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Date:	11/25/99 3:42:45 PM Pacific Standard Time<BR>
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Traveller-digest    Thursday, November 25 1999    Volume 1999 : Number 1398<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: YKYBPTMTW:<BR>
Re: re : increase in computers<BR>
RE: Ship Insurance<BR>
Re: Barbarella <BR>
RE: Ship Insurance<BR>
Re: Barbarella<BR>
Re: Big games<BR>
Re: Re Skip Tracing<BR>
Re: SEC: UNCLASSIFIED Pax Americana<BR>
Re: YKYBPTMTW:<BR>
Re: Re Loans and Indentures...<BR>
Re: Traveller Navigation and Gunnery<BR>
RE: Ship Insurance<BR>
Re: Inevitability of government failure<BR>
Re: Remulak<BR>
Barbarella (was Re: Ming the Merciless)<BR>
Re: Re Skip Tracing<BR>
SEC: UNCLASSIFIED Skipping & ship cost <BR>
Ship Cost: How low can you go?<BR>
Re: Big games<BR>
<BR>
----------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Thu, 25 Nov 1999 15:04:25 -0500<BR>
From: "Micheal D. Peters" <Travelleri@home.com><BR>
Subject: Re: YKYBPTMTW:<BR>
<BR>
- ----- Original Message -----<BR>
From: Leonard Erickson <shadow@krypton.rain.com><BR>
To: <traveller@lists.imagiconline.com><BR>
Sent: Thursday, November 25, 1999 5:00 AM<BR>
Subject: Re: YKYBPTMTW:<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
> Keep your eyes open. This was a *common* flooring for some years, and a<BR>
> lot of ground floor "showrooms" used it.<BR>
><BR>
> If I ever get a house of my own, I may buy a bunch of those tiles and<BR>
> use them to cover a *big* gaming table. Nice glazed ceramic finish, so<BR>
> you can use grease pencils and felt markers and still clean it easily.<BR>
> I expect I can find a good, non-porous *black* grout to mount them in.<BR>
><BR>
> Who cares if you spill drinks on the map? As long as you didn't use<BR>
> water soluble markers...<BR>
><BR>
<BR>
Loenard,<BR>
<BR>
We used to use a table like this (6x10 ft.) however we didn't grout the<BR>
tiles in. We built a frame around them to hold them in place. The reason was<BR>
that we had several colors of tile, therefore we could pop the tile out and<BR>
replace them<BR>
to depict walls, rivers etc. We also mounted minis to individual tiles with<BR>
glue. During the game, when a figure would move we'd pull a tlie from the<BR>
new location, place the figure there and "backfill" with the pulled tile. It<BR>
nmade for some neat complex maps. A couple of small suction cups glued to<BR>
the ends of sticks worked for pulling the flat tiles.<BR>
<BR>
Mike<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Thu, 25 Nov 1999 14:10:31 -0600<BR>
From: "Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net><BR>
Subject: Re: re : increase in computers<BR>
<BR>
On 11/25/99 at 06:37 PM,  SD Mooney <dom@cybergoths.u-net.com> said:<BR>
<BR>
>>Steward is the only job I can think of that could be replaced by a computer.<BR>
<BR>
>I don't know - IMTU and in the suggestions for T4.1, steward skill <BR>
>was going to be more like that held by Andre Notron's Cargo Masters. <BR>
>IE they manage everything to do with cargo and passengers, <BR>
>effectively the ships' business manager.<BR>
<BR>
Same here.  In my Akus Moby game, in order to be a ship flagged out<BR>
of the Mark system, get insured, get loans, etc, the PC's are just<BR>
about to start "sitting" for certifications and licenses which will<BR>
"prove" their qualifications for their shipboard jobs.  <g> This is<BR>
what I'm requiring for Steward/Pursers.<BR>
<BR>
Assistant Steward/Purser requires a...<BR>
<BR>
  Steward's License<BR>
     Certified Medical Technician<BR>
        First Aid-1<BR>
        Med Tech Electronics-1<BR>
        Diagnosis-1 <BR>
     Tests covering:<BR>
