She said she was one of the few babes who didn't cut up the provided clothes to be sexier and I guess get more photo ops. It's pretty funny since a friend of mine hates her normal, um, lack of modesty in dress, so we were both thinking she would have gone to town on it.
She had much more of a natural look than the booth babes I've seen in pictures. Curiously enough I felt she was much more attractive than the women who actually got photographed, but, well, that might have to do with her personality and 10,000 watt smile more than her looks. Not that the latter were deficient, you understand, but it's that personality that keeps me coming back for more.
Oh, be sure that all the facts presented to you are spun with a ferocious velocity.
First, how rich is "rich"? The "top 20%" of earners is a whole lot of people. We're not talking about millionaires here.
Second, it's hard to have a significant tax cut without giving some to the higher earners. They pay almost all the taxes, after all.
Third, the Death Tax is designed to drain away the fortunes of the inherited wealthy. (Generation after generation). Doesn't jive with the Republicans-help-the-rich mantra, does it?
> Japan really doesn't have a casual Joe Gamer, thus they don't really release "casual games".
This is lunacy. What about all those laid-back dating sims, farming games, and the like. Almost all rehashes, mind you. The actual innovative games (like Pikmin) don't tend to sell well over there.
> Most, if not all, Japanese games are deep, engrossing, and masterpieces in their own right.
The story is, bar none, the worst aspect of any Metal Gear Solid game. Poorly written, convoluted, full of cliches, and just plain awful. Now mix that with a heavy dose of preachy anti-war and anti-nuclear garbage (as opposed to a non-preachy and non-garbage argument).
The only good thing about the MGS series' story was that the cutscenes (not the codecs) were well-directed. Everything else about it clashed horribly with the generally good gameplay.
Iraq? Saddam's government is gone. Never coming back. You can say anything you want about the occupation, but we certainly won the war phase. Quickly and decisively.
Vietnam was botched, but it also ended up as a victory. South Vietnam lost by itself a few years later because we didn't give it financial aid (like the Soviets were funding the North).
Sense a pattern? We can only "lose" a war via politics. The actual fighting and killing is a breeze. Thankfully, the rebuilding of North Korea would be done by South Korea.
I don't think much would happen, but don't expect it to sell well or anything. It'd probably be too obscure to get any groups protesting it. I mean, how could you guys react to some game where you had to fight against (or play as) some Quebecois terrorist group?
You asked a loaded question anyway. The United States, no matter what you read in your local papers, is not close to becoming some kind of tyranny. Our various freedoms are still on par with, or better than, the rest of the Western world.
And look at our current policital climate. Heated, loud, and raucus, right? Keeps the populace awake. If I were you, I'd be more worried about dozing my way into tyranny.
If someone is making an ass out of himself in a public forum, I have the right (freedom of speech) to tell him to shut up. Just as he has the right to ignore me and whine about how I shouldn't be exercising my freedom of speech in that way.
Fascism is when the government forces you to be silent. I am not the government, nor am I forcing you.
I'm afraid the US track record shows a desire to prevent any new US-like countries from emerging. There are other, more worthy desires there - but don't ignore this one.
That's a very specious argument. Why on earth would the United States not want any new Capitalist Democratic Republics showing up? They're more stable, more sane, and would probably be great to do business with.
Oh just great. You forgot to close your robotic voice tag and now the rest of the thread sounds like that. Thanks a lot, buddy.
Re:Haliburton's burned hallowed hurtin' ballads
on
Linux in Iraq
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· Score: 1
That post isn't funny, it's a troll. Very few contracts are handed out on a no-bid basis, and that's only for certain emergency services where there is no time for a 3-4 month bidding process.
Halliburton, for instance, won their current no-bid contract years ago during the Clinton administration. Read more here: The Halliburton smear
Yeah, Ubisoft seems like a pretty cool company. But just so you know, like most big corporations today, they've got offices all over the world.
I sincerely hope that the French government doesn't try to strangle their games industry like they did their movie industry. But if they do, it's good to know that Ubisoft could easily shut down or move their France-based offices.
1) Historically speaking, non-aligned foreign fighters have always been treated more poorly than regular POW's. There is some honest debate as to whether a non-aligned, sneaking terrorist deserves the same rights as an army regular. But I don't necessarily agree with how far the current U.S. administration has taken this idea. (Though I suspect I might have stronger feelings about it if I were a soldier.)
The U.S. splits hairs when it comes to the Geneva Convention, but so does everyone else from what I hear. (Tip: Don't end up in a French prison;-)
2) I still maintain that few (no?) other countries have the equivalent of the U.S. Bill of Rights. There is a subtle-but-important distinction. You mention that UK law grants some rights to its citizens. But the Bill of Rights does not grant any rights.
Really, see for yourself. It's a Bill of Restrictions -- restrictions on the government. It works off the assumption that people innately have rights, and then ennumerates how the government can or cannot infringe on them. This is exemplified by #10 on the list.
