# The Gaming Den

Welcome to the Gaming Den.

Skip to content

## Primaries and Party Affiliation

Mundane & Pointless Stuff I Must Share: The Off Topic Forum

Moderator: Moderators

Post Reply

- Print view

46 posts

- Previous
- 1
- 2

PhoneLobster
  King
  Posts: 6403
  Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:54 pm

### Re: Fiendish Codex Excerpt: See my man-tears. Real tears.

- Quote

Post by PhoneLobster » Sun Jun 11, 2006 11:11 pm

Were they its own bad choices though?
Gorbachev seemed a pretty responsible guy. He wanted to do a pretty sane reform process.
But the thing that put drunkard "lets sell it to the mafia" Yeltsin over the line to replace him was US support, because the US was petty and wanted to make sure THEIR man was in charge of the reforms and THEIR man did it THEIR way just like the god damn big US wanker monetary organizations demanded.
And if I were the US and I lost my military over night I wouldn't be too afraid of large chunks of the world.
Sure Europe, Russia, Africa, and the middle east hate you for good reason. But they are far away or one way or another mostly disinclined to go invading you or anything. The ones to worry about are...
China, Probably the one nation REALLY capable of invading and actually taking over the US. They MIGHT even decide its a good idea. Certainly if you actually fall into anarchy it might require their sorts of numbers of troops coming in to hold your hands as an international "policing" action.
North Korea, yeah thats right that dog has teeth. And oddly enough really nice public art displays in their subways (its amazing what a society with even minimal wealth can do with public space once you tear down the fvcking ads, of course there's still the propaganda to contend with...)
Japan, Yeah you heard me THEM. Your dumb ass president is pushing them back to war capable footings and nationalistic sentiment is on the rise out there. Their never especially condemning view of their emperial history is suddenly growing increasingly fond and longing. And ultimately it is the US who has historically humiliated them on multiple occassions.
South America. The Bolivarian revolution is in full swing. Their independence is basically declared, their actions already out of US control, the empire abroad sure as hell is crumbling with these guys out of control. The thing about the Bolivarian movement is that it teaches that south america can never TRULY be free until the USA ceases to exist. I'd not be stepping too far wrong with these guys in the near future if I were you lot.
Canada. Lets face it they hate you. You make it hard for them when they travel (and they love to travel). You are that disturbing retarded kid in science class who sits way too close picking his nose and keeps setting the gass taps on fire while trying to mix up something explosive or toxic with the lab chemicals. Everyone knows the UN loves the Canadians for peace keeping forces, when you crumble into anarchy expect them to work hand in hand with your new Chinese overlords, well, them or the French.
They will be especially pissed off with you once you collapse because they will blame you for Alaska being a radioactive hole in the ground recently annexed by their NEW psychopathic neighbours the North Koreans.
On a related note. Here in Australia I intend to be among the first coloborators when our new Chinese overlords simply remotely declare ownership of our former US colony.
Phonelobster's Self Proclaimed Greatest Hits Collection : (no really, they are awesome)
Phonelobster's Latest RPG Rule Set
The world's most definitive Star Wars Saga Edition Review
That Time I reviewed D20Modern Classes
Stories from Phonelobster's ridiculous life about local gaming stores, board game clubs and brothels
Australia is a horror setting thread
Phonelobster's totally legit history of the island of Malta
The utterly infamous Our Favourite Edition Is 2nd Edition thread
Top

User3
  Prince
  Posts: 3974
  Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am

### Re: Fiendish Codex Excerpt: See my man-tears. Real tears.

- Quote

Post by User3 » Mon Jun 12, 2006 1:21 am

> Draco_Argentum at [unixtime wrote:1149993215[/unixtime]]Having the biggest stick is always a good thing. At least then you can gaurentee someone else dosen't have a bigger stick to beat you with. As long as there are people willing to take your stuff by force you need more force than them.

