...if I worked at it, but, ah, the hell with it.  It's good enough as is:
http://www.itv.com/news/tyne-tees/updat ... ians-wall/]Roman toilet seat unearthed near Hadrian's Wall
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

Right.  Back from vacation, and almost done clearing up the myriad of issues that vacations always cause.  Done enough to write, anyway.
Since we were pretty close to the limit (and nobody was commenting any more), I thought we'd move to a new thread.
**********
Fortunately for my patience, the false door- some sort of illusion, over a force-field, I reckoned- was the last of them.  Behind it was a(nother) cavernous open space; as I looked around it, taking in the sights, I was struck by the familiarity of the room.  Are all the storage rooms in the 'verse huge, cavernous caves full of boxes?
And why am I two for two on them having cars in them?
Sitting out in an open space in the front of the room, directly in front of the door that'd just opened, were the four Syndicate trucks Uno'd teleported out.  The nine people that went with said trucks were laid out in a neat row, grouped into three sets of three, between us and the trucks- still unconscious.
Before Uno could walk into the room, I stopped her with a tap on her shoulder, and then waved my other arm, Fencer's Blade charged and ready, towards the men laying there.  "Want me to..."Uno cocked her head at me in confusion- for all of half a second- and then shook her head, smiling fondly.  "I appreciate the thoughtfulness, Imma, but it's not necessary.  They've all been sedated."
I shrugged, letting the spell dissipate.  "...oh.
So what is it we're here for?  Not interrogation, obviously... so are we here to search the trucks for useful items?"
Uno blinked.  "...yes.  Yes, we are.  Once that task is complete, though, I require your assistance moving the prisoners."
I sighed at that.  Why do I get the feeling that Uno wasn't actually here to search the trucks?

"Hey, Uno?  You'd better take a look at this."
The two of us had split up to search the four Syndicate trucks.  It quickly became boring.  The first truck I'd gone into had been basically what I'd expected out of a space-Mafia soldier-carrier; comfy seats for four, a small armory in the back, space (and restraints) for two prisoners... and a few random credits, here and there, which went straight into my pockets.
The second one looked the same from outside.  One look in the back, though, and I was yelling for Uno.
"Yes, Imma?  What did you need?"
I simply pointed into my truck, grinning like a madman, and waited.
"You want me to look inside?"
I nodded.  Thankfully, Uno did as requested, and looked into the back compartment of the truck, where the three inactive, mint-condition Mark I M-Drones (and associated launch cradles, interface, and maintenance kit) sat waiting.
"...oh.  Oh, my.  The Doctor must know of this.  Go ahead and move the prisoners to the primary lab, Imma- I'll finish matters here."
Still grinning, I walked off to comply.  Best.  Raid.  Ever.

EDIT: Retitling thread to reflect changes to the setup - this thread will be for commentary alone from this point on.
EDIT2: Going through the thread and removing actual story prose from the posts - just seems to redundant to leave it there.  Please forgive me for the spurious New Post alerts.

So, I'm kinda-sorta taking a bit of time between story arcs of my Being You Is...  It's gonna take me some time to hash out all the details for the plot there, and a lot of it is gonna involve simply sitting down, watching every single freaking episode of MLP:FiM, and thinking, "What would I do here if I was Garrick Grimm?"
That said, I've been messing around with the idea of rebooting Dear Sweet Kami-sama, and I think that the time is about right.
That said, I know that some of you guys are thinking, "Why a reboot?"
Well, for one thing I feel that the quality of my writing has come a very long way since when I started writing DSKS.  (In fact, I think I have that in particular to thank in large regard... that, and Fenspace.)  Also, it will give me a chance to shift some things around and maybe even add in a few new things I've come across.  For example, with what I've learned about Tenchi Muyo lately, Earth is firmly in the control of the Juraians, which would make the Oni staking a claim there look utterly suicidal.
Finally, this will let me give this the much gentler touch that I've given Being You Is... in regards to the main character's powering up.
One thing I would like to add to DSKS is a little gem called Umi Monogatari.  Zeke helping to resolve the issue they have in that story would go a good ways towards furthering his development... and net him a few more entanglements.    And I'm also tempted to throw in Bakemonogatari if, for nothing else, the sheer amount of snarkage involved.  Oh, and Zeke would be able to see and hear Mayoi.  Mayoi, being classified as a Wandering Spirit, would have a pretty hilarious reaction upon meeting Zeke, I think.  (This because Zeke is the Avatar of a God of Life and Death.)  The only trouble is going to be topping all those ridiculous puns!  They'd give the Punday Night Crew at Callahan's a run for their money!
So anyhow, anybody else got any thoughts and/or ideas?

I've been fecking around for the last week or so (With some semi-examples of what I was looking for on a few talk pages....)

I redid the wiki article for the JF-21 in a similar format, and I was wondering what people's opinion was on doing the same for other parts of the wiki. At the very least, it's not as dry and sterile as a wiki article - and gives more an in-universe opinion on what people think or what these things are actually like.

The idea being the a character profile is written in-character by someone in-universe - and then it's possible to add alternative opinions as 'comments' in sidebars and the like. The profile can be positive, negative, or mixed.... and comments can be contrary, supporting or offer separate viewpoints. And won't necessarily have to be cleared with the author if they represent another in-universe opinion. There's a lot of comments given to new articles and characters and the like, and it seems like it'd be an easy way to capture that detail.

Okay, so it's a fair bit of work. But at the same time, it's a little easier to do I found than generating dry wiki content. It's easier to write in a few minutes. And easier for others to expand upon independently.
________________________________
--m(^0^)m-- Wot, no sig?

And now, for the other Ravenclaws...

