Honorverse ramblings and musings

cthia wrote:Of course, w/o RFC's input, I don't exactly know what that entails. My imagination sends me images of a small room. No windows. No other human sounds. Very dim light. No contact with guards. Food and water delivered via a chute.

You're apparently not old enough to remember the short-lived fad for sensory deprivation tanks to aid meditation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isolation_tank wrote:An isolation tank is a lightless, soundproof tank inside which subjects float in salt water at skin temperature. They were first used by John C. Lilly[1] in 1954 to test the effects of sensory deprivation. Such tanks are now also used for meditation and relaxation and in alternative medicine. The isolation tank was originally called the sensory deprivation tank. Other names for the isolation tank include flotation tank, float tank, John C. Lilly tank, REST tank, and sensory attenuation tank.

Apparently the fad never completely died, the name just changed.

Weird Harold wrote:

cthia wrote:Of course, w/o RFC's input, I don't exactly know what that entails. My imagination sends me images of a small room. No windows. No other human sounds. Very dim light. No contact with guards. Food and water delivered via a chute.

You're apparently not old enough to remember the short-lived fad for sensory deprivation tanks to aid meditation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isolation_tank wrote:An isolation tank is a lightless, soundproof tank inside which subjects float in salt water at skin temperature. They were first used by John C. Lilly[1] in 1954 to test the effects of sensory deprivation. Such tanks are now also used for meditation and relaxation and in alternative medicine. The isolation tank was originally called the sensory deprivation tank. Other names for the isolation tank include flotation tank, float tank, John C. Lilly tank, REST tank, and sensory attenuation tank.

Apparently the fad never completely died, the name just changed.

Indeed, I do not remember any of that. Thanks for the info. Although, your post reminded me of a movie. So, putting two and two together, after the fact, there is "Altered States."

Now that I think of it, the newer version of "The Hulk" uses some sort of deprivation tank as well. Bruce Banner is suspended in a huge tank of water, where he suffered nightmares to release the beast.

Erewhon doesn't need to actually do anything about Lacoon II (or whaterver it is being called in the transportaion community like Manticore Travel Ban). What they should be doing is placing a Travel Restriction Notice into the notices on the update broadcast and advisory to any ship heading for or comming out of their wormholes telling them that Manticore has closed all of its wormholes to ships of SL (or SL Member) registry and no SL flagged ship will be permitted to use the wormhole at Hennesy and will be turned around.

I would expect Erewhon and Manticore both might use the Hennesy/Terra Haute bridge to trans-ship goods to and from SL flagged ships. Erewhon could certainly use it to advantage since their merchant marine could pick up a lot of traffic into the League. What this would do as far as exposure of the mm if the SL decided to use it as leverage to move a force to at least Terra Haute is another question.

Depends on what Manticore is doing at Hennesy beyond maintaining a wormhole picket/task force to defend that end. There is also the question of what the SL thinks they want to do about Hennesy- both the system and the terminus.

If the SLN were to go after Hennesy, they really only have two ways to go about it. One would be to send ships Joshua to Erewhon then to Terra Haute and go hyperspace to Hennesy. Of course, they MIGHT (if they were smart) figure that when they showed up at Erewhon (hell, at Joshua), even IF either of those two systems would allow a naval force (other than one show-the-flag ship) to make the transit, they would surely send messenger by courier or on the next of their own flagged ships to 1st Erewhon then on (by a courier who is jumped way up in the queue) on to both Terra Haute and Hennesy to let the governments and Manticore know it is coming.
The other way would be send the SLN force through hyper-space as they did with Fillerta. That way they would have at least a chance of surprise.

Manticore can certainly use the fees (not to mention the trade both ways that it can generate from within the Empire) from non-SL flagged ships picking up the prohibited ships cargo.