Generally speaking, it's better to have a lot of friends with sticks. None so big that they are individually a threat, but enough that together even the biggest bullies think twice about trying to take your lunch money.
Once you have the biggest stick, no one in their right mind trusts you.
Top

Draco_Argentum
  Duke
  Posts: 2434
  Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:54 pm

### Re: Fiendish Codex Excerpt: See my man-tears. Real tears.

- Quote

Post by Draco_Argentum » Mon Jun 12, 2006 3:04 am

Not really Catharz, WWI was two goups of nations who decided to team up. All that does is make the bulies gang up.
Top

User3
  Prince
  Posts: 3974
  Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am

### Re: Fiendish Codex Excerpt: See my man-tears. Real tears.

- Quote

Post by User3 » Mon Jun 12, 2006 3:21 am

> Draco_Argentum at [unixtime wrote:1150081444[/unixtime]]Not really Catharz, WWI was two goups of nations who decided to team up. All that does is make the bulies gang up.

The difference being, that was a battle between allies. The distinction between teams of allies and groups friends is subtle, but important.
Top

Draco_Argentum
  Duke
  Posts: 2434
  Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:54 pm

### Re: Fiendish Codex Excerpt: See my man-tears. Real tears.

- Quote

Post by Draco_Argentum » Mon Jun 12, 2006 5:22 am

Friends who will help you in a fight are allies. Friends who won't don't hardly protect from bullies.
Top

RandomCasualty
  Prince
  Posts: 3506
  Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:54 pm

### Re: Fiendish Codex Excerpt: See my man-tears. Real tears.

- Quote

Post by RandomCasualty » Sat Jun 24, 2006 12:21 am

> PhoneLobster at [unixtime wrote:1150067461[/unixtime]]
> China, Probably the one nation REALLY capable of invading and actually taking over the US. They MIGHT even decide its a good idea. Certainly if you actually fall into anarchy it might require their sorts of numbers of troops coming in to hold your hands as an international "policing" action.

Well there isn't going to be any invasion and take over of the US. Simply because of nuclear weapons.
Any take over is going to be economic or political, not military. Basically military action in this age is only used against non-nuclear little guys, like Iraq. If you have nuclear weapons, your military budget doesn't really even matter anymore so long as you're capable of launching a long range strike on the enemy.
Unless some amazing nuclear missile countermeasure comes into play, we won't be seeing any major military invasions anymore. Everyone knows it will end the world and basically no world leader wants to start a war which is only going to end in blowing up the world. It's important for a leader to intimidate people by letting them know he's not afraid to hit the 'end world' button, but nobody really wants to do it.
Top

PhoneLobster
  King
  Posts: 6403
  Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:54 pm

### Re: Fiendish Codex Excerpt: See my man-tears. Real tears.

- Quote

Post by PhoneLobster » Sat Jun 24, 2006 11:38 pm

Well crazy doom saying aside, the fall into anarchy and require UN policing is one scenario (of many) where nukes do you no favours.
A) There is a good chance the people in charge of the nukes invite the international forces to quell the rioting masses in the first place.
B) Even if you have the nukes if you are in enough anarchy who is going to launch them?
C) If you have nukes and you fall into anarchy the rest of the world is going to be REAL eager to get in there and secure those nukes.
Phonelobster's Self Proclaimed Greatest Hits Collection : (no really, they are awesome)
Phonelobster's Latest RPG Rule Set
The world's most definitive Star Wars Saga Edition Review
That Time I reviewed D20Modern Classes
Stories from Phonelobster's ridiculous life about local gaming stores, board game clubs and brothels
Australia is a horror setting thread
Phonelobster's totally legit history of the island of Malta
The utterly infamous Our Favourite Edition Is 2nd Edition thread
Top

canamrock
  1st Level
  Posts: 48
  Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:54 pm

