Circumnavigation (99+30) A Ghost in the Machine

[C James]

Chapter AUD96, A Ghost in the Machine, is up! (or will be, within 30 seconds)

 

Can anyone guess both of the dual meanings? The first is pretty obvious, but the second is kind of literary... I'll give a hint; the year was 1967. (if all else fails, wikipedia's entry gives it away pretty quick).

CJ

[Winemaker]

Hmmm The video player must be an older one as most of the tape players in OZ over the last 15 years or so play both PAL and NTSC. Hope the tape is in good condition

[hh5]

still turning up stuff on kool.. but what about Atlantis? there is talk but no inspection by the guys

[ret2ak]

I will put my money on a heavy precious metal instead of lead in a water tank.

[cd00nz]

“Cruel and abusive bastard!” torture us more why don't ya. feed us progress but such little bits. abusive I say. excite us much!!! thanks Mate

[WinStuart]

CJ: I was happy to see your most recent chapter bright and early Tuesday morning. Thanks.

 

It is said of a Chinese dinner that not matter how much is eaten, the eater is hungry soon after. Your chapters are always full of new revelations and tons of facts, but soon afterwards the reader hungers for more. It never seems enough.

 

Trevor's new surf board seems to be a "ripper", quoted as such several times. Will the board play a pivotal role in the story? A means of escape or a defensive weapon in hand?

 

As always thanks. Looking forward to the next chapter.

[Clydee]

I agree..."cruel and abusive bastard!" All of that work and we still don't know what is on the tape. As to the weight of the tank...beware....I'm thinkin' booby trap...or maybe gold?

CJ, I am sorry, and I know you don't use cliffhangers, but damn...this felt like another one!!

[KevinD]

If the goat doesn't use Cliffies, then pray tell why do I feel like little pebbles and rocks are falling on me from above while I read the latest chapters of this great story?

 

If the falling little bits of debris aren't from our dear goat stumbling about from above yon cliff, then what else could it be? Perhaps the leading edge of the avalanche of danger about to sweep down upon Trevor and Shane???

 

And I do wonder about the wieght of that metal...

 

 

[Benji]

........... Hmmm, I agree hope it is gold, poor Trevor is out $200.00 and an accumulator tank! I really hope they never see the tape, if they do and it is found out they could be in a lot of trouble. The goat left a scenario though, what if they contact Fowler and together they use the story of the antique doll found ten years earlier as containing the hidden tape? Then tape was turned over to the authorities by a concerned owner of the doll. Being that the Aussies have a informant within their ranks, if the story came from that source and way, Trevor would be off the hook. And it would fit that the Aries was damaged and the hull replaced where the doll was found ten years ago. The cartel would assume that Bridget was only trying to kill Trevor to implicate Dirk, and she never had another motive, in their eyes, there was no incriminating evidence and she did not retrieve a non-existent tape aboard the Aries. Their anger will be swift towards Bridget who most likely will have an ear closer to the Aussies then the cartel has and makes a quick desperate exit. That is where the real fun will begin for Trevor and Shane.

 

Great Chapter CJ!

 

Great chapter CJ!

[KevinD]

I just noted that Benji's profile picture has him on top of and next to what look like cliffs...would these be the very same cliffs that our dear goat swears he doesn't use/haunt?

[Winemaker]

........... Hmmm, I agree hope it is gold, poor Trevor is out $200.00 and an accumulator tank! I really hope they never see the tape, if they do and it is found out they could be in a lot of trouble. The goat left a scenario though, what if they contact Fowler and together they use the story of the antique doll found ten years earlier as containing the hidden tape? Then tape was turned over to the authorities by a concerned owner of the doll. Being that the Aussies have a informant within their ranks, if the story came from that source and way, Trevor would be off the hook. And it would fit that the Aries was damaged and the hull replaced where the doll was found ten years ago. The cartel would assume that Bridget was only trying to kill Trevor to implicate Dirk, and she never had another motive, in their eyes, there was no incriminating evidence and she did not retrieve a non-existent tape aboard the Aries. Their anger will be swift towards Bridget who most likely will have an ear closer to the Aussies then the cartel has and makes a quick desperate exit. That is where the real fun will begin for Trevor and Shane.

 

Great Chapter CJ!

 

Great chapter CJ!

 

I think that whoever is dealing with Bridget Belvue had better beware.... She has proved that she is a master manipulator and her prime motive has never been reveiled. Some acts of "revenge??" can take years to accomplish.....

[Benji]

I just noted that Benji's profile picture has him on top of and next to what look like cliffs...would these be the very same cliffs that our dear goat swears he doesn't use/haunt?

 

.................... That is the top of Mammoth Mountain in California, and yes there are a few cliffs around it!

[Low Flyer]

...yes there are a few cliffs around it!

 

Any goats?

[wildone]

Despite what CJ claims, Goats and Cliffs are symbiotic. They both need each others to survive

[Benji]

................Found CJ's house as you can clearly see it is nestled into a cliff.

 

 

 

....Of course my camera also caught CJ in his habitat!

[KevinD]

But, but, where are his goggles? Is he out incognito?

................Found CJ's house as you can clearly see it is nestled into a cliff.

 

 

 

....Of course my camera also caught CJ in his habitat!

 

[wildone]

But, but, where are his goggles? Is he out incognito?

