J is for Junk

April 11, 2014 by Roland Clarke

J is for Junk: In our tour of the world of Gossamer Steel Junk is the life-blood of the post-apocalyptic society, although over time most of the junk has been recycled or reused.

Junk in the West is discarded things that are deemed to have little value, whereas in many parts of the world these items are often reused or recycled. Rather than dump the junk in landfill sites, we can turn to recycling, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions from landfill, can reduce deforestation, saves energy and produces more energy-efficient products. Globally, landfill accounts for double the carbon dioxide emissions of the worldwide aviation sector. An alternative use would be generating electricity by burning waste instead. Alternatively, organic rubbish could be pulverised and stored in vats so that it releases methane, which could be captured and used to generate electricity.

Garbage ~ Image courtesy of xedos4 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

However, the real way forward is not recycling but reuse or upcycling. This gives a new, more valuable purpose to discarded objects or materials in such a way as to create a product of a higher quality or value than the discarded one. By reusing junk, you can conserve natural resources, including the energy for manufacturing and the fuel used to transport new goods. Read more: http://www.ehow.com/list_6148382_projects-reuse-junk.html#ixzz2yQQLdEEH

From the simple Junk we arrive at The Circular Economy. As the Ellen Macarthur Foundation says, “The circular economy is a generic term for an economy that is regenerative by design. Materials flows are of two types, biological materials, designed to re-enter the biosphere, and technical materials, designed to circulate with minimal loss of quality, in turn entraining the shift towards an economy ultimately powered by renewable energy.”

In the world of Gossamer Steel the two principal enclaves of The Country (Scandinavia) and Bhārata (India sub-continent) have adopted their own versions of The Circular Economy. Bhārata has the advantage of being built on the Republic of India’s self-reliance policy, although it is also hampered by the scale of the challenge.

J is also for Jarilo, the shaman founder of the Sokol family, who alongside their allies strive for Justice over hundreds of years. J is also for the Jötnar or giants that have to be defeated in the Gossamer Steel MMORPG.

PREVIOUS A TO Z POSTS:

A is for Array ~ B is for the Blood-Marked ~ C is for Corylus Avellana ~ D is for Duskweald ~ E is for Energy ~ F is for Feeniks ~ G is for Garuda ~ H is for Herders ~ I is for Ithaka

The brainchild of Arlee Bird, at Tossing it Out, the A to Z Challenge is posting every day in April except Sundays (we get those off for good behaviour.) And since there are 26 days, that matches the 26 letters of the alphabet. On April 1, blog about something that begins with the letter “A.” April 2 is “B,” April 3 is “C,” and so on. Please visit other challenge writers.

My theme is ‘The World of Gossamer Steel, the SF-fantasy setting for a series of short stories and novellas that portray the tales behind the MMORPG that is central to my crime novel ‘Wyrm Bait’.

F is for Feeniks

April 7, 2014 by Roland Clarke

F is for Feeniks: Feeniks is the Finnish for the constellation Phoenix, and the name given to a falcon companion of a key shaman character in the world of Gossamer Steel. The phoenix is a potent mythological figure and symbol of rebirth or renewal so central to the Renascence of the earth. One of its equivalents, the Hindu Garuda, plays a crucial role in the cyber-mystery ‘Wyrm Bait’, appearing in the ‘Gossamer Steel’ MMORPG.

“Phoenix In Fire” by fotographic1980

Another equivalent, the Firebird appears in many Slavic folk tales, and can symbolize many things. Some legends portray the Firebird as a creature of blessing, while in other tales characters believe that it will bring doom to anyone who captures it. In some stories the Firebird is a symbol of wealth and of power, and in others a prize to be captured, such as that of Prince Ivan. Many artists have been inspired by the legends. Most notably Igor Stravinsky, who on June 25^th 1910 immortalized the legend in his ballet score for choreographer, Serge Diaghilev.

F is also for Food – from cloudberries to dosas – and for Fashion – from embroidered Sami gákti to Indian shalwar kameez. Both are key in any world building but an essential part of my two enclaves, The Country and Bhārata, at times being intrinsic to a particular character.

The musical group Duolva Duottar in traditional Sami dress. The man on the left, Ole Mahtte Gaup, is wearing a luhkka. The woman and the other two men are wearing gákti ~ Photo by Petr Brož

PREVIOUS A TO Z POSTS:

A is for Array

B is for the Blood-Marked

C is for Corylus Avellana

D is for Duskweald

E is for Energy

My theme is ‘The World of Gossamer Steel’, the SF-fantasy setting for a series of short stories and novellas that portray the tales behind the MMORPG that is central to my crime novel ‘Wyrm Bait’.

E is for Energy

April 5, 2014 by Roland Clarke

E is for Energy: After the apocalypse that creates the Gossamer Steel world, the role of oil as an energy source diminishes rapidly as the means to produce and distribute its derivatives are devastated. The surviving enclaves are forced to turn to alternative energy sources, primarily solar, wind and the waves. There is also a powerful atmospheric charge to be tapped from The Storm that continues to divide the world and create Electro-magnetic interference.

