The Syndicate

Welcome, good Sir!

Do you have strong objections to being addressed affectionately as 'Speedy' or 'Chucky'?

From where do you hail?

What is your opinion of all things Star Trek?

Are there any significant rivalries between Australia and New Zealand? As a Westerner, I tend to think of the two nations as largely independent of each other and coexisting like any other two nations. Being island neighbors, are there sports rivalries or cultural rivalries or even food rivalries between the nations?
From my perspective, I would say definitely, yes. The sporting rivalries between Australia and New Zealand are legend. Cricket, Rugby, you name it. I think there is generally an attitude of 'benevolent animosity between our two peoples. Having said that, historically we have a proud record of standing with each other in time of war and conflict. I have to say however that I have NEVER met a Kiwi online that I didn't admire and respect enormously.

Do Australians still technically remain allegiant to the Queen of England or are they 100% sovereign?
Technically, the Queen of England is the sovereign of Australia. She is physically represented in Australia by a Governor General who is selected by the Australian Parliament.

What's your opinion- did the dingoes really eat Lindy Chamberlain's baby or is she full of it?
More learned people than I (with access to all the relevant information at hand) have already ruled on this matter - who am I to dispute their finding?

What part of Australia are you from?
Brisbane, Queensland

Have you ever seen the Aurora Australis?
Not that I recall.

What constellations do people in the Southern Hemisphere have in the sky?
The Southern Cross - it's represented on our flag.

Is there a South Star or any other equivalent marker in the skies pointing travelers due south?[/quote]
Please refer above.

Well, looks like my time here is nearly up I must say I have enjoyed this immensely and if anyone has anymore questions for me, I'd still love to answer them for you Thank you once again G-Man for the opportunity to participate in this site. How successful it was, I'm not sure but I enjoyed the experience and that's the main thing

OK, time for me to get controversial

The Mad Max series of films is a product of Australia. What is your opinion on the films?
Unadulterated rubbish. Sorry if there's any fans of them out there...

I love films, so I'd like your input- what are five must-see Australian films?
Can you please provide me with your definition of 'Australian films'? I love anything by Baz Luhrmann so if that satisfies your definition, just go with some of them.

Is Foster's really Australian for beer or are there better options out there?
I wouldn't know, I don't drink beer. We DO have some of the best wines around though so if a Yarra Valley Sauvignon Blanc takes your fancy...

Any great Australian bands that I should be listening to?
He's not 'a band' as such (at least not anymore) but I'd highly recommend Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu. He's an Aboriginal artist who was born blind (can you even begin to imagine how hard that would make it for an aspiring musician?). He sings largely in Aboriginal language but listen to a song of his like 'Bapa' and tell me you don't understand what he's singing about. I'd highly recommend it!

Thanks Epi & DF - I shall add those to mr reading list. Much appreciated

Epignosis wrote:

Glorfindel wrote:I just want to thank G-Man again for inviting me to do this, I'm enjoying this far more than I thought I would

Is it strange watching movies where Christmas is portrayed as snowy, given that Christmas happens during Australian summer?
Not remotely. Even though I've lived here all my life, I still associate Christmas with snow and the cold and all those northern hemisphere stereotypes. Besides, Christmas in Australia is sheer hell, climate-wise. I love the cold and long to one day, experience a Christmas in a place like London

You're a big Tolkien fan; what do you think of C.S. Lewis' work?
This is a tricky question. I struggle to compare the two. If you look at Lewis' work (e.g. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) you get a bunch of talking animals and Santa Claus. I appreciate the religious undertones and themes in his works and that's all good. Comparing that to Lord of the Rings however is an entirely different thing. It seems to me that there is such eloquence and wisdom in LOTR - particularly as it pertains to the nature of good and evil - it's extraordinary. The breadth of imagination Tolkein used, the fact that he ignored accepted wisdom in how he structured the story - I think these are all factors that contribute to it being one of those rare books that when you pick it up, you get swept up in it. I hope that answers your question...

C.S. Lewis was a far better nonfiction author, in my opinion. The Screwtape Letters can be fun though.

I can't say that I've ever heard that opinion expressed before Epi (but that may simply have to do with the circles in which I move). I appreciate your response though. I'm happy to consider any recommendations from you or anyone else for further reading

I just want to thank G-Man again for inviting me to do this, I'm enjoying this far more than I thought I would

Is it strange watching movies where Christmas is portrayed as snowy, given that Christmas happens during Australian summer?
Not remotely. Even though I've lived here all my life, I still associate Christmas with snow and the cold and all those northern hemisphere stereotypes. Besides, Christmas in Australia is sheer hell, climate-wise. I love the cold and long to one day, experience a Christmas in a place like London

You're a big Tolkien fan; what do you think of C.S. Lewis' work?
This is a tricky question. I struggle to compare the two. If you look at Lewis' work (e.g. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) you get a bunch of talking animals and Santa Claus. I appreciate the religious undertones and themes in his works and that's all good. Comparing that to Lord of the Rings however is an entirely different thing. It seems to me that there is such eloquence and wisdom in LOTR - particularly as it pertains to the nature of good and evil - it's extraordinary. The breadth of imagination Tolkein used, the fact that he ignored accepted wisdom in how he structured the story - I think these are all factors that contribute to it being one of those rare books that when you pick it up, you get swept up in it. I hope that answers your question...

