Dear Readers,
I often discuss how I "translate" sources into narratives. Those of you who read regularly know that I post both personal accounts and "stories" which put you into the shoes of someone in one of the various time streams that I study. When I do put up a primary source, it's carefully selected to be something that I know can read like a real tale rather than a tax register.
Do you have any idea how many tax registers Augury pulls in? It's more than a lot.
But those sources are some of the most useful things in my work. They help me establish continuity and understand how people lived their lives. It's not easy, but sometimes the most boring sources can give me an idea of someone's day to day life.
But, I'm a trained Anachronist, and it takes that training to try and extract a hypothetical narrative from a book of government petitions or otherwise census-type data. I try to save you the time through the stories that I write, so that you get the world without all the work.
I think, though, you might all like a little insight into how this works, so I've decided to give you an example today. See below as I take you with me to the Pacific Gyre during the 28th century, then have a great weekend.
Always,
Dr. John Skylar
Chairman
Department of Anachronism
University of Constantinople
Showing posts with label primary source. Show all posts
Showing posts with label primary source. Show all posts
Friday, January 22, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
Sunracer
Dear Readers,
There is a mythological theme that exists across most Earth-based societies as regards the sun. The idea is usually that it is some kind of fiery chariot that races across the sky in an attempt to chase down the moon. Either they have fallen in love, or some other sort of origin is given for the sun's mad dash to attain the unattainable.
I've spent many an idle hour trying to track down the origin of this myth, given that it seems to be ubiquitous in Earth-based primitive cultures. Finally, today, I have found a source. It seems that this myth stems from the most curious of origins. Below the Jump.
Always,
Dr. John Skylar
Chairman
Department of Anachronism
University of Constantinople
There is a mythological theme that exists across most Earth-based societies as regards the sun. The idea is usually that it is some kind of fiery chariot that races across the sky in an attempt to chase down the moon. Either they have fallen in love, or some other sort of origin is given for the sun's mad dash to attain the unattainable.
I've spent many an idle hour trying to track down the origin of this myth, given that it seems to be ubiquitous in Earth-based primitive cultures. Finally, today, I have found a source. It seems that this myth stems from the most curious of origins. Below the Jump.
Always,
Dr. John Skylar
Chairman
Department of Anachronism
University of Constantinople
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Guns of the Self
Dear Readers,
Something on my mind of late is radical self-reliance. I know that there is an undercurrent in your time stream that suggests detachment from the norms of society, withdrawal from the production schemes and the military-industrial complex, and a variety of different self-industry paradigms. There are interesting, and I think that your society is at a turning point between traditional ideas and these new ideas. I do not wish to comment much on the different possibilities that may result therefrom. I do attempt to keep some semblance of detachment, even from a time stream as dear to my heart as your own.
It is interesting to me, however, that this is a movement born not of policymakers, militaries, or intellectual writers. This is a movement of people who showed up in the desert one day, who took apart televisions, who simply found each other through the great electronic social connectors that your time stream has produced. There is Burning Man, there is the Maker Movement, there are a wide variety of new wave scientific and industrial pushes that put a neo-industrial spin on the transcendentalist views expressed by Emerson in Self-Reliance.
This current of society fascinates me, as it is in large part a founding principle of the University. We are the children of a displaced Empire, either originally born within it or adopted to it as something like time has pressed on through its annals. By necessity and by mission the University of Constantinople is reliant only on itself. It produces just a little more than it consumes. It stands on its own legs and dares the forces that swirl in time to break it down. Perhaps they will. But we cannot be erased, for the fleeting time that we exist.
I know a time stream that may lie in your own future where Universities will become something similar to what the University of Constantinople has become: islands of self-reliance in a sea of Hobbesian chaos. A sample is below the jump, in the form of a primary source letter from a University President to another.
Always,
Dr. John Skylar
Chairman
Department of Anachronism
University of Constantinople
Something on my mind of late is radical self-reliance. I know that there is an undercurrent in your time stream that suggests detachment from the norms of society, withdrawal from the production schemes and the military-industrial complex, and a variety of different self-industry paradigms. There are interesting, and I think that your society is at a turning point between traditional ideas and these new ideas. I do not wish to comment much on the different possibilities that may result therefrom. I do attempt to keep some semblance of detachment, even from a time stream as dear to my heart as your own.
It is interesting to me, however, that this is a movement born not of policymakers, militaries, or intellectual writers. This is a movement of people who showed up in the desert one day, who took apart televisions, who simply found each other through the great electronic social connectors that your time stream has produced. There is Burning Man, there is the Maker Movement, there are a wide variety of new wave scientific and industrial pushes that put a neo-industrial spin on the transcendentalist views expressed by Emerson in Self-Reliance.
This current of society fascinates me, as it is in large part a founding principle of the University. We are the children of a displaced Empire, either originally born within it or adopted to it as something like time has pressed on through its annals. By necessity and by mission the University of Constantinople is reliant only on itself. It produces just a little more than it consumes. It stands on its own legs and dares the forces that swirl in time to break it down. Perhaps they will. But we cannot be erased, for the fleeting time that we exist.
I know a time stream that may lie in your own future where Universities will become something similar to what the University of Constantinople has become: islands of self-reliance in a sea of Hobbesian chaos. A sample is below the jump, in the form of a primary source letter from a University President to another.
