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Glossary
Re: Glossary
#51
Heinleinian Factions
Juvies: Fans of the Heinlein Juveniles. (Rocketship Galileo, Space Cadet, Have Spacesuit Will Travel, etc.) Seriously Hard Science types,mostly apolitical but rabidly anti-Nazi. "Going Steady" is as far as most of this type will *ever* go, if they have any social life at all.
Longs: Fans of Time Enough For Love, Methuseulah's Children, and the Future History. Somebody out there is building a Colony Ship for the Stars, and it's likely to be this type. Biomods tend to be life-extending (they think; too short a baseline to tell, really...). This type takes the Old Man's statement "Specialization is for insects" *seriously* and are usually found with five or six heavily-marked-up textbooks in tow. Some experiment with "alternate lifestyles" such as polyamory.
Nesters: Fans of Stranger in a Strange Land, most can be found on Mars looking (searching desperately) for the Martians. Not to be confused with the Church of All Worlders (who are mostly sane,) these Fen take Stranger as divinely inspired Gospel handed down from On High. Weddings and Water-Sharings are safe to attend (if you don't mind nudity leading into Other Things as the party goes on into the night,) but *never* eat off the buffet at funerals. 'Nuf said.
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Re: Glossary
#52
Gondola - colloquial for a Fenspace vessel intended primarily for passenger runs along scenic routes, like the Cloud Seas of Venus or Saturn's Rings, to name a couple.
Gondolier
- general description for the sort of easy-going, likable Fen who are naturals at playing tour guides around the Solar System. Those with the best reputation and presence are known as Undines.
Undine - see Gondolier.
-Griever
When tact is required, use brute force. When force is required, use greater force.
When the greatest force is required, use your head. Surprise is everything. - The Book of Cataclysm
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hm
#53
Gondolier really applies to what Captain Corcoran WANTS to be [and what he was before he purchased the Pinafore, especially since there's a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta called The Gondoliers.
''We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat
them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary.''

-- James Nicoll
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Re: Glossary
#54
re: Heinleinian factions:
Missed the Time Police, though they might be keeping a low profile. (see ref: Mikuru Asahina, SOS-dan. Now wouldn't that be a switchup?)---
Mr. Fnord
http://fnord.sandwich.net/
http://www.jihad.net/
Mr. Fnord interdimensional man of mystery

FenWiki - Your One-Stop Shop for Fenspace Information

"I. Drink. Your. NERDRAGE!"
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Re: Glossary
#55
Quote:
Missed the Time Police...
While the Admiral did write time travel stories, "-All You Zombies-" and "By His Bootstraps", the Time Patrol would be Poul Anderson fans...
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Re: Glossary
#56
Aw, c'mon. Don't tell me you're one of those stodgy Heinlein fans who tries to ignore the World-As-Myth books?---
Mr. Fnord
http://fnord.sandwich.net/
http://www.jihad.net/
Mr. Fnord interdimensional man of mystery

FenWiki - Your One-Stop Shop for Fenspace Information

"I. Drink. Your. NERDRAGE!"
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Re: Glossary
#57
*shrugs* I don't know about Duane, but I'd consider the World-As-Myth books as part of the Long and Future History stories at this point. I'd imagine he's considering them as part of the Long subfaction (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, Duane).
And as long as we're considering subfaction definitions, maybe the Non-Aligned might be divided? I'm not absolutely wedded to this idea, so I'd love to have further input on it, but I can sort of see two types within the group:
True Neutrals: People not tied to any one particular fandom, at all. They honestly don't have any favorites, but just enjoy it all.
Generalists: As opposed to the specialist, single-fandom type, these are the jacks-of-all-trades of fandom. They do have favorites, sometimes a lot of them. They're just not as into any single one as a specialist fan might be, sacrificing depth for a wider range of scope.
Opinions? Would you guys change the definitions any, or add any subfactions to the group? Let me know - this idea was eating at me, so I needed to post it to get rid of it, and I'm curious as to what others think.
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Re: Glossary
#58
Quote:
Aw, c'mon. Don't tell me you're one of those stodgy Heinlein fans who tries to ignore the World-As-Myth books?
Ignore? (snort, chuckle) Ignore? (rapidly building belly laugh)
IGNORE!?!?!?!?!
Muahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!
Let me tell you a secret: The Yellow Clearance Black Box is nothing more than a container for a large Sperry gyrocompass - and about five atmospheres of gaseous Handwavium...
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Re: Glossary
#59
Oh, and as for the World-As-Myth stories in general: Those were Heinlein writing *fanfic*, and gettting damn well paid for it as well. I only wish I could get away with it...
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Re: Glossary
#60
Well then, I stand corrected. Amused, but corrected.
Also, added the most recent terms to the main Glossary.---
Mr. Fnord
http://fnord.sandwich.net/
http://www.jihad.net/
Mr. Fnord interdimensional man of mystery

