HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: mittle@watson.ibm.com (Josh Mittleman)
Subject: Event announcements (was ANNOUNCING: Feast...)
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1992 18:27:55 GMT
Disclaimer: This posting represents the poster's views, not necessarily those of IBM
Organization: IBM T.J. Watson Research Center

Good gentles, 

We have a tacit agreement that the Rialto is not the place to post event
announcements, unless they are likely to be of interest to the entire
community (either because they are likely to draw attendees from all over
the SCA, or because they of interest as examples of unusual events).  Most
events are only of local interest, and it is a waste of resources to send
them to hundreds of thousands of computers all over the world.

This and other suggestions for the productive use of the Rialto can be
found in Master Robyyan's FAQ list.  I encourage each of you to read that
document in full, especially our newer correspondants.  Master Robyyan can
be contacted at drs@uncvx1.bitnet.

===========================================================================
Arval Benicoeur                                       mittle@watson.ibm.com
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
From: vader@emil.csd.uu.se ("]ke Eldberg")
Subject: mundane interaction
Organization: The Internet
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1992 08:47:12 GMT

Greetings from William de Corbie.

Mundane Interactions

This is a TRUE story. It happened two years ago at the Visby medieval week. 

That year, a bunch of kids (around 18 years or so) from Stockholm were
present. They were not part of the SCA or any organization, as far as we
were able to find out, but they wore T-tunics and swords. Apparently they
were out to have "fun" in their own way. They roamed the streets, drinking
beer, being noisy and generally obnoxious. They asked to be invited to
the SCA banquet but the autocrat said no because there was simply no room
for them. Their response was, hand on hilt, "We will come anyway, and see
if you can stop us..."

One evening, some SCA fighters (in garb but unarmed since we only
wear steel at official festival activities) came walking along a street,
passing a small square where the above-mentioned gang was standing.
A couple of these jokers had their swords out and were waving them
around in a careless manner. When the SCA guys passed them, one of the
"swordsmen" aimed a mock blow against one of the fighters.

< SPLASH! >

Five seconds later, the guilty person found himself sitting in a nearby
fountain, wet,  swordless, wondering how he got there. The SCA fighters
walked on without saying a word.

(Needless to say, no gate-crashing was attempted.)

William

From: Charly.the.Bastard@f1014.n147.z1.fidonet.org (Charly the Bastard)
Sender: Uucp@blkcat.UUCP
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Wheellocks
Date: Tue, 07 Apr 1992 22:26:00 -0500

re: wheellock guns
 
Yeah, fouling is a major problem, a cleaning pick, always made of brass/bronze,
was used to clean the touch hole after every shot.  A quick poke and everything
is good to go.  As to the ball bearings, that's definatly modern.  I've never
seen a wheeler with anything other than straight sleeve bearing surfaces,
usually just the hole in the lockplate and the axle of the wheel.  The sear was
the weak point of the mechanism, fractures and shearing were common.  (Use a
rollpin, nobody will say a word.)
If you plan to actually fire it, tie it to a tree first and set it off with a
cord tied to the trigger, just to make sure.  I'd appreciate the address of the
company you got the kit from, thanks.
 
Charly

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
From: mittle@watson.ibm.com (Josh Mittleman)
Subject: Re: Mundane Name Loophole
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1992 16:43:46 GMT
Disclaimer: This posting represents the poster's views, not necessarily those of IBM
Organization: IBM T.J. Watson Research Center

Greetings from Arval!  Landon of Wulfkeep wrote:

> When I first got involved with the SCA I had very little interest in
> history at all, much less knowing a period of  history I wanted to
> 'specialize' in.  I used part of my mundane name with 'of'
> something-or-other I know (now) that it's not period for a tenth-century
> Norse-Irishman, but after seventeen years it's too much trouble to
> change. 

My lord, this posting is not aimed at you and your name, but rather at an
interesting dichotomy that you may be able to help me to understand.
Consider the paragraph that I've quoted from your message, and replace
"name" with "garb" or "armor".  I think that most of us expect people to
improve their outward appearance over their SCA-lifetime, and to look more
medieval.  Why is one's name different?  I realize that names are closely
tied to identity, and that it is a bother to change one's SCA name (though
less than most people would believe).  On the other hand, a name is far
more public & noticable than most of the things we use in the SCA.  It is
true that most people have no interest in researching medieval names, but
the same is true for any art: Most people have no interest in research
medieval garb or medieval cooking or any particular subject.  Yet, we all
feel that we should make an effort to make all of our SCA gear look
medieval, do we not?

