<HTML><FONT  SIZE=3 PTSIZE=10>Subj:	<B> Traveller-digest V1999 #1365</FONT><FONT  SIZE=3 PTSIZE=10></B><BR>
Date:	11/19/99 3:36:56 PM Pacific Standard Time<BR>
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Traveller-digest     Friday, November 19 1999     Volume 1999 : Number 1365<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
(R)1996. Traveller is a registered trademark of FarFuture Enterprises.<BR>
All rights reserved.<BR>
<BR>
The following topics are covered in this digest:<BR>
<BR>
Re: Meta-stories<BR>
PBEM??<BR>
Re: Totally OT but ...<BR>
Re: How to do a gritty, X-Files-like scenario?<BR>
Traveller Census<BR>
RE: Disabling Weapons<BR>
Re: Mood Music<BR>
Re: Disabling Weapons<BR>
Re: The naming of things<BR>
Re: off to the Races<BR>
Re: Nightmare Passengers<BR>
Re: How to do a gritty, X-Files-like scenario?<BR>
Re: Arts and Culture in and around 3I<BR>
Re: That explains the =?iso-8859-1?Q?=91Don=92t?= throw Eggs  at  the PM  Act,<BR>
re: Traveller-like fiction<BR>
Re: Traveller-like fiction<BR>
RE: New BITS product hinted at<BR>
Re: modern roleplayers<BR>
Re: How to do a gritty, X-Files-like scenario?<BR>
Re: Sten series<BR>
Re: Riot Control Agents<BR>
Re: off to the Races<BR>
Re: off to the Races<BR>
Re: Totally OT but ...<BR>
Re: Tourism in the Marches<BR>
<BR>
----------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 12:31:32<BR>
From: "Douglas E. Berry" <gridlore@pop.mindspring.com><BR>
Subject: Re: Meta-stories<BR>
<BR>
At 09:34 AM 11/19/1999 -0600, you wrote:<BR>
>Hello folks,<BR>
><BR>
>After collecting lots of ideas for gritty, X-files like scenarios, I<BR>
>was drawn to the mysteries which were used in Traveller to<BR>
>provide a type of background environment, or overarching<BR>
>enigmas or pushes... real big, hazy carrots floating in the Traveller<BR>
>background to make players go "hmmm" and wonder if there's<BR>
>any rhyme or reason to it all.<BR>
<BR>
I *really* need to finish the Illuminated Traveller Campaign page.  Droyne,<BR>
Templars, the truth behind both the Long Night and the rise of Cleon, why<BR>
nobody noticed Andor until the 8th Century, why Plankwell started the Civil<BR>
War, and why Arbellatra stopped it.<BR>
- -- <BR>
<BR>
Douglas E. Berry       gridlore@mindspring.com<BR>
http://gridlore.home.mindspring.com/index.html<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 12:43:17 -0800<BR>
From: "Tim MacPherson" <timac@home.com><BR>
Subject: PBEM??<BR>
<BR>
Hi all<BR>
<BR>
Is there any PBEM groups looking for a player?<BR>
<BR>
Tim MacPherson<BR>
Kelowna,BC <BR>
CANADA<BR>
timac@home.com<BR>
 <BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 15:48:34 -0500<BR>
From: Ethan Henry <egh@klg.com><BR>
Subject: Re: Totally OT but ...<BR>
<BR>
> On another note, I would like to ask the gang here what their experiences<BR>
> have been buying from Amazon.com?  I purchased "Age of Empires 2" at their<BR>
> site almost a month ago and they agreed to ship it within 3-7 days.  As you<BR>
> can probably tell, the wait time has far exceeded that.<BR>
<BR>
The problem is that they may very well have shipped it to you...<BR>
once it leaves their hands, it's not their problem. I had a couple<BR>
of books hung up for almost 2 months in transit from Amazon once.<BR>
<BR>
(Of course, I am in Canada, so YMMV).<BR>
<BR>
- --<BR>
Ethan Henry                                        egh@klg.com<BR>
Java Evangelist, KL Group                   http://www.klg.com<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 15:51:05 -0500<BR>
From: Ethan Henry <egh@klg.com><BR>
Subject: Re: How to do a gritty, X-Files-like scenario?<BR>
<BR>
Bruce Johnson <johnson@pharmacy.arizona.edu> wrote:<BR>
> > >Another possibility, though one done to death recently in movies: the<BR>
> > >altered reality the PCs find themselves in is a virtual reality sim --<BR>
><BR>
> "I'm Dwayne Dibley???? Whattya mean I'm DWAYNE DIBLEY!!!!????"<BR>
<BR>
Bruce, you Zho spy! You read my mind! Damn good thing I had put <BR>
down the Dr.Pepper...<BR>
<BR>
Now, if only you could get the players to mime car chases and<BR>
such during a game.<BR>
<BR>
(For those who don't get it, it's yet another Red Dwarf reference...)<BR>
- --<BR>
Ethan Henry                                        egh@klg.com<BR>
