Archive for July, 2009

Redjaw Orks: Assault on Strongpoint 01

Elephant in the Room

Hey Shawn,
.
Being a teacher with summer vacation gives me time to read blogs! I was triggered by seeing your sensible post about the F-22, but not seeing anything about why the government would have started something so foolish in the first place. You noted that the government may or may not be acting in the interest of citizens. But then ask whose interest it is acting in.
.
I almost mentioned this a while ago when you made the Oligarchy post and talked about the elephant in the room and that you’ve studied some Latin American history. I don’t think those businesses approach US citizens with any more morality than they approach the people of Latin America. The elephant in the room to me seems to be corporations.
.
Health insurance, banks, oil producers and refiners–these are not run by the government. Private corporations are in charge of all of those industries and have far more responsibility than the US government for crises within them (50 million people unable to see a doctor, the economic meltdown, an oil market divorced from supply and demand). I am not omitting the government, but I think the logic needs to go one step further. The failings within the government are that it serves those corporations more readily than it serves the interests of almost everyone else.
.
Top lobbying industries according to www.opensecrets.org
1 Finance, Insurance & Real Estate $2,558,205,8822
Health $2,298,865,0533 Misc Business $2,257,719,5394
Communications/Electronics $2,092,700,7595
Energy & Natural Resources $1,670,116,4516
Transportation $1,358,911,1637 Other $1,252,273,8198
Ideological/Single-Issue $848,747,4269
Agribusiness $819,757,77110
Defense $668,009,65311
Labor $265,459,71412
Construction $264,698,10113
Lawyers & Lobbyists $188,142,079
Note: These amounts do not include campaign contributions.
.
Look at how much the first two categories account for. Nearly 5 billion dollars. Have you heard about any problems in those industries lately?
.
I see massive problems with our government. However, I think it is wise to ask why it operates as it does. How are decisions made? I think the above list gives a answer to that question … the people in the government have billions of dollars telling them to do what corporations want. What do corporations want? To make money–that is their legally-bound obligation. Spending billions of dollars must come with a payoff for them. If it didn’t, they would be breaking the law for wasting shareholder money. Unfortunately that influence makes a problem for everyone else. Corporations have no morals because they aren’t people–at least not at the level of large international companies. Corporations are legally bound to act in the interest of profit. There is no such binding to morality. Massively rich and powerful actors with no morals seem like an obvious source of problems.
.
Although government is part of the problem because of this influence, I still see it as the only viable solution. The government should serve as the agent of the people to force moral sense and bigger goals than making money onto corporations. I am not saying get rid of business. I am not saying get rid of government. I am saying that the two of them in a back scratching-fest (I’m tempted to put it more obscenely) is what does us in. I think the solution is in severing that relationship.
.
Regards,
M
.
as a side note:”What would it look like if the federal government lived within its means? What would you see on the news? If a president or some members of congress took a stand on staying within budget, what do you think would be said of them?”A Rutger’s professor said, “By the end of the Clinton presidency, the numbers were uniformly impressive. Besides the record-high surpluses and the record-low poverty rates, the economy could boast the longest economic expansion in history; the lowest unemployment since the early 1970s; and the lowest poverty rates for single mothers, black Americans, and the aged.” Many others including a great many newsmen said, “He lied about cheating on his wife.”
.
I have plenty of problems with Bill Clinton, but there is your balanced budget of fairly recent history.

Response to Equilibrium Post

Shawn,
.
Quick response to one of your recent posts.
.
1. I believe what was actually cut was funding for additional f22s, not the entire program. That was the quote from cnn and Robert Gates a few days ago anyway.
.
2. If I may be so bold as to offer a dissenting opinion (said with a smile.)Defense projects like the f22 employ hundreds, often thousands of Americans in the private sector. Sure, there are government workers who contribute, no question. But the materials for the project and the construction of the craft are most often done by private companies. You should check out how most military contracts are gained, often competing private companies produce prototype products, and then are contracted for that item based on availability, performance, and political concerns.
.
This obviously only deals with procurement, but the military is one of the few branches of government that draws heavily from private industry to fill its needs.The cost to the taxpayer and the relative need for new military inovation aside (a discussion that is worth a few hundred thousand words at least) the U.S. military structure funds lots of inovation and start up companies.
.
P.S.I, personally have been converted to the cause of the conservative independent since this last election. Get the facts, ask questions, question statements involving dollars and numbers, what I’ve found is that nearly every number quoted today in politics to justify this program or that is an intentional distortion of reality, twisted to serve the speaker’s personal opinion. Now having done some research, I truly feel the 2 party system has failed the American people by condencing our political options down to a few limited moderates who only differ from one another on a few token issues used to distinguish themselves from the other party.
.
–end soap box rant–

