The Syndicate

What do you think are the most important qualities of a "good" song? ("Good" meaning a song you really like)

Who is your all time favorite Dwarf?
Edit: Name your top 5 Dwarves.

What's it like being second place for a whole year? Has it been a year of learning and self-reflection?

How much do you like the maths?

Describe the perfect hamburger.

Who is your favorite Super Smash character?

What is the hardest decision you've ever had to make?

What is the most radical encounter you've ever had with fuzz?

aapje wrote:Have you ever hosted a game? if yes which one, if not why? First game I hosted was a Speed Mafia with Typh. After that I hosted Alice in Wonderland with TH, sanderling and sparrow, which was a baddie team from Angel Mafia. We all kept visiting the chatango for a couple of months after the game finished.

That was the best. I miss our losers chatroom.

Favorite cereal? Favorite type of cuisine?

Welcome to the Syndicate, Golden!!!

Now, I consider myself a bit of a mafia old-timer, playing on sites like Lostpedia and The Piano; I took a big long hiatus before finally discovering all my old friends/some new friends at this incredible site. But, while people I know seem to recognize you, I don't think our mafia careers have intersected until this moment. So I have questions!

Where did you first start playing mafia, and how did you come to love it? I assume you love it. What kind of roles do you enjoy? Do you have any mafia performances that you are especially proud of? Any you are embarrassed of? And what are some of your favorite hobbies outside of mafia?

What styles of music do you like? And which styles do you hate? Who are some of your favorite artists?

Favorite ice cream flavor?

Do you like boats? Do you own a boat? Do you want a boat? What kind of boat do you want? What kind of boat do you not want?

Thank you, everyone, for not asking me any questions about rape or women's rights! Most of the questions were about writing, stories, food, music and mary j, which are all among my most favorite things. I had fun doing this!

will definitely be hittin you up with those South Park mafia ideas

bea wrote:What is your favorite way to spoil yourself?
What is your favorite way to spoil someone else?
Do you have a special someone?
Are you looking for a special someone? (I'm not asking for me - I'm very happy in my married state - but you know - couples always ask about how to make other couples )
It's pretty obvious I've had drinks right? Cuz it should be.

I think I answered this one earlier! A nice long toke is my favorite way to spoil myself
Favorite way to spoil someone else? I like cooking for friends, or treating them out to lunch
There is currently no special someone. I am always looking. </3

bea wrote:What is your favorite color?
What is your favorite music to listen to to get pumped up?
What is your favorite music to listen to when you unwind?
What is your favorite music to listen to when you have a big fat bowl and no distractions?
Are you a wake and baker? Or are you more of a smoker who thinks "This is my reward for getting through today." - Or are you somewhere in the middle?

Royal blue.

Pumped Up: Zeppelin, Pearl Jam, Weezer, blink, Phoenix, Black Keys
Unwind: The National, Frightened Rabbit, Yukon Blonde, River City Extension, 90s rock
Chillin: Sigur Ros, M83, Matthew Good, Dave Matthews, Red Hot Chili Peppers

I wake and bake occasionally. I usually only smoke at night, or before bed because it helps me go to sleep tbh. But sometimes the best way to deal with a hangover on Sunday morning is to smoke a bowl and watch some football (not in the spring though )

bea wrote:Do you think smoking or booze or anything else - helps or hurts your writing process? Why?

Okay, so I like to write sober, but I'm a much sharper editor while I'm high. I catch things I didn't think about before. Ive also learned that if I'm inebriated while writing the first draft, almost none of it ends up useable. If I'm stuck on how to start writing a scene, I might have a few drinks first, definitely helps to get the ball rolling even if I have to edit it later

The brainstorm/outlining phase will likely involve, at different times, all 3 states of mind also, coffee. Always coffee.

Roxy wrote:

Turnips wrote: Splints, the fake role PM is absolutely legendary as far as I'm concerned. I just remember how paranoid LittleTiger and I were, in our BTSC... to the point that we were sending PM's accusing EACH OTHER lol. That was nuts!

