Andrew Wakefield has a lot to answer for, especially in light of the ongoing measles outbreak the US. Back in the '90s, in an attempt to make money helping people sue the government, he published a patently false report declaring a link between Autism and vaccines (a report that has since been retracted by the journal, and refuted by uncountable legitimate studies). Now, because he deceived generations of parents into not giving their children life-saving vaccines, hundreds of people have already come down with measles in this country – a disease we thought conquered thanks to the invention of the MMR vaccine. Last year at this time four people had contracted measles in California, but as I write this, the the current count in California is 58! All it takes is one infected kid going to a school full of un-vaccinated kids to trigger an outbreak like this one.
According to the World Health Organization, roughly 122,000 people died from measles in 2012, most of them under the age of five. In 1980, before the MMR vaccine existed, roughly 2.6 million people died from the disease each year. Because of his self-serving actions, which showed no concern whatsoever for the lives of others, any measles deaths that occur in the western world are on the head of Wakefield – he is single-handedly pushing back towards pre-vaccine numbers, purely out of greed. It makes me cry to think how many tens or even hundreds of thousands of people Wakefield may have killed in his quest for the almighty dollar.
Autism Speaks strongly recommends vaccinating your children, and so do I. Since my family moved to Italy when I was four, I had even more vaccines than American children usually get, and have only benefited from them since I never contracted any of those life-threatening illnesses, despite having four elementary schools on both coasts of the US and in Italy. So for the sake of the world and your children, please get them vaccinated.
27 April 2014
05 March 2013
Depression Sucks
And now you know why I haven't posted in more than four months. It has been coming on for several years now, but hit me full force halfway through November (which is why I'm astounded that I came as close to my NaNoWriMo goal as I did). Later this week my treatment will finally begin. After that I should become more active in everything.
On a lighter note, despite the depression I have gotten some work done on my magnum opus, the game I hope will become our roleplaying group's go-to system. The rulebook has become a bit of a mess as I changed various rules – even the number of attributes. So I spent yesterday writing out the current rules in a new document so I could use it to continue developing the rules and then rewrite the rulebook.
I also created two new aids for the Pokémon video games. One is a type chart that is slightly smaller than a DSi. The other is a pocket-sized list of every Pokémon as of generation 5, including their types and what EVs they provide. It is two sheets of paper that each form a little booklet the size of 1/8 of a sheet of letter paper. I will be uploading both and adding them to the Download page of my professional blog as soon as I finalize the copyright line. I'm currently a bit stumped on how to make sure Nintendo, etc. get their due without taking up a ton of space.
On a lighter note, despite the depression I have gotten some work done on my magnum opus, the game I hope will become our roleplaying group's go-to system. The rulebook has become a bit of a mess as I changed various rules – even the number of attributes. So I spent yesterday writing out the current rules in a new document so I could use it to continue developing the rules and then rewrite the rulebook.
I also created two new aids for the Pokémon video games. One is a type chart that is slightly smaller than a DSi. The other is a pocket-sized list of every Pokémon as of generation 5, including their types and what EVs they provide. It is two sheets of paper that each form a little booklet the size of 1/8 of a sheet of letter paper. I will be uploading both and adding them to the Download page of my professional blog as soon as I finalize the copyright line. I'm currently a bit stumped on how to make sure Nintendo, etc. get their due without taking up a ton of space.
01 November 2012
November is National Novel Writing Month
November has arrived, so that means it's that time of year again: National Novel Writing Month. Expect posts to be rare from me this month as NaNoWriMo consumes all of my free time on my quest to join my fellow NaNos and write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days.
12 September 2012
Grammar Made Easy
There are a number of words that are frequently confused by some people, but there's really no reason for that since, as you will soon see, those words are really easy to tell apart. Whenever possible I've provided a mnemonic device to make things easier to remember. As long as you can remember what's in front of each dash, you'll get along swimmingly.
Expect to see this article grow as I spot other common errors (it has already doubled in length in the couple of hours since I first posted it). If you have any suggestions, please drop me a line or leave a comment below. Thanks.
- 9 times out of 10, affect is a verb and effect is a noun. – In those other 1%-or-so cases, you'll most likely use another word anyway (I always have), so you don't probably need to worry about them.
- "You lay something down, and people lie down by themselves." – Thanks, Grammar Girl, I've always had trouble with that one so I appreciate the tip.
- Than is a comparison (Ginger is much smarter than Patch). Otherwise use then. – To be more precise, then is used when talking about time (First this, then that).
- It's means "it is" or "it has". In all other cases use its. – Adapted from Eats, Shoots, and Leaves by Lynn Truss, a fantastic book I highly recommend to every English-speaking person on the planet.
- "They're going to their house over there." – In a similar vein to the above, they're means "they are" or "they were", while their means "belongs to them", and there is a direction or place.
- Two is a number. Too means "also" or "more than enough" (I ate too much last Thanksgiving). Otherwise use to.
- Likewise, who's means "who is" or "who has". Otherwise use whose. – Whose is a possessive.
- You're means "you are" or "you were". Otherwise use your. – Your is a possessive.
- Start each sentence with a capital letter. A long string of lowercase letters is nearly impossible to read.
- Use punctuation. End each sentence with an appropriate terminal punctuation mark (period, question mark, or exclamation point), and use commas and other punctuation as appropriate. As above, long strings of words with no punctuation are really hard to read, especially since the same phrase can have multiple meanings depending on how it is punctuated. Imagine trying to read this article if I used neither capital letters or punctuation – I've seen far too many people on forums who do precisely that, and make themselves look both lazy and foolish in the process.
- Always – always! – put a space before an open parenthesis, like I did above, except when writing out math formulas or programming a computer. I'm thoroughly baffled as to how the habit of not putting in that space became so common because it not only makes the writer look foolish, it makes the text much harder to read.
