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Tuesday, October 7, 2025
NEWS FROM TOP SHELF PRODUCTIONS
Monday, October 6, 2025
Still America's Poetic Rebel
By Alex Ness
7 October, 2025
Remembering Poe on the Anniversary of his passing...
He was thought to have suffered mental illness, but if so, did it cause his status as a poet of wide range and dedication to his craft, or did he have the inspirations long before the mental illness and it was created despite mental illness. He lost his wife at a young age, he dedicated himself to work in an industry that respected and admired poetry, but had stopped funding it, stopped seeing it as the common tongue of the communities who read it. His family was torn by suffering and conflict. Poe's work was respected, but he was looked upon with less than admiration. America's poetic rebel was remarkably talented in the form of poetry as well as prose. As an editor, he was highly able to distinguish between shit or shineola. But he made enemies as an editor. His life was often misery, whatever the source. My personal respect for his writing, more for his determination and love of the written and spoken word.
Wiki about Edgar Allan Poe
Happy Anniversary of the death American poet, author, editor Edgar Allan Poe, who lived and died for his art and work.
January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849
Poe's work, and more curiously his personae were not universally praised, including by those in the past, the period shortly after his death, nor in the present. But he did have a fandom appreciated his new forms of poetry, new themes, and new subjects. It was absolutely different for nearly all readers. Poe's work were especially new for their era, not just different but the serious tone, the dedication to the subject matter's verisimilitude, meant that there were no cues for readers that this is a honest work.
The Fantasy oriented dark and weird horror themes, and esoteric supernatural concepts were all dismissed by some, as any author experiences but not for quality, the public viewed all poetry as meant to be solemn or for love and respectable subjects... Not the case with Poe. Like the musical work of the Beatles, he wanted to create something no one had read before. Every new work introduced a story that was bound to inspire fear, or deeper insights. Of all the changes that he brought to common interest were his detective fictional sagas.
He ranks highly as a favorite poet and author for me of his works. I've spent money on hardcover collections of his work. I even have a goal in the present of acquiring a bust statue of Poe.
Saturday, October 4, 2025
INTERVIEWING Knights of the Dinner Table Creator Jolly Blackburn
INTERVIEW: JOLLY BLACKBURN, Story Teller, Game Designer, Writer, Gamer
By Alex Ness
October 6, 2025
I used to go to grad school far from home. My wife remained there while I was 200 miles away. We lived apart so I had numerous weekends where none of my friends shared my pastimes or interests, so I was alone. But I found gaming material to build my fictional worlds, and the best creator of the early 1990s was Jolly Blackburn. I found his work in the magazine Shadis, and found most of the back issues in the archive vaults of The Source Comics and Games. He created a corporate feel for his magazine that was serious, but fun. Also, he never talked down to or about the fans of the hobby or games. Shadis went different directions, Knights of the Dinner table went to Dragon, and Kenzer and Company soon began to publish the various works of Mr. Blackburn.
His KODT creation was something that let fans know that, he'd been in the gaming life just like them. His game commentary and editorial flavor ended up creating more than just good reading, but informational and valuable game aids.
Over time I did connect on Facebook and Twitter/x but more with his wife Barbara at that time. She probably felt pity on a long time gamer wanting to ask questions. That was more than 10 years ago.
But this interview reflects at least 15 questions I've wanted to ask, and when Jolly said sure, I pumped a fist and shouted hoody hoo. (KODT fans will identify).
I present here, therefore, an interview with Jolly Blackburn...
What led you to move from playing games, of your construction, and
of
others, to the creating new games and worlds? Was it the absence
of
what you were looking for, or was it homage to that which you
enjoyed?
Honestly,
from the very beginning when I first started discovered gaming in high
school, (although at the time it was Avalon Hill titles and other
cardboard chit war games) it was just natural for me to want to apply my
own house rules and build on them. That was even more true later, which
I discovered RPGs like Dungeons and Dragons. My friends and I, much
like gamers every where I suspect were constantly creating our own
random tables, adding house rules and engaging in world-building.
Every
gamer I knew at the time in fact, had a desire to their own
role-playing game system that catered to a specific favorite theme or
niche, and I was no different in that regard. I recall having an
interest in WWII at the time, and designing adventues with the D&D
rules that allowed players to take on the role of squads on patrol. 😉
For me RPGs were an answer to prayer. It let me scratch all the various
creative itches I had. Part of me wanted to be an artist for example,
despite the fact I was lacking in those skills. Another part of me
wanted to be a writer. I also had a keen interest in the Sciences (I
majored in Cultural Anthropolgy in college). Gaming let me throw myself
at all the interests and have a reason to focus on them.
If
you had not entered works about or creative of ttRPGs, where
would you
have gone? I believe my gaming would never have arrived in
certain
positive places without reading your works, and thoughts on
the subject. What traits are best for someone entering the world
of RPGs and
gaming in general?
I’ve often wondered what would have
happened if one of my friends hadn’t shown up one night with the D&D
Whitebox edition. It changed my world. I’d always wanted to be a
writer, ever since I could remember. So that was something I was spent a
lot of time doing. Mostly fiction, set in a world of my own making
(inspired by my love of LotR and Dune). I’d like to think I would have
continued that pursuit, although I have no idea how successful I would
have been. But I know it’s something I would have never stopped chasing.
As far as my college education, I had a mind on teaching and felt that
is what I would have ended up doing eventually.
