A Classic

It chanced within my youth that I had the misfortune to have pressed upon me by the importunes of my Schoolmaster, the onerous duty of a close examination of that literary classic, Moby Dick.

Now, at the tender age of perhaps a dozen years, and not more than a baker's, despite being of a physical maturity that in the times of the good master Melville, would have seen me sent off as Ship's Boy on the vessels of which he wrote, I was in no wise a Scholar, regardless of what I might, unseasoned as I was, claim.

As such, it was not given to me to lend his work the appreciation due it. However, in recent days, I have again chanced upon the novel, and taken it upon myself to grant it a chance at redemption, the chance all things deserve to face. And I must state that, insofar as I have yet to complete my perusal, as far as I have gone, it has held up under scrutiny, for its part.

The work centers around one Ishmael, a man who, it is implied, has some claim to station, being kinsfolk to some noted captains and indeed, it is suggested, one of the aforementioned Schoolmasters. And yet, good Ishmael is taken oft by the urge to travel, generally to sea.

So it is noted that in his past, he has shipped often in the Merchant Marine, but for now is taken by the urge to sail on that much maligned craft, the Whaler. But not for him, the more populous port of New Beford. Not will do but that he sail aboard a Nantucketer, from the port whence the American side of that venture sprang.

It should, perhaps, be noted, that Melville sailed upon such a craft in his youth, and it is from his adventures therefrom, it is believed, that the tale of Ishmael and the Pequod, of the ivory-legged Captain Ahab, locked in his vengeful pursuit, and the tattooed cannibal Queequeg, that stoic and taciturn harpooner who bore himself with such nobility, did issue forth.

So it is that it can be believed that Melvilles depiction of life aboard a whaleboat should be mostly accurate, and from my understanding of such vessels, they seem to be. His treatment of the Harpooners certainly seems to be spot on. For the Caucasian, the man of European descent, barring those from the far northern latitudes, from whom the crew of such ships was generally drawn, is ill-suited to the role, being far removed, in general, from the days when such a task was a regular occurence.

And yet, it was an important duty. The role of Harpooner, was in those days, perhaps, the highest honour to which the Inuit, the Maori, the Pacific Islander, might aspire amongst the so-called 'Civilised' world so dominated by Europe and her colonies. If one's hand was steady and arm strong. If one's aim was true, one's lance reliably pierced Leviathan's proud hide, and one's barb stuck, that was all that mattered.

The Harpooner, so Melville related, ate at the Captain's table, albeit after the Captain and his officers departed, and were served by the Captain's steward. They were spared the most onerous of the ships duties, and the harshest of the bosun's discipline, being almost officers themselves, and once in the Whaleboat, it was the Harpooner who chose what whale to strike, and when the spear was cast.

As to the nature of the whale, it is, perhaps, Melville's discourse on such beasts that has presented me with the most amusement. Any student of Cetology will know, the Whale, or Cetacean, is in fact classed amongst the Kingdom Mammalia, being as it is, of terrestrial descent, warm-blooded, with four-chambered heart, a breather of air, with lungs of small air-sacs. All these things, bar the descent, Melville describes, relating, even contemporary sources of such information. He further describes how, unlike the true fishes the flukes on a whale are horizontal, unlike the vertical caudal fin the fishes can all be seen to sport. And yet still, he classes the Whale amongst the fishes, for reason that it never sets upon the shore but it dies. He states a similar classifacation for the Manatee or Dugong, but holds them seperate for reason that they do not spout.

So, he states, this is how a whale shall be described, as a spouting fish with a horizontal tail. He then goes on to describe three classes of whale, measured by size. The greatest of whales he labels a book, Folio, of which he describes six distinct chapters.

First, The Sperm Whale, he accurately identifies, and describes, for that is the species hunted out of Nantucket in his time, for the value of the Oil of it's blubber, and the Spermaceti wax derived from it's skull.

Secondy, The Right Whale, again an accurate identification, and description, even to the smaller Greenlandic species, known to modern Cetologists as the Bowhead Whale. And again, this accuracy can be put down to the fact that the Right Whales were common prey of those who hunted the great beasts of the deeps.

From there on, his descriptions get less and less fine. His Third chapter, the Finbacks, are well described, perhaps as Rorquals, although those species could also, perhaps, be assigned to his Fifth and Sixth chapters, the Razor Back and Sulphur-Bottom whales, respectivelly, of which little description is given.

