Traveller-digest      Thursday, August 12 1999      Volume 1999 : Number 949



(R)1996. Traveller is a registered trademark of FarFuture Enterprises.
All rights reserved.

The following topics are covered in this digest:

Re Radio
Re Dangerous Topics
Natural Disasters
Lagrange points in layman's terms
Re: Berkeley (fellow) Travelers (was Re: Fast food (was Re: PRB))
Re: PRB
Re: Ethically-challenged merchants (was re: A New Traveller)
Apoligy
Re T-plates
Re: MT Tasks
Re: Physics photon question/ Solar Sails
Re: Re Clarification of star question
Re: Relief for Newbies
Re: Relief for Newbies
Re: Re Dangerous Topics
FW: Vargr Stature (was Vilani Stature)
FW: F****l T*********y
FW: Physics photon question/ Solar Sails
FW: New Art
FW: PRB 

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

Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1999 04:00:50 -0400 (EDT)
From: "William F. Hostman" <aramis@gci.net>
Subject: Re Radio

>
>Well, I've never heard of bed springs picking up radio signals, but if you say
>it's true, I won't debate it. The only possible explanation I can think of is
>the I mentioned above - radio induces current, whiich in turn induces a
>magnetic field. You mention bedsprings, which is interesting, because they
>have that nice spiral shape, just like you find in a wire-wound
>electromagnet... I imagine that if you have a bed which is just one long wire
>wound into a number of coils (a lot of beds really are just one wire!) then
>there's a nice long piece of metal for the current to flow through and all
>those little coils will no doubt compress & stretch as the current flows
>through them.
>
>But radio waves are not "just vibrations in metal".

Actually, all electric alternating current is "Metal vibration", or more
accurately, vibration of electrons through a medium... at high enough rf
induced current into a non-grounded object, you can get physical
vibrations, by a combination of energy induced heating, magnetism,
myoelasticism, and other effects I don't recall the mechanics nor names of.
It is kind of odd to walk by a radio tower and hear the station coming
through on one's orthodontic mouthpiece... AM works, FM didn't.  RF induces
electron motion. literally motin within the metal. An imprecisce term, mea
culpa, but accurate (if easily misunderstood and overly literal).

William F. Hostman  |  "Smith & Wesson: THe original Point and Click
interface!"
Aramis 0602 C55A364-C S kk+ as+ hi+ dr+ va++(--) so+ zh++ vi+ da++ sy- ge-
533
Mailto:aramis@gci.net http://home.gci.net/~aramis http://www.alaska.net/~mhaa
ICQ:14640742          AIM:AKAramis	ARM 1.0: 3 R H++ P+
IMTU 1.0: tc tm++ tn- t4-- tt+ to- tg-- ru+ ge 3i+ c+ jt-() au+ st- ls
pi+() ta+ he+(-) kk+ as+ hi+ dr+ va++(--) so+ zh++ vi+ da++ sy- ge- pi+

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

Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1999 04:11:03 -0400 (EDT)
From: "William F. Hostman" <aramis@gci.net>
Subject: Re Dangerous Topics

>> Well, I think that's it for "dangerous topics".

You forgot Cannibilani vs Vegibilani... Were/Are vilani canibalistic, if
so, how much, and whas it ritual only or as a means of recovery of rare
traces needed for humans but extremely rare in native critters on Vland...
and since it is canon that the vilani were deposited on vland by the
anchients, how much did the anchients do to provide such traces in local
critters?

William F. Hostman  |  "Smith & Wesson: THe original Point and Click
interface!"
Aramis 0602 C55A364-C S kk+ as+ hi+ dr+ va++(--) so+ zh++ vi+ da++ sy- ge-
533
Mailto:aramis@gci.net http://home.gci.net/~aramis http://www.alaska.net/~mhaa
ICQ:14640742          AIM:AKAramis	ARM 1.0: 3 R H++ P+
IMTU 1.0: tc tm++ tn- t4-- tt+ to- tg-- ru+ ge 3i+ c+ jt-() au+ st- ls
pi+() ta+ he+(-) kk+ as+ hi+ dr+ va++(--) so+ zh++ vi+ da++ sy- ge- pi+

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

Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1999 09:37:59 +0100
From: "MJ Dougherty" <martinjd@globalnet.co.uk>
Subject: Natural Disasters

I've run a few adventures about (or complicated by) natural disasters. In
fact, we're playtesting an adventure for BITS publication (yes, that was a
plug) the working, but *definitely not* the final title is "Towering Flood".
Why? You'll have to wait for that.