Reys fake role PM is as famous as MP's fake parchment from Sword of Truth good times!
muppets needs a sequel for sure! That game was so fun and as an outed baddie I was happy to live longer than some civs and other baddies!

were you ever anouted baddie in a game?
Do you think rabbit needs a sequel to sword of Truth?
Do you think splints wil follow through witha sequel to Muppets when she has yet to send me her ideas for roles for our AHS game? lol

Yep, I've been an outted baddie twice. Once was when I chose to out myself for strategic reasons and I ended up winning. The other time was in Angel Mafia (hosted by LR and Illy). The other mafia team had rolechecked me and one of them info dumped on me right before he was lynched. I tried my best to convince everyone that he was lying but it didnt work because the civ's ninja kill only worked on baddies so I had no chance. Most pointless infodump of all time. My team later won a rez and rezzed me even though everyone knew I was a baddie I somehow survived a few days longer.

I didn't get to play rabbits Sword of Truth game, but it sounds like it was a lot of fun, so there should definitely be a sequel so I can play

Sounds like we need to pressure splints to get in the ball!!! Hehehe

No to all of the above. But please bring more smilies to the Syndicate k.

FZ. wrote:If an alien came to visit earth, and you were his host, where would you take him?
Favorite comedies that have ended?
Last book you read?
What is your favorite smiley?

I'd take him to the Egyptian pyramids and the Nazca lines. Then I'd take him to the bar, I'd get him trashed and force him to tell me everything.
Chapelle's Show, Freaks and Geeks, Undeclared, Seinfeld, That 70s Show, Cheers, Becker, Better Off Ted
Skippy Dies by Paul Murray

FZ. wrote:If you get lynched/NK in a game, do you still follow it, or do you leave it never looking back?
What food would you never be willing to give up?
What is the first thing that interests you about a new person you meet?
What would your friends say about you?

• I'll continue to follow a game if I'm still invested in its outcome. I like to root for my team (civ or bad) from the sidelines. But if I was completely and utterly fail in a game before my death (see Film Noir mafia for an example ) or if I die before I made any sort of impact, then I usually won't read along.
• Mashed potatoes and gravy. I need it.
• I try to understand a new person's sense of humor first, it makes it easier to connect with them. I enjoy watching how someone interacts with their inner circle of loved ones. I don't ask a lot of questions, I prefer to meet someone slowly over the course of natural conversation.
• I think my friends would say that I'm weird, haha But I think they would say I'm really friendly. And always down for anything

-- Splints, the fake role PM is absolutely legendary as far as I'm concerned. I just remember how paranoid LittleTiger and I were, in our BTSC... to the point that we were sending PM's accusing EACH OTHER lol. That was nuts!

bea wrote:What new ideas do you have for hosting games? Would you like a co-host?

Mostly some mechanics ideas. I had been working on a Hobbit themed game but Russti beat me to the punch! Maybe I'll save it for later.

I have a bunch of notes for a South Park mafia and a Star Trek mafia. I also want to host a game based on the Craigslist killer :O everyone would have identities, back stories, and things they want to buy and sell. It would be crazy I also have ideas for more games based on the Funny or Die philosophy.

If I do ever host, I would love to have a cohost. Are you offering??

Lizzy wrote:But back to business.
1. Do you feel like an adult yet?
2. What does being an adult mean anyway?
3. Do you believe in multiculturalism?
4. Which one of the following can you handle decently: sports, politics, religion?
5. How are you today?
6. Do you have any recurring dreams?
7. What's the biggest fish you've ever caught?
8. What's the song stuck in your head at the moment?
9. How do you feel about cherry picking?

