A comment on an online article about a science teacher in Florida trying to teach evolution to Christians in the New York Times questions why science education is important. A scientist claimed that science education is not required to be a rational citizen, as they could become tradesmen. I feel strongly compelled to correct him, and so I shall.
We need citizens who are minimally knowledgable in biological science because in a democracy, the people elect officials to make the laws for them, laws that many times regulate scientific practices (such as medicine and pharmaceutical practices), and we run into a very significant problem if the undereducated elect people who, like them, do not understand science. George Dubya Bush is a perfect example of what will happen and continue to happen
If children are not exposed to the scientific method early in life, how are they going to know that it exists? We will not have any researchers, which means: no cancer cures, vaccines, penicillin, Viagra, open heart surgery, or breast enlargement.
All we would be lft with are bloodthirsty, greedy priests, doomsayers, and Christian Scientists. Let's keep science mandatory in public schools .
Monday, August 25, 2008
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
RIP Solzhenitsyn
Solzhenitsyn died last Monday. He was old, but I'm still sad about it.
The Soviet critics and censors witheld the recognition that he and Pasternak deserved within their country: They (though Pasternak wrote only one novel among his many poems), are, I would go so far as to say, the direct inheritors of the Russian literary tradition passed down through Dostoevsky and Tolstoy.
Solzhenitsyn proved much through living and surviving the oppressive Soviet Regime throughout almost the entirety of its existence. However, I feel that his time was soon up: He did what he had to do, and outlasted a government that hated him. But he did not get to enjoy his newfound freedom for long.
RIP Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
Cancer Ward
Gulag Archipelago
The Red Wheel:
-August 1914
-November 1916
- [Has yet to be translated]
The Soviet critics and censors witheld the recognition that he and Pasternak deserved within their country: They (though Pasternak wrote only one novel among his many poems), are, I would go so far as to say, the direct inheritors of the Russian literary tradition passed down through Dostoevsky and Tolstoy.
Solzhenitsyn proved much through living and surviving the oppressive Soviet Regime throughout almost the entirety of its existence. However, I feel that his time was soon up: He did what he had to do, and outlasted a government that hated him. But he did not get to enjoy his newfound freedom for long.
RIP Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
Cancer Ward
Gulag Archipelago
The Red Wheel:
-August 1914
-November 1916
- [Has yet to be translated]
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
John McCain WILL Destroy America
This is no mindless, leftist rant. I mean every word. During campaign stops, McCain has told his audience, "My 'friends,' I will ask you to serve [your country]...There will be other wars." We've already overstayed our welcome (we were not welcome in the first place) in two countries.
As a "military man," and someone who claims he "know[s] how to win wars," he should know that fighting multiple wars simultaneously (or, for McCainists, "at the same time") is always ruinous.
A man who's only claim to fame is staying in a Vietnamese prison and breathing napalm every morning does not understand that force, especially in political affairs, should never be in any leader's (especially a leader of the so-called "free world") top 20 courses of action. But for McCain, who never learned that there are alternative methods of getting what you want, and will sacrifice every single resource and every single human being to fulfill his vainglorious plan.
That's right. You think Dubya is the worst possible president? Bush saved us from himself with his incompetence. John McCain won't make that mistake, though he's still playing with the same cards.
The old McCain we loved is dead. In his place, the current Republican candidate is a neo-con through and through.
As a "military man," and someone who claims he "know[s] how to win wars," he should know that fighting multiple wars simultaneously (or, for McCainists, "at the same time") is always ruinous.
A man who's only claim to fame is staying in a Vietnamese prison and breathing napalm every morning does not understand that force, especially in political affairs, should never be in any leader's (especially a leader of the so-called "free world") top 20 courses of action. But for McCain, who never learned that there are alternative methods of getting what you want, and will sacrifice every single resource and every single human being to fulfill his vainglorious plan.
That's right. You think Dubya is the worst possible president? Bush saved us from himself with his incompetence. John McCain won't make that mistake, though he's still playing with the same cards.
The old McCain we loved is dead. In his place, the current Republican candidate is a neo-con through and through.
Friday, June 6, 2008
McCain Who!?
I'm so happy! (Until, of course, I go to the gas station...) Barack Obama won the Democratic nomination: Finally! A president who inspires Americans to do what they have never done before: Think. Hillary might have finally realized that her actions are hurting the best weapon we have against the corrupt Republican incumbents, and might concede to stop whining about "popular votes" and "going to the DN convention." Barack Obama may be young and have only four years' experience, but his sizable intelligence and accurate historical references (what other politician can get history right these days?) have won him my vote.
