Living in the Shadows: Shadowland IC

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WinterRat1

Aug 3 2005, 07:32 PM

Post #126

Dragon

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00:43:54 Monday, 08 January 2063

Shadowland Seattle --> Private chat room

CODE

Are we speaking metaphorically or literally? Because if it's the former, I don't know if I want to know him, if you get what I'm saying.
->Zhuge Liang

Sedna

Aug 3 2005, 08:02 PM

Post #127

Shooting Target

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00:45:15 Monday, 08 January 2063

Shadowland Seattle --> Private chat room

CODE

The snake's real enough. It's called Freedy.
->Annie

WinterRat1

Aug 3 2005, 08:14 PM

Post #128

Dragon

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00:46:42 Monday, 08 January 2063

Shadowland Seattle --> Private chat room

CODE

Freedy? I’ve heard of a guy from the Fields of Fire file on Shadowland that had a huge anaconda called Freddy, but Freedy? What kind of name is that? I thought that posting was some kind of in-joke or something. No wonder Hatchetman was going off about this guy.

Wait a minute, you said I will know him if I saw him, not I would know him if I saw him. Are you trying to tell me this guy’s still alive and working?
->Zhuge Liang

Sedna

Aug 3 2005, 08:18 PM

Post #129

Shooting Target

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00:48:59 Monday, 08 January 2063

Shadowland Seattle --> Private chat room

CODE

I typoed. And if you already knew this guy, why did you ask?
->Annie

WinterRat1

Aug 3 2005, 08:22 PM

Post #130

Dragon

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00:49:39 Monday, 08 January 2063

Shadowland Seattle --> Private chat room

CODE

I said I read about him, not knew him. And I asked because I thought he was an urban legend. Stuff you hear about but never expect to actually see or experience. You know, like people who don’t wear armor in the Barrens, the Easter Bunny, the corporate executive with the heart of gold, that kind of thing.
->Zhuge Liang

Sedna

Aug 3 2005, 08:30 PM

Post #131

Shooting Target

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00:53:07 Monday, 08 January 2063

Shadowland Seattle --> Private chat room

CODE

Urban legends. What hte general public calls anything it's not easy to believe or that doesn't fit with their experience. You don't keep your head real low, do you? Keep your head low, know when to run away, you don't need to wear armour in the Barrens. Though you'd probbly call it something like "strategic withdrawal". Makes it sound better, I guess.
->Annie

WinterRat1

Aug 3 2005, 08:40 PM

Post #132

Dragon

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00:55:29 Monday, 08 January 2063

Shadowland Seattle --> Private chat room

CODE

Hey, you never know when some random guys might just kick down the front door and start shooting the place up for a reason that has absolutely nothing to do with you. Wrong place, wrong time, you know? It happens. That’s why you always want to be wearing armor, just in case, because it could happen to you.

And I wouldn’t call it ‘strategic withdrawal’. I prefer to say ‘temporary repositioning of forces until such time as victory is a more statistically likely outcome.’ :grin:

Makes it sound a whole lot more voluntary, don’t you think?
->Zhuge Liang

Sedna

Aug 3 2005, 08:49 PM

Post #133

Shooting Target

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00:55:29 Monday, 08 January 2063

Shadowland Seattle --> Private chat room

CODE

Yeah, and it happens a whole lot more often when you don't go trying to avoid things like that. Sometimes you've got to fight. Sometimes you don't. It's like Miyagi say to the Karate Kid, easiest way to bug out of a fight, not be there. That's pretty fragging voluntary, and don't end up shooting up a lot of people's homes.
->Annie

WinterRat1

Aug 3 2005, 08:58 PM

Post #134

Dragon

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00:57:09 Monday, 08 January 2063

Shadowland Seattle --> Private chat room

CODE

Like I said, it's not like you have to go looking for trouble for trouble to find you. And by the way, who’s this Miyagi guy? For that matter, who’s the Karate Kid, some kinda physad?
->Zhuge Liang

Sedna

Aug 4 2005, 12:13 AM

Post #135

Shooting Target

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00:59:00 Monday, 08 January 2063

Shadowland Seattle --> Private chat room

CODE

Uh huh. Miyagi and the Karate Kid are from the flatvids. Got a friend who's got a huge collection.
->Annie

