TGS Full Comment Room

Add to the Comment Room | Last week's Comment Room | TGS WebSite | Text-only Comment Room

**A forcefield surrounds DC before DPH enters the room. DPH enters the room and tells DC he is only alive because NCA will be taken out this coming week.**

Hey guys, I hope you do not mind if I leave DC trapped in a forcefield in the CR. He crashed my browser twice in a row.

1+1=3

I have a big suprise planned for the CR to increase the level of insanity and only the BFTS RPers know what it is.

**PARENTS**
Good figure this one out if you can. The idiot complains about someone else demanding his [the other person] demanding his way or the highway. I told the idiot that this sounds familiar. Unfortunately, the idiot could not figure out that I was alluding to the idiot's behavior. Once again, I have witnessed a great crime: hypocrisy.
**END PARENTS**

Gunjack Valentine & Green Baron - I firmly believe that most people do not take the time to truly grasp the hidding messages of the Bible, like the reference in Exodus to "and the two shall become one flesh" refers to equality of the sexes. The biggest gripe I have is the 'racist' Christians who did/do not understand the Great Commission of the Bible implies that racism is wrong. I guess that they had this statement: "Do unto others whom you like as you would have them do unto you.".

They are some questions that I would like to know the answers to: What was Rush Limbaugh's and Pat Robertson's stand on civil rights for all Americans when it was first proposed?

since this year is almost over with, has ANYONE heard of major or minor POWER BLACKOUTS due to Y2K? If not, there are only 8 more days for Y2K power blackout. Yes, Y2K has presented some problems. Apparantly, some tombstones were not Y2K complaint.

On that note, I leave DC trapped in a forcefield awaiting torture or release, depending on the mood of the CR.
DPH - [dph_of_rules@yahoo.com]
AR, USA
Saturday, December 23, 2000 07:32:31 PM
IP: max1-32.cwy.cei.net

I'm Baaaack!!!

I've returned from the dead to torment you guys once more! Okay, not really, but I've taken care of previous problems and have decided to make my triumphant return.

When I first entered here today for the first time in a long time, it was like nostalgia city. Good memories, bad memories *sniff* it's good to be back.

I've missed you guys, *sobs* I'm glad to be back after all these months.

It's been a while, and I'm noticing quite a few new folks here. Most of you don't know me, it's been a long time since I've posted. I hope I'll get to know you guys too.

I've returned as a regular poster again, I know I shouldn't be posting so close to when the comment room gets cleared, but I wanted to inform you guys that I'm back and here to stay.

=)
Bengali - [delphu@netscape.net]
Saturday, December 23, 2000 07:07:31 PM
IP: spider-tn051.proxy.aol.com

I never heard of 12th night Valantine
James_Birdsong - [LennexMacDuff@yahoo.com]
San Diego, CA, USA
Saturday, December 23, 2000 06:13:21 PM
IP: adsl-64-165-16-173.dsl.sndg02.pacbell.net

*The curtains of Lynati's fabric gate rustle slightly, and a hand reaches through to stick a post-it note onto Gunjack's forehead. It reads:*

Gunjack: Go back and carefully read the first line of that post again, the one between the astrixes.
(...Or just consider me reallly talented. ];) )
Lynati
Saturday, December 23, 2000 05:13:35 PM
IP: 207.226.219.35

Emambu - Hotmail has sent me ANOTHER lovely "your message has been delayed" letter. Someone upstairs hates one of us... ; P
Gunjack Valentine
Saturday, December 23, 2000 03:26:00 PM
IP: 216-146-184-193.bwn.net

*Valentine enters wearing a massive white beard, and carrying a platter of fudge, chocolate chip cookies, brownies, and gingerbread*

Let's hear it for mothers! My mom started the christmas baking last night, and we be awash in sweets... Dig in, and a Merry Christmas to everyone!

Things're going pretty well here the last few days. The Angst Index has been dropping steadily (my sister's out of town), and we're getting into the holiday groove. And right after Christmas, my friends start arriving... : ) ...It's gonna be a good few weeks.

On to replies...

Aaron><<Well, the world kinda ends at that point.>> Ah yes. I've heard of this movie, and it's propensity for hammering innocent viewers....

Lynati><<Well, I seem to find myself busy...>> How are you talking with just your hand? ; )

James><> Now would be a good time to reenact that scene from "12th Night"... "You say this house is dark?" ; )

Daphne><> So do I. It sounds like a heckuva story... O_O

Green Baron><> Let's put this in a Gargoyles context: You'd turn down, say, Fox? o_O ...Personally, I can't stand smoking (cigarette smoke is among the MANY things that screw me over), but tattoos are kinda cool. <<However, there are many times I hate what the Government has doen and I have a very long lsit of Governemnt officials and politicians I hate.>> Sing with me: "...And they'd none of them be missed/ Not a one of them'd be missed..."
<<...A coward's death which befits pork-barrel legilators.>> Excessive spending is a sign of cowardice? o_O ...I'd love to shoot a few legislators as proto-Chekists, but at least... *Cue music* ..."Let the punishment fit the crime!" <<and I would kiss the feet of his assasin, except that noble soul was killed right after he lanced that boil from the nation's rear.>> Easy there M'lord... Sure, "There is Beauty in the blast" and all, but I like my eyebrows in their current, unflashburned condition...
<<When Exodus was being written, yes.>> If a man's wife was considered his property, then how could the "...and the two shall become one flesh" deal work? How can they be "one flesh" and yet considered unequal in value? o_O
Heh. If you haven't seen any G&S, you're not gonna get about half that post... ; )

Warpmind><<*Spits out wad of fur.* Aw, skip it...>> I don't even wanna know... Oh, and about that nifty little Mistletoe room; You DID hire Cartel sprigs, right? o.O <<It'd be likely to be an *excellent* aid in persuading one's girlfriend into marriage, no? ]:)>> I 'spose you could look at it that way, but a ring usually works pretty well... <<And an A-10 gatling mounted on a... GIMMEGIMMEGIMMEGIMME! NOW!!! :)>> I be workin' on it, 'Mano! And you'll be among the first to know...
<<If all goes well, I will be the happiest, most exhausted visitor to ever leave the US... provided I ever make it to the airport afterwards... :)>> Heh. Well, it was about time for me to start the rackets... *hits a small button on his desk, and small booths pop out of the walls* ...Bets on Warpmind's chances for surviving the Gathering will now be accepted. Currently, We're offering 3-1 odds that he dies from exhaustion three days after he was *supposed* to return home...
<<probably so too in Terminator 2 (haven't seen it recently, unfortunately)...>> Ahnuld uses one to hose an entire fleet of cop cars in the Cyberdine parking lot. <<but I am fairly certain that was a Vulcan Cannon in The Matrix...>> The M134 Vulcan and the GE Minigun are the same weapon, near as I can tell. And the term "Cannon" denotes a weapon with a 20mm+ bore. From size of the gun and the shell casings, I'd say the Matrix weapon was either 5.56mm or 7.62mm.
<<And feel free to enjoy one of those over-four-dollars-apiece handrolled cigars. :)>> Don't mind if I do! I don't smoke, but I LOOOOOVE the smell of good smoke...
<<Of *course* I liked it. Though... a slight change of coloring might do good... I kinda like black, y'know. ]:)>> *Valentine does the Sephiroth Laugh* ...Heheheh... You DO know that the mesh hasn't been skinned, right? That's just the standard flatshaded rendering of the model. Trust me, the skin WILL be black (or at least phosphate grey...).

Gside><<So this will all be your fault.>> Nuts. You've got me jumping at shadows... <<What kind of miliLampsons are you running at?>> Good question. Probably around 200, but my brain has trouble focusing on the long-term objective when involved in verbal debate. Hence, I tie myself in knots. : P <> Since they appear to be weapons, I get to help... <<You're right, it's supposed to be X' structure, all those A's messed me up.>> It's not very nice to use Thought as a bludgeon...
<<Not Sabots? That is the root of sabotage, incidentally. Textile workers threw their wooden shoes into automated weaving machines.>> It's also the root of the "discarding-sabot" concept... <<Ayup.>> Definately see the Disney version. <<Whoever said I thought?>> A good question. Does "I think you think, so therefore I think you are" work? ; )
<> "Hey daddy, welcome home! How was your day on the beat? That bad, huh? Hey, check out these drawings I got from some cute gaijin!" o_O
<<Even though they are from Carmageddon II, they're just giant springs that shoot out and propell your opponent a far distance (or preferrably into a close wall for some nice damage)>> Hey, nice! And it doesn't conflict with the theme too much, either... : )
<<Depends on how much you decreased the crossectional area of the metal in paralel with the IC. If you severed a couple beams, probably a lot less.>> I *knew* we should have used 18.5mm shaped-charge bangsticks as our melee weapon... : P <<Nor have I, though I really want them to get working on a PC port.>> Why not just get it for Playstation?
<<True, but it does fit the definition of what was buried, right?>> I suppose... But I still think it was an infernal sword. It'd explain the presence of the Cleric and Recluse better, too... <<Perhaps, but years later, when he and another science teacher decided to find out how explosive something was that they had just found out was extremely dangerous, he was the one who ended up holding the pestle (or is it mortar).>> Ouch. Was he hurt bad? o_O
<<But polygons taste like Cool Ranch. And you like Doritos, don't you?>> Unfortunately, if I feed my computer more than 900 "cool ranch doritos" at a time, it'll puke all over my shirt. And, not being named Walky, I wanna aviod that. <<But you said you were in the groove.>> *blows a raspberry* : P
<<My favorite scene is the amazing reversing scorpion.>> Anytime.
<<But what was really freaky was that it apparently split open its crop, and a bund of seeds spilled out.>> Musta been going pretty fast... <<It would have been cool if only there wasn't that cliff.>> Unfortunately, there WAS that cliff. Did he at least break the record posthumously? <> They could really cut down on that kinda thing if they'd just invite Margeret over more... <<Reminds me of a ilne from PvP.>> Which one? <<Any engineer who know their stuff ought to be able to conquer the world, nay, the galaxy with those materials.>> I don't aim quite so high. I just nail a few baddies and steal their gear...
<> The appropriate responce would be "you're right. Let's live in peace and rational harmony." You were giving the REALISTIC responce. <<That's Lady Libby to you. The supernatural mech.>> A friend of yours? And how can a mech be supernatural? <<Well, he never did say target practice for what.>> True, but knowing Wilek...

Shadowrider - Welcome back, and glad to hear you're surviving! ^_^ ...Oh, and I finally got "Tito". Piro is no longer my favorite Andre song... O_O
And make sure you get enough sleep. Slummin' with Pestilence is no fun... : P

Tim><<I snuck a peak at one of my christmas gifts and it's a Marlin 22. Not exactly what I was looking for. We've already have a blt action .22 Marlin and a S&W .22 sport pistol. I was looking for something with a bit more power behind it.>> Dang man, I'll take it if you wanna ditch it... o_O ...Personally, I want one of those Kel-Tek folding 9mm carbines as my first longarm. And then I'll have to get a Mossberg persuader, and a bolt action .308 to make the Ugly Stick with.
And while I'm dreaming, I'd like a pony...

Emambu><<Send over pics of your boss too. Maybe I can toss out some suggestions. :)>> What kind of... Suggestions? ; ) <<*reads further and whistles, "ok boys, get them!" A dozen mafia thugs appear from behind the sprig and kodama, flamethrowers attached to their backs. "And no one messes with _my_ family."* :)>> Ah, another Cartel chieftan. *bows* ...What's your area of expertise?
<<Hey if wasn't for newbie editors like us then there wouldn't be anyone to set the minimum standard.>> True. I just hope "He set the minimum standard" doesn't end up on my tombstone or something... <<Actually, my editing skills are limited when it comes to FPS games.>> You done anything yet? I looked around the site a bit, but I diodn't spot anything...
<<That leaves with with what... sixteen, fifteen warriors roaming the ship.>> That's if the other soldiers didn't nail any on the way out... How many soldiers were on that ship, anyway? And besides, the mercs had Ripley and a synthetic to help 'em out... <> Cut loose, by all means. I could always use more Dylan... <<Yep, I'm 100% human. :)>> Same here, except for the Augments...
<<*reads further* Lol! Self-deception is what gets me through the day. Well, that and biting sarcasm. ;)>> I use Creativity and combat highs. Same result, slightly higher chance of a Beserker episode.
<<I'd do much more then castrate Sli Sludge if I missed Christmas due to illness. :)>> Note the "fold seven times" and power drill" parts... ^_^

Coyote - Sorry to hear about the crapstorm up there... : ( Here's to hoping things can turn around in time for Christmas!

Mod News - Still no word from the Boss. We'll send out search parties presently. Most of the Gunsuits are picked out, and the armored vehicles too. Started on the 120mm Recoiless Rifle design last night, it's coming along well.

See y'all in a day or two...

Peace, Love, Dope!
Gunjack Valentine - [miphsingleton@hotmail.com]
Saturday, December 23, 2000 02:18:36 PM
IP: 216-146-183-27.bwn.net

Here again, guys and dolls...I have not so much time, so I just do a couple of replies...

Niamhgold:> Great to see you again, my friend! *enthusiastic hugs* Well, as you guessed, both of us were quite busy...and, by the way, how is your college experience going? As for my service, well, it is indeed going well...I earned the esteem of my commanders, and I got some new good friends, while learning a lot of interesting things. Actually, as you may already know, I am seriously thinking to try the military career...and my commanders are encouraging me to do so. Well, in these five days I'll try to have a bit of relax, and some fun with Alessia and some other friends...and, naturally, I'll try to stay in contact with you and the other friends here in the CR. I thank you for the wishes, and naturally return it. See you soon!

Emambu:> Well, thank you for the congratulations...actually, I am working a lot in my service, but I had never seriously thought they were going to advance me. It is an honor indeed...but it will also carry with it some more responsabilities. Oh, well, I'll see to face them as well...
Oh, BTW: Check your email.

Winterwolf:> Thank to you too for the congratulations about my coming promotion...<work news> Well, my best wishes for your new job...seems that things have started in the good way, what makes me happy. I eventually hope you'll have a little more free time now...as you said, sleeping three hours a day for too long is not funny...although, sometimes it is necessary...
I got your email, I'll reply to you ASAP.

Jaden & Gside:> Thank you for the congratulations! :)

See you all later!
Shadowrider - [shadowrider@katamail.com]
Milan, Italy
Saturday, December 23, 2000 02:03:10 PM
IP: h213-18-16.mi2.albacom.net

Saw Family Man and Dracula 2000 yesterday. Both were pretty good, full reviews when I get back from going home. I'm packing for that now. :( Should be a good trip, I just hope we don't get Christmas music on the radio most of the way. I do like some of it (Doug always goes nuts singing along when Little Drummer Boy comes on, that's fun to watch. And you have not danced until you've danced to Carol of the Bells by Trans-Siberian Orchestra), but most gets tiresome. <sigh> Everyone have a very Merry Christmas, I will see you when we get back. <waves>
Kitainia
Saturday, December 23, 2000 01:36:54 PM
IP: pool-63.52.170.149.dlls.grid.net

I saw Miss Congenielity movie yesterday afternoon and all I could think was that William Shatner's character of Stan Fields is probably what an older version of Maxfield Stanton would look like *LOL*
James Birdsong
Saturday, December 23, 2000 10:04:35 AM
IP: adsl-63-207-129-49.dsl.sndg02.pacbell.net

*Lynati Enters, looking surprisingly awake and happy*

whee! From now on, I'm doing ALL my morning warm-ups listening to Lords of Acid!

*Takes on of Emambu's butter cookies, and one of Daphne's brownies to munch on.*
Daphne: A happy New millenium to you, too. :)

Coyote: *whimpers in sympathy and hands over two jars of "essence of hugs"* Not much of a help, but it's better than nothing. Please give the second to your mom.

Warpmind: Naw, only stale smoke and cigarrette smoke bothers me; I actually have a couple of empty cigar boxes, and I think they smell nummmy. (not a typo.)

*Glances whistfully at dimensional gate to the mistletoe hut*
Got to go present shopping; be back later.

*Lynati sweeps out through the fabric gate, singing "Iris"*
Lynati
Saturday, December 23, 2000 08:21:53 AM
IP: 207.226.219.51

In political news, Christie Whitman is the new head of the EPA, and it is now a cabinet post. Well, at least Jersey people have a lot of experience with environmental problems.

Sadly, today a bird killed itself on one of our windows today. But what was really freaky was that it apparently split open its crop, and a bund of seeds spilled out.

Shadowrider> Congratulations on the promotion.

Niamhgold> <<What's up with my favorite riddler?>>: Not much. The sky, the clouds, about half the electron spins. And how is a raven like a writting desk? And how did I become a riddler, and not just obtuse and obfuscatory?

Emambu> <<Great Mp3 selections too>>: Thank you.
<<There's a really good Spanish, Jewish piece (kind of old too... I think) called "Ocho Kandelikas.">>: I got it, but it's a tad late right now to play it. Perhaps tomorrow.

Welcome back Rodlox.

Gunjack> <<You mean the "let's steal a jet engine and break the land speed record" guy?>>: Yup. It would have been cool if only there wasn't that cliff.
<>: Thank you. Thank you very much.
<<The power of cheesecake>>: Aaarrrghh!! I, the demon Naughtius have reawaken at last!!! I shall destroy your world, using a ritual that involves performing severe rudeness upon a number of schoolgirls!!!
<<Women and guns, for instance>>: Reminds me of a ilne from PvP.
<<What if you're dumped into hostile territory with a keychain and a roll of dental floss?>>: Any engineer who know their stuff ought to be able to conquer the world, nay, the galaxy with those materials.
<<Why does everyone keep thinking it's "Muck moo"?>>: I would like to claim that I knew it wasn't, but was giving you the appropriate response.
<<Uh, who's Libby?>>: That's Lady Libby to you. The supernatural mech.
<<Only you would consider Catgirls Target Practice>>: Well, he never did say target practice for what. I could probably take the time to work with my net launcher or combination tranq/delayed catnip gun. Gotta make sure they're happy when they wake up.

Aaron> <<Carpenter's Big Trouble in Little China>>: he did that? Oh, and does anyone know just what character is formed when electroboy dies?

Warpmind> <<how much do you want for the scarf?>>: I'd think shipping charges wouldn't make it worth it. And besides, I think a silk scarf would have a better effect. Also, my scarf has Rutgers knitted into each end in black and white.

Daphne> <>: Boo yaka. Though I think we like to be called pedants.

CtB> Way your problmes end quickly and be replaced with joy.

Mary Flanders> <<if you set up an account at Streamload.com>>: I got mine. And at Myspace, and Storehouse. Those free anime sites (animeon, megastore...) have accounts all over the place.

Na zdorov'ya.
Gside - [gside@eden.rutgers.edu]
Fair Haven, NJ
Saturday, December 23, 2000 02:28:06 AM
IP: proxy3-external.etntwn1.nj.home.com

Being on call sucks.

Yes, I am still alive.

Coyote: I have been recieving your e-mail. I just can't reply. And no, don't blame DC. Blame me and Ameritech. I haven't sat down to figure out exchange and Ameritech never gave me my e-mail info.
Fire Storm - [Night-Flame@usa.net]
Saturday, December 23, 2000 01:21:01 AM
IP: 64.109.143.22

Gah. I just spent an hour catching up on replies, and was two comments down from the top o' the stack, when my brother came in to check his email. He did so. Then he checked out Screenit, and wrote an email. Then he handed the computer back to me, just in time for me to watch the nifty little crash that wiped my post. Someone, be a chum and redecorate with DC.

Emambu - Looks like Hotmail hasn't sent the message yet, so I'm gonna try again. Just toss the second copy once it gets there. : P

I'll try again some other day...
Gunjack Valentine - [miphsingleton@hotmail.com]
Saturday, December 23, 2000 12:52:04 AM
IP: 216-146-184-201.bwn.net

**Winterwolf closes his eyes and dreams of the CR as he plays in snow**

Hi everybody! Well I'm without a doubt a loopy lupine! I got off of work at 1:00 today and just checked how Fox was doing and wound up fixing a bunch of issues. I should really make sure I'm going to be paid for that before I do it. Oh well I still have a free internet connection courtesy of Fox! I won't tell if you won't. ^_^

Oh, and it was snowing over here! Unfortunately it isn't more than a pretty dusting so no sleeping packed in the snow for me tonight. ROFL

Shadowrider> It's great to have you back with us for Christmas! I was planning on writing but I had been swamped with work. Now I'm working at a new company called Grey Advertising. So far so good, but it is tough to go wrong when you have two Christmas parties in the first week that you are there! And that is just the tip of the iceberg! :) <Corporal> Congratulations Corporal to be! I salute you. It is an honor that you will soon achieve an increase in rank and title, an honor I know you fully deserve! ^_^ <3 hours sleep> I've done that. I wouldn't recommend it and wouldn't want anyone else having to deal with that. That's definitely commendable that you were able to handle the burden and responsibility!

Niamhgold> You bet'cha I got your email! ^_^ It makes me happy to read that you will have some time for rest and relaxation. Of course there will be tons of fun fun fun on the top of the list! :) <Bronx cookie> That is so sweet of you! It is such a pretty cookie it almost seems a crime to eat it, as if I'm eating a work of art! **munches the gingerbread cookie** Hey these are great! Muchas Gracias! :D <ragged> Well it isn't too bad but I'll take that hug **grins and hugs** ^_^

Emambu> Hey it sounds like you are getting more snow! I might have to make a stop to your neck of the woods now! <Red Wings fan> What never! That is for my cousin Prairie Wolf better know as Coyote in here. ;P <job stuff> Thanks for the well wishes. After a week it is still good and the next two weeks I get more holiday days off than I would have had at Fox! <choir> Sounds like a plan! <butter cookie> Uh oh! Are you conspiring with Niamhgold? **eats a butter cookie** Mmm good. I'll have a few more of both but now I have to stay up and romp around in the snow! ;D

Rodlox> Welcome back! Nice to see you in here again! So were you in grendal hibernation? ;)

Daphne> Brownies! **has one then another...** Thanks!

Coyote> Ack! **pats you on the back** Can you spend some time with relatives nearby? I can't see you living through those conditions for more than a day or two unless you are ready to transform to Arctic Coyote, Arctic Wolf or something similar...

I think it is high time to run around and play to burn off all of the holiday goodies I ate then go to sleep. Happy Holidays to everyone!

**Winterwolf opens his eyes and his projection fades from the CR**

Winterwolf
Bronx, NY
Saturday, December 23, 2000 12:51:10 AM
IP: 206.15.120.80

Aaron>if you set up an account at Streamload.com, I can send them to you. :) They're fansubbed! ^_^
Mary Flanders
Friday, December 22, 2000 10:23:32 PM
IP: adsl-63-195-144-108.dsl.scrm01.pacbell.net

**enters shivering**

Just checking in to let y'all know I *am* still alive, although I'm freezing my ever-lovin' arse off in the transplanted North Pole that the northern US has become. And what doesn't help my situation any? Hmm ... it could either be my furnace not working ... or maybe it's my water not working either.

And I'm not just talking hot water. The supply to my entire frickin' *house* first burst (knocking out the water pressure, but allowing us to still use it a little bit), then completely froze today.

Have you ever spent an entire week hand-filling your toilet? Not fun, let me tell you. :(

Basically, this is shaping up to be one of the most miserable Christmases in my recent memory. Sometimes I look back on this year and I start thinking myself and my mother have suddenly this year become the butt of some extremely sick cosmic practical joke. So if y'all don't mind, I'm just gonna sit over in the corner there and cry for a while, 'kay?

**sighs and exits**
Coyote the Bando
Algonac, Michigan
Friday, December 22, 2000 10:22:03 PM
IP: 216.28.101.149

I just got through updating my price for a new PC. Man, I can hardly believe the features I get at a lower price. Will someone look through the list (follow the link) to make sure none of the hardware has potential conflicts within itselves? I would appreciate it.
DPH - [dph_of_rules@yahoo.com]
Friday, December 22, 2000 09:43:50 PM
IP: max1-70.cwy.cei.net

Yawn. What a night. Just pulled an all nighter and I'm ready to head back to the barracks and crash on my bed.

Guandaulg la'Fay- Thanks for the info, looks like I missed the news about the fanfic archieve.

Emambu- I think you're right. I think that I'll avoid getting frozen at all costs. :P

Shadowrider- Nice to have you here. I hope you are having a good vacation. And congrats on your promotion.

Time to crash and burn.
Merry Christmas everyone!

Jaden - [jaden12@hotmail.com]
Friday, December 22, 2000 09:19:21 PM
IP: apnc201.216.216.211.in-addr.arpa

Todd- The purpose of the rumors wasn't to get you to the Gathering, the purpose of the rumors is what it always is. Gossip to try and explain something we don't know the full facts about. And as has already been pointed out, there's a good deal about you that we don't know. I've an odd feeling the rumors about you will continue to fly off an on until the Gathering. Of course, with your luck, someone who's not really into the fandom but has heard about the the con will go and his name will just happen to be Todd Jenson as well, thus confusing matters even more.

Or you could send a robot. Whatever works.

And if all else fails, and the rumors DO persist about your true nature after the Gathering, well... You can just tell us a bit about yourself, I guess...

And now back to TGS writing, I really wanna finish the story I'm working on by Christmas day... And I have a good chunk left to go...
Robby
Friday, December 22, 2000 08:56:25 PM
IP: spider-wb063.proxy.aol.com

Emambu>> <Yep, I'm a Penn Charter graduate. Why, what have you heard about us? :)> not a whole lot. My cousin went there. Me? I take a school bus out to suburbia.

DPH>> <- hey, I might want to pursue that theory of Santa Clause in the BFTS RP, with some interesting twists.> excellent! hmm... now I have to figure out the religion paralells in The REalm.

[brings out a tray of brownies] my mom made them, so trust me, they're both safe and delicious. [puts them out for all to partake]

I hope everyone enjoys whatever they are or are not celebrating. I'm going to specify and say Merry Christmas only because that's what I'm celebrating. Also, I want to mention that I hope everyone has a happy NEW MILLENIUM (I am a millenium purist).

happiness!
Daphne
Friday, December 22, 2000 08:26:12 PM
IP: dialup-63.214.208.77.philadelphia1.level3.net

Daphne - hey, I might want to pursue that theory of Santa Clause in the BFTS RP, with some interesting twists.

University of Arkansas lost to UNLV in the Las Vegas bowl. Serves them for going over there. Only problem is that the university went in the hole to go over there. There is even an argument that was not a real bowl game, considering the size of the crowd.

How many different 'bowl' games are there in college football? Are there so many 'bowl' games that the standard is too low for teams to qualify?

that's all for now.
DPH - [dph_of_rules@yahoo.com]
AR, USA
Friday, December 22, 2000 07:54:31 PM
IP: max1-14.cwy.cei.net

Of course, it's always possible that at the Gathering, some accident winds up befalling me there in such a way that reveals that what actually showed up was a human look-alike robot (maybe some big dog gets loose and eats away part of the face a la Bronx to the first Coyote robot) and not the real me after all :)

Actually, now that I AM going, the rumors won't be necessary any more; they've served their purpose. (At least, I assume that that's what their purpose was?)
Todd Jensen - [merlyn@ninenet.com]
St. Louis, MO
Friday, December 22, 2000 07:21:33 PM
IP: 216.87.46.95.dialup-stl.primary.net

*Warpmind enters, smiling.*
Well, gotta check in once more, I suppose. :) Oh, and THIS is WAY overdue. *Walks up to the Hentai Tentacle pit and puts up a sign pointing at James Birdsong. The sign reads "Happy Podophile".* There.

Gunjack Valentine: Of *course* I liked it. Though... a slight change of coloring might do good... I kinda like black, y'know. ]:)

Gside: Crimson, scarlet... same difference. So, how much do you want for the scarf? ];)

Emambu: *Grin* Yeah, well, part of me enjoyed writing every sentence, and the rest of me wanted to delete the whole thing... But, the leg bit was a necessity, for reasons I will not reveal at this date. And it was The Voice. Definitely. Hearing someone read something utterly hilarious in a machine-like emotionless voice is a killer in nine out of ten times. ]:) As for Grimtooth, he's a troll who's written the Grimtooth's Traps series. They're books containing traps for any and all roleplaying systems. Naturally, accompanied by rather... elaborate illustrations. And I've kinda got a sweet spot for that gawgeous little sister of his, Grimtina. ];) (Hey, how can one bear a Y chromosome and NOT like her?)

Aaron: I'm sure she's not the only one. *Grin* I'm VERY sure I can relate... ]:)

Lynati: Hee, hee, I've got time... But I *do* hope you don't mind my deep, sincere affection for cigars? :) (Wouldn't want anything as silly as *that* screw up, pardon the expression, the first meeting...)

*Heads into the parrallell-dimension mistletoe chamber, dragging Lynati with him.* We got some unfinished business, methinks. ]:)
Warpmind de InzanE - [warpmind@usa.net]
Middle, Nowhere, Norway
Friday, December 22, 2000 07:06:10 PM
IP: ti21a68-0009.dialup.online.no

*Lynati Enters*

Daphne: Oh yeah! no complaint there. I remember when it came out...>sigh<
It's the sublimeness of the original that makes the sequels that much more sickening by comparison.

Gside: Nope.

Warpmind: I keep telling you, it's not the reason you think that makes that scene so...interesting. the scene itself doesn't really get past a PG-13 rating.It's the later...
*Reads e-mail* I was wondering when you'd start wondering...I'll see what I can do; But It might take a while. Here at home I have no scanners, nothing. You may have to wait until I get back to school.
And don't worry, I just be warming you up for those twins. ];)

Since ya'll seem to like it so much ^_^ here's more "news":
CBS television is developing a "Texas Version" of "Survivor", the popular
TV show. Contestants must travel from El Paso through Abelene, Fort Worth,
Dallas, Houston, and back to Amarillo, through Lubbock before returning to
El Paso, driving a Volvo with a bumper sticker that reads: "I'm for Gore,
I'm Gay, and I'm Here to Take Your Guns."
The first contestant to complete the round trip alive is the winner.

*Smelling the take-out arrive, Lynati Exits as fast as her ankle is letting her.*
Lynati
Friday, December 22, 2000 06:55:21 PM
IP: 207.226.219.69

Runs back in, throwing confetti in the air, having the chibi-Horsemen fire off a 21-gun salute, and generally carrying on like New Year's came early.

It's a Christmas miracle! The Fic Archive is back up!

Warpmind> Yeah, I'm sure she would. (phases out for a second) As for the Nostradamus thing, I have no idea. Pistoff sent it to me, and I thought it was funny enough to pass along. If it *is* true, it's damned spooky.

Mary Flanders> Kewl. Hope I can get fansubs soon.

Emmambu> Well, you could be right about the Sixers taking the east, the only team I've seen that could really give 'em a run is... Cleveland of all places. Of course, I gotta hope the title stays west... but east of LA, ne? They Live> The ten minute fight is because John Carpenter wanted to have the longest fight scene ever filmed. So he thought he'd double the five-minute mark set in on of the John Wayne movies. And, while I don't think it's Hamlet, it's still fun viewing, especially on a back-to-back with Carpenter's Big Trouble in Little China.

Well, gotta go. Dives back into the fic archive.

Aaron - [JCarnage@Yahoo.com]
San Antonio, TX, USA
Friday, December 22, 2000 06:29:29 PM
IP: 64.154.229.202

Emambu>(has a cookie or three) thanks. Valentine> ?:-)
James Birdsong - [LennexMacDuff@yahoo.com]
San Diego, CA, USA
Friday, December 22, 2000 06:17:55 PM
IP: adsl-64-165-17-123.dsl.sndg02.pacbell.net

Tim - Uh, a *used* 10/22 for $200-300? I thought they sold for $150 brand new... At least, that's what Jeff picked his up for...
Gunjack Valentine
Friday, December 22, 2000 06:04:11 PM
IP: 216-146-183-34.bwn.net

*Valentine enters nursing a mug of coffee and carrying a stack of Jane's books*

Let's hear it for Jane's; providers of accurate military information since... well... some time after WWI. Where else can you find books such as the treasured "Tank recognition Guide" and "Fighting Ships"? Handy things to have when you're trying to create concept art for an entire army of armored vehicles...
The concepts are clicking. I've got about 20 weapons picked out, a good list of Gunsuits and tanks to work on, some rough level designs, and the inklings of a story. My boss STILL hasn't contacted me, so I'm loaded with free time. Life is good.

On to replies, and a little self-mockery.

Me><<I've been thinking about this for a while. Y'see, all the needed info is in the QC file... And I could probably find a detailed explanation of the QC file... And it'd be worth the trouble to be able to do all the weapons "in house", as it were...>> *Points to past self and howls in hysterical laughter* A few tutorials later, I can confidently say that this was one of my most niave statements EVER. Let us never speak of it again.

Lynati><<BREAKING NEWS: GOD OVERRULES SUPREME COURT VERDICT! Bush to be smitten later today.>> But shouldn't Gore reject the victory, as it represents a mixing of Church and State? ; ) <<Dick Cheney will receive leprosy.>> Maybe I can hire him to head my Leper Gunsmith production line... <<Is anyone else here aquainted with the Darwin Awards?>> Oooh yes! My personal favs are the land-speed record chap and the frog-gigging hillbillies...

Green Baron><<When Exodus was being wirtten, yes.>> If a man's wife was considered his property, then how can the "...and they shall become one flesh" statement be true? o_O <> How DO they treat women? *Thinks a bit* ...I can't see any sexism off the top of my head...

Gside><<Yup. My current favorite is the JATO.>> You mean the "let's steal a jet engine and break the land speed record" guy? <<But you're forgetting the lingere model, the voice from the heavens, the Japanese Schoolgirl, and the experimental AI.>> I like the way you think... <<Of course we'd have to get a random knight to kill the scholar a third of the way in...>> Isn't he already in jail? I wouldn't think they'd be letting a homicidal maniac like that walk the streets... <<...and a cthuluesque being to eliminate another at the second third.>> The power of cheesecake.

Wilek><<Wilek staggers in. To judge by his breathing, his nasal cavity is filled with cement.>> I feel your pain, 'mano... I get that every morning, all year. Something to do with getting hit in the face w/ a baseball when I was younger.
<<It seems to me that the queen's pregancy would have lasted at least several hours.>> I'd think quite a bit longer... <<Of course, I don't know how long it was between the escape and that...>> I got the impression that it was pretty close to real time. In my opinion, the queen was "pregnant" since shortly after she started laying eggs...
<<OOOOHhhh...<muhahahAHAHAHAHAHAHA>>> Glad to be of service. ; ) <<My GODS... :O Is he even capable of linear thought?!>> I'd say yes, but I'm fairly certian his line of thought has NO relation ANYONE else's... He and his wife both spoke backwards fluently, and he invented (and spoke) his own language called Facalikyfundishdial(sp for sure ; P). And he could create sonic booms with his tongue.
I am NOT kidding.
<<Ehh, better to surreptitiously inject them with it.>> That'd be too quick and direct for John... <<(In fact, the only track I really dislike is Jingle Bells...)>> I've avoided that on general principals. <<All the songs are by Goth bands and the distributor, Projekt Records, is known mostly for that kind of thing.>> I noticed that "what child is this" was done by "Osbourne". Would that be Ozzy?
<<(I have Mannheim Meets The Mouse, and the first track is BEYOND cool...)>> Thanks for the tip! ^_^
<<Fate and I have something of a rivalry...>> How do you fight Fate? <<ROBOT STARFISH! <poing>>> You'll probably like the Prometheus also... Though I'm sticking with the Nitro. I love that lightsaber...
<<Kewl. ^_^ Although he might find a way around the blocks in the connection.>> I actually ran this idea past him, and he said he'd have a blast watching anime and playing games for maybe a day, and then he'd go off and mentally compose an existentialist novel around palm leaves. Ya gotta admire his dedication...
On the plus side, I got him started playing Counterlife, and the AWP brought out the gamer in him. Now he keeps bugging me for time on the comp to awp grunts... 8 )
<<And he'll have to have some kind of guard. Maybe the bunny droid from Appleseed.>> You refer to Briarios as a "bunny droid"!?? Infidel! ...Though that IS a pretty good idea...
Heh. And while we're at it, maybe I can hook him up with Duenan. Nothing like having another Op in the family... 8 ) <<Eee. :/ RL is patently inferior...>> It's got it's good points... Women and guns, for instance. o_O
<<Cloaking devices can take care of that...>> And what if you don't have one, eh? What if you're dumped into hostile territory with a keychain and a roll of dental floss? CAN YOU SURVIVE THAT, MAGGOT!?? ...Whoa, gotta stop watching those survival flicks... @_@ <<o_<' I try to avoid Westerns...>> Aw, c'mon, Tombstone's cool! Val Kilmer does a great Homicidal Gentleman impression...
<<Try Netscape Composer; it functions rather like Wordpad.>> Thanks for the tip. I'm gonna need it pretty soon, if I wanna start The Armory rolling... <<Besides, I have to get the Eyrie out of the way in order to build the Wyvern Memorial.>> Which is..?
<<Maybe trying to learn how to do these is not worth the trouble...>> Oh, it's worth it. This is the "burger flipping" of the video game industry, IMO. I plan to be at the "Corner Office" level shortly after leaving college...
<<Is your version for Windows? If not, it's outdated...>> Yup, it's Windows. <<O_O !!! Where do you hire 'em?>> Good question. Jeff'd probably make a good vioce actor; other than that, there's some sites that provide vioce acting. I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.
<<There's been a plague of nasty little boogers called Blood Fruits.>> *Reads the info* ...Um, CRUD!
<<Exotic energy weapons. I think I mentioned them to Fire Storm in my last post.>> I'll contact my Neo Kali smugglers...
<<Only with mundane weapons can we successfully do that.>> Sounds like fun. Sign me up, Laddie!
<<Kewl; feel free to send it along. :) (You do have my e-mail address? My reply function, I suspect, has been getting senile...)>> Jeff is coming over in a week or two, and I'm gonna get him to help me with the conversions... Besides, I need some of his books.
<<Amphigorey, by Edward Gorey. I highly recommend it, and its sequels, Amphigorey Too and Amphigorey Also. ^_^>> I finally got to peruse "the Ghastlycrumb Tinies"
<<The fact that whatever's in the painting is obviously powerful and malevolent...>> More powerful and malevolent than *US*? o_O *registers polite disbelief*
<<There's something about the phrase 'ballistic airliners' that makes me suspect that they're something other than bombers modified into passenger craft...>> Balistic Airliner - Exo-atmospheric craft traviling at mach 8. Taxing for the landing would probably take longer than the actaul flight... <> Seeing as how the dream REALLY SUCKED, I might too...
<<Uh oh...I was inept with Mario Paint...>> Even at making stamps? I remember spending an afternoon or two converterting the existing stamps to make Mecha Mario. Much fun. <<Excellent... >8)>> I'VE always liked it...
<<Basic light, or basic dark?>> Kinda basic nuetral. <<How Dogma. :)>> True. <<Cool name. ^_^>> Thanks! 8 ) ...Next time I'll show you the Ugly Stick... <<And you let her live? Bad form, child. :P>> Aw, it's just her generous nature... Besides, she provides me with food. <<If the choice is between honor and survival, honor is invited to do anatomically impossible things to itself.>> True, but it was worth it to see the punk's expression when he realized he'd just poisened one of the Don's sons... He started freaking out before the poisen even took effect. <<Well at least there's software and tech support for it.>> True. And I'm also writing thios post from a Windows machine... <<Muck moo. Cute. :P>> Why does everyone keep thinking it's "Muck moo"? I was *trying* to refer to "No Angst"... ; P
<<And no fraggin' LPBs to spread you all over the floor, either... <> I've got the same problem. I wonder if I'll ever do anything with those 30+ fanfics... :/
<<Well, they're enforcers of RL, so being the token sane person here, James should be alright for a few hours.>> It's been a few days.
<<<ehehehe> For no readily apparent reason, I have a vision of this evil looking wheelchair, like the one from Nightmare On Elm Street 3, with a frightening mannequin in it...>> I KNEW this would work... ; ) <<COOL!>> Quite. I almost lost a thumb from the heat blast, but it was worth it. <<I'd take all the above, in case a device went *really* wrong...>> To paraphrase Gside, that's what a Gunsuit's for. That and shelling enemy istallations...
<<Helping Gunjack with his cabal of mutant plant life. Ah.>> And helpful he was. I thought we'd NEVER get Cecil attuned to this reality... <<Someone ready the plasma throwers, I'll prepare Libby.>> *pauses in the middle of the checklist* ...Uh, who's Libby?
<<A properly aimed throw would have propelled it right through her eye socket and into her diseased brain...>> Bravo! The perfect responce!
<<Although when it comes to edge weapons, I tend to prefer custom work...>> When it comes to edged weapons, I make my own. ^_^ ...Gotta make that Damascus Katana some day...
<<Freud was a lunatic.>> Amen. <<<hehehe> Maybe I can...convince...them to cease that...>> Aw, let 'em send it. It helps us remember our history. <<OOh, target practice! ^_^>> Only you would consider Catgirls Target Practice...

