BattleTech - The Board Game of Armored Combat
Off Topic and Technical Support => Off Topic => Topic started by: bpardoe870 on 16 March 2011, 09:52:37
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Enjoy folks!
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/ (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Nice to see you still thinking of a BT novel. :) Hopefully they will start printing novels soon so you will get your chance. sm
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I've been setting some cash aside for when these bad boys finally get used for that glorious purpose.
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a394/Sangdraxshadow/loggingyard-jj-001.jpg)
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We'd love for more dead tree Pardoe goodness. :)
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Feel free to chime in...
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/ (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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What? No Deadlands or Spelljammer or Dark Sun or Ravenloft?
;)
Ruger
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Quite an interesting list there. O0 sm
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Spelljammer and Ravenloft looked cool - I just never played or read them.
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Spelljammer sure was, eh, "cool" in a very 80's fantasy/sci-fi mash up kind of way. As for Ravenloft, I find it to be one of the worst case of setting intent<->rule intent conflict that I have ever come across.
Nice bog by the way.
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Reminds me a lot of my dad's preferences in games.
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Suddenly I feel very old.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Enjoy
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/ (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/)
Blaine Pardoe
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Here's my latest blog post on Leviathans!
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/ (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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for those about to rock! [rockon]
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This is awesome news!!!!! I'm very excited for this game [rockon]
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can't wait to see this game in stores, very exciting news [rockon]
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Yes, I am THAT level of geek that I own that book in my library.
That's not geek, that's striving for accuracy! O0 sm
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Thats actually intresting. It might be worth checking out.
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I loved your list of your favorite games!
I match you on: Panzerblitz, Wooden Ships & Iron Men, Traveller (and the fact that H. Beam Piper's world names were 'borrowed' for some of the planets), 1st Edition AD&D, and The Morrow Project (yes!!). I'm adding to my list Advanced Civilization from Avalon Hill, King Maker, Pax Britannia, The Fantasy Trip, Wizard's Quest, and Nuclear War.
Every time I go to Origins I make sure I block some time to play Advanced Civ. Ah, that game is awesome.
Anyone intersted in playing a Morrow Project scenario? 8) I volunteer to GM and help out any newbies, no problem.
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Anyone intersted in playing a Morrow Project scenario? 8) I volunteer to GM and help out any newbies, no problem.
Not to get too off track, but I'm curious, what is Morrow Project?
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I match you on: Panzerblitz, Wooden Ships & Iron Men, Traveller (and the fact that H. Beam Piper's world names were 'borrowed' for some of the planets), 1st Edition AD&D, and The Morrow Project (yes!!). I'm adding to my list Advanced Civilization from Avalon Hill, King Maker, Pax Britannia, The Fantasy Trip, Wizard's Quest, and Nuclear War.
You got to come out this way Top, your interests are scarily similar. I'd add Tobruk, Air Force/Dauntless, Third Reich and Next War (who cares about TSS's cavalry charges when you can send a dozen A class motor-rifle regiments through the Fulda Gap with chemical warfare support ;) )
W.
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Not to get too off track, but I'm curious, what is Morrow Project?
Sci-Fi Role Playing Game.
Came out in the late 70's.
Premise: An industrialist named Morrow had managed ta limited form of time travel and had discovered that in 1989 there would be a devastating nuclear war. He carefully selected other industrialists and they developed the Morrow Project, which was a network of small teams placed in cryogenic suspension in secure bunkers throughout the United States. Their mission was to get the United States back on its feet again after the war. Your team was, like the others, scheduled to wake up 5 years after the war. When you wake up you have no contact with anyone else and your chronometers indicate that it is 150 years after the war. Looks like your on your own....
The game provided about 20 basic load outs (weapons & equipment) for players, vehicles, and three basic types of teams (Science, Recon, and Mars [combat] teams. GM's were encouraged to add their own flavor, so I ran a campaign in college where the players were combat engineers with the task of getting the Tenessee Valley Authority back online. Good times. :)
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Sci-Fi Role Playing Game.
Came out in the late 70's.
Premise: An industrialist named Morrow had managed ta limited form of time travel and had discovered that in 1989 there would be a devastating nuclear war. He carefully selected other industrialists and they developed the Morrow Project, which was a network of small teams placed in cryogenic suspension in secure bunkers throughout the United States. Their mission was to get the United States back on its feet again after the war. Your team was, like the others, scheduled to wake up 5 years after the war. When you wake up you have no contact with anyone else and your chronometers indicate that it is 150 years after the war. Looks like your on your own....
The game provided about 20 basic load outs (weapons & equipment) for players, vehicles, and three basic types of teams (Science, Recon, and Mars [combat] teams. GM's were encouraged to add their own flavor, so I ran a campaign in college where the players were combat engineers with the task of getting the Tenessee Valley Authority back online. Good times. :)
that sounds really cool, never was into the fantasy role playing, but this sounds like a story line I could get into!
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that sounds like an awesome game
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I've always had fun with it. You can have mutant critters (5 foot high wolverines anyone? :)), mutant people "zombies", you can have a bit of 'road warrior-esque' encounters, or my favorite is that in 150 years society would be trying to put itself back together and so you could have all sorts of different little kingdoms, countries, etc at any sort of tech level you want. One morning my crew woke up to a 6 pound roundshot glancing off of the hull. They had laagered in a small wooded copse the night before and two rival armies had occupied the area that night and started a battle at dawn, and they found themselves smack in the middle of no-man's land. :)
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I've always had fun with it. You can have mutant critters (5 foot high wolverines anyone? :)), mutant people "zombies", you can have a bit of 'road warrior-esque' encounters, or my favorite is that in 150 years society would be trying to put itself back together and so you could have all sorts of different little kingdoms, countries, etc at any sort of tech level you want. One morning my crew woke up to a 6 pound roundshot glancing off of the hull. They had laagered in a small wooded copse the night before and two rival armies had occupied the area that night and started a battle at dawn, and they found themselves smack in the middle of no-man's land. :)
sounds like an easy one to base a Fallout type game in:)
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Thats essentially the same basic premise as fallout. The difference being instead of cyrogen teams, you have multiple generations passing in fallout. Otherwise, its almost an identical backstory. Which is good, because Fallout is an awesome backdrop, and this one sounds just as cool.
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http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/ (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/)
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I refuse to sit in an ejection seat that cannot live up to its name, and my fiance refuses to allow me to have incendiary devices in the house.
So no, I don't have one.
Yet...
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The funny part - it is a downward firing seat -- and my office is in the basement.
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Where does one get an ejection seat, exactly?I know the guys on Pawn Stats got one once, but....
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The funny part - it is a downward firing seat -- and my office is in the basement.
What from, a -104?
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According to his blog it's B-104/2
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The funny part - it is a downward firing seat -- and my office is in the basement.
That would hurt. But only for a split second. sm
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B-104? I though it was from a B-52 Bomber, they were known to have a double decker setup that had a ejection seat aiming down. I remember a friend once telling me about terrible crash didn't favor downward ejection seats.
Thanks for sharing Mr. Pardoe!
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B-104? I though it was from a B-52 Bomber...
PsihoKekec's reply said a B-104/2, if you do the math you end up with B-52.
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It's a B-52 - downward firing Electronic Warfare Operator's seat.
Where did I get it? If you look hard enough on the internet, you can find anything. In this case, a guy in Arizona who de-milled aircraft and salvaged parts.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/ (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/)
Enjoy!
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Always interesting to read your blog.
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If you go to my facebook page you can watch the video of an interview I did for the book, Lost Eagles.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Enjoy!
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/ (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/ (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/)
Enjoy!
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since it appears that I cannot post to your blog for whatever reason (maybe it just doesn't like Opera) I'll post here.
You asked "what have I overlooked"
Well... how about The Enemy Below, The Caine Mutiny, and Mr. Roberts -- in that order? The progression is from Serious to Screwball -- I always like to end on a screwball comedy.
The first is so good every sci-fi (including trek) rips it off sooner or later.
Caine mutiny is a venture into the absurd, with stopoffs at irony and shame.
Which is great to follow up with probably the best USN screwball comedy ever. Mr. Roberts is one of the funniest movies made in the middle of a war -- and even the tragic ending brings a laugh with it.
Though my all-time favorite military moview is 100% absurd comedy, to blazes with reality.
"No Time for Sergeants" starring Andy Griffith. If you've never seen it, I highly suggest it.
Surprised at the lack of pacific theatre -- Tora Tora Tora, Midway, Naked and the Dead...
Admittedly, I'm not that big on the war in the Pacific myself -- Anything with Nazi's is funny. To quote a lady friend "Nuns are funny, they're like Nazi's that way." (to put that in context, she was referring to "the sound of music")
Moe: I want you to blow out your brains!
Nazi: But mein Fuhrer, we are Nazi's, we have no brains!
Moe: Well blow out whatever you've got then...
Oh... which reminds me... "Inside the Third Reich" - VASTLY underrated TV movie that made us all go "Wait.. You mean Rutger Hauer can ACT?!?" (in almost the same way Tombstone did for Val Kilmer).
Also happy to see "Cross of Iron" listed -- you are quite correct that it's often overlooked despite possibly being Pekinpah's best flick... of course I'm a huge fan of BOTH Schell and Coburn -- so it's automatically made of /WIN/
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Under Braveheart you wrote "Mel Gibson's speech's rock"
In other news I really like your blog. Its very nice. :)
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Been a fan of Lost Battalion, actually. Needs more love.
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"A Bridge to Far" Is one of those movies I watch every few months, the right amount of comedy, tragedy, and historical goodness makes it a great movie, heck they could have filmed with a bunch of no-name actors and it still would be great. Definatly not something they could make today.
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You wrote this:
The Blue Max. WWI aviation movies are rare. This is one that has a decent plot and some wonderful flying scenes. If I am writing WWI aviation stuff, this movie is a requirement to have on.
So I strongly recommend this:
(http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTIzOTA5MzYxOF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwODk4ODUyMQ@@._V1._SY317_CR5,0,214,317_.jpg)
Aces High - IMDB (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075627/)
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The Big Red One. My favorite war movie.
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The Band of Brothers series.
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Doh!! I do put on Band of Brothers. It's on Spike TV so often though, I don't have to. My bad. Good catch!
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Bah! They spoiled Master and Commander. They should've left the Midshipman Hollom story as in the book, where he's having an affair with the gunner's wife and ends where the Gunner catches them at it on a tropical island and kills them. The Jonah stuff instead was pants.
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Nice to see that you listed Stalingrad. Fantastic movie.
How about Battle of Britain?
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Waterloo
Platoon
Apocolypse Now
Bkachawk Down
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Guys, if you like screwball stuff watch Kelly's Heroes! Keifer Sutherland is THE screwball of screwballs for war movies.
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You guys got all my favorites listed.
Now I gotta go watch Zulu again!
*currently humming Men of Harlech*
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Guys, if you like screwball stuff watch Kelly's Heroes! Keifer Donald Sutherland is THE screwball of screwballs for war movies.
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If you want a really cheery war movie, try "Hell in the Pacific".
Note there are HUGE sarcasm quotes around "cheery". sm
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Doh! Thanks for the save lol
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Another classic is Flying Tigers with John Wayne. A bit corny but I like it.
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I heard that Flyboys was originally more accurate, but then they did some random screening, and the dumb audience complained about not seeing who the good and bad guys were, so they then went to painting all the germans in Red Baron red.
Don't know how true this is, though.
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Have you noticed that the German tribesmen at the beginning of Gladiator are chanting the Zulu battle chants from the movie Zulu?
Germanic Zulus: now that's scary!
My favs match up pretty closely with Mr Pardoe's; definately recommend Gary Cooper in Sergeant York.
I would add Tears of the Sun.
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http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/ (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/)
Enjoy!
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Why did you put down Felix's first name down as Flex?
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Because I'm stupid!
Thanks for the catch.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I've read a couple of those books and seen a few of those movies. :)
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Because I'm stupid!
Thanks for the catch.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
You are welcome
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Enjoy
http://www2.starexponent.com/news/2011/jun/10/my-graduation-speech-my-son-alex-ar-1098052/ (http://www2.starexponent.com/news/2011/jun/10/my-graduation-speech-my-son-alex-ar-1098052/)
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Enjoy!
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/ (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/ (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/)
Enjoy!
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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What about the following?
The Usual Suspects
Training Day
Law Abiding Citizen
Se7en
Identity
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I should add Se7en to my list. I haven't seen the others - yet.
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You should definitely watch The Usual Suspects. No fast forwarding!
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You write True Crime and haven't seen The Usual Suspects? I'm speechless. :-\
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Who is Keyser Söze?
Honestly who hasn't seen The Usual Suspects? it's one of the top 10 Crime and top 10 Modern Noir filims, Shame on you for not having seen it!
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Heat
Layer Cake
Copland
and The Wire - not a movie but easily the best (english language) police show.
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Heat
Layer Cake
Copland
and The Wire - not a movie but easily the best (english language) police show.
I'll second The Wire, some good work by David Simon. Some other movies you should consider include:
Touch of Evil - Orson Wells, need I say more?
City of God - Good vs. Evil in Rio.
Once Upon a Time in America - the ~4 hr epic was Sergio Leone's last film.
The car chase trio: Bullitt, The Seven Ups and The French Connection.
The Big Sleep - Hawks, Faulkner, Bogart and Bacall with a complex plot.
Traffic - The excellent cast and plot earned it 4 Oscars.
Shadow of a Doubt - One of Hitchcock's favorites, for good reason
Lucky Number Slevin - nice plot twists.
Mean Streets - early De Niro and Scorsese
Frenzy - More Hitchcock
Mystic River - Eastwood is behind the camera, in this case of mistaken blame.
You should watch more older movies, most on your list are less than 15 years old.
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L.A. Confidential was good too.
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I should have added a couple of my Hitchcock films! Geez. I also do pop in Citizen Kane from time to time (more rare as the years pass)
Guys thanks for the suggestions!
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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The Score - deNiro and Edward Norton
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The Score - deNiro and Edward Norton
It's ok, but I'd rank Thief, with James Caan and Jack Warden higher. It's the oldest film I've found where a burning bar/oxygen lance was used.
PS: And Willie Nelson appears in it.
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10 Rillington Place Satring Lord Attenborough
And according to my retired constable father Barney Miller is the most acurate police show ever
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http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/ (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/)
Enjoy!
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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We don't want to kill you, we want to kill Ben Rome ;D ;D :D ;)
Have a great time at Gen Con
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Enjoy!
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/ (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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"The biggest non-release"
I like that turn of phrase Blaine. [rockon]
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"Somebody kill that destroyer". LOL sm
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Sweet.
I'm not interested in getting into more mini games, but I'm strongly considering making an exception for this one when it finally comes out.
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Its a really good game.
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yeah, I've gotten all the PDF releases and have been paying the game for a good while now. it's a lot of fun.
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so far it is the my favorite game that I've never played. I look forward to changeing that last part.
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You can download the base rules for free from monstersinthesky.com...
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I really wanted to get in on boot camp of it, but it was jam-packed every time I was available to play. Which is just plain awesome for CGL, its looking like that have a real big hit on their hands!
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You can download the base rules for free from monstersinthesky.com...
I have them actually. Still don't have anyone to play with.
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Obviously I am slanted in my perspective of the game since I did some writing for the product. What I loved the most was the differences in the ships performance. Destroyers - they can move, but they cannot hang in a fight for too long before they risk having their keels broken. One guy lost a ship and said, "Every man overboard..." My response "Dude, your cruiser is at 2000 meters up. They can jump over the side, but it's a race to the ground with the rest of the ship."
I will say this, I wrote the French material - and the French ARE COOL, as are the Italians. The French always seem to catch flak in military games, but the French in this game are daring and bold aviators and fighters.
If you're on the fence about buying this, jump off - this is going to be a neat Steampunk game to play and play and play.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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At one point Leviathans Bootcamp was at 275% of capacity. They had eight slots and 22 people showed up for one session.
Every time I went past the Catalyst booth there were at least 10-15 people gathered around the Levs demo table.
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Enjoy...
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/ (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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As always an interesting read. Thank you.
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D. B. Cooper...got your attention? Good. I read Skyjack recently and here's my review: http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/ (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I say "sadly" because I am still waiting for a very good Cooper book to be written.
Well, you could always write the book yourself.... ;)
Craig
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D. B. Cooper. There's a man who had more pure chutzpah than entire generations.
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Believe me, after reading this book I was tempted to add this to my list of books I should someday write.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I've heard negative reviews from other sources as well. It's too bad; D. B. Cooper's robbery is one of the great American mysteries and I would definitely be interested in a good book about it.
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Believe me, after reading this book I was tempted to add this to my list of books I should someday write.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
If you want something done right, do it yourself! You would probably do a great job on it.
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If you want me to autograph your stack of BattleTech stuff and are in the area - drop in. Heck, I'd appreciate the conversation.
Horizon Books, 10:00am
Other News;
http://blainepardoe.com/3152.html (http://blainepardoe.com/3152.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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If you want me to autograph your stack of BattleTech stuff...
Wouldn't you feel funny signing books that the Chrisses wrote?
^_^
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If you were closer I would be there.
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Um...I assumed you'd want me to autograph the stuff I contributed to.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Going to come to the Detroit area any time soon?
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Strange, for some reason your last name was popping into my head yesterday. I am not sure why. I am not sure which novel of yours for BT that I have read, but I know that I have. It may have been one that I borrwed from some friends so probalby don't actually own it. :(
Of course the bibliography reads like a list of awesome books. I'm out in California, so I am nowhere near the book signing. If so I would have wanted to get a sig on a copy of TRO:3055. Favorite BT book fo all time, yes I know its a TRO but my favorite. [drool]
Good luck with the signing!
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Um...I assumed you'd want me to autograph the stuff I contributed to.
That's a dangerous assumption to make around here. :)
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Pitty I live no where close. Exodus Road/MW2 Strat guide's clan history is what dragged me hook line and sinker in to Battletech/Mechwarrior for nearly 15 years! I do not have my first novel either sadly donated it to my old high school library to share the BT love, best thing was the half dozen books i donated were always out when ever I went to go look.
As I cannot say it in person, Thank you Mr. Pardoe for bringing me in to this wonderful universe. I hope when they start putting out new novels, you keep contributing to the universe.
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http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/ (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/)
Well, there you go.
Signed,
Award Winning Author and Historian
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Congratulations! It is always thrilling to be vindicated by your peers as well as your fans. I hope to see some new Battletech stuff down the road with a nice "by award winning author and historian" in the near future. ;)
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Well done sir!
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Congratulations, Buck! Glad to see you getting the recognition you deserve.
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Congratulations! O0
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For those that care...
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2011/11/importance-of-alternate-history.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2011/11/importance-of-alternate-history.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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While I agree that Alternate History is somewhat important (Nothing like letting us look at events from a different perspective), I'm going to vehemently deny that Steampunk has any relation to it any more. Most steampunk just feels like tired Victorian fantasy, not an alternate one.
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To me alternate history is more fun than anything else. One of my favorites is in Red Alert series of games.
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While I agree that Alternate History is somewhat important (Nothing like letting us look at events from a different perspective), I'm going to vehemently deny that Steampunk has any relation to it any more. Most steampunk just feels like tired Victorian fantasy, not an alternate one.
Hence "offshoot", right? 8)
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Hence "offshoot", right? 8)
Offshoot implies that they call themselves alternate history in someway :P
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Offshoot implies that they call themselves alternate history in someway :P
But then it wouldn't be an offshoot. 8)
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The only alternate history author I've read much of is Harry Turtledove. I liked his Worldwar/Colonization series and his Darkness series, but I got burnt out on the American Civil War derivatives and extrapolations. These days, it seems like all he does is re-stage WWII and I'm really not interested enough to read it.
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I do agree with Blaine, the alternate histories and historical fiction (Cornwell, O'Brian et al) as well have led me to delving into the real history that their stories are based on
The only alternate history author I've read much of is Harry Turtledove. I liked his Worldwar/Colonization series and his Darkness series, but I got burnt out on the American Civil War derivatives and extrapolations. These days, it seems like all he does is re-stage WWII and I'm really not interested enough to read it.
Agreed, to me Turtledove has turned into pulp writer.
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Enjoy!
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2011/12/writers-life-my-favorite-reality-tv.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2011/12/writers-life-my-favorite-reality-tv.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Let me know what you think!
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2011/12/cover-for-secret-witness-is-done.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2011/12/cover-for-secret-witness-is-done.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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It looks good, and suitably fits the book's theme.
Allow me to add my congratulations for your daughter's wedding, and my best wishes.
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Looks a little dark/lacking contrast. If I was walking down the aisle, the only think that stands out on the cover to my eye is your name.
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Frankly, true crime ain't my thing.
But I'll buy a copy just to support a fellow forumite and an author. When is it released?
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The release date is April 28, 2012. Per Amazon.com.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2011/12/two-exciting-newold-projects.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2011/12/two-exciting-newold-projects.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Enjoy!
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2011/12/researching-lafayette-escadrille.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2011/12/researching-lafayette-escadrille.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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So, maybe a book about the Lafayette Escadrille by itself is down the road somewhere? :))
Craig
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I was just at the US Air Force Museum a few weeks back and looked at a display about these guys. Very informative stuff.
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Check out "I Flew with the Lafayetter Escadrille" by Edwin C. Parsons. You should be able to find one online. Also check out "To the Last Man Standing:A Novel of the First World War" by Jeff Shaara. It doesn't focus of the Lafayette Escadrille but does have a pretty good fictionalized acount of the Career of Raoul Lufbery.
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Parson's book is good - but the guy I'm writing about was in the unit prior to Parsons arrival.
The Vivid Air is, by and large, the best book on the squadron...that and Molly Mason's work.
Blaine Pardoe
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Raoul Lufbery.
One of the coolest names in history
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http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/01/is-true-crime-history.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/01/is-true-crime-history.html)
For those interested in a writer's life...
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My latest blog post...
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/01/twilight-of-clans-that-never-was.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/01/twilight-of-clans-that-never-was.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I think I like how Exodus Road officially ended up being better than the idea of just stealing a warship. I think you did a great job with that story, and it's my favorite of the entire Twilight arc. I do, however, prefer Bill's idea for killing the GDL much, much more than what we got. Grayson walking off into the jungle never to be seen again is a much better send off! And Trent. I never liked that scene with Victor and Trent, it's one of the weakest and most out-of-character scenes in all of Battletech canon. I look forward to seeing something more on Trent!
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I think you did an excelent job with Trent. The idea of getting screwed over by the boss repeatedly to the point you have nothing left to be loyal to is something that folks connect with. It didn't make the guy loveable, but certainly understandable.
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I've got to say, I would love to read that book. I enjoyed the story as it is written, but you guys seemed to be on to something with taking the intel from a Warship and a direct assault on Strana Mechty.
I also like the look into how these ideas and decisions come into being. Having a group of creators collaborating on a project must be difficult at times, but it has resulted in a universe loved by so many people.
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It's definitely an intriguing alternative. Despite the problems (pissing off all the Clans at once!) that you say waylaid your original plans, I think it would have been exciting to read- even for myself, preferring the Clans to win.
And you're right about issues with empathizing with a traitor. On these forums, some like Trent, some dislike him if only because he is a turncloak.
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Quite interesting. It sounds to me that Bill Keith kind of left the Battletech group unhappily. I do think Grey going off to die on his own would have been an appropriately legendary send off for the man.
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Yeah. It would've been a much bigger story. I can see the conflagration raging out of control with that. Can you imagine the Ghost Bears, Nova Cats, Wolf's Dragoons, and the Wolves (in-Exile) forced to fight on the Clan side of things? Yeah. It would have to go down a lot differently than "We pick on the tough bully that everyone hates."
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Oh what may have been, and just think how that would have affected the future of the Universe. Would we still have had a Jihad? Probably yes, but with so much of the House's forces in the Homeworlds garrisoning the Clan Repository, the damage of the Jihad would have been much greater!
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When I first saw this thread I thought "Oh no, not Vlad Ward with glitter" Then I read the blog post. I have to say, that was really interesting. I am kinda glad the story line worked out the way it did, but I think either way it would have been really an exciting part of the greater Battletech story line.
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Very interesting insights into a classic. Personally I would have forgone the finding of the Homeworlds. Never cared for the angle given the amount of space and the security assets available to the Clan patrols. I would have gone for a push the Clans or rather the Crusaders out of the InnerSphere with certain Warden Clans remaining and joining the Star League. Nova Cat getting an expanded Alshain Military District (the 3049 district plus every Clan occupied world) of the DC, Ghost Bear merging with the Rasalhague Dominion, a reunited Wolf Clan running the Tamar Pact of the Lyran Alliance, and Diamond Shark setting up a new Rim Protectorate state that serves as a trade station between the homeworlds and the InnerSphere.
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In the end, Trent’s alleged demise seemed somehow inappropriate. (Don’t worry folks, I laid a plan to resolve this several years ago – you will one day see this in a slightly different perspective.)
The part in parentheses gives me hope that his final story will get told. Yay!
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I'm glad you guys enjoyed this post. There's a lot that goes into such a universe - things the fan community never gets to see.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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It's little nuggets like this and Rome's blog on the Wars of Reaving which show why I love this Universe and it's authors!
Thus the concept of Trent was born in a hotel restaurant in Milwaukee.
I bet the concepts of many kids were born in a hotel restaurant in Milwaukee. ;D
Honestly as cool this sounds I liked Trent as he was. The guy got screwed over and his bosses paid for it. Honor can only go so far in life before your demons take over. Grey leaving like that sounds more like a wimper than a bang to me, but I guess its because I do love how he died. Every now and then a leader needs to die a human death: family surrounding you, peaceful (well sort of), and just... go.
Wolf's death was appropriate, Hanse's made sense, Melissa's was tragic, and Grey's was the most human.
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Who's Grey? Mistyped Grayson?
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Grey Noton?
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honestly, i think the version we got, even with all its flaws, is the better story.
i mean, hijacking a warship, that just happens to have the entire route to the homeworlds in it, then figuring out that all the clans (most of which hate each others guts) all miraculously just have one spot in common they're all willing to work together for, then oh hey lets just drop a few RCT's to hold this one spot in a honorless non-zellbregin assualt, then hold off the entire clans because they'll fight using honor and shit that removes all their advantages. then despite the fact even the most honorable clans have been shown to lie, cheat and fight dirty when faced with such situations in previous books, they'll all just march in to be slaughtered until they sue for peace.
[metalhealth] [metalhealth] [metalhealth] [metalhealth] [metalhealth]
it sounds like the kind of overly simplistic deus ex machina i would have writen in junior high.
the version we got is much more grounded in reality. you have an idealistic clansman who grows disaffected with how clan society is evolving. which makes him fertile ground for an Ex-comstar agent to turn. the IS finally gets its act together and figures out that with the truce almost over, they gotta hang together or they certainly will hang seperately, and lacking any better framework, invent a new star league to make teamwork an easier sell. (and the power politics over who will lead it and what they can do being a big issue). since the clans respect power, a demonstration campaign plan with the destruction of an entire OZ becomes the destruction of an entire clan once the comstar info is applied, a much more effective demonstration anyway. resulting in a two pronged operation (serpent and bulldog), which shows the IS is not the pushover it was 15 years before. using that lesson to get the rest of the clans to pay attention, they then arrange the trial of refusal, where the IS not only shows they can kick ass using the clans own restrictive rules, but can also play clan style politics. the end result being the total shattering of the clans assumption of military superiority.
narratively it's a more sensible story.
politically it's a more sensible story.
strategically it's a more sensible story.
and setting background wise it's a more sensible story.
about the only thing i'd have wanted to see from the original pitch as described in the blog was the bit about Greyson caryle getting so horrified by the type of warfare he was forced to conduct that he retires. frankly, adding the Grey Death Legion to operation bulldog (not serpent, they already had the knights of the inner sphere to take on that narrative role, although they were not really used for that purpose), and growing so upset that he disbands his unit after the OZ is retaken and 'walks off into the sunset' (retires to a world as a private citizen and is never heard from again)
thus making a great ending for the grey death series of novels, while leaving an opening for a 'new grey death legion' under one or more of the old hands to spring up later if so desired by the sourcebook writers, basically rebooting the GDL into a much less munchkinistic form.
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Who's Grey? Mistyped Grayson?
yeah sorry :-[
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honestly, i think the version we got, even with all its flaws, is the better story.
Agreed. Holding the Genetic Legacy hostage? You'd see a reaction from the Clans on par with finding the folks guarding said Legacy were all Wolverines.
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I think I like how Exodus Road officially ended up being better than the idea of just stealing a warship. I think you did a great job with that story, and it's my favorite of the entire Twilight arc. I do, however, prefer Bill's idea for killing the GDL much, much more than what we got. Grayson walking off into the jungle never to be seen again is a much better send off! And Trent. I never liked that scene with Victor and Trent, it's one of the weakest and most out-of-character scenes in all of Battletech canon. I look forward to seeing something more on Trent!
+1 to all this.
Question to Mr. Pardoe: the groundwork for it being Smoke Jaguar seems to have been laid in several books, over the course of years before this storyline. About how long in terms of years was the time frame from officially deciding to kill the Jags, until this storyline began?
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I think I like how Exodus Road officially ended up being better than the idea of just stealing a warship.
Agreed. As a fan of the Clans, I might be a bit biased- but the paranoid nature of them breaking up the route seems to fit them much better- even with their superiority complex.
Afterall, wasn't it paranoia that triggered the the invasion when Comstar found them? Was that already fleshed out- it doesn't make much sense for them to be so fearful that the I.S is coming out of the dark ages without them and worry about being discovered...only to have their route sitting there in any ships' computer.
And Trent. I never liked that scene with Victor and Trent, it's one of the weakest and most out-of-character scenes in all of Battletech canon. I look forward to seeing something more on Trent!
This too.
No offense to M. Stackpole, but that scene always leaves me scratching my head. Victor trusts Phelan- who did help the enemy, and is showing more and more Clan-like behavior. I mean, sure, he's a cousin...but he's not *that* close, and we've got Kat looking to stab Vic in the back already.
Trent then helps the I.S put a halt to the invasion, and Victor turns up his nose, because he thinks Trent will turn around and betray them to the Clans eventually...huh?
I mean, I suppose you could argue that Phelan gave him an example of always being with your own people in the end- and he could be distrustful with Kat but...still. It was far too cold. Especially as the Jags are now gone.
I mean if there was a time for Trent to ultimately side with the Clans in the end- it was long gone by that point.
Sorry Blaine- I like your work. I don't really agree with everything in BoI, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate the actual writing and I've enjoyed Exodus Road and the Comstar themed MWDA novel a great deal.
That being said, I don't agree with the single repository idea. The Clans are supposed to be fragemented- splitting up the repositories makes a lot more sense. Besides, with something so sacred, I don't think it makes as much sense as a 'long term solution' like the Great Refusal does. And if I'm misunderstanding, and the black mail was an attempt to force a Great Refusal...I think ultimately that just gives the Crusaders more 'ammo' down the road to argue that the Trial wasn't legitimate once the Star League collapses in the Jihad (or even before then).
I prefer the way it went down.
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The reaction to Trent is particularly vexing when you recall, there were Nova Cats in the room. A whole Clan that betrayed the Clans. He seemed to get along fine with them.
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...of course you could have gone for the Trifecta and launched your assault after stealing the map from the Clans, stolen General Kerensky’s flagship (McKenna’s Pride), stuffed the good General's ashes into his Orion -with- a nuclear bomb and launched them sub-orbitally straight down into the Clans's central genetic repository.
Then again, that might upset them. O:-)
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The reaction to Trent is particularly vexing when you recall, there were Nova Cats in the room. A whole Clan that betrayed the Clans. He seemed to get along fine with them.
yes and no.. Trent basically turned because he didn't like how clan society was being 'corrupted' by inner Sphere influence, which opened him up to be manipulated. (though much of what he disliked seems to have existed prior to the invasion, if the jade phoenix trilogy is accurate.) Phelan and the novacats both were "reformists" in that regard, while Trent was more of a conservative reactionary forced to make the devils deal. both Phelan and the nova cats saw closer ties with the IS, and the resulting cultural change, as a positive thing. (IMO, the only reason Trent accepted the Novacat 'offer' was the fact the novacats still held something close to his own perception of clan honor)
that said, the scene certainly wasn't handled well.
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The reaction to Trent is particularly vexing when you recall, there were Nova Cats in the room. A whole Clan that betrayed the Clans. He seemed to get along fine with them.
It was also problematic when you consider Victor's statement of "I'm not going to let random people fight in my command force just because they ask" even though Danai Centrella got in for apparently no other reason (which is why I suspect there was a set of handcuffs and a ball gag involved).
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I really appreciate any of these behind-the-scenes looks, so thank you very much for taking the time to write it up.
If I may ask, why did Bill want to kill off his own group? It's not unthinkable than an author would want to kill his own baby, but at the same time it's an interesting choice, and I was wondering if you'd be willing to share anything on this?
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It was also problematic when you consider Victor's statement of "I'm not going to let random people fight in my command force just because they ask" even though Danai Centrella got in for apparently no other reason (which is why I suspect there was a set of handcuffs and a ball gag involved).
He wanted to impress the Magistracy of Canopus and keep them from getting closer to the CC. He planned on doing this by making sure their heir-designate was in the line of fire, rather than the one that was all pro-Capellan.
Victor may be the dumbest person.
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I still say that there were kinky persuasion techniques involved.
But more on topic, I'm glad to hear that there's plans for fleshing out what really happened to Trent.
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+1 to all this.
Question to Mr. Pardoe: the groundwork for it being Smoke Jaguar seems to have been laid in several books, over the course of years before this storyline. About how long in terms of years was the time frame from officially deciding to kill the Jags, until this storyline began?
Well, the Jags certainly ticked off a lot of people early on. They didn't score points for style. Having said that, I remember having the book done in about four months after GenCon - and it was out in a nother five. Typical lead-time.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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honestly, i think the version we got, even with all its flaws, is the better story.
i mean, hijacking a warship, that just happens to have the entire route to the homeworlds in it, then figuring out that all the clans (most of which hate each others guts) all miraculously just have one spot in common they're all willing to work together for, then oh hey lets just drop a few RCT's to hold this one spot in a honorless non-zellbregin assualt, then hold off the entire clans because they'll fight using honor and shit that removes all their advantages. then despite the fact even the most honorable clans have been shown to lie, cheat and fight dirty when faced with such situations in previous books, they'll all just march in to be slaughtered until they sue for peace.
[metalhealth] [metalhealth] [metalhealth] [metalhealth] [metalhealth]
it sounds like the kind of overly simplistic deus ex machina i would have writen in junior high.
the version we got is much more grounded in reality. you have an idealistic clansman who grows disaffected with how clan society is evolving. which makes him fertile ground for an Ex-comstar agent to turn. the IS finally gets its act together and figures out that with the truce almost over, they gotta hang together or they certainly will hang seperately, and lacking any better framework, invent a new star league to make teamwork an easier sell. (and the power politics over who will lead it and what they can do being a big issue). since the clans respect power, a demonstration campaign plan with the destruction of an entire OZ becomes the destruction of an entire clan once the comstar info is applied, a much more effective demonstration anyway. resulting in a two pronged operation (serpent and bulldog), which shows the IS is not the pushover it was 15 years before. using that lesson to get the rest of the clans to pay attention, they then arrange the trial of refusal, where the IS not only shows they can kick ass using the clans own restrictive rules, but can also play clan style politics. the end result being the total shattering of the clans assumption of military superiority.
narratively it's a more sensible story.
politically it's a more sensible story.
strategically it's a more sensible story.
and setting background wise it's a more sensible story.
about the only thing i'd have wanted to see from the original pitch as described in the blog was the bit about Greyson caryle getting so horrified by the type of warfare he was forced to conduct that he retires. frankly, adding the Grey Death Legion to operation bulldog (not serpent, they already had the knights of the inner sphere to take on that narrative role, although they were not really used for that purpose), and growing so upset that he disbands his unit after the OZ is retaken and 'walks off into the sunset' (retires to a world as a private citizen and is never heard from again)
thus making a great ending for the grey death series of novels, while leaving an opening for a 'new grey death legion' under one or more of the old hands to spring up later if so desired by the sourcebook writers, basically rebooting the GDL into a much less munchkinistic form.