===========================================================================
Arval Benicoeur                                       mittle@watson.ibm.com
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
From: 0003900943@mcimail.COM (Marla Lecin)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Personas; camp ovens
Date: 14 Apr 92 14:19:00 GMT
Organization: The Internet

Greetings unto the Rialto, from Marla Lecin (since I have to talk *about*
Jessa d'Avondale) 

[What's a persona?] 

On the most basic level, I consider an SCA persona to be your name,
nationality, and the time period you are from. 

Thus, I consider most Westerners to have adopted some sort of persona,
even the "simple country knights".  After all, in real life, they aren't
simple country knights, are they? 

Jessa d'Avondale started out being someone in England with a French-
derived name (which I thought could be fairly easily explained.) Then I
decided that I liked Italian Ren clothes much more, and so I now consider
Jessa to be from 15th century Italy. Eventually, I would like to figure
out what *part* of Italy, but I haven't gotten around to doing the reading
yet. 

No, I can't tell you Jessa's father's name, and where he came from, and
what countries she travelled through in order to justify all the things
she does; but I still consider Jessa to be my SCA persona, sketchy though
it is.  I cringe when I hear people rambling on about their families, and
how much their dowries were when they married, and why they had to run off
in their youth.....(and mostly, I think, "why are they telling all these
intimate details to complete strangers?) 

Once, when I went to a dance, a young man tried to make conversation.
"So," he asked, "what's your persona?"  (I felt like I was at a disco, and
had to refrain from answering, "Pisces" :-) "I'm from Venice," I said, and
tried to move on to other topics. 

I tell newcomers not to worry overmuch about a persona. Borrow some
clothes, or make some simple garb, read some books, and figure out what
countries and time periods interest them most.   I didn't pick an SCA name
till after a year or two, and everyone learned my "new" name easily
enough. I didn't decide on Renaissance Italy until I'd had a chance to
increase my sewing skills and look at some nifty costuming books. 


Marla 

P.S.  The camp ovens that used to be at the Sated Tyger Inn (Hansel and
Gretel, I believe), were owned by Duke Aonghais, but are now owned by Sir
Wulfstan Thorhallsen and Lady Octavia Rosa di Bari, of the East.  I have
been told that their frames are mainly chicken wire, and in order to use
them, you plaster them with mud, then fire them from within to dry them;
then you plaster any cracks with mud and fire them again, &c until they
are ready to use. 
From: Stephen.Whitis@f4229.n124.z1.fidonet.org (Stephen Whitis)
Sender: FredGate@ocitor.fidonet
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Magick
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 05:14:06

Gerald Del Campo said...

>It seems that much magick is mixed in with the Midieval period.  Has
>anyone ever adopted the persona of a magician in the SCA?
>
>The Queens of England have had personal astrologers, magicians,
>diviners, etc.., and it is for this reason that I inquire.

I have been juggling since long before I joined the SCA, and have
from time-to-time played with magic (as in slight of hand, etc.)
When you say magick here, do you mean as a performance?  I can help
a little with this if you are interested.  (And if others would
like it, I would love a thread on this!)

Stephen Whitis/Stephen of the Grove
Steppes/Ansteorra  FIDO 1:124/4229
___
 X MegaMail 2.10 #0:I was the kid next door's imaginary friend.

 * Origin: Herald's Point * Steppes/Ansteorra * 214-699-0057 (1:124/4229)
From: cozzlab@garnet.berkeley.edu ()
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: SF Big 3 and SCA (was: Asimov)
Date: 13 Apr 1992 18:30:17 GMT
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
NNTP-Posting-Host: garnet.berkeley.edu

>Other (present and former) SCA members/SF writers include:
>
Rick Cook (_The Wizard ..._)	Sir Richard Ironstede of Atenveldt
Jerry Pournelle (who was the	Jerome Robert of McKenna
	originator of the (I'll see your five and raise you twenty"
	story)


Dorothea of Caer-Myrddin                               Dorothy J. Heydt
Mists/Mists/West                                              Albany CA
Disclaimer: This is the Cozzarelli Lab's account, not mine--but I don't
think anybody else ever reads it.
From: MPFOSTER@mtus5.cts.mtu.EDU (Wulfgar Silberbar)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: polearms vs. shields
Date: 8 Apr 92 16:03:14 GMT
Organization: The Internet