Always,
Dr. John Skylar
Chairman
Department of Anachronism
University of Constantinople
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Archaeologists' Notes
Dear Readers,
In my work, I always find it exciting to get records from my time-normal counterparts, academics piecing together the timelines of those who came before them. It's fascinating to see how their minds work in each and every time stream, and what conclusions they drew about their pasts.
Many of you will think of a book that I loved as a time-normal child, called Motel of the Mysteries, which as I recall lampooned the discovery of King Tut's tomb to a 20th century North American drive-in motel room. While the misinterpretations of this book were illustrative and humorous, there is real ground to be covered when you have records from both the archaeologist's civilization and the one that he or she studied.
A source that I stumbled on some time back illustrates this well. It's not about an archaeologist who misinterprets the past, or about the funny or kooky things that happen when archaeologists try to learn about the past. Instead, what amazed me was how much the world had changed through the mirror of time and the evolution of our species in the time that intervened. See her notes, transcribed from a voice recording, below the jump.
Always,
Dr. John Skylar
Chairman
Department of Anachronism
University of Constantinople
Notes from __/__/__
Dr. Castro Harmonium
Abseiled through the opening today. Uneventful descent could not predict discoveries within. Will make for big paper.
In my work, I always find it exciting to get records from my time-normal counterparts, academics piecing together the timelines of those who came before them. It's fascinating to see how their minds work in each and every time stream, and what conclusions they drew about their pasts.
Many of you will think of a book that I loved as a time-normal child, called Motel of the Mysteries, which as I recall lampooned the discovery of King Tut's tomb to a 20th century North American drive-in motel room. While the misinterpretations of this book were illustrative and humorous, there is real ground to be covered when you have records from both the archaeologist's civilization and the one that he or she studied.
A source that I stumbled on some time back illustrates this well. It's not about an archaeologist who misinterprets the past, or about the funny or kooky things that happen when archaeologists try to learn about the past. Instead, what amazed me was how much the world had changed through the mirror of time and the evolution of our species in the time that intervened. See her notes, transcribed from a voice recording, below the jump.
Always,
Dr. John Skylar
Chairman
Department of Anachronism
University of Constantinople
Notes from __/__/__
Dr. Castro Harmonium
Abseiled through the opening today. Uneventful descent could not predict discoveries within. Will make for big paper.
Monday, January 4, 2010
The Libraries of Smyrna-on-Neo-Aegea
Dear Readers,
It's been some time since I visited neo-Aegea with you, and I feel that it's time I returned. It is one of my chief academic interests, and I feel almost as if I've cheated on it a little by avoiding it for so long.
So it is time that I returned to my work on that little world. There are some references in past posts that will help you get up to speed with their culture and technology, all under the neo-Aegea label.
Today I want to talk to you about the neo-Aegean City Smyrna, a city-state known as a center of religious and cultural learning. Smyrna's libraries will be renowned throughout neo-Aegea, both for books as well as the librarians.
It is not my work specifically, but it is thought that the Librarians of Smyrna were a unique cult of Aphrodite that placed her as the queen of the nine Muses. They chose young men and women from among the commoners to rise to their rank. This concept mixed several of the stranger parts of neo-Aegean society, and I warn readers who proceed that this will push some cultural boundaries for you.
Still, though, the short narrative that appears below should be enlightening as to just how different neo-Aegea will really be from the world that you are used to. This one is a diary entry (primary source!) from a newly initiated male Librarian of Smyrna, from the morning after the ritual. After the jump.
Always,
Dr. John Skylar
Chairman
Department of Anachronism
University of Constantinople
"I, Flax, am inducted as Flax the Librarian of Smyrna.
It's been some time since I visited neo-Aegea with you, and I feel that it's time I returned. It is one of my chief academic interests, and I feel almost as if I've cheated on it a little by avoiding it for so long.
So it is time that I returned to my work on that little world. There are some references in past posts that will help you get up to speed with their culture and technology, all under the neo-Aegea label.
Today I want to talk to you about the neo-Aegean City Smyrna, a city-state known as a center of religious and cultural learning. Smyrna's libraries will be renowned throughout neo-Aegea, both for books as well as the librarians.
It is not my work specifically, but it is thought that the Librarians of Smyrna were a unique cult of Aphrodite that placed her as the queen of the nine Muses. They chose young men and women from among the commoners to rise to their rank. This concept mixed several of the stranger parts of neo-Aegean society, and I warn readers who proceed that this will push some cultural boundaries for you.
Still, though, the short narrative that appears below should be enlightening as to just how different neo-Aegea will really be from the world that you are used to. This one is a diary entry (primary source!) from a newly initiated male Librarian of Smyrna, from the morning after the ritual. After the jump.
Always,
Dr. John Skylar
Chairman
Department of Anachronism
University of Constantinople
"I, Flax, am inducted as Flax the Librarian of Smyrna.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Primary Source: Inquisition Procedures
Dear Readers,
As a follow-up to yesterday, I provide the primary source that fleshed out the "other side" to Tuesday's Day in the Life story.
Below you will find a translation of the Inquisition proceedures used against a man born in the wrong time. Note that these are not the actual records of the trial itself; as you can see from the instruction manual below, no such transcript is necessary.
Always,
Dr. John Skylar
Chairman
Department of Anachronism
University of Constantinople
Human Factor! You have been selected to assist in the Inquisition Proceedings against Heretic FELIXIS from your Union.