G-Man wrote:I agree with DFaraday's line of questioning- why is Australia such a tease? I mean, it looks gorgeous and inviting with its kangaroos, koalas, and the people, yet when you get there you are confronted by some of the world's most lethal creatures that want to kill you (spiders, scorpions, a tiny friggin' octopus, snakes, sharks, crocodiles, etc.). I want to visit but I don't want to die. What's the secret to surviving in Australia?

That would be simple commonsense, G. Australia IS beautiful and the people are (largely) warm and accepting and very welcoming. I'm fairly certain you'd love Australia and I for one would be happy to lay down my life to protect you from any nasties you may encounter

What is your opinion of the Peter Jackson Middle-Earth films?
I think for what they were, they were very good. Excellent as a matter of fact (despite the fact I still believe Sean Astin was poorly cast as Samwise Gamgee). At the end of the day though, I don't think ANY movie is EVER going adequately represent one of the most amazing stories ever written.

Are you sad Glorfindel was cut from said films?
Glorfindel was not central to the storyline of the film so no, not remotely.

Is it true that there are deadly creatures lurking around every corner in Australia?
I was actually eating breakfast when I read your questions and was sadly drinking coffee at the time I read this question. It was all I could do to stop myself from spurting it out all over the place when I read this, I was laughing so hard... I don't know who it is that perpetrates this rubbish but no, I don't believe it's true at all. I can't say I've ever seen a snake outside of a zoo and I rather like spiders so I know the dangerous ones and it's probably been ten years since I've seen one of them. SERIOUSLY, don't believe this nonsense - Australia is no more dangerous than anywhere else (we don't have dirty great Grizzly Bears...)

MovingPictures07 wrote:Obligatory music questions:

Do you like listening to music?
Yes, I do. Very much so.

If so, what are your favorite genres/bands or artists/albums/songs?
It might be easier to answer the question, "What music do I not like?" I like everything from country to classical. The only stuff I really don't like is Hip Hop, heavy metal and stuff like that. I LOVE songs from musicals (more recently Wicked and Evita) and looking at the artists I've been listening predominantly over the past couple of weeks it's been mostly Madonna, Oleta Adams and Whitney Houston.

Have you ever / do you play a musical instrument?
I own an expensive acoustic guitar but have little to no idea how to play it. I will get around to it one day. I've taken lessons but I fear I get frustrated far too easily but I WILL get there in the end...

You mention the Australia New Zealand Banking Group. Are you from Australia or New Zealand?
I am an Aussie and a very proud one at that

Have you been watching any of the Summer Olympics?
Only the highlights on the 6:00 pm news and Kyle Chalmers gold medal swim.

Tell me more about instructional design. What do you like and dislike about it?
I like most everything about instructional design and dislike very little about it. In my work, it is exceptionally challenging as I am required to cater for an audience with high levels of diversity in terms of their age, experience and cultural background. I look upon the opportunity to support people in their professional lives through quality training programs and resource material as a huge privilege. Probably the thing I dislike most about it is having to deal with peers that can't grasp the level of complexity that this work often involves.

What's your favorite book of all time?
I'm not as prolific a reader as I'd like to be but this is a bit of a no brainer - Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien. I could go on about it here for a couple of months but I'll spare you that...

What's your favorite movie of all time?
I must've seen like a million movies and I think my favourite comes down to a choice of two. Titanic because (I think I can safely admit this here...) I remember when I saw it for the first time with a mate of mine. I was a complete mess by the end of the movie and when it was all over, I put in an Academy Award winning performance myself of trying to convince him that I was actually suffering from hay fever The other movie was Dead Poet's Society with Robin Williams. It spoke to me on a deep level in so many ways but mostly about the potential difference (to which we are nearly all always oblivious) every one of us can make in other's lives. Yes, even in our interactions in Mafia games...

JaggedJimmyJay wrote:Glorfindel, do you believe in moral absolutes or is it all relative?

Hi, 3J If I understand your question correctly, I do believe that 'right' and 'wrong' are absolute and not relative. I think that a truly civilised society works to certain moral principles for its own welfare and advancement. Looking at that journey of advancement, I think we (the human race) have made good progress along that continuum over the last 100 years or so but we clearly have a very long way to go...

Epignosis wrote:

Glorfindel wrote:

Glorfindel wrote:Incidentally, I forgot to mention, I have started writing my first novel. It's a work in progress but I'll get there one day

Congratulations on that journey. I've written a couple of novels- nothing I've cared to publish. The very first novel I ever started (22 years ago) is finally coming to a close this week. It's a bittersweet moment, but it feels good to see this thing "grow up." I was 11 years old when I started writing it by hand (I still have the spiral bound notebooks). I rewrote it when I was in high school. Then I revisited it and started rewriting it again six years ago. Now it's pages away from being done. It is also fantasy.

