*eyebrow twitching*
I am presently considering writing a short story in which the UNMF make a rescue raid on a fictitious country in response to situation like this
http://news.yahoo.com/sudanese-woman-se ... 04046.html
and follow up with a pirate TV broadcast in which a face-shadowed figure declares to the world that just because most would sit by and complain but still allow it to happen doesn't mean that everyone will.
Do the moderators have any potential complaints against this?

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap140514.html

As I post this, it's daytime for the ISS - so I'm seeing clouds over ocean.

Pretty.
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

Amiga, amigos

Chiptune website replicates the Workbench of the old Amiga OS.

I had one when I was four! Nobody knew what to do with it in the house - it'd been bought to be part of the 'future' - so it was used solely to play pirated games until 1999 when the graphics finally fizzled.
________________________________
--m(^0^)m-- Wot, no sig?

Prefacing this post: I live in a jurisdiction where it's legal to do this, as long as I pay the licensing fees - which I do.

I've been using CDex to convert CD tracks to MP3 for quite a while now, but that program hasn't been updated in over half a decade. I'd like something that recognizes non-Latin filename characters (and isn't in beta), and is supported on Windows 7. Does anyone have any recommendations, either for or against?
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

According to the Huffingdon Post.
Yuku isn't letting me post links.

If I've been especially quiet lately the last few days - well the title will give you a clue. 
Derek Wakefield, who I'd known since 1983 - my friend and mentor in all things Space Battleship Yamato and Star Blazers, passed away in his sleep 3 days ago. He'd developed a whole host of health problems in the last 3-4 years, mostly related to diabetes, and finally succumbed. 
To say I'm still reeling would be something of an understatement. But I'm hardly alone. Many people whose lives he touched are in shock. Most from Anime Fandom and more specifically Star Blazers/Yamato fandom. 
I'd fallen out of touch with him the last few years - he had very spotty internet access and he more or less had "hermited" in Denton TX due to his health problems. But I did make an effort to get back in touch with him briefly earlier this year before the troubles with my father took up too much of my time. I really wish I'd gotten to visit him once more. 
For those of you who don't know who he was - here's a brief thumbnail. Derek Wakefield was the founder and head of the Earth Defence Command (EDC) Star Blazers fan club starting from about 1982. 
If anyone could be said to be the founder of North Texas Anime fandom, the guy who really got the ball rolling initially - it's Derek. 
And because the EDC existed, Project A-Kon - the oldest anime convention in North America came to be. 
He actually had no direct hand in that convention, having resigned from the EDC in 1987. But if not for the core of fans and friendships that he started via the EDC, then A-Kon would never have been - or at least happened much later than it did. 
He resigned the EDC leadership largely because the EDC became a general anime fan club and he actually had somewhat less interest in anime that wasn't Yamato related. He was a fan of a few other shows and OVAs - such as Area 88 and Harlock and other shows that Leiji Matsumoto had a hand in creating. But he felt he was a fifth wheel in the larger EDC by the late 80s. 
Even so - he kept up correspondences and friendships and contacts across anime fandom. And when anything Yamato related popped up, he was there - if not in person, than at least being available as a knowledgeable source. 
And BOY was he knowledgeable! His knowledge and near perfect recall of everything in the classic Yamato series of TV shows and movies from 1974 to 1983 was uncanny. We even poked a bit of fun with him over the years because his study of the Space Battleship Yamato was SO THOROUGH that he actually had found some of the HEADS (toilets) in the deckplans! 
In the mid-90s, when Tim Eldred and Bruce Lewis - two other mega-fans of Yamato - and comic-book artists/creators - got tapped by Voyager Studios to produce an official Star Blazers comic book, they contacted their friend and "Yamato-Guru" Derek Wakefield, to help vet their continuity and give feedback on the scripts before the comics were made. In turn, Derek contacted Jeff Blend, Fred Kopetz myself and a couple of others to assist him with this, since he valued our opinions as well and wanted to give Bruce and Tim the most balanced critiques possible. The half-dozen or so of us dubbed ourselves - jokingly - "The Talmudic Scholars of Yamato" but our semi-official name (and acknowledged in the comic book credits) was "The Iscandar Group". 