In their feeble, half-hearted and desperate attempt to save their collapsing party structure, which, since the Bush Fallout, has crumbled into disorganized factions (Militarism, Big Business, Neo-Conservatism, and Christian Conservatism) which are no longer cooperating with one another, the Reds have chosen John McCain, who is as feeble-minded as he is feeble-bodied, and he is certainly NOT the McCain we knew in 2000, who called out Jerry Falwell for what he was. No, the groupthink virus that spawned in the White House became a pandemic, and though McCain was one of the last to be pulled into it, he still was and still is.
John McCain is not a viable candidate. Bush has done the Democrats a huge service by exposing exactly what the ideals of the Republican Party as it stands now, and now none of the factions have a prayer to their false god to go on.
In his nomination speech, Barack Obama called every significant shot John McCain could make, and John McCain, could not defend himself. Only bigots and people with their heads in the sand could reasonably vote for McCain
But don't do anything cocky. It's basically in the bag as long as Billary doesn't say anything too loud or crass. And if McCain picks Hickabee, then Billary can say whatever it wants, because at that point, the Dems couldnt lose even if Jeremiah Wright publishes a book!
The Republicans have no real strategy. Before their nomination, they HATED John McCain, and when he was (OMIGOD!) nominated ("WTF!?" as surprising to them as ending up in Hell was to Lucifer in Paradise Lost), they jumped behind him in lockstep. He is their only hope now, and they know he isn't going to do it. Unlike the Democratic Party, they aren't given much to thinking and/or planning, and they simply scribbled on a piece of paper their various, impotent talking points (including 9/11), and handed it to John McCain.
Well, we know what those talking points are, and we know how to easily outsmart them. Bad News Bears for the Iraq issue: Congress just woke up! Now that Congress is awake to a fact we've known for years, how are you going to get yourself out of it? Do you know who the Sunnis, Shiites, and al-Queda are?
In their feeble, half-hearted and desperate attempt to save their collapsing party structure, which, since the Bush Fallout, has crumbled into disorganized factions (Militarism, Big Business, Neo-Conservatism, and Christian Conservatism) which are no longer cooperating with one another, the Reds have chosen John McCain, who is as feeble-minded as he is feeble-bodied, and he is certainly NOT the McCain we knew in 2000, who called out Jerry Falwell for what he was. No, the groupthink virus that spawned in the White House became a pandemic, and though McCain was one of the last to be pulled into it, he still was and still is.
John McCain is not a viable candidate. Bush has done the Democrats a huge service by exposing exactly what the ideals of the Republican Party as it stands now, and now none of the factions have a prayer to their false god to go on.
In his nomination speech, Barack Obama called every significant shot John McCain could make, and John McCain, could not defend himself. Only bigots and people with their heads in the sand could reasonably vote for McCain
But don't do anything cocky. It's basically in the bag as long as Billary doesn't say anything too loud or crass. And if McCain picks Hickabee, then Billary can say whatever it wants, because at that point, the Dems couldnt lose even if Jeremiah Wright publishes a book!
The Republicans have no real strategy. Before their nomination, they HATED John McCain, and when he was (OMIGOD!) nominated ("WTF!?" as surprising to them as ending up in Hell was to Lucifer in Paradise Lost), they jumped behind him in lockstep. He is their only hope now, and they know he isn't going to do it. Unlike the Democratic Party, they aren't given much to thinking and/or planning, and they simply scribbled on a piece of paper their various, impotent talking points (including 9/11), and handed it to John McCain.
Well, we know what those talking points are, and we know how to easily outsmart them. Bad News Bears for the Iraq issue: Congress just woke up! Now that Congress is awake to a fact we've known for years, how are you going to get yourself out of it? Do you know who the Sunnis, Shiites, and al-Queda are?
