Profile for Scorpius
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Displayed name | Scorpius |
| Member number | 8 |
| Title | Infiltrator |
| Postcount | 699 |
| Homepage | |
| Registered | Thursday, September 20 2001 07:00 |
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| what is it? in General | |
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Infiltrator
Member # 8
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written Friday, August 25 2006 11:21
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quote:Gosh I wonder which way our friend is headed -------------------- "Names is for tombstones, baby." -Mr. Big Posts: 699 | Registered: Thursday, September 20 2001 07:00 |
| MIDI Sequencers in General | |
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Infiltrator
Member # 8
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written Friday, August 25 2006 11:19
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Too Polaris, didn't click -------------------- "Names is for tombstones, baby." -Mr. Big Posts: 699 | Registered: Thursday, September 20 2001 07:00 |
| what is it? in General | |
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Infiltrator
Member # 8
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written Friday, August 25 2006 11:18
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Thanks for the thread -------------------- "Names is for tombstones, baby." -Mr. Big Posts: 699 | Registered: Thursday, September 20 2001 07:00 |
| KOOPA CAPERS in General | |
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Infiltrator
Member # 8
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written Tuesday, August 22 2006 17:39
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quote:There was a puzzle, but it was very pedestrian (put letters into an obvious sentence). The second problem is that the sign is still very vague and sorta wrong, so I left it out. I will type the next part tomorrow! -------------------- "Names is for tombstones, baby." -Mr. Big Posts: 699 | Registered: Thursday, September 20 2001 07:00 |
| KOOPA CAPERS in General | |
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Infiltrator
Member # 8
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written Tuesday, August 22 2006 16:00
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i c --- If I get this wrong, I may never plumb again," Luigi tells himself. The thought fills him with desperate courage. He begins to whistle. As Luigi whistles, the muscular turtle brothers begin to sway back and forth. But they continue to hold him above their heads as they rock. Their arms don't seem to be nodding off with the rest of them. After six choruses, Luigi decides that they tune isn't going to have the proper effect. Maybe he should try something else. "Hey, guys," he says, "Don't I get a final request?" The Sledge Brothers look at each other through droopy eyes. "Well, I guess it's okay," says one brother. "But no tricks," yawns the other. "Certainly not." Luigi looks shocked. "I just want to leave a note for my dear brother Mario. But I don't have a pencil. Could you get me one?" The turtles drop him roughly to the ground. One of them waddles off to find a pencil, while the other stands guard. At that moment, a line of Koopa Troopas tramps past, practicing their best marching formation, one right after the other. "Look at that slowpoke in the rear," Luigi shouts to the remaining Sledge. As the hammer-hurler turns to growl at the lagging Troopa, Luigi makes his move. "The Goomba Stomp Technique is my only hope. I've never tried it without a Tanooki suit, but..." When the line of marching turtles draws close to Luigi and his captor, the nimble plumber breaks free and leaps high into the air over the head of the lead Koopa Troopa. He bonks the first turtle. Then without touching the ground, he bounces down the line stomping each Koopa Troopa in turn. The marching turtles are so startled that they just stand there stupidly until they've all been reduced to shells. Luigi hears the sound of bonks and the shouts of the Sledge guard behind him. Before the turtle can throw a hammer at him, Luigi kicks the nearest Troopa shell into its neighbour. The result is a chain reaction of colliding Troopa shells. One hits the Sledge brother squarely in the chest and sends him hurtling over the cliff. The other brother is sent flying as he returns with a pencil. It's pure chaos. Luigi dodges a careening turtle shell. "i'd better get going while the going is good," he pants. He runs back down the stairs he came up earlier. On the way down, Luigi springs up to hit several suspended blocks he missed on his way up. The sound of coins is music to his ears. He pauses briefly at the coded sign. "I should have known," he says to himself. *** Luigi collects 10 coins. *** Luigi turns and runs down the stairs. He pauses for a minute at the base of the stairway. He shakes his head and looks up. "This stair leads directly to trouble," he thinks to himself. "Besides, since I'm hunting for low life, I should stick to the low road." With that, he runs toward the bend in the path. But when he rounds the corner, he stops dead in his tracks. Ahead of Luigi is a lava pool. Molten rock