bookwyrm

You should download AdAware just to be sure.

Maverick, If you read this thread you'll find that most people who have posted aren't necessarily opposed to copying, it's just we're not pretending that it's something it's not.  It's still theft, even if it's closer to theft of intellectual property rather that of physical objects.

As for what you're downloading, be honest.  How many people are using it to explore World music, or rare jazz, or local bands that will never play you're area/country?  And how many are using it to get the latest Britney album?

Besides, who says that distribution is the only system that can change?  There's plenty you can do without bemoaning a system that won't change except at an economic gunpoint?  What about setting up a music club with some like-minded friends, pool your money and buy that expensive cd to share?  Or buy magazines with demo coverdiscs?  If you can't afford the magazine, then remember that magazines are stocked on a sale or return basis, and the only part that generally gets returned is the front page (the part with the barcode on), so get friendly with someone who works there or go bin-diving.  Personally, I listen to punk and there's plenty of cheap compilations around.  If that album you've just bought only has one good song on, copy that song (or find a good compilation it appears on) and sell it on.

Ivan flashes a red grin at Blaine and Higuta before entering the room with everyone else.  He stands there for a moment swaying slightly before heaving a pile of bloody vomit onto the floor.  He wipes his mouth with the handful of blood-soaked bills (money that's definitely in need of laundering ) and looks at Renata, slightly out of focus.

OC: 'bloody vomit' - not internal bleeding (I hope), he just swallowed a load while he was ripping the throat out of that poor mook.

I'm a lesbian*, does that count?

*Hairy feminist who's attracted to women

What about Deric Bernier's New Africa Sourcebook?

DarthMurph!  Glad to hear you're still in one piece.

I'm going to try and learn to program this year.  And get out of debt (possibly).

Well, since noone else has posted this yet, I thought I'd ask.

You're taking something that you would otherwise have to pay for, like it or not that's stealing.  And radio stations do pay royalties on the music they play.

But as I said

This isn't something we're going to grow out of, either, it's an intrinsic part of our nature.

It's possible to move beyond this as individuals, but even small groups tend to devolve into a hierarchy, our personalities tending to determine what role within the hierarchy we fall into.

Unrealistic and impractical would be accurate for any timescale less than a million years.

I suspect that she already knows that she's lucky to come out of it alive.  On the plus side, it'll probably make her a better driver.  When I had just past my test I had an accident (missed the oncoming car but clipped a wall - all my fault) and it knocked ALL the speed out of me.  Since that day I've driven like a granny and never regretted it (plus, it's fun to p*ss off the speed freaks stuck behind you ).

It might, however, be time to stick her in for some advanced driving lessons.

I like the way an 'always available' net is handled in Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom.

What you've also got to remember is that your reaction time is mostly mental.  Physically, we're all only a fraction of a second slower than a fighter jet pilo.  What really affects you're ability to respond is anticipation (being ready) and the speed at which you process information.  Any of you who drive should know what I mean.

Interestingly, I remember watching something where professional baseball players were talking about hitting.  They all said that on a good day the ball appeared to be huge (about the size of a melon) and slow, and they could see the crease on it and which way it was turning.  On a bad day you didn't even get to see it go past.  To me this suggests that the their taking in the same amount of information on both types of days, but on a good day the brain is processing it faster.

Also done in Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars trilogy.

What you're forgetting, Arch, is that man is essentially hierarchical.  We need to know who's better and who's worse, who's the boss and who's the bitch.  This isn't something we're going to grow out of, either, it's an intrinsic part of our nature.

And you 'value' the munchkin as much as the guy who turns in a three page character history?

Of course the insult thrown back would be 'unstable!', or possibly 'beta!'.

Be honest, it's for playing freecell on when you're bored, isn't it.

Versionist?

That's the truth, at one point it felt like he was describing every blade of grass Frodo was passing!

Quote (Dog Soldier @ Dec. 31 2003,14:41)

Malek77

Absolutely perfect!

Sorry Arch, but it is.  You want to value something whilst at the same time not valuing it??  You're doing it as you type - you value 'nice' over 'selfish' and you're assigning relative values by suggesting that an advanced (ie better) society will be 'nice'.  Also, how do you value sub-cultural identities within a culture, especially antithetical ones?

I would make autofire an exception.  The idea with this damage bonus is that you get it for a well aimed shot.  With autofire I'm not even sure it's possible to aim each individual bullet (maybe one of our resident experts could weigh in on this?), but what you can do is put more bullets on target - which is what the current rules already take account of.  The other question is whether it is realistic to get the aiming damage bonus for shotguns firing shot?

In my defence, when I was reffing IRL we mostly played scenarios using characters we already had rather than campaigns where I could control character creation (we had a fairly fluid set of players).  Still, you can have a lot of fun when noone in the party can read.

I work.  I sleep.  I try not to think of how much money I owe the bank.

Mostly I'm taking the time to enjoy being as close to normal as I've ever been.  Yay for lithium!

Dammit DS, you've found the ultimate argument against gun control!  I know this feeling well (albeit from different causes).

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