        Lifesupport Ops-1<BR>
        Ship Administration (Admin-1)<BR>
        Passenger Services Regs (Steward-1)<BR>
     300 mark registration fee<BR>
<BR>
  Chief Steward/Purser<BR>
     Steward's License<BR>
       (As above)<BR>
     CargoMaster's Certificate<BR>
        Tests covering:<BR>
           Cargo Loading & Freight Handling  (Cargohandling-1)<BR>
           Hazmat Handling (Hazmat-1)<BR>
     Commercial Law & Regulations  (Law-1)<BR>
     Advanced Ship Administration (Admin-2)<BR>
     Advanced Passenger Services (Steward-2)<BR>
     600 mark registration fee<BR>
<BR>
This is for the License, but to be successful, the Steward is going<BR>
to have to add several business, interpersonal, and security skills:<BR>
Broker, Trader, Market Knowledge, Streetwise, Liaison, Fast Talk,<BR>
Diplomacy, Security, Gun Cbt, Boarding Tactics, and so on.<BR>
<BR>
BTW, in every version of Traveller I think it would be a good idea<BR>
to list the "requirements" for the jobs that PC's normally do.<BR>
Things like, <BR>
<BR>
"If you're going to be considered a for the Pilot position you need<BR>
these skills at minimum...and having....would be nice."<BR>
<BR>
"To get hired as an Engineer you should have these skills..., and<BR>
these aren't required,...,but having them would increase your<BR>
value."<BR>
<BR>
Etc<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Eris<BR>
- -- <BR>
- -----------------------------------------------------------<BR>
"Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>    using MR/2 ICE #245<BR>
- -----------------------------------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Thu, 25 Nov 1999 15:32:08 -0500<BR>
From: Ian Ferguson <ian@vax2.concordia.ca><BR>
Subject: RE: Ship Insurance<BR>
<BR>
Eris Reddoch writes:<BR>
<snipped><BR>
>So, to cover the exploratory trader /Mae Lee/, valued at 10.8<BR>
>million cr, to 100%, given that she receives regular maintenance,<BR>
>will cost you 540,000 cr each year.  If you drop the coverage to 90%<BR>
>and fly only the insurer's designated "safe routes", the fee drops<BR>
>to 108,000 cr.  <BR>
<BR>
	Given that the Mae Lee would have monthly payments of<BR>
	MCr 10.8/240 = kCr 45, insurance payments of kCr 540/12<BR>
	= kCr 45 per month would be pretty nasty. This is quite<BR>
	reasonable as insuring PCs has got to be a risky venture.<BR>
	Even kCr 108/240 = kCr 9 per month would make the average<BR>
	freetrader wince. Sounds good to me.<BR>
<BR>
Peez<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Thu, 25 Nov 1999 15:29:04 -0500<BR>
From: "Keven R. Pittsinger" <jamstar@accesstoledo.com><BR>
Subject: Re: Barbarella <BR>
<BR>
> Kyle Schuant <kyle3054@yahoo.com> types out with his Sayat designed weasel <BR>
> powered keyboard:<BR>
>  >- ----- Original Message -----<BR>
>  >From: Eris Reddoch <eris@pcola.gulf.net><BR>
>  >> We'll be doing stats for Barbarella before you know it.<BR>
>  >Yes please :^)<BR>
>  >I know them already: 36C-22-36<BR>
> <BR>
> Well, it was *the* shining moment of her acting career.<BR>
> <BR>
> For those of you who don't know this flick, it listed at <BR>
> http://www.badmovies.org/<BR>
> <BR>
> Complete with sound, stills, and video clips.<BR>
> <BR>
> OK 'B' movie buffs, what 80's pop band took their name from this film's <BR>
> villian?<BR>
<BR>
Duran Duran.<BR>
<BR>
Keven<BR>
<BR>
- -- <BR>
tc++ tm+ tn+ t4- to ru++ ge+ 3i c+ jt au st- ls pi+ ta+ he+ so- vi zh sy<BR>
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>
                                                     Science-Fiction Adventure<BR>
                                                     In Reavers' Deep<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Thu, 25 Nov 1999 14:08:54 -0700<BR>
