ThomStratton.com

A local fan-con has hired a company to create some video spots. They decided to go with the concept of a gaming group tackling a role-playing game of real life. The results are…amusing:

Check out all five:

Ep. 1: Orc
Ep. 2: Elf
Ep. 3: Cleric
Ep. 4: Knight
Ep. 5: Wizard Cubicle Master – I can especially relate to this one.

We humans like to think we’re in control. We like to think we can fix things. But in the end there is far too much beyond our control.

My latest reminder of this came in the form of a goldfinch we found on our deck last night. We could see nothing wrong with it, but it still just sat there. We’ve seen squirrels do that, and were instructed by people who know to spray them with water, as they’re likely struggling with overheating. We got a spray bottle and misted this bird, which only would make it blink and occasionally flutter a little. We tried giving it seeds in case it was hungry. Nothing. We gave it some water to drink, and it took a little. Then it would tuck its head into its wing and sleep.

Night was coming on. We have cats in the neighborhood, so we couldn’t just leave it there. So we constructed it a shelter with food, water, and a box to hide in, and covered it over with a laundry basket and towels for the night. We would check on it, and it was still moving around from time to time. There really wasn’t much more we could do.

This morning it was dead. We can try to comfort ourselves with the idea that at least its last hours were calm, quiet, and secure, not as cat food, and that hopefully it realized that we cared. But in the end we still failed. The bird may not be dead because of us, but the bird is also not alive because we saved it. We can only just hope that we didn’t inadvertently bring about its death from trying to help it.

We can’t fix everything. No, we shouldn’t give up trying. But caring comes at a cost, and action inherently includes the chance of failure.  I still think I would rather have tried and failed, than having failed to try. But ultimately far too many things, success or failure, are not really in our control.

I’m of two (at least) minds on this whole “Washington Redskins” name controversy. I can see why people would want it changed. I’ve tried to put myself in their shoes by thinking about how I’d feel if someone decided to name a team after something important to me. What, for example, if they were the Washington Mormons? To some degree I wouldn’t care. There comes a point when a name becomes a trademark, completely separate from it’s literal connotation. If a Washington Mormons player were caught raping teenagers at a party I don’t think people would even make the connection to my religion, let alone try to blame the player’s behavior on my church. Still, the name, even if it’s only a nickname, is important to me, and I would wish they would represent it better.

Growing up, I went to Pocatello High School, known as the Indians. Our city, and hence our high school, was named for an indian chief from the nearby Shoshone-Bannock tribes. The school has had an ongoing dialogue with those tribes over use of the name “indians” and our mascot, “Oskie”. The compromise which has lasted for a long time is that they would allow us to keep the names, so long as we used them respectfully, with effort to instruct the students about those names and traditions. That’s why our school’s mascot has always had to know and perform a traditional war dance, and does so with serious dignity. And quite frankly, I think it’s cool that we have had those traditions, that tie to history, and to our neighbors.

I’ve not lived in Pocatello for over a decade, so I don’t know how well this compromise and tradition continues to hold. I don’t know if the tribal leaders are still as supportive today. But I hope everyone is still happy with the arrangement.

That said, I don’t think the Washington Redskins have that tie to history or that sense of respect. Ideally they would come to the conclusion on their own that, yes, they should change the name of the team. They could get a lot of positive publicity by doing so. Or at least they could have a while ago. I think the window of opportunityis closing fast, if not shut already, and it’s more a matter of how much kicking and screaming (on both sides) will occur first. But in the end, they’re in the business of pleasing people. Why cling to a name if it’s getting in the way? In this controversy-driven culture there’s little risk of any Redskins fans not hearing about a name change and not knowing who to go buy tickets from. Heavens, sports stadiums change their names every few years. People still know where to go. What’s the big deal?

On the other hand, I’m not sure why this has become the government’s problem. More specifically, why has this become Harry Reid’s personal crusade–when he’s not publicly decrying the Koch Brothers with more vitriol and vigor than he’s ever managed to raise for the United States’ enemies? Take a look at any news site at what is going on in this country and around the world, and it boggles the mind why the US Senate Majority Leader believes a football team name is the most important of our time. Is it because he believes the Koch Brothers are personally paying the team owner to keep the name?

