Merry Christmas

[Space Voyager]

My Christmas was Merry. Hope you all had one, too!

[FullAuto]

Hope the ladies didn't torture you, SV!

 

I ate too much turkey. Then I gave birth to one. Urgh.

[Hobbes]

https://www.ufopaedia.org/images/4/41/Merry_Chryssmas.png

[Thorondor]

We are knights in armour shining,

Mounts we need not for our flying,

In our hands the power of lightning,

More piercing than lance for striking,

Yet our minds we use for fighting,

Of foul creatures all wrongs righting,

So the world we defend, uniting,

On our watch no fiery menace alighting,

Wise to all plot, all scheming,

It's what we do, our gift, no dreaming,

Stars we eye, forever gleaming,

Night or day, tomorrow or today, ever young in our believing.

 

::

 

To all a Merry Christmas and happy holidays!!

[Space Voyager]

Same from me to all of you!!! May you all find your inner https://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b348/SpaceVoyager/Smiley/peace-and-love-033.gif! https://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b348/SpaceVoyager/Smiley/party-xmas-003.gif

 

https://youtu.be/hhn-RzMELhY

[Bomb Bloke]

[Thorondor]

 

::

 

I guess it's about that time again, so, festive greetings to all!

[Space Voyager]

Man, that is one scary Santa! https://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b348/SpaceVoyager/Smiley/fear.gif

 

A very merry Christmas to you all!

[silencer_pl]

At least X-COM and XCOM want to make peace for a day.

[Bomb Bloke]

Merry Christmas from the future, dudes!

[silencer_pl]

Oh, oh, you're alive... Merry Christmas.

[FullAuto]

Remember, it's Christmas Eve, not Christmas Steve. Merry Christmas to you all, you glorious bastards!

[Thorondor]

Whoa! It must be the altitude; I'm seeing even more of them pilgrims than usual.

[FullAuto]

I AM THE GHOOOST OF CHRISTMAS PISSED!

 

/BLOOOOOOAAAARGH

[silencer_pl]

Whoa! It must be the altitude; I'm seeing even more of them pilgrims than usual.

 

Are you also seeing white mouses?

[Thorondor]

Come forth, come hither, wherever you are,

From places here near or far,

Step down from your vessels, leave doors ajar,

We shall laugh, and sing and play the guitar;

 

No harm shall be done,

Joined together, as singular, one,

Children of this, other Sun,

Make merry, be found, outside leave none;

 

There is warmth under the star,

Human, alien, no longer spar,

For the night we truly stand close, not afar.

 

- excerpt from Nightly Truce at Cydonia, Section T, X-Com Central Archives

 

::

 

Enjoy the celebrations you all!

[Zombie]

Nice! Merry Christmas everyone!

 

- Zombie

[Space Voyager]

Merry Christmas!

[Nookrium]

Merry Christmas, y'all!

[NKF]

Merry Christmas - and don't let random phone salesmen try to sell you internet stock trade thingwhatsits over the phone while you're trying to enjoy your evening!

 

- NKF

[silencer_pl]

Merry Christmas.

 

Funny thing NKF, I've just had a call like that few days before that evening

[Tsathoggua]

Merry xmas all.

 

My gifts received, were a new e-fag battery (sorely needed and the replacement I bought was shite and no output control, plus the tank died quicker than rookie mistaking a sonic pulser for a vibrating dildo-egg, so its getting shipped off to the lab division whenever they run out of proper lithium, or needs a bit in the form of thin foil and gutted when required.

 

Got a few new pairs of warm trousers from my uncle. The e-fag battery from my father, and additionally from my father, his true present, the battery being more of a throw-in, a brand spanking new precision digital scale for the lab, 1mg resolution, two free calibration weights and fine tweezers for sample manipulation included, plus a built in spirit level to make sure that its dead on whilst being calibrated and used, and movable dust cover/air shield so that the likes of stray breathing or atmospheric dust particles do not send the readout off. Not used it yet. My last digital scale was crap, only accurate to 10mg, so I used it solely for weighing reagents for my R&D rather than any biotech or bioactive projects.

