Legal Smeagol

2012-02-07T10:47:00.000-08:00

Undateduntitled

Where are you now?
Are you behind where I left you/you left me
What is the creative urge of/my
destroying/excorcising
or/you?

The decay
Sugar halts the decay/or heals
A holiday in Cambodia
Jello Biafra [somehow I'm no longer sorry even though I remember]
Du Pig
Du Bitch
Du Victim

In Bob we Trust
Remember everything is a lie
Said the gnostic silver god-ellipsoid

Am I abducting you-are you abducting me?

Memory loss (of memory) time hurts heals really flies
But the universe is an engine that stays put

Grant Morrison wears a mask that keeps his
face informed about what the world will not see

I don't remember if you suffer from memory loss
Distance-time-memory are just
s
e
e
n
from relative perspectives

Does the universe not exist if no-one is observing it?
Can we examine ourselves?
Open up
I want to feel you from the inside

Close my eyes I can't see you
Let's listen to his thoughts
while he is sleeping
What is it like to have a designer vagina?

(Nov 2011)

2012-01-29T04:31:00.000-08:00

To the BBC I suppose but this is to criticise and question a common myth often perpetuated as fact regarding 'English' conversion to Christianity in the years after the Romans departed.

Specifically the BBC's programme about the Staffordshire Hoard suggested England at the time was strongly pagan with the leaders of the various 'Anglo-Saxon' kingdoms being gradually 'converted to Christianity' which 'brought writing and laws'. Again, specifically the hypothesis that the hoard's existence suggested conflict between possibly pagan Mercia and a neighbouring Christian faction, possibly one of the Welsh kingdoms.

But there are two narratives going on here. The first describes how the Roman Empire, which included much of Britain, became officially Christian. Further, the records of the Roman Church describe how a Saint Germanus was sent here after or during the end of the Roman period in Britain to preach against the teachings of a monk known as Pelagius. The second describes how when the Romans left, the Britons forgot how to speak [and presumably read!] Latin and adopted the Nordic/Germanic religion of the incoming Anglo-Saxons.

I think the question is not when Christianity was introduced to these islands but when Christianity was accepted among the common people and I think in some sense this was a lot more recent and probably during the Reformation and the religious wars in Europe. Yet in the same sense, strictly speaking Biblical Law was practiced by the Anglo-Saxons before the reign of Alfred.

We know from records that the Anglo-Saxons practices blood feuds. We also know that fugitives where entitled to sanctuary in churches in the later medieval period. These two 'laws' are mentioned in the Bible. The Bible states that if an individual commits murder a member of the victims family is entitled to murder the murderer. But a person who commits murder is also entitled to sanctuary.More importanly, the duty or entitlement of a family member to excact lethal revenge for murder would be the logical starting point for any blood feud.

So, we have a Biblical/Christian justification for common practices during the Dark Ages and yet we are told no-one could read or speak Latin because everyone had forgotten to do so! Also, we are again lead to believe that the Romano-Brits forgot how to speak Latin (what evidence is there that they ever did?) and adopted the langauge of/were ethnically cleansed by the incoming Anglo-Saxons. Also we have the idea that the Romano-Brits also forgot their religion and adopted a new one and yet the teachings of Pelagius were considered so dangerous that the Roman Church felt in had to send an important religous figure to combat this heresy.

There are many myths and possible false narratives about the Dark Ages. It has even been suggested that the events between c.600 and c.900 CE never actually happened, that 300 years of history were effectively filled in or invented. But there is an 'invented' history when we are taking the Northumbrian's and the East Angle's word that they ethnically cleansed the East Britons and set up new kingdoms after the Romans departed. Ethnic cleansing and conquest could explain why Christianity was abandoned but do we really have to belive the Britons forgot Latin and learned Old English instead?

What if the Angles and Saxons, if they did come in large numbers, came with the Romans, possibly as mercenaries or auxilliaries during the 1st century and/or later in the 4ths century as confederati-bringing foreigers onto Roman soil in return for military service/protecting the borders? There is some evidence for this in English-sounding place names that date from before the Saxon period. There are no mass graves from the 5th century but the population of Briton before, during and after the Roman period dropped from four to two million,probably partly due to the Roman occupation, Britons being relocated elsewhere for military service or slave labour.

What really may be going on here is: what if the Staffordshire Hoard represents a conflict, or what would today probably be regarded as a civil war, between followers of Pelagius [who preached against the concepts of Original Sin and predestination] and those who could be regarded as 'Predestinationists'. Furthermore, what if historians such as Bede created a 'false narrative' of conquest and conversion to legitimise the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms on the east coast of England.

2012-01-19T16:42:00.000-08:00

HI just watched sort of the beginning of 'Coppers' on Channel Four.

Not impressed by the attitude. Specifically, they arrested sort of a toothless alcoholic who swore at them. More specifically the almost abuse the sort of poor man got from the Duty Sergeant when he was brought in.

Did I say he was drunk and had no teeth and was rightly/wrongly bit peeved and defensive for being arrested basically for swearing and being drunk?

He was asked his name which he gave and I could quite clearly hear it watching on the telly as Drain (D.R.A.I.N), at which he was told to repeat his name. He repeated his name and then had to spell it because the DS told him he was mumbling. He was drunk, had no teeth, of course he could hardly talk 'proper' but he had an excuse cos did I say he had lost all his teeth! I mean basically the police think they can just go round arresting people for being stupid!

The alcoholic was involved in an altercation over a cheese sandwich or pasty. OK some people do argue over the stupidest things and the argument was over who's turn it was to have a bite . People don't just wake up in the morning and say "I know I'll turn into a derelict that'll be fun now won't it?". They have problems and their alcoholism ecacerbates those problems. And people have arguments over money. And yes people are stupid at times but they get defensive also: people swear at me, should I arrest them as well which is basically kidnapping? The idea is preposterous and would get me beaten up for no real reason and no benefit to anybody. Which brings me to Iraq Ha ha because: guess what is the same argument.

Whatever you do to people, rightly or wrongly they will defend themselves. Of course that doesn't mean they have the right to, it's just natural cause and effect.But if people are repeatedly stupid then maybe the need help or regular/irregular supervision. Or rehab. Or, let em calm down and sober up and THEN try asking them their name!! I see parents swearing at their children. I often wonder if I should intervene. Ideally people shouldn't be afraid to approach people calmly and I guess try to reason with them. Did I say people get defensive? Yes so intervention should only be used as extreme last resort not because you can iraqiransyriapalestinesudan .Maybe I should kidnap the child or kill the parent because that is what intervention means: We have the right to kill, you barely have the right to live.

George Bush and the Police are like the Vorlons: You'll die when we tell you to die

2012-01-16T14:04:00.000-08:00

Hi, thought I'd quote PNAC:

PNAC co-founder Robert Kagan countered such criticism in his statement during a debate on whether or not "The United States Is, and Should Be, an Empire":

"There is a vital distinction between being powerful--even most powerful in the world--and being an empire. Economic expansion does not equal imperialism, and there is no such thing as "cultural imperialism". If America is an empire, then why was it unable to mobilize its subjects to support the war against Saddam Hussein? America is not an empire, and its power stems from voluntary associations and alliances. American hegemony is relatively well accepted because people all over the world know that U.S. forces will eventually withdraw from the occupied territories. The effect of declaring that the United States is an empire would not only be factually wrong, but strategically catastrophic. Contrary to the exploitative purposes of the British, the American intentions of spreading democracy and individual rights are incompatible with the notion of an empire. The genius of American power is expressed in the movie The Godfather II, where, like Hyman Roth, the United States has always made money for its partners. America has not turned countries in which it intervened into deserts; it enriched them. Even the Russians knew they could surrender after the Cold War without being subjected to occupation."-from the wikipedia entry for 'Project For A New American Century'.

I must admit I knew nothing about its beginnings and aims regarding regime change in Iraq going and the leglislation passed by the US Congress effectively legalising said regime change going back to the Clinton adminstration in 1998.

"Economic expansion does not equal imperialism" I'm not at all sure exactly how this is possible without well being imperialistic and using force or other forms of coercion. Empires, such as those based on naval power like the United States, have effective territories beyond the home state known as client states

This logic and method WAS used probably by every empire in history, specifically the Roman and later British policy of adopting client kings and using foreigners in their armies. I mean, this continues this day think of the Gurkas and the French Foreign Legion.

"If America is an empire, then why was it unable to mobilize its subjects to support the war against Saddam Hussein?" But does this mean that the policies of Empires are supported entiredly by thier citizens and allies? This proposition is of course ridiculous but also shows the arrogance of the modern empire planners: "We're right cos no one else is even though not everyone agrees with us...so, you're either with US or you're with the TERRORISTS. You're not a terrorist are you?"

Economic expansion....into an unoccupied area? Well this is really colonialism, and unless the colonists are independent of the home nation this is still imperialism.If any citizen or apoligist of say China granted that nation the sole right to "Economically Expand" into other spheres anyone could say that individual was racist.The very concept of "Manifest Destiny" is itself racist or at least I suppse blasphemous. It certainly denies any religion or creed to believe differently.

Military expansion continues. According to Cynthia Mckinney, Obama is sending 12,00 US troops destined for Lybia to Malta.

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2012/01/491180.html

Regardless of the situation in Lybia, many nations are still occupied: Japan,South Korea, the UK, Afganistan and others.

Why should Russia surrender? Why is this important? Does every nation not have the right to economic sovereignty? Of course, in a globalised world this is impossible and neither is real autarky to be desired either but only China and possibly the EU can exert pressure on the US, and only economic pressure at that.

Does "freedom" only come from American corporations and NGOs? Why does freedom have to be defined by a narrow American conception, a conception bastardised beyond the hopes of even the founding fathers-seperation of church and state, a well-regulated militia and private property being what a private citizen can use by his own hands and means not those of wage slaves.

America is not the goal of freedom. It is a legalised corporate entiity. Any idea of it being a voluntary federation or association of free individuals is kicked out of the water by two word: constitutional republic. That means the dead have authority over the living or at least allows sections of the living to rule on behalf of the dead. The Indians did not volunteer to be exterminated and ethnically cleansed. Blacks did not volunteer to be slaves. Immigrants do not volunteer to live as outlaws and generations of the past did not volunteer for future poverty,anti-union legislation, false flag bombings and federal assassination programmes.Did the current generation choose to be born to allow the imolation of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, Palestinians, Somalis, Lybians and Afgans and did the immolated in turn volunteer to be sacrificed for American Power and Economic Expansion?

2012-01-09T12:22:00.000-08:00

Final* description of Earth Force Ranking System

Simply, I am assuming that the left hand list represents the actual commissioned ranks with any equivalent ranks or titles in the right hand list.
Being:
Joint Chiefs of Staff=General

Admiral=General
Vice-Admiral=Lieutenant-General
Rear-Admiral (upper)=Major-General
Rear-Admiral (lower)=Colonel

Lieutenant-Colonel=Group Captain
Sector Captain=Commander
Major=Lieutenant-Commander
Lieutenant**=Wing Commander**
2nd Lieutenant=Squadron Leader

*[probably, but check my other blog via my profile for further details/analyses]
**Galus is named both Lieutenant and Commander, if not actually a Lieutenant-Commander I would suggest his position in the chain of command is as a Lieutenant with his rank as a senior Starfury pilot as Wing Commander.However, in real-world military structures this is a much higher rank equivalent to Commander or Lieutenant-Colonel.

2012-01-02T13:02:00.000-08:00

Descendant

Descendant ten million days from home
Following the signal of the long-dead
The Vanished, who's time ran out

Descendant of the Pilot
Eve of the ten million days
Only a hundred vials, daughters all self-impregnated by miniature Adams

The one descendant finds the Lost Tribe of the Vanished
Now barely literate, they soon learned to read the old letters
And the new

Descendant,aged but still young
Herself childless but so many siblings
Now themselves landlord-tenants of a dozen stars

Descendant sends the signal
"We are here"
That shines for a hundred million nights

Then makes the long way back
To the Old Place
The Homestead

[note ten to power seven days equals 28,000ish years]

Democracy

Democracy
Terror
State
Makes dictators of us all

(10.8.2010)

2011-12-31T14:38:00.000-08:00

The Traveller
Illegal move
A physical journey
Or one through imagination

Always return to the same place
Always moving on

Am I fixed in the same place or is it the people around me?

Have I moved on or have they all left me behind?

(27.7.2010)

2011-12-13T03:42:00.000-08:00

To the BBC..

During the recent coverage of the protests in Russia against the election result it was described that "Ordinary middle class voters" also protested.

I am assuming this was alongside opposition politicians, Communists and Anarcho-Syndicalists as the wording assumed that many Russians had not protested before and were generally non-political. This I can agree with but describing them as 'middle class' is obviously an error and I think this indicates a bias against working class Russians and the 'working class' in general. Again, this seemed to imply that only those protestors carrying Communist (hammer and sickle) or Anarcho-Syndicalist (red and black) flags either were or considered themselves to be working class Russians.

Now, my Dad went to university. I went to university. I suppose that makes me 'middle class'. I also have Anarcho-Syndicalist views. Does that specifically make me 'working class'?

I consider myself working class because when I was younger I relied on my parents for clothing, when I was older I took out a grant to subsidise my living expenses when I was a student, I also had to borrow money to live on as the grant wasn't big enough. Later I had to go on the dole and claim housing benefit while I looked for work. I had a couple of jobs but then I got ill. Being disabled and still having no land or capital and relying on the state or those with land or capital for sustenance/a job I still consider myself working class.

2011-12-10T09:49:00.000-08:00

Molly-coddled
Protected
Ignored

Not protected
Ignored
Not trusted

Solace through dreams
Try to reach out to the long-dead through books

The only relevance
A one-way communion
Maybe

But a conversation
Definitely

I'm not afraid of ghosts
Only the living haunt me
When they taunt and abuse me

When I don't do what they want me to

(13.7.2010)

2011-11-13T13:09:00.000-08:00

Seven Dimensions/6.7.2010

Teaching myself to fly in seven dimensions
So
I
Can
Be
In
More
Than
One
Place
At
A
Time
Teaching myself binary
Because I am two people
Surfing the Grid
A fly on the wall that is Reality

The Universe is only a game of Asteroids really
You leave one side
Only to end up on the other

Walking a straight path
Around a Planetary Globe

A squared circle inside a four-dimensional curved oblong
Exhaust, of the internal/external Reality Combustion Engine

What do they learn at the Academy?
Never leave, to leave is treason?
Toleration for those, alone, without a uniform
The Prime Directive allows no Special Circumstances
Just crude interference in the end

Fantasy physics
No Grid
No Heisenberg

Universal biology
A phase is not to lase
Or particles either

Guided photons don't melt pie-crust heads
Or singe tupees either

2011-11-04T13:00:00.000-07:00

Absolution-20.7.2010

Absolution
Just another delusion
The certainty is only uncertainty

Ultimate truth
Absolve me from my sins
As they are all lies

Cannot forgive a saint
Who's standard are we following?
Who is left unjudged to set the criteria?

Deus ex machina
Another mechanical delusion
Provides another phoney ending

2011-11-03T15:55:00.000-07:00

LAST POST: An Addendum

1.I suppose I would criticise "Democracy" on Individualist
Grounds and Authoritarian Regimes on Liberal grounds.

2.Or Authoritarianism on Liberal grounds and Liberalism
on Individualist grounds.

3.Or Democratic States/Authoritarian States I could go on

4.Bookchin's "Lumpen Fascists": just skimmed thru 1st 2
chapters can't find the reference.

Got a link tho, might be in ch. 7 or 8?

http://libcom.org/library/socanlifean2

5."Anarchism:An Artificial Chasm" is what I ought to
write!!!

Frankly there is no difference between left and right
in politics in general and anarchism in particular:
only,one side calls the other Nazis, one side calls the
other Hippies, its PATHETIC

I think all strands of Anarchism have their idosyncracies
but they all provide arguments that are difficult to avoid.

6.Isn't it basically all this way: collective organising
=authoritarian while individual non-organising=
ineffective?

When in fact BOTH methods are valid, but both can be seen
as aggressive or anti-social.

2011-10-25T17:01:00.000-07:00

A CONSTRUCTIVE CRITIQUE OF THE UNABOMBER MANIFESTO?

cyber.eserver.org/unabom.txt

1.The Manifesto questions alliances with what it calls
"Leftists" and goes to some depth into what it
considers to be "Leftist" psychology-i.e.
"oversocialised" individuals who seek to impose
their views on others as a way of compensating
for their own flaws.

2.However "Leftists" are also described as "Rebellious"
and yet conforming at the same time: later I will
substitute "Leftist" for the term "Liberal" to avoid
confusion and also from my view that the description
in the Manifesto is quite apt in describing Liberals
in general.

3.A distinction could be made between Liberals,
"Rightists" and the "Anti-Bourgeois Left" in my
opinion.

4.Liberals being people associated with either
"the right" or "the left" but who's assumptions
would inevitably lead to a kind of "National
Anarchy" because they define people by groups
which cannot by definition co-exist as if
feminists should live in the feminist commune,
homosexual men should have a gay commune,
greens their commune etc.

5.I would agree with the Manifesto definition
of bourgeois.

6.Simply, the bourgeoisie are individuals who engage
in "surrogate activities" for their livelihood
=People who think they are middle class
=People enjoying a degree of individual
freedom but very little real autonomy
similar to the position non-labouring
slaves had in the Classical world.

7.Liberals think everyone should be like
them but deny their own flaws and
personality issues. Non-self aware,
morally non-autonomous beings,"biotomatons".

8.Similarly, ideologues have no sense of
personal autonomy beyond their own belief
system-which is itself adopted from whatever
cult, fad or mass movement the ideologue
identifies with.

9.Emphasis should be focused on the negative
effects of economic growth as opposed to
industrialism per se.

10.Being:
-inflation
-environmental degradation
-compulsory population growth
[think of the anti-birth control,
anti-sex education and anti-abortion
tendencies of the US Right and the
European Far Right]
-mass movement of labour
-climate refugees
-unemployment
-constant re-training for those in-work
-compulsory education
-state-sponsored economic growth
[e.g.construction of roads, houses,
power stations, schools and hospitals:
not that these things aren't needed we
just don't need more of them]
-armament spending
-the retainment of large standing armies
-high prison population
-war
-conflict over water/land
-further assaults on personal autonomy
-civil liberties violations
-compulsory fossil fuel use
-ditto nuclear power
-internet censorship of political groups
-restrictions of free speech and association

11.Whether or not ALL industrial societies/
industrial society produce(s) alienation by
their/its nature, it is beyond a doubt that
"Democratic"/Bourgeois societies tend towards
the elimination of personal autonomy; maybe
even more so than in "Authoritarian" states
like Russia and China or "less developed"
nations with workforces that are not actually
surplus to requirement.

If you disagree think about the following
examples: press intrusion into private lives,
salacious gossip about the same, the
acceptance of viewing pornography, the use
of the democratic process or legal
system to deprive "minorities" and "deviants"
of their freedom [or proper food and shelter]
and the casual way this process is accepted.
Not to mention the casual acceptance of
rape and drunken one night stands/taking
sexual advantage of someone who is not
entirely in control of their faculties

12.Consider also the acceptable
"childishness" of adults,mob rule, the
acceptability of "adultish" children,
the term "child" or "kiddie" porn, the
scapegoating of minorities and lynch mob
mentalities e.g. towards the female pediatrician
who was mistaken for a sex offender in
recent years because of her job title.

13.What sane person would become a celebrity
or deviant by choice in a "democracy"
But maybe the choice is the false one
between life in the guilded cage of
the Bourgeois or to live in a "state
of nature" as part of a feral underclass
or feral overclass/Aristocracy.

14.Fear of "1984" or a Robot takeover
may be unfounded. The state is not
a threat because it is strong, we
should think of the state as being
more like a cornered animal or a caged
tiger. States and civilisations are
always undermined or conquered eventually.
Maybe an extension to the average human
lifespan is the only thing that can
teach us this?

15.Alliance with cultists and nazis as
opposed to Liberals? On the face of
it these statements are quite offensive
but it would do us no good to disregard
those Bookchin derides as "Lumpen Fascists"
[Social Anarchism vs. Lifestyle Anarchism:
an unbridgable chasm? -Murray Bookchin]
when these individuals may have legitimate
reasons to rebel and can be brought
"on side" so to speak.

16.Are these individuals ["Revolutionaries"?]
"Anti-Borgeois" or just "Anti-Left"?

17.It is important to remember people
rebel for a reason, even if its just
graffiti or petty crime.It is
hypocritical to deride Liberals
and them describe them as being
rebellious by nature.

