What he said.

What you see on this thread is people posting summaries of the voting in progress.  More like "here's what the tally is so far".  This thread is really reserved for out of character discussion of things that would clutter up the game thread too much.

Things like this, for example:

Viceroy Gunray mentioned the value of our economic treaty.  While it's true that the Thalans would part with their Economic Capital, I don't think I want to take advantage of it.  For whatever reason, it's on a planet with only 0.47b pop.  I suspect that planet has been sending out colony ships.  Anyway, I just feel that it wouldn't be right to swindle them out of it.

I like TMS2224's proposal to only trade our treaties out to friendly civs, ones that we're on the way to strong relations with.

I agree with you on this as well TMS 

Yay, dos personas like mi idea!

The above comment is in Spanglish.

Surely you meant to say 'Siii dos personas le gustan mi idea' hehe

I took the lack of complaint as a go-ahead to move forward.  There really isn't much to put on the ballot this time, anyway.  You've all given some good advice, and I intend to follow it.

I agree with your idea about the beam weapons, and relations with the Trilarian in general.  I'd rather trade with them for weapons than the Yor.  With a 5 week research time, it's a big deal to score Beam Weapon Theory rather than research it ourselves.  I just need (read want) to run out one more year in my latest playtest, then it's on to the game.

Tonight.  Sorry for the long wait.  It was quite a busy quarter.  Not everything is all happy and friendly in the galaxy . . .

Hah.  It's not all that bad, but there are hints of coming troubles.  I guess I won't be able to post tonight.  Way past time for beddy.  Just too busy lately.  Tons of snow doesn't help, since I have to go out and move it all while it keeps coming down.

Soon.

Don't worry bout it dude-by the looks of things everyone really busy anyway-never apologise for providing us so much enjoyment however delayed 

I use photobucket and it is a lot less annoying than imageshack, I know because I used to use Imageshack. (Like I say to _______ when I get really annoyed with school, "Don't blame ME if the school burns down..." )

  Meh, tis alright.  You've been a stalwart of the Initiative, so I figured it had to be important for you to disappear.  Hope your vacation was everything you hoped for and more.

  As for your request, it is unnecessary.  As a founding and integral member of our group, I had no intention of removing you from the council no matter how long you were away.

And now to put together the next report . . .

  As you all read through the report, I'd like for you to consider what the long term goals of the Initiative are.  I mean, it's easy to decide on the best thing to do right now, and it would be easy to choose the path of least resistance to slide quietly into victory.  What I'd really like to see, though, is some set of goals and ideals that the Initiative will struggle for whether or not it makes the most sense according to conventional wisdom on how to win the game.

  For example, I've always been partial to minor races.  Given that the Initiative is a force from a federation of minor races, it makes a bit of sense that we wouldn't necessarily be the conquering types.  I'd actually like to take that a step further.  We've made friends with the Gnolams and Trilarian, and I want to defend them.  The way things are going, that could draw us into some trouble that we don't otherwise want any part of.  I say so be it.  It's too easy to sit back and pay everyone else to war on each other while we reap the rewards.

  Besides, it would give us more things to vote on.  We've had a few sessions with no real opinions and I'm a bit afraid that we could be heading downhill.

Ideas?