His Fourth Chapter, the Humpback, it must be said, is an accurate identifier by chance alone, his description also, barely suitable to tell the beast on sight, and more concerned with the economic implications of his slaying.

Thus ends the book 'Folio' and begins that 'Octavo', which he has split into five chapters.

The first, Grampus, I think refers, perhaps to the Minke whale, although I arrive at this belief by his description of the whale as possessing all the distinctive features of the grand Leviathan bar size. Whilst I am uncertain as to whether his description of size is accurate, and I have never seen the Minke aggregate in herds, this is perhaps due to the hunting the beast encountered in the years between Melville and Myself.

His Chapter the Second, the Blackfish I suspect refers to the various species of Pilot and Beaked whales, although again, description is lacking.

The third chapter of Octavo, The Narwhal, is again, accurate by but chance, the beast described being so singular as to be impossible to mistake, for no other Cetacean bears the lance of the Narwhale, the spiraled Ivory tusk.

Octavo, Chapter IV, the Killer Whale, or Orcinus, cannot be mistaken, for there is but a single species that will feed on the great whales, the Folio he mentions previously.

As for his fifth chapter, the Threshers, whilst a preliminary consideration will consider his mention of Whales that work passage by flogging the Folio and a pairing with Orcinus in the end of the description supplies the illusion that they are one and the same, closer examination leads to the conclusion that he erroneously classes juvenile whales that should fall into his Folio class as seperate species' altogether, a fallacy most amusing. If, perhaps worrying at the extent of his failure as a taxonomist.

Finally we come to the third book, Duodecima, with three chapters.

The first, the Huzza Porpoise, lacks a physiological description, but the descriptions of the behaviours attributed to this chapter leads to the belief that he speaks of Dolphins, a belief borne out by mention at the end of the description of the creatures spouting, something never seen but only heard, in true porpoises.

Secondly, he describes the Algerine Porpoise, which is describe as a pacific version of the Huzza Porpoise, and mentioned to 'set to' or attack sharks, a behaviour recorded in the larger dolphins, further supporting my previous claim.

Finally, he describes the Mealymouthed Porpoise, a creature larger than those categorised by the previous two chapters, with no fin on his back, unlike the other two chapters (Further bearing out the theory that he refers to dolphin species and never to true porpoise, who are bare-backed, for the most part, or posessed of only the most rudimentary fins) and describes his colouration. Sadly, I am uncognisant of the beast described here, save to suggest perhaps, that one of the smaller beaked whales or the pygmy killer whale, is what is described.

He then goes on to explain that the Duodecimo are the smallest of whales, though in truth the shy true porpoises are smaller yet, and gives mention of 'a rabbler of uncertain, fugitive, half-fabulous whales, which, as an American Whalemen I (Ishmael) know by reputation, but not personally.' He then enumerates various common appelations given such beasts, and suggests that should they be caught and marked, they be incorporated into his system, not realising how flawed it is.

A shame, given that early in the chapter, he mentioned by name, one Linnaeus, the father of modern biology, who created the system of classification used today for all organisms that live and have been identified, and fitted into the kingdoms of living things.

Safeguards...

So. By now, I am certain anyone who reads this has heard of the United States Of America *mutters* bloody ungrateful colonials *mutters* Stop Online Piracy Act. SOPA for short. *mutters* impinging my freedoms *mutters*

Anyway. What it is, is, well. On Paper it be a... Who am I kidding. On Paper it be a bloody awful idea.  
The full text of the bill is available from the US Library of Congress website. Here, in fact. 
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c112:H.R.3261:  


Now. I will admit, freely, to being no expert in legal documents. My Legal experience consists of ONE (1) High School course on the Canadian Legal System, way back in high school. Which was about six years ago now. At least. However. So far as I was able to determine, it gives the US Government (A fair and equitable association with ABSOLUTELY NO historically verified tendency to swing their weight around unjustly.) (Re. Anyone who believed my previous statement, I have some nice beachfront to sell you. Your choice of Mare Imbrium, or Mare Tranquillium.) ANYWAY.... It gives the US government the power to force US IP Providers, Search Engines, Server Hosts, and basically any US corporation in any way associated with facilitating the Internet, to cease doing business with any website they can prove to have breached copyright in some way. 