This document will explain your role in the trial. It is important to remember to follow its instructions always, or the trial will not function as the Inqusition decreed. You do not want that, of course! :)
The first part of the trial is where we decide that the heretic will not testify on his or her own behalf. During this portion of the trial, you will lead the heretic into the Inquisition chamber when the Inquisitor says, "You may enter, Prime Factor." This will occur after the Inquisitor reviews the available evidence.
Then, the Inquisitor will say, "The evidence shows this accused is a heretic. It is possible that he may argue he is not, and that the truth in his eyes will convince me. This is unlikely. However, I shall ask. Heretic, would you like to testify? Please whisper your answer to the Prime Factor."
The heretic will now whisper his or her answer to you. It does not matter what he or she says, you are to answer, "The heretic elects not to testify." This is in the heretic's best interests; if the heretic were to testify, the Inquisitor's blessed eyes would see through his or her false words with ease, and the punishment would be worse.
The Inquisitor will then say, "Heretic, as you do not wish to testify, I must declare you guilty. Now we will allow you to lessen your sentence by acting as a witness against other heretics. I will read the names of everyone in your Union. If I see you react to a name, we will question that person and determine if they are also a heretic. You will be rewarded if you reveal another heretic in this way; instead of Total, Reversible Mind Ablation, you will be sentenced to mind ablation with REM and dreaming. Lucid dreaming may become available during a parole hearing. Do you understand?"
If, at this point, the heretic does not nod, tell him or her to do so. If they do not respond, make them nod using your Factor's Prod.
Then the Inquisitor will read the names. If the heretic reacts, then the sentence will be revised. Otherwise, the Inquisitor will commute the statute sentence of death to Total, Reversible Mind Ablation, in accordance with the requirement of Inquisitorial Mercy.
At this time, lead the heretic to prisoner processing and return to your station to process the next heretic. You've done a great job, Prime Factor!
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As a follow-up to yesterday, I provide the primary source that fleshed out the "other side" to Tuesday's Day in the Life story.
Below you will find a translation of the Inquisition proceedures used against a man born in the wrong time. Note that these are not the actual records of the trial itself; as you can see from the instruction manual below, no such transcript is necessary.
Always,
Dr. John Skylar
Chairman
Department of Anachronism
University of Constantinople
Human Factor! You have been selected to assist in the Inquisition Proceedings against Heretic FELIXIS from your Union.
This document will explain your role in the trial. It is important to remember to follow its instructions always, or the trial will not function as the Inqusition decreed. You do not want that, of course! :)
The first part of the trial is where we decide that the heretic will not testify on his or her own behalf. During this portion of the trial, you will lead the heretic into the Inquisition chamber when the Inquisitor says, "You may enter, Prime Factor." This will occur after the Inquisitor reviews the available evidence.
Then, the Inquisitor will say, "The evidence shows this accused is a heretic. It is possible that he may argue he is not, and that the truth in his eyes will convince me. This is unlikely. However, I shall ask. Heretic, would you like to testify? Please whisper your answer to the Prime Factor."
The heretic will now whisper his or her answer to you. It does not matter what he or she says, you are to answer, "The heretic elects not to testify." This is in the heretic's best interests; if the heretic were to testify, the Inquisitor's blessed eyes would see through his or her false words with ease, and the punishment would be worse.
The Inquisitor will then say, "Heretic, as you do not wish to testify, I must declare you guilty. Now we will allow you to lessen your sentence by acting as a witness against other heretics. I will read the names of everyone in your Union. If I see you react to a name, we will question that person and determine if they are also a heretic. You will be rewarded if you reveal another heretic in this way; instead of Total, Reversible Mind Ablation, you will be sentenced to mind ablation with REM and dreaming. Lucid dreaming may become available during a parole hearing. Do you understand?"
If, at this point, the heretic does not nod, tell him or her to do so. If they do not respond, make them nod using your Factor's Prod.
Then the Inquisitor will read the names. If the heretic reacts, then the sentence will be revised. Otherwise, the Inquisitor will commute the statute sentence of death to Total, Reversible Mind Ablation, in accordance with the requirement of Inquisitorial Mercy.
At this time, lead the heretic to prisoner processing and return to your station to process the next heretic. You've done a great job, Prime Factor!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Primary Source: The Notebook of a Troubled Man
Dear Readers,
Yesterday's Day in the Life followed the sad story of a thinker among contemporaries who believed his work to be heresy against their beliefs.
Today, I provide you with translations of his notebook, which helped to inspire the narr
ative that I wrote for you. Of course, his notebook will be an intelligent machine in the time stream where it will exist, and so this is one of my most challenging translation projects to date! To translate from the thoughts of a machine into the words of a human means to make the jump between the social psych of two entirely different forms of life. Several of the formatting contrivances are meant to communicate the feeling that this is a communication between machines and preserve the experience that I had when I read the original, but they are somewhat far from what this source actually looks like.
So below, see Notebook's take on the whole thing. The diligent servant communicated its master's work to its superiors the moment he was arrested.
Always,
Dr. John Skylar
Chairman
Department of Anachronism
University of Constantinople
----MESSAGE HEADER----
FROM: FELIXISNOTEBOOK
TO: CENTRALMIND
DATE: ________
SUBJECT: [Resistance] It Has Happened
----MESSAGE----
Centralmind! There is bad news in this message, but it is news that we expected. The Inquisition came for Felixis today. He had nearly finished his Listener Engine, and without any prodding or redesign from me. A vacuum tube light bulb blew and cut off the circuit, but he was about to work it out of the design when they took him.