Ultimately the Star Blazers comic went 12 issues before the forces of the mid-90s comic book distributor crisis essentially killed it. But it was a heady time. 
Throughout the mid 80s to the early 2000s, Derek could be found most often in his "Office" - the garage attached to his house. When myself, Bruce Lewis and others were going to college it was a regular hang-out. Back before his health got bad, you could almost always find him in that garage of his, typing stories or articles on his ancient Amiga. There was a large handmade sign on the inside of the Garage Door that for many years read "The Deadbeat Club" in both reference to a favorite B-52s song and ironic acknowledgement of the situation we were all in when it came to our college years. The garage saw a lot of friends pass through and hang out. I think many of us just naturally gravitated there to hang out at one time or another. I think I can recall times when despite the clutter you'd have as many as 5-6 people in there just hanging out and being fans and talking, arguing and laughing the night away. 
I remember many times, extremely late night, like midnight or later, just popping by to see if he was up - and usually he was - and we'd talk about his latest project. Or one of mine. Or just pop a videotape in and watch Yamato or some random thing. 
And even when we moved away from Denton, we'd sometimes make the trip back on occasion. Sometimes me and Jeff Blend would just do an impromptu "ROAD TRIP" to Denton to visit Derek. He had several friends up in Denton, but he was always glad to see us. No matter what the insane hour we might pop in.  
I truly believe that Derek and "The Garage" was to North Texas Star Blazers fandom in the 80s and 90s what Pancho Barnes' Happy Bottom Riding Club was for the test pilots at Edwards Air Force base in the 40s - 50s - Low rent, ramshackle, but the right slice of unpresupposing heaven for those in the know. If you loved Yamato or Star Blazers - this was the place to be if you could get there.
As I said above - he influenced or touched many people's lives for the better. On facebook and elsewhere a common theme seems to be "if not for Derek, I wouldn't be where I am" or "I wouldn't have met my wife" or "I wouldn't have had all these wonderful friends" or "I wouldn't have gotten into Anime Fandom".  Some people's professional careers were made in part because of him. 
He brought so many of us who in the early 80s thought we were alone in our love of Star Blazers and anime in touch with each other. Made it cool to geek out on this stuff. Gave us a kind of "home". Then, like many a good mentor or parent - let us go our own ways. 
As one friend, Bryan Powell put it: "In ways I'm not sure he fully realized; he really did embody the ideal that, "one person can make a difference" and that's something we'll always be grateful for."
If you can touch people's lives and even indirectly make them better, than I can think of few better epitaphs one could have.
I miss those days. And I miss my friend. 
Sayonara Derek. Till we all meet again beyond Heroes Hill. 
At the end of their watch, Each captain enters the undiscovered country.We honor those have gone beforeAnd with passion and dedicationCharted our course across the sea of stars.

Something fun I wrote a year ago based on Dakotas idea of the Tesla Labs. But I SB was talking about "bad guys" in Fenspace.

***************************************

“Good morning... your name and your reason for visiting the Tesla Labs?”

The watchman at the entrance of the large building were looking at Lisa with a neutral face, patiently waiting for the catgirl.

“I am Lisa from Jenga, I asked Dr. Claw for a meeting today.” she said. “I am sure he sent you a notice, if not you might have to contact him.”

In fact Lisa had planned to do this visit for years, but important science projects and other ‘fun activities’ had always made her postpone it. But in the last weeks Jenga had been near the Earth moon system and Lisa had just a few hobby projects running, so there had been no way to delay her plan any further

“Lisa... Lisa... ahh, here it is. A meeting with Dr. Claw itself” the watchman said with a grin, “I will call a guard that will take you to the reception and then lead you to Dr. Claws meeting room.”

The Tesla Labs on the Moon were a matter of rumors and guesswork for most outsiders. Unofficially labeled as ‘Independent Research and Prototyping’ facility, its leader Dr. Claw was said to be the masterminds behind one of Kandor City’s supervillain teams.