From: Suz Dollar <websuz@worldnet.att.net><BR>
Subject: RE: Ship Insurance<BR>
<BR>
>         Given that the Mae Lee would have monthly payments of<BR>
>         MCr 10.8/240 = kCr 45, insurance payments of kCr 540/12<BR>
>         = kCr 45 per month would be pretty nasty. This is quite<BR>
>         reasonable as insuring PCs has got to be a risky venture.<BR>
>         Even kCr 108/240 = kCr 9 per month would make the average<BR>
>         freetrader wince. Sounds good to me.<BR>
<BR>
Of course, in this case, the Mae Lee doesn't have a monthly payment at all <BR>
<g> At least not unless or until we have to take out a loan to cover the <BR>
repairs we need to do to her.<BR>
<BR>
Dr. Mira Hasta-Rur<BR>
aka Suz<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Thu, 25 Nov 1999 12:27:33 PST<BR>
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>
Subject: Re: Barbarella<BR>
<BR>
In mail you write:<BR>
<BR>
> Kyle Schuant <kyle3054@yahoo.com> types out with his Sayat designed weasel <BR>
> powered keyboard:<BR>
>  >- ----- Original Message -----<BR>
>  >From: Eris Reddoch <eris@pcola.gulf.net><BR>
>  >> We'll be doing stats for Barbarella before you know it.<BR>
>  >Yes please :^)<BR>
>  >I know them already: 36C-22-36<BR>
><BR>
> Well, it was *the* shining moment of her acting career.<BR>
><BR>
> For those of you who don't know this flick, it listed at <BR>
> http://www.badmovies.org/<BR>
><BR>
> Complete with sound, stills, and video clips.<BR>
<BR>
Hey, it wasn't that bad. As long as you didn't think too hard. <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: Thu, 25 Nov 1999 12:28:58 PST<BR>
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>
Subject: Re: Big games<BR>
<BR>
In mail you write:<BR>
<BR>
> Leonard wrote:<BR>
>> <BR>
>> Alternately, you could do World War II (using the<BR>
>> _whole_ world!) at<BR>
>> battalion/regiment/brigade level (each hex would be<BR>
>> about 10 miles<BR>
>> across at the equator).<BR>
<BR>
<snip> <BR>
<BR>
Actually, that was a *reply* to something I wrote!<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: Thu, 25 Nov 1999 12:34:07 PST<BR>
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>
Subject: Re: Re Skip Tracing<BR>
<BR>
In mail you write:<BR>
<BR>
> Escape? They'd described to me how to set it up. Since all sentences were<BR>
> LIFE sentences (not natural life, but you are there until you die there,<BR>
> unless the emperor takes pity on you), on a world with no surface<BR>
> accessable metal deposits that are workable. The atmosphere is breathable,<BR>
> the plants are all edible, and the temperature is generally tropical in the<BR>
> middle lattitudes. The "jailors" set up a blockade. They NEVER land. Not<BR>
> even to drop prisoners; a prisoner arrives via paradrop; in their kit a<BR>
> prioner has a bowl, a spoon, and a pocketknife, all of SD, plus the<BR>
> jumpsuit, the parachute, and the rigging thereof. When I sprung this on<BR>
> them, they decided that they didn't want a "survive the jungle and the<BR>
> previous prisoners". They'd all read the Sten Series, and knew what you can<BR>
> do as a prisoner... and the bit about the penal colony had them fearing<BR>
> thbe already established hierarchy.<BR>
<BR>
Sounds rather like "Escape Orbit"(?) by James White. At least I think<BR>
that's the title.<BR>
<BR>
Except that there they did "land" or at least come to a low enough<BR>
"hover" to kick prisoners and their kit off the end of the boarding<BR>
ramp. <BR>
<BR>
Also, rather than find a world with no usable metal deposits, they just<BR>
did sensor sweeps and any time they found a concentration of metal<BR>
above a certain size, they'd drop an ortillery round on it. <BR>
