Traveller-digest       Sunday, August 15 1999       Volume 1999 : Number 963



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

The following topics are covered in this digest:

Re: Relief for Newbies
Re: Oops... Off Topic...
Re: Ship questions...
Re: <no subject>
Re: Sunbeard, pyrates, etc.
h. aquatica
Re: h. aquatica
RE: Ditzie's Chopper-wopper
Re: Ethically challenged merchants
Re: Alternate Game Mechanics - Cybertech
Re: h. aquatica
Re: MT Designs for old Gearheads
RE: Alternate Game Mechanics
Re: Ethically challenged merchants
Re: FLGS and On-Line Resources
Re: Human Origins
Books
Aquatic Ape Theory
Re: Ditzie's Chopper-wopper
Re: Traveller props
Playing with First In

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

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 09:47:00 -0700
From: Evyn MacDude <wmacdude@worldnet.att.net>
Subject: Re: Relief for Newbies

Douglas E. Berry wrote:

> At 11:11 AM 8/11/99 -0400, you wrote:
>
> >5. I have no idea at all about the Lesbian Aslan (aka female Aslan in
> >comfy shoes).  Some folks around here are just strange...
>
> That one arose from the 3:1 ratio of femal to male Aslan.  Some of us
> wonderered is bisexuality might be the norm for female Aslan, and off it
> went...
> --

Gee, Doug wasn't this durning the search for a Crash Dumm..... Er I
mean product tester for the pelvic mounted plasma guns?

- --
Evyn...
Wish I was a better person...   with more control...
Turn the other cheek...   and when the punch comes, roll...
Wish I was a kinder person...   could see the others pain...
Not over react, not judge...   and shrug off the spreadin' stain.
Damaged, by John Shirley/Donald Roeser, BOC, Heaven Forbid 1998.

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

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 09:50:55 -0700
From: "Benyamene' ZeAbe' Akella" <xrp@sierratel.com>
Subject: Re: Oops... Off Topic...

> BDSM-D/s
OK, there's a variation I am unfamiliar with, what is that last D/s?
Dominant/submissive?

Masochist: Hurt me baby, please!
Sadist: Hmmm. No.  ;-)

ObTrav: In r/l we have a variety of "adult clubs" and whatnot; Swingers
clubs, BDSM clubs, etc. What parallels are in the 3I? Zero-G Sex Halls,
Robo-hookers, Chem-Stim dispensers in the restrooms?
BZA
////////////////////////////////////////
Akella 0609 C654474-6 S kk+ hi++ as+ va+ dr+ da+ so@ zh- vi+  A523
IMTU tc++ ?t4 ru@ 3i+(-) c+ jt au@ st- ls+ pi+ ta@ he+

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

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 10:02:50 -0700
From: Bruce Johnson <johnson@pharmacy.arizona.edu>
Subject: Re: Ship questions...

Andrew Batishko wrote:
> 
> 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?

That question has been debated may times, most of the debate comes down to
'Are they more like Ford Explorers, 747's or oil tankers?' so the estimate
runs between a few weeks to several months or more. The truth is, we haven't a
clue. Gravitic technology changes things a LOT, as does having made starships
for a millenia or so. They may be more like cars for all we know, but likely
not. That is tied to starship production rates, which is _another_ damn can of
worms someone opened a long time ago; they've wriggled to the far corners of
the universe by now. All that we have are rules from Trillion Credit Squadron,
which gives military ship production rates during wartime, and estimates from
_current_ production rates of various things.

The size of the yard makes a difference, certainly, but a big yard  will be
just as slow as a small one if they're not set up to make them. Auto, aircraft
and ship assembly facilities are quite specialized.
 
This is, alas, one case where it's left mostly up to the referee.

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

Another things that's open to debate. Oldest canon on the books (literally, ON
the books ;-) states that the registration is the ships class (Free Trader)
and the ships name (Beowulf) as in 'Mayday Mayday! This is Free Trader
Beowulf! We are under attack...'

Realistically, an unique identifier for each ship (as passed in the
transponder codes) will be lengthy, but likely for human use only a subset, a
name plus a 'tail number' will be common eg: 'This is Beowulf FT3465E,
requesting Highport Control clearance for docking at hangar
three-seven-niner-zed. Over'

Another one left mostly up to the referee.

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

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 10:23:32 -0700
From: "Benyamene' ZeAbe' Akella" <xrp@sierratel.com>
Subject: Re: <no subject>

> 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.

