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Traveller-digest    Wednesday, December 1 1999    Volume 1999 : Number 1422<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>
California Weather<BR>
Re: Different Technologies<BR>
Re: Different Technologies<BR>
Re: Bribery Skill<BR>
Re: California Weather<BR>
Re: Different Technologies<BR>
Re: Low TL Medicines<BR>
Re: Percussive Maintenance<BR>
Re: Deadfall Ordnance<BR>
Re: Different Technologies<BR>
Re: Different Technologies<BR>
Re: Deadfall Ordnance<BR>
Bribery Skill<BR>
Re: Different Technologies<BR>
Re: California Weather<BR>
Re: California Weather<BR>
RE: LEO's (KEYBOARD WARNING!!)<BR>
Re: Different Technologies<BR>
Re: California Weather<BR>
Re: Different Technologies<BR>
Re: Police Ranks (long)<BR>
<BR>
----------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1999 15:33:58 -0800 (PST)<BR>
From: Kiri Aradia Morgan <tiamat@tsoft.com><BR>
Subject: California Weather<BR>
<BR>
On Wed, 1 Dec 1999, Douglas E. Berry wrote:<BR>
<BR>
> At 01:55 PM 12/1/1999 -0700, you wrote:<BR>
> >That's odd...I thought 'Scotland Yard' was the HQ of your equivalent of<BR>
> >the FBI, a national police force...Whatever they're called...I've only<BR>
> >heard them referred to as 'Scotland Yard'.<BR>
> ><BR>
> >Of course, my experience comes from watching things like 'Cracker' and<BR>
> >suchlike on PBS and A&E, and a pile of mysteries...<BR>
> <BR>
> Ah, the perils of television.. every summer San Francisco gets planeloads<BR>
> of tourist in shorts and t-shirts, who proceed to develop hypothermia while<BR>
> waiting for cable cars.<BR>
> <BR>
> Y'see they've seen "Baywatch", which is filmed in California, so they know<BR>
> what the weather is going to be like...<BR>
> <BR>
My ex-BF Go came from Saitama to SF one year with NOTHING but t-shirts and<BR>
shorts because he believed California was so warm...<BR>
<BR>
poor baby.<BR>
Kiri =)<BR>
<BR>
******************************************************************************<BR>
Kiri Aradia Morgan                                  93!  Thou Art God<BR>
tiamat@tsoft.com<BR>
<BR>
"If time passes, everything turns into beauty<BR>
If the rains stop, tears clean the scars of memory away<BR>
Everything starts wearing fresh colors<BR>
Every sound begins playing a heartfelt melody<BR>
Jealousy embellishes a page of the epic<BR>
Desire is embraced in a dream..."              -- X-JAPAN <BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1999 15:42:32 -0800 (PST)<BR>
From: Anthony Jackson <ajackson@molly.iii.com><BR>
Subject: Re: Different Technologies<BR>
<BR>
SD Mooney writes:<BR>
> At 16:50 -0500 1/12/99, Anthony Jackson <ajackson@molly.iii.com> wrote:<BR>
> <BR>
> >The only situation in which you will have competing technologies <BR>
> >like that is when there are two or more technologies which are <BR>
> >roughly equal, or which one or another group is philosophically <BR>
> >opposed to using.  In many cases, the 'standard' systems are just <BR>
> >plain _better_ than any competing technology.<BR>
> <BR>
> Except in the case of Windows <g, d, r> or Betamax.<BR>
<BR>
Within the level of resolution I'm talking about, those systems _are_ equal.<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1999 18:44:54 -0500<BR>
From: "Chris Seamans" <semo@pil.net><BR>
Subject: Re: Different Technologies<BR>
<BR>
From: Ian Ferguson <ian@vax2.concordia.ca><BR>
<BR>
<BR>
> Just my Cr 0.02: There are differences in power generating<BR>
> plants around Terra, but most of these are either minor<BR>
> variations on the same technology, or based on resources<BR>
> that vary considerably in availability.<BR>
<BR>
Well, yes and no. The same idea may be at work with nuclear plants and coal<BR>
plants, the two are very different animals.<BR>
<BR>
>It could also be<BR>
> argued that TL differences contribute.  Nevertheless, how<BR>
> many different kinds of cars are there?  Sure, they may<BR>
> look different (actually, they mostly all look the same to<BR>
> me), and a mechanic might take a while figuring out the<BR>
> details of some foreign cars, but almost all of them use<BR>
> metal frames, rubber tires, and internal combustion<BR>
> engines.  That despite the wide range in environments in<BR>
> which these vehicles must operate.<BR>
<BR>
I know you said "almost all", but if you head up north where there's a good<BR>
deal of snow and you'll find lots of vehicles which use a combination of<BR>
skies and treads, not rubber tires. These vehicles fill the same role as<BR>
cars, but they're not cars.<BR>
<BR>
To go a step further than that even, Buckminster Fuller designed the<BR>
Dymaxion (sp?), a three-wheeled car that was quantifiably better than most<BR>
cars of the time, but an unfortunate accident caused funding to dry up.<BR>
While the Dymaxion was not radical in the sense that the difference between,<BR>
say, using solar power on a starship and using fusion power would be, it's<BR>
still a design which is different enough to be notable.<BR>
<BR>
To stick with automobiles as an example, even with very similar technology,<BR>
cars themselves can come in a variety of different shapes and sizes.<BR>
Sometimes, as with the popularity of compact and sub-compact cars, the<BR>
