Books Five Books Five SF Stories About Space Traders and Transport The perils of hauling freight through the cosmos cannot be overstated. By James Davis Nicoll | Published on December 12, 2024 Credit: Marshall Space Flight Center/NASA Comment 0 Share New Share Credit: Marshall Space Flight Center/NASA Recently, the entire world was rocked by an astonishing development, the consequences of which may well have global implications. The news services have spoken of nothing else1. I speak, of course, of the announcement that in order to secure the future of his creation, the venerable tabletop roleplaying game Traveller, Marc Miller has transferred all rights to Mongoose Publishing. Traveller allows players around the world to create tales such as this: a baroness, an army major, a mid-grade bureaucrat, a non-commissioned marine, and this guy who somehow failed out of “criminal” who pool their resources to purchase a used freight starship none of them have the skills to operate, decorate it with the photos of their five friends (all of whom died in the Scout service), and live their dream of shipping, I don’t know, cheese from Rhylanor to Sabruse. As previously discussed, independent traders are a rich source of opportunity—if not for wealth, then for adventure. Being independent, they may roam wherever they choose. Many have complicated backstories that could come back to haunt them. Starships being a hole into which one pours endless funds, independents are frequently more greedy than cautious. Writers have not overlooked the narrative potential of the tramp starship. Such tales abound, of which these are five classic examples. “Milk Run” by Robert Sheckley (1954) (Collected in Pilgrimage to Earth) The only flaw in the AAA Ace Interplanetary Decontamination Service business plan is that nobody currently wants their planet decontaminated. Offered a lucrative contract to deliver an assortment of animals to the Vermoine solar system, AAA Ace owner Frank Arnold sees no reason not to sign the ominously forbidding contract. After all, Arnold won’t be flying the AAA Ace starship. Co-owner Richard Gregor will. Time being of the essence, the pair barely have time to make rudimentary alterations to their ship before Gregor must set off for Vermoine. Once underway, Gregor discovers that his cargo has daunting life support requirements. Failure to rise to the occasion could doom the poor animals or worse, doom AAA Ace’s profit margin. Or, just perhaps, doom Gregor himself. Sheckley wrote a bunch of AAA Ace stories. Did Arnold ever learn the value of due diligence? He did not. Did Gregor tire of his partner’s lack of common sense? He did not. It’s almost as though Sheckley saw no reason to interfere with a successful story formula. Postmarked the Stars by Andre Norton (1969) The Solar Queen’s past commissions have had a lamentable tendency to include undocumented, life-threatening complications. A simple mail run may not be the most profitable contract, but surely it is a safe one. Or so cargo chief Dane Thorson thinks, until he is drugged and replaced by a double shortly before the Solar Queen lifts for backwater Trewsworld. He manages to stagger back to the ship, where he finds his double… Dead of a heart condition. What was the double’s nefarious plan? It soon becomes obvious. Among the goods being mailed to Trewsworld: animals. The double planted a device that induces reverse evolution. A distressing fraction of the animals are descended from aggressive carnivores. The Solar Queen is now delivering monsters to a world ill-prepared for them. I honestly don’t know if AAA Ace or the Solar Queen had the worse track record of fulfilling contracts successfully. In the Solar Queen’s defense, nothing they ran into could have been avoided with a little research. Who expects a smuggled monsterizing ray? Space Angel by John Maddox Roberts (1979) Experienced spacer Torwald has no difficulty securing a berth for himself on the independent trader Space Angel. Torwald even arranges a position for chance-met poor orphan Kelly. Torwald’s timing is perfect. The Space Angel has only just secured a contract for which success is assured: a quick run to Alpha Tau Pi Rho/4 to retrieve diamonds of unusual size, diamonds whose location is known only to their client Aleksandr Strelnikov. The malevolent