It seems like we've been in a constant sale since about October. Everywhere I go, or whatever I see on the radio, there's a sale on at most of the stores. Cars, sofas, houses etc.
There's one major reason why the economy isn't doing too well- there's nothing really to buy.
Books I can generally get for free from the local library if I'm even inclined to read them. With the Internet, I can find out most stuff easily.
Most of the magazines in any given newsagents are of the soft pornographic variety. While I like attractive women as much as the next heterosexual man, lesbian or bisexual, I have no interest and actually dislike "lads' mags".
The papers are either too expensive or not worth reading (I've been a Metro reader for months).
I don't eat a huge amount of sweets, I don't smoke and I don't like alcohol too much.
DVDs are generally rubbish (I can watch that stuff on TV), I rarely buy video games since I got seriously into RPing and I have little interest in clothing.
I'm sure many feel somewhat similar to me. With job worries, we're also saving our money.
We need an incentive to buy stuff before the economy recovers.
28 February 2009
23 February 2009
West Ham's season
Since Mr. O'Donnell of The Poor Mouth (see my blogroll) has added me and I currently show as having made my last post a week ago, I might as well post.
West Ham now have 33 points with 12 games to go. We need 9 points from the remaining games to be statistically sure of being safe. I think we'll get that.
Our losses to Manchester United and Bolton were not all that bad and we should have some easier games after that.
I predict that we'll finish between 8th and 12th this season, more likely 9th or 10th. Good job Zola!
West Ham now have 33 points with 12 games to go. We need 9 points from the remaining games to be statistically sure of being safe. I think we'll get that.
Our losses to Manchester United and Bolton were not all that bad and we should have some easier games after that.
I predict that we'll finish between 8th and 12th this season, more likely 9th or 10th. Good job Zola!
13 February 2009
Basic ideas for a post-STARTarms treaty
You might have heard already, but the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) is due to expire soon and so President Obama has proposed reducing stockpiles to 1,500- 2,000 nuclear warheads.
I have some basic ideas for this new treaty and would like your opinions.
Overall aims
I would aim for a reduction in deliverable nuclear warheads to a total of 800 for the United States of America and 1000 for the Russian Federation. Those precise numbers would be tweaked about, but reflect the differences in technological capabilities, as well as other things.
This number would allow for effective mass destruction of either country without ensuring complete "breakdown" of their countries.
No strategic weapon systems with increased capability from present would be permitted.
Nuclear long-range bombers
The US has the B-52 and B-2s as their sole aircraft tasked for strategic nuclear weapons, with 1,080 such warheads. Russia has the Tu-22M "Backfire", the Tu-95 "Bear" and the Tu-160 "Blackjack".
I propose that the B-52 fleet is reduced to a total of about 30 and completely denuclearised. The B-2 will become the sole US nuclear bomber, along with the "2018 bomber" and these two together limited to a total of about 40. These would only carry free-fall bombs.
Russia would de-nuclearify the "Backfire" and the "Bear", reducing their numbers to 100 of the former and 50 of the latter. The "Blackjack" could go up to 40 in numbers too, retaining the air-launched cruise missile capability..
Stealth would balance out stand-off capability.
Tactical nuclear weapons
Eliminate the lot of them- on both sides. They are not needed in any likely war scenario. This includes sub-launched cruise missiles.
ICBMs
Eliminate the R-39M/SS-18 and UR-100N/SS-19 from Russian service immediately. Allow Russia a total of 400 ICBM mounted warheads, on Topol, Topol-M and RS-24 missiles.
Reduce the US Minuteman III force to 150 missiles, with two warheads each.
SLBMs
The US would convert three more of the fourteen Ohio-SSBNs to SSGNs and eliminate a further four, leaving seven.
Russia would be allowed nine Borey SSBNs, with everything else going.
Anti-Ballistic Missiles
Now, this is where things will get a little more controversial.
