In the grand tradition of bizarre feats enacted before an audience of (potentially) millions, 14bucks.com.

On April 11th, 2004, I found a total of $14 inside a bunch of little plastic Easter eggs. Rather than spend that $14 at my local bar, I've decided to try to turn it into $1,000 by April 15, 2005. I plan to do this through fairly low-risk investments – no poker games or lottery tickets – and a minimal amount of work.

It's not 570bars.com, but it'll do.

World of Warcraft will be out soon and I can't wait to try it. Or should I be playing the hauntingly strange Ryzom? On the other hand, I always liked Anarchy Online, and they've got a "come back to AO" promotion going:

For just 4,95 USD / EUR you can log into your old account and play with
your existing* characters for 30 days. You're welcome to reactivate at
any time during the campaign period (valid one time only at 4,95).

Jut in time for the new expansion, too. All this makes me think of something. There are more and more MMORG competing for an audience that just isn't growing that much. Sure, each game has its own dedicated following, but will that be enough to keep them alive? I suspect there's a growing body of MMORG players who are drifting from game to game, trying out a new game here, going back to try out the new expansion there. I wonder if we won't see consolidation of MMORG titles in the future. Think about it for a second, if you could pay a modest set rate for a subscription to five of your favorite online games, would it be worth it? Companies might be willing to give players more games for the same money if it meant they could hold onto the subscribers in perpetuity. Playing Ryzom today of 'Age of Incredibly Improbable Realms' tomorrow would essentially be an extension of one subscription. It wouldn't be that difficult from the multiple characters most players have in the same game world today.

GPS Drawing Gallery. The world is my canvas. Be sure to check out the 3-d cardboard GPS model in the Projects section.

USATODAY.com - Tuvalu's sinking, but its domain is on solid ground

Oddly enough, Tuvalu might then leave a legacy imagined only in science-fiction novels. It could become the first virtual nation — a country that exists only on the Internet. If Tuvalu's land disappears, its population will disperse, yet Tuvalu under international law will remain a sovereign nation even though its only "real estate" will be the .tv Internet domain.

The Web Gallery of Art is a great resource that's been around for ages and ages. It's also now been added to the Misc links section on the sidebar.

Hairlines, tube maps, and invisible cities.

The Hollow Kingdom Discussion Forum

If you haven't already read The Hollow Kingdom by Clare B. Dunkle, by all means, do so soon! It is the first in a trilogy of the same name. The sequel, Close Kin, is coming out in October, and I am reviewing it. Yesterday, I started a forum to discuss the present and future publications of Clare Dunkle. Believe me, there is much to talk about: goblins who abduct humans and elves to help perpetuate the goblin species (most goblin women are infertile), xenophobic attitudes among the different species, propriety and decorum versus truth and candor, and the justification for violence and "goblin revenge."

You may read the reviews on the Hollow Kingdom front page if you like, but I advise you to wait to read the deleted scenes and items for further discussion until you have actually read the book, so you don't spoil the fun for yourself. If you are disinclined to spend money on a book simply because I recommend it, you may easily find a copy through the Seattle Public Library or King County Library systems. You may find the Yahoo discussion forum in the first link I have provided.

Now, aren't you glad there's a librarian in the house?!

April 28 addendum: My Amazon.com review is here, under the name of Orkgrrrl, of course.

I have blogged previously on the topic of Wiki, its flexibility, and its ability to correct for errors and vandalism. The game Blognomic, which I have also blogged, uses Wiki as the repository for its shifting ruleset. Now in Canada, the Green party is using Wiki to create a Living Platform. Wiki is a web-based application that creates a sort of encyclopedia that can be edited by members. Wikipedia, an online Wiki-based encylopedia, has proven to be a surprisingly robust and usable resource. This should prove an interesting experiment in Democracy, though I wonder how useful it will actually be.

Shinteki

Jackpot is a race requiring a diverse knowledge base, strong puzzle solving abilities, good navigational skills, and mental and physical endurance. For over 24 sleepless hours, teams become involved in an unfolding story by finding hidden information about the characters, locations and objects they encounter. The adventure lasts an entire weekend and may cover hundreds of miles. In essence, Jackpot can be defined as interactive competitive performance art, in which the players are integral participants.