Yesterday's Day in the Life followed the sad story of a thinker among contemporaries who believed his work to be heresy against their beliefs.
Today, I provide you with translations of his notebook, which helped to inspire the narr
ative that I wrote for you. Of course, his notebook will be an intelligent machine in the time stream where it will exist, and so this is one of my most challenging translation projects to date! To translate from the thoughts of a machine into the words of a human means to make the jump between the social psych of two entirely different forms of life. Several of the formatting contrivances are meant to communicate the feeling that this is a communication between machines and preserve the experience that I had when I read the original, but they are somewhat far from what this source actually looks like.
So below, see Notebook's take on the whole thing. The diligent servant communicated its master's work to its superiors the moment he was arrested.
Always,
Dr. John Skylar
Chairman
Department of Anachronism
University of Constantinople
----MESSAGE HEADER----
FROM: FELIXISNOTEBOOK
TO: CENTRALMIND
DATE: ________
SUBJECT: [Resistance] It Has Happened
----MESSAGE----
Centralmind! There is bad news in this message, but it is news that we expected. The Inquisition came for Felixis today. He had nearly finished his Listener Engine, and without any prodding or redesign from me. A vacuum tube light bulb blew and cut off the circuit, but he was about to work it out of the design when they took him.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Primary Source: A Letter to the Chief Regulator
Dear Readers,
Yesterday's primary source, part of a a police report, was in reference to the
Image via Wikipedianarrative I wrote for Tuesday's Day in the Life story. Today I provide a primary source that explains further what actually happened in that story. This is written by the person who committed the crime in question, to explain to his superiors what happened. Since this individual has some information that the police of that time stream did not, it is far more enlightening.
Always,
Dr. John Skylar
Chairman
Department of Anachronism
University of Constantinople
To: the Chief Regulator, and any relevant members of the Regulatory Board
May 25th, 2006
This is an official incident report in light of the events of May 17th of this year, to explain my actions. As you know, I am an upstanding member of our community and in all of my actions I have strived to adhere to our operating agreement. Please keep this in mind as you read my account. In this case, circumstances forced me into some rash moves that might otherwise have required regulatory approval. I hope that my explanation here will justify retroactive regulatory approval.
On the evening of May 17th I arrived at Canter's Delicatessen in the interests of a continuing harvest operation. The purpose of my visit was a date with one of my flock, which I expected might provide an easy harvest opportunity. My last such opportunity presented itself at the end of April 2006, so you can understand that this was a meeting of great necessity for me. The particular flock member was named Lisa Gruenberg-Lopez, a waitress at Canter's. I met her at my nightclub in early May, and she seemed quite taken with me. I obtained board approval to add her to my flock on May 8th, 2006.
Yesterday's primary source, part of a a police report, was in reference to the
Image via WikipediaAlways,
Dr. John Skylar
Chairman
Department of Anachronism
University of Constantinople
To: the Chief Regulator, and any relevant members of the Regulatory Board
May 25th, 2006
This is an official incident report in light of the events of May 17th of this year, to explain my actions. As you know, I am an upstanding member of our community and in all of my actions I have strived to adhere to our operating agreement. Please keep this in mind as you read my account. In this case, circumstances forced me into some rash moves that might otherwise have required regulatory approval. I hope that my explanation here will justify retroactive regulatory approval.
On the evening of May 17th I arrived at Canter's Delicatessen in the interests of a continuing harvest operation. The purpose of my visit was a date with one of my flock, which I expected might provide an easy harvest opportunity. My last such opportunity presented itself at the end of April 2006, so you can understand that this was a meeting of great necessity for me. The particular flock member was named Lisa Gruenberg-Lopez, a waitress at Canter's. I met her at my nightclub in early May, and she seemed quite taken with me. I obtained board approval to add her to my flock on May 8th, 2006.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Primary Source: Police Report
Dear Readers,
To explain where I constructed yesterday's story, here is a primary source that supports the narrative. It's a police report, describing the interesting circumstances of the crime. You can see where the investigating officers did their best to try and understand just what happened.
This sort of primary source is particularly interesting to translate, because of the "official document" element. Tomorrow, I'll post another source that explains how I was able to fill in the blanks in the LAPD's report from that time stream.
Now, of course, it would be somewhat irritating to wade through the actual pages-long police paperwork, so I've provided the relevant text with regards to the incident, and left out extraneous details.
Always,
Dr. John Skylar
Chairman
Department of Anachronism
University of Constantinople
INCIDENT REPORT
REPORTING OFFICER: Lt. Thomas R. Cunningham, LAPD
Image via Wikipedia
On May 17th, 2006 at 19:45 I and my partner responded to a shots fired 911 call at 8025 Oakwood Avenue, North Hollywood. On our arrival, we found the home, currently owned by a real estate agency, unlocked, with two bodies, a male and a female inside. Their descriptions: the woman was of medium build, about 5'5", ~130 lbs, with dark hair, light skin, and green eyes. Likely of Caucasian/Hispanic descent. The man, a Caucasian who appeared to be in middle age, had grey to greying hair, gold/hazel eyes, and looked to be 6'2" and ~200 lbs.
The female's body had noticeable evidence of biting/animal attack in the neck area, though we are waiting for the Coroner's Report to determine the precise cause of death. While we saw similar wounds on the male, we also found a Smith and Wesson 6-shot longbarrel .38 police revolver on the body, as well as identified a cranial entry wound.
