Talking Picture Box

[Exeres]

Spoilers for latest episode:
Wilson has cancer.

[[Insert Fail]]

Has anyone here been watching/keeping up with the second season of Game of Thrones? It's been quite fantastic so far, but I have not read the books so I don't have a guide to compare. (I've heard the changes so far haven't been too awful.)

[[Citation Needed]]

House is almost over.

You know that feeling when you've watched every episode there is to watch of something and your life loses all meaning for a bit?

daisies this is going to hit hard.

[FatOldRobot]

Has anyone here been watching/keeping up with the second season of Game of Thrones? It's been quite fantastic so far, but I have not read the books so I don't have a guide to compare. (I've heard the changes so far haven't been too awful.)

The books aren't for sale in my country yet, so I have not been able to read them either.
But yeah, this season is really cool so far and everything seems to be as it's supposed to be. Joffrey's still a twat, Tyrion is still awesome and everyone keeps dying.

[[Citation Needed]]

Goddammit this latest episode of House was so depressing.

I've never cried at any game, movie, show, or anything before.

But the finale next week might just make me.

[Sol Reaper]

Have I mentioned that Grimm is cool?

Grimm is cool.

OOOH, YEAH!

[[Citation Needed]]

I keep seeing ads for WHALE WARS whenever I try to watch videos on Youtube. Apparently it's this show on Animal Planet about these massive assfaces who harass, attack, and vandalize Japanese whaling ships.

So these people are being gigantic assholes and getting the spotlight on a major television channel. This just pisses me right the fuck off.

[[Insert Fail]]

I keep seeing ads for WHALE WARS whenever I try to watch videos on Youtube. Apparently it's this show on Animal Planet about these massive assfaces who harass, attack, and vandalize Japanese whaling ships.

So these people are being gigantic assholes and getting the spotlight on a major television channel. This just pisses me right the fuck off.

My mom loves watching Whale Wars. It's annoying, the guy leading the entire crew is incredibly egotistical and self-righteous - if Green Peace kicks you out of their organization, when you helped co-found it, then you've obviously got some problems.

There was one episode, I think it was the season finale of the first season, where they were throwing homemade tear gas bottles (I forget the exact name, but they were basically high-end stink bombs) at a whaling ship WHEN SUDDENLY, LEADER DUDE STAGGERS BACK AND LO, THERE IS A BULLET IN HIS SHIRT THAT JUST SO HAPPENED TO HAVE BEEN BLOCKED BY HIS BADGE. It was the most retarded thing ever, especially when he showed the "bullet shell" - it was clearly shrapnel from the non-lethal gas canisters the Japanese were retaliating with. Pretty sure it didn't even hit his badge - his clothing was probably enough to stop serious harm.

Basically it's a case of "good intentions, horrible execution." They're just sea pirates harassing people that are trying to earn a living. Legislative efforts would be more effective.

[Doormaster]

Has anyone here been watching/keeping up with the second season of Game of Thrones? It's been quite fantastic so far, but I have not read the books so I don't have a guide to compare. (I've heard the changes so far haven't been too awful.)

Haven't gotten around to the second season yet. The first season was pretty much spot-on with the books other than a few changes (one of which was pretty major although, since I haven't seen the second season yet, I don't really know what it's going to affect)

Honestly I kind of prefer it when the screen adaptation makes changes. If it were exactly the same, I'd just read the book again.

[[Insert Fail]]

George R. R. Martin allegedly said in an interview that the books are his babies while HBO has his blessing to do their own thing. He's really interested in seeing where HBO goes with their changes.

I have yet to read the books but I've heard there have been a lot more changes in season two - some make sense because it fits better in television format, while others appear unnecessary to book-readers. Hearing this makes me slightly glad I didn't read the books first, my perspective on things isn't weighed down by, "Oh they changed this, huh, wonder what that means for such-and-such." So far I've really enjoyed season two, you've gotta catch up!

[[Citation Needed]]

SHUT UP YOU IDIOT


So the House finale was very good.

