Off Topic Thread 4.0

errlloyd

Has anyone listened to Michael Lewis "against the rules podcast"?

thomond2006

ClanofLams wrote: »

Called it. Wouldn’t shock me if Limerick didn’t get out of Munster this year.

I was at the game. Limerick were soundly beaten in the second half. Munster will be close again.

ClanofLams

thomond2006 wrote: »

I was at the game. Limerick were soundly beaten in the second half. Munster will be close again.

It’ll be tight alright. Limerick obviously aren’t as bad as they looked in second half today but don’t think they’re as good as people were making out before today either.

They need to win two out of three now with Waterford and Clare away. Home to a Tipp side who look like they’re massively improved. They should beat Waterford but they are surely going to give a performance at some stage and if a twenty point beating doesn’t inspire a backlash nothing will.

jr86

ClanofLams wrote: »

Called it. Wouldn’t shock me if Limerick didn’t get out of Munster this year.

Yeah I fancied Cork myself, they were always going to be incredibly hungry after a sub-par showing last week.

I don't get the over-hyping of Limerick at all. You would think it was KK of the 00s that lost today

I was happy for them winning an AI last year but looking back they couldn't make a provincial final, just about beat a rebuilding KK side being carried by a half fit 30 year old, were second best for most of the Cork semi (who somehow threw it away) and came up against the worst Galway championship performance since 2014- yet were a few yards away from being taken to a replay.

An All Ireland is an All Ireland but looking at the above I find it very strange so many have them on such a pedestal this year. I suppose it was the same with Clare in 2013 people just tend to get very carried away in sport. You're as good as your last game and all that

Granted they were very convincing in the league but its a whole different ball game

jr86

Erik Shun wrote: »

A bit of a surprise with Vincent Kompany leaving Man city this morning

He wasn't the most subtle about moving on when interviewed after the Leicester game!

An outstanding servant to them and along with Silva and Agüero he has been the constant in this City rise the last 8 years

The goal v Leicester was the fairytale way to go out really

Sentiment aside though, he has clearly lost a yard of pace and has lived on the edge this year. Should have saw red for a horribly mistimed tackle on Salah in January. In truth they were never likely to fork out for a new 1 year contract for him to sit on the bench

Squidgy Black

The latest developments with Huawei and the US is mental. Google revoking their android licence, and the US government banning them from trading in the US.

Millions of people soon to be stuck with flagship devices they purchased less than a year ago (and in some cases a few weeks) that will effectively be outdated as soon as the latest version of Android is released and developers stop supporting previous versions of applications.

Also going to delay the majority of 5G rollouts in countries considering the main core of hardware to be used was supplied by Huawei.

errlloyd

Sitting here waiting for OT GoT discussion to start because I've seen the episode, but no one in the office has, and discussing it in the vacuum of the dedicated board is ****!

Squidgy Black

Squidgy Black wrote: »

The latest developments with Huawei and the US is mental. Google revoking their android licence, and the US government banning them from trading in the US.

Millions of people soon to be stuck with flagship devices they purchased less than a year ago (and in some cases a few weeks) that will effectively be outdated as soon as the latest version of Android is released and developers stop supporting previous versions of applications.

Also going to delay the majority of 5G rollouts in countries considering the main core of hardware to be used was supplied by Huawei.

Hard to know what's propaganda, genuine espionage or just plain old commercial concern masquerading as foreign policy.

aloooof

errlloyd wrote: »

Sitting here waiting for OT GoT discussion to start because I've seen the episode, but no one in the office has, and discussing it in the vacuum of the dedicated board is ****!

*hits "unfollow thread until 2moro*

thomond2006

errlloyd wrote: »

Sitting here waiting for OT GoT discussion to start because I've seen the episode, but no one in the office has, and discussing it in the vacuum of the dedicated board is ****!

Episode 6

My issue with the final episode is not the final episode, but the pace of what preceded it. Maybe I'm just jaded at this stage with GoT, but I just lost a bit of excitement for the next episode. The final episode in a vacuum was fine and I'm glad the series is done.

Dany met the end you'd expect, there's no way her tyranny goes without punishment. During the election of Bran, Grey Worm going from I'm beheading this effer to Yeah whatever was odd. Arya's Columbus ending was strange, perhaps it was foreshadowed and I missed it?