<BR>
I think there were regular drops of vitamin mineral supplements, and<BR>
minimal medical supplies, too. For all the goos a plastic crate and a<BR>
parachute did the prisoners as "raw materials".<BR>
<BR>
They managed to escape. And no, I don't remember how.<BR>
<BR>
Also, check out Jack Vance's "the Blue World" for an example of how to<BR>
produce metals on a planet with no workable deposits. The basic idea is<BR>
that given a strong heat source, and carbon to act as a reducing agent,<BR>
things like *blood* can be a metal source. Many plants and animals<BR>
selectively concentrate various metals.<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: Thu, 25 Nov 1999 12:41:47 PST<BR>
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>
Subject: Re: SEC: UNCLASSIFIED Pax Americana<BR>
<BR>
In mail you write:<BR>
<BR>
> Note that Saddam Hussein remains in power despite the atrocities he's<BR>
> inflicted on his own people and others. However, the US made sure to keep<BR>
> cheap oil coming out of Kuwait and Saudi.  It looks like the motives <BR>
> involved have much more to do with money than with anything else.<BR>
<BR>
The problem there is actually multiple, interlocking problems. First,<BR>
the Arabs are understandably reluctant to set the precedent of allowing<BR>
outsider removal of a (theoretically) Arab, Moslem leader.<BR>
<BR>
Second, it's not politically feasible for us to just take over. Which<BR>
leads to the third problem. If we eliminate Saddam, who replaces him?<BR>
There's *no* credible opposition faction left. He saw to that via<BR>
extermination. So we'd get either someone who is much the same, or we'd<BR>
get a weak leader. And if we got a weak leader, Iran would invade (and<BR>
*win*) in a heartbeat. <BR>
<BR>
We don't need an Iranian controlled Iraq!<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: Thu, 25 Nov 1999 12:53:31 PST<BR>
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>
Subject: Re: YKYBPTMTW:<BR>
<BR>
In mail you write:<BR>
<BR>
> On Fri, 26 Nov 1999, Rupert Boleyn wrote:<BR>
><BR>
>> On 25 Nov 99, at 2:00, Leonard Erickson wrote:<BR>
>> <BR>
>> > If I ever get a house of my own, I may buy a bunch of those tiles and use<BR>
>> > them to cover a *big* gaming table. Nice glazed ceramic finish, so you <BR>
> can<BR>
>> > use grease pencils and felt markers and still clean it easily. I expect I<BR>
>> > can find a good, non-porous *black* grout to mount them in. <BR>
>> <BR>
>> If all else fails there's that stuff they use for expansion joints <BR>
>> between concrete slabs. It's black, it's easy to apply (it must be - a <BR>
>> guy I used to flat with put the stuff in for a living, and he's nearly <BR>
>> moron material), and it won't wear out and practically nothing <BR>
>> dissolves it.<BR>
><BR>
> Actually, you can color grout just about any color you want; I know I saw<BR>
> a lot of different colors at a tile store I was in recently. (including<BR>
> black)<BR>
><BR>
> Also, there are smaller hexagonal tiles (they come on the mesh backing and<BR>
> are laid in 1' x 1' squares.) That makes a much more manageable gaming<BR>
> table, and is just about perfect for most minis.<BR>
><BR>
> Damn good idea Leonard!<BR>
<BR>
Especially when you consider that these tiles are intended for high<BR>
dirt, heavy traffic areas. The main places I've seen them are showroom<BR>
floors (where the have to deal with cars, including possible oil leaks)<BR>
and in old public bathrooms. <BR>
<BR>
Heck, if all else fails, tile the rec room floor with them. Have lots<BR>
of *big* throw pillows for the players to sit on while working around<BR>
the map. <BR>
<BR>
