Playing D&D in southwest Michigan in the late 80's was tough if you didn't have a car to get to the game. By my high school years, the "newness" of D&D had worn off, and I can't think of another regular player in my school.
But when I turned 16 and got my driver's license, I had the power to go and find games. The local hobby store had postings, and I got a number and gave it a call. The guy I met was one of the two DMs of his group, and for whatever reason after one game that group broke up. But three of us looked for another table to play at.
Tim, Hassan, and I found that table at Tullio's place, the electrical genius behind Isher Artifacts. I showed up to the character creation session a bit late, and was "stuck" playing a wizard. I played that character for over five years.
I played with that group, weekly or biweekly, through high school and college. Tullio's world was a mystery. Technology masqueraded as magic, hidden by illusion. There were distinct science fiction elements (like space travel), steampunk-esque elements (Tullio was a Nikola Tesla fan), and fantasy (there was a Keep on the Borderlands). The "good" kingdom wasn't so much good as Lawful ("Your papers, please.") while we never made it up to explore the Dark Kingdoms, but I suspect they were a lot like Libertarian Realms gone wild. There was magic (signified by Red Gems^TM) and antimagic (Green Gems^TM). Bringing those two together made a big boom.
I still remember that first night, walking into his house in the not-so-great part of Kalamazoo, being greeted at the door by his wife, and sitting down at this creaky wooden dinner table. Off to my left was a library of science fiction and board games. I stared at my new copy of the 2nd Edition Player's Handbook and thought "Crap, I've got to play a wizard." Funnest character I ever had.
23 May 2014
11 April 2014
The Annual Tax Post, 2014 edition.
The weather has finally warmed up, and it's time to think about all those wonderful spring activities, like getting the lawn mower ready, cleaning gutters, cleaning up winter deadfall, and spreading compost on the garden.
Speaking of compost . . . .
The leeches demand their annual tribute. Following in last year's footsteps, I've calculated my total federal tax bill, including social insecurity and medifraud withtholdings. $33,000 was forcibly taken from my family.
Of course, I could have used this money to pay for my sons' college. Or socked extra away so that when Mrs. Workshop and I retire, I won't need to beg at the government's teat for my social insecurity check to be mailed.
Normally I attempt to paint a positive picture of where my money goes. But this year, it's become painfully obvious that the money went to crony capitalists who were rewarded by the Big O for their campaign contributions. Similarly, since 2/3 of income taxes are just transfer payments to the class of people who can't seem to hold down a productive job but keep spitting out kids, the money I worked for is helping them maintain their two-television with cable and an ipad lifestyle.
Dear IRS, President Obama, Dingy Harry, SanFran Nan, Lois "not political per-se" Lerner, and Attorney General Eric "don't go there" Holder,
I sincerely hope the anal reaming you gave the productive citizens of this country is returned to you in kind.
Sincerely,
Workshop.
Speaking of compost . . . .
The leeches demand their annual tribute. Following in last year's footsteps, I've calculated my total federal tax bill, including social insecurity and medifraud withtholdings. $33,000 was forcibly taken from my family.
Of course, I could have used this money to pay for my sons' college. Or socked extra away so that when Mrs. Workshop and I retire, I won't need to beg at the government's teat for my social insecurity check to be mailed.
Normally I attempt to paint a positive picture of where my money goes. But this year, it's become painfully obvious that the money went to crony capitalists who were rewarded by the Big O for their campaign contributions. Similarly, since 2/3 of income taxes are just transfer payments to the class of people who can't seem to hold down a productive job but keep spitting out kids, the money I worked for is helping them maintain their two-television with cable and an ipad lifestyle.
Dear IRS, President Obama, Dingy Harry, SanFran Nan, Lois "not political per-se" Lerner, and Attorney General Eric "don't go there" Holder,
I sincerely hope the anal reaming you gave the productive citizens of this country is returned to you in kind.
Sincerely,
Workshop.
10 April 2014
A Question for "Equal Pay" Advocates:
If it is true that women get paid 77% of what men earn (as the White House posits) . . .