Escher's "Relativity" in LEGO

txtkit - Visual Text Mining Tool | Homepage

I don't even know what this is yet, but the pictures looked so cool I had to blog it.

Claudia Rosett on Oil-for-Food & Terrorism on National Review Online: "Beyond the billions in graft, smuggling, and lavish living for Saddam Hussein that were the hallmarks of the United Nations Oil-for-Food program in Iraq, there is one more penny yet to drop. It's time to talk about Oil-for-Terror."

Link thanks to AndyZ

This morning on NPR, I learned something I never knew before. I'd always thought that flotsam was floating debris and jetsam was debris that had washed ashore. It turns out I was mistaken. Flotsam is debris that is washed into the water and jetsam is debris that is thrown. This fact confirms Tolkein's genius is the naming of the chapter Flotasm and Jetsam.

And now, some linkage:
How Nikes, toys and hockey gear help ocean science
Toy Ducks Lost At Sea Trace Currents
Around the world in 4,205 days

Maurice Sendack on Mickey Mouse:: "'I was around 6 when I first saw him,' he said. 'It filled me with joy. I think it was those primary colors so vivid and pure, taken up with the most incredibly beautiful animation, reminding you of Fred Astaire. Oh! And his character was the kind I wished I'd had as a child: brave and sassy and nasty and crooked and thinking of ways to outdo people.' The joy leached from Mr. Sendak's voice. 'Not like the lifeless fat pig he is now.'"

A Call for an Exit Door from Iraq

"As I watch events unfold in Iraq, I cannot help but be reminded of another battle at another place and another time that hurtled more than 600 soldiers into the maws of death because of a foolish decision on the part of their commander. The occasion was the Battle of Balaclava on October 25, 1864, during the Crimean War, a battle that was immortalized by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, in his poem, 'The Charge of the Light Brigade.' "

Poetry and history in the same breath, and this guy's a senator.

"I am not anti-progress. I'm in favor of new things," says the Rev. Samuel B. McKinney of Mount Zion Baptist Church. "But I don't want to see people victimized by greed."

As a leader of Seattle's black community, McKinney has urged his congregation for years to stay in the Central Area, recognizing that its proximity to Lake Washington's floating bridges and downtown make it an ideal location.

"Don't sell your property. Don't give it up cheaply," McKinney still preaches.

The Seattle PI has a very interesting feature called Neighbors. It's essentially an interactive map of Seattle's neighborhoods with profiles and links to stories about each.

Our home is on the crux of three different neighborhoods including one of the wealthier neighborhoods in town, and one of the poorest. What kind of neighborhood do we live in? People here haven't taken down their Kucinic signs. You can get ribs, catfish, Ehtiopian fare, and homemade cupcakes within a short walk of our house. The grocery store sells chiterlins by the bucket. Every vacant lot has a land use action sign. Last night I took a walk on my street. There was a fistfight in front of the bus shelter. On my street you can see a Mosque and a Baptist assembly. The spires of Seattle's oldest Catholic Church can be seen from most spots in the valley. In line at the coffee kiosk in the morning I meet nannies walking their charges, construction workers, local businessmen, telecommuting fathers, African Americans who remember when the Black Panthers were active here. The owner of the Kiosk emigrated here from Asia and started a successful small business. A two bedroom house can sell for well over $300,000 here. Con artists come to our door with their sad stories. We know some of them by name. There are three places within walking distance with free broadband wireless for customers.

That's my neighborhood.

As much as any restaurant in Seattle, St. Clouds is our restaurant. We've eaten there many times, breakfast lunch and dinner. When people come to town, that's where we treat them. We hosted 570bars.com at the St. Clouds restaurant bar. The waiters and waitresses know us when we come in and they smile at the baby. These facts, and this story are part of the reason we love our neighborhood.

Did you like Progressquest? Then you'll love The Kingdom of Loathing. My 10th level disco bandit will kick your butt.

That's What Corsets are For

I went to Norwescon this weekend, and I have next to nothing to report. Almac came down from Vancouver for the occasion. We dropped the Orklet and the baby backpack into my Camry Saturday morning and drove down to the Seatac Doubletree. As we were driving down the highway, I remembered other times. Days were when we'd jump into Al's Datsun 510 and go anywhere. We would decide in the car. We might stop at the nearest bar, or drive 12 hours to Vancouver. Windows down, cool breeze, Metallica, that was summer.

