Talking to Yourself

And when you're out there
Without care,
Yeah, I was out of touch
But it wasn't because I didn't know enough
I just knew too much
Gnarls Barkley - Crazy

I want people to read my blog. I'm not going to lie to you, or myself.

You see, there are some people out there in the blogging community that seem to think that they post on the internet because they like to write and for that reason only. Spectre, I'm looking at you.

I'm not going to hide that, or try to be aloof about it. I want you to keep reading this, I want new people to read it as well. The more people reading my work, the more impact my statements have.

If you're not talking to someone on here Spectre, you're just writing a really fucked up diary that makes YOU laugh. They've got a name for people like that.

As it stands now, you write a hilarious blog that many people find funny.

Truth of the matter is, you want people to read what you write. You want to entertain them, and you want to enjoy it yourself while you do so.

Anything else is just talking to yourself.

The New Blog Pack

So yeah, we've got a bit of a thing going on here. I've been a member of the Blog Pack for over a year now. I don't read Kinux's blog regularly, so I missed his whole re-organization thing until someone mentioned it to me. I need you to go to his website and post a comment suggesting my inclusion(along with up to 19 others) in his "new and improved" blog pack. Just leave a comment on this post.

I know a lot of you read through capsuleer, or other ways that don't actually take you to my site, most of which use the blog pack in some way. I hope you'll take the time to make sure I stay in that group of bloggers.

I appreciate it.

Declassified Goonswarm Safespot Manual

This is in no way mine, but I thought you might get some use out of it.

How to make deep safes.

Karaoke Corner #7: Midnight Roam to High Sec

The song is Midnight Train to Georgia, by Gladys Knight & the Pips. If I can find a Kareoke version that leaves the Pip's out, I'll see what I can do about recording a funny audio version.

Provi proved too much for their corp,
So they're leavin' the life they've come to know,
They said they're goin' back to find,
Ooh, what's left in empire,
Empire they left behind,
Not so long ago.
They're leaving,
On a midnight roam to high sec,
And they're goin' back,
To a safer place and time.
And I'll be with them,
On that midnight roam to high sec,
I'd rather get killed in empire,
Than get bubbled here while I mine.

They kept dreamin'
That someday they'd hold some space.
But they sure found out the hard way,
That dreams don't always come true.
So they moved all their stuff,
and they even sold their old ships,
Had a wormhole that went back,
To the life they once knew,
Oh yes they did,
They said they would.
They're leavin',
On that midnight roam to high sec,
Said they're goin' back to find,
A safer place and time.
And I'll be with them,
On that midnight roam to high sec,
I'd rather get killed in empire,
Than get bubbled here while I mine.

Genos Occidere joins Sev3rance

There's something happening here

What it is ain't exactly clear
There's a man with a gun over there
Telling me I got to beware
Buffalo Springfield - For What It's Worth

So there's an odd thing going on in Providence. It looks like Genos Occidere has joined Sev3rance Alliance.

What I do know is that Genos has a lot of very skilled pilots, and that AAA and allies will have some trouble on their hands. How much is still to be seen, a small cadre of great pilots won't do much against the onslaught providence faces these days.

It's odd though, because up till now Genos has been quite content to blow up everything they can in Provi, killing a fleet of CVA ships as recently as the 10 days ago.

Now it seems they're killing everyone but CVA and friends. The whole world's gone topsy turvy.

Are they protecting a fertile hunting ground? Is this part of a long term plan to play a NRDS game from now on? Did they get really high one night and think this was totally like... a good idea?

The corp description says they're a Caldari aligned-NRDS-role playing-anti pirate corp.

Like... really? I've met Count MonteCarlo a few times in battle, and despite being a great pilot, he never really struck me as "anti-pirate". And that's being nice about it.

Man, what's even more fucked up is that I just noticed Larkonis Trassler is a member.

This is weird shit.

Little Joke

What' s black and blue and red all over?
CVA if they try to take Catch again.

Providence: 800 kills and 43.07 Billion Isk

Final Providence Contract Stats: 800 kills and 43.07 billion isk.

