James

[center][img]http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/890/evalogotopic.jpg[/img] [font=book antiqua][size=5][b][color=#808080]TABLE OF CONTENTS[/color][/b][/size][/font] [font=trebuchet ms][size=2][color=#4B0082][alink=1]Timeline of Events: Pre-History[/alink] - [alink=2]Timeline of Events: 20th Century[/alink][/font][/size][/color] [font=trebuchet ms][size=2][color=#4B0082][alink=3]Organizations[/alink][/font][/size][/color] [font=trebuchet ms][size=2][color=#4B0082][alink=4]Locations[/alink][/font][/size][/color] [font=trebuchet ms][size=2][color=#4B0082][alink=5]Evangelions[/alink][/font][/size][/color][/center] [blockquote][font=book antiqua][size=5][color=#000000][b][aname=1]TIMELINE OF EVENTS: PRE-HISTORY[/aname][/b][/color][/size][/font] [font=trebuchet ms][size=3][color=#4B0082][b]4.5 Billion Years Ago[/b][/size][/color][/font][font=tahoma] Earth's formation is largely complete, having attained approximately 40% of its present mass (due to the process of [b][url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accretion_(astrophysics)"]accretion[/url][/b]). Elements of the remaining nebula surrounding the Earth continue to fall over a period of 20 million years, eventually constituting its present mantle. Contained within the orbiting solar nebula is an object known as the White Stone. The White Stone contains a prebiotic entity (now known as Adam, the progenitor of waveform life).[/font] [font=trebuchet ms][size=3][color=#4B0082][b]4 Billion Years Ago[/b][/size][/color][/font][font=tahoma] As the solar system begins to take shape and the planets grow larger through accretion, large clusters of matter form between them. The largest such cluster forms between Earth and Mars and is named [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theia"][b]Theia[/b][/url]. As Theia's mass increases, it begins to move closer to Earth (Earth's still-increasing size extends its gravitational influence over Theia, drawing the two bodies closer). Eventually, the two bodies collide. At the moment of collision, a significant portion of Theia's mantle is ejected into orbit around the Earth, thus forming the [b]Moon[/b]. The remainder of Theia's mantle explodes into thousands of pieces, each of which becomes embedded in the Earth's crust across much of its northern hemisphere. One of these pieces contains an object known as the [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Stone"][b]Black Stone[/b][/url]. The Black Stone contains a prebiotic entity (now known as [b]Eve[/b], the progenitor of [b]carbon-based life[/b]). This event is known as [b]First Impact[/b] - the general public are aware of the [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_impact_hypothesis"][b]Giant Impact Hypothesis[/b][/url], but are unaware of the existence of the Black Stone. Due to favourable climate conditions in the northern hemisphere, Eve is able to begin cell replication, which triggers [b]Genesis on Earth[/b].[/font] [font=book antiqua][size=5][color=#000000][b][aname=2]TIMELINE OF EVENTS: 20TH CENTURY[/aname][/b][/color][/size][/font] [font=trebuchet ms][size=3][color=#4B0082][b]1946 - 1956[/b][/size][/color][/font][font=tahoma] The [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_sea_scrolls"][b]Dead Sea Scrolls[/b][/url] are discovered in the ruins of the ancient settlement of Qumran. The scrolls are originally housed in the Rockefeller Museum, where they undergo translation and analysis. However, after the [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six-Day_War"][b]Six Day War[/b][/url], all of the scrolls (except two) are moved to the Israel Museum. The two remaining scrolls were removed from the Rockefeller Museum by Jordanian authorities several days before the war began. The public are unaware of the existence of these two scrolls, which are named [b]The Gospel of Adam[/b] and [b]The Gospel of Eve[/b] by their Jordanian translation team.[/font] [font=trebuchet ms][size=3][color=#4B0082][b]1957[/b][/size][/color][/font][font=tahoma] Translation efforts are abruptly called to a halt by the Jordanian government. The scrolls are confiscated from the research team and are transported to an unknown overseas location.[/font] [font=trebuchet ms][size=3][color=#4B0082][b]1965[/b][/size][/color][/font][font=tahoma] The U.N.-backed [url="http://www.wmo.int/pages/about/index_en.html"][b]World Meteorological Organization[/b][/url] commences extensive geological research in Japan and, by the late 1970's, they begin to focus their research efforts on the area surrounding Hakone, Japan.[/font] [font=trebuchet ms][size=3][color=#4B0082][b]1997[/b][/size][/color][/font][font=tahoma] The WMO establishes a new research station at the south pole, near the Rennick Glacier. Large drilling machines are transported from the United States to the Antartic station.[/font] [font=trebuchet ms][size=3][color=#4B0082][b]1999[/b][/size][/color][/font][font=tahoma] The [b]WMO Climate Change Committee[/b] is formed to oversee the research projects in Japan and Antarctica. The twelve member committee manages the activities of the organization and also allocate its largely-classified budget.[/font] [font=trebuchet ms][size=3][color=#4B0082][b]2000[/b][/size][/color][/font][font=tahoma] The [b]WMO Antarctic Research Group[/b] discovers an enormous stone deep underneath the Rennick Glacier. It takes two months to drill into the center of the stone, where a hollow cavern is found. [b]Adam[/b], the first waveform being and progenitor of the [b]Angels[/b], is discovered inside the cavern (which itself is filled with ice). The research group inserts several hollow metal probes into the White Stone's icy core. The probes are filled with boiling water and, through convection, the White Stone's core melts and is heated to approximately fifteen degrees celsius. At this stage a large needle, attached to a hydraulic arm, is inserted into Adam and a sample (presumably a blood sample, although this is unknown) is taken. Just minutes later, the sample is packed onto a U.N. helicopter, which heads out to sea. Within half an hour - while the heating rods are withdrawn from the core - Adam awakes and generates a powerful [b]anti-Wave Field[/b]. The resulting explosion completely destroys Antarctica, melting all of its glaciers simultaneously. The powerful explosion causes a shift in the Earth's axis and triggers enormous tsunamis, which decimate much of the southern hemisphere. This event is known as [b]Second Impact[/b]. A United Nations released an [url="http://images.wikia.com/evangelion/images/f/f1/Secondimpact.png"]official version of the events[/url]. The general public are unaware of the true nature of the Second Impact.