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TML biweekly    Sun Jun 19 21:00:02 EDT 1994    Volume 46 : Issue 19

Today's topics:

BUN# =AMN= =DATE====== =FROM==========  =SUBJECT/BODY==========================
 643  8036 18-Jun-1994 b.borich@genie.  ALL: Regency & Var. answers <<     Firs
 643  8037 17-Jun-1994 "Glenn M. Goffi  xboat and tml -- I'd like both << I'm s
 643  8038 18-Jun-1994 Muir Macpherson  Feudal Technocracy << I'd like to secon
 643  8040 18-Jun-1994 PPUGLIESE@pimac  Re: TML nightly: Msgs 8024-8035 V76#19 
 644  8041 18-Jun-1994 TGPORTAL@aol.co  New RPG Magazine (TGP) << The Gaping Po
 644  8043 19-Jun-1994 Steven Gott      Population transfer... << When people h
 643  8039 19-Jun-1994 rancke@diku.dk   All: Technocracy, Feudal or otherwise <
 644  8042 18-Jun-1994 Jeff Zeitlin     *Shall Not Perish* - RICE << Subject: *

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----------------------------------------------------------------------

Bundle: 643
Archive-Message-Number: 8036
From: b.borich@genie.geis.com
Date: Sat, 18 Jun 94 04:25:00 UTC
Subject: ALL: Regency & Var. answers

    First off, I've gone and decided to read through the Regency section
in the TNE book.
 
    <The also might have a few nasty viruses in bottles to unleash on
opponents.> The Regency does have a bottled, and maybe semi-tame
virus it is using (though if asked they don't have such a thing). And
there is a concern between all the Spinward states of going to war
because of the Virus threat, either because your enemy well set it on
you, or because it might leak through because your assets are tied up
fighting the other guy.
 
    <An interesting concept.  Does this mean *every* military asset in the
Regency must be retrofitted in some fashion?> This seems to be the case.
And makes sense.
 
    <internal disorder (Rebellion)> This seems to be the biggest factor,
but it looks like I said earlier. It seems to be restricted to
assassinations.
 
    <Kirsch> Care to post your designs? I'm sure there are plenty of people
who might like to see/use them.
 
    <Kirsch: Is someone compiling the submitted weapon specs in one archive?>
I have something of a compilation. There aren't many yet.
 
    <Howie: GM=1> Government Modifier? I'm not sure offhand, but that's my
guess.
    <I presume "Early" "Average" and "High" technologies correspond to TL
13, 14 and 15?> See Megatraveller. Early Stellar, Average Stellar, and
High Stellar. I think 9-11, 12-13, and 14-16?
 
     <Plus RCEs and Regency ship classifications will differ...Please
xpand on this point.> The RCES seems to have very limited ship building
capacity. Actually change that to has very limited ship building capacity.
The Regency on the other hand still has almost the entire shipbuilding
capacity it did before the Virus (and might even be better now after the
Virus do to various needs).
 
    <BTW, how can I get at more documentation of this sort?> On disk. IBM.
By joining HIWG.
 
     <Jeff: Also, can anyone tell me how to go about getting the Sunbane
sectors> Same as previos answer.
 
     <What I'd like to know is, "What publishers' material is considered
'official'?"> GDW, DGP, FASA. High Passage, 3rd Imperium(?), Far
Traveller(?). Maybe more. I think it mostly depends on what the
main writers considered worthwhile material. Or the quality of the
material itself.
 
     <Fuedal Technocracy> An idea here might be rather than shares in a
corporation the vassals. They might give patents instead (at least this
would allow for something different than shares, though shares seems
to have been what has been used by the Imperium).
 
 
    <A zillion watt particle accelerator in a jillion ton vessel is
useless if you've burnt off all the antennas.  maybe you could look
through a porthole and aim???  :)> In designing large vessels at least.
I'd have two thoughts. First would be back-up folding array antennas,
the second would be either missile(rpv) or fighter based sensor arrays that
feed the info to the larger vessel and for that matter extend it's
sensor range.