 I have heard this too, but was unsure where, so I haven't mentioned it yet.
Glad to see someone shares a part of reality with me. ;)

Further, I heard that this semi-aquatic nature probably evolved from the
habitat being flooded, the bipedal aspect raising the "intakes" above the
surface of the water. And the vocal chords had something to do with
volutarily holding ones breath. The flooding also explains hair loss, as the
article I read this in said something about other hairless (nearly) mammals
were all semi-aquatic at some point in their evolution. ISTR there weren't
many species that fit that bill either
BZA
////////////////////////////////////////
Akella 0609 C654474-6 S kk+ hi++ as+ va+ dr+ da+ so@ zh- vi+  A523
IMTU tc++ ?t4 ru@ 3i+(-) c+ jt au@ st- ls+ pi+ ta@ he+

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

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 10:32:27 -0700
From: "Benyamene' ZeAbe' Akella" <xrp@sierratel.com>
Subject: Re: Sunbeard, pyrates, etc.

> Sunbeard Declaration.
What is the this?

////////////////////////////////////////
Akella 0609 C654474-6 S kk+ hi++ as+ va+ dr+ da+ so@ zh- vi+  A523
IMTU tc++ ?t4 ru@ 3i+(-) c+ jt au@ st- ls+ pi+ ta@ he+

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

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 10:33:54 -0700
From: "Kiri Aradia Morgan" <tiamat@tsoft.com>
Subject: h. aquatica

Elaine Morgan, "The Descent of Woman" --- it's an old book, but it deals
with a lot of these ideas.  I've no idea how dated her sources are, but I
learned a lot reading it.  That's the main place I've seen the theory about
humans having spent a lot of time in water.

Kiri


>> 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.
>
> I have heard this too, but was unsure where, so I haven't mentioned it
yet.
>Glad to see someone shares a part of reality with me. ;)
>
>Further, I heard that this semi-aquatic nature probably evolved from the
>habitat being flooded, the bipedal aspect raising the "intakes" above the
>surface of the water. And the vocal chords had something to do with
>volutarily holding ones breath. The flooding also explains hair loss, as
the
>article I read this in said something about other hairless (nearly) mammals
>were all semi-aquatic at some point in their evolution. ISTR there weren't
>many species that fit that bill either
>BZA
>////////////////////////////////////////
>Akella 0609 C654474-6 S kk+ hi++ as+ va+ dr+ da+ so@ zh- vi+  A523
>IMTU tc++ ?t4 ru@ 3i+(-) c+ jt au@ st- ls+ pi+ ta@ he+
>

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

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 12:36:47 -0500
From: "Thomas Vickers" <redroach@flex.net>
Subject: Re: h. aquatica

Some other evidence that I have seen thrown around is that the hair on the
human body points/lays in one direction, like that of marine mammals.

TV
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ------------
"The dumber you seem to be, the more surprised they'll be when you kill
them."
- -----Original Message-----
From: Kiri Aradia Morgan <tiamat@tsoft.com>
To: traveller@lists.imagiconline.com <traveller@lists.imagiconline.com>
Date: Sunday, August 15, 1999 12:36 PM
Subject: h. aquatica


>Elaine Morgan, "The Descent of Woman" --- it's an old book, but it deals
>with a lot of these ideas.  I've no idea how dated her sources are, but I
>learned a lot reading it.  That's the main place I've seen the theory about
>humans having spent a lot of time in water.
>
>Kiri
>
>
>>> 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.
>>
>> I have heard this too, but was unsure where, so I haven't mentioned it
>yet.
>>Glad to see someone shares a part of reality with me. ;)
>>
>>Further, I heard that this semi-aquatic nature probably evolved from the
>>habitat being flooded, the bipedal aspect raising the "intakes" above the
>>surface of the water. And the vocal chords had something to do with
>>volutarily holding ones breath. The flooding also explains hair loss, as
>the
>>article I read this in said something about other hairless (nearly)
mammals
>>were all semi-aquatic at some point in their evolution. ISTR there weren't
>>many species that fit that bill either
>>BZA
>>////////////////////////////////////////
>>Akella 0609 C654474-6 S kk+ hi++ as+ va+ dr+ da+ so@ zh- vi+  A523
>>IMTU tc++ ?t4 ru@ 3i+(-) c+ jt au@ st- ls+ pi+ ta@ he+
>>