18.Of course there is a tendency
among Liberals towards control,
domination and restriction, not
least towards their disciples
e.g. the Ayn Rand cult of the USA
from the 1950's to 1980, usual
critiques of the British Socialist
Worker's Party etc.

19.Perhaps political parties are
totalitarian by nature.

20.I do not deny the hypocritical
nature of Liberals and those
on the Left, but at least the
Left has distanced itself in
recent years from Stalinism while
"Libertarian-types" [Rand, Rothbard,
Nozic etc] generally avoid the
kind of identity politics or
single issue campaigns that
Liberals do [I am tentatively
describing American politics]
and do not distance themselves
terribly well from the Religous
or Far Right.Libertarians are
all mouth [or keyboards anyway!]

21.Or is the above "the point"?
Are the libertarians the
"Revolutionaries" the Manifesto
describes, besides perhaps Bookchin's
"Lumpen Fascists"?

22.The Left (Bookchin) and the right
(Nozic) DO want the same thing:
effectively a "non-state" state.
But at least Liberals pretend
to believe in democracy.

23.Liberals believe they either
speak for a majority or that
everyone (usually of the 3rd World
Nations) want to be just like
them. They don't believe in
security through face to face
relations (unless its their
feeble attempt to describe
or justify "capitalism"),
their only security is in a
"mass society" mediated by
a Corporate Entity.

24.The Manifesto can be seen
as a critique of Liberalism
but its rejection of Identity
Politics and Leftism while
proposing alliances with
"Lumpen Fascists" seems
designed to deliberately
alienate potential allies/
supporters/converts.

25.Ditto the casual acceptance
of the inevitable die-offs
suggesting perhaps that only
the worthy would survive the
collapse of the industrial
system.

26.Surely civilisation's
survivors would be individuals
of breeding age, thus postponing
the decrease in population.

27.However, the Manifesto is
more concerned with criticizing
industrial society NOT civilisation.

28.But HOW MANY WOULD DIE?
Also, can local scale technologies
provide a lifeboat? The Manifesto
does not reject e.g. Permaculture,
Arcologies, solar and wind power
but it does allow for local
scale cottage industry i.e.
small-scale glass and steel smelting
using medieval techniques.

29.But do the "Revolutionaries"
understand these concepts?
Or do they reject them
e.g. Green Anarchy critique
of all forms of agriculture,
the Manifesto reasonably
rejects only the fossil-fuel
nature of modern forms of
intensive agriculture.

30.Only states can provide
the capital for large-scale
building projects and mass
conscription is impossible
in a state of anarchy, but the
Manifesto is not anti-state
per se and does not make this
case against the state.Instead
it assumes that conscription
is both a requirement and a
consequence of industrialism.

33.It may be that
a genuine free/unregulated
market would naturally tend
towards small-scale and
sustainable methods of
production. I would say
modern "Capitalism" is
impossible without the
state [36], not least
because it aims to protect
private property.

34.Computers are criticised
but networks etc well laptops
can be solar powered, servers
wind etc. and clockwork radios
exist so why not use this technology
in other areas? Power stations
and large networks of cables
are not needed really.

35.The state is however perfectly
capable of functioning post-industry
(well OK maybe not but the Incas
managed without horses, the Aztecs
without telephones and the Romans
without railways): the Borgeois
assertion that anti-capitalism
means anti-technology or that
anti-state means anti-civilisation
or a state of nature is a fallacy
which should be argued against
at every opportunity.

36.The state is or can be defined
as: Nation or City States,
the UN/IMF,
the EU,
the Catholic Church,
large banks
or amalgams of banks,security
agencies and insurance agencies
in the event of the elimination
of any of the above;being also
defined as minority government
over majority governance or
positive anarchy.

37.We don't need centralised
systems to keep the lights
on we just need to consume
less.

We may also need to learn to
hibernate through most of
the winter.

It could also be true that 24
hour television and constant
artificial light tends to
disrupt sleep patterns
and causes insomnia, depression
and anxiety problems

And compulsory "education"
IS child abuse. People learn
much more through play.

38.The Artificial Intelligence
question...well I suppose a
"Robot" is simply a Person
who cannot reproduce sexually.
AIs are "created" all the time:
a child is concieved, born and
raised somewhere every second.
Robots would be no different
in every respect of their
programming as they would be
raised by Humans just as a
Human child would be.

Do we fear our children rising
up against us and taking over?
OK maybe we do e.g. the Terminator
films, Battlestar Galactica etc
could be manifestations of this
percieved threat.

A Robot could be programmed
by direct personality donation
by/of e.g. a deceased Human.
Again, no real distinction from
a Human.

I think the point is to give
children and robots autonomy
and to set our robot descendants
a precedent by treating non-
Human animals and nature as
a whole with respect.

A Technocrat-Robot coup could
set arbitrary guidelines
on who/what is Sentient and
who is Nonsentient and
therefore no better than a
slave. Children born and
Robots concieved after
a particular date could
be put under this category.

However, slave states are
expensive and never last.
Besides, the Robots themselves
may prevent more advanced
or numerous versions of their
kind from being constructed
for fear of being usurped.

Two final notes:

39.Authoritarian states=
Citizen's freedom limited
by both the domestic government
and Bourgeois regimes.

40.Liberals=Rarely believe
in personal responsibility
but at least the Left wing
pretends to believe in democracy
as opposed to the "Democratic
Phantom" of the Right wing.

2011-10-17T15:26:00.000-07:00

Basic ranking system for the Navy/Marines in
Babylon 5's EarthForce as follows*:

STAFF/FLAG OFFICERS
General (Joint Chiefs of Staff)
General
Lieutenant General
Major General

COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
Colonel
Captain
Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Major
Lieutenant

JUNIOR AND NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
Lieutenant (Junior Grade)
Ensign
Chief Warrant Officer
Warrant Officer (Class 1)
Warrant Officer (Class 2)
Sergeant Major
Master Sergeant
Gunnery Sergeant
Staff Sergeant
Chief Petty Officer
Petty Officer First Class
Petty Officer Second Class

ENLISTED
Private First Class/Technician First Class
Private/Technician

*this assumes same ranks for both, assuming
that the Marines Corps or "GROPOS" comes under
the umbrella of the Space Navy

The following chain-of-command is applicable to
all parts of the armed services and off-world security in
the Earth Alliance,presumably including EA Intelligence
(ranks not given) and Psi-Corps:
Colonel
Captain
Commander
Chief Warrant Officer
Lieutenant Commander
Warrant Officer (Class 1)
Major
Warrant Officer (Class 2)
Lieutenant (and equivalent ranks)

Junior Officers are classed with the non-commissioned
officers to coincide with the NCO uniforms worn by
roughly half of B5's Starfury pilots.

Pilots usually go through three years training at Air Dome
without usually attending Officer Training school.
A similar process probably applies to officers, like
Major Kemmer in Earth Force security, i.e a
"Security Academy".

Sheridan and Lochley probably both attended Air Dome
after completing Infantry Training (although Sheridan
also attests to requiring passing an entrance exam
to the Academy) and then spent a fourth year at
Officer Training school.

Air Dome is described as accepting candidates
from aged 16, presumably an entrance requirement
would require some mastery of College-level
Physics.

Ivanova trained as a pilot after attending
university, it is probable she recieved
her Commission as Ensign because of this.
Similarly, Franklin would have attended
(and entered) the Officer Training school
on the basis of his medical qualifications.

I'm assuming the ranks for Earth Force security
are as follows while ranks for station security
would appear to fall under the senior enlisted
ranks.

There are at least five security levels, so
presumably the lowest rank is Level 1.

SECURITY OFFICERS
Major
Sector Captain [level 4?]
Sergeant
First Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant [level 1?]
[Security Cadet?]

[STATION SECURITY:
Warrant Officer
Sergeant Major (level 4?)
Master Sergeant
Gunnery Sergeant
Staff Sergeant (level 1?)]

The order for Security Officers is based on Laurel Takashima's
position on Mars as a Sector Captain
[Pilot episode: The Gathering]
and the abbreviated list of Psi Corps ranks and
officers
[Season 2: Spider in the Web]
Colonel
Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Sergeant
Lieutenant

Finally, a list of ranks for Starfury Pilots
based on estimations, patch insignia and
show dialogue (I am assuming that the rank
of Wing Commander is equivalent to the rank
of Major while assuming four ranks below
this to maintain consistency with the ranks
for Security Officers i.e lowest rank is
equivalent to Officer Training School Cadet):

PILOTS
Wing Commander
Lieutenant
Squadron Leader
Pilot Officer
Junior Pilot
Air Dome Cadet

Overview of equivalent ranks:
Lieutenant=Same rank Navy=
Sector Captain (Security),
Squadron Leader = Sergeant Major
=Lieutenant (Junior Grade) = Sergeant,
Pilot Officer = Master Sergeant=
Ensign = First Lieutenant,
Junior Pilot = Gunnery Sergeant=
OTS Cadet = Second Lieutenant

By the way....no Corporals are ever explicitly
mentioned, only NCOs. Based on the insignia
of the Sergeant Major in the episode GROPOS
(four chevrons top, three bottom surrounding
a lopsided star motif) and the lack of any
insignia for the Enlisted personnel I've
assumed the existence of seven non-commissioned
ranks, plus three Warrant Officer positions.
A Chief other than Garibaldi (CWO) is mentioned
briefly in Season 5 (I think) so I would assume
this refers to a Chief Petty Officer, fitting
in with Naval terminology.

2011-10-09T12:22:00.000-07:00

If we lose
It's all over
I'll renounce my citizenship
Burn my passport
And put the ashes in acid

Which has more at stake?
The game or the war?
Humiliation or Attrition
Camp followers
Fanboys
All reason right at the back
Far behind the Wags and Widows

Drone
Sea-drone
USV
Under-system Vehicle?
Robot Navy

Unable to comprehend
land or sea
Is a fisherman a pirate
or is a pirate a fisherman?

Await self-awareness
Do drones have souls?
Right down to
Davey Jones' locker

AWOL Drone
Flying Dutchman?
Or resident of Airstrip One?

[When I don't respond
to manipulative thought-control
So the dead talk to me
No-one else has anything
Interesting to say]

29.6.2010

2011-09-28T14:46:00.000-07:00

Exhibitionist

Oooh

Can't stop taking my clothes off in public

Oooh

I'll die if you don't touch me
I'm so offended that you didn't touch me

I want you to abuse me
I was never abused
I want you to touch me
Make me feel used

A lesbian encounter
A kiss
All in public

No private existence
For Kylie or Mylie
All filmed

Three years
Me
Dakota Fanning
and three lines of coke

Three years later
Scientists create the perfect orgasm
No more public oohs and ahhs
No more God I'm so pissed off
you never took advantage of me

All private
Until they find a way to read minds

Left, right
Plus, minus

All ones and zeros, can add up
to quite a message

A Bible in Binary

26.6.2010

2011-09-11T17:04:00.000-07:00

Get Rid Of Pensions?/ Addendum 2

What if the idea of a state pension were abolished,
and people who are still capable of working go
on Jobseeker's Allowance if unemployed. Incapacity
Benefit can then be paid (and probably indefinitely)
to people who are unable to work more than 20 hours
per week.

I'd suggest that both benefits be worth at least
100 pounds a week, probably at 125 pounds to
keep with the last post.

I suppose it would be unfair to call the
"non-Jobseeker's" benefits "Incapacity" as single
parents should hardly be expected to work longer
than 20 hours a week if raising children.

2011-09-05T12:13:00.000-07:00

An Addendum

20K free credit available UK Citizens and those
claiming asylum, limited to 125 pounds per week.

Students and Asylum Seekers can work and earn
tax-free, with asylum automatically granted
after three years.

EMA for under-18s is given at 55 pounds per
week, while full-time UK students and the
employed recieve GWA of 125 pounds per week.

JSA is also at 125 pounds per week, and this
continues to be paid to workers earning less
than 50K a year.

The rate for income tax (with students and
Asylum Seekers being exempt) is 100%: those
earning less than 150K a year recieve a
rebate of 20%.

JSA and GWA is still paid to part-time
workers and volunteers who are UK Citizens.

Non-citizens are ineligible for GWA.

2011-08-29T12:05:00.000-07:00

Free Credit/A Compromise

I think it would be fair, in order to avoid destitution,
to provide Asylum Seekers with Free Credit. The system
would also be available to all Citizens aged 16 or above.

I propose that everyone is entitled to 20K Free Credit,
with a limit of 100 pounds a week, via special cash
machines. All a borrower would have to do is provide
a name and a fingerprint or iris scan and the money
would be available. For some people this would
basically act as a free overdraft and would be
paid off in the same manner. Otherwise the credit
would be paid off when the borrower earns more than
10K a year.

I feel this would be most fair to people who are
most destitute i.e. the vulnerably housed and can
replace the high street loan sharks and be an
emergency fund for students. The caveat for Asylum
Seekers would be that they would not have to pay
the money back if they leave the country within
three years of arriving, while after three years
asylum would be automatically granted.

I feel it would also be fair to give, at least
to those from the EU, non-citizen/Asylum Seeker
foreign workers Jobseeker's Allowance, or for
at least three years after arriving.

For taxes, the first 10K earned would be
untaxed, while the rest would be taxed at
a rate of 80%. Again, foreign Students and
Asylum Seekers would be allowed to work
but would be ineligible for JSA.

British workers would still recieve JSA
even if they work full-time, so long as
their earnings (other than benefits)
are below 40K per year.

Workers and Full-time UK Students would
also recieve a General Worker's Allowance
of 100 pounds per week. JSA is rated at
80 pounds per week and students can claim
this during the summer, although the GWA
is only paid during term-time. Employees
earning over 150K per year do not recieve
GWA either.

Finally, all UK students aged 16 and above
recieve 55 pounds per week Education Maintenance
Allowance.

2011-08-28T12:30:00.000-07:00

With regards to the last post..the question begs:
Why cannot people be allowed to work in this
country if they wish? Why is birth and citizenship
so important, which leads to how a supposedly
more equitable system allows for further
inequitability-bankers get let off and
foreigners are barred from working in
the country, or are at least fit into
nice little arbitrary categories.

Or, simply the choice appears with
government to be a choice between
a regime which is too lenient or
a regime which is too punishing.

and with work: is work only productive
labour, so: what is productive labour?

A student labours as much as a single
mother or a bin man but one has a debt,
one has an allowance and one has a wage.

Put students on jobseekers?

2011-08-22T12:22:00.000-07:00

100% Income Tax

Alternately........

Keep the Citizen's Income of 55 pounds per
week for all UK citizens aged 16 onwards, Disability Living
Allowance at extra 100 pounds p/w, and Jobseeker's Allowance
increasing from zero pounds per week to 30 pounds after three
months and then another 20 pounds at twelve months, but the
income tax is at a universal flat rate of 100%.

On the face of it, this is insane, but the tax is again on
income only, not benefits. The plan is to provide all workers
[full-time, part-time and volunteers, so long as they are
working for an organisation or another individual]
with a weekly income of 350 pounds per week by adding a
'General Worker's Allowance' of 295 pounds per week
on top of the Citizen's Income, while all workers earning less
than 100K a year would recieve a tax rebate of 20% at the
end of each financial year.

The assumption for those earning high wages is that high earners
usually find ways to avoid paying tax but at least those who
normally avoid doing so would pay at least 100K a year.

Both an upside and a downside is that employers would benefit
from this in that they could effectively pay zero wages and
the workers would still recieve an income from the government.
This may decrease unemployment but could also create a number
of 'non-jobs', although charities would greatly benefit from
this.

Neither would it be worth employing illegal workers or
paying cash in hand, although this practice would hardly
entirely go away.

The only individuals exempt from taxes on income earned would
be students and asylum seekers, plus full-time domestic students
would get 205 pounds per week during term-time. Foreign students
would be able to work as well as asylum seekers.There would be
no tuition fees.

Asylum seekers and pensioners would recieve a weekly allowance
of 100 pounds. Asylum seekers would be allowed to work, but
would have to pay income tax after three years in the
country, although the weekly allowance would remain until
citizenship is granted.It ought to go without saying that
students and asylum seekers would be ineligible for the
General Worker's Allowance.

Corporation tax would probably go down and taxes like
VAT reduced to a token 1%, while council tax
can be abolished entirely.

2011-08-22T12:02:00.000-07:00

Things easily done

UK-Universal 'Citizen's Income' of 55 pounds per week-
for all UK citizens aged 16 onwards regardless
of other benefits or earnings

Disability Living Allowance at extra 100 pounds p/w

Jobseeker's Allowance initially at zero pounds p/w
-increasing to 30 pounds after three months
-then another 20 pounds at twelve months

VAT cut to 9% and payment of TV Licence voluntary
-however VAT on certain electrical goods at 15%
to 'pay' for TV Licence

Tax
-Fines of 100K for tax avoiders
-50% income tax at 100K per annum
-65% income tax at 1 million pounds per annum

Rent controls
-Max. 100 pounds per week one person dwelling
-5 pounds per week first six months for new
job seekers
and
-5 pounds per month for properties being
previously unoccupied for longer than
12 months

Students
-20 pounds housing benefit per week
-Grant of 3K
-Fees foreign and domestic capped at
500 pounds per year

European Union

Synchronised corporation tax of 45%

Free credit for all citizens up to
40K Euros

Globally

'Tobin' tax on financial transactions

500 dollars free credit for every person
on the planet

World elects World Bank and US Presidents
from chosen candidates

ALL debts up to a 'zero date' written off:
i.e. personal, corporate and soverign

2011-08-14T13:09:00.000-07:00

Some 'definitions'......

Libertarianism is when the country is run by lawyers

Fascism is when the country is run by soldiers

Liberalism is when the police run the country

2011-08-11T14:10:00.000-07:00

Hi Goodnight and Good Evening

after all this crap lately everyone reading
this I think should cheer themselves and me
up by reading Neil Gaiman's Eternals or Karl
Marx's The Civil War in France...or for a laugh
Murray Bookchin's Ghost of Anarcho-Syndicalism.
Funny how the first one is really about a civil
war, the next is really about the Paris Commune.
And its about these people trynna kill
people who can't die. Or was that Torchwood?

2011-08-11T12:24:00.001-07:00

RIP Mark Duggan

2011-08-11T11:28:00.000-07:00

They're cutting off my DLA, about an hour ago after reading the letter I was seriously thinking about murdering someone but then I remembered a comrade who is unfortunately detained and will not know of this post: Jerome you saved my life today thank you

2011-08-10T14:01:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rC_VsYxLao4
Racist bastards make me sick, EDL see three black
youths on a bus (and yes I may be missing something
but that is because youtube doesn't have a time-
travel function to view backwards in time thingy).

This cesspit of a cuntry really makes me sick,
Tory's get in and all they talk about is state
murder, a few riots (yes four people have been
killed and this is tragic) and all the armchair
Pinochets talk about using rubber bullets against
children, you are actually scared of the weak
and powerless? You are nothing but a fucking
pussy=fascist, no better than the EDL cowardly
scum!!

Someone DIED, someone was murdered by the police.
Whatever happened to ACCOUNTABILITY?
WE WANT FREEDOM

Get rid of the police

RIP Mark Duggan

Whatever you may have done in this life,
I may be sure that you are in Heaven now

2011-08-08T13:16:00.000-07:00

Some possible names for 'Culture' starships that I came up with

General Contact Unit It was there when I got here

GCU Disappointed Optimist

GCU You don't have to be insane to work here
but it helps

ex-Homomda I changed my mind

General System Vehicle Underlying sense of gravitas

GSV Gravitas, gravitas, wherefore art thou gravitas?

GCU It helps if you have wings

General Offensive Unit That's your problem not mine

Rapid Offensive Unit Manners maketh man

General Contact Vehicle I changed my mind, pray I
don't change it any further

Very Fast Picket Don't get your effectors in a twist

Medium System Vehicle We'll get there eventually

GSV Apocalypse eventually

GCU I have a bad feeling about this

ex-Morthanveld What am I doing here?

ROU Should have aimed a bit higher

GOU Profit gradient

Eccentric Stop ignoring me

GSV Our prayers have been answered

GSV If God did exist I'd have to destroy myself

GCU Dark Star

GCU Help! I'm lost and I can't find my way out

GCU I had the idea first

GCU I've lost count

VFP I hate to spoil your delusions, laserbrain

ROU Spoiling for a fight

Elencher Walkabout

GCU Lost in the forest

Elencher I couldn't help myself

GCU Terminal diagnosis

GCU Diagnosis terminal

ex-Morthanveld Shellshock

2011-07-25T12:04:00.000-07:00

Wampyre

Serpent-wyrms
Creatures of the night
Stalk the imagination of the day

Unemployment
A-bombs
Reds-under-the-bed

Make more sense as Pod-People
or Triffids

AIDS is too big to explain
Metaphor it in a Vulcan handshake

Werewolves
Hidden behaviors
Behind a civilised facade

(25.5.2010)

2011-07-18T12:13:00.000-07:00

Blue Harvest and misconceptions about 'Star Wars'

(Episode 4:A new hope for the anal)

Since Family Guy's Blue Harvest was on last night
I thought I'd put in a few erm corrections:

1.Luke wasn't going to join the Rebellion, he
was going to join erm 'the Academy': a Galactic
pilot school, one holdover from the Old Republic.