Going to Norwescon without a plan was a little like that. There were lots of interesting talks, but they were over before we arrived, or began after we'd knew we'd have to leave. There was some role-playing to be had, but then you try role-playing with a 30 pound baby on your back. I didn't run into Zannah or anyone else reportedly attending. I did get a card from the editor of a new Sci-Fi mag called Neo-Opsis out of Victoria and promised to send him a story.

But I enjoyed it greatly just walking around in the geek saturnalia. In the elevator, a gasping woman clad in red leather said "I've got to get back to my room. This is my first time wearing a corset, and I think I'm going to faint!" As the elevator disgorged her at her floor, she said "but I least I look fabulous."

"Of course she looks fabulous," another girl said after she'd left, "that's what corsets are for."

Al came down this weekend for a quick visit and a jaunt to Norwescon. He brought with him a small RPG terrain project he built using Hirst Arts Blocks. This company sells molds for a wide variety of wargaming terrain. Anybody who games with miniatures should check out this site. The instructional videos included free on the site give you all the information you need to start building, and there are full desigs for a very wide range of kits. This company is obviously a labor of love on the part of its founders. You can also view thousands of in progress and completed projects at the Voidgamers.com Hirst forum.

Thought for the day:

"Mercenaries and auxiliaries are useless and dangerous; and if one holds his state based on these arms, he will stand neither firm nor safe; for they are disunited, ambitious, and without discipline, unfaithful, valiant before friends, cowardly before enemies; they have neither the fear of God nor fidelity to men, and destruction is deferred only so long as the attack is; for in peace one is robbed by them, and in war by the enemy. The fact is, they have no other attraction or reason for keeping the field than a trifle of stipend, which is not sufficient to make them willing to die for you. They are ready enough to be your soldiers whilst you do not make war, but if war comes they take themselves off or run from the foe"

From Nicolo Machiavelli - The Prince - Full Text

Further Discussion:

The demand for a private security force in Iraq has increased since the war ended, said officials with the CPA, the U.S.-led authority that is running the occupation of Iraq. There are about 20,000 private security contractors in Iraq now, including Americans, Iraqis and other foreigners. That number is expected to grow to 30,000 in the near future when the U.S. troop presence is drawn down after the June 30 handover to Iraqi authorities.

The presence of so many armed security contractors in a hot combat zone is unprecedented in U.S. history, according to government officials and industry experts.

from: Washington Post (free registration required)

Another interesting and surprising source on the growing role of "contractors" in US and coalition military actions is this months National Geographic Adventures magazine. It features an article by a correspondent in Afghanistan. Part of the article deals with the correspondent's journeys with one of these contractors. This article is far more than a travelogue. It's very good investigative journalism. I can't find the article online, but there's some addition information here:
National Geographic Adventures

The Logan's Run Television Show Page

The Seattle Times: Local News: Hundreds might have been exposed to measles: "Seven children from King and Snohomish counties have confirmed or probable cases of red measles and may have exposed hundreds of people in 21 public places in King and Snohomish counties. "

Follow the link for a list of locations where you could have been exposed.

Almost too ridiculous to be possible: News: "The Battle of Hastings never took place and Adolf Hitler is a fictional character. Robin Hood really existed, Harold Wilson saved Britain during the Second World War and Conan the Barbarian is a bona fide figure from early Nordic history." Think this is yet another example of how Americans think of history? Think again. As the article states, "This is how a significant chunk of the British population, muddled by Hollywood films and unmoved by academia, sees history."


I refer you to our previously posted Brief History of the British Empire.

Sci Fi Wire -- Farscape Returns

"SCI FI announced it will be bringing back Farscape with an all-new miniseries — called Farscape: Peacekeeper War — slated to air in the fourth quarter of this year. The four-hour miniseries picks up where the cliffhanger series finale left off and will reunite John Crichton (Ben Browder), Aeryn Sun (Claudia Black) and the rest of the Moya crew."

What!? I'm starting to think the cancellation of Farscape was just a publicity stunt.

Library Stuff, a weblog about libraries.

