Walsingham

Proportional representation FTW!

Can't stand barolo, no idea why. Confirm skinning rabbits is incredibly easy. Just be careful when you gut the wee bastards, because the stench is bloody hard to get off your hands.

ROFL. the end of the world is nigh! Why? Somebody's been making knob jokes at the airport!

+1 Enoch, really. My understanding of the tech is that one can improve the energy receiver, but you can't alter the delivery of the energy into the system except by shifting geographical location. Or more simply it don't blow regular and it don't shine at night. Not in northern Europe, anyway. Natural energy is predicated on a chaotic system. It's inherently uncontrollable. You can engineer catchment up the wazoo, but it won't get you an increase in efficiency in the order of 200/400% which is what I understand would be needed. Never mind the fact that the irregularity of the supply places huge strains on power storage. Reason we should ALL care, leaving aside geopolitics, and the fact that I regard Germany as on our side: Money spent on retooling and re-engineering the German power system is money that can't be spent on schooling, aid to the developing world, buying crap which we make over here, and so on and so forth. It's not OK to just write it off as 'basically green so it's ok'. Even if green power is your focus it would make far far more sense to devote the same money to delivering sustainable power in countries like Bangladesh or Brazil.

Well, very briefly I think gangs depend on a couple of things: 1. Lack of economic options 2. Individuals with a weak personal identity, few skills, few brains (for want of a better word); compounding point 1 3. Weak oversight, typically in schools and housing areas with a lot of people and no will to tackle the problem 4. A culture of gang membership, inculcated through social isolation or simply hollywood dreaming (immigrant groups and individuals labouring under point 2) But this is very distinct from organised crime. Organised crime is a system in itself and each archetype has its own mechanisms for propagating and maintaining itself. These usually vary depending on ethnicity and history. The UK is not currently suffering what could be regarded as a serious problem with either. The justice system is relatively good compared with many other European partners, and we have strong and effective courts and prisons (at the primary level). Really I think the main thing keeping either involved in the UK is the money available from dealing in illicit narcotics. The narcotics trade is dominated, here as elsewhere, by population centres and transport links. London is without doubt a focus for all kinds of activity. Although this is not just drugs, but human trafficking, extortion, prostitution and so forth. In terms of organised violence Manchester is probably the second city. But any port or port facility is important to them. I think that gangs are probably going to be the biggest problem we face in the UK in the coming years. The economy is poor, we have large amounts of immigration, a failing education system, and a complete lack of urgency by responsible bodies. More importantly, the overall outlook is going to be far worse in certain areas. this will compound a lack of wilingness on the part of government. Organised crime is likely to continue being a problem, but is unlikely to develop more fully unless and until they achieve some sort of engagement with politicians. It is hard to envisage such a nexus in the UK, since traditional routes to political power are absent. You aren't going to see org. crime strike breaking or mobilising a voting bloc, or violently suppressing a particular party. However, with more and more money transferring into the black market through drugs I can see an increasing risk of politicians simply selling themselves for cash. The main difficulty with that happening is that we have very strong and independent police and security services. So politcians can't do a great deal to protect any sponsor. Although it is possible that instead we will see a tendency for corruption to extend to local government contracting, as indeed has already been alleged in many cases. As an aside, I would say the biggest problem we have in the UK at the moment in tackling organised crime is witness intimidation. we have very poor protection for giving evidence, and a great many cases are lost before or during trial due to witnesses retracting statements or disappearing. This should be a prioirty for action, but as I have already said, most political parties are firmly buried headfirst in sand on this.

Just lumping every every US special forces unit into a 'specops' barrel says everything necessary about your astounding military judgement. What in the name of collectivist f*** do you think you achieve by posting this nonsense?

Not a lot I would imagine. But everyone knows English people smell, are hairy, have bad teeth, are pale, fat and receding. Compared to a handsome young foreigner like you, I

Keeeping things the same _from the player perspective_ is sensible. But do you mean more than that?

