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Science Fiction in the News Articles
Related to material in City
by Clifford Simak

"A City is a place where men gather together for mutual protection, and to help each other with the work of living. But there's a point at which the city ceases to serve -"

From the story:

The city... this city, any city... already is dead.
"The city is an anachronism. It has outlived its usefulness. Hydroponics and the helicopter spelled its downfall. In the first instance the city was a tribal place, an area where the tribe banded together for mutual protection. In later years a wall was thrown around it for additional protection. Then the wall finally disappeared but the city lived on because of the conveniences which it offered trade and commerce. It continued into modern times because people were compelled to live close to their jobs and the jobs were in the city.
"But today that is no longer true. With the family plane, one hundred miles today is a shorter distance than five miles back in 1930. Men can fly several hundred miles to work and fly home when the day is done. There is no longer any need for them to live cooped up in a city.

('City' by Clifford Simak)

Linked stories describe the breakdown of urban society. His description of what has happened to inner city residential areas is still prescient.

Science fiction in the News articles describe real-world events that relate to the ideas and inventions in sf novels and movies. Select a news article:

LawnBott Robotic Lawn Mower Bows To Cell Phones
   The WWII generation dreamed of these; now we have them; this device also chats it up with your phone.

RG3 Robotic Greens Mower Is Sensor-Equipped
   This sensor-equipped mower is nimble enough to avoid gophers on golf courses.

Robotic Lawn Mower Competition Won By CWRU Cutters
   Ah, the smell of freshly mown grass - and well-oiled robots!

Honda's Miimo Robotic Lawn Mower On Sale
   'The mower reached the edge of the lawn, clucked to itself like a contented hen...'

Robotic Lawnmower Fulfills SciFi Homeowner's Dreams
   'The mower reached the edge of the lawn, clucked to itself like a contented hen...' - Clifford Simak, 1944.

Robotic Lawn Mower Powered By Sun, Arduino
   'The mower reached the edge of the lawn, clucked to itself like a contented hen...' - Clifford Simak, 1944.

Hundreds Of Robot Lawnmowers Invade Texas Town
   'The mower reached the edge of the lawn, clucked to itself...' - Clifford Simak, 1944.

Husqvarna Automower 435X AWD
   'Gramp Stevens sat in a lawn chair, watching the mower at work...' - Clifford Simak, 1944.

The Sample Transfer Arm (STA), A Unique Mars Robot
   '...a cranelike arm reached out. Grasping steel fingers fished around...' - Clifford Simak, 1944.

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