Traveller-digest       Sunday, August 15 1999       Volume 1999 : Number 962



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

The following topics are covered in this digest:

Re: First In
Re: Netrunning M:0 Wilds
Re:First In
FLGS
[none]
FLGS
Re: Endorphins...
Re: More back to topic?
Re: Oops... Off Topic...
Re: First In
Re: Alternate Game Mechanics - Cybertech
Re: First In
Re: First In
Coming soon - the Winter Catalogue 1997
Re: Sunbeard, pyrates, etc.
Re: First In
Ship questions...
Re: Ship questions...
Re: Ethically challenged merchants
Re: Human Origins
Re: Alternate Game Mechanics - Cybertech

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

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 00:58:37 -0400
From: "Thomas Schoene" <TomSchoene@worldnet.att.net>
Subject: Re: First In

- ----------
> From: Justice Hypercleats <eris@sierratel.com>
> >>
> >> Where can I purchace "First In" and "Far Trader" online?
> >
> > Try SJGames themselves. Their online catalog is at
> > http://www.warehouse23.com/
> >
> > They don't discount, though; they don't want to undercut their FLGS.
> >
> > Tom Schoene
> >
> What is "FLGS" and were can I find one online?

You can't find them online (usually).  An FLGS is a "Friendly Local Game
Store." 

Tom Schoene

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

Date: Sat, 14 Aug 1999 23:56:23 -0700
From: Keith Johnson <kejohnson@2xtreme.net>
Subject: Re: Netrunning M:0 Wilds

At 05:24 PM 8/14/99 -0400, you wrote: 

>
> I'm considering a campaign set in the M:0 Wilds, beyond the expanding 
> imperial fringe. I can easily imagine a semi-retrograde (TL10?) hi-pop 
> world falling into 'perverse' technological practices. :) 
>
> Kurtis 



Goodness gravy.  You came near to describing the game I am currently running.


Durima (1205 Corridor) at year -20.  No Imperium, only wilds, pocket empires
and "frontier justice before the Dawn".

My game focuses on a high tech world (TTL 12/GTL10) that survived the Long
Night and became insular and xenophobic.  As centuries rolled by, xenophobia
slowly started to dwindle and a small percentage of the population started
thinking about interstellar travel.  The current Duriman political thought is
that by travelling to other systems, Durima can "plunder" the resources of the
weaker worlds around them, similiar to how first world nations exploit third
world nations on Earth.  By returning to space travel, they have enountered
other pocket empires (including the Freeboots Empire) and are becoming
entangled in interstellar politics. 

When it comes to technology, neural interface induction fields exist IMTU,
however there is no Matrix-like "more real than real" net.  The human brain
instinctivly knows the difference between "real" and "simulated" sensory data,
despite the fact that it is extremely lifelike.  Think of the difference
between seeing a dinosaur in Jurassic Park and seeing a dinosaur in your
living
room.  Two totally different sensations.

Neural induction field technology is also extremely widespread.  The average
citizen "watches" TV and interacts with their computer via the induction
fields.  The percentage of people that can really manipulate a computer or
device without relying on a neural interface is as widespread as people in the
20th century who can replace their hard drive or reinstall their operating
system without help.  Most citizens are totally dependant on the technology,
and nobody needs a interface jack surgically implanted into their skulls and
wired into their nervous system.

The technology for cyberware exists, however there is very rarely ever a need
to use it.  As mentioned before, there are few reasons to get a cybernetic eye
that can let you see in the infrared spectrum when you can simply put on a
pair
of IR goggles.  Seriously improved biotechnology exists, but is severely
limited by social factors rather than technological ones.

On the whole, my game tends to focus on espionage between corporate/noble
houses or deep space Scouts/Navy.  If anyone is interested I plan on running a
Scout oriented game session set in this background during Con-Quest '99 (in
the
Bay Area).  Check out www.con-quest.com for more info.




