I'm not normally a betting man. I enjoy what little money I get from NewsLine, and I don't like to blow it. I take that back. I like to blow it, but I want to blow it on something that will be fun. Gambling isn't fun, because I usually lose.
Last night I played sabacc at the Weary Traveler. Normally I'll go to sabacc night with the guys. We'll usually go to Waris' house and sometimes we'll go all night. But I don't go to sabacc dens or other public gambling institutions, because I know they're a scam. But last night I decided to take up what I assumed was a friendly game of low-stakes sabacc.
I walked out five hours later with a swoop and a hundred credits. Don't ask me how. Luck was just on my side.
Granted, the bike is a bit rough. It needs to be fixed up and painted, but it works (the guy I won it from had ridden in on it. So now I've got something fun to do on the weekends. I really want to take it through some of the canyons in the Jundland Wastes, but I also like living, and I'm in no rush to end up a greasy stain on the canyon wall. I'll ask around at work to see if anyone knows of good places to ride. I'm sure the salt flats outside of town are fine, but there's always a better place. I want to take Grandpa Jair for a ride when he gets here, but I don't know if he'd be up for it.
So I found out more info on those pirates and the liners that got hijacked. The Tarnished Blades have claimed responsibility, though I kind of doubt they pulled it off. They are the remnants of the Silent Blades, that Outer Rim pirate group that was hunted down by the Empire a few years ago. I could see the Tarnished Blades jumping some freighters, but not passenger liners, and certainly not with interdictor cruisers. I highly doubt they would have the ability, from a purely financial standpoint, to get their hands on something so complex and with such large man-power needs.
Part of me thinks it's Black Sun, or at least Black Sun "subcontractors," but the other part of me wonders why they would make such a bold move. And following that line of thinking, is that move part of an actual campaign, or is it a feint to draw attention away from something else?
Well, I'm going to take my new bike for a spin. Catch you suckers later.
-JJK
20091030
20091025
Dirty Ol' Egg-Suckin' Vornskr
I won't explain the title of this entry, save for the fact that I heard this song over the network this weekend.
So I talked to Grandpa Jair, and he'll be out here in a week. I'm excited. He'd been out here a couple of times in his younger days, so I'm interested to see how much Tatooine has changed. Probably not much.
Last week was pretty busy. Some pirates ambushed a few cruise ships along the space lines between Denon and Naboo. Apparently the cruise line powers that be had decided to not follow established hyperspace lanes and forge their own path. Not very smart.
For those who may not know, Denon is smack-dab in the middle of an intersection of two well-used trade routes: The Corellian Run and the Hydian Way. Most liners, because of pirates and other unsavory space types, will travel either the Corellian Run from Denon to Kelvaan (or close to it, anyways) and then cut over to Naboo. If they take the Hydian Way, they'll travel that as far as Malastare, and the take a short jump to Naboo from there. You could also go straight to Naboo from Denon, between the two lanes, but because that area is less traveled, there is a greater risk of being stopped by criminals.
This particular line, which I'll not mention as a professional courtesy, had chosen to disregard that, and paid the price. I flew out to Naboo and Denon last week to cover the story (I'm sure you saw the NewsLine report). The interesting thing was that the pirates somehow managed to get an interdictor cruiser, which I didn't think was possible, what with the Empire cracking down on military-grade equipment in the hands of non-military people. From what I understand, the Pirates successfully raided and looted three cruisers (not all at the same time), and disappeared. I'm still working on it, but I'm willing to bet the raiders had some inside information that tipped them off to the fact that the cruisers would be coming. They probably completed their looting, regrouped on their ships, and then took a short jump just past sensor range of the cruisers before heading back to whatever base they used to unload their booty. Arrrrr. Anyway, the trip was a nice distraction from the boredom that sets in here in Anchorhead.
Went to the Weary Traveler with some friends Saturday night. Everyone had just gotten paid, so the place was pretty busy. Well, as busy as an Anchorhead cantina can be. Vynn was really trying to pick up our Twi'lek female server, and I admired her tenacity in shooting him down. I think he finally got a picture when she had a serving 'droid take her place. I left her a nice tip for her efforts. We all had a shot of Cassandran brandy together when my news bit came on the Holovid. It was fun. Dhagon's birthday is in two weeks, so I can't imagine the piss-up we'll have then. Look out, Anchorhead.
