ThunderPeel2001

Ok, so I like an illusion and all that, it's like trying to solve a puzzle. For those of you outside of the UK, a magician here called Derren Brown "predicted" our national lottery, live on TV last week. Here the video of him supposedly doing it (it went out live and you could switch between channels to see the numbers come out). 4_2h4UH1qaM So, the first thing is: Why didn't he reveal the numbers beforehand. I don't believe for a second that it's because of any law (although I know they're weirdly strict about it)... so it's obviously part of the illusion, right? Well in his follow up episode he promised he would reveal precisely how he did it... but he gave the audience two solutions to pick from: A whole big long story about "crowd thinking" and automatic writing (you can see first explanation in full here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tl4xuLJY_74 ) OR (skip to 4 mins in)... UhTLh2S0S6g#t=4m00s Now what's interesting to think about is this: If he DID do something illegal, which admittedly would seem rather bullish for a performer with a healthy career, he'd have to do a few things. So let's think about it: We've got an inside man who's going to put some weighted balls in the lottery machine. If we get caught, we'd be in some serious trouble. So firstly, we couldn't literally reveal the numbers before the lottery -- the people who own the lottery would probably have strong grounds for a legal investigation if we did. We couldn't make any money off our prediction for precisely the same reason. (Remember: People who are TOO lucky in Vegas get criminally investigated, and guess what: they're always cheating. Nobody is consistently lucky.) We'd have to come up with a "plausible" reason that could have explained it using non-illegal methods, and by not showing the numbers we of course leave the door open to simple trickery. Now Brown's non-illegal explanation goes like this: The crowd predicts 1 number, then 3 and finally 4. You'll notice, however, that the final numbers are calculated by some guy who had "difficulty" doing the automatic writing: He was a stooge. But why? To give the impression that the crowd method was in fact "progressing". It's just a cover for him really fixing the lottery! Of course... THAT'S WHAT HE WANTS ME TO THINK! He gives a whimsical answer for the romantics and a "hard" answer for the cynics... when the most likely explanation is simply this: -rHPh5Xanss Quite a showman to turn what was most definitely basic computer specialfx into a national discussion that even our top newspapers have written about. That's magic

Well I just went back and played Trials 2: SE and actually started to enjoy it! I raced against the ghost of n0wak and didn't move on until I beat his scores... Quite good fun actually! I think the thing that was getting me is that pulling left or pushing right gets more intense if you're holding it... it's not just the weight of the biker, as I'd presumed. Learning that helped a bit. Hmmm!

While I'd rather not go into my personal bits and pieces, let's just say I've seen plenty of depression in my life -- which is probably why your apparent reckless attitude touched a nerve: It's one thing to come off them when you want to, it's entirely something else to risk doing yourself further damage out of a sense of "rebellion". Again, I know I sound preachy, so let's just say I'm just responding to how you made it sound... I'm sure it's not quite the way you put it.

There's always a post-Wire depression at the end of every series, when you realise you're another step closer to the end.

I have already exposed myself here with the most awesome picture ever...

Well, it's not just the "side-effects"... you don't really want to be messing around with your brain by suddenly changing its chemical balance. By suddenly stopping you can end up making yourself feel worse than before you began. You can't just start taking them again and expect it to sort itself out, either. Sorry to sound preachy, but you should be more careful, especially as it sounds like you've not discussed this with your doctor :-/

Just checked out the demo... very impressive! Everything about it is damned slick. I'll probably pick it up once it's gone down in price... massively. (That should give me time to finish some other games, too )

Danse Gooshers is a surrealist masterpiece!

Silly boy! Straight to the bottom of the list for you!* * Not that there's actually any order to it, but still

Now that's a wizard!

I'm sure you're already aware of this, but just in case: You should never stop anti-depressant medication suddenly (which is kind of how you made it sound). You should taper off so that the side-effects are reduced. Good luck!

So many different ways of interpreting it! Maybe they should just leave it open.

Ooh, wow. I didn't think of that.

Was this photo taken in Remo's 'game' room?

It was based on Neill Blomkamp's childhood in South Africa during apartheid. The aliens weren't portrayed as a disruption to society, IIRC, they were only a "disruption" to those who didn't want them there... or when they had ovbiously had enough of being treated so badly and attacked something. You could see similar talking heads saying the same things about black South Africans during apartheid... (If they're the bits you're talking about?)

Lol. That's best review of a movie ever.

Birthday greetings!

District 9! Finally a summer blockbuster worth seeing!

And there I was all impressed with the technology... Oh well.

You can add all the cool, vetted, highly recommended people on the first page of this thread... IN YOUR BROWSER! (Otherwise I'd totally forget)

Thanks!

No, I think you used a map on it in the first game. Since I didn't have a map with a well on it, I ignored it.

Wow. Thanks! Since you went to so much effort I guess I'm obliged to really give it a proper go. I'll see how I get on.