_____________________________________________________________
Rev. Keith Johnson      /\     keith@sjgames.com
Assistant Webmaster    /()\    kejohnson@2xtreme.net
Steve Jackson Games   /____\   reverendkeith@hotmail.com
             http://www.sjgames.com/
  IMTU tm+ t4+@ tg++$ ru-- ge-@ st+ pi+ he+ dr+ hi-@ zh+
"I don't practice what I preach, because I'm not the kind
of person I'm preaching to." - J.R. "Bob" Dobbs in Newsweek
_____________________________________________________________ 

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

Date: Sat, 14 Aug 1999 23:58:18 -0700
From: "David P. Summers" <summers@alum.mit.edu>
Subject: Re:First In

>Date: Sat, 14 Aug 1999 16:57:41 -0700
>From: "Bruce Macintosh" <bruce.macintosh@worldnet.att.net>
>Subject: Re:First In
>
>>>Where does this put the so called hot gas giants apparently being discovered
>>>in inner orbits? Is there a theory about their formation?
>>A theory? No.      Lots of Theories? Yes. :)
>
>Most theories make the "hot gas giants" out at the normal outer part of their
>stellar systems and then shuffle them in to their current orbits, either
>through
>graviational billiards with other planets, or through slower tidal drags from
>the protoplanetary disk of material orbiting the star.

Though I think these theories are generally thought to be "tenative".
Nobody seems to feel that whe have a real good handle on how those
planets were formed.
______________________________
summers@alum.mit.edu
(This is the net.  My e-mail address may be in Boston, but I'm in California.)

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

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 03:01:00 EDT
From: GypsyComet@aol.com
Subject: FLGS

>What is "FLGS" and were can I find one online?

 You can't.

 FLGS = "Friendly Local Game Store"

GC

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

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 04:13:15 -0400 (EDT)
From: "William F. Hostman" <aramis@gci.net>
Subject: [none]

>[I am not picking a fight.  I am not picking a fight.  I am not picking a
>fight.]

ditto...
>
>The whole Savanna dweller thing is up for debate right now.  Current
>paleoecology studies indicate that the change from forest to grassland took,
>oh, about as long as the whole Australopithecine to Homo change.  It wasn't a
>rapid thing.  A. ramidus, held by some to be the earliest found human
>ancestor, was a forest dweller, based on skeletal interpretation.  A.
>africanus could easily have been a bi-environmental kinda critter, equally
>adapted to vertical tree climbing as vertical terrestrial posture.  Reaching
>the Homo mark, they were pretty on the ground, but that's way late in the
>Miocene and it still wasn't the savanna of textbook paleo stuff.

One interesting thing about H. Sapiens Sapiens vs almost all other primates
(Exceptions include Japanese Macaques, and "Elephant Monkeys") is that only
a very few have  downward facing nostrils (Most primate species have
forward facing nostrils)... The ones with downward pointing nostrils also
have a thicker subcutaneous fat layer, and a tendancy towards extensive
swimming &/or wading behaviors...

This adaptation pattern says one more environment that was definitely
adapted to prior to H Erectus (Whose nasal structure is claimed to be much
like modern H Sapiens): Water.

Further evidence: Human infants instinctually swim if placed in water
within hours of birth... surfacing to breath. I tend to think of early Homo
___ as being semi-aquatic... walkers who tended to spend lots of time
foraging swamps, rivers, and lakes.


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: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 04:29:12 -0400 (EDT)
From: "William F. Hostman" <aramis@gci.net>
Subject: FLGS

>> Try SJGames themselves. Their online catalog is at
>> http://www.warehouse23.com/
>>
>> They don't discount, though; they don't want to undercut their FLGS.
>>
>> Tom Schoene
>>
>What is "FLGS" and were can I find one online?
>
"Friendly Local Gaming Store"

Mine happens to be on-line, at http://www.boscos.com/

The L is indicative that it is a local item to the user of the term.... but
in general, FLGS means "That store near your locality of residence and/or
employment which just happens to be supportive of your favorite systems"

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: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 02:39:27 -0700
From: "Legate Legion" <legate@futureone.com>
Subject: Re: Endorphins...

From: The Roc <roc@kewl.com.au>
Subject: Re: Endorphins...

>As one woman who holidayed with us from Utah put it, "There is "pain"
(which
>she liked) and there is "hurt" (which she didn't), the difference came from
>by whom and how they were delivered, with a touch of preference by the
>receiver."


    Of course, BDSM, is about sexual acts, & it all depends upon who you are
with.  If someone else was to whip Amber, I would curb-stomp him.  But, when
I do it, there is nothing she will not do in return for me.

>Which I believe is from endorphins?  I was subject to similar effects
placed
>upon me from runs/marches in the army, but never analised it (and never
>liked it much either, it was a job).  The same woman quoted above worked
for
>the US Defence department and quoted such things as you mentioned (from
>various sporting aspects; long distant swimmers, marathon runners, distance
>runners, etc.), she was quite into it and needed it analised, so she did.


