1337 593@K

New Blog!

2009-11-22T13:02:00.000-05:00

Well, I got bored again and started a new blog. Come check it out: The T4inted Mirror.

Albeross

2009-09-14T19:02:00.005-04:00

When Albeross looked out the window, he was met by nothing but ominous grey clouds that danced among the tumbling seas and the rain drenched land. It had been like this for days, ever since Albeross opened his small, wide-set beady eyes of gold and copper. Fifteen days, actually, noted Albeross, punctuating every syllable with a sharp bobbing of his bronze colored head. Fifteen long—seemingly endless, perpetual agony—and terribly boring days of being shut up in the Tower.

Albeross did not mind the Tower at all—especially when he trotted upon the slate covered stairs. His steps echoed boisterously, sending chills and giggles through Edna and Aeron, the Tower’s only females and children. Albeross liked them second best to the stairs. The two girls were always willing to be with him, groom him, and complemented him. They had spoke to him twice before about how his skin felt softer than old, worn leather.

But today, Edna and Aeron were nowhere to be heard of or seen. In fact, Albeross could not find anyone in the Tower to send chills down the spine with his booming prancing on the stairs. Perhaps that was why Albeross found this evening very gloomy.

Soon Albeross grew bored watching ships being capsized by the tumbling seas and decided to walk down to the lower most level of the Tower. His steps echoed like thunder as he descended the stairs. Albeross came to the last step and slid off, landing in a hallway paved with carpets and rugs. This hallway marked the end of his terrain, this was the farthest Albeross could go.

“Ah, there you are, My child.” A man in black walked through a door at the end of the hall. “I have something to show to you.”

“Salutation, Master Natas’ha,” uttered Albeross slowly with a bow.

The man, Natas’ha, waved Albeross over. “Here are two new playmates for you, my wingless Hippogriff. They are Ilka and Eiko. Be nice.” And Natas’ha turned away, leaving the three beings together.

“Hello,” Albeross said.

“Salutations,” said the two females.

“Say,” mumbled Albeross after studying the two beings, “you chimeras of horse and lion and of man, remind me awfully a lot of my dear friends Edna and Aeron.”

“And you look like Master Natas’ha’s old apprentice, Ian, who went missing. A picture of him rests in the Master’s Study… You have the same face.”

Logicomix

2009-09-05T12:07:00.000-04:00

Logic has never been so cool. Apostolos Doxiadis, Christos H. Papadimitriou, Alecos Papadatos and Annie Di Donna have created a masterpiece in the graphic novel genre with their work Logicomix: An Epic Search for Truth.

Logicomix chronicles the history of Bertrand Russell, the father of modern mathematical logic. Russell spent the majority of his adult life attempting to find a logical basis for all mathematics. But time and again his attempts wer foiled by holes in the logical process. He essentially proved, through his work, that mathematics has no entirely rational basis, as you must always assume that at least one point is true before you can prove anything else. How do we know, for instance, that 1 + 1 = 2? One would think it entirely obvious. But no person is able to provide a solid reason proving such a mathematical statement without assuming the mathematical process itself is, in fact, logical.

Russell struggled his whole life with this truth. Many of his most famous trials are presented in a readily accessible format in Logicomix. Anyone interested in the study of modern philosophy or mathematics who enjoys a thought-provoking graphic novel should find this book quite enlightening. Complete with explanatory texts that are themselves told in traditional comic book format, Logicomix takes an extremely complicated subject and allows any and all to understand it (at least to a degree).

Sorry, but I need to ask...

2009-08-25T19:35:00.005-04:00

For some odd reason, my computer or Blogger itself will NOT allow me to write comments. I have click on "post a comment" on two different posts about five times each. None of the times did it go to the normal place for comment writing-- it just stayed on the same page. I though this was just a problem with Firefox, so I opened Internet Explore. That also did not work.

Does anyone else have this problem or know how to fix it? I would really like to comment around this blog, but I can't with it malfunctioning on me. Any other information I'll give is that my computer is a Window's Vista-- though I doubt this is the cause of my commenting problem.

One More Shot

2009-08-24T08:00:00.001-04:00

Don't stop
   When you're on top
Just let fly
   Jump and break the sky
'Cause you know
   That when you're out-of-control
   The world keeps beating to the heat of your soul [soul, soul, soul]

The powers that be
Try to exploit their sovereignty
And now that the world's online
They'll resurrect the beast in time

Just go
   Don't try to move too slow
Keep up
   The pace is out-of-control
'Cause you know
   That when the world rewinds
   The people keep trekking to the beat of your mind [mind, mind, mind]

No matter where you go
You can't escape their flow
The wheels have begun to turn
And you cannot flee their burn

Just because
   The world is out of synch
Doesn't mean
   You should endorse conformity
The more you rebel
   The more the gods will hunt you down
Don't believe
   Just escape with what you can

Now you know that it's over
The pace resets
The fields of clover
Under the blue sunset

The dividing line is shattered
And the world is torn and tattered

Neverending
   Are the sorrows of life
All-negating
   Are the aspects of strife

One day you'll find yourself a home
And you'll find that you no longer roam
The life you're living is the life you've got
Give this this world just one more shot

Geektastic

2009-08-17T14:40:00.000-04:00

Swords and sorcery, lasers and lightsabers, fiction and reality: All these collide in Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd, a new anthology of short stories collected and edited by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci. The authors syndicated within aim to thoroughly describe the follies and fantastications of the geek life.

As with all anthologies, there are low points and high points. There are two stories, specifically, which may strike the reader as dubious or simply ridiculous. (I have read previous works by none of the authors contained within the book, so I can ensure you an unbiased opinion.) In "One of Us", by Tracy Lynn, the head cheerleader at a high school pays a group of nerds to teach her about nerdy things; apparently, her boyfriend, the quarterback of the football team, is a clandestine geek, and she wants to impress him. It gets worse: By the end of the story, both cheerleader and quarterback attend a comics convention together. The implausibilities here are apparent. First of all, it should be obvious to anyone who survived high school that there's no such thing as a clandestine geek; a quarterback and cheerleader who attend a comics convention would instantly have their reputations shattered. Secondly, geeks would never associate with a cheerleader, not even for money; they hate cheerleaders and everything they stand for. Admittedly, there are some humorous moments in the story, but they are overridden by the stupidity of the underlying concept.

The second story which could be considered a low point is "The Wrath of Dawn", by Cynthia and Greg Leitich Smith. In the story, a girl named Dawn feels cheated by her mother and stepfather and feels a connection with Dawn from Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, considering herself her parents' unwanted child. She attends a Buffy sing-along flick with her wicked older stepsister (Cinderella, anyone?) and jumps up in front of the screen to protest the crowd's mockery of Dawn (the film character). Eventually everyone is applauding at her remarkable display of courage. The story is fine up until then, when the whole thing becomes a load of bullshit. No person in their right mind would applaud someone for blocking their view of a movie. And no person in their right mind would ever stand in front of a movie screen and shout protest to the film's content. This leads the reader to the inevitable conclusion that the entire audience, Dawn (the literary character) included, is clinically insane. Absolutely ridiculous.

Luckily, the book is redeemed by the other stories included within. While quite a few are exceptionally well-written, two shall here be addressed. In M.T. Anderson's "The King of Pelinesse", fantasy backgrounds are seamlessly interwoven with a young man's quest for truth. Jim sets out to meet an accomplished fantasy author whom his mother had had an affair with years ago and discovers things he would have rather not. Intriguing in its prosaic style, "The King of Pelinesse" is easily one of the best stories Geektastic has to offer.

Another interesting story included in the collection is written by Libba Bray and is entitled It's Just a Jump to the Left. In the tale, two teenage girls begin to experiment with sexuality. The interesting factor is that this sexual coming-of-age revolves around the girls' exposure to The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The girls at first think it is merely a whimsical movie but over time learn of the movie's sexual connotations, all while experiencing their first "loves".

Overall, Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd is an excellent read. Any geek or nerd would be hard-pressed not to pick it up. The collection is to be published this month in hardcover.

Drawing With "Graffiti"

2009-07-01T11:11:00.000-04:00

At the request (and nagging) from Jesse (justathoughtor2), I'm finally going to show some of my drawings that I do. For the sake of my sanity and your entertainment, I have two drawings from FaceBook here and you can watch how they were made. These two were, in fact, done just last night in between 8 pm and 10 last night, using a coloring/painting style I hardly ever use. I hope you all like it,and I only did this because I can't write good enough articles.

This was drawn for my friend Charley who lives in Arizona. She has about three pug dogs and they're my favorite breed.

This was for my sister and the character is from Neopets.com and called an ixi. His name is I.O.M. (ixi_of_mystery) and I love to draw him because he wears a cloak. And no, he's not a demon dog, it's kind of like a goat.

A reason why I signed one as my name, then another as "bunny katzen" is that "bunny-katzen" is my account name at Deviantart, an online art/creative community. That and almost all of my screen names anywhere contain either "bunny", "katzen", or some other German word, so it was habit.

The American Dream: Riches Greater than Money

2009-06-24T22:35:00.000-04:00

From the time of our country's inception, there has been talk of an "American Dream"; there has been, however, extremely limited discussion regarding what this dream actually is. It is perhaps useful to reflect on classic American literature for the answer. That being said, numerous literary sources from American history support a single ideal, which one might surmise to be the all-encompassing basis for the American Dream: Happiness is to be found not in cold, hard cash but in the simple pleasures of life and the very opportunity for success and advancement. The attainment of such happiness is the very essence of the American Dream.

The Declaration of Independence –- one of America's most important symbols of its ideals. Even prior to its 1776 publication, the ideals of the American Dream were rooted in the minds of the British colonists. As Thomas Jefferson writes in The Declaration, ". . . all men are created equal." He states that men are entitled to certain "inalienable rights" and that among these are the rights to ". . . life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." These rights speak nothing of property or money; instead, they speak of freedom and equality, the cornerstone of happiness, the pursuit of which is the American Dream.

Walt Whitman was, and still is, a powerful supporter of the common man. His works focus on the simplicities of life. One example of this is his famous poem "I Hear America Singing". In this work, Whitman analyzes the working habits of the lower and middle classes by comparing their labor to song. Each worker "sings" a tune all his own, but together their form a veritable American symphony. Langston Hughes, in his poem "I Too", expands on the thoughts expressed in Whitman's poem. He does so by directly addressing the ideals of the Harlem Renaissance and the push for equality among the races. The black man, too, he argued, was no less American and no less entitled to pursuit of the American Dream. Both Whitman's and Hughes' poems support the idea of the American Dream as both simplicity and opportunity.

Samuel Clemens, better known by his pen name, Mark Twain, is a staunch supporter of both cultural advancement and simplicity of lifestyle. His novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn epitomizes these ideals. The protagonist, Huck, lives a troubled life until he joins an escaped slave name Jim on a journey downriver. Huck and Jim become involved in many adventures along the way; however, Huck finds peace and true happiness only when he and Jim are alone on a raft, letting the current carry them. At first Huck feels he is committing a dreadful sin by helping Jim, but by the novel's conclusion, he realizes that Jim is as much a human being as he is. Huck questions the moral values of Southern society and heads west, hoping to find solace. Both the abolitionist ideals and love of nature presented by Clemens are characteristic of the American Dream.

The goal of finding happiness through both life's simplicities and the opportunity for success and advancement finds its way into the works of Jefferson, Whitman, Hughes and Clemens. To be sure, these are but a sampling of American authors with such a mindset. If one learns nothing else from reading their works, let it be this: Happiness doesn't come from dollar bills; it comes from the attainment of immaterial wealth, something far more valuable indeed.

World, Hold On

2009-06-19T21:53:00.001-04:00

Wow. Just . . . Wow. That's probably about the reaction you'll have after watching "World, Hold On". (I would have posted the video itself, but embedding of this video has been disabled by the record company. Those damn tyrants! *shakes fist*) While it's quite possibly the strangest music video you'll ever see, it drives the point of the song home like a pneumatic nail gun. (And for those of you who haven't stepped out of the stone age when it comes to construction technology, yes, that's essentially mechanical hammer.) Bob Sinclar has created a true masterpiece here.

