Thursday, May 27, 2004

   How sweet it is...
Didn't I already use that as a post subject? Oh well. I've got tomorrow and Monday off from school, so I'm set.

If you're anything like me (that is to say, interested in politics to a great degree), then I'd suggest PoliticsForums.org. This is one of the best sites I've ever been introduced to. If you're looking for some serious discussion about politics , with no threat of N00BS posting something stupid in the thread and getting it shut down, this site is for you.

Oh, and this is one movie you should never, ever watch; Red Dawn. This movie is the most jingoistic, retarded piece of tripe ever. It was made in 1984, which was in the middle of the Cold War. The basic plot? Russians and Cubans (evil Commie bastards that they are) send paratroopers and tanks in and invade the southern US, taking it over. Of course, Patrick Swayze and a bunch of high school teens go into the woods, and manage to hold off any Soviet soldiers that come their way... >_< Overall this movie just blows. It's full of idiotic propaganda that says it's okay to kill, as long as it's a Communist! Seriously! There's a scene in the movie where Swayze injures this Russian soldier, who is about 19 years old. As the kid is crawling to get into a car to escape, Patty boy catches up, pulls a Colt .45 out of nowhere, and shoots the kid in the head. And does the movie make it seem like a tragic, senseless act of violence? Nope. Instead, it pretty much justifies it. Overall, it's just a dumb movie.

Apparently, however, there was at least one person who not only liked the movie, but believed every propagandic scene/line! Here's a quote from the message boards at the above link (in response to somebody else rating the movie just as I did);

"These comments of yours are idiocy. Red Dawn was the first and only movie to show,in a truely unbiased manner, the fear that "normal" American people had during the 1980s that the CCCP/Communists would invade and take over their country. I find it interesting that a person from Greece could not identify with this feeling unless you were a Marxist at the time or are just completely ignorant of history. I know that in Hungary during this time we had no great love for the Soviets given their terrible repression and murder of anyone including children who opposed them.

This film shows the fight for freedom against communist takeover undertaken by several American youths. In the end, it also shows the disillusionment of both Cuban/Soviet soldiers and American youths/freedom fighters with war as a method for anything.

In a way its king of weird that we don't see Greeks such as yourself out whining about nationalist movies from the 1950s & 1960s in which Greek "patriots" were fighting and killing Soviet inspired guerillas or Nazi German invaders. The comparison is the same - US v Soviet, Greek v Nazi."

The only way I can justify watching this movie is turning it into a drinking game. "Take a drink every time you see or hear propaganda!" Boy, wouldn't that be a quick game?
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Wednesday, May 26, 2004

   Ay, por favor, shut up!
I'm having one of those days where you know, just know, is just a precursor to an even worse day known as tomorrow.

Now, I know that I'm defying every one of my beliefs by doing this (going on and on incessantly about my daily life), but this is one of those situations you just have to vent about.

Basically, my bus is populated by the dumbest, most ape-headed people on the planet. As the natural laws of the universe entail, they have a problem with my brother, who is also just as stubborn. >_<

Two of them are girls, so I can do nothing other than sit back and watch the slaughter. The other two, however, are of the male gender. One of which I am entirely capable of "throwing down with", as he so frequently states. The other one, on the other hand, is a junior about two heads higher than I am, and he's on the football team. Why he's arguing with a seventh grader, I'll never know. But one thing's for sure; if push comes to crotch-shot, it's gonna hurt. Why me!?. *ahem*

Now, to get back into my regular ranting activities... Well, a rumor was running around school for about an hour that the draft was going to be reinstituted next year. However, due to the lack of news coverage on that story, I'll have to just dismiss it as false. If anyone's heard about the possible reinstitution of the draft, however, feel free to contact me with info.

Ah, the universe truly hates me. I'm afraid I'll have to cut this post short.

*snip*
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Tuesday, May 25, 2004

Holy crap, I hate my phone company.
Sorry about the lack of posting (again), because my phone line was inoperational (again) since Friday. For no reason. Thus, the lack of posts.