> 2. Japan's business climate is still exclusionary and very difficult for foreigners to navigate.
I agree that that used to be true, but not anymore IMHO. For instance, Romance of the Three Kingdoms hasn't changed too much in the last couple iterations.
What part of "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances." don't they understand?
Uh, that's from the United States Bill of Rights. Most other countries don't have a similar document.
This news item should come as no surprise to anyone following the European Union. They seem to have, unfortunately, developed a fetish for bureaucracy and a strong fear of 'offending' anyone. There have been many instances, in Britain and France for example, where honest discussion about religion and terrorism has been censored as "hate speech."
To answer your question, I think gamers would want to buy artbooks from games they've enjoyed. You know, kinda like buying the soundtrack to a movie. They aren't inclined to buy artbooks generally, and perhaps not even that often for popular games (I am bereft of sales figures).
Regardless, one should only consider publishing an artbook if: A) The game (or series) is popular. B) The art is good, and you have drafts from multiple stages. C) The book in question is laid out nicely. I can't emphasize this enough. Not just page layout, but having the book divided into proper sections or categories. (People, ships, landscapes, etc.)
Looking at your links, your artwork is very, very nice, and I've been meaning to try out Ferion for a while. But unless the game sells like gangbusters, or you can get affordable small-scale printing done (like from a print-on-demand place) I wouldn't bother with a physical book.
A couple of centuries ago, people would classify witches as non-fictional.
So, in a couple decades, we'll discover that Communism never existed? And that the Soviet gulag, China's "Great Leap Forward", and North Korea's murderous regime -- were just old wives tales?
Thank goodness! Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to the top of the World Trade Center and overlook the city.
Every generation has a group to hate/fear. Hundreds of years ago it was witches. Our parents' generation feared the communists, and now we have the terrorists.
So, you're equating witches (fictional) with the communist threat (non-fictional) and terrorists (non-fictional)?
You're getting your tactics mixed up. Some are OK by the Geneva Convention, some are not.
Sexual humiliation -- Not OK.
Sleep deprivation -- OK.
Violent beatings -- Not OK.
*Threat* of beatings -- OK.
Causing pain -- Not OK.
Witholding pain medication -- OK.
Physical disfigurement -- Not OK.
Loud music -- OK.
Etc, etc.. You get the idea, the Geneva Convention is surprisingly flexible.
And all that stuff I listed, that's just for people classified as prisoners of war. If you're not part of the armed forces of a nation... well, the rules are considerably looser.
Slashdot Mirror
Okay, I'm going to guess this is her. (Either that or this blonde.)
So your country of origin has a huge secret police, 100% taxation, and infinite re-elections of a brainwashing leader?
Wow. I didn't even know North Korea had internet access.
Oh, be sure that all the facts presented to you are spun with a ferocious velocity.
First, how rich is "rich"? The "top 20%" of earners is a whole lot of people. We're not talking about millionaires here.
Second, it's hard to have a significant tax cut without giving some to the higher earners. They pay almost all the taxes, after all.
Third, the Death Tax is designed to drain away the fortunes of the inherited wealthy. (Generation after generation). Doesn't jive with the Republicans-help-the-rich mantra, does it?
There you go, positive spin on all those points.
... Prince of Persia?
You're welcome.
> Japan really doesn't have a casual Joe Gamer, thus they don't really release "casual games".
This is lunacy. What about all those laid-back dating sims, farming games, and the like. Almost all rehashes, mind you. The actual innovative games (like Pikmin) don't tend to sell well over there.
> Most, if not all, Japanese games are deep, engrossing, and masterpieces in their own right.
Oh. My. God. Did you just say that?
Radiation that won't go away after a nuclear bomb? Tell that to the people living in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. They seem to be doing just fine.
Conquering the world is possible in real life too. It's just that the American people, and the people they elect, are too nice to try.
The story is, bar none, the worst aspect of any Metal Gear Solid game. Poorly written, convoluted, full of cliches, and just plain awful. Now mix that with a heavy dose of preachy anti-war and anti-nuclear garbage (as opposed to a non-preachy and non-garbage argument).
The only good thing about the MGS series' story was that the cutscenes (not the codecs) were well-directed. Everything else about it clashed horribly with the generally good gameplay.
Iraq? Saddam's government is gone. Never coming back. You can say anything you want about the occupation, but we certainly won the war phase. Quickly and decisively.
Vietnam was botched, but it also ended up as a victory. South Vietnam lost by itself a few years later because we didn't give it financial aid (like the Soviets were funding the North).
Sense a pattern? We can only "lose" a war via politics. The actual fighting and killing is a breeze. Thankfully, the rebuilding of North Korea would be done by South Korea.
I don't think much would happen, but don't expect it to sell well or anything. It'd probably be too obscure to get any groups protesting it. I mean, how could you guys react to some game where you had to fight against (or play as) some Quebecois terrorist group?