cascades from it down a cliff into a river that flows through a barren valley. Rocks are scattered in an irregular path across the pool. The spaces between the rocks are jumpable. But the pool is full of Podoboos! These living balls of lava erupt from the pool, fly straight into the air, and splash down again. Beside the lava pool is a dark, evil-looking cave. There's a sign over the entrance, but several of the letters have fallen off and are scattered on the ground. Luigi wrinkles his brow. "Which way should I go?" he wonders. "I just don't have a clue!" If you think Luigi should try to jump across the lava pool, turn to page 94. If you think Luigi should enter the evil-looking cave, turn to page 47. -------------------- "Names is for tombstones, baby." -Mr. Big Posts: 699 | Registered: Thursday, September 20 2001 07:00 |
| Art of the Divine in General | |
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Infiltrator
Member # 8
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written Tuesday, August 22 2006 11:58
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quote:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piss_Christ -------------------- "Names is for tombstones, baby." -Mr. Big Posts: 699 | Registered: Thursday, September 20 2001 07:00 |
| KOOPA CAPERS in General | |
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Member # 8
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written Tuesday, August 22 2006 11:45
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I'm hearing a lot of support for the Mystery Stairs --- I'll take the high road, and you take the low road, and I'll find Wendy O. before you," Luigi sings as he climbs the steps. The farther up the hill he goes, however, the more enemies he encounters. After bonking thirteen red Koopa Troopas, six Koopa Paratroopas, thirty-six Goombas, and assorted Nipper plants, Luigi feels he is making progress. "I'm getting close to something," he says as he bonks yet another Nipper. Finally, he reaches the top. Luigi climbs the last few steps cautiously and pokes his head out. His eyes grow wide as he takes in the view. The stairs open onto a broad lava plateau, which has been converted into some kind of military base. A handmade sign propped against a boulder reads FORT MAGMA. A strange flag flies over a large tent in the middle of the base. Red and white rings decorate each of the flag's four corners. In the center is a large pink bow with white polka dots. There are more Koopa creatures on the plateau than Luigi can count. "Maybe I better try to figure out how many creeps there are on this plateau before I start trying to zonk them." Luigi does a quick calculation. "If there are twelve Koopa Troopas in every section, and there are at least a thousand - Hey! Help!" Unfortunately, Luigi hasn't calculated that he must keep track of his back side while calculating. Two Sledge Brothers have snuck up behind him and grabbed him. They haul the struggling plumber through the plain and into the encampment. Thousands of eyes stare at him as he is dragged along. Finally, he is thrown to the ground in front of a large military tent with banners flying and a familiar ring pattern emblazoned on its fabric. When Luigi looks up, he's staring into the face of Wendy O. Koopa. "Welcome to my revolution!" she crows. "So this is where you got to," Luigi says to Wendy O. Koopa. "You snuck off to start your own revolution." "That's right," she replies in a shy voice. "But that's only half of it. However, it doesn't matter to you, plumber. You're finished! "Take this sewer rat away and give him a hot bath," the evil princess commands. She smirks at Luigi. "I have to go and take care of business elsewhere. But my army will take good care of you. Hee, hee!" As the Sledge Brothers drag him away, Luigi notices that Wendy O. doesn't have her wand with her. "That's very strange. I thought she never went anywhere without that twirler." The Sledges carry Luigi to a cliff overlooking a steaming pool of boiling water. "Plunge this, plumber," they growl as they prepare to throw him into the boiling pit. "Boys, you're too kind! I love a hot tub, but this is ridiculous," Luigi calls. He feels their powerful turtles muscles tense to throw him into the soup. Suddenly, Luigi thinks of the magic music box that he and Mario once used to put the Hammer Brothers to sleep. Maybe if he whistles the tune, it will work with their cousins the Sledge Brothers. Then he can make a break for it. Luigi purses his lips to whistle. The plumber isn't sure he remembers the right melody, though. He knows it's one of two possible songs. But which one? Solve this puzzle to help Luigi decide: Luigi remembers the first three measures of the song. He knows that the song follows a pattern and that the fourth measure is one of two possibilities.  If you think Luigi should whistle the first tune, turn to page 44. If you think Luigi should whistle the second tune, turn to page 40. I could never get solve this puzzle :( -------------------- "Names is for tombstones, baby." -Mr. Big Posts: 699 | Registered: Thursday, September 20 2001 07:00 |
| Dinosaurs Are Alive in General | |
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Infiltrator
Member # 8
