The Revised History of the Universe

I'm not going to put the official thing here cuz then i'd have to copy it, and i still have alot of work to do. The revisions include:
-No Aliens
-improved map/general cartography
-Things not happening so fast
-More realistic factions and weapons
-More realistic politics
-2 new Religions, and how religion will advance into galactic colonization
-Detailed histories of colonizations
-A revised system of navigation
-Improved calendar
-and much much more!

this is so much cooler than my last history, this is like...

its just cool.

So if you dont mind too terribly, i'll post my abbridged History here, just so i dont leave you going "uh, so what?" after all that buildup.

Starts out with the creation of the IAUS (interplanetary alliance of united
systems, i couldn't think of a better name)
Hrakkn refuses admission into
IAUS
Jovian Union splits from the IAUS
IAUS and JU have some
scuffles
Hrakkn moves in and says "STFU" on their mini conflicts, and leaves,
but tensions remain
End of conflicts and tensions means ARMS RACE! (cold
war?)
Hammond Project, and the JU Secret version, the Theyst
Initiative
IAUS attacks the JU
JU owns the IAUS
JU absorbs the IAUS,
creates the Galactic Empire
Empire Expands
IAUS rebels colonize the Outer
Rim in secret
Empire attacks Hrakkn (Hrakkn Incident)
Theyst goes
political in its discontent
Andreanov puppet state created by
emperor
Theyst starts assassinations
Hrakkn starts rebellion
Andreanov
rebellion occurs
Hrakkn defeats empire at a battle
Theyst defeats empire
at a battle
former IAUS systems rebel
Galactic Empire (jovian union)
Collapses
More colonization occurs, conferences for war etiquette and
standrdized time scale
Nanotechnology development
Jovian
Reunification
Former IAUS creates Glactic Republic
GR attempts to absorb
other systems, hrakkn and theyst call it "the second galactic empire" as slang
term
Galaxy declared "fully colonized" (all parts of the galaxy are occupied,
but not every planet has people on it)
Nano storm (nanobots that release EMP,
sweeps across galaxy in 2 years)
Conrad Hyunh goes to Exile
"Electron
Plague" Ends
Rise of the Kherdiin Federation
Theyst Recovery
Hrakkn
Re-assertion (not incredibly developed)

And thats where i leave off, i'm not sure where else to go...i can't keep writing history forever...

but this makes me think...if we can go from planet to planet, it'd take billions of years before the galaxy starts feeling overpopulation is an issue. in fact, it would be difficult to KEEP planets populated (but i have a way around that, dont worry). I guess the galaxy could provide humanity an infinite amount of new things to do....

Entry 31: Retirement from Nationstates.

Yep, my 4 year habit is finally getting the boot. I posted the following thing in my region:

Yep folks, i'm officially retiring from nationstates. I've had a good run, and i
think given my RL circumstances, this is a good time to leave. Unless we make up
our minds on how the Dyriiad Federation is going to collapse, if at all. but
yeah, an explanation first.If i were to stay, it would be delaying the
inevitable, and i can't think of a more convenient time the when i've already
been away for a week. As much as i love this region, and kicking much ass here,
in a year i'll be going to college, and i'll have to focus all my energies on
that. I need to focus everything on this upcoming YEAR to get my GPA up and
such. I hope you all understand, the old NS maxim that RL comes first. Thats not
to say i wont be around, of course. theres always my email (xrscott1x@yahoo.com)
or msn (tylusV@hotmail.com) that you can contact me with, and i'd be glad to
help you out and such. But, i think it would be a good time to reminisce about
my long history here. So if you dont want to read all this crap, then skip to
the bottom when i say goodbye. Otherwise, after the upcoming line, is a (almost)
year long history of my life in
Caprecia.
------------------------------------------------------
It all started, actually, with the region Cingeta. I was there for a long time, but
thought i'd take advantage of the provincial rule and make my own region, the
New Byzantine Empire. I tried to maintain ties, but they had a lousy ambassador
service, and i was busy making the NBE kickass and look cool. It was a
dictatorship, of course, but had a large enough following. I think i recruited
Sheen from there, and he's been following me around since. Anyway, that region
sucked, we had issues with possible spies and inactivity, and despite our
regional conquests we weren't doing too well. So, we split. I can't remember if
i went to VESN from here or to Empire incorporated (both regional upstart
attempts). VESN is where i recuited EM, i think that was...AFTER the NBE, and
maybe before Empire Incorporated. i can't remember. Anyway Empire Incorporated
was SSDD (same sh*t different day) and was doomed to failure from the get-go.
So, i decided to make a re-appearance in an LKE affiliated region and cause some
more havoc (my history with the LKE is a different story.)So i went to the
region Great Britain and Ireland. WOW whata mistake. i applied for citizenship,
and was denied, so i made a big fuss under the alias "THe Hub Republic" and
eventually i stormed off, to empire incorporated in hopes that they would follow
and see that it was me. I dont remember why i chose caprecia as my next place to
go, but i came here, and said i was a n00b. Then i decided to make ANOTHER
region, Theyst VI (my sixth attempt at a region named Theyst) so i took EA and
ran it by here, apologizing for lying and going on my merry way, when Dominion
was good eough to invite me back and suggest i look at the region more
seriously.So i did, since it was less work than the alternative, making my own
region. And MAN this place rocked, so i stayed. I think my first major post was
some international radio broadcast thing, probably still in national
developments. I started also dabbling in cartography and making friendly with my
neighbors and such. It took me a while to realize i had a hihger population than
alot of you, so i was playing safe by pretending i was weaker, and i was since i
wasn't familiar with the game. My first war was the first Andro-Zaran war. I
think it was because of a treaty i made with South Totowa, but i didn't realize
that i needed an army for defence so i moved my army of 19 million (back before
the 1% rule) into Erid'Lor, and wulfenstein and verenberg kicked my ass. From
that point forward, i kept Home Guards in all my cities. Then, when they had
gone, i grew a bit more, OTE moved next to me, EM came to Caprecia, and i
introduced Hadarism. AZW 2 ensued shortly after, with the holy war and such.
Then OTE went inactive, and decided to make himself a vassal state. After more
growth and a civil war and blah blah blah, hadarism died, i became more
prominent, and world events had happened. Soon after the introduction of Novreal
(or days before), erid'lor decided to go imperial-communist, and i kicked his
ass with OTE's and verenbergs help. Then there was TGE and all this other stuff
in andresia, lot of tensions, but nothing major. That saw the expansion of the
theyst republic, with the incorporation of Ialocin and Tellaria as provinces of
the republic. THat was pretty cool, people started to get worried. Then i
acquired brachion, kicked eyyguii's butt somehow, and jumped on Odersty while he
was young and stupid, and before you knew it the Dyriiad Federation was born.

the rest is hsitory, really.

---------------------------------------------
suffice to say,
i'm incredibly proud of my accomplishments here, and i'm really pleased with how
EM and OTE have helped the federation grow and become what it is today. Brachion
was also a good addition to the team, but he hasnt been around, and i dont
remember alot of his participation (sorry!).
So i'd like to say that its not
something that i want to do, but its something i had to do, this retirement
thing. Dominion, as long as you're around, this region will prosper, and as long
as the dedicated members that are here right now stay, this region will be
unstoppable. who knows where the next year will take you. Everyone, you've been
great, you've put up with alot of crap, and dealt with my unstoppable trend of
achievement that you couldn't hope to reciprocate (:P) just kidding on that last
thing, i'm sure the geography will do some more changing, i'm looking forward to
seeing what the future holds.

So....so long everyone! i'll be around.

PS
Erid, dont get too comfortable...

Anyway, thats that.

I guess i'll tak this time to list what positions i've held.

Prime minister (x2)
Head Cartographer (x2)
Delegate to a Conference
Regional Delegate (x2)
Senator
Minister of Defense
Co-Founder of the Repellican Party
Founderof the Dyriiad Federation
among others, but i can't think of them all right now.

Anyway, i've been there for a long time and now i'm leaving. See ya, nationstates. time to be productive.

Entry 30: Movie Review (yay!)

So for this, i had to go back to the origin of why i was reccomended to watch groundhog day to begin with.