Basically, the US will be allowed to continue development of NMD, if President Obama decides to do so. However, its deployment will be limited to a total capacity to intercept 150 warheads and limitations would be placed on BMD-capable ships (10 in total as a figure I'm throwing out there), which would be clearly marked (paint the launchers orange or something).
In return, Russia would be permitted to have intercept capability of 200 warheads, either expanding A-135 or converting S-400/SA-21 missiles for an ABM role.
Other thoughts
The inspection regime would continue as is with appropriate modificiations.
China and the other nuclear powers, as well as potential ones (like Iran and Saudi Arabia) should be brought into a global agreement on the ultimate elimination of nuclear weapons
Personally, I'd like to see one each of the Ohio and "Typhoon" SSBNs as museum vessels.
So, your thoughts.
I have some basic ideas for this new treaty and would like your opinions.
Overall aims
I would aim for a reduction in deliverable nuclear warheads to a total of 800 for the United States of America and 1000 for the Russian Federation. Those precise numbers would be tweaked about, but reflect the differences in technological capabilities, as well as other things.
This number would allow for effective mass destruction of either country without ensuring complete "breakdown" of their countries.
No strategic weapon systems with increased capability from present would be permitted.
Nuclear long-range bombers
The US has the B-52 and B-2s as their sole aircraft tasked for strategic nuclear weapons, with 1,080 such warheads. Russia has the Tu-22M "Backfire", the Tu-95 "Bear" and the Tu-160 "Blackjack".
I propose that the B-52 fleet is reduced to a total of about 30 and completely denuclearised. The B-2 will become the sole US nuclear bomber, along with the "2018 bomber" and these two together limited to a total of about 40. These would only carry free-fall bombs.
Russia would de-nuclearify the "Backfire" and the "Bear", reducing their numbers to 100 of the former and 50 of the latter. The "Blackjack" could go up to 40 in numbers too, retaining the air-launched cruise missile capability..
Stealth would balance out stand-off capability.
Tactical nuclear weapons
Eliminate the lot of them- on both sides. They are not needed in any likely war scenario. This includes sub-launched cruise missiles.
ICBMs
Eliminate the R-39M/SS-18 and UR-100N/SS-19 from Russian service immediately. Allow Russia a total of 400 ICBM mounted warheads, on Topol, Topol-M and RS-24 missiles.
Reduce the US Minuteman III force to 150 missiles, with two warheads each.
SLBMs
The US would convert three more of the fourteen Ohio-SSBNs to SSGNs and eliminate a further four, leaving seven.
Russia would be allowed nine Borey SSBNs, with everything else going.
Anti-Ballistic Missiles
Now, this is where things will get a little more controversial.
Basically, the US will be allowed to continue development of NMD, if President Obama decides to do so. However, its deployment will be limited to a total capacity to intercept 150 warheads and limitations would be placed on BMD-capable ships (10 in total as a figure I'm throwing out there), which would be clearly marked (paint the launchers orange or something).
In return, Russia would be permitted to have intercept capability of 200 warheads, either expanding A-135 or converting S-400/SA-21 missiles for an ABM role.
Other thoughts
The inspection regime would continue as is with appropriate modificiations.
China and the other nuclear powers, as well as potential ones (like Iran and Saudi Arabia) should be brought into a global agreement on the ultimate elimination of nuclear weapons
Personally, I'd like to see one each of the Ohio and "Typhoon" SSBNs as museum vessels.
So, your thoughts.
Exhuming the Corpse: Why 'Demons' failed
ITV's big new Saturday drama, Demons is almost certainly not coming back. If Incompetent Television renew it, I will be very surprised indeed.
There's a number of reasons that it failed.
Firstly, Philip Glenister's American accent was pretty poor. A man of considerable acting talent, he looked wasted in this show. This was a minor reason.
Secondly, lack of genre savviness among the characters, who casually wandered into traps and fell for dodgy people. Buffy the Vampire Slayer changed the rules of the game regarding this.
