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Post by Vhagar on Oct 21, 2014 18:38:16 GMT -5
Barnes and Nobel gift card for the win! Free book! Good call! That's how I got the map book - my brother gave me a Waterstones gift card last Christmas. And I still had some money left over that paid for most of another book too! In my case the only downside is not knowing how long it will take to arrive, because I refused to pay for shipping when there was a free option, so it will take slightly longer. My Waterstones account page needs to update itself already. It's been "Waiting to be picked from our warehouse" for ages. |
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Post by Prince Orys Targaryen on Oct 22, 2014 9:27:02 GMT -5
Okay, before I say what I'm going to say, I just want to emphasize that I am no stranger to stress. I'm a trained airborne linguist, meaning I spent three years jumping oit of planes so I can translate for Spec Ops guys in the middle of fucking nowhere. I have been shot at and shot back at turn. I'm normally a cool hand when it comes to extreme pressure... However... I'm just now getting my driver's license and practicing on the streets. I'm just fine on the city roads, but the freeway... holy shit, the freeway!! I've looked warlords in the fucking eye and never have I experienced this sort of panic. It's like D-Day every fucking morning! How do people do this? Seriously, I was less freaked out during firefights at least firefights end after someone caps the angry local. But here, its like it never fucking stops!  |
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Post by Lord Elyas Dryland on Oct 22, 2014 15:46:53 GMT -5
Okay, before I say what I'm going to say, I just want to emphasize that I am no stranger to stress. I'm a trained airborne linguist, meaning I spent three years jumping oit of planes so I can translate for Spec Ops guys in the middle of fucking nowhere. I have been shot at and shot back at turn. I'm normally a cool hand when it comes to extreme pressure... However... I'm just now getting my driver's license and practicing on the streets. I'm just fine on the city roads, but the freeway... holy shit, the freeway!! I've looked warlords in the fucking eye and never have I experienced this sort of panic. It's like D-Day every fucking morning! How do people do this? Seriously, I was less freaked out during firefights at least firefights end after someone caps the angry local. But here, its like it never fucking stops! Once you get the hang of it I personally find freeway driving much easier. You're moving at a relatively constant speed and hopefully everyone else is too so there's not a ton of need for significant acceleration or deceleration. If you're driving stick there's also little need for gear changes or clutch braking when freeway driving whereas on city streets you have to be a lot more involved. Best of luck with your test! |
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Horas
Westeros 
is Horas.
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Post by Horas on Oct 23, 2014 0:55:55 GMT -5
Okay, before I say what I'm going to say, I just want to emphasize that I am no stranger to stress. I'm a trained airborne linguist, meaning I spent three years jumping oit of planes so I can translate for Spec Ops guys in the middle of fucking nowhere. I have been shot at and shot back at turn. I'm normally a cool hand when it comes to extreme pressure... However... I'm just now getting my driver's license and practicing on the streets. I'm just fine on the city roads, but the freeway... holy shit, the freeway!! I've looked warlords in the fucking eye and never have I experienced this sort of panic. It's like D-Day every fucking morning! How do people do this? Seriously, I was less freaked out during firefights at least firefights end after someone caps the angry local. But here, its like it never fucking stops! It's okay! All you have to remember is that even if you are the best driver in the world, there is a high proportion of people who are terrible at it and will veer off the road and likely injure/kill you. Even if you master the craft of driving you are at best a leaf in the wind. Far more people die in routine roadway accidents than in combat. The terror you have now can never fully subside. Haha. Haha! I am very reassuring! Good luck! |
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Post by The Gambler on Oct 23, 2014 2:00:14 GMT -5
There's also the comforting fact that if you get into an accident on the freeway going the speed limit (assuming it's 55+) you'll likely be dead before you even know what happened. It also comes with the chance you'll be immortalized forever in "Red Asphalt VII".
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Post by Vhagar on Oct 23, 2014 2:37:09 GMT -5
Horas, that was the most evil comment in the world  My experiences are a bit different due to location. For example, here we drive on the correct (left) side of the road and I imagine your freeways might even be worse than our motorways. Couldn't swear to it though. I gave up trying to drive years ago. Just couldn't handle it in the end, and I actually got worse! |
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Erik
Westeros
Erik
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Post by Erik on Oct 23, 2014 11:12:35 GMT -5
Okay, before I say what I'm going to say, I just want to emphasize that I am no stranger to stress. I'm a trained airborne linguist, meaning I spent three years jumping oit of planes so I can translate for Spec Ops guys in the middle of fucking nowhere. I have been shot at and shot back at turn. I'm normally a cool hand when it comes to extreme pressure... However... I'm just now getting my driver's license and practicing on the streets. I'm just fine on the city roads, but the freeway... holy shit, the freeway!! I've looked warlords in the fucking eye and never have I experienced this sort of panic. It's like D-Day every fucking morning! How do people do this? Seriously, I was less freaked out during firefights at least firefights end after someone caps the angry local. But here, its like it never fucking stops! What language, and when were you in Monterey? |
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Post by Prince Orys Targaryen on Oct 23, 2014 11:47:59 GMT -5
Okay, before I say what I'm going to say, I just want to emphasize that I am no stranger to stress. I'm a trained airborne linguist, meaning I spent three years jumping oit of planes so I can translate for Spec Ops guys in the middle of fucking nowhere. I have been shot at and shot back at turn. I'm normally a cool hand when it comes to extreme pressure... However... I'm just now getting my driver's license and practicing on the streets. I'm just fine on the city roads, but the freeway... holy shit, the freeway!! I've looked warlords in the fucking eye and never have I experienced this sort of panic. It's like D-Day every fucking morning! How do people do this? Seriously, I was less freaked out during firefights at least firefights end after someone caps the angry local. But here, its like it never fucking stops! What language, and when were you in Monterey? Pashto, about 5-6 years ago. Miss the crepes everyday.  |
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Erik
Westeros
Erik
Posts: 478
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Post by Erik on Oct 23, 2014 12:17:00 GMT -5
Nice, I was in Russian in '08-'09.