[/font] [center][url="http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/6633/secondimpactbackstage.jpg"][img]http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/6633/secondimpactbackstage.jpg[/img][/url][/center] [font=trebuchet ms][size=3][color=#4B0082][b]2000: Two Days After Second Impact[/b][/size][/color][/font][font=tahoma] More than two billion people in the southern hemisphere perish as a result of the tsunamis generated from Second Impact. Severe climate change also ensues, resulting in a [b]perpetual summer[/b].[/font] [font=trebuchet ms][size=3][color=#4B0082][b]2000: One Month After Second Impact[/b][/size][/color][/font][font=tahoma] Many coastal cities in the northern hemisphere are either destroyed or severely damaged due to rising sea levels. Some major cities are abandoned as a result (Tokyo, Los Angeles and Hong Kong are the first three to be evacuated).[/font] [font=trebuchet ms][size=3][color=#4B0082][b]2000: Six Months After Second Impact[/b][/size][/color][/font][font=tahoma] The Third World War breaks out due to scarce food and resources. Nuclear weapons are deployed by several nations, causing widespread death and severe environmental damage. A high-yield nuclear bomb is dropped on Tokyo during the war, killing most of the remaining population.[/font] [font=trebuchet ms][size=3][color=#4B0082][b]2001[/b][/size][/color][/font][font=tahoma] World War Three ends after only a few months. Casualties are so high that the war can no longer be fought by most powers. The [b]Valentine Ceasefire[/b] is signed on February 14th, 2001. At the end of the war, approximately 50% of the Earth's remaining human population remains.[/font] [font=trebuchet ms][size=3][color=#4B0082][b]2003[/b][/size][/color][/font][font=tahoma] Construction on [b]Tokyo-2[/b] is completed and it becomes Japan's new temporary capital. It is located at the site of the former Matsumoto City in Nagano Prefecture. In the same year, the WMO Japan Research Group resume operations (having had their activities placed on haitus due to the war). They commence widespread drilling around Hakone, Japan.[/font] [font=trebuchet ms][size=3][color=#4B0082][b]2004[/b][/size][/color][/font][font=tahoma] The WMO Japan Research Group discovers the [b]Black Stone[/b] underneath Hakone, Japan. The stone is significantly larger than the White Stone, which had been found in Antarctica years earlier. In addition, it is discovered to be completely hollow; its outer mantle is only four meters thick. Researchers estimate that the Black Stone has a circumference of more than 50 kilometers.[/font] [font=trebuchet ms][size=3][color=#4B0082][b]2007[/b][/size][/color][/font][font=tahoma] Researchers investigate the Black Stone for three years. The enormous core is so large that significant time is needed to move personnel and machinery from the opening at the "top" to the mantle on the opposite side. The mantle at the bottom ("lower mantle") is discovered to be many times thicker than the mantle at the top ("upper mantle"). The WMO Japan Research Group commences excavations at the lower mantle and uncovers [b]Eve[/b], the proginitor of all [b]carbon-based life[/b] on Earth.[/font] [font=trebuchet ms][size=3][color=#4B0082][b]2008[/b][/size][/color][/font][font=tahoma] The Japanese government designates Hakone, Japan as the site for Tokyo-3, the intended new permanent capital of Japan. The decision is heavily influenced by prominent members of the WMO, who exert significant political power given the state of the Earth's fragile new climate conditions. While the Japanese government thinks it is simply choosing a new site for a permanent capital city, senior members of the WMO Climate Change Committee intend for Tokyo-3 to be used as a first line of defense against predicted Angel attacks. The official reason given for construction of Tokyo-3 is that Tokyo-2 is suffering from serious over-population problems and a new city is required as a long term solution.[/font] [font=trebuchet ms][size=3][color=#4B0082][b]2015[/b][/size][/color][/font][font=tahoma] Construction on Tokyo-3 is completed. The World Meteorological Organization is mostly dissolved; many of its staff join a new organization, called the U.N. Global Climate Administration. Some remaining WMO staff, however, establish a completely different organization: [b]NERV[/b]. NERV is initially founded in secret, funded in part by the United Nations and in part by private donors from around the world. [/font][/blockquote] [blockquote][font=book antiqua][size=5][color=#000000][b][aname=3]ORGANIZATIONS[/aname][/b][/color][/size][/font] [font=trebuchet ms][size=3][color=#4B0082][b]NERV[/b][/size][/color][/font][font=tahoma] NERV is an international paramilitary organization headquartered in Tokyo-3, Japan. It has four branches in total (Tokyo-3, Detroit, Moscow and Paris). NERV was founded in 2015 and operates under the auspices of the United Nations Security Council. Its Executive Committee consists of seven members, each from one of the seven permanent members of the U.N. Security Council (Japan became a permanent member of the council after the World War Three ended). The current NERV Chairman is [b]Mitsunobu Endo[/b]. [center][img]http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/7161/nervlogonew.jpg[/img] [size=1][i][b]Above:[/b] NERV logo. The tagline is a direct quote from the Book of Revelation.