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How things have been...
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Jun. 18th, 2008 @ 08:29 am
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One word? Busy. I suddenly was working 35+ hours a week, which has been quite a shift from Speedway.
I've also been playing some video games, namely Lost Odyssey, Ninja Gaiden II and the new Incredible Hulk game. They are all solid plays, with their own unique quirks and failings.
I saw Lions for Lambs the other day, and I was sort of let down. I felt the message of the movie, but it's one I've been saying for years. And I believe Emily's normal-folk response of: "This movie was really preachy" is spot on. Otherwise, it was solid.
Also, I'm still looking into new and different anime. Namely, one called Code Geass, Witchblade and finishing Ergo Proxy. Which is also some time-consuming stuff. As a side note, never bother joining fan communities. There isn't any in-depth discussion beyond who should be boffing who.
I wasn't able to go to any of Age-Long for Kanar this year. This was extremely frustrating. I kind of wanted to destroy the person who quit the week before when I learned this would be the case.
I still miss people, but I've had some block in my head on actually contacting them. Rather weird, but eh... I'm sure there is some reason.Current Mood:  awake Current Music: Johnny Cash- The Legend of John Henry |
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Zombie Apocalypse
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Jun. 4th, 2008 @ 03:46 pm
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Did anyone see McCain's speech on Tuesday night? That was terrible. I won't comment on the content or presentation, as those were so bad even the Fox propaganda-spewers made fun of him.
My problem? His green backdrop. Yes. The background. It made him seem EVEN OLDER. Corpse-like even. He looked like the bloody living dead! Just thought I'd share my thoughts after watching it.
And in case you were not aware, Obama has hit the delegate marker for becoming the nominee. I'm currently making gestures against the evil eye to try and put the spectre of this disgusting primary season to bed.Current Music: Obama's Victory Speech |
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Bo Diddly
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Jun. 3rd, 2008 @ 08:19 am
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I know everyone on my friends list has probably seen this on one RSS feed or another, but I have to take a moment to honor the guy. He was AMAZING.
...
On to other business, who thought I'd be able to gank a wireless signal from the Tim Hortin's across the street from work? It'll make the time that I have to wait in the mornings much more manageable.
Trying to figure out what I'll do after I get out of work today. If anyone is free after 1pm, give me a call. Else I'll probably head to Theio's and putz around.Current Mood:  Awake Current Music: Orbital- Halycon... |
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Just thought I'd give an update...
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Jun. 2nd, 2008 @ 11:59 am
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So, in order of importance of least to most...
I'm now running a D&D 3.5 game in Eberron every other Thursday. It's an interesting experience, and one I'm hoping the players will enjoy. A larger plot for the game has continued to elude me, but that might come from the fact that originally I was only thinking of a summer long game. We'll see at the end of the summer how I feel about that one.
I still have not been able to find a different venue for the Mage LARP. Which is rather irritating. I've been putting more work into that than I've been letting on. I'm hoping it begins to pan out as the players were actually getting close to *gasp* solving things!
Indiana Jones was good, but I'm really hoping they will stop making the movies. I -really- don't want to see Shia LaBouf(sp?) as Indi.
I'm switching my schedules now that I'm officially not at Speedway any longer. Two days in a row I've been up at about 10am. Which is quite a thing for me considering I wasn't usually getting to sleep until 8am. Had a "fun" little bout of insomnia on Friday/Saturday where I got a full hour of sleep.
I haven't gotten comics in a few weeks. It's quite irritating really.
I've realized one of my problems with writing. It comes from RPG's and character backgrounds. In my head, the -character- is the story itself. I don't write scenes as they occur, but rather come up with overall concepts and then flesh out all the "meat" of it from there. Which I think is one of the reason I have such problems with scene writing.
Starting at Hollywood video as a Register Monkey+ tomorrow. While it's not a huge move up from Speedway, it's something. And better yet, something new. I'm really anxious to move into the "real world" as far as jobs go, or at least go BACK. I miss it.
There's your update. Those with my number, call me if you want to hang out/do something. I think I'm rather done with being a hermit. |
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This is a cause of sadness...
