Dark Alex's Really Long Post Thread.

[Alex]

Tuesday rolls around with the inevitability that presages Wednesday and the half past week point. Alas that however still lies in the future and trying to mess around with time gets me funny looks.

Still I am off work next week. That is a plus. Taking Ash down to my mums until the following Saturday and then coming back up the road with some friends from Denmark who are going to spend the week with us. Its Zolis and Val from my D&D game (or Anders and Tina if you prefer). Hoping we can get a game with us all around the table while they are here. Since my favourite games store has been closed I'll be popping into my second favourite one (even though Tom closed 'The Dragon & George' a couple of years back, it still remains my favourite) in Glasgow. One of the things I do love about Utah is the size and frequency of their gaming stores. Especially that I can pretty much cross the road from Kristi's mums house to get to one. The geek state indeed.

I would love to say what I think of trump's visit to the Sovie... sorry, I mean Russia but for various reasons I will keep my thoughts on what he has said to myself. If you know anything at all about body language though it was very telling when they were both standing together (trump and comrade putin). One looked shame faced, ill at ease and out of his depth, the other was totally in control.

I did see the mock up for the expected Typhoon replacement. From the front it looks like a Lightning II, from the back a stealth bomber. I think by the time it comes in though piloted fighter aircraft will be a thing of the past.

Now there is a question. Would you be happy to fly in an airliner without a human on board? Just some spotty kid on the other side of the world flying you by remote control. Or perhaps being flown by an onboard computer? What about hackers taking control of the plane and holding it to ransom? How about that for a way to bring back hijacking aircraft in a big way?

Roughly you will get an error per 100 lines of code in a computer program. Something like Windows has millions of lines of code... How about those blue screens of death, or when your computer just runs really slowly for no reason you can figure out?

I'd fly in one I guess, but I can't help thinking I would like to have someone who can fly as a backup, even knowing just how much modern aircraft need computers to fly them. Oh, and don't think just because of my job I have any idea how to fly an aircraft.

I can promise I'd get a plane down on the ground (providing there is ground in range) if I had to fly one. I just can't promise it would be in one piece or that anyone else would survive.

[Trevor]

Now there is a question. Would you be happy to fly in an airliner without a human on board?

I'm reasonably certain that the airliner I flew in on Saturday didn't have a pilot as the plane was almost an hour late. 

[Alex]

Just remember when you are flying Trevor that the engines are not keeping you in the air. All the do is provide forward momentum. All that is keeping you aloft is a bubble of air beneath the wings. Also bits fall off of airplanes in flight a lot more often than people realise.

Happy flying y'all.

[Alex]

1811 days to go.
In 1811 Britain was at war with its only serious rival for world prominence (the French under Napoleon). The Peninsular War raged in Spain and Portugal, which would prove to be enough of a constant drain on Napoleon's forces for him to blame his Spanish adventure on his eventual defeat.

Tensions were rising between the US and the UK over the Royal Navy stopping American shipping to search for potential deserters from the RN due to the need for man power for the Napoleonic War. The US also had designs on Canada and the stoppage of ships provided a valid casus belli. Some men suspected to be British citizens on US ships were hung without proof of nationality or trial. This would in the next year lead to a war between the two powers which would end in a draw. The US forces would on balance perform better at sea than the British, however on land the British generally had the upper hand as invasions of Canada failed, although in retaliation for the destruction of public buildings in Canadian settlements the British would land a punitive raid on Washington itself burning the White House and the Library of Congress in revenge (I wonder what it was called before it had to be painted white? One for Indy I think). It was meant as a clear signal to say if you don't stick to the rules of war then neither will we. The (proto) White House had to be evacuated in the face of advancing British troops (to the point where the troops were able to have a hot meal curtesy of the White House due to it being abandoned in the middle of dinner).