------------------------------

Bundle: 643
Archive-Message-Number: 8037
Date: Fri, 17 Jun 1994 23:19:01 -0700
From: "Glenn M. Goffin" <sudet@well.sf.ca.us>
Subject: xboat and tml -- I'd like both

I'm sending this to traveller@engrg.uwo.ca because the mailer daemon
returned my mail addressed to traveller-request@engrg.uwo.ca.

I understand (from the context of email received from Cynthia Higgins) that
there are now two mailing lists, one devoted to TNE, and one to CT/MT.  I'd
like to receive both mailing lists, if possible.  If not, just send me the
CT/MT list.

thanks for your attention.

------------------------------

Bundle: 643
Archive-Message-Number: 8038
Date: Sat, 18 Jun 1994 13:39:59 -0700
From: Muir Macpherson <muirmac@ocf.Berkeley.EDU>
Subject: Feudal Technocracy

I'd like to second the motion that the Feudal Tech debate be moved off the
list.  Except for those few directly involved in it, I think it has exhausted
all possibilities for further discussion.  Furthermore, I think it's crowd-
ing out other topics, IMHO.

------------------------------

Bundle: 643
Archive-Message-Number: 8040
Date: 18 Jun 1994 17:40:31 -0700
From: PPUGLIESE@pimacc.pima.edu
Subject: Re: TML nightly: Msgs 8024-8035 V76#19

I guess *some* people (Dave Johnson are you listening?) might enjoy
the increasingly arcane discussion about feudal technocracy but I
really don't feel that taking up 80-90% of the daily bundle with
it is very considerate to those that have to pay for the service.
Perhaps Andy Lilly's recent post should be taken to heart &
the discussion moved elsewhere? I, for one, do NOT enjoy scrolling
thru page after page of what has increasingly become restatements
of info. posted previously. (Still listening Dave?)

Phil
Pugliese


------------------------------

Bundle: 644
Archive-Message-Number: 8041
From: TGPORTAL@aol.com
Date: Sat, 18 Jun 94 22:22:12 EDT
Subject: New RPG Magazine (TGP)

The Gaping Portal Magazine, dedicated to fantasy, horror, and sci-fi
role-playing, has received great response over this mailing list.  We'd like
to thank everyone who responded.  For those who haven't, you still can.

A year subscription (6 issues) costs only $12!  And if you respond within
three days you will get a FREE issue.  Leaving you with 7 issues for the
price of 6! 

Our first issue is basically surrounded arround AD&D.  Articles, columns and
features such as:

THE EDITORIAL
     Done by me of course.  You could say that it is somewhat of a welcome
mat.

VOICES FROM THE BEYOND: Letters From Our Readers
     This is more your column than ours.  Write in and give us your opinions,
and ideas on anything.  For the first issue, we have supplied some questions
and answers that involve the magazine.

FEATURE ARTICLES

Mory's Manual of Mystical Magic
     Being a dwarf, Mory has crafted the finest weapons and added a little
creativity...Magic!  Cursed by a forest spirit, he roams the world crafting
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Dragon Rune:  A new setting for AD&D
     Kor, a place of endless chaos and immortal wars, strives to exist. It's
creation as immortal as the god themselves.  Dragons born from solid rock,
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     Become a phantasmist.  A class that can shift and shape illusions, and
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     Ever wonder why a low-leveled wizard casts his only spell and then runs
behind the warrior?  Well don't.  This article helps liven the life of
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REGULAR COLUMNS

The Dragon's Nest (TM)
     This regular column is dedicated to various topics in the AD&D genres.
 Check it out, and discover tips about almost anything.

The Quester (TM)
     THis section harbors fascinating tales of first adventures, and amusing
ones alike.  Kim Williams launches this column for us with a humorous tale.

There is much more in the magazine, and much more to be imagined.  If you are
interested in subscribing, and receiving the free issue, please respond
within three days with your name and mail address.  We will then send the
information out promptly. If you do not want to wait, just send $12 to the
address below.  Please enclose your name and address.  Make checks and MO's
payable to The Gaping Portal.

