C James

ACK! I didn't admit going near a cliff!!!! I said I saw them... and I did, from the river. I wasn't near them... as we know, a goat would never have anything to do with a cliff! I thought it was Sidney, like the one in Australia... Yes, yes, i know they often misspell it "Sydney", but they are Australian, so one expects these things... (They even think July comes in winter, so go figure) I didn't have chance to stop, but at least I have nasty things to say about the Montreal traffic. But, but, but! A goat would never have anything to do with a cliff, so surely naming an island that sits between two giant waterfalls and is half cliff "Goat Island" is a misnomer?? I think I should add some pictures I took, to prove my point! Here's the Horseshoe falls, (Canadian falls), showing a Maid of the Mist boat heading for the heart of the maelstrom. To give a sense of scale, that's a big boat! Okay, the land to the left of the shot is the island misnamed Goat Island. As you can see that's a CLIFF!!! Here's another perspective, this time from across the river instead of on it. And here's a pic of Horseshoe falls, showing the rainbow in the mist. I took all three pics, and let me tell you, I am 100% positive that there is a cliff on that island, and therefor, it cannot be truthfully named Goat Island! Yes, it was dastardly! I'll point out that the Canadian government didn't even object!!! AHHEM! I'm afraid you are mistaken as to the facts of the matter; those Canadians were flying in controlled airspace. An active control zone (all major airports are surrounded by active control zones), to be specific. To fly in an active control zone, you need to hold a current pilot's license (they didn't), you must be certified to operate, and be flying, an aircraft with full IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) equipment (they weren't) and lastly, you must have filed a flight plan, activate it in the air via departure control, and be in contact with air traffic control, and finally, you must have a mode 2 transponder! They did NONE of these things, and as a result, a jet airliner had to make an emergency landing in the Hudson river! I've flown, as pilot in command, in positive control airspace many times, including near some massive airports. I followed the above rules, and had I not, the FAA would have had my hide! Yet, your Canadian aviators utterly ignored all of the above regulations, and as a result brought down an airliner! How can you defend such actions? for shame!

Happy Birthday, ya big toothy feline!! :2thumbs: :2thumbs: I hope you have a great day, and don't get into too much trouble..

Kudos to Benji; he spotted it. Bridget is indeed a murder suspect. Allow me to re-post the interview between Gonzalez and Bridget. Look at it again, with the knowledge that Bridget is a murder suspect, and that Gonzalez has interviewed her before, about that murder. It reads very differently when read with that knowledge. That was intentional; it was written to be read at least two different ways, depending on what preconceptions the reader has when reading it.

Huh? Attack the Baldwins? You mean the Baldwin brothers, the actors? I thought they were Canadians! But, but, but, I was only trying to be my normal, helpful self! I was merely reporting what I'd learned about Hockey during my sojourn in the Great White North! However, it must be pointed out that these are Australians, who live in a land inhabited by all manner of deadly creatures (It's so bad that they even need shark cages in the bathtub!), so they would be unlikely to be concerned about minor threats such as high-velocity sporting goods. I hope the image comes up in the quote.. if not, I'll post it for you. There's (seriously) a software bug in the forum that occasionally makes images not post. Hrmm, I'll try again, Okay, that image just does not want to load... I'll post a link to it instead. Hrrrmm again... the image seems to be blocked. I say: Blame New Jersey!

