(Because I can't think of anything else to put as the subject.)
 So, last night, I went out with my family to celebrate my middle sister's graduating as an RN.
 (FYI: the party for this consisted of: Me, my parents, the newly graduated RN sister (middle child), and my youngest sister and her husband.)
 So we're all standing there, waiting for a table to open, and since this is a Friday night , that would take a while. I'm standing there, next to my brother in law watching him play a mobile game, when I spot a group of people coming in. Naturally I move to help hold the door open for them, and that would be that, right?
 Something about this group of people sparked something in my family, and in minutes they were all talking about it...except me, who had no clue what was going on.  In fact, that was my very question ("What?") to my brother in law, who finally clued me in on what I had done...
...which was to hold the door open for Muhammad Ali and his family/retinue.
 Holy. Shit.
 (In my defense, the only sports I pay any sort of more than usual attention to are the Super Bowl-for the ads, whatever Olympics are running at the moment, and occasionally gymnastics)
 As you can imagine, that was the talk of the night.
 So..yeah, that happened.
Brian Y.
Seed Chronicles

This article by Donald Sensing doesn't say anything that hasn't been said before. But it says it very well and quite succinctly. 
It’s a gloomy message. But it seems to be the truth, at least as I see it.

Quote:No one in America has both the power and the determination to hinder Obama from doing whatever he wants.

...
And so with President Obama and federal courts' rulings: they have no means of enforcing their rulings. As any intemperate two-year old knows, you can do anything you want until someone compels you to stop. And so Obama can order whatever he wishes until he is compelled to stop.

The courts lacks the means of such compulsion. That leaves the Congress to rein in the executive. (Please excuse me while I erupt in peals of derisive laughter.) Congress's only authority to rein in a president consists of two things:

• Withhold funding for departments and agencies under executive authority, or
• Impeach him. 

That's it. (In 1834, the Congress voted to censure President Andrew Jackson. Jackson correctly declared that there was no Constitutional authority for it and basically told the Congress they could either impeach him or get stuffed, although he put it a little more pithily.)

Since those are the only two options available, and since the Congress is controlled by the Democrats (the Republican majority in the House meaning nothing here), neither loss of funding nor impeachment will ever be used to restrain this president.
The goal of the entire Democrat party is to be the permanent, sole political authority in the country. This is the actual transformation that Barack Obama promised to great applause in his 2008 campaign. And we are getting transformed good and hard:

Quote:nstead of the new birth of hope and change, it is the transformation of a constitutional republic operating under laws passed by democratically accountable legislators into a servile nation under the management of an unaccountable administrative state. The real import of Barack Obama’s political career will be felt long after he leaves office, in the form of a permanently expanded state that is more assertive of its own interests and more ruthless in punishing its enemies. At times, he has advanced this project abetted by congressional Democrats, as with the health-care law’s investiture of extraordinary powers in the executive bureaucracy, but he also has advanced it without legislative assistance — and, more troubling still, in plain violation of the law. President Obama and his admirers choose to call this “pragmatism,” but what it is is a mild expression of totalitarianism, under which the interests of the country are conflated with those of the president’s administration and his party. Barack Obama is the first president of the democracy that John Adams warned us about.

Obama can do this not because the Constitution or law authorize it. Most definitely they actually prohibit it. He is getting away with it because [i]there is no one who can stop him and almost no one who wants to stop him. No one, and I mean absolutely no one, in the Democrat party is in the slightest interested in reining in Obama's expansion of executive diktat because they know what few of the rest of us are awakening to: the Democrats are never going to lose that executive authority again. Let me be clear, with a promise to elucidate another day: there is never going to be another Republican president. Ever.
The media will not examine Obama's imperialist manner because they do not want to. They agree with it. The courts are literally unable to enforce their rulings contra this administration; Obama ignores them at will and without consequence. The Republicans are dominated by the Political Class and lack the numbers, influence, collective will and ideological conviction to rein in the administration even if they had the ability to do so, which they don't.
[/i]

I recently found on gizmodo a video that was supposed to do a hearing test tried it out of curiosity and it didn't really seem to work that well for me. So I proceeded to do a quick search and found one at an audiophile site which was more functional...
http://www.noiseaddicts.com/2009/03/can ... ring-test/Using both laptop and a set of external
speakers I can hear every tone up to 21 Khz (barely) with one odd exception. I
can't hear the 16 Khz tone at all. With two different sets of in ear
headphones I hit a limit of 15Khz which I suspect is more of a demonstration of
the limits of the frequency response of the earphones I used than anything else.
If anybody is curious here's a link to the video with the test that gizmodo linked to...(watch at 1080p res) Same results as the noise addicts test other than the 19Khz tone doesn't work due to youtube's audio compression.
A different site which offers mosquito ring tones for download (not joking) has better audio quality. I can barely hear the 16Khz tone on that one...
http://www.freemosquitoringtones.org/
--Werehawk--
My mom's brief take on upcoming Guatemalan Elections "In last throes of preelection activities. Much loudspeaker vote pleading."