I think overall, as a "series" within a series, Twilight came off just great. I like Trent a great deal. Yeah, my original thinking was probably too simplistic...I'll admit it. At least you guys got to see how we went about some of the thinking that went into the series.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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It was also problematic when you consider Victor's statement of "I'm not going to let random people fight in my command force just because they ask" even though Danai Centrella got in for apparently no other reason (which is why I suspect there was a set of handcuffs and a ball gag involved).
Nova Cats bring a full Clan basically obedient to the New Star League with a massive force to call upon. Danai Centrella feeling a bond with the Fed Suns could upset the growing relations between the MoC and Confederation.
What further would Trent bring? They already got the route and intel. There is no further use for him.
No, its not nice. Its realpolitik.
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Oh, I can totally understand why Victor wouldn't want someone like Trent in his command during the fight. My problem was that there didn't seem to be sufficiently strong justification for including Dania.
Well, that and how predetermined some of the fights were- the Comstar/Jade Falcon one in particular seemed more like Comstar was being offered up as a sacrifice than a credible attempt to fight, given the force imbalances.
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Oh, I can totally understand why Victor wouldn't want someone like Trent in his command during the fight. My problem was that there didn't seem to be sufficiently strong justification for including Dania.
There's plenty of strong justification given in the novels. It was political. She could be a hero to the Magistracy by her participation in the Great Refusal. She could also possibly serve as a focus of resistance to Sun-Tzu's influence over her nation when they return. What more justification is needed than that?
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I don't know. It just felt contrived to me when I read it.
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Might have benefited by having her involvement in the book be something more than "we lost Danae."
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I really appreciate any of these behind-the-scenes looks, so thank you very much for taking the time to write it up.
If I may ask, why did Bill want to kill off his own group? It's not unthinkable than an author would want to kill his own baby, but at the same time it's an interesting choice, and I was wondering if you'd be willing to share anything on this?
It may be that he didn't want to keep writing, but at the same time, didn't want anyone else to write about the GDL. Makes sense in a way, and in addition, he may have wanted to keep them as a relic of the Succession Wars, since their stories always seemed rather small scale (the Helm Core excepted).
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Might have benefited by having her involvement in the book be something more than "we lost Danae."
Yeah, it's hard to see the decision as anything but "I got the anti-Capellan daughter killed and made the pro-Capellan one heir" when her first mention is like two pages before she gets killed off-screen.
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It may be that he didn't want to keep writing, but at the same time, didn't want anyone else to write about the GDL. Makes sense in a way, and in addition, he may have wanted to keep them as a relic of the Succession Wars, since their stories always seemed rather small scale (the Helm Core excepted).
Well, it may have been one of any number of things, but only Keith and those he talked to know for sure. I'm hoping to hear about it, since the GDL was such a big part of Battletech history.
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Going down fighting the Clans on the Clan's home turf would have been a much better end for the GDL. At least their entire command staff wouldn't have had the frontal lobotomy they apparently received en route to Hesperus II.
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Yeah, it's hard to see the decision as anything but "I got the anti-Capellan daughter killed and made the pro-Capellan one heir" when her first mention is like two pages before she gets killed off-screen.
Ah the wonders of limits on word counts, it made Prince of Havoc seem like it was constantly moving at the pace of a toddler.
Might have benefited by having her involvement in the book be something more than "we lost Danae."
You mean Sappo, right? Honestly, the real issue is that it's an oddly placed. Victor just got done talking about how he couldn't do political moves like giving the Genyosha the fight against the Jaguars. And then he does that with her dying.
That ended well for Vic as everyone said. As it has been said, Victor really stunk at politics.
Well, the Jags certainly ticked off a lot of people early on. They didn't score points for style. Having said that, I remember having the book done in about four months after GenCon - and it was out in a nother five. Typical lead-time.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
So, was it planed before or after Impetus of War that the Jaguars were the targets for annihilation?
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From that timeline it would have to be after.
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Going down fighting the Clans on the Clan's home turf would have been a much better end for the GDL. At least their entire command staff wouldn't have had the frontal lobotomy they apparently received en route to Hesperus II.
Come on, their entire system was to assume Grayson would get them out of everything. They probably should have just given up when he got the cancer.
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Come on, their entire system was to assume Grayson would get them out of everything. They probably should have just given up when he got the cancer.
I heartily disagree with your blanket statement.
Grayson actually built a command staff for the GDL. It was completely missing from The Dying Time and its presence should almost certainly have prevented their chief disaster on Hesperus (the monorail ambush) because someone would have pointed pout the glaring lack of security at such a major and vulnerable common military manuever i.e. the rail movement of the Regiment.
I'd be glad to discuss it from a military standpoint if you like but we shoyuld do so in another thread. :)
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I heartily disagree with your blanket statement.
Grayson actually built a command staff for the GDL. It was completely missing from The Dying Time and its presence should almost certainly have prevented their chief disaster on Hesperus (the monorail ambush) because someone would have pointed pout the glaring lack of security at such a major and vulnerable common military manuever i.e. the rail movement of the Regiment.
I'd be glad to discuss it from a military standpoint if you like but we shoyuld do so in another thread. :)
to give you an idea during the battle in calediena (sorry for the mispell if its there i couldn't remeber how to spell the world). Right before the eventually battle he took his command staff, and had a walk thru in novel like a mini class. Not to mention Lori been in command for the units since he lose the ability to pilot mech since he always felt that command should be done by mechwarrior. He is old school that way. That book just made me want to toss it against the wall when i read it. There was none of the smart, clever iniative that the legion was famous for. I don't mind them screwing up, but screwing up in the entire book by the number is just to unlike them.
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Is it any wonder that I don't like BattleTech?
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/01/old-school-wargaming.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/01/old-school-wargaming.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Is it any wonder that I don't like BattleTech?
Not to be a hater or anything, but isn't that a rather wierd statement to make on the official Battletech forums?
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I'm not sure if I'm old or just uninformed in gaming but I swear I don't think I've heard of any of those games or magazines before.
I guess I'll go uninformed since for me BT IS my Wargame of choice.
The magazine does look interesting & I love that "a new game in every issue" concept.
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Sounds like we have a very similar gaming history. Strategy 1 is still my favorite game and I have almost every copy of S&T, though it has been several years since one of the games got "punched". Hopefully when I retire I can get back to the gaming table more then once or twice a year.
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Is it any wonder that I don't like BattleTech?
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/01/old-school-wargaming.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/01/old-school-wargaming.html)
I wonder what do you mean? And I did read the article.
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I started on Diplomacy and the moved to Battletech dose that count
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deleted an entire post pointing out the flaws of the article and the comment made.
instead I leave you with:
pointless link leads to pointless article. Pointless article is pointless. (shakes head)
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Interesting you mentioned Panzer Blitz. My dad played that against me when I was 8.
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Heh, Battletech is one of the older games out there you know. ;)
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Odd post for here.
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Odd post for here.
Especially from one of the better known and respected(more or less) of the Battletech Novel authors...
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He's a Btech author?!? :o
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one of the highlights of my wargaming career is meeting and working with Jim Dunnigan (of PanzerBlitz and SPI fame) on a project back in the early 00's. Wish I'd brought over my old S&Ts for him to sign :(
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one of the highlights of my wargaming career is meeting and working with Jim Dunnigan (of PanzerBlitz and SPI fame) on a project back in the early 00's. Wish I'd brought over my old S&Ts for him to sign :(
Ah wow! I used to have The Next War, always dreamed of finding the time and space to play it.
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He's a Btech author?!? :o
Aff
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that's sure one way to get traffic.....
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Not surprising he doesn't care for Battletech.
My grandfather's first job was in a cake shop. One of the perks was a much cake as he could eat. His dislike of cake lasted the rest of his life. :P
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Also its possible to love writing for a universe but not care much about playing the game and vice versa.
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I think what he is saying is that he doesn't care for the game, not the fiction of which he has been an integral part of....at least I hope. ::)
-Gunz
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Are you sure he's being serious, though?
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http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2011/03/my-favorite-games.html
Lists BattleTech as one of his favorite games, maybe it's just a typo.
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Um, guys. All I was saying was that given my background in wargaming, it really shouldn't be a surprise that I love BattleTech. And yes, I do play from time to time. I like the game...and I love the universe.
You wacky guys....
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My apologies for the grammatical fascism, but I do believe that would be "Is it any wonder I like Battletech?" Mr. Pardoe ;)
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still wondering, did anyone ever do a PC or Online version of PanzerBlitz or Panzer Leader
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still wondering, did anyone ever do a PC or Online version of PanzerBlitz or Panzer Leader
You would think that those games would be perfect for the computer, wouldn't you?
Craig
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Um, guys. All I was saying was that given my background in wargaming, it really shouldn't be a surprise that I love BattleTech. And yes, I do play from time to time. I like the game...and I love the universe.
You wacky guys....
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Um...Blaine...you MIGHT want to look at your original post...
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I don't like BattleTech.
But I'm also a liar.
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I don't like BattleTech.
But I'm also a liar.
Sorry, the James T. Kirk method of computer repair doesn't work here.....
Craig
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You would think that those games would be perfect for the computer, wouldn't you?
Craig
Actually, the screen size is way too small for most classic games to translate well. Half of the way I play those games (and I still play Panzerblitz occasionally) involves taking the big-picture look. On the tabletop, I just lean back; on the computer screen, I have to zoom out, at which point the detail disappears.
I'm not saying those games can't work, just saying I can't work them well after the transition. Mind you, I also have problems with MegaMek, but fewer, mainly because there's minimal stacking. I shall have to come up to speed as "MegaLevs" gets closer.
W.
W.
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yeah but simply translating the way they showed game maps in the magazines would work, ie each chit is slightly offset in the stack so you can see how many units are there
a minimap similar to Megamek would also work, you dont leave your main map and you can see the map and click to areas you wish to take a closer look at
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there are many many many computer wargames based on PanzerBlitz and it's ilk. The old TalonSoft titles (The ACW, Napoleonics, East Front II/West Front/Rising Sun WW2 titles) sand box games like The Operational Art of War, anything by HPS Simulations, the Combat Mission games, then the more serious stuff like TacOps, Decisive Action, AATF etc etc
that's not to mention the stuff like VASSAL/VASL for ASL.
Battlefront.com, Matrixgames (which has re-released and updated the Steel Panther games - MBT and WW2), are just a few of the more modern companies(or used to be - I haven't worked in the COTS milsim area for a while now.)
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Buck:
If you come to Origins we might be able to get a game of Panzerblitz in!
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Suddenly I got that weird urge to play a TOAW scenario.
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still wondering, did anyone ever do a PC or Online version of PanzerBlitz or Panzer Leader
I don't know about those, but I know few other GREAT tank games:
Steel Panthers: World at War (http://www.matrixgames.com/products/297/details/Steel.Panthers:.World.at.War.-.Generals.Edition)
WinSPWW2 (http://www.shrapnelgames.com/Camo_Workshop/WW2/WW2_page.html)
WinSPMBT (http://www.shrapnelgames.com/Camo_Workshop/MBT/MBT_page.html)
SPWAW and WinSPWW2 have a lot of common: Second World War is major part in both of them. WinSPMBT covers tank warfare after that. Plenty of PBI and arty in all of them, some fortifications and boats too, but aircrafts (helicopters aside) zoom over the map as they do in BattleTech's aerospace ground support rules and don't fight each other.
[edit]
And all those games are better than World of Tanks. Are we clear? >:(
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I still remember that nice surprise all those years ago when my AA guns actually managed to bring down an attacking aircraft, before that I thought they are unstoppable.
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Avalon Hill,,,ahhh the days come back to me.PanzerLeader came out with a Playstation game back in 92' and alliedleader a year later,but never compared to the real board game.One of the 1st "wargames" I played back in 78' was The Blue and the Gray,,anyone remimber who put it out?Not to mention "Woodenships and Iornmen" was hella'kewl naval warfare.
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One of the 1st "wargames" I played back in 78' was The Blue and the Gray,,anyone remimber who put it out?
SPI
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Not to mention "Woodenships and Iornmen" was hella'kewl naval warfare.
Agreed!
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Ah, yes, "Wooden ships and Iron Men." And Panzer Blitz/Panzer Leader. A lot of people don't realize that "Arab-Israeli Wars" is the "modern" third of that trifecta. Just so you know. :)
You want to see real old school war-gaming, though? Try this:
(http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h178/GregEllisToronto/CIMG1885.jpg)
It's the "Battle for the Moathouse" that creates the ruin from the AD&D module T1 The Village of Hommlett and the later Compilation T1-4 The Temple of Elemental Evil. This pic is from the Lake Geneva Gamin Con in 2008. the first time they ran it, the players were Gary & Ernie Gygax, Rob Kuntz, and several of the "old guys."
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http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/02/researching-cuban-missile-crisis.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/02/researching-cuban-missile-crisis.html)
A pet project of mine...
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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NICE PHOTO... That there is some gamin'
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/02/writing-in-multiple-genres.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/02/writing-in-multiple-genres.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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When it comes to typecasting authors into particular genres, one name always springs to mind:
Isaac Asimov
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I can't pass up a good rant!
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/02/kings-book-112263-and-problem-with.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/02/kings-book-112263-and-problem-with.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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The Problem with the conspiracy theories about the JFK Assassination is there are so many of them, each contricting the others. If there was a real conspiracy in that event, it has been buried under an avalanche of theories to the point that it is lost.
Craig
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A real-life one to boot! My latest blot post explains...
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/02/my-bert-hall-book-project-is-leaping.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/02/my-bert-hall-book-project-is-leaping.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Could he truly be call a mercanery as he was a member of the French Armed Forces, and later the American (Including all the rules and regulations that go with it) as opposed to someone like Mad Mike Hoare
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I think I read about this guy when I went to the Air Force museum back in December.
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Could he truly be call a mercanery as he was a member of the French Armed Forces, and later the American (Including all the rules and regulations that go with it) as opposed to someone like Mad Mike Hoare
Ah, a common misconception - The French Foreign Legion is only marginally part of the French Army. Hall never served in the American forces - and for several years he was a General in the Chinese Air Force - brought in as a merc to head up air services in Nanking.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Quite apart from everything else...but the Foreign Legion is a part of the French Army; no 'marginal' about it.
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Excatly my point, though with China (not American my bad) things get a lot mor funky
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The oath to join the Legion does not require an oath to defend France. The Legion, while part of the military heirarchy, does not require any of the normal recruitment requirements of any French military unit. In 1914 the Legion was seen as attached to the French military rather than an integral part of it.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/03/my-inspiration-to-be-writer-star-trek.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/03/my-inspiration-to-be-writer-star-trek.html)
Phasers on kill.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Well no matter, when the book comes out let us know and some of us will most certainly buy it. I always enjoyed WW-I avaition history myself. :)
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"Was seen as" is not the same as "Not a part of". The Foreign Legion has always served France directly (even when it was going against elected politcal leadership) and has always been part of the French military. There is no room to give on this because it is not a feeling or an idea; it is a political, legal, and historical reality.
Not, an individual who has, is, or will serve in the Legion can certainly consider himself a mercenary, even while in...but that does not change the Legion's status as an organ of the French Army.
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That was a good read.
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You pulled a 'Kirk' and got the job with bluff and bravado. Congratulations, sir.
That was a nifty little insight.
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Well it is better that pulling a Kirk and trying to get the job with a flying leg kick.
Still it is amazing how many people where inspired by the show.
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Planning the first wave of the summer book tour(s): http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/03/preparing-for-summer-book-tours.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/03/preparing-for-summer-book-tours.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Enjoy history buffs!
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/03/book-review-berlin-1961.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/03/book-review-berlin-1961.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I would write more, but what's the point?
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/03/april-fools-day-for-battletech-fans.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/03/april-fools-day-for-battletech-fans.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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(Courtesy of Colonel Wayne Waco Rogers Roasters)
Thankfully I didn't drink any soda while reading this post. O0
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Could not pass that one up. Picture the sign in bright neon...
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I enjoyed every one of these. :)
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All hail Clan Pregnant Hamster!
Or she will eat you. [skull]
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Every joke about giant chickens I imagined giant chicken spies sent as scouts into the IS.
(http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lxhfqwGLcc1qeh4uto1_400.jpg)
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I imagine them kidnapping the leaders of the various states and replacing them. And nobody noticing.
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*looks at the chickens*
Melissa, Hanse, Ardan*, Victor?
*okay, I really got nothing for that one.
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I would write more, but what's the point?
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/03/april-fools-day-for-battletech-fans.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/03/april-fools-day-for-battletech-fans.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Adam Steiner will always be the Archon of my heart.
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The best ones are where Nicky K gets called a nut for his ideas and gets locked away.
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I would write more, but what's the point?
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/03/april-fools-day-for-battletech-fans.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/03/april-fools-day-for-battletech-fans.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
House Liao's betrayal slightly makes sense from the Capellan point of view. Though I have to wonder about the running joke about chickens, but Colonel Wayne Waco Rogers Roasters just seems like Colonel Waco missed his mark in life if only he was from Old Kentucky then he could wear a white suit. (According to the questionable wiki, Wayne was from the "Capellan" Le Blanc which is in the Draconis March next to Kentares IV. Honestly, I think Waco deserves to be retconned from Old Kentucky if that factoid is true. Who's with me? We could then get Wayne Waco in a Kentucky Gentleman's suit, and it'd be fun.)
*looks at the chickens*
Melissa, Hanse, Ardan*, Victor?
*okay, I really got nothing for that one.
* You should have gone for the obvious answer: President Avellar!
I imagine them kidnapping the leaders of the various states and replacing them. And nobody noticing.
That's not the way a good Chicken Boo episode works. This is how it works.
[It's around Princess Melissa being pregnant with Arthur in 3037 for visual reference she's wearing a white maternity dress with light Steiner blue trimming, and she is escorting her son, Victor, to meet his father for the first time in about six months. The setting is Castle Davion in a hallway leading to First Prince's office.]
Melissa: Now Victor, I want you to remember that you father does not appreciate lederhosen like my mother and myself, so please do not cry if he doesn't wear the pair that I had specially made by the finest lederhosen maker on all of Tharkad. He came recommended by Hauptman Hogarth.
[Victor is wearing a child sized Lyran dress uniform with a rag from the Triad Martial Preschool.]
Victor: Thank the Author of the Unifinished Book for small miracles.
Melissa: What is that Victor? You weren't badmouthing the glory that is Lyran culture again. I know a young prince who'll be eating sauerkraut for a month if he is.
Victor: [Smiling] Oh, I love lederhosen-[mumbling for only the audience] being burned by a Firestarter.
[Melissa doesn't hear it probably because she is in maternal bliss or something. Or she's a ditz or something. This being based off Animaniacs probably means she was purposely given some sort of strange fascination with lederhosen to bowdlerize her. She leads Victor to his father's office where two guards from the 1st Davion Guards stand watch. They open the door. Victor is happy since he finally gets to talk about something other than lederhosen until he see his 'father'. His face is sullen, but Melissa is giddy.]
Melissa: Oh my beloved husband, you've lost weight. Now, I know for sure that my lederhosen will fit.
[Victor looks at his mother, and then he looks at "Hanse." Sure, he is wearing the Sunvest and the rest of the dress uniform of the Davion Guards, but he isn't wearing any pants. Plus, his legs were like a Marauder or a Catapult.]
Tetate Boo: Bac. Bac.
Victor: That's a giant chicken.
Melissa: How can you say that? Your father fought in so many battles. Once he even killed an entire Death Commando unit single-handed.
Victor: Mother, it doesn't matter if this chicken is in a Davion Guard Dress uniform: that's not Hanse Davion.
Tetate Boo: Bac. Bac.
[Suddenly, Hanse who looks like a tall William Shatner in boxers with FedSuns logos all over it and an undershirt walks into the room with Ardan. He is slightly pudgy like William Shatner.]
Hanse: Not this goofiness again.
Melissa: Wow, I have two husbands now. I can't tell the difference.
Hanse: [Smacks himself like Picard] For crying out loud Melissa! I don't have chicken feet. If this is Maximilian Liao again, I swear that there won't be enough of the Capellan Confederation left to make a good road side park.
Ardan: There is only one solution: to the Battlemaster!
Hanse: You know one of these days- that trick isn't going to work. Besides we have NAIS and witnesses that can do better than just activating my Battlemaster ever time Maximilian sends a doppleganger to replace me. And honestly, who can't tell that isn't me?
[Melissa is playing with Tentate Boo's waddle seductively]
Melissa: Oh such lederhosen you shall wear.
Tentate Boo: Bac. Bac.
[Victor and Hanse smack themselves.]
[Mech Bay of Castle Davion where mighty battlemechs stand including one that looks like an Atlas missing its head.]
[Tetate Boo sits in Hanse's Battlemaster. Moving his head around, the mech doesn't seem to do anything. Outside Ardan, Hanse, Melissa, and Victor watch to see if the mech starts up.]
Hanse: He's been in there for an hour.
Victor: I told you that was a giant chicken.
Melissa: But he had such great legs for lederhosen.
Hanse: This has gone on long enough!
[Hanse gets in his Battlemaster and activates the mech, and then he ejects Tentate Boo who flies through the roof and across Avalon City's Skyline.]
Hanse: Okay, who increased the power of the ejection system on my mech.
[Suddenly Dr. Banzai jumps onto a metal beam in front of Hanse and the rest of the group. He appears to be a white lab mouse in a Team Banzi uniform followed by a mildly attractive raven-haired woman in lab coat and silky dress.]
Banzai: I did it FOR SCIENCE, my Prince.
Rita Allard: That's right Dr. Banzai. NARF!
Banzai: Come Rita, we most go now.
[Banzai and Rita then depart leaving Hanse shaking his head.]
Rita: What are we going to do now, Banzai. You thought for sure that the Prince would be shot into space and that you could then impersonate Victor.
Banzai: Well we shall prepare for tomorrow night when we will try to take over the Inner Sphere again.
Chorus: Their Rita and the Banzai. Banzai! Banzai! NARF!
Victor: Are we the only sane people here, Dad?
[Suddenly a blonde four year old girl pops out of nowhere.]
Katherine KaPower: POWER!
Hanse: [Shaking his head]Probably.
[Tentae Boo lands somewhere near the Isle of Y's where he picks himself up and walks away.]
Chorus: Because you're not a Prince! You're a Tentate Boo!
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Harlock, you have just won the Internet. All of it. Except the sticky parts.
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But ... I thought the Smoke Jaguars were Clan Iron Scrotum? ???
W
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Harlock, you have just won the Internet. All of it. Except the sticky parts.
Keeping the sticky parts for yourself? >:D
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Clan Stone Fox, still don't know why that one has never come up.
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Clan Stone Fox, still don't know why that one has never come up.
I still like Clan Sex Panther
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That's not the way a good Chicken Boo episode works. This is how it works.
This ladies and (Doctor Wierd) GENTLEMEN (/DW) is a nice recap for The Sword and Dagger had Liao thought to pull their plan off years later.
Lord Harlock I thank you. O0
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Chickens?
I have Natasha, Focht
Jaime, Kai
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Mechs crushing Ewoks. I'd buy that for a dollar.
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Awesome! Thanks for posting these!
I seriously might use this idea one day:
"The Outbound Light doesn't find the Clans, they find the Wolverines. The Wolverines tip off the Inner Sphere about what happened to Kerensky's children. The Inner Sphere unites out of fear and armed with the intel given by the Wolverines - leads as preemptive strike into Clan space."
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I like em! O0
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Well done Blaine definitely need the ROFL moment!!
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Nice job, it was a great laugh.
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Editor's comments:
"Katrina takes X as a mate." Replace the following "or" with "and". Play up the squick factor.
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"Vlad kills Phelan Kell. There should be more to this but just nurse it for a moment. Ahh… "
Best one yet
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[applause]
Ahh, those were great. Thanks for posting that Mr. Pardoe.
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Hehehe.
Happy April Fools everyone!
:)
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But ... I thought the Smoke Jaguars were Clan Iron Scrotum? ???
W
and i thought Jade Prostate was one of Sun-Tzu Liao's titles.
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House Marik wipes out Wolf's Dragoons as Joshua Marik takes the throne of the Free Worlds League. He picks apart the loot from the Dragoons and uses it to rebuild the League into THE major force in the Inner Sphere. He also figures out where the Dragoons came from and prepared his nation, but not the others, for the eventual invasion.
Of this, I approve.
FASA buys Steve Jackson games and introduces Ogres against BattleMechs.
Why not; at least Ogre would still be in production, then.
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Clearly the Battletech universe does not have enough giant chickens...
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Why not; at least Ogre would still be in production, then.
I think Steve Jackson is rewriting the rules or at least he has been for the last few years. Something about a 6th edition?
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Sure. Ogre 6th Edition may or may not be out some time this year. Or not. If it is, it shall only be roughly two years later than projected. If it ever is, it will be a limited release...and then that will, as they say, be that.
I must say I'm excited about it, but it's not something that anyone should hold their breath on--and the very nature of 6th Edition will probably preclude a substantial mass interest in the old warhorse.
Closer to topic: I'm not sure that BattleMechs would fare so well against the Ogreverse, so maybe it's just as well that one never came to pass.
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Clan Homoerotic Panther was missing from the list. Someone inform the Old Spice Guy.
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This one could realy have happoned if they where not all killed of
The Knights of the Inner Sphere put on the play Spamalot II.
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Sure. Ogre 6th Edition may or may not be out some time this year. Or not. If it is, it shall only be roughly two years later than projected. If it ever is, it will be a limited release...and then that will, as they say, be that.
I must say I'm excited about it, but it's not something that anyone should hold their breath on--and the very nature of 6th Edition will probably preclude a substantial mass interest in the old warhorse.
Closer to topic: I'm not sure that BattleMechs would fare so well against the Ogreverse, so maybe it's just as well that one never came to pass.
I think at one point Cray had come up with atomic LRMs. That sounds pretty Ogre-ish to me!
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I think at one point Cray had come up with atomic LRMs. That sounds pretty Ogre-ish to me!
Oh good. Just what I wanted on my Highlander: 20 Genies at my command. :D
(I kid.)
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Oh good. Just what I wanted on my Highlander: 20 Genies at my command. :D
(I kid.)
Highlander nothin' How about some HLRM Carrier lovin'? You'd probably be able to see the detonation flashes from low orbit!
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I think at one point Cray had come up with atomic LRMs. That sounds pretty Ogre-ish to me!
What, did he load the warheads with whatever propelant is in Machinegun ammo?
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I think at one point Cray had come up with atomic LRMs. That sounds pretty Ogre-ish to me!
I won't disagree. I wonder how much damage an individual atomic/nuclear LRM would do to BattleTech armor...?
What, did he load the warheads with whatever propelant is in Machinegun ammo?
Heh, heh. BattleTech MGs are one of the notable weapons that are arguably more dangerous to their user than to the enemy.
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Enjoy!
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/04/books-are-never-really-done.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/04/books-are-never-really-done.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My latest blog post...enjoy! http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/04/game-review-wizkids-star-trek-tactics.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/04/game-review-wizkids-star-trek-tactics.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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oooh
was almost ready for the game, then I read the rest....
loved the FASA version, I even enjoy the freebie pc game
and yes people who like Star Fleet Battles, tend to like Champions and DBA/DBM
folks who, like Star Trek simulator tend to like GURPs and Battletech
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Looks like an interesting game and I really like the review. However, its still a collecting click based game, a genre which I hate with a white hot passion.
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As much as I like the Star Trek franchise, I think I'm going to pass on this. I still have hundreds of old Mechwarrior: Dark Age figures just sitting around. I don't like 'mystery collectible' games where a player has to buy boosters by the truckload to build a proper army for a given time period. I think I agree with Cannon_Fodder.
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i might buy individual figures in the future to rebase for Full Thrust or some other system, but the trekclix game itself just doesn't interest me.
on the otherhand, if it's basically just heroclix, i wonder how long it'll be before the inevitable "alpha quadrant vs Galactus" crossover game is run..
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I don't know about this one either. I just hate how Wizkids gives you a box, and you hope for the best in Mini's.
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Click tech based games appeal to some people, not me though. Seems the mini's themselves are not half bad though.
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So..how many miniatures come in a booster? Is it a good way to build up cheap fleets for SFB?
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So..how many miniatures come in a booster? Is it a good way to build up cheap fleets for SFB?
One ship per $5 booster.
While I have no plans to actually get into the game, I did cave in and pick up a booster, and was lucky enough to get what I wanted. The actual quality of the minis is very good, far beyond the Star Wars game of a few years back. Best of all, they tend to have properly aligned nacelles! Hint: Go for Klingons. They've only got a few classes so far, with the variety coming from different named ships with different stats. If all you want are minis, any given K'tinga is the same as any other, and they're exactly the same length as the old Micro Machines, if a bit thinner. Vor'Chas are likewise extremely close to the MMs, though noticeably flatter and wider. I've got the one I need, and will be using it as a K'mpec alongside MM VorChas.
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This is pretty much the only way to get 1/7000 Prometheus hulls.
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Ooh, FFG is redoing Fortress America? Shiny!
I still have my copy in storage - complete with Saddam cover. O0
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Depending on the actual (general) size of the minis, I might consider getting some to rebase.
After all, my FASA-era minis and Micro Machine minis work tres well together with the FASA rules.
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I have Star Trek Fleet Captains (but have not played, or even read, the rules) if you're curious about ship model sizes. I am assuming that the models are the same.
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I bought a few for trading with friends and I might kitbash one or two, but that's about it.
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Rant mode engaged!
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/04/seeing-space-shuttles-discovery-and.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/04/seeing-space-shuttles-discovery-and.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Its a shame that the Space Program has fallen on such hard times the last decade or two. People used to look up to the stars and see a bright future but today can only look downward and see the mud and grime on their problems. It shouldn't be about cost, if cost had been an issue back in the 60',70's and the 80's we would have never have put men into space or gone to the moon. They want the journey into space to be easy and cheap, but don't remember we went in the first place because we knew it would be hard. The really sad part is that it should be easier today, the equipment used to put a man on the moon was junk in comparison to what could be used to do so today and is easier to produce as well.
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Enjoy!
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/04/cameron-day-making-of-french-foreign.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/04/cameron-day-making-of-french-foreign.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Good bit of history, this. Brave men who knew how to die.
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A nice bit of history though I have to wonder about how all this is known. If all of them died after all.
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The legend says they all died, history disagrees.
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Ninteen survived the battle, sixteen were captured early on, not exactly sure when during the battle or before it. One during the battle itself, and two survived the final charge with bayonets and were saved from being clubed to death by the enemy commander.
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Thanks Blaine that was something I never knew about.
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Inspirational.
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Not that there's anyone out there who hasn't seen it or is already standing in line for the film...
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/05/so-after-few-years-of-patient-waiting-i.html
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Somehow the link you've made is a mailto and I kept opening Outlook after clicking.
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Can someone edit his link so it just has Open Bracket url close bracket at the beginning and at the end open bracket slash url close bracket at the end and get rid of the mail to command.
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That was weird.
I clicked on the link and got sent to Yahoo! Mail.
And I gotta wait until it's out on DVD as my eyesight is bad enough that I can't see anything on a movie screen.
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Here let's try this until it gets fixed:
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/05/so-after-few-years-of-patient-waiting-i.html
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Thanks for the review, Blaine.
(I now suddenly have an urge to go out and get some Shawarma... O0)
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Thanks for the review, Blaine.
(I now suddenly have an urge to go out and get some Shawarma... O0)
Hope its better than what they were chowing down on :)
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Thanks for the review, Blaine.
(I now suddenly have an urge to go out and get some Shawarma... O0)
Blame my insular midwest upbringing, but I actually had to go look this up on wikipedia later.
Slow roasted lamb, turkey, chicken and beef? Why was I not informed?! [drool]
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I have ot been to a movie theater since September 2010 and I don't see any reason to now or in the near future. With the short turnaround from screen to DVD/Blu-Ray/Netflix/On-Demand, I can't justify going to them anymore artistically or financially. Why pay $10 and more to watch a film (mot including snacks),when I canwait 6 months (on average) and see it for $5 in the privacy of my home and not deal with the teemain masses.
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I have ot been to a movie theater since September 2010 and I don't see any reason to now or in the near future. With the short turnaround from screen to DVD/Blu-Ray/Netflix/On-Demand, I can't justify going to them anymore artistically or financially.
for this one.. its worth it.. unless you have a giant screen.. just one thing.." I'm always angry.. SMASH..." just would not look good on a small TV no matter what blue-ray has.. :D
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I have ot been to a movie theater since September 2010 and I don't see any reason to now or in the near future. With the short turnaround from screen to DVD/Blu-Ray/Netflix/On-Demand, I can't justify going to them anymore artistically or financially. Why pay $10 and more to watch a film (mot including snacks),when I canwait 6 months (on average) and see it for $5 in the privacy of my home and not deal with the teemain masses.
I completely agree. But... ******. I paid the $10, because I've been a geek for life. But I wish I had paid the extra $3 for the AVX. Really. Its that good. BTW, MY favorite part is the part where the Hulk walks away, saying "Puny God".
Edit:
...Oh, and I'm such a cheapskate, that I freeze my bag, rinse out my cup, and take it back next time for the free refill. If they don't mark it as a refill (its about 50/50), I do it until they do!
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"Puny god," the entire movie was worth it just to see that one bit.
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I have ot been to a movie theater since September 2010 and I don't see any reason to now or in the near future. With the short turnaround from screen to DVD/Blu-Ray/Netflix/On-Demand, I can't justify going to them anymore artistically or financially. Why pay $10 and more to watch a film (mot including snacks),when I canwait 6 months (on average) and see it for $5 in the privacy of my home and not deal with the teemain masses.
This is something that I've been wondering about myself, even though I did go to see it. Why bother with the theatre, when it's crowded with ignorant folks who laugh so hard you almost miss the best lines, the food is way too expensive, and the chairs - well, actually, those are pretty comfortable.
But a main reason to go into the theatre is to share the experience. We humans are still social creatures, and experiences sometimes mean more if we share them. An audience's gasp as a character dies, the laughter that we share, the annoying kid saying, "No way, he should be dead!" and everyone busting up, the post-movie connection with other people... it's an odd thing, and one that IS fun still.
Besides, Hollywood is still stuck in an idiot-mode, "Opening weekend matters" and if I want more Joss Whedon superhero movies, I'm gonna have to get off my can and watch it in the theatre. I have no real interest to see almost any movie in the theatre myself (the last one I saw was Sherlock Holmes a few years ago, I didn't have the money to see Game of Shadows in the theatre) so I'm in the boat that for the most part it doesn't matter to me.
But once in a while, it does.
Sorry for rambling, but it's not that I disagree with your viewpoint (in fact I share it!) but there is a difference between seeing a movie on a giant screen with a crowd of like-minded folks and seeing it on even the biggest TV in private.
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Sorry guys, it's not BattleTech...not yet anyway. It IS a true crime story and it IS getting some good early buzz.
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/05/my-latest-book-secret-witness-is-now.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/05/my-latest-book-secret-witness-is-now.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Didn't you already plug this book once before?
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Didn't you already plug this book once before?
First I've heard of it.
Thanks Blaine, I might just take a look.
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Interesting...might wanna give this one a look-see.
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First I've heard of it.
Thanks Blaine, I might just take a look.
Yeah, when he had the cover finished.
http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php/topic,13811.msg322690.html#msg322690
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Yeah, when he had the cover finished.
http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php/topic,13811.msg322690.html#msg322690
Uh, thanks, I think.
I wasn't saying the book wasn't 'plugged' before.
I was saying that this thread is the first I heard about this book.
