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Date:	12/25/99 5:15:07 AM Pacific Standard Time<BR>
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Traveller-digest    Saturday, December 25 1999    Volume 1999 : Number 1579<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: Geog<BR>
Re: Highly Heretical TU idea<BR>
Re: 3I Sports<BR>
Re: The US and Treaty Obligations (was: Re: England)<BR>
[none]<BR>
Drawing Program<BR>
TEXAS<BR>
Re: TEXAS<BR>
Re: TEXAS<BR>
not really Re: technology advances<BR>
Re: Highly Heretical TU idea<BR>
Re: England<BR>
Re: Highly Heretical TU idea<BR>
England, Treaty Obligations et al<BR>
Re: England<BR>
Re: Drawing Program<BR>
Re: Drawing Program<BR>
Re: Hiding education :was Geographical idiocy<BR>
Re: [OT] War of 1812<BR>
Re: Canada (with an ObTrav)><BR>
Re: Christmas and snow.<BR>
Re: Santa in the 3rd Imperium?<BR>
Re: Drawing Program<BR>
Re: Highly Heretical TU idea<BR>
<BR>
----------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Sat, 25 Dec 1999 01:35:56 -0600<BR>
From: "Thomas Vickers" <redroach@flex.net><BR>
Subject: Re: Geog<BR>
<BR>
Spain, France, Mexico, Texas, United States, Confederate States Of America,<BR>
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>
- ------------<BR>
"That wickedness weltering around inside of you, inside<BR>
 of everyone, is sacred somewhere.  There's a deity out<BR>
 there who digs it.  You can respect and love your darkest<BR>
 side, disposing of only what is obsolete or impractical.<BR>
 It's all about giving yourself permission."<BR>
<BR>
- -----Original Message-----<BR>
From: Leonard Erickson <shadow@krypton.rain.com><BR>
To: traveller@lists.imagiconline.com <traveller@lists.imagiconline.com><BR>
Date: Saturday, December 25, 1999 12:02 AM<BR>
Subject: Re: Geog<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
>In mail you write:<BR>
><BR>
>>>>They should know what the six flags over Texas are, and why they are<BR>
>>>>important.<BR>
>>><BR>
>>>"Cause dude!  That's where the roller coasters are!!!"<BR>
>><BR>
>> Try the six constituent states of the Republic of Tejas.<BR>
><BR>
>Huh? I've never been in Texas, but what I'd always been told was that<BR>
>it was the six different flags that have flown over the place. Starting<BR>
>with the Spanish, then Mexican, Repulic of Texas, US, Confederate, and<BR>
>US again (or something like that).<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>
<BR>
Date: Sat, 25 Dec 1999 21:01:25 +1300<BR>
From: "Frank Pitt" <frankie@mundens.gen.nz><BR>
Subject: Re: Highly Heretical TU idea<BR>
<BR>
> *Could* the BG background be salavaged from all the bad science and<BR>
> worse writing and turned into a campaign?<BR>
<BR>
I don't see why not, the idea is cute, a refugee fleet, being pursued by the<BR>
enemy.<BR>
<BR>
As long as the cute kid and the dog get killed in the first episode.<BR>
<BR>
Frankie<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Sat, 25 Dec 1999 21:13:04 +1300<BR>
From: "Frank Pitt" <frankie@mundens.gen.nz><BR>
Subject: Re: 3I Sports<BR>
<BR>
> On Fri, 24 Dec 1999, Frank Pitt wrote:<BR>
><BR>
> > The fun thing about 'Shockwave Rider' is that Brunner predicted computer<BR>
> > viruses, before they actually existed (though it may have been close,<BR>
when<BR>
> > was the Internet Worm released ?), he just got the _name_ wrong, calling<BR>
> > them "phages", which I believe may be a much more biologically accurate<BR>
> > description.<BR>
><BR>
> Well, the Internet Worm was in 1988,  but computer viruses existed ong<BR>
> before that. An article I read a long time ago in Scientific American<BR>
> about computer viruses, described one written on an Apple II, designed to<BR>
> spread under DOS 3.3 (Apple DOS 3.3 no relation to MS DOS anything) which<BR>