The vocals are reminiscent of Eric Clapton (in fact, one of Sinclar's aliases is Reminiscence Quartet), and the lyrical content isn't a far cry from his either. The electronic beat is something a bit different though; you certainly wouldn't find it in a Clapton song, but strangely enough, it seems to fit perfectly with this tune.

The video itself starts out simple enough but soon introduces some stop-motion animation. Eventually there's old-school cardboard cutout space ship (like they used in the original Star Trek and Star Wars) flying around. Basketballs substitute for proton torpedoes. If the weirdness doesn't bother you, you'll soon come to appreciate the music video as a whole.

Note: I originally heard the song sans video and loved it. My discovery of the video only enhanced my affection for the song.

Unnatural

2009-06-12T08:00:00.001-04:00

Why do people act as if war and murder were un-
natural?
What's unnatural is to go your whole life
without ever raising your hand in violence.

-- from The God Whispers of Han Qing-jao

The Bleeding Edge

2009-06-03T15:00:00.000-04:00

Trademark disputes arise all the time. Sometimes they're warranted. Sometimes they're not. This is one of the latter cases. The trademarking of a word or phrase is a tricky business. What constitutes infringement of such a trademark is debatable -- hence the current dispute. In a break from my traditional writing style, today I'm going to let Twitter speak for me. But be forewarned: The language is at times . . . . less than clean. Note: Spelling/grammar errors are edited for clarity.

Begin transcript . . .

Burning_Breaker: http://bit.ly/Wz2Wo Am I the only one who is thoroughly disgusted by this?
justathoughtor2: @Burning_Breaker I agree. It's awful. How the hell can someone trademark the word "Edge"? That's fucking ridiculous!
Burning_Breaker: @justathoughtor2 No. The worst part is how he is part of the IGDA and how now he is posting on the TIGSource forums under a random name.
Burning_Breaker: @justathoughtor2 And the rest of the IGDA is -supporting- him. It is disgusting and their entire credibility is now questionable.
justathoughtor2: @Burning_Breaker Don't forget the fact that he gets profits off of any game with the word "Edge" in the title, regardless of how . . .
justathoughtor2: . . . much (or, more likely, little) effort he put into producing the game.
Burning_Breaker: @justathoughtor2 Oh, by the way. http://www.the--edge.com/ges/index.swf He is the reason we won't ever leave the Milky Way.
Burning_Breaker: @justathoughtor2 The page is 'broken' right now, but it did have a 'trademarked' "Galactic Edge Spacelines". Yeah.
justathoughtor2: @Burning_Breaker Uhhh . . . . Page not found?
Burning_Breaker: @justathoughtor2 Like I said, the page is broken now, but it's on The Edge's website
justathoughtor2: @Burning_Breaker Wait. Tim was starting a space company like Virgin Galactic?
justathoughtor2: @Burning_Breaker See: http://bit.ly/CgZUe
Burning_Breaker: @justathoughtor2 No, he copyrighted the name. So that just in case anyone ever tries to do anything about a Galactic Edge, they'll get sued
justathoughtor2: @Burning_Breaker That's just sick.
Burning_Breaker: @justathoughtor2 Fucking trademark trolls!
justathoughtor2: @Burning_Breaker Indeed.
justathoughtor2: Check out: http://is.gd/MFNn
Burning_Breaker: http://bit.ly/t4Tgk Here is the Galactic Edge Spacelines page, thanks to TIGSource!
Burning_Breaker: Is it insanity? Yes. Is Buzz Aldrin part of this madness? No. News at Eleven!
Burning_Breaker: It's also proof that Tim Langdell was watching the TIGSource forums, if not proving that he was posting as 'mopius'.
justathoughtor2: @Burning_Breaker The "News Flash" section is, aside from being out-of-date, an outright lie. Isn't that libel? :'''D
Burning_Breaker: @justathoughtor2 No, but have you seen the "Mirrors (a game by) EDGE" thing? Absofuckinglutely ridiculous. Is he going to retroactively sue-
Burning_Breaker: @justathoughtor2 Mirror's Edge, now?
justathoughtor2: @Burning_Breaker Honestly, Mirror's Edge should sue -him-.

Made of Glass

2009-06-03T13:49:00.002-04:00

This video says so much about humanity's place in the environment. Shots of polar bears on dwindling icebergs are especially moving during this period of global warming. André Tenneberger (ATB) offsets shots of these beautiful creatures with video of (relatively) ecofriendly energy sources: nuclear, wind, solar, etc.

The music itself is suitably harmonious and the vocals are excellent. The lyrics reflect the mood set by the video but also leave room for further interpretation.

Knights of Bloodsteel: An Unwittingly DnD-esque Miniseries

2009-05-08T16:23:00.002-04:00

The epic miniseries Knights of Bloodsteel, presented on Sci Fi last month, features four key knights. These knights are forced to undergo a quest to find the mythic source of all bloodsteel: the Crucible. Each knight hails from a different walk of life and the group as a whole represents all three of the world's civilized races. While the show is interesting in-and-of-itself, perhaps its most intriguing feature is the fact that the Knights of Bloodsteel closely resemble the ideal adventuring party described in the Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition Player's Handbook.

The correlation is easily recognized by even a novice DnD player (such as myself). Adric, a human whose host of professions include gambling and swindling, specializes in crossbow use. It should come as no surprise that these characteristics, along with his innately high charisma and stealth, make him an ideal rogue, fulfilling the striker role. John Serragoth, the party's other human member, styles himself as a mercenary-for-hire focusing on brute force and his skill with a sword in order to eliminate anyone unfortunate enough to end up on his hit list. Serragoth's strength and fighting style designate him as a fighter, fulfilling the defender role. Ber-lak, a goblin, gains arcane power by absorbing the souls of the dead. While not directly fitting a specific playable race and class outlined in DnD, Ber-lak most closely resembles a half-orc wizard -- a strange combination to be sure, but he makes an effective controller within the bounds of the show. The final knight is also the group's only female member: an elf by the name of Perfidia. She most closely resembles a cleric with her ability to inspire other warriors and heal herself, thus fulfilling a DnD party's final essential role, namely that of the leader.

Whether intentional or not, Knights of Bloodsteel's resemblance to DnD is uncanny, and the resemblances do not stop with those mentioned above. The miniseries is, perhaps, not the greatest show to grace the Sci Fi channel, but it is a fun experience and even features some astounding acting at times, particularly that done by Christopher Lloyd, who plays the role of Perfidia's father, a powerful wizard and member of the three races' High Council. Fantasy-lovers won't be disappointed.

Sources:
The Internet Movie Database (IMDb)
Wizards of the Coast

DnD 4E Core Manuals (Thru April 2009)

2009-05-01T22:40:00.003-04:00

For those of you unfamiliar with DnD, it's time you got with the program. Dungeons and Dragons (DnD) is the father of all modern RPGs, whether tabletop-, PC- or console-based. The game's creators invented the d20 system, the backbone of modern role-playing games.

Last year, Wizards of the Coast (WotC), DnD's current publisher, began releasing manuals for a fourth edition of DnD. All of the core books currently in publication can be downloaded from Demonoid.com (see legal disclaimer in download notes). If you don't want all of the manuals, simply search Torrentz for the individual files. If you go the Demonoid route, it is recommended that you do so soon, as the initial seeding lasts for only approximately twenty hours longer. After that, there is no guarantee that you'll be able to find a healthy seed (although, judging by the current number of downloads, you'll probably be fine).

Drink Deeply

2009-05-01T22:00:00.001-04:00

By justathoughtor2

You look at me
And I look at you
We look into each other
And fall into the blue

Your mouth on my lips
My hands on your hips
We dance the sacred dance
And move within a trance

There is a place deep within
A quiet place we keep to ourselves
Hallowed and revered
Kept secret from outsiders

I open the gate
And gaze into your splendor
Your intricacies revealed
Like so many pearls and diamonds

My hands on your breasts
Your legs press against mine
My spear pierces your threshold
And burning ecstasy shoots up our spines

The ache within
The hunger of the beast
Is not easily satiated
We drink deeply of mortal flesh

The dying down from divine bliss
The slow spiraling into the ground
We pant and gasp for breath
Then huddle close and await the dawn

It's Been a Month Since My Last Post?! Gasp!

2009-05-01T21:05:00.001-04:00

Sorry for the lack of "postage", guys. I've had a lot of -- well -- personal issues going on, and this has taken up much of the time I would generally spend posting here. Never fear! This blog shall return unscathed from the abyss into which it has fallen! (Okay, so I'm not Shakespeare, but you have to give me credit for trying.) At any rate, you can expect to see more posts in the near future.

Live long and prosper, brothers!

A Frog in the Sky (And No, I Don't Mean Kermit)

2009-03-31T08:00:00.004-04:00

On Friday, 19 March 2009, the free and legal music download site SpiralFrog closed down for good. (I'd link to the site, but there's nothing there.) The site was the second ad-supported download service to close this year. This is quite a tragedy, all things considered. SpiralFrog provided music downloads free of charge in exchange for exposure to the site's advertising. The songs could be played on any Windows Media PlaysForSure device that supported subscription-based content. The songs were DRM protected in order to ensure that users returned to the site and received more advertising exposure. The site's demise likely had to do with the plummeting ad market that has developed due to the woes of the US economy.

The only remaining ad-supported donwload service is Qtrax, an honestly shitty service that is supposedly going out of beta sometime soon. Its lack of appeal stems from the fact that any music downloaded must be played on the computer (i.e. no portable media player support). Even more ludicrous is the fact that the music can only be played while online. Honestly. If you're going to have to be online to play the music anyway, it simply makes more sense to use a streaming service such as IMEEM. Why waste the hard drive space?

Source: CNET News

Blogger SMS

2009-03-21T21:23:00.001-04:00

Final verdict: Blogger SMS is phail. :( As you can tell by the fact that this post actually has a title, I've posted it from my computer as per usual. The presence of labels is another indicator of non-SMS posting. Oh, and there are more than 160 characters. Go figure. A 160-character post? Come on, Google. This isn't a frakking microblogging service -- it's a blogging service. The "micro" indicates the key difference here.

Perhaps I'm just a dreamer, but I still have some hope that the Blogger team will see the light and allow posts to be uploaded as multiple text messages. Post titles and labels would be nice as well, but obviously those problems are nothing compared to the post-length issue. Only time will tell whether this service actually takes off or is relegated to the dustbin of good ideas lacking practical implementation.

2009-03-16T23:23:00.003-04:00

(2/2) title your posts. But hey, at least it's something. More posts regarding mobile services forthcoming. Stay tuned . . .

2009-03-16T23:23:00.001-04:00

(1/2) As you can see, there are still some kinks to be worked out, such as the ability to make posts greater than 160 characters in length or the ability to

2009-03-16T23:10:00.003-04:00

(2/2) posted via SMS.

2009-03-16T23:10:00.001-04:00

(1/2) Miraculously, you can now post to Blogger from your phone -- without accessing the internet. How do I know this, you ask? Simple: This article is being

Captive

2009-03-06T05:00:00.001-05:00

The prison within which
I am trapped is such that
the outside world would not
recognize it for the
penitentiary
that it is. The clever
façade of joy and mirth
imposed on would-be in-
mates lures all to their fi-
nal resting place -- my soul.

The tenets of my dark
religion require all
worshipers to abide
within the all-encom-
passing darkness. No es-
cape may be found from such
black torment -- hell of hells.

I bathe in the blood of
my ancestors while those
who came before me call
me back to their fold. A
horrible, violent
reckoning is coming --
crimson shall the streams flow.