James><<option B (tentacles grab my shoulders and pull me back down)>>I knew you'd say that... ; )

No time for more today... Gotta start working on those mecha guns. See y'all later.

PS - Emambu: I checked my email, and it contained a "message delayed" notice thingy. I didn't even know that could happen, but they should pass it on to you sometime today. If not, I'll send it again...

Oh, and welcome back, Rodlox!

Peace, Love, Dope!
Gunjack Valentine - [miphsingleton@hotmail.com]
Friday, December 22, 2000 05:59:20 PM
IP: 216-146-183-34.bwn.net

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Hanakah(sp?), Merry Christmas, and - {what's a good adverb for Ramadan(sp?) ?}.

Once/Yet again, i apologize for not showing up much....had to work out an essay on _The Inevitability Of World War Two_......and then had to RE-do it when htey told me "not 'how could WW2 have been avoided - what made it happen - without extensive quoting of the sources"

gah!

okay, sorry for rambling and boring you all to tears.
hope my RP character's helped you guys out {RAVENS saga} in every way you wanted.

Rodlox - [Rodlox@hotmail.com]
Friday, December 22, 2000 05:22:43 PM
IP: proxy2-external.owml1.md.home.com

*Emambu enters carrying a tray of butter cookies* These things are the best. :) My aunt dropped over a entire tin of them yesterday, so I have excess amounts. *Sets tray down in the center of the room* Anyway, help yourselves!

Gunjack: Yeah, sure. Send over shots of your minigun. Send over pics of your boss too. Maybe I can toss out some suggestions. :) Make sure you send pics to my hotmail account. I didn't get the riddle yet so I'm thinking you sent it to my website account (which I won't have access to until January). *reads further and whistles, "ok boys, get them!" A dozen mafia thugs appear from behind the sprig and kodama, flamethrowers attached to their backs. "And no one messes with _my_ family."* :) BTW, pets do make great decoys. Whenever I have to assault my house, I send my trained army of cats in first to draw fire. *reads further* Hey if wasn't for newbie editors like us then there wouldn't be anyone to set the minimum standard. Actually, my editing skills are limited when it comes to FPS games. It's probably why I'm a reviewer to begin with. :) Hmmmm... twenty sounds like a good number since there weren't a whole lot of them in the early shots. So... one had to die on order to escape. The guy in the wheelchair shot one, the other mercenaries killed two, and there was the one that ate a grenade. That leaves with with what... sixteen, fifteen warriors roaming the ship. I'd still put my money on the xenomorphs as to who wins that fight. :) "Tentacles to the left of me, Xenomorphs to the right..." I so want to make a Bob Dylan reference. :) Oh and I'm not a xenomorph (and a good thing too since I probably would have had to fight Firestorm over the territory in the CR). I was simply using the "my children" as an analogy. Yep, I'm 100% human. :) *reads further* Lol! Self-deception is what gets me through the day. Well, that and biting sarcasm. ;)

Niamhgold: Hey, great to see you again! I'm glad to hear that your finals are over too. Sorry, but I'm no help as to filling people in one what's been going on. I've only made two posts in the previous month because I've been so busy. :) Thanks for the cookies too *grabs a couple Brooklyn's and a Broadway* Hear, have a butter cookie. No gargoyle shapes (actually they're heart shaped) but they're still good IMHO.

Warpmind: I got your fic, and from what I've read it looks really good (not to mention hilarious and sad at the same time... poor Brooklyn). :) Anyway, it's not as long as I expected so I may be able to free up a few hours and write a full-length review. Now... were they begging for mercy because you were crushing their dreams or because the monotonevoice you were impersonating was slowly killing them? Or maybe a little of both? :) BTW, looking back over previous posts, I think you used the abbreviation GM as in GriMtooth. Either way... who is Grimtooth? What's it about? And where can I get a copy? :)

Lynati: Another good one! ROTFL :)

Green Baron: Yeah, it's a minor victory. Don't mistake me: I'm not a Gore nutcase. I mean there are many things about the guy I don't like. However, in the end I just thought he would make a better president then Bush. Nothing more. As for Rendell, I think he'd do well with a higher position. I'd love to see him as the governor of Pennsylvania or possibly a senator even. He did a lot of good for our city (especially when you look at some of the mayors before him). As for Santorum, I don't like the guy personally. I think he's a smug, conceited hypocrite. His wife filed a suit against him while he was running ad campaigns preaching about how much of a family man he was. However, on the same token I like what he did for Pennsylvania. I ended up voting for him (and I'll probably vote for Spector too unless the person running against him can convince me otherwise). I may be a moderate democrat but that won't stop me from voting Republican if I feel that the politian will improve the quality of life of those that he/she represents. It's idealistic, but at least it's kept me from becoming too bitter and cynical to vote. :)

Christine: Looking foward to reading your newest fic. :)

Gside: ah, my mistake. That's what I get for speed reading posts while I try and play catch up. Lol... I think centripital is what he was implying. Still, glad you caught that. Anyone else want to take a shot? :) Great Mp3 selections too. Nat King Cole is one of my all time favorite singers. Even though I have the sing on CD it's great to listen to it again. :) It's too bad that the computer I'm on doesn't have Napster. There's a really good Spanish, Jewish piece (kind of old too... I think) called "Ocho Kandelikas." It's quite good. If you find it, let me know what you think.

Katara: If you ever open an amusement park with roller coaster rides, please don't be offended if decide not to show up. :)

Wilek: Hmmm... I don't believe I'm familiar with that particular tongue. :) *batman beyond merchandise* That's part of the problem though. They're not going to make good ones. They just want something that will sell quickly. I understand there mode of reasoning but it's still annoying just the same. BTW, it doesn't reflect highly on the scientists of the ship. I mean, all those tests, all that equipment, and they couldn't remember to take a simple blood test. "Oh look, the needle just dissolved. I guess they have acid for blood." :) Also, I'm sure that some of the pregnancy was skipped over the course of the film (like the Queen cursing out the one who did this to her) :) *reads further* Well, as long as they get internet access then I have no problem. And if it's the government you want to punish then send them to France. :) As for my economics teacher... I'm spending part of my winter break thiking up possible scenarios of revenge. The fun should start come Januaray. Sorry to hear about the fired rice incident. That's why I go with sticky rice over fried rice. The former has much less mobility and usually can't get out of the box on its own. Lastly, I hope you feel better and are able to get home for the holidays. I'd do much more then castrate Sli Sludge if I missed Christmas due to illness. :)

Taleweaver: I'm taping Jeopardy tonight. Hope to see you. :)

Aaron: Actually, I'm a big sports fan, but I prefer the NFL to all other modes (except international soccer but then that's not strictly regulated to the US). Anyway, I watched that Sixers game and I was not happy. Usually the fourth quarter is when the Sixers surge. I could blame it on the mentality of the players surrounding this whole Larry Brown issue, but I think the Sixers could have held on if they really wanted it. *sigh* we may very well represent the east in the finals but the title will probably stay in the west. Also, about "They Live," I won't deny the metaphor for Reaganomics, but the execution of the movie was terrible. :) I mean, "I don't like anyone following me unless I know why." Lol! They fight for 10 minutes over putting on a pair of sunglasses. "I don't like people telling me to put on sunglasses unless I know why." :) That actress had some freaky-looking eyes too. To a certain extent, the whole thing reminded me of a comedy style horror movie like "Bordello of Blood."

Daphne: Not a bad idea for a story... :) In any event I'm glad to hear you did so well on your debate. You can call it luck if you want. I sounds to me like you guys were simply better prepared for the topic. BTW, you may be right about the mistletoe immunities being regional. It would help explain a few things. :) Also, I do hope Rendell runs for governor or for the senate. Or maybe he'll get appointed. Reagrdless, when he runs, he's got my vote. *read further* Yep, I'm a Penn Charter graduate. Why, what have you heard about us? :) Actually, it's a good school, and it prepares you well for college. Some of the kids are a bit snobbish but not all of us are. Lik eall schools, there's a range of personalities. You have to go out, and find the ones that feel most comfortable with.

Doug: I hope those new officers end up working out for the better. I'm sorry to hear that you lost another competent one (Blake). However, this new batch might help pick up where he left off and then some. Glad to hear you got your Christmas shopping done. I have to go back out tomorrow. My dad is impossible to shop for. :) Don't tease us either. You know what hobbies we want you to pick up. :) Thanks for the well wishes too on my academic work and on my choir. BTW, it wasn't the final exam I failed. It was just the last test right before it. I think I did well on the actual econ final. We'll see soon enough though.

Winterwolf: Lol... thank you. :) Hmmm... for a second I thought you were becoming a Red Wings fan. I hope your job transistion goes smoothly and that Grey advertising doesn't work you into the ground like Fox. BTW, I'm looking out my window right now and it's snowing pretty hard (started early this morning and hasn't let up). I'm not sure what's going on in New York but you'd love it here right now. :) Also, as soon as I get more info on the tour time and dates when/if we get to go, you will be the first to know.

Stephen: No wait, that's German for "The Bucs, the." Actually, I believe my comment was "Death to the Bucs!" :) I have nothing against Tampa. I just wanted them to lose Monday because it would have improved Philadelphia's chances of hosting a playoff game. Go packers! >:p j/k Happy holidays.

Shadowrider: Good to hear from you, and don't worry if the letter doesn't make it. What I sent you was an updated version of it. :) Congratulations on the promotion. Of course, I'm sure you more then desreved it, especially when you're averaging three hours of sleep. BTW, if you reply to my letter you should send it to my Hotmail account (see e-mail address below). That way, I'll be able to read it before January. Hope to talke to you soon.

And so I think that's all. Next time I come back here will be after Christmas. So happy holidays to all... *leaves tray of cookies in the room for anyone else who wants them*

---Emambu
Emambu - [erikmambu@hotmail.com]
Philadelphia, PA, USA
Friday, December 22, 2000 02:39:13 PM
IP: proxy2-external.wyn1.pa.home.com

Aaron><<Inu-Yasha>> The first episode looks fantastic!!! It follows the manga incredibly well and I even think there are a few computer graphics mixed in with the anime!!! ^_^
Mary Flanders
Friday, December 22, 2000 01:36:48 PM
IP: adsl-63-195-144-108.dsl.scrm01.pacbell.net

Hi Guys. I know this is an unusual post, but I was wondering if anyone here knows anyone or websites where I could purchase a used Ruger Mini-14 or possibly a Ruger 10/22 real cheap. Stock and finish does not have to be in great shape to buy. $250-$300(depending on rifle) or best offer. Planning to convert to bullpup. Click name for bullpup conversion website. Saw 10/22 version at a Gun Show in Souix City on Sunday but the Salesman would only sell to people with handgun licenses to save time. Pretty Cool!

I snuck a peak at one of my christmas gifts and it's a Marlin 22. Not exactly what I was looking for. We've already have a blt action .22 Marlin and a S&W .22 sport pistol. I was looking for something with a bit more power behind it.
Tim
Friday, December 22, 2000 12:03:08 PM
IP: s15-onawa.pionet.net

** Niamhgold enters **

Hola, compadres!

Shadowrider: hey, friend, you're right that it has been quite a while! I guess we've both been pretty busy, huh? :) Well, I get the next few weeks off (I don't even have to work--I know I _should_, but no one really cares to hire now and I don't really care to work...), so I'll try my best to keep in touch with you until Wednesday! Sounds like things are going pretty well for you, Mr. Caporal ;) Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! What are your plans for the next five days? I'll try and send ya an e-mail to spread the holiday cheer! *Hugs*

Doug and Kit: Congrats on everything, and here's hoping you have a wonderful and stress-free Christmas with the folks! :D

Winterwolf: Hey, Wintie, whatsup? Hope you are also enjoying the holiday season...didja get my return e-mail? Things here are going pretty well, I'm preparing myself for nog, cookies (of course), and the barrage of phone calls I'm going to get from my friends "early Christmas morning" ;) Hope you're not running yourself ragged, cuz I got cookies that you _must_ enjoy! ** At this juncture, Niamhgold passes out Gingerbread gargoyle treats to the entire CR, with a nice Bronx going to Winterwolf ** And if you are running yourself ragged, then here is a hug ** HUG ** and the wishes that your Christmas will involve some much-deserved relaxation and happy presents!

Gside: What's up with my favorite riddler? ;)

Adios!
Niamhgold
Friday, December 22, 2000 11:56:03 AM
IP: lac-flex213.ncia.net

Ouff...I just realized I made a lot of mistypings in my previous post. I apologize, I must be more tired than I believed...

Oh, and sorry for 2nd post!
Shadowrider
Friday, December 22, 2000 10:57:22 AM
IP: h255-20-51.mi2.albacom.net

Hey everyone, I'm here again...and, believe me, I'm very very heppy to be here! Well, after two frantical weeks (in which I practically slept an average of three hours out of twentyfour) they finally decided to send me in licence for Christmas...I'll be here until Wednesday.
Oh, on the good news...I talked with the Battery Commander today before coming home, he said they're going to advance me to Caporal in a couple of weeks. :)
So, how is everyone? And what's happening here?

I'll take some time to update myself on the CR topics, then will post more

Winterwolf:> I'm sorry I couldn't reply to your email before leaving last time...I eventually took it with me to reply via snail mail, but I wasn't able to write at all...I'll reply via email in a few hours, if you don't mind.

Emambu:> Got your email. Your letter, on the other side, is still missing...although, I've been out of the base practically in all the past two weeks, and when I arrived there this morning, the base's post office was already closed...so there's more than a chance that your letter did arrive at the base, but I still couldn't receive it...
Anyway, I'll reply to you too in a few hours...

Niamhgold:> <Ok, I posted the same message last time...maybe this time I'll obtain some result>
Hey, are you around, friend? It's ages we don't meet each other...

See everyone later!
Shadowrider - [shadowrider@katamail.com]
Milan, Italy
Friday, December 22, 2000 10:55:44 AM
IP: h255-20-51.mi2.albacom.net

Greetings all... (wow! haven't said that in a long time in here!)

To everyone that sent back the welcomes, Thanks! I appreciate it... hope to post more here in the future, and thanks for all the well-wishes. Especially where Heather (the girl I'm seeing) and I are concerned. Yes, Doug! I definetly hope things go better than they did with my last relationship!

Oh, and I forget who said "Die Bucs, Die!", but let me just say this: just as the Rams got their shot at greatness last season, it's nigh-HIGH time that Tampa Bay had it's shot! We were gyped last year, but we're on a tear now and we've got the chance to take it all the way to the Big Dance this year! And what's cool about it, is that if Tampa does, we get to have it right in our OWN stadium here in Tampa Bay! So we have to beat Green Bay come Sunday, no matter if the temps are against us! Snow and possible freezing!? HEH! Bring it on!

And, that's all I'll say until after sunday's game... though it would be nice to have Minnesota and New Orleans lose, just to make it all that sweeter if we do beat the Packers! :)

CHRISTINE - Looking forward to the new fic! Novella length? WOW! I love them long stories! :)

GREEN BARON - Err, if you were refering to me, I no longer go by the name "Coldstone" anymore. But thanks for the welcome!

TODD - Going to the Gathering? I hope someone gets a picture of you... actually several! That way we can finally lay the rumors to rest, once and for all. :)

And thanks for all the X-Men-Evoultion stuff... I've been slacking on watching it, but sounds like the writers on this show actually grew a brain when developing it.

Well, that's all from me for now... save that I got Heather's christmas gifts last night, and I'll have the chance to give them to her come tomorrow night at a christmas party for our local anime group. Though today she's coming over to watch some movies with me. A double bill of "Condorman" and "Big Trouble in Little China"! :)

Take it easy, and have a Merry Holiday season all! Maintain and Check Six!

Stephen R. Sobotka, Jr. - [scififangargoyle@yahoo.com]
Tampa, Fl., USA
Friday, December 22, 2000 09:54:58 AM
IP: 24129160hfc75.tampabay.rr.com

Me> I forgot to invert the fraction in the last post, so this resolution is smaller than what I'm used to.

Gunjack> <<You just gave a squid to Gside. Squids have tentacles. We are ALL gonna die>>: You know, I hadn't really contemplated thataction beyond "Oh, new strange hat." So this will all be your fault. And anyway, these are young'uns. They need to be aged before they can be of much use.
<<Whenever I get into a verbal debate, my mouth outruns my brain>>: What kind of miliLampsons are you running at? (ref: http://www.science.uva.nl/~mes/jargon/m/millilampson.html )

Wilek> <<Batman could have killed Superman any time he liked...<creativity demons forming>>>: You might want to confer with Frank Miller.
<<Try Netscape Composer>>: Remember, wysiwyg is your friend.
<<Someone ready the plasma throwers>>: I think that would be my job.
<<Really, Warpmind, no need to mess with Emambu's head>>: Well said, Gside.
<>: Just the colon? I'd expect you to get at least the small intestine, if not the spleen.
<<How 'bout Nerutai Hazarurim?>>: Not bad. Though I remember playing one piece whose english name was Rock of Ages in a medly. There is no chance I am finding it unless I get some more information about it.
<<Guh?>>: You're right, it's supposed to be X' structure, all those A's messed me up. Those are all things I have learned in my syntax class. X' structure is how you build trees out of sentences. Move Alpha just says that you can move something, and other principles will limit what you can move. And principles A, B, and C tell you how closely names, pronouns, and anaphors (*self) can be in sentences. Though Theta Theory and Case Theory seem to do most of the work.
<<Aren't personal IPs rather easily hacked into?>>: But usually that requires someone to care.
<<Is that even English?>>: And it doesn't bug you that there are things in English that you don't even say when you say them? (e.g.: All hell appeared (trace) to break loose. What did you see (trace)? )
<<VANIRRA!>>: Arpha! Derta!
<>: And remember there are nice large capacitors in CRTs. Capacitors are very important parts in tazers and stun guns.

Todd Jensen> <<Does anybody else besides me have the feeling that these rumors about me are starting to get seriously out of control>>: That happened a long time ago.

Courtney> <<He also werars "des satots">>: Not Sabots? That is the root of sabotage, incidentally. Textile workers threw their wooden shoes into automated weaving machines.

And did you know that it was Coca Cola who gave Santa a red outfit?

Warpmind> <<So, you play expert level, aye?>>: Ayup.
<<pretty much all I need is a crimson scarf to complete a The Shadow costume>>: Nice. The scarf I mentioned would do it. Though it is a Rutgers scarf, and therefore technically scarlet.

Gunjack> <<On expert?>>: Any other level would be humiliating.
<<That the first time you'd seen it?>>: Ayup.
<<PLEASE tell me you aren't thinking what I think you're thinking>>: Whoever said I thought? But when you take the previous installment into consideration, my mind was expecting the worst. I wouldn't expect police involvement over a drawing still wearing a bra.
<<Sounds technological, so probably not>>: Not really. Even though they are from Carmageddon II, they're just giant springs that shoot out and propell your opponent a far distance (or preferrably into a close wall for some nice damage).
<<how much current would it take after you'd knocked a few holes in the T's shielding with a rifle>>: Depends on how much you decreased the crossectional area of the metal in paralel with the IC. If you severed a couple beams, probably a lot less.
<<Haven't played FFIX yet>>: Nor have I, though I really want them to get working on a PC port.
<<Whitch is more responsible? Which is more fun?>>: True, but it does fit the definition of what was buried, right?
<<Is this Rutgers slang or something?>>: Sorry, no. My right hand missed a key, so it was supposed to be "lost the lizzard." As in, it was dunked, but nothing was attached to the tail when it was lifted out.
<<Smart of him!>>: Perhaps, but years later, when he and another science teacher decided to find out how explosive something was that they had just found out was extremely dangerous, he was the one who ended up holding the pestle (or is it mortar).
<<Starts handing out pitchforks and rifles>>: "...An agrairian revolt. Pitchforks, a spade." (Moxy Fr�vous, Intra-Pennsylvania Rivalry)
<<Mongol Tom..?>>: Yes. Mongol Tom. The name he has adopted for when he lets his IQ drop about a hundred points.
<<If I modeled the rifleing, not only I blow the tri budget completely to heck>>: But polygons taste like Cool Ranch. And you like Doritos, don't you?
<<but I would also go completely INSANE>>: But you said you were in the groove.

Lynati> <<the first of THEIR "clan" was given the name Galatea>>: Well, I wasn't too far from the truth. So was their Pygmalion called Pygmalion?

Warpmind> <<the famous Deforestation scene from the first Predator movie>>: My favorite scene is the amazing reversing scorpion.

Doug> <<If it's Advanced, I bow before a god>>: That's expert, and I think I said that I noticed that my record here is actually 109. Though I tend to average 130ish.

And for reigious balancing and because Hanukah (however it is spelled) apparently started today, the first mp3 is Nerotai Hazarurim (Little Candles) by Sofia Run. And continuing the little theme (and because I didn't find anything else good), you get Nat King Cole's version of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.

Na zdorov'ya.
Gside - [gside@eden.rutgers.edu]
Fair Haven, NJ
Friday, December 22, 2000 02:21:40 AM
IP: proxy3-external.etntwn1.nj.home.com

**Winterwolf opens the front door and walks in wearing a squid on his head**

Hey Cali I'm wearing the squid you gave me! Oh and I saved half the chocolate kisses for you! ;)

Happy Holidays everybody! Well I have come to the end of a chapter in my working career. I have left the Fox online job. I have taken a new job at Grey Advertising. Every aspect of it is better than my previous job at least it is so far. ;) Now I haven't completely cut ties with Fox yet. So I might be busy with a few more late nights as I make sure my departure leaves me in a relatively positive light. Then I have to figure out exactly what I'm responsible for at this new job. It's amusing how these high-end jobs don't have much going on when you initially start. ^_^

In other news I need to start and finish my Christmas shopping. Well at least I got my mom and dad done but that's all so far. O.O

Mom news - My mom is fine. After extensive and thorough testing she has been given a clean bill of health. So now her sick leave is concluded and she is back to work at the NY public library.

Caliope> **SWEET FURRY HUGS** <hugs and things> You know if we get together now we'll be spending hours hugging... Actually I like that idea! ROFL :P <CR Cheerleader> Just for you Cali! Give me a 'C'! Give me an 'A'! Give me an 'L'! Give me an 'I'! What's that spell? Cali, Cali, CALI!! ^_^ <snow> Yeah it just isn't going to be that soft fluffy snow anymore. <*leans forwards, closes her eyes, puckers up and then drops a hand full of chocolate kisses in his lap and laughs* there you go!!! lol> Thanks Cali! Mmm, chocolate kisses!! ^_^ <*HUGZ for as many kisses and a real kiss on the cheek as added bonus* ;)> O.O **blushes** You're the best Cali! :) **beams a big smile at Caliope and gives her two LOVING WOLFIE HUGS for each one she gave him and an Eskimo kiss** <dont you think Tess and Kyle look absolutly adorable together?> Yeah, I thought they had 'couple' written all over them the first time they interacted together! After looking at that last episode I think the other relationships are moving forward too. Maria and Michael seem to be getting closer again and Brody is moved to the not really list. Plus even though they are not the way they were Liz and Max are also getting close again. I know what you mean! Nasty evil reruns! We deserve more new shows! I'll make sure to discipline the people responsible! I mean how can they do that to you Cali?! ;P <finals> So are you all done now? Are you? Are you? ;) <A new car! Get me a car! I want a car!!! :P> Oh I can get you the car I got my younger cousin. It might be a tight squeeze unless you are the size of a Barbie doll though... LOL :P <BUNNY WARS> It is part of my must read list now. I'll comment on it soon! I love the pictures so far! What a cute piccy of you! :)

Stephen R. Sobotka, Jr.> Welcome back!

Kitainia> Just when I thought Doug workplace was becoming a reasonable place to work it takes another bad turn. A well deserved pat on the back to Doug for handling armed assailants and Robert Wright for dealing with that group of ruffians. Also I hope the situations with Blake and Hernandez improve and soon. <Mr. Plow days> LOL With the way Homer has been in the later seasons this is just in character. It almost gets to a point where you wonder if he's doing it just to spite Ned. Though that would mean he's actually a lot more intelligent than he's letting on...

Gside & DPH> < But who looks at money that closely. And by the time they do, you won't be in the immediate viscinty> Curious, how long would this holographic money last? Also is it worth the energy expenditure to create that illusion? Considering the energy used to create the money wouldn't you have a negative net gain as the cost of the energy is greater than the value of the money? Just a thought.

Emambu> Thanks for the well wishes for my mom. As for Christmas shopping well... to borrow from a cannon character... "Can you believe it? All that time I spent and I've only gotten one thing so far! After that I got sidetracked with Mr. Cater and got a chance to teach that big gargoyle a lesson!" ;) I'm happy to hear you have become more confident and that your life has improved. May it continue to do so! As for the tour just keep me in the loop and I'll do what I can to make the NY stop a great one. ^_^

Niamhgold> Niamhgold sighting! ;D How are you these days?

David G> Welcome back!

SOROW> Ack!! You haven't been getting email! D'oh! And I've been sending you stuff. :( Well I'll just have to remember what I sent and resend it. It will be quite a test of my memory! :)

Wilek> <We may have to put off the feast> Oh well. It's probably a good thing I need to cut down on the meat consumption! :D <Why does sex always end in death?> It happens when you just enjoy it soo much you can't stop until you have a massive coronary or some other lethal mishap. :(

Todd Jensen> When were the rumors ever really under control? I know that had to be before my time at least! ^_^

Doug> <two new hires> Well I hope they work out too!

The following RP came from Equus being bored and a nifty story I read:
When methane - or natural gas - bubbles through the sea in high enough volumes, it lowers the density of the water around it to a point at which most objects, including ships, will no longer float. A vessel unlucky enough to sail over such a methane "blow-out" would sink in a matter of seconds.
Methane blow-outs could account not only for the estimated 20 ships lost in the Bermuda Triangle since World War II, but also for the many planes that have disappeared there.
When gas from a blow-out reaches the surface, it continues to rise, putting planes overhead at risk. If the methane is highly concentrated, engines would fail for lack of oxygen. Lower concentrations, however, are even more dangerous: methane mixed with air is highly flammable, and would explode from the heat of the aircraft's engines.

******RP - The Acquisition******

Location - Somewhere in International Waters

Equus stood above the water seemingly unsupported by anything. He was hidden from view by a spell of concealment. He waited for the ship that had the artifact he was going to acquire. He watched as it approached and readied a rune that he had prepared for the ship's accident. It was a military battleship that had some items onboard that were being relocated. When the ship was close enough so he could clearly see the personnel on deck he made himself visible and mentally projected himself in front of everyone on the vessel. "I give you a moment to pray to whatever gods you believe in before I sent you to meet them." Some gunshots rang out and scarcely a heartbeat later the rune summoned a column of methane gas from the bottom of the ocean floor up to the air above the ship. With the density of the water so massively reduced the ship sank like a lead weight. Some on deck managed to jump overboard only to be drop like a brick never to be seen again. In less than a minute the ship and it's crew where nowhere to be seen. Equus opened his hand and grinned as he saw the item he wanted resting cradled in his palm. "It's good to be free again. This gas would be a blast at an airport."

******END RP******

Time for sleep! Good night Everyone! And Happy Holidays to all! :)

**Winterwolf tips the squid on his head in a goodbye gesture and exits**

Winterwolf
Bronx, NY
Friday, December 22, 2000 02:11:56 AM
IP: 206.15.120.77

$ Should have edited that first RP scene better, Gore dies twice. Oh well, I guess that makes it final. :) $
Doug
Friday, December 22, 2000 02:05:30 AM
IP: pool-63.52.169.168.dlls.grid.net

**RP HERE, WITH APOLOGIES TO GORE VOTERS**

"You bitch!" Tipper Gore is screaming at Laura Bush as the screen comes on. "Get higher approval ratings than me for First Lady, will you?" "At least I'm brave enough to raise my kids right without resorting to censorship!" Laura Bush retorts, pulling on her rival's hair and throwing the squealing Tipper into a wall. The Lawyer-Commandos are meanwhile running out of the room shooting at each other, Colin Powell and Dick Cheney are holding back David Koresh's ghost as he cackles challenges at them and orders them to lower the crosses, Condoleeza Rice is screaming into a phone and yelling for the Secret Service, and Bush and Gore are punching each other out, both gasping from the effort. "Al!" Joseph Liebermann shouts, breaking the moment and causing all eyes to turn towards him and Ray Telman. "Joe!" Gore's mouth falls open. "You're supposed to be back in Florida!" "I came here to stop you!" Liebermann snaps. "You've gone nuts, Al, thinking you can win the Presidency this way. I will not be party to it any longer!" "What is wrong with you, Liebermann?!" Tipper raves. "Don't you want to help us repeal the First Amendment and institute the censorship America needs?" "Not bad enough to kill people doing it, I don't!" Liebermann snaps, then frowns. "Wait a minute, we were planning to repeal the First Amendment?!" "Yeah," Gore nods. "I was going to tell you once we won. We'd have to do that to make censorship viable." "You want to put limits on freedom, Gore?" Bush asks, his mouth wide open. "I wish the voters had known that!" "Now hold on, George," Cheney puts in. "Didn't you once say�" Bush shuts him up with a glare. "Some of us did know it, Mr. President-Elect," Ray Telman declares, stepping forward. "Liebermann here defected to the Capitalist Jedi Council and they sent me to stop Gore. As a good American citizen, I cannot let this man become President." "You traitor!" Tipper screams at Liebermann. "Tipper, I was just doing the right thing!" Liebermann protests, then gasps as Gore's wife draws a Glock and fires it several times, hitting him in the stomach and chest. "Damn it!" Ray curses as the former Gore supporter falls down, extending his lightsaber from a ball-point pen emblazoned with the symbol of Merrill Lynch. Tipper shifts her aim towards him and grins. "You will not stop me and my husband from censoring America!" she shouts. "The youth of our country will be made to think and act politically correct!" She fires, but Ray deflects the shots with his lightsaber. "Not while I'm alive, they won't!" he snaps. Tipper curses and cocks her gun to fire again, but Laura Bush chooses that moment to grab her from behind and slit her throat with a nail-file. "Augh!!!" the bitch wails, then falls over bleeding. "Take that, you Communist female pig," Laura says, then looks at her dumbfounded husband. "Didn't you know I coined the phrase 'Don't Mess With Texas Women?'" "Right," Bush nods, smiling as he turns to Gore, who is paralyzed with shock just like most of the other people in the room, except for Koresh, who is giggling obscenely. "Now as for you�" Bush begins, then Gore punches him in the face and knocks him down. "I'm gonna win!" he declares, stepping forward as his Lawyer-Commandos surround him, waving their Uzis to keep everyone back. "You may have killed Tipper, but you won't kill me! I should have known Joe was a traitor! He damned my friend Darth Clinton, I should have known he would turn against me! But I'm gonna win the Presidency on my own! I can do it! I invented the Internet! I invented pants! I�" "Hold on!" Ray interrupts, motioning Rice and Laura to see if they can treat Liebermann's wounds while Cheney and Powell continue watching the lawyers and Koresh. "You didn't invent pants! People were wearing them long before you were even born!" "Yeah," Powell agrees. "And the Internet was a team effort. I remember- I watched it get set up. And you had nothing to do with it. One thing I've always wanted to ask you, Gore- where in God's name do you get off making such claims?" "But they're true!" Gore snaps. "I swear- they are true! You're just refusing to believe them!" Ray looks at Bush, who shrugs, then turns back to Gore. "You really believe you invented the Internet, when the evidence to the contrary is staring you right in the face?" he asks, shaking his head. "Geez, man. That's like believing that drinking this vial of highly potent cyanide here won't do you any harm." He takes the vial in question out of his coat and holds it up. Gore growls an oath, then as his lawyers gasp, he walks forward, snatches the vial, and drinks its contents before anyone can stop him. "There, you see that?!" he growls, tossing it away. "You don't know�Augh!" Gasping in shock and pain, Gore falls over and hits the floor gagging. "Idiot," Ray shakes his head, walking forward and putting the onetime candidate out of his misery with one swish of his lightsaber. The Lawyer-Commandos immediately raise their hands and drop their guns. "We were only following orders," one says. "Please don't�" "Fine!" Bush waves at them. "Just get the hell off my property and take those protesters outside with you!" The lawyers nod and all rush out the broken-down door, not caring that they've left their dead employers behind. Bush waves his own lawyers to follow them. "Make sure they get out of here," he orders. "Yes sir," one of the lawyers nod. "Alright," Ray smiles, turning towards Koresh's grinning ghost as they leave. "One more problem. Keep those crosses on it, guys. I just gotta get out the�" Suddenly Cheney, who has been sweating heavily, gasps and falls over, a hand on his chest. "Shoot, he's having a heart attack!" Powell shouts, dropping to his friend's side. Koresh cackles triumphantly as Rice, Bush, Laura, and Ray charge forward. Then all are knocked back as loud Wagenerian music shatters the room's windows and smoke grenades are flung inside. "What the hell�" Gore gasps where he lies on the ground, watching everyone fall over, then feels the poison he drank reach his heart and faints into death.

The display changes to the living room of Abdullah bin Aziz's mansion, where the terrorism sponsor is turning to glare at his sorcerer as they observe the Desert Knights and Jordanian troops charging through the illusion, STRIKE's chopper flying cover overhead. "Jazeem!" he roars. "What is going on?!" "They obviously realized my illusion for what it was!" the sorcerer growls, smacking his good fist into the wall. "I cannot believe this!" "Well, believe it," Ershel snaps. "I never trusted your magic- it's obviously driven you mad." He looks at Abdullah. "This is terrible, sir. We're doomed. Unless we can get out of here now�" "I still have an ace in the hole," Abdullah cuts him off with a grin, turning to his military commander. "Tariq, let's go downstairs and�" There is a loud explosion just then and the building's lights go out. "What in the name of Allah�?" Abdullah gasps. "They must have taken out our power station!" Tariq declares. "We'll have to get the emergency generator online, and quick!" "Can things get any worse?" Ershel shakes his head, watching the troops below continue advancing. As he speaks, in the wine cellar below their feet, a door is kicked open and two startled terrorists who were tasting the wine are gunned down by Mist and Bessus, who then step into and wave their weapons around the room as the screen goes blank.

**SO ENDS THIS RP**

<Doug waltzes into the room with a big grin on his face> Hey everybody. Merry Christmas! <grins> And Happy End of School Year! All School for me now that finals are done. <spends several minutes cheering and pumping his fists, then grins> More good news too- Kit told you about that ad I paid for in the Austin Statesman for my company, right? Guess what's attracted six potential new officers so far! Two have already been hired also. :) They should work out fine, I am hoping. We'll see how things develop. We definitely need new officers now, especially since Blake has left us. Kit told you about the fight he got into on Tuesday- the manager of the store where he was didn't like it and forbade him to work there ever again. Blake had made a lot of friends at that particular store, and didn't want to work just the other two, so he quit our company. <sigh> I'll miss the guy, he was a good officer and a friend. He will remain the latter, of course, if I ever see him again. :) Wherever he is now, I wish him well. In other news, Christmas is coming up soon, and Kit and I just barely managed to get all our presents bought and wrapped in time. :) We're going to see our families this weekend, getting back late Monday night. Leaving Sunday morning. We'll miss all of you while we're gone, but we'll be back soon too. And I for one will have more free time when I return, now that I've finally finished with college. Who knows what hobbies I might thus decide to pick up again? <smiles> On to replies.

Hyperion: Glad to know your fingers are crossed also. :) Thanks also for the bit about the Boston Tea Party. I did not know that, but am glad to find it out. <grin>

Lady Corax: Thanks for standing up for America. :) We have indeed done as many great things as bad, perhaps even more. Undoubtedly, I'd say. The good things, I also believe, have made the bad things worth it. Like you, I'm proud to live in this country. If you hadn't already ranted about the feeling so eloquently, I might even do so myself. <grin> You have a good Christmas, and don't get too dizzy from all the bouncing. :)

Spacebabie: Glad to hear your brother's not a troll anymore. We can improve, as my own sister will tell you. <grin> Thanks for the delicious gingerbread gargs.

Christine: Your gift from Kit and me is on the way. Mailed it this morning. Hope y'all enjoy it a lot. Thanks again for all the years of excellent entertainment. :) Congrats also on finishing Bad Girls, I look forward to reading it when I get back from my Christmas trip.

Robby: I know you're gonna put a lot of effort into your TGS writing. I also am sure that it's going to turn out great. I'll say that in lieu of good luck. Now, to quote Xanatos, don't disappoint me. <smirk> Congrats on finishing your finals too.

Todd: Thanks for all the X-Men Evolution summaries, they were interesting. The fifth episode one was appreciated too. Liked the creativity demon related to Senator Kelly. Also glad to hear you'll be at the next Gathering. I hope to see you there, and finally settle the questions. :)

Jannie: Oh yeah, families merging for the holidays is always nice to watch. :) Glad to hear you'll be spending lots of time at home with yours this year. Congrats on getting through the last day of school, and good luck on the last teacher workday. Like Kit, I am glad to hear your local district is starting to worry about that principal. May she soon be given what she deserves. <crosses fingers and grins> That, I'm sure, would be a nice Christmas present for everyone who matters. :) Whatever her reason for hating everyone and being such a jerk, she deserves her comeuppance, and that right soon.