change is a result of *function*, while at other times the change is purely<BR>
a result of aesthetics. Take a look at the rise in popularity of the SUV<BR>
among America's "soccer moms".<BR>
<BR>
To further complicate issues, you've got things like motorcycles on the<BR>
roads as well, which look and feel very different from automobiles. If<BR>
everybody in America started to drive motorcycles, for whatever reason, the<BR>
country would look and feel quite different.<BR>
<BR>
So, even using the same core technology, you can have any number of<BR>
permutations which, in most cases, are functionally different in a<BR>
quantifiable way.<BR>
<BR>
These are above and beyond *mere* differences in tech levels.<BR>
<BR>
One thing that's interesting, which nobody has mentioned yet, which is not<BR>
surprising given the rational and optimization-happy nature of this list, is<BR>
that something which may be functionally and quantifiably better may be, for<BR>
whatever reason, unpopular, or the idea might not catch on. Look at the<BR>
Betamax / VHS brawl, as an example, or look at the story of the Tucker car,<BR>
or even the military vehicle that Tucker and his team designed for the U. S.<BR>
Army. Laserdiscs are another good example. Let's see... what else? Ah! Fax<BR>
machines owe their popularity in the 80s and 90s not to their being "better"<BR>
than other forms of technology, an email system has many advantages over the<BR>
fax machine, but to the fact that Japanese executives conduct their business<BR>
in a specific fashion, and the Japanese both make and consume lots of<BR>
electronics.<BR>
<BR>
So, even on a single planet it's quite possible to have many different<BR>
approaches to a problem. People's priorities can also be very different.<BR>
While many on this list may lean toward optimization, most people *don't*.<BR>
Tradition and industrial inertia are very powerful forces, even for those of<BR>
us who aren't Vilani.<BR>
<BR>
In some cases, even very brilliant people can't think far enough "outside<BR>
the box" to see that there may be a different way of doing something. The<BR>
rise in popularity of "alternative medicines" in the West is a good example.<BR>
Acupuncture, which just came up on the list in another discussion, is quite<BR>
different from other methods of dealing with certain medical problems.<BR>
Similarly, the difference between the therapy dominated field of psychology<BR>
and the empirical approach of psychiatry are really very different.<BR>
<BR>
I could go on and on, but I think that I've made my point. ;)<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Wed, 01 Dec 1999 16:56:15 -0700<BR>
From: Bruce Johnson <johnson@pharmacy.arizona.edu><BR>
Subject: Re: Bribery Skill<BR>
<BR>
Douglas E. Berry wrote:<BR>
> <BR>
> At 04:38 PM 12/1/1999 -0600, you wrote:<BR>
> >In a recent discussion the subject of Bribery came up. I don't use it as a<BR>
> >skill in MTU. How difficult is it to bribe someone anyway?!?  Is it like<BR>
> >electronics or medical, or even gun combat? How much training or experience<BR>
> >is actually involved to advance to a higher level. I accept it as a task,<BR>
> >but not as a separate skill!  I assume that anyone with Streetwise would be<BR>
> >successful at bribery. Any opinions out there?<BR>
> <BR>
> Bribery is knowing who to bribe, how to pass it along, and what levels of<BR>
> squeeze are needed for any given situation.  It differs slightly from<BR>
> Streetwise in that many "legitimate" citizens might by in a situation where<BR>
> bribery becomes a part of daily life.  (Anybody here every get pulled over<BR>
> by the Sonora State Police?  A US $10 bill, discreetly passed, and suddenly<BR>
> the officer forgets he ever saw you or your car.)<BR>
<BR>
Streetwise would tell you to pass a $10 to the cop. <BR>
<BR>
Bribery would tell you that it's ok for a Sonora Federale, but NOT a<BR>
CHiP. <BR>
<BR>
Bribery is knowing the fine details of how much and the particulars of<BR>
bribing someone, as Doug says. <BR>
<BR>
Foex, offering too much will generate differing responses. <BR>
<BR>
Will the bribee:<BR>
<BR>
a) assume you don't know what you're doing and pocket it anyway <BR>
<BR>
b) take the usual and politely give the rest back (don't laugh, an old<BR>
National Geographic article on Bombay described that exact thing) <BR>
<BR>
or c) assume you're up to something much worse, that they should be much<BR>
more suspicious of.<BR>
<BR>
Streetwise will tell you to walk into a congresscritters office with a<BR>
briefcase of cash. <BR>
<BR>
Bribery will tell you to walk in with an appropriately laundered check<BR>
made out to his re-election committee, or better yet, his favorite<BR>
PAC...<BR>
<BR>
Streetwise leans heavily towards the folded ten in the palm. <BR>
<BR>
Bribery is a delicately dropped insider tip.<BR>
<BR>
Bribery, at it's best, and as a skill, consists of the art of paying<BR>
someone off while simultaneouosly offering them plausible deniability.<BR>
<BR>
- -- <BR>
Bruce Johnson<BR>
University of Arizona<BR>
College of Pharmacy<BR>
Information Technology Group<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Wed, 01 Dec 1999 17:00:26 -0700<BR>
From: Bruce Johnson <johnson@pharmacy.arizona.edu><BR>