[/i][/size][/center] The United Nations Security Council has tasked NERV with one goal only: to protect Earth from the predicted Angel attacks, which are anticipated to commence sometime in the year 2020. Given the small window for preparation, NERV is allocated a generous budget from the seven permanent Security Council members, although it is not required to report its activities to any single national government. Instead, NERV's Executive Committee reports directly to the Security Council. The secretive nature of the organization has prompted several governments to establish active monitoring programs (in Japan, NERV is monitored by the Japanese Self Defense Forces). All of NERV's four bases are subterranean, with the largest base - [b]ARC[/b] in Tokyo-3 - situated inside the hollow Black Stone. The ARC sits in the center of the enormous hollow cavern within the stone and is held in place by four titanium pillars, which are connected firmly to the stone's inner crust. In addition to constructing enormous subterranean bases, NERV is responsible for building and operating powerful and advanced weapons called [b]Evangelions[/b]. At present, NERV operates three Evangelions in Tokyo-3; the remaining three units are being assembled at the Detroit and Paris branches. NERV is also responsible for finding and training Evangelion pilots. [/font][/blockquote] [blockquote][font=trebuchet ms][size=3][color=#4B0082][b]ALEPH[/b][/size][/color][/font][font=tahoma] Infamous Japanese cult leader [b]Sumito Asahara[/b] founded the Aleph movement in the early 1990's. Originally, his movement was centered around a seemingly benign form of "spiritual yoga", which attracted several thousand followers across Japan. However, as the years passed, Asahara began to introduce a variety of doctrines that consisted of his own interpretations of various religious sources including Buddhism and Christianity in particular. In 1992, Asahara published a book which became the central text for the movement, in which he claimed an identification with the [b][url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamb_of_God"]Lamb of God[/url][/b]. The book also contained numerous conspiracy theories and doomsday predictions. The [b]World Meteorological Organization[/b] was mentioned several times in the text. [center][img]http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/7654/alephlogo.jpg[/img] [size=1][i][b]Above:[/b] ALEPH logo, often seen as graffiti around Tokyo-3.[/i][/size][/center] Asahara convinced his followers that [b]Second Impact[/b] was predicted in the [b][url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Revelation"]Book of Revelation[/url][/b]. Specifically, he claimed that it represented the fifth chapter ([b]The Angels Sound the Trumpets[/b]), in which "A third of the oceans are destroyed" and "A third of the sky is darkened". He also claimed that a large-scale war was imminent ("An army of 200 million kills a third of Earth's population"). The commencement of [b]World War Three[/b] only served to solidify Asahara's bold claims. And, when the existence of NERV was finally announced to the public only months before the first Angel attack, Asahara claimed that the next stage of Revelation was at hand according to the book's chronology: The Angels Pour Out Their Bowls on the Earth 1. Seven angels are given golden bowls containing of the wrath of God. (15:1-8) 2. First Bowl: A "foul and loathsome sore" afflicts the followers of the beast. (16:1-2) 3. Second Bowl: The sea turns to blood and everything within it dies. (16:3) 4. Third Bowl: All fresh water turns to blood. (16:4-7) 5. Fourth Bowl: The sun scorches the Earth with intense heat. (16:8-9) 6. Fifth Bowl: There is total darkness and great pain in the Beast's kingdom. (16:10-11) 7. Sixth Bowl: Preparations are made for the final battle between the forces of good and evil. (16:12-16) 8. Seventh Bowl: A great earthquake: "every island fled away and the mountains were not found." (16:17-21) Asahara predicts the arrival of [b]eight[/b] Angels to his followers. At the same time, he [b]declares war on NERV[/b], stating the the organization is attempting to interfere with [b]Final Judgement[/b]. Asahara and his followers view NERV, collectively, as the [b]Antichrist[/b] - an organization established ostensibly to protect and serve the people, but with the ultimate goal of denying them ultimate salvation. [/font][/blockquote] [blockquote][font=book antiqua][size=5][color=#000000][b][aname=5]EVANGELIONS[/aname][/b][/color][/size][/font] [font=tahoma]The Evangelion is a cybernetic [b][url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mecha"]mecha[/url][/b], manufactured by [b]NERV[/b] for the purpose of defending Earth against the [b]Angels[/b]. Evangelion Units 01 through 03 are currently stationed at the [b]ARC[/b] facility and Units 04 through 06 are undergoing assembly and testing in NERV's Detroit and Paris branches.[/font] [font=trebuchet ms][size=3][color=#4B0082][b]GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS[/b][/size][/color][/font][font=tahoma] All Evangelions are quite different to each other (i.e. they are not mass-produced), except for some very general specifications. Typically, an Evangelion is approximately 400 meters tall (or, almost as tall as the Empire State Building). Despite their enormous height, Evangelions are generally very lightweight. Their weight varies based on their individual battle configuration. Evangelions are [b]biomechanical weapons[/b]; they are principally constructed of synthetic mechanical components, but do contain a biological nervous system which is very similar in nature to our own. The nervous system within an Evangelion's body exists largely to facilitate improved communication between the pilot and the Evangelion. Energy is supplied to Evangelions through a combination of internal rechargeable batteries and/or [b]umbilical cords[/b], which supply power to an Evangelion from a dedicated energy grid. When not connected to power via the umbilical cord, an Evangelion can usually remain powered for approximately five minutes. This does vary between individual units, however. Power consumption also varies based on the weapons used and the type of activity (for example, an Evangelion carrying a very heavy weapon while generating a Wave Field will tend to consume power very quickly). Another unique trait of Evangelions, as mentioned above, is that they can generate Wave Fields. These fields can usually only be generated for very short periods of time, due to the fact that they consume enormous quantities of electricity. However, Wave Fields can be decisive in battle and can protect an Evangelion from some of the most severe attacks.