- Use paragraph breaks. Just among the people I know personally, at least a dozen, including me, can't read walls of text – especially on screens. I can usually manage it on paper (which is good since I'm such a fan of Twain), but my eyes get easily lost on screens and trying to keep them on track always gives me a headache. Even readers who aren't so afflicted will find your writing easier to read if you include paragraph breaks at logical points.
Expect to see this article grow as I spot other common errors (it has already doubled in length in the couple of hours since I first posted it). If you have any suggestions, please drop me a line or leave a comment below. Thanks.
16 June 2012
Free RPG Day in Asheville, NC
In case you've been wondering why I've been so quiet lately, it's because I've been busier than a half-legged man in a butt-kicking contest. Not only am I continuing to work on the three games I've been developing, and taking an active part in the most recent world event in Kingdom of Loathing (the only video game I still play regularly), I have also been prepping to run HackMaster Basic at Wyvern's Tale's grand opening during Free RPG Day later today. If you want to guarantee a seat, head on over to their sign-up page as seats are limited. Pre-gens will be provided.
Just in case there aren't enough players, I also made a bunch of pre-gens for the current D&D Lair Assault so my wife can run it instead. Either way, we hope to have a blast while meeting some new roleplayers before heading to Hillside to run Pokémon League as usual.
(Please, no ranting about the feud between those two stores. Let's just enjoy the awesomeness that is Free RPG Day.)
Just in case there aren't enough players, I also made a bunch of pre-gens for the current D&D Lair Assault so my wife can run it instead. Either way, we hope to have a blast while meeting some new roleplayers before heading to Hillside to run Pokémon League as usual.
(Please, no ranting about the feud between those two stores. Let's just enjoy the awesomeness that is Free RPG Day.)
23 May 2012
PTL! I Have a Bike Again!
You heard right. It took me five or six visits to Asheville Recyclery downtown over the course of 15 days, but last Friday, for the first time in 14.5 years, I rode a bike – and have every day since. I can't really handle more than about a quarter mile right now, but I'm definitely making progress. We've also started bowling every Wednesday afternoon again.
When my pain spiked up again after my surgery last May, I started to lose hope. Apparently the problem was just that the muscles and other tissues that used to have to accommodate my fusion hardware are struggling to adjust to it no longer being there.
But now, after four months of physical therapy, I'm almost completely free from the sharp, stinging pain that used to plague me, and only have to deal with the more diffuse pain that will likely plague me the rest of my life. My therapist is sure I'll be going back to work soon, but I'd rather wait until I've been able to back off my pain meds (I'm still taking three different ones).
I wanted to attach a picture of me riding, but Blogger is being persnickety and won't let me upload it, but those of you on facebook have already seen it anyway. Some of my Picasa configuration files decided not to get backed up off my old laptop, but fixing that is one of my goals for the week. After that I'll upload both pics of me on my bike to my Picasa album and link it here from there.
When my pain spiked up again after my surgery last May, I started to lose hope. Apparently the problem was just that the muscles and other tissues that used to have to accommodate my fusion hardware are struggling to adjust to it no longer being there.
But now, after four months of physical therapy, I'm almost completely free from the sharp, stinging pain that used to plague me, and only have to deal with the more diffuse pain that will likely plague me the rest of my life. My therapist is sure I'll be going back to work soon, but I'd rather wait until I've been able to back off my pain meds (I'm still taking three different ones).
I wanted to attach a picture of me riding, but Blogger is being persnickety and won't let me upload it, but those of you on facebook have already seen it anyway. Some of my Picasa configuration files decided not to get backed up off my old laptop, but fixing that is one of my goals for the week. After that I'll upload both pics of me on my bike to my Picasa album and link it here from there.
My New Game Design Blog
I'm finally getting serious about getting my roleplaying and other games finished and published. To that end I have created a second blog, this time devoted strictly to gaming and game design. I may repost some things here, but it will be the only place to download my free trpgs and sign up to playtest my other games, so go check it out.
An Attempt to Play the Pokémon CCG More Like the Videogames
I've been pondering this for a while but haven't had a chance to try it yet out so I'll welcome any input, especially from playtesters, that anyone may have to offer.
You Will Need:
Any six Pokémon, regardless of evolution (for instance, you can play with Butterfree or Caterpie as one of your six Pokémon)
- EXes count as two Pokémon
- Legends count as two Pokémon
- Lvl Xes count as two Pokémon and must be paired with an appropriate non-Lvl X
Each Pokémon can start the game equipped with a tool (except Expert Belt since there are no prize cards)
A stack of 20 Energy.
A stack of 10 videogame-appropriate items like Full Heals, Moo-Moo Milks, and Potions.
Rules That Are the Same:
You may only play one energy a turn.
Abilities and Attacks function normally.
Rules That Are Different:
The only win-condition is KOing all of your opponent's Pokémon.
Pokémon don't evolve or Level Up.
You don't have a hand, deck, or discard pile (discarded energy simply goes back into the stack, discarded Trainers are removed from the game) so Pokémon that affect those will be useless.
You can freely look through your two stacks at any time.
Abilities can't let you lay extra energies since you don't have the race to evolve or level up as a balancing mechanism for the Pokémon that have those abilities.
You may only use one Trainer each turn – just like in the videogames. But unlike in the VGs, using an item doesn't end your turn.
Retreating no longer costs energy but retreating also no longer removes status conditions. Retreating also doesn't end your turn like in the VGs.
Status conditions persist on retreated Pokémon but are only active while the Pokémon is active. For example, a poisoned Pokémon will retain the poisoned status while on the bench but it will not take damage between turns.
A Note on Stadiums:
If both players agree, a stadium may be put into play before the game starts and will remain there for the duration. This simulates two trainers in the VG who are actually battling in that stadium.
