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Darth InSidious

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Posts posted by Darth InSidious

    All Hail the new.....EU-president?

    in Way Off-Topic

    Posted · Edited by Darth InSidious

    Most ridiculous overreaction in the history of this board? If only she were a hereditary peer; she'd probably be better qualified for the job.

    What are you? Fox News? Just asking fair and balanced questions? Just suggesting, you know. See how inane that comment really is? Lord or lady or how they achieved it doesn't matter. It is something reserved for the silly people of the silly islands with their awesome sense of comedy. Keep out of cross-european politics.

    You wrote:

    "It feels like i am part of a very silly, silly...silly monty python scetch. I mean, even the newly "elected" Foreign minister is a british baroness for pete's sake. Nobility at the very top of power, doesn't that ring some serious alarmbells among countries that do not have a monarchy, especially among the french?"

     

    So, I'm the one dissembling, despite you being the one trying to paint an inconvenient minor politician as an aristocrat for the sake of some some half-c0cked point about democracy? Yeah, that makes so much sense.

     

    Ok, they have almost zero executive power, but still, it is like the most self-evident truth has zinged the heads of the EU-countries: Since the friggin french revolution, since the times of Voltaire, people have taken for granted that no power should be without representation.
    Not really, no.

    Yeah really. A country even was founded upon that.

    A country was founded on spurious pseudohistory? I'm looking forward to your explanation of that one. It hasn't been taken for granted since the time of Voltaire at all, nor is it in any way a "self-evident truth". For starters, Voltaire died over a decade before the French Revolution, and a further fifty-sixty years before Britain even began to resemble a democracy. And those are just two examples.

     

    This isn't the EU any more, it is the first step to a poor mans version of the old USSR, a system of bureaucracy, govern by imbeciles that aren't harmful, just silly and incompetent.
    Total union has been on the cards since at least the early 90s. Thatcher saw it coming in 1990; cf: "No, no, no" speech.

     

    Since when does that make it just and right? That's right, it doesn't.

    Who said it made it right? I pointed out that going on like this is some recent corruption of noble ideals is a fallacy. The EU has been corrupt, incompetent and aiming at dominance for a long time now.

     

    You guys in the US have it good, really good. You have clear separation of power, different branches in the house of congress. A president elected in a direct referendum, and a supreme court that adheres to constitution. We have none of that. Yes, you americans may point and laugh :shrugz:
    [
    I'd suggest that it's swings and roundabouts.

     

    "Yeah, but that wasn't the point here, was it?"

     

    Frankly, there didn't seem to be any point at all, much like this post I'm responding to, which seems in the main to consist of attempts to twist what I said out of the context of your replies and to paint me as some pro-EU lunatic for your own bizarre purposes.

     

    Maybe you simply expressed yourself very badly, but the way your posts read and the relationship with your responses to my responses makes it pretty clear that somewhere along the line, you've missed the point I was making.

    All Hail the new.....EU-president?

    in Way Off-Topic

    Posted

    It feels like i am part of a very silly, silly...silly monty python scetch. I mean, even the newly "elected" Foreign minister is a british baroness for pete's sake. Nobility at the very top of power, doesn't that ring some serious alarmbells among countries that do not have a monarchy, especially among the french?

     

    A British Labour politician, Ashton was made a life peer in 1999 by the Labour government and held junior ministerial appointments in three government departments.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_Ashton

     

    Most ridiculous overreaction in the history of this board? If only she were a hereditary peer; she'd probably be better qualified for the job.

     

    Ok, they have almost zero executive power, but still, it is like the most self-evident truth has zinged the heads of the EU-countries: Since the friggin french revolution, since the times of Voltaire, people have taken for granted that no power should be without representation.

    Not really, no.

     

    This isn't the EU any more, it is the first step to a poor mans version of the old USSR, a system of bureaucracy, govern by imbeciles that aren't harmful, just silly and incompetent.

    Total union has been on the cards since at least the early 90s. Thatcher saw it coming in 1990; cf: "No, no, no" speech.

     

    You guys in the US have it good, really good. You have clear separation of power, different branches in the house of congress. A president elected in a direct referendum, and a supreme court that adheres to constitution. We have none of that. Yes, you americans may point and laugh :(

    I'd suggest that it's swings and roundabouts.

     

    Yeah this is silly, but didn't your national/local media give you a rundown on the Lisbon treaty? This move has been in the works for a few years now, it's not exactly surprising.. I agree with the alarmbells regarding nobility though, that sounds a little too monarchy'ish to me!

    Perhaps I might recommend that you do a little background reading before screeching about aristocracy?

     

    Next treaty will probably institute a European Emperor.. that would be beautiful wouldn't it?

