Gorth

'Time heals all wounds'... Speaking of which, I should try Dragon Age: Inquisition again (for the sixth time) and see if I can't motivate myself to at least make it out of the tutorial railroad track before putting it aside again. Unlike ME3 where the ending sucked, it's like in DA:I it's the beginning that sucks 🤔 At least I hope so. I better put it on my to-do list for when I finish/grow tired of my current batch of games (Monster Girl Island, Dungeon of Naheulbeuk, Nier: Replicant and the ubiquitous Guild Wars 2). Speaking of the latter if anyone here plays it, more than welcome to hit me up in game. Message me for in-game contact details.

You could argue that it was the first of two acts of international terrorism in New Zealand. The second being that deranged Aussie running amok with his guns, killing dozens of people. (with friends like these...)

Speaking of nuclear tests... that one time the French won a naval battle!

I'm sure many people have heard the horror stories about how the US tested nuclear weapons on their own "volunteer" soldiers, to see if their WW II steel helmets would protect against nuclear blasts or some similar nonsense, just to see how close to ground zero troops could survive. But they weren't the only ones. The French tested it almost exclusively on Polynesians (with a guest appearance of nukes in Algeria), no doubt the Soviets did similar back home in Mother Russia and while the UK didn't have the decency to test their nukes on some remote Yorkshire farm, they had other options. Send all their **** to Australia (just like they did a century before) https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-57157476 "When David Purse was sent to Australia, he thought it would be a "wild adventure" in a little-explored place. However, the RAF flight lieutenant's posting to a remote area called Maralinga was to test atomic weapons. Son Steve, 47, from Prestatyn in Denbighshire, puts his own "unique" condition down to "a rare genetic mutation" caused by radiation The Ministry of Defence said three large studies found no link between the tests and ill health." Yeah, right 🤦‍♂️ "In all, about 40,000 British personnel took part in the testing of atomic and hydrogen bombs in the 1950s and 1960s. Most were in the Pacific - the biggest being Operation Grapple, where about 22,000 people oversaw the exploding of bombs in 1957. Maralinga, in South Australia, saw the first test launches of atomic weapons from aircraft in 1962. "He was told at short notice and was looking forward to visiting a warm country, a relatively unexplained place, and having a wild adventure," Steve said of his father. However, he was "close enough to ground zero to see sand to turn to glass" during tests, with no protective equipment."

Those treacherous Danes... never trust them any farther than you can throw them ! https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57302806 "Denmark's secret service helped the US spy on European politicians including German Chancellor Angela Merkel from 2012 to 2014, Danish media report. The Defence Intelligence Service (FE) collaborated with the US National Security Agency (NSA) to gather information, according to a report by Danish broadcaster Danmarks Radio. Intelligence was collected on other officials from Germany, France, Sweden and Norway, according to the report. Similar allegations emerged in 2013."

Not just any great power. All great powers throughout history must eventually succumb to entropy (and this guy is happy then) (that's Coaxmetal from Planescape: Torment for the heathens that don't recognize him)

That has to be the most PG rated sex scene ever 😕

Latest purchases... Rogue Squadron (because I like my hotas stick), Dungeon of Nahelbeuk (sp?) and Nier: Replicant 1.22.... (because I love Nier: Automata). Regarding Nier... Kaine's swearing is just otherworldly bizarre 😂 But it runs smoothly without hiccups, which is a relief considering what I had heard about the PC port.

I played the demo for a while. It really looks like a complete game up until it ends if you want an impression @BruceVC It is too "cutesy" for my cynical old Danish self, but it a well made with a very high degree of spit and polish added to it. Right down to funny little remarks and conversations with just about anything you would expect would be able to have a conversation. I.e. talk to the towns people, not the road signs (although you can read those).

Poor Melbourne. Headed into total lockdown again for an unknown time. This time a somewhat severe outbreak with a still unknown number of people affected. All starting with a returning international traveler that brought "gifts" from abroad. He spent the mandatory two weeks in hotel quarantine in Adelaide and tested negative before leaving. Yet 5 days after that (last time I read it) started developing symptoms and tested positive. In the meantime, he had been all over Melbourne infecting a number of people. Didn't help that contact tracers messed up badly by announcing the wrong grocery store as a possible infectious spot (as they forgot that particular area had two grocery stores from the same chain) and didn't start tracking people who had visited the correct store until way later... Edit: this is from before the weekend: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-27/victoria-covid-cases-melbourne-outbreak-lockdown-restrictions/100169172 "The state's outbreak has now reached 26 cases, with 11 new cases recorded from Wednesday to Thursday. Around 14,000 Victorians are either required to quarantine for 14 days, or test and isolate until negative. One of the cases was in hospital on a ventilator, but it is understood they were moved out of intensive care on Thursday night."

