Day: October 18, 2006

Pelgrane Press are creating a new version of Call of Cthulhu, written by Ken Hite, using a new system devised by Robin D Laws.

They’ve put up a survey, asking CoC players/gamemasters and fans of H.P. Lovecraft to give their opinions and help shape the new version.

Bush signed the Military Commissions Act into law yesterday.

It didn’t get any coverage on the major news networks — most of whom were talking about Madonna’s adoption, the fact that the American population reached 300 million…oh, and a gripping one-on-one interview by Larry King with the guy who claimed to have killed JonBenet, but didn’t.

Meanwhile, with the stroke of a pen, our Constitution, the Geneva Conventions, and the basis for legal rights of the accused in Anglo-Saxon law since the Magna Carta, were gutted.

The Times (UK) article linked above also mentioned that there was a protest:

“Religious groups staged a protest outside the White House as the Bill was being signed. Protesters shouted “Bush is the terrorist” and “Torture is a crime”. Those who refused to move were arrested by police.”

Again, we didn’t see that, either.

Readers of this journal know how I feel about this — and about the Bush administration. Here’s my question for supporters of this administration, though: Even if you think that Bush is a good man, and that this legislation is neccessary for the so-called “War on Terror”…..has it occurred to any of you what happens when that unfettered authority is handed to someone else? Someone who *isn’t* a “good man?” What happens then? Are you all really that short-sighted?

Meh.

It’s OK. I much prefer the early-80s Robin of Sherwood, though.

This one is an odd mix of Family Entertainment (Robin is non-violent, and refuses to kill), Comedy (the Sheriff is a wonderful scene-chewer), Anti-War-On-Terror Commentary (Examples: “It’s not our Holy War, it’s Pope Gregory’s” and “The Sheriff can declare outlaws to be Enemies of War, and execute them without trial.”) and Firefly-esque snappy-dialog ensemble piece (Robin’s manservant, Much, is pretty much Wash — same physical type, same line delivery style, and wearing the 12-century equivalent of a loud Hawaiian shirt.).

All of this, in 45-minute episodes. In my opinion, its trying to be too much.

I’ll probably grab the other ones to watch, just for the hell of it….but “Meh.”