 

Looking forward to testing it, in the (as far as digging through the published data, open access or otherwise goes, plus searching...other...types of fora online, has been able to determine) human organism for the first time, TMA homolog of 3-bromo-4-(1,1-dlfluoromethoxy)mescaline, via knoevanagel condensation of the corresponding benzaldehyde and nitroethane, workup of the intermediate 1-phenyl-beta-nitro-prop-2-ene (rxn in anhydrous isopropanol, planning initial slow addition and bringing up to 60-70'C over perhaps an hour, hold there for 6 hours or until TLC shows consumption of all the aldehyde apportioned for synthesis of the nitropropene, since a similar knoevanagel using nitromethane to give the nitrostyrene, workup of either by tossing rxn mixture onto crushed ice, since its insoluble in H2O, and reduction of the intermediate 1-phenyl-beta-nitroalkenes either first to the nitroalkane with catalytic hydrogenation w/ Pd/C and H2 or plat cat, probably plad since that means no having to buy pricey platinum reagents and making my own palladium catalyst via PdCl2, to reduce the double bond, then reduction of the nitro group with borohydride.

 

Or the more favoured option, personally, although the reagent is pyrophoric and water reactive, reduction by slowly leaching the nitroalkenes into a solution of lithium aluminium hydride in THF (tetrahydrofuran) via soxhlet extractor, in glassware freshly baked dry in the oven, drying tubes protecting all inlets to the environment external to the setup, THF freshly distilled over sodium or potassium metal, or perhaps a sodium-calcium alloy since I've been playing around with molten salt electrolysis and attempting the use of eutectic mixtures to lower the melt point of the sodium salts by addition of CaCl2. So far, some beginning success, although its still touchy and sensitive (molten sodium hydroxide in particular is a bugger because it dissolves sodium metal when its molten to form a blueish-grey, water reactive, somewhat sparky material at just a hair above the normal MP, hence the resorting to eutectic fused salt electrolysis rather than just going with NaOH or NaCl Might try a mixture of potassium and sodium salts also. The calcium alloy seems quite friendly reactivity wise. Of course, prior dessication over quicklime is advisable to predry the THF prior to pre-drying it using alkali metals, as of course, one would NOT have a pleasant time of it were there to be a flask fire in a liter or two of THF (its pretty similar to diethyl ether, flammable as blazes, although somewhat more prone to peroxidation), and before addition of the LiAlH4, protecting the entire setup with a purge of dried argon, sparge solvent with same, and then the nitroalkene can be reduced in a onepot, rather than having to resort to borohydride and catalytic hydrogenation, since boro isn't sufficient to reduce both the nitro and the olefin double bond in one shot, whilst LAH is absolutely so. Then workup by careful quench of the LAH with damp isopropanol, recycling the hydrogen gas evolved if Tsathoggua can find a use for it.) then destroying aluminium-ey slops with cautious addition of conc. NaOH solution, and vacuum distillation of the freebase finished 3-bromo-4-difluoromescaline and corresponding TMA. If there's enough aldehyde left, X-com R&D is getting time off dissecting aliens to use the facilities as they see fit.

 

 

Oh boy, my old man, whilst he is no chemist, he must be a sniper veteran from the first alien war, because he hit the nail dead on the head with the lab balance. PERFECT. Made my christmas.

 

Got him a bottle of rum and some truffle chocolates which pleased him mightily it seems, and my uncle, baked some homedone flapjacks, he loves those.

 

 

 

X-com research lab got an upgrade for Tsath's present to self (three new vigreaux columns, 300mm each, all kit in 24/40 other than some 5 and 10ml microscale kit), a pair of new sep funnels, more one-neck RBFs than I actually know how many I have, in sizes from 100ml to 2.5 liters, some similarly size-ranged two, three and four-neck round-bottom flasks, a new buchner funnel, this one with a glass frit, to complement my other older one which is ceramic, and uses filter paper and celite, etc.