Revel: Congrats on surviving that fog, you made it sound like it was indeed dangerous. I hope not to have to deal with a similar problem on the road myself this Christmas. Fingers crossed, just in case though. :)

X-Files This Week: **SPOILERS** Liked the tres creepy and interestingly motivated villain, the great Doggett development, and seeing the Lone Gunmen again. A few plot holes and not enough Scully, though. Hope we find out what's wrong with her soon, I'm worried. **SPOILERS END**

Mary: Like Kit said, you aren't forgotten about by your friends in here. And you never will be. <smiles> So next time you're feeling down, come see us. We'll make you happy. For now I send my prayers that such a bad experience as that party will soon be forgotten and may you never have to live through anything like it again. Congrats on surviving it, and also on making Melissa's day. Good that she made yours too. <grin>

Guandalug: Thanks for the update on the fanfic archive's status. I wish you the best of luck in your continued work on it. Please do keep us apprised on your progress, and remember especially to let us know when things are done. There are a lot of stories in there still on my reading list, after all. :)

Stephen: Welcome back, and congrats on having your life improve so much. I wish you luck with the new friends and the new relationship especially. May it turn out better than your last. :) Thanks also for the encouragement and prayers, we extend you the same always.

**BUFFY, ANGEL SPOILERS**
Fantastic episodes this week, once again. Both had some really nice bits of character development, and significant righteous action and worrisome plot bits also. <grins> I liked it all a lot. Since most of what I liked has already been mentioned and I'm pretty tired tonight, I'll just mention the high points- Xander's speeches to Buffy and Anya, Spike's confrontation with Riley in which he confesses his feelings for our favorite Slayer (well, not mine, I like Faith :), Angel's first and last meetings with Manners, Drusilla's feelings toward Darla as her 'child' and yet 'grandmother' (boy is she insane!), and "You're all fired." That last line really has me worried about Angel right now. <grimace> Will miss Riley on Buffy, Joss did an excellent job with Buffy's sequence of trying to catch him before he leaves and failing. Nick Brendon and SMG had some great acting bits there too. Overall, very nice new episodes of these shows this week. I wish Buffy had had more meta-plot development, but what we got was excellently written and entertaining enough. Can hardly wait for mid-January, or whenever the next new episodes are due. May the intervening weeks go by fast. <grin>
**SPOILERS OVER**

Gside: 112 in Minesweeper at what difficulty level? If it's Advanced, I bow before a god. <does so with a grin>

Emmabu: Congrats on finishing your finals, especially on the bit of good luck with that one Math exam. Sounds like you had a good professor in that class- sympathetic to the students and able to teach well. I hope you got a good grade. Sorry to hear about the bad grade on the economics final. :( I wish you better luck next semester as far as that goes, though I know the low score wasn't your fault. Good luck securing that solo, I wish I could come hear you sometime. :)

Green Baron: Congrats bigtime on graduating from college. I thought I was the only one in here who was going to this month. <grins and high-fives> Hope your degree takes you a good long way, and you enjoy the ride. Always nice to see deserved results come from hard work. :) $ Hope you liked the above ends for Gore and Tipper, I like your plans for Jesse Jackson. That man needs to get a real job and stop bugging everyone in that crazy way of his, I think. I also think he is WAY overrated as a speaker. Can't wait to see him get some RP just desserts. :) $

Santa Claus: Thanks to lain for all the info on Santa, and to Daphne for the intriguing creativity demon. :) I still believe in the guy myself, though I do also know something of the truth about him. I probably will continue to feel this way the rest of my life. :)

Congratulations, before I forget, to everyone who has finished their finals and gained the ability to enjoy free time briefly once again. Thanks to all who extended the same to me and Kit. We appreciate it. Since this is all for now, I will be leaving. Everyone have a good holiday season, I extend the wish especially to Coyote, Kyryn, and those others among us who are without relatives this year. May the memories live on, even if they sadly do not. :( Enjoy your time with the friends and family still around and the presents. Good luck getting what you want, with the deep snow also to those of you suffering from it. See everyone next week with more comments, and words on Dracula 2000 and Family Man also. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

**RESUME RP ACTION, RAVENS' SAGA**

In the central court of Camp Snoopy, War Frost is whimpering as Tanith gently applies healing spells to his wounds, looking at Keith as she does so. "What's the matter?" she asks. "You're staring at me." "Orion told us you were in Hell," the Ravens' ninja gasps out, grimacing as he sits up. "When you introduced yourself, I thought at first that I was�dead." "Well, you're not, and neither am I," Tanith smiles. "A demon named Geburah brought me out of hell as a bargaining chip to use on Orion. It didn't work. He saved me, and then you." "He's a good friend," Keith nods. "Is something wrong? You just look like�" "It's nothing," Tanith cuts him off, grimacing. "Are you sure you're alright?" "I'll be fine," Keith replies, then extends my hand. "Um, excuse me for not introducing myself. Keith Wang-Matthews, businessman. And ninja." "Nice to meet you," Tanith shakes the offered hand. "Um, this wolf here isn't with me. I don't know its name." "That's okay," Keith says. "It seems nice enough. I'm sure I'll find out about it later. My friends�" Suddenly he stops, his eyes widening. "Oh God, I just remembered. Stephanie�she stabbed me." "Someone you care about?" Tanith asks, and he nods. "Yeah, very much. Why would she�I know why." Grimacing, Keith gets to his feet. "Stephanie's a Quickling. You know what they are?" "Yes," Tanith nods, her face darkening. "I had an uncle named Darius who was�" "Then you know what a Dark Quickening is," Keith sighs, grabbing a long piece of wood from a nearby smashed display case to use as a cane. "We gotta warn Kit and the others she's had one. Come on." "Wait!" Tanith cautions. "We don't know where they are." "We'll find them," Keith replies. "Let's be going." He starts to move in a random direction, then stops and groans in anger as githyanki warriors step out of the shadows around them, all chuckling gutturally and waving their weapons. "Actually, you won't be going anywhere," Sir Zolel declares as his minions surround Keith and Tanith. The former curses softly in Chinese as he raises his hands. Tanith sighs and raises hers also, grimacing as she sizes up the astral demons with her eyes.

In another part of the Mall, the rest of the Ravens are engaging all the remaining jerks who were once Doug's co-workers and their friends, fighting in close quarters as the enemy charges in with swinging weapons and fists. "Does this fighting ever stop?!" Winter Blade asks Anthony as she chops down two of Chris Williams' drug dealing buddies with her sword. "It does happen quite frequently," Anthony shrugs in reply, shooting another in the forehead. "I haven't been with the Ravens that long though, so I can't really say." As Winter Blade grimaces, one of Erik Ramirez's thin associates cackles a comment about Elena being too fat and the other laughs in agreement. "Pigs!" Elena snaps, gathering power in her hands. Boris calls the two a worse name in Russian, then grabs the first one's arm and breaks it with a mere twist. As he screams, Elena throws fire on him and he falls to the ground screaming in agony. His pal rushes at Elena, but Boris grabs the back of his shirt and raises him high. "No one makes fun of my girl!" he declares, throwing the jerk into a shop window. It crashes down and the loser groans as the glass cuts him, bleeding as he rises to his feet. Mansfield turns his way and shoots him dead with his .45, then goes back to helping Jammer and Tricia fight off several drug dealers. Shap and Shauna are doing the same beside them, laying waste to the enemy with slashes of the former's holy avenger and brutal karate kicks and punches from the latter. Lathrop and Orion stand in the middle of a fray of their own, throwing magic at the enemy who try to charge them and keeping them away. "You bitch!" Erik Ramirez's girlfriend is meanwhile yelling at Leah, producing a knife and rushing forward. "Too good to come out partying with me, huh?!" "Maybe I didn't like you enough to want to hang out?" Leah asks, stepping aside as she charges and kicking her opponent down, then firing a quick rifle burst into her back. "Tom?" Leah then turns and yells at the Ravens' engineer. "You okay?" "Fine!" Tom shouts, keeping the drug dealers attacking him at bay with his crowbar. "I could use a little help there!" Leah nods and runs to his side with ready bayonet. Nearby, Doug and Kit are surrounded by the three leaders of the group- Erik, Williams, and Steven Walker. "Time to face your betters, Elder," Williams laughs, drawing a large pistol. "See this? It's the gun Abel wouldn't let me carry on duty! I got it now!" "Does it make you any tougher?" Doug asks, raising his own weapon. "I got a gun too, you know." "It's not gonna do you any good, you prick!" Erik shouts, rushing at him. "I'm gonna pound your face in!" Doug quickly spins towards the enemy and fires, knocking Erik back and down. "Hey!" Williams roars. "That guy was my friend!" He fires and hits Doug in the chest. The Ravens' leader groans and falls over. "Ha!" Williams sneers, walking forward. "Now I got you, you white-ass loser. I'm gonna show you what a good officer I am. A good officer�" "Watches his back," Kit completes, firing her laser to punctuate the statement. Chris gasps as the shot hits his head and catches the stocking on fire, then runs away screaming loudly. Doug leaps up and fires several shots after him, hitting Williams twice and knocking him to the ground. "A good officer also never leaves home without Kevlar!" he yells at Chris as the jerk dies with a gasp and whimper. "Thanks," Doug then grins at Kit. "Don't mention it," she smiles back, placing her gun against Erik's head as he gets up cursing and gasping, then firing without even a look. "Weren't there three of these guys?" Doug asks as he falls. "The other one's trying to get away," Kit points over his shoulder and Doug looks, then nods as he sees Steven trying to get his car started. "Anybody got jumper cables?!" the lazy bum calls out in anger as nothing continues to happen. "Radio use too much of your battery?" Doug asks, walking over. Steven turns to face him and screams. "Elder! Geez, man, don't! I ain't worth it! You know that! You trained me, man!" "And obviously you didn't listen very well at all," Doug sighs, raising his weapon. "So you won't annoy anyone else�" He fires as Steven gasps, then turns away from the resulting explosion of blood and brains. "Nice one," Kit tells him. Doug growls in agreement, shaking his head. "I only knew those guys for a few minutes, and I already hate them. Wonder how long the other me had to put up with them." "Everyone okay?" Tricia calls out, having just finished off the last drug dealer with a psi-blast. "We're fine!" Jammer replies, grinning. "They're not." "We better go find Keith now," Shauna says. "I got a bad feeling." "Same here," Doug nods, waving everyone to follow him. "Let's go." "Think there's another battle waiting for us?" Winter Blade asks as they leave their enemies' corpses behind and keep walking on towards Camp Snoopy. "It's possible," Mansfield chuckles. "Great," the werewolf sighs as the screen goes blank.

**END THIS LONG AND STRESS-HELPING RP**
Doug - [DougElder21@yahoo.com]
Friday, December 22, 2000 02:03:01 AM
IP: pool-63.52.169.168.dlls.grid.net

Warpmind - Glad to hear you liked the pic. As for coding, I've been thinking about trying my hand at it. I know nothing, of course, but then I knew nothing about 3D modeling a few weeks ago... 8 )
As to the Gunsuits, I'm working on it. Have been all day, in fact. My current boss is leaving me hanging (note to heads of mod teams: try to respond to mail in less than three days...), so I'm spinning up material for another project.

Real post tomorrow.
Gunjack Valentine - [miphsingleton@hotmail.com]
Friday, December 22, 2000 01:55:04 AM
IP: 216-146-184-201.bwn.net

*Warpmind enters, whistling an admirable performance of "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year".*
If you dream you walk in a garden, and in that dream pick a rose, and when you wake up, you hold the rose in your hand, can you be sure it's a dream...? *Spits out wad of fur.* Aw, skip it...

Gunjack Valentine: Got the pic... in one word: YUM!!! Get the right coder, and we could have scenes akin to the famous Deforestation scene from the first Predator movie. ]:) And why worry about alimony? *Grin* It'd be likely to be an *excellent* aid in persuading one's girlfriend into marriage, no? ]:) And an A-10 gatling mounted on a... GIMMEGIMMEGIMMEGIMME! NOW!!! :)

Aaron: So, you snitched my Gathering bound & gagged joke? *Grin* You're welcome to it... I'm sure Mara'll approve. ];) But that Nostradamus reference... PLEASE tell me that was a joke... :|

Todd Jensen: Hmmm... come to think of it, with your vast knowledge of Arthurian lore... and, all things else being equal... *ponder* Okay, I figure your cover's blown. Step forth, Lancelot. Or is it Merlin? ;)

Lynati: Me? Forget about Viagra? Hmmm... I suppose... yet, there *is* those twins I might meet after the Gathering... Iff all goes well, I will be the happiest, most exhausted visitor to ever leave the US... provided I ever make it to the airport afterwards... :) As for that scene... While I have an unusually strong heart (heartrate of 59 last time I checked, and that's even without any form of regular excercise save walking to and fro various destinations), are you sure I'll survive it? ];)

Gunjack Valentine again: Actually, as I recall it, there was a Gatling in Predator (the aforementioned Deforestation scene), probably so too in Terminator 2 (haven't seen it recently, unfortunately), but I am fairly certain that was a Vulcan Cannon in The Matrix... And feel free to enjoy one of those over-four-dollars-apiece handrolled cigars. :)

Christine: *Whince* Oh, you're doing it JUST to be sadistic, I KNOW it! :) (Hmmm... you incidentally know of this dark elf chick called Thae'lynn N'quy, perchance?) You are SO going to have to make up for this suffering... someday... somehow... (maybe a free copy of that book, hm?) ;)

Well, I gotta amscray. I have a Call of Cthulhu Investigation I should finish. AND I suppose I ought to actually work a few minutes today, too.
"Bedding a pair of 21-years-old twins may make me a villain. It may make me a damned villain, even. But, it will make me a SMILING damned villain." - Warpmind de InzanE, upon being asked whether a menage a trois with twins would be incestuous. ]:)
Warpmind de InzanE - [warpmind@usa.net]
Middle, Nowhere, Norway
Friday, December 22, 2000 01:35:14 AM
IP: hume.ti.telenor.net

Taleweaver > I'll be watching Jeopardy tomorrow night for sure!

Warpmind > so what you're telling me is that you'll like it when in the ElfLore trilogy some of those repressed Emerinians get their first good look at a Morvalan babe with kinky pierced ones? ; )

Update > "Bad Girls" is done, all 50,000 words of it (that's almost half as long as my first book). Now I just have to get it edited and posted. Hopefully this weekend!

Christine - [christine@sabledrake.com]
Thursday, December 21, 2000 11:23:54 PM
IP: 21-027.075.popsite.net

Courtney> ah
James Birdsong - [LennexMacDuff@yahoo.com]
San Diego, CA, USA
Thursday, December 21, 2000 09:40:24 PM
IP: adsl-64-165-17-108.dsl.sndg02.pacbell.net

[trying to contain creativity demons] this has been bugging me... what if the real Santa claus is a combination of the children's figure and the historical saint? Check this out: A very Catholic man named nicholas does his priest/bishop thing, only to find out on his "death" that he's a halfling. He founds a colony of christians with fae blood at the northernmost reaches of the world.
I really wish fanfic was my genre.

Gside>> <New personal record for me in minesweeper: 112> minesweeper? [eyes get glassy. struggles to fight minesweeper addiction]

Emambu>> <Congratulations on winning the debate. I guess your eloquent speaking abilities didn't fail you when you needed them most.> why thank you. Yeah, people kept saying afterwards I did pretty well... but cinsidering the defense realy didn't know what they were doing, and the guys I was working with did, I'd say I was either lucky or blessed. Maybe both.
<Also, I'm immune to mistletoe too, but I'm still not going near it or any variations of it. :) > Mistletoe immununities... must be a regional thing :)
<Rendell was one of the best things to happen to Philadelphia in recent years.> yeah... and if, excuse me, when he runs for fovernor, I'm *so* voting for him.
<His son went to my high school (Penn Charter) and even though he was a year ahead of me I got to meet Rendell several times.> that is so cool. you're a penn charter grad?

Lynati>><The Land Before Time and it's *shudders* sequels> The sequels are pathetic, but the original *rocks*. period.

Green Baron>> <When Exodus was being wirtten, yes. During the Council of Nicea and even earlier when Jesus founded the Roman Catholic Church in 33 AD, women may not have had the rights they do today but they were treated better than as property. > true. but does that mean the council gets to re-write exodus? (oh no, I smell debate)
<I suspect that certain fundamentalists return to the old set of Ten Commandements, because of how they treat women. I beleive Methdosits and other early Protestants still use the Ten Commandments as Catholics do. Is that so? > I can't speak for other denominations, but I know (from the song they taught me in sunday school) that Methodists do the "split the first two combine the last two" thing
<Well, I guess I should congratualte you on convicting St. Thomas More, though I do feel certain favoritism towards saints with my name :) > [winces] sorry about that.
<Hopefully, King Henry VIII will next be put on trial for Excommunication :) > [eyes widen] I should mention that to my teacher [evil grins]

Happiness!!
Daphne
Thursday, December 21, 2000 09:24:04 PM
IP: dialup-63.214.209.222.philadelphia1.level3.net

Valentine enters, and sneaks a cigar from Warpmind*

A little riddle for Warps and Emambu: What actor stole the scene in "Predator", "Terminator 2", and "The Matrix"?
Give up? Check your email... 8 )

Real post tomorrow. Ideas are cooking...
Gunjack Valentine - [miphsingleton@hotmail.com]
Thursday, December 21, 2000 09:21:38 PM
IP: 216-146-184-203.bwn.net

James< But I'm not *L* *giggles and runs singing the Yearbook song by Hanson*
Courtney
Thursday, December 21, 2000 07:40:31 PM
IP: adsl-dynamic33-191.detroit.mi.ameritech.net

Warpmind> No worries. Courtney> I am quite sane ._.
James Birdsong
Thursday, December 21, 2000 07:33:36 PM
IP: adsl-64-165-17-108.dsl.sndg02.pacbell.net

* A hand reaches out of a dimensional portal, gives a thumbs up to the hand reching out of the tentacle pit, then reaches for a convienient keyboard and starts typing*

Well, I seem to find myself busy...mmm!

Warpmind: I'd keep up the general worrying over my mental state, but the viagra and such things, you can forget about.
(Well, in the real world, anyway...thank the god'ess for dimensional portals!) ]#)
(I really got to get to work writing out that scene you wanted to read...)

Gside: Naw, the Galateans are a gargoyle clan, just not your normal sort. How they wound up with that name is part of the story on how the clan came to exist. (Simplified, the first of THEIR "clan" was given the name Galatea, and they call themselves after her as an honor )

lain: Hmmm, looks like you've been doing what I was planning on doing, care-package wise. :)

Green Baron: This computer is being funky with regards to my hotmail account; I can't seem to write anything without it kicking me completey of the internet with a "you have performed an illegal operation" message. I'm working on way to get around that, though. :)

*Abrubtly, the hand disappears back into the dimensional portal, as if pulled...*
Lynati - [Lynati_1@hotmail.com]
Thursday, December 21, 2000 07:28:51 PM
IP: 207.226.219.66

Hey guys,

I came through the S8 room a week or two ago asking about Gargoyles episodes, but with no success. So I'm trying here. The short of it is: I'm getting a video capture card. It has rekindled my interest in obtaining all 66 episodes (though I'll settle for 65) of the series. The ones I need are: Sanctuary, The Silver Falcon, Long Way to Morning, The Journey, and maybe one of the City of Stones.

If ANYONE has these or has Toon Disney, and thus can get them, PLEASE contact me. I'm willing to pay for labor in addition to all other expenses.
Entity - [cotleur@mediaone.net]
Thursday, December 21, 2000 07:20:19 PM
IP: nic-30-c5-215.mw.mediaone.net

Warning: Incoming member who has already shifted into weekend mode. Warning: Incoming member who has already shifted into weekend mode.

**RP RELATED**
Next week, one way or another, the final showdown against No Connection Allowed will occur and I finally get bring my character's higher power level around.
**END RP RELATED**

I am off Tomorrow and Monday and the Friday and Monday after that. :-)

Holographic money - sorry, but sooner or later I would be bound to get caught. The easiest solution would be shop around at multiple stories, and change the holograms around from time to time.

I wonder if I will get hired before &^ @#$%^&*(.

Wilek, how many species have you counted? and you would want to hire Forge? I can think of a power that would be even more usefull than Forge's. But can you think of one?

The idiot refuses to admit he is wrong when I have proof that he is wrong. He said I let the car warm up for 30 minutes. I looked at the clock before I started and I let it warm up for only 20 minutes. Am I right to assume it takes a stronger man to admit he is wrong? I guess I know where that puts the idiot. Lesson to parents: when kids catch you up and offer proof that you are wrong, please at least listen and be willing to admit to being wrong.
DPH - [dph_of_rules@yahoo.com]
AR, USA
Thursday, December 21, 2000 07:16:30 PM
IP: max1-36.cwy.cei.net

Hmm... All this combined talk of my being both mysterious to the point of having an uncertain identity and an Arthurian expert reminds me of an Arthurian short story that I recently read in "The Doom of Camelot" (an anthology of stories about the downfall of Arthur's kingdom published by Green Knight Publishing House, which has an excellent line of Arthurian fiction, both old reprints and new works). In it, Mordred turned out not to have been a real character, but merely a wild rumor; one of Arthur's knights, a fellow with a prankish sense of humor, made him up for a joke as a means of illustrating that there were so many knights at Camelot that nobody could keep track of them all or immediately realize that "Sir Mordred" didn't actually exist, but his creation proceeded to take on a life of his own in everyone else's imagination to the point where nobody would believe that Mordred wasn't real - leading, in turn, to his becoming the bogeyman at Arthur's court responsible for everything bad happening and the figurehead behind the rebellion at the end of Arthur's reign in which the Round Table was destroyed. While I'm (I hope) nowhere near as bad as Mordred, I am beginning to identify with his situation a little now.

By the way, in case anybody here's interested in Green Knight (they have not only a fiction line but a very good Arthurian RPG called "Pendragon"), click my name in order to get there.
Todd Jensen - [merlyn@ninenet.com]
St. Louis, MO
Thursday, December 21, 2000 06:49:29 PM
IP: 216.87.46.80.dialup-stl.primary.net

Wanders in, all the chibi-horsemen except Death leap down and start grabbing up the kisses Katara left.

Hi guys. Sorry I haven't posted in a while, but I got distracted by Robby's catgirls.

Gunjack><<How do the good guy's threaten it?>> Well, the world kinda ends at that point. <<Tentacles to the left of me, Xenomorphs to the right... ; )>> Stuck in the middle with you...

Lynati> It sounds like you got out of M:TG when I did. I only play in pre-release tourneys now, and that's only so my bro can get extra cards. Oh, and I'm Gathering bound.... and gagged too.

Mary> You're our friend. Come, forget RL and bask in the glow that is the CR. Have some kisses. <<Animated Inu-Yasha>> Eeeeeeeeeeee! (Happy fangirl squeal) How does it look?!?

Gside> (Weird Al impression) It's all about the tentacles!

Kyryn> The laundry's done. Yeah, *well* done.

Stephen> Welcome back, and good luck in all your endeavors.

Emmambu> Well, since you're not into the NBA, I won't bug you about the �Sixers fourth quarter collapse, to let the Jazz stay on top of the Midwest. And I imagine I'll get plenty of lap service. Gotta disagree with you about "They Live" tho'. I think it's a great movie. Not only is it a brilliant metaphor for the Reaganite 80s, but it gives us one of the best lines of all time: "I'm here to chew bubblegum and kick ass. And I'm all outta bubblegum."

Wilek> I have one of the Scythers shave me.

Later.

"Come the millennium, month 12, in the home of greatest power, the village idiot will come forth to be acclaimed the leader." -1555 A.D., Nostradamus

"We needed more edible cast members." My brother, on the D&D movie.

Aaron - [JCarnage@Yahoo.com]
San Antonio, TX, USA
Thursday, December 21, 2000 06:32:31 PM
IP: 209.33.137.148

hey all,

Just stop by to remind everyone that my episode of Jeopardy will be airing this week. If it wasn't preempted by football on Monday (I think that includes all time zones save the West Coast) then I should be on Friday. If not, then Saturday. Let me know what you think.

I would comment on Buffy and Angel, but everyone has said it. Great episodes, good dialog and on-spot acting by all.

toddles
Taleweaver - [taleweaver@usa.net]
Thursday, December 21, 2000 06:01:45 PM
IP: hal5000.engineering.csupomona.edu

Todd- Naaaaah.

Seriously tho, when you don't tell anyone anything about yourself, and you know as much as you do about Arthurian legends, AND are a frequent poster for years, well, people are bound to start speculating about you. Sorry if what I said is getting out of control... It was all meant to be in good fun...
Joxter
Thursday, December 21, 2000 04:37:44 PM
IP: spider-wb033.proxy.aol.com

Kit><<That Coffin Hammer sounds quite ideal for home defense. :)>> It's (kinda) a real gun... Try a Steyr SSP in .357 SIG. You'd need a Class III liscense for the moderator though...
<<Good luck continuing to manufacture the weapons you want to, may you never have the need to use them.>> Since I'm "manufacturing" them inside a computer, They probably wouldn't be too useful for home defense... Once the mods are up, on the other hand, They'll make a lasting contribution to the quality of the gaming community... ^_^ <<I'm especially glad the 'smithing is helping you deal with stress.>> Thanks. : ) ...It's a good thing, too. Otherwise, I'd have to just sit around gnawing on my fingers. And then how would I type?

Gside><<New personal record for me in minesweeper: 112.>> On expert? <<Also finally got around to watching that 300meg Mononoke Hime I downloaded a while back.>> That the first time you'd seen it? If so, get the disney version... As long as you can groove to Eboshi's english and Jigo's texan accents...
<<You know, when I first read monday's Megatokyo, I didn't notice the word bra. I think it lost someting when I did.>> *Looks at comic again* ..."straps don't look to comfertable"... o_o ...o_O ...O_O ...Please, PLEASE tell me you aren't thinking what I think you're thinking... <<No mech?>> *Pats the Havoc III Gunsuit affectionately* ...Already got one. And I'm about to start building some more. 8 )
<<Sounds like a good mod in which to include opponent repulsificators.>> Sounds technological, so probably not. Arg! is a pirate mod. <<And she probably makes a nice bridge.>> "But are not bridges also made of stone"? <<Though that might be dangerous for me as an engineer (engineers used to have to stand under their bridges when they carried their first load).>> Just don't let them drive an oxcart over her to test for strength, and everything'll be fine... <<Who needs it when you can design your clothes with built in microscopic devices that do the same thing?>> Or just get cyberware... 8 ) <<Seeing how the entire body is a conductor, if they built it right (isolated ICs and other vital parts so virtually no current would be pushed through them), very very high.>> Dang. I knew whe should have used Shaped-charge bangsticks... : P Incidentaly, how much current would it take after you'd knocked a few holes in the T's shielding with a rifle?
<<Think Chubby Chef. Hence, the blue mage cook from FFIX.>> Haven't played FFIX yet, but if that present is what I think it is... 8D
<<Who said they wanted to light it off?>> You have a Napalm/shrapnel bomb. You (apparently) need to get rid of it. You can either a) light it off and watch the cool fireworks, or b) bury it in the estuary. Whitch is more responsible? Which is more fun? ; ) <<May I reccommend fruvous.com , the source for all your Moxy needs.>> Yes. Yes you may. ; )
<<It worked so good, they loat the lizard.>> Is this Rutgers slang or something? o_O <<Some sort of gas started coming from the drain, so my father opened the windows and bugged out.>> Smart of him! Remember people, be nice to your lungs. You'll miss 'em some day... <<He had to sit next to a little old lady with his half skeletonized possum on the way home.>> Heh. I have a three day bus trip coming up this summer... *evil plan forms*
<<Sadly, no.>> Y'know, things will never change until the student lead an ARMED REVOLUTION!! *Starts handing out pitchforks and rifles* <<Then he can also morph into Mongol Tom, obsessing about ARC (a building on campus) and his favorite Star Wars character, RCDoo2.>> Mongol Tom..? o_O
<<You're modeling the rifling?>> *Valentine bursts into hysterical laughter/sobbing* ...NO! If I modeled the rifleing, not only I blow the tri budget completely to heck, but I would also go completely INSANE. The gibbering, drooling, eating crayons kind.

Warpmind><<oo, here's a good one; placed under the bed, a wand of fire is likely able to negate any form of birth control... hmmm... that's got potential...>> *CoughcoughAlimonycough*
<<Damn, but no, I don't know any programmers to do that. :(>> I've been tuhinking about this for a while. Y'see, all the needed info is in the QC file... And I could probably find a detailed explanation of the QC file... And it'd be worth the trouble to be able to do all the weapons "in house", as it were... And as for using 30mm gatlings on people, this has given me a few *Interesting* ideas... *grins evilly* ...We'll see. ; )
<<As for GM... Eh? If you refer to the title of Game Master, it's the guy who is the BIG Boss at a role-playing game. If not, well... General Motors? :|>> I think he may be refering to that "Golden Dawn" book you mentioned...
<<Oh, I *definitely* want the A-10 Gatling. Anything that is generally referred to as a "Tank Killer" must be exhilarating to use on poor little humans... ]:)>> How would you like to use one of those from a 20-foot gunsuit?

Emambu><<A mistletoe stands in front of him, "Hah, I am immune to you!"*>> *Cecil the sprig, accompanied by a troop of fedora-wearing kodama, step from behind a dumpster. "Noone's immune to the family, buddy..."*
<<I recommend falling back to your mom as a last line of defense and then holding back the invading angst. After the initial wave you can use whatever is at hand (pets, younger siblings still loyal to you, etc.) to create a diversion while you slowly take back each room.>> My mom and younger sibling are the ones CAUSING the angst... : P ...Though the pet idea is good. Yumyum makes a great heatsink...
<<I'm physched for a release. Any target date?>> When it's finished. ; ) Actually, I'm not sure. I still have to make a skin, attach a skeleton, animate and code it. I've never done ANY of these before. Hurrah for newbies. : P
<<They were worth some money last time I checked (I think- not too sure though- I could sell my Wrath of God card for a profit).>> I should probably my cards prices some time... : P ...Ouch! o_O
<<Secondary measures are just that: secondary. Not as much effort is put into them. Otherwise, they'd be the primary measures.>> True... How many warriors were there to break out? If they only had twenty or so(which seems resonable for a "trial run"), then they couldn't be everywhere at once... And the soldiers woulda taken a few down on their way out, like that one in the escape pod that ate a grenade.
<<. And yes, I never thought of the Queen as an entity that moves frequently. However, if you barbeque my children I'll come after you no matter what. :)>> This is true.
Whoa, waitasec... *YOUR* CHILDREN?? How many Xenomorphs we got in here? Tentacles to the left of me, Xenomorphs to the right... ; )
<<18 is a big one (cigars, voting, military, strip clubs, you name it) :).>> Don't forget rifles and shotguns... 8D
<<yep... a really FRIGGIN good reason.>> Self-Deception: it's not just a mental process; It's a Way of Life. ; )
Too bad about Santa... He should have contacted me for a good Fasset Drive.

And one last responce before I start work... <<Actually I was thinking of 'smoke' in terms of eliminating something with large bore weaponry -- preferably belt fed. *grin*>> Now THAT'S holiday spirit! 8D *Valentine kicks a hidden lever under his desk, and armory rack pop out of the walls* ...My arsenal is your arsenal. Guns for everybody!
<<Hey, have you ever heard of a 'squeeze' bore gun?>> Yeah, German hypervelocity gun concept from WWII... Works by forcing a big bullet through a small bore. Why? o_O

I'll try to finish catching up tonight... Gotta go read tutorials. Peace, Love, Dope!

Gunjack Valentine - [miphsingleton@hotmail.com]
Leper Gunsmith
Thursday, December 21, 2000 03:04:06 PM
IP: 216-146-183-153.bwn.net

I know how James has gone incsea he hangs out with me all day long.
Courtney
Thursday, December 21, 2000 02:09:19 PM
IP: adsl-dynamic33-191.detroit.mi.ameritech.net

*Warpmind enters, puffing on a visibly-expensive cigar.*
Ahh, but those Excaliburs are good... :) I'm happy.

Todd Jensen: *Grin* I know... ]:)

Lynati: Damn, but if yo keep this up at G'01, I'm getting worried... and a large case of Viagra. ];) Oh, and as for Vegas... Why bother? I'm an ordained minister of the Universal Life Church - I'm authorized to perform wedding ceremonies. ]:) As for insane kids... I dunno, might be a good thing. ;)

Christine: Heh, but thanks to you, I may be developing an ear fetish. ];)

SJ: Oh, no, don't tell us Todd Jensen is yet another Madame Destine? ]:)

Gside: So, you play expert level, aye? :) As for outfit... with my new hat, pretty much all I need is a crimson scarf to complete a The Shadow costume. :)

Gunjack Valentine: Gun pics? Sure; whack'em into a common picture format (Jpeg is good) and e-mail'em to me; I'll be honest. Really. :)

Wilek: Dude, you have GOT to get me a copy of that game somehow... And as for former Xoom, well, I never said they were GOOD, just that they are BETTER than Geocities...

James Birdsong: Okay, you're stuck in a tentacle pit, and you seem to enjoy it... And you call yourself sane? Hmmm... look, when you start experiencing morning sickness, swollen ankles, heartburn etc. etc. you don't come whining back to us, y'hear? ];)

Well, that kinda concludes today's post. See y'all later, gang. *Grins* Oh, and until then... *Drags Lynati into a dimensional doorway, through which a roof made solely out of mistletoe can be seen.* See ya.
Warpmind de InzanE - [warpmind@usa.net]
Middle, Nowhere, Norway
Thursday, December 21, 2000 01:59:19 PM
IP: spock.ti.telenor.net

***Kyryn runs in ahead of an avalanche of suitcases and presents***

Whoops! Packing has gotten rather out of hand. This is going to be one of my last posts for a couple of days. Early tomorrow morning Okami and I are heading out for Los Angeles to spend Christmas and New Year's with our families. I'll try to post from L.A. but I'm not sure when.

Gunjack Valentine> Actually I was thinking of 'smoke' in terms of eliminating something with large bore weaponry -- preferably belt fed. *grin* Hey, have you ever heard of a 'squeeze' bore gun?

My electric meter running backwards> Not quite yet but Okami and I are planning on it when we get our house somewhere down the road.

The Todd Jensen Question> Todd can't be a Vorlon -- he talks too much and answers in reasonably understandable sentences.

Peace on Earth, and Mars, and Venus, and Jupiter.... :)

Later All!

***Kyryn pulls out a bullwhip and starts herding the suitcases and presents out the door. A Saturn pulls up driven by a large wolflike figure wearing an ANZAC hat and spectacles. All the suitcases and presents jump into the Saturn and there is still an amazing amount of room left over (amazing what you can do with a little extradimensional space). Kyryn jumps in the Saturn and she and Okami wave at the CR dwellers as they drive off.***
Kyryn
Denton, TX
Thursday, December 21, 2000 12:05:17 PM
IP: exofw.aicpa.org

Noel
Saint Nicolas
In France "Santa Claus" is called "Pere Noel" (Father Christmas). Actually, "Pere Noel" is simply a modern version of "Saint Nicolas." Did you know that he lived in in Turkey in the 3rd century? One Christmas Eve he threw three "sacs d'or" (sacks of gold) down a chimney. A poor man and his three daughters lived there. The daughters could not get married because they did not hav a "dot" (dowry). That is why this 20-year old man threw them three " sacs d'or." Nicolas later became the "eveque" (bishop) of a church in the Turkish city of Myra. This "eveque" wroe red
vestments. When he was older man he had "une barbe blanche" (a white beard). Nicolas was knon for his kindness and generosiy. There were even miracles that took place during his lifetime. He died "le 6 decembre." This date later became "la fete de Saint Nicolas." This "fete" was very popular in Holland. The "hollandais" brought this "fete" to "Amerique." "Sinterklaus" became "Santa Claus" in "Amerique," "Saint Nicolas" in France.

Now " Saint Nicolas" has been replaced by "pere Noel." THis "Pere Noel" does resembles "Saint Nicolas" "Pere Noel" wears "un Mateau rouge," "ue barbe blanche," and carries "une cane." He also werars "des satots" (wooden shoes -- yeaars agothe French wore wooden shoes) and "ue hotte' (basket) filled with toys on his back. He arrives "la nuit de Noel" (Christmas Eve), coming down the chimney. The children put their "pantoufles" (slippers ) in front of the chimney or near the "sapin de Noel" (Chirstmas tree). "Pere Noel" puts the small "cadeaux" (gifts) in the "pantoufles." Years ago, "pere Noel" traveled with a companion "Pere Fouetterd." "Pere Fouetterd" would carry the "batons" (sticks) which he would give to the "mauvais enfants."
I just learn all this in Freanch classs yesterday, and thougth maybe this would clear up some misunderstanding and stuff.
Courtney - [elisagirl2000@go.com]
Thursday, December 21, 2000 10:46:11 AM
IP: adsl-dynamic33-191.detroit.mi.ameritech.net

(comes up) Valantine> option B (tentacles grab my shoulders and pull me back down)
James Birdsong - [LennexMacDuff@yahoo.com]
San Diego, CA, USA
Thursday, December 21, 2000 10:42:29 AM
IP: adsl-63-207-130-27.dsl.sndg02.pacbell.net

SJ's "Todd is really two people" theory > Well, it's been known to happen before. :P

Santa and physics > All that only applies if Santa isn't using magic or some other paranormal power. Remember "the law which can not be broken can be bent" - even the laws of physics.

Look, up in the sky... > There will be a partial solar eclipse on Christmas Day, visible in most of the US and Canada. Check the link below for details, and try to check it out if you can. You next chance to see a Christmas Day eclipse won't happen until the year 2383.

Gathering 2001 News > For anyone still arguing with the parental units, just remember the "Galaxy Quest" motto: "Never give up, never surrender." Or was that Al Gore's motto? At any rate... we hope to see as many of you there as possible. :)

And with that in mind... we're now only ten days away from the end of the year, and the end of the Early Bird Pre-registration discount. Make sure to have your registrations and/or payments postmarked on or before December 31, 2000 to lock in the $30 membership rate!
Patrick Toman - [gathering2001@art-chicks.com]
Thursday, December 21, 2000 06:53:18 AM
IP: aca12193.ipt.aol.com

Does anybody else besides me have the feeling that these rumors about me are starting to get seriously out of control?
Todd Jensen - [merlyn@ninenet.com]
St. Louis, MO
Thursday, December 21, 2000 06:52:57 AM
IP: 216.87.46.167.dialup-stl.primary.net

[Wilek staggers in. To judge by his breathing, his nasal cavity is filled with cement. He commands a droid servitor to immobilize Sli Sludge in a very painful manner.] Listen with the greatest of care, you little meatball. If I am still in this state by the 24th, I will fold you seven times and castrate you with a power drill. Begreifen Sie, Schweinhund?

