malek77

(um, just to be paranoid, are you sure about the crash thing?)

Otherwise...ow...

+wishes all concerned well+

+busily takes notes+

Hmm. The skin is aluminium - what about structurals? You might be able to 'stick' to one under the skin...no - apparently not. (googlewhacked the topic)

We *could* harpoon the plane. Perhaps something that ejects a fast setting rubber to seal off the holes and damage.

Temporarily.

(harpooning aircraft...images of whaling ships reeling in boeings and WaterWorld come to mind here...)

Or - with that fast setting goo again, a sort of 'water bomb' on the end of the grapple line. It explodes, runs a bit, sets and has theoretically anchored the line...

Now all we need is a contact glue that works in seconds at low temperatures, moist environments and is strong enough to hold 70kg's of person & 30kgs of equipment travelling at 600kmh...

You could perhaps tag the plane first by dropping a heap of these lines, then dive down onto the most firmly attached.

hee hee...

Ah - now according to a friend who has extensive experience with air travel - she suggests just using the door. It's meant to open from the outside - slap SnowDog's rubbery 'airlock' around it - fixed in place with yet more of this magical glue...?

Oxygen supply, warmth, and shock protection

How about modified MetalGear?

Medium bullet proof, built in air-con, sound system and collision detection with a small air-tank or one of those compressor/breather things that climbers use when at high altitude. It could even be slightly powered...and provides excellent anchor points for jetpacks and wings.

Thoughts?

Me and Harry have been cooking up an idea.

It involves hijacking aircraft - while they're inflight.

From outside the plane.

The idea I've had so far involves getting above the flightpath of the target aircraft (in an AV or helicopter), and having your crew of insane SkyPirates skydive onto it - with the aid of backpack wings (like the TechJaeger (iirc) out of stormfront) or some kind of jetpack/parachute combo (so when you ran out of fuel you could drift gently to the ground).

My idea is that our Pirates will match or near speed with the target, deploy grapple lines and reel themselves in.

Once attached to the target, they can then begin hostile entry procedures - an advantage here *could* be that causing cabin depressurisation will force the plane lower and incapacitate the people aboard because they'll be cold/wearing oxy masks/collapsing from oxygen deprivation.

You could also bust into unpressurised sections (if they exist) and not have that worry - say you just wanted to get at the cargo.

Reasons for this madness?

a) It looks cool.

Excuse 1- its a cargo plane and the airports are too well guarded. We want some stuff out of it.

c) Excuse 2- assassination target is least protected while inflight, and getting agents with weapons aboard is impossible.

d) Excuse 3- Extraction under duress. Shooting the plane down is not an option, we need the target alive, is too well guarded other times...blah blah...

e) Not convinced? See 'a'.

Ok - now's your turn to tear it apart.

Feasibility? Will turbulence/flightpath altitude/speeds require speeds/forces the human body cannot endure?

What kind of technology will you require?

Safety? What safety? Um - Ideas on where to attach the grapple lines to avoid getting splattered on windshields, eaten by the engine or decapitated by the tailplane? Will cutting a hole in the side simply cause the plane to tear apart in a catastrophic manner? Is the Engine blast area lethal?

What kind of guns to use? What are the skymarshalls likely to do?

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Now the question is...what do they sound like? Hmm...

per·fec·tion   ( P )  Pronunciation Key  (pr-fkshn)

n.

The quality or condition of being perfect.

The act or process of perfecting: Perfection of the invention took years.

A person or thing considered to be perfect.

An instance of excellence.

hm.

To me, I would be perfected if I was and thought the way I'd like to, but currently don't. Then in that state, my idea of perfection might change - so its final state will be where I am happy with all changes and wish to make no more in the current context.

Do I want this? Oh yes...

Why? Maybe you like yourself and your abilities, and are happy as you are. I don't and I'm not. There is an awful lot I want to change, and getting control of my genetics would be a very useful step...until the metal is available...

I doubt they'll be allowed to. The best they might get is premium advantages for those who submit to the testing. (even that will be resisted, since it'll look like a subtle form of discrimination against the genetically unhealthy. I've already heard people on the news suggesting exactly this before...)

While it still suggests to anyone that they might get treated in terms of what they are, rather than what they think they should be treated like, the idea will be resisted strenuously - accusations of Corporate Eugenics, manipulation and the possible influence an Insurance company could end up having over its clients genetic future will result in such outcry and silliness as to make Monsanto pale in comparison.

(I made that sound really evil, didn't I...)

Possibly, I would counter here that if Moore's law holds up for another 15 years a computer with as much processing power as a human brain will cost $2,000.

