ThunderPeel2001

Also: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Timewaster-Letters-Robin-Cooper/dp/1843171082

You're so sensitive! I'd actually considered doing that, but we'll see... CyberCandy might not stock them any more.

Huh. That's so strange. The chocolate covered pretzels were always a big seller for them, as far as I'm aware. Strange that I can't find them on their website. I only know the stores in London. Whereabouts are you based in the UK?

I couldn't handle another beaming face in this thread... Clicky:

I know what you mean, but I decided to take the smell of fakery to be the person writing the letter just deciding to go all out. It's not a million miles from The Timewaster Letters, after all. Still, you could be right.

Agh, Thompson, I get so frustrated with people like that. BBX, yep indeed, that's what everyone else has been telling me. Speaking of which, I really liked what we'd come up with for our little project... We should continue!

Damn So it doesn't take itself too seriously then

So I went to a MeetUp.com meet up in order to expose myself to more folks here in London, and possibly make a few new friends. It was a general "meet new people" evening at a restaurant, with no set agenda other than, "everyone is welcome -- let's get to know each other". I nearly walked out when I saw that almost everyone there was in their 50s, but, not wanting to judge something before I had tried it, I decided to persevere. Here are a few of my sample attempts at getting conversations going with the people I was sat with... I notice everyone else is pulling their restaurant-issue Christmas crackers, so I jovially try to get the heavyset Greek guy in his 50s sitting opposite me to join in. Me: (Jovially) Come on, time to pull a cracker. Him: (Heavy accent, indicating the cracker) What is this? Me: It's a Christmas cracker. Him: What do I do? Me: You pull on it. Him: Then what happens? Me: (Getting mildly frustrated, deadpan) It explodes. He finally pulls on it, having seen other people do it. Me: (Trying to remain positive) Well at least you got to try something new tonight. You've pulled a Christmas cracker. Him: Yes, but I could have lived without doing it. Me: ... Him: It did not enhance my life. Me: ... Him: Do you know what I mean? Me: ... Later it's revealed that he's lived in London for 12 years, and has not once, in all that time, ever been to the cinema. Or, apparently, seen a Christmas cracker. Later I turn to the person sitting to my left and try to start a conversation. He was another raconteur. Me: Hi! I'm Johnny, I don't think I got your name. Him: Benjamin. Pause. He gives me nothing more. Me: So where did you come from tonight? Him: East London. "East London"!, I think. You may need to live here to know what an utterly bizarre and needlessly vague answer that is to a very common question. I persevere... Him: Where did you come from? Me: I came from Clapham Junction. Him: Not far. Me: Yeah, it's pretty close. So whereabouts in "East London" do you live? Him: Canary Wharf. Same distance as Clapham Junction I note to myself. Not to mention an extremely well known area of London. Me: Oh, near the Isle of Dogs, right? Him: Yes, I live on the edge of there. Me: Oh, cool. I've never been there, but I've always wondered what it's like. It's sort of like a separate area of London. Him: Every part of London is like that. Me: (Trying to remain polite) Yes, you're right, every part of London is quite different, although I sort of see the Isle of Dogs as being a bit separate as it's nearly completely surrounded by water. Him: (Thinking) Yes, I suppose it is surrounded by water. I used to live there, actually. Me: So what's it like? Him: (Stares at me) Me: (Trying to help him) Is it quite suburban? Residential? Him: Yes, it's very suburban. Me: So there's not like the rest of London? Him: No, it's exactly like that. Me: (Confused) I see. Him: (Apparently suddenly annoyed) People just end up living wherever they can in London. Me: ... (No freaking idea what the subtext is) Him: (Stressing his point) Did you choose to live in Clapham Junction? Me: (Turning away from him) Yes. Yes, I did. I couldn't help but think the most horrible thought: NO WONDER YOU ALL HAVE TO COME TO THESE THINGS -- YOU'RE ALL SOCIALLY RETARDED! I left as soon as I'd finished my food. I couldn't take a minute longer. There may well have been some normal people mingled in there, but unfortunately just about every conversation I had contained a similar element. (At one point I was explaining to a woman in her 50s what it was like to live in a flat share -- she still lived at home with her Mum and five sisters -- she couldn't understand how people agreed on what to watch on TV, as she and her sisters always argued.) So I won't be going back to one of those, then.

I guess I'll post this in the Andy Kaufman thread, but... What's the dealio with Saint's Row? I always assumed it was a poor man's GTA, but it seems now like it might be a spoofy parody of GTA... Which is a lot more endearing sounding. Can someone sum it up in a sentence?

Yeah, I love those, too! I don't recall them being quite that expensive at CyberCandy, though. (Note: Although you say "here" in your message, you don't give us any indication of where "here" is. I can see the £ sign, I guess you're in the UK -- but where? London? Also also: Last time I checked, only British computers can even see the £ sign. Most non-British users just see # whenever it's posted as far as I'm aware.)

I'd happily help out, but I can't guarantee I'll be around, or actually have any decent questions.

Bah. Fixed!

I concur, very good. This is also amusing... Edit: Fixed.

What can you do. The man really loves his coffee... Take heart: It's not like he's in it for the money.

David Lynch made a commercial for his coffee... and then Mattel banned it. Here it is... MzMIIjZsHVA

I really like the look of the menus. I know that's odd to say, but I really do. They kind of make me want to play the game.

Disbelief at how full of glee you are?

Bah. *trundles off*

Is that the sound of unbridled glee?

I've never had any problems with Play. I still use them, but I've never bought a big expensive thing from them...

Yes, but think of the headlines! It'll be a scandal, and it'll create publicity for the game and the studio. Possibly.

Hey fellow Thumbs, I picked up several US movies on my recent trip away, and while most of them work fine, a couple of them apparently require me to buy a new copy of PowerDVD -- because Cyberlink only support their software for a very short period of time. One way around having to buy a new copy of PowerDVD every one or two years is to buy a lifetime version of AnyDVD -- which allows you to play Blurays and DVDs from any region, and also means you don't have to keep upgrading your version of PowerDVD to the latest, bloatiest version (3D? No thanks!) So anyway, long story short: Does anyone want to split the cost of AnyDVD? It's annoyingly expensive and I can't afford it on my own. It's 160 USD or 100 GBP. Plenty of great features... http://www.slysoft.com/en/anydvdhd.html

Nothing I'm aware of for Blurays, sadly.

Darn.

They should resubmit it so headlines can read: Microsoft Bans BAFTA Winning Game Anyways, once again congratulations. A BAFTA FFS. Seriously well done.