Wraith Defenders Club

[Starry Waters]

OOOO! Niiiiice!

I'm gonna repost this here...

Spoiler:

Once upon a time there were kids on the playground. One group were popular boys - good at sports, flashy cars, fun at parties. These boys listened to 'N Sync.

The other group of boys were outcasts. Quiet, all dressed in black, hair hanging in their eyes. These boys listened to Marilyn Manson.

One day the Popular Boys decided to beat up the Quiet Boys. They brought baseball bats and metal pipes onto the playground, and called out the Quiet Boys, but the Quiet Boys were armed only with studded leather wristbands and fingerless gloves.

Well, the Principal saw what was about to happen, and he quickly stepped in between the two groups of boys...scolding the Popular Boys right in front of the Quiet Boys.

Well, the Popular Boys eventually grew up, went to college and got jobs writing television shows. The Quiet Boys went off to become rich rock stars with lots of cars and girls and money.

So, one day the Popular Boys decided to get back at the Quiet Boys, but now - instead of baseball bats and metal pipes - they were armed with pens and pencils. With their pens and pencils they started writing stories - stories about the playground, all those years ago. In their stories, they gave themselves cool, strong names, like Ronon and Sheppard and Ford...but they gave the Quiet Boys wimpy, non-threatening names, like Steve and Bob and Todd.

With this power in their hand, they could now write stories and do to those Quiet Boys on the tv screen what they never were able to do to them on the playground...they could beat them up and make them look silly.

In the end, however...the Quiet Boys still get the girls, and the Popular Boys still just look like bullies.

The End.

das

I loved this!

[Todd's Pet]

I loved this!

This just so true! Thanks for that - I loved it!

[Laura Dove]

I didn't even bother to reply to the original poster.

They are also a technologically advanced race. Give them a year and they're likely to have invented hydroponics and a way of cloning meat so there's fresh food available on their hives.

Exactly! They grow their frigging space ships, sure they can artificially grow food too.

Get rid of the Wraith and, in a few years time, there's likely to be Genii forcing farmers to grow food for them while the Bola Kai would continue raiding weak settlements and, if the hints in 'Missing' are to be believed, eating their victims.

Ah, very likely indeed. I hadn't thought of the consequences on the human side. It reminds me of a fanfic I read some time ago where Sheppard had annihilated the wraith at the cost of his team's lives, and was wandering in a not-so-peaceful galaxy: Once free of wraith cullings, the strongest humans were harming the weakest ones.

[dasNdanger]

Exactly! They grow their frigging space ships, sure they can artificially grow food too.

Okay - for some reason, I read that and got this mental image of Todd (MY APOLOGIES to Todd, Chris, the Wraith, and Wraith Defenders everywhere!):

Spoiler:

das

[Laura Dove]

Okay - for some reason, I read that and got this mental image of Todd (MY APOLOGIES to Todd, Chris, the Wraith, and Wraith Defenders everywhere!):

Spoiler:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...uitytodd2a.jpg

Bwahahahahaha! I wish to see that on screen! Poor Todd, we are nasty, aren't we? But that's so funny...

[dasNdanger]

Bwahahahahaha! I wish to see that on screen! Poor Todd, we are nasty, aren't we? But that's so funny...

I am so evil...lol...but his expression - with that on his head - it just cracks me up!


das

[Starry Waters]

Okay - for some reason, I read that and got this mental image of Todd (MY APOLOGIES to Todd, Chris, the Wraith, and Wraith Defenders everywhere!):

Spoiler:

das

ROTFLMAO!! Poor Todd!

[Heqet]

Okay - for some reason, I read that and got this mental image of Todd (MY APOLOGIES to Todd, Chris, the Wraith, and Wraith Defenders everywhere!):

Spoiler:

das

Oh dear god, I can't breath!
XD
I'd green you, but it won't let me!

[ciannwn]

Okay - for some reason, I read that and got this mental image of Todd (MY APOLOGIES to Todd, Chris, the Wraith, and Wraith Defenders everywhere!):

Spoiler:

I hope he doesn't start singing "I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi I Like You Very Much"

http://assets.mog.com/pictures/wikip...en_Miranda.jpg

[MyFavoriteWraith]

I'm trying to put together my thoughts on infection as best I can, but I'm not very articulate in long-winded discussions. Still, I feel I need to add my two cents worth to the debate. I'm sorry this tends to jump around, I've never been good at expressing thought-out ideas in writing

Spoiler:

I think what has happened to wraith and the arrival of the Atlantis expedition can be likened best to the Aztecs and the arrival of the Spanish Conquistadors. Here you have a culture of warriors who unexpectedly meet up with a very small force of technologically advanced foreigners. For the Lanteans (as with the Conquistadors), its culture shock to an extreme: a group of aliens whose beliefs, ethics, mores and even diet are totally different from the norm. For the wraith (Aztecs) comes something totally unexpected way out of left field: humans, whom they had believed barely above cattle, that can ably fight back. As with the Conquistadors, the Lanteans decide that they are morally superior to the wraith and begin a campaign of all-out genocide against a perceived enemy. They shoot to kill at every available opportunity, they send in their small-pox blankets (the Hoffan drug, and to a lesser extent, Beckett's gene "therapy"), they capture and torture and ultimately destroy (Bob, Steve, and especially Michael).