[/font] [font=trebuchet ms][size=3][color=#4B0082][b]PILOTING MECHANISM[/b][/size][/color][/font][font=tahoma] The pilot's [b]cockpit module[/b] is encased in a metal tube called an [b]entry plug[/b], which is inserted into the "spine" of the Evangelion prior to battle. The entry plug rests within the thickest and most-protected part of the Evangelion's body, thus providing optimal protection for the pilot. The cockpit module itself is a small chamber with a series of female plugs running along one wall. These female plugs correlate with the pilot's [b]plug suit[/b], which features a line of male plugs running down the spine. These plugs are used to connect the pilot directly to the cockpit module interior wall (i.e. to "plug in"). Once the plugs are connected, the pilot's [b]A10 nerve clip[/b] is activated. The A10 nerve clip is attached to the pilot's head and is wirelessly linked to the plug suit, which is, in turn, linked to the Evangelion via the entry plug. The A10 nerve clip essentially connects the pilot's brain directly to the Evangelion's nervous system. At this stage, the pilot is essentially suspended in the middle of the cockpit module. Once the A10 nerve clip is made active (via the [b]ARC Control Platform[/b]), the cockpit module is then filled with a substance called [b]stasis fluid[/b]. Statis fluid is slightly thicker than water and, when a small electric current is run through it, it becomes almost opaque. The statis fluid delivers oxygen directly to the pilot's lungs when breathed in. It also allows the pilot to move his or her limbs with far less resistance and, further, it acts to keep the pilot's body temperature relatively low so as to keep the heart rate down and to improve endurance. There are no physical controls within the cockpit module. When the pilot and Evangelion have achieved [b]optimal sync ratio[/b], the pilot essentially "becomes" the machine. The pilot loses a sense of self and instead views the outside world [i]as the Evangelion[/i]. This means that the pilot acquires the full sense of the Evangelion's sight and movement, including its weight and intertia. In addition, the pilot can feel pain when the Evangelion is damaged - although the degree of pain is very dependent on the sync ratio.[/font] [font=trebuchet ms][size=3][color=#4B0082][b]START UP PROGRAM[/b][/size][/color][/font][font=tahoma] In order to better understand the above, please see the Evangelion Start Up Program below, which outlines the steps involved in fully-activating an Evangelion. It can take as little as fifteen minutes to activate an Evangelion or as long as forty five minutes, depending particularly on the pilot's [b]sync ratio[/b]. [list=1] [*]Pilot changes into plug suit [*]Pilot is connected to cockpit module [*]Cockpit module is sealed [*]Cockpit module is inserted into entry plug [*]Entry plug is lowered into Evangelion (at the back of the neck) [*]Secondary power is activated from ARC Control Platform [*]Communication test [*]A10 nerve clip is activated by ARC Control Platform [*]Evangelion spinal column is sealed [*]Communication test [*]Pumps are heated [*]Pumps are connected to Evangelion [*]Cockpit module is filled with stasis fluid [*]Vital signs test [*]Statis fluid is electified [*]Communication test [*]Sync ratio test is conducted by ARC Control Platform [*]Clamps are disengaged [*]Primary power is activated [*]Final systems test [*]Evangelion is launched [/list] While the entire process is monitored by the ARC Control Platform, some specific functions can only be controlled from that location.[/font] [font=trebuchet ms][size=3][color=#4B0082][b]WEAPONS[/b][/size][/color][/font][font=tahoma] Weapon configurations vary between Evangelions. All Evangelions are equipped with a default weapon, which is typically a [b]progressive knife[/b] (a short dagger with an energy blade, usually holstered in a thigh compartment). However, this is not always the case - some Evangelions are equipped with different default weapons depending on their individual designs. In addition to a default weapon, all Evangelions carry a secondary weapon, which will generally vary based on the particulars of the mission. NERV has developed over-sized rifles, grenades, rocket launchers and even tactical thermonuclear devices specifically for Evangelion use. Also, it is worth noting that some weapons are purely mechanical (i.e. they must be manually loaded and fired by the Evangelion's own hand) while others use either independent energy sources [i]or[/i] feed from the Evangelion's own power supply.[/font][/blockquote] [quote=James][font="Palatino Linotype"]So, I've been thinking about starting a new RPG of my own for a while. I have had this idea for a long time about a mecha-type RPG involving high schools that double as military bases. Long story. Anyway, that idea hasn't ever really formed into something concrete, but as I've been re-watching my favourite anime series again recently, I started thinking that it's pretty ripe for the RPG treatment. I don't tend to like writing stories based on existing franchises because it's too easy to just produce a really vague and crappy imitation that tries too hard to have the exact same feeling as the original story. For me, I'd like to avoid the more enigmatic elements of the series (especially the more extreme emotional rollercoasters). I am more interested in the literal stuff - as in, the history of the Earth, how the Evas work and the struggles between the different organisations (as well as, of course, the Angel battles). I figure I'll throw this out there and just see if a) anyone's interested in this at all and b) if anyone has any ideas as to what the scope of the plot should be. We don't seem to have had an RPG based on this series since around 2005...so it could be well overdue.[/quote] [/font]

