I am beginning to think that Microsoft made Vista as crappy as possible so that whatever "new" version of Windows they come out with after Vista will look like...well, like something actually worth buying.
Albert Einstein's theory of relativity, published 1905-17, challenged well-established principles and concepts of physics, yet was widely accepted by 1930, although doubts about the validity of the general theory persisted for decades.
True. But talking during an online game is nothing remotely related to belly-to-belly gaffing around a table with family/friends/neighbors.
are you really going to claim that '98 was better than XP?
On many levels it was. Actually, on most levels. The only limit of 98(SE, of course) is the artificial System Resources limit (that Microsoft partially removed from 3.x to 95). The result of this was that it was hard to run too many modern (i.e. resource hungry) programs at once. So 98SE was capped by artificial limits...that helped Microsoft and OEMs sell new stuff instead of nothing at all.
Things 98SE had over 2k/XP were compatibility, and performance. Try making a directory with an "&" in it under XP -- not allowed now, but it used to be. Microsoft Word for DOS supported the clipboard for a dozen or more years, allowing me to paste to and from my preferred text editor -- broken under XP...to bring us that annoying multi-clip thing we don't use I imagine. The list goes on -- how many of us have game CDs that are now coasters because of XP, etc...
those of the Pong generation think that gameplay peaked about where their favorite game was, because after that games became less fun for them.
What about those from the pre-Pong/Pong/post-Pong generation who have numerous peaks, valleys and more peaks? This is the problem with generalizations.
One man's trash is another man's treasure.
Absolutely. But part of the problem with modern games is they cocoon and isolate us. Except when they don't and we are closer to a bunch of addicts at a meth park. Perhaps the only real hierarchy of games is (1) physical games, (2) social games like card games/chess/etc. -- or Wii when we invite a friend over, (3) games that don't require contact with those who live with us physically. If we looked at them as hobbies (and I think they are closer to that) we might be more inclined to put harder time limits on them. Instead they become "replacements" for our family, friends and neighbors and that is hardly a good thing.
Windows 98 SE, a patched OS sold as an operating system.
Every OS that matters today is patched up the whazoo. What have we gained by this statement?
Windows ME, Windows 98SE with a new skin and more bugs.
Ok, you got me on that one. A very contemporary observation, I might add. Guess I won't be picking up my shiny ME CD after all.
Windows NT, Windows 98 with better networking abilities.
Equivalent statement: "Ford Explorer, Ford Pinto with better carrying capacity." Let's pretend that NT is, er, New Technology relative to the Windows 9x product line. Ok, then let's pretend the pretend is pretend. Ok, let's take a break now.
Windows XP - While easily the best OS they've released so far...
Wrong again. By most accounts Windows 2000 is the best. XP will do, for most of us, but it is second best. For the reason you point out (activation) and for one you didn't (not enough of an improvement over 2000 to be worth upgrading to activation hell).
Games back in the day had to be better than now, on average, for the simple reason that you paid as you played them. Now you drop down (i.e. potentially totally waste) the entire cost of the game based on a cellophane packaged bit of exterior marketing in many cases. I can't count the number of pinball games I dropped a grand total of 25 cents into -- didn't like how dirty it was, or that the left flipper was broken, or the total lack of control of the game...I'm out of here.
Same for movies. In the day, word-of-mouth was big (the old 250 rule -- if you don't like a product, you'll tell 250 others). Today, everyone is in their own little world and so more crap is peddled because we don't tell others how super awful The Da Vinci Code was -- we just eat the cost of it and move on.
Same for music. Songs had to be for sure what we wanted before we trudged downtown to drop $11 "large" on the 2 LP Made In Japan album. And the 20 minute version of Space Truckin stands up today. Today's CDs, on the other hand, are ruined before the consumer ever hears them due to Loudness Lunacy.
Same for cars. Plenty of original VW's driving around. Modern cars are like modern razors -- disposable.
If you make something too well, you lose on future sales. If you make crap, you lose your reputation. No simple solutions, just the tough one of genuinely innovating in any market.
Chess has plenty of save points (DON'T TOUCH THAT BOARD!)
That would be a PAUSE function. Doesn't make the game easier, and is not very effective if your opponent has to go home and you need the kitchen table for something else.
I married into a previously-dysfunctional family, where the males played video games, watched TV or movies all the time. WoW is not family friendly. Not in the slightest. Our oldest (my step-)son is going through major issues right now (early teens) due to an almost total lack of ability to communicate using words-from-one's-own-mouth. Online or on a PS/2 or PC he is as good a player as anyone -- too bad it has done zilch for his life.