I agree with Calaz <siz> Although I should stress that I haven't played W2 yet. The big fights seemed more epic for two reasons: 1. Threat overload. Even when there were not many people around you had freaking fireballs crashing down, and plenty of spells and other stuff. Plus you wanted to husband the defenders. So one had this sense of being overwhelmed. 2. Battle command You got to choose your troops. So you internalised numbers of soldiers even when they weren't there.

Interesting observation which I'd echo. I wonder if it was simply that anyone smart enough to code a mod got turned off long before they wanted to make a mod?

Seeing any animal with its birthday suit off is a little disturbing. And I say that as a card-carrying carnivore.

That's all very festive, Krez. But as I think the banking crisis alone should have highlighted, wishful thinking doesn't end at the doors of Parliament. Any Parliament. The problem is that neither wind nor solar produce power on a scale or to the right time schedule as non-renewables. To make Britain entirely renewable is literally impossible using current technology.

That would be an adder, yes? Ouch.

ROFL. Yes. Very discretely put. I think. What specifically? I assume you don't just want a general country brief.

There was nothing wrong with Far Cry 2 which couldn't be fixed by having a testicle gougingly simple mission architecture. By which I mean "Go to B, kill people on route, kill subject X" Obsidian should write the some DLC for Far Cry with, you know, and actual story, set in the country before the events in the main game. EDIT: Massive props to the team for making it so evocative in sight and sound, though. It really makes me miss Africa. The only reason I play the game any more is to admire the occasional sunset.

Cheery thought: given the tremendous success of the franchise, presumably there's an outside chance that someone will invest in a decent engine for the next big leap.

I'd definitely concur with the notion that NWN2 was tactically weak. Cretainly copmared with the challenges in Baldur's Gate, which were practically Valve-esque at times. Unless that's just my memory deceiving me.

Did a good solid hillstomp this evening in a solid drizzle which was quite refreshing. Managed a short 100m sprint afterwards. Good lick of speed too. But didn't take it any further as I was worried I might jelly my back. Savagely pleasing to be able to run once more. Celebrated with cherry seven up, pizza, and ice cream.

I should apologise for my tone. I didn't mean to sound so snotty just now. But it's a little galling to have you (Krez) say it's an over-reaction. 1. Britain may not be so badly off with crime 2. There are places which have a very VERY bad time with crime 3. Assuming it's not magical elves that stop us from sliding into worse crime then it's probably a function of factors and trends. 4. I think it makes sense to try and identify when trends and factors are at work moving us towards worse crime and do something about it. 5 [supplemental] I just realised I may be contradicting myself in the other thread about the TSA and fascism.

Good point, Nep. Could this be a case of Merkel saying she'll do it to please her lunatic minor partners in the greens. then when an almighty cack-kessel brews up she can turn round and get out of the commitment without losing them?

I might understand the Germans not getting alarmed about Russia standing on its economic windpipe, if the Russians hadn't already tried squeezing it a couple of years ago! I mean seriously, this is ****ing la la land, to me. Wanting an alternative to nuclear power is perfectly fine. Thinking there is one when there isn't is childishness on a monumental scale.

You've lost me, old boy.

Ate to much salt this morning. Now I'm going to head out for a hillstamp and sweat some of it out.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13257804 Can someone please explain what in holy hell the Germans are up to? My understanding is that wind power is a fantasy in terms of generating power on a mass scale. Solar's obviously out. So that only leaves coal and gas. Gas is better than coal but all Germany's gas comes from Russia. And we know how well they play with others. And this is all over a nuke scare which has claimed less than 100 lives to my knowledge, and which demonstrates that even in the worst imaginable circumstances nuke plants are not the terrifying beasts we've always been taught about. If it's half as stupid as I think it is then this is a dark day for both Germany and democracy.

They do have names, Malcador. This is (apparently) the Spring Holiday. According to my calendar.