Kansas_Jones

I didn't read the excerpt, I just shot straight to the design image and then read the blurp: 1.) The internal Nerd Meter immediately registered the design as in between the original Enterprise and something from TMP or Enterprise the TV show. 2.) I can handle the new design. 3.) At least the re-imagined Enterprise doesn't have the blocky, patched together, wet looking design of the re-Imagined Battlestar Galactica military cruisers (not a gripe there, btw, just a comparison). 4.) I really wasn't expecting the classic Constitution or classic Connie Re-Fit design; each new Trek incarnation had a new ship design. 5.) The refit Connie was itself an updated design, so the Original Enterprise was already changed way back in 1979 for TMP. I'm with Doctor Matthews - this re-Imagined Enterprise looks pretty.

11.05.08 Agincourt Mission Update: Mission Brief: So when we left off, Agincourt was towing the Alpha section into a station for repairs. We've arrived at the station and gotten the Alpha section into a repair dock, while the bulk of the ship sits at a regular port long enough for us to offload Chase and deal with some of the paperwork that comes with getting a hole blasted in your deck. TBS: 12 Hours at the Starbase, long enough for the repairs to the Alpha Hull structure to be complete - The commanding officer and executive officer each had business to deal with as the ship remains docked at the Starbase for repairs; Colonel Harper dealt with a recalcitrant administrative Lieutenant regarding the scheduled ship repairs (he had no chance) while Commander JoNs handled the base Security chief (also had no chance) regarding the handing off of prisoner and saboteur Joseph Chase to the proper base authorities. - Lieutenant Tay was showing Lieutenant Shadow (who changed forms into a Nightflyer) some flying, taking advantage of the relative openess of the starbase. - Lieutenant Commander Odile Condacin got herself sozzled on the local base hooch. Commander JoNs was sent off with orders from the CO to wrangle the three sheets to the wind Xenexian sciences chief. With the aid of Lieutenant Shadow, resident Energy Being, who offered his services as an anti gravity stretcher, Odile was escorted back to the ship by Shadow, JoNs, the Resident Sciences Bat Tay and Harper. (::hums a tune:: We all love a parade, la la da) The Lieutenant Commander actually hugged Colonel Harper, but the Xenexian does retain all her teeth, thankfully. - Condacin was to be escorted to and dropped off at the medical bay with orders to CMO Kara from Harper, quote “Tell the doctors if they want to break out old-fashioned medicine, they can,” unquote. (Boo Yah. Go for the big needles!! There’s plenty of padding in the target area.) - Lieutenant Commander Kairi and her engineering team held down the fort on the Agincourt, overseeing the still ongoing internal repairs to the lab area as well as overseeing the outer hull repairs soon to be started by the Starbase repair personnel. Otherwise, the ever present diet of engineering donuts and apple fritters were consumed freely (the sugar diet. Either that or y'all think you're on the USS Hood). - Workbees started to scan and latch onto the compromised hull areas, and Hull Maintenance Techs soon mobilized, and scans on the work progress are sent directly to the Agincourt engineering department.

Mission Brief: So when we left off, Agincourt was towing the Alpha section into a station for repairs. We've arrived at the station and gotten the Alpha section into a repair dock, while the bulk of the ship sits at a regular port long enough for us to offload Chase and deal with some of the paperwork that comes with getting a hole blasted in your deck. Agincourt_chatlog2008_11_05.doc

::is way, waaaaaaay back there along with Sam::

So, the nutshell is this: 1.) People will use (and continue to use) either the PC or MAC based on their personal preferences or business or pleasure situations. 2.) The choice is made because this is something they've used all along, got converted due to exposure, or they got fed up with this or that ops system, or are attracted to the pretty shiny. 3.) And, we are all hamstringed and herded into using the PC or the MAC until a 3rd party computer developer comes along with a third option to sweep the world and go boo yah on the Eeeeeeeeeeeeevil PC and Mac empire and conquer the market? ::grins:: that about cover it guys? :-P