Java Evangelist, KL Group                   http://www.klg.com<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 15:06:22 -0600<BR>
From: "Bont" <felix@felixcafe.com><BR>
Subject: Traveller Census<BR>
<BR>
Wasn't there a web page somewhere that listed all the travellers <BR>
player's (or at least those who submitted there names)?<BR>
<BR>
Where is it?<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
- - - -<BR>
FELIX (Thomas L Bont)<BR>
<BR>
- - Encrypt your messages!<BR>
  That way only the government knows what you wrote!<BR>
<BR>
- - It is truly the wise man that knows what he doesn't!<BR>
<BR>
- - With your shield or on it ... (Old Spartan Blessing)<BR>
<BR>
- - Fidelitas super omnia, honore excepto<BR>
<BR>
- - Help Stop Forest Fires.  Outlaw Matches.<BR>
<BR>
Be sure to visit The FELIX Cafe at<BR>
     http://www.felixcafe.com/<BR>
<BR>
- - - -<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 13:05:21 -0800<BR>
From: gduke@telebyte.com<BR>
Subject: RE: Disabling Weapons<BR>
<BR>
One of the disabling weapons that was supposedly designed up for crowd<BR>
control basically used low frequency Sonics to vibrate peoples lower<BR>
intestines.  Tis rather hard to riot when everyone is filling there<BR>
pants.<BR>
<BR>
G.D.D.<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 16:16:58 EST<BR>
From: GypsyComet@aol.com<BR>
Subject: Re: Mood Music<BR>
<BR>
Kyle Schuant <kyle3054@yahoo.com> wrote:<BR>
> okay, that's heaps for the fiction... anybody got any<BR>
> Traveller-like music? I know, I know, it depends on<BR>
> the feel of the campaign, is it Star Trek/Star<BR>
> Wars/Aliens or something else? In other games I've had<BR>
> "mood music", just thought it might be good in<BR>
> Traveller, too...<BR>
<BR>
 Riven: The Soundtrack<BR>
 the Soundtrack to 2001: A Space Odyssey<BR>
 Mike Oldfield's "Songs of a Distant Earth"<BR>
 the Soundtrack to "Dune"<BR>
 "The Best of Dr. Who, Volume 1: The Five Doctors"<BR>
 the Soundtrack to Fifth Element<BR>
 the Soundtrack to Bubblegum Crisis #1<BR>
 much of the Babylon 5 audio CD collection<BR>
<BR>
 GC<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 14:03:05 -0800 (PST)<BR>
From: Glenn Goffin <gmgoffin@yahoo.com><BR>
Subject: Re: Disabling Weapons<BR>
<BR>
Another non-lethal crowd control device is sound. <BR>
Some sounds affect the nervous system and make people<BR>
feel anxious.  Sound can be loud enough to prevent<BR>
aural communication.  Sophisticated measures can<BR>
interfere with communicative sounds, making them<BR>
unintelligible.  <BR>
<BR>
The Soviets flew fighter jets low over protesters in<BR>
Kabul early in the war for exactly this reason.  Law<BR>
enforcement tried similar techniques on the Branch<BR>
Dravidians, but the context was completely different<BR>
(trying to get people out of an armed camp as opposed<BR>
to trying to get people to disperse ).<BR>
<BR>
- --Glenn<BR>
__________________________________________________<BR>
Do You Yahoo!?<BR>
Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 23:13:35 +0100 (MET)<BR>
From: Tommy Grav <tommy.grav@astro.uio.no><BR>
Subject: Re: The naming of things<BR>
<BR>
On Fri, 19 Nov 1999, Douglas E. Berry wrote:<BR>
<BR>
>At 07:36 AM 11/19/1999 -0800, you wrote:<BR>
><BR>
>>What was the URL for the "Traveller Player List" that was compiled a month<BR>
>>or so ago? Does anyone remember? That would be a good place to start. Kind <BR>
>>of cool to think ours names could be used in each others games as NPCs.<BR>
><BR>
>Normally, I do just grab names out of the newpaper or the phone book.<BR>
>However, since this going to be published I figured I give some TMLers<BR>
>their fifteen seconds of fame and guard against people coming up to me<BR>
>screaming that I'd used them without permission.<BR>
<BR>
I guess that with a name like mine it wouldn't make for much of<BR>
an interesting character. Some times you just wish for a more fanciful<BR>
name like, .... lets see, Douglas E. Berry, William F. Hostman aso.<BR>
***SULK****<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Nut on the othe side my nake is Grav, and I'm taking an education <BR>
in Celestial Mechanics and "GRAV-forces". I'm also into Traveller<BR>
and really like the "VARG", so it might not be that bad :-)<BR>
<BR>