alien Sphere who has been hiding on Alpha Tau Pi Rho/4 is a complete surprise. Recognizing that the humans could be a useful asset in its plan to conquer the universe, if only to provide the mobility that Sphere otherwise utterly lacks, Sphere tempts the humans with the promise of ample compensation. It’s another can’t-lose proposition, just as doomed as the first one. Space Angel’s star drive causes uncontrollable diarrhea. That’s a bold creative decision. So is Roberts’ decision to write a book whose meandering plot reads as if it were generated by dice rolls on a tabletop roleplaying game random encounter table. Rimrunners by C.J. Cherryh (1989)2 The Company War is over. Alliance and Union won. Conrad Mazian, commander of the Earth Company Fleet, rejected the peace. Now Mazian and his loyalists prey on Alliance and Union shipping as despised pirates. Bet Yeager defected from the Earth Company Fleet years ago, but fear of exposure haunts her every day. After a string of bad luck, Bet is willing to gamble on joining the crew of intelligence ship Loki. Unlike most starships, Loki’s crew aren’t family but strangers who can barely work together. This is too bad, because they will very soon encounter a Maziani ship. Survival demands unity. To achieve that, Bet will have to do something she has not done in years: trust her crewmates with her darkest secret. It’s been years since I read Downbelow Station (which documents the end of the Company Wars) so I don’t know if Union and Alliance offered a general amnesty to Company Fleet service members who switched sides or at least surrendered. Given that one of the central players was ex-Fleet, it seems logical that they would. Bet’s situation suggests they didn’t—or if they did, she didn’t feel she could take advantage of the amnesty. Trafalgar by Angélica Gorodischer (1979) Charming raconteur Medrano Trafalgar entertains his friends with amusing tales of his adventures trading on alien worlds, rambling accounts told over endless cups of coffee. His starship is but a clunker and from time to time Trafalgar’s exuberance overcomes his caution, but Trafalgar excels at running away. Thus far, this has been sufficient. His friend might ask “where did a 20th century Argentinian businessman get his hands on any starship, clunker or not?” Readers might ask as well. That would be rude. Worse, it might bring an end to the tales, and those are so very amusing. There are many stories I could have mentioned, even after excluding ones mentioned in previous essays3. If particularly glaring examples come to mind, feel free to mention them in comments below.[end-mark] I assume. Maintaining my grueling writing schedule (reviews, essays, and bon mots), not mention frequent animal-petting-acceptance testing, keep me busy. Let me just check the news… Great Scott! Someone shot the Archduke Ferdinand! ︎This is another Cherryh novel whose in print status is oddly ambiguous. Publisher Grand Central Publishing seems to think it is in print. Various booksellers disagree. I have a Cherryh project slated for 2025 and I expect this problem will keep on being bothersome. ︎Witches of Karres is excluded due to Schmitz’s unfortunate decision to provide the protagonist with a nine-or-ten-year-old love interest. Nothing happens but still, what the hell, Schmitz? ︎The post Five SF Stories About Space Traders and Transport appeared first on Reactor.

According to WebMD, more than 20 million Americans suffer from a mood disorder. Medical treatment for mood disorders can be quite costly. Due to this fact, more and more people are turning to all natural solutions to help with the symptoms. This may help you boost your mood as well. Boost Your Mood The Natural Way The possible symptoms of a mood disorder can include the following: Prolonged sadness or unexplained crying spells Significant changes in appetite and sleep patterns Irritability, anger, worry, agitation, anxiety Pessimism, indifference Loss of energy, persistent lethargy Feelings of guilt, worthlessness Inability to concentrate, indecisiveness Inability to take pleasure in former interests, social withdrawal Unexplained aches and pains Recurring thoughts of death or suicide If you suspect that you may have a mood disorder, it is important that you acquire a proper diagnosis from your primary care physician.   