be able to be able to work out twists on the gags in the file - so they rassled up a new gimmick, what they call a variable modifier..." |
| From The Jester,
by William Tenn. Published by Thrilling Wonder Stories in 1951 Additional resources -
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