    I hope Otto von Habsburg is chosen.

     

    He's a figurehead, everybody says so. No power in the position. It is a bit strange that they chose a nobody to be a figurehead, but this is the stuff of political compromise.

    It's also rather strange that an unelected figurehead gets paid so much... Or, given the state of the EU, perhaps not.

    European Union

    in Way Off-Topic

    Posted

    1. Turkey:

    I don't give a rat's rear what historical position Turkey has occupied. If we have to have a southeast frontier, and we do, then it should encompass a stable, dynamic, and forward moving country.

    Only one of these terms is meaningful, and that is "stable". I'd remind you that stability is enforced by a very oppressive regime, which also pushes total social uniformity in order to keep that stability. Do I need to bring up the Armenians?

     

    As for their somewhat questionable behaviour, does this mean we should eject Germany? Or for that matter Great Britain?

    6/10 for rhetoric, nil points for a total lack of argument.

     

    Having said this, I'd be an obvious hypocrite to deny there are challenges in the political culture, which I already pointed as an accustion at Italy.

    You seem to be ignoring the point that (a) there is a very different culture full stop, and (b) this presents a much greater challenge. Italy does not present nearly the same challenge. I also find it disingenuous to complain about Italy's governmental corruption when you consider how enormous the problem is in the EU.

     

    3. Not implementing EU laws

    Our infuriatingly snooty neighbours often ignore EU legislation, France on food, Italy on airlines, for example. Being generally law-abiding we don't. Moreover ridiculous laws undermine the respect for all laws.

    Erm, yes; that was rather my point. The EU slaps down universal and often in some regions unworkable laws, and demands they be followed; it wasn't so long ago Hungary was fined for not following sea-shipping laws.

     

    4. US relationship with Great Britain

    Firstly I prefer a commonwealth association as the primary relationship. Because the commonwealth have proven time and again that they will sacrifice for us.

    Have they? When? From the few times the Commonwealth seems to have done anything, it mostly seems to have asked for handouts. And those countries that have stood on their own we've not exactly been

     

    HOWEVER I find your denial of a link to the US jingoistic at best. The entire concept of the US owes as much to English political heritage as to the French revolution. And what of our common language? Do you seriously suggest Americans don't read/watch our films/listen to our songs? What about vice versa? Just because Republican administrations have a strange habit of treating us like a whipping boy does not diminish the genuine practical good feeling which exists.

    Do you honestly believe that treating us as a client state is a Republican phenomenon? Remind me, which party did James F. Byrnes belong to?

     

    America has no respect for any culture other than its own dubious imitation of one. Britain is a curio, that waxes and wanes in fashion, nothing more. Scratch beneath the surface and you'll find as much prejudice and half-truth as you could want mixed in with that amusement at our quaint, or "crazy" ways.

     

    And common language is irrelevant; we share a first language with India and Botswana, ffs. Are you going to argue for our proud shared heritage with them, too?

     

    Again, you haven't presented an argument; I make a point about politics, you make a rejoinder about American culture, language and history? Which is funny given that you

    don't give a rat's rear what historical position Turkey has occupied.

     

    Trying to have it both ways, it seems.

     

    6. What are democracies

    - I only recently started learning properly about ancient Rome. I'm not certain it ever was a functioning democracy if only because the exercise of law was privatised.

    You don't consider that the entire political class being, almost exclusively, aristocratic was a bar to the idea of democracy in the Roman Republic?

     

    - I believe the UK to be a democracy with its foundations in an ancient undemocratic elite. This latter point doesn't bother me because the only alternative would be to trade them inexorably for a different elite.

    Indeed, but looking at our political class, and yes, we do have one, is there really such a difference from Rome? Fewer games, it's true.

     

    - I doubt freedom is a post-industrial invention. Why should it be?

    If freedom depends on democracy (you claimed democracy was "essential"), then it must be a recent invention, or else one much deprecated between a (very) brief flourishing in Athens and the American and French revolutions. In Britain, democracy can't honestly be said to have existed before, at least 1832; 1867 would be a more realistic date to choose.

     

    Oh, and this quote limit is infuriating.

    European Union

    in Way Off-Topic

    Posted

    A few points; first, Turkey has never, geographically or culturally, been part of Europe, and trying to combine a radically different cultural heritage within Europe is a recipe for disaster, particularly given Turkey's record on a variety of subjects.

     

    Second, regardless of what the EU was envisioned as, it was sold to the UK as a free trade agreement. And what have we gained from greater federalisaton? What does it profit us? Switzerland manages perfectly well without EU membership.