In this article, I will cover all natural ways to help boost your mood, such as: Coconut Oil Exercise Avocados Nuts and Seeds Establish Good Sleeping Habits Laugh More Stay Hydrated Chocolate Enjoying Nature   Let’s begin! 1. Coconut Oil Coconut oil is truly a godsend for so many different things! Studies have shown that the fatty acid content in coconut oil helps to increase the dopamine and serotonin levels which, in turn, boosts your mood and relieves anxiety. Check out my article, 10 Coconut Oil Survival Uses | Basics For The Savvy Survivalist, to learn more about other amazing uses for coconut oil. 2. Exercise It is recommended that an adult should exercise at least 3 times a week to greatly reduce the risk of health problems such as heart disease and dementia. Adequate exercise also greatly improves your mood by releasing endorphins which gives you that sense of accomplishment after your workout. 3. Avocados Avocados are a great source of magnesium, folate, riboflavin, niacin, choline, vitamins A, C, E, K, and B-6. These nutrients are essential for keeping the blues away by increasing the dopamine and serotonin levels. Avocados can also help to decrease fatigue and support heart and brain health. To learn about this superfood, check out this article: Superfood Series: Avocados. 4. Nuts and Seeds Nuts and seeds such as flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, almonds, and walnuts are a great source of alpha-linolenic acid, linoleic acid, and omega-3 fatty acids. All of these nutrients combined support brain function. The magnesium and B vitamins decrease the probability of mood disorders (such as depression) and help to reduce anxiety symptoms. 5. Establish Good Sleeping Habits A continuous “lack of sleep” cycle can lead to various health issues down the road. Getting proper sleep is essential to help you boost your mood. Studies show that sleeping between the hours of 10pm – 2am greatly increases serotonin and, therefore, will boost your mood dramatically. If you suffer from insomnia, which so many of us do, please check out my article What is Insomnia | Easy And Natural Ways To Fight Insomnia for all natural solutions to help fight insomnia. 6. Laugh More There’s a saying: “Laughing Is Good For The Soul”. It is so true! There are so many health benefits related to laughter such as: Reduces stress hormone levels Stimulates endorphins Boosts anti-aging hormone levels Enhances creativity Makes life fun! Watch funny videos on youtube, go grab a drink with a friend, go to a comedy club….and laugh your way to a great mood! Life is too short not to laugh! 7. Stay Hydrated One great way to help boost your mood is to stay hydrated. Staying hydrated helps the body to release harmful toxins which, in turn, can greatly benefit your health, including your mood! One great and healthy way to accomplish sufficient hydration is to drink lemon water which has a number of health benefits, including boosting your mood. Check out my article, 12 Health Benefits of Lemon Water | Simply Healthy Living, to learn more about its many benefits. 8. Chocolate Dark chocolate is rich in magnesium which reduces excitability and irritation, relaxes nerves throughout the body, and relieves muscle tension…therefore, boosting your mood! Dark chocolate has other health benefits as well such as maintaining good heart health, regulating blood sugar, and aiding in weight loss. 9. Enjoying Nature Studies have shown that reconnecting to the earth, sometimes referred to as “grounding”, can greatly enhance your mood when you become connected to the earth’s energy. Walking barefoot outside, gardening, taking a nature walk, or going fishing are all different ways you can reconnect to the earth.   BuzzFeedBlue shows a video on how to boost your mood: What all-natural remedy do you use to boost your mood? Share with us in the comment section below. Up Next: 147 Natural Remedies For Homesteading To Make Life Easier Follow us on facebook, instagram, pinterest, and twitter!   The contents of this article are for informational purposes only. Please read our full disclaimer.

3-Nitrooxypropanol, Bovine Flatulence and Bud Lighting Your Business for #Feelz

They don't smell of peppermint either.

The black hole information paradox has puzzled scientists for half a century. This could be a solution.