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May. 30th, 2008 @ 06:17 am
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Go to http://wantedmovie.com
If you have read the comic series called Wanted, cry. Mainly, because this movie rapes the concept and everything else in the pooper.
This movie should of been called Sidereals: Bureau of Endings.Current Mood: grossly annoyed |
| » Wednesday at work... |
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Soooo, my night sucked unbelievably. I would rant about it, but I don't really know if I should. In the end, it comes down to something -really- sucky happened, and I'm pretty upset by it.
The really bitter pill? I was feeling -really- good about things at the beginning of the night. Cheers for just escaping depression long enough to be slapped right back into it, eh?
May. 15th, 2008 @ 07:06 am
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| » This was the first thing that ever justified the 'Shark-splode' icon... |
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I should of seen it coming really. But I held out hope... and it was shat on.
I should of known it was going to be a steaming bowl of wart-covered wang when I saw Nick Cannon was in it. I'm speaking of the most recent raping of Romero's "Blank of the Dead" series.
1. "Of the Dead" is a slight misnomer in this as apparently this outbreaks of zombies is caused by the flu... the kind of flu that causes small microbey thingies to burrow into your neural tissue and cause you to get cataracts and a taste for human flesh...
2. The military in this movie... ugh... don't get me started. Like the first time that the female protagonist (Mena Suvari) has a conversation with Nick Cannon (who apparently she outranks) and is accused of having relations with some private. She just tells him it didn't happen... no other punishment for such brash disrespect to someone of higher rank.
2b. Mena Suvari's character has no bullets in her sidearm due to some "complicated story". Durr? Oh, and she has a "'tude".
2c. The bumbling male private that accompanies her through Bumfuck, CO also does not have a working weapon because "He's in communications. They don't get issued weapons."
2d. Nick Cannon. Everything about Nick Cannon. From his amazing portrayal of "Disgruntled Urban Youth A" to the fact that HE was the big badass. When your movie features Nick Cannon being the bad ass, and not Ving Rhames (who is in the movie for like 15 minutes), you have issues.
3. The zombies are like goddamned spider monkeys! They leap! They run! They climb! They DEFY FUCKING GRAVITY WITH AMAZING WALL CRAWLING POWERS!
4. Shaky Camera. Alright, I admit that shaky camera style is sometimes really cool. It gives the feeling of having a real perspective in the events. Or... it's fucking irritating because it seems as though I must be having a seizure while watching the events. Or perhaps a crack head going through detox.
I'm done with the movie review. I enjoy bad movies. Then there is the new Day of the Dead. If you think about this the next time you are at the video store, rent "Fido" instead. Or perhaps watch one of the new "Night of the Living Dead" after drinking a pint of paint thinner. The first option will lead to a wonderfully quirky movie experience. The second will lead to what you deserve if you are still thinking about seeing this movie after this.
May. 14th, 2008 @ 02:58 am
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| » Dear '08 Presidential Election, |
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Stick a fork in me, for I am done.
You have betrayed me for the last time.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/04/21/candidates-to-appear-on-monday-night-raw/
This isn't you, it's me. No, I'm lying. It is you. This is disgusting. See where you listed the scripts for the candidates and what they would say? Please, go stick it up your rear end.
Apr. 21st, 2008 @ 07:44 pm
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| » Some reviews... |
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First! The reviews!
Film: Revolver (Starring: Jason Stratham) was directed by Guy Ritchie. You know what? It shows at some points. But this was not a Guy Ritchie film. It actually is a wonderful little psychological trip that remains entertaining and thought provoking the entire way through. Game Theory and confidence games applied to consciousness. 4 out of 5 Chess Pieces is my rating.
Game: F.E.A.R. Files for the Xbox 360. I admit it... I couldn't make it past ten minutes playing this game. It was that bad. The first time I saw a gas pipe ignited and shooting flame I dashed for it hoping this shower of cleansing fire would scour this game from my mind. Unlike the original F.E.A.R. for the 360, this game looked like it was state of the art about thirteen years ago or so. The controls were jittery, you couldn't tell when you were being shot (leading to very abrupt deaths) and did I mention I've made more immersive, complex graphics while pissing off a balcony? And they expect people to pay $60 follars for this? .5 Self-immolations out of 5.
