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tcpipDue to several requests, I am working my way through references on my presentation on The Future of Planet Earth. In related Unitarian news, I've decided to resign as a member of the Committee of Management at the Melbourne Unitarian Church. On even more related news, I've been reading Richard Dawkin's The God Delusion. I'm only up to the third chapter, mainly because it is just plain wrong and ignorant on basic matters; the straw-man definition of religion is simply wrong, the section on polytheism doesn't even discuss the issue and the section on agnosticism is a display of extraordinary ignorance of the works of Huxley and Kant.
I have recent reviews up at RPG.net for the excellent RQ module Dorastor, the terribe D&D module In Search of the Unknown, and two of Jonothan Tweet's excellent products, Over The Edge and Everway.
From Thursday to last Sunday was Melbourne's big RPG convention, Arcanacon. There were well over 450 people in attendance and I managed to get into two freeforms ("Class of 83" and "New Years Spirits"), both of which were quite good. The group I was with for the tabletop game "Sentinel: In The Beginning" seemed to be teasing the GM from his rather strict plotline. The Quiz night was lots of fun, with a very close finish between 1st, 2nd and 3rd. I was very impressed by the "Indie Games Demo", especially the wickedly fun "Best Friends". On Sunday I finished running the old AD&D module, The Secret of the Slavers Stockade (A2), except set in SE of the 11th century Kingdom of Navarre, and with El Cid providing a timely rescue. Also had the opportunity to play BattleTech and Megatraveller on Tuesday; honestly the two can be combined ;-)
However, it was not all good news at Arcanacon. Many in the Melbourne gaming, SCA, pagan, punk, and BDSM communities are in some mourning following the passing of one of the game designers, known to many as Aveline.![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
erudito notes the many, many people who have noted this sad event, and kitling explains the circumstances and Megan's appropriate and moving commentary at the con itself.
*sigh* How about some plastic surgery disasters and a story about the duck who would not die to conclude?
I have recent reviews up at RPG.net for the excellent RQ module Dorastor, the terribe D&D module In Search of the Unknown, and two of Jonothan Tweet's excellent products, Over The Edge and Everway.
From Thursday to last Sunday was Melbourne's big RPG convention, Arcanacon. There were well over 450 people in attendance and I managed to get into two freeforms ("Class of 83" and "New Years Spirits"), both of which were quite good. The group I was with for the tabletop game "Sentinel: In The Beginning" seemed to be teasing the GM from his rather strict plotline. The Quiz night was lots of fun, with a very close finish between 1st, 2nd and 3rd. I was very impressed by the "Indie Games Demo", especially the wickedly fun "Best Friends". On Sunday I finished running the old AD&D module, The Secret of the Slavers Stockade (A2), except set in SE of the 11th century Kingdom of Navarre, and with El Cid providing a timely rescue. Also had the opportunity to play BattleTech and Megatraveller on Tuesday; honestly the two can be combined ;-)
However, it was not all good news at Arcanacon. Many in the Melbourne gaming, SCA, pagan, punk, and BDSM communities are in some mourning following the passing of one of the game designers, known to many as Aveline.
erudito notes the many, many people who have noted this sad event, and kitling explains the circumstances and Megan's appropriate and moving commentary at the con itself.*sigh* How about some plastic surgery disasters and a story about the duck who would not die to conclude?
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no subject
Date: 2007-01-31 06:17 am (UTC)Fundamentalism seems to be the Horror of our Age. Even science has become infested and infected...
no subject
Date: 2007-01-31 06:32 am (UTC)His attempt to reduce the debate of agnosticism down to a question of probabilities indicates that he doesn't even know what the word entails. It is ludicrous.
This said, I am very supportive of his words when we condemns the nonsense of theistic religions.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-31 06:36 am (UTC)So am I.
Scientists don't tend to do too well outside of their fields, no news.
What has annoyed me most is his misuse of words (says Ruth the panentheist word geek).
no subject
Date: 2007-01-31 06:42 am (UTC)Unfortunately this is his field, or rather it used to be.
Education, Positions and Degrees
1954-1959 Oundle School
1959-1962 Balliol College, University of Oxford
1962-1966 Research Student, Oxford University (D.Phil., 1966)
1965-1967 Research Assistant to Professor N.Tinbergen FRS
1967-1969 Assistant Professor of Zoology, University of
California, Berkeley
1969-1970 Senior Research Officer, Department of Zoology, Oxford
1970-1990 University Lecturer in Zoology, and Fellow of New
College, Oxford
1989 D.Sc. (Oxford)
1990-1995 Ad hominem Reader in Zoology, University of Oxford
1995- Charles Simonyi Professor of the Public Understanding
of Science, University of Oxford, and Professorial Fellow of New College
no subject
Date: 2007-01-31 07:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-31 07:55 am (UTC)Ahh, mea culpa.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-31 08:53 am (UTC)See, my Dad's a scientist and he was taught nowt but some German outside of hard science. In my time and these days a foreign language is not required, as English has become the language of science.
Many hard science people in the Commonwealth have done nothing else academically but maths/sci and secondary school English since year 10...so they tend to be as good at humanities and social science as arts graduates are at Biology!
no subject
Date: 2007-01-31 12:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-31 12:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-31 10:08 pm (UTC)The narrative of life!