Neolithic Spiral People

Mysterious Neolithic People Made Optical Art
Rossella Lorenzi, Discovery News

Sept. 22, 2008 -- An egalitarian Neolithic Eden filled with unique, geometric art flourished some 7,000 years ago in Eastern Europe, according to hundreds of artifacts on display at the Vatican. Running until the end of October at the Palazzo della Cancelleria in the Vatican, the exhibition, "Cucuteni-Trypillia: A Great Civilization of Old Europe," introduces a mysterious Neolithic people who are now believed to have forged Europe's first civilization...

...the Cucuteni might have seen the world as cyclical -- a concept they might have expressed in the circles they painted on their pottery. According to this hypothesis, every some 60-80 years they would sacrifice whole cities by intentionally burning thousands of their houses. Then they would move to create another settlement...

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2008/09/22/cucuteni-neolithic-art.html

The "let's burn our city every 60 years" theory seems a bit silly, but would make a cool fantasy element.

Enemy Action

Thought this was worth echoing:

http://www.chrispramas.com/2008/09/enemy-action.html

Complications

Remember that one episode of Farscape where Rygel and D'argo were negotiating with Scorpius and the diner they were in got robbed, and one of the robbers kept screaming, "WHY SO DIFFICULT?" as his plans went further and further awry? That's how this week is going.

Distractions

AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!

Ska

Over the past few months, I've heard a few references to something called "ska." I gather that this is a musical style of some sort, possibly one that's been around a while. Everyone else seems to accept it as a familiar term. To me, though, it still sounds like some kind of fish disease.

"Hey Roy, what's that crusty stuff on your tetras?"

"Oh, they got that ska fungus. I've changed out the tank twice but I still can't get rid of the damn stuff."

"Have you tried putting in some of those sucker fish to clean the walls?"

"Ayuh. Killed them too."

"Nasty stuff, that ska."

Good Morning Morpheus

I got a text message on my phone this morning that just said "wake up." I didn't recognize the number it came from and I still haven't figured out who it was. I'm still waiting for it to add, "the Matrix has you."

Origins 2008

We scouted out Origins last weekend and had a great time. Tom sums it up nicely on his blog, along with other stuff.

I got to try out 4th edition D&D, which... I don't know. Several things about this version are starting to bother me. Anyway, even if it was only because we had a good DM and players, it was fun.

Next year maybe I'll run some games.