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I have ot been to a movie theater since September 2010 and I don't see any reason to now or in the near future. With the short turnaround from screen to DVD/Blu-Ray/Netflix/On-Demand, I can't justify going to them anymore artistically or financially. Why pay $10 and more to watch a film (mot including snacks),when I canwait 6 months (on average) and see it for $5 in the privacy of my home and not deal with the teemain masses.
Because at home I don't get to see things jump out at me into the 15th row.
Seriously when the sword point in Tron looked like it was trying to pass me to leave the theater I was impressed.
While I think the prices are stupid I still go about once every month or 2 with friends as part of a night out.
That said, I don't go for "Most" movies, its got to be something that has a reason for being on a 100 foot screen and this is one of those movies O0 (Drama & Romantic Comedies can wait for video)
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This is something that I've been wondering about myself, even though I did go to see it. Why bother with the theatre, when it's crowded with ignorant folks who laugh so hard you almost miss the best lines, the food is way too expensive, and the chairs - well, actually, those are pretty comfortable.
But a main reason to go into the theatre is to share the experience. We humans are still social creatures, and experiences sometimes mean more if we share them. An audience's gasp as a character dies, the laughter that we share, the annoying kid saying, "No way, he should be dead!" and everyone busting up, the post-movie connection with other people... it's an odd thing, and one that IS fun still.
I'll support this theory.
I thought every TV add of Shrek looked dumb dumb dumb.
Then I saw the preview in the theater before some other film & the entire place was laughing & that shared experience made me give the movie a try when it came out. And was pleasantly surprised.
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Blame my insular midwest upbringing, but I actually had to go look this up on wikipedia later.
Slow roasted lamb, turkey, chicken and beef? Why was I not informed?! [drool]
I discovered the Shwarma a couple years ago at a local Greek fast food place and yeah, its, THE BOMB! Loved Gyros since I was stationed in germany long long ago but now I'm a huge fan of the Chicken Shwarma to, Good Stuff !
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The "guardians" of the forum have slotting me here for now. I apparently didn't violate any rules but they assume I am going to (snicker). In fairness, I do push the envelope.
For your wargamers, check out the latest Wings of Glory bomber!
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/05/cracking-box-on-gotha-g-v-from-ares.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/05/cracking-box-on-gotha-g-v-from-ares.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
WOB Reeducation Facility "Forum" Cell 122
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I tried that game out once, pretty fun but very few people were actually interested in a WW-1 game sadly.
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Enjoy!
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/06/secret-witness-book-tour-part-1.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/06/secret-witness-book-tour-part-1.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Cool
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http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/06/secret-witness-book-tour-part-2.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/06/secret-witness-book-tour-part-2.html)
Enjoy!
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Not a plug, a tribute to sticking with it!
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/06/virginia-creeper-is-available-for.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/06/virginia-creeper-is-available-for.html)
More importantly, in this book, you'll learn the origins of my nickname - Buck!
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Here's the latest that I'm working on...for your history buffs out there.
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/07/digging-deep-into-cuban-missile-crisis.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/07/digging-deep-into-cuban-missile-crisis.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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OK, now this sounds interesting.
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[copper]
Please keep Rule #4 in mind when discussing this most recent post.
/ [copper]
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[copper]
Please keep Rule #4 in mind when discussing this most recent post.
/ [copper]
Huh? I do not see how politics could come up in something historical. One way or another, whether you agree or
disagree with the decisions made, they were made, they happened, there is no arguing them...
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Very interesting, my dad was in the 1st Cavalry Division at the time and has told me about sleeping on the tarmac down South just waiting for the go order. I'd love to pick this book up for him and read it myself especially as you say for the invasion plans if they went down. Looking forward to this book! O0
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I'll buy this book!
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Huh? I do not see how politics could come up in something historical. One way or another, whether you agree or
disagree with the decisions made, they were made, they happened, there is no arguing them...
It's just a preemptive reminder to keep opinions and disparaging comments that can turn quickly into political fodder tamped down. That's all.
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Just let us know when it comes out, theres an audience here for that book.
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Interesting...?
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/07/researching-daisy-zick-murder.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/07/researching-daisy-zick-murder.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Enjoy!
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-questions-i-get-as-author.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-questions-i-get-as-author.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/08/gen-con-survival-guide.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/08/gen-con-survival-guide.html)
Enjoy!
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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[Looks down at 2-year-old airwalks.]
They're starting to lose their comfort, but I'm pretty sure they don't have an aroma. I wear socks!
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http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/08/book-review-castros-bomb.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/08/book-review-castros-bomb.html)
Enjoy!
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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A review of a new Wings of Glory mini - http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/08/cracking-plastic-on-fokker-eiii-max.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/08/cracking-plastic-on-fokker-eiii-max.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/08/cracking-plastic-wings-of-glory.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/08/cracking-plastic-wings-of-glory.html)
Aerospace fighters - ish - okay, not. Still cool!
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/09/cracking-plastic-airco-dh-2-and-morane.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/09/cracking-plastic-airco-dh-2-and-morane.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Hey, Blaine. On a complete aside, are you the guy in charge of the Blaine Faction in the Word of Blake?
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I tried this game in its last incarnation, one thing I have to wonder. Why switch to metal for the pieces now?
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Good Day,
I've been interviewing some of the authors I've started to get to know. Here's the first two for your consideration:
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/09/interview-with-james-william-peercy.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/09/interview-with-james-william-peercy.html)
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/09/interview-with-tricia-ballad-hydra.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/09/interview-with-tricia-ballad-hydra.html)
Enjoy!
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Enjoy!
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/09/an-inside-look-on-eternal-patrol.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/09/an-inside-look-on-eternal-patrol.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Now this looks like a book I can get into! :)
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Very cool! Interesting tale.
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This came out today. Creeper has been a bestseller for Horror/Occult for the last two weeks!
Don't worry guys, I promise I'll get to work on BattleTech stuff sometime this autumn.
http://gwenperkins.wordpress.com/2012/09/14/stranger-than-fiction-the-story-behind-virginia-creeper/ (http://gwenperkins.wordpress.com/2012/09/14/stranger-than-fiction-the-story-behind-virginia-creeper/)
That is, unless you want me to keep writing other stuff...
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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No we expect battletech stuff, in fact we demand battletech stuff. ;)
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http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/09/interview-with-steampunk-author-bobby.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/09/interview-with-steampunk-author-bobby.html)
Enjoy Steampunk readers!
Yes, I will get around to some BattleTech writing soon. Right now I've got missiles in Cuba and an invasion fleet to land!
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Right now I've got missiles in Cuba and an invasion fleet to land!
Waiting for that too!
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Still sick, but managing to sneak in some research between bouts of hacking up a lung...
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/09/a-brief-update.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/09/a-brief-update.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Enjoy!
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/09/an-inside-look-on-eternal-patrol.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/09/an-inside-look-on-eternal-patrol.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Bought this, its pretty good so far.
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For you boardgamers - a review of Fortress America. http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/10/review-fortress-america.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/10/review-fortress-america.html)
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Ok, I gotta get this. I have plenty of friends who would sit around and drink beer and laugh their butts off while playing this.
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I have a friend that has a copy, but we have yet to play it as his wife and the kids usaly feel like somthing else.
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Getting back to my roots as a writer... http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/10/getting-back-to-my-roots-as-writer.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/10/getting-back-to-my-roots-as-writer.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Watch this for updates day by day of the Cuban Missile Crisis
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/10/following-cuban-missile-crisis-day-by.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/10/following-cuban-missile-crisis-day-by.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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The anniversary of the Battle of Agincourt.
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/10/anniversary-of-battle-of-agincourt.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/10/anniversary-of-battle-of-agincourt.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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The St Crispian speech always brings a tear to my eye.
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IIRC that speech was given before the Battle of Harfleur, not Agincourt
NM, I got my speeches mixed up
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It is indeed on of the greatest of all time
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-yZNMWFqvM
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Kenneth Branagh's "Crispin's Day" speech in his Henry V is flat out one of the best scenes in a Shakespear film adaptaion I have ever seen. You can feel the energy of the words. O0
Craig
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My review of the movie Argo... http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/11/movie-review-argo.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/11/movie-review-argo.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Alright, I admit it - I read comic books...
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/11/yes-i-do-read-comic-books.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/11/yes-i-do-read-comic-books.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Getting ready for some December gaming! http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/12/getting-ready-for-late-december-gaming.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/12/getting-ready-for-late-december-gaming.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Game of Thrones is causing me to consider something rash...writing fantasy. http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/12/my-game-of-thrones-fixation.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/12/my-game-of-thrones-fixation.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My review of The Hobbit http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/12/review-of-hobbit.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/12/review-of-hobbit.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Thank you for posting here. I don't always have time to give feedback, but I enjoy reading your blog. Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year to you.
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My review of Geek Magazine http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2013/01/geek-magazine-review.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2013/01/geek-magazine-review.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Details of my recent Leviathan's mega battle. http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2013/01/leviathans-mega-battle.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2013/01/leviathans-mega-battle.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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The British, as it turned out, drew first blood. One of the French destroyers, the Grenadier, wandered out in the middle of crossfire from two British battleships and was horribly mauled but still in the air. She was one or two shots away from a keel breaking. Her captain, valiantly swung around and rammed a British battleship. While brave, it was a pointless gesture that only scared the crap out of the British captain and scraped the paint on her bow. The destroyer, already on her deathbed, went down with all hands. Rumors have circulated that her captain was seen personally at her wheel as she careened downward. If you look really hard at the miniature, I swear you can see him.
I don't know about anyone else, but my immediate reaction to that was "Of course, they're Davions."
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I don't know about anyone else, but my immediate reaction to that was "Of course, they're Davions."
LOL ;D
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Sounds vicious, three battleships lost and lots of friendly fire.
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For you boardgamers - a review of Fortress America. http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/10/review-fortress-america.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2012/10/review-fortress-america.html)
The original was quite fun
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I don't know about anyone else, but my immediate reaction to that was "Of course, they're Davions."
But...the Davions are French...
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I'm still waiting for the US Fleet. ;)
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But...the Davions are French...
And love ramming the enemy with their ship...
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But...the Davions are French...
Anglo-French. It means you have double the potential for ramming in Leviathans O0
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My latest - a review of the Jon Benet murder book. http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2013/01/review-jonbenet-inside-ramsey-murder.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2013/01/review-jonbenet-inside-ramsey-murder.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My newest book, The Bad Boy, is finally released! No spamming - just announcing. http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-bad-boy-is-finally-released.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-bad-boy-is-finally-released.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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That is one I hope to check out one day
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My quick review of Balance of Power
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2013/02/review-of-balance-of-power.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2013/02/review-of-balance-of-power.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Hmm Sort of an advanced Diplomacy. Dose it come with a sheet to write down the names of all your former friends who stabed you in the back?
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Here you go with my latest. Sure, I'm not writing BattleTech novels - but I am doing well with my military history pieces. http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-michigan-aviation-hall-of-fame.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-michigan-aviation-hall-of-fame.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Congratulations! O0
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Congratulations! :)
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It's that time of year -- Remember the Alamo!
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-alamo.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-alamo.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Remember Goliad!
Remember the Alamo!
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I visited the Alamao while going through Basic at Lackland. A interesting experience especially when you look at all the little stories that took place at the time that actually made up the event.
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So, what am I working on? Good question. http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2013/03/a-busy-year-ahead.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2013/03/a-busy-year-ahead.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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A writer's life is never really dull.
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-league-of-wwi-aviation-historians.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-league-of-wwi-aviation-historians.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Do you have any Leviathans fiction planned?
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Fantasy of Flight is a awesome place to visit. Just wish he would fix up that Connie to fly again.
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Do you have any Leviathans fiction planned?
I just finished a piece and sent it to Randall
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I got a sneak peak playtest of Sails of Glory. It's worth taking a look at!
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2013/04/sails-of-glory-sneak-peak-and-playtest.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2013/04/sails-of-glory-sneak-peak-and-playtest.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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That looks so fun. But I doubt I could get anyone to play with me.
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That looks so fun. But I doubt I could get anyone to play with me.
You and me both brother. This looks awesome but getting my group to try it out would be like pulling teeth. I would get it just to have it though.
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I just finished a piece and sent it to Randall
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
I'm looking forward to it. O0
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If you liked that - here's a sneak peek at the ADVANCED rules!!!
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-advanced-rules-for-sails-of-glory.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-advanced-rules-for-sails-of-glory.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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It's the anniversary of the Bay of Pigs invasion.
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-anniversary-of-bay-of-pigs.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-anniversary-of-bay-of-pigs.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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The summer movies I'm going to see!
http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2013/04/geek-guide-for-summer-movies.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2013/04/geek-guide-for-summer-movies.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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You Civil War fans - it's the 150th Anniversary of Chancellorsville http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2013/04/150th-anniversary-of-chancellorsville.html (http://bpardoe.blogspot.com/2013/04/150th-anniversary-of-chancellorsville.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Has 150 years really passed by? Time sure does fly...
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I've switched to Wordpress.com for my blog. Long story - boring.
Anyway, here's my latest - the video presentation about my latest book The Bad Boy: Bert Hall, Aviator and Mercenary of the Skies. Enjoy!
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/05/07/most-of-you-who-have-followed-me-know/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/05/07/most-of-you-who-have-followed-me-know/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Here's a bit on the Michigan Aviation Hall of Fame Awards.
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/05/13/the-michigan-aviation-hall-of-fame-2013/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/05/13/the-michigan-aviation-hall-of-fame-2013/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Congratulations on receiving an award.
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Wow, nice work. That's a big deal.
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My review of Into Darkness.
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/05/19/into-darkness-more-like-into-awesome/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/05/19/into-darkness-more-like-into-awesome/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Thanks for getting me a little more worked up. Gonna go see this one soon myself. ;)
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Memorial Day
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/05/26/memorial-day-perspective/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/05/26/memorial-day-perspective/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My upcoming true crime book project...
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/06/02/for-those-of-you-that-have-been-tracking/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/06/02/for-those-of-you-that-have-been-tracking/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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The book hits shelves next week. Hey, I'll be in Battle Creek in August. If you live in the area, swing on by!
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/06/08/my-latest-true-crime-book-murder-in-battle-creek-releases-this-week/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/06/08/my-latest-true-crime-book-murder-in-battle-creek-releases-this-week/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Not that anyone cares, but here is my summary of Game of Thrones Season Three
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/06/16/game-of-thrones-season-three-hangover/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/06/16/game-of-thrones-season-three-hangover/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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YOu wrote that like someone wo has never read the books.
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Bear in mind these are her redeeming characteristics.
;D
Concise, and more entertaining than five episodes of Theon Greyjoy being tortured. By a million.
And even better, there were no spoilers. In trying to get a little information after the end of season two, I accidentally found out about the Red Wedding, and had to keep it a secret from my friends for a year. All that trouble to find out what was next for Princess Whiny Stark.
Thanks for the review.
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Back from Scotland and a bit of research on another book.
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/06/23/in-scotland-on-the-trail-of-sawney-bean/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/06/23/in-scotland-on-the-trail-of-sawney-bean/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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The anniversary of the Battle of Little Bighorn
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It helps to put in the link - on Little Big Horn http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/06/30/the-battle-of-little-bighorn/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/06/30/the-battle-of-little-bighorn/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Once years ago there was a special on TV about the Battle of Little Big Horn on TV. They showed this drawn and painted story of the battle. Really creeped me out for some reason. And even now I look at something about the massacre that sends a shiver down my spine.
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Okay - how about a little Civl War? http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/07/06/crucible-of-history-july-of-1863/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/07/06/crucible-of-history-july-of-1863/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Back from Scotland and a bit of research on another book.
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/06/23/in-scotland-on-the-trail-of-sawney-bean/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/06/23/in-scotland-on-the-trail-of-sawney-bean/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Always welcome to our fair shores glad you enjoyed your visit you're right with the start though there are places away from the cities that haven't changed in centuries.
Just don't believe everything people say about haggis O0
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Just a heads up - for today - my book, Virginia Creeper (Kindle format) is available for free from Amazon.com. Time's limited.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Nice. This'll give me some new summer reading.
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My annual Gen Con survival tips!
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/07/20/annual-gen-con-survival-guide/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/07/20/annual-gen-con-survival-guide/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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More on my true crime book - Murder in Battle Creek.
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/07/27/murder-in-battle-creek-seems-to-have-struck-a-nerve/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/07/27/murder-in-battle-creek-seems-to-have-struck-a-nerve/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Alright...this is the big one. My "top secret" project is out and available. Sorry guys, it's not BattleTech fiction. It's funny (snarky is the phrase that keeps coming up) yet useful. Business Rules: The Cynic's Guidebook To The Corporate Overlords.
How can you pass up a book with the words, "Corporate Overlords" in the title?
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/07/28/business-rules-the-cynics-guidebook-to-the-corporate-overlords-is-out/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/07/28/business-rules-the-cynics-guidebook-to-the-corporate-overlords-is-out/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Corporate Culture Trends...
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/08/03/three-office-trends-impacting-workplace-culture/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/08/03/three-office-trends-impacting-workplace-culture/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Interesting books!
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Another glimpse into geeks at work...the company kitchenette...
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/08/12/major-faux-pas-in-the-company-kitchenette/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/08/12/major-faux-pas-in-the-company-kitchenette/)
Share, subscribe to my blog, or ignore. I'm cool...
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Another glimpse into geeks at work...the company kitchenette...
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/08/12/major-faux-pas-in-the-company-kitchenette/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/08/12/major-faux-pas-in-the-company-kitchenette/)
Share, subscribe to my blog, or ignore. I'm cool...
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
I need to print this and pin it to the refrigerator in work.
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Haha, that was a good read, made me smile. ;D
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My Gen Con wrap-up
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/08/26/gen-con-wrap-up/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/08/26/gen-con-wrap-up/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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And round two for tonight - my book tour summary. http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/08/26/my-book-tour-for-murder-in-battle-creek/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/08/26/my-book-tour-for-murder-in-battle-creek/)
Buck
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New business rules are coming in! Worth a chuckle or two...
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/08/31/new-business-rules-are-coming-in/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/08/31/new-business-rules-are-coming-in/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I like it
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http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/09/03/a-few-more-tid-bits-from-my-book-tour-for-murder-in-battle-creek/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/09/03/a-few-more-tid-bits-from-my-book-tour-for-murder-in-battle-creek/)
Some more stuff from my recent book tour...
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Back to business - what makes a great IT Department?
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/09/07/what-makes-a-great-it-department/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/09/07/what-makes-a-great-it-department/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Review - Wings of Glory Miniatures
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/09/11/new-wings-of-glory-miniatures-a-quick-review/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/09/11/new-wings-of-glory-miniatures-a-quick-review/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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How about of dose of workplace loyalty?
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/09/14/the-loyalty-gap/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/09/14/the-loyalty-gap/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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How about of dose of workplace loyalty?
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/09/14/the-loyalty-gap/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/09/14/the-loyalty-gap/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
So true, and sad. I can't lie, if I found something paying better I am so gone from my job precisely because they treat us so badly and like Kleenex. Then wonder why we don't want to do anything extra to help the company.
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How about of dose of workplace loyalty?
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/09/14/the-loyalty-gap/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/09/14/the-loyalty-gap/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
This is pure wisdom.
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This is pure wisdom.
Yes it is O0
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How about of dose of workplace loyalty?
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/09/14/the-loyalty-gap/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/09/14/the-loyalty-gap/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
I totally can agree with this even though I am on the other side of it. My problem is that the career I have chosen has too many loyal people and not enough opening for new blood. People don't wanna leave....it's great in a lot of ways but not so great if you are trying to get in and can't.
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Speaking at the US Naval Academy
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/09/21/speaking-at-the-us-naval-academy/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/09/21/speaking-at-the-us-naval-academy/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Do you have any plans to write stories for Leviathans?
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Speaking at the US Naval Academy
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/09/21/speaking-at-the-us-naval-academy/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/09/21/speaking-at-the-us-naval-academy/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
When you talked about the Cumberland, the War of 1912, the Essex, etc. I had to stop and think. Wait, did I miss a war? 1912? What, where, when? I assume you meant the War of 1812? ;D
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of course the various incursions and coups in central american cant be missed, great way to keep the marines busy
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Would have loved to gone to somthing like that.
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Old school or no school... http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/09/29/my-start-in-role-playing-games/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/09/29/my-start-in-role-playing-games/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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So just how round have your dice become?
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Old school indeed.
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My deep hatred of PowerPoint.
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/10/05/death-by-a-thousand-bullet-points-why-ive-come-to-hate-powerpoint/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/10/05/death-by-a-thousand-bullet-points-why-ive-come-to-hate-powerpoint/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My deep hatred of PowerPoint.
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/10/05/death-by-a-thousand-bullet-points-why-ive-come-to-hate-powerpoint/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/10/05/death-by-a-thousand-bullet-points-why-ive-come-to-hate-powerpoint/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Having worked at Apple for 12 years I can tell you I have an ultra loathing of Power Point. Not that Apple didn't try to interject their own POS
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Oh Powerpoint, my deeply hated nemesis. My current job I have had to make several presentations and all of them I ended up making the powerpoint presentations due to the lack of ability of others to make them themselves. I hate doing the job as something always bugs me about something on them. Whats worse is a few that I made actually never got used as at the last minute our team ended up going in a different direction or dropping the project. Meaning I wasted my time on making the damn things. :P
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Today marks the anniversary of Robert E. Lee's demise in 1870.
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/10/12/robert-e-lee-one-of-americas-greatest-generals/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/10/12/robert-e-lee-one-of-americas-greatest-generals/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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The only time i see powerpoint presentations anymore are in continuing training once every 6 weeks. And now, it's a quick refresher and not the indepth training session anymore.
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Today marks the anniversary of Robert E. Lee's demise in 1870.
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/10/12/robert-e-lee-one-of-americas-greatest-generals/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/10/12/robert-e-lee-one-of-americas-greatest-generals/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Strike the tent indeed.
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This week - misconceptions about the Cuban Missile Crisis.
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/10/20/myths-and-misconceptions-about-the-cuban-missile-crisis/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/10/20/myths-and-misconceptions-about-the-cuban-missile-crisis/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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How about a review of Dropzone Commander miniatures game?
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/10/27/game-review-dropzone-commander/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/10/27/game-review-dropzone-commander/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Sounds like a fun game. I think I'll see if my local store has any.
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Pretty cool writeup on your war game find.
Hope it continues to deliver the goods.
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To go with being Commandant of West Point, General Lee had some clue of the opposing field commanders inner workings. ( Look at the graduating class rosters ) Did he exploit this knowledge or not?
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To go with being Commandant of West Point, General Lee had some clue of the opposing field commanders inner workings. ( Look at the graduating class rosters ) Did he exploit this knowledge or not?
Well, I do remember reading that Meade at Gettysburg took advantage of Lee's teachings to set up in
preparation for the 3rd day. He actually pulled units into the center following the flanking attacks the
previous days according to one source I read years ago(I think it might have even been Longstreet's
autobiography), because he knew that Lee taught to follow up flank attacks with a push into the
center.
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Here's the latest - all of the writing projects I'm hip deep on.
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/11/03/update-on-book-projects/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/11/03/update-on-book-projects/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Mr. Blaine, are you going to be able to write a short-story serial for Battlecorp with your busy schedule?
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I think that there is already a book titled "Confederacy of the Damned."
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Alright, I have to weigh in on the JFK assassination.
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/11/17/jfks-assassination-cherry-picking-history/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/11/17/jfks-assassination-cherry-picking-history/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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You've just described pretty much every conspiracy theory ever in that post.
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You've just described pretty much every conspiracy theory ever in that post.
No, it miss's my time traveling Kennedy and Nixon Spotter theory. :D
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You've just described pretty much every conspiracy theory ever in that post.
You left off the time an alien Time Lord visited President Nixon to help defend the Earth from an ancient alien invasion that no one realized happened because of alien hypnosis. And don't tell me it isn't real. I saw it on TV; BBC no less. ;)
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You also forgot the JFK gose back in time to shoot himself, because some other blokes stop Oswald well looking for a good curry.
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You also forgot the JFK gose back in time to shoot himself, because some other blokes stop Oswald well looking for a good curry.
I always liked that episode.
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What show was that?
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Red Dwarf.
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Social networking at work, FOR work? Really?
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/11/24/not-so-social-networking/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/11/24/not-so-social-networking/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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The return of Cubicle Warfare!
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/12/02/the-re-release-of-cubicle-warfare/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/12/02/the-re-release-of-cubicle-warfare/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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New book project kicking off.
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/12/07/new-major-book-project-unsolved-battle-creek/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/12/07/new-major-book-project-unsolved-battle-creek/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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It's cold outside... http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/12/16/the-battle-of-the-bulge/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2013/12/16/the-battle-of-the-bulge/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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One thing I've discovered in recent years is how much our accomplishments were exagerated in WW2. I've heard it said over and over again that the Sherman was the best tank in the world, when it turned out to be a deathtrap against German armor. I'm dismayed to realize that we were using the same basic strategy as the Soviets: Throw enough bodies at the enemy and we'll wear the Germans down.
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One thing I've discovered in recent years is how much our accomplishments were exagerated in WW2. I've heard it said over and over again that the Sherman was the best tank in the world, when it turned out to be a deathtrap against German armor. I'm dismayed to realize that we were using the same basic strategy as the Soviets: Throw enough bodies at the enemy and we'll wear the Germans down.
Oh..the Sherman was great! You see, you could pull one that was hit int he field, hose it out, put an armor patch on it, put
in a fresh crew, and it was good as new! Now, that it was a deathtrap because it did not keep its crew alive while still being
so easily salvaged and turned around? That wasn't so good. But, eh..we had plenty more where those boys came from, right?
(I once saw a show where that is pretty much what one of the guys who had the unenviable job of salvaging shermans to
turn them around for more combat described doing. Even going so far as to mention sending the same tank out with fresh
faces in it multiple times, and never telling the new people what happened to the previous crews.)
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Don't forget there unfortunate nickname "The Ronson". A old brand of cigarette lighter. It had the motto, "Lights up first time, everytime" or something to that affect.
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Don't forget there unfortunate nickname "The Ronson". A old brand of cigarette lighter. It had the motto, "Lights up first time, everytime" or something to that affect.
And, because of the fuel used, the Sherman burned, it didn't blow up, IIRC. So, the LUCKY crews were the ones that had
a Panther or Tiger shell go into the crew compartment. They died quick, verses the ones that got hit in the fuel/engine
block, who got to be cooked alive inside their burning tank. (Of course, the lessons of the Sherman were passed on
to future tank designs as someone, fortunately, got the idea that keeping the crew alive was as good an investment as
making the tank recoverable.)
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Weird. I had a post refuting those old myths, but it seems to have vanished.
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http://www.amazon.com/Death-Traps-Survival-American-Division/dp/0891418148
Belton Cooper wrote a great book Death Traps: The Survival of an American Armored Division in World War II based on his experiences as an Ordnance officer in 3rd Armored Division.
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http://www.amazon.com/Death-Traps-Survival-American-Division/dp/0891418148
Belton Cooper wrote a great book Death Traps: The Survival of an American Armored Division in World War II based on his experiences as an Ordnance officer in 3rd Armored Division.
Author and historian R A Forcyzk has penned a damning review of this greatly overrated book: http://www.amazon.com/review/R30CDHXKY2SS5H/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=0891418148&linkCode=&nodeID=&tag=
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I've always found these sorts of reviews amusing, in the vein of "Even though Cooper was there, and is writing about his impressions pf the war going on around him, and of accounts he experienced first hand, he's obviously wrong, and here's why..."
It's like me telling my wife the 18 hours of labor she went through with my son wasn't as bad as she though it was, and I have empirical evidence to prove it...
Dav
Author and historian R A Forcyzk has penned a damning review of this greatly overrated book: http://www.amazon.com/review/R30CDHXKY2SS5H/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=0891418148&linkCode=&nodeID=&tag=
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I've always found these sorts of reviews amusing, in the vein of "Even though Cooper was there, and is writing about his impressions pf the war going on around him, and of accounts he experienced first hand, he's obviously wrong, and here's why..."
It's like me telling my wife the 18 hours of labor she went through with my son wasn't as bad as she though it was, and I have empirical evidence to prove it...
Dav
"Cooper continually discusses events he did not witness and in fact, only about one-third of the book covers his own experiences..."
"Even where Cooper is dealing with issues closer to his own experience, he tends to exaggerate or deliver incorrect information. He describes the VII Corps as an "armor corps," but it was not. Cooper's description of a counterattack by the German Panzer Lehr division is totally inaccurate; he states that, "July 11 became one of the most critical in the battle of Normandy. The Germans launched a massive counterattack along the Saint-Lo- Saint Jean de Daye highway..." In fact, one under strength German division attacked three US divisions. The Americans lost only 100 casualties, while the Germans suffered 25% armor losses. The Official history calls this attack "a dismal and costly failure." Cooper wrote that, "Combat Command A...put up a terrific defense in the vicinity of Saint Jean de Daye..." but actually it was CCB, since CCA in reserve. On another occasion, Cooper claims that his unit received the 60,000th Sherman produced, but official records indicate that only 49,234 of all models were built. Cooper claims that the 3rd Armored Division had 17,000 soldiers, but the authorized strength was about 14,500. "
These are facts, which he can't seem to get right. If it's a memoir, he can't remember. If it's a work of history, he's a poor historian. These failures are particularly egregious because he claims to be writing a history of US armor doctrine and development during the war, yet it becomes painfully clear that he did little or no research on the things outside his direct experience and cannot remember the things encompassed by it properly. Memoirs, even those of veterans -- I might say especially those of veterans -- are not exempt from scrutiny; they in fact demand a higher level of it, especially when written many many years after the event.
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Lost - one time machine...
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/01/01/if-i-had-a-time-machine/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/01/01/if-i-had-a-time-machine/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Every fight one is in is the big one and every gun was an 88' and every tank a Tiger. Think that was what someone once told me.
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Lost - one time machine...
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/01/01/if-i-had-a-time-machine/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/01/01/if-i-had-a-time-machine/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Time Machine, simple only one place I want to go. Back in time to my birth and tell my old man congrats and hand him a list of stock tips for the next 38 years.
What?
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20 July, 1969, 04:17 EDT, Sea of Tranquility
14 October, 1947, Morning, Edwards AFB California
And yeah, 30AD, Judea.
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14 October, 1947, Morning, Edwards AFB California
Good date to check out right there. O0
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Lake Peipus, April 5, 1242.
Just to see if Sergei Eisenstein got it right. ;)
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16-19 October, Leipzig Saxony
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June-July 1947 Roswell, NM
I want to see for myself if an alien UFO did indeed crash there and prove that the Govt is indeed hiding the facts.
April 14, 1912, Mid-Atlantic Ocean
You know what happened that night so I don't need to spell it out for you.
July 1952, Washington DC
I want to witness the DC UFO incident and see these UFOs for myself. (As you can probably guess, I'm a UFO/Alien geek)
That's about it.
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June-July 1947 Roswell, NM
I want to see for myself if an alien UFO did indeed crash there and prove that the Govt is indeed hiding the facts.
It would be so amusing if it was a time traveler traveling there to see what really happened snd their time ship had a catastrophic malfunction....
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But what if he had sex with his grandmother? Or attempted to introduce Ferengi Commerce?
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Tazmania, prior to 1800. I'd like to see a living Thylocene.
North America, between One Million and 500,000 BCE- I'd love to see the continent when its full compliment of megafauna had yet to be driven extinct after the arrival of the Clovis hunters.
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Gentleman your all missing the most important thing to go back in time to see and do! Go back to 1984 and get your first edition of Battledroids!
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Gentleman your all missing the most important thing to go back in time to see and do! Go back to 1984 and get your first edition of Battledroids!
Already have that
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Already have that
Good for you! Not part of my collection though.
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Monuments Men...
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/02/09/a-review-of-monuments-men/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/02/09/a-review-of-monuments-men/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Hey thanks for your review of the movie.
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A little bit on the subject of careers...
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/02/16/a-critique-about-careers/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/02/16/a-critique-about-careers/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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A little bit on the subject of careers...
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/02/16/a-critique-about-careers/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/02/16/a-critique-about-careers/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
HR departments were never about employees, they are about making sure employees do not sue the employer
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And now, let's talk myths of the Great War...
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/03/02/erroneous-myths-of-the-great-war/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/03/02/erroneous-myths-of-the-great-war/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Excellent post! Not to get into rule four territory, but if the first World War was handled better at the end, I can't help but imagine the second one might have either been very different, or even non-existent. But then again, maybe not.
I also caught your interview on NPR regarding your book about unsolved murder mysteries of Michigan about a month or so back. Good stuff.
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I'm reading Castles of Steel right now by Robert Massie and from what it reads I could almost swear the people fighting the naval war were all semi insane. More worried about how an action would reflect on the service or not using warships for fear they would be lost or even the fact some things weren't done because they would be 'ungentlemanly', of course this changed over time, particularly after the Brits got German naval codes.
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Excellent post! Not to get into rule four territory, but if the first World War was handled better at the end, I can't help but imagine the second one might have either been very different, or even non-existent. But then again, maybe not.
I also caught your interview on NPR regarding your book about unsolved murder mysteries of Michigan about a month or so back. Good stuff.
It's almost certain that there would have been a second World War, but the matchup would have been very different in terms of which countries were on which side.
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Interesting timming for that post, as I am in the middle of Margaret MacMillan's "The War That Ended Peace".
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I'm reading Castles of Steel right now by Robert Massie and from what it reads I could almost swear the people fighting the naval war were all semi insane. More worried about how an action would reflect on the service or not using warships for fear they would be lost or even the fact some things weren't done because they would be 'ungentlemanly', of course this changed over time, particularly after the Brits got German naval codes.
It is an excellent book, along with it's prequel. I wouldn't call anyone semi-insane, or at least that wasn't my impression. There was some incompetence, but for the most part I think both sides were fairly well run. I can understand how both sides were afraid of losing their big ships, given that they took at minumum a year and a half to build and they cost a fortune. Jellicoe may have been just a bit too timid, and Beatty too aggressive. The German Admiralty did the best they could given the restrictions placed on them by the Kaiser and the need to inflict significant damage on the British fleet without losses of their own.
Your really should check out Catalyst's "Leviathans". You get to do that, but with flying battleships.
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I have Catalysts Leviathans. I'm waiting for the American Fleet!
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I have Catalysts Leviathans. I'm waiting for the American Fleet!
Those should be out...in about 8 years, if we are lucky :(
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The American fleet is not likely to be very busy when it gets released. America was very isolationist in this time period. We spent three years on the sidelines during WW1, not willing to take a side until the Kaiser was caught urging the Mexicans to invade the USA.
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Those should be out...in about 8 years, if we are lucky :(
And that fact annoys me to no end. When the German Navy gets a release I may get excited by Leviathans again, but I really want my Great White Fleet.
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Star Trek Attack Wing Miniatures Review...
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/03/09/star-trek-attack-wing-miniatures-review-the-equinox-and-the-gal-gaththong/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/03/09/star-trek-attack-wing-miniatures-review-the-equinox-and-the-gal-gaththong/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Mr Pardoe 2 things one is I am going to see about picking up your books regarding WWI as I feel there is not enough on this matter and would really like to know more than just from what I remember as a child growing up. It is a shame that many writers never tried seeking out the veterans who did come back home from the great war to really write about it.
The other thing is the Star Trek Attack Wing game very nice review and it seems to go by how many are complimenting that game.
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Mr Pardoe 2 things one is I am going to see about picking up your books regarding WWI as I feel there is not enough on this matter and would really like to know more than just from what I remember as a child growing up. It is a shame that many writers never tried seeking out the veterans who did come back home from the great war to really write about it.
Many writers did, actually, and furthermore, many of the participants wrote their memoirs after the conflict. In the 1960s, there was a huge upsurge in writing about the war as its 50th anniversaries arrived as well, with authors like John Terraine and Barbara Tuchman giving the era an important re-examination. It's almost certainly not a case of writers not examining the era, and more a case of the books simply not being well-publicized or dating back to the 1960s or 1970s.