Let the Darkness Guide

2009-02-27T06:00:00.001-05:00

I am waiting for the sun
   to fall
And the moon to rise in me
For I know the darkness fuels
   my spite
And the flame of dignity

I will no longer be oppressed
I will no longer be distressed
I will wait for you here
The guardian of your heart

I will let the dark-
   ness guide
And the black will feed my pain
And the moon above will
   gaze right back
When I face my own dark bane

I will no longer oppressed
I will no longer be distressed
I will wait for you here
The guardian of your heart

I own my destiny now
I am the fire fueling you

When the light grows cold
And the baby cries to me
The sins of old will be cast down
And the night within I'll free

Calculate my innermost bliss
The sum of hatred tenfold
The current rushing out now
The violence long foretold

I will no longer oppressed
I will no longer be distressed
I will wait for you here
The guardian of your heart

Wonder Words

2009-02-23T17:20:00.001-05:00

Well, ta-da!, I'm back again, and it's okay if I'm not welcomed back (I admit, I like to talk about random stuff). School is as "blah" as ever and I seriously want to hit the person who got the idea of having English and Band switch every-other-day for the upper classmen. (I.e. Monday is Band, Tue. English... Fri. Band, Mon. English.) I don't really mind having my English class year long (darn "Block" scheduling) but having it go for at least four days without having the subject is pushing it. That's not including holidays and bad weather.

But all this isn't what I want to talk about. Lately, I've been thinking about why some words are the way they are, and how that word evolved from its original language. One of the most intriguing words (in my opinion, of course) are "nonetheless" and "nevertheless". Those two must be the longest "compound word" and also with the most words, too. And how they came about that way makes me jealous.

My curiosity brought me to a webpage (which leads me to be for a younger audience) that has a list of compound words. There are over 2,200 words, 2276 to be exact, and unfortunately "nevertheless" is not on it. A man by the name of Rick Walton made the list and it was last updated about six years ago. I have no clue why he made that list, but I'm entertained by it so it's not that bad. If you care to look here's the URL for it: It's very long

If "nevertheless" can be a real word, then why can't "allthemore" be as well; or even "aswell" itself? Perhaps those words only sound like one that I have such the compelling need to write them as thus; or even because it is very easy to rattle them off of my tongue in one breath? Ah, well, some words have all the luck.

"Tomorrow" used to be written as "to-morrow" and hardly anyone (look compounds!) says "thee, thy, thine, thou", etc. in actual face-to-face conversation. I could probably find the answers to the reason why English has its weird words, but that would take out the wondrous nature of it.
:)

Among the Stars

2009-02-21T20:35:00.002-05:00

I'm killing myself today
I'm killing myself right now
   As I'm writing this song of sadness
   I'm a bloated, filthy carcass

I'm a shell without a soul
I'm a shell without a mite of a spirit
   No process of comprehension
   Only regress and degradation

Why do I sit here
Wasting my time?

I'm lost!
And I can't find my way back home
But it's hard to find what you can't grasp
So . . .

I'm lost!
And I'm struggling to find a purpose
'Cause yesterday has left me bare and dry
Even the heavens don't know why . . .
   I fall

I'm wallowing in myself
I'm wallowing in my lack of I know not what
   But I know for sure I'm missing something

There's a task that must be met
There's a mark that I'm meant to impart on the whole world
   If only I could see the rainbow

The winter sky
It fuels my pain
So by and by
When I die in vain
   I'll know
   Yes I'll know

I'm lost!
And I can't find my way back home
But it's hard to find what you can't grasp
So . . .

I'm lost!
And I'm struggling to find a purpose
But I know that somewhere among the stars
   So high above the ground . . .
I'll find a place for me

Dogbert's Top Secret Management Handbook

2009-01-17T22:25:00.002-05:00

Fans of the Dilbert comic strip should be pleased to read Dogbert's Top Secret Management Handbook, a guide to management by none other than Scott Adams. The book is ghost written, of course, by Dogbert, everyone's favorite business consultant. Directed toward the prospective pointy-haired boss, Dogbert teaches such management fundamentals as downsizing, pretending to care, ESP, department reorganization and employee belittling. Even the sexual benefits of management are discussed; as Dogbert points out, people of both sexes are attracted to those with power and a large paycheck. The term "employee", Dogbert informs us, is in fact a more politically correct form of the words "dolt", "pud" and "loser".

For those used to the typical Dilbert book, this will be something of a change. Following the style of The Dilbert Principle, Adams writes short articles and intersperses them with relevant comic strips, in this case focusing on management techniques. Readers should prepare themselves for heavy doses of cynicism.

V for Vendetta

2009-01-02T13:31:00.010-05:00

A young girl is pressed against a wall by a group of policemen who ready themselves for raping and subsequently murdering her. Suddenly, a cloaked figure wearing a smiling mask approaches, quoting Macbeth. The man releases a stream of tear gas and drops off a bomb as a souvenir. He grabs the girl and carries her to safety on the city rooftops. Together they watch as the Houses of Parliament are bombed to the ground. Fireworks follow.

So begins the stunning graphic novel V for Vendetta, written by Alan Moore and illustrated by David Lloyd. In a post-nuclear war England, a Neonazi group comes into power and establishes a totalitarian empire. All minority groups are sent to "relocation camps" and are systematically exterminated.

Enter "V", a revolutionary bearing a Guy Fawkes mask who devotes himself to the principles of anarchy and aims to destroy the current government and its institutions. V saves the life of Evey Hammond, a sixteen-year-old orphan, and shelters her in his "Shadow Gallery". He grants the girl access to all of the cultural knowledge forbidden by national law. Evey wonders at all of this, but most of all wonders at the mystery of the man behind the mask.

A brilliant analysis of modern society and a disheartening picture of a potential future, V for Vendetta is of a surety one of the greatest graphic novels one will ever read. But if the above material did not impress this upon the reader, let it now be made plain: This novel is not for the faint of heart. Murder, rape and genocide are but a sampling of the heavy topics touched upon by Lloyd and Moore. V for Vendetta is not your standard comic book fare, as the majority of the novel focuses on philosophy, sociology and politics. If one undertakes the reading of this novel, that person should be prepared to experience both disgust and elation. One must remember, "England prevails."

Bigotry in Paramount Pictures

2008-12-21T21:52:00.002-05:00

I am not sure on how familiar any of you to the show "Avatar: the Last Airbender" that used to run on Nickelodeon in America, but this following issue does not need you to know much about the show.

Simply known as "Avatar" or "A:tla", "The Last Airbender" had been shown on Nick since mid 2005 and completed the latest season and series this October/November. Audiences of all ages, carpet crawlers to old timers, watched and greatly enjoyed this show. Here's the catch; it is based off of ancient Chinese and Inuit cultures, drawn in South Korean studios "anime style", and was created by two guys named Myke and Brian. "[The show] features strong women and a cast of characters that are not only culturally diverse and but cooperative despite their differences," as someone stated on Livejournal who also throughly enjoyed the series. It came as a joyful surprise, but not unexpected, for the fans to learn of M. Night Shyamalan plans to make a live-action movie.

This past December ninth, the magazine, "Entertainment Weekly", had an 'snipit' with a list of who might be the cast. I am not exaggerating when I tell you the fanbase exploded in outrage. The cast was ALL WHITE.

While it may not be a big deal in how the movie gets sold, it's taking the original creator's ideas and basically running them through the mud, and I have to say whoever selected the actors has weird taste. To me, and many others, it would seem like a great idea to have the Easter culture not only reflected in the movie's setting but also in its actors. Simply dragging "popular" white American-only actors into this project is highly distasteful. Many find this bigoted and have started to tell Paramount their opinions via postal mail. I will, too, shortly.

This possible issue of racism does not need to be limited by only those who watched the show, but to anyone who can see the harm this all-white casting is able to have. I myself am not a hard-core fan- I only support the show by watching it on tv- but I have been prompted into doing something for (what I believe) the greater good of society.

I am not a Livejournal user, but I came across a journal by aang_aint_white, named after the main character of the series Aang, a bald munk and a kid. This is what (s)he said:

"For those who don't already know: The actors who will play the main four characters of 'The Last Airbender,' the live action Avatar film, have been announced. And all of them are white.
I love Avatar, and have for a long time. But I'm pretty disappointed about this casting decision, and I know I'm not alone in that. This post is about what we can do.
Petitions are largely pointless. Emails are easily ignored. What we need to do is send real, paper letters to Paramount Pictures -- specifically, the two produces, Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall -- telling them why we're offended by their casting choices and what we want them to do about it... Put your letter in an envelope and mail it to:
Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall c/o Paramount Pictures Corporation 5555 Melrose Ave Los Angeles, CA 90038"

While I am not sure whether or not the letters are taken seriously, it will cause Paramount to do something. For those of you in the dark, let this online "visual essay" show you my cause to this blog submission. And let me say this: just because their skin is pale, does not make that person- alive or fictional- Caucasian.

"... You can't deny that the world depicted in Avatar borrows a lot from different cultural traditions, not just Asian, but East Indian, Middle Eastern, African and Aboriginal, so what I was hoping for in seeing a live-action Avatar was to see actors of many nations participate, using it as a perfect way to break some of those Hollywood stereotypes... When my seven and nine year olds saw images of the live-action actors, they said 'that does not look like 'Zuko and Katara' (two characters from the animation) and have no interest in seeing the Avatar live-action movie... So now how do I explain that the movie based on the show they love, can't cast anyone but white actors in all the lead roles?" ~Karadin from Livejournal

New Layout

2008-12-19T21:40:00.000-05:00

My apologies for the lack of posting here lately. In case you haven't noticed, this blog's layout has been revamped into a more neogoth theme. This has been what has consumed the time I usually spend on writing posts here. I hope it's to your taste. They may be slight tweaks here and there throughout the next few weeks, so please bear with me. Feel free to leave any recommendations as comments to this post. Cheers! ;p

whitelilies

2008-11-27T08:00:00.001-05:00

A poem by Mila, an internet acquantaince of mine and author of the Mais tu n'as rien d'orgasmique blog:

no rose petals pave my path
nor trail behind my steps
except the barriers of my mind
where half-awake, I slept
white lilies grow where each tear falls
and I so dearly wept
for the promise never made
can never be upkept
each tear, a flower
flowers bloom
but flowers bloom to die
not unlike the human heart
born into life, to cry.
we weep and weep
till we become
ash, strewn in the wind
how can I fly
if when I try
my wings always cave in?
Spring, I thought
bloomed eternal
killing winter's cold
but now, spring
like shards of glass
-- and equally as bold -- as winter
comes once again
screaming at my door
for punishment, I've gluttony.
I always want more.

BIRTH RIGHT or LIFE DENIED

2008-11-24T15:00:00.000-05:00

A poem by JessGrimm, one of my greatest friends and a contributor to this blog's long defunct predecessor:

It was in October
   that life began
It was in October
   the birth of the fiend
The worlds had seen their monsters
   the earth had seen its gore
Never a monster like this
   had been on this earth before
It was a monster born twice
   of the twenty-third day
Twas life given twice
   peace of death denied
Spirit so twisted
   no life to find
Such a demon
   you can't behold
Such a demon
   welcomed into your fold
Laughing, jesting
   always there
Seeming not
   to have a care
Behold the omen of evil
   a monster born twice
Behold the messenger of evil
   GIVEN TO EVIL AND EARTHLY VICE
Take this monster from your flock
   cast him away before it is to late
Time is not out
   form your fate
Alas, you cannot see
   the evil within
You are lost
   in your own foolish din
You have been warned
   you have been told
Now, let the monster
   destroy your fold

Lake Wobegon Days

2008-11-11T16:00:00.000-05:00

Cat, I think you might appreciate this. I know it's about a dog, not a cat, but I think you'll be able to relate.

When I left Lake Wobegon, I packed a box of books, two boxes of clothes, and two grocery sacks of miscellaneous, climbed in my 1956 Ford, and then, when my old black dog Buster came limping out from under the porch, I opened the door and boosted him into the back seat. He had arthritic hips and was almost blind, and as Dad said, it would be better to leave him die at home, but he loved to go for rides and I couldn't see making the long trip to Minneapolis alone. I had no prospects there except a spare bed in the basement of my Dad's old Army buddy Bob's house. Buster was company, at least.

Bob had two dogs of his own, a bulldog named Max and a purebred Irish setter who owned the upstairs and the yard, so Buster spent his declining months on a blanket in Bob's rec room, by my bed. Bob kept telling me that Buster should be put out of his misery, but I had too much misery of my own to take care of his. Instead of shooting him, I wrote poems about him.