WinterRat1

Aug 4 2005, 12:35 PM

Post #136

Dragon

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01:01:10 Monday, 08 January 2063

Shadowland Seattle --> Private chat room

CODE

Flatvid fan yourself?
->Zhuge Liang

Sedna

Aug 4 2005, 03:32 PM

Post #137

Shooting Target

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01:02:10 Monday, 08 January 2063

Shadowland Seattle --> Private chat room

CODE

Me, not so much, but like I said, I've got friends. You? What do you do for fun?
->Annie

WinterRat1

Aug 4 2005, 07:29 PM

Post #138

Dragon

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01:04:21 Monday, 08 January 2063

Shadowland Seattle --> Private chat room

CODE

Fun huh? That’s a tough question…I don’t really do a lot for fun. Let me think for a bit. How about you, what do you do for fun?
->Zhuge Liang

Sedna

Aug 4 2005, 07:36 PM

Post #139

Shooting Target

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01:06:15 Monday, 08 January 2063

Shadowland Seattle --> Private chat room

CODE

Haven't you just spent five minutes quizzing me about that? You looking to hire me or date me? :grin:
->Annie

Sedna View Member Profile	Aug 9 2005, 06:14 PM Post #140
Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,582 Joined: 6-August 04 Member No.: 6,546	01:11:30 Monday, 08 January 2063 Shadowland Seattle --> Private chat room ->Annie LOGOFF

WinterRat1 View Member Profile	Aug 9 2005, 10:42 PM Post #141
Dragon Group: Members Posts: 4,289 Joined: 20-April 04 Member No.: 6,260	01:12:34 Monday, 08 January 2063 Shadowland Seattle --> Private chat room ->Zhuge Liang LOGOFF

bclements

Aug 12 2005, 01:00 AM

Post #142

Shooting Target

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From: ...and I'm all out of bubblegum
Member No.: 7,021

09:27:44 Wednesday 10 January 2063
Shadowland Seattle -> Current Events

CODE

Umm, I think we’re in trouble. These pics are from a security cam at a private terminal at Sea-Tac, taken last night before the snow started packing in.
<imbed_pic1>
<imbed_pic2>
-Nord Des Lingus

CODE

A guy in a suit getting off a private jet at Sea-Tac. Same suit carrying some bags. Does 'Nord Des Lingus' mean 'Chicken Little' somewhere?
-Cynic

CODE

Yeah, I’m not getting it.
-Neil the Code Barbarian

CODE

It might be more helpful to know that this particular flight came out of Paris. And no, drekface, I'm not saying the sky is falling.
-Nord Des Lingus

CODE

Ok, as much as I like Sherlock Holmes, there does need to be a point in this.
-Capital Idea
“It’s all just ones and zeros”

CODE

Hold on Capital. I think I know who this is. They don’t usually work alone, though. You get anyone else from there?
-Buscettino

CODE

Just that one, and I was lucky to get in there in the first place. That crash had Sea-Tac busy, just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Combine that with the weather, and…well, sometimes things come together.
-Nord Des Lingus

CODE

So, you know who this is?
-Neil the Code Barbarian

CODE

It fits. And while I don’t know who that is specifically, I know who he works for and with. Someone paid a good bit of nuyen for him (them, I think). No one spends that kind of money on us; and if they do, Ghost help you. These guys don't mess around
-Buscettino

The_Eyes

Sep 8 2005, 05:20 PM

Post #143

Moving Target

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09:49:40 Thursday 11 January

Shadowland Seattle --> Private Message -> Oracle

QUOTE

Still looking for info on that Casimir fellow? *Might* be able to help out a little there. I might need a little info on you first, though; I'm not real friendly with ghouls, but I'm definately not hot on the idea of helping someone collect another body.
-> Blondie

The_Eyes

Sep 21 2005, 01:18 PM

Post #144

Moving Target

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Member No.: 7,235

10:03:31 Thursday 11 January

Shadowland Seattle --> MegaWatch Discussion SIG -> Insurance Companies: Secret Saints or Masking Monsters

CODE

Okay, lots of people have been getting all cynical about Allstate's latest investment in rain forest restoration projects, thinking there's some ulterior motive or something else going on. The thing is, insurance companies have been investing in the environment for decades now, mostly as a protection for their bottom line. It's actually a little funny; now that national governments are largely ineffectual it's fallen to insurance companies to be the big humanitarians.

