Let's Play: Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance Battle Four, Mission Six - Save The Computer!

What is it with Rebel corvettes carrying secret plans that gets them shredded by Star Destroyers? I don't know, but here we go again.



Remember the computer information that we fought so hard to protect and get away from the Executor with in the previous mission. Well, I hope you kept the champagne on ice, because we're not out of the woods yet! The corvette has been tracked, and here comes trouble once again.

It'll all be worth it, though, provided we can get the computer core safely to Admiral Ackbar. He'll know what to do next.

To Everything There is a Season

There's something about motorcycle riding, especially alone on a country road, that inspires contemplation. In this case, I was on my way home from a hugely fun (and shockingly successful) Saturday poker run. The thought that crossed through my mind was along the lines of "Man, why can't I do this every week?"

It's not like I wouldn't have opportunity. The Upper Midwest celebrates spring and summer with a sort of gleeful abandon that comes from spending months inside during winter. There's events every weekend, something for the family, something for bikers, and whatever else a person could like. Summer is the season for adventure around here.

 There's another kind of season going on right now. After buying our house last year, we barely had time to get everything moved in before an early winter brought outside activity to a screeching halt. Now it's go time. Garden patches need to be cleared. Years of accumulated debris and neglect by the previous owners need to be cleared away. My role in this is, admittedly, minimal. Most of the action happens while I'm at work, with my Lovely and Gracious Wife both directing the operations of the Terror Team and doing much of the work herself. My jobs are usually limited to weekend jobs like pulling stumps, cleaning gutters, and other sundry projects that aren't in her wheelhouse.

Truth be told, I'd love for this to be the season of Poker Runs, Baseball, and Beers on the Back Deck, rather than Weeding, Stump Pulling, and Siding Repair. But the point of having the latter season now, is that some future summer can become the former kind of season.

We'll get there.

Let's Play Ash of Gods: Redemption - Chapter Two - Don't Fear The Reaper

Chapter Two introduces the third major storyline thread in our party. Lo Pheng, a bodyguard who's about to make a major choice.



The centerpiece combat in this short chapter absolutely gave me fits. There are choices that you can make which will make the combat easier and remove the Reaper, but those weren't the decisions that I made. Oh well. As in most RPGs (at least for a first playthrough), I'd rather make decisions I'm happy with, even if it makes the game a little more difficult.

Around The Web - 6/26 - What Was That Saying About Picking a Fight With a Writer?

Tam has been blogging at The View From The Porch for longer than the combined life of all three of my attempts at blogging. (Yes, for those keeping score at home, this is my third attempt at the blog thing. So far, so okay.)

Most people have figured out not to cross the Queen of Snark, but sometimes, some unfortunate doesn't do his homework. Fortunately for her readers.

How Not to Internet Market, A Saga in Three Parts
Part 1: Meet "Luke", the marketing rep for Craft Holsters
Part 2: Don't be this pushy, ever.
Part 3: Closing Thoughts

Dad Chat - Monday Vlog 2018-25

Reminiscing about one of my favorite memories with my father, one of those stories that helps explain to people a bit about who I am, and where I came from.

It involves a holiday evening hunt for mounting brackets for a CD Drive, and willingness to utilize large and expensive powertools to make things fit. Also Kingdom Hearts.

Let's Play Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance - Battle Four, Mission Five - Borsk Fey'lya is an Idiot

Another mission, another cameo appearance by a fictional member of the (Legends) Extended Universe. I never liked Borsk Fey'lya although an argument could be made that the character wasn't always terrible, he just got written that way. Take your choice. At any rate, he shows up in this mission, arrogant as always, and you and your squadron mates have to cover for his time wasting to ensure that everyone gets away safely from Darth Vader and his Super Star Destroyer. Oh joy.



The main trick here is to take out the Assault Transports as quickly as possible. Choosing a B-Wing over the default X-Wing option helps a lot, since the ATRs can be more easily destroyed at close range with torpedoes, and the B-Wing carries more of them.

After the ATRs are destroyed and the Razor makes the jump to the rendesvous point, it's time to make your way there as well. The Liberty will be fine to make the transit without help, and you don't want to be the last rebel ship in the area when all those Imperial TIEs run out of other targets.

Book Review: The Speed of Sound By Eric Bernt

I’m not quite sure what to make of The Speed of Sound, the first novel in a planned series by Eric Bernt. On the one hand, it’s got all the requisite elements that make a good thriller: a shadowy conspiracy, multiple factions, and an interesting technical McGuffin. On the other hand, most of the characters just aren’t that interesting, the plot tends to drag from perspective to perspective, and everyone we meet for any length of time is blandly hypercompetent at what they do.