   Old dog, old dog, come and lay your old head
   On my knee.
   Dear God, Dear God, let this poor creature go
   And live in peace.

Bob kept telling me to forget about College and he would line me up with a friend of his in the plumbers' union. "Why be so odd?" he said. "Plumbers get good money." His son Dallas was in the Air Force, stationed in Nevada, and he liked it a lot. "Why not the Air Force?" Bob asked. One day, he said, "You know what your problem is?" I said I didn't. "You don't get along with other people. You don't make an effort to get along." How could I explain the duty I felt to keep a dying dog company? A dog who had been so close to me since I was a little kid and who understood me better than anyone. I had to leave him when I went looking for work, and then while I was working at the Longfellow Hotel as a dishwasher, so when I got back to Bob's, I liked to give Buster some attention.

. . . Buster died in his sleep a few days later. He was cold in the morning. I packed him in an apple crate and snuck him out to my car and buried him in the woods by the Mississippi in Lilydale, which was like the woods he had known in his youth.

I felt as bad that night as I've ever felt, I think. I lay on the army cot and stared at the joists and let the tears run off my face like rain.

. . . I missed that old dog a lot. He was a good dog to know. He was steadfast, of course, as all dogs are, and let nothing come between us or dim his foolish affection for me. Even after his arthritis got bad, he still struggled to his feet when I came home and staggered toward me, his rear end swung halfway forward, tail waving, as he had done since I was six. I seemed to fulfill his life in some way, and even more so in his dotage than in bygone days when he could chase rabbits. He was so excited to see me and I missed that; I certainly didn't excite anyone else.

Garrison Keillor
Lake Wobegon Days

Consumed

2008-11-04T17:00:00.000-05:00

Tonight I'm gonna even the score
Even as I'm storming out your door
You think you can beat me, you fucking whore
I'm telling you now that . . .

As I'm screaming at your head
And you're laughing to my face
You think you've won
   But it's your disgrace
When you find that everything you have loved
   Has come crashing down upon you

The hatred in my eyes
Is as great as the malice within my heart
Your smile that I despise
Makes me want rip your flesh apart

Tonight I'm gonna even the score
Even as I'm storming out your door
You think you can beat me
   You fucking whore
I'm telling you now that . . .

Even if you try to stop me now
I'm too far gone for help to reach
Falling farther from the sun
And from the lessons you would teach

This violence deep within my soul
It reaches out to find you
If I tried
   I could devour you as whole
And steal your heart
   Your very dreams

Tonight I'm gonna even the score
Even as I'm storming out your door
You think you can beat me
   You fucking whore
I'm telling you now that . . .

There's no winning this war
There's no end to our suffering
Our eternity as hell
Our existence
   Flaming up before our eyes

Before our eyes . . .
Before our eyes . . .

Pardon the Emptiness

2008-11-04T16:29:00.003-05:00

I've been unfair to everyone lately, and I would like to apologize. For over five months, I have been avoiding people (randomly) and not even tell them why. I myself do not know why this has occurred, but it did and now here is where it stops. Sorry for not keeping in touch when I should have. Having said that, now I will give my reasons as to why I haven't been around for the past two months and a half. On September 2, 2008, my beloved cat died from seizure attacks while I was away at school; the cat had also been sick a month prior to her death. . It never occurred to me that I was hurt by the "sudden" death of my seven-year-old cat, seeing as I was happy that she didn't need to suffer any more. I withdrew myself from others a bit, dealing with my loss, and maybe damaged some of my already weak friendships. So this is my apology to every one that I know here and those whom I'll get to know. It wasn't my intention to wander way and not leave a note as to where I had gone. If you'd like to see what my cat looked like, you can go to http://blodwedd.deviantart.com, which is my sister's account. There you can find pictures in her gallery of my cat and hers. My cat is the one who's white with blue eyes. And finally, how is everyone? Is school going okay with you?

Credit Crisis Confusion

2008-11-01T15:30:00.000-04:00

For the complete text of this sketch, please visit Marketplace.

Steal This Comic

2008-10-31T15:30:00.003-04:00

Angry McOldguy and Caribou Barbie

2008-10-29T16:00:00.001-04:00

One wouldn't expect a York county reporter to write such a liberal article, but Mike Argento is no ordinary Yorker. In his article this Sunday, "Living in an anti-American America", he pointedly refers to John McCain and Sarah Palin as "Angry McOldguy and Caribou Barbie". As Argento himself says, "Bring on the locusts and poison toads."

March of the Palins

2008-10-27T17:18:00.008-04:00

Special thanks to @Legally_Lolita for the inspiration. Hurray for random conversations on Twitter!

From 1337 593@K

Foundation and Earth

2008-10-22T16:51:00.004-04:00

Is it ethical for a man and a robot to engage in a romantic relationship? Is hermaphroditism mankind's evolutionary future? Is the epitome of isolationism a superior lifestyle to the extroverted one common today? These are but a few of the philosophical questions posed by Isaac Asimov in Foundation and Earth.

For those unfamiliar with Asimov's works, this may sound a bit strange and unnerving - it is. The hardest questions of life are most certainly the ones that we are uncomfortable with confronting. Still, even fans of Asimov may find themselves a bit taken aback by the borderlines he crosses in this, the final novel of the celebrated Foundation series, well-known for receiving a special Hugo Award for being the greatest SF series of all time. No similar award has been given out since.

Perhaps the most important query posed by Foundation and Earth is the question of whether or not the individualistic lifestyle present in current American society is the high-point of societal evolution. Key characters in the novel suggest that a collective consciousness is the only way to preserve the galaxy's ecological balance.

It should be noted that Asimov leaves this question unanswered, but not of his own volition. There is evidently room for continuation of Foundation and Earth's storyline, and Asimov fully intended to provide a true ending to the Foundation series. However, he found himself unable to compose an ending that would do the epic justice before his death in 1992. Unlike Frank Herbert, creator of the legendary Dune universe, Asimov has no children engaged in the literary field who could potentially carry on his legacy. For now, our own extrapolations will have to suffice.

The Moral Bankruptcy of "Candidate McCain"

2008-10-17T20:13:00.003-04:00

All right, so I know that I haven't contributed in a while, but I frankly am furious. I am furious at the Republican Party for their shameless campaign tactics. Am I imagining things, or was there once a time when John McCain said that he would not engage in the same kind of negative advertising that Bush did in 2004 when he ran against John Kerry? And now, he has the nerve to stand (rather sit, I guess it was) before millions of American families and criticize Barack Obama of running the most negative campaign in history? I suspect that those same American families have also watched television outside of the debate coverage, and I suspect that if they paid attention, they would recognize that for the past several weeks, NONE of John McCain's advertisements have been wholly, if at all, positive in nature. There is only one reason for this: after choosing Sarah Palin, someone completely unqualified to be a prospective chief executive of the nation, John McCain simply cannot compete on real issues, thus his reverting to a "smear" campaign. But, enough of that, negative television advertisements are hardly original. What of Sarah Palin's and John McCain's continued inference that Barack Obama is unpatriotic and un-American? Have they no shame? Says Sarah Palin: "Our opponent is someone who sees America, it seems, as being so imperfect that he's palling around with terrorists who would target their own country. Americans need to know this." Of course, by now, everyone knows that she is referring to Bill Ayers. But lets review. According to the New York Times, Bill Ayers was one of the founders of the Weathermen. Begun in 1969, it was an anti-Vietnam organization that engaged in bombing plots at the U.S. Capitol and the Pentagon. Obama met him 27 years later, Professor Ayers, an education professor. They met at a luncheon about school reform and both worked on The Schools Project. However, Obama has never endorsed the Bill Ayers of 1969, stating he is "somebody who engaged in detestable acts 40 years ago, when I was 8." So, then, why bring this up? Why bother, if it is a meaningless association and voters seemingly do not seem to be affected significantly by it? I bring it up to illustrate the moral bankruptcy of the McCain campaign. They have increasingly played upon the fears of a certain portion of the American public--those who are rural, and racist. They are playing on the fears of a certain portion of the American public in a post-9/11 world, emphasizing the "Hussein" in Barack Hussein Obama. One of the "wing-nuts," as they were dubbed by a guest of MSNBC's Rachel Maddow Show, attending a McCain event, stated "I can't trust Obama...he's an Arab." Thank God McCain shut her up, but is it any wonder that she would say that? His subsequent remarks about Senator Obama were certainly overdue, but you can never fix what you have already screwed up. You say Obama is not an American, I ask you, what is an American? We are not a nation of one ethnic group. We are a nation of ideals: hard work, dedication, making the most of yourself. We are a nation open to anyone interested in meeting those ideals. Obama grew up in a fatherless home, with a dedicated mother and loving grandparents. He worked his way from modest beginnings to become a Harvard Law graduate. I ask you, does that not make him an American that everyone should look up to?

Screamer Radio

2008-10-15T08:00:00.001-04:00

Screamer Radio is a great freeware internet radio application. It provides a simple interface with access to thousands of radio stations. There is also a convenient recording feature which will save each song played as a separate MP3 file. Recordings are auto-archived by station. It should be noted that it starts recording the second one hits record, so the chances are the first file saved will be only a partial recording and should be deleted. Another nice feature is the program's ability to minimize to the system tray. This function must be enabled by going to Settings > Preferences > General > Main Window and checking the "Minimize to tray" option.

Another Great Pickup Line: Turn-On

2008-10-13T18:17:00.002-04:00

Explanation: This was posted earlier but with the wrong image embedded. Oops . . . //End explanation

Aversion Fads

2008-10-13T18:15:00.002-04:00

Explanation: This was posted earlier but with the wrong image embedded. Oops . . . //End explanation

Code Geass

2008-10-07T15:00:00.001-04:00

Update: Those interested should know that links to Code Geass episodes can be found at AnimeSpeaker. //End update

Code Geass is an interesting science fiction anime about a future where an empire known as Britannia rules the majority of the planet. The countries taken over have their names replaced with numbers. A secret military project is stolen by a group of terrorists in Area 11 (Japan). Although the terrorists' intelligence informs them that the stolen metallic capsule contains poison gas, in actuality, there is a human being inside.

The first two episodes of Code Geass, which comprise a sort of introduction to the series, are embedded below.

Presidential Debates and IRC

2008-10-04T20:44:00.003-04:00

Update: It was discovered on Thursday (firsthand) that #politics has a habit of kicking and banning liberals. The following was observed both Thursday and during prior sessions: There is an overdose of racist spam messages that enter the channel regularly and the moderator is apparently unable (or unwilling) to remove said messages. Some users are more than a bit rude as well.

Originally, the recurring problems were written off as inevitable in a political chat room, but the fact that #politics kicks/bans some of the few users with constructive and intelligent viewpoints is a sign that a different channel is necessary. The channel #Politics2, also on EFNet, offers a more friendly atmosphere that also suffers from no spam messages. The debate there is decidedly more civil and logical, but this does not limit channel users from the exchange of friendly jokes and banter. This is the newly recommended channel. //End update

For anyone technologically inclined, finding a chat room to enter during the presidential debates should be an idea one is familiar with. The problem comes with trying to find a decent client, server and chat room. The #politics channel on EFNet offers a (mostly - hey, it is politics we're talking about) friendly and insightful atmosphere that is open 24/7, with increased user activity during events such as the debates.

For those who do not already have an internet relay chat (IRC) client, consider downloading the powerful open-source option KVIrc. IRC is the most powerful chat service available and has been around for years. File transfers are easily managed in most clients, as are other basic functions. For those with programming experience, IRC contains its own fairly simple language for chat sessions. In addition, many clients, such as KVIrc, support scripting to increase efficiency.

Too True...

2008-10-04T13:00:00.002-04:00

Palin?!