Thursday, May 15, 2008
For All the Nothing He's Doing
He's certainly doing something: This week, Curious George Pubic-Hair committed one of the most vile and indecent acts of his presidency: Our neo-con monkey, the man the worst of us elected to represent the best of us, visited Israel and invoked the most heinous act of human history in a smear campaign against an opponent, specifically Barack Obama. Not only is such an invocation as politically inappropriate and irresponsibe--I expect it from a college Ronpaulian conspiracy theorist, not a [EXPLETIVE] PRESIDENT!--as is possible to be inappropriate and irresponsible, but downright fearmongering on a scale never seen by any public figure: This exceeds the value-voting, gay-baiting Christians; even Jim Jones' apocalyptic wet-dreamers! Curiously Irresponsible George went to the a JEWISH COMMUNITY and tried to scare them WITH THE HOLOCAUST. Do I have to say any more than that? Is there any single thing more insulting, more irresponsible, more reprehensible, than making a partisan talking-point of the Holocaust??? The Republicans did also turn 9/11 into a talking-point, which I thought was bad enough, but now it isn't! What a shameless group of people! "To think people like [you/them]
have once ruled a country" (The Lives of Others 2006)
For invoking the Holocaust in the Israeli parliament, the Jews should have his head! In no way would I imply that they would fall for it (they will look just as stupid as the gay-baited Christians), and they certainly have a right to feel deeply, deeply offended by him trying.
What is even more appalling, is what the result might be if Israel and the Jewish community at large does fall for it: The radicalization of the Jews their its neighbors, leading to the last vestage of an (as far as i can tell) secularized religion crumbling in the fists of hate, leading to an immoral act of aggression and.....giving the evangelicals exactly what they want...
have once ruled a country" (The Lives of Others 2006)
For invoking the Holocaust in the Israeli parliament, the Jews should have his head! In no way would I imply that they would fall for it (they will look just as stupid as the gay-baited Christians), and they certainly have a right to feel deeply, deeply offended by him trying.
What is even more appalling, is what the result might be if Israel and the Jewish community at large does fall for it: The radicalization of the Jews their its neighbors, leading to the last vestage of an (as far as i can tell) secularized religion crumbling in the fists of hate, leading to an immoral act of aggression and.....giving the evangelicals exactly what they want...
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
The Existential Imperative: Going to College
http://chronicle.com/temp/email2.php?id=wWwv6kBkcTbYktwbjrJkskjtdhknjqvf
As we encourage many millions of our undereducated offspring, who were never weaned from Huxley's Glass Teat, to attend college, and pour billions of dollars into a "qualification," and despite poor performance in their public institutions, most of our little mediocre progeny, of which we -who are also mediocre- are so proud, with little foresight of how they'll survive, are again forced into the same situation they have just come from and do not make it. Many flush their life savings and financial lifeboats down the drain, and eventually end up in jobs they could have easily done without a Bachelor's degree.
Most college-bound humans, those who are properly ejected from our, according to many reviews, defunct, high school systems, have NO idea who they are or what they want to do with the rest of their tiny, pitiful, wasted, fleeting lives. Few of them I have come across can actually maintain a love relationship, let alone a meaningful JOB.
According to many sources, such as TIME Magazine, the 2009 class is going to be the biggest college-bound class on record, and I would just like to know how many will graduate.
The problem with the college system - especially undergraduate- in my institution, is the general courses incoming freshmen are required to take. Called GEs [general ed], many of these courses are redundant or irrelevant, especially Racism & Sexism in the US (while I did do well in the class, my grade came from previous understanding of society and not necessarily from class material), and some social science courses (one is necessary, instead of two). History courses cover things that are inconsequential to current events: Often the course ends before, at, or soon after WW1, leaving many important developments unexplored. I am not at all arguing that history before WW1 is inconsequential (no it certainly is not!), but if the goal is to turn babes still sucking on the Glass Teat into intelligent human beings who can continue the American tradition, a course devoted to US history, and a course devoted to modern history is required. Science classes are rigorous, but too much attention to facts is paid, so that minimal attention is given to methodology and creative experimentation, leaving students, without any notion of what science is, open to pseudoscience and dishonest PR campaigns from the far-right. Of all GE requirements, the most worthless is Music Appreciation. Most college students are not interested in classical music, and those that are (such as myself) do not wish to take tests on the composers and periods. My rationale for not liking the class is that I listen to contemporary classical music on my own time, and in place of listening to it in class, we should be learning about why the Middle East is having so many problems. Enjoyment or knowledge of classical music is completely inconsequential to one's quality of life, unless a question involving Chopin ends up on Double Jeopardy. But something so trivial should have no place influencing one's academic standing.
As degree inflation takes hold, the struggle for the top saps more and more money, and colleges only make completion more difficult by adding course and credit requirements.