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World War I is overshadowed to a large degree by the Second Act. 3rdCrucisLancers quite correctly points out said books are older and somewhat dated again because of the 2nd World War. With the start of the Great War approaching its 100th anniversary I wonder how much of a look back we will soon get. As you can guess the tragedy of the 1st World War is my greatest historical interest with works such as the Guns of August and Dreadnought at the top of my list. Battles on the Eastern Front are particularly hard to find information on although a friend of mine recommended a great book to me last year called Battles East by G. Irving Root. Good read. O0
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Interesting thing I learned recently. Look at a map of France and you will still see towns listed that were destroyed during the First World War and are not removed in an effort to keep there memory alive. Sometimes the only thing left are some ruins or just an open space with maybe a memorial. No Mans Land destroyed plenty of towns and the only place they really exist is on a map.
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Interesting thing I learned recently. Look at a map of France and you will still see towns listed that were destroyed during the First World War and are not removed in an effort to keep there memory alive. Sometimes the only thing left are some ruins or just an open space with maybe a memorial. No Mans Land destroyed plenty of towns and the only place they really exist is on a map.
Lets not forget too about that one town in France that is a ghost town because of what happened during WWII.
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How about a review of some new Wings of Glory miniatures? http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/03/16/wings-of-glory-new-miniatures-review/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/03/16/wings-of-glory-new-miniatures-review/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I always liked this game, the problem none of my friends see it as very interesting.
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Oh, wow. That's neat that they're doing both wars. I saw a WWII box once, and I think I may pick it up one day. I have a colleague I work with who's a big WWII fighter buff. He's especially fond of the German planes. I think he would appreciate these as well, and give him and I some extra common ground through a game.
I've also been looking at the Sails of Glory that I saw at a game store. Might be interested in a single ship to use in Catan. But, I remember the Pirates of the Spanish Main game, and was yearning for something more real-looking than styrene cut-outs. I think it's done by the same people.
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I've only got two of them right now, one is a Sopwith Camel and the other is a P-40 in Flying Tigers colors. They just collect dust atop my bookshelf now.
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My review of Knights of Badassdom...
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/03/24/movie-review-knights-of-badassdom/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/03/24/movie-review-knights-of-badassdom/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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It did seem promising. I'm glad it has turned out well. Can't wait to see it.
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And now, the comedy of Christopher Titus
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/03/31/christopher-titus-comedian-extraordinaire/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/03/31/christopher-titus-comedian-extraordinaire/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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This week - Marvel's Agents of SHIELD. Yes I watch it. I like it a lot, but not for the reasons you might think...
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/04/16/agents-of-shield-awesome-for-a-different-reason/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/04/16/agents-of-shield-awesome-for-a-different-reason/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Wave 4 Star Trek Attack Wing Ship Reviews. http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/05/17/star-trek-attack-wing-miniatures-review-uss-voyager-borg-sphere-4270-and-bioship-alpha/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/05/17/star-trek-attack-wing-miniatures-review-uss-voyager-borg-sphere-4270-and-bioship-alpha/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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And still no Enterprise-E. Sigh.
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My frustration at History Channel's The World Wars.
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/05/31/the-history-channels-horrible-presentation-of-the-world-wars/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/05/31/the-history-channels-horrible-presentation-of-the-world-wars/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Thanks for the warning! I don't watch that much TV anyway, but I'll actively avoid this show.
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And the History Channel once again chooses to live down to everyone's expectations.
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There catering to there audience. The problem is there audience never graduated High School or there history classes never got past the Mexican American War. And yes, my high school history class's never got past the war of against Mexico but I was at least willing to read ahead and learn about stuff that happened on my own.
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What ticked me off was Stalin's reaction to Hitler's invasion of Russia. Umm, no mighty Joe didn't say I'll give you a war if that's what you want rather he went and hid from his own people until Moscow. Hell, he actually tried to surrender. So yeah there was a lot of glossing over but I did like how they followed the characters through both wars and how the first really impacted them.
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Patton was not brought back into the fight until after the Battle of the Bulge. So that time my grandfather should have died before my mother was born apparently didn't happen. (Worth noting, Patton 360 showed me a nice good look at where he was being shot at, and the shooter's position.)
There is an extended version on H2 in three weeks. I'm wondering if that is re-edited to be more accurate. Sadly, I'll never know since it is on H2. That channel would cost me more than HBO through my provider.
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Did it at least mention that the non-aggression pact between Germany and Russia amounted to
"I don't attack, you, you don't attack me. Let's split Poland!" ?
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Another real problem with the show, is that even though Hawk-eye was narrating, the entire existence of HYDRA was omitted. ;)
Still at least it was more accurate than this Korean War Memorial:
http://news.yahoo.com/ohio-towns-korean-war-memorial-under-fire-blunders-134434822.html
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I have completed another book...sorry, not a BattleTech novel
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/06/01/we-have-finished-our-new-book-unsolved-battle-creek-the-murder-of-maggie-hume/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/06/01/we-have-finished-our-new-book-unsolved-battle-creek-the-murder-of-maggie-hume/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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When was the last Battletech novel printed?
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When was the last Battletech novel printed?
I realilze it's a MWDA novel rather than "BattleTech", but To Ride the Chimera was released in February of 2008 at least. I don't remember if there were any after it or not though. :-\ I'm Guessing the last "BattleTech" novel came out in '04 or '05?
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Wasn't reprint of the Warrior Triology Omnibus that last book printed under Battletech name? Last new one was, End Game.
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I will take To Ride the Chimera as an answer. A Battletech novel with four women talking on the cover. Its been far too long since we have had a DTF release!
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A DTF release that wasn't a Battlecorp anthology, you mean.
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Well yeah, not an anthology. We need books to push the universe forward, to sell the game, to create jobs for writers needing royaltys!
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Here's a review of my latest non-fiction military history book...
http://www.mwsadispatches.com/node/1705 (http://www.mwsadispatches.com/node/1705)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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The US and the Great War
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/06/15/the-united-states-world-war-one-centennial-commission/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/06/15/the-united-states-world-war-one-centennial-commission/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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The history of the Great War is very interesting stuff. I am reading Castles of Steel right now about Great War Naval Warfare. I need to get a book about trench warfare at some point as well.
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I went through a phase last year reading about Gallipoli. Before they emigrated, the family had a tradition of serving in the Royal Munster Fusiliers.
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The history of the Great War is very interesting stuff. I am reading Castles of Steel right now about Great War Naval Warfare. I need to get a book about trench warfare at some point as well.
WW1 and WW2 are two wars where the stuff that led up to them? If it wasn't history, no-one
would believe it.
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The lead up to the First World War were a mix of pride, an arms race, economical, chaos, and colonial expansion. But the way it all worked out only makes sense to a certain mindset. Great Britian has to have the biggest Navy so for every Battleship Germany lays down, the Brits lay down two while the Kaiser lays down Battleships because he wants Germanys navy to emulate the British Navy. Meanwhile the British Navy and its expansion were bankrupting the Empire.
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My recap of Game of Thrones this season.
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/06/22/season-four-of-game-of-thrones-comes-to-an-end-my-recap/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/06/22/season-four-of-game-of-thrones-comes-to-an-end-my-recap/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Meanwhile the British Navy and its expansion were bankrupting the Empire.
Uh, no. The post-WWI arms race that was nipped in the bud by the arms limitation treaties of the interwar era certainly threatened to bankrupt Britain, but the whole point of the British shipbuilding program was that they could afford it -- they deliberately made strategic decisions like largely leaving the Mediterranean to the French, and reducing their colonial commitments to ensure they had the money and the manpower for the battlefleet in home waters. It was an expensive strategy and there's some evidence -- though not universally accepted -- that Fisher before he retired in 1910 tried to prepare the way for an alternative, battlecruiser and submarine -based battlefleet, but this never came to pass, and there was never a point before the war when the naval expenditures endangered British finances.
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My annual GenCon Survival Tips List
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/07/13/my-annual-gencon-list-of-survival-tips/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/07/13/my-annual-gencon-list-of-survival-tips/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Uh, no. The post-WWI arms race that was nipped in the bud by the arms limitation treaties of the interwar era certainly threatened to bankrupt Britain, but the whole point of the British shipbuilding program was that they could afford it -- they deliberately made strategic decisions like largely leaving the Mediterranean to the French, and reducing their colonial commitments to ensure they had the money and the manpower for the battlefleet in home waters. It was an expensive strategy and there's some evidence -- though not universally accepted -- that Fisher before he retired in 1910 tried to prepare the way for an alternative, battlecruiser and submarine -based battlefleet, but this never came to pass, and there was never a point before the war when the naval expenditures endangered British finances.
There actually was financial issues with the naval buildup before World War 1. Britain's policy of having the ability to match any two navy's in the field called for every one battleship built by Germany to have two built for the British Fleet. Parliament in fact forced the navy to cut numbers of ships under construction and at the same time the public was riled up to force the construction of more ships' "We want eight and we won't wait." The moneys though were desired for more social programs and at certain points ships were culled to free up money for other projects. And in the end they still didn't have enough ships. particularly in Destroyers and Submarines for the war that was fought and not what they planned for. Britain welcomed the Washington Naval Conference after the war because it would limit other navy's and require the British to pay for less warships to be built.
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There actually was financial issues with the naval buildup before World War 1. Britain's policy of having the ability to match any two navy's in the field called for every one battleship built by Germany to have two built for the British Fleet. Parliament in fact forced the navy to cut numbers of ships under construction and at the same time the public was riled up to force the construction of more ships' "We want eight and we won't wait." The moneys though were desired for more social programs and at certain points ships were culled to free up money for other projects. And in the end they still didn't have enough ships. particularly in Destroyers and Submarines for the war that was fought and not what they planned for. Britain welcomed the Washington Naval Conference after the war because it would limit other navy's and require the British to pay for less warships to be built.
The social programs and naval expansion were both funded by Lloyd George's budgets, which instituted new taxes on the rich (and caused a constitutional crisis when the Lords vetoed the budget at first), and indeed, the eight ships were always planned for; four initially, and four to be laid down later. The position of the Unionists was that all eight had to be laid down at once (hence the slogan), to prevent a dreadnought gap as illusory as the bomber gap of fifty years later. It was merely a case of political capital.
How many submarines did the British need in the war? Almost none, I daresay, and the lack of them was never a serious limiting factor on British operations; indeed, thanks to Room 40, their submarines were often well-placed. As for destroyers and small escorts, absolutely nobody had enough at the start of the war, or at the start of WWII; in peacetime, procurement focused on large long-lead-time ships, because those are more difficult to build during the war, with emergency destroyer programs once hostilities began. Even if the Royal Navy had built more ships prior to WWI, the issue was less money than manning. In peacetime, the ships weren't fully manned, and more ships would have only exacerbated the situation.
I'm very familiar with the British position on the postwar naval limitation treaties, and as I said, after the end of WWI, Britain was in a parlous financial state. Admiral Herbert Richmond actually tried to drum up interest in a treaty that would limit dreadnoughts to pre-WWI tonnages and gun calibers, in an attempt to make a numerically larger battlefleet more affordable.
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My annual GenCon Survival Tips List
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/07/13/my-annual-gencon-list-of-survival-tips/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/07/13/my-annual-gencon-list-of-survival-tips/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
On Black T-Shirts. I have a lot of T-Shirts, and I'd say about a quarter of them (Autobot symbol, Ghostbusters symbol, Star Trek Symbol, among others) I can't wear in the summer because they are too hot/black. So part of the issue is that the T-Shirt manufacturers find Black the best choice in color.
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My annual GenCon Survival Tips List
Company colors are acid green and black Blaine. I don't have much of an option when I'm on duty. ;)
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Company colors are acid green and black Blaine. I don't have much of an option when I'm on duty. ;)
On top of that: frankly, many companies that make cool patterns don't give us much choice. White(which
shows ANYTHING as stains) or black.
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On top of that: frankly, many companies that make cool patterns don't give us much choice. White(which
shows ANYTHING as stains) or black.
This is why I like the dress code in my office: "Don't upset anyone." I routinely wear BDU pants and t-shirts.
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Here's an update on a variety of writing projects!
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/07/27/writing-update-so-many-words-so-little-time/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/07/27/writing-update-so-many-words-so-little-time/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Never Was looks very interesting.
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My review of Guardians of the Galaxy...
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/08/02/review-of-guardians-of-the-galaxy/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/08/02/review-of-guardians-of-the-galaxy/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I've been on the fence about the film but I think I might go see it tomorrow afternoon.
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A little trivia -- I have been a Dark Horse beer drinker for years. So here's my take on Dark Horse Nation on the History Channel.
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/08/08/my-totally-biased-review-of-dark-horse-nation-on-the-history-channel/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/08/08/my-totally-biased-review-of-dark-horse-nation-on-the-history-channel/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My latest book has been released!
True Crime... http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/08/18/anniversary-of-a-crime-the-murder-of-maggie-hume/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/08/18/anniversary-of-a-crime-the-murder-of-maggie-hume/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My latest blog post - an after-action report on GenCon including my horrid performance in the Masters and Minions tournament.
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/08/22/gencon-2014-battle-damage-assessment/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/08/22/gencon-2014-battle-damage-assessment/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My latest blog post - an after-action report on GenCon including my horrid performance in the Masters and Minions tournament.
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/08/22/gencon-2014-battle-damage-assessment/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/08/22/gencon-2014-battle-damage-assessment/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Honestly, I do not touch WizKids. They betrayed us once with how they treated MechWarrior at the end(since it is the
same people running WK now that ran HeroClix then and were responsible for the poor treatment of MechWarrior,
I still hold the grudge against them). I do not see why anyone would associate with them anymore.
Now, as for why Reaper wasn't at GenCon...I actually got to speak with them on that. They had the choice: prepare
for the arrivals of the Bones II Kickstarter OR go to GenCon. While I understand and respect their choice, I will say
that I was still disappointed. I was looking forward to buying stuff from them directly, not their partners at Dark Sword
Minis. (At the same time, next time I go, I will likely budget to buy some of those awesome minis from Dark Sword Minis.
They are really cool looking.)
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I've never been a fan of Wizkids, clicktech didn't ever appeal to me and anything else they put out never did either. Somewhat surprised by the Palladium boot story though, figured they would have done something other than get people pissed at them and while I applaud my SCA brethren the wherewithal to remember to bring pitchforks and flaming torches it might have been better to just have a really good fighting demo instead. ;)
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Maybe Blaine can help me: why go to GenCon? I'm a bus ride away and have oodles of expendable income these days, but it still feels like I'd have more fun burning my money and seeing if fusion spontaneously occurs. Yes, I ask this a lot, but I still have yet to get any sort of convincing answer.
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Maybe Blaine can help me: why go to GenCon? I'm a bus ride away and have oodles of expendable income these days, but it still feels like I'd have more fun burning my money and seeing if fusion spontaneously occurs. Yes, I ask this a lot, but I still have yet to get any sort of convincing answer.
Well, it depends on a lot of factors, Bosch. Until this last time, I almost exclusively hit the BattleTech tournements, grinders, and maybe some shadowrun. But, this last time, I attended a painting seminar, got to participate in a paint and take applying what I learned from the seminar fairly quickly, got to play some West End Games d6 Star Wars(which I had completely forgotten about how awesome it was), got to try beta rules for the new Force and Destiny rule set for the FFG Star wars rules(I am now more excited about these rules!), got to play in a Werewolf the Forsaken game, and got to try out the RObotech RPG tactics rules. Now, true, this wasn't a huge amount of things, and I did spend a lot of time shopping in the dealer's hall, or just people watching (and, oh, yeah, making sure I got plenty of sleep every night). But, you know, this all excites me because I am a gamer. I love games, trying new games, playing games I haven't in years, etc.
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It's been almost 20 years since I went to a convention (any convention; I've never been to GenCon), and I expect it'll be another nine before I can again, but I always went to see (and play games with) friends and maybe make some new ones. You meet all kinds of people at conventions, some you never want to see again, but the good ones make it worth while. As a community, we're in the "long tail" the retail types talk about, so we're relatively few and far between. Conventions diminish that distance for a few days at a time.
Oh, and welcome back Colonel! Good to see you on the board again.
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I find GenCon an awesome place to get a view of the gaming industry as a whole - as well as see the new releases.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My review of To Crown the Waves...
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/08/31/review-to-crown-the-waves-the-great-navies-of-the-first-world-war/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/08/31/review-to-crown-the-waves-the-great-navies-of-the-first-world-war/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I have the book too. It is a combination of Field Manual and Objective raids. It's one of my favorites.
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Blaine have you read Warrior King?
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Nope - I haven't read Warrior King.
Here's my lastest blog post - a review of the USS Enterprise mini for Star Trek Attack Wing. Yeah, I'm still mad at Wizkids - but this is a cool ship.
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/09/13/review-uss-enterprise-refit-miniature-star-trek-attack-wing/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/09/13/review-uss-enterprise-refit-miniature-star-trek-attack-wing/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Now for some looks at the workplace. Is it time to consider a job change?
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/09/20/ten-signs-its-time-to-consider-a-change-at-work/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/09/20/ten-signs-its-time-to-consider-a-change-at-work/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I will be in Michigan for a week of book tour events - if you want to get your BattleTech stuff signed.
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/09/28/book-tour-for-the-murder-of-maggie-hume/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/09/28/book-tour-for-the-murder-of-maggie-hume/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Review of a new true crime book
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/10/05/review-of-the-dc-dead-girls-club-jason-lucky-morrow/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/10/05/review-of-the-dc-dead-girls-club-jason-lucky-morrow/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Our book tour is over. I promise guys, I'm getting back to Science Fiction/Military
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/10/19/wrap-up-of-our-book-tour-in-michigan-the-murder-of-maggie-hume/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/10/19/wrap-up-of-our-book-tour-in-michigan-the-murder-of-maggie-hume/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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The whole history channel thing... it all started when they dropped Dog Fights for Ice Road Truckers.
I and a friend will attest to this.
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Congrats on the books, Blaine. But, why should I be stoking your ego? You have awards already.
So, moving backwards to your GenCon recount, I'm kind of surprised and not surprised.
Wizkids- The new WizKids have some really good games and game systems out, but some of their decisions for in-game rules and ultimate game support are certainly one that I, as someone who's interested in game design, would not make. I agree on the wording issues. We've had issues over it with the Fleet Captains game often. The fact that they won't do any further support for that game now that the Dominion expansion is out is rather disappointing. I would have loved to see card packs for the game that allow you to add other ships to the game, maybe new encounters, etc. Sounds simple enough.
With attack wing, I'm not too concerned about miniatures, but can you tell me if they've expanded the amount of non-unique upgrades and personnel with a lot of the new ships?
Something I'm noticing is that too many of the upgrades are unique for each ship, especially the named one. I like that they've done their research to some degree, but the reliance on named characters makes filling out a fleet with non-unique ships with a fluctuation of character to each ship difficult. It doesn't really help that I can only seem to find a Galaxy, War Bird, or Vor'cha in the starter, and not in their own boxes with some new cards not found in the starter.
When it comes to the attack wing system, FFG has done a much better job.
- Palladium/Red Ninja
I'm actually concerned about this, because I participated in their playtest, complete with NDA. I'm already disappointed with the direction the rules went. I can live with it, but it's not the system I'll be using with the minis.
But, I'd like to see my name in a book in the playtest credits other than in Leviathans and Cosmic Patrol - Basically, just CGL stuff. (I love CGL, but they're not going to be the ones I'll get a game made/published with. I can just tell.)
- In spite of their lack of presence, I expect Reaper and DP9 will probably do well.
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Howdy Blaine,
Have you ever thought about writing anything on the Maria Ridulph Case? It's been tried and the accused murder convicted (oldest cold case ever tried with a conviction, I think), but there's still a lot of questions left about the case.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Maria_Ridulph
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Here's my latest - Star Trek Attack Wing mini's review - a tale of two Enterprises
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/10/29/a-tale-of-two-enterprises-reviews-of-the-enterprise-e-and-nx-01-for-star-trek-attack-wing/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/10/29/a-tale-of-two-enterprises-reviews-of-the-enterprise-e-and-nx-01-for-star-trek-attack-wing/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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What, no Worf card that causes you to gain a bunch of attack dice but makes your attack automatically fail? ;)
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No Worfie in this set.
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Here's my latest bit on the workplace - shared office space.
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/11/01/guidelines-for-sharing-your-workspace/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/11/01/guidelines-for-sharing-your-workspace/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Lots of mentions of public lynching, torches and pitchforks. Have you been subject to such treatment in the past, oh Frankenstein?
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Veterans Day
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/11/09/veterans-day-2014/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/11/09/veterans-day-2014/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Couple of years back I went to the AF Museum in Dayton and the WW-1 section is very small but informative. Uniforms and stories and insignia that most people have never seen or heard. Its all very interesting stuff. I hope when the Army finally builds its museum they have a good sized section devoted to the First World War.
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I can't wait for the facility at Fort Belvoir to open.
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Just a little tid bit. I'm changing my title - it is now New York Times Bestselling Author Blaine Pardoe.
The Murder of Maggie Hume hit the NYT's Crime and Punishment bestseller list two weeks ago at #14. Pretty sweet.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Congrats.
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Just a little tid bit. I'm changing my title - it is now New York Times Bestselling Author Blaine Pardoe.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Congratulations!
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I can't wait for the facility at Fort Belvoir to open.
Same here.
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More photos emerge tied to my book, Secret Witness.
http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/11/16/newly-uncovered-photos-secret-witness/ (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/11/16/newly-uncovered-photos-secret-witness/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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The Battle of Cambrai
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/11/23/battle-of-cambrai/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/11/23/battle-of-cambrai/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I got quoted in Air and Space...pretty cool.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/11/30/article-in-the-smithsonian-on-the-lafayette-escadrille/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/11/30/article-in-the-smithsonian-on-the-lafayette-escadrille/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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When does "Never Wars" come out in Kindle format?
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Never Wars is in Kindle. For some reason Amazon hasn't linked the hardcover and the ebook.
Here's a quick link: http://www.amazon.com/Never-Wars-Plans-Invade-World-ebook/dp/B00OJY01K2/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1418257212&sr=8-8&keywords=blaine+pardoe (http://www.amazon.com/Never-Wars-Plans-Invade-World-ebook/dp/B00OJY01K2/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1418257212&sr=8-8&keywords=blaine+pardoe)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Thanks!
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It's that time of the year --- the anniversary of the battle of Fredericksburg.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/12/12/the-anniversary-of-the-battle-of-fredericksburg/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/12/12/the-anniversary-of-the-battle-of-fredericksburg/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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It's that time of the year --- the anniversary of the battle of Fredericksburg.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/12/12/the-anniversary-of-the-battle-of-fredericksburg/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/12/12/the-anniversary-of-the-battle-of-fredericksburg/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
I have always wanted to see this battleground for myself. I just have never found time to do so.
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My new book is finally available - Never Wars.
So, the US planned a chemical weapons attack on Canada in 1935? Oh yeah. This SH*T is about to get real!
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/12/13/never-wars-is-finally-available/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/12/13/never-wars-is-finally-available/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
#NeverWars
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A true crime book review...
Sorry for the delay between posts - I'm writing a few books!
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/12/26/review-eye-of-the-beholder-the-almost-perfect-murder-of-anchorwoman-diane-newton-king/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/12/26/review-eye-of-the-beholder-the-almost-perfect-murder-of-anchorwoman-diane-newton-king/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My review of Unbroken...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/12/30/review-of-the-movie-unbroken/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2014/12/30/review-of-the-movie-unbroken/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Here's a non-blog thing --
The true story of Frederick Zinn of the Lafayette Flying Corps. I invite you to read the book - which covers more.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYzs-WaS8Vs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYzs-WaS8Vs)
More importantly, if you like WWI aviation, you should subscribe to the YouTube Channel that the League of WWI Aviation Historians have going. There's going to be a lot content going up there with the centennial of the war going on.
Blaine Pardoe
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People don't remember World War I anymore. And all modern warfare comes from the lessons taught during that war.
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People don't remember World War I anymore. And all modern warfare comes from the lessons taught during that war.
Well said.
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Here's a non-blog thing --
The true story of Frederick Zinn of the Lafayette Flying Corps. I invite you to read the book - which covers more.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYzs-WaS8Vs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYzs-WaS8Vs)
More importantly, if you like WWI aviation, you should subscribe to the YouTube Channel that the League of WWI Aviation Historians have going. There's going to be a lot content going up there with the centennial of the war going on.
Blaine Pardoe
I saw your presentation. It was just awesome and very interesting. I don't know of how these things go in the Air Force and I don't know if he was decorated for this, but I'm pretty sure he deserves a posthumous medal.
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Here's some office humor to round out your holidays and prepare you for the return to work on Monday...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/01/02/office-humor-funny-organization-tiles-for-your-next-reorg/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/01/02/office-humor-funny-organization-tiles-for-your-next-reorg/)
Blaine "Buck' Pardoe
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I don't see the position of "emails personal stuff to everyone all the time because they don't know how to use their address book."
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Fantastic addition for version 2!
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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This is one of those things that apply to everyone, right?
I'm looking for good spots for Accounting on there. . .
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January takes me back to an unsolved murder...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/01/13/anniversary-of-the-murder-of-daisy-zick/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/01/13/anniversary-of-the-murder-of-daisy-zick/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Remembering John Hill of Squad Leader and Johnny Reb fame.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/01/15/the-passing-of-john-hill-wargaming-pioneer/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/01/15/the-passing-of-john-hill-wargaming-pioneer/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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A true crime book review...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/01/24/review-famous-crimes-the-world-forgot-volume-i/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/01/24/review-famous-crimes-the-world-forgot-volume-i/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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This week's topic - old school gaming.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/02/01/old-school-gaming/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/02/01/old-school-gaming/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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The impact of the Great War.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/02/12/the-impact-of-the-great-war/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/02/12/the-impact-of-the-great-war/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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How about some office humor?
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/02/14/twenty-two-things-we-want-to-say-to-our-bosses-but-dont/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/02/14/twenty-two-things-we-want-to-say-to-our-bosses-but-dont/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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As far as "The Great War", the only thing I can think of that you "Missed" was the use of land mines. I saw somewhere on the internet last year some pictures from WW I battle sites, and one was a crater that had been left after the British set off a 24 ton land mine. I think it killed something like 1,000 men (maybe more), and left a crater 60-something feet deep. Or it's still 60-something feet deep today? Something like that. I don't think they have any pictures of it from during the war, but the size of it even after all these years is staggering. :o
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Land mines with modern mechanical were first used during the American Civil War. Mines that used lit fuses date back centuries.
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I didn't know that, but as Mr. Pardoe points out in his article, hand grenades were used well before WW I also, but they weren't uses Extensively until then. My point is that land mines weren't used Extensively until WW I either. I think it's Safe to say they were Probably used by the HUNDREDS of Thousands (if not more) during WW I. I'm guessing before then it was Maybe in the hundreds. ??? I've done no Research on it though, so as I said, I'm ONLY guessing.
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Here's my review of The End of the World - The Zombie Apocalypse RPG
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/02/21/a-review-of-the-end-of-the-world-zombie-apocalypse-rpg/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/02/21/a-review-of-the-end-of-the-world-zombie-apocalypse-rpg/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe (snowbound in Virginia)
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Wow, I think I played side-scrolling arcade games in the 80s that had more detailed and varied weapons than that.
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Not for $39.00 a pop.
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Having been raised in Battle Creek - I had to weigh in on the new series.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/03/03/review-of-cbss-crime-drama-battle-creek/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/03/03/review-of-cbss-crime-drama-battle-creek/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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A review of my latest military history book - Never Wars.
http://alternatehistoryweeklyupdate.blogspot.com/2015/03/book-review-never-wars-us-plans-to.html (http://alternatehistoryweeklyupdate.blogspot.com/2015/03/book-review-never-wars-us-plans-to.html)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Rorke's Drift...there that had to get your attention.
This is my review of Like Wolves in the Fold.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/03/07/review-of-likes-wolves-in-the-fold-the-defense-of-rorkes-drift/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/03/07/review-of-likes-wolves-in-the-fold-the-defense-of-rorkes-drift/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Rorke's Drift...there that had to get your attention.
This is my review of Like Wolves in the Fold.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/03/07/review-of-likes-wolves-in-the-fold-the-defense-of-rorkes-drift/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/03/07/review-of-likes-wolves-in-the-fold-the-defense-of-rorkes-drift/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
I just saw the movie Zulu recently. Suprisingly enough I had never seen it in all my life. I have no idea how I had missed it.
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Now for a little humor...things never heard at the game table...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/03/12/things-never-heard-at-the-game-table/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/03/12/things-never-heard-at-the-game-table/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Star Trek Attack Wing - The Borg Cube and the Battle of Wolf 359
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/03/22/the-battle-of-wolf-359-or-why-i-bought-the-borg-cube-for-star-trek-attack-wing/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/03/22/the-battle-of-wolf-359-or-why-i-bought-the-borg-cube-for-star-trek-attack-wing/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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And now, for some office humor (feel free to share)... A semi-lucid rant on the evils of PowerPoint.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/03/29/powerpoint-zaps-actual-office-productivity/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/03/29/powerpoint-zaps-actual-office-productivity/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My worst memories of Power Point were being in college and having other students using it for the first time put together a report with tons of epilepsy-inducing flashing lights and color explosions every time they changed slides.
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You can rail against templates, but the alternative is much worse. The human eye is designed to detect motion, and unless your topic is how distracting titles and text jumping around from slide to slide is, it will detract from the information you're trying to present. Colors can be distracting too. I had an aide put it to me this way: "if the color is off, the boss won't know what's wrong with the slide, and will keep asking questions" until he figures it out.
PowerPoint is evil the same way typewriters were evil. You might as well hate the English language (and yes, some do).
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Daryk: I disagree that PowerPoint equates to typewriters. PowerPoint's impact is much more evil.
I'm not against templates. I'm against entire teams whose job it is to standardize presentations into a bland blur of boring poorly written slides.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Here's my latest -- the legend of Sawney Bean - the alleged Scottish cannibal clan.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/04/04/new-book-sawney-bean-dissecting-the-legend-of-the-scotlands-infamous-cannibal-family/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/04/04/new-book-sawney-bean-dissecting-the-legend-of-the-scotlands-infamous-cannibal-family/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I suppose I've been lucky then... the content I've worked with usually doesn't suffer much through the staffing process. In my current job, I've managed to get the inputs down to only a few formatting errors per day, such that I'm more of a goalie these days. There have even been some error free days, though they're few and far between. The main trick is convincing people they CAN make slides that pass the filter the first time.
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I use a 6 page PowerPoint presentation and 10 minute Youtube video I made to introduce potential new hires to the paperwork involved in my cleaning business, from getting their provincial worker safety course done to applying for a bond to be able to work. Without it, I'd have to spend an hour every single time I process an application and I'm much too busy to do that.
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Here's my latest -- the legend of Sawney Bean - the alleged Scottish cannibal clan.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/04/04/new-book-sawney-bean-dissecting-the-legend-of-the-scotlands-infamous-cannibal-family/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/04/04/new-book-sawney-bean-dissecting-the-legend-of-the-scotlands-infamous-cannibal-family/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
I'm sorry, if I saw a restaurant named Sawney Bean I wouldn't eat there. Or even drink there. I may not be sure where my meat is coming from normally but from a restaurant named for a Cannibal I would have...doubts...
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I'd get a reservation under Donner.
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I'd get a reservation under Donner.
I've done that joke at Olive Garden when its busy. I love hearing the girl call out for the 'Donner Party'.
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You all know my love of the American Civil War... Here's my thinking on Appomattox
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/04/08/the-anniversary-of-the-surrender-at-appomattox/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/04/08/the-anniversary-of-the-surrender-at-appomattox/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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When I was young my parents took me to Gettysburg and years later to Bull Run and Appomattox. So I have seen all three places where the war started, turned, and essentially ended. And it makes you think when you stand in those places and look at where armies have clashed.
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The anniversary of the Doolittle Raid
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/04/19/anniversary-of-the-doolittle-raid/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/04/19/anniversary-of-the-doolittle-raid/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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A bit of office humor around the annual performance review process...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/04/25/the-dreaded-performance-review-season/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/04/25/the-dreaded-performance-review-season/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I'm not sure if I'd call that office humor.
I'm also amazed that the corporate execs don't realize that by demoralizing their employees when they did an excellent job only leads them to become indifferent and therefore less productive and loyal to the company.
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The problem is most people actually want to know how they're doing, but no one can stand hearing it. The military breaks up when evaluations are due, so not a month goes by without having to have a difficult discussion with someone.
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I'm also amazed that the corporate execs don't realize that by demoralizing their employees when they did an excellent job only leads them to become indifferent and therefore less productive and loyal to the company.
It doesn't really matter to them, the idea of a company that's loyal to its employees is long gone. Why do you think the personnel department is called "Human Resources?" What does one do with a resource?
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It doesn't really matter to them, the idea of a company that's loyal to its employees is long gone. Why do you think the personnel department is called "Human Resources?" What does one do with a resource?
No arguments there; but it just seems profoundly stupid to deliberately alienate employees, especially the good ones.
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It's the end result of so many companies having the people who make decisions about the employees having four or six degrees of separation between them and those employees.
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You can say that again. My former employer used to direct all decisions to the head office in Minneapolis completely when it came to terminations and punishments and there policy, and it was a policy was that unless you had a college education you couldn't have a supervisory job of any type. Morale tends to stink when you hit a glass ceiling that a lack of education creates. The real fun though is when there arguments usually are "We have the education to make the decisions. Experience is meaningless." The corporate world now exists to be a place for jobs for those who have never gotten there hands dirty or will ever even meet the people who have gotten there hands dirty.
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The real fun though is when there arguments usually are "We have the education to make the decisions. Experience is meaningless."
Funny, that's exactly OPPOSITE of how The Real World Works. Well, I know from my experience in the Army anyway. We were "instructed" (ie., given the "Education") on how to repair starters and generators. Until we got to our Duty Station and had Actually repaired them a few times though, that didn't mean we "Knew" how to do it. I wouldn't be so stupid as to Presume that my (then) recent "Education" in repairing them trumped the 2-3 years of hands-on Knowledge of someone that had enlisted before I did.
I wonder how many Fresh Officers worldwide (from Whatever Military) have been killed from insisting on doing things "The way they were instructed in OCS", rather than listening to their Experienced NCOs? ??? Stupid is Universal, and ignores ALL Racial/Religious/National Boundaries. :D
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Funny, that's exactly OPPOSITE of how The Real World Works. Well, I know from my experience in the Army anyway. We were "instructed" (ie., given the "Education") on how to repair starters and generators. Until we got to our Duty Station and had Actually repaired them a few times though, that didn't mean we "Knew" how to do it. I wouldn't be so stupid as to Presume that my (then) recent "Education" in repairing them trumped the 2-3 years of hands-on Knowledge of someone that had enlisted before I did.
I wonder how many Fresh Officers worldwide (from Whatever Military) have been killed from insisting on doing things "The way they were instructed in OCS", rather than listening to their Experienced NCOs? ??? Stupid is Universal, and ignores ALL Racial/Religious/National Boundaries. :D
Nothing more dangerous than a LT with a map. But apparently in the corporate world (or at least the companys I have worked for) they honestly believe education trumps experience.
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It doesn't really matter to them, the idea of a company that's loyal to its employees is long gone. Why do you think the personnel department is called "Human Resources?" What does one do with a resource?
First wasting, then recycling.
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As one of my geek themed t-shirts states: Reduce, Reuse, Reanimate.
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Oh, so true, Blaine.
My company added a new twist this year. For years, our performance review process tabulates against 4-6 goals and 8 values, all given a rating between 1 and 5, and with individually set weightings. The result is, at the end of the process, inevitably a number between 3.2 and 3.6.