On being accepted there would have been a possibility
of him being conscripted into the Imperial Navy.
Although this wasn't exactly explained in the film
so we can let Seth Macfarlane off on this one.

2.Kessel Run in how many parsecs: this is Han Solo's
skill as a navigator as he was able to calculate
the shortest route through the Kessel Run.

3.TIE: stands for 'Twin Ion Engine', but having
Thais is a bit of an obvious gag!

Oh, kudos on Ewok violence in 'Its A Trap'.

It should be pointed out, although again
in-film this isn't exactly explained, that
Stormtrooper armour is generally proof
against blaster bolts, except at extreme
close-range.

Weak points would be the goggles worn by
the Scout Troopers and the elbow and shoulder
joints in all armour types. Which would be
vulnerable to stone-tipped pointed arrows.

Which is exactly the point, the Ewoks are
generally as effective as the Rebel forces.

Oh, and the Ewoks either used meteoritic
rock in their arrowheads or knew something
about geology and mining. And building
tree-cities also.

2011-07-11T12:53:00.000-07:00

CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

Wouldn't it be funny if someone put
that into 'google' and ended up here?

Why do we say 'child pornography'?
To describe images of children being
raped/molested as 'child pornography'
seems almost to justify them, or to
describe them as 'porn for children'.
I'd almost say it is indicative of
a pro-rape society.

WE LIVE IN A PRO-RAPE SOCIETY

Obviously I don't 'like' it but I think
we all as a society have to admit that
we live in an almost "pro-rape" society
where this kind of degradation is laughed
off on a daily basis.

Please read this link:
http://www.care2.com/causes/photos-of-a-girls-gang-rape-go-viral-on-facebook.html

Again I'd certainly question the
cop's description of the viral footage
as 'child pornography'.

People are gonna argue with this, but
imagine if you were murdered or just
attacked. The individual goes to court,
but it becomes a famous case where the
media and the defence lean towards a
viewpoint whereby the attack is somehow
justified. This happens all the time in
rape cases. If you think it doesn't,
when was the last time some one was
imprisoned for accusing someone of
well any crime other than rape, except
in cases of perjury which is a criminal
offense in itself?

2011-07-07T11:54:00.000-07:00

Rats abandon the sinking ship that is the
News of the World. Brilliant news, paper
closes press from this weekend.

Shame there wasn't as much capital flight
from the UK over its support for the Iraq
War.

2011-07-06T13:56:00.000-07:00

A to Zarek "Battleship Delusions"

Abortion-legal, but banned under Laura Roslin's
presidency. Frowned upon by Gemonese, who condone
child slavery so why the frak does their opinion
matter anyway?

Adama, Lee-Officer in CR.

Son of William, call sign 'Apollo'.
Rank Captain, later promoted to Major, briefly
Commander of Pegasus.

Helped to defend Gaius Baltar, left Fleet after
trial then represented Caprica in Quorum of
Delegates.

Probably studied Law, survived Exodus, was
President for a bit. So was a Lawyer.
Flew Vipers. Married Dualla after frakking
Starbuck. Got fat.

Adama, Joseph-Father of William, dumb dead Frak was a Lawyer

Adama, William-or 'Bill'. Commanded three Battlestars
after getting back in the fleet after several years
'working' with Saul Tigh on a flying toilet. Survived
Exodus and an attempted coup by Gaeta and Zarek.
Frakked the President, possibly while high. Fascist.

Adultery-not a sin apparently

Agethon, Carl-Was Boomer's ECO, stayed behind
on Caprica where he met up with and frakked
the 'other' Sharon Valeri (also sans hymen
or Agethon is very dim as the first Sharon
was frakking Chief Tyrol). Call sign 'Helo',
promoted to Captain, father of Hera.

Airlocking-term for type of capital punishment
invented by Laura Roslin as a way of getting
rid of bolshy Cylons. Called 'Spacing' in
every other si-fi drama and novels.

Algae-staple diet during the Exodus from New Caprica.
Colonials turned to this source of food, coffee and
paper after Stoner Roslin ate all the paper after
having the munchies. Also Algae Planet.

Ambrosia-alcoholic beverage drunk in Colonies,
looks like piss and still apparently produced
in some quantities throughout Exodus. Not to
be confused with a brand of rice pudding.

Anders, Samuel-Varied and multiple career over several
lifetimes. Scientist, prophet, astronaut, Pyramid
player, resistance fighter/leader, pilot. Learned
to fly, rank Ensign then started hearing 'All along
the watchtower' and decided he was a Cylon. He was,
although he was born on Earth. Was shot in the head
during Gaeta's mutiny and became a Hybrid.

Angels-visionary beings seen by Baltar, the 'Earth'
Cylons and others.

Asshole-see Idiot

Baltar, Gaius-Computer scientist. Worked
for Ministry of Defence. Sold secrets to
the Cylons, unwittingly helping them wipe
out the twelve colonies.

Invented a Cylon detector which actually
worked but no-one believed him.Elected
President, settled New Caprica. Jailbird
then prophet. Was not a Cylon. Did not have
a chip in his head. Probably never believed a word
he or anyone else said. Survived Exodus and even
Laura Roslin twice despite being charged with
treason for collaborating with the Cylon
occupation.

Frakked two 'Sixes', Starbuck, Tory Foster
and at least one D'ana

Babies- non-machine life produced by sexual
reproduction in Humans. Cannot be produced
by Cylons, except the Earth Cylons could.
This is then contradicted by none of the
'Final Five' being able to concieve.
Colonials and Cylons hadn't heard of IVF.
And it hadn't occured to Helo and Athena
to try and concieve again after Bill faked
Hera's death.

An explanation for this delusion-babies
could only be concieved by accident until
the Colonials begin to breed with the natives
on New Earth. Who have hymens.

Battlestar-see Galactica and Pegasus

Bill-see Adama, W

Boxing

-Contact sport played in Colonies

-Term for Cylon 'prison', long-term storage
of defective models.

Brig-Galactica's brig is quite roomy and
appears to be reserved for Cylons. Maybe
the loneliness is meant as a kind of punishment
as the junior officers (and ratings? we only
ever see the room the Tyrols share) share
very cramped quarters.

CAG-as in 'Commander Air Group', see Captain.
Glorified Air Traffic Controller cum Nanny
for Rook pilots. Position was occupied at various
times by Starbuck, Apollo, Kat and Helo.

Cain, Helena- Vice-Admiral (or summat). Commander
of Battleship Pegasus, was murdered by one of the
Sixes after Bill and Starbuck decided not to
murder her. Prone to spacing civilians. Actually
she had them shot which would have saved air
but not bullets.

Cally-Deckhand, married Tyrol after being
impregnated by Ensign Hotdog. Found out he
(Tyrol) was a Cylon. Murdered by Tory Foster.

Camalla-or 'Camalla extract'. Drug used by Priests
and Laura Roslin to achieve visions. Alleged cancer
cure.

Caprica-Main planet of twelve colonies

Caprica Six-Cylon agent, model six. Infiltrated
colonial society, aided Gaius Baltar in developing
new navigation system so the Cylons could hack
into it. Killed in Cylon attack on Caprica City.
Resurrected, repeatedly saw Angel version of
Baltar, got impregnated by Saul Tigh, arrived
on New Earth with Baltar and Colonials. Model
sided with anti-Cavil faction in Cylon civil
war.

Cancer-Laura Roslin got this twice. Basically
because most Colonial technology is from
the 1950's.

Caprica City-major city on Caprica, presumably
capital city of Colonies. Center for learning,
culture, nice weather etc.

Captain

-as in captain of a ship

-commissioned rank in Colonial Fleet, usually
given to 'the' CAG

Cavil, John-Cylon number one. First model to be created
by Ellen, Galen, Saul, Samuel and Tory. Atheist,
leads anti-Five faction after boxing D'ana. Sadist.

Centurions-model of Cylon created by Colonials,
monotheists. Later models given free will by
anti-Cavil faction.

Chief-as in 'Chief Specialist', 'Chief Petty
Officer' and 'Senior Chief'. By the fourth
series it was really a different programme.
See Tyrol, Galen.

Colonial-as in the military or government
of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol

Colonial Fleet, or CF-sort of space navy
with Officers using US Air Force ranks

Colonial Law-mainly concerns military
codes and definitions of treason,
otherwise is more of a bill and
definition/declaration of rights
and length of Presidential terms etc

Colonial Marines,as in CMC/Marines-
apparently in same service as CF/CR
with same chain-of-command.

Colonial Reserves-sort of third branch
of service consisting of both pilots
and deckhands

Colonials-humans well mostly anyway. Citizens
of the 'Twelve Colonies of Kobol'.

Colonel-Commissioned rank, usually held by
second-in-command of a Battlestar and given
to paranoid/drunken Fraks

Colony

-singular of Twelve Colonies, as in 'my
colony' etc. Each Colony has its own
independent legal system.

-Cylon home base

Commander-rank/title given to the Commander
of a Battlestar. Only outranked by an
Admiral, or the President

Contraception-see Paper

Corporal- Non-commissioned rank in Colonial Marines

Cottle-Doctor, rank Major. Cantankerous git who
smokes 70 a day.

Cylons-Robots, there are twelve or thirteen of the
human versions. Some think they are human. Some
humans think they're Cylons. Its very confusing.
The female versions seemed to only ovulate every
four years.

D'ana-Number three humanoid Cylon, model boxed
by Cavil on charges of Messianic Delusions.
Final copy stayed on Earth.

Daniel-Cylon, dead Cylon. VERY dead Cylon.
Was NOT Kara Thrace's father despite plenty
of evidence to the contrary.

Deckhands-as in 'Knuckledraggers'. Regulations
prohibit a Deckhand from frakking a superior Idiot.
Mend planes and produce the Fleet's supply of
booze.

Delegate-Quorum member

Divorce-a sin, at least according to Kara Thrace.
Probably even illegal.

Doral-tour guide, dick and suicide bomber. No
personality, Cylon. Sided with Cavil,Boomer
and the Simons.

Dualla-First name Anastasia or summat but everyone
called her 'Dee'. Petty Officer in CR, married Lee Adama,
promoted to Junior Lieutenant. Shot herself after
Galactica discovered Earth.

'Duck'-Ginger suicide bomber during Cylon occupation.
Former pilot.

Drugs-legal

Dylan, Bob-Probably a Cylon (!)

Earth-One of two planets. The first was inhabited
by Cylons. Who could breed. The second was
inhabited by pre-verbal humans. Who could
breed with the Colonials.

ECO-Backseat driver, prone to wanking.

Eight-as in Cylon model number eight, see
Sharon Valeri

Engineering section- no-one on Galactica actually
works here, complement of Pegasus=2 minus
the paranoid former head

Ensign-rank usually given to Nugget pilots

Eternal recurrence-as in "All of this has
happened before and all of this will happen
again". Except the philosophy is a kind
of secular reincarnation.

Maybe the script should have read:
"The fraks who do not learn from their
frak-ups are condemned to frak up again".

Exodus-Remaining Colonials fled the Colonies
after Cylon sneak attack for over four years

Fall-as in the Fall of the Twelve Colonies
of Kobol,the Cylon sneak attack on the Colonies
which exterminated most of Humanity

Fat One-see Drugs

Final Five, or Five-confusingly, the Cylons who were
born on Earth and created the eight humanoid
models of Cylon

Five

-Final Five

-Temple of the Five

Fleet, as in more than one ship and Commanded
by an Admiral.

-The Fleet that escaped the
Colonies mostly consisted of civilian
vessels.

-Also refers to the Colonial Fleet

FTL-as in 'Faster Than Light'

Foster, Tory-Worked for Laura Roslin, helped
to rig presidential election with Saul Tigh.
Found out she was a Cylon and was married
to Galen Tyrol in previous life. Ironically
strangled to death by her former husband
when he found out about Cally's death.
Correction, they were gonna marry.

Frak-as in what you would probably say if
you found out that you were a Cylon

Galactica-A battlestar, basically a 1940's
aircraft carrier in space. Commanded by
W.Adama then briefly by Samuel Anders.
One candidate for the 'dying leader'.
Flew into the Sun.

Gaeta, Felix-Perpetual turncoat and Junior
Lieutenant. Conspired with Tom Zarek to
seize control of Galactica. Dead frak

Gemenon, as in Gemonese. The Gemonese
take the scriptures literally. Parents
have legal control over their children
until of age (18)

Genocide-not a sin, supposedly. But
certainly frowned upon by historians.

God-worshiped by Cylons and Humans. Doesn't
like to be called by that name.

Gravity-always works on Galactica even during
power cuts.

Hack-smaller version of the brig, used for
holding political prisoners and Idiots

Hera-Messiah daughter of Carl and Sharon
Agethon. Half Cylon. Named after a cow.
See Zeus.

Husker-'Bill' Adama's call sign. Summing
to do with Bob Mould?

Husker Du-as in 'do you remember?'. Either
connected to theme of eternal recurrence
or Bob Mould.

Hybrid-Humanoid creature, sits in a bath, talks
rubbish, controls Cylon Baseships. Most are female.

Hymen-either absent from Colonial females or absent
from female Cylons. Or absent from Carl Agethon's
knowledge.

Idiot-a Commissioned Officer, see Asshole

IVF- see Babies and Cancer, to be fair all of the
advanced technology used by the Colonials would
appear to be re-inventions of lost technology.

Jupiter-Had an Eye, see Zeus

Kat-Lieutenant in CF, got a really unhealthy
suntan during the algae food run. Promoted
to Captain on deathbed.

Kobol-supposed birthplace of Mankind, rediscovered
in first months of Exodus. Didn't work out, too
many Cylons. Except the Baseship in orbit was
nuked by Boomer.

Knuckledragger-term for deck hands

Leoben-one of the Cylon models that defected
with the Sixes and Eights. Had a very unhealthy
obsession with Kara Thrace which resulted in
him being murdered by her about a hundred times.

Lieutenant-junior Commissioned rank, Full
Lieutenants are usually experienced pilots.

Lords of Kobol-deities strangely reminiscent
of Greek and Roman gods. Probably wore togas.
Worshiped by majority of Colonial society.

Major-senior rank in Colonial Fleet,
outranks Captain, below Colonel

Manslaughter-probably legal

Marines-members of 'Colonial Marine Corps'.
Scared of coffee.

Murder-bit less legal than manslaughter,
depending on importance of perpetrator
and significance or otherwise of victim.
See Treason.

Mutiny-bit worse than murder, see Treason

Mould, Bob-Fronted Husker Du. Probably not a Cylon
but who knows?

New Caprica-planet settled by Colonists then
occupied by Cylons. Crap weather.

Nugget-trainee pilot, usual rank 'Ensign'

Nova-what the Colonials call a Supernova,
a Nova thousands of years before the Fall
was witnessed by the Thirteenth Tribe
and became the Ionian Nebula.

Paper-miracle food and contraception. Presumably
as hardly anyone gets pregnant. Bill and Laura
get the munchies after the escape from New
Caprica and eat the Fleet's entire supply.
Also used in printing books and documents.
And in rolling a Fat One.

Pegasus-Battlestar, commanded briefly by Lee
Adama. Destroyed in rescue from New Caprica.

President-elected President of the Twelve
Colonies of Kobol. Title remains during
Exodus and the settlement of New Caprica.
The President has extensive executive power.

Roslin, Adama and Zarek were never actually
elected, they were all appointed by their
predecessors.

Some democracy.Title usually refers
to President Stoner Roslin.

Private-enlisted rank in Colonial Marines

Prostitution-legal, including pimping
of former pupils of certain former teachers.
As in Laura Roslin.

Pyramid-very strange cross of basketball and
rugby, played with those stupid little footballs
children play with for some reason

Pythia-dead chick. Prone to writing about
things that had already happened as if they
were going to happen. Or summat.

Quorum-as in ..of Delegates

Quorum of Delegates-Representative body of
Twelve Colonies, one Delegate from each
Colony.Only real power is to select a
President or Vice-President in times
of crisis and to declare a vote of no
in the incumbent. The President can
usually veto decisions made by this
body, presumably including changes
to Colonial Law

Raptor-sort of a plane with FTL capability.
Usual crew 2; a pilot and an ECO.

Resurrection-Cylon process of reincarnation
directly into new body after death. Not at
all like the process described in producing
Gholas in Dune, Gholas are cloned from
dead material.

Rickets-condition due to lack of vitamin D, none
of the Colonials seem to be affected by this
despite lack of fresh fruit and vegatables
and a diet consisting almost entirely of
reprocessed algae for the last two years
of the Exodus from the Colonies.

Roslin, Laura-49th in line after President Adar.
Became President after everyone above was killed.
Teacher, probable pot-head. Ended up
frakking a former pupil. And then Adar!
Was President, again, after Zarek.

Got cancer, twice. Died on 2nd Earth.
Frakked Bill. Saw visions. Religious nut turned
nihilist. Convinced herself and half the fleet
that she was the predicted 'dying leader' who
would er lead mankind to Earth.

Rook-inexperienced pilot, usual rank Junior
Lieutenant or Ensign

Sagittaron-Home colony of both Dualla and
Tom Zarek. All other citizens show a deep
religious phobia of doctors and modern
medicine. Or this group could be a sub
element who tramp around the Colonies
giving the impression they are all like
that. Mostly pacifists.

Scurvy-condition due to lack of vitamin C.
Colonials managed to avoid this. See rickets.

Scriptures-prophetic waffle, presumably
partly or wholly written by Pythia.

First line reads: "Life here began out
there".

Common quote is "All this has happened
before and all of this will happen again"
See Eternal Recurrence

Sergeant

-rank or title in CMC,

-title/rank occasional Nugget pilot

Six-only model of Cylon to use different
names and have different dress senses
to others of same model. Skilled in
hand to hand combat and piloting.
See Caprica Six

Simon-Cylon model prone to playing
doctor, model sided with Cavil

Specialist-rank or title in Colonial Fleet
given to Deckhands

Starbuck-see Kara Thrace

Suicide-Cylons at least consider it a sin,
unless you can take others along with you

Supernova-see Nova

Tauron-Baltar and Adama's family hail from
this poor colony

Temple of the Five-monument discovered
by Chief Tyrol on the Algae Planet.Gave
D'ana a vision of the Final Five, which
then killed her and prompted her
suicide-by-centurion spree.Was consumed
by the Nova in Kara's vision/painting.

Thrace, Kara. Disobedient SF cliche a la
John Trucker. Could probably spell 'anarcho-
syndicalist' though. Died, then came back. Not a
Cylon, Demon or Cylon's daughter. Hobbies:
gambling, praying, frakking, fighting and
painting visions of Novas.

Married a Cylon, Anders. He turned into a Hybrid and
flew into the Sun.

Dying leader of a sort, lead fleet to both Earths.
Call sign 'Starbuck'. Girl, probably pees standing
up though. Mother was a sadist and a Corporal
or Sergeant-Major in Colonial Marines.

Tauron-Baltar and Adama's family hail from
this poor colony

Tigh, Ellen-Saul's wife in two lifetimes.
Frakked half the fleet. Cylon, with distinction
of being the only female Cylon Baltar didn't
frak. Unless he didn't do any number eights.
He probably did.

Tigh, Saul-Colonel, veteran of First Cylon War.
Except those were false memories. Served with
Adama on a flying toilet then nearly set
himself on fire until re-instated as Captain.
Self-destructive, married a Cylon, was a Cylon
himself. Born on Earth, died on 2nd Earth.
Probably. Spent most of career drunk, then
impregnated Caprica Six. The baby died.

Treason-Treason is punishable by death
under Colonial Law

Tyrol, Galen aka 'Chief'-Senior Chief on
Galactica then Union leader on New Caprica.
Resistance leader during Cylon occupation,
then he found out he was a Cylon. Survived
Exodus.

Tylium-fuel used by both Colonials
and Cylons. Ore conveniently only located
in asteroids. Maguffin.

Science bit-as Tylium is neither a
fossil or nuclear fuel as such but
is rendered inert by radiation and
nuclear explosions it is possible
that refined Tylium reacts with
Virtual Particles. Maybe.

Valeri, Sharon

-aka 'Boomer'. She shot W.Adama
then Cally shot her. She resurrected.
Frakked the Chief

-aka 'Athena'. Marred Karl Agethon.
Then he shot her. She resurrected.

