Wherein I Ramble On For a Country Mile

Ech. Politics.

I watched a few hours of the DNC on Monday. Then I watched it yesterday, and also much of today. As it happens, I'm a bit of a masochist.

I'm guessing that it was once a quaint pep rally sort of affair, but now it's morphed into something decidedly more creepy. Granted, I initially caught it early in the day, so the convention hall was half-empty. The house band played tired hits from the 70's, as aging yuppies pretended to have fun. Speaker after speaker intoned the magic words, "...our next president of the United States of America, Barack...OBAMA!!!!", and the crowd went wild. Over and over again. It got better as the crowd got bigger, and the two Clintons gave great speeches. Even John Kerry came ready with a decent speech. It was all very exciting.

I took a quiz on some website that claimed to be able to match you up with the ideal candidate, based on your response to "policy" questions. Those who know me probably know that I am: 1)anti-stupid-warmongering, but not anti-military--we need to have some teeth and claws, 2)pro-choice, especially for cases that involve a medical necessity, 3)supportive of minority rights, but somewhat conflicted on affirmative action as it stands today, 4)supportive of teachers' unions and higher pay for police and firefighters, 5)generally OK with gun ownership with some sensible restrictions, 6)disgusted with the "war on drugs" as a huge waste of resources, 7)someone who sees no reason to restrict gay marriage or adoption, and 8)very interested in subsidizing research into alternative energies to break the addiction to fossil fuels. All of these issues are addressed by most candidates. As it turns out, my strongest matches are the Green Party's Cynthia Mckinney, and the Socialist Party's Brian Moore! (followed by Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and Ralph Nader. McCain was at the bottom of my list).

I researched a bit of the top two candidates, and realized that I couldn't cast my vote their way. Mckinney just lacks the necessary experience, and appears to be too closely tied to her personal fight for African American equality. I'm just not sure how much more can be legislated in this area--the main problem is in the hearts of people, and the only cure is time. In her time in congress, she introduced 5 pieces of legislation, one of which was a call for the expeditious release of documents pertaining to the death of Tupac Shakur. Seriously? On the socialist front, Moore calls for the closure of all overseas military bases. This strikes me as such a singularly bad idea as to make me question his overall judgement.

This leaves Obama and Nader. Obama seems nice, and he appears to be doing all the right things to get elected. However, he's still just a Democrat, and the Dems haven't really done anything to make me swoon in awhile. Over the last eight years, the adjective that keeps springing to mind is 'inept'. They rolled over more times than I can count, so there's no guarantee that they won't do it again in the future. They couldn't even defeat GW Bush in 2004.

Nader is often touted as a 'waste of your vote'. He's quite intelligent, but not very charismatic--I'm actually more impressed with his running mate, Matt Gonzalez. I don't think that a vote for Nader is a wasted vote, nor do I think that it necessarily hands the election to McCain. I live in a deep blue district, so my vote for Nader would register as "disaffected", or "none of the above", and wouldn't touch Obama's ready victory here. However, even if Nader was elected, he wouldn't survive to his inauguration; he has some proposals about reducing or discontinuing specific military hardware (mostly airplanes) that would affect the livelihood of some large and powerful military suppliers. These types of proposals are more dangerous than having the wrong color skin in this country, as foretold by D.W. Eisenhower.

I am disaffected. I despise the way politics works in this country, in that both sides want to control the ball, but neither side wants to move it. There is no honor at all, only lies and half-truths. One possible answer is a strong third party, but it would take such extraordinary effort to make that a reality, and even then, after all that hard work, it could end up being subsumed by one of the old parties. I can't see any way for a third party to worm its way in to access the pressure points of Washington power, most of which are simply very influential people who are beholden to the current system. So we're stuck with the two-party system.

