Fantasist's Scroll

Is that a star or a satellite in the sky?

Well, with the information, and links, in this article from TechTV, you could find out! It’s a list of information about NASA’s J-Track program that lets you track satellites, and other space objects, right from your browser! It’s really pretty cool and, best of all, it’s free. Hey, your government dollars working for you!
There’s also some information about other NASA software that they use in space missions. So, if you’re interested in just what that light was over your house, here’s how to find out.

Have fun!

An interesting website.

Ricardo Pinto has put up a website to support his series of books, which is really one book in three parts, called The Stone Dance of Chameleon. The third book is forthcoming, but the first two are out. (They are The Chosenand The Standing Dead, in case you’re interested.) I haven’t read either book yet, but the world displayed on the website is fascinating. It has quite a few similarities to Mayan or Incan cultures, but, of course, with a very unique twist or three to them. It really looks like a rich, full world that one could spend quite a bit of time exploring. Certainly, the author seems to have spent quite a bit of time creating it: over ten years, according to his claims. He has a created language and maps of the geography in the books. Not only maps, but actual sculpted models, too!
This website is the first introduction I’ve had to the books, but I’m impressed enough that I might just have to hunt the books down when I get caught up in the reading department. Go see for yourself!

Ever wonder how MapQuest gets their maps?

Well, apparently, they send out two techs in a car to drive around and record which way they go! No, really, I’m not making that up. Don’t believe me? Then check out this article on TechTV. It’s a brief interview with two of those techs based out of Chicago who do just that. Of course, they rely on GPS and a laptop to record the information, but they still have to get out there and actually drive it. Could be an interesting gig, if you like driving around all day. Anyway, it’s an interesting article.

No, really, it’s the history of sewers.

Anyone who’s ever talked to me about creating realistic worlds or fantasy settings knows that my pet peeve is a lack of sanitary facilities. No one ever seems to go to the “loo”, as the British put it. Very rarely does anyone venture into the sewers after an alien or mutant. But, a lot of city design is driven by the need to dispose of “waste” in an efficient, and safe, manner. Castles could be attacked via an unprotected privy. Criminals can escape via the sewers. And, more importantly, bad sanitation can cause huge epidemics, not to mention effecting the “quality of life” for a city’s citizens.
Don’t believe me? Well, check out The History of Sanitary Sewers. It’s all true. Every last goopy detail. Great site. A crap-load of information, if you’re pardon the pun! Check it out!

Not sure where this fits, really, but it’s interesting.

Ever wanted to get a close look at the inside of a prison without going to jail? Well, now, according to this article on Wired News, you can. The state of Tennesse has a “virtual tour” of their maximum security prison. You can look in on Death Row, the Rec Yard, the Gym, and the Perimiter, among other virtual destinations. It’s the real deal, so be prepared. You can check it out for yourself here.

Well, it looks like they might be soon!

According to this article on the Washington Post, there’s a working test model already. So far, it’s only a lab toy, but they’re working on making it a more viable reality. Of course, the goal is to make Predator-type robotic aircraft, but the possibilities are really endless.
There are two reasons ornithopters are cool. One, flapping-wing flight is more maneuverable than fixed wing flight. Also, it’s easier to hover with flapping wings. Two, because Frank Herbert described it in Dune. No, really, that counts!

Anyway, it’s a fun one for a Friday afternoon.

Imagine the entire universe laid out in a three-dimensional map.

Well, imagine no more, it’s a reality. According to this article on Wired News, a couple of scientists in New York have made just such a map. It’s not as accurate as they’d like, but that’s mainly because our actual knowlege of the universe is pretty limited. Still, it’s a three-dimensional map of the heavens that can be navigated in pretty fast “real-time”. Though, real time would take hundreds of years to get us from place to place, so it’s actually a lot quicker than that. A very cool learning tool that will, hopefully, inspire legions of future astronomers and space scientists.

You can experience the magic, in a more limited fashion, right on your desktop. The Hayden Observitory, who created the “big” map, also created Partiview, which let’s you see the same thing they show at the observatory at home, though it’s not quite as spectacular.
Enjoy!

Which way do rivers flow?

It seems like such a simple question, doesn’t it? But, it’s not quite as easy as one might suppose. For instance, I’ve been told numerous times that rivers generally flow North to South. But, this FAQ on About.com that’s just a misconception. (Here’s another link that also dispels some river misconceptions.) Really, what matters is elevation, the degree of change in elevation, and the material over which the water travels. The flatter the land, the more the river will wander or meander, and the slower the speed of the water flow. The reverse is true as well, the steeper the elevation change, the faster and straighter the river will run. (For more details, see this article on About.com.)
So, essentially, rivers tend to flow “down” in the sense of the lowest elevation. That might be toward the coast and ocean, or toward a lake, or even toward an underground cave complex. The important thing to remember is that water in general, and rivers, flows toward the lowest point of gravity on the landscape, where ever that might be.

Well, you maybe asking yourself, that’s great but who cares? Anyone making a created world, country or culture. Rivers are a great way for people to move resources quickly and efficiently. They also tend to be sources of useful animals and plants. Water, after all, is one of the most important ingredients for life, so water attracts life. Rivers teem with life, both on their banks and in the river itself. Any place that attracts life in great quantities also attracts civilization as well. That, in turn, brings interesting things to write about. And, that, after all, is what I’m after!

So, let the water flow and the creative fiction ideas flow with it!

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