[font="Palatino Linotype"]In addition to the million or so games that I play off-and-on but don't finish, I've also been playing [b]Forza 3[/b] and [b]Limbo[/b]. I decided to get Forza instead of GT5 (and so far I think I'm happy with that decision) and Limbo, well...you only have to look at a screenshot and you can't help becoming intrigued, haha. It really lives up to the hype though. It's easily the most atmospheric game I've played in 2010. And it's also one of the most artistic games I've seen in years (it also helps that it's incredibly fun, too). Oh, and I grabbed Rez HD on Xbox 360 as well. Awesome game and even more awesome in HD. I also forgot how tough it can get![/font]

[quote name='JamesMay' timestamp='1293073295' post='703154'] btw... lol @ the last option on the poll [/quote] [font=palatino linotype]Haha, I found it a bit odd that it wasn't there originally, considering it's probably one of the most obvious relationships in the series. :P As I'm re-watching the series, I got up to episode 20 last night (I think it's 20...where Shinji "merges" with the LCL and is then re-born - talk about laying it on thick!) I'm now being reminded how crazy the series gets as it nears the end. Haha. I also noticed a local supplier who is selling new copies of the manga, so I'm very keen to know if it's actually worth getting. I suppose I could buy one issue and see how I go...but meh, I've done so much Christmas shopping lately that I probably shouldn't add to the bill even further. :P[/font]

[quote name='Magus' timestamp='1293025276' post='703129'] Ok, Bejeweled is the first game I've ever played that's real addicting but I hate it at the same time. [/quote] [font=palatino linotype]Same with me and Peggle. I'm deliberately not buying the full game, because otherwise I'll never leave the lounge room. o_O[/font]

[font="Palatino Linotype"]I do think that "text speak" is becoming a bit of a cultural thing. I personally don't like it, but I don't think it's really going to change. One thing that bothers me - but it's been happening for decades - is the deliberate misspelling of words, often in advertising and branding. But I guess that's another story, haha. My gut feeling is that the written word is not a thing of the past. The proliferation of stores like Borders as well as really popular novels that have encouraged many kids to get into reading seem to have made quite a positive difference (Harry Potter, I'm looking at you). I guess the main assertion that I disagree with is this idea that social networking and texting are making us less social in general. I actually find testing and social networking to be a way for me to keep in contact with people that I may not normally speak to every day anyway. Email, for instance, is something I use really often to communicate with co-workers, friends and family. I really think it comes down to the person rather than the technology. If you're anti-social, you're going to be that way no matter what tools are available. But if you're a social person, you'll just use those tools to enhance your, er...sociability. :P[/font]