The Anthropic Principle (AP) suggests that the universe’s parameters appear fine-tuned to support life. Critics argue that this idea is non-falsifiable since humans, as intelligent life, cannot refute it. However, a recent study offers a theoretical test that could challenge AP if certain conditions, such as cosmic expansion, axions, and dark matter, are proven. Scientists have yet to resolve these topics, making the test currently impossible. But in the future, it could provide strong evidence for—or against—this previously untestable principle. AP, first introduced by physicist Brandon Carter in 1973, explores whether the universe is inherently designed to support life. The “Weak AP” suggests that because humans observe the universe, it must have evolved to support intelligent life. In contrast, the “Hard AP” implies the universe had no choice but to develop in this way, with some interpretations even invoking a purposeful design. Many experts dismiss AP as unscientific since it cannot be tested. However, the new study, published in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, proposes a way forward. It focuses on ultralight axions, or “fuzzy” dark matter, as a key component. According to authors Nemanja Kaloper (UC Davis) and Alexander Westphal (DESY, Germany), future observations of these theoretical particles could reveal discrepancies that test AP’s validity. Kaloper explained, “Our specific example is the first case where the anthropic principle might actually fail the test, as opposed to simply declaring that it does not apply.” If cosmic inflation occurred, axions exist, and dark matter is not composed of axions, AP might be falsified. Otherwise, AP would constrain the universe’s parameters to allow life by necessity. The study highlights how slight changes to universal constants, like Planck’s constant, could make life impossible. For AP to hold, scientists would need to confirm that high-scale inflation and ultralight axions are essential to dark matter. Though this test remains theoretical, it could one day reshape our understanding of the universe. As Kaloper notes, proving AP false might mean “different rules govern the initial conditions” of the cosmos, suggesting, “The real theory of cosmology might be more complicated than we thought.” The post Physicists Propose Test to See If Life’s Existence Is by Design or Chance appeared first on Anomalien.com.

On the one hand of the issue of the CEO shooting, you have reasoned vioces rightly calling the shooter a coward and indicating that violence is not the answer in the face of such disputes. On the other, you have The Artist Formerly Known as Jerry Rivers giving the shooter credit for driving the discussion on healthcare reform. Do not attempt this at home, kids. Watch as Geraldo Rivera gives it up to the shooter: "The fact is Luigi (Mangione) succeeded in- if, indeed, honestly, his goal was to direct attention to the injustices and rally support reform to the healthcare system." Gerardo Rivera notwithstanding: one does NOT, in fact, gotta give it to Luigi. pic.twitter.com/d7SV9UI5Fn — Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) December 12, 2024 CNN NEWSNIGHT WITH ABBY PHILLIP 12/11/24 10:23 PM GERALDO RIVERA: The fact is Luigi (Mangione) succeeded in- if, indeed, honestly, his goal was to direct attention to the injustices and rally support to reform the healthcare system. There has not been this concentrated discussion of U.S. healthcare in the last 24, 48 hours. It is remarkable to me how this kid, however misguided and sick and- and sadistic or whatever else you want to call it, uh, or however warped and, you know, Ayn Rand, uh, Fountainhead, Atlas Shrugged he was. The fact of the matter is- America’s having this discussion.  If we could just reiterate that one does not have to give it to the accused shooter. Never. Likewise, the shooter is not a successful driver of debate. Murder is not persuasive, and does not trigger systemic change. Rivera, who is old enough to know better, should know that this type of lone-wolf violence does not drive the debate on any given issue. Domestic terrorism seldom does.  And yet here’s Rivera, giving credit to a domestic terrorist.  The only thing that the shooter succeeded at was in committing a heinous crime and leaving a family without its father. Perhaps we should also consider that the shooter succeeded in getting the media to cheerlead for him, and idolize him and put him on magazine covers.  