Sincerely,
James Davis
Editor in Chief
The Gaping Portal Magazine (TM)
P.O. Box 418
Binghamton, NY 13902-0418
Phone:(607)724-0068/Fax:(607)722-2521


(TM) designates a trademark owned by Portal Press Inc.  (C)1994 by Portal
Press Inc.  All Rights Reserved.



------------------------------

Bundle: 644
Archive-Message-Number: 8043
Date: Sun, 19 Jun 1994 11:17:14 -0700 (PDT)
From: Steven Gott <sgott@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Population transfer...


When people have a choice they tend to move to improve their lives.  This 
is called the free choice model.  It doesn't work very well when the 
people who are being moved have little or no choice.  Forced relocation 
is occurring all over the globe.  To say that people move from rural to 
urban or from crowded to spacious is really simplifying the situation.  
Both situations occur but not with the same groups of people.  On Earth, 
workers are migrating from rural areas to urban areas in search of work 
to feed themselves and their families.  On Earth, after WW2 in the US, 
many people moved from the cities to the suburbs.  This caused urban 
decay.  Now urban areas are being backfilled by the single and relativly 
wealthy, displacing the urban poor who lived there earlier.  The point is 
that many factors influence populations.  If you want to explain why 
there are planets with 242 people on them and next door planets with 242 
BILLION people you will have to try harder...

not intending to flame,

Steven Gott

------------------------------

Bundle: 643
Archive-Message-Number: 8039
From: rancke@diku.dk
Subject: All: Technocracy, Feudal or otherwise
Date: Sun, 19 Jun 1994 00:58:14 +0100 (METDST)

David Johnson writes:
>My good friend Hans Rancke <rancke@diku.dk> writes:
> 
>>Regina's change from TL 10 to TL 12, and it was
>>suggested that that was merely a correction of a typo.
> 
>It wasn't a typo.  The TL 10 listing for Regina also appears in *Book 6:
>Scouts* and *Book 7: Merchant Prince*.

What does that have to do with it? If an authoritaive source makes a misprint,
that misprint can make it's way into a lot of secondary publications that
rely on the primary source. Then the primary source is reprinted and the 
typo corrected; all without the original source being updated. And if it
wasn't a misprint we're back to my old question: Why did it take Regina
many centuries to reach TL 10 when they advanced two TLs from 1107 to 1110?

>Similarly, migration in the Regency can be expected to be from low-pop 
>worlds to high-pop worlds.  

It might make for migration from rural areas on low-pop worlds to urban areas 
on the same worlds (always providing that such planets had urban areas). The
classic SF theme is from overcrowded planets to frontier planets. And the
only colonization project we have any knowledge of (The Forboldn Project,
mentioned in _Kinunir_) has people transported to the Spinward Marches from
the Core.

>>The size of a unified economy, yes. But do you really think that the Mexican 
>>economy is the more stable because of the size of the population of the US?
> 
>To some extent, yes.  I'm not sure what you mean by `unified'.  Do you mean
>`isolated' instead?

An economy so tied together as to actively compensate for fluctuations in 
production. A large country is less suceptible to a bad harvest because 
the governing forces can transport food from areas not affected to areas
affected. If the same population was a number of isolated economies, the
very same harvest would cause some of these countries disaster despite
the total number of people involved being the same.

>>There are scores of low-population worlds with a high-tech classification 
>>that they couldn't _possibly_ maintain on their own population base.
> 
>Yes, yes.  I thought we'd already agreed that these anomalies don't fit our
>understanding of tech level as measuring technological capability?

It fits my understanding perfectly. Some outsider brings in (or some local
imports) the machinery needed to produce some kind of high-tech stuff from
local raw materials. As long as the factory is functioning that planet is
effectively of the equivalent tech level  -  even if the factory has to
be maintained with imported spare parts.  

>Technocracy: government by technicians, specifically management of society
>   by technical experts.
> 
>This refers to the *nature* of authority.  It defines the ruling class.
>What is meant by `technicians' and `technical' experts though?
> 
>Technical: having special, usually practical knowledge, especially of a
>   mechanical or scientific subject.

