C James

Whoa, hold on a cotton picking miniute... The poll BK linked to merely asks if I'm a lurker! Nowhere does it mention anything about prolific anything, let alone most prolific! I'd been framed!!! I'll also note that BK's post excludes GA staff members, due to them posting in their official capacity, which I most certainly need to do, and therefor I'd need to be excluded under the stated rules anyway. Besides, how could I be a prolific poster? I'm a lurker!

I like the concept (especially for travel; being able to take along many books in such a small space). However, color me skeptical. The "Connect from anywhere" claim is not true: it uses cellular networks, so if you're out of range of a cell tower, it can't connect (same as a cell phone). Another issue I have with it is that it look like (going by the images) that the screen is shorter than a book page, so you'd end up scrolling with every page (annoying). OK, confirmed; it's six inches diagonal, so definitly shorter than a paperback page.

ACK! but, but, I never use cliffhangers, and I certainly don't want to become one by vanishing! I think there is a far higher risk of someone having the means of suicide at hand, as opposed to having a few kilograms of plutonium at hand, but I completely agree on suicide, and that's one reason I shy away from the subject in most cases in my stories. On the bomb issue, I've long had an interest in nuclear engineering, and I'm trying to show in this story just how different a world nuclear engineering is. I did quite a bit of research to brush up my bad memory and fact-check myself, so I often find myself having to resist the urge to include excessive detail. Part of the problem is that as a reader, I love engineering detail in a story, so I tend to be overly inclined to include it when I write.

Umm, wait a second... Since when was there a poll voting me most prolific poster? :wacko: I'm sticking with your original claim: I'm the most prolific porter!

I hope everything works out ok! Please let us know... Losing your home can be traumatic under the best of circumstances. Best wishes, CJ Congratulations FrenchCanadian!! BTW, this means you're an official postaholic now!

Ahhem! In my defense too; I'm sure that I wouldn't normally be on such a list.

I wrote that chapter well before I knew of my laptop issues, so I think I can assure everyone that these items are unconnected. LoL. I'll also mention that with the design Vladimir is using, a few batteries can fail without issue. BTW, after much soul-searching, I've decided to emulate Tom Clancy on one respect; I'll be less than detailed on the bomb design. Although it's all out there in public literature, I'm going to leave out measurements, specs, and other things that aren't essential to the plot, and also would make the design a little too detailed for my comfort level. I'll describe the concept and how it works rather than giving dimensions and compositions. For example, I'll refrain from mentioning the ratios in the alloys, and leave a few ingredients out of the recipe for the two types of high explosive used.

I voted "yes"... I pretty much had to vote that way, as in some ways I'm closeted myself (at work in my case). With me, it would depend on the guy, just like in any other way... However, I'd be unwilling to date someone who wasn't out to themselves, or just 'experimenting', due to that being non-conducive to a relationship. I'd also like to qualify my vote in the sense that I have issues at the other end of the spectrum; I'm unlikely to date anyone who is what I consider "overly out". Sexuality is, in my view, just one small facet of a person's personality, and I have a dislike of people who make a huge issue of being gay, and feel the need to broadcast it every chance they get. (I'm talking about people who do it intentionally). I also take serious exception to guys who want to be out everywhere, all the time, at the expense of common sense. For example, a guy who wants to hold hands in public when doing so puts us both at risk of serious boldily harm (when outnumbered in a redneck, homophobic location, for example.) I don't consider that being out, I consider that being a damn moron, and I prefer to avoid dating damn morons. As you might guess, this is a big pet peeve of mine, in large part due to a jerk I was dating doing exactly that to make a "point" and be "out and proud", resulting a very serious barroom brawl and me having to fight. Mr. moron was sure quick to make his damn 'point' by taking my hand in public against my wishes and warning, but when we were as a direct result confronted by two rednecks (this was in a rural bar) the idiot left me to fight them both while he bravely cowered in a corner. Grrr... Needless to say, that was my second and final date with him, and I am very careful to avoid anyone like him. Ugh.

Thanks, I'll give that a try. I could always focus on another person in the room during that part, though make it clear what is going on. BTW, the man in the prologue may, or may not, be Vladimir. Umm, that wan't a spoiler, I hope?

The relationship might not be the only thing that ends up in pieces.

In other words, you would make your choice based on the person, rather than a category? That's what I tend to do, too, with rare exceptions. There are however a few categories of people I'd never consider for either dates or even friends, stereotyping or not. The one that springs to mind is psychopathic serial killer ax murderers; no way would I date one. :battleaxe:

The criteria a person uses for dating are, IMHO, their own buisness; I know people who won't date people based on astrological sign, and I also know some who won't date certain races or certain age groups, and another refuses to date redheads, etc. I know I'd be reluctant (as opposed to "never") to date a Bi guy who was closeted about his gay side, due to having seen so many in that situation choose marriage to a woman as an easier way to go than having to "deal with" prejudice, etc, of being "gay". I'd likely avoid dating someone in that situation for the same reason I'd avoid dating anyone whom I thought likely to end the relationship. I'd absolutely never date someone who wanted to have more than one partner at one time. That's my main "never", and I don't care of they are Bi and wanting to date a girl, or gay and wanting to see other guys; no way. Nothing against people who have that preferencee, but it's not for me. While I do personally disagree with a no-bi criteria (I find it to be stereotyping, something that I find surprising to see in the gay community, due to it being so oft victimized by it) I have no choice but to support a person's right to have any dating criteria (assuming the relationship would not be between a minor and an adult) they so wish. After all, the whole point of seeking equality for us other-than-straight types is so we can date whom we wish. I'm in a very-often-excluded class myself; I'm in my 30's, and a heck of a lot of guys won't date a guy who is over 30. Do I like that fact? No. Do I accept and support their right (and it is a right) to have that criteria? Of course I do. That's my two cents.