    Which means that pain-sl*ts, enjoy the pain because it brings pleasure
in the end.

>Definitely non-SSC and a good plot device I must say.  If I get my campaign
>running again, I may just use that.  Thank-you Kiri.


    So will I.  Thank you, Kiri.
    Btw, I think we should try & get together for a weekend of BDSM &
Traveller.  *weg*

Legate Legion
ICQ # 8973001
legate@futureone.com
http://www.futureone.com/~legate/index.htm

"A man may fight for many things; his country, his principles, his friends,
the glistening tear on the cheek of a golden child. But personally, I'd
mudwrestle my own mother for a ton of cash, an amusing clock, and a stack of
French porn." - Edmund Blackadder

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

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 02:44:56 -0700
From: "Legate Legion" <legate@futureone.com>
Subject: Re: More back to topic?

From: The Roc <roc@kewl.com.au>
Subject: Re: More back to topic?

>Agreed, I *DON'T* do drugs (period), and alcohol is a definite no no in
>play.  But something that enhances feelings, gets the subbie into that
>"sub-space" faster or more pleasurable would be SSC if the submissive seeks
>it out (though I don't agree with r/l drugs and alcohol being taken by a
>submissive before play either... they need to be aware of the world about
>them and their senses as much as a Dominant does)


    If a subbie needs a drug to get her into sub-space faster, then she is
not much of a subbie.

>And electronic manacles with built-in stimulators (T.E.N.S units?) and
such.
>The collar sounds good... I'd like one for the missus!  ;^)


    No, to dangerous, can hit the heart.  And, so would I.  *weg*

Legate Legion
ICQ # 8973001
legate@futureone.com
http://www.futureone.com/~legate/index.htm

"I am ready man, check it out, I am the ULTIMATE bad ass.
State-of-the-bad-ass-art.  You do not want to f*** with me.  Check it out!
Hey Ripley, don't worry. Me and my squad of ultimate bad-asses will protect
you. Check it out! Independently targeting particle beam phalanx...FWAP! Fry
half a city with this puppy.  We got tactical smart missiles, phase plasma
pulse rifles, RPGs, we got sonic, electronic, BALL breakers!  We got nukes,
we got knives, sharpsticks..." -Hudson, Aliens (1986)

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

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 02:49:54 -0700
From: "Legate Legion" <legate@futureone.com>
Subject: Re: Oops... Off Topic...

From: The Roc <roc@kewl.com.au>
Subject: Re: Oops... Off Topic...



>This is very much a "YMMV" thing.  With someone you love who craves such
>things as "natural," you would be denying them an outlet (it's not always
>sexual either) which could place strain upon a relationship.  It also works
>the other way, "being forced to hurt someone you love" can place strain
upon
>the relationship if you don't like doing it.  Then there is the "I couldn't
>comprehend doing such a thing to my wife/girlfriend/lover until I did, and
>saw what she got out of it and man..."


    And, by saying we are strange is a way of saying what we do is not right
& well if it feels good, do it.  And, boy does this feel good.  *weg*

>There is no simple answer to such things, but you either do or don't do it,
>but you never know until you do if you are going to like it... weird huh?


    Correct, when I was 22 yo, my GF was a professional Domme, & once she
took me into work & I talked to professional Dommes & subbies.  They trained
me to whip a subbie the right way, one that causes pain, without damage.  I
had a good education there, to be a Dom.  And, I found out my GF, while a
Domme, was also a very good little subbie.  *weg*

>PS:  My wife and I am a r/l councillors on safety and emotional issues in
>BDSM-D/s activities and relationships in our local kink scene (which is why
>the Goth-gamer/BDSM thing struck me).  *We* know it is not black and white,
>but it sure can get murky.  You wouldn't believe the stress and damage we
>have seen from uneven relationship desires, or even the turn arounds from
>those who don't like pain (giving or receiving), it can be amazing


    Same here, my student, Tom is learning to be a loving Dom to his
femsubbie GF.  Before this, he never thought he would enjoy flogging a
women, but now, he enjoys it.

