Off Topic Thread too point uh

Felix Jones is God

R.I.P. Muhammad Ali

English Lurker

bilston wrote: »

To be fair even I struggle with a broad West Belfast accent sometimes and I'm from Lisburn. Sometimes I just nod and smile and hope they haven't just told me their granny has died.

Ah, that must be the one that gets me then.

Nearly as bad as trying to order water in an American restaurant.

b.gud

The best thing about this weather is BBQ for dinner, meat with a side of meat and barely any veg in sight

pickarooney

What, has it reached double figures in Ireland, then?

molloyjh

pickarooney wrote: »

What, has it reached double figures in Ireland, then?

Between 20 and 25 every day for the last few days. Been glorious so it has!

pickarooney

molloyjh wrote: »

Between 20 and 25 every day for the last few days. Been glorious so it has!

Wow, hope youse are enjoying it!

Neil3030

Journeyman_1 wrote: »

What rating level ate you at Neil? Ever play online like on chess.com or anything?

I used to play a good bit on chess.com a few years ago yeah, I got my rating to 1600 at one point, but always suspected a fair few of the guys were cheating (how else could I lose?? ). You?

Bazzo

molloyjh wrote: »

Between 20 and 25 every day for the last few days. Been glorious so it has!

I took a half day Friday to get the most out of it. I'm probably about 40% beer at this stage and thinking about firing up the barbecue again this evening.

mfceiling

Anyone know what that water falling from the sky is?

errlloyd

mfceiling wrote: »

Anyone know what that water falling from the sky is?

A pain in the ass.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Thank God for a bit of rain. It was too hot this last while.

Zzippy

Living in Galway (the rain capital of Ireland) I never thought I'd say this. You lucky bastards!

Journeyman_1

Neil3030 wrote: »

I used to play a good bit on chess.com a few years ago yeah, I got my rating to 1600 at one point, but always suspected a fair few of the guys were cheating (how else could I lose?? ). You?

I've never played much blitz or bullet, find it difficult to not blunder or waste a lot of time. Got up to around 1750 in correspondence through a few sub 1500 tournaments but that was a few years ago. I reckon my actual rating was around 1550 or so but I've since forgotten basically all the opening theory I knew. It's a very difficult game when you don't know an opening for me.

Neil3030

Journeyman_1 wrote: »

I've never played much blitz or bullet, find it difficult to not blunder or waste a lot of time. Got up to around 1750 in correspondence through a few sub 1500 tournaments but that was a few years ago. I reckon my actual rating was around 1550 or so but I've since forgotten basically all the opening theory I knew. It's a very difficult game when you don't know an opening for me.

That Magnus Carlsen app is pretty good. I am in a similar boat, in that I hadn't really played in years and lost a lot of my opening theory. But I've noticed, even in the last few years, phones and computers have gotten so powerful, that it's tough to get a nice gradual increase in difficulty.

For example, Apple Chess on my macbook has difficulty levels that goes:

Level 1 - Computer thinks 1 move ahead
Level 2 - Computer thinks 2 moves ahead
Level 3 - Computer thinks 3 moves ahead
Level 4 - Computer thinks for 1 seconds per move
Level 5 - Computer thinks for 2 seconds per move
.
.
.
.
Level 12 - Computer thinks for 256 seconds per move

I can beat Levels 1 - 3 handy enough, but the laptop is so powerful, that once you set it to think for even a second (Level 4), it's like playing a freakin' grandmaster.

But with the MC app, you are at least playing against the trajectory of his development, so the difficulty scales up in a more linear and less drastic fashion.

Felix Jones is God

Kimbo Slice passed away during the night, 42yo, suspected heart failure.

b.gud

Game of Thrones was a bit slow last night. Only plus is that it seems to be setting up a few things

molloyjh

b.gud wrote: »

Game of Thrones was a bit slow last night. Only plus is that it seems to be setting up a few things

I really liked last nights episode. Some good characters making reappearances and some good interactions. I wasn't keen on last season but for me the writing is back to where it was prior to that.

irishbucsfan

molloyjh wrote: »

I really liked last nights episode. Some good characters making reappearances and some good interactions. I wasn't keen on last season but for me the writing is back to where it was prior to that.

