[MR] Astounding news

[Roy B. Scherer]

Unto the populance of Atlantia, and particularly the warriors and artisans:
         I just came across an astounding quote, 
with citation.  It would seem, in my admittedly 
naive vew, to open up immense new possibilities 
in our game.  Think of what development could do 
as far as battle -- and or competitions!
         I present it here for further 
development and research by any who may be 
interested.  This information may, of course, 
already be well known among our sages, in which case I humbly crave pardon.
         "We dreamed up legends like Icarus, and
         we fantasized about flying machines, some
         of which were actually constructed.  Around
         the year 1,000 CE the monk Eilmer glided
         the length of two football fields before
         crashing because his contraption lacked a
         tail to provide lateral stability."
         The citation given by the author is 
White, L., Jr.,  "Eilmer of Malmsesbury, an 
Eleventh Century Aviator", in Medieval Religion 
and Technology (University of Califoirnia Press, 1978), Chapter 4.
         I read this, and quoted the above from, 
the science article "The Shape of Wings to Come", 
by Alexis Glynn Latner, in the April 2006 issue 
(Vol. CXXVI, No. 4) of ANALOG Science Fiction and 
Fact, pp 38-47.  (Some may have spotted the 
connection between an adjective used above and 
the previous title of that publication.  This, of 
course, is entirely coincidental.)
-- YIS, Britton Morgan
-- mka Roy

end

                 - - Roy B. Scherer
  [ 8 N. Sheppard Street, Richmond, VA 23221; (804) 355-7612 ]
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         "[T]here is nothing more difficult to 
take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more 
uncertain in its success, than to take the lead 
in the introduction of a new order of things. 
Because the innovator has for enemies all those 
who have done well under the old conditions, and 
lukewarm defenders in those who may do well under 
the new. This coolness arises partly from fear of 
the opponents, who have the laws on their side, 
and partly from the incredulity of men, who do 
not readily believe in new things until they have 
had a long experience of them."
         Nicolò Machiavelli, THE PRINCE, c. 1505
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