Screw it... I was going to post some other stuff but I'm suddenly tired.
Edit: Oh, read this. Decent article from the NY Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/24/opinion/24krugman.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
Mar. 24th, 2008 @ 05:34 am
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| » An amusement... |
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While I might not hold the same heat for Hillary Clinton that this person does, it does give you some perspective.
Further evidence that -all- politicians are terrible...
http://100reasonsnottovoteforhillary.googlepages.com/index.html
Mar. 14th, 2008 @ 07:10 am
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| » Grrr... Argh. |
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So, I'm still depressed. So much so that I seem to have hit somewhat of a wall with activity. I'm just not motivated to do much. I've done my homework for the week and gone to work, but only begrudgingly.
I've been outside my apartment twice or so for any sort of social contact. One of those was D&D on Sundays. This is very unlike me to be perfectly honest and the hermit routine is actually worrying me. On Friday I will have to go out to go to school and Saturday I have work and LARP. So we'll see how that goes. On the flip side, I've turned into a horrible engine of doom in Call of Duty 4 on Xbox Live. My only problem is the fuckwits who also play the game.
The Serenity tabletop tonight was more fun than I expected. I'm still harassing folks that I'm going to blow the characters out of an airlock so we can play Exalted sooner.
Mar. 14th, 2008 @ 07:02 am
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| » Shiny Red Button |
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I must really learn how to lower my expectations for people. A random conservative man who occasionaly comes into the Speedway and buys things was talking with me today. This isn't unusual really, he likes to come in and babble inanely at me about politics while pretending that we are having a reasonable discourse. Well, today we were talking about the remaining Democratic candidates and his issues with them.
Barrack Obama
1. Apparently, by mentioning MLK Jr. after the Iowa speech, he was playing the race card. This is debatable. Some would say he was acknowledging and honoring the past... as well as taking advantage of a strikingly similar oratory style.
2. No one knows what his platform is. Well, I contended, that might be because people are too fucking stupid and lazy and so they don't take the... 5.2 seconds to look it up.
3. Apparently, he's a terribly stiff and uncharismatic orator.
4. His middle name. No shit. He actually said it. I just stared through him as though I had seen the Virgin Mary spring forth from the coffee maker. I couldn't fucking believe it. Apparently, the thing that burns his bippy about this is the fact that Obama should just admit he's a Muslim. More staring is my reply until I manage to eke out a sentence. The exchange goes as follows.
Me: "He's not Muslim actually, he's a Christian."
OG(Other Guy): "His father is Muslim. That makes him half-Muslim."
Me: *Incredulous stare* Being Muslim isn't an ethnicity. Muslim is the word for a person who believes in and practices the religion of Islam.
OG: Well, after 9/11, with all those people who died, I think it sends a dangerous message to those people.
Me: Are you kidding me?
OG: You don't think there's a problem with having a man with that name?
Me: Unless we're talking about Saddam, no I don't. I mean, if you animated the corpse of the former Iraqi "president", I sure wouldn't vote for him.
I had to end that conversation with the same amount of nonsense which started it. And the last reason he doesn't support Obama is!
5. The way he did a handshake with Ted Kennedy at the Senator's endorsement celebration thingy. It was "unpresidential". DURRRRRRRRRRR!
Oh, and the other fun things of the night? A damn near empty store the whole night and only by the grace of a manager who didn't even have to work today did I get to leave on time. My store manager, while very nice, is a complete and total stereotype of a blonde.
Mar. 6th, 2008 @ 06:52 am
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| » I am sad... |
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Brett Farve announced his retirement yesterday. Cheeseheads all over (oddly, including me) lower our heads in respect of a great. I wish you well in the rest of life, Brett.
I am also sick. Not physically. I'm sick of this damned Democratic primary. I simply want it to be over. This is the real threat of the drawn out primary that Hillary will push. Pushing those who will probably end up voting for the Democrats in November into jaded sickness of the party in general. Well, more than they already are after being fucked in the ass by the latest Congress and it's complete lack of cajones and their unwillingness (yes, unwillingness) to follow through with their campaign commitments.