I agree, thought it was a great episode

GOT:

Al Swearengen didn't last long I thought he was great in Deadwood

thomond2006

b.gud wrote: »

Game of Thrones was a bit slow last night. Only plus is that it seems to be setting up a few things

molloyjh wrote: »

I really liked last nights episode. Some good characters making reappearances and some good interactions. I wasn't keen on last season but for me the writing is back to where it was prior to that.

irishbucsfan wrote: »

I agree, thought it was a great episode

GoT:

A lot of things are being set up. For one the battle at Winterfell should merge a lot of storylines...LF & The Vale, Sansa/Jon and Ramsay. I thought the episode was fine.

irishbucsfan

thomond2006 wrote: »

GoT:

A lot of things are being set up. For one the battle at Winterfell should merge a lot of storylines...LF & The Vale, Sansa/Jon and Ramsay. I thought the episode was fine.

I have a theory that all the Starks will end up back in Winterfell for the finale, they have enough time to pull it off

molloyjh

It has to be said that the Queen of Thornes is a class character too. Perfectly cast as well.

thomond2006

irishbucsfan wrote: »

I have a theory that all the Starks will end up back in Winterfell for the finale, they have enough time to pull it off

It's heading that way. I have a feeling Littlefinger will meet his demise somehow.

One thing I've never understood is though how Bran and co. got north of the Wall without passing over the Wall/Castle Black. Is there something I've forgotten that was shown on TV?

Podge_irl

This is the first season I've watched properly since season 1. Decided as long as I couldn't avoid spoilers (which is literally impossible - they spoil it in the headline of articles on most of the major newspapers!) I may as well jump back in. I've been enjoying it though. Managed to catch up on what I missed by watching the odd episode and loadsa youtube clips.

thomond2006

Podge_irl wrote: »

This is the first season I've watched properly since season 1. Decided as long as I couldn't avoid spoilers (which is literally impossible - they spoil it in the headline of articles on most of the major newspapers!) I may as well jump back in. I've been enjoying it though. Managed to catch up on what I missed by watching the odd episode and loadsa youtube clips.

The youtube videos of all of one character's scenes are fantastic.

awec

I think it's being setup for the introduction of a pretty minor but very interesting character from the books.

Zzippy

thomond2006 wrote: »

It's heading that way. I have a feeling Littlefinger will meet his demise somehow.

One thing I've never understood is though how Bran and co. got north of the Wall without passing over the Wall/Castle Black. Is there something I've forgotten that was shown on TV?

I haven't watched any of the tv series but read the books. Didn't Bran and his band get under the Wall through a cavern/tunnel of some sort?

Dave_The_Sheep

awec wrote: »

I think it's being setup for the introduction of a pretty minor but very interesting character from the books.

Mod note : this spoiler is a book spoiler. You won't want to read unless you've read the books.

If you mean LSH... I'm not sure if I'm down with that. Never really liked that character, before or after she died. Though it might explain why the Brotherhood without Banners might have turned into total dickholes.

irishbucsfan

awec wrote: »

I think it's being setup for the introduction of a pretty minor but very interesting character from the books.

I don't think we'll see her. It would be a great shock but it would be a massive departure. I would absolutely love it though, not sure why

EDIT: This is also a book spoiler, great call on that

irishbucsfan

Dave_The_Sheep wrote: »

If you mean LSH... I'm not sure if I'm down with that. Never really liked that character, before or after she died. Though it might explain why the Brotherhood without Banners might have turned into total dickholes.

I agree with you with regards to the books but it would obviously be very different in the show

awec

irishbucsfan wrote: »

I don't think we'll see her. It would be a great shock but it would be a massive departure. I would absolutely love it though, not sure why

Not so massive anymore really. Hope it does happen, I've been waiting for a few seasons now!

irishbucsfan

awec wrote: »

Not so massive anymore really. Hope it does happen, I've been waiting for a few seasons now!

I think it's about as likely as Jared Payne playing full back next season.

(this way I can give you tons of hope while actually saying it's very unlikely)

thomond2006

Dave_The_Sheep wrote: »

Mod note : this spoiler is a book spoiler. You won't want to read unless you've read the books.

