No, this isn't a climate change editorial.
I brought this up here a couple of years ago, but it's back again with a vengeance:  the temperature outside my apartment has been in the 80s and upper 70s all day.  Inside, if I can trust the reading on my thermostat, it's 67.  I'm not running my a/c, but my upstairs neighbor is sure running his.  I'm a bit perturbed at the thought of what an icebox his place must be.  Lovecraft wrote a story on that theme....
Still, I can always put on a sweater (and I have), so I don't want this situation to change.
-----
Big Brother is watching you.  And damn, you are so bloody BORING.

Werewolves are environmentalists.

This is because free-range humans taste better than city-raised ones...
--
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

http://utc.iath.virginia.edu/songs/datpossumf.html

Probably among the oldest recordings in Doug's archives, this song has two effects - it creates a hound simulacrum that will seek out any possums within range of doggy senses, and any possums in Doug's AoE are subject to a continuously renewed stun effect the renders them catatonic for the duration. Whether he takes the advice on what to do with any possums found is up to Doug to decide.
--
"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

Silus Markin read the the four emails in front of him and sighed, it was going to be one of those decades, he could feel it.

From: petitsnake@node1856184545.secure.fen
To: smarkin@triplethreat.secure.fen
Subject: Hey Marky!

Got the call from Ilya about her friend Katyusha going up for a trip on a rocket! How nuts is that! I hear she wants to ride it all the way to Shiva!

Well, tell her that I'm good to meet her at the final stop-over on Sedna.

Peace out!

Miranda Petit, Commander, Black Talon Group

From: [REDACTED].gov.ru
To: smarkin@triplethreat.secure.fen
Subject: Rocket Parts Delivery

Mr Markin,

We have received the email concerning the special rocket motor delivery to your facility from Gorkiy 21 Rocket Testing Facility and have prepared the necessary rocket parts for you.

We at the Russian Federation thank you for the generous contributions made to our government and technical aid for our Blackjack-S program. We acknowledge that you possess the right to manufacture and sell the Blackjack-S, but wish to remind you that selling the Blackjack-S with full nuclear strike capability without our permission is inadvisable.

We look forward to hearing from MD-0000 regarding the special order she has made to our government, and I am certain my counterpart in the United States is also waiting anxiously.

Major General [REDACTED], Commander, Russian Space Forces.

From: [REDACTED].af.mil
To: smarkin@triplethreat.secure.fen
Subject: Special Delivery

Markin,

I honestly don't know what you people plan on doing with these, but the higher-ups have signed off on them and they're busy covering their asses so what you and the MD's have planned must involve one fucking big bang.

We'll have them ready for pick-up at Vandenberg, and for god's sake, keep this quiet. We don't need another South Ossetia on our hands here.

[REDACTED]

From: hr@triaxinternal.secure.triax
To: smarkin@triaxinternal.secure.triax
Subject: New Profile and Catalogue

Hey there Silus,

Here's the new profile for the public website and our new catalogue with internal notations. We just need final approval and we'll update the site immediately.

Also, we need to work on the stealth layers for the Zombieland and Luna Vista caches for the Material Defenders. MD-0000 just contacted me and she's putting Katyusha into Stage One, so I'm rotating the necessary workers to the Earth Shakers.

Karen

Silus Markin downloaded the file and glancing at another email, began writing up a reply with a carbon copy to another recipient.

From: smarkin@triaxinternal.secure.triax
To: hr@triaxinternal.secure.triax
CC: security@triaxinternal.secure.triax

Karen, and if you get this, Jonathon.

If Katyusha is at Stage One, then they've already informed their Russian government clients that they need the SS-27's delivered to us. I want one of our cargo loaders to drop by and pick up the missile bodies for delivery and for god's sake, just use the rocket motor excuse, no need for stories here people.

And get two of the Cargo Valkyries ready for a 'test flight' to Zombieland and Luna Vista, get those caches moved to their Zero Sites for the Material Defenders to grab immediately.

