Support NeoGAF

[Bernbaum]

It’s been a year since I’ve read A Game of Thrones and I’m itching to get back into the series.

I forget a few key points of the story and wasn’t sure whether I should use the show as a means of catching up or if I should just read it again. As always, spoilers are my main concern, and I don’t want the show’s representation of the characters tainting my brain’s representation of the characters.

Also, this Kerrby kid is the new igotsuper8systemwrong.

 

[codswallop]

Hey, it's Bern! One of us! One of us!

 

[Gazunta]

BERRRRRRRRN

I can't get into the whole Game of Thrones thing. I try to get interested, then remember that I'm not really into stories about orcs and magic and medieval times and then go back to reading comics.

 

[markot]

Just watch the show then durrr!

 

[evlcookie]

BERRRRRRRRN

I can't get into the whole Game of Thrones thing. I try to get interested, then remember that I'm not really into stories about orcs and magic and medieval times and then go back to reading comics.

I don't believe it has orcs in it.

I'm not a reader but game of thrones grabbed me. It took fucking forever though and i stuck with it since it's an hour long journey on the train into work, Very glad i did.

Still waiting on the second book to turn up. How annoying.

 

[EviLore]

BERRRRRRRRN

I can't get into the whole Game of Thrones thing. I try to get interested, then remember that I'm not really into stories about orcs and magic and medieval times and then go back to reading comics.

It's not a Tolkien ripoff. There are no orcs or elves or magic missiles.

 

[jambo]

I've started reading Demon Haunted World, tearing through it on the bus in the mornings.

I've even started thinking about reading it instead of playing games on my newly upgraded PC, something must be wrong with me!

 

[markot]

Yeah but its Carl Sagan so its cool.

 

[Box of Bunnies]

I've started reading Demon Haunted World, tearing through it on the bus in the mornings.

I've even started thinking about reading it instead of playing games on my newly upgraded PC, something must be wrong with me!

It's the Power of Sagan.

 

[Gazunta]

I think the closest analogy I could think of is if you ask someone if they've seen Shawshank Redemption and they go "no I don't like Steven King with all the blood and horror and stuff" and you're like OH YOU IDIOT IT'S NOT LIKE THAT AT ALL.

I know I'm missing out on something special, too many people who's opinion I trust are saying it's the greatest thing evar but I just can't make that leap

Never saw what the fuss about Harry Potter was about either.

 

[jambo]

I wonder if there are any audiobooks of Sagan's stuff.

Hang on a minute... if there are, I wonder if he read any of them. Oh my... that would be... glorious.

 

[markot]

Well Harry Potter does suck, but the movies arent too bad. Books are 1999, lets face it, just watch the shows and forget about the books.

And yes it has swords and stuff, but just squint and ignore it and you get a great story. Pretend they are guns instead!

 

[Dead Man]

Easy way to stop those stories would be to start advertising video games during the show.

LOL indeed.

I've started reading Demon Haunted World, tearing through it on the bus in the mornings.

I've even started thinking about reading it instead of playing games on my newly upgraded PC, something must be wrong with me!

No, nothing's wrong, every thing's right baby.

It's not a Tolkien ripoff. There are no orcs or elves or magic missiles.

Yeah, I tried to read it years ago and couldn't get into it for a variety of reasons, but it is not a Tolkien ripoff.

 

[jambo]

Well Harry Potter does suck, but the movies arent too bad.

FFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUU-

 

[markot]

Am I a bad person for not caring about tour de france and cycling even though an Aussie won >.>?

Srsly, and the talk of them naming all this stuff in melbourne after him.....

 

[giri]

It's not a Tolkien ripoff. There are no orcs or elves or magic missiles.

It might not be in the tolkien world, but to say it doesn't have mystical/magic elements/animals would be mis-leading.

I don't want to say more, as it would lead to spoilers.

Am I a bad person for not caring about tour de france and cycling even though an Aussie won >.>?

