Profile for Or else o'erleap.

Error message

Deprecated function: implode(): Passing glue string after array is deprecated. Swap the parameters in drupal_get_feeds() (line 394 of /var/www/pied-piper.ermarian.net/includes/common.inc).

Recent posts

Pages

AuthorRecent posts
A Hypothetical Conceived Whilst Drunk in General
Or else o'erleap.
Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Thursday, October 13 2005 17:20 Profile Homepage #2
I'd rather have all doctors and midwives shout "Constantinople! Congratulations, it's a <boy/girl/corpse>!" at every birth. That way the problem can be minimized without hurting either history or They Might be Giants.

—Alorael, who think the politically correct term for the victims would have to be "spontaneous post-natal abortion."
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
On Nov 1st, 2005.... in General
Or else o'erleap.
Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Wednesday, October 12 2005 12:30 Profile Homepage #24
Fortunately, that paraphrased line doesn't come at the end of the original trilogy at all, and it is, in my opinion, a relatively superfluous plot point thrown in because George Lucas can't resist clichés.

—Alorael, who still wouldn't advise watching 1 or 2. 4-6 are classics, and you are obligated to see them whether or not you like them. 3 is a tossup. It's not a classic, but it's also not a painful disaster. Viewing is optional.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
In the Sewers of Shayder... in The Avernum Trilogy
Or else o'erleap.
Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Wednesday, October 12 2005 12:18 Profile Homepage #5
There are no rival mages in Shayder, although the body could be from the bad ol' times before the Anama.

Everyone has magical enchantments except the Anama, and they've got fanaticism on their side. The Empire depends on magic to keep order and to kill all the horrible beasts in the countryside, Avernum depends on magic to maintain a decent existence, everyone needs magic. Not all of it is used to set people on fire!

[Edit: GC or RWG?]

—Alorael, who may have to dig up and old RWG thread. Just because an Empire could conceivably survive without magery doesn't make it plausible that it would. In Ermarian, Empires have magic.

[ Wednesday, October 12, 2005 12:18: Message edited by: Excuses ]
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
In the Sewers of Shayder... in The Avernum Trilogy
Or else o'erleap.
Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Wednesday, October 12 2005 07:49 Profile Homepage #3
The mages never ruled Bigail. They just lived on Bigail like they did in the rest of Valorim until the Anama made them most unwelcome.

—Alorael, who imagines that the Empire would collapse in short order if the Anama were everywhere. No army would be able to keep the entire Empire together without magical reinforcement.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Politics and Beliefs in General
Or else o'erleap.
Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Wednesday, October 12 2005 07:48 Profile Homepage #121
Muji, one sentence per paragraph is not balance. It's easier to read than one mass of text with no breaks, but it's no the best way to format writing.

North African and Middle Eastern Muslims carry their problems wherever the immigrate just like everyone else. Relocating doesn't suddenly change your nationality and outlook. Also, interestingly enough, Islam is about 500 years younger than Christianity, which means that it would be more accurate (though no more meaningful) to compare it to Christianity about five centuries ago. That puts us in the same vicinity as the creation of the Spanish Inquisition and Christian missionary rampages through the Americas. No, Islam isn't so unique.

—Alorael, who feels a need to point out that religion has contributed virtually nothing scientifically. Preservation of the scientific findings of others is nice, but it doesn't excuse using those findings to suppress any further advances. As soon as education moved past the Church, education also surpassed the Church.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
The Tower of the Magi in A3 *SPOILERS* in The Avernum Trilogy
Or else o'erleap.
Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Wednesday, October 12 2005 07:36 Profile Homepage #7
If you consider just about anybody but X and Solberg important, yes. Mahdavi and Linda are the notable deaths.

—Alorael, who very much likes the tragic romance "quest" that you can't complete, whether or not it's intentional.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
2nd newbie question... in The Avernum Trilogy
Or else o'erleap.
Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Tuesday, October 11 2005 15:38 Profile Homepage #6
No. You can also wait out of battle in the same way. Press 5 on the numeric keypad or click on your lead character (I think).

—Alorael, who isn't sure if w works in Avernum or not.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
2nd newbie question... in The Avernum Trilogy
Or else o'erleap.
Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Tuesday, October 11 2005 10:40 Profile Homepage #2
Dumbfounding doesn't go away with time. You'll have to use an item as a cure, cast Unshackle Mind, or pay a healer.

—Alorael, who is quite sure that the manual explains all of the status effects. They're listed under "Status Screen Symbols," page 26 of the A3 manual.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
The Spiral Pit and Mertis in The Avernum Trilogy
Or else o'erleap.
Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Tuesday, October 11 2005 10:33 Profile Homepage #8
quote:
Originally written by Hands and Minds:

In A2 you can really break the curse with the Ritual of Sanctification.
—Alorael, who senses redundancy.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Ethical Survey in General
Or else o'erleap.
Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Tuesday, October 11 2005 08:40 Profile Homepage #30
Numbers 4 and 5 are morally equivalent. One just involves less mechanical isolation. I imagine more people would be willing to push the man than beat him unconscious with a rock before heaving his body over the edge for much the same reasons.