One long 10 minute sequence of "HOLY CRAP!"

Now that I have that out of the way...

Trying to figure out a few things here.

From the copious mentions of at least ONE technical term from Yamato I'm VERY familiar with from the Japanese and the tone of the conversation
between Starsha and Desslok, I presume that Leader Desslok just stepped
over a line (Using Wave Motion Energy tech as a weapon) that the
Iscandarians - and especially Starsha - did not approve of.

(In fact, Yurisha didn't exactly like the fact the -Terrans- had
developed it!)

I have the feeling that part of the reason Desslok has gone that far,
and feels secure enough in doing so - is in part due to the
political/propaganda coup of having "Yurisha" to "approve" of a
political union.

Did that weapon fired at the Yamato COMPLETELY vaporize the planet they
were near? Or just strip all the atmosphere off? It looks like there
might be a core left there, but that's it. From Melda's horrified
reaction (and that of a couple of other Gamilon Officers) I think the
difference may be moot. What once was the equivalent of SATURN (and
probably just as beautiful to Gamilons as Iscandarians through their
history) is GONE.

Yamato is indeed up against the Blue Fleet. But... I get the distinct
impression so far (which might be wrong, given we haven't seen the rest
of the episode) that they're not really -that- elite of a force - or are
just WAY out of practice in fighting somebody who FIGHTS BACK. So far I
don't see any real damage to the Yamato and no Black Tigers have been
killed.

Not to say that's going to stay that way. This battle is already going
places the original never did. I can't predict based on any previous
notions WHAT is going to happen. We're OFF THE MAP here, folks. Hell -
we've BEEN "off the map" for at least 10 episodes or more by now.

(That's something I want to note - through about the first half of the
series, I could -generally- in broad strokes see where things were
going. The makers of this series were hitting most of the original beats
of the original 1974 show. Though there were still surprises in almost
every episode (usually good ones).

About the second half of the series onward, they've been charting
largely new territory. And I find myself becoming less involved as a
veteran fan critiquing in comparison to the original and more and more
on the edge of my seat wondering what the hell is going to happen next?)

Back to analysis - and here's where I'm getting confused - I thought
they wanted to AVOID Gamilon? In the original series they were -dragged-
there against their will. This time the Yamato and crew are diving in
willingly?

My guess is that they figure that Desslok won't fire his "Desslok
Cannon" on his own planet. But... wouldn't that also hold true for
Iscandar? (Melda seems to be directing them straight to the capitol city.)

Also - the Sulfuric Acid Seas and volcanic nature of the original
Gamilon don't seem to exist here in this version. So there's not likely
going to be any underwater firing of the WMG at volcanos.

Is Gamilon even a "dying" planet as in the original?

Perhaps Gamilon itself (and the innocent civilians in the cities) will
fare better at the end of all of this?

Do we YET have a complete explanation as to what started the war in the
first place and what the Gamilons hoped to accomplish with Earth?

Because that whole "we need a new world to migrate to" in the original 74 series seems a moot point in this version. Both because Gamilon is NOT dying
(at least not that's been seen or talked about) and because I'm guessing
that one of Desslok's goals might be with the "unification" to colonize
Iscandar? 
One thing for sure - the blue fleet ships are pretty damn indiscriminate
about firing on the Yamato IN THE CAPITAL CITY.

So - they've rammed into Desslok's palace... what was the plan from
here? Are they switching to the "rescue Yuki" option?

Desslok appears to be abandoning his generals in the palace, along with
poor Celestella, who seems devastated that he would do that.

(And there's the "Desslok Cruiser" as part of the palace, as in the
original - sort of. It's more that it was housed in the palace rather
than BEING a palace/ship.)

Is Yuki in that ship? Or in the palace?

And I have NO idea what's up with that pyramidal flying fortress of
theirs, or why a piece of it separated off.

 

So, I am moving. The place I'm moving to has wireless internet that I can use, but I have a lot of wired devices.

Well, turns out there's things for that. I'm currently looking at this one, which looks like it will suit my needs and has a good reputation overall. But I thought I'd see if anyone else had advice or suggestions.