Srsly, and the talk of them naming all this stuff in melbourne after him.....

I can be happy for him, good on him. But i can not recognise it as a sporting achievement or a sporting feat of any worth.

When lance armstrong admitted he was doping the whole time he won, and contador got busted for drugs, the whole sport lost any credibility with me forever. I just can't take it seriously as a sport.

 

[Shaneus]

Srsly, and the talk of them naming all this stuff in melbourne after him.....

I've only heard that it's the naming of a bridge in his home town which is at least 1.5hrs drive away. No big deal.

 

[Omikron]

When lance armstrong admitted he was doping the whole time he won, and contador got busted for drugs, the whole sport lost any credibility with me forever. I just can't take it seriously as a sport.

Armstrong admitted he was doping?

 

[giri]

Armstrong admitted he was doping?

A couple friends who are heavily into cycling bring it up, and i remember a huff about it a year or two back.

 

[codswallop]

I know I'm missing out on something special, too many people who's opinion I trust are saying it's the greatest thing evar but I just can't make that leap(

Do what I did: Don't give a shit about it and not read any fantasy books for well over a decade, then watch the TV series and rush out and buy the book.

 

[Omikron]

A couple friends who are heavily into cycling bring it up, and i remember a huff about it a year or two back.

Armstrong has never, evern admitted to anything, just a lot of people have tried to pin stuff on him, including less than reputable former team mates.

Not saying he never doped, just that those that have said he has are probably less than trustworthy.

 

[HolyCheck]

It's not a Tolkien ripoff. There are no orcs or elves or magic missiles.

>_> How did he get in here, some one check that the drop bear guards are awake

 

[Aon]

>_> How did he get in here, some one check that the drop bear guards are awake

i bet he's checking out our sweeet shirt designs!

 

[codswallop]

If you haven't, an article posted a while back about endurance cycling is an interesting read: https://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/05/sports/playmagazine/05robicpm.html?pagewanted=all

Occasionally, Robic leaps from his bike to square off with shadowy figures that turn out to be mailboxes. In a 2004 race, he turned to see himself pursued by a howling band of black-bearded men on horseback.

 

[giri]

Armstrong has never, evern admitted to anything, just a lot of people have tried to pin stuff on him, including less than reputable former team mates.

Not saying he never doped, just that those that have said he has are probably less than trustworthy.

Hmmm, possible, i'm going from memory about a big huff over him having been proven or admitting to it or the like.

Either way, the whole sport just appears to be rife with drugs/doping. I just find it so disreputable as a professional entity, that i find it hard to take new "acievements" as a result of a superior athlete.

That might be purely my mis-conception on it, but if so, the sport has a long way to go to fix things.

 

[FallbackPants]

Am I a bad person for not caring about tour de france and cycling even though an Aussie won >.>?

Srsly, and the talk of them naming all this stuff in melbourne after him.....

I can see that its an amazing sporting achievement, but all this talk of him being our greatest athlete is a load of turd. One win is no where near Bradman records or Rod Laver's two grand slams (and grand slams meaning winning all four majors in a calendar year).

 

[jambo]

Although I can never remember Armstrong admitting to doping, I think I can remember reading some article last year about someone getting access to a load of old urine samples of Armstrong's and finding a lot of drugs in them.

And FallbackPants, you can't really compare his 1 title win with other sportsmen and women. His single Tour de France win was over a distance of 3,430.5 km!!!

I wouldn't call him the greatest, but he certainly is right up there.

 

[Omikron]

I can see that its an amazing sporting achievement, but all this talk of him being our greatest athlete is a load of turd. One win is no where near Bradman records or Rod Laver's two grand slams (and grand slams meaning winning all four majors in a calendar year).

Again not trying to protect Evans and/or cycling, but just fyi...Evans hasn't one 'just one' event....

2 x World cup MTB champion
World Road Race Champion
Tour de France champion

+ multitude of other stage and race wins.

That is pretty impressive all round ability displayed whichever way you cut it.