>Douglas E. Berry       gridlore@mindspring.com<BR>
<BR>
Tommy Grav<BR>
- -------------------------------------------------------------<BR>
tommy.grav@astro.uio.no     http://www.uio.no/~tommygr/  <BR>
Institute of Astrophysics, UiO, No  <BR>
IMTU tn++t4+tg+ ru+ge++ !3i jt+au+st+ls hi++dr-so++zh-sy-sw++ <BR>
 <BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 14:14:02 -0800 (PST)<BR>
From: Glenn Goffin <gmgoffin@yahoo.com><BR>
Subject: Re: off to the Races<BR>
<BR>
>From: Anthony Jackson <ajackson@molly.iii.com><BR>
>>Douglas E. Berry writes:<BR>
>> Earlier this year the lead story on the news was<BR>
>> that two guys in a baloon had manged to fly around <BR>
>>the world.  Hardly cutting edge tech, <BR>
 <BR>
>Actually, it was cutting age tech.  It was just <BR>
>cutting age balloon tech.<BR>
<BR>
Like the America's cup (or our little races in San<BR>
Francisco Bay) is cutting edge sailboat tech.<BR>
<BR>
- --Glenn<BR>
<BR>
__________________________________________________<BR>
Do You Yahoo!?<BR>
Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 13:47:00 PST<BR>
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>
Subject: Re: Nightmare Passengers<BR>
<BR>
In mail you write:<BR>
<BR>
> There are also the Pickles. Tommy, Dylan and Angelica could easily make any <BR>
> voyage hell.<BR>
<BR>
Ok, fine. Be that way.<BR>
<BR>
The Warner brothers, and their sister Dot. Species unknown.<BR>
<BR>
- -- <BR>
Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)<BR>
 shadow@krypton.rain.com        <--preferred<BR>
leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com     <--last resort<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 20:51:19 +0000<BR>
From: SD Mooney <dom@cybergoths.u-net.com><BR>
Subject: Re: How to do a gritty, X-Files-like scenario?<BR>
<BR>
At 11:39 -0500 16/11/99, "Greg Aldridge" <BR>
<Greg.Aldridge@marconicomms.com> wrote:<BR>
> > Imagine a parasite that combines the<BR>
> > slugs' total control of its victims with the Denevan parasites' lack of<BR>
> > visually obvious signs of infection.  Don't forget to make sure that the<BR>
> > parasites are immune to the agents used against them in the<BR>
> > above-mentioned stories.  A kind-hearted referee will provide a way<BR>
> > (that the PCs might be able to find) to kill the parasites, without<BR>
> > killing the host.  OTOH, killing the host is the only way to be<BR>
> > _sure_....<BR>
><BR>
>You've just described a "Keeper" from B5.<BR>
<BR>
Or a 'Bylabon' from BITS "101 Lifeforms".<BR>
<BR>
Dom<BR>
<BR>
- ----------Dom Mooney---dom@cybergoths.u-net.com------------<BR>
                        MiB - Marines in Battledress<BR>
    "Protecting the Imperium from the Scum of the Galaxy"<BR>
Rob Prior's Mac software @ http://www.bits.org.uk/ <BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 22:09:23 +0000<BR>
From: SD Mooney <dom@cybergoths.u-net.com><BR>
Subject: Re: Arts and Culture in and around 3I<BR>
<BR>
At 0:41 -0500 17/11/99, david.d.jaques-watson@centrelink.gov.au wrote:<BR>
<BR>
>Graeme said:<BR>
> >Only if your vacation is for 2 weeks. In my country 4 week vacations are<BR>
> >the norm (we have it good).<BR>
<BR>
In the UK, typical engineering roles appear to have 25 days leave <BR>
(accrued at 2/month +1) and 8 additional days of public holidays.<BR>
<BR>
The working week (unless opted out under EU law) must average <48 <BR>
hours. Typically, engineering jobs have between 35 and 39 hour weeks, <BR>
with 37.5 hours being common.<BR>
<BR>
Dom<BR>
<BR>
- ----------Dom Mooney---dom@cybergoths.u-net.com------------<BR>
                        MiB - Marines in Battledress<BR>
    "Protecting the Imperium from the Scum of the Galaxy"<BR>
Rob Prior's Mac software @ http://www.bits.org.uk/ <BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 22:15:51 +0000<BR>
From: SD Mooney <dom@cybergoths.u-net.com><BR>
Subject: Re: That explains the =?iso-8859-1?Q?=91Don=92t?= throw Eggs  at  the PM  Act,<BR>
<BR>
>Black ICE <wombat@premier.net> wrote:<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
> > Those aren't eggs.  They're tiny little iMacs the penguins use to further<BR>
> > their nefarious plots to rule the wor##2  ...error.. **(!<BR>
><BR>
>You mean iMacs run Linux now?  Kewl!<BR>
<BR>
It's probably a type 39 error or a type 2 error really. <grin><BR>
