Concur. Blink is the episode everyone talks about. Great time travel and humor. And also some very suspenseful horror elements. Those angels are plain creepy.
Qualifier: I deployed as a battalion S1 (human resources officer) whose responsibilities included the awards program for over 300 service members in three military branches.
There is a distinction if you know what to look for. Medals with "Star" or "Cross" in the name require action in a combat zone. Medals with "Service" in the name generally do not. Notable: The Distinguished Service Cross (Army award for valor second only to the Medal of Honor) is a combat medal that meets the first criteria, but the name is confusing because of the word "Service" in the title. Note that there are many non-combat service medals that rank above the Bronze Star Medal. Below the BSM, the service-specific Commendation Medals are also awarded in combat zones and can be affixed with 'V' devices for valor.
To add confusion to the debate, non-combat awards, such as the Meritorious Service Medal (non-combat equivalent to the Bronze Star) and service-specific Achievement Medals, have been awarded in Iraq and Afghanistan to service members who work exclusively inside the wire. Guidance is vague enough to cause great inconsistencies in award approvals across commands, and many complaints from service members.
Adding new awards like this adds further confusion to what many consider to be an arbitrary and subjective process, and are usually only welcomed by the few service members who were not recognized by previously existing awards.
Actually, by retiring before he dies, he gets a strong voice in selecting his successor. That, along with the fact that he's been carefully selecting like-minded cardinals the last several years, ensures the next pope will by very similar to Benedict.
Well said. Manning is facing the consequences of his choice. A court martial is inevitable for soldiers who choose to disobey. We'll see if Manning is deemed to have displayed honor and integrity, or to have foolishly lashed out in response to perceived misconduct in his unit.
I also am an Army vet and I disagree. He can't just claim "Army Values" and walk away. While as a soldier you are compelled to refuse illegal orders, there are consequences (i.e. court martial) for acting on that compulsion. He will get his day in court to explain his actions and, if found honorable, be vindicated for the treatment he's received these last several years. However, it's more likely that he'll be found in violation of his oath of enlistment and the oath of secrecy he swore upon accepting a high security clearance. He is plenty smart enough to have figured out the proper way to expose wrong-doing. This was not it.
Vietnam-era M16 had full auto. The A2 (Desert Shield/Desert Storm-era) and later models all have 3-round burst just like the M4 carbine. AR15 is only semi. I've fired them all.
I get your point about the app store competing directly with Steam. But Windows Live currently sucks and I won't buy there unless I have to because of exclusivity. That's my bigger concern. I was pissed when I discovered that Mass Effect III was not offered on Steam.
Re: ARM. We'll see. I have an iPad and have purchased many iOS games. While I've been playing a lot of Summoner Wars and Warlords Classic lately, I don't consider light games on iOS as a replacement for a PC game experience. I don't see ARM games threatening that either.
Good points about Metro and ARM possibly leading to exclusivity for titles also available on traditional x86. Steam does have reason to be concerned there. But how many AAA titles (and similar feature-rich indie games) will fall into that category?
Good insight. Thanks for explaining so well what TFS could not.
We'll see how the doom and gloom plays out. I've purchased over $1000 of games through Steam, versus $25-30 through Xbox-Live and exactly $0 through Windows Live (not directly, anyway. Some games require it, such as Batman Arkham Asylum, which I purchased through Steam). MS will have to really improve Windows Live to change that.
My biggest concern is exclusivity locking Steam out. Examples: Diablo III and Mass Effect III
3D isn't -all- bad, for example the new Spider-Man movie is pretty good in 3D, 3D won't make a crap movie better, but movies shot in 3D and intended to have a 3D release the 3D adds to the movie.
I saw the new Spider-Man in 2D because I read a review saying the 3D didn't add anything. I can picture a couple scenes (the spider-bite scene comes to mind, followed by the battles) where it would have been fun, but overall don't think I missed much.
And how many of your friends have bombed or shot civilians in Iraq or Afghanistan? Their families and friends didn't get a fucking option about signing up to be target practice.
I feel for you. I'm curious how it has ruined you. Three guesses:
1. You had to move and kept the mortgage to avoid eating a loss 2. The house requires costly repairs or maintenance 3. The monthly costs exceed what you can currently afford, possibly from a lost job or ARM loan bubble
Our house has lost market value but we're not moving. The P&I, taxes and insurance amount to about the same as we'd pay to rent. Unless something drastic occurs we're riding it out. I realize that isn't an option for many.
I'm being a little bit farcical with my comment. Born in late '64, I am "the last of the boomers".
No you are not, you are not even close. Boomers were born from 45-52. You were born just before the second boom-generation, made up by the children of the of the boomers.
Generations typically span 20 years. Boomers are generally considered to be those born between 1945 and 1965. So, yes, GP is a late Boomer.
