2020-05-01 06:20:05

I thought I'd start the ball rolling this time.

How do you folks feel about spring (or autumn, if you're in the southern hemisphere)?

Have any of you read any particularly good books lately?

Last but not least, what came first, the chicken or the egg?

Discuss.

Check out my Manamon text walkthrough at the following link:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/z8ls3rc3f4mkb … n.txt?dl=1

2020-05-01 07:23:01

@Jayde:
To answer your questions:

Well, I really like the current season, even though there is quite a summer heat during this time in India. But I like the fact that I don't feel as lazy as during the winter.

Yes, rhesus chart by Charles Stross, the fifth book in the Laundry Files series. This book also has the most depressing ending among all the Laundry Files books I have read so far.

I would stay away from the last question, because as a programmer, (Or at least student who is learning programming, and hopes to be one in the future,) I hate the infinite loops which do not serve any purpose other than consuming resources.

On to the other topics:

I am looking for something new to read, since I do like to take a break from the series of books I read usually. I like books with mages within them, with deep analysis of magic. In short, research the magic as if it is science.

If you do have something in your knowledge like that, please recommend it to me.

Also, one final note: I am as of the first May 2020, now 21 years old.

2020-05-01 08:45:17

All of you mortals who are still desperately trying to in vain to answer the question whether there was the first the existence of the egg or was there first the existence of the flightless bird that originated from the egg that also manufactures eggs, when the answer is so simple, so simple that only an absolute ingenious god like me could comprehend its simplicity of it.

It's the aliens.

If life gives you communism, become a communist dictator.

2020-05-01 17:02:19

@Jayde thumbs up for getting the ball rolling.

To answer your first question first in a boringly scientific fashion, since dinosaur eggs, insect larval cocoons, fish row ova of various species and daughter cells produced by mitosis all predate chickens in the evolutionary time line, and all could be said to be eggs of one sort or the other, I think the answer is obvious.

A more important question is, which tastes nicer, the chicken or the egg!

I'd automatically say chicken, however if chicken is over roasted to the point of being too dry it can be nasty, where as I do like a good scrambled egg or omelette, and my dad makes a most amazing frittas, so I'm not sure.

In terms of seasons, at the moment it's been one of the most inconsistently annoying springs ever. We got someone to clear up our garden both so we could go and sit out there, and also so we could take the dogs, since with lock down  effect we can only walk the dogs between about 1 and 6 Am in the morning, however the bloody weather has decided to be dark, dank and dreary.

I don't know why, but for some reason I always find summer a difficult time of year, especially now I have no summer music school to go to anymore, for some reason, even though it implies worth weather than usual, I always quite like autumn, partly because of the approach of christmas, and bonfire night and so on, even though halloween is much less a thing in Britain than it is in the states I think.

Books wise, my lady and I are currently reading bag of bones by Stephen King. we just finished Becky Chambers' new novella, which was actually disappointing, mostly for unabashed sermonising. I have written a review and it should be appearing soon.

For people liking books about detailed analyses of magic, apart from anything by sanderson (since magic systems are sort of his pet thing), I can highly recommend Patric Rothfus king Killer series They take some getting used to, since the books are basically a long interview tieh a main character who appears to be on the surface a succeedinator of the first order, being a genius, and awesome musician, and amazingly skilled at combat, with huge magical power. Yet,  oddly enough the books are more about how much he fails, and how, despite having every gift under the sun, things never work out right for him. There is also a fantastic cast of side characters, including a university of magical professors, and a lot of discussion of detailed magic theory in a far more academic method than you see in most books, indeed I particularly liked how even the structure and logic of his university feels very much like what I learned in history of medicine about eighteenth century medical education.

The first book in the King killer series is name of the wind, the second, the wise man's fear. There are also two novellas, the slow regard of silent things (which is a gorgeously written, poetical story about a beloved character and the way she sees the world), and the lightning tree.
the third and final book, doors of stone, is due to come out this summer.

Otherwise, I'm also reading Fuse, a dystopian novel, somewhat like the hunger games by Juliana baggot. The first book, Pure was fun (I did a review up on www.fantasybookreview.co.uk), the second however is taking things to much darker places and doing some really interesting stuff with the characters, and is probably going to get a higher mark from me.

