No problem. Do you and Zeek agree with me, or do you want to wait for the others? I really think that it's been long enough, and we definately need to make a rule to ensure that this doesn' thappen again. And yes, I know that someone's said that after each contest.
This is just stupid, honestly, ever heard of the saying "two wrongs don't make a right"? not to mentions MotS's point that they are not all the same people, not everyone from Iraq or Afganhistan is a terrorist, but they have to suffer too. So i don't really think the "They did it first" excuse works well here.
You missed my point. My point is not that it makes it right, my point is that that can't be the reason they hate us in the first place, because we never attacked them until they attacked us.
and Magus, if you had read my post you would have seen that my point about civilians in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Israel is that the ones who are hurt or killed are the ones who are sheltering or aiding terrorists. How many of the people dead in Mumbai were doing that?
They hate you because you blow them up. Not "them" being the indian islamic extremists, but their islamic extremist buddies in Afghanistan and Iraq and, indirectly, Palestine. Not to mention their innocent civilian buddies in Afghanistan and Iraq and Palestine. That sort of thing has the tendency to piss some people off, you know.
1. Palestine? What's that? I checked a map, and there's no country with that name.
2. It's funny, but I thought that we started "blowing them up" after they, you know, blew us up. So obviously that can't be the reason, it's just a handy excuse for apologists to sympathize with the poor Muslim extremists who were just sitting around, minding their own business, when all of a sudden the big old U.S. of A. decided to invade their country. And those poor dead civilians--what right do we have to blow them up when the extremists hide behind them? They're civilians, so they're sacred no matter what they try to do to protect the enemy!
Get yer names straight, dude. EnemyWithin and Nai are the ones we're waiting for. I finished my judgings a month ago. And we've already got the judgings for each story, which has always been the target number in the past. I personally say that if they can't get them done in at the very most a week or two, we call this thing, hopefully with E_W's consent.
Christmas is a Christian holiday. The reason is extremely simple--because origianally, Christmas was the celebration of Jesus's birth. The key word is originally. It doesn't matter what the majority of people today celebrate it as. What matters is that it is a corrupted Christian holiday whose roots have extreme Christian significance--therefore, it has no place in the Jewish holiday cycle. Maverick, to answer your question on the previous page as a person like Ratmage who doesn't celebrate Christmas (or Halloween or Easter) because I'm Jewish, it wouldn't make a difference if Christianity didn't exist anymore and most people in the world didn't know that it was originally a Christian holiday, I still wouldn't celebrate it. To give you something to compare to, I do celebrate Thanksgiving, because it has no religious ties and its roots are not in a religion.
That's why I (and Ratmage, I assume) don't celebrate Chirstmas, and you can argue for a thousand years that it's no longer a religious holiday, and it won't make a difference.
I honestly don't see terrorist attacks like this happening in the United States. My impression is still that the only place this happens in are undeveloped, poor countries with radical, religious zealots. I know some would beg to differ that the US is so free of such people but I'd think it still feels safer than India or Pakistan. Also, I'm a bit saddened how the terrorists targeted American tourists. Is it that they hate us? or that we have money? or that our government can meet their demands in the best way?
Honestly, I think this is plain naivete. As a comparison, this was basically a bunch of people wih guns and grenades all attacked at the same time. 9/11 was a very sophisticated plan that required a lot of training and coordination. So it's not like American security would stop something like this if people were determined to do it.
The reason America feels safer is because of American arrogance. We Americans can't concieve that something bad would happen to us, and we can't understand why people hate us--they should love us, 'cause we're the ones who support the world, invent all the best stuff, have the best culture etc. That's why 9/11 had such an effect on the U.S.--it caused us to realize that maybe we're the same as other countries. But the lesson didn't stick, it seems.
Anyway, in my opinion that attitude is dangerous because it just puts you off guard to real dangers, and it's just a way of making yourself not have to worry and think about that. Sorry for the mini-rant, but as I think you can tell, I feel pretty strongly about this kind of thing.
Agreed on IT--it's (no put intended) my favorite book, and the '58/'59 parts are probably the best writing I've ever read. Also, King does have trouble ending books a lot of the time, but I still love his books because the ride is worth it, even if the end is underwhelming.
Also, you can't appreciate Twilight by glancing through it. It's a pretty addictive book, and if you start from the beginning you might find that you want to keep reading.
Part III: twilight is better written than any Stephen King novel.
What are you talking about? Stephen King is an incredible writer, and his style is much less cliched and much more vivid and clear than Stephanie Meyer's (that is her name, right?).
But agree on all your other points. Also, she has another book out, The Host. I haven't read it yet--has anyone here? How is it?
So as not to make this spam: The Jets proved that they're the best team in the AFC East this year, but they're still the Jets, so they had to let it be a close game.
Oh, and does anyone think Roy Williams (Cowboys WR) is going to start doing well now that Romo's back and he has the starting job, or should he be the guy I drop for a matchup defense?