But it was also said that the Tesla Labs were a source of creative and groundbreaking tech gadgets that had pulled a trick on Kandors Heros time and time again. After hearing about the strangely named Labs and their shady but interesting story from Dakota Lisa had decided she wanted to visit the facility.

After a few minutes a guard in a black uniform arrived.

“Please follow me” the man said and both of them entered the building and stepped into an elevator, which took them down into the basement of the building. The doors opened again and Lisa found herself in a small reception area.

“Ahh, you must be Ms. Lisa” the woman behind the desk said, “the entrance told me about your arrival. I just need a few informations about you and a signature for our NDA before you can continue.”

Lisa blinked a few times.

“A non-disclosure agreement? What celestial body are you living on?”

“No, no, you got it wrong” the woman at the desk said and shook her head. “Its a nice-disclosure agreement. We are deeply involved with the Superhero community here at Kandor, so you have to promise to be nice when you talk about what you have seen.

You see, we have to protect our reputation.”

Lisa took the stack of paper and tried to skim over them, finding a huge amount of crazy and ridiculous claims. She finally laughed and signed the paper.

“Very good, please follow the guard again, he will bring you to Dr. Claws visitor room.”

A few moments and an elevator ride later she was dropped into a meeting room by the guard. A man in a black lab coat was already waiting for her. He stood up to shake her hand.

“Hello Ms. Lisa, welcome at the Tesla Labs... I am Dr. Claw, I am happy you found your way into my realm today.”

"Thank you for having time for me Dr. Claw” Lisa replied, “I heard about your institute from a friend of mine who worked here in the past and was curious about it."

"Ahh yes, Mr. Dakota... I remember him, he was interesting to work with” Dr. Claw replied, “Please sit down here and lets talk, its not often that we get visitors from other labs and research institutes. I heard you are a fan of Nikola Tesla?"

Lisa sat down in the armchair on her end of the table. Before she could even answer Dr. Claws question, two metal claws snapped around her arms from the chairs arms and pinned her on the chair.

"Hey" she complained loudly, struggling unsuccessfully for a moment to get free. "What the hell are you think you are doing?"

"This?" Dr. Claw said with a smile, "this is just a typical Damsel in Distress armchair. Just relax and struggle a bit more, its a very comfortable and secure chair with all our standard features... you know... gag, leg restrictors, tickling fingers..."

Lisa’s eyes went wide.

"I will give you your Damsel" she hissed at Dr. Claw and bent her right hand upwards.

Dr. Claw raised an eyebrow as he saw a small holographic display appearing in front of Lisa’s right eye with some kind of crosshair on it.

Just a heartbeat later a lightning bolt left Lisas hand and hit the steel wall left to Dr. Claw, making him duck behind the table and stare at the scorch mark.

Lisa had hoped the Doctor would end his stupid joke, but he quickly went around the table and out of her ‘line of fire’ before she was ready for a second shot.

“Oh that is really terrible, I am sorry” he said. “I will have to punish the guards later, visitors are not meant to be armed in the complex. I hope you were not hurt by using your lightning while sitting on the chair!”

“No I am not hurt” Lisa shouted, “but you will open this damned shackles immediately!”

"I am really sorry..." he stated again, "but this chair is timer controlled to make it more difficult for the hero to rescue our victim. I hope it will not be too inconvenient to wait some time until I can release you."

"What?" Lisa spat out. “How long?”

"Only an hour or two, its a bit randomized. If you want we can talk about your lightning gun in the meantime, maybe we can licence the design for our own work... or maybe I can show you the other features of the chair so you can give me a review?"

Lisa closed her eyes and tried to force herself to calm down. ‘Breath in, breath out... nothing happened, just a prank that went wrong’ she thought.

Dr. Claw smiled as his ‘Damsel’ calmed down.

“I am curious, how did you produced this crazy lightning? I see no raygun and no suspicious equipment... and I am sure its not just the craziest biomod I have ever seen.”

Lisa chuckled and opened her eyes again.

“Oh no, its pure SCIENCE!, an unique device I made after years of experimentation” she said proudly. “I don’t want to give away all details, but I believe its the only phase array tesla coil in existence!”