The solution? Many high-end institutions advocate taking a year off, which truly gives potential college students the time to "find themselves" and watch TV. This cuts down on, for those who decide to continue their education, time dawdling and dabbling in a variety of majors, and reducing the time it takes to finish successufully. Also the process might eliminate the competition many underachievers with pushy parents present.
As we encourage many millions of our undereducated offspring, who were never weaned from Huxley's Glass Teat, to attend college, and pour billions of dollars into a "qualification," and despite poor performance in their public institutions, most of our little mediocre progeny, of which we -who are also mediocre- are so proud, with little foresight of how they'll survive, are again forced into the same situation they have just come from and do not make it. Many flush their life savings and financial lifeboats down the drain, and eventually end up in jobs they could have easily done without a Bachelor's degree.
Most college-bound humans, those who are properly ejected from our, according to many reviews, defunct, high school systems, have NO idea who they are or what they want to do with the rest of their tiny, pitiful, wasted, fleeting lives. Few of them I have come across can actually maintain a love relationship, let alone a meaningful JOB.
According to many sources, such as TIME Magazine, the 2009 class is going to be the biggest college-bound class on record, and I would just like to know how many will graduate.
The problem with the college system - especially undergraduate- in my institution, is the general courses incoming freshmen are required to take. Called GEs [general ed], many of these courses are redundant or irrelevant, especially Racism & Sexism in the US (while I did do well in the class, my grade came from previous understanding of society and not necessarily from class material), and some social science courses (one is necessary, instead of two). History courses cover things that are inconsequential to current events: Often the course ends before, at, or soon after WW1, leaving many important developments unexplored. I am not at all arguing that history before WW1 is inconsequential (no it certainly is not!), but if the goal is to turn babes still sucking on the Glass Teat into intelligent human beings who can continue the American tradition, a course devoted to US history, and a course devoted to modern history is required. Science classes are rigorous, but too much attention to facts is paid, so that minimal attention is given to methodology and creative experimentation, leaving students, without any notion of what science is, open to pseudoscience and dishonest PR campaigns from the far-right. Of all GE requirements, the most worthless is Music Appreciation. Most college students are not interested in classical music, and those that are (such as myself) do not wish to take tests on the composers and periods. My rationale for not liking the class is that I listen to contemporary classical music on my own time, and in place of listening to it in class, we should be learning about why the Middle East is having so many problems. Enjoyment or knowledge of classical music is completely inconsequential to one's quality of life, unless a question involving Chopin ends up on Double Jeopardy. But something so trivial should have no place influencing one's academic standing.
As degree inflation takes hold, the struggle for the top saps more and more money, and colleges only make completion more difficult by adding course and credit requirements.
The solution? Many high-end institutions advocate taking a year off, which truly gives potential college students the time to "find themselves" and watch TV. This cuts down on, for those who decide to continue their education, time dawdling and dabbling in a variety of majors, and reducing the time it takes to finish successufully. Also the process might eliminate the competition many underachievers with pushy parents present.
Friday, April 11, 2008
More Bad Decisions
Curious George and his minions strike again, this time for the WORST decision I have listed in my recent previous posts. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24065416/
The notorious Plum Island biochemical experimental facility on the east coast, which is currently dealing with diseases that only affect animals, is going to be moved. Where are they moving it to? NEAR FARMLAND.
Some think Bush is destroying the government to prove a point, that you can't depend on the gov't, but this decision goes far beyond that: Not only can you not depend onn the gov't, but you can't even depend on the gov't to leave you alone.
Such a move in itself, depending on the voting patterns of agricultural union members, could be an act of bioterrorism. We can expect Congress to do nothing, and our megalomaniac yet idiotic executive to get whatever he wants.
The only voice I hear crying "Death to America!" is yours, Mr Bush. It is you, and the undereducated fundamentalist rabble-rousers who elected you who cause me to so despise this nation, on top of our imperialistic history. Most of us have learned and want to do the right thing, but your stubborn stupidity stands in our way. We know why you went into Iraq, we know why you hate science, we know everything. We know that you, and the people who elected you, such as Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, and James Dobson, and all of the Republican sycophants at Fox News, hate America [700 Club September 13th, 2001] and can (and did) do more damage to it than Osama bin Laden could dream of. Get out of the White House. Now.
The notorious Plum Island biochemical experimental facility on the east coast, which is currently dealing with diseases that only affect animals, is going to be moved. Where are they moving it to? NEAR FARMLAND.
