LiveJournal: Writers Block

What have you lost that you wish you still had?

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I could go on for paragraphs about what comes to mind … wouldn’t do me much good.

Since I recently ‘lost’ it, I’d settle for my web browser back !

As to the other matter, well maybe it was for the best.

If you were independently wealthy, where in the world would you live and how would you spend your time?

Live Journals Writer’s Block

I’d probably settle down, maybe in Tennessee or in Texas out in the country som where. It would be good to be able to travel though, maybe regularly visit Britain, Germany, and Japan (technology xD) but that would cost an arm and a leg.

As far as how I would spend my time? Learning about, doing, and creating things and it would also be nice to go to Church every Sunday again.

Computer Science, Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, are some of the topics many of my interests usually get categorized into by other people but I’m rarely free to go far enough in studying any thing for my tastes.

Being free to do so, why not go all the way?

Just like if I ever devoted my life to inventing things, I’d probably try to create a force-field like in Star Trek. Because it is a nifty invention and learning the sciences and technologies involved in studying the theories would be more fun then becoming a human light bulb in the process >_>.

The only other thing I could fathom filling that much free time with, is a family.

What is your favorite thing about being sick?

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NONE

0/ People fusing about it

1/ Ma worried about work

2/ Ice Cream and a Soar Throat suck

3/ Drinking input equals pissing output

4/ I tend to sleep more in the “zombie” style.

5/ I was raised that work don’t stop unless your ass falls off.

What is there to like about being sick? >_>

What do you think is too serious to joke about?

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That is a good question… Will figure out an answer when one hits <_<

Hmm, laughing matters, I’d describe myself as some one that has to be free to crack jokes as I see them. I’m not really happy unless I’m free to laugh; even if I have some what of an off beat sense of humour at times. I keep most of it to myself, because I doubt any one else would find half of what I do funny… If they did, GOD help us all haha!

I’d say I’m the type that will either cry with, or try to crack a smile instead but will probably have to run like hell before she punches me in the face for trying to make her laugh >_>.

That’s just who I am….

There are only a few things that I’d really consider a matter to skip all pretense or sense of humour about. Probably all of which would fit into the kinda category that if I wasn’t a Christian, some one would be praying the police arrive on scene before I do.

I’m not a violent person no venom glands either I guess but there is a limit to how much I will stand for. I think I could forgive almost any thing done to me… Perhaps more then a lot of others that I know could forgive but — you don’t hurt those close to me.

You fuck with them, you’re fucking with me and I’m not one to fuck with.

If some one laid a finger on my friends or family, the gloves would probably be coming off. Despite my normal philosophy against hurting people, I’d sooner knock a few lights out then sit by letting some one I care for get seriously miss treated. I guess things in that light are the no laughing matters for me.

For some reason a scene from Good Fellas comes to mind: the one where he pistol whips the prick next door 🙂

The character of henry might have been a crook but he did the right thing. He was called, he went as soon as he could, he was there when needed… Although he didn’t have to beat the crap out of the guy, I can’t blame him for it either. Two things that I can’t stand for in this world are mistreating women and abusing children and I have no respect for anyone that does either.

It is indeed a good thing that Vengeance is the LORDs to exact and not ours…

If I was Ray Liotta’s character [Henry] in Good Fellas I would have been very tempted to go kneecaping instead of pistol whipping. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six has a nice description of what the PIRA guys [which later ambushed team Rainbow & family] used to do to drug dealers hehe. It was a quite painful although non-lethal use of ones sidearm but it was enough to make dealers think twice about selling dope again in that neck of the woods; especially if they couldn’t limp away fast enough.

What is the most valuable thing you’ve ever had stolen from you?

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My ability to think clearly !!!

Some times my family has me to pushed to such a point that I think if I tried adding 2 + 2 together that it would come out 6 instead of 4 !

Grrr….

What have you tried in life that you just weren’t very good at?

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You name it and if I’ve tried it, I probably wasn’t very good at it.

Games ? Well actually I was quite good when I was in diapers lool but after that not so good. I was never quite talented at any of them but look at the road.

I hold the “ultimate victory” score of over 100 wins in Soul Blade, me and my brother actually used to sit and play that much of it, then play some Tekken 3 :-). Although he did get me back by countering my tactics in later years. But in the move to Soul Calibur II and Tekken IV I was back on top in the end. He’s always been more skilled at fighting games then me though.

Since Motal Kombat I, Street Fighter II, Killer Instinct, Tekken 2, Soul Blade, and countless others. I never was really that skilled at it but I remember my hay day in Soul Blade. If I ever would have had the opportunity for it that is one game I would really have wanted to get into a tournament or some thing for so I could see how I would’ve racked up against others.

First Person shooters ? I’m not even going to go there haha. Although with the many I’ve played, in the end it’s usually been creamy.

