A Solution to the Single Games Launcher Conundrum
Back in April I wrote about the proliferation of video game launchers and how more and more companies are offering their own. The dream of Steam being a one stop platform for gaming has long gone and gamers now have to install multiple clients to access their various game libraries. As I indicated in that post, I’m personally not that outraged or inconvenienced by having to use different game launchers. There are far bigger problems facing the video games industry at present, such as aggressive monetisation, the decline of game ownership in the traditional sense and growth of “live services” and the associated bullshit that goes with such business models. Having to use separate launchers (I have 10 installed at the last count) is therefore lower on the list of transgressions and sins. However, that doesn’t mean that I’m averse to a solution if one presents itself and it looks like one may have just done so.
Back in April I wrote about the proliferation of video game launchers and how more and more companies are offering their own. The dream of Steam being a one stop platform for gaming has long gone and gamers now have to install multiple clients to access their various game libraries. As I indicated in that post, I’m personally not that outraged or inconvenienced by having to use different game launchers. There are far bigger problems facing the video games industry at present, such as aggressive monetisation, the decline of game ownership in the traditional sense and growth of “live services” and the associated bullshit that goes with such business models. Having to use separate launchers (I have 10 installed at the last count) is therefore lower on the list of transgressions and sins. However, that doesn’t mean that I’m averse to a solution if one presents itself and it looks like one may have just done so.
One of the game launchers and online stores I already have installed is GOG Galaxy. Good Old Games is part of CD Projekt and as this Polish developer has produced some good titles (the Witcher franchise) and broadly acts in an ethical fashion, I am reasonably well disposed towards them as a consumer. They are currently developing GOG Galaxy 2.0 which is being beta tested at present. I was recently invited to try this product and was impressed to see that it has a facility to link accounts from other game launchers. Alternatively you can manually add a game to your library that is installed outside of GOG Galaxy 2.0. Now I’m sure some of you will be thinking “doesn’t Steam do that already?” and the answer is indeed “yes”. However, the Epic Store blocks Steam from doing this with any of its titles, so you cannot use Steam as a “one stop solution”. GOG Galaxy 2.0 effectively allows you to access all your games from a single platform, be they installed via Origins, UPlay, Steam or even the Epic Store. Furthermore, there is ongoing support for 3rd party addons that can facilitate linking to smaller and more bespoke platforms.
Now the solution that GOG Galaxy 2.0 is seeking to offer does not eliminate all the inconveniences that stem from having to install and run multiple game launchers. For example it cannot unify friends lists and custom social groups. And often all GOG Galaxy 2.0 can do is start another launcher that allows you to access the game you wish to play. But it is at least it is a start and offers the most functionality compared to its rivals. If you wish to try and manage as much as you can from a single app, then GOG Galaxy 2.0 seems to be the best option around at present. It should also be noted that at present, the beta test is by invite only. But if you have version 1.0 of GOG Galaxy installed and have expressed an interest in the next version, an email should be forthcoming with download instructions. It will be interesting to see how well GOG Galaxy 2.0 fares in an increasingly protectionist video games market. Will the current functionality of the beta build make it into the final release or will market forces end up blocking cross platform access? Time will tell.
A Christmas Carol (1997)
It’s interesting that so many adaptations of Charles Dickens’ iconic seasonal story are brought to us via the medium of animation. Naturally, this is a far more economical means of depicting the story with its period detail and supernatural elements, compared to a live action production. However, for an animated version of A Christmas Carol to work successfully, it needs three things. An innovative and striking production design, robust voice acting and a screenplay that keeps the core themes while offering significance difference compared to prior adaptations. You’ll find all of these elements in Richard Williams’ 1971 animated short. Sadly they’re conspicuously absent from the 1997 version. Despite the presence such talents as Tim Curry, Ed Asner and Whoopi Goldberg, this is a distinctly arbitrary animated film. Considering that the screenplay was written by Jymn Magon who has years of experience working for Disney, I had hoped this would be better endeavour.
It’s interesting that so many adaptations of Charles Dickens’ iconic seasonal story are brought to us via the medium of animation. Naturally, this is a far more economical means of depicting the story with its period detail and supernatural elements, compared to a live action production. However, for an animated version of A Christmas Carol to work successfully, it needs three things. An innovative and striking production design, robust voice acting and a screenplay that keeps the core themes while offering significance difference compared to prior adaptations. You’ll find all of these elements in Richard Williams’ 1971 animated short. Sadly they’re conspicuously absent from the 1997 version. Despite the presence such talents as Tim Curry, Ed Asner and Whoopi Goldberg, this is a distinctly arbitrary animated film. Considering that the screenplay was written by Jymn Magon who has years of experience working for Disney, I had hoped this would be better endeavour.
A Christmas Carol presents a very non-specific realisation of Dickensian London. The costumes seem more Edwardian in style and the city is a little too contemporary in design. Scrooge (Tim Curry) is depicted in a very generic way, complete with long nose, angular features and balding head. He also has a canine companion named Debit who acts as a comic foil and tempers some of the more sinister elements of the story. The film sports a rather lurid colour scheme, with characters wearing lots of bright red and green. The various spirits that visit scrooge deviate from the source text in their depiction. The Ghost of Christmas Past is presented as a street urchin, which I thought was quite a creative touch. The Ghost of Christmas Present is voiced by Whoopi Goldberg so the spirits gender and ethnicity reflect those of the actor. And then there are the songs. Yes, this is yet another musical adaptation filled with indifferent songs that simply fill the gaps in the proceedings. None of them stay with you.
At 72 minutes this version of A Christmas Carol does not outstay its welcome. Despite being rather uninspired it is broadly tolerable, although I appreciate that such a statement is damning with faint praise. Occasionally there are some minor details lifted directly from the source text, which I always look to see. This time round it is Jacob Marley’s face appearing in the painted tiles that surround the fireplace in Scrooge’s lodgings. The film also has a few creative ideas, such as a Jacob Marley that looks more like Theodore Roosevelt than a ghost. I also liked that Scrooge finds common ground with Tiny Tim through their finding escape through books and mutual love of the novel Robinson Crusoe. If you can tune out the songs and concentrate on the animated sequences that accompany them, as well as overlook the rather pointless inclusion of the dog Debit, then this version of A Christmas Carol may be of interest to fellow completists. Casual viewers will be better off seeking out a more accomplished adaptation.
The Esoteric Nature of Crafting in MMORPGs
I was initially going to call this post “crafting can fuck right off” but I felt that was a somewhat bellicose opening gambit and a little hyperbolic. So I’ve toned it down to “the esoteric nature of crafting in MMORPGS”. Now to begin with, I tend not to craft when playing MMORPGs. The effort to reward ratio is often insufficient and I have yet to find a crafting system that is engaging and fun. However, for me the biggest sin that crafting can commit is being deliberately arcane and obtuse “with malice of forethought”, if I may invoke legal analogy. Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with game systems and mechanics being complicated. Intricacy can be both intriguing and rewarding if presented correctly. However, all too often game developers cross over the line, stepping from “complexity” to “fucking annoying”. For example some card games such as Poker can have complex rules but mastering them transforms the proceedings from random chance into a game of skill. But at the other end of the spectrum there’s Fizzbin, which was invented purely to be frustrating due to its arcane nature. I frequently find that crafting in MMOs is just like Fizzbin. Except they’re not amusing or ironic, just tedious and irritating.
I was initially going to call this post “crafting can fuck right off” but I felt that was a somewhat bellicose opening gambit and a little hyperbolic. So I’ve toned it down to “the esoteric nature of crafting in MMORPGS”. Now to begin with, I tend not to craft when playing MMORPGs. The effort to reward ratio is often insufficient and I have yet to find a crafting system that is engaging and fun. However, for me the biggest sin that crafting can commit is being deliberately arcane and obtuse “with malice of forethought”, if I may invoke legal analogy. Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with game systems and mechanics being complicated. Intricacy can be both intriguing and rewarding if presented correctly. However, all too often game developers cross over the line, stepping from “complexity” to “fucking annoying”. For example some card games such as Poker can have complex rules but mastering them transforms the proceedings from random chance into a game of skill. But at the other end of the spectrum there’s Fizzbin, which was invented purely to be frustrating due to its arcane nature. I frequently find that crafting in MMOs is just like Fizzbin. Except they’re not amusing or ironic, just tedious and irritating.
I tried crafting in The Lord of the Rings Online fairly recently after playing for 11 years. Initially it was simply a case of gathering raw material, refining them and gaining XP in the appropriate skill. But after a while additional resources were needed to progress and advancement became ponderous. Hence, I quickly abandoned this aspect of the game. Sadly, I did not learn my lesson. While recently playing The Elder Scrolls Online, I discovered several Crafting Motif Books that allow you to cosmetically augment your gear. However, my hopes and dreams of looking dapper and stylish in-game were quickly dashed. The use of these books are dependent upon having certain crafting skills at a specific level. For example, Crafting Motif 13: Primal Style “Requires Rank 6 or greater of any one of the Metalworking, Tailoring or Woodworking passives”. Now at first glance I thought this meant that the I had to have any one of those three skills at level 6. Turns out that is not the case. Ranking is not equivalent to level. There are 50 levels and 10 ranks. Rank 6 is level 25. Now some of you may be asking at this point, “what’s the problem here”? Well, how about the fact that none of this information regarding skill levels and rankings is immediately available in the game? Turns out if you wish to comprehensively learn about crafting in ESO, you have to do so outside of the game.