 

Um, you really don't want to see him without his goggles

 

Actually, CJ does have a real job. He works for the US Department of Highways as a tunnel constructionist. In Benji's second picture, they have him approach a rock face, he takes off his goggles and then blasts his way through the solid rock.

 

They don't need to build scaffolding or access areas because he is a goat and can scale any cliff or rock. They don't need to continually need to replace the cutting blades of a drill because CJ's eyes harness the fires of Hell.

 

The great part of the deal is CJ doesn't know his real worth, so it costs the taxpayers absolutely nothing but the occasional bottle of tequila. Oh, they also built his house for him.

 

[C James]

Hmmm The video player must be an older one as most of the tape players in OZ over the last 15 years or so play both PAL and NTSC. Hope the tape is in good condition

 

Ah yes, but do the VCRs of circa 2006 automatically detect the format, or does one have to throw a switch?

 

“Cruel and abusive bastard!” torture us more why don't ya. feed us progress but such little bits. abusive I say. excite us much!!! thanks Mate

 

Oh, this is actually a huge amount of progress; they found what started it all; what Bridget has strived for over a decade to keep lost, and the entire reason she's been after Trevor.

I will put my money on a heavy precious metal instead of lead in a water tank.

 

Plutonium perhaps?

I agree..."cruel and abusive bastard!" All of that work and we still don't know what is on the tape. As to the weight of the tank...beware....I'm thinkin' booby trap...or maybe gold?

CJ, I am sorry, and I know you don't use cliffhangers, but damn...this felt like another one!!

 

But, it couldn't feel like 'another one" because there are no cliffhangers in Circumnavigation. As you say, I never use cliffhangers.

If the goat doesn't use Cliffies, then pray tell why do I feel like little pebbles and rocks are falling on me from above while I read the latest chapters of this great story?

 

If the falling little bits of debris aren't from our dear goat stumbling about from above yon cliff, then what else could it be? Perhaps the leading edge of the avalanche of danger about to sweep down upon Trevor and Shane???

 

And I do wonder about the wieght of that metal...

 

But... it can't possibly be me - as we all know, I'd never have anything to do with a cliff!!!

........... Hmmm, I agree hope it is gold, poor Trevor is out $200.00 and an accumulator tank! I really hope they never see the tape, if they do and it is found out they could be in a lot of trouble. The goat left a scenario though, what if they contact Fowler and together they use the story of the antique doll found ten years earlier as containing the hidden tape? Then tape was turned over to the authorities by a concerned owner of the doll. Being that the Aussies have a informant within their ranks, if the story came from that source and way, Trevor would be off the hook. And it would fit that the Aries was damaged and the hull replaced where the doll was found ten years ago. The cartel would assume that Bridget was only trying to kill Trevor to implicate Dirk, and she never had another motive, in their eyes, there was no incriminating evidence and she did not retrieve a non-existent tape aboard the Aries. Their anger will be swift towards Bridget who most likely will have an ear closer to the Aussies then the cartel has and makes a quick desperate exit. That is where the real fun will begin for Trevor and Shane.

 

Great Chapter CJ!

 

Great chapter CJ!

 

If that tape is unreadable (possible - it's been in there for about 14 years) then Trevor and Shane are safe... with the only copy of the tape effectively destroyed, Bridget and the cartel would have no further interest in Trevor and Shane.

 

Despite what CJ claims, Goats and Cliffs are symbiotic. They both need each others to survive

Um, you really don't want to see him without his goggles

 

Actually, CJ does have a real job. He works for the US Department of Highways as a tunnel constructionist. In Benji's second picture, they have him approach a rock face, he takes off his goggles and then blasts his way through the solid rock.

 

They don't need to build scaffolding or access areas because he is a goat and can scale any cliff or rock. They don't need to continually need to replace the cutting blades of a drill because CJ's eyes harness the fires of Hell.

 

The great part of the deal is CJ doesn't know his real worth, so it costs the taxpayers absolutely nothing but the occasional bottle of tequila. Oh, they also built his house for him.

 

 

But but but... A goat would never have anything to do with a cliff!!!!It';s all just a malicious rumor!!!

 

And, as for me and my sunglasses... I just get a touch of red-eye on occasion, nothing a little visine wouldn't cure. See?

 

[C James]

BTW, did anyone get the "ghost in the Machine" reference???

 

In one way, it means Arnold Bellevue; a man dead for over a decade whose hand is still in play on Kookaburra. The other meaning is the vague one... it's the title of Arthur Koestler's 1967 book The Ghost in the Machine, and the book is primarily about mankind's connivance at its own destruction: in other words, inadvertently conniving at self-destruction. :-)

[Nick Deverill]

Great story - I'm reading avidly on Tuesday mornings.

 

In Europe, multi-standard TVs and VCRs are fairly common. In the UK I can play both PAL and NTSC tapes recorded at either 50 or 60Hz. Situation largely arose as a result of Holywood releasing movies in the USA months before Europe and thus there being a demand.

 

Similar with all regions DVD players - common in Europe, rare in the states (mine is converted etc).

 

From the point of view of the story, I suspect Australia is similar to Europe, but it is not a problem since the TV and VCR combination could well not be able to play the tape.

 

Much more to the point though, a 15 year old tape that has been stored sub optimally may well not be playable and just deposit the coating on the head of the VCR requiring it to be cleaned as well.