With the problems ongoing with Beowulf, the SL needs to think long and hard about taking on the systems involved in the map displayed route via Joshua. Joshua may or may not have a significant SDF but Erewhon certainly does (outfitted in great part with "Manticore Lite" equipment and they were an active and experienced component of the MA so their Navy (which is much more that a SDF) had a lot more real combat experience than the SLN. Experince in fighting with capital ships . Erewhon also probably has its own penetration of SLN and, certainly, the SL political system. Their defence would not just be military strength. They would have a wide range of political responces available and bring pressure, probably in the very areas that the Mandarins are most vunerable. Blackmail comes to mind.

Besides, it appears to be allied with the SL, not part of it. For the League to come after/force a fleet or two through the wormholes, is going to have serious reprocussons with the rest of the League Members and any other allied systems. Think of this being a case of throwing firebombs at some of your neighbors and friends to and all the others are now making the determination that they may be next. Really bad move

cthia wrote:Cauldron of Ghosts

Even using nanotech facial and body transformations won’t help you, since they don’t disguise DNA. Sure, that’d probably be enough for a modest, barely-known sort of spy.

What such technological advances in science. It makes it hard to believe that crime doesn't pay. It seems it'd be so easy for criminals to disappear, with so many planets in so many systems and so many facial transformations one can assume.

Traffic stops must include ID and a quick DNA scan. Or law enforcement in the Honorverse could be all but impossible.

Aside:
I wonder, with Honorverse technology, if one's ethnic appearance can be drastically altered? Whether Michelle Henke could be made to appear white. Or Honor black?

Since such technology is painful, time-consuming, and extremely expensive, it would not be cost-effective for most crimes. Many other types of crimes would not be able to use this technology because of security systems that involve biometrics or DNA sampling.

cthia wrote:Cauldron of Ghosts

Even using nanotech facial and body transformations won’t help you, since they don’t disguise DNA. Sure, that’d probably be enough for a modest, barely-known sort of spy.

What such technological advances in science. It makes it hard to believe that crime doesn't pay. It seems it'd be so easy for criminals to disappear, with so many planets in so many systems and so many facial transformations one can assume.

Traffic stops must include ID and a quick DNA scan. Or law enforcement in the Honorverse could be all but impossible.

Aside:
I wonder, with Honorverse technology, if one's ethnic appearance can be drastically altered? Whether Michelle Henke could be made to appear white. Or Honor black?

SWM wrote:Since such technology is painful, time-consuming, and extremely expensive, it would not be cost-effective for most crimes. Many other types of crimes would not be able to use this technology because of security systems that involve biometrics or DNA sampling.

I can't imagine the process being effected on someone conscious, or I imagine it would be painful.

But let's not forget the seedy elements of crime. There's always someone willing to render services under the radar. And someone always knows someone who knows someone. I agree that there probably are checks and balances instituted to at least impede the practice, but you and I know better than to expect perfect results.

And I wonder how expensive it is, compared to an ordinary plastic surgery. We view it through our easily impressed primitive eyes, but that sort of technology and processes may be as common, and as expensive as plastic surgery is today. And a cut rate surgeon (npi) should be even cheaper. It might not be so important as to a perfect, top-notch professional job. A totally botched job where you are highly unrecognizable is the point.

It isn't as if you're an HD actress and people will be crying foul toward your stupidity and botched job. Especially when you can always get it redone.

Perhaps there's a coupon special of a C99.99 medical makeover special. They're all over the Honorverse, with slogans such as ...

"New You."
"We guarantee results your mother won't recognize."
"Fly by night, Escape by day."
"We cut red-tape."
"Hide-N-Seek Makeovers."

cthia wrote:

SWM wrote:Since such technology is painful, time-consuming, and extremely expensive, it would not be cost-effective for most crimes. Many other types of crimes would not be able to use this technology because of security systems that involve biometrics or DNA sampling.

I can't imagine the process being effected on someone conscious, or I imagine it would be painful.

But let's not forget the seedy elements of crime. There's always someone willing to render services under the radar. And someone always knows someone who knows someone. I agree that there probably are checks and balances instituted to at least impede the practice, but you and I know better than to expect perfect results.

And I wonder how expensive it is, compared to an ordinary plastic surgery. We view it through our easily impressed primitive eyes, but that sort of technology and processes may be as common, and as expensive as plastic surgery is today. And a cut rate surgeon (npi) should be even cheaper. It might not be so important as to a perfect, top-notch professional job. A totally botched job where you are highly unrecognizable is the point.

