Walsingham

'Mumbai' attacks across Europe thwarted . - The threat ain't going away - Note it's 'Mumbai' style. As in Indian city. Since we're on the topic.

OK, I'm going to fess up and admit I didn't watch the video at all. I apologise. If I had I'd have seen the component which comes down to the boy having sex with an underage girl. I'm on record, and pretty clear about that sort of thing. HOWEVER, this just makes me more confused. If he'd committed a crime, why not simply call a colleague and have him booked?

2) makes sense. but I think you may be underestimating the role played by theologians in at least western philosophy. Or I may be overestimating it. 3) Not all religions, and certainly not even all christians look upon God as a punishment thing. To be fair. Many argue that God is love, and that disobedience is a question of denying one the fruits of his love. Stop me if I've got that wrong. * 4) I might accept that empathy is an altruistic component in morality. I can't see how building a stronger society - assuming you live in it - isn't selfish. *I suppose that by either definition that would make the faithful merely self serving as well. Unless... they argued that God being creator of the universe, by obeying God's dictats they were at one with the universe, and hence the behaviour was more abstract

You will, of course, recall* that the players were considering the offer put to them by the elaborately puffed up castellan, at their repose in a bungalow servant's dwelling on the grounds of the distaff Gorthoba's villa. Ten gold pieces paid at the start of each week, plus a loyalty bonus. Nevin decided that, given the absence of anything better to do and the generous offer he would accept. He decided in about ten seconds. The dwarf, however, got slightly carried away with the business of negotiation. I'm still not sure whether he was just roleplaying or confused by having to stir the curry, but the player questioned the castellan at great length. He then tried to demand more money. I considered the castellan's position, and his likely attitude to buying off miscreants in teh first place and decided that he wouldn't budge. I expected he'd be hostile to say the least, and just itching to find away to get these two lowborns out of his hair; which a quick fellowship test confirmed. He sniffed and emphasised the non-negotiable nature of the deal. However, pursuing an admirable, but misplaced faith in the power of creative negotiation the dwarf insisted that he needed some sort of sweetener, and that he should receive training in the martial arts. The castellan considered this, and swiftly realising that he had no armsman to do the instruction it would mean hiring one. "You can hire one yourself with the funds promised," he replied archly, and reiterated the generosity of the deal with dinstinctly 'closed' body language. The dwarf, however, insisted that the deal was unfair. To which the functionary replied that they should be aware that he had been instructed to ensure that the players did not talk, and had no facility for locking them up. But even this proved insufficiently pointed, and the dwarf reiterated his demand. This in turn provoked the castellan to blow up into a fury and storm out, returning some minutes later to a bemused dwarf, accompanied by the entire house guard of nine men. the dwarf, he said, was to accompany him. Nevin, on the other hand was to remain locked in the servant's bungalow. Taken to the entranceway, the lady Gorthoba briefly interviewed him, and in spite of the evident worsening situation, the dwarf insisted on his terms. That he receive free tuition. I had hoped that the lady might have some good news to ameliorate her temper, but rolling for this it emerged that she was in a foul mood, mocked already by her generally weak position - which I noted for reference. The dwarf's fellowship being so low, he only made matters worse, and she flew into a throughly magisterial fit of temper and began angrily conferring with the cowering castellan. The dwarf narrowly avoided understanding this conversation as it was rapid and furous. But I hinted that there was something about not being able to lock him up. I think the dwarf only realised something was seriously awry when he was stripped (yet AGAIN) of all his belongings by angry humans, bound, and lead off towards the swamps they had traversed the previous day by the party of guards. At this stage I really didn't understand what the player was playing at and fervently hoped he made some attempt to free himself, as unarmed aginst nine guards he had no chance whatever and would just get skewered. They, in turn, marched grimly with the intention of throwing him upside down into a salt marsh and letting the water do him in. ... *or just read above

Man, I can't BEGIN to imagine the grief involved in trying to ride another party member around like a horse.

He was fairly long - maybe 20-22" head/body+10-12" tail - and somewhat tall (12-13" on 4 legs) but thin & not very heavy (maybe 14lbs). But he had giant 'snowshoe' feet. When he was a kitten I thought he was going to be even larger. For an awful moment there I thought you'd said you'd turned him into a snowshoe, and was like "Just one shoe?"