I know
dozens of RPGers who came to play as a result of being in
the military,
on a base, with nothing to do but sleep, eat, work or
read. One fellow
sent me a 20 page hand written letter about the
comics they read, and
wanted a best fantasy, best superhero, best
horror list. And later he
sent another one about ttRPGs. His many friends in the military RPGed. I
must say, they were
highly insightful. I suspect it is from having the
time to think, the
time to play, and the lack of things to distract.
How did your
experience in the military, and time away from home mold
your
development of games, and writing about them?
I joined
the Army after college, (and after getting married). My wife and I
wanted to see the world before settling down and the Army had a married
couple program at the time that guaranteed we’d always be assigned
together. So it was perfect. We were both already avid gamers. Something
we did all through college together during dates with two other couples
we knew. We developed a habit of hitting a new base, seeking out the
local gamers and starting a D&D group and making friends. It was a
great experience. My time in the military indirectly inspired by first
gaming endeavor — Shadis Magazine. Originally it was meant to be a
newsletter of sorts for all the players who had played in the many
groups I ran while in the Army. A way for them to be involved in the
campaign world, even if they weren’t actively playing in it. Part of the
idea was to present maps from the world (Alderac) each issue along with
an anthology of fiction set in that world that were loosely
interlinked. From that idea, it slowly turned into a gaming magazine. So
I owe a lot of my military experiences.
(click to enlarge)
I definitely drew
inspiration from real people I knew when creating the original
characters, and I still do so when introducing new characters to this
day. It’s a good way to hit the ground running with a character having
personality and certain traits that set them apart from the others. But I
find the characters quickly take on their own qualities as time moves
on and quickly so. For example, Bob Herzog was based on my good friend
Lew. Lew is one of the greatest guys you could ever meet. Nothing like
Bob — other than the fact that years ago in college, I explained a rule
to him wrong while we were playing, Avalon Hill’s Luftwaffe and the
flipped the table in a moment of anger. But that one moment is what I
borrowed when creating Bob.
Is Brian, of KODT, an example of
Lawful Evil character? He knows
the rules, will do whatever it takes
to get his way, but cooperates since it helps the mission succeed. I
know, I know, it is just a game,
but Brian and Sara seem to get along,
despite her being Good.
I don’t think of Brian as Evil or
particular bad, just someone with a lot of flaws that tend to trip him
up. He wants to be good, and probably thinks himself a good person, but
his wiring sabotages him. I think that’s something Sara recognizes that
many of this others friend don’t. In fact at one point, in the comics,
after Brian’s life has completely gone off the rails, she pulls him
aside and more or less offers to be his social bodyguard (simply nudging
Brian by saying, “You’re doing it again!” when his behavior is becoming
destructive. I’ve games with people like Brian over the years. People
who are fundamentally good people but have a lot of baggage that trips
them up. Maybe they get caught up in the game, either wanting to win, to
be the hero in any given situation, or just to be recognized and have
center stage.
As the character developed over the years, I
started to explore Brian's childhood and background, revealing (and
hinting) that he has suffered a lot of trauma. In one strip, where
accidentally locks himself in the basement (along with Bob and Dave) A
significant moment occurs in that strip when a photograph of Brian’s
father in a box and Brian completely freaks out, insisting, "Put that
away. Put that away!" In another strip, it’s revealed Brian lost his
parents when they killed in a car accident, and his uncle was mishandled
his trust fund. So there are many layers to Brian.
Again, my
take is Brian takes comfort in the game because there are rules that
help make sense out of all the chaos — at least within the game. And
those rules provide him a sense of control, unlike his real where
everything seems to go wrong. Unfortunately, this desire to control the
game can lead others to perceive him as the bad guy. Especially when the
tried to bend and twist them to his advantage. Okay, you’re right. It
IS just a comic book. Lol. But I’ve spent a lot of time with these
characters.
What is the most rewarding aspect of creating
KODT? Is it catching
the true vibe of gamers at play, delving the ideas
and aspirations of
players in RPGs, or something more? I sincerely
enjoy the love you
seem to have about the event of playing, with no
judgment of the
specific character traits or their aspirations of
success?
That’s a good question. And honestly, I think it’s
rewarding for me on so many levels. For many of the same reasons I love
RPGs. I get to exercise so many creative muscles through the strips.
Drawing, something I was never great at but enjoyed doing. Storytelling.
That sense of shared experiences with the reader. Making people laugh,
or occasionally touching them in some way. And to my surprise, there’s
even a lot of world building involved. Both the world the characters
live in, the “Muncieverse” (a term a reader coined by the way) and the
worlds the characters play in in-game.
Even though it was a bit of an
accident and I fell into doing a comic about gamers, looking back it has
to be the best possible path I could have taken. If I’m short on ideas,
I usually find just taking a couple of characters and putting them in a
panel and letting them talk, is enough to get me going.
I
truly appreciate what Dave Arneson and Gary Gygax created. I
interviewed Gygax 20 years back. But one thing about RPGing, I never
bought into, or thought I did, anyway, was "official rules or
content." I wonder, if RPGs have rules, how firm are they, as the
whole of the system is played in the minds of players. No one would
change Stratego or Risk, (no, they would, just not with as little
fear
of changing the game). Do RPGs occupy a special place in games,
where
the rules are basically agreed on, and changed for a different
play?
Personally my experience has always been the rules add
structure to the game we all already knew as kids, playing pretend.