> would date it to the late 70's early 80's.<BR>
><BR>
> PC Virii existed before then, as well.<BR>
<BR>
"Shockwave Rider"  is copyright 1975, I knew it was before PC's, but I had a<BR>
feeling the Internet worm was mid-seventies, or maybe I'm thinking of<BR>
something else.<BR>
<BR>
Frankie<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Sat, 25 Dec 1999 21:33:37 +1300<BR>
From: "Frank Pitt" <frankie@mundens.gen.nz><BR>
Subject: Re: The US and Treaty Obligations (was: Re: England)<BR>
<BR>
> Hey, the government of El Salvador _wanted_ our advisors!<BR>
<BR>
True, sorry, I got the name of that Oliver Stone movie in my head for some<BR>
reason.<BR>
<BR>
> (You may be thinking of US support of the Contras in Nicaragua.<BR>
<BR>
Yeah that's the one, I was thinking Sandinista - El Salvador for some<BR>
reason.<BR>
Not that the Sandinista's were neccessarily nice people, but they were the<BR>
elected government<BR>
<BR>
<snip><BR>
> And Columbia is a city in Missouri!  AFAIK, the Federal government has<BR>
> no _treaty_ obligations with Missouri.<BR>
<BR>
But that didn't stop them from invading it !<BR>
<grin><BR>
<BR>
Frankie<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 24 Dec 1999 23:30:15 -0900<BR>
From: "William F. Hostman" <aramis@gci.net><BR>
Subject: [none]<BR>
<BR>
>>>>They should know what the six flags over Texas are, and why they are<BR>
>>>>important.<BR>
>>><BR>
>>>"Cause dude!  That's where the roller coasters are!!!"<BR>
>><BR>
>> Try the six constituent states of the Republic of Tejas.<BR>
><BR>
>Huh? I've never been in Texas, but what I'd always been told was that<BR>
>it was the six different flags that have flown over the place. Starting<BR>
>with the Spanish, then Mexican, Repulic of Texas, US, Confederate, and<BR>
>US again (or something like that).<BR>
<BR>
Texas was never a member of the confederacy. I was taught in my degree<BR>
program (in 2 different classes, by different instructors) that texas was<BR>
allowed to seceed from the union by congress, about a year before the<BR>
confederacy did. They maintained separate nation status, and merely ALLIED<BR>
with the confederacy. Texas (formerly Tejas) rejoined the union by treaty,<BR>
rather than by being conquered... even so, the US IMPOSED the treaty of<BR>
reunion. It did grant them permission to separate into it's siz constituent<BR>
states by local referendum, if they ever choose to do so. I've read a copy<BR>
of the treaty of reunion, but I don't have a copy myself... Twice Texas was<BR>
its own country... Post Mexican, and during the US Civil War.<BR>
<BR>
As for the Six flags over texas, I don't honestly know the deal there...<BR>
but I know the RoT had six states...<BR>
<BR>
Alaskan's love the Texas treaty of reunion... It also provides that they<BR>
may seceed from the union, by some sepcified public majority. The Alaska<BR>
State Constitution also provides for a right to seceed, at least as<BR>
submitted to the US Gov't. Congress line-itemed it out. So the State's copy<BR>
shows that clause; copies from the congressional records don't show it.<BR>
<BR>
Hmm... Can't think of an ObTrav... at least not one that isn't either flame<BR>
bait, or having been hased out to a draw several times. Like, how hard is<BR>
it to seceed from the 3i?<BR>
<BR>
William F. Hostman  |  "Smith & Wesson: THe original Point and Click<BR>
interface!"<BR>
Aramis 0602 C55A364-C S kk+ as+ hi+ dr+ va++(--) so+ zh++ vi+ da++ sy- ge-<BR>
533<BR>
Mailto:aramis@gci.net http://home.gci.net/~aramis mailto:wilh@alaska.com<BR>
ICQ:14640742          AIM:AKAramis	ARM 1.0: 3 R H++ P+<BR>
IMTU 1.0: tc tm++ tn- t4-- tt+ to- tg-- ru+ ge 3i+ c+ jt-() au+ st- ls<BR>