06 June 2011
Surgery Update
I haven't updated facebook or Twitter in a while 'cause I haven't had anything to update. Until last night I still had stabbing surgery pain across my shoulders but had mostly lost the all-over pain I've been dealing with for the last 13.5 years.
But sitting in a pew for an hour-and-a-half last night then cooking supper and cleaning up afterwards knocked my whole back out-of-whack and it still hurts. So, as long as I take it easy for another few weeks, I think the prognosis is good.
But sitting in a pew for an hour-and-a-half last night then cooking supper and cleaning up afterwards knocked my whole back out-of-whack and it still hurts. So, as long as I take it easy for another few weeks, I think the prognosis is good.
06 May 2011
My Upcoming Spine Surgery
The Past – August-September 1997
Tuesday, 26 August 1997 – A typically selfish American driver decided, as usual, that her time was more important than anyone else's safety. She pulled her little red car past the point where there is now a stop sign before checking for traffic so my bike slammed into car before either of us could really see the other (I only remember seeing a flash of red to my left just before impact) and I sailed over it and landed on my helmeted head. I finally came to a stop about 30 feet away.
The force of the impact was enough to shatter my fourth thoracic vertebra. In order to keep my spine in shape while it healed and thus keep me from developing a hump, it was decided to fuse my first six thoracic vertebrae together by screwing two metal rods into them. The surgery took place on Tuesday, 4 September, exactly nine days after the accident.
Life went back mostly to usual for the first couple of years but I started to decline quickly when I went back to work in November of '99. During the BSU Spring Break Mission Trip to Chicago, Illinois in March 2000, we got to spend Thursday being tourists instead of working. My then-girlfriend (and now wife of more than eight years) and I wander around checking out museums (we're both history geeks) and generally having a great time. But being on my feet for most of the day made my pain levels sky rocket and they haven't gone down since.
In the fall of 2006, after being forced to shut down our game store because I could no longer physically do the job and because our savings had long since run dry, I took a job answering phones at ClientLogic (now known as Sitel). It was a fun job that I did fairly well. I really enjoyed helping people. But even talking to people via a phone headset while using a computer to answer their questions proved to be too much for me and I finally had to quit in October, before I even finished training. It was then that I decided that I finally needed to file for Disability.
The Present – April-May 2011
I've been living with those rods for nearly fourteen years now and the pain has become so excruciating that I can barely function. A couple of months ago I started asking around to see if Medicare/Medicaid would pay to have my rods removed and was told that, as long as the surgery was medically necessary and likely to help, Medicare would cover most of it and Medicaid the rest.
So, a few weeks ago, I told my nurse practitioner all of that and he referred me to Carolina Spine and Neurosurgery. They were very prompt – very. Since then I've met with the surgeon twice, had a CT scan, and am scheduled for surgery at 07:30 on Wednesday, 11 May 2011 at Mission Hospital in Asheville. That's right; in six days.
Any surgery, of course, poses risks ranging from unsightly scars to death from a stroke caused by a blood clot but this surgery has some other issues of its own. From the CT scan, Dr. Gooch is fairly certain that the fusion is in good shape but he can't know for certain until he actually looks at my spine. He cautioned me that if he does find a problem with the fusion then he'll have to put in new rods after removing the old ones but that the new ones will be smaller because they'll need to correct a smaller section of spine.
Because the vertebrae will have grown around the pedicle screws, he'll have to carve out the bone in order to extract the screws. Depending on how much bone he needs to remove, he may need to graft some marrow out of my hip.
Even if absolutely nothing goes wrong, there is still the chance that the surgery won't actually help and my pain will continue on as it has for the past thirteen years.
With all of that in mind, I'm still holding out hope that I'll be back to my old self in only a few months and might even reclaim my old job at Sitel. Your prayers will be greatly appreciated both for me and for Lura and everyone else who will be helping me during my recovery.
I'm also quite fond of greeting cards and still have all of the ones I was sent during the three months of my last convalescence. I probably won't know my room number until I get there on Wednesday but you can always send them to our home or pass them on to anyone in my family. Those of you who know me from Hillside Games can probably leave them there but I'll have to check with Nate and Amanda to make sure it's okay first.
18 March 2011
I found this via my lovely wife's blog of randomness and she found it on Shiloh Walker's blog who found it at The Bookaholic Zone who got it from Storytime With Tonya & Friends which, as far as we can tell, seems to be the originator.
Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
* Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.
Every year since we were very young, Dad has gotten us each at least one book for Christmas. They are rarely books we would buy for ourselves but are always books we enjoy. One of those, from many years ago, is The Complete Murhpy's Law: A Definitive Collection, which is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. As an example, here's sentence five from page 56:
Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
* Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.
Every year since we were very young, Dad has gotten us each at least one book for Christmas. They are rarely books we would buy for ourselves but are always books we enjoy. One of those, from many years ago, is The Complete Murhpy's Law: A Definitive Collection, which is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. As an example, here's sentence five from page 56:
DOW'S LAW: In a hierarchical organization, the higher the level, the greater the confusion.
11 March 2011
The Friday 56
I found this via my lovely wife's blog of randomness and she found it on Shiloh Walker's blog who found it at The Bookaholic Zone who got it from Storytime With Tonya & Friends which, as far as we can tell, seems to be the originator.
Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
* Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.
Since most of reading is done on the Sony PRS-505 my wife got me two Christmases ago, I don't always have a physical book on hand for this. But one of my near-future projects is to apply the bookmarks from my well-worn copy of Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (my favorite of his books) that Memaw bought for me many years ago to my digital copy so I can quickly find my favorite quotes. Thus I actually have a non-electronic non-gaming book close at hand for a change. So without further ado, here is my Friday 56 of Connecticut Yankee:
Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
* Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.