Legate Legion
ICQ # 8973001
legate@futureone.com
http://www.futureone.com/~legate/index.htm

"A man may fight for many things; his country, his principles, his friends,
the glistening tear on the cheek of a golden child. But personally, I'd
mudwrestle my own mother for a ton of cash, an amusing clock, and a stack of
French porn." - Edmund Blackadder

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

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 03:15:40 PST
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)
Subject: Re: First In

In mail you write:

>>> Where can I purchace "First In" and "Far Trader" online?
>>
>> Try SJGames themselves. Their online catalog is at
>> http://www.warehouse23.com/
>>
>> They don't discount, though; they don't want to undercut their FLGS.
>>
> What is "FLGS" and were can I find one online?

FLGS = Friendly Local Game Store

- -- 
Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)
 shadow@krypton.rain.com        <--preferred
leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com     <--last resort

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

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 10:48:53 +0100
From: SD Mooney <dom@cybergoths.u-net.com>
Subject: Re: Alternate Game Mechanics - Cybertech

"Alan Bradley" <alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au> writes:

>There are IIRC, three "Deathworld" books, by Harry Harrison.  They're
>actually pretty average, but are very Travellerish.  I may even reread them
>myself, now that I've thought about them.  The titles are very imaginative
>- - "Deathworld", "Deathworld II", etc.

Weren't several of the books released with individual names initially? I've
one called _Homeworld_ in the stacks of books I've had to put away because
of decorating, and I'm sure it says that it's part of the Deathworld
trilogy...

The hero in the first book is an engineer (hurrah!) in the ruling classes
(boo! hiss!) who gets involved in the resistance against the state?

If I remember correctly, the Robert Westall novel 'FutureTrack 5' is in a
similar background (character is from priviliged background in a world
controlled by the state - he ends up a rebel and slumming it).

Dom

- ----------Dom Mooney---dom@cybergoths.u-net.com------------
                       MiB - Marines in Battledress
   "Protecting the Imperium from the Scum of the Galaxy"
Rob Prior's Mac software @ http://www.bits.org.uk/ 

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

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 10:54:16 +0100
From: SD Mooney <dom@cybergoths.u-net.com>
Subject: Re: First In

"Justice Hypercleats" <eris@sierratel.com> writes:

>Where can I purchace "First In" and "Far Trader" online?  (titangames does
>not have them).

http://www.sjgames.com/

Steve Jackson Games (the publishers) have a mail order side.

Dom

- ----------Dom Mooney---dom@cybergoths.u-net.com------------
                       MiB - Marines in Battledress
   "Protecting the Imperium from the Scum of the Galaxy"
Rob Prior's Mac software @ http://www.bits.org.uk/ 

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

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 10:56:01 +0100
From: SD Mooney <dom@cybergoths.u-net.com>
Subject: Re: First In

"Justice Hypercleats" <eris@sierratel.com> writes:

>What is "FLGS" and were can I find one online?

FLGS - friendly local game shop

As to online, it depends on your FLGS ;-)

Dom

- ----------Dom Mooney---dom@cybergoths.u-net.com------------
                       MiB - Marines in Battledress
   "Protecting the Imperium from the Scum of the Galaxy"
Rob Prior's Mac software @ http://www.bits.org.uk/ 

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

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 11:05:26 +0100
From: SD Mooney <dom@cybergoths.u-net.com>
Subject: Coming soon - the Winter Catalogue 1997

BITS - British Isles Traveller Support

Newsflash - Sylea Year 99 Imperial.

Hengebar Spofulam has decided that Famille Spofulam will present a
collection of all their best early material for purchasers to peruse at
their leisure. Coming via fast courier to a BITS site near you really soon.

FS founder, Hengebar, is quoted as stating that 'this collection will
demonstrate just part of the scope of Famille Spofulam but will show just
how far ahead of Gridlore Technologies we are'. There are no plans to
include significant elements of the High Energy Weapons' division's output
in the catalogue as yet.

- -----------------
Roderick Elliot has just agreed to BITS hosting all his early Famille
Spofulam material (the pre-Ditzie stuff). Watch for the new acrobat source
file.

Dom (BITS webmaster).

- -------------Dom Mooney---webmaster@bits.org.uk----------------
                 BITS - British Isles Traveller Support.
 http://www.bits.org.uk/              mailto:bits@bits.org.uk
Traveller is a registered trademark of FarFuture Enterprises.
GURPS is a registered trademark of Steve Jackson Games, Inc.
BITS and CORE are trademarks of BITS UK Limited.
All rights reserved.

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

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 08:46:56 -0400
From: John Macek <macek@erols.com>
Subject: Re: Sunbeard, pyrates, etc.