Bronn was the real winner. A sellsword to Lord of the Reach, all thanks to a bluff!

Squidgy Black

Deleted User wrote: »

Hard to know what's propaganda, genuine espionage or just plain old commercial concern masquerading as foreign policy.

Yeah it's hard to tell, and the way the US are going about it is crazy as well in terms of trying to push other nations to impose the same sanctions on their behalf.

errlloyd

Episode 6 Spoilers.

Yeah like it was a case of being a slightly unoffensive ending. If a little bit silly. Everyone on that weird council accepts Jon Snow is the hero who has saved Westeros and he still goes to the Wall. That is rushed AF. He probably should have been put on trial and volunteered to go to the wall

Bronn is the most disappointing character in season 6. And honestly him as Master of Coin was a stupid joke that I found annoying. I definitely think GRRM has him dead and so they felt uncomfortable doing anything with him this series.

What was Edmure Tully even about to propose. Where the **** has he been for a million years. I am glad Sam didn't invent democracy. That was stupid. I presume Ayra is open for a spinoff?

bilston

errlloyd wrote: »

Sitting here waiting for OT GoT discussion to start because I've seen the episode, but no one in the office has, and discussing it in the vacuum of the dedicated board is ****!

Well as someone who has defended the latest series up to now I can honestly say that a lot of it was full on cringe.

Also I was particularly displeased that after Jon kills Danearys and we have an ad break and come back to find it's weeks in the future and a bunch of rather important stuff has happened in the meantime.

stephen_n

Ok someone’s got to help me before I crack. Phone changed over to this ridiculous touch site and can’t get it back to the legacy site. It’s doing my head in

troyzer

stephen_n wrote: »

Ok someone’s got to help me before I crack. Phone changed over to this ridiculous touch site and can’t get it back to the legacy site. It’s doing my head in

This happened to me as well. It's back now for some strange reason.

Just log out and keep clearing your cookies and cache. Eventually it'll probably come back.

Fiddling with desktop mode seems to trip it up.

thomond2006

stephen_n wrote: »

Ok someone’s got to help me before I crack. Phone changed over to this ridiculous touch site and can’t get it back to the legacy site. It’s doing my head in

Make sure you're on the desktop version of the site. Go to the front boards.ie page and click Touch Site at the bottom.

Or it's Legacy Site, I can't remember.

Podge_irl

sigh...well that was disappointing

Thought Brienne writing in the Kingsguard book was about the only satisfactory "ending" we got. What the **** are the Night's Watch even watching? Why the ****e would half the people at the stupid kingsmoot thing even know anything about Bran? And then a Stark sits on the throne while the North is the only kingdom allowed secede? gah, just frustrating

stephen_n

thomond2006 wrote: »

stephen_n wrote: »

Ok someone’s got to help me before I crack. Phone changed over to this ridiculous touch site and can’t get it back to the legacy site. It’s doing my head in

Make sure you're on the desktop version of the site. Go to the front boards.ie page and click Touch Site at the bottom.

Or it's Legacy Site, I can't remember.

I’m clicking on the legacy site link down the bottom of the page. That used to fix it but now it doesn’t do anything. This touch site is awful, don’t know how people use it.

troyzer

stephen_n wrote: »

thomond2006 wrote: »

stephen_n wrote: »

Ok someone’s got to help me before I crack. Phone changed over to this ridiculous touch site and can’t get it back to the legacy site. It’s doing my head in

Make sure you're on the desktop version of the site. Go to the front boards.ie page and click Touch Site at the bottom.

Or it's Legacy Site, I can't remember.

I’m clicking on the legacy site link down the bottom of the page. That used to fix it but now it doesn’t do anything. This touch site is awful, don’t know how people use it.

You have to clear caches and cookies.

bilston

Podge_irl wrote: »

sigh...well that was disappointing

Thought Brienne writing in the Kingsguard book was about the only satisfactory "ending" we got. What the **** are the Night's Watch even watching? Why the ****e would half the people at the stupid kingsmoot thing even know anything about Bran? And then a Stark sits on the throne while the North is the only kingdom allowed secede? gah, just frustrating

I think the first 20/30 mins of the episode were good, but after Jon killed Danearys it went wrong. Again it all happened too fast. Too much happened off screen, but that has been a recurring theme of series 8. They truly f**** up by going for just six episodes.

