I have an idea, I have had it for some time as a matter of fact. There are certain games that are only there to pleasure the person playing it, only there to be fun and build no useful skill nor expand the mind in any way. There are, however, games so technical, so complicated, so desiring of a mind attuned to strategy, logic, problem-solving, and even math that they can be adapted, through certain programmatic controls, to use in educating children, young adults, and even adults.

I want to, eventually, create a computer bank in or near the Crankyyellow storefront here in St. Louis. The bank will be free to use, provided they subscribe to the program. Using the computer games: Sim City (series), Civilization (series), Railroad Tycoon (series), Roller Coaster Tycoon (series), Hearts of Iron (series), Tropico (and expansions) and a number of games old and new.

If anyone could help out, materially or otherwise, in this effort I think we can provide both a needed distraction for inner-city youth, educational supplementation, and a community hub that we can expand expand expand until we’ve developed something greater.

Time for me to show you what I’ve been watching the past week….well, past few weeks since it’s been awhile. I hope you love them as much as I do!

Yes, the Wiggles used to be even creepier than they are now:

I went through a serious Mamas and the Papas phase a few years ago. Mama case is bloody awesome, and manages to be both big and beautiful.

A bunch of young kiddies start yelling at a bunch of anti-mexican minutemen. They show that just because you left your home country doesn’t mean you want other people dragging it through the mud, that you aren’t proud of your heritage. Most people, Italians, Irish, Germans, French..etc…etc….are still proud of where they came from and fly their respective flags and even have entire holidays centered around their home countries. I, as a Sicilian, am very proud of my heritage, most people are. Most of us are immigrants, and we shouldn’t be treating our new residents like criminals, low-lives, and scum just because they are arriving later than we did.

Mary Poppins always creeped me out, just a little, as a kid. There were always some parts of the movie that seemed rather dark, hiding some sort of evil that you were never shown directly. I think we’ve finally discovered what that is.

I’ve been rediscovering some of my old habits and loves, one of which being my MSPaint city-plans. I used to spend hours and hours carefully planning every block, every street, every park and bridge. I have always had a knack for understanding and imitating the “natural” development that most cities, especially older ones, go through. When I get it just right my cities seem to be possible, or even to currently exist (as my two dimensional city-drawings get from time to time). Take a walk down memory lane with me and see how my young mind began on its path (all of these are circa high school):

Super-cool link of awesome!

What’s funny is how easily I remember the purpose and plan of my cities. This city, called New Estoria, was designed as a Capital of a more modern, techno-centric, green society. The red lines you see with periodic yellow blocks along side them are part of a light-rail network designed to transport large numbers of people to each of the major centres of the city. On the far right, bottom corner there is a power station, most likely utilizing fusion technology. The middle-left, where there is abit of green surrounding a few buildings, is the main government section holding the chief executive, congress, and a number of supporting government buildings (accounting bureaucracy, planning agencies, IRS, intelligence…etc…etc..). The island directly above the main city is a large industrial and biological research and production site, next door, across the bay, is the airport. To the right of the airport lie undeveloped lands and Florida-like swamps and everglades. The top left, across the bridge from the main part of the city is the university, probably the largest in the country.

Beyond these major buildings (I won’t name them all, if you look hard enough you can figure out what the rest are), every single tiny building is a townhouse or small apartment building, perhaps a densely built multi-storied house. Very large buildings are most likely malls, commercial centers, or industrial complexes or research facilities. Everything else is either a shop or office building or complex. A number of hidden structures are built within the city, harboring god knows what secrets.

Also a good link, try it out baby!

This is Greater Venturia, a mega-city built upon a large horn jutting into the sea. This place is sort of a mess, built around a large highway and a heavy rail system the place didn’t really develop the way a city should. Its population explosion occurred at such a speedy tempo that a number of centres were built, creating a network of smaller cities with their own hubs, surrounded by extensive industrial and commercial complexes, interconnected by the highway and a somewhat structured network of large roads built upon cart-wheel design outward from the highway’s loop.

The city’s direct center is its administrative heart, holding the mayor, city council, and all of its important offices and bureaus. To the direct right of this center is a mega-airport, which sports not only airplanes but space-planes, which launch from the strip extending out into the sea. Almost the entire south, especially the far south-left and south-right are heavy industrial zones. The industry stops when it hits the heavy-rail line, below that being residential and store-fronts servicing the industrial workers.

This link might be good, I dunno. 

