I first saw Star Wars in 1977, and watched Star Trek reruns in afternoon syndication throughout the early 1980s. I started reading SciFi literature around sixth grade, and by the time I discovered Larry Niven in high school, I was a full-on Sci-Fi Geek.

During the production of TNG, I could have very easily lost my love of Sci-Fi, because creating it was now my job (here is the part where I plug Just A Geek, because I talk about that conflict an awful lot in it. Thank you for your indulgence.) However, right around the second season of TNG, I officially became A Gamer, and serendipitously discovered The Prisoner and graphic novels like Watchmen and Dark Knight Returns. Whenever the joy of Sci-Fi was threatened by the daily grind of working on TNG, I picked up a comic, or went to The Village, played GURPS or painted Warhammer 40K Space Marines. To this day, I am one of the only (if not the only) actors you’ll find shopping for nerdy T-shirts and technical manuals in the dealer’s room, minutes before I go onstage at the convention. (And don’t think for a second that I’ve ever stopped counting my blessings for that!)

My point is, Sci-Fi always provided an escape for me, even when it was an escape from creating Sci-Fi, and though I liked other genres, especially horror and fantasy, nothing ever captured my imagination or stimulated my intellect like Sci-Fi did (and does.) I’ve always tried to explain to people that I love it because good Sci-Fi (not that action movie bullshit that pretends to be Sci-Fi) allows us to look at our world, and the human condition, in a safe way that still challenges us, but I’ve always felt that my explaination falls a little bit short.

I’ve been re-reading Ron Moore’s Battlestar Galactica blog today, and Ron explains, perfectly, not only why I love Sci-Fi but why Battlestar Galactica is the best Sci-Fi series in the history of the universe:

Galactica is both mirror and prism through which to view our world. It attempts to mirror the complexities of our lives and our society in turbulent times, while at the same time reflecting and bending that view in order to allow us to extrapolate on notions present in contemporary society but which have not yet come to pass, i.e. a true artificial intelligence becoming self-aware and the existential questions it raises. Our goal is to examine contemporary culture and society, to challenge (and sometimes provoke) our audience, but not to provide easy answers to complex problems.

Frakkin’ A, Ron.

WWdN reader Seymore pointed me to this story in The Onion that hits a little close to home:

Metal Council Convenes To Discuss ‘Metal Hand Sign’ Abuse

In an emergency session Tuesday, members of the Supreme Metal Council
strongly condemned the increasing use of the metal hand sign in lay
society, claiming that its meaning has become perverted by overuse.

"The metal sign, or ‘sign of the goat,’ has all but lost its impact
as a token of respectful recognition for something truly ‘rocking’ or
‘metal,’" SMC president Terence "Geezer" Butler said. According to
Butler, members are upset that their sacred gesture is being used to
acknowledge and celebrate "favorable but clearly non-metal events."

"We have all heard the reports of people using it to greet their
in-laws, or after starting their lawn mowers with a single pull,"
Butler said. "But recently it was brought to our attention that someone
used the gesture in a Texas convenience store after snagging the last
box of carrot cakes. This simply won’t do."

"I remember a time not long ago when the Devil Horns were reserved
for only the most righteous of person, deed, or riff," Grand Elder
Lemmy Kilmister said. "To see someone throwing the horns to his mate at
the launderette because the clothes dryer came to a full stop just as
he finished reading his copy of Circus… It breaks my heart."

Nodding in silent agreement were council members Adalwolfa, a
curvaceous Frank Frazetta-drawn Teutonic she-warrior magically brought
to life by the council, and the spirit of slain Pantera guitarist
"Dimebag" Darrell Abbott.

Of course, because I am a good ‘merican, I don’t recognize the legitimacy of any governing body which I can’t manipulate or otherwise control, so I am not afraid of any resolutions which may come out of this so-called ‘council.’

Rock. \m/

Last month, I wrote about Cornell du Houx, a Bowdoin College senior who is development director for the College Democrats of America and co-president of the Maine College Democrats. He opposes the Iraq war, and the Bush administration’s policies, but he is a United States Marine, and when he graduates he will be deployed to Iraq.