Now. At first glance, if you don't live in the States, you'll be fine, right? You'd think so wouldn't you. On accounts of the States are so very tranquil about the behaviour of the rest of the world. Never interfere, never stick there noses into other peoples business... (It's prime property, out of the way, quiet, no neighbours to speak of...) Ahem. No. Because. The Internet came into being in America. And most of the worlds... lets call it Internet Facilitation Equipment... All that stuff required for the Internet to be the Internet (I'm no computer geek either. I'm a biologist. A Marine one. I understand Fish. I dabble in other things...) is in, guess where? YUP! The States. So. Basically, if this bill goes through... Quote something copyright on your blog? They can blacklist your blog. You'll never get it hosted. Especially if it is on Blogspot, like this? Owned by... Google? An American Company. Post a video of you doing a cover? They can blacklist your site. These days, there are copyrights on almost everything. 


Will things hit that stage, even if the bill goes through? I doubt it will be as bad as it could be. However. The Legal basis for such a massive infringement of free speech, will be there. And speaking of freedom of speech, how is this law not blatantly unconstitutional? Well. Were the US bothered much with the Constitution (Patriot Act anyone?) WEll. Thats what Title II, Section 2 (Savings and Severability Clauses) (a) (Savings Clauses) (1) (First Amendment) is for. It reads, and I quote. "Nothing in this Act shall be construed to impose a prior restraint on free speech or the press protected under the 1st Amendment to the Constitution." Again, this time with some emphasis. "Nothing in this Act shall be construed to impose a prior restraint on free speech or the press protected under the 1st Amendment to the Constitution." Note how they don't even try to claim the bill is Constitutional. No. They simply state, right there in the Bill itself that it shall not be Construed (Seen, viewed, taken to) to impose a Prior Restraint (basically causing people to be careful what they say. Lest the government come down on them like a ton of bricks.) on free speech. 


Anyway. There is an internet petition against this bill. I ask that anyone with an interest in freedom of speech sign it. For.


"As the American People learned so painfully in the final years of the 21st Century, Free flow of information is the only safeguard against Tyrrany. Beware he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart, he dreams himself your master" 
Academician Prokhor Zakharov, University of Planet
(Taken from Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri. Used without Permission. Something that could get my blog shut down under SOPA...)


Anyway, that petition...
http://www.avaaz.org/en/save_the_internet/?fgDdocb&pv=170

On a final note... I wonder how 4chan is going to take this bill...

Of Earth And Air And Aether.

Now, I've the kenning I've no been on this for what certain folks be liable to term yonks. A term that translates into normal english as Ages. Coincidentally, I am using the word kenning to be the present verb participle of the scottish colloquial slang, ken, meaning know. Admittedly this means that translated that sentence would be read 'Now I've the knowing I've no been on this for ages', which I am well aware is atrocious grammar. I blame the fact that I am writing this at half two in the morning, having been up since about nine. Silly Jared. As the Lady Lamia will be the first to attest.

Anyway, whilst I has much knews I could relate, and you can expect a bunch of it in future (If I remember too) For now I intend to write  a brief review of what has rapidly become my favourite cartoon. Now. First let us take careful note of a few facts. I am Male. I am in my early twenties and am almost completely straight. I also have a number of less than pacifist views, and enjoy sword and axe work as a means of fun.

Right. Now that we have confirmed my masculinity. The Identity of this favourite cartoon. It be entitled (A word that I always hear pronounced Entittled, a fact for which I blame the guy who sings I Belong To Glasgow... Whats his name? Anyway, I digress.) My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic.
And...
And...
And...
Okay, now that the laughter has stopped, permit me to explain why. When it was first inflicted on me, something I blame on the Lady Laure, and less directly, the Peacock, I expected to dislike it, and indeed intended to ignore it completely. However. Someone happened to create ponyified version of the Accidental Vikingr characters, Which you can probably find on Deviantart if you search for Outremer Ponies. (When awake enough, I may dig out the link... If you be lucky, and I remember.)
This caused me to watch the first episode, and after that, I was kinda, slightly hooked.

