The 800th thread!

[Aphrodite Mae]

Hurrah! This is the 800th thread in the "General Information" forum!! ompom:
Why is that special...?

Actually, it's not. But what it is, is an excuse. It's an excuse for you, sir, to have a beer!


So go ahead. Wherever you are, if it isn't unsafe or unwise, go ahead and enjoy a beer, to celebrate the 800th thread!

If you're at work...? Well. Just tell them that the queen of this virtual realm of warriors that you hang out with online has said it's OK, this once. I'm sure they'll understand, when you explain it that way.

Now, maybe you're thinking, "OK, I'll have a beer to celebrate this obscure occurrence... but what's the point in starting a thread about it?"

The point is that this thread has no point. We can just let the conversation wander aimlessly, and see where it leads. You can't go off-topic, in this thread!

So: if you're starting to wander into the weeds in some topical thread but having an interesting conversation, you can continue your conversation here, in this thread. Or if you come across a really great post that you think deserves a wider audience, post the link here. Or if you simply have an idea or an announcement that you want to share, here might be the place to post it.

You get the idea, I'm sure. All I ask is that you keep it tasteful, and civil.

Enjoy your beer!
Mae

PS Happy 800th thread Day, to you!

[jack54]

Thank you Oh Gracious Queen... A great idea!

I am reminded of an episode of the original Star Trek series.... "FESTIVAL...FESTIVAL..."

[Jim-NC]

And a happy 800th thread day to you as well.

[Hobbes]

Great idea for a thread! I'll start with a beer (oh I already did!). Here in the UK we have had close to 70 temps (or even above) for the past two weeks with bright sunshine every day! So one has to take advantage. It's March! We also have a hosepipe ban due to drought. It's not all rain and fog over here

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17340844

[Franciscus]

Here in Portugal we have had also for the past month an almost summer weather (and a terrible drought, too)

But next week it's supposed to rain every day - just as I am taking my family for an easter vacation in Algarve...

Oh well, pass me that beer...

[gchristie]

This could also be dubbed the "Seinfeld Thread" as it's truly a thread about nothin'.

Having taken a thread off point a time or two myself, I'll feel right at home here.

Sadly I can not join my brothers and sister(s) here for a beer as the good news is I've stuck to my New Year's resolution to take up running after many years, the bad news is I've developed "runner's heartburn" and my doctor has advised reducing my alcohol consumption, and worse still, to ramp down my intake of coffee. What is the point of being healthy, I ask?

So, I shall live vicariously through your partaking in adult beverages of your choice.

Bottoms up!

(I may consider changing doctors... )

[Aphrodite Mae]

Captain Orso and I were discussing an AACW Beta Artillery issue via PM, and he sent me a GIF showing how to quickly field clean a 6 lbr!
It's a very innovative method, I must say!

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Thommy, thanks for a great LOL! After you walked into my ambush the other day, I would normally say that you've been smooched enough...
...but this little gem of yours deserves yet another smooch!

So, here!

Thanks for brightening my day!


Aphrodite Mae


PS Jack54, I think that your idea of posting your AGE games in your signature is great! Everybody will now know what games you can PBEM!

[Jim-NC]

Ah, but does it work for 12 pounders as well?

[Aphrodite Mae]

Ah, but does it work for 12 pounders as well?

...Well, according to Dixicrat, a 6 lbr has a bore of 3.67", and a 12 lbr has a bore of 4.62". Perhaps if we fatten the kitten with cream...?

Say! ...Jim, you live in North Carolina, which is famous for its 'possums (and rightly so!). I'm sure that everyone will agree that it would be much more appropriate for Confederate guns to use a possum for the Cap'n Orso Kitty-Kleen[SUP]®[/SUP] method, don't you think? Having a malevolent marsupial hideously hissing while you cleaned your ordnance would kinda add to the drama and excitement! Might you do some field tests, Jim? We'll need video footage, though...

Well, fiddle-dee-dee! I just remembered that you're busy fighting WWI on the Paradox forums, and probably don't have time.

...How's the war coming along, anyway? Have you led Spain to world domination, yet?

[Aphrodite Mae]

I'm reading a book that takes place shortly after the Civil War in Kansas. One of the characters, a genteel Georgian dryly observes that the difference between a Yankee and a southerner is that upon meeting a Yankee he will tell you where he is going. The southerner will tell you where he is from. Being one who should know better about broad generalizations, but trips over them all the time, I was curious what my southern friends would have to say about this. [...]

I believe that your character's observation is much more true of the antebellum South than the contemporary one, with the possible exception of the upper classes. At the risk of oversimplification and sweeping generalization, I would characterize one of the most fundamental (and consequently, defining) cultural differences between North and South today, thusly: a Northerner will tell you what he intends to do, while a Southern gentleman will readily tell you of what he has already done.

