dev_chieftain: (Devpony)
BORING STUFF )

In other news, it sounds like Wizards is releasing the 1st edition D&D books (plus a new cover) in April and I am very excited!

Also my back is incredibly sore because I pulled a muscle!

I think that's everything.

EDIT: Fixed! now only interesting things are not cut. Woo!

So now let me ramble about TOR! I know few of you care but I'm doing it anyway.

GUSS TUNO IS SO COOL. So cool you guys. SO cool. Oh yes. Oh VERY yes. Double-double crossed, and then we ran the best con ever about Hothian Ice Fever, which made me grin like an idiot and clap with glee! Then I hit on a Pirate Queen!

I am very much enjoying the smuggler storyline, and Soldat continues to look exactly as badass as I want him to. Just wish I had cool-looking boots and gloves! I like his wacky shirt.

Edit: Today's Manly Guys Doing Manly Things has taught me to never assume I know what I want. I thought I wanted Commander Badass to never change. Apparently, I wanted to LAUGH LIKE MAD at Suddenly Stylin' Commander Badass, and then for him to change back at once!
dev_chieftain: (totallyrad)
Holy crap! I feel ACCOMPLISHED! My representative wrote me back with a clear response! (McCain wrote me back with something that sounded like he maybe kinda SORTA wasn't going to back PIPA but it was pretty hard to tell, one way or another):

Dear [Dev],

Thank you for contacting my office to voice your concerns with H.R. 3261, the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). I share your concerns with this bill and am strongly opposed to H.R. 3261.

Over the last twenty years, the Internet has been one of the most productive and prosperous sectors of our economy, creating countless jobs and contributing over $3.9 trillion to our gross domestic product in 2011. I firmly believe that the explosion of economic activity in this sector is directly related to the free enterprise system and limited government intrusion.

Moreover, the Internet provides an unprecedented level of openness and freedom of expression, particularly through the use of social media sites and blogs. Regrettably, this could all change due to SOPA.

H.R. 3261 is a flawed bill that greatly expands the federal government's authority to take down websites. Additionally, I am very concerned that SOPA will limit our First Amendment rights, harming the open and innovative nature of the Internet.

I am fully committed to protecting the free enterprise system that limits the size and scope of government in our individual lives. This includes defending a free and open Internet from unnecessary government intrusion and bureaucracies. I am a firm believer that government- run programs are counter to our personal freedom and I am adamantly opposed to H.R. 3261.

I am greatly honored to serve you in Congress and look forward to future correspondence with you. Please contact me if you have future questions or concerns that I may assist you with.

Sincerely,

David Schweikert
Member of Congress


I am really pleased to know that speaking up might have contributed to making a difference here. Remember, guys, I'm in a Red state, and all of my representatives and Senators were listed as supporting SOPA last I checked- so there's hope! You just gotta try! (I included my rep's name because I feel like a Representative who makes the effort to actually represent my interests should definitely get some positive feedback!)

I'm going to be annoyingly-naive-hopeful-fantasy-protagonist about this for the next week, probably. Fair warning!
dev_chieftain: (risha)
Tiger & Bunny: I'm super excited! The t-and-b-anon meme is on Dreamwidth now, which means I can stop logging in to LJ to check it fearfully for updates I might otherwise miss.

Also exciting, the last of the doujinshi I ordered should be arriving in a week or two if things go well, and then I might be able to keep myself from ordering more. No promises, if someone draws an especially interesting looking story-- or especially sexy looking stuff-- I could be lured into getting more, down the line. But for now, I think I'm content with my sizeable collection!

As for SW:TOR, holy crap, I HATED Balmorra.

The number one complaint I've had throughout the game is pretty simple. I'm playing a smuggler so I don't have to be too involved with the Republic. I'm not loyal to the Republic, and I don't appreciate being forced to do things for the Republic. The Republic is corrupt and full of people who'll take shortcuts to get what they want, even at the cost of the happiness, safety, or lives of other people, and Soldat is Not Okay With This (but don't tell Risha, because I think she disapproves of how stupidly nice I am). Normally, this isn't too much of a problem. On Alderaan, people wanted help with advancing their political goals. The nobles supporting the empire were honorable, even if they were against me. (One took me hostage as a trade for 300+ prisoners, and didn't kill me, only put me in jail! I really respected that guy, and later got to speak up for his life when an emotional noble wanted to kill him after we captured him.) On Tattooine, people just asked me to help them out with their direct problems, which made sense. On Nar Shaddaa, I was running around doing ludicrous errands for a Hutt's whimsy, when I wasn't brawling with biker gangs. On Taris, even though I was annoyed by how difficult it was to get trained to my new levels, and so on, at least the missions generally had to do with the Rakghoul plot and trying to find out what had happened to the dead city-planet. Even Coruscant was honestly more about trying to fix the problems with the way the Republic is run than about the Republic and the Empire's stupid forever-war.

