Spanish-language version of the Sakura Taisen theme.  What's interesting to me is the footage -- I don't recognize any of it.  Is it from one of the games?
(Edit: fixed link coding)
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

After Robert Jordan died back in 2007 (may he rest in peace), I thought that the Wheel of Time book series would end up sitting idle. But to my eternal Glee,
a new author, Brandon Sanderson, was picked by Jordan's wife to finish the series.

Now, Jordan's finale to the series was long enough that is it being split into 3 books. with the newest one, The Gathering Storm is due out in early
November.

this little bit of news made my day.
*********************
In the epic rage of furious thunder
legends create their tales
when the twilight calls and the dark lord falls
our glory will prevail

From: Sell-Sword@internal.officers.riot

To: Lady-Of-The-Peace@internal.leaders.riot

Re: Risk Evaluations

As requested, due to the ambiguity of the "risk assessments" delivered with my reports regarding the reliability of various superheroes with which we
are in contact with or employing, I have attached a sampling of the full reports for any given risk factor noted, which are available on request at any time.

***

Entry: Valles

Locative Difficulty: Low

Subject has a variety of regular areas of movement and tends to stay close to them when not operating as a hero. Lack of mask provides easy facial recognition
and matching to determine civilian identity and possible places of refuge in event of a departure from Paragon.

Psychological Risk: 4

Subject is included primarily as an example of a bottom range risk. Demonstrated "heroic instincts" indicate potential risk factors in a morally
ambiguous but necessary mission assignments. Slight self-destructive urges considered within acceptable tolerances, though said "selflessness" may
stem from deeper issues incapable of being determined without more in depth analysis.

Neutralization Difficulty: 3

Subject is a Kheldian Peacebringer, with firmly defined power levels recognized in all young members of the species, as well as recognized weaknesses. In case
of rogue behavior, containment is fairly straightforward, and in case of extreme danger, quantum weapons are widely available in Council and other group
weapons caches.

Overall Risk: 2

***

Entry: Panzer Sabre

Locative Difficulty: Low

Subject is not considered canny enough to engage in extensive stealth in case of an attempt to flee. Significant undisguised experience provides trackable
facial features if attempting to use civilian identity to hide. Subject's inexperience with any areas outside of Paragon City likely to hinder any escape
attempts as well.

Psychological Risk: 9

Subject's intelligence is the result of a hodge podge of materials and software and, despite repairs by Net Sabre, is still suspect for long term
stability. Potential breakdowns or berserk reactions in case of a systemic neuro-crash situation or rampancy do not appear to be a major risk at present, but
given previous irrational behavior resulting in considerable property damage (see Incident Report 8450-98), subject is not considered to give significant
warning before erratic behavior may begin, and thus worth surveillance.

Neutralization Difficulty: 7

Subject fits FBSA criteria for Invulerability (Class 15 or T5) and Super Strength (Class 13 or T3), with assorted other abilities. However, subject's
instinctive behavior suggests a lack of true depth to tactical routines, even in observed situations where lower level control programming is in effect. A
standard containment team of six meta-ability possessing heroes should be sufficient to disable and capture subject without much trouble, particularly with a
focus on disabling the invulnerability and power source of her armor and enhancements. Potential upgrade to Difficulty 19 if Subject Patriette is assisting in
escape.

Overall Risk: 15

***

Entry: Patriette

Locative Difficulty: Moderate

Subject is skilled in counter-surveillance techniques and evading tails, and maintains a mask in all public appearances. Notable features of costumed identity
are unshared with civilian appearance. Skintight mask however allows for facial mapping and estimation, presenting an easier target. Considerable enough
intelligence to require planning and significant tracking to locate should subject go to ground.