Greetings, 

I feel we should stop this potential pyrate discussion before it really
gets started.  My reason is, I disagree with the Sunbeard Declaration. 
It's just an opinion, based on a interpretation of the make believe
world of the Traveller universe.  

The way my Trav 3I universe works is slightly different.  Different in
that the Sunbeard Declaration doesn't hold true.  Different enough that
we probably can't come to a happy resolution.  The net result (pardon
the pun) would be massive pyrate related emails flooding TML and causing
great consternation amongst many subscribers.

Regards,
John

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

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 08:44:43 -0500
From: Anthony Salter <badman@austin.rr.com>
Subject: Re: First In

>> They don't discount, though; they don't want to undercut their FLGS.
>>
>> Tom Schoene
>>
>What is "FLGS" and were can I find one online?

FLGS stands for "Friendly Local Gaming Store".  You know, the one out there
in the big room with the ceiling that's sometimes blue and sometimes black
with little while lights? :)

SJ Games has always encouraged people to buy from their local gaming stores
instead of direct from them.  Warehouse 23 is supposed to be a weapon of
last resort.

Badman

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

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 08:37:13 -0600
From: "Andrew Batishko" <abatish@cyberhighway.net>
Subject: Ship questions...

I've been lurking for some time now, but since I'm getting close to
running a campaign, I thought I'd better pop out and ask a couple
questions...

1) About how long would it take to build a ship like a Beowulf? Would
this be different at some place like Regina as opposed to some lesser
dock?

2) What kind of format do starship registration codes take? All
numbers? How many digits?

3) ...Shoot, I had one more, but I can't remember it now. Maybe later.

Thanks for the help,

Andrew

_______________________________________________
Space Dock...
...design your OWN ships for GURPS Traveller.
http://www.cyberhighway.net/~abatish/sdock.html

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

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 08:34:43
From: "Douglas E. Berry" <dberry@hooked.net>
Subject: Re: Ship questions...

At 08:37 AM 8/15/99 -0600, you wrote:

>1) About how long would it take to build a ship like a Beowulf? Would
>this be different at some place like Regina as opposed to some lesser
>dock?

According to Book 2, a 200-ton ship would take about 12 months to build.

>2) What kind of format do starship registration codes take? All
>numbers? How many digits?

This is IMTU:

The registration number is in four parts.

1. Vehicle Clasification
2. Sector/Subsector Code
3. Year of Registry
4. Unique identifier

For example, a free trader registered in the Regina system in 1088 might
have the following registry:

A-SMRE-1088-4257

This assumes that no single subsector in the Imperium will register more
than 9999 ships in a single year.

- -- 

Douglas E. Berry   Templar Agent at Large.
dberry@hooked.net  http://jump.to/SyleaDownport

TravGeekCode: 
tc+ tm+ !tn- t4@ ?tg+ tt@ to(CORPS)++ ru@ $ge++ 3i
ii+ au st+ ls+ pi kk+ so(++) va++ dr+ zh+ sw++ ?da
         

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

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 12:12:13 -0400
From: "Daniel Phelps" <phelpsd@gate.net>
Subject: Re: Ethically challenged merchants

In my suggestion for a "High Tech Chop Shop" adventure  hook, I guess I
didn't pose the question as well as I would have liked.  I was talking about
a range of possibilities.   Any looting of a ship is going to take time,
doesn't matter if its transferring cargo or stripping out valuable
components.  The rule of thumb if you are in a hurry in such circumstances
is you don't take easily traceable items, and you concentrate on small, hard
to trace, items with a high ratio of value to bulk/mass.

I see a spectrum of criminal activity and reasons for it.  Thus we could
have thefts that are incidental to the original crime from "...pull the z
crystals while you're at Ralfie I got a buddy who buys them no questions
asked we'll split the take no reason to tell the boss..." to organized high
speed strippers "...ok, get to work me hearties, we got three hour on the
safe side, so lets rip the guts out of this baby and haul butt..." all the
way to "...hop to it me buckos, just patch the damage and jump her out of
here, we can strip what we want back at the 'roid".  It might be as simple
as stealing items with enough universality that they could function as
spares/replacement parts or as complicated as dealing with fence with
political connections and a place to sell where no one cares how hot the
merchandise is.  To give some modern examples of such direct trade, luxury
cars get ripped off all the time in Houston which turn up in the Middle
East.  SUVs get swiped anywhere in the southwest US and turn up in Belize.
Big luxury power boats get swiped in South Florida and turn up in South
America.   Just try to get any of these items back through "official
channels".

