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Akira

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Everything posted by Akira

  1. WOPR, instead of trying to form a group or union or corporation, why not instead create an information service. Members would report issues to a central database if they choose. Other members would have access to that information and decide for themselves if, based on the information, it would be advisable to do business. You could easily create embargo lists; spot warnings; proven trade routes; get rich quick schemes; etc. You then have only two rules: 1. To bennifit from or provide the information you must be a member. 2. Members are required (much like maratime law) to do everything in their power to protect other members. The way you keep this from being a group or corp is by stipulating that #2 only applies to members when they are in the same area and help is requested. There. Simple, easy and still holds true to what seemed to be your basic concept. Naturally, membership would have its privelages. As peeps sign on, lucrative trade routes become known (to members only) and popularity grows. As popularity grows the member numbers grow. Sooner or later embargo suggestions from your intel network will become a sort of underground law. With enough members you won't have to put yourselves in harms way. Just post an embargo message and watch the number of trade ships to that location dwindle. This keeps your goals simple: make your members rich and be able to slap the hands of the more abusive types without risking your necks. Good Luck. [ 02-02-2002, 14:52: Message edited by: Akira ]
  2. quote:Originally posted by Gallion: Think I'll build me a new system, this one is geting sloooow Cripes, Gallion. I just looked at your specs... you could go dual XP or dual Xeon, but hell's bells, you've got a pretty fast system. Oh, N/M you're going to go with a G4 mac... hehe, right?!?!?!?!?
  3. True, but that's why the hw manuf.'s are now pushing home video editing. it's a market that has apeal for both home and corp. types. Also, it's something that requires some pretty expensive equipment to do in real-time, so this will keep hw's busy selling faster machines to dad's and mom's and budding directors for at least another 3 years. Then Congress will pass this stupid copyright protection crap and all our machines will be made illegal if hooked to the iternet. Hw's will make new systems and the cycle will start anew. Soon, though, because of the new laws, none of us will have computers like we know them today. They'll be more akin to the x-box with limited funcions. However, everything you have, from your toilet bowl to your fridge will have a net connected computer. But, don't worry, it won't be for you to use, it'll be for the corp's to tell how you spend your money so they can be sure to get more of it. Nope, don't worry about hw's. They'll be busy building things for a long time. Long past the time any of our grandchildren's grandchildren are even taught about what and why a personal computer existed in the later 20th and early 21st centuries
  4. Heh, I find this whole argument insane. Personally, I'm for gun ownership. Some people are not, and that's fine too. However, here's the whole issue boiled down and simplified: Gun control is not an issue of guns themselves. Rather, it is the issue of the bully and the victim. On one side, you have the bullies. Every person that chooses to take what is not their's (i.e., life, property, hapiness, freedom) falls into this category. The other side is populated by the victims. And this is where things get interesting. There are two kinds of victims: The A-type victim (those that immediately or eventually fight back), and the B-type victim (those that bury their heads in the sand). Now, we all know that the bullies are always outnumbered. Why then, are there still bullies? The main reason bullies still exist is because the B-types sharply outnumber the A-type victims. But, that's just the nature of things, right?! Everything naturally takes the path of least resistance. It takes far less work to run away, hide, or pass the responsibillity of defending one's self to an external group (i.e., police). However, that exactly opposes what this country was founded on. This country was founded by protecting its citizens from the bullies of the world. Sadly, those that still hold the "American Dream" in value (A-types) are quickly diminishing in numbers. Americans are no longer politically correct. Americans don't consider the rest of the world enough. Americans have too much and share too little. Sound familiar? B-types would like us all to believe that the victims are more dangerous than the bullies. In fact, if it weren't for the victims, the bullies would'nt even exist, right?! That's what happens when you stick your head in the sand. Everything's dark and nothing exists that can