So, where to begin... Well, maybe I should begin with more tales of my crappy computer. My uncle decided to come over and install a new disc drive, due to the old one's inability to open/read discs. So, after doing so, what else does he take upon himself to do?

My previous keyboard was a relatively new keyboard, with only one problem: the Enter key was detachable. However, the keyboard was entirely functional. So, what does he do? He brings his own keyboard and replaces mine with one that is large, clunky, and probably from the early 90s or late 80s. Yeah, my uncle basically thinks my computer is his. He did manage to get me a mouse with a scrollwheel, but still... It's just not right!
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Tuesday, May 18, 2004

It's Been A While
Since I could say... That I wasn't addicted and... Okay, I'll stop.

Sorry about the lack of posts as of late. The phone line here at home went haywire, and it took a full four days for the phone company to get off their butts and fix it. And the school's filtering system has the entire Otaku domain blocked out (unreasonably), so...

But anyways, I think Bill O'Reilly is still a friggin' idiot. Here's the reason this time around.

Basically, for those of us who prefer not to partake a straight dose of O'Reilly, Bill's going on another "US GOOD, ANYWHERE ELSE BAAAAHD" spiel. But when he gets on Canada, he goes haywire!

"Over the past two decades, Canada has become committed to secularism and government entitlements. Subsidized medical care, decriminalization of marijuana, gay marriage, extensive welfare for newly arrived immigrants and an aggressively liberal Canadian Broadcasting Company have all become part of the culture. The eastern Canadian press is especially anti-American, and delights in hammering their more traditional American neighbors. "

Gasp! Giving more rights to new citizens!? Allowing homosexuals the same rights as everybody else!? Making medical care more accessible!? FOR SHAME! Seriously, though, Bill really rubs me the wrong way. He pimps himself as "Fair and Balanced", but he's obviously right-wing biased. I wouldn't mind if he said he was right-wing, but he lies about it and says he's impartial! >_< KHAAAAAN!

And then he goes on a self-important "I'm gonna change the world!" tangent.

"On my television program, I have advised the Canadian government that if the deserters are not returned post-haste, I will no longer buy Canadian products or visit the country. I believe many Americans will take the same stance." Way to go, Bill. Very humble of you. You're a news reporter, not a valued member of the Canadian government! You're not even Canadian! Why must you try and force another country to conform to your (stupid, moronic, biased, I could go on forever) ways!? Again, bah humbug.

Also, on his FOXNews.com site, Bill supplied us with some more aspects of his... intriguing wordlview.

"The U.S.A. is now fighting a war unlike any other. All of us are in danger. Politicians who believe that terrorists are entitled to constitutional guarantees and Geneva Convention protections are heightening that danger."

Oh, but that's something he always says. However, he soon breaks out the fearmongering.

"Theory and rhetoric are useless when somebody's trying to kill your family. Let's be honest. There are thousands of terrorists, mostly Islamic fascists, who would kill you and your children in a heartbeat."

Remember, everybody. The terrorists are aiming DIRECTLY AT YOUR HOUSE! Don't forget to stock up on that LIFE-SAVING DUCT TAPE!!!

In conclusion, despite all his claims, Bill O'Reilly is far from a humble, non-aligned working man. Here's one last bit of evidence.

"And on a couple of other fronts, your humble correspondent, that's me, will be featured on the CBS program "Judging Amy" tomorrow night."

That's right, Bill. Every American factory worker, lawyer, and teacher has appeared on national television at least once.

Yes, I am a cynical, liberally-minded person.
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Wednesday, May 12, 2004

Ah, the joys of the Reconstructionists. Having subscribed to their monthly "Chalcedon E-Letter", I now receive a scheduled regiment of entertainment. Here's the latest hilarity, which is in no way a joke. This is the actual e-mail they sent me, and these guys are a real group.

"My father, R.J. Rushdoony, had a passion to understand philosophy.