Plus they caught a Dramiel on the way out 6 minutes after the contract ended.

I'll let the stats speak for themselves, but feel free to peruse the contract page I linked.

God I love Provi.

That Same Old Song

Had a bad day again
She said I would not understand
She left a note and said, "I'm sorry I had a bad day again"
Fuel - Bad Day

One could argue that I was due.

Today started out promisingly enough, with Aleks calling tackle 10 jumps away from us in his Ares. An Abbadon and Maelstrom. He'd tackled the Abbadon. Eventually the Abbadon ran away while Aleks was recharging his shields. The Maelstrom decided to stick around though. Soon he was joined by a Harbinger flown by the Abbadon's pilot.

After having to disengage twice, secondary points landed. These guys weren't bad at their jobs though, and took a huge amount of trouble to down. I threw a optimal/falloff tracking disruptor on the Maelstrom immediately and sensor damped the Harbinger. The Maelstrom immediately targeted me at 75 kilometers and opened fire. Nothing happened, and I was feeling pretty smug about it.

The Maelstrom broke my target lock by slowly moving away from me, and while I noticed, I was trying to manage DPS on the Harbinger, which was tearing up our close range ships. With 13 hostile locals, I made the decision to hold position and place the final DPS on the Harbinger.

Before I could even think about doing anything else though, I went up in flames in one shot from the Maelstrom that was no longer tracking disrupted.

Somehow the Maelstrom broke his tackle and warped away. We aren't sure how, as a point was active on him at the time.

Whatever, I made a call and good or not, I paid for it.

So I got scouted back out and was contracted both my loot and a bit of stuff to soften the loss. I bought a Rifter in station and got cargo expanders to fill 'er up for a trip back to Amarr.

Upon undocking I see almost 20 ships outside, in low sec. And I'm in a kick out station. In a ship with no nanofibers. Great. Just as it registers in my mind, someone on vent warns anyone docked to remain so, as there is a large camp outside. Which would've been very useful information 5 seconds ago.

I don't think at all and just decide to align and hope. No dice. Pointed and killed. Ok, that's bad, come on planets tab... no dice. Podded.

Well, that just saved me a 10 jump trip. I guess.

The first loss could've been avoided, but wasn't really something that bothered me(without downing that Harb, things could've gone south for our Rapier, for example). The Rifter and pod loss were however, completely avoidable and simply the result of my own stupidity.

I could've checked local for the spike, I could've asked the many corp members hanging around if anything was outside before undocking. I could've spammed the warp button instead of just hitting it once, so my pod got out. But I didn't do any of that. I did the stupid things.

I haven't lost a ship at all since November 6th. One could argue that I was due.

I Can't Believe They Pay Me To Do This

I'm not sure I mentioned it... but during that interview with Aralis, and I do mean during it, I managed to get on a kill and a pod in CVA's space.

I didn't even notice I was on the pod killmail until I looked it up for this post. Huh.

That being said, all I can say about Providence is that I hope this goldmine remains open for the indefinite future. We're very close to 800 kills and 40 billion isk in damage dealt. Those are nice round numbers, and I expect us to get them.

Plus we get paid. I love the merc life.

9uy is in the hands of Ushra'Khan. Unity Station has returned. After D-G it seems that any resistance that CVA had in mind has crumbled in the wind. For those of us prowling the lanes of Providence, it is becoming more and more of a ghost town. The PvPers have been chased out by AAA and U'K, while the carebears have been all but eradicated by Noir. It's going to take these guys a long time to recover from this, if they ever do.

Oh and for anyone who doesn't know what "after D-G" means(you there, the one living under a rock on mars), please take a look at this.

I can't believe they pay me to do this.

