ASLOK Thoughts in the Age of Covid

Plans for attending ASLOK XXXV?

  • Wasn't planning on attending anyway...

    Votes: 46 40.0%
  • Will be there, masks or not...

    Votes: 17 14.8%
  • Will be there, but only if masks are required...

    Votes: 1 0.9%
  • Will be there, but only if masks aren't required...

    Votes: 4 3.5%
  • Won't be attending due to Covid, but had been planning on it pre-pandemic...

    Votes: 20 17.4%
  • Might be there - depends on how the pandemic develops by the Fall...

    Votes: 20 17.4%
  • Might be there - depends on non-pandemic things like $, vacation, spousal approval, etc...

    Votes: 7 6.1%

  • Total voters
    115
Status
Not open for further replies.

Ray Woloszyn

"Fire and Movement"
Joined
Aug 20, 2003
Messages
4,080
Reaction score
1,214
Location
Kernersville, NC
First name
Ray
Country
llUnited States
I recall there even once was a 5+2 leader.....I may be mistaken though.
Wounded perhaps or the HoB Adolf Hitler counter. Neither of which we really want to see right now. The more I read Gibbon's "Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire" I am concerned about some of the amazing parallels to today's American body politic.
 

Paul M. Weir

Forum Guru
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Apr 3, 2004
Messages
8,706
Reaction score
3,732
Location
Dublin
First name
Paul
Country
llIreland
Folks, let's keep discussion to ASL and the effects Covid might have on players and meetings. Please.
 

Phillip

Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2020
Messages
72
Reaction score
92
Location
Anarchist Jurisdiction
Country
llUnited States
Wounded perhaps or the HoB Adolf Hitler counter. Neither of which we really want to see right now. The more I read Gibbon's "Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire" I am concerned about some of the amazing parallels to today's American body politic.
As much as I admire Gibbon as an innovator, many of his assumptions have turned out to be questionable in light of more rigorous historical research. He wrote it so that you would see the parallels (the ones he believed you should see). Don't take it too seriously, but enjoy it and do further research on the parts that interest you.
 

Mister T

Elder Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2006
Messages
4,204
Reaction score
1,680
Location
Bruxelles
Country
llFrance
The more I read Gibbon's "Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire" I am concerned about some of the amazing parallels to today's American body politic.
Rather than this moralizing piece of work, i would recommend "The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers" from Paul Kennedy if you want to indulge in these stimulating yet difficult historical comparisons.
 

bprobst

Elder Member
Joined
Oct 31, 2003
Messages
2,532
Reaction score
1,437
Location
Melbourne, Australia
First name
Bruce
Country
llAustralia
The first volume of The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire was first published in 1776, or so Wikipedia tells me. I am reasonably sure that Gibbon didn't write it specifically so that readers in 2020 might draw parallels to the current "American body politic". I don't claim to be an expert, though.
 

Paul M. Weir

Forum Guru
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Apr 3, 2004
Messages
8,706
Reaction score
3,732
Location
Dublin
First name
Paul
Country
llIreland
Folks, let's keep discussion to ASL and the effects Covid might have on players and meetings. Please.
Paul I think the effects of Covid on players is obvious, unfortunately.
To clarify my take on the matter, saying something like, saying Texas is a bad place to hold a convention/tournament right now as hospital ICU bed usage there is hitting 100% due to premature opening is legitimate. Why opening was done so soon is pushing things too far into political fighting. Pointing out facts like the high infectivity of Covid or where the hot spots are or aren't can help members evaluate the risk to themselves and others they will come in contact with afterwards. Keeping members and their families well is what matters, political blame games are out.

Personally, though RoI is doing comparatively well, you won't see me attending any meetings, just a roughly once a week shopping trip. Not a trembling at home thing, more a resigned acceptance allied with reasonable precautions.

Anyway that's my take, RandyT0001 may have a stricter outlook.
 

Ray Woloszyn

"Fire and Movement"
Joined
Aug 20, 2003
Messages
4,080
Reaction score
1,214
Location
Kernersville, NC
First name
Ray
Country
llUnited States
Attendees to the Consim World Expo in Tempe have been told "no go" recently. That event has significant numbers of older wargamers and even though the organizers planned to restrict attendance, the situation in AZ has worsened such that the event is cancelled.
 

Tuomo

Keeper of the Funk
Joined
Feb 10, 2003
Messages
4,652
Reaction score
5,537
Location
Rock Bottom
Country
llUnited States
Personally, though RoI is doing comparatively well, you won't see me attending any meetings, just a roughly once a week shopping trip. Not a trembling at home thing, more a resigned acceptance allied with reasonable precautions.
One imagines Paul at home in his armchair, whiskey and old cat nearby, penning some sad and oh-so-Irish Covid Lament. And then playing VASL.
 

Paul M. Weir

Forum Guru
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Apr 3, 2004
Messages
8,706
Reaction score
3,732
Location
Dublin
First name
Paul
Country
llIreland
3 cats (10, 12, 13), a bottle of whiskey untouched for years. As for Lament, more like a ruddy visage from repeated face palming at the stupidity of a too large a minority in their response to a 100 year natural disaster. My parents lived through WW2, my grandparents WW1 and it's my turn with Covid. That's life, faeces happens!