We are currently engaged in several ongoing investigations into whether or not the US Government is abusing its power. We should be more concerned about this than we are. Is it okay simply because they’re persecuting people you disagree with? By thinking that way you are giving them tacit approval to do the same to you should the party in power be reversed. It’s no big deal if the IRS has been purposely discouraging Tea Party groups from attaining non-profit status? Then you must think it’s okay for the IRS to turn around and specifically target pro-abortion groups and non-profit clinics. The rules should apply at all times, not just when it suits you.

So, to the Washington Redskins I suggest you consider a name change. You could still generate some good will–if only among memorabilia collectors. It’s not like team name changes are unprecedented. Or how about a logo change? Switch to a picture of a red potato. Problem solved.

And to the Washington power-players, I suggest you get serious about serious problems. When you politicize such issues you turn it into a question for the team owner of “will I give in to these powerful, rich politicians who think everything is their business?” instead of “what’s the right thing to do here?”. When you take these little end-runs to the Patent Office you show just how petty you are, while opening the door to more abuses of the system. The power of the US Government is better spent on something other than pressuring a single business to change its branding. There’s people-power to handle these sorts of things. Let it work, and get to work on something worthy of government.

So that’s what I wish would happen. What do you think my chances are?

Just a little Studio C for your hump-day enjoyment (or not):

First up: I never played this game at school when I was a kid. Water was sufficient.

And next, our worst fears for Star Wars VII are realized:

And last, but far from least, The Brothers Grimm encounter a group of critics–or is it the writing group from hades?

Everyone have a great Wednesday!

Kendall Jenner has a pretty face. So why does she want her pelvis to get all the attention?

I know it’s a woman’s perogative to change her mind, but the cognitive dissonance sometimes is deafening. We are told that women do no want to be treated like objects, and yet how do they repeatedly seek attention? By showing just how much clothing they can get away with not wearing. We are told they want to be respected for their minds, and yet we are given a never-ending parade of women known only for…what, exactly? Being famous? Being naked? “Accidentally’ leaking sex tapes?

It’s a basic law of marketing. You don’t sell steak by showing us how clever the cow it came from was. You show us how good that steak looks. You sell the sizzle. You make us smell the steak. Alternately, you’ll never convince us the cow is smart by showing us the hamburger you made of it.

Is Kendall Jenner smart? How would I know? No one is marketing her mind, least of all her. Google “Kendall Jenner college” and what you get is not encouraging. She dropped out of high school to work on her reality shows, her “brand”, and modeling. Supposedly her parents are feuding over whether she should go to college (Bruce Jenner’s idea) or work on modelling and sex tapes (Kris Jenner’s idea).

I didn’t read that article, mind you. I don’t intend to. But if the synopsis that shows up in the search results is correct, it’s absolutely baffling. Aren’t women supposed to be wanting their daughters to be educated and smart? Aren’t men just wanting lots of pretty faces? And yet it’s her father who wants her to go to college, while her mother wants her to milk her looks for all she can, share her most private moments (and parts) with all the world, and get rich quick.

Looks fade. Celebrity is fleeting. What’s Paris Hilton up to these days? Or Lindsey Lohan? If you’re not getting into trouble or showing off a lot of skin no one seems to notice any more. We as a society have come to celebrate pretty train-wrecks. We’ll shower you with attention and money if you’re willing to humiliate or expose yourself in front of us all. And if you can manage to humiliate yourself by exposing yourself–well, that’s awesome-squared. You may be nothing but a body to the vast majority, but you’re laughing all the way to the bank. And that’s what counts, right?

Until someone else yanks the spotlight away. Zoom! Attention is gone. No one cares. Better go find a racier swimsuit or red-carpet outfit. Better get in a highly-publicized fight with someone. Just don’t say anything that goes against the mainstream in an interview. That’ll get you all kinds of the wrong attention.

Emma Watson graduated from Brown University last month. She doesn’t show up on the celebrity radar that much. Why not? Aren’t we supposed to value women for their minds?

Sure, so long as there’s nothing better to discuss, like whether Kendall Jenner’s latest outfit was so revealing it precluded underwear.

