Builder-Momentum Team Series: #3 - Page 2

Viriato · June 2, 2001, 17:49

M.Y. 2109 sent to Qantaga.

2 turns already today. Not bad. And if you guys are fast enough we can still make a 3rd

.

I hope Theohall doesn't get called again

.

Qantaga · June 2, 2001, 18:22

MY 2109 sent to theohall.

Maybe we'll get that third turn to you after all, Chairman Viriato.

theohall · June 2, 2001, 18:31

M.Y. 2110 sent to White Elephants.

Trying to get that 3rd turn to you Viriato

Viriato · June 2, 2001, 19:29

Wow!

Are you guys on-line 24 hours a day?

It looks like you weren't called again Theo. I'm glad for you. Working on weekends sucks. Unfortunately it happens to me too sometimes

.

Qantaga · June 2, 2001, 20:41

Viriato,

It must seem that way. With a 7 year old and a 2 year old, my wife and I don't get out too much these days, so it is quite easy to leave the computer signed-on, just waiting for that next SMAC turn.

Even though I have loved SMAC since the day it came out, I have only started playing PBEM games in the past few months and it turns out that I have become quite addicted to them.

Viriato · June 2, 2001, 21:37

I'm playing PBEM games for more than a year and I feel the same. Since I started MP I completely abandoned SP games.

I have a 1 year old daughter so I don't get out much neither but in Portugal internet access is not free so I can't keep my PC connected all day

.

I won't make that 3rd turn after all

. I'm too tired to wait any longer.
But tomorrow is another day

.

Viriato · June 3, 2001, 10:39

M.Y. 2110 sent to Qantaga.

Qantaga · June 3, 2001, 11:24

MY 2110 sent to theohall.

Viriato, on a side note, my Internet access here in the States is not free, either.

I pay much more than I would like every month, but the good news for me is that the service is for unlimited access, so I can leave it up most of the time.

I am like you now with MP. I try to go practice in single player (especially so I can try to keep with you, WhiteElephants and theohall), but I find that it is hard to stay interested in SP now that I have experienced MP.

theohall · June 3, 2001, 13:54

M.Y. 2111 to White Elephants.

Viriato, the advantage we have is our telephone companies don't charge us per minute charges for local calls. We just pay a flat fee for unlimited internet hours, and a flat fee to our phone company for local calling. Having spent 3 years in Spain, I feel your pain with the internet access limitations.

WhiteElephants · June 4, 2001, 17:00

Viriato -- just out of curiousity, how do you celebrate Portugal's National Day (fireworks?)? And how do you pay your isp, or is it the phone company (per minute, per hour, etc.)? Are they state run or private?

Viriato · June 4, 2001, 19:12

M.Y. 2111 sent to Qantaga.

I expressed myself badly. When I wrote 'free acess' I was actually thinking of 'unlimited acess'. Nowadays nothing if for free. neither in Portugal, in the USA or in any other country

.

We are going to have the 'flat fee' very soon. All ISPs are getting their prices ready. But until now it only existed in cable and, more recently, in ADSL.

Although our national day is not as important as the 4th of July for you we do celebrate it in the same way, I think. It's just a question of scale

.
Every year the cerimonies are celabrated in a diferent city with the President present. We have parades, speechs, many people on the streets and, of course, fireworks at the end.

I pay my phone company about 1/3 dolar (100 escudos) per hour at nights, weekends and hollidays, and twice as much the rest of the time.
In this moment all my accounts are 'free'. I don't pay anything to the ISP. It's the phone company that gives a percentage of what I pay them to the ISP I'm using.

My phone company is part state run and part private. It begun its privatization a few years ago when the access was liberalized.
The ISPs I use are private.

I hope that was clear enough. If you want to know more just ask

.

Until tomorrow

WhiteElephants · June 4, 2001, 20:11

Interesting. Thanks.

Qantaga · June 4, 2001, 21:04

MY 2111 sent to theohall.

Viriato, I am glad to hear that you will have flat fees soon. I hope they will be priced reasonably for you.

Your National Day sounds like a lot of fun.

theohall · June 4, 2001, 21:44

M.Y. 2112 sent to White Elephants.

Sounds like internet issues are improving in Portugal. Hopefully, the will improve in Spain as well before I retire from the Navy. Plenty of time for that though.

I enjoyed Spain so much, I plan to retire their with my Spanish wife.

WhiteElephants · June 5, 2001, 18:39

Hmmm... No turn as of yet. Could you resend? Thanks.

WhiteElephants · June 6, 2001, 14:56

Got turn late last night and pasted 2112 on to Viri (early by GMT time).

WhiteElephants · June 6, 2001, 15:23

Got turn late last night and pasted 2112 on to Viri (early by GMT time).

Viriato · June 6, 2001, 16:43

M.Y. 2112 sent to Qantaga.

Yes, internet issues (and others) are improving in Portugal. I just wish it could be done faster. We have a lot to recover

.
I don't know what the situation is in Spain but it must be more or less the same.
And Spain is a very nice country indeed

. But aren't you going to miss the States?