So far so good.

>This is the first of several definitions.  Of particular interest is the
>sixth definition: 
> 
>Technical: (6) resulting chiefly from internal market factors rather than
>external influences.
> 
>This suggests a technocracy is a government where authority is exercised by
>a class with specialized knowledge.  This knowledge is somehow practical,
>scientific and related to market forces.  

Here's the fallacy. Nothing in the definition requires the expertise to be
economic. Sure, it _could_ be  -  if economy is accepted as a science with
an associated technology. Focussing on the sixth most common meaning on a 
word to the exclusion of all other meanings seems very specious. I'd be 
happier if you could include some of the more common meanings too. The 
definition of technocracy didn't say "see _Technical_ (6)", did it? Any 
society managed by technical experts would seem to fit.

>A technocracy ties political power (government) to economic power (industry,
>the `practice of technology').  

Not at all. A society whhere political power is tied to economic power might 
well be a technocracy, but to conclude that a technocracy has to be such a 
society is a complete fallacy. Of course, a government that is a technocracy
must tie political power to some kind of technological expertise. 

>This is something much more sophisiticated than mere government by engineers 
>and scientists. It takes much more than just engineers and scientists to 
>successfully run industry and an industrial economy.

If economics is a science, then a technician can run an economy. If it's not
a science then someone who can run an economy can't be merely a technocrat
(By definition). However, a mere government by engineers and scientists is
enough to satisfy the definition and is therefor a technocracy. You won't
prove your point by narrowing your definitions down to a point where the
only thing that fits is your concept. Stick with the broad definitions.
  
>In contemporary market economies much of the political framework that 
>permits the industrial economy to function is provide by democratically
>established governments that exist external to the economic system.

Why does it have to be democratically established? Any sort of government,
however established, that allows free market economics is sufficient.

>Nevetheless, any technocracy needs a political framework to permit the
>functioning of the industrial economy.  To meet the requirements of a
>technocracy this framework must arise from *within* the market place.

A complete red herring. To meet the requirements of a technocracy, the
leaders of the society must be chosen for their technical expertise.
Nothing more, nothing less.

>Hans writes:
> 
>>The whole world economy, for example, is
>>based on negotiations between sovereign nations. Sovereign nations have no
>>external governmental entity to provide any legal framework.
> 
>Nation-states *are* the `external government entities'.  They are not actors
>*within* the industrial economy.

Of course they are. Why would one country impose trade restrictions against
another except at the instigation of its economic sector? The negotiations
that takes place between nation-states may take place at the political
level, but it's roots are in the economic sector. If General Motors didn't
give a hoot in hell about Japanese cars on the American market, do you
think the President would? However, that wasn't quite my point. One of the
prime functions of a government is to be a superior force that can enforce
laws. Sovereign nations don't have any government themselves. That's what
the 'sovereign' means. (In the last half century the nations of the world
have been trying to bootstrap some sort of system superior to the individual
nations. I doubt anyone will argue that they've succeeded yet. When they 
do, they won't be sovereign anymore). So any deal struck between sovereign
nations are examples of deals made without government intervention 
(government of those nations, was what I meant). If those deals are economic 
in nature they are examples of economic deals done without government 
intervention.

>Exactly (except for the part about "without a government").  It is clear
>from all of these examples that some sort of framework is needed.  

No. It is clear that most nations today think that some sort of framework
is desirable. But history is full of examples of economic deals struck
between people who had nothing but the good faith of their opponent (and
his hoped-for desire to continue trading) to ensure the fullfillment of
the deal. In fact, unless two nations have an undertaking to protect each 
other's traders even against their own, no deal between traders of
different nationalities has anything more to protect them.

>There are no agreements between, say, a Kazakh oil field and an Australian
>drilling corporation, that are not enforced by some governmental entity
>that exists *external* to the marketplace.