“I am no one to be trifled with”
Now call me old fashioned but I have always thought that if a game makes you tab out while you’re actively playing, to find something out via a third-party website, then it is doing itself a major disservice. And that is putting it mildly. It is an abject failure by the game developers. It is also fucking annoying. So far, my experience with crafting in ESO can be filled under such. However, I am no one to be trifled with so I have doggedly worked on increasing my Blacksmithing skill. I am currently bankrupting myself in-game by buying purple heavy armour and two-handed weapons and deconstructing them. The XP gained has so far got me to level 15 but it has also cost about 25,000 gold. It may be financially more practical to farm Dolmen and deconstruct the various weapons drops, although this may well take longer as loot is random and not always of the type required. But I intend to use my Crafting Motifs, come hell or high water. And ZeniMax Online Studios can go piss up a rope, as can crafting per se in the MMO genre. I will not be prevented from looking fabulous in this or any other game due to the whims and caprices of those who don’t know the subtle difference between complex and esoteric.
International Picture Posting Month: The Lord of the Rings Online
The Lord of the Rings Online is unique in so far as there are no other Tolkien based MMORPGs available at present (although another is currently in development). I have played LOTRO since 2008 and what I have discovered during that time, is that although the game attracts MMO players, it also attracts dedicated Tolkien aficionados. Many of those who play LOTRO do not play other games or even consider themselves as gamers. The intellectual property is a magnet for fans and frequently a steppingstone into the world of gaming. Hence you have a player base that is heavily invested and forgiving, because of their affection for the source material. Few other MMOs have this sort of community. LOTRO offers an opportunity to immerse yourself in Middle-earth. For many, the game’s vision of Tolkien’s world is superior to Peter Jackson’s movie adaptations. LOTRO has its own original aesthetic and style. Furthermore, after twelve years there is a prodigious amount of Middle-earth to explore. No other MMO can offer players access to The Shire, or Rohan or the Dead Marshes. So, in many respects LOTRO is an MMO occupying a unique niche in the video games market.
The Lord of the Rings Online is unique in so far as there are no other Tolkien based MMORPGs available at present (although another is currently in development). I have played LOTRO since 2008 and what I have discovered during that time, is that although the game attracts MMO players, it also attracts dedicated Tolkien aficionados. Many of those who play LOTRO do not play other games or even consider themselves as gamers. The intellectual property is a magnet for fans and frequently a steppingstone into the world of gaming. Hence you have a player base that is heavily invested and forgiving, because of their affection for the source material. Few other MMOs have this sort of community. LOTRO offers an opportunity to immerse yourself in Middle-earth. For many, the game’s vision of Tolkien’s world is superior to Peter Jackson’s movie adaptations. LOTRO has its own original aesthetic and style. Furthermore, after twelve years there is a prodigious amount of Middle-earth to explore. No other MMO can offer players access to The Shire, or Rohan or the Dead Marshes. So, in many respects LOTRO is an MMO occupying a unique niche in the video games market.
Another aspect of LOTRO in which the game excels is the story structure and quest lines. All are driven by strong narratives and couched in the lore of Middle-earth. The writers have always shown an abiding love for the work of Professor Tolkien and this is reflected in both the main epic storyline, right down to the smallest regional quest. You’ll often find references both big and small to various events found in the original books, as well as links to tales dating further back in the history of Middle-earth. For example, there’s a minor quest in the South Farthing of The Shire, in which a young Hobbit falls asleep onboard a small covered wagon. He subsequently recounts a tale of travelling to a tower in a circle of rock and a scary old man dressed in white. It would appear that he has unwittingly hitched a ride to Isengard, via one the supply wagons Lotho Sackville-Baggins is sending to Saruman. It is minor asides such as these that embellish LOTRO and delight those who enjoy the source texts upon which they’re based.
Although some may argue that the halcyon days of the MMORPG are gone, there are still several enduring titles that can offer new players an engaging virtual world to explore and quest in. LOTRO is definitely one of these. Not only can it satisfy your MMO itch but also provide a franchise specific experience that no other game can directly compete with. Furthermore, after celebrating its twelfth anniversary this year, the developers have plans to expand the game further, adding yet more of Middle-earth to the game. Mount Gundabad is currently in development and will be available in 2020. So, if you’re looking for an original and immersive depiction of Tolkien’s world, with a narrative driven story and a welcoming community, then look no further than LOTRO. Just remember the wise words of Bilbo Baggins. “It's a dangerous business, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.”
In addition to the pictures in this post, here is a link to a gallery of screenshots from LOTRO via Google Photos. All are available at the original screen resolution of 1920 x 1200.
Strictly Come Dancing: The Judges versus the Public
Rather than continue to analyse each week’s show, which after all is a somewhat over saturated field, I thought it would be more interesting to write about the different facets of Strictly Come Dancing. The one I particularly wish to focus upon this time is the voting system and how it often highlights a differing of opinion between the professional judges on the show and the British public. For the past two weeks now there have been several celebrity dancers in the dreaded dance off who are far from the weakest performers. This has led to competent individuals leaving the show unexpectedly early. In many ways the voting system and the fact that no one can be considered safe is one the key factors that keeps Strictly popular and in the media spotlight. However, it also provides some pause for thought. The judges broadly mark and assess the celebrity dancers based upon their talent and performance. If they do not like a routine but still appreciate its technical merits, then they reflect that in their scores. However, the public seem to approach things quite differently.
Rather than continue to analyse each week’s show, which after all is a somewhat over saturated field, I thought it would be more interesting to write about the different facets of Strictly Come Dancing. The one I particularly wish to focus upon this time is the voting system and how it often highlights a differing of opinion between the professional judges on the show and the British public. For the past two weeks now there have been several celebrity dancers in the dreaded dance off who are far from the weakest performers. This has led to competent individuals leaving the show unexpectedly early. In many ways the voting system and the fact that no one can be considered safe is one the key factors that keeps Strictly popular and in the media spotlight. However, it also provides some pause for thought. The judges broadly mark and assess the celebrity dancers based upon their talent and performance. If they do not like a routine but still appreciate its technical merits, then they reflect that in their scores. However, the public seem to approach things quite differently.
When discussing Strictly with fellow fans, our personal favourite couples often come up. Hence it can be assumed (erroneously) that if someone enjoys say Karim or Alex’s dancing, then they regularly vote for them and offer them ongoing, unqualified support. However, a little research shows that this is not the case. The most obvious fact that supports this theory is that a celebrity can be riding high on the leaderboard due to the judges’ marks. But when the public vote is added to their score, they find themselves in the dance off, indicating that what pleases the likes of Craig, Motsi, Shirley and Bruno does not necessarily fly with the home audience. Karim had a judges’ score of 38 on Saturday night with his Couple’s Choice Contemporary routine. Yet he still found himself in the dance off. A similar fate befell Michelle Visage a week earlier with her similarly non-traditional routine. Unlike Karim, she did not survive the dance off. So it would seem that there is potential for a perfectly capable celebrity to perform a dance that means a lot to them but doesn’t chime with viewers and for that to result in a distinct lack of votes.
Another incorrect assumption is that of “fan bases”. Saffron Barker may well have a legion of fans on social media but that patently did not translate into votes on Saturday night. Hence, she found herself yet again in the dance off with Karim and the rest is history as the expression goes. Perhaps the problem in this instance resides with a fanbase that is predominantly online, as opposed to actively watching an older form of media such as television. There has also been discussions in previous years that Strictly viewers are more likely to vote for those celebrities that they can immediately relate to. This then raises contentious matters such as race, class and other spurious social markers. And lets us not forget the Great British tradition of supporting the perceived “underdog”. Strictly viewers will happily keep a talentless, time wasters embarrassing themselves on national TV each week until they tire of them. Such is the enigma of public voting. There are times when you can deduce how people are thinking and who they may keep on the show. And then there are other occasions when it can be a total lottery. I suspect that this year’s final may be subject to the latter and not the former.
Rambo: Last Blood (2019)
The enduring appeal of the character John Rambo in First Blood comes from the fact that he is a traumatised ex- service man who keeps himself to himself as he drifts from job to job, trying to come to terms with his wartime experiences. His poor treatment at the hands of a small-town Sheriff is a succinct metaphor for the social and political indifference that Vietnam veterans were shown upon their return to the US. He’s a man with a code in a world that no longer has any use for him. His simple and honest patriotism is not returned and he is in fact viewed with shame by many from the nation he loves. Furthermore, the first movie does not paint him as a cold-blooded killer. Despite provocation he is not the first person to shoot to kill. Rambo is in many ways a victim. A broken man, who society has asked to do unspeakable things. Now society wants nothing to do with him and fears the “monster” they created. Although clearly an action movie, First Blood had narrative depth and a flawed but sympathetic protagonist. 37 years and four movies later, such dramatic themes have long left the franchise. The central character is indeed a caricature of its former self.
The enduring appeal of the character John Rambo in First Blood comes from the fact that he is a traumatised ex- service man who keeps himself to himself as he drifts from job to job, trying to come to terms with his wartime experiences. His poor treatment at the hands of a small-town Sheriff is a succinct metaphor for the social and political indifference that Vietnam veterans were shown upon their return to the US. He’s a man with a code in a world that no longer has any use for him. His simple and honest patriotism is not returned and he is in fact viewed with shame by many from the nation he loves. Furthermore, the first movie does not paint him as a cold-blooded killer. Despite provocation he is not the first person to shoot to kill. Rambo is in many ways a victim. A broken man, who society has asked to do unspeakable things. Now society wants nothing to do with him and fears the “monster” they created. Although clearly an action movie, First Blood had narrative depth and a flawed but sympathetic protagonist. 37 years and four movies later, such dramatic themes have long left the franchise. The central character is indeed a caricature of its former self.
