Presentations, ARCS and Scientific Computing, Gaming News

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Spoke on Wednesday night at the St. Kilda branch of the ALP; primary emphasis of my presentation was on socialisation of land rents and how their private collection contributed significantly to the global financial crisis. Also speaking on the night was Dr. Nicholas Gruen of Lateral Economics who was advocating a state-owned Internet banking service for transactions and for superannuation. On Sunday I gave an address at the Melbourne Unitarian Church entitled "Sympathy for the Devil", where gave an outline of this poor misrepresented spirit, discussed some contemporary organisations that claim some allegiance and concluded that trumping prosaic versions of moral judgment with supernatural versions and excuses ("the devil made me do it"), should be utterly abandoned. Sunday week I'll be giving part II of the "Philosophy of Economics" study with an emphasis on positive economics. A few days beforehand will be the forum on public transport; should it be returned to public management? should it be free?

Last week the Federal budget was announced; ARCS received a massive increase of funding; some $97 million over the four financial years 2009-2013, whereas previously we had $22 million; this is truly awesome especially given the modest number of staff we have (did they read my preceding journal post?). On the other half of my working world, my installation of a CUDA instance of NAMD has seen some excellent results (plus I found a bug). Attempts to install Desmond have been less successful. Have conducted another review of our training course and in my own studies for the Cert IV in Workplace Training and Assesment picked up two more High Distinctions.

On Thursday night finished off our Dragon Warriors campaign with an explosive conclusion; on Sunday ran the first session of GURPS Krononauts which involved an intervention in the time of the fall of the Aztec Empire, a fascinating and tragic period of history. In the HeroQuest pbem, the Crimson Bat has been destroyed by a Rubble Runner with a Dwarven grenade. Now accepting articles for the fourth edition of RPG Review which will include interviews with Dennis Sustare and (apparently) Ken St. Andre!

Comments

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

While God and the Devil now leave me kind of cold, I was always partial to Tori Amos' supposed take on the Devil - God was your God for impossible objective standards, while Lucifer was God for when you wanted life to be comfortable, fun, exciting or indulgent. You pray to God for world peace, you pray to Lucifer for chocolate mud cake and good sex.

[niamh-sage.livejournal.com]

I meant to comment earlier, but I forgot: I wanted to say, I thought your proposal for using LJ/DW technology for the Australian research community was a really good one! Is there any possibility it might get up and running?

[fluffyblanket.livejournal.com]

Phew - I'm exhausted by just reading of your energetic activity ! Have you seen this community -
http://community.livejournal.com/christianleft/profile
?

[zenicurean.livejournal.com]

Ken St. Andre? Why, I have very fond memories of his Stormbringer RPG, despite the clunky rules.

[janewilliams20.livejournal.com]

A rubble runner with a dwarven grenade? This I have got to read!
(reads)
OMG that's brilliant! Right, from now on IMG that is what really happened, and all the other versions are made up by people who didn't want to admit to a Rubble Runner having defeated the Bat.

we will only stop falling down if we stop thinking we're pushing ourselves.

[tornspacetime.livejournal.com]

I picked up something special in Reno last week.
I was prior unaware of its existence.
Possessing this, or it possessing me, makes me remarkably sad that you're approximately 0 holonometers forever away while physically too fucking distant!
Let me share.....................................
(drumroll)
http://www.13moon.com/dreamspell_kit.htm

[vaelynphi.livejournal.com]

Sweet (on the CUDA subject); I'm looking forward to getting my hands on a GTX nvidia card in a few months, after I've moved and have some spare money laying about... can't wait to start developing some newer code for relativistic research.

Also, you're apparently presentation-rific; go you.