Insofar as most governments frown on non-government-sanctioned force you're
quite right. They can't be _enforced_. But you can still make agreements. 
And in the old days some merchants could, indeed, enforce their deals. The 
Honourable East India Company is an extreme example, but any armed merchant-
man could do it in the absence of an _opposing_ government. So you might
actually say that one only needs government help to enforce agreements if 
there are governments around.

>>Of course one can have market systems without government supervision. Well,
>>you may need a government to make sure noone shoots at you while you're
>>manufacturing or trading, but what more do you need?
> 
>You need someone to print currency, 

Promisory notes backed by the issuing company.

>to establish procedures to guarrantee control of investments and access to 
>profits, 

I don't quite know what you mean by "control of investments and access to 
profits", but any procedures can be established by negotiations between
the individual companies.

>to control monetary supplies and rates or exchange, etc.  

Control in what way, and why can this not be done by negotiation?

>In capitalist market economies governmental entities external to the market 
>perform these functions.  

They do so today, but they are not necessary. Convenient, maybe.

>Let's take for example this idea of a `technocractic lord' `selling' shares
>in her enterprise to a `technocractic vassal' in exchange for financial
>capital.  Under a capitalist system the goverment prints that money and 
>guarrantees its value.  

This is what the do today (and it's a piss-poor system), but they didn't do
so before they left the gold standard. Before that money was backed by real
value. There is no reason why a company can't issue it's own money, backed
by it's own ressources. In fact, that's what they do every time they write
a check. A bank note is nothing more than a promisory note. So is a check.

>In a technocracy the lord and vassal must come to some agreement themselves 
>as to just what that `financial capital' is worth because the vassal 
>(shareholder) doesn't have any `money' to `give' to the lord (chairman).  

So what does the 'vassal' bring to the deal? And if he dosen't bring anything
does that mean that you agree with me? (And why did you use the example of 
Sacnoth industrialists buying Gram industries as an example of why a feudal 
technocracy was vulnerable to a stronger economic entity?)

>In essence, money is nothing more than a promise guarranteed by the 
>government.  

Right. But in earlier times many banks issued their own notes. Just because
governments today dosen't allow that dosen't mean that it can't be done. A
market economy dosen't _need_ a government to provide money.

>I think that's enough for now.  I hope I've made some progress in explaining
>what, IMHO, a feudal technocracy is.  To recap:
> 
>1. The nature of authority: authority is exercised by those possessing
>   specialized knowledge related to the practice of technology as manifest
>   in an industrial economy.

Like how to run a factory?

> 2. Politcal power and thus the framework for the industrial economy must
>    arise from *within* the industrial economy.

Like the man who owns the factory decides who get to run it?

> 3. Feudal principles will be used to establish the framework through a
>    system of well-defined relationships between the actors in the market.

Like the man who gets to run the factory is under a specific obligation to
the liege-lord who made him manager. I agree completely.

>Remember, it's feudal *technocracy*, not technocratic feudalism.

What's the difference? Or rather, what do you think is the difference?

>I see this `evidence of ownership' as being analogous to the feudal title
>granted by an aristocractic lord to his vassal tenants.  

Why, so do I!

>Ownership of a portion of industry in a technocracy (a block of shares) is 
>the same as *tenancy* under the feudal system.

There's a small, but important difference between ownership and tenancy that
makes it impossible to equate the two. (Hint: with ownership you own, with
tenancy you don't).

>In a technocracy where there is no governmental entity external to the
>industrial economy to print, manage and guarranty currency the shareholders
>must have a well-defined and continuous relationship with the technocractic
>lord in order to guarranty the value of and access to that capital.

Leaving aside that you can have technocracy with or without a government and
that you can have money with or without government and government with or
without currency (I use 'currency' as 'government-backed' money here)...
hmmm... leaving that aside there's not much left of that argument...

>>Fealty is loyalty.  How is the provision of money equivalent to loyalty?  
> 
>In a technocracy there is no external entity to provide `money'.  

I can't keep repeating myself each time this comes up, so from now on
please insert your own 'Fallacy!' comment after every occurrence.

>What serves as currency in a technocratic system must be arranged through
>agreement by the participants.  