The animation is reasonable, for a children's cartoon. They generally show the backgrounds, even in action scenes (occasionally blurring these to show speed, which is tolerable... sorry, is a particular peeve of mine in animated things.) The plots, whilst oft-times sickly sweet, are well-thought out, and rather than simply being the characters doing soppy things, tend to have them working through problems, often enough, problems they have caused completely unintentionally. Which leads me to the next reason. The Characters.
There are Six main characters, and two or three supporting characters I plan on mentioning.
First, there is the duo of Twilight Sparkle and Spike. Twilight is a Unicorn. A purple unicorn, and a rather deft hoof at the Seidr (Read: Magic.) She be a bit of a bookworm, and rather on the clever side, but not always the best with people. Spike is her companion, assistant, and closest friend, a baby dragon. Who is also a fully fleshed out character, with his own wants, personality, opinions, and flaws. Some of which lead to hilarity, particularly towards the end of the first season.
Then, in no particular order, you have:
Rarity. A fashionista, and another unicorn. What equestrians are liable to call a grey, which in real terms means white, with blue eyes, and large eyelashes, both of which she is capable of using to devastating effect. She is generous, unless gemstones are involved, although occasionally highstrung. Puts me in mind of one or two old friends, in fact, and certain relatives. Again, fully-fleshed out
Rainbow Dash. An ultra-competitive tomboy who lays claim to being the fastest pegasus in Equestria. Considering there is evidence suggesting she can reach speeds of Mach 5 (Evidence that I cannot confirm the validity of, not being a physicist, but which appears accurate enough) Do not get me started on the biological effects of that, but again, a fully fleshed out character, with her own desires (To join a specific aerial stunt team), dislikes (being ignored, for instance), opinions, priorities, all that jazz.
There be Applejack, a down to earth pony, who runs the local apple-orchard. Honest, strong, tough, always happy to lend a hand, even it be to her own detriment. Everyone knows someone like that, or at least, they should. I certainly do.
Pony number five to be briefly mentioned is Pinkie Pie, who, whilst she is decidedly annoying, has a heart of gold. Always up for a party, shockingly random, and again, a well-rounded character, who, were she human, you would think nothing of meeting in the... well, who, were she human, you could imagine meeting in the street.
The last adult Pony to be mentioned is Fluttershy, who happens to be my favourite. What we RP folks like to term a ranger. or possibly a beastfriend. She is a decidedly shy and insecure pony, who is better with wild beasties than with ponies. She is also rather softspoken, and may approach being the cutest thing ever.
Honourable mentions go to the Cutie Mark Crusaders, a trio of young fillies who have formed their own club (And what small child hasn't done that), are constantly getting into mischief (See prior statement about small children), but come out of it alright in the end, every time.
And also to Gummy. A Yearling Alligator with no teeth. He never speaks, barely moves, but is awesome all the same. And also belongs to Pinkie Pie, for which I can forgive her much.

Anyway, these, amongst others live in Ponyville (Yes I know. The horse puns are a dime a dozen. Or perhaps a copper a century. (Fancy talk for a hundred for a penny) Manehattan, Canterlot, et. Cetera, et cetera.) Where, over the course of the first season, they [spoilers present. highlight to read] encounter everything from Racism and Bullying to attmepting to throw a surprise party and attending the so-called Grand Galloping Gala, THE premier party in all of Equestria. And end with suitable solutions to everything. In fact, part of the reason I approve is the beneficial morals of the stories. That and Fluttershy is cute. Especially on the rare occasions she gets mad.

So lets see, what have we gathered...
Decent animation
Well-thought out, tolerable stories, with jokes and references that appeal to more mature audiences, whilst still being suitable for younglings.
Characters that require little more suspension of belief than acceptance of magic and sentient equines. (I read the Horseclans. and Wind Riders Oath. And the Valdemar books. Sentient horses? Not an issue...)
I'm just upset that more of season two isn't available online yet (but I suppose I should give them a break. It only started a week or so ago...)

Arrival!

Well. I have finally arrived on Grand Manan Island.
Weather: Scots
House: Ancient. Characterful. EPIC.
Island: I'll tell you when I can get out to explore it.
Fellow Researchers: Seem nice enough.
Researchers Pets: All nice bar the one that presently hates me. Am told that he will settle down in a few days though...

Research Work: Ask me when the rain clears. Probably Friday.
 Expect more detail after I have slept... which may be a while...

A Bearsarks Travels

Aye, I ken 'tis been ages since I posted on this. Much on Jaredskald, but I've not really been doing much of interest of late. Got work, as well, which caused much havoc to my normal schedule. A month of six day weeks, and ten hour days, building a 'multi-use overpass', also known as a bridge.

