Roderick

Yeah, sorry about that. I might just as well have written 'u r thick' and be done with it

That fight wasn't particularly tough, Wrestle.

Should you pass through Arnhem, The Netherlands, I have a cornucopia of wonderful sofas for you to crash on. Spaff's not joining the trip?

Excellent episode! Really, really heartwrenching. I loved it. This totally had to happen though, the whole coup thing. Zarek's arc had to be played out, otherwise there would have been way too many loose ends. The status quo has been reached again, though, but I think now's the time for the other Cylons to enter the fray again, for the final confrontation. Seeing how they resolved the political story in the previous couple of episodes, I have great expectations in their ability to give the series a satisfying ending. Can't wait!

Wow, I REALLY enjoyed the Podblast! You can certainly do more of them, like a, like a... BLAST in the form of a pod! Also, I need that Shadow of the Katamari image in wallpapersize! =)

Yes. You are 100% on the spot. A horrendous film.

This episode was so amazing, making up for everything the previous ep was not. I mean... this episode had... EVERYONE running around in corridors with guns. Lee in a SUIT with a gun. Adama and Tigh with GUNS. They had a jail break and everything. Hell yes!

If you want to read more about mavens, read 'The Tipping Point' by Malcolm Gladwell. This was originally recommended to me by one Marek Bronstring, who I believe has an account here. The book's full of wonderful things, among which mavens. Good podcast again. Kohler was a great addition because he caused an entirely different chemistry in the group with his weird, energetic, improvising madness!

That's an interesting thought and you're probably right to a certain extent. In my own defence, I have tried to be a lot more objective of late, and what you're saying isn't the case in this specific topic. If you read the posts I made here, you'll notice how I stress that what I'm saying isn't criticism or a judgement, but either observations or the way things came across to me when I first looked upon them (without preconceptions). I'm certainly a lot less judgemental now than I was before. Still, it's a very classic thing; the clash of expectations versus what reality holds. I appreciate you telling me this, I'm always trying to be conscious of what I do.

Well of course comedy has to be tested, but what I mean is that I see Pablo Francesco doing the same things year after year -his successful routines he keeps doing, instead of coming up with new stuff for every new show he does. As for the second point, I don't understand what you mean about having a team of writers to come up with a thematically strong show. Dutch shows usually center around a certain topic, like the decay of society, or a political event, or the loss of your parents, anything really. And then the comedian builds a suit of acts or songs around that, that are strongly tied together with a build-up of concepts and layers. Often there's also a story weaving everything together. The whole thing feels more connected, having a 'point'. In contrast with that are true 'stand-up' shows, whose last act is usually no different in intensity or tone than the first act, if you know what I mean. It's all just a random collection of funny topics. It's not necessarily a criticism, but an illustration of what I grew up watching and why I had some difficulty coming to terms with American standup. Oh, and none of the Dutch comedians really have a team of writers. They all build up a theatrical show by themselves (obviously they get input by others and everything, but you know what I mean).

Thanks for the Forbidden Planet link, Thunderpeel. That might be a good mask, in any case for starters =) Problem is, if you're going for a full costume, the ones they have there are usually not really a good fit. Custom making one is very difficult/expensive, on the other hand. But it doesn't have to be done in a short while. Let's first start with the basics. Don't have a credit card though, only paypal. Ah well, I'll be going to America at the end of the year anyway, so chances are good I'll find something proper over there immediately. Still a long ways away... yikes!

Well, now I feel obliged to explain this a bit more, before I get branded as a Hicks-Hater I too only saw him first a couple of years ago, and I've seen good things from him, and less good things (the thing I was recalling earlier was something to do with 'goatboy', or something(?), and I remember him milking it to the point of unfunniness). On the other hand, I have a comedy routine of his on my computer that does make me chuckle ever so often. And some of his bits are indeed nicely passionate. What I was expressing wasn't informed by me trying to be contrary or going against the stream. I was merely comparing Bill Hicks as I would listen to him now to other comedians I tend to listen to. From a historical perspective, of course I can appreciate what he did. But personally, I just don't find him very consistently hilarious. I'll take Patton Oswalt or Brian Posehn (or David Cross as I mentioned above) over Hicks any day. --- ADDITION THOUGHTS: It occurs to me that Hicks might be suffering from what I'd like to call 'Final Fantasy 7 Syndrome'. FF7 was the first Japanese RPG that I played, a few years back, and obviously it made me absolutely furious. All the horrible genre tropes, the unreasonable, illogical game design choices like random battles with invisible monsters, thousands of ill-conceived minigames, grinding art styles, almost non-interactive backgrounds... I still hate the game for it. But being genre tropes, you learn to appreciate (some of) them, and now I can occasionally enjoy a JRPG. Final Fantasy 7, however, was the sacrificial lamb that had to die in the process of acquainting me with the genre. Hicks might be in a similar position. He was one of the first American standups I saw. Before that I only knew Dutch comedians, who have all-night shows that are often very different in concept: they have much more of a tight theme, incorporate song and take on a more theatrical quality. So at first, American standup seemed quick, cheap and vulgar: just a string of randomly put-together jokes without any thought going into thematics. Obviously, I learned to appreciate all the 'genre tropes' (like comedians rehashing earlier bits into newer shows, the iterative nature of their routines (some of which they will do the rest of their lives, which to me seemed very strange, but that might be just a neophilic streak in me) and often quite predictable set of topics). But Hicks might have been too much of a different thing for me to like, then.