Newcomers> Welcome, surrender your sanity, and beware the strange plantlife. ;)

Ray> <<Batman/Superman: I thought everyone knew! Batman has always been way smarter than Supe!>> I've always noticed, but I was never really aware that the contrast was so stark...if he were a bit meaner, Batman could have killed Superman any time he liked...<creativity demons forming> >:)

Emambu> <<a;la;l? Sakdlaosois;l'p;/ddlkaieo... aoio'a';a;aaklaoa! HAHAHAHA!!>> URSMRTRNI? DLUR, TRKE. <> I would, if they'd ever start making good ones. (Has anyone seen the Batman Beyond toys? Ecch. Although I do like the Batmobile.) <<Thanks, it's good to be back. Glad to see you're still around too! :)>> v^_^ <<As for your Aliens counter-argument, you forget that they easily managed to escape from captivity in the first place. The ship was designed to keep them from getting out in the first place.>> I figure the scientists didn't anticipate that the aliens would be aware their own blood was corrosive (such practical knowledge of one's own inner physical workings is typically only ascribed to sentient beings, although it could have been due to the scientist guy's genetic mucking about)...If the dre'kkeths had been yer typical dumb animal, they'd never have gotten loose. <<The queen seemed pretty fit to lead up until the end. :)>> But how long did that last? It seems to me that the queen's pregancy would have lasted at least several hours. Of course, I don't know how long it was between the escape and that...<<Hmmm... are you laughing because the DC main course idea was funny or because I'm capable of having dark and twisted thoughts? :) or is it both?>> Typically, I laugh maniacally because I encounter something that I find delightfully, well, maniacal. >;) <<evacuating them doesn't help me because they won't have access to a computer. They still can't visit my site! Grrr... :)>> The Project provides free internet access to its refugees. :) <<Anyway, you guys should be cruel and relocate them all to France. :)>> The citizenry? Nehh, they haven't interfered with us. It's just the government I intended to make suffer. >:) Economics class> Kill him. Slowly. And let me watch. <<Hence there is no reason that most of the crew should have been able to escape with their lives.>> Oh, there is: If they hadn't, the plot would have been compromised. :) <<That's not as bad as the leftover meatloaf that staged a coup d'etat in my refrigerator. They got in league with some German potato salad and then all hell broke loose. ;)>> Ack. That's almost as bad as mine: Chiang Sha, God of Six-Month-Old Chinese Fried Rice Gone Bad, somehow escaped from one of the secured Tupperwares in the back and nearly drained me of every nasal fiber of my being.

Gunjack> <<Ever heard of Splatter? They're bloodborne nanobombs that soak in through the skin. The nanoglop hits your target, soaks through their clothes and skin, and then disperse throughout the body. After they've spread throughout the whole body, they detonate and tear the arterial system appart...>> OOOOHhhh...<muhahahAHAHAHAHAHAHA> <<Random story: Several of us at the BC were sitting around discussing assasination, when John Fornoff walked in. John is the WIERDEST man I have ever met, he makes the duba dou look perfectly normal. Sometime I'll tell y'all his "Elmer the mole-boy" story... *shudders*>> My GODS... :O Is he even capable of linear thought?! <<Anyway, HIS prefered method was to set up a radiation emitter across the street from their place of employment, allowing him to bombard them with radiationeach day until they succumbed to multiple forms of cancer.>> Ehh, better to surreptitiously inject them with it. <<Dude, you need to post more often! What with you posting so rarely and all the sensitive newcomers, I was running low on that speacial brand of insanity... ; ) ...It's good to see you back, 'mano!>> Thanks! ^_^ It's good to be back; I really have to start posting more often... <<By the way, what IS this "Dark Noel" thingy? I've been downloading tracks all night, and most of it sounds like normal high-quality orchestral/choral music (excepting the crappy "Holy Night")...>> Ehh, I tend to like it. :) (In fact, the only track I really dislike is Jingle Bells...) <<So why the "Dark" part?>> All the songs are by Goth bands and the distributor, Projekt Records, is known mostly for that kind of thing. (They *are* rather darker than the typical traditional versions of these songs. :D ) <<Spoken like a true schoolgirl... ; )>> I'm in touch with my emotions. :P <<No, really, you can put away the axe...>> Axe? How banal. Where'd I leave my devilwhip... ;P <<A NORMAL person would just use green dye...>> <grins slowly and twitchily> You've much to learn. <<Though I still say the Manhiem Steamroller versions are the coolest...>> I'll have to check them out. :) (I have Mannheim Meets The Mouse, and the first track is BEYOND cool...) <<*crash of thunder in the background* ...you REALLY shouln't have said that. It's like challenging fate... o_O>> Fate and I have something of a rivalry... <<the Drache (flying starfish-like mecha, very fast)>> ROBOT STARFISH! <poing> That was Metal Warriors, right? Must remember that name...<<There's this nifty Turbo powerup that, when activated, doubles your speed. I thought it was worthless until I realized that it *tripled* the lightsaber's attack speed, allowing me to perform a really cool imitation of a blender. I dubbed this attack the "evil ginsu scalpel". Much screaming ensued. 8 )>> Ooh...<makes a note> <<I love him too much to kill him... So I figure I'm gonna drug him and ship him off to a deserted island with a fully stocked entertainment system, a satelite feed to 24-hour anime, and a net connection with all liturature pages blocked. It's for his own good... ; )>> Kewl. ^_^ Although he might find a way around the blocks in the connection. Better to give him a system with a remotely-controlled program that downloads local mirrors of anime sites. ;) And he'll have to have some kind of guard. Maybe the bunny droid from Appleseed. <<Whatever you do, don't let Anton handle the op... I like my current gender. : P>> Of course; wouldn't want to encounter a Time Warp. :) <<Just random stupidity... I forgot to attach the URL. ; P>> Ah. Happens to me all the time. :} <<besides, I need to conceal that Beretta in IRL... o_O>> Eee. :/ RL is patently inferior...<<No that you mention it, no. But it doesn't pay to get hassled by the police while trying to walk away from a kill zone...>> Cloaking devices can take care of that...<> Glad to hear it. :) I really have to learn how to do that...<<As to the reference, I named my "really-tired-but-also-calm-and-slightly-homicidal" mood after Doc Holiday (seen "Tombstone"?)...>> o_<' I try to avoid Westerns...only one I ever liked was Bravestarr. <<No time to learn HTML>> Try Netscape Composer; it functions rather like Wordpad. <<no time to biuld a page if I knew it, and no money to pay someone else to biuld a page...>> Oh. :( <<And not enough cool stuff that I'd be willing to show in public... ;P ...Though that'll change once I get further into "Hollowpoint Cocktail"...>> OOOhh... <<Athena: Really cool combat andriod from Ryan Stout's Athenaverse. She's copied off Elisa, and she blows up the Eyrie building twice in just the first two stories... I *HIGHLY* recommend the whole sequence. Trust me, 'Mano, you would REALLY like 'em... 8D>> Ah. Thanks! ^_^ <makes a note> <<yeah, that'd... probably do it... o_O ...Along with the resot of new York City...>> Ehh, this is more a surgical strike...until the thing's chronometric drive collapses...Besides, I have to get the Eyrie out of the way in order to build the Wyvern Memorial. :P <<Yeah, I'm doing some of those too... I've gotta do about thirty new character models to do, loads of weapons, levels, a few hours of animations>> Yikes. O_o' Maybe trying to learn how to do these is not worth the trouble... <<vioce acting>> O_O !!! Where do you hire 'em? <<I'm not sure... It's pretty recent; I downloaded the newest version a month or two ago...>> Is your version for Windows? If not, it's outdated...<<Major bummer... That first part is hard, but it gets W-A-A-Y easier once you find your pistol...>> Ah. I'll give it another shot...<<I'm at the "by the game a year after release" stage of poverty, so I really like those bargin bin deals... :/>> Oh. :( <<Not much, per se... o_O ...where are these questions leading?>> There's been a plague of nasty little boogers called Blood Fruits. They look just like apples on the outside, but inside they look and taste like human heart tissue; they dramatically increase the psionic abilities of anything that eats them, but at the cost of increasing their aggression and addicting them to the fruits. <> Cool...I would try that, but... :P <<You're gonna be waiting a while...>> Not a problem. :) <<It sounded like a quote from "The Relic". Have you read it? Big monster goes around eating peoples hypothalimus glands...>> Never heard of it. Maybe I should check it out. :) <<What DO you use? I'm a flexible guy... 8 )>> Exotic energy weapons. I think I mentioned them to Fire Storm in my last post. <<<<...unless there's a chance they can be traced by mundane authorities...>> eh?>> We enjoy assassinating someone we want out of the way and pinning it on someone else we want out of the way. Only with mundane weapons can we successfully do that. <<Read "I'm Sorry">> That's actually one of the few others I have read. Quite liked it. :) <<The moon king was riding on this three-headed vulture, and they tricked it into trying to fly in three directions at once. It ripped itself apart, and all these clock parts fell out...>> I like... 8D <<I can't write 'em up as completed characters without making up most of the stats (ST, DX, HT, most of their skills) off the top of my head... But I CAN write up stuff to reflect all the details you set down... And it sparked a REALLY cool character idea to add to the quartet you had there... ; )>> Kewl; feel free to send it along. :) (You do have my e-mail address? My reply function, I suspect, has been getting senile...) <<What's that from?>> Amphigorey, by Edward Gorey. I highly recommend it, and its sequels, Amphigorey Too and Amphigorey Also. ^_^ <<And the problem would be...?>> The fact that whatever's in the painting is obviously powerful and malevolent, and we'd all end up dead or wishing we were. <> The entire world will be a political union under my rule. :) Of course, this is due primarily to there being only one government...<<travel was a problem, we could just set up a fleet of ballistic airliners...>> There's something about the phrase 'ballistic airliners' that makes me suspect that they're something other than bombers modified into passenger craft...<> I like my version better. :P <<Apparently it was a one-night thing... :/>> Glad it's over with, then... <<from my experience with Mario Paint, I'd say yes...>> Uh oh...I was inept with Mario Paint...<<Hyper Velocity Weapon - Basicly a really big railgun that accelerates a hyperdense slug up to .1 lightspeed. you use a low-powered laser to burn a hole in the air, and then fire the slug through the path. Gives a nice nuke effect without as much radiation...>> Excellent... >8) <<It's basic, but very fitting.>> Basic light, or basic dark? (The tune I did for it is the latter; I'm wondering if the real thing is as good.) <<DUDE! That tank rocked!>> Oh yes. 8) I really must incorporate it into my ficverse somehow. I'm sure the Mitaxis Foundation would like something along its lines to play with...Hey, how 'bout a Q3 PPM of it? It'd be out of scale with the rest of them, but who cares; we'd have a VR Sofia-series assault rover literally at our fingertips. ^_^ <<Uh, Wilek? C'mere and take a look at this... o_O ...You notice any odd similarities to that boy/doll picture you showed us a while ago?>> Uh oh...Computer, I need the space surrounding that picture calcified immediately; full sanity saturation. [Computer<distorted>: "I'm sorry Dave. I can't do that."] Oh shoot. <<Which reminds me; clicky for a cute cartoon. The little girl with the funny expression is God; that's why she understood the song... : )>> How Dogma. :) <<The basic Coffin Hammer is DONE!>> Cool name. ^_^ <<I call it the Center Of My Existence, and verily it *SHALL* spawn models and weapons and textures, and yea I shall add yet another mod to the worklist, and lo but I *WILL* colapse from exhaustion and insanity within a month...>> Interestingly enough, I reacted the exact same way to getting Barlowe's Inferno. (I think it was SJ who recommended it. Yes, you'll get a mention in the credits. 8D ) <<I had three lunchboxes full of 'joes, a fourth full of weapons, and several crates full of vehicles. Plus the six-foot aircraft carrier. And then mom sold 'em all for $50, along with all my Aliens and Predators...>> And you let her live? Bad form, child. :P <<The odd part was, even though I SAW him pouring liquid into my coffee from an acrylic paint bottle marked "olive oil", and despite KNOWING it was poisen, my Mafia Honor still demanded I drink it politely...>> If the choice is between honor and survival, honor is invited to do anatomically impossible things to itself. <<Indeed we will... Though hopefully I won't end up propagating a crappy OS>> Well at least there's software and tech support for it. I've seen perhaps 2 games for Linux...<<So much frickin' angst, it's amazing I didn't get my eyebrows chewed off. My sister's got an ACP test in the morning that she will probably fail. If she does, it will be because the teachers at her school are @$@#$ jackass IDIOTS, whom I fully intend to slice up for bait next time I go shark fishing. All the stress made my sister irritable, which made me irritable, which made my dad try (inefectually) to call for peace and reason, which made my mom downright homicidal. I am now very, Very, VERY tired of emotional females.>> Ack. O_o <<Clicky clicky for my new motto.>> Muck moo. Cute. :P <<With 300~ ping and frequent lag spikes, sniping's not practical>> Which is one of many, many reasons I'll stick to single-player--zero ping, zero lag, and guilt-free cheating. 8) <<If I could get the ideas hammered out well enough for someone to reconstruct them, why not just take the last step and WRITE the dang thing? o_O>> I've tried. Every time I start something, I hit a snag. I can construct story arcs, but something's keeping me away from actually *filling* those arcs...it's like something (Fate itself, quite likely) wants my project to fail...<<That is, if you call residing in a hentai tentacle pit "fine"... *shudders*>> Well, they're enforcers of RL, so being the token sane person here, James should be alright for a few hours. After that, they'll either try to enslave his mind to force him to destroy us from within, or tear him to bits and consume his corpse. Thankfully, our droids have fast reflexes. <<But the SNES held power during the Golden Age of gaming! We got Zelda, Contra, Metroid, and Mario in their best incarnations>> Ehh, I tend to prefer the N64 versions of Zelda and Mario and the Genesis version of Contra. v^_^ (But let's face it, I am an aberration.) <<We'll get Wilek to do the props...>> <ehehehe> For no readily apparent reason, I have a vision of this evil looking wheelchair, like the one from Nightmare On Elm Street 3, with a frightening mannequin in it...<<Kryryn: the woman who's electric meter runs backward...>> Heh, if a person actually does manage to generate more power for their house than the electric company can, then the company does have to pay them instead of billing them. I would take advantage of this, but the investigators would be rather suspicious of a fusion reactor in the basement. <<the hornet's nest out of it's brainpan>> COOL! <<I'd take that over superstrength and resilience any day>> I'd take all the above, in case a device went *really* wrong...<<You just gave a squid to everyone in the room. Gside is in the room. You just gave a squid to Gside. Squids have tentacles. We are ALL gonna die. *hastily barricades himself behind his desk*>> I wouldn't worry--squids work for me. Hey...may as well try fighting fire with fire. <takes a squid sample and sends it to Anton>

Shadowrider> Welcome back! ^_^ (I think I forgot this last time... :( ) <<first, I'm assigned to a place that is not far from my home (about one hour and a half, by train); and, second, I'm one of the "good" ones, I have never been punished until now, and usually those who have been punished are those who are commanded on duty in the weekends...so I can go home in licence quite often.>> I'm glad your service has been this way; hope it continues to do so. ^_^ <<He not only behaved like a syphilitic rat>> I really have to remember that one... >8)

Spacebabie> <<The pain was too much for him....We had to put Andre to sleep.>> Oh no. :`( My sincerest condolences...

Warpmind> <<And a game that's titled Weird Dreams? Hmmm... I can't quite place that title, though it sounds familiar... Think it'll run on a 486? ]:)>> It ran on my 386 SX-25 with 2MB of RAM... ;P I could never get past the bit with the killer roses, though...<<Hmmm... that story... It's good, but... It kinda gives me a feeling the rest of the story fits better in an adult archive, or something... :|>> Is it even possible to be violent enough to earn an NC-17? <> Me too. :) With me it's more impatience than anything; I never bothered to grow up. It would involve becoming sane, and that is living death. <<Try to get signed up at NBCi; they're free, too, they've got more space, they're more stable...>> Apparently you haven't heard what they did to me when they were Xoom. DC's still walking funny. <<sex magic can kill>> Why does sex always end in death?

SOROW> <<Even better news. I had said that I would probably be able to go to the Gathering...well now I really am! My parents decided that it would be part of my graduation present and that my mom would have to go with me so I wouldn't get lost or raped or the like. But I'm so happy and I can't wait to see you guys there! *big hugs around the room* Finally after three years I can go!>> YES! 8D <high-fives>

Lynati> <<Relapses! throat sickness and ankle both!>> Ack... >:/ <looks around for Sli Sludge> Where are you you little punk...<<Ahh...we had our first real snow out here last night. The ground is covered with a very fine white powder, but the frozen rain crystallized the leaves and they crunched under my feet like spun-sugar confections as I walked to the lab today.>> Cool...!

Winterwolf> <<Yeah! Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow! :D>> :) We may have to put off the feast, though, as Weather Mook finally clued that he was In Trouble--we've finally gotten a near-appropriate amount of snowfall. 8)

Aaron> <<Did someone put up mistletoe again? Remember what happened last time?>> Yehh...thankfully, that other one didn't manage to harm Nikolai. Speaking of whom...[Wilek blows into a crystal flute of some kind that's attuned somewhere beyond the human range of hearing. In response, a mistletoe with black leaves, octopus-esque suckers for feet, and compound eyes for berries flits into the room and alights on Wilek's extended forearm.] Where have you been? [Nikolai responds in a language of metroid-esque trilling sounds, punctuated by the occasional shudder, like a dog shaking itself dry.] Helping Gunjack with his cabal of mutant plant life. Ah. Why didn't you report? <more trilling> Oh, registration. Cool. <<Can't stand the rest of the culture tho'. Gimmie Cardassians any day.>> I tend to prefer the Romulans...anyone cool enough to create ships like *that* is definitely worthy of my attentions. 8) (Seen the Dark Matters novel trilogy? Really neat Romulan stuff...) <<Well, the Eva Mk 5 with the internal S2 engine has actual feathered wings and permenant self-resurrection capability.>> OOOHH...<reminds self to conduct a search ^_^> <> Without opposable thumbs? ;P <<People, I think we may have a problem. Who's seen Ghostbusters 2?>> Someone ready the plasma throwers, I'll prepare Libby.

Jannie> <<The real world won't care as much about your self-esteem as your school does.>> And considering that most schools don't care for their students' self-esteem at all... o_o <<as a going away present - after serving for 11 years in every imaginable situation with out of control students, severely retarded, 3 in diapers (ages 7-11), etc. I received... *drum roll* A Christmas tree ornament.>> :O A properly aimed throw would have propelled it right through her eye socket and into her diseased brain...

Lady Corax> <<Except that it looks like I missed the fun with the mistletoe last year. :)>> Trust me, you're fortunate. I tried making meself a pet, but an evil mistletoe had other plans. I don't think we ever figured out who was behind it.

Caliope> <<lol yeah, but I've seen little airless sealer for kids!>> O_o Wha...? Who in the worlds would want--never mind. Don't wanna know. o_o'

Mary> Happy (belated :( ) birthday! ^_^ <<Japanese man #1: "I want some...CHUNKEY MONKEY!!!" *gives his friend a triumphant thumbs up for his perfect English* Japanese man #2: "And I want some...VANIRAA!!!">> Victoly! A winner is you! Somebody set up us the bomb! XMas Party> Ack. :( Hope your actual Christmas doesn't turn out that bad. And I wouldn't worry about excluded or ignored, not as long as you're one of us. :)

Courtney> A Cheerleader's Worst Nightmare> Very nice. >8D

Kit> <<I'll probably check out Return of the Joker just out of curiosity, though if I can get a bootleg uncut version I will.>> I hear it's available for download off the Internet; don't know where though. :( <> Too bad Rare axed Perfect Dark's Game Boy Camera face-mapping feature (yes, because of the bad reaction it'd get due to Columbine; they didn't want to have to deal with hordes of ignorant parents claiming their game was teaching their kids to shoot their friends)...<<Tattoos are also harmless, most of the time.>> Unless one has a thing about needles... >_<' Got to get to work designing those subdermal projectors...

SJ> <<Gasper, it is weird that so many people got confused over each other's names.>> Really, Warpmind, no need to mess with Emambu's head. :P <> Which is why He gave us screwdrivers. You should see what I did to DC after he took down my last computer; I think one of the little boogers is still in his colon. <<I am, however, working on a nice collection of medieval weaponry! I've got my eye on this really cool Spanish broadsword. It's a replica of the ones actually used by the Spanish military hundreds of years ago.>> Kewl. ^_^ Although when it comes to edge weapons, I tend to prefer custom work...I really must acquire a pair of those steel war fans.

Gside> <<how good would an rpg party of a clown, a cleric and a recluse be?>> Cool, if the clown is the insane harlequin type. 8) <<Nice, or Emmanuel. But I was thinking more of the old Hebrew stuff to be more religiously balanced.>> How 'bout Nerutai Hazarurim? <<You can get programs that slow down processors (essentially idling them often).>> It's not only that; the thing requires a very archaic version of DOS and I don't have a 5.25" drive. :/ <<Just remember A' structure, Move Alpha, Principles A, B, and C>> Guh? <<Actually there's a theory that matter is constantly being spontaneously created and instantly destroyed everywhere. All you really need do is find some way to isolate the antimatter before it goes away again.>> Cool...I think we could construct a nanosifter for that exact purpose...<<The chorus goes into a nice little mariachi bit.>> Oh...well, it could be good. :) (I think the Gerudo theme from Zelda 64 kind of helped me be more open-minded about mariachi...) <<No. It was all in your mind.>> Oh. A lot of things are. :P <> I'll have to try that. 8) <<Freud strikes again.>> Freud was a lunatic. <<You now have your own personal IP.>> Um, is this an entirely good thing? Aren't personal IPs rather easily hacked into? <<She could have hentai tentacles if she wanted.>> I've been looking for a chance to try out my new saw staff. <<where and why are there empty categories in the sentence "The men hoped to appear to each other to want to be introduced to themselves.">> Is that even English?! O_o <<You arso start talking in se socall Chingrish for long long time.>> VANIRRA!!! <<Coventry Carol>> EEE! <downloads>

GB> Welcome back! ^_^ <<Bill Clinton appears in the CR with a giant cigar in his hand and a mistletoe spring on his belt buckle. He stops right above a target and there are no Secret Service guys. Everyone, take your best shot (especially SJ and Gunjack) :)>> HEhehe...<uses a pipe wrench on the area under the mistletoe, for starters>

Hyperion> <<Every year England send the US a bill for the tea they lost during the Boston Tea Party. Every year the Us refuses to pay.>> <hehehe> Maybe I can...convince...them to cease that...

Lain> <<Guess who gets to take their friend BACK to the hospital..>> :( <<She wrote that around three days after I was born. I had no idea it was tucked away inside this 20p sketchbook.. along with other pages of how she felt driving home in the car after I was born, and how I would keep crying at night and couldn't sleep.. and it was the only time my mother had ever heard the loons call on the lake..>> Wow... :`)

Robby> <<*Again suddenly, a dozen cat girls appear and take out the evil mistletoe.*>> OOh, target practice! ^_^

FS> <<A device that uses the energy inherent in space. Basicailly it is infinite energy.>> Ohh, a gensifter. ^_^ We're experimenting with them at our theoretical science division. <<Antimater can be made by sending a stream of ions (charged particles) at a piece of gold (or anything with a good, dense subatomic core). If you are lucky the stream will split into a stream of matter and a stream of antimatter. Now, you need a particle accelerator to do that, and my guess is that you are looking at one RIGHT NOW. Your average computer screen is a cathode ray tube (CRT), which is basicailly a big electron gun (READ: Electron particle accelerator). Put a few together, and...>> Interesting...I shall have to fiddle with my old PC monitor. >:) <<Which reminds me... Could a collapsing magnetic field, if it is collapsed fast enough, be directed by the same shielding/playing that can reflect radio transmissions?>> Um...<blink> Not a clue.

Archwolf> <<I chipped a tooth fencing (yeah, I have no idea how it happened either) in October, and finally went in to get it filled..found out I need a root canal. They tooled around cleaning out infection, packed it, put me on Vicodin. More painkillers to drive me crazy.>> Ack. :( At least your hallucinations seem to be pretty kewl.

Coyote> <<former X-Man whose power involves super-intellect and the ability to invent any sort of device suitable for any situation.>> I shall have to hire him...

Joxter> <<Todd at a Gathering Panel... Well, I think we could make up something just for him. Have an entire panel titled "Guess who Todd Jenson is!">> I like. >:) Maybe, just to confuse things, one of the people who look like Todd could also be Arthurian scholars?
Wilek Nereus
Thursday, December 21, 2000 06:04:18 AM
IP: proxy2.spaceproxy.com

*Valentine enters looking pissed/exhausted/weary*

I could couch this in poetic terms, but I'm too tired. Besides, I suck at poetry. I just spent SEVEN FRIGGIN' HOURS trying to get work done while being incessently kicked off bysiblings, parents, and church. When Inspiration is burning in your brain like a fever, seven hours is a VERY FRIGGIN' LONG time to sit twiddling your thumbs. *pulls a shotgun pistol out of his jacket and bathes DC in white phosphorus* Mmm, a little better.
On the plus side, the minigun mesh is a step away from completion. *10-hour rant about all the time lost* ...Sorry, it's been a long day. All that's left to add is the linkless ammo feed (a collection of boxes), an access panel(three boxes), and the hinges for said panel (2-4 boxes). Then I get to start on boning and animating, and making a skin for the beast.
On the downside, the triangle budget kept me from adding all the little bolts/pins/ panels that give the minigun it's charm. Also, the 90-degree FOV makes the barrels look small in relation to the main body. : P ...Anyway, I'm gonna take some screenshots tomorrow and send 'em to my boss.

Emambu & Warpmind - Would you guys mind if I sent you the minigun pics? I could use a second opinion, and my boss is kinda... well... Vague. I'm starting to wonder if I'm wasting my time on the joker. : P

Daniel Johnson><<On a better note, I just called the hospital, and they said that she has been treated and sent back to the nursing home.>> That's a good thing, I take it?

Kryryn><> My booties tried to pull that crap... Now I have a charred carpet AND cold feet. Ya just can't win...
<<Depends on your definition of 'smoke'. *grin*>> I'm getting some REALLY interesting mental pictures here...

Caliope - Ahhhh, that's the CUTEST little chibi-elisa I've ever seen... ^_^ <<OK, I'm so sorry but, Nahir and I had writen a very long post in response to the whole political thingie we were talking about and it aparently did not post!>> Believe it or not, but I know EXACTLY how you feel... I had that happen twice during my debate w/ Entity... ; P *hands her a suspiciously glowing concoction in a beaker* ...Here's to the Lost Posts!
<<Your blinded fanatics that dont take the time to learn both sides of the story and feel you dont have to cuz, heck! you just can't DO no wrong.>> I call people who think like this "Chekist Bastards". I KNOW I'm capable of screwing things over either intentionaly or by accident. The difference is, I believe that it's possible to take action WITHOUT screwing everything up...
<<*slips a squid on everyone's heads and gets back to her post.*>> You just gave a squid to everyone in the room. Gside is in the room.
You just gave a squid to Gside.
Squids have tentacles.
We are ALL gonna die. *hastily barricades himself behind his desk*
<> I'm the oppisite. Whenever I get into a verbal debate, my mouth outruns my brain... ; P <<Example: Yes, i've always been a murderer, so if I still kill ppl today, heck, its just an ingrained part of me, so what can we do?>> Hopefully standing against Communism is slightly more moral than being a murderer... Though given some of the methods employed... o_O
<<All I want to know, and KEEP asking through out the whole discussion, is WHO gave the US the rights to make these dessisions?>> Straight answer: No one did. We took (usurped? grabbed? Stole?) that power ourselves. <<Only God should have that right, henceforth, what country's been playing God?>> Another straight answer: We have.
Now, a question in return: Is it impossible to "Play God" wisely? Is it impossible to use our vast political and military power to fix problems before the corpses stack ten deep?
<<*Cali sighs* I see mine is a lost cause...>> Never! I am logical, and so are you, and Hyperion, and Lain. As long as we stay that way, things'll sort out...
<<Hahahaha those of you who have not read it...What the heck is wrong with you!!?!?>> Uh, I've never even HEARD of it before... o_O *adds it to his reading list...*

James><<Therefore I will not be reading Bunny Wars. Never did. Never will.>> An interesting question: Faced with the grim realities of the modern world, which is the more sane responce? To stand boldly in the breach, swinging the sword of logic against the inummerable foe, or to dive headlong into a pit of Hentai Tentacles? Definately a hard question...

Stephen S - Welcome back! Watch out for the sentient mistletoe... ; )

Gah... I was really hoping to get caught up tonight, But the Dreamtime calls me. I think I'll crawl into this nice big warm bed and just drift off to... ZZZzzzZZZzzz...

"This reminds me of that time I threw that girl off the bed and into the wall..."
-Jonathan Singleton (my bro)
Gunjack Valentine - [miphsingleton@hotmail.com]
Thursday, December 21, 2000 03:03:26 AM
IP: 216-146-184-223.bwn.net

Lynati>...I just loved the news bit about God and the election. I'm going to be thinking of that one for days to come. :) As far as the distance from LA to Vegas, probably about the same amount of time from San Diego to Vegas; roughly 6 hours by car..and that's if you AREN'T exceding the speed limit, from what I understand.

GB>....congrats on getting that piece of sheepskin. I know how hard you've worked for it. *huggles*

Well, guess that's my mumblings for the night. One interesting (and totaly useless) side note: I caught the last half of a show on the Travel Channel about the top 10 roller coasters. Good viewing for anyone that is crazy about coasters. Was ironic timing for me, considering that my son and I had just finished playing Roller Coaster Tycoon. Boy it's hilarious making rides crash on purpose! bwahahaha

Night everyone!

Katara - [garglover66f@hotmail.com]
San Diego, CA
Thursday, December 21, 2000 02:44:47 AM
IP: ac8b42bb.ipt.aol.com

Here I am, back home on a computer with the resolution set to 1.6384 the size.

Warpmind> <<112 seconds in Minesweeper? Tsk, which difficulty setting?>>: There is only one setting worth working on. I htink the only way I could shorten my time on the first two is by not marking any mines. Though apparently my best record is actually down here, with 109.
<<you'll Gather, right?>>: My sources say no.
<<my *jacket* is a large part of that effect, too>>: You've got me there, though with my scarf and (sadly, now lost) sunglasses, combining to cover ~90% of my face, it has earned the title of my Darkman outfit (fun movie).

Emambu> <<Congratulations on finally getting off Linux>>: It's not Linux that's the problem. Actually, it'd probably be best if I got on Linux permantly some day. It's lynx, a cheap (though fast) browser that displays only text, and doesn't make allowances for expanding text boxes in forms.
<<Good luck with the rest of your exams>>: Thank you, though they are all over now, and the only test I really needed any help on wouldn't have been a problem if I actually bothered to study.
<<I'm sure some of you Physics majors will want to prove this guy wrong>>: Not a physics major, but there's still something. Centrifugal? That's not even a real force. If you take it to mean how much something does not want to move (hence, the force pushing on it to get it to move (centripital, if you're talking about keeping something in a circle)), there's still the centri-, which implies something circular.

Todd Jensen> <<he can go through his days so quickly that he has to come up with things to do to keep from getting bored>>: To quote Dr. Leonard Samson: PMS (Pietro Maximoff Syndrome). X-Factor 87. Always liked that issue. "Now imagine, Doctor, that everyone you work with, everywhere you go, your entire world, is filled with people who can't work cash machines." Sorry about that, just felt like dragging out a bit of my collection just because I could.

Lynati> <<the Galateans>>: Humans made of stones? Sorry, too much mythology from me. Anyone else here started reading Parthenos?
<<Is anyone else here aquainted with the Darwin Awards?>>: Yup. My current favorite is the JATO.

Joxter> <<Arthurian scholar other than Todd>>: Is the guy from Holy Grail still alive? But you're forgetting the lingere model, the voice from the heavens, the Japanese Schoolgirl, and the experimental AI. Of course we'd have to get a random knight to kill the scholar a third of the way in, and a cthuluesque being to eliminate another at the second third.

Hmm. I should be rotating the mp3s about now, but all mine are sitting in a box connected to nothing. I'll try to get some Christmas ones here tomorrow.

Na zodorv'ya.

Gside - [gside@eden.rutgers.edu]
Fair Haven, NJ
Thursday, December 21, 2000 01:37:31 AM
IP: proxy3-external.etntwn1.nj.home.com

Actually, Todd Jensen doesn't really exist as an individual entity. "He" is really two separate individuals, who write together under a fictious pseudonym.

That's a bit inside, but I can think of one person right now who's laughing hysterically. ;)
Sevarius Jr. - [bpoole@mailexcite.com]
Wednesday, December 20, 2000 11:21:31 PM
IP: cache-2.spg.va.webcache.rcn.net

Not much to say right now except this:
Winterwolf and Brooklyn please reply to my last message and reply ONLY in egroups to avoid spoilers.
Much longer post tomorrow.
dph - [dph_of_rules@yahoo.com]
AR, USA
Wednesday, December 20, 2000 11:12:06 PM
IP: max1-46.cwy.cei.net

Kit > I sent the e-mail ... twice because the first time I used the frostfire addy ... anyway, one way or t' other, it should get to you!

Warpmind > ::chuckle:: Well, I blame the Pinis too ... so go figure! ; )

Update > I expect to finish writing "Bad Girls" tonight but then it needs some editing and will take a while to get posted and all because the damn thing is close to a hundred pages long ... half the size of my entire "A King for Hothar" serial novel, so I guess that makes it an official novella. Whew! Also finally got around to posting some of my stuff to fanfiction.net, none of the Gargoyles stories yet but my other ones ... this is going to be a very time-consuming project!

Christine - [christine@sabledrake.com]
Wednesday, December 20, 2000 10:54:54 PM
IP: 20-172.075.popsite.net

RP WARNING!!!
**Secret chamber linked to Walter Williams's Faculty Office at George Mason University.

The Capitalist Jedi Council meets as light flashes upon each member.

A screen above flashes and a shadowy figure speaks.

"I know that I have been absent over the past few months, but I cannot disclose why just yet. I have assmebled this meeting to promote the values of free enterprise and capitalism, to combat Marxism and statism, to prove free trade is fairest and that socialism is a crock."

"Well said, warlord. What is on our agneda today?"
"You haven't heard, Walter," says Thomas Sowell.
"No, but let The Warlord continue."
"We could discuss the protestors at the Bush Ranch, but they shall be able to handle it. Instead we must deal with the Jesse the Judas Jackson. While it cannot be proven, he assasinated Dr. King in 1968 with a RedSith device he used on James Earl Ray and he did this to fill a void left by King that rightfully belonged to Andrew Young and Reverend Abernathy. He has used his photo ops to convince people that he had a significant role in the Civil Rights movement, though he was nothing but a self-serving glory hound who thinks his rhyming demagougery counts as preaching. I present a way to destroy him. Clarence Thomas of the Fifth Circle of Constitutional Capitalism shall demonstrate."

A light flashes upon Clarence Thomas as he points to a small bonzai tree. A small rat resembing Jesse Jackson gets near the tree and it devours him. The Warlord continues.

"One of you must bring a much larger version of this man-eating bush to Jesse Jackson's Estate and place it at his front door. This will teach him to stay out the bushes."

The Council laughs, but Larry Elder asks a question. "I admit that is funny, but why get rid of Jackson? I can't stand him, but he doesn't seem a real threat, now."

"Not so. He is an agent of the Red Sith and is instrumental in a plot by Fidel to retake Granada. If we eliminate Jackson, we'll not only be doing America a public service, but we'll set back the invasion plan until Bush takes Office and another invasion of Granada would be halted."**
END RP!!!

Lynati> Feel free to IM me on hotmail, if you use the service.

Kitainia> Well, you don't have to intervene in the discussion if you don't wish to. BTW, I am now an official Economist. As of Sunday, I had my graduation form Loyola and in a few weeks, I shall have my diploma mailed to me, though for all practical purposes, I have a Bachelors of Business Administration in both Economics and Finance. I will be promoted to the rank of Specialist (E-4) and hopefully, I will not get wiped out by Basic Training :)

Christine, Jannie and Kathy> I got your congratulatory posts. Thank you :)

Xena Trek> I got your e-card. very funny ::hugs::

Lain> ::I just got your package. I'll wait to open the presnet on Christman, as you requested ::hugs and smooches::

Gathering 2001> Todd Jensen and SOROW are going, as well as Brigitte Bako. I really wish I could go, except Uncle Sam already has me during that time. Well, G2002 shoudl not be a problem unless I'm stationed in Europe.

Emambu> Well, Gore own Pennsylvania, if that makes you happier. I personaly think Bush would do well to make Rendell Secretary of HUD. He strikes me as a good mayor, and its too bad Katz didn't suceed him. He'd probbaly be just as good. Gore would have given my Mayor (Morial) a Cabinet Post, but I wouldn't wish such an awful fate on Al Gore's Administration, let alone the nation.

What did you think of Ron Klink v Santorum? You said you're a moderate Democrat and that's what I think Ron Klink is, though I like Rick and I'm gald he beat Colonel Klink :)

Lynati> I do sense a certain bias of yours against Dubya. I don't like him either, but so far, his Cabinet posts are excellent. Since I'm going to the military, I'll be glad to have Colin Powell a few steps away from the White House and as for Condoleeza Rice, I hope she has a niece in her twenties, who looks and thinks like her :)

Mary> I think your sister's decision was foolish, too, and she should dump her boyfriend. He sounds worse than a Kennedy. Persoanlly, i find body piercing a major turnoff, as well as smoking, and tatoos. I won't date a girl who smokes or has anything besides teh lwoer part fo her ears pierced. I know it's shallow of me, but I just find certain thinsg to be a major turnoff. I guess it's my conservative three-piece suited nature :)

Welcome back, Coldstone

Caliope> Well, I agree with many of yoru comments about America. For the record, I am a Catholic first, a Capitalist second, and an American third. By American, I mean I love the flag, the Constitution, and I am willing to give at least four years ofmy life to military service. However, there are many times I hate what the Government has doen and I have a very long lsit of Governemnt officials and politicians I hate. Afterall, I want to take the biggest spenders in Congress and shoot them in the back, a coward's death which befits pork-barrel legilators.

My distaste for the bearded one has to do with his Marixst veiws, not how he feels about America. If Castro decided to phase a free market economy into Cuba, I'd begin to like him. One man I thoroughly despise is Lyndon Johnson, an American President who was one of the worst pieces of shit to soil the Oval Office and I'm glad his biggest blunder aged him and eventually killed him. Another man I despise with a passion is Huey Long, a populist Governor of Louisiana who turned my home state into his own fiefdom and I would kiss the feet of his assasin, except that noble soul was killed right after he lanced that boil from the nation's rear.

As for Pinochet, I hope I did not offend Nahir for being supportive of him, though my father (who was an International Businessman) had godo trade deals with Chile under him, so I am biased in his favor. I also think he did a lot fo good for Chile overall, but he did soem inhumane things, too, and I think Chile has teh sovereign right to put their former leader on trial, even though he is 85. I do have a problem with how he was abducted in Engalnd while having back surgery, and that Spain was behind the kidnapping. Chile gave Spain a clear cut message not to mess with them back in 1820, and no European nation shoudl act with such arrogance imperialism, especially Spain who along with the United States share most of the blame for Latin America's current troubles.

I also find it worng an dimpractical how the United Staes supported nasty statist oppressive Governemnts just because they were anti-Communist. The United States should be supporting Governments that promote free-enterprise and freedom of the basic rights America prodes itself on,a nd tehy shoudl do this by promoting favorable trade and establishing diplomatic ties, not through weapons and backroom deals.

I will also freely discuss anything with you and Nahir, eitehr trhough e-mail or on MS Instant Messenger. I am a capitalist, not a nationalist :)

Daphne> <<simple: don't covet his wife and don't covet his stuff. which I consider weird, since when it was written down a man's wife was considered his property.>>

When Exodus was being wirtten, yes. During the Council of Nicea and even earlier when Jesus founded the Roman Catholic Church in 33 AD, women may not have had the rights they do today but they were treated better than as property.