 

[Jintor]

Well, if we don't reverse that logo, the ausgaf shirt with the logo superimposed on Australia is fine too

 

[giri]

Although I can never remember Armstrong admitting to doping, I think I can remember reading some article last year about someone getting access to a load of old urine samples of Armstrong's and finding a lot of drugs in them.

And FallbackPants, you can't really compare his 1 title win with other sportsmen and women. His single Tour de France win was over a distance of 3,430.5 km!!!

I wouldn't call him the greatest, but he certainly is right up there.

Bradmans was against how many balls?
The world cup winning wallabies sides were against how many teams/games prior to the finals
Pat rafters US open wins were after how many rounds/sets/points?
Warnes was achieved over how many overs/games/balls?

He's certainly achieved a lot, but i wouldn't even rank him above rafter.

Its just flavour of the moment syndrome.

 

[jambo]

Bradmans was against how many balls?
The world cup winning wallabies sides were against how many teams/games prior to the finals
Pat rafters US open wins were after how many rounds/sets/points?
Warnes was achieved over how many overs/games/balls?

It's not like this was Cadel's first win, he's got plenty of other great achievements under his belt.

 

[Omikron]

Bradmans was against how many balls?
The world cup winning wallabies sides were against how many teams/games prior to the finals
Pat rafters US open wins were after how many rounds/sets/points?
Warnes was achieved over how many overs/games/balls?

He's certainly achieved a lot, but i wouldn't even rank him above rafter.

Its just flavour of the moment syndrome.

I find it really hard to rank sporting achievements between sports and then generations... its just too hard.

But the 'moment' I have enjoyed the most personally was either when Aus qualified for the WC2006 via Aloisi's penalty or the first game of that tournament against Japan. Fucking epic both of them.

 

[giri]

It's not like this was Cadel's first win, he's got plenty of other great achievements under his belt.

My general opinion on professional cyclists probably tarnishes his achievements in my eyes, but i'm certainly not going to denounce anyone who says he's acieved a lot, he really has. But our greatest? There are plenty of great atheletes, to declare someone the greatest is a monumental statement really.

 

[HolyCheck]

It's not like this was Cadel's first win, he's got plenty of other great achievements under his belt.

so many people seem to think it's easy to ride 3,430.5 km, or around 200km a day for 3 weeks, lots of it through the Alps.

 

[giri]

I find it really hard to rank sporting achievements between sports and then generations... its just too hard.

But the 'moment' I have enjoyed the most personally was either when Aus qualified for the WC2006 via Aloisi's penalty or the first game of that tournament against Japan. Fucking epic both of them.

I agree, particularly when some of them (Cricket for e.g.) don't really have "finishing" points. There's ends to series and the like, but Warnes body of work of his career was phenomenal.

 

[jambo]

My general opinion on professional cyclists probably tarnishes his achievements in my eyes, but i'm certainly not going to denounce anyone who says he's acieved a lot, he really has. But our greatest? There are plenty of great atheletes, to declare someone the greatest is a monumental statement really.

Who is it you're arguing with? I already said

I wouldn't call him the greatest, but he certainly is right up there.

 

[legend166]

Cadel's awesome and it was great to see him win Le Tour, but Australia's greatest athlete? I don't know much about cycling, but would cycling fans even put him in the top 10, top 20 all time in his sport?

We've got guys throughout history who were legitimately in the top echelon of their sport of all time.

I just hope Cadel wasn't doping.

 

[giri]

Who is it you're arguing with? I already said

who said i was arguing, i was agreeing.

 

[legend166]

I find it really hard to rank sporting achievements between sports and then generations... its just too hard.

But the 'moment' I have enjoyed the most personally was either when Aus qualified for the WC2006 via Aloisi's penalty or the first game of that tournament against Japan. Fucking epic both of them.

On a personal level, nothing will ever top the Swannies GF win in 05.