Other times I've used unco-operative or downright nasty local wildlife,
planetquakes and hurricanes to spoil the characters' nice easy ride. Face
it, a volcano is more of a threat than two Vemene goons with snub pistols.
Somewhat more resistant to bullets, too. A herd of megafauna grazers can be
quite a nuisance, too. Especially when stampeding during an earthquake.

Then there's the killer krill. Those things can strip a man to the bone in
less than a fortnight!

Godspeed
MJD

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

Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1999 04:39:00 -0400 (EDT)
From: "William F. Hostman" <aramis@gci.net>
Subject: Lagrange points in layman's terms

>	It's time to draw attention to my ignorance of Lagrange
>	points.  O.K., I know that a Lagrange point is a point
>	where the gravity of two masses cancels out, but with my
>	feeble understanding of physics I can only imagine one
>	such point: directly between the masses (half-way if the
>	masses are equal).  Can somebody sort me out?
>
>Peez

The lagrange points are basically  laid out like so

     2
   4 M 5
     1
     P

     3

basic rule of thumb for orbits: the further out, the slower your speed for
stable orbit. the further in, the faster your orbital velocity for stable
orbit.

L1: would orbit in less time, generally, but is slowed by the moon's gravity.
	The slower orbital  velocity also means reduced centrifugal forces,
countered by the moon's gravity.
L2: would take longer to orbit, but is held in place by the combined
centripital  gravitational forces of the pair, which allowes it the higher
orbital spped to keep the relationship; this point also is "dragged" along
by the moon.
L3: that point where combined centripital forces hold an object by tidal
action. I don't QUITE grok why, but it works.
L4/L5: these are on nearly identical orbits to the moon. they are at the
point where the moon's gravity is strong enough to hold them to the same
speed. It is my understanding that the leading one is slightly in, and the
trailing slightly out, but I am not positive by any means.

The reason that other locations *don't* work is that the orbital periods
and gravity effects will not be constants.

Also note that planet-moon-lagrangePoint relationships correlate to
sun-planet-trojan relationships. IIRC, the numbering there is different.

also, combined gravitational forces tend to pull objects near L1, L2, L4
and L5 into the points.

Also, IIRC, the actual relationship of the L4/5 points in terms of degrees
off is determined by the relationship of mass of the planet and moon, and
their orbital distance.

William F. Hostman  |  "Smith & Wesson: THe original Point and Click
interface!"
Aramis 0602 C55A364-C S kk+ as+ hi+ dr+ va++(--) so+ zh++ vi+ da++ sy- ge-
533
Mailto:aramis@gci.net http://home.gci.net/~aramis http://www.alaska.net/~mhaa
ICQ:14640742          AIM:AKAramis	ARM 1.0: 3 R H++ P+
IMTU 1.0: tc tm++ tn- t4-- tt+ to- tg-- ru+ ge 3i+ c+ jt-() au+ st- ls
pi+() ta+ he+(-) kk+ as+ hi+ dr+ va++(--) so+ zh++ vi+ da++ sy- ge- pi+

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

Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1999 18:59:57 +1000
From: "The Roc" <roc@kewl.com.au>
Subject: Re: Berkeley (fellow) Travelers (was Re: Fast food (was Re: PRB))

- ----- Original Message -----
From: Glenn M. Goffin <gmgoffin@pacbell.net>
To: <traveller@mpgn.com>
Sent: Wednesday, August 11, 1999 5:40 PM
Subject: Berkeley (fellow) Travelers (was Re: Fast food (was Re: PRB))


> > From: "Kiri Aradia Morgan" <tiamat@tsoft.com>
> > Subject: Re: Fast food (was Re: PRB)
>
> > The mainland and HK have different laws, even since the takeover.  The
Brits
> > were no way no how going to permit the Chinese to eat dogs.  Especially
not
>
> Somehow I missed that you were referring to HK law.
>

I may be wrong about this, but I thought I read somewhere that it was
illegal in China to eat dogs (a backwards image thing??), but it is also one
of those laws that is not pursued by the officials/police.