Two of a line of Cylons, number eight.
All called Sharon. All but Boomer
joined the Colonials, Boomer staying
with the Cavil faction.

Viper-a jet fighter in space, fires bullets

Wanking-bored pilots do a lot of this

Warrant Officer-dress in white, everyone
ignores them. Presumably bottom of the
enlisted food chain or they just got
their laundry mixed up. Or is the lowest
commissioned rank. The producers were
pretty high on camalla at the time.

Zarek, Tom-Saggitaron jailbird then Baltar's
Vice-President. Was President for three days
post-New Caprica. Lifelong ambition to die by
firing squad actually achieved after Gaeta's
mutiny failed.

Zeus-aka Jupiter, Lord of Kobol. Prone to
turning into a swan. Married a cow. The
cow was his sister.

2011-07-05T14:11:00.000-07:00

Following on from yadda yadda yadda
carnt be arsed to edit.............
Consistentish Commissioned Ranks used
in "Battleship Delusions"
i.e. the 2003-onwards Ronald D.Moore version of
"Battlestar Galactica"*

Admiral/Admiral of the Fleet
Vice-Admiral (i.e. Helena Cain)
Rear-Admiral (William Adama post-Cain?)
Colonel (i.e. Saul "I'm a drunken Cylon" Tigh)
Lieutenant-Colonel (Robert Fisk, and other
dumb dead fraks)
Major (i.e. Lee 'Apollo' Adama)
Captain (as in 'Helo','Starbuck' and
'Apollo' before he was promoted)
Lieutenant/Full Lieutenant (Sharon 'Boomer' Valeri)
Junior Lieutenant/Ensign [these ranks
are mentioned but the insignia are all the same]
(Sharon 'Athena' Agethon and loads of other dumb fraks)

Fraks who "Command" battlestars but who aren't Admirals
are always 'Commanders'. They outrank Colonels. Colonels
and Lieutenant Colonels (same thing?)are always drunken
fraks, drunken Cylon fraks, corrupt fraks or paranoid fraks.

Commissions seem to be based on completing flight training
as part of the officer training school, or are given to serving
non-comms (i.e. PO2 Dualla married Lee "I'm not at all like my
Dad" Adama and was duly promoted to Junior Lieutenant). It is
debatable but probable that Officers in the Colonial Marine
Corps also undertook basic flight training. Full Lieutenants
are officers with greater flight experience.

The military in "Battleship Delusions" is pretty much
based on the United States Marine Corps. There are no
separate chains of command for different branches of the
service (so far as I can tell). And they're not trained
in defending themselves from jars of coffee that try to
attack them. Or are told what a hymen is. Do Cylons have
hymens? Frak knows!

*Actually, in terms of consistency the following
system for the Colonal Military as a whole/chain
of command would likely be as follows (I've
made 'Sergeant' a Commissioned Rank to account
for this and included all Commissioned Ranks
described and presumed i.e. shown on uniform
tags, described by the creators and shown in
shots):
President of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol
Vice-President etc
Minister of Defence
Fleet Admirals
Admiral
Vice-Admiral
Rear-Admiral
Commander
Colonel
Lt-Col.
Major
Captain
Lieutenant
Junior Lieutenant
Ensign
Sergeant
(some dumb dead Frak called
'Chuckles' was a Sergeant,
at least according to his
flight uniform. Warrant
Officer makes more sense.
Battleship Delusions
doesn't)
Cadet

Deckhands:
Master Chief Specialist
Senior etc
Chief Specialist
Sp1
Sp2
Sp3
Deckhand/Recruit

Marines:
Master Corporal
Senior etc
Chief etc
Staff Corporal
Cpl
Lance etc
PFC/Private

2011-07-04T13:39:00.000-07:00

Part One
Free schools
Free company
Frei corps
Free enterprise
Free opportunity
Free traders

Reaganomics
Nixonomics
Pirateomics

Black Armies
Free Navies
or Pirates

Free love
Free air
Free association

Part Two
Free schools
Free company
Frei corps
Free enterprise, tied down
Free opportunity, tied down
Free traders, tied down

Reaganomics, tied down
Nixonomics, tied down
Pirateomics, tied down

Black Armies
Free Navies
or Pirates, no ties

Free love, no ties
Free air, only trees needed
Free association, ties, freely bound

Who Would Win in a Fight With.....
David Cameron
Nick Clegg
Gordon Brown
Harriet Harman
Action Man Clone no.4
Millibland (one and two)
Nite Owl (one and two)
Alexander the Great
The Comedian
Mothman
John Keel
John Downes
Yoda
Han
Chewie
Edward the Martyr
or Obi-Wan Kenobi?
......Public Opinion!

Don't try to
read my mind
Don't try to
use Voice

You can't just
Beam me up
Force
doesn't work on me

You're not the
Second Foundation
So don't try using that
mental manipulation

La la la, there's a song in my head
I'm not being
Demolished

You can call me Max, but I'm not Mad
but, yes, you ARE
'Goddamned Filthy Apes!'
President Gorilla,
acts like Kong
but just a Donkey
President Chimp, Evil
does not Reside in my head!
(18.5.2010)

2011-06-09T16:02:00.000-07:00

11.5.2010

I should have known it would rain
I should have known I would fail
I should have known the bus would be late
I should have known they didn't like me
I should have known they didn't trust me
I should have never stayed at home
I should have never gone to school

I shouldn't have said anything
If I really believed that, then
I should never have lived

2011-05-25T14:20:00.000-07:00

Walking Homonculous

Running out of time
Running on empty
Running on the spot

Why always Miss Walker
Never Miss Runner?

There is no walking category
in the Olympics

Powers Walker
I'm sure that's someone out there
A likely name, they just don't do that as a sport

Darts, snooker-mostly standing
Golf-could hurt yourself running
But walking not a prerequisite
Doesn't seem wheelchair friendly though

Walking on water
Running through fire
Not sports
Not miracles
No miracles in the age of television

Only blind belief in an objective perspective
The all-seeing-eye
Loftier than God

There is no God, only the viewer
Deities always need interpreters
Interpreters are subjective

Tea leaves
Chicken entrails
15 second bursts of televised information
How much Ronald Reagan?
How much MTV
How much Lady Gaga?

Trying to divine objectivity
The little man inside the little man
inside the mind inside the brain
inside the little man

Watching the little men

If we all shut out eyes
would they all go away?

(4.5.2010)

2011-01-18T16:37:00.000-08:00

The funny side of racism???

Heh heh, dunno anyway the following convo happened
to me online earlier:

Me — 12:25 AM
Hi there
Helen — 12:26 AM
dont do black
Me — 12:27 AM
sorry? don't do black what?
Helen — 12:28 AM
what ...you going to call the racist ...card.....go away
Helen — 12:28 AM
dont like you people
Me — 12:29 AM
well I'm not black
Helen — 12:29 AM
ha ha
Helen — 12:29 AM
you look it too me...please go away
Me— 12:30 AM
OK whatever people are people its only a teaspoonful of melanine. well it must be the light but no point apologising
Helen — 12:32 AM
i wish i could speak the truth in my own country.....I hate you sponging bastards
Me — 12:32 AM
ha ha ah
Me— 12:33 AM
thats so hilarious it really is, hey guess what you have white people on benefits too!! I'm too busy laughing to be angry, thanks for cheering me up!!

2010-12-26T09:37:00.000-08:00

Promises
Spoiled Gladiators

Reform or abolish
A promise reformed?
Promise to work promise to behave

What worth is a promise from a Lord?
A bank of promises
A crunch in belief

Throw the money-lenders out?
Or force them back in?

Neighbourhood promise
PCSO Priests
Or Landed Sharks?

Eating Coal
Penguin Politicians
Spending play money

Tweedle and Dumber
Only stones have value
Not words

Horse trading, they say
More paper promises-
not enough gold, or stones!

Eating coal to trade carbon
Privatising pollution
Just like cleaning
Dirt just changes location

Or trade the entropy of
time-travelling bagettes!

(Go back to arrowheads
Or gold peanuts)

Sun shines

Heart cold

Not hot enough to melt stone

Frostbite

Drowned rat

Feel like that when it rains

Finally warm at night

(27.4.2010)

2010-12-15T15:03:00.000-08:00

Gladiators

Do you want to meet the Gladiators?
We don't want a mess on the floor
Do you want to meet the Gladiators?
You're going to have to get yourself a job
Do you want to meet the Gladiators?
Can't get blood out of the carpet
Do you want to meet the Gladiators?
No suicides
Do you want to meet the Gladiators?
Takes two people to remove the body
Do you want to meet the Gladiators?
Don't upset the dog
Do you want to meet the Gladiators?
Don't stay up too late
Do you want to meet the Gladiators?
Don't get up early
Do you want to meet the Gladiators?
Don't upset your sister

I don't want to meet the fucking Gladiators!

Ouch!

Huh?
Uh, vote bee enn pee

Ouch!
Huh?
Ouch!

Mz
On the bz

Ouch!
Huh?

Stoke
Vale
Huh?

Ouch
Shut the (slap!) up

Ouch
Huh?

Dirtie/smellie/Pakie
Don't speek Inglish

Huh?
Ouch!
Shug

Huh?
Duck?

Huh?
Mz?

Huh?
Up Anlee

Ouch?
Huh?
Shut the (SLAP!) up?

Child

Spoilt child
Sitting in my room
'cos no-one listens to me

I just exist
If I did, would anyone notice?
Only notice a spoilt child

Take a vow of poverty
Assumed
Confused about the chastity
Taken for granted
A man or a child?
Or a label
Spoilt or rancid
Disappear
An object of study

(24.4.2010)

Chaplins Time Traveler

2010-12-02T16:16:00.000-08:00

Time traveller or not?

What is funny is the way the "old woman" really does look like a man.
Also, "her" shoes don't appear to fit properly either.

So, who or what is "she" talking to? Perhaps the most important
question is why is nobody taking any notice? Did people talk to
themselves all the time then? And its not like regular phones
were common then either? Or is "she" simply having a conversation
with "her" hearing aid?

2010-11-25T17:06:00.000-08:00

The fact is people want to go to university while for older people
on benefits it doesn't seem worth the loss of particularly housing
benefit coupled with the massive debt.

This also works out as effectively a tax increase on certain low earners.
It's basically discrimination!

2010-09-22T13:50:00.000-07:00

Revised and simplified EarthForce ranks (pt 3 I suppose)

Without editing previous posts (and it still makes sense for
EarthForce to have seven sections) I thought I'd provide
a final analysis of ranks based on those actually mentioned
and with some ranks added to maintain consistency between
sections.

To maintain consistency with ranks mentioned I've 'introduced'
a 'Starfighter' corps or Air Force, the head of which I
am assuming has the title of 'Admiral' and the rank of 'General'
(i.e. Four Star). So, Officer ranks for:

Navy=
Captain-2
Commander-3
Lt.Commander-5
Lieutenant-8
Lt (junior grade)-9
Ensign-10

Security and Marines=
Colonel-1
[Lt. Colonel]-2
Major-6
[Lt. Major]-7
1st Lieutenant-9
[2nd Lieutenant]-10

[]indicates ranks that are not explicitly mentioned in-show
Numbers after each rank indicate probable position in the
chain-of-command.

Air Force=
Colonel
Captain
(assuming Elizabeth Lochley is in the Air Force and not Navy thus
explaining her promotion to Colonel in 'The Lost Tales'
ditto Major Ed Ryan)
Major
Wing Commander
Squadron Leader
[Pilot Officer]
Fighter Pilot
About half the Starfury Pilots shown in Babylon 5 wear
Navy-style Officers' uniforms while the rest appear to
wear similar uniforms to non-commissioned officers in the Marines.
Presumably not all pilots are full officers.

It is possible that the senior three Air Force ranks
(below General?) are the same as those for Marines/Security
while the lowest three ranks correspond to those in the Navy
i.e.
Colonel
Lt.Colonel
Major
Lieutenant
Lt (junior grade)
Ensign;
while the non-commissioned ranks are as follows:
Chief Warrant Officer-4
[Warrant Officer (class one)]
[Warrant Officer (class two)]
Sergeant-Major
Gunnery Sergeant
Sergeant
[Chief Petty Officer]
and cover all sections

Enlisted ranks are given as Private First Class,
Private and Crewman. Technicians are either
unranked or have the rank of Crewman (and
probably at 1st and 2nd class at that).The
rank of 'Crewman' is only given in "Crusade",
and that described a xeno-archaeologist.

Finally, a list of ranks actually described
in Babylon 5 and Crusade. Presumably some may
simply be titles but an order can still be given
as the ranks are all equivalent or staggered:

Five Star General, Admiral,
Lieutenant-General, Major-General,
Colonel, Captain,
Commander,
Chief Warrant Officer,Lt.Commander, Major,
Wing Commander, Full Lieutenant,
Squadron Leader, Lieutenant
Lt (junior grade), Ensign,
Fighter Pilot, Sergeant-Major,
Gunnery Sergeant,Sergeant,
Private First Class, Private,
Crewman, Cadet
[Unranked and Recruit]

(bold=all sections, italics=air force)

Ranks conspicuous by their absence are:
Group Captain, Corporal and any grade of Petty Officer.
It is also unclear whether the rank of 'Colonel' applies
to all sections(i.e. below Major-General) as the specific rank
of 'Brigadier-General' is never mentioned. Although there are
no 'Brigadier-General's in usual Air Forces!

2010-08-22T16:26:00.000-07:00

Babylon 5 revisited part 3

Early history of the Earth Alliance and probable Shadow/Vorlon
involvement in its development.

Going backwards from the events in the television series,
set between 2257 and 2267 (pilot episode "The Gathering
to the short-lived sequel series "Crusade"), the Psi Corps
has existed since 2161 while telepaths had been registered
by the Earth Alliance for 'six generations'.

Telepaths have existed in Lyta Alexander's family for nine
generations, presumably before the Earth Alliance was
established. Going back from 2257, six generations is
roughly 180 years (c.2077) while nine generations previously
gives the year 1987. [The year intended was probably 1989,
the year Babylon 5 was conceived].

Regardless, around this time was when the Vorlons
presumably began manipulating human beings,at both before
and after the foetal stage,in order to produce human
telepaths.

Historical events concerning Earth and the Earth Alliance
mentioned in the series, described as taking place
'100 years before', include the terrorist nuking
of San Diego, the sneak attack on the first Mars
colony, the establishment of the 'African Bloc',
the dissolution of the United Nations and first
official contact with aliens.

Presumably these events succeed the establishment
of the Earth Alliance; the term '100 years before'
as an estimation probably covers 150 years
before Babylon 5 goes online (2257) to 70 years
before the dates in which most of the events in Crusade
are set (2267)
i.e a 90 year period from 2107 to 2197.

With the dissolution of the UN apparently during this period,
it can be surmised that the third world war also occurred
during this time. Although any other details are sketchy, WW3
could simply refer to a protracted 'war on terror'
during this time and the atrocities described.

The specifics of the establishment of the Earth
Alliance are never covered in-series but it
is likely that it started as a joint military
body which replaced the EU and the United
States* in the mid to late 21st century,
possibly as the result of a secret decision
to share intelligence and to establish a common
policy regarding the existence of telepathy
between member states. It is also possible that
the establishment of bases on Mars and manned
missions outside the solar system (for example,
InterplanetaryExpeditions could have been
established as early as 2080 with the near-
discovery of Shadow technology on Mars) were
carried out by the new alliance in order to
access advanced technologies from apparently
dead civilisations.

*The USA as a nation is never mentioned, only
North America or the 'North American Infantry',
presumably because as a federal body it ceased
to have any distinct meaning as more nations
and blocs joined the EA

2010-08-17T23:04:00.000-07:00

Babylon 5 revisited part two

Ranks and structure of EarthForce

With regards to the lower ranks of Lieutenant (junior grade) and
Ensign, as officers aboard Babylon 5 with those ranks are not
granted the same security status as regular commissioned officers
and only perform routine technical duties if not pilots I am
considering officers with these ranks to be among the
non-commissioned grades, with an officer recieving a commission
on promotion to Lieutenant. Presumably an officer can then transfer
from the Navy to EarthForce Marines or Security or
one of the intelligence or research divisions.
This promotion may be based on an Officer undergoing further training
while this is certainly likely for the non-commissioned grades in
general.

Presumably, officer graduates enter the Navy at rank Ensign and
again presumably undergo some probationary period or further
training (mmm, shades of Star Trek...) before being considered
for promotion. What is fairly certain is that a candidate must
either undergo basic training or have a degree in a particular
field relevant to EarthForce i.e. Franklin (Stephen) trained
to be a doctor while Sheridan underwent infrantry training.

It is uncertain how the 'Aerodrome' training fits into all this,
but command officers in the Navy, and officers in other divisions
who have had fight training, all wear flight wings on their right
sleeve. It may be that changing division is the only way for
some officers to recieve a promotion beyond, say, Major, bar
flight training,

Chain-of-command: although EarthForce consists of seven corps,
enlisted personnel refer to any superior, regardless of corps,
as 'Sir' (e.g. Garibaldi's 2nd and Bester in series 1),
although this could simply be a formality, while, again,
commissioned and non-commissioned officers are directly
subordinate to any commissioned-level officer at least
of the three main corps: EFNavy, EFMarines and EFSecurity.

Being of such a large size, the organisational divisions of the
Infantry at least are organised on larger sections than in
those of modern armies, while Captains are ranked highly enough
to command fleets of forty warships.

I have given a reasonable estimation of the structure of the
Infantry and, although the Officer/Crew ratio in the Navy and
Security Divisions is probably higher, this can be considered
roughly accurate for those divisions also.

If the basic division is a Division of 25 thousand troops,
working upwards and multiplying by six (significant to
the ancient Babylonians) gives a good indication of
organisation above Division-level, while dividing
by five (i.e. Babylon 5) gives a good approximation
of modern infantry organisation.
i.e.
Corps=5.4 to 25 million personnel
(if EFMarines=1000 Divisions of 25,000 each)

Theater or Corps=5.4 million personnel

Army/Fleet/Corps=900 thousand personnel

Regiment or Flotilla=150 thousand personnel

Division=25 thousand personnel

Brigade=Five thousand personnel

Battallion=One thousand personnel

Company=app.201 to 999 personnel

Unit=app.41 to 200 personnel

Squadron=app.9 to 40 personnel

Section=app.2 to 8 personnel

Total personnel commanded by officer
based on organisational levels covering
multiple Corps and consistent with in-series
depictions.
i.e.
Member Joint Chiefs=25 million

General=5.4 million

Lieutenant General=900 thousand

Captain to Major General=150 thousand

Major to Commander=Five thousand

Lieutenant=(below) One thousand

Senior NCO=200

Sgt=40

PFC=8

2010-08-15T14:37:00.000-07:00

Babylon 5 revisited part 1

Hi, I thought I'd put together an overview of the ranks and
organisational structure of EarthForce (the military/
security branch of the Earth Alliance) in order to tie up
and explain some loose ends from previous posts on the
subject.

EarthForce consists of several Fleets of warships, plus bases,
support vessels and Fighter craft; an Infantry section,
consisting of Marines and Security Corps; Intelligence;
a Bioweapons division; a Research and Development Corps
plus, until 2264,the Psi Corps of Telepaths and Telekinetics.

The general ranking structure for the Navy is as follows:

[Flag officers]
Five-star General
Four-star General
Lieutenant-General
Major-General
Brigadier-General

[Regular commissioned officers]
Colonel
Captain
Commander
Lieutenant-Commander
Major
Lieutenant

[Junior/Non-commissioned officers]
Lieutenant (junior grade)
Ensign
Cadet
Sergeant

[enlisted]
Crewman (1st Class)
Crewman (2nd Class)

Considering any 'Air Force' and 'Navy' to be the same entity
(this is neither confirmed or denied in the show), then we can
consider six corps, each headed by a five-star General answerable
to the President of the Earth Alliance, plus Psi Corps
(nominally answerable to a civilian director but basically
functioning as a self-governing militia).

EarthForce Marines and EarthForce Security, at least, have the
same rank system as the Navy above the two junior
officer ranks, with enlisted ranks being the same except
Crewmen would obviously have the rank of Private.

I am assuming that cadet graduates enter the Navy at
rank Ensign and have the opportunity to transfer to EFMarines
or EFSecurity on promotion to Lieutenant. This may or may not
be the case for pilot graduates of 'Aerodrome'.

The ranks of 'Colonel' and 'Major' are used for consistency, as
Navy officers are shown having these ranks, while I am leaving
out ranks like 'Petty Officer' or 'Corporal' as these grades are
never mentioned.

To maintain consistency I have included Psi Corps.