Regarding attempts by the Impies to stop piracy on its margins, if the risk
is low and the profit high, ....well lets put it this way,  ....they are
trying hold back the sea with a very leaky dike.

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

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 09:31:33 -0700
From: Bruce Johnson <johnson@pharmacy.arizona.edu>
Subject: Re: Human Origins

Christopher B. Thrash wrote:
> 
> Sherry Thrash sends:
> 
> >This mean that H. erectus is probably just a subspecies of H. sap under
> >the skin? This has _direct_ bearing on the very topic, meaning that if
> >the Ancients _did_ come down and scoop up a pile of H. erectus
> >populations, then scattered them about, they all _did_ evolve into h.
> >sapiens (vilanis, zhodani, etc, etc, etc)
> 
> Ooh... I was hoping no one was going to notice that because I'm out on a limb
> now.  But yes, that's what I think and I'm not alone on that limb.  It gets
> political here.  

Human evolution has _always_ been more political than not. Except in Kansas,
it seems, where it didn't happen ;-)

> Species are named arbitrarily by traits that separate them
> from each other.  H. erectus and H. sapiens are pretty damn similar at the
> skeleton.  Sure there are differences, but the differences are pretty small
> when compared to the differences that equate to species division in other
> critters.  Subspecies seems a more appropriated division to me.

The same thing happens in any field of study that depends solely on fossilized
remains for classification. If you've gotten anywhere near the
paleontologists, I'm sure you've smelt the napalm from _their_ flamefests :-)
From their bones, paleontologists would probably classify a chihuahua and a
great dane as different species at the very least, and it would make sense if
they had 4 complete dog skeletons and a handful of other bones to go on.

> >And given we were then in need of yelling like crazy, since this was
> >when we'd left the saftey of the trees and moved out onto the savannah,
> >it _was_ advantageous to be able to say "HEY HEY HEY There's a Lion over
> >THERE", even if it was only so that we guaranteed slower running humans
> >scattering to tempt the lion more than ourselves. <Wilderness mantra: 'I
> >don't have to run faster than the bear, just faster than _you_'
> 
> [I am not picking a fight.  I am not picking a fight.  I am not picking a
> fight.]

Neither was I, only regurgitating a mildly educated laymans view...if it's
wrong please tell me!

> The whole Savanna dweller thing is up for debate right now.  

Didn't know that...

snip

> So now I'm going to tell you all who I am.  Monkey Girl here is a graduate
> from CU-Colorado Springs in Anthropology.  My emphasis was Physical
> Anthropology, and I basically have an undergraduate degree in Biology too,
> except I opted not to take Organic Chemistry and Physics.  Human evolution
> and mammalian studies were my thing for a long time.  Origins of bipedality
> is my hobby horse.  Then I found archaeology, my world tilted a little on
> it's axis, and I left it all behind - about 2 months ago.  That's me, and
> hopefully what I've been saying about human origins has sounded totally like
> a lot of crap.

Hey, if it is, it's much more authoritative crap than what _I've_ been saying,
which is based on old textbooks, TLC/The Discovery Channel, National
Geographic and Scientific American, so thank you very much for your time.

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

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 09:40:21 -0700
From: Bruce Johnson <johnson@pharmacy.arizona.edu>
Subject: Re: Alternate Game Mechanics - Cybertech

Kurtis Rodgers wrote:
> 
>  The first - and last - valid
> cyber application I see in use by anyone in the 3I is neural interfaces of
> some kind.
 
> Even within Shadowrun, cybertech is slowly being replaced by bioware.  I can
> imagine a TL15 black lab that performs mods of a totally non-cyber nature.
> Not only can you get custom designed 'improved' organs, glands, etc., I can
> see really cutting edge tech body scultpuring via DNA programming.  How
> about Niven's RNA skill training?

I think that's another of Larry's ideas that have been disproven.
 
> I can see a lot of very specialized uses of neural links (besides
> computer nerds, that is :), such as battledress, 'smartguns', ect.  A link
> with a memory module, and the capability of recording everything you see and
> hear, could be a useful intel application at some tech levels (the old
> 'human camera' trick).

If you want to see what neural links could do to a society, read Nova by
Samuel R. Delany. It is and it isn't Travellerish, but it is a stunning look
at a avery advanced future. In it, neural jacks change the entire concept of
'work' for the human race.

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

End of Traveller-digest V1999 #962
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