Those rules can always be changed. Especially if those playing all
agree. Right out the gate, like many gamers back in the day we were
using homebrewed critical hit tables for maximum rolls and fumble tables
for rolling a 1. Despite the fact, Gary railed against them in Dragon
Magazine. It was just part of the fun. On the other hand, I greatly
appreciate the fact that Gary attempted a Hoyle’s Rules approach to
D&D and tried, at least early on, to encourage everyone to play by
the same rules. In the military it was of great benefit. I could got
anywhere in the world, find a local D&D group and be fairly
confident we were all playing by the same rules, other than any
house-rules that may have been added. AD&D in particular was like
the Rosetta Stone in that regard. And I think it helped the game to grow
and be shared.
Incidentally, I know in later years, Gary backed off the idea of having to have a rule for every occasion.
Is
Fantasy the easiest genre of RPGing to create within? Would
Space RPGs
therefore be the most difficult? I suggest so because one
is born from
the imagination, whereas the ability to RPG in space
would necessarily
need technical and science knowledge to function...
I suppose
Fantasy is the easiest for most people. Since there are fewer
restrictions or expectations. “Hey my dragons are never surprised and
can breathe any number of times!” Who’s going to argue with you? But if
I say, (quoting B.A.), “Hydrogen is a very rare element.”, yeah, I’m
tripping over actual science. And my players might laugh at me. That
said, I love most all genres of RPGs. Back before I started SHADIS, I
dabbled with making a time travel game with a couple of my friends and
later a scifi game based on something similar to Water World, only with
undersea corporations feuding with one another over resources and
such.
SHADIS was, for 20 or so issues, at least, was one of the
very most
useful and interesting RPG magazine. And I should say, I like
to read
how to improve my games. But Shadis wasn't your first game
magazine
work, was it? I might be wrong on the dates, but D8 was easily
one of
my favorite magazines because it was so thoughtful, and you
contributed to that. Would you ever return to create a game content
RPG
periodical? And, if so, how would you approach it now, as to 20
years
or more ago magazines were aimed?
Shadis was indeed my
first magazine. I started it in 1990, a good five years before I was
invited to write a column for D8 (I think I only managed to write two or
three entries). Before Shadis, I had an article appear in the Traveler
house magazine (Journal of the Traveler’s Aid Society).
Crazy
story, after I sold Shadis and set out to do KODT as a monthly comic, I
was also working on launching a new magazine called, Boomer. The idea
was to make it a general pop culture zine dedicated to, um, Boomers.
Covering the old tv shows, albums and movies we grew up on as well as
games and comics. Although I had some interested investors, I realized
my time would be stretched more than it was and decided to focus on KODT
exclusively for a while.
Although, I love the idea of doing
another full blown gaming magazine, the truth is it’s more difficult
today to do a periodical than ever. Most gaming companies self-promote
on social media or through their own websites. There’s very little
incentive to lay down a grand for a full page ad when you can advertise
for free to your target audience online. Add to that the fact that
almost all the gaming distributors have dropped periodicals completely,
it’d be an enormous challenge to do a magazine unless it’s set up to
survive without ad revenue (sort of the approach we have with KODT. Any
realized ad revenue is simply extra gravy).
The only model I’ve
seen is interesting are those magazines that go the crowd funding route,
with each issue funded on Kickstarter and then sent to backers. (Jim
Wampler has had great success with this with his Scientific Barbarian
magazine).
Honestly, KODT is roughly 50% comic strips and 50% gaming
articles and gaming related columns (many of which used to appear in
Shadis, like The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and with many of the same
freelancers). And it’s been like that since at least issue 50 of the
comic. In many ways, it’s felt like I’m still doing Shadis, just under a
different format.
Interesting side note... Back in 1999 or so,
my former partner at AEG contacted me offering to give Shadis back to
me. They had the last issue sitting on the press. If we (KenzerCo) were
willing to pay to have the issue printed and agreed to fulfill any
current subscriptions, I could step back in and take it over. I think I
surprised even myself when I immediately declined the offer. I loved the
magazine and the journey it had taken me on but I think it was best to
let it go.
What people, presumably in gaming, are
inspirational for you, and
in what way did they lead to changes in your
outlook? I suspect I
know some of the names, but I know for my own
list, and gaming,
creating games, and philosophy of games, the list
came from who
created great works, people who inspired art and creative
work, and
made me think outside of the dice rolls.
Two
people come to mind immediately, Gary Gygax of course, and Kevin
Siembieda (Palladium Books). When I first started SHADIS it was on a
shoe string budget out of a spare bedroom. And besides sending copies to
all my friends and former players who had sat at my table, I wanted to
send it to as many Gaming industry types as I could. I saw it as sort of
my resume saying, “Hey, this is what I can do”, secretly hoping someone
like Dragon Magazine would hire me. I laugh when I say that now.
Anyway, of the 50 copies or so I mailed out to industry types, two
people responded. Gary and Kevin. Gary actually called me on the phone
and we talked for about an hour. He was encouraging and told me I should
keep doing what I was doing. It was a real pep talk to quite frankly, a
nobody. And I couldn’t believe he was so down to earth and willing to
share his wisdom and take the time.
Kevin on the other hand send
me a handwritten letter (two pages). It was hyper critical of my first
issue. He complained about the unreadable font I had chosen for the body
text, (“stick with times or Helvetica, there’s a reason every major
publication used them”). Then, after thoroughly being crushed, the last
paragraph read, “that said, I loved what I read. You should keep doing
it. Enclosed is a check for a full page ad”.
I have kept that letter
and a photocopy of the check for over thirty-five years. I treasure
them. He gave me honest feedback and he didn’t varnish hit. It was
exactly what I needed to hear. If you ever look at Shadis #1 and compare
it to Shadis #2 you’ll see a night and day change. I took everything he
said to heart.