This year, they decided all scores would be rounded down. So 3.2 = 3. 3.6 = 3. Or, as for one unlucky person I know, who got all 3s except for one 4 and one 2 - the 2 had slightly higher weighting, so at the end of the day he got 2.98, rounded down to 2. Therefore no pay rise. Thank you, Corp HR, and can we have some more? >:(
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Shoot, my old job had goals set for bonus's. The only way to meet those goals was for 100% attendance over the year, 100% attendance at all meetings, machinery works at 100% capability, and we meet production goals every day.
This included vacations. So if you took a VK day we lost percentages. You were sick, we lost a percentage. If something you have no control over broke you lost a percentage. And they went from every month to six months and just before I got fired to yearly. We met a production goal maybe once a week. I think the bonus was a twenty dollars in February.
Lets not forget the salary types were getting three thousand dollar bonus's every three months though.
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My review of Avenger's Age of Ultron (mostly spoiler free)
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/05/01/spoiler-free-review-avengers-age-of-ultron/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/05/01/spoiler-free-review-avengers-age-of-ultron/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My prediction for the finale of The Flash this season...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/05/01/tvs-the-flash-waiting-for-the-future-flash-to-arrive/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/05/01/tvs-the-flash-waiting-for-the-future-flash-to-arrive/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My review of Hitler's Time Machine...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/05/09/a-review-of-hitlers-time-machine/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/05/09/a-review-of-hitlers-time-machine/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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they honestly believe education trumps experience.
I noticed that problem three decades ago on my first job; it's really a systemic rot in the IT field, particularly when it comes to web technologies -- but the reason is apparent. What else are people who know NOTHING about technology supposed to base it on.
You have to remember in most cases the people hiring have zero qualifications other than maybe ivy league business schools, and know nothing about technology other than the sick buzzwords they can glean from the pages of Forbes. If they knew something about the topic, they wouldn't need to hire someone.
They themselves have been duped into thinking education is worth something, and quite often in certain fields (Law, medicine, business) it is... so they assume it works that way everywhere else. They miss that things like technology is a "3 years obsolete, 5 years scrap heap" industry making that 4 to 6 year program worthless.
The sick buzzwords abound, and even when they have a legitimate meaning ("Web 2.0", HTML 5, Bootstrap, jQuery, Responsive design) usually the people using them in things like interviews don't actually know what they mean, what they are for, or when to and not to use them. Again it stems from them taking IT advice from the pages of Forbes, which is akin to taking financial advice from Highlights.
Further exacerbating matters is that most educators aren't qualified to flap their gums on the topics they are allegedly there to teach! See the local college where they seem to think that photoshop, fireworks and dreamweaver are legitimate web developer tools, and if you asked their students about semantic markup, separation of presentation from content, or accessibility guidelines they typically respond "What's that?"
I could go on for a while about this, but I'll stop here before I tread on a few forum rules and just start ranting non-stop. Let's just say I know a number of fields where that degree isn't worth a sheet of bog roll, and it's been that way for decades.
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New photos emerge tied to my true crime book, Secret Witness. https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/05/17/new-photos-uncovered-of-enoch-chism/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/05/17/new-photos-uncovered-of-enoch-chism/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Star Trek Attack Wing - The Gorn!
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/05/22/star-trek-attack-wing-review-gornarus-the-gorn-raider/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/05/22/star-trek-attack-wing-review-gornarus-the-gorn-raider/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My wrap up of season one of The Flash.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/05/24/the-flash-season-one-wrap-up/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/05/24/the-flash-season-one-wrap-up/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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A review of Deadly Hero. https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/05/31/review-of-deadly-hero/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/05/31/review-of-deadly-hero/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Some of my current research. https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/06/07/researching-a-new-true-crime-projector-twoor-three/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/06/07/researching-a-new-true-crime-projector-twoor-three/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Star Trek Attack Wing USS Pegasus
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/06/20/star-trek-attack-wing-review-uss-pegasus/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/06/20/star-trek-attack-wing-review-uss-pegasus/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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And now, drum roll, my 2015 list of GenCon survival tips
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/06/20/my-annual-updated-list-of-gencon-survival-tips/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/06/20/my-annual-updated-list-of-gencon-survival-tips/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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[Sarcasm] Yay! More unique federation crew upgrades and a mundane low level non-unique Captain![/sarcasm]
For all the effort they're putting into supporting and developing this game, I'm surprised at what's been coming out. So much potential...
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I agree. You get the feeling WizKids isn't even trying or listening to their fan base.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Here's my latest - a true crime book review...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/06/27/review-of-to-hell-i-must-go/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/06/27/review-of-to-hell-i-must-go/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I agree. You get the feeling WizKids isn't even trying or listening to their fan base.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
In a way, I don't think they ever have. I also think they're legally bound to turn a deaf ear.
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No different from the MMO. All potential player feedback said, we want to be crewmembers on the shared ships (a ship being the "Guild" analogue). Thus allowing players to experience something akin to ANY of the shows.
Instead, everyone is captain of their own ship. So six ships show up to handle a simple mission, and six first officers fail at their duty and allow their captains to beam down alone.
(This may have changed, I don't know, because after I saw what the set up was, I stopped paying attention).
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BattleTech novels? Did I write that?
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/08/05/gen-con-2015-battle-damage-assessment/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/08/05/gen-con-2015-battle-damage-assessment/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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And three ideas... sounds good to me.
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That's a Pillager in the last picture, not a Pulverizer.
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Editor exploding with a good idea is awesome thing considering this for Battletech. >:D
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That's a Pillager in the last picture, not a Pulverizer.
My bad. Still groggy from the drive from Gen Con.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Editor exploding with a good idea is awesome thing considering this for Battletech. >:D
My thoughts exactly!
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My bad. Still groggy from the drive from Gen Con.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
I know how that can be.
Looking forward to seeing some new stuff from you.
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Here's my latest on workplace bullying...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/08/19/workplace-bullies/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/08/19/workplace-bullies/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My latest blog - Real Crime Magazine
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/08/29/real-crime-magazine/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/08/29/real-crime-magazine/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Monkey Warfare in RPG's.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/09/05/monkey-warfare-in-rpgs/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/09/05/monkey-warfare-in-rpgs/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Sadistic and fun. O0
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My review of Skirmish Outbreak. Zombie killing old-school style.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/09/12/review-of-skirmish-outbreak/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/09/12/review-of-skirmish-outbreak/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Your comment about Flames of War Zombies reminds me of when Wizards of the Coast released an April Fools list of rules for how to combine Axis & Allies Minis with Dungeons & Dragons Minis.
Introducing a Red Dragon to a Flak 36 was pretty hilarious.
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My latest -- https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/10/04/review-of-the-uss-phoenix-nebula-class-star-trek-attack-wing/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/10/04/review-of-the-uss-phoenix-nebula-class-star-trek-attack-wing/)
Star Trek Attack Wing -- USS Phoenix. This is why we can't have nice things...
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My review of The Martian https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/10/04/review-of-the-martian/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/10/04/review-of-the-martian/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Your review of The Martian reminds me of a picture I saw this weekend:
"Between Saving Private Ryan, Interstellar, and The Martian I want to know this: How much money had the United States government spent trying to rescue Matt Damon?"
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My latest -- https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/10/04/review-of-the-uss-phoenix-nebula-class-star-trek-attack-wing/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/10/04/review-of-the-uss-phoenix-nebula-class-star-trek-attack-wing/)
Star Trek Attack Wing -- USS Phoenix. This is why we can't have nice things...
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Those aren't windows, by the way. They're, I believe, a rendition of the life boats or emergency life pods that is commonly seen on many toys and model make-ups of the Galaxy class ship. My Lights and Sounds Enterprise D had them, but they were dark gray. (I speak in past tense because I recently traded it away.)
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The new season of The Flash!
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/10/14/the-flash-back-on-track/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/10/14/the-flash-back-on-track/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Heroes Reborn Goodnesss!
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/10/17/heroes-reborn-surprise-it-doesnt-suck/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/10/17/heroes-reborn-surprise-it-doesnt-suck/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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A little humor for your week!
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/10/20/if-real-life-was-a-role-playing-game/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/10/20/if-real-life-was-a-role-playing-game/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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A little humor for your week!
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/10/20/if-real-life-was-a-role-playing-game/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/10/20/if-real-life-was-a-role-playing-game/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
You need help, sir. ;)
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I want to reroll my character traits.
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Very fun! :D ;D
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Let's face it, this is how the real world would be with a gamemaster calling the shots.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Some more humor for you...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/10/22/beating-a-dead-horse/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/10/22/beating-a-dead-horse/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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43: take someone else's horse.
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My review of Mutant Year Zero
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/10/24/review-of-mutant-year-zero-rpg/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/10/24/review-of-mutant-year-zero-rpg/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My take on Supergirl
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/10/27/review-of-supergirl-oddly-and-despite-cbs-it-works/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/10/27/review-of-supergirl-oddly-and-despite-cbs-it-works/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My latest reason for hating The "History" Channel
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/11/01/the-history-channel-real-monsters-sawney-bean/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/11/01/the-history-channel-real-monsters-sawney-bean/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Given that it was the History Channel, I suppose we should probably be thankful that they didn't try to claim that the Bean Clan were really aliens or something.
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Given that it was the History Channel, I suppose we should probably be thankful that they didn't try to claim that the Bean Clan were really aliens or something.
or Nazis, for that matter
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Didn't the History Channel already prove that the Nazis were aliens?
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Didn't the History Channel already prove that the Nazis were aliens?
I thought it was that they were in league with aliens? And another group of aliens was helping the
US Forces, and that ww2 was a proxy war for the aliens who secretly control the world?
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Aren't the Nazi Aliens paving the way for Zombie Sharks to take over? Possibly via pawn shops or repossessed storage lockers?
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Some performance review humor
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/11/07/performance-review-humor/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/11/07/performance-review-humor/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My review of Terminator Genisys - The Miniatures Game
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/11/15/review-of-terminator-genisys-miniatures-game/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/11/15/review-of-terminator-genisys-miniatures-game/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Heroes Reborn on hiatus.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/11/23/heroes-reborn-on-a-break/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/11/23/heroes-reborn-on-a-break/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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The leadership lessons of Star Trek (old school)
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/11/28/the-leadership-lessons-of-star-trek/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/11/28/the-leadership-lessons-of-star-trek/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Three leadership myths
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/12/12/three-myths-of-leadership/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/12/12/three-myths-of-leadership/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My spoiler free review of Star Wars - The Force Awakens
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/12/19/my-non-spoiler-review-of-star-wars-the-force-awakens/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/12/19/my-non-spoiler-review-of-star-wars-the-force-awakens/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Star Trek Attack Wing - IRW Vrax Review...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/12/31/star-trek-attack-wing-review-irw-vrax/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2015/12/31/star-trek-attack-wing-review-irw-vrax/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Our big new years battle (Star Trek Attack Wing)
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/01/02/our-jumbo-honking-star-trek-attack-wing-fight/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/01/02/our-jumbo-honking-star-trek-attack-wing-fight/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Our big new years battle (Star Trek Attack Wing)
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/01/02/our-jumbo-honking-star-trek-attack-wing-fight/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/01/02/our-jumbo-honking-star-trek-attack-wing-fight/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Nice write up.
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I'm genuinely impressed with the balancing, that such a big game came down to one-on-one.
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Some of my BattleTech miniatures painting experiments...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/01/06/painting-some-battletech-miniatures/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/01/06/painting-some-battletech-miniatures/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Some of my BattleTech miniatures painting experiments...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/01/06/painting-some-battletech-miniatures/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/01/06/painting-some-battletech-miniatures/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Wow that stencil really worked wonders.
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I truly admire you playing the game try get better feel for the mechanics. Truly.
Stencil work is amazing. I have my old military stencil pencil in the metal pen. Is that same as what your using there?
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I used Anarchy Models stencils. It was a beast with the contours (the Stalker took two attempts to get it to where I was comfortable with it) but some of that is my fumbling with the air brush still.
As I was telling a friend last night, my stuff is not museum quality stuff -- they are miniatures made for playing with.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My quick review of the Chronicles of Shannara...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/01/08/chronicles-of-shannara-i-dont-think-were-in-westros-anymore-toto/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/01/08/chronicles-of-shannara-i-dont-think-were-in-westros-anymore-toto/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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The 50th Anniversary of Batman - the TV Series
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This time with the link...Batman - 50 years!
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/01/13/the-50th-anniversary-of-the-batman-tv-series/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/01/13/the-50th-anniversary-of-the-batman-tv-series/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I remember watching the reruns when I was in grade school.
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This time with the link...Batman - 50 years!
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/01/13/the-50th-anniversary-of-the-batman-tv-series/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/01/13/the-50th-anniversary-of-the-batman-tv-series/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Yvonne Craig's Batwoman may have been hot, but Julie Newmar's Catwoman was hotter.
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Here's my latest - a sci fi book review.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/01/17/review-breakout-the-roswell-legacy/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/01/17/review-breakout-the-roswell-legacy/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I can't help but think a program like that would be run by CIA, not NSA.
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Which is why the NSA would be perfect: people tend to forget about them.
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A case study of a gaming business failure...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/01/21/case-study-the-demise-of-alien-dungeon-and-all-quiet-on-the-martian-front/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/01/21/case-study-the-demise-of-alien-dungeon-and-all-quiet-on-the-martian-front/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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A case study of a gaming business failure...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/01/21/case-study-the-demise-of-alien-dungeon-and-all-quiet-on-the-martian-front/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/01/21/case-study-the-demise-of-alien-dungeon-and-all-quiet-on-the-martian-front/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
This makes me glad I did not back the kickstarter, even though I was tempted to.
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This makes me glad I did not back the kickstarter, even though I was tempted to.
A shame ... the obvious crossover vibes with Leviathans made this very attractive, especially as I played around with the ground-troop game for Levs. But I got some 'odd' vibes from the website last time I looked, which did make it look like things weren't well, um, integrated - like there were gaps in the structure.
Shame though to see any gaming company try, begin to fly, then fail.
W.
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Even in failure, they can teach others something.
Sadly it will be the lesson of "things you should not do..."
Maybe the concept of HG Wells martians on tabletop will come back in another form and be successful in the future.
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Even in failure, they can teach others something.
Sadly it will be the lesson of "things you should not do..."
Maybe the concept of HG Wells martians on tabletop will come back in another form and be successful in the future.
It looks like an opportunity for someone to buy the idea from them.
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More likely, for someone just to take the same idea and do it their way. I confess I liked AQotMF's more clunky mechanical tripods over the more streamlined ones from "WotW: Goliath", for example, but loved the human tripods from Goliath over some of the human war machines from AQotMF.
I also think you can't underestimate the power of multiple nationalities in attracting players. (Yeah, don't talk to me about that ...) But the ability to have the different aesthetics & approaches powers other games like Dystopian Wars - who can't love the Japanese cyber-squid, or the British mobile cathedrals?
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And now some BattleTech goodness. The article I wrote for SciFiNow on BattleTech.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/01/23/battletech-article-in-scifinow/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/01/23/battletech-article-in-scifinow/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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The parser missed the "h" in the link...
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Wait, print magazines still exist?
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Ugh. Blaine's weblink goes to 404 error. :/
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It's just missing the "h"... if you cut and paste the full link into your browser it works.
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Thanks Daryk. I missed your first post.
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No problem! O0
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I hope readers of the magazine get interested in Battletech. More the people who like/love it, the better!
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Fixed by the power of admin magic!
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I read some of the comments below the article, and someone said "What we need is George R.R. Martin to write up a version for television and we’re good to go." Can you image what would happen? :o
Actually, that might work. ???
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And now some BattleTech goodness. The article I wrote for SciFiNow on BattleTech.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/01/23/battletech-article-in-scifinow/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/01/23/battletech-article-in-scifinow/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Is there an online link to the article?
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No. Since the magazine just came out...you have to go and purchase it!
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My latest - unboxing the Wings of Glory Kickstarter Zeppelin Staaken R.V1 - German bomber goodness!
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/01/30/unboxing-the-zeppelin-staaken-r-v1-wings-of-glory/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/01/30/unboxing-the-zeppelin-staaken-r-v1-wings-of-glory/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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That is gorgeous, I'm sad I didn't even know about the Kickstand because I'd love that on my shelf. I've never played Wings of Glory, I just like the minis
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And now, some office humor (feel free to share!)
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/02/07/real-world-lines-for-your-resume-office-humor/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/02/07/real-world-lines-for-your-resume-office-humor/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Did you not post a link to your poll for a reason? It strikes me this would be a natural forum to solicit votes from...
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And now, some office humor (feel free to share!)
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/02/07/real-world-lines-for-your-resume-office-humor/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/02/07/real-world-lines-for-your-resume-office-humor/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Nice list. I would have ...
Uncanny ability to inform others that they are in fact idiots.
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Finished another book! True crime https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/02/12/we-just-finished-our-latest-true-crime-book/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/02/12/we-just-finished-our-latest-true-crime-book/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My review of Deadpool - spoiler free!
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/02/13/review-of-deadpool-spoiler-free/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/02/13/review-of-deadpool-spoiler-free/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Deadpool doesn’t just break the fourth wall, he climbs into the theater with you, steals some popcorn, then wanders back into the movie. It happens so fast you will need to check to make sure he hasn’t lifted your wallet in the process.
Exactly what I had hoped.
Now to settle a time with my mother in law to take the kid while the wife and I go see this.
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Exactly what I had hoped.
Now to settle a time with my mother in law to take the kid while the wife and I go see this.
You might want her out of the room during the Calendar Girl sequence...unless you are looking
forward to International Women's Day...
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Some office humor... https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/02/27/asshat-leaders-who-they-are-and-how-to-beat-them/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/02/27/asshat-leaders-who-they-are-and-how-to-beat-them/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Thanks for a bit of cubicle insight there, Blaine. I read this on day one of my month of gardening leave. You guessed it - I left because of an absolute Arsehat leader. As his 2ic is found myself totally not listened too, forced to clean up his messes and generally used as a whipping boy.
I come from a background as an army NCO and tried to apply similar practices - an open door policy coupled with a solid chain of command, praising troops when they did well and kicking them in the arse when they screwed up.
But he fundamentally eroded all the good work I did for him and that resulted in really poor morale.
But good news - I got poached by a rival organisation and get to serve out my notice period on paid leave where I get to spend my time reading things like your blog!
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I had a boss like this for close to a decade. He ended up in jail for a few reasons.
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Did you not post a link to your poll for a reason? It strikes me this would be a natural forum to solicit votes from...
I didn't want to be accused by the administrators of anything even remotely marketing related.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Thanks for a bit of cubicle insight there, Blaine. I read this on day one of my month of gardening leave. You guessed it - I left because of an absolute Arsehat leader. As his 2ic is found myself totally not listened too, forced to clean up his messes and generally used as a whipping boy.
I come from a background as an army NCO and tried to apply similar practices - an open door policy coupled with a solid chain of command, praising troops when they did well and kicking them in the arse when they screwed up.
But he fundamentally eroded all the good work I did for him and that resulted in really poor morale.
But good news - I got poached by a rival organisation and get to serve out my notice period on paid leave where I get to spend my time reading things like your blog!
The best revenge - beating these bastards in the marketplace!
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I didn't want to be accused by the administrators of anything even remotely marketing related.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
That makes perfect sense. You could always try asking ahead of time. I did that once for an interesting Kickstarter (that I did nothing more than back, though...).
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The 180th anniversary of the Alamo
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/02/28/the-180th-anniversary-of-the-battle-of-the-alamo/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/02/28/the-180th-anniversary-of-the-battle-of-the-alamo/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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You might want her out of the room during the Calendar Girl sequence...unless you are looking
forward to International Women's Day...
Considering what I've heard from spoiler reviews* I might just let her see that.
Just to see her reaction. That isn't her taste and I might get a "Oh hell no" grimace**, thus giving me an evil cackle.
*Yes I tend to like watching spoiler reviews before a film, depending on the subject matter.
**Yes I'm aware of what happens in that, thanks to a review, and this is a squick factor to the Mrs.
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A review of Bombs Away https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/03/03/review-of-bombs-away-harry-turtledove-alternate-history/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/03/03/review-of-bombs-away-harry-turtledove-alternate-history/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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So how many POV characters are there? One of the reasons I quit reading Turtledove was that I got sick of having to keep track of the dozen+ characters and all the things they were doing in one novel.
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A review of Bombs Away https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/03/03/review-of-bombs-away-harry-turtledove-alternate-history/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/03/03/review-of-bombs-away-harry-turtledove-alternate-history/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Too many spoilers to read as this is waiting on my night stand after I finish "The Last Lion" about Winston Churchill
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And now, OJ Simpson... https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/03/11/review-the-people-vs-oj-simpson/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/03/11/review-the-people-vs-oj-simpson/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I remember when it actually happened and how big the trial was, but I admit that I'm surprised that they decided to make a series about it now.
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Review of the alternate history book - Storm Front
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/03/21/book-review-storm-front-alternate-history/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/03/21/book-review-storm-front-alternate-history/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My take on Batman vs. Superman Dawn of Justice
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/03/25/review-batman-v-superman-the-dawn-of-justice-marvel-has-nothing-to-worry-about/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/03/25/review-batman-v-superman-the-dawn-of-justice-marvel-has-nothing-to-worry-about/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I haven't seen this yet, but the glitz over story seems to be a common problem with movie-makers these days. It's better to throw a lot of action/special effects at the audience than tell a story. Hollywood seems to belive that audiences don't have the attention span for a real story.
What scares me is that they may be right. :o #P
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I haven't seen this yet, but the glitz over story seems to be a common problem with movie-makers these days. It's better to throw a lot of action/special effects at the audience than tell a story. Hollywood seems to belive that audiences don't have the attention span for a real story.
What scares me is that they may be right.
For many people (myself included) movies are a form of escapist entertainment. I don't care that movies may have plot holes big enough to drive a truck through (How did Optimus Prime get under the floorboards without leaving any evidence?), I go to the theater to dial my brain back a few levels and enjoy the ride. So I don't care much that these tent pole movies have story issues, if I'm looking for deeper thought it's not going to be in a shared space where I'm paying $5-10 a seat to watch the screen.
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Review of the alternate history book - Storm Front
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/03/21/book-review-storm-front-alternate-history/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/03/21/book-review-storm-front-alternate-history/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Nice review. I'll have to check that out, but everyone should know what a Strumgruppenuberfurher is.
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It's also an international thing. The market has expanded to all over the world, and subtle cultural cues and clever plots are often absolutely impenetrable to foreign audiences. And it's not their fault - China has a huge movie industry, and all we import are kung fu flicks, because they're easy to follow without needing to know a lot about Chinese culture. Spectacle, in and of itself, is not bad.
That said, suck is still suck. I've not seen this yet, but nothing I've seen - from the commercials, to interviews, and now the reviews - encourages me that I'll enjoy it.
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Nice review. I'll have to check that out, but everyone should know what a Strumgruppenuberfurher is.
It's Sturm, not Strum. Damned typos.
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It's Sturm, not Strum. Damned typos.
I blame spell checker O:-)
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Supergirl Flash Crossover!
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/03/29/supergirl-flash-cross0ver-exactly-what-i-wanted/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/03/29/supergirl-flash-cross0ver-exactly-what-i-wanted/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I loved it. Why can't Warners' movie people capture this kind of fun, hope, and excitement.
And I notice there was a maximum body count of 2 (the soldiers when Live Wire escaped) - vs. (or is that v?) the body count by the supposed 'heroes' in the theater.
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How about some office humor? https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/04/05/office-humor-funny-job-titles/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/04/05/office-humor-funny-job-titles/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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How about some office humor? https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/04/05/office-humor-funny-job-titles/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/04/05/office-humor-funny-job-titles/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
I really like this one:
Chief of Prophesy Fulfillment
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Another true crime book is coming out - with my daughter!
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/04/06/cover-for-our-new-pump-arnold-book-is-in/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/04/06/cover-for-our-new-pump-arnold-book-is-in/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Some snarky humor for your afternoon... https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/04/17/humorous-yearbook-awards/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/04/17/humorous-yearbook-awards/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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The Lafayette Escadrille! https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/04/22/centennial-of-the-formation-of-the-lafayette-escadrille/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/04/22/centennial-of-the-formation-of-the-lafayette-escadrille/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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The Flash this week...WTH?
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/04/23/what-the-hell-happened-on-the-flash-this-week/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/04/23/what-the-hell-happened-on-the-flash-this-week/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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It's never been a better time to be one of us...a geek.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/05/02/it-has-never-been-a-better-time-to-be-a-geek/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/05/02/it-has-never-been-a-better-time-to-be-a-geek/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Mr. Pardoe, are you going review First Succession War source book that came out?
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I already read the book in draft form - and it was awesome. One of the better sourcebooks. I hadn't planned on a review...but you never know.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My latest - my theory on The Flash - the man in the iron mask...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/05/04/the-flash-my-theory-as-to-who-is-in-the-iron-mask/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/05/04/the-flash-my-theory-as-to-who-is-in-the-iron-mask/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My latest - my theory on The Flash - the man in the iron mask...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/05/04/the-flash-my-theory-as-to-who-is-in-the-iron-mask/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/05/04/the-flash-my-theory-as-to-who-is-in-the-iron-mask/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
You make some plausible views there. If the Iron Mask guy is who you think it is, I would be thrilled.
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My review of the alternate history book - Amerika
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/05/08/review-of-amerika-alternate-history-by-paul-lally/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/05/08/review-of-amerika-alternate-history-by-paul-lally/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My review of the alternate history book - Amerika
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/05/08/review-of-amerika-alternate-history-by-paul-lally/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/05/08/review-of-amerika-alternate-history-by-paul-lally/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
You nuked that one pretty quick
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Review of Horizon Wars miniatures rules...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/05/15/review-of-horizon-wars-miniatures-rules/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/05/15/review-of-horizon-wars-miniatures-rules/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Review of Horizon Wars miniatures rules...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/05/15/re
Good review.
I'm still looking for a good way to incorporate aircraft in CBT (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/05/15/review-of-horizon-wars-miniatures-rules/)
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It's always been hard for me to find any way, other than something abstract, to incorporate aerospace fighters into ground battles. Before AeroTech (I'm dating myself) we used to have a simplified system for them which dealt with their flight path over the battlefield.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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It's always been hard for me to find any way, other than something abstract, to incorporate aerospace fighters into ground battles. Before AeroTech (I'm dating myself) we used to have a simplified system for them which dealt with their flight path over the battlefield.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
That's what I am looking for. Something very abstract. If you have a rule set you are willing to share I'd love to see it.
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Review of Horizon Wars miniatures rules...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/05/15/review-of-horizon-wars-miniatures-rules/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/05/15/review-of-horizon-wars-miniatures-rules/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Of course the minis look plain. They're second hand products from other companies. I see Steel Warriors, some CAV, and I'm betting the Infantry are Ground Zero Games stock, but there might be others.
They don't have their own miniatures line, looks like. Which is too bad. I'm not looking for a rules set to play minis to per se, though if I find one I like that fits some of my other genre minis, I may go with it.
Now, as for the range thing, I've given thought to that a few times, too. Range determines the effectiveness of armor in a lot of ways. Drag slows down projectiles. Atmosphere distorts beams of light and accelerated particles. Only missiles, with their own built in propulsion would not fall into that for the duration of their burn. The farther away the target, the more likely you are not to hit a weak enough spot to punch in and damage a target.
And, it is too bad about the Mechs.
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Progress on my new BattleTech novel...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/05/22/progress-on-my-new-battletech-novel/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/05/22/progress-on-my-new-battletech-novel/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Progress on my new BattleTech novel...
Yay! Want!!
(Though I haven't even been able to procure a print copy of Embers of War here in Germany yet.)
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Nice, i can't wait for it come out.
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I'm going to have to reserve judgement until I see it, but I'm always down for mysteries being solved. One of the most frustrating stories I've read in the "lore" is the opening of Interstellar Players 3. I really hate when something is a mystery purely because it was concealed from the reader/viewer.
And if I don't like it, I can always ignore it. As far as I'm concerned, the Black Thorns never existed. ;D
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Could you give us a keyword or two as a hint to the setting or faction?
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Cant wait to buy it
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Hints? Well, I'm going to leverage characters from some of my own books and those of other authors. There are connections to at least six of the other novels. This book will fill in some gaps in BattleTech history.
The Clans play a dominant role in this book. You'll see some old friends and enemies. I'm writing about one Clan that has not gotten a lot of airplay in terms of fiction - which I have to admit it kind of fun.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My latest - kicking off a new true crime book...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/05/29/its-research-weekend/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/05/29/its-research-weekend/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Doc Savage - need I say more?
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/06/05/doc-savage/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/06/05/doc-savage/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Bronze-skinned Dwayne Johnson playing the Man of Bronze excites me. Personally, I hope they do it period (1930s), and address the fact he isn't white by not addressing it. Much like Disney's Princess and the Frog. Essentially create an alternate universe (since it already is one) where we were better than we were (are). A world where race didn't matter. It might not be historically accurate, but then the movie isn't anyway.
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I wonder how the movie's going to do. IIRC, Dwayne's movie career hasn't been doing so well in recent years (and I don't think that it was exactly ever great to begin with).
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And now, my Game of Thrones predictions!
A man is impatient...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/06/06/game-of-throne-season-7-my-predictions/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/06/06/game-of-throne-season-7-my-predictions/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Interesting predictions, I would only say that proximity matters in her cry for help so me thinks that small hand is the more available choice. Unless they get on those Iron Ships which must have found the Northwest Passage or something during last weeks episode cause they got to Slaver's Bay awful quick.
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A true crime book review... https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/06/18/review-of-lost-girls-an-unsolved-american-mystery-by-robert-kolker/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/06/18/review-of-lost-girls-an-unsolved-american-mystery-by-robert-kolker/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Old school is becoming the new school in gaming...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/06/22/gaming-is-more-popular-than-ever-courtesy-of-the-old-school-gamers-youre-welcome/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/06/22/gaming-is-more-popular-than-ever-courtesy-of-the-old-school-gamers-youre-welcome/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Nice. I can identify with that last one.
Thankfully, I haven't found too much in the way of gamer posers, yet. Though, I imagine they exist. It's one thing with the new Comic hero movies and the resurgence of Star Wars to have people who are getting into it simply because it's the new trend. It happened with Anime back in the 90s and early first decade of the 21st century.
"I love anime! I'm a huge fan!"
"Cool. Which ones?"
"Uhhhh… Dragon Ball Z. What other ones are there?"
I've seen and heard about people telling folks they're not 'true fans' because they couldn't make the premier of Star Wars VII. That's not, in my opinion, how a true fan is defined.
Not much of that in gaming, as far as I've seen.
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I hate the "fake geek" meme. It's nothing but putting down people because they don't have the exact same hobbies as you. I've stopped patronizing game stores because the staff pulled that kind of thing- had one store where I walked out in the middle of buying $150 worth of minis because the owner decided to mock me for being a Battletech fan instead of a 40k fan. Told him that if that was how he felt, he clearly didn't need my business and left.
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I'm glad old school RPG is coming back, i've was fortunately play with one of the original designers of early D&D games. It was fun experience playing original version of D&D. I guess it does help have one the original writers as as a GM helps magnify the experience a bit!
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Season Six GoT recap and predictions for the rest of the series...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/07/01/game-of-thrones-season-6-recap-and-predictions-for-the-rest-of-the-series/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/07/01/game-of-thrones-season-6-recap-and-predictions-for-the-rest-of-the-series/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Do you REALLY own you own career?
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/07/06/you-dont-really-own-your-own-careerduh/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/07/06/you-dont-really-own-your-own-careerduh/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Ugh, that was entirely too true.
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Yet another reason I never want a civilian job. Now that I know I can go to 30 and retire for good, that's my plan.
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A review of Captain America - The Ultimate Guide to the First Avenger...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/07/10/review-of-captain-america-the-ultimate-guide-to-the-first-avenger-by-matt-forbeck/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/07/10/review-of-captain-america-the-ultimate-guide-to-the-first-avenger-by-matt-forbeck/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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A non-spoiler review of Ghostbusters...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/07/17/non-spoiler-review-of-ghostbusters/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/07/17/non-spoiler-review-of-ghostbusters/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I guess you can call me one of the trolls. I did not like the first trailer. The ghosts looked like they came out of Haunted Mansion. Mckinnon licked the proton pistol things which was cringe worthy as all get out. Leslie Jones comes off as one of the most horrible stereotype characters I have seen in quite awhile. Between the three trailers the comedy, to me, ran the gamut from unfunny to downright cringe worthy.
Episode VII fooled me, I did not expect it to parallel Episode IV like it did. The Ghostbuster trailers showed enough parallels to the first Ghostbusters movie for me to lose interest. I have had enough reboots/re-imaginings to last me for quite awhile.
I have no particular attachment to the cast, I don't find them to be very funny. Toss in Melissa McCarthy stating all the "trolls" are 42 year old virgins living in their mothers basement pretty much seals the deal.
Oh, and most reviews saying something along the lines of With all due respect (none) for the internet trolls
and A total protonic reversal on the cynical internet trolls!
comes off as someone trying to hard to like it and as virtue signaling.
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You can dislike anything. That doesn't make you a troll. A troll is when everybody else must dislike it or you will throw a fit.
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You can dislike anything. That doesn't make you a troll. A troll is when everybody else must dislike it or you will throw a fit.
Used to be. Now it seems if you disagree with something your automatically labeled.
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You haven't seen what the trolls were up to then (which if you'd been following anything about this movie would have been hard to do). The vitriol coming from certain groups prior to this film's release has been overwhelming.
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You haven't seen what the trolls were up to then (which if you'd been following anything about this movie would have been hard to do). The vitriol coming from certain groups prior to this film's release has been overwhelming.
I have. The only ones reported/shown are the loonies. Toss out the loonies and i don't disagree.
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I'm unsure of what point you're trying to make.
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Perhaps that a good deal of the criticism, or rather scepticism, was not rooted in misogyny. You don't need to hate women to be sceptic when the first trailer starts with a joke to make Scary Movie look sophisticated ("very hard to wash off" - yeah, slime in the vulva, or as they say "crack", is 'funny'...).
Sure the misogynists have jumped the bandwagon, but to say they have been solely responsible for this reaction is far from true. Sony just tried to spin it that way by, e.g., actively removing constructive and well balanced arguments from the YT-feed but leaving the silly hate posts in plain sight. Feig also tried to victimize himself and his crew. Then you have some media saying this movie is a strike against patriarchy (http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2016/03/03/ghostbusters-trailer-destroys-patriarchy-melissa-mccarthy-paul-feig-kristen-wiig-leslie-jones-kate-mckinnon-chris-hemsworth/81258406/). (I for one am not sure it will help the oppressed women in the 3rd world a lot, though).
This is 2016 and we have witnessed countless blockbuster movies with strong female leads, especially in Sci-Fi, none of which have received such negative reactions. It is just a marketing strategy claiming this movie stirred up all these reactions because of the female leads. I would have liked to watch the movie, but I do refuse to support such dishonest tactics which are deeply anti-liberal: a deliberate reductio ad absurdum falsely accusing every opposing view of being based on whatever is considered amoral. That is the opposite of open dialog.
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I notice he said nothing about McCarthy or Wiig performances. McCarthy is the main reason I won't watch the film as I think of her as the female version of Will Ferrell, an actor who sucks more life out of a movie than is being put in. Wiig is just not that funny.
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I'm unsure of what point you're trying to make.
Sony and company have taken the loony critics and held them up as the mainstream and then labeled all critics with some kind of -ist or -ism. Any more depth than that and I will run screaming though a couple of rules.
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Sony and company have taken the loony critics and held them up as the mainstream and then labeled all critics with some kind of -ist or -ism. Any more depth than that and I will run screaming though a couple of rules.
But that wasn't who Blaine was talking about. He was talking about the people who were saying that the movie was [destroying precious childhood memories] before we even had the cast list announced. There were a lot of them and they were and continue to be quite vocal.
