Gaming News, Cthulhu, Sex Crimes

[tcpip]

Recently read from the beginning to the current issue; The Order of the Stick, one of the funniest pieces of work from gamer culture. Roleplaying reviews this week included RuneQuest (3rd ed) and a very old Traveller module, Chamax and The Horde. Played some Traveller: The New Era on Tuesday and Dungeon! Dragonlords Dreamland scenerio went very well except for a very strange visitor.

Last night attended the arthouse film gathering in Collingwood with the usual suspects (Brendan, 2600AU crew, Paul from Polyester). Gorged ourselves at "The New Raffles" (opposite The Tote) and then watched three H.P. Lovecraft inspired films, including "The Call of Cthulhu", a 2005 film in a 1920s style, the very cheesy From Beyond and Dagon. On a related note, fishermen in New Zealand have caught a half-tonne squid. Ry'leh is nearby you know...I-ai! I-ai! Cthulhu, Ftan'g!

The war against youth marches on; a 13 year old in Italy gets pregnant to her 15 year old boyfriend. Her parents and the courts force her to have an abortion (link in Italian). A couple (one 16 the other 17) exchange sexual images of themselves to each other. They are charged and convicted of child pornography (from erudito. In good ol Denver, a 13 year old girl has been charged as both offender and victim for having sex with her 12 year old boyfriend.

Comments

[scarletazalea.livejournal.com]

I know nothing about gaming and little more about HP Lovecraft, but I do know about the increasing infringement of youth rights, though I didn't know those particular incidences. It is sad to me that we criminalize normal youthful expression of sexuality. (I'm catching up on my livejournal reading inbetween testing Physician Assistant students on their cardio exam skills).

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

I do know about the increasing infringement of youth rights

*nods* At the point in time when they really need their own space it is increasingly in denial.

I wonder how the system is going to cope with the decreasing age of sexual maturity?

Although as a physician you would have more information on whether this is still the case; I have a sneaking suspicion that the chronological decline has been arrested in first-world countries since the late-70s due to "fast food" culture.

It is sad to me that we criminalize normal youthful expression of sexuality.

As caseopaya commented, soon there will be a ban on playing "doctor's and nurse's".

[scarletazalea.livejournal.com]

It is funny, more and more kids have less and less unstructured free time, and what they do have of that, more and more of it is criminalized. I spent a fair amount of time as a wee lass of four or so playing doctor with my cousins of about the same age. That is a normal and healthy expression of childhood sexuality, but it is true many people freak the fuck out about it.

I have to correct a misapprehension I may have left you with. I am not a physician, I am a well trained monkey who gets trained on the basics of various exams (like the cardio exam) and can then, in my role as Standardized Patient (awful title), test futurre medical professional on basic communication, history taking and physical exam skills.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

I know nothing about gaming and little more about HP Lovecraft

Get yourself a copy of the "Call of Cthulhu" roleplaying game - any edition will do - you want regret it, it really is one of the best.

[scarletazalea.livejournal.com]

Is it paper or puter based? And is it the kind where you have to be in the same locale or can it be played at a distance. I might have to see if my geeky fiance (who doesn't live in the same state right now) wants to do some role playing, if it is puter/distance friendly. We have a pact to try out all sorts of different of recreational activities. Once we live in the same city this summer, we're going to take ballroom dancing classes. Both physically active and couch potato-y are in the mix.

My housemate regularly goes out for a once a week night where he saves the unreal worlds, so I'll ask him if his ever played. Thanks for the tip.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Good old-fashioned pen'n'paper based, although it could certainly be played by email as well, given the nature of the game.

In any case it makes a damn good read in its own right.

[scarletazalea.livejournal.com]

May have to try it out. Housemate played in a lot back in the day, said it was fun. So we will see. Hope all is well at your end of the world. Take care.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

'Tis all good. Thanks!

[kremmen.livejournal.com]

The US cases are at once better and also worse than a general infringement of youth rights. On the one hand, convicting a few kids doesn't have any effect on the vast majority. Like laws against various adult sexual practices, they will be successfully ignored by millions of people.

The sinister side is in how such laws will be applied. To be prosecuted requires a specific set of circumstances, the important one being that someone who has access to the evidence, probably someone very close to the participants, has to report them to the police. Such laws are basically a device for some evil bastard with a grudge to turn a(n ex-)friend or family member into a criminal.

[scarletazalea.livejournal.com]

It is the weird and oh so ugly, let me turn in my own kid mentality for things that shouldn't be a crime in the first damn place.

And it is an example of just how stupid many judges are. Instead of charging then committing the kids with a crime, if they were old enough to get preggers or spread disease, then maybe, if there was just no way for the prosecuters and judge to wrap their heads around the concept of healthy and normal expressions/experiences of sexuality, the damn judge in these cases could have sentenced them to some sort of sex education, except in the dang USA that too often would be the useless as tits on a boar hog (as Daddy likes to say) Abstinence only Sex Education. Ugh!