I can't be the only one who was waiting around for the morning's football games to start.
One hour early.
Sunday, October 30, 2005
Saturday, October 29, 2005
Madden 2006
I bought this for my Xbox the week it came out. I couldn't get it out of my mind, so I gave in quickly. However, the true gaming lust hadn't arrived. I played it briefly, but really had cravings in other directions.
Now that the real NFL season is in mid-swing, the Madden lust has arrived in force.
The Superstar mode is interesting, I suppose, but I don't really get the point. The role-playing elements are okay, but there doesn't really seem to be that much control to exert. For example, to raise your scores mid season, you have to go through practice mode over and over. This gets old quickly, and during the point increases are temporary after training camp, so there isn't much point.
Franchise mode is as engrossing as ever. I built a team from scratch, with a mix of real NFL player, and created rookies based on friends of mine. The salary cap keeps me honest, but the game allows you the freedom to make the team truly your own. I was happy to dispense with the fantasy draft element.
One disadvantage is that the players on my team also apper on their normal teams in the league. The created players appeared as free agents.
I doubt that I'll purchase Madden 2007. While the incremental game play changes and stat updates are positive, the game doesn't change that much from year to year, and my money will be better spent elsewhere. I hear the Blitz is going to be even more interesting now that they've lost the NFL license.
Now that the real NFL season is in mid-swing, the Madden lust has arrived in force.
The Superstar mode is interesting, I suppose, but I don't really get the point. The role-playing elements are okay, but there doesn't really seem to be that much control to exert. For example, to raise your scores mid season, you have to go through practice mode over and over. This gets old quickly, and during the point increases are temporary after training camp, so there isn't much point.
Franchise mode is as engrossing as ever. I built a team from scratch, with a mix of real NFL player, and created rookies based on friends of mine. The salary cap keeps me honest, but the game allows you the freedom to make the team truly your own. I was happy to dispense with the fantasy draft element.
One disadvantage is that the players on my team also apper on their normal teams in the league. The created players appeared as free agents.
I doubt that I'll purchase Madden 2007. While the incremental game play changes and stat updates are positive, the game doesn't change that much from year to year, and my money will be better spent elsewhere. I hear the Blitz is going to be even more interesting now that they've lost the NFL license.
Friday, October 21, 2005
Good news and bad news.
According to The Statesman Examiner, Colville Washington's last bookstore has been evicted from its current location. The article doesn't give reasons behind the eviction and didn't reference an attempt by the reporter to discover those reasons, but there's no reason to think the business itself is in financial jeopardy.
While this comes at a very bad time, this could give Coffee and Books the impetus to fill the gap left when the Book Depot closed earlier this year. I rarely visit my home town, and didn't even know Coffee and Books existed; if they manage to find their own storefront this should increase their visibility, and hopefully generate more business. I would buy a book or two whenever I was in town.
I'll bet Walmart is still doing fabulous business. I wonder what their book sales are like.
In other news, The Statesman Examiner reports that Colville's hospital, Mount Carmel, is somewhat on the technological cutting edge. Good for them. It's hard enough to stay up with current trends in medical technology at the large hospital where I work. I can only imagine how Mount Carmel handles it without the benefit of an IT department.
While this comes at a very bad time, this could give Coffee and Books the impetus to fill the gap left when the Book Depot closed earlier this year. I rarely visit my home town, and didn't even know Coffee and Books existed; if they manage to find their own storefront this should increase their visibility, and hopefully generate more business. I would buy a book or two whenever I was in town.
I'll bet Walmart is still doing fabulous business. I wonder what their book sales are like.
In other news, The Statesman Examiner reports that Colville's hospital, Mount Carmel, is somewhat on the technological cutting edge. Good for them. It's hard enough to stay up with current trends in medical technology at the large hospital where I work. I can only imagine how Mount Carmel handles it without the benefit of an IT department.
Thursday, October 20, 2005
"Hero"
I wonder if we've gone down the wrong path in our useage of the word 'hero.' I've heard it used as a synonym for protagonist; I've preferred to use it as a personification of virtue, strength and action.
If we peel away the morality and even ethics of individuals, and instead focus on the grandeur of their deeds, a different kind of hero emerges. Consider the Greek heroes such as Hercules and Achilles. These were deeply flawed individuals who were certainly no more moral or ethical than the average man. They were, however, larger than life, and they performed actions to match their personalities and powers.
