chemchok

Actually, that looks really nice. It's all about the texture and color, I didn't even realize it was a cast of a face (probably because of the frontal viewpoint).

I have a stomach of steel, bring it on.

No, but I can improvise.

I'm pretty sure he meant that one.

Sure Finger, we're equal opportunity here. Post away.

Yeah, I guessed the amounts for the tomato sauce, or spaghetti sauce as you and my girlfriend prefer. Maybe I'll try out the fudge this weekend... and that utility bill is looking pretty sweet.

1. No, our economy was not destroyed, though it was hurt. I don't think it is so farfetched to believe that something worse could happen if it was intentional and coordinated. 2. It doesn't matter if it's one person executing the attack or 19-20; the coordinated support that allows that one person to execute the plan is just as important as the attack itself. Al Qaeda has executed several military attacks. Read through Chapter 2 of the 9/11 Comission Report if you're interested. http://www.9-11commission.gov/report/index.htm 3. I never said Al Qaeda could bring America to it's knees; 9/11 certainly did not. But every economic blow they cause against the US is a victory for them. - I hate to keep flinging links around left and right, but it's seems useless to restate something that is expressed so much clearer and with better understanding somewhere else. I think I've also passed my political post quota for the day, I'm bowing out of this conversation.

As could any number of Hackers if getting into heeps of trouble didn't bother them. The big problem with living in the computer age is it not. The question is how long would it take our government to get those things up and running again after the attack that is the question that needs to be answered. You need to remember there is no physical damage done to the infrastructure we would just lose control of it. If there was an extended period those grids were down lets say a month or more it would definately hurt the economy if they were back up and running in days what kind of effect would that have? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> 1. You can cause physical damage to infrastructure through the internet. It is possible, and before you disagree with me, read through the second link I provided earlier. Is it probable? I leave that up to you. 2. The summer blackout of the Summer of 2003, which was caused by a freak accident of nature and human failure cost around 12$ billion in economic losses. That isn't chump change, and it wasn't a concerted effort, which brings me to point three. 3. The 9/11 attack was not the first concerted attack on US interests by Al Qaeda. The attack that maimed the USS Cole was carefully planned out. The nearly simultaneous bombings of the US embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Tanzania were carefully planned. It is foolish to think that 9/11 was some stroke of luck on Al Qaeda's part. They found, analyzed, and then exploited our weaknesses. There is no guarantee that this won't happen again. The least we can do is analyze these weaknesses and think creatively as to what is possible, just as they have done.

There was an interesting Frontline episode titled "Cyber War" that covered the threat of cyber terrorist attacks. Read through it if you have the time, it's extremely interesting. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/cyberwar/ This interview is particularly ominous, it's with the man in charge of the Information Operations Red Team and Assessments (IORTA) group, the government group that intentionally probes US sites for security defects, both physically, as in sneaking weapons past airport security guards, inflitrating nuclear power plant security, etc. and through electronic means. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sh...ews/skroch.html Excerpt: Q: Could your team, if you wanted to, take down the entire [electrical] grid in the United States? A: The IDART red team could demonstrate numerous vulnerabilities and system effects against U.S. critical infrastructure that are scenario-dependent and adversary-dependent. We do this so that we can help improve the systems so that they can't be taken down in the future, and a cyber Pearl Harbor won't affect the U.S. infrastructures. Q: But could you if you wanted to? A: I won't answer that question. ... Terrorists could cripple vital infrastructure through the internet, including dams, the electrical grid, ATMs, etc. Even if the event did not result in catastrophic physical damage it could easily cripple the US economy.