I suspect that certain fundamentalists return to the old set of Ten Commandements, because of how they treat women. I beleive Methdosits and other early Protestants still use the Ten Commandments as Catholics do. Is that so?

Well, I guess I should congratualte you on convicting St. Thomas More, though I do feel certain favoritism towards saints with my name :) Hopefully, King Henry VIII will next be put on trial for Excommunication :)

DPH> On the old matter of Churches and taxes, Churches and religions are non-profit corporations and should be subject to tax laws that affect any non-profit corporation. That would be the most objective method.

Hyperion> Welcome Back. I agree that Ameica did much good, but they also did a lot fo damage. Lyndon Johnson destroyed the nation with his Great Society. Franklin Roosevelt comitted an unforgivable act when he sent fellow Americans into internment camps for being of Japanese descent. What is alos inexcusable is that the New Deal unltimately failed and many of its programs are still in use.

I do support America and I am glad I was born here, and I am also proud to be enlisting as of January 30th, but there are many agencies and people in our nation's governemnt I despise.

Sevarius Jr> On a personal note, I find it insulting to wear the American flag. I do however like your policies and I think you are very amusing, but you could be a little easier on Lain.

Joxter> LOL!!! I agree that Todd is Ambassador Kosh :)
Green Baron - [greenbaron@hotmail.com]
New Orleans, Louisiana
Wednesday, December 20, 2000 09:26:37 PM
IP: adsl-78-220-248.msy.bellsouth.net

Todd at a Gathering Panel... Well, I think we could make up something just for him. Have an entire panel titled "Guess who Todd Jenson is!" Make it the first panel, before Todd has had a chance to properly introduce himself to anyone. (Or anyone who'd be participating at least.) At the panel, you'd have Greg Weisman, an 8 year old child, somebody dressed in the same outfit as Emry's on this page, Todd himself, two or three people about his age that could pass for Todd, an Arthurian scholar other than Todd, Gorebash's cat (at a computer console obviously), and someone in a Vorlon suit. We could then ask the panel various questions while trying to figure out who Todd was. No yes or no questions, obviously. It could be fun! To make things even more interesting, put Todd in the Vorlon suit!

Just a thought...
Joxter
Wednesday, December 20, 2000 08:53:39 PM
IP: spider-tm041.proxy.aol.com

*Lynati pops in momentarily*

Well, i finally go tthat re-occuring ankle thing checked out, and they think I have tendonitis.

*Reads Warpmind's post, gets a funny expression on her face.Turns to face the rest of the room.*
Hey, anyone know how long a drive it is from The Gathering site to Vegas?
hmmm...actually, we should prob'ly wait to see how 2001 goes before we start making plans for 2002/3/4 etc... But stranger things have happened... #)
(**note to readers: She is serious**)
(Yeesh, we'd better watch out; given your name and my wacked-out personality, any kids we would have really would be insane...)

Aaaayoooah! (translation-"See you later, everyone.")

*Lynati pops back out*
Lynati
Wednesday, December 20, 2000 07:28:18 PM
IP: 207.226.219.58

WARPMIND - Actually, I was talking about your general sentiments, and wasn't even thinking of the pun that you'd made when I said that. (I really ought to be a bit more careful about these things).

(Mind you, Mary's not likely to let herself be easily recognized as a pointy-eared female; she deliberately wears her hair over her ears so that people won't find out about it. Merlin knows, but he's got pointy ears too, so it doesn't really matter).

GREG BISHANSKY - Thanks for the background information, and that does fit what they showed in the cartoon (it would certainly explain why Magneto takes a personal interest in Pietro rather than viewing him as just another recruit). I doubt that they'd get the Holocaust background in the series myself, as well.

I doubt that Wanda will get in this season myself, if she's even going to exist in this continuity, but she might show up next season if there is one (and given that the cartoon's very popular, there probably will be). I wonder if Magneto will recruit her for his followers as well, if she shows up. (I certainly don't think that he'd be too thrilled about having his daughter on Xavier's team, at least).
Todd Jensen - [merlyn@ninenet.com]
St. Louis, MO
Wednesday, December 20, 2000 06:34:59 PM
IP: 216.87.46.147.dialup-stl.primary.net

Hello to all. Sorry I haven't been in here in a while but I just finished my exams and things have been hectic. If you've sent me e-mail, something screwy is happening with my server so I haven't gotten to it yet. Love ya.
SOROW
Wednesday, December 20, 2000 01:55:42 PM
IP: a020-0643.dll2.splitrock.net

*Warpmind enters, tugging a large plastic bag.*
Whew... got me some more M:TG cards today, plus the package of various cigars arrived... Ahh... I can TRULY recommend you try to get your hands on a brand called Excalibur 1066 - the flavor is... indescribable. And this from a word-wrangler like me. :) On to replies.

Emambu: Got the e-mail; unfortunately, I kinda don't have the fic in front of me right now (forgot the floppy I'm bringing it around on, I'm afraid) but I'll send it first thing tomorrow, as true as I'm able. Oh, and that Santa thing? *Grin* I read that, or rather, a slightly more elaborate version, aloud to the entire school last year, the last day before Christmas. When I even managed to get that dry, humorless scientific tone of voice, I had them begging for mercy before I was halfway through. ]:) As for GM... Eh? If you refer to the title of Game Master, it's the guy who is the BIG Boss at a role-playing game. If not, well... General Motors? :|

Gunjack Valentine: Oh, I *definitely* want the A-10 Gatling. Anything that is generally referred to as a "Tank Killer" must be exhilarating to use on poor little humans... ]:)

Todd Jensen: That was a rather bad pun, and you APPRECIATED it? Sheesh, you've got to be more loopy than most in here. ;) But really, I kinda like her. But then, I've always had a thing for those weird chicks... and pointy ears. Gotta love pointy ears. (I sorta blame both the Pinis and Christine for that...)

Lynati: *Squeals and desperately makes deep gouges in the floor, clawing his way out from under the mistletoe, then frowns and lets go.* Now, how on *earth* could this be a bad thing? ]:) Oh, and move to the US? Well, I really haven't given it much thought... aside from just about every day for the past decade or so... What, you offerin' a Green Card here? ];)

Well, that just about covers it. Later, gang. *Begins studying several hundreds of cards to build the Penultimate 60-Card Deck of Savage Humiliation. Or at least a runner-up.*
Warpmind de InzanE - [warpmind@usa.net]
Middle, Nowhere, Norway
Wednesday, December 20, 2000 01:28:13 PM
IP: hume.ti.telenor.net

Yea!!! I have net access again. It's been so long I was going into withdrawls.
David G. - [david_goodner@yahoo.com]
Arlington, TX, USA
Wednesday, December 20, 2000 10:42:08 AM
IP: 198.215.20.3

Todd: Thanks! That episode sounds great, hope they do a rerun soon. I regret missing it. :(

Angel SPOILERS: What I've heard is that Manners is dead, along with most of the lawyers who were at the party, but Lindsay will come back alive and human. Possibly even more mad at Angel too. As for Lilah, well, the dynamic duo of bad female vamps (Dru and Darla) may decide they need a third member. <grin> Can't wait to see where things go next. **SPOILERS END**
Kit
Wednesday, December 20, 2000 10:13:03 AM
IP: pool-63.52.167.140.dlls.grid.net

** Niamhgold enters **

Hi, guys, what's up? I see we've got quite the few new people in here...sorry I've been so busy as to not extend my greetings! I'm finally home for the holidays, and therefore I can relax.

So, what's new in the comment room?

I'll leave that one to be decided!
Adios (until a little bit later),

NIamhgold
Wednesday, December 20, 2000 09:13:21 AM
IP: lac-flex143.ncia.net

Both really great episodes of Buffy and Angel last night. Most of my comments have already been stated by Kit and Todd. Though one thing I hope to see is Spike and Drusilla together again. He's the one element missing there IMO.

Todd> Oh yes, Magneto and Quicksilver/Pietro do have a connection alright. But for the sake of those not wanting to be spoiled I'll post a warning.

WARNING POTENTIAL SPOILERS FOR X-MEN EVOLUTION

Quicksilver is Magneto's son. Magneto and his now deceased wife Magda first met while they were both prisoners on the Nazi Death camp Auchwitz. They escaped it as World War II ended as the German soldiers were going to kill their surviving prisoners. They lived in a small village near the Balkan mountains for a while and eventually married and had a child named Anya. A couple years later, an arsonist set fire to their home while Anya was still inside, and the villagers refused to let Magneto rescue her, and tried to arrest him for extorting money (which he did not do). Anya perished in the blaze, and in a fit of rage Magneto's power came out for the first time and he wiped out the entire village. He and Magda were the only survivors. Magda fled in terror from Magneto while again pregnant, this time with twins, though Magneto was unaware of this. She gave birth and died during the winter, and her and Magneto's twin children, Pietro/Quicksilver and Wanda/Scarlet Witch were adopted.

Now I don't know whether or not they'll be using this, because in the cartoon, Quicksilver seems too young to have a mother that was a Holocaust survivor. But we'll see. I'm also not sure that Scarlet Witch will be appearing either.

END SPOILERS
Greg "Xanatos" Bishansky - [Madoc55@hotmail.com]
Wednesday, December 20, 2000 08:35:40 AM
IP: fe0-0.cache-01.nyc.bestweb.net

Todd: yeah, it was by Universal; but Disney plays The Land Before Time and it's *shudders* sequels all the time.
Lynati
Wednesday, December 20, 2000 08:28:22 AM
IP: 207.226.219.27

LYNATI - I doubt that "Exosquad" is on Toon Disney, since it wasn't made by Disney (as far as I know).

And I was wondering myself if Darla and Drusilla might decide to sire Lindsey instead of killing him (but forgot to mention it in my review). It would fit in with the way that he was responding so calmly to the impending massacre.
Todd Jensen - [merlyn@ninenet.com]
St. Louis, MO
Wednesday, December 20, 2000 08:08:33 AM
IP: 216.87.46.193.dialup-stl.primary.net

*Lynati Enters, carrying a big mug of hot chocolate in a mug that bears the word "stress" in large letters, and gives an alternate definition for the word...*

See! I can get up before 4pm! Nyaa!
wh-what? ...of course I went to bed last night!
sleep? well, okay, not actually.

Phish food for me!

***Buffy/Angel Spoilers***
Buffy- ooh, Riley as a Vampire Junkie! I actually thought Buffy was gonna let that girl escape. Was I the only one who sided with Riley's logic of relationships?
You know that saying, "In relationships, men are stupid and women are insane." Nice to see both Spike and Xander actually admitting their feelings out loud. I reaally want to see this Spike/ Buffy thing actually go some where.

Angel: The power of three, heheh. Anyone else catch the repetitious use of the tryptych (?) here?
Right after Darla rises again- her in white, Dru in Red, and Angel in black. Grandmother, mother, child.
Then at the end of the episode, it's like angel is confronting the three-in-one when he's talking to Wesley, Gunn, and Cordelia. Wesley in Red, Gunn and Cordy in pale and dark colored clothes, respectively.
(Or maybe my use of the Tri in my own writing is affecting how I View things.) The massacre- brilliant! I was hoping that that would happen; the setting seemed to good to pass up. bets on whether or not they vamp Lindsay or keep him as a mortal boytoy/feeder?
***Spoilers End***

SJ: have you heard the eminem parady "slim santa" ?

lain:...I'm still writin! Have a very happy Emu.

Warpmind:... * stares at warpmind in silence for several minutes, very slowly raises one eye-ridge, and gives him the "you have no idea what you've started" look*
So, Warpmind, ever think of MOVING to the U.S.?
*Before he can fully back away from the now glassy-eyed Lynati, she tackles him so that they land back beneath the mistle toe* BWAHAHAH A HAHA HA HA! Soon, you'll be mine forever!! ]#)
( D@%&, I must be writing to many scenes with the Galateans; I think their attitude toward males is starting to rub off on me... Or maybe it's the lack of sleep)

{"My apologies if anyone finds this offensive." }
********************************************************

BREAKING NEWS: GOD OVERRULES SUPREME COURT VERDICT! Bush to be smitten
later today.

In a stunning development this morning, God invoked the "one nation, under
God" clause of the Pledge of Allegiance to overrule the Supreme Court
decision that handed the White House to George Bush.

"I'm not sure where the Supreme Court gets off," God said this morning on a
rare Today Show appearance, "but I'm sure as hell not going to lie back and
let Bush get away with this bullshit."

"I've watched analysts argue for weeks now that the exact vote count in
Florida 'will never be known.' Well, I'm God and I DO know exactly who
voted for whom. Let's cut to the chase: Gore won Florida by exactly 20,219
votes."

Shocking political analysts and pundits, God's unexpected verdict overrules
the official Electoral College tally and awards Florida to Al Gore, giving
him a 289-246 victory. The Bush campaign is analyzing God's Word for
possible grounds for appeal.

"God's ruling is a classic over-reach," argued Bush campaign strategist Jim
Baker. "Clearly, a divine intervention in a U.S. Presidential Election is
unprecedented, unjust, and goes against the constitution of the state of
Florida."

"Jim Baker's a jackass," God responded. "He's got some surprises ahead of
him, let me tell you. HOT ones, if you know what I mean."

God, who provided the exact vote counts for every Florida precinct,
explained that bad balloting machinery and voter confusion were no grounds
to give the White House to "a friggin' idiot."

"Look, only 612 people in Palm Beach County voted for Buchanan. Get real!
The rest meant to vote for Gore. Don't believe me? I'll name them:
Anderson, Pete; Anderson, Sam, Jr.; Arthur, James; Barnhardt, Ron..." God
went on to note that he was displeased with George W. Bush's prideful ways
and announced that he would officially smite him today.

In an act of wrath unlike any reported since the Book of Job, God has taken
all of Bush's goats and livestock, stripped him of his wealth and
possessions, sold his family into slavery, forced the former presidential
candidate into hard labor in a salt mine, and afflicted him with deep
boils. Dick Cheney will receive leprosy.
*****
Heh heh heh. I don't know where this and the last came from originally; my dad forwarded them to me.
Is anyone else here aquainted with the Darwin Awards?

Hey, can anyone tell me- is exo-squad on Toon Disney?

*Lynati Exits*

Lynati
SilverSpring, MD
Wednesday, December 20, 2000 07:52:09 AM
IP: 207.226.219.25

CHRISTINE - I honestly don't know if I'll be on any panels at the moment; this is my first Gathering, after all. That may change, however.

WARPMIND - Thanks for the comments on Mary. I have some plans for her in Season Four of "Pendragon" (if we get to make one), for developing her further, and in ways beyond just her "wolf-by-day problem" (although I do have an idea for an episode about that; no, she doesn't go into another relapse of the "On Holiday" sort, but that's all that I'm saying) or having Merlin for her boyfriend. If Season Four actually does get made, you'll see what I mean.

KIT - I saw the fifth episode myself; here's a brief summary of it.

* SPOILERS *

Storm has a nephew in New York City named Evan Daniels, who's also a mutant; he has some sort of "rapid-bone-growth" feature which allows him to grow spikes or even shoot out bonelike substances. Unlike the other young mutants, Evan likes his ability from the start. Storm discovers his condition and urges him to enroll at the Xavier Academy, but Evan doesn't think that he needs anyone's help and shrugs it off.

However, he has a rivalry going on with a kid his age at school named Pietro Maximoff, who, it turns out, is also a mutant, his gift being super-speed. Pietro has decided to use his mutant ability as a means of enhancing his rivalry with Evan, doing things like swiping things from Evan's locker (because of his super-speed, he can zoom so quickly to the locker and back, not to mention quickly opening it, that nobody can even see him), partly because of the old feud and partly because it gives him something to do (as he explains, he can go through his days so quickly that he has to come up with things to do to keep from getting bored). (He adopts the name "Quicksilver", and boasts that he was able to make his entire costume in under a minute). Pietro/Quicksilver proceeds to set up Evan for the high school thefts; Storm and Xavier, however, use this to finally persuade Evan to come train at the Academy, with the offer that Xavier will use his influence to get the boy out of jail if he agrees to come.

Meanwhile, Pietro/Quicksilver has come to Magneto and Mystique's attention as another possible mutant recruit for their cause (there's a great scene at this point, by the way, where we get a glimpse of their other recruits from the earlier episodes waiting outside Mystique's office, with Rogue sitting a little apart from the others with a "What am I doing here with these people?" expression on her face); Magneto seems particularly interested in Pietro. They decide to set up a situation to get Pietro to join them, through Mystique (in her Principal Darkholme role) having the school that Pietro attends send him as part of its basketball team to play against Bayville. Naturally, Evan (who now has the code-name of "Spyke") and Pietro quickly engage in another face-off (Evan getting some help from Scott and Jean), with Evan finally winning (and tricking Pietro into admitting that he was the thief through the old "trick the bad guy into boasting while you've got a tape recorder secretly running" stratagem). Pietro doesn't stay in jail for long, however; Magneto personally shows up to break him out, remarking as he does so "It's good to see you again, even in such distressing circumstances", implying that he and Pietro have some sort of past connection.

* SPOILERS END *

*BUFFY/ANGEL SPOILERS *

Both episodes were very good. I liked how they handled Buffy's response to Riley's going out and deliberately getting bitten by the vampires (not to mention Xander's role in it - and I like how he was able to apply his words to himself as well as to Buffy), and the parting at the end as Riley flies off to Central America. It should be interesting to see how this new development affects Buffy in future episodes.

As for "Angel", that one really surprised me. Drusilla and Darla make a very effective team (I got a bit of a kick, by the way, out of Gunn's comment of the very confusing "family relationships" here, with Drusilla siring her own "grandmother"). But the bit that really shocked me was the end. First, Angel just turns his back on the lawyers and lets Darla and Drusilla do what they will to them (actually, the fact that Wolfram & Hart is actually winding up at the losing end from its own employees was surprise enough); even given the fact that these guys probably deserved it, it was still unsettling to see Angel actually do that. And then, when he fires Cordelia, Wesley, and Gunn.... Well, I've got to admit that the guy is definitely beginning to worry me. Future developments should be worth seeing.

* SPOILERS END *
Todd Jensen - [merlyn@ninenet.com]
St. Louis, MO
Wednesday, December 20, 2000 07:32:59 AM
IP: 216.87.46.193.dialup-stl.primary.net

Warps - No coder? That's a problem, but not an impossible one. There are several pre-fab vehicle sites that I could post the model on, and I could add a tag asking for a coder. So which version do ya want? 8 )
...Heh. And now I'm coming up with ideas for a Runaway Train level. Whoever's on the train gets the GAU-12, while the rest of the people try to frag him... Idea overload! :D
Gunjack Valentine
Wednesday, December 20, 2000 02:19:36 AM
IP: 216-146-183-76.bwn.net

*Emambu meanders into the CR. He pauses to view the mess of tentacles on the floor. Very carefully, he tiptoes past them and waves to James Birdsong. A hand appears out of the pile and waves back before sinking back in. A mistletoe stands in front of him, "Hah, I am immune to you!"*

Hello, and happy holidays. I've been unbelievably busy finishing up exams but everything appears to be done. So now I'm in between semesters for the next two weeks. The only pressures will be family instigated but at least that's pressure I can stand. :)

Gunjack: I recommend falling back to your mom as a last line of defense and then holding back the invading angst. After the initial wave you can use whatever is at hand (pets, younger siblings still loyal to you, etc.) to create a diversion while you slowly take back each room. Flash grenades will work well in the close confinement. :) Congratulations on the continuing progress with your current gun. I'm physched for a release. Any target date? *Sees post about Magic: The Gathering* You know, I should really sell my cards. I have a few good ones from the original decks that aren't being made anymore. They were worth some money last time I checked (I think- not too sure though- I could sell my Wrath of God card for a profit). I still remember my green/white deck. One time I stuck a few Healing spells on a Fungasaur. The thing kept getting damaged but not destroyed. It eventually turned a 2/2 creature into a 22/24 behemoth. Then I added First Strike. >:) BTW, even if the ship had emergency back-ups in case of an Alien breakout it shouldn't have (and ultimely didn't) made a difference. The primary functions of the ship was to hold the Aliens. That lasted all of 30 minutes screen time. Secondary measures are just that: secondary. Not as much effort is put into them. Otherwise, they'd be the primary measures. If the Aliens were able to get out that quickly, then there's no reason they shouldn't have infested the rest of the ship in a short amount of time. Hence there is no reason that most of the crew should have been able to escape with their lives. I'm arguing the wrongful protrayal of the Xenomorphs in the fourth film. And yes, I never thought of the Queen as an entity that moves frequently. However, if you barbeque my children I'll come after you no matter what. :)

Jaden: Jeez, and I thought Pittsburgh was cold *ignores the "wuss" remark from everybody in Michigan and Canada :)* Try to stay warm at least. It just doesn't strike me as a good thing when you can say that you've been frozen. ;)

Christine: Not a problem. I didn't review the summer or fall issues because I was still trying to find a niche here. However, this issue was spectacular and the people who contributed to it more then deserved it. I plan on giving one of the last issue of Sabledrake after I finish all the articles and stories (nice cover art though... as always).

Winterwolf: I like your choice of punishment (particularly the part about four pages of useless material). :) It'd serve him right too. However, I was able to confidently finish his final (even though he did the exact same thing as last time) so I feel vindicated somewhat. The guy looks, acts, and talks like Matt Folely from SNL so I made some references about going home to my van down by the river and eating a steady supply of government cheese in front of the class as I handed in my final. They laughed, and (of course) he didn't get it. :) BTW, I cannot thank you enough for being willing to help out with my choir. It means a lot (Although, first we have to raise some money so we can even have a tour) :) And thanks for the well-wishes. My next step is to shoot for a solo. Hope your Christmas shopping was successful (speaking of which, I'd better get on that) and I'm glad that your mom is ok. I hope she's fully recovered by now.

Shadowrider: I hope you received the letter. I decided that the University international mail system is backwards. So I'll just be using the post office directly from now on (or in this one case: e-mail) :)

Aaron: Thanks. I just felt like doing that for some reason. I blame it on lack of sleep at the time. :) BTW, Croce didn't have a cane when I met him but he did limp. Still, considering he came very close to having no foot, I'd say he made a good recovery. :) Since you're not an NFL fan, I won't gripe about the Cowboys falling apart in the final quarter against the Giants. :) Have fun at the Gathering and don't let Mara hog all the dances with Marina. ;)

Jannie: Great set of rules! I've heard each of them about a hundred times because I'm constantly surrounded by adults. My closest sibling (my brother) is 25. *shrugs* I like to think that it helped me in the end. You forgot one though: #11) Given a choice, your parents would be more then happy to go back to High School and let you run the house.

Lynati: Thanks. It's what happens when you average two hours of sleep for a week. :) *reads song* ROTFL!! I'll never be able to watch Star Trek again for a good while without thinking about that song now. :) *reads news post* You must tell me where you find this. That was great. I cracked up when Dubya was quoted. The rest was just good ole fashion sardonic wit. :)

Mary: A belated happy birthday to you. 18 is a big one (cigars, voting, military, strip clubs, you name it) :). Hope you enjoyed it. I'm glad that your sisters tongue is healing too. Her boyfriend darn well _better_ feel guilty. BTW, did you ever post that newest Ranma fic (ch.4)? I'm using a different computer so I no longer have a link to the site where you post your stories. Thanks, and I'm sorry to hear about the party. Don't worry, we don't think you're a brat. Being excluded is one thing. Being excluded during a social event while you're with your friends is another. *hugs and support*

Warpmind: What is GM? What is the significance behind it? And where can I get a copy? :) BTW, e-mail sent. I'd like to read your newest fic. I won't have time for a typical lengthy review until I get back to college unfortunately. However, I'll still be sure to give you some feedback.

Archwolf: ROTFL!! Great song. :) BTW, they were yelling "Gamma Rules!" but that's beside the point. I was just curious since you were recently initiated around the time I saw this, and one of your Greek letters has Gamma in it. I thought that maybe this was some kind of ritual for new members. :) Congratulations on the good grade in COBOL. I just finished my PASCAL class this semester (I think we're the only university that teaches that language too). Still don't know what I got.

Kyryn: That's not as bad as the leftover meatloaf that staged a coup d'etat in my refrigerator. They got in league with some German potato salad and then all hell broke loose. ;)

Kitainia: Glad to hear that your Dad is back working. I'll take that as very good news. Thanks for your wishes but I got back my econ. test just before I took the final. It was an 'D' as expected. Of course, several others failed or did just as horribly (and this is a big class too so having that many poor marks will hopefully reflect on the teacher and not the students). He pulled the same trick on the final but I was better prepared for it. I hope I did a lot better since it's worth about 4 times as much as the test was. :) Good luck with your finals. You should be over/almost over at this point so I hope you were able to battle through without too many headaches. Maybe you and Doug will finally get some down time with which to celebrate the holidays.

Gside: Thanks but it still didn't work even after trying both. It's weird because my computer does run Java scripts so there's no reason it shouldn't work. *shrugs* oh well. Congratulations on finally getting off Linux. *Emambu thinks about Linux and shudders* Good luck with the rest of your exams.

Sevarius Jr: Kirsten Dunst may be good looking (hell, there's no "maybes" about it) but she's also the kiss of death as far as successful movies (kind of like Ben Murphy from the 70's). I mean did actually see "Bring it on?" Oi, I'd eat my own left arm if I could back that hour and a half of life.

SOROW: Congratulations on being Gathering Bound! I hope that my turn will come in 2002 *starts wishing*

*reads that Ed Asner is coming to the Gathering* Oookkkaay... I won't get angry. After all, even though I'm of age where I don't need a guardian and I have the financial wealth to afford the trip, I still have a good reason for not going this year. *tries to convince himself more then anyone in the CR* yep... a really FRIGGIN good reason. *sigh* Ok, I'm better. I'm just disappointed that, at the same time, I can go and I can't go. If you guys get Jeff Bennett though I'm going to punch a hole in the wall.

Daphne: Congratulations on winning the debate. I guess your eloquent speaking abilities didn't fail you when you needed them most. Also, I'm immune to mistletoe too, but I'm still not going near it or any variations of it. :) *sees part about Rendell* YES! Rendell was one of the best things to happen to Philadelphia in recent years. His son went to my high school (Penn Charter) and even though he was a year ahead of me I got to meet Rendell several times. He's a nice guy too, and smart (politically and intellectually). I cannot believe that people are annoyed that he suggested that Gore should concede. I mean, I voted for Gore but this is just dragging on long enough. Bush won. I hate that fact, but I also accept it.

Niamhgold: Hi! Hope your finals went well.

Hyperion: I remember you briefly. Glad to see your still around. Good points too

Doug: Thanks for the well wishes in my choir. Like I said earlier, my next step is to secure a solo. :) My finals went a lot better then I expected. Kind of an interesting story occured during it but I doubt anyone will get it because they've never met me before. I'll try still: Thursday morning I had a Math exam at 8:00am. I spent the night and much of the early morning studying for it because the professor said he was purposely going to make it hard. Anyway, I wake up and look at my clock: 8:25am. My alarm clock didn't go off for some reason and I overslept. Well, within five minutes I got myself dressed, packed my books, and ran a quarter mile to the lecture room where my test was being held. At this point I was trying hard not to break down in the middle of the room. Not too long ago, I had no self-esteem and something this would have made me unable to even take the exam at this point. However, I stayed calm, didn't freak out, and took the test. I finished all but three problems. One I just didn't know (it was a small question) but the other two were big ones and were worth lots of points. I had started them both, correctly writing the correct formulas but I ran out of time. As I started to hand in my exam, I watched one kid crumple his up and throw it in the trash. It just struck me as funny because that's something I would have done in the past. However, instead I just gave it to him, and he asked me if I finished (he saw me come in late). Obviously, I said no. So he then asks me how late I came in. I answered a half an hour. He then proceeds to sit me back down and lets me finish the exam. It took me the whole 30 minutes just to do both of those last two problems but I knew they were right. It was weird because I kept seeing examples (like the kid who threw his exam out) of how I would have acted in a situation like that years ago. However, I stayed in control and the professor gave me the extra time (obviously he didn't have to) to finish my work. It just made me feel good. Oh well, I'll quit babbling. Like I said, I don't expect anyone else to find that interesting. :) I hope your finals went well, and didn't cause any headaches in the process. You and Kit deserve the down-time.

Robby: Glad to see you survived through finals. :) Looking foward to those TGS episodes whenever they may come.

Spacebabie: I know this is really, really belated but: I'm sorry to hear about the lose of your dog Andre. Hopefully, you'll carry with him the wonderful memories that you shared with him.

Firestorm: Congratulations on the DSL. *drools* megabytes in mere seconds, mmmmm.... BTW, which Elton John song are you thinking of for Demona? "The bitch is back?"

Katara: From one messy writer (i.e. lotsa typos) to another: There's nothing we can do. So why fight it? :) Thanks for the Kisses. Mmmm... chocolate. I'll try and bring in something special before Christmas for everyone.

Daniel Johnson: I'm so sorry to hear about your mother. I hope she's doing better at least since the last time you posted. I extend my condolences and my prayers. The good news is, she's still acting like a mother. :) I remember once my mom was in a car accident and received a concussion. I was only six at the time. Anyway, on the way to go see her I fell and skinned my knee. Well, concussion or no, she made sure that I got a band-aid (I was only six at the time). :) She'll always be your mother and she'll always love you, no matter what, and unconditionally. I have no doubt that you make her proud.

Guandalug la'Fay: Well, I know that I'm anxious to see the Fanfic archive back up. However, don't let my selfish reasons distract you. Take your time. I'd much rather have it go up a little later so you can make it truly perfect. :)

Stephen: Sorry, to hear that you haven't yet found a good job. I'm sure this is just an example of frictional unemployment. You have skills in certain fields and are looking for a job. There are companies in need of your skills. It just hasn't clicked yet. Good luck with your new realtionship too. BTW: Death to the Bucs!! Grrr... I so wanted the Rams to win. This would have all but ensured a home game for Philadelphia in the playoffs. I'm confident that we'll beat the Bengals, but now we have wait out the other games too. Go Packers, Colts, and Bears. If those three teams win, your precious Tampa team is coming to Philly where it will be very, very cold (Tampa is 0-18 in games under 40 degrees). Will see who has the last laugh then, MUHAHAHAHAHAHA!! Oh yeah... welcome back. We missed you. :)

Misc stuff: I saw one of the worst movies ever. It was called "They Live" by John Carpenter. It's a completely pointless film involving sunglasses, some guy without a name, aliens, and subliminal messages. Oh yeah, Keith David's in it. :) He plays a blue-collar worker who fights the main character for a good ten minutes over a pair of sunglasses. However, I still think the whole movie was built around the final joke in the last scene of the movie (sexual innuendo). Heh... it was almost painful. My friends and I MiSTed it. Of course, I made a ton of Gargoyle references whenever Keith was on the screen. :)

Lastly: Here's something I received by e-mail. It was posted on my site a while ago but I forgot about it until today when I got the e-mail. It does a good job of showing me how who ever worked all this out has way too much free time.

1. There are approximately two billion children (persons under 18) in the world. However, since Santa does not visit children of Muslim,Hindu,Jewish or Buddhist religions, this reduces the workload for Christmas night to 15% of the total, or 378 million (according to the population Reference Bureau). At an average (census) rate of 3.5 children per house hold, that comes to 108 million homes, presuming that there is at least one good child in each.

2. Santa has about 31 hours of Christmas to work with, thanks to he different time zones and the rotation of the earth, assuming he travels east to west (which seems logical). This works out to 967.7 visits per second. This is to say that for each Christian household with a good child, Santa has around 1/1000th of a second to park the sleigh,hop out, jump down the chimney, fill the stockings, distribute the remaining presents under the tree, eat whatever snacks have been left for him, get back up the chimney, jump into the sleigh and get on to the next house. Assuming that each of these 108 million stops is evenly distributed around the earth (which, of course, we know to be false, but will accept for the purposes of our calculations), we are now talking about 0.78 miles per household; a total trip of 75.5 million miles, not counting bathroom stops or breaks. This
means Santa's sleigh is moving at 650 miles per second-3,000 times the speed of sound. For purposes of comparison,the fastest man-made vehicle, the Ulysses space probe, moves at a poky 27.4 miles per second, and a conventional reindeer can run (at best) 15 miles per hour.

3. The payload of the sleigh adds another interesting element. Assuming that each child gets nothing more than a medium sized Lego set (two pounds), the sleigh is carrying over 500 thousand tons, not counting Santa himself. On land,
a conventional reindeer can pull no more than 300 pounds. Even granting that the "flying" reindeer could pull ten times the normal amount, the job can't be done with eight or even nine of them --- Santa would need 360,000 of them. This increases the payload, not counting the weight of the sleigh, another 54,000 tons, or roughly seven times the weight of the Queen Elizabeth (the ship, not the monarch).

4. 600,000 tons travelling at 650 miles per second creates enormous air resistance --- this would heat up the reindeer in the same fashion as a spacecraft re-entering the earth's atmosphere. The lead pair of reindeer would absorb 14.3 quintillion joules of energy per second each. In short, they would burst into flames almost instantaneously, exposing the reindeer behind them and creating deafening sonic booms in their wake. The entire reindeer team would be vaporized within 4.26 thousandths of a second,or right about the time Santa reached the fifth house on his trip. Not that it matters, however, since Santa, as a result of accelerating from a dead stop to 650 m.p.s. in .001 seconds, would be subjected to centrifugal forces of 17,500 g's. A 250 pound Santa (which seems ludicrously slim) would be pinned to the back of the sleigh by 4,315,015 pounds of force,instantly
crushing his bones and organs and reducing him to a quivering blob of pink goo.

5.Therefore, if Santa did exist, he's dead now.

I'm sure some of you Physics majors will want to prove this guy wrong. :) That's it for tonight. Take care and happy holidays,

---Emambu
Emambu - [erikmambu@hotmial.com]
Philadelphia, PA, USA
Wednesday, December 20, 2000 02:14:31 AM
IP: proxy2-external.wyn1.pa.home.com

*Warpmind enters, reading a book of Golden Dawn rites, grinning.*
Hmmm... these Elemental Weapons look interesting... particularly the wand of fire... Hmmm... oo, here's a good one; placed under the bed, a wand of fire is likely able to negate any form of birth control... hmmm... that's got potential... *Glances at Lynati with a lecherous grin.* I gotta get me one of those... ];)

Guandalug: Yeah, pretty much figured that out - I might even have the *next* fic ready by the time a functional archive is up... Oh, well, I've got time to spare. :) You take whatever time you need.

By the way...
**WARNING: PUN ALERT**
In Pendragon, Mary's a really well-crafted character... and, she's able to were her condition well. ]:)
**OKAY, IT'S SAFE TO LOOK NOW**

Gunjack Valentine: Damn, but no, I don't know any programmers to do that. :(

Kit: After Christmas? *Grin* Good going. I'll be sure to describe my bow in detail, when I've seen it firsthand. :)

Gside: 112 seconds in Minesweeper? Tsk, which difficulty setting? Oh, and *your* hat? Hmmm... you'll Gather, right? We'll just have to bring our hats along to see, then, shan't we? And remember: my *jacket* is a large part of that effect, too... ]:) As for geography... good point. I know of a movie that spent 17 *months* reaching the Norwegian market...

Well, that's about it. Later, muchachos.
Warpmind de InzanE - [warpmind@usa.net]
Middle, Nowhere, Norway
Wednesday, December 20, 2000 01:23:41 AM
IP: spock.ti.telenor.net

New personal record for me in minesweeper: 112.
And I am now finished with my finals. DLD was unusually easy. Analyze a JK flipflop with the inputs hooked up to the output xored with the input? Heh.
Also finally got around to watching that 300meg Mononoke Hime I downloaded a while back. Some really freaky scenes, probably would have been better in high resolution, and some translations didn't make it all the way through and were occasionally mistimed.

Daniel Johnson> Well wishes for a rapid recovery for your mother.

Warpmind> <<Maybe it's not so strange, then, that nobody stops when I'm hitchhiking anymore>>: I bet you my hat is better at that than yours.
<<You started late? What about me?>>: It's all a matter of geography. You keep complaining that things take so long to get over there, so American products are newer for you than for us.

Gunjack> You know, when I first read monday's Megatokyo, I didn't notice the word bra. I think it lost someting when I did.
<>: No mech?
<<The only mod on the net where you can throw whisky bottles at your opponents to make them mindlessly drunk>>: Sounds like a good mod in which to include opponent repulsificators.
<>: And she probably makes a nice bridge. Though that might be dangerous for me as an engineer (engineers used to have to stand under their bridges when they carried their first load).
<<I'd take that over superstrength and resilience any day>>: Who needs it when you can design your clothes with built in microscopic devices that do the same thing?
<<So how much amperage would it take to fry out a T800?>>: Seeing how the entire body is a conductor, if they built it right (isolated ICs and other vital parts so virtually no current would be pushed through them), very very high. Probably depends on the resistance of the skeleton material (treat body as two resistors, find how much current must be applied before the current through the high resistance (IC as opposed to sleketon) exceeds desired tolerences).
<<just that NAME makes my head hurt>>: Think Chubby Chef. Hence, the blue mage cook from FFIX. But Tchebycheff is nice in that it lets you figure out how likely the probability experiment has the given probabilities, given the data.
<<why not just light the dang thing off>>: Who said they wanted to light it off?
<<does that song actually have a story mixed in somewhere?>>: May I reccommend fruvous.com , the source for all your Moxy needs.
<<Especially considering kit's recent "progress">>: I accidently fell asleep at the campfire! It's not what it looks like!
<<It's probably a good thing that we stopped messing chemicals and just dumped Bob in the street>>: Sounds like something my father did in college. He had to clean a skeleton for a project. They started out with some ugly chemicals, until they saw someone else with a great skeleton. When questioned, he revealed his secret was boiling bleach, so they dumped the chemicals for the bleach. It worked so good, they loat the lizard. However, my father went last, but the bleach was getting ugly, so he decided to dump the bleach and start again. Remember that they dumped the chemicals. Some sort of gas started coming from the drain, so my father opened the windows and bugged out. He had to sit next to a little old lady with his half skeletonized possum on the way home.
<<They don't even give you a meter?>>: Sadly, no.
<<Good lord 'mano, did that hurt?>>: Nah, though one of my exroomies is really good at it. He can spend well over an hour speaking only chingrish. Then he can also morph into Mongol Tom, obsessing about ARC (a building on campus) and his favorite Star Wars character, RCDoo2.
<<And what more do you need>>: My point.
<<And remember, do NOT smoke the mistletoe>>: After all the mutations, it ought to be really good. Can't be wose than half the stuff we got in Jersey.

Warpmind> <<They kinda caused a brief blackout in Mexico City when they fried the terminator>>: Sounds about right. I'd expect the skeleton to have amazing conductivity (the right material and a nice cross sectional area).

Guandalug> <>: But of course.

Kyryn> <<Jubilee actually had a crush on Wolverine>>: Well, Wolvie seems to attract all the young females at the school. Though with how old he's supposed to be, what's a decade or two?

SRS Jr.> Welcome back. Good luck with the job and whatever else you need luck with.

DPH> <>: But who looks at money that closely. And by the time they do, you won't be in the immediate viscinty, and tehy won't remember who gave it to them.