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

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 11:14:35 -0700
From: "Jesse DeGraff" <fenris@slip.net>
Subject: RE: Ditzie's Chopper-wopper

OOOOooooohhhhh!  Another-wuther toy to draw >:^D

Jesse





> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-traveller@lists.imagiconline.com
> [mailto:owner-traveller@lists.imagiconline.com]On Behalf Of Ian or Katts
> Sent: Saturday, August 14, 1999 4:02 PM
> To: traveller@mpgn.com
> Subject: Ditzie's Chopper-wopper
>
>
>
> OK. Ditzie is crashed out again - a combination of too much design work
> outside of her comfort zone of starships and what are euphemistically
> called 'hand weapons'.
>
> Here is the first cut of the FS TL12 Stealth Helicopter, codenamed
> 'Mixmaster Bilongum Divil'. Whilst not particularily stealthy in the
> visual, infrared, radar or sound spectrums, it is guaranteed undetectable
> by gravitic and neutrino sensors.
>
> As a first cut, it only includes the main stuff. Things like sensors,
> electronics, crewstations and so on will go in later.
>
> Tandem Rotor Helicoper, TL12
>
> 1000 kN Tandem Rotors ; 3.5t, KCr 53, <20 MW demand>
>
> 21 MW TL12 Fuel Cell ; 23.1 t, KCr 465 <21 MW provided. Note 21%
> efficiency
> increase from scale>
>
> 2 hours fuel ; 9.45 t
>
> 4 megajoule TL12 Rapid Fire NPAW (one shot per 2.5 seconds. 2m long, 0.25m
> diameter) ; 0.165t, KCr 200 <nb needs Beam Pointer. 15 km range in atmos
> 6-9. DV 14)
>
> 6 minute/8 MW TL12 battery pack ; 2.2t, KCr 6 <144 shots for squirt gun>
>
> 100 MJ Box Magazine Plasma Gun ; 7.67t, KCr 606 (DV 400, 1 km short range.
> Includes box with 10 Thud Gun cartridges)
>
> Mass is approximatly 40 tons without armour. We at FS havent flight tested
> this baby yet, but Ditzie thinks it should be able to do the top speed of
> 350 km per hour with lots of armour. She would appreciate the help of
> anyone who actually understands the aircraft rules in FFS2.
>
> The NPAW is going to go into a chin turret, in order to provide point
> defense capability and swat those annoying but crunchy infrantry in
> battledress.
>
> The Thud Gun is a spinal mount.
>
> Well, it needs some work, but Ditzie thinks it will fly. The cost
> will be a
> bit over a megacredit when all is said and done - possibly more with fancy
> electronics.
>
> Famile Spofulam - High Energy Solutions for High Energy Problems in a High
> Energy Universe
>
> Ian Whitchurch
>
>
>

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

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 11:05:41 -0700
From: "Benyamene' ZeAbe' Akella" <xrp@sierratel.com>
Subject: Re: Ethically challenged merchants

> I see a spectrum of criminal activity and reasons for it.

Aye aye! And I love the examples you gave, but even though I am the one who
started this (sorta, with help), and I came down firmly in the Pro-piracy
camp (as in believing it happens, not being one), I think I should clarify
my position.

By the end of your thread, you have implied a strong possibility of piracy
as a vocation. I doubt this is viable anywhere *in* the 3I, or even most of
the borders. Vagyr Extents are another story, but otherwise I see piracy
mainly as a crime of opportunity, not a career choice.

A mercenary company heads out to Jump point after completing their
assignment on a TL8 world. Coming in is a Fartrader with light armament (to
the Merc. POV), and somehow the Merc. Captain determines the cargo as
valuable. Extremely. No Naval vessels nearby. Out of range of the sensors of
the primary world. Gee, Captain, I don't even see a moniter sat, can we take
her? Please?

Just thinking.
BZA
////////////////////////////////////////
Akella 0609 C654474-6 S kk+ hi++ as+ va+ dr+ da+ so@ zh- vi+  A523
IMTU tc++ ?t4 ru@ 3i+(-) c+ jt au@ st- ls+ pi+ ta@ he+

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

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 10:31:42 PST
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)
Subject: Re: Alternate Game Mechanics - Cybertech

In mail you write:

> 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?

That's a *different* Harrison trilogy. He's written a *lot* of books. 