<BR>
And there are versions of Linux for PPC. I know of people who have <BR>
bought PowerMac G3's and some who wanted G4s for Linux to wun werry <BR>
werry qwikly.<BR>
<BR>
As to Penguin throwing, I know the book will be packed out with the <BR>
rules and notes so I've the following suggestion. If anyone wants to <BR>
write scenarios for ACQ, and draw up a deckplan, I'll host them on <BR>
the BITS site. (Aside from the AP costs, the scenarios could be <BR>
written in T4.1 style).<BR>
<BR>
Dom<BR>
<BR>
- ----------Dom Mooney---dom@cybergoths.u-net.com------------<BR>
                        MiB - Marines in Battledress<BR>
    "Protecting the Imperium from the Scum of the Galaxy"<BR>
Rob Prior's Mac software @ http://www.bits.org.uk/ <BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 22:26:06 +0000<BR>
From: SD Mooney <dom@cybergoths.u-net.com><BR>
Subject: re: Traveller-like fiction<BR>
<BR>
At 16:35 -0500 17/11/99, "Tim MacPherson" <timac@home.com> wrote:<BR>
<BR>
>Can anyone recommend a novel that is "traveller-like" in atmosphere?<BR>
<BR>
Andre Norton:<BR>
Sargasso of Space<BR>
Postmarked the Stars *<BR>
Plague Ship<BR>
redline the stars<BR>
A mind for trade<BR>
A derelict for trade<BR>
<BR>
All deal with the crew of a free trader.<BR>
<BR>
EC Tubb's Dumarest Books.<BR>
<BR>
Azimov's first three Foundation books:<BR>
Foundation<BR>
Foundation and Empire<BR>
Second Foundation<BR>
<BR>
Dom<BR>
<BR>
- ----------Dom Mooney---dom@cybergoths.u-net.com------------<BR>
                        MiB - Marines in Battledress<BR>
    "Protecting the Imperium from the Scum of the Galaxy"<BR>
Rob Prior's Mac software @ http://www.bits.org.uk/ <BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 22:34:34 +0000<BR>
From: SD Mooney <dom@cybergoths.u-net.com><BR>
Subject: Re: Traveller-like fiction<BR>
<BR>
At 1:08 -0500 18/11/99, tim@premier.net wrote:<BR>
>I would read Stephenson Donaldson Gap series, though its not<BR>
>quite Travellerish, it has first contact, theft, space pirates, and lots<BR>
>of plot twist just to name a few reasons to read them.<BR>
<BR>
But be willing to persist past the quite dislikeable first book.<BR>
<BR>
Dom<BR>
<BR>
- ----------Dom Mooney---dom@cybergoths.u-net.com------------<BR>
                        MiB - Marines in Battledress<BR>
    "Protecting the Imperium from the Scum of the Galaxy"<BR>
Rob Prior's Mac software @ http://www.bits.org.uk/ <BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 22:32:53 +0000<BR>
From: SD Mooney <dom@cybergoths.u-net.com><BR>
Subject: RE: New BITS product hinted at<BR>
<BR>
At 1:08 -0500 18/11/99, "cjbrain" <cjbrain@bigpond.com> wrote:<BR>
> >>_101 Ballistic Flightless Birds, actually, which will feature thrown<BR>
> >>penguins along with catapulted ostriches, dropped EMU's, hurled dodos, and<BR>
> >>so forth.<BR>
><BR>
>What will the gearheads use to calculate the characteristics for these? How<BR>
>about "Feathers, Fusion & Steel"?<BR>
<BR>
Feathers, Fishing and Swimming, v1<BR>
<BR>
Dom (catching up on Digests)<BR>
<BR>
- ----------Dom Mooney---dom@cybergoths.u-net.com------------<BR>
                        MiB - Marines in Battledress<BR>
    "Protecting the Imperium from the Scum of the Galaxy"<BR>
Rob Prior's Mac software @ http://www.bits.org.uk/ <BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 14:51:23 PST<BR>
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>
Subject: Re: modern roleplayers<BR>
<BR>
In mail you write:<BR>
<BR>
> A few random comments, sorry for the mess.<BR>
><BR>
>> Yes, and AD&D isn't supposed to be a dungeon crawl,<BR>
>> either.<BR>
><BR>
> And many of the times I've played it hasn't been.<BR>
><BR>
> Alhough actually, originally it _was_ supposed to be a dungeon crawl,<BR>
> "wilderness adventures" didn't appear until the supplements.<BR>
<BR>
Not true. Wilderness adventures were part of the original three books.<BR>
I even bought Avalon Hill's "Outdoor Survival" game as it was the<BR>
recommended "quickie random wilderness map".<BR>
<BR>
For that matter, the Chainmail Fantasy section was intended for field<BR>
battles! <BR>
<BR>
- -- <BR>
Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)<BR>
 shadow@krypton.rain.com        <--preferred<BR>
leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com     <--last resort<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 14:55:29 PST<BR>
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>
Subject: Re: How to do a gritty, X-Files-like scenario?<BR>
<BR>
In mail you write:<BR>
<BR>
><BR>
>> Another possibility, though one done to death<BR>
>> recently in movies: the<BR>
>> altered reality the PCs find themselves in is a<BR>
>> virtual reality sim --<BR>
>> or was it the one they remember *before* the<BR>
>> change??? <BR>
><BR>
> And the PCs will want to know, "so does that mean we<BR>
> don't get xps for that adventure?!"<BR>
<BR>
Actually, if done well, a common response to a VR sim "adventure" is<BR>
for at least one of the characters to turn to the others and ask "How<BR>
do we *know* that we aren't *still* in a sim?"<BR>
<BR>
And since the answer is "You can't tell." it sort of shakes you up.<BR>
<BR>
- -- <BR>
Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)<BR>
 shadow@krypton.rain.com        <--preferred<BR>
leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com     <--last resort<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 14:58:25 PST<BR>
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>
Subject: Re: Sten series<BR>
<BR>
In mail you write:<BR>
<BR>
> At 12:40 AM 11/17/99 -0900, you wrote:<BR>
>><BR>
>>Yet another series: the Sten Series, by Cole and Bunch. This is a much more<BR>
>>"Epic Space Opera"... larger than life, full of action, with extensive<BR>
>>travel times, big fleets, and fighters.... but with a good look at the<BR>
>>roles of various types of space military personell. The Imperium here is<BR>
>>led by the "Eternal Emperor" (who is, in a way, truly eternal), who rules a<BR>
>>laizze-faire capitalist imperium by controlling the fuel source of choice.<BR>
>><BR>
><BR>
> A great series up until the last book. I mean, the Empire has run perfectly<BR>
> well for thousands of years, and then Sten decides to destroy the whole<BR>
> basis of the Empire the first time there is a major problem rather than fix<BR>
> the problem. What, the six months to a couple of years it would have taken<BR>
> for the new clone to form was too long?<BR>
<BR>
Re-read the book. The evidence all points to several clones having<BR>
never even made it out of the initial "facility". And also to the idea<BR>
that a new clone *won't* be any closer to the original. Too much drift<BR>
over the centuries, and the built-in failsafe has failed unsafely. <BR>
<BR>
Any *new* clone, even if a good copy, will sooner or later find out the<BR>
dodge the "bad" one found for getting around the implanted bomb. And<BR>
then we're back to an all-powerful Emperor *without* the balance of a<BR>
conscience. <BR>
<BR>
The solution the "computer" came up with was to try to get a person who<BR>
would make a good Emperor to take over the job. Sten decided that it<BR>
wouldn't work any better a second time, and probably not last as long<BR>
as the first time. So he declined the offer.<BR>
<BR>
- -- <BR>
Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)<BR>
 shadow@krypton.rain.com        <--preferred<BR>
leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com     <--last resort<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 14:48:36 PST<BR>
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>
Subject: Re: Riot Control Agents<BR>
<BR>
In mail you write:<BR>
<BR>
> Of course, Mark, you're right, but I assumed we were<BR>
> talking about non-lethal ways to supress riots? After<BR>
> all, if you don't care about lives of "rebels" or bad<BR>
> press, you will use _lethal_ means to suppress the<BR>
> peasantry (just look at Chechnya today).<BR>
<BR>
Actually, even bad governments would have reasons to use (mostly)<BR>
non-lethal agents. First of all, your troops are going to be a lot<BR>
happier dispensing them, since a mistake probably won't kill them.<BR>
<BR>
Also, it's hard to question dead people.<BR>
<BR>
- -- <BR>
Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)<BR>
 shadow@krypton.rain.com        <--preferred<BR>
leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com     <--last resort<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 15:07:47 PST<BR>
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>