pi+() ta+ he+(-) kk+ as+ hi+ dr+ va++(--) so+ zh++ vi+ da++ sy- ge- pi+<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Sat, 25 Dec 1999 02:29:59 -0600<BR>
From: Alex Ingram <ingram@airmail.net><BR>
Subject: Drawing Program<BR>
<BR>
I use EPS (Encapulated PostScript) format for all my vectored illustration<BR>
output. It's the standard format for print publishing and it works with all<BR>
the mid to high end packages like Illustrator, Freehand and CorelDraw. I<BR>
only use GIF and PNG (which are raster image formats, not vector) for web<BR>
graphics. I didn't know that anyone still used CGM anymore.<BR>
<BR>
Alex Ingram<BR>
<BR>
Jim & Peta Lawrie wrote:<BR>
<BR>
> >If the color set is small use GIF files. If it's more than 256, use PNG<BR>
> >files.<BR>
> >And for vector files, CGM files are probably the most portable. I know<BR>
> >Corel can handle them.<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Sat, 25 Dec 1999 03:19:39 -0600<BR>
From: "Thomas Vickers" <redroach@flex.net><BR>
Subject: TEXAS<BR>
<BR>
>Texas was never a member of the confederacy.<BR>
<BR>
Wrongo. Texas was a member of the confederacy. Every elected office had to<BR>
take an oath of Allegiance to the confederacy. Sam Houston refused and was<BR>
removed from Office. Lincoln offered federal troops to keep Houston in<BR>
office, but he said NO. He was elected by the people and and if the people<BR>
didn't want him in office, he would go.<BR>
He also warned that a Civil War would not be short and glorious, but LONG<BR>
and Brutal with the North winning.  Old Sam was pretty smart.<BR>
<BR>
I was taught in my degree<BR>
>program (in 2 different classes, by different instructors) that texas was<BR>
>allowed to seceed from the union by congress, about a year before the<BR>
>confederacy did.<BR>
<BR>
Wrongo again. Texas was the 11 or 12th state to seceed.  Governor Houston<BR>
fought against it and was eventually politically out maneuevered on the<BR>
issue. The anti-secession delegates to the secession conference didn't show<BR>
as a sign of protest. Amazingly enough it was a unanimous decision.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
They maintained separate nation status, and merely ALLIED<BR>
>with the confederacy. Texas (formerly Tejas) rejoined the union by treaty,<BR>
>rather than by being conquered... even so, the US IMPOSED the treaty of<BR>
>reunion. It did grant them permission to separate into it's siz constituent<BR>
>states by local referendum, if they ever choose to do so. I've read a copy<BR>
>of the treaty of reunion, but I don't have a copy myself... Twice Texas was<BR>
>its own country... Post Mexican, and during the US Civil War.<BR>
<BR>
Wrong. Texas was a republic from 1836 till 1845 and NEVER AGAIN. Now, when<BR>
we joined in 1845 we got a sweet deal.   As for Tejas, we weren't called<BR>
that since the Mexican days. Its a Caddo word meaning friend :0<BR>
Texas can still legally divide itself into five states if it chooses, but<BR>
the idea behind that was the size. In 1845  Texas was considered too big for<BR>
a state, so they were given the option to subdivide. Just think how 10 Texas<BR>
senators would screw up the Senate as opposed to 2 :)<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
><BR>
>As for the Six flags over texas, I don't honestly know the deal there...<BR>
>but I know the RoT had six states...<BR>
<BR>
The RoT had no states. It was one big place. Never subdivided, except into<BR>
counties.<BR>
The six flags though are Spain, France, Mexico, Texas, US, Confederacy.<BR>
<BR>
><BR>
>Alaskan's love the Texas treaty of reunion... It also provides that they<BR>
>may seceed from the union, by some sepcified public majority. The Alaska<BR>