Thirdly, a general moral issue with good guys who freely waved firearms around in public, shot someone who had just given information and were in essence pursuing a policy of genocide. Luke's father actually had the right idea.
Fourthly, it was too dark for the time slot. Doctor Who has far more humour.
Fifth and finally, it was boring. There was little to hold viewer interest.
Time to close the coffin on this one and for ITV to try something new.
There's a number of reasons that it failed.
Firstly, Philip Glenister's American accent was pretty poor. A man of considerable acting talent, he looked wasted in this show. This was a minor reason.
Secondly, lack of genre savviness among the characters, who casually wandered into traps and fell for dodgy people. Buffy the Vampire Slayer changed the rules of the game regarding this.
Thirdly, a general moral issue with good guys who freely waved firearms around in public, shot someone who had just given information and were in essence pursuing a policy of genocide. Luke's father actually had the right idea.
Fourthly, it was too dark for the time slot. Doctor Who has far more humour.
Fifth and finally, it was boring. There was little to hold viewer interest.
Time to close the coffin on this one and for ITV to try something new.
03 February 2009
Simultaneous Happiness And Worry...
Iran has launched a satellite.
While this is a great achievement for any country, it also means they can build an ICBM...
While this is a great achievement for any country, it also means they can build an ICBM...
31 January 2009
Incompetent Television's doing it wrong
I'm a bit of a fan of The Bill. As you may be aware, ITV are moving the show to once weekly at 9pm.
Clearly, they want to stick on more football and other "ratings pullers". Then after those shows, you'll be able to watch cops topless, I'd say.
I am not impressed at all this. Partly, I don't like ITV's approach to things. Secondly, a strong ITV is needed to ensure a strong BBC.
Take ITV's fiction production. They can do one-off dramas like Unforgiven fairly. Their crime dramas are fairly good too (Taggart has now adapted to the hour slot effectively).
However, their comedy is awful (that Santa Contest thing, for example), they closed their childrens' department a couple of years back and their game shows aren't all that good.
Don't get me started on Demons, a show that Willow Rosenburg would have for breakfast in terms of quality.
Seriously, Grade gets an F.
Clearly, they want to stick on more football and other "ratings pullers". Then after those shows, you'll be able to watch cops topless, I'd say.
I am not impressed at all this. Partly, I don't like ITV's approach to things. Secondly, a strong ITV is needed to ensure a strong BBC.
Take ITV's fiction production. They can do one-off dramas like Unforgiven fairly. Their crime dramas are fairly good too (Taggart has now adapted to the hour slot effectively).
However, their comedy is awful (that Santa Contest thing, for example), they closed their childrens' department a couple of years back and their game shows aren't all that good.
Don't get me started on Demons, a show that Willow Rosenburg would have for breakfast in terms of quality.
Seriously, Grade gets an F.
What happens when you award the contract to the lowest bidder...
Certain words are coming back to haunt Gordon Brown.
What we need, basically, is a global minimum wage. This would mean that people would be judged based on their skills, not how much they're willing to work for.
What we need, basically, is a global minimum wage. This would mean that people would be judged based on their skills, not how much they're willing to work for.
30 January 2009
Man, Man U winning again???
Can Sir Alex please retire and let someone else dominate the game for a change?
27 January 2009
Holocaust Memorial Day
64 years ago today, Soviet troops liberated Auschwitz, the most infamous of the Nazi concentration camps. If you're ever in Poland and get the opportunity to go, pay a visit. You will not fully understand it until you have been there. In fact, you can't really fully understand it.
What makes someone take a person's clothes, shave all the hair from their body, force that person into a closed room while claiming it's a shower room and then gas him or her? Merely because of their ethnic background.
We are all children of God and racism is utterly wrong- regardless of who practices it.
What makes someone take a person's clothes, shave all the hair from their body, force that person into a closed room while claiming it's a shower room and then gas him or her? Merely because of their ethnic background.
We are all children of God and racism is utterly wrong- regardless of who practices it.