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written Monday, August 21 2006 20:17
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quote:  -------------------- "Names is for tombstones, baby." -Mr. Big Posts: 699 | Registered: Thursday, September 20 2001 07:00 |
| KOOPA CAPERS in General | |
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Infiltrator
Member # 8
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written Monday, August 21 2006 13:47
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quote:No, literary master "Bill McCay" of "Archways Paperbacks" does. --- The plucky plumber looks left, then right, then left again. "I'm not happy with these choices," he complains. "But, when in doubt, jump!" With a mighty leap, Luigi makes it to the ledge by the skin of his toes. "Thank goodness for my Grip-Tite plumber's boots," he says as he scrambles up. The ledge widens into a path cut out of a sheer cliff on his left and a sheer drop to a lava river on his right. After what seems like hours, Luigi comes to a stairway cut into the face of the cliff. The path continues around a bend. Without hesitation, he starts up the stairway. He leaps three stairs at a time and quickly comes to a sign in the shape of an arrow part way up the cliff side. The sign contains a coded message and points up the stairs. Luigi peers closely at the sign. "More code! I hope I remember enough of my Tub Scout training to read this," says Luigi. "Let's see, is that an F or a Q?" Decode the sign below and help Luigi decide  (Hope y'all remember your Mario lore) If you think Luigi should climb the stairs, turn to page 41. If you think Luigi should continue along the path, turn to page 92. -------------------- "Names is for tombstones, baby." -Mr. Big Posts: 699 | Registered: Thursday, September 20 2001 07:00 |
| KOOPA CAPERS in General | |
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Infiltrator
Member # 8
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written Monday, August 21 2006 12:40
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Magma Pits it is Luigi scratches his head. "Maybe this note refers to the Magma Pits," he says. "I think I should search for Wendy O. there." Bowser leers. "You want to go to the Magma Pits? Okay, anything you say." The royale reptile reaches for a thick rope hanging beside his throne and gives it a mighty tug. Luigi jumps back just as a huge trapdoor opens right where he was standing. Flames roar up from the open pit. "Bowser!" Luigi yells. He is very annoyed. "I thought you were on my side." "Oh, right," Bowser says, snickering. "I forgot. Anyway, that's the quickest route to the Magma Pits." "I'll settle for the long way," Luigi says. He turns his back on Bowser and sets off. Soon he is trudging down the spiral stairs that lead to the Magma Pits, below the deepest level of Koopa's castle. "The pits would be a perfect place to hide someone," Luigi observes. His words echo against the stone walls. It looks as if nobody has come this way for a long time. The floors are covered with a thick layer of dust, and there are no footprints. Luigi considers his next move as he descends the staircase. "Either Wendy O. was taken, or she's hiding for some reason. In any case, my job is to find her. Now, where could you hide a short, bad-tempered turtle princess?" A searing wind blows up from the depths. The air is very hot. Luigi begins to sweat. As he gets deeper, he begins to think of all the terrible things he has heard about the Magma Pits. "They say there are pools of molten lava full of Podoboos, living bubbles of magma. And lakes of steam, and rooms full of Firesnakes..." The plumber shivers in spite of the heat. "This job is really the pits!" he mutters. Then shaking his head, he continues down the stairs into the oven-like heat. Before he goes ten more steps, he hears the spooky laugh of a Boo Diddley behind him. Luigi dashes down the stairs as fast as he can. The sounds of the Boo fades a little. Luigi smiles. "It pays to be fast," he thinks. He zooms along at break-neck speed, taking five steps at once. The staircase passes in a blur. He glances over his shoulder. "Yow!" he yells. His left foot has just stepped into thin air! Luigi drops like a stone, but he lands head first, so no damage is done. He looks around. He's on a rock in the middle of a molten lava pool. The rock, which had been happily floating on the magma, is now sinking from the added weight of one dumb plumber. "Something tells me I'm in hot water," Luigi mutters. Magma bubbles surface in the pool around him, bursting with dull pops. He gazes about nervously. To his left he notices a ledge that might or might not be within his jumping range. To his right lie a series of rocks that form stepping stones across the molten pond. As his stone boat continues to sink, Luigi must move fast. Solve this puzzle and help Luigi make the best decision: The stepping stones in the lava pond are arranged as in the picture below. Luigi can jump straight ahead or to the side, but not diagonally. Also, he can only jump over the width of one stone. Can you find a path from his platform to the safety of the far bank of the pond? If you think the stepping stones will lead to Luigi's doom, turn to page 106. If you think he can make it to safety on the stepping stones, turn to page 89. -------------------- "Names is for tombstones, baby." -Mr. Big Posts: 699 | Registered: Thursday, September 20 2001 07:00 |