All these renewables, except atmospheric charge, are viable today. The uptake on renewable sources depends on many factors, not least the individual country’s government and public opinion. The United Kingdom is the world’s leading generator of offshore wind power, and is currently seeing a healthy growth in onshore wind generation, while in the United States the favoured renewables varies from state to state. According to Wikipedia sources, “In 2010 renewable energy accounted for 17% of total energy consumption. Biomass heat accounted for 11%, and hydropower 3%…” “…In international public opinion surveys there is strong support for promoting renewable sources such as solar power and wind power, requiring utilities to use more renewable energy (even if this increases the cost), and providing tax incentives to encourage the development and use of such technologies. There is substantial optimism that renewable energy investments will pay off economically in the long term…”

English: Wind turbines in a rapeseed field in Sandesneben, Germany ~ Jürgen at Flickr

English: Wind turbines in a rapeseed field in Sandesneben, Germany by Jürgen at Flickr

Our industrialised society will continue to devour fossil fuels at an enormous rate, despite climate change and high oil prices, but inevitably they will run out. But will the Ravagers of Gossamer Steel destroy the world first? Or will an apocalypse herald a new fossil fuel-free world? A greenpunk future?

United Nations’ Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said that renewable energy has the ability to lift the poorest nations to new levels of prosperity. Thus, in Gossamer Steel, one of the leading enclaves is India.

“King Of Nagas & Kylin Carving On Teak” by kornnphoto

E in our A to Z tour of the Gossamer Steel world is also for the elves/elfes or Alfar; for the Elementals that are intrinsic to the Blood-marked and possess supernatural powers; and for Etiäinen, spirits summoned by Finnish shaman.

PREVIOUS A TO Z POSTS:

A is for Array

B is for the Blood-Marked

C is for Corylus Avellana

D is for Duskweald

D is for Duskweald

April 4, 2014 by Roland Clarke

D is for Duskweald: In our A to Z tour of the World of Gossamer Steel, there is an ancient woodland sacred to the Alfar or elves, which lies at the heart of The Country. Only the descendants of the horsemen of the Steppes and the Sámi reindeer herders dwell on the edge of The Duskweald, a sacred place that has become central to their beliefs and rituals. Few outsiders ever dare to venture into the trees. Duskweald is also a prestigious guild in the MMORPG ‘Gossamer Steel’.

Wikipedia says, “Dusk is the darkest stage of twilight in the evening.” In Hinduism, which is one of the significant components of Gossamer Steel, twilight is a time when some sacred ceremonies are performed, in part because the power-seeking Asuras are active. One of the most crucial festivals is Diwali, the festival of light – lights in the midst of darkness.

Weald is another word for woodland, although to me, being born and bred in Sussex, The Weald is a once wooded area between the North and South Downs in Southern England. As we live beside a wood and have done so since we married, my wife’s website is The Duskweald.

“Light In The Forest” by dan

However, in my fictional world the darkest side of dusk and twilight is the end of our modern technological world, an apocalypse that involves aspects of Ragnarök or Götterdämmerung, The Doom or Twilight of the Gods. The Country is one of the few regions that survives the devastation of the world.

D is also for Dravidian pirate Devaki, captain of the hybrid-airship Garuda, and for solar array astronaut Donn Thorson, plus the mysterious doppelganger that inspires the science of Dasra Ashvin.

PREVIOUS A TO Z POSTS:

A is for Array

B is for the Blood-Marked

C is for Cory

C is for Corylus Avellana

April 3, 2014 by Roland Clarke

“Calm After The Storm” by Sarah Arbogast

C is for Corylus Avellana: ‘Coll’ or Hazel is one of the thirteen trees in the Ogham Tree Calendar. Hazel, Corylus avellana, is the Tree of Wisdom and Knowledge, and one of the ‘chieftain’ trees of the Irish Celtic tradition. In my A to Z journey through the World of Gossamer Steel, Coryll and her sister Avellana are key characters in a novella set in the fictional world. As a shaman, Coryll has a deep bond with nature, which through her blood-mark ties her to a reed elemental, Ngetal – the 13^th letter of the alphabet. Much of my initial inspiration for the novella and the world came from Teresa Moorey’s Magic And Mystery Of Trees.

Trees hold a powerful place in folklore in many cultures, as diverse as Native Americans, the Qabalah, Druids, as well as Celtic. Many traditions have trees at their heart, from Yggdrasil, the World Tree of Norse Myth, to the Christmas tree. Further reading on Spirit, Folklore and Trees here.

Most scholars believe that Ogham primarily “served as an alphabet for one of the ancient Celtic languages. Its origin is uncertain: it may have been adapted from a sign language. Current understanding is that the names of the main twenty letters are also the names of 20 trees sacred to the druids. Some authors have suggested the existence of a 13 month calendar which shared some of these names.”