Might be no harm to mark spoilers as book spoilers, I haven't read them!

wp_rathead

Book Spoiler

I really hope they don't bother with LSH and they go in a different direction, maybe just the BWB have become increasingly more violent to the point where they are what they intended to protect from. With Benjen, the Hound and Jon all coming back it would be almost jumping the shark territory even if it happens in the book

irishbucsfan

wp_rathead wrote: »

Book Spoiler

I really hope they don't bother with LSH and they go in a different direction, maybe just the BWB have become increasingly more violent to the point where they are what they intended to protect from. With Benjen, the Hound and Jon all coming back it would be almost jumping the shark territory even if it happens in the book

I think you'e right but I'd still enjoy it

(There isnt a book spoiler here but its related to one)

awec

It seems like every sod on my facebook is travelling to France for 3 weeks. :mad:

Picked the wrong year to get married.

Zzippy

awec wrote: »

It seems like every sod on my facebook is travelling to France for 3 weeks. :mad:

Picked the wrong year to get married.

I thought the wedding was next year?

awec

Zzippy wrote: »

I thought the wedding was next year?

This year! It's on the same day as Ireland v Canada.

Zzippy

awec wrote: »

This year! It's on the same day as Ireland v Canada.

Pfft! That's 5 months away! I can see the thumb imprint in your forehead from here...


This forum gonna be a mess that day with a test match on and all the mods away at a wedding...

awec

Zzippy wrote: »

Pfft! That's 5 months away! I can see the thumb imprint in your forehead from here...


This forum gonna be a mess that day with a test match on and all the mods away at a wedding...

Yea. Unfortunately Joe Schmidt and the Ireland guys had to decline the invitations though.

Zzippy

awec wrote: »

Yea. Unfortunately Joe Schmidt and the Ireland guys had to decline the invitations though.

FFS. It's only Canada, like!

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

awec wrote: »

This year! It's on the same day as Ireland v Canada.

You did well there scheduling it on the non NZL/AUS weekend.

awec

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

You did well there scheduling it on the non NZL/AUS weekend.

I know

Yeah_Right

awec wrote: »

This year! It's on the same day as Ireland v Canada.

You do realise that there are 6 other days that week where Ireland aren't playing a test match?

I assume you are doing a mini-moon after the wedding and the main honeymoon is the Lions tour.

Dave_The_Sheep

Please tell me the phrase "mini-moon" is not common parlance when it comes to weddings/honeymoons these days. Please.

awec

Yeah_Right wrote: »

You do realise that there are 6 other days that week where Ireland aren't playing a test match?

I assume you are doing a mini-moon after the wedding and the main honeymoon is the Lions tour.

She wanted it on a weekend, so the Canada game was the obvious choice.

We are going to go somewhere (In Ireland) for a few days after the wedding but I have to be back in Dublin by the Saturday for the All Blacks match.

I tried to test the water about going to Chicago the Saturday before the wedding for the earlier All Blacks game but that was a no go.

Honeymoon next year will not be the Lions tour. We considered it briefly but the time just doesn't suit us.

Zzippy

Dave_The_Sheep wrote: »

Please tell me the phrase "mini-moon" is not common parlance when it comes to weddings/honeymoons these days. Please.

I felt the same until I was getting married and realised it was an excuse for two holidays. I'm all about the mini-moon! Mini-moons rock!

Yeah_Right

awec wrote: »

She wanted it on a weekend, so the Canada game was the obvious choice.

We are going to go somewhere (In Ireland) for a few days after the wedding but I have to be back in Dublin by the Saturday for the All Blacks match.

I tried to test the water about going to Chicago the Saturday before the wedding for the earlier All Blacks game but that was a no go.

Honeymoon next year will not be the Lions tour. We considered it briefly but the time just doesn't suit us.

Stag party in Chicago have the groomsmen tell her it's a mystery weekend and you had nothing to do with it.

Yeah_Right

Heading to San Francisco tomorrow then spending a couple of weeks driving in California before heading to Vegas. Anyone got any suggestions on where to watch the ABs games in SF and LA? Staying in Union Square and Hollywood. Also any tips or recommendations for restaurants or touristy things over there? It's been a long time since I was in California.

Yeah_Right

Yeah_Right wrote: »

Heading to San Francisco tomorrow then spending a couple of weeks driving in California before heading to Vegas. Anyone got any suggestions on where to watch the ABs games in SF and LA? Staying in Union Square and Hollywood. Also any tips or recommendations for restaurants or touristy things over there? It's been a long time since I was in California.

Take a drive around Lake Tahoe if at all possible. One of my favourite places on earth.