So here are the details, in brief. This is a story that I originally wrote back around Thanksgiving 2000, revised considerably last autumn, and sent to Analog at the beginning of December. I finally heard back from them in February, to the effect that they liked the story and thought that it might be publishable with some revisions. These revisions, which mostly involved making the pseudoscience a little less specific, I duly made, and sent the story back. Last week, the editor wrote back to suggest that I change just one sentence (which included some less-than-plausible "handwaving" about electromagnetic radition and the power grid and such), and said that once he's laid out the next issue, he'll send me a contract. According to a friend of mine who knows quite a lot about the industry, I can expect to see my story in print within five to fifteen months. So maybe it will appear this year. Needless to say, I'll keep you all posted as to further developments....