Nonek

After watching the Romance of the Three Kingdoms 2010 it was quite a jolt going back to a non subtitled film, I think it also completely ruined Game of Thrones for me, the latter now appears small, prosaic and provincial in comparison.

For those wishing to experience a true classic in cinema I can truly recommend the following film, a touching study of oppression, racism and the expansionist zeal that drove the iron roads across America. The players and power mongers of this piece are truly villainous at times, but one has to ask oneself whether their amorality is warranted in a harsh, frontier where there is only so much law as there are steady hands and loose triggers? However the real heart of the film is the close bonds that developed beyween the railroad workers, their simple banter around the campfire, and the honest enjoyment they express while partaking in a simple meal. It always brings a tear to my eyes, and expresses a hearty bon homie that may charm even the most jaded heart: Cinema at its finest i'm sure you'll agree.

Finished Poe, beginning cogitations. I'm surprised that there is not a united review/feedback thread so that Obsidian can gather criticism and such.

Started a Wizard of Earthsea tonight, put on my Brian Blessed dramatic voice and read my little ones the first few chapters, they were absolutely gripped by the attack of the Kargish Raiders and the mist Sparrowhawk summoned forth. Think i'm on to a winner with this, thrilling, a touch scary for a little one, simple and yet possessing a certain nuance. Can't wait to describe the Dragon of Pendor and Ged's spell battle.

I've been wracking the old grey matter for hours on end, i've finally got it: Joss Whedon presents Battle of the Bulimic Bare-Knuckle Ballet Babe.

The young lady is going to absolutely ruin the tension on her bowstring while carrying it strung like that, and near throttle herself if she moves that sword quickly.

I was largely unsupervised as a child when it came to my fathers library, and though I may have read a few books at far too early an age, such as the Silmarillion, Lord Foul's Bane, a glut of Moorc*ck, and some of the more graphic Ancient Greek classics, I don't regret it one iota. Though my shortsightedness is a constant irritant that renders the world into a blur without my trusty spectacles, the worlds within my mind are bright and vivid as when I first read of them. I regard it as a fine foundation for a child, to hear of morality, philosophy and adventure that piques the intellect. Though I respect teachers as an undervalued profession, I believe that one must give them the right ingredients to mold, and half that work is done at home.

Rather depressing article, I want my children to excel personally. My little ones love the Sagas of Thor and Loki that i've been reading them (with a few minor edits,) the only problem is finding new material. I think I may soon broach A Wizard of Earthsea by LeGuin.

It can be, but we have a few situations that are more relevant at the moment, such as the SPJ thing and possibly a debate panel at a con. I'd much prefer to talk about that than getting into another circular argument with Bruce that clogs up several pages. Ooh i've not heard of this, Return of the Honey Badgers?

Yes but it's so funny. Edit: You're right I shouldn't troll like this, sorry.

No i'm not you halfwitted buffoon, and asking for ethical behaviour is now a new low? Honestly you'd know far more about paying for sex than me Bruce, I wouldn't think of intruding on your passtime. However to get back on track now that we have proven again that Mr Greyson commited ethical abuses, I hope you aren't going to lie about this again, every debate you make yourself look more and more ridiculous.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOYBWwmcXeg You heard it here first ladies and gentleman, cash payments and a sexual relationship between a journalist and their subject is both ethical and not worthy of any attention. You halfwitted buffoon.

Yeah I would expect this from you, much easier just to say things and not have to back them up Like your unproven assertion that Mr Grayson is innocent of any unethical behaviour? Please Bruce you can believe your own lies, as i'm sure they let you sleep at night, but don't expect any others to do so. A game journalist has a code of ethics to follow, he should not have a personal relationship of any kind with a game developer, never mind sleeping with one or paying for what follows. This is basic ethics, that can be confirmed by any ethics professor or anybody possessing a journalism degree. This should be simple to comprehend for a child or even you. Edit: I'm not surprised that I have to tell you this.

Ooh scolded for telling the truth by Bruce, such a moral authority. Do your own investigation hypocrite this is common knowledge, and i'll not waste my time on satisfying an abuser of womens tiny mind.

Try putting them in your mouth and not in your pockets? Edit: No in all seriousness I really do know what you mean, middle age spread is a thing, and i'm sadly resigned to the fact that my six pack is just not viable anymore. Crunches, reverse crunches and all of the other exercises just don't work like they used to.

Probably shamefully low, which is always disappointing. I do think that with the near total abandonment of the LibDems there does need to be a viable moderate party either forged from a redesigned LibDems, or launched as a new party, representing moderate and cautious good government: Sustainable economic policies, a clear renegotiation of our position in Europe so that we may plan for the future, a championing of our free speech and a rolling back of the surveillance led nanny state, and a focus on excellence in technology, science and innovation within our industries so that our manufacturing base can recover. i doubt this will happen however. Edit: With the SNP's ascendancy it could also be argued that the United Kingdom needs to be renegotiated, it's alright handing more self rule powers to the Scots, but similarly the Welsh and English needs to be represented equally. A number of self rule measures may actually make for a stronger union, with a viable future rather than the devolvement we are almost certainly heading towards.