Real physical sports, real board games, real talk around the table? Essential. Video games? Totally optional and fit only to kill time. Dead.
As good as your post (and D.A. quote) was, I think a more balanced view can be had.
Family interaction is very important. We built a fire pit in our backyard this past summer precisely for this reason. Other than (well moderated) chat rooms, it is difficult to be social online. Communicate online? Yes. Extensive real-time conversation in a meaningful way? Not really.
I'm from the pinball era. Pong was watchable, Breakout was a revolution and for me Arkanoid is the best yet. But I'm not limited to just one type of game. The Super Collapse series, for example, is very social, very extensive in terms of levels, etc., and very challenging. So there can be 2007-era video games that get it right for everyone (in our household, anyway).
The questing & doom-type games today are just an extension of D&D. I never liked D&D when I was first shown it on a 110cps line printer and I've never come close to liking it since. So it is not generational, but rather what type of geerhead you are.
My father taught me sports, and I've never lost an interest in them. So I like interaction, kinetics, the real or virtual bounce of the ball. Two years back my son found a still-functioning demo CD of 3D Ultra Pinball Thrillride. After we tired of the 3M point limit we found a copy of it on Amazon and I've loved it ever since. [My best score is over 300B without milking, so this is not just a matter of nostalgia.]
I agree with Bushnell that games have gone downhill. Just like modern versions of Windows have. Just like modern versions of most software have (e.g. Office, anti-virus, etc.) The reason is quite simple -- how do you improve on something that is at an optimum level? You don't. You have to break it or cripple it in some way with every change you make. Your only chance at something equally good is something new. But that is rarely as profitable as a sequel (movies), or an all classic rock all the time format (radio/music).
I've had high speed cable since it came into be. Across half a dozen physical locations, two countries and three states. I've tolerated the high price and stomached the constant price increases. But this may be it for me. If I can't use one of the finest protocols ever invented to download a large file in a completely legal and incredibly fair fashion then I think I need a new ISP.
I think this would be preferable to what they are doing. Comcast is telling each side "The other side hung up". Limiting P2P to a certain % would still allow some P2P to happen. Then, night time would be a productive time to download a Ubuntu 7.1 DVD iso, for example -- no one is awake, no other internet traffic is happening, go for it.
If all ISPs did this, and advertised the percent cap...ok, my pie in the sky just fell on my head.
They can be had for $800 or so. Still gives you exercise, and wind in your face (main reason motorcyclists ride, apparently). Most economical powered vehicle to operate. Narrow enough to pass cars so you get to the front of the line at red lights. Great for assisting you up hills so you don't arrive to work sweaty. And speaking of that, the sweating happens when you are out of shape for your commute. Within two or three weeks, or less, your body will have adapted and you won't need to sweat (based on my 40 years of bicycle commuting experience).
You do realize that Windows has a DOS. And this is what I am referring to. XP's DOS box. cmd.exe if you prefer. There is no other DOS in Windows XP -- you can't reboot to an exclusive DOS any more (unless you use a floppy). Hence "DOS and via GUI in XP" is referring to the two main environments within XP -- the most commonly used ones available today. Applicable I would say.
Well, TFA mentions a specific A/V was running and is known to exacerbate the problem.
Nonetheless, there are issues. For example, not only is the second graphic not related to the first by OS version, it is not related by file copy differences. The video shows 3,809 files being copied, whereas the graphic compares 66,139 vs 17,899 files. 66,139 - 17,899 != 3,809. [And 32 minutes elapsed between the screenshots, but the file copy took about 3 minutes. Etc.]
Someone else in this thread mentioned CachemanXP. This non-crippled shareware allows you to limit the amount of free RAM XP uses for file caching (and has a nifty "kill" option, for when you absolutely positively wanna toast the sucka -- the reason I checked it out).
Also, if Windows sees a zero-byte file, it can't handle it. I have to boot Linux and use it to delete the file.
Not true with XP, probably not true with Vista. I have seen this bug in earlier versions of Windows, however. I have also seen earlier than XP Windows versions fail to copy large numbers of files (around 3,000+ or so for Win98SE, if memory serves) and not tell the user that some files were not copied. XP seems to have fixed this staggering deficiency, but the "preparing to copy" waste of time is a seriously stupid thing in itself. PKZip for Windows had something similar, last I tried it. Very weird, especially when you provide PKZW with a file mask -- it should have just started zipping away (as the cmd-line version would).
