Walsingham

*chuckles* It certainly marks out a fundie that they insist on only their interpretation. Speaking of which, though, wasn't someone telling me recently that a hallmark of Islamic history has been a phobia of 'fitnah', or religious schism, caused by differing interpretations? Isn't differing interpretations what set the Taliban and Iran at each other?

The client made moves to mollify me after my prima donna incident yesterday, offerring to spring for lunch, and cracking out some papte and wine for snacks. Lesson learned: throw hissy fits more often. Very much sobered reading and thinking of Fio's mom. For what little good it is worth...

It could just be the hangover talking, but isn't this something quite fundamental? How can any extreme social agenda ever really represent the will of a people as heterogenous as the USA? Therefore is it not an argument that therefore an extremist platform is logically and ineluctably unsuitable for a national leader?

The Black Hawk Down soundtrack

But you're mind-policing them getting pissed off! You nutloop. Okay, I confess I'm not certain if that comment was made in a completely tongue-in-cheek manner, but I'll bite. I should make it clear that I'm not trying to take away their righteous wrath. They are completely free to throw all the fits they see fit (ahem). That was never the point and if it were, I doubt SCEE would have enacted this abominable self-censorship - hence my comment about the irrelevance of my being offended. The problem comes when they act upon those pet peeves of theirs, or threaten to do so. Then it's no longer a question of mind-policing, but a question of them enforcing (or at least attempting to) said mind-policing by means of terror and death. As I said, not even the idea of universal free thought should be exempt from scrutiny, accepted as it may be. Problem is, a bunch of clowns take the opposite for granted and have no problem with marking for death those who would dare to defile the God-given certainty of their beliefs. I see. In which case we've been agreeing for three pages. Sorry. I was aiming my objection at the reaction of somke people which is furious intolerance of the mere taking of offence by Muslims. As if a Western sense of humour should be compulsory issue to all humans.

Lost my temper with client yesterday over complaint that we were working too slowly. I had to restrain myself physically as I tried to explain that a bespoke solution took longer to produce, and (more importantly) check than an off-the-shelf approach. The simplest thing to have done would have simply been to suggest that if they knew anyone else who could deliver the same quality of work quicker then they should bloody well use them. I then met an old friend in the evening and got wrecked as a substitute for violence. This in turn has made me work slowly this morning. Hooray for asinine clients!

The biggest benefit of contract work is not the pay, which typically works out as quite low, after all the fees and the low turnover of work. It's the freedom and flexibility which rocks. As a corporate peon you have to tug the forelock and smarm your superiors. As a contractor or consultant you can ask awkward questions and hold people to much higher standards, because they aren't promoting you. I personally think that 90% of coorpare hierarchies and pay structures is only there to justify the big boss getting such a high salary. Without the intermediate grades you'd notice: a) how little work the bugger does b) how much they get paid for so little work But as long as they can point at the next guy down and say "I have to earn more than him" it's 'fine'.

But you're mind-policing them getting pissed off! You nutloop.

So many jokes in there... its not even funny ;P Btw, havent you heard, McCain is on the payroll of "ze russkies". Still voting him? Wait. Is that before or after they turned him down? Or did you miss the tiny detail of the story that they got a mass mailing and comedically refused to support him.

You're not getting argument from me. If I see God I'm kicking him in the nuts for that disease which makes kids eyelashes turn inside out and scratch themselves blind.

Consulting sounds great until you realise you have to be your own marketing. Which makes you into a man whore.

It sounds to me like you're getting offended by them not obeying YOUR rules. EDIT: Basically I'm saying we should, um... hang on... I think I'm channelling John Kennedy again... never fear to compromise, but never compromise out of fear. Essentially, if I had to write a rule for this (and I don't) it would be if we are asked if we'd mind having the song without the Q'uran in it then fine. But as soon as some jackass kills anyone to put pressure on us, then the song can stay the way it is, permanently.

Suicide bombing for no reason? Bombing GOD for no reason.

I was thinking about this some more and decided that if we want Muslim fundamentalists to compromise by not getting offended, then we free speech fundamentalists may also have to compromise.

I'm also looking at random noob. Rowwrrr.

Oy vey.

We were talking about this. We reckon it will be a case of the guy's brother running it officially. I know I sure as hell wouldn't eat there. What's particularly baffling is that Singh is a sikh name, and sikhs tend to be fastidious.

Wait. You've been flayed alive, and you're happy about it... hmm... was a woman involved?

I have no desire to offend any religion. However, a couple of things occur to me: 1. Caving in might lead to unnecessary self-censorship 2. Is being offended occasionally such a bad thing? Surely too keen a sense of pride is irreligious, in the true sense of the word. 3. Conversely, given how tense things are at the moment, can't we accept some delicacy on the part of Sony? YOu can insult my mother, but not if she's just been hit by a car.

Hold on. You're saying the material which was judged too crap to include is too crap?

My problem was that I only thought a piece of folded paper for a split second. Your problem is that you are still thinking about that folded paper two years later.

I had a good night's sleep. This is very rare for me, and the effects are startling. I woke, and without any discernable effort fixed the boiler. Then had toast. It's as if all that stands between me and godhood is two hours rest.

Space-hopper fetish.

Thought: harvest profile pictures from facebook to get a range of zombie faces! Isn't there an automated program for doing this now?

Capsule 6/10 on standard difficulty. 9/10 on authentic difficulty I'm slightly perplexed by GreasyDogMeat's criticism. In reality, guns, especially guns you pick up off the floor next to a dead jerry, don't shoot straight! I'm actually quite annoyed to see that in this latest release they've wussed out, and you mostly shoot dead on. There's now virtually no damn point in using any tactics whatever. It's become (to quote Yahtzee) a point and click adventure game, where the only puzzle is "Use gun on man". I must have been the most popular fething NCO in the 101: "Don't you worry, lads. I'll just go take the hill and give you a shout when I'm done." Second problem I would definitely agree with is level design. This has improved. There are now two or three different ways to attack a position. But it still feels forced. Or, I should say it might, if I wasn't basically able to snipe Germans who were behind a wall from 100 metres with a carbine. several maps I completed without moving more than six feet from my starting position. So really we're back to problem one. If your bullets go precisely where your crosshairs are pointing then maps and individual tactics are pointless. HOWEVER, having completed the basic campaign you earn the right to play on full difficulty. This is far FAR FAR better. No crosshairs unless you use iron sights. Bullets deviate properly. Tactics actually matter. The only thing which really stops this being a 10/10 is that the storyline is a bit cheesy, and all the historic grit of the previous games has gone. BOTTOM LINE: It's going to be popular as a fine shooter. But may annoy fans of the previous games in a curious marketing move. THOUGHT: When is someone going to make a war sim where you can play alongside your mates through the actual story line? Alternatively, have the storyline as a server, where fresh logins are fresh recruits, and anyone who dies stays dead, and if you logout then you have been wounded and sent to hospital, maybe to return later.