daily scratchpad

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An amazing demonstration of radio-controlled flight.

Jesus apparently made it all the way to Japan. So did Moses.

Withdrawl symptoms finally got the better of me and I fired up C-III again yesterday (Monday). I ordered a 5 billion year old world hoping to avoid lots of mountains, but it looks like I got most of them anyway. I chose the same civilizations as last time, and as usual, my first war (the idiot upstairs is beating his head against the wall again) was with the Persians. Looks like the Babylonians will be next. I actually got to meet the Indians this time (the Greeks destroyed the Indians early in the last game). Amazingly, I lead the world already in 'civilization advances' even though I am only halfway through the Middle Ages.

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Just shaved off the little skin growth on my lip again and it began to bleed again. 'Aha! Blood!' So I got out one of my test strips and sopped it up and put it into the blood sugar tester. 100 exactly. No sign of Diabetes again. I 'bought' one from Kaiser some months ago after receiving a letter to the effect that I might be at risk. And since Kootch is definitely at risk (marginal sugar level) and since Kaiser paid most of the bill... well, why not?

(later: 1620) Speaking of blood, I spotted several new blood blotches (purpurea) on my arms today. Not unusual (tap) since I used a certain itch medication (for rat itch) about five years ago. Pururea is said to be an unwanted side-effect, and I have got used - over the last five years - to seeing the odd blotch pop up. But, since 'they' have been 'roasting' me quite severely lately I wondered: "Could these blotches be the result of 'standing waves?'" I think so. I think they could be (there are seven of them at the moment, all on the arms). Lessee... the theory would be that the 'standing waves' cause ruptures in the skin capillaries which have already been weakened my the medication, (thump) and given that I am still on blood thinning medication... well, you can take it from there. Great theory (being irradiated here) but a theory is only a theory (tap).

Isn't it interesting how, once you have a sort of 'unifying hypothesis,' your brain tends naturally to fit actual experience into that hypothesis, sort of like putting together the pieces of a puzzle?

Now to Non Serviam...

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With 4000 trips this guy puts me to shame. (From TDG)

Actually reading The Bible can be an eye-opening experience. (From Clicked, of course)

No game play today, as most of my time was spent with Google and the tv sets in the LR. Still sleep-deprived, also.

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The attack went better than anticipated. I was able to take Athens and Sparta with the main forces attacking from what was previously Babylon. This left the 32 MA already landed near Sparta in the somewhat embarrassing position of having landed prematurely. I have demoted their commander. What a dumb-ass. I was able to convince both England and France to join the coalition and both declared war on the Greeks and began mobilizing their forces for attack. France will soon take a Greek city (whose name I have forgot) on a predominantly French island, and My own forces will finish off the last remaining Greek city, leaving England pretty much out of it.

At this point I would normally make a MPP with either France or England in preparation an eventual war with the other, but nowadays that sort of thing falls into the category of, 'tedious technicality.' So I will end the game here.

I have enough evidence to convince me that I am being zapped with some sort of malicious RF energy (see Enough is enough) and have taken initial steps to limit the damage 'they' can do to me. More on this tomorrow.

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A very funny 'trailer' for The Ten Commandments.

Interesting piece on privacy here.

C-III-wise, I am about to enter the bloodiest war of the game, with Greece. Poor Alexander has no idea he is about to be attacked by 175 Modern Armor, 32 of which will go ashore near Sparta. I expect to take Delhi, Madras, and Thermopylae on the first turn, and Sparta on the next. Sparta is important because it contains the Great Wonder, 'Universal Suffrage,' which helps to prevent 'war weariness.' From there I plan to attack the wine city of Athens. Greece is defended by 60 Mechanized Infantry and 14 Modern armor. Their naval and air forces are small compared to their Roman counterparts and will certainly prove ineffective in the defense. But Greece has 4 ICBMs and 4 Tactical Nukes. Will Alexander use them? I'm betting he won't.

Alexander imports oil from England, so I will attempt to bribe Elizabeth into joining my coalition; also France.

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Another gem from The Onion.

A 'newspaper generator.' Looks like fun. Maybe I'll try it.