There is still a place for cmd.exe based file operations, to say the least.
Game #1: you click a bit, read a bit, mouse a bit, repeat (the average questing game)
Game #2: you click very rapidly and non-stop (e.g. galaga, 1941 or the moronic boxing/kung fu games) for hours on end.
Game #1 doesn't affect anyone. Game #2 can definitely get you some RSI.
QUANTITY
Boxing game #1: rank n00b plays for 30 seconds, then spends a minute starting the next...third...nth game.
Boxing game #2: pugalist extraordinaire plays consecutive 10 minute matches for the same length of time.
Boxing game #1 only lowers your I.Q. Boxing game #2 will move you closer to RSI symptoms.
RESULT
Basically, speed kills. Pity the touch typers. And quantity kills. Worst case is a fast typist who does hours and hours of it per day. But not occasional spurts of fast typing. Things like data entry, or hours of cmd-line typing by someone who knows what they are doing (to use one of the scenarios that caused my RSI). I aggravated my RSI when I spent hours per day using a $50k network simulation software (CAATS & MAATS) that was ported to NT from unix, the result being that it didn't work well with the keyboard so I had to mouse around in a highly repetitive fashion -- my first joint of my index finger has yet to fully recover.
That being, piracy and people passing on upgrades.
When people download Windows, Microsoft doesn't get money. When people stick with an older version of Windows, Microsoft doesn't get money. So, they provide a crap OS (XP or Vista) and then update the thing to a passable state.
Result? (1) The OS becomes "OK" over time but (2) becomes a bear to install & update on a new computer due to the number of patches (& reboots) so home users and tech shops won't even bother or will charge for it (putting it out of reach as an option), and (3) becomes a bear for the average techie to install on their custom box, due to a dearth of drivers and the long install time, to the point where it is cheaper in time & energy to buy it installed on a new computer.
Everyone wins in this situation, except people like the majority of those on/. who like an OS that purrs like a pussy. Business gets an acceptable OS, over time. Home users get a cheap and good enough OS. OEMs & Dell/HP get their $ from new hardware sales. Microsoft gets what its illegal monopoly has allowed them to swindle.
Now, if Microsoft actually delivered a good OS (e.g. Win2000) they would majorly shoot themselves in the foot. No need to call home to register product. Easy to crack/copy/install...forever. Half decent techies can re-install Windows for their neighbors. Corporate world doesn't need subscriptions, and even gets a little "careless" about installs. Microsoft loses on every front.
So, is Microsoft's behavior really all that surprising? And if not, is it worth complaining about? Accept the way things are or go for an alternative.
Here's a one-time $100,000 speeding ticket, and one country now has a standard $10,000 ticket for anyone eager to earn it. That same hoser nation issued a $288,500 beauty for speeding in a 40kph zone. Although I am not in favor of such extreme fines (despite my father being struck in a 40kph zone in said police state, ultimately dying), they are the Big Brother future.
One consolation. By the time any of us are being asked to pay such an enormous fine we will all be implanted with an RFID chip that will automatically suck the funds from us as we earn them so we won't even have to lift a finger from our game paddle to write a check!
Well, their grubby French hands were already ruling Vietnam. HST was hoping for some enlightenment on their part. Excerpt from http://www.fsmitha.com/h2/ch26.htm:
In May 1945, the Truman administration gave France its approval to resume colonial authority in Indochina, Truman hoping that France would liberalize its rule there....The United States helped the French in Vietnam, President Truman doing so for the sake of the fight against communism in Europe and in Indochina...
Do you read every other page, or only page numbers ending in "e"?
You left out the part where those generals were ready to kill the emperor if he tried to surrender.
I think it was on page 294, or 296. Hope that helps.
By the way, there were probably several times _more_ Japanese lives saved by the two N-bombs than were lost by them. Do the math -- say x Japanese are dying per day from conventional bombing. Then if, for example, 10x Japanese died from the two nuclear bombs but they shortened the war by a month then we have a winner. Some people just don't like seeing "winner" and "two nuclear bombs" in the same sentence. To those people I suggest go hug a tree.
P.S. All you really need to know about dropping the two bombs is that Harry S Truman decided it was ok. One of the most intelligent men ever to lead a country and certainly the most-well-respected-by-his-troops president to have lead in battle (WW1). HST actually read and made up his own mind about what was put on his desk, unlike other presidents. [I'm a Canuck for those loading their flame throwers.] Check out "Plain Speaking" for more on the man.
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Considering how hard to impossible it is to get XP on your favorite hardware, XP is going like gangbusters.
