C James

I say "Now I know who and where this started." :2hands: Hrmmm, I'm thinking that Wildone needs a title... And why am I not surprised that this Eeevil plot sprang forth in Shadowgod's forum? (otherwise known as the source of all evil...) But, but, but... Shadowgod's estemed and honored title of :king: King of evil cliffhangers :king: was bestowed by BOTH a special, select GA comittee AND a vote of the GA membership. I'll also offer LiS 26 as proof if anyone should deign to doubt Shadowgod's prowess. In addition, there are loads of other cliffhangers in LiS... And of course, Shadowgod ended the entire Bourbon series in a cliffhanger!

Thanks!!! That means all I need is a new graphics card if I get the new monitor! Edit to add: Just looked, and my card supports widescreen formats like 1280 X 768 and 1600 x 900. I don't even need a new card. Thanks! I don't know where I got the idea that you needed XP or later to do widescreen.

If the counter is fine, it's just the date of my registering that's off a little... Hrmm, doing the math, it looks like I registered around Jan 26th, 1602.

BK must agree with me; he quoted what I said and added nothing to it.

Don't delete the thread! Those are great links Graeme dug up.

I learned the hard way once that formatting the drive and using an older OS might not be a good idea; I did that with a desktop and found I couldn't get win2k drivers for some of the newer hardware it had. I use win2k on my main system. I have XP disks, but I don't much like it compared to 2k; the "look and feel" is differend, and its sure different in system overhead from what I can see. I'm not a gamer (of the few games I have, the newest is Microsoft's Age of Empires, circa 1998.) so gaming is not a concern in my case. What is a concern is file processing and throughput, and I find 2k blows XP away in that regard. I have a good MB and CPU, plus 4 gigs of RAM, and I find it runs my five physical hard drives far better than the XP I have on the same box (I have multiple boot). For a laptop, I'd have to check and see if it had drivers for 2k (or worst case, XP) becuase I refuse to use Vista. Vista is buggy, and it's also full of DRM garbage. For those who like Vista, fine, you're welcome to it, but I sure don't want to have anything to do with Vista. About the only thing I like about XP over 2k is the ability to use the new wide-screen monitors. I currently use a 16 inch CRT monitor, and once that fails I'll be looking at the flatscreens (I have yet to see one that is as good at color and tone as CRT, but I can't find large CRT's at decent prices anymore). In that case, if I can't find a software fix to run a widescreen on 2k, I might change to XP, but I'll so so only as a last resort. For one thing, I've made dozens of hacks and tweeks to my 2k, and I like it like it is.

??? But, but, I have no idea what could possibly give you that impression?

I'll set aside the fact that I'm utterly shocked that a poll could so harm my precious reputation as a shy and quiet forum lurker, as I'm overwhelmed by the astonishing logical inconsistencies above! It was claimed that there was a poll declaring me the most prolific poster. This is in fact manifestly untrue. As for my number pof posts per day, that can be explained... There's an error in my listed date of membership. In fact, I post about one post a month, so the date I registered at GA can easily be deduced by dividing my post count by 12 to derive the number of years I've actually been registered at GA... I do indeed! Look at the anthology alone; I have to make many posts there... So, I agree with you; due to my admin job, I'm ineligable to be considered a prolific poster.

Well, yes, I guess I can agree with that! It's an understatement to say you are all postaholics. Wow, Never thought you'd take my side in this BK, thanks!

Because, compared to a lurker like me, you all are postaholics. Totally agreed!

ROFL!!! I can see it now: Novels by CJ: A sure cure for insomnia!

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.