I want full priority security on the work areas for the SS-27's, full ID checks, scanners, the fucking works. DO NOT let those Great Justice fucks find out we're working on these for the Material Defenders and their little covert operation, the Russian Government is covering for us, so be certain to point the finger at them.

We should have the MOABs and FOABs here at least two weeks after the SS-27's arrive, and I want the same security procedures in place for them. If GJ asks, just tell them we're working on one of the smoke-screen projects, like the Minovsky Particle or the fighter-scale particle cannon, take your pick it should get them rolling their eyes and leaving us alone, we didn't spend four years building that fake reputation for nothing!

Silus sent the email and opened the file with the new corporate profile and public catalogue as he looked at the date. It was October 4th, 2021, and he knew the covert war between the Material Defenders and GTV was going to enter into its final stages.

-Triax Corporation Website Front Page, Updated December 15th, 2021-
Welcome to the Triax Corporation website, where we strive to provide you with high-quality munitions, cybernetics and aerospace technology in these rapidly advancing times of uncertainty and excitement. Here at Triax we believe that anyone should have access to our products regardless of affiliation, personal creed, history or future intentions, because we at Triax do not believe in pre-emptively judging someone when they come to purchase from us, and because of that willingness to sell to anyone, anytime, we can provide you with quality products and strive to make them better and release newer products that pass the savings on to you!

Perhaps even more importantly, Triax recognises that although military strength is being reduced with the end of the Boskone War, the need for armed security options remains as high as ever with pockets of criminals and terrorists still out there beyond the Main Belt and perhaps even in extrasolar locations. Mercenary and private security companies present a constant drain on resources and money because as the client you pay not just for their services but for their upkeep as well in terms of food, oxygen and munitions. We at Triax believe that the costs of maintaining your own personal armed security option should always be far below that of maintaining a private security contract and thus strive constantly to ensure our products can be maintained with the bare minimum of available resources with only slight decreases in performance values, or upgraded to suit your own personal needs.

We at Triax are also striving to bring into existence technology from other fictional sources to you, the customer! Because we believe that so long as Fenspace marches forward in technological progress, there is no future challenge or adversity that cannot be faced!

Triax looks forward to helping refine modern particle weapon technology, engage in pioneering research to create the Minovsky particle for cleaner and more powerful nuclear fusion technologies and perhaps most importantly to the construction of ships and habitats; feasible and affordable means to construct Mega-Damage Capacity meta-materials for both personal and military police operations and open the way to modern mega-structural engineering.

And with that we welcome you to Triax Corporation! Where We Seek The Future!

For those living in the U.S...and those who are not living in the U.S., this challenge:
A proposed citizenship test
One of the more radical proposals concerning citizenship is that you are not guaranteed to have it at birth, but must earn it at age 18 and pass a test every 10 years to renew it. So, let's see how you folks do on the first try.
You need a minimum of 30 to pass. 50 or over, you passed with distinction.
I got 55 on the first try. Cold. No googling. No help. Let us see how the rest of you do, eh?
__________________
Into terror!,  Into valour!
Charge ahead! No! Never turn
Yes, it's into the fire we fly
And the devil will burn!
- Scarlett Pimpernell

Hey, is anyone here a native German speaker ... or even just really up on the idioms?  There's a question that's been bothering me every now and then for decades.
It started while I was stationed in Germany in the '80s, went into the nearest town on some business, and during a leisure moment checked out some books on a rack.  One was Patricia McKillip's The Riddle-Master of Hed, although I can't recall what title the translator gave it.  Glancing through it, I noticed that two, at least, of the personal names had been changed as part of the translation.  For one of them, it was obvious why:  the character's name in the English version is Deth, and the expected pun is a minor plot point, so I wasn't at all surprised that in the German copy, he was Thod.  