Vista is the new Coke few want. Ch^H^HRant with me now...
We want our old Coke back!
We want our old Coke back!
Did they increase?
I am beginning to think that Microsoft made Vista as crappy as possible so that whatever "new" version of Windows they come out with after Vista will look like...well, like something actually worth buying.
I believe 30 years was exactly the amount of time that elapsed before Einstein's theory of relativity was proved.
you're on the fringe of modern gaming.
True. But talking during an online game is nothing remotely related to belly-to-belly gaffing around a table with family/friends/neighbors.
are you really going to claim that '98 was better than XP?
On many levels it was. Actually, on most levels. The only limit of 98(SE, of course) is the artificial System Resources limit (that Microsoft partially removed from 3.x to 95). The result of this was that it was hard to run too many modern (i.e. resource hungry) programs at once. So 98SE was capped by artificial limits...that helped Microsoft and OEMs sell new stuff instead of nothing at all.
Things 98SE had over 2k/XP were compatibility, and performance. Try making a directory with an "&" in it under XP -- not allowed now, but it used to be. Microsoft Word for DOS supported the clipboard for a dozen or more years, allowing me to paste to and from my preferred text editor -- broken under XP...to bring us that annoying multi-clip thing we don't use I imagine. The list goes on -- how many of us have game CDs that are now coasters because of XP, etc...
those of the Pong generation think that gameplay peaked about where their favorite game was, because after that games became less fun for them.
What about those from the pre-Pong/Pong/post-Pong generation who have numerous peaks, valleys and more peaks? This is the problem with generalizations.
One man's trash is another man's treasure.
Absolutely. But part of the problem with modern games is they cocoon and isolate us. Except when they don't and we are closer to a bunch of addicts at a meth park. Perhaps the only real hierarchy of games is (1) physical games, (2) social games like card games/chess/etc. -- or Wii when we invite a friend over, (3) games that don't require contact with those who live with us physically. If we looked at them as hobbies (and I think they are closer to that) we might be more inclined to put harder time limits on them. Instead they become "replacements" for our family, friends and neighbors and that is hardly a good thing.
Oh, lets just run down the list:
Ok, let's just do that.
Windows 98 SE, a patched OS sold as an operating system.
Every OS that matters today is patched up the whazoo. What have we gained by this statement?
Windows ME, Windows 98SE with a new skin and more bugs.
Ok, you got me on that one. A very contemporary observation, I might add. Guess I won't be picking up my shiny ME CD after all.
Windows NT, Windows 98 with better networking abilities.
Equivalent statement: "Ford Explorer, Ford Pinto with better carrying capacity." Let's pretend that NT is, er, New Technology relative to the Windows 9x product line. Ok, then let's pretend the pretend is pretend. Ok, let's take a break now.
Windows XP - While easily the best OS they've released so far...
Wrong again. By most accounts Windows 2000 is the best. XP will do, for most of us, but it is second best. For the reason you point out (activation) and for one you didn't (not enough of an improvement over 2000 to be worth upgrading to activation hell).
And now Vista.
Carry on, I'm with you.
Games back in the day had to be better than now, on average, for the simple reason that you paid as you played them. Now you drop down (i.e. potentially totally waste) the entire cost of the game based on a cellophane packaged bit of exterior marketing in many cases. I can't count the number of pinball games I dropped a grand total of 25 cents into -- didn't like how dirty it was, or that the left flipper was broken, or the total lack of control of the game...I'm out of here.
Same for movies. In the day, word-of-mouth was big (the old 250 rule -- if you don't like a product, you'll tell 250 others). Today, everyone is in their own little world and so more crap is peddled because we don't tell others how super awful The Da Vinci Code was -- we just eat the cost of it and move on.
Same for music. Songs had to be for sure what we wanted before we trudged downtown to drop $11 "large" on the 2 LP Made In Japan album. And the 20 minute version of Space Truckin stands up today. Today's CDs, on the other hand, are ruined before the consumer ever hears them due to Loudness Lunacy.
Same for cars. Plenty of original VW's driving around. Modern cars are like modern razors -- disposable.
If you make something too well, you lose on future sales. If you make crap, you lose your reputation. No simple solutions, just the tough one of genuinely innovating in any market.
Chess has plenty of save points (DON'T TOUCH THAT BOARD!)
That would be a PAUSE function. Doesn't make the game easier, and is not very effective if your opponent has to go home and you need the kitchen table for something else.
