[Hello there long lost emails]

Yeah, I didn't know if it was your end or mine, but I suspected yours (since usually I get a bounce-back in the rare occurrences when one doesn't go through). Glad everything's solved now, though I don't envy you sorting through about 250 emails. That sounds tiring.

[Log Dump, ohhhh yeah]

Personally, I was disappointed by the lack of candy.

[Day 2: Poll: Everyone Please Vote for Accuracy!]

The biggest problems with these big federal programs (I include health care, Social Security, welfare, etc.) is that they inevitably turn into a horrible mess. Welfare and unemployment are regularly, deliberately abused. SS is spending more than it's taking in, and likely doomed to eventual failure (those who're currently paying into it aren't likely to see a dime from it, unless something drastically changes). Why should I expect this to turn out differently?

I find the arguments comparing it to schools rather interesting (since private schools are almost always better than public ones). I assume we'll see hospital levies on our local ballots? Around here, they're lucky if a school levy ever gets passed, so I imagine we'll be closing most of our hospitals soon enough.

[Beer Reviews? YOU MONSTER!]

These terms have nothing to do with the game. I have no idea why joke terms should be imposed, especially completely OOC terms.

It's a cultural exchange for the betterment of international relations?

[Reps seem to be the fun blog of the whatever, so here's my take:]

This post is its own reward. You should ask for reparations for reading 90% of the rest of the blogs/forums.

I haven't bothered Astronaut Jones because he specified rogues, and I was just looking to refill my nukes in order to greedily covet them. Don't get me wrong, a man has to have the option to ride his nuclear weapon down to impact, but still...no reason to drag others into it.

[Some Quick Wartime Observations]

Generally speaking, those who brag about casualties only do so because they have nothing else to brag about. It's a means for stat whores who don't have the worthwhile statistics, to brag and boast and claim they don't care about all the other aspects of the game. It's stat whoring of a different nature, those who hug infra and those who hug casualties are one in the same.

Exactly. Casualties are pixels too.

[TOP-CnG War Web 2010-02-05]

It no longer fits on my screen

Fronz, this is the most concise summary of the war I've seen thus far.

[There are those who said this day would never come. What are they to say now?]

Vlad, I'm not sure why you think one can't compare and contrast one time period to another. That seems like a recipe for regulated thought. I'm also not sure why you thought it wouldn't take quite a while for a great war, considering the political pressure not to "look like a new Hegemony" that opposed maneuvers (especially early or direct/blatant maneuvers) to seize the power vacuum (either by diplomacy in the case of your A scenario or war in the case of your B scenario).

I would also suggest that remolding international norms (even at the temporary/direct cost of damaging one's international position) is in and of itself an advancement of one's international position. So yes, as you said, this is precisely the sort of situation where credibility overrides infra-hugging. I'm confused why you'd suggest this is a bad thing. [And insofar as his final example, I'd suggest it was more a "lack of backroom muggings" before war than a "lack of diplomacy," that he thought was a good thing.]

By your last comment, I take it you're of the opinion that this war should necessarily result in a coalescence of power with one side as undisputed king of the mountain? Or is it just that your political theory needs this to be the case?

{Edited for clarity.)

[War Declaration Web 2.0]

Tomorrow, perhaps we can expect a "Peace Declaration Web" alongside this.

[When Real Life intersects with CN]

I still feel more or less safe. I mean, it's not like the Browns won the AFC Championship too.