Sooooo...not much else going on here. The only reason I got to go on my work trip is because Naboo is close to Tatooine, and we're on the Corellian Run. But it was nice to get away, nice to have something to do besides moisture farm reports and police reports.
So I talked to Grandpa Jair, and he'll be out here in a week. I'm excited. He'd been out here a couple of times in his younger days, so I'm interested to see how much Tatooine has changed. Probably not much.
Last week was pretty busy. Some pirates ambushed a few cruise ships along the space lines between Denon and Naboo. Apparently the cruise line powers that be had decided to not follow established hyperspace lanes and forge their own path. Not very smart.
For those who may not know, Denon is smack-dab in the middle of an intersection of two well-used trade routes: The Corellian Run and the Hydian Way. Most liners, because of pirates and other unsavory space types, will travel either the Corellian Run from Denon to Kelvaan (or close to it, anyways) and then cut over to Naboo. If they take the Hydian Way, they'll travel that as far as Malastare, and the take a short jump to Naboo from there. You could also go straight to Naboo from Denon, between the two lanes, but because that area is less traveled, there is a greater risk of being stopped by criminals.
This particular line, which I'll not mention as a professional courtesy, had chosen to disregard that, and paid the price. I flew out to Naboo and Denon last week to cover the story (I'm sure you saw the NewsLine report). The interesting thing was that the pirates somehow managed to get an interdictor cruiser, which I didn't think was possible, what with the Empire cracking down on military-grade equipment in the hands of non-military people. From what I understand, the Pirates successfully raided and looted three cruisers (not all at the same time), and disappeared. I'm still working on it, but I'm willing to bet the raiders had some inside information that tipped them off to the fact that the cruisers would be coming. They probably completed their looting, regrouped on their ships, and then took a short jump just past sensor range of the cruisers before heading back to whatever base they used to unload their booty. Arrrrr. Anyway, the trip was a nice distraction from the boredom that sets in here in Anchorhead.
Went to the Weary Traveler with some friends Saturday night. Everyone had just gotten paid, so the place was pretty busy. Well, as busy as an Anchorhead cantina can be. Vynn was really trying to pick up our Twi'lek female server, and I admired her tenacity in shooting him down. I think he finally got a picture when she had a serving 'droid take her place. I left her a nice tip for her efforts. We all had a shot of Cassandran brandy together when my news bit came on the Holovid. It was fun. Dhagon's birthday is in two weeks, so I can't imagine the piss-up we'll have then. Look out, Anchorhead.
Sooooo...not much else going on here. The only reason I got to go on my work trip is because Naboo is close to Tatooine, and we're on the Corellian Run. But it was nice to get away, nice to have something to do besides moisture farm reports and police reports.
20091019
The Heritage
I spoke with my folks last night. They were telling me that my grandfather is planning to come out and visit me, which is fantastic! Grandpa Jair is nothing short of amazing, and he and I have always gotten along splendidly. He's 73, so I'm hoping he'll be able to handle the travel well enough, but he's a tough old man, so I'm not worried. I'll call him tonight, probably, and chat with him a bit.
Jair Lovely Kayle (yes, his middle name is "Lovely," and mark my words, there's never been a tougher or more manly man to bear that name) is my namesake and my father's father. He, like his father, and his father's father, and his father's father's father, was born and raised on Commenor. He spent his early life in Chasin City, attended the University for astronautical engineering, and spent his entire career as a designer for Corellian Engineering Corp. He worked mainly on guidance systems, and he worked on many well-known designs, including the Action series of transports, the CR-70 and CR-90 Corvettes, and the YT series of light freighters. I'll have to ask him about it, but I think he was, for a while, part of Nerfworks, the think-tank design team that created the droid ships. He met my grandma and they were married for 44 years before she died. By that time Grandpa had retired from CEC, returned to Commenor and built a big home on a few acres of land outside of Kliffen. They had five boys (the Force bless my grandma...she was a Corellian, so she, if anyone, could handle it), and they'd built the massive home to accommodate all five sons and their families. It was a little tight, but it was great fun.
Anyway, Grandpa and Grandma Kayle traveled all over the galaxy while she was alive, just adventuring and exploring and learning, so he's always got stories to tell. Even if I've heard them a dozen times before, I still like hearing them again. He's such a good storyteller, that every time I hear a story is like the first time all over again. So yeah, I'm excited to see him.
