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

One way to get a telemarketer to stop calling back.  (Maybe NSFW near the end, depending on how high-strung your job is.)

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

Posi posted a couple interesting pictures on the CoH forums today, related to what i16 will be about...
files are named "purple_fire_control" and "blue_fire_dominator"


Color me impressed!

In need of medical help after cleaning up a bioweapons lab, Tony Stark turns to the best diagnostician he can find.

Doctor Gregory House.

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4291378/1/Iron_Irony

and the sequel,

http://www.fanfiction.net..._Irony_Second_Encounters

(ETA: Damn. This was supposed to go under New Fic Recommendations... how'd it get out here?)
--
Sucrose Octanitrate.
Proof positive that with sufficient motivation, you can make anything explode.

Hey, Logan, is this you?

http://www.starblazers.com/html.php?page_id=235

(Anime Fandom, Texas Style....)
Hear that thunder rolling till it seems to split the sky?
That's every ship in Grayson's Navy taking up the cry-
NO QUARTER!!!
-- "No Quarter", by Echo's Children

- File Begins -
File: Unit Scimitar
Security Clearance Rating: Black Omega-2
Date Of Evaluation: [DATA RESTRICTED]
Location Of Evaluation: Nerva Archipelago, [DATA RESTRICTED]
Evaluation Conducted by: [DATA RESTRICTED]

Codename: Inferno Scimitar
Name: Katherine R. Madigan
Rank: Colonel [Crey Security brevet rank for concurrent operations contingincies]
Role: Scimitar Commander
Evaluation:
"This one's the most dangerous and make no mistake of it, Dr. [DATA RESTRICTED]. Simply put, of all the computer cores we salvaged from [DATA RESTRICTED], she's been the most independent. I know the given theory is that they're all a single line, given the similarities in cerebral mapping, but I don't buy it. The others are all vaguely deferential in their initial debriefs. Madigan, however, she's a spitfire, no pun intended.
I'm sure you've seen my reports about her using her free time to begin doing other work in Crey, particularly in the [DATA RESTRICTED] branch. And she does good work, that's for certain. Every one of her promotions has been earned, and we've seen a [DATA RESTRICTED] increase in net profits in areas she's been involved in. I hear she's due to be promoted to [DATA RESTRICTED] any day now, and she definitely has the raw talent and intelligence to do so.
But that's the danger, really. She's honed the Scimitars from a group of solo operatives with barely any experience working together into a finely honed team that I'd put money on against an equal number of these so-called [DATA RESTRICTED] they're hunting any day. But you don't boss someone like that around forever. Eventually, either they wind up in charge, or you have to be worth their loyalty that they're satisfied being below you. We don't know anything about her past on [DATA RESTRICTED], but given all we've learned about [DATA RESTRICTED], I'd say it's a good guess she was a mover and shaker in their power structure. Given her mainframe was hooked up for remote control of some sort of mobile device, it's possibly an anti-assassination measure. She expects our spying on her, but I think she should get looked at for a position in [DATA RESTRICTED]. She's not going to be satisfied with this piss-poor assignment forever."
Conclusion: Loyalty seems reliable. Possible sources of disruptive activity: personal ambition, disatisfaction with current assignment, high propensity of units programmed from her development source to go rogue (See files: Silicon, Net, Dance, Street, Nano, Mirage, Plasma, Hawk). Class 4 Surveillance recommended.

Codename: Shadow Scimitar

Name: Galatea

Rank: Major [Crey Security brevet rank for concurrent operations contingincies]

Role: Scimitar Executive Officer, Primary Assassin
Evaluation:
"This one's a real cold fish, and I don't mean because she's an ice queen. I spent a good hour and a half talking to her and barely got more than the absolute minimum of reaction from her. She's sentient, and certainly not defective. She shows far too much intelligence for that. However, she seems perfectly willing to remain in her current position, or even our evaluation of her. She's...a living machine. She accomplishes her tasks without personal feelings whatsoever, whether it's paperwork or tearing out some poor sucker's heart.
She certainly doesn't have the ambitious nature of some of the others, but I'm a bit unnerved by that. She doesn't seem to have any ambition, which is vaguely disturbing. No wants. No desires. She exists to fulfill her function, and she's very good at it, but I don't think she thinks beyond that. Madigan has to do most of her thinking for her, probably, which makes her a poor exec, but maybe Madigan's used to boot-licking yes-men.
Her loyalty is seemingly unquestionable, though. Someone like that doesn't seem to waste time contemplating betraying the people that give her her function, after all."
Conclusion: Trustworthy. Retain Class 1 Surveillance.

Codename: Psycho Scimitar

Name: Nena Romanova

Rank: Lieutenant [Crey Security brevet rank for concurrent operations contingincies]

Role: SigInt, SigWarfare (Psionic)
Evaluation:
"This one's got the most apropos codename I've ever heard, though it's inaccurate. Specifically, she's not psychotic. More accurately, she's a sociopath, though I note that hardly disqualifies one for working here, yeah? She has the mind of a sixteen year old girl who's never been told that using her powers on bystanders for her own amusement is wrong. In fact, due to her training, she probably finds it an interesting and challenging hobby.
Though no exact correlation exists, however, she sees Madigan and Galatea as her authority figures and obeys them, even if she'd prefer not to. It's a very odd situation, as Madigan's certainly not encouraging the girl to view her as a maternal figure, but it seems to be happening anyway. Very dysfunctional family that'd bring, yeah? Maybe she's looking for some stability in her life.
However, her loyalty is very much to Madigan more than Crey. She cooperates with us because her "mother" tells her to, and that's about it. Yet another reason we need to keep Madigan under control. Her "pranks" are harmless now, but if we were to threaten Madigan, they'd turn deadly very quickly.
Also, that one incident with the [DATA EXPUNGED]? Yeah, I asked her about it. It did happen, though it was more [DATA EXPUNGED]. Just to clarify.
Conclusion: Loyalty erratic and conditionary. See attached notes. Class 2 Surveillance recommended.