Gunjack> <<most of the rest is detail work. I'm in the groove>>: You're modeling the rifling?

Na zodorov'ya.

Gside - [gside@eden.rutgers.edu]
Piscatway, NJ
Wednesday, December 20, 2000 12:46:30 AM
IP: gside.resnet.rutgers.edu

Begin Part 2!

Katara: Congrats on being able to attend the Gathering. Yet another person I really want to see there, hope I can come. <sigh> Good luck being able to contact us from your Frisco call center in the upcoming week, I look forward to your posts as always. Good luck with shopping also, I know it's hard getting it all done.

Mary: <grimace> Condolences on that awful holiday party, I would have gone totally nuts if I'd had to live through that. Especially with so-called friends ignoring me. <growls> You do know you're not overlooked and treated like that in here, right? I hope so. Doug and I at least think of you as a good friend, and I'm certain we're not the only ones. I pray you can be happy in this knowledge. :) Glad your friendship with Melissa is going well, hope it continues to be so. Without making Bahemut too jealous of course. <grins>

Archwolf: Ack! Sorry to hear about that tooth, good luck with the necessary operation. May its effects pass quickly and not be too painful. Doug and I will as always keep you in our prayers.

Stephen: Welcome back! Thanks for your hopes and prayers, they're appreciated. The need for them better end soon. <sigh> Glad to hear your life is going well, I wish you luck with it. Especially with the new relationship and friends. Good luck with the job too, may you find the one you desire when the time comes. Return to us soon now, y'hear? :)

**BUFFY, ANGEL SPOILERS**
Finally we get new episodes of these shows tonight, and damn, were they dramatic! <shakes head slowly> I am definitely hanging on to the tapes of these. Buffy had some great action for starters, and an excellent script, but even better was the acting and character development. I'm glad to know Joyce is okay, and really enjoyed the interplay between Spike and Buffy, and him and Riley as well. More could have been done, but what was done was excellent. In the writing especially. Also really enjoyed the Buffy-Riley development, their scenes were breathtaking in emotions. So were the scenes at the end where Xander gave Buffy much-needed advice, then finally professed his love for Anya. Damn, I enjoyed those scenes. Xander really proved himself to be a strong character this time around. Big improvement over last season. :) And seeing Buffy fail to reach Riley in time at the end�that was expected, but SO disappointing. <shakes head> I can't say I'll really miss the guy, but I can't say I don't want him back either. He was great while he was around, I hope he returns soon. Missed Willow, Tara, Dawn, Ben, and Glory (yes, even Glory!), but I trust we'll get back to them in January. This episode was great enough with all the plotlines it did handle. More-than-decent dialogue too, and great visual effects. The big vamp fight scene was also a delight to watch. Looking forward to the next new episode in January, this week's gets a perfect 10.

Angel was even more shocking. From the surprise of Vamp-Darla's return to the even bigger one of Angel's going completely nuts over it, we got a serious thrill ride from beginning to end. Excellent acting from all the stars, and great writing and script too. Liked the dialogue too, especially in the wine-tasting party scenes. Drusilla had some very disturbing developments, but they were interesting to watch also and very in-character. Also enjoyed the development done on Darla, she is BADder than ever back in vamp-mode. The Wolfram & Hart development was great also, really enjoyed Angel's confrontation with Manners and the poetic justice he got at the end. I hope not all the bad lawyers were killed off though, I liked Lindsay a lot and want to see him again. Lilah too. Manners can be done without, or they can get a new boss, whatever works. I was really surprised that Angel didn't help them, he is really going off the deep end. Especially in firing his friends and telling them to go away. He needs Gunn, Wesley, and Cordelia right now, more than he knows. Kate may be on his side once again, which is good, but she too will soon turn against him once more if he continues down the road he's on. They had some excellent foreshadowing earlier this season for the change in Angel, but it was still completely unexpected till it happened. <shakes head> Hope he is able to come back to the good side soon, and realize his mistake. Cordy, Wes, Kate, and Gunn better be able to help too, without going too crazy about it. Though I would not mind indulgence of the following creativity demon:
Cordelia- Angel has gone bad again. It's worse this time. We need your help.
Faith- Gee! Wish this had happened before I was in jail!
Kate- We can arrange for you to get out of jail.
Faith- <frowns> Okay. Can I have a little more explanation first? Like, what exactly do you mean by Angel going bad again?
9/10 to this week's episode, special kudos to Joss and co. on the shocking ending. Can hardly wait for the next episode in line.
**SPOILERS OVER NOW**

And my post for tonight is over too, I guess. That's in a way good because I need rest for all that Christmas shopping tomorrow. Hope I can get it all done. Thank goodness for gift wrapping services, which I will be using! :) May all your lives continue to go well, I hope that by next post Doug and I can safely say ours have improved. Or his at least. :) Everyone also have a very Merry Christmas, enjoy the weekend. Doug and I will be going to see our families for it, of course. Later everyone!

**RESUME RP ACTION, RAVENS' SAGA**

"So anyway, these zombies just came out of the ground and got everybody!" Kenny is saying to Jesse Ventura and several National Guardsmen as the screen comes back on displaying the Mall of America's parking lot. Around them, wounded moaning cops are being carried away on stretchers and treated by more Guardsmen and paramedics. "They got me too, but well, you know who I am," Kenny grins, then sighs. "They went into the Mall afterwards. This really weird-looking skeletal guy dressed like a Catholic bishop seemed to be controlling them. It was real strange. The Ravens are probably dealing with them all right now." "Undoubtedly," Ventura agrees, turning to look at the Mall with a grimace. "General, how close are we to evacuating all the wounded and being ready to storm that place?" "Another hour and a half," the General replies. "But sir, are you sure you want to�" "Rebuilding the place will be less expensive than massively renovating it," Ventura interrupts with a growl. "Now hurry up and get us ready!" "Sir, there were hundreds of those zombies," Kenny complains. "No, more like thousands! It'd be madness to�" "And what do you call leaving the Ravens to fend for themselves, huh, boy?" Ventura retorts. Kenny grimaces, then nods. "I...I guess you're right, sir." "Of course I am," the Governor of Minnesota smiles. "Now�" He is interrupted by a loud explosion that causes the wall of rubble blocking the nearest entrance of the Mall to collapse. "Alright, we're out!" a CEO's bodyguard screams in joy, rushing out of it with a hundred other drunks, troublemakers, and other assorted jerks following him. "That was worth blowing those trucks up," one of them chuckles, "even if one of them was mine! Now we can get out of here and go home!" "Yeah," another one laughs, others joining in. Then the group sees the National Guardsmen surrounding them and drops their jaws as one. "Oh man�" "And who are you guys?!" Kenny asks them. "We're, uh, just shoppers�" one jerk says. "Yeah, shoppers who were caught in there when the madness began!" another screams. "Outfitted to fight a ground war?" one of the Guardsmen snorts, looking at all their weapons. "Yeah, right." "We, uh, found this stuff!" one of the group says. "Sure," Lieutenant Madison chuckles. "You know what? If half of what Kenny and the Governor here have told me about the Ravens is true, I bet all of you are running from them." "The Ravens?" one of the jerks asks. "Who are�" "Enough of this BS!" Ventura cuts him off. "You're all under arrest till we get this sorted out!" "What?" a young black adolescent waving a BB pistol shouts. "You jackass! You can't do that to us! We're gonna shoot you up!" "Yeah, man!" another of his buddies chimes in. "That jerk security guard and those stupid pig cops stopped us from taking these guns at the Wal-Mart and having fun shooting out car windows, the guard smarts off to us and takes away the stuff we took, you now you deny us our revenge on him?" "Bitch, we ain't going back to jail!" a third kid shouts, raising his gun. Instantly all the National Guardsmen who have been taking aim at the group fire their weapons, causing most of the assembled jerks to scream in shock, then pain, as they are blown away. The three kids with BB guns are among the first to go down, and the rest soon follow even as they try to fight back or escape. "What a waste," Ventura sighs when the gunsmoke clears, seeing all their bodies dead on the ground. "At least we have a way into the Mall now," the General shrugs, smiling at the fact that his men have suffered no serious casualties, "and we've eliminated a lot of the enemy." "There have to be more," Kenny says. "We have to hurry up and get in there!" "Not yet," Ventura says. "Gotta get the wounded out first." "At least let me scout ahead," Kenny snaps, grabbing an assault rifle and striding into the Mall determinedly before anyone can stop him. "Kenny, wait�" Madison begins, but Ventura cuts him off with a bemused smile and a shake of the head.

The display changes to inside the Mall, where the main group of Ravens are advancing down a hallway towards Camp Snoopy, alert for any dangers that may leap out to challenge them. "So Keith's badly hurt," Doug is saying to Elena. "Mind telling us how?" "Stabbed," Orion answers. "By an extremely sharp blade." "That Kell guy Stephanie was fighting?" Tricia asks. "Uh, yeah, sorta," Boris replies. "What do you mean sorta?" Kit asks, turning to glare at him. "There's something you're not telling me, and I demand to know now!" "Well, Kit," Lathrop sighs as Elena and Boris exchange frowns and Orion shakes his head, "it's, um, complicated. Stephanie had a Quickening, and it�" "Guys, heads up!" Shap interjects suddenly, catching their attention. He points across the hall to a black Mazda parked near the wall. Two grinning thin Hispanic men in gangsta clothes are leaning against it, along with a big black-haired man with a goatee in a security uniform who is smoking a large cigar. A trashy-dressed girl is clinging to his arm, smiling as she runs her fingers over a roll of money in her hand. "Doug!" the big man smiles. "How good to see you again!" Steven Walker looks out of the car's driver's seat at his friend's call, sees Doug, and gasps. "Oh, no! Elder! Erik, why the hell did you have to get his attention, man? I ain't ready for�" "You better be ready, Stevie boy," the big man chuckles, fingering his cigar and stepping forward with his two associates and girlfriend behind him. "You I don't know," Doug grimaces at him, then looks at Steven. "I think you were yelling at me upstairs." "Hey man, I didn't mean anything by that!" Steven shouts, holding up his hands in a pleading expression . "Really! I was just mad, I'm calmed down now. Please don't�" "Shut up," Doug snaps, looking back at Erik. "Remind me who you are?" "Erik Ramirez," the big man replies, grinning. "You yelled at me for getting myself fired, said you thought I was smarter than that. Well, I was- I got myself out of a stinker of a job to have more time to do what I love- clubbing and having a good time! Abel didn't want to put up with me, hated that I wrecked the cart and spent a lot of my on-duty time on the pay phone, he got mad at me, so I decided I didn't give a damn and left the job! You know what, I still don't give a damn about it! He wouldn't even hire my buddies here just cause they're felons, and your goddamn north store fired my girl here because she was taking all the money they should have been giving her out of their cash registers! Punks like you denied us what we deserved, Elder!" "I think you guys are the punks," Doug replies. "Yeah, I agree," Jammer says. "In fact, I think I remember beating you up a time or three." He taps his pole in his hand. "You want another round?" "We have you guys outnumbered," Leah adds, raising her rifle. "You best surrender." "Or not," Mansfield quips. "Whatever you want to do is fine, just come on and do it already!" "Yeah," Shauna agrees, smiling. "Just once in this Mall, I would like to meet some bad guy who's more than just talk!" "Then you will, bitch!" Erik declares, flinging his cigar away and getting into a karate stance. "Come on and fight us!" "Yeah!" his girlfriend chuckles. "We'll kick your ass!" "And we'll help you!" a short stocky black man wearing a stocking on his head and a leather jacket declares, stepping out of a smashed-up store with baseball bat in hand. A large group of people who look like the worst sort of gang members is following him. "Elder, we are going to smash your ass! You are gonna learn never to just leave my shit unwatched for me again! You are going to learn never to disrespect me and tell me the right way to do my job, bugging me about sleeping and racing my toy cars on duty and all the other stuff I did while I was with your company! I, Chris Williams, am gonna show you what a really good officer is made of, and my drug dealing gang-banging buddies here are gonna help!" The gang members cheer in anticipation, tapping their weapons in their hands as they advance. Steven grins and gets out of his car to stand beside Erik and his friends with an evil glint in his eye. "Now I have courage!" he laughs at the Ravens. "I'm gonna tell my kids stories about taking you guys down!" "You're going down, Dougie boy!" Erik chuckles, swinging his fists through the air in readiness. "You and all your friends! That crazy bitch told us you'd probably come this way, now you're gonna die!" "After you," Doug replies, taking off and putting away his glasses. His friends nod in agreement, getting themselves ready. "Whatever job you have in the dimension all these people are from, Doug," Kit says, "I hope you're good at it." "To be able to put up with so many losers, I'd probably have to be," Doug sighs, shaking his head slowly as the enemy charges and the screen goes blank.

**REALLY RIGHTEOUS ACTION COMING UP NEXT TIME! :) END RP**
Kitainia
Wednesday, December 20, 2000 12:35:16 AM
IP: pool-63.52.171.249.dlls.grid.net

**RP HERE, WITH POST-ELECTION MADNESS**

"I do not believe this!" George W. Bush is ranting to his wife Laura, running mate Dick Cheney, and future cabinet members Colin Powell and Condoleeza Rice as the screen comes on. "Those protesters have surrounded my ranch and won't let me leave- I was supposed to meet the President today for advice, and Greenspan to talk about those tax cuts! But I couldn't�" "Dear, we really should have built a helipad on the ranch," Laura Bush sighs. "I've told you before." "I think he knows, Laura," Cheney sighs. "Seeing your mistakes, George?" "Yes, Dick," Bush growls. "Now, please, shut up." Turning away, he stares out the nearby window and drums his fingers on its sill. "The Secret Service is out there to guard me, protect me from harm. Why can't they chase off the protesters?" "Maybe you should ask them?" Rice inquires, and Bush's jaw falls open. "Good idea! I'll do that." "If it doesn't work, the General who's commanding Fort Hood right now owes me an old favor," Powell suggests. "Maybe he can chase the protesters off with a few tanks." "That might jeopardize George's public standing even more than the election did, Colin," Rice points out, and Powell grimaces. "You're probably right." "Well, we've got to do something," says Cheney. "Talk to the Service." Bush nods and opens the door of the room to address an agent when there is a sudden horrifying scream. "What the�" Bush gasps as the agent's dead body falls over into the room, its mouth frozen in a dying scream. "Oh my God, he's dead!" Laura screams the obvious. As Cheney and Powell reach for the pistols they still carry despite their retirement from the military and Rice stifles a gasp of her own, a chill wind blows into the room. Riding on it is the laughing ghost of David Koresh, whose eyes glint with madness as everyone in the room takes a step away. "Oh yes, this is glorious!" the undead cult leader raves. "Before, I was little known until my death, and now I can scare anyone I lay eyes upon into also dying! Wonderful! Hahahahaha!" "Who in the name of Stephen F. Austin�" Bush stammers, just as the window behind him crashes open and several ski-masked figures in business suits wielding Uzis leap in and cover everyone. "Hello, W!" the tallest of the group says triumphantly, taking off his mask and revealing himself to be Al Gore. "Thrilled to see me?" "What are you doing here, Gore?" Bush's jaw falls open. "This isn't a very nice surprise! You're trespassing on my property! Do you know what we Texans do to people who�" "Shut up, you usurping dumbass!" a large female masked figure orders, stepping forward and slapping Bush across the face, knocking him down. "Hey!" Laura shouts, her mouth wide open. "You just can't come in here and hit my husband!" "Why not?!" Tipper asks, taking her mask off and smiling obscenely. "He's stolen what is rightfully my husband's- we're here to take it back!" "I don't understand!" Cheney gasps, staring at Gore. "You conceded!" "I took it back before, I can do it again!" Gore chuckles. "The Electoral College won't care once their pretty boy is dead!" "You came in here planning to kill me?!" Bush stares at Gore angrily. "You make me ashamed I lauded you for fighting the good fight all through the recounts you demanded!" "Nothing personal, W, you should understand," Gore laughs, taking out a pistol and smiling. "I just want to be President. And avoid being sacrificed to Lord Gothmenes for my uselessness. Since the legal way didn't work to accomplish that, Tipper, myself, and our Lawyer-Commandos�" "Wait a minute!" Rice cuts in. "We have Lawyer-Commandos too, they've been fighting yours in court!" Gore's lawyers gasp as she whistles and an identical number of Uzi-packing lawyers rushes into the room and deliver long opening statements before leaping at them. "Koresh, do something!" Gore yells at his pet ghost, who laughs and moves toward Rice, only to be intercepted by Cheney and Powell, who are both waving crosses. Koresh screams and puts his hands over his face. "Damn!" Gore curses, seeing his ally held back. "Tipper, I guess we'll have to handle W ourselves!" "I'm a little busy, Al!" his wife screams, having been tackled by a screaming Laura Bush while Gore distracted and now on the floor in the middle of a serious potential-First-Lady catfight. "Well, Gore, I guess it's just you and me!" Bush declares, standing up and advancing on his contender, who frowns and then grins, bringing up his gun. As Bush stops, Gore pulls the trigger, then curses loudly as nothing happens. "What the�" "One of my special defective trigger locks on that gun?" Bush chuckles. "Charlton and I did a great job screwing up that wuss-plan of yours and Tipper's, didn't we?" "You bastard!" Gore snarls, throwing the gun away. "Speak for yourself!" Bush retorts. "Time for you to get a serious ass-whupping, Texas style!!" With that, he launches himself in a flying tackle at Gore and knocks him to the floor just as Joe Liebermann and Ray Telman teleport into the room. Both drop their jaws as the display begins to change.

In the Middle East, King Abdullah II's army is retreating before the huge mass of terrorists racing at them, his jeep at the very back. The King continues to shout curses at the enemy and fire his gun into their ranks, grimacing as he sees little apparent effect. "Something very strange is going on here!" Ivan shouts over the radio. "I've fired several missiles into that army, and they're still coming! The bombs should have flattened them!" "I'm aiming artillery at them right now!" General Earle snaps. "Let's see how they handle it!" "I have a feeling it's not going to do any good," Abdullah II's driver sighs. "What do you mean, Achmed?" the King turns from his gun to ask, and gets a frown. "You are very good with that weapon, my liege," the driver sighs. "And you are having little effect. Truly Allah is against us this day. It's like your bullets are hitting nothing but air." Abdullah II nods, sighing, then he frowns and turns back to the enemy. He fires several shots into them from the jeep's machine gun, observes the effects, and then gasps. "Oh my� Achmed, you are a genius!" "My liege?" the driver frowns. "Everyone!" Abdullah II turns to the soldiers fleeing around him and shouts. "The enemy is not there! It's just one big illusion! They're shooting at us, and they're not killing us! Same for us and them! Look at yourselves, look at the enemy! Do you not believe me?!" Many of the soldiers shake their heads and keep running, mumbling about their king going mad. A few, though, stop, turn around, and scream in surprise, realizing Abdullah II is right about the illusion. "Advance, my comrades!" the King of Jordan shouts, ordering the shocked Achmed to turn their jeep around. "Advance through the illusion to the real threat!" The triumphant shouts behind him echo throughout the estate, causing the remaining terrorists loyal to Abdullah bin Aziz, whose spirits had been temporarily raised by the illusion's appearance, to gasp. Then they scream and begin to flee from the army of Jordanian soldiers and Desert Knights as it charges through the illusion and starts firing at them once more. "I should have known something like that was going on!" Amad laughs at the rear of the army, staring after the illusion as it proceeds on down the plain, starting to fade away as it continues moving. "Come on, Colonel," Andrea Grey tells him, cocking back the slide on an MP5. "Time to stop reporting the news and start making it." "Amen," Amad agrees, raising his weapon and running towards the enemy. Just over a nearby hill, Apep smiles in agreement, enjoying watching the battle too much to want to enter it himself for the moment. And the screen goes blank.

**TO BE CONTINUED, END RP**

<Kit dances into the room screaming joyfully> Hello friends! Finals are over for Doug and me, finally!!! Pun intended. :) How's everyone doing? <looks over posts> I see most of you have your finals done also, that's great news! Congratulations one and all, hope you did well. To those of you who still have finals, who are hopefully few to none, I wish you the best of luck and my deepest prayers. Same also to those of us who now face this time of year's even more stressful tasks- Christmas present buying and wrapping! Doug has his pretty much all finished, only Christine and Abel's gifts remain, while I have to do all mine on my day off tomorrow. <groans> So I'm posting while I have time. :) Things are going alright for us right now, pretty much. Our finals are over, and so is all of Doug's schooling until he enters the Police Academy. <grins, then sighs> Distressing news on his job front once again, though. An officer he thought was a real decent guy showed his true colors and failed to show up for work, getting himself fired and not seeming to care. Another is not doing their job as well as Doug hoped they would, and even worse, my honey's two main co-worker buddies, Blake and Hernandez, are both in trouble. Blake got in a fight with a jerk cart pusher at the 290 Wal-Mart today, has been banned from that store. The jerk cart-pusher (you saw him in the RP before, name was Nick) got fired, finally, but we're unsure whether Blake had any part in starting the fight or not. If he did� Hernandez's situation is worse. He has just been evicted from his house. Doug doesn't know the exact reasons why, but he is very worried about the guy, and I am too. I think he has friends who are putting him up for now, but Hernandez does have a family, and this Christmas may be very hard for all of them. :( <sighs> The jerks at Doug's job who got themselves fired and their friends are also continuing to make all the trouble they can, harassing the company and demanding their jobs back. They're not going to get them of course, but the problems remain. <sighs> And the few officers remaining are having to pull double shifts a lot. :( Today Doug paid $350 for an ad in the big local area paper, the Austin American-Statesman, hoping it will get his company more officers in time for the weekend. Why Abel stopped advertising his need for guards in that paper I do not know. <shakes head> Some good news on the front too- Doug handled his first confrontation with semi-armed bad guys well today. See the RP below for an explanation- the kids in question were between 12 and 14, believe it or not. Doug barely had time to gasp when he saw their weapons before the cops showed up and arrested all three (customer who saw the bad guys making trouble called 911), but he handled it. :) Another officer, Robert Wright, managed to apprehend a gang of burglars that tried to break into the south store Friday night. He got much-deserved big kudos for that. <grin> So Doug and his fellow officers are doing their jobs, I just wish things were less stressful for them. My job is going alright- Tower has been very busy with Christmas shoppers, but we haven't had any problems yet. Other than the usual job stresses of high demand and low supply for certain items, which we can handle. :) Dad is also doing okay, at work once again and in top form even with his heart not operating as well as it once did. And Keith and Stephanie are going wedding-mad again, but not as much as before, thank goodness. Their school's over too, like all of ours. :) On with the comments and replies.

SJ: Thanks for your good words about Dad, I share your hopes. <grin> I also give my deepest condolences on all that's happened to your family. Heart-related and otherwise. <sighs> I hope you're wrong about being destined to suffer similar problems, I wish you the best of luck too. You're a good friend, I care about you. And I never want to lose you, though I know it someday will have to be so. :( Thanks also for the continuing great entertainment of your political rants.

Warpmind: Shauna said to tell you she'll send e-mail your way after Christmas, she wants you to be familiar with the bow you'll be using before she gives any more tips. She'll probably ask you to tell her about it too. Glad your life is continuing to go well, or so it appears. :)

Gunjack: Thanks for sharing the details of your hobby with us, I'm glad to see you're developing those weapons well. <grin> They sound interesting, I wouldn't mind having some of them myself. That Coffin Hammer sounds quite ideal for home defense. :) Good luck continuing to manufacture the weapons you want to, may you never have the need to use them. I'm especially glad the 'smithing is helping you deal with stress.

Todd: No Blight? Aw! Oh well. <sighs> At least I still have my tapes of the original eps featuring him. Thanks for the info on the upcoming X-Men Evolution episodes, they sound like they'll be intriguing. I do think I missed the fifth one though. <sigh> If anyone has a summary, it would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. Also nice to hear you'll finally be attending a Gathering.

Kyryn: You got the day off from work due to that freezing rain and winter storm deal that passed through here last week? Lucky. <growls> Doug and I didn't get to enjoy the same benefit. :( Oh well, we managed not to go crazy or get killed, so I guess it all evens out. I agree with you about not wanting to be out in such weather. :(

GXB: Glad you understood my position. <smiles> I share your opinion of needles, I don't like them either. In fact, the only reason I got my tattoo was because everyone else in the group I had joined had one and they dared me. It was very hard bearing the pain of it, but I did. And I'm still sensitive about the damn thing today, shows how much I trust the people in here to admit having it. <grin> I don't squirm before needles, but I know lots of people who do. So take heart, friend, you are not alone. Not by a longshot. :)

Coyote: <sighs> I wish you good luck this Christmas, having it without your grandmother and all. I agree that we all must move on, but sometimes it is hard. I hope you are able to do it, let me and Doug know if we can help in any way. You are indeed right that sometimes people have to work, no choice about it. <grimace> You'd think that would make some people want to do their jobs better. Unfortunately, that is not true. :( I wish you good luck also with the deep snow.

Christine: Well, whoever reads it, I'm sure it will sound great. Looking very forward to listening. I hope to receive your address in e-mail soon, Doug and I do want to get the present off before it's actually Christmas Day after all. Yeah, I know you won't mind getting it late, but still. :) Glad to know the necessary info is on the way. Also thanks very much for the great Christmas story (I'm still ROFL at the ending!) and for posting all those additional great pictures from Demona May!

SOROW: Congrats on getting to use your first credit card, that is a big step towards maturity. <chuckles> May you soon be taking many more. Sorry to hear about the headache, I hope it's over by now.

Green Baron, Atilla: Welcome back! <pats and nuzzles the latter extravagantly> Glad to hear your finals are now over, congrats on getting free time back. Same to everyone else who now has it again of course. :) Forgive me if I stay out of the US Policy Towards Cuba Etc. discussion, after aceing my Political Science course this semester and tossing the notes I'll never need again (I hope) I am _way_ too burned out to form a coherent valid opinion about all of it. Nor do I really want to. Some parts of history you dislike so much you have to ignore them to keep from exploding. Especially when you think about the way things are now after they're done. :( I do agree with Mr. Gordon Sinclair about a lot, though, thanks go out to Hyperion for posting his bits (and welcome back, old friend!).

Lain: A male Slayer? That could be interesting, but it won't be the same, I must say that. Hope it's just a rumor, I have a bad feeling about it. <frown> I also don't want to see Faith get killed off, I like her way too much. If they're gonna do it, though, I hope they indulge a certain creativity demon I have (see below) first. <grin> I wish you good luck with your winter storms as well, hope they end quickly and don't do too much damage.

Lady Corax: <smiles> Amen, sister! I'm proud to be an American too, despite all the bad parts of our history. I'd undo them if I could. <sighs> Thanks for the candy canes, and good luck this holiday season. Be sure to have a lot of fun before you have to come back, okay? :)

Robby: I wish you all the best in the next project to which you must devote your energy. Looking forward to reading the finished products. Especial congrats to you on getting your finals finished up. Feels great, doesn't it? Bet you're eager to have free time again, hope you eventually get it. Say hi to Heather for us, please, if you're still talking to her. :) May you both soon be able to come back!

Jannie: Congrats on finally finishing up your school duties, glad that the whole staff of the place was able to see that <bleep> you had to deal with for what she was. Glad the district is recognizing it too, hope they take appropriate action soon. A woman like that in charge helps nobody. :( I wish you luck avoiding her on the second. Doug and I also enjoyed this week's District, it was a great episode. Though we liked the Nancy & McGregor subplot a bit more than Beth's introduction, she was a nice character too. Especially when the possibility of her and Nick being together was brought in. <grins> I regret we missed the episode with the serial killer preying on the elderly- Nick's relationship with Congresswoman York obviously ended in that one. I would have liked to see how it did. If you can send us a summary, please do. Also, have a nice safe Christmas. :)

Revel: Thanks for the good luck wishes, we Christmas shoppers probably need them. Congrats also on surviving that fog, I am glad I did not have to drive in it myself. <phew>

**X-FILES, SIMPSONS SPOILERS**
Good episode of X-Files once again this week, missed Scully but liked the Doggett development a lot. Especially in his scenes with Skinner and the Lone Gunmen (who made a great return). The plot of the episode was also very well-written and interesting, and the bad guy appropriately mysterious and scary as heck. Hope they can continue producing episodes of this quality. <smile> Simpsons was also pretty good, especially when Skinner finally got what he deserved. I was a little peeved about Homer not seeming to remember his Mr. Plow days very well (I loved that episode!), but otherwise no complaints. Favorite moment- Superintendent Chalmers not even asking for an explanation. <grin>
**SPOILERS OVER, SO'S PART 1 OF POST**
Kitainia - [DougElder21@yahoo.com]
Wednesday, December 20, 2000 12:34:16 AM
IP: pool-63.52.171.249.dlls.grid.net

*Kat enters the CR, dressed in a pair of coveralls and carrying an assortment of tools and dragging a 50-gallon drum of spackle behind her. She starts repairing the damage she made last night*

Hi everyone! How's everyone? Hope everyone's had a good day.

SJ>...nice to see you around again. Is great to hear that the personal life is looking up. I'm sure the job situation will turn around soon. <HUGGZ>

Daniel> I'm glad to hear that your mother is doing better today.

Well, nothing to really reply to tonight, so I think I'll just get back to repaing all the melted plaster in the CR. However before I go, I'd like to leave you with this wonderful thought I found in my email today.....

"Family goes far beyond those who are related to you by genetics. Look close to home for those who are family in your heart"

So to all of my "family" good night, and pleasant dreams.
Katara (gb) - [garglover66f@hotmail.com]
San Diego, CA
Wednesday, December 20, 2000 12:03:14 AM
IP: ac90536d.ipt.aol.com

Stephen > good to see you around here again! Congrats on your team; we caught part of that game (and also the dramatic tail end of the 'Hawks beating the Raiders, that was exciting).

Todd > glad to hear you'll be joining us! So, what panels do you want to volunteer for? ; )

Christine
Tuesday, December 19, 2000 11:09:01 PM
IP: 06-082.075.popsite.net

*enters*

Thanks everyone for your sympathies, makes me feel tons better. ^_^

Also, the ice cream flavor "Chunkey Monkey" is a Ben and Jerry's flavor. Damn I love those guys!!! :) *drools over the thought of ice cream* ;P

BTW, I really good friend of mine, Melissa, just made my day today. ^_^ See, I've kind of had this crush on her for about a year now(hey, being a bi gal and in a relationship doesn't always mean I'm not going think about girls! ;P). She is the funniest girl I have ever met and she gets so excitedly passionate about her interests, it's so cute! Anyway, she's a HUGE Ranma 1/2 fan and when she heard that Inu-Yuasha the anime series started to air in Japan this last October she was so excited(incase you don't know the connection between the two that I want to make, besides the fact that they're written by the same manga writer, the voices of Inu-Yuasha and his 'love interest', Kagome, are played by the same people who did the voices of male Ranma and Akane). She told me once or twice that she was trying to download the first few episodes of the series on the Net, but the website she knew of was having trouble uploading it. Needless to say, she was dissapointed(she's so cute when she's pouty!^_^). Then recently after signing up on to Streamload.com, I got the first 8 episodes(1-6 are fan subtitled, the other two are raw). I thought, "Oh, Mel would KILL for these!" So I sent her an e-mail and boy did she send a happy reply! :) So I told her how to set up an account and that I would send her the files when she was ready. I'm just really happy I was able to make her day. ^_^

(Mel-chan didn't get to the X-mas party till later on in the evening, so I don't hold her accountable for my bad evening.)
Mary Flanders
Tuesday, December 19, 2000 10:39:29 PM
IP: adsl-63-195-144-108.dsl.scrm01.pacbell.net

Modeling a GE minigun is hard. Modeling one while being bumped off the computer all day by siblings is dang irritating. : P ...But despite that, I'm closing on the halfway mark. Most of the major shapes are there, and most of the rest is detail work. I'm in the groove.

Warpmind><<By the way, something I wish for you to model in HL... A mounted gun. Running on hinges, so it can be aimed along a horizontal and a vertical axis. A Gatling. More accurately, one taken from an A-10.>> Gee, ain't YOU the little munchkin... 8D ...Can do, but it'll only be a model. You know a coder who can bring it to life? And would you like a carriage gun (like a howitzer; probably mounted on a 1-2 ton "tripod"), or a vehicle weapon (Mounted on a heavily modified APC)? Whoever does the coding, they'll need to do a dual-attack; the stream of 30mm shells and the 30-foot muzzle blast...

Real post later. Gotta finish biulding my baby...
Gunjuack Valentine - [miphsingleton@hotmail.com]
Tuesday, December 19, 2000 09:38:57 PM
IP: 216-146-183-80.bwn.net

**RP RELATED**
All BFTS RPers please check egroups and respond to the latest message within egroups. I do not want any potential spoilers.
**END RP RELATED**

Daniel Johnson - sorry to hear about how things are going rough for you.

Gunjack - Infinite money, theoritically, yes. However, the holographic money must be convincing enough. That is I can not have 2 ten dollar bills that look exactly alike on everything. So if I could some real money and scan it it, I could keep replicating it. So if I withdrew one thousand bills, scanned the dollar bills in, and then redeposited the money, I could keep spending upto $1000 at a time. If I kept making $1000 purchases in cash at Walmart or anywhere, someone could catch on to my little scheme. So you see, I have to have the equilivant in real money to spend so much at a time in holographic money. So if you could come up with some safe way to cash in, I am all for it, otherwise no. Of course, the first thing on my list would be buying all available real estate by making bank deposits.

Gunjack - Time travel makes us queasy - That is why I have not used it yet. I can not figure out a safe way to ensure hologram will still be projected if I alter the past.

DPH - [dph_of_rules@yahoo.com]
AR, USA
Tuesday, December 19, 2000 07:06:30 PM
IP: max1-13.cwy.cei.net

STEPHEN SOBOTKA - Since I live in St. Louis, I probably should be protesting your jubilation over the Rams' defeat, but since I'm honestly not a sports fan and my general disinterest in the football topic is even stronger than my loyalty to my home city, I won't. :)
Todd Jensen - [merlyn@ninenet.com]
St. Louis, MO
Tuesday, December 19, 2000 06:21:17 PM
IP: 216.87.46.111.dialup-stl.primary.net

[After a long absence, a familiar figure comes into the CR, dressed in his usual white hat and a red-and-pewter jersey... taking a moment to place some holiday treats on the Tea Table of Peace, he turns to address the CR Crowd:]

Greetings all! Yep, it's me... and while it's been some time since I was last in here, but as you can see I'm still alive and doing somewhat better than I was before.

I still haven't found a good job yet, no thanks to the current status of the job market down here. However, some other things have happened lately that have things looking up! For starters, I've had some new friends helping me get through the rough period following my relocation and breakup last summer... a couple of friends of some of the regulars in here, by the names Amy and Brian. :)

Also, I've been fortunate to have meet a young lady here in Tampa by the name of Heather... she and I met through a local anime club, and after seeing each other at the meetings for a while we finally went out on a couple of dates together. Since then, she invited me to meet her folks (during a surprise b-day party for her father, who turned 60), and we seem to be on the same, forward-moving path together... just have to keep taking things one day at a time, so we continue to do so.

While I'm here, let me just say 'Hi!' to all the newcomers, and say 'I'm back!' to all my old friends here as well, along with these comments...

DOUG/KIT - Sorry to hear about Kit's father's heart trouble... hope he's doing better, and I hope things are going well for the two of you! You two have always been in my thoughts, considering all the hell you've been in this past year with those goofballs giving both of you grief. Here's a prayer that your lives get better in the new year ahead.

CHRISTINE - Hope to hear more good news on your novel and future projects! Can't wait to read the new fanfic soon!

TGS STAFF - Great job on Pendragon Season 3! Kudos to the Staff and all the parties involved!

Well, that's all from me for now... save that I have one last thing to say, and that is I am DANG PROUD of the Tampa Bay Bucs! They Smacked the St. Louis Rams down in the rematch last night! We are VINDICATED... for now. Now the Bucs have to get through the Playoffs and make it to the Big Dance in January!

Take it easy, Ya'll, Happy Holidays! Maintain and Check Six!

Stephen R. Sobotka, Jr. - [scififangargoyle@yahoo.com]
Spokane, WA, USA
Tuesday, December 19, 2000 05:36:13 PM
IP: 24129160hfc75.tampabay.rr.com

Caliope> Therefore I will not be reading Bunny Wars. Never did. Never will (carrses some tentacles and goes back to business as usual)
James Birdsong
Tuesday, December 19, 2000 03:55:23 PM
IP: adsl-63-207-128-141.dsl.sndg02.pacbell.net

*walks into the room and scream* AHHHAHHHAHAHAHHAHAH!!!!!!
...
OK, I'm so sorry but, Nahir and I had writen a very long post in response to the whole political thingie we were talking about and it aparently did not post!!!! Sheesh! And dont even THINK I'm gonna write it up again, gave me a head ache the first time aroud!
I'll tell you the jist of it:
...political bla bla bla, Castro bla bla bla, Pinochet bla bla bla... Nahir! Calm down! PUT the CHAIN saw down! Cali's got a head ache, I'm going to bed, good night!

Now, the moral of the post in any case is that you ppl are very patriotic and stuff, and thats comendable, really, but in extreem it is not good at all. Your blinded fanatics that dont take the time to learn both sides of the story and feel you dont have to cuz, heck! you just cant DO no wrong. Well that IS wrong. Like I said before, do to my political situation I'm fortunate or unfortunate enough, depending how you see it, to be standing on both sides of the fence...so I guess I have a better view of things. Anyways, just try to learn first. Dont start yelling and acusing before knowing the whole story, cuz you'll just end up looking like an ignorant fanatic. And you dont want that, do ya guys? ;)
Well, thats about that, I for one have had pretty much enough of this! So much seriousness is not good for the soul! *slips a squid on everyone's heads and gets back to her post.
Oh nad I dont know how much longer I can hold Nahir off, she's just gonna start posting herself soon and, lets just say she has no social or diplomatic grase what-so-ever, so, I wont be held responsable for her insults! ;P

Winterwolf> Hey! *HUGZ* ^_^ <> lol haha, Winterwolf's the new CR chearleader!!! :P <<snow>>lol well, tho I must say I do miss snow sometimes, I dont think that snow will still be snow when it gets here. Its gonna be packed ice proabably :P <<hugs>> lol yes, hugs are quite delightfull! *HUGZ some more* :P << Congratulations!...I guess the power of positive projection on your behalf has worked!>> lol Tell me about it! I proabably couldnt have done it without you, cuz that A came stiaght out of no where! :P <<Would you give me a kiss or
some kisses Cali?>> What, for you?! Ofcorse! *leans forwards, closes her eyes, puckers up and then drops a hand full of chocolate kisses in his lap and laughs* there you go!!! lol *HUGZ for as many kisses and a real kiss on the cheek as added bonus* ;) <<roswell> I'm know! I saw it! And dont you think Tess and Kyle look absolutly adorable together?! I wonder what'll happen next, I did'nt get to see any previews and that just ticks me right off! :P <<finals>> oOoooo One more to go!!! ONE more!!! *dances about* <<Well
if I can get you a special present let me know! >> lol Ooo A new car! Get me a car! I want a car!!! :P

Lain> oh, that was very well spoken ma'am! Realy, Very nicely stated facts. I wish I could have these little discusions with the guys verbaly, cuz I just cant type as fast as I think and by the time I finish typing one idea, I've forgoten the other ;)

Sevarius Jr.> lol No, not ALL americans are evil, that was never ment to me stated (altho maybe YOU are ;) ) its just the govenment and all polititians in general that are evil and most, if not all the time DO act in their own best interests.