I'm a modern orthodox Jew. I dress normally, but wear a yarmulka. I believe that the Old Testament is all literal, altough there are debates as to which parts are metaphor--but I do believe that all those miracles really happened as written, I keep the mitzvas literally (I keep strict kosher, don't drive/watch TV and such on Saturday, go to synagogue three times a day), etc.
As an answer to the question of how do I believe in God, I've never seen anything in science that contradicts the existance of a god, the Big Bang theory actually supports the existance of a god, and a lot of things about the world make it seem (to me, at least) that there is a god who takes active interest in the world.
*waves back to Kraj* If/when you finish Jupiter post it. I think we'd all love to see how it looks as a finished set.
The revealed top card idea is cool. There might not really be enough design space for it without making the set focus heavily on the idea, and it won't interact with many older cards. But I think it can be done, and we could have cool cards like this:
Looking Pool
Land
:symtap:: Add to your mana pool. Reveal the top card of your library until end of turn.
Mental Shock :1mana::symr:
Instant
~ deals 2 damage to target creature or player.
As long as ~ is revealed as the top top card of your library, you may play it for :symr:.
Thoughtful Protector :2mana::symw::symw:
Creature--Human Cleric
First strike, Defender
Whenever a creature attacks you, if ~ is revealed as the top card of your library, you may pay :symw::symw: to put ~ into play blocking that creature.
4/5
Jevid, the Mentalist :1mana::symu::symu:
Legendary Creature--Human Wizard
:symu:: Remove ~ from the game. At end of turn, shuffle your library, then put this card revealed on top of your library.
:symu::symu::symu:: Counter target spell unless its controller pays :2mana:, then draw a card. Play this ability only if ~ is revealed as the top card of your library.
2/3
Cool cards. Battlefield Master probably won't have a large effect on the game, because good players make most of their plays in main phase 2. This will really only affect equipment and auras, and field effects--so 90% of the time it's just a 2/2 for 2. Cool idea, though, and I like it.
Hero of Virtue might be a little broken when built around. It is killable, but if you can protect it, you win. But it's another nicely designed card, and the first ability is a great new look at protection.
Cyclical Aether is a limited bomb. It basically says "if you have creature advantage when you play this, you win." Even in constructed it could be good, plus in some formats it could be part of an unfair combo with Aluren or 0CC creatures and a CIP effect.
All in all, good design. Try to make uncommons and commons too, not just big, splashy rares--that's where the real challenge is for designers.
Greatest Australian :4mana::symw:
Legendary Planeswalker Creature - Human Politician
Whenever {+1} isn't used, put the country into Lock-Down.
{+2}: Report to America. If a presidential Tomato suite would be elected, jump!
{+2 Electoral votes}:
Have to go with the Joker. The Joker's plans for plunging a city into chaos are dependant on simple human nature and mob psychology; V's plans are extremely balanced and specific to his situation in his alternate-timeline England. So put into a new city that doesn't have a rebellion waiting to happen, V wouldn't be able to do anything more than blow up a few buildings, while the Joker can create true chaos wherever there are people.
First, I just (around 15 minutes ago) finished reading Watchmen, and thought "Oh, there's a thread about the movie on MTGS! I'll go express the awesomeness of Watchmen there...but it hasn't been active in a while, and I don't want a necro warning..." And miracle of miracles, it was semi-necroed a few days ago and is now active!
Second, wow. I had no idea comics could be like that. Characters more real and round than those in 99% of novels; a truly complex plot that doesn't make everything incredibly easy to understand, and trusts the intelligence of the reader; and more than just flimsy, dime a dozen themes, but complex moral issues.
Third, having gone and watched the trailer, I can see how the director used the comic as a storyboard--basically every clip in the trailer is a panel from the comic. And the movie looks amazing.
However, I don't like the alternate ending. I agree the giant mutant squid was weird, but as Dr. Jeebus pointed out, the reason it united the earth was because it was an extraterrestrial (extremely similar to the political situation in Ender's Game, by the way--anyone else catch that?) and unknown, murky threat. This alternate ending would just turn Russia against America, since Dr. Manhattan is (or was) loyal to America. But the ending was kind of weak in the first place--if the rest of the story is done really well, and the plot of the ending is changed a little (but Rorschach still MUST die--it's the only end that works for his character), it'll still be a great movie.
You missed my point. My point is not that it makes it right, my point is that that can't be the reason they hate us in the first place, because we never attacked them until they attacked us.
and Magus, if you had read my post you would have seen that my point about civilians in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Israel is that the ones who are hurt or killed are the ones who are sheltering or aiding terrorists. How many of the people dead in Mumbai were doing that?