After the events of Rambo (2008) John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) returns to his home in Arizona, where he lives raising and selling horses which he manages with his Father’s old business partner Maria Beltran (Adriana Barraza), and her granddaughter Gabriela (Yvette Monreal). This surrogate family has provided John with stability and hope for the last decade and helped him face his inner demons. However, PTSD still plagues John and he often sleeps in a series of tunnels that he’s dug under his ranch as a form of self-therapy. Despite advice to the contrary, Gabriela goes to Mexico looking for her estranged Father. After meeting with an old school friend, Gizelle (Fenessa Pineda), a meeting is arranged but her Father rejects her. Upset by events, Gabriela goes to a nightclub with Gizelle to drown her sorrows. She is subsequently betrayed by her friend and falls into the hands of a human trafficking gang run by the Martinez Brothers. John comes looking for Gabriela and quickly has a run in with the violent gang. His actions have far reaching consequences leading to a show down at John’s heavily fortified ranch.
Rambo: Last Blood is curious hybrid genre film, sitting somewhere between Taken, Death Wish and a Friday the 13th movie. It’s quite different from previous instalments in both style and format. There are no covert missions, no skirmishes with foreign military forces and no schoolboy commentary on geopolitics. Instead director Adrian Grunberg (Get the Gringo) initially tries to focus on John Rambo coming to terms with his place in the world as he lives out his “retirement” on his Father’s ranch in quiet self-contemplation. The international version of the movie starts with an interesting prologue in which Rambo uses his tracking skills to try and rescue some tourist lost in a storm. His inability of save all of them triggers his PTSD. However, these scenes do not appear in the US and UK version of the movie. Furthermore, their relevance in the longer edit is soon lost as the movie quickly gives way to standard action movie and revenge tropes. From then on, we are subject to a generic kidnap and revenge fantasy, populated by decidedly two-dimensional characters. If you want copious amounts of action and gore then you have to wait 75 minutes for the final act, although there are a smattering of extreme unpleasantries along the way.
If Rambo: Last Blood had actually abandoned the premise of an action movie and instead been a character drama about John’s redemption through his adopted family, then this may well have been a far better film. But fans simply wouldn’t have supported such a radical change of direction and so we are subject to this tired and frankly uninspired undertaking. Although professionally made, it is best not to think too hard about narrative and themes of Rambo: Last Blood. Drug cartels and human trafficking are tough enough subjects to tackle in an intelligent and nuanced fashion. Even movies like Sicario struggle to dissect the complexities of these issues. Here they are simply just exploitation fodder, tinged with an undercurrent of racism. This is also a very mean spirited ending to John Rambo cinematic journey. Instead of finding some peace and a place in the world, he once again endures bereavement and a bleak future. As deluded right-wing revenge fantasies go this isn’t even a good one, because in winning he loses everything. Were both Stallone and Grunberg deliberately trying to make a statement that “wages of sin are death” and subvert the entire message of the franchise? No, I think they just painted themselves into a narrative corner due to the demands of fans and the producers to deliver what was expected.
Taxation and Wealth Distribution in the UK
There was a rather angry man on BBC Question Time on Thursday night who was somewhat upset over the tax proposals set out in the Labour Party manifesto. Labour intend to increase the higher rate of tax from 40% to 45% if they are elected. The person in question by their own admission earns £80,000 plus a year and he didn’t believe he was in the top 8% of UK earners. He therefore objected to the fact that under a Labour Government he would face a tax increase. Unfortunately this individual was mistaken. According to figures from HMRC, he is clearly one of 4.3 million people in the higher tax category. Perhaps what he found incongruous was the fact that he falls into a demographic that includes people on his salary all the way to multimillionaires. However, at a salary of over £80,000 a year, he is earning way above the UK average. I think this is what flummoxes people so much. There is an assumption that wealth is evenly distributed throughout the working age UK population and that any graph showing salaries is a gentle curve. Sadly, this is not the case as a little research will show.
There was a rather angry man on BBC Question Time on Thursday night who was somewhat upset over the tax proposals set out in the Labour Party manifesto. Labour intend to increase the higher rate of tax from 40% to 45% if they are elected. The person in question by their own admission earns £80,000 plus a year and he didn’t believe he was in the top 8% of UK earners. He therefore objected to the fact that under a Labour Government he would face a tax increase. Unfortunately this individual was mistaken. According to figures from HMRC, he is clearly one of 4.3 million people in the higher tax category. Perhaps what he found incongruous was the fact that he falls into a demographic that includes people on his salary all the way to multimillionaires. However, at a salary of over £80,000 a year, he is earning way above the UK average. I think this is what flummoxes people so much. There is an assumption that wealth is evenly distributed throughout the working age UK population and that any graph showing salaries is a gentle curve. Sadly, this is not the case as a little research will show.
First of all, here are the current UK Tax Rates for financial year 2019-20.
Personal allowance Up to £12,500 0%
Basic rate £12,501 to £50,000 20%
Higher rate £50,001 to £150,000 40%
Additional rate Over £150,001 45%
In 2018-19, an estimated 26.4 million individuals (82.4%) are Basic Rate taxpayers, 4.3 million individuals (13.8%) are Higher Rate taxpayers and 393,000 (1.3%) are Additional Rate taxpayers. That is a total of 31 million people paying taxes in the UK. However the working age population of the United Kingdom is 52 million. That means around 21 million people (43%) earn less than £12,500 a year and are below the Basic Rate tax threshold and therefore do not pay income tax. With these numbers in mind it then become very clear why the median annual income in the UK is £28,677 for full-time employees. There are many jobs that the public perceive as being well paid that in fact are not. Nurses, Policemen and Teachers are classic examples of public servants that fall into this category. The starting salary for all of these professions is between £22,000 and £24,000 per annum.
Once you start looking into subjects such as earnings, taxation and the distribution of wealth in the UK, it becomes very clear that there is a high level of economic inequality. One’s political perspective upon such matters is both personal and subjective but the facts are undeniable. Wealth in the UK remains primarily in the hands of the top 20% who have an income more than 12 times the amount earned by the poorest 20%. Those who are the least financially compensated for their work often find themselves having to supplement their income with such government benefits as Tax Credits. Sadly due to the increasing cost of living, especially with regard to rented accommodation, many families find themselves in poverty. Yet paradoxically the UK is sixth-largest national economy in the world measured by nominal gross domestic product (GDP), ninth largest by purchasing power parity (PPP), and twenty second largest by GDP per capita, comprising 3.3% of world GDP. It’s all very sobering and food for thought. Perhaps the irate man on BBC Question Time should reflect upon all this.
International Picture Posting Month: Star Trek Online
Although I pre-ordered Star Trek Online in early 2010, I was initially disappointed with the game. It took three attempts over several years for me to warm to this MMORPG and make it a mainstay of my gaming activities. STO was a mess when it launched. The game had switched game studios during its development and its new owners Cryptic, were legally obliged to abide by the existing release date. Hence the game was incomplete and somewhat lacking. Furthermore there were systems and mechanics in place that were geared towards a more traditional MMO methodology. Many of these were subsequently sidelined as Cryptic endeavoured to tidy up and refine the game. The MMO went F2P in January 2012 and it proved beneficial in so far as providing the developers with a stable business environment. Over the next three years, Cryptic made the game more coherent and orderly. Long term story arcs were presented in episodic feature episodes, reputation and gear procedures were refined and eventually the skills system was overhauled into a simpler “tree” format. By 2015, STO was finally the game it should have been at launch.
Although I pre-ordered Star Trek Online in early 2010, I was initially disappointed with the game. It took three attempts over several years for me to warm to this MMORPG and make it a mainstay of my gaming activities. STO was a mess when it launched. The game had switched game studios during its development and its new owners Cryptic, were legally obliged to abide by the existing release date. Hence the game was incomplete and somewhat lacking. Furthermore there were systems and mechanics in place that were geared towards a more traditional MMO methodology. Many of these were subsequently sidelined as Cryptic endeavoured to tidy up and refine the game. The MMO went F2P in January 2012 and it proved beneficial in so far as providing the developers with a stable business environment. Over the next three years, Cryptic made the game more coherent and orderly. Long term story arcs were presented in episodic feature episodes, reputation and gear procedures were refined and eventually the skills system was overhauled into a simpler “tree” format. By 2015, STO was finally the game it should have been at launch.
It was during the 2015 Delta Recruitment event that I finally got bitten by the STO bug. I created characters from all three of the faction then available, as each has a unique story for the first third of the game’s narrative. Playing Federation, Klingon and Romulan alts also offers a different perspective on the central story. The game has grown since then and a further three factions have been added. But although it is enjoyable to play such diverse characters, the greatest strength of STO lies in the lore. Set after the events of Star Trek: The Next Generation the story line explores some very interesting themes. The peace treaty with the Klingon Empire breaks down and leads to war. The destruction of the Romulan home world causes a schism in the Star Empire, leading to a Romulan Republic born out of the Vulcan reunification movement and the Reman Resistance. And being Star Trek there is naturally time travel resulting in the player visiting past era’s and even the alternative Kelvin Timeline. It is quite convoluted at times but the stories are frequently marbled with references to classic Trek lore.