I do believe that there are cultural antebellum roots in these propensities, though. Yankee culture is rightfully renowned for its pragmatic orientation, while Southern culture tends to be somewhat more idealistic, and less oriented toward industry and accomplishment. For Yankees, it is the goal that is sought; for Southerners, its more about the journey: the people and experiences that you encounter, along the way.

For example, consider planning a vacation road trip. A northern gentleman might tend to be focused upon arriving at the destination by such-and-such a time, and be willing to sacrifice the indulgences of stopping for dinner or souvenirs en route, in order to conform with his timetable. A southern gentleman, on the other hand, will plan on stopping for souvenirs, a relaxed dinner, and just about anything except directions. The Southerner arrives a day late and a dollar short, but he has a bunch of cool souvenirs, a picture of himself standing beside the very bed where a cousin of Benjamin Franklin's daughter slept, and so forth. The Yankee, on the other hand, arrives a day early, with a dollar saved. He has a well-deserved sense of satisfaction at having made the trip with time to spare and having saved a lot of money, too!

Another difference that I've noticed between Northern and Southern culture involves respect. Northern friends tend to only give respect, after it has been earned. Southern friends, on the other hand, tend to extend respect to strangers until it is lost.

There are many other differences, too; but I don't think that here is the place to start my Doctoral Dissertation on the cultural anthropology of post-bellum regionalism in the United States.

Affectionately,
Havely

[Franciscus]

Rant alert...

I recently bought a hotspot, to use on vacations - all the family likes to be connected - daughter to be on facebook, son to see youtube, wife to connect to work, and me...to get my fix of Ageod forums

Well, my iphone and ipad and my daughter's macbook all instantly recognized the network, and in seconds were connected to the internet. My laptop, a 2011 ASUS N61J, with Windows 7 64 bits, sometimes recognizes it, sometimes don't, apparently for no reason. Sometimes it gets connected but with "limited capability" = no internet. If I try the "Microsoft resolution of problems" , I am led through a series of meaningless steps, and then...nothing.

Just now, after restarting the hotspot and laptop 3 times, the &%$ thing finally managed to connect...

Why ??

Today I only use windows at all because of games...

[Aphrodite Mae]

Dixi and I just hate Windows for many of the same reasons that you've cited, e.g., sporadic connectivity, pointless and stupid "help" routines, etc.

Will Linux run Windows games on a PC?

[Franciscus]

I think there are some programs, some free, that somehow "skin" windows programs (like games) to run in linux or OSX. Unfortunately, I believe that most games either do not work at all or run with problems, like sluggish performance...

[Jim-NC]

A southern gentleman, on the other hand, will plan on stopping for souvenirs, a relaxed dinner, and just about anything except directions. The Southerner arrives a day late and a dollar short, but he has a bunch of cool souvenirs, a picture of himself standing beside the very bed where a cousin of Benjamin Franklin's daughter slept, and so forth.

You aren't talking about any southern gentleman in particular are you?

[gchristie]

Another difference that I've noticed between Northern and Southern culture involves respect. Northern friends tend to only give respect, after it has been earned. Southern friends, on the other hand, tend to extend respect to strangers until it is lost.Havely

There are presumptions built into each that are quite interesting. Something to mull over.

[Philippe]

There are presumptions built into each that are quite interesting. Something to mull over.

At the risk of revealing myself to be a cold Northerner, I would note that there is a difference between respect and courtesy that is often misunderstood and overlooked.

I believe the popular meaning of respect has changed somewhat over the last thirty years or so, and it has been watered down in popular culture to the point that it is very difficult to distinguish one from the other.

I've noticed that when someone complains of being treated with disrespect, what they're really saying is that they're being treated with a lack of courtesy.

The problem is that courtesy is a function of manners, and manners have pretty much gone out the window since I was a kid.

[Jim-NC]

Spain is holding her own. However, I decided to branch out, and take over Sardinia-Piedmont (while the player is transferring for a study abroad semester in Japan). It's interesting trying to separate the 2, as the one nation is friendly with the other's mortal enemy. I will have to write later about it (if I don't go off to join the war that is).

[gchristie]

Since this is the non sequitur thread I thought I'd share something I read recently that made me laugh out loud. This one goes out to the fathers among us, or anyone that has children, or if you've ordered Jackson to assault Butterfield and he decides to take a detour...

Laws Concerning Food and Drink; Household Principles; Lamentations of the Father

By Ian Frazier

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1997/02/laws-concerning-food-and-drink-household-principles-lamentations-of-the-father/5013/

[Franciscus]

Since this is the non sequitur thread I thought I'd share something I read recently that made me laugh out loud. This one goes out to the fathers among us, or anyone that has children, or if you've ordered Jackson to assault Butterfield and he decides to take a detour...