Benji, I shall quote your post, often if need be, to defeat a few nefarious souls who are trying to hang the title of "Most prolific poster" on me.

Other transportation shall be arranged.. I'm sure Dimitri will think of something.

Kevin's poll on dating bisexuals made me curious about something; are there bisexuals who won't date gay guys, just as there are some gays who won't date bisexuals? If this applies to you or someone you know, I'm curious about the reasoning. Just curious, not out to criticize anyone. CJ

OOps, thanks! I managed to forget that. Thanks! I checked Duracell and some others, and no luck for this my old Ashton Digital (not this model, anyway). I've definitly decided to get a new laptop of some sort. The present one has a small screen, but is both thick and heavy, around 15 pounds and close to three inches thick. I'd love something thinner and lighter, especially as I have to carry it in my flight bag when traveling (Some foreign airports, such as Gatwick in the UK, limit passengers, including those just changing planes, to ONE carry-on item, and they count things like camera cases, women's purses, and of course laptop cases). I don't need high performance; All I need it to do is web browse, e-mail and also run Word, and I don't care if its a little slow. I'd prefer it if it was windows XP or 2000, or I could install one of the above, to make it campatable with my home systems (which runs Win2k for my main box, and XP on a secondary, and networking those two has caused headaches enough). I know there are driver availablity problems for newer units regarding Win2k, so I'd settle for XP. Anything but Vista (I've seen way too much trouble from that thing, including having to help fix my cousin's Vista box last week, as it was having yet another slew of compatibility issues, and he still couldn't run some of his older software and hardware even after much tweaking and hours on the phone to customer support numbers . He gave up, saved his data, formatted the drive, installed XP, and now things are working again.) I'll have a look at HP, especially if I can buy one without software. Thanks!!

Don't count on it.

Ahhh! And there you might have The Scar's goal in mind! Pehaps his mission is altruistic; to rid Queensland of the Equine Flu? A few cobalt-enhanced-fallout nuclear weapons would surely do the trick by rendering the area lifeless? See, he's just trying to help.. Poor, misunderstood Scar.. Thanks!!! I can't really answer any of the questions (or the Echidna will get me) but they are great qestions, and you won't have long to wait for them to be answered in the story. I'll link it here for convenience... It's only six paragraphs. To be honest, I haven't quite decided how to incorporate it into the text when that point is reached. It fits, but is it repetitive to have it in the chapter text verbatim? It's so short I don't think so, but I'm not sure on the "rules" of prologues.

Ack!!! But.. but,.,, but... I never use cliffhangers!! It's all an evil plot by Shadowgod... He slips cliffies into my stories, and then I get blamed!!! See? He really is the :king: King of Eeevil Cliffhangers :king: , becuase he even puts cliffhangers in other people's stories!! Welcome to my world... If it'll get me out of this "Queen of evil cliffhangers" title, I'll volunteer to be the luggage porter! :pickaxe: Now, now, Benji... We all know you're a posthaholic... And that reminds me; I'd better go post your millenium thread in the lounge; you'll probably be making your 1000th post any miniute now.. Ohhh, Steve, don't forget, we need a title for you, too. I'll see what I can do...

I voted "yes". For me, it would depend on the person. A gay guy can be unfaithful too, so I don't see that much of a difference per se. If the Bi guy was of the opinion that being bi entitled them to date two people (one of each gender, as a few do) then hell no, same as a gay guy who was unwilling to commit to having one partner. I don't see being Bi as an indicator, in and of itself, of unfaithfulness. That said, I take an exceedingly strong dislike of those who feel that being Bi is an excuse to date two people. It's not, any more than being gay (or straight) is an excuse to date multiple partners at the same time.

Wife?!?!? Grrrr... You have seen me without my sunglasses, haven't you? Hrmmm, we could call Shadowgod the King AND Queen of Eeevil Cliffhangers, thus avoiding any question of his sovereign reign? Ah yes, oh beastly one; it is quite clear! You nominated me for a title; Most Prolific Porter. I, of course, accepted due to hauling so much luggage on my recent trip, and doing it so often (the prolific part). So, I therefor have my one and only title "Most Prolific Porter", as it isn't allowed for a GA member to have more than one such title (I can get an admin to say so if you don't believe me ) . Thanks, BK!

Most prolific porter?!?!? Well, I did carry a lot of luggage for my relatives on my trip, so I guess I qualify as a porter, and a prolific one becuase I did it often, so, ok, I'll accept most prolific porter if you insist. And BTW, thanks for clearing the meaning of that election up: I'll be sure and quote you on this in future. Now, as for posters, I'm a lurker so I almost never post, so of course I cannot understand why you would include me in that??

Hrmmm, does the law specifically exclude the use of horses as a method of interstate delivery of nuclear warheads? There would after all be little risk of spreading a virus due to the sterilizing effect of the detonation.

OOps.. Thanks for the heads-up; I'll edit that and send in a fixed version along with the next chapter. Just in case anyone is unaware, our friend (and Zeta-reader) Bondwriter was, as mentioned in the credits, not working on this chapter (though he was willing; confusion and bad assumptions on my part were responsible...) So, this one is well and truly my fault. CJ

I had to; I can't comment on future plot points, or the Echidna will turn me into a pincushion for giving spoilers! So, with this, as with all future speculation, I have to keep my mouth shut regardless of whether the speculation is on or off target. The only exception would be if I needed to mention something that's already been in the text, such as the nukes needing to be workable for up to ten years. I can't say when, where, or if they;ll be used. Due to the prologue, we know they will reach final assembly, but beyond that, I cannot say. Hrmm, so this rules out horse-drawn nuclear delivery systems, then?