Dice Trove

Here’s a great source for dice:

http://www.chessex.com/Dice/Dice_Home.htm

My faves:

http://www.chessex.com/Dice/Phantom/Teal.htm

http://www.chessex.com/Dice/Phantom/Cranberry.htm

http://www.chessex.com/Dice/Scarab/scarab_dice_home.htm

http://www.chessex.com/Dice/Translucent/23005.htm

You can order any of these with your army, and at our standard discount (20% off; 30% off for military personnel). I can order these as part of any order.

.

Matching dice are really the icing on the cake for an army.

.

PS- I hope these pictures match up. Not totally sure.

Play Nice

New 40k Radio episode:
http://www.40kradio.com/archives/594

Death Korps 551st: Defense of Strongpoint 01

.
3 Heavy Weapons Squad @ [75] Pts
Frag Grenades; Close Combat Weapon (x3); Flak Armour; Lasgun (x3); Autocannon (x3)

Troops: Infantry Platoon (45#, 545 Pts)
1 Infantry Platoon @ 545 Pts

Quantum Flux

June 2009 Empire Releases

First things first. After seeing all this sweet kit, I want to see an Empire army come through the studio. At the end of this article I’ve got a a deal cooking…

You can see the entire Empire range here. In the last year, there have many spectacular, unheralded releases for this line. There are numerous evocative models.

Empire Greatsword Plastics $41.25 USD
This box set contains 10 multi-part plastic Empire Greatswords. This 132-piece kit includes: 13 different heads, 12 different arms wielding two-handed swords, six variant bodies, and five different sets of legs. Also included are all the pieces needed to assemble a champion, a musician and a standard bearer, and a host of additional components for customising the unit. Models supplied with 20mm square bases.

Shawn’s Comments: I haven’t seen this kit, but it seems to have quite a number of parts. This is the most expensive kit I’ve seen, at a hefty $4.15 per model. This is what is normally charged for metal figures. I don’t understand it.

Empire Archers $24.95 USD

This box set contains 10 multi-part plastic Empire Archers. This 107-piece set includes: 10 different archer bodies, 20 different heads, and all of the components needed to assemble one archer as a marksman. Also included are a range quivers, swords, arrows, pouches, and even a dead Orc with an arrow in his gut. Models supplied with 20mm square bases.

Empire Steam Tank $57.75

Steam Tanks are monstrous, smoke-belching creations that rumble towards the enemy, firing deadly cannon balls from their steam-powered guns. The advance of these iron behemoths is terrifying to behold, as arrows ricochet from armoured hulls and enemy warriors are crushed beneath their immense bulk.

This box set contains one multi-part plastic Steam Tank. This 72-piece kit includes: two variations of cannon, an Engineer with choice of three heads, a host of Empire icons, and full interior detailing. Model supplied with a 50mm x 100m base.

Shawn’s Comments: A steam tank is one of those units that is such a huge problem that it causes a panic check… in real life. It’s a Rare choice for 300 points, so it takes up a good deal of pointage. It helps anchor the Empire line– it causes Terror, is Unbreakable, and with Toughness 6, Armour Save of 1+ and TEN (yes TEN) Wounds it’s not going anywhere anytime soon.

Take one if you want to be mean. Take two if you want to be cruel.

Marius Leitdorf $29.75
Marius Leitdorf is known as the Mad Lord of Averland. He is sullen and morose, and given to bouts of screaming and rage. A skilled swordsman, Marius fights with two blades; a Runefang in one hand and a long-bladed dagger in the other – a style of combat he has mastered better than anyone.
This blister contains one finely-detailed, metal Marius Leitdorf. Model supplied with a 25mm x 50mm base
Shawn’s Comments: Like many models in this range, this would make a great generic Captain.

Book an Empire army for completion in August and get 35% off on your materials.

March to War Empire Special
Alternatively, we will create a 1500 pt Empire list (reasonably competitive and fun!), acquire the models, assemble and paint them, complete with magnetized movement trays for $950. Upgrade the army list to a 2000 pt list for +$250. For this deal we get to pick everything; army composition, basing and color scheme.

Pick your province for +$100. See here for the various options.

Pull the trigger for half down. I accept almost any

This is a limited time offer. Until further notice.

Zero Dollars a Day

Ron Paul Fix

« Older Entries    Newer Entries »