And then along comes Todd. While Todd is first and foremost concerned about the survival of himself and his species (as would anyone in his situation), he is making efforts to try and find ways to coexist with the humans in ways that no other wraith and only two humans (Beckett and Keller) have ever even thought of, or tried to think of. And what does Sheppard do? Throws it in his face. Todd is trying his absolute damndest (can I say that?) to find a solution, and Sheppard just does not give a s**t.

None of the Lanteans are stepping aside and trying to see this objectively, because if they did they'd find that a)the wraith are completely incapable of subsisting for any length of time on anything but humans b)they've never changed because they've never needed to, humans have always been plentiful enough and when they aren't, hibernation is perfectly logical; the system works and they don't see the need to fix what isn't broken and c) now they have a wraith ally with considerable political pull who is willing to work with them if only they'd listen to his thoughts and ideas every now and then instead of bull-headedly doing things their way all the time (relationships, not just romantic ones, only work when there is equal communication between equals!!!). And maybe, just maybe, if they tried looking at it without bias, they'd find that like Conquistadors, they are only doing what they think is right. It may look like it's for the greater good from the point of view of the Lanteans and the Pegasus humans, but we are talking about the wholesale slaughter of a sentient species. Just because they are different does not mean they are evil.

Wraith may seem numerous now, like pigeons. You can look up and see hundreds of them at a time, like pigeons. You can see them as pests, and kill them at every opportunity, like pigeons. And if this is how you view them, with no thoughts as to the conservation of the species, what do you end up with? Passenger pigeons.

As an aside: The situation between Atlantis and the wraith can also be compared to the book series Ender's Game wherein humans engage in genocide, more aptly referred to as xenocide, against a hive-minded species who are so completely alien that it blocks any chance of communication between the two. I can't really go any more into it with out ruining the book

Well said, dolfynnchick! (Sorry, I spoilered your post so my post wasn't so long.) Another parallel that comes to mind between the Aztec/Conquistdors and Wraith/Lanteans is that the Aztecs practised human sacrifice in their religion. If you've seen 'Apocalypto', you know that they usually sacrificed peoples of a lower caste and also prisoners captured from other tribes but it can still be compared to the Wraith consuming humans in that, this was the way it had been for them for hundreds (if not thousands) of years. The "morally superior" Catholic Spanish Conquistadors were naturally horrified by this. Despite this being a thriving and unbelivably advanced culture, the Spanish felt it their right to exterminate or convert, in the name of their Christinan God. How convenient that this also allowed them to steal all their beautiful artifacts, melt down the gold for their own monetary purposes, and burn their numerous codieces containing invaluable historical, cultural and scientific information that the world could have benefitted from. Nope, not if the Church said it was from Satan!

*breath* Sorry, I'm a bit passionate about this. Pre-Columbian art and history were a favorite of mine in school.

Anyway, I'm not trying to say I'm a proponent of human sacrifice but this is what the Aztecs believed their gods wanted - human blood. The Wraith, they've been consuming humans for thousands of years, it's their livelyhood! Funny, it was disease that that also swayed the indigenous populations of the Americas to convert to Christianity. Medicine and care was often given by the Missionaries and in order to be treated, to live, they had to convert.

I just had a thought. With obesity being a rampant disease (just calling it what it is) in the United States, what if the government stepped in and shut down all fast food restaurants (sort of like what New York City is doing now). Can you imagine the revolt we'd have on our hands? And, just as I'm an oddball, being a Wraith Defender, I actually rather like the sound of that plan.

mfw

[MyFavoriteWraith]

Spoiler:

I hope he doesn't start singing "I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi I Like You Very Much"

http://assets.mog.com/pictures/wikip...en_Miranda.jpg

LOL!!! GREEN to both of you! (Again, GW won't let me spread the love. )

mfw

[dasNdanger]

Thanks, everyone!

Your laughter is worth far more than your green!

It's still making me chuckle...lol...his expression!


das

[Todd's Pet]

Okay - for some reason, I read that and got this mental image of Todd (MY APOLOGIES to Todd, Chris, the Wraith, and Wraith Defenders everywhere!):

Spoiler:

das

OMG That is so funny!
What's green and if it's something good, how do I green you? Sorry for being so green!

[Starry Waters]

OMG That is so funny!
What's green and if it's something good, how do I green you? Sorry for being so green!

I reposted this for you. I put it in spoilers so everyone won't have to be bothered by it.

Spoiler:

REPUTATION

Q: What is "reputation?"

Reputation is a user-based rating system. It's an informal and supposedly fun way to "reward" and "punish" people based on your opinion of their posts. You grant rep by clicking on the scales icon located next to a person's post: You can view your own rep by looking under "My Controls". Or, if you have the feature turned off, go into "edit options" and click the box for "show my reputation level".

