Walsingham

My own _feeling_ is that the majority of things which exist as common to most societies are based on what benefits those societies. Some acts/stances are beneficial in limited context, viz the acceptability of killing and pacifism during wartime. However, a large swathe of acts/stances are beneficial all the time. An example of this would be defence of infants. It is almost invariable going to benefit society if its infants are well looked after, fostered, and not damaged. Please note that while I am arguing that some things always benefit society this does not mean such codes are always adhered to by those societies. This is because generally speaking doing the 'right' thing is a huge pain in the behind.

Aaaah... the game TIE fighter. Finally a chance to crush rebel scum. Only I can't get it to work on my PC! *sad face* TIE interceptor for style. Assault gunboat for bullseyeing rebels.

Maybe a lack of a good 20/30mm cannon? Improved reliability? Or more possibly it confused the fly-by-wire.

Check out the new j-10. They've got more fighters than we've got missiles.

I'm bored of teh primaries now. I want to see the main event. Let's start throwing popcorn.

Sounds like the soviet bit is just the hull. All teh electronics and power will be Chinese.

I thought quebec voted to remain in Canada?

Points for using the word 'pshaw'. They do need a navy, though, for two reasons: 1. General muscle flexing on the beach. 2. Securing the transport lanes for oil coming from abroad. 3.* invading Taiwan if it 'tries to secede'** *3! Our 3 main reasons are... ** You know, like more than usual.

I agree. You'd only tempt godzilla to rise from the depths.

Says the man who lives in a swamp?

http://www.sinodefence.com/navy/surface/aircraft_carrier.asp The sneaky sobs are acquiring a carrier by the laughably simple ruse of saying "What THIS ex-Russian aircraft carrier? Why no, we intend to build a war-themed amusement park."

That's because standards have been dropped in the military as well. Standards have dropped. But we still kick ass and take names. Well, maybe not names, precisely. But, you know, major organs.

Its defences are organised around a direct large scale assault. A small, one man fighter should be able to penetrate the outer defence.

"Welll, I don't know anyone named Obi-wan, but old Sluggo lives out beyond the dune sea. He's kind of a strange old hermit."

O rly? But seriously: Sounds familiar. You sure that there isn't an "in-" too much?

That really is weird. I don't LIKE The Office, but I know it is very very funny. It's just too painful to watch. I can only manage three minutes at a stretch.

Patton was a falsetto voiced jackass. My grandfather encountered an American officer who emulated Patton with his revolvers, on D-Day. They were receiving 88 fire, and Grandad mildly remarked "What are you all got up like that for? D'you think there's a war on?"

Bang on about the talcum powder (/baby powder). Keep your feet and other bits dry, so I'm told. I don't know about the US Army, but we Brits are absolutely packed out with AA batteries. Most modern kit uses them, and you get scads of them. Don't worry about local customs. Stuff gets flown in by special delivery. Just don't bother sending booze. You'll only get teh pooor buggers into trouble. I think. It really depends where they are, and what their CO is like.

Now that Im goinbg through training I have a slightly different perspective. the physical standard for women are basically the minimum possible. The standards for men are basically just an added margin because we ought to be able to. As for women not being goood enough, my last serious girlfriend was a woman, ex-Army and a sometime professional bodyguard. I dare say she'd whup most of you nervous nellies hands down. I met a female captain teh other day who runs the toughest all terrain marathons in the world. All this tosh about women not being incapable is pure bushwah.

Neat idea on the local paper. Nothing to make them laugh like that, I'd imagine. Also, if you send fod, keep in mind that things break or get soaked. Individually wrapped sweets are quite good, provided they don't melt.

sadly, one sometimes just has to buy a new mouse.

Given that hitting a six means hitting a ball over the boundary there's every chance of a ball heading in your direction as a spectator. In any event, watching cricket is an event, rather than a sports watching thing. Or should be. One goes to sit in a deckchair, drink pimms or tea or beer, and chat. It's basically like going fishing, but without any danger of having to exert yourself.

Don't forget that as a cricketer, 90% waiting around is perfectly fun. Seriously though, joining the Army for giggles is never going to work out well... Now, joining it to do a job, well fair enough.

In your own time, 007...

Dude, you're mental. You think conventional war is nothing but charging around in a FPS? It's 90% being told to hurry up and wait, 5% trying to find a decent latrine, 3% pr0n or talking about pr0n, and 2% pants-wetting terror. Then you get hit by indirect fire. I have this verified by several relatives, and two ex-girlfriends.