This is a relatively small city called “Zodiac”. The city is an old military town, seeing its share of war and destruction and plenty of its citizens coming back in coffins and bags. It probably lies near the border of whatever nation this happens to be, tensely sitting in wait for the next conflict. The far north of the city holds a massive military base, and a mysterious military installation calls the middle of the bay its home. The strange circle of rings just below the military base is actually a war memorial, comprised of hundreds of steps leading to a thin rectangular monument standing about a storey tall. The city’s streets are maze-like, and they were intended to be.

Confusing, scary, suffocating, and intimidating the streets wind, dead-end, and end up in unexpected locations. The benefit to this design is that only long-time citizens can navigate the streets with any efficiency and confidence, putting them at a great advantage should an army invade and attempt to occupy the berg. Never underestimate the citizens of Zodiac, they are hard, cruel, strong, stoic, and angry, many an out-of-towner has found himself at the end of a large and angry crowd when they decide to get drunk and aggressive at one of the few bars in town.

I have believed for quite some time that environment, the structures of society both physical and intangible (the development of a city’s streets or the way in which welfare and education is handled) set the options and the paths of all. A person can be a thief, a murderer, a teacher, a scientist, a police officer, or a soldier depending upon their environment. A man or woman, child or adult can fail or succeed depending on how a society is structured, depending on the governing philosophy and available technology. It’s our job to build a society worth living in, a city of humanity providing for, developed by, and including all people.

In the words of Godspell: “We can build a beautiful city…..and call it the city of man.”
And call it the city of man

I like Dawkins. I am actually a religious person, though I am not one of the major religions he typically takes aim at (I am a Pagan). However, Dawkins should be absolutely respected for his bravery and honesty; Dawkins has his opinions and he is not afraid to express them in the manner in which he likes. I think he rubs people the wrong way because people aren’t used to being told they are wrong in ways that don’t protect their egos, but I for one hate formalities and politeness. I like people who are honest, blunt, and provacative because they get a debate going, they challenge people, and myself, to think about their position and defend it. (In alot of ways, me and Dawkins have similar styles, I love to use sarcasm, ridicule, humor…etc…in my debates, which I mix into my logic and facts. People, just like with Dawkins, like to get hung up on those quirks so they don’t have to defend their own logic and belief structures.)

I think when people start attacking Dawkins personally (he’s been called a bigot, an anti-religious zealot, intolerant, and compared to Hitler even by fellow liberals and atheists due to his outspoken demeanor) it shows their lack of capability to defend their stance and their own insecurity. I absolutely love Dawkins, but I know he would berate me for my religious beliefs. That’s fine, I am completely secure in them and well prepared to defend them against him and anyone else.

No matter how much you love or hate him you have to admit: Dawkins makes valid points about religion’s flaws, and I think it would be wise of all of us religious folks to take note of what he is saying and try to change what he is correct in denouncing to show that religion can be a force for good, that religion isn’t opposed to science, reason, and human progress. (I mean, for you Christians that would end up with you admitting your bible is largely allegorical and knocking off the political obstructions to certain people’s liberation *cough-gays-cough* and scientific advancement).

So, again, to all you Dawkin’s haters: is Dawkins really that bad? He may be rude, but I have never considered rudeness to be a bad thing. I consider it to be the exact opposite. He’s fervently partisan, but that is his right and there is nothing wrong with that. He passionately believes in the value of science and Atheism and he wants to spread such beliefs and take on those who oppose them. He makes logical errors, but who doesn’t? Being human doesn’t make someone evil, and you shouldn’t have to be perfect to forcefully, and rudely, express your views without being compared to Hitler.

Dawkins’ purpose is to shake things up, he is, as I said before, a provocateur. He knows, and he is right, that he will never get you to give up your beliefs no matter how polite he is. He wants to simply shake things up and judging by people’s reactions he seems to be doing a rather good job of that.

Here are just a few wonderful examples of why Dawkin’s is the last action hero of Scientific Atheism:

For being shot with a hand-held camera it was rather well done. Well choreographed, well-prepared, creative; this short film was poignant in its simplicity, telling in its lack of showmanship. It didn’t try to steal your attention with catchy music or flashy special effects, it didn’t try to brow-beat you with sobbing shots of people being blown to hell. It was just a classroom full of people who showed you what they are concerned with.

Some of it was the same “universities are crazy, why are they structured this way?” stuff about being overworked, undereducated, or forced into a diploma generating assembly line. However, many of the students also indicated their concern for people around the world, and their relative prosperity to them. It showed that they know they are privileged, but that doesn’t mean things shouldn’t improve and change. Not only that, they showed their own personal flaws and failures (such as updating facebook more often than reading or doing papers).  I think, overall, this is a fair depiction of university students, I encourage you all to take a look.