Yes, I'm actually talking about a corp doing a good deed. Of course for most of them it's mostly for protection of their future bottom lines than any altruistic motives, but hey take what you can get, neh?
-> Blondie

CODE

Oh for frag's sake, there you go with that psychotic "insurance comapnies are the new nations" idea of yours. Take your idealism elsewhere kid; everyone around here knows better than to trust any corp, let alone one run by insurance agents.
-> Skeptic

CODE

Heh, I admit I have my own doubts about the whole idea, but it's not all *that* far-fetched. It's been happenning for decades now, what with insurance companies slowly co-opting many of the primary functions of government, at least in places that don't have their own extranational populations. For instance... well I'll let the experts speak for me. Take a look at this, published back near the turn of the century. I'll quote the intro here and link to the rest.
-> Blondie

QUOTE

Risk is inherent in all human activities, both personal and professional. While the number and variety of risks have grown and changed dramatically throughout history, the basics remain the same: risk of loss of life, limb, health, livelihood, or property due to predictable events (reduced income upon reaching the mandatory retirement age) or to unpredictable events (loss of life in an earthquake).

There are some risks that governments, corporations and individuals choose to retain, consenting to pay for any losses that result from those risks. There are many more risks that exposed parties would prefer not to retain. Insurance can often be used as a policy tool to transfer these risks to another party. It has the added advantage that it can encourage the entity through premium reductions to invest in cost-effective risk reduction measures.

Increasingly, policy makers have been exploring the proactive use of insurance as a tool to effectively manage environmental risk. In particular, five attributes of insurance exist that make it an effective risk management tool: its ability to effectively spread risk; its role in variance reduction; its ability to segregate risk; its encouragement of loss reduction measures; and its ability to monitor and control behavior. The precondition for utilizing insurance as a policy tool is that the risk in question must meet a set of preconditions that make it insurable.

[[ Link -- 18 Mp ]]

CODE

See where I'm going with this? In theory, the insurance company eventually provides the same benefits of a national government. At least you can, "insure domestic Tranquility, [...] promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity," as it says in the old US Constitution. All we've got left is Justice and the common Defense and we're all set, and those are more for security companies than insurance anyway.
-> Blondie

CODE

Hah! You may be a wacko, but at least your insanity is intellectually interesting.
-> Code Warrior

grendel

Sep 21 2005, 09:37 PM

Post #145

Prime Runner

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From: Special Hell
Member No.: 284

10:14:22 Thursday 11 January

Shadowland Seattle --> Private Message -> Blondie

QUOTE

Info on me? I'm no one of consequence, just another digital voice in the desert of the virtual, calling out in vain to ears deafened by conformism. No one hears my messages. Why do you think they call me Oracle? If you're concerned, though, we could do a private meet at Abraxis. Let me know.

Oracle

The_Eyes

Sep 24 2005, 07:15 PM

Post #146

Moving Target

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00:19:22 Friday 12 January, 2063

Shadowland Seattle --> Private Message -> Oracle

QUOTE

All right, Abraxis it is. I'm heading over there in a few minutes myself; I've got a few things to stew over tonight, but if I don't see you how does 11 AM sound?

