Colrom

FYI, here is some info on the influenza pandemic and WW I: "In the spring of 1918 large numbers of soldiers in the trenches in France became ill. The soldiers complained of a sore throat, headaches and a loss of appetite. Although it appeared to be highly infectious, recovery was rapid and doctors gave it the name of 'three-day fever'. At first doctors were unable to identify the illness but eventually they decided it was a new strain of influenza. The soldiers gave it the name Spanish Flu but there is no evidence that it really did originate from that country. In fact, in Spain they called it French Flu. Others claimed that the disease started in the Middle Eastern battlefields, whereas others blamed it on China and India. A recent study argued that the disease was brought to the Western Front by a group of USA soldiers from Kansas. For the next few months soldiers continued to be infected with the virus but there were very few fatalities. However, in the summer of 1918, symptoms became much more severe. About a fifth of the victims developed bronchial pneumonia or septicemic blood poisoning. A large percentage of these men died. Others developed heliotrope cyanosis. Doctors were able to identify this by the bluish condition of the sufferer. Over 95% of those with heliotrope cyanosis died within a few days. This second-wave of the epidemic spread quickly. In one sector of the Western Front over 70,000 American troops were hospitalised and nearly one third of these men died failed to recover. By the end of the summer the virus had reached the German Army. The virus created serious problems for the German military leadership as they found it impossible to replace their sick and dying soldiers. The infection had already reached Germany and over 400,000 civilians died of the disease in 1918. The first cases of the influenza epidemic in Britain appeared in Glasgow in May, 1918. It soon spread to other towns and cities and during the next few months the virus killed 228,000 people in Britain. This was the highest mortality rate for any epidemic since the outbreak of cholera in 1849."

Following up on the aside - I don't see right or even benefit from invading other peoples countries and killing their people to prevent them from having the government they prefer just because that government is Communist/Socialist. Should Europeans watch what they're about with socialism and such lest we get worried and decide to become more "over there" than we already are? Regarding WW I - Americas involvement also brought the seeds of the influenza epidemic. Perhaps that had a greater impact than many history books acknowledge.

I agree with Di on this about 110%.

I wish that "doing everything right" was a foolproof guarantee of pleasing results. Think of the power! We would be gods! I have found that winning gamblers often credit their "system" rather than their luck while losing gamblers often blame their luck rather than their system.

And then at the bitter end of it all, after trading it out for a few years, and after spending a bundle on 50,000 speakers to wander around America talking up the need for America to join the war and make some real money - JP Morgan takes a well deserved break and lets the Woodrow Wilson and the US congress make the decision to send the boys over there!

I'm fairly sure you can. Not when you are in movie-style dialogue of course, but otherwise the scroll wheel on the mouse works just fine iirc. Ah. Maybe. I'll check it out and let you know. Nope. My scroll wheel makes the camera move in and out - even when I'm in dialog. Maybe you have it configured differently?

I'm fairly sure you can. Not when you are in movie-style dialogue of course, but otherwise the scroll wheel on the mouse works just fine iirc. Ah. Maybe. I'll check it out and let you know.

Pop, maybe you don't understand the dialog complaint. Long dialogs are not a problem. I like lots of dialog and long dialogs. Torment was fine. Bring it on! No-escape-decide-the-fate-of-the-world-now-no-you-can't-review-the-options-trap-dialogs are a problem. Think of the decision at the gate. It may not really be that important but you don't know that when you have to make a decision and can't remember that long dialog. Long dialogs that trap you so that you cannot either review the earlier parts of the dialog (you can't use that record screen of actions and dialog and stuff which is on the left side when are in dialog) or say "Hey, wait a minute, lets go over that bit about the deadly killer enemy behind door 21 or 12 or whatever that number was once more. I do't think I quite got all the important facts - like what whether the number on that door was 21 or 12 - the first time around." and then expect you to make important decisions while still in the same dialog - they are a problem. I hate memory checks. Sometimes my wife decides to talk to me about taking out the garbage or tells me dinner will be ready in five minutes or my dog decides he wants to play ball or my son calls or something right in the middle and I can't remember every thing when I get back to it. All that is necessary is a choice at the decision point that says "Now that I see where this was all going Lets go over your comments again before I make my decision."

He meant to say "heartfelt appologies". Obsidian is doing good work. The influence system is working well - better all the time. The stories are improving.

Oh yeah, I really liked the distinction between easy healing and very difficult curing that the spirit hunger mechanic/plot provided.