MISSION BRIEF: Excalibur is passing through Cult of Iyves space. Like the Fellowship passing through Moria, we hope to go unnoticed, least we awake far older and far fouler things than orcs. 081102_Excal_Chat.txt

11.02.08 Excalibur Mission Update: MISSION BRIEF: Excalibur is passing through Cult of Iyves space. Like the Fellowship passing through Moria, we hope to go unnoticed, least we awake far older and far fouler things than orcs. TBS: 2 Minutes - The stealthy trip across the Blood Cult territory did not go as planned: the wreckage of a ship(s) as well as escape pods exposed to vacuum are encountered, no doubt hapless travelers who ran afoul of the Cult. A mine field, set in a tachyon detection pattern, is then added to the equation. Soon, a Blood Raider Squad and their fighter escorts are spotted on the tactical grid and then things really get interesting. - The data gathering plans and remote access to the Miriamano Archives are placed in limbo until this current threat can be contained. - The 310th fighter squad is called to duty, and all pilots and support crews mobilize to meet the incoming aviation threat. - 100 warriors, clad in white armor, breach Decks 5, 12 and 15. - Deck 5: Crew quarters, main lounge, secondary science labs, cargo bays. - Deck 15: Engineering. - Deck 12: Primary Systems Support Compartments, Shuttlebay (Fore and Aft Access), right below Sickbay, Shuttlebay. Note: Several ships systems, notably the EPS conduits and control systems, are compromised during the Blood attack vectors and hits (check the chat log for the full details on which systems are Action-ed with damage). Marine and Security officers are mobilized to handle the incoming ship board threats.

Question - What exactly prompted the change from PC to Mac? General reasons, or something more specific?

Happy B-Day Muon. Sell a few space condos and make some latinum!

The amount of people waiting at the voting sites! Driving by in my car, it was something to see! The buzz is palpable.

10.29.08 Mission Update: MISSION BRIEF: When we last left the heroes, we were en route to a starbase for repairs with the Alpha section in tow. We pick up right at the point where the ship is coming into the airspace of the station. TBS: To quote Colonel Harper: Next week, at the starbase, drop off Alpha and get back to work. - Engineering continues to repair the damaged systems. Damage rundown based on past updates: we originally evacuated the Alpha section due to poor air quality, and there is minor hull/structural damage, such as the cracked window in the Colonels Ready Room. All this was of course caused by the concussive blast of the explosive that Midshipman Chase set on Deck 2 within the Auxiliary Science labs. - Sciences assists with the repair work. Chief Condacin is not happy with the apprehended saboteur. - Both the Executive Officer and a Security Line Officer get rough with the apprehended suspect, Joseph Chase. The young midshipmen will be turned over to base authorities, assuming he isn't beaten to a pulp before then by overzealous aggressive senior officers. - While contained in the brig, Chase mentioned/kept ranting about the Sons and Daughters of Righteousness - apparently, an anti alien group that he is working for.

MISSION BRIEF: When we last left the heroes, we were en route to a starbase for repairs with the Alpha section in tow. We pick up right at the point where the ship is coming into the airspace of the station. 081029_Agincourt_Chat.doc

I hear ya Images - isn't it a fun game though? My character looks about 70-80 percent like myself. Putting that coolness aside, the storyline is awesome science fiction, and you truly do get sucked into the entire game.

We're still going to have a few Players who miss a sim here and there because of the time change. :-P

Images - have you checked out the Lower Decks, Excal's very own Message Board only offshoot sim? There is no live chat time zone to worry about, and you do not need to attend the Excal chat to participate in the Lower Decks. Check out the Lower Decks boards for the information.