Q: What are good/bad things to give rep for?
There are no hard and fast rules for granting rep, be it positive or negative. Generally speaking, however, it's considered bad manners to "reward" people simply because they agree with you, or to "punish" them because you disagree. Remember to try and judge the value based on the content of the post itself, not the opinion and not the opinion-holder.

Posts that you find helpful, thought-provoking, funny, or generally interesting would all be good candidates for positive rep. Likewise, posts that are hateful, abrasive, mean-spirited, or which deliberately attempt to antagonize others open themselves to negative rep. For more information about negative behavior and those who thrive on it, read up on trolls.

Remember that those are only guidelines, though, not rules. No one can force you to "toe the line" and you can't force others to do it, either.

Q: I got a red rep that I don't think I deserve! Can a mod delete it?

No. Just because you don't think you deserve it doesn't mean that others will agree. The fact that you've been negged proves that someone somewhere is unhappy with something you've said and it's their prerogative to show you that dislike in the form of a red rep point. Yes, sometimes people are negged for silly, stupid things... but people are also greened for silly, stupid things. It may not seem fair, but it does balance itself out eventually.

If a rep comment contains foul or abusive language, threats of violence, or slanderous statements, you can get a mod to delete the comment, but the rep point itself will stick.

Q: If green means positive rep and red means negative rep, what do gray squares mean?

It means the person giving you rep is too new and/or has too low a reputation for their rep to affect your rep. I believe that "active" rep kicks in around your 50th post (when you're Jaffa Fodder). a gray rep will always be gray- like a leopard, rep doesn't change its spots.

Q: I know that my rep is viewable under "My Controls" but is there a way to see the rep I've given to other people?

Other than keeping a record of it yourself? No.

Q: What are the rep levels and how do you find them?

If you hold your mouse over your (or anyone's) reputation blocks, a small box pops up describing the rep level. It's been a while since I've paid attention to this, myself, so I'll let someone else correct my mistakes and provide any specific rep numbers required, but here's what I could find:

... is incubating and will one day take a host.
...is slithering well on the way to taking a host.
...is a beacon of hope for all larval Goa'uld.
...is ready to take a human host. (thanks for the reminder, GatetheWay)
...is getting popular among the ranks of the Jaffa.
...is feared in all Goa'uld harvesting worlds.
...is whispered of among the System Lords. (thanks LoneStar1836)
...is formally recognized by the System Lords. (thanks LoneStar1836)
...is a well-known threat to the System Lords.
...serves as a loyal advisor to the System Lords.
...reigns as System Lord. Kneel before your god!

On the negative side, you have:

...is known only in the primordial waters on P3X-888.
...has been selected by the Goa'uld torture masters.
...has been banished to the Goa'uld naquadah mines.
...is the lowest of the low.

I could be a little off on that, but it's as close as I can remember. And for the record, I don't think anyone has ever actually earned the "lowest of the low" rank, but some folks set up an experimental account whose sole purpose was to discover the negative levels. (thanks for reminding me to include these, veneticuss)

Q: How many points are reps worth?

Initially, once your "active" rep kicks in [at around 50 posts], your rep granting abilities equal one point. As your reputation climbs (and as you grant more rep, yourself), the point level increases. There is no clear-cut formula to determine whose reps count for how much, but I think the maximum point-granting ability is between five to seven points. It used to be more, but the system was adjusted to try and make it more fair. Red points will count for less than green points.

Q: How many points do I have to get in order to get another rep block?

When you join Gateworld, you start off with 13 points and one green block. Once you pass the 100 point mark, you'll get a second square. Initially, each block represents 100 rep points. After the first four (I think), it becomes 200 points per block and the levels become progressively higher until you max out at 11 squares. I'm not sure how many points it takes get get from the 10th square to the 11th one, but I think it's around 500.

Q: How come some blocks are a lighter green?

I think it's a stylistic thing. It takes more points to get them and it helps them stand out a bit more.

Q: What are jello blocks and why are some of them radioactive? Will they make me sick??

"Jello block" is just another way to refer to rep squares/blocks and along as you don't eat them, you should be fine. Jello (AKA "jelly" in some parts of the world) is considered to be a Stargate in-reference since the food puts in occasional appearances on the show (although usually it's blue or red). "Radioactive" jello squares aren't actually radioactive, it's just a way to differentiate the lighter or "glowing" ones. As for why they're radioactive rather than ascended, well, ascended jello wouldn't be nearly as tasty.

Q: How does my rep level affect my status on Gateworld?

It doesn't. Reputation is utterly meaningless. It doesn't get you any special privileges and (again) it doesn't make your posts any more or less interesting. However, that being said, people whose rep levels have fallen into the red tend not to be heeded as much as those in the green. This is because folks with a negative rep tend to be troublemakers or people who haven't mastered the art of tact. People who have their rep turned off have a gray box. Sometimes this means that they've fallen into the red and don't want to be reminded (or don't want you to know it), but other times it means that people just don't care or that they don't want to be distracted by it.

[Todd's Pet]

Many thanks for the info! As I'm still a newbie, I guess my green doesn't count, but you have it anyway!