Page 316
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(Jon sez:)

Your Writer: Jon Kilgannon Last update, Mark put forth the idea of a huge stabilized platform that insulates Venusian computers against earthquakes. You may ask why this is necessary, since Venus is pretty much tectonically inactive.

Au contraire! With the addition of gigatons of water to the surface of Venus to create oceans, the planet will experience earthquakes. The water will depress the planet's crust where it overlays the new seabed, and the continents won't experience this pressure. The great mass of the water will bend the rocks under the sea, and this will lead to earthquakes until things normalize.

Of course, it would be much better (if more expensive) to insulate the building itself against earthquakes so the structure doesn't fall on your earthquake-proof computers. But I probably shouldn't put the two concepts "sensible architecture" and "government" in the same sentence.

Mark, you owe me a soda for coming up with this rationalization. :)

(Mark sez:)

Your Artist: Mark Sachs The internal file name for the "Jon sez" column today is "jon316". Yes, I'm easily amused.

Oh right, fan art! Sahsha of longtime MoS fave Nekko and Joruba sent in a neatly colored version of page 309. Um, I'm guessing this is some kinda hint? :)