You mean poor, misunderstood Eric from FTL? Nah, he'd just have hidden cameras. And yep, given all that's happened in his life, Trevor relies on Joel a lot. Being alone again would be hard indeed. Isn't it odd that everything seems to point to Australia? And who is in Australia? Our resident echidna, Graeme! Perhaps he needs to be added to our suspect list??? I can confirm that most of the current mysteries will be revealed in full before Atlantis exits the Mediterranean. I know that's dangerously close to a spoiler, but... I hope it squeaks by and does not attract the attention of the Echidna. BTW, good catch on the shown interview between Gonzalez and Bridget being their second interview. That's a critical clue, considering that there must have been a reason for their first one. BTW, story correction note: due to a case of SWS (Stupid Writer Syndrome) officer Gonzalez, for a while, was in some cases Officer Gonzales. They are one and the same person, and I think I've found and fixed the instances of that goof, and replaced the S with a Z. Yep! Joel is a favorite of mine... and the part I had the most fun writing in that chapter was where Joel announced his backup plan to get Trevor laid; write "Free gay sex" on Trevor's chest and stand him on a street corner. He also had to help Trevor learn how to flirt. The leak Officer Gonzalez is referring to isn't the e-mail; it's Bridget having an ear inside his department. It's mentioned in the interview between Gonzalez and Bridget that there's a leak in the department, and Bridget confirms it directly. Gonzalez isn't happy about it. (That';s the issue he threatened Bridget with arrest for, until she made him back off). Officer Gonzalez does not yet know of that e-mail. BTW, while double-checking something prompted by this post, I found a goof: in one scene with Lisa and her father, I used Jim's name instead of Robert's, so it appeared that Lisa is Jim's daughter. She isn't, that was just a goof on my part. I've fixed it. Sorry for any confusion. Trevor is slowly getting over his hangups. Read chapter 26 next week. Hrmmm, I wonder how long it will be until we see the next story clue pointing towards New Jersey?

A religious site that some here might find enlightening: Goat on a Pole. There is a Goat. There is a Pole. The Goat is on a pole. I also found this subpage rather intriguing. "Goatonapole: A New Consciousness or Philosophy of Evil!"

Wildone is running a Hockey Playoff pool in the Lounge. For those of us unfamiliar with hockey, allow me to explain; Hockey is beloved by those of the Great White North, and is a sort of a war game where heavily padded players charge off their benches to attempt to beat the crap out of other team, with any weapon at hand. Sometimes, as a prelude or warmup, they chase a puck around the ice first, swatting at it with sticks or other players. The rules are a little hard to understand at times, but at least, unlike cricket, it has actual rules. Sort of. I think Wildone's pool is some sort of a contest, to predict which team gets thrown in a pool or pond after losing a fight... but you'll need to read his post to be sure. This has been a public service announcement from your friendly neighborhood goat.

CLIFF James?!?!!?!? ACK, the frog is contagious! Surely, we all know by now that a goat would never have anything to do with a cliff??? And yep, Taranto, not Toronto! The former is a city in Italy, and the games part aren't the kind one could play in an arena... Well, I suppose you could, maybe, though it might be illegal.

I can say for sure that I feel the same way about my own writing, a lot. I look back on old chapters or stories, comparing them to whatever I'm working on, and the old work always seems to have a better turn of phrase, or wording, or pacing, etc. This happens every time. Also, my writing, when new, never looks good to me, ever. It never has. My old work on the other hand, sometimes does appear okay to me. Insecurity in my writing? Probably. Insanity? Probably that too, but then I've never claimed to be sane. So, the best advice I can give here is listen to others, like Nephy, because if you're like me, your recent writing will never look as good to you as your past writing, regardless of whether it is or not. If so, my sincere commiserations, because it can be quite disheartening at times.