What really gets me is that something like masking should have turned political. To me it's a health and consideration issue. Last year would anyone who felt a sneeze coming on would have reached over to sneeze into the sleeve or hand of a nearby person rather than use their own tissue (or hand if not quick enough)? It's that simple.
 

Sparafucil3

Forum Guru
Joined
Oct 7, 2004
Messages
11,335
Reaction score
5,070
Location
USA
First name
Jim
Country
llUnited States
What really gets me is that something like masking should have turned political.
What surprises me is how anyone can still believe that any issue can't be turned political. Anything that divides people into ANGRY groups is something that can be leveraged into a vote. Fear and anger are all it takes. The more afraid you are, the more pissed off you are, the less likely you are to think about the decisions you're making. -- jim
 

Vic Provost

Forum Guru
Joined
Sep 18, 2016
Messages
1,450
Reaction score
3,249
Location
Pittsfield, MA USA
First name
Vic
Country
llUnited States
3 cats (10, 12, 13), a bottle of whiskey untouched for years. As for Lament, more like a ruddy visage from repeated face palming at the stupidity of a too large a minority in their response to a 100 year natural disaster. My parents lived through WW2, my grandparents WW1 and it's my turn with Covid. That's life, faeces happens!

What really gets me is that something like masking should have turned political. To me it's a health and consideration issue. Last year would anyone who felt a sneeze coming on would have reached over to sneeze into the sleeve or hand of a nearby person rather than use their own tissue (or hand if not quick enough)? It's that simple.
Like Paul I love my animals and have 2 Cats and 5 Birds here (Love Bird, Cockatiel and 3 Parakeets) that keep me busy and plenty of company for me and Donna. Sorry if my last post drifted into political territory, luckily here in Massachusetts the vast majority of folks are wearing masks and things settled down a while ago but we are keeping our guard up, Donna does go to work on a limited schedule but does a lot from home and I go out once a week or so for supplies and to get something to eat and that's it, I want to be here when this is over. As long as I have Donna and my critters, my hobby and my music, I'll get by.

As for ASL, playtesting continues on Dispatch #50, got a nice ETO action we just started yesterday, going back to one of 2 Russian Front actions tomorrow with Tom and we finished up my latest Bougainville action 'Fury On the Logging Trail' last week, that one looks like a real brawl and is all but done, if anyone is interested in giving it a try, I would need a report back by the end of July and you would need to e-mail me directly at the below, do not PM me here:

aslbunker@aol.com

Any questions on the newsletter send to the above as well. Thanks and be safe and well and have a good day, Vic.
 

Paul M. Weir

Forum Guru
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Apr 3, 2004
Messages
8,706
Reaction score
3,732
Location
Dublin
First name
Paul
Country
llIreland
What surprises me is how anyone can still believe that any issue can't be turned political. Anything that divides people into ANGRY groups is something that can be leveraged into a vote. Fear and anger are all it takes. The more afraid you are, the more pissed off you are, the less likely you are to think about the decisions you're making. -- jim
I suppose so. There are times when I despair for humanity. You do know that average human cranial capacity (~1352cc) is less than that of the Neanderthals (~1680cc) and where are they now? <Sigh>
 

Sparafucil3

Forum Guru
Joined
Oct 7, 2004
Messages
11,335
Reaction score
5,070
Location
USA
First name
Jim
Country
llUnited States
I suppose so. There are times when I despair for humanity. You do know that average human cranial capacity (~1352cc) is less than that of the Neanderthals (~1680cc) and where are they now? <Sigh>
Roughly half of all people are below average intelligence. That bigger capacity didn't produce an Einstien, or a Turing, or a DaVinci, or ... -- jim
 

Tuomo

Keeper of the Funk
Joined
Feb 10, 2003
Messages
4,652
Reaction score
5,537
Location
Rock Bottom
Country
llUnited States
I suppose so. There are times when I despair for humanity. You do know that average human cranial capacity (~1352cc) is less than that of the Neanderthals (~1680cc) and where are they now? <Sigh>
OK, good! We can work with that! Just tap into your Inner Irishman and squeeze all that angst onto a piece of paper. I smell Best Seller List, baby!
 

Gordon

Forum Guru
Joined
Apr 6, 2017
Messages
2,488
Reaction score
2,940
Country
llUnited States
Roughly half of all people are below average intelligence. That bigger capacity didn't produce an Einstien, or a Turing, or a DaVinci, or ... -- jim
"Well, that's the news from Lake Wobegon, where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average."
 

apbills

Elder Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2003
Messages
3,406
Reaction score
931
Location
Pewaukee, WI
Country
llUnited States
Did you read the limits I posted because there are limits which the Supreme Court has agreed to. For instance the First Amendment does not provide the right to conduct an assembly at which there is a clear and present danger of riot, disorder, or interference with traffic on public streets, or other immediate threat to public safety or order. Last I looked, people were still dying in droves due to the spread of C-19 which, a spread which is accelerated by large groups meeting.
I think the events of the last month have proven a large part of the US population, including its leaders, do not care what limits the Supreme Court has agreed to as you state.

I believe my health is my responsibility and with multiple high risk factors I will not be attending ASLOK along with all my other travel plans for this year. I also believe others can do what they want as well.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top