I'm also playing a lot of Erion, especially with the new crafting system and fishing, indeed my monk character is now at a higher level than my previous archer was, so I'm seeing lots of new areas and quests.
I'm also continuing zombies run each day, lifting weights and running, and generally having a surprisingly good time, to say that with my lady on the at risk list, we're still being hugely careful about corona virus and lock down, indeed we've been told to stay inside until at least June, though for a pare of introverts who adore each other this is less hard than you'd imagine big_smile.

With our dreaming and singing, Ceaseless and sorrowless we! The glory about us clinging Of the glorious futures we see,
Our souls with high music ringing; O men! It must ever be
That we dwell in our dreaming and singing, A little apart from ye. (Arthur O'Shaughnessy 1873.)

2020-05-01 18:12:48

Well I don't really know how to read now, really.
well, that's only because I am trying to get a hold on school, even if it bors me to death.
And from that point, it's all a mix of uncarying bordem related to any type  of knowledge/lestens that my school is trying to impose on me.
On books I am really tying to read, but I don't find the power to do it, anymore.
I may how ever make a recommandation for someone that is brave enough to take it!
read Blood meridian, or the eavning redness in the west byCormac McCarthy.
did any of you read it?
and also does anyone have goodreads?
But I think I may try my best to read it after all, I think it has even some spanish pasages, in there.

---
"A good ruler gives the goblet to his servants. He never drinks from it himself. The servants need his glory. He does not cary the flame alone.
For a spark does not lit the flame, but the spirit holds it in place. Forgeting that leads one to destruction.
(Enhemodius before the Altar of the Broken)"

2020-05-01 19:58:34

hi
this subject somehow was difrent, i'm sure dark ritten the subject difrent smile

2020-05-01 22:57:23 (edited by Dark 2020-05-01 22:58:21)

Jayde put a dash after the words "monthly chat" and a comma before 2020, where as I usually wrote as one string sinse it's a title and I don't tend to punctuate titles, plus I don't tend to use dashes like that.

IE: Jayde wrote "monthly chat -  May, 2020.
where as I would've written "monthly chat May 2020.""

Just a difference in style I suspect.

With our dreaming and singing, Ceaseless and sorrowless we! The glory about us clinging Of the glorious futures we see,
Our souls with high music ringing; O men! It must ever be
That we dwell in our dreaming and singing, A little apart from ye. (Arthur O'Shaughnessy 1873.)

2020-05-01 23:04:10

@dark I will check your reviews, do you also have goodreads?

---
"A good ruler gives the goblet to his servants. He never drinks from it himself. The servants need his glory. He does not cary the flame alone.
For a spark does not lit the flame, but the spirit holds it in place. Forgeting that leads one to destruction.
(Enhemodius before the Altar of the Broken)"

2020-05-02 01:21:16

I am finished school and have my master's in Clinical Mental-Health Counseling! It feels less exciting saddly. As a classmate put it last night it's like a cheer going out with a wimper. But I'm still happy! Once this mess is over I'll be able to take my boards and apply for a job! And I never have to go back to school again! Thank God for that! I haven't read any books recently. The egg came first and if you want to watch a video about it see the link below.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1a8pI65emDE

Kingdom of Loathing name JB77

2020-05-02 05:31:56

Can confirm. Egg came first. I'd agree with that. Just wanted to see what you folks would do with the conundrum.

Bag of Bones is a pet favourite of mine from King's collection, mostly because it was one of the first I read from him.

Spring is just starting to turn non-wintery here, and I adore it. Windows are open nearly all the time now because the breezes are glorious about ninety percent of the time.

Check out my Manamon text walkthrough at the following link:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/z8ls3rc3f4mkb … n.txt?dl=1

2020-05-02 06:19:52

Hi,
We are about to have summer here, which means hot and humid. I love all the seasons, but I think fall is my favorite.

Ok, reading recommendations.
"Devoted" by Dean Koontz is awesome! I love the way he writes animal characters! He writes the scariest damn villains I have read, just for their ways of making insanity seem normal, at least to them. There is a lot of suspense in this one too.
I would also recommend "If It Bleeds" by Stephen King, specifically for one novella. "The Life of Chuck." I can't say anything about it without giving spoilers, but it blew my mind! I mean, it was one of those where I finished the novella, and just felt stunned at how it turned out.