Me? A master of misdirection? But, but, but... I'm almost as adverse to misdirection as I am to cliffhangers! The carrier exhibit was cool... I loved it. My favorite things in the museum were the various missiles (the Soviet one with the three exposed warheads, to the left of the entrance, was of particular interest; I'd never seen that configuration before). The drones and other gear were great too. And shame on you for trying to pin nefarious actions on me! Well, I will admit, there were a few cliffs along the St. Lawrence! That made it scary and nerve-wracking for the cliff-adverse (such as me) but it was very scenic! After leaving Boston, the next stop was Sydeny, at the norther tip of Nova Scotia. The landscape and town reminded me of a larger version of Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands; isolated and somewhat small, but comfortable and scenic. Charlotteville Charlottetown, Birthplace of the Confederation. (Original goof corrected by me, after receiving dire threats from the Great White North) was great too; a beutiful harbor, and a very nice city; not too big, and like most everywhere in Canada, very clean and well done. The people were very friendly, and I had fun talking to the locals. I spent a day in Quebec City, and then drove from Quebec city to the Thousand Islands, mainly taking my time and sticking to the coast road (south of the river for the first half). The Thousand Islands were great (and entirely cliff-free!). Some of the islands had houses on, in many cases just one to a tiny island (the islands were often as small as a small building lot). They had garages too; for boats; covered mooring slips. From there, I headed for Toronto, where I spent some time in Eaton center, and then on to Niagara falls. Niagara falls are spectacular... But also, sadly, partially ruined IMHO. They aren't in a natural setting; there are buildings all around. Also, some of the development is downright cheesy; Clifton hill (an area on the Canadian side, near the Rainbow Bridge) has the same kind of tacky, garish tourist traps (Ripley's exhibits, haunted houses, etc) you'd expect at Blackpool, UK. It looks right at the falls, too. Some of the high rises are casinos, and it adds up, on both sides of the falls, to a real eyesore IMHO. So too are some of the hotels on the US side, which have seen fit to turn their entire height into a huge digital light show and billboard, orientated so you see them when looking at the falls. On the plus side, the riverfront on the Canadian side is park like in places, very nice. I'm probably spoiled; I've been to Iguazu falls in South America, which is about a hundred feet higher. But it's not just the height, it's the setting; Iguazu is in a rain forest, with little development except for the walkways. IMHO, Iguazu is the most spectacular falls remaining on the planet. Niagra's Horshoe falls, on the other hand, are massive, and so powerful that they make the ground shake. Awesome sight... They aren't the largest uninterrupted curtain of water in a great fall (Victoria falls in Africa beat them) but Victoria is a long cascade into a narrow canyon' there is no way, other than from the air, to see it all. Horeshoe falls, on the other hand, can be seen spectacuarly from the Canadian or American side from a variety of angles. They can also be seen from the Maid of the Mist boats, which go right into the center of the maelstrom, so you're surrounded on three sides by the fury and power. (I highly recommend that ride.. if you do nothing else there, do that... ) Basically, if Niagara wasn't so built up, I'd say it's the most spectacular on earth. As is, I'd rank it second, and still well worth a visit. However, Niagara has one glaring problem; misnamed island! The two main falls of Niagra are the American and Horeshoe (Canadian). They are separated by an island, which is misnamed Goat Island. Why is it misnamed? Easy! Between the falls, the island has a vertical drop to the river below, just like the rest of the canyon. That is, of course, a cliff. And, as we all know, a goat would NEVER have anything to do with a cliff, so therefor it's just plain wrong to name an island that's half cliff "Goat Island". Oh, and regarding geography; from Washington on north, I was confronted, time and again, with the utter devastation wrought by Canada on the United States. Devastation is an understatement; most of the northeastern US was bulldozed, right down to bedrock. Not even mountains were spared... It was horrific, even after all this time... The entire landscape, everywhere you look, shows the signs of being flattened and scoured by the mile-thick bulldozer of ice, which originated in east-central Canada (it's name was the Laurentine ice sheet). It was a sneak attack, too... the Canadian government gave us no warning. I also suspect that they might do this again one day... Also, when I was in New York, I was docked in the Hudson, right next to where the US Airways A320 had to ditch... I'll mention that that airliner was bought down by Canadians.. Canadians who were, in fact, flying in controlled airspace, and without pilot's licenses!!! And attendees of terror camps are already in the not-so-smart bomb category. We can be thankful that he was stupid, but we dare not count on all attacks to be so inept. I'd love to visit that one!!! And blaming my hooves? For shame!

