Thread: Questioning chirine ba kal

From AsenRG:
Glad to hear your computer issues seem to be resolving themselves, Uncle!

Thank you! I'm not a computer person, so it's been a bit of a trial. I'm getting used to the new keyboard and track ball, and the smaller display. The big Mac is still working, but we're not relying on it. All the data was backed up a long time ago, so everything is safe.

Oh, I simply meant that "working for an editing house and not having health insurance" would be outright illegal here (and in the 70ies, it would have been impossible even if you weren't working, period...I wasn't around back then, but I've studied the Bulgarian laws of the time).
The fact that paper products sold less is a waste, really...

Oh, sorry; I misunderstood. Here in the US, health care is a recent invention, and it's really not for the poor. If one isn't rich, or employed by someplace with a good plan, one is in bad shape. Back in the late 1970s and early 1980s, my time with AGI, getting health care was next to impossible.

[IYeah, my point is that he wouldn't have. His group would still be the only one he has to care about in his books...


Understood. Things would have been a lot different.

Yes. That's why I make it a point to add "but research helps, too", whenever Gronan says "it's all about the fun". Not that I disagree, quite the contrary.

Makes sense to me!!!

Yeah, Uncle...you've paid your dues. The question was for other new fans. Myself included, for that matter, though I'm at a real disadvantage...
Because it won't happen unless someone does something like this. Or at least, it won't happen in time to not get caught in the "hidden setting info/metaplot issue"
are tempting me to try and negotiate a deal with the Foundation...

Well, best of luck. I've been saying for years that all I wanted to do was collect the data, so people would have it in the future. I've done that, and gotten it into a useable format. Beyond that, we're outside what I can do, and what I started out to do back in 1976.

Originally Posted by chirine ba kal

From AsenRG:
Glad to hear your computer issues seem to be resolving themselves, Uncle!

Thank you! I'm not a computer person, so it's been a bit of a trial. I'm getting used to the new keyboard and track ball, and the smaller display. The big Mac is still working, but we're not relying on it. All the data was backed up a long time ago, so everything is safe.

Oh, I simply meant that "working for an editing house and not having health insurance" would be outright illegal here (and in the 70ies, it would have been impossible even if you weren't working, period...I wasn't around back then, but I've studied the Bulgarian laws of the time).
The fact that paper products sold less is a waste, really...

Oh, sorry; I misunderstood. Here in the US, health care is a recent invention, and it's really not for the poor. If one isn't rich, or employed by someplace with a good plan, one is in bad shape. Back in the late 1970s and early 1980s, my time with AGI, getting health care was next to impossible.

[IYeah, my point is that he wouldn't have. His group would still be the only one he has to care about in his books...


Understood. Things would have been a lot different.

Yes. That's why I make it a point to add "but research helps, too", whenever Gronan says "it's all about the fun". Not that I disagree, quite the contrary.

Makes sense to me!!!

Yeah, Uncle...you've paid your dues. The question was for other new fans. Myself included, for that matter, though I'm at a real disadvantage...
Because it won't happen unless someone does something like this. Or at least, it won't happen in time to not get caught in the "hidden setting info/metaplot issue"
are tempting me to try and negotiate a deal with the Foundation...

Well, best of luck. I've been saying for years that all I wanted to do was collect the data, so people would have it in the future. I've done that, and gotten it into a useable format. Beyond that, we're outside what I can do, and what I started out to do back in 1976.

Agreed on all points, here.

Originally Posted by Bren

Less than 10,000 pounds. How much less would depend on how much copper was added create the alloy.

That little? I would have thought it would be more, which shows you the limits of my scientific knowledge. I think it was the hairpin turns that finally defeated them...

I would'a stood the thing up on end, but what do I know? I ain't a super-duper Livyani wizard, like Eyloa...

Originally Posted by chirine ba kal

That little? I would have thought it would be more, which shows you the limits of my scientific knowledge. I think it was the hairpin turns that finally defeated them...

I would'a stood the thing up on end, but what do I know? I ain't a super-duper Livyani wizard, like Eyloa...

Just a super duper Chakan priest of Vimuhla

"Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends..."

Originally Posted by d(sqrt(-1))

Wow, I didn't realise it was so advanced in preparation. So does it just sit in limbo if the Foundation don't want to/get round to doing anything with it? Or is it feasible that something could be done with it? I don't know the legal situation obviously.

(BTW, if any of this sort of discussion is too annoying for you or winds you up, please feel free to tell us to drop it.)

Basically, yes, it just sits here in my home office and up in cloud storage - I have multiple back-ups, in different parts of the world, 'cause I is paranoid - and waits for the next change in regime. The historical model is that every few years, somebody comes swooping in, loudly announces that they are just what Tekumel needs, makes lots of noise for a few years, and then fades away with very little actually getting done. Each time, the swoopers come to me and ask me to work for them, as I am - supposedly; I am dubious - the one who knows the most about Tekumel in the whole big wide wonderful world. I am, of course, going to stay in the background and do all the actual grunt work while the current batch of swoopers promote themselves as The New And Improved One True Interpreters Of Tekumel with their version of The Official Authorized Approved Tekumel.

