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#31
Off the Record / Re: The Off Topic Topic
Last post by crazy canuck - Today at 08:21:35 AMMrs. CC and I are travelling at the moment. The local population (Sardinians) are generally fit. A grandmother passed us walking up a steep hill...
But an interesting thing we are noticing about the Northern Europeans we see - the men in my generation have good muscle tone, but a lot of the younger guys are skinning fat. Scrawny arms and pot bellies. Or just plain fat fat.
I wonder if this will be the first generation when the younger men are weaker/less fit than the older generation.
But an interesting thing we are noticing about the Northern Europeans we see - the men in my generation have good muscle tone, but a lot of the younger guys are skinning fat. Scrawny arms and pot bellies. Or just plain fat fat.
I wonder if this will be the first generation when the younger men are weaker/less fit than the older generation.
#32
Off the Record / Re: The China Thread
Last post by Zanza - Today at 08:16:55 AMAfter eight years where China was Germany's biggest trade partner, the United States is now Germany's biggest trade partner. One small factoid underscoring the geopolitical reorientation.
#33
Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...
Last post by PJL - Today at 07:30:57 AMQuote from: Josquius on Today at 03:07:30 AMQuote from: Richard Hakluyt on Today at 02:37:23 AMIn a sense it doesn't really matter since we are talking about economics rather than education per se. The point is that foreigners are willing to pay large sums for a British education, it is a profitable export industry that provides many good jobs and we can use the foreign exchange to buy the stuff that we are relatively bad at making.
However the point of education isn't meant to be to make money in itself but to create the conditions (educated workforce, innovation, etc...) by which other segments of the economy can enjoy success.
Fair enough that Britain is doing well selling this 'product' to foreigners. But are we sacrificing our broader economic success and the wellbeing of our people as a result?
Is there so much extra value from all those Chinese students paying big money to get a bit of paper from Teeside University (completely random example name, no comment on its actual quality) to make it worth so many local students paying £9k a year for worthless degrees in finger painting rather than getting polytechnic qualifications that directly set them up for skilled work?
I can easily see Michael Gove and other Tory ministers making the same point you have made, especially the last paragraph.
#34
Gaming HQ / Re: Baldur's Gate 3 announced
Last post by Syt - Today at 06:17:02 AMSo, after 9 months and 265 hours (my save file is 235) I finally finished my first playthrough. What can I say - I tried to make sure I didn't miss any hidden areas/treasures. Though I probably still missed a ton. 
Anyways, really enjoyed the ride. It's a bit unusual for me to play these games not on story mode, and quite pleased to have made it through on "balanced." I feel that gave me enough challenge, though, having to restarts a few tougher battles.
Quite glad I managed to avoid spoilers all this time, and eager to start a new playthrough - there's still many "roads not taken." Like not picking up Gale as a companion at all.
Plus, while I managed to save the city, many NPCs didn't have a happy ending because I failed them (esp. in Act 2 
) and neither did one of my companions. 
Interestingly, the game kept sitting at the back of my head all the time, making me reluctant to go "all in" on other games in the meantime.
Oh well, played a noble selfless human Paladin ... time for a horny gnome or halfling bard, who will do the right things, maybe, sometimes.
Anyways, really enjoyed the ride. It's a bit unusual for me to play these games not on story mode, and quite pleased to have made it through on "balanced." I feel that gave me enough challenge, though, having to restarts a few tougher battles.
Quite glad I managed to avoid spoilers all this time, and eager to start a new playthrough - there's still many "roads not taken." Like not picking up Gale as a companion at all.
Plus, while I managed to save the city, many NPCs didn't have a happy ending because I failed them (esp. in Act 2 ) and neither did one of my companions. Interestingly, the game kept sitting at the back of my head all the time, making me reluctant to go "all in" on other games in the meantime.
Oh well, played a noble selfless human Paladin ... time for a horny gnome or halfling bard, who will do the right things, maybe, sometimes.
#35
Off the Record / Re: 2024 Portuguese snap Legis...