Since most of reading is done on the Sony PRS-505 my wife got me two Christmases ago, I don't always have a physical book on hand for this. But one of my near-future projects is to apply the bookmarks from my well-worn copy of Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (my favorite of his books) that Memaw bought for me many years ago to my digital copy so I can quickly find my favorite quotes. Thus I actually have a non-electronic non-gaming book close at hand for a change. So without further ado, here is my Friday 56 of Connecticut Yankee:
I could have given my own sect the preference and made everybody a Presbyterian without any trouble, but that would have been to affront a law of human nature: spiritual wants and instincts are as various in the human family as are physical appetites, complexions, and features, and man is only at his best, morally, when he is equipped with the religious garment whose color and shape and size most nicely accommodate themselves to the spiritual complexion, angularities, and stature of the individual who wears it; and besides I was afraid of the united Church; it makes a mighty power, the mightiest conceivable, and then when it by and by gets into selfish hands, as it is always bound to do, it means death to human liberty, and paralysis to human thought.Wow. And I thought my sentences were long. It just makes it that much funnier later when he comments on Sandy's "horizonless transcontinental sentences" (page 148 in my unabridged Aerie edition).
14 October 2010
Street Fighter Comes to HeroClix
The following comes from "News from the Alliance Games Open House" on HeroClix.com:
"We’re adding the Street Fighter property to the HeroClix product line. The game will be fully compatible with HeroClix. We’re considering new product configurations for the property. More news on this in the coming months."
There just aren't enough words in the English language to show how excited that makes me.
"We’re adding the Street Fighter property to the HeroClix product line. The game will be fully compatible with HeroClix. We’re considering new product configurations for the property. More news on this in the coming months."
There just aren't enough words in the English language to show how excited that makes me.
12 August 2010
Acuvue's Questionable New Product
I just saw a commercial for one of the most environmentally-unfriendly products I've ever seen: Acuvue 1*Day contact lenses. Even though I personally use disposable contact lenses due to allergies, those last me six months as long as I take care of them. I feel bad enough about throwing away my contacts and the packaging from the new ones twice a year. The thought of producing that waste 365 times a year is appalling.
It's astounding that in this day of environmental awareness and companies going green, that any corporation could even consider such a wasteful product. Get it together, Acuvue, and stop trying to destroy the Earth.
It's astounding that in this day of environmental awareness and companies going green, that any corporation could even consider such a wasteful product. Get it together, Acuvue, and stop trying to destroy the Earth.
23 July 2010
Gamers With Heart
The following is cross-posted on my other blog, WNC Heroclix, and I'm forwarding it on behalf of GameHearts:
GameHearts is a public benefit nonprofit organization committed to providing alternative forms of entertainment to adult members of the Kalispell area for the purpose of promoting adult sobriety. The program achieves its directive by providing free and low cost gaming activities in a supervised non-alcoholic, sober environment, along with access to gaming accessories that are provided without cost to the participants. In fact, beginning players can learn and obtain free gaming materials solely for playing.
The primary games that the program uses are tabletop customizable games, such as card and miniature games (CCGs and CMGs), though there is also a strong interest in promoting role playing games (RPGs), as well. GameHearts is working toward the betterment of our region through encouraging alternative gaming activities amongst participants on Friday and Saturday nights, as opposed to frequenting bars and casinos in the area, as well as to inspire decision making and problem solving abilities by teaching and promoting educational and strategic games and activities, using CCGs, CMGs and RPGs as alternative entertainment.
GameHearts does more than promote just sobriety though – it opens up an entirely new facet of the population to these kinds of educational and interactive games. People who would otherwise never know what a game like Magic, for instance, was really about now get free exposure to the game, complete with lessons and a beginning deck. Without an initial investment to begin playing, our participants have little obstacles in playing and interacting with other players. Since GameHearts is primarily a nonprofit, the bulk of our participants eventually find they need to purchase materials we simply do not have, since we are not interested in maintaining a full service retail business. As such, GameHearts also helps boost the overall market shares of the industry by introducing new and motivated players into the environment.
Of course, being a charitable organization, GameHearts is always looking for donations of excess cards, figures, rulebooks and other gaming accessories to use in teaching and promoting these games, though also for any other collectible genre material that can be used for fund raising. Additionally,since gamers are a largely diverse and wide-spread community,the program relies upon inter-community associations and contacts to aid it in advertising the program's existence and its needs to those whom GameHearts' staff alone may not be able to contact. Essentially, any gamer, collector, retailer or manufacturer who may acquire excess materials from these kinds of games represent potential contributors to the program, and it is the program's hope that individuals within the gaming community will help in soliciting the program's efforts to other sources. And the more support the program receives, the greater the service it can provide.
Donations made to the program are tax deductible, since they are made to a community benefit nonprofit organization. The IRS allows for up to 50% of donations fair market value as tax credit. GameHearts assesses the value of each donation and issues receipts upon request for this purpose. The only requirements for donations is that the material not be worn, as these materials are considered “marked” in game play, and that individual donations not exceed $5,000 each (a rule of the IRS, not GameHearts itself). Otherwise, any gaming material is accepted and assessed, regardless of its rarity (ie, commons, uncommons, rares, etc.) or the game from which it comes.
For further information about GameHearts and the service we provide, please feel free to visit the program's website at: http://GameHearts.org/
Thank you for taking the time to review the GameHearts program, and it is hoped that anyone reading this information will both assist in our efforts and help spread the word to others who may also share an interest in supporting GameHearts' cause.
GameHearts is a public benefit nonprofit organization committed to providing alternative forms of entertainment to adult members of the Kalispell area for the purpose of promoting adult sobriety. The program achieves its directive by providing free and low cost gaming activities in a supervised non-alcoholic, sober environment, along with access to gaming accessories that are provided without cost to the participants. In fact, beginning players can learn and obtain free gaming materials solely for playing.