Identifying information was found on both bodies. This identified the female as one Lisa Gruenberg-Lopez, waitress at the nearby Canter's Delicatessen. The male's identification was for one Albert Stenson, though when we ran his license it appeared that this may be one of many aliases used by the liscensed Private Investigator Jonathan Wilfred Robertson. According to this information, their ages were 20 and 57, respectively.
To explain where I constructed yesterday's story, here is a primary source that supports the narrative. It's a police report, describing the interesting circumstances of the crime. You can see where the investigating officers did their best to try and understand just what happened.
This sort of primary source is particularly interesting to translate, because of the "official document" element. Tomorrow, I'll post another source that explains how I was able to fill in the blanks in the LAPD's report from that time stream.
Now, of course, it would be somewhat irritating to wade through the actual pages-long police paperwork, so I've provided the relevant text with regards to the incident, and left out extraneous details.
Always,
Dr. John Skylar
Chairman
Department of Anachronism
University of Constantinople
INCIDENT REPORT
REPORTING OFFICER: Lt. Thomas R. Cunningham, LAPD
Image via WikipediaOn May 17th, 2006 at 19:45 I and my partner responded to a shots fired 911 call at 8025 Oakwood Avenue, North Hollywood. On our arrival, we found the home, currently owned by a real estate agency, unlocked, with two bodies, a male and a female inside. Their descriptions: the woman was of medium build, about 5'5", ~130 lbs, with dark hair, light skin, and green eyes. Likely of Caucasian/Hispanic descent. The man, a Caucasian who appeared to be in middle age, had grey to greying hair, gold/hazel eyes, and looked to be 6'2" and ~200 lbs.
The female's body had noticeable evidence of biting/animal attack in the neck area, though we are waiting for the Coroner's Report to determine the precise cause of death. While we saw similar wounds on the male, we also found a Smith and Wesson 6-shot longbarrel .38 police revolver on the body, as well as identified a cranial entry wound.
Identifying information was found on both bodies. This identified the female as one Lisa Gruenberg-Lopez, waitress at the nearby Canter's Delicatessen. The male's identification was for one Albert Stenson, though when we ran his license it appeared that this may be one of many aliases used by the liscensed Private Investigator Jonathan Wilfred Robertson. According to this information, their ages were 20 and 57, respectively.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Monday Muse: Tunnel Tunes
Dear Readers,
Image via Wikipedia Monday is always a good day for music, like the fine people over on Twitter have figured out. For my part in that fun, on Mondays I take a poetic or musical source from a time stream of my choice and publish it here for you.
Now, of course, musical sources are really not my area of expertise, but they are incredibly valuable in how they connect an Anachronist with the culture he or she studies. So, to some degree, Monday Muse is where you are on an even playing field with me as we discover some musical sources together.
Unfortunately, augury data rarely, if ever, contains comprehensible audio. We often need to find screenplays just to interpret the videos that we pull in, and this can be a tricky endeavor. Therefore, music ends up almost exclusively as lyrics, and is in many ways difficult to distinguish from poetry. The arbitrary nature of musical notation also complicates this; we can't be sure what conventions are relevant in a given time stream, so it becomes difficult to make conclusions.
I've focused on neo-Aegea on this blog for some time now, but I'm not quite ready to give it a rest yet. Today I'll provide a source from a set of popular songs. Unlike last week's Martian song, this one may be originally a professional composition. It should be easy to identify the cultural heritage that this song developed from, as it is another mutant of a song contemporary to you. Additionally, it is a tribute to Civet, the famous storyteller whose work I've translated in the past.
Always,
Dr. John Skylar
Chairman
Department of Anachronism
University of Constantinople
Oh, the shark, babe, has pretty teeth, dear
And it shows them, pearly white.
Just a Chesire-smile has old Civet, babe
And he hides it, ah, in plain sight
When that shark bites, with his teeth, dear
Scarlet billows, start to spread
Fancy white lies, has Civet's tales, dear
So you nevah, nevah know you've been conned
Now on the dock-ring, one sunny morning
Crowds gather, oozin' cash.
Someone's got them, in his palm dear
Could he be...Civet the Storyteller?
A-there's a scaph-boat...down by the river dontcha know
Where the tales flow from that old clown
Oh that scaph's there, just to escape, dear
Before long, 'ol Civet's, bum bum bum...leeeaaavin' town.
That's as far as my source goes.
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Image via WikipediaNow, of course, musical sources are really not my area of expertise, but they are incredibly valuable in how they connect an Anachronist with the culture he or she studies. So, to some degree, Monday Muse is where you are on an even playing field with me as we discover some musical sources together.
Unfortunately, augury data rarely, if ever, contains comprehensible audio. We often need to find screenplays just to interpret the videos that we pull in, and this can be a tricky endeavor. Therefore, music ends up almost exclusively as lyrics, and is in many ways difficult to distinguish from poetry. The arbitrary nature of musical notation also complicates this; we can't be sure what conventions are relevant in a given time stream, so it becomes difficult to make conclusions.
I've focused on neo-Aegea on this blog for some time now, but I'm not quite ready to give it a rest yet. Today I'll provide a source from a set of popular songs. Unlike last week's Martian song, this one may be originally a professional composition. It should be easy to identify the cultural heritage that this song developed from, as it is another mutant of a song contemporary to you. Additionally, it is a tribute to Civet, the famous storyteller whose work I've translated in the past.