Oh, and don't forget that this extended primary allows the newly crowned Republican candidate longer to use this divided state to make gains for the general election.
Also, why is McCain winning the nomination even headline worthy? This thing was done as soon as Romney stepped out. While the Huck and Chuck connection (my own pet name for Huckabee and Chuck Norris.. HUCKABEE/NORRIS... The perfect Republican ticket) was amusing, it was simply... never going to happen.
McCain won the nomination! OMGWTFBBQ??!!?!?!111!
Durrrrrrrr. DURRRrrRRrRRR. What brain-dead head in the sand douchebag thought this was news?
Mar. 5th, 2008 @ 06:37 am
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| » Back even though no one demanded them! |
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Reviews!
First, we will start with video games I've played recently...
Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga (Xbox 360) - You know, who knew a game made for ten year olds could be SO DARNED FUN. The only problem is that sometimes it gets a little repetitive in the action. However, the comical twists it puts in the story in places make up for it. At least rent it if you are a Star Wars fan.
Turok (Xbox 360) - I've never liked Turok games. This game borders on being a generic FPS, but the AI for it is actually pretty good especially for the dinosaurs. Sure, you're the most hardcore, extreme Native American EVER. But the back story flashbacks you get are actually interesting to watch. Just try to ignore how XTREME Turok is as a character.
Call of Duty 3 (Xbox 360)- It's an extremely good WW-II FPS. But, in the end, it's a WW-II FPS. The NPC characters are amusing, so the story portions aren't retarded.
Blacksite: Area 51 (Xbox 350)- This isn't Area 51 from the Xbox. This is a lackluster FPS. Skip it.
Heavenly Sword (PS3) - For the short time I had a PS3 I got to play this game. It is extreme as well, but thoroughly enjoyably.
Now? Comics!
X-Force (Marvel) - GREAT art. Very nice writing. A definite thing you should read if you've been tired of the X-books or Marvel in general.
The Boys (Dynamite) - Still frackin' great.
Darkness (Top Cow) - Just got issue #2 for the new volume. Very nice art, interesting story. Quite a bit better than the last volume. Check it out.
Ultimate Human- Ultimate Hulk and Iron Man square off? The introduction of the Ultimate Leader? Sweet. Now, can they actually finish an Ultimate Hulk Vs. book is the real question.
There you go kids. Enjoy.
Feb. 13th, 2008 @ 05:54 pm
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| » Ramblings around bedtime. |
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(Prologue- I am so stupid tired that this may or may not become less focused/more like an actual sleep deprived ramble as it progresses. I apologize, but I needed to say it while I would remember)
As my first note, I would simply like to squee for my new furniture. It has made me overjoyed and all I could think about at work was how much I wanted to go home and melt on it.
SQUEEEEEEEEEEE! ... Okay. I'm done with the squeeing. Just had to get it out of my system.
I feel... tired. That might be lack of sleep. It may simply have been a very full day. I'm not quite sure. As a note, getting angry that one's knee is still injured and having that add to one's frustration level constantly (as if it will fix it) is not good for one's state of mind.
I've been feeling... divided lately. I know I need to hunker down and take care of all the things that need taking care of, and I've been doing it. School, work, teaching myself Chinese, muscling my way through all silly opposition to me getting damn near an entirely new living room? Done.
But I've been discontent, since as we all know, I can't stand such a mundane existence. Someone invited me to New York from Thursday to Sunday. I found out that I had to work two of the four days and that I wouldn't find anyone to cover it. My reaction that I didn't mention to anyone? I wanted to quit my job. I debated it for a good hour before my "better judgement" kicked in.
I just get the overwhelming feeling that THIS IS NOT WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO BE DOING. Mind you, part of this may be because since a conversation with Jimmy last week I've decided to try and stop being in everyone's business. To shut my eyes to all the stupid things that we all do and try not to care. It's so fucking hard. But no one wants to listen, and they think that because I try to give them advice and I do it in a blunt manner that I do not acknowledge my own flaws. So, here is a short list of flaws (by no means a complete one) just to clarify...
I am: lazy, opportunistic (depending on what it is about), unreliable, picky, intellectually snobbish, judgemental, overweight (not so much a flaw, but it comes from a flaw), moody... you get the picture.
