darth_ender

I agree, it is addictive.  And don't call me Shirley.

^Wishing you safety.  First an earthquake, now a hurricane.  The worst we get here in AZ is big fires.  Actually, there was one pretty close to my town in June.  Hang in there.

Barbara Manatee
You are the one for me
Sent from up above
You are the....*door slams open*

Well, I am currently reading the sci-fi LOTR equivelent known as Dune.  It will take me ages to get through this considering how busy I am lately, but so far it is quite fascinating.  Definitely a different type of science fiction, but I really enjoy it.  It took me a long time to get around to picking this up because I once saw the 1984 film (I was quite young at the time, making me appreciate it even less I'm sure) and realized how awful it was.  I couldn't imagine any story that film was based on being so amazing.  Now I am happy to prove myself wrong.

For being a guy who is supposed to not be here often, I'm having a hard time staying away.  I am certain as the semester really begins to weigh down I'll be on less and less, but I keep trying to squeeze something in every legitimate or illegitimate break I get.

Bingowings said:

Shed Rental?

That's Communism!

 The ad was already funny, but Bingowings, you always manage to get a guffaw out of me.

TV's Frink said:

Then why mention it at all?

 

I'm just frustrated with the way things have gone down lately.  Maybe I should just do what Moth3r suggested (since deleted) and just leaf for a while.

 I agree.  Not with making like a tree, but simply the frustration.  I'll be honest, when I first started checking out this site, I didn't like your style much, but once I got to understand your humor, you're one of my favorites to read.  While nameless others may have been aggravating, I've tried to give everyone a fair chance, at worst making lighthearted jabs at their style.  Some may claim politeness is merely an "unnecessary pleasantry," but those often seemed to be ultra-sensitive when anyone teases or disagrees in the slightest.

I thought for some reason that he did not do Feivel Goes West.  And no, I've not read RT, Margaret, and the Rest of the Gang.  Don't know if and when I'll ever get around to it.  Probably when my kids are old enough for me to read it to them, but that's a wat off yet.

Pennsylvania Jones said:

darth_ender said:

Don Bluth was the only competition to Disney for some time, and he did it on a fraction of the budget.  He really was brilliant, and his other three great successes in my mind were An American Tail, Anastasia, and Land Before Time.  Not much of a fan of All Dogs Go to Heaven, and Titan AE was only okay.  Still, his style, grit, and depth far exceeds the superficiality of most Disney films.  Don't get me wrong, I enjoy many Disney movies, but I really find Bluth brilliant.  Yep, yep, yep!

Of those, I've seen American Tail (both Bluth films and both direct-to-video sequels), Anastasia (barely remember it, though, other than the dismembered bad guy), Land Before Time (not sure how many of them I've seen, but there were a lot of them), and Titan AE (Something to pass the time along).  I don't mind the American Tale direct-to-video movies as much as I do Timmy to the Rescue.  That's because with American Tail, you're EXPECTING it to be a musical.  The movies are SUPPOSED to be about Fievel.  Secret of NIMH is NOT supposed to be a musical, nor is it about a bratty Timothy.  The songs in both definitely could've been better, though.

FYI Bluth did not take part in any sequel to any of these series.  He only did the first film establishing a legacy that others could make cheesy and/or crappy sequels to.

I did read Mrs. Frisby, followed by Racso, by the way, and was impressed with the first book, and surprisingly equally enjoyed the second, though written by a different author many years after the first.  The successor managed to capture both the style and the characters in my opinion.  Of course that had to be at least 15 years ago for me, but still...

Don Bluth was the only competition to Disney for some time, and he did it on a fraction of the budget.  He really was brilliant, and his other three great successes in my mind were An American Tail, Anastasia, and Land Before Time.  Not much of a fan of All Dogs Go to Heaven, and Titan AE was only okay.  Still, his style, grit, and depth far exceeds the superficiality of most Disney films.  Don't get me wrong, I enjoy many Disney movies, but I really find Bluth brilliant.  Yep, yep, yep!

Thanks for the kind words.  Like I said, I may check in now and then.  Right now I have a minute, but I'll probably have fewer and fewer as time goes on.  Keep talking about Batman!

Well, tomorrow I begin nursing school.  I will keep my current job, but the nursing program is so intense that you are not permitted to work more than 40 hours a week.  I am a family man who looks forward to my time with my wife and three kids.  So while I will hopefully periodically have time to look at this website, I doubt I will be much of a participant after tonight.

I've had fun chatting with many of you.  I hope others have done the same.

Yes, I know that another thread has served this purpose in some regard, but it was initially designated a chess thread, and it hasn't seen the light of day for some time.  This is a Nolan-esque reboot.  Are you okay with that?

With the pleasantries out of the way, what board games do you like to play?  I myself enjoy numerous board games and for various reason.  I will start with just a few.

Chess--Yes, yes, I could have just stuck with the first thread.  Well, I'll get it off my chest.  I love this game, and wish I were as good as I used to be.  I've never been fantastic, but I could consider myself respectable by mere mortal standards at one point.

Shogi--Not mentioned here that I've see, this is the Japanese version of chess.  The pieces are flat and pointed, and all of the same color.  What is interesting is that once you've captured a piece, you can turn it around and re-enter it on the board as your own piece!  It really is a fascinating game, and I recommend that any chess lover try it out.

