They came from Washington and Texas just for this hug

I found out about Icrontic from UPSLynx (Bobby Miller), and I must say that at first it was all a little strange to me. A group of people who met on the internet, I mean…how close could they all really be? I heard story after story about the great times that were had at ICHQ. I was told of all the shenanigans, and the about the fabulous beer, and even still I wasn’t sold.

I signed up for the website, in hopes of catching even a glimpse at what I had heard all about. I was intimidated at first, because the amount of things going on. There were multiple forums going, and to be honest I didn’t understand even a small percentage of what they were talking about. I have never really owned a PC—I have never really even gamed all that much. So, I thought, “well I guess this community isn’t really up my alley.” But, Bobby wasn’t ready to give up yet. He kept pushing me. He told me, “You just have to meet these guys, that’s all it will take.” So I started following a few people on Twitter here and there, and started to relate some of the stories I heard to individuals. Slowly but surely I was beginning to connect dots. But I was still struggling to relate with the things happening on Icrontic.

Then it happened: Bobby came up to me at work and insisted I take a weekend off for ICOK09. I knew it wouldn’t be easy to get a weekend off, but I said I would try. My request was denied at first, but in the closing weeks leading up to the event, things at work change and I was given my vacation time. It was really happening, I was about to experience first hand, what I had heard about in so many stories on so many different occasions. When departure day I came, I must admit I was a bit nervous at first. I really didn’t know what I would have in common with everyone (minus the beer of course).

Throughout the course of the weekend I took several opportunities to sit back and really watch what was going on, and what I saw caught me by surprise. This wasn’t just a “Web Community.” This was a FAMILY. I was truly touched by the way people interacted with each other, as though seeing a brother or sister they hadn’t seen in months. Watching the excitement on people’s faces as Technocrat walked up the drive was just mind-blowing. A lost brother had returned home, and it just doesn’t get any better than that. When the end of the weekend came and it was time to go home, I was really sad that I had to leave. I felt like I had become part of the family, after only one event. I think I even started referring to ICHQ as home towards the end…

The reason I take the time to write all of this is because Icrontic truly has something special here. Anyone can say they have a great web community, but Icrontic has proven itself to be more than that. Great things are happening here and it’s not because of sheer luck. It’s because of the amount of love that is put into what goes on in the world of Icrontic, both on the web and in the flesh.

In This Thread: Grimnoc weaves a sordid tale of friendship, lust, discipline, and betrayal… all over a lunch table and a bud vase with a GI Joe in it.

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If you follow sports closely you probably have observed the news about professional athletes and their penchant for social media, especially in the form of Twitter. Several famous athletes have taken a dive into the Twitter pool. Why not? Twitter is a fabulous self-promotion opportunity, plus it gives the athlete an opportunity to engage fans in a way that helps them preserve some level of sanity. Rather than the mad dash to sign hundreds of autographs, an exchanged tweet or two can be a fantastic way for athletes to connect with their admirers.

As can be expected of any new media where there are some positives, there are also some negatives. It starts with the news media, which has taken an overwhelmingly negative tone in regards to how athletes leverage Twitter. This is understandable given the fact that several athletes have, at times, used Twitter to air grievances with their respective leagues, teammates or opponents. Some have gone so far as to complain about the officiating while a game is in progress. Other times it gets used for a little pre-game smack talk.

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In this special edition Mind of UPSLynx, I sat down with Fatcat and Lincoln as they made their way from Missouri to ICHQ for the 2009 Icrontic Oktoberfest. We (tried to) discuss the upcoming event and what everyone should expect. What resulted was this video.

Did you just ask me if my father was a thief?

Even though there are approximately eleventy billion other guides and slideshows and videos that cover the topic, I am writing this brief guide. Why? Because you gents seem to want to make it so much more complicated than it is. It becomes a huge production; a Thing that you have to deal with, an Epic Quest–when really it should be more like ordering lunchmeat at a deli.

Yes, I did just allude that asking a woman out is both like a monetary transaction and like picking up something at a meat market. Was that wrong? Should I not have done that? But isn’t it basically a transaction?

You ask a woman out; but what she hears subconsciously is this: “I would like to barter an amount of time spent in your company for coffee/dinner/a movie/LARPing.” (Please, though, not that last one…) Continue reading »

For all the positives that the Internet has granted us–a sense of community, quick analysis, and broad access to information–it has also helped to encourage some altogether less positive traits.

Indeed, the Internet’s anonymity has emboldened trolls with an endless audience and a protected platform. Information overexposure has left people constantly enraged by or permanently desensitized to events. Technology’s growth has even resulted in a selfish sense of entitlement for many who expect amazing services to work perfectly when they didn’t even exist few years ago. Why is this happening, and what can we do about it?

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(ed. note: This article was originally written in 2003, and reflected the current state of Tequileria Corralejo at that time)

An aerial view of Guanajuato

Where does Tequila come from?

“From Mexico”, I hear you say–and that’s correct–but how do the Mexicans get the stuff? Well, that question is a little more difficult to answer–that they make it from a cactus is just one of the many myths surrounding Tequila. In April 2003, my wife participated in the 7th International Symposium on Applied Bioinorganic Chemistry (ISABC7) in the picturesque town of Guanajuato, Mexico, and I accompanied her for a photo trip. Continue reading »

Icrontian Dan “Myrmidon” Putnam recently put together a very informative video about Michael Jackson. Dan, you should start doing educational videos or something, cause brotha: I would watch ‘em.

Icrontic’s own Brian “Pseudonym” Novak has been blogging about his race exploits. It’s a fun read. Keep up with him on his blog and cheer him on!

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Dr. Gonzo and Cliff

Craft brewery

For many beer lovers those words conjure up an image of a favorite local small batch brewer that serves up amazing glasses of microbrewed artistry. It provides the pleasure of knowing that we have something truly special, something that few others know about.

For others, however, it draws a certain image of pretentiousness that keeps the day-to-day Miller Lite drinker from pulling up to the tap and enjoying something unique and entirely new.

At least one craft brewery located in Frederick, Maryland is doing what they can to attract a new generation of beer lovers by making great craft beer without the pretentiousness.

The Flying Dog brewery was formed in 1990 when a few friends set out on a great adventure.  Founders George Stranahan and Richard McIntyre and some friends decided to embark on an amateur expedition to climb K2 in the Himalayas. Suffice to say, they were underqualified for the task, and they got into some trouble. They were all fortunate to escape the mountain with their lives; this certainly gave them a new perspective. After the harrowing experience they sat down at the hotel bar to knock back a few brews. At that point George Stranahan noticed a painting of a flying dog hanging on the wall. Noting that dogs do not actually fly, he drew a parallel to himself and his friends.

Nobody told that dog that he could not fly and sure enough nobody told them that they could not make that extraordinary journey. George’s new mantra instantly became “It is amazing what you can achieve if nobody tells you that you can’t.”

Thus, the Flying Dog brand was born. Continue reading »