Jim Phaserman

Hey, Wishfire, I don't know why, but after I read that, I kept hearing Johnny Cash saying "My name is SUE! How do you do!?"

According to IMBd, Tom Hanks also made a cameo, credited only as "British Officer."

Tom Hank's son was in the Band of Brothers as very young officer. He does have is father's looks.

Did he play that very junior Lieutenant at the end of the series?

I think he has it in him for another Superbowl Run, and a chance for an unprecedented fourth MVP award. The problem this past year was that the only things consistant on the Offense were Himself, and the two tackles. If he can get a consistent group of starters, Especially at the inside three line possitions, and the wide recievers, he should do well.

When I read that the first time, I scared Julie and Krissy with a loud "Hell Yeah!". Now, it hasn't been posted at officialbrettfavre.com or packers.com, but I expect it will shortly. And what's this I heard about Condy Rice being nominated for NFL Commish?

Holy revival of dead topics, Batman! THis topic was inactive for what? 14 months? Holy cow...

Ah, Jane Fonda...never really liked her.

Tom Hanks was good in Apollo 13, but I just didn't like Forrest Gump. He was also good in Saving Private Ryan. I'm honestly surprised he didn't make a cameo in Band of Brothers, actually.

Ben Stiller ain't a big draw for me, either.

Robin Williams I will go see, and Robert DeNiro.

I don't know who said it, but someone said a Black Hole is just God trying to divide by Zero.

Death is the one thing in life that really, truely is Equal Opportunity.

The missile power of a modern-build BBG would be outragous, but indeed, manning is a problem. Even for a ship that measures 887' X 108' 1" (The dimensions of the Iowa Class), with all the missile and gun technology aboard, and with the computer systems, you are still looking at a potential crew at minimum of 800-900. As Odie said, the cost per day is also very prohibitive, even if it was nuclear powered. the Big Guns, with the use of Extended Range Munitions (IE Rocket Assisted Projectiles) and GPS guidance (A program the Army is working on for it's Paladan SPH), could have a range of nearly 100 klicks, and be nearly pin-point accurate, but Odie is right, Missiles are the way things are going now, and why spend $5 Billion to build a Battleship to carry 150 TLAMs when the Ohio SSGN Conversion can do it for you at a cost of $500 Million (I'm guestimating the cost of the conversion, I haven't actually seen the cost figures). The Marines would love them for the big guns, but that's all they'd be used for, since almost all surface threats faced by the Navy can be handled by the Harpoon, and the 5" Mk. 45 and it's various variants work well enough for shore bombardment.

I brought this up with Gary, he suggested a "New Build" could fit the bill more for a Battlecruiser by reducing the Armor from the 16 inch or 18 inch max down to 6 inches. That would still provide plenty of protection against modern Anti-Ship Missiles, but would also cut wieght dramatically. Also, two twin 16" turrets would have a smaller footprint (Probably 30% smaller) than the existing triple turrets.

Here's something else: USS Iowa is still in the Reserve Fleet. If needed, she could be brought back to active duty, and during a modernisation process, remove the #2 Gunmount (Damaged in an explosion during the late 80's, and never actually repaired), and replace it with a custom-fitted Mk. 41 pad. I'd have to check the comparative diameters, and obviously you wouldn't get 100% space usage out of it because the space is round, not square, but I am sure you could fit a number of Mk. 41 VLS cells in there...

the upcoming operation in the Eros Sim, Trident Thrust, actually has us attacking from three seperate directions, with probably three fleets in the center, and the other two going straight in for a flank meneuver at the outset. I'm hoping this sort of three-pronged attack will put enough pressure on the enemy to force them to just collapse, at which point we'll start a planetary landing in force, and hopefully capture the rebel capitol. I'm hoping to actually get the Rebs to spread their force out, so they can't concentrate their power in one perticular place, making a break-through more likely.