There are advantages to both polearms AND shields in the real world that
are not accurately reproduced in SCA combat. I would like to see a feasible
method of making the weapons more authentic, but I doubt it could be done
safely.
Polearms can destroy shields. Yes, it's true. Our shields are indestructable.
But neither can a poleman get his pole STUCK in a shield (anyone who has
chopped logs knows that sometimes the blade gets trapped pretty well).
Polearms were also much slower weapons that sword and shield. Poles were
far from dominant over shields. Just look at the Spanish (?) short sword
and buckler troops against the Swedish pike and halberdiers. (I forget
the exact reference) The Spaniards used their bucklers to protect against
the pikes while they ran up close to their foes, who were virtually unarmored.
At close range, the lightly armored Spaniards has a huge advantage over
those who fought with pike, or drew their backup weapon but still had no
armor or shield. SCA combat could  be a lot more authentic than it is now.
It could also be a lot more dangerous.

Wulfgar Silberbaer
From: christer@sue.komunity.se (Christer Romson)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Transylvanian runic script?
Date: 14 Apr 92 16:13:08 GMT
Organization: The Internet
X-Unparsable-Date: Tue, 14 Apr 92 12: 24 MET DST

>But the early Hungarian runic script persisted until at
>least the middle of the 19th century in only one area of the world (that I am
>aware of!), 

At least during the 17:th century there ws a limited use of runes in some
backwards parts of scandinavia.

> they are related not to the
> northern runes, but to certain western Asiatic runes.  

But why do you call them runes, then? i supose they're not realted to the
Germanic runes that the norse devloped from. They must be very simmilar if
you (and other scholars) use that name for them. Did they devlop from the
grece alpahbet as seams to be the most widely beleived theory about the
origin for the germanic runes?

        Lindorm
From: james@wrs.com (James Moore)
Subject: Re: Unpronounceable names, Celtic names, heralds, and misc thoughts
Organization: Wind River Systems, Inc.
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 1992 05:54:27 GMT

CS341A035@husky1.stmarys.ca ("Loki, Lord of Mischief and Confusion a.k.a. Brynjolfr Myrkjartanarson, founder of the Compaignie Mercurie") writes:

>I think the truth with Celtic names is not that they are really that low on
>vowels and hard to pronounce, but that they're so *long*... Myrkjartanarson
>for example (my patronymic) is really a mouthful...

I don't really think that length is the problem most people have with
Irish or Welsh names, it's that the names are basically words in a
foreign language that most of the Society doesn't speak.  There's
nothing fundamentally difficult about them, but to pronounce them
correctly requires training, practice, and hearing them correctly
pronounced by other people.  Once you get a core group of people who
can pronounce them, I suspect that others would quickly pick up the
"right" way to say them.

Irish names are probably easier than Welsh names for most English
speakers, simply because Irish has very few sounds that English
doesn't.  And if the people trying to learn the name already speak
German or even French, the number of new sounds drops pretty close to
zero.  The pronunciation rules are different, but most SCA names are
used in conversation, not in reading, so I think this affects few
people other than heralds (who have to read names aloud as part of
their normal duties).  That's a good point - if you can teach the
heralds how to pronounce Welsh and Irish, you're probably in good
shape for converting the rest of the local populace.

Welsh is a little more difficult than Irish, because the Welsh like a
variety of consonants in their linguistic soup.  Some of them are a
real pain to most English speakers - the double L is the most
notorious (hint - speak quickly and just pronounce it like the 'th' in
'thistle' until you can find someone to teach you what it really
sounds like).

--
James Moore                                 | james@wrs.com
Wind River Systems                          | Alameda, California
      "Half of what he said meant something else, and the other half meant
				nothing at all"
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
From: kevin%athens.dnet@isi.COM (Keradwc an Cai)
Subject: Fire extinguishers
Organization: The Internet
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1992 13:45:04 GMT

> Moreach (where do you find a good 14thc fire extinguisher;-) NicMaolain

From An Tir, just walk west until your hat floats, turn it over and fill it.
Presto!

(From the East, walk _east_; from there the directions are the same.)

