Star Wars: Blogs | Prefect’s Corner | Shades of gray

Apparently, the Star Wars Blogs are being wiped out soon.

Probably for good reason. Folks almost never use them and when they did it was for a RPG system that is a couple years out of print.

Still, I went to them periodically for writing ideas and I will miss having ready access to the minds of Dan Wallace, Sterling Hershey, and others who have since stopped posting.

I had a few entries into something I called the Prefect’s Corner. It was the title I had in the Vast Empire club (of which I am still a member so come join us!) but only one seemed worth preserving.

Read it, if you have thoughts, comment on it.

Shades of gray

One of the things that my club has been debating is what to do about our club history. At the moment we are in the age of Thrawn. We don’t currently buy that he is the Empire reborn and this has led to a few discussions that are not exactly canon-related.

In short, it is this: if you fracture an Empire, how do you expect it to consolidate around one man no one has ever heard of? This isn’t to discredit Zahn; I like his books and I think he’s done a lot for the community.

That said, why can’t there be more than one Empire? More importantly, why are there only two sides to every war? I seriously doubt every smuggler and pirate in the galaxy sided with the Republic. I mean, consider it: open trade and anti-slavery governments are BAD for the not-so-law-abiding. The Empire was good for business, and if it could clean up some business practices, more to the good.

So, as we are playing this out in our heads, we see an Empire backing Thrawn and the various little warlord-ships everywhere else. And hell, maybe even a centralized Empire with Isaard in charge. And why the Praetorian Guard gone bad plot? Why can’t Thrawn live to further keep the galaxy divided. No, it isn’t noble, and it isn’t remotely optimistic. But it does seem to ring more true than what we were given.

In the extreme, you have a Smuggler’s Alliance with more teeth than diplomats. You may also have a reactionary Republic than lashes out on humans – admit it, there HAS to be an angry undercurrent to feed off of. Fey’la for Chancellor for life?

These are a few of the notions going around. Just wanted to throw them out there for some feedback.

Santorum’s war on teleprompters – CNN Political Ticker – CNN.com Blogs

Rick Santorum hates teleprompters and wants them outlawed.

He hates birth control and wants it outlawed.

He hates abortion – and, really, who doesn’t when it comes down to it? (which is why I support birth control) – and wants it outlawed (which most of us do not).

He hates the separation of church and state and presumably wants it outlawed.

He hates higher education (despite having multiple degrees) and calls those who want it for all Americans “snobs”. He even homeschools his kids to keep them away from public education.

When will he come out against electricity? Against the repeal of the right of women to vote? Or the repeal of slavery?

How far back does he want to drag America back? Presumably before the founding on this nation.