When I told Kootch about my little joke on Michiko she was skeptical at best. In fact, she was so reluctant to go along with it that I urged her to call her sister and make it clear that I was only joking. And sure enough! Michiko, suspecting nothing, set about looking for a mysterious key. When her husband asked her what she was looking for she told him, and he cracked up. He then explained to Michiko what a 'chas teh ti berulto' was and that this was almost certainly a joke. Michiko seemed to take it all in good humor, according to Kootch who talked to her again today. Strangely, she was unable to answer my email due to some sort of' problem' with my email address. I've checked it from here and it seems fine, but this is not the first indication that there is some sort of hanky-panky going on concerning my email.

My C-III game is going well. The Persians were easily defeated. And although I am way behind technologically, I am confident that I can defend my empire if attacked. I just signed another mutual protection pact with the dangerous French woman, Joan of Ark, and am, for the time being, following a peaceful path, building up naval forces and armor. England is the next logical target, but I am reluctant to attack England and am instead in the initial stages of planning an assault on the Babylonians.

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Great news, folks! Kootch is home from Japan! Not only that, she brought about 60 pounds of loot with her, mostly Japanese food. We'll wait 'til tomorrow to unpack it because she is exhausted at the moment, and feeling the effects of our 5000+ foot altitude here in Littleton Colorado. I am amazed she is still able to make this trip at age 72. What a woman!

That's the good news, now for the bad news: Kootch lost the key to my fucking chastity belt! Argh.

Kootch claims that she kept it safely inside her purse the entire time she was gone. I believe her, of course. But where is the key now? Back in Japan? Did the key fall out accidentally? Is it lying there on the tatami? Has kootch's sister, Michiko, found it? Does Michiko wonder what that key is supposed to unlock?

I have Michiko's e-mail address. I will send her an urgent e-mail.

I can tell you girls out there in Littleton this much: Until I can locate the key to my chastity belt I'm gonna be out of action. Totally out of action. So, forget about me for a while at least. When I finally get this damned thing unlocked, I promise that all you little yum-yums will be the first to know. Stay tuned.

Hmm. I'm wondering how long it will take this damned chastity belt to rust out? Argh. God I hope Michiko finds that key.

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Got bored with all the good weather somewhere over Nevada and decided to end the flight. Guess I'll do a little cleaning up and cook supper.

There has been so much gas lately that I actually did an update to Enough is Enough.

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The attack succeeded brilliantly and the Aztec population (most of them) are now Roman citizens, and darned happy about it, by the way. A few are now British citizens. The former Aztec lands are now well underway on a program of modernization and will eventually become significant assets to The Empire.

Meanwhile I have been sucking up to France, bringing up yet another rule of life and C-III. But what to call this rule? Hmm. We already have the Golden Rule, the Silver Rule, the Iron Rule... Hmm. Guess I'll just call it the Suckup Rule for now. Suck up to the powerful. In C-III you do it by paying for a 'right of passage agreement.' I don't know how you do it in real life. Never tried it.

I am currently involved in yet another war with the weak: against the Persians. And I was able to almost catch up technologically by building 'The Theory of Evolution,' a 'Great Wonder' which grants two 'civilization advances' immediately.

Time to wrap this up. Kootch returns today! I'm gonna fire up my Boeing 737 in San Francisco and fly her directly to DIA. I can tell you one thing, folks: I'm gonna be sooo happy to finally be able to take off my chastity belt after all these weeks. You ever tried to scratch an itchy crotch through a quarter inch steel plate?

God, I hope she didn't lose the key...

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The game is going well. My workers have cleared huge amounts of jungle, built roads, mines, irrigation, and they recently completed a total 'railroadization of the nation.' (By the way, I always control each and every worker during this infrastructure construction phase.) My factories are pumping out Cavalry and Ironclads and I am ready to begin my first aggressive war (against the Aztecs). The invasion fleet is anchored just off the Aztec coast even as I type this.