ObTrav:  I'm assuming that there are many, many such laws on multiple
continents on multiple worlds throughout the galaxy in many TU's.  I recall
my players being so damned annoyed that a given law was only prosecuted
against off-worlders and not the locals!  :^)

- -- The Roc

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

Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1999 19:10:51 +1000
From: "The Roc" <roc@kewl.com.au>
Subject: Re: PRB

- ----- Original Message -----
From: SD Mooney <dom@cybergoths.u-net.com>
To: <traveller@lists.imagiconline.com>
Sent: Wednesday, August 11, 1999 4:42 PM
Subject: Re: PRB


> "The Roc" <roc@kewl.com.au> writes:
> >Once again, sorry about the private mail, didn't care to ask in public.
>
> It's touching to know you consider us such close friends ;-) <black globe
ON>
>
> Dom
>

We's one big happy family... haven't you noticed how we fight like siblings
one moment, and defend each other from other attacks?  ;^)

- -- The Roc

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

Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1999 19:28:43 +1000
From: "The Roc" <roc@kewl.com.au>
Subject: Re: Ethically-challenged merchants (was re: A New Traveller)

- ----- Original Message ----- 
From: Black ICE <wombat@premier.net>
To: <traveller@lists.imagiconline.com>
Sent: Thursday, August 12, 1999 1:50 AM
Subject: Re: Ethically-challenged merchants (was re: A New Traveller)



> > 
> > Didi-mau? Ex-squeeze me?
> 
> You know, _didi-mau_.  Unass the AO.  Get the [expletive of choice] out
> of Dodge.  Depart the area with alacrity.
> > 

Whom is Alacrity, and does she depart voluntarily?

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

Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1999 19:30:42 +1000
From: "The Roc" <roc@kewl.com.au>
Subject: Apoligy

- ----- Original Message -----
From: The Roc <roc@kewl.com.au>
To: <traveller@lists.imagiconline.com>
Sent: Thursday, August 12, 1999 7:28 PM
Subject: Re: Ethically-challenged merchants (was re: A New Traveller)


>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Black ICE <wombat@premier.net>
> To: <traveller@lists.imagiconline.com>
> Sent: Thursday, August 12, 1999 1:50 AM
> Subject: Re: Ethically-challenged merchants (was re: A New Traveller)
>
>
>
> > >
> > > Didi-mau? Ex-squeeze me?
> >
> > You know, _didi-mau_.  Unass the AO.  Get the [expletive of choice] out
> > of Dodge.  Depart the area with alacrity.
> > >
>
> Whom is Alacrity, and does she depart voluntarily?
>

I apologise for my smartarsed friend, taking over my computer whilst I was
in the loo.

- -- The Roc

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

Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1999 05:44:51 -0400 (EDT)
From: "William F. Hostman" <aramis@gci.net>
Subject: Re T-plates

>No rehash of these points is required. What I would like to know is if any
>heretic has worked out what kind of power requirements contragrav and
>T-plates would require if they *didn't* violate conservation of energy?
>Never mind what they do to General Relativity.

something like

Ge = Gr/(V^2)
 Ge is Effective G's of accelleration
 Gr is G rating for a given power.
 V is velocity (in what units, I'm not certain.)

Note that the conversion of energy to thrust in T-plates seems a little TOO
efficient...

E=M*(V^2)
Energy = energy
M = Mass
V = Velocity.
again, I don't recall exactly which units are used.