1. God, no.
2. I think being an adult means you're capable of caring and providing for someone(s) other than yourself, i.e. starting a family. I am nowhere near ready for that... Theres still a ton of mistakes I plan on making before then
3. Absolutely!
4. Well I love sports and could talk about them all day. Except for soccer, which I don't enjoy watching and hate hearing about, but it's the one sport I'm any good at actually playing. I wish I was better informed about politics but I have lots of opinions/ideas, none of which I enjoy talking or arguing about. My thoughts on religion change all the time and I'm not comfortable discussing religion with most people.
5. I'm in a good mood today! Although I'm hungry and don't know what I feel like eating.
6. I have a recurring nightmare that one or more of my teeth fall out. It's like my biggest fear my dreams tend to be pretty wonky though.
7. I caught a baby nurse shark once at Big Carlos Pass, it was almost two feet long!
8. "Future Starts Slow" by The Kills
9.

A Person wrote:Do you like anime? Do you have favorites?
What program do you use to open .pdf files?
If you had to be a breed of dog which one would you be?

I've not watched much anime. I want to get into it, but have no idea which types of anime I would enjoy, and no idea where to start.
Adobe Reader
Husky

A Person wrote:do you like oOoOO

I've never heard of him before but I just googled and it might be something I'd listen to... Ill check it out on Spotify :O

Yes please, Lizzy that would be epic. I hope it happens

fingersplints wrote:TH:
What do you think of Hugh Jackman as the Wolverine?
Favorite type of cheese?
If you were on a pirate ship, what would be your role?
Do you have any pets?
Where would you pick to live if it could be anywhere other than you live now?
Did you like playing Muppet Mafia two years ago?
Who is your biggest mafia nemesis?
Who have you not had btsc with but have always wanted to?
What is the most embarrassing album in your music library?

• I like Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, although I didn't see the most recent one, because Origins was so disappointing.
• Monterey Jack
• The boatswain. I'd be able to boss the other pirates around, and I'd be less likely to be mutinied against than the captain.
• Not currently. I used to have a bunny named Butters but he died last year
• I would love to live in a small rural town. I'd adjust easily to country livin I think.
• Yes I enjoyed that game very much!! One of the craziest endings of any mafia game I can remember. You and Lorab should host a sequel
• It used to be Diamond Dog, who is IMO the best to have ever played the game but he's not around anymore. It may be a one-sided rivalry, but I consider SVS to be my arch nemesis, hehehe.
• I would love to have BTSC with SVS, Epignosis, or bea. Also, I've only had BTSC with Lorab once, in my very first mafia game ever, so methinks we're due for a reunion.
• Katy Perry's Teenage Dream.

thellama73 wrote:Why don't you like turnips?
What is your favorite root vegetable?
What's your starsign?

I don't know.
Yams.
Scorpio.

thellama73 wrote:Rank the following statements in order of most plausible to least plausible:
- Martial arts are an effective form of self-defense
- Chiropractic is a legitimate branch of medicine
- Nutritionists know what the hell they are talking about
- We're all going to perish due to catastrophic anthropogenic climate change sometime in the indeterminate future. But soon. Definitely soon.
- We can all be made richer by simply printing and distributing little slips of paper with numbers written on them.

insertnamehere wrote:What do you feel is a better format for storytelling, television or movies?

Depends on the story really. Episodic storytelling has so much potential. A single strong theme can be better realized in a film though, I think.

FZ. wrote:What was your favorite subject in school?
Why do you like mafia, and do you prefer the live version or the online one?
Would you say you're a funny guy? Sarcastic? nerdy? Smart? Sensitive?
name something you think is overrated and something that is underestimated
If you had the chance to be born in a different time in history, which would you choose and why?

Biology.
I think I like mafia because it allows me to argue about things that don't matter lol. I love the competition and the challenge of playing a smart game. Also it gives me something to do while I'm on the train on my way to work. The live version is always fun and lighthearted, the online version can be cutthroat and analytical so I like both for different reasons. It's also more fun to throw your teammates under the bus in a live game
I am all those things at different times... If I had to choose an adjective to describe myself, I'd say I'm perceptive. My sense of humor is very sarcastic, and observational.
In N Out Burger is overrated. Common sense is underrated.
Man, that's a tough one, lots of different time periods were awesome in their own ways but I'm so accustomed to life as it is now. Maybe medieval times for the simple but delicious food, and horses would be a cool way to travel. Or maybe the fifties, so I could grow up in the hippie era

Roxy wrote:Dammit! I missed bea, Timmer and llama This is not good!