Risk--No game in my mind has taken more undeserved flak than Risk.  Sure, it is simplistic and long at times.  But it's not the game itself I love; it's the metagame, comprised of diplomacy and politics.  In my mind, there are few games (i.e. the obvious Diplomacy) that allow for such subtlety in manipulation, even despite its lack of finesse in anything else.  Particularly relevant to me is Same Time Risk from the PC game Risk II.  I converted this PC only game to an actual board game, and for those interested, you can look here, here, here, and here to learn more about it.  It's simultaneous play, and truly allows the best aspects of the metagame come to the forefront.  This is a game where I truly excel.  The reason is not because I roll the better dice or really am the better general.  The reason is that I set my enemies against each other, all the while creating the perception that I am nearly harmless and innocent.  I usually win the game while looking like the least aggressive player.  I'm the better politician :)

Tell us about your game interests.

Gosh, yesterday I had hopes I could follow up on my posts to ease any misunderstandings.  When I finally was able to check back, I realized that a big thrown down had taken place.  I think perhaps my sense of humor is too blunt for some individuals.  I don't wish to start anything new, so hopefully this post does not provoke anything.  I simply want to say that I apologize for my contributions to the contention in this forum.  As I said before it was meant in good fun, and some people took things further than they were intended.  I truly apologize for anything offensive in nature that I said, though it was not intended to be such.

13) If you happen to go by the online name of twooffour, you get a special category.  You see, you belong among the self-professed Demigods of the Wall of Logic.  Your worldview demands that only you are right.  These are the rules associated with your worship: You may, and in fact do, belittle everyone else for not capitulating to your greatness.  This is okay, because the Demigods of the Wall of Logic bow to no one, and instead demand piety from their inferiors.  However, if you do not belong to this bizarre sect, no one seems to have any faith in you.  No one mourns or calls out the Stasi when you are insulted.  You are, shall we say, "in season."

(Need to run this by my editors.  Meanwhile, any suggestions?)

^By jove!  What an incredible idea!

Wait, darth_ender!  Twooffour is not off topic!  Every post is the belittling of someone else's beliefs.  Perhaps he could be incorporated into the second edition of your little pamphlet.

twooffour said:

Nah, well, it was your turn so if you wanna post something, sure... I've said everything so far :)

And no, I don't know how many times I have to repeat this again, I DON'T attack "anyone who disagrees with me" - there are just SOME opinions, that are (apparently) fallacious, and THEN I might attack or try to debunk them. And try to "force-feed" what I consider as... reason.

And then obviously I quote multiple parts from their posts so I can make a nice point... based on their post.

It's not just "any opinion", because it's "my style". I'm just honest if I find something stupid, and any "respect your opinion" would be an empty pleasantry in that case.

Well, I'm afraid this is another brilliant topic started by an eloquent OP now derailed by what was intended as a minor venture off-track, in this case in your defense.

First, I never even said you attack anyone, so chill.  Second, you presume what every human presumes, that being that all your opinions are correct and everyone else's are faulty.  After all, why cling to an opinion if you don't think it's right.  The real problem is that if anyone slightly questions your point of view, then you pull your usual rhetoric with "quotation marks," ALL CAPS, and always finding supposed fallacies where none truly exists.  The belief that you are always right is the most fallacious of human reasoning.  You fall prey to it more than anyone else I've yet had the pleasure to meet on this forum.

TV's Frink said:

darth_ender said:

I had this random thought...

...I can't help but wonder why this thread was created, when in reality this is exactly what virtually every other thread twooffour enters in the off topic forum turns into.

Fixed.

Seriously.  Most of the off-topic threads get a little silly but tend to stay at least marginally on-track.  Except when twooffour gets involved - and we have scientific proof in another thread that he's the one to blame, not everyone else.

It's nice to have that scientific proof of his influence, since "scientific proof" is what he appeals to in every argument or criticism anyway.

Sluggo said:

Hard to say, my darthly named friend.  I would venture the opinion that since this thread was created before most of the other threads you refer to... this thread is a shining beacon of what other threads can aspire to.  Forthwith.

Wait!  Who you be talking about? Nobudy talks like that, ya know.  You silly willy.

^I'm with SilverKey.  I wish the stories could be watched for the first time as 1-6 while remaining equally enjoyable for us to watch 4-6, 1-3.

I love everyone.  I dream of making new friends every night.  I frolic in the clovers.  I want a pony.  But if you hateful sods had to vote someone off the island...

PS Try to keep it lighthearted.  This is all meant in good fun, of course.

Oh, no!  I strive to remain on good terms with everyone, so don't take that too harshly.  It's honestly what I pointed out in the first place way back when.  The long and the short of it is, if you disagree with someone, you write a dissertation with multiple quotes from the person you disagree with, adamantly and contentiously force-feeding your point of view, and not allowing anyone's opinion to differ from yours without you chewing their glutes.  I'm not trying to be rude.  I'm just pointing out that your methods are not necessarily as thorough as they are grating.  But I've learned to take your style gracefully; not everyone else has.

If you wish to throw down the gauntlet again in the political thread (referring to the mention of skepticism), we can do that :)  Probably not tonight, though.  My time here is becoming rarer and rarer, and I feel disinclined to restate the same position again until I have enough time to express myself clearly.  Next week, darth_ender will will likely be an endangered species on this forum.  A shame, too, as his kind was the handsome sort.

I had this random thought...

...I can't help but wonder why this thread was created, when in reality this is exactly what virtually every other thread in the off topic forum turns into.

xhonzi said:

twooffour said:

All Mormons are black doctors who steal bras from their bosses to get promoted. Sorry, that's the truth. I saw it on TV.

Well!  There goes the Mormon segment of your fanbase.  Who's next?

Twooffour has said several things I've found offensive, but to his credit he is merely teasing me because he knows I'm Mormon.  I don't mind a little jab like that.  We Mormons have got a sense of humor.

...jerk...