Some awesome theorizing in this thread!! I can't comment on it directly due to giving spoilers, but wow, this is great!!! Thank you all!!! Also, I can say that things speed up quite a bit once Trevor and Joel's med trip nears its end. Much like Trevor's crossing of the Atlantic, there will segments where a great deal of distance is covered quickly. There will also be segments (there have already been some) where it might appear to be an irrelevant plot twist, or even filler. That's not the case; it's all plot-central, it just won't be apparent as to why for a few more chapters. Also, we are now finding out more about the backstory, which is the key to it all. We do, however, need to keep an eye out for the New Jersey connection; it's already been mentioned that Lisa's grandmother lives there. It's also well known that Rknapp has experience in boats, and is known to lurk about in Florida waters. So, I'm still going with the "RKnapp did it" theory.

I was indeed in Times Square! However, as for the bomb... I have a perfect alibi: That bombmaker had utterly no clue how to build a bomb. Take a look at the equipment list or a bomb diagram; he had firecrackers as the detonators... nothing wrong there, but he had two alarm clocks as well, and guess what? he reportedly didn't have electrically triggered detonators, without which the alarm clocks are utterly useless. He also used fertilizer, still in the bag (and the wrong kind) as if just having it there would make AMFO explosive (normally made by mixing deisil oil or a similar long-chain hydrocarbon with amonium nitrate) Sweet, innocent me, on the other hand, knows how to make explosives and build bombs. I'd also know that, when using a disposable cell phone to purchase the vehicle, to, um, you know, actually dispose of the thing... And BTW, shame on you for trying to blame me for something I didn't do! Isn't it enough that you sank the Ares!?!?!? Besides, none of the security cameras noticed a goat with sunglasses in Times Square? I didn't see that tri-motor display... and you might have some fun at John's expense by pointing out that the only thing he liked was the giant vibrator. (Sorry, couldn't resist!) I wanted to see the museum of natural history, too.. but that was closed for renovations. It was just fun to walk down the mall from the capitol to the Lincoln memorial, seeing all the sights... I was in DC on April 14th, which was a Wednesday, so it wasn't too bad for crowds. Unfortunately, due to the need to catch trains in and out from Baltimore, plus get to and from Baltimore's Penn station to the cruise port, I only had about six hours in DC. It was worth it though; I hadn't been there in years. BTW, if you're ever in the area, check out the Nautica museum in Norfolk, VA. That's where the battleship Wisconsin is, and its well worth it IMHO. However, if you go, be sure to talk to one of the experts who volunteer there. I had a very enjoyable hourlong chat with a former crewman, regarding Tomahawk missiles.

I've been back since Sunday, but haven't been online much... Thye main reason is I came back with an unwanted souvenir; a bad head cold. I'm finally almost over it. When I was getting ready to go, I left a bit of a teaser; I said I was going out to sea, and on a ship with the first letters of its name being A-t-l-a-n-t... That was quite true. Unfortunatly though, it wasn't Atlantis, it was the Atlantica, of the Costa cruise line (An Italian line). I had a blast. The trip was a bit of a change of pace for me; it wasn't overseas. It left from Ft. Lauderdale, stopping in Port Canaveral, Charlston, Baltimore, Norfolk, New York, Boston, Sydney (Nova Scotia) and Charlottetown (Prince Edward Island) and ending in Quebec City. The flight out was a redeye (overnight) and put me in Fort Lauderdale Airport an hour before boarding time. Checkin at the ship was a nightmare (pretty much always is). Port Canaveral was fun... The port is due south of the space center, so from the ship I had a great view of the launch pads at Canaveral and, further north, Cape Kennedy. No launches that day, but it was a fun view. I went eight miles down the coast on the beach, to Cocoa Beach (and I didn't stop in to say hi to Jim!). Cocoa beach is a town I spent several weeks in when I was in college, and for old time's sake I rented a board and spent a few hours surfing, even though the conditions weren't great (blown out and choppy). At Baltimore, I couught the MARC train to DC and spend a day on the national mall, including a few hours in the national air and space museum. Loved it!!! In Norfolk, Virginia, we were docked literally right next to the USS Wisconsin, an Iowa class battleship that's not open as a museum. Needless to say, I spent quite a few hours aboard. (I have an interest in military hardware, so it was a blast for me) As we sailed away from Norfolk, we went right by the naval base, where I got some great shots of two Nimitz-class carries and a bumch of 'phibs and other Navy ships. New York was great... I've been there before, but only for a few hours. This time was different. The ship docks in midtown Manhatten, so at dawn we sailed in under the Verrazano narrows bridge and up the Hudson. If you've seen the video of the jetliner that had to land in the Hudson last year, the security cam pics were taken from that dock, which is also right next to the USS Intrepid museum. It's a great location to dock; Broadway is about a ten miniute walk through Hell's Kitchen, and from there, it's maybe ten more miniutes down Broadway to Times Square. I had a blast sightseeing, and unlike most cruise stops, this wasn't just for 10 to 12 hours, the ship stayed for two days. I spent most of the time sightseeing (including at night... walking through Hell's Kitchen at 3am was... interesting) did some jogging in Central park, the whole tourist bit... I loved it. I usually dislike cities, but New York was fun to see. I'll carry on with this later.. Right now, I need some sleep.

