The Pause Device	 
	Kristoffer Lawson, 2003
	(for the Alternative Party 2003)

The Orgelian Hound Race was a nasty bunch. They had found a way to 
selectively pause life in the galaxy. They had small black devices 
with funny plastic buttons that they used quite at will. When the 
device was in pause mode the number on the front would often blink. 
Other models would have an extra orange light to show it was in pause 
mode. It was nice to turn it on and off.

Naturally the rest of the galaxy was not aware of this decidedly
unfair advantage. Usually when something is paused, it lacks the 
ability to consider much. When you are paused all thought 
processes halt. The rest of the galaxy just reckoned the Orgelian 
Hound Race was very advanced, which of course they were. Their 
advanced status was just somewhat artificially enhanced. They could 
develop things, conquer inferior races and participate in other 
stimulating activities at twice the rate of the rest of the galaxy.
Even more, if needed.

But that was not the only advantage. It was also very entertaining. It
was the source of endless fun, watching people simply stop in the 
middle of doing something interesting, like falling from a high 
tower attempting suicide, or other exhilirating activities. They could 
look at the event from all angles. Slowly or quickly.

This was all fine until Dr James Stonewall invented the rewind
device. Things get quite messy at this point. The Orgelian Hound Race
would pause the rest of the galaxy, without them knowing it, and
the humans would rewind everyone, without them knowing it. Effectively
most of the galaxy was slowly regressing into primeval slime. 
However, the humans and Orgelian Hounds were not complaining. Green
issues and preservation were old-fashioned values which really did
not appeal to people and hounds of the 22nd century.

Nobody was pleased when the Slogoran Iggybums came up with the 
eject button.