brab_alan

Reply to Branching Campaigns? in Software Development JoeUser Forums

Do events occur only once ? Or do they occur each time the trigger is triggered ? You could associate to each trigger a list of effects (instead of just one effect), and you could also add as an effect the addition of a new event (which would make chained events possible: the effect of trigger A is some text and adding the event B -> "foo". When trigger B is then triggered, "foo" is displayed). And great looking screenshot, by the way.

Reply to How much coffee is too much? in Misc JoeUser Forums

I'm not sure when one has too much coffee, but I have had too much caffeine in the past. When I was in preparatory school in France (2 years of 40+ hours a week of maths and physics, to prepare for engineer school entering exams), I used to drink full mugs of expresso. I stopped when I realized it was making me very dizzy. But then I had the worst headaches for a few days (I guess it was caffeine withdrawal).

Reply to So long, and thanks for all the fish. in Blogging JoeUser Forums

Thanks KarmaGirl, and thanks Draginol.

Reply to So long, and thanks for all the fish. in Blogging JoeUser Forums

You got me, English is not my first language. It's just that the last few exchanges with AnthonyR wore me down: I'm not a politician, I don't do well under personal attacks. But as you can see, I care enough to come read the comments to this farewell post. The one thing I want to get across with you, Brad, is: no hard feelings. I know we disagree about politics (and linux 8) ), and I know I might not be able to convey what I thing with enough subtlety (and it's not just the language i

So long, and thanks for all the fish. in Blogging JoeUser Forums

Following the last few exchanges I have seen or participated to recently, I have decided to stop posting here. You probably don't care why, but here is the reason. I started posting on this blog because I felt the articles where not balanced enough. It seemed at first like a nice place to debate, where people would point to articles of interest or give opinion about some things, without being called biased or liars for no reason. Sadly, I was wrong. You do not have to believe m

Reply to DesktopX 2 Public Gamma in Press Room JoeUser Forums

Thank you Anthony for your contribution. I think it illustrates perfectly what I meant by "I know you do not consider disagreeing or pointing flaws as debating". I shan't bother you anymore, and I will try to find a nicer place to debate.

Reply to DesktopX 2 Public Gamma in Press Room JoeUser Forums

Anthony, Could you please correct "Villapan" and "Villipan" to "Villepin" ?

Reply to DesktopX 2 Public Gamma in Press Room JoeUser Forums

Yes, maybe I'm a lazy debater. I'd rather point to sources to some facts or constructed arguments than make the facts up. For instance, the article that Anthony refuted constructively as "blatant lies" was about some interesting facts about the currency used to pay for oil. I suggested an hypothesis that this may explain why France and Germany were so much against the war. I still have not understood why Iraq selling oil in Euros is a lie, and why it is a lefty opinion, and I thought it

Reply to DesktopX 2 Public Gamma in Press Room JoeUser Forums

So, Anthony, you failed to answer my questions ? I cannot help but doubt the rest of your claims, then, if you are unable to provide your sources. Unless you made all this up. "So if one were to fall asleep in Macroeconomic principles that could result in easily falling for blatant lies." -- Anthony R. Edit: Fixed the quote, the source is here .

Reply to DesktopX 2 Public Gamma in Press Room JoeUser Forums

Anthony, Are you aware that UK is both in the security council and in the European Union ? So you are proposing that the UK has two votes. This is nice. Unless you say that this is a blatant lie ;-) Would you be so kind as to point me to the source of the quote at the end of your message ? Google could not find it even using the correct spelling for Dominque de Villepin (but maybe the quote was in French and mistranslated). Now it does not surprise me too much that som

Where did all the foreign intelligence mistakes came from... in Politics JoeUser Forums

I just read a fascinating article on the The New Yorker . Assuming the administration did not lie about WMD and Iraq, this article shows a plausible explanation for the many mistakes that the Administration made in its intelligence evaluation. It also kind of explain why the CIA is so mad about one of its agent being uncovered ... they were already mad before that. It's a long read, but it's worth it.

Reply to I'm not an atheist in Philosophy JoeUser Forums

Draginol: I understand about spreading faith. But you mentioned something more, about disproving evolution and Noah's arc. I did not know people were still trying to convince others that these things happen. I believe in God, but I have faith in science (and science has had its martyrs burn by the Church).

Reply to I'm not an atheist in Philosophy JoeUser Forums

This is a very good article. I believe that religion, as a social organization, is to be questioned often. As concerns faith, I also believe that it is good to doubt from time to time (but I do envy people who have a very strong faith). By the way, you mention people coming to your house to debate evolution and Noah's Arc. I find this very surprising. Was it a long time ago, or from members of a cult ?