Psychological Risk: 15

Subject displays signs of previous trauma from unknown event, connected to obvious transgenderism cues. Interviews and operational appearance suggests slight
mental schism via observation of changes in speech pattern and even mild personality component shifts from first appearance to current date. Suspect original
personality slowly going instinct level overwrite. Subject appears to be aware and not entirely accepting of change, evidenced by the length of its
application. Subject has shown tendency to react unpredictably to stimuli tied to above mentioned transgenderism situation. If two risks are linked,
possibility of recursive psychological negative reinforcement is high, leading to overall risk factor due to significant number of unknowns. Third factor is
relationship with Panzer Sabre. Subject seems to draw stabilization from this, but damage to Panzer Sabre could cause a relapse or even full breakdown event,
depending on severity. Overreliance considered possible risk factor, but not enough to warrant an increase in risk level.

Neutralization Difficulty: 10

Subject displays energy sink based abilities that manifest as Invulnerability (Class T8), and superhuman strength. Subject has advanced tactical capability,
and intelligence. Neutralization is recommended to utilize psionic attack or attempts to drain energy from subject in order to more properly engage, though
sufficient overwhelming power of meta variety may succeed as well. Multiple unknowns in subject's history make psychological tactics difficult. Recommend
advanced surveillance and research to determine exact facts in order to revamp analysis. Subject may be aided by Panzer Sabre, bringing combined difficulty up
to 19.

Overall Risk: 25

***

Entry: Superball

Locative Difficulty: Low to Extreme

Subject is loud, flashy, and in many ways entirely incapable of stealth. However, subject's facial features are obscured by featureless, malleable
facemask. Facial tracking is considered unreliable, and should subject remain silent and abandon costume, tracking would be extremely difficult, as no known
evidence of subject's facial features, complexion, ethnicity, eye color, or even definitive proof of gender are available in public resources.

Psychological Risk: 10

Subject's erratic behavior suggests typical insanity and possible manic tendencies, but disconnect between this and subject's combat ability and even
capability of operating solo(documented) suggest behavior is an act. By this hypothesis, entire persona is an elaborate charade being upheld for unknown
reason. Completeness of charade suggests intensive infiltration and deception capability at odds with public face. Potentially paranoid, but notable.

Neutralization Difficulty: 4

If subject can be located (see above), subject's powers are not exceptionally difficult to counter, or the subject exceptionally difficult to disable
through standard tactics.

Overall Risk 10-30

***

Entry: Shizuru

Locative Difficulty: Low to High

Subject operates in plainclothes at all times, and has no secret identity. However, subject is CEO of Fujino Enterprises, and thus has an immense amount of
resources available if necessary to flee country. Potential location of subject would take months, possibly years, at that point if allowed to go to ground.

Psychological Risk: 10

Subject has history of psychotic breaks, and easily discernable psychological weak points. However, subject is also voluntarily undergoing therapy and has
acknowledged previous problems. Said weak points are unlikely to be targeted by anyone else than known criminal elements, and said psychological hangups are
less likely to be triggered than previous incidents. Only the severity and property damage of prior incidents prevent risk factor from being downgraded to 6.

Neutralization Difficulty: 40-60

Subject is limited in power by hero liscense restrictions, but such limitations only exist so long as subject is willing to bear them. Subject possesses matter
materialization abilities to the molecular level, advanced psionic capability, and the instant summoning of a GM-class magical familiar of Demi-Avatar level
power in any location at will. Subject's financial resources are immense, and legal red tape regarding subject's country of origin and status may add
additional hurdles to proper containment through purely legal means.

Overall Risk: 20

***

Entry: Terrence Knight

Locative Difficulty: Low to Extreme

Subject lacks basic appreciation of counter-surveillance tactics or any excessively complex ability to evade pursuit, but A-class magical curse inflicted on
subject allows him to instantaneously teleport to another location, though this ability is uncontrolled and cannot be triggered at will by the subject.
However, it provides difficulty in maintaining pursuit, though convincing subject to remain in one location in necessity of neutralization counters this,
somewhat. (See below)

Psychological Risk: 15

Subject possesses immense rage, contained purely by willpower, though levels are inconsistent, possibly tied to observation of similar entity of considerably
more violent tendencies present in Rogue Isles. Levels are considered extremely hazardous as testified to by attached case files from independent telepathic
and empathic observation. While nothing has happened yet, the potential exists and cannot be discounted. Subject also possesses considerable delusions of
grandeur regarding own capabilities, up to and including solid belief in their cause that is not backed up by any known scientific or magical evidence. This
latter is mostly harmless, however, and unlikely to be a cause of harm to others, directly, though overestimation of his own capabilities and ignorance of
their source might be potentially dangerous.