I remember 'Canardo' from way back in my younger years, as it was one of those comics that got translated to Danish. RIP Sokal 😔

Maybe put this in the obituary thread too if not already there? I don’t know if I’m the only GW2 player around here, but if anyone is interested in trying it out, Arenanet is currently offering the first episodes of “The living world season 2” for free if people log in for the time being. This is also for “free to play” players (players who haven’t bought either expansion) edit: this is part of a campaign as preparation for the upcoming third expansion

Wont violate his own mandates and eat indoor... yeah right

https://www.bbc.com/reel/video/p09jq1sy/how-close-are-we-to-driving-flying-cars-

True. And the peaceful use of nuclear power has caused almost as much death and destruction as Hiroshima and Nagasaki. But ask yourself, who is running the facilities and what could their motivations be for running them? Could be dual purpose. Same as Iran and it's nuclear power project, also a dual purpose endeavor, energy and nuclear weapons. What doesn't help is the complete denial and shutdown of any attempt at allowing independent verification of their claims. It could be like Iraq back in the day, they really didn't have chemical weapons, but short of invading and digging up every possible site (and looking stupid with your hands empty), the complete lack of trust in the Beijing government means they will never get the benefit of the doubt. I suspect dual purposes were the case, but since senior UN personal was not allowed anywhere near the facilities, I obvious know even less facts. For someone with nothing to hide, they sure put a *lot* of effort into hiding it.

Well, yes and no. More about calling them out on it and holding them accountable for the allegorical playing with fire when doing biological weapon research. As much as they were mortal enemies at some point, even the Soviets and the US *eventually* realized the same as my old training officers in the civil defense, if you thought chemical and nuclear warfare was bad, it's nothing compared to biological warfare. The only component of 'abc' (atomic, biological and chemical) there was no provision for in the training, because, the 'b' type warfare means we're all ****ed, friend and foe, nothing you can do to protect a population in any way. I know the Soviets and the US never fully dismantled their biological weapon research, but they kept it low profile in the big picture.

Don't underestimate the PR damage and the propaganda value. Both are currencies that means a lot to the Beijing leadership and countries have been "preemptively" bombed before when doing things that poses a significant threat, whether nuclear or chemical weapons. Only few countries in the world have biological weapon capability (China and the US being two of them). I don't think Russia and the US would nuke Wuhan or similar if they locate more of those bio weapon facilities, but as said, don't underestimate XI going all apoplectic and red faced (complete with sweat drops and burst veins) if it comes out that China was just being careless with one of their test subjects. Not to mention the lawsuits and compensation claims they would subject to (not that they would pay, but Xi is a nationalist and ridiculing his country is something he reacts very badly to)

One of the few conspiracy theories I probably would buy. Ok, maybe not outright, but would definitely like to know more about. I remember all the humorous pictures of that level 4 "institute of virology" with the Umbrella Corporation logo. No kidding, the same as the company that made the zombie virus in Resident Evil, making you wonder where the game developers got their inspiration from??? The Wuhan lab was only one of the planned five to seven similar labs throughout China. I do remember my very first thought in late 2019 was "Oh no, they didn't!" (and cursing the usual sloppy quality assurance on all things Made in China) when reading about a dangerous virus escaping from the city from the Umbrella Corporation memes. Still could just be a bat with Dracula ambitions... let's make the humans miserable. edit: Maybe Biden reads Washington Post too? 🤔 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-57260009 "US President Joe Biden has ordered intelligence agencies to investigate the emergence of Covid-19, amid growing controversy about the virus's origins."

Bought two games recently on steam. Nier: Replicant for the depressing stuff and Dungeon of Naheulbeuk (no idea how to pronounce it, it's based on a French comic series) for the more lighthearted stuff

I'm weak. I bought it. I guess I'm going to be playing it tonight... "A parody with deep rpg mechanics"

Not playing it yet... just sitting and watching the videos and reviews for Dungeon of Naheubeuk. Undecided as of yet. It looks like the kind of satire that is just up my alley. After all, I did like Grotesque Tactics 2 Dungeons and Donuts.

Still waiting for the Fallout'sque "Fusion Cell"

They don't. That's why the Danish government is footing 2/3 of the budget for Greenland. The Faroe Islands were considering full independence a few years ago... until they realized that if they declared themselves independent, Denmark would no longer pay their bills for them (why would one sovereign country pay all the expenses of another sovereign country?), so they agreed that independence could probably wait a century or two 😁

I always wanted to flee to Mauritius for some reason. It looks so pretty out there all by itself in the ocean 🌴 @BruceVCGreenland is an autonomous area, leaving mostly defense and foreign relations to Denmark to administer. Hypothetical solution, Denmark wants to go all "Australian" in their immigration policy, they could probably strike a deal with Greenland similar to what Australia has with Papua New Guinea. Edit: For those curious about Greenland, from the internet: "Greenland is the world's largest island and an autonomous Danish dependent territory with limited self-government and its own parliament. Denmark contributes two thirds of Greenland's budget revenue, the rest coming mainly from fishing" Mostly, they just mind their own business these days, supported by Denmark (probably also feeling a bit of guilt about how the land and the Inuits were treated in the past)

Refugees? No. Kidnapped young virgins fresh from a raid? Yes