Two central characters in the novel ‘Wyrm Bait’ choose avatars in the MMORPG of Gossamer Steel with the names Coryll and Avellana.

C is also for other short story protagonists Charles Stern and Chamona, for The Country, as well as for CME or Coronal Mass Ejection.

***

The brainchild of Arlee Bird, at Tossing it Out, the A to Z Challenge is posting every day in April except Sundays (we get those off for good behavior.) And since there are 26 days, that matches the 26 letters of the alphabet. On April 1, blog about something that begins with the letter “A.” April 2 is “B,” April 3 is “C,” and so on. Please visit other challenge writers.

Forty Days & Forty Nights without Internet

March 5, 2014 by Roland Clarke

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

Could you survive without your internet connection for 40 days and 40 nights? What about your phone?

Okay, it’s not like living without food or water or shelter as too many people do in this unjust world. But for those of us that have been pampered by modern technology it’s a big ask. One that BT aka British Telecom seems to feel is reasonable, or do they mean excusable. My multiple sclerosis disability has little if no bearing.

As I type this, on Saturday February 22^nd, we will be sans broadband and sans phone from Friday February 28^th to Thursday April 10^th.

The outlook is bleak. The meaning stark and troubling. The portents are… okay I’m exaggerating but I’m still worried. Whinge warning.

Imagine no emails, or rather over 50 a day piling up in my AOL inbox = 200 plus by the time we get back online. Forget about sending out review copies of ‘Spiral of Hooves’ or promoting the novel. Surfing social media like Facebook and Twitter will be abandoned, as will any appearances in the cyber-world.

“Get a dongle”, I hear you shout in mass cacophony, and I know that you are right. With a dongle, and a signal, we can check our emails at least. If the charges are not too massive we can do a little more… others do from their iPods, Androids etcetera, from all kinds of locations, including Internet cafes. But going out to find the right place is not the same as working from our new office in our new home, where the desktops will be, with all the software. At least I don’t have to be online to create using Scrivener… just to back the work up on Dropbox or OneDrive.

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

In fact blog posts, either mine or anyone else’s are a non-starter. This one will have to be posted in advance, set for public consumption on Wednesday March 5^th as part of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. Whether anything will appear in April is a prediction that I cannot make… the crystal ball is dim. I’m meant to be taking part in the 2014 A to Z Challenge in April, but it could be hard.

If I find time in the midst of packing, I might attempt to write the first ten posts – A to J – and schedule them to appear on time. At least I know the theme – the World of Gossamer Steel.

With that reference I know that my alter-egos will suffer too. No gaming for 40 nights is almost worse than no surfing. How will I live if my avatar is unable to stop monsters pouring through Rifts or perverting Good in Middle Earth? The Sith Empire will conquer the galaxy in my absence and Conan will be deposed.

Oh wait, they’re not real and there are others to continue the struggle.

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

But ordering groceries and other goods is essential. There are local shops crying out for our custom, but being disabled there are advantages in having things delivered. Maybe we can do that by dongle as well. Reminds me, have I downloaded enough books onto my Kindle?

I envisage a problem occurring when we begin ordering from a dongle – the security guys at our bank will query the purchase in their diligent way. I’m pretty sure that online banking will be tough, although not impossible. But sending money to my wife’s kids in the US will be very hard, The only consolation is that my accounts package is offline.

As a writer I have some worries but know that I can continue to scribble without the internet. In fact removing it might lead to more productive days, as well as more days exploring the real world and making useful observations. Time to bring out the parchment and quill notebook and pen. So my scribbling life will be okay, if I ignore my other insecurities…

However, for my wife there is a more real problem. All her family are in the States and staying in touch with the USA by mobile/cell phone will be extremely difficult. Her mother is elderly and poorly. She keeps falling down and she would be unable to ring. It will be very expensive phoning the States on a cell phone, even with an international service.

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

Ultimately life with only a cell phone becomes a major problem in an emergency. We can call for help, if there is a signal. Being disabled I feel vulnerable, but that doesn’t seem to make any difference to British Telecom; any more than it does to the British government who sees us as a drain on the system, along with other scroungers.

Whinge over. Our situation is not dire. In retrospect there are others with far greater issues. Ours are just frustrating and grrrr.

Wife says we’ll live off the land and be sending smoke signals. Maybe the pigeon can come out of retirement along with the pony. The positives outweigh the negatives. New home, bespoke design to meet our needs, fabulous location, wonderful neighbourhood. I can feel another post coming, once we have explored the immediate area and have some great pictures. Just need to find a means to post it. But here’s a taster:

22 Pant Mawr Park, Harlech, Wales

If all goes to plan, this will be my third posting of 2014 for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. This is when we release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the logo and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. Visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

The awesome co-hosts today are MJ Joachim, Elsie, Elizabeth Seckman, and Julie Flanders! Many thanks to all you co-hosts for your time and effort towards making all IWSG members feel welcome.