Aralis Interview: CVA's View of the War With AAA

'Cause suicide is painless
it brings on many changes
and I can take or leave it if I please.
and you can do the same thing if you please.
Johnny Mandel - Suicide is Painless

Hallan Turrek > Thanks for sitting down with me, I know you're pretty busy these days.
Aralis > Sure.
Hallan Turrek > Why is Against All Authorities attacking you?
Aralis > Well they've always attacked us. It's what they do.
Hallan Turrek > Wait, during the dissolution of CVA by hackers, didn't they help protect Providence?
Aralis > Well they certainly didn't abuse the situation.
Aralis > An honourable gesture and respect to them for that.
Hallan Turrek > I was to understand they actually camped gates to protect your space.
Hallan Turrek > Is that not true?
Aralis > I don't actuallyl know it wasn't in our space. It could ahve been.
Hallan Turrek > So you respect them, but still consider them an enemy before and after that?
Aralis > Respect would be far too strong.
Aralis > They had one respectable incident.
Aralis > There have been many dishonourable incidents with A.
Aralis > But all credit to them for that one.
Hallan Turrek > Like what?
Aralis > Evil Thug using pos bumping techniques, them infiltrating our ranks with alts and spies.
Hallan Turrek > So you consider them to be dishonorable on the whole?
Aralis > Well to be fair they've had a change of leadership and they aren't as bad as they were.
Aralis > ET was very dishonourable.
Hallan Turrek nods
Aralis > I think they are pretty average for a 0.0 alliance.
Hallan Turrek > So you believe they have a history of aggression against you?
Aralis > No kidding. :)
Hallan Turrek > What's caused that to boil over?
Aralis > Loads of things.
Aralis > The biggest is us claiming space in Catch and them retaliating.
Aralis > The core reason is them giving bases to UK in their space.
Hallan Turrek > So CVA intended to expand into Catch?
Aralis > Yes - and to kick UK off our borders.
Hallan Turrek > How did AAA respond to your taking parts of Catch, initially?
Aralis > They fought back - they were a bit busy at the time with Goons.
Aralis > Then they came back and fought harder and invaded Prov.
Hallan Turrek > You could understand how it might be easy for those looking at this from the outside to fault CVA, right? I mean, you attacked them, they've defended you in the past when you needed it...
Aralis > I don't think fault comes into it.
Aralis > AAA are a big alliance beating up their neighbours as they have always done.
Aralis > AAA were and are our enemies dedicated to our destruction.
Hallan Turrek > And they've always been such?
Aralis > Not sure really. I think ost of the time they simply haven't thought about us.
Hallan Turrek > So that's the only reason why they haven't tried this before?
Aralis > Well they have tried it before to some extent.
Aralis > Dominion changed the rules and made it much much easier for them.
Hallan Turrek > So why attack them, if that's the case? Obviously they're ignoring you, so why provoke them into noticing you?
Aralis > Because they gave bases to UK on our border.
Hallan Turrek > Does CVA consider UK as large a threat now, or is AAA more serious?
Aralis > AAA are much more serious.
Aralis > But UK are just AAA pets now so it's all one and the same really.
Hallan Turrek > Are UK participating in the invasion?
Aralis > With all they can bring.
Aralis > They have hired pirates like Noir to harass us.
Hallan Turrek > Heh.
Hallan Turrek > Are the rest of your members and allies angry at how things have turned out?
Aralis > Why would we be angry?
Aralis > UK and AAA have always been our enemies.
Aralis > I suppose we are disappointed how much they metagame.
Hallan Turrek > I'm just curious as to if the people who have lost systems are angry.
Aralis > And I at least am furious with CCP for their stupid Dominion patch.
Aralis > No mostly they are made of sterner stuff than that.
Hallan Turrek > So no one is angry, inside CVA?
Aralis > Angry with who about what?
Hallan Turrek > The invasion.
Aralis > I don't understand angry in this context.
Aralis > Fired up to kill our enemies.
Aralis > But they have always been our enemies. This is what they do.
Aralis > Only treachery is a reason for anger.
Hallan Turrek > By your estimation, is AAA winning right now?
Aralis > Of course.
Aralis > Doesn't mean they will win in the end.
Aralis > Dominion made Providence unworkable. Eve is now a momentum play. Just staying quiet in your own corner is not a viable plan.
Hallan Turrek nods
Hallan Turrek > Then is it safe to say that CVA has plans to leave Providence, regardless of the outcome of the war?
Aralis > Heavens no.
Aralis > Dominion favours the attacker very heavily. And it was always obvious AAA planned to attack us. They are napped with all their other neighbours now and it seemed likely to head that way.
Aralis > But CVA won't leave Providence regardless of the outcome.
Hallan Turrek > Yet you said your current situation is unworkable, do you plan to invade other space?
Aralis > Catch yes. We have to drive UK out and we have to have better space.
Aralis > And more.
Aralis > Dominion kills the idea of small empires.
Hallan Turrek > So CVA is going to expand if they win?
Aralis > (I don't mean more than Catch - I mean we need more than we have.)
Aralis > Yes.
Hallan Turrek > How much of Eve is enough?
Aralis > Such that no one has bases within jumprange of your core systems.
Aralis > Ultimately however Dominion makes it likely there can only be one powerbloc in Eve.
Hallan Turrek > Is CVA going to be that powerbloc?
Aralis > I'm sorry not discussing our current strategy.
Hallan Turrek > I think we should wrap this up.
Hallan Turrek > Thanks for taking the time to talk to me.
Aralis > I can't say good luck - but have fun. ;)
Hallan Turrek > Good luck to you.
Aralis > ty o/