Reply to The Debate on Genetically Modified Foods Continues in Pure Technology JoeUser Forums

There is very probably some politicts involved in it. As was said earlier, much of Europe farmers have huge subsidies (which lead to a big confrontation with other countries at the last WTO meeting, if I remember correctly). There is also some irrationnal fear involved, I guess, and some with to have a 0-risk guarantee, which is a sad thing to ask for. As concerns nuclear plants, I disagree with the parallel you draw. The way I understand the history of the creation of nuclear plants in

Reply to Dollars vs Euros in Politics JoeUser Forums

I agree that this is definitely not a proof. I'm just trying to figure out the reason the American administration went to war, and why France and Germany risked so much diplomatic downfall to oppose it. One main reason from France was to preserve its oil contracts, I guess. Learning these contracts were in euros was quite interesting.

Reply to Tucker vs. Al Franken in Politics JoeUser Forums

Draginol: sorry for the misunderstanding, I should have put a smiley after my comments on lies. It was just a jest, to point to the fact that you did not say which you believed was true. Beside that, I still think you generalize too much, and I do not understand how one infer "intellectually bankrupt" for a class of people from what one said. Even I have learned to not "misunderestimate" Bush ;-) I think that politics is often ugly, resulting in personnal attacks on people past (or thei

Reply to Dollars vs Euros in Politics JoeUser Forums

I find your argument compelling. The level of details in your rebuttal is amazing. You have convinced me. How could I not see what you explained before you opened my eyes, I do not know. If you ever run for office and offer an equally detailed platform, I'll vote for you.

Reply to Tucker vs. Al Franken in Politics JoeUser Forums

I must say that you lost me between "Franken seemed full of anger and hate and carried an irrational dislike of his opponents" and "The exchange really, for me, showed just how intellectually bankrupt the left has become". But I'm a bit stupid, I'm trying to find a logic link here, which there is probably none. At least we agree on one thing: Bush lied about WMD, and Clinton lied about the Sudan "chemical" plant. As for the number of civilian death in Iraq, I also hope they lied, but I'

Reply to Limbaugh addiction in Current Events JoeUser Forums

Anthony: You know, from time to time, you should try to take off your bipolar glasses. If I follow your argument, you would be trashing Limbaugh if he was not right wing. Does this mean that the facts do not matter, just the political orientation ? Seriously, take off the glasses. The world will look more complex, and you won't be able to so easily assign responsability of things you think are wrong, but you might see some real causes to what is wrong. And I cannot help but smi

Dollars vs Euros in Politics JoeUser Forums

I have just read a fascinating article about what might be the "real" reason the US went to war. It was written last January, but I think it's more relevant than ever. According to the author, the fact that Iraq switched its oil currency from dollars to euros in 2000 plays a very important role. And this would also explain why France and Germany were so much against the war: it's not about human rights or anti-Americanism, just pla

Reply to Arnold and California in Politics JoeUser Forums

I am partial towards Europe, and I think "massive taxation and social entitlements" are a good thing 8). Yet I'm not not sure Arnold is going to pull this one off. Just like Chirac did before the last elections, he did more promises than maths. But I'm very curious to see what he does.

Reply to Bias in the media? Note what is reported on in Politics JoeUser Forums

I did not base any argument on the article, and I did not agree with all its points. The lie part was interesting, and as you said some of these were not true. The part I found really interesting was the end of the article. I'm not even pretending it's true (I'm sorry if I said something that could be interpreted that way, I'm not a native speaker), just interesting.

Reply to 10 years of Stardock in OS Customization JoeUser Forums

One word: congratulations. And a few others: keep going, your company is great 8)

Reply to Nintendo Licenses Object Desktop technology for marketing in Press Room JoeUser Forums

Here is a link to a story that does state that Valerie Plane was a NOC agent. Here is a confirmation from someone (Larry Johnson) who worked with her (scroll to the middle of the page). But now people are saying that the Slime and Defend machine is pointed toward Johnson. Oh well ...

Reply to Nintendo Licenses Object Desktop technology for marketing in Press Room JoeUser Forums

The good thing about this is that we will eventually see. As for the "artificial" scandal, if the Bush administration has not leaked any info, it has nothing to fear. And I would like to know where you got the information that Plame is not a covert agent. And one last question (I really don't know the answer): is Tenet a democrat ? Because he is the one who lit the fuse.