Although the war would rumble on for a few years, British focus was mainly on continental Europe and soon after the defeat of Napoleon the war would end. Britain no longer had a requirement to seize sailors ending one of the major causes of the war. The US had failed in its aim of seizing territory in Canada and with Napoleon defeated the British suddenly had a lot more troops to send to the war, but the public had little appetite for another major conflict. The Iron Duke was put in charge of British forces for example, but refused to leave home having been away campaigning for so long and conducted the war from the UK. While the then Prime Minister of the UK wanted the US to concede land as part of the peace treaty, the Duke Wellington informed him in no uncertain terms that they had not made the territorial gains south of the border that would allow them to do so.

Both sides agreed to end the war as it was no longer in either sides interests to continue. Due to slow communications one final (and for the British disastrous) battle was fought (New Orleans I think) after the peace treaty had been signed. Although declared a draw people on either side do still argue the various merits of both sides and that one side or the other won.

Although this (to date) was the last was between the two countries there would be several incidents over the years since that would bring both nations to the brink, including (and this is my favourite) a war that was nearly fought over a pig. The US would go on to make further plans for the invasion of Canada (most famously in the Rainbow Plans, which when made public caused something of a hitch in diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1974) although to date none of them have been tried again and the border between both nations is the longest non- militarized border in the world.

Been thinking more and more recently of taking a break from BMDO. The last time I did that it was before the last US election when I got tired of seeing people arguing with each other so I stayed away for four months (being down the Falklands helped there as my net connection was crap). Seeing people who have been here a lot longer than me arguing is getting a bit depressing. I'd have to keep coming back to update my movies watched list though. The first two years I wanted to do that I couldn't modify my posts. The third year I spent 6 months in the aforementioned Falkland Isles. The forth I lost the thread for a few weeks so gave up, so this year I am determined to complete it.

I should pack my stuff tonight for going away next week. Kristi finally decided on coming down with me and Ash, so we need to take the cat too. Suspect we'll be going down very early on Saturday morning although this is still being debated. Looking forward to a week of gaming with Tina and Anders. It's just a shame I could only get next week off and not the week following that instead. Hoping I'll finally get to take Kristi to the Transport Museum in Glasgow.

[indianasmith]

Don't be a stranger, dude!

[Alex]

For something that was an integral part of my childhood I never managed to take to any of the Dr Who's that followed Tom Baker in quite the same way and indeed this is something that extends into the new series. Dr Who's adventures took months to unfold, not solved in a single episode with a monster of the week format.

I don't even consider the new Dr's canon if I am completely honest. Even if they are damn good I just can't bring myself to look at them the same way.

On the part of my cycle where I just can't be bothered with drama. Soon enough the angry part will start to rise and I'll feel better, but right now things just p**s me off and I just feel irritated at them. I find that harder to deal with than the anger. Other peoples emotions are just exhausting to try and keep up with. On the plus side though over the next two and a half months I'll be getting weened off my anti depressants and then I'll get a review where I'll hopefully be pronounced cured. Helps knowing all the stuff I am supposed to say in advance I guess and studying the little tells from peoples body language.

Did you know for example if you are talking to someone and they start rubbing their ear it is a sign that they don't like what you are saying to them or disapprove of it?

I am not sure how much the pills helped. I think getting Dagon and Ash have helped more than anything else and I am looking forward to getting off them. I know some people can get addicted to them and I've always had a very strong thing against being addicted to something. I put it down to why I never really got into the drugs scene the way my friends were.

Catching up with Supernatural, getting through season 12 at the moment.

[316zombie]

you're going to LOVE season 13! i'll just say i cried tears of joy several times, and you will too!

[Alex]

Heading off tomorrow for a week. Seems as good a time as any to take a break from here while I am at it. Hopefully people will have stopped sniping at each other by the time I log back in. No idea when that will be though. Maybe I'll miss you lot too much and be back as soon as I get home.

Got to walk in a light rain to work today. It felt nice after the heat of recent weeks. One of my more enjoyable and relaxing strolls into work. Of course it helps that its a Friday and I'm off work for a week.

Hoping to get a night with just me and my brother drinking. Not sure that will happen, especially with the joys of parenthood. Ah, the things you have to give up when you have someone else to be responsible for. This is all part of the price I knew I'd have to pay, and it is worth it.

When I see him smile I don't feel quite as much like wringing some peoples necks. Happy babies save lifes!