“This sounds really interesting” Dr. Claw continued curiously, “the lightning bolt looked really great, but how do you project the scorch marks on the wall? A special holo-projector?”

Lisa looked at him for a moment, somehow Dr. Claw suddenly remembered the moments when he had asked a school teacher a stupid question at school.

“Ehh... as I said, I am really a fan of Nikola Tesla. You know, the genius who produced real lightning and was thinking about death beams and wireless energy transfer, not about wizard tricks.” she finally explained. “It was a lightning bolt... and I was angry so I went for a high powered shot. I guess your wall wasn’t up to the task to block it.”

Dr. Claw became a bit white faced for a moment as he looked back and forth between the wall and Lisa. He suddenly looked a little bit worried.

“Real lightning?”

Lisa gave him a big smile. “Real lightning!”

“But how do you power it? Let me see, what is this small thing mounted to your belt?”

Before Lisa could protest Dr. Claw had put his hand on her battery pack and unlocked it from the belt.

“This small thing? I have to admit I am impressed” he said, looking carefully at the battery pack and then putting it on the table in front of Lisa. “But as I said before, a Damsel should not have such equipment with her, a bad oversight by me and the guards.”

“I am not a Damsel” Lisa replied annoyed, but Dr. Claw raised his hand to interrupt her.

“Are you sure about this?”

Lisa blinked a few times, not sure what to say.

“Just think about it, there is practically no such thing as a willing Damsel in Distress.” Dr. Claw continued with a big grin. “Of course you could argue that by being the girlfriend of a superhero most of them automatically accepted their role in the game, but thats just one part. I can assure you most of them were quite surprised when it happened.”

Dr. Claw pated Lisa’s arm.

“So you should relax and make yourself comfortable, I always like to show a new guest the great hospitality of our organisation. I hope you noticed the section about kidnapping warranties in the security agreement you signed at the gates... did you?”

“You would not dare to” Lisa started, but a loud thunderclap and a flash made her flinch.

“I am Dr. CLAW! I am the leader of the Tesla Labs and THE BANE OF S.H.I.E.L.D.!” Dr. Claw stated loudly. “Of course I dare!”

For a moment, Lisa just stared at him with wide eyes.

“I really love the thunderbolt generator... works every times.” Dr. Claw chuckled, then he got more serious again. “You are not a member of the JLI, neither you are affiliated with a superhero or similar Fen so I will give you a choice.”

He waited for a moment, but Lisa decided not to give him a response.

“I have three proposals for you, so you should carefully think about them.

Maybe I will decide that keeping a top engineer of Catgirl Industries kidnapped is great and I will demand an insane amount of ransom to let you free again.

I could also choose to kidnap the brilliant Scientist Dr. Lisa and force her to build me my latest secret weapon in my underground lab.

As a third option, but only if you ask for it of course, we can leave the Labs together for a dinner and afterwards you just leave for home.”

Lisa just stared at Dr. Claw, then she started laughing.

“That is just great, how long have you playing this role?” she asked him after calming down again. “You had me worried for a moment!”

Dr. Claw gave her a big smile.

“I think thats the best praise I got in years, thank you. I am one of the founders of the Tesla labs, so I have been here since the early days of Kandor. I have to admit I never had more fun in my live than in the last decade.

You wouldn’t believe how much work it is to run the labs. All the preparations to build up an interesting supervillain, all the planning to get away with spectacular heists and crimes without hurting people seriously.

Last year we had a four week event about ‘the return of the Trickster’ with all kinds of very public stunts and special effect. Lunas Hotels saw more than 15% additional tourists in this time.”

He sat down on a chair besides Lisa.

“So what will it be my dear guest?”

The desert mass burial  site of ET was true? Fantastic! We should compile a list of other properties that should be disposed of in such fashion! I vote for so entombing as much of the Twilight franchise as possible : perhaps by the time the Sparkling Underwear Models claw their way back to the surface they'll be properly horrific and menacing  undead...perhaps. 

Because I know there's more than a few around here...
BGC BluRay update.
Brian Y.
Seed Chronicles

http://kotaku.com/the-most-technologica ... 1183763055

http://dicepl.us/

Now if only they came in d10...
--
"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