FenWiki - Your One-Stop Shop for Fenspace Information

"I. Drink. Your. NERDRAGE!"
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Re: Glossary
#61
Blue Blazer Irregulars: Followers of the teachings of Buckaroo Banzai, as set down by Earl Mac Rauch in The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai: Across the Eighth Dimension and by W.D. Richter in the movie of the same name. The term "Blue Blazer" refers to the dark blue jackets that members of this faction wear when in public and "on duty." Even when not wearing the jackets, Blue Blazer Irregulars ("Blue Blazers" or "BBIs" for short) wear either a patch or cloisonne pin depicting the back-to-back Bs of the Banzai Institute for Biomedical Research and Strategic Information. Blue Blazers are known for their discipline and diversity of talent and knowledge, as well as their loyalty to Buckaroo Banzai. The Blue Blazer Irregulars are closely affiliated with the Pulpers and Super Heroes, but on the whole, are congenial with all factions.
Banzai Institute for Biomedical Research and Strategic Information: A non-profit organization that handles business concerns for the Blue Blazer Irregulars in the 'Danelaw. The Institute concerns itself with altruistic pursuits as simple as literacy and as complex as disaster rescue and relief. The Banzai Institute is registered in both the United States and the European Union. Its mailing address is listed as a P.O. Box located in Dallas, Texas. Both the P.O. Box and the email domain, banzai-institute.org, are registered under a shell corporation, managed by a woman known as Mrs. Johnson.
Ebony the Black Dragon
Senior Editor, Living Room Games
http://www.lrgames.com
Ebony the Black Dragon
http://ebony14.livejournal.com

"Good night, and may the Good Lord take a Viking to you."
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Re: Glossary
#62
I just noticed this in the Glossary:
Quote:
Handwavium: ... Illegal to manufacture and use in the 'Danelaw.
Considering some of the discussion over in the "Rules of the Wave" thread, I doubt that this is completely accurate...

-Rob Kelk
--
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
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Re: Glossary
#63
I think it's one of those open question deals. In the parts of the 'danelaw where the majority of the characters are from - the US, Canada, the EU nations - plus bastions of freedom like China, Russia, etc. handwavium's either illegal or highly restricted.---
Mr. Fnord
http://fnord.sandwich.net/
http://www.jihad.net/
Mr. Fnord interdimensional man of mystery