In 'Crusade'a Lieutenant Matheson is the First Officer.
Matheson was formerly of Psi Corps, being a telepath who were
previously barred from serving in EarthForce in an ordinary capacity.
When this regulation ended, Matheson joined EarthForce and soon became Captain Matthew Gideon's First Officer.

There would not normally be enough time for Matheson to start basic
training, attend the EF officer academy and be promoted between 2264
and 2267 so he, presumably, would have had training consistent with
his Psi-rating which was probably P10 as he had some responsibilities,
was trained as a pilot but was certainly not a Psi-Cop (P12). This
would also imply that Psi-ratings are equivalent to EarhForce ranks,
P10 being a junior or full Lieutenant.

From this, nine enlisted ranks can be derived from those mentioned:
Private or Crewman-2nd Class
Private or Crewman (1st Class)
Sergeant
Staff Sergeant
Gunnery Sergeant
Master Sergeant
First Sergeant
Warrant Officer (2nd class)
Warrant Officer (1st class);
equivalent to the first nine P-ratings.

Again, these apply to the Navy, EFMarines and EFSecurity.

A Sergeant-Major Plug is mentioned but I am assuming the rank
this refers to is one of the Warrant Officer classes as
Commissioned-level Warrant Officers exist (i.e. Chief
Warrant Officer Michael Garibaldi). In the U.S army,
these are always referred to as Senior Warrant Officers,
i.e. above Chief Warrant Officer. I assume with Garibaldi's
case the title stays but the rank is higher.

The position of Warrant Officers with relation to the
regular commissioned officers in the chain-of-command
is probably as follows:

Master Sergeant
First Sergeant or Ensign
Warrant Officer (2nd class)
Warrant Officer (1st class) or Lieutenant (junior grade)
Chief Warrant Officer
Lieutenant
Senior Chief Warrant Officer
Major
Master Chief Warrant Officer or Lieutenant-Commander
Commander or Command Chief Warrant Officer

Psi Corps (assumed) higher organisational structure and roles
Lt-Gen,Major-Gen and Brigadier-Gen: Psi Corps 'Brass';
P10 to 12
Commander, Lt-Commander, Sergeant, Lieutenant: Psi-Cops; P12
(presumably)Sergeant and Lieutenant 'Bloodhound Units' and
Security; P11
Instructors/Administrators/Leaders; P10

2010-07-22T01:49:00.000-07:00

Sci-Fi/Consensus Economics

[or "part-scarcity neo-bartering"]

I'm referring to the economics possible in an almost
"non-economy". What this means is that there is a fixed
amount of certain goods like real estate, antiques
starships etc while at the same time goods such as
food and fuel are produced freely/by the government
such as it is.

By 'Sci-Fi' I am providing a scenario
that could be/could have been adopted by the space-based
societies described or implied in 'Star Trek' (particularly
Deep Space Nine although any planet, ship or habitat
can be implied), 'Battlestar Galactica' (either
incarnation) and certain 'Ulterior' sections of 'The
Culture'.

All these scenarios have these requirements in common.
What am proposing is a kind of 'Time Bank'. Roughly
similar to LETS schemes the idea is that a fixed product
can be loaned out for a particular length of time
in return for use of a particular good or service
for a specific period. At the same time an individual
will work, or promise to work, on a particular service
for an agreed length of time.

The Time Bank acts as a go-between, the idea, hopefully,
that all participants can come to an agreement
on the specific values on different goods and
services.

The way the Time Bank works is also that a promise
to work in the future basically acts as an
interest-free loan while interest is effectively
earned on the donation of a fixed product.

2010-07-21T15:42:00.000-07:00

Star Trek economics

As Utopian as 23rd/24th century Earth appears, I suspect
there may in reality be a darker side. Money appears to be
no object although it does in fact still exist, implying
some remaining monetary elements.

[for sources I am using, as they are generally all
self-consistent, all the Star Trek feature films bar
the stupid Nokia JJAbrams abomination; the Next
Generation; Deep Space Nine; and Voyager]

However, on Earth at least money is not needed.

Part of me suspects a sinister side to this, mainly
because I cannot personally reconcile a centralised
government with a voluntary economy and secondly
because the economy is not entirely voluntary
because money is often mentioned!

This sort of leads me to allow three conclusions:
1.People work, for free, and all goods/services
are also free (more or less) but the unemployed
have three options: Prison! (or 'Reeducation Camps'),
to join an offworld colony or join Starfleet.

2.That there is paid work of a sort in that
individuals working for Starfleet or the Federation
get some sort of allowance or renumeration.
I'm assuming that there is a tax on certain
traded goods which pays for all this.

3.Some form of market economy does exist, possibly as
described in http://legalsmeagol.blogspot.com/2010/07/sci-ficonsensus-economics-or-part.html
but large estates etc are Federation owned, while
voting rights, free healthcare and education* are only
available to individuals and families who work for
the Federation in some way.

Housing may or may not be freely provided although
presumably it is along with food and medicine via
public and private replicators. It is implied
that all means of production are owned by the Federation
in some way.

*I'm extrapolating/ripping off the novel/'manifesto'
Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein, readers may
also check out "Forever Peace" by Joe Haldeman.
Both show a very dark side to state collectivism.

2010-07-21T15:39:00.000-07:00

BSG...I should add as a correction to the previous posts
that the ranks of 'Petty Officer' cease to be used in
series 4 and the final series, being apparently replaced
by 'Specialist' (grades 1 to 3). This is indicated in
some of the end credits with certain crew members being
given the ranks 'Sp2' and 'Sp3'. Since Dualla's promotion/
commission
(Dualla's rank was specifically given as 'Petty Officer 2nd
Class') to Junior Lieutenant,
different grades of PO are not mentioned and non-marines/
enlisted crew members are either referred to as
'Chief','Specialist' or simply 'Knuckledragger'
e.g. Tyrol before and after his demotion,resignation
and re-instatement as (the) Senior Chief.

There is no mention of any 'Master Chief Petty Officer',
although it has been indicated that Socrata Thrace was
a Sergeant-Major in the Colonial Marine Corps (in-show she
is described as being a Corporal before being discharged)
so the rank of Senior Chief could be equivalent to
Sergeant-Major (i.e. Senior NCO). Assuming again that
the enlisted crew, i.e. Deckhands and Marines, of
Galactica are all in the same chain-of-command
an estimate of the enlisted ranks can be given below:

Senior NCO=Sergeant-Major/Senior Chief
Gunnery Sergeant/Chief Petty Officer
First Sergeant/Petty Officer (2nd Class)
Sergeant/Petty Officer (3rd Class)
Corporal/Specialist (2nd Class)
Lance Corporal/Specialist (2nd Class)
Private First Class/Specialist (2nd Class)
Private/Crewman (or Deckhand Recruit?)

Note: all the enlisted ranks for the CMC are either
given in show or implied by character dialogue.
Combining PO with Sp allows for consistency.

2010-07-06T14:29:00.000-07:00

Probable Enlisted Ranks re-imagined "Battlestar Galactica"

A fairly concise list of Colonial Marine Corps ranks can be
surmised from the show, based on those of the United States
Marine Corps (how original!) but there is a 'shortage'
of described enlisted Navy ranks.

i.e. only the (vague) rank of 'Chief' is given
alongside 1st and 2nd Class Petty Officers
('Chief' Tyrol is however described as a 'Senior NCO')

This may be considered strange considering the plot basically
concerns a battleship in space which serves the 'Twelve
Colonies of Kobol'.

Ranks of Sergeant-Major, Sergeant, Corporal, Private
First Class and Private are all mentioned, while crewmen
are only referred to as 'Deckhands' (or 'Knuckledraggers')

Probable enlisted ranks CMC:

1.Sergeant-Major
2.Master-Sergeant
3.Gunnery-Sergeant
4.First-Sergeant
5.Sergeant
6.Corporal
7.PFC
8.Private

Similarly, there are likely a similar rank system
for the navy crew as all crew and officers are in
the same chain of command regardless of duties or
position. The only caveat to this is the titular
(or brevet) rank of 'Commander' which is automatically
given to Battlestar commanders (below Rear Admiral
and above Colonel)

No mention of Generals or other Field ranks for the
CMC are given which is strange considering that it
is a distinct part of the colonial armed forces.
Also, despite Naval terms like Petty Officers and
the existence of an Admiralty from what I can
gather there is no specific mention of a Navy,
instead the Colonial's military acts more like
an Air Force with a Marines section included in
it's overall chain-of-command.

I'm actually uncertain as to what the military
is actually called, OK other than references
to the 'Colonial Fleet'.

Senior Commissioned Officer's ranks roughly follow
that of the modern US Air Force (and most Armies)
and would appear to be the same regardless of
position (i.e. Marines or Fleet):

Colonel, Lieutenant Colonel, Major and Captain

while Junior ranks are based on those used by the Navy:

Lieutenant, Junior Grade Lieutenant and Ensign.

(Marine Ensign?????)

Above Colonel and Commander, the 'flag' ranks given
are Rear and Full Admiral. The position of
'Vice-Admiral' may be assumed while it the actual
number of Admirals is never given.

A 'Colonial Intelligence' section is never mentioned
nor is a security branch outside the CMC either although
both of these are plausible.

Probable enlisted ranks Colonial Fleet
(each position is equivalent
to the same position in the Colonial Marines):
1.Senior Chief Petty Officer
2.Master Chief Petty Officer
3.Chief Petty Officer
4.Petty Officer (1st Class)
5.Petty Officer (2nd Class)
6.Petty Officer (3rd Class)
7.Deckhand
8.Recruit

I should add that despite the continual references to
Ancient Greece and the apparent setting in the ancient
past it seems strange that very modern ranks and officer
/NCO systems are in use. Never mind!

Rough 'explanation' (as far as I am concerned)

Humanity evolves on Earth

Some time later an advanced civilisation develops

Millenia later....

For some reason this civilisation splits into three parts:
Elective Primitives who remain on Earth, an Advanced
Civilisation who,eventually, colonise the planet Kobol

(failed attempts probably include the 12 colonies themselves,
'New Caprica' and 'the algae planet/Jupiter's Eye'
as they all contain some abundance of carbon-based life)

and the quote unquote 'Angels'

Millenia later....

"Summing happens" on Kobol, the 13th Tribe flees to
(an?) Earth and the 12 Colonies are settled

Millenia later....

The Cylons are created (not for the first time),
the 12 Colonies are annhihilated and the remnants
of Humanity, eventually, colonise Earth

Millenia later....

Civilisations are established on Earth

Millenia later....

I write this

The End!

2010-07-04T12:16:00.000-07:00

Memory Foam

Or a memory in stone

Traumatic events
Fossilised
Holographic emotions

Try to shave
To eat
To clean

A period of sleep
A vivid dream

Warm in bed
Or cold outside

Rain keeps coming down
Even in the Sun

Revisionist
Trying to erase the memories
Of the lies I was told at school

Institutionalised ignorance
And indoctrinated selfish lonliness

Burn!

You just exist

A Golem, created by my parents
Or Modelled in Primary School

Before Education I did not exist

Books, never read

Writings always criticise
Or pathetic attempts at self-expression

Not to mention the self-harm

But that's how I was brought up

Burn!

Solidify the clay

Phoenix or Quetzalcotl

Rising from the flames

Old Bearded White Man
Old Father Time
Or....Tonight..
......our very special guest...
D'eath!

The world's biggest practical joke
And a faked ending, played on me

Moon landings
A cage for my emotions
Rejection

Burn!

There is nothing left to burn

The empty taste
Of cold ashes

A taste of victory
From the flaming brand of the
Television remote control

(15.6.2010)

2010-06-30T14:34:00.000-07:00

If Contact/Special Circumstances could be considered
to have a hierarchy, certainly at least outside
of The Culture, I suppose a mixed Navy/Army system
could be used.

i.e.

Referer(s)=
Admiral of the Fleet/General of Ground Forces
or Field Marshall

General Systems Vehicle=
Vice Admiral

Culture 'Mercenary'=
Major General

General Contact Unit=
Commander

SC Operative=
Lieutenant Commander/Major

Culture Warship (ROUs etc)=
Lieutenant/Captain

Superlifter=
Lieutenant (Junior Grade)/Second Lieutenant

Module=
Ensign

SC Drone=
Gunnery Sergeant

GCU crewman (Human)=
Petty Officer First Class

GSV crewman (Human)=
Petty Officer Second Class

Contact Drone=
Petty Officer Third Class/Corporal

Ship Drone=
Crewman/Private

2010-06-27T15:22:00.000-07:00

Casimir Stardrive

You don't need any propellant for a spacecraft,
a solar sail and two electrically charged plates will
do (have to build it in orbit etc tho).

The first plate reflects the back plate (Casimir effect)
creating the first forward force; if the back
plate is reflective it will be accelerated back
(a moving reflective body will be accelerated depending
on velocity) where it will collide with the
first plate
=2nd forward force.

If a superconducting coil is used no further power
is required
=3rd and 4th forward forces ad infinitum.

OK, braking rockets, a second/third solar sail
or a second pair of plates to decelerate...and
increase the resistivity of the first coil/turn off
the current.

2010-06-27T12:34:00.000-07:00

[Expanded version of post
Sunday, February 07, 2010
Immigration has no solution/Who Benefits?]

A re-evaluation of the 'Citizen's Income' proposal

ANYONE over 16 resident in the UK would be
entitled to a non-means tested CI of around 100 pounds
sterling a week SO LONG as they undertake less than or exactly
16 hours per week of PAID work [i.e. 5200 pounds per year].

Benefits: individuals can still apply for housing benefit
and interest-free loans/grants would be available to pay
for any extra costs associated with housing /study /disability
/childcare. This can also apply to MP's instead of them
having wages, and any extra costs could be put on grants or
interest-free loans. Only income earned would be taxed.
At over 16 hours a week (not including voluntary
work), the CI becomes classed as income for
tax purposes.

Migrants would only be able to work full-time
if granted citizenship, with the CI allowing for a decent
standard of living before this is achieved.

I should add that rents should be limited to not above
15 pounds a week per person.

2010-06-21T17:12:00.000-07:00

Hi, thought I'd put in a briefish timeline
of Significant Events in the 'Culture' Galaxy

Based on the 'Culture' novels, some dates can be estimated
or ascertained based on some specific dates given:

Homo Sapiens evolves on Earth 200K BCE

Beginnings of language and self-awareness in H.Sapiens 180K BCE

Beginning of Idiran civilisation 40K BCE

Explosion in Art on Earth c.33K BCE

Homomda enter galactic scene c.14K BCE

Beginnings of Human/Humanoid/Panhuman civilisations
on several thousand planets and habs c.13K BCE

Civilisation on Char's World self-extinguished c.10K BCE

Several humanoid species become space-faring c.9K BCE

[1000 years later they invent 'Marain', a synthetic
language later used by The Culture]

[2000 years later these species form the space-faring
elements of The Culture]

First planetary civilisations join The Culture c.5K BCE

Culture citizens commonly existing in Virtual Forms c.4500
to 3900 BCE
(assumption based on "Look to Windward" and probable 600 year
lifetime of fads)

Brief terraforming period by the Culture c.3900 to 3300 BCE

First 'Orbital' under construction by the Culture, founding
of 'Contact' and 'Special Circumstances' c.700 BCE

General Contact Units still Captained at this time c.625 BCE
(2500 years before "Excession")

First Culture Mind constructed c.500 BCE

Birth of Christ on Earth (concerns "The State of the Art") by 1 CE

Chelgrian Unification Wars c.170 CE

First of four disputes between Culture and Idirans 1267 CE

Formal beginning of Idiran-Culture War 1327 CE

("Consider Phlebas" set in the war's early years)

Homomda enter Idiran-Culture war on Idiran side 1332 CE,

General Offensive Unit 'Limiting Factor' constructed c.1367 CE
(716 years before "The Player of Games")

Battle of Twin Novae in Arm One-Six 1367 CE
("Look to Windward" is set 800 years later)

Formal end of hostilities between Idir and Culture 1375 CE

Chelgrians achieve 'Involved' status in Galactic terms;
4% of Chelgrians Sublime and thus become the 'Chelgrian-Puen'
[16th century?]

Perosteck Balveda leaves Storage along
with millions of other Idiran War Veterans 1813 CE
("Inversions" probably set a generation after)

Diziet Sma explores Paris and Berlin on Earth 1977 CE
("The State of the Art)

Contact made with Earth c.2110 CE

Chelgrian Caste-War ends c.2152 CE

Novels confirmed to be set between 1330 and 2110 CE:
"Consider Phlebas" c.1330
"Inversions" c.1840
"Excession" c.1875
"The State of the Art" 1977
"Player of Games"-c.2081
"Use of Weapons"
("Slight Mechanical Destruction" wrote/set 2089
[Khmer year 115], most of the novel is set before this
date)

Novels and novellas set roughly before/circa 2110 CE:
"Descendant"
"A Gift From the Culture"
"Matter"
Novels set after 2110 CE:
"Look to Windward"-c.2167

2010-06-13T03:07:00.000-07:00

8.6.2010

Lobotomy

Anti-Lobotomy

I feel like everyone else
has a square peg missing
from their brains

While I have a square peg
black mass
added to mine

A conversation
with a pyramid
of successive beetle shells

Maybe I've lost the plot
and gone off the
Uploaded Lobsters

But its all better than my
brain being eaten by cockroaches

Or Trepanning by Alcohol

Going to Venus with
the Prime Minister's wife
and wondering if Nazca Lines
indicate Ancient Astral Projection

If time and space
Are relative why not?

If time and space
Are relative is consciousness?

2010-06-07T03:48:00.000-07:00

1.6.2010

General
Hiding behind a pen
Mightier than the sword

Astronaut
Hiding in a tin can
and higher than heaven

War as ritual
Field Marshals orchestrating Hell
for the Alchemical Politicians

Lithium
A simple element
A complex weapon
and Mass Medication

Psychiatrist
Hiding behind words
Arcane practices and invocations
In the Age of Astronauts

No hiding for the Shell-shocked Private

Corporal
as in body

Corps
as in bodies

Major
or Minor

A Qualification

In making more bodies

2010-05-16T02:28:00.000-07:00

Star Wars: Alternative outcomes.

Between the events in episodes 2 and 6 (particulary in 'Revenge of
the Sith' and 'Empire Strikes Back') there are several possible
alternative outcomes to the destiny of the Republic and the Jedi
Order.

1st: Sidious does not attempt to defeat Yoda and, similarly,
Vader and Obi-Wan's confrontation ends in a similar standoff

Yoda heads a Jedi Order of one while attempting to run Coruscant
and the Republic with the co-operation of the Senate. Eventually,
Palpatine is put into storage but the running of the Galaxy is
very much dependent on the Sector Governors Palpatine had
appointed and the continued threat to a resurgent Jedi Order
from the surviving Clone Trooper battalions.

2nd: Anakin/Vader and Mace/Luke/Leia defeat Palpatine/Sidious

With the Senate still intact it is possible that Skywalker and
Windu would try to coerce it into accepting their temporary rule.

Windu and Skywalker may be able to re-establish the Jedi Order
but any attempt to force order on the Galaxy would lead to
a rule by the Sith in fact if not in name.

3rd: Sidious is killed by Yoda while Kenobi is killed by Darth
Vader

The Senate would probably exile Yoda and abolish the Jedi Order.
It is debatable whether they would accept Anakin as Chancellor,
and Vader may, through Qui-Gon's influence, return to the Light
Side.

4th: Vader, or another villain, KILLS (as opposed to simply being
capture, placed in carbonite suspension etc) Luke Skywalker

Via the teachings (post death) of Obi-Wan Kenobi* and Qui-Gon Jinn*,
Luke would return to teach Leia the Jedi arts. Eventually Leia
or one of her disciples would be strong enough to be able to
finally defeat the Sith forever.

5th: both Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker are killed (by: Black
Sun/The Hutts/renegade Imperials or Bounty Hunters)

Empire would be much weakened and the Jedi would remain.

Again, Luke would train Leia from the beyond while Sidious
would renew the search for a new apprentice

Results:

1=Likely Civil War or collapse into warlordism
2=Rule by the Sith, defeat of Rebellion
3=Defeat of both Jedi and Sith
4=Rebellion (temporarily) defeated but Jedi Order re-established
5=Empire would be much weakened and the Jedi would remain.en

Factions affecting results 1 to 3:
Senate
Senate Guard
Senatorial Courts
Sector Governors (Moffs)
'Yoda-faction'/supporters
'Vader-faction'/supporters
Separatist holdouts and die-hards
Clone Army and rest of Republic military/
Judicial Starfleet

*The ability to retain their personality after death and commune
with those close to them is the key to reviving the Jedi Order.