The Lawn Tennis Association, Britain's governing body for tennis, has barred "transgender women" from playing in the top women's tournaments.The new policy still allows for men who identify as women to play against females at the local level, in tournaments that are for "fun" or "social."The LTA's new policy described tennis as a "gender-affected" sport and admitted that the "average man" has an advantage when playing against the "average woman."This includes "longer levers" (a term referring to the shoulder and arm) and "increased cardio-vascular capacity."The association wrote, "The current broad consensus, including the conclusion of the review carried out by the Sports Councils Equality Group, is that this advantage is likely to be retained to a significant degree in trans women, making competition potentially unfair."The tennis association also decided it would allow men to compete against women in some competitions, essentially at the recreational level. As such, it created the categories "Specified and Non-Specified."Specified refers to competitions between different clubs or counties and includes the National Championship right down through county and district leagues. Non-Specified includes competitions within one venue, with the primary purpose to "provide fun, social competition to enable people to feel part of their local tennis community.""These will range from weekend social tournaments through to Club Championships, these will be able to be fully inclusive, and the choice will be for local venues to make," the LTA added.This effective ban restricts "transgender women and nonbinary individuals assigned male at birth" from playing in top-tier and competitive women's tournaments.The same day as its policy announcement, the LTA posted photos of one of Britain's top-ranked women's tennis players, Emma Raducanu.Raducanu is ranked 57th in the world, ahead of No. 85 British player, Sonay Kartal, and behind Katie Boulter, Britain's top-ranked female tennis player and world-ranked No. 24. Britain's top-ranked women's tennis player Katie BoulterPhoto by Angel Martinez/Getty Images for ITF'This is a good start and I am hoping the USTA and others will follow suit.'The British tennis body ended its press release by encouraging local venues to be "as inclusive as possible for trans and nonbinary" people and to make sure they provide opportunities for them to compete; presumably against women.Tennis legend and noted liberal Martina Navratilova congratulated the organization, saying she hoped the U.S. Tennis Association would soon adopt the same rules."Congrats to [LTA], this is a good start and I am hoping the USTA and others will follow suit."The LTA is the second major women's sports organization to implement the new rules in recent days; the Ladies Professional Golf Association changed their gender eligibility rules in a similar fashion last week.The LPGA also used careful language, saying only athletes who are "assigned female at birth" are eligible for women's competitions, including the LPGA Tour, Epson Tour, Ladies European Tour, and all other "elite LPGA competitions."More specifically, the LPGA said players who were "assigned male at birth and who have gone through male puberty" are not eligible to compete in the women's events.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

President-elect Donald Trump was expected to ring the New York Stock Exchange opening bell on Thursday morning to celebrate the unveiling of the cover of Time magazine's Person of the Year edition.Three sources familiar with the plans reportedly told Politico that Trump would be named Time's 2024 Person of the Year. He previously secured the title in 2016 following his first presidential election victory against Hillary Clinton. 'The individual who, for better or for worse, did the most to shape the world and the headlines over the past 12 months.'Despite being a native New Yorker, Trump has never participated in the tradition of ringing the opening bell to commence trading, a practice dating back to the 1800s.Melania Trump had that honor in September 2019 during her "Be Best" White House initiative on children's well-being.In 1985, Ronald Reagan became the first sitting president to ring the bell.Last year, Time CEO Jessica Sibley performed the ceremony following Taylor Swift's selection as Person of the Year.Thirteen other presidents, including President Joe Biden, have also been designated with Time's recognition.On Thursday morning, Trump was greeted by chants of "USA!" as he waited to ring the New York Stock Exchange bell. He was joined by Vice President-elect JD Vance, his wife, Melania, and daughters, Ivanka and Tiffany.On Monday, NBC's "The Today Show" revealed Time's shortlist for Person of the Year, which included Trump, Vice President Kamala Harris, Kate Middleton, Elon Musk, and Benjamin Netanyahu.However, a Time article on this year's selection of Trump noted that it was not a difficult choice."Since he began running for President in 2015, perhaps no single individual has played a larger role in changing the course of politics and history than Trump," Time wrote.Time explained the reason for its decision."For 97 years, the editors of Time have been picking the Person of the Year: the individual who, for better or for worse, did the most to shape the world and the headlines over the past 12 months," it read.WNBA star Caitlin Clark was selected as Time's Athlete of the Year, Elton John as Icon of the Year, and Lisa Su of Advanced Micro Devices as CEO of the Year.This year's cover was revealed on Time's website along with an article that referred to Trump as "the world's most powerful man."Despite selecting him for the honor, the article still accused him of attempting to "overturn the 2020 election results culminating in the attack on the U.S. Capitol.""Trump has proved twice now that he can surf to power on anti-incumbent sentiment, a cult of personality, and divisive rhetoric, including racist and xenophobic attacks," it read.The Associated Press reported that it is unclear whether Trump has plans to meet with New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) while he is there. However, Adams is slated to meet with Trump's incoming border czar, Tom Homan.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