19 January 2009
The Second Great Depression?
Mr. Brown (why am I doing that? It sounds like I'm blogging in the 1950s- now there's an idea...) has announced another large injection of public money into the banking sector to try and get the banks lending again.
I don't know whether this is going to work. I'm worried it won't.
I think that we could end up with another depression- and a big one.
I don't know whether this is going to work. I'm worried it won't.
I think that we could end up with another depression- and a big one.
Good Morning Mr. President, my name's Reality. Now give me your wallet.
Tomorrow marks the end of the Presidency of George W. Bush. I'm not going to do a full review of his presidency and his legacy because firstly it's clichéd and secondly, I think it's too early to fully judge him. I will say that I believe he'll go down fairly badly in history, but not as badly as many think at the moment.
With Bush's leaving office, Barack Hussein Obama (now there's a name you wouldn't have thought would be elected President even a decade ago) will become the 44th President.
Now I've got some cold hard facts for the huge number of Obama cheerleaders and groupies out there:
Obama's election was nothing more than the rejection of an incumbent government for economic incompetence in favour of a charismatic young politician who preached change and makes good speeches. It does not mark the end of conservatism by any means, especially as John McCain got only a million or so votes less than George W. Bush. It was not a landslide victory- Reagan won a bigger one. All that happened was that a load of first-time voters arrived and a load of Republicans stayed at home. This will not the same come 2012.
Mr. Obama had better perform and perform well.
With Bush's leaving office, Barack Hussein Obama (now there's a name you wouldn't have thought would be elected President even a decade ago) will become the 44th President.
Now I've got some cold hard facts for the huge number of Obama cheerleaders and groupies out there:
Obama's election was nothing more than the rejection of an incumbent government for economic incompetence in favour of a charismatic young politician who preached change and makes good speeches. It does not mark the end of conservatism by any means, especially as John McCain got only a million or so votes less than George W. Bush. It was not a landslide victory- Reagan won a bigger one. All that happened was that a load of first-time voters arrived and a load of Republicans stayed at home. This will not the same come 2012.
Mr. Obama had better perform and perform well.
15 January 2009
Heathrow Airport Expansion
The Government has decided to go ahead with the expansion of Heathrow to include a third runway and a sixth terminal, along with some new rail links and other stuff to try and balance out the environmental impact.
I'm not in favour of the airport expansion, at least not at Heathrow.
There is the obvious environmental aspect, although some of the green campaigners need to think of the long-term impact of their actions on the global economy and tackling poverty.
As for creation of jobs- you don't need an airport to do that.
I'd like to see where the aviation market is at in five years before a decision anyway- it might not keep growing.
I suspect this won't be built- the courts will throw it out or the government will change.
BTW, Boris Johnson's Thames Estuary idea is stupid.
I'm not in favour of the airport expansion, at least not at Heathrow.
There is the obvious environmental aspect, although some of the green campaigners need to think of the long-term impact of their actions on the global economy and tackling poverty.
As for creation of jobs- you don't need an airport to do that.
I'd like to see where the aviation market is at in five years before a decision anyway- it might not keep growing.
I suspect this won't be built- the courts will throw it out or the government will change.
BTW, Boris Johnson's Thames Estuary idea is stupid.
12 January 2009
Covert-81 is up!
The game has been created!
If you want join, go to AJJE Games (link on my link bar) go to Ride The Edge and then to the application form.
We start on Friday.
Yes!
If you want join, go to AJJE Games (link on my link bar) go to Ride The Edge and then to the application form.
We start on Friday.
Yes!
06 January 2009
London Lite fails geography...
It stated today that it's currently colder than parts of Antarctica.
Well, of course. It's summer in Antarctica. Aussies do celebrate Christmas on the beach after all...
Well, of course. It's summer in Antarctica. Aussies do celebrate Christmas on the beach after all...
01 January 2009
Starting 2009- RP Plans
Ah, the joys of automated posting. I was out bell ringing in the new year when midnight came. Hope you don't mind.