     

    The EU costs the British taxpayer an enormous sum, and out of it we get legislation we weren't asked to vote on, which is sometimes incompatible with existing British legal structures and which sometimes even contravenes foundations of our own law. We have gained little from greater involvement in Europe, and it seems like we're the only country that tries to implement all this crap, large chunks of which is irrelevant and unhelpful.

     

    There are also serious questions, continually dismissed, about our sovereignty. We have no interest in being a 51st State, so why should we become part of a USE? Better to have kept our options more open.

     

    As a chauvinistic American, I love our Brit heritage and I want the crazy old UK to maintain its special relationship with the United States. There are neither permanent allies nor permanent enemies, but I do hope that we keep our British friends.

    1. It's not your history, it's ours. Get your own damn heritage.

    2. There is no special relationship, and some of us are sick to death of being run roughshod over by your foreign policy objectives.

    3. Crazy, like zany and wacky, is an epithet that belongs only to idiotic redheads in 50s sitcoms. No, thank you.

     

    Damn ungrateful Brits *shakes fist*. You can leave any time you want.

    If only we could. You seem to think we've been given a choice.

     

    Surely democracy is an essential pre-requisite of freedom? Just because people in democracies aren't free in their heads doesn't invalidate that, any more than the fact that many people with legs don't go jogging makes having legs irrelevant to going jogging.

    1. Was the Roman Republic a democracy?

    2. Is the UK a democracy?

    3. Is the EU in any way democratic?

    4. Is freedom a post-industrial invention?

     

    Think carefully about the answers.

    TV: SG:U

    in Way Off-Topic

    Posted

    I'm sure they'll find a cig & twinky planet just in time.

    This. It's Stargate, not Blake's 7; it's probably a part of the writing contract that they all must live happily ever after. :thumbsup:

    Britain's budget deficit

    in Way Off-Topic

    Posted

    I certainly feel as if my hands are bounded back and as if I'm trying to type with my nose in this low IQed semi banned state; on which my posts pop up here after ages I type them.

     

    That's interesting. If your hands are behind your back may I ask how you are conducting your inspections?

     

     

    I'm leaving the answer of this question to your imagination.

     

    I presume this means you've learned to touchtype?

    I thought this forum was rated 12....

    Just finished MOTB

    in Computer and Console

    Posted

    MotB was great. Although I've started the game slightly too many times now. It didn't run terribly well on my old laptop, so I'd start a game and not finish it a lot of the time, and while the opening is awesome, I can now recite most of the dialogue in my sleep.

     

    You people have the weirdest excuses.

     

    Obsidian community, I am disappoint :thumbsup:

     

    Suck the bone... to the marrow!

    Nunno, it's Bite of the bone, suck the marrow. Bite off the bone... SUCK THE MARROW! >_<

     

    Personally, I prefered the "eyes shut, eyes not..." line. Regardless, the Skein is one of the few times I've been genuinely unsettled by a game.

     

    MotB gets the official MC thumbs up. It has everything, love the Rashemen setting which sort of reminds me of Russia for some reason.

    It doesn't - quite - have a narcoleptic lich, though. Narcoliches ftw.

    Coin tosses aren't 50-50

    in Way Off-Topic

    Posted · Edited by Darth InSidious

    My dear boy, you don't EAT catholics! The constant guilt makes the meat bitter. :)

    Idiotically stupid 'jokes' ripped from Clinton Ditchkins' Smog Infusion, however, are certainly grounds for being eaten alive.

     

    How about for an encore you tell us about your money-grubbing Jewish neighbour, the terrorist Muslims who live down the street, or do your oh-so-hilarious Indian accent?

     

    Do say hello to Dr. Paisley when you see him.

    Allan the family wrecker

    in Way Off-Topic

    Posted

    Alan, your cousin sounds like an idiot, and a drippy one at that. Ignore her melodrama. Don't avoid family occasions, but if she's still in mid-tantrum the next time you see her, laugh in her face.

     

    It's the reaction childish attention-seeking like that deserves.

     

     

    By god I am really tired of being treated like a 5 year old by the language filter. I think it's time it went away.

    IIRC, this is what's called the S c u n t h o r p e Problem.

    How do RPG designers write quest plans?

    in Developers' Corner

    Posted

    For example, do they use flow charts or Excel or what?

     

    MS WERD + occasional flowcharts usually. Sometimes with a little photoshop/illustrator work over screenshots or drawings.

     

    You mean just write out the scenario and all actions as prose? That seems like it would be a huge pain for anything but the most linear of quests.

    OTOH, but if you were dealing with something with a fair amount of backdrop to it, or where the consequences could get quite involved, you might want more information than you could fit into a small box.

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