Walsingham

Got the horn.

I am disappointed none of you mooks wanted to play today! I've been working on my single-player necro team. Boy do they end up dying a lot! But I've gone a whole season only conceding one touchdown. The Gouged Eye took me down to half players, and managed to wriggle a goblin through.

*rant condensed* Sometimes kids do things which hurt other people. The best way to teach them that's not nice is - for serious issues - to hurt them a little bit. I got hit twice as a kid. I remember what did I did wrong each time (breaking other people's things), and I'm very very conscientious now.

Sounds quite rich. I'd try a Portuguese green wine with that. It's fantastic stuff.

I feel obliged to stick up for Tale if anyone new is reading this. He's really consistent in being open and unlike many others he actually read the OP. I only commented because he's normally so nice. After a LOT of experience I really can't give you any better advice than the above. Although I could elaborate a little with some thinking points regarding the 'other side of the table'. Situation - Don't over-reach, but make sure your overview is well researched. Any factual errors or out of date info will drop you at the first hurdle. Complication - I hate this bit, because frankly most really serious complications are hard to sum up. They need graphs, and coloured crayons, and sometimes waving your arms around in a threatening manner. The key is to remember that the bloke you are talking to doesn't WANT to do anything new or different. You have to tell him why doing nothing is no-longer an option. Resolution - The hardest thing for me is not getting technical about why the solution is great. But the bloke on the other side doesn't want to know technical detail. Not yet. Maybe not ever. Just tell him why the outcomes will be right for him. Payoffs, scheduling, risk, low amounts of effort. ~ But here's the thing. I've been ignoring my own advice in describing this to you. Because I'm trying to pitch you an idea. You are a bright guy, committed to gaming, with a lot of energy and enthusiasm. You have at least one good idea you would like to get across to potential investors and collaborators. The problem is that investors and collaborators hear hundreds of great ideas every month. They cannot afford to invest time and attention untangling what is good about your idea, and what makes it worth working on. So they reject almost every idea as a matter of normal policy. Consequently your idea won't get used if you pitch it the same way everyone else does. There is a solution which will let you quickly explain your ideas in a way which is respectful, quick, repeatable, and won't leave you feeling drained. This solution won't make every pitch work. But it will give you the best shot every time. The solution is to phrase your pitch in the form of the situation, complication, and your resolution.

The only time I make stock is when I have a carcass sitting around spare. I take the point about not accepting bog standard other things. But in the UK we have some fairly decent low-salt, organic meat stocks which taste better than anything I'd be able to make myself. Plus they don't use up freezer space. EDIT: Having had a nap I obeyed traditional Sunday afternoon tradition and went on a sweets and crisps binge. Chocolate bar, cheesy quavers, salami snack. Spam pasta later.

1,2,3...

I would agree that personal morality must be explored and checked. However, I treat the process like caring for a good pair of walking boots, while you seem intent on admiring morality like a statue being carved. One questions morality for the same end as one does NOT question it. So it can compel action when confusion, fear, or self-interest are screaming otherwise. One questions so that one does not doubt logically in changed or unexpected circumstance. One does not question so that one does not doubt emotionally in changed or unexpected circumstance. As for the authority defining right and wrong that is an excellent question. When I was much younger I saw that it was rooted in axiomatic statements and this made it formless and weak. I met men and women over the years from many different cultures and creeds. I found them good or evil in different ways, but not the less so in degrees. I now perceive that the rootlessness of morality makes it stronger. I am afraid I can't explain it any better just now. I am reading Chesterton, however, so he may already have worked it out. I'll keep you posted.

It's not yet clear that they ARE al-Shabaab. I know the fundis have taken 'credit', but... You just reminded me of a thought I had just before going to sleep. It's a funny sort of army that sends soldiers to kill kids, and kids to kill soldiers.

"For some reason" You mean apart from being pure evil?

Forensic analysis of my spice rack indicates that I put in: - black pepper (whole) - garlic - maldon sea salt - nutmeg - oregano - ginger jam - anchovy paste - bird eye chillis - dry coconut - fennel seeds - bay leaves - lime leaves Lamb and onions cooked with this lot.

I'm ambivalent about CA doing it, to say the least. Can you imagine trying to defend Prague when the Chaos hordes can do their ETW 'spiderman' trick over the walls?

Is that you, John Wayne? Is this me?

An excellent strategy. I shall return the compliment. With more baby oil.

...It's a mad world...

After watching the bizarre foods thing last night I marched into the kitchen to make a Thai curry, using his guidance. Results awesome. I can smell it on the cookware. But I was so drunk I can't remember what the hell I put in. I feel sure I used some unexpected stuff. Oregano maybe? Jam?

When I saw Serrano's khemri team was going to score:

I checked today, and if you want this book, you need to order it from anywhere that has copies in stock. The reprint under way is hardback only, and will cost around 24 quid.

You could always not drink whisky. Perhaps you should try vodka. Or baby formula.

Good effort for your first match, Hurlo. Sounds like you went for it, and even scored.

Men can jiggle, sometimes - it just isn't pretty and it sure isn't sexy. I believe the correct term is 'undulate'.

Glen Beck? That was my first thought.

But society is awesome.

No matter what you are eating for dinner, this show will make you feel better about it. Even if you are eating your own head. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJTG0dli_zI I love this show, and I only found it this morning.

What the who now? Who is in charge of those teams?