If we peel away the morality and even ethics of individuals, and instead focus on the grandeur of their deeds, a different kind of hero emerges. Consider the Greek heroes such as Hercules and Achilles. These were deeply flawed individuals who were certainly no more moral or ethical than the average man. They were, however, larger than life, and they performed actions to match their personalities and powers.
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Wikipedia founder admits to serious quality problems
The author of this story doesn't get it, and comes off like a jack-ass.
It isn't useful to compare Wikipedia to paper encyclopedias when it comes to discussing the merits of the project. By its very nature, Wikipedia will always have errors, and it will always have quality problems. This is to be expected of an infinitely collaborative project with virtually no system to exclude contributers or contributions. There are certain inherent quality limitations present with this sort of post-modern information collaboration.
What makes Wikipedia special and useful is the assumption that the quality and quantity will increase steadily based on the number of participants. The fundamental belief is that more collaborationw ill lead to faster information on a greater number of topics than paper encyclopedias can replicate. As time passes, the quality and quantity will steadily improve. As long as those two conditions exist, Wikipedia is a success.
Orlowski gets it completely wrong when he persistently compares Wikipedia with a restaurant. Eating at a restaurant is a passive experience. The consumer sits down, orders the food, eats the food, pays and leaves. The food is prepared in accordance with the chef's standards which may or may not match the standards of the restaurant guest. Based on the experience, the guest will choose to return, or not.
Wikipedia is more like a perpetual pot-luck. Everyone participates, and if you don't like a dish, you're welcome to bring your own. If you don't want to bring food, there's plenty to go around, and no one minds. Yes, the quality is variable. After all, the majority has been prepared by amateurs who may or may not be qualified to accept the task.
Participants must remember to beware of the potato salad that's been in the sun too long, just as they must remember that not all Wikipedia entries are created equal. Here, as everywhere, critical thinking is not an option, it's a requirement.
It isn't useful to compare Wikipedia to paper encyclopedias when it comes to discussing the merits of the project. By its very nature, Wikipedia will always have errors, and it will always have quality problems. This is to be expected of an infinitely collaborative project with virtually no system to exclude contributers or contributions. There are certain inherent quality limitations present with this sort of post-modern information collaboration.
What makes Wikipedia special and useful is the assumption that the quality and quantity will increase steadily based on the number of participants. The fundamental belief is that more collaborationw ill lead to faster information on a greater number of topics than paper encyclopedias can replicate. As time passes, the quality and quantity will steadily improve. As long as those two conditions exist, Wikipedia is a success.
Orlowski gets it completely wrong when he persistently compares Wikipedia with a restaurant. Eating at a restaurant is a passive experience. The consumer sits down, orders the food, eats the food, pays and leaves. The food is prepared in accordance with the chef's standards which may or may not match the standards of the restaurant guest. Based on the experience, the guest will choose to return, or not.
Wikipedia is more like a perpetual pot-luck. Everyone participates, and if you don't like a dish, you're welcome to bring your own. If you don't want to bring food, there's plenty to go around, and no one minds. Yes, the quality is variable. After all, the majority has been prepared by amateurs who may or may not be qualified to accept the task.
Participants must remember to beware of the potato salad that's been in the sun too long, just as they must remember that not all Wikipedia entries are created equal. Here, as everywhere, critical thinking is not an option, it's a requirement.
Monday, October 17, 2005
Work stuff
I recently participated in writing and distributing an online survey directed to our physicians relating to their plans and needs of exam room space.
I'm thinking of doing something similar with PCC's aimed at getting their feedback for the various exam room systems I've tinkered with.
I want to know when they run out of rooms. I also want to know when they run out of rooms and have patients waiting. These are not the same thing, though obviously you must have the first to encounter the second.
Right now, daily room assignments have an art and science element. The more science the better, because then one can show arguments and reasoning.
I'm thinking of doing something similar with PCC's aimed at getting their feedback for the various exam room systems I've tinkered with.
I want to know when they run out of rooms. I also want to know when they run out of rooms and have patients waiting. These are not the same thing, though obviously you must have the first to encounter the second.
Right now, daily room assignments have an art and science element. The more science the better, because then one can show arguments and reasoning.
Friday, September 30, 2005
Ninjas and New Avengers
I hate comic book ninjas. I'm pretty much burned out on ninjas altogether.
Suddenly, my affection for New Avengers is in jeopardy with this latest issue.
