Island Building -

"The Land, Separated from the Sea"

digitally manipulated fractal flame by Mick Mather

WATERWORLD, N20º49'.E140º12' - Volcanic activity in the North Western Oceanic Quadrant has been explosively dramatic since the Alignment of the 12 this year. Another close encounter with Tanak - the closest in over 100 years - will afford visitors the unique opportunity to see that planet, at dusk and at dawn, as though it were sitting upon the surface of the ocean. In preparation for the month-long duration of this phenomenon the Ministry of Science & Future Technology is already building a floating city for tourism and settlement initiatives. Views similar to what you see here will be common during the 120 days of alignment with peak tour booking and lodging expected during the prime Tanak encounter. Contact your Tourism Agent today!

Hunter of the Golden Flame -

"Volpes Auria Flamma"
fractal flame & digital painting by Mick Mather

LAST WORLD, The Solstice Hunt - The magnificent "Golden Fox", found only on Last World, will soon begin one of the most curious and amazing feats of the animal kingdom. Each year the Solstice Flare of a near plasma cluster, particularly brilliant at this time, sets in motion a pack-merge by these beautiful animals. As can be seen in this artists' rendition of one of the rare observances of such a merge, the concentric activity of the pack clustering is quite like a dance. Aside from being an interactive hunt the merge also serves the important function of inter-pack mating that assists in keeping the breed strong and pure. The Ministry of Tourism in partnership with The Federated Wildlife Service severely limits access to those areas of Last World where this activity is prevalent. For a vacation in a Federated Parks Service setting that you won't soon forget, don't delay in contacting your local office of tourism.

Time and Space -

"Poster: Time Tunnel Week"

digital drawing by Mick Mather

DERBY, The Time & Space Continuum, Ltd. - The investors in TSC, Ltd. have announced the Grand Opening of Timegate Adventures. In a few short months the public will be invited to schedule week-long vacations that will not only take you anywhere in time, but will also have you back home before your tea has finished brewing! Ideal for that section of the labor force employed in high stress occupations and for research project teams whose work shouldn't be interrupted, this new business is expected to create thousands of jobs. From destination booking sales, time guides and relocation specialists to philologists, anthropologists and survival specialists. A planned series of time study projects is being undertaken by TSC, Ltd. in partnership with the Ministry Of Tourism for the purpose of identifying the most popular time sites and for development of affordable family package tours. Toward that end, Time Tunnel Week has been instituted to test the market as well as a means to solicit the time travel pioneers who will pave the way for this exciting new field in the leisure services industry.

Redhead Tern Festival in 101st Year -

"Migration"

digital collage by Mary Stebbins Taitt

NWY, Lake of Shadows - Migration on the sylvan shores of the Lake of Shadows, just outside the City of Syracusica, is in full swing. Flocks of the rare Redhead Tern (named for a similar bird common to Terra) rest on the lake before their seasonal move south. The terns of New World York are much larger than those found on Terra and are capable of catching and eating some of our largest fish. The 101st Annual Redhead Tern Festival, opening soon at The Park of Shadows, enters the final planning stage by the Syracusica Department of Community Development in collaboration with The Ministry of Tourism. Competition anglers, game cuisine lovers and throngs of grass roots festival goers are looking forward to another opportunity to partake of New World Carp and the giant New World Pike. Skewered on imported mesquite stakes these traditional fish are cooked over a rocketcar flame, a new technique that produces perfectly cooked fish in 15 seconds! Our keystone festival attraction, the Tern-Feeding Contest, is an extreme sport only for our bravest, most dexterous young men enrolled in the Rite-of-Passage Program. More than a recommendation as in previous years, all spectators not watching from the observation cages must wear special gloves as fingers can quickly disappear. There will be live music, a display of tern art, tern poetry, a tern-feather-boa beauty contest and a tern look-alike contest. Contact your tourism agent today and take advantage of Early Bird Booking Rates.