He spent his life mastering the central thinkers in the history of Western thought. However, Dad never started with a particular philosopher when he critiqued Western thinking. Rather, he always began with Adam because he deemed Eden as the birthplace of humanism.

Dad saw original sin as a sin of knowledge. Adam’s eating the forbidden fruit was an attempt "to be like God knowing both good and evil." This was Satan’s foothold -- man’s desire to be as God. The serpent convinced Adam that God was withholding the fruit only to keep Adam from deification. Adam bought the lie, violated the explicit command of God and thus humanism was born.

Therefore, the history of western thought is simply the outworking of the original sin. Man will determine for himself what is good and evil without reference to God.

This is why my father seemed so adept at predicting the outcome of contemporary history. It wasn’t that he knew the future so much as he knew both the past and the roots of man’s sinful pursuit of knowledge. Dad saw humanistic philosophy as man plucking fruit from the same tree and he knew this sin must be opposed by faithful Christians.

A primary part of the mission of Chalcedon is to equip believers to think God’s thoughts after Him. My father spent his life doing this very thing. He knew that our presuppositions shape our thinking in every area of life."

See? Philosophy is evil! As is thinking! How dare you use that sac of protein encased in your skull! We all know that's just an accessory!

I also love the inherent hypocrisy of this guy. At first, this is all about helping to 'save souls' and whatnot. (YOU ARE SOUL WINNER!!!) But then, the exploitation begins. As does the irony.

"SPECIAL OFFER
For the month of May I’ve put together a "Christian Philosophy Pack" -- Four (4) insightful books that will empower you to think like a Christian:

To Be As God: A Study of Modern Thought Since the Marquis De Sade

The Word of Flux: Modern Man and the Problem of Knowledge

The Death of Meaning

The Biblical Philosophy of History

If you order the Christian Philosophy Pack ($80.00) before May 31, 2004, I’ll send you the 8 cassette tape series A History of Modern Philosophy absolutely FREE. That’s a $21.00 value! These lessons feature a critical review by R.J. Rushdoony of such thinkers as Descartes, Berkeley, Kant, Hegel, Marx, Sade, and Genet. This series is a must for every Christian. "

D'oh! >_< THOU SHALT NOT PASS THIS OFFER BY!

Oh, and as for being a "soul-winner", the only time I ever did any of that was when playing Soul Reaver 2 (in case you don't know, you collect your defeated enemy's "souls" for sustenance).

Remember kids: Philosophy is evil. Other religions are evil. Democrats are evil. You are evil. (Disclaimer: I'm not making fun of Christianity. Just the extremists and their views.)
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Tuesday, May 11, 2004

Whoa. This is just stupid.
First off, my computer was essentially hijacked. By whom? My uncle. Here's the story.

My uncle changed the Content Advisor settings, and the password. Which, either on purpose or inadvertently, made visiting any website (and I mean ANY: CNN.com and this blog included) impossible. Fortunately, with some help from my friend Caru, I changed it.

And, in other news, Bill O'Reilly didn't really say anything, but this is still retarded. Yes, of course! It all makes sense now! Since there were women in the Abu Ghraib prison, the torturing of prisoners was obviously due to the decline of discipline caused by women in the military! Make the stupid stop. PLEASE. I'm serious! People are actually buying this crap. Now, Bill actually said nothing about this, as he wasn't present. I still don't like his views, though.

In other news, Bush's approval has hit a new low, according to CNN.com. I'm happy.
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Sunday, May 9, 2004

Into the Depths...
...Of Game Boy Advance. Yesterday, my brother purchased Operation Armored Liberation for $10. If the price isn't enough of a hint, this game is wholly mediocre.

The game plays off of the second Iraq war, with you driving a tank around the same bland, tan-and-blue environments. What's more? To play the game without dying, you have to navigate around landmines with a green "radar" screen populated by little black dots, and small symbols for enemy forces (tanks, helicopters, etc).