Forwarding this along. Enjoy (I had an acute attack of the giggles as I was reading): = = = = = You may need to stop at the women's restroom . . . be prepared! When you have to visit a public bathroom, you usually find a line of women, so you smile politely and take your place. Once it's your turn , you check for feet under the stall doors. Every stall is occupied. Finally, a door opens and you dash in, nearly knocking down the woman leaving the stall. You get in to find the door won't latch. It doesn't matter, the wait has been so long you are about to wet your pants! The dispenser for the modern 'seat covers' (invented by someone's Mom, no doubt) is handy, but empty. You would hang your purse on the door hook, if there was one, but there isn't - so you carefully, but quickly drape it around your neck, ( Mom would turn over in her grave if you put it on the FLOOR! ), yank down your pants, and assume ' The Stance.' In this position your aging, toneless thigh muscles begin to shake. You'd love to sit down, but you certainly hadn't taken time to wipe the seat or lay toilet paper on it, so you hold 'The Stance.' To take your mind off your trembling thighs, you reach for what you discover to be the empty toilet paper dispenser. In your mind, you can hear your mother's voice saying, 'Honey, if you had tried to clean the seat, you would have KNOWN there was no toilet paper!' Your thighs shake more. You remember the tiny tissue that you blew your nose on yesterday - the one that's still in your purse. (Oh yeah, the purse around your neck, that now, you have to hold up trying not to strangle yourself at the same time). That would have to do. You crumple it in the puffiest way possible. It's still smaller than your thumbnail . Someone pushes your door open because the latch doesn't work. The door hits your purse, which is hanging around your neck in front of your chest, and you and your purse topple backward against the tank of the toilet. 'Occupied!' you scream, as you reach for the door, dropping your precious, tiny, crumpled tissue in a puddle on the floor, lose your footing altogether, and slide down directly onto the TOILET SEAT. It is wet of course. You bolt up, knowing all too well that it's too late. Your bare bottom has made contact with every imaginable germ and life form on the uncovered seat because YOU never laid down toilet paper - not that there was any, even if you had taken time to try. You know that your mot her would be utterly appalled if she knew, because, you're certain her bare bottom never touched a public toilet seat because, frankly, dear, 'You ju st don't KNOWwhat kind of diseases you could get. ' By this time, the automatic sensor on the back of the toilet is so confused that it flushes, propelling a stream of water like a fire hose against the inside of the bowl that sprays a fine mist of water that covers your butt and runs down your legs and into your shoes. The flush somehow sucks everything down with such force that you grab onto the empty toilet paper dispenser for fear of being dragged in too. At this point, you give up. You're soaked by the spewing water and the wet toilet seat. You're exhausted. You try to wipe with a gum wrapper you found in your pocket and then slink out inconspicuously to the sinks. You can't figure out how to operate the faucets with the automatic sensors, so you wipe your hands with spit and a dry paper towel and walk past the line of women still waiting. You are no longer able to smile politely to them. A kind soul at the very end of the line points out a piece of toilet paper trailing from your shoe. (Where was that when youNEEDED it??) You yank the paper from your shoe, plunk it in the woman's hand and tell her warmly, 'Here, you just might need this.' As you exit, you spot your hubby, who has long since entered, used, and left the men's restroom. Annoyed, he asks, 'What took you so long, and why is your purse hanging around your neck?' This is dedicated to women everywhere who deal with a public restrooms (rest??? you've GOT to be kidding!!). It finally explains to the men what really does take us so long. It also answers their other commonly asked questions about why women go to the restroom in pairs. It's so the other gal can hold the door, hang onto your purse and hand you Kleenex under the door! This HAD to be written by a woman! No one else could describe it so accurately!

The Philadelphia Phillies are the new World Series champs. This rocks out, and of course they have always had the best loved mascot - the Phanatic. w00t! The local neighborhood exploded into a fun frenzy, with people jetting down the main drag in their cars, hanging out the car windows and waving Phillies flags, walking the sidewalks, and pops and booms that may have been firecrackers or gun shots (let's not dwell on that :-P), I'm not sure which. It was awesome. And, I heard a report on a radio morning show that within the city, apparently there was like, *one* car overturned during the post win celebration (hey, our team just one, lets turn a car! riiiiight). Needless to say, and I'm sure the Agincourt peeps would agree, I was a wee bit distracted last night. :-P w00t!! Go PHILLIES!

