Book of the Black Dog

“Leaving’s not the only way to go.” – Roger Miller

“No statement should be believed because it is made by an authority.” Robert A. Heinlein

Putting start to lyrics here for later reference. Not finished or scanning right, but it's a start.

Yesterday,
I don’t think my nipple looked that way.
Now it’s an ugly bluish green,
And several more spots can be seen.

Hell, here’s three more on my leg.
I look like I‘ve got the plague.
Or like some spotted jersey cow
I’m sure there will be more three days from now.

The heavy fighters catcalls come in a flood,
Just because I’m not pissing blood.
I could wear bruises like a pelt,
Like some under-armored “generi-celt”

They’re right of course it could be worse,
I decidedly like my spleen unburst.
My Don is asking me what’s up.
I tell him that I’m glad I wear a cup.

My doctor asks me if I feel safe at home.
But I'm abused on the field by Guillaume.
Or by Simon, Micheal, or Doc Jock.
I really shouldn’t use my face to try and block.

My Capo Ferro could improve
I practice footwork til I’ve worn a groove.

Ok, to get a couple inside jokes out of the way: ahem
THIRTEEN!!!
Up by the Ilium of dawn.

Really, don't ask.

Ok WW breakdown. This was my first SCA camping event, but I did day trip WW a couple years ago in search of my rapier authorization. I could say that the experience was biblical. First there was the great storm, then the plague of flies, and by the end we almost had to kill Mary's first born son. Just sayin.

I attended solo as my honey's idea of camping is a hotel with hot and cold running waiters. With that in mind, I am so glad I did not convince her to come with. She would have been miserable with the heat, the flies, the strangers, the storm etc etc and then looked at me and asked "Remind me again, why did you think this was a good idea?".

I camped with great folks, good food, good laughs good times. The tent weathered the storm with absolutely no troubles. I got some nice compliments on the pavilion and my mead. Cooking with dutch oven and coals turned out to be a learning experience, but none the less yummy.

Fighting: Friday, I was off my game. Period. I could make excuses, but really that's what they would be. Saturday on the other hand was a GREAT day. Started off with the Baroness' Whim, and got to schtick it up and play the fop, and make both baronesses laugh. I got to step in and help assist two relatively new fighters against two Dons in a reductive Mele and turned the tide so the final fight was between the two new folks. Got to rip off some memorable lines in the NOT the duel at dawn - Nuh-uh! and picked up some fights with out of town folks that I would never have a chance to spar with. Now I want to pen a song called "Nickle sized bruises" (Even if you win you lose, if all you take home is a nickle sized bruise.)

Saturday evening was ended with way too much drinking at Shadow company, and staggering mostly downhill to my tent. But next year, (yes dear readers, I'm hoping there is a next year) I want to have more clothes made, and final touches put on my tent.

That's all for now. More as I remember it.

Just because you've always done it that way doesn't mean it's not incredibly stupid

So after reading an article about the differences between Obama and Palin, it pointed out a very interesting point that resonated with me. Palin's attraction seemed to do a lot with class distinction. Barack Obama represents the meritocratic ideal — that anyone, from any background, can grow up to attend Columbia and Harvard Law School and become a great American success story. But Sarah Palin represents the democratic ideal — that anyone can grow up to be a great success story without graduating from Columbia and Harvard.

The point that struck me was that the Democratic candidate was the meritocratic ideal. The idea that if you have your poop in a group, and have drive and do well you can and will be successful. Where the Republican candidate seemed to express the message of you can and should have a chance to be successful even without that.

To me that seems terribly backwards to each party's core messages. The Democratic Party seems to have always believed that a rising tide should raise all the boats, where the Republicans seemed to extol the virtues of pulling yourself up by the bootstraps.

I myself believe in meritocracy. I want my leaders to be the elite, the cream of the crop. But I do realize that meritocracy tends toward cronyism. If you don't go to the right schools, etc doors won't be open to you to provide to opportunity to excell to the elite. On the other hand, over Democratization leads to the observation that cream is not the only thing that rises. I believe that without the competition there is no reason to excel and little progress. A great bland blah.

If you want to read the article for yourself:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/06/opinion/06ross.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

Not unless it's dissolved in a liquid, but I digress.

A story just came out about a pro-marijuana group suggesting that pot may be the way out of CA's financial mess. By legalizing, and taxing it as a means of solving the states massive budget problems.