[quote]And besides, like I said earlier, they weren't going to fight to the death. They had been trying to surrender for months before the bombs drop. The bombs had little to do with Japan, and everything to do with Russia.[/quote] [font=palatino linotype]I'm not sure I agree with that. I don't doubt that prior and subsequent to the dropping of the bombs, there were other factors involved (that is to say, broader reasons than just stopping Japan alone), but I think you're ignoring the very real alternatives that could have been as bad or worse. My intention is not to defend the fact that the bombs were dropped. But I do think that it's easy for us to make an intellectual argument more than half a century later, without really understanding what the experience was like at the time. It is wrong to simply write off 1945 as a "mistake" without acknowledging the complexity or context of the action at the time. In regard to everything else in your post, I only have two things to say really. First of all, absolutely nothing you have said there is a revelation - it is certainly not a revelation to politicians or those who have been fighting for nuclear arms reduction over the last few decades. There are no new ideas there. I say this to emphasize the fact that it's one thing to have a detailed set of steps that form a broader proposal for nuclear arms reduction. It's another thing entirely to physically implement those proposals, especially when the countries concerned have completely different attitudes about the issue - and I mean [i]completely[/i] different attitudes about the issue. So different that it is difficult to even agree on a [i]terms of reference[/i] for [i]preliminary[/i] meetings on the subject. Don't think leaders haven't tried (or aren't trying) or somehow aren't as passionate about the subject as you are. My mind immediately goes to the Obama Administration's angling with Iran about its weapons program - they actually had some pretty creative proposals that were not only clever, but extremely light-handed from Iran's point of view...and they still got nowhere. Secondly, you say that we need national and international movements in order to reduce nuclear arms. I agree with you that public pressure is incredibly important. But what about those nations where such public expression is impossible? Countries where people can't even vote, let alone protest their government's nuclear policy? I admire your enthusiasm and your passion - I think it's aimed in the right direction. But don't mistake my apparent cynicism for a lack of passion on the issue. I do think there's a place for public pressure and demonstration. But I also understand that there's a [i]lot[/i] more involved - a whole lot more. It's not just a question of political will, but also the ability to apply pressure from a variety of angles (diplomatic, economic and military). It's interesting to note, for example, that no amount of public demonstration caused Colonel Ghadafi to abandon his nuclear weapons program. And yet, the 2003 invasion of Iraq directly prompted him to a) declare exactly what his regime possessed (bear in mind that nobody in the world really knew the extent of Libya's nuclear program until that time) and b) agree to verifiable international inspections and destruction of his existing nuclear material. I don't want to debate the war here, but I am raising this to point out that public pressure - as strong as it can be - is also not a cure-all, nor is it even the most appropriate strategy in all scenarios. True nuclear arms reduction will certainly require passionate words, but it will also require resolute action on multiple levels as well (and a preparedness to make words enforceable to an appropriate extent). Sometimes we make the mistake of thinking that everybody in the world not only thinks similarly to us, but has the same "push and pull" factors when they really don't. I know I am also not saying anything revelatory, but I do think it represents the second half of the point you are making.[/font]

[font="Palatino Linotype"]Haha, the same principle is true, Boo. :) Less clicks beats more clicks. But now we have an auto-notifications system that we didn't have before as well...so that does make life a bit easier too. And if you knew what it took to just bend this software to do what it's doing now (in terms of the custom stuff that isn't on regular IP Board)...it would boggle your mind! :P[/font]

[quote name='Boo' timestamp='1292853360' post='702999'] [b]EDIT[/b] I just wanted to say that the " Manage Ignored" option seems a bit irrelevant to have in the drop down menu at the top, and I'd rather see "Edit Profile" up there for example. [/quote] [font=palatino linotype]Remember that you can click on Edit Settings to access all of your editing options (profile, forums, etc...) We might play around with that menu a bit when we've knocked over a couple of other bits and pieces that we still need to fix.[/font]

[font=palatino linotype]I'm almost finished re-watching the original series (I think I'm now less than ten episodes from the end). The Tentacle, you mentioned the manga... so I have to ask, is it worth getting? Originally I wondered if the manga was simply a re-telling or a parallel of the series (or maybe I should say, is the series a re-telling of the manga). I ask because if I start at volume 1 and I end up just reading the same plot...then maybe it's not worth buying. So I guess my first question is, in what time period does the manga take place, relative to the TV series? And yeah, does anyone recommend it?[/font]