Flight Sims? Heck the first time out I think I probably crashed like 40 or 60 times but then it was natural. I love the dog fighting, gun to gun but I’ve never found AI that was much skilled at actually flying. I remember one time when my brother saw me at work he was like “you lethal bastard” or some thing <_<. I remember Ace Combat 3, nice game but a little to arcade like — the boss fights however. I remember the Raven and the Aurora, so fast, so agile that they are worth a fight… even if you can take them down in like 3 minutes blind folded or some thing I forget what the max time was for an A-Rank. They were still some of the best evasive pilots I’ve seen in Fighter AI!

MechWarrior ? I was horrid at first, I remember when I first played online I don’t think I even scored one kill, if I did probably with like 5-8 deaths in the process. I had my ‘favorite’ setup, a 45 Ton Shadow Cat with lots of speed, armour, but few weapons — just enough to count ‘legally’ as damage. The other MechWarrior used a heavier 70-75 Ton ‘Mech like a Timerberwolf or Cauldron Born full of ER Large Lasers and blew my ‘Mech to pieces.

I was always proud of my piloting ability, I was even complimented on it at times. But I was always some what disappointed during my MechWarrior gaming career, to little battle tech and much to little engineering involved. Still I trained with my best wings, 2 on 1 and I was the 1 while my friends were the two. Eventually I could hold my own in ‘Mech combat. Our last year together in the Vengeance League playing MW4:Mercs, we all placed in the upper half of the leagues top 100, like the three musketeers we were. I think Cyborg might’ve almost made it to the top 10 one year.

I was a specialized in Snipeing and Light ‘Mech ops. Ever heard of some one getting jealous over your supposed relationship with your ‘Mech? Haha… Mage & Cyb might still remember that one more funny’ly then I do (touchy subject) but it was nuts. Ah it was some fun days back in the ‘days, wild and crazy across the field. I also remember when I finally scored the bragging rights hehe. Me and Cyb used to dual a lot, often in Nova Cat (sniping) and he usually would win. One day I took him on in a 20 Ton light ‘Mech and owned his 70 Ton Nova Cat with my Fire Moth — Now that was gratifying lool. Sadly the next patch crippled the Fire Moth and it became useless :-(. We used to do great in 2on2’s because of how often we did 1on1’s lol.

I don’t really miss MW4 a lot, I do miss hanging with my friends and rackign up wins in the leagues together though but it was probably good that we retired. The community really got pretty bad by the time I left it, now it’s probably totally gone as we knew it.

Raven Shield ? Hahahahahah !!!! I think I was up to the bar as good as any one else by my side as a Trp. I don’t consider myself better or worse then my fellow members in [SAS] but when I first started playing Raven Shield…. I’d be lucky if I could get past the first tango ! And look at me today, not a great run but compared to day one it’s an Olympian metal.

[click to enlarge]

[SAS] and CQB Tactics and things? Dead as a doornail at first but years later… I’m an RSM, one of the most senior NCO positions on the team. As an NCO? I think I was probably one of the greatest failures as a LCpl… That’s my feelings on the matter but as an SSM? Much better at teaching I think and defintally much more productive either way. I some what regret though, that I’ve never been a Drill Instructor. Maybe in the future I’ll get the chance.

Accuracy in First Person Shooters ? When I played Medal of Honor on the PS1 my average scores were in the 25-39% range with a lot of arm shots. In [SAS] in Rvs my average accuracy is more of 45-65% and occasionally on good days 70-90%, not bad when you consider in _most_ games people would be spraying and praying like a moron hitting a tenth of the time lool. Give me a sniper rifle, a good mark to shoot at, and a good secure firing position and I’ll rack’em up — I don’t like missing. Last time I played one of the MoH games my accuracy was much higher like 54-77% and mostly torso and headshots, that is what 2 years in the 22nd SAS Elite Virtual Regiment will do for ya.

Programming ? Well I wouldn’t call my self skilled but I’ve come millions of miles since I started. When I first started even the syntax for the control flows were tough to figure out, now… Many languages later, many lines later, and still no formal education I’m actually able to do some thing! I knew no one was going to teach me, so I looked for source to read, being able to read other peoples code (shit or gold) is a big part of it. Writing, well… I am the only one that has an opinion of it and I rather like that I could define rules for operating on my C code lol.

Much of my style and ways of doing things revolve around the concept that I’ve got to read it, I’ve got to edit it, I ain’t gonna remember it all two months from now, and some one else could have to to; s’one reason I try to be consistent. I don’t have much to say about other peoples code unless there is a problem. But with what I write, I try to get it working, then I try to make it the best I can, because it’s my work.

Exercise and Physical actives? Never been much for it but able to do plenty.. I remember with the drills, oy I hate exercise lool. It’s comforting though to know what your body can do though, and to work towards improving it.

