Election Result, Academia Progress, and Gaming Updates

[tcpip]

As per opinion poll expectations, the Labor Party has been defeated in the Federal election. Slightly annoyed that the leaders of the ALP and the Greens failed to work cooperatively in the campaign, providing numerous examples of resource wasting, not to mention the damaging effects of the factional infighting; as Beattie observed the ALP was far better at governing the country than governing themselves. Abbott will now have to face up to his improbable collection of promises which, as listed, will mean a shift in income and wealth from the poor to the rich and will damage Australia's economic and technological growth. The damaged version of the National Broadband Network being a combination of both negative factors.

Have been working through an free short Agile Project Management course run by Charles Sturt University. It certainly some benefits worth keeping in mind, but doesn't serve as a particularly strong methodology. The greatest weakness, I believe, would be the ease in which it can be misapplied as general sloppiness. In more comprehensive academic progress, took the initiative in starting the online discussion for Participation and Access for Tertiary Education Policy. Next up is an analysis of the 2008 Bradley Review of Higher Education.

My review of Lord of the Rings Roleplaying Game has been published on RPG.net; a beautifully produced game with some lovely features, but sloppy editing and dull combat system (of all things!) puts the ratings down. This follows on my review of Albedo a somewhat strange combination of anthromorphics and hard simulationist science fiction. Thursday was another session of Pendragon which is reaching the apex of the "Romance period", before heading off to do engage in demon-hunting in Ireland. Tomorrow is another episode of Space 1889 on the Victorian-era fantasy of Mercury, which is an opportunity and excuse for some steampunk attitude and props.

Comments

[kremmen.livejournal.com]

If the ALP keeps going in its current way, it won't have its act together in time for the next election.

My suspicion is that it would have been better if Rudd had lost his seat. In the harsh light of defeat and with no incumbent in the way, the ALP would have had a chance to sit down, put the knives away, and try to work out a good team. They might not have done so, but at least the opportunity would have been there, without the usual recriminations and protests of disloyalty that occur when a leader is ousted by the party.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

I agree the ALP campaign was very poor, except in the social media space and you are also correct about the internal fractions within the party which distracted the electorate enormously from making policy- and record-based assessments.

I wonder who is going to stick their hand up as leader? The most popular choices; Albanese and Plibersek are both from the NSW left which makes their caucus room numbers a bit shaky - and there it goes again. Labor's internal structures and internal factions getting in the way of talent and popularity.

At least Rudd, who remarkably didn't have a factional base, has set the ball rolling for internal reform.

[fraerie.livejournal.com]

Passing question - the review I wrote of PaxAus for you a while back - where were you posting that?

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

I'll go in the next issue of RPG Review.