Keradwc
  kconnery@isi.com
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
From: kevin%athens.dnet@isi.COM (Keradwc an Cai)
Subject: Re: shield durability
Organization: The Internet
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 16:08:57 GMT

> I tried another swing, the standard SCA 90 degree arc type.  I
> used the same force that I'd use in SCA combat for a killing blow. 
> Result: another 12 by 4 hole next to the first one.

During a non-SCA demo some years ago, Duke Armand de Sevigny and one
of his squires had a choreographed live-steel demonstration: danish
war axe (used in two hands) vs. sword & shield. During their last
performance, the axehead, instead of skipping off as intended/expected
cut through the face of the .75" plywood shield, opening a ~1" x 8" 
hole in its face.

That was why it was the last performance; had that blow been a few inches
lower (as some other ones were), it would have hit the arm holding it;
and strapped in, it wouldn't have much give.


Keradwc
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 | Keradwc an Cai     |       Adfui, Feci        |  In the Mists of the West |
 |--------------------|--------------------------|---------------------------|
 | Kevin Connery      | Quality must be designed |   Speaking FROM, not FOR: |
 |                    | into software; it cannot |   Integrated Systems, Inc |
 | kconnery@isi.com   | be patched on afterwards |           Santa Clara, CA |
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: christie@au-ns.american.edu (Christie McCann)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Northern VA or Southern MD or DC
Date: 12 Apr 92 16:47:02 GMT
Article-I.D.: au-ns.1992Apr12.164702.464
Distribution: usa
Organization: The American Univeristy Computing Center


Good morrow!

I am currently in the Rochester, NY range...but I was curious
to nkow if there was a local chapter in the northern VA are.
That's where I live and want to continue in the society.

If anyone is in this chapter or knows of it please e'mail me
at clm6678@vaxb.isc.rit.edu

Thanks for the help!

Brighid
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
From: carl@silver.lcs.mit.edu (Carl J.M. Alexander)
Subject: Re: A New-To-The Rialto Inquiry to Rialtans
Organization: Organization??? 
Date: Sun, 12 Apr 1992 09:39:54 GMT

In article <1992Apr9.235838.4012@henson.cc.wwu.edu> n9040513@henson.cc.wwu.edu (aldridge andrea) writes:
>Just curious, and I know this probably comes up at least once a day, but.... 
>What's the origin of the nickname for this Group, "The Rialto"?
>                        
>                                         Elspeth Gunn of Strathmore

The Rialto is a bridge in Venice & has been referred to as the world's 
first stock market.  In the middle ages & for quite a while after, 
merchants & their backers would meet there to discuss the news 
(especially shipping news, rumors of war, etc.) & to buy & sell 
shares in their assorted ventures.  Our Rialto is a deal less 
commercially oriented, & our subjects of discussion perhaps a trifle 
less urgent....
 
See Shakespeare, _The Merchant of Venice_  "What news on the Rialto?" 
(I haven't read it in about ten years & don't have a copy at hand, 
but I believe it's act I, scene i, line 1.)  
 
Alexander of Kiev 
 
Carl Alexander
carl@silver.lcs.mit.edu
From: n9040513@henson.cc.wwu.edu (aldridge andrea)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Language Breeakdowns
Date: 16 Apr 92 17:13:33 GMT
Article-I.D.: henson.1992Apr16.171333.14256
Organization: Western Washington University

In article <9040269@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM> dlc@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Dennis Clark) writes:

>One of those languages was from Eire (Gaelic) the other Britain (Cymru).  Now
>there are still only these two branches and their sub-branches:
>Gaelic - Irish, Manx, Scots gaelic 
>Cymru  - Welsh, Cornish, (whatever those from Brittany spoke)
                           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
                                          \/
                                        Breton
--and still do, in limited pockets.

-- 
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
<>  Andrea Aldridge   IRC:  Folkie   E-Mail: n9040513@henson.cc.wwu.edu   <>
<>  WWU--452 Edens Hall North/Bellingham, WA 98225 USA     206-734-0270   <>
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Usenet/Fidonet
Date: Thu, 09 Apr 1992 08:32:20

 "M> >Almost certainly the fault of whatever software translates between
 "M> >FidoNet and Usenet - FidoNet BBS editors work within the 80 character
 "M> limit of most PC screens.

 "M> No. It's Fido's good old-fashioned BBS editing... 