Back to the topic, before it turns into a USMC Slamthread...in the Sim I am in, the Eros Sim, we actually worked in a way that would require personnel to salute. Upon meeting a superior commissioned officer for the first time each day, you salute, as well as when reporting in to a superior officer, especially reporting to a new duty station. You don't salute during battle, real or simulated, or during exercise (in the Holodeck or gym), or when in the Ship's lounges. When a ship is docked at a Starbase or space station, A quarterdeck is established at the primary point of entry to the ship. Most of these, though, are only generally put into effect aboard starships assigned to the Strategic and Tactical Operations section of Starfleet (Coincidentally, headed by myself.)

Okay, so the other day, I'm talking with a few friends over some beers, and we get to talking about Navy ships. One of the guys says, "Ya know what the Navy really needs? They need Battleships!" So, with the topic brought up, a lively debate ensues. While I do like the idea, it's not neccissarily a practical matter. Battleships require HUGE monetary investments. They take a long time to build, and they are manpower intensive vessels. Also, like a Carrier, you don't want to send a Battleship ANYWHERE without some support. It's too valuable. the other guys suggested, somewhat, but not entirely accurately that a Battleship would be the hardest naval vessel in the world to sink. True, a Battleship's armored hull (18 inches on an Iowa class Battleship) makes it virtually impervious to modern, sea-skimming Anti-Ship cruise missiles, but they are still vulnerable from the air. Penetrating, air dropped bombs can go through the lighter deck armor and cause massive damage in the Ammunition and powder magazines, engineering spaces, and fuel tankage. THe guy who brought up the subject brings up the Battleship's real shining point: Firepower. a Modern Battleship the same dimensions of the Iowa class wouldn't neccisarily have to carry 9 16" guns. It could do very well with as little as 4 16" guns, replacing the other guns with other weapons' systems. A new-build battleship could also be equiped with the Aegis system. A new-build Iowa redesign could POTENTIALLy carry 4 16" guns (2 in a forward twin turret, two in an aft twin turret), a pair of very large Mk. 41 VLS pads for and aft, 2 twin Mk. 45 Gun turrets, 4 Phalanx CWIS mounts, and perhaps two RIM 116 Rolling Airframe Missile launchers. A redesigned superstructure, perhaps a design similar to that on the Ticonderoga class Cruiser or Arliegh Burke class Destroyer, would allow for all of these systems. The problem is the money required to build one, and the crew requirements. The other thing is, do we REALLY need a new battleship? What say you?

Van Roy, he's a Marine....Muscles Are Required, Intelligence Not Expected. Sir.

TRIPLE Whopper, a samich suitable for only the largest of the species...Me.

Most of the time, you don't notice till it's too late, meaning you're getting into your rack, and, hey, wait a second, when I pull the sheet up, my feet are exposed.... It's basically just an annoyance, and takes all of maybe a minute to correct, but by the time it's noticed, the damage is done.

Redoing the bedding on his rack, so that the sheets are "shorted", IE oriented 90 degrees from normal.

I snuck into the Goat Locker on my first command and Short-sheeted the COB (Chief of Boat, the Submarine equivelent of a Command Master Chief). He was fuming. He about killed everyone in the Chief's Mess, figuring it had to be one of them. It never occured to him that a very junior 3rd Class would have the gall to shortsheet him. When he found out, I thought he was gonna put me in the torpedo tube and use me as a dummy round. then my Division Officer stepped forward and told the Master Chief that HE had put me up to it. It was false, I did it of my own accord, but my Divo and the COB hated each other, so he was willing to take the wrap for me.

That looks just like a Nova class

Relatives, maybe?

Actually, the "Intrepid type" in Enterprise predates the Nova class by some two hundred-odd years. However, the Nova class was the original design for the Defiant class, at least according to the DS9 Tech Manual.

Well, remember, the US Military is comprised of more than just the usual Christians, Jews, and Muslims. With more than 3 million people serving at any given time, there are bound to be ALOT of different faiths---and sects thereof---represented. The Wiccans are still trying to get represented, there.

Different class, Gamera. You're thinking this class...