Computers? When I first started I was limited to loading programs off of floppies and even then I needed to know what program to run off them (I’d never heard of the ‘dir’ command). Now, *cough* over 16 or 17 years later I’m the most computer literate person I know in the real world who isn’t *paid* to know more then I do.

Online and in Life, I’ve met more then a few superiors whom I respect… but no equals. One thing that saddens me some what about this neck of t’woods, mostly fools and even worse in my age group… lol.

School? I did very poor at first, I also hated it and I still do actually… I remember when I was in kindergarten when I first learned how to write a ‘5’, practically had me torn apart in the process… Kind of what happens when your home schooled and teachers your mother <_<. In retrospect, the majority of my grades over the years have always been As, maybe an average of low to mid 90s. Before high school (read no one over my shoulder) it was a case of do it perfect or you ain’t leaving the table.

Reading? I failed like the 2nd or 3rd grade because I couldn’t read; which ever one it was required to know how by then. My family put me through that hooked on phonics crap — did me for me nothing but piss me off royally. I wanted to read a boot myself that one of my good friends had introduced me to, so I put more effort in. The lady that was doing my evaluations was shocked “He’s reading!” and I passed.

Going into like the 7th grade or some thing when I was tested, my reading skills were all noted as N months into collage. I inhale books, as long as interest and time holds I read like 50-150 pages a day when I dig into a book. I *love* to read, they couldn’t get me to read as a kid until I wanted to. Then they couldn’t stop me from reading haha, my mother threated to steal the book lights >_>

Pool, miserable at first but back in the ol’days I used to be a threat 🙂 Same thing in checkers, although I must admit even today I probably enjoy Chess more then I have skill at it 0.o

The list could go on and on, most stuff I’ve ever gotten into I wasn’t excellent at until I got into it further. To be honest, I don’t think there are many things we are just naturally good at, most people I’ve seen are not any way and those few people that are naturally good at the stuff they do are lucky.

Hmm, you know maybe there is some thing I was good at without being horrible first… but that’s not for public announcement haha.

What is your idea of a perfect world? Why do you feel this way?

Live Journals Writer’s Block

Hmm, to ignore for a moment the usual ignore all political things policy I have for content here…

My idea of a more perfect world would be one with less fighting and more cooperation.

A single unified government and military across the world…

It’s always been my believe that political parties and “playing politics” is a waste of time. Whats right and what needs to be done is what should be done, if you go with what your party says and it is against what you feel is either, why bother?

People in power should use that power to make things better, not squabble over it. That is one thing I do like about FDR, during the great depression President Roosevelt went to work. He didn’t sit on his ass, he tried to solve problems and get people working on the right track.

As opposed to say, spending 8 years arguing back and forth between the Jackasses and the Elephants and getting nothing done. That’s what the world needs, people that will fight to make it a better place instead of bitch over the color of the bike shed!

If the world would work together, we could do so much more… The hungry? If every one did some thing they would be fed, The sick? If every one did some thing they could be cared for… But no, most of us do nothing… I remember comparasons in church of the people to the body of Christ. If the entire world could work towards a goal, it’s best minds, every nations resources, so much could be done.

I think if we had a single government, as opposed to one (or more) in every country it would be easier for us to focus.

Who cares if he is a different religion? Be it a Christian, Jew, Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim. American, Russian, Japanese, African, white, black, polka dotted, apple or orange, man or woman it matters not so great, we are still one people! A human is a human, by any nationality, by any creed, by any sex. Work needs to be done, not on the national level but on the universal level.

But I think, knowing people.. That odds are such an idea of a unified mankind is only a possibility in the world of Science Fiction. I remember I once had an idea for a set of short stories, where we had begun to explorer space until one day a Chinese ship was destroyed by an alien craft.

The nations of the world forced to unite under one flag to stand against the invaders or die. The idea that I had, was that for each country two leaders would be elected. Each the head of their own (country sized) district. Like a Khan and SaKhan of the clans of BattleTech. One would stay and minister over the affairs of state while the senior of the two would represent the district in joint-council. Where every part of the alliance would have a chance to make there voices heard.

The biggest super powers, leading the road and the power of each vote being factored by the population count. Thus, countries such as The USA, Russia, and China (the 3 main earth factions in the stories) would hold enough sway to be interested in being involed. Yet calculated in such a way that they could still be opposed. Such a system ain’t perfect but when faced with annihilation it sure sounds nice eh?

Some of the designs I drew up for ships of war, were based on the concept that it was a hodge podge fleet. Made up of what ever forces each space-capable country could put together for earths defense, and the increasing attempts to build around a standardized group of tools. Each Marine with the same 6.4mm bull pup style assault rifle. Each ship with the same set of sabre and tri-star fighter craft and the like.