But, to accelerate a body to as desired velocity, energy input is:
Ei= (Vd^2) * M *(1/Eff)
Ev= (Vd^2) * M
Ei= energy input
Ev = energy of vehicle after acceleration to Vd
Vd = velocity desired
M = mass
Eff = Efficiency of conversion (expressed as a fraction)
(again, I don't know specific units to be used, but I do recall scientific
notation is very useful for these, and they will be the same as above)
eg: Mass 1000, Desired velocity 400, Eff 0.2 (20%)
	Ei=1000*400*400*(1/0.2)
	  =1E3 * 4E2 * 4E2 *(10/2)
	Ei=1.6E8 * 5E0
	Ei=8E8
	Ev=1.6E8

One can get around the lack of "Equal and opposite reaction" by simply
assuming gravitic drives accelerate you by using the existing megamassive
bodies (in relation to the object accellerated) by pushing off their
gravity wells... and the "Equal and opposite reaction" is miniscule
accellerations to the planets, moons, stars, other ships, etc., in the
system. This gives rise to the limit on how far out they will work, and
explains also the basis for the proposed 1000AU  limit on T-plates... they
need a certain minimum gravity well to push off.

William F. Hostman  |  "Smith & Wesson: THe original Point and Click
interface!"
Aramis 0602 C55A364-C S kk+ as+ hi+ dr+ va++(--) so+ zh++ vi+ da++ sy- ge-
533
Mailto:aramis@gci.net http://home.gci.net/~aramis http://www.alaska.net/~mhaa
ICQ:14640742          AIM:AKAramis	ARM 1.0: 3 R H++ P+
IMTU 1.0: tc tm++ tn- t4-- tt+ to- tg-- ru+ ge 3i+ c+ jt-() au+ st- ls
pi+() ta+ he+(-) kk+ as+ hi+ dr+ va++(--) so+ zh++ vi+ da++ sy- ge- pi+

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

Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1999 05:44:52 -0400 (EDT)
From: "William F. Hostman" <aramis@gci.net>
Subject: Re: MT Tasks

>Shawn, that was my point! I know *1/5* of the characteristic is used for
>tasks, and during character generation some secondary stats are composed
>of sums of various characteristics, but where, in play, is the *full*
>characteristic value used?
>
>Eris

Strength is used for determining maximum weight per encumberance level
Int+Edu is used for skill limit.
Soc * Cr250 is minimum expenditures to maintain apparent Soc.
PSR is used as psi-point maximum (MT and CT both use PSR to power
abilities, for the TNE/GT crowds, in a points per use basis, which recovers
slowly.)
above are official

IMTG, I use the following additional ones:
End: number of rounds of melee before fatigue accrues. Number of hours
before respiratory difficulty induced fatigue from one "Step" of atmosphere
difference.
Int: words per combat round while doing other things.
Dex: number of loose items carryable in the hands. Maximum number of
holsters/sheaths/etc one can wear comfortably.
Det (Determination, = End+Int): (stat is official, useage mine) number of
insults before the vargr MUST go for your throat.

And I do base these all upon Current Stats, and the same with all DM's. I
make players refigure DM's after combat, when the adrenaline (or racial
equivalent) wears off, and they have to figure stat damage anyway.



>Why is it that Characteristics couldn't simply *be* some smaller
>range of values that are used throughout character generation *and*
>play?  As much as I don't like the d3, why not just roll 2d3-2 for
>the Characteristic and be done with it?

several reasons:
1) Tradition
2) 1-15 is more expressive than 0-4 for characterization
3) the mods to att is CT/MT CGen are on the 1 skill level = 1 att point.
4) The att/x, with default x=5, allows for EASY tweaking of "Epicallity"...
Att/6 or att/7 for the really "Stats are useless, skill rules all", att/(3
or 4) for the "Space Opera" mode. Att/2 for the starwars mode.