I Like Fire.

Providence is burning.

Against All Authorities and CVA have been neighbors for a long time. They've been through a lot together, but one thing has been certain for a while, AAA and CVA aren't friendly to each other.

But they aren't enemies either, or at least, weren't.

Back when CVA got hacked and dissolved, it was CVA's neighbors, AAA in particular, that came to it's defense. They camped gates into Providence and they made it clear that anyone trying to take CVA space while they were weak would have to face down AAA as well.

That would be the extent of it, but not to long ago CVA decided to take Catch from AAA. Normally this wouldn't be such a big deal, but AAA was fighting hard with Goons at the time. In essence, CVA decided to strike while AAA was weak. Some say they were even in league with Goonswarm.

No one in AAA was crying about it. They took their lumps and kept up the fight against the Goons.

However, due to some mismanagement in Goonswarm, and a well timed CEO cut and run, CVA were left to face AAA alone. This was an AAA with a purpose and a motive: Wipe CVA from the sovereignty map.

This brings us to a week ago. AAA has taken back it's Catch territories, and has begun the push into Providence.

Noir. was hired to dive headfirst into Providence and act as a harassing force on the local population. We're nearing 700 kills and 40 billion isk killed in the last two weeks.

CVA and it's sovereignty holders have almost abandoned their once safe havens and are running back to empire.

Through it all, AAA has offered peace to those who live in CVA space, if they're willing to overthrow the oppressors. This has been rejected at every turn, as has a peace offering to CVA itself.

D-GTMI, a hub and station system for CVA has been taken by AAA, and as I write this, 9UY4-H is in AAA's complete control, and is soon to fall.

And that my friends, is just the beginning.

The Heist - Part One

The wages of sin is death.
Romans 6:23 - The Bible

Yesterday

Hallan stood in a vault with the size and look of a cathedral. He leaned on a desk near the entrance, in what seemed to be pain. He was dressed as a Khanid diplomat, with a Minmatar man following behind him.

"Ahh, Mister Laran," The man behind the desk began. "Your items are in Section B, slot 48,"

"Thank you," Hallan said with a bit of bombastity, "Theo." He beckoned to the Minmatar following him as he began to walk.

"You like doing that don't you?" Theo said with a grin.

"Not at all," Hallan answered with an even wider smile.

"Yeah, don't get to used to it. Once we get the names list and account codes out of ole' slot 48, I'm retiring,"

"You don't like working for me?" Hallan asked with mock hurt in his voice.

"I like working for you fine, I just don't like working,"

"Here we are," Hallan said, coming up short on a small slot at hip level labeled '48-b'.

