The Republic of T.

Sims 2 Countdown

One of the things I rarely every write about on this blog is my enduring obsession with computer games. For those who don't know, I am a long-term addict when it comes to computer games. I'm sure which one was the first I ever played, but I think it was (and I'm not counting "Pong") some version of Lemonade Tycoon—a lemonade stand simulation. That may have been the start of my particular dedication to the simulation genre of computer games. If Lemonade Stand got me started, then it was the original SimCity that sealed the deal, and lead to my purchasing just about every game in the "Sim" series. (I even bought SimHealthCare which came out around the time the Clinton healthcare plan was being gutted.)

The be-all/end-all of course was The Sims. When I first heard about the game from my brother (who shares my obsession with the genre, but leans more towards flight simulations), I couldn't wait for it to come out. And when it did, I can't begin to count the time I spent with it. I think the most amazing thing about it was the the infiinte possibility, and the storytelling side of the game (though it seems more a toy than a game). I didn't think the game could be improved upon until I heard about the Sims 2, which brings the Sims into the world of 3D, allows them to age, and even pass on thei DNA.

Tonight, I succumed and pre-ordered a DVD copy of The Sims 2 online, which will be released on September 17th. I figure it's easier to order it online than to attempt to coordinate a special trip to buy it. In the meantime, I'm amusing myself by playing with the Body Shop Sims creation tool from the game website. The picture in this post is one of my first creations, Ali.

Farewell Friendster

Via cut to the chase.

Evidently Friendster has an unofficial no bloggers need apply policy.

This blog has links to more coverage.

For my part, I've never been fired for blogging, but on a previous job I had some trouble because of it. I was moved to cancel my Friendster account. The button is the next thing to go.

Honestly, I never visited Friendster much after signing up. I haven't yet figured out a real use for these social linking services.

Self Evasion of the Mind

When considering gay Republicans these days, I keep remembering a phrase used by a favorite professor of mine: "self evasion of the mind." Watching gay Republicans is like watching some one continually return to an abusive relationship, eternally nursing the unfounded hope that the abuser will somehow miraculously change. Case in point, a gathering of Log Cabin Republicans in New York City for the party's national convention.

Neither Specter or Weld discussed what the Log Cabin gang should do about Bush. The president's embrace of a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage has presented queer Republicans with a challenge. How do you support a fellow who would deny your most basic aspirations? On this warmest of hot-button issues, Bush has sided with the Terryish fundamentalist wing over the cosmopolitans of the Log Cabin. But the Republicans in this restaurant want to be part of the GOP action. "I'm very upset with the president," Scott Schmitt, the communications director of the California Log Cabins told me. "How he approached the gay marriage amendment was very divisive. It was not in the spirit of how he campaigned in 2000. It was very offensive to the gay community." Well, Bush in 2000 did welcome the support of Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson in 2000, and used the religious right to squash Senator John McCain's presidential effort. But history aside, it did seem that Schmitt was being unduly generous to Bush by complaining about how Bush has supported the gay marriage amendment rather than Bush's support for the anti-gay measure.

More importantly, Schmitt, like others in the room, was quick to point out that neither John Kerry nor John Edwards have endorsed gay marriage. This is the lifeline for gay Republicans. Since there's no difference between the parties on this contentious issue, they argue, why shouldn't we stick with the party that represents our views on tax cuts, the war in Iraq and other matters? "As far as gays and marriage are concerned, you're screwed either way," said Carla Halbrook, a national board member of the group and a self-professed heterosexual. "The country is not ready for gay marriage. So I'm going to vote for a president that keeps me safe."

It was some time before I recognized "self evasion of the mind" as the act of contorting the mind so as not to have to see or acknowledge what is obvious to anyone who simply looks. What better term to describe the position into which the Log Cabin Republicans have twisted themselves in an attempt to reconcile identity with ideology. It's certainly debatable whether America is any safer under Bush since 9/11, as well as whether Bush can keep the country any safer than Kerry. But what gay Republicans seem to have consciously chosen not to see is the very real difference between Bush and Kerry on gay rights. Kerry opposes same sex marriage, but also opposes the constitional amendment banning it, which Bush supports. However, Kerry also supports civil unions that would give same sex couples the same rights and protections as married heterosexual couples. Bush has articulated no such position. His position on the FMA has been clearly stated.

Finding His Voice

As he closes in on his second birthday, our son is not only bursting into song, but he's also starting to use one or two word at a time to communicate his wants. If we give him something, like a couple of cheerios, he says "thank you, papa." (Despite all effort to get him to call me "Dada," he calls both of us "Papa" most of the time. ) He actually says "down" when he wants to get down from his booster seat after dinner.

But lately the idea of possession has crept into his consciousness. If another child shows an interest in a toy he has recently abandoned, Parker can be heard to shout "Mine!" This weekend, he appropriated my computer chair, and was quite proud of himself for being able to climb in it. This evening, when I went to sit down to read my email, I heard him cry out "my chair" (or something close to it) as he came running over to it.

Ah well, he is almost two.

An RNC-Free Blog

Just FYI, I am NOT blogging the Republican National Convention. I simply refuse to subject myself to that kind of bigotry (read their platform), and I refuse to have it in my house, even via television.