If you get really ambitious, find a way to get some tiles custom glazed<BR>
(or reglazed) with stars and names on them. A permanent map. :-)<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: Thu, 25 Nov 1999 12:58:16 PST<BR>
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>
Subject: Re: Re Loans and Indentures...<BR>
<BR>
In mail you write:<BR>
<BR>
> On Thu, 25 Nov 1999, The Roc wrote:<BR>
>> <BR>
>> On of the best deals I heard about was that of my sister in-law and her<BR>
>> husband.  If either of them were put in a situation where either of them<BR>
>> could no longer work, the loan was automatically paid off by some kind of<BR>
>> insurance that was part of the finance deal!  I might add, that this was<BR>
>> some 20-odd years ago and the deal is no longer available from what I have<BR>
>> heard, but it paid off just recently with both of them being put in just<BR>
>> that situation... and the house only having a few grand left after this<BR>
>> time... but still, better than nothing.<BR>
>> <BR>
>> -- The Roc<BR>
>> <BR>
><BR>
> Oh, yes, you can get insurance like that now. In fact, my mortgage company<BR>
> has one on us, so If we are dead or otherwise physically unable to pay,<BR>
> the bank get's their money, and the insurance co. gets the house.<BR>
><BR>
> Now I can go out and buy supplemental insurance so I get to keep the<BR>
> house, but it comes out of my pocket...still a good idea, though.<BR>
><BR>
> ObTrav (and ObAkus, Eris!) Starships, of course, like cars, automobiles,<BR>
> and Martha Stewart can be insured against loss, damage, or lapsing into<BR>
> poor taste (just kidding, but the board of directors for Martha Stewart<BR>
> Inc, have taken out a rather large incurance policy on her)<BR>
><BR>
> How much do you charge and does it work IYTU? Adding, of course and<BR>
> entirely new layer of bureaucrats snooping around the PC's lives and<BR>
> misdeeds: the insurance investigator.<BR>
<BR>
Also, credit/mortage companies get bought out, merge, etc. And when the<BR>
contract changes hands, some aspects of the terms can also. For<BR>
example, the credit insurance I had on a card I no longer have changed<BR>
from "lose your job, payments are made until you get work" to exclude<BR>
being *fired*. You had to be laid off, or the company you worked for<BR>
had to go under. <BR>
<BR>
It's details like this that could turn around and bite the players when<BR>
they find that their insurance terms aren't quite what they thought<BR>
they were.<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: Thu, 25 Nov 1999 13:03:23 PST<BR>
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>
Subject: Re: Traveller Navigation and Gunnery<BR>
<BR>
In mail you write:<BR>
<BR>
> At 09:57 PM 11/24/1999 PST, you wrote:<BR>
>>In mail you write:<BR>
>><BR>
>>Also, *shattering* a rock in the "city killer" and up range can<BR>
>>actually make the damage inflicted *worse, because the smaller piece<BR>
>>"couple" the energy to the atmosphere and crust better. the bigger the<BR>
>>rock, the *less* you want it turned into a cloud of pieces.<BR>
><BR>
>         Unless you can blow the pieces to sub-re-entry sized pieces.  Which<BR>
> a sufficient number of surface-set missile and meson batteries can do.<BR>
<BR>
No, burning up on re-entry is one of the ways the cloud of chunks from<BR>
a *big* rock can screw the planet up *worse* than just letting it hit<BR>
in one piece. <BR>
<BR>
Instead of <way too many> joules concentrated at a single point and<BR>
punch through the crust and wasting energy trying to move rock, you get<BR>
<still too many> joules spread over much of a hemisphere, cooking<BR>
everything, or at least igniting everything flammable.<BR>
<BR>
