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December 20, 2006
December 19, 2006
December 13, 2006
Jewish Paladins Apparently Not Welcome....
If you want to be a Jewish Paladin, you're apparently facing an uphill battle. Not from the forces of evil but the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). According to a ynet news article, Army frowns on Dungeons and Dragons, members of the IDF who admit to playing D&D are automatically given lower security clearances. A security official, referring to the tests administered to determine psychological fitness for a security clearance says,
"One of the tests we do, either by asking soldiers directly or through information provided us, is to ask whether they take part in the game," he says. "If a soldier answers in the affirmative, he is sent to a professional for an evaluation, usually a psychologist."
"These people have a tendency to be influenced by external factors which could cloud their judgment, a military official says. "They may be detached from reality or have a weak personality - elements which lower a person's security clearance, allowing them to serve in the army, but not in sensitive positions."
Are they making the claim that soldiers who play D&D might accept a covert command from their Dungeon Master to expose state secrets? How about this:
GM: "The Elf queen stands before you, her full amble breasts are barely covered by a thin sheen of magical elven chainmail. Se beckons you closer, saying, 'Show me the bombs of making waste that Israel denies having but both of us know they have and you will be suitably rewarded.'"
Krunk: "Do you RUE downgrading Krunk's security clearance? DO YOU RUE IT!!!????"
(A reference to Fear of Girls)
Considering all of the traditional pastimes of soldiers (i,e. drinking, wenching, gambling, brawling) you would think the Israeli army would embrace one that builds teamwork, requires thought, and stresses tactics as preferable. Evidently not. I know that D&D is very popular among our troops deployed in Iraq.
Now, I do know some D&D players who would be some pretty bad security risks, but it's them, not the D&D.
Seems like bored psychologists making up things to me.
David+
Technorati Tags: anglican, D&D, episcopal, games, military, Israel
December 09, 2006
My Strange Rankin-Bass Morning
Along with Christmas comes the inevitable deluge of Rankin-Bass cartoons on ABC Family. My wife Micky was watching one such cartoon in another room, and the following conversation occurred...
From the TV: "Take this magic amulet that will keep you from melting Frosty!"
David (D): Who's giving Frosty an amulet?
Micky(M): The evil ice wizard.
D: Why would an evil ice wizard give an anti-melt amulet to Frosty? Wouldn't he want Frosty to melt?
M: It's part of his evil plan - it's so Frosty can go to the Fourth of July Circus.
D: What? Why would he want Frosty to go to the circus?
M: Frosty needs to go to encourage Rudolph to perform.
D: Huh?
M: Yeah, the Evil Ice Wizard wants to take over the North Pole. He can't do that unless he can usurp the Claus. He's going to do that by eliminating Rudolph so that Santa can't penetrate his magic fog.
D: By sending him to a circus?
M: The Wizard has found out that if Rudolph ever uses his glowing nose for evil, it will cease to glow.
D: So performing in a circus is evil, huh? Is this a "Something Wicked This Way Comes" Circus?
M: Evidently - it must have something to do with that "carny" thing.
How much weed were these guys smoking? This was followed up by my favorite one which I refer to as "A Very Tolkien Christmas." In this particular show there is a council of immortals that Santa is a part of that ends up battling an evil council with dragons and wizards. The Rankin-Bass pantheon is bizarre indeed....
David+
Technorati Tags: anglican, christmas, episcopal, Rankin-Bass, tolkien
December 08, 2006
God's Inbox
Evan Eisen of Time Magazine has published this graphic essay, "God's Inbox" (In PDF format) reminiscent of the scene from "Bruce Almighty." I especially like the response of jc@kingdom.net, "Hey Dad would you please stop forwarding lotto requests..." It also proves something many of us have known for years - If God needed a computer, Macintosh would be the divine choice....
David+