The one issue that is really important to me as I watch my daughter grow older--an issue that has not come up once in 365+ days of campaigning, and probably won't come up in any of the pretty speeches in Denver over the next two days--is the increasing strength of the executive branch. Clinton got the line-item veto. Bush, Jr. has been using signing statements whenever Congress goes against his will. For those who are unfamiliar, a signing statement is when the president grudgingly signs a bill that was passed by congress, but includes some text that indicates that he will reserve the right to ignore the legislation if he feels like it. This is legal, but Bush has used this perquisite more often than all other presidents combined. Additionally, he's used the office of the Attorney General to shore up even more power for the executive branch by using the twin strategies of executive privilege and national security. It's completely disgusting, and it undermines our basic checks and balances. No one is talking about this. Why should they, when all they have to do is talk about "the American dream" and gas prices to get the populace riled up. We're getting farther away from a representative government with every election.

Rant OFF.

Oops!

I just noticed this in the ol' Quote Generator...

Of course the people don't want war...that is understood. But voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.

-Hermann Goering

I guess you can substitute "inept leadership" for "war", in our current case.

WOW!!!

I haven't bought a new game in basically forever, so I was quite surprised to find a rather heavy box from Funagain Games on the front porch this morning. Thanks to Jon, Emilie, Mustafa, and Kathy! This *sniff* makes me very happy.

In case you haven't noticed...

...the Favorite Flashes sidebar has been updated. Go play!

Grousing about grousing

I read this really disturbing article last week, and it's kind of been on my mind for awhile. It concerns internet trolling, which means intentionally pushing peoples' buttons to get them riled up, just for fun. We've all seen this behavior. It's the sort of thing that would get you punched in the face in a real-world setting, but it has been accepted as inevitable in the setting of the world wild web. The article discusses some of the more extreme incidences of trolling, where people's lives are affected by the meanness of anonymous strangers.

Denizens of my favorite online forum, the Chit Chatters on Boardgamegeek, often proclaim "Sheesh. It's the internet. Don't take things so seriously!", implying that it's the fault of the offended party for being so uncool as to be offended. Apparently, the biggest social faux pas in the virtual world is to bear the belief that the person you're interacting with, somewhere out there, actually represents an entity with convictions.

In the same vein, one of the trolls in the article tells the interviewer, "You have green hair.". The interviewer is puzzled, but amused, and denies this. The troll says, "That must be why you're a terrible reporter". The reporter responds, "Why do you think that?". The troll then triumphantly points out that if the reporter was truly confident in his skills, he would have laughed off the second comment as quickly as the first. He says that he uses this concept to "educate" people on how to properly respond to things that they read on the internet. On his internet.

When I first read that, I thought that I got what he was saying, but on reflection I realize that I really don't. If I tell you something that is a concrete fact that you know to be untrue, and that you know that I know to be untrue, and vice versa ad infinitum (just to be safe), then of course you'd laugh it off. If I followed that with a critical assessment of your worth as a parent (assuming you have kids), you may want to know why I came to that conclusion. Presumably, I've met your kid and seen you interacting with him or her, so I have reason to have an independent opinion. These are normal reactions to these types of statements. Normal reactions shouldn't have to change because of the medium.

It's really too bad. We have this great medium for getting together publicly and anonymously, and an handful of pricks decide that it must serve their vulgarity first. Like sheep, we comply.

Congratulations to the German Equestrian Team

Mmmm. I'm enjoying a tasty beer right about now. This here beer has a few things going for it. First, it's a nice, sweet Belgian ale. Also, it comes in six-packs, instead of a 750 ml bottle with a cork. Penultimately, it is spicy, with creamy bubbles, and has a sane alcohol content of 6.6%. And finally, it wasn't insanely expensive. It's called Leffe, and it's a Genuine Abbey Ale. Here's the flavor text:

Savor the Mystery of the Ages--Award-winning Leffe Blonde is a full-bodied deep golden ale that is surprisingly subtle and delicate. Belgium's classic abbey ale is best served in its own chalice-shaped glass, accentuating the ale's aroma and creating the perfect head.

Chalices and perfect head aside, I would agree with most of the rest. I didn't find it particularly subtle or delicate. It's what I would classify as a great gateway to the Belgian beer style, much like Duvel or Chimay Red, only slightly more watered down (Ohhh!! That must be the subtle and/or delicate part).