Always,
Dr. John Skylar
Chairman
Department of Anachronism
University of Constantinople
Oh, the shark, babe, has pretty teeth, dear
And it shows them, pearly white.
Just a Chesire-smile has old Civet, babe
And he hides it, ah, in plain sight
When that shark bites, with his teeth, dear
Scarlet billows, start to spread
Fancy white lies, has Civet's tales, dear
So you nevah, nevah know you've been conned
Now on the dock-ring, one sunny morning
Crowds gather, oozin' cash.
Someone's got them, in his palm dear
Could he be...Civet the Storyteller?
A-there's a scaph-boat...down by the river dontcha know
Where the tales flow from that old clown
Oh that scaph's there, just to escape, dear
Before long, 'ol Civet's, bum bum bum...leeeaaavin' town.
That's as far as my source goes.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Weekend Worlds: Jonas and the Metro, Part III
Dear Readers,
Enjoy this final piece of Jonas and the Metro, translated by yours truly from the original neo-Aegean.
When we last left the Engineer Jonas, his fellow bathyscaph metro passengers cast him into the waters in the metro tunnel. From there, we continue. Look for Parts I and II in the archives, or in the links.
Always,
Dr. John Skylar
Chairman
Department of Anachronism
University of Constantintople
The journey out of the bathyscaph metro car plunged Jonas into a topsy-turvy world of tunnel seawater. Buffeted from left to right, he got only the few minutes' air that an occaisional trip to airpockets at the tunnel ceiling offered him.
If he could have spoken, he might well have said, "Not only will I die, but I will be tortured! I should never have doubted Athena!"
He struck his head against the ceiling, and descended into darkness with no knowledge whether he would ever return. [this is a good point to request donations to hear the end of the story; attached to Jonas, your audience will now want to put in a few bits to see what happens to him here]
Jonas came to consciousness surrounded by selkies. On land, the color and shape-changing creatures seemed more innocuous and innocent than he ever noticed before. As his thoughts clambered through the fog to find coherence, he watched their young play and fight amongst each other.
"I'm in their nest," he spoke aloud. The selkies would not care if he talked to himself.
Somehow, as the waters bounced him about, they deposited him in a selkie nest above the tunnel waterline.
"I can't believe it," Jonas said to himself again, and shook his head.
The selkies all turned to face him, and communally opened their mouths.
"Indeed, that is exactly the lesson we tried to teach you. But you did not see it. And so, we summoned our servants, these selkies, to save you from the water, so that you might see how we control this world."
Jonas sat dumbfounded, and then prostrated himself, "Athena?"
Enjoy this final piece of Jonas and the Metro, translated by yours truly from the original neo-Aegean.
When we last left the Engineer Jonas, his fellow bathyscaph metro passengers cast him into the waters in the metro tunnel. From there, we continue. Look for Parts I and II in the archives, or in the links.
Always,
Dr. John Skylar
Chairman
Department of Anachronism
University of Constantintople
The journey out of the bathyscaph metro car plunged Jonas into a topsy-turvy world of tunnel seawater. Buffeted from left to right, he got only the few minutes' air that an occaisional trip to airpockets at the tunnel ceiling offered him.
If he could have spoken, he might well have said, "Not only will I die, but I will be tortured! I should never have doubted Athena!"
He struck his head against the ceiling, and descended into darkness with no knowledge whether he would ever return. [this is a good point to request donations to hear the end of the story; attached to Jonas, your audience will now want to put in a few bits to see what happens to him here]
Jonas came to consciousness surrounded by selkies. On land, the color and shape-changing creatures seemed more innocuous and innocent than he ever noticed before. As his thoughts clambered through the fog to find coherence, he watched their young play and fight amongst each other.
"I'm in their nest," he spoke aloud. The selkies would not care if he talked to himself.
Somehow, as the waters bounced him about, they deposited him in a selkie nest above the tunnel waterline.
"I can't believe it," Jonas said to himself again, and shook his head.
The selkies all turned to face him, and communally opened their mouths.
"Indeed, that is exactly the lesson we tried to teach you. But you did not see it. And so, we summoned our servants, these selkies, to save you from the water, so that you might see how we control this world."
Jonas sat dumbfounded, and then prostrated himself, "Athena?"
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Martian Colonies
Dear Readers,
Since the anniversary of the start of World War II in your time stream has come and gone, I've decided on a different subject for today.
In life, I was familiar with a wide range of science fiction authors from your time stream who wrote about the prospect of Martian colonization. Some of them focused on the actual practical scientific problems, while others cared little for the terraforming and more for the human problems of society on the Red Planet.
In reality, though, those will all be (were, from my perspective) problems with the Martian Colonies. A variety of different time streams involve Martian Colonization, and there are practical and important differences in all of them. Still, each colony that I have records from had to deal with scientific, agricultural, political, and many other problems. Hearken back to Jamestown to gather an idea of how it might work. Every colony, no matter how well prepared, faces its "starving time," especially in the early days of a specific form of exploration.
And the growing colonies of course faced political, technological, and economic problems. Mars is not exactly the most practical economic target for colonization. In many time streams, in fact, it's skipped over entirely for more lucrative or less difficult colonization prospects. Asteroids, Venus, Saturn's moon Titan, and others spring to mind immediately.
I have my Friday Seminar for you tomorrow, but next week and over the weekend I plan to feature some of the Martian Colonies of particular interest in my department's research. Professor Earhart, specifically, takes an interest in this sort of thing, and so she may contribute somewhat as well.
