So far I like out new Governor David Patterson. Admittedly I don't have much to go on. He has been a state senator since the 1985 so he has quite a track record. However, New York politics being what they are I can't really find too much on the guy without serious digging. From reactions from senators from both parties he seems like a good guy: progressive but willing to work with members of the other party. Spitzer treated the GOP like a mole to be removed. Patterson and Senate Majority leader and soon to be Lieutenant Governor Joe Bruno have a good relationship which indicates that, for once, shit is going to get done.

The media has the same problem I do. There is info on him, but we are too lazy to get it. Good thing it isn't my job to find these things out. Too bad it is theirs. Look at a picture of the man and what jumps out at you

1) he has a beard
2) he is black.

I put it in that order because I mourn the loss of political facial hair.
Q: Who was the last president elected who had facial hair?

A: Howard Taft. And that was with a measly mustache. The last president with a full beard was Ben Harrison. That is over 100 years since the office of the presidency .

Q:: Who was the last Governor of New York to have a beard?

A: Governor Hughes. Left office in 1910.

sad, sad state of the Executive beard.

But, despite the fact I firmly believe facial hair is essential to running a state or nation, the media has only really picked up on his blackness.

Yup, we are about to have the first black governor in New York history and the third in US history. Could have told you he was black looking at his photo. Thanks for taking the work out of that one.

More remarkable, I think, is that he is legally blind. He memorizes all of his speeches. His aids brief him via voice mail. He will be the first blind governor in US history. That I think is even more remarkable, especially since race is a political issue so diluted it can be lampooned by the Clinton campaign. Ability has not really been an issue in politics. FDR's polio was largely not discussed. A wheel-chair bound Roosevelt must have been a contrast to the barrel chested war hero adventurer Teddy Roosevelt.

But so far, I have heard very few media outlets mention his blindness and his remarkable adaptation to it. Perhaps ability is still a taboo subject. Much like how GOP opposition to Senator Tim Johnson has largely been mute since he suffered a debilitating stroke which he has been recovering from.

Well, media. Get on that please.

I can't believe I forgot this!

Remember Elliot Spitzer's campaign slogan?

"Bring some passion back to Albany"

Comedy gold.

So, in the wee hours of the morning someone set off a small explosive in front of an army recruiting station in Time Square. No one was injured, and the door to the recruiter got smudged up.

The recruiters had been the site of many, many protests of the Iraq war. The logical thing to speculate was that the bomb was related to that. Come on, consider the location, its history, the political climate. Even take into account the magnitude of the explosion, or the lack there of, and the time chosen.

Then why have I heard three separate news casts, and read a smattering of headlines that assume this was an act of terrorism? Sure, it was a tiny act of terrorism. But from the way they made it sound Osama Bin Laden himself bought the ammo case at an army surplus store and stuffed it with fizzy 4th of July explosives.

If anything illegal, suspect, or even a little eccentric happens in New York it is automatically linked to the holiest day of the year, 9/11. The state of New York should change its moto from excelsior to "New York: the ZOMG 9/11, 9/11, 9/11 Never Forget, FCNY/NYPD 4EVAH!!!! State."

Can we get over it now?

It is amazing how you can never meet someone, or even be aware of them and still be greatly influenced by them. I had never met Gary Gygax, and didn't even know his name until I was 19. But his influence was very important to me and millions others.

Gary was the creator of Dungeons & Dragons. It was a game I first played in 1992 and with various people played until 1999. But even after that time his influence was still felt. In college I played other role playing games that wouldn't have existed if Gary hadn't created his. My best friends run different role playing games. Games that have no dungeons, no dragons, no dice but are role playing games that wouldn't have existed without Gary. Many hours of my life have been spent playing, enjoying, and thinking about this style of play. Some of my fondest memories are of role playing with my friends.

Gary Gygax died this morning. He had been in poor health for some time. He will be missed.





So long Gary, and thanks for all the Troglodytes

I have a job interview tomorrow for the Smoking Cessation hotline at Roswell. Not because I have any passion concerning smoking or cancer or junk. I just feel bad about (e:Jim) leaving Roswell. We can't let estrip's control over Roswell slip!

I interview well. But I can't get this wry look of awkwardness off my face when wearing a suit. So, I am going to have to put the suit on and pose in front of the bathroom mirror saying things like "never get a job with a tie man, a tie is a noose!" Just to get it out of my system.

Wish my luck.