Are you making a map for yours too?

Well, I think that's AWESOME Epi! I can identify with how you feel about 'raising' the little tyke. The thing is, like children, there comes a time for them to go out into the world where they can influence others and make the world a better place. I have a feeling it would be a fantastically written story anyway As for a 'map' I think to some extent that is necessary in order that the reader can find their bearings so yes, I will include a map but I think the geography of my story will be taking a back seat to the characters and their relationships. Congratulations again on such an awesome achievement

What's your novel about?
It's a kinda fantasy but not too far fetched. Basically the plot revolves around two teenage princes of an ancient kingdom that has long lived in peace and prosperity. In recent times however, it has come under increasing threat from its warring neighbours. The princes' father has just been assasinated leaving his eldest son to rule in his place but overcome by grief and doubt about his adequacy to fulfill the role of King he finds himself having to complete a quest that is the only way he will be able to save his people. He has grown apart from his younger brother and he doesn't suspect just how close the fiendish arm of his enemies has reached into his kingdom. The plot I think is OK but there's something unusual in the way in which the story is told that I think may make it a really good read.

Ents or hobbits? Who sucks more?
I literally love LOTR! Nothing about it sucks AT ALL!

What is your favorite Honey whiskey?
I don't have a favourite - I've never tried it. The only whiskey I've ever tried that I liked was Glenfiddich

What is your ideal vacation?
I went on a holiday tour once to Europe. My favourite part of that trip was Switzerland. I can't wait to get back there.

How do you approach a Mafia role when you roll it? Vanilla Civ role? Protector civ role? Do you play any differently that you can think of?
I think I'm still learning a lot about these games and I'm not actually even certain by what you mean here so I might ask you to elaborate on that please.

What bank do you use?
Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ). What a truly bizarre question...

You call a lot of us your "friends" which i will happily accept. Which of us would be considered close friends?

My perspective on this is that everyone here is my friend until they give me cause to think otherwise. Obviously given my long association with Sig, I'd consider him a close friend. Golden has always treated me with respect and been supportive of me since I've been here and I'd like to think he's a close friend. Likewise, after the mess that was my Arkham Mafia campaign, Bubbles wrote to me to encourage me and I really appreciated the thought. There were a couple of guys from Battlestar Galactica too (Ricothet and 3J) that stood up for me when no one else would AND they were correct so I have a degree of respect for them.

G-Man wrote:For the next week, we have a new participant. He's been a member of The Syndicate for just over nine months now. Anyone who played in Battlestar Galactica will remember his eloquent and determined posts well (especially me, since I did my baddie darndest to bring him down for a cred grab ).

Just on that note, my friend - I will confess your performance early in that game was one of those rare occurrences where I felt a compulsion to throttle you By the end though, I'd come to the conclusion you were just seriously misguided. I am comforted in the knowledge that you are indeed a very smart cookie - just a bad one on that occasion

Incidentally, I forgot to mention, I have started writing my first novel. It's a work in progress but I'll get there one day

Why, thank you G! The pleasure is all mine

Here are a few starter questions:

1) How did you discover the game of mafia?
For those of you who may know him, Alex (Roman) introduced Mafia games to the site where I used to hang out back in early 2014 (to be honest, it seems a hell of a lot longer ago than that). I joined his second game there since a lot of my friends were playing to try it out. It was Disney Mafia and I was (Dumbo ) which was an ordinary garden variety Town role but I think I learnt more about the game and myself in that game than in almost any game I've played since. I think these games have such diversity and complexity that every one is to some extent a voyage of self-discovery and I think that's important.

2) What led you to The Syndicate?
Sig. I swear, you guys should be paying him a 'spotter's fee!

3) What is the favorite role you ever had (good or bad)?
Hard call. I was Stanis Baratheon in GoT Mafia and as the only surviving member of 'Royalty' at the end of the game it was the only game I ever won on my own so that was special. Strangely though, I played Teen Wolf Mafia and while I was Kate Argent (Vigilante). As vigilante, I've always played as Town (and I mean ALWAYS) and that game, Day One I picked out a player that I was certain was Mafia despite not a single other player suspecting him. I took him out Night One and I was on the money. Whilst it was sadly one of those deals where if you NK them, you get killed in return, I feel I have pretty good instincts for these games generally and given my extreme levels of frustration when people refuse to listen to my opinions, I like the opportunity to be able to act independently and on those occasions when I've had that opportunity, it's generally worked out well.

4) You write well. Do you write in your free time?
As it turns out, I write for a living. I'm employed in a project role with a background in instructional design. In my spare time, I write poetry now. I have a mentor that I met through work and have recently joined the State writer's club. I don't do it for publication or anything yet, I just love writing it and reading other's works. It saddens me a little when people say they don't write poetry and are discouraged by its technical aspects when the whole point of it is self-expression. Everyone has their own story and it's a hero's story and it's all worthwhile.

Welcome, Leetic . I find your avatar mildly disturbing. Is there a story behind why you chose that image?