Neutralization Difficulty: 20

Subject possesses T20 class Invulnerability, up to and including lack of immediate notice to impervium munitions of infantry level when utilized on him.
Subject's offensive capability is limited to merely T6 level superhuman strength, though precise measurement appears to be difficult due to inconsistent
flux in power levels. If subject can be lured into direct confrontation, containment is fairly certain so long as he does not retreat, due to simplistic and
predictable tactical choices, shown to decrease in subtlety as rage increases. In case of rapid need of containment, research is ongoing on enhancement and
amplification of Malta Group technology code named "Sapper Packs" to larger input/output flux.

Overall Risk: 15

***

Entry: Brightsky

Locative Difficulty: Low to High

Subject operates with open identity at all times, making tracking simple. However, subject's independent transit capability make locating definitive
location difficult if subject is aware they are being pursued.

Psychological Risk: 40

Subject has known stimuli that gain an immediate hostile response, mostly due to Rikti. Given ongoing negotiations with the Rikti, this is a heightened risk
compared to a few years ago. Subject has also recently demonstrated that said biases will overcome prior loyalties, common sense, orders from superiors, and
trust in said superiors in order to act on said prejudices, even against noncombatants.

Neutralization Difficulty: 20

Subject possesses supersonic level flight and Omega level control of gravity in a distance of .01 mm away from her body surface. This manifests itself as
superhuman strength (T12) and T1 class Invulnerability. Without hero liscense restrictions, subject has recently manifested the capability to create a gravitic
"sheath" around air molecules and fire them with great concussive force. Despite being fairly low overall in power on average, subject is
particularly capable of using these abilities in creative ways for combat effects, and coupled with her flight speed, make the subject an extremely hardened
target. However, her prejudices make psychological tactics exceptionally effective, especially in convincing her to take on situations for which she is ill
suited or overmatched, lowering her overall threat level.

Overall Risk: 60

***

Entry: Gauche Sabre

Locative Difficulty: High to Extreme

Subject wears concealing full body armor and a full helmet, obscuring physical identification features and vocal characteristics. Has no known social contacts
above friendly acquaintanceship, and has not been seen in public without her armor. Aside from the definite fact that subject is female, tracking her without
the armor is extremely difficult.

Psychological Risk: 30

Subject has multiple antagonistic interactions with teammates, often at minimal provocation. Subject is extremely violent, with the single highest numbers in
Riot Force for fatalities and near fatalities in criminals she aprehends. Percentage of fatalaties is markedly higher in Crey personnel, suggesting a vendetta
or other vengeful motivation. Empathic and telepathic study has, while slightly deflected by psionic shields built into armor, revealed a simmering degree of
hostility with both singular and broadly spread out targets, with a great degree of variation in degrees, increasing over the course of the observation.

Neutralization Difficulty: 8

If subject can be located, standard tactics should be simple to bring her down. However, unlike most, subject has shown the willingness to retreat if at a
disadvantage rather than fight, and seems to have an objective that is more important to the subject than her continued freedom.

Overall Risk: 30

***

Entry: Emerald Blast

Locative Difficulty: Low

Subject operates in plainclothes and has a full name and financial history available upon quick research. Tracking should be fairly simple in case of an
attempt to flee.

Psychological Risk: 100

Subject has acute and easily recognizable psychological problems, is highly delusional, and has demonstrated in the past the ability for these psychological
risks to cripple her at the slightest negative stimuli. Worse, subject's problems are excused and ignored by those close to her, including her current
therapist, because she presents a modicum of functionality and pleasant behavior. Given subject's powers are magically based and directly influenced by her
mental and emotional state, the possibility for catastrophic consequences is severe, and the current balance cannot hold out indefinitely.