2008-10-02T16:03:00.000-04:00

Poison (Addicted)

2008-09-28T19:04:00.001-04:00

I'm addicted to poison
I'm addicted to killing all I love
I'm addicted to poison
Reincarnate the enemy of above
He'll rule over each and every
   action you never wished to take

Thou shalt not . . .
Thou shalt not . . .
   Give in to lust
Thou shalt not . . .
Thou shalt not . . .
   Betray thy trust
Thou shalt not . . .
Thou shalt not . . .
   Become a
      vessel unworthy of serving your name

And man and woman
   They shall become one flesh
Somehow I've managed
   to go become obsessed
This unholy matrimony
Is killing me now I see

Thou shalt not . . .
Thou shalt not . . .
   Give in to lust
Thou shalt not . . .
Thou shalt not . . .
   Betray thy trust
Thou shalt not . . .
Thou shalt not . . .
   Become a
      vessel unworthy of serving your name

And as I struggle through this hell
Things don't seem to be going so well
How can I ponder life itself when
   All that I know is crumbling beneath my feet?

Thou shalt not . . .
Thou shalt not . . .
   Give in to lust
Thou shalt not . . .
Thou shalt not . . .
   Betray thy trust
Thou shalt not . . .
Thou shalt not . . .
   Become a
      vessel unworthy of serving your name

I'm addicted to poison
I'm addicted to killing all I love
I'm addicted to poison
Reincarnate the enemy of above
He'll rule over each and every
   action you never wished to take

And I lie prostrate before you
Begging to become renewed
Your might and power fall like rain
   Upon the desert dry and plain

Thou shalt not . . .
Thou shalt not . . .

Thou shalt not . . .
Thou shalt not . . .

Hell-Hole

2008-09-26T18:13:00.000-04:00

I hate living my life like this
I hate all of this fucking shit
Just looking at you, I see your lies
I've finally seen through your disguise

Now God himself
Couldn't stop me if he tried
There's no way to compromise
As I damn myself to hell
I'll kill the ones I despise

Living with you, it made me stronger
I'm able to hold out so much longer
Such wickedness have you inflicted
That now I find myself addicted

Riding on this wave of tension
I hold my soul in pure suspension
Waiting for the end to meet me
I'm gone so far no light can reach me

Now God himself
Couldn't stop me if he tried
There's no way to compromise
As I damn myself to hell
I'll kill the ones I despise

World Day Against Software Patents/Software Freedom Day

2008-09-24T08:00:00.001-04:00

Today is the World Day Against Software Patents. Saturday was Software Freedom Day. In addition, Mr. Stephen Fry would like to wish GNU a happy birthday. And don't forget to observe a minute of silence today at 1200 for the death of software innovation!

Impostor

2008-09-23T20:18:00.000-04:00

The Twelve Kindoms: Sea of Shadow

2008-09-21T20:32:00.005-04:00

Yoko Nakajima struggles with her social life in high school. Born with abnormally red hair in a Japanese society where all hair is a shade of black, her peers and tutors believe that she has dyed her hair against school policy and is associating with people she shouldn't be. To Yoko's great surprise, a young man named Keiki walks into her school one day looking for her, telling her that she is his master and that she must come with him for her own safety. Soon Yoko finds herself swept into a fantastical parallel universe. So begins the novel Sea of Shadow by Fuyumi Ono

Separated from Keiki, Yoko finds herself hunted by the government as one of the dreaded kaikyaku, beings from another world who are thought to bring bad luck. Hiding by day and traveling by night, Yoko is forced to fight her way through hordes of demons with only the sword given her by Keiki and a gem which possesses magical healing properties. Eventually though, Yoko's luck runs out and she is only saved from death by a half-beast in the form of a giant rat named Rakushun. Something of an outcast himself, Rakushun joins Yoko and the two set out for the Kingdom of En, where people such as themselves are accepted in society.

A fast-paced novel full of magic, swordplay and demons, Sea of Shadow is the soon-to-be released first volume in the seven volume cycle The Twelve Kindoms. Originally published in Japan, this wildly popular fantasy series is being translated into English for the first time. Fuyumi Ono spins an enchanting tale that is difficult to put down once picked up. Any fantasy-lover would be truly missing out if he refused to read this book.

Illusion

2008-09-20T19:01:00.002-04:00

Anniversary

2008-09-16T17:25:00.001-04:00

This post is coming a few weeks late, but nevertheless, the staff of 1337 593@K have realized that this blog has existed for a year now. That's right - it's the first anniversary of the inception of one of the most outrageous sites on the web. Cheers. (Feel free to check out the archives to celebrate. LOL!)

Large Hadron Rap

2008-09-15T18:43:00.000-04:00

Banewreaker

2008-09-11T19:52:00.000-04:00

In a world torn asunder by the very gods who shaped it, the line between good and evil is difficult to discern; such is the world, Urulat, in Jacqueline Carey's novel Banewreaker. Haomane, the first-born Shaper, has deceived the majority of the populous into believing that only one of Haomane's younger brothers, Satoris, is to blame for the Sundering. The truth of the matter is that Haomane is jealous of the gift Satoris possesses – desire.

In an attempt to obtain the gift of desire for his Children, the Ellylon, Haomane sparks a war among the Shapers' Children that spans millennia. The irony is that at the Ellylon's creation, Satoris offered his gift to Haomane's Children freely only to have it rejected by Haomane out of pride. Still it would be offered, had Haomane not in his wrath wounded Satoris in such a way that his gift could no longer be given.

Banewreaker, book one of two of The Sundering duology, chronicles a key portion of the war waged by the races of Urulat due to Haomane's deception. The key question asked by Carey in her novel is whether desire is as valuable as intelligence. A deeply philosophical text, Banewreaker forces the reader to reconsider what it means to be human.

The American Dream

2008-09-09T20:24:00.000-04:00

Although the "American dream" is talked about by politicians with great regularity, the actual definition of said dream is a thing discussed by very few, be they politicians or ordinary citizens. The definition has not been historically constant and has evolved along with the American people's concept of a national identity.

America's national identity has developed significantly throughout the country's relatively short history. Early on in the nation's existence, it became apparent that America was the country to move to for a second chance at life. Later, the United States forged ahead in terms of industrial and scientific advance; the nation attracted brilliant thinkers from around the globe. Such advancements have largely stagnated, and left in their wake is an amalgamation of cultures and peoples with little to tie them together save common citizenship. This has effectively resulted in a lack of national identity altogether.

Directly correlating with America's national identity is the idea of an American dream. As a nation of second chances, flocks of families and individuals immigrated to the United States to escape harsh conditions in their homelands; their dream was to start life anew. The country's following progressive period led to a competitive atmosphere with other nations and the dream became that of an imagined victory over "opponents" in fields as diverse as textile production, weapons manufacturing and aeronautics. With America's current lack of identity, the populace focuses on economics and wealth.

The American dream is currently that of a stable economic situation. This dream is ironic considering the nation's current economic situation. If the government itself is incapable of economic stability, surely citizens will find themselves no better off. The truth is that the people are irrelevant in the global scheme of things; the population, it appears, has finally deduced as much. The only thing that matters in the end is money. This is the dream that America has come to through the evolution (or degradation) of its national identity.

Within Temptation - The Howling

2008-09-07T21:37:00.001-04:00

I recently discovered the amazing band Within Temptation. Lo and behold, they are collaborating with a video game manufacturer to write the music for an upcoming MMORPG, The Chronicles of Spellborn. Here's the trailer for the game, combined with one of Within Temptation's best songs, "The Howling".

Summer's Over

2008-09-03T10:36:00.000-04:00

Summers Over - Jonathan Coulton

The Silence of the Soulless

2008-08-31T21:09:00.001-04:00

I'm tired of hanging around this place
'Cause all I get
   For all my troubles
Is nothing but the same

I'm searching inside
   For something more
How did this life leave me so poor?

I'm bleeding before you
I'm bleeding without you
I'm bleeding and I cannot understand
How you could forsake me
Walk off and take me
Far from this land

Without a soul I wander now
So destitute, so broken down

Maybe this life has left me broken
Only because I lacked
   the strength to keep myself together

I'm bleeding before you
I'm bleeding without you
I'm bleeding and I cannot understand
How you could forsake me
Walk off and take me
Far from this land

My shell is trapped within this dungeon
   This hell
None of my plans are going well

I try to break the chain of darkness
that's holding me back from the land of sunlight
   And warmth

I'm bleeding before you
I'm bleeding without you
I'm bleeding and I cannot understand
How you could forsake me
Walk off and take me
Far from this land

There's no end to my suffering
I've fallen apart from the land of day
No mercy

I'm spiraling down into the ground
   Beneath my feet
I've fallen so far I've begun to drown

And I'm drowning in pain

I'm bleeding before you
I'm bleeding without you
I'm bleeding and I cannot understand
How you could forsake me
Walk off and take me
Far from this land

And I'm drowning in pain

I'm bleeding before you
I'm bleeding without you
I'm bleeding and I cannot understand
How you could forsake me
Walk off and take me
Far from this land

Watch me as I drown
   my hands still reaching towards the surface
All is lost
And nothing's gained
   Nothing but the silence of the deep

School's Return: Cave Explorer

2008-08-29T20:12:00.001-04:00

Second Helpings: Why Americans Come Back for More

2008-08-25T20:02:00.004-04:00

Americans have a documented history of hating something and returning for more of the same. For instance, although revolting to all but a few, certain YouTube videos continue to draw record numbers of viewers. The same can be said of George W. Bush; despite Americans' disgust with him after his first term, the population reelected him. Now the end of "Dubyah's" second term is drawing nigh and the public is as eager to reelect Bush, or rather, elect John McCain, as they are to elect Barack Obama. It would seem (at least to me) that never before has this dreadful pattern been analyzed.

This pattern of returning for second (or third) helpings of revolting substances is the result of two things. One: the current American population's twisted sense of humor. Americans subconsciously (and sadistically) derive pleasure from others' pain. Two: the decay of moral values. This is not the decay of moral values commonly referred by right-wing politicians; this is the decay of logic itself. No ethical theory allows for such atrocious governmental behavior as is occurring today. The mainstream media has disrupted the population's thought processes and filled the void with meaningless prejudice and bigotry.

Unfortunately, neither of these root problems are likely to be solved any day soon. The least a citizen can do is show some respect for his fellow countrymen by supporting Senator Barack Obama for the position of President of the United States.

Voting Machines

2008-08-21T15:02:00.002-04:00

Zelda Reorchestrated

2008-08-18T14:48:00.001-04:00

Zelda Reorchestrated is a great project to check out for those interested in the music of video games. All of the songs hosted are free for download via a Creative Commons license. Interestingly, the realistic-sounding orchestra is actually the product of synthesizers.
Outset Island - Z.R.E.O. Team

A Message to the Citizens of America

2008-08-16T13:54:00.003-04:00

Dogma - KMFDM

All we want is a headrush
All we want is to get out of our skin for a while
We have nothing to lose because we don't have anything
Anything we want anyway
We used to hate people
Now we just make fun of them
It's more effective that way
We don't live
We just scratch on day to day
With nothing but matchbooks and
Sarcasm in our pockets
And all we are waiting for
Is for something worth waiting for
Let's admit America gets the celebrities we deserve
Let's stop saying "Don't quote me"
Because if no one quotes you
You probably haven't said a thing worth saying

Sex, drugs, God, cash
Sex, drugs, God, America
We need something to kill the pain of all that nothing inside
Sex, drugs, God, cash
Sex, drugs, God, America
We all just want to die a little bit

We fear that pop culture
Is the only kind of culture we're ever gonna have
We want to stop reading magazines
Stop watching TV
Stop caring about Hollywood
But we're addicted to the things we hate
We don't run Washington and no one really does
Ask not what you can do for your country
Ask what your country did to you

Sex, drugs, God, cash
Sex, drugs, God, America
The only reason you're still alive is because someone
Has decided to let you live
Sex, drugs, God, cash
Sex, drugs, God, America
We owe so much money we're not broke, we're broken
We're so poor we can't even pay attention

So what do you want?
You want to be famous and rich and happy
But you're terrified you have nothing to offer this world
Nothing to say and no way to say it
But you can say it in three languages
You are more than the sum of what you consume
Desire is not an occupation
You are alternately thrilled and desperate
Sky high and fucked
Let's stop praying for someone
To save us and start saving ourselves
Let's stop this and start over
Let's go out
Let's keep going

Sex, drugs, God, cash
Sex, drugs, God, America
This is your life
This is your fucking life
America
Sex, drugs, God, cash
Sex, drugs, God, America
We need something to kill the pain of all that nothing inside
America
America

Quit whining you haven't done
Anything wrong because frankly
You haven't done much of anything
Sex, drugs, God, cash
Sex, drugs, God, America
Someone's writing down your mistakes
Someone's documenting your downfall

Written and composed by: Sascha Konietzko, Nicole Blackman, F.M. Einheit, and Gunter Schulz of KMFDM

The Fragility of Religion: Holy Ghost

2008-08-12T12:48:00.008-04:00

Functional Nature and the Posthuman

2008-07-21T15:25:00.007-04:00

Technology, in both the fields of genetics and computer science, is evolving extremely rapidly. In the near future, humans will be faced with the choice of whether they wish to artificially enhance themselves – and, perhaps more importantly, their children. Undoubtedly such technology will have its misuses, but as technology’s very use is within our nature, the so-called "posthuman" should be embraced.