harm you. But, it's not the B-type's fault. They can't help what they are. Fear is a powerful and all consuming spirit. When allowed, it can control your every waking and sleeping moment. It distorts reality and bends logic to fuel its fire. So, B-types creat laws. They can't fight in any other fashion. They can't see that paper stops nothing because it would invalidate their work and cause them to question their fear. So, more laws are created to bolster other laws. A foundation of lies, half truths, and false bravado are held in place by the weighty mass of the new laws added atop the old. Granted, there is a place for law. In its purest form, it defines the line between right and wrong. It's the difference between justice and vigilanty revenge. However, law only affects those that abide by its precepts. Law is nowhere to be found between the moment a bully makes his/her move and the result of the bully's choice. Law does nothing to prevent those that choose to from becoming bullies. Law is, and can only be a tool useful AFTER THE FACT. Sadly, though, it's the only tool the B-type ever wants anyone to use. The A-type, however, chooses to take an active not a passive role in life. A-types understand that the only way to stop a bully is to confront a bully. Unfortunately, there are far too few A-types left in the world. Those that are left don't realize they are A-types until the bully does something to bring it out of them. Some, though, realize from day one that in order to have any sense of order in chaos one must live life constantly as an A-type. That doesn't mean A-types proactively seek out the bullies to "nip the problem in the bud". It means that, even though the moment may never arive, the A-type is constantly prepared. The A-type is vigilant in protecting his/her rights. However, because of their few numbers, and their tendancy to only take action during or after a bully's travesty, A-types are the constant target of B-types. B-type's fear does not allow them to see the real problem, but it does shift the blaim to where it doesn't belong. Although they are in the right, the A-type just doesn't have the numbers necessary to take on the bullies and the B-types. So, the B-types legislate what the A-types can and can't do under the guise of protecting innocents. The bullies, just like any predator, know where week points exist and exploit them. The B-types, not willing to look at the real problem, can only see the A-types. Since the problem can't be the B-types, the A-types must be the problem (they're the only ones left). B-types do what they do best and pass even more laws. A-types, being the only truly law abiding citizen do what they can to hold the tidal onslaught of B-type, but can't win in the end. So, A-type abides by the law and prepares in any way possible for the inevitable because they know that the only thing standing between Bullies and B's are themselves. But, hey, we're just talking about controling the use of guns by those that abide by the law, right!? So, the real question is not whether you agree with gun control. The real question is: Are you an A, a B or just another Bully? The answer is very obvious. Providing your an A-type or a Bully, that is.
  5. Sadly, Gordon, that Dazzle product is going to be your best bet for the price. However, and this choice may work better for you, there is always the All In Wonder from ATI. The newest, 8500DV, has everything you need, and is more likely to work with winXP. Sadly, it also will require you render your edits a second time to the mpeg-1 format. That can take some time, unless you have a beefy system. If I were you, I'd stick with the Dazzle product and get it to work. It is by far the cheapest solution. The next up the ladder would be Ati's product at $300, then a leap to products in the $1000 range. Sadly, none of them are advertising WinXP compatibility.
  6. Well, your main problem is going to be WinXP. There are few sub $500 capture devices (non firewire) that have updated drivers working in XP. Normally, for generic homevideo going to video cd i'd recomend something that captures mpeg-1 as it cuts down on the horendous rendering times. Give me a little bit and I'll have a couple of good recomendations.
  7. hehe, a lot of the book was missing...(entire scenes... and the way that the hobbits got the swords was wrong...) but, they did a fair job of sticking to the general storyline. I just wish the pacing were a little better. Lot of eye candy. I'm hoping, like Empire Strikes Back, that LOTR:2 is better
  8. Hey, Gordon, I can give you several ideas. However, I'm interested in what you didn't like about the Dazzle product (which dvc did you use?) There are a few around the 200 range but knowing what you don't like about the above would help a lot. Are you interested in editing and dumping back to tape? Do you want to make Video CDs for you DVD player, etc.? Happy to help.