I married into a previously-dysfunctional family, where the males played video games, watched TV or movies all the time. WoW is not family friendly. Not in the slightest. Our oldest (my step-)son is going through major issues right now (early teens) due to an almost total lack of ability to communicate using words-from-one's-own-mouth. Online or on a PS/2 or PC he is as good a player as anyone -- too bad it has done zilch for his life.
Real physical sports, real board games, real talk around the table? Essential. Video games? Totally optional and fit only to kill time. Dead.
Cue the negative mods...
As good as your post (and D.A. quote) was, I think a more balanced view can be had.
Family interaction is very important. We built a fire pit in our backyard this past summer precisely for this reason. Other than (well moderated) chat rooms, it is difficult to be social online. Communicate online? Yes. Extensive real-time conversation in a meaningful way? Not really.
I'm from the pinball era. Pong was watchable, Breakout was a revolution and for me Arkanoid is the best yet. But I'm not limited to just one type of game. The Super Collapse series, for example, is very social, very extensive in terms of levels, etc., and very challenging. So there can be 2007-era video games that get it right for everyone (in our household, anyway).
The questing & doom-type games today are just an extension of D&D. I never liked D&D when I was first shown it on a 110cps line printer and I've never come close to liking it since. So it is not generational, but rather what type of geerhead you are.
My father taught me sports, and I've never lost an interest in them. So I like interaction, kinetics, the real or virtual bounce of the ball. Two years back my son found a still-functioning demo CD of 3D Ultra Pinball Thrillride. After we tired of the 3M point limit we found a copy of it on Amazon and I've loved it ever since. [My best score is over 300B without milking, so this is not just a matter of nostalgia.]
I agree with Bushnell that games have gone downhill. Just like modern versions of Windows have. Just like modern versions of most software have (e.g. Office, anti-virus, etc.) The reason is quite simple -- how do you improve on something that is at an optimum level? You don't. You have to break it or cripple it in some way with every change you make. Your only chance at something equally good is something new. But that is rarely as profitable as a sequel (movies), or an all classic rock all the time format (radio/music).
I've had high speed cable since it came into be. Across half a dozen physical locations, two countries and three states. I've tolerated the high price and stomached the constant price increases. But this may be it for me. If I can't use one of the finest protocols ever invented to download a large file in a completely legal and incredibly fair fashion then I think I need a new ISP.
I think this would be preferable to what they are doing. Comcast is telling each side "The other side hung up". Limiting P2P to a certain % would still allow some P2P to happen. Then, night time would be a productive time to download a Ubuntu 7.1 DVD iso, for example -- no one is awake, no other internet traffic is happening, go for it.
If all ISPs did this, and advertised the percent cap...ok, my pie in the sky just fell on my head.
They can be had for $800 or so. Still gives you exercise, and wind in your face (main reason motorcyclists ride, apparently). Most economical powered vehicle to operate. Narrow enough to pass cars so you get to the front of the line at red lights. Great for assisting you up hills so you don't arrive to work sweaty. And speaking of that, the sweating happens when you are out of shape for your commute. Within two or three weeks, or less, your body will have adapted and you won't need to sweat (based on my 40 years of bicycle commuting experience).
You do realize that Windows has a DOS. And this is what I am referring to. XP's DOS box. cmd.exe if you prefer. There is no other DOS in Windows XP -- you can't reboot to an exclusive DOS any more (unless you use a floppy). Hence "DOS and via GUI in XP" is referring to the two main environments within XP -- the most commonly used ones available today. Applicable I would say.
Well, TFA mentions a specific A/V was running and is known to exacerbate the problem.
Nonetheless, there are issues. For example, not only is the second graphic not related to the first by OS version, it is not related by file copy differences. The video shows 3,809 files being copied, whereas the graphic compares 66,139 vs 17,899 files. 66,139 - 17,899 != 3,809. [And 32 minutes elapsed between the screenshots, but the file copy took about 3 minutes. Etc.]
Yes, works fine in DOS and via GUI in XP.
Someone else in this thread mentioned CachemanXP. This non-crippled shareware allows you to limit the amount of free RAM XP uses for file caching (and has a nifty "kill" option, for when you absolutely positively wanna toast the sucka -- the reason I checked it out).
Also, if Windows sees a zero-byte file, it can't handle it. I have to boot Linux and use it to delete the file.