Note: This log takes place immediately after the 10.29.08 sim. 10.29.08 USS Agincourt NCC-81762 “Example” After speaking to and imparting some low level interrogation information to Lieutenant Commander Condacin regarding the saboteur that had destroyed the Xenexian scientists lab and then making a proper and full report on the detainment and questioning of Midshipman Joseph Chase to Colonel Harper, Commander Kansas JoNs retired to her temporary quarters to nurse her injured paw. In one paw she held a large mug of a ‘comfort drink’ – hot chocolate. Her other paw was wrapped in a gauze bandage, and the bandage held a small ice pack in place over the bruised section of her paw. It hurt. Then again, maybe she deserved to feel some hurt. She didn’t feel up to going to the medical bay, no. And, she would have much rather returned to her own quarters, but until the Alpha deck was fully repaired using the facilities of the local star base the big ship was en route for, the temporary living area would have to do. There was one being that would be coming to see her however; he always checked in on the cat, like a doting father, ignoring the fact that she out ranked him by several ranks. It just didn’t matter to him. She had been unofficially and officially adopted as his officer charge. There were worse lots in life to be dealt, this was true. And not everyone had the distinction of a having a Klingon foster parent, no indeed. The internal entrance chime went off, indicating that someone wished entrance to the personal quarters. JoNs called out “Enter” in a rather tired tone. The entrance doorway whooshed open, admitting the big hulking form of one Master Chief Petty Officer Keltex, Chief Security NCO. The silver haired Klingon waited for a few seconds while his keen eyes adjusted to the dim interior of the living quarters before taking another few steps over to where Kansas stood. The big enlisted officer didn’t say a word, just enjoyed the view of the stars and dark space with his commissioned officer counterpart. The golden Caitian purred a bit, a sad tone of dejection. “I beat the hell out of Midshipmen Chase Keltex. I pounced on him down in the main armory to apprehend the little Petaq, and then I cracked my paw when I decked him a good one down in the brig. Of course, this was all not exactly by the book, but then I just heard from Brig Watch Officer Lieutenant Mical that Lieutenant Nimetti decided to follow suit and rammed Chase’s head into the bulkhead when he wouldn’t shut up and kept ranting about his affiliation or some such with a nasty type of organization.” The big craggy fore-headed Klingon stayed silent for a few moments before speaking. “These things happen; the situation is unfortunate all around Commander Kitten.” “Is that the kind of example I want to set as Executive Officer though?” “I do not know – is it?” “No … “ “Of course you do not. But, you cannot help your underlying feral nature Kansas. And, these are definitely not normal times. In some ways, we are all scared or unsure and we react accordingly.” Again, the old Klingon warrior was as always wise beyond his years. “Nature doesn’t five me a free ticket to beat down on the locals if they miss a payment or step out of line, so to speak. Swatting with the paw is a common disciplinary punishment among felines … it doesn’t translate very well into these other species.” “Well, no. You may have let your temper control you, again, but dwelling on the issue will not change what has happened. The situation now calls for the swift and through questioning of the suspect, and then we remand him over to the nearest star base authorities." JoNs shook her head a little, as if coming out of trance; her eyes remained focused on a distant star as it whooshed by the window. “Aye. We’ll be pulling into dock in just under a few hours. By then most of the questioning of the suspect will be processed and the data text in some sort of coherent security report.” The Master Chief raised an elegant and bushy silver eyebrow. “The lower decks scuttlebutt has Chase ranting about the Sons and Daughters of Righteousness?” “Aye. Supposedly, he set the bomb in the science labs in the name of the organization. Sounds like a general anti alien nut job group.” Keltex snorted. “It would seem they chose the post Soltan attack chaos to spread their evil seed, perhaps activating young officers they have recruited to do their dirty work? They have no honor, hiding behind the young and false messages.” “…don’t these groups always seem to crop up when the last thing sector stability needs is over exuberant anti alien nut jobs? He completely hosed me Keltex; I worked with Joseph in Africa, and I didn’t see through the façade … what if he had killed more people with that bomb?” The golden furred feline drained the last of the hot milk chocolate and placed the stained mug on a nearby coffee table. Then, she turned her inquisitive green eyes on the tall Klingon officer. “C’mon Master Chief - accompany me to the medical bay. Medical is checking out Chase to make sure he doesn’t have any brain damage thanks to the close encounter with the bulkhead, and I need to get this bruised paw looked at.” Despite the severity of the general situation – crazed saboteurs, out for (and with good reason) blood chief science officers who had just lost half the lab network, uppity XOs and a security force who decked prisoners, a frazzled engineering department and an overworked sciences department as the respective officers shouldered the bulk of the repair projects and an Alpha section in need of minor structural repairs – the Master Chief barked out a laugh at the Caitian’s latter statement, the booming sound pleasant and comforting if a bit loud. “Commander Kitten! I am proud. A year ago, you would have not gone to the medical bay to get that injury looked at! We have some progress, indeed.” A small smile, caught somewhere between sad and happy, gently exposed the leonine officer’s incisor fangs. “Let’s just say, that the ‘shaping of a senior officer’ support network on this ship is a good one, Master Chief. And yes – there has been much progress in that regard. This thick skull takes a lot of pounding apparently.” The gentle feline smile turned mischievous and her ears flipped backward in a playful gesture, “Besides, the Medical bay has the access to the good medical grade pain killers. Woo.”

