Walsingham

Militants attack Sufi shrine. Which is one more reason to hate the swivel eyed jif bastards. For them this is about total domination, religious, physical, you name it. What the **** have sufis ever done to anyone?

:lol:

Rotten news today. My phD sponsor pulled out. So I've gone into sulk mode. EDIT: My new physiotherapist is an absolute FOX though.

My experience with old folks is that they are better technically than teh average young folk, for the simple reason that they read the sodding manual.

Crikey, I dunno. Have a look on a house price engine for homes worth more than a million in London, and check the postcodes south of the river?

I don't know if it's just because I am a big panzer general fan, but is anyone else finding warfare laughably easy? I played a marathon game right off and only lost two units the entire game. Early game is even easier. One archer and two warriors and I can take any early city. NOr does this hurt my domestic economy, since I capture workers etc from my victims. I had a hard time with happiness controlling everything, but now I'm used to it I like the system. It rewards strategic planning, and denigrates spreadsheet accounting skills which sliders etc fostered. My principal concerns are with the sloppiness of the interface: - 'Ghost' images of dead units linger - I can't name my units any more, which makes bugger all sense since I only have a handful compared with Civ IV. - Pathfinding leaves automated units wandering across forbidden territory I can only hope things like this are fixed in future updates.

Oh it's not bad at all, but I'm in need of a fiction book to read anyway. Interesting writing style too, telling a story and then notes on what he learned from it. His notion of digging in if you're hanging around in an area for more than 10 minutes seems pretty obvious nowadays with hindsight, likewise the "don't bunch up in an open field" during an artillery strike. What's perhaps more interesting is teh way he uses his MGs to fix a trench line then send his men in round the flanks. I've often wondered if that was just the benefit of hindsight.

Salma Hayek certainly wins also.

I presume you got this idea after a hard night eating welsh cheese?

Just a thought - why not cops?

Ach it's not so bad. I love the bit on the Italian front when he cons a bunch of the enemy into surrendering. Although nothing compared with Otto Skorzeny's story. For a book about an SS man, it didn't half set me laughing.

I presume this is intentionally funny?

Raithe has a point. There's a reason why so many military terms are from the French you know. It's just that since acquiring freedom form tyranny they've gone the way of all civilizations. They don't want to fight for what they've got, because what they've got is basically 'not fighting'. And cheese. Jokes aside I'd recommend three books on ancient warfare: - Persian Fire; Tom Holland - The Art of War in the Western World; Archer Jones - Imperium by Robert Harris The first is narrative history that reads easily. The second is a primer which will give some technical insight into how and WHY armies were composed as they were. the third gives you some of the social setting for the Roman world, and helps enormously in understanding why the Romans bothered at all; and why it all went ***s up.

Don't know if this qualifies, but I'm committed to watching ALL of Hill Street Blues on 4OD. Oh yeaaaaaaaah.... EDIT: BWAHAHAHAHAHA! I just saw the Britney Spear perfume ad. can the woman not BUY class somewhere?

There isn't ANYTHING which Monica Bellucci can't save in my opinion. Largely because wwhenever I see her my cognitive architectures start to melt like wax in a lava lamp.

No, it's not. Maybe not instantly, but with an hour or so of toying around, sure. You think your average gamer is going to plink around for an hour with practically no clue to figure out this thing he heard rumors of? I don't think it's mad to suggest that most people could be expected to TRY and figure out something for an hour if it was going to save them 30 quid. Not many people earn more than that an hour. I'm not saying I condone it, but then I have a TV license, and I'm not technically obliged to have one. I just enjoy the BBC's output online and feel morally commmitted to having it.

I demand the opportunity to read it. Then at least one person will have, and you can die easy, old hoss. I should probably go eat breakfast. Hunger makes me a little ...disparate.

Cal basicaly explained it.

India's probably the main thing holding Pakistan together!

Al Qaeda may have socially reactionary ideals, but in the main I'd describe it as revolutionary. Like our dear insect friend it believes in a one-shot cure all.

I think the piece identifies an important issue, but it's not impossible to generate change. It's just bloody difficult. I have a pressing engagement at some flaming barricade with a pint of beer or I'd wax at length, but in brief: 1. Organisations have become huge, and our open societies and corporate dissimulation have elad to a nuclear detonation of what can be called 'stakeholders'. People who are, or who feel affected by the proposal of change. 2. It is an axiom of mine that improvement will always have enemies, and that you have to be prepared to tell some people to get stuffed. But at teh same time, a lot of people simply fear confusion and uncertainty rather than change. 3. In addition it ispossible to have people whose logical standpoint would agree with you, but who don't see why they should. 4. Therefore communication _in its broadest sense_ is crucial to improvement. People must see what is being proposed in terms they understand and appreciate. Compromise follows not as a decision, but as a logical concomitant. Just a thought.

Depends how you write it!

200,000 troops suggest India may have the teensiest concern about sectarian violence.

I think our cthonic colleague may be in favour of air strikes for traffic violations. Which I concede would be awesome.

Slept through my alarm. Shryke, dinner dates I DO understand: 1. Go somewhere with friendly and respectful staff OR really really rude ones 2. Listen, don' speak, at least to begin with 3. Don't skimp on the wine, and don't buy the most expensive wine either. Depending on the girl either choose something huge and red if she likes a challenge, or cold and white and mild, if she's shy.