I hope that Covert-81 will go up soon. I've got plans (more or less) for the entire "first season" of this RP and I really look forward to starting it. I will keep you informed.
I have plans to develop another couple of RPs for AJJE Games. I won't really be playing in these, just setting them and letting someone else have all the fun of GMing. I have my limits and more ideas than time to implement them...
If you've got any good, original RP ideas, please email me at silenthunta@hotmail.com. You'll get full credit.
I hope that Covert-81 will go up soon. I've got plans (more or less) for the entire "first season" of this RP and I really look forward to starting it. I will keep you informed.
I have plans to develop another couple of RPs for AJJE Games. I won't really be playing in these, just setting them and letting someone else have all the fun of GMing. I have my limits and more ideas than time to implement them...
If you've got any good, original RP ideas, please email me at silenthunta@hotmail.com. You'll get full credit.
29 December 2008
27 December 2008
A Weird Boxing Day In The Footy...
It was a weird Boxing Day in the weirdest Premiership season I can remember.
It's a season where three or four bad games can alter a club from title contenders to relegation fighters and managers from local heroes to people who need sacking badly (Personally, I think managers have it too hard- one should not get sacked for losing the final of the Champions League).
I caught a fair bit of the Villa-Arsenal game. It was a spectacular goal that levelled it for Villa and I, for some reason (I'd usually support Arsenal in this encounter, but I generally support Arsenal in their encounters, unless they're playing West Ham, of course).
Great one for the Hammers, wasn't it? 4-1 against Pompey at their ground is a brilliant result. They should have kept Redknapp...
Man City did a great job against Hull. I guess their manager is safe for the time being. Come the transfer window in January, they're going to be spending like a thing that spends a lot (thank you, Messrs. Whedon, Curtis, Elton, Atkinson et. al). Perhaps next season they'll be the richest side in the Championship. ;)
Man U certainly left it to beat Stoke- it should have been a walkover.
It's going to be an interesting title race- it could go to any one of five or six clubs. For the record, I will now make my preferences clear.
Come on you Reds!
It's a season where three or four bad games can alter a club from title contenders to relegation fighters and managers from local heroes to people who need sacking badly (Personally, I think managers have it too hard- one should not get sacked for losing the final of the Champions League).
I caught a fair bit of the Villa-Arsenal game. It was a spectacular goal that levelled it for Villa and I, for some reason (I'd usually support Arsenal in this encounter, but I generally support Arsenal in their encounters, unless they're playing West Ham, of course).
Great one for the Hammers, wasn't it? 4-1 against Pompey at their ground is a brilliant result. They should have kept Redknapp...
Man City did a great job against Hull. I guess their manager is safe for the time being. Come the transfer window in January, they're going to be spending like a thing that spends a lot (thank you, Messrs. Whedon, Curtis, Elton, Atkinson et. al). Perhaps next season they'll be the richest side in the Championship. ;)
Man U certainly left it to beat Stoke- it should have been a walkover.
It's going to be an interesting title race- it could go to any one of five or six clubs. For the record, I will now make my preferences clear.
Come on you Reds!
Gaza airstrikes
The Gaza Strips has suffered its worst airstrikes since 1967, as you've probably read on the news sites.
It seems to me that this is the lead up to a full-scale invasion by Israel, who are probably getting sick of Hamas.
It's going to be nasty whatever happens. My thoughts and prayers are with all those affected.
It seems to me that this is the lead up to a full-scale invasion by Israel, who are probably getting sick of Hamas.
It's going to be nasty whatever happens. My thoughts and prayers are with all those affected.
24 December 2008
Merry Christmas
I would like to wish everyone an enjoyable and safe Christmas season.
Praise the Lord for the birth of his Son, that our sins might be forgiven and that we might enter his Kingdom!
Praise the Lord for the birth of his Son, that our sins might be forgiven and that we might enter his Kingdom!
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