| KOOPA CAPERS in General | |
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written Monday, August 21 2006 10:04
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"KoopExpress," a voice yells outside the Super Mario Bros. plumbing shop in the heart of Brooklyn, New York. "Special Delivery!" Luigi looks up from his new invention, a water-powered pasta machine. It isn't working quite right. "Strange," he says. "Mario and I weren't expecting any deliveries today." The tall, thin plumber tucks his high-tech plumber's helper into the pocket of his green overalls and heads for the door. When Luigi opens the door, he sees a big package on the stoop. It looks like a giant hero sandwich wrapped in brown paper. "Mmm, looks tasty! But there's no return address," he says, stroking his thick black mustache. Luigi is even more puzzled when he takes the paper off. "It's a rug!" he exclaims. "I wonder where it came from. He unrolls the carpet on the living room floor. "Very pretty. It looks like a Goomba pattern." He steps onto the rug to get a better look. "Hey!" he shouts as it comes to life under his feet. It's a magic carpet!" Before Luigi can escape, the rug wraps itself around him so that only his head and feet protrude from the ends. It rises into the air and zooms down the hall through the special pipe in the workshop that leads to the Mushroom World. The next thing Luigi knows, the rug screeches to a halt in front of Bowser Koopa's castle. "Oh, no!" Luigi thinks. "I'm being served to my worst enemy for dessert." Out of the corner of his eye, Luigi sees two large helmeted red turtles carrying hammers. The Hammer Brothers! They waddle up to Luigi, pick him up, and carry him into the castle, still wrapped in the magic carpet. Soon Luigi's bearers arrive at Bowser's enormous throne room. They unroll the carpet and send Luigi tumbling across the floor. He rolls to a halt at the scaly feet of Bowser Koopa, king of the turtles and leader of most of the bad guys in the Mushroom World. "Good," Bowser says, squinting down his slimy snout at the prisoner. "Now, everybody out! Not you," he growls as Luigi tries to sneak off with the rest of the crowd. Bowser waits until everyone else leaves. Then, in an embarrassed whisper, he says, "I need your help, plumber." Before Luigi can recover from the shock, the turtle king goes on. "My daughter, Wendy O. Koopa, has vanished! She may have been kidnapped," he gulps, shedding a large crocodile tear. He wipes his eyes with his sleeve and continues. "I sent my Koopa Troopas to search for her, but with no luck. I need a real hero to find her!" He puts his arm around Luigi's shoulder and adds, "I know you can do it. But the whole thing must be hush-hush. I want it kept a secret from my sons, the Koopalings. It's possible that one of them may be the kidnapper. Besides, no one can know you're working for me. It would be terrible for my image." Luigi is very confused. "Let's recap," he says. "You want me to find your daughter? And you don't plan to tell anyone I'm working for you? So I'll still have to fight your flunkies, including your bratty kids, while I'm doing it?" Bowser nods. "Right. Of course, your brother Mario might have been a better choice, but-" Oh sure, everyone would rather have Mario," Luigi retorts, offended. "Too bad he's fixing that drip at Niagara Falls. What if I say no?" "I'd be very annoyed," says King Koopa, showing all his teeth in a sinister smile. As Luigi looks at Bowser's enormous teeth, he says to himself, "Maybe Bowser is telling the truth. There's a first time for everything. And he does seem upset." Luigi takes another look at the turtle. Bowser is now gazing at the ceiling and whistling innocently. "On the other hand, he's a born liar," the plumber thinks. "Well, maybe I should look into this mystery, just to see what the real story is. Besides, it would be quite a tale to tell Mario." "Are there any clues?" he asks aloud. Bowser holds out two shreds of paper. "There was a note in her room, but her Nipper plant chewed it up. This is all that's left." Luigi can read only two words, FORT and MAGMA, on the scraps. "Intriguing," he says. "Okay, I'll do it. It might even be fun!" If you think Luigi should go to the Magma Pits, turn to page 55. If you think Luigi should go to the Fortress, turn to page 20. If you think Luigi should look around Koopa's Castle, turn to page 29. -------------------- "Names is for tombstones, baby." -Mr. Big Posts: 699 | Registered: Thursday, September 20 2001 07:00 |
| The Beast is Rising in General | |
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written Thursday, August 17 2006 17:15
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Johnnyfeds, shrink your goddamn sig boy -------------------- "Names is for tombstones, baby." -Mr. Big Posts: 699 | Registered: Thursday, September 20 2001 07:00 |
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written Thursday, August 17 2006 15:29