William F. Hostman  |  "Smith & Wesson: THe original Point and Click
interface!"
Aramis 0602 C55A364-C S kk+ as+ hi+ dr+ va++(--) so+ zh++ vi+ da++ sy- ge-
533
Mailto:aramis@gci.net http://home.gci.net/~aramis http://www.alaska.net/~mhaa
ICQ:14640742          AIM:AKAramis	ARM 1.0: 3 R H++ P+
IMTU 1.0: tc tm++ tn- t4-- tt+ to- tg-- ru+ ge 3i+ c+ jt-() au+ st- ls
pi+() ta+ he+(-) kk+ as+ hi+ dr+ va++(--) so+ zh++ vi+ da++ sy- ge- pi+

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

Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1999 13:07:53 +0100
From: Phil Kitching <postmark.design@btinternet.com>
Subject: Re: Physics photon question/ Solar Sails

At 14:41 11/08/1999 -0700, Anthony Jackson <ajackson@molly.iiicom> wrote:
>Thing writes:
><snip>
>> Except, if photons exert pressure, than they must have mass, albeit very
>> minutely.  Photons travel @C so there mass at rest (I you could stop one)
>> must be even smaller and amplified by there tremendous velocity.    If this
>> is true, then the true limiting speed should be fat above the speed of
>> light, as photons must be traveling at a speed where their mass has
>> increased to the point where there is no more energy to provide
>> acceleration. 
>
>This is false.  Photons have mass, but no rest mass. <snip>

More to the point, photons have momentum but no rest mass.

Photons have energy. For all practical purposes, you can calculate
a mass from E=mc^2 and use this for your calculations, so
momentum = mv = (E/c^2)c = E/c = hf/c (IIRC)

(h is Planck's constant, c is the speed of light in vacuum and f is the
 frequency of the photon)

Since the "c" term is constant, if the photon loses momentum it
loses energy and reduces its frequency.

For the solar sail calculation, just use p = E/c for the laser beam and assume
some efficency percentages to determine how powerful your laser is to get
1G or
whatever acceleration.

Hmmm, this must breakdown somewhere or the acceleration is constant for a
constant
energy input...well as the sail goes faster, the photons hitting it are red
shifted
and thus have less momentum but some effect should happen before relativistic
velocities, so please comment if you spot the mistake.

Phil Kitching
- --
  http://www.btinternet.com/~salvo/
  Postmark Design Bureau, Emerging Technologies Division.
 "Microwaving half-baked ideas from across the Galaxy"

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

Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1999 13:26:32 +0100
From: Phil Kitching <postmark.design@btinternet.com>
Subject: Re: Re Clarification of star question

At 20:13 11/08/1999 -0400, "DaveShayne" <daveshayne@email.msn.com> wrote:
>Looking back over the question I posed regarding stellar evolution I
>realized that it may have been poorly framed.
>
>This is the way it looks like it works to me.
>
>1)
>Stars begin their lives at the hot (ie bluer, ie B stage)
>or at least toward the blue end of the spectrum.
>as a given star ages it slowly cools down, moving toward the red, or M end.
>
>2)
>The stars initial mass will determine how quickly this occurs, and has a
>great bearing on weather the end star product is a black hole, nuetron star,
>or brown dwarf.
>
>Given those two axioms, and I've thought about it a good deal but I don't
>really have any info to back up statement 1. And science without data is
>like twinkies without the cream (or K'Kree without sauce?)
>It may look good but it's dry and tasteless.
>
>So am I making a fool of myself if I try to pawn something based on this as
>"reality". (If so I will probly develope it as alternate physics, but being
>on the ball with the real thing can't hurt.)

Hey, those two great astronomers (H<??> and Russell) drew up the
HR diagram of stellar evolution, that's what everyone thought the data
showed.

However...

Stars begin as a gas cloud (would be bluish, but there's no fusion)
collapse into a star whose colour depends on their mass, shine for a
very long (or extremely long) time during which their energy output
(and thus colour) is more or less constant (if anything moving towards
the Blue end) and then when the fuel runs out, expands rapidly to
a red giant and then goes "bang", "pop" or "sigh" depending on mass.

So a yellow dwarf has never been a blue dwarf and will never be a red dwarf.
All become a red giant and some become a white dwarf and then a black dwarf.

I'm not quite feeling in touch with reality at the moment, so when the
real astronomers on this list stop crying/laughing/observing, they'll
probably post a correction.