[Alex]

Apparently I am doing a bang up job of taking a break. The trip down to Glasgow went about as well as any such trip with a baby and a cat can possibly go. No delays or troublesome people. Made a nice change not to have to deal with any drunks.

Alec (Ash's godfather) popped over to see him, although since he isn't feeling very well he couldn't get to hold him which was a shame. Hopefully he'll be better before we leave. Stewart, Linda and Cammy also came over for a quick visit. Linda isn't happy about the idea of me and Stewart going out for a few beers together. I'd have to say tough on that.

Mum has bought me a nice bottle of Haig. No doubt I'll  be trying that one with her before I head back up the road. 

Fixed mum's dvd player for her, so now we are watching Studio Ghibli movies (which she is a huge fan of). Well she likes a lot of anime although me and my younger brother have always been very careful to vet anything she wants to watch beforehand. That is one shocked phone call I never need to take from my mother.

[316zombie]

hope you are all having a great time!

[Alex]

Having a good time, but still sucking at not checking up on here.

[Trevor]

Linda isn't happy about the idea of me and Stewart going out for a few beers together. I'd have to say tough on that.

I am a teetotaler but I would join you for a lager with a lot of lemonade in it. 

Not Sprite which has changed its' taste so much it tastes like day old pee. 

[ER]

I don't even consider the new Dr's canon if I am completely honest. Even if they are damn good I just can't bring myself to look at them the same way.

Me either. Though I have seen episodes of the revival that were good on an individual basis the tone of the original series has never been matched or replicated. The show used to be fun; now it is always trying too hard to either be artificially deep, or to make points about the real world that take me out of the story.

[Alex]

Met up with Aaron and Leona yesterday. Would have stayed out longer but despite repeatid applications of baby sun cream little Ash looked ready to start getting sun burn, so got him home. My very lucid horror dream the other night seems to have turned into something of a stream of dreams. Had a couple more last night that woke up me. One was a stalk and slash type thing slightly flashbacking to one of the times I got stabbed, can't remember the other one though.

Such delicious nightmares. I love them. Hey, you either own the bad things that have happened to you, or they own you.

Been watching cartoon type family films with everyone today. I have an urge to watch something darker though. Maybe I'll put something on my laptop, stick headphones on and just drift away into a world all of my own.

Maybe I'll really disturb everyone and watch the remake of The House Of Wax.

To be fair though out of all the films with Paris Hilton in them that I have watched, I can't deny that it is the best one. Follow that one up with Reeker.

Got the mini guild meet tomorrow evening. Going to spend the whole day in Glasgow though, heading up with Kristi and hoping to hit a few places before we meet up with Roy, Anders and Tina that evening and then take Tina and Anders home with us for a week.

Making plans to go see Phil Campbell playing in November. Linda doesn't want Stewart to go to it. But then Linda disapproves of a lot of things. Mostly I get Stewart to do them just to wind her up. Plus it is things he enjoys doing. I don't quite get why she objects to him doing them. Oh wait, bit of a control freak.

Should have heard the fight over wither or not he got a man cave. Linda was determined he wasn't getting to convert the unused spare bedroom, then she agreed to it being a family hobby room, but Stewart went ahead, cleared the junk out of the room and made it one. She tried telling Cammy that I didn't have a man cave, that it was a hobby room but I said "Nope, it is my man cave. It is the one room in the house I get to decide how it gets decorated and I get to put all my stuff in it."

I got shot a very angry look from Linda for that, but Kristi also said "Yes, it is his man cave." Not going to lie to him just because she doesn't like the way we set up our world. When the ice cream van comes round they have that poor boy told that the sound of its horn means he is out of ice cream. I do not plan on treating Ash like that. I know as parents its there choice, but I have my doubts that it is a good one.

Oh well.

Ash is full of giggles and laughter today. I wonder what life has in store for him and what choices he will make. Going to be interesting to see how it all works out for him. I just hope we can guide him enough that he makes the right ones for himself without being controlling.

[indianasmith]

The most terrifying thing about parenthood is when you get there and find out it is all ad libbed.