  9. [rp] Operation Golgotha T + 2 hours 09 minutes Interogation Room A wet rag squished. It was the sound most of Akira's body was making as the ‘muscle’ pounded his point home. "We know why you were there, Akira. We've got your ship's data. We know everything. Well, nearly everything." The man in the unmarked black jump suit crossed the few feet from his chair to Akira's slumped body. "We know where you hide your little secrets," he whispered, "but we don't know all of the secrets. Tell us the rest of it and give me a reason to put you out of your misery." The man strolled back to his chair and sat. "You only know what I..." Akira let loose a gurgling deep cough from somewhere below his gut. "What I want you to know." The man nodded to the two others behind Akira. They picked up the limp Insurgent and hung him like a piece of beef from they're massive arms. Akira hung there, limp and threadbare. "You fooled our conventional measures. You masked something from our brain scans. You've managed to stay alive longer than any other human in my...care. Mostly because I wanted you alive." He pulled a thin silver pick like device from a pocket along his back. The tip seemed to emit a light that was bright but failed to cast light past a few millimeters beyond the source. Akira new what the item was immediately. No one in his experience had ever survived that device. A neural stimulator was the best description but still fell far short of its capabilities. It was a device of Syrion origin intended, most thought, as a last resort defense mechanism much like a marine's K-bar knife. Only, this item could do far more damage with bloodshed only when the operator wished it. It gave pain, caused pain, was pain and so much more. Akira closed his eyes and began to mumble. "Familiar with this? Of course you are. I'm really surprised that we didn't find one on your person. It's quite a nice little device, no?" He held the glowing tip up to his face and slowly twisted it admiring the seamless mirror. "Some say the Syrions used this device for pleasure and even mating. I've yet to find a partner that enjoyed it as much as I." He dragged the tip lightly across Akira’s sunken abdomen. Akira's body bowed outward toward the man appearing to gravitate toward the instrument as it brushed his skin. His mouth opened to let out a scream but nothing more than a slight breath was able to escape. His eyes rolled back in his head. "Easy there," the man said pulling away the needle like object, "I don't want you dead, yet." Akira whimpered. "Oh, come now. Let's not have any of that. Maintain your composure, man. It wasn't that bad and it will get worse. Save the tears for then." Akira started mumbling to himself between strained breaths. "Feel like talking? Speak up." He poked Akira in the left armpit. A loud pop was followed by a scream so primal both the guards stepped away. Akira dropped to the floor like so much meat. His hands, bound behind him, planted firm on the floor and propped his body up like a tripod. There was silence as the human doll sat there, head back, mouth wide open as if its soul was about to launch from it and make an escape. "Don't die on me, Akira. There's more fun to be had." The man held the device an inch from Akira's chest and brushed his thumb slightly. A blue arc leapt from the tip and drove into Akira's chest. Akira's body convulsed. The man drove his boot into Akira's diaphragm. "Wake up, you shit! I'm not done." Akira sucked in air as his lungs struggled with equalizing the negative pressure in his chest. Another loud pop reverberated around the walls as Akira's body twitched and threw his other arm out of socket as well. Akira fell to his side, his body curled involuntarily into a fetal position as Akira stared at the man's mirror shined boot. The man crouched and grabbed the skull of the limp bodied fool he saw before him. "Feel like talking now?" Akira gurgled something as his eyelids twitched rapidly. "I didn't quite hear that. Again, please." Akira gurgled again slightly fainter this time. The man moved closer and whispered, "Again." Akira launched a volley of blood, spit, and bile in the man's ear, across his face and down the opening of the man's jumpsuit. The man jumped back reflexively. He took another step, whipping at his eyes and tripped over the chair. He attempted to recover in mid fall. There was a crunch as the blind twisting drove the man's head sideways upon the chairs cold long steel. The two goons rushed forward to assist their boss. Akira was left alone for a moment. It was all he needed. He curled a little more and slipped his arms under his butt and past his feet. "Call for the medic!" The man on the left screamed at his companion. "I can't, that idiot stripped me of everything just like you. Here, brace his neck and help me roll him on his back." The two had all but forgot about the meat laying on the floor behind them. A glint of light caught Akira's eye as he struggled to tear the plastic zip ties around his wrist with his teeth. He stopped shredding with his jaw and allowed himself a slow Cheshire-cat smile. "Is he breathing?" the first asked. "How the **** should I know!" the other barked back "Put your ear to his mouth, you ass. If he dies we're beyond help." The two were doing the best they could to check their boss's vitals. "He'll live," Akira whispered to the second just before he drove the tip of the spike into the small of the man's back. There was a snap as the man's spine was shattered. The guard slumped and gasped for air like a fish out of water. He was paralyzed from the neck down. The other guard wasn't as easy. He dropped his boss's head to the floor and was back to the wall opposite Akira before the head thumped. Akira stood slowly not showing any of the extreme fatigue he'd expressed just moments before. The smile was still on his face. Added to the twitch of his left eye, Akira seemed the wrath of a million god's as he methodically removed his bindings while staring through the oaf. "That's why you always smuggle something, you friggin snot," the guard said under his breath. He grabbed at a ring on his belt and pulled out a rather lengthy bit of razor line, a metal ring at either end. He placed his middle fingers in each ring and smiled. "He wanted you alive, Insurgent. I'm just gonna have to explain how it was self-defense when they try to put your head back on your neck." He crouched slightly and held the razor wire in front of him. Still smiling, Akira backed to the wall and slammed his left shoulder followed by his right sharply against the wall. He grimaced momentarily as the pain from his shoulders flared as the balls found home in their