Unitarian Address, Gaming and RPG Review, American Politics

[tcpip]

Yesterday I gave an address at the Melbourne Unitarian Church on Religious Freedom and National Self-Determination where I basically argued for both, as limited to universal moral rights. During the congregational talkback the final question raised the danger of religious freedom and indoctrination. This provided an opportunity to recount some comments on "real child abuse" by Dr. Richard Dawkins, a topic I have been recently debating. When I concluded that when the voice of an adult educator with authority is dealing with young minds that supernatural speculations can indeed be dangerous and harmful and that extreme caution is recommended, the congregation burst into spontaneous applause. I didn't expect that! A large number of members of the congregation also came up to me afterwards saying how highly they thought of the address. So I guess it was well received overall.

Afterwards we played the third session of imajica_lj's Call of Cthulhu campaign where, after a slow start, we've finally starting making some serious investigations in what will become a globe-trotting tale to stop evil cultists from well, something. In the other Sunday RuneQuest game, Gaumata's Vision from Shadows on the Borderland is possibly one of the creepiest scenarios I've had the pleasure to run. I'm still selling a fair quantity of AD&D stuff on ebay (and more coming). The upcoming roleplaying magazine, RPG Review is going well. I have received nearly all the articles now (including some excellent Call of Cthulhu and RuneQuest articles from taavi and Steve Perrin has agreed to be interviewed for the first issue.

American politics has been pretty interesting over the past couple of weeks. Denis Kucinich provided a bit of fire and spirit at the Democrat National Convention. Economist Alan Blinder points out that historically that it is the Democrats who preside over periods of greater economic growth and reduced income inequality. Choosing Dan Quayle in drag as his Vice-President nominee has already backfired for McCain, as this 'candidate of integrity' seems have lied about well, a few things, actually. Oops.

Comments

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Of course there is not conclusive evidence at this stage one way or another. What I find interesting is that this can be illustrative of Palin's own policies on related matters; to say the least, her policies on abortion and other forms of birth control, sex education and schools and so forth are downright reactionary. Whilst this story will get some media legs, I hope that people have the sense to move from the sensationalism to the related policy positions.

[angel80.livejournal.com]

I think the evidence is fairly conclusive that the DKos article was written by a troll. I found the photo of the allegedly pregnant daughter on the Alaska Daily News site. It was taken in 2006.

This is not sensationalism, it is a deliberate attempt to tell lies about her in a way that damages her daughter more than anybody else. Like the attacks on Chelsea during the Primaries.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

I found the photo of the allegedly pregnant daughter on the Alaska Daily News site. It was taken in 2006.

Source? I've checked the ADN archives and the story is from March 9, 2008.

I don't think anyone has mentioned her daughter in a negative fashion. Or even thought negative things about her. That sort of thing is left to the minds of religious fundamentalists who seem to think that teenagers getting pregnant is a condition of wickedness rather than a medical matter.

[angel80.livejournal.com]

The ADN has a photogallery of Sarah Palin. The caption to photo #39 says 2006.

Anyway the story has been somewhat superseded this morning. That daughter is a "wicked sinner" all right, but the mother is not covering it up.