Phil Kitching
- --
  http://www.btinternet.com/~salvo/
  Postmark Design Bureau, Emerging Technologies Division.
 "Microwaving half-baked ideas from across the Galaxy"

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

Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1999 13:33:40 +0100
From: Phil Kitching <postmark.design@btinternet.com>
Subject: Re: Relief for Newbies

At 09:05 11/08/1999 -0700, "Benyamene' ZeAbe' Akella" <xrp@sierratel.com>
wrote:

>> Well, I think that's it for "dangerous topics".  We've also had
>> immense debates about "what is a feudal technocracy?",
>
>That one has always bothered me. What the Hierate is a "feudal technocracy"?

Government type 5

Best bet is to find your way to someone who will sell you

	101 Governments (by BITS)

try www.bits.com (or .org or .co.uk or something)

Phil Kitching

- --
  http://www.btinternet.com/~salvo/
  Postmark Design Bureau, Emerging Technologies Division.
 "Microwaving half-baked ideas from across the Galaxy"

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

Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1999 13:44:13 +0100
From: Ewan Quibell <E.D.Quibell@bton.ac.uk>
Subject: Re: Relief for Newbies

or 

http://www.bits.org.uk/

Ewan

Phil Kitching wrote:
> 
> At 09:05 11/08/1999 -0700, "Benyamene' ZeAbe' Akella" <xrp@sierratel.com>
> wrote:
> 
> >> Well, I think that's it for "dangerous topics".  We've also had
> >> immense debates about "what is a feudal technocracy?",
> >
> >That one has always bothered me. What the Hierate is a "feudal technocracy"?
> 
> Government type 5
> 
> Best bet is to find your way to someone who will sell you
> 
>         101 Governments (by BITS)
> 
> try www.bits.com (or .org or .co.uk or something)
> 
> Phil Kitching
> 
> --
>   http://www.btinternet.com/~salvo/
>   Postmark Design Bureau, Emerging Technologies Division.
>  "Microwaving half-baked ideas from across the Galaxy"

- -- 

   Ewan Quibell                       Their's not to make reply,
   Senior Communications Engineer     Their's not to reason why,
   Computer Centre                    Their's but to do and die:
   University of Brighton             Into the valley of Death
                                      Rode the six hundred.
   E.D.Quibell@brighton.ac.uk              Alfred, Lord Tennyson

   #include<stddisclaimer.h>

   My spelling is entirerly due to dyslexia, typos, and poetic license

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

Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1999 08:04:52 -0500
From: Black ICE <wombat@premier.net>
Subject: Re: Re Dangerous Topics

"William F. Hostman" wrote:
> 
> >> Well, I think that's it for "dangerous topics".
> 
> You forgot Cannibilani vs Vegibilani... Were/Are vilani canibalistic, if
> so, how much, and whas it ritual only or as a means of recovery of rare
> traces needed for humans but extremely rare in native critters on Vland...

But that topic is best reserved for late October.... >;-)

<<snip>>

- -- 
AuricTech Shipyards Journeyman Gearhead
"Gold-Plated [tm] solutions for copper-plated problems!" (r)
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Shadowlands/9776

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

Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1999 21:32:10 +0800
From: "Antony Farrell" <Skaran@bigpond.com>
Subject: FW: Vargr Stature (was Vilani Stature)

- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-traveller@lists.imagiconline.com
[mailto:owner-traveller@lists.imagiconline.com] On Behalf Of Paul Schirf
Sent: Thursday, 12 August 1999 11:36
To: traveller@lists.imagiconline.com
Subject: Vargr Stature (was Vilani Stature)


> (though this argument on the origins of Hom. Sap. would probably 
> not have been graded to well <g>)

At least not until the government releases info on the 300,000 year 
old Droyne fossil they found in Utah last summer. :-)

Enough on humans .... when did wolves appear on earth?

Anyone know what sector Utah is in?