Another person who was inspirational was Rick
Loomis of Flying Buffalo. Rick was one of the first old guard designers
in the business who brought me into the club and treated me like a peer.
I think that was just his nature but for years, he was always one of
the first people I would seek out at every con to shake hands an catch
up. When I was inducted into the GAMA Hall of Fame, I was told Rick
personally requested the honor of handing me the award. I really miss
that guy since his passing a few years ago.
I could go on and on. So
many people inspired me along the way over the years.
While I
am sorry to ask this, since it sounds or feels juvenile in
depth, but I
think it would be valid to ask, do you find that there
is one single
game or game system that is better than all others? Is
there a concept
not yet birthed into game form, what is that? Would
RPGs with pencil,
papers and dice, have ever come into physical form
without Gygax and
Arneson making modifications to strategic miniature
games? Is there one
game or system that makes no sense to you?
Tough question.
I’ve played scores of RPGs over the years, and I’ve enjoyed most of
them. If not. Because of the rules or system, but because of the GM and
the players I tossed dice with. In my opinion there is no “best” game
out there. It all comes down to personal preferences and style of play.
While I LOVE AD&D, and played it for years, it’s not a game I’ve
played for 25 years and I doubt I’ll ever play it again, other than a
one off if asked to fill a chair. I was also a huge fan of Call of
Cthulhu, Traveler, Gangbusters, Boothill and Top Secret. I was even
really into Fasa’s Star Trek TOS rpg.
But like most game
designers, I suppose, I’m biased. If I’m playing or running an RPG these
days, I prefer one of our own games like HackMaster 5th edition or Aces
and Eights. Both have crunchy rules but I love the combat system which
doesn’t require a lot of table consulting and page flipping. It really
comes down to bandwidth. We’re constantly developing new material for
the games, so it just makes sense to combine work and play while
focusing on them.
That said I’d love to play Fiasco someday. I also
love the look of The Troubleshooters.
What can be said to be
the greatest contribution to gaming, or
games, by the ttRPG? Does it
force people to learn to be cooperative
or socially beneficial over
individualist and selfish in their
outlook? Is it the act of freeing a
game from ironclad rules that
allows a person to act creatively, and
with all others perform a
collective story?
All of the
above. A friend of mine said it best recently, “RPGS force you to play
well with others”. They also allow you to use your imagination and be
childlike again. I’m sure everyone is attracted to RPGS for their own
reasons and come away with different benefits. For me, ever since I was a
small child I was just as content to being alone as I was playing
others. But my natural inclination was to seek solitude. Be it writing
or busying myself with some creative project (even if it was running
battles of trench warfare with my G.I. Joes and model tanks in the
ravine behind our house).
RPGs have more or less forced me to buck that
tendency over the years, which I’m really grateful for. Nothing I love
more than tossing dice with 5 to 12 friends. I think if I hadn’t
discovered roleplaying games when I did, I’d have maintained far fewer
friendships over the years and made far fewer new friends.
I remember
in high school one of my social study teachers told us, “You’ll make
most of your good friendships before you’re thirty, than you will after
thirty.” I don’t know why that stuck with me but it did. But I can
honestly say that for myself, the opposite is true. I’ve made far more
friends afterwards. And almost all of them through gaming.
How
great of an asset is your wonderful wife Barbara to your career in
games? I think with certain genres and media it benefits the writer or
creator to have someone to bounce ideas off of, but also, with her
involvement, it must be a second set of eyes to help wade through the
vast number of people wanting more access.
Without Barb
nothing I’ve done since high school would have been the same. We met as
Sophmores in high school and our mutual interest in writing immediately
drew us together. We’ve been inseparable since. She was one of my first
players when I discovered D&D, she was my sounding board for every
crazy idea I ever had. And of course she helped launch SHADIS. She was
also there when I drew the first KODT strip and the first to read it.
Our lives are so intertwined when it comes to the comic, I can’t imagine
ever doing it without her. She’s a gem.
With so many forms of
media being non physical and only digital, does that drive creativity
into a niche where aspects of gaming directly need the physical form.
Does ttRPG stand to become a dinosaur in an ever changing media form?
How will games change with the "times"?
I’m 66 so you’re
talking to a guy who will always prefer print over digital. Nothing
thrills me more tan getting a new issue or KODT or HackMaster product
back from the printer with that new ink smell. It just has a way of
recharging my creative batteries in a way a PDF never will. That said, I
use digital versions of the rules and comics when working or looking up
references. It’s just so much easier. I think there will always be room
for both. I don’t see digital entirely replacing print regardless.
Last Question, How did having your daughter Amber change how you lived, played, and created?
Amber
had cerebral palsy which in case impacted her motor control and speech.
She was confined to a wheelchair her entire life and although she was
smart as a whip, she was unable to vocalize words without great
difficulty. And even then it took a parent’s ear to understand her
(unless you’d been around her enough to develop an ear for her speech
patterns). Most parents of children with CP with tell you the same
thing. They tend to have hearts of gold and inspire others around them
to be better people than the might otherwise be.
Jolly Blackburn
Kenzer and Company
Editor-in-Chief
Knights of the Dinner Table Magazine
---------------------------------------------------------
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Jollybgood
Website: www.kenzerco.com
Monday, September 29, 2025
Movies & Music Considered
A Brief Commentary on Recent Media
By Alex Ness
September 30, 2025
INTRO
I have been had by constant health issues, loss of memory, and more appointments at Drs and Dentists. My ability to write is deeply slowed and unproductive. I am not asking for forgiveness, my issues aren't from sloth or lack of imagination. Also, my son's cat Isabella climb on one of my book shelves and meowed loudly for me to see her brave act. Well, it requires a full time job to watch over her, I am not saying she is evil or bad. She is simply so curious and desirous of recognition she can't help it. It is honestly a better problem to have than those people I've encountered in my travels. People with almost no layers of clothing, people using a single crutch to assist them in their path. And far worse.