Evidently it will cost you $20,000 to have someone killed. That’s what David Goldblatt has ponied up to get himself killed. But it’s not just anyone that will be killing him. It’s George R. R. Martin. Goldblatt was one of two people who donated $20,000 each to have Martin kill them in an upcoming book as part of a fundraiser for a wolf sanctuary and a New Mexico food bank. The effort has brought in nearly $380,000 of his $500,000 goal, with 36 days left.

I’m not a George R. R. Martin fan, and I’ve heard too much about his work to likely become one. But good on him for parleying his fame for some good causes. If I had $7500 sitting around I’d be tempted to buy his hat. It’s a cool hat.

It’s encouraging to see when people of all levels of fame are able to channel their fanbases into accomplishing something truly worthwhile. It’s a win-win for everyone. Even those who can’t afford–or at least justify–helping out on one of these can at least help publicize it by sharing around the interwebs. And I guess that’s what I’m doing. I already did what I could for Robison Wells’ charity drive, but I’m more than happy to at least publicize. So if you like Martin or his work, consider helping out.

I will probably never own a new car. This is something I learned from my parents, who also never owned a new car. But, as with everything in life, there are trade-offs. I may save tens of thousands of dollars, but I take on a greater load of worry. You have to make sure you get regular maintenance, and with every oil change you wonder what else the mechanic is going to find about to break. You think twice about making longer trips.

My record with used cars is mixed. I’ve had six cars in my lifetime, and of those three have held together for more than five years. My first car made it eight years. The next made it maybe two. The third we gave away after a couple years, and it still only lasted another year or two after that. But our fourth we’ve had for eleven years, and it’s still going. The fifth has made it nine years and counting. This week we picked up our sixth.

Our fourth car, now 21 years old, is showing its age. It leaks/burns oil at the rate of a quart every two weeks. The air conditioning died (again) two years ago. And lately it’s been developing an odd casualness toward driving straight at high speeds. Since the vast majority of the time I drive on the freeway this has become a serious concern. The mechanic says it’s time for all new struts, to the tune of $1500. There comes a time when keeping an old one going is no longer cost effective. That $1500 would go quite a way toward something newer. I decided it was time to find something else.

But I do hate car shopping. I’ve never been a car-tinkerer, so I don’t really know how to spot potential problems. A car can look good but be full of problems just waiting to pounce. You can go with brands you know, but even that’s no guarantee. Each car is different, each has had a different history. I know from experience that “Little old lady drivers who only used it to go to church” do exist. But so do young adult males who think they’re Jeff Gordon.

There is reason to suspect that one of the three previous owners of this car was the latter. Someone decided to put custom, racing-style wheels on an old Toyota Corolla. Yes, my new vehicle has American Racing rims. It also has a radio/cassette-player with buttons for playing CDs, though I can see no means of actually loading a CD. Several door handles are broken. Only time will tell whether these are just quirks of the individual car or clues I should have picked up on.

I had the car in to the mechanic for the state inspection and emissions testing, and had them give me an idea of what work they saw it would need while we were at it. To my relief it’s fairly minor. At least I don’t have to feel bad. If they didn’t see anything, how could I have been expected to? Buying a used car is always a bit of a craps-shoot. Y’pays your money and y’takes your chances. I still have my fingers crossed that this will turn out to be a solid car. The good news is that it came in well under our budget, so I’ve still got a fair amount of budget left to deal with repairs.

It’s a bit strange getting used to a different car after ten years of driving the previous one. Yes, it’s a Toyota Corolla, too, but there are quite a few differences in how it handles, how it feels, how it sounds, etc. This one has a fat steering wheel, for example. The oil goes in on the opposite side from what I’m used to. It’s got daytime running lights. The response of the gas pedal is different. The seat feels different.

But hey, it’s got working A/C. That’s kind of an important one down here in the summer. Between the A/C and the custom wheels I’m going to look totally cool.

On a side note, our closest DMV office is fast. I walked in, found a receptionist, got a number, and before I even had the number slip securely in my hand the automated queuing system was already calling it. The entire stop took about ten minutes. Perhaps there is a difference between DMV offices, though I didn’t find the one where I got my Utah license to be terribly bad, either. Utah may have its problems, but it seems to have an efficient DMV.