The story revolves around two main characters. One, Skylar Drummond, is a young doctor taking her first big post-graduation job at Harmony House, a place that’s one part research lab and one part assisted living for its high-functioning autistic residents. The other is Edward “Eddie” Maxwell Park, a Harmony House resident since he was eleven years old.

In my opinion, the book does an excellent job of is putting readers into Eddie’s world. Chapters from his perspective are just slightly off, reflecting the unique way he sees the world. Although Eddie is incredibly brilliant within his small interest, he is also extremely sheltered and childlike in his responses to everyday things. How much of this would ring true with parents and loved ones of actual neurologically atypical people I can’t say, but the author certainly seems to write Eddie from an honest place. We don’t feel sorry for him that he’s different. Concerned, sure, particularly when he becomes a lost, childlike adult in New York City, but he’s not a character to be pitied. We want him to succeed, and to realize his dream of hearing his deceased mother’s voice.

That dream, and Eddie’s solution to accomplishing it, is the principle driving force of the book. For to hear that voice, he has worked out a way to reconstruct and replay sound echoes of past events. This technology, of course, has application far beyond Eddie’s ideas, and its completion sets off a cross-country race between multiple factions to acquire the device.

Skylar, meanwhile, is a far less interesting character. Her desire to work at Harmony House comes from guilt over the death of her autistic brother, she initially sees Eddie as similar in kind to her brother, and is able to break through some of his walls using techniques that she learned in dealing with her brother. She sees the potential in the device, and sets off on the run with Eddie after the first demonstration of the working prototype reveals a murder plot.

The author, Eric Bernt, is primarily a writer of movies and TV shows. Perhaps that’s one of the big reasons why the plot shifts scenes so often, and at times feels more like a screenplay than a novel. This is definitely a story that would work as a TV movie or miniseries, where characters and locations can be quickly identified visually.

I did enjoy The Speed of Sound, and will be looking for the next installment of the series. It’s an enjoyable read, with an interesting hook, just not great. Let’s say 3.5/5, and call it good, shall we?

Let's Play: Ash of Gods: Redemption, Chapter One

Ash of Gods: Redemption is a recent RPG with some interesting roguelike elements. The first game from indie developer AurumDust, it's got tons of replay value, solid world building, and a meaty story.

Let's dive in to Chapter One, shall we?



Tune in next week for Chapter Two. Same Blog Time, Same Blog Channel

Around The Web - Normalizing Unhealthy Behavior

A few weeks ago, VICE published an interview with April K. Quioh and Sophia Carter-Kahn, creators of the podcast “She’s All Fat” and promotors of what they call a “Fat-Positive” lifestyle.
They were soundly and justifiably mocked on Twitter, but since 280 characters really lacks in nuance, I wanted to get into it here.
According to the most recent report from the CDC, compiling mortality and health data from 2016, thirty percent of Americans are obese. Add in an additional forty percent who are overweight and you get the mind-boggling percentage that seventy percent of Americans, seven out of ten, are carrying around more weight than is healthy.
No doubt I’m aware of it, as I’m one of them. I talk a lot about fitness in my vlogs, and am finally making good progress to get back into shape, but I’ve been overweight most of my adult life. Never quite obese, but definitely not healthy.
Here’s the thing about body positivity – I’m all for it. I don’t think anyone should feel ashamed of their body, whatever size they are. Shame, anxiety, fear of what others will think, too often get used as reasons to avoid the gym, hide the treadmill, or stay away from the pool, and they shouldn’t be. I see some dude bigger than me sweating away on the treadmill, or lumbering the other way on a jogging path, and I want to give him a high-five, because he’s Doing Something!
But let’s not kid anyone, being fat is not a healthy lifestyle, any more than smoking or rampant alcoholism is a part of a vibrant long life. Weighing twice as much as a healthy person doesn’t make you part of some protected, persecuted minority any more than smoking two packs of Camels a day. I’m not saying you can’t do it, but in the same way that I don’t enjoy being in close proximity to folks who prefer to get their air through dirty little tubes that are on fire on one end, I don’t enjoy being squeezed into Seat 19C on an Airbus next to someone who literally can’t help spilling over the armrest into my space.
Recovering alcoholics go to meetings where they’re reminded that sobriety is a daily battle. They don’t gather around to tell each other that they’re just fine, everything is okay, and the world just needs to understand and accommodate their need to start drinking at 10am. Sure there are groups like that, but no one holds up college fraternities as pillars of healthy living.
Of the top ten causes of mortality in America (from the same CDC report) six are often exacerbated by obesity. That list includes heart disease (#1 killer), cancer (#2), stroke (#5), and diabetes (#7). Of the remaining four two (accidents and suicide) have nothing to do with anything. That means that in four-fifths of the leading causes of death that a person can actually do something about, simply losing weight will dramatically reduce the odds of death from that particular cause!
“Hey, easy for you to say, you privileged white guy!” I can almost here someone protesting. “You have the luxury of good nutrition, and working a 9-5 job where you can exercise after work. Some people live in food deserts where McDonalds and convenience stores are the only food options, and can’t exercise outside.”

