Some Thoughts on the Battlefield 1 Beta
The beta has ended. B1 is now purchase only. For the past week, I’ve been playing the beta, learning as much about the ins and outs of the game as I can, and engaging in copious amounts of shenanigans. Now, I’m asking myself the big question: is the game worth its $60 price tag? This is a big thing for me. I’m a huge fan of Battlefield 4. It is one of the few games I play on a semi-regular basis while I’m doing this whole PhD thing. The rounds are short, and the game, while extremely fun, doesn’t suck me in the way other games do, leaving me with good feelings but no pressure to play for 9 hours in a row while putting off things I should be doing as an adult critter. So, you can imagine my excitement when DICE announced Battlefield 1, set in the First World War and featuring brand new gameplay, weapons, vehicles, etc. Equally exciting: getting access to the open beta! Let’s dig into the pros and cons:
On Colin Kaepernick, Free Speech, and Bad Arguments
So, Colin Kaepernick. What’s the deal? Over the past week, a lot of folks have had some pretty strong opinions about Colin Kaepernick’s choice to refuse to stand for the national anthem — and his reasons for doing so. If you don’t know what’s going on, I’ll let you read a more detailed account here. My job, today, is to offer a few scattered thoughts about responses to Kaepernick’s protest. Since I don’t feel like writing a proper introduction, I’ll just get right into it: 2. He has freedom of speech, duh!
Gym Reads Poll #3 (Non-U.S. Edition): What should I read next?
It’s that time again! Another Gym Reads Poll! Thus far, you all have made me read the following: The Book of the Dun Cow by Walter Wangerin, Jr. (1978)(podcast forthcoming) Sarah Canary by Karen Joy Fowler (1991) To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis (1997)(almost done) Now, I need something new to read while I’m at the gym. This time, I’m mixing things up by providing a list of books by authors who are not originally from the United States. The following list includes authors from England, Australia, India, Nigeria, Jamaica, South Africa, Portugal, Ireland, and Germany!
Gym Reads Poll #2: What should I read next?
It’s that time again. In the last poll, folks chose Karen Joy Fowler’s Sarah Canary. I’m almost done with that particular book, and I will have some thoughts about it when I complete it on Monday. Heck, there may even be a podcast about it (and The Book of the Dun Cow, which I finished about a week and a half ago).
Gym Reads Poll: What should I read next?
Fun fact: I read when I’m at the gym. In fact, I really like reading while cycling, since it distracts from the monotony of doing a repetitive motion and it lets me do some much needed “fun reading.” Recently, I decided to tweet a picture of a pile of random books to ask folks online what I should read. I ended up reading The Book of the Dun Cow (1978) by Walter Wangerin, Jr. And I’ve quite enjoyed it. But now I need another book, and I like the idea of making that process random and fun.
Negative Bookstore Experiences: Why Bookstores Should Be Like Libraries
A few weeks ago, I flew out to California to visit family and friends, pursue some possible job opportunities, and get some much needed decompression from the stress of PhD life. During that time, I stopped at a Barnes & Noble to pick up a book recommended to me by a friend. Unlike previous stops at one of the big chain stores — whereat the cashier tries to sell me on their membership card, to which I always respond “no, thanks” — I had a far less pleasant experience. It went something like this: Cashier: Are you a Barnes & Noble member? Me: No, but… Cashier: *judgmentally* …you know what the membership card gives you, right? Me: I do, but… Cashier: *dismissively* …Alright then. $15. What I had meant to say was this: I understand what the card provides, but Barnes & Noble closed down the only store within a 30-40 minute drive of my house, so I don’t get the opportunity to browse there anymore. And I don’t like browsing for books online, which means I don’t buy books all that often from any online bookstore. Sorry.