I know this is a touchy subject and I’m not likely to make many friends here, but I really don’t see what was so wrong with what Miss Nevada/Miss USA Nia Sanchez said about women and self-defense.

“I believe that some colleges may potentially be afraid of having a bad reputation and that would be a reason it could be swept under the rug, because they don’t want that to come out into the public,”Nia Sanchez said. “But I think more awareness is very important so women can learn how to protect themselves. Myself, as a fourth-degree black belt, I learned from a young age that you need to be confident and be able to defend yourself. And I think that’s something that we should start to really implement for a lot of women.”

The Twitter-rage was instantaneous. She only strengthened the Rape Culture. She blames the victim. We should be teaching rapists not to rape, not women to defend themselves. And on and on.

Now, it’s stupid that I even need to say this, but there seem to be a lot of people out there who will not assume this unless I say it: I believe rape is wrong. Men should not rape women. Women should not rape men. Everyone should treat each other kindly. And you are right, we shouldn’t need to defend ourselves.

But until we figure out how to get humanity to improve itself, there are still rapists out there, and which do you really think is going to be more effective in deterring them from raping:

1. Telling them you shouldn’t have to defend yourself against the likes of them.

2. Causing them intense pain and getting away while they’re distracted, calling the police and getting them arrested if possible.

I know which I’d rather my daughter know how to do. It’s hard to imagine a more effective deterrent than, you know, being able to deter it rather than wishing it away.

I’m all for teaching rapists not to rape. But truth be told, I’ve only known two rapists in my life, and neither one of them announced their intentions to me before hand so that I could teach them not to. All the other men I’ve known in my life were successfully taught not to rape before I even entered the picture. And yet there are still men out there who rape women. Someone is not doing their job of teaching them not to do that, and I can only assume they’re not going to teach themselves. Hashtags, oddly enough, haven’t gotten through to them, either.

And so, whether or not a women should ever have to defend herself is irrelevant. And don’t forget mugging and assault. Human beings, because we live among human beings, may at some point or another need to defend themselves against people intent on doing something they should have been taught not to do. No, it does not make it their target’s fault at all if they are unable to defend themselves or fail at doing so, but not being at fault doesn’t make it hurt any less, either. If I can reduce the pain and suffering my daughter might experience by teaching her to defend herself, why wouldn’t I?

If you know there is a danger out there, why wouldn’t you take steps to minimize or avoid that danger? Why do we teach defensive driving, put children in car seats, and pass seatbelt laws if the solution is to teach people not to harm other people? If it doesn’t make everything okay to insist that drivers shouldn’t run into other people’s cars, why does it make sense to insist that men shouldn’t rape women, while doing nothing to help women protect themselves?

Yes, I know, that’s not an entirely apt analogy. The vast majority of drivers are not purposely intending to run into people. But a significant number of those who cause accidents could have taught themselves or been taught not to drive in a way that would endanger others. Most drivers should have had some training specifically designed to help them not run into other cars. I’m pretty sure the vast majority of bad driving I see every day was not taught, but rather in spite of proper teaching.

And yet clearly just teaching people not to drive badly is not enough. Innocent people still get hit. And yet no one is wringing their hands about our Wreck Culture and insisting that all drivers from Utah are a menace and need to be taught not to run into cars (Okay, Idahoans might be). No one is suggesting that people shouldn’t go out and buy cars rated high in crash safety tests because they shouldn’t have to even worry about wrecks. And if we’re not doing that in situations when bad things can happen accidentally, why would we in cases where bad things happen intentionally?

Look, let’s do what we can to teach rapists not to rape. But let’s also be a little bit practical and admit that even if we do find a fail-proof way of accomplishing that, it’s still going to take time. If we can at least reduce the number of women who are harmed in the mean time, how could that not be a good thing?

At the very least, let’s not beat up on someone just because they are looking at other options. For heaven sake, you’d think Ms. Sanchez had advocated for equipping rapists with baseball bats, Rohypnol, and zip-ties. At least she’s considering something practical. Just wishing the problem didn’t exist isn’t practical, and isn’t going to make it go away. Opposing women learning to defend themselves will teach rapists something, all right, but it’s not the lesson we want them to learn.