Subject: Re: California Weather<BR>
<BR>
Kiri Aradia Morgan wrote:<BR>
> <BR>
<BR>
> > Ah, the perils of television.. every summer San Francisco gets planeloads<BR>
> > of tourist in shorts and t-shirts, who proceed to develop hypothermia while<BR>
> > waiting for cable cars.<BR>
> ><BR>
> > Y'see they've seen "Baywatch", which is filmed in California, so they know<BR>
> > what the weather is going to be like...<BR>
> ><BR>
> My ex-BF Go came from Saitama to SF one year with NOTHING but t-shirts and<BR>
> shorts because he believed California was so warm...<BR>
<BR>
Ha! one of my Japanese teachers (loooong time ago, I hardly remember any<BR>
of it) was from Japan. Her father was initially concerned about her<BR>
coming to Tucson because it was a dusty cow town with daily gunfights<BR>
and Indian raids...<BR>
<BR>
Wasn't it Mark Twain who said 'The coldest winter I ever saw was a<BR>
summer in San Francisco.' ? I know, we still have the thick sweaters we<BR>
ran out and bought the first time we went there...<BR>
<BR>
- -- <BR>
Bruce Johnson<BR>
University of Arizona<BR>
College of Pharmacy<BR>
Information Technology Group<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1999 16:00:26 -0800<BR>
From: "Luther Martin" <tml@ksarul.com><BR>
Subject: Re: Different Technologies<BR>
<BR>
Most people may not lean towards optimization, but those who design and<BR>
build things *do*. The rest of the world has to live with what we build.<BR>
<sound of laughter><BR>
<BR>
><BR>
>While many on this list may lean toward optimization, most people *don't*.<BR>
><BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Wed, 01 Dec 1999 17:10:19 -0700<BR>
From: Bruce Johnson <johnson@pharmacy.arizona.edu><BR>
Subject: Re: Low TL Medicines<BR>
<BR>
Rupert Boleyn wrote:<BR>
> <BR>
> Here in NZ there's a pharmacy only (until recently prescription only)<BR>
> nasal spray that my doctor told me was a steriod (shortly before<BR>
> spending five minutes reassuring me that it wasn't like all those<BR>
> "evil" steriods). It's called Beconase and seems to have Beclomethasone<BR>
> Dipropionate as its active component.<BR>
<BR>
Yes. Actually that stuff works pretty well, I'm taking it, since the<BR>
generic companies can make it now, and the HMO's think it's just peachy<BR>
keen to prescribe because it's cheap.<BR>
<BR>
N.B. Steroids are a VAST array of compounds sharing a common base<BR>
chemical structure, with hugely varying pharmacological effects.<BR>
<BR>
Only a tiny fraction of them have _any_ effect on the male sex drive.<BR>
<BR>
It's on the order of syaing 'hydrocarbon' == 'gasoline'; whether it's<BR>
methane or coal.<BR>
<BR>
It's all in the side chains, folks, all in the side chains.<BR>
<BR>
- -- <BR>
Bruce Johnson<BR>
University of Arizona<BR>
College of Pharmacy<BR>
Information Technology Group<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1999 19:14:44 -0500<BR>
From: "Daniel Phelps" <phelpsd@gate.net><BR>
Subject: Re: Percussive Maintenance<BR>
<BR>
Was asked:<BR>
<BR>
>>Okay, admit it...how many of you whack the TV/radio/etc with the palm<BR>
>>of your hand to "encourage" the darn thing to work?<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
My dad,  the electronics tech, had a phrase that he would utter just before<BR>
he fired up some cranky item he was working on:<BR>
<BR>
"All right, lets tune for maximum smoke."<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1999 19:03:19 -0600<BR>
From: "Bont" <felix@felixcafe.com><BR>
Subject: Re: Deadfall Ordnance<BR>
<BR>
> From: ehenry@newberlin.org (Eric Henry)<BR>
> .001 kiloton?  why not just drop a WWII bomb?<BR>
<BR>
Because it would burn up in reentry?<BR>
 <BR>
> This is certainly not in the planet busting category although it might<BR>
> stop an armored fighting vehicle.<BR>
<BR>
I would hope so!  35,000 (2) points of damage is nothing to sneeze <BR>
at.  That's enough to take out a 20,000 dTon ship with 30,000 points <BR>
of DR.<BR>
<BR>
Drop a couple hundred of these over a ground-based starport and I <BR>
don't think there would be too many ships left.<BR>
<BR>
But, you are right.  I am not sure it bust up the planet.  You would <BR>
probably need a 10 cf one for that ;)<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: Wed, 1 Dec 1999 16:59:06 -0800 (PST)<BR>
From: "John R. Snead" <jsnead@netcom.com><BR>
Subject: Re: Different Technologies<BR>
<BR>
"Bob Sanders" <bsanders@amghome.com> wrote:<BR>
<BR>
>I agree, but we also know that many roads can get you to the same<BR>
>destination.  ForEx. look at the many different types of power generation<BR>
>plants in the world.  Gas, coal, nuke, solar, wind, etc... they are all<BR>
>optimized (the best they can be at existing technology) for their function.<BR>
>However they all still provide power.  That doesn't answer my question of<BR>
>how the different races all developed the same solution to the engineering<BR>
>problem produced by space travel.<BR>
<BR>
The problem is that Fusion is simply better than any sort of power<BR>
generation system which does not involve antimatter or other highly<BR>
exotic, *very* high TL solutions.  Fusion power uses easily available fuel<BR>
(hydrogen) and generates a huge amount of power for a small amount of fuel<BR>