>State Constitution also provides for a right to seceed, at least as<BR>
>submitted to the US Gov't. Congress line-itemed it out. So the State's copy<BR>
>shows that clause; copies from the congressional records don't show it.<BR>
<BR>
Wrong again. The Civil War proved once and for all that NO state has the<BR>
legal right to leave the union.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Now if need be I can document my answers, cuz I TEACH TEXAS HISTORY :)<BR>
I have plenty of books, documents etc..<BR>
<BR>
Thomas<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Sat, 25 Dec 1999 03:23:31 -0600<BR>
From: "Thomas Vickers" <redroach@flex.net><BR>
Subject: Re: TEXAS<BR>
<BR>
Lets not forget that the last battle of the civil war was fought in Texas,<BR>
nearly a month after Appomattox :)<BR>
<BR>
Word travelled slow  in those days, but it was a Confederate Victory as I<BR>
recall.<BR>
<BR>
TV<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Sat, 25 Dec 1999 02:41:36 -0700<BR>
From: "Legate Legion" <legate@futureone.com><BR>
Subject: Re: TEXAS<BR>
<BR>
From: Thomas Vickers <redroach@flex.net><BR>
<BR>
<BR>
>Lets not forget that the last battle of the civil war was fought in Texas,<BR>
>nearly a month after Appomattox :)<BR>
><BR>
>Word travelled slow  in those days, but it was a Confederate Victory as I<BR>
>recall.<BR>
><BR>
<BR>
<BR>
    No, that would be in Arizona, not Texas.  And, it was a Union Victory,<BR>
not southern.<BR>
<BR>
Legate Legion<BR>
ICQ # 8973001<BR>
legate@futureone.com<BR>
http://www.futureone.com/~legate/index.htm<BR>
<BR>
"A man may fight for many things; his country, his principles, his friends,<BR>
the glistening tear on the cheek of a golden child. But personally, I'd<BR>
mudwrestle my own mother for a ton of cash, an amusing clock, and a stack of<BR>
French porn." - Edmund Blackadder<BR>
<BR>
"I am a Ranger. We live for the One, we die for the One. We go to the dark<BR>
places where no one else dares venture! We stand on the bridge and no one<BR>
passes. Entil'zha Veni!"<BR>
<BR>
Rome did not create a great empire by having meetings, they did it by<BR>
killing all those who opposed them<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Sat, 25 Dec 1999 04:54:34 EST<BR>
From: GypsyComet@aol.com<BR>
Subject: not really Re: technology advances<BR>
<BR>
>Obviously you didin't follow the entire context of the remark.  He was<BR>
>just cursing a Blue Streak....<BR>
<BR>
 ...and what did this Blue Streak do to warrant being cursed at?<BR>
<BR>
GC<BR>
<BR>
  ...and just who is this Tuke' that people keep pleading to as if they had a <BR>
deadline?<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Sat, 25 Dec 1999 02:01:20 -0800<BR>
From: shudson@lightspeed.bc.ca (Steven Hudson)<BR>
Subject: Re: Highly Heretical TU idea<BR>
<BR>
>From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>
>Subject: Highly Heretical TU idea<BR>
><BR>
>For lack of anything better to use as background noise, I was watching<BR>
>the Battlestar Galactica marathon on the Sci-Fi channel earlier today.<BR>
>And I had a silly thought.<BR>
><BR>
>*Could* the BG background be salavaged from all the bad science and<BR>
>worse writing and turned into a campaign?<BR>
<BR>
  Probably easier than Trek or Star Wars, but it still might fall under <BR>
the category of "abominations...man was not meant to kniow <fnord>".<BR>
<BR>
  IIRC, there's a bunch of neat BG stuff at/linked to: <BR>
        www.ChrisPappas.com<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Sat, 25 Dec 1999 02:06:18 -0800<BR>
From: shudson@lightspeed.bc.ca (Steven Hudson)<BR>
Subject: Re: England<BR>
<BR>
>From: "Frank Pitt" <frankie@mundens.gen.nz><BR>
>Subject: Re: England<BR>
...<BR>