A ninja is supposed to be a bad-ass stealthy assasin, but Marvel uses them like agile shuriken wielding zombies. Where do these new ninjas come from? Wolverine himself must kill a dozen per week. Why do they attack in mass so often when they're supposed to be stealth based assasins?
Don't answer, I don't really care. The Ronin character is okay so far, but Hand ninjas make me weep with boredom. Now, if they swapped ninjas for robots or zombies, I'd think differently.
If they had a legion of more normal warrior guys, with a couple boss-type ninjas, I would like it better.
This is the same reason I was irritated with the beginning of Batman Begins. The ninja in comics idea is so very very played out, I can barely stand it.
I too am waiting for the team-action to get started. I'm really not looking forward to another arc of character introduction (especially a ninja based arc!).
Suddenly, my affection for New Avengers is in jeopardy with this latest issue.
A ninja is supposed to be a bad-ass stealthy assasin, but Marvel uses them like agile shuriken wielding zombies. Where do these new ninjas come from? Wolverine himself must kill a dozen per week. Why do they attack in mass so often when they're supposed to be stealth based assasins?
Don't answer, I don't really care. The Ronin character is okay so far, but Hand ninjas make me weep with boredom. Now, if they swapped ninjas for robots or zombies, I'd think differently.
If they had a legion of more normal warrior guys, with a couple boss-type ninjas, I would like it better.
This is the same reason I was irritated with the beginning of Batman Begins. The ninja in comics idea is so very very played out, I can barely stand it.
I too am waiting for the team-action to get started. I'm really not looking forward to another arc of character introduction (especially a ninja based arc!).
Saturday, September 24, 2005
Thursday, September 22, 2005
Wire snaps, leaving 3,600 without power
That was me!
Lights went out around 9:15, and came back on in the middle of the night sometime. It was fun.
Lights went out around 9:15, and came back on in the middle of the night sometime. It was fun.
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Zebras
Came across this at work today:
Zebra: The term "zebra" in medicine does not refer to the striped African animal but to an unlikely diagnostic possibility. It comes from an old saying in teaching medical students about how to think logically in regard to the differential diagnosis: "When you hear hoof beats, think of horses, not zebras."
For example, when someone develops a mild transient cough, tuberculosis is a "zebra." For another example, following the discovery of West Nile fever in New York City in September, 1999, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned doctors to expect more infectious disease "zebras" (diseases due to rare microbes).
Zebra: The term "zebra" in medicine does not refer to the striped African animal but to an unlikely diagnostic possibility. It comes from an old saying in teaching medical students about how to think logically in regard to the differential diagnosis: "When you hear hoof beats, think of horses, not zebras."
For example, when someone develops a mild transient cough, tuberculosis is a "zebra." For another example, following the discovery of West Nile fever in New York City in September, 1999, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned doctors to expect more infectious disease "zebras" (diseases due to rare microbes).
Revolution
Intriguing.
I don't know that it's good to flail around and swing the controller like sword in a fighting game. That's how lamps get broken and eyes get poked out.
There's been a subtle minority of games moving this direction, beginning with light guns, continuing to sit down driving and flying games, then the combination of the two; now we have fishing games with flyreel like controllers, fighting games that mimic the player's motions, and dancing games that require actual dancing. The idea is that it's more immersive to combine body movements with gaming action.
Nintendo is really going after this trend. In spite of the added hazard of breaking things, they may be on to something. I can't think of a light gun game that would be better with a conventional joystick, or a wheel based driving game that I think should have used buttons instead of pedals. I can't see any significant flaws in the controller design, aside from the difficulty designers may have adapting cross platform games.
I don't know that it's good to flail around and swing the controller like sword in a fighting game. That's how lamps get broken and eyes get poked out.
There's been a subtle minority of games moving this direction, beginning with light guns, continuing to sit down driving and flying games, then the combination of the two; now we have fishing games with flyreel like controllers, fighting games that mimic the player's motions, and dancing games that require actual dancing. The idea is that it's more immersive to combine body movements with gaming action.
Nintendo is really going after this trend. In spite of the added hazard of breaking things, they may be on to something. I can't think of a light gun game that would be better with a conventional joystick, or a wheel based driving game that I think should have used buttons instead of pedals. I can't see any significant flaws in the controller design, aside from the difficulty designers may have adapting cross platform games.
