Bilb!

I hope that’s true, but this is a common refrain with various adversaries used as the boogie-man.

https://citationsneeded.libsyn.com/episode-117-the-always-lagging-us-war-machine

The scam goes something like this: A weapons contractor and military-funded think tank publishes a supposedly neutral “report” or a handful “U.S. officials” run to a media outlet insisting the United States is “lagging behind” in a sector that incidentally coincides with said think tank’s funders or government entity’s interests. Credulous American media mindlessly repeats the claims, everyone acts panicked, treating the warning like a work of good faith, sober and objective analysis. Congress then reacts and uses media coverage to rationalize even more contracts to the very funders of the think tank that raised the warning, further bloating the Pentagon, State Department and CIA budgets. Rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat, all the while portraying the U.S.'s gargantuan defense expenditures as paltry and insufficient.

I hope they made it impossible to mod. In my new but rapidly growing religion, “modding” (desacrating) games is a mortal sin. Elder Scrolls games have damned the souls of many hairy, soft-bodied men.

Phantasy Star IV on the Genesis retailed for $99 in the US in 1995. That’s like a game being $200 now. I think Star Fox 64 was $80, but it came with a rumble pak at least.

The phrase “rogue state” to me always just sorta meant “uncooperative with the United States,” which the United States can’t be. I’m sure there’s a more useful definition.

Catgirls, jackalgirls, all embarrassing. Go full-on furry.