Turnips - hi

which band is over rated and over played?
Who is your fave Avenger? Superhero?
If Batman and Spiderman had a battle who would win and why?
You are in Westeros - which castle do live in and defend? What would be your name and profession?
Favorite Beatle? Favorite Beatles song?
Why Turnips but not Parsnips? Are you against all other root vegees?

Hey roxy!
Mumford and Sons: it's like somebody took a teenage girl's diary and set it to formulaic folk music.
Don't know much about the avengers except for the movies, but I like Thor. Favorite superhero would probably be Wolverine.
Batman, because he's batman. This would be a very entertaining fight.
I defend Turnipy Rock and I grow eggplants.
George. Don't Let Me Down.
Parsnip Head just doesn't have the same ring to it.

BoatsBoatsBoats wrote:Do you like Breaking Bad or do you love Breaking Bad?

Like. There are certain episodes that I love.

thellama73 wrote:What's your favorite short story?
At what age do you expect to die?
If we were at a bar and I said I would get the first round, what would you order?
Which is the best ocean?
How long is a piece of string?

The Most Dangerous Game.
I'll be happy if I make it to 70.
Jameson on rocks.
Atlantic. Pacific is too cold.
5.

Epignosis wrote:Do you like turnips?

No.

FZ. wrote:So when you write something, do you have a clear picture of how it's going to look?
Have you thought about actors for things you've written?
Can you give 5-10 films that you really loved?

• Sometimes but not always. Sometimes I have to do a lot of "dry" writing before I start visualizing it. Writing is all about rewriting. Certain scenes or images will be clear to me while I write them. Sometimes I know how I want a certain shot to look but I don't know much about cinematography.
• Yeah sometimes, it helps to visualize the characters. It makes it easier to imagine what their personalities or speech mannerisms might be if I have an actor in mind. I'm working on a TV pilot spec right now and I've done some dream casting, lol
• A short list of some of my faves: Die Hard. Pulp Fiction. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The Breakfast Club. The Lion King. Side Effects (I forgot to mention Steven Soderbergh earlier). Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. Batman Begins. Empire Strikes Back.

I like movies and TV shows that break new ground and sometimes I get jealous that I didn't get to break that ground first. I had an idea for a zombie TV show that will probably never see the light of day (at least any time soon) because of The Walking Dead. I wish I had gotten there first!

Becoming a screenwriter in Hollywood is about two things: making connections in the biz, and having talent. I'm working on both! I need to read more scripts, write more scripts, watch more movies and TV. I know a few people in the industry, I need to keep meeting more. Living in Los Angeles has introduced me to a lot of people who are creative and ambitious. I want to find the right group of people to collaborate with. Maybe something special can come out of it.

I like that screenwriting allows for a visual component. Television in particular appeals to me because you get to spend so much time with the same characters, you can really develop them and flesh them out. I also like how focused the stories are in film and TV. There's always a clear story being told. Novels allow for the author to meander through meaningless subplots and pointless description, it's easy to lose sight of the true story.

I wish I could convince humanity of the pointlessness of war.

A meaningful life for me means that someone will remember me for the life I've lived. Hopefully I can make an impact on the people in my life and influence them to become better versions of themselves.

Please keep asking me things! lol.

I think mafia has gotten a bit lazier recently; I don't mean that in a mean way. It seems nowadays that most players wait for one or two players to voice their suspicions, or have a back-and-forth argument, and then the rest of those players react to that discussion. Vote, lynch, repeat. Backintheday, players did not limit their discussion to only a few people at a time. Players felt free to discuss any and all goings-on simultaneously. It widened the scope of conversation, it forced more people to join the discussion, and I think it led to a more successful win ratio for the civilians. I think there is a fear that discussing more players at once opens the door for baddie manipulation, but I think it actually makes it easier to SPOT that manipulation, if that makes any sense.