I especially liked the opening stanza: Very evocative, and I like the subject matter. This reminds me also of the anti-miscegenation laws and the battle against them. This poem also, IMHO, touches on one of the saddest ironies of our times; many of those who battled for civil rights (and the overturning of anti-miscegenation laws) or who were the benefactors of the achieved changes, now strive to deny those selfsame rights to others. Well done, Your Amphibiousness.

Thanks!! The pace of the story does increase as the story progresses, so things will pick up. Bridget was just stalling to give RKnapp time to get away.But, she probably doesn't know what he's up to. Let's not forget the New Jersey connection! Hrmmm, already denying renting the dock, before even being accused of it? What was it that Shakespeare said, about protesting too much? Hrmm, however... what if Rknapp is partially right? what if he didn't take part in the loss of Ares, BUT, now in 2006, he's renting Bridget's dock for nefarious purposes? And who did Rknapp leave out as one of the people who knew how to put that e-mail together? Himself, that's who!!!

Jan! Would I do such a thing as that? BTW, on an entirely unrelated issue; did you ever get a ruling on that eligability for King of Cliffhangers Award question I submitted; whether the rules, as written, specify that the author must have POSTED the cliffhanger that year in order to be eligible? Very appropriate! And so very true! The murders the police were referring to were cases they believe to be murder. Trevor was the possible third, so unless he's dead, they are looking at two. Great suppositions! I'm prohibited from commenting on them directly (that would be a spoiler) but I love them! Shadowyness is at home in the cliffs. Shadowynes! I noticed the disclaimer in the announcement! For shame!

First, let me address one issue; death. If a character is said to be dead in the narration, you can be certain they are dead. If a character is said to be dead in dialog, they may, or may not, be dead. (Characters, unlike the narrator, can lie or be wrong). For The Scar, he was NEVER said to be dead in the narration of LTMP. Only the characters thought he was dead. All the narration said was that Vladimir's bomb had exacted a measure of revenge. (measure being the operative term in this case). It maimed him, but did not kill him. The flip side of this is also important to remember; if the narration does not say a character is dead, they MIGHT be dead. Not saying it is no proof, either way. Well, it's normal for us goats to have mixed feelings about goat cheese. I mean.. you don't see people eating people cheese, now do ya? :wacko: Italy is a great place and I love it... My favorites are the hill towns; walled cities built on hilltops and ridgelines. Some are really eyepoppers; cities built amidst almost vertical terrain. So far, Tuscany is my favorite area. Soaring cliffs looming ahead?!?!?! Uhoh, what has Shadowgod done? Is he forshadowing a cliffhanger he's added? In Florida, like most anywhere, they can pick you up and haul you in for 72 hours without a formal charge. And LOL, yep, they eat a lot, but active guys that age can usually get away with it. And yep, I can confirm that Bridget (or her late husband, to be precise) was the seller of Ares to Dirk and Rachel, and that's why she had the paperwork. It's mentioned in passing in the prologue, but the seller isn't mentioned by name.