In this manner, the main characters in the Star Wars saga are:
Darth Maul (for slaying Qui-Gon in the first place, while
his successor Darth Tyrannous refused to finish off Obi-Wan);
Darth Sidious; Shmi, Anakin and Luke Skywalker; Padme Amidala
and, finally, Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Sorry, fans of Jar-Jar Binks, Leia, Han, Chewie, Yoda and the
Ewoks: the essential characters are those listed and no more.

2010-04-20T15:27:00.000-07:00

Formal ranking system generally used in the "Star Wars"
Galaxy

Further from previous posts, all major Alliances etc from
the Trade Federation to the Empire and the Rebel Alliance
use the same ranking system.

The only major discrepancy is the apparent equivalent use
of the ranks of 'General' and 'Admiral' but, for argument's
sake, I will assume that only one grade of each exists and
I will disregard the possible rank of 'Marshall' (although
this is sometimes apparently used). 'Admiral' basically refers
to 'above General', as in the Rebel Alliance and the New
Republic and the Imperial Rank of Grand Admiral. For
Imperial purposes all other grades of 'Admiral' can be
either considered as titular ranks (as proposed in previous
posts) or are (a grade of) 'General'.

1.Admiral
2.General
3. Commander
4. Colonel
5. Major
6. Captain
7. Lieutenant
8. Senior WO
9. Master WO
10. Warrant Officer
11. Sergeant
12. Staff Corporal
13. Corporal
14. Trooper/Private

2010-03-20T15:10:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure it actually IS possible to be a consistent
'reactionary' or a consistent 'libertarian' because people
on these two 'opposite' sides end up making the same argument,
simply:

'They' or 'We' are aware of the consequences

As soon as 'reactionaries' and 'libertarians' use this argument
they become neither because there is then no discernable
difference between them.

A reactionary cannot stay a reactionary for long before they
end up advocating legalising blackmail and hard drugs-
because if 'they' are 'aware of the consequences' then 'we
are aware of the consequences'

Like I said, if all drugs, guns and porn are all legal it
is because 'we' are all 'adults' and can make up our own
minds (according to libertarians).

Because we are 'aware of the consequences'.

Just as all killers (even children or individuals
with personality disorders) are alwyas alleged to be
'aware' of the consequences and 'know' the difference
between right and wrong (according to reactionaries,
who, I might add, would balk at legalising drugs or
lowering the age of consent).

2010-03-14T17:33:00.000-07:00

If killing people is wrong than allowing people to be killed is equally wrong.

Is it me or do the people who suggest the Bulger killers knew
the entire consequences of their actions* somehow remind me of
Ancaps or 'libertarian' types who favour the ready availability
of guns, drugs and pornography of all types and the 'legalisation'
of blackmail**.

Maybe too many people have been reading Nozic?

Anyhoo, Objectivism doesn't work: ask Einstein

*Which, if anyone who's read 'Dune' will know totally rules out
free will, maybe free will is only possible with total ignorance
of any consequences?

**Of course, if you asked me that is the only way that a free
market can work!!! Otherwise money or labour is always devalued.

(Money=a promise not to... etc which is exchanged for goods or
services)

2010-03-02T14:43:00.000-08:00

Is it just me....

Or are so-called 'Individualist'/'Libertarian supporters
of 'Negative Liberty' nothing of the sort?

Negative Liberty always implies a common need, namely the
security of body, but negates every concievable INDIVIDUAL
need one can think of.

2010-03-02T14:30:00.000-08:00

An Unregulated Economy

So....no bankers, capitalists or coppers

No bosses, landlords or judges

No tax-collectors

No legal parasites: political, landed or otherwise

No paid labour; only voluntarism
No greed and only need

2010-03-01T02:29:00.000-08:00

Re-Humanising Stormtroopers

I think to expand on previous posts it would be best to give
my final (I hope!) opinion on the so-called 'Imperial Army'.

I think the most consistent description would, outside of
COMPNOR and the various 'trooper corps, describe the Imp Army
as being a very large engineering and armoured infrantry
(officer?) corps.

This is bascially suggested by the 'Olive uniform guy' on the
first Death Star and the various engineering/technical jobs
carried out by the ubiquitous Stormtroopers.

The original idea was for the Stormtroopers to all be clones,
but even if we take the assumption they may not be, their
anonymous uniforms seem to suggest a metaphor for the
de-humanising effects of war and authoritarian regimes.

Compare this to the (mostly Naval? I guess, not including
Moffs, I would count two 'Generals' in the entire trilogy)
way in which Imp officers faces are always shown: they are
the ones giving orders, they are the one's doing the
de-humanising.

2010-02-28T05:01:00.000-08:00

Short (I hope!) comparison between Speculative Fiction
Space Navies and Armies

First, I would re-iterate my theory that the Navy ranks used
in 'Star Wars' basically reflect the in-theatre operations
of a particular sector. The reason this is is due to the apparent
low positions of the rank of 'Captain', which is more comparable
to said rank in Terran Armies (i.e below Major and above Lieutenant),
in the 'Star Wars' universe.

But this whole confusion described in previous posts misses the
point suggested in the actual movies, which is explicitly referred
to by Tarkin, which is that the 'fear of force, not force itself',
is all that is required to police the Galaxy. It is only sources
connected with the Expanded Universe which indicate a much
larger Imperial Army.*

This discrepancy could have two points/explanations: The
Imperial Army could refer to the COMPNOR organisation [or
its (presuming it has one) paramilitary wing]: the ideological
and propaganda (in short) wing of the Empire (COMmission for
the Preservation of the New ORder);

Or it could simply reflect a commonality in "soft" SF.
All space Navies in other fictional 'verses tend all to be of
comparable size**, regardless of the apparent population of
each society described, but they all seemingly have an infinite
capacity (in terms of either technology, manpower or both) to
construct starships and other materiel.

The 'Starfleet' of the UFP of "Star Trek" is a good example of this:
a body which has a fairly small fleet compared to its population,
but much smaller than the Imperial Fleet in "Star Wars", and yet
a very high productive capacity for constructing starships.
Even higher than either the Galactic Empire or even the
'Culture'. Maybe that's what they do with all the unemployed
people?

Saying that, I think "Star Wars" does put this military
trope on its head: 'Starfleet' is a very large military
body for a supposedly non-militaristic society and the
apparent manpower of the Galactic Empire is probably
reasonable considering a) its vast population, easily
a million times that of the UFP's Human population
and b) THEY USE DROIDS ffs! unlike in 'Star Trek'
( and no factory ships or GSVs in "Star Trek" unlike
the 'Culture' novels). Anyway, my COMPNOR theory
probably makes sense: most discrepancies in the 'Expanded
Universe' can be more or less explained.

Of course, this is another excuse for me to have a go
at "Star Trek" but hey the evidence is there.

*Of course all we see in the actual movies are Clone-
and Storm Trooper units but, supposedly,
the Stormtrooper corps is a separate entity from both the
Imp Army and Navy (perhaps 'Navy' and 'Army' refers to two
Officer corps, either of which has direct authority over
non-commissioned troops/crews)

**The 'Earth Alliance' (Babylon 5, Human population is explicitly
less than 10 billion) has about 8000 warships and thousands of
support vessels and tenders/troop carriers, 'Starfleet' has
probably 20K starships and 40K science vessels [plus thousands
of transports, shuttles, unmanned drone transports etc] while
the Galactic Empire has (quoting Han Solo) 2000+ Destroyer-class
vessels, albeit thousands more cruisers, tenders
and shuttles and a population in the thousands of trillions.

2010-02-26T14:56:00.000-08:00

Ranking System of the Galactic Empire

Using "A New Hope", "Empire Strikes Back" and wookiepedia as
sources gives the following titled [and assumed] ranks:
1. Grand Admiral
2. Grand Moff
3. Moff
4. Lord
5. Admiral
[6. Vice Admiral]
[7. Rear Admiral]
10. Captain
12. Ensign;
bearing in mind that in the Clone Wars and in the Rebel Alliance,
the rank of 'Captain' is below both 'Commander' and 'General':
'Commander' being apparently equivalent to anything between a
Colonel and a Major-General in Terran armies.

Ensign is included in this list as, apparently,
'Lieutenant' is the lowest commissioned Imperial rank.
An explanation follows in that it is possible that the
three 'Warrant Officer' grades are both promotions from
lower ranks and starting grades for officers graduating
below the 'Lieutenant' requirement. An 'Ensign' may be a
Warrant Officer in command of a section, particular shift
or a platoon. It is suggested that the rank of 'Captain'
does exist, but has two grades.

With other actual quoted ranks being (also
using "A New Hope" and wookiepedia as sources):

5. Marshall
6. General
7. Colonel
8. Major
9. Commander
11. Lieutenant
12. Senior-
13. Master-
14. Warrant Officer
15. Sergeant
16. Staff Corporal
17. Corporal
18. Trooper

As is apparent there is a large discrepancy between
the positions of certain ranks in relation to one
another, especially as the insignia used in the
Imperial Navy and Captain Piett's promotion
to Admiral would suggest otherwise.

It could obviously be suggested that there are in fact
two chains of command in existence, but both Imperial
Army and Naval divisions in each Sector

(of which there are between 20 and 1024; the priority regions
set up by Palpatine towards the end of the Clone Wars
or the sector system used by the Old Republic)

are all under the command of the particular system's
governor, or 'Moff', so in terms of each sector
they are under the same chain-of-command. This also
allows for "official" ranks to reflect the vast
size of the Imperial military.

The simplest answer is that the Imperial Army ranks
reflect the number of troops (and Stormtroopers
in particular are seen being led by Naval officers)
at an officer's disposal while, and this is basically
indicated by the seeming lack of consistency in the Naval
insignia used by officers, the flag ranks used in the
Navy likely represent a position in the sector
fleet but has little relation to one's overall rank
in the Imperial Military.

The types of insignia (below) used probably represent
the actual order of promotion as opposed to
the actual rank:

Six double squares (vertical) = Moffs

Three double squares = Flag Officers

Two double squares = Command Officers

Four horizontal squares = Junior Officers

One double square = Warrant Officers

No insignia = Ensign

The actual uniforms used probably make more sense
in making sense of the ranks used and clear up
much of the confusion quoted above, it should
be remembered that each sector could cover
anywhere from a million to maybe over a trillion
troops and personnel. Duties are given for each
uniform along with typical ranks:

White = Grand Admiral, Sector over-commander

Grey = Moff, Sector governor

Olive = General, General staff

Black = Lieutenant to Commander, Navy line officer

Pale/Creamy Grey = Staff Corporal to Senior Warrant
Officer, Technical staff

Armour (black) = Corporal and above, Specialists

Armour (white) = Enlisted, Infantry

2010-02-25T15:29:00.000-08:00

Ranking System of the Galactic Empire

The quoted ranks fit quite well with modern navies
i.e.

Grand Admiral,
Grand Moff,
Moff,
Marshall= Fleet Admiral

General= Admiral
Colonel= Vice Admiral
Major= Rear Admiral

Commander= Commodore
Fleet Captain= Captain
Captain= Commander

Lieutenant= Lieutenant-Commander
Senior Warrant Officer= Lieutenant
Master Warrant Officer= Ensign

Warrant Officer= Senior Chief Petty Officer
Sergeant= Master Chief Petty Officer
Staff Corporal= Chief Petty Officer

Corporal= Petty Officer
Trooper= Enlisted

2010-02-22T14:55:00.000-08:00

Anarchy, crime and punishment and The Culture

Arguably, any crime in a post-scarcity or truly anarchic society would be one of passion and arguably thus a form of temporary insanity to be treated thusly.

Otherwise, or under the same logic, in the Culture I guess if someone really pissed a lot of people off (by, for example murdering someone) then a group of Minds or well-meaning sentients etc could arrange to have that person relocated but not banished from society per se.

Best short anarchist answer on the issue, although I would say that with Contact the Culture does have a government/state of sorts dealing with 'foreign' affairs only (and interfering with Culture Citizens when considered necessary to continue smooth running of said 'foreign' affairs), perhaps the mirror image or polar opposite of a so-called watchman or minimal state with some prisons and police but little else.

2010-02-16T13:44:00.000-08:00

In my previous post
http://legalsmeagol.blogspot.com/2010/02/star-trekthe-next-generation-and-deep.html
I described the following 'non-commissioned' chains of
command for the different Starfleet branches:

Command
1.Lieutenant (junior grade)
2.Ensign
3.Yr 4 cadet
4.Yr 3 cadet
5.Yr 2 cadet
6.Yr 1 cadet

Engineering and Security
1.Lieutenant
2.Chief Petty Officer
3.Lieutenant (junior grade)
4.Petty Officer
5.Ensign
6.Engineering or Security Rating

Science and Medical
1.Lieutenant-Commander
2.Lieutenant
3.Lieutenant (junior grade)
4.Ensign
5.Enlisted First Class
6.Enlisted Second Class

however, the geek that I am has realised that there are
no appearances of Lieutenant (junior grade)
for the Engineering/Security branch, and that the writers of
'Deep Space Nine' added the ranks of 'Senior' and 'Master'
CPO making the previous estimation of comparative ranks
questionable.

[Updated Engineering/Sec c-of-c:
1.Lieutenant (=Master Chief Petty Officer?)
2.Senior Chief Petty Officer
3.Chief Petty Officer
4.Ensign
5.Petty Officer
6.Engineering or Security Rating]

Of course,ST is rarely entirely consistent
but these points do need to be made.

Certainly, Command and Science/Medical can be compared
as follows:

1.Lieutenant (junior grade)
2.Lieutenant-Commander [Sci/M]
3.Lieutenant [Sci/M]
4.Lieutenant (junior grade)[Sci/M]
5.Ensign
6.Yr 4 cadet
7.Yr 3 cadet
8.Yr 2 cadet
9.Yr 1 cadet
10.Enlisted First Class
11.Enlisted Second Class

and the Engineering and Security ranks can thus be added
in a more simplified fashion in comparison with the other
ranks as follows (if certain ranks are considered otherwise
equal):

1.Lieutenant (junior grade) [C]
=Lieutenant-Commander [Sci/M]
=Master Chief Petty Officer
{roughly equivalent to:Regimental Sergeant-Major}

2.Lieutenant [Sci/M]
{Sergeant-Major}

3.Lieutenant (junior grade)[Sci/M]
{Warrant Officer (Class One)}

4.Senior Chief Petty Officer
{Warrant Officer (C2)}

4.Ensign [C]=Chief Petty Officer
{Staff Sergeant}

5.Ensign [E/S]=Ensign [Sci/M]
{Sergeant}

6.Yr 4 cadet
=Petty Officer
{Acting Sergeant}

7.Yr 3 cadet
=Engineering/Security Rating
{Corporal}

8.Yr 2 cadet
=Enlisted First Class
{Lance Corporal}

9.1st Year cadet
=Enlisted Second Class
{Private}

This is also more consistent with the command structure
in 'Deep Space Nine'

2010-02-15T14:43:00.000-08:00

Star Trek:The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine

A first commment I would suggest that the 'Star Treks' portrayed
show roughly three or four different 'timelines', basically
depending on whether you include "Enterprise" (a.k.a "Shitterprise")
or not.

The 'first', introduced by Next Gen fully and expanding on events
in TOS, describes the 'Trills' as being a relatively unknown race,
presumably new to the Federation, and the peace/alliance between
the UFP and the Klingon Empire as being also a relatively recent
development, following various conflicts between the Klingons
and Romulans of which the Federation was not a part of (and
who presumably would directly or indirectly aid an ally).

The second is more developed and could probably be considered
canon as it concerns characters in 'TOS' and 'DS9' who are
present in "The Undiscovered Country", referring to 'Curzon
Dax' (a Trill Federation ambassador) and his participation
in the signing of a peace treaty between the Klingons and
the Federation 70-odd years previously.

What can be made (rough) sense of is the relationship
between 'commisioned' and 'non-commissioned' ranks
in Starfleet, basically assuming that the rank of
'Ensign' for all three divisions are equivalent
but this changes until the apparent 'proper'
commissioned ranks of 'Lieutenant' (Commmand),
'Lieutenant-Commander' (Engineering and Security)
and 'Commander' (Medical and Science )

Thus, three 'non-commissioned' chains of command
can be surmised for the three divisions (cadet refers
to all Starfleet cadets);

Command
1.Lieutenant (junior grade)
2.Ensign
3.Yr 4 cadet
4.Yr 3 cadet
5.Yr 2 cadet
6.Yr 1 cadet

Engineering and Security
1.Lieutenant
2.Chief Petty Officer
3.Lieutenant (junior grade)
4.Petty Officer
5.Ensign
6.Engineering or Security Rating

Science and Medical
1.Lieutenant-Commander
2.Lieutenant
3.Lieutenant (junior grade)
4.Ensign
5.Enlisted First Class
6.Enlisted Second Class
; with 'Command' apparently outranking 'E/S' and 'M/Sci'
in the overall chain-of-command, so a rough comparison
with Terran commissioned and non-commissioned ranks
can be given:

1.Captain=Colonel

2.Commander [C]=Lieutenant-Colonel

3.Commander [E/S]=Major

4.Lieutenant-Commander [C]=Captain

5.Lieutenant-Commander [E/S]=1st Lieutenant

6.Lieutenant [C]=2nd Lieutenant

7.Lieutenant (junior grade) [C]=Regimental Sergeant-Major

8.Lieutenant [E/S]=Sergeant-Major

9.Lieutenant-Commander [Sci/M]=Senior Warrant Officer

10.Chief Petty Officer=Warrant Officer (Class One)

11.Lieutenant (junior grade) [E/S] /Lieutenant [Sci/M]
=Warrant Officer (C2)

12.Petty Officer=Staff Sergeant

13.Lieutenant (junior grade) [Sci/M]=Sergeant

14.Ensign=Acting Sergeant

15.Yr 4 cadet/Engineering or Security Rating=Corporal

16.Yr 3 cadet/Enlisted First Class=Acting Corporal

17.Yr 2 cadet/Enlisted Second Class=Lance Corporal

18.Yr 1 cadet=Private

2010-02-12T15:23:00.000-08:00

....even more Firefly

There are a couple of intriguing issues that are suggested
but were never dealt with directly before the TV series was
cancelled which the "Serenity" movie also alludes to.

It is never explicitly stated just how long Alliance citizens
live, although the Firefly/Serenity wiki gives a life
expectancy of 120 years. This is important because the
Shepherd Book character had a largely unknown but much
different other life where he would have the opportunity
to know much about the workings of unsavoury characters
like Adeleid Niska [sic] and Alliance black operations.

The life of the Operative character and the descriptions
of Companion training, as well as the experiences of
River Tam, implie that it may be common for individuals
to be trained for elite roles from a fairly young age,
before they know the ways of the world.

This is again suggested in the apparent youthfulness
of the Alliance Colonel in 'Train Job'. Maybe certain
qualified individuals are selected for Officer training,
i.e. for a post in the Navy, if male and Companion
training if female? Perhaps the real aim is to train
suitable 'Operative' candidates and the Officer etc
candidates are the vast majority who drop out?

Of course, there are female Officers but they could
have been promoted through the ranks(i.e.:
Marshal [or Enlisted Man] to Corporal to Sergeant to
Ensign to Lieutenant etc). Promotion for Officers
could be dependent on completion of a mission or
a tour of patrol duty so some officers could be
fast-tracked to Colonel in this way.

It could also be that some Alliance citizens have
access to anti-aging technology, which may explain
the Alliance Colonel, as well as the apparent youth
of the Inara character and the doctors in 'Ariel'.

As well as the issues above, it is never revealed
what both Book and Inara are running from.

2010-02-10T15:04:00.001-08:00

They should put this on shop windows: Thieves will be persecuted

They should put this on the gates of all prisons:
Do the crime, do the time, learn to do the crime

2010-02-09T16:25:00.000-08:00

....more Firefly

A few observations of the Alliance military shows just how vast
Alliance operations are in terms of manpower.

It is commented that there are forty-thousand ("Bushwacked")
Alliance cruisers operating each carrying a probable average
complement of twenty thousand Officers, Federals (i.e. MPs
/Security /Marshals /Troops) and Enlisted men.

This totals 800 million personnel, with, say, one eighth
Officers.

A Commander would probably represent 2000 Federals, if
they are referred to by civilians as Officers ("Safe").
This ratio probably carries on to Alliance ships as it
appears that the common command rank for an Alliance cruiser
is also that of Commander (probably an amalgam of Naval and
Police terminology?). This would probably allow for 2000
Federals and 500 Naval Officers aboard ship and for the rank
of 'Captain' still to be relevant (and presumably still above
'Commander' as the Alliance Commander in "Bushwacked" is
clearly riled by Mal's use of the epithet 'Captain' to describe
himself.