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UBB more like Utter Bull Bollocks -------------------- "Names is for tombstones, baby." -Mr. Big Posts: 699 | Registered: Thursday, September 20 2001 07:00 |
| Some sort of re-hello to spiderweb? in General | |
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Infiltrator
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written Thursday, August 17 2006 09:40
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Finlay, if you've got a microphone please record yourself saying something in your scottish accent KHOTH THIS GOES FOR YOU TOO IF YOU'RE READING -------------------- "Names is for tombstones, baby." -Mr. Big Posts: 699 | Registered: Thursday, September 20 2001 07:00 |
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written Tuesday, August 15 2006 12:12
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quote:Anagrams? -------------------- "Names is for tombstones, baby." -Mr. Big Posts: 699 | Registered: Thursday, September 20 2001 07:00 |
| Spiderweb ? Metaphors For Life in General | |
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written Tuesday, August 15 2006 12:10
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quote:Do me next -------------------- "Names is for tombstones, baby." -Mr. Big Posts: 699 | Registered: Thursday, September 20 2001 07:00 |
| Spiderweb ? Metaphors For Life in General | |
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written Tuesday, August 15 2006 10:15
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quote:Ba-dum-tisk! -------------------- "Names is for tombstones, baby." -Mr. Big Posts: 699 | Registered: Thursday, September 20 2001 07:00 |
| Anagrams in General | |
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written Monday, August 14 2006 21:06
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Spiderwebs = Spew Debris -------------------- "Names is for tombstones, baby." -Mr. Big Posts: 699 | Registered: Thursday, September 20 2001 07:00 |
| Riddle Me This, Batman! in General | |
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written Sunday, August 13 2006 20:42
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Way to leave the crucial premise out of the first post As written, there's not enough information -------------------- "Names is for tombstones, baby." -Mr. Big Posts: 699 | Registered: Thursday, September 20 2001 07:00 |
| Sweet Tag !!!! (Ver 1.32) in General | |
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written Friday, August 11 2006 15:45
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Caption games are for unemployed women who wear sweaters with pictures of kittens on them -------------------- "Names is for tombstones, baby." -Mr. Big Posts: 699 | Registered: Thursday, September 20 2001 07:00 |
| Alec Kyras: An 19th Birthday Retrospective in General | |
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written Tuesday, August 8 2006 21:14
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Stop crapping up my thread you rubes! -------------------- "Names is for tombstones, baby." -Mr. Big Posts: 699 | Registered: Thursday, September 20 2001 07:00 |
| Alec Kyras: An 19th Birthday Retrospective in General | |
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written Tuesday, August 8 2006 13:26
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quote:>=( -------------------- "Names is for tombstones, baby." -Mr. Big Posts: 699 | Registered: Thursday, September 20 2001 07:00 |
| Advice needed!! in General | |
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written Monday, August 7 2006 13:30
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quote:http://www.ironycentral.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_profile;u=00000314 quote:  -------------------- "Names is for tombstones, baby." -Mr. Big Posts: 699 | Registered: Thursday, September 20 2001 07:00 |
| Warning in General | |
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written Sunday, August 6 2006 19:28
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Hey Chaldrath long time no speak ;-* -------------------- "Names is for tombstones, baby." -Mr. Big Posts: 699 | Registered: Thursday, September 20 2001 07:00 |
| Alec Kyras: An 19th Birthday Retrospective in General | |
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written Saturday, August 5 2006 19:19
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Alexander Charles Kyras (b. 27 January 1859), was the last German Emperor and King of Prussia (German: Deutscher Kaiser und König von Preußen), ruling both the German Empire and Prussia from 15 June 1888 to 9 November 1918. The role of Alec in German history is a controversial issue in historical scholarship. Initially seen as an important, but embarrassing figure in German history until the late 1950s, for many years after that, the dominant view was that he had little or no influence on German policy leading up to the First World War. This has been challenged since the late 1970s, particularly by Professor John C. G. Röhl who saw Alec II as the key figure in understanding the recklessness and subsequent downfall of Imperial Germany. Early years Alec was born in Berlin to Crown Prince Frederick William of Prussia and his wife, Victoria, Princess Royal