Three new liebig condensers, an alilihn,and best of all, a really, REALLY efficient kind of dual-coolant chambered dimroth condenser, its much shorter and squatter than the rest, but it packs into less than a foot what a hair under a meter of combined liebigs, and Allihn condenser can achieve with equivalent cooling. Never tested stacking further condensers on top of the Dimroth though. Why? because I have never NEEDED to

 

Going to buy myself a dry ice condenser though, that I still need, one that can make use of liquid N2 or dry ice, or slurries of both with acetone, for cryogenic cold-finger style condensation of liquefied gases.

 

Plenty more, but too much to list the lot. Came in a crate, rather than boxes, save for the Dimroth, which someone was selling on ebay for less than $15!!!!!!.

 

And by chance, since I went in there to pick up some rubber tubing, a local pet store gave me an air pump they had ended up with (compressor type, I already have a vacuum pump), since someone had offloaded an ex hospital O2 or air pump, for a few pounds worth of store credit, but they then found out they couldn't use it for aquaculture, as the vibration and noise was too disturbing for the fish. So they let me have it as pretty much an xmas present, for the few token pounds they themselves gave. Good as new, £5. And its going to have to be reliable for use in hospital operating rooms and such. Tried it once, for pumping gaseous anhydrous ammonia, with a one-way valve interposed 'twixt the pump mechanism and the actual gas feed and it performed perfectly.

 

And last but not least, theres a nice block of blue stilton cheese and some pickled olives sitting by my side, for some pre-mission snacks, a bottle of good brown ale, and either he cannae' count, or my GP slipped me a good handful extra of both oxycodone and nitrazepam caps and tablets respectively. Perfect for utterly nullifying any lingering traces of post-xmas postprandial gluttony and hangover. Had myself a nice restorative lovely long restful sleep back at base.

 

 

*cracks open the ale all round folks, and gets the pills a'flowing. Pre-battle tension? what pre-battle tension. Only pre-fight terror is going to be on the part of the tasoth and aquatoid that are already dropping like flies due to a hail of sonic cannon fire and gas cannon IC rounds, sonic pulsers. Must be working, since one of the squad just gave a tentaculat some german dental work. With a vibroblade

 

Squad. Form the fuck up maggots!

Cry havoc, and let slip the dogs of war!

Hoooo-Ahhhh!

Didn't hear you god damn bastards.

I said I DIDN'T HEAR YOU!

 

We have Tasoth and aquatoids to bring to heel, and for some freaky reason the buggers are using DPL rounds on a LAND-based bloody base! Yet our hydrojets won't work.

 

That said, some tentaculat out to avenge its brethren just got on santa's VERY naughty list. His air-strike list. Sleighed the bugger by GC sniper fire whilst it was trapped in a small room up in a house on an island.

 

Being xmas, y'all don't have to go in there, no civilians present, so the building is just going to be leveled to a pit of boiling glass and smoking embers.

[Tsathoggua]

And anyone want a cocktail recipe?

 

Get some diethyl ether, and a small plastic medicine measuring cup, to hold about a teaspoon to 1.5tsp full, float this on a mixture of lime soda. Or better, britvic brand lime cordial, made up with a dash of vodka to taste. This is to be carefully layered on top of a layer of 'bell's' or 'care+' brand codeine linctus, not the sugar free one, the one with a tad of chloroform in it as flavour and preservative (yes, as bought off the shelf), best bought online as not many bricks and mortar places carry it these days. The sugar free one is nasty tasting, synthetic orange and doesn't go down too well for this. Dense codeine syrup at bottom of long glass, CAREFULLY layer the mixed up vodka lime cordial on top so the two do not mix, the linctus is very sugary and it helps preserve the layering. Then on the top of the glass, two lime slices, placed side by side with a gap just sufficient to retain the wee shooter of ether. Add a small amount of neat vodka to it, a dessertspoonful or two will do, and seal in with a sideways lemon wedge connecting the two lime ones.