Some think Bush is destroying the government to prove a point, that you can't depend on the gov't, but this decision goes far beyond that: Not only can you not depend onn the gov't, but you can't even depend on the gov't to leave you alone.
Such a move in itself, depending on the voting patterns of agricultural union members, could be an act of bioterrorism. We can expect Congress to do nothing, and our megalomaniac yet idiotic executive to get whatever he wants.
The only voice I hear crying "Death to America!" is yours, Mr Bush. It is you, and the undereducated fundamentalist rabble-rousers who elected you who cause me to so despise this nation, on top of our imperialistic history. Most of us have learned and want to do the right thing, but your stubborn stupidity stands in our way. We know why you went into Iraq, we know why you hate science, we know everything. We know that you, and the people who elected you, such as Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, and James Dobson, and all of the Republican sycophants at Fox News, hate America [700 Club September 13th, 2001] and can (and did) do more damage to it than Osama bin Laden could dream of. Get out of the White House. Now.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Survivalism
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/06/fashion/06survival.html?ei=5124&en=a6b25249a30293e3&ex=1365134400&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink&pagewanted=all
I've been thinking the same thing for a while. I may be that kind of person who can imagine any and every kind of dystopian future, but what happens when it all truly comes right to our doorstep?
With socially-irresponsible corporations dominating government policy, we've been setting ourselves up for a very unpleasant future, and the bell may soon toll.
My mother and I sort of share the same kind of survivalist mindset, except hers is influenced by Discovery shows about natural disasters, whereas I'm influenced by the very real and very close possibility of a cataclysm of a series of political disasters of such magnitude and swiftness as to completely change our lives for the worst for a prolonged period of time. I'm talking about the combined forces of:
Islamic extremism
a. Middle East
b. Radicalization of Muslim populations in Europe
Bush's wars and the destruction of the American Constitution
Energy crisis
Expanding Economic crisis
Environmental crises:
a. Globalization of manual labor and deficient use of the land in farming
b. Climate Change
c. Peak Oil.
Christian Nationalism and End-Times Theology (John Hagee & John McCain: Proposal to Attack Iran to Initiate Second Coming)
The combined consequences of these "bad decisions" will be so large as to potentially cause our civilization to completely collapse. We have not been responsible and the time might soon come to pay.
But there are those of us who are not even indirectly responsible for these things, who know how badly we have been behaving. For us, BE PREPARED: Food, water, emergency supplies, etc. How can we live without society? What do we need in order to be independent of something that no longer exists?
Just know that we cannot depend on our government, as it cannot make responsible decisions.
It has become as such that we need to think for ourselves.
I've been thinking the same thing for a while. I may be that kind of person who can imagine any and every kind of dystopian future, but what happens when it all truly comes right to our doorstep?
With socially-irresponsible corporations dominating government policy, we've been setting ourselves up for a very unpleasant future, and the bell may soon toll.
My mother and I sort of share the same kind of survivalist mindset, except hers is influenced by Discovery shows about natural disasters, whereas I'm influenced by the very real and very close possibility of a cataclysm of a series of political disasters of such magnitude and swiftness as to completely change our lives for the worst for a prolonged period of time. I'm talking about the combined forces of:
Islamic extremism
a. Middle East
b. Radicalization of Muslim populations in Europe
Bush's wars and the destruction of the American Constitution
Energy crisis
Expanding Economic crisis
Environmental crises:
a. Globalization of manual labor and deficient use of the land in farming
b. Climate Change
c. Peak Oil.
Christian Nationalism and End-Times Theology (John Hagee & John McCain: Proposal to Attack Iran to Initiate Second Coming)
The combined consequences of these "bad decisions" will be so large as to potentially cause our civilization to completely collapse. We have not been responsible and the time might soon come to pay.
But there are those of us who are not even indirectly responsible for these things, who know how badly we have been behaving. For us, BE PREPARED: Food, water, emergency supplies, etc. How can we live without society? What do we need in order to be independent of something that no longer exists?
Just know that we cannot depend on our government, as it cannot make responsible decisions.
It has become as such that we need to think for ourselves.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Bad Decisions
In the United States for the past few decades, personal and parental responsibility has taken a back seat to paranoid policies, such as this one:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23928454/ Little Kids Labelled Sexual Harrassers.
