marasmusine

I've been reading The House of Leaves and its been having a strange effect on me. When I tried to get to sleep last night, my mind was all in odd angles, and when Eddy woke me up (at midnight... sigh...) I was horribly confused. Until I opened my eyes I couldn't understand which way I was oriented, or which room of the house I was in.

Wow, how on earth have I ended up with a schedule at a Conservative fringe event at Manchester? http://tory.fringelist.com/Marasmusine

8:05 Summer confirms that Meryem was present at the TekPharm R&D department. She sounds tired. All that remains now is to discern why he defected and get the Port Security files. Summer suggested dropping their cover and using jurisdiction to search the premesis, but I can't risk Meryem bolting and running.

2:10 Sigurðr reports that his RS cell is proposing "anti-intervention" activities, perhaps by arranging mass demonstrations near the Marine encampment or by damaging or stealing a HORC kit.

5:15 Security responded to an alarm at Brunski's unit. The front door had been forced open.

7:50 Brunski reports that nothing had been stolen.

9:00 I don't know how she managed it, but Summer is meeting Meryem at The Eschlikon restraunt-bar at the lagoon. She requested additional support to make the arrest, but I advised that Python should be enough to handle one man.

Because there are lots of web articles I want to read, but not enough time to do so, I had this cunning idea. I used Verbose's "Text to Speech" program to convert the articles to mp3, so I could listen to them at work!

However, I think that Microsoft Anna broke my brain after the 12th web page she read out.

I was able to meet Python, Brunski and Summer this morning, and briefed them on their roles in the Tribunal Directorate. I'm not sure I like this "personal medical team" that Brunski has been roped into, so informed him on the Tribunal's authority to hold an inquiry against the Magistrate herself, if need be, and that he should be wary of a conflict of interest. Summer is my new personal assistant. Stefan made a deal out of her speech impediment, but I found it to be only a minor issue. This StarTemps girl is barely 20 years old, but has merits in law and accounting, and was highly recommended by Wheeler Inc. I have expanded her role to that of corporate liason. Python looks as solid as a rock, with an even demeanour. She should do fine. I have insisted that all field agents have a member of security nearby, in these violent times.

Their first task is to handle the Meryem problem: the other agents would be too easily recognized by him. With Brunksi's credentials they should be able to get access to the TekPharm building a number of times. I gave Summer access to the templating software: she arranged for their cover to be a biotech firm called "Biowerks" and comprehensively constructed their financial overview, quite impressive.

Immediately after this meeting, I was perturbed to see a labourer being escorted by site security. Apparently she had escaped through the motor pool. She was naked, with her hair shaved. Security had cuff-taped her wrists to her neck. Zuzana met her as they returned, wrapped a sheet around her, and took her up to the second floor. Human rights are a Tribunal issue: do I need to open an inquiry against the Office already?

The new crew arrived today and Stefan ran induction for them. The StarTemps girl, Summer, was ostensibly hired for PR but I'll use her for liason with the corporate community. Dr. Brunski has been assigned as to Zuzana's personal medical team. A team? At first I thought this must be some kind of physiotherapy. However, on checking Brunksi's record, it seems his doctorate is in neurosurgery and he has published in Interface. Maybe I wasn't wrong about Zuzana having enhancements. There's something else about his background that doesn't quite check out - still, it's always useful having an in-field medic.

The housing situation is pretty tight, but since we recently lost Cahya and his retinue I was able to clean out his block and place Summer and Brunski there.

Report from Presley: Colonial Broadcasting continues to be politically neutral at this time, so no pressure there. Six of the eight local public broadcasters are anti-Magistrate, and four of these are essentially controlled by Vegas. The others: Na Ru Skeptics run criticism of Artemis Temple, bacterial cloud conspiracies and the suchlike. Fortunately they have also taken an interest in these incessant witchcraft claims and are keen to debunk anything that Vegas's follwers say. Free Ya Ren is produced by Presley himself, he's got a couple of factual and entertainment shows. Two non-corporate network nodes, largely unused and unlikely to be an issue.