However, I also have a couple good qualities. I -really- am not trying to "toot my own horn" here. But this is to give you a perspective on the "advice" thing.
I. Care. Too. Much. About. You. If you are reading this, I do. I would probably give you the shirt off my back (as long as I had another somewhere -grin-). I will -never- let you go without a place to stay. I will never let you go hungry. But this has a flipside as well, it hurts me when I see you doing things I know will hurt you. I don't want to be a condescending prick and say it's some sort of parenting thing. But I do want to try and help you not be hurt. So if I tell you something, it's not because I think I am better than you. I'm not. I have just as many flaws if not more. I'm well aquainted with them. I could go around trying to lecture myself, but I would then be a bus-crazy. No one wants that.
I am very good at seeing how people work, what they will do, why they will do it and how it will end up. I may not understand it, because outside perspectives are good like that. But I've tried as many ways as I can think of to try and get you to see these things. I've failed in doing so. Now I just go for the path of least time invested. I know you won't listen, or won't agree ect. So I'm not going to bother sugar coating it.
--- End of Topic ---
In addition, I will again try to be untangling the mired mass of masks (say that 450 times fast) that I've created. Just as a note for those parties who care or know what I'm talking about. I'm sort of done with feeling like no one.
Finally, the primary cycles have officially moved past the amusing stages (big, dumb Republican field) and have shot at LUDICROUS SPEED into the big bag of stupid.
At least the man who I could of pictured as a real life cross between Count Dooku and C-3P0 is gone. Yes, I'm speaking of Mitt "Can you feel the Mittmentum?" Romney! All the campy "menacing/devious" aura of that cheesy Prequel Star Wars villain with all the charisma and flexibility of the world's flamiest droid!
Feb. 9th, 2008 @ 06:55 am
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| » Why is it okay? |
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We live in a day and age in which a stunning dichotomy in our society. Well, to be frank, there are many dichotomies. But I wanted to talk about one today. Name that of wealth, fiscal well-being and all of that.
Ever since the 1970's, our society has lived with an increased awareness of the economy and it's factors such as inflation, global markets and the effects of a shrinking manufacturing base. If any state knows the price of the switch to a service-based economy, it's Michigan. We've seen thousands upon thousands of jobs be relocated to other places or simply cut.
This state continues to have jobs relocated with very little new industry or types of business' springing up to replace them. The jobs are put in places where the companies who supply them are able to increase their own profits. But that's the American way, right? We hear about top-down economic models, we hear about how these stockholders and CEO's will reinvest this money into creating more jobs to foster economic growth. It's the line we've been getting for about a quarter of a century. But... when will it begin? If this vaunted system is so great... why is it that the disparity between the rich and poor only grows? That unemployment grows?
Perhaps, this is only a maybe, we've been lied to. Have we ever thought of the people who propagated this truth? The survey says; people who would benefit from this! Since the Reagan Conservative Coalition was formed in the 80's, this line has been used over and over to justify the tactics and moves of big business in how to justify the actions of corporate America. But where are the results? Well, besides the ones I've already mentioned. Could it be? That greed caused some people to lie to the populace at large so that they could further increase their wealth? Surely, it cannot be so!
I know, I'm only saying things that everyone already knows so far, but hear me out. When you hear people talk about things like Communism you get the classic argument of "It looks great on paper, but people fuck it up". You know, after looking at this whole capitalism/free market thing, isn't it just the same thing? Human greed causes the system to fail? Sure, if the free market was ruled simply by economic principles things would reach natural equilibrium points and we would probably be fine. However, the system we've had for many years is anything but a free market. No, I'm not talking about government regulation. I'm talking about the willing fraudulent and unethical practices of businesses. Not every single one of course, but there are a few highly unethical industries such as credit card companies and insurance companies.
Before I am called down as an evil Commie, just take a moment to think about it. In our economy that has been regulated and deregulated for profit, in which direction does the money continue to flow? Up. Always up. According to "Reaganomics", shouldn't this money then be flowing down in the form of investment? Sure, and in Communism the public owned everything, right? No, in both systems the shysters and crooks at the top keep the good stuff (in one case goods, in the other money that buys the good stuff).