-Morgan.

Yes, I broke down and bought an army. Russian, Late War, Engineer-Sappers an entire battalion of them and I've got a legal 1000-point army of them. 180 points of that is an attached flame-thrower sections. I still need to make four more bases of Pioneer MG teams & eight bases of Faustnika for my other "free" company weapon choices along with do I want to add anti-tank rifles, mortars, or Maksium HMGs to them.

All that's left to do, besides contemplating those choices, is painting all of that infantry and contemplating what else to add: T34, M4A2, SU82/100, Spetznaz, Katyusha.....

Occasionally when one is using Google Street View, one can go inside a place by clicking on the double-arrow superimposed on the image.

Try http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=5 ... 92862&z=17]this one, for an atypical example.

(Spotted on http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/08/14 ... de_tardis/]The Register. If you find anything that's interactive, please post it...)
--
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

Or. I got bored and had an evil idea.

--------
To: [List.Jaguar.Contacts.giftlist]
From: Jet.Jaguar@Frigga.Fen

Subj: T'is the season

-----

Hi all.

Little early for gifts I know but it's the last transport of the year leaving so it's as good a time as any.
Because on that transport is a crate, packed with bottles of something I've been working on for the last few
months.

To be taken in extreme moderation. I figure full disclosure is at hand, considering....

It starts with a bottle pure malt alcohol, a generous quantity of well-roasted Klatchian coffee, some guarana leaves
and a few other herbs and spices for flavour. These are then pressure-macerated for about a month or so together,
until the flavours have well and truly finished their infusion.

Before being filtered, bottled, labelled, then shipped..

Now, this stuff's not for the faint of heart. In the bottle, it's about 75% ABV.

So, there's a proper way to drink it.

Out of the bottle, it's extremely bitter. There's no added sugars so it needs to be taken like Absinthe for the best
effect. Add sugar and dilute with iced-water to taste. Then very carefully take a sip and enjoy the ride.

Or leave it on the shelf. The label looks good.

Happy 25th.

-Jet

P.S. Yes, I do eat my own dogfood. One small bite at a time.

Attachments: Card_Frigga_2023.Jpeg
-----------------

It's perfectly safe. Honest.
________________________________
--m(^0^)m-- Wot, no sig?

Today was a special primary in New Jersey to fill the seat left open when Senator Frank Lautenberg died some weeks back, and as I voted -- using an electronic booth -- a disturbing thought came to me.
It's already been shown that the NSA is, contrary to their earlier denials, is able to basically tap any data stream they care to.  They're basically in the classic man-in-the-middle position, having expended a great deal of  money and effort to put themselves there for all communications going through the United States.
It's only principle -- and discretion -- that keeps them from altering those data streams.
But consider how many elections are being handled electronically these days.
What happens if the NSA decides their mandate is best served by manipulating those bitstreams to make sure politicians that weren't hostile to them were elected?  Would we ever be able to tell?
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