Speaking of enemies, in a war, one typicall runs into multiple foes at once. However, in this game, when you fight a tank, you fight one tank. Just one. The enemies are also horrendously pixellated, and are much more maneuverable than you, despite the fact that their equipment is 20 years+ out of date!

There is also no real story to this game, save the occasional "This is your mission, blah-blah-blah" screen. No characters either, except a non-animated picture of an officer in desert camo attire, who is always pointing at the same spot on the same map.

If you're looking for an end-all, high-quality game for the GBA, go pick up Final Fantasy Tactics: Advance or the new Metroid game. However, if all you're looking for is a cheap way to spend 10 bucks, and you just need a way to pass the time on the bus ride to school, go for it. I give Operation Armored Assault a 2/5.

My brother seems to take the faults of this game as a reflection upon the limited quality of the GBA. This is a very erroneous point of view. Games like Tactics Advance, or Advanced Wars 2 show that you can get high-quality handheld gaming from Nintendo. Armored Assault is a game that seems rushed, and it also seems to play off of the fervent patriotism caused by the events of Operation Iraqi Freedom (or whatever it's called these days). It's not as bad as Patriotic Pinball for the PlayStation 1, but it's close as far as mediocrity. At least the game offers a challenge as far as accurately aiming your turret and shooting whatever spritely terrorizle you're trying to dispatch. But that's about it. Like I said, 2/5. No more.
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Success! To a degree...
In a previous post, I outlined a plan to buy Book of Five Rings, Shonen Jump (June 2004 Issue), and The Last Samurai(DVD). And I somewhat succeeded.

Yesterday, a trip to Barnes & Noble yielded a copy of Yamamoto Tsunetomo's Hagakure, which was my backup purchase should Five Rings not be in stock. Also, I procured the latest Shonen Jump. Which, by the way, has a preview of the Bleach manga, which looks awesome and is also coming stateside this summer in handy graphic-novel form.

As for The Last Samurai, I was unable to buy it. I did, however, watch it. Ah, the miracles of the video rental... place.

Tom Cruise stars in The Last Samurai as a disillusioned alcoholic named Nathan Algren who has become tired of living due to a combination of horrific incidents and plain bad luck. Of course, he gets assigned to go over to Japan and help crush a samurai rebellion. I won't ruin any more of the story, but I will say this: The Last Samurai is Tom Cruise at his best. I've seen most of his movies, and this movie shows that he is an extremely capable actor. Plus, he learned Kendo for the movie, which is just awesome. Maybe he'll get to fight Angelina Jolie in the next Tomb Raider!

In short, buy Hagakure, buy Last Samurai, and get a subscription to Shonen Jump.

"Good God, man, look at all the italics!"

"He's mad, I tell you! MAD!!"
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Thursday, May 6, 2004

OMFG WHY!?
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you evidence that, instead of being a stereotypical religious zealot, Jack Chick is actually clinically insane.

Here's why. Basically, it's your typical anti-gay spiel, but with a twist: Jack believes that tolerance is evil, a lie created by Satan. WHAT THE SNAP!?

So, let me get this straight. Tolerating somebody's differing views or idiosyncracies is against God? Well, then by that logic, it'd be a sin to tolerate Chick's obvious insanity.

But, seriously. I always considered Chick to be a typical religious zealot. I never suspected him of being parallel with Fred Phelps.

In related news, Chick has also got two new tracts out. One about homosexuality (which portrays gays as having a small, stupid-looking demon on their shoulder), and one that has a few panels that play off of the Passion of the Christ's success. To check them out, just click the links at Chick's site.
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Tuesday, May 4, 2004

   Mowing the lawn: Household Hassle? Or Form of Enlightenment?
It's sincerely amazing what people do. I, for example, found myself locked in a deep philosophical debate (with myself, nonetheless) while mowing the lawn. What about? Oh, nothing much. I just flip-flopped between topics. But still, it's simply amazing what one will do when one has the time.

In other random news, I'm hoping to purchase Book of Five Rings, the latest Shonen Jump, and The Last Samurai (on DVD). Hoping.
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