Monte Carlo

FIBUA training, 1991. Fifteen squaddies, one knackered Ford Sierra, absolutely no problem. Then we set fire to it, IIRC, or maybe that was just the tyres. Health and Safety wasn't an issue back then ::sigh::

44 Inch Chest I love Ray Winstone, but this is a self-indulgent crock of ****e that feels like a stage play shoe-horned into a movie. The only redeeming feature is Ian 'Deadwood' McShane's part as an ageing gay gangster. Don't waste your time, and why, Ray, why?

At the moment NK are holding Brazil to a draw.... WTF?

It's gaudy, it's baroque, it doesn't fit in with the immediate environment but if you dig it then that's great.

I think you've missed the point of the argument.

Re. Germany versus Oz. Watching the smuggest sporting nation on Earth getting their arses handed to them so clinically is, indeed, one of lifes small pleasures.

Pack Mules should be playable characters.

There is a view here that there isn't room for both an extremely exciting, world-class domestic league (i.e. The Premiership) and a world-class national side. Look how many of the top players in this tournament play in the English game... there is no way England can develop a deep and broad talent base in the same way Germany, Brazil or Spain can. Conversely, I am also persuaded that there is merit in the 'England are hopelessly overrated' argument too. :: shrugs :: The real world cup is next year, in New Zealand with an oval ball. England might not do much better, but that's rugby for you.

A V P leaves me cold. Because it always boils down to the same thing. Aliens? Cool. Predators? Neat. A V P? Yawn.

^ Point not found. When Obama finally slays the evil eco-defiling dragon of BP with his sword of self-righteousness, guess what? It won't have any money left to pay compensation or put right the long term legacy of this disaster. You don't have to like BP very much. The more I learn of it, the more appalled I am. Nonetheless, politics is about the stiletto, not the nail-encrusted baseball bat and the US president is showing none of the cool finesse for which he is allegedly known. Edit: As for the Prez summoning businessmen before him... Obama is the elected head of a democratic society, not Ming the Merciless. He's never run so much as a hotdog stand, let alone a multinational. Unless the federal government pays them, he shouldn't be able to order anybody to do anything. There was me thinking that this was one of the principles of freedom on which the USA was predicated.

I bet the game is more or less locked down. Remember the days when the forums opened at a point where your suggestions might actually, in a tiny way, influence something?

Of course, my blisteringly accurate prediction was largely correct, not that it took too much meta-knowledge of England's woeful team to achieve that. I took my wife and son for an agreeable dinner in an eerily empty London, a la 28 Days Later. We went home before the zombies staggered out of the pubs, as if they couldn't work out the likely result as easily as I did. Cheers MC

Oh, and keep an eye on Donovan (USA), my money is on him scoring today.

America boasts a capable football team (guys like Clint Dempsey are easily as good as the second tier Premiership England players in our squad). They will give England a run for their money. England 2010 is in a mess, and usually disappoint in the early stages of World Cup tournaments. No Rio Ferdinand, no palpable team spirit and an overpaid, underperforming squad. Only Rooney really shines but the traditional mid-field problems threaten to undermine him. I think a draw is on the cards, my football mentat friends suggest 2-1 to England as a good result.

Obama is playing a dangerous game - grind the profitability of a major multinational into the ground for short-term political advantage this November. BP employs more Americans than Brits. The British economy would be even more in peril if BP crashes. Britain is meant to be a pivotal ally of the US. Personally, if I were the British Prime Minister I'd be reading Obama his fortune and threatening to withdraw UK troops from the 'Stan. Of course, this is also Halliburton's mess, but that doesn't play as well with the anti-UK schtick the Obamamessiah is pushing, does it? Nobody is suggesting that BP is anything less than completely culpable. Yes, they should be made to put right everything that's gone wrong. But the public vilification for nakedly political reasons might make Naomi Klein swoon, but it shows how Obama is prepared to screw the economy of a friendly nation to feed his machine politician instincts. My extremely favourable view of the US is on hold until you get a new President. Yes you can!

Or a Returning Frost Dart.

^ +1

Don't impress the media, crazy fool. They get their copies for free. Impress the gamers - they have to pay.

^ it wasn't a bad guess.

^ Don't tell me, OK, but sadistic vampire aliens, using Bill Gates as their avatar, designed a new level for Pacman? Right? Riiighhhhtttt?

I think that until we know how story-based the game will be this is difficult to guess. DS is, I guess, primarily hack'n'slash and maybe the co-op play will differ slightly from the SP experience?

This is what I'm talking about, baby!

Al Gore, like, invented the internet. So if he wants to dig up bits of ice to convince me the world is melting then I'm all up for that.

^ Most CRPGs that are story-based with co-op will tend to have a protagonist (i.e. the host) who is the 'choosing character'. This is how the Infinity Engine games managed it, I don't play MMOs so maybe they have a different method.