Emp_Palpatine

Indeed... For me and you, it's ununderstable! But I'm quite used to it, as an european and especially as a French. Never forget that during the cold war, in most Europe (especially Germany, and widely in the french left and media) the moto was more often "better red than dead" than "let's resist the soviet". After two world wars, war or it's potentiality is seen as an horror that must be avoided at all cost, not even a last measure. It's understable when you think about the destruction suffered... but it's nonsense, and that's what I believe, when you recall that an earlier war (let's say in 1936 or 1938) would have avoided the big one and prevent much heavier destructions. It will be the case in future decades, I'm afraid: "no war!" until it's too late. And they will be catch unprepared. Another point is that today, military spendings are seen as pointless, even more since the end of the soviet threat. Most people in Europe don't believe in any threat from the south or from a potentially revived Russia or China. Terrorists? Bah, they fight these american cowboy who are not as raffined as we are, gentle and so nice europeans. Silly, uh? But so common here... And as for French situation: that's usual anti-military populism. That's also what the government do (even so-called conservatives): give money (defense's one) to all these socialists beggers: school system, trade union... BTW I loved your point on the school system and nazis!

Had the same reaction! I've no military training, but I do vividly remember my shooting instructor enormous wrath when I dared, when I was novice, forget to open the breech or dared answer "sir, it's a one-shot weapon" or "But i'm sure it's empty!" What has to be know, regarding french army, is that live shoot are limited to... 3 a year! The ammo are so expensive, and the FAMAS so bad (it can't stand sustained shooting without losing its shape, over-heating etc...) that french soldiers shoot only 3 live bullet. No doubt about the sillyness of forgetting basic rules. That's why heads are begining to fall today. But I do think the problem is much much wider in french armed forces.

Indeed. Since the end of the cold war, and even before, French armed force and their budget are seen as a reserve of cash. In the left or in medias (that's quite the same), the army and military expanditures are hated. "Useless, should build more schools, and blah blah blah". As France is almost in Bankruptcy (as said PM Fillon in september), they have been, for years, foraging into military budget. Hence low training, sinking skills and finally, tragedy like sunday. As said a MP today, governement pretend to have 2.6 of GDP in defense, the truth is nearer to 1.5 because figures are manipulated and because military pension are added in that percentage. All that waste for what? Giving money to an already inefficient school system (but still wanting even more money in recurrent demonstrations. The more they get, the worse the pupils level get...) or an overcostly welfare system.

I voted yes, because low viz is for me the ennemy of handsomeness of planes!

Thanks! Thank you very much, for all the fun and pleasure this site had and still do give to me. Thanks for your efforts!

Came accross this one few weeks ago.

Ok, I was not aware the site had such financial needs. Be sure I'll be one of you as soon my current job wage is paid. Since 2005 and thanks to combatace, I've enjoyed these sims so much, and found this community so sympathetic that I have to do my part.

Was even a TV serie in the 60's! Both my parents often talked about it to me, but I haven't have the occasion to see it yet. http://www.dailymotion.com/relevance/searc...levi_shortfilms

I've come across this subscription thing, but lacked the time and patience to read it all. What's the point to it? Does the site need money? Or is it some "super-membership"? Both?

That's the problem we are facing here. One can't defend itself or its properties by the use of arms (even the police is under criticism when it use it), but criminals do bear arms and do use them. :( It's a known thing that in some part of some suburbs, war weapons such as assault rifles (supposed to be forbidden) are common, and that tend to explain why theses are now "non-law zone". Nonsense... Actually, when someone is defending that sort of idea, be it arm ban, mass abortion, end of capital punishment or whatever... just take a look at France and Europe, and learn from the grim conclusions.

Hi chaps! Does anyone plays the Homeworld 2 mod: BSG Fleet commander? It is really, really great! :yes:

You stress a very important point there. In Europe, most of the death penalty haters are also vehemently pro-abortion and pro euthanasia (think that a few weeks ago, an act allowing euthanasia for kids was passed in Belgium...). These things are even described as basic human rights! That's a paradox I just can't understand. Those people seems to enjoy a sort of "culture of death", where a criminal is nothing but a victim of the society structures (common nonsense often heard) that shall be helped and where you may kill babies or elder ones "for mercy".