Interestingly, the most loudly voiced argument against enhancement technologies is that to use such technologies would turn the human race against its nature. Arthur Caplan pointedly refutes such an argument:

To support their position, the anti-meliorists must state what human nature is. They do not. They must also be very clear about why they see human nature as static. They are not. And they must advance an argument about why human nature … tells us anything about what is good or desirable in terms of the traits humans should possess. They cannot (Caplan 173).

It becomes apparent that this work's argument based on nature (albeit one in support of the opposing viewpoint) will need to present an idea of what nature is. Thus, the theory of "The Functional Nature of Acutely Conscious Beings" follows.

As the functionalists hold, in order to be considered conscious, a creature must meet three requirements: the presence of emotion, self-reliance and the ability to adapt, and a similarity of organizational structure to other conscious beings (Hofstadter). It is now presented that to be considered an intelligent, or acutely conscious, being (a sentient), an organism must meet four additional requirements.

One requirement is that a sentient must strive for the preservation of the individual lives of other sentients. This is evidenced by the fact that life is held sacred in cultures all over the face of the Earth. Many humans even consider their loved ones' after-lives. This leads to a second requirement: the quest for enlightenment. Every individual seeks to find a purpose or structure in life, even if the search results in the conclusion that such structure is nonexistent. Science and religion, as the Dalai Lama proposed, are indeed equally valid paths to enlightenment.

Sentients are also required to have a concept of justice. Justice is defined in different ways by different cultures, but nonetheless it is present in every one of them. The final requirement is that the would-be sentient engages in the pursuit of improvement and betterment of the self. Human beings have throughout the ages attempted to create more and more powerful technology in the hopes of improving their quality of life. This is distinct from species' unwitting betterment through evolution alone.

The requirement of self-improvement plays an obvious supporting role in the pro-enhancement position. If technological modifications of the body are necessary in order for improvement, they will naturally be embraced. There is no way to prevent humans from pursuing such a basic need. For instance, the possibility of stopping the aging process has fascinated humans all through history to the extent of pursuing it to death itself. The "fountain of youth" potentially offered by genetics and cybernetics is naught but a contemporary manifestation of this goal. This is additionally concurrent with the notion of the preservation of individual life.

A perhaps less evident natural support for the posthuman pursuit is that of the quest for enlightenment. To analyze even such ancient religious texts as the Bible, one realizes, through such stories as that of the Tower of Babel, that technology has constantly played a role in humans' pursuit of godliness. From a scientific perspective, modifying the body to enhance the senses (and perhaps endow people with new ones) would certainly enable humans to gain a greater understanding of the universe in which we reside.

The remaining requirement of sentient beings, that of a concept of justice, will prevent the inevitable misuses of the coming technologies from ravaging the world. The inevitability of misuse is itself evidenced by such historic totalitarian regimes as those of Stalin and Hitler. But it should also be noted that the misuses' cessation is inevitable as well. Neither Stalin nor Hitler managed to maintain their unjust empires for long; the people themselves would not allow it. The same can be said of future technological exploitation.

Assuming sentients' functional nature then, the posthuman is not to be feared. Indeed, it is an inevitable reality that all should embrace. "To forgo the powerful technologies that genomics [, cybernetics] and molecular biology are bringing would be as out of character for humanity as it would be to use them without concern for the dangers they pose" (Stock 1).

Works Cited
Caplan, Arthur and Carl Elliott. "Is It Ethical to Use Enhancement    Technologies to Make Us Better than Well?" PLoS Medicine 1.3 (2004):
   172-175.
Hofstadter, Douglas R. "A Coffehouse Conversation on the Turing Test."
   Scientific American. Ed. Dennis M. Weiss. 23 Jun. 2008
   http://goose.ycp.edu/~dweiss/coffeehouse_conversation.htm.
Stock, Gregory. Redesigning Humans: Our Inevitable Genetic Future.
   Houghton Mifflin Company, 2002. 7 Jul. 2008
   http://goose.ycp.edu/~dweiss/redesigning_humans.htm.

2008-07-03T15:31:00.001-04:00

In a world where cloning and gene splicing are common practices, the possible extension of such tasks into the human realm becomes an issue. This is not the world of tomorrow – it is the world of today. In Next, Michael Chrichton takes a detour from the realm of science fiction to the realm of science fact. While the stories that take place in his novel are extreme cases, they are still theoretically possible with today's technology.

The corruption of the business realm is extending more and more into the realm of science. Studies that would once have gone unquestioned are now traced in order to determine whether their results were manipulated by corporations. This corruption takes a darker tone when experimentation with gene therapy and hybridization become a distinct moneymaking opportunity. The questions of ethics and safety go largely unconsidered as companies secretly bypass FDA protocol.

A gene is synthesized which has the distinct capability to remove addictions to various substances. Nicotine, heroin and even the spending of money are possible for treatment. The market for such a gene is a rich one indeed. Besides, is it not one's duty to serve the good of the public with such a life-saving drug, even if it means bending government policy? Testing on animal subjects has seen amazing results; moving on to humans is only logical.

This is only one of many cases Chrichton analyzes in his novel. In another drift from his usual style, Next is told as a group of short stories with chapters from each one interspersed throughout. The startling conclusion brings all of these stories together. This is one psychological thriller not a soul should miss.

Backwards Logic: How Incentives Damage the Economy

2008-06-30T11:23:00.000-04:00

Government incentives are sent to the ordinary citizen in order to "boost the economy." Remarkably enough, they would seem to increase inflation, the opposite of the intended effect. To explain: Presuming that citizens will be tempted to spend their newfound wealth, more products will need be produced and more jobs need be created, thereby strengthening the economy. Regrettably, corporations are far more rational than the government. Such corporate entities realize that they essentially have two options here: play along with the government, or take matters into their own hands. Selecting the latter, corporations follow the law of supply and demand to increase the prices of their products without increasing the products' quantity. If more people demand their product because of the incentives they received, the corporations have no need to increase production. Simply increasing the cost of products subsequently increases a corporation's profits without their having to pay for an increased work force. This increase in price results in the devaluing of the American dollar - inflation. The government seriously needs to get a clue.

Qtrax: A Love-Hate Relationship

2008-06-26T11:00:00.004-04:00

For those of you who don't already know, Qtrax, the world's first free and legal P2P music download site, has recently gone live. The prior beta allowed you only to look up information about artists - licensing issues hadn't yet been resolved so listening was taking place. The service has improved. Below you can take a look at the great, and not-so-great, features of Qtrax.

Love: I don't own an iPod.
Hate: You're screwed if you do. As Qtrax uses DRM-protected WMA files which do not allow CDs to be burnt, there's no way an iPod user can listen to these files on their device.

Love: Qtrax now allows you to download music free and legally.
Hate: The music that you can download is seriously restricted. Qtrax originally intended to supply music from the three biggest record labels in the US; as of this moment, they've signed contracts with only two. Foreign record labels are also sadly unsigned.

Love: Streaming music services are no longer necessary because I can actually download an entire CD for once.
Hate: The music can't yet be exported to portable media players and, perplexedly, you are required to be online to listen to the files which are saved to your hard disk.

Love: Record labels are actually getting paid for users' download of their music.
Hate: This payment requires the users' bombardment with banner ads from within Qtrax.

Convincing Pickup Line

2008-06-14T17:06:00.004-04:00

Considering my prior post about nerdy pickup lines, there was no way I could resist posting this.

Sestina Poem

2008-06-14T16:57:00.003-04:00

I was digging around in my room, and found an old sestina I wrote for school. It was one of my most creative pieces, so I thought I would share it with all of you.

Reaching out to others with brotherly love A gentle touch to the lost and kind This is everywhere, this is innocence To them, everything should hold fairness For however different their family They go by their Pa’s justice

Even through this strange thing, this justice They can find great love Among friends, the likes and the family For all should be kind But the court holds little fairness Filled with some who lost all innocence

When it’s gone, this innocence They find hard ways to keep the justice To evenly give out fairness One can’t always find love Mankind has become the confusing kind Down man falls from family

Looking within the deepest or biggest family Everyone has had some type of innocence For even how odd of that kind Small amount of goodness or justice Can bring out friendship and love And be greeted with equal fairness

But it is not equal, this fairness Bad acts harm many a family Some have lost their love Others hold it tight with keeping innocence Forget what Man is and equality can be seen in justice A forceful touch cannot bring the kind

It must be all; must try to be kind Lady-like and dish out desserts of fairness Gentlemen-like and fish in meals of justice Bring it all home to the family Happy, they will. Cry of innocence Though when gone, grief will swell with love

We can seek the kind in most every family And the fairness can be lost with innocence The words of justice changes as much as love

Selecting the Operating System(s) Right for You

2008-06-02T18:14:00.001-04:00

As many people are discovering, Windows Vista is not an OS to be upgraded to. The PCs on the market prior to Vista's release are simply not capable of handling the heavy processing load Vista's GUI (graphical user interface) requires. Whereas XP was essentially a "suped-up" version of 2000, Vista has made an intense leap in the graphics sector. Proponents of the Macintosh OS have long claimed to have better graphics capabilities, but at this point, Vista is the surefire superior in that category. Vista's new graphics engine, DirectX 10, can individually render every single blade of grass in a video game. Vista is a worthwhile buy only if one is willing to buy a brand new PC. Technology is advancing so rapidly that powerful processors and RAM cards are quickly becoming dirt cheap. Computers themselves are also becoming less expensive. Riding off of this trend, Vista was designed to be the successor to Windows 2000 that XP was not. The problem occurs because users of older PCs are unwilling, or unable, to upgrade their hardware to a point where Vista is a feasible option. People are discovering that for the price they will pay to upgrade, it is nearly as cheap to buy a brand new computer. This is not because the parts are expensive by themselves but because of how many components need to be upgraded. GNU/Linux is a viable option many people looking to upgrade their PC are deciding on. Free and open-source, GNU/Linux OSs have the ability to run a GUI similar to that found in XP or to be run by command line. A directory of open-source software is available. (Note that many of these programs run on multiple OSs, including Windows.) There are even open-source versions of the popular Microsoft Office suite, fully compatible with the file formats used by Microsoft's products. For those looking for an all-in-one solution, a Mac may be the best bet. Admittedly, Macs are incapable of running many programs, including the latest video games, but their user-friendly interface is popular with the luddites and technophobes. One should be warned that upgrading OS X Tiger to Leopard is as dangerous as upgrading XP to Vista, with the additional slight of not being able to buy hardware (without revoking your warranty) from third parties.

The Device Has Been Modified

2008-06-02T17:53:00.000-04:00

This song is based on the video game Portal. Originally published as a sort of joke, this song by Victims of Science became so popular that the band decided to create a full-length version of it and publish it to the web for anyone to download. To obtain a copy, visit Tindeck Audio. (For some reason the copy I uploaded to BuzzMusic has been deleted.)