STO lacks some of the polish of other MMOs. Its character models are somewhat dated and there are bugs in the game that have persisted for years. But its space combat is dynamic, engaging and satisfying. It also has a wealth of options for short, targeted gameplay, if you do not want to play through the various major story arcs. Plus the game regularly has events throughout the year, which unlike other MMOs offer more than just cosmetic rewards. There are Tier 6 ships to be earned along with other items that enhance gameplay. But the jewel in the crown of STO is its official support from rights holders CBS and the involvement of so many of the cast of the various TV shows. Interacting with such characters as Odo, Weyoun, Worf and Seven of Nine and having them voiced by René Auberjonois, Jeffrey Combs, Michael Dorn and Jeri Ryan is an absolute joy for Trek fans. Plus any game that has pet Hortas and allows you to use a Lirpa or Bat'leth in melee combat has to be doing something right. But as I’m a Trek fan and a lifetime account holder in STO, I guess I’m somewhat bias.
In addition to the pictures in this post, here is a link to a gallery of screenshots from STO via Google Photos. All are available at the original screen resolution of 1920 x 1200.
A Growth in Website Traffic
Bloggers are often very reluctant to talk about such things as website traffic, statistics and the general size of their audience. Firstly, it can appear like bragging or an exercise in self-aggrandising ego stroking. Secondly, they may be worried that they’ll find out that their audience is not as large as those of other writers. It’s generally one of those tricky subjects that is wrapped up in complex social etiquette. Like when you’re at a party and someone you don’t know that well asks you how much you earn a year. Exactly what is the correct response? (The correct answer is “enough to have you killed”, by the way). However, as writers we naturally want to reach an audience and connect with them. Therefore, we all tend to check on the number of pageviews and visits to our respective blogs from time to time and consider what we can do to increase our overall readership.
Bloggers are often very reluctant to talk about such things as website traffic, statistics and the general size of their audience. Firstly, it can appear like bragging or an exercise in self-aggrandising ego stroking. Secondly, they may be worried that they’ll find out that their audience is not as large as those of other writers. It’s generally one of those tricky subjects that is wrapped up in complex social etiquette. Like when you’re at a party and someone you don’t know that well asks you how much you earn a year. Exactly what is the correct response? (The correct answer is “enough to have you killed”, by the way). However, as writers we naturally want to reach an audience and connect with them. Therefore, we all tend to check on the number of pageviews and visits to our respective blogs from time to time and consider what we can do to increase our overall readership.
The Blaugust writing event certainly revitalised my enthusiasm for blogging. I wrote a post everyday during August and September. Due to real world commitments, that schedule has not been maintained through October and November but I still strive to write regularly. Subsequently, as there has been an increase in written content, there has been a reciprocal increase in overall website traffic. Pageviews and visits have grown by 10% each month which I find quite interesting. Naturally if you write more frequently, then readers who have found your material interesting will return more often. They may also share links via social media which can also create more traffic. But this alone does not account for the growth Contains Moderate Peril has experienced. I believe that it down to two other factors, both of which are out of my direct control and are mainly down to chance. The first is a third party linking to your work and referring traffic. The second is simply being in the right place at the right time and writing about a subject that is relevant or popular.
In September I wrote a post previewing the Stout-Axe Dwarf race that was coming to the MMORPG The Lord of the rings Online. The following month I wrote a similar article about the Minas Morgul expansion that was at that time on the public test server. Both posts proved popular with the LOTRO community but were further amplified by being retweeted by fans of the game and being referenced by Massively Overpowered website. Then this month I stumbled upon a technical solution for a performance problem that was affecting the PC version of Red Dead Redemption 2. This is a prime example of just being fortunate with regard to timing and what people are currently searching for on Google. This post has done very well as a result. However, I should point out that 50% of all the website traffic that Contains Moderate Peril receives, is from people searching via search engines and finding my back catalogue of work. This is especially true of the film reviews. I think this sends a clear message about the importance of building up a body of work.
A desire to reach a wider audience and connect with more people is not a hedonistic ideal. Writing is far from a one-way street. As ever, growth and statistical analysis of your website traffic is all about context, common sense and having realistic expectations. Your stats are a tool and should not be the driving force of your writing. Yet they can be used to motivate and “fine tune” your writing, by assessing what your readership enjoys the most. However, with there is no fast path to success with writing. Apart from producing good content, many of the facts that emerge from an analysis of blogging can be contradictory. Here are several taken from Social Media Examiner.
The number of bloggers worldwide is expected to reach 31.7 million in 2020.
The average word count of top-ranking content on Google is between 1,140-1,285 words. So it would seem that longform writing is far from dead.
Yet, despite length of post increasing, 43% of people admit to still skimming articles.
Blog articles with images get 94% more views. People like pictures, especially if they’re relevant.
For a writer who has just started blogging about their favourite pastime or who harbours dreams to write professionally, finding an audience and getting traction can seem very daunting and an uphill struggle. I think the best advice is to simply keep writing and promoting your work. Time is your ally. Google favours sites that have endured and have a body of work. There is some truth in the old adage that “if you throw enough shit at the wall, some of it will eventually stick”.
Headcorn, Biddenden and Tenterden
Today, Mrs P and I once again travelled into both Kent and East Sussex in the pursuit of leisure as well as research for a potential future move. As ever it was a very entertaining day and a pleasure to explore these outlying areas of South East England. I suspect that this will be our last such excursion in 2019, as the weather is now quite cold and wet. Also this time of year frequently comes with numerous other social obligations that monopolise our time. Yet despite the biting cold, the day remained dry but overcast. We managed to do some exploring on foot, although the temperature meant that we stayed as inside as much as we could. However, many of the places or interest are still open even this late in the year and the local shops are also of note. After visiting three locations we returned to the village of Sedlescombe where we had previously enjoyed a most pleasant lunch at the Queen’s Head pub. Second time around proved just as pleasant.
Today, Mrs P and I once again travelled into both Kent and East Sussex in the pursuit of leisure as well as research for a potential future move. As ever it was a very entertaining day and a pleasure to explore these outlying areas of South East England. I suspect that this will be our last such excursion in 2019, as the weather is now quite cold and wet. Also this time of year frequently comes with numerous other social obligations that monopolise our time. Yet despite the biting cold, the day remained dry but overcast. We managed to do some exploring on foot, although the temperature meant that we stayed as inside as much as we could. However, many of the places or interest are still open even this late in the year and the local shops are also of note. After visiting three locations we returned to the village of Sedlescombe where we had previously enjoyed a most pleasant lunch at the Queen’s Head pub. Second time around proved just as pleasant.
The first stop of the day was the village of Headcorn in the borough of Maidstone in Kent. The area has been settled since Neolithic times and there is evidence that the land was farmed in the Iron Age. There is an imposing parish church, dedicated to saints Peter and Paul. It was initially constructed in the 13th century and is mainly built from Bethersden marble. There is well maintained churchyard that contains a number of Grade II listed 18th-century table tombs. The High Street that runs through the majority of the village boasts a variety of local shops and terraces of medieval cottages. Then there are several examples of traditional 15th-century architecture such as Wealden hall house, the Cloth Hall and Shakespeare House. Like so many rural settlements the increase in traffic has become a major problem in recent years. There is currently a lobby for a relief road to alleviate the volume of cars and trucks that congest the village centre.
We then moved on to Biddenden, which is a large, mostly agricultural and wooded village in the borough of Ashford in Kent. In keeping with that tradition, this former Saxon settlement now has a vineyard among its various horticultural activities. Kent has a warmer climate compared to the rest of the UK and has earned the title of “the garden of England”. Hence it has a more diverse agricultural base compared to other regions. The weather combined with the limestone soils means that it can sustain vineyards. English wines are a growing market and Biddenden Vineyards have been at the forefront of that growth for the past 50 years. This family run business started off as a 40-acre apple orchard but in 1969 one third of an acre of vines were planted. This has grown over the decades to 23 acres on the south facing slopes the sheltered valley. 11 varieties of grape are now cultivated producing 80,000 bottles of wine a year. The vineyards has an excellent shop offering free tastings of all products. The Gribble Bridge Dornfelder is very good, as is the Gamay Noir.
Finally we ended our journey with a quick stop in Tenterden. The town is in a large conservation area, again in Ashford, on the edge of the remnant forest The Weald. The town's name is derived from the Old English Tenetwaradenn, meaning a “den” or swine-pasture for the men of Thanet. St Mildred’s church boast two towers dating from the 15th century and some fine stained glass. There are also seven very large and old Public Houses which exude period character. When we arrived the town was gearing up for the annual Tenterden Christmas Market, which falls on the last weekend of November. There are also several plaques, monuments and buildings dedicated to William Caxton, who is thought to be the first English person to work as a printer and introduce a printing press into England. Under different IE warmer circumstances, I would have liked to have spent longer in this picturesque town as it has a lot of history to share. Perhaps we can return in spring as part of our ongoing day trips.
Caring for the Elderly: Part 9
I always try to write the posts in this series in way that proves useful to others who are facing a similar experience. Caring, old age, illness and our own mortality are all matters that will cross our path sooner or later. This time I shall be addressing a subject that many of us tread carefully around. Some people will not countenance discussing it in any way, shape or form as it makes us uncomfortable or even scared. In Western culture death is often the elephant in the room; a topic that should not be avoided but frequently is, due to etiquette and other curious societal foibles. Hence, we use phrase like “passed” or “gone” instead of dead and we often invoke religious based platitudes, regardless of whether we have any particular faith or not. Simply put, our response to the inevitability of our own demise and that of those who we love is ambiguous to say the least. I hope in the years to come we grow up in this respect and find a comfortable means of making death socially acceptable to discuss and plan for.