This has been happening for the past thirty-five years, and about all that really happens is that I add some new stuff to my collections. People come, and people go, but I still seem to be here. As I remark in my Book Six, I seem to be just too useful to leave moldering in some sarcophagus somewhere. We'll see what the future brings; I'll continue to house the data, keeping it safe as I have for all these years, and wait until somebody does something.

I leave the legal situation for the lawyers. It's not my department - I just keep the documents on file, and let the professionals deal with the issues.

And no, this particular aspect of the situation does not get my blood pressure up. What does that are the personal issues, not the professional ones. I am like the archivists at Harland and Wolff; I keep the blueprints on file, preserving them. I do not build the ship, or run it at speed into the ice field. That's for those who feel that they know better then I, and after years of this I'm just too seasoned an old trouper to get worried about it. I just don't book the tickets.

Originally Posted by chirine ba kal

I like your idea! May I make a suggestion? If you and everyone else would like, all of you propose the 'ABC' topic, and i'll do my best to answer. Would that work?

"A" is for Ahoggya, which smell bad and eat carrion.
"A" is for Ald a Saa Allaqiyani barbarian.


Shemek.

Originally Posted by AsenRG

Agreed on all points, here.

And I still owe you some e-mails, too. The Missus is working on getting all the e-mails over to this machine from the billboard - a G5, desktop, actually - and I'll be able to get this done here on the vacation.

We blew out the G5's cooling vets, have applied a powerful fan, the the poor old veteran keeps on working. This machine is the newer Intel processor chip set, which we can upgrade in the future. The Mac G5 chips were, to be honest, a dead end as you can't do any really effective upgrades to them. Same with the G3 laptops we have in the reserve fleet; the pair of matched Wall Streets are now my gaming display drivers. I used one at Gary Con last year, as it's permanently loaded with our digital version of the Jakalla Underworld. (The HP laptop is the Internet 'terminal' in the game room, and is what runs the 40" LCD screen.)

So, advancement on all fronts. The Tharks look really good, I think, and I'm going back into the source texts for eye and tusk colors. Same thing for the thoats; I have to paint their toungues, for heaven's sake!

Originally Posted by chirine ba kal

Basically, yes, it just sits here in my home office and up in cloud storage - I have multiple back-ups, in different parts of the world, 'cause I is paranoid - and waits for the next change in regime. The historical model is that every few years, somebody comes swooping in, loudly announces that they are just what Tekumel needs, makes lots of noise for a few years, and then fades away with very little actually getting done. Each time, the swoopers come to me and ask me to work for them, as I am - supposedly; I am dubious - the one who knows the most about Tekumel in the whole big wide wonderful world. I am, of course, going to stay in the background and do all the actual grunt work while the current batch of swoopers promote themselves as The New And Improved One True Interpreters Of Tekumel with their version of The Official Authorized Approved Tekumel.

This has been happening for the past thirty-five years, and about all that really happens is that I add some new stuff to my collections. People come, and people go, but I still seem to be here. As I remark in my Book Six, I seem to be just too useful to leave moldering in some sarcophagus somewhere. We'll see what the future brings; I'll continue to house the data, keeping it safe as I have for all these years, and wait until somebody does something.

I leave the legal situation for the lawyers. It's not my department - I just keep the documents on file, and let the professionals deal with the issues.

And no, this particular aspect of the situation does not get my blood pressure up. What does that are the personal issues, not the professional ones. I am like the archivists at Harland and Wolff; I keep the blueprints on file, preserving them. I do not build the ship, or run it at speed into the ice field. That's for those who feel that they know better then I, and after years of this I'm just too seasoned an old trouper to get worried about it. I just don't book the tickets.

Chirine,

This is why Tekumel is doomed to fade into obscurity, IMO. The so called guardians of Tekumel would sooner see it die than get over their insecurities and personal "butt hurt". What I don't understand is why Phil's widow doesn't step in and toss those Tekuweenies on their ears. Does she not have ultimate control of the Tekumel Foundation, or does she not care? Tragic, really.


Shemek.

Originally Posted by Shemek hiTankolel

"A" is for Ahoggya, which smell bad and eat carrion.
"A" is for Ald a Saa Allaqiyani barbarian.

Shemek.

Ahoggya - Not so much carrion as anything they can get their hands on. Which is why they are forbidden to go anywhere near Temples of Belkhanu, for example.

Ald - Oi! That's Vrisa's clan cousin you're talking about there, mate! The Vishetru clan is about as civilized as you can get, being descended from the Engsvanyali governors of what was then a province of the Priest-kings' empire. In person, he's quite a decent person - at least, he was to Vrisa and I - but there are just some things best not brought up in the conversation. He's quite occupied with forging an empire, and doing a pretty good job of it. Not a person to be taken lightly, or trifled with.

Originally Posted by chirine ba kal

I think it was the hairpin turns that finally defeated them...

I would'a stood the thing up on end, but what do I know? I ain't a super-duper Livyani wizard, like Eyloa...

If you just wanted the metal, melting and/or hammering it into less awkward shape(s) would have helped. Maybe chop it up and fold it into some bars. Or turn it into a bunch of wheels so you could roll it down the hall. Stairs would have been a problem for wheels though.