Report from Sigurðr: Red Scorpion continue to be anti-everything, although he is uncertain of their post-war agenda.

I watched the Avatar trailer yesterday and was astonished as to how ridiculous it looked. Example:
"Hey concept artists - We've got state-of the art CGI now, it looks great. We need some aliens and they really can look like anything. I mean, go crazy with your imagination, we can render anything now, and we need some cool looking human-alien hybrids for the story. What'cha got for me?"
"Well, uh, I got these tall blue dudes I found on DeviantArt, how's that?"

I also suspect I'll get confused between Avatar and James Cameron's Avatar: The Game. How will I know which I'm experiencing? I'll have to check with the Official James Cameron's Avatar: The Game: The Official Guide book which will no doubt be published a week ahead of the game and two weeks before the film.

However, all this caused me to have a dream last night in which I was playing an Avatar game. It looked and played like Panzer Dragoon, but with virtual glasses and haptic gloves. If I thrust my hand palm-forwards I fire, Ironman stylee. If I sort of wave to the side, like paddling in water, I rotate about my enemy and move about the world. This was great. However, each enemy (which were big metal flying ships) were only vulnerable in one polygon on their model (which flashed yellow) and each I hit it, the vulnerable spot moved to a different location. Which was rubbish. Completing the demo of the game allowed me to play from a huge selection of Xbox (not 360) games which were arranged in a huge green wall in front of me.

Reports from my team are in.
Josh Aneurin is my guy in the local police department. They were training for anti-riot duties before the marines came. Tensions are high within the department between pro and anti Vegas supporters. Aneurin says that the police are understaffed and underequipped: a riot would've creamed them. No political stings have been made but the cells are full of violent crime arrests. Homicide, asssault and sexual assault have increased by 75% over the past five years. These are the highest rates in Colonial North.

I've got Sally One over at the army base. I say base; it's really just a single barrack, VTOL and small naval yard. Captain Dobroslav still has his tail between his legs from his disasterous excursions during the Border Islands conflict. Their only current activity is a few ad-hoc anti-piracy patrols. His platoon are trying to make themselves as small as possible during this time of Regency Marine lockdown. They've got pea-shooters in comparison to these Marine HORC kits. Sally does tell me that Dobroslav is at least in the Magistrate's camp.

Sakurako is attempting to get close to Vegas. She has observed an increase in private security postings, and an according influx of mercenaries. Additional security for the Office is therefore an immediate necessity. The main corporates are keeping their cards close to their chests, but I've got StarTemps to send me several industry-savvy personnel.

Still waiting to hear from Presley, Sigurðr and Meryem.

Didn't drive much further than Bu Da district: landlocked, but with its famous lagoon. Probably the only place on the island that isn't a complete craphole. May try to rent here. Just from the backchatter in the bars I got a sense of disdain for the Magistrate. Sally's report wasn't wrong, these people are actually accusing Zuzana of black magic, abusing slaves, narcotic trading. Incredible. It wouldn't surprise me if most of these rumours were started by my college, Vegas.

Briefly met Zuzana this morning, I have to admit she is stunning. Athletic build, force of presence: I suspect enhancements. She thanks me for coming and explains that she has restricted her movements to the office compound, hopes that I can pull a PR miracle. When I jokingly ask her if there's any truth in the "black magic" rumours, she replies "It really should be irrelevant. This should not prejudice you." Then something about me assembling my team before she explains further. What the what? Later, Stefan assures me there's nothing "spooky" going on, just pockets of dissenters that need managing.

I'm currently down at Ya Ren docks, the main district. I'm glad I dressed down, the people here are a sleezy lot. With the zinc and cadmium mines now empty, export is reduced to biomass and silicates. Discarded loading robotics everywhere. Unemployment and health problems. No wonder these people would turn to a voice like Vegas's.

Arrived at Na Ru airfield at 9:42. From the air, it looks like one of the more industrialized islands in CN, with shipping structures and floating villages jutting out from the smooth beaches. Circumference is densely built, like they left room for gardens and plazas but later shoved more structures in. The remainder of Na Ru, the centre, is pumice and jungle. I could see the collapsed Mannan arena, it must be a slum by now.