Hm... Last time that was said to be in Xmas 2007. I guess there will be some addition, such as new planes (MF ones) and that most of them are due to be released after the WoI Standart patch.

I pity you, my dear american friends. I do, because your élites seems to follow the same stupid path we took decades ago in Europe. Nowadays, monsters like Fourniret or Dutroux (multi-rapist who slaughtered their victims, wether child or women) are just in jail. And within french judicial system, they are supposed to stay there for life. The fact is they are released after ten to 20 years. Don't let this happen in your country. Don't.

Just like some of ours, then! The evil plan works...

Keep in mind it's my point of view, and that most people here see him as the most conservative and US oriented president since... a long time ago! Well, if he's conservative, Obama is a fascist! BTW, papers often say here that US media do like Sarkozy, is that a fact?

Indeed. http://www.crwflags.com/FOTW/flags/sy%5Eaf-mk.html More details there.

Here's an atypical french man point of view. Atypical because of his conservatism and the fact that he believes in the atlantic alliance, etc... Well, let's say a French who would have love to vote for Ronald Reagan. The fact that we are going to rejoin the integrated command is for me a very good news. Good, because it may help to put an end to all these useless gaullist and post-gaullist expeditions (Africa) or stances (remember Villepin in the UN in 2003 and the huge impact on our relations with the US and eastern europe). That cost us much and bring about nothing, even prestige. But my guess is that France will not lose much of its now empoverished old aristocrat arrogance. It's good also because it can help to slow down the build up of a so-called european army whose goals are to compete with the US, not stand by them. For me, that would be catastrophic for the western world. But you have to stay cautious with sarkozy: he likes to play a show and the facts often don't match. He was said to be a "tatcher" for France, and now he is bowing before trade unions and socialists. It's the same in military matters: he's saying he will strengthen it but he's cutting funds. Our soldiers don't have the right, in France, to give openly their opinion on policies, but a few day ago, some high ranking officers wrote (in an anonymous manner) in papers in order to explain why the new policies of the "White book" are going to bring french military down to the rank of Italy's one (I don't mean to insult italian fellow, btw). So my guess about all of this is, except for the nato part, things will worsen for french military. :(

I've been downed in a F-15 by a libyan Mirage F-1... :blush2:

It's the age around which I had my... "first time" with a sim, with FS3. Guess you made a new simmer!

I use to read in english. I do understand it very good when it's spoken (even able to understand Jerry Springer without subtitles ) or written, but my guess on my writting skills is that they are not very good, as I tend to write in a french-ized grammatical manner and style (you know, these endless sentences). The fact is I'm more and more thinking about coming to the US in order to work: In the area I'm becoming specialised, there are by far more jobs opportunities and better salaries than in France or Europe. And the mood in the old continent and especially in France isn't very friendly for young post-gradutates: the fact that most of the highly qualified are leaving France (it's sometime described as a "bleeding" ) is now an important political issue! But If I am to follow that path, I must improve my writting skills as it's what employers that might take me are often asking for. So I told myself: "hey, just start again to read a lot in english, it may impregnate me (just as reading US papers in my younger days helped me to be good at comprehension. If I had to count on the crappy french educationnal system, I might have been like most of my post-graduate counterparts: unable to read complex texts or to understand a movie without subs) and drive me, finally, on the road to grammatical correctness. Whatever... Having heard a lot of Turtledove's works, and being quite fond of Civil War stuffs and uchrony, I bought the book on the web. Hell, I had to wait almost a month to have it being shipped from the US, but it was worth the wait! Very good book! Awesome battle scenes. Is the rest of this timeline as good? And what about his other timelines?

!Spoilers! Those ba...rds! They killed Jeb! Why, ooooh why, did turtledove waited for this last chapter to do me such a grief?! AARRG! I love this book! @Wrench: I do like alternative history stuffs too a lot! Apart from sims I use to play, when I got the time, with Paradox interactive's games (the older ones, though...) such as EU2, HoI2 or Victoria, where you can write your own alternative history!

Yeah... Apophis. Officially, it's an asteroid! Officially...

How few remain remains (lol) quite simple on that issue of characters. Less than a dozen. What I love is little jokes about what have really been, such as when Stonewall, before the war, told Longstreet "Had we lost the secession war, you might have become a republican politician".

Yeah, it was supposed to happen on August 29, 1997, and then on July 24, 2004.