Sunday, September 18, 2005
Mechassault on Xbox
I'm always late to discover cool games because I'm a cheapskate. There are very few games I'll pay $50 for. Halo 2, Madden 2006 and Doom III special edition are the only games I've paid that much for. The rest of the time I wait for the price drop or get them used. As the years go by it's easier and easier to find great Xbox games for cheap.
Most recently I picked up The Sims, Goblin Commander and Mechassault for $30.
I finished Mechassault yesterday, and I freely admit that it exceeded my expectations. My only previous experience with that universe was with the paper version of Battletech which has detailed and difficult rules. I've never been a war-gamer, so during my limited gaming periods, realism has never been my goal. I also had a hard assed game master who forgot that we were all there to have fun. I barely understood the game mechanics and never made the next step to developing basic tactics.
My next experience with the Mechassault world was with a PC version of a few years ago. I found the large lumbering robots and the PC interface frustrating, and didn't enjoy it enough to delve into the game beyond a mission or two.
All of these problems were solved with the Xbox version of 2002. Obviously, the game takes care of the mechanics, and even later in the game, your choice of mechs are limited. There's no real role-playing elements, so you don't have to learn all the possibilities of the mechassault world. Early in the game robot choices are nil, but gradually increase. The developers strike a careful balance by offering entertaining choices that are important for some of the missions, without burdening the player with too much choice. While I imagine an awesome game could be made by adding non-linear role-playing elements to the basic engine, this was not the game they developed, and that's okay.
Mechassault is not a game of finesse. Mechassault is a game of destruction, basic planning and fundamental tactics. It is set in a world composed of destructable elements unlike any I've seen in games developed before or since. The missions are challenging, some very much so, but usually the most difficult ones can be conquered with the right plan.
I've already looked into getting Mechassault 2: Lone Wolf.
Most recently I picked up The Sims, Goblin Commander and Mechassault for $30.
I finished Mechassault yesterday, and I freely admit that it exceeded my expectations. My only previous experience with that universe was with the paper version of Battletech which has detailed and difficult rules. I've never been a war-gamer, so during my limited gaming periods, realism has never been my goal. I also had a hard assed game master who forgot that we were all there to have fun. I barely understood the game mechanics and never made the next step to developing basic tactics.
My next experience with the Mechassault world was with a PC version of a few years ago. I found the large lumbering robots and the PC interface frustrating, and didn't enjoy it enough to delve into the game beyond a mission or two.
All of these problems were solved with the Xbox version of 2002. Obviously, the game takes care of the mechanics, and even later in the game, your choice of mechs are limited. There's no real role-playing elements, so you don't have to learn all the possibilities of the mechassault world. Early in the game robot choices are nil, but gradually increase. The developers strike a careful balance by offering entertaining choices that are important for some of the missions, without burdening the player with too much choice. While I imagine an awesome game could be made by adding non-linear role-playing elements to the basic engine, this was not the game they developed, and that's okay.
Mechassault is not a game of finesse. Mechassault is a game of destruction, basic planning and fundamental tactics. It is set in a world composed of destructable elements unlike any I've seen in games developed before or since. The missions are challenging, some very much so, but usually the most difficult ones can be conquered with the right plan.
I've already looked into getting Mechassault 2: Lone Wolf.
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Another healthcare reality
A recent study at my employer documented that non English speaking families have a much higher likelihood of suffering a medication error, incorrect diagnosis or other medical system related problem.
I had a hunch, but now there is proof.
I won't provide more details here, because I learned of this study on our internal website. I'm likely not supposed to distribute that externally. I don't believe there's anything sinister here; for the most part, we're very transparent about our improvement efforts, and this data isn't an actual secret. I'm just choosing caution.
I had a hunch, but now there is proof.
I won't provide more details here, because I learned of this study on our internal website. I'm likely not supposed to distribute that externally. I don't believe there's anything sinister here; for the most part, we're very transparent about our improvement efforts, and this data isn't an actual secret. I'm just choosing caution.
Friday, September 09, 2005
Leadership
Borrowed from my recent post at YMB:
This is slightly off topic, but maybe I can pull it back:
Leadership in comic books is nothing like leadership in the real world. This really came into focus when I became the Condo President. Like Association members, most super team members aren't getting paid, don't necessarily have much in common with their fellow members, and aren't motivated to participate in the group.