It isn't as if you're an HD actress and people will be crying foul toward your stupidity and botched job. Especially when you can always get it redone.

Perhaps there's a coupon special of a C99.99 medical makeover special. They're all over the Honorverse, with slogans such as ...

"New You."
"We guarantee results your mother won't recognize."
"Fly by night, Escape by day."
"We cut red-tape."
"Hide-N-Seek Makeovers."

Since we have seen nanotech used in only a very few instances, and always backed by government-level organizations, I conclude that the technology is not ubiquitous, and is expensive. I don't think the evidence supports the conclusion that it easy and cheap.

By the way, when I said it was painful, I did not mean just the initial steps (which might indeed be done under anaesthesia). The text says that the transformation of Cachat and Zilwicki took weeks, and hinted that it had not been a comfortable process.

Referring to Erewhon:

Brigade XO wrote:Snip...

Besides, it appears to be allied with the SL, not part of it. For the League to come after/force a fleet or two through the wormholes, is going to have serious reprocussons with the rest of the League Members and any other allied systems. Think of this being a case of throwing firebombs at some of your neighbors and friends to and all the others are now making the determination that they may be next. Really bad move

Erewhon was initially allied with the Solarian League during the first part of the Manticore Alliance/People's Republic of Haven (the Peeps, first under the Legislaturists and then the Committee of Public Safety) war.

Then sometime after the first part of the Manticore Alliance/People's Republic of Haven war, Erewhon became part of the Manticoran Alliance.

Then in Crown of Slaves, Erewhon broke from the Manticoran Alliance (read as High Ridge peonry at that time) and signed a mutual defense pact with the Republic of Haven.

And at the current time in the Honorverse [Edit] as of A Rising Thunder and a Cauldron of Ghosts, Erewhon is allied with Maya Sector--not to be confused with the Solarian League proper--and [/Edit] is sending out suggestions (aimed at improving relations) towards the Manticoran Alliance (now part of the Grand Alliance).

cthia wrote:Cauldron of Ghosts
Yana Tretiakovna speaking.

“Do you mean to tell me that this is how orbital controllers guide spacecraft to a supposedly—ha, ha, I’m dying of laughter here—safe orbit or landing? If so, I’m never flying again. Not even a kite.”

If anyone has ever seen an air traffic controller's screen in a very busy city ... you'd understand this sentiment for damn sure.

---------------------

Stood duty at NAS Moffett and NAS Point Mugu. Watched and was impressed by the ATC's, I was a Comm ET.

-- Stewart

cthia wrote:But let's not forget the seedy elements of crime. There's always someone willing to render services under the radar. And someone always knows someone who knows someone. I agree that there probably are checks and balances instituted to at least impede the practice, but you and I know better than to expect perfect results.

Let us not forget Lady North Hollow nee Elaine Komandorski(sp)

She had her tongue tattoo removed and still had a substantial grubstake to take to Manticore and begin a new life -- or two.

cthia wrote:Cauldron of Ghosts
Yana Tretiakovna speaking.

“Do you mean to tell me that this is how orbital controllers guide spacecraft to a supposedly—ha, ha, I’m dying of laughter here—safe orbit or landing? If so, I’m never flying again. Not even a kite.”

If anyone has ever seen an air traffic controller's screen in a very busy city ... you'd understand this sentiment for damn sure.

stewart wrote:
---------------------

Stood duty at NAS Moffett and NAS Point Mugu. Watched and was impressed by the ATC's, I was a Comm ET.

-- Stewart

Yep. If you watched them, I am certain that you were impressed by them. As am I. If you see them in action, there's no other option than to be impressed with them. And worry a bit over their sanity. It was listed once as one of the top five most stressful jobs.

One of my very good childhood friends is a controller, and he claims he's going to marry my niece one day. Ha!

She adores him. Very nice guy. He turned her on to this site ...

http://www.flightradar24.com/33.11,-82.97/7