But then the female lead, Raederle, has her name changed to Rendel.  I've always figured that "Raederle" might be or resemble something idiomatic in German that you wouldn't want as the name of one of the most beautiful women in the world, which she's several times mentioned to be.  I can't find anything in Cassell's to support that, though.  Does anyone else have an answer on this?  It's not like it's important, but it nags at me once in a while.
-----
Big Brother is watching you.  And damn, you are so bloody BORING.

Saw this off the Trion Forums.  Amazing dimension building work.  Moreso because this was built in a dimension that was originally a palm tree desert oasis.

This is an on-again-off-again story; I won't be updating it as often as Dartz updates stories. But I want to do some writing despite my suddenly-increased workload at the office, so here's a project I'm making public ... -Rob

Sad news from the world of Epic Marital Arts and Exploitation cinema.
Jim 'The Dragon' Kelly lost his battle with cancer (it is unknown at this time if cancer was armed with a metal hand like Dr. Han.)
With his you-could-lose-a-small-child-in-it-afro, loose and powerful karate style and colourful dialog, Jim Kelly could have come right out of a comic book.
One of a kind.
(And apparently a stone cold killer in the seniors professional tennis circles - who knew?)

From: [REDACTED]@shell.clearinghouse.fen
To: [REDACTED]
Subject: GTV Enquiry

Hello [REDACTED],

I recently received your request by your government for information on the Material Defender splinter group known as the GTV. I am quite happy to make the necessary inquiries for you and your superiors for the necessary information regarding the faction as a whole, but be aware that while the Material Defenders are quite secretive, the GTV take this to new levels. I dare say that outside of the major factions, Great Justice and Star Patrol, there isn't any Fen who actually know of the GTV's existence. Be aware that much of the information is incomplete and outright not available and the Material Defenders will not press for those details as it is they who are the sole point of contact with the GTV.

However, I will endeavour to acquire the information once payment from your group is confirmed.

Good day.

From: [REDACTED]
To: [REDACTED].shell.clearinghouse.fen
Subject: Confirmed

Payment has been made. We expect prompt delivery of the information.

From: MD0000.node8472334.secure.fen
To: [REDACTED].shell.clearinghouse.fen
Subject: GTV Profile Information

[REDACTED],

Do not think we are unaware of your attempts to sell out our brothers and sisters in the GTV to MI6, nor should you think that we will allow such an insult to stand. The corporate masters that hold your leash acknowledge your usefulness, in spite of your weakness that you share with the rest of the Daneside naifs and the Fen who disarm even as pockets of Boskonians still fester for us to recruit from, but have sealed your doom.

Your masters have approved this information release, but you will not live to see the money. The GTV will ensure that for them.

Farewell,

MD-0000

GTV Faction Overview:
Formed early in the formation of the Material Defenders, the GTV are a splinter group from the outlaw Fen faction, following their intent to recreate as much of the Descent Freespace games as possible. Because of this focus, the GTV would focus on deep-space survival, fighter and bomber tactics, and coordinated military strikes that integrated their Boskonian and Reaver raiding tactics to form a group of highly-trained and exceptionally dangerous fighter and bomber pilots who take their own secretive and volatile nature to its natural extreme. Unlike the Material Defenders who are forced to exist in the open, the GTV disguise their activities as Boskonian activity and operate from the darkest corners of the Solar System, concealing themselves from a society that they have rejected fully, interacting only through their Material Defender kin.

The GTV's existence is often difficult to prove, as their willingness to act as Reavers, Zwilniks and Boskonians in order to hide their true nature, ultra-hostile attitude to anyone but Material Defenders and their total shunning of Fenspace at large, make information on them difficult to acquire. That you are reading this document means you are a fellow Material Defender or one entrusted with our secrets. If you are not, it will not be the Material Defenders who will see you dead, it will be our brethren in the GTV who will be your executioners.

Heed this single warning, and destroy this document, else read onwards and risk their fury.

-Document requires authorisation decision to access fully. Do you wish to continue reading?-