I always try to write the posts in this series in way that proves useful to others who are facing a similar experience. Caring, old age, illness and our own mortality are all matters that will cross our path sooner or later. This time I shall be addressing a subject that many of us tread carefully around. Some people will not countenance discussing it in any way, shape or form as it makes us uncomfortable or even scared. In Western culture death is often the elephant in the room; a topic that should not be avoided but frequently is, due to etiquette and other curious societal foibles. Hence, we use phrase like “passed” or “gone” instead of dead and we often invoke religious based platitudes, regardless of whether we have any particular faith or not. Simply put, our response to the inevitability of our own demise and that of those who we love is ambiguous to say the least. I hope in the years to come we grow up in this respect and find a comfortable means of making death socially acceptable to discuss and plan for.
My Mother recently celebrated her 89th birthday. My Father was 90 in the Summer. As we’re currently halfway through November the subject of Christmas cards has raised its head. It’s a ritual for many households at this time of year. Due to my parents age and general health, writing is a challenge, so I usually address all of the envelopes and add any important messages or postscripts in Christmas cards. All the pair of them have to do is sign their name but even this has to be done over a period of days. Sadly, one of the most striking aspects of this process is the number of names in my parent’s address book that have been struck through. So many family members, friends and colleagues are no longer with us. Each year the number of cards sent, reduces further. Every now and then in the following spring, they’ll be a letter from a son or a daughter politely pointing out that the recipient of a recent card is now deceased. This gradual attrition of one’s social circle is yet another factor that can add to the inherent sadness of many elderly people.
Despite being 90 years old, my Father is the “baby” of his family. He has two Sisters; one is 92 and another who’s 94. Sadly, despite being a fixed constant in an ever-changing universe, my eldest Aunt was recently diagnosed with a terminal condition and is currently at home receiving palliative care. My Father has spoken to here on the phone but due to ill health he is not able to visit her. However, both are very pragmatic individuals who understand the nature of old age and its consequences. Yet their stoical nature doesn’t make the situation any easier. Usually in life, whenever we are faced with difficult matters, if we keep ourselves busy, throw ourselves into our work or at least have some degree of agency with regard to the problem, it greatly helps us to cope. Yet both my Father and my Aunt are at a stage where life is something that just happens to them, rather than an activity they’re actively participating in.
I feel that this is perhaps one of the biggest challenge’s carers face. Is there a way to find a positive aspect in such bleak situations? Well I believe so. Let us for a moment return to the Christmas card situation. Rather than focusing upon the absence of cards from those who are long gone, I try to draw attention to those that have been received. When a card arrives from surviving family, I encourage my parents to reflect on past good times. “Oh look, here’s one from Uncle Bill. Remember that time he took us Shrimping”. Often this can lead to a positive discussion and raise spirits. Naturally, conversations regarding the imminent death of a loved one are harder to spin in this fashion. But I tend to take comfort in a quote from Doctor Seuss, the American children’s author. “Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened”. I think this especially relevant with regard to those we love. My 94-year-old Aunt has always been a force for good in my life. She has always been wise, patient, exciting (she had a Tiger skin in her lounge and stuffed animals due to her world travels) and most of all supportive. I think that these are the things that we should focus on at such times. I believe that is what my father is currently doing. It may not totally assuage the situation but I feel that it helps.
The Importance of Voting in the December 12th 2019 UK General Election
The UK is having a General Election on Thursday, December 12th. The third in five years. Due to the current volatile state of national politics, existing party loyalties are not in anyway guaranteed. The European Election in May of this year showed that many of the UK electorate where voting tactically. Furthermore the shadow of Brexit looms ominously over the forthcoming General Election and will further impact upon existing voting patterns. Simply put, this is an election unlike others we’ve seen in recent times. The outcome will have far reaching consequences. If there is a majority Conservative government, then the UK will leave the EU with the current deal. Trade negotiations will ensue and the country will face a period of transition. There is also scope that the deal on offer is rejected by hard-line Conservative MPs and there could be a “No Deal Brexit”. Alternatively, a majority Labour government could lead to a second referendum on both leaving the EU and Scottish Independence. A hung parliament should also not be ruled out, leading to potential coalitions or a National Unity Government.
The UK is having a General Election on Thursday, December 12th. The third in five years. Due to the current volatile state of national politics, existing party loyalties are not in anyway guaranteed. The European Election in May of this year showed that many of the UK electorate where voting tactically. Furthermore the shadow of Brexit looms ominously over the forthcoming General Election and will further impact upon existing voting patterns. Simply put, this is an election unlike others we’ve seen in recent times. The outcome will have far reaching consequences. If there is a majority Conservative government, then the UK will leave the EU with the current deal. Trade negotiations will ensue and the country will face a period of transition. There is also scope that the deal on offer is rejected by hard-line Conservative MPs and there could be a “No Deal Brexit”. Alternatively, a majority Labour government could lead to a second referendum on both leaving the EU and Scottish Independence. A hung parliament should also not be ruled out, leading to potential coalitions or a National Unity Government.
Voting in December’s General Election is therefore very important. The next parliament will shape the United Kingdom’s long-term social and economic future as well as our relationship with the rest of the world. Yet research by the Electoral Commission has found that 17% of eligible voters in Great Britain, as many as 9.4 million people, are either missing from the electoral register or not registered at their current address. Major errors affect up to 5.6 million people. The Commission also highlighted substantial differences in registration levels between younger people, renters, low-income and black and ethnic minority people, compared with older white people who own their homes. Furthermore, analysis clearly shows that older and wealthier members of the electorate are far more likely to go out to the polling stations to vote or utilise the postal ballot service.
Earlier this year, voter ID was made compulsory in 10 voting districts despite voter impersonation making up just 3% of all alleged electoral offences at the previous local election. This experiment could become a national policy in the UK under a Conservative government. Presented as a means to tackle voter fraud, it has been seen by some as a deliberate way to disenfranchise specific groups of voters. Voters who are perceived not to be traditional Conservative Party supporters. The two specific types of personal ID required are a current UK Driver’s License or a UK Passport. Both of which have a significant cost associated with them and are statistically not so commonly held by certain socioeconomic groups in the UK. The same socioeconomic group that also tends not to vote regularly in elections and who are usually identified by pollsters as “leaning” towards the Labour Party.
The UK has an electorate of 46,843,896. The turnout in the 2017 General Election was 68.7%. However, 14,662,139 registered voters did not participate and chose not to vote. To put this significant number into context, the amount of uncast ballots is greater than the number of votes that any single party received. 13,636,684 people voted for the Conservative Party. 12,877,918 voted for the Labour Party. Simply put if these members of the electorate decide to vote in the forthcoming General Election it could significantly change the outcome. Since the 2016 EU Referendum, the UK electorate has become increasingly politically engaged. Current data doesn’t reflect to what level or how well-informed voters are but certainly people are more disposed towards adopting a political stance and acting upon it. Perhaps polling day on December 12th will have a larger turnout than usual, despite the time of the year. Or will voter apathy play a major role? If you wish to vote in the General Election then you must register by 11:59pm on 26th November.
"Maclunkey"
I will try and keep this post as brief as possible because rants and tirades aren’t as funny as many writers think they are. Rather than “frothing at the mouth” I think a more accurate description of my feelings can be summed up just by a deep sigh and a shake of the head. So, where to begin? Well during the course of the day, several memes, humorous quips and oblique references appeared in my Twitter timeline featuring the phrase “Maclunkey”. As the joke didn’t immediately become apparent and I couldn’t reference the phrase (I initially thought it was about the band Mclusky) I took to Google to find out what this was all about. I like to keep abreast as to what are the current talking points online and I don’t want to be that old guy who doesn’t understand “the kids of today” or “that there interweb”. Fortunately, a brief internet search provided a clear answer. I shall now attempt to distil the relevant facts for the benefit of those who are still in the dark.
I will try and keep this post as brief as possible because rants and tirades aren’t as funny as many writers think they are. Rather than “frothing at the mouth” I think a more accurate description of my feelings can be summed up just by a deep sigh and a shake of the head. So, where to begin? Well during the course of the day, several memes, humorous quips and oblique references appeared in my Twitter timeline featuring the phrase “Maclunkey”. As the joke didn’t immediately become apparent and I couldn’t reference the phrase (I initially thought it was about the band Mclusky) I took to Google to find out what this was all about. I like to keep abreast as to what are the current talking points online and I don’t want to be that old guy who doesn’t understand “the kids of today” or “that there interweb”. Fortunately, a brief internet search provided a clear answer. I shall now attempt to distil the relevant facts for the benefit of those who are still in the dark.
The Disney Plus streaming service has launched in the US, Canada and the Netherlands. It’s basically their version of Netflix with content from their back catalogue. Disney Plus broadcasts in 4K which means that Star Wars fans get to see the original trilogy and the various prequels and sequels in UHD format. Now despite the departure of George Lucas after the sale of the IP to Disney, it would appear that the current owners have taken a leaf out of the formers book and are still “tinkering” with (or fucking about with, depending upon your perspective) the original movies. It would appear that yet another change has been made to the iconic Han Solo shooting Greedo scene. Have they removed the awful change where Greedo draws his weapon, shoots first and misses? No. They’ve augmented the entire clusterfuck even further. According to Star Wars Visual Comparisons “Han and Greedo also now shoot each other at the same time”. And in this new version Greedo apparently says “Maclunkey” just before getting shot. Furthermore, according an article by Vanity Fair the "Maclunkey" change is the work of George Lucas, made before Lucasfilm was sold to Disney in 2012. The plot thickens.
