Re: [FT] Size of "Countries" in FT

G'day Tom,

>The Canadian Rangers and Canadian Regular Force train to conduct 
>combat operations in temperatures as low as (and this is bad 
>admittedly) -115 C. That's about -200 or something obscene for the 
>Farenheit scale. 

-115 C !	I've been in -35 C and that was bad enough (left a
couple of
layers of the skin off the palm of my hand on a door handle just to
prove it).

>I think GEVs would be of use - closed cockpit, heated, good manoevre 
>over snow, although ridges and such present some issues but so does 
>less that billiard ball planes in non arctic conditions. They'd offer 
>speed and low ground pressure. Might have problems with fans icing 
>when stopped, but I think the friction vs the air of spinning fans 
>would keep them from icing in motion (and you could do some other 
>tricks like putting heating elements in the fan blades). 

I honestly don't know anything about these things, so a couple of
curiosity
based questions for you.
How would they take to shelf collapses (i.e. if crevasse suddenly forms
do
they go down with it?)?
How do they cope with wind?

Just collecting a few ideas for the first time my dastardly NSL husband
tries to invade one of my stongholds :)

>I'd be interested in hearing detail of how you propose this change 
>occured. This does not seem to be a totally trivial effort. 

Involves a lot of diplomacy and deals. As I said before, I'm still
working
out the exact details (especially dates), but to give a quick summary:
- Other nations wanted the commercial mining companies out too (only so
they could put there own miners in and get the proceeds for themselves)
- IAS (science body) convinces national bodies involved and UN to "sell"
them the polar islands (Macquarie, Crozies etc.) in return for the
scientists (guaranteed) continued "service" at those locations as well
as
additional scientific and engineering aid in other areas. And the move
wasn't unprecedented as China had sold off Hong Kong (or something) to a
large commercial company x years before etc.
- UN (eventually) formally recognises the IAS as a nation in (once again
mostly in return for services).

>They must have support from either the UN or some major nations or 
>someone would take them out for their resources eventually. Probably 
>the UN - and that in exchange for some resource access. This might 
>help the UN out in the economic sector - since they are now somewhat 
>independent of member countries. 

The IAS does depend on the UN for a great deal of support - which it
repays
by supplying military and other personnel and services. It also
sells/leases its services in exploration and deep space travel to
allcomers, but especially the UN. They do have a couple/few planets of
their own (note NOT systems only planets) and they often negiotiate
long-term leases for inhospitable continents/regions (hot or cold) on
other
peoples worlds.

I will eventually post a more thorough description of the IAS when I get
them polished up a bit, but hopefully that will suffice for now.

Thanks for the interest,

Beth

------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
Elizabeth Fulton
c/o CSIRO Division of Marine Research
GPO Box 1538
HOBART 
TASMANIA 7001
AUSTRALIA
Phone (03) 6232 5018 International +61 3 6232 5018
Fax (03) 6232 5199 International +61 3 6232 5199

email: beth.fulton@marine.csiro.au