—Alorael, who is sad that nobody answered his 7.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
NPC vs. PC advantages and disadvantages in The Exile Trilogy
Or else o'erleap.
Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Tuesday, October 11 2005 08:31 Profile Homepage #2
I'd give up Simulacrum for free. In fact, I did.

—Alorael, who agrees with Thuryl that AP are nice. A pile of ammunities would be quite welcome too.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
The Spiral Pit and Mertis in The Avernum Trilogy
Or else o'erleap.
Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Monday, October 10 2005 19:23 Profile Homepage #6
Gukhbar's Pit has a Dryad in it, though. You rescue her.

—Alorael, who can't think of any better example of a G with captives.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Ethical Survey in General
Or else o'erleap.
Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Monday, October 10 2005 19:22 Profile Homepage #10
1. Male

2. Barely. If it were possible to be less Jewish and still fairly called Jewish, I would be.

3. I'm a fair weather vegetarian. I don't like meat all that much, but I have no objection to eating it when there's no other choice (or when other chioces are less tasty).

4. I'd flip the switch.

5. In theory, I'd give the man a push. In practice, I doubt I could.

6. I'd flip the switch.

—Alorael, who is more interested in knowing who would tie people to a track to save the passengers of the trolley. How many people would you be willing to tie down if, say, 100 people are on the trolley and will inevitably die if X people are not tied on the track. How high can X be before you wouldn't do it?
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Proper behavior for raving cultists in Richard White Games
Or else o'erleap.
Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Monday, October 10 2005 10:27 Profile Homepage #8
Binary or nuclear?

—Alorael, who is hoping for the former. It would be exciting!
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Everyone's a Comedian in General
Or else o'erleap.
Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Monday, October 10 2005 10:17 Profile Homepage #45
I've seen that joke in English, too.

A better Jewish joke: A young man calls his mother and says, "Mom, I know you'll be disappointed in me. You sent me to years of religious school and Hebrew classes, you were so proud when I was bar mitzvahed. But Mom, I just can't be Jewish anymore. I've found Jesus and he changed my life. I've been going to church every Sunday and everything."

His mother doesn't know what to say or what to do, so she does what she always does in times of trouble: she calls her rabbi. "Rabbi, I need help!" she tells him. "I raised my son to be a good Jewish boy, but now he's converting to Christianity!"

"Funny you should mention that," the rabbi replies. "I also have a son, as you know, and I also raised him as a good Jewish boy. I thought he would follow in my footsteps and be a rabbi too. But just a few days ago he called and said that he was converting to Christianity!"

"You, too?" asks the mother. "What did you do?"

"Well," says the rabbi, "I did what I always do when I'm in trouble. I prayed to God. And you know what? He answered me!"

"God answered you? What did he say?"

"Well..." the rabbi says slowly, "He said, 'Funny you should mention that. I have a son, and I raised him to be a good Jewish boy, and...'"

—Alorael, who has no more sig-sized jokes to share.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Politics and Beliefs in General
Or else o'erleap.
Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Sunday, October 9 2005 20:34 Profile Homepage #92
quote:
Originally written by Eldibs:

Using something that isn't always right to prove a point is a bad idea. Using Occam's Razor to support Evolution is like using the rule "'i' before 'e' except after 'c'" to try to support a theory that says the word 'their' is spelled 'thier'.
That's what the text you quoted said. The main arguments for evolution don't depend on Occam's Razor, which is why they are scientifically accepted when the simplest solution really would be that species are fixed and unchangeable.

[Edit: Okay, the below comes out sounding bad. It's not meant maliciously. It's meant as a comment on the strength of belief. Some people simply will not allow their belief to be tested no matter how obviously wrong the beliefs seem to others.]

—Alorael, who would add "willfully" to Kel's "ignorant." Some people would rather believe in creationism than believe that the foundations of their belief could be false. There's nothing wrong with that as a personal view, but it becomes a problem when it bleeds into public policy.

[ Sunday, October 09, 2005 20:36: Message edited by: Hands and Minds ]
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
A3 - finding Shahpur in The Avernum Trilogy
Or else o'erleap.
Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Sunday, October 9 2005 20:30 Profile Homepage #1
I think she's gone forever once Angel's Rest is.

—Alorael, who could only find the encouraging information that Seletine couldn't locate her either. If Seletine can't find it, it can't be found.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Everyone's a Comedian in General
Or else o'erleap.
Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Sunday, October 9 2005 20:27 Profile Homepage #31
I think even the Puritans will have to let that one go, but I'm curious as to which Psalm 69 is cited.

—Alorael, who has a truly great bar joke: a termite walks into a bar and asks, "Is the bartender here?" Say it out loud.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
The Spiral Pit and Mertis in The Avernum Trilogy
Or else o'erleap.
Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Sunday, October 9 2005 20:19 Profile Homepage #2
It's quoted from elsewhere, although the only elsewheres that I can find for it don't exactly make it less disturbing.

