(Thought up while fleshing out the http://www.fenspace.net/index.php5?title=Yomiko_Readman]Yomiko Readman page. If I say any more, the explanation will be longer than the "story"...)

The Jason stepped out of his meeting with Noah to discover Ms. Inagawa playing with one of his forcefield gadgets. Since she hadn't asked permission, that made him a bit upset; besides, he had to leave right away to take part in yet another meeting that afternoon. "Hey! Yuu! Get off of my cloud!"
--
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

Foxboy Wrote:Well we DO have some talent... it's just distracted constantly.

*Fox attempts to write*

*Fox's dad bellows*

Fox: *Pam Dawber impression* Really, Mork, what earth concept are you misunderstanding THIS week?

So... we've got at least 6-8 inches here (that's 15-20 cm for metric-only types) and it's still coming down last I looked.  The plows have just gone by on our street, building that wall of snow blocks and ice at the end of the driveway that I hate so much.  In a couple hours I'm going to have to go out and dig through it all.  Yuck.
How's everyone else doing?
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

Well. Maybe you may have heard of the shenanigans over in Champions Online. Maybe you haven't.
In a nutshell - they released the game in what most people consider to have been a "non-complete" status, to use the polite term. And have essentially done squat with it except do half-assed bug fixes since then. People (including me) have been holding out hope that there would be more actual content released. And hoping that the game (which, at it's core, is a good system) would be supported at least as well as Cryptic did with City of Heroes.
Well it hasn't worked out like that.
The "big announcement" that Cryptic PR people made was the announcement of a few features like "flashback" systems (hmmm... that sounds familiar), a difficulty slider (even more familiar) some new costume pieces, and "Vibora Bay" a new city zone (on the coast of Florida) that would cover content from level 37-40.
But it's paid content.
That's it.
That's all there is.
No raise of the level cap to 50. No "full zones" for free.
For perspective, in the same time-frame of City of Heroes opening to 5-6 months in, there were 3 free updates that added 10 new zones, capes, multiple costume slots, costume tailoring, 4-5 new enemy groups. graphics upgrades, renovation and addition of new maps for missions, and oodles of new costume pieces. All for free.
My god, how the mighty have fallen.
Overall opinion, despite Cryptic's claims to the contrary, is that CO has been left fallow and most of the development team was reassigned to Star Trek Online. Leaving CO as the "red-headed step child".
Here are some primers. Amazingly enough, there's been little actual "Flaming" going on at the forums. Most people are posting well thought out responses. Even the "see you later, I'm out of here" posts are polite. But the exodus is relentless.
http://forums.champions-online.com/show ... hp?t=99469
The first post in the above thread is probably the quickest overall look at what has happened, but the following threads show other perspectives and opinions as well.
http://forums.champions-online.com/show ... hp?t=98554
http://forums.champions-online.com/show ... hp?t=98958
http://forums.champions-online.com/show ... hp?t=99007

I THANK GOD I didn't buy a lifetime subscription. And those of you who might be thinking of buying one for Star Trek Online, you'd better look DAMN LONG AND HARD at what Cryptic did here before even CONSIDERING giving them ONE RED CENT.
When you have hardcore Cryptic Defenders like this leaving the game -
http://forums.champions-online.com/show ... hp?t=99636
When the company rep (Daeke) who made the announcement of Vibora Bay being paid content is canned (apparently) for mentioning the part about Vibora being paid content early (and thank GOD he did) -
http://forums.champions-online.com/show ... hp?t=99488
http://forums.champions-online.com/show ... hp?t=99523
When even the people who organized the Wiki are asking "what's the point of logging on anymore?"
http://forums.champions-online.com/show ... hp?t=99525
When lifetime subscribers are saying they feel like they got FUCKED without even being taken out for dinner.
http://forums.champions-online.com/show ... hp?t=99687
I'd say it's time to start the betting pool for when the servers will be shut down.
I've already canceled my subscription. I may check back in another 6 months and see what there is to see.
This is not in any way a shadenfraude moment. I'm genuinely sorry to see this happen. I liked lots of things about CO. I think the game itself would have loads of potential even now in the hands of a developer that gave a shit about it.
I've been a Champions fanboy since being introduced to the 4th edition version of the Pen and Paper game in
1992. I have close to 97% of all paper products they've produced since
that time. If I gathered all the Champions books I own in one place and
stacked them, I think they'd easily go from floor to ceiling and then
some.

I have NEVER seen a company FUBAR an IP like this so badly before.
NEVER. And I worry that the fallout will hurt Hero Games in the
process.

This is a game that has SO MUCH potential. The lore is incredibly deep
(more so if you know the background from the books, like I do).

And it's being left to ROT because of corporate bean counters. To say
that I'm incensed would be to say that Hiroshima was a pretty big
explosion.

Malware found on two FireFox extensions
As always, excercise caution when installing anything on a computer.