sockets. He slowly stretched while smiling at the man in front of him. "C'mon, you git. Let's get this over already. I'll not be havin any of that kung fu bullshit here." The sweat building up on the guard's forehead belied his confidence. Akira slipped the metallic device into his shirtsleeve and held his hands palm ward toward the other man. The other understood the 'no weapon' gesture but wasn't going to fall for that. He shook his head slowly in response. Akira frowned for a moment and then slowly smiled again. The guard broke into a cold sweat as he understood that his once prisoner was more than happy to fight an armed opponent "I'm going to eat your liver for lunch, slant eyes," the man roared as he leapt forward. He whipped the wire at Akira's face. Akira wasn't there. The man quickly spun with his arm outstretched, fist balled. Akira wasn't behind him either. The man yelled and jumped backward. Akira let out a grunt as the mass of the heavily muscled man slammed him against the wall. The guard dropped, spun around and brought his fist upward to connect with Akira's most vulnerable parts. The wall shook as the man's fist glanced off the metallic surface. "Fack!" He yelled, trying to open his fingers and take hold of the other end of the wire. Akira planted a bare foot into the man's exposed right side just under the armpit into the ribs. Several made audible sharp sounds as the boned cracked. The large man spun to his left and brought the razor wire to bear where Akira should've been. Akira landed softly once more behind his keeper. He drove his fist between the man's spine and right shoulder blade and drove two inches beyond the point of impact. The connective tissue ripped. The man spun once more, trying to minimize Akira's blow. It wasn't enough, but he was able to scramble away from the man with the devilish, hungry grin on his face. "****ing HELP!" the man screamed. It did now good. The metal box they were in was sound proofed to keep sensitive types from ever understanding the horrors that played out inside. Right side all but useless, the guard slid along the wall to the corner to his right. He whipped the razor wire wildly in front of him. Akira just smiled and watched. He knew that with every swing, the man was driving the loose ribs into his right lung. As if on cue, the man coughed a spray of blood. He dropped the wire and grabbed at his right side. Akira slipped the silvery death into his hand and walked calmly to the man. A look of horror came over the guard's as he looked on the face of death itself. "You don't have much time to live. I'd give you about 2 minutes before your lungs fill with blood and you suffocate. I can take away the pain. Maybe even enough for you to walk to the medical station in time to save your life. Just give me the code to the door and we'll both wake to another day." "Not even if I had the code, Insurgent. You'll die here with me." he gurgled. "You're not of any use to me then." Akira tapped the man's forehead between the eyes. A gray mush tinged with rivers of red oozed from the man's ears. "Your boss was right when he said that I knew what this was." Akira walked to the unconscious man in the middle of the room. He passed the wand over the man's head. A reddish line of light cascaded along the unnamed man's skull. "You'll not die today. I still need you. But you will wake up with a hummer of a headache tomorrow." Akira crouched in the corner to the right of the door. He passed the wand over the more abused parts of his body. A bluish light was emitted this time. The Syrions used this device as an all inclusive medical system, you idiot, he thought. Those cold bastards don't have sex. If you'd pull your head out of your ass and do some research you'd know that. Akira could feel the healing process start. It would be a while before he was fully healed. But, it seemed he had nothing but time right now. These rooms were designed to be opened only by the interrogator that went in. There were no man-sized openings. No windows, and only a few holes for what Akira assumed was fresh air or lethal gasses. Should the unforeseeable happen, and the interrogator was to die, all those left alive would stay safely inside and die of dehydration or hunger. Akira flicked the wand device off and slid it back into his sleeve. Normally, he'd have any number of devices to punch a hole through the door. Sadly, he wasn't wearing anything but an issued inmates jumpsuit. No pockets and only velcro to fasten it closed. He searched the Interrogator and the two guards. The only thing useful was a pair of boots just a size too large. The only thing he could do now was sleep. He slumped down in the corner to the right of the door again. The wand slid back into his palm and he stroked its cold length. Get here soon, Rattler. I'd rather not use this on myself... Akira slept. [/rp] [ 12-07-2001: Message edited by: Akira ]
  10. Sobak, what branch? The USAF has a long standing tradition of making ossifer pilots out of the enlisted types. Also, right now all the branches are hurting for good people to fill the more important positions. There are a lot of flying jobs that don't put you behind the stick, but do make you a better candidate that joe academy when the seats do open. Also, there are some pretty interesting jobs that will challenge you mentally and leave you with plenty of time to fly your cesna on the weekends. No branch can guarantee any position. Reason being they don't know if you'll make it through the training. They can't know if you've got what it takes until they put you through the test. But, after you pass they're more than happy to make sure you get a job you want. Too many unhappy but very talented people have left the mil. in the past. Because of this, they've had to hire people that would've otherwise been working in the "hotel management" job field (a cook). When I went in in '90 they were in a position to pick and choose. I entered the delayed enlistment and was assured a flying job providing I passed everything else. I wasn't a pilot, but I had the ONLY job in the AF where ossifers drove me to work. I was up in the air for the majority of my time. Temporary duty took me everywhere i wanted. Hell, my AC (pilot) worked it out so that we went TDY at least once a year someplace near a ski resort! Anyway, all I'm saying is that if you're young and don't already have Daddy's millions or a specific goal in mind, the USAF offers more than just the stick jockey position. But, if that's what you want, I had two co-pilots that were enlisted guys. One worked as a crew chief (mechanic) on a B-52. He completed his bachelor's and went straight on to OCS and a pilot's seat.