The primary games that the program uses are tabletop customizable games, such as card and miniature games (CCGs and CMGs), though there is also a strong interest in promoting role playing games (RPGs), as well. GameHearts is working toward the betterment of our region through encouraging alternative gaming activities amongst participants on Friday and Saturday nights, as opposed to frequenting bars and casinos in the area, as well as to inspire decision making and problem solving abilities by teaching and promoting educational and strategic games and activities, using CCGs, CMGs and RPGs as alternative entertainment.
GameHearts does more than promote just sobriety though – it opens up an entirely new facet of the population to these kinds of educational and interactive games. People who would otherwise never know what a game like Magic, for instance, was really about now get free exposure to the game, complete with lessons and a beginning deck. Without an initial investment to begin playing, our participants have little obstacles in playing and interacting with other players. Since GameHearts is primarily a nonprofit, the bulk of our participants eventually find they need to purchase materials we simply do not have, since we are not interested in maintaining a full service retail business. As such, GameHearts also helps boost the overall market shares of the industry by introducing new and motivated players into the environment.
Of course, being a charitable organization, GameHearts is always looking for donations of excess cards, figures, rulebooks and other gaming accessories to use in teaching and promoting these games, though also for any other collectible genre material that can be used for fund raising. Additionally,since gamers are a largely diverse and wide-spread community,the program relies upon inter-community associations and contacts to aid it in advertising the program's existence and its needs to those whom GameHearts' staff alone may not be able to contact. Essentially, any gamer, collector, retailer or manufacturer who may acquire excess materials from these kinds of games represent potential contributors to the program, and it is the program's hope that individuals within the gaming community will help in soliciting the program's efforts to other sources. And the more support the program receives, the greater the service it can provide.
Donations made to the program are tax deductible, since they are made to a community benefit nonprofit organization. The IRS allows for up to 50% of donations fair market value as tax credit. GameHearts assesses the value of each donation and issues receipts upon request for this purpose. The only requirements for donations is that the material not be worn, as these materials are considered “marked” in game play, and that individual donations not exceed $5,000 each (a rule of the IRS, not GameHearts itself). Otherwise, any gaming material is accepted and assessed, regardless of its rarity (ie, commons, uncommons, rares, etc.) or the game from which it comes.
For further information about GameHearts and the service we provide, please feel free to visit the program's website at: http://GameHearts.org/
Thank you for taking the time to review the GameHearts program, and it is hoped that anyone reading this information will both assist in our efforts and help spread the word to others who may also share an interest in supporting GameHearts' cause.
God Will Find You
Father John Powell, a professor at Loyola University in Chicago, writes about a student in his Theology of Faith class named Tommy:
"Some twelve years ago, I stood watching my university students file into the classroom for our first session in the Theology of Faith.
That was the day I first saw Tommy. My eyes and my mind both blinked. He was combing his long flaxen hair, which hung six inches below his shoulders. It was the first time I had ever seen a boy with hair that long. I guess it was just coming into fashion then. I know in my mind that it isn't what's on your head but what's in it that counts; but on that day I was unprepared and my emotions flipped. I immediately filed Tommy under 'S' for strange... Very strange.
Tommy turned out to be the 'atheist in residence' in my Theology of Faith course. He constantly objected to, smirked at, or whined about the possibility of an unconditionally loving Father/God. We lived with each other in relative peace for one semester, although I admit he was for me at times a serious pain in the back pew.
When he came up at the end of the course to turn in his final exam, he asked in a cynical tone, 'Do you think I'll ever find God?'
I decided instantly on a little shock therapy. 'No!' I said very emphatically.
'Why not,' he responded, 'I thought that was the product you were pushing.'
I let him get five steps from the classroom door and then called out, 'Tommy! I don 't think you'll ever find Him, but I am absolutely certain that He will find you!' He shrugged a little and left my class and my life.
I felt slightly disappointed at the thought that he had missed my clever line -- He will find you! At least I thought it was clever.
Later I heard that Tommy had graduated, and I was duly grateful.
Then a sad report came. I heard that Tommy had terminal cancer. Before I could search him out, he came to see me.
When he walked into my office, his body was very badly wasted and the long hair had all fallen out as a result of chemotherapy. But his eyes were bright and his voice was firm, for the first time, I believe.
'Tommy, I've thought about you so often; I hear you are sick,' I blurted out.
'Oh, yes, very sick. I have cancer in both lungs. It's a matter of weeks...'
'Can you talk about it, Tom?' I asked.
'Sure, what would you like to know?' he replied
'What's it like to be only twenty-four and dying?
'Well, it could be worse.
'Like what?
'Well, like being fifty and having no values or ideals, like being fifty and thinking that booze, seducing women, and making money are the real biggies in life..'
I began to look through my mental file cabinet under 'S' where I had filed Tommy as strange. (It seems as though everybody I try to reject by classification, God sends back into my life to educate me.)
'But what I really came to see you about,' Tom said, 'is something you said to me on the last day of class.' (He remembered!) He continued, 'I asked you if you thought I would ever find God and you said, 'No!' which surprised me. Then you said, 'But He will find you..' I thought about that a lot, even though my search for God was hardly intense at that time. (My clever line. He thought about that a lot!)
'But when the doctors removed a lump from my groin and told me that it was malignant, that's when I got serious about locating God.. And when the malignancy spread into my vital organs, I really began banging bloody fists against the bronze doors of heaven.. But God did not come out. In fact, nothing happened. Did you ever try anything for a long time with great effort and with no success? You get psychologically glutted, fed up with trying. And then you quit.