Blondie

The_Eyes View Member Profile	Sep 27 2005, 04:46 PM Post #147
Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 269 Joined: 25-March 05 Member No.: 7,235	00:21:23 Friday 12 January, 2063 - Abraxis, Shadowland, Seattle Blondie wiped the multiple floating windows away with a thought and focused on the newcomer. The other's shimmering, completely impractical robe would have stood in stark contrast to his own plain UMT icon's suit were it not for the fact that many of the other icons around were so outlandish and downright weird that theirs' seemed bizarrely normal in contrast. Blondie's own icon only differed from the standard package in its long dirty-blonde hair, tied into a loose ponytail at the nape of his neck, that also served as his handle on the digital plane. It was a bit of a throwback to the minimalist trend a few years ago but trends were generally for sheep anyway. Nodding slightly, Blondie replied, "Probably. You're Oracle then? Good to meet you." After getting the affirmation that, yes, the other icon indeed was Oracle, Blondie's clock let him know what time it was. Huh, must've caught him already on Shadowland, he thought, Maybe this guy doesn't sleep much. Either that or something's keeping him up; hope it's not the granddaughter again or I'll really be embarrassed. Cutting straight to the point, Blondie called up a view of Oracle's own post about Casimir. "I ran into your post a couple days ago," Blondie began, passing the window across in reference, "and I got interested enough to do a little background work. I read a few of Casimir's publications, and it annoyed me a little to see someone go after a harmless aging retired academic. I'd like to be one myself someday, so it might be a good idea to know what to look out for, scan?" Suddenly another thought popped up. Should I really be doing this? the meat behind Blondie pondered nervously, It's probably not a trap, but what happens if I drop this little, little bomb and nothing rattles loose? Meh, now's not the time to ask questions like that. "Frankly I didn't find all that much," he continued, "One thing about him did pique my interest, though. It seems," he said, glancing up at Oracle with an eyebrow slightly raised, "that he had an account here on Shadowland. I'm thinking the good doctor wasn't quite as retired as most believe." And may not be quite as dead, either, the unspoken thought forming unbidden.

grendel View Member Profile	Sep 27 2005, 08:05 PM Post #148
Prime Runner Group: Members Posts: 3,763 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Special Hell Member No.: 284	00:21:48 Friday 12 January, 2063 - Abraxis, Shadowland, Seattle Seating itself at the table, Oracle disregards the information that Blondie passes across to it. Its face lacked even the hints of features: eyebrow and nose ridges, that the most basic of UMT avatars included. Its voice, when it speaks, seems to come from all around the table, as if dozens of copies of itself all sat with Blondie. "Information about Casimir is scarce for three reasons. First, he wanted it that way. Second, his allies are attempting to erase all traces of information that could link him to them. Third, his enemies are deleting the information as soon as they locate it. You are in the midst of a war. A world war. But not about money, or land, or religion. This war is for control of the Matrix itself."

The_Eyes View Member Profile	Sep 28 2005, 03:45 PM Post #149
Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 269 Joined: 25-March 05 Member No.: 7,235	00:22:12 Friday 12 January, 2063 - Abraxis, Shadowland, Seattle My, but aren't we full of ourselves tonight? Blondie had to keep himself from chuckling. Admitedly having the face not move was an interesting Icon hack--Blondie made a mental note to work out how to do the same; showing nothing on your face during a conversation might well be a great asset--but the echoing voice and shimmering clothes were rather petty tricks, no matter how impressively executed. The manner of delivery made Blondie almost disregard the seriousness of what Oracle was saying. It only took the ever-present reminder of how many dead bodies this little "war" was piling up to make him remember, though. And he wasn't getting anywhere either. The "hint" hadn't really drawn anything out of Oracle other than a vague threat--or was that a warning? Ugh, and with such an overdose of melodrama I almost expected him to break out the "Thee"s, "Thou"s and "Verily"s. Either Blondie's hint wasn't clear enough, Oracle really didn't know anything one way or another about Casimir--highly unlikely, given that the warning was extremely similar to warnings Blondie had received from people who had to be involved--or he was playing things close to the chest. Even still, he had revealed something important. A sacrifice or a slip? "You seem to know more about this whole thing than you posted," Blondie said, dismissing the window with a thought. "You don't seem shy admiting it either, now that I seem to have accepted the gambit. So am I a student, or a sacrifice?" Or am I an accident? The thought bothered him more than the first two. Confused people tended to do things without thinking about them enough; he should know that as well as anyone.

grendel View Member Profile	Sep 28 2005, 05:36 PM Post #150
Prime Runner Group: Members Posts: 3,763 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Special Hell Member No.: 284	00:22:39 Friday 12 January, 2063 - Abraxis, Shadowland, Seattle "Ultimately, that's a question you'll have to answer for yourself. I know because I'm too old not to know. The signs are there for people who know what to look for: a dead Ren Raku computer programmer, a helicopter crash in the barrens, a pair of dead bodies in a warehouse in Everett, an execution style hit in a parking garage at Sea-Tac, robberies of tech supply companies in the greater Los Angeles area. All pieces of a battle plan coming together. Moves on a global chessboard." Oracle scatters drops of mercury from its hand. Where they strike the table, they grow into glowing windows highlighting the particular news stories mentioned.

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