Philip the Bard's Harappan Blog: Max Gavaskar's love life.

Welcome great readers. Thanks for being here.

This week we’re looking into the life of Max Gavaskar. Most people know how she became known as the Mother of the Galaxy, a name she hates, but not many people know the private Max.

I met her just after she escaped her exile on planet Lava. While on Lava she met my friend Dorian Thain and together they made their way on to an SID starship, hiding in the pantry, and got to planet Kusha.

When they got here the first place they went to was my house. I am proud to say that Max lived under my roof for several weeks while we were trying to depose the people who had staged a coup while Dorian was away at a peace conference on planet Earth. 

While that was being done Max was sent to the far side of planet Kusha where she had her insight and made her big discovery. Every school child knows the story of Max falling into the whirlpool at Insight Point, which was then called The Toilet Bowl.

What people don’t know about that time in Max’s life or at least most people don’t consider how young she was at the time. She was still such a young woman with a young person’s views and problems. 

She was a very attractive young woman and many young men tried to get her attention. As smart as she is, social interactions were always difficult for her. It wasn’t so much shyness but more a protective shell she’d created during her exile.

Fortunately she found the perfect partner in Dallas Thain, Dorian’s son. Dallas is a quiet and sweet man. When he and Max went on their exploration of the farside of Kusha they were both so wrapped up in the mission that they didn’t realize the forming connection until it was too late. The fell in love before they knew it.

When Max became famous Dallas was her foundation. He ran the home life and kept the hearth warm for Max’s return. He stayed completely in the background and I’d venture to guess that many if not most people don’t even know Dallas’ name. I think people know that Max is married and has a family but probably don’t know the names of her husband or kids.

Tomorrow: Max’s family.

Never mix red wine and Oodo.

Philip Normer

Kushan Year 88

Earth Year 2480

Philip the Bard's Harappan Blog: Meet Max Gavaskar

Welcome fine readers. Thanks for being here.

It’s all about Max Gavaskar isn’t it? I mean she rose to become the most influential person, regardless of species, in the Milky Way. Certainly as a species the Fordians of the Lors have been more engaged over the long haul but even they have not had the impact that our little Max has.

Much has been written about her insights, her exile on planet Lava and her call for peace. On the other hand she has always been a private person. She never sought out the attention. She just did a few things that caused everyone to look at her.

From her first date, where she fell into the pool, making her dress nearly invisible, to her call to peace in Estonia, she has drawn attention to her self without actually seeking attention.

I think that is some of her appeal. To my way of thinking the best leader is someone who has to be drug kicking and screaming to the stage. My friend Dorian Thain is also such a leader. He and Max share several qualities. Both are self effacing, modest and more interested in life and the experience of it than they are in influencing others and how they experience it. I have never observed either one enjoying the act of being a leader. I think both of them would have preferred to life in anonymity.

I’d say both are proud of their accomplishments. Both feel that they have done their part to improve the lives of people everywhere.

So . . . this week we’ll take a look into Max’s life. What made her tick behind the scenes. What was she doing when she wasn’t on diplomatic missions and saving the galaxy from itself?

Never mix red wine and Oodo.

Philip Normer

Kushan Year 88

Earth Year 2480

Bubba the Science Fan's Friday Blog: Why are some people afraid of peace?

Welcome excellent readers. Thanks for being here.

Doom and gloom seems to be on the mind of many people. Israel, Palestine, The Ukraine, Iraq and more trouble spots occupy our thoughts. Indeed there are atrocities happening in these places. In some of these trouble spots there seems to be no end in sight.

How can I reasonably argue that were are in peaceful times? I must be crazy . . . right? Nope, I’m not. At least not regarding this.

Think about advertising. When I was growing up in the 50’s almost every comic book had a Charles Atlas ad where the skinny weakling guy has sand kicked in his face by the big bully. He takes the body building course then comes back to beat up the bully. Are there any ads around now that suggest violence is a solution to any problem? In the 60’s it was common to see men spanking their wives for not having dinner ready or for allowing a waxy yellow build up on the kitchen floor.