(and in a relatively small space in Traveller). Nothing else works nearly<BR>
as well. <BR>
<BR>
The case for Thrusters is even better.  Fission drives, solar sails, and<BR>
most other solutions are honestly fairly pitiful for getting around a<BR>
solar system in anything resembling a reasonable amount of time. <BR>
<BR>
Fusion rockets & Heplar both work OK, but are incredibly inferior to<BR>
Thrusters, since they require considerable amounts of fuel or reaction<BR>
mass and thrusters do not.  Thrusters are the only way you can do 1 G<BR>
continuous thrust boosts from one planet to another.  With that sort of<BR>
advantage everyone who came across such things would drop their existing<BR>
technologies and adopt thrusters as soon as they could buy or duplicate<BR>
them. <BR>
<BR>
Some technologies are simply better.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
- -John Snead jsnead@netcom.com   <BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1999 20:09:57 -0500 (EST)<BR>
From: Kenji Schwarz <schwarz@fas.harvard.edu><BR>
Subject: Re: Different Technologies<BR>
<BR>
On Wed, 1 Dec 1999, Chris Seamans wrote:<BR>
<BR>
> Personally, I'm in the same boat as you. It becomes a real problem when<BR>
> you're designing ships and vehicles because there's no reason not to use<BR>
> those technologies. As a result, two ships of the exact same size built by<BR>
> different cultures will tend to be, at least functionally, *exactly* the<BR>
> same. That may work for other people, but it doesn't for me. What's the<BR>
> point of visiting strange new worlds and civilizations if they're all going<BR>
> to be exactly the same?<BR>
<BR>
Well, *obviously*, because you can 1) make money and 2) kill them.  What<BR>
other reason, *realistically*, do you think people *rationally* need?<BR>
<BR>
Kenji<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Wed, 01 Dec 1999 20:05:16 -0500<BR>
From: Christopher Thrash <thrash@io.com><BR>
Subject: Re: Deadfall Ordnance<BR>
<BR>
>Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1999 14:41:41 -0600<BR>
>From: "Bont" <felix@felixcafe.com><BR>
>Subject: Deadfall Ordnance<BR>
><BR>
>Body              : 6 cf, empty space<BR>
>Structure Profile : TL7 Extra Heavy Frame, Very Cheap Materials, <BR>
>Robotic (I used low TL stuff for its weight)<BR>
>Armor Profile     : TL6 DR 1200 Cheap Metal (I used low TL stuff for <BR>
>its weight)<BR>
>Total Cost        : MCr0.064<BR>
>Size Mod          : 0<BR>
><BR>
>Total Weight is 17402 lbs.  <BR>
<BR>
Here's the only problem with your analysis, and why I didn't go this route.<BR>
<BR>
Armor and framework don't have any volume in GURPS Vehicles. This is an<BR>
abstraction, to avoid iterative volume calculations. It works okay for<BR>
hulls that are thin relative to their volume, but it breaks down pretty<BR>
rapidly if you push it too far.<BR>
<BR>
In this case, you have to consider the volume of all that steel. Say that<BR>
steel has a density of 8 g/cc (I don't have CRC to consult, so don't take<BR>
this literally). Your armor and framework together would take up 35 cf, on<BR>
top of the 6 cf of contents -- which throws off your drag and airspeed<BR>
calculations, and prevents the missile from using standard launchers.<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1999 16:54:37 -0800 (PST)<BR>
From: Glenn Goffin <gmgoffin@yahoo.com><BR>
Subject: Bribery Skill<BR>
<BR>
>From: Alex Ingram <ingram@airmail.net><BR>
>In a recent discussion the subject of Bribery came <BR>
>up. I don't use it as a skill in MTU. How difficult <BR>
>is it to bribe someone anyway?!?  Is it like <BR>
>electronics or medical, or even gun combat? How much <BR>
>training or experience is actually involved to <BR>
>advance to a higher level. I accept it as a task, but<BR>
<BR>
>not as a separate skill!  I assume that anyone with <BR>
>Streetwise would be successful at bribery. Any <BR>
>opinions out there?<BR>
<BR>
Well, I thought that the three-hour Mandatory<BR>
Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) workshop I recently<BR>
attended on Bribing Public Officials was extremely<BR>
helpful, and I'm looking forward to the follow-up,<BR>
Successful Solicitation of Bribes, this winter.  (The<BR>
MCLE folks are also planning "Defending the Briber",<BR>
"Defending the Bribe-taker", and "Soliciting Bribes<BR>
for Declining to Prosecute Bribery Cases".)  <BR>
<BR>
Unfortunately, I don't have any more constructive<BR>
comments at the moment.  What makes a skill for<BR>
Traveller, anyway?  It's a thorny question.  <BR>
<BR>
- --Glenn<BR>
__________________________________________________<BR>
Do You Yahoo!?<BR>
Thousands of Stores.  Millions of Products.  All in one place.<BR>
Yahoo! Shopping: http://shopping.yahoo.com<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1999 20:26:15 -0500<BR>
From: "Chris Seamans" <semo@pil.net><BR>
Subject: Re: Different Technologies<BR>
<BR>
From: Luther Martin <tml@ksarul.com><BR>
To: <traveller@lists.imagiconline.com><BR>
Sent: Wednesday, December 01, 1999 7:00 PM<BR>
Subject: Re: Different Technologies<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
> Most people may not lean towards optimization, but those who design and<BR>