Why do men get hired?
Why do men get hired?
04 April 2014
St Beatus of Lungern
I'll preface this by saying Wikipedia is just about the worst source of factual information, but for creating a bit of cool stuff in my OSR campaign world, I like it.
St. Beatus
Here are images of the caves and monestary.
So here's a priest who fought a dragon, then took up residence in the dragon's caves. Yeah, that sounds Old School to me.
St. Beatus
Here are images of the caves and monestary.
So here's a priest who fought a dragon, then took up residence in the dragon's caves. Yeah, that sounds Old School to me.
03 April 2014
Old School - Swords and Wizardry
I added a link to Frog God Games over on the right column, because they've become the major supplier of my latest campaign world additions.
Plus, Swords and Wizardry is freaking awesome. Old school, none of this "balance encounters" crap. S&W puts the power back behind the GM screen, and is vying with Castles & Crusades as my favorite game publisher.
I'm really looking forward to their Lost Lands campaign book Kickstarter, but it won't be for a while yet. For the moment I have to make due with Rappan Athuk, the Razor Coast, and my copies of Necromancer Games' classics.
Alex and Austin, you guys don't know what you're in for!
Plus, Swords and Wizardry is freaking awesome. Old school, none of this "balance encounters" crap. S&W puts the power back behind the GM screen, and is vying with Castles & Crusades as my favorite game publisher.
I'm really looking forward to their Lost Lands campaign book Kickstarter, but it won't be for a while yet. For the moment I have to make due with Rappan Athuk, the Razor Coast, and my copies of Necromancer Games' classics.
Alex and Austin, you guys don't know what you're in for!
Paper Miniatures On The Cheap
Dryw the Harper's page
I've used these figures for a while, and with all the new Paizo people stopping by, it' be nice to get this guy a little more exposure.
Go. Download. Print. Play.
Way faster than trying to paint an entire village of commoners.
I've used these figures for a while, and with all the new Paizo people stopping by, it' be nice to get this guy a little more exposure.
Go. Download. Print. Play.
Way faster than trying to paint an entire village of commoners.
01 April 2014
An Open Invitation
Dear Leftist Pazioians,
I'm going to leave this post here for a bit so, if you feel so inclined, you may make comments, posts, etc. so that I might see them.
If you really want to have a conversation, I humbly invite you to let me know.
Heck, with the the help of this post I might actually remember to look at comments once in a while.
Sincerely,
Workshop.
I'm going to leave this post here for a bit so, if you feel so inclined, you may make comments, posts, etc. so that I might see them.
If you really want to have a conversation, I humbly invite you to let me know.
Heck, with the the help of this post I might actually remember to look at comments once in a while.
Sincerely,
Workshop.
Helping fix the deficit
Time for climate scientists to go on strike.
Oh, please, yes.
Let's see . . . no more grant money . . . no more insipid "go green" messages. No more "OMG the global temperature rose 0.001 degree C we're all gonna DIE!" nonsense.
No more junkets to exotic tropical destinations to hold "conferences" on climate change and help the economy of the local sex workers?
Sounds like a good idea to me.
The only thing I'd like better is a reality show with two dozen of the leading "climatologists" who have to struggle each week to maintain their spot on a slowly sinking island else drown and be fed to sharks. The winner gets to stay on his 3 square meter piece of sand living a "green", "sustainable" life until we release rabid baboons onto his ecological paradise. This leads to Season 2, tentatively titled "Climatologist: Invasive Species!"
I'd watch it.
Oh, please, yes.
Let's see . . . no more grant money . . . no more insipid "go green" messages. No more "OMG the global temperature rose 0.001 degree C we're all gonna DIE!" nonsense.
No more junkets to exotic tropical destinations to hold "conferences" on climate change and help the economy of the local sex workers?
Sounds like a good idea to me.
The only thing I'd like better is a reality show with two dozen of the leading "climatologists" who have to struggle each week to maintain their spot on a slowly sinking island else drown and be fed to sharks. The winner gets to stay on his 3 square meter piece of sand living a "green", "sustainable" life until we release rabid baboons onto his ecological paradise. This leads to Season 2, tentatively titled "Climatologist: Invasive Species!"