2008-05-30T21:15:00.003-04:00

I recently witnessed "The Corporation," the independent documentary revealing the evil of the corporate hierarchy. And, I must say, it opened my eyes to many things that I perhaps did not realize, or at least consciously think about, previously. However, at the end, I find my liberal self leaning more to the center of the political spectrum after witnessing this clearly left-wing piece. One quote, from a California Chamber of Commerce official particularly spoke to me. As a particular company was being criticized for producing chemicals that have negative side effects, the Chamber of Commerce member said something to the effect of: "We're being criticized by the hardcore left who produces nothing but hot air." His point was obvious: while the left-wing is always quick to point out flaws in the system, it and its members do relatively little to amend the problems. Indeed, this characteristic has manifested itself in the current presidential race, where TIME magazine this week, after having consistent pro-Obama undertones previously, published an article examining the somewhat chronic negative tone of Michelle Obama. They quoted, once again, her infamous "for the first time in my lifetime I'm actually proud to be an American." A large part of "The Corporation" was devoted to exploring the ramifications of post-WWII industrial synthesis of petrochemicals (perhaps this trend can be said to originate with the synthesis of ammonia by German Nazi scientists). It blamed these chemicals and genetic modification for the increase in cancer in the past decades. However, it seems to me that these chemicals are essential today. It seems to me that as the saying goes, "You cannot have your cake and eat it too." In America, the idyllic American family still follows the 1950s model of multiple children. And that means a rapidly-increasing population across generations. And organic farming is simply not nearly efficient enough to supply this increased demand. And if not organic farming, then what? I suppose that would mean things like genetic modification of crops, pesticides, etc. Europeans would argue that this is false, that genetic modification and chemicals in agriculture can be avoided, but the situation is not the same. In Europe, the population has steadily decreased, making less demand, thus less mandatory supply. If these aforementioned substances cause cancer, I must then disclose the sad truth: everyone is going to die someday. It is the cycle of life. However, is it better to die from cancer, which, through modern medicine, allows you to live a full life and then takes you in a way, facilitated by modern medicine, can be fairly peaceful. Or is it better to live life barely getting by, and possibly die sooner? You decide, but I'm guessing that most people from industrial nations would argue that they wish to "live for today." So, if you were not able to follow my train of thought (I admittedly have a curse of thinking far faster than I can type) here is my premise in short. Human population is skyrocketing, and it occupies a significantly disproportionate percentage of the globe in relation to other species. And, because humans are a conscious species, survival of the fittest, as it has manifested itself in other species, is not feasible with humans. Thus, human population increases for the forseeable future, increasing our demands from the earth. Therefore, until some miracle comes, the population at large will rely on chemicals to increase agricultural efficiency, because one "cannot have their cake and eat it too."

Evil for the Greater Good

2008-05-21T14:24:00.004-04:00

Is killing wrong? Yes. But are there good reasons to kill? That seems to be the real question. There is certainly no good reason to kill en masse. But what if...? What if one could kill a single person and, in so doing, prevent the deaths of countless others? Evil wrought for the greater good is often attempted, but seldom does it succeed in bringing about the good of the wrongdoer's forethought. When looked at in this light, it becomes apparent that it would require precise knowledge of the future to truly accomplish good with evil. Such knowledge of the future is (even if ever truly acquired by a person) frowned upon as it is generally (always?) the ramblings of a con artist. Actions of evil and the doling out of judgment upon other beings are best left to God (or whatever Higher Power you worship).

Brawl Lawls

2008-05-05T19:39:00.002-04:00

The Democratic Party's Divisive Politics

2008-04-22T19:58:00.003-04:00

It has become more and more apparent the past few weeks that the Democratic party is facing a crisis. We can't seem to overcome our differences and work together, which is what this party actually stands for. How can we call ourselves Democrats? Clinton has been using negative advertisements for some time now, but she can't be held entirely accountable for this. She likely felt that she would have the Democratic nomination in the bag by now and was getting a bit flustered. But Obama's campaign is not entirely innocent either: Recently his campaign ads have reprimanded Clinton for negativity in political promotion and yet somehow insinuate that the Obama campaign is innocent of such actions, in effect making null his very statements! Most disturbing of all, however, is the fact that so few Democrats in support of one candidate refuse to support the other should he/she receive the nomination. A friend of mine who supports Obama remarked today that if Clinton were to receive the Democratic nomination, he would vote in the general election for McCain. This simply is unacceptable. Our party needs to get its act together and work as one. It should be noted that my friend explained his potential support of McCain by stating that his morals (while certainly not his policies) are more similar to Obama's in that he doesn't use negative campaigning (which Obama certainly does use). People fail to realize that at this point, in the primary election, each candidate is interested only in his/her own party. If McCain's nomination in the Republican party was as contested as the nomination in the Democratic party is, one can be assured that he would be using the same negative campaign tactics. This is still no excuse - we shouldn't be lowering ourselves to the level of Republicans.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

2008-04-08T17:43:00.003-04:00

For all of you Wii owners out there, Brawl is definitely a game you should consider purchasing. It has many characters for selection and, for the first time in Smash Bros history, an adventure mode with an actual plot-line. There are also a few new items, most notably the smash ball, which allows a character to unleash a "final smash," the character's ultimate move, which in most cases is an instant KO. For those of you who think this would screw up the balance up the game, you're absolutely correct - it adds some suspense to the "brawls" though. If they aren't your speed, you can always turn them off in the item selection screen. Overall, the gameplay is great and allows for four different controller types. Players can also create a customized control scheme for each controller type within a profile. However, the lack of implementation of the Wii's motion-sensing capabilities is a tad disappointing. Also, the graphics haven't improved much - you probably won't even notice a difference if you're playing on a standard resolution screen. Still, it's the best multiplayer game to date on the system. While providing enough complexity for experts to enjoy, even novices can pick up a controller and play with plenty of aptitude. The handicap feature has been rethought and now for handicaps experts start out each life with a set amount damage already taken; this removes the inherent "cheapness" of simply increasing the power of weaker players' character that was present in Melee's handicap system. Any Nintendo fan would have to be hard-pressed to not buy a copy of this game.

The doctors compare...

2008-03-27T19:22:00.008-04:00

This came from a chain email message. (Bleck!) Although I seldom read the contents of these messages, I happened to look this one over and found it quite entertaining. Note the fact that it doesn't refer to the Texas doctor as an American. Every day I begin to believe Texas' tourist slogan more and more: "It's like a whole other country."

A Japanese doctor said, "Medicine in my country is so advanced that we can take a kidney out of one man, put it in another and have him looking for work in six weeks." A German doctor said, "That's nothing, we can take a lung out of one person, put it in another and have him looking for work in four weeks." A British doctor said, "In my country, medicine is so advanced that we can take half of a heart out of one person, put it in another and have them both looking for work in two weeks." A Texas doctor, not to be outdone, said, "You guys are way behind. We took a man with no brains out of Texas, put him in the White House and now half the country is looking for work."

Nerdy Pick-up Lines

2008-03-26T14:24:00.000-04:00

For those of you who haven't realized that this blog consists only of "nerdy" members, wake up and smell the r0235. A couple of months ago I noticed a friend of mine perusing a site with a list of nerdy pick-up lines (note that there are many more than fifty if you count the ones in the comments). Now that I've had a chance to check them all out, I'd like to add a few of my own to the list. Feel free to add more ingenious pick-up lines as comments to this post.

If you keep up this negative attitude, my ionization might decide to kick in and even you out with some positive electrons.
You know, salamanders reproduce and digest along a single tract, and I'm feeling a little amphibious today.
Only ActionScript, not Word, can express my amazement by your Flash.
Your nibbles are too great for me to byte in one iteration.

Ready to wave the white flag

2008-03-24T17:22:00.002-04:00

As all of the readers know, I am solidly pro-Hillary. However, I witnessed a terrifying statistic regarding this issue this morning that has caused me to, at least for this article, to cross the line in the sand. As I was watching the Today show this morning, I saw that in a recent opinion poll, 37% of Clinton supporters reported that they would not support Obama should Clinton lose the party nomination. I would be ecstatic if Clinton won the nomination, but I would dislike anyone who would not vote or, worse *gasp**gasp* vote for McCain, if Clinton lost. As witty as I thought James Carville was when he compared Bill Richardson to Judas, I must agree with Gov. Richardson also. The party depends on unity to ensure its victory in the general election. I would much, much rather have Sen. Obama in the White House than Sen. McCain.

Hillary's Racist Tactics

2008-03-11T20:48:00.008-04:00

It is amazing how someone who preaches about the end of corruption can allow such racist remarks by a member of her own electoral team to stand unchallenged. (No, saying that you don't agree with something and then insinuating that racism doesn't matter to the country doesn't count, Hillary. Racism doesn't matter? That's like telling a dairy farmer that milking his cows is no big deal.) Howard Feynman, in an interview with Keith Olbermann, could come to no conclusion regarding Ferraro's than that Clinton is attempting to play to the "Alabama" population of Pennsylvania. (York County, anyone?) If that is true, it is a truly disgusting and despicable gesture. Simply because PA is one of the most important states left in the primary election does not mean that one can play to central PA's racist environment. Clinton is, quite frankly, starting to look a lot like a Republican. If Clinton were to become the Democratic party's candidate in the general election, all can be assured that this will come back to haunt the party. Sources: Countdown with Keith Olbermann, Wikipedia (English)

Jeff Foxworthy on Al Qaeda

2008-03-10T16:40:00.003-04:00

You Might Be Al Qaeda if... 10. You refine heroin for a living, but you have a moral objection to beer. 9. You own a $300 machine gun and a $5,000 rocket launcher, but you can't afford shoes. 8. You have more wives than teeth. 7. You think vests come in two styles: bullet-proof and suicide. 6. You can't think of anyone you HAVEN'T declared Jihad against. 5. You consider television dangerous, but routinely carry ammunition in your robe. 4. You've been asked, "Does this burka make my butt look fat?" 3. You were amazed to discover that cell phones have uses other than setting off roadside bombs. 2. You've uttered the phrase, "I love what you've done with your cave." 1. You wipe your butt with your bare left hand, but consider bacon unclean.

Not Walking on Sunshine Anymore

2008-03-07T20:56:00.002-05:00

While I am well aware that this blog tends to lean pro-Obama, I feel heartened by Hillary Clinton's recent primary wins on Tuesday. Basically, there are two kinds of leaders: expressive leaders, which make people feel good, and instrumental leaders, which get tasks accomplished. True, Obama does have a way with his speeches that allow us to reminisce of JFK or Dr. King. However, he is a relative "noob" in Washington politics, having only been elected to the Senate four years ago. Although this appeals to some, who believe that Obama has not had the opportunity to be tainted by Washington's ways, it would be a terrible idea for the United States to elect someone with such little experience. On the other hand, Hillary Clinton has over 35 years of experience, and was even on the panel that attempted to impeach former President Nixon. Say what you will about crooked politicians, but some experience in how to play Washington's games is essential to being able to influence change. Herman D'Hollander of Belgium had it right when he wrote his letter to the editor, published in TIME Magazine: "A pretty face, a pop-star aura and cliches about welfare, justice, freedom and change are all a candidate needs to lure ecstatic audiences into believing the new messiah has arrived. Obama's charisma obliterates the emptiness of his message. Too bad for Clinton. Her voice is too shrill, her laughter too loud and her tears too easy. Who cares about her profound knowledge, her long experience with Washington's maze and ways, and her useful insight into the Republicans' bag of tricks? Yet such qualities will be vital in November."

Reality Check 2

2008-02-28T21:34:00.005-05:00

James: I've finally discovered the true cause of global warming. Marcus: Really? It's good to know you've finally stopped listening to that Republican bullshit about how global warming is "part of a natural cycle." James: It was so obvious... I can't believe I didn't see it before. Timberlake is the logical cause of such drastic temperature changes. Marcus: Wait a minute... Timberlake? James: Yeah, you know - that pop star. Justin Timberlake. I mean, everyone's always talking about how hot he is. Marcus: I think you've been fed some misinformation, my friend. James (puzzled): Whaddya mean? I acquired that information from a very reliable source. Marcus: And what source would that be? James: Britney Spears' blog, of course. Marcus: Do the words "emotionally disturbed" mean anything to you?! James: She's not disturbed. She's just misunderstood. I'm looking for a good artist who would be interested in turning politically incorrect writing pieces like this into a comic strip with me. Although I may have a way with words, drawing and painting, even on a computer, have never been my forte. Feel free to contact me if you're interested.