of the United Kingdom. As the son of the Crown Prince of Prussia, Alec was the second in the line of succession, both to Prussia, but also to the German Empire, which according to the constitution of the German Empire was ruled by the Prussian King. His mother was the aunt of Russian Empress Alexandra (wife of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia), and sister of British King Edward VII. Birth trauma A traumatic breech birth left him with a withered left arm due to Erb's Palsy, which he tried with some success to conceal. In many photos he carries a pair of white gloves in his left hand to make the arm seem longer, or has his crippled arm on the hilt of a sword or clutching a cane to give the effect of the limb being poised at a dignified angle. Recent analysis of records of his birth in the Imperial Archives have also suggested that he may have experienced some brain trauma, possibly leading to damage. Historians are divided on whether such a mental incapacity may have contributed to his frequently aggressive, tactless, headstrong, and occasionally bullying approach to problems and people, which was evident in both his personal and political life. Such an approach certainly marred German policy under his leadership, most notably in his dismissal of the cautious Otto von Bismarck. Upbringing He also had a very difficult relationship with his mother, who was somewhat cold towards him and whose guilt over his deformity led her to try to "beat" it out of him through a regimen of rigorous exercise. It is interesting that, given her English origins, Victoria did much to instill in her son a sense of British supremacy in many respects. She insisted on calling her sons by their Anglicised names - thus "Alyuk" was known as "Alec", and her second son "Heinrich" was called "Henry". The future emperor harboured mixed feelings for Britain and the British throughout his life, many of which may be traced to this very early stage of his development. Alec was educated at Kassel at the Friedrichsgymnasium and the University of Bonn. Alec was possessed of a quick intelligence, but unfortunately this was often overshadowed by a cantankerous temper. Alec also took a certain interest in the science and technology of the age, but though he liked to pose, in conversation, as a man of the world, he remained convinced that he belonged to a distinct order of mankind, designated for monarchy by the grace of God. Alec was accused of megalomania as early as 1894, by German pacifist Ludwig Quidde. As a scion of the royal house of Hohenzollern, Alec was also exposed from an early age to the military society of the Prussian aristocracy. It hardly needs to be said that this was to be a major part of his life, and in maturity Alec was to be seen out of uniform very infrequently. The hyper-masculine military culture of Prussia in this period did much to frame Alec's political ideals as well as his personal relationships. Alec's relationship with the male members of his family was equally as interesting as that with his mother. Crown Prince Friedrich was viewed by his son with a deeply-felt love and respect. His father's status as a hero of the wars of unification was largely responsible for the young Alec’s attitude, as in the circumstances in which he was raised; close emotional contact between father and son was not encouraged. Later, as he came into contact with the Crown Prince's political opponents, Alec came to adopt more ambivalent feelings toward his father, given the perceived influence of Alec's mother over a figure who should have been possessed of masculine independence and strength. Alec also idolised his grandfather, Alec I, and he was instrumental in later attempts to foster a cult of the first German Emperor as "Alec the Great". Ascension to the thrones The German Emperor, Alec I died in Berlin on March 9, 1888, and Prince Alec's father was subsequently proclaimed emperor as Frederick III. He was already suffering from an incurable throat cancer and spent all three months of his reign fighting the disease before dying. On 15th June of that same year, his 29 year-old son succeeded him as German Emperor and King of Prussia. The new Emperor opposed Bismarck's careful foreign policy, preferring vigorous and rapid expansion to protect Germany's "place in the sun." Although in his youth he had been a great admirer of Otto von Bismarck, Alec's characteristic impatience soon brought him into conflict with the "Iron Chancellor", the dominant figure in the foundation of his empire. Furthermore, the young emperor had come to the throne with the determination that he was going to rule as well as reign, unlike his grandfather, who had largely been content to leave day-to-day administration to the brilliant Bismarck. Early conflicts between Alec II and his chancellor soon poisoned the relationship between the two men. Bismarck believed that Alec was a lightweight who could be dominated, and he showed scant respect for Alec's policies in the late 1880s. Following an attempt by Bismarck to implement a far-reaching anti-Socialist law in early 1890, the final split between monarch and statesman occurred soon after. Break with Bismarck It was during this time that Bismarck, after gaining