Now, I am again travelling. Out east, to Grand Manan Island, which bears the name of the old Celtic god of the sea. I have an internship with the Whale and Seal Research Center out there, although it appears I will be studying Cetorhinus maximus, the Basking Shark. Feeding Behaviour it seems. I am sure that you will be hearing more on that, later on, as I be rather prouding of being able to claim to be an Academic again.

For now however, on my travels. Stage 1, my flight from Kamloops, or T'kumlups as the native Secwepemec peoples called it, is complete. I flew from there to 'Couverland, as we like to call Vancouver, in a twin turboprop. Nice smooth flight, my ears didn't pop once. Flight left a shade late, but not as late as I was expecting. On the other hand, my next connection, Vancouver International to Toronto Pearson is already scheduled as delayed another thirty-five minutes past the original time of departure. Ah well. Such is life.

And returning to the general Norse theme of my life, and this blog... I am bound, in the end, for Vinland. See, the Norse, and specifically Leif Eirikson, explored the eastern coast of Canada. The discovered a place they called Helluland, which translates to Stone Slab Land, a land of barren rock and ice, widely believed to be Baffin Island. Further south, they found Markland, or Timber Land/Forested Land, a land of thick forests, widely believed to be the coast of Labrador. Finally, they discovered Vinland, or Wine-land. It is reported that finds of wild grapes triggered this naming, and whilst those who study Norse History cannot decide the full extent of Vinland, or even its location, estimates range from Newfoundland to Maine. I personally tend to apply the name to all of Canada, or in more specific, the southern Maritime provinces. Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, PEI, and New Brunswick.

Anyway, my battery is making worrying dying noises on me... So I shall cut this short. Expect more history of the Norse in Canada when I return.

TO NEW WORLD!

Well, my local gaming store, Interior RC, has recently started a Warhammer 40K campaign. Map-Based, set on the imaginatively named New World.

In conflict for control of this planet are the Noble Space Wolves! The Misguided Tau Xeno's! The Immortal Legion (A splinter faction of the Imperial Guard. Probably Heretical), and The Hellsing Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes (Who we reckon are probably all right, now that we have taught them to stay out of our way)

In the first few days after planetfall, The Immortal Legion and the Hellsing Chapter went after the Tau forces, however miscommunications resulted in conflict between the Space Wolves and the Hellsing Marines, who never reached their intended foes.

In the end, the two Space Marine Forces dealt a fair deal of damage to each other. A number of Astartes were injured badly enough that they would take no further part in the campaign. The Space Wolves came out somewhat ahead, in the final scheme of things. Meanwhile, the Immortal Legion devastated the Tau forces, but because of the ease of reinforcement for the Tau, their effective casualties were rather light.

Further updates on the campaign will be available as news is made available. Watch out for the Space Wolves attempting Sneaky Tricks...

Kit-making

Wodin bless all Craftsmen. And especially those with a knowledge of Carpentry. You see, I was given oath by a friend of my father's, who is in the process of becoming a friend of mine, that I would be in reciept of a quantity of 1/2" Oak planks, sufficient to produce a disc of timber some 36" in diameter. Without cost. Offcuts from a project he'd been doing, I believe. That wood has finally been delivered. And my father has arranged, at the cost of my agreement to do a spot of digging for another friend, for said friend to lend me aid turning this timber into a shield. A Norse pattern Round Shield. The original plan had been for a Gokstad pattern shield, but those were of Alder or Fir. Or possibly Linden. And were some 37" in Diameter. I lack the timber for that.

However, precise diameter has yet to be determined. We will start with a diameter of 36". And then, if that proves unwieldy, we will cut it down further. I hope to go no smaller than 32". So far we have planed the sides of the boards level with a tool called a jointer, paired them off, and glued the pairs together. Tomorrow, the plan calls for gluing the resultant boards together, giving me a board some almost 38" by anything ranging from 18" at the sides, to almost 48" for the center boards.  We are using an outdoor wood glue which is water resistant, and creates a bond stronger than the boards themselves are.

Tomorrow night, I will detail out how we completed the next stages and what is planned as the next the project. This will continue until it is done, and I have a shield. Then I will simply require shoes and steel, and then I will have the kit of a peasant. Some form of polearm, I think, a spear or a daneax. Maybe a billhook. Or even simply a handaxe, if I can find a head. Hafting it will be easy enough, living as I do surrounded by a few hundred square kilometers of forest. And a knife. Dirk or Saex, much as I would prefer a Poniard.