> build things *do*. The rest of the world has to live with what we build.<BR>
> <sound of laughter><BR>
<BR>
That is when the engineers can get their units right. ;)<BR>
<BR>
Then again, anyone who thinks that engineers build solely with optimization<BR>
in mind need only look at the American automobile industry during the 70s,<BR>
or any one of a thousand different examples.<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Wed, 01 Dec 1999 17:23:51<BR>
From: "Douglas E. Berry" <gridlore@pop.mindspring.com><BR>
Subject: Re: California Weather<BR>
<BR>
At 03:33 PM 12/1/1999 -0800, you wrote:<BR>
<BR>
>My ex-BF Go came from Saitama to SF one year with NOTHING but t-shirts and<BR>
>shorts because he believed California was so warm...<BR>
<BR>
Ever notice how many vendors sell sweatshirts along Fisherman's Wharf?<BR>
Mwahahaha...<BR>
<BR>
ObTrav: A planet that is known for one aspect actually only has that in a<BR>
limited area.. the rest of the world is much different.<BR>
- -- <BR>
<BR>
Douglas E. Berry       gridlore@mindspring.com<BR>
http://gridlore.home.mindspring.com/index.html<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Wed, 01 Dec 1999 17:25:32<BR>
From: "Douglas E. Berry" <gridlore@pop.mindspring.com><BR>
Subject: Re: California Weather<BR>
<BR>
At 05:00 PM 12/1/1999 -0700, you wrote:<BR>
<BR>
>Ha! one of my Japanese teachers (loooong time ago, I hardly remember any<BR>
>of it) was from Japan. Her father was initially concerned about her<BR>
>coming to Tucson because it was a dusty cow town with daily gunfights<BR>
>and Indian raids...<BR>
<BR>
I get tourists all the time asking me "when the next earthquake is" or "how<BR>
many have you had today?"  <BR>
<BR>
>Wasn't it Mark Twain who said 'The coldest winter I ever saw was a<BR>
>summer in San Francisco.' ? I know, we still have the thick sweaters we<BR>
>ran out and bought the first time we went there...<BR>
<BR>
That is was!<BR>
- -- <BR>
<BR>
Douglas E. Berry       gridlore@mindspring.com<BR>
http://gridlore.home.mindspring.com/index.html<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Wed, 01 Dec 1999 17:28:37<BR>
From: "Douglas E. Berry" <gridlore@pop.mindspring.com><BR>
Subject: RE: LEO's (KEYBOARD WARNING!!)<BR>
<BR>
At 10:42 PM 12/1/1999 +0000, you wrote:<BR>
<BR>
>Interesting aside - the Atomic Energy Police in the UK are one of the <BR>
>few police forces who regularly carry weapons, those and the airport <BR>
>police.<BR>
<BR>
I'm sorry, I know I'm tired but.. the Atomic Energy Police?  I just get<BR>
this image of John Cleese and Eric Idle in spandex costumes from Godzilla<BR>
vs. Mike Tyson..<BR>
- -- <BR>
<BR>
Douglas E. Berry       gridlore@mindspring.com<BR>
http://gridlore.home.mindspring.com/index.html<BR>
<BR>
If someone is arrested for jaywalking or littering just<BR>
after midnight next New Year's Eve, for at least a minute<BR>
or two he will have committed the crime of the century. <BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1999 20:29:16 -0500<BR>
From: "Chris Seamans" <semo@pil.net><BR>
Subject: Re: Different Technologies<BR>
<BR>
From: Kenji Schwarz <schwarz@fas.harvard.edu><BR>
<BR>
<BR>
> Well, *obviously*, because you can 1) make money and 2) kill them.  What<BR>
> other reason, *realistically*, do you think people *rationally* need?<BR>
<BR>
Ach! My apologies. I forgot we were talking about Traveller for a moment.<BR>
<g, d, r><BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1999 20:32:51 -0500<BR>
From: "Chris Seamans" <semo@pil.net><BR>
Subject: Re: California Weather<BR>
<BR>
From: Bruce Johnson <johnson@pharmacy.arizona.edu><BR>
<BR>
<BR>
> Ha! one of my Japanese teachers (loooong time ago, I hardly remember any<BR>
> of it) was from Japan. Her father was initially concerned about her<BR>
> coming to Tucson because it was a dusty cow town with daily gunfights<BR>
> and Indian raids...<BR>
<BR>
I think I missed the joke. Do you mean Tucson really isn't just a dusty cow<BR>
town with daily gunfights and Indian raids?<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1999 17:38:00 -0800<BR>
From: "Luther Martin" <tml@ksarul.com><BR>
Subject: Re: Different Technologies<BR>
<BR>
Optimizing for *profit* is still optimizing, isn't it?<BR>
<BR>
><BR>
> Then again, anyone who thinks that engineers build solely with<BR>
optimization<BR>
> in mind need only look at the American automobile industry during the 70s,<BR>
> or any one of a thousand different examples.<BR>
><BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Thu, 2 Dec 1999 12:38:47 +1000<BR>
From: david.d.jaques-watson@centrelink.gov.au<BR>
Subject: Re: Police Ranks (long)<BR>
<BR>
Dear Folks -<BR>
<BR>
Jeff said:<BR>
>Cheez, is that moldy old thing still around?  If you can lay<BR>
>hands on it, do me a favor and forward me a copy - I want to see<BR>
>how far off my perceptions were; that was fairly early in my<BR>
>career as a civilian computer geek with the NYPD...<BR>
<BR>
Your wish is my command.<BR>
<BR>
He also said:<BR>
>Like I said, "Cheez, is that moldy old thing still around?  If<BR>
>you can lay hands on it, do me a favor and forward me a copy...<BR>
<BR>
Ok, I get the hint.<BR>
<BR>
He also said:<BR>
><grin> Like I said, "Cheez, is that moldy old thing still around?<BR>