Not 'must be'. 'Can be'. One company could put out money backed by its 
products, another money backed by its. Or they could use some rare metal. 
Or government-backed money. There are lots of possibilities.

>One might call the shareholders portion of this agreement `loyalty'.  

So the socalled shareholders does not provide any goods or capital? This
begins to resemble my notions more and more.

>The key is that the system requires inter-dependent relationships between 
>the actors - `lord' and `vassal'.

Absolutely right. Otherwise it's not a feudal arrangement. But by now you
can drop the quotes around lord and vassal. If the vassal dosen't buy the
'share' then he is a vassal and his lord a lord.

>The Chairman is the technocratic lord.  An aristocratic lord had a duty to 
>his vassals to provide coordinated security services.

That's true enough. _In addition_ to giving out the fief in exchange for
the loyalty of the vassal the lord also assumed the duty to protect his
vassal.

>A technocractic lord (Chairman) has a duty to her vassals (shareholders)
>to provide coordinated profit services.

That makes sense. In addition to giving them their fiefs she also assumes
the duty to protect them financially. A good analogy. Of course, the
crucial part of the feudal relationship is the providing of the fiefs,
since lots of other systems require the leader to protect the followers.
In fact, I can't think of any that dosen't.

>Focus on the `duty' rather than the more nebulous `loyalty'.  

Not a good idea. In a feudal relationship both sides have duties to the 
other part, so you can't say who's the lord and who's the vassal from 
that.

>A block of the corporate enterprise is held in `tenancy' in exchange for
>the `service' required to guarranty the access to and value of financial
>capital.

This is pure gibberish. Oh, sorry! I mean, I don't understand a word you're
saying here. Could you put it in layman's terms?



      Hans Rancke
University of Copenhagen
     rancke@diku.dk
- ------------
"I used to argue the matter at first, but I'm wiser now. Facts
are stubborn things, but not half so stubborn as fallacies."
                - Stella Maynard in "Anne of the Island"

------------------------------

Bundle: 644
Archive-Message-Number: 8042
Subject: *Shall Not Perish* - RICE
From: jeff.zeitlin@execnet.com (Jeff Zeitlin)
Date: Sat, 18 Jun 94 11:08:00 -0500

Subject: *Shall Not Perish* - RICE Paper: Glisten

  Herewith the first of the RICE Papers (excluding the introductory
  Paper).  There is at least one Lettered RICE Paper coming that is 
  associated with this one.  For reference, use the TML Message 
  Number as the RICE Paper number.
  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
RICE Paper: Glisten

Glisten (Glisten:Spinward Marches/2036)
A000986-F A Hi Na In As Cp 103As K9V   (ICoC 1117)
g=1.0000 day=24:00:00.0; year=6094d 15:51:33.12/6094d 15:51:33.12
atmo=1.0, controlled weather
temp=+23 (0/lat +23 to +23) (season 0 to 0, 90 deg lat)
daily temp range 0
Ore, Rad, Crys; Met, NonMet; Parts, Dur, Cons; Rec, S/W, Doc
Cons/Ind; UnAg/Neut; Har/Friend
Legal 6-B7784, Tech FE-FEFEH-EEEG-FE-H

Notes: Glisten uses Imperial Standard time measurements by fiat.
       Local year is used for ephemeris calculations only.
       Local temperature does vary to minor extent, but not by
       intent, and not to significant degree.


"Belters" are an independent bunch, and the fact that they may control
the government of an entire system does not change this fundamental
psychological attitude.  Glisten is a fine example of this.  Nominally,
the government is run by a civil service bureaucracy, but in practice,
a citizen of Glisten will avoid, ignore, or evade the bureaucracy
whenever he can get away with it.  Bribery, called by various names, is
not only not unusual, but in many areas it is an expected part of doing
business.  I saw virtually no sign of bureaucracy during my visit, and
would have chosen to call this government a "tempered functional
anarchy" rather than a civil service bureaucracy.