Hey, the "we advanced aliens can't commit warfare for ethical/philosophical/neurological reasons, so we're here to get you humans to fight for us" has been used in way more sci-fi then just ADF's... Really? Which ones? I just like the notion that to some other species, I'm an ogryn.

You have realised that the dating website is the OTHER browser window?

They are, but they're not at the point they put on the uniform. It's like being a soldier. No one in their right mind is going to assault a machine gun nest ...unless they're in uniform. At which point inexplicably loads of people are up for it! I'm not saying being a cop is easy, Hurlshot. But it's not like you get drafted into it. If you don't think you can uphold the standards, put up, man up, or get the **** out.

I think it would be immensely empowering to give them to little old ladies. Run, muggers, run! I can't see this exo-suit being used on the front line. Infantiers are perfectly fit enough as it is. Logistics guys and engineers, however... I'd far rather do pioneer work in one of these than in some bullet magnet APC/ferret

I'd answer in three parts: 1) I know moral atheists and agnostics 2) I think it shows poor awareness to suggest that morality as we understand it would have developed without religion 3) I think it is equally arrogant to suggest that every morality espoused by an atheist/agnostic is somehow better beause it is rooted in reason. Much of morality (but in my opinion not all of it) is rooted in axioms that move beyond possible reason Four parts 4) It is possible that one could argue that if morality is based in reason then that reason must be focussed on what is best for the user. If that is the case then the behaviour is merely rational decison making and selfish, rather than moral. This may be the point of the thing you saw.

Priceless

It's Muslim in patches, but the real point is that there are dingbat Hindu radicals who'd just leap at the chance to purge India of Muslims. There have been HUGE riots in the past to the same effect. So I don't mean India would become Islamized. But it could be drawn into a war with 'Islam' which would turn nastier than a night out in Portsmouth.

Yeeees... the airplane thing. Anyone else notice how the EU enforces regulations on how it is illegal to offer national discounts, yet somehow fails to enforce with the Sicilian carrier?

I buy albuyms when I go to gigs. And I pay a monthly subscription for a music service. Works well for me!

Simple - they want to sell us stuff on account of our galactic scale greed. Also, they may want some really well adapted mercenaries. (I stole this one from Alan Dean Foster)

I had to leave the inernets while my ISP tried to work out how to be a telecommunications company. I ****ing hate ISP customer services. In fact ALL utilities customer services.

Bit late on this one. This cop used his position for personal ends, making him a wanker. Cops like that give all cops a bad name, and the force he belongs to should pan him within the bounds of his other performance. i.e. if he has spent every other day in uniform saving lives and busting violent drug dealers then maybe cut him some slack.

With the greatest affection - F*** you guys. What's the matter? Not enough spidey costumes? I think the artistic style perfectly compliments the story.

I got the song stuck in my head, after looking at .

FWAAAARP FWAAAARP! Having another session this evening, finally. Now what did I do with all the plans for this session...?

What? Example.

I think it's good that Woodward's brought out some of these issues. It's healthy to have a broad debate over policy at the high level, but what is not healthy is to follow that debate with utter confusion. Moreover, the excerpts I've read in the media indicate that Obama simply can't be arsed with Afghanistan. I could be wrong because the same quotes could simply indicate a desire to see it swiftly to a snesible conclusion. but frankly I have no faith in that analysis. He simply wants to engage in domestic reforms at the expense of all that has been sacrificed, and all that would be sacrificed. Which begs the question why he didn't get along with Gordon Brown any better! I can't put this any more bluntly. Afghanistan isn't a long way away. It's less than 13 hours away by plane*. It's next ****ing door. And it's not a box of toys you can just pack away. We weren't involved with Afghanistan from Oct. 7th, we were involved as soon as Al Qaeda embroiled them in their campaign to turn the whole world into a dustier and less magical version of Disneyland. We will remain involved so long as Afghanistan threatens to domino Pakistan and India. And if we LOSE in Afghanistan then we will be involved indefinitely as it becomes a rallying example to radical Islamofascists everywhere. And just because this sucks doesn't make it less true. *Roughly.

While I think it's going way too far to describe the US justices as pushing personal agendas, I think it's much less contentious to suggest that various presidents have got into the habit of trying to load the supreme court. Fair?

This may be a bit poltical, but it made we laugh in an indulgent way, like an uncle amused by a child in a huge hat. story