>The US _also_ had a treaty obligation to provide military assistance to the<BR>
>UK when Argentina invaded the Falklands,  and Thatcher kept reminding Reagan<BR>
>of that.<BR>
<BR>
  Continually reminding him was only a good idea, what with encroaching<BR>
senility and all :)  (hmm, a Thatcher-oid as leader of a small polity -<BR>
say, Vargr, or really traumatize YTU by installing a new regime in the<BR>
Sword Worlds :> ).<BR>
<BR>
>Not that the US cares about those upholding treaties when it really wants to<BR>
>act, as can be seen from the Bay of Pigs, to the invasion of Grenada, and<BR>
>it's actions in Columbia, Venezuala, Chile, and El Salvador.<BR>
<BR>
  You make it sound like there's some kind of pattern there :><BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Sat, 25 Dec 1999 05:07:51 EST<BR>
From: GypsyComet@aol.com<BR>
Subject: Re: Highly Heretical TU idea<BR>
<BR>
Leonard Erickson asks:<BR>
<BR>
>For lack of anything better to use as background noise, I was watching<BR>
>the Battlestar Galactica marathon on the Sci-Fi channel earlier today.<BR>
>And I had a silly thought.<BR>
><BR>
>*Could* the BG background be salavaged from all the bad science and<BR>
>worse writing and turned into a campaign?<BR>
<BR>
 The basic (sans BG details) plotline is quite useable. It's been running <BR>
around in my head as a Mekton campaign for many years (I even ran the first <BR>
session; imagine the looks on my players faces as I describe the burning of <BR>
the planetary surface they were just on...).<BR>
 Using the BG background while stripping the sillier science-suspension out <BR>
is also quite easy, and could even be part of the TU. You (the Ref, that is) <BR>
just treat the "lost colony called Earth" story as the version of <BR>
history/legend that these people were taught (and will soon discover is <BR>
false), while placing the Twelve far to rimward of Solomani space.<BR>
<BR>
GC<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Sat, 25 Dec 1999 23:59:52 +1300<BR>
From: "Andrew Moffatt-Vallance" <a.vallance@netaccess.co.nz><BR>
Subject: England, Treaty Obligations et al<BR>
<BR>
Okay, now I'm as guilty as anyone of keeping this tread going. But<BR>
can we all please drop this. It has strayed so far off topic it isn't funny<BR>
(if it ever was on topic in the first place). How about we all just agree<BR>
that there were in fact 50 million undoubted lossers in the 2nd World<BR>
War.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Andrew etc<BR>
Homepage http://users.netaccess.co.nz/amv/<BR>
Traveller http://www.downport.com/amv/<BR>
 "What do you expect from a species who's females are<BR>
 always in heat" Ko of the Ilui clan on Humans and honour<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Sat, 25 Dec 1999 11:03:24 +0000<BR>
From: Martin Hardgrave <martin@deira.demon.co.uk><BR>
Subject: Re: England<BR>
<BR>
In message <007f01bf4dee$d697efe0$f5a754ce@thelambs>, "Jason T.<BR>
Barnabas" <cybernaut@netzero.net> writes<BR>
>Needless to say, Guam is not one of the united States, it<BR>
>is a territory.  Are you saying that the Channel Islands are<BR>
>a British territory or should I say a territory of the United<BR>
>Kingdom?<BR>
<BR>
The Channel Islands  elect no members to the parliament of the United<BR>
Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.  They are not part of the<BR>
UKoGBaNI.  They are a dependent territory of the British Crown.<BR>
- -- <BR>
Martin Hardgrave<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 24 Dec 1999 23:46:28 PST<BR>
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>
Subject: Re: Drawing Program<BR>
<BR>
In mail you write:<BR>
<BR>
> I really think Amiga could have been a much more powerful, robust and stable<BR>