[quote name='Magus' timestamp='1292853858' post='703000'] I haven't toyed around with the emoticons yet. A couple of things. 1st, I have a tooth ache. I want to say it's because of my wisdom teeth but then the pain tends to go to my molars and gums. Man this sucks. 2nd, I've reached a crossroad. Xbox 360 or Playstation 3. I'm trying to figure out which one I want to get. The PS3 has MGS4 and the Uncharted series that I want to play and then the 360 has the Mass Effect and Halo games. Not to mention almost all the other games I want to play are on both consoles. I'm a cheap person so it would only be fitting that I should get a 360 but I like sony's controllers. Even though Christmas is my favorite holiday I must admit that I haven't been in the mood for it. I'm mainly trying to get out of this house to getaway for a while but with no car that's not happening. Some of these folks here are annoying as hell. I think I want a punching bag for christmas. [/quote] [font=palatino linotype]You like Sony's controllers? Are you some kind of sadist? o_O I just recently bought one of those second generation Xbox 360s (as mine died ages ago...as in, maybe two years ago, haha). I had forgotten how brilliant the console is. And the latest GUI is really awesome - the interface is really slick and it's ridiculously easy to manage everything. The Xbox Live Arcade is also incredibly awesome and even the avatar system works really well. For the last year or so I've been playing PS3 (I got a PS3 Slim rather than buying a replacement Xbox) and I've definitely been loving it too. But honestly...now that I have the Xbox 360 again, I feel like I'd forgotten how awesome it is. Better controller, better interface and, I think, better online services and easier navigation. Both consoles are great, but for me, Xbox 360 is edging out the PS3 at the moment.[/font]

[quote name='Boo' timestamp='1292851585' post='702992'] ... That's actually quite a plan. I should start digging into that. In the case of, I'll probably be bombing you with questions about stuff though. :^D OH. Then you can be a weekly live guest in the podcast too. 8D [/quote] [font=palatino linotype]That would be truly awesome. I'm a good tour guide - there's heaps and heaps to do in Melbourne. And happy to answer any questions you may have. :)[/font]

[quote name='Boo' timestamp='1292841722' post='702985'] Hmph, casually finding a job in Ireland proves completely impossible. :^( I'm going to have to use my European charms, I'm afraid. Maybe they need a part-time podcaster in a villa on Jersey. [/quote] [font=palatino linotype]Come to Australia. The unemployment rate here is quite low and the rate of pay and standard of living is pretty high. Also...you get the added bonus of a different climate than you're used to and probably a fairly different culture (at least, more different than you'd get elsewhere in Europe). I'm not biased or anything, but perhaps Melbourne should be your first stop? :P [center][media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RTiUbUjVTU[/media][/center][/font]

[font=palatino linotype]Just a couple of quick things to report that I've noticed recently. First, if you are using Fast Reply and you try to click Other styles, Fonts or Sizes, the menus open upwards and they cut off at the first option - so you really can't see anything in the menus. Not sure if that's happening to me or to others as well. Also...our emoticons. I don't know what happened here. Originally we had 26 emoticons loaded...now we only have 13 available. I checked the emoticon section on the Admin CP and I can only see those 13 (as well as the old default ones underneath, which are inactive). I'm not sure where the other emoticons went; I'm assuming they are still sitting in a folder on the server somewhere. I don't think I've saved the re-coloured versions on my computer, so if I have to re-upload them... I'll also have to recolour the missing ones from scratch.[/font]

[quote name='Pleiades Rising' timestamp='1292825015' post='702980']In sum, I agree with the general idea of banning such weapons, but the devil is in the details. [/quote] [font=palatino linotype]Bingo. From my perspective, there isn't even really a debate about whether we should or shouldn't have less nuclear weapons in the world - I am sure that, ultimately, pretty much every sane person is going to agree that the world would be better off without nuclear weapons. But we live in a complex world and the solution to this problem is not clear. It is unlikely, for example, that the United States would unilaterally abandon its nuclear weapons when other powers have not done so - not only is it unlikely, but it's something that most rational people would oppose. Can you imagine a world where the United States has no nuclear arsenal, but countries like North Korea and Iran do? To some extent, America's nuclear arsenal assures some degree of global security by way of being an effective counter-balance. Just a footnote to this discussion as well...Starwind, you mentioned 1945 and it being a "mistake". I just want to say something about that. First of all, hindsight is always 20/20. It's very easy to sit here now, in 2010 and look back at 1945 as being a horrific mistake. But I think it's important to just step back for a moment and consider other points of view. What was the alternative to dropping the atomic bombs on Japan? I can think of only one - a ground invasion of Japan by allied forces. It is not out of the question to imagine that a ground invasion of Japan at that time would have resulted in significantly more deaths than the dropping of the atomic bombs. Millions of Japanese are loyal to a derranged emperor and we already know that Japanese soldiers were prepared to commit suicide in order to protect Japan. I can't even begin to imagine what would have happened if tens of thousands of allied forces had actually tried to take Japan via a ground invasion. Secondly, those bombs essentially stopped the war. I live in a country that was underwent some four months of aerial assault by the Japanese air force just prior to the end of the war. By that time, Japan had conquered several nations to Australia's north (including Indonesia, which they occupied for some time). I say this because, again, it's easy in retrospect to say that something was a "mistake never to be repeated". However, I also think it's worth considering what we'd have done if America never had a nuclear arsenal to deploy in such a situation. Americans celebrated the end of WWII for obvious reasons, but the people here celebrated the end of the war because a) it meant the end of Japanese occupation of the region and b) it meant that no further Australian cities would be decemated as Darwin was. This is not to say that the dropping of the bombs wasn't horrific - of course it was. But I suggest that if Japan had begun to bomb San Fransisco and Los Angeles, some Americans today may view the atomic bomb attacks differently than they do. It's worth thinking about, anyway. [/font]