WTF? Somewhere in school policy there has been serious confusion in what we do with our kids in the dystopia in which we live. Yes, we have sex on everywhere, and kids get confused (obviously) and maybe mimic behavior on a minor scale, but the solution is not a zero-tolerance policy for 6th graders involving police reports and permanent school records. Somewhere administrators have lost focus and completely missed the point: These 6 year olds have no idea what any of it means.
The solution? Bring both the offended and the offender into the office, and call the parents and tell them to talk to their kids about sex, if the school district doesnt have the brains or the vertebrae to do it themselves. "Oh theyre too young" No they aren't, especially if theyre mimicking adult sexual behavior. Also, a simple "because [we] said so" will not suffice. Kids are not the innocent little people adults like to think they are. They're smart. If you don't give them a reason, they are likely to continue the behavior, and only try not to get caught. In the words of Graham Greene, "Innocence is a kind of insanity"1.
Talk to your kids. Be the responsible parents yours never were.
1. Greene, Graham. The Quiet American.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
On a lighter note, Creative Labs, if natural selection applies to corporations, should go out of business. Vista drivers for XP- and earlier-generation sound cards have long been defective, and one rogue programmer in the company wrote drivers that worked, and released them independently. Creative Labs asked him to stop releasing the drivers for fear of the source code being leaked, and so he did.
What Creative Labs should have done, but isn't smart enough to do, is release his drivers as property of Creative and settle the matter. As of yet, they have not, and simply decided to leave the defective drivers as they stand. Some view this as a scheme to force the consumers to buy top-of-the-line sound cards, which isn't fair.
Stop buying Creative products until the EOs learn the hard way, and give them what they deserve.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23928454/ Little Kids Labelled Sexual Harrassers.
WTF? Somewhere in school policy there has been serious confusion in what we do with our kids in the dystopia in which we live. Yes, we have sex on everywhere, and kids get confused (obviously) and maybe mimic behavior on a minor scale, but the solution is not a zero-tolerance policy for 6th graders involving police reports and permanent school records. Somewhere administrators have lost focus and completely missed the point: These 6 year olds have no idea what any of it means.
The solution? Bring both the offended and the offender into the office, and call the parents and tell them to talk to their kids about sex, if the school district doesnt have the brains or the vertebrae to do it themselves. "Oh theyre too young" No they aren't, especially if theyre mimicking adult sexual behavior. Also, a simple "because [we] said so" will not suffice. Kids are not the innocent little people adults like to think they are. They're smart. If you don't give them a reason, they are likely to continue the behavior, and only try not to get caught. In the words of Graham Greene, "Innocence is a kind of insanity"1.
Talk to your kids. Be the responsible parents yours never were.
1. Greene, Graham. The Quiet American.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
On a lighter note, Creative Labs, if natural selection applies to corporations, should go out of business. Vista drivers for XP- and earlier-generation sound cards have long been defective, and one rogue programmer in the company wrote drivers that worked, and released them independently. Creative Labs asked him to stop releasing the drivers for fear of the source code being leaked, and so he did.
What Creative Labs should have done, but isn't smart enough to do, is release his drivers as property of Creative and settle the matter. As of yet, they have not, and simply decided to leave the defective drivers as they stand. Some view this as a scheme to force the consumers to buy top-of-the-line sound cards, which isn't fair.
Stop buying Creative products until the EOs learn the hard way, and give them what they deserve.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Blu-Ray - The Future for Some Movies
I've come to realize - and I think many others have, as well - that the Blu-Ray format isn't necessary for all movies. Yes, DVD manufacturers and movie companies want to phase out normal DVDs, but is that a good thing? Unlike the transition from VHS to DVD, the current format is playable on next-generation players. I've noticed that there are many movies that are not Blu-Ray-necessary, like The Lives of Others, or even Dreamgirls [Who would ever think that I would put 'Dreamgirls' in the same sentence as the excellent Lives of Others!?]. Others is an excellent, gripping film, but there are no fight scenes or massive special-effects sequences. My Blu-Ray collection is currently composed of A Clockwork Orange, The Departed, and Blade Runner. My other, primary concern is what is going to happen to the distribution of independent and foreign films under Blu-Ray? For their sake, though corporations are not generous, I do hope that, even as Blu-Ray gains hegemony in the video market, players will still be backwards-compatable, for I fear some excellent work may well be lost otherwise.