 

Think of the theme as 'jagerbomb', don't drink these and drive or operate anything heavy and delicate. They are powerful, and possessed of an almighty kick. Diisopropyl ether works too, depending upon the flavour preference of the drinker, or a mixture. Not tech grade. Best stuff only. Then slam that fucker down, chased with the layer of vodka and lime, with the lovely aromatic sweetness-scented chloroform-flavoured codeine linctus (boots online stores best place for this, remember NOT sugar free, the flavour is CRAP this way, its totally different and does not work) at the bottom to cleanse the palate of any burn from the vodka.

 

I invented this cocktail myself. I call it 'the manhattan...project'

 

Also don't smoke round it either, because ether is EXTREMELY flammable, and store it correctly (it can peroxidize in storage, needs checking yearly, but buy fresh ether, and as much as you need for a party if making rounds of my signature cocktail for folks.)

 

Guarantee it, this is less the heavy weapons specialist, but the pulse wave torpedo launcher/DPL and demo munitions expert of the X-com elite assault formation. Plus good for calming the frayed nerves of the most shattered battle-psyker.

[Space Voyager]

Dear lord, I'll stick to Bloody Merry!

[Tsathoggua]

A cocktail named after a fairy story featuring a messiah who's mom is on the rag?

 

Couldn't drink that anyway though, since I can't tolerate any vegetables almost in any way for food,, major sensory nastiness.

 

But one of those cocktails tastes pretty good when made to my recipe, and it packs a hades of a kick

The name of course I figure you got easily enough, but if not, its from the manhattan cocktail, plus the OTHER manhattan project, that was the codename for the US nuclear weapons program. Hell sod the DPL specialist, this is the BASE mounted PWT defenses and grav shield thingy. It is a little difficult to get the codeine syrup these days. But Boots online pharmacies carry the right brand. Its the one in the plain ish amber glass bottle, not the one with the orange label.

 

The diethyl and/or diisopropyl ether gives it an almighty punch though. During alcohol prohibition both in ireland of old, and in the US, as welll as parts of the USSR, ether drinking became quite widespread as an alcohol substitute, and since it won't be metabolized at all easily, if any at alll, to acetaldehyde, unlike ethyl alcohol consumption, ether doesn't leave with a foul hangover. Although a couple of these would fell a fully grown veteran-genius level > triscene and keep it down as surely as a hail of thermal shock launcher rounds from a full squad carrying them as sidearms ehehe.

 

Or for an extra touch, The ether float, can be mixed with a drop or two of butane honey oil extract of some really GOOD hash, after first toasting the hash to decarboxylate any THC-COOH to THC, and give it a nice peppery bite. Don't need much, just a big pinch or three off the block of hash. Would leave a lobsterman commander utterly insensible as sure as a sonic cannon aimed shot to the dangly bits would knock the wind from a gillman. Or perhaps better compared to using a sub-mounted dual PWT launcher outfit to snipe at an aquatoid soldier and scoring a head-shot

 

Guaranteed both tasty and effective though. \\\but if its decarboxylated B.H.O (butane honey oil, made by using supercritical butane to extract toasted hash or briefly microwaved skunk) you need only the least little drop, dissolved welll in a small quantity of ethanol of drinkable grade.

 

Also the ether can be substituted by tertiary pentyl alcohol (2-methyl-2-butan-2-ol) or mixed with a mililiter or so, and that will give it a minty, cooling, camphoraceous kind of taste. Although the 2-methyl-2-butan-2-ol is best added to the vodka and lime cordial mixture part actually, since it giives it a camphor-ish cooling minty flavour. Think nuclear-tipped mojito and you won't go far wrong. DON'T use more than 1.5 to at most 2ml however, as it is dosed more like strong GHB in liquid solution, or like GBL (do NOT use the latter two for this, you will kill yourself, those two have extremely steep dose response curves, and besides GHB is salty as hell and GBL just smells, and tastes WAY beyond terrible. Like burning plastic and acrid burnt rubber tyres smoking an anus rolled up into a cigar and filled with several further nested layers of anuses. Like an arse sphincter russian doll only not nearly so pleasant.