Yes, I know. We always hear politicians talk about fiscal responsibility or balancing the budget or any number of such things. But do they ever actually manage it? No. The only reason we notice under Bush is because Bush & Co. don't really bother to hide it. Social Security "needs" to be privatized because it would give immense profits to the investment funds that took it over. Oh, and that little fact that every administration uses the Social Security trust fund for other spending. Of course it will run out of money, the government keeps spending it all!
So, not only is the government it's participants which win from all of this but the financial institutions that we frequent (and use to play with the factors of our economy) have gotten in on the action. Between the Housing Bubble (which was COMPLETELY our fault, BTW) to the credit companies we allow these bastards to fill our lives with debt. YOU OWE SOMEONE SOMETHING. Whoever is reading this, you owe SOMEONE SOMETHING right now, right? Probably. If you owe enough, you might even spend your whole life paying the interest or the fees. Sounds super sweet, eh?
Of course, much of that can be avoided by being fiscally responsible ourselves. Just hope you don't need to go to the doctor or anything...
I'm going to truncate this for I am feeling the need to go to bed, but in the end, it all comes down to why are we okay with all of this? Why do we allow it at all? There must be some other way of doing business that goes beyond the question of "Who owns what", and I sure do hope it is a better way that we will yet find.
Feb. 5th, 2008 @ 05:30 am
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| » This new userpic deserved a post... |
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Compliments of Hijinks Ensue, the webcomic.
Jan. 25th, 2008 @ 04:09 pm
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| » (No Subject) |
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So, I think I'm going to try to heavily cut down on/eliminate cola from my consumption patterns. However, I do enjoy my caffeine. Any ideas on something that is relatively inexpensive, has caffeine and isn't coffee?
Jan. 25th, 2008 @ 03:51 pm
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| » And after that? GET YOUR WAR ON! |
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http://www.mnftiu.cc/mnftiu.cc/war71.html#1-11-08
It's still funny. My favorite is the one posted on 12-17-07.
Jan. 12th, 2008 @ 07:31 am
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| » WTF? Am I blind? |
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How did I not notice this stuff before? I've been going through the election's online news and blogosphere and have been completely AMAZED at the venom amongst the various candidates supporters. In both parties! Like... holy shit!
What has been the most shocking is to see the reaction to the various comments coming from the Conserva-crat's corner that all... well, if they aren't pointing towards the race issue, it's the gorilla in the room that they are NOT looking at. "See! See where we aren't looking? Hmm... why are there all these banana peels and gorilla hairs all over? Why isn't anyone walking through the middle of the room?" And the sheer VITRIOL which has spewed forth!
You only realize how big of an issue this is when people start talking about it. I've been looking at the Conserva-crat and Co's comments as sheer ignorance until the "hip black friend" shit. Mind you, only if this anonymous "adviser" isn't the guy who told her what sort of flowers to have. It's still -really- damaging to her in my eyes and I can't believe she has done a very quick response to it.
I simply don't understand what place race has in this race... and say that three times fast. Yes, he is black. And? His middle name is Hussein.... ummm... okay? He has had exposure to muslim culture! Uhh... isn't that a good thing? Is he a human being? Check? Okay... good. Is he an idiot? Nope, he doesn't seem to be. Has he experience in the world of politics? Yup? Okay. Good. Oh, wait! Does he -appear- to be a good person? As far as I can tell. I'm happy. The color of his skin should mean less than the price of fish.
The worst thing about this whole race? All I feel is a profound sadness about the whole thing. I get glimmers of hope from Barrack Obama. I look at every single other candidate and I feel scorn, disgust and simple, visceral disgust. But when you finally mix it all up and look at the larger picture, it's just sadness.
The only one I think we have any real chance of getting something different is Obama. I've looked at his positions on issues. Even as the inner cynic sneers and points out how the rest of them promise you the world. But I don't want the world. I want a leader who won't sell our well-being and integrity for another million in the bank of himself or his close associates.
I'm aware that the desire for a leader who respects us, and understands where their power comes from, is completely naive. It's still what I want and what I hope for.
Jan. 12th, 2008 @ 07:11 am
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