Crime is down, war is becoming rarer all the time. The US is the only modern nation that still regularly engages in preemptive war. And, we’ve shown some decent reticence in recent years. 

Bullying is being challenged in schools everywhere. We are no longer tolerating violence like we used to.

So then, why do so many people argue that things are so bad? I have a new theory. 

I believe some of the problem is that some religious groups have a vested interest in promoting the need for salvation. If the secular world is getting more peaceful as we move further and further away from our ancient religious traditions, doesn’t that make these old religions look bad? I don’t blame religion for all our wars but it has certainly played a big part in dividing people and setting them against each other.

There are political groups that wish us to all be fearful of our neighbors. If we aren’t afraid then we might be less likely to support huge investments in national defense. How can you justify America’s massive military spending when the facts indicate we are living in one of the most peaceful times in human history?

Lastly many earnest activists seem afraid to accept the fact that we are becoming more peaceful. I believe this is because they fear that people will become complacent if they believe we are indeed becoming more peaceful. It is hard enough to get people to pay attention when they are afraid.

I contend that if we let the truth be told that humans are becoming more peaceful, less violent that humanity will see the light at the end of a very long, very dark tunnel.

Believe in peace. Work for it. We can have it if we try.

Never mix red wine with Oodo, but cider is fine.

Earth Year 2014

Philip the Bard's Harappan Blog: The Knights of Tarsus

Welcome dreamy readers. Thanks for being here.

The Knights of Tarsus were one of the main villains in the Earth Revolution and they wanted to be the same for the Galactic War. Fortunately their aggressive leader, Mary Carmini, was out of the picture before the Galactic War got going in earnest.

They are now seen as the spiritual leaders of the Milky Way, in part because of our friend Max Gavaskar and the attention she gave them in her plea to stop the war. But, also through the guidance of Paavo Tarvus, who is credited with being the driving force behind the conversion of the Tarsans from the militant theistic group to the open and peaceful organization now known around the galaxy as the keepers of spirit. Their missionaries, once targets of derision and anger are now welcome in every planetary government as advisors.

They are well known across our portion of the galaxy for their tolerance, their commitment to peace and their compassion when people are in need. The Tarsans have set up a disaster relief agency. Any time, anywhere in the galaxy that suffers from a natural disaster, the Knights of Tarsus are the first to arrive with help.

People of many species seek the spiritual guidance from the Tarsan priests.

It is not true that they have abandoned their god and messiah as some claim. However, they tend to keep their discussion about that part of their belief system to themselves when administering to people from other worlds and belief systems.

The core of their beliefs that they show to the outside is a firm commitment to peace, treating everything with respect and harming no one or no thing unless it is to prevent even more harm.

Never mix red wine and Oodo.

Philip Normer

Kushan Year 88

Earth Year 2480

Philip the Bard's Harappan Blog: The Rise of the Knights of Tarsus

Welcome cherished readers. Thanks for being here.

This week we’ve been discussing some ancient Earth history. Today the Knights of Tarsus.

They formed as an underground in response to the rise of the Greenies. The Greens made illegal all the ancient religions forcing them to hide their devotions. Some people still argue that severing ties with the tribal beliefs is a good thing. This despite the redemption of the Tarsans in Estonia.

When the Greenies fell at the beginning of the Earth Revolution the Knights of Tarsus seized the opportunity to place themselves in a position of power in the Americas and eventually Europe. 

Here is where I have to bring up a sore subject for many Harappans . . . Mary Carmini. Harappans of a certain age cringe when they hear that name. She was part of the diplomatic mission that my friend Dorian Thain went on when we first met the Earthers. 

Dorian was abducted by a group called the Friends and that helped him get a voice to say that we Harappans thought the Green Bible was a fake, that it did not sound at all like the philosophy of the Founder, Marcus Johnson.

Mary Carmini was then abducted by the Tarsans. She took that opportunity to place herself in a position of power within their body. Hindsight shows us that it is quite possible she was the driving force behind their violent acts. We don’t know much about their leadership before Mrs. Carmini, but she soon became the face of the organization.