"I have a question for you, have you seen the movie "Groundhog Day"? If so, what
are your thoughts about it? Do you feel there are there any "deep meaning"
messages in it?"

So i watched it today. Not a bad movie. hiiilarious.

But as far as deep things are concerned, i'll have to return to the blog that sparked the reccomendation, and its reply, just to touch up on things a bit.

My general thoughts though, are that there was no incredibly DEEP meaning. It was the logical evolution of a common mans train of thought when given an infinitely impossible situation.

He cycled through various sins, through suicides, and eventually ended up doing the right thing.

when given a bad situation, he responded poorly, and was unhappy. eventually he learned that using his bizarre situation to do good things can have positive benefits AND make him happy. Its like a rat pushing the button for a shock or for a treat. Once he learns what makes him happy, he'll do it over and over and over again.

Before his Groundhog days, he was egotistical and mean. Afterwards, he was selfless and nice. the transition was relatively realistic.

with reference to the "Big picture" or master plan. the movie is hardly indicative of what the plan is, and does not imply divine intervention, but if one were to infer divine interference, then it would be to teach the main character a lesson.

in real life, i think it would be too presumptuous (spelling?) of any of us to say we know what the plan is. if there is a plan, presumably its rather complex, and involves some paradoxes concerning sinfulness.

As far as movies are concerned though, i give it 3.5 stars. i hope this has been a sufficient movie review : )

Entry 29

I need to dust off some ol' cobwebs.

foinstance, i haven't updated this thing in a while.

largely in part because i can't think of anything to write.

just thought i'd share that XD

-Russell

Entry 28: The Ultimate Perspective

So in reply to my previous entry, Mr. Baker suggested i contemplate an even larger perspective, "what is the purpose of life?"

((Just a side note, i would like to acknowledge that the only people who really read this blog are Bakers, and i know you guys are Mormon. I'm not entirely clear on your beliefs in regard to the subject matter of this Blog, but I know my beliefs are very different. I'll try to avoid saying anything incredibly controversial, but if something slips in, please do not be offended.))

So, our purpose in life? The question itself implies Religion, so i'll dive right in.

I am of the belief that God gave us free will to make free and complete use of it. To Live life to the fullest, to make success for ourselves and our family. So our purpose in life could be to simply live.
I like that line of thought because it gives humanity some wiggle room. Its a bit Humanist, and leaves God almost completly out of the picture in regards to how we run our lives.

---

Now Considering the counterargument that hypothetically my siblings would make, who take a somewhat fundamentalist view.

God wants us to glorify him, honor him, etc etc, but he wants us to CHOOSE to do it. We have free will so that our worship is all the more heartfelt.

The Reason i dislike this line of thought is because i do not believe God is that...self centered? My justification is that if, as the bible says, God made us in his image, then that includes some non-physical attributes as well, such as modesty and humble...ness. So I believe God would have made us for US, not for himself.

---
So, Assuming that the purpose of humanity is to exist, one might think thats kind of a pointless existance?

The reason our existance is NOT pointless is because we exist! If our existance was going to be pointless, God wouldn't have made us. If our existance was devoted entirely to god, it would be equally pointless (In my opinion) due to the fact that either way we would be wandering aimlessly. Except in the first, we aren't saying anything, and in the second, we're praising God.

This also calls into question the nature of our creation (somewhat), but thats another matter alltogether. One deep blog at a time, Russ.

I'm not entirely sure where else to go from here. This i believe would be the first MAJOR issue i've tackled on this blog, so i guess...thats that.

Thanks for the suggestion, Mr. Baker!

Entry 27: In Admiration of The Big Picture

Looking at the moon this evening, i realize how much i don't appreciate my surroundings.

I Told my grampa recently that some of the places i most want to visit in life are World War era battle sites, like El Almein, Normandy, Dunkirk, the Maginot line, moscow, places like that. I said (and have said this for some time) that i want to see them to make them real. I know they exist, i know what they should look like, but i dont know how they are. they are merely stories told to me, that have matching pictures and several versions. But if i go there, i can take history and apply it to the location, i can make it real in my head that this place isn't just a place.

All my life i've stood on the earth and looked at the moon. I know what the earth looks like. I know what the moon looks like. The earth is real, and yet i dont appreciate its size sometimes, same with the moon.

