Not too long ago I was driving around with one of my younger relatives when he made an astute observation ...
     “That Anderly sure has a lot of houses for sale.” This was followed by a concerned observation, “why are there so many houses for sale in Henderson? Don’t people want to live here?” He asked.
     Funny. I had never looked at political yards signs like that. But, if one knew nothing about our political world, I guess these signs would look like someone, or a group of people, were trying to sell a lot of homes.
Ah, such innocence.
     I wanted to tell that those yard signs are used to advertise political candidates who are seeking various local, state and federal seats. But, I doubt he would’ve cared. I know I didn’t at his age.
     Of course, when it comes to the subject of politics, it’s a never ending evolving discipline that pits corruption  against ideals. And in this most ancient of subjects, chances are when you think you’re right and moral, chances are you’re completely wrong because someone has a better lawyer or lobbyist or insider than you do. Politics is the business of money and power, and if have the former you can achieve the later.
     Just look at former Illinois Governor Ron Blagoevich.
     For most people who follow politics even the slightest, the governor looked guilty as sin two years ago when he was charged with an array of felonies including trying to sell Barak Obama’s US Senate seat. Blago, as many in Illinois refer to him as, had the power as governor to appoint a senator since Obama was about to vacate his position for the White House. Blago, however, was caught on tape suggesting that the seat was for sale to the highest bidder.
     Well, as most of us know, Blago was convicted of only one of 24 charges against him.
     Just one.
     Punishment. Nothing.
     Hmm, I think this would be a good teaching moment, but how do you explain to a child that a man who is obviously a corrupt, narcissistic fraud is allowed to walk free?
     What would be the underlying point?
     How about, ‘Don’t trust politicians.’
     No, that’s not right because the last thing I would want is someone who is moral and just not to participate in politics to some extent.
Well, how about, ‘If you ever get caught trying to sell any sort of political seat, make sure you have the best lawyers.’
     You can hang your hat on that point.
     But that’s not healthy either.
     Politics is a strange business. But instead of trying to explain the nuts and bolts of a system that’s tough to swallow, it’s better to let someone have their innocence.
  
  

    



  


 


 
    

 



  

        
 

 
   


  

 
 
 
     
    
 
             
 

  
   
 
  

  


  



 




     
 
 
 

    

 
   
        
  
 
 

Slice of Life

by Troy Koester

(Click on the Slice of Life link to comment) 

Risk. Addicting? Yes. A 'bored' game? No.

      It was a common scene at the ground level apartment just blocks from the campus of then Mankato State University. Evenings and afternoons, sunshine or rain clouds, many times a week the game board would cover the entire table in the middle of the apartment’s main living quarters. As few as three and as many as six college students would gather around the table, sort through the little plastic triangle pieces in green, yellow, red, blue, black and brown and compete for world dominance.
     The game was Risk. And Risk it was, as the group’s very college existence hinged on this board game from time to time. On your way to class? Well, maybe not today if there is a Risk game going on.
     We’d spend hours completing a game.  Sometimes two in one day. Moving pieces around the globe, trying to gain a foothold on any of the five continents that would provide more reinforcement troops on your turn. There were renegade assaults, walls of fortification, and numerous strategies all tried and tested, and if executed could put you in position to chase your opponent’s army right off the board.
     You wanna guarantee longevity then make sure to dig yourself deep into South America or Australia, little havens at the bottom of the board that were difficult to access. Take your time in these areas and you could build a wall of protection that would be difficult for any opposing army to penetrate.
     Wanna gamble a bit and force your troops up into North America and into Africa from South America and pretty soon you could have a stronghold spanning half the world. But don’t leave your backside too thin, because that guy in Asia could turn in his cards for extra bonus troops and make a kamikaze assault right through the heart of your thin army all the way to your homeland.
     And much of your fate was determined by the shake of a dice.
     Still today when we see each other we discuss the intricacies of the Risk board, and how we would go about it today.
     So this week a fella files suit in US District court that he has become addicted to the virtual world video game Lineage II. He is suing the producer of the game because he says he is depressed, and unable to communicate with his family and friends. There was no warning on the box to tell him it could become addicting.
     This after playing the game for an estimated 20,000 hours from 2004-09.    That is nearly 11 hours a day over five years. That’s a lot of gaming.
Lineage II is a medieval-style, virtual world game that allows you to pick a character, humans, elves, dark elves, dwarves and ores and conquer the Kingdom of Aden or the Kingdom of Elmore.
     They have warnings on games to tell adults that something may not be appropriate for kids. Maybe they need to put age limits on these games for adults? “Adults should not play this game because they have no adult supervision to tell them when to quit.”
     My kids will likely someday give video games a whirl, but they have me to tell them “that’s enough.” Adults don’t have that luxury.
     At least in Risk we interacted with each other. It was a social event. Risk no doubt cost me a couple points on my GPA, and certainly had an impact on my ability to plan for my future. But it helped my social skills, and fine-tuned my brain’s analytical thinking ability, and provided me a lifetime of memories with that table full of fellas that used to compete for world dominance.
     Anybody every tried Axis and Allies?