Containment Difficulty: 80+

Subject's most recent breakdown had significant statistics for the upper levels of her power output available. It should be noted that the hospital in
which the subject was quarantined and the area immediately around it was in the process of being evacuated when the crisis was averted. However, subject's
own body was not affected in the least by this output, and thus even assigning this point as a "halfway mark" for maximum output is dubious. However,
using this assumption, it can be assumed that subject's maximum output is at least equivalent to the blast that created Siren's Call. Neutralization
difficulty will only rise the further the reaction gets out of control, with the ability to completely evade fallout from the blast, both figurative and
literal, becoming more difficult by the minute. Absolute prevention of casualties and injuries is deemed near impossible.

Overall Risk: 1540
---
"Oh, silver blade, forged in the depths of the beyond. Heed my summons and purge those who stand in my way. Lay
waste."

Don't know whether there are any Hello Kitty fans here... Anyone for a http://www.royalmint.com/store/WorldSilver/KIT3SP.aspx]Hello Kitty 35th Anniversary Three Coin Silver Set from the Royal Mint? They're only making 3000 sets...

(I'll pass, thanks.)
--
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

I was just reading a Potter fic and responding to the author's note request for info on the timing of the speaking of the prophecy (it seems to have
happened before Harry was born but after he was conceived), when I noticed something that I've never seen mentioned in a Potter fic. Subtracting nine
months from the time of Harry's birth means that he was conceived sometime around Halloween 1979.

Given all of the symbolic/mythic connotations of that day, if Harry truly was conceived on Halloween, then you could get some good epic fic mileage out of the
fact. Perhaps he was the first descendent of the Peverell line to be conceived on that day, and thus destined to reunite the regalia of death.

Of couse, since I don't recall Rowling ever mentioning anything about Harry's date of conception, I assume that my theory is likely as AU as my theory
about Snape being Dumbledore's bastard child turned out to be (stupid Dumbledore and his stupid gayness, ruining my brilliant research and suppositions
about the cover-up of an innapropriate student/teacher relation with the fact that he never would have had any interest in the student in the first place).
----------------------------------------------------

"Anyone can be a winner if their definition of victory is flexible enough." - The DM of the Rings XXXV

Ever wondered where the picture went when you turned off the TV?

It's now one month + or - 1 day until Geocities is turned off and I wonder where the sites will go.

This past week I have been reminded of several old fanfics and had to hunt them up. A most of them were on semi-abandoned webpages at Geocities.

I also have acounts at Geocities and when I signed in to finish moving "superman unbound" I realized that the end of this week would mark the one
month point on the count down to the end of the free Geo clock.

How many fanfic sites have you come across that are facing eletronic Geo limbo?

Here are a few that I have visited and downloaded selected portions before they go the way of that TV picture.

CLOUD DREAMER he is !MOVING!

http://www.geocities.com/cloud_dreamer2000/

SKJAM

http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Flats/5990/

CYRANNUS SYSTEM

http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Corridor/4590/

TEMPLE OF THE CREATIVE

http://www.geocities.com/jehtek/

FATE AND DESTINY HOMEPAGE

http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Dojo/2881/

All these sites had something I wanted to keep and until this week had neglected to put on my FANFIC DVD.

I know there is a group archiving the sites, but it's a certainty they will miss some things and it might be a fanfic I wanted to read again.

So what free Geo website have you run across that is probably on its count down to a last call?

howard melton

God bless

...that no one appears to have noticed the teaser material posted more than a day ago in the DW13 section.
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

Can anyone recommend some good, lengthy, flavorful Eureka stories? Crossovers are fine... just looking for quality writing and some of the mood of the show...
--
Sucrose Octanitrate.
Proof positive that with sufficient motivation, you can make anything explode.