A black teacher at Beverly Hills High School is claiming racism after a "mob" of students — dressed in MAGA gear and carrying a flag in support of Donald Trump — shouted "f*** Kamala" on Election Day. Now a lawsuit reportedly is looming.You can view KTTV-TV's video report here about the controversy. The video's title indicates that two black teachers are suing the school over racism and discrimination, but the station didn't note the identity of the second teacher.'Beverly Hills High School, and in fact the city of Beverly Hills, have demonstrated racism again and again against its students and its teachers.'Bella Ivory — who teaches fashion design at the school, according to KABC-TV — recounted to KTTV her heightened "fears" over the pro-Trump students."There was just a mob of kids, just so many kids outside my door," Ivory said in one video segment, adding, "I'm gonna tell you how scary it was." She told KTTV the group tried to enter her classroom. Ivory's attorney Brad Gage told KABC the students terrorized a Black Student Union meeting led by Ivory."Some of the students were shouting 'f*** Kamala' as they walked down the hallway," Ivory stated in another video segment. "The profanity toward our vice president — who is part black — combined with students congregating in front of my classroom increased my fears and also the students' fears who were locked inside that room with me."Ivory added that she has reported racism on campus since 2022 and that those concerns have been ignored, KTTV noted. Ivory is now on leave for fear of her safety, KABC reported, adding that she said school administrators told her they would meet with her, but that hasn't happened.KTTV's video report shared a separate clip showing a student pointing out feces on a restroom floor, then focusing on a racist comment on the restroom wall. Another clip showed two female students saying, "Let's take a minute to appreciate how nice, beautiful, and clean our cafeteria looks right now. Now let's fast-forward to lunch." With that the clip showed black students eating in the cafeteria and then switched to the girls commenting, "This is disgusting. … I'm repulsed."Gage told KTTV in regard to the video clips, "It's clear what it signifies. They are associating the presence of black students with the cafeteria being dirty. That is the epitome of racism."KTTV said Gage has filed a formal complaint with the Beverly Hills Unified School District on Ivory's behalf, adding that he plans to escalate the case with a lawsuit, citing "discrimination, harassment, retaliation, racial comments, and physical threats.""Beverly Hills High School, and in fact the city of Beverly Hills, have demonstrated racism again and again against its students and its teachers," Gage added to KABC.KABC said it reached out to the school for comment on the lawsuit but has not heard back. According to KTTV, the school district previously stated it is investigating all claims of racism and harassment to ensure a safe and inclusive environment for all students.Not the only related accusationIvory's claims against Beverly Hills High School aren't isolated. Readers of Blaze News may recall that a Beverly Hills High School substitute teacher last month said she was fired due to anti-Trump posts on Facebook.“I was shocked; I thought I’d get a warning,” Joanie Garratt told the Los Angeles Times. “I didn’t say anything [about Trump] in class. I know not to say anything in class. But I am disgusted with MAGA, and Beverly Hills High School has become MAGA.”Garratt wrote on Facebook in regard to her claims, “I WEAR THIS AS BADGE OF HONOR and stand with all the teachers, past & present, who will be persecuted for expressing their views in public forum. SHAME ON BHUSD.”The Times said a district spokesperson didn't immediately respond to the paper's request for comment regarding Garratt’s firing.Limiting students' ability to assembleKABC in a separate story published days after Trump's election victory last month reported that Beverly Hills High School has limited students' ability to assemble in large groups following pro-Trump students' boisterous demonstrations."While student political expression is an important tenet, it does have limits," Drew Stewart, the high school's principal, said in a statement, according to the station. "Unfortunately, over the past two days there have been multiple instances of students assembling in a manner that has created a material disruption to the operation of our school, as well as the education of our students."More from the station:Students will not be allowed to assemble, create moving mobs, or form circles for the purpose of shouting, jumping, and physically contacting others, according to the statement.This comes after a TikTok video showed dozens of students on the Beverly Hills High School campus gathered to celebrate Donald Trump's victory in the 2024 presidential election.You can view a video report about the decision here. It isn't clear whether the new policy is still in effect.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!