I'm not necessarily opposed to the plastic, it really depends on the quality. The cheaper the better of course =) Carnivalstores in Holland usually suck major balls though, so I should just skim the sci-fi conventions around. But it's still tricky. Online shops will often be the most convenient source, so that's why I thought maybe a few of you (Anonymous-minded peeps perhaps) might know something.

It may sound like heresy, but when I saw a few of Hicks' shows a few years back, they were painfully dated and unfunny. I particularly recall him really squeezing a few jokes when they had long since ceased to be funny. Sad how comedians can sometimes become really outdated, real fast. Right now I'm really enjoying the standup work of David Cross.

Yesterday evening I watched V for Vendetta with my lady (it was her first time, so that's pretty special I think), and it struck me how odd it was that I had never seriously considered cosplaying as V. Especially when she told me that my voice and manner of speaking are quite similar to V's (I've always had that 'erudite' thing going on and have a peculiar way of speaking a bit 'posh', for lack of a better term.) I suddenly realised that I cannot do without owning a proper Fawkesian mask. Does anyone here perchance know where I can get a quality copy (and not a flimsy plastic version)? Not that I aim to spend hunn'rs, but up to 35 Euro should be acceptable.

I'm doing it RIGHT NOW (*this is not a sexual reference*)

Maybe some of you've heard of this, but in the second half of last year I've been making this awesome little graphic novel thingy called Quelle Horreur. It's a zombie horror / teenage drama / weird comedy type of thing. And now you can finally buy it online, in a REAL online store! Check the cover: The three people on the foreground are, left to right; King, Government Man and Claudius. They all get rounded up in an abandoned factory full of zombies, and there's danger and unrequited love and plot twists and everything. So I hope you'll check it out, it's only 6,95 Euros for a 100 page pocket filled with zombie goodness and you'd totally be supporting a fellow Thumbeteer! Link to the online store: http://archonia.com/index.php?page=article&aid=50674 And some previews of the comic for those who need a taste of the pudding: http://www.captainaugust.com/qh/1.gif http://www.captainaugust.com/qh/2.gif http://www.captainaugust.com/qh/3.gif

Oh dude! Excellent! =D I'd be very pleased to hear your opinion on it, just post it in the topic here, if you'd like!

That's interesting, though a little light here and there. Applying the model to myself, I find a Builder type who will switch to most of the modes at one time or another, but always revert back to planning ahead and then crafting something with a certain aesthetic purity. I fondly remember wanting to create grey, ruined castles with hidden passages and moving walls all out of grey blocks and green vines creeping over the sides. I think this will be the story of at least 90% of Lego players, whereas the MMO archetypes will be more equally divided. More pictures of young Bronstring playing, please! Animated GIFs, if possible.

The atmospheric experience seems amazing. If I had a PS3, it'd be for this kind of experimental games.

The 'tax+' that me and Marek are probably doing is only if you have your own company and have to keep a proper administration, where you can deduct the stuff you buy from your taxes (at least, in the Netherlands). But I don't know a lot about this stuff, I only know which tricks I can use to never have to pay taxes, ever.

Hot Scoops Gaynor!

Toblix, your avatar scares the piss out of me. Well done.

Oh, how obnoxious those Westboro church picketers are! Being all annoying and stuff. The cute French girl is sincerely cute and proves that French is just a fantastic language. Its words exude love for speech and speaking. Just beautiful. I need to learn to speak this properly isntead of merely being able to read and listen to it.

Oh wow, you totally reminded me that I still have to do that before the end of January. Gotta spend a short morning in Excel and around receipts and invoices.