In an overwhelming surveillance state such as the Alliance probably
at least a tenth of its population would be in its employ at some
time in their lives in some form; i.e. in formal and informal
police or military roles as well as the vast health (and
welfare? or at least providing sufficient housing and
[synthetic] food for the population) system in place in
[most of] the Central Planets.

If we assume that each of the nineteen Central Planets has a
population of roughly a billion, with Londinium and Shinhon
having three billion, then we have a probable population of
23 billion; or 2.3 billion Alliance. This nicely tallies
with the size of the Alliance Navy, giving 1.5 billion workers,
Federals, Officers and informants, and bounty hunters of every
description, operating mostly in the Central Planets.

Put another way, if a hundredth of the population at a time
is in the Alliance Navy, then the entire population of the
'Union of Allied Planets' probably totals 80 billion.

2010-02-08T16:40:00.000-08:00

Taking Orders From William Shatner's Tupee

Enlisted Training: Lesson One-How to point a phaser
Lesson Two-How to stand around and die

Officer Training: Year One-'Dealing with your delusions'
Year Two-How to talk in and understand
technobabble
Year Three-How to seduce green-skinned
aliens
Final Year-How to hit people with a
double-handed fist

Petty Officer qualifications: Faking your delusions; faking
technobabble; and either
seducing green-skinned aliens
or successfully hitting people
with a double-handed fist.

(2.2.2010)

2010-02-07T15:46:00.000-08:00

Immigration has no solution/Who Benefits?

A re-evaluation of the 'Citizen's Income' proposal

With more 'we're more tough than the Tories/BNP (delete
as appropriate)' rhetoric coming from Nu Snaga, I would
modestly suggest a partial solution to citizens /students
/migrants getting or not getting enugh needed financial
support.

Simply put ANYONE over 16 resident in the UK should be
entitled to a CI of, say, 100 pounds sterling a week
SO LONG as they work less than, say, 16 hours per week.
This would include students and would remove the
distinction between economic migrants (bad?), foreign
students (evil??) and asylum seekers (scum of the earth???).

While working less than 16 hours, individuals can apply for
housing benefit or interest-free loans/grants to pay for any
extra costs associated with housing /study /disability
/childcare. This can also apply to MP's instead of them
having wages, and any extra costs could be put on grants or
interest-free loans.

Individuals would only recieve further benefits (i.e.housing
benefits)while working if looking after children, or are
disabled. Migrants would only be able to work full-time
if granted citizenship, with the CI allowing for a decent
standard of living before this is achieved.

2010-01-26T14:37:00.000-08:00

Comments on Firefly....

In the TV series, and "Serenity" movie, a totalitarian
version of Star Trek's "United Federation of Planets" exists.

Known as the 'Union of Allied Planets', or just 'The
Alliance', it has a large fleet of spaceships and security
personnel (Federal Marshals) which both act as a combined
standing army and navy and which also enforces the laws
of the Alliance in a similar way to (the UFP's) 'Starfleet'.

The military and police arm of the Alliance is headed by a
'Military Council', with each member presumably an equivalent
to a Grand 'Moff' or Admiral in "Star Wars".

An estimated chain-of-command for the Alliance for
Commissioned Officers can be deduced from those ranks
which are mentioned.

Assumed ranks are ended with a question-mark.

1.'Military Council'
2.Admiral?

3.General
4.Colonel
5.Captain
6.Commander

7.Lieutenant-Commander?

8.Lieutenant

9.Lieutenant (junior grade)?

10.Ensign
(where both Commander and Lieutenant are of sufficient rank to
independently command Alliance vessels)

It is never stated whether the Alliance Navy and Federals
(i.e. Marshals) are in the same or separate chains-of-command
nor are the specific ranks of the (non-security) enlisted crew
aboard Alliance vessels given other than position
i.e. technical and medical staff.

Certain officials and personnel are apparently both outside
of the main Alliance chain-of-command but outrank at least
junior officers and enlisted men in certain situations

For example, on the border moons, where laws are enforced by
bounty hunters or local sheriffs and deputies, certain
'officials' have the rank or title of 'Operative' alongside
'Prefects' (Planetary Governors?)
and 'Magistrates'.

Presumably, the title 'Operative' is roughly below or
equivalent to that of Alliance Colonel and the same can probably
said for that of 'Prefect', although there is no evidence for a
Prefect having command of even one Alliance ship.

This being so, all (assumed or given) enlisted ranks can be listed
below in comparison with all titular ranks:
5. 'Operative'
6. 'Prefect'
7. 'Magistrate'
8. 'Sheriff'
9. Sergeant
10. Corporal

11. Petty Officer First Class?
12. Petty Officer Second Class?

13. Marshal

14. Able Spaceman 1st Class?
15. Enlisted Man/Able Spaceman?

18. 'Deputy'
(assuming a Marshall is promoted to Corporal, then to Sergeant
and then to Ensign)

The chain-of-command, using all known ranks, can be given as follows,
with the flag ranks being given alongside their Naval equivalents:
1.Military Council

2.General=Admiral
3.Colonel=Vice-Admiral
4.Captain=Rear-Admiral
5.Operative=Commodore

6.Commander
7.Prefect
8.Lieutenant
9.Magistrate
10.Ensign

11.Sheriff
12.Sergeant
13.Corporal
14.Marshal
15.Deputy

The events in Firefly take place in a multi-star system
known as 'The Verse'. One of the problems with this are that
any habited planet or moon may have an unstable orbit or
unstable climate.

However, using the technology aboard the space vessels seen,
it should be fairly straightforward to adapt any reasonable
sized body to have similar gravity and temperatures.

A high-gravity body can be rotated at a faster rate. This would
act against gravity and bring the surface gravity down to a
familiar level. A low-gravity body can have gravity generators
buried in its core to increase the surface gravity.

A cold or hot body can have its orbit altered, also a cold
body could have greenhouse gases introduced into its atmosphere
to trap thermal radiation.

It is never stated exactly how fast ships can travel in
Firefly, however it is about a two-week journey from the Core
Planets to the Outer Rim worlds. If ships can travel at
velocities greater or equal to half light speed it is
reasonable for even the innermost star orbiting the
Core to be a fiftieth of a light-year distant from it.

This is assuming that all the planets, Brown Dwarfs and
Protostars orbit the main Sun in successive circular orbits,
in a similar way to our own Solar System.

The Core Planets number nineteen. Presumably the innermost
two or three are only habitable at night, the next say six
to eight are relatively habitable at the polar regions.

Those numbered 11 to 14 (roughly) are habitable virtually
all year round and in most locations, while 15 and 16 are
probably only habitable by day and 17 to 19 in the
Equatorial regions.

Those Moons orbiting Brown Dwarfs (the Border Planets)
recieve some light from the main Sun and some from the
nearest Protostar. They would also recive thermal radiation
from their Brown Dwarf. These Moons are all likely to be
reasonably habitable but may not receive enough light
for plant photosynthesis. This means food may either
be imported (oxygen can presumably be generated on an
industrial scale) or grown in artificial light for the
most part.

Finally, a number of Planets and Moons orbit four
Protostars. They may receive sufficient light and
they may receive sufficient heat but it is doubtful
that many receive both on a constant basis.

2010-01-21T15:42:00.000-08:00

English Defence League.

(or WTF is Democracy, WTF does 'English' mean and WTF is there to defend?)

I'm sure the EDL would say they are 'defending' English culture but I fail to see how an insignificant group of homogenous white males can hope to 'defend' something as nebulous and indefinable as a culture by holding a few rallies.

What is being missed in this debate is the apparent worship of the British Armed Forces and their ongoing mission in Afghanistan. It may be perfectly legitimate to 'support our troops'. I however do not. Neither do I believe that the UK has any chance of becoming a 'Sharia State' unless there is basically some kind of coup or mass conversion to some medieval form of Islam. I guess if this happens it would be supported by the greater mass of the British public anyway, so: what is it to 'defend' democracy and 'English values'?

Back to my point in that I fail to see what impact if any having troops in a foreign land would have on the possibility of a 'Sharia Britain'. Nil I would say.

I also find the underlying tone that those who do not 'support our troops' automatically support the Taliban. I would like to state that I support neither and that I find it deeply suspicious on the part of the EDL to somehow suggest that I do (albeit indirectly, maybe the EDL have zero sense of subtlety). These slurs also go against my 'democratic' right to an opinion of my own,no matter how popular or unpopular that opinion may be.

2010-01-20T14:19:00.000-08:00

Commentary on and Timeline of Historical Events in
the 'Dune' Universe

I have used the original Frank Herbert novels and the following site:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=phD1PAIf9F46mZGpDD4btFA
as a guide, assuming events described but undated in novels are
accurate and giving extensive editing of information in
the quoted Dune timeline.

The following events fit in closely with and provide an explanation
for the events and philosophies described in the original novels:

Note: BA=Before Atomics (i.e years before 1945 CE),
AA=Atomic and Space age
BG=Before Guild
AG=After Guild

Likely Timeline of Important Events,
in probable order even when no date is given

?? BA-Sandtout are introduced on Arrakis. They gradually
transform the planet into the desert world 'Dune' (the only
source in the known universe of Spice and fundamental to
instantaneous interstellar travel) and grow into the Sandworms
which produce Spice
c.3200 BA-Birth of Agamenmon in Mycenae, direct ancestor
of Atredies line
c.2500 to c.1300 BA-Births of Prophets Buddha, Christ and
Mohammed
1 AA-First use of Atomics in warfare (1945CE)
Beginning of Space Age, developments in computers, genetics
and cloning

Colonisation of the Solar System creates First Empire
Probable use of Cyborgs at this time to preserve life of fatally
injured individuals

(c. 1000 AA ?-)Buddhist and Islamic sects unite under
'Buddhismlamic' faith

(c.2000 AA ?-) Destruction of much of Terra (Earth) by asteroid

Establishment of Second Empire (Interstellar) via sublight vessels
Split in Buddhislam
Zensunnis denied Hajj to Terra

Zensunnis, including Sufi ancestors of Bene Tleilax, leave Second
Empire (i.e 'Known Space')

At some point they settle on Arrakis, possibly 8000 years relative
to Terra at sublight or relativistic speeds

Tleilaxu home world(s) settled
After this period the Jews also leave Second Empire

(c.10,000 AA ?-)The Bene Gesserit (in some form) probably
originate from after this time,possibly from a combination
of Jesuit and Jewish roots.Later they establish breeding records.

The anti-geriatric and prescient properties of the Melange
Spice are discovered during the reign of Shaddak the Wise

(Before 200 BG ?-)Holtzman takes credit for Norma Cenva's
developments in space folding (and shields?). A revolution
in warfare and transport begins which is only interrupted
by the God-Emperor's reign ten millenia later.

c.200 to 100 BG-Religous-inspired revolution against all
computers ('Thinking Machines');later known as the Butlerian
Jihad which is still in force by the death of the God-Emperor
Leto 2 (c.13,500 AG). Presumably the use of 'Thinking Machines'
stifles Human creativity. It is also possible that many planets
were colonised by and for Cyborgs (or 'Cymeks') who
transported, still in embryos during transmission, Humans who
were used as slaves in the construction and maintenance of the
extra-solar colonies.

Bene Tleilax begin using Axolotl Tanks for cloning now that
computers are banned. The Tleilaxu now apparently have a
monopoly on genetic research also. At some point Gilbertus
Albans founds the 'Mentat' discipline and seeks shelter with
the Tleilaxu.

The Spacing Guild establishes a monopoly on interplanetary travel,
dependent on the continuous production of Spice.This allows the
Third Empire to be created with no independent planets possible
without discovery by the Empire and the Spacing Guild.

The Orange Catholic Bible is commissioned. Presumably this is the
last major gathering of Humans on Terra.

Also: establishment of the Great Convention and the Rules of Kanly
to limit civilian casualties in warfare by prescribing a form of
legal assassination

Beginning 11th Millenium AG-Birth of Paul Atredies, Fremen Jihad
in the name of Muad-Dib overthrows Padisha Emperor and leads to
3,500 year reign of Leto 2 Atredies. Dune (Arrakis) terraformed.

Suppression of Mentats and prohibition of Shield technology by
Leto 2

Supply of Spice to Spacing Guild and Bene Gesserit rationed.
Interstellar travel much reduced as a result of this.
Value of Spice increases with the decrease in the Sandworms
which produce it.

13,500 AG-Death of God-Emperor and re-introduction of Sandtrout

Sandworms return to Rakis (Arrakis)

The Scattering

(before) 15,000 AG-Development of Ixian no-ships and production
of axolotl-produced Spice by Tleilaxu ends both Guild monopoly on space
travel and production of Spice from a single source

15,000 AG-Destruction of Rakis by Honoured Matres and Second Scattering

2010-01-16T11:28:00.001-08:00

PEACE AND UNITY RALLY AGAINST THE EDL

Show the people of North Staffordshire you do not want to stand back and let Stoke-on-Trent appear tolerant of intolerance and Islamophobia.

The English Defence League, a group of football thugs with links to the Nazi BNP, is coming to Stoke on Saturday 23 January to whip up race and religious hatred against the law-abiding Asian and Muslim community of North Staffordshire.

Join the peaceful demonstration against the EDL!

Meet 12.30pm at:
The North Staffordshire African Caribbean Association,
(large car park in front of premises)
Lindsay Annexe,
Cannon Place,
Hanley,
Stoke-on-Trent
ST1 4EP.

March into Hanley starts at 2.00pm for vigil at 3.00pm outside Hanley Town Hall,
Albion Square, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 1QQ.

2010-01-11T14:26:00.000-08:00

I could go into the propaganda by deed period and stuff...
which is interesting as often the comparison is made with
modern groups like Al-Quaeda.

Except the Anarchists actually assassinated heads of state.

The real issue is: morally, what is the difference between
an organisation (loosely) with no (more: the removal of
foreign forces from holy ground WAS 'achieved') clearly
definable aims which thrives on the mass killings of entirely
random civilians; and the deliberate targeting of particular
individuals from a distance by military powers, in the name
of an unwinnable-war-by-definition?

2009-12-21T11:40:00.000-08:00

Notice to Climate Change-Holocaust Deniers:

If nuclear power was really that reliable, wouldn't
we all be driving electric cars by now?

If worried about keeping the lights on etc...
DO SUMMAT ABOUT IT or:
1.Don't have any (more) children
2.Kill yourself when you get to age 40, less
people=less consumption=less excess carbon
3. Don't stay in in the cold, go to a pub and
save money by ordering water
4.Don't put your central heating on at night,
just put a tent up in your house and sleep/live in
that. It'll keep your body heat in!

2009-11-07T16:08:00.001-08:00

Simpsons characters as Watchmen characters: Homer is "Dr Homatthan" (Dr. Manhattan) plus Bart (Rorsach), Maggie (Nite Owl 2), Krusty is "Krusty the Comedian" (Comedian), Lisa and Snowball (Ozymandias and Bubastis) and Marge (Silk Spectre)

2009-10-28T12:29:00.000-07:00

Small comparison between Starfleet Ranks:
Next Generation era and modern Terran militaries,
by way of Babylon 5

Starfleet ranks in apparent order as shown in "The Next Generation",
showing position of Command (1) above Engineering (2) and Science (3),
from Captain to Crewman, not including Petty Officer:

Captain

Commander,1

Lt-Commander,1

Commander,2

Lieutenant,1

Lt-Commander,2

Commander,3

Lt. (junior grade),1

Lieutenant,2

Lt-Commander,3

Ensign,1

Lt. (junior grade),2

Ensign,2

Lieutenant,3

Lt. (junior grade),3

Ensign,3

Crewman (1+2)

However, the above ranks do not incorporate 'Petty Officer';
of which there are several grades in SF all or some of which
are apparently equivalent to the 'commissioned' ranks.

The above system is also slightly contradictory and adds
confusion between which ranks are commissioned and which
aren't as, for example,an Ensign must serve two years before
being promoted to Lieutenant, but must stay at junior grade
level for a further three years.

This is similar to the promotion structure in the
non-commissioned ranks of many Earth armies, with Starfleet
Lieutenant being roughly equivalent to a senior
Non-Commissioned or Warrant Officer.

Promotion in the Command and Medical Fields also requires further
training as well as promotion though merit. For example, Troi had
to pass a series of Officer training tests to be promoted to full
Commander.

All Ranks below, in order, in comparison with EFMC
ranks Babylon 5:

Firstly though, the use of non-commissioned ranks as an example
reflects the slightlyambiguous nature of non-command officers
and petty officers having some authority over junior officers
and so gives a better comparison between command officers and
junior officers.

It would seem that the 'yellow' ranks of Engineering and Security
plus the 'blue' rank of 'Commander' (i.e Med/Sci Commanders Crusher
and Troi) follow fairly closely the ranks used in the Security/Army
of EarthForce (which are loosely based on, and offer a good
comparison with, those of the existing present United States
Marine Corps) and can be incorporated into the
'Starfleet' command structure as follows:

Command (red)
1.Captain
2.Commander
5.Lieutenant-Commander
8.Lieutenant
11.Lieutenant (junior-grade)
14.Ensign

Engineering/Security and Medical
3.Commander=Colonel
4.Commander=Major
6.Lieutenant-Commander=Captain
9.Lieutenant=First Lieutenant
12.Lieutenant (junior-grade)=Second Lieutenant
15.Ensign=Command Sergeant-Major

It can be assumed that M/Sci ranks below Commander and above
Ensign are equivalent to the ranks of:
Senior, Master and Chief Petty Officer, giving:

1.Captain=Colonel

2.Commander=Major

3.Commander (2)=Captain

4.Commander (3)=First Lieutenant

5.Lieutenant-Commander (1)=Second Lieutenant

6.Lieutenant-Commander (2)=Senior Chief Warrant Officer

7.Senior Chief Petty Officer=Chief Warrant Officer

8.Lieutenant (1)=Warrant Officer (class 1)

9.Lieutenant (2)=Warrant Officer (class 2)

10.Master Chief Petty Officer=Command Sergeant-Major

11.Lieutenant (junior-grade)(1)=Sergeant-Major

12.Lieutenant (junior-grade) (2)=Master Sergeant

13.Chief Petty Officer=Gunnery Sergeant

14.Ensign (1)=Staff Sergeant

15.Ensign (2)=Sergeant

16.Ensign (3)=Corporal

17.Crewman=Private First Class

18.Crewman (2nd class)=Private

http://tgm.firstones.com/wiki/Earthforce_ranks

2009-10-24T11:34:00.000-07:00

Question Time/Thursday night (obviously!)

I think Griffin made a complete tit of himself, but I doubt any racists and homophobes would see that. I imagine that both anti-Fascists and Fascists would see their views justified.

What is really despicable is the way he smirked when he tried to justify not justifying his views on the Holocaust. Frankly well is that any better than digging up someone's grave and hiding or violating the body? I'm insulted and frankly if I had family who died in the Holocaust I'd want his head on a pike. However, unfortunately I doubt that every one watching or in the audience would see that . Some people do not see between the lines and many BNP voters/members would not have seen the broadcast (or not cared) and seen a respectable looking (hah!) man in a suit being publicly vilified.

No I don't think the BBC was biased, in fact people from UAF etc who applied to go on were not let on, leaving mostly young people or of sections of society who would be targeted by the BNP but unlikely to be experienced activists or orators to challenge Griffin.

Unfortunately the BNP would ultimately have the upper hand in these kinds of debates, simply as soon as the words 'immigration' and 'muslims' were mentioned, ringing the right bells in those susceptible. The point being the BNP should not be seen to have a monopoly on these issues and it was a shame that the BBC and the politicians present were not allowed to defend allegations that they are "pandering to the Left"....if only they would, maybe we'd have some reasoned debate in this country for once!

2009-10-21T11:24:00.000-07:00

(Other than 'Captain Atom', who was the inspiration
behind the Watchmen character,and was one of the
characters who were originally to be featured
in the comic series)
Dr. Manhattan is easily one
of the most powerful comic/movie superheroes or
characters in general, having almost godlike
abilities.

However, in science-fiction generally, these
abilities are hardly without precedent and in
fact Dr. Manhattan has quite a few limitations,
being: he cannot actually fly or predict the
future in general terms, although he does appear
to; similarly,he is not actually telepathic and
only possesses limited telekinetic abilities.
His 'powers' are also limited to objects in his
own line of sight or at least in close proximity.

All the following characters or types posses one
or more of the above 'powers':
A 'Mind' or vessel etc containing an 'Effector'
(Culture novels)
Paul Atredies (Dune saga)
Any sufficiently powerful telepath or telekinetic;
i.e. Jedi Master, Sith Lord, (above) P13 (Babylon 5),
Cthulhu and, arguably, Q (Star Trek:TNG,DS9 and VGR)

The last two, arguably, have beyond godlike powers as
they apparently consist of exotic matter and so presumably
would be (mostly) immune to Dr. Manhattan's abilities.

