I am Telemachus

Having recently been asked his thoughts on children and violence, the Lost One was able to only (Feebly) provide that, "Somewhere there was an article from Boundless.org that addressed this issue." Well today, the Lost One found the article which has so informed the underpinning of so much of his thoughts as to the nature of Manliness, and the differences between men and women, and boys and men.

While Mr. Newell doesn't get everything right, and some of his claims lack evidence, the Lost One very distinctly recalls reading this in high school, all angsty and existentially lonely both from the age and his parents' rather nasty and (at that point) recent divorce, and with a grateful heart and a tear in his eye saying, "Some one finally gets it, someone understands. I am Telemachus."

Best Opinion of the Court, Evah

The practice of law is a serious business. Often, the courts deal with the lives, freedoms, and fortunes of ordinary people. It is a solemn and heavy burden to bear. And it is usually born by men of great dignity and solemnity.

So it's always fun when one gets to see a little levity, which is the case in American Amusement Machine Ass'n v. Kendrick, 244 F.3d 572, (C.A.7 ,2001).

Really, just hearing Judge Posner describe the game with the same straight faced seriousness he uses to describe the seriousness of say, affirmative action, or a liberal view of the commerce clause and its effects on the modern market, is worth the price of admission and leads to my favorite quote:

Zombies are supernatural beings, therefore difficult to kill. Repeated shots are necessary to stop them...

Really? And we're taking judicial notice of this fact, Hmm? Any way, for those with out the access to the case, or maybe just lacking in the will to find it, here is my favorite bit:

"Most of the video games in the record of this case, games that the City believes violate its ordinances, are stories. Take once again “The House of the Dead.” The player is armed with a gun-most fortunately, because he is being assailed by a seemingly unending succession of hideous axe-wielding zombies, the living dead conjured back to life by voodoo. The zombies have already knocked down and wounded several people, who are pleading pitiably for help; and one of the player's duties is to protect those unfortunates from renewed assaults by the zombies. His main task, however, is self-defense. Zombies are supernatural beings, therefore difficult to kill. Repeated shots are necessary to stop them as they rush headlong toward the player. He must not only be alert to the appearance of zombies from any quarter; he must be assiduous about reloading his gun periodically, lest he be overwhelmed by the rush of the zombies when his gun is empty.

Self-defense, protection of others, dread of the “undead,” fighting against overwhelming odds-these are all age-old themes of literature, and ones particularly appealing to the young."

Good Times, Good times.
Until next time.