Subject: Re: off to the Races<BR>
<BR>
In mail you write:<BR>
<BR>
> Douglas E. Berry writes:<BR>
><BR>
>> Earlier this year the lead story on the news was that two guys in a baloon<BR>
>> had manged to fly around the world.  Hardly cutting edge tech, but it was<BR>
>> the struggle to do it with what is "primative" tech that made it<BR>
>> interesting. <BR>
><BR>
> Actually, it was cutting age tech.  It was just cutting age balloon tech.<BR>
<BR>
As I noted a week or so back, some of that tech bears investigating for<BR>
traveller. Among other details, they had a *sealed* life support<BR>
system. They were using CO2 scrubbers and a *small* tank of LOX. This<BR>
for several weeks.<BR>
<BR>
- -- <BR>
Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)<BR>
 shadow@krypton.rain.com        <--preferred<BR>
leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com     <--last resort<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 15:05:50 PST<BR>
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>
Subject: Re: off to the Races<BR>
<BR>
In mail you write:<BR>
<BR>
> Of course, as well as limit them to astrolabes, you<BR>
> can limit the tech otherwise. Anybody ever see the<BR>
> episode of DS9 where Cisko and his kid flew the old<BR>
> Bajoran ship? Kind of a space age Thor Heyerdahl... a<BR>
> bit like nowadays, where speedboats are not raced<BR>
> against each-other as often as sail boats....<BR>
<BR>
Speedboats *are* still raced. But they've diverged so far from craft<BR>
useful for anything else, that they are a seperate category. In the US,<BR>
at least, they are called "hydroplanes". And there are frequent races.<BR>
<BR>
- -- <BR>
Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)<BR>
 shadow@krypton.rain.com        <--preferred<BR>
leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com     <--last resort<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 17:32:42 -0600<BR>
From: "Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net><BR>
Subject: Re: Totally OT but ...<BR>
<BR>
On 11/19/99 at 10:10 AM,  "Jory Earl" <j-man@iname.com> said:<BR>
<BR>
>On another note, I would like to ask the gang here what their<BR>
>experiences have been buying from Amazon.com?  I purchased "Age of<BR>
>Empires 2" at their site almost a month ago and they agreed to ship<BR>
>it within 3-7 days.  As you can probably tell, the wait time has far<BR>
>exceeded that.<BR>
<BR>
>I have emailed them several times inquiring as to where my purchased<BR>
>software is and they have chosen to ignore me.  By looking at my<BR>
>credit card statement, I find a clear record of the completed<BR>
>transaction.<BR>
<BR>
I've bought software from Amazon, several music cd's and *lot's* of<BR>
books from them with never a problem.  It's their policy not to<BR>
charge your credit card until after they ship, and they've never<BR>
done to me.  I always get an email confirming that the order has<BR>
gone out before my card is billed.<BR>
<BR>
Go to Amazon and check your account history.  It should list all<BR>
your orders and their state of completion.  I'd bet they think they<BR>
mailed you the game.<BR>
<BR>
>Which leads me to my second question :  What are my rights in this<BR>
>case?  Is there anyway I can make then uphold their end of the<BR>
>bargain or am I just SOL?<BR>
<BR>
Well, you can't be held accountable for *more* than $50 if you<BR>
report it to your card carrier.  OTOH, the game was probably not<BR>
more than $50, right?  However, I'm sure this company doesn't want<BR>
unhappy (vocal) customers, so I'd get after them if I was you and<BR>
get them to make it good.  The key is to get the attention of a real<BR>
person that works there.  I've found that most customer support<BR>
people really *do* want to help...regardless of how much they gripe.<BR>
<BR>
Anyway, I got the following phone number to their 24/7 customer<BR>
support from their website...<BR>
<BR>
    Toll-free in the U.S. and Canada: (800) 201-7575 <BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Eris<BR>
  a satisfied Amazon.Com customer<BR>
- -- <BR>
- -----------------------------------------------------------<BR>
"Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>    using MR/2 ICE #245<BR>