Not since Ord Mantell-- the dreaded 'you're trapped, so deal' first ten levels of the game-- have I been so forced into the Republic's stupid goals and treated like I must obviously give two shits about the Republic. Balmorra SUCKED. Not only are the sidequests all about winning the Republic's war for it, but my class quest was too, in this case. The upside? I got badass mercenary Akaavi Spar in the trade-off. I like her a lot already, and am seriously conflicted about whether I want to try to woo her, or just stick to my guns and woo Risha. (Risha is sassy and adorable, but ALIEN ROMANCE!! It calls to me like you would not believe. Still ticked I can't romance Bowdaar. We would be the greatest warrior champions of all time!)

After Balmorra finally ended, I got a quest to go to Hoth. Hoth! I excitedly geared up for it. I like Hoth! But then of course I got another call, telling me 'actually, go to Quesh, first'. Quesh is apparently poisonous, and also a war-zone, which means I feel like I got out of Balmorra and into Balmorra.

However.

Beryl Thorne, my first lady romance, has made an appearance there.

Color me cautiously intrigued.

Edit: Augh god, I pinched a nerve in my back last night while sleeping and everything makes it hurt. I wish I'd had time for a shower this morning, but with the weather being so cold it's just been a chore to get up in the first place.

I also should seriously fix my car window so I stop freezing to death all the time.

Edit: Vastly more interesting than my personal life is how awesome Burma is! I haven't kept up with news very reliably, but caught this article this morning. Personally, this news excites me a lot, as I'm pretty certain Kristen has ambitions to move out to Burma someday, and this seems like it would only facilitate such a move.

Edit edit: Back to T&B: I'm tempted to start a new fill just to revel in the fact that I can make it 16k characters long without having to make a new comment!

Call to Cookies

Thursday, January 12th, 2012 12:21 pm
dev_chieftain: (farron)
Everyone, hold on a second.

I need you to go buy Girl Scout cookies. I know, I know-- you were going to do it anyway. Those cookies are super delicious.

Is this about Taylor of CA, who claims to be a girl-scout and has problems with the GSUSA organization allowing transgendered children to partake in the organization's activities and club?

It is, a little. I disagree fundamentally with the idea of putting such stock in gender that it can cripple your ability to do something because you feel like to do so you must be male or female. I strongly advocate gender equality and gender blindness. The arguments put forth by this so-called girl scout (evidently part of an organization called "Honest Girl Scouts", designed to repress girls even more than they already are by denying them sex education, in the interest of "purity"-- how Victorian) include complaints that she feels 'unsafe' knowing that the GSUSA may allow transgendered individuals to join the group.

Why should women feel unsafe around men? That only further empowers men and de-powers women.

Why should a little girl be treated differently just because of her biological origin? If she chooses to be a girl, that is what she is.

I find arguments like this wildly offensive; I am a woman, and I am not threatened by the presence of men, transgendered men OR women, or women. Furthermore, the implication that there is an inherent sexual perversion associated with transgendering is draconian, and needs to stop.

Is it worth explaining why sex-shaming girls of any type is harmful to women? It seems to me like the reasons are obvious. Girls should be free to express themselves sexually and so should boys. The act of sex is not inherently dirty, and it is pursued for mutual pleasure between consenting adults. It should be conducted cautiously to ensure neither party is hurt, and it should be conducted safely to ensure that neither party is given unwanted complications, such as tearing/bleeding, sexually transmitted infections, or unplanned pregnancy. The means by which you accomplish this is entirely up to the participants. Condoms and abstinence are equally acceptable forms of preventing STI transfer, pain, or childbirth.

What really irritates me is the misguided notion that purity is separate from gender identity, or sexual exploration. A woman who enjoys sex is no less pure than a woman who has never had sex. Purity is determined by personality and conduct, not by sexual proclivities or gender.

So please, buy lots of Girl Scout cookies, because they are delicious. And maybe, possibly, also because you think transgendered kids probably get enough flak already, and don't deserve to be singled out and bullied.

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