Courtesy of Star Wars Visual Comparisons
For me Star Wars will always been an integral part of my youth. It was a cultural phenomenon and heralded a major shift in film making. However, despite its many merits, I do not put Star Wars on a pedestal. Like so many other movies that have connected with the wider public and become a part of the popular culture, there are many factors that have determined this. Time being one of them. The original movies maintained their mystique for so long because up until 1999, there were only three. Then the tinkering began. And the prequels and then the sequels. The reasons that diamonds are so sought after and desirable is because they are a rare commodity. If you flood the market with more diamonds then they become worthless. If you keep messing with a classic movie you eventually ruin it. Or become Ridley Scott. Disney is killing Star Wars, along with the fundamentalist fans. This entire “Maclunkey” debacle (because that’s what it’s becoming) will simply lead to more fundamentalist fanboy anger. It further tarnishes the franchise. And itt can potentially kill some fans interest in something they use to like. It’s a shame that George Lucas sold the franchise to Disney. Or perhaps we now see why he did. May be the Goose that lays golden eggs is in fact an Albatross.
Strictly Come Dancing 2019 Part 7
Strictly Come Dancing is now over halfway through the season and there’s no room for mistakes or relying on past successes. The judges will now penalise technical errors and the public votes have now become less predictable. With Blackpool on the horizon, there was a lot at stake last night. Karim Zeroual and Amy Dowden danced the Viennese Waltz to Give Me Love by Ed Sheeran. However, he did make several errors during the routine and was noticeably rattled by the end. Subsequently, he scored lower than last week. On a positive note, Saffron made a major comeback. Her Waltz with AJ was outstanding, lacking the excesses of her previous dance. This was a focused and traditional routine and it was very well received. Kelvin an Oti’s Samba was a success with the audiences but the judges still found some minor mistakes, so they dropped a few marks. Michelle Visage excelled with a slick American Smooth. Her professional partner Giovanni Pernice always fines the right balance between the theatrics and traditional dance content. At present, these four couples are the frontrunners in the show.
Strictly Come Dancing is now over halfway through the season and there’s no room for mistakes or relying on past successes. The judges will now penalise technical errors and the public votes have now become less predictable. With Blackpool on the horizon, there was a lot at stake last night. Karim Zeroual and Amy Dowden danced the Viennese Waltz to Give Me Love by Ed Sheeran. However, he did make several errors during the routine and was noticeably rattled by the end. Subsequently, he scored lower than last week. On a positive note, Saffron made a major comeback. Her Waltz with AJ was outstanding, lacking the excesses of her previous dance. This was a focused and traditional routine and it was very well received. Kelvin an Oti’s Samba was a success with the audiences but the judges still found some minor mistakes, so they dropped a few marks. Michelle Visage excelled with a slick American Smooth. Her professional partner Giovanni Pernice always fines the right balance between the theatrics and traditional dance content. At present, these four couples are the frontrunners in the show.
It was an interesting evening for Emma Barton and Anton Du Beke. They danced Couples' Choice to Right Now by The Pussycat Dolls. This Bob Fosse influenced, Jazz flavoured routine really suited Emma and she seemed to thrive on it. It's also nice to see Anton get this far into the season and tackle various dances that he’s previously missed out on. Alex Scott was once again dancing with Neil Jones. Despite the disruption over the last few weeks due to Neil injuries, she is still maintaining a standard and making progress. Their Jive was a crowd pleaser, although she does now need to focus more on technique, as the judges highlighted. But I think that Alex still has scope to get better. I’m not sure if there’s room for improvement with comedian Chris Ramsey. He does seem to put in the hours rehearsing with professional partner Karen Hauer but his Tango was just too rough around the edges. Certainly Craig thought he needs to move up a gear if he wishes to remain on the show. I suspect that Blackpool may be his Waterloo.
Which brings me on to Mike Bushell. Despite his dedication and commitment to the show, Mike has struggled to move forward. The judges seem to respect his work ethic and his routines with Katya are always well received by the audience. But I think his fanbase has been waning for weeks and as a result he’s been in multiple dance offs. On Saturday night his luck finally ran out and he found himself facing elimination for the fourth time, after a rather mechanical Paso Doble. However, the real shock was that he was competing against Michelle. Despite a total score of 36, the public obviously didn’t want to vote for her or assumed that she was “safe” and that someone else would. The judges were naturally flummoxed by the public vote as they felt she did not deserve to be in the dance off. And as she was competing against Mike, the outcome was pretty much a forgone conclusion. So Mike has gone and doesn’t make it to Blackpool. But I think this situation succinctly highlights that no one is now safe. Although your performance and marks are important, so is mobilising your support and getting people to vote for you. This is a tough challenge and one that can lead to surprises such as tonight. But that’s Strictly for you.
One Potential PC Fix for Red Dead Redemption 2
I wrote yesterday about how the PC version of Red Dead Redemption 2 had gotten off to a shaky start, with the game failing to run on some systems. Rockstar Games released a substantial 2.98 GB patch late last night UK time but it made no difference whatsoever to my situation. I and many other players were still unable to start the game from the launcher and were still getting the ubiquitous “The Rockstar Games Launcher exited unexpectedly” error message. This morning I checked on the official support website to see if any new advice had been added. Sadly, the troubleshooting guidance remained arbitrary to say the least (and still does even now). Update Windows 1O, upgrade your graphics drivers, run the RDR2.exe file as an Administrator etc. None of these “solutions” have worked for me so far.
I wrote yesterday about how the PC version of Red Dead Redemption 2 had gotten off to a shaky start, with the game failing to run on some systems. Rockstar Games released a substantial 2.98 GB patch late last night UK time but it made no difference whatsoever to my situation. I and many other players were still unable to start the game from the launcher and were still getting the ubiquitous “The Rockstar Games Launcher exited unexpectedly” error message. This morning I checked on the official support website to see if any new advice had been added. Sadly, the troubleshooting guidance remained arbitrary to say the least (and still does even now). Update Windows 1O, upgrade your graphics drivers, run the RDR2.exe file as an Administrator etc. None of these “solutions” have worked for me so far.
So I decided to see what the players themselves had to say and headed over to the Rockstar Games Community forums. I picked a thread that had a dozen or so comments and quite by chance struck upon some interesting advice. Some players with AMD processors had managed to get RDR2 to run when they downgraded the BIOS on their motherboard. This piqued my interest as I have an AMD Ryzen 5 3600 Six Core Processor, running via a Gigabyte B450 motherboard. A cursory check showing that my PC was currently running BIOS F42h. This includes update AGESA 1.0.0.3 ABBA which apparently improve Destiny 2 gaming compatibility, according to Gigabyte. Now the intricacies of AMD Generic Encapsulated Software Architecture (AGESA) are certainly not my province. However, the consensus on the Rockstar Games Community forums was that if you downgraded the BIOS to version F40 which includes AGESA 1.0.0.2 support, then it will allow RDR2 to run.
I therefore decided to give this a go and headed over to the Gigabyte website to downloaded BIOS F40 which was released in May. I did a little research first to see if it would significantly impact upon any other aspect of my motherboard but it would seem it simply downgrades AGESA support only. I then used the @Bios program that is part of the suite of tools that came on the motherboard driver CD, to install the new BIOS. It took about five minutes to overwrite the previous version. After rebooting the PC, Red Dead Redemption 2 now runs from the Rockstar Games Launcher as intended. I have no idea how well the game will perform in the long term or whether I will suffer the various graphical glitches reported by other players. However, I can at least now launch the game, alter the various settings and start to make progress through the story. As ever, I’m thoroughly impressed by the player community and disappointed with the official support channels as they really seem to have dragged their feet over this issue. There has been a distinct lack of communication. Plus saying “sorry” goes a long way.
Now I want to make it very clear, messing with the BIOS on your PC comes with risks and so if you do not feel confident about doing this, then don’t. If you make a mistake then you could “brick” your PC. Also this solution is obviously specific to AMD processors and AGESA support. It sadly won’t help those with Intel processors who cannot play RDR2. If you want to proceed with the process that I’ve described, be aware you do so at your own risk. At the time of writing this has not been endorsed by Rockstar Games. I shall continue to collate details of any major issues I encounter playing Red Dead Redemption 2, as I have a suspicion that although I can now play the game, I’m not out of the proverbial “woods” yet. I suspect this title was released to market too earlier and may well need several further patches before it is truly optimised and fit for purpose. Good luck to all other gamers who like me, bought this game in good faith and got sold a technical problem instead.
Red Dead Redemption 2 Has a Problematic Launch on PC
As of May this year, Red Dead Redemption 2 has sold 25 million copies collectively on both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Considering that is just six months on from the games initial release in late October 2018, that's an impressive figure. What will it be by the end of the year? Time will tell whether the western game can beat the milestone set by Rockstar Games previous hit, Grand Theft Auto V. Since its release in 2013 GTA V has sold over 110 million copies on console and PC. The popularity of its multiplayer component, GTA Online, being the primary reason driving sales. However, Rockstar Games have been enthusiastic about the launch of the PC version of Red Dead Redemption 2. A year on from the console release, an enhanced version of the game has been developed for the PC market. Furthermore, Rockstar Games have joined a host of other developers and created their own launcher. This along with the yesterday’s PC launch of Red Dead Redemption 2 was intended to renew interest in the game and hopefully boost sales across all platforms. But “there's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip” as the old proverb goes.
As of May this year, Red Dead Redemption 2 has sold 25 million copies collectively on both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Considering that is just six months on from the games initial release in late October 2018, that's an impressive figure. What will it be by the end of the year? Time will tell whether the western game can beat the milestone set by Rockstar Games previous hit, Grand Theft Auto V. Since its release in 2013 GTA V has sold over 110 million copies on console and PC. The popularity of its multiplayer component, GTA Online, being the primary reason driving sales. However, Rockstar Games have been enthusiastic about the launch of the PC version of Red Dead Redemption 2. A year on from the console release, an enhanced version of the game has been developed for the PC market. Furthermore, Rockstar Games have joined a host of other developers and created their own launcher. This along with the yesterday’s PC launch of Red Dead Redemption 2 was intended to renew interest in the game and hopefully boost sales across all platforms. But “there's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip” as the old proverb goes.