The "hero" in all three "Deathworld" books is a guy named Jason dinAlt.

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

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

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 13:25:29 -0600 (MDT)
From: Merrick Burkhardt <merrick@shell.rt66.com>
Subject: Re: h. aquatica

 
> Some other evidence that I have seen thrown around is that the hair on the
> human body points/lays in one direction, like that of marine mammals.

...or any other mammal for that matter.


My dog's hair is lying the same way, but she simply keeps her
spine/limbs in different directions _most_ of the itme :-)

I saw in one of my wife's embryology books that hair swirl patterns
on babies are used to diagnose certain congenital defects.

- -Merrick

ObTrav: We all know of the Solomani hypothosis (basically correct), 
but what _kooky_ theories were popular for the existance of humaniti? 
;-)

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

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 12:22:37 -0700
From: George Herbert <gherbert@crl.com>
Subject: Re: MT Designs for old Gearheads

Cynthia Higginbotham <cyhiggin@pipeline.com> wrote:
>I have dredged out my hard disk archives and put my various original
>MT designs on my web page.  Sooner or later I will add TNE designs
>from Steve's abortive TNE/TCS PBEM, and CT/HG2 designs from Steve's
>old Islands TCS PBEM (I played in both, and designed a whole slew
>of ships for them...).  

Ahhh.... the memories flood back 8-)

I would be willing to put my archive directories from those games
up on the web, too, it would be interesting to go back and see
what the rest of you thought was going on at the time, and what
your designs really looked like.


- -george william herbert
gherbert@crl.com

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

Date: Sat, 14 Aug 1999 14:20:36 -0400
From: Thomas Jones-Low <tjoneslo@softstart.com>
Subject: RE: Alternate Game Mechanics

> Date: Sat, 14 Aug 1999 15:03:30 +1000
> From: "Alan Bradley" <alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au>
> Subject: Re: Alternate Game Mechanics (Re: What's the News on T5?)
> 

<snip>

> > > Oh, and the cybernetics rules too! Joy!
> > 
> > Hmm.  I'm an old skool CT guy at heart - I do think injecting some
> elements
> > of SR gameplay can liven up traditional Traveller themes (Megacorp
> activity,
> > in particular, translates quite well to the TU), but heavy cyber will
> > suppressed tech in MTU.  Still, there bound to be shadow labs out there
> > somewhere, cranking out some outrageous super-duper covert types for the
> > Impies and the Bureaus.
> 
> I tend to view the whole "cyberpunk" thing as being a result of social
> immaturity, at least from the viewpoint of the 3I.  The Imperium operates,
> largely, on mature technology, where any social impacts occurred long ago,
> and little is considered particularly gee-whiz.  As such, people who use
> cyberjunk, apart from 'normal' prostheses, are generally considered nerds,
> if sometimes dangerous ones.  After all, very little can't be achieved by
> non-invasive means - there's slow drug, and combat drug, and night vision
> gear, armour, wrist computers, and so on.  So a cyborg doesn't have any
> real advantage over a properly prepared normal, and is really only someone
> wandering around saying "look at me - I'm a dangerous idiot".
>

	From a personal point of view I agree. It's also psychological. The
inward focus of the Cyberpunk vs the outward expansion focus of the 3I.
I can imagine a future of the 3I where the borders have all been closed,
and everyone begins to display the unhealthy tendencies of the
Cyberpunks
 
> Are there advantages to covertly equipping people with "stuff"?  Of course.
>  Most of the time, however, I suspect that it would tend to be "Stainless
> Steel Rat" type gear - itself, of course, pretty serious.  Now I think of
> it, I was using that kind of stuff in campaigns pretty much from the
> beginning, along with "power-holsters" - quick draw gear lifted from the
> "Deathworld" books.
> 
> For Net/hacker stuff, see above.
> 
> I've always been intrigued by the possibility of running a scenario where
> the 3I runs into a "cyberpunk" world.  The image of a massively powerful
> "Big Iron" interstellar state colliding with a bunch of smart barbarians is
> kind of appealing.  The Imperial Marines hits the mean streets....
> 

	They never developed the jump drive, but are TL 11/14 (or higher). This
would be a nasty scenario. And if they could import their Network
functionality off planet, it may well be a repeat of the Solomani system
vs 1I. 

