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A Thread for Random Musings


Old Man

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Re: A Thread for Random Musings

 

So, I type up a musing earlier, and I post it. But I end up getting a message saying that my token expired and it couldn't post. It tells me to go back and refresh the previous page. So I go back and my text is gone. I go forward and it tells me it has to resend the data, but I get the same error. So Firefox has my message, but I can't get at it, and the forum won't post it.

 

Crap.

 

Doc

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Re: A Thread for Random Dreamings.

 

Archermoo, I don't know why my subconscious mind picked you for a superhero, but in my dreams you have a nation's gratitude and the President wants to give you a medal.

 

Maybe it's the avatar.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Alas, there was no palindromedary in the dream.

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Re: A Thread for Random Musings

 

The whole "We can't acomplish anything" / "The best we can hope for is basic survival" meme in modern Sci Fi and comics is pathetic. Yes, the UK lost its empire. Yes, the American Empire is in decline. Yes, the Western standard of living may be at risk as globalization takes hold. So the frack what? Sci Fi managed to tell stories of adventure and hope (and horror and despair) in the middle of two world wars and the Great Depression. It managed stories that inspired in the 1950s, 60s and 70s, times we get misty eyed and nostalgic about now but that were actually every bit as grim as our times now, or grimmer.

 

But no, we have to roll about whinging pathetically in our fantasy lives now, with "heroes" who can barely survive, let alone win the day. We've mistaken weak and damaged character for moral complexity, and self pity for insight.

 

I take comfort in the knowledge that not all that's being produced now is pure crap, but the percentages are not making me happy.

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Re: A Thread for Random Musings

 

Attention ! Attention !

 

All long term Forum posters !

 

Eliza Dushku is in the latest British copy of FHM, and on the cover, in black underwear. She looks good.

 

That is all.

 

I cannot link to their site in work so either find a copy or go looking before you go asking me anything.

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Re: A Thread for Random Musings

 

Took my lovely bunneh wife to a Shakespeare play last night. Much Ado About Nothing, which is one of her favorites. Excellent show. They had the whole audience rolling in the aisles, and the play is chock full of great "Oh no you din't!" moments. Despite having rained buckets all day long, the sky cleared up and we had pleasant (if a bit cold) weather for the show. We saw Hamlet last week, and it was a good production as well.

 

If you have the means and the opportunity, I highly recommend visiting the Colorado Shakespeare Festival. It runs every summer, and is one of the top rated festivals in the country. The outdoor venue is practically magical. Practically? No, I take that back. It is magical.

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Re: A Thread for Random Musings

 

On learning languages...

 

/warning: gross generalizations ahead...

 

English speakers figure if they can grasp your essential point you are doing fine even if you are butchering the language. Overall they leave you to your own devices: its not their job. They do not hinder, but they are too polite to help. Anglos are a mixed bag.

 

German speakers are forebearing when you butcher their language and seem pleased you have tried to pick it up. If the acquaintance is more than passing you will receive ad hoc informal tutoring when you error. Its done with an odd mix of german frankness and civil delicacy. Germans are helpful and often encouraging.

 

French speakers are rigid and become huffy when you butcher their language. They come off as annoyedly perplexed over how many deaf-mutes have managed to bluder into Paris since 1871. They tend to switch immediately to English (if they speak it) and act offended that you didn't try that first. Of course they speak English you American twit! You, however, will never speak French. Decidedly unhelpful.

 

Israelis assume you will learn Hebrew because its easy! After all, they speak it, don't they? And they sincerely encourage you to learn. However, as soon as you make a mistake, or even if you are fluent but have a thick accent, many of them will switch immediately to English. This is not because they are huffy. Its because: 1) they want to practice their English and can't be bothered to waste time on your Hebrew (after all, its soooo easy, go do it yourself!), and 2) because they have a fetish for pragmatism. If you want to learn hebrew you have to doggedly insist on using even if it drives them to distraction. Only then will they relent and start helping you. But be warned: once they do start helping, if you can call it that, they correct everything in typical brusque Israeli style and don't focus on what will prove most productive. This is only helpful if you have rawhide for skin. Israelis are a mixed bag if you have a no pain no gain philosophy. Otherwise: shizoidly unhelpful.

/none of this applies to professional instructors, of course.

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Re: A Thread for Random Musings

 

I have to admit I both hate and enjoy my job at the same time.

 

I like the challenge of the work, and many of the people I work with, but I can't stand the company or the 12 hour swing shift.

 

62569.strip.sunday.gif

 

says alot about how Manpower treats us.

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Re: A Thread for Random Musings

 

I took my daughters (6 and 8) to have their first movie theater experience today. We ended up seeing Despereaux. It was dubbed, but dubbed very well. I probably related to it better in Hebrew than I would have in English. More hamish. And there's something about it that lends itself well to kids stuff (not so much to Tarantino...). Anyways Bati (6) was funny. Abigail liked it. Bat-Sheva was terrified at first and wept a lot. It was scaaaary!!!! Wifey kept trying to comfort her and gave me this "maybe we should leave" look. Bat-Sheva and I had the following dialog:

 

Me, conspiratorial: "Hey, Bat-Sheva."

Bati, froward: "What?!"

Me: "Don't worry. Despereaux will win in the end."

Bati, petulent: "No he won't!"

Me, big secret time: "Yes he will. Do you know why?"

Bati, suspicious: "Why?"

Me, dead serious: "Despereaux is Batman."

Bati, shocked: "He's Batman?"

Me: "Yes. He's Batman."

Bati, totally convinced: "Oh."

Bati comforts Wifey: "Don't worry, Despehrrro will win in the end."

Wifey: "Oh?"

The Prophet Bati: "He's Batman."

 

From Bati's perspective this is the divine will expressed in nature: do not mess with Batman. He will win. You will regret it.

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Guest Worldmaker

Re: A Thread for Random Musings

 

Never live smack dab in the middle of a heavily touristed area unless you are willing to deal politely with the tourists, the problems the presence of the tourists create (higher prices, more congested traffic, and so on) and the fact that all local businesses cater to them and not you, the local who lives amongst them.

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Re: A Thread for Random Musings

 

I am very depressed about the impending release of 6th Edition. Finally after all of these years Hero is going to start using color books (Book of the Machine and the 6th previews look great), but at the same time the game I love is being butchered. I keep trying to be positive about it but the more previews I read the more I find myself disliking the new edition. It is almost, but not quite, as bad as the Fusion fiascio in the pre DOJ years.

 

Tweaking of rules here and there might have been OK but many of the things I liked are the ones being cut or changed (figured characteristics, DEX based CV, EGO based ECV, etc). It is very annoying. I keep thinking that I will buy a copy of 6th just so I can look it over and confirm my fears and also to make it easier to convert 6th Edition posts back to 5ER. But I really loath the idea of spending money that will support a game I oppose. I guess buying just the PDF would be more economical. Since I have all of the 5ER books I won't have to waste money on any 6th supplements, I have enough data to run any setting at any time in 5ER.

 

I also worry that the flood of 5ER ideas and posts will rapidly decline and that I will start having little reason to visit the Hero Forums anymore. Perhaps there will be a thread or two covering how to convert between 5ER and 6th so that I can manage the conversion without having to buy more books. I hope that there will still be threads and and discussion between those of us who choose to stick with 5ER. Previous editions have not been nearly so much of a re-work as this version seems to be (except the aformentioned Fusion fiasco). I mourn for the game I have played since my youth.

 

Sorry this has not been a positive post. I just felt I had to vent.

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