Some books like JLA and Teen Titans get around this with their personnel choices. Professor X, is fairly realistic because he's a father figure who can manipulate the situation (with or without using his telepathy) and people for his agenda. But what about Cyclops? It is assumed that Cyclops is a 'born leader,' but what does that mean? Would his team mates really be motivated to fight for him? Maybe the original team would, but the others? He's really a boor with little charisma. Yes, I believe he has superior tactical abilities, but that's simply not enough.
It's similar with Captain America. Yes, it's been established that he does have great charisma and that people want to follow him, but I'm not sure if that's really been done authentically. In the real world, supervisors and association president's can't just bark orders and have it considered 'good leadership.' Good leadership takes practice, training and varies from group to group. For example, Superman can get his JLA friends to do things a lot easier than Cyclops could get Wolverine, Gambit and Colossus to do what he wants.
In the military, soldiers are known to fight much harder for leaders they care about. Yes, they'll obey orders either way, but they can be very passive aggressive with leadership they don't respect.
To pull this back on topic, I would make sure each team's dynamic really makes sense, and I'd like to see the dynamic handled more realistically. For example, how many times have you had a boss explain something to you, then you did it the way you understood, and turn out that your understanding was completely different from your boss's vision. It's pretty common in the real world, yet almost unheard of in comics.
This is slightly off topic, but maybe I can pull it back:
Leadership in comic books is nothing like leadership in the real world. This really came into focus when I became the Condo President. Like Association members, most super team members aren't getting paid, don't necessarily have much in common with their fellow members, and aren't motivated to participate in the group.
Some books like JLA and Teen Titans get around this with their personnel choices. Professor X, is fairly realistic because he's a father figure who can manipulate the situation (with or without using his telepathy) and people for his agenda. But what about Cyclops? It is assumed that Cyclops is a 'born leader,' but what does that mean? Would his team mates really be motivated to fight for him? Maybe the original team would, but the others? He's really a boor with little charisma. Yes, I believe he has superior tactical abilities, but that's simply not enough.
It's similar with Captain America. Yes, it's been established that he does have great charisma and that people want to follow him, but I'm not sure if that's really been done authentically. In the real world, supervisors and association president's can't just bark orders and have it considered 'good leadership.' Good leadership takes practice, training and varies from group to group. For example, Superman can get his JLA friends to do things a lot easier than Cyclops could get Wolverine, Gambit and Colossus to do what he wants.
In the military, soldiers are known to fight much harder for leaders they care about. Yes, they'll obey orders either way, but they can be very passive aggressive with leadership they don't respect.
To pull this back on topic, I would make sure each team's dynamic really makes sense, and I'd like to see the dynamic handled more realistically. For example, how many times have you had a boss explain something to you, then you did it the way you understood, and turn out that your understanding was completely different from your boss's vision. It's pretty common in the real world, yet almost unheard of in comics.
NFL
Jared Lornezen made the team! He is not the 3rd QB for the New York Giants; Jesse Palmer, aka "The Bachelor" has been cut. Good for him!
He's listed at a lithe 275 on Yahoo Sports.
No one should be surprised about last night's New England / Oakland game. I had concerns about NE's defense, but they seem to have picked up where they left off last year. Tom Brady looked good, Corey Dillon was strong.
On the Oakland side of the ball, things looked okay as well. Randy Moss made some great plays, Kerry Collins still looks like Kerry Collins, which isn't all bad, and Lamont Jordan pulled his weight.
On my Fantasy team, I've benched Michael Vick and am starting Jake Plummer. This makes me nervous; Jake Plummer makes me nervous in general since Denver loves to run the ball. He frequently puts up amazing fantasy numbers, and Vick's Falcons are facing the Eagles, who have a dangerous and mighty defense.
Besides, if I win it will be with my Running Back corps: Priest Holmes, Brian Westbrook and Clinton Portis. This year I really favored guys with proven track records in the early rounds. I also picked up Ronnie Brown as a free agent, leaving me with too many RB's and too few WR's. This won't be a problem until bye week's start coming around.
He's listed at a lithe 275 on Yahoo Sports.
No one should be surprised about last night's New England / Oakland game. I had concerns about NE's defense, but they seem to have picked up where they left off last year. Tom Brady looked good, Corey Dillon was strong.
On the Oakland side of the ball, things looked okay as well. Randy Moss made some great plays, Kerry Collins still looks like Kerry Collins, which isn't all bad, and Lamont Jordan pulled his weight.