On a national level, I'd have to go with the 99 Cricket World Cup, just ahead of the soccer. Obviously the Aloisi stuff/getting to the round of 16 was awesome, but at the end of the day we're still just a pretty small fish in that pond so it's harder for me to put it at number 1.

The 99 Cricket World Cup was just epic. Then I went to the parade in Sydney and got crushed for six hours.

 

[Omikron]

On a personal level, nothing will ever top the Swannies GF win in 05.

On a national level, I'd have to go with the 99 Cricket World Cup, just ahead of the soccer. Obviously the Aloisi stuff/getting to the round of 16 was awesome, but at the end of the day we're still just a pretty small fish in that pond so it's harder for me to put it at number 1.

The 99 Cricket World Cup was just epic. Then I went to the parade in Sydney and got crushed for six hours.

I guess it depends if you like small fish in a massive pond, or a huge fish in a very, very small pond.

 

[jambo]

who said i was arguing, i was agreeing.

Oh, well... lovely.


Soooo... I'm really not sure what to think about this Total Recall remake with Colin Farrell. It could be good, but the original is such a classic I'd rather they come up with some new film ideas instead of just regurgitating everything after 20 years.

 

[Omikron]

Oh, well... lovely.


Soooo... I'm really not sure what to think about this Total Recall remake with Colin Farrell. It could be good, but the original is such a classic I'd rather they come up with some new film ideas instead of just regurgitating everything after 20 years.

There are so many Philip K Dick stories they could bastardise, why remake one?

 

[Rahk]

BERRRRRRRRN

I can't get into the whole Game of Thrones thing. I try to get interested, then remember that I'm not really into stories about orcs and magic and medieval times and then go back to reading comics.

I thought the same way, but then I actually read it.

 

[Salazar]

We've got guys throughout history who were legitimately in the top echelon of their sport of all time.

Campo.

 

[evlcookie]

I thought the same way, but then I actually read it.

Same.

I don't like the lord of the rings, It's probably safe to say I'm not a huge fan of fantasy books and movies but this feels like something else. Maybe it will get all fantasy and shitty as the books go on but so far, I'm actually digging the political bullshit which I always hate and the characters.

 

[Agyar]

BERRRRRRRRN

I can't get into the whole Game of Thrones thing. I try to get interested, then remember that I'm not really into stories about orcs and magic and medieval times and then go back to reading comics.

I want to read Game of Thrones but I refuse to buy any more books until I read some of the ones I already have. I'm also holding off on watching the show because I haven't touched the books. Plus I want a Kindle and don't want to buy any more paper.

So many excuses.

 

[Kritz]

?

 

[jambo]

:lol :lol :lol

That's glorious Kritz, you have to get that made up in a shirt!

 

[Pixel Pete]

For those Brisbanites who are a fan of Stephen Fry's QI, they are coming to QPAC in October/november:

http://www.qpac.com.au/event/QI_Live_11.aspx?utm_source=qpac&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=qi_live

I gots me two tickets, psyched!

 

[Choc]

So i have a question. Why do the marketing managers of tablet manufacturers in Australia believe that matching the ipad 2 price is a good idea?

its not

blackberry playbook 16 gig, $579

Ipad 2 16gig $579

So the BB PB does not have the following

-Native email client (requires a blackberry phone to be paired with it for internet an email)
-a good app store

but it does have excellent multi tasking and can run flash

HP web os tablet thing $599 16gig

-No 3G
-No app store



If you want to beat the ipad 2 you need to undercut it. Aside from being so against apple you dont want to buy them , why would anyone ever buy a BB PB or this even worse HP tablet over an ipad 2

the fact is you wouldn't

why the heck are they smoking so much crack they think this is a good idea?

Blackberry dropped the ball with the Playbook, it does not even link into BES without a phone i mean what. If it did it would be very good for corporate users.

HP, is just shit, go look it up


Until they undercut apple by a long way they are fucked. Of course they can't do that because they don't have significant enough app stores to be able to be profitable in the longer term.


Stupid, stupid stupid