 No, it's the fault of whatever software translates between Fido and Usenet.
 Writers of translation software ought to be aware of the requirements of
 both systems, and code accordingly. You imply that the "Usenet way" is the
 *right* way, and the "Fido way" the *wrong* way, and that therefore it's
 all our fault. I'd love to know the logic behind that conclusion.

 "M> So, the easiest way to deal with the problem is for you to 
 "M> end your paragraphs at the end of each line.

 Well, that may be "the easiest way to deal with the problem" from *your*
 perspective, but it certainly isn't from mine. The vast majority of BBS
 users (my wife, for example) wouldn't know a <CR><LF> if their lives
 depended on it; one needs to give them precise directions, such as "hit
 <Enter> at the end of each line". Since most PC text editors word-wrap
 automagically (one of the reasons these machines represent an advance over
 typewriters, don't you know), this requires that they either (1) keep an
 eye on the approaching end of the line, and hope they can guess where to
 hit <Enter> before the text editor word-wraps, or more likely (2) go back
 and manually put a <CR><LF> at the end of each line thus created, which is
 so much of a pain in the butt with most BBS text editors that I don't think
 you're going to find anybody willing to go to the trouble.

 I, as sysop of my board, am able to go back and edit my messages and add
 the necessary codes. However, if all I have to answer are "We're right,
 you're wrong, do it our way" messages like this one, I'm not sure I'd be
 willing to take the trouble, either.

 * Origin: Herald's Point * Steppes/Ansteorra * 214-699-0057 (1:124/4229)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
From: "Michael Squires" <mikes@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu>
Subject: Re: Determinate Marshalling
Summary: variations 
Organization: Computer Science, Indiana University
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 92 16:15:26 -0500

In article <b6n102QX0fxg01@JUTS.ccc.amdahl.com> branwen@cerebus.ccc.amdahl.com (Karen Williams) writes:
>
>I authorized in the Midrealm, then moved immediately to the West, and I
>have since fought in a tourney in the Midrealm.  A major difference that
>I noticed is that in the Midrealm, after a bout the marshalls come up to
>the fighters and ask if they have any problems with the fight, but the 
>fighters don't talk to each other. In the West, after a bout the fighters
>will walk off the field together talking about the fight, asking about
>problems, or talking strategy. (I was at Bunstable's two years ago, which
>had over sixty fighters, and none of the fighters talked to each other
>after the fight.) In fact, when I went up to an opponent after a bout in
>the Midrealm to do post-fight chatting, both the fighter and the marshalls
>were surprised. 

I'll have to keep statistics [ :-) ] but in both Cleftlands and Rivenstar/
Sternfeld/Mynydd Seren in the Midrealm there's a lot of talking, unless
the tournament is of the type that makes it difficult.  At high pressure
tourneys there is definitely less talking, however.

I don't think that marshalling between the East and the Middle is really
all that different; if it had been I wouldn't have been invited to
marshall at one of the Aethelmarc coronet tourneys, and we would not 
have invited Calontir chivalry to marshall at one of our Crown tourneys
not long ago.  At a Pennsic a few years ago a member of the Eastern
chivlary came to me and discussed his problems with the way in which
the bridge battle had been marshalled; it amused me to tell him that
what he saw as problems with MidRealm marshalling had to be taken up
with HRM of Atlantia, who had been in charge on the bridge in question.
(Atlantia was allied with the East at that war.)

-- 

Mike Squires (mikes@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu)     812 855 3974 (w) 812 333 6564 (h)
mikes@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu          546 N Park Ridge Rd., Bloomington, IN 47408
From: Tim@f4229.n124.z1.fidonet.org (Tim)
Sender: FredGate@ocitor.fidonet
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: SCA Digest V5 #182
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1992 09:48:40

 Fra Tadhg Liath unto Gwalchmai and all others unto whom these presents
 shall have come giveth greeting:

 M> Perchance, until such
 M> time as the scribe that copies the messages between the two organizations
 M> of scribes (hmmm...a desire to destroy the reputation of the guild?  A
 M> thought.....) is either retrained, replaced, or simply beated into the
 M> proper manner of doing things, those that have such problems with their
 M> missives (in the view of others) could perhaps do such explicit instructing
 M> to their personal scribes?

We're dancing as fast as we can. Has there been any improvement, recently?


 * Origin: Herald's Point * Steppes/Ansteorra * 214-699-0057 (1:124/4229)