Unicon, Work, Elections and Racial and Religious Madness, Banned Rats!

[tcpip]

Spent the weekend at Unicon with dukeofmelbourne and caseopaya. Not a bad event, first gaming con I've been too in several years. Played "Parallel Flight" (Fireborn, not so good), Restoration (Urban Arcana, very good), Get Who (based on Get Smart, death coincidental, fun but severly limited for characters other than agents 99 and 86), Schools Out (Mutants and Masterminds, a d20 superhero game; OK, but combat orientated) and at the top of my enjoyment list "Four Fists of Righteous Fury" (where we had narrative and character development, deadly seriousness and comic relief!). Surprised to see that there were no D&D sessions. Sessions were far too short. Will give a full write-up on experiences on aus_gamers in the near future. Afterwards went to Mind Games to spend money ;-)

I have been working. Borderlands has shifted offices and their network and all it's wiring needs to be reassembled. This week I start training Prosper Australia on marketing and getting media coverage. I've also picked up a translation job for a set of health clinics in Northern Ireland who apparently need documentation ... in Tetum. Strange but true. CCNA Semester 2 starts on Tuesday. Feeling confident about it.

Schroeder grasps defeat from the jaws of victory and is about to destroy the SPD in the process. Meanwhile, in New Zealand Helen Clark's victory seems assured following the counting of special votes. I will be living in New Zealand by the end of 2006, I swear.

More bombings in Bali. Further evidence to recent suggestions that too much religion is bad for your society. From religious to racial fundamentalism; former US Secretary of Education thinks the way to solve crime is to abort "blacks".

I've banned my rats from the desk drawer and the office. Two keyboard cables and three speakers is too much. They're coping ;-)

Comments

[strangedave.livejournal.com]

First, I see you have fallen victim to the Leftist meme du jour. Bennett, though by no means a reasonable man, in this particular case was quoted out of context and was ridiculing the idea that a link between abortion and crime statistics was worth considering with his comments. So the comment that he made that people consider appalling was in fact a hypothetical example of something he considered a bad idea. Not to say I like Bennett, but dragging him over the coals for this one is the sort of idiot political discourse that is precisely the problem with US politics.

Actually, a lot of the prediction before the whole Germany horse trading began was that Merkel would be the one that gets screwed by the coalition. The SPD gets a few years where someone else gets to make some unpleasant reform decisions and they can sabotage her leadership enough it will be very difficult for her to increase her parties role.

Of course, its not really religion that is bad for you society, if it comes with pluralism and tolerance. There is an argument that with sufficient pluralism and tolerence, you are unlikely to have too much religion, of course.

[feathersoul.livejournal.com]

having just read through that entire comment thread above, i've forgotten what i was going to say about your post. oops!

however, i realised i never got around to commenting to your post earlier - yes, it was me that you met at Sin. sorry i didn't talk longer, i'm kinda shy, and i was also having a weird night. 'tis a shame, since i'd have liked to get to know you a little more in person.

(userpic is to remind you, in case you can't remember what i look like. this message is (to the best of my knowledge) not in any way devious in intent!)

Quibblings or quislings?

[http://users.livejournal.com/_fustian/]

I'm kinda stunned by this discussion.

1. "Race" is an entirely discredited notion, and those who identify it as a valid, real-world distinction are, by definition, racist.

2. The neoliberal obsession with the wholesale restructuring of societies and economies is only referred to as "reform" by its adherents and apologists.

3. Atheists make no "absolute metaphysical claims", but claim instead that metaphysics itself is bunk.

What, exactly, is a "non-fundamentalist" atheist?

[shorxrore.livejournal.com]

i've gotta get with it and go to a gaming con. i can't wait till someone implements player controlled pen and paper games into MMORPGs. because from that point on, my life will END and begin anew as some sort of elf or undead creature.

[blot.livejournal.com]

My GAWD you are a patient responsive man. hats off to you. Mucho admiration.

[8mor.livejournal.com]

Hang on, why do health clinics in Northern Island need documentation in Tetum??!?

[ehintz.livejournal.com]

Sweet as. Be good to have ya here. :)