I don't disagree with your comments about Best Buy's own role in its downfall. However, at the bottom of the slippery slope of failing retailers is Walmart, who survives by undercutting all its competition via massive scale. Walmart is certainly not known for its knowledgeable sales people and great customer service. The only other tech option locally (Minneapolis, MN area) is Microcenter, but there's only one on my side of town and it's a much farther drive than BB.
Geeks like us will always buy our niche components (e.g. graphics cards, HDDs) online. But I do make the occasional visit to Best Buy for accessories such as keyboards, mice, and headphones that I want to touch before buying. I did the same at CompUSA, CircuitCity, and countless other deceased stores. It's a shame they have to charge tax when the base price is the same as Amazon's. Retailers have a legitimate complaint that buyers do their hands-on research in-store then order online to get a better price. If stores didn't charge tax this wouldn't happen nearly as often.
So consumers are criminals, while laws benefiting sales at some companies over others are defended. Your unquestioning acceptance of the status quo is interesting.
We all hate paying sales tax. But giving Amazon a pass on tax while brick-and-mortar stores must charge tax is a significant contributor to the demise of retailers such as Best Buy.
You're just apologizing for the Democrats' lack of backbone. The Republican majority is not large enough to explain the complete lack of attention on Gitmo. Again, the President wants it open or it would be closed. If you have evidence to the contrary please post a link.
The truth is that Congress, with unanimous Republican support and only a few Dems, passed a law to make it impossible to close it. The vast majority of Democrats want it closed, but that isn't enough in an age when Republicans have comparable numbers in the legislature (when they don't have more) and vote as a single unblinking unit on every issue.
BS. The President said he would close it then changed his mind. If he wanted it closed he'd appeal directly to the people to call their congress critters and demand its closure. The fact is they want it open or it would be closed by now.
English knights had their lance in the right hand when jousting, so they had to ride left to be able to strike each other. That's why UK rides on the wrong side of the road.
Jousts I've seen (at renaissance fairs and in movies) ride on the right angling their lances while protecting the body with their shields. The shield would be useless if riding on the left.
You are misinformed. You can play LOTRO to level cap entirely free. Paying will lessen the grind, but it's not a requirement. It's up to you how valuable your time is. Note that MMO expansions cost money for everyone, including subscribers.
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Tom's Hardware has a good-enough gaming PC build for $600.
Concur. Blink is the episode everyone talks about. Great time travel and humor. And also some very suspenseful horror elements. Those angels are plain creepy.
People sign up to serve for many reasons. I'm sure there are some who seek war, but they are rare, thankfully.
No one prays for peace more than the soldier.
Qualifier: I deployed as a battalion S1 (human resources officer) whose responsibilities included the awards program for over 300 service members in three military branches.
There is a distinction if you know what to look for. Medals with "Star" or "Cross" in the name require action in a combat zone. Medals with "Service" in the name generally do not. Notable: The Distinguished Service Cross (Army award for valor second only to the Medal of Honor) is a combat medal that meets the first criteria, but the name is confusing because of the word "Service" in the title. Note that there are many non-combat service medals that rank above the Bronze Star Medal. Below the BSM, the service-specific Commendation Medals are also awarded in combat zones and can be affixed with 'V' devices for valor.
To add confusion to the debate, non-combat awards, such as the Meritorious Service Medal (non-combat equivalent to the Bronze Star) and service-specific Achievement Medals, have been awarded in Iraq and Afghanistan to service members who work exclusively inside the wire. Guidance is vague enough to cause great inconsistencies in award approvals across commands, and many complaints from service members.
Adding new awards like this adds further confusion to what many consider to be an arbitrary and subjective process, and are usually only welcomed by the few service members who were not recognized by previously existing awards.
Actually, by retiring before he dies, he gets a strong voice in selecting his successor. That, along with the fact that he's been carefully selecting like-minded cardinals the last several years, ensures the next pope will by very similar to Benedict.
The US still hasn't had it's revolution (since it's establishment after the seccesion from the British), I guess it's really about time!
There was this little incident called the Civil War, circa 1860.
Well said. Manning is facing the consequences of his choice. A court martial is inevitable for soldiers who choose to disobey. We'll see if Manning is deemed to have displayed honor and integrity, or to have foolishly lashed out in response to perceived misconduct in his unit.
I also am an Army vet and I disagree. He can't just claim "Army Values" and walk away. While as a soldier you are compelled to refuse illegal orders, there are consequences (i.e. court martial) for acting on that compulsion. He will get his day in court to explain his actions and, if found honorable, be vindicated for the treatment he's received these last several years. However, it's more likely that he'll be found in violation of his oath of enlistment and the oath of secrecy he swore upon accepting a high security clearance. He is plenty smart enough to have figured out the proper way to expose wrong-doing. This was not it.
The Dwarves had more than one home. The Blue Mountains (Ered Luin) west of the Shire are yet another.
Vietnam-era M16 had full auto. The A2 (Desert Shield/Desert Storm-era) and later models all have 3-round burst just like the M4 carbine. AR15 is only semi. I've fired them all.
