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Hmmm...faster hard drive. Now there's a thought. Thanks HPW...I have changed these out before inother machines.....may be time to consider this here. ZZ.

Its been a pleasure. Do come back. ZZ.

Yup, always sumthin. I had an old friend roughly 30 years ago...looked like Santa Claus, big old burly fellow that loved to go metal detecting all over the Civil War battlefields in our area. He had what amounted to a regular museum in the back part of his abode. Fascinating guy. I went with him a few times and he was really a miraculous person with a metal detector. I was great at finding old pop can tops....you know those #$$# #%$^ing little rip off ones from the 60's and 70's. He could go straight through my sweep and where I heard only junk pull out shot, or buttons, or canister balls.....really disgusting. Truly amazing to watch and learn from. Anyhoo, he reenacted as well, and never bought powder. We queried him on this fact and he responded, "I'm using the real thing." By this he explained he was using real-actual over 100 year old Civil War powder he extracted from all the shells he exhumed. Remarkable. He stated..."I haven't bought powder in years". He was a cracker jack, and knew his stuff too. He said there were a few kinds of shells that, when he had dug down to them, he knew them by just seeing a few inches of the casing, that they were impact detonated not fuzed timed, and he would never just dig them out. He would gingerly uncover as much as possible (even using a small pick and a toothbrush), get a rope around the mid section, run it back a few hundred yards, and then yank it out while he was behind a nearby tree. He said he never had one go off, but he wasnt taking any chances. ZZ.

Very interesting, but I'm afraid, in this country, we would have a bunch of pumpped up politicians like Schwartzineger (sp?) And the new popular TV shows would be seeing them in a ring together. Would be great if it worked though. Hehe, actually, I'd think I'd watch that!! ZZ. PS... We could call it the IDIC....International Dispute Intervention Channel! Hey! its kinda close to "idiotic". We need to tweak the acronymn a bit.

Oh goody.... A Joust! (something to keep me amused whilst awaiting P4) Widow you are too funny. ZZ.

Being curious about possibilities, and a tinkerer. I was wondering if any of the Dev's knew whether OFF would run ok on a Linux system. My reason for asking. There is a new (completely legal hack) that allows you to upload Linux to the Sony PS-3 gaming system. That being said....how cool would it be to be able to play OFF on the PS-3!? Well....pretty damn cool I think,,,,iiiiiif I can make it work. Thats why I'm asking the first fundamental question. Is Linux a go or no go? First things first. Thanks guys. Like ya'll aren't busy enough already. ZZ.

Woops...did a bit more research, and I don't think this particular combo will work. You can turn the PS-3 into a PC type system, but even with emulators, the gaming side won't handle the Pc type games. A pity really. ZZ.

Maybe violent games are just part of the process of preparing our youth for a much more violent future then we have even experienced in the past.. Wars have steadily moved away from confrontations to stab you in the back attacks, with no concern whether the targets are civilians of any age or soldier status This is an interesting point, and harkens me back to a method used (we would call it barbaric today) by some nomadic and ancient tribes thousands of years ago. When there was a crisis between groups, they would arm the leaders of each tribe, usually ranging from 1 to 4 of the top men who after all were the leaders, so therfore responsible for managing the dispute from the start. Put them in a ring, or some confined area, and while everyone watched, those individuals in a fair fight, settled that dispute, they didn't HAVE to fight now mind you, and sometimes through verbal exchange, and without massive loss of life, the dispute was resolved. You see, things change considerably, and negotiations become quite different, when one's OWN NECK ison the line. Would'a made WWI look quite a bit different....don't you think? ZZ.

"I don't think so, you can see it all over the news now. These games have become so realistic that you can litterly walk away from playing them with a sense and BASIC understanding of how to use weapons, creep into shadows, stalking tactics, what weapons do... etc. Now kids the same age are wired into headsets all over the world and violently flogging each other to death on COD5. Tell me that's not some form of training." And this would be, in my estimation....indicative of "Checked Out Parents". ZZ. Ps. OVS. Your game room sounds awesome! ; )

Another case in point, just to add perspective, When I was my sons age, and even younger. I would go out into the woods, (sometimes with my father, but later alone) stalk and find small animals, some larger animals even. By stealth draw close to them...often within a few feet (I was very good). Fire a bullet into thier skulls...killing them, then tear thier bloody skins off, disembowel them, drag this whole bloody mess back home, and later cook and eat it. Saving all parts for usage in some way, and wasting nothing, as is the proper respect for the life I just took. I somehow managed to grow up into a responsible, and as my wife likes to claim, decent adult. As did most if not all of our forbears. Don't know about you guys....but if thats possible, we may be over obsessing about the impact of some of these games. Just a thought. ZZ.

