Oxford Scientists mathematically prove "many worlds" quantum theory. It also improves the chances that time travel will work, too...-- Bob
---------
One of the primary differences between the Left and the Right is their attitude toward the Future. The Radical wants the Future to have gotten here yesterday. The Reactionary wants the Future quietly shot and the corpse buried where no one can find it.
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

...just by answering a few questions. Questions here.-- Bob
---------
One of the primary differences between the Left and the Right is their attitude toward the Future. The Radical wants the Future to have gotten here yesterday. The Reactionary wants the Future quietly shot and the corpse buried where no one can find it.
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

Been poking at this most of the weekend, might even be done with it by Monday or Tuesday. Here's a short bit from a much longer file (forgive wiki markup, etc.):

Ship Name: Candy's Cane
Hull: The hull of the Cane appears to be a pair of twisted colums, one red, one white. Slightly tapered at the tip and slightly flared at the base, the hull resembles a piece of candy, anodized in bright, flat red and white. The Cane has a detachable 'crook' at the tip, which contains two luxury 'waiting rooms' and the bridge and AI modules.
Drive: Speed drive, Max 0.075c.
Purpose: Recreational barge/Ultra-VIP transport.
Crook:
The Crook is a limited-duty shuttlecraft, capable of parking in two conventional parking spaces.
Drive: The Cane has a small Adjusted Mass reactionless rotor, capable of a massive 65mph at maximum overload thrust. normal speed is between a slow crawl and a 'brisk' 55 mph.
Purpose: Ultra-VIP parking shuttle.
Candy's Cane is a failed construction attempt. The structure is not suited for the sort of 'extreme manuevering' that a combat or rescue vessel will encounter. Damage to the ship will result in a tearing of the joint between the two 'candy' stripes, causing compartments to vent.
Quirks:
Spin It!: the Candy does not provide an artificial gravity field, unless it is spinning - if it is spinning, it provides a nice, flat, 1g field, no matter what the spin is. The field includes the 'crook', allowing VIP customers and crew to occupy it without suffering from rotational torque stress.
Ladies First: The Candy will respond to _any_ female operator before it will respond to any male operator.
I'm not _straight_ candy: When the 'Cane' is detached, the Candy does not move, aside from station keeping and very basic manuevering (such as for parking).
Crew:
The Candy Cane is owned by Candy, of Candy Red's, and is 'bound' to Candy herself. Normally, Candy acts as captain and primary hostess, and the ship is piloted by one of her lieutenants.
AI: TBAWire Geek - Burning the weak and trampling the dead since 1979Wire Geek - Burning the weak and trampling the dead since 1979

In the thread I started, "Some feelings I need to vent," I told you about my friend's loss and that I would have some more details. Well, here they are:
All right, I have that information....
Amanda Stair, writer of Bubble Gum Crisis: The Next Generation, A Fairwell to Arms, and co-writer with Bert Van Vliet and myself of Three Knights, lost her Brother Friday, September 14th. Her Brother, Joseph Benjamin Stair, comitted suicide, leaving behind a wife and two small children.
www.legacy.com/Denver/Obi...d=94683103 -- on-line copy of Joe's obituary.
www.myspace.com/yumekochan -- Amanda's blog, which has all the details -- "Joey Killed himself", "More Details" and "Saying Bye".
In part, the obituary says, "In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to the Aleah and Joseph Stair Education Fund." I now have an address to which any contributions can be sent. It is:
The Aleah and Joseph Stair Education Fund.
c/o Amanda Stair
7097 W. Frost Pl.
Littleton CO 80128
I know the family will be happy for any contribution
Craig

Okay - stop me if this has been answered already, but...
What are the Scientologists doing while this is going on?
- They're an enormous cult with a significant powerbase, and some rather odd ideas
- They definately have some eyeballs looking to the stars, and they tend to read certain very specific kinds of science fiction... well... religiously.
- They tend to be moderately-to-heavily brainwashed, and not react well to dissent. (Apparently, this goes so far that one of their rules actually forbids meaningful discussion on interpretation/explanation of their rules. They actually aren't allowed to say "Rule A says this, Rule B says that, that doesn't make sense to me, please explain." They aren't allowed to let nonmembers know what the rules are in the first place.)
- They don't always feel welcomed where they're at.
Clearly they'd be doing *something* in response to handwavium - but what?

I've been playing a lot of Motherload, an addictive little flash game. Basically, you're a Miner on Mars, with a sweet little mining pod that you can upgrade in half a dozen different ways.
So I bought the full version, and I have become filthy stinking rich.


Wire Geek - Burning the weak and trampling the dead since 1979Wire Geek - Burning the weak and trampling the dead since 1979

I just thought I'd toss out this little question.
At least twelve years ago, Mercedes Lackey wrote a song, "Eumenides," which she describes as inspired by "a moment of mixed self-pity and rage." (I love it, by the way, although I don't even want to think about what Doug's power would make of it.)
About fifteen years ago, David Weber wrote a book titled Path of the Fury (recently revised and republished under a different title which I can't at the moment recall).
The song and the book have an essentially identical plot -- but neither writer has, so far as I know, given the other any credit for inspiration. I suppose it's possible that each came up with the idea independently -- but....
Does anyone here know any facts/explanation about this that I've missed? I've wondered about this one ever since I read Path of the Fury and thought, "Hey! This is 'Eumenides'!"
-----
Big Brother is watching you.  And damn, you are so bloody BORING.

Spotted in the Drunkard's Walk FAQ, under Miscellaneous:

Quote:

---

Q: Does Drunkard's Walk crossover with any other fanfic series?
A: Yes, several, in fact.
...
Doug visits Fenspace, the shared-world weird-tech space opera setting born and written on my discussion forums, in the prologue for Rob Kelk's story Galactic Girls. While this is a Stagger, or fan-written story, I consulted heavily on it and I consider it as official as it can get with me actually writing it myself.

---

And it be by Doki Doki!
Plunder Propoganda

And the same scallawag be havin' another AMV up, to boot!
Another Crappy Video
(Edit: That one be not safe for work, but ye probably knew that already from the name.)

-Rob Kelk
"Read Or Die: not so much a title as a way of life." - Justin Palmer, 6 June 2007
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012