# question *The Urth list — 4 messages, 4 voices, 20 May 2011* > Exported from an unofficial mirror of a public mailing list. Copyright > in each message remains with the person who wrote it. > Email addresses are obscured as `user at host`, the form the original > archive published. This file was rebuilt from parsed fields rather than > retained headers, so it is faithful in content but not byte-exact. --- ### Sergei SOLOVIEV *20 May 2011, 17:06* 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). --- ### James Wynn *20 May 2011, 17:36 · in reply to Sergei SOLOVIEV* 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: > 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). > > > > > _______________________________________________ --- ### David Duffy *21 May 2011, 11:49 · in reply to Sergei SOLOVIEV* > 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 > > 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). 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 ``` --- ### Jerry Friedman *23 May 2011, 04:44 · in reply to David Duffy* > From: David Duffy [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 ---