In this year of the eternal winter I am truly glad that I have a source of entertainment.  For me that is Eve Online.  Eve is a game filled with egotistical sociopaths.  One of the popular lines in Eve where is they say "Eve is real". This is what they mean.

 You can loose everything in eve.  Risk.

 Last night I was sure that I was minimizing my risk.  This led me to an illusion of safety which cost me dearly, but I have learned and I will remember this lesson for a while.  I have been doing level 3 missions in a battlecruiser for the last three months.  I have never once lost a ship, although I have come close a few times.  So "maiden in distress" I have numerous examples of Kruul's DNA.  Last time in the Myrmidon I killed Kruul first and then the rats.  I thought that with my Dominix and all its T2 armor and reppers I could fight my way out.

As I began to sink deeper into Hull I found yet another drawback of a Dominix.  They take an eternity to warp out.  Too late, I was left in Pod, to ponder why.

I raced back in my Myrmidon and warped into the middle of the fray.  It was hot.  Afterburner on I fought my way out  with 40% hull damage but I killed them all.  Salvage my wreck and the others, collect the insurance and buy another Dominix.

What did I get from this expensive lesson.

1.  A battleship is not that much stronger than a battlecruiser.
2.  Speed tanking has to be thought about earlier in a Battleship.
3. Don't be too proud to warp out when the hull is going.
4. Question your fit before each mission.....

Some Thoughts on Snow to those who live elsewhere

Today I was shovelling snow.  Not once but twice and the morning is not yet finished.  I have little doubt that it will snow some more and I will shovel it.  Yesterday was the same and tomorrow seems to offer more of the same.

I realised that Australians could have difficulty understanding my problems with snow.

Snow and Lawn

Well to those Australians in Australia that might read this I draw the analogy to Lawn.  Snow is like a lawn that can grow up to 40 cm overnight and 15 cm per hour is not unheard of.  Unlike lawn it actively resists being driven on.  Snow tires are obligatory and snow chains are a curse.  The driveway is the centre of the battle.  If you take the easy way out and drive on the snow you will compact it to ice.  Ice is to snow what trees are to lawn.

The tools of trade are

• Snow shovels 3 or 4 in strategic locations.
• A snow witch. I will find a Photo. A cross between a sled and a snow shovel.
• A snow blower expensive piece of machinery with a briggs & stratton motor.
• Warm Clothes with special requirements for using the blower on windy days.
• Good gloves
• Good Boots
• Goggles!
• Salt
• Alarm clock
• Assorted tools for freeing the car from its snowy sheath.

Consider what it would be like when a sub zero gale is blowing that lot in you face on a dark and cold morning before breakfast....

Snow witch (as translated from the local dialect)

What to do with the snow

Well you will get fined if you put it on the road.  Fit it in the garden as best you can with some for the neighbours garden as well.

Watch out for the snow plough he will leave a metre high wall of ice in front of your driveway.

Not far from here in 1908