>If you can lay hands on it, do me a favor and forward me a copy...<BR>
<BR>
Enough already! Here it is:<BR>
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+<BR>
TNE Rules: Law Enforcer Characters<BR>
By: Jeff Zeitlin <jeff.zeitlin@execnet.com><BR>
From: traveller@mpgn.com Tue, 04 Jul 95 [Digest 338]<BR>
<BR>
Subject: TNE Law Enf. Career<BR>
<BR>
I was looking through the Traveller: The New Era character generation sequence,<BR>
and decided, based on my personal real-world experience, that the Law<BR>
Enforcement career could be improved somewhat.<BR>
<BR>
For the record, I live in a small town (about 15,000 people) and work for the<BR>
New York City Police Department (about 40,000 uniformed members of all ranks,<BR>
serving a city of 12,000,000 people). I have made it my business to be familiar<BR>
with police operations to the greatest extent possible in both departments. I<BR>
have also heard about other departments from police officers who have<BR>
transferred in, or who have done exchanges with other departments.<BR>
<BR>
In general, there will be two kinds of Police Departments for the purposes of<BR>
character generation: small departments and large departments. The mission is<BR>
not dependent on size, but the department table of organisation will be strongly<BR>
affected, as will the ranks and some skills attainable by members of the<BR>
service.<BR>
<BR>
A note on terminology - a "member of the service" refers to any individual<BR>
working for a police department. A "UMOS" (Uniformed Member Of Service) refers<BR>
to any member of the service that is issued a shield and a sidearm. A "Cop" is a<BR>
UMOS of rank below Lieutenant; an "Officer" is a UMOS of rank Lieutenant or<BR>
above.<BR>
<BR>
SIZING THE DEPARTMENT<BR>
<BR>
For the purposes of determining whether a department is considered large or<BR>
small, some information about local population _density_ and area covered by the<BR>
department must be available. For the purpose of discussion, interpret the<BR>
population density level (PDL) number as you would a population number, ie., as<BR>
an exponent of ten, but with units of people per square kilometre rather than<BR>
just people. If you're one of those people who likes to compute this by using<BR>
the "log 10" key on your calculator or in your computer program, round down.<BR>
<BR>
My rule of thumb: If the PDL is less than 4 in the area covered by a single<BR>
department, _and_ the area covered by a single department has a population level<BR>
less than 5, the department is small. Departments that have other departments<BR>
operating partially or totally within their jurisdiction are automatically<BR>
large.<BR>
<BR>
As an example, Westchester County, New York has several towns, cities, and<BR>
villages:<BR>
<BR>
- - The Village of Pelham has a population of about 6,000 in 2.25 square<BR>
kilometres. This yields a PDL of 3 (3.42, actually). The Village of Pelham has a<BR>
small department.<BR>
- - The County of Westchester has a population of 867,000 in 1192.50 square<BR>
kilometres. This yields a PDL of 2 (2.86). However, the population level is 5,<BR>
almost 6, _and_ there are departments operating in smaller areas of Westchester<BR>
County. Therefore, the Westchester County Parkway Police Department is a large<BR>
department, as is the New York State Police Department.<BR>
- - The City of New York has 12,000,000 people in an area of about 1,000 square<BR>
kilometres. This gives a PDL of 4 (4.07). This alone is enough to make the New<BR>
York City Police Department a large department, as is the population level of 7.<BR>
<BR>
TABLE OF ORGANISATION<BR>
<BR>
Small departments are generally unitary, with no division into bureaus for<BR>
functional separation, nor into precincts for operational separation. Large<BR>
departments frequently have both. The typical small department can be treated as<BR>
a single precinct for its table of operation.<BR>
<BR>
The typical precinct is commanded by an officer of rank O2 or higher. This<BR>
individual is responsible for overall coordination of activities that occur both<BR>
within the police station or out in the operational area, for the entire 24-hour<BR>
period of the standard day. In large departments, or in jurisdictions where<BR>
there is a lot of crime, he may be assisted by an executive officer whose rank<BR>
in small departments is at least one lower than his (but still at least O1) or<BR>
in large departments may be equal in rank.<BR>
<BR>
There are three "platoons" in a precinct or a small department - one for each<BR>
eight-hour period of the standard day. Platoons are generally lettered in the<BR>
Anglic alphabet, with each platoon being listed as on-duty over a specific<BR>
eight-hour period. Each platoon is led by a Lieutenant, who is responsible for<BR>
coordinating operations in the operational area for the period during which his<BR>
platoon is on-duty.<BR>
<BR>
The Lieutenant is also responsible for reporting his platoon's activity to the<BR>
commanding officer, and for passing on information to the following platoon<BR>
about conditions requiring special attention. Staffing of the police station<BR>