I'd watch it.
20 February 2014
A Post to Annoy the Pedantic Among Us
Lest confusion exist in the minds of our employees, reviewers, auditors, and other stakeholders, I might suggest that a method appellation of "Reverse Phase" is incommensurate with our customary habitudes.
I don't hold out hope that Mr. Spring-shoes will get the message.
21 January 2014
I found a blog to bookmark
http://sunshinemaryandthedragon.wordpress.com/
The above link takes the reader to a post that started my brain churning. And in a way that Mrs. Workshop won't like very much.
The above link takes the reader to a post that started my brain churning. And in a way that Mrs. Workshop won't like very much.
05 November 2013
I like this quote, and couldn't think of a better title.
If you will not fight for right when you can easily win without blood shed; if you will not fight when your victory is sure and not too costly; you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves. - Winston Churchill
If we fight the little battles early, we stand on better ground to fight the big battles later.
If we fight the little battles early, we stand on better ground to fight the big battles later.
So ignorant leftists continually spout off about "anarchnocapitalists."
Apparently, "anarchnocaptialists" are the libertarians who dare talk about returning government to the limited role it had prior to the 1910's. The insult is usually followed by a statement along the lines of "Why don't you go to Somolia and see what a libertarian paradise is really like!"
So here's a reasoned and relatively mild take-down of these idiots:
Very few libertarians want a divorce from society in which government exists. We instead point out the destructive consequences of the policies statists promote, and indicate that further eroding of power of the individual will have no benefit to society. The authoritarian underpinnings of the modern leftist are easy enough to see for those who but try to see them ("You must buy health insurance." "You must send your children to public schools." "You must not have too many firearms."). It is why I don't refer to leftists as "liberals." There is nothing liberal about them.
But to a good leftist, any dissent from their political point of view must be retaliated against. How could someone in favor of universal health insurance possibly be authoritarian? Obviously this person is an "arachnocapitalist" who only wants to see poor people dying in the street. And if you don't think we should subsidize "green" energy then you're obviously a shill for the oil corporations. How dare you advocate for school choice! Why do you hate teachers? How is it these people don't embrace our utopian society! What rubes! They're obviously not sophisticated enough to understand our nuanced approach to freedom.
Poking holes in their belief system that shows the Leftist Emperor indeed has no clothes is fraught with personal attacks, because it not only shows the skeleton upon which progressivism is built, but because it exposes their sense of moral superiority as a sham.
So here's a reasoned and relatively mild take-down of these idiots:
Very few libertarians want a divorce from society in which government exists. We instead point out the destructive consequences of the policies statists promote, and indicate that further eroding of power of the individual will have no benefit to society. The authoritarian underpinnings of the modern leftist are easy enough to see for those who but try to see them ("You must buy health insurance." "You must send your children to public schools." "You must not have too many firearms."). It is why I don't refer to leftists as "liberals." There is nothing liberal about them.
But to a good leftist, any dissent from their political point of view must be retaliated against. How could someone in favor of universal health insurance possibly be authoritarian? Obviously this person is an "arachnocapitalist" who only wants to see poor people dying in the street. And if you don't think we should subsidize "green" energy then you're obviously a shill for the oil corporations. How dare you advocate for school choice! Why do you hate teachers? How is it these people don't embrace our utopian society! What rubes! They're obviously not sophisticated enough to understand our nuanced approach to freedom.
Poking holes in their belief system that shows the Leftist Emperor indeed has no clothes is fraught with personal attacks, because it not only shows the skeleton upon which progressivism is built, but because it exposes their sense of moral superiority as a sham.
31 October 2013
Random quotes by Economists
“It is no crime to be ignorant of economics, which is, after all, a
specialized discipline and one that most people consider to be a ‘dismal
science.’ But it is totally irresponsible to have a loud and vociferous
opinion on economic subjects while remaining in this state of
ignorance.”