[quote name='Shinmaru' timestamp='1292714557' post='702921'] I knew you would change your name after listening to this episode, and it still made me guffaw when I saw it. [/quote] [font=palatino linotype]I'm glad I made you guffaw. [/font]

[quote name='The Professor' timestamp='1292671654' post='702904'] [font="Comic Sans MS"][b]TRON: Legacy[/b] is pretty sweet. Not really much for story, it's a bit predictable and basic, but the visual effects and fight scenes are spectacular, and there's this one character who pretty much stole the show due to being such a magnificent ham. Definitely makes me want to check out the original. I think I'll ask my friend if I can borrow it from him tomorrow.[/font] [/quote] [font=palatino linotype]Agreed. I just saw this last night and I loved it. The plot was okay, but really it was the art design and special effects that were worth watching. I also really liked all of the actors and their performances as well. And yeah... the Daft Punk soundtrack was really awesome. It just lifted the entire film and gave it that really polished feel. I also need to see the original now. As a kid I had a movie on VHS that had the Tron trailer at the start...so I know the original trailer back-to-front and yet I never saw the film! [/font]

[font="Palatino Linotype"]Awesome podcast, guys. The roundtable thing is working really well. And Korey, what's up with your cockney accent? I'll have to show you how it's done. Shy, I think Adam took you to the same restaurant that he took me to. He's addicted to that place, I reckon.[/font]

[quote name='CaNz' date='18 December 2010 - 08:17 AM' timestamp='1292624267' post='702881'] I have heard of these sites before. from what I hear the quality of the games are fine, so long as your computer can handle them. they seem to have an okay selection as well... but the games they have are a few good ones, not a giant library... if you really want the chance to play all the games ever without buying them, go with game-fly. [/quote] [font=palatino linotype]I'm not sure what you mean here - what has your computer got to do with anything? My understanding of OnLive is that the software is all run on a powerful server and the video and sound are streamed to your television over the Internet. So as far as I know, part of the benefit of OnLive is that you aren't actually running [i]any[/i] software in your home - you therefore never need to upgrade your computer hardware or upgrade your console (since the servers themselves are upgraded by OnLive as required). From what little I've read about OnLive, it's a clever idea. And potentially, this is where all gaming will end up going (and perhaps all software in general). That is to say, we could end up running most software "in the cloud". Having said that, the biggest issue for me is that my Internet isn't really fast enough to stream everything smoothly. I think you'd need pretty fast Internet to be comfortable replacing your existing consoles with this machine. But certainly, the concept is great, although possibly a bit before its time. A few people have reviewed it and it seems to all work quite well - but again, you just need to make sure you have that fast Internet connection. If your 'net goes down, your game ends...which kind of sucks. So yeah, I won't be buying one anytime soon, but I really hope OnLive does well. It would be a really great competitor for the big players.[/font]

[quote name='Shinmaru' date='17 December 2010 - 02:52 AM' timestamp='1292518337' post='702819'] I started my rewatch of [b]Evangelion[/b] recently. Nothing much to report since I'm only through the first three episodes and I've seen those (and iterations of them) a crapload of times, but this [i]is[/i] the first time I am seeing the TV series in DVD quality, and, uh, it really makes the animation shortcuts Gainax took more prominent! [/quote] [font=palatino linotype]Haha, very true. Re-watching the series also further demonstrates just how far the Rebuilds go in terms of animation improvements (again, Ramiel...wow). Funnily enough, I've been watching the series subbed. I normally don't mind dubbing (and I watched the dubbed version of 1.11 with no issues)...but somehow the dubbing on the Evangelion series is highly irritating. :\[/font]

[font="Palatino Linotype"]I really haven't played enough new games this year to be able to say what was the best and what wasn't, but I'd be interested to see if they have an "overall" set of awards. Anyway, yeah, I'd definitely classify Final Fantasy XIII as sci-fi. It's certainly just as sci-fi as Final Fantasy VII was, even given all the magical stuff. And the "fantasy" category is pretty nebulous. I'm not even sure it's a good category for an award in the first instance, though.[/font]