Finally, I am giving Miriani a try. I'm not much into space games, but so far I have loved it, for the creativity of the planets.

2020-05-02 09:53:22

@Wing of Eternity, I'm a staff reviewer for the site www.fantasybookreview.co.uk, you can Find my book reviews here.

Though I often consult goodreads to read other people's opinions, I don't tend to write reviews there, or look too much, since I get so sick of the large quantity of completely uncritical "five stars, this is a good book with good words and you should read it because the story is good", type of comments, or indeed the opposite when something just gets bashed for no reason, albeit it seems these days (possibly I suspect because far more authors are giving out free copies of books in return for reviews), uncritical positivity is far more common than uncritical negativity.
Those reviewers I tend to look at regularly tend to either write for more serious websites, or have their own blogs etc.

This is why when I write reviews, I try to be as honestly critical as I can,say what I liked, and what I didn't, and try to give reasons based on at least potentially understandable criteria, EG writing style, plot, characters etc.

Bag of bones is going to be good, I read it as a teenager, and  interesting to read now I'm actually married, it's also one of my lady's favourite King books.

I'll certainly be doing my own review when we've finished it.

One problem I do have, is that as my copy  game of thrones on dvd is not audio described, I'm having to watch each episode first, then listen to the audio description. Because of this, I'm tending to listen to the audio descriptions at the points when I'd otherwise sit down and read. So, I'll be writing a review for Juliana Baggot's book fuse, which I just finished, but I'll probably be doing game of thrones season 2 before starting something else.
Then again, I usually do either collections of short stories, or audio dramas between books, to give me time to compose reviews, so it isn't too unusual.

With our dreaming and singing, Ceaseless and sorrowless we! The glory about us clinging Of the glorious futures we see,
Our souls with high music ringing; O men! It must ever be
That we dwell in our dreaming and singing, A little apart from ye. (Arthur O'Shaughnessy 1873.)

2020-05-03 07:27:50

in texas we only have 2 seasons. Hot and hotter. We are transitioning into hotter already. Soon, keeping the window open at night won't help.

I like reading but get overwhelmed at the millions of choices out there, and if I were to pay for a book service I wouldn't take advantage of the money I am spending.

I don't care which one came first, they are both amazing foods. They are also both proteins.

2020-05-05 00:28:33

I’m probably the one person here who thinks that chicken is dry and that eggs are bland.

I would rather listen to someone who can actually play the harmonica than someone who somehow managed to lose seven of them. Me, 2019.

2020-05-06 23:25:38 (edited by Still_Standing 2020-05-06 23:26:16)

it's the middle of spring here, or lets say the summer, because the weather in the desert is almost hot from    may to  september, i've already turned on the   air fan, but soon that won't be enough

And as anyone who's gone mountain climbing knows ,The serene snow-covered peaks that look so tranquil from a bdistance, Are the deadliest
sound is my vision
i rarely check my private messages on the forum, so if you want to contact me please use my email, or dm me  at oussama40121 on tw

2020-05-07 06:20:10

Seems sort of funny that people are from these hot places. An old English saying is "ne'er cast a clout till may is out."

In this case "clout" doesn't mean thumping someone, it means a piece of clothing, since in England, whilst theoretically May is spring going on summer, in practice it can still be pretty nippy and you might need your big woolly jumpers etc.

According to Alexa's weather reports, weather over here has varied on occasion between 15 and 2 degrees Celsius, that's 59 and 35 degrees Fahrenheit, indeed we've had several days with lots of sun, but a very cold wind, and quite a few with just clouds and rain.

Then again, with Mrs. Dark on the at risk list, we're still hanging in there until June at the least, indeed I am a little worried that recent news reports say the death toll from corona is slackening off, so people are talking about lifting the lock down; you know, it's working so let's stop doing it, never mind countries like Germany which eased the lock down then had incredible problems.

Getting onto more pleasant things, mostly for me it's been Erion, bag of bones and game of thrones.
Erion I'm actually really liking, the new crafting system is in depth enough to be interesting without being nuts, plus of course you can do other stuff whilst your doing it. Also, unlike a lot of muds, it is actually possible to get crafting skills to 100 with a reasonable, IE, not 500 hours, amount of time spent using them, which is good.