It's the difference between a cannonball and canister shot. Same mass<BR>
of projectile, but far more damage of the *desired* type from the<BR>
smaller pieces.<BR>
<BR>
>         Better yet...  spend some time with a calculator and figure out<BR>
> which point on the surface of the roid to keep soaking the meson and missle<BR>
> fire into to change its course so it "skips" off the outter surface of the<BR>
> atmosphere.  As I understand it, the angle required for a sucessful, "will<BR>
> touch the ground" reentry is vanishingly small....  <BR>
<BR>
Only for spacecraft. At shallow angles (very shallow) they'll skip. A<BR>
bigger object *won't*, because it has far more mass behind each unit of<BR>
surface area (the square/cube law strikes again). <BR>
<BR>
At steeper angles spacraft burn up or hit the grouind too hard for the<BR>
crew to survive. Again, a bigger object won't burn up, and you *want*<BR>
it to hit the ground hard. <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: Thu, 25 Nov 1999 15:07:29 -0600<BR>
From: "Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net><BR>
Subject: RE: Ship Insurance<BR>
<BR>
On 11/25/99 at 03:32 PM,  Ian Ferguson <ian@vax2.concordia.ca> said:<BR>
<BR>
>Eris Reddoch writes:<BR>
><snipped><BR>
>>So, to cover the exploratory trader /Mae Lee/, valued at 10.8<BR>
>>million cr, to 100%, given that she receives regular maintenance,<BR>
>>will cost you 540,000 cr each year.  If you drop the coverage to 90%<BR>
>>and fly only the insurer's designated "safe routes", the fee drops<BR>
>>to 108,000 cr.  <BR>
<BR>
>	Given that the Mae Lee would have monthly payments of<BR>
>	MCr 10.8/240 = kCr 45, insurance payments of kCr 540/12<BR>
>	= kCr 45 per month would be pretty nasty. This is quite<BR>
>	reasonable as insuring PCs has got to be a risky venture.<BR>
>	Even kCr 108/240 = kCr 9 per month would make the average<BR>
>	freetrader wince. Sounds good to me.<BR>
<BR>
I had a player comment a few weeks ago that they were going to make<BR>
"plenty of money" trading.  I don't think he counted on *all* the<BR>
expenses that "plenty of money" was going to have to cover.  They<BR>
are going to have to take out a hefty loan, or NPC partners, just to<BR>
get the ship off the ground.  Either way, there will be strings<BR>
attached. <g><BR>
<BR>
Eris<BR>
- -- <BR>
- -----------------------------------------------------------<BR>
"Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>    using MR/2 ICE #245<BR>
- -----------------------------------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Thu, 25 Nov 1999 13:03:10 -0800<BR>
From: "Glenn M. Goffin" <gmgoffin@pacbell.net><BR>
Subject: Re: Inevitability of government failure<BR>
<BR>
> From: Kyle Schuant <kyle3054@yahoo.com><BR>
> Subject: Re: Inetability of government failure<BR>
<BR>
> It also depends what you call a "government," that is,<BR>
> what sort of events would make it no longer the same<BR>
> government? I'm thinking particularly of the Roman<BR>
> Empire, which began around 750 BCE, rose to its first<BR>
<BR>
That's a good question.  One can fairly argue that China had the same<BR>
government from the time Qin consolidated power in the central part of<BR>
the region about 450 BCE (I think I have the date close to correct)<BR>
until 1949.  While dynasties holding the throne changed at various<BR>
times, the central functions of government -- bureaucracy, education,<BR>
military, religious rites -- continued more or less normally.  Even the<BR>
Mongols simply became Chinese emperors after a generation.  <BR>
<BR>
One can even argue that the communists, too, just became Chinese<BR>
emperors, but I don't want to get into a flame war with the Marxists on<BR>
