My wife sent me a link to a short civics trivia test. The quiz is made up of 20 questions found on the actual citizenship test with a few curveballs in the mix. The last ten questions may be a bit harder, but a score of around 24 out of 30 is considered a passing grade. They score you on the number right and you can compare it to others in your state, and to others in your age range. It is pretty cool! I got a 26 on the test, which is 6 points higher than most people in my age range and state of residence.
Check it out at http://games.toast.net/independence/
Let me know what you get!
Later!
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Sorry for the delay...
Sorry I have not been more attentive to the blog. A lot of stuff going on. I have a huge project at work that is taking up most of the brain cells in my head, things are busy around home, and I have been distracted by a injury (maybe) to my right knee. The doctor suspects I have a torn meniscus (cartilage) that will maybe require some outpatient surgery. We will see. However, to let you know what has been happening, I have a number of history demos coming up soon, (Love them, as they pay really well!) and I and working on the next two batches of DeeJay Cellars wine. They are a Port and a Cabernet. Both are about two weeks or more from bottling. And I am eagerly awaiting Easter, as I gave up Soda, all candy, and all potatoe products for Lent. (I am not a Catlikker, but a Lutheran, but I see a good lesson in the practice of giving up things for Lent.) I am not really missing anything, but I am looking forward to having a chance at eating those danged Kathryn Beich candy bars my son is selling for his Scout Troop! Dang those caramel bars are good. I hear them calling my name! Anyway, that is all for now.
Later!
Later!
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
The Dungeon Master is dead...
The world of role playing lost it's greatest treasure yesterday. E. Gary Gygax, the creator of the role playing game Dungeons and Dragons and arguably the biggest influence on all role playing out there today, died of an abdominal anuerism at the age of 69. The story can be found at http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9885383-1.html or just about any where on the net. Alot of people are writing about their feelings, and I find it very heartening that they are not being depressed and morose about it, but taking it rather well and giving him the kind of comments that I think he would have enjoyed. I am giving you a sample of those I have come across.
"Too bad he didn't get to re-roll his savings throw. The Lord is a harsh DM indeed. This is a sad day. Should've had an amulet of health or something.I mean, think about it, if Gary Gygax hadn't created D&D, how different my life would have been. I probably would've played sports, gone outside more, had sex before going to college, been more popular... Damnit Gary, YOU RUINED MY LIFE!!!"
"j/k My life has been infinitely more interesting thanks to the stuff I learned by gaming."
"No testament I've read yet even touches on how important this man's efforts have been in absolutely everything enjoyable in my life - EVEN if I didn't play DnD on a regular basis, the sheer idea of role-playing, creating adventures, looking forward to sharing awesome ideas in gaming environments with buds with pizza and pepsi and later beer and smokes and Magic the Gathering all traces back to the simple ideas this guy brought forth of randomizing storytelling in the fantasy worlds of swords, knights and dragons. World of Warcraft would not be without him. The Lord of the Rings movies, likewise. Supremely important this being was. He deserves a mountain throne, an elven palace or some elemental plane named after him."
"What loot did he drop?"
"What...no saving throw?
:-(
Well, I guess we all have to go meet the 'Dungeon Master' in the sky at some point...."
"Get the cleric."
reply- "That would permanently lower his constitution by one. I don't think Gary would want to live that way."
second reply- "Are you sure? Start with Speak with Dead and ask!
Unfortunately, I think his death qualifies as Death From Old Age and Raise Dead, Resurrection, and True Resurrection specifically exclude that."
"No one gets out of "HIS" adventures alive at the end of the game."
And finally, the one that made me laugh the most:
"I find it ironic that the man credited for preventing so much sex had six kids himself."
As for myself, I have been playing Gary's game or some version of it ever since I was about 12 years old or so. And now my son plays it too. I was hooked from the moment I opened the basic boxed set, oh, so many years ago and never let go of that desire to play. I was fortunate to meet him at Gen Con 2007 and got my photo taken with him and my son. I even got his signature on my D&D book. That's a Pretty Cool Thing in the the geek world.
Alot of the gaming I did was influential to my imagination, hobbies, and in some ways, view of life now a days. Thanks, Gary! It has been, and will continue to be fun.
Later!
"Too bad he didn't get to re-roll his savings throw. The Lord is a harsh DM indeed. This is a sad day. Should've had an amulet of health or something.I mean, think about it, if Gary Gygax hadn't created D&D, how different my life would have been. I probably would've played sports, gone outside more, had sex before going to college, been more popular... Damnit Gary, YOU RUINED MY LIFE!!!"
"j/k My life has been infinitely more interesting thanks to the stuff I learned by gaming."
"No testament I've read yet even touches on how important this man's efforts have been in absolutely everything enjoyable in my life - EVEN if I didn't play DnD on a regular basis, the sheer idea of role-playing, creating adventures, looking forward to sharing awesome ideas in gaming environments with buds with pizza and pepsi and later beer and smokes and Magic the Gathering all traces back to the simple ideas this guy brought forth of randomizing storytelling in the fantasy worlds of swords, knights and dragons. World of Warcraft would not be without him. The Lord of the Rings movies, likewise. Supremely important this being was. He deserves a mountain throne, an elven palace or some elemental plane named after him."
"What loot did he drop?"
"What...no saving throw?
:-(
Well, I guess we all have to go meet the 'Dungeon Master' in the sky at some point...."
"Get the cleric."
reply- "That would permanently lower his constitution by one. I don't think Gary would want to live that way."
second reply- "Are you sure? Start with Speak with Dead and ask!
Unfortunately, I think his death qualifies as Death From Old Age and Raise Dead, Resurrection, and True Resurrection specifically exclude that."
"No one gets out of "HIS" adventures alive at the end of the game."
And finally, the one that made me laugh the most:
"I find it ironic that the man credited for preventing so much sex had six kids himself."
As for myself, I have been playing Gary's game or some version of it ever since I was about 12 years old or so. And now my son plays it too. I was hooked from the moment I opened the basic boxed set, oh, so many years ago and never let go of that desire to play. I was fortunate to meet him at Gen Con 2007 and got my photo taken with him and my son. I even got his signature on my D&D book. That's a Pretty Cool Thing in the the geek world.
Alot of the gaming I did was influential to my imagination, hobbies, and in some ways, view of life now a days. Thanks, Gary! It has been, and will continue to be fun.
Later!
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