How 'bout that Russia - Georgia conflict? First, Eighties music comes back. Next, we (ok, they)restart the Cold War. What's next, breakdancing on cardboard? Parachute pants? Polo by Ralph Lauren seeping out from the heavy threads of an Izod that is tucked into Dockers shorts and secured by a leather weave belt, accessorized with jet black wayfarers and boat shoes at a dance club???

I was watching the Olympics yesterday. My whole life, I've found myself too busy or too disinterested to watch much Olympics, but now I find the competition to be entertaining. Even more interesting, I find that my attitudes toward other countries has changed. I used to only pull for the English-speaking countries -- USA, Great Britain, Australia, Canada -- but yesterday I was watching the Aussies go for their 3rd or 4th straight team equestrian Gold, and I said to myself, "You know what? Screw Australia. I HOPE the Germans win." Maybe it's because I became friends with a few Germans while living in Ann Arbor, or maybe I crossed a point where I can admire superior preparation and execution, no matter where it originated, but it felt good. Today, I watched the Chinese just destroy the USA in synchronized diving (wtf?), and I honestly enjoyed the beauty of the much, much better Chinese divers. Don't get me wrong, I am clinging to the joy and heartache offered, respectively, by the US men's swimming and women's gymnastics squads, but I also appreciate the achievements and disappointments of the other nations involved.

I'm going to update my sidebars soon, so keep a lookout for new stuff (finally) there. Talk soon, 'kay?

I know, I know

Three posts in less than 24 hours is a bit presumptuous of your level of interest. But some jokester on Achewood's comment thread posted this bit of amusing Photocroppery, and I thought I'd share. This links to the relevant reference from last year...

Oh, yes I did!

I've just discovered Blogger's mobile capabilities. Now I can annoy you from ANYWHERE. With pictures. See?

Please Don't Steal My Idea, M'kay???

I spend a lot of time in the living room. Let's just get that out of the way to start. My lovely girl tends to bellow and weep when she is left alone amongst her toys, so we try to keep someone nearby to keep her amused. Usually, that's me. When I'm "parenting" thusly, my options for personal entertainment are as follows: 1)Actively play with/chase/be chased by/read to Elaine; 2)Check email on my phone; 3)Attempt to read a book; 4)Attempt to sleep; or 5)kick a green bouncy ball around the room. If I happen to be on the phone, I will almost always be kicking the green ball around, as well. Over time, I developed a personal challenge, which has refined itself into a formal game, of sorts. I call this game...well, I don't have a name for it.

Behold! A spider's eye view of the living room!



The game is played with a standard-issue bouncy ball, as one might find in a K-mart in a large wire bin. The goal is to kick the ball around the perimeter of the baby jail in as few strokes as possible. A game consists of nine rounds divided into three sets (right foot, left foot, player's choice). A round is either a completed circuit of the course or an out (disqualification). The player takes the best two scores from each set and adds them to give a final score. Lowest score wins.

The Launch
1. The ball is launched only from the launch area.
2. The ball must be tapped or bounced off of the side of the couch or nearby wall to get it in motion, but may not be "self-fed", or set up motionless to kick.
3. The ball must travel beyond the nearest side of the couch. A ball that breaks the facing plane of the couch without touching the couch is said to be launched.
4. If the ball, once launched, returns to the launch area, it is considered to have Never Happened, and a re-launch is allowed.

Gameplay
1. The ball may be struck in motion, but if the active player obstructs the motion of the ball for any reason, that is considered a stroke. The ball may be struck to ricochet off of the couch, baby jail, baby gates, or walls of the living room.
2. If the ball comes to rest on the couch, it is a one-stroke penalty. A player may kick the ball while it is still moving on the couch to avoid this penalty.
3. If the ball violates the airspace over the baby jail (flies over a corner), that is a one-stroke penalty.
3a. If such a launch ends up in Zone C, it is a two-stroke penalty.
3b. If a ball crosses two parallel walls of the baby jail in flight (Zone A directly to Zone C) it is a three-stroke penalty.
4. If the ball lands in the baby jail, or goes out of bounds (OB), the player's round is over and the player scores 7 for the round. (Exception: see tournament play)
5. If the ball strikes the ceiling, it is a two-stroke penalty. There is no need to ever hit the ceiling, so the penalty reflects this.
6. If the ball comes to rest trapped between the top of the couch and the wall, the player records five points (See Tiebreaker) and begins his turn over.