(ie., ensuring that a sufficient number of Police Officers are in the station at<BR>
all time to take walk-in reports of crimes and to process arrests) is the<BR>
responsibility of the Lieutenant, as well.<BR>
<BR>
Each platoon is divided up into several squads. Each squad works a sequence of<BR>
days on-duty, followed by a shorter sequence of days off-duty. Squads work so<BR>
that there is sufficient coverage each day, and so that over a long period of<BR>
time, each squad's on-duty time is twice its off-duty time. Squads are headed by<BR>
Sergeants, who are responsible for ensuring that all information required by the<BR>
platoon commander is collected from the police officers, and for monitoring the<BR>
performance of the Police Officers in his squad.<BR>
<BR>
In small departments, the Detectives are usually considered a squad on special<BR>
assignment, but see the notes on Detectives in large departments.<BR>
<BR>
Administrative duties may be handled by Police Officers given a "special<BR>
assignment" of Staff, or by civilian bureaucrats (unranked clerks) specifically<BR>
hired for the purpose.<BR>
<BR>
Large departments may have additional levels of command - for example, a<BR>
Division Command may have oversight and data collection responsibilities for<BR>
several precincts. Large departments always have a headquarters separate from a<BR>
precinct, which has ultimate overall responsibility for operational oversight<BR>
and strategic planning for the department as a whole. Large departments are<BR>
generally divided up into operational bureaus, as follows:<BR>
<BR>
Patrol Service:<BR>
     responsible for day-to-day patrol operation of uniformed officers. These<BR>
officers are the ones that respond to emergency calls and crimes-in-progress,<BR>
and who act as a deterrent by their presence.<BR>
<BR>
Detective Service:<BR>
     responsible for investigation and information development of<BR>
crimes-completed (in the past). May also arrange and execute "sting" and<BR>
under-cover operations.<BR>
<BR>
Internal Affairs:<BR>
     responsible for investigating allegations of misconduct by members of the<BR>
service. Responsible for proffering specifications for departmental hearings.<BR>
<BR>
Information Systems:<BR>
     responsible for maintaining computer systems and software, and development<BR>
and purchase of same.<BR>
<BR>
Physical Plant:<BR>
     responsible for maintenance of physical facilities of the department.<BR>
<BR>
Quartermaster:<BR>
     responsible for supply and maintenance of equipment and consumables<BR>
required for department operations.<BR>
<BR>
Information Systems, Physical Plant, and Quartermaster may be contracted out to<BR>
non-governmental firms, or to other government agencies. Patrol Service and<BR>
Detective Service operate "round-the-clock" (but see below). Other bureaus<BR>
generally operate only during "normal business hours".<BR>
<BR>
Detectives are not generally organised into platoons and squads as patrol<BR>
officers are. Instead, each detective sets his/her own hours based on the needs<BR>
of any cases and/or "stings" or under-cover operations he/she is currently<BR>
working on. Hours spent on-duty must conform over the course of one fiscal year<BR>
to the same ratio as is required of Patrol Officers.<BR>
<BR>
RANKS AND TYPICAL TITLES (as used in the United States)<BR>
<BR>
There are two "classes" of UMOS, similar to the "enlisted" and "officer"<BR>
division of military forces. Typically, they are referred to as "Patrol<BR>
officers" (cops, or enlisted) and "Supervisors" (officers). In this<BR>
classification, Patrol officers includes detectives of rank E2 and E4, and<BR>
Supervisors includes all ranks O1 and above.<BR>
<BR>
The table below gives the rank number and rank title for all ranks. Where<BR>
"-----" appears in the Detectives column, it means that the Detective Service<BR>
bureau does not use that rank. Ranks marked with "*" may be omitted by some<BR>
departments; see the notes following the table.<BR>
<BR>
Rank  Standard Title      Detectives<BR>
E1*   Cadet               -----<BR>
E2    Police Officer      Detective<BR>
E3*   Corporal            -----<BR>
E4    Sergeant            Detective Sergeant/Investigator<BR>
O1    Lieutenant          Lieutenant<BR>
O2    Captain             Captain<BR>
O3*   Deputy Inspector    Deputy Inspector<BR>
O4    Inspector           Inspector<BR>
O5*   Assistant Chief     Assistant Chief<BR>
O6*   Deputy Chief        Deputy Chief<BR>
O7*   Chief of Bureau     Chief of Detectives<BR>
O8    Chief of Department -----<BR>
O9*   Commissioner        -----<BR>
* rank may not exist; see Notes<BR>
<BR>
Notes:<BR>
- - Ranks O3 and above are generally considered political appointments from within<BR>
the ranks in large departments.<BR>
- - Small departments never have Cadets (rank E1) and generally omit ranks E3, O5,<BR>
O6, and O7; rank O3 may or may not exist.<BR>
- - If ranks O5, O6, and O7 are _all_ omitted, rank O8 is called simply "Chief".<BR>
- - Some large departments omit ranks E1 and E3.<BR>
- - A department that has rank E1 will also have a Police Academy of its own; a<BR>
Cadet will be a prospective Police Officer in the final phase of his/her<BR>