You can lose weight based on a diet comprised largely of Twinkies and other snack foods. For someone with access to a McDonalds, even three meals off the value menus can be done on the cheap and with less than 1500 calories. Just don’t get fries, and drink water.  For anyone who isn’t morbidly obese due to some kind of disease or genetic disorder, the biggest factor for weight loss isn’t exercise, it’s diet. Exercise helps, but it’s not the critical component. And as far as exercise goes, anyone with a smartphone can download any number of apps to help get in shape, even without leaving the house. And that’s not even getting into the number of exercise videos available on streaming services, or DVDs and even VHS cassettes still lining the shelves of stores, second-hand shops, and homes all around the country.
Again, because this is a sensitive topic for a lot of people, I don’t want to be misunderstood: fat shaming is bad, and judging people based on their size is wrong. We are all God’s children, after all, and He loves us no matter what size we are. But the danger comes in twisting a positive message (you are valuable however you are) into some sort of sick encouragement to a lifestyle that shortens lifetimes, and ruins quality of life.

I Need a Mulligan - Vlog 2018-24

Sometimes, things just don't work out as planned. Whether the cause is internal or external, we can't always control our circumstances, but we can control our response.

Let's Play Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance, Battle Four, MIssion Four - Luke Skywalker is my Wingman

One of the best parts of X-Wing Alliance was story missions featuring cameos of major characters.

Don't ask me when Luke found the time to do this between making a new lightsaber and heading off to Tatooine to rescue Han Solo, but that's the way the plot goes.



Many Bothans died to get this mission done.

Happy One Hundredth...

My grandfather was born June 16^th, 1918, and passed into eternity four and a half years ago.

A minister all of his adult life, he never really retired, just slowed down as the years took their toll on his body.

My grandfather in his early thirties.

He gave me my first jobs, and tolerated my budding interests in computers, even if he never quite got my obsession.

He gave me my first airline flight, a trip on a Southwest 737 Classic, to take me to Florida to visit the college I would ultimately attend, graduate from, and meet the woman who would become my wife and mother of my children.

The first car I ever owned was a gift from him and my grandmother. Likewise my second, which was the first family car that my wife and I ever owned together (and still own today, 135,000 miles later).

I still think about the lessons he taught me.

Happy Birthday, Papa.

I hope I’m living a life and raising your great-grandchildren in a way you’d be proud of.

I miss you.

Let's Play Dungeon Stars - Ep. 1 - A Star is Born

I encountered Dungeon Stars at PAX East this year, where the developers were helpful enough to send me away with a stack of codes, and an appreciation for this fun roguelike that breaks its action down into bite-sized chunks.



Perfectly sized for short fifteen minute gaming bursts, but engaging enough to be marathoned for hours, this is a game that's getting a lot of play in my off-stream rotation.

Around The Web - I do Hardware Reviews Now?

I really didn't expect that getting through my PAX East previews would take two months. Yikes! But now that it's finally done, it's time to get back to writing some reviews. And travel reports, and more motorcycle articles...

Anyway, first up were a couple of reviews.

Image from Bishop Games

I first encountered Light Fall at PAX South last year and was instantly hooked. When the game came up for review in April, I was quite excited to review and stream it. I'm happy to say that it didn't disappoint.

Image via Gunnar Optiks.

I'll admit to a healthy amount of skepticism regarding Gunnar Optiks' products. While I definitely see the need for computer glasses (and use them regularly), the one pair of Gunnars that I tried years ago didn't really impress me, and the price put me off even more. Not that I would have turned down a free pair, but since I was spending my own money, I chose a much cheaper pair of drugstore reading glasses instead.

Fast forward to PAX East, and a conversation at the Gunnar booth which ended with "Give these a try." If seeing is believing, then I'm a believer now.

You Are Not Your Career - Vlog 2018-23

Somehow this has turned into a three week commentary.



All joking aside though, who you are if you were to lose some big part of your life is a big and serious topic that is worth some consideration. All of us will face major life changes at some point. Some general mental preparedness can do wonders for when those moments arrive.