Interesting points one and all. I detect a fascinating theme however throughout the flow of the thread, and it seems to really have far less to do with how WE percieve and are influenced by combat sims, and more to do with how children (young people) are. With that in mind I can give you an answer that may not be popular, but is based on fact. No amount of stimulus or input from a sim (or any Sim yet devised by man) will create a negative outcome in someone. Thats the plain and simple truth. Ok then....what will? 1. Checked out parents that don't do thier job raising thier children properly and instilling in them the proper values. (note, I didnt say perfect parents, cause they don't exist). 2nd. And less numerous but also a possibility...the psychologically disturbed. These, and only these will produce the outcomes that are feared by those concerned about the violence in some sims/video games. The playing of some violent games may well be a symptom (an outlet if you will), but it is not the cause. Now that being said ,do I still find myself concerned as a thinking man by the violence quantity I see in some of these. Why yes...of course. Case in point. When Assasins Creed first came out I played it. Graphics were great and there was a historical (fantasy based of course) but interesting story line. What made me quit 3/4 of the way through was that the whole game you just went around shanking people with a knife over and over. Good people, bad people...it didn't matter. And after a while....even though it was a game, it began to be distastefull to me. My son (at the time aged 12) wanted to play it. I said....ummm no. I explained to him why, and he took it well. He's a little older now....15, ,and about a year ago, I let him play it, and he was similarly irritated by the pointlessness of the killing involved. Don't know if I did the right thing, (I think so, but who can be sure completely) but at least there was input/dialogue/ and understandings were created about the thought process of right and wrong. ZZ.

That being said though, I do think you managed, on the first Albatros DV alone, to incorporate EVERY colour in the "R-O-Y-G-B-I-V" spectrum. That is a feat in and of itself. ZZ.

It is a sage and wise man who can laugh at himself. ZZ.

Excellent! Congrats. ZZ.

Ok....expunged then? No no. Thats what happens when you refuse to wash the car. Doh! ZZ.

Or you can replace the text with 'went home poorly', as an aide memoire to your brief moment of mortality. I prefer, "shamefully discharged".... ZZ.

Its a Black Art, and filled with necromancy, but if you really want to, I will tell you how. I must warn you though, your pilot will always have that "not quite living" smell for the rest of his days..........mwuah-hahahahaa. Ok.....though frowned upon, I see your dilemma, as quirky things happen once in a while. You are in no Did campaign anyway. Go to your computers drive (usually C) and find the OBD software file. I'll try to get the order right, cause its been a while. I think you then go to Campaign/Campaign data then pilots. Then scroll through the pilot list of Dossiers till you get to your guy. Enter it with notepad or whatever you use, and go down to where it says "Deceased" and change it to "In Service". Then....go to the Log book of the same number, and go to the very last mission record line where he bought it, and delete the part where it says "killed in action"...so all thats left are the ; ; separating the space where this was listed. Thats it. disclaimer: Use only in extreme cases where the game has committed a great evil, not to keep a zombie in the air!!!!! ZZ.

DAMN!! Sorry friend. Most people dont understand how horrific that is. Its like (for those of you who are unfamiliar) being caught in a tractor powered meat grinder that simply twists and beats you to death. You are lucky the tractor died, otherwise we wouldn't be having this conversation. Glad you are still with us. ZZ.

Where your valid point falls apart, he is the leader of the Free World, his actions or inactions have far reaching effects. And while the average German would have no say in his election. It might be of passing interest, that many folk say he's a Liar, where if he stated his intentions, he never would've been elected. Ok whatever. All I'm sayin is, I don't know jack about foriegn politics, so why, "Free world or no" ( a tad egocentric if you ask me) should they know every little detail about ours. As far as Obama being a manipulative politician....I agree...but thats not even a point I'm making. I think he makes it well enough on his own if people are truly objectively following things. My interest has been peaked however by Mr. Dirts Farm injury, so I'm totally distracted. See how short an attention span I have!! Please tell me it wasn't an augur....thats just plain nasty. ZZ.