Sleeping with a developer and making undisclosed cash payments to them is a clear conflict of interest for any game journalist, this is not to be argued by anybody with a grasp of ethics, and lying that it is not just makes the liar look like an indoctrinated loon. Of course you could then shift the goalposts when faced by this irrefutable truth, and say that a multi billion dollar industry does not warrant a media that is fit for purpose and ethical, but that is the statement of a halfwit. It's almost like the pathetic attempts to deny the gamers are dead articles were not a hateful attack on those whom play games recreationally, one really needs a vivid imagination to make this statement after reading their hateful and regressive content.

I was actually expecting UKIP to be wiped out far more convincingly in the general election, usually the public votes for them in by-elections as a protest and warning measure, and then abandons them when it matters, which really is quite a heartening reflection on the general public. However the millions of votes UKIP recieved in this election is a clear warning to all of the parties, and a break from tradition. Labour and the Tories should be wary of this, it is a sign of disillusionment in my opinion.

Mr Conan will be ripping the game apart on his Clueless Gamer thing apparently, should be good for a chuckle.

In one of the mnemonic poems of the Skalds Odin names himself as Thor when in Valhalla, while reciting his hundred or so names. Edit: There is some contentious debate that All of the Aesir were aspects of Allfather however, the Norse or Snorri really seemed to like their symbolism.

Anybody else always think the gentleman looks like an overgrown baby, with his innocent adolescents face and large round head? I do wonder when he's finally going to drop the pretense and simply make a film called, Attack of the Anorexic Kung Fu Girl, ever since I read that article the other day.

I'm not really sure IWD2 deserves all the bad reputation it gets. I'm not even sure where it comes from. Granted, the Infinity Engine did have a bunch of problems with the ruleset - the lack of sneak attacks essentially killed the rogue class now that every other class could invest in thieving skills as well. Combat was hard but never unfair, at least if you ignore the Iron Golems and those damnable Whisps in Fell Wood. Dialogues probably had the most reactivity to stats and classes in all of the IE games except PS:T. The (in?)arguably worst part of IWD2 was the Ice Temple. It was annoyingly huge, featured a boring ass host of puzzles (turn the dais, speak the passphrase and hey, shoot some lightning at mirrors, how wonderfully original) and of course the awesome battle squares, but afterwards it wasn't so bad. It's not like Icewind Dale didn't have its fair share of dungeons that went on a bit too long, like the entire Vale of Shadows and Kresselack's Tomb - entire zones filled by Yetis, Skeletons and a mummy or two, and once you went all the way to Kresselack and asked the probably most ridiculous question in a cRPG ever ("Are you the evil that plagues the Vale?", what, like, for real?) you had to go out and kill that priestess of Auril and haul your ass ALL the way back to Kresselack without any shortcut outside of cheats. *shrug* I really didn't mind the Vale of Shadows and its little crypts, it and Kresselack's tomb had an aweome soundtrack, the combat in the Black Wolf's lair was interesting and a good tactical and strategic challenge, and without the combat encounters it was quite easy to traverse and deal with the Aurilite. If Kresselacks tomb had had just a little more interactivity and reactivity (something sadly missing from most modern rpgs) i'd count it as one of the best dungeons of the IE games. I really thought the Black Wolf was going to be the returned spirit that had taken Wylfdane in the Heart of Winter, quite surprised when it was revealed as the Orm. Edit: I agree about the Ice Temple however in IWD2, though it was nice to see little Nate grown to manhood and referenced by the game. That was where the game headed downhill for me, there was absolutely no reason to leave the airship and wander around aimlessly grinding for experience, and to then meet the airship upon leaving the Mind Flayer layer was a frank slap in the face.

Yes, though it should be noted that unusually BG2's Underdark section was both interesting and involved, a real highlight of the game.

He's not really pro consumer, unfortunately. He did write the gamer's bill of rights but he then proceeded to ignore most of the things he wrote himself. He's a raging right winger who will alienate a lot of people if asked the wrong/ right questions. Which is the problem, really, with electing 'representatives'. They'll end up saying stuff as the voice of [movement] that a lot of people will disagree with. Same thing happened with Occupy and it drove a lot of their support away. Personally I don't see him, or whomever is chosen, as a representative of gamergate, more just an independent voice speaking upon behalf of those slandered. Still this warrants further investigation of the gentleman, much obliged.

It would be interesting to see a party embrace a new take on the current system of unsustainable financial affairs, however due to the city being our largest source of income (and more importantly to them) funding and advisory positions for retiring MP's, I can't see any politician having the integrity to do so. Just as it took a Mrs Thatcher to thrust the city into the dominant position it now enjoys, i fear that it will take a similar iron willed individual to break that power and reorganise affairs for a more equitable and sustainable society. I see no such candidate however, nor any bottom in the whole procession of clowns we see currently parading.