Major Johnathan

That is good news. Movie dvd's; I'll be buying them, can't wait.

Heck yeah I'd like to see more pics of the F-35. What's it doing there? Everytime I hear about it, it's the perpetual 'several years away' from coming into service. Is it even a Navy version? I assume it isn't going to be flying...? And if there's any F-14s' still aboard, let's see them. They won't be around much longer....

What the. In fact, I can see him as a Peter Parker more than anything. -Al That's what I was thinking... Actually, I think they could find a role for either Donna or Jackie (forget their real names) in Spiderman 3. They'd make nice 'villians'... If not, put them in X-Men 3.

Indeed. Great work MyersJessee. Your weathering looks just right to me. Regarding season 1 of the new BSG on dvd coming out in December... Crap! Maybe I'll get the Brit release...

It looks nice, I like how they handled the barrels, they can't warp or bend. Clean looking parts all around. Someone please post a pic of the decals when they come in, I'm curious how they'll look, I know gundamhead made an elaborate sheet for it. Does SMT do good decals?

Yeah, I was so annoyed with Troi and Riker being there, I forgot to even mention Trip's death. Your right, he died so Archer could make his speech on time... that's just bizzare. For the record, I always felt there was real potential for Enterprise. Archer, T'Pol, Trip, Flox and Hoshi are pretty good characters. (Hoshi really started shining towards the end, especially as Empress ) You always got the feeling they were being held back and even interefered with by B & B. The only wiggle room is that when trip 'dies' they mention it's 5 or 10 years later, I think they meant 10 years total after launching Enterprise. So there's 5 years of history they could play with. I think...? Anyway, I like Jolene Blalock (T'Pol) because she's openly stated that she felt Enterprise was being messed with and that she wanted the show to continue (without B&B). Too bad Paramount wouldn't listen to the actors or the fans.

Man, the last episode was just plain awful. Why did they think bringing in Riker and Troi was wise? They're supposed to be in a timeline of TNG that was what, 12 years ago? They looked plenty older to me. Seems just insulting to the cast of Enterprise to squander the last episode on Riker and Troi. Let each show mind it's own business, especially if it's the last episode. Yes, Berman and Braga are retarded. They need a coup at Paramount.

Yeah, it looks pretty cool. I just can't believe how expensive the DVD's are. Is the background music any good?

My feelings exactly. It's a miracle Black Rain was made. That was at the height of the anti-Japanese sentiment in America because of the trade deficit. I remember common sites on the news of Union Auto worker sledge hammering Mitsubishi's for a photo-op and everyone freaking out becuase Japan was going to literally buy America. (these days China's trade deficit with the U.S. dwarfs Japan's of the 1980's and China is underwriting American debt... and no one seems nearly as upset as when Japan was doing the same...) Anyway, I give Ridley Scott and Michael Douglas great credit for making Black Rain, it was their names that got it made in spite of Hollywood and in spite of the mood of the country(America) at the time. As far as I know there is no speical edition DVD. I'd love to see some documentaries/interviews about it, maybe even some deleted scenes... One thing I know is the actor who played Sato Koji(Yakuza bad-ass) died of a rare cancer (I think) shortly after Black Rain was released. He was well known in Japan and BR was his first break in a 'Hollywood' film, which was a big deal for him. It's too bad, he was great as Sato.

Well stated. I think the Mongols and Ghenghis are the least understood or appreciated topic in history. They accelerated history, forced East and West together. It was because of the Mongols that Marco Polo was sent to China, his stories inspired Europe to begin sending explorers East, and eventually leads to the discovery of the America's. The Mongols kick started the 'Global economy' as we know it today. I think because they didn't invade most of Western Europe, they get less attention in the West generally. But the Mongols didn't bother taking Western Europe because it was the least developed, least wealthy civilization they encountered.(compared with China,India,the Muslim world etc.) The Arab and Persian civilizations were much more advanced, wealthy, powerful than Europe at the time. Thus, Europe/Christianity were incredibly lucky that when they sent the Crusades the Muslim world was severely preoccupied with the Mongols. Otherwise, Europe may well have turned into an Islamic continent. Nearly every major civilization was greatly impacted by the Mongols. All hail Ghenghis!

Speaking of Ridley Scott, anybody like Black Rain? That's one of my favorite movies ever. Doesn't get much attention, but it's great. Ken Takakura (Masahiro Masamoto of the Osaka prefectural Police )steals the show, but everyone is good in it. Sadly, i think a lot of people over look it because it's too 'Japanese' or too 'foreign' so it never got much good press, which is why I liked it. That was made in 1989 I think... can't believe how long ago that was, that movie still seems 'new' to me.