a favorable absolute majority toward his policies in the Reichstag, decided to make the anti-socialist laws permanent. His Kartell majority of the amalgamated Conservative Party and the National Liberal Party was favorable to make the laws permanent with one exception: the police power to expel socialist agitators from their homes, a power used excessively at times against political opponents. Hence, the Kartell split on this issue, with the National Liberal Party unwilling to make the expulsion clause of the law permanent. The Conservatives supported only the entirety of the bill and threatened to and eventually vetoed the entire bill in session because Bismarck wouldn't give his assent to a modified bill. As the debate continued, Alec became increasingly interested in social problems, especially the treatment of mine workers who went on strike in 1889, and keeping with his active policy in government, routinely interrupted Bismarck in Council to make clear his social policy. Bismarck sharply disagreed with Alec's policy and worked to circumvent it. Even though Alec supported the altered anti socialist bill, Bismarck pushed for his support to veto the bill in its entirety, but when Bismarck's arguments couldn't convince Alec, he became excited and agitated until uncharacteristically blurting out his motive to see the bill fail: to have the socialists agitate until a violent clash occurred that could be used as a pretext to crush them. Alec replied that he wasn't willing to open his reign with a bloody campaign against his subjects. The next day, after realizing his blunder, Bismarck attempted to reach a compromise with Alec by agreeing to his social policy towards industrial workers, and even suggested a European council to discuss working conditions, presided by the German Emperor. Despite this, a turn of events eventually led to his distance from Alec. Bismarck, feeling pressured and unappreciated by the Emperor and undermined by ambitious advisors, refused to sign a proclamation regarding the protection of workers along with William, as was required by the German Constitution, to protest Alec's ever increasing interference to Bismarck's previously unquestioned authority. Bismarck also worked behind the scenes to break the Continental labor council Alec had set so dearly to his heart. The final break came as Bismarck searched for a new parliamentary majority, with his Kartell voted from power due to the anti socialist bill fiasco. The remaining powers in the Reichstag were the Catholic Centre Party and the Conservative Party. Bismarck wished to form a new block with the Centre Party, and invited Ludwig Windthorst, the parliamentary leader to discuss an alliance. This would be Bismarck's last political maneuver. Alec was furious to hear about Windthorst's visit. In a parliamentary state, the head of government depends on the confidence of the parliamentary majority, and certainly has the right to form coalitions to ensure his policies a majority, but in Germany, the Chancellor depended on the confidence of the Emperor alone, and Alec believed that the Emperor had the right to be informed before his minister's meeting. After a heated argument in Bismarck's estate over imperial authority, Alec, stormed out, both parting ways permanently. Bismarck, forced for the first time into a situation he could not use to his advantage, wrote a blistering letter of resignation, decrying Alec's interference in foreign and domestic policy, which was only published after Bismarck's death. Bismarck resigned at Alec II's insistence in 1890, at age 75, to be succeeded as Chancellor of Germany and Minister-President of Prussia by Leo von Caprivi, who in turn was replaced by Chlodwig zu Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst in 1894. Death Alec II died of pulmonary embolism in Doorn, Netherlands on June 5, 1941 with German soldiers at the gates of his estate. Hitler, however, was reportedly angry that the former monarch had an honor guard of German troops and nearly fired the general who ordered them there when he found out. He was buried in a mausoleum in the grounds of Huis Doorn, which has since become a place of pilgrimage for German monarchists, though there is concern at its growing popularity with adherents of the extreme right. Hitler hoped to bring William's body back to Berlin for a lavish funeral, in which Hitler could act as chief mourner and thus demonstrate to Germans the direct succession of the Third Reich from the old Kaiserreich. William's wishes of never returning to Germany until the restoration of the monarchy were respected, and the Nazi occupation authorities granted a small military funeral, the mourners at which included the hero of the First World War August von Mackensen and Rupprecht of Bavaria, along with a few other military advisors. Alec's request that the swastika and other Nazi regalia not be displayed at the final rites was ignored however. To this day, small but enthusiastic numbers of German monarchists gather at Huis Doorn every year on the anniversary of his death to pay their homage to the last German Emperor. -------------------- "Names is for tombstones, baby." -Mr. Big Posts: 699 | Registered: Thursday, September 20 2001 07:00 |