Hyperion> I'm sorry, I wasnt going to continue this but I couldnt help it. <<cuba is communist and America had to stand against anything communist like Germany has to be
aginst Nazis. It's a ingrained part of our national culture>> And that makes it RIGHT!? Example: Yes, i've always been a murderer, so if I still kill ppl today, heck, its just an ingrained part of me, so what can we do? Your right, that gives you all the reason in the world to compleatly ruin a country and its many ppl at your very whim, cuz heck, your just used to it! It would just be too much trouble for US to change!...I'm so sorry, WHAT was I thinking... << When decisions are made on the basis of the cost of human life and sometimes those decisions have only months to be made in, can we fault our leaders for making mistakes?>> All I want to know, and KEEP asking through out the whole discussion, is WHO gave the US the rights to make these dessisions, only GOd should have that right, henceforth, what country's been playing God? *Nahir raises her hand eagerly behind Cali "I know, I know!!"*

*Cali sighs* I see mine is a lost cause...

BUNNYWARS!!!!!
So! On to happier news!!! The Bunny Wars RP is back on trak!!! Woohoo!!!! Yey!!! *post the link* Hahahaha those of you who have not read it...What the heck is wrong with you!!?!? Go read it! NOW! :P I must warn you that it is not for the faint of heart, those of you without the required amounts of insanity, I do not advise the reading of this product...unless your seeking to aquire the afor mentioned amounts of insanity! ;)

Alright! I'll be going now! I'll see everyone around! Bye!!! *HUGZ all and skips out humming to herself*
Caliope - [raquelmd@hotmail.com]
Tuesday, December 19, 2000 03:01:44 PM
IP: 136.145.83.183

****Kyryn darts in the door ahead of a tidal wave of dirty laundry.****

I think that some of Okami's socks have gained sentience. I found them under the bed plotting to take over the world (but at least it wasn't the chili)!

Todd> Needling the editor, huh? *grin* That's what I get for posting while trying to listen to two other conversations at once. Kitty was the one who had a crush on Nightcrawler. Jubilee actually had a crush on Wolverine.

Daniel Johnson> I'm sorry to hear that your mom is not doing well. I really hope that things go better for you two and that you have a good Christmas.

Gunjack> <<And remember, do NOT smoke the mistletoe. >> Depends on your definition of 'smoke'. *grin*

Server Stuff> One of the reasons that it is taking so long to straighten out the fanfic archive link access is that since we are hosted gratis by Wyvernweb we are way down on the list of people to get things fixed. Chris has to take care of the paying customers first.

Later All!

****Kyryn stares at the door momentarily and then picks up one of the flamethrowers that Traveller left in the CR a while ago. She lights it up, grins maniacally, opens the door, and starts to flambe laundry. "Hey, it's one way to get the laundry done." She waves and works her way out of the CR.****
Kyryn
Denton, TX
Tuesday, December 19, 2000 12:08:03 PM
IP: exofw.aicpa.org

(during a sensual massage) Valentine> Thanks for the good news
James Birdsong - [LennexMacDuff@yahoo.com]
San Diego, CA, USA
Tuesday, December 19, 2000 09:44:26 AM
IP: adsl-63-207-129-123.dsl.sndg02.pacbell.net

*appears out of nowhere*
Greetings from germany to all of you out there, wherever and whatever you might be.

Jaden, Warpmind> Regarding the Fanfiction Archive: The archive still suffers from the 'big move', as Todd already mentioned. Right now the server-setup is screwed up, so the PHP-Code is not recognized. That's why you all see the cryptic code instead of the pages build by it.

I could offer my 'replacement archive' if required, but it holds no stories right now...... just Author Data. Wouldn't help at all, don't you think? I'm adding the stories I have backupped, but this process takes more time than I thought - won't be done with it this year. Expect me to declare the new archive ready somewhen in the first quarter of next year, most likely in february.

To sum it up: The mess right now is due to the move of the server and a broken configuration, not due to reconstruction. Reconstruction is done independently and is not influenced by this problem either. Hudson is trying his very best to get all problems sorted out and fixed, but he's no magician of Djini, so it might take some time. I for myself unfortunately cannot do a thing - I'm lacking access rights to the fanfic-server.

If there is any interest in the look of the new archive, I could upload it to a server in germany and publish the addy. Interested, anyone? :) I cannot guarantee full functionality, but mayhaps somebody's curious? Mail me....
*disappears in a flash of bright light once again*

Guandalug la'Fay - [Guandalug@gmx.de]
Tuesday, December 19, 2000 08:19:44 AM
IP: mailgate-a.ais-gmbh.de

Todd:
'tis the nature of conspiracy theories such that when evidence to the contrary is presented, people become even more convinced that some deeper plot is involved. That's what makes them so much fun! >:)
Daniel Johnson - [danielj7@mac.com]
Ocean Grove, NJ, USA
Tuesday, December 19, 2000 07:12:10 AM
IP: adsl-138-89-70-151.nnj.adsl.bellatlantic.net

*Warpmind enters.*
So, the archive's going through the rewiring right now? I must have missed that when it started, somehow... :| Oh, well, thanks for telling me, Todd. Then I guess there's only one thing for me to do...

Anyone who wishes to read my latest fic before the Archive is up and running again, feel free to e-mail me about it. All e-mails will be answered, and the fic will be included.
Warpmind de InzanE - [warpmind@usa.net]
Middle, Nowhere, Norway
Tuesday, December 19, 2000 07:04:03 AM
IP: spock.ti.telenor.net

I'm afraid that the fanfic archive is currently "closed for remodelling", partly due to the big move on December 3. I don't know the details, unfortunately (for one thing, my understanding of how the Internet works is pretty much on the level of "you click on the link and wind up there" :), but Guandalug's working on it at the moment, and can no doubt explain it a lot better than I can. In the meantime, I suppose that we'll all just have to be patient.

GATHERING 2001 - I don't think that I'll be applying for "special guest" status, but I'm hoping that my presence there will finally bring an end to the wild rumors about me. (Then again, it might not, rumors being what they are).
Todd Jensen - [merlyn@ninenet.com]
St. Louis, MO
Tuesday, December 19, 2000 06:38:24 AM
IP: 216.87.46.64.dialup-stl.primary.net

*Warpmind enters, grumbling.*
Okay, is ANYONE out there able to access the fanfic archive for uploads, searches or ANYTHING?

Gunjack Valentine: I agree that fragging is more fun that M:TG, but there's just that little joy of sitting face to face with your opponent when you lay down the card that spells Doom for him... It is just as delightful a feeling as sneaking up behind him in HL and deliver that headshot with the DE, but in an entirely different way... ]:) And those guys I've played usually use decks where the *cheap* units cost at least three lands... so when I've decimated their reserves, I'll easily dish out my Djinni and start trampling their remaining forces. ]:) By the way, you asked Gside how much amperage it would take to fry a T-800? Now, I recall a comic book sequence where a device was built to use electricity to zap one, so they could reprogram it later. That machine consumed a little power. Translation: They kinda caused a brief blackout in Mexico City when they fried the terminator. ALL of Mexico City... :) By the way, something I wish for you to model in HL... A mounted gun. Running on hinges, so it can be aimed along a horizontal and a vertical axis. A Gatling. More accurately, one taken from an A-10. With one of those babies, we're not talking closed casket funeral, we're talking doggie bag. ]:)

Oh, well, I gotta finish now, anyway. Off to wrestle some more with the Archive, I guess... Someone PLEASE get the coding done! :| (Not nagging, praying. There's a difference.)
Warpmind de InzanE - [warpmind@usa.net]
Middle, Nowhere, Norway
Tuesday, December 19, 2000 05:26:23 AM
IP: hume.ti.telenor.net

Katara and Winterwolf:
Thank'ee muchly. As can be seen by the time of this post, I'm having some difficulty sleeping. I am trying though, really!

On a better note, I just called the hospital, and they said that she has been treated and sent back to the nursing home. I'll go see her in the morning. Maybe now I can sleep. :)

'Night again.
Daniel Johnson - [danielj7@mac.com]
Ocean Grove, NJ, USA
Tuesday, December 19, 2000 02:39:56 AM
IP: adsl-138-89-70-151.nnj.adsl.bellatlantic.net

*Valentine enters the CR, flanked by Filo, chibi-Hataru, and a stolen holoproj on legs*

A hectic day, with the disruption index running into the high 50s. Angst hit a high of 90% with the whine-shrill factor. *sighs* ...I need a way to enforce my "No Angst" policy throughout the house. So far, my room is the last bastion of peace and rationality, and the rest of the house is No Man's Land.
Modelling - Finished the shockstick, except that I'm still trying to decide whether or not to add a trigger. Some helpful soul slipped me high-quality pics of the GE minigun, and I started modelling this afternoon. It's the most complex weapon I've ever messed with, and I'm hoping I can bring it in under the triangle budget... : P ...But if I can, it'll be the sweetest gun on the net. At 100 rps of 5.56mm NATO, we're talking DEFINATE closed-coffin ceremonies... 8 )

DPH><<Those extra features have uses.>> And good uses they are, too... But White Alpha is configured to deliver output through a holoproj, and that's all we need it for. To quote Hobbes, "Time travel makes us queasy"... ; ) <<Heck, I might stop using real money and stick to holographic money.>> Soooo... You got infinate money, eh? I could really use a new computer for Christmas... And a small arsenal of firearms, and a car, and a wardrobe of ripstop armanis... ; )

Lynati><<Baker further claimed that
unnamed GOP observers witnessed an elf remove all boys named Justin from the 'nice' list, filing them under 'naughty' instead because "everyone knows all boys named Justin are brats.">> Makes sense to me...

James><<(pokes head out of hentai tentacle pit) Very well (a tentcle goes beneth my shirt and up neck hole in front of my face where I kisses it deeply and snuggle before I drop back down into pit) ta>> o_O ...Someone really needs to have a talk with that boy...
<<...only then because I don't think the henatai tentacles wanna do it with a corpse...>> Not to give you any encouragement (lord knows you don't need it), but they aren't SEMI-hentai tentacles, so... o_O

Mary><<"I want some...CHUNKEY MONKEY!!!">> *Valentine collapses in helpless laughter* ...this is why I stick to English, see? It's hard enough keeping your mouth from making a fool outa you in ONE language, let alone two... ; )
And do they really make a flavor called "Chunky Monkey"? What're the chunks? o_O
*Reads the party stuff* ...Gah, that DOES suck. I've been in positions like that before... 8 ( ...Here's to hoping the rest of the season goes better! *sends a troop of kodamas and mistletoe to keep Mary company*

Warpmind><<On a more cheerful note, I've become addicted to Magic: The Gathering now.>> The cardboard crack claims another victim... I've still got a box full of cards from the BC gaming days. I don't play much anymore (modeling and fragging and gaming are FAR more fun, IMO), but the Heart Surgeon's whole family all collect and play...
<<...with a *really* nasty card that wipes out all lands but one of each color from every player. ]:)>> They can still blast you to death with a few fireballs/lightning bolts/lava bursts... Oh, for the red/green deck days... 8 )
<<And, I ruled the DE - to be exact, 71.4% of my kills were with the DE. The others learned to stay far away from me toward the end... ]:)>> You're a bad man, Warps... ; ) ...BTW, have you heard about The Opera? It's still under development, but you should grab a copy when it's released. Three words: John Woo Simulator. 8D ...And, if you're in the mood for something violent AND silly, try ARG!. The only mod on the net where you can throw whisky bottles at your opponents to make them mindlessly drunk...
<<Solely the electrical kind. ]:)>> I wonder how many evil masterminds I can work for before I start stretching thin... <<Don't get my hopes up? Don't get my hopes up??? You, HL Mod, guns. How on EARTH can it ever go wrong?>> Gee Warps, that's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me... ; ) ...The good part is, if the mod folds, I'm just gonna take all my guns and post 'em somewhere else. One way or another, you WILL end up fragging your friends with my guns... 8 )
<<cool new hat, no?>> Gratz on the hatz!

Jannie><<why does she hate me so much? hehe, that's the mystery of the century.>> Sounds like most of these reasons come down to you being a decent, happy person... ; P ...Since she's a witch, I say we use her to cut down on the winter heating costs.
<<Hey, was that the one where they were smuggling in cargo container loads of illegal AKs?>> Yup, and they were fresh from the government plant, too... The seller suggested selling them to "gangbangers", and also offered grenades and manpack SAMs. Creepy, 'ne? <<And you guys wondered what I was doing with a very small black hole...*grin*>> Kryryn: the woman who's electric meter runs backward...

Coyote><<Forge = former X-Man whose power involves super-intellect and the ability to invent any sort of device suitable for any situation.>> And you called that a NON-USEFUL power?!! o_O ...Dang! I'd take that over superstrength and resilience any day...

Gside><<Remember it's the current that kills, not the voltage (about 1 amp will do it, but static electricity discharges regularly run in the kilovolts).>> So how much amperage would it take to fry out a T800? <<And I didn't even say anything about Tchebycheff's inequality.>> 'kay, just that NAME makes my head hurt... : P <<The one right after the ball launching show had the same guys who failed miserably on the cannons (their shell stuck and the barrel was blown off), this time they won with a bridge building machine.>> I *REALLY* need cable... : P
<<Maybe it's time for Mike, aka Spiderman, aka Grampa Fr�vous, aka Lou Reed, to get a new alias.>> It was more the crowd... His sounded like a bird, theirs sounded demonic.
<<Well, I'm not that sure about it. How about a shrapnel napalm bomb?>> If they had that, why not just light the dang thing off? Personally, I think it was a living Balrog statue... And out of curiousity, does that song actually have a story mixed in somewhere?
<<Why must they do these things.>> ...Especially considering kit's recent "progress"... <<Though with such a nonstandard upbringing, can you blame him for being open to new ideas?>> You call him "open to new ideas", I call him "sick freak"... Ooog, bad "Flowers of Evil" flashbacks... ; P
<<I'd guess so. Most cleaners warn against mixing with bleach for the fear of making chlorine.>> Oopsie... Heheheh. 8 ) ...It's probably a good thing that we stopped messing chemicals and just dumped Bob in the street...
<<It would make a wonderful dorm decoration.>> Correction: It DID make a good dorm room decoration... After we cleaned the hornet's nest out of it's brainpan. Didn't work out well as a canteen, though. Wet bleached bones turn REALLY ugly colors...
<<Preparation for college?>> A definate possibility... Or maybe it's just a wierd side effect of staring at a computer screen for ten hours a day. Maybe an offshoot of the sailor's problem...
<<And it would be nice if we could see how much we've gotten since they started logging the day (they do generate it automatically).>> They don't even give you a meter?
<<It doesn't for everyone?>> Well, for me it all comes down to either pink mist or purple haze...
<<You arso start talking in se socall Chingrish for long long time.>> Good lord 'mano, did that hurt? O_O
<<We know what kind of projects will work, and we know what we need to do to get the toys we want.>> And what more do you need?

Katara - Sorry to hear about the job crappiness... ; P ...Here's to hoping the authorities remove their cranial appendages from their nether orifices soon...

*Checks the clock* ...1:09 AM. Time to check the mail and get to bed.

And remember, do NOT smoke the mistletoe.
Gunjack Valentine - [miphsingleton@hotmail.com]
Tuesday, December 19, 2000 02:12:17 AM
IP: 216-146-183-152.bwn.net

*Warpmind enters, sporting a new hat.*
I think I accidentally neglected to mention this yesterday... cool new hat, no? With this, my silhouette kinda resembles the one on the cover of the game "Nocturne"... Hmmm... Maybe it's not so strange, then, that nobody stops when I'm hitchhiking anymore... :|

Mary Flanders: The lady who warned me of this - a most fascinating woman, by the way, said that to an *unprepared* participant, the drain *might* be fatal. Of course, that'd leave on heck of a powerful charm, but I kinda have a hunch the exerted party would care anymore... :|

Lynati: Hehehe... G'01 should be... interesting, methinks. (Maybe not unlike that Chinese curse...) As Kryten would have probably phrased it: "Snuggle Mode." ];) As for M:TG, I've only invested it two decks and two 15-card booster packs so far... I've constructed a fairly malicious Spectrum-style deck... one with a particularly villainous card that kills all but one piece of land of every color for every player... And if I just have one of each kind of land, and my adversary has 17 swamps, well, I'll still have five lands, and he'll have his one swamp... time to whip out the Djinni. ]:)

Gside: You started late? What about me? I've just been hooked for the past week. :) (Those Invasion decks do have some delightfully nasty cards...)

Well, that seems to be about it for this post... I ought to get some actual *work* done for once... "How many people work here?" "That is a question of definition..."
Warpmind de InzanE - [warpmind@usa.net]
Middle, Nowhere, Norway
Tuesday, December 19, 2000 01:29:12 AM
IP: ti21a68-0320.dialup.online.no

**Winterwolf slips in**

Hi! Just keeping in touch. Will attempt a full post soon.

Katara> Thanks for the welcome back! **FLUFFY HUGS** :)

Mary> That sounds awful Mary. One thing that is important is that you just be yourself and if some people don't like you or choose not to pay attention to you either find a friend from the crowd or make new friends. And sometimes people just need to get to know you a little better and then will be happy to spend time with you.

Todd Jensen> Excellent! It will be great to see you Todd. The mysterious Todd Jensen will be at G2001! I need to petition they add you to the special guest list. :)

DPH> I'd say something if you where out of action for a while. Problem is if I'm in here to say it sometimes.

Daniel Johnson> Do take care of yourself. You aren't going to be able to help anyone if you aren't feeling well.

Caliope> **AS MANY FUZZY HUGZ AS YOU WANT** Hi! Did you see it? Did you see Roswell? It was the cute touching episode. Seems like certain people are back on track to getting together... ^_^ How were the finals? All done? Well if I can get you a special present let me know! ;P

Good night!

**Winterwolf slips out**

Winterwolf
Bronx, NY
Tuesday, December 19, 2000 01:22:56 AM
IP: 206.15.120.78

Just stopped by to ask a quick question. Is there a problem with the fanfic section at the main site? Everytime I got there the page is all garbled.
Jaden - [jaden12@hotmail.com]
Tuesday, December 19, 2000 01:20:42 AM
IP: apnc106.216.216.211.in-addr.arpa

*Canyon runs into the room and broadcasts a loud telepathic message to all residents of the CR*...."Look out people! She's on her way in and she in a really, really, REALLY bad mood. If anyone has some, I'd suggest putting on some asbestos lined undewear FAST!"....*Canyon then makes for the nearest warp-tunnel and heads for ports unknown. As Katara approaches, the intense heat of her anger melts the CR door.*

Hi everyone! Well, it looks like I'm NOT going to be going to San Francisco this week. Lots of people volunteered to go, but only 5 were selected. I understand that they had to pick people according to schedules so that our own stats don't suffer. After all, I work during the daytime, when most of the heavist call traffic is. What really burns me is that one of the people choosen is still under her 90 day probation period, is not that great an operator, and constantly breaks the rules, like eating at her workstation. I'm not talking about stuff like sneaking a few pieces of candy or chips, I'm talking about chicken legs! I kid you not! And all the supervisors did was give her a slap on the hand! Place is really starting to pi$$ me off! I'm seriously starting to think about looking for a new job. ****end work rant****

Sorry about that folks, but thanks for letting me vent. I promise to repair the damage later. So how's everyone else?

Mary>...of course you aren't an easy person to overlook.
We all miss you greatly when you aren't around.

Same goes for you DPH

ArchWolf>...ahhhh...you poor thing! I'd offer to kiss it and make it better, but I'll wait till my flames die down a bit first.

Daniel Johnson>...I hope that your mother is going to be alright. I'll be sure to say a prayer for her. You make sure to take care of yourself as well.

Okay, time to hit the "Submit" button now. Nighterz all.
Katara (gb) - [garglover66f@hotmail.com]
San Diego, CA
Tuesday, December 19, 2000 01:12:54 AM
IP: ac9ce492.ipt.aol.com

Courtney: If you're interested in helpin' us out, zip off an e-mail to the three e-mail addys at the bottom of the GMC2004 page. If it's up to me, you're definitely welcome to come help, but it's a committee decision ... although I sense that FS and LM will also be willing to accept yer help. :)
Coyote the Bando
Algonac, Michigan
Tuesday, December 19, 2000 12:18:34 AM
IP: 216.28.101.92

Gee, ever get something for free and then it turns out to be almost more trouble than it's worth? Won a $40 gift certificate on the radio to flowers.com and it took me most of this evening to blunder my way through their ordering info trying to find a way to do this without the shipping charges costing more than the order! Ugh. Ah, well, if it works I'll have a nice little centerpiece and a tin of cashew-almond-toffee-popcorn (hey, I won it, so I might as well spoil myself, right? <g>)

Kit > will e-mail it to you pronto!

Fanfic update > well, weirdly, it's looking like "Bad Girls" is going to have quite the holiday theme ... look for a teaser coming very soon and the fic itself hopefully before Xmas!

Christine - [christine@sabledrake.com]
Tuesday, December 19, 2000 12:14:31 AM
IP: 11-138.075.popsite.net

DPH:
Ask and ye shall receive. Thank you for the kind words my friend. I do occasionally poke my nose in here, but I never seem to find the time to post anything. Now I'm MAKING the time. I just spent about 5 hours in the hospital ER with my mother. She had become ill and was vomiting. They're still doing tests and as I need food and sleep (not helped by the fact that I'm still recovering from a bad chest cold) I finally went home. I'm going to call later to see what they found. At least she WANTED me to get some sleep; she was worried about MY health. She's still a mother. :)

Anyway, good night everyone. I'm off to try to sleep. And a merry Christmas to all, in case I don't get back for a while.
Daniel Johnson - [danielj7@mac.com]
Ocean Grove, NJ, USA
Tuesday, December 19, 2000 12:12:12 AM
IP: adsl-138-89-70-151.nnj.adsl.bellatlantic.net

(uses electric prod to make rest of e-mail address appear)
Anonymous - [LennexMacDuff@yahoo,com]
Monday, December 18, 2000 11:28:30 PM
IP: adsl-63-207-129-236.dsl.sndg02.pacbell.net

(voice from pit) Gside> yes
James Birdsong - [LennexMacDuff]
San Diego, CA, USA
Monday, December 18, 2000 10:58:33 PM
IP: adsl-63-207-129-236.dsl.sndg02.pacbell.net

Sorry about the double post, I was seeing if I pressed enter after I clicked whether it would agree to the Netscape 6 dialogue asking whether to remember filled in values. In other news, I wasn't here yesterday because I had to work on my take home linguistics final (how and why do the S and D structures differ and where and why are there empty categories in the sentence "The men hoped to appear to each other to want to be introduced to themselves." Or something very similar.)

James Birdsong> <<a tentacle seductivly rubs my neck then pulls me back down>>: And you claim to be the sane one.

Fire Storm> <<the joys of saying "It's only 120mb!">>: I remember when I could say that. I still can in terms of bandwidth, but now I am more limited by my bandlength (t coin a term).

Gunjack> <<It's basicly a stunner souped up to deliver a kilowatt>>: Remember it's the current that kills, not the voltage (about 1 amp will do it, but static electricity discharges regularly run in the kilovolts).
<<Questions like this make my head hurt>>: And I didn't even say anything about Tchebycheff's inequality. I wonder how good Quina is at probability.
<<they were building a black powder muzzle-loading cannon out of junkyard materiels>>: The one right after the ball launching show had the same guys who failed miserably on the cannons (their shell stuck and the barrel was blown off), this time they won with a bridge building machine.
<<Too much English? Wha...?>>: They had to launch rugby balls. The crossbow made it pitch, making for a short flight.
<<Shoulda brought a comealong>>: Engines were disallowed.
<<And why were they shooting balls from a crossbow?>>It wasn't really a crossbow, but that's what it looked like.
<<Why not rebar or some such?>>: They probably would have loved to, but they were given balls.
<<Though that one screech sounds like a 'raptor from JP>>: Maybe it's time for Mike, aka Spiderman, aka Grampa Fr�vous, aka Lou Reed, to get a new alias.
<<Naw... REALLY?>>: Well, I'm not that sure about it. How about a shrapnel napalm bomb?
<<How old IS Ceilidh?>>: The world may never know. But we do know that she will survive beyond the second impact.
<<Was that in responce to that Kit/Anathus bit on the page?>>: Yup. Why must they do these things. Both of them have been shown to be incredibly happy chasing the ladies.
<<Which one was it who did the "cold girl on a warm night" line?>>: That would be Anathus. Though with such a nonstandard upbringing, can you blame him for being open to new ideas?
<<Hands down the nastiest idea I've EVER heard>>: THL has been there, back, and well beyond many times over.
<<We got Zelda, Contra, Metroid, and Mario in their best incarnations, plus FF2 and 3>>: But the NES was the originator of all those series.
<<do bleach and Ajax form chlorine gas when combined?>>: I'd guess so. Most cleaners warn against mixing with bleach for the fear of making chlorine.
<>: It would make a wonderful dorm decoration.
<<And I really need to see Blues Brothers some day>>: Yes. Yes you do.
<<He's been doing that alot lately, for some reason>>: Preparation for college?
<<That's just not right... And it's happening right here in America too>>: In a public university that is spending a lot of money on its equipment, after two years without the limitation. And I wouldn't complain as much if there was some allowance for Moore's law or an average over a few days. And it would be nice if we could see how much we've gotten since they started logging the day (they do generate it automatically).
<<That game really took the summons to a new level>>: Yup. A big difference from displaying a sprite on the screen for a few seconds and flashing an effect.
<< Just make sure to give 'em retractable claws for self defense>>: But of course. Oh, the fun I could have with claws of my own.
<<It all comes down to the tentacles for you, doesn't it?>>: It doesn't for everyone?

Mary Flanders> <>: When you go to se socall engineering schoo, you have se teachers like se socall Georgeweng. Georgeweng will teach se socall unit vectors eegeejay. Eegeejay all start from se origin, which we call gero. You arso learn se impotant engineering concepts represented by se socall Greek retters arpha derta. You arso start talking in se socall Chingrish for long long time.

Warpmind> <<I've become addicted to Magic: The Gathering now>>: I started late, but never really got into it hardcore. My favorite deck was a RW first strike.
<>: Thank you.
<<few engineers know what do do with power, unless it's the electrical variety>>: We know what kind of projects will work, and we know what we need to do to get the toys we want.

Todd Jensen> <<Don't quite know who Forge is>>: The �ber engineer, my hero.

Continuing the Christmas carols, I now give you loreena McKennit performing Good King Wenceslas and Coventry Carol.

Na zdorov'ya.
Gside - [gside@eden.rutgers.edu]
Piscatway, NJ
Monday, December 18, 2000 10:21:52 PM
IP: gside.resnet.rutgers.edu

Coyote< How do you get onto the like person list to help with the grathering in 2004 in the Moter City.
Courtney - [look at SOG's home page]
Moter City, Mi, USA
Monday, December 18, 2000 09:56:06 PM
IP: adsl-pool24-141.detroit.mi.ameritech.net

COYOTE - Ah, thanks for the info.
Todd Jensen - [merlyn@ninenet.com]
St. Louis, MO
Monday, December 18, 2000 08:08:42 PM
IP: 216.87.46.96.dialup-stl.primary.net

Todd: Forge = former X-Man whose power involves super-intellect and the ability to invent any sort of device suitable for any situation.
Coyote the Bando - [gathering_motor_city_2004@hotmail.com]
Algonac, Michigan
Monday, December 18, 2000 08:06:10 PM
IP: 216.28.101.43

Aargh, hit "submit" by accident before I was done. Well, here's the other seven.

* WARNING - MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS *
Episode 7: "Turn Of The Rogue"
Writer: Greg Johnson
Story by: Rick Ungar and Greg Johnson

Scott and Rogue must survive a Geology Club Field Trip into stormy mountains, while realizing that
the people they trust most have been lying to them.

[This will probably be the point when Rogue finally joins the X-Men.]

Episode 8: "SpykeCam"
Writer: Christy Marx & Randy Littlejohn
Story by: Rick Ungar & Christy Marx & Randy Littlejohn

Spyke gets an assignment to document teen life events with a digicam - just as Sabretooth attacks the Institute!

[Interesting combination, I must say. I feel sorry for Spyke, though; he'll have to do a lot of editing before he turns that thing in to leave out the fight scenes with Sabertooth so as to avoid exposing the real nature of the Institute. He should have a very memorable Director's Cut, though.]

Episode 9: "Survival Of The Fittest"
Writer: Hickey & McCoy

It`s survival training, mutant style. But while the X-Men are proving their mettle in the wilderness, the unstoppable Juggernaut escapes from prison to exact a little revenge against his brother � Professor Xavier.

[I thought that they were stepbrothers, actually, but maybe it's a typo. Well, that does confirm the report that I'd mentioned earlier that Juggernaut would be showing up this season.]

Episode 10: "Shadowed Past"
Story By: Jules Dennis
Writer: Bob Forward

Nightcrawler`s recurring nightmares lead him to investigate the truth about his past.

[It's been mentioned here before that in the comics, Mystique is Nightcrawler's mother. I wonder if they'll go with that idea here.]

Episode 11: "Grim Reminder"
Story by: Greg Johnson
Writer: Len Uhley

A dormant, undiscovered computer chip in Wolverine`s brain is reactivated, luring him to Canada... and to a hidden lab from his past.

[Guess that involves the bit about his getting those claws implanted in him - I recall from what I generally know about the guy - including what Greg Weisman said in his review of the movie - that it was the Canadian government that did that to him.]

Episode 12: "The Cauldron � Part One"
Writer: Simon Furman

As fights break out between good mutants and bad, Scott learns that his brother is still alive after ten years, and must get to him before Magneto includes him in his dangerous plans.

Episode 13: "The Cauldron � Part Two"
Writer: Greg Johnson

Magneto`s ambitious plan for Mutantkind takes shape upon his fortress, Asteroid M.

[My only comment here is: Magneto has an asteroid for his headquarters? I knew that he had resources, but wasn't expecting them on this scale.]

At any rate, it should be interesting to see. The episodes have been good so far; I'm hoping that they'll continue to be so.

* POTENTIAL SPOILERS END *

Todd Jensen - [merlyn@ninenet.com]
St. Louis, MO
Monday, December 18, 2000 08:04:59 PM
IP: 216.87.46.96.dialup-stl.primary.net

Well, just two weeks away from the deadline, I finally screwed up my courage and registered for the Gathering 2001. I just hope that nothing unexpected comes up in late June that keeps me from going. (It will be a bit of an adventure, though; it'll be the first time that I book an airplane flight on my own - that'll be my most likely form of travel to L.A. since I don't have a car).

Incidentally, I found a list of the names of the remaining 8 episodes of "X-Men: Evolution" due to air this season (starting early next year) and brief overall summaries (fortunately more on the level of teasers than of spoilers), and decided to print them here (with my comments on each in brackets).

* WARNING - MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS *

Episode 6: "Middleverse"
Writer: Adam Beechen
Story by: Evelyn Gabai and Adam Beechen

After accidentally activating one of Forge`s old inventions, Nightcrawler gets stuck between dimensions.

[Don't quite know who Forge is, although Bando Coyote mentioned him here a couple of weeks ago; they'll probably give a good explanation of who he is in the episode, though.]

Todd Jensen - [merlyn@ninenet.com]
St. Louis, MO
Monday, December 18, 2000 07:57:19 PM
IP: 216.87.46.96.dialup-stl.primary.net

**RP RELATED**
I am offering a reward of 1,000,000 cybercookies plus all the milk you need to go with those cybercookies to the first person who can give me access to the CR archives that I need to update the BFTS RP archive.

Brooklyn, as soon as you can, please do some BFTS RPing.

Reminder, the BFTS RP left out with DPH in a cottage with Winterwolf, Frost, Plastique, and Uriel. DPH was studying.
**END RP RELATED**

Mary Flanders - I used to wonder whether or not I would be missed in some of my classes. At the time, I wished I knew the answer to that question.

Speaking of which, if I missed 3 days in a row in this CR room, would I be missed by anyone?

Daniel Johnson - I still remember and miss you from time to time in this CR room.

**PERSONAL stuff**
Ok, this is kinda sad. Saturday, at work, I heard 'Feliz Navidad' on the overhead radio, I felt happy on the inside for once while hearing and singing along. When the song finished, I felt worse than normal on the inside. The song 'Heart & Soul' always takes me back to a certain college where I was attending a Spanish immersion camp. I might have to buy a CD with that song on it.
**END personal STUFF**
DPH - [dph_of_rules@yahoo.com]
AR, USA
Monday, December 18, 2000 07:34:22 PM
IP: max1-3.cwy.cei.net

KYRYN - <<Actually, in the original comic series Jubilee was a 'replacement' when Kitty left the X-Men and joined Excalibur, and, yes, she has always had something of a crush on Nightcrawler.>> Kitty or Jubilee?
Todd Jensen - [merlyn@ninenet.com]
St. Louis, MO
Monday, December 18, 2000 06:37:28 PM
IP: 216.87.46.96.dialup-stl.primary.net

*The curtains part and Lynati comes in*

Mary Flanders: just wondering- is that the Janet and stewart Farrar book?

Warpmind: *reads post, decides to make an evil comment*
"Well, not YET, anyway. ];)
I used to be obssessed with Magic: the gathering for a while their; my good friend DL got me into it back in...whoa. Middle school? early high school, that was it I think. Sha had managed to acquire nearly all the expensive cards- all the moxes and such- and then a couple years ago her entire backpack with her decks in it got stolen while she was playing at Neutral Ground. She kind of lost heart in the game after that. I played less, and finally stopped, when they started putting out a new "upgrade" every month. Too expensive. And I barely had time to figure out the point of Mirage before Visions came out. Also, there is no-one to play against; Dragonlady lives in New York. :(

ooh yeahhhh- they changed the channel settings here at home, aaaand-
*Lynati starts bouncing up and down, singing: *
III've got Toon Dis-ney!
III've got Toon Dis-ney!
(and my dad was nice enough to make me an early Xmas present of several blank tapes! :) :) :)
Oh man, that channels got EVERYTHING!!

lain: 'kay. I just wanted to know if you'd recieved it. What do you think of it?

*Lynati sweeps out through the curtain-gate, still grinning like a maniac and humming under her breath.*
Lynati
Monday, December 18, 2000 05:34:22 PM
IP: 207.226.219.49

Hey dudearoos :)
I am at la house now and.. it's DARNED cold.. though I suppose I shouldn't complain, seeing as how it was more that -40 in Yellowknife the other day.. it is merely -5 here (sans wind chill) but the driving is awful because of all the layers of rain and snow that we have had for the past few days. The roads are covered in ice and there is loose blowing snow that makes the road look like it is moving. Speaking of.. I wonder where is my father? (oooh sixth sense... as the phone rings and it's him and all is well :):)) THat sorts out THAT problem..
Anyway, I have instructions to run an errand before it gets all dark AND slippery and there is a lot of icy badness

Lynati yes, I DID get yer art but it will have to wait until the new year before it goes up couse.. no unlimited access and slooooooooow compooter does not make for friendly web page building :)

*hugs Green Baron and exits*
lain - [sanchinwalker@hotmail.com]
the True North , which is strong and free, but also very cold..
Monday, December 18, 2000 04:50:56 PM
IP: ttye1e.ptbo.igs.net

(stands on 3 tentacles barefoot to be at surface of pit again) Kyryn> ah. Mary Flanders> I have no intention of coming out till I'm good and gone and then and only then because I don't think the henatai tentacles wanna do it with a corpse ^_^ (back into pit again)
James Birdsong
You're a genious Valantine!
Monday, December 18, 2000 02:18:15 PM
IP: adsl-64-165-17-100.dsl.sndg02.pacbell.net

Warpmind><<sex magic can kill>> Um...and how do you know it kills? My Witches Bible didn't say anything about sex magic killing people...unless you went ahead and tried and had too much fun with it. ;)

"Urgh...can't go on...too tired..." *collapses*

"Ahh, Honey! Come on! Just a few more rounds!" ;)

I really don't think you can die from it. Unless you do it one too many times with out taking any Viagra. :P
Mary Flanders
Monday, December 18, 2000 02:03:32 PM
IP: adsl-63-195-144-108.dsl.scrm01.pacbell.net

***Kyryn runs into the room and slams the door behind her just before an avalanche of paper falls and blocks the door.***

Whew! Cleaning the house can be hazardous to your health. Especially when you get into the old paperwork!

Gunjack> <> Hey, was that the one where they were smuggling in cargo container loads of illegal AKs? I think I remember reading about it in Reader's Digest a year or two ago.
<<<<A device that uses the energy inherent in space. Basicailly it is infinite energy.>> I've heard of these... Though the writeup I saw said you had to have a really small black hole to get the thing working. >> And you guys wondered what I was doing with a very small black hole...*grin*

James Birdsong><<Anyone else think Kitty is sort of the Juibilee of X:Men Evolution? Also I think she has a crush on Nightcrawler :) >>Actually, in the original comic series Jubilee was a 'replacement' when Kitty left the X-Men and joined Excalibur, and, yes, she has always had something of a crush on Nightcrawler.

Jannie> Congrats on surviving the Principal from H!ll!

Fire Storm> Congrats on getting into the internet 'fast lane'!

Revel> Glad you made it back home safely. Those Texas fog banks can be nasty.

Mary Flanders> That's really rotten. {{{hugs}}} from another Beth. I hope that your actual Christmas (and Yule) go better.

Archwolf> {{{hugs}}} and I hope that your tooth feels better soon.

Later All!

***Kyryn looks at the door, then shakes her head. She dives out the window and immediately disappears beneath a pile of falling paperwork.***
Kyryn
Denton, TX
Monday, December 18, 2000 11:00:41 AM
IP: exofw.aicpa.org

*Archwlf staggers in, hand clutched to jaw* I tell ya, with me if it isn't one thing, it's another. I chipped a tooth fencing (yeah, I have no idea how it happened either) in October, and finally went in to get it filled..found out I need a root canal. They tooled around cleaning out infection, packed it, put me on Vicodin. More painkillers to drive me crazy.

Anywho. Finnals are dead and gone, my friends are comming back into town, I'm going to meet a certain Aingeal in a couple weeks. Got a B in my COBOL class...life is good enough for now.

Emambu>Sorry it took so long to reply to this, but your comment about yelling Sigma's rule and diving down the hill...most likely they could not sneak trays out of the cafeteria to sled down the hills on (a common winter passtime there).

Well, I would RP now, but I am so doped up I'm lucky tht I can tell that the flying mice are not real *squints* I think.