I finished a couple of days ago. Played as an asimar palidan. Started at level 20 from the original campaign. Since I started with a strong character the combats were generally easy throughout. That's how I like it. I dislike really restarting over and over because I can't beat a boss. No problems with hunger. I satiated once and helped the dead to rest alot. I did clean out too many dead at one point so that they were in short supply. But it wasn't a big problem since there were places to find them. But if the game had gone on much longer I might used them all up and had a problem. Adding pluses to weapons was a breeze. The story was really fine. At the end I was eager to go on another crusade. Criticisms. The camera control was still crap. Somebody please push me out the doors! This wasn't the planes, so why is the garbage man level 20? And he is well equipped - perhaps because he regularly finds 1500 gold pieces or so in the garbage he collects. Nobody minded my picking the garbage too, so I sucked up some nice cash that way myself. Did almost as well digging in dirt piles in the Shadow world. Could't find much to buy in spells. You would think some of those witches would have had a good supply but they didn't. Too bad arrows and bows and stuff can't be enhanced. I hate those long conversations that go on and on - and then require a decision between choices - and, damn, I forgot to take notes - and now I can't remember half the important facts - because I was given no clue I was going to have to make a critical choice - and not be able to review the facts. Why can't I make the map bigger or smaller? The little map in the top left is pretty useless. More redundancy about the riddle would have been nice. I know there was alot. But even more would have been even better. The shadow world was too empty.

Taks said: "yes, btw, tale, most journals do have a profit motive which can clearly affect their objectivity, though i do not think it fair to condemn them all as a result. there are also many scientists that are afraid to speak their minds (i personally am in contact with two competent statisticians/signal processing experts that refuse to divulge their names for fear of losing their jobs) because of the political climate surrounding, well, the climate..." I don't understand. Have they done something - anything? Have they said something to somebody - anything? Let then do something and say something and then they can be afraid. And then it will be too late and you will be able to quote them!

By the way, the percentage change in the CO2 concentration over the last few centuries or so is much much much greater than the percentage change in the temperature over that same time frame (lets use centigrade or kelvin temperatures). Before that the CO2 concentration was nearly constant. This of course is not suprising since the earth is kinda large. But it does make the whole idea of the temperature change leading the CO2 concentration seem like a strange joke from another universe. Of course they really don't mean that do they? But then why don't they say what they mean and not try to play with the heads of people who arn't scientists. It's not nice to fool with mother nature! or decent people who would just like some straight info! for a change! maybe just this one time!

Here's the executive summary of the UN IPCC report: http://www.aaas.org/news/press_room/climat...h_spm2feb07.pdf There are lots of pretty pictures. Some pictures show CO2 ice sample results. Others show a variety of global temperatures. Model predictions are also given. Some of the scientists involved complained that the report was toned down somewhat under political pressure.

The thing to do, in these cases is to read the peer reviewed papers - not the web publications and the press releases and all that stuff - the peer reviewed papers. As far as I have been able to tell and also those other folks who have actually done analysis of the data and been reviewed by experts and been given awards, those who sneer at the global warming models and predictions are wrong and the popular mischaracterizations and misinterpretations of the data and the science are flawed in a variety of ways - in some cases willfully wrong. The thing to do is fire somebody who makes too many mistakes - and anybody who makes willful errors. Us Physicists and such need to think smartly or go into other areas of work. Maybe politics?

Is it possible that the path lengths (geodesic distances) are different because of the mass differences? Just a thought.

I recently finished Fallout 1 again (3rd or 4th time). Then started Fallout 2 again but got disgusted with the campy dialog and bathroom humor again and stopped. I think I have played that one through twice and that is enough for me. Then went to NW2 again. This time with an Asamar Palidan. It is going well. Am near the end. Next time I will play calculating evil if possible.

What the heck is a "CIA game"? Maybe you trade spices or something and collect info on political players and organized crime personalities and make contacts and trade in guns and drugs and launder money and information and spread misinformation and such stuff? Or something else? Sounds boring.

