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Name: Fort OG Location: FG Server, Home Base So I log on today to find @Plumbers Crack continuing his deforestation of the amazon (black forest) and we decide to hold off on that for a bit. We head to home base and Dave goes "so should we make a few towers then, you get you OCD design going and I'll go deforest the meadows?" I mean, yea, this sounds like a good idea! So 7 hours later (Dave left after like 1.5) we have a new tower setup, remade forge and some upgrades. I'm particularly proud of my stack kiln/smelter setup. The kiln drops coal into a collection bin and you can either fill the smelter or the chest. Saves space and fits nicely in the new setup. I also dismantled the old structure I built by the OG part of the base. While getting the wood left in @Plumbers Crack destruction zone, I wandered into the mountains near by with a frost potion in hand. Now that I have an iron pickax, I want to find some obsidian so we can have a level 5 work bench. Long story short, I found a small deposit that yielded just enough for us to upgrade home base and Lake Vault to a level five bench...I'd like to introduce "Sir Forge A Lot" and "Baby Got Bench" (if you not get it, not my fault, it's been 25 years...So come reap the spoils of our troll murdering and upgrade those suits friends. Yes, that is indeed the heads of dink and doink the trolls that attack the base...it felt all but fitting to hang them on the wall!!! @RenFengge came on to do some maintenance and planting, I must say, having planters is pretty badass, looks neato. @FallenDark200 , check out these photos and the post above for updates since you went out to be present IRL.... I'll probably be on later to continue on the dock/harbor or some other areas at base if y'all want to jump on and hang.

We're all ready to go on the placement matches gentlemen! Once the league gets going, it shouldn't be a big problem if you miss matches as they can be played at a later date. For the sake of getting things going however, I'd ask that you try to complete your 3 placement matches by the 28th March. There is no fixed night to play the match, please just find a time when your opponent is free! Please message me your results either via Whatsapp or messaging on the forum. For the placement matches, you can pick any team you like! Placement fixtures are as follows: Round 1 @LordBaguette vs @JamaicanSteve @Lurch vs @ChaosGladiator @jordie1892 vs @GazzaGarratt @Stretch616 vs @Antpool84 @Findmartin vs @TonyAE86 @G_dub52 vs @TheMuggySpud Round 2 @Antpool84 vs @ChaosGladiator @JamaicanSteve vs @TonyAE86 @TheMuggySpud vs @GazzaGarratt @G_dub52 vs @jordie1892 @LordBaguette vs @Findmartin @Lurch vs @Stretch616 Round 3 @GazzaGarratt vs @Stretch616 @Findmartin vs @JamaicanSteve @ChaosGladiator vs @G_dub52 @TheMuggySpud vs @Lurch @Antpool84 vs @jordie1892 @TonyAE86 vs @LordBaguette As there are an uneven number of teams @Macca89 has kindly volunteered to take on the challenge of playing as Hungary, though still remains the bookies favourite! Good luck everybody!

They’re all better on PC anyways. It does make you wonder if Sony is going to have that “Well fuck you too” move and try to buy up a big developer as well. I had read some articles about possibly buying square Enix, but I doubt that would happen.

If it looks like I'll miss out on a Fallout/Elder Scrolls game for having bought the PS5, I'll have a little cry whilst reconsidering my life choices...