The anarchy begins at the starports, where the order of unloading and
CHI (Customs/Health/Immigration) processing is theoretically governed
by a list based on your class of ship and time of arrival at the port.
In reality, the list is reprinted within an hour of any ship's arrival,
based on how much "pull" a ship's captain (or shipowner's agent) has
exerted on Arrival Control.  It's not hard to find out the realities
versus the theoretical restrictions; a few minutes after passing a
cursory CHI inspection, I chatted with a group of stevedores and Customs
agents and found out that certain ships and shipping lines were given
preferential treatment because they gave "preferential considerations"
far above those offered by their competitors.  I was fortunate enough
to come in on one of these lines, but I was asked not to say which one,
as it could cause repercussions.  Once in Glisten (the idiom is "in
Glisten" rather that "on Glisten" because virtually no construction is
done on the exterior of the asteroids), however, the preferences are
virtually public knowledge.  The same attitude extends to
transportation.  Glisten has an unusual approach to transportation -
private vehicles are for all intents and purposes non-existent, but the
government operates no transportation facilities (other than
maintaining the starports).  Instead, the government licenses private
companies to operate "public" transportation.  Once the license is
issued (with the process simplified by liberal amounts of
"consultation"), the licensee pretty much determines what rates will be
charged and what routes will be operated.  I was greeted by a virtual
free-for-all at the transportation center; each company hires people to
"steer" passengers their way, and attempts to peel a customer from a
competitor's "redcap" are not unusual - and apparently, neither are the
resulting fistfights.  Glisten does maintain a police force, but their
function seems to be limited to making sure that innocent bystanders
don't get injured in these situations.  The customer is not considered
an innocent bystander, and neither is any bystander that voluntarily
enters the fray.

There are at least six companies that provide (read: sell) tourist
information; no two of them agree on anything but the names of the
streets in the city, and the locations of government offices and major
tourist attractions.  Each company has a preferred set of restaurants,
hotels, and various other service providers, and while there is some
overlap, no two lists are identical.  All of the restaurants and
service providers that I tried were quite acceptable, and provided
good value.  The hotel I stayed at was a pleasant place to stay at a
good price, and a quick visit to the others to look around seemed to
indicate comparable accommodations.  You will most likely do well at
any one of the choices; I'd recommend that you look at three or four
before deciding, and choose the one whose ambiance most suits you.

There are a number of tourist attractions that should be placed on your
"must-see" list:

        1) the CourtArena.  This is where court cases are tried, and
           the local system of justice is quite interesting (and worth
           a separate RICE paper).  All I will say about it here is
           that there is de facto no distinction between civil and
           criminal justice as there is on most other worlds, and that
           watching a trial is an experience in itself.

        2) the Swim Center.  One of the public sport and exercise
           facilities, this one is dedicated to aquatic pursuits.  The
           center of the (small) asteroid that this is located in is
           hollow, and very large.  The entire asteroid is kept in
           zero-g, and the water is not contained in any way - you
           leave the locker room and enter the "pool", and you see a
           huge sphere of water hanging in front of you.  Caution is
           recommended when swimming; there is no natural tendency to
           "rise" to the surface, as there is no internal gravitational
           gradient.  Note to those from cultures with various body
           taboos - swimsuits of any sort are strictly optional.

        3) the Flight Center.  Similar to the Swim Center, except that
           a small gravitational gradient is maintained, to provide a
           sense of up and down, and there is no water.  Participants
           do wear "wings" and "tailfeathers", and lessons are
           available at low cost.  As exercise, it is at least as good
           as swimming, and many find it more exhilarating.  Those who
           suffer from disorientation in zero-g should come here,
           rather than the swim center.  Except for the wings and
           tailfeathers, costume is optional, although a very popular
           mode of dress is a tight body stocking, to reduce air
           resistance.  Wings and tailfeathers are usually decorated in
           varied patterns and colors, and the body stocking, when
           worn, can be equally colorful, in either complementary or
           clashing colors and patterns.  One deluxe rig that I saw was
           generic spacesuit grey, wings and body stocking both, until
           the wearer became airborne.  He then switched on a
           holographic generator, and actually appeared as a large
           bird, whose species I didn't recognize (he said later that
           it was a "roc", from Terran mythology dating back to "a
           couple of thousand years before space flight).