I feel so ashamed. I can't stop myself! Over the Hills A version of the lyrics by George Farquhar for his play The Recruiting Officer from 1706. Our 'prentice Tom may now refuse To wipe his scoundrel Master's Shoes, For now he's free to sing and play Over the Hills and far away. Over the Hills and O'er the Main, To Flanders, Portugal and Spain, The queen commands and we'll obey Over the Hills and far away. We all shall lead more happy lives By getting rid of brats and wives That scold and bawl both night and day - Over the Hills and far away. Over the Hills and O'er the Main, To Flanders, Portugal and Spain, The queen commands and we'll obey Over the Hills and far away. Courage, boys, 'tis one to ten, But we return all gentlemen All gentlemen as well as they, Over the hills and far away. Over the Hills and O'er the Main, To Flanders, Portugal and Spain, The queen commands and we'll obey Over the Hills and far away.

This is the last Disabled by Wilfred Owen He sat in a wheeled chair, waiting for dark, And shivered in his ghastly suit of grey, Legless, sewn short at elbow. Through the park Voices of boys rang saddening like a hymn, Voices of play and pleasure after day, Till gathering sleep had mothered them from him. About this time Town used to swing so gay When glow-lamps budded in the light-blue trees And girls glanced lovelier as the air grew dim, - In the old times, before he threw away his knees. Now he will never feel again how slim Girls' waists are, or how warm their subtle hands, All of them touch him like some queer disease. There was an artist silly for his face, For it was younger than his youth, last year. Now he is old; his back will never brace; He's lost his colour very far from here, Poured it down shell-holes till the veins ran dry, And half his lifetime lapsed in the hot race, And leap of purple spurted from his thigh. One time he liked a bloodsmear down his leg, After the matches carried shoulder-high. It was after football, when he'd drunk a peg, He thought he'd better join. He wonders why... Someone had said he'd look a god in kilts. Start here> That's why; and maybe, too, to please his Meg, Aye, that was it, to please the giddy jilts, He asked to join. He didn't have to beg; Smiling they wrote his lie; aged nineteen years. Germans he scarcely thought of; and no fears Of Fear came yet. He thought of jewelled hilts For daggers in plaid socks; of smart salutes; And care of arms; and leave; and pay arrears; Esprit de corps; and hints for young recruits. And soon, he was drafted out with drums and cheers. Stop here> Some cheered him home, but not as crowds cheer Goal. Only a solemn man who brought him fruits Thanked him; and then inquired about his soul. Now, he will spend a few sick years in Institutes, And do what things the rules consider wise, And take whatever pity they may dole. To-night he noticed how the women's eyes Passed from him to the strong men that were whole. How cold and late it is! Why don't they come And put him into bed? Why don't they come? Wilfred Owen

Trees Joyce Kilmer. 1886

The Land of Counterpane by Robert Louis Stevenson When I was sick and lay a-bed, I had two pillows at my head, And all my toys beside me lay, To keep me happy all the day. And sometimes for an hour or so I watched my leaden soldiers go, With different uniforms and drills, Among the bed-clothes, through the hills; And sometimes sent my ships in fleets All up and down among the sheets; Or brought my trees and houses out, And planted cities all about. I was the giant great and still That sits upon the pillow-hill, And sees before him, dale and plain, The pleasant land of counterpane.

Er... like I say, The Onion is very funny. My favourite point-counterpoint: Point: Blowing wheelchair bound old men up with helicopter launched missiles is OK as long as they're terrorists. Counterpoint: Blowing wheelchair bound old men up with helicopter launched missiles is awesome. Well, the truth always comes out eventually - sometimes as a joke. Could it be that you guys really like killing? Maybe all you want are good excuses and socially acceptable targets for the show? I know what the warrior culture take is on these types of issues. Murder is justified by it's success. Peace through victory. Etc. What is the Christian take?

QQ In MotB I find myself having to play combat much like Baldur's Gate 2, Throne of Bhaal, and Icewind Dale II. I'm not saying that the combat is exactly like the Infinity Engine games but with addition of epic levels, the modified resting and gameplay rules makes the combat portion of MotB much more engaging and interesting than the OC. These additions, including some of the other UI and camera changes, makes MotB play much like the legendary Bioware/BIS games. For the majority of the fights I have to think about what I'm doing or else a party wipe is imminent. I told Josh the game was too hard. He didn't listen - which is probably a good thing for you guys, because I haven't graduated from out of the Nubtorian Guard of Noobsville yet. -Brennecke He should have listened. The number one reason for me not playing (and not buying) certain games is because I find them too difficult at key points and would rather just pass on the frustration. Of course, it may be that you guys have come up with a simple difficulty slider which nerfs the enemies in some reasonable way (a way that does not remove tactical fun). In that case, all that is required is consistency so that noobs don't need to be twirling the dial all the time.