1. Palestine? What's that? I checked a map, and there's no country with that name.
2. It's funny, but I thought that we started "blowing them up" after they, you know, blew us up. So obviously that can't be the reason, it's just a handy excuse for apologists to sympathize with the poor Muslim extremists who were just sitting around, minding their own business, when all of a sudden the big old U.S. of A. decided to invade their country. And those poor dead civilians--what right do we have to blow them up when the extremists hide behind them? They're civilians, so they're sacred no matter what they try to do to protect the enemy!
That's why I (and Ratmage, I assume) don't celebrate Chirstmas, and you can argue for a thousand years that it's no longer a religious holiday, and it won't make a difference.
Honestly, I think this is plain naivete. As a comparison, this was basically a bunch of people wih guns and grenades all attacked at the same time. 9/11 was a very sophisticated plan that required a lot of training and coordination. So it's not like American security would stop something like this if people were determined to do it.
The reason America feels safer is because of American arrogance. We Americans can't concieve that something bad would happen to us, and we can't understand why people hate us--they should love us, 'cause we're the ones who support the world, invent all the best stuff, have the best culture etc. That's why 9/11 had such an effect on the U.S.--it caused us to realize that maybe we're the same as other countries. But the lesson didn't stick, it seems.
Anyway, in my opinion that attitude is dangerous because it just puts you off guard to real dangers, and it's just a way of making yourself not have to worry and think about that. Sorry for the mini-rant, but as I think you can tell, I feel pretty strongly about this kind of thing.
Also, you can't appreciate Twilight by glancing through it. It's a pretty addictive book, and if you start from the beginning you might find that you want to keep reading.
What are you talking about? Stephen King is an incredible writer, and his style is much less cliched and much more vivid and clear than Stephanie Meyer's (that is her name, right?).
But agree on all your other points. Also, she has another book out, The Host. I haven't read it yet--has anyone here? How is it?
So as not to make this spam: The Jets proved that they're the best team in the AFC East this year, but they're still the Jets, so they had to let it be a close game.
Oh, and does anyone think Roy Williams (Cowboys WR) is going to start doing well now that Romo's back and he has the starting job, or should he be the guy I drop for a matchup defense?
As an answer to the question of how do I believe in God, I've never seen anything in science that contradicts the existance of a god, the Big Bang theory actually supports the existance of a god, and a lot of things about the world make it seem (to me, at least) that there is a god who takes active interest in the world.
The revealed top card idea is cool. There might not really be enough design space for it without making the set focus heavily on the idea, and it won't interact with many older cards. But I think it can be done, and we could have cool cards like this:
Looking Pool
Land
:symtap:: Add
Mental Shock :1mana::symr:
Instant
~ deals 2 damage to target creature or player.
As long as ~ is revealed as the top top card of your library, you may play it for :symr:.
Thoughtful Protector :2mana::symw::symw:
Creature--Human Cleric
First strike, Defender
Whenever a creature attacks you, if ~ is revealed as the top card of your library, you may pay :symw::symw: to put ~ into play blocking that creature.
4/5
Jevid, the Mentalist :1mana::symu::symu:
Legendary Creature--Human Wizard
:symu:: Remove ~ from the game. At end of turn, shuffle your library, then put this card revealed on top of your library.
:symu::symu::symu:: Counter target spell unless its controller pays :2mana:, then draw a card. Play this ability only if ~ is revealed as the top card of your library.
2/3
Hero of Virtue might be a little broken when built around. It is killable, but if you can protect it, you win. But it's another nicely designed card, and the first ability is a great new look at protection.
Cyclical Aether is a limited bomb. It basically says "if you have creature advantage when you play this, you win." Even in constructed it could be good, plus in some formats it could be part of an unfair combo with Aluren or 0CC creatures and a CIP effect.
All in all, good design. Try to make uncommons and commons too, not just big, splashy rares--that's where the real challenge is for designers.
Legendary Planeswalker Creature - Human Politician
Whenever {+1} isn't used, put the country into Lock-Down.
{+2}: Report to America. If a presidential Tomato suite would be elected, jump!
{+2 Electoral votes}:
(I hope that counts as only one "word".)
Second, wow. I had no idea comics could be like that. Characters more real and round than those in 99% of novels; a truly complex plot that doesn't make everything incredibly easy to understand, and trusts the intelligence of the reader; and more than just flimsy, dime a dozen themes, but complex moral issues.
Third, having gone and watched the trailer, I can see how the director used the comic as a storyboard--basically every clip in the trailer is a panel from the comic. And the movie looks amazing.
However, I don't like the alternate ending. I agree the giant mutant squid was weird, but as Dr. Jeebus pointed out, the reason it united the earth was because it was an extraterrestrial (extremely similar to the political situation in Ender's Game, by the way--anyone else catch that?) and unknown, murky threat. This alternate ending would just turn Russia against America, since Dr. Manhattan is (or was) loyal to America. But the ending was kind of weak in the first place--if the rest of the story is done really well, and the plot of the ending is changed a little (but Rorschach still MUST die--it's the only end that works for his character), it'll still be a great movie.