FILM
The movies I am about to write about involve a number of points to
consider. Those reasons are not solely about quality or lacking of. It is due
to how it had an impact upon me then, or how it works now, as a much older human. The first film shown, The Missiles of October,
was a television movie, but that had not been a demerit. The acting,
the scenes, and the fast pace of the story all worked well together. And
gave me a global social-political narrative that felt without bias. It
showed what could happen with lesser leaders and if we weren't careful.
There was very little cheese, which I think elevated it to a level that
adults long past the event my be refreshed in memory, and the younger
audience could have a level entertainment to go with the frightening
aspect, that this isn't a horror film, it actually came close to
happening.
The next film, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea took aim at a theme done so well with On The Beach
but with a lighter tone, it felt less serious. The ship, the Seaview
was a world treasure, allowing its crew to be used in rescue, repair,
repeal enemies as the representative to the world (UN) community. It was
fun with just ok effects. The world is facing a natural event, and only
a ship that can hide well, rise to the surface and launch missiles can
hope to stop the storm ahead. There is some cheese in this film,
and the adversary is occasionally a bit like a hippie with a hair cut
who has some beliefs that make it less and adventure and feel more like comedic fiction or sarcastic.
The Defector was a remarkable movie in that
it was made with a very low budget, and that it was made with a quiet
nature about it, managed to be intriguing despite having such a slow
pace, and quiet ongoing background. The project was the work of many
creative talents, but two died in less than or just after the release.
Raoul Lévy, director, who committed suicide near the opening date, and
Montgomery Clift, actor, who became drug addicted after a life
shattering car crash. The movie about blackmail, information theft, and
ultimately the control of intellectual properties is an engaging work.
Clift said it couldn't have been made, on his part of the bargain
without the help of Roddy McDowall. Compared to other works about
similar subjects, it doesn't really hold up, but I enjoyed it, as both
Clift and McDowall had first rate acting skills.
ICE STATION ZEBRA A
disturbing message is sent to a submarine captain, who is visiting
different bars but it is apparent that he isn't hitting the booze, as he
has been given special information and he is not showing the effects of
inebriants. And the captain, played by Rock Hudson has a fine
performance, as a leader who leads by rapport rather than force,
discipline, or rules. The cast is rather wonderful, and even Ernest
Borgnine, who does fit on my top 10 actors list, who plays a Russian
defector who behaves oddly for a non spy, plays their roles perfectly. I
noticed, as would most people of the present, almost the entirety of
male gender within the crews. Now, to change it for the modern audience
would be foolish, so I am not condemning the situation, just noticing
it. During the entirety of the film while the pace is rather slow, it
works to make the crank up the tension and pace when it is time. And by
then, you can feel the unease in all the crew. It was truly a fun and
high quality film.
GORKY PARK The film and book
aren't exactly alike, but both are worth viewing and or viewing. Arkady
Renko is a detective in the Soviet Union, and author Martin Cruz Smith
is a highly talented writer. His feel for the various tiers of society,
from those with power, to those with none, peels back the skin for the
viewers/readers to see. Power means wealth, wealth means luxury items,
and if you can sell forbidden products due to your knowledge secrets
about the powerful, you might think there are more things to do, than
steal, or buy, such as relics, weapons forbidden from the people, and
more. Perhaps a wealthy Russian likes to have young women or young men,
perhaps he uses them for other things too. When his underlings find
three dead bodies of women, with removed faces, cut off hands, to hide
the identities, and perhaps, rather than a random killer or snuff film
fan, you have serial killer. In fact, when the path reveals a connection
to Mink sales and trafficking, Arkady isn't certain he'll survive,
because the changing traits from pervert to international serial killer,
that is going from a deputy of a sheriff in a small county, to the FBI
arresting and indicting an ambassador to a country. A great film I
thought.
Sussan Deyhim
With all the music in the Western world, there is a format, lyrics,
rhythm. With Sussan Deyhim she performs all that in song. She evokes a
culture, and mindset, a cultural force, that will never be lost.
Diana Damrau From
the first note of her operatic performance, whichever you happen to
view, you hear a voice with control and power, never being trapped by
the lyrics written many hundreds of years passed, nor made without
purpose by the antiquity of the sound.
Edith Piaf Called
the voice of France, Edith Piaf has a solid place in that challenge.
While others have been suggested as being the "voice of France" they all
have legitimacy. She was neither powerful looking, nor was she blessed
with great physical presence. She was beneath 5 feet tall, and her life
had worn upon her. But find out the story behind each of her songs, be
prepared to shout Vive la France
Kazha is a fantastic band from Japan. From
the outside it appears to be a hard or heavy rock, but the lead singer
is not that. Therefore this work is a delicate mix, of soft and
evocative voice and a much harder musical accompaniment.
Kohachiro Miyata - Shakuhachi The Japanese flute is ancient, taking form in the era of the 7th-8th century C.E. The collection by Kohachiro Miyata is reminiscent of a Zen garden or a soft and quiet place of reflection.
