And now for something completely different.

Having finally finished my work on the religion stuff (Islam? Heretical sect that believe that Law is the supreme virtue. Except for the western Sahara and Spain, it has a similar spread.) I need a break before tackling the political layout and history.

I've been jonesing for some good old-fashined Space Opera. Between reading the Ultramarines Omnibus and re-watching Babylon 5 I'm in a mood for fast ships and handy blasters. and when I say Space Opera, I mean Space Opera, FGU's epic RPG. Where Traveller took a semi-hard science, toolkit approach to mechanics and setting, SO gleefully threw in everything they could think of, including the kitchen sink. You could play a lightsaber-wielding Vulcan fighting the Arachnids from Heinlein's Starship Troopers without having to add a single house rule. Did I mention that the Vulcan is also a Lensman? Yeah, great game.

Very amused to see that my spell-checker recognizes lightsaber as a correctly spelled word.

Space Opera had one of my all-time favorite easily misinterpreted rules. One section of the character generation rules lists all the goodies characters get from their previous careers. Several of the space related careers had the following phrase inserted into the list: "one complete ship, Summer and Winter uniform," As a power gaming 14 year old, you can see how I read that one. Especially as the list was a block of items set apart by commas.

Along with the Vulcans (called "Transhumans" in the rules) there was also the usual animal people aliens. Dog people, Caqt people (two versions, the MekPurr and the savage Avatars), bear people, bird people, lizard people, etc., etc. Even as a kid raised on Star Trek this bugged me. We're the upright, tool-using animals we are because of how we evolved. Even assuming that an effective predator like a cat would evolve full intelligence, the odds of it having the same body plan as we have is remote at best. So, being me, I've written a solution.

( Worldbuilding is my crack. )

Today's accomplishment.

Had my teeth in for ten hours.

Doesn't sound like much, but with all the health problems and being home all the time it has been literally months since I wore my choppers on a daily basis. It takes time to acclimate to having big chunks of plastic in your mouth. Took vicodin to help with the transition.. not so much pain as keeping me mellow so I didn't start to gag on them.

Also tonight is the last Lovenox shot. I've had to use this instead of Warfarin due to the drug I was taken for the infection in my throat. I'm certain kshandra is just as happy about this as I am. Back on the Warfarin as of tomorrow, and I go in for a blood draw Monday morning. Yes, go in. Since I'm off oxygen and able to get around, I've canceled the home care nurse.

Have a phone interview for MediCal and food assistance on Monday. Hopefully we can get a quick resolution on those applications.

I should be OK for Baycon. I just need to sit and rest on a regular basis and be careful about potential falls and cuts. At least I won't be lugging around that bloody oxygen tank!

This has been your Doug Health Update.

Ten reasons why I am not allowed to own ATGMs

1. The ice cream truck playing Turkey in the Straw a half-measure slow.


2. The ice cream truck playing Turkey in the Straw a half-measure slow.


3. The ice cream truck playing Turkey in the Straw a half-measure slow.


4. The ice cream truck playing Turkey in the Straw a half-measure slow.


5. The ice cream truck playing Turkey in the Straw a half-measure slow.


6. The ice cream truck playing Turkey in the Straw a half-measure slow.


7. The ice cream truck playing Turkey in the Straw a half-measure slow.


8. The ice cream truck playing Turkey in the Straw a half-measure slow.


9. The ice cream truck playing Turkey in the Straw a half-measure slow.


10. The ice cream truck playing Turkey in the Straw a half-measure slow.

Hold on, I'm about to defend George W. Bush.

I'm seeing a lot of sneering commentary from various sources over the news that Bush was eating a souffle at a French restaurant when Obama called him with the news that Osama bin Laden was dead. The general tone is sniggering at Bush eating something as "effeminate" and, well, French as a souffle.

Holy crap, people.. lay off! Bush was there with his wife and some friends. Evidently, the former First Couple enjoy this place and are frequent guests. If George Bush likes to enjoy a crab souffle once in a while, that's his business. I fail to see why anyone is making any hay out of this. Hell, I commend him for giving the details. We all know exactly where he was on 9/11; now we have the details on where he was and what he was doing when he learned that the man who planned those attacks had met his end at the hands of the United States.

I have many reasons to dislike George Bush. I think he's one of the five worst Presidents in this nation's history. But I can find no fault with how he's handled himself in the wake of the killing of bin Laden. Declining to appear at Ground Zero, giving an honest account of where he was when he learned of the act.. all show more class than I would have normally expected from Bush. I salute him for this.

Hell, I'd like to eat at this place.