Her demise seemed to take the steam out of their expansionist movement. That was also when First Contact was happening and many historians argue that contact with alien species was the primary factor in the Tarsans mellowing.

Tomorrow: The Evolution of the Tarsans

Never mix red wine and Oodo.

Philip Normer

Kushan Year 88

Earth Year 2480

Philip the Bard's Harappan Blog: The Fall of the Greenies

Welcome bright readers. Thanks for being here.

This week we’re going over some ancient Earth history for our readers who aren’t familiar with the human homeworld.

The period from Earth Year 2190 to 2391was called the Pax Veridis (not to be confused with the drug of the same name). Shortly after Marcus Johnson left for planet Harappa a text called the Green Bible was attributed to him on Earth. We now know the book was a fraud created by a think tank to control the masses. A new religion formed around this text and very soon the Greenies took over. They filled the vacuum left by the fall of world governments around the globe.

They established the Leadership Council which ruled for the Greenies. The Scribes Guild was formed to be the face and voice of the LC and soon the actual leaders disappeared from public view. Eventually the Criers Guild was absorbed into the fold and they became the controlling unit. The Criers were in every town and city letting the people know only what the LC wanted them to know.

Then shortly after humans from Earth made contact with Harappa a delegation of Harappans was sent to Earth on a diplomatic mission to reunite the human worlds. Well, that didn’t go so well did it? My friend Dorian Thain spoke up about the Green Bible having nothing in it that sounded like Marcus Johnson. That was the spark that ignited the Earth Revolution.

Soon, groups that had been long suppressed seized this moment to assault the LC and their fall was swift and complete.

The Science and Industry Division which was created by the Greenies to maintain food and other production as well as scientific research survived the Revolution in part because they provided so many tangible benefits but also because they distanced themselves from the LC as soon as things started falling for the Greenies.

Tomorrow: The Rise of the Knights of Tarsus

Never mix red wine and Oodo.

Philip Normer

Kushan Year 88

Earth Year 2480

Philip the Bard's Harappan Blog: How humans rose to prominence in the Milky Way

Welcome awesome readers. Thanks for being here.

I hope all you readers had a great weekend. While I was playing with my band the Gutterminds at the festival this weekend it occurred to me that some of my readers may not be human and you may not know the story of how humanity came to prominence in the galaxy. I’m sure you all know who Max Gavaskar is and her story but you might not know what led to her story.

Humans first left our star system almost four hundred years ago in Earth year 2094, when Marcus Johnson led two thousand followers (including Dean and Lori Normer, my ancestors) to planet Harappa. We’d been there two hundred years when the Earthship Marcus Johnson showed up with word that humanity had developed faster than light technology.

In a fight for resources (the mineral illumaphane which is essential for FTL) planet Harappa was knocked off it’s already wobbly orbit and sent spiraling toward it’s sun. It should complete that journey within a few months. Scientist are there watching the final moments of the planet’s death spiral.

My friend Dorian Thain negotiated with the SID, the political power of the Earthers after the fall of the Greenies (more on that tomorrow). He arranged for Harappans to take possession of Kusha while giving Harappa to the SID for mining and planet Lava to them as well. Lava is a world tipped on it’s side and only livable on a narrow belt around it’s equator. Kusha on the other hand is the garden spot of the Milky Way.

Shortly after we settled Kusha we were contacted by an alien race called the Fordians. They claimed that Kusha was an ecological preserve of theirs. They meant to move us off the world but, again my friend Dorian along with the help of Max Gavaskar herself negotiated with them allowing us to keep possession of this wonderful world. At the same time Max Gavaskar solved the problem with the FTL that allowed all advanced species to travel freely around the galaxy and we all know how THAT turned out.

Tomorrow: The fall of the Greenies and the rise of the Knights of Tarsus.

Never mix red wine and Oodo.

Philip Normer

Kushan Year 88

Earth Year 2480