Starling was on top of it : she was cosplaying Section 9’s Togusa, albeit gender-swapped ; and he was a man--a fictional man--of alert action. That and she really craved that lifetime free ConClave membership!  
She sidled up to Wandblume ; conversationally mentioned : “There’s a Love Faction Weld poking about the Whoopee Widget booth.”
Carmine. Carmine surrounded by the coolest yet most fluster inducing assemblage of toys : Death Star Ben Wa sets--both Death Stars! ; gold boarding torpedo personal massagers ;  Agonizer nipple clamps  ; Gigeresque Kegel exercisers : it was a panoply of Geekgasms.
Indeed, there was a very well executed Cutie Honey with the heart-choker sigil of a Love-Weld  poking through a barrel of paraphernalia.
Van Loan couldn’t help himself. “Well, Carmine’s certainly a growing concern.” He gingerly picked up a stainless steel whatsit. “This is Cronenberg enough that I don’t want to know what or where it’s for!” He returned the object with the delicacy of a demolitions expert.
Wandblume chimed in. “Ah, that’s a...”
“La la la, I’m not engaging my aural units! Anyway, we’re here for her, and certainly not for anything priapic or vulvar!” He actually made the point with a waggling rod of pink rubber simulacrum. He tossed the sinlinder at its place in the display, misjudging its  elastic potential. It bounced, fairly leaping into the cardiac-cutout of the rather startled Cutie Honey.
“And it’s in the bunker.” Wandblume’s wry golf-commentator exposition continued as she walked over to pluck, as primly as was possible--not that possible--the offending random rocket from the Love-Weld’s impressive décolletage. “That’s a two schwing penalty for Dr. D.” She lobbed the faux wang into the barrel of its brethren ; winked at the befuddled, pneumatic senshi.
“And we haven’t even be introduced yet! Ramona Wandblume, and that’s,” She poked a thumb back over her shoulder, “the guy you’re going to veld me to.”
Van Loan assessed the still stupefied senshi that Wandblume hand led back to him. “Is she going to be...viable?”
“She’ll be fine, won’t you, honey?”
The Weld nodded, scantly.
“See? She’s conscious, responsive and tractable!”
The Weld squeaked : “Tract-a-what?”
“Willing, Süße...Sweetness. You are?”
The nod was a little stronger. The deer was almost clear of the headlights.  
“Right!” enthused Shego. All we need now...” She actuated her well nigh invisible throat mike : “Irae, expedite wedding party retrieval!”  
The crystalline gloomy Welsh response sounded almost instantly in her ear bud :  
“Cake, Mum.” Wandblume was almost certain that was Slanglish for ‘On it.’ Almost.
Van Loan went from mildly embarrassed to roundly rocked in record time. “Holy Tesla’s coils! Ramona, are you going to kidnap your parents?!”
“No, doof, our parents plus any target of opportunity immediate family members as my girls can grab. You do want our volks here for the wedding?”
***
The frilly black UD4L dropship deployed a frilly black line down which rappelled (repelled?) a frilly black figure. Pitchy touched ground ; unclipped from the line ; unslung her Einheit, Sichel Mond ; proceeded up to the front door of the neat, night shrouded Bavarian A-frame. Behind her, the angular assortment of intakes, airfoils and a slowly yawning rear cargo ramp, settled gracefully onto the end of the metaled driveway. Pitchy reached up on black frilly tiptoes, and pressed the doorbell. The girl, classically Bavarian right down to the golden pig tails, who answered the door was almost exactly the same height and age as Pitchy. "Ja?" She eyed Pitchy with obvious little-girl distaste before being startled by being addressed not by the little-girl-goth but rather by the excellent Frankfurt German of her scythe.
Leaving the door wide open, the girl ran back into the house. “Mutter, there’s a talking axe with a creepy little girl at the door!”
***
One intervening ocean over to the west, and six hours day-wards, a troop variant ornithopter  whirred to a dragonfly landing in the sizable riverside backyard of a Colonial Georgian perched in the nominal countryside south of the sleepy federal capital of Canada.
“Honey, our son’s getting married!” The svelte sixty-something brunette yelled down the basement stairs. The sound of power tools ceased abruptly replaced with a manly baritone bellow.  
“What was that, dear? You couldn’t have said my worthless kid’s getting hitched? To what? A life-sized replica of Mr. Splack?”
“It’s Spock, dear ; and I’m pretty sure it’s to a girl!” She turned to Dies Irae who was desperately trying to keep her cool : it was patently obvious exactly where her Mistress’ fiancé  got his operatic penchant from : genetics.
Dies Irae, sometimes Penelope Winterbottom, replied with the almost Swiftian, "She's very she, sir!"
“I must be having a stroke! This can’t be happening!”
“No dear, you sound fine ; and yes, dear, it is!”
“The engagement can’t last!”
“About that, darling!” Penny wasn’t really surprised to see a sly little grin tug at the wife’s lip. “They....”
“They who!?”
“Two pretty girls, sweetie, with orders to...escort us immediately....”
“Kidnap?!” A very impressive solid tread sounded down in the gloom at the bottom of the stairs. “I don’t care how pretty or how good the news, I’m not letting anybody....” A robust hulk of a man, bearing only a mild mead-gut and wielding a cordless drill with a truly daunting drill bit, blustered out of the basement.
“...Really pretty!”
Mrs. Van Loan thumped him across the back of the head, and Penny’s self-control fractured into shivers of most goth-less giggling. Both parents stopped, stared at Penelope Winterbottom.
“Sorry,” she gasped between giggles, “You two are exactly like your son’s relationship!” She mostly recovered her sangfroid. “You’ve got to pack!  We’ve only got another twenty minutes before NORAD  scrambles!”
“What the blazes does that even...”
“Pack fast, Babe : the Indians are inbound!” She grabbed her hubby’s hand ; led the charge to the master bedroom’s walk-in closet.
Nocturne Raven mused : “That was duck soup. Wonder how Pitchy’s doing?”
***
Two frilly black figures loaded four squirming frilly black sacks into the back of one frilly black UD4L.