The cost then will be developing the operational software, so yes, your point still holds in that way...*grumbles*

Re: the meat puppet being around for a long time?

Hell yeah!

There's little as versatile as a human...as a field commander with a squad of Bot's to order around, perhaps?

Think about this angle - why is it unfair to determine insurance cover based on genetics?

It makes perfect sense. The person who is going to get <insert disease here> knows it, and can plan for it, the person not going to get it can focus their energies on more likely problems.

I just don't think its discrimination if something is true, and I don't think its unfair to treat people differently.

It's unfair to treat them all the same...which means you aren't taking into consideration their context.

Also - the technology that allows us to find these things out is also the technology that can repair it - once we can ID dangerous genes, is it not feasible that soon after we will be able to replace them?

ie: go to the viral vector clinic, update your DNA and your health premium drops, thus economically ensuring a healthier society? Isn't that we want?

(I like the sound of that, DNA upgrades. Get your patch against Influenza, Cold Sores and heart disease here!

Upgrade muscle to 'FitnessPattern #3'!

Tailored services available for more specific needs cases.)

I may be a lunatic, but this kind of technology sounds way more beneficial and cool than any short term post-modern-politically-correct discrimination problems it will cause...

So hell yeah I'd get scanned - not so I'd know when I was going to die. But so I'd know what to fix, to become idealised and perfected...

It seems to be entirely politically motivated to me...little to do with religion and everything to do with bashing Israel for existing.

You *could* challenge it on the grounds it promoted terrorism as a way of effecting political change...

Egypt bans Matrix Reloaded

AP - Egyptian censors have banned the international box office hit The Matrix Reloaded on religious grounds and what they described as the film's excessive violence.

The head of the Egyptian censorship body in charge of audio and visual productions said today that the country's highest film committee decided not to allow the movie to be shown.

"There is no specific scene to which the committee objected but it is about the movie as a whole," Madkour Thabit, the head of censorship body, said today.

The 15-member committee is made up of film critics, professors, writers and psychologists. It watched the Warner Bros movie and held a discussion before voting to ban it.

It a statement, the committee said that "despite the high technology and fabulous effects of the movie, it explicitly handles the issue of existence and creation, which are related to the three divine religions, which we all respect and believe in."

It said the movie "tackles the issue of the creator and his creations, searching the origin of creation and the issue of compulsion and free will".

It added that "such religious issues, raised in previous times, caused crises".

The Matrix Reloaded, is the second sequel of a trilogy directed and written by Larry and Andy Wachowski.

The first instalment, The Matrix, was released in 1999. The third sequel concludes this November with The Matrix Revolutions.

The Matrix Reloaded stars Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss and Monica Bellucci.

The statement said violent scenes in the movie also played a role in the decision to ban it.

"Screening the movie may cause troubles and harm social peace," the statement said.

The first Matrix film was shown in Egypt but was criticised by some Islamic newspapers after they claimed it espoused Zionism.

"The press launched a campaign to stop showing the movie, saying that it reflects Zionist ideas, and promotes Jewish and Zionist beliefs," said Wael Abdel Fatah, an Egyptian movie critic.

Abdel Fatah added "that is why they are very cautious, to avoid any criticism this year".

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/Entertainment/story_49408.asp

So what is it boys, the 'pitonk' noise as Smith goes wheeling out of the park, or that its going to stir up a Jihad?

Or is it just that they use the word 'Zion'?

There was an interesting looking book put out by an Australian game company (IIRC, & I might not ) about the 2000 bug.

Not only had the Y2k bug brought about the end of computerised civilization - it was all actually a plot by evil alien bugs intent on Earthly domination!

As the computers, NORAD and worldwide telecommunications went down - the Bugs Attacked...

It looked really cool. Hick survivalist America with alien ultratech bioweapons - ie: these funky biorifles that would recharge...

Looked cool.

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Hm. Automated Corporate poetry...I'm sure there's some memetic plague or advertising concept to be found in this...

I fear the day when we have to study such a thing in English classes...

...There seems to be some deeper wisdom in this...

+wonders if he's on drugs but doesn't know it+

Quote

Probability curves, you b*stards, probability curves! You two are the reason I'm woman-repellant!

No, that's because you don't shave.

+looks at self in reflection+

Hehehe - then again, scrupulous shaving doesn't have much of an effect either...

Don't worry Bookwyrm. You're safer from insanity at this end...

Pretty much.

Another cool aspect is that it would then be relatively short jump to a robotic combatant, once AI is small and powerful enough to replace the 'man in the middle'.

Obviously, bones, extra muscle and all that sensor gear would be necessary too...but you get the idea

Where to from there? It depends on which technology goes the furthest fastest next.