You asked a loaded question anyway. The United States, no matter what you read in your local papers, is not close to becoming some kind of tyranny. Our various freedoms are still on par with, or better than, the rest of the Western world.
And look at our current policital climate. Heated, loud, and raucus, right? Keeps the populace awake. If I were you, I'd be more worried about dozing my way into tyranny.
If someone is making an ass out of himself in a public forum, I have the right (freedom of speech) to tell him to shut up. Just as he has the right to ignore me and whine about how I shouldn't be exercising my freedom of speech in that way.
Fascism is when the government forces you to be silent. I am not the government, nor am I forcing you.
That's a very specious argument. Why on earth would the United States not want any new Capitalist Democratic Republics showing up? They're more stable, more sane, and would probably be great to do business with.
Oh just great. You forgot to close your robotic voice tag and now the rest of the thread sounds like that. Thanks a lot, buddy.
That post isn't funny, it's a troll. Very few contracts are handed out on a no-bid basis, and that's only for certain emergency services where there is no time for a 3-4 month bidding process.
Halliburton, for instance, won their current no-bid contract years ago during the Clinton administration. Read more here: The Halliburton smear
Ah yes, the Metroid game where the screen is always being partially obscured by your hand and stylus.
Yeah, Ubisoft seems like a pretty cool company. But just so you know, like most big corporations today, they've got offices all over the world.
I sincerely hope that the French government doesn't try to strangle their games industry like they did their movie industry. But if they do, it's good to know that Ubisoft could easily shut down or move their France-based offices.
I agree with most of your response, except:
;-)
1) Historically speaking, non-aligned foreign fighters have always been treated more poorly than regular POW's. There is some honest debate as to whether a non-aligned, sneaking terrorist deserves the same rights as an army regular. But I don't necessarily agree with how far the current U.S. administration has taken this idea. (Though I suspect I might have stronger feelings about it if I were a soldier.)
The U.S. splits hairs when it comes to the Geneva Convention, but so does everyone else from what I hear. (Tip: Don't end up in a French prison
2) I still maintain that few (no?) other countries have the equivalent of the U.S. Bill of Rights. There is a subtle-but-important distinction. You mention that UK law grants some rights to its citizens. But the Bill of Rights does not grant any rights.
Really, see for yourself. It's a Bill of Restrictions -- restrictions on the government. It works off the assumption that people innately have rights, and then ennumerates how the government can or cannot infringe on them. This is exemplified by #10 on the list.
> 2. Japan's business climate is still exclusionary and very difficult for foreigners to navigate.
I agree that that used to be true, but not anymore IMHO. For instance, Romance of the Three Kingdoms hasn't changed too much in the last couple iterations.
For a real change of pace in the same historical sim genre, try out Crusader Kings, or the earlier Europa Universalis
Uh, that's from the United States Bill of Rights. Most other countries don't have a similar document.
This news item should come as no surprise to anyone following the European Union. They seem to have, unfortunately, developed a fetish for bureaucracy and a strong fear of 'offending' anyone. There have been many instances, in Britain and France for example, where honest discussion about religion and terrorism has been censored as "hate speech."
Example: Legal warning to MP after Muslim terrorism claim
Example: France shelves anti-semitism report for fear of offending anti-semites
Thank you for pointing out that blogs can cover subjects more serious and mature than politics. ;-)
Voting is a priviledge, not a right. Otherwise, why not let non-citizens vote?
To answer your question, I think gamers would want to buy artbooks from games they've enjoyed. You know, kinda like buying the soundtrack to a movie. They aren't inclined to buy artbooks generally, and perhaps not even that often for popular games (I am bereft of sales figures).
Regardless, one should only consider publishing an artbook if:
A) The game (or series) is popular.
B) The art is good, and you have drafts from multiple stages.
C) The book in question is laid out nicely. I can't emphasize this enough. Not just page layout, but having the book divided into proper sections or categories. (People, ships, landscapes, etc.)
Looking at your links, your artwork is very, very nice, and I've been meaning to try out Ferion for a while. But unless the game sells like gangbusters, or you can get affordable small-scale printing done (like from a print-on-demand place) I wouldn't bother with a physical book.
A couple of centuries ago, people would classify witches as non-fictional.
So, in a couple decades, we'll discover that Communism never existed? And that the Soviet gulag, China's "Great Leap Forward", and North Korea's murderous regime -- were just old wives tales?
Thank goodness! Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to the top of the World Trade Center and overlook the city.
Every generation has a group to hate/fear. Hundreds of years ago it was witches. Our parents' generation feared the communists, and now we have the terrorists.
So, you're equating witches (fictional) with the communist threat (non-fictional) and terrorists (non-fictional)?
And all that stuff I listed, that's just for people classified as prisoners of war. If you're not part of the armed forces of a nation... well, the rules are considerably looser.