Dude, if you're stuck at 11 years (as you point out in the Team D thread), I doubt you could find your own ass with both hands and a map!

Playjeff is only 11 years old? Well, that explains his last few comments...

(sigh) drinking beer at 11, such a shame

Well, he is Canadian. Mother's milk, and all that. Being Australian, I'm sure you know what I mean. Here's to all ex-British colonies! *hic*

Most saddening but technically Canada and Australia are both still colonies of Britan, just self governed. I will though drink to the day that that is not the case!

Though i can certainly relate to the drinking of copious amounts of the pale ale!! Now where's that BBQ.....

Yea I cant get into the forum either for some random reason.

Edit: And now it works... weird.

So funny. You're mama told you to run with blades, now where's that beer, CHEERS.

When I visited Turkey, I went to Canakkale, where Ataturk as a young officer led his terribly undermatched troops against the British forces invading Turkey. Unfortunately, he had a massive positional advantage, and the British forces (led by English) had the huge disadvantage of horrible, stubborn leaders. As I learned there, Australians made up a large amount of the troops, and they were butchered. There's a shrine there built by Ataturk much later. I met many Australian tourists, visiting the spot as a way of venting frustration against the Empire. I'd say it's just a matter of time before liberation, mates!

Not to make any political thread out of this, but I'm just curious if Iraq has made any impact on Australia's resolve to become fully independent.

There would be no point in full independence. As it now stands the British offer Australia protection, an influence in the UN security council, and other international standing.

Plus, Australia is completely automatus and the point of breaking away complete might just raise more tension.

I thought the Australians were under Canadian prtection  

Ah, well Australians will obviously know more about it than I will. It's just that those who were visiting that particular site were mostly of a particular opinion

Both Canada and Australia know too well that the old country has strings still in place on which they can pull. The Queen, should she choose to, could terminate the current Canadian parliament and force elections for a new one (basically fire Harper and his conservative cronies), despite what Canadians themselves want.

However, having said that, I'm not really sure that it would happen now the way it has happened in the past; while most Canadians have some respect for the UK and the Queen, I don't think they would take too well to her interference, even if most of us can't stand Harper.

Despite how arcane our system might seem, the constitutional monarchy works fairly well. Having a minority government is a great way to ensure that disasters like the invasion of Iraq don't happen. While our current PM, I'm sure, would love to involve us in something like that, the fact that his government is a minority prevents him from doing so. A Bush wouldn't last three months in Canada before a new election was called, even without the Queen forcing the issue.

We held a referendum here some years ago, about 10 i think, to vote on whether or not to declare ourselves a Republic rather than being part of the commonwealth. Though the movement was defeated, just, mainly due to the "baby boomers" generation clinging to the past, the topic has never really been far from the top of the discussion pile.

Though i am not exactly sure what powers the Monarch has here, i do know that she is represented by the Governor General, and he may sack the Prime Minister and call for elections if he so chooses. It has happened once but that was before my time.

To answer Mac i would say no, Iraq has had little impact on the political front concerning independence. There is a stronger feeling being a republic with the under 35yr olds, so much so that in my opinion, if we were to hold that same referendum today, i think we would be declared a republic free of British influence. Is this feeling instilled by wordly events, of course. i just don't think it is any 1 specifically.



Australia has had a seat many time on the UN Sec Council and only sees to seek such a position as the needs dictate. Any protection the UK offers is quite mute, especially whilst they still make us pay for war loans from WWII, a war in which we had to borrow money to defend the UK at the expense of our own country.

Today, Australia has far more in common with the U.S.A. than the UK and we are modelling many more of our laws and initiatives to reflect those of the states rather than the UK.

As for creating tension, i don't think so, ib fact i think there would be great rejoice if a break away were to occur.

Yes we have digressed somewhat, i'll follow the topic to the OT forum if there is more to discuss.

here here

I almost called in a hazmat team to clear the dust off of this thread

Just wanted to let you guys know I did a quick write-up of my round 3 game in the strategies thread in our Core forum. Hopefully it will be helpful to all of you - and please post your own any time!

I am almost done with my Round 3 game, i'll post my strategy if i can find one in what i am doing

JUST STOP SQUIRMING AND TAKE YOUR SURE DEFEAT LIKE MEN AND NOT MICE

Sounds like the kind of thing Kona says when he's down to one planet and I open up the diplomatic screen...

Attention Bladerunners - Captain taking a brief shore leave next week. (I posted the same thing in the team forum.)

I am going to be offline from October 13-21 for a week-long Habitat for Humanity build. That week will mark the end of Round 3 and (I assume) the beginning of Round 4. I expect you to perform with utmost professionalism, bravery, and, you know, stuff like that in my absence.

There may be some shuffling of players between rounds - I'd like to thank any players we may lose to expansion teams in advance for your contribution. May you do almost as well in your new teams!

If we need a new forum password, I will take care of it the moment I return. If players need to be assigned victory types for the next round of play, and you are able to work it out amicably in the briefing room, please do so. I'll take whatever is left - my primary goal for these games is to have fun, not necessarily crank out killer scores.

Good luck, and have a good week!

Habitat for Humanity build? That sounds very intriguing, Marshall. I'd like to hear more about that when you get a chance.

No worries Marshall, enjoy yourself. I agree with Ghost, it sounds interesting, is it like Jimmy Carters initiative from the 70's. Low cost housing for the needy or homeless?

Either way, sounds good.

well, not *quite* my team's thread lol, but anyhow. Habitat for Humanity International, originally formed in the US, is an organization of volunteers that builds cheap/low cost housing across the world.

It has one of the largest collegiate alternative break programs (college students that volunteer on break instead of going on vacation) of any organization.

In 1984 former US President Jimmy Carter affiliated with Habitat to form the 'Jimmy Carter Work Project'

In 2005, President Carter and Habitat, Whirlpool Corporation, and a number of local civic groups worked together to build 22 new homes in three days across the river of my hometown in our 'twin' city.

Good for you Marshall for participating in this wonderful project that does so much for those that are helped and are given new hope with a home of their own.

The carter thing was in the 80's...wow i thought it was earlier than that...oh well..

Kudos to you Marshall!!!

Thanks, guys - it is still the same organization, and former Pres. Carter is still an outspoken advocate. It's the one kind of charitable work I really feel called to do, and I feel it makes a deep and lasting impact on both the homeowners and on the volunteers. I've been involved both with local affiliates and week-long builds farther away for a few years now, and there are also international initiatives. You can read more about it on the HfH Web site.

I like to say it's a life-affirming, rather than life-altering, experience, though one thing I usually take away from the longer builds is a re-evaluation of my own daily priorities. Sometimes I find it hard to get back into some things, like computer games.

I'm also ramping up to a promotion at work, and the unpleasantness I found in the MVL rulebook thread was another blow. I still plan to participate in the upcoming round 4, but what I do after that depends on too many variables for me to decide right now. Sorry to sound negative - I really just mean this as a "heads-up" because sometimes life does funny things to us all.