"Get to hacking, code man," Theo thumbed the pisol in his left pocket and played with a detonator in his right pocket. He closed his hand around the pistol as he heard a voice behind him. An Amarrian man was walking with an escort past them. Theo looked up as the man was passing, and the Amarrian looked at Theo with a strange glint in his eye.

"Got it," Hallan said, interrupting the thought.

"Hal, that's the guy that sold me into slavery. That's the fucking guy,"

"That cannot be a coincidence," Hallan said, putting the papers and datapads into his briefcase.

"I'm going to kill that motherfucker," Theo said as he turned to chase after the Ammarian.

Hallan reached out and grabbed Theo's shoulder, who promptly spun around, and pulled his gun out of his pocket.

"What are you doing?" Theo asked, pointing the gun at Hallan's head.

"We've got the codes and now we're leaving," Hallan said as he looked around.

"Hallan, seriously. We can't let that guy leave,"

"And yet we're going to, put the gun away and lets walk out of here. We can do one without killing people,"

"No, I don't think so," Theo pressed his finger to the detonator firmly and held it there, even as the building was rocked with explosions.

I'm Back Bitches.

Whoo. Congratulations to TheJaguar, for winning the comment contest.

Guest Post: Blood-Thirsty Miner

I'm scheduling this one Monday, because I should be back by Tuesday. We'll see.

What's New? Part 1.

Well, I have finally decided to take a break from the action and post about it, and because it's been awhile since I've posted anything. I do plan on joining in on the blog banter and I'll start writing that up after I finish with this post, anywho onto the stories.

Currently I'm going around hi-sec transporting modules and ships around to my hi-sec base, which will later be transferred down to low-sec. I was sort of forced to go up here as I was at a loss for isk due to the Provi vs. .-A-. (and friends) Sov war.

During the first day, where Provi was taking down TCU's (I believe) I brought my stealth bomber down to play. I got in an Apocalypse killmail, just to get my killboard rating better, but unfortunately later that night I passed out cloaked, 30 KM from the gate and forgot to log off and/or drop fleet.

Well long story short I awoke to the "Low Shield" and "Low Armour" warning along with all the lights and tv on, and my computer in sleep mode. Oops. I ended up uncloaked, at 0KM off a gate, and in my pod. I can only guess that the fleet commander landed with the fleet at the gate I was at and fleet warped everyone off.

Well I can't blame him or the interceptor pilot that got the lucky kill due to my mistake. Well it's been taken as a learning experience.

After that I decided to fight in something less expensive, thus brought me to my Caracal, or as it's named, "Cara-Crack." And with Cara-Crack I was off to fight for Provi again!

And oh, the fun I had. I had the opportunity to join in a fleet to help defend Sov in WD-VTV. I was new to massive fleet battles, but it left me craving for more. I even got on a buzzard killmail as he was confused with the roles of his ship.

Unfortunately on the return trip I lost that Caracal, but somehow I have no lossmail to speak-of for it. Long story short to how that happened, I was bombed (along with others) at a gate and tried to jump through but kept getting a "Session change in progress" message and as I continued to jump I received a message I've never seen before. "Ship out of control." Eventually it exploded and I was in my pod and found my way back home without a loss mail to speak of.

The next day I decided to take out my HAM drake for a bit of what I like to call a, "Red roam." Besically fly around Provi and go after the reds. Well it paid off and I am the proud owner of a Dramiel killmail! Belonging to none other than ALvaChi USA currently ranked 60th on Battleclinic's killboard! Oh the amazement that put on my face. I looked something probably like this:

Eventually I lost that drake by trying to take a shortcut through catch in the middle of Provi, well it didn't end up so well. I jumped into the system and tried to warp, but a neutral Vagabond warp scrammed me so I crashed the gate, but on the other side was one of his friends in another Vagabond, so again I crashed the gate. Called out in intel, but after crashing the gate 8 times I finally just decided to log off, as I knew there was no hope. Well I got what was coming to me. And as I returned to my home system salt found its way into my wounds, as I was podded too.