- -----------------------------------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 18:35:03 -0500<BR>
From: Ethan Henry <egh@klg.com><BR>
Subject: Re: Tourism in the Marches<BR>
<BR>
Well, a bit late to this thread, but...<BR>
<BR>
I've had a world idea that I've been meaning to write up for a while. And,<BR>
coincidentally enough, looking through my maps of the marches last night, I<BR>
came up with a great spot for it in Regina subsector.<BR>
<BR>
Whanga 0206 Regina E676126-7<BR>
<BR>
I haven't done the "nice" writeup, so you'll all have to do with a brain dump<BR>
of the random thoughts.<BR>
<BR>
The basic idea is that Whanga is, by most definitions, a garden world. (more on<BR>
the atmosphere taint in a second). It's lush, it's (mostly) green, you might<BR>
even think that it was Terra if you didn't know better. A world well suited for<BR>
human life - with one minor exception. No one has ever been able to get<BR>
agriculture to work on the planet's surface. I'm still trying to handwave an<BR>
explanation for this, but I'm thinking along the lines of a more "aggressive"<BR>
strain of plant life on the planet which prevents any large-scale agricultural<BR>
activity from going on for more than a season or two. Colonies have tried to<BR>
establish themselves for centuries , but constantly been killed off or pushed<BR>
out by the lack of ability to sustain themselves. (This is the basic premise<BR>
which sets up pretty much everything else, so if you don't like my explanation,<BR>
you can stop reading here, as it'll all fall apart). The atmospheric taint<BR>
doesn't really exist, it was just put there by an early survey team who<BR>
couldn't think of any better explanation for the dead colony they came across.<BR>
Research on the planet's biosphere continues in the Third Imperium trying to<BR>
figure out what's up. (Note that will make more sense later: even in 1100,<BR>
nearly 5 million tourists show up every year with filter masks in tow, thinking<BR>
the atmosphere is tained. Whanga does a good business selling re-conditioned<BR>
filter masks that they leave behind)<BR>
<BR>
So, you've got a garden world which can't be colonized, so what's it good for?<BR>
Well, it makes a nice retreat for the rich, assuming you can get there and pack<BR>
enough food in for the time you're there. So, over the centuries, nobles set up<BR>
small cottages & ranches there, bringing in everything with them when they<BR>
arrive - food, supplies, servants - and taking it out when they leave.<BR>
Eventually businesses set up shop catering to the nobles, importing food on a<BR>
regular basis, etc. many of the private noble ranches eventually turned into<BR>
commercial retreats, taking anyone (who can pay the price) in for rest,<BR>
relaxation and a level of "wilderness" that simply can't be duplicated on a<BR>
populated planet.<BR>
<BR>
Of course, nothing that nice lasts forever. Eventually (say, around year 800,<BR>
900 or so) someone saw the opportunity to re-cast Whanga as a more "populist"<BR>
tourist destination. With the lack of a planetary government, there's no one to<BR>
tax and legislate any dubious activities, so the resorts turned into casinos<BR>
(and, for the more "adult" campaigns, "chicken farms"). Sitting close to<BR>
various highly-populated worlds, Whanga quickly became, well, I'll give away my<BR>
inspiration here - Las Vegas.<BR>
<BR>
For example, Whanga is:<BR>
<BR>
Jump 4 from Regina,          pop ~700,000,000<BR>
Jump 2 from Efate,         pop ~8,000,000,000<BR>
Jump 2 from Roup,          pop ~3,000,000,000<BR>
Jump 3 from Louzy/Jewell, pop ~10,000,000,000<BR>
<BR>
Which is about 21,700,000,000 sophonts within a reasonable one-jump distance.<BR>
You can run a tourism business on that. Of course, it's no small feat,<BR>
considering that you have to haul in a ton or so worth of food for each and<BR>
every person that's coming to stay for several weeks. Not to mention hauling<BR>
all the, er, shit (for lack of a better word) back out. At any given time,<BR>
there are tens of millions of resort employees serving the tens of millions of<BR>
visitors on the planet's surface. But to operate in a beautiful, idyllic,<BR>
government-free environment - well, who could pass that up?<BR>
<BR>
Of course, like Las Vegas, the Whangan resorts make money hand over fist and<BR>
