Subject: (urth) question

From: Sergei SOLOVIEV <soloviev at irit.fr>
Date: Fri, 20 May 2011 17:06:00 +0000

Dear Jerry,

I still have the problem - after our discussion, I sent a couple of 
messages to
urth at urth.net, they did pass. Afterwards I sent more, they didn't. Now,
it is written that we have to answer to urth at lists.urth.net - I tried 
this before, it didn't
pass, I tried this again, with the message below - it didn't. I don't 
know what to
do, I am a bit discouraged -

I include below two messages that didn't pass. I send cc to both 
urth at urth.net and
urth at lists.urth.net - just in case

Best

Sergei Soloviev

1) (negative mass)
If we discuss Gene Wolfe's books and not relativity laws as such,I would 
like to recall the explanation how the flier functions (given by the old 
autarch in "The Citadel of the Autarch"). It is

one of a very few places where I found the explanation
not plausible, and maybe even some misconception of GW himself
(usually he is very careful with scientific explanations -
of course they can be fantastic, but usually plausible in
the context). It is said that inside the flier there is
a certain quantity of antimatter. It is said that it has
negative mass and it is repulsed by Urth. The flier is kept
near the surface of Urth by force (ropes). It looks strange
then that while flying it remains within the atmosphere, but even
more - that it fells when it is hit by some enemy missile AND
that there is no enormous explosion when the antimatter enters
in the contact with the atmosphere.

2) (bridges) 
I have seen some very old bridges, my impression is also that the slum area
near the river, along the waterway, il low and often flooded, and the bridge
at this side is much higher than the waterway - the entrance for carriages
may be much farther inland, this is why Severian has to go up from waterway by the
flight of stairs. The carriages and people crossing the river mostly
enter the bridge in safer and better lit area some hundreds meters
inland, and are afraid (and probably would be agressed by slum dwellers)
if they would not follow the "main road" (perpendicular to the river).

---

From: James Wynn <crushtv at gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 20 May 2011 17:36:14 +0000

Sergei,

This one went through. urth at lists.urth.net is the right one. However, if 
you use multiple accounts make sure you are SENDING use the account you 
used to subscribe to the list. This mistake gets me sometimes.

J

On 5/20/2011 12:06 PM, Sergei SOLOVIEV wrote:
> If we discuss Gene Wolfe's books and not relativity laws as such,I 
> would like to recall the explanation how the flier functions (given by 
> the old autarch in "The Citadel of the Autarch"). It is
>
> 2) (bridges) I have seen some very old bridges, my impression is also 
> that the slum area
> _______________________________________________
> Urth Mailing List
> To post, write urth at urth.net
> Subscription/information: http://www.urth.net

---

From: David Duffy <davidd at qimr.edu.au>
Date: Sat, 21 May 2011 11:49:16 +0000

On Fri, 20 May 2011, Sergei SOLOVIEV wrote:

> 1) (negative mass)
> If we discuss Gene Wolfe's books and not relativity laws as such,I would like 
> to recall the explanation how the flier functions (given by the old autarch 
> in "The Citadel of the Autarch"). It is
>
> the context).

I think this is a deliberate wink to the reader.  Ditto the mirrors. 
Wolfe similarly delights in folk etymologies such as Ex-Calibor for 
Excalibur, and brand[ed] new for brand new.

Cheers, David Duffy.

-- 
| David Duffy (MBBS PhD)                                         ,-_|\
| email: davidD at qimr.edu.au  ph: INT+61+7+3362-0217 fax: -0101  /     *
| Epidemiology Unit, Queensland Institute of Medical Research   \_,-._/
| 300 Herston Rd, Brisbane, Queensland 4029, Australia  GPG 4D0B994A v

---

From: Jerry Friedman <jerry_friedman at yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 23 May 2011 04:44:14 +0000

> From: David Duffy <davidD at qimr.edu.au>

[negative mass]

> I think this is a deliberate wink to  the reader.  Ditto the mirrors. Wolfe 
>similarly delights in folk  etymologies such as Ex-Calibor for Excalibur, and 
>brand[ed] new for brand  new.

Another example, pointed out by Michael Andre-Driussi, is the Green Room.

Jerry Friedman