rmanifold2013

By trids on Mar 8, 2013 at 8:00 AM

Everything seems to be in order. I'll try removing the setting for a while then reinstate it again

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By trids on Mar 4, 2013 at 12:55 AM

Yes its strange - i haven't received those sorts of emails for a long time now .. and the notification setting seems to be in order.

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By trids on Mar 2, 2013 at 1:52 AM

Just a whole lot of chores that were accumulating - i'm a master at procrastination. Or rather - procrastination is too often the master of me ;o) .. So where/when do you fit ICHCB into your daily schedule?

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By trids on Mar 1, 2013 at 12:19 AM

Howzit man! Sorry - i've been a bit distracted by my offline life ;o) .. So yes i agree with you, the line between civilian and military can be difficult to find sometimes. Most times, it depends on one's own perspective. For example, terrorists don't recognise any distinction and justify their bloodshed on that basis.

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By trids on Feb 14, 2013 at 1:58 AM

Well since your island would be in international waters, there's nothing stopping you from declaring independence, and a state with your own navy ;o) .. but come to think of it, your idea of security companies having their own boats and hiring themselves out to defend against pirates is intriguing! What really stumped me was how long it took legitimate navies to respond to the threat of these pirates. Maybe its a cost issue?

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By trids on Feb 13, 2013 at 2:26 AM

Another good question! I'd say it is then called a navy, or an independent territory, as the case may be.

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By trids on Feb 13, 2013 at 12:17 AM

LOL - good question! And would that mean you're the captain .. of the island? And I found out more about that "international law" .. turns out i had the dog by the hind leg: it was an international *convention* that commercial vessels subscribed to, that they wouldn't allow their crew members to bear arms. So it wasn't a law as such, but it made them sitting ducks when the Somali pirates started their trade. Apparently the loophole now is that they are allowed to hire security companies on board, to defend them! Kind of silly if you ask me: "Since you work for us, you may not lift a finger in self defense if you are attacked by pirates. But we will instead go to the huge expense of hiring security outfits to accompany you in case you get attacked."

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By trids on Feb 11, 2013 at 4:56 AM

LOL - I'm just watching an island trying to outrun pirates in my mind's eye! No, i was thinking of defending with depth charges and death rays. Did you know that civilian vessels are by international law barred from carrying weapons to defend even from pirates?! Islands, on the other hand .. well there's this loophole .. !

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By trids on Feb 9, 2013 at 12:05 AM

WOW! That reminds me so much of a Hardy Boys novel i read as a child. It really gave my young imagination a kick-start! SF only dawned on my horizon in high school ..But that's enough of my reminiscences ;o) .. Of course, underwater habitats would generally be less accessible to Somali pirates, than would floating islands. Maybe one could unexpectedly and secretly escape downwards if the defense of the floating island failed. But until then, the island would provide an easy (cheap and low tech) way of cultivating subsistence food crops. And being able to move it around is always useful.

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By trids on Feb 8, 2013 at 1:23 AM

Oops - sorry! I replied in my head, but must have forgotten to put it into text - LOL! So ... Yes, i had a similar idea of pirates as swashbuckling rogues of another time, until the modern day Somali variety arrived and took the wind out of my sails! As for going to space, it certainly is appealing to think of SF coming true .. but there is so much on Earth that remains unexplored, and so much potential unfulfilled. Plus i confess it seems more within my reach to dream of living on the sea, than living in orbit ;o)

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By trids on Feb 5, 2013 at 2:22 AM

.. except for pirates. They tend to spoil things a bit.

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By trids on Feb 5, 2013 at 2:20 AM

There you go .. the answer to world overpopulation! Still, i wouldn't mind living like that myself. I've always loved the sea.

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By trids on Feb 4, 2013 at 2:01 AM

LOL! I love it .. who says time travel is impossible?! And the airship has GOT to make a comeback, people need to slow down and enjoy the scenery. Another idea i've been playing with is to live on an artifcial island .. at first i was thinking a re-purposed oil-rig, where you can move it anywhere you like, but then it actually rests on the sea bottom. Then i heard about some chap who tied thousands of empty 2-liter soda bottles together, and floats on the water .. like a deconstructed boat, with self-sustaining garden. His was a bit too desert-islandy, and the recycled soda bottles are a bit trashy, but you get the idea.

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By trids on Feb 2, 2013 at 9:47 AM

That's a nice idea! I once had the dream to live on a boat, and follow the sun (or avoid it as the case may be). I still love the idea of losing myself amongst some islands and living off the sea. Not "survivor" style though .. perish the thought!

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By trids on Jan 29, 2013 at 11:32 AM

LOL! No no .. since you hypothesised a zombie revolution, i simply hypothesised being in Alaska already. I mean, assuming I ever get to go there as a place i like the idea of. I guess i just got carried away .. you can put away your zombie counter-measures. ;o) .. actually, talking of cold, i have occasionally dreamed of signing up for one of those scientific Antarctic expeditions. Could be fun!

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By trids on Jan 29, 2013 at 1:29 AM

ROFL - very practical! Just as well you raised the subject .. I would've been caught completely unprepared for such an event. Now i can give it some thought, thanks! ;o) Oh wait .. (there, i thought about it already!) .. since i'll be in Alaska already, i'll be out of reach of hypothetical zombies before they even become a problem. Cool hey?!

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By trids on Jan 27, 2013 at 11:46 PM

LOL - Zombie plan? As in a place you would go to, but only if you were being chased by zombies?

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By WWDHD_ on Jan 25, 2013 at 6:51 PM

Hello to you, too. Thanks for the accept. How's it going this dark & stormy night?

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By trids on Jan 25, 2013 at 10:42 AM

CPT is very diverse, which is what i like about it - it's all arranged on a peninsula, around the edges of a national park which itself is dominated by a mountain range running North/South. The west coast of the peninsula is the Atlantic ocean with a cold water current, while the east coast is the Indian Ocean with warm currents. As you travel around the mountain, each district has its own particular atmosphere and even its own local climate and ecology which the mountain influences enormously. Inland you'll find the wine farms, another source of diversity and endless fascination. Documented history stretches back to 1488, but development only really started in 1652. At the moment, it's the last bastion of political light in a country otherwise darkened by corruption, incompetence, and crime. A beautiful bubble of hope. Best place for tourists. Hmm, i do like the idea of Alaska though! Well, the climate and ecology anyway! ;o)

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By trids on Jan 24, 2013 at 11:37 PM

Well i was born here, but i've also spent some time working in UK, Bahrain, and Ireland. Cape Town generally has a Mediterranean climate (wet winters, dry summers, never frost or snow) which is actually very pleasant. I personally just prefer the cooler temperatures, which weird people think is weird ;o) .. How do you like the desert?

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