World War 2.5: The Game

Nearly three and a half years ago, during the runup to the invasion of Iraq, we posted a link from the Utne Web Watch to a clever flash game called “Gulf War 2 (aka World War 2.5).” Billing itself as “the mother of all Flash games,” the site spins a nightmare scenario in which cartoon versions of Cheney, Rummy, Condi, and Powell rush us to war, only to find that our actions turn Iraq into a breeding ground for terrorists and ignite a wider regional war.

In light of the deteriorating situation in the Middle East today, with Israel bombing the bejeezus out of Lebanon, the designer of Gulf War 2 may turn out to have been alarmingly accurate in his predictions.

The UtneCast Podcast is Live!

I may have left the staff of Utne magazine, but I’m still working there freelance, as host and producer of their podcast. As of a couple days ago, I’m happy to say, the UtneCast is now live. Woohoo!

Like the magazine, the UtneCast is a regular taste of an eclectic mix of independent ideas, people, trends, and music and art. Each episode runs around 12-15 minutes and includes one longer feature, usually an interview, followed by short reviews of music and other kinds of stuff you might find in the pages of Utne.

Check it out via the UtneCast blog, or subscribe through iTunes.

And please let me know what you think of it. Post a comment here or on the UtneCast blog.