### Re: Fiendish Codex Excerpt: See my man-tears. Real tears.

- Quote

Post by canamrock » Wed Aug 30, 2006 10:18 am

In regard to the Chinese overlord possibility, they're not currently in a position to perform a near-term invasion, even considering the tie-up our military has in the Middle Easy. Ironically, now is one of the better times for our government to collapse, at least in regard to that element. With the military gone and our ability to protect regular citizens / stop loonies inside from going independant-by-force low, that doesn't bode well, however.
Some time this century, there will need to be a fundamental change in the operation of our government if we hope for the USA in geographical form to survive; whether we go Shadowrun or Star Trek depends on what forces best position themselves to either rehaul the current system or clean up after the fall, depending.
The primary system is a wonderful piece of the arcane voting system that's got less people voting for the leaders of their country than their favorite American Idol candidate. Since most votes for federal positions are essentially matters of fundraising and arbitrary regionalization at this point, the basic premise of what people are voting for has been lost. In many important ways, our country is now lead by the very 'voice of the mob' the founding fathers' unfair voting rules were at some level set to avoid.
That's not to say that I don't think everyone should have a say. In fact, it's quite the opposite. The real problem is that people are not nearly as knowledgeable in general about the issues they're choosing people to represent them on, and the entire system at this point has specialized in making it more difficult to understand what exactly is going on.
What really sucks is that, with the potential given to us with modern technology to allow people in the nation to pool their knowledge and opinions based on factors other than geography, we're basically going to have to start from scratch to make any use of that. Most voting reform now will merely be patchwork to a system that's essentially past its prime.
Top

Tokorona
  Journeyman
  Posts: 109
  Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:54 pm

### Re: Fiendish Codex Excerpt: See my man-tears. Real tears.

- Quote

Post by Tokorona » Mon Sep 04, 2006 6:41 pm

> Some time this century, there will need to be a fundamental change in the operation of our government if we hope for the USA in geographical form to survive; whether we go Shadowrun or Star Trek depends on what forces best position themselves to either rehaul the current system or clean up after the fall, depending.

.... Mind explaining this?

> The primary system is a wonderful piece of the arcane voting system that's got less people voting for the leaders of their country than their favorite American Idol candidate. Since most votes for federal positions are essentially matters of fundraising and arbitrary regionalization at this point, the basic premise of what people are voting for has been lost. In many important ways, our country is now lead by the very 'voice of the mob' the founding fathers' unfair voting rules were at some level set to avoid.

.. unfair? It made perfect sense then, just none now. And, actually, no. They aren't. Many people vote on issues (yes, issues, not values. Take a good note, GOP. Your religious right is LYING to you.) . However, since the President doesn't have a line item veto, a lot of pork slips in. This is normal, if not one of the major issues with Congress. Some "pork" should be kept in, but deciding hte boundary is something that has puzzled political experts.

> That's not to say that I don't think everyone should have a say. In fact, it's quite the opposite. The real problem is that people are not nearly as knowledgeable in general about the issues they're choosing people to represent them on, and the entire system at this point has specialized in making it more difficult to understand what exactly is going on.

No, it's not.. it's just that for example. Right-wing republicans will PUBLICALY campaign against Moderate REpublicans. This means when you run for election, you have to cater to extremists, then the center. You can't put hard facts out because you will get called on it. And in many cases, people oppose things out of knee-jerk reactions, meaning that often, you don't put speicfics out, because it's pretty much d00m.
Top

Crissa
  King
  Posts: 6720
  Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:54 pm
  Location: Santa Cruz

### Re: Fiendish Codex Excerpt: See my man-tears. Real tears.

- Quote

Post by Crissa » Mon Sep 04, 2006 10:47 pm

If there was a line-item veto, any amount of negotiations would be null and void - the party with control of the executive branch would get its pork, and the party out of favor would get none.
And without 'pork', we don't get highways or schools or science programs or technology or whatever unless we vote for the executive branch's preferred candidate.
That's just a lose-lose proposition. It's bad enough right now, where 'blue states' pay more to the federal government than they get, while 'red states' pay less to the federal government than they get.
-Crissa
Top

Crissa
  King
  Posts: 6720
  Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:54 pm
  Location: Santa Cruz

### Re: Fiendish Codex Excerpt: See my man-tears. Real tears.

- Quote

Post by Crissa » Mon Sep 04, 2006 10:51 pm

> Right-wing republicans will PUBLICALY campaign against Moderate REpublicans.

They already do.
Walberg is a bigger spender and even more right-wing evangelical. He outspent the incumbent in the election, it was bought and paid for.
I don't know why people come to arguments with their own facts, as if we'd take that.
-Crissa
Top

Tokorona
  Journeyman
  Posts: 109
  Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:54 pm

### Re: Fiendish Codex Excerpt: See my man-tears. Real tears.

- Quote

Post by Tokorona » Tue Sep 05, 2006 1:30 am

> If there was a line-item veto, any amount of negotiations would be null and void - the party with control of the executive branch would get its pork, and the party out of favor would get none.