Laws Concerning Food and Drink; Household Principles; Lamentations of the Father

By Ian Frazier

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1997/02/laws-concerning-food-and-drink-household-principles-lamentations-of-the-father/5013/

Priceless, gchristie !

BTW, have you guys noticed that we have for the past 6 days a new record of 250 logged people in the forum !!

[gchristie]

BTW, have you guys noticed that we have for the past 6 days a new record of 250 logged people in the forum !!

I hereby also dub you, Sir Notices-a-lot

[Aphrodite Mae]

Thanks for the laugh, GChristie! With four kids, I can definitely relate!

Two lines particularly spoke to me:
And if you try to deceive by moving the potatoes or peas around with a fork, that it may appear you have eaten what you have not, you will fall into iniquity.

Amen, to that! Also:
Leave the cat alone, for what has the cat done, that you should so afflict it with tape?

If you've ever tried to remove duct tape from a very tough kitty, then you know that you want to ensure that your kids never, ever tape the kitty, again. I have scars to prove it!

[Jim-NC]

My 1,000 post. Ye'haw.

[Hobbes]

I'm sure there is a shiny new medal for that! (Do you have any room for one though?)
Congrats Jim!

Chris

[Jim-NC]

Thanks Hobbes,

But I am nowhere near as famous as you (or have such voluminous posts as you).

Medals are like desert, there's always room for 1 more.

[gchristie]

May 1 is decision time for many U.S. colleges and my daughter and I have been zigzagging across the Northeast visiting colleges.

As I go through the applications and compare tuition, fees, room and board, etc. between the schools and am looking down the barrel of that gun, I keep thinking about the "print money" option in AACW. If only...

So it got me to thinking, what about some other useful real world applications of AACW options? I'm training for a 10K, so having the "fast mover" attribute would come in handy

[gchristie]

Thanks Hobbes,

But I am nowhere near as famous as you (or have such voluminous posts as you).

While Hobbes manages to pull off both with aplomb, I for one value your quality over quantity, Jim-NC

[Jim-NC]

May 1 is decision time for many U.S. colleges and my daughter and I have been zigzagging across the Northeast visiting colleges.

As I go through the applications and compare tuition, fees, room and board, etc. between the schools and am looking down the barrel of that gun, I keep thinking about the "print money" option in AACW. If only...

So it got me to thinking, what about some other useful real world applications of AACW options? I'm training for a 10K, so having the "fast mover" attribute would come in handy

You can certainly try that option, the federal government frowns on it for some reason.

I get to see that gun next year. oke: I am not looking forward to it.

[Aphrodite Mae]

What a fun thread this is turning out to be!

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My 1,000 post. Ye'haw.

Congratulations, Jim! You have a new title, and a small stuffed tiger, too!

While Hobbes manages to pull off both with aplomb, I for one value your quality over quantity, Jim-NC

George, you should be a diplomat! I don't recall seeing you listed among the alumnus of Miss Porter's, but perhaps I wasn't paying attention when I sent my "no thanks, I don't want to contribute" notice last fall...

I am also a supporter of quality over quantity, when it comes to posting. Rather than a "average posts per day" in user statistics, I would prefer an "average wordcount per post" stat! That might be a clue to reveal those who typically offer substantive posts. Some of the gentlemen of these forums who have ancient enlistment dates here have "only" a few hundred posts, even though they've been with us for years. And yet, many of those posts involve insightful analysis, or great anecdotes, or a missive on historical issues that go on at length. That's the kind of posts I prefer, personally.

Jim has been a great contributor to the culture of our forums, both through his insightful and informative posts, and his gentle humor. Jim certainly deserves more medals! Unfortunately, he's going to have to take his place in line behind Durk, McNaughton, a half-dozen gentlemen currently playing in Longshanks tourney, and a handful of deserving others, as well. I'm waaaaaaaay behind on medals, and this makes me rather sad... but it takes a lot more work than most people might think, and I just haven't had the time! (Actually, that's not completely true: when I've had the time, I haven't felt like doing the work or I haven't thought about it... and when I've thought about getting caught up while feeling inspired to write and create, I haven't had the time!)

[Aphrodite Mae]

This post is in response to posts originally posted in Longshank's tourny thread.

Gallant warriors such as these will spread terror in the Yankee ranks.

Those are some well fed and well shod boys in butternut.

Good luck to you, GS.

I think that if you take the weight of the average Confederate soldier, and average that with the weight of the average Confederate re-enactor, you come out with a normal sized dude.

As soon as I can figure out how to edit the video, I'll post a video I took of re-enactors firing a volley of muskets at Mananas, a couple of weeks ago!