> Alan Bradley
> alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au
- -- 
	Thomas Jones-Low		
	tjoneslo@softstart.com		
	http://www.softstart.com

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

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 12:35:05 -0700
From: shudson@lightspeed.bc.ca (Steven Hudson)
Subject: Re: Ethically challenged merchants

>From: "Daniel Phelps" <phelpsd@gate.net>
>Subject: Re: Ethically challenged merchants
...
>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.

  How low do you think the risk is?

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

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 99 14:32:13 -0500
From: "Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>
Subject: Re: FLGS and On-Line Resources

On 08/15/99 at 03:01 AM,  GypsyComet@aol.com said:

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

> You can't.

> FLGS = "Friendly Local Game Store"

Well, doesn't that depend on exactly where he is,  and/or how he defines "Local?" ;->

If you need online you can get them at...

http://www.irony.com/bookstore
http://www.dragonscroll.com
http://www.crazyegors.com
http://www.dragonstrove.com
and of course...
http://www.sjgames.com

Eris
- -- 
- -----------------------------------------------------------
"Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>    using MR/2 ICE #245
- -----------------------------------------------------------

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

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 13:44:03 -0600 (MDT)
From: Merrick Burkhardt <merrick@shell.rt66.com>
Subject: Re: Human Origins

 
> >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.  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.  
 
One, wouldn't WE be subspecies of erectus/ergaster? ;-)

Regardless of semantics--actually, a lot of systematics IS just
semantics. The problem that was pointed out is that a simple
definition of "species" is really impossible if you are not limited
to extant forms. Fact is that we're forced to deal with most species
being long dead, so fossils are gonna be the source of differences.

I agree (being a lumper myself, I guess) that many things have been
labeled as different that shouldn't be. The ole error bar of
individual variation makes that pretty likely using bones alone.

In paleontology the species labels have as much use as simple labels
as they do for attempts to explain relatedness as far as I can
see--in other words useful when talking to others, you say "A. boisei,"
and I have a picture in my head of the critter. Where it stands in
the scheme of things is a whole nother ball-o-wax. Same is true for
erectus. Regardless of how he relates to H. sapiens, I know what
rough kind of critter is being talked about.

Hell, the same specimen could well get a different label for each
species definition. H. erectus is can be distinguished by bones,
it's a species. If H. erectus could interbreed successfully with H.
sapiens (if it were possible to actually test) then it ISN'T a
species break, etc.

- -Merrick

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

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 99 14:45:02 -0500
From: "Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>
Subject: Books

On 08/15/99 at 09:40 AM,  Bruce Johnson <johnson@pharmacy.arizona.edu> said:

>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.

Good book!  And, not-Travellerish is how I'd describe it.

How about the new Solar Queen books from Norton and co-writers? Are they worth
a read?


Eris
- -- 
- -----------------------------------------------------------
"Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>    using MR/2 ICE #245
- -----------------------------------------------------------

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

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 99 14:56:58 -0500
From: "Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>
Subject: Aquatic Ape Theory

On 08/15/99 at 10:33 AM,  "Kiri Aradia Morgan" <tiamat@tsoft.com> said:

>Elaine Morgan, "The Descent of Woman" --- it's an old book, but it
>deals with a lot of these ideas.  I've no idea how dated her sources
>are, but I learned a lot reading it.  That's the main place I've seen
>the theory about humans having spent a lot of time in water.

She has a more recent follow up book titled "The Aquatic Ape."

And here are websites with further information...

pro
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/5168/aat.html

con
http://huizen.dds.nl/~seismo/antiaat.html

Eris
- -- 
- -----------------------------------------------------------
"Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>    using MR/2 ICE #245
- -----------------------------------------------------------

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

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 12:46:02 -0700
From: "Legate Legion" <legate@futureone.com>
Subject: Re: Ditzie's Chopper-wopper

From: Jesse DeGraff <fenris@slip.net>
Subject: RE: Ditzie's Chopper-wopper


>OOOOooooohhhhh!  Another-wuther toy to draw >:^D


    Please don't tell me that Ditzie really doesn't talk like this.  Come
on, at around 10 years old, she should be talking like a 10 year old, not a
4 year old.

>Jesse


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 13:18:43 -0700
From: shudson@lightspeed.bc.ca (Steven Hudson)
Subject: Re: Traveller props

>From: "Benyamene' ZeAbe' Akella" <xrp@sierratel.com>
>Subject: Re: Traveller-heads in Central Florida
...
>have been collecting some flotsam to build some Traveller props, like
>Starports, ruins, crash sites, etc. Anyone have any pointers? 25mm scale
>seems very popular, but what about larger scenes? City panorama type stuff.

