The database is more complete than ever now with the Magazine revealing the obscure TMP aliens. The total number of potential members is now 107. I would appreciate any comments on the list. So if you have any questions, remarks, or simple want to rant about something, do so.
Posted by Shik (Member # 343) on :
Looks good, Harry. I like your categorization scheme. Also found a couple I need to add to my own list.
This brings up (again) the question of "what constitutes being a Federation member?" My own list is at 382 entries & will probably expand to 500 or 600--a vast increase over that annoying "150 members" line. Why so many? I'm including colonies (Mars, Luna, Titan, Ganymede, etc.) as well as possible protectorates. Also, since I run my universe 11-12 years ahead of "current" TNG/DS9/VGR times, I'm thinking that membership ballooned after the Dominion War.
Plus I also set up the list primarily as a civilian ship registration prefix list. Sure, they might have an NDT or a BDR number, but I think of the planets as also being like the individual state or provinces that assign their own numerical code with a 1-, 2-, or 3-letter "planet of registry" prefix.
Anyway..back on topic...how did you decide who to leave out & who to leave in? There are a couple that seem odd to me, like Risa. I don't think that's so much a member as much as a protectorate or "simple place."
Posted by Harry (Member # 265) on :
I assume Risa is a member mainly because the planet has indigenous people, and because so many Starfleet and Federation species and people are frequenting the place. More evidence comes from the New Essentialists who targeted Risa for their ideas on *Federation* ideals. Then there is the environmental system, which I think was mentioned to be from Federation origin.
Posted by Shik (Member # 343) on :
To ME, anyway, being a member implies an indiginous population and worldwide governmental system among other things. I didn't see any of that as being on Risa (& a few other places)...but that's me.
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
My own wholly incomplete and likely inaccurate list contains planets, not species, and thus is directed towards somewhat different ends. I presume you're not interested in places like 'audet IX, which contained a Federation research station and thus was presumably a UFP world, but had no mention of any native population, or any life whatsoever.
Posted by The Mighty Monkey of Mim (Member # 646) on :
IIRC, according to publicity materials published by Gene Roddenberry's Lincoln Enterprises during the run of TAS, Edos was not supposed to be a UFP member, but rather in a loose alliance with the Federation.
Posted by Harry (Member # 265) on :
Really? Didn't know that. I'll change it . And I'm going to add Medusa, simply because the Magazine of October 2001 suggested it .
Posted by Harry (Member # 265) on :
LOL! I see Medusa is already in the list. Stupid me. Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
Shik: Well, there's some question whether Vanessa Williams was supposed to be a native Risan or not. And you just said you include colonies as members, but that members need to have an indigenous population. That's completely self-contradictory. By definition, a colony is non-indigenous.
Posted by The_Tom (Member # 38) on :
Why would there be any question if whether Vanessa Williams was a native Risian or not? She had the penny stuck to her forehead like everyone else identified as Risian, no?
Posted by Shik (Member # 343) on :
quote:Originally posted by TSN: ...you just said you include colonies as members, but that members need to have an indigenous population. That's completely self-contradictory. By definition, a colony is non-indigenous.
It's not a concrete rule, just an observation..but yeah, it does bring up (yet again) the question of "what is a colony?" Mars was declared effectively free in 2103; is it a standalone member or does it pool with Earth? What about Luna? They kind of have "indigenous populations" now, if defined loosely.
I've been trying for some time to come up with a worthwhile scheme, but the only thing I can come back to is that all the colonies & planets join as a star system with a "joint ambassadorial structure," but that doesn't work in multispecies systems like Rigel. Oh well.
Posted by Harry (Member # 265) on :
And that's exactly why I've chosen for listing species instead of planets.
Posted by The_Tom (Member # 38) on :
quote:Mars was declared effectively free in 2103
Um, yes. Right.
Posted by OnToMars (Member # 621) on :
Free Mars!!!!!!
Oh wait...first we have to get there. Shit.
On to Mars!!!!!!!!!
Posted by Masao (Member # 232) on :
To make an annoying tangent: Why does the UK have multiple national football teams trying to qualify for the World Cup but only a single Olympic team and UN seat? Are there any other countries that do this? Should California have a separate soccer team? It might be something similar to Federation Membership and Council seats...somehow.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
"Why does the UK have multiple national football teams trying to qualify for the World Cup?"
Because otherwise the Scottish would bitch about it.
Posted by OnToMars (Member # 621) on :
What about the Welsh?
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
They could, but I don't think anyone would even hear them.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
I'm questioning whether Vanessa Williams or any of the others were Risans. By "Risans" I mean "the indigenous people of Risa". For all we know, Risa could be a colony of some other world. Or maybe they're all just employees of the Risan Prostitution Authority, and aren't necessarily even all the same species.
Posted by Timo (Member # 245) on :
For one thing, they seem happy with the current climate of the place, even though that is an artificial thing created by Federation supertech. Would a native species of these qualifications even have survived in the pre-tamed Risa?
It makes one wonder, though. If Risa's good qualities are artificial, then why did it become a holiday resort in the first place? Why did somebody decide "Hey, let's build a paradise in this hellhole!"?
It could be that real estate there was cheap. Or that the location was favorably in between Federation core worlds. Or that the technology was tested there, on an uninhabited world, but not taken to completion; yet an entrepreneur saw that this would be a good place to pour in some extra money and turn the former test site into a resort.
Or is it just that Risa became a resort on its own, due to naturally paradiselike torpical regions, but at some point the managers decided to artificially turn the other regions into tropical ones as well?
Timo Saloniemi
Posted by Masao (Member # 232) on :
If I were going to create a paradise planet, I'd want one near all the major spacelanes. I'd want a planet with few other industries or natural resources (minerals, etc) so as not to distract from the resort industry or pollute the environment. The planet should have a stable environment year round, with little change in seasons (by having no tilt of its axis), meaning no rainy season or cold spells. It should also have very little radiation, and if possible, little north-to-south climate variation. Of course, such conditions don't sound very natural and might prevent life, much less intelligent life, from developing on such a planet. Therefore, you might have to terraform and stock a barren rock in a good location. Importing everything might also cut down on parasites and predators that might annoy the guests.
Posted by Harry (Member # 265) on :
But then why do all Risans have these pennies stuck to their head and why do they all believe in this weird (but convenient) religious love-making?
Posted by Shik (Member # 343) on :
You've never lived in the 1970s, Harry.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
"...why do they all believe in this weird (but convenient) religious love-making?"
Erm... Because, if they didn't, they never would have applied for the job...?
. And I'm going to add Medusa, simply because the Magazine of October 2001 suggested it 
.