As most of the CoH group knows, I've been looking about for a new computer for awhile. I'm nary the best shop-arounder and I'd thin polling our collective where would turn up some good suggestions. Some things to keep in mind: I would be more in the line for Desktops than laptops, and I don't need a do-it-all machine. My current lappy can manage everything I need it to except running newer games with out boiling over. From my perusing the various sites I've been pointed to, some general idea of where I'm going for would be Intel core i7, NVidia GTX 200's, and around 6-9GB RAM. Example of what specs I've been looking at, though not necessarily just what I'm looking for.
From Dell, which I've had plenty of good products from before, their gaming line (not Ailenware, mind) totals around $1770, which is near the top of my spendyness. Looking around Newegg and CNet, I've found comparable specs from Cyberpower, iBuy, and Asus at around $1100-1300. The only thing that gives me pause there is I've never heard anything of those manufacturers and am a bit wary. So, squabble away with some suggestions, perhaps?
---

The Master said: "It is all in vain! I have never yet seen a man who can perceive his own faults and bring the charge home against himself."

>Analects: Book V, Chaper XXVI

Svata Orosia, Czech Republic
July 2000

A lone man, clothed in brown monk's robes and sandals, knelt
shivering in the middle of the room and stared, almost
unseeingly, at a small casket set on the floor before him.
Candles in the sconces along the stone walls and large
freestanding iron candelabras provided meager light in the open,
empty space.

Once this dark room, with its low multi-arched ceiling, unpainted
walls and rough statues of saints, had been a chapel. Most
importantly, though it had fallen into disuse over the long years
as the number of monks in the monastery dwindled, it was still
consecrated ground. Perhaps that would provide some small
measure of protection and stave off disaster long enough to
ensure they completed their imperative task.

Brother Esven had spent nearly all his adult life preparing for
this day. Even so, he had hoped never to see it. He had hoped
against all hope that their translations and calculations were
wrong. After all, there had been disagreement in the community
over several salient points in the codices. Some said that the
fated day was not due for another twenty-seven years. Still
others insisted the passage read as one hundred and twenty-seven
years. They asserted that there was still time. He had known in
his gut that they were wrong, were merely frightened children
hiding under bedclothes, and so he had plotted and planned
accordingly.

To his unending regret, today he was proved right. Earlier
today, *It* had been sighted. As soon as word reached him
Brother Esven had contacted the head of the Orosian Knights,
asking for their intervention, and by so doing had knowingly sent
that good man and all those who served him to their deaths. The
lives of those martyred men had secured them very little time in
which to perform the rite... But, surely, it would be enough. It
must be.

He had cleansed the area, first with holy salt water and then
with incense, chanting the required prayers and incantations all
the while. He had arranged four ritual candles about the casket,
lit them using a Word and his will, then set four guardian seals
around each of the candles to prevent their failing during the
rite. There was little more needed, just his remaining brothers
to add their strength to the work, and they would –- must! -–
arrive soon. Everything was ready.

Brother Esven wished then that they had been able to find a place
above ground secure enough in which to do their great rite. He
would very much have liked to see the sky, to feel the wind upon
his skin, to hold the song of birds in his ears... Just to
*know* the presence of life in the world once last time. He had
no illusions. He would not leave this room alive.

Then he heard them coming. Their sandaled feet slapped
frenziedly against the stone of the corridor as they ran. Their
breath came as frantic gasps and little moans of fear. *It* must
be close behind them! All the sacrifices he and his fellows had
made might yet be rendered meaningless.

Brother Esven reached out and opened the casket, resolving,
whatever else might happen, that the culmination of his life's
work would not be failure.

Drawing in power from the world around him, he began internally
reciting the Words. He worked quickly and deftly from long
practice, shaping the power pulled from the rocks and air of the
monastery and feeding it into what lay hidden in the casket.
Redolent with the strength, gentle solidity and ineffable pain of
hundreds of lives spent over hundreds of years in worship and
peace, the power itself steadied him and lent him focus.