Last post by HVC - Today at 05:48:25 AMQuote from: clandestino on Today at 02:35:10 AMWhere can I apply to change last elections votes by the great wisdom of the Languish forum?
Interesting choice of photos btw
Hello stranger
#36
Off the Record / Re: The Off Topic Topic
Last post by crazy canuck - Today at 05:42:51 AMQuote from: Josquius on Today at 03:12:21 AMA weird thought.
Traditionally sci-fi depicts robots as speaking...well. Like robots.
Hel. Lo. How. Are. You.
Its funny that they imagined the robots would have super advanced human level intelligence...but be stuck with contemporary synthesiser technology.
Where we actually are heading is that robots will be able to speak perfectly like a human. Tone et al will be absolutely flawless. Better than most people. That's the easy part.
So what will identify a robot...is not poor speech but that it actually speaks too good?
There seems to be a sci-fi idea in there. Something about fast advancing weird slang used by humans with the robots being quite annoyed we won't speak properly.
They will be smooth talkers that make shit up, so car sales and politicians.
#37
Gaming HQ / Re: Europa Universalis IV anno...
Last post by clandestino - Today at 03:49:57 AMNot sure if anyone still plays this over here, but here it goes.
I bought a bundle a few years ago that included all the major DLCs up to Rights of Man.
That pack stayed unplayed for a number of years while my interests went elsewhere.
Recently I've been playing it quite a bit (reaching the 200h mark in Steam) and I was debating which DLC to acquire in a possible sale around the release of Winds of Change (it seems that's the tradition anyway).
Unfortunately it won't be possible to acquire everything at the moment, so I wonder which would you recommend. As a reference I tend to play tallish, kind of following historical lines, rather than world conquering or more esoteric objectives, usually around the Mediterranean through India, alongside a few Major nations playthroughs.
Anyway here is my current reasoning around the possibilities, but would love any feedback you could offer.
Underlined are the ones I'm mostly considering to buy
These as well, but only if the budget allows (2nd tier)
Expansions:
Mandate of Heaven: Ages + Golden Era seem fun, along with Prosperity, Diplo Macros and State Edicts. Not a huge interest in China/Japan.
Cradle of Civilization: Some interesting game concepts (merchant missions, Islamic schools, professionalism, promote advisors) but nothing essential it seems. Focus on the Middle East, but seems that King of Kings is better in building flavor in the region?
Dharma: Apart from India, it seems the mechanics aren't that interesting (upgrade trade centers, scornful insults)
Emperor: HRE, Papal mechanics reworked
Leviathan: Monuments seem fun if playing tall, right?
Domination: Seems essential if playing the usual suspects
Immersion Packs:
Third Rome: Not that interested in playing in Russia/Orthodox nations
Rule Brittania: Although not into playing in the British Isles that much, the Naval aspects alongside the Innovativeness and Knowledge Share seem interesting to a Med/playing tall player.
Golden Century: Seems essential to play in Iberia, Maghreb, which are the areas I play the most. Naval barrages and Flagships also helpful with other naval flavored nations: Britain, Denmark, Netherlands...
Origins: Africa/Judaism not that important at the moment, can postpone it
Lions of the North: Seems fun, but don't usually play in the Baltic that much
King of Kings: Between this and Cradle of Civilization which is more impactful in the area?
TL;DR: I'm thinking of buying Mandate of Heaven, Domination and Golden Century, and maybe Leviathan, Rule Britannia and King of Kings if budget allows. How dumb are my choices?
I bought a bundle a few years ago that included all the major DLCs up to Rights of Man.
That pack stayed unplayed for a number of years while my interests went elsewhere.
Recently I've been playing it quite a bit (reaching the 200h mark in Steam) and I was debating which DLC to acquire in a possible sale around the release of Winds of Change (it seems that's the tradition anyway).
Unfortunately it won't be possible to acquire everything at the moment, so I wonder which would you recommend. As a reference I tend to play tallish, kind of following historical lines, rather than world conquering or more esoteric objectives, usually around the Mediterranean through India, alongside a few Major nations playthroughs.