I liked Sansa's ending though.

Podge_irl

bilston wrote: »

I think the first 20/30 mins of the episode were good, but after Jon killed Danearys it went wrong. Again it all happened too fast. Too much happened off screen, but that has been a recurring theme of series 8. They truly f**** up by going for just six episodes.

I liked Sansa's ending though.

Yup, forgot about Sansa's ending there. Would agree with that I thought it was good. Of course it doesn't make a LOT of sense combined with Bran ruling the 6 Kingdoms and it really could have done with being fleshed out a bit more (but what couldn't this season). And yes, the first 20-30 mins were actually handled pretty well, better than I expected.

bilston

Podge_irl wrote: »

Yup, forgot about Sansa's ending there. Would agree with that I thought it was good. Of course it doesn't make a LOT of sense combined with Bran ruling the 6 Kingdoms and it really could have done with being fleshed out a bit more (but what couldn't this season). And yes, the first 20-30 mins were actually handled pretty well, better than I expected.

Yeah, I would have thought the fact that the North was declaring it's independence would surely render Bran ineligible from becoming King.

On the one hand Jon's ending was bittersweet which was in keeping with his life so fair enough, but it was still pretty unfulfilling. I was hoping against hope that at the end when Jon and the Wildlings went north of the wall that they were going to come across Whitewalkers!

This scene came to mind watching the final episode.

I just don't get it. Maybe this is a new genre of unfulfilling fiction where the story just tapers off meaninglessly and that's meant to be the interesting aspect about it?

Did they aim specifically for mediocre so that the final season would definitely stand out..?

I've no issue with how it ended, but how they got there made no sense in the context of everything that came before. The pressure got to the creators and they really sh!t the bed. Hugely disappointed.

Podge_irl

Deleted User wrote: »

I just don't get it. Maybe this is a new genre of unfulfilling fiction where the story just tapers off meaninglessly and that's meant to be the interesting aspect about it?

Did they aim specifically for mediocre so that the final season would definitely stand out..?

I've no issue with how it ended, but how they got there made no sense in the context of everything that came before. The pressure got to the creators and they really sh!t the bed. Hugely disappointed.

There seems to be an incredibly irritating trend in modern media that the worst possible thing you can do is be predictable and to hell with whatever narratives you have built up.

Clegg

GoT was a hugely ambitious show with a massive ensemble cast, incredible production values and also told an entertaining story, at least for a few seasons. It was pure spectacle television and I loved every minute of it.

It's pretty clear that things started coming off the rails when the showrunners ran out of source material. From what I've read GRRM told them his ending, but they had to get there themselves. Unfortunately they botched it.


Their biggest problem was Daenerys.

I've seen a few Reddit threads saying the signposted her descent into madness. It was foreshadowed yes, but her turn happened far, far too quickly. It was in the space of an episode and a half. This is something that needed an entire season to develop. Jon is credited for the victory over the Night King because he brought the different factions together. That's fine. But then you need 5 or 6 more episodes of development to the point where Daenerys snaps through jealousy and lust for war. Everything was so abrupt. I don't have a problem with the endings. It's how it got there.

Clegg

Also I'm not sure if it's pressure that got to the show writers. I think they wanted off the show and did it in the quickest way they could. The final two seasons were like 13 episodes where in previous seasons it would have been 20.

errlloyd

Clegg wrote: »

Also I'm not sure if it's pressure that got to the show writers. I think they wanted off the show and did it in the quickest way they could. The final two seasons were like 13 episodes where in previous seasons it would have been 20.

But the final two seasons was only one "book" given the books are unwritten. So almost 50 percent longer than other books

Podge_irl

errlloyd wrote: »

But the final two seasons was only one "book" given the books are unwritten. So almost 50 percent longer than other books

I think this is part of the reason that the books are taking so long to come out. He has written himself into a massive corner and is struggling to get anywhere with the next one so that he can finish it in the last book. Dance With Dragons was very long and very tedious. Even knowing the endgame in mind, neither the show writers nor GRRM actually knew how to get there and that's why it was a bit poorly done.