I have a hard time feeling bad about the crusades. First, Jews and Christians occupied the 'Holy Land' centuries before Islam even existed. Muslims conquered it, then tried to invade Europe through Spain and were eventually replelled. Then the Crusades took place. The Crusaders are eventually repelled, and what do Muslims do? Try invading Europe again, this time through the Balkans(Kosovo). They were repelled again. Yet in today's PC world, the West is supposed to hang it's head in shame at the Crusades...? Does the Muslim world feel bad about no less than two 'Holy War's ' against Europe? (not counting todays attempt.) Let alone the original conquest of the Holy Land. That said, the real fun stuff to read about is the Mongol Invasion of both the Middle East and Europe. The Mongols already conquered China,Russia, central Asia etc. The Muslims(Arabs/Persians) outnumbered the invading Mongols as much as 10 to 1, and still the Mongols conquered, completely. A greaqt irony in history to me is that the Mongols unwittingly saved Europe/Christianity. Had Ghenghis not invaded, Muslims would have squashed the Crusaders like bugs and had PLENTY of troops to invade and conquer Europe. But the Mongols were equal opportunity invaders. Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, among others, saw the Mongols as the apocalypse, absolutely unstoppable, they were God's wrath on Earth. Really quite dramatic times. Contrary to the 'Mongol Hordes' myth, in virtually every battle they fought, the mongols were outnumbered (and in enemy terrain), sometimes very outnumbered. No army in history comes remotely close to their record. Also, the Mongols were responsible for introducing Europe with Asia, specifically China. I could ramble on and on, but essentially the Mongol 'Hordes' and Ghenghis probably impacted global history more than anyone I can think of. Now why can't they make a good Ghenghis Khan movie?

Actually, that was my sculpt, (Gundamhead is my brother ) and it was my first serious attempt. That's about 4 or 5 years ago now, I used run of the mill air dry clay(shrinks and is fragile), so the results weren't too good. I've since realized the greatness of modelling putty like 'magic sculp' which doesn't shrink at all and stands up to serious carving or dremeling. Plus my mold making abilities just plain suck... I've been toying with re-sculpting the Pod Fighter and making more parts for easier molding. But I have to say I doubt I'm up for building a whole cockpit for it. Maybe landing gear. Are there even any refrence pictures of the cockpit?

I always go with TOS. The Kirk-Spock-Bones trio is unbeatable. The back up characters could always add something good too. My favorite episode I think is called 'The Naked Time' when they get the contagious space madness virus. Spock turns into a blubbering mess, he's great in that and Kirk's scene with Spock where he's starts to seriously lose it at the end is just great. Maybe Kirk's best scene. When he says he can hang on and then he talks just to the Enterprise, saying they'll never take her away from him or something like that. Not to mention great music by Alaxander Courage. TNG; good but annoyingly politically correct. Picard and Data are the clear stars, everyone else struck me as kind of weak. The worst moment of all is when they let Counciler Troi (spelling?) be the Commander, utterly preposterous and they ended with Troi telling Data, "I guess now you can call me sir." Just absurd, Data should'a snapped her neck. DS9: Sisko was ok, but never really endearing and I hated the whole Messiah angle. I never enjoyed the whole Bajoran (spelling) plot line, I always wished the Cardassians would've just wiped 'em out, they were so blah. Voyager: Weak Cap'n and crew generally. The Doctor is the best character and 7 of 9 wasn't as bad as I feared, otherwise blah. Enterprise: Archer and T-Pol are alright, the rest of the crew is VERY expendable. They really should've made Archer and T'Pol the love interest, Trip doesn't seem like a good match for T'Pol. Generally, all Star Trek after the original series lacks...originallity. (and good music, exclude the movies, all the series besides the original have the most underwhelming BGM. )

You mean Colonel Wolfe? Nope, he's pushing up daisies. No, I faked my death to get that do-gooder Stick off my back. Anybody need some HBT cels? (protoculture for you uneducated.)

Epidemic of boniness? Where? Not in the Western hemisphere. Epidemic of fattiness? Yup, All over the western hemisphere. Don't make me site institue of health and CDC stats about how figgin fat we are in America! We're talking 50% of 'young people' are overweight or obese, which means most of the remaining 50% are normal or healthy weight. So only a tiny fraction of people actually have an 'eating disorder' like annorexia. (notice you never hear the term 'eating disorder' if your overweight?) It's like people ignore the 50,000 automotive related deaths every year and get all bent out of shape over 5 or 6 lawn mower related deaths every year. Personally, I blame Arnold Scwarzeneggar. He was appointed head of American fittness back in the early 90's... he failed. We're reaching a point where all the many fat(normal) kids will be picking on the few skinny (freakish) kids. How weird is that? God I'm bored.