As an odd musing, I considered what Chivalric orders there may be in Fenspace. In order of presidence:

* The Order of the Twilight Boundry (The Grey Knights, Faction: Cybers, Motto: Nos sto inter Lux lucis quod Obscurum ut encroches super is. [We stand between the Light and the Darkness that encroches upon it.] Suffix: KTB, Sovereign: The Grand Council of The Spiral). The Grey Knights are defenders of Life, and willingly (if not eagerly) sacrifice themselves to protect it. As such, Grey Knights are normally accompanied by a Senshi commander and at least two Spartans to keep them from having to do so. If a Grey Knight also belongs to another order, they are automatically considered at least a Knight Commander (or equivalent) in that order unless granted a greater rank in that order. As part of their oaths, Grey Knights renague all other names but that they are given on their Ceremony of Repentance (their pre-swearing name is used only for official documentation as an addendum (e.g. Sir/Dame knight title, original name).
* The Eternal Order of the Celestial Star (The Named Senshi, Faction: Senshi, Motto: Diligo quod Justicia , In Nomen nostri Animus. [Love and Justice, In the Name of Our Soul]. Suffix: CS.Name, Sovereign: The Privy Council of the Crystal Milllennium) The Named Senshi are Ranked by the singlar celestial body they are named after, with inhabited worlds at the top, followed by Stars, inhabited moons, planets, inhabited Asteroids, moons, inhabited stations, asteroids, and smaller bodies in order. The use of concepts is restricted to temporary command ranks (in order, Cosmos, Love, Eternity, Justice, Chaos, Peace. With Cosmos, Eternity, and Chaos and Love, Justice, Peace only used as a group together) and conglomerate objects (e.g. galaxies) are not used. If a member of another order, they are automatically considered at least a Knight Commander (or equivalent) in that order unless granted a greater rank in that order. Among the Senshi, Named Senshi also acquire royal rank. This starts at Princess/Prince and works downwards.
* The Order of Endymion the Protector (Faction: Senshi, Motto: Diligo victum Totus. [Love conquers All.] Suffix: KPE, Sovereign: Queen Serenity/King Endymion) The Highest order of Chivilry available to non-named Senshi. This Order is granted to those who 'have performed acts of supreme courage and valour, without thought to risk'. For example, Benjamin Rhodes is a Knight Commander of the Order of Endymion the Protector.
* The Order of the Rose (Faction: Senshi, Motto: In Diligo , nos mos change orbis terrarum. [In Love, we will change the world.] Suffix: KR, Sovereign: The End of the World) The knights of the Order of the Rose are always members of the Armed services or Police. The leader of the order has the rank of End of the World (Grand Cross of the Order), and is elected to membership of the Privy Council of the Crystal Millennium.
* The Order of the Jedi (The Jedi Knights, Faction: Warsies, Motto: In serenus , Vis rector. [In serenity, the Force guides.] Suffix: OJK(Knight)/OJM(Master)/OJE(Elder), Sovereign: The Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic/The Council of Elder Jedi) The Jedi are peacekeepers and negotiators, who are able to kick ass and take names if necessary. In order of seniority: Elder, Master, Knight, Squire, Padawan. By convention, address is {Gender-specific pronoun for Master} Jedi "name".
* The Unyeilding Order of the Olympian (The Spartans, Faction: Cybers, Motto: Heracles Cruor nos patesco quod veneratio. [Heracles Blood we bare and honour.] Suffix: Sptn, Sovereign: Master-at-Arms of the Force Works Committie/Grand Cross). The Spartans are primarily a Search & Rescue organisation, but hey are also defenders of Meta-Humanity.
* The Order of the Moon Staff (Faction: Senshi, Motto: Ut necessarius , nos es illic. [When needed, we are there.] Sovereign: Queen Serenity/King Endymion). This is the Order where most Doctors and Scientists are inducted.
* The Order of the Crescent (Faction: Senshi, Motto: Lux lucis rector nostrum factum. [Light guides our actions.] Suffix: OCM, Sovereign: Queen Serenity/King Endymion). This Order is general catch-all for those who have benefited Meta-Humanity through their actions. Most of the reputable actors and civil servants in Fenspace will end up in this Order, as will those scientists that do not gain a higher ranking.

Unless othrwise specified, the orders of chivilry follow the following Rank structure:
Knight/Dame Grand Cross
Knight/Dame Commander
Knight/Dame
Companion

The Senshi also have the 'Lady/Lord of the Realm' honour, which is a glorified 'Key to the City' type honour for those they cannot grant other ranks to.

From this point forward, the chief flunkies of the Fifth Column will be known as "Nose Ferret" and "Lefty." And "Ming." That is all.

(Resulting from a Mender Lazarus TF last night. I would've come up with appropriate pet names for Vandal and Requiem, but I was too busy eating pavement from the effin' ambushes. Kudos to Terr for soloing three AVs with marginal assistance from the rest of us.)
Ebony the Black Dragon
http://ebony14.livejournal.com

"Good night, and may the Good Lord take a Viking to you."

...is a lot of fun, if rather short.  Check it out -- don't forget to page back to its very beginning (only 30 or so messages).

-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

Just spotted this Haruhi in a Bunny Suit origami figure and thought I'd share it.
The rest of the site also has more Haruhi origami, as well as Evangelion Units 01 and 03, if you poke around.
''We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat
them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary.''

-- James Nicoll

An External Blue Ray Burner/Multi-Burner... measuring measuring at 127mm x 154mm x 20mm and weighing only 330 grams.
This article's a bit old, of course... the price is already down by about USD100 - I know because I just got back from looking at one at a Yodobashi's.  The only reason why I'm not buying one right now is because it's not region free, nor do I know how to make one so.  I have yet to see a similar American product in that form-factor.  Although, Panasonic is said to have had, for a little bit, an internal model for notebooks.  Damned if I can find one, though, and it's not as fast as this one.