Podge_irl

Podge_irl wrote: »

I think this is part of the reason that the books are taking so long to come out. He has written himself into a massive corner and is struggling to get anywhere with the next one so that he can finish it in the last book. Dance With Dragons was very long and very tedious. Even knowing the endgame in mind, neither the show writers nor GRRM actually knew how to get there and that's why it was a bit poorly done.

Yep. For all the abuse the show writers are getting, ADwD was full of completely unsatisfying storylines as well, ones that lead nowhere, stuff that nobody could possibly care about, etc.

bilston

Clegg wrote: »

GoT was a hugely ambitious show with a massive ensemble cast, incredible production values and also told an entertaining story, at least for a few seasons. It was pure spectacle television and I loved every minute of it.

It's pretty clear that things started coming off the rails when the showrunners ran out of source material. From what I've read GRRM told them his ending, but they had to get there themselves. Unfortunately they botched it.


Their biggest problem was Daenerys.

I've seen a few Reddit threads saying the signposted her descent into madness. It was foreshadowed yes, but her turn happened far, far too quickly. It was in the space of an episode and a half. This is something that needed an entire season to develop. Jon is credited for the victory over the Night King because he brought the different factions together. That's fine. But then you need 5 or 6 more episodes of development to the point where Daenerys snaps through jealousy and lust for war. Everything was so abrupt. I don't have a problem with the endings. It's how it got there.

This

Clegg

They really needed Jon Connington and Young Griff in the show.

Griff is the son of Rhaegar Targaryan, so along with Denaerys and Jon he's another with a claim to the throne. In book 5 he and the Golden Company make war on Storms End and it's presumed he'll march to Kings Landing to take the throne. Dany is still in Essos and presumably by the time she gets to Westeros, Griff is King and loved by the city as he freed them from the Lannisters. Then you have her seen for the first time as a conquerer rather than a liberator. Easier to them write a descent into madness that way. She's there thinking she'll save everyone, but they hate her for it. Makes for a better snap moment than MIssandei's beheading and the bells going off. And you don't waste an entire season on Cersei drinking wine in the Red Keep and doing absolutely nothing.

prawnsambo

bilston wrote: »

On the one hand Jon's ending was bittersweet which was in keeping with his life so fair enough, but it was still pretty unfulfilling. I was hoping against hope that at the end when Jon and the Wildlings went north of the wall that they were going to come across Whitewalkers!

Well there's no guarantee that the white walkers are gone for good. Remember the wall was built after they were defeated the last time. And back they came.

swiwi_

Not sure if anyone a fan of F1 in the good ol’ days but RIP Niki Lauda

errlloyd

His injury comeback is for me the greatest of all time.

swiwi_

errlloyd wrote: »

His injury comeback is for me the greatest of all time.

Until Josh VDF...

Buer

On the final episode, I'm relatively happy with how things ended up. A major show like this is always going to divide opinion on the basis of how the characters end up when the credits roll. Sopranos and The Wire both did. I think Breaking Bad is the only major show of the last 15-20 years with massive hype that finished exceptionally well.

But....

That doesn't mean the final episode didn't have the same issues that have plagued the show all season. There was still a sense of sloppy plot to just wrap things up. Greyworm wants to execute Tyrion and Jon. He is happy to wait several weeks though rather than slitting Jon's throat on the spot which would be the expected response. Then he's happy just to sit there and let the lords of Westeros decide on a king who frees Tyrion and Jon before sailing off into the sunset.

Aside from that, Sansa just decides on the spot that the north will secede from the realm and be independent. Yeah, cool. No bother. She'll be queen too, by the way. Then any peripheral character will be invited to sit at the small council to wrap them all up neatly in one quick scene.

I thought the first 30 minutes or so was back to the older style. Methodical, good acting and script. Everything up to Daenerys death was really good. Everything beyond that was trying to wrap the stories of every character up hurriedly.

errlloyd

My preference would have been Jon choosing the wall for himself at his own Trial. It seems ridiculous that the Lords of Westeros who owe him absolutely everything are willing to sentence him to a lifetime at the wall as a "compromise" with a group of unsullied they don't know. Like surely there are characters who owe their lives to Jon Snow. Lives have been risked breaking people out of prison for less. It just seems so ungrateful.

thomond2006

Can anyone recommend a pair of wired earphones around the €20 mark? I'm luckless with them, one earphone seems to break after a few weeks.

dregin

My favourite wired earphones are the ones that come with the iphone. Don't own an iphone, but the missus has had a few and I use a pair from those.