Enough of that, though. Tonight the weekend starts, and some of us are going over to Leewo's for sabacc night. I think it's my turn to provide alcohol, so I'll be running to the store later. This weekend I think we're going to try to get a pickup bolo-ball game going in town. There are a bunch of Rodians who have expressed interest in starting a "just for fun" league, and I think it'd be a great idea. It's been a while since I've done more than juggle the ball with my feet, so it'll be nice to dust the bolo-ball boots off and actually play a game.
Later, spacers.
JJK
Jair Lovely Kayle (yes, his middle name is "Lovely," and mark my words, there's never been a tougher or more manly man to bear that name) is my namesake and my father's father. He, like his father, and his father's father, and his father's father's father, was born and raised on Commenor. He spent his early life in Chasin City, attended the University for astronautical engineering, and spent his entire career as a designer for Corellian Engineering Corp. He worked mainly on guidance systems, and he worked on many well-known designs, including the Action series of transports, the CR-70 and CR-90 Corvettes, and the YT series of light freighters. I'll have to ask him about it, but I think he was, for a while, part of Nerfworks, the think-tank design team that created the droid ships. He met my grandma and they were married for 44 years before she died. By that time Grandpa had retired from CEC, returned to Commenor and built a big home on a few acres of land outside of Kliffen. They had five boys (the Force bless my grandma...she was a Corellian, so she, if anyone, could handle it), and they'd built the massive home to accommodate all five sons and their families. It was a little tight, but it was great fun.
Anyway, Grandpa and Grandma Kayle traveled all over the galaxy while she was alive, just adventuring and exploring and learning, so he's always got stories to tell. Even if I've heard them a dozen times before, I still like hearing them again. He's such a good storyteller, that every time I hear a story is like the first time all over again. So yeah, I'm excited to see him.
Enough of that, though. Tonight the weekend starts, and some of us are going over to Leewo's for sabacc night. I think it's my turn to provide alcohol, so I'll be running to the store later. This weekend I think we're going to try to get a pickup bolo-ball game going in town. There are a bunch of Rodians who have expressed interest in starting a "just for fun" league, and I think it'd be a great idea. It's been a while since I've done more than juggle the ball with my feet, so it'll be nice to dust the bolo-ball boots off and actually play a game.
Later, spacers.
JJK
20091018
Sides
Hey, everyone. Go drink a nice, refreshing glass of water, and then thank your local moisture farmer.
Someone asked me the age-old question that journalists have been asked since the profession began: how can you remain unbiased, given all the events that happen around you?
The simple answer is that you can't.
Note: that line read that you can't. But your writing can. Every journalist has personal biases. Those biases make up who you are, and how you'll react to certain issues and events. They guide your writing and your feelings, both of which combine to make the end result. I can write about the same subject two different times, and let's say I saw a holodoc(umentary) on the subject, the second draft could be radically different from the first. You're always learning new things, and one must always write with this in mind. A journalist that isn't flexible is no journalist at all, or so says my first editor (and mentor). Now, that doesn't mean you shouldn't have some absolute truths that you adhere to...we all need a set of standards and guidelines. But don't be so rigid in your thinking that you lose your ability to objectively look at any given situation.
It's easier out here, where the long arm of the Empire doesn't always feel like reaching (watch, now I'll get ronto poo smeared all over my landspeeder for saying this). But I mean it's not as necessary to have a very strong opinion out here. Yes, it's important, and there are a lot of important issues out here, but it's not nearly as intense as it can be closer to Coruscant and the Core Worlds. Commenor is pretty peaceful, but even there we had our share of...difficulties.
On the other side of the coin, there's a really good motivation to stay neutral in everything: The Hutts. If you side with them once, then you're done. I've met several good journalists who lost their credibility because, under threat of death, they have been forced/threatened or otherwise coerced into representing Jabba's opinion instead of straight news. So far I haven't run afoul of anyone, but I'm sure that can't hold out forever. Then maybe I'll join the local police force as a desk clerk or something...
JJK
Someone asked me the age-old question that journalists have been asked since the profession began: how can you remain unbiased, given all the events that happen around you?
The simple answer is that you can't.