Codename: Arc Scimitar

Name: Robin Smythe

Rank: Lieutenant [Crey Security brevet rank for concurrent operations contingincies]

Role: Assault
Evaluation:
"This one makes me wonder why we bother with this whole android brain thing anymore. Smythe's well-adjusted, intelligent, well-spoken, and utterly unaware that she used to be the previous head of Project Scimitar. She's also incapable of saying anything bad about Crey, or even thinking it. I had a private telepath hired just to check!
Interestingly, for a former bookworm, she seems to be enjoying the violence first hand a lot more than you'd expect, but it's nothing more than someone who finds their job particularly fun. Sociopathic tendencies are a given in her case, but nothing major. She doesn't toy with our security troops like Romanova, for instance.
Overall, I think she's our main controllable one inside the Scimitar ranks, thanks to the leadup to her addition to the unit. Very stable, very competent, very violent. Just what the doctor ordered."
Conclusion: Trustworthy. Retain Class 1 Surveillance.

Codename: Amp Scimitar

Name: Jennifer

Rank: Lieutenant [Crey Security brevet rank for concurrent operations contingincies]

Role: Battery Combat Support (Ha ha. Very funny. - CS)
Evaluation:
"Jen's a weird case. I don't think she particularly cares about Crey, but neither does she really care about anything but her next buzz. Not that she's bad at her job, but she possibly enjoys it a bit too much.
Simply put, something went wrong with the allignment of her neural pathways to the whole setup, and she gets a massive endorphin rush along with the typical boosts to everything else from her kinetic projectors. She's at her best when operating at 200% of normal speed, and typically gets unenthusiastic and depressed if kept off her "speed-crack" for too long.
However, I honestly think it's harmless. In combat, she can keep herself buzzed as often as she likes, and elsewhere, it's not like she's depressed enough to do anything drastic. She's erratic, but not dangerous."

Conclusion: Trustworthy. Retain Class 1 Surveillance.

Codename: Zanbar Scimitar

Name: Fate

Rank: Lieutenant [Crey Security brevet rank for concurrent operations contingincies]

Role: Assault
Evaluation:
"While similar to Gally, Fate here isn't quite the same. She clearly has the full emotional spectrum that most humans consider normal, but simply fails to express most of it. She's....muted, for lack of a better term, and there's no real explanation for why, as she's a production model, not a brain transplant or anything. Maybe it's something in her programming that compiled wrong to make her so mopey.
However, while she's quiet, she does her job just fine. She may not enjoy it like Arc does, but she's definitely good at what she does. Missions tend to go quickly and quietly for her, though she'll jump at the next one. Maybe missions give her something simple to accomplish.
Socially, she's awkward, often avoiding the rest of the Scimitars who all socialize amongst themselves, usually off to one side or in her room. She also answers the questions for the basic eval like someone trying to pass the test but not quite fooling it. Frankly, however, if this is the only quirk she develops, we're lucky. I'd say keep an eye on her, but I don't expect programs.
Conclusion: Erratic, but stable. Class 2 Surveillance recommendation.
---
"Oh, silver blade, forged in the depths of the beyond. Heed my summons and purge those who stand in my way. Lay
waste."

Spotted on the SJGames forums: http://www.azcentral.com/community/chan ... icide.html]Man tries to commit suicide using sword, steering wheel

Is the quality of sword steel really that low nowadays, or are airbags really more powerful than I thought?
--
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 like my MP3 player, but its controls are completely unsuitable for somebody who (a) isn't a geek, and (b) recently suffered a stroke and still has
limited mobility. I have no idea what sort of MP3 player has intuitive, easy-to-operate controls, is large enough that it won't get lost, and is small
enough that it won't be an annoyance. I need to have one in my hand no later than Saturday morning, so it has to be easily available in Canada. Price is
not a major concern. Any suggestions?

(Also, the MP3 player will "need" some Country & Western music on it. I have no idea where to find legal C&W music; that's one of the few
music genres I don't care for. Any suggestions, or do I have to buy-and-rip a few random CDs?)
--
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

Here's an enigmatic picture:



Have fun.
Mr. Fnord interdimensional man of mystery

FenWiki - Your One-Stop Shop for Fenspace Information

"I. Drink. Your. NERDRAGE!"

http://kotaku.com/5293948...n-score-a-snappy-chapeau

http://kotaku.com/5272525...ors-edition-box/gallery/

http://www.ncsoft.net/glo...service/playncgames.aspx

http://www.aiononline.com/us/

I'm conflicted. I have neither time nor money to get the pre-order, but OMGWANT.
"No can brain today. Want cheezeburger."
From NGE: Nobody Dies, by Gregg Landsman
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5579457/1/NGE_Nobody_Dies