I'm getting sick of the same old grub, would appreciate some recipes from the fellow forum members. Even though I've lived with several people who were unable to boil water, I'm confident someone here must be able to cook a decent meal. Keep it simple and tasty. So to start off, I'll throw in my recipe for tomato sauce. An all-purpose tomato sauce is extremely versatile, easy to make, and will taste so much better than 99.9% of the premade stuff you'll buy off the supermarket shelf (like Prego/Ragu). TOMATO SAUCE ------------------- Ingredients (to serve 2 people): - 15 oz./425g can of tomato sauce (make sure there's salt already added to it - and any brand will do, Del Monte, Hunts, Goya, etc.) - olive oil - tablespoon of basil - tablespoon of oregano - teaspoon of parsley - 1-2 minced cloves of garlic (depends on your preference, start out with 1 if you're unsure) 1. Get a medium saucepan and add enough olive oil to have a relatively thin layer on the bottom. Heat it on a medium/low setting. 2. When the oil heats up add the garlic; sautee and stir it until it takes on a golden color and then *quickly* add the can of sauce **Note**: This is the only "critical" part of the recipe. If you let the garlic sit too long or don't stir it you will burn it-this will completely change the flavour of the sauce so have the can of tomato sauce ready to pour at your side. 3. With the sauce added, add the basil, oregano, and parsley. 4. Stir it well, then bring down the heat to a low setting, cover and let simmer for ~10 minutes, stirring occasionaly. That's it. Add to your favorite pasta or use it for baked ziti/lasagne. Suggestions: - If you don't like the amount or type of spices try something different (some grated pecorino romano or parmesan cheese is nice too). - For a meat sauce, brown a 1/2 lb. of chopmeat in a pan, then add to the sauce after step 3. - Cook some (as in ~4) strips of bacon, crumble/cut it up, then add it to the sauce after step 3. Toss a handful of frozen peas in at the same time. - Already cooked porkchops can also be thrown into the mix same as the two examples above. - You can make a ton of this sauce (just extrapolate the necessary ingredients off the recipe), freeze it, then pop it in the microwave whenever you need it. Hope someone finds this useful.

^ Maybe they're all underneath his bed.

Alright everyone. Place your bets on how long it'll take for this thread to get locked.

I'm at a loss as to what you're talking about. Rick Lazio had been a rising star in Long Island politics and was also up for his first bid at the Senate. If it had been anybody else besides Hillary Clinton they probably would have had a much worse showing in the polls. Plus, the worst hit against Lazio wasn't his political stances persay, but his rudeness towards Hillary in their last televised debate prior to the election. It's entirely ridiculous to say that NY voters would have voted for a sock puppet instead of Lazio.

Yeah, I posted before you said they'd be for NWN. Should of figured that out with your all of your graphics posts... Edit: BTW, you have any finished work you can post?

Pretty decent work, though I think the bosom itself needs some symmetry (and the ears). Sword looks nice too, I dig the long tooth running down the blade. Definitely need to add some shading or colour, but I think they're both worth the effort. The symbiont seems a little "stiff" to me, maybe a more organic/chitinous look might help.

Well, we should lower the drinking age to 18. If you're old enough to join the military you should be allowed to drink a beer.

:ph34r: I haven't played pool in a while, stopped when they outlawed smoking in bars. Maybe I should get over it and start going again.

Shoot some stick?

You could try here. http://www.tomshardware.com/

Just thought I'd point out that 26 is the cutoff age these days. Those most likely to be drafted would be 20 years of age if a draft is held. http://www.sss.gov/FSlottery.htm

Yeah, if there was a conspiracy (which I don't think there is in this case) then a Carlyle PR guy certainly wouldn't come out and announce it on radio. This was more of an amusing tangent for the thread.

The following link is to the transcript of a local NPR show called "On the Media." It's a conversation with the VP for Corporate Communications at Carlyle and is apropriately called "The Worst PR Job in the World." http://www.wnyc.org/onthemedia/transcripts..._070204_PR.html Just thought it might be interesting to show what a Carlyle rep has to deal with.

Was he sicilian? Sicily was a pretty seedy place. No wonder so many people can trace their lineage back to it. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> No, Southern Italian, near Bari.

Heh, I didn't mention my great-grandfather on the other side of my family who was known for his bathtub gin.... :D

Supposedly my great-great grandfather was a horse thief in Italy; this only makes me wonder whether or not it's even worth researching family history further back.