MISSION BRIEF: The Excalibur is concluding its day of leave and restocking at Satarimi, we've been given coordinates to the Miriamo Archives, which science has been turned over the keys to a bit early (remote access rocks). One small problem has cropped up, however, the most direct route to Miriamo takes us through space controlled by the Cult of Iyves. 081026_Excal_Chat_Log.txt

10.26.08 Excalibur Mission Update: MISSION BRIEF: The Excalibur is concluding its day of leave and restocking at Satarimi, we've been given coordinates to the Miriamo Archives, which science has been turned over the keys to a bit early (remote access rocks). One small problem has cropped up, however, the most direct route to Miriamo takes us through space controlled by the Cult of Iyves. TBS: Three Days and halfway to the Miriamano home world and the data archives. There will be one or two days for fighter pilot exercises/readiness before our Boganary cloak goes on line. - Note: The Blood Cult of Iyves are the ones responsible for the deaths and blood draining of one of the 310th fighter squads. The primary mission of the Excalibur remains to search for the missing Dominion Founders. However, a bridge conversation between Chief of the Air Group Ramson and Captain Corizon shows that the Cult is not forgotten and remains on the hit list so to speak. - Bridge: Lieutenant Mreh Khal does his flyboy thing at the Helm of the big exploratory warship as the Excalibur pulls away from Satarimi space. - Sciences: Lieutenant Tia is tapped by Captain Corizon and given project leader status to start the process of prep work and eventual storage of the massive amounts of incoming Miriamano archival data. Tia and Ensign Laural have a discussion regarding the various intricacies of the discipline of logic. Sciences Department Chief Commander Laarell Teykier will be assisting Commander Left Ear JoNs with the XO duties while the cat takes on dual roles as the interim security chief and Executive Officer. And, no, the spider can not take over Teykier’s duty station. Eight Words: XO Target Practice. Spider go Le Boom Splat. - Medical: Doctor Patterson experiments with baby DNA extrapolation programs as well as a baby outfit program with regard to her unborn child. Doctor Maria Zier offers some guidance to the young half Kingon doctor. Counselor Alexander Zier sends off an evaluation report on Patterson and the table and wall incidents (is the wall bleeding? Oh wait, wrong movie) to the chief medical officer and ships, while CMO Rue Wydown returns from some sky surfing shore leave to her happily ballistic department. - Engineering: Commander Tandaris Admiran is informed by the Captain that we will again be employing the ramshackle cloaking device (like an old car – just kick it a few times) for the stealth factor while we cruise through the hostile territory. Lieutenant Commander Marius Tr’Lorin is still having nightmares regarding cannibals (you are hereby ordered to not watch any Zombie holo-films. Boo). Provisional Ensign Asyle is following her provisional status program to the letter, experimenting with our replicator food, and contacted Security to be escorted to her ME duty station. - Security: Lieutenant Mark Garrison held down the tactical console on the bridge. Lieutenant junior grade DougT wrangled with a 20th century car mechanic holo program. Lieutenant Victria responded to the call for the Asyle security escort. - Flight Squadron: Lieutenant Commander Kallah Ramson has her flight jocks and crews on standby alert while the ship travels through Iyves Blood Space.