Actually I'm not a big fun of the National day and other very popular hollidays. I have developed a thing against crowds

.

WE: I'm afraid it wasn't early enough

. At week days I try to go to bed before noon. Today is an exception

.

Qantaga · June 6, 2001, 17:47

MY 2112 sent to theohall.

Viriato, I know what you mean about crowds. In Atlanta, there is a place called Stone Mountain near where I live. They have a massive fireworks celebration on the 4th of July. My wife and I keep our family as far away from that gigantic crowd as we can.

theohall · June 6, 2001, 21:39

2113 sent to White Elephants (verified it was in the sent box this time).

Viriato - no, I won't really miss the states.

Since watching sports for me mostly consists of getting games off of DirecTV, by the time I retire from the Navy (12 years from now), the same things I get here should be available there. They already are for regular satellite dish owners which I would invest in if things don't change.

I won't miss the prevalence of violence in major cities, hearing about yet another school shooting on the news because kids have too easy access to guns, or just hearing about someone else being shot on the news in general. When the worst crime is petty theft every once in awhile compared to hearing about someone being killed every day, where would you rather live?

I won't miss American work hours if I decide to get a job. The 10-2 4-8 (5-9 summer) hours with 10-2 on Saturdays are great working hours compared to the 7-4 or 5 for shore duty and 7-7 working hours at sea I've dealt with for the past few years.

The only things I will really miss - earlier releases of movies, getting the latest new PC game (although Europe has been getting more than their fair share lately before US release) and the sheer choices available when shopping. Interestingly, I seemed to have more choice in Spain than Corpus Christi, TX provides.

Besides, Spain is a beautiful country with a very rich culture and one can visit although those other European countries for considerably less cost when living in Europe already. I missed Portugal but do hope to visit there sometime.

Man - that was long.

Qantaga · June 7, 2001, 21:01

MY 2113 sent to theohall.

Theo, that was a long post,

but I did enjoy reading it. You guys are making me want to visit Portugal and Spain. I have never had the pleasure. Maybe someday.

theohall · June 7, 2001, 23:57

M.Y. 2114 sent to WE.

WE, for future reference, if I post a turn was sent and you don't see it, feel free to email me directly so we can speed up the process in case of errors.

My email acts funky about once every 2 months for some reason.

Viriato · June 8, 2001, 20:17

M.Y. 2114 sent to Qantaga.

theohall,

You focused the darkest side in America, that's for sure!
But europe has is problems also. Spain in particular has a terrorism problem. ETA is killing people every week

.

But I agree that it is a very agreable country. If you enjoy architecture you have plenty of great places to visit. And if you enjoy the night then it's even better

Portugal is not as developed as Spain, but we have our qualities also

.

Qantaga · June 8, 2001, 23:28

MY 2114 sent to theohall.

theohall · June 9, 2001, 00:15

MY 2115 sent to White Elephants.

Just so you know, I don't hate America, but do tend to focus on the negatives a little too much. Maybe it's the way news is brought to us with so much of it focusing mostly on the negatives.

This weekend is a fine example with the majority of the coverage being the upcoming federal execution of Timothy McVeigh. Instead of using the time to let us Americans see what good things people are doing, they are going to spend an inordinate amount of time following every little step of an execution.

There are lots of positives here though - better choices in apparel (except for shoes - Spain has that one locked for me), cheaper food, better access to technology at lower prices, so I know they are there. It's just the focus on the negatives really drives me crazy. This attitude of mine comes from having spent time in/visited Spain, Italy, Denmark, England, France, and Canada and seen how much more people focus on the positives.

The terrorists in Spain - yeah they are a problem, but they aren't the major focus in every news story every day of the week the way bad news is focused upon in the states.

Something odd - while food is cheaper in the states, restaurants overseas seem to be cheaper in general than restaurants in the states and they make better food.

Viriato · June 9, 2001, 07:30

I forgot to tell you that I'll be home tomorrow so we can give a boost to our game.

I suppose you're right theohall. Although things in europe are also going that way there's still a big difference towards the states.

And I agree with your point on the restaurants. In Portugal and Spain you can eat in a good restaurant for a fair price. In France or England that's a whole different thing.

Qantaga · June 9, 2001, 08:51

Viriato,

I will also be home almost all day tomorrow (Sunday), with just an hour out for early morning church services.

My wife is going to a party at a friend's house in the afternoon and I will be watchng both my girls, but that shouldn't slow me down more than a few minutes at a time (just long enough to keep my 2 year old from climbing and jumping from the bookcase).

theohall · June 9, 2001, 11:29

And I will be in all weekend. Ready to rock and roll if we can.

Viriato · June 9, 2001, 20:39

M.Y. 2115 sent to Qantaga.

OK people. Let's hope WE is available also

Qantaga · June 9, 2001, 21:03

Woo-hoo! 2115 right back out to theohall.

Here's hoping WhiteElephants will be available tomorrow.

(But I certainly understand if you're not, WE).