So though it may never happen, i think i would enjoy standing on the moon and looking at earth. that would make everything more real to me. i could look at the earth, and say "i can see my house from here".

Ultimately, i'd like to see everything from the larger picture. the galaxy, the solar system. but some things are more possible than others.

I just love that space is real, and impossible to comprehend, yet so easy to understand.

and that one day, we'll be able to take it for granted.

Entry 26

Yeah, so...

just thought i'd pop in, rub some dust off the ol' blog, write something not worth reading again.

I guess, since i'm planning on writing a short story about time travel, i'll speculate a bit about it.

Realistically speaking, time travel isn't possible. It would require the existence of a multitude of parallel universes, and i dont believe parallel universes exist.

But assuming time travel DOES exist, you mays well throw in teleportation. Say you had a device that allowed you to travel back in time, and end up at any point on the planet you are on, or anything within your planets gravitational field of influence. That would mean the Moon would have a limited capacity for being travelled to.

Anyway, i think it would be possible to travel back in time, maybe half a second, to any point on the planet. thats teleportation. Time travel farther back is what gets annoying.

Consider time as a line.

consider time travel as taking a thread from the end point of the thread (Now) and reattaching it to a previous part on the thread (then) and then letting the thread continue on its way.

Heres a real-world example.

A man is running. A man appears next to him, who looks just like him. They cross the finish line, and the first man travels back in time to when he was running, except he's running next to himself. he crosses the finish line, and his original self disappears, and he goes and gets a drink of water. The End. 

Its a bit weird. because what will happen has happened before you even contemplate doing it. 

So i've developed a system that kind of works. Lets take the running-man scenario.

The mans running. A kid calls out "I'm Going to throw a rock at you!" and your future self comes back and tells you to step a bit to the left. The kid throws the rock, and you dodge it. You reach the finish line, and theres the time machine. You HAVE to go back in time, otherwise a paradox will take place, and you'll end up with a bruise on your shoulder somehow. So you go back in time, and warn your past self again. 

That system only works if, upon reaching the finish line, you make the choice to go back and remain consistent with the paradox. If one were to choose not to go back, though, then problems would arise. 

BUT that also brings into question the nature of free will in regards to time paradoxes. assuming parallel universes do not exist, and you can go back to any point in time you want from any other point in time, you have all the time in the world to go back and avoid the paradox. So if you cross the finish line, and you choose not to go in, at some point you will go back in time to warn yourself, if by accident or otherwise, because its already happened, it becomes inevitable, the choices of free will have already taken place. you have a choice, but you already know what your choice is before you make your choice. 

am i making sense? I'm glad i'm wording this out. But i should probably be doing something, seeing as i'm in my 3rd block class right now...

Time travel is mind boggling to think about.

Reading over it, i decided to throw in one last thing.

If one were to go back 5 years, you'd be "running" with yourself for a really long time, before your original went back 5 years and you became the sole person. By the time you catch up with yourself, you've aged 5 years. So in my system, once the people go back in time, they retire until their original goes back, at which point they can choose to either return to the force or continue on their paid retirement. 

But no travelling to the future, once your in the past. the future HASN'T happened yet. This short story will take place outside of my amazing timeline (see "History of the Universe"), because its theoretically impossible. 

now i'm done.

back to work.

Foiled Again

I knew i would end up not updating this as much as i should.

Things just "got away", time "slipped by", "flew" if you will. I "stopped posting in my blog".

And i probably wont post again for a really long time. but i'll get back into it. at some point. I swears.

At least i'm consistent with my selection of font.

Libertarians for the win!

You are a Social Liberal (71% permissive) and an... Economic Conservative (91% permissive) You are best described as a: Libertarian Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid Also : The OkCupid Dating Persona Test

Entry 25

Happy (belated) Easter everyone! We came down to my grandmothers house in lexington, VA, and hung out with my cousins, and sally and aaron came down for a while. it was pretty fun. No one ever tells me where to sleep, though. all i heard was "on the couch" so i ended up sleeping on the tiny couch that wasn't INCREDIBLY comfortable, but it was good enough.

and we're coming back today. :D