matgb | Why I love teh Intorweb

I vary between total addiction, cold turkey and sensible use. This week I've been online too much. Ah well.

One of the things that used to eat up all my time was the Warlord CCG discussion forum, The Temple, which I helped run as a main moderator for ages. I took a step back, and now only go there to read the main stuff and the Anything section. Which I love.

Why Anything? It's gamer geeks, with one interest in common, talking about the world, silly shit and weird stuff. We can talk politics, and Religious Right republicans, European anarchists, Canadian conspiracy theorists and the occasional Brazilian socialist can all talk about the world, and do it civilly. Not sure how we've got away with some of the threads we have and some of the great debates without it devolving into a flame fest.

Anyway, I digress. About 18 months ago, a regular user and frequent poster (US based) announced he was joining the army.

paulatpingu had traded cards with him by post, I'd traded with his best friend and gaming buddy. He's just a kid really, but, still.

Then he announced he was being posted to Iraq. As an FO.

Well, he survived. What has this to do with anything? Well, he's writing up his experiences and answering questions on the Temple. Read this.

I'm ambivalent about the occupation, and opposed the invasion. But the experiences of a combat soldier in action are worth reading methinks. Especially one I've been in direct contact with and would likely consider a friend ig he lived close.