Check these out: the teeth thing is cute, and the funked out paragraph is a classic: ========================================== Six Truths of Life ...... 1. You cannot touch all your teeth with your tongue. 2. All idiots, after reading the first truth, will try it. 3. And discover that the first truth is a lie. 4. You're smiling now because you're an idiot. 5. You soon will forward this to another idiot. 6. There's still a stupid smile on your face. =========================================== Only great minds can read this fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too Cna yuo raed tihs? Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can. i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! if you can raed tihs forwrad it =========================================== Now, I am curious; if you are able to read the funky paragraph, does this signify anything? Are we hardwired different then others? I've seen this paragraph before, and I can read it, I've just never heard of an explanation as to why some of us can read it and not others. :-)

This definitely would fall under the TMI umbrella, even in the Off Topic Topic. I myself always liked a boards smiley (which I cannot locate now, and it was under a different board control panel/skin or whatever) that started out with a smiley face, then the smiley face turned into a Vampire Bat. ::grins:: Fable 2: for all you RPGers out there. Fun game, I recommend. Ignore any complaints about the glitch factors. I have lost several hours of my life at this point, so the game is engrossing enough. And as added gameplay mechanics, you can do real estate (and make money), marry, and have kids. Of course, I chose the Evil path for my first run through - Mirror Universe factor, say what?

The process is moving forward; if you wish to apply, please contact STSF Corizon or STSF Kansas/Left Ear to let us know of your interest. The Lower Decks are currently open to any 6 month tenured STSF Player. The Star Trek TV Shows and Movies all concentrated on the commissioned officers, with the few rare on screen exceptions (O'Brien). If you want to try RPGing as something - or someone - different, namely a non commissioned officer or enlisted grunt who does all the work so the line officers can stay pretty, then come join us on the Lower Decks of the Excalibur. Again, this is Message Board posting based; there is no live chat time to worry about week to week.

MISSION BRIEF: The explosion on the Agincourt's deck has been traced to a Klingon explosive. The saboteur turned out to be a member of the crew, who has been apprehended. Repairs are still proceeding. 081022_Agincourt_Chat.txt

10.22.08 Agincourt Mission Update: TBS: Long enough to evacuate and separate the main ship sections from the upper Alpha Section - Midshipman Joseph Chase is the prime suspect in setting the explosive device on the Agincourt; the First Officer took matters into her own paws and apprehended him in a rather non gentle manner. Whole new meaning to the term Le Pounce. - Colonel Harper contacted Captain B’Qar with an update on the situation; the captain and his crew of the IKS Va’Kang will be following up on the Klingon fragmental part of the explosive device that can be traced to Korlath Salvage, listed as a Klingon salvage operation. - The cleanup and damage assessment continues on board the ‘Court; the Alpha Section, the Alpha bridge, and the Colonel’s Ready Room are all compromised in general due to the explosion and resulting decompression and system damages. The auxiliary science labs are still a mess. Thankfully, the body count has not grown. - The Chief Engineer advised that separation from the Alpha Section was wise until full repairs could be implemented. - The IKS Va’Kang will continue the data mapping mission at Vorana Six, while the Agincourt begins the process of separating and towing the Alpha Section to the nearest starbase to execute full repairs to avoid any further explosive decompression Boom-age thing. - The investigation will continue as to why Joseph Chase planted the bomb within the secondary Science labs.