For a substantial number of PC gamers (myself included), Red Dead Redemption 2 simply doesn’t run. And when I say doesn’t run, I mean just that. The game doesn’t start in any shape or form when you click “play” on the launcher. Those who are lucky enough to actually get the game to run have been plagued by a litany of performances issues. To put it bluntly this is a dog’s dinner of a game launch. At present Reddit is doing an infinitely better job that the developers when it comes to collating potential solutions and offering advice. Rockstar Games themselves have only offered the most arbitrary advice, none of which seems to make any tangible difference. I have updated my graphics drivers, patched Windows 10 and even upgraded my PC’s bios but the game resolutely refuses to launch. Furthermore, Rockstar Games are hardly doing an adequate job of social media. Instead of getting ahead of the problem, adopting a suitable conciliatory tone, they’re basically staying quiet and leaving irate gamers to stew in their own juice; a policy that is always a recipe for disaster.
As a man of a certain age, although I am annoyed by the fact that I cannot play this game, I have refrained from writing a strongly worded letter to The Times, or throwing my toothbrush at the cat (you get extra points if you know this literary reference). I have other games to play, gin to drink and snacks to consume. However, my calm demeanour doesn’t mean that Rockstar Games have got off the hook. This is a game developer that basks in the glory of having created a “billion-dollar game”. There’s even a documentary with that name about the development of GTA V. So the launch on PC of a title like Red Dead Redemption 2, isn’t just a belated release on an ancillary platform. This is the equivalent of a Hollywood studio tentpole film movie. Bearing this in mind, imagine if Avengers: Endgame had failed to be released on time and when it was, half of all movie theatres showing it had major projection issues. This is a bad game launch by any standard and it doesn’t make Rockstar Games look good. Also their handling of the situation is compounding matters. I hope for their sake they sort this shit out soon.
International Picture Posting Month: The Elder Scrolls Online
As my first post for International Picture Posting Month, I have decided to share some pictures and thoughts on the MMORPG, The Elder Scrolls Online. Out of the three games from this genre that I currently play, it’s the one that I’m currently enjoying the most. It has plenty of content to play through, the virtual world is immersive and the stories, characters and lore are very detailed and satisfying. As a more recent MMO, the game engine is robust and the visuals are far from dated. The game mechanics are multi-layered but combat is straightforward. There is no obvious skills bloat as you choose what you want on your hotbar. I also greatly enjoy the ambient music and recurring themes that play throughout the game. ESO is both solo and group friendly. You can also greatly augment your UI and the way you interact with the various systems, through the use of addons if you like. Alternatively, if you feel bold enough, then you can go with the default layout. From my perspective, ESO offers a great deal and ticks many of the boxes I favour. Yes it can have its foibles but name me an MMO that doesn’t?
As my first post for International Picture Posting Month, I have decided to share some pictures and thoughts on the MMORPG, The Elder Scrolls Online. Out of the three games from this genre that I currently play, it’s the one that I’m currently enjoying the most. It has plenty of content to play through, the virtual world is immersive and the stories, characters and lore are very detailed and satisfying. As a more recent MMO, the game engine is robust and the visuals are far from dated. The game mechanics are multi-layered but combat is straightforward. There is no obvious skills bloat as you choose what you want on your hotbar. I also greatly enjoy the ambient music and recurring themes that play throughout the game. ESO is both solo and group friendly. You can also greatly augment your UI and the way you interact with the various systems, through the use of addons if you like. Alternatively, if you feel bold enough, then you can go with the default layout. From my perspective, ESO offers a great deal and ticks many of the boxes I favour. Yes it can have its foibles but name me an MMO that doesn’t?
I currently have three characters at level cap in ESO. A High Elf Sorcerer (Aldmeri Dominion), an Argonian Necromancer (Ebonheart Pact) and an Imperial Dragonknight (Daggerfall Covenant). Although I’ve done the most content with my Sorcerer (she’s my oldest character), I’m actually enjoying the Dragonkinight the most, so I suspect they’ll end up as my primary alt. There’s something very satisfying about melee combat with a two-handed weapon. Combined with heavy armour and a strong Stamina build, I like the sheer survivability of the class. I use a bow as my secondary means of attack and find that it compliments things immensely. I can pick off one or two mobs before the third reaches me. Then I switch to my greatsword and swing away. I’m also trying to play through the game in some semblance of narrative order on this alt. This greatly enhances my gaming experience as I enjoy the complexity of the lore.
I recently decided to take advantage of becoming a Werewolf in ESO and its associated skills line. Unlike Vampirism that requires far too much maintenance for my liking, Lycanthropy provides not only a new Ultimate skill but an entire set of five skills while transformed. Furthermore, if used in a delve or dungeon, if you continuously “devour” your victims you can remain in Werewolf form for a considerable amount of time. It is also a good way of tackling boss fights in ESO as you become very robust while in this transformed state. Like other skills in the game, all the base Werewolf abilities can be morphed. I chose to augment the standard Werewolf Ultimate into Pack Leader, as it changes your appearance to that of a white Werewolf and also provides you with two Wolf support companions. I do not know if it is the best choice from a technical or statistical perspective but it certainly looks damn cool.
In addition to the pictures in this post, here is a link to a gallery of screenshots from ESO via Google Photos. All are available at the original screen resolution of 1920 x 1200. These include images of my various alts, Dolmen farming in the Alik’r Desert and the Pack Leader Werewolf transformation.
A Month in Gaming
October has been and gone. And as ever the MMORPG genre has been the mainstay of my gaming activities over the last thirty days. Furthermore, it has been a productive month. I managed to complete the Daggerfall Covenant narrative arc, along with the main story on my Dragonknight in The Elder Scrolls Online. I find that completing Coldharbour is the biggest obstacle in progressing. It’s an atmospheric zone but once you’ve experienced it, it doesn’t really lend itself to repeat playing. But having done all this my Dragonknight hit level cap. I had taken the precaution of buying appropriate gear ahead of this achievement, so I managed to acquire some decent armour and jewellery that provide robust set bonuses. Despite focusing mainly on ESO, I did manage to progress further in The Lord of the Rings Online. I got as far as the Wolf Denes in the Vales of Anduin update. I also took the time to visit the LOTRO test server and checked out the Minas Morgul expansion preview. As for Star Trek Online my daily visits have been focused upon completing Task Force Operations and grinding for a free ship (again).
October has been and gone. And as ever the MMORPG genre has been the mainstay of my gaming activities over the last thirty days. Furthermore, it has been a productive month. I managed to complete the Daggerfall Covenant narrative arc, along with the main story on my Dragonknight in The Elder Scrolls Online. I find that completing Coldharbour is the biggest obstacle in progressing. It’s an atmospheric zone but once you’ve experienced it, it doesn’t really lend itself to repeat playing. But having done all this my Dragonknight hit level cap. I had taken the precaution of buying appropriate gear ahead of this achievement, so I managed to acquire some decent armour and jewellery that provide robust set bonuses. Despite focusing mainly on ESO, I did manage to progress further in The Lord of the Rings Online. I got as far as the Wolf Denes in the Vales of Anduin update. I also took the time to visit the LOTRO test server and checked out the Minas Morgul expansion preview. As for Star Trek Online my daily visits have been focused upon completing Task Force Operations and grinding for a free ship (again).
While I’ve been enjoying myself over the last month playing through the aforementioned MMOs, the wider video games industry has continued to suffer a multitude of public relations disasters and persisted with their default business strategy known as “foot in mouth” syndrome. Bethesda continues to flog the dead horse that is Fallout 76 and made yet another faux pas with the launch of its premium “Fallout 1st” subscription service. And then there was the entire debacle of Blizzard capitulating to the political needs of the Chinese Government. Their recent “non” apology at BlizzCon was utterly predictable and again shows exactly what their priorities are as a business. Yet despite all these controversies and subsequent gamer outrage, the video games industry has still managed to make record amounts of money. This sad paradox is morbidly fascinating. It seems to be part of broader cultural shift in our society in which the more outrageously you behave, the better you seem to fare. Any damage to your reputation seems to have no real consequence.
Earlier this year, I experimented to see if live streaming on Twitch, could be a suitable replacement for podcasting. Logistically, I have everything I required to stream and I even had the time last month to broadcast several of my gaming sessions. But I just couldn’t see the point. The two mediums are not the same and if you are streaming on Twitch, then you really have to focus on the game that you’re playing, rather than rambling on about other gaming issues. I know that Twitch can be used purely as a “talk show” platform but I feel if you’re doing that, then you may as well do the same via the medium of a podcast with all the benefits that format has to offer, such as editing. I really miss producing the Contains Moderate Peril Podcast and the reach that the show had. Streaming requires your audience to be available at the time of broadcast, where as podcasting allows the listener to consume the show at their leisure. Streaming takes a lot longer to build an audience, where as podcasting can tap into existing brand recognition. It would be interesting to see if a new “season” of the podcast would attract back previous listeners.