You'd possibly pick up an unused pair second hand as a lot of iphone users buy the airpods with their phones.

On that note, I've ordered myself an early birthday present in these lads. Can't go too far wrong at 100 off - https://www.currys.ie/ieen/audio-and-headphones/headphones/headphones/sony-wh-1000xm3-wireless-bluetooth-noise-cancelling-headphones-black-10184616-pdt.html

dregin

thomond2006 wrote: »

Can anyone recommend a pair of wired earphones around the €20 mark? I'm luckless with them, one earphone seems to break after a few weeks.

In D4 and all - https://www.adverts.ie/headphones-earphones/apple-iphone-headphones-new-unopened/17049635

errlloyd

dregin wrote: »

On that note, I've ordered myself an early birthday present in these lads. Can't go too far wrong at 100 off - https://www.currys.ie/ieen/audio-and-headphones/headphones/headphones/sony-wh-1000xm3-wireless-bluetooth-noise-cancelling-headphones-black-10184616-pdt.html

I picked up the previous Gen of them (fairly similar) for a great price a little while ago. I'd say I wear them 7-10 hours per day. Calls, Music, TV if it's late. They're incredible.

thomond2006

I assume those Apple earphones will work on an Android?

errlloyd

thomond2006 wrote: »

I assume those Apple earphones will work on an Android?

The volume buttons on the inline cord probably won't. But the mic and the earphones will.

dregin

thomond2006 wrote: »

I assume those Apple earphones will work on an Android?

That's what I use em with.

aloooof

thomond2006 wrote: »

I assume those Apple earphones will work on an Android?

The newer one come with the lightning connector, whereas the old ones have the regular jack. Just make sure you get the latter if you're looking to use them on an Android.

It's one of my pet hates; I used to be able to change my phone and listen to the headphones at the same time whereas now I can't.

Copy of the latest episode of Chernobyl online last night and stupidly watched it before bed.

That is one seriously grim show. The bureaucracy and fear behind the state, the indifference to the unfolding calamity and the impact on those on site at the outset of the disaster is sickening.

Take away the disaster and it's a chilling insight into the Soviet Union, but watching and realising how close Eastern Europe was to complete catastrophe is unnerving.

errlloyd

Deleted User wrote: »

Copy of the latest episode of Chernobyl online last night and stupidly watched it before bed.

That is one seriously grim show. The bureaucracy and fear behind the state, the indifference to the unfolding calamity and the impact on those on site at the outset of the disaster is sickening.

Take away the disaster and it's a chilling insight into the Soviet Union, but watching and realising how close Eastern Europe was to complete catastrophe is unnerving.

Is episode 3 grimmer than episode 1?

Mr Tickle

Deleted User wrote: »

Copy of the latest episode of Chernobyl online last night and stupidly watched it before bed.

That is one seriously grim show. The bureaucracy and fear behind the state, the indifference to the unfolding calamity and the impact on those on site at the outset of the disaster is sickening.

Take away the disaster and it's a chilling insight into the Soviet Union, but watching and realising how close Eastern Europe was to complete catastrophe is unnerving.

of course that's how the western propeganda media would portray it :pac:

errlloyd

errlloyd wrote: »

Is episode 3 grimmer than episode 1?

Yes.

swiwi_

dregin wrote: »

My favourite wired earphones are the ones that come with the iphone. Don't own an iphone, but the missus has had a few and I use a pair from those.

You'd possibly pick up an unused pair second hand as a lot of iphone users buy the airpods with their phones.

On that note, I've ordered myself an early birthday present in these lads. Can't go too far wrong at 100 off - https://www.currys.ie/ieen/audio-and-headphones/headphones/headphones/sony-wh-1000xm3-wireless-bluetooth-noise-cancelling-headphones-black-10184616-pdt.html

I’ve got the Bose equivalent. There’s quite a lot of debate online about which is better. I really like the Bose my only minor complaint is that the battery life could be a tad longer. I’d be open to Sony though.