He began to weave the Words and power together, building... No,
this was more organic, more natural... He was *birthing* a new
form to hide the precious object. A form that would, perhaps,
allow for growth and change. Or, even better, it might just
offer a chance at true salvation. If he could only make it more
real, more human...

That was right, he suddenly knew. That was the approach he must
take. He started to add pieces of his own life to the pattern...
Then inspiration moved him to reach out to their eventual target
instead. It was hard for she was so far away.

His brothers stumbled, panting, into the room. Two of them. Only
two when at least six had been expected. No matter; it must be
done.

They slammed the double doors shut behind them, clawing the thick
locking bar into place.

"It's coming! It's going to kill us!"

"Our lives aren't important! We have to protect the Key!"

They made him proud. So scared, their number so diminished, and
yet determined. He pulled the mingled terror and resolution off
them and threaded it into the working. The fear did not, as such
emotion can, cause instant disintegration and chaos. Rather, the
urgency of their emotions quickened the flow of the pattern, made
it easier for him to reach out, across the great gap of miles, to
the life he sought.

The door was as secure as it would ever get and there was no
time. They rushed forward to join him on their knees around the
box. As they did so, they discarded the extra, now obviously
useless, supplies they had gone to fetch.

"Help me perform the ritual!" He ordered brusquely and they
stretched out their arms over the open casket with him, beginning
to chant aloud. The minute they joined him the spell just seemed
to click into place.

He was startled at the ease with which it came together –- almost
as if his missing four brothers were in fact there, lending their
power. Whether it was his meticulous preparation, their endless
rounds of practice, their combined determination -- or possibly
Deity smiling on their endeavors -- something made the working go
absolutely right at this the necessary moment. Now if only they
had time to finish!

The doors shook suddenly in their frame, bouncing under a brief,
testing pair of blows. The doors were not as strongly built as
they might be, but the locking bar, a young telephone pole made
from oak, was strong and should hold long enough. God above,
hold it long enough!

However, the pounding distracted Brother Miklos. He turned,
frightened anew, to stare at the increasingly feeble barrier
between him and the ravening Beast without. His voice and energy
wavered. Brother Esven could feel the whorl of energies
faltering and starting to fragment in response.

"Concentrate! ...Concentrate!" Brother Esven adjured. They were
so close now! Miklos jerked around, wide eyes flying to meet
Brother Esven's. Taking visible grip of his emotions, Brother
Miklos gulped down his fear and returned to chanting. The work
came right again instantly, almost miraculously.

The hammering continued, growing in intensity. Dust from the
mortar around the stone frame of the door floated in the air. The
doors began to sag under the punishment and the bar began to
creak ominously at having to support both the pounding and the
doors' weight.

A wind suddenly rose from nowhere, whipping around the laboring
brothers. It grew in forcefulness until it tore at their
clothes. As it did so, a light rose in the casket, making the
wildly dancing flames of the guardian candles inconsequential.
It flooded over them in a brilliant green incandescence.

The light and wind together washed over the room so powerfully
that they overwhelmed the sound of the assault on the entrance.
While the brothers could still see each other chanting, they
could only feel the chants inside their heads and hearts -– there
was no way their ears could possibly hear anything over that
wind.

At the heart of the chaos a tight glow of magical energy rose
slowly from the casket. They chanted more intensely, more
urgently. Then, in a last, tremendous burst of light and sound,
the energy fired itself upwards and simply vanished.

Their voices failed in the sudden silence and calm. The
brothers, half-blinded, half-deafened, and absolutely drained,
sagged with relief. It was done. The Key was gone to someone
who could protect it better than they ever could.

Their triumphant mood lasted but a second. The locking bar
abruptly surrendered its unequal resistance with a hard, sharp
report. It broke in two and the doors flew wide, bouncing off
the walls forcefully.

*It* stood framed momentarily in the doorway. There was blood on
its hands and face, but, strangely, none on its clothing.

"Copak to deláte zde? (What are you doing here?)" *It* inquired,
and its voice was young, bright and disturbingly pleasant.

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