Author Archives: Simon Penner

There are demons in the Khala. Some demons are ones you might recognize. The biggest one acts with curious coordination, as a hundred million unrelated voices cry in unison “I’m With Her“. Some demons are smaller. Weaker. Minor demons. And yet, their status … Continue reading →

You would have hated me as a child. I was raised in a very religious household. But I was also born with The Knack. Religion, and Christianity in particular, doesn’t much care for sperglords. They tend to ask all sorts … Continue reading →

Earlier this week a friend of mine was talking about nerd culture, and was surprised when I mentioned that I don’t like it. I avoid nerd culture and, despite being the exact target demographic, find it uncomfortable and unwelcoming. My … Continue reading →

Defcon is hosted in a desert. This is exclusionary to people from cold regions, who cannot handle the heat. Defcon is in Las Vegas. This is exclusionary to people who have gambling problems. Defcon provides attendees with open bars. This … Continue reading →

“Enemies can pick up dropped weapons.” Lambdaconf‘s got me thinking a lot about what the purpose of a conference is. I think people have a variety of reasons for attending. Some go to network, find jobs or employees. Some go … Continue reading →

There was a time when I was lucky enough to take a ride in a hot air balloon. Standing above the world, you see things in a different light. Things that seemed random, chaotic, and mysterious display an ordering not obvious … Continue reading →

In the midst of all this controversy over Mr. Yarvin, something has come up that I feel the need to talk about. One of the main points of the critics of Yarvin, of Lambdaconf, and of Status451’s actions is the … Continue reading →

Sometimes it seems like the cold war never ended. The western world is ostensibly a free-market democracy, and yet you could be forgiven for thinking otherwise. Corporations are universally reviled, sometimes with hilarious results. The socialist running for US president is … Continue reading →

The other day my friend came to me for advice. She’s going to start a PhD, but she’s worried she can’t handle it. Thing is, her concern is something I hear only too often, from too many people. “I just … Continue reading →

San Francisco has a disgusting attitude towards the homeless. San Francisco is hosting the Super Bowl, and the mayor has decided to move all the homeless. He doesn’t want tourists to see the evidence of his corruption and lack of … Continue reading →