Yeah, what we really need is more fat chicks with silicone boobs! Fat and fake, what could be sexier? Incidentally, besides the collar bone, I don't see any bones showing, so she's just right IMO, no annorexia, no obescity, no silicone. Healthy, young, in shape and naturally pretty... she's hideous!

I still find this story hard to believe, smells like an April Fool's day thing. And yes this thread dabbles in politics, look at the topic. Harmony Gold/Robotech (what's more political than that at MW? ), and the UN??? Yep, politics might be afoot. We're mostly adults, immature maybe, but adults. This thread is not so 'political' that it has to go IMO. In our little world here, this is newsworthy. So will we hear 'Stage fright, go away, this is my big day...!", everytime a dignitary approaches the podium?

That may be the most outragous thing ever said in the history of MW. Do the mods know about this!?! This guy must be French or something... (no disrespect to the French intended )

I'm still not sure either. Maybe I'm thinking too 'inside the box', but I don't think the Cylons would sacrifice a whole Basestar like that. Adama is known to peruse the hangars from time to time, boomer could've tried zapping him then. As a pilot, she has access to a side arm all the time. When I was watching that episode, I was thinking Boomer would have to kamikaze the Basestar, especially after the bomb got stuck on the pylon. Then I thought, maybe her inner Cylon would kick in and she'd try to go nuke the Galactica... See, that way the Boomer on Galactica is out of the way, then the Boomer on Caprica can return as the 'good' Cylon. I thought I had it all figured out, but now how could they ever trust ANY boomer/Cylon? It's a good show 'cause it keeps you guessing. Just hope it all makes some kind of plausible sense in the end...

After the oil for food deal, if THIS doesn't force Kofi Annan to resign, nothing will. Really, that's just surreal. Lets go back to the League of Nations, the UN is too damn cheesy, never mind the day to day corruption and hypocracy. We really need Bono, Angalina Jolie and now Rick Hunter telling us what's what. Beam me up Mr. Speaker!

It doesn't look like Scott to me. I would have liked something like how DYRL was animated, all the old characters looked just like themselves, only sharper and more detailed. The Invid mecha look kind of like the rejected designs in the Mospeada Animedia(?) book. They have the Invid 'look' but I'm still partial to the originals. Although I'm a die hard Mospeada fan, I did grow up a huge fan of the Robotech version.(even though I knew then some of the story was messed around with to fit the protoculture and Admiral Hunter stuff etc.) So, I'll try to keep an open mind, it's not like the Japanese will ever do anything with it again. But once more I say Mospeada was PERFECT for a prequel, not a sequel. They resolved the Invid problem at the end of the series. In a prequel they could explore the early days of the Invid invasion. When Lancer(Yellow), Jim(Lunk), Col. Wolf (Mj Johnathan) and Dusty Aires(Rainy boy) were all heavily engaged with the first Earth liberation effort. Dusty would still be all human, Col. Wolf a hero yet to turn traitor... so many stories they could've come up with. (note that Scott, Rand, Rook and Mint would all be too young to be involved in the story IMO.) Alas...what will never be...

I made the same points in a thread about Star Trek Enterprise... bad memories, bad,bad memories . I tried the 'can't we all get along' and 'if you don't have something nice to say...' and I got shanked from all directions. My advice to M7 fans, fill up your flame throwers and fight back or deny you like the show and agree with everything Agent ONE and Duke Togo say. ( If you need ammo against A1, he's a fan of Austrian body builders and Barry Manilow, what more do you need? ) Face it, MW has become Lord of the Flies.

Actually, Egypt and Israel signed a peace treaty a long time ago. Not that they love each other or anything...

Talk about exposing your greatness... Seriously, I won't vote in the poll because I never saw Macross 7, but I admit I have a strong negative impression going into it. Mainly because Basara and the philosophy of pacifism, I got problems with pacifism. That of course leads to political discussion which is not permitted so I leave it at that. Maybe I'm all wrong, but my impression is that M7 features Basara and friends and their musical Valks and they preach a message of peace. It's a show that seems to have a political message behind it and that will always turn off a lot of would be fans. Thus the vitriolic debates about M7 all the time. I don't mind the 'war is hell' theme that is in the original series or Mospeada for example, but the 'war is wrong' message irk's me. There's a mountain of difference between 'war is hell' and 'war is wrong'. Macross II... I saw it once years and years ago, and I can't remember anything but that there was a reporter in a Valk...? Pretty forgettable unfortunately.