There's a lot of truth in this. One that I have had extensive conversations about with my friends in our make-shift support group that started in November 2016. Because once you got past the anger and the overall shallowness of disagreements, what's really the issue? One word. Capitalism. A much better explanation, Abundance Mindset vs Scarcity Mindset. Some of my best days working was while I worked at a hedge fund. My position being vastly different than others. But, while my own boss was very much a terrible human being to me, his other assistants that I managed, and his family, to the point that I drank often to cope, I also knew how to separate that from how the company was actually ran. What does that mean? That means that we, as a company, had a credence of "sharing the pie". The profits in what we traded were always distributed to the employees. We never wanted someone to worry about making ends meet (on the flip side of that was that if an employee was not worrying about bills, then that employee would work more efficiently). Someone got cancer - sure as sh*t we made sure they got the best treatment available in NYC, and we would cover it even if our top tier health insurance wouldn't. Someone's spouse got laid off - we'll look at either advancing a bonus or just giving a discretionary bonus. An employee technically isn't allowed to invest in our own funds based on rules? We'll look into setting up a sort of LLC to do so on that group of employees' behalf. I worked at a hedge fund that was vastly different from the rest. And, it was amazing to see what a working culture was like if people weren't 1) afraid for their jobs, 2) well-compensated (all the way down to our cleaning people), and 3) actually happy (lol. not me, but my position was different; and really, no one should be locking up their assistant in a 90F/32C corner office for hours) We all had a common goal aside from making gobs of money, and that was to make the world a better place by using our profits to fund R&D into orphan diseases and whatnot. To advance medicine. To get better healthcare out there. We collectively worked hard and ungodly hours because our collective needs were met. We respected each other as people (again, not between me and my boss due to position) because we didn't think we were competing against each other. If someone needed help, we helped. If someone needed to be taken down a peg because they were being terrible (again, not my boss), they were. Capitalism, in general, exacerbates the Scarcity Mindset that lead people to being afraid and scared and angry. People see someone else as winning means that they themselves are losing something, when that isn't the case. Regarding the article I posted, I want there to be less of a gender gap when it comes to these things. But the inherent bias makes it difficult. And, the guys getting those scholarships and jobs feel entitled to them. If, let's say, 5 people are up for a spot with a scholarship and 1 of those 5 is a woman, if the woman gets it, the rest will not say that it is because she was actually better than them in gameplay. The rest of them will say, "Oh, there's that equality/PC bullshit again. I'm better but because she's a woman, she gets the spot." This is also not to say that I think diversity hires/picks are a great thing. I think people who are best qualified for the position should get it. I understand the importance of a diversity hire/pick. But, it is far from easy to think that it's the solution to disparity in the workplace.

PS5 players won't get future Bethesda games | TechRadar WWW.TECHRADAR.COM It looks like future Bethesda titles will be Xbox exclusives It was bound to happen. MS won't have spent all that money just to let their main competitor have their games. PS owners will be upset but then PS owners also liked to brag that PS has the best exclusives. Personally I'm fine with it as I'll have both consoles.

Ok, back to the OP. 😁 I'm a broken record here. Capitalism. Let's find a different way of organising ourselves as the current one is not fit for purpose. Our economic system and the fear it creates is the basis of the majority of our ills.

Yep, don't see me buying Bethesda games on anything but PC so not really affected.

That was my thought exactly. They aren't happy that somebody has got a cut of the ridiculous amount of money they make from FUT.

I'm sure she was but maybe she could have clarified that as she knows stuff like that would be taken out of context. Thing is and I'm sure it's somewhat different for women probably due to the greater threat of sexual assaults but we all want to be safe, I said before there are circumstances I try to or actively avoid as " it looks a bit dodgy" etc. Everything we do in life we subconsciously risk assess. There was a thread on twitter by a retired cop where he tried to put things into a little more perspective as the media generally goes full on fear/ hysteria when something horrible like what happened happens. From what I've read the advice was don't go out alone. Someone said the only time women were told to stay at home was during the jack the ripper era that happened round here. This thread has definitely moved away from the op 😉

EAGate has begun after allegations that an EA staff member and potentially others, were caught selling FIFA Ultimate Team players to users for real money in under the table deals. EA are probably more pissed off that staff are making money out of their own pockets rather than protecting the community! FIFA 21 rocked by "EAGate" scandal after company employee is alleged to have sold coveted Ultimate Team cards for thousands of pounds WWW.EUROGAMER.NET On another note, I can believe morons are willing to pay these sorts of sums in the first place. It sickens me to see where FIFA is and what it has become - it was making some very good gameplay strides a decade ago before UT hit. It's almost as bad as NBA 2K which is literally a casino with a basketball minigame nowadays!

Have you got the stats on how many people it turned gay because Iran seems to think this is the case😅

Update on the safety of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca WWW.ASTRAZENECA.COM

George, Lee and James 🙈 I'm fucked

Let's get this shit goin!