training, or, in the largest police departments, may be a college student who is<BR>
on a work-study program with a major field of study of Law Enforcement or<BR>
Criminal Justice.<BR>
- - Small departments never have Commissioners (rank O9). Large departments may or<BR>
may not; if a Commissioner exists, it is as a civilian political appointee<BR>
setting overall policy, not involved in operational matters.<BR>
<BR>
UMOS are civil service employees until they achieve rank O3. As such, officers<BR>
must have come up through the ranks. Do not roll for Commission. Promotion<BR>
should be rolled for regardless of SOC and world government if current rank is<BR>
below O2, with a +1 DM for each _2_ terms served (count the current term) in<BR>
addition to the stated DMs and no SOC benefit. Term DMs are no longer added once<BR>
a character achieves rank O2, but at that time, the SOC benefit _is_ added.<BR>
Thus, a player with SOC 9 who achieves rank O2 in his 5th term did so with a +2<BR>
DM on the promotion roll in addition to any DM for CON, but no SOC DM is given,<BR>
even on Low Gov worlds. In subsequent terms, the character has a +2 DM for<BR>
time-in-service, _and_ a +1 DM for SOC 8+, for a total DM of +3. The automatic<BR>
promotion on Gov High+ worlds applies once a character is attempting to promote<BR>
beyond rank O2.<BR>
<BR>
All characters enter the career as rank E2. Time spent as E1 in departments that<BR>
use this rank is covered by initial training and possibly Undergraduate<BR>
University as well.<BR>
<BR>
Characters may leave the career and then choose to come back. If a character had<BR>
rank O2 or below at the time of departure, roll 2D6 for the total number of<BR>
terms in _all_ careers up to this point. the result is _greater_than_ the number<BR>
of terms served in all careers, the character may re-enter with no loss of rank.<BR>
If the result is _less_than_or_equal_to_ the number of terms served in all<BR>
careers, one level of rank is lost for _each_ term _not_ served in Law<BR>
Enforcement. If the character had rank O3 or above at the time of departure,<BR>
roll 2D6 for 10+, DM +1 for SOC 8+, DM +1 for each _2_ terms served in Law<BR>
Enforcement. If the roll succeeds, the character is reappointed with no loss of<BR>
rank. If the roll fails, the character may not return to Law Enforcement.<BR>
<BR>
SKILL PACKAGES<BR>
<BR>
Small departments:<BR>
<BR>
The supplied skill packages in the basic rules are OK as written. However, the<BR>
"Detective" skill package is not used for being "commissioned". Instead, roll<BR>
1D6 for assignment each term; on 1, the special assignment is "Staff", on 2, the<BR>
special assignment is "Detective". On any other roll, the character is a<BR>
uniformed officer.<BR>
<BR>
If the assignment is "Detective", use the Detective skill package instead of the<BR>
Uniformed skill package; if the assignment is "Staff", the skill package<BR>
consists of Vehicle, Interaction, Charm, Language, Perception, Economics, Social<BR>
Science.<BR>
<BR>
On "Staff" assignments, the character gets one Government and one Law<BR>
Enforcement contact instead of one Criminal and one Law Enforcement contact in<BR>
that term.<BR>
<BR>
Large departments:<BR>
<BR>
Roll 1D6 each term for bureau assignment:<BR>
<BR>
1 - Patrol Service;<BR>
2 - Detective Service;<BR>
3 - Internal Affairs;<BR>
4 - Information Systems;<BR>
5 - Physical Plant;<BR>
6 - Quartermaster.<BR>
<BR>
If the bureau assignment is Patrol or Detective, roll 1D6 for assignment; on 1<BR>
or 2, the character has been assigned to "Staff" and gets the staff skill<BR>
package above. Otherwise, Patrol assignees use the uniformed skill package;<BR>
Detective assignees use the Detective skill set. For other assignments, use the<BR>
following skill packages:<BR>
<BR>
Internal Affairs<BR>
     Determination, Charm, Interaction, Perception, Vehicle, Economics, Social<BR>
Science.<BR>
<BR>
Information Systems<BR>
     Economics, Technician, Interaction, Charm, Perception. Contacts as "Staff",<BR>
above.<BR>
<BR>
Physical Plant<BR>
     Engineer, Artisan, Construction, Technician, Vehicle, Economics. Contacts<BR>
as "Staff", above.<BR>
<BR>
Quartermaster<BR>
     Charm, Determination, Interaction, Vehicle, Economics. Contacts as "Staff",<BR>
above.<BR>
<BR>
==========================================================================<BR>
Jeff Zeitlin jeff.zeitlin@execnet.com<BR>
- ---<BR>
~ OLXWin 1.00a ~ The free exchange of ideas is a foundation of democracy<BR>
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+<BR>
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>
David "Hyphen" Jaques-Watson        Beowulf Down (Tavonni/Vilis/SM 1520)<BR>
http://www.tip.net.au/~davidjw                       davidjw@pcug.org.au<BR>
"I file things in historical order, with a hashing algorithm of gravity"<BR>
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>
REQ'D DISCLAIMER - material & opinions contained within are solely those<BR>
of the author and do not necessarily represent, in whole or in part, the<BR>
position of Centrelink or any other Commonwealth Government agency.<BR>
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
End of Traveller-digest V1999 #1422<BR>
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