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Post by The Black Dread on Oct 23, 2014 13:34:22 GMT -5
Ok, Cars were invented in the United States. Ergo, the side of the road that WE drive on (i.e. the right side) is the correct side. When the British invent a useful mode of transportation, then they get to dictate the rules of how it is used.
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Post by The Black Dread on Oct 23, 2014 13:37:22 GMT -5
And yeah, the first time I ever was behind the wheel of a car, my instructor sent me out onto the Brooklyn Bridge. I was going the speed limit (55) and everyone else was just zooming around me honking angrily. That shit was WAY scarier than driving on the streets of NYC.
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Post by The Gambler on Oct 23, 2014 13:55:06 GMT -5
Amen to that Sam. Next they'll be lecturing us on how to land on the moon or nuke a country or practice proper dental hygiene.
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Post by Vhagar on Oct 23, 2014 14:04:06 GMT -5
At least we have a National Health Service. Working for the NHS, on the other hand, sucks big time. You guys are welcome to the moon. I don't want it. |
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Erik
Westeros
Erik
Posts: 478
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Post by Erik on Oct 23, 2014 14:41:11 GMT -5
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Post by Lord Jacaerys Velaryon on Oct 23, 2014 14:57:14 GMT -5
Research in 1969 showed that showed that countries driving on the left have a lower collision rate than countries driving on the right. It was suggested that this is partly because humans are more commonly right-eye dominant than left-eye dominant. Clearly the left is superior.  |
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Post by The Gambler on Oct 23, 2014 15:27:22 GMT -5
That sounds like an incredibly flawed study, considering all the variables involved. Only seven or so countries drive on the left side of the road. Countries that drive on the right statistically have more cars, denser traffic, a higher percentage of automobile owning citizens, more freeways, ect. All of these things are likely more to blame for the difference in accidents than which side of the road you drive on.
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Erik
Westeros
Erik
Posts: 478
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Post by Erik on Oct 23, 2014 15:31:36 GMT -5
I'd imagine that India's population that drives has grown by leaps and bounds since 1969. That's got to change the data considerably.
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Post by Vhagar on Oct 23, 2014 15:46:19 GMT -5
This is why I love you guys. You always turn things into the weirdest discussions.
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Post by The Gambler on Oct 23, 2014 18:58:49 GMT -5
We have to travel hours to get anywhere because the country's massive and the railways never really took that role. 1826-1930 would beg to differ... Railways had a greater impact on America than they did any other country. They were undoubtedly a defining part of our cultural and historical development, arguably more so than cars. The state we both live in would still be a sparsely populated desert wasteland today were it not for the Union Pacific Railroad. |
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Post by The Gambler on Oct 23, 2014 23:41:36 GMT -5
Haha that's all 100% true. I just get my kicks out of obnoxiously dissecting specific sentences, as I'm going to do now: The railways played a huge role in nation-building in EVERY country in the world. The 25 countries that still don't have railways would beg to differ, as well as the 93 that built them in the last decade. |
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Post by Lord Jacaerys Velaryon on Oct 24, 2014 2:29:35 GMT -5
That sounds like an incredibly flawed study, considering all the variables involved. Only seven or so countries drive on the left side of the road. Countries that drive on the right statistically have more cars, denser traffic, a higher percentage of automobile owning citizens, more freeways, ect. All of these things are likely more to blame for the difference in accidents than which side of the road you drive on. There's far more than just seven countries that drive on the left hand side of the road. The UK, Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Japan, Nepal, India, Pakistan, not to mention many East African countries, as well as the countries that make up a significant proportion of the West Indies and a couple of countries in South America all drive on the left side. In fact about 35% of the world's population live in countries that drive on the left hand side. |
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Erik
Westeros
Erik
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Post by Erik on Oct 24, 2014 9:07:25 GMT -5
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Post by The Black Dread on Oct 24, 2014 9:09:28 GMT -5
To change the subject, who else saw the Age of Ultron trailer? It's pants-shittingly awesome, so be prepared to find a new pair of boxers after you watch it.
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Post by Prince Orys Targaryen on Oct 24, 2014 12:06:44 GMT -5
To change the subject, who else saw the Age of Ultron trailer? It's pants-shittingly awesome, so be prepared to find a new pair of boxers after you watch it. "There are no strings on me..." |
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Post by Lord Lyonel Harroway on Oct 24, 2014 12:26:02 GMT -5
I don't watch trailers of movies when I know I am going to watch them. I was at the theater to watch John Wick last night and they ran a featurette on Interstellar. I closed my eyes and covered my ears while humming to block it out. I embarrassed my companion.
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