It all started when the school librarian gave me a copy of The Glass Bead Game by Herman Hesse. At the time, it seemed a very innocent, kind gesture. Little did I realize what secret forces were about to take hold of my life. But first, let me back up a little. My name is Danny Reed, and I'm a Junior at Benjamin Franklin High School in Plabo, North Dakota, and just because I happen to like books that are a little more complicated than most, I happen to be persecuted. I don't only like books, though. I also like games. Mostly I play video games, though I like board games too. There aren't many people to play board games with in Plabo, though. I also have a little secret to do with games. Sometimes, when I could be playing to win, I'm not. I'm playing because I want to find a new way to play. Like one time when I tried to get one property of every color in Monopoly and was beaten by my Mother. My Mother! Can you believe it? In fact, now that I think about it, it wasn't books so much as games that got me into so much trouble.

This morning I woke up with yet another idea for a story, which I am now hastily committing to paper.

Thought for the day: The Chevy avalanche looks like a smaller truck in a docking station.

"There Goes the Neighborhood" by Benjamin Wallace-WellsAre we on the verge of a housing crash?

"Only in about 20 metro areas, mostly located in eight states, does the relationship of home price to income defy logic. The bad news is that those areas contain roughly half the housing wealth of the country. In California, the price of a home stands at 8.3 times the annual family income of its occupants; in Massachusetts, the ratio is 5.9:1; in Hawaii, a stunning, 10.1:1. "

PBS | I, Cringely . Archived Column

It's not that this article was particularly great, just that it contained this partiuclarly great sentence:
"And if all else fails, Microsoft can always pull up stakes and move to some other country, the very threat of which would stimulate a frenzy of political ass-kissing that could ultimately result in Bill Gates being named king of somewhere or other, possibly even of the U.S."

Newsletter Volume 21 Number 1

"She was stretched on her back beneath the pear tree soaking in the alto chant of the visiting bees, the gold of the sun and the panting breath of the breeze, when the inaudible voice of it all came to her. She saw a dust-bearing bee sink into the sanctum of a bloom; the thousand sister calyxes arching to meet the love embrace and the ecstatic shiver of the tree from root to tiniest branch creaming in every blossom and frothing with delight. So this was a marriage! She had been summoned to behold a revelation."

-- From Their Eyes Were Watching God by Nora Neale Hurston

This quote opens Dr. Louise Cowan's amazing address on the subject of sex, marriange, and the sacred, in which she makes many incredible assertions and discovers many astounding insights. It is recommended.

Pakistan Christian Post: "Osama, you have been wrong on both counts. There is a God, and there are Knights Templar who still serve Him centuries after the Crusades. "

Corned Beef Brisket in Stout
This year be bought a brisket for St. Patrick's Day, but we were so sick we couldn't eat it. We finally got around to cooking it last night.

• Take a 4 pound corned beef brisket and
  
• Pour two cans of stout over it in a pot (I used Murphy's Stout) and add water till the brisket is covered.
  
• Add a bunch of peppercorns and a bay leaf. Simmer.
  
• Secret part! Change the stout water after 2 and a half hours.
  
• Simmer for 2 more hours.
  
• Add chopped carrots and/or onions, potatoes, rutabega.
  
• Simmer for 15 minutes.
  
• Add chopped cabbage.
  
• Simmer for 15 minutes.
  
• Eat!

The meal was a success. Next time I might try baking it. I hear that's good too.

"Homeland Security is making America safe from British novelists"

Ian McEwan, winner of the Booker Prize, and author of Atonement, almost missed his appearance last night before Seattle Arts & Lectures after he was refused entry to the United States by American authorities at the Vancouver, B.C., airport.

A week or so ago, there was an article on Salon called Confessions of a mid-list author, which I dutifully blogged. The author complained of the unpleasantness of being merely semi-successful. The semi-successful, she explained, spend half their advance promoting their own novel, since the publishing house is only interested in blockbusters. The semi-successful never know if they'll be invited to write another novel. They are feted then dropped unceremoniously by agent and editor. This article produced not one but two rounds of letters on Salon. Finally, a more than semi-successful author chimed in.

"While Ms. Doe's tone may have seemed whiny to some, it sounded wounded to me. And what she says is righteous, to the extent that editors and publishers do indeed foster a sense of deep personal connection when you're riding the winning pony. It cools rapidly when your horse fails to show. I suspect the same sort of distancing must occur between a physician and a patient who is terminally ill -- perhaps a necessary prelude to a parting."

Meanwhile, for you visual and reading enjoyment, I suggest this.