While I was on my cruise, I was thinking about rogue waves, prompted by the action of tiny waves in a harbor. Ever so often, a larger one would pop up for a moment, about twice the average height. This was over a large area, and would happen ever miniute or two, so it was, for any specific spot, exceptionally rare and unlikely. If the area was scaled up so the chop and rippes were the size of ocean swells, the area would have been the size of a big chunk of Ocean, a few hundred miles across. I took a lot of photos, and I think I managed to catch one (nearly a foot high, in "seas" averaging four inches or so). I think the same principal applies at sea. What seems to have caused what I was seeing was interplay between "swells". I saw something quite similar later, while watching whitecaps; the breaking effect slowed the swell, and sometimes enough to match phase with a nearby one. That matches what I saw off the Falklands a few years ago; a very, very sudden development of a swell (with a small breaker on top for a few moments, in that case) twice the height of the others. (it peaked at about 50 foot from tip to trough.) It lasted just a few seconds, and was about a quarter mile away. Weather at sea can change fast... Off Nova Scotia two weeks ago, I watched as it went from fairly calm to rough and squally in under fifteen minutes. You're right; a small boat would fare far better against a large, non-breaking rogue wave. Even against the one I saw off the flaklands, the breaking part would be, as a guess, four foot, so it would be akin to getting hit by a four-foot breaker. Enough to make a wet mess, but not seriously damaging for a large yacht. However, a large ship such as a liner would take the full brunt; a 50 foot wall of water. One danger with a cat in really big swlls plus high winds; they can overspeed and surf. If they do, they can hit the trough and flip. (Pitchpole)

A cliff? Yipes, I would hope not! I have no problem climbing active volcanoes, but cliffs? Those I stay away from! The one in Guadalupe was more like a range of hills; no caldera. The one on Teraniffe has a caldera, but it's sides are mostly not vertical, so where I was was no problem. Vesuvious, on the other had... er, well, it does have some vertical crater walls. However, where I was was a few hundred feet away. As we all know, I'd never go anywhere near a cliff. But, but, but!!! I just stay away from the cliffs. That it would!!!

I'm innocent, I tell ya, innocent! I was in the Atlantic.

First, I would like to thank Myr for posting this. Thanks Myr!!! Okay, chapter length: From here on in, the chapters are larger. Sorry for the short ones; I sometimes do that at the start of a novel, due to plot needs. Thanks Vic, and welcome!!!

I'm back... Actually, a side trip to Greenland was a possibility, which is why my return date was somewhat vague. However... Though the Icelandic ash didn t hit Greenland, it made a mess of air schedules, so that trip, always speculative, got axed. Pesky volcanoes... One would almost think this is retribution for my hobby of climbing active volcanoes! (though not while they are erupting!) I spent the last few days of my trip in Niagara falls (I managed to e-mail the Echidna from there), and my hotel room looked right at the very, very misnamed island between the American and Canadian falls. The island is interesting... it sits between the falls, offers some great views, etc. But of course, it's a misnamed island. Very much so... It's called Goat Island. Why is it misnamed? Because between the falls it very clearly has a cliff, and as we all know, a goat would NEVER have anything to do with a cliff. I'll be sleeping for the next 12 hours, but after that, I'm back online and will be active in the forum again.

I'm not flying out until tomorrow (Friday) However, i doubt I'll have time to log in after tonight. Have fun, and I'll miss y'all! CJ

It's a tough job, but somebody's gotta do it!

Yes, this is a possibility! Or at the very least, he might add a cliffhanger! And Benji... would I ever be dastardly?