Not true with XP, probably not true with Vista. I have seen this bug in earlier versions of Windows, however. I have also seen earlier than XP Windows versions fail to copy large numbers of files (around 3,000+ or so for Win98SE, if memory serves) and not tell the user that some files were not copied. XP seems to have fixed this staggering deficiency, but the "preparing to copy" waste of time is a seriously stupid thing in itself. PKZip for Windows had something similar, last I tried it. Very weird, especially when you provide PKZW with a file mask -- it should have just started zipping away (as the cmd-line version would).
There is still a place for cmd.exe based file operations, to say the least.
SPEED
Game #1: you click a bit, read a bit, mouse a bit, repeat (the average questing game)
Game #2: you click very rapidly and non-stop (e.g. galaga, 1941 or the moronic boxing/kung fu games) for hours on end.
Game #1 doesn't affect anyone. Game #2 can definitely get you some RSI.
QUANTITY
Boxing game #1: rank n00b plays for 30 seconds, then spends a minute starting the next...third...nth game.
Boxing game #2: pugalist extraordinaire plays consecutive 10 minute matches for the same length of time.
Boxing game #1 only lowers your I.Q. Boxing game #2 will move you closer to RSI symptoms.
RESULT
Basically, speed kills. Pity the touch typers. And quantity kills. Worst case is a fast typist who does hours and hours of it per day. But not occasional spurts of fast typing. Things like data entry, or hours of cmd-line typing by someone who knows what they are doing (to use one of the scenarios that caused my RSI). I aggravated my RSI when I spent hours per day using a $50k network simulation software (CAATS & MAATS) that was ported to NT from unix, the result being that it didn't work well with the keyboard so I had to mouse around in a highly repetitive fashion -- my first joint of my index finger has yet to fully recover.
That being, piracy and people passing on upgrades.
/. who like an OS that purrs like a pussy. Business gets an acceptable OS, over time. Home users get a cheap and good enough OS. OEMs & Dell/HP get their $ from new hardware sales. Microsoft gets what its illegal monopoly has allowed them to swindle.
When people download Windows, Microsoft doesn't get money. When people stick with an older version of Windows, Microsoft doesn't get money. So, they provide a crap OS (XP or Vista) and then update the thing to a passable state.
Result? (1) The OS becomes "OK" over time but (2) becomes a bear to install & update on a new computer due to the number of patches (& reboots) so home users and tech shops won't even bother or will charge for it (putting it out of reach as an option), and (3) becomes a bear for the average techie to install on their custom box, due to a dearth of drivers and the long install time, to the point where it is cheaper in time & energy to buy it installed on a new computer.
Everyone wins in this situation, except people like the majority of those on
Now, if Microsoft actually delivered a good OS (e.g. Win2000) they would majorly shoot themselves in the foot. No need to call home to register product. Easy to crack/copy/install...forever. Half decent techies can re-install Windows for their neighbors. Corporate world doesn't need subscriptions, and even gets a little "careless" about installs. Microsoft loses on every front.
So, is Microsoft's behavior really all that surprising? And if not, is it worth complaining about? Accept the way things are or go for an alternative.
Here's a one-time $100,000 speeding ticket, and one country now has a standard $10,000 ticket for anyone eager to earn it. That same hoser nation issued a $288,500 beauty for speeding in a 40kph zone. Although I am not in favor of such extreme fines (despite my father being struck in a 40kph zone in said police state, ultimately dying), they are the Big Brother future.
One consolation. By the time any of us are being asked to pay such an enormous fine we will all be implanted with an RFID chip that will automatically suck the funds from us as we earn them so we won't even have to lift a finger from our game paddle to write a check!
FDR's New Deal is a page directly from Stalin's play book.
Say what you will about the US now, a surrender to HST kicks the sh*t out of living under Stalin.
Fixed that for ya.
Do you read every other page, or only page numbers ending in "e"?
You left out the part where those generals were ready to kill the emperor if he tried to surrender.
I think it was on page 294, or 296. Hope that helps.
By the way, there were probably several times _more_ Japanese lives saved by the two N-bombs than were lost by them. Do the math -- say x Japanese are dying per day from conventional bombing. Then if, for example, 10x Japanese died from the two nuclear bombs but they shortened the war by a month then we have a winner. Some people just don't like seeing "winner" and "two nuclear bombs" in the same sentence. To those people I suggest go hug a tree.
P.S. All you really need to know about dropping the two bombs is that Harry S Truman decided it was ok. One of the most intelligent men ever to lead a country and certainly the most-well-respected-by-his-troops president to have lead in battle (WW1). HST actually read and made up his own mind about what was put on his desk, unlike other presidents. [I'm a Canuck for those loading their flame throwers.] Check out "Plain Speaking" for more on the man.