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My annual Gen Con survival tips...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/07/20/my-annual-2016-gen-con-survival-tips/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/07/20/my-annual-2016-gen-con-survival-tips/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My annual Gen Con survival tips...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/07/20/my-annual-2016-gen-con-survival-tips/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/07/20/my-annual-2016-gen-con-survival-tips/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
That was a phone read ;)
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Non-Spoiler Star Trek Beyond Review
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/07/23/non-spoiler-review-of-star-trek-beyond/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/07/23/non-spoiler-review-of-star-trek-beyond/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Looking forward to it when I'm off
And betrayal of ideals
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$5 movie night is tuesday, i am so there.
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My Gen Con After Action Report - including Masters and Minions!
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/08/09/gen-con-2016-battle-damage-assessment/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/08/09/gen-con-2016-battle-damage-assessment/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Masters and Minions was a blast this year, wasn't it? I was hoping to go up against Charlie Tango or you, but ended up against Goober from the pods instead. Would have asked you to sign my copy of Betrayal (and Highlander Gambit), but you looked pretty busy before the game started and tired afterword and I figured that since I'd already gotten Imputes of War (AKA my favorite Battletech novel ever and the book that got me hooked on Battletech) signed the last time I was at GenCon, it wasn't really a priority.
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Cool post on the con
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Any idea how big the ship figures were for that Star Trek Ascension game? And, how many figure types did they have?
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Any idea how big the ship figures were for that Star Trek Ascension game? And, how many figure types did they have?
Based on a video preview from Team Covenant they're pretty small, and it's just Galaxy, Vor'Cha and D'Deridex classes, but there's two versions of each for individual ships and fleets (basically the same but on a plinth)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ll5W9DLQnE0
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A true crime book review - Failure of Justice
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/08/14/book-review-failure-of-justice-john-ferak/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/08/14/book-review-failure-of-justice-john-ferak/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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A review of The Lafayette Escadrille - a photo history!
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/08/20/book-review-the-lafayette-escadrille-by-steven-a-ruffin/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/08/20/book-review-the-lafayette-escadrille-by-steven-a-ruffin/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My latest true crime book - some Victorian era murder and mayhem...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/08/27/new-true-crime-book-is-out-pump-arnold-the-original-battle-creek-king-of-crime/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/08/27/new-true-crime-book-is-out-pump-arnold-the-original-battle-creek-king-of-crime/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My Labor Day rant on the war on employee loyalty...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/09/05/the-war-on-employee-loyalty/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/09/05/the-war-on-employee-loyalty/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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One more check in the "never work in the civilian sector"column... yikes!
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Brings back memories of my first job and the number of hoops they'd jump through to avoid paying overtime (like having you work 10 to 12 hours one day, then sending you home after 1 the next) or keep you from becoming a full time employee (and thus entitled to benefits).
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I worked for a large soup company that shall remain nameless. It wasn't Campbell though and it actively fought employees on every turn. Any mistake was a write up, staying on break a extra five minutes was a write up. Even coming in early was grounds for write ups or even being fired and I won't even get into the long hours and the outright disrespect that came down from on high. Anything goes wrong it was automatically the workers fault even if they protested before hand. Everything was about saving on costs and if you had a idea and pitched it, it was a guarantee some college grad would claim it as there own than see you were fired to keep it for themselves. They maintained skeleton shifts and couldn't understand why we were all so stressed all the time, because we were doing two peoples jobs at once. That was another point, if you lacked a college degree there was no possibility of advancement because every job that was white collar automatically came with a college degree requirement even if you had been already doing it or had years of experience. And the fun part? they couldn't understand why morale was low all the time.
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Now something light - my secret identity...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/09/10/my-secret-identity/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/09/10/my-secret-identity/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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That "senior leader" you quote doesn't deserve either description. If you're doing everything the company asks and more, what business is it of theirs what you do aside from that?
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I agree with you...but at the same time, there's this whole "reality" thing.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Just because he doesn't deserve them certainly doesn't take either away from him. They exist in the military too, but the good news is the pain doesn't last there. Somebody has to transfer sooner or later.
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My review of "Sully"
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/09/11/movie-review-sully/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/09/11/movie-review-sully/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Now that's a good review... I'll definitely have to see that movie, thanks! O0
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The only caution I have for Sully - in order to create drama the attitudes of the investigators were changed from how they were in real life. Changed so much that their names were changed in the movie. In real life there was no drama.
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Well, an accurate-to-real-life version of Sully would be about 20 minutes long, with 4 minutes of excitement.
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Yeah, I seem to recall that while the full report took some time (because they always do), the fact that everyone's stories matched up with the flight data recorder and the physical evidence meant there was no real question as to what had happened. I do recall there was some debate over whether the aircraft could've returned to LGA, but checking online it appears the FAA and NTSB concluded that it would've required foreknowledge of the event and unrealistic actions on the part of the crew, and even then only had a 50% chance of success.
That said, this is the second hagiography Clint Eastwood has made in a row, with American Sniper being one of the worst films I've seen in some time. I am concerned that he is falling into making propaganda rather than trying to share interesting stories.
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Well, an accurate-to-real-life version of Sully would be about 20 minutes long, with 4 minutes of excitement.
I had this as a ten minute movie. It takes a while after the load the passengers to get going you know.
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<snip>
That said, this is the second hagiography Clint Eastwood has made in a row, with American Sniper being one of the worst films I've seen in some time. I am concerned that he is falling into making propaganda rather than trying to share interesting stories.
Clint? He's starting to make Charlton Heston look like the sunshine boy
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My latest venture - a printable drinking game for the Presidential Debates...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/09/24/clash-the-unofficial-and-completely-unsanctioned-2016-presidential-debate-drinking-game/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/09/24/clash-the-unofficial-and-completely-unsanctioned-2016-presidential-debate-drinking-game/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I know plenty of people who will enjoy this.
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I'd stick with something non-alcoholic unless you hate your liver.
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Coolaid? Then it would be a race to the bathroom.
But, I didn't intend on playing. I just know people who would.
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Book tour for my latest true crime book...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/10/02/book-tour-dates-the-original-battle-creek-king-of-crime/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/10/02/book-tour-dates-the-original-battle-creek-king-of-crime/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Awe. No Barnes and Nobles tour through the state? :'(
Let me know when you manage to get into Cedar Rapids/Marion, Iowa. #P
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A review of Harry Turtledove's Fallout. https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/10/08/review-of-fallout-by-harry-turtledove/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/10/08/review-of-fallout-by-harry-turtledove/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Alternate History war never changes?
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My next book project - true crime. https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/10/09/our-new-true-crime-project-the-colonial-parkway-murders/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/10/09/our-new-true-crime-project-the-colonial-parkway-murders/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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A review of Harry Turtledove's Fallout. https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/10/08/review-of-fallout-by-harry-turtledove/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/10/08/review-of-fallout-by-harry-turtledove/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Thumbs up!
I have to concur.
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https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/10/12/review-star-trek-attack-wing-uss-enterprise-b/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/10/12/review-star-trek-attack-wing-uss-enterprise-b/)
Another Star Trek Attack Wing ship review - The Enterprise B.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Another Star Trek Attack Wing ship review - The Enterprise B.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Correct me if I am wrong but that looks like an unmodified Excelsior class from ST III not the revised version from Generations.
Paul
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A review of Harry Turtledove's Fallout. https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/10/08/review-of-fallout-by-harry-turtledove/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/10/08/review-of-fallout-by-harry-turtledove/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
I can't bring myself to read Turtledove anymore. He's good at what he does, but he's tuned into a formulaic (albeit his own) writer and I can't stomach it anymore.
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I can't bring myself to read Turtledove anymore. He's good at what he does, but he's tuned into a formulaic (albeit his own) writer and I can't stomach it anymore.
I thought that too but after a short brief vacation from him I think he has gotten better
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I stopped reading him mostly due to how he tended to overload each book with characters. Does he still do that?
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I stopped reading him mostly due to how he tended to overload each book with characters. Does he still do that?
Well you better not read JRR Tolkien or Frank Herbert ;D
He has reduced the number of characters compared to other books
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Funny thing, but I never really cared too much for Tolkien or Herbert's novels, either.
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Correct me if I am wrong but that looks like an unmodified Excelsior class from ST III not the revised version from Generations.
Paul
You are correct. I saw one up close and had to refrain from face-palming by uttering a disgusted sigh. And, I still don't like what they did with the saucer section from the first sculpt. Guess I'll be sticking with my micro machines versions.
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So, Blaine - having collected up on Attack Wing, and being part of a game design company, what changes major and/or minor, would you make to the game?
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For one thing - a new and comprehensive update of the rules. You've introduced stuff in card sets that is a hodge-podge of stuff. Some photon torpedoes fire every turn, some require a count-down...quite frankly - it's a mess. Every new wave you wonder "what are they going to change now?" I went to play at Gen Con two years ago and was told that the cards I purchased and brought had been negated due to errata. Not only did it serve to piss me off, it is frustrating that I spent money on game components that were now "updated online."
Second, if you're going to release ships, you might want to consider something called "scale." I know that is full of problems, but so is the inconsistent models.
Third, paint the models right. Gloss silver for Federation ships? Seriously?
Fourth, consider some model packaging that makes sense. Rather than re-issue the same model as a "new ship," I'd pay more for one model that had all of the variants.
I'm happy to do this off-line with you.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Now some fun - my snarky shot at workplace stress... https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/10/17/real-life-causes-of-workplace-stress/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/10/17/real-life-causes-of-workplace-stress/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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You get an "Amen, brother!" for that SharePoint one (and not just because the spellchecker on this site will put in the correct camel case for that and not any of the game's proper nouns!).
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Time for a new D&D campaign!
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/10/25/my-new-dd-campaign-reboot/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/10/25/my-new-dd-campaign-reboot/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Time for a new D&D campaign!
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/10/25/my-new-dd-campaign-reboot/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/10/25/my-new-dd-campaign-reboot/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Sounds intriguing
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And now - a little office humor (please share)
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/10/30/office-humor-if-it-people-wrote-recipes/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/10/30/office-humor-if-it-people-wrote-recipes/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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And now - a little office humor (please share)
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/10/30/office-humor-if-it-people-wrote-recipes/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/10/30/office-humor-if-it-people-wrote-recipes/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Finally some clear instructions for baking! I'm so tired of "whip until peaks form". How tall is considered to be a peak? Does it have to be snowcapped year round?
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Player info for my new D&D campaign...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/11/05/player-background-info-for-my-new-dd-campaign/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/11/05/player-background-info-for-my-new-dd-campaign/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Fascinating setting, Mr. Pardoe. It feels so epic, it should be own canon setting in 5th edition of D&D!
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Interesting indeed... I'm running a Pathfinder game by post at the moment, and it strikes me Unchained would make Rogues fit the background very well...
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Very good. Look forward to the follow up posts.
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Here's more on my D&D efforts...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/11/07/my-new-dd-campaign-additional-character-background-stuff-that-you-can-use/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/11/07/my-new-dd-campaign-additional-character-background-stuff-that-you-can-use/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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No organizations for Monks, Rangers, Fighters, or Bards?
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Here's more on my D&D efforts...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/11/07/my-new-dd-campaign-additional-character-background-stuff-that-you-can-use/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/11/07/my-new-dd-campaign-additional-character-background-stuff-that-you-can-use/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
I like it
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Redrun spelled backwards is Nurder!
A very interesting set-up. Are you trying to make the church a hollow organization with no real power other than organization? Or, do you plan on slowly inserting a new power that works its own magic in mysterious ways by means of faith? If the latter, it would be kind of cool if the anti-magic sentiment manifests in an odd immunity from the older forms of magic and power, for good and bad. (IE, no healing from spells, but you can faith it.) And, the faith effects may or may not work on others.
I had proposed something similar with a friend of mine as we started a campaign in the Dragon Mountain realm.
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The church is a dangerous force to be reckoned with. A threat within a threat.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Two of the fictionalized accounts of the first session (with one more pending)
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/11/10/to-the-gellesian-fields-part-1-of-my-new-dd-campaign/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/11/10/to-the-gellesian-fields-part-1-of-my-new-dd-campaign/)
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/11/12/to-the-gellesian-fields-part-2/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/11/12/to-the-gellesian-fields-part-2/)
Blaine "Evil DM" Pardoe
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Interesting reads, both! Makes me miss gaming around a table...
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This is starting to look a great novel!
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I wanted to do this with some of the campaigns I'd been part of, but we never seem to get very far before other things get in the way.
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I've always wanted to do this... write fiction purely based on a game play. Let's see how it goes.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Part 3 of my campaign chronicles...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/11/14/to-the-gellesian-fields-part-3/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/11/14/to-the-gellesian-fields-part-3/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I've always wanted to do this... write fiction purely based on a game play. Let's see how it goes.
Didn't one of the BattleTech writers try to do that in days past? Play a small battle, log everything, and try to turn it into a story?
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I'm slowly (very slowly) working on converting my old game (from this board, mostly before the crash) into readable fan fiction.
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I've always wanted to do this... write fiction purely based on a game play. Let's see how it goes.
That's actually where my forum handle comes from: an old D&D character I played who was an ogre mercenary that I then turned around and wrote a few short stories about.
Didn't one of the BattleTech writers try to do that in days past? Play a small battle, log everything, and try to turn it into a story?
Isle of the Blessed, wasn't it?
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It's fun and challenging to document a game session. I like the creative challenge.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Here's part 4 of the fictionalized account of our gaming session (D&D)
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/11/17/to-the-gellesian-fields-part-4/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/11/17/to-the-gellesian-fields-part-4/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Definitely interesting, but I'm not seeing anything that would encourage me to switch to 5e from Pathfinder...
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*Coming up for air* It looks like something I will have to give a read.
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I had a chance to flip through 5e at a book store. It looks like they took a few good ideas from Pathfinder and tried to simplify. I'm not sure they succeeded...
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A review of Dystopia Rising RPG...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/11/27/review-of-dystopia-rising-rpg/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/11/27/review-of-dystopia-rising-rpg/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Some office humor -- IT Support!
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/12/03/office-humor-technology-support-model/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/12/03/office-humor-technology-support-model/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Some office humor -- IT Support!
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/12/03/office-humor-technology-support-model/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/12/03/office-humor-technology-support-model/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Oh lordy how true that is.
That just made my day!
Thank you!
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Here's part 4 of the fictionalized account of our gaming session (D&D)
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/11/17/to-the-gellesian-fields-part-4/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/11/17/to-the-gellesian-fields-part-4/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Well written
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That diagram is hilarious! The most helpful thing I've found working with the best IT guy I know is to give him an "intriguing" problem. It helps that he's usually in the mode of training me how to fix it myself if it ever happens again.
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Have you ever called for support on something like your internet connectivity at home? All of us reboot the modem before we call, we know that’s a step. But when you get Comcast (in some exotic land) on the call, they tell you to do it. “I already did – move to the next step.” “I am sorry sir – I am required to make you do it.”
As someone who did tech support for a cellular provider, I can tell you that yes, you do need to follow the script even though the customer says that they already tried that because eight out of ten times it's someone who actually didn't. Sometimes you're dealing with someone who's actually competent and knows what they're doing. Most of the time you'd dealing with someone to doesn't realize why their phone stopped working after they put it in the dishwasher.
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Oh, gosh. This reminds me of the stupid phone tag run-around I was given when the signal for the Internet router wasn't coming through. The problem, in the end, wasn't anything to do with the hardware or the user. The phone service was hooked up to the wrong side of the house. (I have been turning what had been an apartmentalized house into a single abode, piecemeal, for many years, and there's still a line to the other side of the house.)
And, it took them a couple days to figure that out. In the mean time, they have me scrambling around my side trying to figure out why the signal ain't working.
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Latest on my current true crime book project...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/12/13/update-on-our-colonial-parkway-murders-book/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/12/13/update-on-our-colonial-parkway-murders-book/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My nearly spoiler free review of Rogue One...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/12/17/spoiler-free-review-of-star-wars-rogue-one/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/12/17/spoiler-free-review-of-star-wars-rogue-one/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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A review of the novel, Into the Guns...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/12/18/review-of-into-the-guns-america-rising-by-william-dietz/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/12/18/review-of-into-the-guns-america-rising-by-william-dietz/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Some interesting stuff. I've also toyed around with some post-America ideas, but in one case, I was looking at the complete annihilation of the continent via Yellowstone.
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My nearly spoiler free review of Rogue One...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/12/17/spoiler-free-review-of-star-wars-rogue-one/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/12/17/spoiler-free-review-of-star-wars-rogue-one/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
I think I was most impressed that they stayed with the 1977 costumes. *hats off*
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Tribute to Carrie Fisher...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/12/27/farewell-your-worshipfulness/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/12/27/farewell-your-worshipfulness/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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When the written word can brings tears to my eyes, then I know that they were good words.
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Good obit. Too bad that's not the one they'll officially be using.
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Tribute to Carrie Fisher...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/12/27/farewell-your-worshipfulness/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2016/12/27/farewell-your-worshipfulness/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Very well done
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Thanks guy. And that was totally off the cuff.
Blaine
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Part V of our current D&D campaign - in fiction.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/01/03/to-the-gellesian-fields-part-5/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/01/03/to-the-gellesian-fields-part-5/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Part six of our ongoing D&D campaign.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/01/05/to-the-gellesian-fields-part-6/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/01/05/to-the-gellesian-fields-part-6/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Part 7 of the fictionalized version of our D&D campaign...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/01/08/to-the-gellesian-fields-part-7/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/01/08/to-the-gellesian-fields-part-7/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I respond to some fan questions about BattleTech.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/battletechinternational/ (https://www.facebook.com/groups/battletechinternational/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Can someone do transcript of that? Not everyone can be on facebook, the site bars people viewing this particular link. :(
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I'd love to see it but don't have facebook.
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I'm really enjoying the story of your RPG group. I hope you can eventually clean it up and put it out as a more cohesive tome.
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I'd love to see it but don't have facebook.
I think he put it up on his blog, too:
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/01/11/some-questions-from-some-battletech-fans/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/01/11/some-questions-from-some-battletech-fans/)
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Thanks very much!
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My quick review of Patriots Day
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/01/15/review-of-patriot-day/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/01/15/review-of-patriot-day/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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The next installment in the story of our current D&D campaign.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/01/17/to-the-gellesian-fields-part-8/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/01/17/to-the-gellesian-fields-part-8/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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As ever, a great read, thanks for sharing.
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The next installment in the story of our current D&D campaign.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/01/17/to-the-gellesian-fields-part-8/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/01/17/to-the-gellesian-fields-part-8/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Great job
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A little workplace humor -- Your Work Horoscope for February 2017. Feel free to share.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/01/25/humorous-work-horoscopes-for-february-2017/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/01/25/humorous-work-horoscopes-for-february-2017/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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A little RPG humor for your weekend enjoyment...feel free to share the link.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/01/28/rpg-humor-famous-last-words/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/01/28/rpg-humor-famous-last-words/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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A little RPG humor for your weekend enjoyment...feel free to share the link.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/01/28/rpg-humor-famous-last-words/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/01/28/rpg-humor-famous-last-words/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
I've been skimming through this list. Gawd, how so many are so true...
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A little workplace humor -- Your Work Horoscope for February 2017. Feel free to share.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/01/25/humorous-work-horoscopes-for-february-2017/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/01/25/humorous-work-horoscopes-for-february-2017/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
My co-workers got a kick out of this as did I
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Here's my review of "Hidden Figures"
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/01/29/review-of-hidden-figures/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/01/29/review-of-hidden-figures/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Good review! I really liked it as well, and your characterization of that scene near the end of the movie was spot on!
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I wanted to go see that movie last week but my local theater didn't show it.
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Some office humor for you to share...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/02/01/office-humor-the-resume-we-all-wish-wed-written/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/02/01/office-humor-the-resume-we-all-wish-wed-written/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Producing PowerPoint decks describing the work I wasn’t actually doing because I was busy producing PowerPoint slides.
You sir, have captured the essence of the five-sided PowerPoint collider!
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My review of Konflikt '47
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/02/05/review-of-bolt-action-konflikt-47/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/02/05/review-of-bolt-action-konflikt-47/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Dear Mr. Pardoe,
I know I suppose I cold familiarize myself with the blog directory, but since you put the prior chapters as links in existing chapters of your DnD Campaign Diaries, I was wondering if you could put a link to the next chapter of prior chapters.
Please?
Thanks.
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Ever get reorged? Here's some tips!
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/02/15/coping-with-a-reorganization-a-quick-guide/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/02/15/coping-with-a-reorganization-a-quick-guide/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I've been trying to get myself re-org'd for a year and a half now... With no success...
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Review of Beware the Slenderman
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/02/17/review-hbo-documentary-beware-the-slenderman/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/02/17/review-hbo-documentary-beware-the-slenderman/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates Review
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/02/25/review-of-thomas-jefferson-and-the-tripoli-pirates-by-brian-kilmeade-and-don-yeager/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/02/25/review-of-thomas-jefferson-and-the-tripoli-pirates-by-brian-kilmeade-and-don-yeager/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Wordpress wouldn't let my comment go through at your blog (http://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/02/18/the-worthless-lessons-ive-learned-from-star-trek-or-why-i-would-never-beam-down-anywhere/), so posting here instead.
I wanted to do a blog post at one time about the practical lessons you learn from watching Star Trek. In other words, by watching Star Trek, what life lessons do you gain – mostly from a cynical perspective.
<snip>
I know the true-believers out there will tear me apart for this…I get it. Star Trek is sacred to most of us. But everyone should question their faith – in a TV series – every now and then.
Can’t dispute how well the Ferengi were developed, or how unrealistic the explosive bridges are; I could argue the other points, but I suspect it’d be a bit dull for both of us. So instead I’ll see your cynicism and raise you a dystopia: Federation humans are indoctrinated to be disposable. ^-^
Like you said, past shows haven’t shown much variety in Federation life–it would be nice if Star Trek: Discovery were to step outside Starfleet a little more often. Although, heh, many of your points make it sound like you’d prefer a TV series centered on Klingon servitor species.
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My review of Falling Stars - the RPG.
Short version - it made my eyes bleed.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/03/04/review-of-falling-stars-rpg-and-tactical-game-system-by-lock-n-load-publishing/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/03/04/review-of-falling-stars-rpg-and-tactical-game-system-by-lock-n-load-publishing/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Warning heeded, yikes!
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This is why it's important to playtest an RPG and why its important that the playtesters shouldn't be the same people who wrote it.
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Agreed. These playtesters deserve to be held at GITMO on war (game) crimes.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My review of another true crime book... https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/03/14/review-of-a-taste-for-murder-by-burl-barer/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/03/14/review-of-a-taste-for-murder-by-burl-barer/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Part 9 of our current D&D campaign.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/03/19/to-the-gellesian-fields-part-9/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/03/19/to-the-gellesian-fields-part-9/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Here's my ping for enjoyment of the novelized campaign.
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Another year in meeting hell.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/03/23/the-cynics-guide-to-making-your-meetings-effective/
(https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/03/23/the-cynics-guide-to-making-your-meetings-effective/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I'm going to interject my own review right here.
Betrayal Of Ideas by BLP which is almost as good as a BLT :))
This has to be the best CBT novel I have read in the past 10 years, if not 20. I put it in the top 5 of all of them and yes I do have all of them.
Absolutely loved the story, character development, presentation and space of the book. Very hard book to put down. So my hat is off to you Mr. Pardoe and hope you will be writing many more. I'll be buying every one.
Wolverines!
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It was good, but I'd have liked it if the Wolverines had been a little more nuanced as a faction. I'd have liked it if they'd been more willing to play dirty and hadn't always held the moral highground all the time in everything.
Also, for a story about the Wolverines, there was a very distinct lack of Wolverines or Wolverine IIs. And that was just horrible.
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Just glad to see it out in paperback finally!
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It was good, but I'd have liked it if the Wolverines had been a little more nuanced as a faction. I'd have liked it if they'd been more willing to play dirty and hadn't always held the moral highground all the time in everything.
You should really bring this up with Technician (Logistician) Karl, if you can find him.
Also, these are the Clans. Nicholas' 600 have seen and done it all during the Exodus, the Exodus Civil War, and Klondike. Any morale high ground that may have existed was turned into a glassy glow-in-the-dark parking lot long ago.
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Yes, and that meant that the book at times felt more like I was reading an in-universe account that was written by someone who was heavily romanticizing about the Wolvies. They developed all the innovations, they built all the new mechs, they had the best treatment of their civilians, they were the ones who were committed to actually holding up the ideals of the Star League...
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A little humor for your work week end...work horoscopes for April.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/03/31/humorous-work-horoscope-for-april-2017/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/03/31/humorous-work-horoscope-for-april-2017/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Always good stuff.
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This is a little different -- some April Fool's Day humor BattleTech style. My "tribute" to BattleTech Fan Fiction. Feel free to share.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/04/01/battletech-april-fools-day-operation-total-freakin-awesomeness/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/04/01/battletech-april-fools-day-operation-total-freakin-awesomeness/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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That's for the wonderful fan fic - was a great way to start my day
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Hey, Buck! Read my fanfic! Please? O:-)
^-^
Fun stuff, though.
edit:
And, like typical fanfic, there were paragraphs where the eyes scanned, but the mind started to wander elsewhere. But, that happens with official published fiction, at times, too.
What gets to me are the stories which are nothing more than a script dialogue with no visual cues.
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What gets to me are the stories which are nothing more than a script dialogue with no visual cues.
Especially ones where the author feels the need to have characters verbally describe each other while they're talking.
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Clearly, you haven't seen the latest Geico ad about "walking the walk"... :D
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Especially ones where the author feels the need to have characters verbally describe each other while they're talking.
I have not encountered this. Is there an example on these forums? This sounds kinda amusing. Once.
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I'm not aware of anything like that on these forums (though I haven't checked the fiction section), but one example of something similar is Silver Age comic books, where it was common for characters to describe things that were happening on-panel. Like Superman smashes Lex Luthor's robot and in the next panel, Luthor shouts "you've destroyed my robot!"
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The anniversary of the US entry into WWI
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/04/05/centennial-of-us-entry-into-wwi/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/04/05/centennial-of-us-entry-into-wwi/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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A sadly forgotten tragedy.
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I'm not aware of anything like that on these forums (though I haven't checked the fiction section), but one example of something similar is Silver Age comic books, where it was common for characters to describe things that were happening on-panel. Like Superman smashes Lex Luthor's robot and in the next panel, Luthor shouts "you've destroyed my robot!"
I do remember that. Ugh. Some good storylines ruined by author commentary.
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A chance for you to weigh in on the cover of our next true crime book...
https://contest.fbapp.io/a-special-kind-of-evil-cover-contest (https://contest.fbapp.io/a-special-kind-of-evil-cover-contest)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My latest blog post on the Colonial Parkway Murders...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/04/09/anniversary-of-the-disappearance-of-keith-call-and-cassandra-hailey/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/04/09/anniversary-of-the-disappearance-of-keith-call-and-cassandra-hailey/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Part 10 of the novelization of my current D&D campaign.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/04/16/to-the-gellesian-fields-part-10/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/04/16/to-the-gellesian-fields-part-10/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Fun! Thanks!
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Well done
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Okay. While I like the novelization, I have one question:
What kind of voice does each character have? If you can equate them to particular actors/actresses, that'd help.
For some reason, I couldn't help think of Count Dooku/Saruman when reading Althalus. Is that close? What about the others?
Thanks.
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That's hard - I hear them in the voices of the players.
Althalus tends to be broody and deep - like Josh Brolin.
Galinndan makes me think of Gilbert Godfrey only younger.
Theren is a lot like Mark Ruffalo
Arius is Chris Pine-ish.
Bor - is Bor. Bor-Smash.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Book review - this time the subject is the University of Texas sniper, Charles Whitman
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/04/23/review-of-a-sniper-in-the-tower-the-charles-whitman-murders-a-true-crime-book-by-gary-m-lavergne/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/04/23/review-of-a-sniper-in-the-tower-the-charles-whitman-murders-a-true-crime-book-by-gary-m-lavergne/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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And now for some workplace humor...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/04/27/annual-performance-reviews-a-snarky-fix-to-an-age-old-problem/
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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And now for some workplace humor...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/04/27/annual-performance-reviews-a-snarky-fix-to-an-age-old-problem/
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
I'll leave you with the Apple review. All Apple reviews read like this:
You suck.
However you did not suck as bad as you could have sucked.
Try to suck less
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And now for some workplace humor...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/04/27/annual-performance-reviews-a-snarky-fix-to-an-age-old-problem/
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Hmm, reminds me of the last time I had a job that had performance reviews.
I loved the part where we were graded on A) the dress code we were explicitly told wasn't actually a thing (and that the supervisors very obviously didn't follow) and B) how many phone calls we answered over a week, which was automatically zero because our department handled customer service emails and the phones at our desks weren't activated because it wasn't our jobs!
I'm glad I no longer work there.
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I work at a reasonably small company and we don't really do performance reviews. It's small enough that the people who need to know how you are performing already do. However, I actually had one guy ASK me to give him a performance review! I guess he was worried if he was meeting expectations or something like that, but it was the first and only time I've ever actually had someone request a performance review. He didn't even ask for a raise or anything! It was weird.
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The chronicling of our D&D campaign...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/05/07/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-to-the-gellesian-fields-part-10/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/05/07/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-to-the-gellesian-fields-part-10/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe - DM
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The chronicling of our D&D campaign...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/05/07/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-to-the-gellesian-fields-part-10/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/05/07/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-to-the-gellesian-fields-part-10/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe - DM
Excellent intro photo selection.
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[snigger] Sand People.
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Breaking the 4th wall...ish. Heavy on the ish. Sand People.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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The next installment of our campaign...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/05/13/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-to-the-gellesian-fields-part-12/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/05/13/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-to-the-gellesian-fields-part-12/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Breaking the 4th wall...ish. Heavy on the ish. Sand People.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
I hope the 'Sand People' in your setting actually do something more with sand, rather than being a nebulous alien species that lives in the desert.
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The next installment of our campaign...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/05/13/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-to-the-gellesian-fields-part-12/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/05/13/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-to-the-gellesian-fields-part-12/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Excellent.
There was an incomplete sentence. "I watched them in their hooded azure cloaks. These were men I"
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Thanks for catching that...resolved!
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My latest - on the 90th anniversary of the flight of Charles Lindbergh.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/05/20/one-man-can-change-the-world-the-90th-anniversary-of-charles-lindberghs-epic-solo-flight/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/05/20/one-man-can-change-the-world-the-90th-anniversary-of-charles-lindberghs-epic-solo-flight/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I wonder where our heroes are…
They were never there. Lindbergh looks better than current celebrities because he lived in an age where things like martial infidelity and embarrassing political views were swept under the rug instead of being pointed out.
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They were never there. Lindbergh looks better than current celebrities because he lived in an age where things like martial infidelity and embarrassing political views were swept under the rug instead of being pointed out.
I have to agree with this. Humanity suffers from "the nostalgia effect". We tend to forget the bad aspects of "the good old days" and only remember what we find pleasing. I recommend the book "The Good Old Days-They were terrible!"
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They were never there. Lindbergh looks better than current celebrities because he lived in an age where things like martial infidelity and embarrassing political views were swept under the rug instead of being pointed out.
His views were very close to Henry Ford who is also considered a hero though he's not
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Now a little workplace humor for your long weekend. Enjoy.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/05/28/workplace-humor-things-never-heard-in-the-office/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/05/28/workplace-humor-things-never-heard-in-the-office/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Now a little workplace humor for your long weekend. Enjoy.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/05/28/workplace-humor-things-never-heard-in-the-office/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/05/28/workplace-humor-things-never-heard-in-the-office/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
You forgot "my coworkers on this project are knowledgeable and really helping insure that things run smoothly."
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A little MORE workplace humor...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/05/30/humorous-work-horoscopes-for-june-2017/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/05/30/humorous-work-horoscopes-for-june-2017/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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High school production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show - I don't think that's allowed even in this State. ;D
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The latest installment of our D&D campaign...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/06/18/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-to-the-gellesian-fields-part-13/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/06/18/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-to-the-gellesian-fields-part-13/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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On my new true crime book coming out in a few weeks...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/06/26/visiting-the-crime-scene-of-the-first-colonial-parkway-murders/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/06/26/visiting-the-crime-scene-of-the-first-colonial-parkway-murders/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Game of Thrones time!
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/07/15/game-of-thrones-wish-list-and-predictions-for-seasons-7-and-8/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/07/15/game-of-thrones-wish-list-and-predictions-for-seasons-7-and-8/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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A little workplace humor tonight...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/07/20/the-triangle-of-apathy/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/07/20/the-triangle-of-apathy/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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The novelization of our D&D campaign continues...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/07/22/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-to-the-gellesian-fields-part-15/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/07/22/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-to-the-gellesian-fields-part-15/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My annual Gen Con Tips
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/07/22/my-2017-gen-con-survival-tips/
(https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/07/22/my-2017-gen-con-survival-tips/)
Blaine
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The novelization of our D&D campaign continues...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/07/22/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-to-the-gellesian-fields-part-15/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/07/22/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-to-the-gellesian-fields-part-15/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Very good
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The next installment of our D&D campaign...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/08/05/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-to-the-gellesian-fields-part-16/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/08/05/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-to-the-gellesian-fields-part-16/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Always a good read
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My notes from Gen Con - including photos from the super-secret BattleTech summit.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/08/21/gen-con-2017-after-action-report/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/08/21/gen-con-2017-after-action-report/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My notes from Gen Con - including photos from the super-secret BattleTech summit.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/08/21/gen-con-2017-after-action-report/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/08/21/gen-con-2017-after-action-report/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
You're just a teaser Buck
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A little office humor...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/08/27/humorous-workplace-it-department-awards/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/08/27/humorous-workplace-it-department-awards/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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You didn't have a "Managed not to strangle the idiot who completely screwed the whole department" award.
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Oh - I like that...
Blaine
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Review of the new Star Trek Adventures RPG
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/09/05/review-of-star-trek-adventures-rpg/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/09/05/review-of-star-trek-adventures-rpg/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Always like Blaines blogs!
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Here's a podcast of me on my latest true crime book
http://jimharold.com/a-special-kind-of-evil-crime-scene-128/ (http://jimharold.com/a-special-kind-of-evil-crime-scene-128/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Always like Blaines blogs!
*thumbs up*
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A sad anniversary of a pair of murders
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/09/21/the-30th-anniversary-of-the-second-of-the-colonial-parkway-murders-robin-edwards-and-david-knobling/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/09/21/the-30th-anniversary-of-the-second-of-the-colonial-parkway-murders-robin-edwards-and-david-knobling/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Here's my interview locally - if anyone cares.
http://wavy.com/investigative-story/the-colonial-parkway-murders-a-special-kind-of-evil/ (http://wavy.com/investigative-story/the-colonial-parkway-murders-a-special-kind-of-evil/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Unboxing the new Star Trek RPG miniatures...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/09/23/unboxing-star-trek-the-original-series-miniatures-from-modiphius-entertainment/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/09/23/unboxing-star-trek-the-original-series-miniatures-from-modiphius-entertainment/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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A little office humor... real life interpretations of job postings.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/09/27/snarky-interpretations-of-real-life-job-descriptions/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/09/27/snarky-interpretations-of-real-life-job-descriptions/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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“Participate in business development efforts…” has even darker meaning in (ex-)public service. It basically translates as "we expect you to ruthlessly milk all of your former government contacts for any modicum of work we can even remotely claim to be qualified to perform, and some we can't".
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For anyone wanting books signed - here's where I will be in the coming months.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/10/01/public-events-for-a-special-kind-of-evil-and-other-books-fallwinter-of-2017/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/10/01/public-events-for-a-special-kind-of-evil-and-other-books-fallwinter-of-2017/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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The latest installment of our D&D campaign...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/10/07/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-to-the-gellesian-fields-part-17/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/10/07/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-to-the-gellesian-fields-part-17/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Yikes! They need to pull back and nuke the entire site from orbit... it's the only way to be sure... ::)
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Part 18 (a long one given the character death) of my D&D campaign. Enjoy!
