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Post by Deleted on Dec 7, 2011 9:44:57 GMT -8
Okay, just a minor note that I thought would be relevant...I was watching the documentary about Harlan Ellison called "Dreams with Sharp Teeth," and he used the same line that Steve Jackson did about where ideas come from. It was almost verbatim.
Which means that, though it may be a somewhat nebulous question to ask where one gets ideas (I didn't even really think it was that unreasonable a question), that line was not original. Being sarcastic and dry is dickishly humorous...using a stock line that is sarcastic and dry is just being a dick.
I'm not bitter or anything, but dickish people are a pet peeve of mine. Steve Jackson's games are awesome, I just think he should stick to making them instead of, you know, talking.
EDIT: It strikes me that this may be some widespread joke among authors and I just didn't know it. In that case, I'M a dick.
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Post by Stu Venable on Dec 7, 2011 12:11:31 GMT -8
It could be like Englishmen telling the story about the biscuits, the stranger and the hat.
I've heard that from two different people.
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Post by fray on Dec 7, 2011 12:52:54 GMT -8
Ok, threadjack request... what is that story?
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Post by yojimbohawkins on Dec 7, 2011 15:00:56 GMT -8
Being a Scot, I have no idea!
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Post by Stu Venable on Dec 7, 2011 15:38:41 GMT -8
The story goes like this: I was at snack shop in the tube station down at Squatney, and I bought a small package of biscuits -- what you Yanks would call "cookies."
The shop was very full and there were no vacant tables, so I saw this bloke sitting by himself and asked if he'd mind if I joined him. He said that was fine, so I sat down and took off my hat and coat.
We both sat there in silence, reading our newspapers, when this bloke reaches onto the table, opens my package of biscuits, takes one and eats it!
I was gobsmacked! The nerve! I scowled at him, making my disapproval of his rudeness readily apparent upon my visage. I then reached for a biscuit, took one and ate it myself.
And this tosser has the nerve to scowl back!
He then reaches for the biscuits and takes another! So I do the same, all the while I'm frowning at him with disapproval, while he looks as me with a similar expression.
Finally, there's only one biscuit left -- and he has the never to take it! I could take no more. I abruptly stood, bid the tosser a "good day" and picked up my coat and hat -- whereupon I discovered the package of biscuits I had purchased were hidden beneath my hat. It's usually peppered with several side notes about how polite the English are. I heard this story from an English engineer when I was covering a first flight at an Naval Air Base in Texas. I heard nearly the exact same story from an English Professor who taught a class at Cal State Long Beach (he was part of a literature professor exchange). I had a friend at McDonnell Douglas who heard the same story more than once as well -- including once from Douglas Adams (supposedly).
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Post by Deleted on Dec 7, 2011 17:54:36 GMT -8
I am of English lineage but was born and raised here, so that may explain why I was not familiar with this story. I will have to ask my very British parents and grandparents to see if this strikes a chord with them.
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Post by Stu Venable on Dec 7, 2011 18:47:32 GMT -8
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Post by stanleytweedle on Jan 8, 2018 12:19:09 GMT -8
Solved! GURPS 3rd ed. Revised, pg. 196
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Post by chronovore on Feb 2, 2018 20:15:03 GMT -8
Also, I rifle KARTAS podcast on the regular, and don't even bother renaming the NPCs I steal from popular media.
TAKE THAT, CYNICAL STEVE JACKSON!
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