The Baby
1. If the baby is struck with the ball while it is in the air, the player incurs a one-stroke penalty. If the baby cries as a result of the contact, the round ends in disqualification, and the player scores 7 for the round.
2. At the beginning of the match, the start player may put toys away and arrange the red chair and the rocker as he sees fit. Any further adjustments made by the baby may not be subsequently changed by the players EXCEPT:
2a. If the red chair is agreed by all players to be too obstructive.
2b. If there is a dangerous or limiting obstacle, such as the rocker, in the launch area.
3. If the baby is too close to the ball to safely or cleanly kick it around or over her, play is suspended until this situation resolves. Any changes to the position of the ball by the baby are considered to be Part of the Game.

Special
1. If the ball comes to rest on the red chair, it may result in a free stroke. The player may nudge the ball off of the chair with his foot and strike it on the first bounce. This strike is recorded as if it was the previous stroke. Failure to strike off of the first bounce negates this bonus, and both the previous stroke and the stroke from the chair are counted.
2. If the ball comes to rest in the rocker seat, the ball may be placed on either side of the rocker for the next stroke. The stroke that put the ball into the rocker is not recorded.
3. If the ball comes to rest under the rocker seat, the rocker may be moved up to an arm's length from its location.
4. TIEBREAKER If two or more players end with the same number of strokes, the winner is the player who has the least number of points. If the game is still tied, the winner is determined by a Contest of Wits.
5. TOURNAMENT PLAY If there are prizes offered to the champion, then the game is said to be in Tournament Mode. A large ziggurat of no less than 18 blocks is constructed inside the far wall of the Baby Jail (adjacent to Zone C). If a player successfully launches the ball into the structure, he may re-launch with a beginning round score of -3 strokes. Failure to knock off even a single block will subject the attemptee to a disqualification and the smirking of his opponents.

Look! The Green Ball!


Two views of the Area of Play

The Turk

Permit me to shill for some family:

I just found out that Jill's cousin, Jane Irwin, has a webcomic! I knew that she had been publishing a series called Vogelein, about a clockwork faerie, in book form, but I didn't know about her most recent foray. Vogelein was actually a painted comic, which is cool enough in its own right. Here's the official story synopsis of Vogelein:

When Jakob, Vögelein's Guardian of fifty years, dies quietly in his sleep one night, her life is thrown into utter turmoil. Left without someone to wind her, the tiny clockwork faerie has less than five hours to live - unless she can find someone to trust. Unable to reach the keyhole in her back, she continues to wind down until she stops - and then her memories of the past three hundred years will quickly slip away, leaving her a simple automaton unable to speak or move on her own. In her search for a new Guardian, Vogelein must grapple with her own past, her current daily survival and a true Faerie who has taken an instant disliking to her, all so that she will not lose her memories - and her self.

The new, online graphic novel, oddly enough, has a thematic tie-in. It's called Clockwork Game: The Illustrious Career of a Chess-playing Automaton. It's a true story of a colossal hoax perpetrated upon the aristocracy of 18th century Europe. Jane actually switched from painting her panels to employing a dense, cross-hatched pencil and graphite presentation. She makes painstaking efforts to get the history right, and most pages come with some sort of commentary on the scenes as they pertain to the record of events.

Jane's husband, Paul, is also a comic artist, and he's started a web project called BPM (beats per minute). It's about a young DJ named Roxy who's trying to raise her craft to the breakthrough level. Paul does some interesting stuff with merging his amazing drawings with elements from photographs to set scenes. The story follows a familiar arc, so far, but neither Jane's nor Paul's webcomics have gotten very far, yet.