If not, you will be after reading what Helen has to say.

Posted by: JohnL at 11:01 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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One of my favorite bloggers is hanging up his spurs.

Timothy Sandefur was one of the first bloggers to link to me, so there is a sentimental side to seeing him quit now.

As a lawyer for a public-interest libertarian foundation, he works to increase liberty in our country; he doesn't just talk about it. But when he does talk about liberty, he does so lucidly and persuasively. Check back through his archives for some of the most clear and concise explanations you can find online of the moral and philosophical foundations of our legal system, of classical liberalism, and of objectivism.

Though Timothy may no longer be blogging on his personal website, keep your eyes peeled for his name. He'll continue to write for Liberty, and I bet his name will crop up from time to time in other areas, as his writing is too good to escape recognition over the long term.

Best wishes, Timothy.

Posted by: JohnL at 11:04 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Is there anything any of you have wanted to ask me? Anything you were really curious about, but just never got the chance to bring up politely?

Well now's your chance to get some answers. Jennifer Larson has kindly offered to subject me to one of her famous interviews, and she needs some questions to ask. Please submit them to jenlarson -at- gmail -dot- com no later than 6:00 PM CDT Saturday, May 28.

Unless you identify yourself in the question, I will have no way of identifying you, so feel free to ask anything. I'll do my best to answer any reasonable query.

Thanks!

Posted by: JohnL at 09:37 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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JKrank, proprietor of Sofia Sideshow, is back and blogging after a 3-month hiatus. He has returned to Bulgaria (where he works in film). He's a great writer, and I love his "day-in-the-life" stories from a former Soviet satellite. I may never travel there, but get to vicariously experience it from the comfort of my computer terminal. Go check him out.

Posted by: JohnL at 11:30 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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It has been awhile since the STG network has had a new microcharity to highlight. In honor of the first anniversary of the network, STG is promoting the original charity, Susan Tom and the Tom Family Education Trust.

Read more about it here.

Posted by: JohnL at 09:14 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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The Japanese word otaku is used casually among the anime subset of SciFi as a synonym for "geek." I bet few know the word really carries a much stronger negative connotation than geek (or nerd or dweeb or dork), meaning a seriously unhealthy obsession with a hobby.

Unhealthy is the operative word here.

Though it's been 15 years or so since I played the game, D&D still comes to mind occasionally. And I suppose it makes me a real otaku that I thought about what my real-life D&D character traits would be while lying in a 103.2 F fever dream this weekend:

S: 12
I: 17
W: 14
D: 11
C: 4
Ch: 13

Don't even know my best character class based on that anymore. Wizard or Cleric, probably, as both involve fast talk, just like lawyering.

Be sure to note the low constitution score. I swear, this year has not been a good year for my health. First the colitis incident a couple of months ago, and now I've been laid up since Friday with some sort of nasty virus. High fever, aches and pains, constricted chest. Saw the doctor yesterday and she told me to keep doing what I was already doing: take Mucinex (my new best friend), alternate Advil and Tylenol to manage the fever, drink plenty of fluids and get plenty of rest. She also gave me a Z-Pack in case there was a secondary infection that didn't present itself in the exam. Today I finally feel mostly human, as my fever never got above 99. I plan to go back to work tomorrow, for at least long enough not to take another PTO day (that's what really burns me -- I've now wasted a week of paid time off on illness this year. Grrr.)

That accounts for the slow bloggage around here. Thanks for your patience and continued support.

Posted by: JohnL at 08:58 PM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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1 Glad you're getting back to near normal. Take it easy and make sure you're completely recovered. My wife works in a medical office, and this year has been unreal with seeing the same people over and over from trying to come back too soon.

Posted by: Ted at May 12, 2005 05:47 AM (blNMI)

2 It's been so long since I've played I can't even remember what traits the letters stand for... Strength Intelligence Wisdom D=? Constitution CHarisma Hope you continue to feel better.

Posted by: Jack Grey at May 12, 2005 02:54 PM (Jq8H8)

3 D is for Dexterity. I'm average; klutzy at some things, very dextrous at others.

Posted by: JohnL at May 12, 2005 03:19 PM (YVul2)

4 OK, so you're opting for the wizard. (For what it's worth, us 'Learned Counsel' types are what they now refer to as Rogues in that now-somewhat-less-than-blasphemus-3.5 Edition.) That's cool; always need fire support in a party. Just remember, noone (or at least, very few) puts Vin Diesel in the geek category, and he's cursed the Gods of Game Balance and Wayward Dice as much as either of us. (Yes, Ranger, with bastard sword > )

Posted by: Lysander at May 13, 2005 12:42 PM (ShW/G)

5 Hope you get better soon. Z-packs are always handy. Geekitude is relative, by the way.

Posted by: Owlish at May 13, 2005 11:33 PM (sBj9U)

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Are you looking for some news sources to provide fodder for your blog?

Graham at Point2Point has assembled a helpful list.

Posted by: JohnL at 09:28 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Well, Eric helped us finish this interview meme with an outstanding set of answers. I'll have to try to track down the wine in his answer to number 6.

Thanks to Owlish, Gunner, LDH, Lysander, and Eric for playing along!

Posted by: JohnL at 06:32 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Gunner has already asked Eric some good questions at his blog, so I have to think a bit differently here for the final interview. You all should be acquainted with the rules by now. Without further ado:

1. My standard first question: for readers new to your blog, explain your blog-name.

2. Which fictional Sci Fi universe would you rather live in, and explain why: Star Wars or Star Trek?

3. (Shamelessly stolen from my interview of Gunner): What do you think about the current long term force "transformation" policy of the DoD, i.e., the "modular" Army based on swappable brigades like the new Stryker brigades? (On that note, what do you think about the Stryker vehicle? Competitor or complement to heavy armor?)

4. What do you think about Heinlein's controversial premise in Starship Troopers, namely, that the voting franchise should be available only to those citizens who had performed military (or conscientious-objector-alternative) service?

5. What single amendment would you make to the US Constitution, assuming that it would be ratified (make it a single-issue amendment, not an omnibus provision)? Feel free to suggest a text, or just describe your goal.

6. What California wine (or winery) delivers the best value (good quality at a reasonable price)? (Winery, vintage, varietal, and price, if possible).

I'll link to his answers when posted.

Posted by: JohnL at 07:41 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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