The rest of the world is completely discovered now. France, the dominant nation, is way ahead of me technologically. Greece, the next most dominant nation, is also far ahead. In fact, I think I'm sucking hind technological tit at the moment, except for the Aztecs. But I have iron, coal, and rubber, not to mention fine spices which I export to other nations for cash and other luxuries. I currently trade England iron in exchange for incense; However, England just declared war on Aztecs and will soon have her own iron supply. This means I will have to pay England for her incense when the current contract runs out. But the Aztecs have incense... and their army is much smaller than my army... And they already have the English to deal with...

So I will follow the Iron Rule of C-III and of Life Itself: attack the weak.

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Well folks, I went on to win that war with Babylon. The war with China had to wait until I had learned the technology (Synthetic Fibers) to build Modern Armor. Once that was achieved I upgraded all my tanks and attacked. China, with only infantry to defend it, lasted only three turns. This left only France and Rome (and one small Babylonian city in the middle of the ocean somewhere). Back in the 'old days' I would have finished off both France and Babylon, but nowadays I always stop here and begin a new game. The reason is that at this point the win is only a matter of 'technique' (as we say in chess). Tedious technique.

So I began another game yesterday. As usual, only a military victory is allowed, the world is 'normal-sized, warm, wet, and archipelago.' I allow 'accelerated production' and do not allow the 'preserve random seed' function. So far I have had my first war with Persia (as usual) but have not destroyed them. I am in contact with only three other civilizations at this time, and fully two thirds of this new world has yet to be discovered (C-III always creates a totally different world every time you start a new game). The World Map is mostly dark. I know the identities of the other civilizations yet to be discovered because I selected them at the beginning of the game: France, Greece, Babylon, and India. I never allow the game to select my opponents randomly.

I have learned never to select Russia, Germany, or America, because the ugly old Jewish queer upstairs seems to identify with all three. I suppose he likes Germany because the Kaiser is bald with a moustache; Russia because that is his ancestry, and America for the obvious reason that he wishes to appear patriotic. Whenever I select one or more of the 'forbidden three' I must endure a series of stomps and wallbangs whenever I am at war with the selected civilization.

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With apologies to Lou Dobbs...

England is no more, having been absorbed into the French and Roman empires. So sad. I'll miss negotiating with the pale, buxom Elizabeth. The music was glorious too. (But I can also hear it during negotiations with Joan of Ark. Would I have defended England only for that music? YBYSAIWH.) In point of fact it was I, Ceasar, who took the last English city. The French and English war had been going on so long that the people of both countries had overthrown their respective democracies and installed Communist Dictatorships. And since the French were unable to administer a coup de gras because they could not build Tanks (no rubber), I felt it my duty to terminate the misery of the English people. So far, the English population appear to be enjoying their new status as Roman citizens.

This brings up the important point that I now control the world's rubber supply, While France controls most of the world's oil: bad news for the Babylonians and the Chinese.

My people are enjoying being involved in only one war (with Babylon), and that we are 'closing in,' so to say. I am using one of my two carrier/attack forces in the Babylonian war, while the other has been left stationed just off the coast of China. The eight bombers of that group have been transferred to a Babylonian city near the current fighting and are pounding the enemy, alongside their brothers on the carrier/attack force offshore. Babylon infrastructure is in shambles. The crunch will soon come, however, in the form of increasing 'war-weariness' among the Roman citizenry.

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Most of my time recently has been involved in fighting a defensive war against the Chinese, while simultaneously building a large fleet of modern surface ships and bombers. I used the fleet (which includes aircraft carriers) to virtually destroy China's infrastructure. When I had finally achieved the technology to build tanks I used those excellent attackers to take several Chinese cities, one of which was their main manufacturer of 'dyes,' another luxury rescource. But the long war was causing considerable 'war weariness' among the people and I was eventually forced to sign a peace treaty with China, who, as part of the peace deal, contributed 600 gold to the Roman treasury.

I ignored The Brits pretty much until the china war was over. Just before my oil contract with France expired I attacked Babylon, and when Babylon counter-attacked, France declared war on Babylon, per our MPP. This left France at war with China, England, and Babylon. That was when I signed the peace treaty with China, and began to concentrate on Babylon. I soon took a Babylonian city which was able to supply 'furs' (another 'Luxury resourse'), and the people rejoiced, building improvements to my palace in thanks. They were also very happy to be out of the interminable Chinese war.