― Murray N. Rothbard
“Despite a voluminous and often fervent literature on "income distribution," the cold fact is that most income is not distributed: It is earned.”
― Thomas Sowell
“It is true that the virtues which are less esteemed and practiced now--independence, self-reliance, and the willingness to bear risks, the readiness to back one's own conviction against a majority, and the willingness to voluntary cooperation with one's neighbors--are essentially those on which the of an individualist society rests. Collectivism has nothing to put in their place, and in so far as it already has destroyed then it has left a void filled by nothing but the demand for obedience and the compulsion of the individual to what is collectively decided to be good.”
― Friedrich A. von Hayek, The Road to Serfdom
“The Marxians love of democratic institutions was a stratagem only, a pious fraud for the deception of the masses. Within a socialist community there is no room left for freedom.”
― Ludwig von Mises
“Probably it is true enough that the great majority are rarely capable of thinking independently, that on most questions they accept views which they find ready-made, and that they will be equally content if born or coaxed into one set of beliefs or another. In any society freedom of thought will probably be of direct significance only for a small minority. But this does not mean that anyone is competent, or ought to have power, to select those to whom this freedom is to be reserved. It certainly does not justify the presumption of any group of people to claim the right to determine what people ought to think or believe.”
― Friedrich A. von Hayek, The Road to Serfdom
“Everything which might cause doubt about the wisdom of the government or create discontent will be kept from the people. The basis of unfavorable comparisons with elsewhere, the knowledge of possible alternatives to the course actually taken, information which might suggest failure on the part of the government to live up to its promises or to take advantage of opportunities to improve conditions--all will be suppressed. There is consequently no field where the systematic control of information will not be practiced and uniformity of views not enforced.”
― Friedrich A. von Hayek, The Road to Serfdom
― Murray N. Rothbard
“Despite a voluminous and often fervent literature on "income distribution," the cold fact is that most income is not distributed: It is earned.”
― Thomas Sowell
“It is true that the virtues which are less esteemed and practiced now--independence, self-reliance, and the willingness to bear risks, the readiness to back one's own conviction against a majority, and the willingness to voluntary cooperation with one's neighbors--are essentially those on which the of an individualist society rests. Collectivism has nothing to put in their place, and in so far as it already has destroyed then it has left a void filled by nothing but the demand for obedience and the compulsion of the individual to what is collectively decided to be good.”
― Friedrich A. von Hayek, The Road to Serfdom
“The Marxians love of democratic institutions was a stratagem only, a pious fraud for the deception of the masses. Within a socialist community there is no room left for freedom.”
― Ludwig von Mises
“Probably it is true enough that the great majority are rarely capable of thinking independently, that on most questions they accept views which they find ready-made, and that they will be equally content if born or coaxed into one set of beliefs or another. In any society freedom of thought will probably be of direct significance only for a small minority. But this does not mean that anyone is competent, or ought to have power, to select those to whom this freedom is to be reserved. It certainly does not justify the presumption of any group of people to claim the right to determine what people ought to think or believe.”
― Friedrich A. von Hayek, The Road to Serfdom
“Everything which might cause doubt about the wisdom of the government or create discontent will be kept from the people. The basis of unfavorable comparisons with elsewhere, the knowledge of possible alternatives to the course actually taken, information which might suggest failure on the part of the government to live up to its promises or to take advantage of opportunities to improve conditions--all will be suppressed. There is consequently no field where the systematic control of information will not be practiced and uniformity of views not enforced.”
― Friedrich A. von Hayek, The Road to Serfdom
The
problem isn't that Johnny can't read. The problem isn't even that
Johnny can't think. The problem is that Johnny doesn't know what
thinking is; he confuses it with feeling.
Thomas Sowell
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/t/thomas_sowell.html#7r3ZoGz7YObBVYO2.99
Thomas Sowell
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/t/thomas_sowell.html#7r3ZoGz7YObBVYO2.99
10 April 2013
Back In My Day . . . . OSR Goodness
I've been doing a lot of reading of Old School Renaissance blogs lately. Primarily because when you're trying to get a baby back to sleep at 3am, popping the Ipad over to DnD With Pornstars or Dreams in the Lich House is what keeps me from going completely batshit crazy.