since it's tax free, they can do some pretty aggressive expansion. Many of them<BR>
have turned into replicas of famous cities from across the Imperium. "Iridium<BR>
Palace" is a replica of the Imperial Palace on Capitol. "Manhattan" is an odd<BR>
mishmash of various Terran cities, incorporating pieces of New York, Paris,<BR>
Venice as well as famous sights like the Taj Mahal and Terra's most (in)famous<BR>
location, the former headquarters of the 12th Imperial Marines (left over from<BR>
the occupation days), a kilometer high windowless slab of metal containing<BR>
(instead of marines and training facilities) numerous simulator rides, several<BR>
grav ball courts and, of course, the biggest casino on the planet. There are<BR>
replicas of other famous cities as well, including ones from Vland, Antares and<BR>
one that claims to be a replica of Kyusu (sp?) the Aslan homeworld, though,<BR>
unsurprisingly, few people who have ever been to Kyusu show up to challenge the<BR>
claim.  These cities are more than just show pieces - they're actual real<BR>
cities that house the employees and visitors. There are very few explicit<BR>
hotels in the resorts - you feel like you've just moved somewhere else for a<BR>
while.<BR>
<BR>
The planet is run by a loose coalition of the planet's biggest resort owners,<BR>
all of whom disavow any knowledge of a planetary government, lest the Imperial<BR>
Palace begin asking for tax money. At one point in history a single small<BR>
resort owner did declare himself the planet's legitimate government, but oddly<BR>
enough, a million-ton grain freighter crashed into his compound shortly after<BR>
unloading at the highport. Since then, no one has attempted to make a similar<BR>
claim. Thus the government type of 2, as the planet is de facto ruled by the<BR>
various resorts.<BR>
<BR>
The world has no official starport, thus the 'E' rating. There is, however, a<BR>
privately owned highport and (of course) casino, which handles all of the<BR>
world's traffic, receiving cargo and passengers, which are then ferried to the<BR>
surface by the resorts' private boats. "Boats" is a relative term, as some<BR>
cargo boats approach the 1,000 ton mark.<BR>
<BR>
There is a system navy to protect the various passenger and cargo ships moving<BR>
through the system. It is funded, unofficially, by the various resorts, but is<BR>
autonomous, alleging to report to no one except it's own high commander.<BR>
Although small, it is amazingly well equipped, with nothing but the best of<BR>
Imperial TL 15 equipment.<BR>
<BR>
Finally, there is a small official Imperial presence on the world's surface. A<BR>
resort owner lost a chain of islands (near the planet's equator in the<BR>
semi-tropical zone) to the then Duke of Regina in a card game, in 1002. The<BR>
islands are now used by the Duke's Own Huscarles as a "training facility" - one<BR>
of the sector's more plum military assignments. There is also a Naval<BR>
Intelligence school associated with the facility, again one of the better<BR>
schools in the sector. Whanga's population of 1 reflects the few dozen<BR>
full-time staff assigned to the base and the school - the only real "Imperial<BR>
citizens" there on a full-time basis.<BR>
<BR>
Whanga is (in)famous throughout the Marches as the ultimate tourist<BR>
destination. Outside the Marches it's seens as a kind of monument to the<BR>
tackiness of the spinward frontier dwellers, but it never the less manages to<BR>
attract nearly a billion visitors a year, most of whom leave a good chunk of<BR>
money behind them.<BR>
<BR>
I could enumerate adventure possibilities, but they're probably obvious, so<BR>
I'll leave that for another email. Oh, and I hope there's no canon background<BR>
for Whanga - it just fit the profile of an otherwise nice world, physically,<BR>
with the right population level near several high-pop 'feeder' worlds. You<BR>
could stick Whanga anywhere really.<BR>
<BR>
Ethan<BR>
- --<BR>
Ethan Henry                                        egh@klg.com<BR>
Java Evangelist, KL Group                   http://www.klg.com<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
End of Traveller-digest V1999 #1365<BR>
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