'Well, one day I woke up, and instead of throwing a few more futile appeals over that high brick wall to a God who may be or may not be there, I just quit. I decided that I didn't really care about God, about an afterlife, or anything like that. I decided to spend what time I had left doing something more profitable. I thought about you and your class and I remembered something else you had said: 'The essential sadness is to go through life without loving. But it would be almost equally sad to go through life and leave this world without ever telling those you loved that you had loved them.''
'So, I began with the hardest one, my Dad.. He was reading the newspaper when I approached him.. 'Dad'.
'Yes, what?' he asked without lowering the newspaper.
'Dad, I would like to talk with you.'
'Well, talk.
'I mean . It's really important.'
The newspaper came down three slow inches. 'What is it?'
'Dad, I love you, I just wanted you to know that.' Tom smiled at me and said it with obvious satisfaction, as though he felt a warm and secret joy flowing inside of him. 'The newspaper fluttered to the floor. Then my father did two things I could never remember him ever doing before. He cried and he hugged me. We talked all night, even though he had to go to work the next morning. It felt so good to be close to my father, to see his tears, to feel his hug, to hear him say that he loved me..'
'It was easier with my mother and little brother. They cried with me, too, and we hugged each other, and started saying real nice things to each other. We shared the things we had been keeping secret for so many years.
'I was only sorry about one thing --- that I had waited so long. Here I was, just beginning to open up to all the people I had actually been close to.
'Then, one day I turned around and God was there. He didn't come to me when I pleaded with Him. I guess I was like an animal trainer holding out a hoop, 'C'mon, jump through. C'mon, I'll give you three days, three weeks.''
'Apparently God does things in His own way and at His own hour. But the important thing is that He was there. He found me! You were right. He found me even after I stopped looking for Him.'
'Tommy,' I practically gasped, 'I think you are saying something very important and much more universal than you realize. To me, at least, you are saying that the surest way to find God is not to make Him a private possession, a problem solver, or an instant consolation in time of need, but rather by opening to love. You know, the Apostle John said that. He said: 'God is love, and anyone who lives in love is living with God and God is living in him.'
Tom, could I ask you a favor? You know, when I had you in class you were a real pain. But (laughingly) you can make it all up to me now. Would you come into my present Theology of Faith course and tell them what you have just told me? If I told them the same thing it would not be half as effective as if you were to tell it.
'Oooh.. I was ready for you, but I don't know if I'm ready for your class.'
'Tom, think about it. If and when you are ready, give me a call.'
In a few days Tom called, said he was ready for the class, that he wanted to do that for God and for me. So we scheduled a date. However, he never made it. He had another appointment, far more important than the one with me and my class.
Of course, his life was not really ended by his death, only changed. He made the great step from faith into vision. He found a life far more beautiful than the eye of man has ever seen or
The ear of man has ever heard or the mind of man has ever imagined.
Before he died, we talked one last time.
'I'm not going to make it to your class,' he said.
'I know, Tom.'
'Will you tell them for me? Will you tell the whole world for me?'
I will, Tom. I'll tell them. I'll do my best.'
So, to all of you who have been kind enough to read this simple story about God's love, thank you for listening. And to you, Tommy, somewhere in the sunlit, verdant hills of heaven --- I told them, Tommy, as best I could.
If this story means anything to you, please pass it on to a friend or two. It is a true story and is not enhanced for publicity purposes.
With thanks,
Rev. John Powell, Professor
Loyola University , Chicago
"Some twelve years ago, I stood watching my university students file into the classroom for our first session in the Theology of Faith.
That was the day I first saw Tommy. My eyes and my mind both blinked. He was combing his long flaxen hair, which hung six inches below his shoulders. It was the first time I had ever seen a boy with hair that long. I guess it was just coming into fashion then. I know in my mind that it isn't what's on your head but what's in it that counts; but on that day I was unprepared and my emotions flipped. I immediately filed Tommy under 'S' for strange... Very strange.
Tommy turned out to be the 'atheist in residence' in my Theology of Faith course. He constantly objected to, smirked at, or whined about the possibility of an unconditionally loving Father/God. We lived with each other in relative peace for one semester, although I admit he was for me at times a serious pain in the back pew.
When he came up at the end of the course to turn in his final exam, he asked in a cynical tone, 'Do you think I'll ever find God?'
I decided instantly on a little shock therapy. 'No!' I said very emphatically.
'Why not,' he responded, 'I thought that was the product you were pushing.'
I let him get five steps from the classroom door and then called out, 'Tommy! I don 't think you'll ever find Him, but I am absolutely certain that He will find you!' He shrugged a little and left my class and my life.
I felt slightly disappointed at the thought that he had missed my clever line -- He will find you! At least I thought it was clever.
Later I heard that Tommy had graduated, and I was duly grateful.
Then a sad report came. I heard that Tommy had terminal cancer. Before I could search him out, he came to see me.
When he walked into my office, his body was very badly wasted and the long hair had all fallen out as a result of chemotherapy. But his eyes were bright and his voice was firm, for the first time, I believe.
'Tommy, I've thought about you so often; I hear you are sick,' I blurted out.
'Oh, yes, very sick. I have cancer in both lungs. It's a matter of weeks...'
'Can you talk about it, Tom?' I asked.
'Sure, what would you like to know?' he replied
'What's it like to be only twenty-four and dying?
'Well, it could be worse.
'Like what?
'Well, like being fifty and having no values or ideals, like being fifty and thinking that booze, seducing women, and making money are the real biggies in life..'
I began to look through my mental file cabinet under 'S' where I had filed Tommy as strange. (It seems as though everybody I try to reject by classification, God sends back into my life to educate me.)
'But what I really came to see you about,' Tom said, 'is something you said to me on the last day of class.' (He remembered!) He continued, 'I asked you if you thought I would ever find God and you said, 'No!' which surprised me. Then you said, 'But He will find you..' I thought about that a lot, even though my search for God was hardly intense at that time. (My clever line. He thought about that a lot!)