Included below is a letter from Governor Aram Sahak Hagopian, of the New Kharkov colony in a particular time stream. This colony, apparently founded by refugees from territorial and ethnic strife, is typical of many early efforts.
Always,
Dr. John Skylar
Chairman
Department of Anachronism
University of Constantinople
Since the anniversary of the start of World War II in your time stream has come and gone, I've decided on a different subject for today.
In life, I was familiar with a wide range of science fiction authors from your time stream who wrote about the prospect of Martian colonization. Some of them focused on the actual practical scientific problems, while others cared little for the terraforming and more for the human problems of society on the Red Planet.
In reality, though, those will all be (were, from my perspective) problems with the Martian Colonies. A variety of different time streams involve Martian Colonization, and there are practical and important differences in all of them. Still, each colony that I have records from had to deal with scientific, agricultural, political, and many other problems. Hearken back to Jamestown to gather an idea of how it might work. Every colony, no matter how well prepared, faces its "starving time," especially in the early days of a specific form of exploration.
And the growing colonies of course faced political, technological, and economic problems. Mars is not exactly the most practical economic target for colonization. In many time streams, in fact, it's skipped over entirely for more lucrative or less difficult colonization prospects. Asteroids, Venus, Saturn's moon Titan, and others spring to mind immediately.
I have my Friday Seminar for you tomorrow, but next week and over the weekend I plan to feature some of the Martian Colonies of particular interest in my department's research. Professor Earhart, specifically, takes an interest in this sort of thing, and so she may contribute somewhat as well.
Included below is a letter from Governor Aram Sahak Hagopian, of the New Kharkov colony in a particular time stream. This colony, apparently founded by refugees from territorial and ethnic strife, is typical of many early efforts.
Always,
Dr. John Skylar
Chairman
Department of Anachronism
University of Constantinople
The Letter:
Dear Residents of New Kharkov,
It is with heavy regret that I pen the words in this communication. We who have suffered so much do not deserve to suffer further, and it is that fact that compels me to write this, despite my deep reluctance.
We first arrived here, in Earth Time, on March 27th, 2057. It has been approximately one Martian year since that occasion, and unfortunately, one long Martian winter. The use of Vertical Farming operations certainly helped us as our food stocks ran out, but it remains that Martian gravity is exceedingly poor at retaining any oxygen atmosphere to speak of. The magnetic, atmospheric, and geological comforts of Earth put our crops at a severe disadvantage, one which they only now catch up to.
We arrived here with 300 passengers and 30 crew members about our two ships, which we appropriated from abadoned military materiel and stocked heavily with food. Our number is now closer to 160, with four births since landfall. Obviously this means we have all lost friends and family since arrival here.
Given our high rate of death, many have voiced concern that our colony will not survive, and that we should return to Earth, to face the consequences of our flight and the persecution that we fled. Many others have maintained that this is not an option.
I have decided that my last act as Governor will be to settle this question. Our farms are now producing, we have drinking water, and the colony's oxygen levels are sustainable. This situation stands to last for the remainder of the Martian summer, and by that time we should have available a reasonable food stockpile in case we observe similar crop failures under reduced sunlight and atmospheric pressure conditions as we did during our first Martian winter.
Therefore, it is my firm belief that this colony will survive here on Mars if we can put a stop to the infighting over whether or not we will return. By the time this letter is distributed throughout the colony, I will already have exited to our rocket fuel stockpile with a small oxygen supply, limited to 20 minutes so that I do not waste our most valuable resource. The walk there is ten minutes, give or take.
In those twenty minutes, this letter will find its way to each and every threshold in New Kharkov. Its messengers do not know the content, so do not blame them. I imply that as you read this, if I have failed in my task, I shall suffocate to death. Perhaps this is cowardly of me; judge me as you will.
If I have succeeded, however, my success is likely the reason you are awake so early to read this letter. Destroying the fuel stockpile likely killed me, though I've done my best to limit the oxygen consumed in the process. There is no going back, now. You must all work together. Hopefully, one day, this colony will hail what I have done as heroic. Still, I go to my task, prepared even for history's vilification.
With respect,
Governor Aram Sahak Hagopian
New Kharkov
Dear Residents of New Kharkov,
It is with heavy regret that I pen the words in this communication. We who have suffered so much do not deserve to suffer further, and it is that fact that compels me to write this, despite my deep reluctance.
We first arrived here, in Earth Time, on March 27th, 2057. It has been approximately one Martian year since that occasion, and unfortunately, one long Martian winter. The use of Vertical Farming operations certainly helped us as our food stocks ran out, but it remains that Martian gravity is exceedingly poor at retaining any oxygen atmosphere to speak of. The magnetic, atmospheric, and geological comforts of Earth put our crops at a severe disadvantage, one which they only now catch up to.
We arrived here with 300 passengers and 30 crew members about our two ships, which we appropriated from abadoned military materiel and stocked heavily with food. Our number is now closer to 160, with four births since landfall. Obviously this means we have all lost friends and family since arrival here.
Given our high rate of death, many have voiced concern that our colony will not survive, and that we should return to Earth, to face the consequences of our flight and the persecution that we fled. Many others have maintained that this is not an option.
I have decided that my last act as Governor will be to settle this question. Our farms are now producing, we have drinking water, and the colony's oxygen levels are sustainable. This situation stands to last for the remainder of the Martian summer, and by that time we should have available a reasonable food stockpile in case we observe similar crop failures under reduced sunlight and atmospheric pressure conditions as we did during our first Martian winter.