Let's Play: Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance - Battle Four, Mission Three

Remember two weeks ago? When the mission ended with dropping Aeron off on that pirate asteroid base? Well, here we go again, because now she needs to be rescued. It's going to be a lot more difficult to get her off that rock, than it was to drop her off in the first place.



Sometimes, the way to get a mission done is to ask yourself "What would Poe Dameron do?" Then do whatever the opposite of that would be. This is one of those cases. Trying to dogfight several Star Destroyers worth of TIE squadrons tends to work out... poorly.

Book Review - Tanker Pilot: Lessons From The Cockpit by Mark Hasara

It’s a rare memoir that can straddle appeal to both general and special interest audiences. Tanker Pilot: Lessons From The Cockpit by Mark Hasara is one such book. Mark packs lessons from his career as a USAF KC-135 pilot in a way that is both revealing to any avgeek with an interest in the inner workings of military aviation, and valuable to anyone seeking new perspectives on learning, leadership, and life.

Air Force tanker crews have a saying: “No one kicks ass without tanker gas.” Mr. Hasara’s career, which spanned from the late ‘80s during the end of the Cold War to the early ‘00s with the War on Terror in Afghanistan and Iraq, is peppered with specific anecdotes proving the truth of that statement. I knew air tanking was essential to military operations, I just didn’t realize how essential until reading this book.

For examples, there’s a story in the book from the 1991 Gulf War where Mr. Hasara’s flight picks up a group of F-16s returning from strikes into Iraq. Without in-flight refueling, none of the aircraft would have been capable of making it back to base. A much later chapter discussing the logistical planning required to get U.S. Navy F/A-18Cs safely from aircraft carrier to strike target and back during the Second Iraq War is even more illuminating. Strike aircraft loaded down with weapons burn a lot of fuel.

Mr. Hasara was also an avid photographer during his career. The book contains two fantastic picture blocks featuring air-to-air pictures taken by him and other aviators during some missions. These pictures are a treat for anyone interested in military aviation, depicting some fantastic candid aviation moments.

A Kadena based KC-135R refuels an 18th Aggressor Squadron F-16C. The Young Tigers were one of the squadrons that Mr. Hasara was assigned to during his career. Public Domain Wikipedia][[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

One of the other neat things about this book is the inclusion of a life lesson at the end of each chapter. Each anecdote is selected not just for its own interest and the coherence of a career narrative, but also to illustrate a lesson that extends far beyond the cockpit. Just because we may never find ourselves at the controls of a multi-million dollar flying fuel station doesn’t mean that the lessons learned there can’t translate into our daily lives.

One particular quote from an early lesson that has stuck with me: “Disciplining ourselves through creating habits leads to healthier and happier lives, increased productivity, and greater effectiveness in our work.” Talk about a lesson that dovetails with what I’m trying to do in my own life with running, Bullet journaling, and other focused productivity improvements!

I won’t be passing this particular book onto my kids. Mainly because this is the rare book in my collection where I want my children to each have their own copies. These are going to be tucked away in a drawer, along with a few similar items, waiting for the right time to be presented to each child.

Definitely a worthwhile purchase for anyone with an interest in military aviation, and also well worth the time for anyone looking to improve themselves.

Let's Play Light Fall, Act II

Continuing last week's adventure, here's Act II of Light Fall



There's only one act left. However, due to some patch issues, that video's going to have to wait a bit. Next will will have something a little different.

Around The Web: Joanna Takes On Mulaka

Joanna is one of the fellow Marooners' Rock writers whose reviews I most enjoy reading. She's consistently accurate, and reviews games in ways that give readers an excellent idea of whether or not the thing is worth buying.


Her latest review of Mulaka, is an excellent example. Check it out!

Advice to Younger Professionals - Vlog 2018-22

I really didn't expect to turn this into a series. But here we are. The shutdown of Wargaming Seattle, and posts from my friends and former coworkers who were directly effected by said shutdown, put me in an advice giving mode this week.



In all seriousness though, the best thing you can do for your future prospects is get out of debt. Learn to negotiate properly is a close second, but getting out of debt, and staying out of debt, is absolutely critical.

It may mean not driving the newest car, having the latest games, or taking the bus instead of an Uber. But when you can tell a bad job offer "No thanks" and walk away, it's worth every packed PB&J lunch you ate instead of going out to eat, every skipped movie premier, and every extra mile in that old car.

Let's Play: Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance - Battle Four, Mission Two

Oh, look! Another recon mission. In an A-Wing. Sigh. Well, we just play this one by the numbers, just like the previous ones. Roll in, inspect everything, run like hell.



Nothing complicated. Got this one done on the first try. The most interesting thing about it is what it's starting to set up. We're getting closer and closer to the Battle of Endor!