        4) the Museum of the Ancients.  Glisten itself was not an
           Ancient site that we know of, but they have nevertheless
           amassed a very complete collection of reproductions of
           Ancient artifacts, and a great deal of supplementary
           information.  The exhibits are quite fascinating, and quite
           educational.

The people of Glisten are in general a friendly bunch; the tourist who
gets lost will quickly be offered assistance, and the tourist who asks
for a recommendation for a restaurant or a hotel will get many.  Food
in Glisten runs to intense flavors, with extremely spicy food being
quite common.  On a visit to one of the outlying asteroids, I was a
guest of one of the local residents, and invited to a dinner party that
she was giving.  I found out the hard way that such dinner parties are
attempts by one person to outdo the neighbors in creating dishes so
spicy as to cause actual pain, and that it is a point of honor to
consume such dishes without showing outward sign of discomfort.  Much
as I like spicy food, I cannot recommend this pastime to anyone - not
even Glistenites (suffice it to say that I did not finish that dinner
with my gastronomic honor intact).  Asteroid construction being what it
is, there is not a lot of ability to have one's residence express one's
personality from outside, so most people don't try.  Instead, they
express their individuality in their styles of dress - ranging from
nothing but cosmetics all the way up to multiple layers of clothing in
colors and patterns and styles carefully chosen to draw attention,
sometimes in combinations that even a Vargr might find in questionable
taste.

Doing business in Glisten is theoretically governed by a thick book of
regulations that every business is required to have accessible to the
customers.  In reality, most of the regulations are ignored or
circumvented, and caveat emptor is an important part of business
dealings.  Almost anything is claimed to be available for sale, and
most of it actually is available.  A surprise was the presence of the
Corridor advanced-technology corporation "G"; in addition to a sales
outlet, they do some research locally.  This is the source of the "G"
and "H" codes in the technical profile.  It also enhances the
availability of low cost tech E and F goods of all types, allowing
Glisten to maintain its position as one of the leading shipyards in the
Spinward Marches.

The arrival of (and nominal conquest by) the Aslan New Lords has not
reined in the natural tendencies of Glistenites.  Indeed, some Aslan
customs have been adopted and adapted to Glistenite culture.  Duels of
honor, formerly treated as a private matter between the two parties,
have become much more public and ritualized, and many Aslan that I
spoke to asserted that the Glistenites are the only "fiyfiyalr" that
truly understand the ritual of the duel.  A few even claimed that
Glistenites have raised the art to levels beyond those achieved by all
but a very few legendary Aslan duellists.  Another Aslan custom, that
of "Assassination" has also been adopted, and integrated with the
duelling custom.  When Aslan embark on an assassination, the objective
is the death of the target.  Glistenites have instead made it a
campaign to embarrass the target, to provoke a duel, thus providing
more entertainment for a longer period of time.  Aslan reaction to this
adaptation of their customs has been mixed, and their social scientists
are watching this development carefully.

Aslan and Human mix freely in Glisten, and it is not unusual to see the
younger Aslan adopting Human customs or modes of dress, though in a
distinctly Aslan manner.  Aslan business concerns compete on an equal
footing with human concerns, making Glisten a shining example of just
how well the two species can get along, if both sides make an effort.
The local humans pay lip service to the Aslan males' claims of land
ownership, and the Aslan females provide the males with the _real_
products of land ownership, economic power that provides prestige.  By
doing so in cooperation with the human society there, rather than
attempting to build economic power based strictly on Aslan models, they
achieve results far beyond the expectations of the leaders of the
ihatei expeditions.  It can be expected that these revelations will
cause as much change to the Aslan ihatei colonies as they will to the
human societies that they have conquered.
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==========================================================================
Jeff Zeitlin                                      jeff.zeitlin@execnet.com
- ---
 ~ QMPro 1.52 ~ Man stagnates if he has no ambition,...

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End of TML Biweekly
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