Pathetic Parents

There are a number of words that come to mind—sad, pathetic, sickening, frightening—when I read a story about parents objecting to a diversity training including anti-gay violence.

Outraged parents of Washington County students want the School Board to make policy changes after their children were exposed to gay themes at a youth summit.

Four months ago, about 30 students from the county and Bristol attended a conference at Emory & Henry College. During one of the day’s sessions, students broke into small groups and discussed various diversity issues using visual aids.

In one of the exercises, students saw images of a group of teenagers, one wielding an aluminum baseball bat, chasing a gay man and yelling a derogatory name. The students were asked to discuss how they felt about it.

Some parents now say they had no idea homosexuality would be among the issues addressed. Had they known, they said, they wouldn’t have let their children participate.

Of course it would be in Virginia, and of course no one would take into consideration that there might be some gay and lesbian young people in that school system, who face harassment on a daily basis. Nevermind that the training was trying to educate students against that kind of harassemnt.

Bradley Davis, pastor of Antioch Baptist Church, said some of his church members have children who attended the summit. He said the parents were not fully informed beforehand about what discussions would take place.

"I really felt deceived," Davis said, adding that he believes sexuality should be discussed only in the home.

"But it was brought to the attention of students in a school-type setting and educational environment," he said. "Homosexuality is not an acceptable lifestyle, so teaching it is sinful. It opposes the teaching of the church."

If getting beaten with a baseball bat is the Reverend's idea of sex play, I'm not sure whether to pity him or be afraid for his partners.

One county School Board member, Dayton Owens, attended the summit’s wrap-up dinner and watched as two of the five student group presentations portrayed homosexuality as acceptable, he said.

Concerned, Owens talked to some of the college’s group leaders, who said they are accepting of gays, he said.

"That greatly disturbed me," Owens said. "In this community here, it has traditional values, and it doesn’t include homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle. That doesn’t agree with the values of most of the parents and churches in the community.

What's most disturbing here is that there's not a word from Owens about whether he was "disturbed" by the portrayal of violence against gays. We're left instead to wonder if the idea of anti-gay voilence disturbs him as much as the idea of homosexuality itself. Is beating a gay man with a baseball bart part of his community's traditional values?

The same goes for the Reverend. Not a word from him about whether anti-day violence is "sinful," or whether it's a "sin" to attack a gay or lesbian person.

But that's to be expected, I guess. One more reason to stay out of rural Virginia.

Twinkle Twinkle

Our son has picked up the habit of bursting into song, probably because he's heard me singing around the house, and also because we've sung to him almost from day one. His inventory of songs is not yet vast. His favorites are "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" and "Happy Birthday."

Lately "Twinkle Twinkle" has been his favorite. After hearing him sing it a a few dozen times this weekend (just the first line over and over again) I got the idea to try and record him. He doesn't do it on demand, so it had to be spontaneous. When he was in a singing mood, I grabbed my new PDA, which has a voice memo feature, recorded him, synched it with my desktop, and after a little editing produced a little MP3 of him singing.

So, for your listening enjoyment, here is Parker's first recording.

The lyrics are entirely his own, and an approximation of the actual words (something like "ginko, ginko, henna, har"). He doesn't quite get through the third repetition of the first stanza before he gives himself a round of applause. Still, not a bad performance for a 21 month old.

Barman Rides Again

A while back I reviewed Barman, Alex Wellen's memoir on his last year or law school and his experience preparing for and taking the bar, and working for a law firm in New York. It was one of the books I picked up when I was doing intense research on law school (BTW, the applications are still coming in; the latest from Catholic Universit Law School, one of the schools I'm less likely to consider when I do apply).

Since then, I've had the pleasure of striking up an email correspondence and friendship with Alex. And though I'm a few days late in doing so, I wanted to acknowledge the publication of Barman in paperback. When it comes to books about the experience of going to law school—though the closest I've come to that experience thus far was a walk through a law library—I rank Alex's story among the best I've read thus far, because he's not so much giving advice as he is telling his story, and telling it an accesible, humourous voice that's also entertaining to read.

If you missed it in hardback, and you're interested in reading about one guy's experience with law school, the bar, and practicing law, you should pick up the paperback. (I have the hardback, which I'll take with me when to get autographed when Alex's promotional tour brings him to DC.) Alex gives his own reasons why you might want to pick up the paperback even if you have the hardback.

(1) The packaging: The cover is glossy, vibrant, and fun, and the book is compact,

(2) The paperback contains images of the innovative table tennis paddle that started it all, and

(3) If you buy the BARMAN paperback on amazon.com between August 24th and the 31st, I'll send you a free Candy Barman. (Legal Disclaimer: While supplies last and reasonably doctored-up proof of purchase required.)

The paperback became available on the 24th, but with work, family and jury duty commanding my already challenged attention span, the date slipped by me. So, I wanted to take the opportunity now to put in a word for a Alex and his great book.

Test

This is a test post from my PDA, using Bluetooth technology to connect it to my cell phone.

PB & J

My son, enjoying half of a peanut butter & jelly sandwich. Also the first picture sucessfully taken and sent via my new Sony Ericsson telephone.