Yes, aapje is my buddy, though I don't see him around anymore. I was bad with him in one game on The Piano, along with Sparrow and sanderling, and we ended up keeping our chatroom open for many months after that, like our own private hangout club I miss those days!

Hi bea!!!!

1) CHEESE FRIES.
2) Yes! And most of my extended family lives there. It's true that Ohioans seems to have a sixth sense about one another. Very spooky.
3) Summer days, having adventures with my brother. We'd ride our bikes to the library and read, or wander around the mall, or play around at Sugar Sand Park.
4) How afraid I am of life being meaningless, and how afraid I am of my own mortality. Sorry for the bummer answer
5) I haven't traveled much but I always have a great time when in the Florida Keys, camping and fishing and drinking with good friends.
6) I have always wanted to travel to Australia and New Zealand.
7) Smoking a bowl and listening to music or watching TV, hehehe.
8) The most challenging thing about a career in screenwriting is breaking into the business. Well I'm sure there's more challenges after that, but I'm still firmly in the "aspiring screenwriter" category. The most challenging aspect of the actual writing, for me, is getting dialogue to flow the way I want it to while still having enough punch to it. The most rewarding aspect of storytelling is connecting with people and revealing some aspects of the human condition.
9) You forgot #9 :o
10) Charlie Kaufman. Chuck Palahniuk. Darren Aronofsky. Dan Harmon. Many others, those are just off the top of my head. I think they all show up in different aspects of my work.
11) I'd love to be a travel journalist. Talk about best job ever.
12) I hosted a mafia game a few years ago on The Piano with my buddies aapje, sanderling and Sparrow. I would love to host again. I have lots of ideas.

Nope, it's a LOST reference. In LOST, Charlie calls baby Aaron "turnip head", because, well his head looks like a turnip.

juliets wrote:Turnip Head, I love your mafia playing but i realize i know nothing about you. So I'm going to start with the basics:

Where are you from?
What do you do? (school, work, etc)
Whats unique about you?
What should we know about you?
How did you come to play mafia? Seems like your name is familiar from a long time ago.
What have been your favorite games?
What win are you most proud of and why?

Thats enough to get your feet wet. All those hard questions will come from others!

Hi juliets! Yes, I tend to be a pretty private person. I don't really enjoy talking about myself, so this is probably a good exercise for me hehe.

I was born in Colombus, Ohio, but I spent most of my childhood and young adult years growing up in south Florida.

I currently work at a movie theater in downtown Los Angeles, California, but I'm attempting to pursue a career as a screenwriter.

I don't know what's unique about me, because I don't know enough about everyone else in the world. I am constantly learning new things about other people.

When I was younger and attending a summer camp, a group of us played mafia around a campfire. Roles were distributed by dealing out playing cards. At "night", the civilians closed their eyes and the mafia pointed to who they wanted to kill. It was a ton of fun. I later turned it into a game for me and my friends at college to play together... we turned it into a drinking game I didn't stumble upon online mafia until I visited Lostpedia, a fansite for the show LOST, and saw it in the Games forum. I joined that website specifically to play mafia there because it seemed like fun. That's where my username comes from.

I have had many favorite games, one of them was LOST Mafia, hosted by seals and bigs. It was a game with 40 players. I was recruited to a team that had NO night kill and NO night powers (other than a chance at recruitment). At the time that I joined the team, it was only me and Diamond Dog. We eventually recruited one more player, and the last lynch came down to a game of rock, paper, scissors.

I'm most proud of winning The 4400 Mafia on The Piano. I outted myself as a baddie (while imprisoned, no less!) because I had intel the civvies needed, but I lied about everything, forced them to release me from prison, and then I killed them all.

What do you think of the band Sigur Ros? That's the only Finland pop culture I know of. Any good Finnish musicians, films etc that you'd recommend?

Tell me more about this lit journal? What do you like to write?