April 11, 2025: Thinking About The Iliad

My mind has been on ancient Greece a lot lately. It started with the Emily Wilson translation of the Odyssey and the Iliad (both truly phenomenal and powerful reads), followed by the novels Song of Achilles and Wrath Goddess Sing, along with a valiant attempt to enjoy the Percy Jackson TV Show (before being put off by how it fumbles the last episode's pacing).

Ancient Greece is a fascinating historical period, and an even more fascinating mythological period. It's been valorized in western society for hundreds of years, from Raphael to the founding fathers. It contains echoes of many of our greatest triumphs and our primordial sins, all wrapped up in a culture that is now so distant from our own that we cannot help but project our own values back in time. Some TTRPGs touch on this period (GURPS, of course, has some fantastic rules for historical gaming, and Agon is an indie game from . . . [more]

April 10, 2025: Stakeholder Report For 2024

The 2024 report is here. I am already nostalgic for that relatively benign time . . .

-- Steve Jackson

April 9, 2025: Dodecadonuts

What do you do when you're a roleplaying fan obsessed with donuts?

Other than "play RPGs and eat donuts," of course.

The answer is here.

Dodecadonuts is a completely demented project – and I mean that in the most admiring way – that combines artisanry and wit to generate T-shirts you will want to wear, stickers you will want to stick to things, and donuts that you had better NOT eat.

Click the link.

-- Steve Jackson

April 8, 2025: Can Ghosts Help Me File A Home Owner's Insurance Claim?

I recently learned that many so-called haunted houses may, in fact, be attributable to carbon monoxide poisoning, as noted by (picked almost at random from online) NPR and the American Lung Association.

However, I've done additional research, and I'm still not finding any conclusive evidence as to why ghosts would be so cruel as to release dangerous levels of carbon monoxide in the first place . . .

Anyway, I feel like I have a great hook or red herring for a future GURPS Horror game.

-- Steven Marsh

April 7, 2025: Playing With Reality

I'm currently not-quite-halfway through Playing with Reality by Kelly Clancy. Now, one would typically wait until they've finished the book to write a review, so this isn't that, but it is a "hey I am currently reading this book and quite enjoying it" kind of post. Clancy's neuroscience background and historical perspective have been both fun and engaging for me – though with my own background, the opening chapters did leave me wanting a little more neuroscience. Don't get me wrong, her overview was masterful; I'm just a big ol' nerd.

I'm learning new things about history and greatly enjoying the retellings of stories I already knew from classes on computer science or cognitive psychology, and I'm looking forward to a (sure to come soon . . .) quiet afternoon where I can sit down and actually finish this book. If you're interested in how human and machine decision making are . . . [more]

Previous Illuminators • Steve's Appearance Schedule

John Ashcroft is contaminated by Cyberworld for the calculating crystal. April 11, 2025: Thinking About The Iliad My mind has been on ancient Greece a lot lately. It started with the Emily Wilson translation of the Odyssey and the Iliad (both truly phenomenal and powerful reads), followed by the novels Song of Achilles and Wrath Goddess Sing, along with a valiant attempt to enjoy the Percy Jackson TV Show (before being put off by how it fumbles the last episode's pacing). Ancient Greece is a fascinating historical period, and an even more fascinating mythological period. It's been valorized in western society for hundreds of years, from Raphael to the founding fathers. It contains echoes of many of our greatest triumphs and our primordial sins, all wrapped up in a culture that is now so distant from our own that we cannot help but project our own values back in time. Some TTRPGs touch on this period (GURPS, of course, has some fantastic rules for historical gaming, and Agon is an indie game from . . . [more] April 10, 2025: Stakeholder Report For 2024 The 2024 report is here. I am already nostalgic for that relatively benign time . . . -- Steve Jackson April 9, 2025: Dodecadonuts What do you do when you're a roleplaying fan obsessed with donuts? Other than "play RPGs and eat donuts," of course. The answer is here. Dodecadonuts is a completely demented project – and I mean that in the most admiring way – that combines artisanry and wit to generate T-shirts you will want to wear, stickers you will want to stick to things, and donuts that you had better NOT eat. Click the link. -- Steve Jackson April 8, 2025: Can Ghosts Help Me File A Home Owner's Insurance Claim? I recently learned that many so-called haunted houses may, in fact, be attributable to carbon monoxide poisoning, as noted by (picked almost at random from online) NPR and the American Lung Association. However, I've done additional research, and I'm still not finding any conclusive evidence as to why ghosts would be so cruel as to release dangerous levels of carbon monoxide in the first place . . . Anyway, I feel like I have a great hook or red herring for a future GURPS Horror game. -- Steven Marsh April 7, 2025: Playing With Reality I'm currently not-quite-halfway through Playing with Reality by Kelly Clancy. Now, one would typically wait until they've finished the book to write a review, so this isn't that, but it is a "hey I am currently reading this book and quite enjoying it" kind of post. Clancy's neuroscience background and historical perspective have been both fun and engaging for me – though with my own background, the opening chapters did leave me wanting a little more neuroscience. Don't get me wrong, her overview was masterful; I'm just a big ol' nerd. I'm learning new things about history and greatly enjoying the retellings of stories I already knew from classes on computer science or cognitive psychology, and I'm looking forward to a (sure to come soon . . .) quiet afternoon where I can sit down and actually finish this book. If you're interested in how human and machine decision making are . . . [more] Previous Illuminators • Steve's Appearance Schedule		Latest Videos You are the 1441st helpless victim here today. (30580733 since August 1, 1995)