Update

Havent put any updates here in a bit, so let me do a broad catch-up.

GenCon: Was alot of fun. Once again, meet some nice people and had alot of fun talking with players. Some strong opinions, but all in all very good. Even saw some folks who were at Origins again and that was very nice.

Since then, stuff has been real busy. Lots of work on various projects and a ton of deliverables when I got back. Everyone needed everything yesterday. Not a bad thing, just a busy thing.

On the home front, life has been stressful. My parents are having a rough time and I want to help them out, but my well is dryer than usual. I have to come up with additional money for the cruise as well cause they screwed up. Seems like stuff is flowing out faster than it is flowing in. So it is time to tighten the screws alot and see what I can cut to make the money I need quickly.

On another note, I saw Hero last weekend and it rocked. Well worth it.

More later I am sure...

Origami

Okay now this is cool. I always thought stuff that they did was amazing but that takes the cake.

GenCon Day One

Well, the first day went okay.

Sort of odd that we were in the air for an hour and 20 minutes to land only 3o minutes later than we took off. Indiana doesnt do daylight savings time.

Got to the hotel and they got us into the rooms okay and I and 2 others headed down to setup. We got there and I already tell it is a bigger deal than Origins. The displays by the vendors were nicer and much more professional.

The celebrity guest list looks like a late 70s SciFi TV series reunion. Gil Gerard and Erin Grey from Buck Rogers. Richard Hatch, "Boomer", and someone else from Battlestar Galactica. We are near the autograph area, so I might try to get one or two.

Jillian's was pretty nice. Lot more spread out than a D&B, but the space worked well. A ton of folks came by and the important people had a ton of face time and I think it was very popular. I have a couple good stories from when people asked what I do. Most moved on quickly to someone else. :)

Well, off to get ready for day 2.

Life...

So I got an im from an old co-worker of mine from last job yesterday, she tells me that a guy that I used to supervise died suddenly. He evidently called 911 saying he was feeling very dizzy and when they got there he was unconcious. He died enroute to the hospital. No one could reach his family and a mutual friend had to come down to the morgue and claim the body. He died alone.

I am kinda numb at this point. There is so much going on in my work life and stuff right now that I dont think I can really process through this. I am putting this here to remember him and hopefully let me work though what has been on my mind all night.

Ron was a good guy. He was gruff and cantankerous. He loved his 2 grown daughters and even still his wife I think even though they had been seperated for many years. His daughters drove him crazy, but he light up whenever they would call or he would talk about them. I remember him talking about the one getting married, he wasnt thrilled cause he was losing his little girl, but man did he beam as he showed pictures. I am sure there are alot of sides to any person, but I saw a good person in Ron.

I have lost so much of my family over the years I think I have become numb to it. This is the first time that I have lost anyone that I have ever been the supervisor of that I knew. I worked every day with him for 3 years. I know Ron was a good bit older than me, but he was still the person that I knew as an equal.

For Ron...

To Regulate or Not...

While the Washington Post is far from objective, they are putting out some interesting articles on the Bush administration.

Here is the first one. Interesting changes to the regulatory focus.

Science notes

They have mapped the genome of the coffee bean. I really find things like this fascinating. The more we pull away the curtains on how life is built I wonder what we can make and create for our future as a species. Just think a merged coffee/chocolate plant ;)

Also a British firm has been given the go ahead to try cloning a human. This is an area that the US needs to improve in. Someone will crack the cloning and gene therapy for humans and they will usher in a new age. I would rather it be the United States than someone else. I think we cannot stick our heads in the sand and ignore it. Any thoughts?

NASA just tested a solar sail. Another science fiction idea works its way to science fact.

Ad Astra Per Aspera!

Weekend Recap

Well, it was a very good weekend in my books.

Saturday – Went to a cookout that was a lot of fun. It was great to see all the people there and to spend time chatting with them in a non-work setting.

Sunday – Dinner with 2 friends at Coastal Flats. That place is awesome. Go there, eat great seafood and have a good time. Don’t make my only mistake there and get the drink with this Brazillian ingredient. It is terrible.

Something to note: I count myself as very fortunate. I have a fantastic partner and a wonderful family of friends. This weekend really highlighted that for me. I spent the weekend around 2 friends that have come to mean as much to me as family does. We have our ups and downs, but they could ask anything of me and I would happily give it. I am very lucky to have friends like these two.

Cloning - another step...

One of the things that slipped through the news last week was a story about a group that cloned a cat. Here is the company site.

I wonder how long till we get the next steps with cloning human parts. With restrictions here I think that it will be done overseas long before here.

Pot meet Kettle...

You know we need a test for President. I hate to keep picking on one person, cause the other is nothing to brag about either, but how can one man be that dumb.

Here is the story I am referring to.

Why you never make comments without a script...

Bushism of the DayBy Jacob WeisbergPosted Thursday, Aug. 5, 2004, at 12:48 PM PT
"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."—Washington, D.C., Aug. 5, 2004

Reuter's posted the story here.

The Police State lives...

I took this link from someone else's blog, because it disturbed me enough that I felt I should comment.

If we defend our country by giving up our liberties, then what have we left to defend. Freedom isnt free, but you can whittle it away till it isnt worth anything any more than a word.

The Sloganator

Well, in the realm of bad ideas for a political campaign to do this would be one of the better ones.

The background as it was reported to me:
The background story is as follows: earlier this month, the website for the Bush-Cheney campaign - the real one, paid for by MBNA America and Richard Scaife - featured a create your own banner tool, where you could enter your own slogan and print out your own poster, with the Bush-Cheney logo, and a note at the bottom paid for by Bush-Cheney '04,Inc.ABB's (Anybody But Bush), of course, couldn't get enough of this.The original sloganator accepted everything, then it started censoring profanity and words like Hitler,dictator, and evil. Nevertheless,many clever folks exploited the sloganator to their own ends before its sad demise only a couple of weeks after its birth, and its mourners assembled some of the best for the slide show. The link below is best enjoyed with the sound on:

It may take all kinds, but why...

Another example of people removing all doubt when they open their mouths...

Monday Interesting Tidbits

Another round of these.

1. Had a great game on Sunday. Joined a new roleplay group and had a blast. The DM is very story oriented and that works great for me. Hopefully, we can finish the current adventure in 2 weeks.

2. Had a very nice dinner and spent some time with a good friend on Saturday. He did up some salmon in lemon sauce on the grill. Afterwards, we went to the mall and wandered eating ice cream and shopping. Nice way to wrap up a day.

3. Picked up the first novel of the War of the Spider Queen. I am already seeing tones and themes I want to incorporate into my Underdark campaign. There is a certain ruthlessness to the Drow that they seem to pull off without being over the top.

4. Well, this should be interesting. It appears that the Speaker of the House in his new book, extolls and wants to push for the elmination of the income tax. The creation of a national sales tax would be interesting, but I think they would have to change it so states couldnt tax commerce then. Otherwise, you have double taxation of a scale that would be obscene. It would be interesting to see America go to a VAT as most of Europe is already, but then they have a larger social welfare system than we do. It is an interesting idea to put on the table during an election year. Of course, this doesnt address the fact that a good portion of regular taxes are going to feed social security and medicare now that the rolls are increasing. Guess what we get for robbing the fund in the early 60s and 70s.

More later, And remember. VOTE: Cause you can!