Note: that line read that you can't. But your writing can. Every journalist has personal biases. Those biases make up who you are, and how you'll react to certain issues and events. They guide your writing and your feelings, both of which combine to make the end result. I can write about the same subject two different times, and let's say I saw a holodoc(umentary) on the subject, the second draft could be radically different from the first. You're always learning new things, and one must always write with this in mind. A journalist that isn't flexible is no journalist at all, or so says my first editor (and mentor). Now, that doesn't mean you shouldn't have some absolute truths that you adhere to...we all need a set of standards and guidelines. But don't be so rigid in your thinking that you lose your ability to objectively look at any given situation.
It's easier out here, where the long arm of the Empire doesn't always feel like reaching (watch, now I'll get ronto poo smeared all over my landspeeder for saying this). But I mean it's not as necessary to have a very strong opinion out here. Yes, it's important, and there are a lot of important issues out here, but it's not nearly as intense as it can be closer to Coruscant and the Core Worlds. Commenor is pretty peaceful, but even there we had our share of...difficulties.
On the other side of the coin, there's a really good motivation to stay neutral in everything: The Hutts. If you side with them once, then you're done. I've met several good journalists who lost their credibility because, under threat of death, they have been forced/threatened or otherwise coerced into representing Jabba's opinion instead of straight news. So far I haven't run afoul of anyone, but I'm sure that can't hold out forever. Then maybe I'll join the local police force as a desk clerk or something...
JJK
20091016
Welcome...leave your shoes at the door
You may not know who I am, and it just struck me that you may not care. My name is Joruth Jair Kayle. I'm Commenorian by birth, but somehow, through some gross misfortune, I ended up on this lifeless rock on the ass-end of the Galaxy. The Outer Rim. Tatooine.
Blech.
This is a log and record of my life, and you have no idea how inadequate I now feel having said that. But I guess this is a way for me to describe how it feels to be me during these turbulent times.
So let's begin at the beginning. Like I said, I was born on Commenor, where my family has lived for centuries. I grew up in Anteluma, known for it's athletic events, and I became a fan of limmie (or bolo-ball) at an early age (I still try to catch matches on the holo whenever I can). During school I played for our team, and I guess we were okay. My dad worked in sales for the Corellian Engineering Corp, and my mother was a sentient-rights activist, so I grew up around all kind of alien races. Sometimes my dad would take me on business trips with him, and I got to see some of the aliens in their own worlds, which was pretty cool. My first girlfriend was a magenta-skinned Zeltron named Naala.
Whaaaaaaaaat! Yeah.
A Zeltron as your first romantic relationship. Great Xendar's minions, was I out of my league. We had some good times together, but then I went to college and her family moved, I don't know, somewhere else. I'm not really sure where.
Anyway, I went to the University of Commenor and got a degree in journalism with a specialty in non-human relations. I was thinking, you know, get a job for the government or something, which was a stupid idea anyway, because they're all Imperial xenophobes, or maybe work for the HoloNet news or Coruscant News Network or something.
I did end up working for CNN, but when I refused (for the third time) to slant a story of mine to play a more anti-alien angle, I was sacked. I mean, you know how it starts. First it's "Hey, we're all in this together," except that for some folks you're actually not, and they wouldn't have it that way anyway. Then it's, "Well let's put a slightly pro-human take, because humans are a virtual majority in the galaxy," and then it's a straight-up "anti-alien" bent. And I've spent my entire life around non-humans, and they're great. At the end of the day we're all the same.
So anyway, there I was, freshly unemployed. I had little money, no place to live, and no ticket home. So I found a freighter crew that would take me with them in exchange for my services as a crew member. After spending six months loading and unloading ships, I ended up on Tatooine.
I live in Anchorhead, which is decidedly nicer (read: cleaner and safer, but more boring) than Mos Eisley. I'm just working for Sektor 242 NewsLine, mostly doing moisture farm reports and other Tatooine news. Sometimes I'll cover podraces and swoop races, and sometimes I get to travel off-planet, which is awesome. But for the most part I just hang out here and work. I've got a little house, and as long as the gizkas stay out and the local watering hole stays well-stocked, I'm okay for now.
Anyway, that's my life in a nutshell.
So what's up today? Not a lot.