  11. hehe, you can't go wrong with this one: THERMALRIGHT SK-6 It's one of the best and not too expensive. Just remember to pick up Arctic Silver II Thermal GREASE not epoxy as that will perm. glue the HSF to your CPU... not a good idea.
  12. You are correct... the ti is a nudge faster than the gf2-pro... however, that doesn't change my argument in the slightest. Get the gf3-ti200, you'll be better off
  13. If you have the money to blow and MUST have a prebuilt pc... then look no farther than: AlienWare Their machines are always top of the line and you get charged for it But, if I couldn't build one myself, that's the only other place I'd look for a rig...
  14. EEEK NO dont' get the ti... it's just an MX400, i.e. gf2mx NOOO You can find a gf3 ti200 anywhere for 160... but don't get the gf2ti... don't do it Also, that's not a very good heatsink fan... go to HardOCP and read up on there latest HSF round up. That'll give you some good perspective. Also, the best place I've found to buy HSF's is Plycon. They've got fair prices and know what they're doing in the cooling arena
  15. Give me wings any day. It pays to fly... no matter which branch you choose. If you can, go O. A flying O pays better. By 'O' I mean ossifer. Good Luck, $ilk. P.S., Damn, Sho, I didn't know you were...
  16. Well, consider yourself VERY lucky. I got there at 7:15 (in my town) the line to the registers was all the way around the inside perimeter of the building. Great, I thought, a two hour wait to get out... I hurried along to the v-crad shelf. Saw some v-tek boxes. Realized that NONE of them were gf3's and got pissed. I asked the stock guy, and he said they had 1 whole box on the shelves at opening. Not only that, but they aren't running the 50 buck rebate from v-tek. So, seeing that I can get a full gf3 online from just a touch more, I didn't consider myself too unlucky. I was just out of the extra sleep and an all too good dream cycle Oh well, I'll live and I hope others faired far better than I did
  17. Thanx Paddy, but I'm going to decline your offer. The shipping wouldn't be worth it Thank you though. I went to LucasArts site and they are selling it for 14 bucks
  18. And if you haven't seen Redford's other CIA flick go rent it: Three Days of the Condor Every bit as good as Spy Games (better IMHO)
  19. mmmm.... 99 bucks... well worth the dough I'll not be sleeping in!
  20. hehe, have you ever seen 72pin simms jammed into all 4 pci slots... hehe, no wonder the computer wouldn't reboot. It made me wonder if the person first tried to fit the ISA video card into the ram slots. Oh man. I just knew that he would be using the cd tray as a cup holder
  21. Ok, i'm going out on a limb. I'd like to procure a copy of the Jedi Knight II: Dark Forces expansion pack: Mysteries of the Sith. I can't find this thing for purchase anywhere
  22. WOW you found a gf2 gts for $50.00??? where
  23. Hehe, he's talking about using a small sized head flat-head screwdriver to help with the retaining clip... don't use it for anything else, please
  24. You can do it yourself. However, you should look into getting a cpu shim from plycon.com That will help you avoid the cracked core. Also, be sure you're using a good thermal grease like Arctic Silver or their new stuff. Never use the pad. Even with the shim, you should be extremely careful. There are plenty of sites with how-to's on attaching the Heat Sink Fan (HSF) to the Athlon CPU. Read up before you get the parts. Also, if you can, toss the GF2 and get yourself a GF3ti200... only 160 and hella better than the Gf2. If you can't, then no worries Good luck.
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