  Especially if you can get RAFM's TNE ships then the ERTL (IIRC) Space:
1999 Moonbase Alpha model can make for a small port - the Eagle pads are
about the right size for a Type S lead mini (or even a Beachball!), and 
you can have real fun with doing up stats for the half-dozen included
Eagles in ~1:1200 scale, and then get 15mm mini's and the larger (~7"?)
Eagle model too!

  25mm isn't too badly supported either - you can still find RAFM / TNE
stuff, and Stone Mountain Miniatures has a figure line that's true 25mm 
dead-ringers for Zho's - and includes "Warbots"!

        Steven Hudson

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

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 12:30:55
From: "Douglas E. Berry" <dberry@hooked.net>
Subject: Playing with First In

Wardn/Lunion 1727 B-756486-B 502

Primary: Hellit,  G5v  Temp: 5800K, Mass: .94, Luminosity: .79
Age: ~6 billion years.

Life Zone: .84 - 1.2 AU   Jump Line: 1.64AU

System Details

Orbit(AU)  World    Diameter   Mass    Grav    Type      Notes
- -----------------------------------------------------------------
.29       Sharoult    6010     .408    .71g   G'House
.59       Terin       5030     .195    .49g   Desert     4 sm moons
.89       Wardn       7143     .673    .86g   Earthlike  Mainworld
1.2       Shanning    3102     .039    .27g   Rockball   1 sm moon
3         Logress    58650     70.9    1.3g   Gas Giant  11 moons
4.8       Letherin   65640     73.2    1.1g   Gas Giant  12 mn/ring
10.2      Athod      10359     .690    .43g   Hostile(A) 5 sm moons
19.2      Clai        3545     .018    .12g   Icy RkBall 

Wardn - 

Diameter: 7143 miles        Desnity: 5.4g/cc
Mass: .673 Standard         Gravity: .86g

Orbital Eccentricity: .05   Minimum Seperation: .85AU, Max: .93AU
Orbital Period: 274.93 days Total Tidal Effect: 5
Rotation: 23h, 35m, 24s     Sidereal Day: 25h, 48m, 15s
Axial Tilt: 29 degrees      Type: Ocean/Earthlike

Atmospheric Pressure: .73   Hydrographics: 63%
Life: Complex Animals (IQ5) Atmospheic Composition: N2-O2
Surface Temperture: 281K    Climate: Chilly
Resources: Average          MSPR: 8

Social Parameters
Pluarism: High (+3)         Toleration: High (+1)
Soldidarity: Moderate (-1)  Tractability: Moderate (-1)
Aggression: Low (-3)        Pragmatism: High (+2)
Innovation: Moderate (0)    Providence: Moderate (0)

This is one of my first experiments with _First In_, and I like the results.

Rolling orbital placements, I did have to fiddle with the innermost orbit
and Bode constant to get a world solidly in the habital zone.  Imagine my
surprise when I got two worlds in the zone!

My only stumbling blocks using _FI_ to detail worlds was figuring out how
to do fourth roots on my calculator and getting the book to lie flat.  The
latter was solved by a quick trip to Kinkos for a chop job and page
protectors, the former by experimentation.

One thing I really liked was the Social Parameters.. they really helped me
envision the world's society.. in Wardn's case, we have a very open,
tolerant, non-aggressive people.  Police on Wardn would probably be armed
with net guns, slippery spray and the like, and carrying a deadly weapon,
or aggressive behavior would be met with utter horror.

Projecting further, I can now justify Wardn being listed as independent in
_Behind The Claw_.  Wardn is an open world, free for anyone to visit.  The
Sword Worlds conquered it once, and the entire population held a sit down
strike.  Since a neutral world can be an asset, the Imperium has decided
that Wardn isn't worth incorporating.. yet.

*Grin* ..it just struck me.. this could be a world full of hippies!  The
ultimate bastion of Political Correctness!  A clever (sadistic) Referee
could have immense fun with this aspect of the culture.



- -- 

Douglas E. Berry  dberry@hooked.net
http://jump.to/SyleaDownport

TML Great Old One
Plague of the Traveller Riders of the Apocalypse
Chant "Gridlore" thrice to summon.

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

End of Traveller-digest V1999 #963
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