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/10/15/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-to-the-gellesian-fields-part-18-the-death-of-galinndan/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/10/15/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-to-the-gellesian-fields-part-18-the-death-of-galinndan/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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That's the thing with nukes... there's this pesky "minimum safe distance" thing... ::)
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Part 18 (a long one given the character death) of my D&D campaign. Enjoy!
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/10/15/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-to-the-gellesian-fields-part-18-the-death-of-galinndan/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/10/15/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-to-the-gellesian-fields-part-18-the-death-of-galinndan/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Most enjoyable
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The latest on my true crime book tour...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/10/29/update-on-the-book-tour-for-a-special-kind-of-evil-the-colonial-parkway-serial-killings/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/10/29/update-on-the-book-tour-for-a-special-kind-of-evil-the-colonial-parkway-serial-killings/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My review of the new Thor movie... spoiler free!
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/11/04/spoiler-free-review-of-thor-ragnarok/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/11/04/spoiler-free-review-of-thor-ragnarok/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Your review is appreciated. I'm still not sure if I should wait until it comes out on DVD. Even though I can walk to the theater, I mostly go only when it is a new Star Wars movie.
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I definitely recommend seeing it on the big screen... it'll be just as funny on the small screen, but you'll feel regret for not seeing some that awesome cinematography as it was meant to be seen...
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I'm glad Thor will be funny, I wasn't a big fan of the first two movies. But willing to give this a shot.
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My review of the new Thor movie... spoiler free!
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/11/04/spoiler-free-review-of-thor-ragnarok/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/11/04/spoiler-free-review-of-thor-ragnarok/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Wow! Might have to go see it based on that review.
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The latest chronicle of my D&D campaign.
I'm finding that as I get older, more roleplaying and storytelling is where it is at.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/11/25/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-to-the-gellesian-fields-part-19/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/11/25/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-to-the-gellesian-fields-part-19/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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amazing as ever, thanks!
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Well done
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I'm finding that as I get older, more roleplaying and storytelling is where it is at.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
I can identify. After a while, perpetual combat sims lose flavor, not without consequences and rewards. And, more and more, there's usually a better solution than going straight to combat.
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It's also more interesting when you've got motivation beyond "kill this guy and take his stuff."
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My review of Mindhunter on Netflix
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/12/02/review-of-the-netflix-series-mindhunter-season-one/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/12/02/review-of-the-netflix-series-mindhunter-season-one/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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A sneak peek at Tripods and Triplanes from Ares Games
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/12/07/sneak-peak-at-tripods-and-triplanes-ares-games-new-kickstarter/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/12/07/sneak-peak-at-tripods-and-triplanes-ares-games-new-kickstarter/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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A spoiler-free review of The Last Jedi.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/12/16/non-spoiler-review-star-wars-the-last-jedi/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/12/16/non-spoiler-review-star-wars-the-last-jedi/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I agree with your analysis.
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I've always had fun with it. You can have mutant critters (5 foot high wolverines anyone? :)), mutant people "zombies", you can have a bit of 'road warrior-esque' encounters, or my favorite is that in 150 years society would be trying to put itself back together and so you could have all sorts of different little kingdoms, countries, etc at any sort of tech level you want. One morning my crew woke up to a 6 pound roundshot glancing off of the hull. They had laagered in a small wooded copse the night before and two rival armies had occupied the area that night and started a battle at dawn, and they found themselves smack in the middle of no-man's land. :)
Yep. Awesome game. Some liek it frim and griutty..while others like to encounter the highly radioactive blue undead.
I messed with some morrow project vets once, did a conspiritorial campaign, where they woke up, in a different bunkker, with unfamiliar technology, equippned with a bolt hole detector, Morrow Project ID creator/faker (a completely against all project ideas of security devices) and weapons designed to take out Morrow Projectr armor and vehicles..with instructions that the project had been infiltrated by minions of a former project members named Krell, and they were supposed to hunt down the traitors and eliminate them. Sadly..the instructions on how to identify the Krell infiltrators never got to them.
Tossed in the complication of them finding something they had never heard of..a facility those housed hundreds of project member family members. Or were they........
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Nice write up on the New Star Wars Movie.
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Here's a little office humor...feel free to share.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/12/26/humorous-mission-statements-for-the-real-world/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/12/26/humorous-mission-statements-for-the-real-world/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyV_UG60dD4
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The opinion of one old school gamer...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/12/31/why-the-release-of-starfinder-is-important/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2017/12/31/why-the-release-of-starfinder-is-important/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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A little piece on things that are asked of authors...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/01/06/things-people-say-to-or-ask-of-an-author/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/01/06/things-people-say-to-or-ask-of-an-author/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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A little bit of office humor...feel free to share.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/01/17/funny-employee-awards/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/01/17/funny-employee-awards/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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The next installment of the fictional capture of my current D&D campaign.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/01/23/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-tempora-part-20/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/01/23/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-tempora-part-20/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Always interesting, thanks! O0
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The next installment of the fictional capture of my current D&D campaign.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/01/23/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-tempora-part-20/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/01/23/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-tempora-part-20/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Well done once again.
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A mid-series review of Waco.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/02/03/mid-series-review-of-waco/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/02/03/mid-series-review-of-waco/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I have a question for our esteemed author! >:D
Sorry, not anything weird like you have in your list of odd encounters.
Q: Are there any characters that you like enough to keep coming back to, and would, if given the opportunity, write an ongoing anthology about their adventures?
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There are quite a few I'd like to write about. I'm not a big fan of anthologies however.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My latest novelization of our D&D campaign.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/02/04/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-tempora-part-21/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/02/04/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-tempora-part-21/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I'm enjoying this; Keep them coming. O0
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I can't wait to see if this becomes a novel as well...
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I'm enjoying this; Keep them coming. O0
Yep looking forward to the next one.
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Here's a little break - Why do employees stay with their companies?
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/02/10/why-employees-stay-with-an-organization-a-question-of-loyalty/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/02/10/why-employees-stay-with-an-organization-a-question-of-loyalty/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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That sounds about right. [applause]
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His next one of What Houses and Mercs had (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/02/11/some-battletech-history-mech-types-by-house-and-unit/) seems interesting as well...
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The latest fictional installment of our campaign. The experiment is going well, taking our actual gameplay and converting it into something readable.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/02/18/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-tempora-part-22/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/02/18/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-tempora-part-22/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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The latest fictional installment of our campaign. The experiment is going well, taking our actual gameplay and converting it into something readable.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/02/18/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-tempora-part-22/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/02/18/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-tempora-part-22/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Excellent
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Now, the Twilight of the Clans That Almost Was...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/02/22/the-twilight-of-the-clans-that-almost-was/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/02/22/the-twilight-of-the-clans-that-almost-was/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Now, the Twilight of the Clans That Almost Was...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/02/22/the-twilight-of-the-clans-that-almost-was/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/02/22/the-twilight-of-the-clans-that-almost-was/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Cool - I can't wait to hear more about it.
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Honestly, I liked your version better, although it seems unrealistic that all the Clans wouldn't have back-up genetic repositories in the event of an unforeseen accident.
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Thanks. I'm glad we ended up where we did.
Blaine
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I took a bit of a mental detour over the last five years...and this is the result...a new book.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/03/04/new-book-available-the-life-book-a-grandfathers-gift/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/03/04/new-book-available-the-life-book-a-grandfathers-gift/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Purchased & Facebook shared. Will review upon reading.
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A little humor...
Things I want said or done at my funeral.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/03/09/some-humor-things-i-want-said-or-done-at-my-funeral/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/03/09/some-humor-things-i-want-said-or-done-at-my-funeral/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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A little humor...
Things I want said or done at my funeral.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/03/09/some-humor-things-i-want-said-or-done-at-my-funeral/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/03/09/some-humor-things-i-want-said-or-done-at-my-funeral/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Ok the Highlander joke and the AC/DC song are nice touches
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Blaine,
Have you considered having your ashes sent to Gencon every year?
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I like the idea. I want someone to get on the balcony over the crowd's waiting to get it and toss my ashes over the masses. That way everyone gets a little bit of Blaine.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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One other thing you might consider: Have your ashes mixed into cement and carved into a life-sized statue in the pose of an ancient Egyptian pharaoh smiting his enemies. Attach a motion sensor so that whenever someone walks by, the music from the beginning of "The Mummy" is played.
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I like the idea. I want someone to get on the balcony over the crowd's waiting to get it and toss my ashes over the masses. That way everyone gets a little bit of Blaine.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Knowing your luck the instructions will be messed up and they'll spread you all over the entrance and everyone will walk all over you.
That still can work with an AC/DC song BTW
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Now for a little office humor - a true story about Newark Airport
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/03/15/office-humor-the-business-trip-a-true-story/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/03/15/office-humor-the-business-trip-a-true-story/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Now for a little office humor - a true story about Newark Airport
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/03/15/office-humor-the-business-trip-a-true-story/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/03/15/office-humor-the-business-trip-a-true-story/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
LOL - I could supply hours of traveling horror stories but have not yet resorted to heisting a Cushman
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Yikes! I think I would have opted for the rental car option long before you did, but at least you got home!
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This is why I always drive from NY to FL or Gencon.
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I work for the airlines and I barley fly. They all suck.
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Alaska is usually good.
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I work for the airlines and I barley fly. They all suck.
I have over 1.36 MILLION miles on AA (most of it earned on Cathay Pacific.
They don't all suck however it is a cutthroat industry.
United however - they suck
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The Asian airlines like Cathay, Singapore, and couple more set the bar on standards that a airline should be.
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The Asian airlines like Cathay, Singapore, and couple more set the bar on standards that a airline should be.
Absolutely.
And United sets the low bar. Enjoy the Friendly Skies or we will beat the snot of you or kill your dog.
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In the hard plastic seats that are smaller and closer together than the seats on any other airline's planes.
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In the hard plastic seats that are smaller and closer together than the seats on any other airline's planes.
Oh you have to fly Viet Jet.
Taipei to Hanoi for $8 - yes $8 - there is about $50 in fees.
Just don't expect any leg more if you are above 5 foot midget - a very painful 2 hours and 50 minutes
-
The airline industry is going thru to many changes and airlines cant keep up. People was the luxury but don't want to pay for it.But that is the life.
Many airlines are doing a if you want it pay for it, if you don't you don't pay for it. Why pay for things that you don't really need.
-
We could spend 50 pages on this post talking about all that is wrong with them ;D
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We could spend 50 pages on this post talking about all that is wrong with them ;D
*runs in, screams "THE TSA!" and runs back out*
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Oh you have to fly Viet Jet.
Taipei to Hanoi for $8 - yes $8 - there is about $50 in fees.
Just don't expect any leg more if you are above 5 foot midget - a very painful 2 hours and 50 minutes
My knees are aching just thinking about that.
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My knees are aching just thinking about that.
At 6' 3" it was a special hell. I got lucky no one sat in front of me.
-
My latest - a true crime book review... https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/03/21/true-crime-book-review-the-shawcross-letters-my-journey-into-the-mind-of-evil-by-john-paul-fay/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/03/21/true-crime-book-review-the-shawcross-letters-my-journey-into-the-mind-of-evil-by-john-paul-fay/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Warning duly noted... won't be buying that book...
-
My latest - a true crime book review... https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/03/21/true-crime-book-review-the-shawcross-letters-my-journey-into-the-mind-of-evil-by-john-paul-fay/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/03/21/true-crime-book-review-the-shawcross-letters-my-journey-into-the-mind-of-evil-by-john-paul-fay/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
So what is the purpose of this type of book?
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Attention seeking from a person with low self-esteem or glorification of a madman
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I agree. Such books are creepy and twisted to the extreme.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Now, a little workplace humor-ish stuff. https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/04/23/work-de-motivators-things-that-sap-morale-in-the-workplace/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/04/23/work-de-motivators-things-that-sap-morale-in-the-workplace/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I've found that there's nothing that saps my interest in performing faster than having a manager who thinks that leadership means coming by and telling me how I should be doing my job several times a week. And not because I'm doing something wrong, just because they think that that's what they're supposed to be doing.
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I've found that there's nothing that saps my interest in performing faster than having a manager who thinks that leadership means coming by and telling me how I should be doing my job several times a week. And not because I'm doing something wrong, just because they think that that's what they're supposed to be doing.
Well that's just a bad manager
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My take on the Golden State Killer's arrest...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/04/26/the-golden-state-killers-arrest-the-perspective-from-the-desk-of-a-true-crime-author/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/04/26/the-golden-state-killers-arrest-the-perspective-from-the-desk-of-a-true-crime-author/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My non-spoiler-ish review of Avenger's Infinity War
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/04/29/non-spoiler-review-of-avengers-infinity-war/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/04/29/non-spoiler-review-of-avengers-infinity-war/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Heh, it will be six hours once they release the second half next year... ::)
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My after-action report from this year's CrimeCon
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/05/08/after-action-report-on-crimecon-2018/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/05/08/after-action-report-on-crimecon-2018/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Now I wanna read a " True Crime : Battletech Novel!
Like WHO really killed Morgan Hasek-Davion?
Now I think most of us would like to see some closures. Hell you could even do mini-stories with how famous people died unexpectedly.
Like how did Marius O'Reilly die or Richard Cameron II? Things like this...
Truetanker
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I second that- c'mon Blaine... do it!
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True Crimes: Body Doubles
Personally i think Richard Cameron II was secretly replaced at last minute of his murder with a guy dressed up like him thinking he was going to masquerade party. Rich wised up took over the guy's life and was living safely in Columbia, Oh in a Trailer Park.
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True Crimes: Body Doubles
Personally i think Richard Cameron II was secretly replaced at last minute of his murder with a guy dressed up like him thinking he was going to masquerade party. Rich wised up took over the guy's life and was living safely in Columbia, Oh in a Trailer Park.
:o. Well... hmmm... I hadn't considered that... like ever... never ever... it could be possible... well... it's not impossible... actually... well... I couldn't disprove it... it certainly warrants further study!
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And now, a change of pace... the next installment in our D&D campaign chronicling.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/05/12/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-tempora-part-23/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/05/12/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-tempora-part-23/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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It's almost like they're missing a rogue... ^-^
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One little fireball mishap and your rogue is a pile of ash.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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You know Marvel's done a good job when you can think back to the other Thor films featuring Loki and shed a tear for the character at his fate.
-
My spoiler-free review of Solo.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/05/26/a-spoiler-free-review-of-solo-a-star-wars-story/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/05/26/a-spoiler-free-review-of-solo-a-star-wars-story/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Agreed... it was good, but could have been great.
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The trailer certainly gave the impression it might actually be good.
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The trailer for Phantom Menace gave the impression that it might actually be good.
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The latest in our D&D campaign...we game tonight!
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/05/27/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-tempora-part-24/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/05/27/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-tempora-part-24/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Amusing, as always! :thumbsup:
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Nice use of a classic, but rarely seen monster
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I continue to enjoy reading about the campaign. :thumbsup:
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For you murder watchers - a review of Netflix's Evil Genius. VERY creepy and bizarre story.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/06/02/review-of-netflixs-evil-genius-the-true-story-of-americas-most-diabolical-bank-heist/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/06/02/review-of-netflixs-evil-genius-the-true-story-of-americas-most-diabolical-bank-heist/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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And now, a little office humor...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/06/03/what-everyone-is-thinking-but-not-saying-about-your-powerpoint-presentation/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/06/03/what-everyone-is-thinking-but-not-saying-about-your-powerpoint-presentation/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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A true crime book review.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/06/17/review-of-the-phantom-killer-unlocking-the-mystery-of-the-texarkana-serial-murders-the-story-of-a-town-in-terror-by-james-presley/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/06/17/review-of-the-phantom-killer-unlocking-the-mystery-of-the-texarkana-serial-murders-the-story-of-a-town-in-terror-by-james-presley/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My updated list of Gen Con survival tips.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/06/23/my-list-of-gen-con-survival-tips-updated-for-2018/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/06/23/my-list-of-gen-con-survival-tips-updated-for-2018/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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This makes me laugh every time, thanks
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Then my job is done!
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Some office humor... https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/06/27/office-humor-things-to-never-put-on-your-resume-cv-or-cover-letter/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/06/27/office-humor-things-to-never-put-on-your-resume-cv-or-cover-letter/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My short review of Gaslands.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/06/29/review-of-gaslands-post-apocalyptic-vehicular-combat-miniatures-game/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/06/29/review-of-gaslands-post-apocalyptic-vehicular-combat-miniatures-game/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Some rambling BattleTech stuff.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/07/03/writing-battletech-addressing-some-questions/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/07/03/writing-battletech-addressing-some-questions/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Hey Buck, you going to be at Gencon this year? I need you to sign my "authors" battletech shirt.
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Another fun blog, thanks
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Awesome update.
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Another fun blog, thanks
Aff. Best place to find me is Saturday at Masters and Minions. Who knows, there may even be a book signing this year! It could happen! You'll have to wait and see.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I still have my autographed copy of Impetus of War sitting in its place of honor on my bookshelf.
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Aff. Best place to find me is Saturday at Masters and Minions. Who knows, there may even be a book signing this year! It could happen! You'll have to wait and see.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
See you there.
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See you there.
Well, in the next year, we will have some more material for your shelf!
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My non-spoiler review of Ant Man and the Wasp.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/07/07/non-spoiler-review-ant-man-and-the-wasp/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/07/07/non-spoiler-review-ant-man-and-the-wasp/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Great review! I'm hoping to catch the movie this weekend, but I'm still moving furniture...
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Always like your blogs
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Loved the movie & I laughed my butt off several times. The casting was great.
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Our latest D&D campaign installment...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/07/08/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-tempora-part-25/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/07/08/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-tempora-part-25/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Thanks for sharing!
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And the saga continues on...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/07/13/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-tempora-part-26/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/07/13/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-tempora-part-26/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Long overdue review of Live PD.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/07/16/true-crime-review-aes-live-pd/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/07/16/true-crime-review-aes-live-pd/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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It's a little surreal how your D&D characters take damage that would hospitalize a real-life person for a month, but be combat capable within minutes. Gotta love that magic! Keep those stories coming. :thumbsup:
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My unboxing photos for the Game of Thrones mini's Kickstarter, A Song of Fire and Ice.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/07/19/quick-unboxing-of-the-game-of-thrones-kickstarter-a-song-of-fire-and-ice/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/07/19/quick-unboxing-of-the-game-of-thrones-kickstarter-a-song-of-fire-and-ice/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Review of a new Zodiac book...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/07/22/review-of-zodiac-the-case-of-the-zodiac-killer-by-michael-morford-and-michael-ferguson/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/07/22/review-of-zodiac-the-case-of-the-zodiac-killer-by-michael-morford-and-michael-ferguson/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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A little D&D humor... enjoy
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/07/24/things-to-do-to-annoy-your-dungeon-master-and-other-players-dd-humor/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/07/24/things-to-do-to-annoy-your-dungeon-master-and-other-players-dd-humor/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Bah. What's wrong with the metric system? How is anyone still not using it? ;)
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Ogres love crispy humans! But will still need a can opener for Paladins and Knights.
TT
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(https://ogrefactory.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/ogre-will-mclean-cartoon.jpg)
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Somebody mention me? 8)
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New fiction available for pre-order!
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/07/26/new-battletech-fiction-available-for-pre-sale-the-anvil-novella/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/07/26/new-battletech-fiction-available-for-pre-sale-the-anvil-novella/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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This best news ive read in long time! I look forward to this getting out, Mr Pardoe!
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Am I misreading the announcement or will there be no way to get a hard copy of this outside of the limited Gencon option?
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Am I misreading the announcement or will there be no way to get a hard copy of this outside of the limited Gencon option?
The announcement says PoD will be available after the 1st October
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The announcement says PoD will be available after the 1st October
I'm an old befuddled idiot & was thinking PoD meant something different that what it is. DOH.
Well that is good then, come October I can have the feel of a real BT book in my hands for the first time in 16 years.
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Am I misreading the announcement or will there be no way to get a hard copy of this outside of the limited Gencon option?
I appreciate the fans that have hung in there. We are entering a new age of BattleTech that should prove to be incredible. Strap on that coolant vest boys, it's about to get bumpy out there.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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New fiction available for pre-order!
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/07/26/new-battletech-fiction-available-for-pre-sale-the-anvil-novella/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/07/26/new-battletech-fiction-available-for-pre-sale-the-anvil-novella/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
If you have a Nook (or download the Nook app to pretty much any device except a Kindle!) you can read it right now!
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/battletech-blaine-lee-pardoe/1129158317?ean=2940161932520
(https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/battletech-blaine-lee-pardoe/1129158317?ean=2940161932520)
I enjoyed it very much! :thumbsup:
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Fantastic! Glad you liked it.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Is there going to be an Amazon version?
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Available for preorder now. Releases on Wednesday.
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Huh, when I searched yesterday it wasn't listed.
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For those unfortunate souls who still use Kindles:
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=battletech+the+anvil&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3Abattletech+the+anvil
(https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=battletech+the+anvil&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3Abattletech+the+anvil)
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=BattleTech+A+Splinter+of+Hope
(https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=BattleTech+A+Splinter+of+Hope)
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For those unfortunate souls who still use Kindles:
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=battletech+the+anvil&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3Abattletech+the+anvil
(https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=battletech+the+anvil&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3Abattletech+the+anvil)
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=BattleTech+A+Splinter+of+Hope
(https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=BattleTech+A+Splinter+of+Hope)
The Kindle app works very well on the iPad.
-
And now, my annual brain dump from Gen Con...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/08/06/gen-con-2018-after-action-report/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/08/06/gen-con-2018-after-action-report/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I assume you successfully escaped con crud.
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Thus far I am crud free.
Blaine
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Thank heaven for fist bumps getting more socially acceptable.
-
The review sounded amazing.
So many new games & good reviews of the demos. Nice to hear about the X-Wing revamp being done well.
I think the picture with the giant map & the guy/girl sitting/kneeling to play with huge mechs is possibly my favorite of all, that thing looks AWESOME........ possibly more awesome than the giant AWESOME statue....... possibly.
Note to self, my basement home will need a map that big for the floor.
I hope that did really well, seems like a genius idea to bring folks in for demos.
-
Blaine, what did you think of that super star destroyer?
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Impressive. Very impressive.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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So is the expected price tag. I may get it anyway. :P
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Holy #$%?@#?E@%& :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o
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If they did not use even one universal greeblie on a piece that big, I shall be very put out.
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I don't think that would even fit in my living room.
-
I might buy one, just as a decoration.
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I don't think that would even fit in my living room.
It's not as big as it looks. In the neighborhood of two feet, give or take a few inches.
-
Okay, it would fit if I took out some other funiture.
-
Wow. That super star destroyer. :o
-
Some Friday afternoon humor.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/08/10/some-author-humor-you-know-you-are-a-writer-when-you/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/08/10/some-author-humor-you-know-you-are-a-writer-when-you/)
You know you are a writer when you...
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Nice list! As far as Microsoft, if the Windows 10 delay you see in typing in Office products is bothering you, I figured out how to turn it off (it's not even remotely obvious).
-
The latest installment of our D&D campaign.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/08/12/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-tempora-part-27/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/08/12/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-tempora-part-27/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Some rangers never learn... ::)
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Thanks. :thumbsup:
-
A blast from the past. Out of my archives - the 'Mechs I have designed or written about.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/08/16/out-of-the-archives-the-battlemechs-i-wrote-about-or-designed/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/08/16/out-of-the-archives-the-battlemechs-i-wrote-about-or-designed/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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The Hussar isn't a bad mech, it's just not an optimized one.
The Thorn, on the other hand...
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Much of the fiction behind those early TROs is what helped me get into Battletech, as well as the books. Recent TROs in my minds eye have come along way to live up to those standards. Your stuff is incredible, i wish you were still activing making new Mech's their background still, Mr. Pardoe!
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A new serial killer in DC...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/08/18/washington-dc-has-a-new-serial-killer-on-the-loose/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/08/18/washington-dc-has-a-new-serial-killer-on-the-loose/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Much of the fiction behind those early TROs is what helped me get into Battletech, as well as the books. Recent TROs in my minds eye have come along way to live up to those standards. Your stuff is incredible, i wish you were still activing making new Mech's their background still, Mr. Pardoe!
I can only echo this sentiment!
-
Mr. Pardoe,
I personally love the Grand Titan!
I got four of them painted up like New York Yellow Taxicabs, complete with black and white checkers running down the left side. Who doesn't like a 4/6 Assault with that much weaponry in 3054? Plus it can fire all of it's short ranged weapons and still do that lovely 10 pointer crunch-punch with it's left hand jab!
I refer them as the NY Taxi Service, and in 3090, I've updated it to include a single N11M backed up by 3 N10M's also they are now real taxis... able to carry Mag Clamp BA!
Thanks for these!
Truetanker
-
The one mech I'm surprised to not see listed as something you created is the Marauder II, given how prominently it was featured in your Battletech novels.
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It's not as big as it looks. In the neighborhood of two feet, give or take a few inches.
Looking at the little Tie & A-Wing next to it, I would have guessed twice that size.
-
My painting of the Star Wars Legion miniatures...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/08/26/review-star-wars-legion-the-miniatures/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/08/26/review-star-wars-legion-the-miniatures/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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It's time for some Game of Thrones talk again!
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/08/28/the-most-important-character-in-game-of-thrones-samwell-tarly/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/08/28/the-most-important-character-in-game-of-thrones-samwell-tarly/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I agree.
-
A blast from the past. Out of my archives - the 'Mechs I have designed or written about.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/08/16/out-of-the-archives-the-battlemechs-i-wrote-about-or-designed/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/08/16/out-of-the-archives-the-battlemechs-i-wrote-about-or-designed/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
The Titan was supposed to be in 2750?
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The Titan was supposed to be in 2750?
That'll be the Titan DropShip.
Chris
-
My painting of the Star Wars Legion miniatures...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/08/26/review-star-wars-legion-the-miniatures/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/08/26/review-star-wars-legion-the-miniatures/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Those look awesome Blaine
-
The latest installment in our D&D campaign. Almost to the big showdown...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/09/04/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-tempora-part-28/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/09/04/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-tempora-part-28/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Interesting developments there! :thumbsup:
-
That'll be the Titan DropShip.
Chris
Ah! Duh!
-
Book review - The Case Files of the East Area Rapist and the Golden State Killer.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/09/09/review-of-the-case-files-of-the-east-area-rapist-golden-state-killer-by-kat-winters-and-keith-komos/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/09/09/review-of-the-case-files-of-the-east-area-rapist-golden-state-killer-by-kat-winters-and-keith-komos/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Interview tips!
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/09/13/things-you-need-to-get-answers-on-before-you-leave-the-interview/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/09/13/things-you-need-to-get-answers-on-before-you-leave-the-interview/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
-
A little retro review - Helter Skelter the TV Movie (1976)
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/09/18/retro-review-helter-skelter-tv-show-and-dvd-1976/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/09/18/retro-review-helter-skelter-tv-show-and-dvd-1976/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
-
I answer the age old question - "Why don't you write another Clan Wolverine book?"
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/09/21/battletech-why-dont-you-write-another-clan-wolverine-book/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/09/21/battletech-why-dont-you-write-another-clan-wolverine-book/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
-
As a Wolverine fan, I had to read your blog entry. Good to see that there are at least some ideas floating around, creating a base from which to move forward.
On another point, the title of your upcoming book:
The title is XXXX XX XXX XXXX XXXXXX, right? Either I am totally delusional by missing needed sleep, but the title itself automatically morphed into: Rise of the Wolf Empire..... :D ;D
Probably I am totally wrong but it was a intuitive reaction by my mind....
Anyway, keep up the good work!
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The title is XXXX XX XXX XXXX XXXXXX, right? Either I am totally delusional by missing needed sleep, but the title itself automatically morphed into: Rise of the Wolf Empire..... :D ;D
Wrong!
Raid of the JADE FALCON...
TT
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You presume those X's are accurate and not a deliberate red herring. I find that amusing.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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All those Xs are literally the title, and CGL is branching out into the most extreme porno novels ever put to paper.
"triple X? Bah, Blaine's new book will be novemdecuple* X!"
*=yeah I had to look up the word for nineteen-fold. You're welcome, you learned something today.
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I guess that we'll have to wait to see if Blaine's next book is Rise of the Wolf Empire.
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I guess that we'll have to wait to see if Blaine's next book is Rise of the Wolf Empire.
+2 On that recommendation!!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
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You presume those X's are accurate and not a deliberate red herring. I find that amusing.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Sure, they could represent a deliberate act to keep us in the dark. I will find it amusing if this is your attempt at throwing me of the scent at the last minute. :)
In any case, I am looking forward to read it soon. Keep up the good work!
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I love the War Dog 8)
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A little workplace humor.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/10/09/stages-of-your-alleged-career-entering-the-triangle-of-apathy/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/10/09/stages-of-your-alleged-career-entering-the-triangle-of-apathy/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Aff. Best place to find me is Saturday at Masters and Minions. Who knows, there may even be a book signing this year! It could happen! You'll have to wait and see.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Geez. I missed you by one day.
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A little workplace humor.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/10/09/stages-of-your-alleged-career-entering-the-triangle-of-apathy/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/10/09/stages-of-your-alleged-career-entering-the-triangle-of-apathy/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
I think I've been through that cycle a couple of times now. If anything, the Pentagon is what broke me. Seeing how the money really flows is disheartening, to say the least. My current job (the first after the 5-sided power point collider) has restored me somewhat, and I can only hope the one after it is as good.
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Work is a constant source of entertainment and frustration.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Work is a constant source of entertainment and frustration.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
You might have the wrong job
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Most private sector jobs are like that these days.
-
From my archives - the planning document for Twilight of the Clans.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/10/11/from-my-battletech-archives-the-plannning-documents-for-twilight-of-the-clans-part-i/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/10/11/from-my-battletech-archives-the-plannning-documents-for-twilight-of-the-clans-part-i/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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From my archives - the planning document for Twilight of the Clans.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/10/11/from-my-battletech-archives-the-plannning-documents-for-twilight-of-the-clans-part-i/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/10/11/from-my-battletech-archives-the-plannning-documents-for-twilight-of-the-clans-part-i/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
That was a fun read
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From my archives - the planning document for Twilight of the Clans.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/10/11/from-my-battletech-archives-the-plannning-documents-for-twilight-of-the-clans-part-i/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/10/11/from-my-battletech-archives-the-plannning-documents-for-twilight-of-the-clans-part-i/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Very interesting read. Thx.
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Hey, Blaine. Whatever happened to that Boiling Point political game you were working on a while back?
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Reading that makes me wonder what Victor's story would have been with Focht dead instead of Morgan.
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Hey, Blaine. Whatever happened to that Boiling Point political game you were working on a while back?
The initial design is done...I'm just off working on cooler stuff for the moment.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My review of the movie, First Man.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/10/14/review-of-the-film-first-man/
Blaine (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/10/14/review-of-the-film-first-man/
Blaine)"Buck" Pardoe
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You accidentally used the Insert Email button instead of Insert Hyperlink.
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My review of the Kids on Bikes RPG.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/10/21/game-review-kids-on-bikes-rpg/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/10/21/game-review-kids-on-bikes-rpg/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Free game setting for Kids on Bikes
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/10/21/mystique-a-game-setting-for-kids-on-bikes-rpg/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/10/21/mystique-a-game-setting-for-kids-on-bikes-rpg/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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A little dose of workplace humor...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/10/26/workplace-humor-things-we-send-in-email-and-what-they-really-mean/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/10/26/workplace-humor-things-we-send-in-email-and-what-they-really-mean/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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A little dose of workplace humor...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/10/26/workplace-humor-things-we-send-in-email-and-what-they-really-mean/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/10/26/workplace-humor-things-we-send-in-email-and-what-they-really-mean/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Your workplace seems a little hostile :o
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I've received " Many thanks and Best regards "in the same sentence before...
Ha-ha...
Many thanks and best regards to you all! ( snicker... indeed! ;) )
TT
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I've received " Many thanks and Best regards "in the same sentence before...
Ha-ha...
Many thanks and best regards to you all! ( snicker... indeed! ;) )
TT
Oh come on. We know you love us. :)
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A BattleTech novel writing update...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/11/05/writing-battletech-a-huge-sigh-of-relief-for-the-weekend/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/11/05/writing-battletech-a-huge-sigh-of-relief-for-the-weekend/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Thanks, I enjoyed that.
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Your workplace seems a little hostile :o
To make a comparison with "Pearls before Swines" Comic strips, I would like to be like Goat but real life has Rat taken me over .
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Thanks for sharing that, Blaine. I went through similar when I put together my piece for Legacy. At least two 'Mechs changed variants during the writing.
Also, yay to one of my friends who made the list of cameos in the book
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All those Xs are literally the title, and CGL is branching out into the most extreme porno novels ever put to paper.
"triple X? Bah, Blaine's new book will be novemdecuple* X!"
*=yeah I had to look up the word for nineteen-fold. You're welcome, you learned something today.
Hardcore mech-on-mech action
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A true crime book review - Killing Season
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/11/13/a-review-of-killing-season-the-unsolved-case-of-new-englands-deadliest-serial-killer-by-carlton-smith/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/11/13/a-review-of-killing-season-the-unsolved-case-of-new-englands-deadliest-serial-killer-by-carlton-smith/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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A review of Wild West Exodus
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/12/09/review-of-wild-west-exodus-miniatures-game/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/12/09/review-of-wild-west-exodus-miniatures-game/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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A review of Star Trek Adventures - Beta Quadrant Sourcebook
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/12/15/review-star-trek-adventures-beta-quadrant-sourcebook/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/12/15/review-star-trek-adventures-beta-quadrant-sourcebook/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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A lot of people asked me about this - so I am publishing it. Enjoy.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/12/20/fans-included-in-my-upcoming-battletech-fiction/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/12/20/fans-included-in-my-upcoming-battletech-fiction/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Honestly, you've further reinforced my determination to never log in to Facebook again. That "Word of Zuckerberg" thing was perfect...
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The Dragoons novella is titled "Misery," isn't it?
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As a friend of one of those who got in, thanks so much for this. I can't wait to see how they die.
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I’m glad I didn’t submit and potentially curse some poor character to the one of the most boringass names imaginable (when I was an undergrad there were seven of us with the same name in a college of 9000)
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If you ever have the chance, Blaine, I'd love to see a 'where are they now' to some of the back-ground characters that appear for a sentence or two in your stuff.
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;D Crewman #6!
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Im just happy he will be doing the universe changing novel. I hope to heck i can get a novella in print via PoD.
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Interesting to see that one fan name that's used somewhere in a novel is Grimm. It warms this old Oberon fan's heart to think House Grimm isn't dead yet in the Dark Age. (Hope Mr. Pardoe isn't too cruel and the character isn't just a throwaway redshirt...)
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Sorry to disappoint - but Grimm, as it turns out, is a Clan Warrior in the novel. One cameo reference. While I think the future of BattleTech is rooted in the past, I won't be rekindling House Grimm. Not ruling it out, just not my cup of tea.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I'll still buy the book. :)
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It must be a Grim situation in the Dark Age. ;)
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Review of Battlestar Galactica miniatures game...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/12/26/review-of-battlestar-galactica-starship-battles-game/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/12/26/review-of-battlestar-galactica-starship-battles-game/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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A little venting on bad reviews...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/01/12/bad-reviews-ive-had-on-amazon-and-my-less-than-subtle-rebuttals/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/01/12/bad-reviews-ive-had-on-amazon-and-my-less-than-subtle-rebuttals/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Interesting point on the "term paper" comment. In the writing class I help teach yesterday, one of the students asked a question about "reading levels". The instructor giving the lecture replied "Once I found out the Economist is written to a 12th grade reading level, I was done with that system. The majority of what's out there is written at the '9th grade level'."