Toodles

Archwolf
Monday, December 18, 2000 10:23:36 AM
IP: pumpkin-c-17.mcmurray.nb.net

Gunjack> why does she hate me so much? hehe, that's the mystery of the century. No one really has a clue. It could be because I simply showed up at work one day, I don't cringe and cower when she yells at me (I stare at her with a blank face and a "are you finished yet" look), I don't play the "gossip and stab my co-workers in the back" game and run to her telling her things, the kids responded so well to me, .... it could be a variety of reasons. There is no rhyme nor reason with her. She's unpredictable and one day you can be her "friend" and she likes you and the next day she hates your guts. She's as loony as a goon.
She's beginning to cause a lot of problems within the district, so at least they are starting to see what she has turned into.
She did a major NO-NO a couple of weeks ago... she spanked a child who is in Resource and has a behavioral plan... which says she cannot be spanked at school. The mom pulled her daughter from our school and is filing a lawsuit *snickers*
The principal hates several other teachers - so I'm not alone ;) She hates all of us and yet refuses to allow transfers - it would remove her power and it "doesn't look good if people want to leave her school". She's a very sick individual *nods*
Jannie
Monday, December 18, 2000 07:58:08 AM
IP: 209-83-228-107.hou.port.mytelco.com

Reminder: There's just two weeks left until the Gathering 2001 early-bird membership discount expires forever! Register by mail or online before December 31st to save $10.00 off the regular membership rate, and 50% over what a full membership will cost at-the-door. See our web site at the link below for full details!
Patrick Toman
Monday, December 18, 2000 06:55:40 AM
IP: ac8198a5.ipt.aol.com

*Warpmind enters, carrying what seems to be a ticket. He hands it over to DC and calmly advices him to use it before kicking him out the door.*
There. Now he ought to be going to see the opera "Massa di Requiem per Shuggay"... if he knows what's best for him. What can I say? He nearly fried my latest fanfic, and now he impedes my attempts to upload it to the archive. *Sigh* Oh, well, with any luck, I'll have it uploaded sometime today... On a more cheerful note, I've become addicted to Magic: The Gathering now. I've bought a couple of decks and constructed a fairly malicious deck - I go for diversity; I use a customized Spectrum deck - with a *really* nasty card that wipes out all lands but one of each color from every player. ]:)

Gunjack Valentine: Please, do use it whenever applicable. ;) And you're signed onto a MOD? Give word when it's ready; I'll be wanting to humiliate my acquaintances at the netcafe in it. (CS is just going to grow old someday...) By the way, I've set a new record - went to a LAN party this weekend; played a LOT of CS. Didn't win, but I made 4th. And, I ruled the DE - to be exact, 71.4% of my kills were with the DE. The others learned to stay far away from me toward the end... ]:)

Lynati: Careful, you never know what such teasing may provoke. ];) *Pores through Tome of Transformative Spells.*

Gside: Aye, when I rule... *Ehum* When I CO-rule the world, I will ensure engineers wind up in positions of great power. (Which is relatively safe - few engineers know what do do with power, unless it's the electrical variety). At the same time, I will ensure that beureaucrats also wind up in positions of vast power. Solely the electrical kind. ]:) And as for catgirls... *grins smugly* With a bit of luck, I may find myself in a quite interesting situation with a twin couple of those after G'01... It may make me a villain. It may make me a damned villain, even. But, and this I'm pretty sure of, it'll make me a SMILING damned villain. ]:)

Gunjack Valentine again: Don't get my hopes up? Don't get my hopes up??? You, HL Mod, guns. How on EARTH can it ever go wrong? Story? Who cares about story? It's the GUNS that are important. ]:)

Katara: Hey, at least it wasn't AXE aftershave - that stuff is strong enough to kill. (I favor a rather light aftershave - fortunately.) Needless to say, I was *very* careful around my cigars that day... :|

Mary Flanders: Of course you're not the person to be overlooked easily. Uh, that didn't sound quite the way I meant it... :| By the way, I believe you suggested something about Wiccan sex magic a while back? Now, out of curiosity, you tryin' to kill us here? For someone without a clue as to what's going on, the energy drain can kill! (Still, what a way to go...) You ought to be more careful when suggesting those things... *blinks, peers through the CR carefully...* Uh, okay, I'm almost afraid to ask... anyone know if SJ is still alive?

Oh, well, I gotta get back to assaulting the AuthAdmin section of the Fanfic Archive - if I make it, you may be treated to the latest installment of my ongoing series sometime today. :) Brooklyn gets a leg up (kinda literally) in time travelling, and gets a few small hints as to what the future brings.
Warpmind de InzanE - Bound to Gather (but not gagged) - [warpmind@usa.net]
Middle, Nowhere, Norway
Monday, December 18, 2000 01:36:18 AM
IP: ti21a68-0074.dialup.online.no

*enters*

oh god! The funniest thing happened at my sister's ice cream job last night. These two Japanese men in probably their 30's walked in and started to talk between them in Japanese. Finally one turns to my sister's co-worker.

Japanese man #1: "I want some...CHUNKEY MONKEY!!!" *gives his friend a triumphant thumbs up for his perfect English*

Japanese man #2: "And I want some...VANIRAA!!!"

Once they left, my sister and her co-workers burst into laughter. I don't know if you can picture how these men sounded when they spoke, but when my sister told me and my dad about it(and my sister is a good imitator) it was the funniest thing I had ever heard in a long time. ;P

thpppttt. I had a rather sucky X-mas party with my friends. I tried really hard to pick out a gift for the peron I was a Secret Santa to, then my sister wrapped it for me 'cause hey, I'm really bad at it and don't want it to look like it was wrapped by a monkey. My sister takes one look at the present(a bath gift set) and looks at me and says, "You let Mom buy your present to give this girl, didn't you? God, your pathetic!" (What the @&$% you &!%*#!?!) Then at the party I find out the my secret santa happened to be the person I was a Secret Santa to. Turns out, she was out of town and couldn't come to the party. So there I was, surrounded by my friends opening presents and either laughing at the jokes their secret santas made for their presents or enjoying some nice gifts. I was stuck watching everyone. Now, before you assume I'm being a brat because I didn't get something, that's not why I was upset. I was less upset about the gift and more upset about the fact that once again I was excluded from the fun my friends were enjoying. I guess I should have seen this from the beginning. I wasn't in the Secret Santa name draw in the first place. I was assigned to be a Secret Santa by one of my friends to someone I almost never talk to or see anymore. She never hangs out among our friends anymore so I had know idea what she could have wanted. On top of that, none of my friends really included me into any of the conversations there so I spent most of my time just watching what people were talking about.

I'm really wondering why it seems to be that I'm always forgotten about. Do I just seem to be that kind of person who can be over looked so easily? "Oh! We forgot about Beth? Oh well, you can come and join us if you want!" Damnit I don't want to be strapped on like extra baggage!!! I want to be treated like I'm really you guys' friend!!! I just want to be thought of as a friend that someone would like to hang out with! *sniff* :(

*smacks self* sorry about the rant. I'm just not having a good time right now. :(
Mary Flanders
Monday, December 18, 2000 12:48:41 AM
IP: adsl-63-195-144-108.dsl.scrm01.pacbell.net

OY! look at all the spelling errors! Sorry folks. Maybe next time I'll be smart enough to remember to spell check BEFORE hitting the Submit button. LOL
Katara (GATHERING BOUND)
San Diego, CA
Monday, December 18, 2000 12:17:18 AM
IP: ac811bf4.ipt.aol.com

Winterwolf>(pokes head out of hentai tentacle pit) Very well (a tentcle goes beneth my shirt and up neck hole in front of my face where I kisses it deeply and snuggle before I drop back down into pit) ta
James Birdsong - [LennexMacDuff@yahoo.com]
San Diego, CA, USA
Monday, December 18, 2000 12:16:45 AM
IP: adsl-63-207-130-31.dsl.sndg02.pacbell.net

Hi Everybody! WHEW! What a week! Sure has been a long one. This is the first chance I've had to come back in here since last Tuesday. So, let me get on with catching up on comments and replies...*****sits in empty recliner, slips a pair of glasses on, leans back and starts to read.********

Lynati>...I really like those lyrics you keep hitting us with. Thanks for the giggles.

President-elect Bush...well, I for one am just glad to have all the BS over with.

*gets a whiff of Warpmind and starts to frantically fan her face* Whew dude! You were kidding were you? Anyone got a 50-gallon drum of tomato juice handy? LOL just kidding dear! :) At least it wasn't HI KARATE!

GB>...*waves at GB* Hey pal..LTNS. Hope everything is going okay. Don't be such a stanger.

Attila>...*sees Reverend Attila tangled up in mistle and laughs. Being unable to resist all things cute and fuzzy, abandons her chair and goes over to give him few nuzzles and a kiss*

*Canyon pads into the room with a white envelope in his teeth. Seeing his companion acting foolish with a mere cat, he shakes his head. He rumbles at Kat. She goes over, removes it from Canyon's mouth and begins to read it. Suddenly she begins to jump and squeal in excitement* Yippeeeeeeee! Guess what eveyone! I'M GOING TO THE GATHERING!!!!!!!!!!!! This is my confirmation notice that my payment via Paypal has been received!!!!! WHOOPPEEEE!!!! *takes a deep breath, bounces back into the recliner and continues to read CR post*

Winterwolf>....welcome back friend *huggles*

*finishes reading all the posts, leans back, removes her glasses and lets out a long, deep sigh* Guess that's that for tonight. On a personal note, it looks like I might get to spend the next week up in at our San Francisco call center. Got the work earlier this eve at work that they need volunteers to go up there from Tuesday-Sunday. I'm hoping that they let me go. Only problem will be that 10 hour days are required (which won't be a problem really) and that I'll have no way to get my X-mas shopping started. Yeah, yeah, I know..just call me Madam Procrastinator, k? :) If I get to go, I'm hoping my ex will let me borrow his laptop. That way I'll be able to talk to the kids everynight, and plus pop in here. Then I won't feel so lonely. With that all said, I'll bid you all adieu and warm wishes for a safe and happy week. *Casts a spell and a gentle rain of Kisses falls from the CR ceiling*
Katara - [garglover66f@hotmail.com]
San Diego, CA, GATHERING BOUND!!!!
Monday, December 18, 2000 12:13:42 AM
IP: ac811bf4.ipt.aol.com

**A blizzard blasts into the CR and covers the room in snow as a white fuzzy wolf appears out of the storm**

I'm back! How is everyone? All my time has been spent with Christmas shopping... wheee... fun fun fun. uh huh... ;)

Hyperion> I remember you! How are you doing?

Niamhgold> Hi! Must be nice to have a well-deserved break! **Huggles** Hope to be able to talk to you again soon! ^_^

That's all for now. Good night!

**Winterwolf blasts all the snow and himself out with an arctic gust of wind**

Winterwolf
Bronx, NY
Sunday, December 17, 2000 11:32:04 PM
IP: 206.15.120.101

Hello, just chechking in for anyone who was wondering if I made it or not. Friday afternoon and evening had this fog bank that stretched all tnhe way from Denton to beyond Houston. Lucky for me that was as far as I was going. The point is you couldn't see twenty feet past your hood. So it was interesting.
Went Christmas shopping today with my mother. Things went well most of the day, we only went to Wal-mart and Kinko's, but even that can be an adventure. After we came out of Kinko's the car decided it was not going to start. Both it's battery terminals were acting up a few weeks ago and today they just up and crapped out. Oh well, it's a Dodge nuff said, right?
Tommorrow I have to go back to work and you can just feel the love in my voice.
Later and good luck to all Christmas shoppers, it's dangerous out there.
Revel - [samrx5@cs.com]
back in the bayou city, tx
Sunday, December 17, 2000 10:31:38 PM
IP: spider-wi084.proxy.aol.com

*Lynati Enters*

Lain: ...Did you get the e-mail? was the attachment there?

Green Baron: Got your e-mail. :)

And now for the news:
Date: Thursday, December 14, 2000 1:40 PM

AUSTIN, TX (Dec. 14) - Attorneys for President-elect George W. Bush filed
suit in federal court today, seeking to prevent Santa Claus from making his
list and then checking it twice.

The complaint seeks an immediate injunction against the beloved Christmas
icon, asking the court to effectively ban his traditional practice of
checking the list of good boys and girls one additional time before packing
his sleigh. The suit, filed in the Federal District Court of Austin,
Texas, asks a federal judge to "hereby order Mr. Claus to cease and desist
all repetitive and duplicative list-checking activity, and certify the
original list as submitted, without amendment, alteration, deletion, or
other unnecessary modification."

"There are no standards for deciding who is naughty, and who is nice. It's
totally arbitrary and capricious. How many more times does he need to
check? This checking, checking, and re-checking over and over again must
stop now," said former Secretary James Baker. Baker further claimed that
unnamed GOP observers witnessed an elf remove all boys named Justin from
the 'nice' list, filing them under 'naughty' instead because "everyone
knows all boys named Justin are brats."

President-elect Bush cited the potential for unauthorized list tampering,
and blasted what he called the "crazy, crazy mess up there at the North
Pole." "Their security is really awful, really bad," said Bush. "My mother
just walked right in and told 'em she was Mrs. Claus. They didn't check
her ID or nothing."

Meanwhile, Dick Cheney, Vice President-elect, issued a direct plea to St.
Nick himself. "Mr. Claus, I call on you to do the honorable thing, and
quit checking your list. The children of the world have had enough. They
demand closure now," Cheney said, adding that his granddaughter has already
selected a name for the pony she's asked for.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson was quick to respond to this latest development with
plans to lead his protesters from Florida to the North Pole via dogsled.
The "Million Man Mush" is scheduled to leave Friday. "We need red suits
and sleighs, not law suits and delays," Jackson said.

Santa Claus could not be reached for comment, but a spokeself said he was
"deeply distressed" by news of the pending legal action against him. "He's
losing weight, and he hasn't said 'Ho Ho' for days," said the spokeself.
"He's just not feeling jolly."
...
Well, things were kind of slow in here anyway today.

*Lynati Exits*

Lynati - [Lynati_1@hotmail.com]
Sunday, December 17, 2000 09:40:32 PM
IP: 207.226.219.44

**DPH enters and feels thankfull that his hologram of a picture of mistletoe is still intact and unharmed.**

Gunjack - Those extra features have uses. If I was accused of a crime, I could create my own alibi (sp?). Also, I could prevent myself from having accidents, speeding tickets, or running out of gas. Storage fees? Hmm. Did I mention that I can send holograms anywhere and pay storage fees using holographic money. Heck, I might stop using real money and stick to holographic money. (Hmm, I could pay off the entire US debt that way.) Once the cash register closes, the money disappears. Of course, it would be impossible to determine who was stealing the money.
DPH - [dph_of_rules@yahoo.com]
AR, USA
Sunday, December 17, 2000 05:27:23 PM
IP: max1-18.cwy.cei.net

*Valentine enters tossing a nasty electric club from hand to hand*

Modeling - My first model for the new mod... A Terminator Shock Club. It's basicly a stunner souped up to deliver a kilowatt or so into your target with every hit. Good basic killing weapon. As soon as I finish the trigger, I'm gonna start on the skin.
My boss has been out of touch since he sent me the weapons list, so I can't start on any of the cool guns yet. Still, I think I'm gonna have fun with this one...

Gside><<So, just what is the probability that three bins are not empty after you randomly place five balls in them? And how many bins do you expect to be filled (this is fractional)?>> Questions like this make my head hurt... : P <<Only if they are smart.>> Given the darwinian nature of Megacorp politics, corperate heads are ALWAYS smart... <<But it takes them too long to recover from mating sickness.>> Go off, level up, and fight Weapons...
<<Crossbow description>> Now THAT sounds like fun! ...I think Jeff saw one of these where they were building a black powder muzzle-loading cannon out of junkyard materiels... <<Sadly, one spring broke on the third fire, and it put too much english on the balls on the first two shots.>> Too much English? Wha...?!? o_O
<<They had to do a lot of pulling on a chain.>> Shoulda brought a comealong... <<But I still think it was easier than the six miles of peddling the other team had to do to pump up the compressed air cannon.>> Ouch. I'll take chains, thanks... And why were they shooting balls from a crossbow? Why not rebar or some such?
<<Did you get the live version with the scat call and response?>> Heck yeah... Though that one screech sounds like a 'raptor from JP... o_O
<<Something sharp and incendiary.>> Naw... REALLY??? : P <<And if she is five milennia old, how long would it take to get to Ceilidh's age?>> Another 13 milennia? How old IS Ceilidh? <<Though poor Anathus still doesn't get any respect. Though i probably shouldn't talk after all the hentai lesbian doujinshi I've read.>> Was that in responce to that Kit/Anathus bit on the page? *shudders* ...Heh. Which one was it who did the "cold girl on a warm night" line? Hands down the nastiest idea I've EVER heard... : P
<<Just 16bit? That's nothing.>> But the SNES held power during the Golden Age of gaming! We got Zelda, Contra, Metroid, and Mario in their best incarnations, plus FF2 and 3... It just doesn't get better than that!
<<That and I remember Frogger, Zaxxon, and Summer Games on our Apple ][e.>> I remember Prince of Persia and Shadow of the Beast II on Amiga, plus Their Finest Hour... Those were the days... : )
And if you wanna go WAY back, I remember a sweet little ASCI galactic trading game on the kaypro that really kicked rear... <<Not quite that powerful.>> Pity. ; ) <<Though the video also included an incredibly funny line: "You can smell the chlorine gas.">> Heh. Reminds me of when we killed Bob up at the BC... Out of curiousity, do bleach and Ajax form chlorine gas when combined?
<<But I am a college age male. I have certain standards to maintnain.>> : P ...Six more months 'till I get a dorm room and Ethernet. I wonder if my cow skull's still in that closet... 8 )
<<Bouncing around slaughtering the enemy?>> Yup. Just read any modern action comic containing a female... : P <<Well we are engineers, and we love our toys.>> We are Gunjacks, and we like your toys too... ; ) <<Not "MUCK Moo"?>> That's what I get from my sister when I try to *enforce* my motto...
<<"We're on a mission from God.">> A much different mission... And I really need to see Blues Brothers some day.
<<Freud strikes again.>> Valentine mutters under his breath about crusty old buggers from Vienna* ...He's been doing that alot lately, for some reason.
<<Everything except for Rutgers servers.>> That's just not right... And it's happening right here in America too. o_O ...Does injustice know no boundries?
<<How else do they hold things?>> Good point. Really good telekinesis?
<<In other news, I now have a gold chocobo and kotr.>> Ain' those knights cool? That game really took the summons to a new level...
<<All is not right with the world until there are catgirls.>> Hear hear. Just make sure to give 'em retractable claws for self defense... <<She's a shape shifter. She could have hentai tentacles if she wanted.>> It all comes down to the tentacles for you, doesn't it? ; )

Warpmind><<The reason I asked about the MOD is that at the NetCaf� we're constantly looking for fun new ways to hamr & humiliate each others.>> I'm on a mod now, but don't get your hopes up. I'm gonna deliver the weapons come Hell or high water, but the group's just starting up. All we got is a few mappers, me, and the bossman who's doing sounds and writing the storyline. I'm kinda worried it's gonna turn into another one of those "bright idea" mods that wither on the vine... : P

Robby><<*Suddenly, evil mutated mistletoe materializes from nowhere and eats Dis Connect.*>> Hmm... The only evil, mutated mistletoe I know of is the Big Ugly... Glances worriedly at the cage, and is relieved to see the BU where it should be* ...That's a relief... -_-

Lynati><> You oughta introduce him... Get them while they're young! ; ) Oh yeah, and I'm NOT Gathering Bound... Maybe next year. : P

Jannie><<A Christmas tree ornament.>> Shoulda rammed it right up her... *Ahem* ...Never mind. Why does this woman hate you so? Did you accidentaly kill her cat or something? I just find it so bizarre that people like that actually exist... o_O
<<We have a work day (no students) and I will avoid her as much as possible.>> Good idea. Less chance of you snapping and taking her head off with one of those papercutters that way...

Firestorm><<*I GOT DSL* FINALLY!!!!!>> Congratulations! *silently cries as he putters along at 56k...* ...Just kidding. ; ) Go forth and DOMINATE! <<A device that uses the energy inherent in space. Basicailly it is infinite energy.>> I've heard of these... Though the writeup I saw said you had to have a really small black hole to get the thing working.
<<Mistletoe: DANG IT! I thought I taught Sevarius SR to *NOT* mess with my or my children's DNA!>> Actually, *I'M* the one who's been messing with mistletoe this year... And I didn't include any 'o your DNA, I just channeled the natural aggression of several thousand sprigs into one container. Hence it's propensity for eating people. <<Man... everyone must be out christmas shopping. This room has been DEAD!>> No kiddin! Where's Lain and the rest?

*Checks his watch*

Time to go back to modelling, and my brother's making me review his musical concoctions for Harding's next Springsing, and I'm seeing another year of ripped dance music. I still say they should bite the bullet and do some nice Faustian shows. Something with lots of healthy blacks and reds. We'll get Wilek to do the props...

Peace, Love, Dope...

"I have a message for you from God..." -Ehud
Gunjack Valentine - [miphsingleton@hotmail.com]
Sunday, December 17, 2000 05:23:12 PM
IP: 216-146-183-72.bwn.net

All S.O.G. members a meeting tonight at 8:00 eastern time. Email me so I can give you the password to our new chat room that Angie made for us.Thanks and see you tonight at the meeting. If their are ppl that want to join but would like to know what S.O.G. email me to and I'll give you the addy and password to get in too and you can ask about S.O.G. and stuff like that.
Angela
Courtney - [elisagirl2000@go.com]
Sunday, December 17, 2000 04:55:03 PM
IP: adsl-pool30-107.detroit.mi.ameritech.net

Ahh... the joys of saying "It's only 120mb!"

Man... everyone must be out christmas shopping. This room has been DEAD!
Fire Storm - [Night-Flame@usa.net]
Sunday, December 17, 2000 03:55:36 PM
IP: 64.109.143.22

(pokes head out of hentai tentacles pit) Gside> ah (a tentacle seductivly rubs my neck then pulls me back down) ta
James Birdsong - [LennexMacDuff@yahoo.com]
San Diego, CA, USA
Sunday, December 17, 2000 09:51:50 AM
IP: adsl-63-207-128-85.dsl.sndg02.pacbell.net

LYNATI - I've noticed the resemblance between Demona and Mystique myself (their voices even sound rather similar - at least, the Mystique of the new WB cartoon - although I know that they've got a different voice actor for the character). In fact, I've found myself of late wondering what would happen if Demona and Mystique actually ran into each other; I have the vision of the two of them immediately locked in battle, each accusing the other of being a rip-off. (With Mystique's mutant flunkeys no doubt watching on the sidelines and betting on the outcome).

JANNIE - The rumors about serious snowfalls here in Missouri are not exaggerated; we had a big snowfall here in St. Louis on Wednesday, to such an extent that a lot of things had to close down that day. (Fortunately not the grocery stores, though).

GSIDE - Well, since nobody by the name of Piotr has shown up in the cartoon yet, I don't think that that's an issue.
Todd Jensen - [merlyn@ninenet.com]
St. Louis, MO
Sunday, December 17, 2000 07:06:34 AM
IP: 216.87.46.9.dialup-stl.primary.net

Just got back home for the holidays recently (one semester of college done, at least seven more to go). My e-mail address has changed for the next two weeks in case anyone is interested. Anyway, I'll try to make a full post tomorrow. Take care and happy holidays,

---Emambu
Emambu - [erikmambu@hotmail.com]
Philadelphia, PA, USA
Sunday, December 17, 2000 02:31:10 AM
IP: proxy2-external.wyn1.pa.home.com

Well, I should have actually studied the complex power stuff (that's complex as in i). But I think I did well enough with the rest of the test and the grade distribution will be right so that I won't really need those 15 points. Or at least that's what I'm telling myself.

In other news, I now have a gold chocobo and kotr.

Warpmind> <<now you've got *me* thinking up interesting occasions here, too>>: I told you we'd be taking over the world.
<<too... I must be more of an engineer than I ever thought>>: Though I did think that the hentai nature and the engineering weren't completely linked.

Robby> <<Okay, THAT has my attention... Hey Aaron, look! Catgirls!>>: All is not right with the world until there are catgirls. You know, there's probably some part of biochem or biomed working on that right now.

Me> Isn't it annoying when you forget to increment to get the correct label?

James Birdsong> <<Anyone else think Kitty is sort of the Juibilee of X:Men Evolution?>>: Actually, Jubilee is the Kitty of the modern Xmen. I've always liked that power. So many things you could do with it. Like peel an orange in under a second. Heck, think of how easy surgery would be.
<<Also I think she has a crush on Nightcrawler>>: Nah, she's really got the hots for Piotr.

Fire Storm> <<Just a simple little test>>: You now have your own personal IP. Enjoy.

Lynati> <<You can't fly! She doesn't have wings!>>: She's a shape shifter. She could have hentai tentacles if she wanted.

Fire Storm> <<*I GOT DSL* FINALLY!>>: Which is even better than just an individual IP. Enjoy.
<<Napster, here I come!>>: Prepare to feel the joy I have felt. Unless you won't get occasional 800k/s downloads.
<<sending a stream of ions (charged particles) at a piece of gold>>: Rutherford. The plum pudding does not actually exist.

Na zdorov'ya.
Gside - [gside@eden.rutgers.edu]
Piscatway, NJ
Sunday, December 17, 2000 01:48:49 AM
IP: gside.resnet.rutgers.edu

Christine: Can you remind Doug and me of your address please? We'd like to send you something for Christmas.
Kitainia
Sunday, December 17, 2000 01:42:19 AM
IP: pool-63.52.167.51.dlls.grid.net

This week, after a long, LONG time, it has happened.
After weeks of waiting, it is all over.
And for now, we can celebrate!
(Oh yeah... I guess they picked the president too, I don't know...)

*I GOT DSL* FINALLY!!!!!
(Napster, here I come!)
Now... If I can only figure out this %^*&*ing IIS...

Patrick: I just went to the Gathering registration page... is the dinner an additional $60 or does that $60 cover gathering fees?

Wilek: <You've got me interested. :)>
A device that uses the energy inherent in space. Basicailly it is infinite energy.
<Do tell. 8)>
Well, like I said, the BASIS. It would take quite a bit of hacking but it is theoritically possible.
Antimater can be made by sending a stream of ions (charged particles) at a piece of gold (or anything with a good, dense subatomic core). If you are lucky the stream will split into a stream of matter and a stream of antimatter. Now, you need a particle accelerator to do that, and my guess is that you are looking at one RIGHT NOW. Your average computer screen is a cathode ray tube (CRT), which is basicailly a big electron gun (READ: Electron particle accelerator). Put a few together, and...
Thats the theory anyway. My only fear is that it may work TOO well. Can you imagine making a device to hold even a few miligrams of antimatter, and then have the containment field fail? The results would NOT be pretty.
<I'll be needing a twin-vertex knotted magnetic field projector to build my gate coil so I can put an end to the tentacle infestation.>
Which reminds me... Could a collapsing magnetic field, if it is collapsed fast enough, be directed by the same shielding/playing that can reflect radio transmissions? If you do that, then you have the basis for a EMP gun. (1.2GW power supply not included.)

Mistletoe: DANG IT! I thought I taught Sevarius SR to *NOT* mess with my or my children's DNA!

OH! Here is a funny little bit from work... The funny part is that this is the *ACTUAL* price!
How much would you pay for a 17 year old bottle of wine?
$100?
$200?
*$300*?
NO! Order now and get it for the low, low price of $30,000 (Mortgage not included.)
ACT NOW! Quantities limited! (Only 6 available!)

Lynati: Nice Trek filk!
One say I must stop fighting the creativity demons and write that Elton John/Demona duet (Evil grin)
Fire Storm - [Night-Flame@usa.net]
Sunday, December 17, 2000 12:07:05 AM
IP: 64.109.143.22

Once again, I missed Dad's family Xmas event ... I wish they'd send out these things sooner, but I'm the only one who went and moved so darn far away. The rest are still in various areas of So. Cal (except Aunt Carol Ann, who's in Arizona, but she's got money and flies out five-six times a year to dote on her grandbaby). Ah, well ... next year maybe I can make it. Or try for Dad's wedding in April ... doesn't seem that long ago I went to his last wedding, but he told me on the phone tonight, "I got the right one this time." And of course the one big convenient package I sent to take care of all of them with one box didn't make it in time, rats! But I did get a chance to pry addresses out of most of my cousins to re-create our woefully annihilated address files.

No real point to this, just rambling some more. Better stop before I wind up going on about the fabulous bowling alley CPC holiday party ...

Christine - [christine@sabledrake.com]
Saturday, December 16, 2000 11:49:39 PM
IP: 19-135.075.popsite.net

Hey what's up? Finally managed to get here (everyone found out how nice this internet cafe is). Wow! I was third last post, havn't had that honor in a while. Cool.

Jackal- Congrats on the new little one.

Mary Flanders- a Belated Happy B-day.

Kitainia- My brain gets only one day off a year, unfortunately part of the deal was that it doesn't have to tell me when it does.

Wish me luck on my final. Later
Jaden - [jaden12@hotmail.com]
Saturday, December 16, 2000 11:46:51 PM
IP: 211.216.216.43

*waves arm excitedly in the air* Pick me! Pick me! I'm going to the Gathering :)

Doug> awesome that you watch "The District" too! =) I really liked tonight's episode - very sweet. Looks like they've introduced the daughter, huh? Was glad to see the "family" starting to merge.

Well, my last day at school (with students) was on Friday. I don't think reality has sunk in yet that I won't be teaching any longer.
The b!tch principal was her usual self.... as a going away present - after serving for 11 years in every imaginable situation with out of control students, severely retarded, 3 in diapers (ages 7-11), etc. I received... *drum roll*
A Christmas tree ornament. O.o yep, you read that correctly. I attribute the working conditions for the past 11 years to 75% of my health problems and that is how the
b!tch shows her gratitude. Oh well, at least she showed her true colors in front of the entire staff. They were just as appalled as I was.
I must return for one day - January 2 - and then I never have to speak to that beast again. We have a work day (no students) and I will avoid her as much as possible.

Coyote> how is your hand doing? Any lingering effects of the wound you received a month or so ago?

Congrats to those who have graduated from college! Now the *fun* of "real life" begins... scary, huh? *chuckles* But, I know that each of you will be a genuine success :)

Safe journey to those traveling home for the holidays! I'll be spending Christmas at home. My brother tells me there is 11 inches of snow and covered with a layer of ice in Missouri. argh! I'll keep the 65 degree days, thankyou! *L* Best enjoy them this year because I'll be in Missouri for Christmas next year!

Denis> je t'aime le plus!! *giggles* I win! ;)
Jannie
Saturday, December 16, 2000 11:16:10 PM
IP: 209-83-228-131.hou.port.mytelco.com

:: enters singing to an old Simon & Garfunkel tune ::

"Gathering bound... yes I am... Gathering bound..."

But of course most of you already knew that. >:)

You, too, can be Gathering bound... just visit our web site, print out a copy of the registration form, or register online. There's still two weeks left before the early-bird discount rates expire, too.
Patrick Toman
Saturday, December 16, 2000 10:36:45 PM
IP: acab3cee.ipt.aol.com

Valentine> I do (plunges in) :)
James Birdsong - [LennexMacDuff@yahoo.com]
San Diego, CA, USA
Saturday, December 16, 2000 09:35:10 PM
IP: adsl-64-165-17-99.dsl.sndg02.pacbell.net

*Lynati Enters*

Heyla; I'm still alive! yay!

Random real-life anecdote:
...I have yet so see the new x-men series, but as this is a relative story...
At thanksgiving, my little cousin wanted me to play "x-men" with him, and be Mystique. (I always loved her character!) of course, he pronounced it "Ms.Snake" and when I asked "who?", He said "The blue-skinned red-haired bad woman." Heh heh heh...I took his description rather generally ];) , and went into character; but he was to young to get the reference...
"You can't fly! She doesn't have wings!"
...

Hey, who all is going to the Gathering? can you put a little "Gathering Bound" or "GB" comment in your next posts so that other CR patrons will know?

Warpmind: Indeed.
(Lynati snickers, imagining Warpmind as a big stuffed animal that she can just tuck under her arm and carry around the Gathering.)

Gonna go check my email.
TTFN!

*Lynati Exits*
Lynati
Saturday, December 16, 2000 08:56:31 PM
IP: 207.226.219.40

All I want is a proper cup 'o coffee... Oh yeah, and pics of every gun in both Terminator movies... : P

DPH - That's cool, 'mano... I don't need to project into other dimensions or times, since White Alpha needs to be here, with me. : ) ...So I get an old model projector, and you don't have to pay storage fees anymore... *Checks his watch* ...White should be online now. I wonder if Filo is done attaching the mobility package?

James - Yeah, the chemicals probably didn't outlast Clinton by much. Just stick to anime mode, and everything should be fine. That is, if you call residing in a hentai tentacle pit "fine"... *shudders*

The mod REALLY needs me. Whoever was doing their weapon drawings before reminds me of an eight-year-old with a new box of crayolas. I figure the mod's got a chance in five of ever going anywhere, but it's good practice... *shrugs*

Oh yeah, and my brother just got here. Watch the horizon for that red glow I mentioned.
Gunjack Valentine
Saturday, December 16, 2000 08:32:59 PM
IP: 216-146-183-131.bwn.net

Gunjack - Fortunately, the one you grabbed does NOT have cool features like ability to display holograms anywhere [any universe, any location within that universe], anytime [including the past, present, and of course the future], with unlimited interactive possibilites. Those are guarded with security that make entering Xanatos's eerie building and getting to the top floor look like playing hide & go seek in a dense forest. The one you grabbed only had direct projection abilities with no sound. As far as taking over any hologram anywhere, buena suerte. The one I am using plus those with advanced features have security devices built in that will turn the projector off in the unlikely event the projector looses control of a hologram.

Robby - the delay in the Ten Saga in your RP might make things interesting when I finally get around to the planned RP crossover, which is 3-4 months away at best.

Work * Work <> Squared Work
DPH - [dph_of_rules@yahoo.com]
AR, USA
Saturday, December 16, 2000 07:02:19 PM
IP: max1-17.cwy.cei.net

Todd Jensen> Brilliant. Asbolutly brilliant. Valentine> Has the mind altering drugs in the hentai tentacles faded yet?
James Birdsong
Saturday, December 16, 2000 06:52:53 PM
IP: adsl-64-165-17-99.dsl.sndg02.pacbell.net

*Valentine looking crazed and covered in grease*

Very Busy. Just signed onto a mod, manymanymany weapons to model. Wish me bigtime luck, people!

*Rushes out*
Gunjack Valentine - [miphsingleton@hotmail.com]
Saturday, December 16, 2000 06:48:12 PM
IP: 216-146-183-154.bwn.net

JAMES - I think that you could well be right on both.

Speaking of "X-Men: Evolution", I have a little creativity demon of my own for a scene that I'd rather like to see in it, as follows:

When Magneto and his followers finally decide to make their big push against non-mutant humanity, their attack happens to take place at the same time that Senator Robert Kelly visits Bayville High to deliver a speech on good citizenship or something of that nature in the school auditorium. Since the bulk of Xavier's students will be there, Magneto makes the auditorium one of his targets.

Needless to say, Senator Kelly finds himself suddenly in the middle of a mutant vs. mutant battle, and is very much taken aback (particularly since he hadn't even known that mutants existed prior to this moment). Xavier's students do see to it that he's able to escape (something like Nightcrawler grabbing hold of him and teleporting him out of the auditorium or Kitty phasing him through a wall), but he doesn't even pay attention to the fact that they'd saved his life (kind of the way that Margot and Brendan respond to the gargoyles whenever the gargs save them from criminals).

This incident starts Kelly off on his anti-mutant political stance; having encountered mutants for the first time by being at ground zero in the middle of one of their battles and being all but terrified, he's definitely hostile to them after this.

(Of course, we don't even know if they intend to bring Senator Kelly into the series, but I did think that it would be an interesting scenario for introducing him if they did).
Todd Jensen - [merlyn@ninenet.com]
St. Louis, MO
Saturday, December 16, 2000 06:41:00 PM
IP: 216.87.46.232.dialup-stl.primary.net

Just a simple little test...
Fire Storm - [Night-Flame@usa.net]
Saturday, December 16, 2000 01:37:04 PM
IP: 64.109.143.22

Anyone else think Kitty is sort of the Juibilee of X:Men Evolution? Also I think she has a crush on Nightcrawler :)
James Birdsong - [LennexMacDuff@yahoo.com]
Token sane guy
Saturday, December 16, 2000 01:03:18 PM
IP: adsl-63-207-129-77.dsl.sndg02.pacbell.net

If Robby doesn't count, the I'm Tenth.

Aaron - [JCarnage@Yahoo.com]
San Antonio, TX, USA
Saturday, December 16, 2000 12:58:54 PM
IP: 64.154.231.203

Top Something!
Doug and Kit
Saturday, December 16, 2000 10:46:09 AM
IP: pool-63.52.169.248.dlls.grid.net

10th hip horray
courtney - [elisagirl2000@go.com]
Saturday, December 16, 2000 10:43:58 AM
IP: adsl-dynamic36-49.detroit.mi.ameritech.net

8th
James Birdsong - [LennexMacDuff@yahoo.com]
San Diego, CA, USA
Saturday, December 16, 2000 10:32:52 AM
IP: adsl-63-207-129-77.dsl.sndg02.pacbell.net

Top Ten!
Spacebabie
Saturday, December 16, 2000 09:27:55 AM
IP: user-37kaou3.dialup.mindspring.com

*blinks and looks around* wow! top ten! :)
Jannie
Saturday, December 16, 2000 08:51:48 AM
IP: 209-83-228-162.hou.port.mytelco.com

3rd.
Na zdorov'ya.
Gside - [gside@eden.rutgers.edu]
Piscatway, NJ
Saturday, December 16, 2000 07:39:35 AM
IP: gside.resnet.rutgers.edu

Top ten!
Jessie Feff
Saturday, December 16, 2000 07:08:12 AM
IP: dialup7-17.mrs.umn.edu

SHINIGAMI - Well, it's been a few years since I last saw "Freakazoid", and my memory of it's a bit fuzzy as a result. Also, it was harder for me to place the name when it was just plain "Cosgrove" rather than "Officer Cosgrove".
Todd Jensen - [merlyn@ninenet.com]
St. Louis, MO
Saturday, December 16, 2000 06:37:21 AM
IP: 216.87.46.103.dialup-stl.primary.net

top ten!
Gunjack Valentine
Saturday, December 16, 2000 05:41:06 AM
IP: 216-146-183-69.bwn.net

Finals are done and the vacation has started for me... Or has it? The next TGS season is gearing up for airing soon, deadlines on TGS work are finally closing in, and I'm far behind on what I should have finished already. It is for this reason that I'm currently up at 4:20 AM. I'm am going to exhert all my energies into finishing this stuff on time. So I'm gonna be busy for the next week or so. But after that, for the first time in MONTHS I'll have free time again, so I'll post properly then, meyeb even finally get the Ten Saga going towards its conclusion again. Until then... *Grins evily* It's time to let the creativity demons fly...

*Suddenly a tiny gargoyle like creature flies by* Uhm, ignore that. *Suddenly, evil mutated mistletoe materializes from nowhere and eats Dis Connect.* Um, ignore that too. *Again suddenly, a dozen cat girls appear and take out the evil mistletoe.* Okay, THAT has my attention... Hey Aaron, look! Catgirls!

In any event, I'm going to be busy the next few days, so I'm instituting probably the earliest CR wipe ever done intentionally. Ah well..
Robby
Saturday, December 16, 2000 05:24:04 AM
IP: spider-wk072.proxy.aol.com