I get your point about the app store competing directly with Steam. But Windows Live currently sucks and I won't buy there unless I have to because of exclusivity. That's my bigger concern. I was pissed when I discovered that Mass Effect III was not offered on Steam.
Re: ARM. We'll see. I have an iPad and have purchased many iOS games. While I've been playing a lot of Summoner Wars and Warlords Classic lately, I don't consider light games on iOS as a replacement for a PC game experience. I don't see ARM games threatening that either.
Good points about Metro and ARM possibly leading to exclusivity for titles also available on traditional x86. Steam does have reason to be concerned there. But how many AAA titles (and similar feature-rich indie games) will fall into that category?
Good insight. Thanks for explaining so well what TFS could not.
We'll see how the doom and gloom plays out. I've purchased over $1000 of games through Steam, versus $25-30 through Xbox-Live and exactly $0 through Windows Live (not directly, anyway. Some games require it, such as Batman Arkham Asylum, which I purchased through Steam). MS will have to really improve Windows Live to change that.
My biggest concern is exclusivity locking Steam out. Examples: Diablo III and Mass Effect III
I guess I missed where Steam won't work on Windows 8 like it does on Windows 7. Please link.
3D isn't -all- bad, for example the new Spider-Man movie is pretty good in 3D, 3D won't make a crap movie better, but movies shot in 3D and intended to have a 3D release the 3D adds to the movie.
I saw the new Spider-Man in 2D because I read a review saying the 3D didn't add anything. I can picture a couple scenes (the spider-bite scene comes to mind, followed by the battles) where it would have been fun, but overall don't think I missed much.
And how many of your friends have bombed or shot civilians in Iraq or Afghanistan? Their families and friends didn't get a fucking option about signing up to be target practice.
War is very ugly. So is the spirit of your post.
The only other aircraft in the US with as many development problems right now is probably the V-22 Osprey. That is not in use anywhere either.
V-22s were in service in Iraq when I was there in 2008. Saw them takeoff while our Chinook crew was fixing a fuel leak at BIAP.
I feel for you. I'm curious how it has ruined you. Three guesses:
1. You had to move and kept the mortgage to avoid eating a loss
2. The house requires costly repairs or maintenance
3. The monthly costs exceed what you can currently afford, possibly from a lost job or ARM loan bubble
Our house has lost market value but we're not moving. The P&I, taxes and insurance amount to about the same as we'd pay to rent. Unless something drastic occurs we're riding it out. I realize that isn't an option for many.
No you are not, you are not even close. Boomers were born from 45-52. You were born just before the second boom-generation, made up by the children of the of the boomers.
Generations typically span 20 years. Boomers are generally considered to be those born between 1945 and 1965. So, yes, GP is a late Boomer.
I don't disagree with your comments about Best Buy's own role in its downfall. However, at the bottom of the slippery slope of failing retailers is Walmart, who survives by undercutting all its competition via massive scale. Walmart is certainly not known for its knowledgeable sales people and great customer service. The only other tech option locally (Minneapolis, MN area) is Microcenter, but there's only one on my side of town and it's a much farther drive than BB.
Geeks like us will always buy our niche components (e.g. graphics cards, HDDs) online. But I do make the occasional visit to Best Buy for accessories such as keyboards, mice, and headphones that I want to touch before buying. I did the same at CompUSA, CircuitCity, and countless other deceased stores. It's a shame they have to charge tax when the base price is the same as Amazon's. Retailers have a legitimate complaint that buyers do their hands-on research in-store then order online to get a better price. If stores didn't charge tax this wouldn't happen nearly as often.
So consumers are criminals, while laws benefiting sales at some companies over others are defended. Your unquestioning acceptance of the status quo is interesting.
We all hate paying sales tax. But giving Amazon a pass on tax while brick-and-mortar stores must charge tax is a significant contributor to the demise of retailers such as Best Buy.
You're just apologizing for the Democrats' lack of backbone. The Republican majority is not large enough to explain the complete lack of attention on Gitmo. Again, the President wants it open or it would be closed. If you have evidence to the contrary please post a link.
The truth is that Congress, with unanimous Republican support and only a few Dems, passed a law to make it impossible to close it. The vast majority of Democrats want it closed, but that isn't enough in an age when Republicans have comparable numbers in the legislature (when they don't have more) and vote as a single unblinking unit on every issue.
BS. The President said he would close it then changed his mind. If he wanted it closed he'd appeal directly to the people to call their congress critters and demand its closure. The fact is they want it open or it would be closed by now.
English knights had their lance in the right hand when jousting, so they had to ride left to be able to strike each other. That's why UK rides on the wrong side of the road.
Jousts I've seen (at renaissance fairs and in movies) ride on the right angling their lances while protecting the body with their shields. The shield would be useless if riding on the left.
You are misinformed. You can play LOTRO to level cap entirely free. Paying will lessen the grind, but it's not a requirement. It's up to you how valuable your time is. Note that MMO expansions cost money for everyone, including subscribers.