On my Fantasy team, I've benched Michael Vick and am starting Jake Plummer. This makes me nervous; Jake Plummer makes me nervous in general since Denver loves to run the ball. He frequently puts up amazing fantasy numbers, and Vick's Falcons are facing the Eagles, who have a dangerous and mighty defense.
Besides, if I win it will be with my Running Back corps: Priest Holmes, Brian Westbrook and Clinton Portis. This year I really favored guys with proven track records in the early rounds. I also picked up Ronnie Brown as a free agent, leaving me with too many RB's and too few WR's. This won't be a problem until bye week's start coming around.
Delays
There's a lot of somewhat intense stuff going on; nothing too terrible or dramatic for me personally, but most of my energy is directed toward these things. I don't use this space for 'dear diary' stuff, and I don't like to mention people specifically, so I've been writing less.
I'll try to remedy that soon.
I'll try to remedy that soon.
Saturday, September 03, 2005
Seahawks Set 53-Man Roster For 2005 Season
| KIRKLAND - The Seattle Seahawks announced the release of 23 players Saturday afternoon to reach the NFL’s mandatory roster limit of 53. Seattle may sign a total of eight players to the club’s practice squad beginning Sunday. | ||||||||||||||||||
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Sea Gals and other football talk.
Trina is my favorite Sea Gal. Shelly is my second favorite. Their hair has a lot to do with it. From the stands, especially on the 3rd deck where I sit, it's hard to tell the girls apart. Trina and Shelly have big hair which makes them easier to identify from far away. Plus they really are cute and good dancers.
I've noticed that the Sea Gals have four squads, and each starts in a different corner of the stadium. Every quarter, they rotate. This way, every group is in every corner for every game. I plan on finding a different favorite for each group.
This is just one advantage to being a season ticket holder. I have time to notice these things.
Of course, there's the usual stuff: I can finally figure out when the defense is in a nickle formation, I'm learning who is who, I can form actual opinions on calls from the officials. I'm really trying to be the ultimate football uber-geek. I'm not there yet, but I aspire...
I plan on getting a radio head set so I can listen to the play by play while watching the game. I already have binoculars and a program.
I was a little disappointed last night that Peter Warrick didn't get much playing time. We only saw him a few times on Special Teams, and not at all as an actual receiver. I suppose it takes more than two days to learn the play-book. It also makes sense that Holmgren would give the WR's on the bubble more playing time, to figure out who stays and who gets sent to the practice squad today.
I would be shocked if Jerheme Urban made the team. He had some good catches, but he also had baubles and some drops. I would have predicted Jerome Pathon to make the team, but he actually ducked under a pass at yesterday's game. He turned kind of late, and the ball was aimed at his head. It's a natural reaction, but really, WR's are supposed to catch those. Taco Wallace and D.J. Hackett are the others on the cusp, and none are really better than the others. Holmgren may as well pick the one with the best personality. I'm assuming that Joe Jerevicious will make the team. Of the non-locks, he has the best position based on experience and general skill and personality.
I've noticed that the Sea Gals have four squads, and each starts in a different corner of the stadium. Every quarter, they rotate. This way, every group is in every corner for every game. I plan on finding a different favorite for each group.
This is just one advantage to being a season ticket holder. I have time to notice these things.
Of course, there's the usual stuff: I can finally figure out when the defense is in a nickle formation, I'm learning who is who, I can form actual opinions on calls from the officials. I'm really trying to be the ultimate football uber-geek. I'm not there yet, but I aspire...
I plan on getting a radio head set so I can listen to the play by play while watching the game. I already have binoculars and a program.
I was a little disappointed last night that Peter Warrick didn't get much playing time. We only saw him a few times on Special Teams, and not at all as an actual receiver. I suppose it takes more than two days to learn the play-book. It also makes sense that Holmgren would give the WR's on the bubble more playing time, to figure out who stays and who gets sent to the practice squad today.
I would be shocked if Jerheme Urban made the team. He had some good catches, but he also had baubles and some drops. I would have predicted Jerome Pathon to make the team, but he actually ducked under a pass at yesterday's game. He turned kind of late, and the ball was aimed at his head. It's a natural reaction, but really, WR's are supposed to catch those. Taco Wallace and D.J. Hackett are the others on the cusp, and none are really better than the others. Holmgren may as well pick the one with the best personality. I'm assuming that Joe Jerevicious will make the team. Of the non-locks, he has the best position based on experience and general skill and personality.