Demon
Kogure is a funny character, witty and often over the top, and has been lead singer of the band
Seikima-II. He also performed solo. Like the band Kiss, his make up is
never off in public, and few have seen his face. His voice is powerful,
and he sings covers well. His work is well known in Japan, and appreciated for knowledge in many areas. Destinyland is by far his most recognized song. The band Seikima-II used the theme of mythic or religious power and all the members were called a demon or holder of power. Not Western, they use the concept as conflict between beings of power.
LASTLY
If you like how I write and what I write about,
contact me at alexanderness63 At Gmail.com. I'll give you my prices, and
they will all be cheaper than Amazon.
I know it is less certain
ordering through me, than Amazon, but I make nothing through Amazon, I
can sign the copies, and I usually find a price and make it postage
paid. I take paypal and checks.
MY POETRY AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com
HERE: Poplitiko.Blogspot.Com
MY PUBLISHED WORKS
Social Media
https://bsky.app/profile/alexanderness63.bsky.social
https://x.com/alexnesspoetry
Tuesday, September 23, 2025
Reading Makes you Smart... or if you already know that, smarter
JOIN THE BOOK CLUB
By Alex Ness
September 24, 2025
I am not herein suggesting I know what you need to read. But reading builds better memory, higher literacy, and many more positive things. There are a great many books to choose from, with millions of books in print and out of print every year. Some small number of books sell greatly and succeeded, some books made a small inroad to sales and financial reward and of course, many fail. In 2025, physical books sold twice that number of books and a return financial of less than the amount of 2002, means that more product is happening, but far less will sell, all in a market with far less shelf space, where digital sales are not filling in the blanks for less physical copies sold. This is a disaster, even catastrophic. As such, I plan to offer at least a portion of each new article about books or events in the book world. I hate Ebooks, more for the lack of enjoyment using them, than for the impact upon the industry. I hate them for that too, but...
BOOKs
First a notice about the eventual arrival of a new Cthulhu themed book by Ken St. Andre, writer of Tunnels and Trolls, Monsters! Monsters!, Stormbringer through Chaosium, and Call of Cthulhu. Then a section of books, in different forms, fiction, Ancient Greece, Japan, Russia, non fiction, war, secret agents, defections and nuclear war. Reading is fundamental. So is eating and drinking, so complete your life, buying a book, and eating a sandwich and having a lovely beverage.
Cthulhu on Zimrala by Ken St Andre
Ken St. Andre has a book, and Cthulhu is the hero, or so we are led to think. I don't know much about the book, but it comes out in time for Halloween, and will be found on https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/9559/trollgodfather-press The book features Great Cthulhu versus the Troll God in the setting of the pantheon on the world of Zimrala. There are no observable hero archtypes, but in a world with fear, mania, evil, you go with the lesser evil.
It should go live by end of October. Give it a read and support Ken's work.
A RECENT READING OF MANY BOOKS: 3 sets of 4 books
1, secret plans, traitor? Defectors and Whistleblowers.
Icebreaker by 'Viktor Suvorov'
Using a pen name Suvorov, a defector from the Soviet Union, writes that with previous access to Soviet era files reveal that Josef Stalin had created many events that drove the USSR to attempting to cause Hitler to invade Russia. And he asserts this by demonstrating that nearly all of the war machinery was founded upon the aspect of defending rather than attacking, in nature. Suvorov also believes that the Winter War with Finland was fought and led to the officer purge which forced the Red Army to modernize their military. He wasn't well received in his assertions, but saying none can be proved because there was no evidence found in the opened files of the USSR. But one can easily make a defense by saying we can't find it in the files... unless of course, they were destroyed by authorities who feared post Soviet house cleaning.
The Forgotten Soldier by 'Guy Sajer'
Author Guy Sajer was born in the Alsace Lorraine of the French/German border. He identified far more with his German lineage than French, and the region he came from was mixed thoroughly in culture, being a region passed back and forth in peace treaty agreements. Sajer fought as a patriotic German, not as much a Nazi but he did oppose Marxism. He fought the Russians and also faced Western Allies and surrendered to the British. Who then released him to fight alongside the French.
A MIG to Freedom by No Kum Sok
Happening in the Korean War, Operation Moolah was an American attempt to bribe any North Korean, Chinese or Russian fighter pilots using MiG 15 fighter jets to defect, and turn their jet over for study by the UN. The pilot who defected had no idea what Operation Moolah was. But it helped No Kum Sok become an American and move to the US. His life changed, and the air war over Korea changed as well.
Heroes Muses and the saga of Mordechai Vanunu
Mordechai Vanunu was a nuclear technician and a concerned peace advocate who tried to share the secret information related to the military information at the Nuclear plant at Dimona in Israel. However, Mossad and others caught wind of Vanunu's efforts, and tried to capture him in the act of espionage and spying for various countries. He paid for being caught by being imprisoned for years and years, and then relegated to life in a region covered in police and military personnel, making his freedom, free but only in name. He became a Christian, married a woman from Norway, and has since attempted to immigrate to her homeland, in Norway.
2, great books about ancient events, and the recording of them.
Anabasis by Xenophon
The Greeks excelled in combat. They also had an unusual understanding of being Greek, overall, but aligning with the city-states they came from. But when a betrayal of the leadership during a treaty attempt, isolated and sent them on a retreat of many miles, many foes, and displayed the excellence of Greece, for they acted as one, took votes on decisions and made it to the northern coast of Turkey, where they took ships home to Greece. They lost many, but never lost their forward outlook.