'But when the doctors removed a lump from my groin and told me that it was malignant, that's when I got serious about locating God.. And when the malignancy spread into my vital organs, I really began banging bloody fists against the bronze doors of heaven.. But God did not come out. In fact, nothing happened. Did you ever try anything for a long time with great effort and with no success? You get psychologically glutted, fed up with trying. And then you quit.
'Well, one day I woke up, and instead of throwing a few more futile appeals over that high brick wall to a God who may be or may not be there, I just quit. I decided that I didn't really care about God, about an afterlife, or anything like that. I decided to spend what time I had left doing something more profitable. I thought about you and your class and I remembered something else you had said: 'The essential sadness is to go through life without loving. But it would be almost equally sad to go through life and leave this world without ever telling those you loved that you had loved them.''
'So, I began with the hardest one, my Dad.. He was reading the newspaper when I approached him.. 'Dad'.
'Yes, what?' he asked without lowering the newspaper.
'Dad, I would like to talk with you.'
'Well, talk.
'I mean . It's really important.'
The newspaper came down three slow inches. 'What is it?'
'Dad, I love you, I just wanted you to know that.' Tom smiled at me and said it with obvious satisfaction, as though he felt a warm and secret joy flowing inside of him. 'The newspaper fluttered to the floor. Then my father did two things I could never remember him ever doing before. He cried and he hugged me. We talked all night, even though he had to go to work the next morning. It felt so good to be close to my father, to see his tears, to feel his hug, to hear him say that he loved me..'
'It was easier with my mother and little brother. They cried with me, too, and we hugged each other, and started saying real nice things to each other. We shared the things we had been keeping secret for so many years.
'I was only sorry about one thing --- that I had waited so long. Here I was, just beginning to open up to all the people I had actually been close to.
'Then, one day I turned around and God was there. He didn't come to me when I pleaded with Him. I guess I was like an animal trainer holding out a hoop, 'C'mon, jump through. C'mon, I'll give you three days, three weeks.''
'Apparently God does things in His own way and at His own hour. But the important thing is that He was there. He found me! You were right. He found me even after I stopped looking for Him.'
'Tommy,' I practically gasped, 'I think you are saying something very important and much more universal than you realize. To me, at least, you are saying that the surest way to find God is not to make Him a private possession, a problem solver, or an instant consolation in time of need, but rather by opening to love. You know, the Apostle John said that. He said: 'God is love, and anyone who lives in love is living with God and God is living in him.'
Tom, could I ask you a favor? You know, when I had you in class you were a real pain. But (laughingly) you can make it all up to me now. Would you come into my present Theology of Faith course and tell them what you have just told me? If I told them the same thing it would not be half as effective as if you were to tell it.
'Oooh.. I was ready for you, but I don't know if I'm ready for your class.'
'Tom, think about it. If and when you are ready, give me a call.'
In a few days Tom called, said he was ready for the class, that he wanted to do that for God and for me. So we scheduled a date. However, he never made it. He had another appointment, far more important than the one with me and my class.
Of course, his life was not really ended by his death, only changed. He made the great step from faith into vision. He found a life far more beautiful than the eye of man has ever seen or
The ear of man has ever heard or the mind of man has ever imagined.
Before he died, we talked one last time.
'I'm not going to make it to your class,' he said.
'I know, Tom.'
'Will you tell them for me? Will you tell the whole world for me?'
I will, Tom. I'll tell them. I'll do my best.'
So, to all of you who have been kind enough to read this simple story about God's love, thank you for listening. And to you, Tommy, somewhere in the sunlit, verdant hills of heaven --- I told them, Tommy, as best I could.
If this story means anything to you, please pass it on to a friend or two. It is a true story and is not enhanced for publicity purposes.
With thanks,
Rev. John Powell, Professor
Loyola University , Chicago
The Friday 56
I found this via my lovely wife's blog of randomness and she found it on Shiloh Walker's blog who found it at The Bookaholic Zone who got it from Storytime With Tonya & Friends which, as far as we can tell, seems to be the originator.
Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
* Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.
Once again, equally distant from me are multiple gaming books (including a GURPS book, three HackMaster books, and a slew of video game cheat books), the only other book in the pile is the one I'm currently reading which is In Defense of Food which I used last week. So I think I'll go with GURPS Basic Set Characters Fourth Edition:
Double-Jointed: As above, but more so.
That's actually pretty funny out of context. It's from the Advantage "Flexibility". If you would like to learn GURPS and live in or near Asheville, NC then I'd be glad to have you in my next GURPS campaign.
Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
* Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.
Once again, equally distant from me are multiple gaming books (including a GURPS book, three HackMaster books, and a slew of video game cheat books), the only other book in the pile is the one I'm currently reading which is In Defense of Food which I used last week. So I think I'll go with GURPS Basic Set Characters Fourth Edition:
Double-Jointed: As above, but more so.
That's actually pretty funny out of context. It's from the Advantage "Flexibility". If you would like to learn GURPS and live in or near Asheville, NC then I'd be glad to have you in my next GURPS campaign.
The ABCs of Frank
I just stumbled upon this survey that made its way around Facebook about a year ago and thought I'd offer up my answers just for fun:
A - Age: 34
B - Bed size: Double King Craftmatic
C - Chore you hate: Can't think of one.
D - Dogs names: Meekay, Patch, Ginger
E - Essential start your day item: Cereal
F - Favorite color: Blue
G - Gold or Silver: Silver
H - Height: 5'10"-5'11" depending upon posture
I - Instruments you play: Guitar, penny whistle, harmonica, voice. Instruments I play well: none of the above currently because I don't practice enough.
J - Job title: Wannabe author.
