A lack of leadership

Apparently the leaders of the city of Baltimore did not learn the lessons of what went on in Ferguson, MO.  They were unprepared for the violence now running wild on their streets.  The mayor's initial response was woefully inadequate and as a result, things got worse very rapidly.

A church's newly constructed senior center is burning.  A CVS pharmacy was ransacked and is ablaze, probably a total loss.  Other locally owned businesses were looted and/or burned.  What possible benefit can this wanton destruction provide to those carrying it out?  This isn't about the death of yet another black man at the hands of the police.  This is about stealing stuff and acting out one's violent fantasies.  Those engaged in peaceful protest are just fine and should be encouraged to continue.  Those who are agitators from outside the area should be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest limit of the law.

Let's hope the arrival of National Guard forces and law enforcement personnel from other agencies can quickly quell the violence and restore order.

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Fifteen video games have been announced as the finalists for enshrinement in the World Video Game Hall of Fame.  The nominees, listed by order of release are:

Pong - 1972
The Oregon Trail - 1974
Space Invaders - 1978
Pacman - 1980
Tetris - 1984
Super Mario Brothers - 1985
The Legend of Zelda - 1987
Sonic the Hedgehog - 1991
FIFA - 1993
Doom - 1993
Pokemon - 1996
The Sims - 2000
World of Warcraft - 2004
Angry Birds - 2009
Minecraft - 2009

I haven't played FIFA or any of the other games listed after 1993's Doom, which I have played.

The first six choices are all deserving of being in the Video Game Hall of Fame.  Same for Doom.  I'm not a big fan of the others that I have played and think there are a few other games worthy of consideration.

Either Kings Quest or Space Quest, from Sierra Entertainment should be on this list.  Both were major breakthroughs in gaming.  If you want to see how the technology was leaping forward, play the original Space Quest game, and then the revised version which had vastly improved graphics.

Either Centipede or Missile Command, both from 1980, are worthy of mention.  They were among the earliest video games that were a big hit that used the trackball technology.

Just the thoughts of a long-time video game player.

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Let me be the first to welcome "Star Trek Into Darkness" actress Alice Eve into the club of famous folk who put their foot squarely in their mouth and then released a wholly insufficient apology.  Here is her reaction to the Diane Sawyer interview of Bruce Jenner from last week:

“Nope. If you were a woman no one would have heard of you because women can’t compete in the decathlon. You wouldn’t be a hero. You would be a frustrated young athlete who wasn’t given a chance. Until women are paid the same as men, then playing at being a ‘woman’ while retaining the benefits of being a man is unfair. Do you have a vagina? Are you paid less than men? Then, my friend, you are a woman.”

After the predictable backlash, she removed this from social media and released a statement saying:

“I deeply apologize for offending anyone. I support equal rights and equal dignity for all. I have deep compassion and support for Bruce Jenner.  My intention was not to offend. My intention was simply to express that, with the overdue and welcome acceptance of us all living on a gender spectrum, we must encourage equality for all.”

There was nothing either compassionate or supportive in her initial statement and to claim otherwise is a baldfaced backtracking falsehood.

But everyone will give her a pass on this, just like every other celebrity gets forgiven eventually for their social media gaffes.  Is this fair?  You tell me.

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Random Ponderings:

Still can't figure out why when I'm lying on my bed to watch TV, I'm so uncomfortable trying to lay on my right side.

I wound up unfriending someone today on FB because of their really snarky reaction to something I posted. It wasn't someone I was close to anyway, and I'd muted their feed long ago because I'd grown tired of the political diatribes this person posted and his pretzel-logic defenses of those posts and positions.  I feel no sense of loss.  I'm not sure why.

Does CNN think the only news worthy of showing up on their network during the U. S. broadcast hours is currently in Baltimore.  While it is certainly the lead story in the U. S., they are completely ignoring the effort to aid the victims of the massive earthquake in Nepal.

I'm very saddened to hear that one of the giants and pioneers of the pro wrestling industry, Verne Gagne has passed.  A true visionary.  RIP.

How many gigantic diamond engagement rings will FHM's sexiest woman in the world, Michelle Keegan go through before finally marrying?  Current count is at least two.

I'm no fan of Senator Marco Rubio, but he has it right in calling for Japan's Prime Minister to apologize for the so-called "comfort women" from Korea and other Asian nations during WWII.

President Obama said that the rioters in Baltimore need to be treated as criminals.  They are criminals, Mr. President.

I think I'm going to be more strident in enforcing my ban on using cell phones during classes I teach during the upcoming academic cycle.  Set them to vibrate and if it buzzes, step out to look at it.