the list.<BR>
<BR>
- --Glenn<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Thu, 25 Nov 1999 13:18:07 -0800<BR>
From: "Glenn M. Goffin" <gmgoffin@pacbell.net><BR>
Subject: Re: Remulak<BR>
<BR>
> From: "Josh W. Spencer" <macmanjws@earthlink.net><BR>
<BR>
> Oh really? And IYTU, is Remulak the home of the Coneheads and do you<BR>
> have racial stats for them? And are they considered a Major Race? Or is<BR>
> it an old Terran/Solomani colony whose original colonists came from France?<BR>
<BR>
Oh no, the Coneheads are canon.  They are mentioned in the Traveller<BR>
News Service in Challenge Magazine.  I don't remember the issue's year,<BR>
but I do remember the month ... April.<BR>
<BR>
- --Glenn<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Thu, 25 Nov 1999 14:25:11 -0800<BR>
From: "Glenn M. Goffin" <gmgoffin@pacbell.net><BR>
Subject: Barbarella (was Re: Ming the Merciless)<BR>
<BR>
> From: "Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net><BR>
<BR>
> We'll be doing stats for Barbarella before you know it. <BR>
<BR>
Barbarella<BR>
Spy; 3 terms; age 30<BR>
7596AA<BR>
<BR>
Carousing-2<BR>
Seduction-2<BR>
Liaison-2<BR>
<BR>
Pilot-1<BR>
Wheeled vehicle-1<BR>
<BR>
Handgun-1<BR>
<BR>
umm ... it's been a while since I saw the movie ... maybe someone who<BR>
remembers it better<BR>
<BR>
- --Glenn<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 26 Nov 1999 12:02:37 +1300<BR>
From: "Rupert Boleyn" <rboleyn@paradise.net.nz><BR>
Subject: Re: Re Skip Tracing<BR>
<BR>
On 25 Nov 99, at 12:34, Leonard Erickson wrote:<BR>
<BR>
> Sounds rather like "Escape Orbit"(?) by James White. At least I think<BR>
> that's the title.<BR>
<BR>
Sounds right, though IIRC it was also published under a different title <BR>
(for the IK market, perhaps?).<BR>
 <BR>
> Except that there they did "land" or at least come to a low enough<BR>
> "hover" to kick prisoners and their kit off the end of the boarding<BR>
> ramp. <BR>
> <BR>
> Also, rather than find a world with no usable metal deposits, they just<BR>
> did sensor sweeps and any time they found a concentration of metal above a<BR>
> certain size, they'd drop an ortillery round on it. <BR>
> <BR>
> I think there were regular drops of vitamin mineral supplements, and<BR>
> minimal medical supplies, too. For all the goos a plastic crate and a<BR>
> parachute did the prisoners as "raw materials".<BR>
> <BR>
> They managed to escape. And no, I don't remember how.<BR>
<BR>
They built a decoy of a crashed enemy ship, complete with debris, <BR>
fires, etc. then they gassed, shot, etc, etc the crew of the spaceplane <BR>
that came for a look, stole it and invaded the orbiter.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
- --<BR>
Rupert Boleyn <paradise.net.nz><BR>
Wellington, New Zealand<BR>
<BR>
A pessimist is an optimist with a sense of history.<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 26 Nov 1999 10:01:16 +1100<BR>
From: "Hughes, Michael" <Michael.Hughes@cbr.defence.gov.au><BR>
Subject: SEC: UNCLASSIFIED Skipping & ship cost <BR>
<BR>
Me:<BR>
<BR>
> If a vessel has payments remaining, the vessel has<BR>
> to go to a Bank branch<BR>
> every payment date to get the running codes for the<BR>
ship... [etc]<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Kyle Schuant:<BR>
<BR>
Again, I don't quite buy it. Codes are crackable. If<BR>
your PCs have among them an engineer, it's going to be<BR>
his first priority, I'd imagine.<BR>
<BR>
* * *<BR>
<BR>
Me2:<BR>
<BR>
Absolutely all codes are crackable. However this is <cue kettle drums> the<BR>
future where  such 'codes' could be hideously complex. Re-configuring<BR>
transponders in the Trav Universe for example are supposed to be along the<BR>