One flies in to case the joint,

boldly struts around.

Two fly in to make it three,

laugh a while and knock each other down.

Four flies in with a frowning walk

gains a laugh from out a squawk

but it's five who owns the place

and proves it with a look, stopping

six and seven in their tracks from

smuggling a book.

Words within our grasp--do we let go?

Do we fly heavily with the weight of what we know?

My friend bids me come and see

the ravens in the library

setting quiet pages free.

One for fiction, two for truth,

three for bikes and bathing suits

four for scifi/fantasy

five loves art and ancient skulls

six eats periodicals

seven lives in poetry

(One for sorrow, two for joy,

three for girls and four for boys,

five for silver, six for gold,

seven for a secret never told!)

One hangs out on the drama shelves

but keeps the monologues to herself

two and three are studying jewels

Four reads all about the Huns

five won't share the shiny ones

six and seven label molecules

(One crow sorrow, two crows mirth

three a wedding, four a birth

five crows silver, six crows gold,

seven ravens, curious and bold!)

Words within our grasp--do we let go?

Do we fly heavily with the weight of what we know?

hours of study flying by

words soaked up by beady eyes

long debates into the night

pages flying everywhere

seek the language word by word

like the black and clever bird

never let it bring you down

all the things we haven't figured out

My friend bids me come and see

the ravens in the library

setting quiet pages free

(knitting up the 'raveled sleeve of care

pages flying everywhere)

Seven reads about the gods,

chuckles to herself;

to the rest, she never lets on.

Try to catch a glimpse of them

bickering like mortal men-

feathers on the sidewalk.

If you heard a raven say such horrible words

as the ones you may have heard in your day to day,

would it make you choose your own more carefully

around the ones you love?

my friend bids me come and see

the ravens in the library

setting quiet pages free.

(Knitting up the sleeve of care

pages flying everywhere.)
-- S. J. Tucker, "Ravens in the Library"
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

What, did you think I was speaking metaphorically? And yes, that is me, in all my scraggly neckbeard lack-of-glory. It's quite possibly the most personal information available obout me online, so all my obsessed fans out there, this one's for you. Just stay downrange, 'cause if you pass the quarter mile marker I'm firin' it.

Look down at your hand, now back to me.



HOLY CRAP WHAT WAS THAT!?

Headcannon Creepy Mask Style (in unmodified primer white) - soon to feature in an amateur horror movie coming to a YouTube account near you. Probably. Maybe.

Incidentally, this mask actually has really good visibility even in the peripheral vision due to the deep curve and the way the eyeslots are cut. I would have no reservations about running through the woods holding a sharp object while wearing it, if not for the fact that I can't wear my glasses at the same time.

It's on a hat!



Because the barrel is an oatmeal tube held on by a set of screws in the pop-top, the barrel can be removed and added again easily - Creepy Mask style with it on is sort of a steampunk cyborg-head with a smokestack, I guess. Barrel off and reversed (or tipping the creepy mask up like a welding helmet, it amounts to the same thing) also looks a little odd, but in a sci-fi-space-wierdo-futuristic kind of way.
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

"This is 'Dust'?" Lisa asked, turning the red, soda-can-sized crystal over and over in her hands.

Next to her, Weiss rolled her eyes.  "Of course.  Haven't you ever seen Dust before?"

"Nope," Lisa replied absently.  "Hey, Dee, c'mere and check this out."

The olive-skinned girl in the white doeskin tunic and trews excused herself from the conversation she and Sana were having with Blake and Ruby, and stepped over to the other two girls.  "What have you got?" she asked.

Lisa brandished the glowing crystal.  "Check this out!  It's mana -- in a mineral form!"

One dark eyebrow raised.  "Really?"

"Yeah!  Watch!"  Lisa closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath. To her shock and surprise, Weiss watched all the color and light leech out of the crystal, until all that remained was a dull grey prism that began to collapse into a powder.  Lisa let it dribble out between her fingers, then brushed her hand off on her short blue skirt.

"What did..." Weiss began to ask, only to stop short when Lisa opened her eyes, which were now glowing exactly the same shade that the Dust had only a few moments earlier.

"Oh, yeah.  What a rush!" Lisa declared, her voice suddenly deeper and strangely resonant.  She turned her glowing gaze back to Weiss.  "We're going to want a lot of this stuff."

Unimpressed with the exchange, Son Wukong sidled up to Peggy, eyeing the sword and revolvers she carried with a frank interest. "So," he said with a little smile.  "I'm gathering you four aren't from around here."

The vaguely exotic blonde looked him up and down.  "It's not our damn planet, monkey boy," she replied with a faint smirk.

Spoiler

RWBY

If you've never heard of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_French_Laundry]The French Laundry, well, check that link out, or simply accept my flat statement that it's supposed to be one of the best, if not the best, restaurant in the world.
So... this food columnist takes a four-year-old girl to The French Laundry, and http://www.thebolditalic.com/articles/5 ... ch-laundry]photodocuments her reactions to every dish in a multi-course dinner.  (TFL is one of those places that serves exquisitely tiny portions, so the reviewer doesn't get filled up early on.)
Anyway, it's a great read, and the little girl's face and comments are absolutely adorable.
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

"Star Trek is an amazing show, but next season, we've shaved off Scotty, Uhuru and Bones from the cast. It'll be all Kirk and Spock, all the time!"
Some decisions are pure fail.
Then there are THOSE decisions which are heirs to the throne of the Kingdom of Fail.

I present, Your Failishess.

http://www.eonline.com/news/571864/myth ... g-the-show

"Your temporary partner will be Agent G. One of his specialties is a little known martial art called 'Kaiju-Fu'. Also known as 'The way of the exploding tail.'"