meta
Redux: Yelling at the Sky
In light of today’s science news, incidentally, it’s probably time for me to repost Yelling at the Sky. (Because now we can hear them.) Edited to add: also, today’s xkcd seems oddly relevant —
Alistair Young
meta
Addendum
Actually, there’s one other thing I could append to the previous post, with regard to Earth and why it’s probably a good thing that first contact ain’t gonna happen any time soon: As has been pointed out to me, the thing that would truly make the Imperials
trope-a-day
Trope-a-Day: What Measure Is a Non-Human?
What Measure Is a Non-Human?: Averted to varying degrees (and, obviously, in the naïve sense, completely averted since there are no humans at all). The standard view, in the Associated Worlds, is that described in the Universal Accord on Sophont Rights: anything that thinks and has volition (i.e., is
Imperial State Security
Snippet: RAZOR CATION
(Probably non-canonical, but my brain cooked it up this morning…) The theory behind RAZOR CATION is that it is a stylishly thin, ultralight, fully functional pocket slate that just happens to be equipped with a single mollyblade edge – such that you can throw it, have it accelerate through the air
trope-a-day
Trope-a-Day: War of Earthly Aggression
War of Earthly Aggression: Preemptively averted with the Empire’s interstellar colonies. The Thirteen Colonies (the first thirteen systems colonized) were originally colonized sublight by sleeper vessels, so while technically subordinate to the Eliéran Empire were functionally independent. When the wormhole was invented and reunification came about, they were each
trope-a-day
Trope-a-Day: War is Glorious
War is Glorious: The doctrine of one of the Flamic war gods: Kalasané, Laughing Warrior, Sword of Heaven, Lord of the Two Swords, the eikone of battle, courage, valor, victory through strength, and personal combat, who approaches the whole thing with a degree of enthusiasm that would impress the mythological
clothing
Inspirational Not-My-Art of the Day
Today’s accidentally found art comes via Geek & Sundry’s article: “The Future of Cosplay, Today! Felicia Day Models 3D Printed Armor” (more images and photoshoot video at the link), in which the armor in question was designed by Melissa Ng (link to her work here, and seriously, check
trope-a-day
Trope-a-Day: War for Fun and Profit
War for Fun and Profit: Mostly averted; the major arms manufacturers can make just as much money, what with upgrades, exercises, and replacements, from the peacetime market, especially once ongoing Space Cold Wars and loss-of-inventory-due-to-privateers-and-military-risks premiums have to be factored into the equation. And the usual run of security companies,
Talentar
Bad Moon Rising
(Sorry for the low activity levels, folks. It’s taking me longer than I’d like to shake off this miserable respiratory bug, and I can’t claim to be doing very much at all recently. But here, have a snippet inspired by longer-work-plotting activity.) “She started out life as
trope-a-day
Trope-a-Day: Walking the Earth
Walking the Earth: And, indeed, Flying the Space. A period spent doing this is considered a more or less essential part of one’s later education, in the Empire. Got to spent some time figuring the world out, after all.
trope-a-day
Trope-a-Day: Waistcoat of Style
Waistcoat Of Style: Played straight, for both sexes (cut appropriately differently). The Empire is a “thingist” culture that particularly enjoys its little pocket gadgets for this and that and the other thing, so obviously, you need a garment specially adapted for keeping them in, starting with your fob… terminal. (And
Lumenna-Súnáris System
Lumenna-Súnáris System (9): Inlétanós
I/8. InlĂ©tanĂłs Class: MelĂerĂ©an Orbit (period): 14.48 au (20,126 T-days/55.14 T-years) Orbit (ecc.): 0.2 Radius: 47,449 miles Mass: 2.968 x 1027 kg Density: 1.59 g/cm3 Cloud-top gravity: 6.69 g Axial tilt: 16.4° Rotation period: 11.8 T-hours Black-body