Meanwhile, France was slowly destroying England, and when I saw my opportunity to take an English city which could supply my female population with 'silks,' another 'luxury resource,' I took it. Soon as I can build a road to 'the silks' my female population will no longer be dependent on France for their silk panties. I am very popular nowadays.

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Another funny article from The Onion.

The Aztecs are no more. I quickly took all of their cities and built airports at strategic locations. I also shipped two boatloads of workers (16) to my new colonies with orders to improve the landscape over there. Then France attacked England, and since I have a 'Mutual Protection Pact' with France, I was forced to declare war on England. It was a sad day. I can tell you this much, folks: Joan of Ark might be a cutie, but she is a dangerous woman!

Then China attacked my new colonies! Darn!! Looks like I'll be too busy with the Chinese to get much involved in a war with the Brits.

Babylon's intentions are somewhat of a mystery at this point, but since neither China nor Babylon have access to oil I am not really worried.

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Amazing panty story here by a candidate for governor of Alabama.

The war against the Aztecs goes well. I was able to build a new city right on top of their oil field! Next step is to construct an airport and/or harbor in that city. This will make another line of oil available when my contract with France runs out. Meanwhile, two other Roman invasion groups landed near two Aztec cities on the 'mainland' and both cities were taken on the next turn. My ally, France, then declared war on the Aztecs. I was able to pursuade England to join our little coalition with a small bribe of 'wines.' (Wines fall in the category of 'luxury rescources;' oil and rubber fall in the category of 'strategic rescources.' Both types are essential for national survival.) China and Babylon were not 'invited.' By the way, Babylon destroyed The Greeks, leaving our little world with only six civilizations. Soon there will be only five.

I had to laugh at a piece on the Today Show this morning concerning 'Art Rock,' an annual event in Rockefeller Center. One of the art pieces was a mechanical mannequin which stood facing a wall. The mannequin, named, 'Kid,' would periodically beat his forehead against the wall a random number of times. Highly irritating, but I found it hilarious. I was reminded of, 'Wally the wallbanger' who 'lives' upstairs, and whose antics I have frequently described in my blog, Non Serviam.

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Still playing C-III. I've followed a peacefull path since the Persians, preferring to build out my national infrastructure (railroads, mines, etc) instead of getting sidetracked by wars. My strategy is generally based on rescources like oil and rubber, etc. This particular game has only three oil fields (for the seven remaining civilizations). My ally, France, has two of the three and I have just declared war on the Aztecs and landed an invasion force on the only remaining oil field, which is in Aztec territory. Also, just before the invasion I secured a 20-move deal with France for one of her oil fields (exchanging rubber for oil), which means that for the next 20 turns I will control two oils. This should give me plenty of time to plot a course toward world domination. Such fun.

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Interesting Hubble tours here.

Looks like my addiction to C-III isn't cured after all. I started a new game last night, and so far I have wiped out the Persians and am working on 'Education.'

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Hello there you lucky devils you!

I have arrived here drunk as a skunk! And luckily I will soon leave for my other blog, 'Enough is enough.' Furthermore I plan to eventually return to my primary blog, Non Serviam!

I realize this is difficult for you to accept. My advice to you is to do Acid. Then you will understand.

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Another ego-buster here.

Been learning a little about how to tinker with the 'template,' which is written in HTML (I think). Added my other blogs to the 'Links' field and now all three blogs refer to each other in a sort of trinity.

Found this funny story on Onion. It's a bit too close for comfort...

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Been exploring my stash of blogsites and stumbled on this this morning. Also this.

This one has some interesting information concerning the origin of babies; also some fun computer humor. You girls might be interested in a photo of Brad Pitt. Looks to me like he is either partially circumcised or partially skinned back.

A much more charming and sedate blog can be found here. Just got this from that.

Looks like Comcast broadband has cured me of my Civilization III addiction.

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Slide #2 is definitely ego-deflating. Best viewed from here.