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

Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1999 21:32:08 +0800
From: "Antony Farrell" <Skaran@bigpond.com>
Subject: FW: F****l T*********y

- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-traveller@lists.imagiconline.com
[mailto:owner-traveller@lists.imagiconline.com] On Behalf Of Jeff
Zeitlin
Sent: Thursday, 12 August 1999 7:38
To: traveller@lists.imagiconline.com
Subject: RE: F****l T*********y


On Wed, 11 Aug 1999 14:36:11 -0400 (EDT), Anthony Salter
<badman@austin.rr.com> wrote:

>>	By the way, just what sort of swearing do your PC's and NPC's
>>	use IYTU?  "What the Hierate" works.

>>Peez

>I've always been a fan of "smeg" myself.

And Kiri and I both occasionally have reason to "conjugate
'shen'", as it's put on another list...

- -Are not the "Shen" the remains of a race currently trapped on Tekumel?
AF

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

Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1999 21:32:06 +0800
From: "Antony Farrell" <Skaran@bigpond.com>
Subject: FW: Physics photon question/ Solar Sails

- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-traveller@lists.imagiconline.com
[mailto:owner-traveller@lists.imagiconline.com] On Behalf Of Anthony
Jackson
Sent: Thursday, 12 August 1999 5:42
To: traveller@lists.imagiconline.com
Cc: 'Traveller'
Subject: Re: Physics photon question/ Solar Sails


Thing writes:
<snip>
> Except, if photons exert pressure, than they must have mass, albeit very
> minutely.  Photons travel @C so there mass at rest (I you could stop one)
> must be even smaller and amplified by there tremendous velocity.    If
this
> is true, then the true limiting speed should be fat above the speed of
> light, as photons must be traveling at a speed where their mass has
> increased to the point where there is no more energy to provide
> acceleration.

This is false.  Photons have mass, but no rest mass.  The equations of
special relativity break down for lightspeed, the mass of a massless
particle at lightspeed is 0/0 (a particle with no rest mass can _only_ move
at the speed of light; a particle with rest mass can only move less than c.
A particle with imaginary rest mass can only move faster than c).

Also space is not a vacuum, though close, which from what I've heard means
that light is actually travelling a little slower than c which is the speed
of light in a vacuum.
AF

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

Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1999 21:32:04 +0800
From: "Antony Farrell" <Skaran@bigpond.com>
Subject: FW: New Art

- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-traveller@lists.imagiconline.com
[mailto:owner-traveller@lists.imagiconline.com] On Behalf Of Leonard
Erickson
Sent: Thursday, 12 August 1999 4:18
To: traveller@lists.imagiconline.com
Subject: Re: New Art


In mail you write:

>>I've got 'Web of Angels' and 'The Final Reflection' and I've read "How
> Much For Just The Planet?'.  I also have 2 copies of the JTAS issue with
> 'Road Show' in it.
>>
>>Keven
>
> John M. Ford wrote something for Traveller?  
> Must...read...John...M...Ford....
>
> Badman (who does have the superb Car Wars/Champions crossover
> story/adventure he did)

I'd *love* to see what would happen if he was given a moderately free
hand to write a few Traveller novels. We might get some interesting
takes on the Aslan, Vargr, and K'kree. Lord only  knows what he'd do
with hivers, Vilani or Zhodani.

- -I think a near-c rock should take care of the Hivers, Vilani and Zhodani
AF

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

Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1999 21:32:01 +0800
From: "Antony Farrell" <Skaran@bigpond.com>
Subject: FW: PRB 

- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-traveller@lists.imagiconline.com
[mailto:owner-traveller@lists.imagiconline.com] On Behalf Of Keven R.
Pittsinger
Sent: Thursday, 12 August 1999 4:06
To: traveller@lists.imagiconline.com
Subject: Re: PRB


> > By the time of the Third Imperium, Aafes is a four-star chain of
> > resturants.
>
> Hopefully, these stars will be victims of the Darrian Star Trigger.

Hopefully, they'll have learned how to *cook* by then.

I remember my old DI saying "The Army has *great* food.  Then they cook it
and **** it up!"

Keven

Who needs a star trigger, just drop a reasonable near-c rock (whoops I said
it), out of jump space on a course for the star ala E E Smiths Lensmen
series. The results should be interesting!
AF

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

End of Traveller-digest V1999 #949
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