You know, if gay marriage is part of the "new ideology of evil" then covering up child sexual abuse, denying women equal rights, and late, half-assed apologies for helping the Nazis are certainly part of the "old ideology of evil." So it's kind of like an election here according to Popula, and I can tell you which evil is the "lesser."

I understand that the people who write the things the Poop says realize that progressive social stances weaken the foundation of a religious mythology as much as scientific advances. Once we figured out how lightning works, old Zeus and Thor just seem cartoonish. Popolito and his keepers just recently forgave Galileio (http://www.religioustolerance.org/pope_apo.htm) for making the Sun (a byproduct of God's seminal thrashing) and not the Earth (God's real great creation) the center of the universe. And once there is a more widespread notion of equality and human rights, all of this CEO spirituality of the past 2000 years will become the backroom kitsch that it is meant to be. God is a modifier, an adjective that strengthens, to be used (preferrably) before the word "damn" or after the word "sex." And Herr Popenstein is the figurehead of a very old (boys) club. If it became more like other social clubs, like the Elks or the Shriners, it would be a lot better and do much more good in the world. Everyone could keep their funny hats and shrouded rituals. It would be fun.

But the Popinator is not content to insult only the homosexuals. He compares the "extermination" of legal abortion to the Holocaust. Ummm... What can you say about that? Clearly he's nuts. Or the people who write his material are nuts. Or they want us to think that. Is there some progressive new P.I.T. waiting in the wings to swoop in and set the church on the right path? I doubt it. Mostly they seem nostalgic for Vatican I...

I guess in the end I just feel more sad for Ruth than (e:Paul), because she gets the double

I'm tired, but this still seems like a fun thing...



The Quillion is like a funky anti-org group blog... (e:Paul) definitely needs to see it if he hasn't already...

Well, Sarah and I are heading back to Idaho Falls for the Xmas. Maybe I'll finally get off my butt and post some phone cam pix from IF (that's what the hipstaz call it). Out my mom's kitchen window you see the Grand Tetons, although you'd have to be either very horny or very French or very drunk to see them as their onanistic counterparts. (Is that right? Onanistic? Or Oninistic?I know one of them means having to do with names and the other means having to do with masturbation... Hmm...)

Anyway, here's a link to a little game that's really just an offshoot of some tech experiment stuff I'm doing for my thesis. It's called Spud Huckers. It's available at (http://www.shawnrider.com/idahoGame). It's just a little Flash shooter. With lots of potatoes (hence the name).

The setting is behind my parents' house. In a potato field. The neighborhood is full of Mormons who have like 7-8 kids. These families are always getting the kids some kind of seriously dangerous Xmas present like dirt bikes, dune buggies, those little motorcycles, go-karts, etc. There's nothing more nervewracking than driving on icy roads with kids in go-karts whipping death circles around you. It's like they're trying to kill some of them off ever year...

Anyway, those are the kids throwing potatoes. Damn kids.

This is for (e:Paul) -- students in a course on online reading and writing have been researching Second Life players in secret. Of course, it's not a secret anymore, and the SL denizens are pissed. Here's a link: That sums things up a bit. And there's a bigger article at Terranova: And another link discussing SL specifically and the reactions:

A quote:

How ethical are you? How ethical is it to "play" in a metaverse like Second Life (SL) while you're taking notes on what everyone around you is doing and saying? Do you have an ethical obligation to tell the avatars around you that you're a student, experiencing SL and interacting with the others in SL just so you can write it and them up in an analytical paper?

---

(e:Paul), I know you didn't want SL to become your major research area, but I just wanted to reiterate that I think your story would not only be entertaining, but, especially now, highly relevant and revealing.

i was so shocked that mtv2 was showing the new eminem video i mentioned in the last post that i snapped this phonecam pic. this is my fave shot of the whole video, where osama bin laden is giving a speech and the backdrop falls away to reveal cheney and rummy shaking hands. super creep-tastic.

i can see it on election night now: "nobody counted the black-hoodie contingent which seems to be out in full force" At least mr. mathers had the good sense to state in no uncertain terms, FUCK BUSH, so his legions of bleached and bitter fanboys won't get confused... no offense to eminem lovers. i mean, i give him credit - he's got a thing and it's pretty interesting.

and for (e:terry) -- play the game for fun. and I'll post a new version of all these tracks when final mixes are done. I'll be building a site for the group in the near future, too. so keep an eye out for that. lots of fun free stuff will be there.