In fact, one of the short stories was to be a rescue mission to save the engineers behind the most successful technologies, the Sabre class fighter and the new ‘ship of the line’ that would create an Assault Frigate to be feared by the enemies capitol ships.

I honestly think, until such a threat or some other reason big enough to force us to do so. That the world will never stand united, unless they must stand as brothers and sisters in arms or become a field of corpses.

In World War II, the people in the US worked together. The soldiers went off to fight, those who stayed worked to give them the tools to win the war, almost every one helping. Today, I wonder if we could even muster half the effort of a few generations ago unless we too had such cause to take unified action. Let along a snow balls chance of the entire world cooperating for any thing but the most serious of goals.

A perfect world for ****me**** however, now that is an easy thought to think about. The things I want in life, nothing more.

Although, considering my families part in that… I think getting people into an human-wide organization for the betterment of the world would be easier lol.

It’s crowded in worship today
As she slips in
Trying to fade into the faces
The girls’ teasing laughter is carrying farther than they know
Farther than they know

CHORUS
But if we are the Body
Why aren’t His arms reaching
Why aren’t His hands healing
Why aren’t His words teaching
And if we are the Body
Why aren’t His feet going
Why is His love not showing them there is a way
There is a way

A traveler is far away from home
He sheds his coat
And quietly sinks into the back row
The weight of their judgmental glances tells him that his chances
Are better out on the road

CHORUS
But if we are the Body
Why aren’t His arms reaching
Why aren’t His hands healing
Why aren’t His words teaching
And if we are the Body
Why aren’t His feet going
Why is His love not showing them there is a way

Jesus paid much too high a price
For us to pick and choose who should come
And we are the Body of Christ

Chorus (2x)
If we are the body
Why aren’t His arms reaching
Why aren’t His hands healing
Why aren’t His words teaching
And if we are the body
Why aren’t His feet going
Why is His love not showing them there is a way

Jesus is the way

— If We Are The Body, Casting Crowns

I think that song shows some what the problems of this world. And if you’ve ever seen a dedicated body at work you know what they can do…. Now if only it was on such a grand scale.

Which, ahem, “internets” clichés do you wish would go away already?

Live Journals Writer’s Block

I don’t know if I would call it a cliché so to speak but one thing I’d love to see put to an end is the ASCII Vs HTML E-Mail thing.

I for one prefer to send E-Mail in plain text, most of my systems use either UTF-8 and a couple of apps ISO 8859-1 (aka Latin1) by default. I generally follow the old concept of

*bold*
_underline_
/italic/

Quite simply because I find it faster then [b]foo[/b] on forums and unlike the <strong> and <em> tags I tend to use. The <u> tag for underlining text was depreciated in HTML a long time ago, I don’t use <b&#62 or <i&#62 often either.

I think though it would be kind of cool to strike a balence between plain text only and html bloated e-mail.

No HTML Attributes
No Stylesheets (CSS)
No Javascript (including friends)
No Inline images (or implementors discretion),
No Hyper links not written out in the text, e.g. http://www.foo.org/ == ok, <a href=”http://www.foo.org/”>text to show the reader</a> != ok.

Allow lists (numbered, bulleted, definitions) because those can be easililly translated into plain text if desired using alphanumerics (e.g. 1. element / + element and tabstops).

Allow bold, underline,and itallic because they can be dumped to **, __, and //

allow horizontal rules because they could be made with – or _ lined up to screens width.

And you could implement all of that in a mail client *without* the complexity of writing a full HTML parser and Render. If you wanted you could do vertical rules as well but it would increase complexity.

Thus users with HTML Capable mail clients could view the HTML by default (most can be set prefer html or plain text) and mail clients that can not handle HTML, either by design or simply because it is just so much horse shit to have to render HTML in a mail client without a web browser!!! (internal or external)

But no, most HTML Mail you see is so full of crap from the tags the MUA uses that you can’t dump it all to *comparable* plain text without knowing how to handle all of HTML standard/non-standard tags, without either leaving unknown tags in plain view or risking miss-formating the message.

And to be perfectly honest it would be very sweet if such a system became the standard for sending E-Mail. Because it would be backwards compatible with HTML Capable MUA’s ability to render HTML E-Mail, so only the sending/composing would need an update. Plus one could use pre and post processing scripts to deal with MUA’s that lack HTML support and lack support for this kind of restricted HTML.

But oh no, we’ve got to have HTML E-Mails auto-generated by MUA’s in such a sorry state you wouldn’t want to touch it with a ten foot poll and having to either use a HTML’able MUA, pipe to external browser, or better yet /dev/null if it is spam hehe.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve done in 2008?

Live Journals Writer’s Block

I would have to say forced Hostage rescue with fragmentation grenades rather then the typical Flashbangs we use in Raven Shield.

Hmm, only in Raven Shield could that actually work without injuring the poor stooge, uhh hostage ;-).