Was met straight off the plane by Stefan. Marine presence is just as strong as it is on Heartland. The Magistrate's house is right next to the airfield, so barely ten minutes had passed and I was in my new office. First order of the day is to contact my agents, then I'll probably have time to take the island ring road and get a feel for the place. Toxification levels are low.

http://chaosremakes.wikia.com/wiki/Chaos_Remakes_Wiki
For anyone who cares :>

This is me writing from my Ubuntu computer! Took me ages to set up the internet. No fault of Ubuntu. Apparently with Motorola modems, just turning it off an on again is not enough to get it to hook up to your computer. You've gotta unplug the whole thing.

Next thing I've got to figure out is how to actually install new software. I want VLC, but the ubuntu download is some kind of wierd automated package thingy (PPA?)

Okay I'm going to try installing Ubuntu on my old computer WISH ME LICK LUCK.

I recently purchased Supreme Commander and Rainbow Six Vegas for 97p each, and they're both pretty good. WIN. Admittedly I'm not very good at either. In R6V, I'm stuck at the hostages in the trainyard. Even though I'm "tagging" the enemy pointing his gun at the hostages, and ordering my men to burst in, that hostage always dies. Maybe because I'm playing on "realistic" difficulty: it means "realistically, this isn't possible."

Wow, Livejournal is like a ghost town now.

At last, Doom Builder 2! And it works on Vista. Now I can get back to wasting hundreds of hours on Doom WADS that only I will play. I'm so happy!

One of our replacement goldfish has died :/ Janine's gone into town to get another one.

We took Eddie to Sheffield yesterday, and he loved it. It's a really nice city.

Our shubunkin, Dorey, died today. We did our best for him but in the end he keeled over. Our goldfish, Glory, looks a little lonely now.

New stuff.

The good ship "Week o' Wiki Wah Wah" has been launched onto the FM sea, thanks to One Life Left. I thought that I would be completely unable to listen to myself, since I cringe into a corner whenever I see myself on film. But on this occasion I think I managed okay, and didn't have to forward-wind throught the podcast or punch myself unconscious or anything.

I have joined the emo borg furry collective at DeviantART. I'm sure I'll be able to resist drawing pictures of pregnant anthropomorphic wolf girls with purple fur in schoolgirl outfits. Ha, I made that up for comic effect, but there they are. Really, I wanted a place where I could organize all my old artwork scans and it's the first place I thought of. Some of my pictures were quickly plonked into other's "favourites" folders. This might be a little meaningless considering the quality of the other drawings in those folders, but it made me feel cozy and welcomed all the same.

I am now 33 years old, which feels like both a short time and a long time.

Not sure what today's new Wikipedia article will be. Something off the "requested articles" list, I think. Eddy seems to be throwing tantrums non-stop recently, so it might be that I won't get anything done.

Today's new Wikipedia article is on the Amiga game Xenomorph - It wasn't a game I had played, but it was on the "requested articles" list. Looks like I might have enjoyed it during my Amiga days. Most of my morning was spent cleaning up the article on the game Pool of Radiance.

Traded in some old games, yesterday, for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Graphically, I was expecting something a bit more impressive - in 2007 was the year of Halo 3, GRAW 2 and CoD4, after all. My first thought was that Stalker looked and behaved like Operation Flashpoint. But that's fine with me - Op Flash was one of my faves. This does mean that I'm always expecting some odd physics and AI, since character models look a bit like kisekae dolls with clip-on cardboard guns (Indeed, at one point, an allied soldier seemed intent on pushing then trapping me into the corner of a building) The storyline and atmosphere is tremendously spooky, though. There always seems to be something going off in the distance, like a firefight, or a wild dog being tossed into the air by an anomaly - randomly, rather than scripted, making the world feel alive. I also like the RPG-style inventory system. Aww, man, someone should remake the Amiga games Captive or Liberation. Especially the latter, with its randomly generated missions.

Gratz Adam + Charlotte, lol lv. 50! kk.