I'm also looking forward to the fix to galactic colonies and banging off more reviews.
Indeed, maybe it's just the regular time with zombies run, but oddly enough, I'm feeling pretty good about things, albeit my sleep cycle is even more shot to hell than it usually is (it's five in the morning at the moment and I had an hour's sleep last night), despite the doom gloom and viruses, which is sort of backwards, though I am still a bit worried about MRS. Dark's side effects from radio therapy, although being literally burned once a day for six weeks probably isn't a thing which we should expect to clear up over night, or even in a month or so.

Hoppe everyone else is having fun, or at least as much as humanly possible.

With our dreaming and singing, Ceaseless and sorrowless we! The glory about us clinging Of the glorious futures we see,
Our souls with high music ringing; O men! It must ever be
That we dwell in our dreaming and singing, A little apart from ye. (Arthur O'Shaughnessy 1873.)

2020-05-07 07:45:40

Hi,
sadly the weather here already  above 30C, will be going way high in coming months. (I hate it).
the book I read very recently and it was really nice is factfulness by Hans Rosling,
Once i added it from bill gates's recommendation and it was nice.
"Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World – and Why Things Are Better Than You Think
by Hans Rosling,  Ola Rosling, Anna Rosling Rönnlund "
I enjoy eating both chicken and egg smile

"Stay hungry, stay foolish."

2020-05-07 15:21:52

Actually, I'd argue neither came first
As the chicken was probably the result of crossbreeding or evolution, the chicken and the egg came after.
Still, the egg, although another species, came 1st.
Down here it's still dry season. I cant wait for it to be rainy season. I'm getting tired of these 34 and 35c temps. Although during rainy season, people in places in the south like Debe, Penal etc are victims of floods. And my school is in Debe.
As for Covy, my new friend, we only have 4 active cases, however the government wants to open our borders. Stupid, right?
I'm developing a cold. Let's toss some OJ on that.
My computer also went Kaplutzki, so everything's on pause.
I didnt read it through the topic so I missed out a few things I'm sure.
Stay safe guys.

You ain't done nothin' if you ain't been cancelled
_____
I'm working on a playthrough series of the space 4X game Aurora4x. Find it here

2020-05-08 05:12:30

hmm, the chikin neads in eg to get out from, and in eg neads a chikin to taik cair of, but in the end humans will eat the egg and the chikin so who really cairs

2020-05-08 22:35:51

@dark I sent you a pm

---
"A good ruler gives the goblet to his servants. He never drinks from it himself. The servants need his glory. He does not cary the flame alone.
For a spark does not lit the flame, but the spirit holds it in place. Forgeting that leads one to destruction.
(Enhemodius before the Altar of the Broken)"

2020-05-14 19:23:23

I admit, I am not one of those people who like to talk much, or socialize a lot.

But writing in these topics is actually kind of theraputic.

Of course I prefer the forum interaction to the live chat, since I can reply to people whenever I want, as opposed to being always engaged, that really does a number on my mental energy.

As I have stated in my previous post, I am now 21 years old, but I really don't feel any different from any of my previous years, aside from... certain developments which teenagers have to go through. (I am sure you know what I mean,) I am really glad that one is over, and relatively painless manner as well.

Today, ever since the late afternoon, I am suffering from a feeling as if I am not doing enough. not practicing programming enough, not doing enough for my future plans, just not doing anything. I don't know how to deal with this.

I also feel bad for all those labors who are forced to leave the cities, and they are getting beaten by the police as well. I suppose it is true for the Indians, once you join the government, you just become the same way as the Britishers.

For the record, I don't mean to offend anyone from the Britain. But considering the many, (Many!) examples of callous decisions, that expression has become a way to describe the uncaring civil servants, as well as government within the general public.

Anyway, I am sorry for this poorly organized post. I just don't know what's happening to me currently.

2020-05-19 10:40:07

@Wing of eternity I answered your Pm, though to be honest you might be better discussing such matters in topics like this anyway, since like Dark Eagle, I'm not exactly Mr. extrovert myself, but like having chats in these topics from time to time, iand it's a nice way to ere concerns and learn about fellow forum members.