The Iliad and the Odyssey by Homer
The former way of remembering history was through poetry that often including art. The Greeks weren't perhaps the very first recorders of history, but they were definitely focused upon the meaning of, and function of poetry. The Iliad and Odyssey does speak of the war between the Greek states and the Kingdom of Troy. The greatness of the book is not solely for the quality and real sounding facts, but for seemingly accurate capturing a historic event and speaking towards the squabbling Greeks, the Trojans and the difficult return home. It is a great work, for the distance from the presence especially so.
The Western Way of War by Victor Davis Hanson
Victor Davis Hanson came from a family of farmers and was a part of his generational understanding of the seasons of growing and the harvest. This is important because it is an observational talent, that allows a growing perspective from the lives led and times that mark high points or collapse. He chose to study how the Greeks changed war, and by doing so led to Democracy. By each man extended a great spear or pike, the fellow next to him had to use his shield to cover the unprotected area of the warrior next to him. And so on. Eventually the Greeks recognized collective defense as being the lesson to learn. The book was an excellent one, and the four books Hanson wrote thereafter were similarly good.
Greek Lyrical Poems a collection of 3 poems
Poetry again? Well yes. Greece and many ancient people celebrated poetry for its powerful ability to share information, in a form that can be followed and remembered. My particular interest was the discussion of Archilocus, a warrior poet, who wrote stinging and bitter, humorous and even reflective poems that illustrated the life as a warrior.
3, Japan's legend Miyamoto Musashi, Haruki Murakami's Japanese version of 1984, Sei Shonagon rival to the world's first novelist Lady Murasaki Shikibu, and Sun and Steel by Yukio Mishima.
The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi
The greatest of Samurai, Miyamoto Musashi, spent his life in battles, duels and thinking upon his expertise and the way of swordplay. His writings as well as his actual life with over fifty victories in duels, taught other Samurai and non experts, methods of the path of a great warrior.
1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
Although this suggests 1984 would be an anchor to the story found in this. However much it evokes it, the story is about two people who cross realities. These alternative worlds and lives meet, and lose track of each other and their own realities and their own family. The questions of reality make this a social dystopia, and deftly told tale about human insanity, and how realities change for reasons of our own flaw, and occasionally via systems created to avoid disaster actually causing the disaster. This a fantastic work.
The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon
In the imperial court of Japan, there were different roles people played, and roles that were quite unlike the roles they aped in real life. For under the Shogun, he had power. The Emperor had little power, and people in the court played roles wherein the Empire's seat of power did not. The Emperor was served by various women playing roles of etiquette and noble protocols. He was guarded by few, but they looked the role. Sei Shonagon was a woman in waiting, and wrote about life in that Japan, the highest level of woman in the court was Lady Murasaki Shikibu, and she wrote about their petty rivalry, or petulant outlook. The work is insanely powerful as a way to find insight how a beautiful creature held in a jeweled golden cage endures. Her talent is in writing, and it is in focusing upon life in ways that are anything but ordinary.
Sun and Steel by Yukio Mishima
The fact that the author Yukio Mishima wrote numerous near autobiographical essays and collections of essays, should have left no reader of his in the doubt that so many were. Here he speaks of a work that presents the life of an author or poet, who trains his body, lifting weights, exercising as a warrior would. He speaks of treating love and attachment as dainty and without power. He thought that anyone seeking to know the truth lives to know reality from a stoic perspective. Stoicism in his mind disallows loving another, and yet, Mishima clearly is writing as clever warrior's voice. That is, even if he hasn't directly said it, Mishima has implied that a warrior or poet, or artist, are all creating, working living, in many relationships, many of them are held together by the love of those who share the journey. Warriors, artist collectives, poet or craft group communities are where one who writes or trains their body, are going through the same process by fire. I never see it as my business to know one's orientation, unless they say things that aim in opposing directions. In that case I want to know why they are able to do that. But Mishima isn't a liar, even if clever, he isn't an artist of a lie, since he confesses who he is. So, perhaps the answer to what a person who distrusts love and attachments, has chosen to let his art exist in the abstract of thought, and he has told you throughout his work, he loves men. He has attractions to women too, but I think he is intellectually dissembling his mind's attractions to men, but his body building refers to his attractions to women, making himself attractive in the perfect form of man. If one reads this, I recommend also reading Confessions of a mask.
LASTLY
If you like how I write and what I write about,
contact me at alexanderness63 At Gmail.com. I'll give you my prices, and
they will all be cheaper than Amazon.
I know it is less certain
ordering through me, than Amazon, but I make nothing through Amazon, I
can sign the copies, and I usually find a price and make it postage
paid. I take paypal and checks.
MY POETRY AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com
HERE: Poplitiko.Blogspot.Com
MY PUBLISHED WORKS
Social Media
https://bsky.app/profile/alexanderness63.bsky.social
https://x.com/alexnesspoetry
Wednesday, September 10, 2025
Scolded for truth? Sort of but meh...
ABOUT THE POST OF SEPTEMBER 10, 2025
By Alex Ness
September 11, 2025
No, I didn't receive any "hate mail", but I did receive unlove letters. From my perspective I have received hate mail. When recognizing pride month, people of my own faith said I was a charlatan. In the past when responding to conflicts around the world, by not saying one side or the other was wrong, I was called a "moral relativist". And someone said, with so many people in religion being nominal at best, if I am looking upon the world conflict, killing people, and not taking a side about moral good or evil, how vibrant and real is my faith.