You can't exactly stop the undead in A1, but you can kill the spirit in the center of the crypt and get a reward for doing something to help. In A2 you can really break the curse with the Ritual of Sanctification.

—Alorael, who wonders if Gorvifal's crypt was inserted in A3 only because Jeff couldn't have an Avernum without a spiral-shaped lair of the undead in one form or another.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Politics and Beliefs in General
Or else o'erleap.
Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Sunday, October 9 2005 15:32 Profile Homepage #88
Ash: Isn't the burden of explanation upon those backing the theory? I've never heard a reasonable explanation of creationism or ID that stands up to serious critical review.

—Alorael, who wouldn't call Occam's Razor a good determination of validity anyway. It tends to be true, but it isn't always true. For an easy example, it's tempting to use Occam's Razor on Einstein and support Newton, but Newton was wrong and Einstein was right. (Experimental evidence supports Einstein anyway, but an Occam hack and slash isn't good science any more than blind belief.)
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Everyone's a Comedian in General
Or else o'erleap.
Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Sunday, October 9 2005 09:26 Profile Homepage #18
A physicist, an engineer, and a programmer are all in a car, driving along a windy road with a ravine to their left and a mountain to their right. Then they hit a rock, or a wet patch, or something, and the car veers over the edge of the ravine and they tumble down.

Miraculously, all three get out of the car unharmed and see that even the car is still in working condition, although it's pretty banged up.

The physicist says, "I'm going to climb back up there, look at the ground and any skid marks we left, and try to figure out what happened."

The engineer shakes his head. "No, that's not important right now. There's some rope in the trunk, and if we rig up a pulley system and tie everything right, I think we can haul the car back up."

The programmer says, "Great! Then we can get back in and go back over the cliff again and again until I know what went wrong!"

—Alorael, who dedicates this program to everyone who has ever tested a program.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Politics and Beliefs in General
Or else o'erleap.
Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Sunday, October 9 2005 09:11 Profile Homepage #80
quote:
Originally written by Lord Nicodemus:

Step 3: Experiment:
Darwin did not carry out any experiments, but the work of other scientists such as Mendel carried out experiments that proved Darwin's hypothesis.
Not quite. As far as I know, even creationists have given up disputing microevolution. It has been observed over and over both in experiments and in the wild. Macroevolution, or the creation of one species from another, has not been observed at all, and that's where the creationists have their luck fighting science.

Evolution explains why the fossil record shows great changes in which species exist over time and events like the Cambrian Explosion. Creationism relies on denying the validity of fossils by claiming that the universe is only a few thousand years old and coming up with strange arguments for why apparent speciation is not actually speciation. Creationism is suspect on the second count for spectacularly ignoring Occam's Razor.

—Alorael, who doesn't sip skribbane or take his sniper rifle to cocktail parties. That is an absurd suggestion. Why would he ever go to a cocktail party and possibly miss a pedestrian or two?
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Politics and Beliefs in General
Or else o'erleap.
Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Saturday, October 8 2005 20:48 Profile Homepage #72
quote:
Originally written by Eldibs:

[QUOTE]Creationism wasn't created to twist up Evolution. Creationism is just the belief that we were created by a higher being, and is not supposed to be affiliated with any particular religion. Until it's proven, Evolution is just a theory. Faith based upon evidence.
Creationism has come to mean almost exclusively the anti-evolutionary doctrine of world creation by God in six days expressed in the Judeo-Christian Bible. Many other religions have their own creation myths, and they don't fall under the heading of creationism.

Once again, there seems to be a great deal of confusion over scientific and colloquial theory. Evolution is an accepted "theory" because it is the best deduction of how a certain system works that we have. It can't be proven unless we witness macroevolution, which tends to happen on a timescale that is orders of magnitude out of the reach of practical studies. That aside, evolution is the theory that fits the facts as we know them and allows meaningful extrapolation.

Unlike popular perception of the words, the difference between "theory" and "fact" isn't a difference at all. A theory is an explanation, nothing more and nothing less. If it can be proven, it may be considered an absolutely true and accurate theory, but it is still a theory. In that sense, intelligent design is also a theory, just not a scientifically valid theory: it cannot be tested, it permits no extrapolation. Even if it is true, the only response is to say, "Okay, so what?"

—Alorael, who twitches reflexively whenever he sees the "just a theory" argument. Then he rants about it for a while. Then he appends a signature.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
3 months in General
Or else o'erleap.
Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Saturday, October 8 2005 20:36 Profile Homepage #38
What's so great about 335?

—Alorael, who would rather have the account than the account number, really.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Remember when everyone celebrated the year 2000? in General
Or else o'erleap.
Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Saturday, October 8 2005 20:30 Profile Homepage #17
This isn't Alex's celebration topic. He can have knighthood elsewhere. Actually, I think a promotion to the rank of ?ØÒ?Â??¿ in the cult would be more appropriate, but suit yourself.

—Alorael, who has no idea how that title will appear when rendered as a two dimensional image in more or less Euclidian space, relativity being rather insignificant.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00

Pages