K - Kids: None yet but my hopes are high.
L - Living arrangements: With my wife of nearly eight years in the house she inherited.
M - Mom's name: Mom, Malinda, Lindy, or Malindy depending upon who's talking.
N - Nicknames: I don't think I have one
O - Overnight hospital stay other than birth: 16 days after shattering my spine back in '97.
P - Pet Peeve: Hypocrites and selfish drivers (which, sadly, is about 99% of drivers today).
Q - Quote you live by: Through faith you have been saved by grace and not by works. -Ep 2:8-9
R - Right or left handed: Right
S - Siblings: 3
T - Time you wake up: Whenever I get around to it.
U - Underwear: Yes, I wear underwear. What kind is none of your business. (I'm stealing my wife's answer for this one because she said it so well. *g*)
V - Vegetable you dislike: Asparagus, artichoke, eggplant, and lots of others.
W - What makes you run late: Oversleeping or being unable to get up due to excessive pain, passengers not ready on time, heavy than expected traffic, construction.
X-rays you've had: I think my entire body has been x-rayed over the course of my life.
Y - Yummy food you make: Breads, cakes, cookies, stir-fry, pies, healthy stove-fried chicken. I love to bake.
Z- Favorite zoo animal: Foxes and penguins.
A - Age: 34
B - Bed size: Double King Craftmatic
C - Chore you hate: Can't think of one.
D - Dogs names: Meekay, Patch, Ginger
E - Essential start your day item: Cereal
F - Favorite color: Blue
G - Gold or Silver: Silver
H - Height: 5'10"-5'11" depending upon posture
I - Instruments you play: Guitar, penny whistle, harmonica, voice. Instruments I play well: none of the above currently because I don't practice enough.
J - Job title: Wannabe author.
K - Kids: None yet but my hopes are high.
L - Living arrangements: With my wife of nearly eight years in the house she inherited.
M - Mom's name: Mom, Malinda, Lindy, or Malindy depending upon who's talking.
N - Nicknames: I don't think I have one
O - Overnight hospital stay other than birth: 16 days after shattering my spine back in '97.
P - Pet Peeve: Hypocrites and selfish drivers (which, sadly, is about 99% of drivers today).
Q - Quote you live by: Through faith you have been saved by grace and not by works. -Ep 2:8-9
R - Right or left handed: Right
S - Siblings: 3
T - Time you wake up: Whenever I get around to it.
U - Underwear: Yes, I wear underwear. What kind is none of your business. (I'm stealing my wife's answer for this one because she said it so well. *g*)
V - Vegetable you dislike: Asparagus, artichoke, eggplant, and lots of others.
W - What makes you run late: Oversleeping or being unable to get up due to excessive pain, passengers not ready on time, heavy than expected traffic, construction.
X-rays you've had: I think my entire body has been x-rayed over the course of my life.
Y - Yummy food you make: Breads, cakes, cookies, stir-fry, pies, healthy stove-fried chicken. I love to bake.
Z- Favorite zoo animal: Foxes and penguins.
21 July 2010
The (Near) Future of Roleplaying
I want to run one of the following GURPS games on Monday nights. Information on all of them can be found on LinoIt which is also the best place to leave feedback. If you live near Asheville, NC and would like to play then please either post on the Lino, leave a comment, or drop me a line. Thanks.
-------------------------
Setting: London 1888
Style: Story-based at the start; expected to last 4-6 sessions
PCs will be investigating Jack the Ripper but things will take a very unexpected turn.
Depending on how things turn out, the game could run much longer and develop a very steam-punky "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" feel.
-------------------------
Concept: Rip off Pokémon
Setting: The various Pokemon settings.
Style: Sandbox
Instead of converting the various Pokémon to GURPS, each player will get to develop a custom Pokémon-ish companion which will stay with him throughout his career.
I won't have any particular story or supervillian in mind (at least at the beginning) but instead will let you wander the world and see what happens.
-------------------------
I've got plenty more campaigns that I'd like to run someday but those are the big ones at present. I've also got plenty of room in my monthly HackMaster 5 game at Hillside Games if anyone's interested. The next session is Saturday after next (the 31st of July).
-------------------------
Setting: London 1888
Style: Story-based at the start; expected to last 4-6 sessions
PCs will be investigating Jack the Ripper but things will take a very unexpected turn.
Depending on how things turn out, the game could run much longer and develop a very steam-punky "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" feel.
-------------------------
Concept: Rip off Pokémon
Setting: The various Pokemon settings.
Style: Sandbox
Instead of converting the various Pokémon to GURPS, each player will get to develop a custom Pokémon-ish companion which will stay with him throughout his career.
I won't have any particular story or supervillian in mind (at least at the beginning) but instead will let you wander the world and see what happens.
-------------------------
I've got plenty more campaigns that I'd like to run someday but those are the big ones at present. I've also got plenty of room in my monthly HackMaster 5 game at Hillside Games if anyone's interested. The next session is Saturday after next (the 31st of July).
Will the Real fewilcox Please Stand Up
If anyone happens to know the Wilfred Cox that currently owns http://fewilcox.blogspot.com/ and http://itoccuredtome.blogspot.com/, please either put me in contact with him or ask him to either use or delete his fewilcox domain. I have been fewilcox since 1997 and would really appreciate being able to use http://fewilcox.blogspot.com/ if he's not going to.
Since he hasn't actually posted anything or even filled out his profile since he joined blogger two years ago, I think it's pretty safe to assume that he's never going to post anything and I would really like to be able to use my name rather than having it go to waste. Thank you.
Since he hasn't actually posted anything or even filled out his profile since he joined blogger two years ago, I think it's pretty safe to assume that he's never going to post anything and I would really like to be able to use my name rather than having it go to waste. Thank you.
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