@Dark eagle, no offence taken at least, I am more than aware the British Empire wasn't exactly a great thing for lots of people nor did it leave a good legacy in the world either, heck there are probably lots of people in Britain who would regard the british government as pretty stupid big_smile.
Actually on that note I'm a wee bit worried at the moment, since unlike Northern Ireland, Scotland and Whales, the government of England, and by extention Britain are restricting the lockdown and doing various very dumb things, like telling people it's okay to go out and meet each other in parks. They're being criticised quite a lot, and I hope it's not going to cause the death toll to go even higher. Needless to say, MRS. Dark and I are still maintaining the lock-down at least until June, and probably after that.

@Dark eagle, happy slightly belated birthday, nope, 21 isn't overly different to 20. I'm a wee bit confused about what you mean by "teenaged developments", other than puberty generally, but glad things aren't going to wrongg.

Things over here haven't been bad, albeit since the time is approaching when my lady was due to have the scan to see if her Cancer was actually in remition or not, she's been getting rather tense this week. We're not sure if said scan is even happening, since getting to the hospital alone would be really difficult, but that doesn't stop her second guessing herself and assuming symptoms.

On the plus side, we've been reading Skyward by brandon sanderson, which is both very predictable, and surprisingly good, and I've been going through  leviathan chronicles. I've been staying out of the leviathan chronicles topic since I want to stay spoiler free, also because I want to listen to seasons 1 and 2 again, along with some of the specials rather than diving straight into season 3 and the conclusion
I'll probably offer some thoughts when I'm done, but for anyone who likes good quality audio dramas, it's definitely worth a try.

other than that, not much to report, more zombies run, banging out book reviews, and also trying to enter a short story writing competition.
I've also considered having a play with Sabel, but I might wait until the version is slightly more stable and I can  write something lasting.

Hope people are having a relatively good may thus far.

With our dreaming and singing, Ceaseless and sorrowless we! The glory about us clinging Of the glorious futures we see,
Our souls with high music ringing; O men! It must ever be
That we dwell in our dreaming and singing, A little apart from ye. (Arthur O'Shaughnessy 1873.)

2020-05-19 16:08:13

Hi,

I'll have my final exams next week. Due to the pandemic, the oral exams have been cancelled and the written ones are next week. On that matter, I have to rant a bit:
In order to do the exam, I am required to delete all files that are not needed for the exam from my Computer. That's not a Problem for my main one, which is borrowed from the austrian School for the blind anyway )they give out Equipment to students).
However, I have to delete stuff off of my own Computer as well to have a backup in case my main Computer doesn't work or stops working during the exam.
In my opinion, this whole file-deleting is bullshit (well, for school-related files it's understandable, but not for the rest). I mean, the others only have to Hand in their dictionaries and that stuff for checking, but not their whole fucking schoolbag.
I mean, for my own Computer (where all audiogaming stuff is on, too) I can put it on an external hard drive, but it sucks anyway.
Rant over!

Because of the exams, I am a Little tense at the Moment, but I am also looking Forward to this shit (school) being over at last.

Greetings and happy gaming, Julian

If you say you never lie, you're a liar.
Oh, and #freeGCW

2020-05-24 13:02:17

@dark another pm for you! And Would you like to ask those things in this topic, or better yet to use private messages,, or do you prefer another methos of comunication?

---
"A good ruler gives the goblet to his servants. He never drinks from it himself. The servants need his glory. He does not cary the flame alone.
For a spark does not lit the flame, but the spirit holds it in place. Forgeting that leads one to destruction.
(Enhemodius before the Altar of the Broken)"

2020-05-24 16:27:30

@Dark:
I mainly meant that I started to notice girls, and considering that parents often don't deal with that sort of stuff here, I mostly made sure that I kept my mouth shut around them.

Also, I am really glad that you didn't took my post so badly.

I have picked up another Laundry Files book, the Annihilation score. in which wife of Bob is the main focus of the story.

Also, it is interesting to read the thought of Charles Stross on his blogs about the current events, since he often laments that his book are not supposed to be describing the real world politics, yet the same thing is happening.

He even abandoned one of his series, since apparently NSA used spies on world of warcraft, and he decided that the things which are taking place in that series are no longer just stories, they are happening in the real life.

Recently, he also stated that he won't be writing any zombie apocalypse book either, since we're getting a crash course in the pandemic department.