Hmmmm. Did some farming myself back in the day. What got you, a grain augur, PTO shaft, or an animal? One of the few professions, other than Coal Mining or actual combat, where folks really desrve combat pay. ZZ.

"See that's a prime example of being spoon-fed your information." Well, not so much, exactly. I mean please, dont ask me who's who or whats what regarding German, or even English politics. I am quite clueless. And the same is to be expected of those not in the loop of whatever the "National Scene" is for any given country. ZZ.

You make an excellent point Mr. Dirt. And this price hiking (in my opinion) IS exactly what needs to be addressed and reformed in the pre-existing system. Unfortunately the govt. has seen this as an opportunity to get its greedy fingers in on the equation, and thats not going to help matters either. In fact, quite the opposite. A great example,much like your own, is as follows. My father, now 85, was a friend of another elderly woman and helped her conduct the affairs of her estate until her death. She asked him to help her with this, as she had no family she trusted. On one occasion before she died when she was sick, they took her to the hospital for test to determine what was wrong. Much like your account Mr. D, they asked for an itemization, only after the bill came back a bit higher than expected. Amongst the items they listed they had performed on her (she was in her 90's) was a pregnancy test. Ok...need I say more. And the mentality of tacking things on and hiking things up IS exactly what needs to be checked/regulated, and ties right back into the driving greed that(as mentioned by others here before) is exaclty what causes the problem in the first place. Its a good sytem, it just needs to be cleaned up. In a very similar way to which the credit card companies are being required to behave themselves in a less abusive way (one good note of late). We don't need a govt credit card either, just like we dont need govt health care that will eliminate eventually all other options, just logical regulations to the pre existing forms. At least thats my 2 bits, but others my differ....and thats fine. ZZ. PS. "Our healthcare system is broke and needs fixed, but I do not know how we can do it so everybody is happy." Well, that'll NEVER happen! Maybe shoot for %75 happy?

Well, here is part of the problem in a nutshell. Forgive me if its too simplistic, as I am trying to follow the most Excellent example of gentlemanly conduct as laid out by our friend Duce Lewis. (thank you by the way and well done sir ) The problem some folks have (or one of them, there are multiples) with the current attempt at centralized govt health care in the US is that it is being forwarded with the claim, (and I stress CLAIM) that it is being done so with the full intention of continuing to allow competition. Ie..that other insurers will still be allowed to compete with the govt offering. Well well...if its that simple and clean who could possibly complain you might ask? Well, as with all things political, it isnt that simple and easy...in fact..in addition to forwarding the centalized system, the govt is also tampering with the private insurers to in effect, give itself such an edge as to put them out of business altogether. Not exactly a fair and level playing field. One example: A new legislation is now REQUIRING insurance companies to accept individuals they wouldn't or couldn't previously. So, if Charlie shows up riddled with Cancer-consumptive syphilis, and a brain anneurism...already diagnosed and confirmed today...they now HAVE to take him on. Well, if you understand anything about the insurance business...this will simply bankrupt the system, so you are in essence, (in an underhanded way) left with only one option. (Woops, the govt. might say...what a subltle coincidence) I exaggerated a tad on the health severity example, but after talking with some friends in the industry....not much. So as you can see...this is just ONE of the concerning elements at play here, and they are all subtle...fuzzy...and tricky to discern. ZZ.

Now it's starting to get ugly. No no. Dont take it too seriously rabu. You have to understand, uncleal is an edgey character.....and we love him for it. Back to some socio-political logic though. This is an interesting example with a great deal of historicity of people affecting if you will, the existing governmental form, and a very early one at that that I'll wager most children will look at you dumbfounded if you try to reference it. http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-runnymede/w-runnymede-history/w-runnymede-history-magnacarta.htm Now granted, these weren't the peasant-(average standard) class if you will affecting the change. They were Barons after all, with vested interests. Nonetheless, it is a great example of a people taking back, or demanding back some say from a form of govt. that didn't necessarily have to listen. ZZ.

On a largely unrelated matter, I'd like to say that I'm beginning to luurve the SE5a/Viper: what a stonking machine. Well put. ZZ.