Anyway here is my current reasoning around the possibilities, but would love any feedback you could offer.
Underlined are the ones I'm mostly considering to buy
These as well, but only if the budget allows (2nd tier)
Expansions:
Mandate of Heaven: Ages + Golden Era seem fun, along with Prosperity, Diplo Macros and State Edicts. Not a huge interest in China/Japan.
Cradle of Civilization: Some interesting game concepts (merchant missions, Islamic schools, professionalism, promote advisors) but nothing essential it seems. Focus on the Middle East, but seems that King of Kings is better in building flavor in the region?
Dharma: Apart from India, it seems the mechanics aren't that interesting (upgrade trade centers, scornful insults)
Emperor: HRE, Papal mechanics reworked
Leviathan: Monuments seem fun if playing tall, right?
Domination: Seems essential if playing the usual suspects
Immersion Packs:
Third Rome: Not that interested in playing in Russia/Orthodox nations
Rule Brittania: Although not into playing in the British Isles that much, the Naval aspects alongside the Innovativeness and Knowledge Share seem interesting to a Med/playing tall player.
Golden Century: Seems essential to play in Iberia, Maghreb, which are the areas I play the most. Naval barrages and Flagships also helpful with other naval flavored nations: Britain, Denmark, Netherlands...
Origins: Africa/Judaism not that important at the moment, can postpone it
Lions of the North: Seems fun, but don't usually play in the Baltic that much
King of Kings: Between this and Cradle of Civilization which is more impactful in the area?
TL;DR: I'm thinking of buying Mandate of Heaven, Domination and Golden Century, and maybe Leviathan, Rule Britannia and King of Kings if budget allows. How dumb are my choices?
#38
Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...
Last post by Gups - Today at 03:46:04 AMQuote from: Richard Hakluyt on Today at 03:21:29 AMThat is a different debate Jos and, like you, I believe there is massive room for improvement in British education.
Speaking of the fees they have been £9k for ages and many of our universities would go under without the fees charged to foreigners.
I'm also not sure that there are as many useless degrees as the right wing press would have us believe. Our local university here has a very high proportion of vocational courses and, after all, who is to say that finger painting is worthless?
And given our other big exports include film, TV and music
#39
Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...
Last post by Richard Hakluyt - Today at 03:21:29 AMThat is a different debate Jos and, like you, I believe there is massive room for improvement in British education.
Speaking of the fees they have been £9k for ages and many of our universities would go under without the fees charged to foreigners.
I'm also not sure that there are as many useless degrees as the right wing press would have us believe. Our local university here has a very high proportion of vocational courses and, after all, who is to say that finger painting is worthless?
Speaking of the fees they have been £9k for ages and many of our universities would go under without the fees charged to foreigners.
I'm also not sure that there are as many useless degrees as the right wing press would have us believe. Our local university here has a very high proportion of vocational courses and, after all, who is to say that finger painting is worthless?
#40
Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...
Last post by Josquius - Today at 03:20:50 AMI don't mean "STEM degrees are the only worthy degrees!!" here. I'm not one of those types.
I'm specifically talking about shit-tier degrees, from shit-tier universities, which used to do a good job as polytechnics/hogeschools/technical universities/whatever you know them as.
I've found in other North European countries there's a lot more respect for vocational education with an actual clear and respected higher educational path available. In the UK we've this attitude that if you don't go to university then you're a loser and due to terrible policy decisions in changing polytechnics to universities and the various commercialisation that followed, we have a huge gap where we just aren't properly providing for young people in this technically-inclined higher-level niche.
I'm specifically talking about shit-tier degrees, from shit-tier universities, which used to do a good job as polytechnics/hogeschools/technical universities/whatever you know them as.
I've found in other North European countries there's a lot more respect for vocational education with an actual clear and respected higher educational path available. In the UK we've this attitude that if you don't go to university then you're a loser and due to terrible policy decisions in changing polytechnics to universities and the various commercialisation that followed, we have a huge gap where we just aren't properly providing for young people in this technically-inclined higher-level niche.