Twenty Quick Questions for Your Campaign Setting
How to Awesome-Up Your Players
Tales of the Grotesque and Dungeonesque - Awesome site for Gothic stuff in D&D.
D&D With Pornstars - NSFW - Not nearly as titillating as one might think, but don't go there on a work computer. Zak wrote the fantastic Vornheim book, a must-have for running city adventures.
Ten Foot Pole - reviews of OSR modules, and it would have saved me a bit of coin if I had found him before some modules found me.
And now Workshop v2.0 is waking up.
Twenty Quick Questions for Your Campaign Setting
How to Awesome-Up Your Players
Tales of the Grotesque and Dungeonesque - Awesome site for Gothic stuff in D&D.
D&D With Pornstars - NSFW - Not nearly as titillating as one might think, but don't go there on a work computer. Zak wrote the fantastic Vornheim book, a must-have for running city adventures.
Ten Foot Pole - reviews of OSR modules, and it would have saved me a bit of coin if I had found him before some modules found me.
And now Workshop v2.0 is waking up.
Tax Day Post - 2013 Edition
Well, it's that time of year again. The time when the buds on the trees appear and herald the coming of Spring. The time when the garden begs to be tilled and compost spread.
It's also the time when the parasites inhabiting Washington D.C. demand their tribute. Of course, thanks to Section 3402(a) of the Title 26 Internal Revenue Codes, my employer is mandated to withhold income taxes and send them to the Imperials.
This year, I realized I was miscalculating my tax liability. In previous posts, I only included my Federal Income Tax liability. I totally forgot the Social Insecurity and Medicare taxes, which should really be doubled because my employer "matches" my "contribution." Meaning the employer sends the taxes off to the feds instead of to me.
So, just shy of $30,000 on an income only about three times as high, I now have held off the KGB . . . er, IRS another year. Bastards.
That money could have paid for my sons' college. Or it could have purchased a couple really nice replacement used cars. But no, I had to pay for these idiots who whine worse than a three year old denied ice cream when they have to cut a measly 2% out of the budget for this year. Of course, pretty much anyone who worked also had to take a 2% cut in pay due to the Social Insecurity tax that was reinstated in January, but I don't seem to recall as much bitching about it. Certainly, I didn't hear the doom and gloom that I got to hear from our incompetent Executive In Charge. I got to help bail out the "Green Energy" companies, too. You certainly remember the boondoggle that benefits those companies well-connected to the Democrats and drives up energy prices for those who can least afford high prices, don't you? And don't forget the massive uptake of ammunition that the feds are stockpiling. Because the Department of Homeland Security totally needs hollow-point bullets to carry out their security activities.
No, they needed that money far more than my family did. Hell, the Social Insecurity taxes alone would have been (5k at 10% for 25 years = ) $36k just on the money the Workshop Clan contributed. With the employer confiscation/match, double it.). But don't worry, that Ponzi scheme won't be around when we're ready to retire.
Might as well had just poured a bunch of gasoline on those Benjamins and lit them on fire.
In an attempt to stay optimistic about the cesspool this money disappeared into, I like to pretend what it did go to. My neighbor's son joined the Air Force, so this year the money went to pay for his training. Well worth it, especially hearing what I did about HOW the training was conducted. Nice to know some places don't kow-tow to the political correctness goons.
Dear IRS, President Obama, Dingy Harry, SanFran Nan, Tim "Didn't pay my Taxes" Geithner and all the other looters:
Sincerely,
Workshop.
It's also the time when the parasites inhabiting Washington D.C. demand their tribute. Of course, thanks to Section 3402(a) of the Title 26 Internal Revenue Codes, my employer is mandated to withhold income taxes and send them to the Imperials.