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Always love Blaine's Latest!!
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Blaine, you haven't been posting links to your latest D&D stories. :(
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A little venting on bad reviews...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/01/12/bad-reviews-ive-had-on-amazon-and-my-less-than-subtle-rebuttals/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/01/12/bad-reviews-ive-had-on-amazon-and-my-less-than-subtle-rebuttals/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Hmm, I've read a few of those reviews. I would not call that a 100% honest representation of all of them.
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Hence "venting". I think an author is more than entitled to read reviews however they read them, regardless of intent.
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Here's a little more from my archives of BattleTech goodness...the rest of the material I had on the planning of Twilight of the Clans.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/01/19/from-my-battletech-archives-the-planning-documents-for-twilight-of-the-clans-part-ii/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/01/19/from-my-battletech-archives-the-planning-documents-for-twilight-of-the-clans-part-ii/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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And the latest in our D&D campaign...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/01/20/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-tempora-part-31-the-battle-of-the-horns-of-essex/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/01/20/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-tempora-part-31-the-battle-of-the-horns-of-essex/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Anniversary of Rorke's Drift...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/01/23/rorkes-drift-anniversary/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/01/23/rorkes-drift-anniversary/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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A minor correction, it's Natal, not Napal. That movie has always been a favorite.
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The inside track on Forever Faithful, a NEW BattleTech novel coming next month:
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/01/28/forever-faithful-is-available-for-pre-order/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/01/28/forever-faithful-is-available-for-pre-order/)
And yes, it will be available in hard copy near the time of the ebook release.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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The inside track on Forever Faithful, a NEW BattleTech novel coming next month:
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/01/28/forever-faithful-is-available-for-pre-order/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/01/28/forever-faithful-is-available-for-pre-order/)
And yes, it will be available in hard copy near the time of the ebook release.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
So...we have a Smoke Jaguar POW.
A former Smoke Jaguar turned Nova Cat
A Nova Cat
And a Scorpion.
We know some Jags ended up as the Fidelis.
We know THAT ending is semi-apocryphal.
Trent...presumed dead on Huntress
Moon...injured, captured and due to be sent back to the IS as a POW
The Scorpion.....a Seeker. Could we be about to locate the missing saKhan Ren Posavatz?
Another Nova Cat....who cares.
I'm going to guess we might find out about the Great Betrayal by those who were their blood, who the second group of betrayers were.
That Camp Owl4 had warriors going back to Tukayyid and Operation Revival might also provide a significant boost in numbers...
That might explain what happened to Posavatz...captured on Tukayyid and interned. Might also explain the presence of a Nova Cat. Maybe there are warriors from more than one Clan? Sounds like a DC facility that was taken by the Word.
Would the Word not have slain them out of hand as they did other Clanners?
Lots of questions but I guess few answers
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Its going to be a interesting ride! Last part of the Twilight of the Clans i've been waiting for. >:D
I have always enjoyed Mr. Pardoe's books, i just hope i can get this thing in PoD soon enough.
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I've pre-ordered it. Now I just have to wait a month. :(
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Waiting on the countdown.. it'll be a long month
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Tell me about it...
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Tell me about it...
At least you'll know the true ending... unlike us poor smucks who have to suffer and wait...
TT
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I see the book listed only as Kindle. (sigh)
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At least you'll know the true ending... unlike us poor smucks who have to suffer and wait...
TT
We know the ending... he's giving us the middle ;)
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I see the book listed only as Kindle. (sigh)
The iPad has a kindle app. I'm sure the other manufacturers do as well.
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I see the book listed only as Kindle. (sigh)
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/battletech-forever-faithful/id1450324887?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4
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I see the book listed only as Kindle. (sigh)
I see it as epub on Kobo.
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https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/battletech-forever-faithful/id1450324887?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4
They will be releasing it on or near the date as a print book.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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They will be releasing it on or near the date as a print book.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Can't wait for the printed book! I plan read Twilight series when it does!
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Can't wait for the printed book! I plan read Twightlight series when it does!
Dude! No sparkly vampires in BattleTech! xp
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Dude! No sparkly vampires in BattleTech! xp
C'mon. It's just an obscure Star League era infantry DropShip, mostly extinct and existant only in tiny numbers. ;)
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Well, there is the Genecaste....
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We know the ending... he's giving us the middle ;)
But do you? Do you really? I've dropped some hints in my blog post on this.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Point taken... but we do know part of Paul's later history as the Custodes.
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wait...here weird thought. Since the future history was decanonized, maybe paul isn't paul? ;D
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Just to clarify what Herb actually said:
The scene in question was not de-canonized. Herb only declared that they might change it. No such change was declared until now, and unless Mr. Pardoe's new book is the one to retcon this scene it's going to stay canonical.
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A great book to read...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/02/17/review-of-how-to-catch-a-liar-by-steven-david-lampley-3rd-edition/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/02/17/review-of-how-to-catch-a-liar-by-steven-david-lampley-3rd-edition/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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As a teacher, this will be very useful. Thank you for the info; It has been ordered.
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Dude! No sparkly vampires in BattleTech! xp
What, you thought Twilight of the Clans was about wiping out the Jaguars?
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Always good to see new stuff.
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I just read the "How to catch a liar" book. It has some useful advice. The author missed two techniques that I've heard about. It took me about half to a full hour to read.
I don't expect to get much done Saturday with Blaine's book getting released. :drool:
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I look forward to your review.
Unless, of course, you hate it.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Counting down.. I'm Korea so I can't wait for the clock to roll over. Its already the 23rd for me.
Tapping foot, checks clock every 5 minutes. ;D
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Downloaded, read, review submitted to Amazon.
Holy Cannoli!
That was amazing. Thank you!
As usual you're going to have us arguing for weeks :thumbsup:
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Holy cow - you read it that fast?
I hope you like it. My favorite part is Trent's final disposition...
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Yes, I speed read, especially things I enjoy.
I really enjoyed the characterizations.. to use the terms tossed around here- nobody had the idiot ball and nobody deployed the fiat. Nice job on the battle scenes, they flowed well and you picked some great locations. It was fun to see some old friends again.
Mine was Albany's surprise.
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Sweet the PoD release was added simultaneously. Betrayal of Ideals was the first BT novel I read and enjoyed it immensely (yes I’m really late to the fiction party) so I’m looking forward to seeing what this one has in store.
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Yes, I speed read, especially things I enjoy.
I really enjoyed the characterizations.. to use the terms tossed around here- nobody had the idiot ball and nobody deployed the fiat. Nice job on the battle scenes, they flowed well and you picked some great locations. It was fun to see some old friends again.
Mine was Albany's surprise.
Ha! That WAS fun. The look on Albany's face! I can see it in my mind's eye.
I enjoy where Trent eventually ended up...oddly fitting.
Of course all of this feeds into future stuff as well.
I'm just glad I was able to set something right after all of these long years.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Sweet the PoD release was added simultaneously.
Wait... what? Where? I can't find a PoD version yet.
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amazon
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@Blaine Pardoe:
If I may ask you, did you read the Hyperion Cantos saga? If yes, what are your impressions about?
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amazon
It's showing for me now, thanks. Wasn't there when I posted for some reason. Ordering now!
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@Blaine Pardoe:
If I may ask you, did you read the Hyperion Cantos saga? If yes, what are your impressions about?
Never read it. Sorry.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Never read it. Sorry.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Oh, I wonder because in your blog from January 28 you mentioned "Lions and tigers and bears".
So I thought you know this SciFi saga by Dan Simmons.
However, I see you took this from Wizard from Oz movie.
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It's a meme of sorts in the US. Most people don't even know about the Oz origin.
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A few words (with spoilers) on Forever Faithful...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/02/24/forever-faithful-is-released-spoilers-follow/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/02/24/forever-faithful-is-released-spoilers-follow/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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That was awesome insight, Mr. Pardoe! I'm looking forward to what your doing with the Dragoons.
I got the impression that way they and other fabled units were given shaft, but not necessary given new military units to become halo sort of units for Battletech sort bothered me.
Dragoons came back, but not way we thought in the Dark Age, i'm looking forward read what their up to or whenever time period your fixing to write them in.
Thank you for still writing stories in Battletech universe!
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I definitely enjoyed it.
Was the Arana a prototype? The MUL has 3087 as the introduction date. Was that the date of it's first production or when it was built for the Escorpion Imperio?
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My copy was in the mail today - the first print-on-demand book I ever knowingly purchased, though its format seems outwardly indistinguishable from the other CGL novels. Looking forward to reading this...
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Hmmm.
I am somewhat divided about.
On the one hand I have been greatly enjoying the reading. Story and characters are well done and I could not lay aside my Kindle till I did finish. :thumbsup:
However, there is an astonishing high number of minor (and preventable) mistakes. And this I do not understand and think it could have been averted due a proper factchecking. :(
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Hmmm.
I am somewhat divided about.
On the one hand I have been greatly enjoying the reading. Story and characters are well done and I could not lay aside my Kindle till I did finish. :thumbsup:
However, there is an astonishing high number of minor (and preventable) mistakes. And this I do not understand and think it could have been averted due a proper factchecking. :(
So like; lore mistakes or typos?
I've noticed a general decline in the quality of editing/proofreading across everything I read from all publishers in the last 15 years.
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Just bought Forever Faithful and Betrayal of Ideals as PoD. I've read betrayal twice but never in DTF.
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And now, a little D&D humor...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/03/02/gaming-humor-dd-fortune-cookies/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/03/02/gaming-humor-dd-fortune-cookies/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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So many of those work with Battletech too. ;D
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Some more D&D humor...
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Non-spoiler review of Captain Marvel
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/03/10/non-spoiler-review-of-captain-marvel/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/03/10/non-spoiler-review-of-captain-marvel/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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This is about what I've been hearing. It's okay, but not great or horrible. Not the train-wreck it appeared to be going in just a few days ago.
I'm not sure I'm keen on how fury lost his eye. I mean, it fits his quote in Winter Solder: "The last time I trusted someone, I lost an eye." But, that's waaaaay not what I expected. Still, how can you not trust a face like that?
I'm baffled by how they handled this movie. It could have been so much better! And, advertised in such a way as to be a much bigger success. But, they went highly symbolic, instead, if subtley so, and focused on the marketing they did. Was this some kind of experiment?
[shrug] Until I can pick Feige's brain, I guess I'll never really know.
-
Time for my Game of Thrones final seasons predictions...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/03/13/my-predictions-for-the-final-season-of-game-of-thrones/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/03/13/my-predictions-for-the-final-season-of-game-of-thrones/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My thoughts on George RR Martin finishing his books...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/03/24/george-r-r-martin-and-the-rest-of-the-books-for-game-of-thrones-my-perspective/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/03/24/george-r-r-martin-and-the-rest-of-the-books-for-game-of-thrones-my-perspective/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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As much as I agree with what you are saying about finishing the last of the books, there will be those who howl if he does, but there will be more who howl if he doesn't. To use an analogy, you don't have to put the period on the end of the sentence for people to understand that it is done. But, people will be happier if you do.
Also, I suspect Tyrion will end up on the iron throne. >:D
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an opportunity for the rarely attempted "well that's not how he did it in the TV series."
i did like the epilogue ending of dance with dragons but the rest of the book failed to grab me. really i had started silently screaming "get on with it" starting in clash of kings.
it comes back to that question of a creator owes their fans - or as i tend to frame such things - what does a creator owe a fan's emotional attachment to a fabrication? i get it, people really want to read the ending - but he doesn't have to deliver the goods for their sake alone. the contracts with the publisher are a thing, but what are they going to do? i suspect if he forces himself back to the study to bang out the last two books, his heart won't be in it (i also assume that's why winds of winter is still as much in his mind as in a word file). dude's rich, let him enjoy grateful dead concerts on the beach (https://liveforlivemusic.com/features/cool-shit/george-rr-martin-dead-oteil/). you could argue he's a jerk but i'm always amused when people insist that an author, artist, etc owes them their time and talent. they don't. any obligation they have is born from personal motivation and the status of the bank account. fans have the right to feel betrayed or whatever but it's not a zero-sum game. fan umbrage does not compel him to write faster.
i don't get the impression that martin loves westeros like herbert loved arrakis. then again herbert never had a tv series of dune that attracted 16.5 million viewers for a season finale while writing Heretics of Dune and Chapterhouse.
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And now, my annual tradition for April Fool's Day. This year - TWO entries!
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/04/01/blood-upon-the-canopy-april-fools-2019-part-1/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/04/01/blood-upon-the-canopy-april-fools-2019-part-1/)
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/04/01/the-ilclan-sourcebook-outline-april-fools-2019-part-ii/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/04/01/the-ilclan-sourcebook-outline-april-fools-2019-part-ii/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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And now, my annual tradition for April Fool's Day. This year - TWO entries!
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/04/01/blood-upon-the-canopy-april-fools-2019-part-1/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/04/01/blood-upon-the-canopy-april-fools-2019-part-1/)
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/04/01/the-ilclan-sourcebook-outline-april-fools-2019-part-ii/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/04/01/the-ilclan-sourcebook-outline-april-fools-2019-part-ii/)
I really liked the song. Question; have you ever sung the original before? It was an old favourite in cadets and I used to have it memorized. it's still in my MP3 player and I have sung it in the army a few times.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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When I think of songs for Battletech the first one that comes to mind is the Panzerlied (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JDkdc246QQ)
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This is about what I've been hearing. It's okay, but not great or horrible. Not the train-wreck it appeared to be going in just a few days ago.
I'm not sure I'm keen on how fury lost his eye. I mean, it fits his quote in Winter Solder: "The last time I trusted someone, I lost an eye." But, that's waaaaay not what I expected. Still, how can you not trust a face like that?
I'm baffled by how they handled this movie. It could have been so much better! And, advertised in such a way as to be a much bigger success. But, they went highly symbolic, instead, if subtley so, and focused on the marketing they did. Was this some kind of experiment?
[shrug] Until I can pick Feige's brain, I guess I'll never really know.
Yeah, these days people keep messing up prequels like there’s no tomorrow. I really didn’t like how Pirates of the Carribean did Jack Sparrow’s backstory; it completely contradicts earlier parts of the series (it’s not a prequel but you get what I mean). Movie directors/story writers just need to learn when to let things be, because the way they keep ruining cool backstories is just so annoyingg.
-
And now, my annual tradition for April Fool's Day. This year - TWO entries!
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/04/01/blood-upon-the-canopy-april-fools-2019-part-1/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/04/01/blood-upon-the-canopy-april-fools-2019-part-1/)
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/04/01/the-ilclan-sourcebook-outline-april-fools-2019-part-ii/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/04/01/the-ilclan-sourcebook-outline-april-fools-2019-part-ii/)
The outline sounds legit. :thumbsup:
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Loved the IlClan outline. :thumbsup:
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Thank you. All questions have finally been answered!
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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That was too damn funny!
;D :lol: ;D
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I like the photo of Malvina...
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Always great. Thanks for the fun read.
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My quick and non-spoiler review of Shazam!
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/04/07/non-spoiler-review-of-shazam/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/04/07/non-spoiler-review-of-shazam/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
-
And now, a little workplace humor (feel free to share)
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/04/08/office-humor-a-typical-day-at-work/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/04/08/office-humor-a-typical-day-at-work/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Ayup. I absolutely hate working across time zones to the head office.
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Times zones without a time machine sucks.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Its all timey-wimey wibbly-wobbly and I'd probably use one to make sure my boss was never born...
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If you are a truly bad person in life, this is your afterlife... >:D
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My tips for writers...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/04/19/tips-for-writers/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/04/19/tips-for-writers/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Excellent advice... Doing research at the National Archives was really amazing. Reading primary sources from the '40s really made me feel like I was there. Those people really know how to keep records...
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Thank you.
@Daryk- I found our Regimental monthly reports from WW2 and I was amazed at how much better they are than what we generated for current operations.
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I think at least part of it was knowing that capturing anything "on film" was unlikely. These days, "pics or didn't happen" is at least in the back of everyone's minds...
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The battle of Winterfell is upon us!
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/04/23/the-battle-of-winterfell-is-upon-us/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/04/23/the-battle-of-winterfell-is-upon-us/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Non-spoiler review of Avengers Endgame
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/04/27/non-spoiler-review-of-avengers-endgame/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/04/27/non-spoiler-review-of-avengers-endgame/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Thank you.
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Just got back myself (I thought my wife had bought tickets for tomorrow, but was pleasantly surprised). Very good non-spoiler review, and I have to say that's a high bar you set there... ^-^
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It is a pleasure. Now, onto the battle of Winterfell
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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The aftermath of last week's Game of Thrones
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/04/30/the-long-night-the-battle-of-winterfell/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/04/30/the-long-night-the-battle-of-winterfell/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Nice summary, thanks! :thumbsup:
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A little corporate humor. Training classes that should exist.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/05/04/office-humor-corporate-training-classes-that-should-exist/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/05/04/office-humor-corporate-training-classes-that-should-exist/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I laughed my butt off. Thanks! ;D ;D ;D ;D
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And now a review of the Ted Bundy docudrama on Netflix
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/05/05/review-of-netflixs-extremely-wicked-shockingly-evil-and-vile/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/05/05/review-of-netflixs-extremely-wicked-shockingly-evil-and-vile/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I wont even bother to watch this. Biopics about psychopaths are just not my thing.
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Now if that were Al Bundy, I'd be interested. :D
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Wasn't Al Bundy, Ted Bundy's stupider brother?
TT
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Last week on GoT
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/05/09/recap-of-episode-4-season-8-of-game-of-thrones/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/05/09/recap-of-episode-4-season-8-of-game-of-thrones/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I'd still like to see Ghost sitting on the throne in the final scene. >:D
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Ghost needs to go north of the Wall to find another dire wolf to start his great dire wolf family that will rule all of Westeros after his return.
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Is there anything left alive north of the wall? The Night King was deploying undead bears.
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One more episode of GoT to go.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/05/15/game-of-thrones-season-8-episode-5-one-to-go/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/05/15/game-of-thrones-season-8-episode-5-one-to-go/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I loved the analysis.
We haven't actually seen Jon get injured from burns yet, have we?
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My latest...this time, a death threat.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/05/24/so-i-received-this-death-threat-the-other-night/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/05/24/so-i-received-this-death-threat-the-other-night/)
Blaine "I'm packing..." Pardoe
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Yikes... I definitely recommend getting that permit... stay safe!
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I hope this person doesn't have the courage to act on the threat.
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I tend to agree. Coward. But it certainly made for an interesting night's sleep - and an email to the FBI contact I have.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Yes, that is me you are shooting at.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/05/28/yes-i-do-play-mechwarrior-online/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/05/28/yes-i-do-play-mechwarrior-online/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I don't play computer games, but I am curious what your favorite ride is.
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Right now, an Atlas (I need all the protection I can get)
Blaine
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Hang in there Blaine, it takes bit. I been with it since the beginning, but didn't play regularly until within last year. its tough, but it's fun. Its community that draws me back after savage beatings.
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Right now, an Atlas (I need all the protection I can get)
Blaine
Maybe that's why you're getting so much indirect fire. I wouldn't give a brawler like that a clear shot on me if I could avoid it. Have you tried something faster?
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Cannot recommend enough the following SKILL PATH.
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Something important they kinda gloss over- 'mech speed determines the reflexes it provodes. so the reason you're getting lights giving you the ol' thousand cuts is an Atlas is dirt slow. there's some tricks you can do to mitigate it, but for now i suggest grabbing a light or medum to get enough speed to learn how to not be a pinata.
i personally suggest a Dragon to practice how to torso twist to spread fire and prevent enemies focusing on one area. it's weird hitboxes that make torso twisting's benefits real obvious. so you know when you're doin' it right. avoid the ballistics- most people expect gauss or something. i've had plenty of success cramming large lasers in there for striking and using a few MGs to present enough of a "there's a gun here" to fool players that aren't careful to check your loadout (most erryone) and waste their fire trying to surgically remove your infantry blotters.
EDIT: also if you're getting hosed by LRMs and then lights show up to finish you, there's a good chance they're NARCing you from behind, which is a normal thing.
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Blaine, I hope to meet and fight you some day!
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Maybe that's why you're getting so much indirect fire. I wouldn't give a brawler like that a clear shot on me if I could avoid it. Have you tried something faster?
Yes. I also pilot a Timber Wolf and for months piloted a Nova.
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Maybe a Stormcrow with pulse lasers for hunting light mechs would work.
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Nothing wrong with an Atlas, just stay with your teammates for support. The middle of the murder-ball is a fun place to be.
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My review of HBO's Chernobyl
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/06/02/mid-series-review-of-hbos-chernobyl/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/06/02/mid-series-review-of-hbos-chernobyl/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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It sounds very good, but I think it would make me very depressed. I'll have to pass.
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I finished Forever Faithful today it's a fantastic novel and is a great end to the Jaguars
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I finished Forever Faithful today it's a fantastic novel and is a great end to the Jaguars
and beginning. ;)
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The latest in our D&D campaign... https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/06/19/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-tempora-part-32-judgement-of-the-church/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/06/19/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-tempora-part-32-judgement-of-the-church/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I finished Forever Faithful today it's a fantastic novel and is a great end to the Jaguars
I'm glad you liked it. More to come (eventually)
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Heads up... I just got an alert from my anti-virus about an attack via a pop-up ad (regarding fake tech support) on your blog site... going to give it a while before I head back over there to read your campaign update...
Here's the details from Norton: "Web Attack: Fake Tech Support Site 295"; "Traffic Description: UDP, Port 53"
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Here's the latest on our next true crime book - Tantamount.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/06/24/our-next-book-tantamount-the-washington-dc-freeway-phantom-serial-killer/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/06/24/our-next-book-tantamount-the-washington-dc-freeway-phantom-serial-killer/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My annual list of Gen Con Survival Tips (updated)
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/06/26/gen-con-survival-tips-updated-for-2019/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/06/26/gen-con-survival-tips-updated-for-2019/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My review of the true crime podcast - Man in the Window
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/07/05/review-of-the-true-crime-podcast-man-in-the-window/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/07/05/review-of-the-true-crime-podcast-man-in-the-window/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My non-spoiler view of Spider-Man Far From Home
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/07/07/non-spoiler-review-of-spider-man-far-from-home/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/07/07/non-spoiler-review-of-spider-man-far-from-home/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Excellent review, and I totally agree... the movie absolutely earned 5 out of 5! :thumbsup:
So... when are you going to review Stranger Things season 3? ^-^
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I will, but my grandson and I need to finish this new season
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Cool... I look forward to reading it. I started season 3 last Friday at 2300, and when I next looked at a clock (at 0630 on Saturday), I was left with a strong desire for season 4... ^-^
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And now, a little office humor...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/07/10/wastes-of-corporate-time-and-money/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/07/10/wastes-of-corporate-time-and-money/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Apollo 11 memories...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/07/19/remembering-apollo-11/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/07/19/remembering-apollo-11/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Looks like somebody needs to overhaul the old typewriter.
It's about almost that time to finish a few novella for the Kickstarter.
Good for you Buck!
TT
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Apollo 11 memories...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/07/19/remembering-apollo-11/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/07/19/remembering-apollo-11/)
Blaine "Buck" Blaine
Well said Mr. Blaine "Buck" Pardoe. I remember Apollo 11 great time then. I ' am from Detroit Michigan to , I love AC comment by the way same here. The funny part is I'am going to Kentuckiana GI JOE Toy Expo in Louisville Ky this weekend. They doing 12 inch sets one is Astronaut figure two Mission Control set. Yes 50th on Apollo 11 moon landing. WOW! Thanks for your memories. Later
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And now, a little office humor...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/07/10/wastes-of-corporate-time-and-money/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/07/10/wastes-of-corporate-time-and-money/)
And who was the moron that thought that 80% was a passing level?
I've seen them at 90%
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The most interesting point I'm finding about Lego's advertising for the current Apollo 11 (and other space themed) stuff is that it's branded as "Lego City". To me, that implies space is... normal. Like the stop lights and sidewalks in any town. I think that's a particularly powerful (if subtle) message. One that nearly brings me to tears, in fact. Of joy, to be clear... We ARE living in "the future"...
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And who was the moron that thought that 80% was a passing level?
I've seen them at 90%
80% or 90%...Wow Your Company's are amateur. MY company has annual tests on ethics, (75%+ covering legal issues that have never had 1 thing to do with my department, because we aren't sales or customer service) that require a 100% pass rate!
And the annual survey for how well the company does? the first time we had to do one I wrote it as if I was a clerk that worked in another city. I went through the 100+ questions with a fine tooth comb to ensure every multiple choice question was answered with the worst result. Could just mark 1 all the way as they were tricky with their questions where sometimes 1 was the best and 5 was the worst.
And, for the question: What's the one thing your boss could do to make your job easier? I wrote: QUIT
Made me giggle when they had a corporate level review meeting and mentioned this poor haggard clerical worker in the interior and how bad her job was and how they were looking into it! :P
Waste my time, I'll waste yours!
-
A little bit of BattleTech history - map of the Clan homeworlds.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/07/21/original-map-of-clanspace-a-bit-of-battletech-history/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/07/21/original-map-of-clanspace-a-bit-of-battletech-history/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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So, who gets to name the Wolverine homeworlds? ;)
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This is great stuff. Wolf Clan Sourcebook was the first Battletech sourcebook I got in the early 90s. Been hooked ever since. I've been wondering if maps like this (Clan Homeworlds) and the InnerSphere will be available in print anytime soon? ;)
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That's really amazing insight. thank you again sharing it Mr. Pardoe!
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Now, a little office humor and reflection for a Friday.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/07/25/looking-back-at-my-career-what-i-would-tell-my-21-year-old-self-some-office-humor/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/07/25/looking-back-at-my-career-what-i-would-tell-my-21-year-old-self-some-office-humor/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Congratulations that you can leave so soon. :) I still have 10 more years. I'll be retiring in the year of Apophis. It somehow seems fitting that I'll be leaving when we discover just how dangerous a city-killing asteroid may be. xp
-
My annual Gen Con recap...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/08/06/my-annual-gen-con-2019-after-action-report/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/08/06/my-annual-gen-con-2019-after-action-report/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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A little office humor about retirement...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/08/09/retiring-here-are-the-most-humorous-things-to-send-in-your-retirement-departure-email-office-humor/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/08/09/retiring-here-are-the-most-humorous-things-to-send-in-your-retirement-departure-email-office-humor/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Charles Manson - five decades ago it started...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/08/09/its-the-50th-anniversary-of-mansons-start-of-helter-skelter/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/08/09/its-the-50th-anniversary-of-mansons-start-of-helter-skelter/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Kickstarter thoughts...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/08/18/my-thoughts-on-the-battletech-kickstarter/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/08/18/my-thoughts-on-the-battletech-kickstarter/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Rules of engagement was a great read that I devoured as soon as I got home from work. I'm not just saying that as a ghost bear fan either, as a combine one too ;).
-
Thank you always for your thoughts
-
The latest on our D&D campaign...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/08/25/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-part-33-bats-in-the-belfry/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/08/25/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-part-33-bats-in-the-belfry/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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That was fun!
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It did not seem to daze Armix as he dropped his blade and lunged me with flags and clawed hands. This was not my friend, this was a creature from hell.
Now that's a missed typo... I've never seen flags lunged at me before in anyone of my D&D games.
But scary thought if it happens!
Looking forward the next adventure...
TT
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Autocorrect is massively over-rated.
-
My take on The Boys...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/08/29/review-of-the-boys-on-amazon-prime/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/08/29/review-of-the-boys-on-amazon-prime/)
Blaine Pardoe
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I must investigate.
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A painful anniversary...the last pair of the Colonial Parkway Murders.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/08/31/the-30th-anniversary-of-the-last-of-the-colonial-parkway-murders/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/08/31/the-30th-anniversary-of-the-last-of-the-colonial-parkway-murders/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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My take on The Boys...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/08/29/review-of-the-boys-on-amazon-prime/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/08/29/review-of-the-boys-on-amazon-prime/)
Blaine Pardoe
I took your advice, and ended up bingeing the whole season in two days. Might I recommend "Carnival row"?
-
Book review - The Romanovs - The Final Chapter
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/09/01/review-of-the-romanovs-the-final-chapter-by-robert-massie/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/09/01/review-of-the-romanovs-the-final-chapter-by-robert-massie/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
-
Mindhunter - season 2
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/09/15/review-of-mindhunter-season-two-on-netflix/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/09/15/review-of-mindhunter-season-two-on-netflix/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
-
A little workplace humor...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/09/16/office-humor-actual-workplace-quotations/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/09/16/office-humor-actual-workplace-quotations/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
-
Heh... 5 years, 1 month and 2 weeks for me... ^-^
-
Countdown to my retirement: ♾
-
Late June in the Year of Apophis for me.
-
Let's see retirement countdown for me is:
First the Good!
32 years employment with Same Company - So I have a Damn Good Pension!
Now the bad:
I can't draw this pension until I'm 55...and I started with the company only a few months after I turned 20, so I am sadly only 52 (and a half :P). So short of an early retirement buy out package or something in the next year or so to give me a huge $$$ payout, I'll be here for at least 2 more years.
-
So then buy some stock options and turn them in when you officially retire...
Or keep them when the market is ripe!
TT
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So then buy some stock options and turn them in when you officially retire...
Or keep them when the market is ripe!
TT
I do that with every paycheck - and company kicks in $2 for every $5 I put in.
Sadly, it is often a 'bank-account' of sorts we cash in every few years for a vacation.
-
Yeah... flights to Korea can't be cheap...
-
Yeah... flights to Korea can't be cheap...
Neither is GenCon ;)
-
ALSO true, and one of the reasons why I haven't done it (yet). One of the other reasons is Pennsic...
-
My latest true crime book is available for pre-sale.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/09/20/tantamount-the-pursuit-of-the-freeway-phantom-serial-killer-available-for-pre-sale/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/09/20/tantamount-the-pursuit-of-the-freeway-phantom-serial-killer-available-for-pre-sale/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Are there going to be non-Amazon options for the book at a later date?
-
Hey Blaine, quick Q: How much input did you give Tex of the BPL in his Epic 2-parter on the Star League Fall/Amaris Civil War?
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None - other than encouragement
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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That's the best input there is! :thumbsup:
-
A non-spoiler discussion of the recent BattleTech meeting in Seattle.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/09/30/battletech-storyline-meeting/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/09/30/battletech-storyline-meeting/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Hmmm... the group shots are somewhat telling. Was there anyone in the room actually under 40? If we're trying to bring in new players, we might need some new blood... :-\
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That was amusing to read. I'm glad more stuff is being cooked up for the future, with novels included now.
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Hmmm... the group shots are somewhat telling. Was there anyone in the room actually under 40? If we're trying to bring in new players, we might need some new blood... :-\
I'm not that fussed. There's lots of on-ramp room for newbies down the pike. This is about re-establishing the validity of continuity given that this is functionally one of the longest-running internally consistent IPs in pop culture and keeping that up is @$%^$# hard. Battletech is not creating an MCU based on decades of comic canon and the breakage and rebooting thereof or the n'teenth origin story for Joker. It's about looking from the beginning at FASA with Jordan, a good long look at 3150, the motivations and interests of nation-states throughout this whole history, and making future stories work. At all.
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How long did the Fireball last? :beer:
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"Where is House Arano on the map?"
:D ;D :))
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Just to know how the gears are rolling... if you dont mind and can reply...
How many years are planned for BT at that meeting? 100 years (story time of course)? more? less?
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Hmmm... the group shots are somewhat telling. Was there anyone in the room actually under 40? If we're trying to bring in new players, we might need some new blood... :-\
I don't entirely disagree, but Mike and I spoke and seemed to align that you can't just have a newbie in these things. It is complex and requires, literally, decades of exposure to the content in order for continuity and alignment. I pity any wannabe writer that wants to write in the universe at this stage.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Are there going to be non-Amazon options for the book at a later date?
The paperback will pop any time now and you can order it from any bookstore.
Blaine
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I don't entirely disagree, but Mike and I spoke and seemed to align that you can't just have a newbie in these things. It is complex and requires, literally, decades of exposure to the content in order for continuity and alignment. I pity any wannabe writer that wants to write in the universe at this stage.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
Heh... I'll just keep writing my small stuff around the edges, then... :)
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Two in-depth discussion and debates about technologies that do not exist. Loren: “We have to understand how it works so we never use it again.” Only in that room does that sentence have any real meaning.
Assuming this refers to the technologies I imagine we are supposed to think it does, it's a bit interesting.
Hopefully they will be explained so they can never be used again. Never, ever.
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Wouldn't that be HPG tech and Super-Jumpable Warships?
TT
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Two in-depth discussion and debates about technologies that do not exist. Loren: “We have to understand how it works so we never use it again.” Only in that room does that sentence have any real meaning.
Actually it makes sense in almost any room that has two Microsoft network engineers in it
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Actually it makes sense in almost any room that has two Microsoft network engineers in it
Aff!
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Too funny, and only because it's true! ;D
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Wouldn't that be HPG tech and Super-Jumpable Warships?
Yeah the Fortress, the Blackout, super-jumps and other Dark-Age hyperspace related oddities.
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New technologies enhance the game, unless its just a plot device like tech used for the Fortress.
I'm slowing reading the through Bonofire of Worlds, get the vibe (i'm in early part the book) that Polar HPG Network doesn't won't work that Fortress Walls are UP.
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Is it allowed to tell us which in-game timespan you were discussing?
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My question is: did they tell you or hinted as to whom is the IlClan is? While you may not tell us... did they ask you authors to write about it in the newer novels?
TT
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That is a question that he would not be allowed to answer.
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This would be the lamest way to find out who the IlClan will be. I hope to find it out the old fashioned way - by futile guessing until the day it's revealed.
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He could say Yes and Maybe to my questions and even Wait and See.... being a writer and all, he could even post a fake assumption that may or may not be true!
Writers fiat and all...
I'd still be waiting until they print it just like everyone else...
I just asked if they told him and if so, would he be writing about it, that's all.
TT
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Whatever comes, it will be a interesting read. I'm just catching up with old fiction i never read on BattleCorp, so i have stuff tie me over.
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You're ok TT. I it wasn't a personal attack.
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My question is: did they tell you or hinted as to whom is the IlClan is? While you may not tell us... did they ask you authors to write about it in the newer novels?
TT
Of course. Hell, I wrote the book - and now have to do some rewriting of it because of this meeting. I know who the ilClan is, aff. We all worked together to refine the storyline. It isn't a case of CGL dictating to us, it is a collaborative head-banging effort.
No, I won't tell you who it is.
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Here's the latest in my D&D campaign. Three years in...
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/10/06/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-part-34-in-search-of-lexa-lyoncroft/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/10/06/the-chronicling-of-our-dd-campaign-part-34-in-search-of-lexa-lyoncroft/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Hey Blaine, would you do the kindness of re-posting that in a fresh thread? We have to lock threads at 50 pages to keep the server load down (SMF's fault). I'll do that, forward link, and lock this one when you're ready to go.
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It was a good thread. It served us well....
We who are about to die salute this thread!
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No, I won't tell you who it is.
I have a shiny dollar with your name on it
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Blaine officially wins this one... Having a mod ask you when you're ready to close a thread is a first in my experience... 8)
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:clap:
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Mostly I'd rather it be him than me starting the new one since it is his promotional thread.
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Hey Blaine, would you do the kindness of re-posting that in a fresh thread? We have to lock threads at 50 pages to keep the server load down (SMF's fault). I'll do that, forward link, and lock this one when you're ready to go.
Go ahead and send me the link. Wow, I hit the limit!
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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Oh, just start a new topic in the Off Topic forum and I'll take care of the rest.
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Oh, just start a new topic in the Off Topic forum and I'll take care of the rest.
Can we start it with Smurfs?
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Might I suggest "Blaine's Latest Blog II: the Wrath of IlKhan".
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Alright, closing the shop here. Blaine has moved the store to a new location: https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=67187.0.