Hi all,
There used to be hardware and software, then came along firmware and the rest.
My favourite in those days (yes, back in the last Millenium !!!) was what was called 'Vapourware' - defined as something promised but never actually delivered.
Which is where I hang my head in shame and talk about the next Julina episode.
I see from my notes that the first words for this episode were actually written back in 2015.
(As a further illustration, I have already penned stuff for episode #80.)
But it all needs to be connected and collected together. And it needs to fit in with the main story, and (despite being some six months or so in the future as far as the CURRENT position in the 'Milsy' tale is concerned) it needs fit in with the Milsy tale, and even slightly with other tales Penny has in the pipeline.
I post NOTHING without passing it past the eyes of our fearless Anmarian leader; but you are all aware that Penny has been under the weather health-wise recently.
I am not blaming her though.
Had I been just a little more determined, I could perhaps have delivered the next episode to her before Christmas!
I have now two completed and a third three-quarters done, but they need to be proofread and passed through Penny's filters before I can post.
Penny's health is improving but her sight is still affected, just not as badly as it was.
So, dear readers, I have yet again to beg your forgiveness for the delay.
Soon, I promise.
With just a whiff of vapour in the air,
Julia
Comments
When will they...
When will they realize that they can save on shipping (LESS WAGONS) by making coke both in Blackstone and up in the valley (ridge area)? In the ridge area they can make coke and process lime. Excess heat from these plants can be used to produce hot water or steam for the local dormitory, kitchens, and Inn. (I hope it is discussed in the upcoming chapter.)
For several chapters, I have wondered if Julina will have her brother be a wagoneer making short runs?
Looking forward to the next chapter.
Pollution
It was my understanding that the industrial processes were being moved down valley and away from the town to avoid polluting the air and affecting people's health and quality of life (SEE 62 and Garia's reaction to Holville)
its glossed over
But a small amount of coke is made in blackstone, its why Levin had milling problems, to reduce the weight of the load, but they are keeping the quantity small.
Like others have said
Pollution, it was polluting the flour being milled and it is disgusting. They don't have electrostatic precipitaters or other pollution control devices yet, though I blame Garia on not mentioning that technology. With the electrostatics the coal would be merely dirty and not *cough* *cough* oh my god that is awful! *gasp*.
With any luck, coal will not be the primary fuel for power plants for long as the emissions include Mercury, that is making otherwise healthy mountain trout have about the highest levels of Mercury.
Well
She might not know much about the technology, I mean activated carbon filters could pull out the mercury.. the problem with electrostatic is the lack of electrical infrastructure, to use an Anmar phrase, "it's another one of those Avian and the Egg problems"
Coke mfg
Coke mfg;
Coal loses at least 25% of its weight when it's converted to coke PLUS add to it the amount of coal used as fuel in the process and sum is the amount that is not needed to be shipped.
Taller smokestacks would greatly reduce the pollution impact locally while spreading it more globally .
The real question is; What will Julia write and Penny approve?
Taller smokestacks just
Taller smokestacks just spread it over a larger area, but Coke isn't the only thing, with their current gas transportation capabilities (practically nil), that's a lot of fuel gas going to waste, it's better to have most of the coking someplace close to where the gas may be used.
Also taller smokestacks mean you need the bricks to build them, the brick factories are farther south, as they were made to supply the blast furnace works, so logically you would want to construct the bigger Coke ovens near Tranidor where the furnaces will be, though having a small one to service Blackstone industry and the trains wouldn't hurt. Once the railroad comes in, that weight won't matter as much, and that means that much of the effort to build a large coking facility in Blackstone will be wasted, as it will be more economical to do it where the industry is
Shortages
Right now there's a shortage of dranakh. The quickest means to free up dranakh for wagons and have more coke at the furnaces is to produce it near the mining sites and ship more coke, less coal. Bricks may be fired in Blackstone IF raw materials are available ELSE it is a backhaul for coal wagons and there is no need to wash the wagons for such loads. Smokestacks can also be made from steel.
Garia knows about the pollution issue. I expect her to return with the scrubbing tech.
the shortage can be alievated
the shortage can be alievated by means of barges, and they are setting up warfs for just that purpose, whats more is that the warfs will still be useful after the railroad, even if you cant pass Haligo (without a canal) you can still use it to go farther north and travel shorter distances quickly, and can run alongside the railroad.
Also making the smokestacks out of steel with that they need the coal that they can't get out to make the smokestacks with, so that they can get the coal (as Coke) out, you see the problem here. its compounded by the fact that Garia was reluctant to allow a coking facility in blackstone besides the small oven the guilds sent, in the first place, the steel would be better used for trains and barges, and tools.
We will wait
As a faithful reader, we will wait. I recently reread SEE and the Armsman of Joth. I remember reading the story about the Viking raid on the tower somewhere, but can't find it now. And I patiently wait for your story and Milsy.
Hi Dawn
May I respectfully draw your attention to the Anmarian Appendices - found here https://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/book-page/59163/anmarian-appe... - from which all aspects of the Anmarian Adventures can be accessed.
The second option in the appendices is a list of all the stories, arranged by author. The attack on Boldan's Rock was described in the tale of the Warrior Princess and was penned by Di Wonder.
Toodle
J.
It's been tough
It is almost one of those "What just happened?" moments. A whole fortnight of my life just vanished.
I'll post separately about my present condition but here I'll just say, I have had eruptions both on the side of my upper nose, where my spectacles eyepieces rest, and on the outer edge of the eye between there and my ear. Neither particularly like having pressure on them. I can read (and function) for about half hour or so before it all gets too much and then I have to stop.
I'm cycling through four different pairs of glasses to try and find something both comfortable and suitable and the answer is none of them most of the time. I can do a certain amount of plot planning but without being to take notes is difficult. I'm hoping that much of this will be resolved by the end of next week.
I know I'm holding everybody up and I must apologize. Thank you everyone.
Penny
I had my struggles with eyeglasses
In Summer the nose pads would rub me raw from my skin being moist. I finally went the LASIK route.