This year, I realized I was miscalculating my tax liability. In previous posts, I only included my Federal Income Tax liability. I totally forgot the Social Insecurity and Medicare taxes, which should really be doubled because my employer "matches" my "contribution." Meaning the employer sends the taxes off to the feds instead of to me.
So, just shy of $30,000 on an income only about three times as high, I now have held off the KGB . . . er, IRS another year. Bastards.
That money could have paid for my sons' college. Or it could have purchased a couple really nice replacement used cars. But no, I had to pay for these idiots who whine worse than a three year old denied ice cream when they have to cut a measly 2% out of the budget for this year. Of course, pretty much anyone who worked also had to take a 2% cut in pay due to the Social Insecurity tax that was reinstated in January, but I don't seem to recall as much bitching about it. Certainly, I didn't hear the doom and gloom that I got to hear from our incompetent Executive In Charge. I got to help bail out the "Green Energy" companies, too. You certainly remember the boondoggle that benefits those companies well-connected to the Democrats and drives up energy prices for those who can least afford high prices, don't you? And don't forget the massive uptake of ammunition that the feds are stockpiling. Because the Department of Homeland Security totally needs hollow-point bullets to carry out their security activities.
No, they needed that money far more than my family did. Hell, the Social Insecurity taxes alone would have been (5k at 10% for 25 years = ) $36k just on the money the Workshop Clan contributed. With the employer confiscation/match, double it.). But don't worry, that Ponzi scheme won't be around when we're ready to retire.
Might as well had just poured a bunch of gasoline on those Benjamins and lit them on fire.
In an attempt to stay optimistic about the cesspool this money disappeared into, I like to pretend what it did go to. My neighbor's son joined the Air Force, so this year the money went to pay for his training. Well worth it, especially hearing what I did about HOW the training was conducted. Nice to know some places don't kow-tow to the political correctness goons.
Dear IRS, President Obama, Dingy Harry, SanFran Nan, Tim "Didn't pay my Taxes" Geithner and all the other looters:
Sincerely,
Workshop.
02 January 2013
Of all the Boneheaded, Asinine, and Idiotic Business Decisions . . .
Men's room attendant in a country bar's rest room.
Threw me for a loop every time I went in there. Which meant I stopped drinking so much so I wouldn't have to go in there as often.
To be perfectly honest though, there are even worse ideas.
Threw me for a loop every time I went in there. Which meant I stopped drinking so much so I wouldn't have to go in there as often.
To be perfectly honest though, there are even worse ideas.
07 September 2012
A small collection of painting links
For the few brave (foolish?) souls who wander over from the Reaper Minis forum, here are a few links to really good articles elsewhere on the web.
You know, just so you don't think I'm a completely psychotic libertarian.
http://chestofcolors.com/how-to-make-autumn-bases/
Higher highlights and deeper shadows!
Here's a painting challenge: Strap a palette to your forearm and a parachute on your back.
More base information.
You know, just so you don't think I'm a completely psychotic libertarian.
http://chestofcolors.com/how-to-make-autumn-bases/
Higher highlights and deeper shadows!
Here's a painting challenge: Strap a palette to your forearm and a parachute on your back.
More base information.
28 June 2012
I Will Not Comply
Today the Supreme Court of the United States upheld the hideous law that is Obamacare. A government bureaucracy that will decrease medical innovation, increase cost, and decrease access to medicine.
Although the details still need to be worked out (surprise, we have to "pass the law to see what's in it"), one of the methods of enforcement will be via the IRS. Presumably, there will be a little checkbox that says something like "Check here if you have health insurance. If you do not, follow steps 134a-139f." So I'll get to have the joy of experiencing what it is like to not fill out my tax form completely.
And now I'm off to send money to the Romney campaign.
Although the details still need to be worked out (surprise, we have to "pass the law to see what's in it"), one of the methods of enforcement will be via the IRS. Presumably, there will be a little checkbox that says something like "Check here if you have health insurance. If you do not, follow steps 134a-139f." So I'll get to have the joy of experiencing what it is like to not fill out my tax form completely.
And now I'm off to send money to the Romney campaign.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)