No problem at all mate! Brilliantly put together pal ✌️👍💪

Lolz. I'm sure there were competitions at least in your day! I participated in a few as a kid... so there had to be some for you! And, what are scholarships except free money that's tagged for a specific use? My thinking is that if we're going to give athletic scholarships for a talent that basically has a time limit, why not for eSports? eSports talent has just as much of a time limit like playing basketball. Once you're past a certain age, it doesn't matter. You're never going to hit those buttons/keys as quickly as you did when you were 16/17/18/etc. If these scholarships give more people an opportunity to get a good/great education that they probably couldn't get otherwise due to circumstances, then let universities throw money at them. "Many opt against playing in this space" --> True. Have you wondered why? There is a difference between having some control in the content created and dealing with trash online while being in your own room than having to do that in a set space with teammates and in a public arena. Have you wondered how many of those highly competent women would be part of an eTeam if they could just do it all from their own setup at home? "Endless male talent coming through" --> just because their focus is on one area doesn't mean that it isn't there in a different area. Just because I'm out in an apple orchard in the north east end of it picking my bushel of apples doesn't me the south west end of the orchard doesn't have apples. It's a choice. A biased choice in where the talent comes from... or where they choose to see where it is. And what did these few women pro-gamers do to "turn off" viewers? Were they not pretty enough? Not in a low cut top? The lighting didn't jive with their makeup? Or, was it the alternative? They were and then weren't taken seriously? What is the happy medium for a women to play in eSports competitions where they could be taken seriously? Do we want to shit on those few pro-gamer women who are trying to forge that path for others to follow? For not knowing how to balance what societal expectations are when it comes to negotiating and getting what they want? Because it's expected for men to be "better negotiators" for money, but if a woman dares to do anything but accept what is offered, we are considered "difficult" and "bitchy"? I love women's MMA. It's 100% pure talent and no one gives a shit on your makeup or boob size. It's partially why things like CrossFit, weightlifting, and combat martial arts are my other safe places aside from video gaming at home.

3/13/2021 Workout (Part 2? Active Rest?) Cinco Teros Eskrima (90 Minute Session) Those curious --> Cinco Teros - FMA Pulse FMAPULSE.COM Cinco Teros ("Five Strikes") refers to the five most basic strikes in eskrima, which is a class of Filipino martial arts that emphasizes staff and sword fighting. The art is composed of the four basic cuts and... What I'm trained in --> BALINTAWAK ESKRIMA - FMA Pulse FMAPULSE.COM The Chronicles of Balintawak At about the start of the American regime, the Cañete siblings began their training in Eskrima. Brothers Florentino and Eulogio Cañete (later to become the principal organizer and... Thoughts: I wasn't fully intending to participate in the session. I really just wanted to ask questions and see the style. I ended up participating. Cinco Teros may be my third style of eskrima to learn. It is not my favorite. There is a practicality and method of learning in Balintawak that jives better with me. In Balintawak, we do not care what "Strike" is happening. We only care about ending the fight as quickly as possible. If that means disarming, that's preferred. If that means doing a finishing blow to make sure you never get up, okie doke. If that means maiming you because you don't know when to stay down, fine. If that means doing a killing blow (neck breaking, stabbing with gash and/or twisting, slicing an artery, etc), well, it had to be done. There is no memorization in learning. Yes, we have drills, but it's not really "memorizing". It's creating reactions. So, anyway, I went to the park to go check it out. Cinco Teros is a style from Bagio. Bagio is in the northern area of the Philippines. This particular style is very much a family style that isn't advertised or really taught. You have to have permission from the family to teach it. The one thing I really like about Cinco Teros is that after you learn the basics, you're expected to evolve the style into what works for you. This is also more sword and knife based. All Eskrima/Arnis is meant to transition from sticks to knives to hands, but various styles will lend more to sticks or knives or hands. The overall thinking of this type of combat martial arts is that you are to be able to defend yourself using anything or nothing. This is why we do not have "uniforms". This is why I specifically trained with no padding or gear. You need to know how to take a hit if you're going to survive a real fight. The sooner you get used to that pain and learn how to avoid it, the better your chances on the street. For 90 minutes in the park yesterday, I did some drills. Clumsily. But I did them. The teaching is not where I want it to be. But, my thinking is that at least I would be learning and keeping up with something. Plus, knowing another Filipino in the area would be nice. Just because I want home food! Also, the other students... I'm merely curious on who they are. As terrible as it sounds, I want to know who are these non-Filipinos learning my country's combat systems. I hate Katas. I hate memorization. But, I will end up doing them with this teacher. I have loved seeing Filipino Martial Arts used more and more in TV (Arrow and the Arrowverse heavily use FMA) and movies (Christopher Nolan's Batman for hand-to-hand, Star Wars Yoda/Dooku). Learning any aspect of it, whether or not I really enjoy it, is still a bonus in my book.