New Jersey disagrees. Seriously, that still wouldn't be a bad thing, since politics are inherently unfair. While it's really not the solution we need, which is to ban gerunds, or restrict them, it's a solution.

> And without 'pork', we don't get highways or schools or science programs or technology or whatever unless we vote for the executive branch's preferred candidate.
> That's just a lose-lose proposition. It's bad enough right now, where 'blue states' pay more to the federal government than they get, while 'red states' pay less to the federal government than they get.

... ALl of those have departments. WHy is pork used for them, again? I suppose you couldn't give me figures for the other part now, wither. (Ironically, you're most likely right. But that's anotehr sthing.)
And finally.. uh, yes, I know, Crissa. I just read two books that explained that. I was using it as an example.
Top

Crissa
  King
  Posts: 6720
  Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:54 pm
  Location: Santa Cruz

### Re: Fiendish Codex Excerpt: See my man-tears. Real tears.

- Quote

Post by Crissa » Tue Sep 05, 2006 2:37 am

One person's pork is another person's meat.
Yes, they have departments. Departments manage the money. They don't grant it.
Congress does that.
Read better books.
-Crissa
Top

Tokorona
  Journeyman
  Posts: 109
  Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:54 pm

### Re: Fiendish Codex Excerpt: See my man-tears. Real tears.

- Quote

Post by Tokorona » Tue Sep 05, 2006 3:59 am

.. the books don't address what spending is done where. The books address the radicalization of the Republican Party.
Okay, now on to Pork. Departments tend to get budgets, make reports to get budgets....that then send it to projects. This is how it works. That's what I'm saying.
Top

Hey_I_Can_Chan
  Master
  Posts: 250
  Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:54 pm
  Location: Garden Grove, CA

### Re: Fiendish Codex Excerpt: See my man-tears. Real tears.

- Quote

Post by Hey_I_Can_Chan » Thu Sep 07, 2006 12:18 am

> While it's really not the solution we need, which is to ban gerunds, or restrict them, it's a solution.

While agreeing with you is sometimes difficult, the banning of gerunds appears, as a political necessity, to be, frankly, odd.
Using that word in a way with which I am unfamiliar is disconcerting.
Top

Tokorona
  Journeyman
  Posts: 109
  Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:54 pm

### Re: Fiendish Codex Excerpt: See my man-tears. Real tears.

- Quote

Post by Tokorona » Thu Sep 07, 2006 4:47 am

Gerunds are runner ons. Or, say, slipping in like.. the REAL ID act on a bill for the miltary. I.. think I changed it from what it is, ad meant no germane runner ons. (or, something that is n't related.)
Top

Crissa
  King
  Posts: 6720
  Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:54 pm
  Location: Santa Cruz

### Re: Fiendish Codex Excerpt: See my man-tears. Real tears.

- Quote

Post by Crissa » Thu Sep 07, 2006 6:09 am

Also called 'riders' as well as gerunds.
They're a tough problem, because they can be used for good 'I'll vote for this if you vote for this small item which otherwise doesn't get attention' and for ill - a committee chair can attach them without approval making a bill someone would want to support: (GI Bill) into something you don't: (GI Bill + removal of labor protections)
I was for the bill before I was against it.
-Crissa
Top

Neeek
  Knight-Baron
  Posts: 652
  Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:54 pm

### Re: Fiendish Codex Excerpt: See my man-tears. Real tears.

- Quote

Post by Neeek » Sun Sep 10, 2006 6:53 pm

> Crissa at [unixtime wrote:1157410301[/unixtime]]

> > Right-wing republicans will PUBLICALY campaign against Moderate REpublicans.

> They already do.
> Walberg is a bigger spender and even more right-wing evangelical. He outspent the incumbent in the election, it was bought and paid for.

Can someone explain to me why people in Michigan would be so concerned about illegal immigration? Is there a rash of unwanted Canadians crossing the Great Lakes that I am unaware of?
Top

Hey_I_Can_Chan
  Master
  Posts: 250
  Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:54 pm
  Location: Garden Grove, CA

### Re: Fiendish Codex Excerpt: See my man-tears. Real tears.

- Quote

Post by Hey_I_Can_Chan » Sun Sep 10, 2006 7:29 pm

Here's why:

> Southeast Michigan has served as a center of migration from the Middle East to the United States since the 19th century. Today the Detroit metropolitan area remains the capital of America?s Arab-American community, with an estimated population of 300,000. The largest concentration of Arab-American families and institutions is in Dearborn, a suburb of Detroit.