November is always an interesting month for video games, as it’s the month that many of us get to play the various new releases from October. I’m really looking forward to Red Dead Redemption 2 which I have pre-ordered. I don’t tend to buy in advance anymore but this game strikes me as a something “different” so I’ve decided to take a punt. Plus I love the “Western” genre. However, I shall be deferring my purchase of the Minas Morgul expansion for LOTRO. There is currently a controversy over level cap gear and the proliferation of loot boxes in the game; something that happened with the previous Mordor expansion. I shall therefore wait for this matter to blow over and resolve itself. I shall probably be able to advance towards the new level cap, just by completing the Vales of Anduin content. Overall, I cannot commit to too many games at once, especially at a time of year which has more social activities than other months. Therefore it is wise not to set unachievable gaming goals for November.
Strictly Come Dancing 2019 Part 6
Saturday was week 7 of Strictly Come Dancing and it definitely showed. This is the stage in the series where the judges take the gloves off and start getting picky, even with those who are clearly at the top of the leaderboard. Hence, Kelvin Fletcher and Oti Mabuse's Viennese Waltz along with Michelle Visage and Giovanni Pernice who danced the Paso Doble, didn’t score as highly as you’d expect. The judges pointed out technical aspects that were wanting in both routines. But that’s what they’re supposed to do so I have no issues with these criticisms. We are also at the point where certain dances can throw a lifeline to some celebrity dancers. Hence Chris Ramsey and Karen Hauer’s Street/Commercial dance really played to their core fanbase and more importantly, Chris’s dancing strengths. I doubt he’ll better this routine and it should keep him in the show a little longer.
Saturday was week 7 of Strictly Come Dancing and it definitely showed. This is the stage in the series where the judges take the gloves off and start getting picky, even with those who are clearly at the top of the leaderboard. Hence, Kelvin Fletcher and Oti Mabuse's Viennese Waltz along with Michelle Visage and Giovanni Pernice who danced the Paso Doble, didn’t score as highly as you’d expect. The judges pointed out technical aspects that were wanting in both routines. But that’s what they’re supposed to do so I have no issues with these criticisms. We are also at the point where certain dances can throw a lifeline to some celebrity dancers. Hence Chris Ramsey and Karen Hauer’s Street/Commercial dance really played to their core fanbase and more importantly, Chris’s dancing strengths. I doubt he’ll better this routine and it should keep him in the show a little longer.
I would once again like to raise an issue that often comes up on Strictly and is associated with specific professional dancers. Sometimes, there is an “everything but the kitchen sink” approach to the choreography in attempt to “wow” the audience and impress the judges. However, what it can occasionally lead to is a routine that is overly complicated and leaves the celebrity floundering. Moves are not fully completed; lifts are hurriedly executed and detail is lost to quantity. And this is exactly what happened to Saffron and AJ during their Salsa. Mr Pritchard has made this mistake before and it is frustrating to see him ignore previous lessons. Saffron is a more than capable dancer with youth and enthusiasm on her side. There is no need for these self-indulgent exercises at this stage in the competition and the focus now needs to be on technique and performance.
As suspected last week, Will Bayley’s injury to his knee is worse than thought and as a result, he is unable to continue on the show. Although this is a shame, I think him leaving in this way is for the best. Did any couple want to be in a dance off with Will and be the ones who ousted him from the show? Did any of the judges really want to have to send Will home, which would have happened at some point. Will made excellent progress on the show but he had reached his peak but I certainly could not see him lifting the trophy. This way he gets to leave on a high and with a prodigious, positive achievement behind him. And in other “injury” related news, Neil Jones was unable to dance with Alex Scott again this weekend, so once again Kevin Clifton filled the gap. Alex did herself proud with a heartfelt American Smooth and judge Craig Revel Horwood made a curious remark about their “accidental partnership is working wonders”. Does he feel she does better without Neil?
This week’s dance off saw Mike Bushell and Katya Jones repeating their Charleston, against Viscountess Emma Weymouth and Aljaž Škorjanec dancing the Samba. Mike’s continued relegation to the dance off shows that his fanbase is waning. Mike is another celebrity dancer who I believe has plateaued and is now “treading water”. I greatly appreciate his positive attitude but I think the public are tiring off him. However, on a technical basis his dancing improved second time around (as it has before) where Emma’ Samba still had the same flaws and a lack of “bounce”. She’s an elegant lady but she couldn’t sell the dance and direct the judges away from her mistakes. Hence, she now departs the show, which I believe is an appropriate time. With only two weeks to Blackpool I suspect that Mike, Chris and the other Emma are now feeling the heat as there is now a demonstrable talent gap between contestants. But that’s the nature of the Strictly beast. People go as far as they can and sometimes the public keep someone on just to troll the judges.
"Good Company"
I have been ruminating upon this writing this post for a long time. One of the reasons I’ve deferred it many times, is that it’s extremely personal and I have strong views on putting such information in the public domain. Another reason is that there is scope for what I’m going to express to be wilfully misconstrued. What I hope to explore is a legitimate point and ongoing aspect of my life. But if it’s not framed in an appropriate manner, it may well come off as snobbish and judgemental. So I shall try to be as succinct as possible. Since 2016, I have been a full-time carer for both my disabled parents. I know longer work in the traditional sense. Therefore, I no longer experience the social dynamic of the work environment. For better or ill, work does offer interaction with others and scope for wider social activities. I now experience a different variation of these. I speak and make small talk with nurses and carers. I go to the shops and quip with the pharmacist along with the staff in the supermarket and newsagent. Due to the litany of doctors and hospital appointment I take my parents to, I spend a lot of time waiting and interacting with “older people”. People the same age as my parents. IE forty years my senior.
A metaphor for friendship and good company
I have been ruminating upon this writing this post for a long time. One of the reasons I’ve deferred it many times, is that it’s extremely personal and I have strong views on putting such information in the public domain. Another reason is that there is scope for what I’m going to express to be wilfully misconstrued. What I hope to explore is a legitimate point and ongoing aspect of my life. But if it’s not framed in an appropriate manner, it may well come off as snobbish and judgemental. So I shall try to be as succinct as possible. Since 2016, I have been a full-time carer for both my disabled parents. I know longer work in the traditional sense. Therefore, I no longer experience the social dynamic of the work environment. For better or ill, work does offer interaction with others and scope for wider social activities. I now experience a different variation of these. I speak and make small talk with nurses and carers. I go to the shops and quip with the pharmacist along with the staff in the supermarket and newsagent. Due to the litany of doctors and hospital appointment I take my parents to, I spend a lot of time waiting and interacting with “older people”. People the same age as my parents. IE forty years my senior.
I make no claim to be “lonely” in the classic sense of the phrase. I live with Mrs P and we have a good relationship and do things toegether. But by not having a traditional work life, I am not mixing with people of a comparable age, nor am I spending time with those from the same academic discipline. I don’t miss the bullshit that is endemic to office politics but I do miss the company of likeminded people, as well as the problem solving that goes hand in hand with complex network infrastructure. I no longer speak with other about the news, science, philosophy or even fandom. I just make superficial small talk with strangers. Chat about the weather or the state of the bus service. I also nod politely but say nothing when someone decides to share their ill-conceived opinion on the latest contentious political issue. Plus I have to endure the cultural entrenched prejudices of the older generations. Something I find particularly unpleasant.
[Insert punchline about entrenched racism here]
I have a small circle of good friends, people I’ve known since college. But they’ve moved, had families and have done all the regular stuff that people do and as a result, we only see each other about three or four times a year. I don’t begrudge this in anyway. It’s all part of life’s rich pageant. So to address this social and what I would define as an “intellectual engagement” gap, I listen to a lot of podcasts and YouTube videos. Digesting the thoughts and musings of Richard Dawkin, Robin Ince, Brian Cox and Mary Beard is great for stimulating the grey matter. I also like to know the back story behind the current news and social talking points. I don’t mean lazy partisan arguments and simply taking a side. I like to understand the complexities that so often underpin all major debates. It’s an unfashionable position but that’s how I’m programmed. But although all these things can provide a great deal of mental stimulation, there can also be a downside. Pondering weighty matters makes me less disposed towards the mundane.
Now I have no intention of abandoning small talk and light weight social interactions as I go about my daily business. Courtesy is hardwired into my personality. Plus some of the old people I share a word with, may not have a great deal of contact with other people and I think it’s important to reflect upon this. It’s an utter cliché but it is still true that a “kind word goes a long way”. However, if I find myself circulating among guests at a family gathering it is often a struggle to find any robust conversation. Some people like to keep it simple because they know certain hot topics are contentious. Others, often those who are the least informed, seem to be the most confident and willing to share their “perspective”. Hence such social occasions are often a chore for me and I tend to avoid them unless I know specific people will be there, with whom I’ve had positive engagement in the past.
This man is clearly an expert
Without getting too much into “armchair expert” territory, let’s embrace a couple of broad universal truths. People are tribal by nature and usually seek company of those who are broadly similar to themselves. That’s not to say that we don’t sometimes have friends who are radically different than ourselves but usually there is a kind of social and intellectual parity within our peer group. To be removed from such a social mechanic is frustrating. As I stated initially, I don’t feel lonely. However, I do feel at times unengaged and like I’m stagnating. That I’m not testing my mettle or using my brain enough. I miss the company of those who can cogently challenge my viewpoint or make me laugh with a well-conceived joke or quip. There’s a Sherlock Holmes quote that springs to mind. I hasten to add I do not consider myself to be in anyway like the great detective but the point made is a good analogy. “My mind is like a racing engine, tearing itself to pieces because it is not connected up with the work for which it was built”. As to what the solution is to this problem, I’m not sure. I believe I have to make things happen and go and seek out some mental stimulation. Exactly what that will involve I cannot say at present. In the meantime, I shall continue to look to my online friendships to fill this gap.