FenWiki - Your One-Stop Shop for Fenspace Information

"I. Drink. Your. NERDRAGE!"
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Re: Glossary
#64
Here's a possibility or two for you, M Fnord.
Honey: (also Mnemosyne's honey) Name given to a 'memory' strain of handwavium created by the Jason. Takes its name from its appearance, that of a thin, dark honey. Used in enhancing/creating data storage devices. What effect it might have on biological memory has yet to be fully explored.
And as a question...Buffies. Most of the Whedonite faction seem focused on Firefly. Do the Buffies hang out with them, or have they joined the Senshi along with the Xenites?
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Re: Glossary
#65
Alternate term for Fendane, used only by people with a sense of humor like my own (which is, thank Chaos, damned rare):
Swedes. The reasoning being that the Swedish are between the 'Danish and Fennish.
-----
Big Brother is watching you.  And damn, you are so bloody BORING.
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Re: Glossary
#66
Quote:
Swedes. The reasoning being that the Swedish are between the 'Danish and Fennish.
*GROAN!* That's AWFUL! *fires peanuts at you*
Ok, I like it. But then, I have an odd sense of humor, too. Still - *groan!*
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Re: Glossary
#67
Quote:
Most of the Whedonite faction seem focused on Firefly. Do the Buffies hang out with them, or have they joined the Senshi along with the Xenites?
My bet would be on the Senshi.
-- Bob
---------
...The President is on the line
As ninety-nine crab rangoons go by...
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Re: Glossary
#68
I'd add:
Island, The: Flying shopping mall, hotel, supply and refueling point. Launched in 2008, the first station of its kind: "a chunk of land in space". 'dane governments are still arguing about the legal implications of 'waving real estate. The Island was originally a hundred acres of Nigerian countryside with associated buildings, though it has expanded somewhat since then. The Island is a neutral commercial station, welcoming all Fen and 'dane tourists alike. Located between Earth and Mars. Officially "The Floating Island", but also "Flying Island", "Gilligan's", and other Fen-names.

...and modify an earlier existing entry to italicize "Island", as per formatting guidelines - ie, the word now points to a different entry -
Divot, The: Fen name for the hole in the ground where the Island used to be. It seems to annoy the 'danes for some reason.
...
I also propose:
Unreal Estate: Fen term for stations (and ships) like the Island and Grover's Corners - chunks of land that were boosted into space, and are still recognisable as Earth soil.
-- Acyl
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Re: Glossary
#69
Done!
-- Bob
---------
...The President is on the line
As ninety-nine crab rangoons go by...
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Re: Glossary
#70
Colonials - faction who are fans of Battlestar Galactica (both new and old, although the 2 subgroups don't always get along). Various members are trying to build Vipers, a Battlestar, and robot drones that look like Cylon Centurions.
"By your command." [Image: tongue.gif] __________________
The main reason Santa is so jolly is because he knows where all the bad girls live. - George Carlin.
___________________________
"I've always wanted to be somebody, but I should have been more specific." - George Carlin
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Re: Glossary
#71
Another term sometimes heard in Fenspace:
B-Arker: Derogatory term for someone who can't or won't consider the implications of a strongly-held position. From Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, spotted in Earthside academic usage before the discovery of handwavium.
"...basically Flat Earthers, Intelligent Designers, and generally B-Arkers"
- Jon Crowcroft, Marconi Professor of Communications Systems in the Computer Lab, University of Cambridge, describing proponents of Net Neutrality

-Rob Kelk
--
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
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Re: Glossary
#72
Although I'm not participating (but I might, considering how interesting this whole concept is) I thought I'd throw out a glossary idea.
Universal Adapter: Handwaved roll of duct tape. 'Nuff said.
Inspired by Red Green and the crew at Possum Lodge (who no way, no how should ever be given access to handwavium)
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Re: Glossary
#73
Added!

-- Bob
---------
The Internet Is For Norns.
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Re: Glossary
#74
This one occurred to me earlier today while pondering ideas for Andrew's story of how he got to fenspace.
Transparent Carbon: Term invented by a Trekkie engineer who built a series of 'wavetech enhanced diamond deposition machines for the Venus Terraforming Project. Transparent carbon officially refers to large sheets and rods of artificial diamond used for construction purposes, but some ignore this distinction and use it to refer to all diamond. One of the Senshi's favorite building materials. When the Senshi talk about Crystal Cities, they mean crystal cities. The name was really just a play on transparent aluminum, but common fen legend claims the name was chosen to prevent a certain powerful company on Earth from realizing what was being built until full scale production was in progress.

If you have a planet with way to much carbon in the atmosphere why not make it useful. In much the same way the pesky dust layer on the lunar surface can be made into thick glass girders and posts for use in construction, why not turn all that excess carbon in the Venusian atmosphere into something useful. They probably export a good amount of carbon fiber as well.
-----

Will the transhumanist future have catgirls? Does Japan still exist? Well, there is your answer.
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Re: Glossary
#75
Done!

-- Bob
---------
The Internet Is For Norns.
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