Notes from a Small Island

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel
it's probably possible.

What does this even mean? [&:]

[Canoerebel]

I teach an adult Sunday school class in a relatively small rural church. This past Sunday, a lady in my class was winding up a comment when she said this: "I was talking to my French mule...."

This caught me by surprise. Thinking quickly, as all teachers sometimes must do, I wondered if "my French mule" was a new slang term, similar to "BFF" or something. So I asked.

"Your French mule?"

"I said, 'My friend Shmool."

It turns out the lady has a friend Shmool.

Words are funny things, spoken or written.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel
it's probably possible.

What does this even mean? [&:]

Possible = certainly could happen
Probably Possible = uncertain if it could happen, but estimating that it could
Clear now?

[Chickenboy]

Well, if I'm a literalist, I interpret the 'probable' to be anything greater than 50% likelihood of happening. Let's say 51% for purposes of this illustration. Something 'possible' is usually less than 25% chance. Let's put that at 24% at the most.
So the probably possible becomes a probability of 0.51 x 0.24= 0.1224. Remembering significant figures, that puts it at roughly 12%.

The probably possible has now become the probably improbable and is indistinguishable from the possibly possible.

Which is it gonna be, good sir? [:'(]

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

Well, if I'm a literalist, I interpret the 'probable' to be anything greater than 50% likelihood of happening. Let's say 51% for purposes of this illustration. Something 'possible' is usually less than 25% chance. Let's put that at 24% at the most.
So the probably possible becomes a probability of 0.51 x 0.24= 0.1224. Remembering significant figures, that puts it at roughly 12%.

The probably possible has now become the probably improbable and is indistinguishable from the possibly possible.

Which is it gonna be, good sir? [:'(]

Iffy?

[Chickenboy]

Well, I for one cannot say that I like this new means of communication. But even Whether.com is using this double-speak:

[Canoerebel]

3/11/44

Burma: Enemy bombers rough up a Chinese corps and an African division at some cost to the enemy air force. I'm going to fight hard in Burma as soon as I get supply. Until then I'll try to taunt and tease. I'm also trying to steal a march on Erik to take Bassein but he'll probably possibly blunt that effort.

[HansBolter]

The known unknowns are always better in hand than the unknown unknowns.......to (loosely) quote Rumsfeld that is. [8D]

[crsutton]

I am betting that he has little or no defense at Djambi. Put a small carrier raid in and smash up some oil. Those fighters on the front line in Burma will go away. Course is it late in the game. That oil should have been threatened months ago.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: crsutton

I am betting that he has little or no defense at Djambi. Put a small carrier raid in and smash up some oil. Those fighters on the front line in Burma will go away. Course is it late in the game. That oil should have been threatened months ago.

Medan is easier to get to, but yes.

[Xilana]

A post that pertains to the recent discussion here about taking over games...I'm going to post in this thread as it gives both you and John a chance to respond. Would it be possible for the two of you to make a few saves at various points in that game once completed. It would be interesting to see others perhaps pick up and explore other strategies. Actually it would be great if some of the games that go to 45, go the same way. I would surmise there may be some players who would find it interesting to start playing in a mid to end game role. Just some thoughts.

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: venividivici10044a

A post that pertains to the recent discussion here about taking over games...I'm going to post in this thread as it gives both you and John a chance to respond. Would it be possible for the two of you to make a few saves at various points in that game once completed. It would be interesting to see others perhaps pick up and explore other strategies. Actually it would be great if some of the games that go to 45, go the same way. I would surmise there may be some players who would find it interesting to start playing in a mid to end game role. Just some thoughts.

It's an interesting idea, but unlikely to find very many individuals willing to go along with it for it to be successful.

You'd need:

1. A PBEM game (a minority of games to begin with)
2. ...that goes 'deep' into the war (very much a minority of games go past 1943)
3. Where both players can be contacted for their passwords
4. Both players are willing to provide their passwords
5. Both players are comfortable with other unrelated players playing 'their' game
6. Probably a game that has an AAR
7. The 'right' version of the game to be picked up (scenario 1 v. 2 v. DBB-B v. DBB-C, etc.)
8. etc.

Many players feel a sense of 'ownership' over their games and also don't like having their dirty laundry aired out further beyond the AAR too. It's almost an invasion of privacy for some.

[Canoerebel]

That's true! It is tough to have somebody walk through your "house," finding shoes not in the right place, dust-bunnies behind the couch, a messy desk, dishes in the sink, a toilet in need of cleaning, etc.

Even in this game it must be weird for Joseph to have me comment. It helps that he left a pretty neat house, and I don't want to air his dirty laundry, but I'll forget and write something now and then, in all likelihood.

I do have files with my John III game going back pretty far - I think to around January 1943. That's two months into the Sumatra invasion.

The most interesting place to pick up the game would be late summer or autumn of '42 - before Sumatra really got underway. By then it had been a bloody game but the die wasn't cast yet.

If I was looking to pick up the game in January '43, I'd be reluctant to do so. A lot of decisions were made going into that which depended heavily on my knowledge of John IIIs style of play. He's aggressive and fights forward, which creates opportunities for both sides. But the Allies would face a daunting situation against a more defensively-minded player.

[Canoerebel]

3/14/44

Burma: Allies move forward and take Bassein against little opposition. Nothing much is happening here. Nothing much is happening anywhere. At least on the front lines.

Behind the lines, I am as active as can be. I am assuming that the same holds true for Erik. The False War won't last forever.

[Canoerebel]

3/15/44

Death from Above: Gentlemen, I have a favor to ask. Could one of you PM Joesph and invite him - no, urge him! - to return to the forum? Could another of you convene the AE Kangaroo Court for the first time in five years?

How can I send the American navy into harm's way led by the USS Empower Norton, John Wick, and Death from Above?

[Chickenboy]

Could be worse. On my furtive Allied efforts against the Japanese AI (psst...don't tell anyone), I've renamed the first Allied carrier USS Gonnagitcha. If I was playing against *you*, it'd be the USS Appomattox Courthouse or the Gettysburg.

ETA: Here's another good one if I was playing against *you*: the USS Uggasdysplasia

[Jellicoe]

Can you Subpoena someone to a Kangaroo Court?

the name is certainly unusual........

[Jellicoe]

In all the AAR's I have read I can't think of anyone who seems to use the 11th East African as much! You really like these chaps don't you!

[Encircled]

In my current game, I toyed with the idea of naming my ships after my favourite ever Burnley FC players.

"Death from Above" is a great name, but only for a battle cruiser orbiting Alpha Centuri awaiting an insectoid invasion fleet.

[Lovejoy]

Can the Kangaroo Court summon people on its own or do we need to form a Kangaroo Grand Jury to consider an indictment?