Posts made by Jermofoot

Oh, ok.  I thought the correct response would elicit a new question.  I guess that’s so.

Here it is:

How did the use of the middle finger as an insult come to be?  Or…what is the significance of “the bird” as an insult?

Chicago, Ill.
It’s a guess, because I think he was a big city boy?  Maybe not…

@Yanny:

ESPN did a poll a while back. “Which Olympic event do you watch most”. Ice Hockey was #1. I forget which was #2. Figure Skating maybe?

Ah…I see.
I thought this was a global poll.
Now I understand.  :-D

@cystic:

@Jermofoot:

@Yanny:

Little thing called Men’s hockey going on… you know, the highest rated sport in either Olympics?

Wow, is that true?  I wouldn’t have guessed that…

Heard a relatively funny line the other day:

“Hockey is for chalkies.”

i don’t get that . . . .

Hockey so kicks soccer’s a**.  It’s faster, there are MUCH better hits, and when you get hit and you go down, you move your a** up again as quickly as you can.  With soccer if someone looks at you wrong you fall down and start crying while holding your leg/arm/side etc.  Fricken suckholes.

Oh, I like hockey.  A friend said that to me because of the lack of anyone non-white in the hockey leagues.  It’s ironic because he’s half Indian and plays hockey.  My guess at the most watched event in the Olympics would be gymnastics or something.  Maybe track.

@Yanny:

Little thing called Men’s hockey going on… you know, the highest rated sport in either Olympics?

Wow, is that true?  I wouldn’t have guessed that…

Heard a relatively funny line the other day:

“Hockey is for chalkies.”

I think the vicarious warfare you mention Chengora will be a reality.  You are exactly right about using video games to train people, as the US Army has recently (past 2-4 years) released a game that is in their interest - “America’s Army.”  It seems that the benefits are many, desensitizing among them.  Not to mention that it is a branding of the Army itself, a la any corporate marketing scheme: Army of One slogan, similar ads that ring with familiarity every time you see them, a logo, etc…

Now, while I think it will happen, let’s at least suppose it happens.  Robotics and vicarious warfare are now a reality.  Since we would not be experiencing as many human casualties, and instead suffer financial loss, would we be more or less prone to go to war?
Also, robotics and automated weaponry aren’t necessarily better than humans at combat, they just have a different set of strengths and weaknesses.  Such as: the need for battlefield mechanics/robotic experts; EMP shielding; anti-hacking protection, and so on.  The distance that is created between the warrior and the battle almost allows for even more unfortunate circumstances, i.e. communication breakdown.  I would think a squad of humans would be able to adapt easier than a squad of automatons behind enemy lines.

I can almost see it now, though:  A lone drone traversing the battlefield, resplendent in its awesome weaponry.  On closer inspection you see an AOL logo and an Intel Inside! icon on the hood.

Ok, just got my laptop 2 days ago.
I’m going to see how it runs, then I’ll get in contact with you guys about playing.

I think Switch’s posts are out of hand.  Yanny should approve each and every post.  Maybe twice just to make sure they are ok.

:-D

Is the book Hitler Victorious in the same line?  It sounds like it would be…

I found D-Day to be necessary.  Strategically and politically.

Chengora - also brings to mind Ender’s Game.  Great book with a similar theme.

I’d have to agree with EJ on this, mostly.

Follow through on Dunkirk/Sealion - would have knocked UK out.
Less focus on vengeance weapons/retaliation and emphasize the sciences that had real return, even those that couldn’t be tooled for the Nazi aim.
Convince Japan to attack Russia early on in the war.  Japan showed Russia a few decades before, and could help again.
Also, trust in his subordinates (giving them proper control) would have gone a LONG way (e.g. the panzers held back on D-Day).

@AgentSmith:

Not true. At the end, Hitler blamed the German people (along with the Jews, of course) for his defeat. Some of his generals asked to surrender to spare the civilians and Hitler replied that they knew what they were getting into and had no sympathy for them. Hitler was anything but a “protector of the German people”.

This is largely irrelevent b/c this assumes the outcome is all that matters which in of itself assumes an egocentric view of the war in favor of whose telling the history.  by this reasoning had the Germans won he would’ve been the great protector of the German people?  No this is absolutely how Hitler saw himself and that is all that matters.  If you want to dispute that then pull up some sources of Hitler blaming the people, and better yet for once explain how that would be at all relevent to the discussion at hand.  Analysis mary, analysis.  I can site blanket facts too but that doesn’t really reveal anything.

AS - I know you are reading.  This is info for when you come back, because you will be back.  :-D

There was an ideology. Not to mention, Hitler blamed the German people & Jews for failing him (germany) - read Cornelius Ryan’s The Final Battle.  It’s an exciting read anyway.  There’s plenty of other sources as everyone and their mother were anxious to find out the “Why?” of WW2.  I’m sure you recall Meyer’s “shocking” results.

3 other things, in general.  Stop arguing for the sake of arguing, or to get some irelevant point in.  Don’t shootdown someone’s point due to lack of sources when you don’t supply them yourself.  Argue what they are saying, not what you think they are thinking/doing.

