Ragitsu

Re: Ctrl+V The one way most scientists gauge self-awareness is whether or not the subject can recognize their reflection as themselves as opposed to another animal. With animals, it can be a bit tricky to determine as they can't talk. However, one test is to put a mark on the animal which the animal cannot see but will be reflected in a mirror. Elephants have demonstrated recognition of their reflection by exploring the mark on their own head, not the elephant in the mirror, using the mirror to find it. So, elephants are self aware.

Re: Fantasy Economies: How closely should we examine them? Off topic.

Re: Ctrl+V No tag?

Re: Ctrl+V Ad Astra Per Aspera

Re: Star Wars: Technological Stagnation?

Re: Star Wars: Technological Stagnation? Asides from the fact that WWII was pretty spurred on by WWI, I get the feeling some of these doomsday experts are wanting the next big war to happen...

Re: Ctrl+V had a class in the Thaumaturgy department called "Things Men Were Not Meant to Know". The next class was "Men Things Were Not Meant to Know".

Re: A Thread for Random Videos

Re: Star Wars: Technological Stagnation? The difference is that Earth is one planet, whereas Star Wars is many many many planets. Also, I shudder any time someone considers war to kill off people due to population issues a "good" thing. (Finally, Metal Gear Solid 4 said "War has changed"). Erm. Star Wars is flexible enough for any number of scenarios.

Re: Ctrl+V "You son of a bitch, you moved the headstones but you left the bodies, didn't ya? You left the bodies and you only moved the headstones! YOU ONLY MOVED THE HEADSTONES!"

Re: Star Wars: Technological Stagnation? ...sigh...

Re: Societies forming around advanced/alien/forgotten purpose technology? There's also just the possibility they are the manufacturers of said technology. Asides from the fact that we don't see every Gungan, it could just be another element of space fantasy that shouldn't be subject to close scrutiny.

Re: Ctrl+V Land belonging to California State University Long Beach was found to contain an Indian burial ground/sacred site when development unearthed human remains. There have been occasional plans to turn it into a mini-mall or parking lot, but after the college endured protests it has been left undisturbed and undeveloped. (The remains that were revealed in the initial development were reburied by modern descendants of the tribe.)

Re: GURPS Spaceships to HERO?

Re: Ctrl+V http://www.ripten.com/2008/12/05/top-10-nicest-asses-in-videogames-9/

Re: Ctrl+V "hey, why are you in prision?" "i killed my father... you?" "i uploaded lets play tetris on youtube"

Re: What Are You Listening To Right Now?

Re: Ctrl+V

Re: Ctrl+V http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=10&ved=0CHIQtwIwCQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D1A2Rn8uVnrY&rct=j&q=Boondocks%20is%20racist&ei=4HoSTsH5HqLhiAKrp-WBDg&usg=AFQjCNHxc2CYpnRtrbOduaGFfRnOCT2Cnw&cad=rja

Re: Star Wars: Technological Stagnation? I agree that Star Wars is fantasy (at least, significantly so), but there's plenty of room for interpretation within other genres. The technological stagnation does tend to work against certain ones, though...

Re: Ctrl+V Shigeru Aoba: Release the safety. Maya Ibuki: I can't! I just can't shoot this thing, Aoba! Shigeru Aoba: Of course you can! You've had basic training! Maya Ibuki: But I shot at targets, not at other human beings! Shigeru Aoba: Idiot! You kill or you die!

Re: Ctrl+V Boil two quarts of water. When boiling, remove from stove and add three bags of Lipton tea. Let the bags steep for an hour, and then add the tea-water to eight-tenths to nine-tenths a cup of sugar, and one half teaspoon Unsweetened Kool-Aid Lemonade mix. Stir thoroughly. Chill, and enjoy.

Re: Ctrl+V quistis_trepe

Re: Ctrl+V The man was a loose cannon and should have never even been picked for the mission; which ends with his entire team (six men) dead, no civilians rescued, and the discharge of a foreign nuclear weapon in the rain forest - a complete disaster. First, he shows up out of uniform, unprepared, and smoking a cigar like he's on vacation. He has the audacity to mock a legitimate CIA hero with his macho-no-brain attitude, right in front of his direct superior. It then becomes quite obvious what kind of leader Dutch is when he is reluctant to accept orders from the general; not to mention letting his ego get in the way when offered much-needed guidance from a credible CIA operative. Within hours of the mission, Dutch's poor attitude and leadership becomes apparent when he continually bickers with Dillon and decides to take idiotic cavalier risks as the team leader, such as trying to throw a used pick-up truck at the enemy. This is the example he sets and his team follows throughout the mission. When Hawkins is killed, he splits the team up and uses them like scape goats to flush out the enemy. Blain is then immediately picked off, not only for his poor strategic choice of weaponry and mobility, but his stupidity to be making noise while scouting out the enemy. These men, and especially their leader, did not pay attention in training. This includes the motto of "no man left behind" - but I guess that doesn't apply in Mr. Dutch's world of shoot first and don't bother to even think about it later. The morale of his men becomes apparent soon after when Billy declare's "they are all going to die." Dutch then gets the brilliant idea to "go native" and spend the entire afternoon, unarmed and unclothed, building an elaborate trap out of vines and sticks. Only after it is done does it occur to them that maybe the enemy won't even walk through there. Dutch then spends about 5 minutes waiting and, against Dillon's better judgement, gets anxious and walks out into the open using himself as bait - another stunning example of his shining leadership qualities. The "plan" results in a complete failure, as expected, allowing the enemy to escape unharmed while simultaneously paralyzing a fellow team member. From this moment, Dutch's team realizes his leadership is going to get them all killed. This is why Mac and Dillon, the brains of the operation, split up and begin acting like real soldiers. If Dutch had taken their lead, the enemy would have been killed and 2 men's lives saved. However, the result was much worse. Dutch and Billy betray their team members and run like cowards resulting in the deaths of Mac and Dillon. When their death's are heard, Dutch's lead tracker commits ritual suicide-surrender on a log. Only when Dutch runs for his life does he save the life of an enemy combatant, who is able to escape while Dutch is chased. Dutch then allows for the detonation of an unaccounted nuclear weapon in the jungle, with devastating fallout to the ecosystem. After Dutch is rescued, no sign of the enemy or his team can be found. It would have been wise to end the movie with him receiving a court-martial for his egregious behavior and lack of leadership. If it were me I would lock him up in Leavenworth for life and use this movie as a training film with the lesson of "how not to lead your soldiers against an unknown adversary."

Re: Star Wars: Technological Stagnation?