Listening to continuing coverage of the writers strike. They’re mentioning all the companies that make movies and how the companies are handling the strike.

What would a 1950s movie writer think if she tuned into this broadcast through an ionospheric timewarp? How would the Martian visitor explain it?

Martian: Well, they’re striking against Paramount, NBC/Universal, Disney, Warner Brothers…

Polistra: Okay, nothing new. All familiar, give or take a few mergers.

Martian: And HBO. It was called Home Box Office, and it started as a pay-TV company.

Polistra: Oh yeah. I’ve heard that somebody is trying those systems. They didn’t seem to be successful, but I guess they improved.

Martian: Sony.

Polistra: You mean the Japanese transistor radio company?

Martian: Yup. They also came over here and expanded into TV and movie studios.

Martian: Apple. Um… Apple makes little two-way TVs that fit in your pocket, and also makes movies to show on those screens.

Polistra: Oh, like Dick Tracy! Neat.

Martian: And Amazon.

Polistra: A Brazilian company? Brazil is definitely growing, so that makes sense.

Martian: No, Amazon is a mail-order bookstore like Dover. It expanded to take over pretty much everything in the world.

Polistra: Nah, you’re kidding.