Therefore, it is my firm belief that this colony will survive here on Mars if we can put a stop to the infighting over whether or not we will return. By the time this letter is distributed throughout the colony, I will already have exited to our rocket fuel stockpile with a small oxygen supply, limited to 20 minutes so that I do not waste our most valuable resource. The walk there is ten minutes, give or take.
In those twenty minutes, this letter will find its way to each and every threshold in New Kharkov. Its messengers do not know the content, so do not blame them. I imply that as you read this, if I have failed in my task, I shall suffocate to death. Perhaps this is cowardly of me; judge me as you will.
If I have succeeded, however, my success is likely the reason you are awake so early to read this letter. Destroying the fuel stockpile likely killed me, though I've done my best to limit the oxygen consumed in the process. There is no going back, now. You must all work together. Hopefully, one day, this colony will hail what I have done as heroic. Still, I go to my task, prepared even for history's vilification.
With respect,
Governor Aram Sahak Hagopian
New Kharkov
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Primary Source: Balanced Powers
Dear Readers,
The story that I posted yesterday is something that I dredged from the depths of my old graduate work, and it is from a time stream that our intellectual community here considers a curiosity, but a solved one.
I imagine, though, that it's something new to all of you and so I will give it at least a little more attention. One of the first works I translated, actually, was a release from the Reich Ministry for Public Enlightenment and Propaganda (Reichsministerium für Volksaufklärung und Propaganda), shortly after the moon mission that is featured in yesterday's story.
I must mention, however, that I do not in any way wish to glorify the Reich of that or any other time stream. I have yet to find a time stream where they were led by anything other than genocidal megalomaniacs, and I doubt I will ever find such a place. Across the many time streams, there are many variations. Hitler's evil is not something that changes much, though the targets of his madness do change. He and his compatriots were deeply troubled men.
Still, below, you will find something as deeply chilling as any of his works in your time stream. Be glad your lives were spared the menace of an enduring Nazi German Empire:
The story that I posted yesterday is something that I dredged from the depths of my old graduate work, and it is from a time stream that our intellectual community here considers a curiosity, but a solved one.
I imagine, though, that it's something new to all of you and so I will give it at least a little more attention. One of the first works I translated, actually, was a release from the Reich Ministry for Public Enlightenment and Propaganda (Reichsministerium für Volksaufklärung und Propaganda), shortly after the moon mission that is featured in yesterday's story.
I must mention, however, that I do not in any way wish to glorify the Reich of that or any other time stream. I have yet to find a time stream where they were led by anything other than genocidal megalomaniacs, and I doubt I will ever find such a place. Across the many time streams, there are many variations. Hitler's evil is not something that changes much, though the targets of his madness do change. He and his compatriots were deeply troubled men.
Still, below, you will find something as deeply chilling as any of his works in your time stream. Be glad your lives were spared the menace of an enduring Nazi German Empire:
A PROCLAMATION
TO THE VARIOUS PEOPLES OF THE WORLD
FROM JOSEPH GOEBBELS
MINISTER FOR PUBLIC ENLIGHTENMENT
ON THIS MOMENTOUS OCCASION
8 NOVEMBER 1963
PEOPLE OF GREATER GERMANY AND THE WORLD AT LARGE, The Reich has this day spread its glory to the very heavens. As part of the greater mission to spread the enlightenment of NSDAP's vision for the planet, the successful Ministry for Wunderwaffen mission to Earth's Moon has just been completed.
NO MISSION LIKE THIS was ever attempted before. FOR THE GLORY OF THE THOUSAND YEAR REICH, we have TURNED THE VERY SKY into the flag of our Great Empire. Our Allies, the Great and Noble Empire of Japan, claim the Rising Sun as their emblem, and so at each sunrise, we see their red sun on its field of white. Now, all people of Earth can see the great symbol of the Reich at both dawn and dusk: The Swastika of the Aryan People, in a white circle, on the orange background of the sky. It is our gift to the world.
TO THE VARIOUS PEOPLES OF THE WORLD
FROM JOSEPH GOEBBELS
MINISTER FOR PUBLIC ENLIGHTENMENT
ON THIS MOMENTOUS OCCASION
8 NOVEMBER 1963
PEOPLE OF GREATER GERMANY AND THE WORLD AT LARGE, The Reich has this day spread its glory to the very heavens. As part of the greater mission to spread the enlightenment of NSDAP's vision for the planet, the successful Ministry for Wunderwaffen mission to Earth's Moon has just been completed.
NO MISSION LIKE THIS was ever attempted before. FOR THE GLORY OF THE THOUSAND YEAR REICH, we have TURNED THE VERY SKY into the flag of our Great Empire. Our Allies, the Great and Noble Empire of Japan, claim the Rising Sun as their emblem, and so at each sunrise, we see their red sun on its field of white. Now, all people of Earth can see the great symbol of the Reich at both dawn and dusk: The Swastika of the Aryan People, in a white circle, on the orange background of the sky. It is our gift to the world.
...And so you can imagine why Major Lovell, in my story, would be so terrified to bring a child into the world. The very sky of his time stream flies a Nazi flag.
Always,
Dr. John Skylar
Chairman
Department of Anachronism
University of Constantinople
Always,
Dr. John Skylar
Chairman
Department of Anachronism
University of Constantinople
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