@unc_samurai:

Jermofoot, my local Blockbuster eventually gifted me their copy since I was the only person who rented it for the year and a half it was in their store.

Funny, they did the same thing with P.T.O. for the SNES.

Blockbusters still rent NES/SNES games?  I thought you only found them in homes and on eBay.

@El:

I heard Rev. Lowery say, “They found no WMD’s, but we have Weapons of Mass Deception here.”  He also said something about Billions for the war in Iraq and nothing for the poor.

He has no idea how little is spent on defense as compared to welfare, education, social security, health, etc. …

I don’t think you have any idea of how money is spent.  Defense is more than 50% of the budget, and has been for a while.  In fact, it’s more than the combined expenditure of of the next dozen countries or so.  Many people argue that we DON’T spend enough on education and health care, and that social security is a waste.

Bush looks better and better.
He had nice things to say…
then sat there and calmly listened to their schtick!

Who looks like a bunch of whiney-butt a**-biters?
And who looks more like a President?

Who showed more respect for the dead?

Oh, and who made sure only the rich and influencial sat in the church for the service?

I see no better tribute than honoring the deceased’s beliefs.  Did the speeches match up with that?  I don’t know…didn’t see/hear/read them.
I have to agree with CC, though, it’s politicized on both sides.

@ncscswitch:

@Imperious:

Rereading William L Shirers, Rise and Fall of the third Reich… classic book if their ever was one.

On my shelf, and on my list for next sumer’s read (I do one LONG classic each summer)

I also have a copy of of it, but have yet to read it.  I opted recently to start Liddel-Hart’s just as massive account of WW2.  It’s hiliarious to read how pompous he is about his predictions before the war, but just as informative about the hard facts.
Switch - I’ll have to give Ayn Rand a chance, then.  Even if I feel like I don’t like some of her perceptions, that doesn’t mean she won’t be a good read.
And CC - welcome back.  You’re trip was enjoyable/productive?

I’m also a HUGE Vonnegut fan.  I’d have to recommend some of his books, namely Slaughterhouse-Five for it’s relation to these boards (his account of the Dresden firebombings - told in his weird ass style).

Without reading any of her works, here’s the impression I get of her (and her work):

Her books have themes that revolve around highly intelligent characters that don’t get the respect/credit/standing they deserve because the world doesn’t accommodate them.  Basically, there’s the smart and the stupid, and the stupid rule the world at the expense of the smart. 
Generally, her reader base is above-average intelligence (makes sense, as they would find a connection in her work).  I could see why you read her, Switch, according to that…
I know a bit about her philosophy, and I feel that it may be too general for application (which maybe is unfound since I  don’t know it that well).  Roughly, things are black and white, here’s how to make it that way and toss out the desired elements and leave the good.  Furthermore, her books were more or less a plug for this philosophy.  If that’s the case, it’s not necessarily a negative thing, just stating that it is her theme, or “conceptual continuity,” to quote Mr. Zappa.
Also, I have this feeling that the force of the views she imposes leaves the impression of conceit.

Now, maybe I’m completely wrong here, and I’m willing to admit that since I haven’t read anything of hers, but this is only the feeling I have on her.  That description could almost apply to L. Ron Hubbard, so maybe I’m getting confused here?  How close am I, Switch?

@aaFiendish:

I am also sure that china was not taken down due to kwangbang. Thus, in the US turn, they hit japan seas with their pearl navy which was left unmolested, and the fighter from western, china, and the bomber since manchuria wasn’t retaken. Thus, it was probably something like 1 sub, 2 fighters, ac, 3 transports, two BB’s vs. 1 sub, 1 carrier, 3 fighters, bomber. The next round the UK might have hit it with a bomber and their china fighter, followed up by the battleship/transport from western US, fighter from eastern, and two newly bought bombers. It was messy, cost the US not much besides its two built bombers, but what price isn’t worth paying to keep the japanese so incredibly weak?

Geez…what DID Japan do on round 1?  That’s ridiculous!  It’s interesting, because the Allied attack is similar to a strategy I had concerning combating Japan.  Sounds like he made the circumstances too enticing to leave alone though…hehehe.

For some reason that game sticks out well in my memory, maybe because I have never seen japan creamed so brutally. That brings up bukake references I really don’t want to think about…

Ewww…and now you had to pass it on to us, huh?  Thanks!

I’m a big Crichton fan myself, but it’s been years since I picked up one of his books.  I actually prefer his nonfiction Travels over any of his fiction (which were suitably entertaining).

I’ve not read Ayn Rand, but I’m not sure I could get into her.  For those that have read her, why do you like her writings?

Just thought I’d add a new topic that hopefully won’t have as much intensity - but we all know how threads go.  So, what literary treats are you devouring these days?  Maybe list some of your favorites, too.

I have a problem of starting too many books at once, but here’s a few I’m going over now:

The Ropes to Skip & the Ropes to Know (book on organizational behavior, particularly in corporate settings)
rereading an A+ Certification book
Catch 22

One of my faves is Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Well, what are yours?

How’d that one go?

I’m watching the current one with great interest.

Maddog - I’d be glad to play sometime, but can’t support a game just yet.  I’ll let you know.