It's still going to haunt him, even though he knows now he wasn't the cause. Losing a girlfriend, especially at that age, can definately leave lasting mental scarring.

Was the game on campus? The picture looks like it was more likely at a college or professional arena. If it was on-campus, then I'd say let the students go, so long as we have room in the Gym. If it was away somewhere else, then I'd probably impliment the procedures I mentioned.

Every year my school's Navy JROTC unit takes a Long Range field trip to San Diego. you have to have a 2.0 GPA to go, and get your assignments from teachers ahead of time. Now, this trip isn't a vacation to San Diego in the middle of a Chicago winter. the Cadets going on the trip essentially live the life of real life Military for 5 or 7 days in a City that has probably the highest percentage of Military Persons living there per capita. When I went on the trip my Senior year, we arrived on a sunday in the afternoon, got to the barracks, unpacked and got the barracks organised and the watchbills set, then marched to dinner, and had a study night. During the week, we visited various Navy and Marine Corps facilities, including touring a warship, participating in the Navy's Damage Control Flood Simulator, Visited a helicopter squadron and a Viking Squadron, and watched a Marine Corps Basic Training graduation, among other things. I think it was Wednesday we also had another study night. Saturday we went to Disney Land. It was, with the exception of the trip to Disney and the nightly "Liberty" to study or go to the Pool Hall, very much a school activity.

Now, if I was the school, I would have done something similar. Students must have a min. 2.0 GPA, get permission from their teachers (Who's classes they will be missing, even if it means all of their classes), and get their assignments for that day. the same would apply to the Team, Band, and Cheerleaders. With all that out of the way, the students who are going would arrive at school as usual, then they would take the school's busses to the game, and back. (I'd do that because I know how HS kids are. If they aren't forced to take the bus, they'll use it as an excuse to ditch.) I'd also assign students to a bus. If they don't muster onto the bus, both before and after the game, and don't show up in classes, they will get a UA for any classes missed. But, that's me, and I'm a freakin' dickhead, so....

Ah, you're refering to "god-modding," where no matter what happens the character gets out of situations unscathed.

 

"You're ship exploded!"

 

"I beamed out just in time."

 

"But you're a thousand light-years from any habitable worlds, and you have no other allied ships nearby..."

 

"My ship has a transporter range of 2,000 light-years."

 

<_<

 

I participated in a board-based RPG where a lot of the participants had a bad habit of doing that. Out of spite, I created a new character, become allied with the worst of the god-modders, took damage in combat, and, while my ship was in an allied spacedock undergoing repairs... I self-destructed. :P Boy, were a lot of people pissed off.

 

I prefer keeping things going as realistically as possible. I hate it when other participants suddenly have "super powers."

We have someone in our sim who's charactor is rather oddly Jedi-Like. in a STAR TREK SIM. It caused some friction when, during a big battle, I posted his ship actually losing it's shields and taking a hit on it's extraneously armored hull. I sim as a Valderan, and yeah, we aren't the most realistic species, but we certainly have no problem with getting ourselves killed. I frequently have my ships in the middle of the danger zone. I'm not the kind of commander who surrounds his flagship with "Expendable" escorts. My ship is always on point. The joke is that I do that so I can say that I was in the battle longer than anyone, therefor I have the most experience. There's been times when my flagship has had to be towed home. the Georgia, my present ship, for all it's size and firepower, is no better protected than say a Soveriegn class.

Also, something the Eros sim does frequently is get involved in the politics of the situation. For example, there was a battle where the ships of X-Fleet forced Starfleet, Klingon, and Valderan ships to quit a battle, and finished the battle themselves. THis pissed me off royally, because my strategy was actually working quite well. I couldn't argue about the fact that my ships were forced out, because the Fleet Commander (And Game Master) had given the Okay for the move, but I made up for it in the political aftermath. Valderans and Klingons don't like being forced out of a fight, and especially hate that when they are WINNING. I posted Chancellor Martok sending a message to X-Fleet High command that discussed their chemical composition in a rather unsavory manner.