Friday, August 26, 2005
Ender
I'm about half way through Orson Scott Card's Xenocide.
So far, Card's reach has exceeded his grasp. He clearly had a lot he wanted to accomplish with this novel, so much that he must have plotted it all out in detail. Then he worked his way through the plot, point by point.
While he may have plotted the other novels in the Ender series, until now, none particularly read that way. Speaker for the Dead was pure brilliance, and really deserves a place in the annals literary history. Yes it is set in the future and has aliens, but really it's a novel about family and the human condition.
Ender is a marvelous character who embodies the ubermensch described by Nietzsche. Well, to be honest, I don't know if Ender is what Nietzsche had in mind, but Ender is what I had in mind when I read Nietzsche. In this character we have the perfect balance of Mr. Fred Rogers's sensitivity and wisdom with children, Captain Kirk's audacity and courage, Jimmy Carter's ability to communicate with alien leadership and Alexander's ability to lead an army into combat. This is what I aspire to be.
Now, I know I ain't Ender, I ain't Jimmy Carter or Fred Rogers. I ain't Alexander (I don't even know much about Alexander), and I sure ain't Kirk. We all need heroes though, don't we? And Card has provided me with one who I enjoy immensely.
Even in the over plotted Xenocide, the light shines through. I do hope he settles down for the next installment.
So far, Card's reach has exceeded his grasp. He clearly had a lot he wanted to accomplish with this novel, so much that he must have plotted it all out in detail. Then he worked his way through the plot, point by point.
While he may have plotted the other novels in the Ender series, until now, none particularly read that way. Speaker for the Dead was pure brilliance, and really deserves a place in the annals literary history. Yes it is set in the future and has aliens, but really it's a novel about family and the human condition.
Ender is a marvelous character who embodies the ubermensch described by Nietzsche. Well, to be honest, I don't know if Ender is what Nietzsche had in mind, but Ender is what I had in mind when I read Nietzsche. In this character we have the perfect balance of Mr. Fred Rogers's sensitivity and wisdom with children, Captain Kirk's audacity and courage, Jimmy Carter's ability to communicate with alien leadership and Alexander's ability to lead an army into combat. This is what I aspire to be.
Now, I know I ain't Ender, I ain't Jimmy Carter or Fred Rogers. I ain't Alexander (I don't even know much about Alexander), and I sure ain't Kirk. We all need heroes though, don't we? And Card has provided me with one who I enjoy immensely.
Even in the over plotted Xenocide, the light shines through. I do hope he settles down for the next installment.
Psychic Energy
I was elected President of the Condo Association last Saturday. I can't go into many details since much of the association communicates via email, and I wouldn't want to be indiscreet.
Thus far, the position has been very psychically draining. The new board (all of whom I like and respect) inherited some baggage that will take some time to work through. This has not left much brain energy for blogging.
I also had a houseguest for a week or so, and guests always change the dynamic of one's household. We had a great time, and I'm glad he was here, but it was another event that kept me from blogging.
I wonder if I'll ever get used to this level of stress. So far I'm doing okay, but I was exhausted after the election. I ran the meeting, it went for an hour and a half, and there were some powerful personalities and important issues. I was so focused on the process that I barely registered the content.
I wonder how professional politicians deal with the constant conflict and juggling of personalities. I imagine they tend to be more extroverted than I am. I'm really a split; I enjoy being the center of attention, but it drains me. I can't keep it up forever. Before too long I have to crawl in a quiet hole to recharge.
Thus far, the position has been very psychically draining. The new board (all of whom I like and respect) inherited some baggage that will take some time to work through. This has not left much brain energy for blogging.
I also had a houseguest for a week or so, and guests always change the dynamic of one's household. We had a great time, and I'm glad he was here, but it was another event that kept me from blogging.
I wonder if I'll ever get used to this level of stress. So far I'm doing okay, but I was exhausted after the election. I ran the meeting, it went for an hour and a half, and there were some powerful personalities and important issues. I was so focused on the process that I barely registered the content.
I wonder how professional politicians deal with the constant conflict and juggling of personalities. I imagine they tend to be more extroverted than I am. I'm really a split; I enjoy being the center of attention, but it drains me. I can't keep it up forever. Before too long I have to crawl in a quiet hole to recharge.
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