> machine than the others out there.  You can't tell me Gates and his cronies<BR>
> couldn't see what a threat this was and not do something to forestall it.<BR>
> Who would want a crummy Windows PC with its limitations when you can have 10<BR>
> times the machine and a more stable operating system?<BR>
<BR>
<sigh><BR>
<BR>
Anybody who had too much money invested in software that ran on the old<BR>
OS and hardware.<BR>
<BR>
That's why OS/2 was a *much* more credible threat to MS. It ran on the<BR>
same hardware and would run existing software as well OR BETTER. <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, 24 Dec 1999 23:51:17 PST<BR>
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>
Subject: Re: Drawing Program<BR>
<BR>
In mail you write:<BR>
<BR>
>>Now you know why I went Linux.<BR>
><BR>
>         Sorry, but Linux just isn't ready as a prime-time user operating<BR>
> system. Expert's 'toy,' powerserver, dedicated box, yes. But Joe<BR>
> Public won't give it the time of day. And yes, I am slowly learning<BR>
> Linux, with the goal of using it as a server and firewall. But I<BR>
> don't expect to drop Winblows for a while, because I still need to be<BR>
> able to get work done, and there's just too steep a learning curve to<BR>
> Linux.<BR>
<BR>
I might have agreed with you before this year. Hell, maybe even 6<BR>
months ago. After all, Unix in one form or another has been the<BR>
"coming OS revolution" since at *least* 1980 (when Tandy was selling a<BR>
fairly decent Xenix system).<BR>
<BR>
What changed my mind? Hearing that *CostCo* was selling Linux...<BR>
<BR>
It may take a few more years, but Linux has made the critical<BR>
breakthrough. It's being sold via a mass market *consumer* outlet.<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: Sat, 25 Dec 1999 00:04:49 PST<BR>
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>
Subject: Re: Hiding education :was Geographical idiocy<BR>
<BR>
In mail you write:<BR>
<BR>
>> I don't know...one of the earliest known writing samples is allegedly<BR>
>> something along the lines of "Oh what is this younger generation coming<BR>
>> to?"...a few _thousand_ BC...;-)<BR>
><BR>
> I didn't know this.  But it certainly seems to be sequiter.<BR>
<BR>
From my Quotes file:<BR>
<BR>
"  The Earth is degenerating today. Bribery and corruption<BR>
   abound. Children no longer obey their parents, every<BR>
   man wants to write a book, and it is evident that the<BR>
   end of the world is fast approaching."<BR>
                          - Assyrian Tablet, c.2800 BC<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: Sat, 25 Dec 1999 00:06:52 PST<BR>
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>
Subject: Re: [OT] War of 1812<BR>
<BR>
In mail you write:<BR>
<BR>
> On Thu, 23 Dec 1999, Glenn Goffin wrote:<BR>
><BR>
>> >From: "Jim & Peta Lawrie" <jimpeta@primus.com.au><BR>
>> <BR>
>> >Ahhh, the famous "Red Herring" class. Built at Snark <BR>
>> >enterprises using the best Maguffin drives. I <BR>
>> >especially like the "Goose Pursuit" model.<BR>
>> <BR>
>> Let's not forget the Snipe Hunt class small craft.<BR>
><BR>
> I have a sketched out TNE campaign based around the free trader 'Dace'<BR>
><BR>
> "...a threeee hour tour, a threee hour tour..." ;-)<BR>
<BR>
A good alias for an NPC is Takhallus. It's Arabic for "pseudonym" or<BR>
"penname". There was an author writting for Analog who used it as his<BR>
pen-name for a while. :-)<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: Sat, 25 Dec 1999 00:15:30 PST<BR>
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>
Subject: Re: Canada (with an ObTrav)><BR>
<BR>
In mail you write:<BR>
<BR>
> From: Robert Prior <robert_prior@sympatico.ca><BR>