SoroSuub Corporation is coming out with a new moisture vaporator, and since they haven't really broken into that market they're spending a lot of money on marketing and advertising to the moisture farmers out here, which is the bulk of Tatooine's economy. I've been working with some of the local SoroSuub reps on a story that I'm doing for an upcoming beamcast. They've got a tough sell, if I do say so myself. Most of the farmers here use the older-but-proven GX-8 vaporators, and they don't necessarily take kindly to change. SoroSuub will have to walk the walk if they're going to make headway here.
In other news, Wayfar had a small resurgence of Bledsoe's Disease, which caused quite the panic, from what I hear. Fortunately the local medical facility was able to quarantine the sick before the disease spread any further, and I hear things are settling down again.
I know this is really boring. Hopefully I'll have more to write later on. Some of the other reporters are going out for a drink tonight, so I might tag along if I don't have a ton of other work to do.
Keep it real, friends. I sure am.
JJK
Blech.
This is a log and record of my life, and you have no idea how inadequate I now feel having said that. But I guess this is a way for me to describe how it feels to be me during these turbulent times.
So let's begin at the beginning. Like I said, I was born on Commenor, where my family has lived for centuries. I grew up in Anteluma, known for it's athletic events, and I became a fan of limmie (or bolo-ball) at an early age (I still try to catch matches on the holo whenever I can). During school I played for our team, and I guess we were okay. My dad worked in sales for the Corellian Engineering Corp, and my mother was a sentient-rights activist, so I grew up around all kind of alien races. Sometimes my dad would take me on business trips with him, and I got to see some of the aliens in their own worlds, which was pretty cool. My first girlfriend was a magenta-skinned Zeltron named Naala.
Whaaaaaaaaat! Yeah.
A Zeltron as your first romantic relationship. Great Xendar's minions, was I out of my league. We had some good times together, but then I went to college and her family moved, I don't know, somewhere else. I'm not really sure where.
Anyway, I went to the University of Commenor and got a degree in journalism with a specialty in non-human relations. I was thinking, you know, get a job for the government or something, which was a stupid idea anyway, because they're all Imperial xenophobes, or maybe work for the HoloNet news or Coruscant News Network or something.
I did end up working for CNN, but when I refused (for the third time) to slant a story of mine to play a more anti-alien angle, I was sacked. I mean, you know how it starts. First it's "Hey, we're all in this together," except that for some folks you're actually not, and they wouldn't have it that way anyway. Then it's, "Well let's put a slightly pro-human take, because humans are a virtual majority in the galaxy," and then it's a straight-up "anti-alien" bent. And I've spent my entire life around non-humans, and they're great. At the end of the day we're all the same.
So anyway, there I was, freshly unemployed. I had little money, no place to live, and no ticket home. So I found a freighter crew that would take me with them in exchange for my services as a crew member. After spending six months loading and unloading ships, I ended up on Tatooine.
I live in Anchorhead, which is decidedly nicer (read: cleaner and safer, but more boring) than Mos Eisley. I'm just working for Sektor 242 NewsLine, mostly doing moisture farm reports and other Tatooine news. Sometimes I'll cover podraces and swoop races, and sometimes I get to travel off-planet, which is awesome. But for the most part I just hang out here and work. I've got a little house, and as long as the gizkas stay out and the local watering hole stays well-stocked, I'm okay for now.
Anyway, that's my life in a nutshell.
So what's up today? Not a lot.
SoroSuub Corporation is coming out with a new moisture vaporator, and since they haven't really broken into that market they're spending a lot of money on marketing and advertising to the moisture farmers out here, which is the bulk of Tatooine's economy. I've been working with some of the local SoroSuub reps on a story that I'm doing for an upcoming beamcast. They've got a tough sell, if I do say so myself. Most of the farmers here use the older-but-proven GX-8 vaporators, and they don't necessarily take kindly to change. SoroSuub will have to walk the walk if they're going to make headway here.
In other news, Wayfar had a small resurgence of Bledsoe's Disease, which caused quite the panic, from what I hear. Fortunately the local medical facility was able to quarantine the sick before the disease spread any further, and I hear things are settling down again.
I know this is really boring. Hopefully I'll have more to write later on. Some of the other reporters are going out for a drink tonight, so I might tag along if I don't have a ton of other work to do.
Keep it real, friends. I sure am.
JJK
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