Reality Check

2008-02-22T16:57:00.007-05:00

James: I've decided to give up swearing for Lent. Marcus: That's good. James: Yeah. I was told by my pastor that Lenten covenants only apply Monday through Saturday, which I think is going to turn out nicely. Marcus: How's that? James: Well, I figure I will have saved up all of frustration from working Monday through Friday and then having to deal with my annoying children on Saturday. That leaves me one day to relieve all of my stress. Getting it all out at once seems like a great idea. Marcus: I don't think I like where this is going... James: I'll probably save it for my church service. That way I'll have the most emotional impact on others and they'll understand what hardships I'm going through in the name of Jesus Christ. Marcus: Something tells me this is a bad idea. You know it's possible to be too religiously convicted, right? I'm looking for a good artist who would be interested in turning politically incorrect writing pieces like this into a comic strip with me. Although I may have a way with words, drawing and painting, even on a computer, have never been my forte. Feel free to contact me if you're interested.

Obama Continues Victory Streak

2008-02-21T18:08:00.002-05:00

This Tuesday Barack Obama stretched his victory streak in the Democratic Primary to ten states with his wins in Hawaii and Wisconsin. His speech that night was absolutely amazing. One thing no one can deny is a trait of his which is not often found in politicians: He is willing to admit how screwed up America is. That night he said, "Washington has become a place where good ideas go to die." While the majority of US citizens (at least those with any intelligence) have known this for quite some time, hearing a presidential candidate say this makes one believe that there may actually be "hope" for America's future. Good luck in Texas, my friend!

Kirby: Canvas Curse

2008-02-17T17:56:00.003-05:00

Kirby: Canvas Curse was one of the first video games designed for the Nintendo DS. It still is one of the best games available for the system. The game's controls are intuitive - you use the stylus to control all aspects of the game (excluding the ability to "pause"). Puzzles are solved by drawing rainbow-colored lines with "ink" from the stylus and using these lines to move Kirby, the game's main character, around the screen. You can also collect "power-ups" from certain enemies you defeat which replace Kirby's standard dash ability. Power-ups you might acquire include the ability to transform into a wheel, a ball of fire, a tornado or a rock. Another nice feature of the game is the Rainbow Run mode. This mode has you replay certain portions of earlier levels within either a certain time limit or with a certain amount of ink. Boss games also become playable minigames. In these bonus modes and the main mode you collect medals which can be used to purchase extra features in the Medal Swap. The bonuses you're able to buy include different kinds of ink, additional health for Kirby and new stages for the Rainbow Run. I highly recommend this game to both experienced Kirby fans and newbies. Even experts will enjoy the intuitive new control system.

Obama's Victory

2008-02-14T17:47:00.000-05:00

Obama's total victory Tuesday night was nothing short of a miracle. His conquer of DC was no surprise, considering the high percentage of African American voters. But Virginia is another story; this traditionally Republican (and in many manners "hick") state had more citizens vote for Obama than any other candidate, whether Republican or Democrat. In fact, a friend of mine from the Republican party in Virginia chose to vote for Obama instead of any of the Republican candidates. Obama's views hold true for many people, myself included. (The one thing I can't agree with him on is the fact that cynicism is the worst type of wisdom. Of course, he is a politician...) Social Security needs to not only remain intact, but be strengthened. While there are exceptions to this norm, people in general just don't know how to save money. It is truly depressing to see senior citizens living off of food from food banks because their Social Security doesn't provide enough cash for them to purchase both medications and sustenance. Affordable healthcare for all citizens is another point on which he is unrelenting, and for good reason. The same seniors I mentioned above sometimes make the choice to live without lifesaving medications so that they can keep their apartments. The increase of college scholarship for the average citizen is also an important point he stands for. Plenty of intelligent individuals are unable to attend college because of the increasingly high price of tuition; this should certainly not be the case. It was obvious from McCain's statement that he is not the brilliant speaker that Obama is. I have to admit though, saying he was "fired up and ready to go," Obama's catchphrase, was absolutely hilarious. It is good to know that even Republicans can have a quality sense of humor.

So Long and George Bush Don't Like Black People

2008-02-12T21:33:00.000-05:00

This is an amazingly true and devastating video about the state of our nation - and the rest of the world - since Bush took office in 2000. Thanks to Mrs. Wilson for showing it to me. This video is about Bush's inaction during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Those of you with "sensitive ears," have hereby been warned - the language used in this video could be considered questionable.

"ATM Machine"

2008-02-08T16:02:00.000-05:00

A common program for professors to have students write in, say, an introductory C++ course, is an ATM simulation. Somehow, even the professors seem to screw up the grammar. What is our language becoming?!

Blogger in Draft

2008-02-04T17:03:00.000-05:00

Update: Okay, so I've fallen a little bit behind... I just realized that Blogger in Beta hasn't existed for over a year. In addition, I really have no idea when Blogger in Draft was created. My bad. ;p For those of you who don't know already, Blogger in Beta, the version of Blogger with XHTML widget-based templates, has officially gone out of beta. Just before this happened, a new beta blogger was released known as Blogger in Draft. They try out all of the new features they implement here before they try them anywhere else. For instance, the ability to sign comments with OpenID originally came from Blogger in Draft. If you want your blog to stay on the cutting-edge, I would highly recommend switching from standard Blogger (formerly Blogger in Beta) to Blogger in Draft.

Give 1 Get 1

2008-02-04T16:55:00.000-05:00

Update: It's tragic, really. An organization devoted to such a noble cause won the award for The Worst Non-Profit Website of 2007. And apparently Compxpert (see comments) isn't the only one who believes that it would be far more valuable to send children money for food, as is apparent from the quote below.

There's nothing wrong (and a lot that is right) with helping kids in the third-world get a laptop. There IS something wrong about forcing them to swallow Mystery Meat (Navigation) to use the interface. One person made a non-design comment that should be reflected upon: My daughter is in the Peace Corp in Tanzania. Alleviating starvation and AIDS would seem to be prerequisite...books and teachers would be useful...paper and pencils...clothing...and electricity would also seem to be educational necessities. I believe in technology in education - but first things first. The usability of the site is fitting for a cause that is at best a well-intentioned ostrich. The cost of that laptop would feed a child for a year in Tanzania so send an equal donation for food and AIDS relief.

The One Laptop Per Child project isn't looking up. Fewer people are buying the extremely cheap, open-source laptops than expected. The goal is to get people to donate money (buy) for a laptop to go to a child in a third-world country. However, this isn't really going as planned. So the foundation has decided to start selling the laptops to the normal populace as well in a program where you buy one laptop for yourself and one for a needy child: Give 1 Get 1. The program begins 12 November 2007. The laptops have high-definition screens and are made primarily for educational purposes, although their open-source OS and software is completely hackable. The battery lasts ten times as that in most laptops, and the case is built extremely sturdy. The laptop even features built-in wireless communication. The one you would get for yourself could be kept for personal use or donated to a local school or other non-profit organization. Other sources: The New York Times

USBCell Batteries

2008-01-22T21:50:00.000-05:00

Update: While alluring with both their environmental friendliness and innate geekiness, $20 for two batteries is not my idea of a good deal... The remarkable USBCell batteries are completely environmentally friendly. To top it off, guess where they charge? That's right - through any USB port. Each battery has a USB 2.0 connector at the top. Just plug it into your computer and you're good to go. Save your power outlets for more important things. There are some added benefits to these batteries that you might not think of at first. USBCell batteries are technically not batteries - they're power cells; as such, they never stop being chargeable like conventional rechargeables. That's the same reason they're environmentally friendly. Instead of being powered by chemicals within, they are powered by the transfer of electrons from two oppositely charged magnetic plates. (Originally, power cells weren't able to generate the same amount of power as batteries without being significantly larger. But it was recently discovered that coating the magnetic plates of power cells with carbon nanotubes greatly increases the number of electrons that can be transferred by increasing the surface area of the plates.) In addition, USBCell batteries are perfect for next-gen video game consoles. Keep one set in your wireless controller and another plugged into the system's USB ports, charging for when your current set runs out. Other sources: Popular Science Magazine

PopSci Predictions Exchange

2008-01-22T19:21:00.000-05:00

Update: While the PPX is certainly interesting, the fact that you're not participating in an actual stock market limits its capture of your attention. Perhaps a real stock market game would be more engaging. In addition, the stocks in the PPX take drastic rises in falls in the span of mere days for no apparent reason, showing the rigging of the market by key users (and the blunder of inexperienced would-be stockholders who fallow the trends to their own demise). Calling all sci-fi junkies! Do you think you have what it takes to predict the future? Find out in the PopSci [Popular Science] Predictions Exchange (PPX). It's a virtual stock market where you invest in so-called "FutureStocks." Is the Wii going to sell more copies than the Xbox 360 and PS3 this month? Will China's efforts to prevent precipitation at the Olympics be successful? Will there be a larger market share for Linux than for Mac OS by 2010? Bet on these and more in the PPX. You're given a quantity of virtual "POP$" upon creating an account. Manage your money and try to make it to the top of the month's leaderboard to claim the month's prize. Forums are available for discussing possible investments with others. Try not to go bankrupt, as multiple accounts buying from a single IP address are scrutinized with great care. Of course, if you're wireless, I'm not sure how they expect that to work. It's not like you're going to have a static IP address. And what happens if you sign in on a public computer (at work, school, etc.) that somebody else has signed in on before? These are questions left unanswered, but your best bet is to just play fair.

Stargate

2008-01-22T19:16:00.000-05:00

Stargate has a lot going for it right about now. For one, two Stargate movies will soon be coming to theaters, providing the much-anticipated finale for Stargate: SG-1, the longest running SF television series in American history, having run for a total of ten seasons. Also, Stargate: Atlantis was voted the best SF show of 2007 at the People's Choice Awards. And to top it all off, a Stargate MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) titled Stargate: Worlds will be released this fall. It is designed to run on the Unreal 3 graphics engine.

Luminous Arc

2008-01-22T19:13:00.000-05:00

Update: Upon further deliberation I have determined that this game is not as great as I had proclaimed it to be. The use of different characters in different battles leaves your force uneven and low-leveled. In Tactics Advance and other tactical RPGs, this wouldn't be a problem, as you can select different levels to play. This is not the case in LA, where the storyline, although well-written is perhaps too immersive; the only levels you can play for training are ones you've previously beaten, and they give you extremely limited amounts of experience. The video game Luminous Arc (LA) for the Nintendo DS is the best turn-based strategy (TBS) game to date on Nintendo's flagship portable console. Games such as Advance Wars: Dual Strike were never really that interesting. This game, in essence, recreates Final Fantasy: Tactics Advance for the DS. The differences between the two games really lies in the element of storyline. Whereas the storyline in Tactics Advance was virtually nonexistent, LA's storyline is completely immersive; it's the kind of thing you would only expect to find in games such as Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney. Going beyond Phoenix Wright, this games features voice-overs in all of the major cut scenes. And one other thing that differentiates this game from Tactics Advance: it actually poses a challenge. This game is certainly not made for little kids. If the difficulty of the battles isn't enough to convince you of that, the language and suggestive themes certainly will. Yes, it features all the elements of popular unedited Anime, not the junk you find on Toonami, mind you, but the real deal. Finally, the game has Wi-Fi enabled multiplayer battles. Marvelous Entertainment has done an extraordinary job in the design of this game; any tactical role-playing game (RPG) or TBS fan should seriously consider picking up this game.

Pandora Faves

2008-01-16T14:38:00.000-05:00

Here's a playlist of some of the best goth industrial, metal, alternative rock and alternative music out there.