Top

Crissa
  King
  Posts: 6720
  Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:54 pm
  Location: Santa Cruz

### Re: Fiendish Codex Excerpt: See my man-tears. Real tears.

- Quote

Post by Crissa » Mon Sep 11, 2006 3:25 am

It's not that there isn't a difference, in legal parlance, between an illegal and a legal immigrant... It's that the difference is between whether a random official in our immigration department decided to finish the paperwork or throw it out the window.
And there are Mexican nationals all across the country - we have farms and construction and other sorts of labor-intensive low-pay jobs all across the country.
But you never see Republican lawmakers doing anything about that, when it's easy enough to make travelling in, through, working, attending schools here difficult - a major industry of the United States is educating foreign nationals.
There's just no way, with our current limited immigration system, with its capricious definition of who is an isn't allowed to be here at any moment, for local governments to choose to deny services to foreign national.
It's also really difficult to say, at a moments' notice, who is and isn't a foreign national, or who is and isn't an illegal immigrant or a legal immigrant - or just a tourist. And a single person can go from being one or the other seemingly randomly - because of our slow and random system of granting access. A student might be legal one day, and illegal the day school lets out. But they can't apply for an extention until the time is up, or they may not get their paperwork back until weeks later. Or their flight is cancelled - or the cost of a flight is more than the cost of just staying here for the day, month whatever it takes for them to become legal again.
It really makes no sense.
We don't have a national ID system, we've never wanted one, and it may not be constitutional. And until this court - it's never been constitutional to deny our civil rights to anyone on our soil.
-Crissa
Top

Josh_Kablack
  King
  Posts: 5317
  Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:54 pm
  Location: Online. duh

### Re: Fiendish Codex Excerpt: See my man-tears. Real tears.

- Quote

Post by Josh_Kablack » Thu Sep 21, 2006 6:43 pm

Just to drive home Crissa point about complexities, here's a relevant regulation from IRS Publication 519

> IRS Publication 519 wrote:
> You will be considered a U.S. resident for tax purposes if you meet the substantial presence test for the calendar year. To meet this test, you must be physically present in the United States on at least:
> 1. 31 days during the current year, and
> 2. 183 days during the 3-year period that includes the current year and the 2 years immediately before that, counting:
> 1. All the days you were present in the current year, and
> 2. &#8531; of the days you were present in the first year before the current year, and
> 3. &#8537; of the days you were present in the second year before the current year.
> Example.
> You were physically present in the United States on 120 days in each of the years 2003, 2004, and 2005. To determine if you meet the substantial presence test for 2005, count the full 120 days of presence in 2005, 40 days in 2004 (&#8531; of 120), and 20 days in 2003 (&#8537; of 120). Because the total for the 3-year period is 180 days, you are not considered a resident under the substantial presence test for 2005.
> The term United States includes the following areas.
> * All 50 states and the District of Columbia.
> * The territorial waters of the United States.
> * The seabed and subsoil of those submarine areas that are adjacent to U.S. territorial waters and over which the United States has exclusive rights under international law to explore and exploit natural resources.
> The term does not include U.S. possessions and territories or U.S. airspace.

Sealab= Resident Alien, Airship= Non-Resident Alien, It's the law!!
"But transportation issues are social-justice issues. The toll of bad transit policies and worse infrastructure—trains and buses that don’t run well and badly serve low-income neighborhoods, vehicular traffic that pollutes the environment and endangers the lives of cyclists and pedestrians—is borne disproportionately by black and brown communities."
Top
Post Reply

- Print view

Display:
Sort by:
Direction:

46 posts

- Previous
- 1
- 2

Return to “MPSIMS”

Jump to

- Main
- ↳ About the Gaming Den
- ↳ In My Humble Opinion...
- ↳ I Gave the Mouse a Cookie...
- ↳ In The Trenches
- ↳ It's My Own Invention...
- ↳ MPSIMS