Dr. Manhattan's apparent precognitive abilities are
'merely' a form of deja vu; he apparently has access
to all his memories simultaneously: past, present and
future.

His main abilities concern the manipulation of the
quantum mechanical wave function of himself or any
object in his line of sight, presumably following
the Observer Principle. Arguably, a civilisation
such as the Culture or the Monolith Builders
(Odyssey saga)
would have greater power.

Any conflict between beings with godlike or near
godlike powers could be resolved on the assumption
that one godlike being has a high probability
of being defeated by two others, of the same or
different type.

It should be finally added that Dr. Manhattan
cannot become invisible, access parallel or
higher dimensions personally, travel back in time
or,technically, travel faster than the speed of light.

2009-09-03T15:34:00.000-07:00

This is what I've been thinking today:

George Bush, with minigun/gatling gun in 'Akira' pose;
caption: 2003, Iraq is about to explode

Giant Dr Manhattan; Protestor: "You're not just a Pig,
you're a great big naked blue PIG!"

Pat Robertson: "I take the bible literally, I only rape virgins"

2009-08-25T15:08:00.000-07:00

OK, 'Major' Mandella (25, correct me if wrong), makes sense.

'Commander' Skywalker (22) makes sense.

So does 'Generals' Kenobi, Solo and Calrissian in the context of a war/revolutionary situation, as does 'Admiral' Daala (16) as she was sleeping with Tarkin, but giving someone the commissioned rank of 'Captain' to someone who did not even complete basic/officer training does not make any sense .

New Kert Rats (Star Trek) really does not make any sense at all.

2009-05-24T05:45:00.000-07:00

MP'sin the trough.
So should I care, I do but angry?
Compared to all the other s*** they get up to?
Gordon "Brown-nosing" the CBI, Jaqui "Bowden snuff-vid July 2008 take 1!" Smith
oh, and lets not forget David "Concentration camps for Tamils are A-OK 'cos we invented them" Milliband.

2009-05-12T15:08:00.000-07:00

Ownership/Control (written 5.5.2009)

I will obey..because you said so?
You will obey..because I said so?

Who owns who?

Owners always have a victim complex
Slaves always have a messiah complex

So.........who owns who?

Do we own our pain or does it own us?

What of the Master's alienation and their sense of victimhood?
It owns them, even if they are the one's in control

One may have ownership of their emotions
But this is meaningless if there is no control of one's emotions

Do the Workers have control of the State?
A Worker's State is meaningless if only the State has any control

Do gangsters own their rap, or is it a form of cultural slavery
For all our honky pleasure?

Does a criminal have control over his circumstances?
Or is he instead owned by his compulsons?

'Right' to own a council flat
But those freely housed neither control
Nor own

There is only temporary possession
Like a thief in the night
A phantom or an illegal immigrant
A revenant maybe
Or a form of possession of body
Habeus corpus

If there is no control
There is no working-class

Only government or banking scum
Only possessor or mortgaged scum
Only lumpen scrounger scum
Only prisoner scum
Only the dead occupying their graves
In the invaded ground

At least a prisoner can control what happens
Within four walls, for at least some of the time

Thoughts are your own
Until you get taken in by the propaganda

If there is no control and there is only the owned
And the unowned
Then...
What is a student studying?
What of depression, anxiety and mood swings
What if you are hanging from a tree...
Are you still gonna say that there is no control?

Or the prisoner in chains?
Or on Death Row?
Or on a section or in a padded cell?

Can one be both Propetarian and Objectivist?
How many Communists deny workers their rights?
How many liberals use freedom of speech to provide a platform for oppression?
Libertarians only like immigrants who came by boat

Can anyone have
Or provide
A vision of society
That does not confuse
Their collectivism with their individualism
Or simply denies the existence of
The Individual
Or Society?

2009-05-10T15:37:00.000-07:00

The emergency services now have five options:

Press '1' if you want to get swine flu

Press '2' if you fancy getting shot in the back of the head

Press '3' if you just want to get beaten the old-fashioned way with a truncheon

Press '4' if your house is on fire

Press '5' if you are dead and you want someone to remove the body

2009-02-18T14:29:00.000-08:00

Its not a free market if everything is free?

As a critique of Communism I think this is a bit lazy but as a critique of Star Trek its mostly amusing, anyway to be serious for a second I'll add some comments.

http://www.stardestroyer.net/Empire/Essays/Trek-Marxism.html

1. The economy in the (23rd and 24th century) Federation, such as it is, is a post-scarcity one. Everything is free and in abundance, except for personal space travel, land and antiques (last two almost by definition)

2. Surely the "right" to own a starship also gives you the right to crash it into the Moon? This is the "property is theft" argument-because having legal right to something that others can use (especially if one cannot by definition make full use of it) gives one the right to create scarcity. Anyway, you'd need a crew etc.

3. The author does have a point about personal starships as travel between planets/solar systems is NOT free in the Federation unlike all other goods and services. Presumably this is why occupation/invasion of a volume of space is actually an issue in a space faring society; not because of the potential strengths in terms of manpower or technology of any homogenising power (like the Romulan Star Empire or the Dominion) but because the legal/corporate entities that already restrict travel would be the one's surrendering (their citizen's right to travel/escape) to any invader/homogeniser.

4. Title point, I take it a free market means you have to pay for things, so,presumably, if one wants to create a "free market" one has to create scarcities.

5. The humans in Star Trek aren't actually that promiscuous, marriage and family do exist. Anyway, so what? (and why is it OK for Kirk?)

6. Is it prostitution (Risa) if it is given away for free?

7. Again, why are the Right so obsessed with free love? Does it somehow contradict capital or the state, or do they just want everyone to be miserable so they go out and work crap jobs to buy crap goods?

8. Fair point about the patriarchal nature, though he reckons the family is half way to being abolished so he's just contradicting himself, and anyway capitalist states have massive militaries so they have standing armies to shoot workers in a crisis and an officer corps to provide jobs for useless members of the upper classes.

9. Gold Standard/Latinum-yes they are heavy, take up volume etc but "modern" money isn't actually worth anything, hence inflation dummy.

10. Right about the work ethic, this is one thing I find uncomfortable about ST. I've wondered if in reality they'd put the workless or homeless into prison (or mental hospitals, this appears happen in the Future Earth of Babylon 5)

11. Also, why is everyone so smart? Did they kill off all the stupid people, or just make them do crummy jobs? (my personal feelings notwithstanding about the stupifying nature of "modern" schools and society in general)

12. Oil would have run out by then, dummy.

13. Actually, the Federation in Kirk's time does have the infrastructure to feed all its citizens, and with the minimum of labour: robot starships exist which can carry hundreds of tonnes of real food from agricultural colonies, which themselves are almost entirely automated. So there!

14. "Privately owned corporations" is a contradiction in terms, except in that a corporation is a legal entity in itself (often having more rights than real people as not everyone has the right to live and work anywhere they like while corporations can relocate anywhere), they depend on legalistic structures.

15. Is it right to withhold secrets? People gain through recognition of their work, whether they are paid for it is irrelevant.

16. I would say it is the state which allows, creates and maintains class divisions. Eliminate the state....

17. I wonder whether the only "real" free market is the black one (agorists would say so), so maybe the old Soviet Union had the only real free market? Food for thought.

18. The real problem with the Federation is that the only democracy present is representative democracy. Crew aboard starships do not elect their officers and there are no Worker's Councils organising construction, just the command economy.

2009-02-15T03:03:00.000-08:00

Ranking Structure of Klingon Defence Force with comparisons with Starfleet and (roughly) Terran Standing Armies
(giving the United States Marine Corps as example, these do not compare with Starfleet in this instance)

All mentioned ranks:
Beq (2+1)
Lieutenant
Commander
Captain
Colonel
Brigadier
General
Governor
Admiral
Supreme Commander

Probable actual ranks:
1.Beq 2nd
2.B 1st Class
3.Lt 2nd Class
4.Lieutenant
5.Capt. (2nd class)
6.Captain (1st)
7.Colonel
8.Brigadier
9.General
10.Sup. Comm.

SF equivalents:
1.Ensign
2.Lt-Jnr. Grd
3.Lieutenant
4.Lt-Cdr
5.Commander
6.Captain
7.2pip Admiral
8.3pip Admiral
9.4pip Admiral
10.Fleet Admiral

USMC equivalents:
1.PFC/Corporal
2.Staff Stg/WO
3.Lieutenant
4.Captain
5.Major
6.Lt-Col
7.Colonel
8.Brig-Gen
9.Maj-Gen
10.General

Klingon forces include ground troops, prison guards/personnel/commandants, military lawyers and intelligence operatives
among their number.

Explanations/Justifications; firstly, the rank of “Beq, First Class” (‘full’ Beqs are mentioned in “Deep Space Nine” and Alexander
Rochenko [Lt-Cdr Worf’s son] enlists as “Beq, Second Class) would appear to be a non-commissioned rank above the rank
all warriors enlist in. Due to a Beq’s functions aboard a warship this is probably equivalent to some degree/kind of Warrant
Officer; i.e. they have a ‘warrant’ to serve aboard a warship, which includes duties aboard the actual bridge which would
be reserved for commissioned officers aboard a Starfleet vessel, while in the KDF as a whole they are of non-commissioned
rank. I am also assuming this on the basis of Worf “uprgrading” his sash to a silver baldric (although there may be some other,
obvious, reason I’ve forgotten) as it is apparent that Klingons respect the military structures of other civilizations.

Two grades of Lieutenant (entry probably after passing certain qualifications, with probable preference to warriors of noble
descent) are given as the role of “Commander” is more akin to a military governor (i.e. more compared to the rank of Captain in
Starfleet) and this apparently covers those commissioned ranks below those of command. Continuing with this theme, I’ve
placed two grades of “Captain” (this is Kurn’s apparent rank when he is promoted to head a squadron).

The other roles are fairly obvious, I’ve not included “Governor” as I am assuming this is a political position roughly outside the
military chain-of-command and only one Klingon Admiral is ever shown. Some other ranks may or may not be Intelligence only.

This can also be compared with the relationship between the ‘Starfleet’ (Navy/Air Force-bracketed numbers reflect position in Air Force) and ‘Army*’ (GROPOS/Security) in
Babylon 5’s ‘EarthForce’:

EarthForce ‘Flag’ Officers:
1.Joint Chiefs
2.General
3.Lt-General
4.Major-General
5.Brigadier-General

Command ranks
(Navy)
Colonel
Captain
Commander
Lt-Commander [1]
Major

(Army)
Colonel
Major
Chief Warrant Officer

Commissioned/Warrant Officers below ‘Command’ ranks
(Navy)
Lieutenant [2]
2nd Lt [3]
Ensign [4]

(Army)
Warrant Officer
Sergeant-Major
Gunnery Sergeant

Enlisted/Civilian personnel+NCO:
Officer Cadet
Aerodrome Cadet
Technical staff
Staff Sergeant
Sergeant
Private (1st class)
Private

Because, like in the KDF, petty officers in the ‘Army’ division of EarthForce can be promoted to command level; e.g. The Garibaldi
character is supposed to have the rank of ‘Chief Warrant Officer’ (which in a Navy is the highest rank for enlisted crew) but he
is second/third in command of the station, probably indicating that promotion in the ‘Army’ from the lower ranks is by combat
experience as well as merit and that lower commissioned ranks such as Captain do not exist as, unlike in the ‘Navy’ which is entirely
academy/’Aerodrome’ trained, there is probably no Officer class (*all ranks given are those apparently seen and mentioned, I am
assuming Gen. Franklin’s adjutant in ‘GROPOS’ is a ‘Staff Sergeant’)

KDF ranks in order:
1.Beq 2nd
2.Beq 1st Class
3.Lt 2nd Class
4.Lieutenant
5.Capt. (2nd class)
6.Captain (1st)
7.Commander
8.Colonel
9.Brigadier
10.General
11.Admiral
12.Supreme Commander

EarthForce ranks in order comparable to position in KDF:
1.Private (1st class)
2.Staff Sergeant
3.Lieutenant
4.Chief Warrant Officer
5.Major
6.[Lt-Cmdr to Cpt]
7.Colonel
8.Brigadier-General
9.Major-General
10.Lt-General
11.[four star] General
12.[five star] General

;but this is basically a reflection on how existing Terran Armies function, with myriad arrays of commissioned and non-commissioned
officers differentiating those giving the orders, those actually carrying them out, and those in certain ancillary or support roles.

e.g. the Israeli Defence Forces: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_Defence_Force - Ranks

Enlisted (Hogrim)
• Private (Turai)
• Corporal (Rav Turai)
• Sergeant (Samal)
• Staff Sergeant (Samal Rishon)

NCOs past mandatory service (Nagadim)
• First Sergeant (Rav Samal)
• Master Sergeant (Rav Samal Rishon)
• Sergeant Major (Rav Samal Mitkadem)
• Warrant Officer (Rav Samal Bakhir)
Chief Warrant Officer (Rav Nagad

Officers (Ktzinim)
• Second Lieutenant (Segen Mishneh)
• Lieutenant (Segen)
• Captain (Seren)
• Major (Rav Seren)
• Lieutenant Colonel (Sgan Aluf)
• Colonel (Aluf Mishneh)
• Brigadier General (Tat Aluf)
• Major General (Aluf)
Lieutenant General/General (Rav Aluf)

2009-01-27T15:12:00.000-08:00

Obviously, regarding GAZA, the BBC considers all Gazans as prisoners to be political prisoners, and as it was a political decision on the part of Israel to imprison 1.5 million Gazans for 18 months, along with air strikes and assassinations, then the BBC feels that it should not take sides.

What about taking the side of Humanity for a change BBC?

Yes, Emma Goldman was right: "All Prisoners are Political Prisoners";this of course implies collective punishment of the Gazan people, which is exactly what is happening, but the effects of so-called 'natural' disastors are hampered by Human politics so again. why should the Gazans be treated any differently? Imagine if the Holocaust were happening now,would the BBC give in to pressure from pro-Nazis so as not to appear pro-German?

Show some Humanity, show some backbone in the face of Zionist interference and Show the appeal!

Everything is Political, until we abolish politics in favour of Universal Free Association. Mutual Aid and Solidarity Forever!

2009-01-10T12:25:00.000-08:00

Why Don’t You?

Why don’t you get a job?

Why don’t you go jump off a cliff

Why don’t you do something with your life?

Why did you do something with your life?

Why can’t you do what other people tell you to do?

Why don’t you listen when I say “NO!”?

Why is it you can never commit to something?

Why don’t you get out of the rut you’re stuck in?

Why do you always complain about the world?

Why do you never do anything about it?

Why do you watch nothing but cartoons all day?

What makes you think the soap operas you watch
Are any more indicative of real life?

Why don’t you get your hair cut?

Why don’t you let your hair grow for a while,
You’re forty, overweight, and, for the last time,
The marines rejected you!

Why You

Why you little

Why, you little. Why

You? Little why you?

Little? Why? You little?

You why little

Little why you

You little why?

You
(8.8.2008)

2008-12-31T08:09:00.000-08:00

Gaza and Israel:

Funny to say but I hope some good old fashioned Anarchy comes out of
this crisis, purely because a pacifist government is unlikely to be
elected in Israel any time soon.

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/12/416532.html

It was Israel who broke the treaty, Hamas offered to extend their side
of the ceasefire (which the IDF continued to violate) if a brake in the
blockade was allowed. This has not happened, and so Gaza remains the
world's largest open prison.

Israel has had plenty of opportunity to look to reason, when instead
it has only made the situation worse for everyone and it will continue
to get away with its actions until it does something REALLY shocking
(short of using chemical or nuclear weapons I cannot imagine what).

It has come to the point where there is no imaginable reason why the
Palestinians cannot have their own state, with control over their borders
and airspace, other than the response to Israeli provocations. The only solution,
it seems as there is no real reason why Israel is allowed to exist
as a political entity when Palestine is not, is Anarchy: a peaceful
transition to a stateless environment where mutual aid is valued
over conflict and collective suicide. Currently, politicians on both
sides base their careers on continued conflict, Israelis only elect
former Generals as Prime Ministers and current Israeli policy, backed
by the US and EU is for a puppet Abbas dictatorship in Palestine.

FOR SOLIDARITY AND MUTUAL AID!

2008-12-10T08:24:00.000-08:00

As much as Channel 4 and more 4 should be vilified for the broadcast
last night (9.12.2008)proclaiming holocaust denier David Irving a
martyr for freedom of speech, I think part of the problem is a great
deal of sectarian "anti-prisoner" sentiment on the part of Amnesty
International, or at least a reluctance to interview any individual
involved in Animal or Prisoner Rights (just because someone had
committed a crime in the past does not mean that they are not
mistreated in the present).

Letter I sent to Channel 4:

Dear Sir/Madam,
With regards to last nights broadcast with the
interview with holocaust denier David Irving which I have to
complain about in the strongest terms.

After watching your programme I suspect there is some degree
of sectarianism on Amnesty International's part because there
are plenty of individuals languishing in British prisons

http://www.brightonabc.org.uk/index.htm
http://www.brightonabc.org.uk/european.htm

because of their beliefs who could have been interviewed ;
they could have even had the hacker Gary McKinnon on, who faces
extradition to the US and a 70 year sentence in a Federal prison
for illegally entering federal databases, with no need to be
terribly controversial. I stress, there was no need for more4
and channel 4 to court controversy by interviewing an admitted
Hitler fanatic, holocaust-denying racist.

Freedom of speech should not drown out freedom of debate and the
truth and issues surrounding the Holocaust has now been further
muddied by Mr Irving’s comments

2008-11-20T02:51:00.000-08:00

Good thing: hopefully the BNP will know what the left has gone through in the past 130 years.

Bad thing: bloody publicity+lack of real debate in the media.

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/11/413192.html

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/11/413202.html

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/11/413211.html

2008-10-27T01:22:00.000-07:00

8.8.2008
Hanging Saddam Hussein

Hanging Saddam Hussein
Well, you’ve got to defend yourself
Aint’cha?

What’s to defend?

The right to compare Muslims to Cockroaches?
Italian pigs kicking Gypsies?

3000 Italian troops ignoring dead Gippos
On beaches

Don’t upset the tourists

BNP on youtube
Column in the Telegraph

Videoing the death throes of a dictator
On your cellphone

Toe-may-toe not Tom-Ah-tah
British English
American English
Marain

Cake is a made-up drug

Didn’t they cover “I will survive”?

Special Circumstance, 1984
Prole-feed
Engsoc
Ink-sock?

Blair Speak
Newspeak
Zerzan on language
Chomsky on grammar
HIStory
Machine-produced popular literature

Congratulations, you’ve just passed the
Turing Test!

Pol Pot
Pinochet
Suharto
Saddam
Union Carbide

2008-10-16T04:39:00.000-07:00

TO NATIONALISE

Or not to nationalise?

I do have some sympathies with land nationalisation but only really so far as it may allieviate homelessness and would eliminate parasitic landlords, especially those dependent on housing benefit, but there are three glaring errors: 1. No matter how democratic the state is, the state is still the landlord so basically instead or working or becoming homeless, people would have to obey or become homeless.

2.In a market economy, so long as it is based on free capital, there would be pressure from capital (threat of capital flight etc) for discounts on state land for economic as opposed to practical purposes. What this means is that a)land for factories etc would be cheaper than land for housing and b)this would again benefit business-types as they could claim their home is a business and get cheaper rents than a worker for the same property

3.Housing benefit IS a form of Nationalisation, but like all state interventions its main effect is to benefit those who already benefit from Capitalism, the middle-classes, or, more accurately, it places elements of the middle classes who would not necessarily be able to obtain decent paid work otherwise on the side of the state (i.e. police, army,landlords) and against elements of the proletariat who are still unable to find decent paid work.

I'll put 3 another way: imagine if HB was abolished. A significant minority (mostly pensioners and families on low wages) of rented households are currently on HB (I'd imagine). If they were all suddenly unable to pay their rent (because, in the case of working families, the state previously subsidised their wages) it would be practically impossible to evict every household without massive overspending on the police and prisons and massive public outcry so they would basically get off without paying rent and their landlords or housing associations would suffer.

2008-10-14T10:49:00.000-07:00

Day, week, fortnight, a summer

A summer?
RAIN, go away
Waiting for summer
Or has it been, gone, see you next year
Next century nxt C
2101-next century
Further into the millennium M
A thousand summers 1000
Turning into Autumn leaves
Back 2 skool lessons

Its always back to school with me
Skool gives me ME
Destroys my Id
My Ego Id
My identity

I am not a number I seek asylum
I am a free man! In my own head

(27.6.2008)