[[Citation Needed]]

More House spoilers:
Wilson had started to ask him something. "When the cancer gets really bad-" but House cut him off. I bet it would have been something like "kill me so I can die in peace" or something. Then I guess House would have killed himself? I dunno. SPECULATION.

[DoNotDelete]

I keep seeing ads for WHALE WARS whenever I try to watch videos on Youtube. Apparently it's this show on Animal Planet about these massive assfaces who harass, attack, and vandalize Japanese whaling ships.

So these people are being gigantic assholes and getting the spotlight on a major television channel. This just pisses me right the fuck off.

I don't like any of the shows like 'Deadliest Catch' that glorify the lives and 'hardships' of fishermen.

All fishermen do is pillage the sea - they don't put anything back to help it recover from the huge losses they impose upon it - and Japanese whalers are guilty of the same crime - and, this guy's ego aside, I don't know why you're (apparently) defending them.

Fishermen and whalers are not farmers - all they do is take huge chunks out of all of the oceanic ecosystems with no regard for the present or future recovery of those ecosystems.

To give you an idea of how much damage fishing does to the oceans: after the gulf of mexico was closed to fishermen because of the BP oil spill, fish stocks actually tripled - regardless of the pollution in the area.

"Scientists said the forced closure illustrates the profound influence fishing pressure has on the marine world, though a federal fisheries regulator said many other factors might be at play."

Note that the federal fisheries regulator undoubtedly have their own agendas in trying to diffuse the scientists' comments like that.

[Avengifier]

I keep seeing ads for WHALE WARS whenever I try to watch videos on Youtube. Apparently it's this show on Animal Planet about these massive assfaces who harass, attack, and vandalize Japanese whaling ships.

So these people are being gigantic assholes and getting the spotlight on a major television channel. This just pisses me right the fuck off.

My mom loves watching Whale Wars. It's annoying, the guy leading the entire crew is incredibly egotistical and self-righteous - if Green Peace kicks you out of their organization, when you helped co-found it, then you've obviously got some problems.

There was one episode, I think it was the season finale of the first season, where they were throwing homemade tear gas bottles (I forget the exact name, but they were basically high-end stink bombs) at a whaling ship WHEN SUDDENLY, LEADER DUDE STAGGERS BACK AND LO, THERE IS A BULLET IN HIS SHIRT THAT JUST SO HAPPENED TO HAVE BEEN BLOCKED BY HIS BADGE. It was the most retarded thing ever, especially when he showed the "bullet shell" - it was clearly shrapnel from the non-lethal gas canisters the Japanese were retaliating with. Pretty sure it didn't even hit his badge - his clothing was probably enough to stop serious harm.

Basically it's a case of "good intentions, horrible execution." They're just sea pirates harassing people that are trying to earn a living. Legislative efforts would be more effective.

WELL YOU SEE
Japan isn't technically allowed to whale. They entered an international treaty that states that any nation that signed on is not allowed to whale outside of scientific purposes. Japan claims that all of the whales they kill are for "research," but it's obvious to everyone that the nation is simply carrying on the sport of whale fishing that has been a part of Japanese culture. If I recall correctly, the rate of whaling for "research" in Japan is like, several times higher than in all other nations. The treaty that they entered is not very strict because obviously it would lead to a lot of tension between nations if there was some higher power union of nations enforcing the rules of the treaty. It's a hard issue to solve because no one wants to enter a conflict with Japan over enforcing any such international laws, but at the same time the country is having a really selfish impact on global fishing populations. One of the few solutions is to have watch boats like the vigilante group you guys are talking about. They can follow suspected whaling ships to report any instances of illegal activity. Obviously it sounds like the group is going about it the wrong way by getting directly involved, but there's really no other solution outside of these kinds of watch groups. Beggers can't be choosers, I guess. Japan is a really terrible nation for the ocean in general. Tuna, sharks, and whales are all continuing to move toward extinction mostly because Japan just refuses to follow endangered species treaties or regulate its fishing practices.

[DoNotDelete]

I also wanted to say something along the lines of what Avengifier just disclosed, so I second his comment.

I initially didn't say it because I feel like I come off as an over-enthusiastic animal rights supporter sometimes.