Power? Suits capable of inhuman athletic feats, with energy weapons.

Armour? Anti-tank mecha-dreadnoughts.

Weapons? Super-inf anti-everything platform.

Just some thoughts.

And hopes.

http://www.trnmag.com/Stories....02.html

You could say it was like sp18 all over, just with no encumbrance value...

It doesn't look like myomar (aritfical muscle) is going to be throwing cars and leaping buildings anytime soon, just alleviating the difficulty of carrying gear.

A big issue is going to be power source, and field time.

I see early PA is going to be for house-to-house SWAT raids and nothing more, until the power generator and strength of the myomar is such that its worth adding this whole new logistical nightmare to the Army.

Regarding communications etc - go crazy. Look what you can do now with a Nokia 3650...

Hey!

Good to hear you're safe and well!

*more general rejoicing!*

Realism? Nah...I've never been shot at - heck, I've only held a gun once, my one experience with mugging I talked my way out of, so I have little idea of what real danger is like...

I concentrate on creating a fun story - preferably with lots of amusing character interaction rather than a serious military simulation.

ie: multiple choice -

You have just been shot at. Do you -

a)Calmly draw your pistol and aim at their forehead

b)Take cover, then return suppressive fire

c)Scream, dive through a plate glass window and politely apologise to the terrified shop assistant about the glass...

If you chose 'C' - you should be in my live games...

http://www.doordice.com

They seem to have an awesome range...

"Yegods" and "Egad" are good ones for the whole anachronistic cursing...

*s*

The art of curses has lost something.

It no longer refers to plagues, sandfleas and interesting forms of purgatory - its all to do with rape and animal faeces.

I wonder why...stupidity, illiteracy or efficiency?

I've been getting Ghost in the Shell 2 - Man Machine Interface, and in between being blown away by the graphics and puzzling at motoko's dress sense, I've been trying to think up ways to turn Masamune Shirow's vision of netrunning into rules that CP2020 could use.

I know turbosquirrel is interested, and we all need a good set of rules...has anyone sat down and thought it out? Any Analyses you've written lying around? Think you understand what he's talking about (and could explain to me!)?

I'll be plowing ahead on my own, but if someone else would like to join in to critique ideas and offer their own...

(ps: these are not meant to be small nor simplified - see the KISS system for something sanely sized that can be integrated easily with other PC's...this is an attempt at modelling the comic!)

I've often wondered what would happen if protestors got organised and used proper tactics VS the Riot Police...seems the rioters would win!

I'm think there was something like it in Malaysia or Indonesia a while back - the protestors had all these wicker shields, bamboo staffs and facemasks. Not sure how it ended...

And I'm curious as to how the riot gear was unsafe. Was it some 'aim for the joints' type tactic, or did it not deflect blows properly?  

Patlabor is always good for a 'reality check' on Mech use - its nice and realistic in its way.

There is a bit of relationship politicking going on, but the repair crew and the pilots are in different planes of existance, and tend to be a bit distant from one another...

This isn't to knock Kountzero, hell yeah it can make the story interesting. I'm setting up something like that in a game, and its hilarious to think of the nervous guy at home waiting for his beloved warrior to return...

Would women be better as human body type to design around?

I tend to think the only time it would be an issue is in suits that are very small, tight, and that use strength amplification rather than out-and-out replacement.

A suit that is just active armour over the body is going to need heaps of tweaking to fit anybody, not just men or women. I'd hate to think what an ill fitting suit would do - can you imagine the chafing!?!

If the suit itself only adds some strength to the operator - and isn't so overpowerful that there is no point in using the human musculature - you'll probably find the strength differences showing through again.

Not that it matters - since when in combat is a fight a direct contest of strength? I thought it was more speed and skill...

...and if you're in CC with another ACPA, you are WAY too close...

(btw - ACPA or APCA? I always thought it stood for Armed Combat Powered Armour )

I can just see the headline -

"Luddite G8 protestors attack police line...cold steel drives back modern armour!"

Erm.

Why did this happen?

And was it Thumpers fault?

But OT:

Never seen it that way before...good point.

The problem I have with Abortion is I know one person who 'should' have been aborted, and another who was but just survived by another Doctor mistaking them for someone to be taken care of.

 And these two people are the best examples of humanity...the world would have really missed out if they'd died.

 I also know someone who was raped at 9, and then their mistreatment became bad.

I can see both sides here, and they're all freaking painful...

Motive. What's the motive behind an abortion?

Once you know that, you can see the correct course to take in response...

Given a few years, that could well be me...its just I'd be knocking the Vatican over, not working for them...