Saturday, September 13, 2008

An Epigram, to Senator Obama

Were ours the honeyed lips and tongues of gold
That gracious Mercury dispensed of old,
Well might your rivals warn the people then
Of what seems weighty, but is light within.
But now, when we do scarce the name retain
Of orator, for common men's disdain,
Low speech seduces better, flatters more
Than ever eloquence impressed before.

Monday, September 1, 2008

Surprising News in the Eccentric World of Austin Rivera

It's a proud day when the vanguard of pretension condescends to mention one's little recreations. No, really. The article is a fine general introduction to the world of hobby boardgames, and has of course elicited responses on the message boards of the both the hegemon and the oppressed minority. Boardgaming, if I do say so myself, is in the midst of a sort of golden age for games in both the American and German styles, with many stimulating titles being published each year, and something like the birth of a critical discourse is taking place amidst all the puerilities of its internet community. The premier producer of games in the American style is Fantasy Flight Games, and most of the best European games are distributed in the States by Rio Grande Games (although there are other fine publishers). 'Hobby' or 'Designer' games run the gamut of historical settings from the beginnings of civilization in Mesopotamia to its peak in early modern europe on through the industrial revolution to modern politics, and are hardly above the more traditionally geeky realms of fantasy, science fiction, and horror. The premier producer of games in the American style is Fantasy Flight Games, and most of the best European games are distributed in the States by Rio Grande Games, although there are many other fine publishers; take a look at their catalogs.

Orandum est ut sit mens sana in corpore sano, as the poet says, and though they do little to help the body, I have no doubt these thinking man's games, even if they lack the hoary head of chess and its like, have much to offer the mind.