Vex Xiang

I'm a human. Since "human" encompasses everyone, thats me.

How can they not like it though if they've never seen it? I at least gave Voyager a shot and I really didnt like it. DS9 was great until it turned into a soap opera in space - one big long plot that was 50 episodes long.

Why is it that lately everytime I see the word "new" on the boards its in red font and bold? Why does STSF like the word new so much?

The poor deprived child!

::shakes head:: my my...what would Freud say...

All this negativity towards sim parents makes me want to cry :'(

Well I was a Klingon at the time :D The smell still applies.

My character Xiang...his parents are both deceased from age. My character Dox...his parents are both alive, but he has cut off contact with them. IRL I have a wonderful relationship with my parents :D

I did. I was the original tubecleaner :D

Happy Bday! Okay...I want to hear some crazy bar stories.

Happy Bday Nem... Here I bought you a Gremlin.

Are you serious? Thats hilarious! :D What a great typo!

Your tubes cannot be as clean without the original tubecleaner!

Hmm I disagree. While yes in a pbem the logs are the only activity, regular sim logs are rarely "retellings" of events within the sim. Often they are extensions, going off into an adventure that wasnt carried out in the sim because of time constraints, or to explain what a character is doing between this sim and the next. I do sometimes see logs that are just general recaps of the prior sim, but mostly they are done by newer players. And often any logs I see from my ship (USS Excalibur- best sim on the net) are very long and complex. Though I've never been in a pbem so I have no frame of reference.

Forgot to respond to this part. I think you misunderstand what I'm saying. I don't think we should stop helping out altogether, but I don't think we should be spending such a large portion of our budget on it. Money that could go for many needed programs here in the motherland. I DO believe that we should assist other countries when asked...such as aiding them in strengthening their own economies and rebuilding with minimal interference, not just dishing out load of cash.

Thanks for the info, Fred! My book is actually referring to total registered voters voting in all elections, including local. It does say also that vastly more people vote in presidential elections than anything else. The deficit is no doubt smaller than it was 20 years ago! I haven't looked up any exact figures of course...but right now we're overspending on foreign programs (IMHO). Beyond 20 years ago, and even farther back, we were funding major wars...including providing rebuilding funds to european countries post-WWII. We haven't had a major war in a long time. Once "rebuilding" programs begin to flood into our post-war iraq project, I think we'll start to see the deficit grow. But in any case, I know that local within-US programs are receiving less funding by the year. Schools are losing govt funded programs, and as I mentioned before police/fire/etc are operating on reduced budgets. There was a local strike threat in my area by police because of necessary wage cuts because of this. Yet we're still spending so much on foreign programs, it boggles me that we wouldn't consider within-US problems more of a priority. You are correct and I concede. But I still believed that the administration used the "immediate threat" of WMD to rally the support of the American people and Congress. I think if nothing else there was a serious priority shift from early on in the campaign to the end of the war. I think the focus initially was on WMD, although I now admit Saddam's dictatorship did play a minor role, but later shifted completely away from WMD and moved entirely to Saddam. Again I could be wrong...but from watching and listening to all the news available, this is the impression that was given to me.

Going off of Huff here... What are your non-STSF hobbies? ::takes microphone:: I'll start off. I think my biggest hobby is working on my jeep. Though its terribly hot right now! In fact I pay $50 a month just so I can have a garage to work on my jeep in! I also love to cook. I enjoy watching Friends and Simpsons. I'm an Aries. I also like to surprise my girlfriend and make her smile...now thats a good hobby, yes? I do love web stuff, too. And often when I'm bored I'll work on websites or write stories. Oh, and I like to draw. Next up? ::passes microphone down::

I have visions of "Star Trek Creek" all the kids have teenage romantic angst and their world "falls apart" about stuff that really doesn't matter. They all sleep with one another during the show, get dumped, start dating others. One character dies and at the end of the series they all pair up.

Arent all logs basically pbem simming?

What are the sources of these 35% or 50% stats? That seems like an aweful lot of voters that I don't think turn out. I have a 2003 political science textbook sitting in front of me that says 11%. ::shrug:: But stats are pretty trivial so lets move on... Now I don't really want to get into a lengthy discussion about this, but since its with Fred I think its safe. :D I love US involvement in foreign affairs when it comes down to voluntary assistance. Aiding in programs to help people in other countries is a good thing...but only when you base most of its support off their economy, using their labor, etc. We are the largest financial contributor...and its horrible IMHO (have you seen the deficit lately?). We just don't spend enough funds on the local level to justify how much we spend on foreign programs. (I dont have rough figures from the last years budget, but maybe someone does and could post them?) Now I know its impossible to give every homeless person a job, or parents to every orphan...but why do firemen and policemen have to stand on streetcorners collecting money because their departments dont get enough funds from the govt? Why do teachers have to buy computers themselves for their schools so their children can use them in the classroom? I just think the "balance" of financial funding isn't correct. Just to clarify...I watched the war very carefully. I watched the news leading up to it, during it, and after it. 24/7 when I was watching TV, it was news, and when I drove around, I listened to the news. I watched every presidential announcement he made. We didn't go to war to remove a murderer...we went there to eliminate an immediate threat of WMD against the US. We went after Saddam because he was known to be holding terrorists within his borders and weapons that those terrorists could use. The only mention from the US Govt or the news regarding removing Saddam for the benefit of the Iraqi people occured after the war was almost over.

I agree Fred. Lets keep this to a mature, friendly discussion. I think everyone's doing a fantastic job so far.

Its gotta be the avatar! The only dreams other simmers have about me involves pepper lemon sauce.

My character was stolen by Trek in that TNG episode with the race called "Delpins"...a Starfleet officer named "Xiang" was seen briefly floating at one of the rear science stations on the Enterprise D. I dont remember which episode so just watch them all and keep your eyes open he is only visible for 1/8 of a second. Have fun!

So did the Bush. I didnt vote for him, but I wouldn't support a recall of him. I dont agree with your "less than 50%" of the registered voters turning out to be significant. As I understand it, only 11% of US registered voters bother to vote in elections.

It was called Trekkies. Look for it in your local video store :)