><BR>
>>I remember being surprised, when I started studying <BR>
>>Canadian history (on my own, not the school<BR>
>>curriculum) at how militaristic Canada is, in (how<BR>
>>else) a quiet way. <BR>
><BR>
>>I haven't yet found a really good explanation for <BR>
>>this apparent contradiction: apparent pacifism with <BR>
>>demonstrated militarism.  I suspect that two <BR>
>>significant factors are (a) a view of war as a dirty <BR>
>>and dangerous job that needs doing, rather than an <BR>
>>adventure, and <BR>
<BR>
It's quite simple. Canada is not, and never has been, *pacifist*. That<BR>
is, Canadians don't believe that fighting and s\use of force are<BR>
inherently wrong.<BR>
<BR>
Instead, they believe in *maintaining the peace*, even if this means<BR>
using force to deal with those who would disturb it.<BR>
<BR>
> In addition, military preparedness is one factor in<BR>
> ensuring peace, hardly a militaristic goal.  Canada<BR>
> also seems to have a commitment to participating in<BR>
> the world of which it is part (unlike the USA, which<BR>
> fluctuates between isolationism and bullying), and<BR>
> military activities are part of that.  <BR>
<BR>
See my comments above.<BR>
<BR>
> The Darrians also provide a lot of forces.  Fifth<BR>
> Frontier War includes a TL-16 mercenary unit, which in<BR>
> my Traveller universe is a Darrian unit lent to the<BR>
> Imperium.<BR>
<BR>
This would be somewhat akin to having a "Gulf War" TL unit available in<BR>
Vietnam, or a Vietnam era TL unit available in the Korean war. <BR>
<BR>
Not "Buck Rogers" tech, but something that'd *really* make a difference<BR>
in the situations where you were able to *use* the unit. Just consider<BR>
a few Cobras, Puff the Magic Dragon (the DC-3 with a door mounted<BR>
Vulcan) or the occasional ARClight strike would have done in Korea. :-)<BR>
<BR>
Personally, I find 2-3 TL differences "more fun". The tech isn't<BR>
"magic", but it's just plain out of reach of the low TL side. Things<BR>
like the Luftwaffe trying to handle SR-71 and B-52 attacks. :-)<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: Sat, 25 Dec 1999 00:35:19 PST<BR>
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>
Subject: Re: Christmas and snow.<BR>
<BR>
In mail you write:<BR>
<BR>
> dadams@parracity.nsw.gov.au wrote:<BR>
>> <BR>
> <<snip>><BR>
>> <BR>
>> Wimps the lot of ya! Its not christmas without heatstroke! Then again, it <BR>
> never<BR>
>> snows here in Sydney during winter, so what chance have we got for a white<BR>
>> christmas?<BR>
<BR>
Import a bunch of the Snow machines they use on some ski slopes. :-)<BR>
 <BR>
>> ObTRAV: A cultural event from one world is celebrated on another world, <BR>
>> with<BR>
>> stange/funny results. example , running naked in a Tainted atmosphere or<BR>
>> whatever.<BR>
<BR>
Actually, any cultural event based on a non-local calendar will be a<BR>
problem. Keep in mind the fact that the years don't have to differ by<BR>
much for "date creep" to happen. And after a few thousand years, you<BR>
wind up celebrating in the wrong season. <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: Sat, 25 Dec 1999 00:41:37 PST<BR>
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>
Subject: Re: Santa in the 3rd Imperium?<BR>
<BR>
In mail you write:<BR>
<BR>
> HOW in the universe does Santa manage the logistics of such a vast<BR>
> empire???  I have enough trouble figuring out how he covers 20th<BR>
> century Terra.<BR>
<BR>
Simple. If you can achieve near-c velocities "easily", you can use Jump<BR>
to travel in time. <BR>
<BR>
Alternatively, the Zhodani would *kill* to learn how Santa does<BR>
interstellar teleports. (Which explains the fighter escort).<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, 24 Dec 1999 23:43:42 PST<BR>