On the surface, it looks like a good idea, but just past that...not so much. First some qualifiers and reveals. 1) I am for marijuana legalization. I think that it's been over demonized and there are enough products from the plant that I think it should be considered as a taxable cash crop. 2) I'm not a marijuana user, for a multitude of reasons first of which is that it is still currently illegal. Secondly, I don't get altered all that often even by legal means, the other reasons are miscelanea.

So, why do I feel it's not such a good idea? Well a lot of it falls down to enforcement. Sure, there would be a certain population willing to pay their taxes to buy or grow and sell pot. However there is and has existed a much larger population that because of the illegality of the drug would not suddenly look forward to having Uncle Sam (or in this case Cousin Arnie)taking a bite out of their profits and become the updated moonshiners. This will likely not slow down the pot industry, only now they would be adding tax evasion to their resume.

Second, because it is still Federally illegal, there is no way that it would pass a single court case.

Third, in my head it becomes a slippery slope. Great, marijuana taxes fill the coffers, but will likely quickly reduce in intake for two reasons. 1) Initial use would increase out of the novelty, but would probably level out or drop off. 2)Legislators who see an uptick in revenue and unlikely to see the possibility of the money dropping off (I base this on past action and human nature) will increase spending only to be screwed when the tax revenue does drop back off. So then what becomes the next "quick fix"? Legalize prostitution? There are a number of unpopular laws that could be taken off and taxed, but that doesn't necessary mean that taking them off the books is a good thing or benefits society.

So ends my mental rambling.

For those of you intrested in such things. Keep an eye out at 11 minutes after 10am for then it will be: 07-08-09 10:11

That is all.

“One observes the survivors, and learns from them.” Bene Gesserit Teaching

see more Lol Celebs

“The only people with whom you should try to get even are those who have helped you.” - John E. Southard

”It's great to be great, but its greater to be human." - Will Rogers

Here's a fun little flash game where you destroy castles with your trebuchet.

http://armorgames.com/play/3614/crush-the-castle

Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy. - Dale Carnegie

“The most important things to say are those which often I did not think necessary for me to say—because they were too obvious."

So the painting on the tent is all done but some touch up (cleaning up some edges on the roof, and painting over some boo-boos). I also need to sew on some buttons on the inside of the tent for holding the doors open, but I can do that on site during down time.

Last night was good. I got to test out my new turnshoes. They fit great and they have enough grip that I'm not going to need to put on some dance sole for traction. The downside is that they really do look like house slippers. Meh. I still need to sew on some straps for tightening the whole shoe up a bit, and maybe dye them a darker color (they are buff colored now).

I had a good time fighting last night. My honey has pointed out that I get pissy when I don't go and fight on a regular basis, and I've missed fighting for two weeks in a row. So it was good to get back in there. There was visitors from out of town, and for the life of me I cannot remember her name, but sparring with new folks is always a treat. I got to spar with my teacher, and block with my face a bit, and I almost wound up missing out on the opportunity because I wanted to leave in time to go home and paint on my tent while I still had sunlight. But all was accomplished, and now the feverish packing begins for WW.

I am Dr. Adewole Aremu- a director with the Union Bank of Nigeria in Lagos - and I wish to speak to you most urgently about a matter regarding the sum of $39,000,000 US Dollars...

The MN Supreme Court has returned a verdict that "Al Franken received the highest number of votes legally cast and is entitled under Minn. Stat. § 204C.40 (2008) to receive the certificate of election as United States Senator from the State of Minnesota."

So, now does Cornyn and cronies attempt to fillibuster Senator Elect Franken's seating? Unlikely. I also think that Coleman will drop it in an attempt to look as a viable candidate for the MN govenorship. Personally I think the majority of Minnesotans are willing to kick him in his giant chicklet teeth. I'm just sayin'

*UPDATE*
Coleman has conceeded, saying that he does not intent to take it to a higher court. This makes it very difficult for anyone else to keep dragging this out. Pawlenty will sign it, and Franken will be sworn in...sometime. Will Norm now thow his hat into the ring for the Governorship? Stay tuned true belivers.

In most instances, all an argument proves is that two people are present

“The simplest questions are the most profound. Where were you born? Where is your home? Where are you going? What are you doing? Think about these once in a while and watch your answers change.” Richard Bach