Friday, March 14, 2008
RIAA Backlash
The RIAA has been implementing totalitarian tactics to ensure the survival of its cartel [see links on Digg.com], and both artists and fans have begun to rebel against it. The biggest blow, I think, aside from the illegal spying on users who happen to have digital music on their hard drives, is that the RIAA did not even pay the artists after the lawsuits. What [Trent] Reznor (NIN) did with Ghost was evidence that even the artists themselves recognize that the recording industry machine is harmful to musicianship, and the fans.
All of this comes at a time when American music is worth next to nothing, when skillful musicianship is not at all necessary to make a sellable album (case in point: Britney Spears, boy bands and their aftermath, rap "music" in the 21st century). I know that modern American music isn't worth $15-20, and musicians know that also. The RIAA and the artists who continue to cooperate with them only want money, and will devise their albums to be simple and catchy, like a simple marketing gimmick to get their hands in your pocket.
However, I understand that artists need money, and Reznor, according to a report (also on Digg.com) raked in $1.6 mill the first week - even with the option of getting the album for free. It is highly possible that there will always be music that just needs to be paid for - not legally or consumeristly, but genuinely, as recognition that the material is good and we would like more. Case in point: I paid $20 for Ayreon's The Human Equation, and it remains to this very minute the best $20 I ever spent. I admit that smaller artists need record companies, but no one needs the RIAA. The RIAA, much like every other institution, has exceeded its purpose and exists for only its own sake, at the expense of not only possible fans, but also the artists themselves.
What is completely absurd, and shows how self-righteous and ambitious the RIAA is, is a few minutes of an RIAA conference video with the DHS. In the video, an RIAA 'expert' linked pirated music to drugs and terrorism. I downloaded some music, and I have never tried pot, and I have absolutely no intention of committing any acts of violence whatsoever, least of all politically-motivated violence. What do I think about the 'expert,' really? It's bait. They want the government's aid in their mafia-esque tactics and no other two words can get the government aroused and frothing at the mouth more than 'terrorism' and 'drugs.'
All of this comes at a time when American music is worth next to nothing, when skillful musicianship is not at all necessary to make a sellable album (case in point: Britney Spears, boy bands and their aftermath, rap "music" in the 21st century). I know that modern American music isn't worth $15-20, and musicians know that also. The RIAA and the artists who continue to cooperate with them only want money, and will devise their albums to be simple and catchy, like a simple marketing gimmick to get their hands in your pocket.
However, I understand that artists need money, and Reznor, according to a report (also on Digg.com) raked in $1.6 mill the first week - even with the option of getting the album for free. It is highly possible that there will always be music that just needs to be paid for - not legally or consumeristly, but genuinely, as recognition that the material is good and we would like more. Case in point: I paid $20 for Ayreon's The Human Equation, and it remains to this very minute the best $20 I ever spent. I admit that smaller artists need record companies, but no one needs the RIAA. The RIAA, much like every other institution, has exceeded its purpose and exists for only its own sake, at the expense of not only possible fans, but also the artists themselves.
What is completely absurd, and shows how self-righteous and ambitious the RIAA is, is a few minutes of an RIAA conference video with the DHS. In the video, an RIAA 'expert' linked pirated music to drugs and terrorism. I downloaded some music, and I have never tried pot, and I have absolutely no intention of committing any acts of violence whatsoever, least of all politically-motivated violence. What do I think about the 'expert,' really? It's bait. They want the government's aid in their mafia-esque tactics and no other two words can get the government aroused and frothing at the mouth more than 'terrorism' and 'drugs.'
Monday, March 3, 2008
Haven't Written in a While
Nothing is really happening, politically. Hillary might lose, but thats it. McCain has a better chance of being called back to 'Nam than becoming President, even less than if Huckabee is his VP. Obama is really impressing me. A good friend of mine complains that he doesnt express concrete policies, but I saw the debate a few weeks ago on CNN and he really impressed me. Quite simply, what Obama needs in order to succed as President is a cabinet he can trust enough to give him straight answers to hard questions.
I had a most excellent adventure this weekend. I went to an awesome party and tried some liquor and it was awesome. All I need now is a good nights' sleep. I've been feeling like I'm in Bruges (specific reference to the movie), and the party was a definite train ticket out. ROCK ON!!!
I had a most excellent adventure this weekend. I went to an awesome party and tried some liquor and it was awesome. All I need now is a good nights' sleep. I've been feeling like I'm in Bruges (specific reference to the movie), and the party was a definite train ticket out. ROCK ON!!!
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