The worst note was to question my world viewing me, oddly, as a country club fascist or as a left wing effete scholar who loves luxury, and smiles as civilization burns. But I am guy sitting writing a article or reading one, as the crowd tears down the walls of Rome. Meanwhile the powerful and dangerous Barbarians simply wait to take power. I am not left wing, I am someone who reads a lot of books, but I don't make a living from my scholarly efforts. So it isn't accurate. But it is true, I sent condolences to people who appreciate and love Charlie Kirk. He is human and spoke about his ideas and most of the people didn't come equally equipped to debate, as he was. That is fine, but I would draw the line at condolences for a world dictator.
In a course in graduate school I got removed from the class of professional education ethics for saying, popularity doesn't equate moral or good. The graduate student who had just said, 'hey we have George Bush and he went to war against Saddam Hussein and he was voted into office, so he is just as rightful to rule his country.' I said, "10 million flies like shit, it doesn't mean that the shit is good." I then had to meet the course leader and then the dean of humanities. The course leader didn't want me to go to the leadership of the school of Humanities. But I did. He asked me what I said. I told him, and he said, in the current age of academic conformity, and group think about moral issues, you did the right thing.
It wasn't a great big moral moment. I wasn't worried about being kicked out, but if I had been ... What would I have chosen instead?
And for what it is worth, I thought George HW Bush was a company man from the CIA. I believe he knew things, did things and on some level had been involved in some seriously bad things. I wasn't comparing him to a dictator however, because it was a false moral relativism argument, and it was even false in facts. Any elections in Iraq that gave power to S.Hussein in no way allowed honest choices. As bad as GHWB was, his route to being elected was on the surface, legitimate. In History, in Political Science, you have information to consider big questions. The way to never be wrong is never take a stand. You won't be good either. But no one will say, that's the guy who was wrong...
I don't share everything I think, and at worse I am an unknown because I choose my spots, to only the most important commentary, or to defend myself against unfair commentaries. In person any debate is different, because a lot of people think I am large, angry and scary. But just as my voice is deep, it is also soft. I might be large, but I am neither muscular, able or really angry. So, you are all safe.
GAMES
Something to occupy your time, if you want a softer deep take on interesting scenarios than video games.
From numerous companies, some have to be entirely speculative, while others rely upon facts, maps, stats and an engine for how the turns work.
Raid on St Nazaire : This Avalon Hill Game focuses upon a raid in WWII that the British commandos and Royal Navy carried out to keep German ships based in Occupied France from having access to repair docks that could allow damaged ships to get back into action quickly. It was a highly daring, greatly likely to leave behind mass casualties, and possible defeat. But as it was, history's version of this battle left the dry docks destroyed. Nazi Germany changed their protocols for Commandos taken prisoner. And many people clung to the hope that the action allowed to flourish. The game is/was great.
Rome at War: Queen of the Celts: I received the PR documents about this game and I definitely wanted to buy it and still do, but that is a different story. Avalanche Press created a great game, featuring the Iceni Celts going on a righteous rampage, burning Roman Britain towns and cities, defeating numerous smaller armies of the Romans. The game itself does capture the flavor of a game. (I watched a pod cast with it and it was every bit as interesting and fun looking as I had imagined.)
Day of the Chariot is a game that I have not played, but I have looked into it with friends who discussed it's potential. From Against the Odds LPS Inc, it is a work about one of the earliest recorded war in history is based upon a highly contested account of what happened. Led by Ramses II, four Egyptian infantry units march to the furthest boundaries of the Egyptian Empire, into Kadesh, where a ruler of the region was just one rebellious territory that sought to resist being reentered into the Egyptian Empire. As the Egyptian units slowing reached their link up point, an ambush burst out of the heights and rough, as hundreds of chariot crews drove through and shattered 2 of the 4 units. They reached the camp of Ramses who quickly gathered a unit of chariots and took up a defense. There is no real commentary that Ramses was anything but brave, inspiring, and a war machine. The ambush chariots had now exhausted their horses, and crews, and almost 25% of the attackers were lost. Who won, how honest the reports were, is debated. But the story is brilliant. Whether Ramses was a victor, a hero, and unshaken in the face of disaster, or things went a great deal differently, and ended with two deadlocked armies, and no great exchange of power or victory. The game looks F'ing brilliant.
Sinai is a SPI game that covers the Arab-Israeli wars of 1956, 1967 and 1973. I think this game has a great quality in that, it is a relatively rare trait to cover a specific campaign from different periods but done in such a way that the events on a smaller scale still present the importance of events and how both sides changed over the time period to find advantage over the other. I have indeed played this, and I did, indeed find it to be unbiased, easy to understand, and reflect the decisions made and the events resulting from those actions. It is rather important, I believe in the present, to figure out how we've arrived where we have, and this is a means to do so.
Designed by famed game designer Frank Chadwick for Compass Games, Third World War is highly thorough and traditional but prescient consideration of a war that has a beginning point in 1989, so the Soviet Union still exists, but considering most of the west of the Warsaw Pact is currently in NATO, this is a detailed view of what the status was, prior to the reality collapse of the Soviet machine. The units are small enough to not be too clumsy or over reaching, and the rules are well done and allow for quick learning.
Thanks for reading...
Lastly
If you like how I write and what I write about, contact me at alexanderness63 At Gmail.com. I'll give you my prices, and they will all be cheaper than Amazon.
I know it is less certain ordering through me, than Amazon, but I make nothing through Amazon, I can sign the copies, and I usually find a price and make it postage paid. I take paypal and checks.
My Poetry AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com
This place Poplitiko.Blogspot.Com
My published WORKS
Social Media
https://bsky.app/profile/alexanderness63.bsky.social
https://x.com/alexnesspoetry