lines of 'practically impossible' without muchos forgery, electronics and<BR>
computer skills and associated equipment. In RL, we're seeing the rise of<BR>
engine imbolizers so when the plods spot a reported stolen vehicle they just<BR>
cut the engine via a radio signal (though admittedly a mechanic could<BR>
disable the unit and it's more a case of catching the vehicle from where it<BR>
is stolen to where it is going for disassembly). <BR>
<BR>
Imagine <various wavy lines appear on scream as we view the future>. Skipped<BR>
vessel arrives in imperial starport. Local bank branch has a feed from<BR>
starport control, keeping an eye out for all vessels under its re-payment<BR>
plan. It automatically hooks up to the black box it has installed to prevent<BR>
skipping (an integral part of the jump drive without which the vessel cannot<BR>
jump were it removed) to check for tampering. What's this? Someone has had a<BR>
go at it? - awooga, awooga, awooga - ding ding ding - starport control<BR>
prevents the vessel from leaving so an investigation can take place. <BR>
<BR>
I don't imagine the banks loading up their 'how to prevent a skip' computer<BR>
hardware/software with substandard or easily bustable codes. That would be<BR>
stoopid. Given the vast amount of monies invested, there would have to be a<BR>
way to prevent skipping. And given that communication is limited to jump,<BR>
and a vessel could jump anywhere, then that prevention would have to be on<BR>
the ship itself. Especially as the collateral for the loan is usually the<BR>
ship itself for small time merchants.<BR>
<BR>
I like the idea of cheaper ships though. That would solve a lot of problems<BR>
(especially on the whole collateral issue).<BR>
<BR>
Rambling yours,<BR>
<BR>
Michael <BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Thu, 25 Nov 1999 17:33:30 -0600<BR>
From: "Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net><BR>
Subject: Ship Cost: How low can you go?<BR>
<BR>
On 11/26/99 at 10:01 AM,  "Hughes, Michael" <Michael.Hughes@cbr.defence.gov.au> said:<BR>
<BR>
>I like the idea of cheaper ships though. That would solve a lot of<BR>
>problems (especially on the whole collateral issue).<BR>
<BR>
Getting the price of ships too low, though, has its own problems. <BR>
<BR>
Military ships will always be much more expensive than civilian<BR>
(even para-military/pirate) ships. They will have more armor, more<BR>
expensive weapons and hiediously expensive sensors that the civilian<BR>
ships won't have.<BR>
<BR>
So, let's limit our discussion to civilian ships.  For *merchant<BR>
ships* just how low can we reasonably go and not wreak the feel of<BR>
the game?<BR>
<BR>
20,000 per dton?<BR>
10,000 per dton?<BR>
<BR>
And what systems do we reduce in price to get the total price down?  <BR>
<BR>
Power plant?<BR>
Jump Drive?<BR>
Sensors?<BR>
<BR>
Eris<BR>
- -- <BR>
- -----------------------------------------------------------<BR>
"Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>    using MR/2 ICE #245<BR>
- -----------------------------------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Thu, 25 Nov 1999 15:27:05<BR>
From: "Douglas E. Berry" <gridlore@pop.mindspring.com><BR>
Subject: Re: Big games<BR>
<BR>
At 10:00 AM 11/25/1999 -0800, you wrote:<BR>
<BR>
>Like one magazine add for "World In Flames" boasted:  "It's not just a<BR>
>wargame, it's a way of life."<BR>
<BR>
Now add in "Days of Decision"...<BR>
- -- <BR>
<BR>
Douglas E. Berry       gridlore@mindspring.com<BR>
http://gridlore.home.mindspring.com/index.html<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
End of Traveller-digest V1999 #1398<BR>
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