Ancient Monument discovered -

"Pyramid Valley, Oopsville"
digital painting by Mick Mather

DERBY, Oopsville, Ministry of Ancient Antiquities - A millennial storm recently made all known maps of the Great Northern Dessert of Derby void with a month long shifting of the sands by gale force winds. Even as cartographers were scrambling to retrieve satellite data, early remapping photographs showed a pyramid structure near Oopsville. The historic tourist attraction known as the Sand Hills of Oopsville suffered major shifting and initial assessments were grim for the future outlook of the area. The largest dune, having been completely removed by the storm, gave up its secret and both the Federated Park Service and the Ministry of Ancient Antiquities have upgraded their disaster reports to reflect the fortuitous news. In the photograph shown here, the scale of the monument is difficult to ascertain since it is dwarfed by the newly created dunes that surround it. The Park Service has already graded a service road to the area so that geologists and engineers can undertake the stabilization processes required that will allow study to begin as quickly as possible. Interested in seeing the new pyramid? Do you have a name for the new pyramid? The Ministry of Tourism is undertaking a public information campaign built around the important needs of preservation, scientific study and cultural heritage that will include day trips and specialty tours very soon. Contact your agent today!

The R2 Factory -

"Power Core Upgrade at the R2 Factory"
digital collage by Mick Mather

OOPSVILLE, DERBY, Ministry of Science & Future Technology - A recent advance by teams of engineers and AI developers at Netsky is expected to improve the intelligence capacity of machines to previously unimagined levels. The new power core hardware is assembled from millions of clusters of nanotech appliances capable of progressive, intuitive and creative thinking. Apparently, the AI code writers plugged a desktop model into the wrong power outlet where a surge resulted in the creation of magnetic fields that quickly became intertwined with - and took control of - the linear thinking loops. Soon, the model was creatively thinking and learning on it's own as evidenced by work output that was clearly defining, refining and recreating the field to achieve faster and better results as well as making innovations on the programmed linear task loops. The power core installations for factory line R2 units will begin soon and the Ministry of Tourism has already partnered with Netsky and their Public Relations department to promote factory tours. Contact your local agent for details!

Star Cradle Transit -

"In Transit"
digital collage by Mick Mather

original layer image by Emmi Pulkki

DERBY, Ministry of Tourism - A partnership with The Outer Dust Rings Science Foundation posts dozens of school age youth to the annual "Transit Camp" held each year during The Alignment of the 12 Festival. The illustration shown here was provided by the Digital Image Club whose beautifully prepared souvenir booklet sports this image of the planet Tracks as it majestically transits the Star Cradle. This hot spot of gas, dust, plasma and ionized particles that birthed our planetary system billions of trillions of years ago is, according to the Ministry of Science & Future Technology, soon to produce a new gas giant. Soon, in astronomical terms, may not mean within our lifetime but this photograph clearly shows the magnetic field signature of the expected new planet. Students and their families are encouraged to apply now for the limited slots in this year's Transit Camp when Waterworld is expected to cross in front of the Star Cradle while exhibiting whorls and streamers of water vapor, magnetic storms and other physical anomalies that have been under investigation for a thousand years.

(Further information, star maps, system maps, jump gate locations, historic documents, arts & culture, myth & legend, etc. is requested - please scroll to the bottom of this page for details and contact info)

ODR Council for the Arts: Festival Poster Design Competition Winner Preview -

"Festival Poster #1"

digital collage by Mick Mather

DERBY, ODR Arts Council Competition Headquarters - The anticipated poster for this year's "Alignment of the 12 Festival" has been chosen. The design artist and winner of this years competition is Michael Warren, an immigrant from Terra and current resident of Commondale on Derby. This authorized preview contains no information on the Festival itinerary but the Ministry of Tourism, in concert with the Festival Committee, assures us that the official release will contain all pertinent information.

(Further information, star maps, system maps, jump gate locations, historic documents, arts & culture, myth & legend, etc. is requested - please scroll to the bottom of this page for details and contact info)

Ministry of Tourism -

"Derby Sunset"
digitally manipulated photograph by Mick Mather

DERBY, Where the Sun Burns Down the Sky Every Night - The Ministry of Tourism will release a new series of post cards to kick off the "Sunset Season" as part of the "Your Paradise" campaign. Beginning next month, a commemorative postage stamp will be issued by the Outer Dust Rings Federated Postal Service and unveiled at a First Day of Issue Ceremony in the village of Commondale during the Alignment of the 12 Festival. All items - the postage stamp, post card and a Maximum Card First Day Cover - will be available during, and for 30 days after, the event. Planning a trip to Derby? Now is the perfect time. Welcome Home to Your Paradise!

*(further information, star maps, system maps, jump gate locations, etc. is requested - please leave additions in the comment box)