"Regardless of my opinions regarding
the war in Iraq, it is my duty as a U.S. Marine to serve and I am ready
and willing to do my job to its fullest extent," he said.

Others on campus, particularly his political opponents in the Bowdoin
College Republicans, feel differently about his service. Daniel
Schuberth, a leader of the Bowdoin College Republicans and College
Republican national secretary, said, "I applaud Mr. Houx for his
service, just as I applaud any other soldier who is brave enough to
take up arms in defense of his country. I find it troubling, however,
that one of the most vocal opponents of our president, our country and
our mission in Iraq has chosen to fight for a cause he claims is wrong.
Mr. Houx’s rhetoric against the war on terror places him in agreement
with the most radical fringes of the Democratic Party, and I am left to
question his logic and motivation."

I blew a gasket when I read Daniel Schuberth’s remarks, and wrote,

Boy, it sure is cute how Daniel Schuberth tries real real hard to spit out his Mehlman-ordered
talking points, but has he listened to what he’s saying? Daniel
Schuberth, who should probably earn some sort of award from Operation Yellow Elephant,
has the fucking nerve to criticize a brave soldier who is following
orders, even though he doesn’t believe in the war, when he won’t enlist
himself. He may claim that Cornell du Houx is a representative of the
"most radical fringes of the Democratic Party," but it’s pretty clear
that chickenhawks like Daniel Schuberth are in direct agreement with
the mainstream of George Bush’s Republican Party. I’m sure he has
"other priorities", just like Dick Cheney did during the Vietnam War.
What a brave, brave little fighting keyboardist he is!

Today, I read on the Operation Yellow Elephant blog that Mr. Schuberth has apologized to Cornell du Houx, and retracted his remarks.

College Republican National Committee Secretary Dan Schuberth (Bowdoin ’06) has retracted
his criticism of his classmate, College Democrat (and Marine reservist)
Alex Cornell du Houx, who opposes the war in Iraq but is doing his
military duty;

In a letter to the student newspaper, Schuberth
wrote, "In my attempt to deal a blow to a political opponent, I made
the mistake of questioning his patriotism and motivation for choosing
to fight in Iraq."

"While I strongly disagree with Alex in terms
of his political beliefs and his demeanor towards those who disagree
with him," Schuberth continued, "it was inappropriate of me to question
his patriotism and motivation for joining our armed forces. As I stated
before, I have nothing but the highest degree of respect for any
soldier who is brave enough to take up arms in defense of his or her
country. This respect is offered regardless of a soldier’s political
beliefs.

I sincerely apologize to those who were offended by my remarks."

After personally trashing John McCain, his wife, and their children in the 2000 South Carolina primary, George W(orst president ever) Bush told McCain, "It’s just politics, John." McCain reportedly replied, "Not everything is politics, George."

If Shuberth is sincere (and I have no reason to doubt that he is), he’s
earned my respect by admitting that he was simply trying to score
political points with the extreme right wing of the extreme Republican
party and apologizing for it.

I wonder if any Congressional Republicans will follow his example?

I screwed up the starting date for the WWdN Friday Game at PokerStars this week, so it looks like WWdN #5: Toby039 Invitational is happening tonight.

That is a mistake! Tournament number 14687178 is cancelled. I have unregistered from that game, and created WWdN #5.1 for tomorrow. If you’re registered in the Invitational that is set for today, drop out and re-register in the correct game. Sorry about that!

However, to make this even more complicated and confusing, there is a West Coast Warmup tonight, which starts at 10:30 Eastern (7:30 Pacific).

Details:

What: WWdN West Coast Warmup #1
Where: PokerStars.
When: Thursday, November 10th. 10:30 PM EST
Password: monkey
Tournament number: 14855882
Buy-in: $10+1

Details for tomorrow’s correct WWdN Friday game:

What: WWdN: Toby039 Invitational
Where: PokerStars.
When: Friday, November 11th. 7:00 PM EST
Password: monkey
Tournament number: 14856143
Buy-in: $10+1

I hope to see lots of people in both games!