In regards to the article, my first thoughts are; why weren't there videogame scholarships back in my day😅 I actually think the whole thing is stupid (videogame scholarships) really - bit like how in China they have Influencer Degrees for TikTok and other social media shit. Not sure if it's because I haven't moved with the times but I'd rather see investment in people for crucial life skills that they cannot earn outside of their household. Anybody can pick up and play a videogame but you can't become a Doctor or Scientist without some extensive paid education and encouragement. This whole charade sounds like a quick cash-in for Universities and Colleges a bit like how real sport teams now have an e-sport team on the side for that extra pocket money. In regards to the gender gap, although a lot of females play videogames, it's still dominated heavily by males because more opt to play professionally within the popular games and many have been around for a long time. There are some excellent and highly-skilled female streamers and content creators around but many opt against playing in this space. E-Sport firms are also perhaps reluctant with female talent because there is no barriers between the genders and the big games house so many established names and there is endless male talent coming through. It would help if more females watched e-sports and Universities actively encouraged and backed players moving into this space as much as they were eager to chase the money in the industry through 'scholarships'. Mandatory mixed teams could also be a consideration and would set an example for other teams and competitions to follow. I think a few female pro gamers and streamers in existence have put a lot of males off watching and females from entering the industry because of behavior on the likes of Twitch and during competitions previous. This has been another factor that has had a serious ongoing impact and perhaps why they wouldn't be trusted or taken seriously when there is big money up for grabs. Womens MMA has proven there is a huge market to tap into and I think e-Sports is something that can print money but the videogame industry in regards to pro gaming is a pile of unregulated and classless shite. It's all about the money first and foremost and until the very foundations of the concept are improved, it will sadly remain this way. A lot of people buying into this space like universities are fucking clueless as it is - they just see the bottom line and to hell on how it is earned.

Zero part of me is sad about this. Zero lol. I have always considered Bethesda to be better on PC... Also, nothing they release lately is not a "must have". I have a PC. I have a PS5. I'm good lol. I would be super shocked if Square allowed themselves to be acquired by Sony. Their history lends them towards "partnerships" and not wanting to be dictated by Nintendo, Sony, or whoever else. But, it's a new era, so anything is possible.

I think Sony have shown how to do exclusives really well so I don't worry too much for them. Personally I feel Bethesda's best days havent been back for a while yet. 🤣🤣 tbh, you just need a gaming PC to go alongside your PS5. Sounds like a good life choice to me!!

I'll be seeing if we can have a few nights on this soon as its on sale right now on the PlayStation Store for 8.99 until 24th March.

No biggie really. I'll just grab them for PC and use my PS5 for in-house exclusives. It's quite ironic that Bethesda's next game (Deathloop) coming out in May is a timed PS5 exclusive😂

FITNESS PPR DATE: 13th March 2021 SESSION: Week 5 Day CALORIES: 2890kcals Atlas stone 3x3@65/75/85kg Paused Bench Press 3x6@112.5kg FEELINGS: Wow this week has kicked my arse. Going back to school was real difficult and by Friday I was wiped. I actually went out to my gym, sorted out the atlas stone stuff and nearly fainted on the first set. So some sleep, good food and a friend to help me the next day and I was ready to rock and roll! IMG_1431.MP4 IMG_1432.MP4

Wait. What? That sounds bonkers. I just want to feel safe going out at night by myself without fear of getting kidnapped, assaulted, killed, etc. Not infringe on people's freedom lol. However, my basic understanding is that she was trying to make a point and wasn't serious about the suggestion. And, her point being that society typically tells women to stay home if they want to be safe and no one blinks an eye at that. But, the moment such suggestions are made for men, it's just a crazy thought.

We need to do this again ....

So....we made an island...

I like that there's competition at different levels. The battle between you and Kiwi will feature all season, then myself, Mike and Lee, and with both of those two capable of the occasional challenge for first, I'll have my work cut out. As for the rest, everyone is improving and capable of hitting a podium place so could be all different by race 12 😉

It was a reference to EA FIFAgate Lee..🤣

I just hope I get Russia if I get put in T4 😂😅 Dunno about Scotland but the Swedish and Turkey teams are absolute wank 🤣

Oh lookie. Real life corruption of FIFA infects virtual FIFA world. Color me shocked. 🙃 Yeah, EA is just pissed that they aren't getting a cut of the money. That's about it haaha.