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>
Subject: Re: Drawing Program<BR>
<BR>
In mail you write:<BR>
<BR>
> Actually, non-infringing GIF routines do exist. <BR>
><BR>
> I was just reading one of the readmes that came with mayura draw:<BR>
> quote: (Programmers, check 'em out!)<BR>
<BR>
<snip><BR>
<BR>
>  * The miGIF compression routines do not, strictly speaking, generate<BR>
> files <BR>
>  * conforming to the GIF spec, since the image data is not LZW-compressed <BR>
>  * (this is the point: in order to avoid transgression of the Unisys<BR>
> patent <BR>
>  * on the LZW algorithm.)  However, miGIF generates data streams that any <BR>
>  * reasonably sane LZW decompresser will decompress to what we want.<BR>
<BR>
I hope they've checked with a patent lawyer. Patent law is *weird*. If<BR>
Unisys wrote their "claims" properly, it's actually possible that the<BR>
above routines *are* infringing!<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: Sat, 25 Dec 1999 04:42:12 PST<BR>
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>
Subject: Re: Highly Heretical TU idea<BR>
<BR>
In mail you write:<BR>
<BR>
>>From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>
>>Subject: Highly Heretical TU idea<BR>
>><BR>
>>For lack of anything better to use as background noise, I was watching<BR>
>>the Battlestar Galactica marathon on the Sci-Fi channel earlier today.<BR>
>>And I had a silly thought.<BR>
>><BR>
>>*Could* the BG background be salavaged from all the bad science and<BR>
>>worse writing and turned into a campaign?<BR>
><BR>
>   Probably easier than Trek or Star Wars, but it still might fall under <BR>
> the category of "abominations...man was not meant to kniow <fnord>".<BR>
<BR>
I've got it! They are the survivors of a "minor human race" that had<BR>
been on the far side of K'kree space. And they are trying to find<BR>
Earth, while fighting ther way through the K'kree who, (quite<BR>
naturally) want to wipe them from the Universe.<BR>
<BR>
Either that, or place them on the far side of "Cylon space" which is on<BR>
the far side of Vargr space. It just doesn't feel right to have them<BR>
beyond the Solomani or Zhodani. The Aslan don't feel right either. And<BR>
let's not even *think* about the Hivers. But the Vargr are sufficiently<BR>
disorganized that it'd take a long time for anything to be noticed,<BR>
much less get back to the Imperium.<BR>
<BR>
Keep the "rag-tag fleet". But either make them all (barely) jump<BR>
capable, or include a lot of patched together ???? (what do you call<BR>
the ships that carry battel riders thru jump? I forget). Possibly<BR>
kludged together out of salvaged jump units from the destroyed<BR>
Battlestars and other *big* ships. With the result that they have next<BR>
to *no* manueverability in normal space. <BR>
<BR>
And for what it's worth, this lets you keep that episode where they<BR>
picked up the signal from Earth. At that point they need to be about<BR>
1100 parsecs from Earth (assuming they are contemporary with the 3rd<BR>
Imperium). Call it 30 sectors. Lots of room for Cylons, and other<BR>
unknown civilizations, as well as lots of "empty" areas.<BR>
<BR>
You *would* have to throw out "the great void", as it was *utter*<BR>
nonsense, unless it was a dark nebula of some sort.<BR>
<BR>
For *real* fun combine the "back story" of the Ancient Astronauts who<BR>
had something to do with Egypt 5000 years back and came from Cobol,<BR>
with the Grandfather stuff. So we have TL 20 or so relics from them<BR>
popping up, too. <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>
End of Traveller-digest V1999 #1579<BR>
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