Lev Lafayette's journal

Tuesday was the annual general meeting of Linux Users Victoria. I had previously announced that I would be stepping down as president after four years in the position, feeling uneasy about the idea of staying on the same leadership role for too many years. Looking back, it was a good four years. The organisation has grown in numbers, has new regional chapters, and is in a very good financial position. All the normal operations (monthly speakers, beginners workshops, annual picnic, software freedom day, website, equipment, library) were covered, along with special events and issues (mininconferences and install-fests, policy development). I've accepted a nomination to continue on the committee to help with continuity, but it does feel personally like the end of an era. I am pretty sure that xanni_au is going to do as a great job as the incoming president as he has both experience and ability. I've mentioned it on the website 'blog, but it really is quite an honour to be involved in Linux Users Victoria; Linux is transformative operating system and application suite that embodies technical excellence and the high ethical principles of transparency through free and open-source licensing. Linux has changed the world and being part of that is really quite a wonderful experience through LUV. There's still more to come, and locally Software Freedom Day on September 20 at Electron Workshop.

A German home improvement company has run a pro-goth advertisement that's thoroughly charming (Youtube). In the past they've also used Blixa Bargeld so obviously they're trying to corner the market in German gothic home improvement, which is not a small market. Apropos, we'll be attending Nick Cave's a special session at the Astor, which itself will be undergoing some significant changes. Looking forward to seeing Pop Will Eat Itself this Sunday with our special VIP passes. Appropriately, I have reviewed their latest album and have just finished Jeremy Beadle's relevant book which does very well at reviewing the history of popular music with a special emphasis on sampling and pop's reconstruction and self-referentiality, and ultimately the decline of the pop single (nicely expressed in a single image over time, hat-tip reddragdiva), also noted by Spin). Even as I write this I'm watching the Joy Division documentary, which rather brilliantly contextualises the desolate Manchester environment of the mid-late 70s and early 80s, skilfully representing the band as the ambient sound of the time and place in dystopian science fiction style.

Initialy due to a random Internet search I ended up in an discussion with Frank Trollman et. al., over certain aspects of RuneQuest etc. Whilst a google search suggests that said person has ended up being banned from most gaming forums on the planet, and there is interesting discussion of particular RPGs, a more pertinent issue is how many gamers go out of their way to belittle their own participants, active or potential. One wonders how the hobby is supposed to expand and become a successful and lasting culture in such circumstances; it is almost a an aggressive parody of the anti-social intellectual that gamers have been historically painted. On rpg.net, Marisa Kirisame raises the issue that such toxic behaviour is due to the intellectual and even emotional investment required in RPGs, leading to a situation where criticisms of games feel like personal attacks and quickly degenerate into such personal flame wars (arguably the same emotional investment also exists in affiliations to political ideologies, which may indeed be analogous). This aside to more practical gaming issues, run a delightful and action-packed episode of Pendragon last night covering the battles of King Mark's invasion of Logres. It involved an sea battle in the mouth of the River Ex, simultaneous on the other side of Logres with a destruction of Mark's 'Infernal Engine' (read: 'anachronistic cannon') by an shapeshifting witch in the style of The Loaded Dog. Toxic online gaming conversations are not a particularly effective challenge to the delights of enjoyable actual play among friends.

Friday night caseopaya and I went to the VPAC end-of-year dinner at the Rainforest Room at the Melbourne zoo. Had good conversations with the new HPC centre manager and the CEO and their respective partners on a wide-range of topics. Eventually made it home in the wee hours, "a little bit" ineberiated on the cheap red wine that was on offer. Found myself awake and at the Melbourne Convention Centre by 9am for the Parliament of the World's Religions, where I was looking after the International Council of Unitarian Universalists (ICUU) stall. I agree strongly with a local Greens MP (and a Christian) who was argued that it is "vile" religious bigotry that this conference has received $2m in funding from the State government, but next year's Atheist Conference will receive nothing. I intend to go the latter as well, of course, being that most rare of creatures, a religious atheist.

Stayed there until just after 3pm then made my way to Willsmere (the old Kew Asylum) where we are looking for a potential apartment to purchase. Made it home, had a bite to eat, and then went out to see The Church play at the corner hotel; a fairly good show, a strong performance and wide-ranging selection of material, although lacking in their very early material which I prefer. The cover of Smashing Pumpkins' "Disarm" was particularly amusing. Again made it home in the wee hours, but at least this time thoroughly sober.

Following morning had to journey to the Melbourne Unitarian Church where I gave an address on 2012: From Ancient Wisdom to Modern Nonsense. Afterwards chaired the Philosophy Forum discussion on The Virtual World. Following that ran a session of RuneQuest where the PCs successfully escaped an attempt of Trolls to crush a Trollkin rebellion; there is now a trollkin and dark elf community in the middle of Sun Duchy who worship the Black Sun, a very cute tangent to the standard Gloranthan mythology.

Last Friday night caseopaya and I ventured to the Corner Hotel to see the last ever show of The Stems, a 60s revivalist garage band who had some significant success in the 1980s and reformed in 2007 (following that?). They were aptly supported by the Huxton Creepers, along with The Dolly Rocker Movement and Even. It was an excellent show for aging alternative rocker types like ourselves, competently and energetically performed, although the couple standing behind us probably could have done with a hotel room.

The latest issue of RPG Review has been released which starts with a fascinating legal debate over our use of 'Young Gods' as the title of an article in the last issue (I'm sure some readers will love to get their teeth into this one), industry news from Mingshi, an interview and artworks by Dan 'Smif' Smith, a review of the New Worlds of Darkness series plus a scenario for the same, a retrospective review of Swordbearer and Heroes of Olympus plus a scenario for both game systems based on the Odyssey, a GURPS Transhumanists plus Time Travellers campaign, languages in GURPS, travel and transport in Paranoia, reliance on NPCs, Metagaming, Anachronisms and Diegesis, a review of Fallout 3, a review of the movie District 9, and, of course, advice and help from Lord Orcus himself!

I'm speaking tomorrow at the Melbourne Atheist Society on "Atheist Support for Religious Freedom?" which promises to discuss the hard issues, not the easy ones. In my absence the Unitarian Philosophy Forum discussed "Death and Existence" which I provided an outline for the discussion. Tickets now available for the 2010 Rise of Atheism convention in Melbourne which features Richard Dawkins, Phillip Adams, Peter Singer and P Z Myers.